As the three women prepared to leave, the driver approached Damita.
“Your husband asked me to make sure that you got home okay.”
“My husband? My husband isn’t even home. He’s in New Jersey. How would he even know I was here tonight?”
“That’s probably a matter for the two of you to discuss. Mrs. Westman, you’ve had a good deal to drink tonight. I’d like to make sure you get home safely, okay?”
“I’ll be fine. I’d rather go home with my friends.”
Wendy had parked her car in a local garage, so she got the car out and drove both Tina and Damita home.
When Damita walked through her front door, Neal was sitting in the living room waiting for her.
CHAPTER TWELVE
“Where have you been?” Neal asked.
“I went back to work today. Wendy, Tina and I went out for a drink.”
“It smells to me like you had a considerable amount more than one drink.”
“It’s been a while since I’ve hung out with the girls. I had more than I initially intended.”
“I sent a car for you, but the driver said that you declined his services.”
“Wendy brought her car and I was having so much fun, I figured we could all enjoy the ride home together.”
“Nice to hear you had fun.”
“Neal, how did you know where I would be?”
“Whenever possible, I try to ensure that Harrison is at our disposal. Also, it’s no secret that my inheritance was rather large. We have to be careful. There are people out there that would have no problem with harming either of us for a quick buck.”
“You never mentioned any of this when we were dating. What do you mean? You’re not talking about kidnapping, are you?”
“Kidnapping, robbery, scams; you’d be surprised the kind of shit that goes on out there. I want to make sure that we both stay as safe as possible. So, the next time Harrison offers you a ride, would you please take it?”
“Okay.”
“Did you have a good time at the strip club?”
Damita laughed.
“Did I say something funny?”
“Until tonight, I always thought of strip clubs as a place with scantily clad women, with tassels on their breasts.”
“I’m curious. Why would any woman go to a place like that?”
“For the same reasons a man goes to a place like that.”
“So, did you get a lap dance?”
“No,” Damita said, laughing again.
“That’s why men go.”
“That is the difference between women and men. Most women go to drink, yell and scream and talk lots of shit. I doubt the male strippers even give lap dances. Some of them approach women and try to sit on their laps or dance with them, but they seem to zero in on the women who don’t look like they’re enjoying themselves. They also try their best to get women to stuff cash in their G-strings.”
“That’s one aspect that is not gender specific.”
Neal smiled and Damita was surprised to find that she smiled back. She wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol she had consumed or the fact that Neal seemed calmer and maybe even a little gentler. She also noticed that he looked a bit haggard.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“I’m fine. I need to get some sleep.”
“Do you need anything?”
“No,” he said.
Damita watched him. He looked like he had aged ten years since they’d gotten married and they were barely married a month.
For the next week, Neal slept a great deal and seemed despondent. He didn’t go to work for the entire week and barely ate anything. Damita was happy that he was not angry and assumed it had something to do with the time he’d spent in rehab. She came home every night and cooked dinner and though things were still tense around the house, she tried her best to be positive.
One night for dinner Damita prepared a roast with plenty of vegetables and roasted potatoes, since she knew it was Neal’s favorite.
“That was really good, Damita.”
“Thanks. I was hoping you’d like it.”
“I’m going to go back to work on Monday. That place must be a mess. I haven’t gone in or checked in for days.”
“That’s how it was when I went back.”
• • •
The next day Damita called Carmella and met her for lunch.
“He’s been different since he got back,” Damita said.
“From what I hear, rehab is no walk in the park. It’s pretty tough.”
“It looks like it was. I swear, when I walked in that front door and saw him sitting there, he looked like he had aged ten years.”
“How have things been going with the two of you?”