He tittered. “So you’re just going to throw me under the fucking bus? Pun intended. Where is the loyalty, love?”
“It’s swimming through my cervix on its way to my uterus. That’s where the loyalty went.” I climbed out of bed in all my naked glory to start the shower.
We were at his house today since it was closer to where we had to meet for the ride. I loved our couple rides. He pulled out The Monarch, his Road King Special, for us to cruise the highway on. I had never been the girl to ride on the back of a bike. That was until Bread came along. He made me feel safe, and I wanted to ride with him. Harleys gave a different kind of ride that was smooth and calm.
Once the shower temperature was perfect, I climbed in. I needed to wash my hair for a quick wash and go. The cold draft from the shower door opening made my body shiver. The arms that wrapped around my body warmed me back up. “Let me wash your hair.”
This man wanted us to be late, late. Every time he washed my hair, I ended up with a dick in my mouth while he washed it. The clicking sound of him opening the shampoo bottle told me that we had time. Even if we didn’t, I would make time for this.
Our couples’ ride took us to Columbia, South Carolina. With South Carolina’s no helmet law, we visited the state often. The fair was in town, so that was our destination. I loved fair food, so I was alright with that. Eloise and Jessica rode behind us in Alexander’s SUV so they could join us at the fair. Ellie was a great driver, and her father was on the verge of buying her a car. He needed a little more convincing, and I didn’t mind being the one to do it.
“You fucking that pork chop up, ain’t you?” Bread asked me as we walked around the fair. “Don’t ask me to rub your belly because youatetoo much, Hes.”
I rolled my eyes as I chewed the bite that I’d just taken. Once I finished, I responded, “No one is going to ask you to rub their stomach. You act like I’ve been eating the entire time that we’ve been here.”
“Ma Hestia, you kinda have,” Eloise said with a giggle. “I predict that you will need your belly rubbed before the night is over.”
Look at this traitor shit here!Ellie called me Ma Hestia for the first time a little over a month ago. You would have thought the Earth shook with how I cried. Alexander thought something was wrong with me. He was so concerned. When I finally gotmyself together and told him what happened, he stared at me blankly for at least a minute before he hugged me.
My hand went over my heart to go with my exaggerated gasp. “Ellie! I thought it was me and you. Now you’re turning on me. Jessica, are you laughing too?”
Jessica controlled her laughter enough to speak. “Dr. Hestia, you told us that it was imperative to always be truthful. No, you haven’t been eating the entire time that we’ve been here, but the mix of what you’ve been eating is questionable.”
They were so judgmental. All I had was cotton candy, a slice of pizza, a sausage, fried Oreo, and this pork chop.That’s not a weird mix!It was the fair. That was what you were expected to do.
I was about to respond, but my phone ringing stopped me. I glanced down at my watch to see who it was. My forehead creased at the sight of Melanie’s name. We exchanged numbers the day she popped up at Alexander’s house. Although we exchanged, I never thought we would have a reason to use the numbers.
“I need to take this call, baby; it’s work,” I lied. I knew that I shouldn’t have, but I wasn’t sure why she was calling. I also wanted to respect her privacy.
I picked up the line in my earbud right before it went to voicemail.“Hey, Melanie. How are you?”
I could hear shifting on the other end, then a short beat of silence.“Um, hey, Hestia. I’m . . . I’m alright. I know this is random that I’m calling you, but I couldn’t think of anyone else to call. You . . . you’re the only doctor that I know.”
My antennas were officially up.“Okay, is there something wrong that you need medical attention for, Melanie? If it is, you need to go to the hospital. I’m hours away.”
“I don’t have any health insurance. I lost my job a couple of weeks ago. Do you mind coming to Atlanta to see me, please?” The pleading in her voice bothered me.
I sighed.“Melanie, I don’t like this. If you need medical attention, I don’t give a damn about insurance.”
I listened to her practically beg me until I couldn’t take it anymore. Whatever it was had to be serious if she wanted me to come. I hoped I didn’t regret this.
I sighed.“I’m going to come. Are you safe, and are you sure you will be okay until I get there?”
“Yes, I’m at a hotel, and my location is off. I’ll be alright. I will text you the address.”She paused for a second before she continued.“Hestia, please don’t tell Alexander or Eloise.”
I nodded like she could see me.“Of course I won’t. I am bringing some support with me to help if I need it. We are in South Carolina right now at the fair, so I will leave now, and I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
We spoke for a few more minutes before we disconnected the line.How the hell am I going to do this?I had to come up with a reason to go to Atlanta that didn’t raise any flags with Alexander.
Hours Later
Atlanta . . .
I told Alexander that I was requested to help on a case at a hospital in Atlanta. I could tell that he was leery. He was evenmore leery when he found out that Hera and Jin’jer would go with me. He didn’t say anything about it, but I knew my man.
“Girl, is that a damn crackhead?” Hera asked. “I thought she said she was at a hotel. This is a motel. The two are not equal, the fuck!”
We were in the parking lot of a motel that left much to be desired. Something told me not to drive my luxury SUV. It had to be God because my shit would for sure be gone when we came back out. “Hera, shut up. Let’s get in here to see what is going on.”
