53. LUKE
Chapter 53
LUKE
I managed to push my travel plans out for a few more days, but I can’t push it past this weekend. So, I’ll leave on Sunday evening.
When I arrive home from work, Dele isn’t home, which surprises me. She’s usually on the sofa or studying at the kitchen table. I spoke with her when she got home but didn’t get any text from her saying she was leaving. Paula comes out of the laundry room, hauling a basket of our laundry.
“Mr. Blythe, you’re back.” She sounds surprised to see me.
“Where’s my wife?” I demand, causing her to startle.
“Dele was here, but she got a call and said she couldn’t miss the chance. I think the call was from her hairdresser. She left right away.”
“Okay, thanks.” I call Dele, and she sends a custom reply: ‘Call you back.’
I go in to change clothes. Dele calls while I’m changing.
“Hello.”
“Hey, sorry I didn’t text you. Vanessa called and said someone canceled, and she could take me if I made it over in twenty minutes. She was calling everyone—first come, first serve. So, I raced over.”
“Alright, just wanted to know you’re okay. I’ll see you when you get back.”
“It might be a few hours, about four hours.”
“Okay,” I reply, though I don’t like the idea of four fucking hours before she gets home.
“Talk later.” She hangs up, and I toss my phone, drop my weight on the bed, let out a few exhales, then roll off and head back to the kitchen.
Paula helps me warm my food. I’ve just finished eating when the doorbell rings. I’m not expecting anyone. Paula and I look at each other.
“I’ll get it,” I say to her.
I fling the door open to see a white male, about my age and height, with brown hair and a clean-shaven face. He’s well-dressed, holding a bouquet of flowers and a hamper basket of goodies.
“Hi, can I help you?” He’s probably lost, which is rare, but crazy things do happen.
“Hi, my name is Levi Grayson. I’m looking for Dele.” My frown is immediate.
“I’m Dele,” I answer, and his incredulous look is instant, followed by a subtle scoff.
“My mom said Dele is a beautiful black woman with gentle hands. Her words, not mine.” His tone is clear, but I detect a hint of mockery for catching me in an obvious lie.
“I’m Luke, Dele’s my wife. She isn’t home right now. What do you want with her?”
He hands the flowers and hamper basket, which is filled with nuts and chocolates. I’m hesitant to take anything from him.
“Dele saved my mom’s life last week. Mom got on the elevator with Dele, who noticed the distress on my mom. She helped her and stayed with her until the ambulance arrived. It turns out my mom was having a heart attack and happened to get on an elevator with a nurse. I just wanted to thank her, and my mom wanted to know if Dele would like to work with her.”
I take the items from him.
“Hope your mom is better.”
“Yes, thanks to your wife.”
“Dele isn’t home right now. I just spoke with her. It’ll be hours before she gets back.”
“I’m staying the week with mom and will stop by later. I’d just like to thank her in person, if that’s okay.” Did he just indirectly call me out for being protective of my wife?
“You can return in about four hours. I don’t mind. She should be back by then if it’s not too late for you.”
“No, that should be fine. My mom won’t let it go unless I tell her I thanked Dele in person.” I nod. I bet my mom would do the same.
“Thanks, and I’ll see you in a few hours.”
“Good, see you then.” He leaves, and I close the door.
Setting the items on the kitchen island, I turn to Paula, who is standing a few feet away from me. I bet she heard it all.
“Is that Mrs. Grayson’s son?” I nod. “Glad to know she’s okay. The whole building is talking about how Dele helped Mrs. Grayson.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Dele is popular in the building. Everyone is talking about how she helped Mrs. Grayson, who might have died in the elevator had Dele not been there.”
“Dele didn’t tell me.”
“You know, for her it’s an everyday thing since she works in the ER saving lives, and last week was her exam week, so she probably forgot too.” Paula sounds like she’s trying to appease me.
“When did this incident happen?” As Paula tells me the day, I realize it was the day of her exam, and the next day was the incident at the ER that triggered her. I nod to Paula.
“You can have the flowers and the hamper, if you like.”
“It’s for Dele,” she answers in an alarming tone, questioning why I would give away the gift that’s for Dele.
“Fine, take the flowers. I don’t like other men giving my wife flowers.” She smiles and nods. At least she gets it. My wife probably won’t.
I head to my office and shut the door. I need to talk to Bruce. My wife is being herself—helping people—but some in that group might not be innocent; they might just be out to take her. Call me paranoid, but she has barely survived such horrors, and last week I promised to always have her back. The only way I can do that is by putting things in place to keep her safe and protected from wolves in sheep’s clothing.
The Levi guy will be back, and I told him to come back today because it was clear he would return when I’m not home, and I don’t want that.
Bruce answers my call.
“I’m guessing Dele isn’t home,” he snickers.
“That would be correct, and it’s a good thing. I need a favor.”
“Shoot.”
