My Soul Then Sings Page 6

  Now, for some people, that may be nothing, but not for them. Ever. Something was bothering him. Or, rather, someone if Brian were to be believed.

  Though Ryan denied it, there could be no other explanation for his sudden withdrawal. Withdrawal was a classic sign of cheating. Patricia thought of Karlie. She was a beautiful, miniature replica of her mother, who had been a pop icon in her day. Was Ryan attracted to the daughter as he had been to the mother? She wondered for the umpteenth time. After all, he had slept with Karlie’s mother.

  Patricia sighed. She did not know what to think. In one rapid motion, she flung the blanket off and trudged out of bed. She went into Brian’s bedroom and slid under his sheets not caring when last he had washed his linens. She gazed up at the ceiling.

  Maybe Ryan was experiencing a midlife crisis.

  A part of her found it improbable that he would have feelings for Karlie, but stranger things had happened. Articles in the Huffington Post or NewsOne proved that. But then another part of her felt fear gripping her heart. Why else would her husband react so strongly against Karlie and Brian traveling together?

  She pinched her hip. Maybe she wasn’t thin enough. Then she snorted. She was smaller than when she had had Brian, and Ryan had never complained about her weight. Patricia knew she was obsessing, but she sniffed anyway.

  She really should just ask him, but Ryan might give her an answer she didn’t want to hear. She wasn’t prepared for that.

  Patricia closed her eyes and prayed. Her recent problems had drawn her even closer to God. He was the only one she could talk to about her concern. He was the only one she needed to talk to besides her husband.

  She had accepted Christ a month after Ryan had. They had gotten baptized together and often studied the Word in bed. However, when Ryan became buried with Spababies business, Patricia had taken to reading during work breaks and on her own at work. She tried to memorize her Bible scriptures, but she couldn’t recall the last time they had prayed as a couple.

  Patricia poured her heart out. Pain added to her eloquence. “Lord, I just need your comforting presence to surround me at this moment. I need you to bind my marriage closer than before. Keep us from the plan of the adversary who only wants to steal, kill, and destroy. I pray for my husband, Lord, and ask you to help him face whatever is bothering him and to make the right decision. Amen.”

  She meditated in silence, allowing God’s Spirit to soothe her frayed nerves, and soon she drifted to sleep.

  It seemed as if she had barely closed her eyes when her cell vibrated with a text from the hospital. After reading the message, Patricia dressed with speed. Stuffing her feet into her sneakers, she scribbled Ryan a note and sped out of her driveway. Patricia called Timothy as she navigated her way through the empty streets. It was 5:30 a.m. and most people were still in bed.

  However, death didn’t have a bedtime. It came knocking any hour of the day. She pulled her black Mercedes next to Tim’s gold Camry and swiped her fob through the back entrance. Her sneakers made squishy noises in the quiet hallway until she opened the door to Trauma Room 2.

  All sorts of beeps and noises greeted her. Patricia took in the bustle of the emergency staff. It was obvious they were in over their heads. She stuffed her hair under the cap, scrubbed her hands, and donned a protective mask and her lab coat before heading into the fray.

  “What do we have here?” she asked.

  “Four-year-old craniopagus twins, Anna and Alyssa Velasquez. Anna’s the one on the left. She had the seizure. Lucky for her, Dr. Newhouse was here.”

  More like God was here. She studied the charts before walking over to where the twins lay. Her eyes traveled from their skinny little legs and up their small frames. By the time she reached their faces, Patricia’s heart tripped. Anna was asleep, but Alyssa observed her with curious eyes.

  “Anna’s sick,” she breathed, her huge brown eyes filled with fright.

  “Your sister’s okay,” Patricia said, patting her on the leg.

  When a single tear rolled down Alyssa’s face, Patricia had to turn away. She had never had such an emotional reaction to a potential patient. She cleared her throat and addressed Jaclyn Desmoines, the nurse on duty.

  “Where are the parents?” she asked.

  “They’re in the waiting area. Dr. Newhouse went to speak with them.” Jaclyn lifted Anna’s limp hand. Then she whispered, “Can you separate them?”

