Saving Her: BWWM Interracial Romance (4 page)

“How's it going, Tasha?” He asked, smiling. “I haven't seen you in forever.

I was surprised he didn't mention the woman dressed up in short-shorts and a top that clung to her body like a second layer of skin.

“I'm doing well,” I said. “Thanks. What about you?”

“I'm great.”

“Wonderful. I'm happy for you.”

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

“Oh, just getting some exercise.”

I didn't want to tell him I was in the park to get Oxycontin.

“Well, I'm kinda busy at the moment, but we should hook up sometime. I owe you some thanks. You turned my life around.”

“I see that. It was good seeing you, but I have to go too.”

I waved, turned and walked away. As I made my way to the far side of the park, all I could think about was drugs. The guy I had bought off before wasn't around, but I soon found his replacement. He wanted an extra thirty dollars from me, but I didn't complain. When I had the baggy of pills in my pocket, I rushed to my car. I popped four of them into my mouth before driving back home.

TEN

Over the next few days, I took more and more pills. I couldn't get the picture of Jack, the man I'd saved, with another woman at the park. How could he do that after all I'd done for him? My elbow did not hurt as much, but with all the Oxycodone in my system, even the definition of pain slipped from my mind. All I needed was another dose, a larger one. My tolerance levels had increased.

Meanwhile, my tolerance levels for dealing with my father decreased. He showed up at my house and lectured me about my little trips to buy drugs. Apparently, Edward had been following me. I was in my twenties, but my father still had a lot of control over my life because I had become accustomed to living a luxurious lifestyle.

“This is the last warning I will give you.”

“And what? What are you going to do?

I was so high, I actually laughed.

“You have an opportunity to do something with your life. Ninety nine percent of the rest of the world would kill to be where you are right now.”

“So what.”

“Are you kidding, girl?”

His anger showed itself in his voice.

“Get out. Now,” I said sternly.

I pointed toward the front door. My voice was louder than usual, but I didn't dare yell at him with all my might. He shook his head and frowned, but he left. As soon as he left, I took four more pills. I wanted to be taken away to another world. Half an hour later, I took several more to speed up the process. At some point, I stumbled downstairs before I passed out.

I woke up in a hospital room as they pumped my stomach. The experience was not a good one. With everything I was going through, I wanted one more pill. If I took one more, I might feel better forever. My life was a nightmare, and I wanted out. After they made sure I had no more drugs in my system, my psychiatrist from childhood walked into the hospital room.

“How are you feeling, Tasha?”

“Terrible. How would you feel?”

“I'm not sure. I asked you.”

“I know. And you're going to keep asking me questions until I give you the answers you want to hear.”

I glared at her.

“You could go that route. Or, you could tell me the truth. Why did you take so many pills?”

“I got confused. I wasn't trying to kill myself.”

“Interesting. How does that make you feel?”

“That I got confused or that I don't want to kill myself?”

“The latter.”

“Look, I'm really confused right now. I don't feel like going around in circles with you.”

“I'm here to help,” she said sincerely.

“I know. You haven't been around in years.”

“You're doing so well now.”

“I was doing so well.”

She scribbled something in the notebook on her lap right after I spoke.

“So you think you've been doing something wrong?”

“I know the drugs are wrong. I'm just under a lot of stress, and...”

“I heard you helped a heroin addict.”

“Jack has nothing to do with what happened.”

The lie felt familiar. I wondered how many I had told Mrs. Jenkins over the years.

“I see. He didn't get you started with the pills?”

“No, not at all. I hurt my elbow playing tennis and they prescribed the Oxycontin. At first, I only took a few for the pain, but they made me feel so good.”

I tried to sit up a little in the hospital bed to get more comfortable, but it was an impossible task.

“I bet they did.”

“Look, do we really need to do this right now? I want to go home and sleep.”

“You will be here for at least forty-eight hours for observation. Your father wants you to get help for your addiction.”

“I'm not an addict,” I said.

“You don't think so?”

“No. It's not like I'm out prostituting myself to pay for drugs or shooting up or anything. I just take a few pills now and then to help with the pain.”

“Except you took a few too many tonight. If it wasn't for your staff, you might be dead right now.”

The reality of the situation hit me. I felt alone in the world. No one would come and save me. After Mrs. Jenkins left, I tried to sleep. Even with my eyes closed, all I could see was Jack in the park with the mystery woman. I had helped him and he repaid me by hooking up with some random middle-aged white woman.

“Okay, I'll go to rehab. Just get me out of here, please.”

ELEVEN

Rehab opened my eyes. I knew what happened to people who went through the process, of course, but when I experienced it myself, my whole outlook changed. I finally realized I had been horrible when I offered Jack one of my Oxycontin pills. The image of him in some dark alley shooting up haunted my days and nights. After six weeks, I felt I was ready to return to the real world.

A car and driver were waiting for me when I walked out the front doors once again a free woman. On the drive home, I stared out the window as the world passed by. My mind kept going back to Jack. I felt like I had unfinished business with him. Even if I didn't hook up with Jack, I was a very eligible bachelorette. I had to lower my standards to find someone. At least I wouldn't be alone.

“Where are you going?” I asked the driver.

“Your father asked me to bring you by his house before I take you home.”

“I don't suppose I could pay you to...”

“He told me he would double whatever you offer me, ma'am.”

