Underestimated Too(116)

Slamming my phone to his hand, I glared at him.

“You need to stop.” Drew smirked. “What does this mean? This last message. The eagle has landed? What is that?”

“I don’t know. It’s Alicia. She is probably trying to tell me that Celeste is on her way over and I can come now.”

“Why couldn’t you go before Celeste left?”

“Because I have a ridiculous husband that tells me what I can do. I would have left already if I was allowed,” I smartly replied, forming quotation marks in the air.

“Should I take Nicholas? Marta asked, placing the tray with two cups of coffee on the table. Nicky instantly saw them and went after them. Marta scooped him up and blew raspberries on his belly, causing him to giggle and squirm.

I said no. Drew said yes at the exact same time. “I’m taking him with me,” I assured Drew. Marta didn’t wait for permission. She could feel the tension. Anybody could have felt the tension, it was thick.

“You’re not taking Nicholas. I thought you were going out to lunch. What are you really up to?”

“I am taking Nicholas, we are going to hang around the pool for a while, and then Jackie is going to keep the kids while we go have lunch.”

“No, she’s not. Nicholas can stay right here with me and Marta, and you can leave when I tell you, you can leave.”

“Great, Drew. That’s just great. This is it, isn’t it?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean this is my life. You’re always going to be a controlling idiot, and I just wasted a ton of MY money on Deidra. You’re never going to change, and you know what, Drew? I’m not sure I want to stick around and wait for it not to happen. I’m tired of hoping for an outcome that is so obviously doomed to fail.”

“What does that even mean, Morgan? You’re planning on leaving me? Because I assure you if that is what you’re saying, you’re sadly mistaken. And if you insist on that, you will never see your child again. You got that, Morgan? You will never see Nicholas again. You’re not going anywhere,” Drew vehemently spoke right in my face.

I didn’t even think. It just happened. “Fuck you,” I spit. Literally. I spit right in his eye and then grabbed my own eye when the back of his hand came in contact. I might have deserved that one a little.

“Morgan, I’m sorry,” Drew instantly responded, pulling me to him. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean it. Go to Alicia’s for a while. I’m sorry.”

I wasn’t sure I could go to Alicia’s anymore. Not because of my eye, that didn’t hurt. Something else happened. I’m not sure what it was. I just felt something when Drew hit me, something abnormal. I’m not sure what it was but something just didn’t feel right. I brushed past Drew, grabbed my purse, and tried to keep my eyes focused. The room was a blur and I probably shouldn’t have driven.

Sitting in the car, I looked in the mirror at the puffiness already forming. Shit. Alicia was going to give me her lecture about it, we’d end up arguing, and I would tell her to mind her own business. What the hell was going on? Why was my vision suddenly blurry?

I was okay after a few minutes and drove the short drive over to Alicia’s. Waving at Celeste as we crossed paths, I pulled into the circled drive. I should call Drew. He was probably beside himself. No. No. I wasn’t calling Drew. This was his fault. All I did was tell him I wanted to leave. Well, that spit in his face. Okay, it was a little bit my fault.





Chapter 36





“Hey, I can’t stay. Do you have it?” I asked, looking down at the new tiled floor in the foyer—not because of my new shiner. It was more; I was trying to keep my balance from the blurred room again. I should call Dr. Tharp. Something didn’t feel right.

“What do you mean? I thought we were doing lunch? Where are you going?”

“I’m just not very hungry.”

“Morgan? What the hell? Drew hit you again, didn’t he?” Alicia asked, lifting my chin. Whoa, that was a quick movement. I needed to sit down.

“Don’t, Alicia. Do you have it or not? I’m in a hurry.”

“Hurry for what? What the hell’s going on, Morgan?”

“Nothing. We had a fight. I just want what you have.”

“Are you okay? You look funny?”

“Funny? You mean because I have a blossoming black eye? Give me the damned box or whatever it is. It’s none of your business.”

“Yeah, okay, Morgan. You’re right. It’s none of my business,” Alicia reluctantly agreed, turning away from me. I sat on the bench beside the door. I had to, something wasn’t right.