The Candy Shop (3 page)

Seeing this, Teresa knew exactly what I was experiencing, so she took the liberty of grabbing a small piece of tissue paper for me and dipped a fraction of it into my drink. Three seconds later, she handed me the partially wet and discolored tissue and said, “Here, just stick this in your nose. It’ll soothe the burning sensation and help drain most of the powder down into your mouth.”

Following her instructions once again, I found that this little technique worked. It also didn’t take long for the drugs to take effect, because at one point I began to feel cheerful and excited. And then all of a sudden, my heart started beating a lot faster than usual, which, of course, scared the hell out of me. So, I looked into Teresa’s face and said, “I’ve got to go.”

“Where are you going?” she wanted to know.

“I don’t know,” I began to tell her as I raced for my office door. “I’ve just got to get out of here and do something because my heart is running a mile a minute.” I grabbed a hold of the doorknob.

“Okay, we can go outside and take a walk. But, wait for me,” Teresa suggested as she struggled to dispose of both the dollar bill and the straw.

So, once that was done, we headed directly outside into the parking lot, only to end up taking a stroll around the school’s track. Luckily for me, I decided to wear my comfortable loafers that. Because if I hadn’t, I would not have lasted a quarter of a mile in my normal four-inch heels. Teresa, on the other hand, chose to take it easy after the second lap and elected to watch me from the bleachers on the sidelines, but I kept it moving because I had an instant burst of energy to burn, and that’s what I did.

We stayed outside for about forty-five minutes. And then, once I realized that my heart rate had begun to slow down, I retired my walking shoes. Soon thereafter, Teresa and I returned to the party and had a few more drinks to mellow us out. The transition went smoothly and I felt like I was on top of the world.

It’s a high that’ll make you feel like you can do anything. The effects of the drug also made me feel carefree and that nothing in the world could upset me right now. So, I loved every minute of it. And loved it to the point that I followed Teresa all the way home to get high some more, which was the start of my demise.

The street lights caught up with me before I had to chance to make it home, which was when I realized that it had to be late. And when I looked down at my wristwatch and noticed that it was eight-thirty, I panicked because I knew that I had missed my in-laws’ dinner engagement. Not to mention, how angry Eric was going to be when we came face to face. I also knew that there was absolutely no way that I could come up with a good enough lie for him to understand why I was absent tonight. So, it was a no-brainer that I was going to get a tongue-lashing the moment I entered our home. And to prevent prolonging the inevitable, I pressed down on the accelerator to give my car more gas and headed home.

Now when I walked into the house, it was unusually quiet. So, I called out Eric and Kimora’s names but got no answer; which was kind of strange, considering it was almost nine o’clock at night. My first reaction prompted me to go through the entire house to look for them, but I chose to check the garage for Eric’s car instead.

When I opened up the hallway door that led to the garage and noticed that his car wasn’t there, I let out a sigh of relief. Having him detect that something wasn’t quite right with me wasn’t a conversation I was ready to embrace. Knowing him and his clever mind, it wouldn’t be hard for him to figure out that I was under the influence of drugs. And the only way I would be able to shake it off was by getting some rest. So, before I went up to my room to retire for the night, I picked up the telephone and called him. I could not have him and Kimora barging in on me and destroying my high, so pinpointing his whereabouts was very critical for me at that point. And fortunately enough, he answered his cellular phone on the second ring.

“Hey baby, where are you?” I asked him in a cheerful manner, only to feel out his mood.

“I’m still at my parents’. Why?” he replied, his tone never changing.

“Well, because I’m home and you’re not. So, I wanted to know where you were.”

“The question is, where were you?” he continued, his voice remaining emotionless.

“At work. You know I had to conduct a couple of meetings with a few of my teachers,” I lied, knowing very well I was hanging out with my best friend Teresa at her apartment, snorting more of the heroin and cocaine she mixed together in that dollar bill.

Today was my very first day experimenting with the drug and I must say that it relaxed the hell out of me. On one hand, I felt real cheesy and ashamed. But after all the stress I’d been experiencing on my job, I saw no other resolution but this.