  “I’d have to look at their charts and order several scans to see what I’m dealing with. To separate craniopagus twins is usually a four-stage operation. It’s an extreme high-risk case because of the blood flow between the brains.” Patricia was one of the best, but she was not a miracle worker. She would need a strong team to complete the surgery.

  Jaclyn continued, “They’ve traveled a long way—from Venezuela—to see you. Everything was fine until Anna had a seizure.”

  “I want my mommy,” Alyssa yawned.

  Promising the youngster to return with her mother, Patricia walked the short distance to the ER waiting area. Timothy stood talking with a couple she knew must be the Velasquezes.

  With confident steps, she introduced herself.

  “Can you help my babies?” Mrs. Velasquez begged. “Alyssa is stronger, but my Anna is a fighter.”

  From years of experience, she knew better than to make empty promises. First, she would have to use tissue expanders to stretch the skin over their heads. Then after a month or so, she would do a final separation. The survival rate was rare, and neurological damage was a possibility. Knowing all this, Patricia said, “I’ll do the best I can. We’ll have to wait for Anna to become stable before even attempting the surgery.”

  Later that morning, Timothy entered her office with two cups of coffee. “Dr. Oakes—I mean Patricia—I’d like to consult on the Velasquez case.”

  She rubbed her eyes, accepting the steaming cup. She took a sip. “Just the way I like it.”

  “Two sugars, no milk.” Timothy smiled.

  How did he know? Her face must have asked the question.

  “I make it my business to know everything about you,” he said.

  Patricia was not sure how to take that so she opted to go the professional route. “You and I will work closely on this case. We’ll admit the twins and run some tests.”

  “I’ve looked at the x-rays. I understand why the Velasquezes didn’t separate them. One or both could die.”

  “Or neither.” Patricia injected a note of hope. She had not achieved her status as a neurosurgeon without taking risks.

  Timothy acquiesced. “You’re right, of course. So, how many sleepless nights have you been having?”

  Patricia straightened her spine, upset at what she viewed as his invasion into her personal life. “What do you mean by how many sleepless nights I’m having? Where do you get off asking me a question like that?”

  Timothy lifted a hand. “Easy now. I didn’t mean it the way it sounded. Your eyes look puffy, like you haven’t been sleeping well. I’m concerned. That’s all.”

  Hating the compassion in his eyes, she got frosty. “I don’t need your concern. I wouldn’t be chief of neurosurgery if I couldn’t go days without sleep.”

  Timothy wasn’t intimidated by her feisty bravado. He tilted her chin with a finger and said, “Get some rest, Patricia. You need it.”

  Oh, now he wants to call me Patricia. She rolled her eyes but held her tongue. She was too tired to argue with him.

  Tim gathered their coffee cups and deposited them in the trash. Then with a wink, he left the room. When the door closed, Patricia released a huge yawn and bent to touch her toes. She remained in that position until her muscles eased.

  Glancing at her watch, she saw that it was fourteen minutes to ten. She picked up her phone and called Ryan. She needed her husband. She needed to hear his voice.

  He didn’t answer.

  She threw the phone across the room. Calm down, she told herself, but her mind didn’t heed. “I’m los
ing him. I’m losing my husband.” With a heavy heart, Patricia accepted the truth.

  Chapter Eleven

  Karlie snuggled closer into her jacket and knocked on Jamaal’s door. “Jamaal, this has gone on long enough. I don’t care if I have to wait out here until midnight. You’re going to talk to me.”

  A couple of apartment doors opened and people peered out, but Karlie didn’t care. She knocked even harder and called out, “I know you’re in there, and I’m not leaving until you open this door!”

  Karlie knew his roommate, Pharell Smith, was out because she had seen him leave. He had been the one to hold open the door for her as she entered the building.

  She raised her fists to give the door another hearty knock when Jamaal opened it and moved aside to let her in. Karlie swooshed past him, bumping arms on purpose. Not for one moment would she let on how her elbow protested against meeting his firm muscles.

  She refrained from rubbing her arm. “You’re not breaking up with me, Jamaal, because I’m not letting you go. You hear me?”

