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Ann Marie drew in a sharp, pain-filled breath when she heard the door slam shut.
On a night like tonight, with the day she’d had, she would have sought comfort in the arms of her man. But she didn’t have one.
A lie, or at least the omission of the truth, lost Phil to her. A secret, or maybe it was a lie now, lost her daughter to her as well.
She’d been so good at keeping secrets. Only sharing parts of herself that she wanted the world to see—including her closest friends. Secrets had sustained her, helped her to believe that her reality wasn’t true. Over the years she’d convinced herself that her life was perfect, just the way she wanted it. But there was a hole in her soul that she’d been unable to fill with men, work, fancy clothes, a good job. Nothing could stuff that gaping abyss.
She wanted to love and be loved but she didn’t know how. At times she believed that she was saving all her love for the right time, the right person. When the ice between her and Raquel had finally been broken, she momentarily thought that perhaps the love she’d been seeking had been found.
But love was the great betrayer. She’d loved her mother. She’d loved her husband. She’d begun to allow herself to love her daughter. They all betrayed her. They took her fragile emotions and crushed them, believing that Ann Marie Dennis Bishop didn’t need their love and affection. She was strong and independent.
She picked up a wine glass from the shelf of the étagère and threw it across the room. It smashed against the wall and cascaded into sparkling pieces.
What did they know? What did any of them know?
Barbara woke to the sound of a ringing telephone. She squinted at the digital clock on her bedside. 2:00 a.m. She groaned and fumbled for the phone.
“Hello,” she answered her voice thick with sleep.
“Hey baby.”
She blinked several times and turned on her side, a soft smile forming around her mouth. “Hey babe, yourself. Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, everything is fine. I know it’s late. But I’m just getting in. Listen, I want you to fly out to L.A. I’m going to be here for about a week and I want to show you off to the fellas.”
Barbara pushed herself up into a half-sitting position and leaned on her elbow. “California?”
“Yeah, I’m doing a commercial before I head out to Florida with the rest of the team.”
“Mike…I’d love to but—”
“No buts. When was the last time you took an all expense paid, spur of the moment trip?”
She giggled. “I can’t say that I have.”
“My point exactly. We could have some fun. You get to relax. I get to wine and dine you…and in between…”
She sighed as she imagined being in some fancy hotel with her rich and famous NBA fiancé, being courted around town in style. She’d definitely have some stories to tell the girls when she got back.
The girls. The spa. Her job.
“Mike, the spa just opened. We have our hands full. I mean today alone I must have done two dozen massages. We’re already looking to hire staff.”
He didn’t respond.
“Mike?”
“Yeah, well, important things first.”
“Don’t be like that.”
“Like what? Aggravated that you’d rather run your hands all over some other man rather than your own?”
She flinched away from the sharp edge of his tongue. “Michael! You know better than that. It’s my job.”
He muttered something she didn’t quite catch.
“Do I tell you not to attend the after parties or sign autographs for the sweet young things that are all over you after a game?” She was wide awake now.
“That’s different.”
“Really?” Her sarcastic tone was lost on him.
“Look, forget it. It was a stupid idea. I just thought it would be fun for both of us.”
Barbara squeezed her eyes shut against the sound of hurt and disappointment in his voice.
“I’ll see if I can get rid of the airline tickets. Maybe one of my teammates can use them.”
Tickets? He’d already bought her tickets? Guilt climbed on top of her chest and sat there tapping its foot.
She’d have to find a way to make it up to him.
“Mike…as soon as things settle down on this end and I can hire someone to take over for me at the spa…and I can give my job enough notice…I’d be happy to go anywhere in the world with you,” she said in her most cajoling, please-understand tone.
He breathed heavily into the phone. “When we’re married, you’re not going to have to worry about any of this stuff.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean worrying about a job and obligations to other people. You’ll have me and enough money to do what you want, when you want.”
Concern nudged her. She jerked from it, frowned then swatted it away but it settled on the bed next to her and made itself comfortable, right next to her good sense.
She didn’t like the feeling and it wasn’t the first time it had reared its head when it came to Michael.
“Sounds like something we should really talk about when you’re here in New York.” She yawned, hoping the hint would get him off the phone. She wanted the call to end before something was said that couldn’t be taken back.
“Yeah, you’re right, baby. I shouldn’t have put all this on you in the middle of the night. That was real selfish of me.” His voice lowered to the deep timber that always left her weak. “I guess I’m missing you too much.”
That tight spot in the center of her chest softened.
“You accept my apology?”
“Mike you have nothing to apologize for. It was a sweet offer. Really. And if it was any other time, I would go in a heartbeat.”
He chuckled. “I know. Look, you get your beautiful self some rest. I’ll try to call you tomorrow.”
“When will you be back?”
“Not for a couple weeks. But if I can get away even for a weekend or overnight, I’ll be there.”
A hot flush filled her up. “I can’t wait,” she whispered.
“I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
“Night.”
“Good night.” Slowly she hung up the phone and tried to settle back down to sleep but doubt had joined concern and good sense in her bed and she barely had room to move.
