The Ultimate Betrayal (20 page)

T
hough Phillip had insisted on making love to her, Alicia lay there thinking about Levi and how she still hadn't been able to get in touch with him. He hadn't answered any of her calls or responded to any of her text messages. She'd tried him multiple times before going inside the hospital yesterday and four more times when she'd left, and then she'd sneaked and called him again last night once she and Phillip had made up. Of course, Phillip had wanted to make love to her then, too, but apparently that hadn't sufficed because he'd wanted her again as soon as he'd awakened a few minutes ago. Phillip had slept peacefully and contently, but Alicia hadn't slept more than an hour, tops. She'd even tried to pray herself to sleep, and when that hadn't worked she'd lain there watching each passing minute on the digital clock, all while agonizing over Levi.

She'd stewed and fretted, and then she'd finally gotten up and gone into her office. She'd sent Levi a message on Facebook and then waited to see if he would at least read it. But after sitting in front of her computer for more than an hour, he hadn't. This was so unlike him, and she was starting to wonder if something bad had happened. Maybe he was in some kind of danger. She couldn't bear the thought of losing him for good, so she had to find out what was going on.

Alicia lay there, pretending to enjoy her husband and trying to figure out what she would tell him later today, when she got in her car and headed toward Levi's house. Originally, she'd been happy about Levi renting a home a full hour from Mitchell—that way there was less chance of someone seeing her—but today she wished he lived here. Especially since Phillip didn't have to go to the church on Mondays, and it would be doubly hard to convince him that she had something important to do all afternoon.

Phillip rolled to the side of her, and Alicia barely noticed him.

He took a deep, long breath. “Baby, what's wrong?”

“Nothing, why?”

“You seemed like you were somewhere else. And like you didn't enjoy it.”

“No, I'm fine. Just a little tired. I didn't sleep well.”

“Why?”

“Insomnia, I guess.”

“Are you sure? Because if there's something bothering you, you need to tell me.”

“I'm good. Couldn't be better,” she said, amazed at how quickly her lies came out.

Phillip turned toward her, smiling. “So do you love me?”

Alicia looked at him. “You know I do.”

“I'm glad, because I was really starting to wonder whether you did or not.”

“Why?”

“Because of this past weekend. You seemed like you were in a totally different world and like I didn't matter to you.”

“That's not true, and I'm sorry you felt that way.”

“I just want us to move on and get past this.”

“We will. I'm done with the shopping thing. You may not believe me, but I am.”

“I hope so, because you know what it did to our marriage the first time.”

“I'm a different person than I was then. I slipped a little on Friday and Saturday, and I'm sorry. But I really am okay now.”

“Are you happy?”

“About what?”

“Are you happy with me? Glad we got married again?”

“Why are you asking me that? Of course I'm happy,” she said, wishing she didn't have to keep lying.

“I guess because you hadn't done anything like this in years.”

“I told you, I slipped up. But I'm not planning to go to another mall for a very long time.”

Phillip leaned over and kissed her. Alicia kissed him back and hoped he wasn't trying to make love to her again. Her heart just wasn't in it, and she wouldn't be able to bear it.

When their home phone rang, they both glanced toward Phillip's nightstand. It was only minutes after seven a.m.

“Who could that be?” Alicia said.

Phillip reached his arm toward the phone. “I believe it's Melanie. Looks like her cell number, anyway.”

Alicia sat up. “Oh my God. I hope it's not about Brad.”

Phillip answered the call. “Hey, Melanie, is everything okay?…No, she's right here.”

Alicia took the phone and heard Melanie sniffling.

“Mel, what is it? What's going on?”

“Can you come over?”

“To the hospital? Of course.”

“No, my house.”

“Oh, is Brad okay?”

“He can die for all I care, and I hope that tramp of his rots in prison.”

Alicia swung her legs over the side of the bed. “What tramp? What happened?”

“I can't do this on the phone.”

“I'll be right there,” Alicia said, ending the call and getting up.

“What's going on?” Phillip asked.

“I don't know, but it isn't good. Sounds like Brad's involved with some woman.”

Phillip frowned. “You must've heard her wrong.”

“No, she was pretty clear on what she said.”

“Brad wouldn't do that to Melanie.”

Alicia went into the bathroom and turned on the shower. Could it really be true? Was Brad having an affair? Like Phillip, Alicia didn't want to believe he'd do something like that, but who was she to doubt anything when she was having an affair herself? How could she judge Brad, or anyone, when at this very moment, she was plotting out a way to get to Levi?

A
s soon as Alicia walked in, Melanie fell into her arms, crying silent tears. Alicia stood there holding her, tearing up herself and not knowing what to say. After a few seconds, Melanie released her. Alicia shut the door and they walked down the long hallway into the kitchen. Melanie wiped her face with her hands and sat down at the island.

Alicia took a seat across from her. “Mel, what happened?”

Melanie sniffled, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. “That baby that was killed was Brad's.”

Alicia grabbed her chest. “What?”

“You heard me,” she nearly whispered. “That little girl was his child.”

“Who told you that?”

“The story aired on the news, and Brad was practically hysterical.”