To be perfectly honest, I’d exhausted every resource I had within my grasp and nothing ever seemed to work. So, if anybody had their own opinion about the recent choices I’d made in my life, then they needed to keep it to themselves. Quiet as it is kept, I’d been living out my entire life trying to please other people and I was tired of it. From that point on, I was going to live my life according to the way I saw fit. Screw everybody else and their expectations of me. It was time to do me.

“Yes, I was aware of that. But, it’s Valentine’s Day and you promised me that you were going to meet here at my parents’ house right after you tied everything up at work.”

“I know, and I’m sorry. So, I promise I’ll make it up to you.”

“Don’t bother,” he retorted in a nonchalant manner.

“But, I want to,” I began to whine.

“Hey, listen, I’ve got to go.”

“Okay, but where is Kimora?”

“She’s in the kitchen with Grandma and Grandpa, eating ice cream and cake.”

“Well, what time are you two heading home?”

“Probably within the next hour or so.”

I sighed heavily and said, “All right. Well, I’m going to get ready for bed, then.”

“Suit yourself,” he commented, and then he hung up.

The moment I realized that there was nothing but dead air between my telephone line and his, I pressed down on the flash button and place the receiver back into the base holder, since there was no use in me calling him back. I mean, who would I be kidding? He didn’t want to talk to me. So, I was going to leave well enough alone and head on up to my bedroom. Giving my body the rest that it needed was better suited for me at that moment. And that was exactly what I was going to do.

When I woke up the next morning to an empty bed, I immediately called Eric’s name. But once again I got no answer and was forced to get out of bed and look for him. I looked in Kimora’s bedroom first and noticed that she hadn’t slept in it at all. So, I headed downstairs to the living room area and still they were nowhere in sight. Then something told me to check the garage for Eric’s car, so I did. And of course, it wasn’t there. So, I got back on the telephone and dialed all seven digits of his cellular phone number, but for some odd reason, he didn’t answer. This led me to dial the number to his parents’ house. His mother answered.

“Hello,” she said.

“Good morning, Mrs. Kathy.”

“Good morning to you, too.”

“Is Eric there?” I didn’t hesitate to ask.

“No, honey, he just left to take Kimora to school.”

“How long ago was that? Because I just tried to call him on his mobile.”

“Probably about fifteen minutes ago. He said he was going to head on to work as soon as he dropped her off.”

“Oh, really?” I answered with a chuckle.

“Yep, that’s what he told me before he left.”

“Okay. Well, thank you,” I replied in a mild manner, trying not to let on how upset I was.

But, Mrs. Kathy sensed it anyway and said, “What’s going on with you two? And why didn’t you show up for the dinner last night? Your father-in-law cooked up a storm ’round here yesterday.”

“Mrs. Kathy, I am truly sorry that I didn’t make it. But, I got caught up at work yesterday with a long and intense meeting with all of my teachers. And as far as Eric is concerned, he’s just going through the motions right now because I was unable to make it out to your dinner party last night.”

“Well, since you had to work, then I guess I’ll forgive you,” she insisted and chuckled.

“Oh, thanks, Mrs. Kathy. You’re a sweetheart!”

“And so are you. That’s why you’re my favorite daughter-in-law.”

“Oh, stop it. You’re making me blush.”

“Well, blush on,” Mrs. Kathy continued with laughter.

I laughed a little as well and then I asked her what foods Mr. Charles prepared for last night’s dinner.

“Oh, honey, that man whipped up a beautiful pot roast smothered in brown gravy, onions, carrots, and potatoes. He also baked his famous macaroni and cheese and some corn bread. And he cooked a big pot of collard greens.”

“Hmmm . . . hmmm. All that sure sounds good.”

“It was. But, don’t worry. ’Cause, we’ve got plenty left.”

“Will you make me a plate?”

“I most certainly will.”

“Okay, well, I’ll swing by there this evening.”

“What time?”

“Right after work. So, have my plate ready.”

“And I’ll be waiting.”

“All right. Well, I’ll see you later,” I told her.

“Okay. Now, you be safe.”

“I will,” I assured her.

“Okay. Bye.”

“Bye bye.”