  The stubborn blockhead only looked at her. If it were not for the blinking of his eyes, she would think he was a statue. Karlie grabbed onto his shirt and shook him. The mule would not budge. She pummeled him with her fists until he snatched her hands in a viselike grip.

  Jamaal’s gentle tone belied the strength he displayed. He loosened his hold on her hands and pulled her against him. “I can’t do this,” he whispered. “I can’t be so close to you and not have you. I love you so much it hurts.”

  “But, Christ’s love is enough to constrain us.” Karlie tilted her head back to look him in the eyes. “I know it’s hard, but we can resist. We’re not the only couple who committed to remain celibate until marriage. I’m telling you that we can get through this.”

  Jamaal groaned. He released her and put some distance between them. “Even now . . . your smell . . . your hair . . . Everything entices me. It’s intoxicating. Being with you is all I think about.” He sniffed the air. “What is that scent you’re wearing?”

  Karlie blushed. “Almond passion.”

  He clenched his fists. “See what I mean. That smell is driving me insane. I want to hold you and show you how I’m feeling, but you say hands off. I want you so much I daydream about you in class.” He snatched her and crushed his lips onto hers.

  Sensations rocked her being as she returned his heated kiss. She was alone with Jamaal. In his bedroom. Not a wise move on her part. He was an uncaged tiger, and she was his chosen prey. She would be mincemeat at his hands. Help me, Lord. Now.

  Jamaal’s hands moved into one of the designated no-no zones.

  Her body flared. Karlie sucked in a breath. What’s happening? Things were getting out of hand. Her flesh weakened.

  Jamaal must have felt her acquiescence because he deepened his onslaught.

  Karlie basked in the sensations riding her body. She felt like putty. Now she wasn’t sure if she wanted to stop. Before she knew it, she was lying on his bed.

  Jamaal broke contact. He opened the nightstand and pulled out a condom.

  Karlie’s haze cleared when she heard the distinct sound of a something being ripped. Suddenly, it all became real. She could not do this.

  “Where did you get protection?” she asked, rising up to rest on her hands.

  “Uh . . .”

  “No, Jamaal, please don’t tell me you . . .” She covered her mouth.

  Cold water washed over and cooled her emotions. Had Jamaal stepped out on her? She knew there was no ring on her finger, but they were in a relationship.

  Jamaal held both her shoulders and made her look at him. “Karlie, I haven’t done anything. Pharrell gave this to me that night I invited you over. You remember, don’t you?”

  Karlie closed her eyes. She nodded but did not know if she believed him. She wasn’t naïve enough to eat the bologna he was feeding her. Karlie recalled his expertise from moments ago. She had never been with anyone, but Jamaal seemed to know what he was doing a little too well.

  She opened her eyes and jumped off the bed. “If you haven’t been with anyone, then how come you seem so . . .” Karlie searched for the appropriate word. She arched her eyebrow with practiced calm. “Knowledgeable?”

  Jamaal stood and met her glare for glare. “Are you accusing me? Don’t you trust me?”

  Karlie pointed at him. “Don’t you turn this around on me. I’m not falling for that, so you’d better change tactics fast.”

  He gulped. “For six years, Karlie you’ve been my world. We’ve been together since we were fifteen. I haven’t been with anyone else. I’m man enough to own up to what I do.”

  Karlie’s heart eased. Her nagging suspicions rested. She reached up to touch Jamaal’s cheek and gestured between them. “Do you really want to end this?”

  “No.”

  “Good.”

  “Are you still going with Brian?”

  “Yes.”

  Just like that, they were back to square one.

  “We’re planning a send-off dinner before we start our adventure,” Karlie said. “Will you come?”

  “Who’s the ‘we’ that’s going to be there?” he asked.

  “My parents, Brian’s parents, and Winona. Oh, and I was thinking about inviting my grandmother, but I’m not sure. She and my father are not the best of friends, as you know. ”

  Jamaal did not commit to coming but seemed intrigued with her guest list. “You’re considering giving Merle an invitation? Are you asking for a brawl between her and Neil? Did you forget how he threw her out of your mother’s funeral?”

