Hidden Secrets of A Married Man (eBook)

Chapter 4

Hidden Enemy –Phone Encounter

It’s now been six days since I last met Darryl and spoke with him, not knowing if I will ever hear from him again, or find out if he’s still interested in me. It was one evening Sabrina and I just made it home after a long day at work and coming from a PTA group meeting at Sabrina’s school… “Mommy, your phone is ringing!” Sabrina hears my phone, because I normally would leave my keys and phone on kitchen counter where she would begin to do her homework, but what amazes me is that I just put that phone down not knowing if anyone would call me at that time of the evening after 7pm.

“Mommy your phone is still ringing!” Sabrina shouted. “Don’t worry honey, let it go into voice message I’ll get it later, I’m busy right now!” I shouted across the hall from my bedroom to the kitchen… “Trying to take quick shower honey I’ll get it later…!” “Ok Mommy!”

After getting settled for the evening an hour later, after a shower and meal, I finally had the chance to hear my voice messages on my phone while relaxing on the couch watching TV; I noticed two missed calls that came from a number that I didn’t recognize, until I played the message back, the voice sounded familiar but couldn’t put the name to it until I hear… “Cheryl!” “This is Darryl, we’ve met in a club about a week ago, and wanted to call to see how you were doing, and to wish you a good evening and to feel free to…”

Before I was able to hear the rest of the message, I hurried to call him back by dialing his number… “Hello!” “Hi Darryl it’s me Cheryl, how are you doing?” (My heart was beating so fast with excitement I had to catch my composure not letting him know I was excited to hear from him.) “Great Cheryl now that I hear your voice.”

As he was talking, I noticed more his voice, how sexy it was, that sent me chills up my back, I didn’t want to hang up the phone anytime soon. “So How do you like the night life of Houston?” I asked. “Well, it’s quite different from Portland as far as the weather is concerned, but for the people, they are no different from where I came from.” (As he’s talking, my mind goes back to remind me that he’s a truck driver and he gets around especially with the women…) “So, what do you mean by that Darryl?” I asked. “White folks will be white and black folks will be black. Jobs, white folks get the good paying jobs, while blacks get less, crime justice is in more favor of white crime than black crime getting leniency, and because of better pay, whites have better chance of home ownership than blacks. It seems to be the epidemic no matter where you live or what state you reside.”

“Wow Darryl do you really feel that way?” “Don’t you think it’s a little unfair to stereotype? Remember, no matter what color or race you are, we all have choices in life, and for every choice there’s consequences whether it be good or bad.” I said. “Maybe you are right Cheryl. I can be little bias in my thinking, but at the same time I’ve gotten around different cities to see the things similar that I’ve seen elsewhere.” Darryl said. “So, what do you think of Houston now that you’ve been here a minute?” “I don’t know yet, and I don’t want to say something or assume something without further getting more experience of the city before truly speaking how I feel. But so far, it has been positive experience.”

“Well for the most part, we are positive people who try to be kind to our neighbors.” “As a matter of fact, this is the city where Beyoncé was born and raised, the Bush city of former Presidents with that name, and oil we claim.” “This city has given me as a single parent, divorced Jewish/Black woman, an opportunity to make a change by completing medical school and to get a well-paying job as a nurse.” “Although this city has its fair share of crime like anywhere else, it affects all walks of life as well as the blacks, Jews and of all races.”

“So, you are Jewish mixed? I didn’t know that!” Darryl asked. “Yes, I am.” “My mother is full Jewish and my father is black!” “He met her during the Vietnam War as she attended the wounded soldiers as a nurse during that time; fortunately for him, he was wounded and met the love of his life that turned out to be 46 years of marriage to his death, 5 years later after his death, my mother passed away.” “What I’ve learned from my parents is courage and fight, my mother had much courage to do what she did, and my father had much fight to protect what was right to him.”