“Oh my goodness. And he actually said she was his daughter?”

“Not to me specifically, but he said it out loud. He was devastated the same as any parent would be.”

“Mel, I am so, so sorry.”

“Talk about being stupid and naïve. Because not once would I have expected Brad to do something like this. I knew he'd been working long hours for the last couple of years, but an affair?
And
a baby? Just a few months ago he wanted me to stop taking my birth control pills so we could have our own child.”

“Did that woman hit him on purpose? I mean, did he explain anything?”

“No, but I left before he could.”

Alicia leaned back in her chair. “Gosh, Mel, I'm speechless.”

Melanie shed more tears and shook her head. “He really had me fooled. Even with all the hours he worked, I still thought he loved me. And to think I was more worried about the money he was losing, when all along, he was out sleeping with some trick.”

The phone rang, and Melanie walked over to the kitchen counter. “It's from the hospital, and I know it's him.”

She sat back in her seat, ignoring the call.

“Maybe you should talk to him.”

Melanie squinted her eyes. “About what? That tramp and how she killed his baby?”

Alicia wasn't sure what to say. Not when she wasn't any better than Brad. The only difference was that she hadn't gotten pregnant the way Brad's mistress had.

“You know,” Melanie said, “now I'm wondering if Brad was withdrawing all that money for his whore.”

Alicia had already thought of that, but she would never admit that to Melanie. Not while she was hurt and upset.

“Yeah, I'll bet that's exactly what he was doing,” Melanie continued.

Alicia was still at a loss for words but finally said, “Why don't we go get some breakfast. Anything to get you out of the house.”

“I'm not hungry.”

Alicia stared at Melanie and couldn't help noticing dark circles under her eyes again.

“Have you eaten anything?” Alicia asked, hoping her words wouldn't make Melanie any more upset than she already was.

“No.”

“What about a protein shake?” Alicia got up and went over to the refrigerator.

Melanie watched her with obvious disapproval. “Didn't you hear me when I said I wasn't hungry?” Her tone was short, and Alicia knew she'd gone too far.

“I'm sorry. I'm just worried about you, Mel.”

“I'll be fine. Just as soon as I file for my divorce, I'll be good.”

“Maybe when some time passes, you'll feel differently. Once the two of you talk.”

“You're joking, right? Surely you don't expect me to stay married to a man who's sleeping with another woman. And don't get me started on some baby that was born a whole year ago.”

“I'm just saying. With God, anything is possible. Sometimes people can forgive and be okay.”

“Well, not me.”

“You might feel differently in a few days.”

Melanie raised her eyebrows. “Don't take this the wrong way, but I'm not Phillip.”

“Okay, wait a minute,” Alicia said. “I know you're hurting, but you don't need to take this out on me. I came over here to support you.”

“Then stop trying to defend Brad. Stop trying to make it seem like what he did was no big deal. Because it
is
a big deal, and I'm not putting up with it.”

Alicia was getting tired of Melanie throwing her past in her face, and she had one more time to mention it. Best friends just didn't talk to each other this way, no matter what either of them had done.

“Why don't you go upstairs and lie down,” Alicia said. “Then when you get up, we can go get lunch or do whatever you want.”

“Still bringing up food, I see.”

“What are you talking about? I'm just trying to be here for you. And since when did talking about food become off limits?”

“The moment you got together with Brad, talking about me behind my back.”

Alicia wondered who this woman was—the one sitting in front of her—because it certainly wasn't her best friend. “Mel, you really need to stop.”

“Are you saying he didn't ask you to come talk to me? Because I know he did.”

“Only because he was worried about you, and so was I. Why can't you see that?”

“You're supposed to be my best friend. Period. Best friends don't plot and plan against each other.”

“Nobody plotted or planned anything.”

“Of course you did, but it's not like I should've expected anything different. Especially with the way you betrayed Phillip. I've always tried to look past what you did, because you and I were such good friends. But now that you've betrayed me, too, I'm seeing things a lot more clearly. I'm seeing you for who you really are,” Melanie said with bitter eyes.

Alicia got up and pushed her chair against the island so forcefully, she wondered if she'd broken it. “I hope you get some help, Mel, and soon. Because you're sicker than I thought. You're anorexic
and
paranoid.”

“I wish I'd never called you over here,” Melanie fired back.

“Honey, don't flatter yourself. I wish you hadn't, either, and please don't call me again.”

“I won't,” she said as Alicia headed toward the hallway to leave. “Not ever.”

A
licia tossed her shoulder bag over to the passenger seat, quickly sat in her car, and slammed the door. She was beyond livid, but she couldn't stop herself from crying. What was wrong with Melanie? And why was she being so mean to Alicia? It was true that Melanie was dealing with a lot, what with this latest news about Brad's affair and his baby, but Alicia still didn't deserve the way Melanie was treating her. She'd thrown Alicia out of two separate places, and only a few minutes ago she'd glared at Alicia like she hated her. And this was all because Alicia had mentioned
food
too many times? Come to think of it, Melanie had also turned salty when Alicia had suggested that she talk to Brad about what was going on.

