Real Love 6 (I'm Still In Love With You) Page 5

  Chapter Seven

  It was exactly one hour to the time when the national basketball championship was expected to start outside of Devin’s Cay in a newly constructed stadium. It was a forty-minute drive, but Levi seriously contemplated showing up unannounced to give the boys the surprise of their lives – especially since deep down Levi knew he shouldn’t have abandoned them the way he did. They depended heavily on his coaching skills and had been looking forward to winning the tournament. It was a tough promise for any coach to make good on, but Levi had a unique way of bolstering the boys’ confidence in themselves, which could very well transfer into a huge win for Xavier High.

  In retrospect, Levi recognized his error. He was afraid that if he hadn’t sent in his resignation to Mrs. O’Grady that particular morning – the morning right before he’d proposed to Yasmine, he wouldn’t have the courage to do it any other time, simply because he usually fell prey to second guessing himself. Plus, he had been hoping to distance himself from Sasha once and for all. It was hard working for the same institution, seeing her every day and not being able to do much about the negative way it was affecting his performance.

  Now here he was, almost a month later receiving a video clip of his tryst with Sasha in the boy’s locker room with her claiming that she was being blackmailed by it. Even if there was a hint of truth to what Sasha had told him, Levi had been wary about doing anything about it for the simple fact of wanting to avoid getting bogged down with Sasha all over again. That was until Sasha alleged that Myles Deveron was the one behind the threats. Levi dared not believe that Myles was culpable of such foolishness. Myles was the star athlete on the basketball team – an ‘A’ average student who would not jeopardize his chances to play in the professional league.

  Yet, there was a nagging feeling in Levi’s gut that if he didn’t show up at the national championship this evening, the boys would not only be disappointed in him, but it was possible that that clip would be aired for the world to see – ruining the reputation of the school and those involved. Feeling now a sudden compulsion to act, Levi stood up from the dining table, leaving behind the leftover chicken and rice Yasmine had cooked the night before.

  But before going on about his agenda, he decided to check in on Yasmine, despite being at an impasse about the future of their relationship. She had made him forfeit their plans to tie the knot at the JP that morning. It had certainly cemented her position that they were good enough to be friends, but not good enough to be husband and wife. Regardless of what Yasmine thought, Levi had already made up his mind that Yasmine would be his wife and he would not stop trying until she gave in to his persistence.

  He gave several raps on the door before letting himself in. Yasmine was sitting up against some pillows, playing one those game apps on her phone. He edged the bed with his buttocks, aware that his presence was already causing friction.

  “I thought you would have been asleep by now,” he said.

  “It’s only seven o’clock in the evening,” she quipped. “Why on earth would I be sleeping?”

  “I was only asking…” Levi stared at Yasmine’s pouting lips and smirked. “Well, do you want me to bring you some food before I leave?”

  Yasmine stole a quick glance at Levi. “I already ate.”

  “What did you eat? I was out there the entire time and I didn’t see you venture once into the kitchen.”

  Yasmine didn’t respond. The only thing that could be heard was the ping pong sounds coming from her phone.

  “You do realize we need to talk,” Levi said.

  “We are talking.”

  “Come on, Yasmine, don’t give me the cold shoulder.”

  Yasmine stole another quick glance at Levi and said, “It doesn’t look like you’re going to the Blue Marlin.”

  “I’ve requested to work a later shift, but you’re technically right. I’m not going to work right now.”

  “So where are you going?”

  “I’m going to the national basketball championship. You wanna come?”

  “Nope. Not my cup of tea.” Yasmine ended her game and then rested her phone next to her on the dresser. “I was under the impression that you’d already asked someone to fill in for you. What’s this now? A change of heart?”

  “Well, sorta,” Levi said. “But I’m only going for tonight. I don’t intend to work for Xavier High ever again. I’ve closed that particular chapter in my life.”

  “Do you really mean that?”

  “Of course I do.”

  “I don’t think so, Levi. I believe you’re going to end up working again for that school. And I believe the reason you’re going to the game tonight has everything to do with Sasha and not because you feel guilty over abandoning some sixteen-year-old boys. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have a problem with you going and putting smiles on those boys’ faces, but at least show me the respect of telling me the full truth. I overheard you talking to Sasha on the phone this morning. Is she really being blackmailed or is this some ploy of hers to get you to once again come running at her beck and call?”

  “Now that you’ve gotten that off your chest,” Levi said, “I want to ask you a question…when did you start being envious of Sasha? In the past I could have told you anything about her and the pain she was putting me through, and you would have consoled me rather than accuse me of being deceptive.”

  Yasmine swung her feet to the floor, swiping her phone from the dresser. She gave Levi a long look before she pulled open the guestroom door and walked out. Levi suppressed the urge to follow her for the simple fact that he didn’t have time to find out what was really going on with Yasmine. It was already fifteen minutes past seven and if he wanted to make it to the game in time, he had better leave now. He shook his head as he stood to his feet. With such a whimsical personality, chances were, Yasmine would probably be back to her old self by the time he returned.

