Turned Out Saga (38 page)

Alexis was home sitting on her couch, relaxing and thinking about the conversation she and Thomas had. She was seriously considering giving this relationship thing a try again. That meant she was going to have to call Shamel who had left her several messages, and tell him they couldn't go out anymore. As for Gavin, well, she enjoyed the time they spent together and she could see them being friends.

She was also on the couch wondering if she should call the police and report that she thought she was being followed. She didn't know what to do because she hadn't seen anyone and she was just going off a hunch. Well, more than a hunch. When she arrived home from Thomas', there was a note attached to her door that said, “How's Thomas?” That shit scared the hell out of her. She tried to call him but the phone went right into voice mail. She didn't leave a message.

Alexis was supposed to be at work but she called out. She just didn't feel up to going and had some things she needed to think about.

She'd left a message with the secretary and with Maya, telling them if they saw Shay to have her call her cell phone and that it was very important.

“Are you sure you want us to give a student your cell number?” they both asked.

She was sure she told them.

Alexis picked up the remote to turn the television on when her cell phone rang. She'd left it on the kitchen table when she made breakfast. She stood up to get it but it stopped ringing. Before she had a chance to sit back down, it started ringing again. This time she made it into the kitchen. Not even bothering to look at the caller ID she answered, “Hello.”

“Hey sexy.” It was Gavin.

“Hey you.”

“I'm coming by the school to drop something off for my sister. Do you mind if I come by your office?”

“I'm not there today. I called out.”

“Really? Well, how about having lunch together?”

Alexis figured she'd say yes, because it would give her an opportunity to tell him about Thomas. “I'd like that. Where do you want to meet?”

“How about I come pick you up?”

She saw no harm in it. Plus, if someone was following her like she thought, they'd see a man coming to her door and maybe, just maybe they'd go away. That thought alone made Alexis go to the window and look out. “That's cool.”

“What time?”

When she looked out, she saw a car drive by slower than usual. She quickly closed the curtains. “The sooner the better.”

Gavin could hear panic in her voice. “Is everything okay?”

“I don't know, Gavin. I think I told you before that I think someone is following me.”

“Yeah, I believe you did tell me that.”

“Well, I think the person is on my street.”

“What! Are you sure?”

“I don't know. I just might be paranoid. It's just that I looked out the window and I could have sworn this car was driving by real slow like.”

“What kind of car was it?”

That was a question she didn't have an answer to. “It was black.”

Gavin waited to hear more but when she didn't say anything he asked, “That's all?”

“I don't know cars Gavin. The only thing I know about cars is how to drive them.”

“I'm on my way over.”

“You don't have to come right now. I'm in the house. I'll be all right.”

Gavin wasn't hearing that shit. He was on his way anyway. “I'll see you shortly.”

When they hung up the phone, Alexis looked out the window again and this time there was no car riding by and everything on the block looked normal. She also tried to call Thomas again but it went to voice mail. “Thomas, it's me, your . . . your. . . .” She wanted to say your woman but the words were stuck in her throat. “It's Alexis, call me.”

She hung up and sat back down on the couch. While waiting she thought back to her childhood and her father, who she still had not called.

She thought about how he would tell her that,
“You determine your path and you teach people how to treat you.”

Back then when he would drop those bits of wisdom, it went in and out. Now that she was older, she realized he knew just what he was talking about.

She was here, in this place, unmarried, with no kids, and doing a job that she used to love, but now tolerated because of the choices she made.

That's right, the choices she made.

She knew it was now time to make new choices and the first one would be to commit to Thomas.

If she was honest with herself, she liked him all along, even when he was screwing a bunch of women. She just didn't take it anywhere because she knew better. She didn't want to set herself up for heartache.

Alexis shook her head because that's just what happened anyway. She ended up getting her heart broken by another man.

Prior to meeting Khalil, Alexis was all into church. She attended every Sunday, went to Bible Study on Wednesdays and even attended prayer service. She was a Bible toting, scripture-quoting woman.
Maybe I need to go back to church. Maybe Thomas will come with me.
Although she tried to act like it was no big deal that she wasn't in the church anymore, she knew it was. Her being a female player wasn't really working for her the way she thought it would. She didn't feel complete. She didn't feel satisfied and she didn't feel she was being true to herself. She knew she was playing a role.

She thought about why she stopped attending church and what caused it. What happened? Khalil happened.

Initially he was going to church with her. Then one Sunday he said he wasn't going and asked her to stay home with him, which she did and then it happened another Sunday. The next thing she knew, she wasn't going at all. There was some guilt on her part but she was in love and she believed or wanted to believe that God understood.

The difference this time would be that she wouldn't go overboard preaching to everyone and trying to save everyone. There was a middle ground in religion and she was going to find it.

There was a knock on the door, she looked out the window and saw that it was Gavin. She opened the door.

“I told you it wasn't necessary to come.”

They gave one another a hug as he stepped in. He went to kiss her on the lips and she turned her head. It didn't go unnoticed but Gavin figured he'll leave it alone for now. “What kind of man would I be if I didn't come running when you said you think someone is following you.”

“I just might be paranoid.”

“I always say if you think it, there's a possibility it might be going on and that applies to almost everything.” He followed her into the living room. “I rode around your block a couple of times. Nothing stood out.”

