Cheryl's Secret (Two Stories Series) (16 page)

“Well, I should tell you, so at least you don’t go back there, or call the police or anything like that.”

“Cheryl, come on.
Tell me.”

“I was just joking.
But I think Akira took it the wrong way. I said ‘If Akiko had her way, she’d have us all skinny dipping and taking turns with each other in the pool tonight’ and then Akira took my suit off
for me.”

Not the whole truth, but good
enough. He seems to be buying it.

“Well, you did kind of open the door for him there, but it’s still not right.
Cheryl,
tell me,
did he do anything else to you besides that?”

“He removed my bikini. But that’s all he did. Believe me.”

“He didn’t try to kiss you, or touch you or anything like that?”

“No, he didn’t.
He just unstrung my bikini, so I ran out to the pool.”

“So, if you ran, then you weren’t
totally sure
he wasn’t going to do anything else.”

“
Yeah, but I don’t think he could’ve done much more. He’d had a lot of wine, and I think he must’ve passed out after I ran from him. Maybe it wasn’t that big a deal after all.”

“Well, he’s Akiko’s problem.”

“Yeah,” Cheryl said, with a weak smile.

“Has he ever done anything to you before?”

I was going to keep this a secret, but you crossed the line tonight Akira. Here goes…

“Akiko’s husband once… touched me between my legs.”

Alarmed, Mark asked “Did you tell Akiko about this?”

“I d
idn’t need to,” she responded. “She was sitting next to him. She just laughed.”

I c
an’t tell him the whole story. He’ll think I’m some sort of slut.

Cheryl insisted on dr
iving the rest of the way home. Her tears had dried, and she appeared to be coming back to normal. Aside from Cheryl cluing Mark in about how Akiko treats men, the rest of the car ride was uneventful.

Cheryl parked, leaving the car running with the lights on. She kissed him goodnight,
and before Mark walked to his apartment, he spoke:

“
Cheryl, I never said this to you, but I’m so sorry I said Tanya’s name when we kissed the first time. And I don’t blame you for saying Richard’s name back.”

“It’s all in the past now, can’t change it. But thanks.
It means a lot to me that you said that. Goodnight now.”

“Goodnight
Cheryl.”

A
s Mark walked away, Cheryl ran out of the car to catch up with him. He stopped, and she stood right in front of him.

“Mark, you know, you could’ve had me tonight.
You saw me naked. I was in distress. We were in a parked car while I wore next-to-nothing. It would’ve been
so easy
for you. But you didn’t take advantage of me. Was it because of Tanya?” Cheryl asked, looking him straight in the eye.

“
Cheryl, you’re a beautiful woman, and a good friend to me. You’ve
helped me.
Tanya or no Tanya, sex with you tonight would’ve been for the wrong reasons. I mean, even
I knew
you were ready for me to bang you. But I couldn’t, not like that.”

Cheryl looked up.
“So, you would’ve slept with me if I
weren’t
in distress?”

“That’s not fair, Cheryl.”

“I’m sorry Mark, that’s not a fair question. You’ve been fucked with enough today, and now I tell you that, well…”

“
Cheryl, we’re good. No worries, O.K.?”

“Yeah, we’re
more
than good.”

Cheryl
then looked down at the sidewalk and said quietly, “I must’ve had you figured wrongly. Have fun with your girlfriend. I hope you’re both happy together.”

“She’s not my girlfriend yet, but thanks.”

Cheryl was still looking at the pavement and said in a slightly louder voice “Good luck then.”

Cheryl got back in her car, and watched Mark walk back into his apartment. Cheryl didn’t move her car for awhile. She put her hands to her face, which fell into the steering wheel, and she started to cry again.

I was too hard on him.
I should’ve waited this Tanya thing out. But I had to interfere. I had to get my sister involved. I fuck her husband.

What am I
becoming?

Mark
was so kind to me once we decided to be just friends. He didn’t try to go any further than I told him to. He didn’t try to sleep with me tonight, even though I so could have let him.

I don’t know anyone that could have re
sisted my sister the way he did, and even after all this, still he’s my friend. Just friends, though.

He’ll never know, he’ll never know…

WAIT A MINUTE
.

He is a
good-looking man, artistic, intelligent and funny. I knew that when I read his profile.

He’s honest.
On our first date, he was upfront with me about having seen Tanya.

He’s clean and neat,
although I did make him that way.

He can handle a woman with finesse. I showed him how to do that too.

He’ll listen to anything I say, and care about how I feel. I learned that when he gave me relationship advice.

He
can resist my sister. No doubt about that.

He’ll comfort me when I’m distressed. I don’t know what
I’d have done without him tonight.

This could be my ideal man,
the one I’ve been waiting for! The only thing left to know is if he can satisfy a woman in bed. Maybe, MAYBE I’ll get the chance someday to find that out too…

Cheryl
lifted her head off the steering wheel. She had a look of resolve on her face. She felt
empowered
as if the events of the day no longer mattered.

Maybe all these things happened so I could see that this man is the one I’ve been looking for.
If he is, then something’s going to happen. Something will bring us together, and it’s going to happen soon, I know it.