Alicia leaned her head back and wiped her face. She'd been trying her best to be patient with Melanie, trying to understand all that she was enduring, but Alicia flat-out wouldn't keep taking this kind of abuse from her. She loved Melanie, and there was no friend she cared about more, but Alicia was tired of getting her feelings hurt.

She looked toward Melanie's house and saw her peeping out the window, obviously checking to see if she was gone. But Alicia ignored her, and instead, she pulled her phone from her bag and called Phillip.

“Hey,” he said. “How's Melanie?”

“She's upstairs lying down,” Alicia lied. “Have you talked to Brad?”

“Yeah, he called me not long ago.”

“What did he say?”

“That he'd tell me everything when I got to the hospital.”

“Mel says she's filing for divorce.”

“Oh no. I really hate to hear that. Maybe she'll feel differently once she settles down.”

“I hope so, but I don't know. She's really upset.”

“I can understand why, but I still don't want to see them break up.”

Alicia looked at her watch. “Neither do I. Anyway, I'm gonna stay here with Mel for as long as she needs me. Is that okay?”

“Absolutely.”

“I'll call you later, though,” she said.

“Sounds good, and please tell Melanie I'm praying for her.”

“I will.”

“Talk to you later, baby. Love you.”

“I love you, too,” she said.

Alicia pulled out her pressed powder compact, touched up her face, and slipped on her sunglasses. She prayed that Phillip wouldn't have a reason to call Melanie directly, because if he did, he'd discover Alicia wasn't there. Phillip rarely called Melanie for much of anything, though, so Alicia wasn't that worried about it.

She picked up her phone again and dialed Levi, but he still didn't answer. She debated leaving a message, but instead, she backed out of Melanie's driveway, left the subdivision, and headed toward I-90. If traffic was good, she'd be at Levi's in an hour.

Alicia pulled into Levi's driveway and shut off her vehicle. He always parked his car in the garage and kept the door down, so she couldn't tell if he was home or not. She hoped he was, because she wasn't sure how much longer she could go without seeing him. She also needed to know he was okay.

She got out of her car, locked it, and strolled up the brick sidewalk that led to the front door. Levi's house was a brick two-story, and since he wasn't buying it, Alicia could only imagine how high his rent must be. This of course, confirmed that he'd stashed away quite a bit of money the way he'd claimed.

When she stepped closer to the front door, she rang the bell. Interestingly enough, Levi opened it immediately.

“Hey, how's it goin',” he said with no particular expression on his face.

Alicia frowned. “How do you think it's going, Levi?”

He moved to the side so she could walk in.

“I've been calling and texting you like crazy!” she shouted.

He shut the door. “I realize that.”

“You
realize
that? Is that all you have to say? What's wrong with you?”

“I needed you to see that I was serious about what I said.”

Alicia leaned against the wall of his entryway and folded her arms. “This from the man who claims he never plays games?”

Levi folded his arms, too. “It wasn't a game. I wanted you to see what it would feel like.”

“What?”

“Not being able to hear my voice, let alone see me. I wanted you to know how it would feel, having no contact at all.”

“Like I said, this from the man who claims he doesn't play games.”

“Not a game. More like a dose of reality.”

“I can't believe you made me drive all the way over here.”

“You came because you wanted to.”

“I came because I had to. For all I knew you were dead.”

“Well, as you can see I'm totally fine.”

“I didn't deserve this.”

“You don't think so?”

“I really don't.”

“Well, I did what I needed to do to get your attention. And there's something else, too.”

Alicia rolled her eyes toward the ceiling.

Levi continued. “You know how I always do what I say I'm gonna do?”

“Yeah, whatever.”

“Well, not this time.”

“I don't understand.”

“I told you that you had thirty days to make a decision, but I need you to decide now. Either you're going to stay married to Phillip or you're not.”

“What's the hurry?”

“I thought about you a lot over the last couple of days, and I know how you operate. You'll ride out the thirty days and then make up some excuse for not being able to choose. And I'm not doing that with you. It may sound harsh, but baby, this is the way it has to be. I'm too caught up with all of this. I can't focus on my business or anything else, and I need to make changes. More than anything, my conscience won't allow me to keep being with you. Not when I know you're married to someone else.”

Alicia hated that he was giving her yet another ultimatum, but as she watched him, she knew he was serious.

Levi wrapped his arm around her neck, towering over her and pulling her close. He gazed into her eyes and caressed the side of her face. “Baby, do you understand what I'm saying? I love you from deep within my soul. I would die for you. But either we do this the right way or not all.”

Alicia didn't say anything, but soon she dropped her purse from her shoulder. She was exhausted. So tired of all the back-and-forth, all the deception, all the ways she'd been hurting Phillip. Right or wrong, she was tired of running from true happiness and the man she was meant to be with. Alicia also thought about her dad and how he'd talked about someone getting hurt, and she didn't want that. Not when she could prevent it.

She and Levi stood there, still staring at each other. But finally, Alicia spoke.

“Okay.”

“Okay what?” he said.

“I'll tell Phillip today. I'll tell him I want a divorce.”