There were things that troubled her about her relationship with Michael; little things that flared up unexpectedly, the little flashes of jealousy, the silences.
She flipped onto her side, couldn’t get comfortable, kicked her unwanted guests onto the floor then lay spread-eagle in the bed.
It was late. She was awakened from a well-earned rest. She was making more out of things than necessary, worrying about nothing.
She stuck her left hand out in front of her. Even in the darkness of her bedroom the diamond sparkled, reminding her of her commitment to a man almost young enough to be her son.
She drew in a breath. It would work out. She deserved some happiness. It had been a long drought since she’d lost her husband Marvin and Michael made her feel alive again, reminded her that she was still a vibrant, sexy woman.
She turned back onto her side. Now that she had some room in the bed, she planned to get to sleep. But doubt, good sense and concern crept back beneath the sheets and spent the rest of the night.
Ann Marie spent a sleepless night as well. She’d told the girls the day before that she’d be unable to work at the spa as she had a long day at the real estate office, several meetings and a closing.
When she arrived at the office, thankfully, she was the only one there. She turned on the coffee pot and stood in front of it like a sentinel, waiting for it to perk. Funny, she thought absently, the coffeepot was a reflection of her life—sitting on a hot plate waiting to perk.
“Morning Ann Marie,” Carol the new office assistant sang out.
Ann Marie turned away from staring at the pot. “Morning.”
“You look a little tired. Long night?” She giggled in a way that would annoy the average person.
Inwardly Ann Marie rolled her eyes. “Something like that.” She hadn’t told anyone in the office about her new business venture, mainly because it was none of their business. And the less the staff knew about her private life the better. It was bad enough that Terrance had sent the flowers to her office, which caused all kinds of buzz and speculation.
“Out with the guy who sent the flowers?” she hedged.
Ann Marie snapped her head in Carol’s direction. “I have two clients coming in, one at eleven and the other at one. Please make sure that their information is ready for me.” She gave Carol the names of her clients, took the pot of coffee and poured herself a cup. She turned to Carol who stood there as if Ann Marie was still planning to tell her more about her private life.
Ann Marie arched a brow, stuck her arm out and dramatically examined her watch.
Carol finally got the hint. Ann Marie rolled her eyes in earnest and went to her cubicle.
The real estate office that she worked for was truly a high-end office, dealing only in luxury condos, commercial properties and brownstones, which had become the crown jewels of the marketplace. They had state of the art equipment, a designer’s lounge area for clients, light refreshments and all of the agents had their own glass cubicles on two levels. The commissions that she raked in from sales put her solidly in the six-figure income bracket each year. If she wanted, she could leave New York at anytime and start a fresh life without a financial worry in the world.
Maybe that’s what she needed to do—start over. Just pick up and leave all this crap behind. Go someplace where no one could find her. Maybe even change her name. There was nothing holding her here. She had no family—now with Raquel gone. She had no man. And…you could always make new friends.
She thought of Barbara, Stephanie and Ellie. They’d been her family, putting up with her bull for years. But even they couldn’t give her what she needed.
Her desk phone rang. Absently she picked it up.
“Ann Marie speaking.”
“Did you get my message from our daughter?”
Her stomach did a slow somersault. “Yes,” she choked out. “What do you want now, Terrance?” She gripped the edge of the desk.
“Nothing more than to hear your voice. Is that so wrong?”
“Very expensive call just to hear someone’s voice.”
“Money is not an issue. Never was. We had other problems—you and I.”
“Oh, so you remember?”
“I was a fool, a young arrogant fool. But I’ve changed, Mari,” he said, using his pet name for her.
Heat rushed to her head at the sound of the endearment. “Old dog as they say.”
“I’m going to prove the saying wrong. You can teach this old dog new tricks.” His voice lassoed around her. “I want you to teach me.”
“It’s over, Terrance.”
“You’re still my wife.” The last two words tightened the rope around her neck, cut off her breathing.
“I’m busy Terrance. No time for your word games.”
“It’s not a game, Mari. I’m coming back for you. Believe that if you believe nothing else. And I will make you remember how good it was between us.”
She slammed down the phone. Her hands were shaking. For several moments she sat there with her hand still locked on the receiver, unable to move. Her gaze rose upward and Carol was standing outside her cubicle staring at her.
Ann Marie drew in a breath, stood and tugged the hem of her waist length jacket then went to her door. She pulled it open.
“Yes!”
“Here are the files you asked for,” she said, inching them toward Ann Marie as if handing off explosives.
Ann Marie swallowed. “Thank you,” she murmured.
“Are you all right, Ms. Dennis?”
Ann Marie looked into Carol’s eyes, and was stunned by what appeared to be real concern etched onto her acne-prone face.
Slowly Ann Marie nodded. “Yes, I’m fine,” she said in a softer voice. “Thanks for asking.” She took the files and turned away.
Ann Marie returned to her desk and eased her way down into her seat without collapsing.
How could she ever explain to anyone what Terrance did to her? Just his voice alone made her weak. Seeing him in her mind’s eye made her hot with a need that had never been fully satisfied since she’d left him.