“So, I’ve been taught to embrace all races.” “Besides, we have a lot of educated black owners and prominent black owned business all around. So, you can’t pass judgement on your experiences alone.” “Ok, ok, I think I got your point!” Darryl said. “Remind me the next time I decide to get into the political or controversial subject, to vote for you, lol.” Darryl said. “Funny Darryl! I see you got jokes…lol”

“Anyway, let’s get down to business why we are even talking.” Seriously I said. “You are an attractive man and I think you know that, so tell me about your past relationships before I want to have you as a friend.” “Oh, ok a friend I see, that’s what’s up Cheryl.” “Ok answer my questions before you decide to use sweet words to try winning me over.” Seriously I said. “Are you married? Divorced? Or what? I mean I know I ask you once before, but I really want to know the truth.”

“Wow!” “21 questions…lol” Darryl said. “Yeah, and it’s about to be 22 if you don’t answer, lol” Cheryl said seductively but serious. “Ok, since you put it that way, (Darryl clears his throat) well, my last serious relationship I had was back in Portland, it lasted for 6 years, and she was my fiancé until… (Darryl paused) “Until what Darryl?” “She was killed by a stray bullet that punctured right into the side of her stomach and back that killed also my unborn child.” “She was pregnant Darryl? “Yes, she was.” “I haven’t gotten completely over it, until last year when I decided to move away from the state and city, in order to have a fresh start from the past.”

“I’m so sorry Darryl!” “I didn’t know, and to come on strong with questions…” “It’s ok, like I said, I’ve managed to heal from it and move on.” “I’m good, at least I can talk about it.” “If you don’t mind me asking one more question Darryl?” “Go ahead and ask.” “How did you find out and how did this stray bullet come about?” “Well, I was working on my car underneath my truck changing the oil, until I heard noises and screeching of tires, so I stopped what I was doing to roll out from beneath my truck to investigate the noise I just heard which was not normal, to find and discovered my fiancé soon to be wife, covered in blood looking at me with her last breath trying to tell me something that I couldn’t figure out at that time until later after she passed, my mind and heart was saying I love you.” “It tore me to pieces and didn’t know how to react at the moment…”

“Are you ok Darryl? I can’t hear you.” “It’s ok, ok to cry I’m here for you.” “Why did she have to leave so soon!” “She was my heart and was pregnant with my first son, I didn’t have the chance to kiss or hold him. (crying)” “I’m so sorry, Darryl, you sound like you would had been a good father to him.” “This is such a sad story…” “It is, but now I know all she ever wanted was for me to be happy…” Cheryl took a deep breath with thoughts of empathy… “Anyway, after the funeral, I lived with regrets and guilt from not being there to protect her. I haven’t dated any other woman since her.”

“What was her name Darryl?” “Laura Stevenson, because my last name is Stevenson. She was my true love. Since then, I stayed single until I knew I was over the hurt of her being gone.” “That’s an amazing story to hear Darryl – I mean, I thought I was the one with problems or problem relationships with fear about getting into another one.” “To be honest Darryl, I haven’t been with any other man since my divorce over 3 years ago, or even talk to another man until…” Cheryl pauses… “Until what Cheryl?” “Until now, I don’t know what it is about you Darryl, but it all seems different from my past relationship.”

“I must say the same about you Cheryl; I mean since I saw you in the club, I couldn’t take my eyes off of you, not that you reminded me of any other woman or even my past fiancée, but it was a vibe or energy that drew me to you out of everything else.” “Oh, really?” “Yes, Cheryl really, I mean it’s like fate has brought us to this point like it was meant to happen.” “I feel it is more than a physical attraction.” “Explain yourself Darryl when you say physical attraction, I mean what was it physically that you liked?” (I want to hear this one.) “Well, it’s obvious you have physical attraction that any man would want. You have a body that draws any blind man to see, then also you have swag, a sexy swag for a conservative type of woman.” “I mean, your long hair and looks was different from the average black woman, now I know that you are Jewish and black, it did stand out different from others!” “Don’t get me wrong, I adore and embrace the women...