  About twenty miles into the commute, Levi called Myles, even though he’d prefer to keep his showing up at the game a surprise. But Levi was really bothered over Sasha’s accusation of Myles and he needed to confirm in his heart that Myles was the smart, respectable young man he knew him to be. Not the scoundrel Sasha was making him out to be.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, buddy,” Levi greeted.

  “Coach Johnson?” Myles was so excited to hear Levi’s voice that he would have jumped through the phone to hug Levi if he could. “Please tell me that you’re on your way down to the stadium. The whole team has been praying you’d change your mind. What’s up with you abandoning us like that, man?”

  Levi’s guilt ballooned at the genuine affection he felt coming from Myles. He never meant to hurt the team, he was simply looking for a way to escape those uncomfortable run-ins with Sasha. He realized now his timing may not have been the best.

  “Before I answer your question,” he told Myles, “tell me how you guys are coping with Mr. Hanson.”

  “Who?” Myles kissed his teeth. “Man, that dude is a joke. He’s eating a baloney sandwich and the game is about to start in 20 minutes. The other three teams are either huddling or doing warm ups on the court. We were told to sit and save our energy. Where’d you find this joker from?”

  Levi chuckled beneath his breath. “I can assure you that Mr. Hanson is no joker. He helped our high school basketball team to win seven national championships, including an unprecedented four in a row. He was named the national coach of the year three times.”

  “Well his accolades certainly don’t fit what we’re seeing,” Myles remarked, releasing an abrupt sigh right after. “Coach Johnson, we need you, man. I don’t care about this dude and what awards he has attached to his name. We’ve been training with you for two years and I think you owe us at least one championship.”

  “I hear you, young blood,” Levi said. “But before I show up and crash my own party, I need to ask you a real serious question. And I need you to be completely honest with me.”

  “Of course, coach.
What’s up?”

  “Are you blackmailing Mrs. Beckford for any reason?” Levi asked point blank.

  “Blackmail?” Myles chuckled, genuinely appearing to be stumped by the question. “Are you for real, man? Where’d you get such a crazy idea?”

  “Just answer the question.”

  “No, man, I’m not blackmailing anyone,” Myles said emphatically. “Why would I do something stupid like that? Shoots…I study too hard to be messing around like that.”

  Levi let out a sigh of relief. “Okay, man, I believe you. I just needed to ask to make sure.”

  “Well, now that you’ve asked your silly question,” Myles jibed, “please confirm that you will be here at the stadium tonight.”

  “I told you I would. In fact, I’m crossing the traffic light on Step Street, which means I should be turning through the gate in about three minutes.”

  Myles gave a big hearty laugh. “Man, I told them dudes you were gonna show up. You just made my night, man.”

  “I’ll see you in a bit, buddy.”

  Levi disconnected with a smile on his face, but his expression gradually turned into a pensive gaze. A small part of Levi had hoped that Myles would admit to blackmailing Sasha. At least he could have talked Myles out of it and stopped the video clip from going viral. However, it was all the more frightening to know that there could be a complete stranger out there with the power to ruin not only his and Sasha’s lives, but also the integrity of the entire school. Levi prayed that his coming tonight to the games would appease whoever this unscrupulous bastard was.

  Without respect love is lost, without caring love is boring, without honesty love is unhappy, without trust love is unstable.

  Kush and Wizdom

  Chapter Eight

  Devin Cay's General Hospital – Sunday Morning – 1:13 a.m.

  “Is there anything else you need me to do before the crew and I take the shuttle back to the hotel? Or would you prefer that we stay?”

  It was the unobtrusive voice of Ms. Hive, Armando’s concert planner, who’d been sitting with Armando in the waiting room the last twenty minutes or so. Another twenty minutes before, Armando was leaving the stage after an electrifying performance in one of his most successful concerts to date. And to think that his pregnant wife had been admitted into the hospital for early labor symptoms. One would imagine that it would have affected Armando’s energy. But his output was no different from the dozens of concerts he’d put on throughout his music career. A lively act that always sent the crowd into a rhythmic frenzy. Be that as it may, Armando’s listless demeanor was quite apparent, and Ms. Hive could tell that Annalise’s condition was finally beginning to take its toll on him.

  “Did you hear what I said?” she prompted. “Let us know what you want and we’ll comply.”

  Armando looked past Ms. Hive and noticed two nurses had rushed back into Annalise’s hospital room – like they’d done fifteen minutes ago. He sprang to his feet and even though he’d been advised to sit in the waiting area, he didn’t think twice about following them. At this point, he was beyond exasperation at how slow the hospital had been in releasing information about his wife. All he knew was that Annalise had been howling off and on for the last six hours and that she was in excruciating pain. Being already three centimeters dilated, Annalise certainly appeared to be experiencing signs of early labor, but the medical staff weren’t saying more than that.

  When Armando entered Annalise’s room, the midwife turned her head away from him, fixing her gaze to the floor. It was a sure sign confirming Armando’s suspicion that all was not well with his wife. She looked haggard, a perfect description of a woman who’d cried her last cry and was fed up with being kept in the dark about her condition. Moving his gaze toward the IVs and the electronic fetal heart monitor to observe the baby’s heart rate, Armando assumed he would have been cradling his baby girl in his arms by now.