Alexis felt a little relieved. “No black car?”

Gavin smiled. “There were a lot of black cars but no one was sitting in any of them.”

Alexis sat down and Gavin followed her lead. “Gavin, I want to be honest with you about something.”

Gavin did not like the sound of this, so he sat back and waited to see what she was about to say.

Before she could say a word, her cell phone rang. “Excuse me,” she told him. She'd laid her cell phone on the coffee table after speaking with him. She reached over to answer it, but first she looked at the caller ID. It was the school calling. “Hello?”

“Alexis?” Whoever it was sounded rushed or panicky.

“Hello?”

“Alexis, it's me. Maya. Shay is in the hospital.”

“What did you just say?”

Because of the alarm in her voice, Gavin stood up.

“Shay is in the hospital. They just called here asking for you. Something about her being beat up and they found your card on her.”

“I'm on my way there.” Alexis hung up and stood. “I have to go.”

“What's going on? Where are you going? Is everything all right?” Gavin was throwing questions at her.

“My student, Shay. Maya said she's in the hospital and they found my card on her.”

“That was Maya?”

Alexis started looking around for her purse. “I have to go. Call me later.”

“Let me drive you.”

“I don't know how long I'm going to be there.”

“It doesn't matter. I'm coming with you.”

Alexis didn't feel like putting up a fight. “All right then, come on let's go.”

While they were in the car, Alexis figured she'd let Gavin know where her mind was as far as a relationship was concerned.

“Gavin?”

“Yes. Thanks for being my friend.” She threw the word friend in there hoping he would get the hint.

Of course he didn't because he told her, “Well, I'd like to eventually be more than a friend.”

Alexis turned in the seat to face him. “That's just not possible right now.” She could see from the look on his face that he was hurt.

“For real? You're serious?” Gavin asked her.

“Yes.”

“Damn girl, you're breaking my heart.”

“I'm sorry. It's just that . . . Well, you know I've been dating other people.”

He kind of figured he wasn't the only man in her life.

She continued. “There is one in particular that I'm thinking about seeing on a monogamous basis.”

Gavin was disappointed but it's been his experience that if he stuck around long enough, the woman just might come around. “I understand and like I told you before I'm here for you as a friend.”

Alexis wanted to reach over and hug him but in the car that wasn't possible so she kissed him on the cheek. “Thanks Gavin.” She hoped that they would be friends for a long time because she genuinely liked him.

Finally they pulled up to West Point Hospital. As they were getting out of the car, Alexis said, “You know Gavin, this is probably all my fault. I asked her to change when she was not ready to change.”

Gavin didn't understand how that could be Alexis' fault. “And? How is that your fault?”

“I think she got beat up because she was trying to start a new life.”

They started walking toward the entrance.

“What are you talking about?” Gavin asked, still not getting it.

“My student Shay, the one I told you about that was stripping. She came by the office yesterday and we had a heart to heart. I convinced her to stop living the way she was living and I told her I would help her.”

“And?”

“Maybe she went and told someone and they didn't want her out. Shit, I don't know.”

“Damn, you really think someone would harm her because she wanted a better life?”

“Stranger things have happened.”

“Damn, that's fucked up. Who would do some shit like that?”

“I wish I knew. Hopefully we'll find out.”

Alexis and Gavin went to the front desk to find out what room Shay was in. After being given the information, they got on the elevator and pressed the appropriate button.

Alexis was nervous as hell. She didn't know what she was about to see. She looked over at Gavin. He told her, “I'll be in the hallway if you need me.”

She was so glad she agreed to let him come along.

When they stepped off the elevator, they followed the signs until they found Shay's room. Alexis stepped inside, while Gavin waited by the door.

When Alexis pulled back the curtain she saw that Shay's right arm was held in the air by supports. Her face was so swollen that she could barely see her eyes. There was a bruise on her cheek shaped like a handprint. As Alexis got closer to her, she noticed handprints around her neck.

Alexis rushed to the bed. “Oh my God, baby! Who did this to you? Are you okay?” Alexis chastised herself for asking such a stupid question.

“I'm okay,” Shay responded in a groggy voice. She was obviously drugged. She tugged on her hospital gown to pull it down.

Alexis took her hand.

“I need to know something,” Shay said.

“What baby, what do you need to know?”

“Did you really mean it when you said that I can come live with you? I mean can I still come?”

Alexis couldn't believe that with all the pain Shay was probably enduring, all she cared about was if Alexis would still let her move in.

Alexis grabbed her left hand and looked her in the eyes. “I would like nothing more than for you to come stay with me.”

Shay tried to smile. All she ever wanted was a place to call home and a semblance of a family.

Shay's moment was interrupted by the sound of Gavin's voice. “Alexis, can I come in?”

Alexis looked at Shay for permission. Shay nodded.

“Come in Gavin.”

Shay immediately dropped Alexis's hand. “Gavin, did you say Gavin?”

“Yes.”

Before she could say anything else, Gavin appeared and the look on Shay's face when she saw him caused Alexis to be alarmed. “Shay, what is it? What's wrong?”

It's obvious she recognized him. “You! You! Get out of here. Get out now!”

Gavin was looking at her like she'd lost her mind.