Cheryl
backed up the car, and drove back home, serene.

Chapter 7

The following Tuesday Cheryl did her usual morning workout at the gym. After she showered and dressed, she sat at the juice bar, relaxing.

“Hey
Cheryl, how’ve you been?” Tanya’s voice came from behind her.

Cheryl
took a moment to put on her best poker face. She didn’t want to give Tanya any indication that anything was on her mind, especially not that she was in love with the man Tanya was dating.

Cheryl responded
, “I’ve been fine. What’s new?”

Tanya
let out a deep breath as she sat down across from Cheryl. “A mix of good and bad news I’m afraid.”

“Well, what’s the good news,
Tanya?”

“I’ve
been offered a great new job, at a publishing company, in England, no less!”

“Oh my God
Tanya, that’s great! When are you leaving?”

“I’ll leave in a
bout a week, maybe a week and a half from now.”

“I’m so excited for you
! But Tanya, what could be wrong? It sounds
perfect.”

“I’m going to have to break up with my boyfriend.”

Yes.

“No long distance thing?” Cheryl inquired.

“No.
Don’t believe in them. But I think I’ll at least hang onto him until I leave.”

“Really?
Wow, who is this guy?” asked Cheryl.

I won’t be able to
hold my laughter if she says anyone else’s name but Mark’s.

“It’s
Mark, that guy I showed you when we last spoke.”

“But I thought you didn’t want him!”

“Well, at first I didn’t.
But you know what? I ran into Amanda and Cherise at the café, and they told me how the three of you cleaned his apartment. So, I figured maybe the guy was cleaning up his act; no pun intended. By the way, excellent idea getting cleaning contracts out of filthy bachelors, even though it’s a misuse of the website. But don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me.”

No way.
This was a result of MY WORK? Unbelievable! I’m going to have to have a little talk with Amanda, Cherise and their big mouths. First things first, though.

“Look
Tanya, you might want to save both of you some heartbreak and get it over with
now
. After all, do you really want to develop a relationship right before you leave?” asked Cheryl with an air of concern.

“You know something
Cheryl, that’s pretty good advice. Maybe it
would
be easier,” Tanya agreed.

Tanya
had been setting up her laptop while they were talking, and Cheryl pointed to it saying “You should email him now.”

“You’re right.
I should get it over with.”

“It’s like
ripping off a band-aid Tanya. Hey, I should go. Leave you to your email. I’m
so glad
I saw you today.”

“Take care
Cheryl, you’re a good friend.”

“Better than you know.”
Cheryl smiled as she left with a wave goodbye.

Cheryl came home to the sound of the phone ringing. Akiko was on the caller I.D.

She answered it, with a simple “Hi sis, what’s up?”

“Well, I know this is short notice, but…”

Shit
! NOW what are you throwing at me?

“I want to move my stuff out today.
My new place is all ready, and I kind of want to sleep there tonight. If you can’t help me, I’ll understand.”

Cheryl
was stricken with
pure joy.
“Akiko, I’ll clear my schedule this afternoon,
just for you.”

I’ll clear it in the evening, for M
ark!

Akiko arrived to the apartment shortly after, and they both got to work bagging up her clothes, and sorting out what belonged to whom.

Hours passed, and there were bags everywhere.

Ak
iko sat down at the table with bottled water. She noticed Cheryl was still smiling as she’d been all afternoon.

“What are
you
so happy about, sister?” Akiko asked.

“Well, I just found out from
Tanya this morning that she’s breaking up with Mark. She’s already emailed him.”

“Leave it to
Teasy Tanya to break up with a guy in email. But really, that’s good news.”

Right on cue, the phone rang
. Cheryl looked at the caller I.D.

“It’s Mark!
He probably just read the email, and I’m the first one he’s calling!”

Cheryl
went outside to speak on the phone privately, and after a minute, walked back in.

“He’s coming over.
Akiko, can we finish this some other time? I’ll work on it tonight some more. I really want to be alone with Mark.”

“You give me one more chance, sister.”

“Please Akiko. I think Mark really may be someone for
me.
Now that Tanya is out of the picture…”

“I
want my shot!”

“Y
ou’re just going to use him and throw him away. Then I’ll NEVER have a chance. He won’t come within a mile of either of us! Please…” Cheryl begged.

“
That’s my business what I do with him! You promised me a shot! The barbecue doesn’t count. He was dating Tanya!”

“N
ow you think you’ll get an easy fuck because he’s on the rebound. Lovely…” Cheryl said condescendingly.

“M
aybe
we should sit down with Mark and explain our arrangement to him. See how understanding he is about all this, and how pleased he is
then
.”

She’s got me on the ropes. I’m just going to have to have faith
that Mark chooses me.

“
Fine, Akiko, take your shot. You know I have feelings for him. I can give him something you can’t, because you just want to fuck any cute guy you can get your hands on! And you don’t care how anyone else feels!”

Akiko said nothing
, nor did she need to.

Cheryl calmed her voice. “
A promise is a promise. I’ll make an excuse and go to the store. You’ll be alone with him for at least an hour. If he shoves you away again, then no interference! Remember, I can rat you out just as easily.”