  “Where is the doctor?” he demanded.

  “He will be in shortly,” one of the nurses said stiffly. She returned to inject something into one of Annalise’s IVs, her last words a strain, “And he will speak to the both of you.”

  “Why does he need to speak to the both of us? Is there a problem with the baby?”

  “I’m sure the doctor will answer any questions you may have,” the other nurse chimed in. “We are here to check your wife’s blood pressure and her protein level.”

  Annalise turned her frantic eyes on her husband, weakly shooing her hands at the nurses. “Get these nuts out of here before they hurt my baby,” she growled, transitioning smoothly into firing off a few choice words to her husband. “You bastard. Where the hell have you been all evening, leaving me here in all this pain? I’m inclined to think that you don’t love me anymore.”

  Armando drew near his wife, never allowing the acidic inflection of her voice to unnerve him. “You know I had to perform tonight,” he said to her, “so why ask questions to upset yourself more than you already are?”

  “I asked because you don’t tell me the truth anymore.”

  Annalise bit her lip as a flush of heat erupted in her abdomen. The physical pain was nothing like she’d ever experienced in her life, but it could not compare to the feelings of betrayal, squeezing the life out of her heart. How dare Armando stand there and pretend as if he’d done nothing wrong when she’d seen him with her own eyes, making out with Rena Henderson? And the way those two were driven away by their lust, Annalise was sorely convinced that they’d been making out all night. No doubt catching up on old times and all the opportunities they’d missed during those twenty years they hadn’t seen each other. Annalise didn’t believe for one minute that Armando had performed at the concert this evening.

  The feeling reminded Annalise of the time when her gay lover had stabbed her in the back by hiding the fact that she was engaged to a man. And to this day, Annalise hadn’t completely gotten over it. Armando knew that. Yet he followed in Sabrina’s footsteps and had done even worse. What Armando failed to see was that he’d compounded the problem and the emotional turmoil she’d endured from Sabrina’s lies had now resurrected with a vengeance. Someone was about to pay with their life, Annalise thought, as she swatted Armando’s hand away from her stomach.

  “Don’t touch me!” she screamed. “I don’t know where that hand has been.”

  “Annalise, stop it now. You’re acting insane.”

  “If I’m acting insane, it’s because you’re the cause of it! I trusted you with my life, but you have betrayed that trust in a huge way! Say you love me still.”

  Armando stared at his wife, completely baffled.

  “Say it!” she demanded. “You made me fall in love with you and now you wanna back out and leave me stranded? God forbid!”

  It did not dawn on Armando that Annalise was referring to his secret encounter with Rena. But even before he could ask her to explain, the doctor walked into the room and made eye contact with the electronic fetal heart monitor. He noticed that there was no sign of a heartbeat, although it could be attributed to the way the electronic probes were connected. And even though the doctor’s expression was hard to read, Armando could still sense that something was wrong.

  “Should we be worried?” he asked the doctor.

  Instead of answering Armando’s question, the doctor turned to the nurses and said with a sense of urgency, “We have to delivery this baby right away. How much is she dialated?”

  “The last time I checked,” one of the nurses answered, “she was eight centimeters.”

  “How are her contractions?” the doctor asked, even though he’d studied Annalise’s contraction report to draw his own conclusions.

  “Not what we’d expect,” a nurse said.

  “And have you given her a dose of Misoprostol like I instructed?”

  “Yes…some hours ago.”

  It was only then that the doctor turned his attention to Armando and said, “Mr. Beckford, I would like to have a word with you outside in the
hall.”

  Armando gave his wife a look of concern before he fell in behind the doctor’s quick strides.

  “I don’t know of any easier way to put this,” the doctor said.

  That line was the only thing Armando heard clearly. Everything else that the doctor told him was a blur, as his mind had shut down upon hearing the tragic news that Annalise had lost the baby – their baby.

  “I can’t say for certain why a baby might die in the womb,” the doctor attempted to elucidate, “but there are a number of medical explanations, including, but not limited to genetics, how the placenta works, a mother’s health, age, and lifestyle, and of course, infection. When was the last time your wife had an ultrasound done?”

  Armando sniffed away his tears and answered hoarsely, “About a week ago…but the baby was fine. What could have possibly gone wrong between then and now?”

  “At this late stage in the pregnancy it’s called intrauterine death, and even though it’s uncommon, unfortunately, it is not rare. How old is your wife?”

  “Forty-three…”

  “As you may have been advised by your caregiver, as women grow older, the risk of having a baby increases, this includes stillbirth. I am truly sorry for your loss and wish there was more that I could have done.”

  Armando stared at the doctor perceptively. “How long have you known that my wife lost the baby?” he asked.

  The doctor looked away to stall for an answer. “I’m having Mrs. Beckford’s medical records faxed from the hospital in Trinidad. In the meantime, we will have to figure out a way to explain this unfortunate tragedy to your wife. She’s been rather hysterical all evening and I don’t fancy her taking the news well –”

  “Come on, doc, be straight with me. How long have you known?”