  Karlie shook her head. “No, I haven’t forgotten, but Merle has been on my mind. She’s reached out to me before, but I ignored her. I thought it might be a nice gesture.”

  “More like a foolish one.”

  “Are you going to shoot down everything I try to do? I don’t have much family. Like it or not, she’s blood. I know she was horrible to my mother when she was alive, but she’s been apologizing for five years. I have the letters to prove it. I think it’s time to let it go and move on.”

  Jamaal grabbed her jacket. “That woman is pure evil. I think you need to stay away from her.”

  Karlie lifted her chin. She was tired of everyone telling her what to do. She was grown and able to make her own decisions. She pierced him with her gaze. “If I want to take time off from school, I will. If I want to start a relationship with Merle, I will. I’m not helpless. I’m not stupid. I’m more than capable of looking out for myself.”

  “Fair enough,” Jamaal shot back. “But don’t come running to me when all of this backfires in your face.”

  Chapter Twelve

  “I can’t believe I’m doing this!”

  Karlie had almost backed out several times, and it drove Brian crazy. Good thing it was summer break or she might have chickened out. Brian persuaded her to come, telling her they would tackle the semester issue come fall. Karlie and Brian had nixed the idea of a dinner as neither of their parents celebrated their taking time off from school.

  Brian wiped the sweat from his face. He was sweating bullets. Summer had come in with a bang and some serious heat. California was hotter than he thought it would be even if it was mid-June. Just their luck, they were in the middle of a serious heat wave.

  For their first adventure, Brian had booked with Margarita Adventures. They offered five zip-lines in their tour. Though they had purchased the full tour, Karlie had only committed to doing one. Brian had made special arrangements for them to do The Pinot Express where they would travel 1,800 feet at 125 feet in the air. A bus would be waiting to drive them back to the site.

  Dressed in jeans, a white long sleeved shirt, safety gear, and her helmet, Brian noticed Karlie quivering. Her teeth chattered, and he knew it was her fear.

  “Relax, it’s going to be fun.” He turned to the cameramen. “Are you guys ready? Because there will be no retakes or do overs. We’re only doing this once.”

 
Brothers Yentl and Griffin Moffitt gave him toothy grins and thumbs-up signs. Brian couldn’t imagine why someone would name his or her child Yentl or Griffin, but he wasn’t about to debate that now, not when the Moffitt brothers were the fifth film and editing duo they had had to hire so far. His past four hires had quit, feeding him excuses like a better gig, a conflicting engagement, or not enough money.

  He held Karlie’s arm and rapped on the metal on her head. “You ready?”

  “No,” she said, biting her bottom lip. She crooked her head toward the cameramen. “At least these two didn’t quit on us.”

  “I wised up and made them sign a contract,” Brian said. He addressed their guides. “Let’s run through the directions one more time before we go.” They were going to zip-line at the same time. However, Karlie would be the primal focus of Yentl’s camera lens. Then they would be ready to post on YouTube.

  He used his arm to wipe the sweat off his brow before bending over to get his water bottle. Brian took several huge swigs before extending it to Karlie.

  She declined. “Not trying to pee my pants while I’m being taped.”

  Brian laughed. “Okay, let’s get this going.”

  Within minutes, they were zipping through the air. He enjoyed the scenery, but Karlie’s hollering had him distracted. He couldn’t resist laughing as he saw her terror-filled face. She was screaming some notes at the top of her lungs.

  “Lord, help me!” she yelled. “Ahhhh!”

  Music to my ears, Brian thought. But just before they reached the end, Brian heard a slight snap. Was it the wire? His head shot up to look at the line. Nothing was out of place. If it was not the line, then it must be . . .

  Brian looked down and saw that his strap was loose. What the—He squinted. Did the harness give way?

  Don’t panic, Brian warned himself as his suspicions were confirmed. Taking a deep breath of courage, he tightened his grip and shouted over at Karlie, “My harness broke!”

  “What?” she turned her head to look at him with suspicion. “Are you trying to distract me? Because it’s working.”