Immediately after I hung up with Mrs. Kathy, I stormed back upstairs to get ready for work. And while I was showering, all I could think about was how immature Eric had become over the last couple of years. Our little issue wasn’t serious enough for him to not want to come home and face me. He didn’t even extend the courtesy of telling me that he was going to spend the night at his parents’ place. What an asshole! Always wanting to have his way. And if he didn’t get it, he’d shut down on me, which made me wonder what he would’ve done if he knew I was out getting high last night. And to be honest, I really didn’t want to think about it. So, I guessed this little secret of mine would be taken straight to my grave.

When I arrived at work, I noticed that Teresa had not made it in as of yet. So, I went on to perform my normal everyday duties. Meeting and greeting the students as they exited the school bus was how I started my day.

And after the school buses left, I was in the hallways, making sure everyone got to their classes on time. So, today when all that was done, I headed back to my office. But halfway there, I was intercepted by my eleventh-grade school counselor, Kimberly Lawson. She’s a full-figured Hispanic woman, who looks to be in her late thirties. She’d been working there at the school for at least seven years. And the children loved her to death. Everyone was always raving about what a good counselor she was, and I must say that I agreed with them one hundred percent. Now, it was very rare that she and I had one-on-one conversations, so I was very curious to know what it was she wanted to talk to me about. And that’s why I invited her to join me in my office.

“Have a seat,” I said the moment we entered into my office.

“Thank you,” she replied.

“You’re welcome. Now, what can I do for you?” I asked her right after I took a seat.

“Well, I want to talk to you about an incident that happened here on school grounds a couple of days ago, involving your secretary, Teresa.”

“What happened?” I asked in an eager manner.

“Well, I feel kind of awkward saying this to you, knowing how close she is to you; but as a woman in my position, I felt the need to tell you that I saw her sitting in her car, day before yesterday, during lunch time, sniffing some kind of narcotics.”

“And where were you?”

“I went out for lunch that particular day. And when I returned, there she was, sitting there with her head down, pushing that straw up her nose as I walked by.”

“Did you say anything to her?”

“No, I didn’t. I was too embarrassed to approach her.”

“Have you told anyone else about this?”

“No one but my husband,” she began to say. “I mean, I had to tell somebody.”

“Well, that was fine. But, do me a favor.”

“Sure. Anything.”

“Let’s keep this between you and me. I mean, I don’t want this conversation to leave this office. Okay?”

“Okay.”

“Well, in the meantime, I will have a serious discussion about this with Teresa, because that type of behavior will not be tolerated in any way, form, or fashion!” I assured her.

Now, before Mrs. Lawson got up to leave, she wanted to know if I would also do her a favor. So, I said of course and asked her what the favor was.

“When you decide to speak with her in regards to this matter, would you be so kind as to not mention who you got this information from?”

“Oh, sure. No, problem,” I told her.

“Well, thank you.”

“No. Thank you.”

She stood up from her chair and said, “Don’t mention it. Now, let me head get back to my office before I miss my nine o’clock conference call.”

“All right. And thanks again for coming to me with this first.”

Mrs. Lawson smiled and said, “You’re welcome.”

Teresa finally made it into work around ten o’clock. And as soon as we made eye contact, she knew from my expression that I wasn’t at all happy about her being tardy. So, she rushed into my office with an explanation in hand.

“Please don’t be mad,” she started off saying, closing my office door behind her, “but the reason I’m late is because I was up all night going through some changes with that nigga Darren.”

“Look, Teresa, I don’t give a damn about the changes you and Darren are going through. You’ve got a job to do. And part of it is to be to work on time. Now, please don’t let me have this conversation with you again!” I replied in a harsh tone.

Surprised by my approach, she said, “Well damn, what’s wrong with you?”

“Well, first of all, I woke up to an empty bed this morning because my husband decided that he wasn’t going to come home last night, because I didn’t make it to his parents’ dinner party. And then when I come to work, I get a visit by one of my staff, who informs me that they witnessed you sniffing dope a couple of days ago in your car, during your lunch break. So, when I heard this, I became furious because you know better. And if this person would’ve taken this to Mr. Baker, your ass would be getting your walking papers right about now. So, you better count your lucky stars and never let that shit happen again. Because next time, you may not be so lucky. You got me?”