Edward looked at me in the rear view mirror and smiled.

“In that case, tell him I offered you a grand.”

I turned my head to look out the window again. All the nice houses seemed the same. Something was missing. Was I going to slip back into my old ways? Would I be able to hide them from everyone? The questions pelted my gray matter as Charles delivered me to the only parent I had in the entire world. I wondered sometimes if he blamed me for his wife's death. She had died giving birth to me, and I always felt a little guilty.

As the negative thoughts piled up in my mind, I felt a twinge of pain in my elbow. On top of everything else, the pain returned. I sighed as Charles pulled in and stopped at the gate to the house I'd grown up in. It was about ten times larger than the one I occupied. He had a small staff working. He didn't use over half of the house. I had told him to move many times, but he never listened. We stopped at the end of the driveway, and I jumped out on my own.

“Thanks, Edward. And remember, tell him I offered you two grand.”

I winked and smiled before shutting the door. After getting out, I turned around to face my father. I was not looking forward to the conversation. I was sure I knew how it would go. Before I could collect my thoughts and implement the game plan I'd come up with in rehab, the front door opened and he literally ran out. He seemed to have lost at least ten pounds as he bounded down the walkway toward me.

“You're home. I knew it would be a great day.”

He hugged me for a moment then stepped back and beamed at me.

“You're looking good,” I said.

“Thanks. I found this new personal trainer. You should call him. Or I can set you up an appointment with him. He'll get your heart going. Not that you need to lose weight. You look great.”

The words came out of his mouth rapid fire.

“Settle down. What are you talking about?”

“Don't worry, I'll set it up. Let's go in. I want to talk to you. I can't believe you wouldn't let me visit. Well, I understand in a way.”

I wondered who had inhabited my father's body while I was in rehab. He had changed dramatically. We made small talk in his kitchen as he fixed me a carrot juice smoothie, but I didn't open up about what I had gone through in rehab. I had learned a lot about myself in six weeks. Part of me had wanted to stay a few weeks longer, but I was sure I would be okay on my own.

After I spent an obligatory fifteen minutes with my father, I told him I was tired and I wanted to go home. He said he understood completely and didn’t complain, which was odd. His whole attitude had changed while I was away. I wondered if I'd feel so much better if I lost ten pounds. When I walked outside, Charles was waiting for me by the side of the car. He took me right home.

TWELVE

After the structure and discipline in rehab, I had a little trouble adjusting to my normal life. I wanted to avoid the outside world, but I knew I had to return to my charity work. If I kept myself busy, I would have a better chance of not getting into trouble.

I had told myself that I would take a week before I got back into my old routine, but that was a mistake. On my second day home, while alone in my room, I craved the drugs again. The craving was mental more than physical, but it was no less frightening. At first, I knew I would be okay because I didn't dare head out of the house to go score pills in the park.

Then I remembered that I had a secret stash of powerful Oxycontin. I think they were forty milligrams each. I had hidden them in my walk-in closet a few months earlier. As I laid back in my bed, I felt them calling from across the room. If I took one, I would be okay.
Won’t I?
The answer eluded me. All I knew was that I was moments away from bliss after a month of monotony and routines.

I scooted over and sat on the edge of the bed. The rest of the world faded away. All that existed was me and the pills in my closet. One little pill won’t kill me, I told myself as I stood up. My feet dragged over the carpet as I made my way across the room. Just before I reached my destination, I heard the intercom buzz. I looked over and tried to decide whether I should take the pill first then answer.

The intercom buzzed again. I sighed and walked over to the wall and pressed the button.

“Yes?”

“You have a visitor, Miss,” Edward said.

“I'm not having company today.”

“Your father sent him over to see you.”

“Is it a suitor?”

“No, he's a personal trainer. I think you will want to see him.”

“Okay. I'll be right down.”

As I walked down the stairs to the second floor landing, I heard a commotion.

“You can't go up there...” Edward yelled.

Then Jack rounded the corner. I felt woozy. He rushed forward and took me in his arms. As he stared into my soul, I got lost in his deep blue eyes.

“I don't think your dad recognized me,” he said.

“Oh, I don't know. He's not as daft as he makes out to be sometimes.”

“Daft?”

“Foolish.”

He bent forward and kissed me on the lips. I felt even weaker. Edward came up the stairs breathing heavily.

“I'm okay, Edward,” I said as I waved him away.

I couldn't take my eyes off the man in front of me. We kissed again. I melted into his arms. He picked me up without a second thought. I placed my arm around him as he headed up the stairs, not wincing at my weight in the slightest.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

“You know where we're going. We need to finish this.”

I wanted to retreat behind my wall, but I felt incredible as he effortlessly carried me back into my bedroom. He headed straight to my bed. When he reached it, he set me down. Still bent over me, he kissed me again. My lips parted as I let his tongue meet mine. I reached down and pulled his shirt up and over his head. He got the idea and stood up to take it off on his own.

“What about that other woman?” I asked as he also took off his pants.

“What woman?”

He stopped, and I glanced once again at his underwear. “At the park a few weeks ago.”

“Oh, she's one of my clients.”

“Clients? Did you become a gigolo or something while I was away?”

“No, silly. I'm a personal trainer now. Edward recognized me right away, but he didn't say anything to your father.”

“He seems to be well, but I don't want to talk about him.”