“I need some kind of monitoring device on Dele.”
“Seriously? You want to monitor her every move? Where is this coming from?” Disbelief drips from his voice.
“I’m not asking because I think she’s cheating. I know she’s not—that’s not who my Dele is. She’s an all-or-nothing kind of person. I’m asking for a device to protect her. She’s kind, and people will abuse that kindness. A guy just pressed my bell looking for her.”
“What guy?” Now he’s alarmed.
I go into how Dele saved Mrs. Grayson and what Paula told me about the talks in the building, which I’m sure Dele is unaware of. “I just don’t want crazies twisting her kindness for their own selfish needs.”
“Whoa, so she saved this woman?”
“She did, and it’s the talk of the building, and I didn’t know about it. I just don’t want her out in the pouring rain without an umbrella. I need her protected. Her safety is important to me. It’s either a device or I have a guy following her around. You and I know she won’t like that idea.” Though I may win, the fewer issues Dele and I fight about, the better.
“I hear you, but you’re still a tad bit worse than Declan.”
“Declan has guys watching Anne every day, I don’t,” I argue. He laughs at my argument. “Whatever. What do you have?” I say to cut off his laugh.
“I can get you something for her: a watch or a necklace, so it’ll always be on her. Should her phone go missing, we can still have eyes on her.”
“Do both—the necklace and the watch.”
“How soon do you need it?”
“Like yesterday.” He chuckles.
“Two days is the best I can do.”
“Fine, two days it is.”
We talk for a few more minutes, and I hang up. After he called me obsessed with my wife—which I’m not, just very protective of her.
I return to the living room, turn the TV on to watch a game, but not really watching. I keep checking the time. I check Dele’s GPS; her car is still parked at the same location—the stylist’s shop. I must have slept off, because I woke up to Dele kissing me.
“Hi,” she says when we break from the kiss, her makeup flawless and the cornrows showing off her face.
“Hi, beautiful,” I reply, just looking at her, smiling. She turns her face for me to see her hair. I’m just mesmerized looking at her. The doorbell rings.
“Are we expecting someone?” she asks. Before I can answer, she’s already on her way to the door, swinging it open, and there stands the Levi guy. My mind wakes up fast.
“Hi, can I help you?” Dele asks, and the guy is just gazing at her. I clear my throat.
“My mom mentioned you were beautiful. I think she understated how beautiful.” He flashes a salacious grin at her, not realizing that it makes Dele uncomfortable.
“Do I know you?” Dele asks. She’s already taking a step back, and I stand behind her, wrapping my hand around her waist. I feel her body relax.
“I’m Levi Grayson. You saved my mom last week.”
“Oh, hi! How’s Mrs. Grayson? I wanted to check on her, but I’ve been busy with school and work.”
“She’s much better and wanted me to thank you in person.” He puts his hand out to Dele, and she shakes it. He lifts her hand to his lips. “Thank you for saving my mom.”
“You’re welcome. I just happened to be there when she needed help.” He doesn’t let go of her hand, and I’m getting close to knocking his hand off. It is almost as if he can read my mind, or maybe my scowl communicates that. He drops her hand.
“I’m thankful you were there and knew what to do. It made a lot of difference.” She smiles.
“You’re welcome.”
“She would like to see you, so if you have a minute to stop by this week, that would be great.” Motherfucker .
“Dele and I will stop by tomorrow,” I immediately answer, and he nods. If he is disappointed and hoping to have Dele alone, he hides it well. No fucking way are you getting any closer to my wife. I smile at him.
“Great, I’ll tell mom to expect you and your husband tomorrow,” he says. “Have a good night.”
“Goodnight,” Dele answers, and I close the door.
“Oh my god, what a crazy week. I forgot to mention Mrs. Grayson to you,” she says as we head back to the living room. Paula took the flowers. Good.
“No worries. I heard all about my superhero wifey. Levi brought that basket of sweets for you earlier.” She has a sheepish smile. Sweets are her Achilles' heels.
“I just happened to be there when she needed help and knew what to do,” she answers, admiring the basket of sweets.
“Good.” I pull her to me. “So, what’s with the makeup? Any outing plans with my crazy brother?” I’ve come to accept him as her usual partner in crime.
“No outing. Vanessa just used my face to practice her technique. I was her model,” she answers as she unwraps the gift basket.
“Tell Vanessa I’m going to need payment for my wife’s modeling work.”
“Very funny, Luke,” she laughs. I smack her ass. I’m so lucky to be able to do it whenever I want. “This is some good stuff. Mrs. Grayson’s son went all out.” She grins. “A man after my heart,” she says, opening one of the chocolate boxes, and two unwrapped chocolates go into her mouth. The unexpected constriction in my chest alarms me. I know her words are casual, and it’s all about the chocolate display, but the fact that the Levi guy couldn’t stop staring at her annoys and concerns me at the same time. I need Bruce to work faster.