2. Same Day, Same Shit
Same Day, Same Shit
Nadine exhaled another deep breath as she leaned back against the plush leather of her car seat.
She’d been sitting in her Mercedes for nearly forty-five minutes in the driveway of her West Midtown mansion, staring at the door of her six-car garage bay.
The air conditioning in her car was getting stale and despite having it on full blast, her thighs were sticking to the leather seats.
Home.
Her life was exhausting. Relatively fulfilling, mostly angst inducing, but fucking exhausting. And it was an endless cycle that she repeated every damn day.
It used to not be like this… life used to be… I used to be… fun.
Sighing, Nadine hit her garage door opener and pulled her car into her designated area.
She opened the door from the garage to her mudroom, kicking off her heels and putting her Brahmin bag on the hanger.
Rounding the corner toward the playroom, she found her nanny, Glinda, picking up toys from the floor.
Nadine shook her head, looking at the mess strewn about.
EJ was a mini-tornado. Tonight, she was surprised that the amount of toys that Glinda was putting away seemed minimal.
Glinda paused her tidying and gave Nadine her usual warm smile. “Good evening, Mrs. Moody. How was your day?”
“It was ok. Busy as usual. How was EJ? No trouble, I hope.”
“Of course not! My sweet boy was good. School drop off and pick up went fine. He wanted to play a little before bed, so I let him. He’s just a rambunctious boy.
Had to get some energy out. Oh, by the way, there are some handouts from the school on the counter.
Pre-K kids are doing a play next month. I think it’s about Red Riding Hood.
EJ is so excited. He’s going to be The Wolf.
He couldn’t stop talking about it. He hopes you’ll be there. ”
Nadine’s heart twisted in her chest with crushing guilt.
She didn’t even have to look at her calendar to guess that she probably already had a meeting scheduled that day.
She’d missed so much of EJ’s life since returning to work after a two-year long maternity leave.
Although, if she was being honest, she was still working a little here and there, putting out fires, while on leave.
But once her leave was over, Nadine threw herself back into her role at PharmaDigital, trying to prove that she could be a superwoman and have it all.
She wanted to shut down the folks who were whispering that she didn’t need to work there because she had a “rich” husband.
She wanted to stand on her own two feet again as Nadine Davis-Moody, badass CEO, not just Eddie Moody’s wife. She wanted to be taken seriously.
But at what cost?
Nadine blinked back tears before she answered. “I’ll definitely check my schedule and try my best to make it. Maybe Alex will have a break in classes, and she can go. If that doesn’t work out, maybe you can get plenty of video for me and Eddie at the very least.”
Glinda scratched her graying temple. “Well, that’s the thing, Mrs. Moody. I don’t know if I’ll be able to make it.”
“Why?”
Glinda, with a worried look etched across her face, sat on the couch. “I think you need to sit, Mrs. Moody.” She gently pat the space on the sofa next to her.
This had to be bad. Glinda’s tone had never been this way with her. She’d been a wonderful nanny, being in EJ’s life since he was born, like a pseudo-grandmother.
Nadine lowered herself slowly, bracing herself for the worst. “What is it, Glinda?”
Glinda looked down at her clasped hands.
“It’s my sister, Gloria. She had a mild stroke a few weeks ago.
” Tears filled Glinda’s eyes and Nadine reached out for her hands, clasping them tightly.
“You know we’re very close. She lost her husband years ago, so she’s all alone and needs help as she rehabs.
I need to head down to Florida to take care of her.
Until she gets back on her feet. So, this is going to be my last week. For good.”
For good? The words were soul crushing to Nadine. Glinda had been such a constant in her life since having EJ. She’d be entirely lost without her.
“Oh Glinda, I am so sorry. I totally understand. I am here for you. Whatever you need. So if it’s money or anything, let me know.” Nadine meant every word of that. Glinda was part of her family. She hated to be without Glinda, but family came first.
Glinda let out a shaky breath. “Thank you, Mrs. Moody. So much. I am not going to leave you all high and dry. The agency will have my replacement here in about a week. That’ll give Gloria’s son enough time to make sure things are in order before I get there, and he heads back to Manila.
He’s in the Navy. My nephew is sweet but a little scatterbrained so… ”
“It’s fine, Glinda. If you need to go down earlier, trust me, I can manage for a few days. Maybe I’ll take off or something.” Nadine had so much vacation time accumulated it was ridiculous. As CEO, it was virtually unlimited, but she rarely took it because she worked herself like a dog.
“No, Mrs. Moody. Let me take care of it. I sprung this on you last minute. I’ll make sure my replacement has good notes and is prepared for everything. I’m on top of it and the agency will make sure my replacement will be, too.”
“Are you sure?”
Glinda pat Nadine’s hand. “I’m positive. Now, let me finish putting away these toys before I head out for the night. Chef Kim made you and Mr. Moody’s favorite. I can heat it up for you.”
“That’s ok. I’ll try and wait for Eddie to get here so we can eat together.
” Nadine didn’t know why she told that lie.
Eddie, with his new job, was coming home late every night.
He claimed he was looking at scouting videos with the coaching staff, but Nadine wasn’t sure she believed that.
Something felt off. It had been for months, if she was being honest. Yet, trying to get anything out of him was like trying to break into a maximum-security vault.
Damn near impossible. Maybe tonight would be different.
After checking on a sleeping EJ, Nadine found herself eating alone in the dining room and checking her work email on her phone.
Again. She tried not to bring work home, but that seemed damn near impossible.
The negotiations for their partnership with DigiCo, an online superstore, were on the line.
It was a make or break deal that PharmaDigital couldn’t lose.
She placed the last mouthwatering piece of Steak Diane in her mouth.
She tried FaceTiming her oldest daughter, Alex, but once again didn’t get an answer.
Typical. Alex didn’t have time for her these days now that she was in college.
They used to be so close. She wasn’t sure when the rift between them started or when it became a deep chasm, but it hurt, nonetheless.
As she picked up her glass of merlot, Nadine heard the alert for the garage.
She looked at her watch and shook her head. It was almost 10 p.m.
Nadine heard Eddie’s heavy footsteps lumbering toward the dining room. Upon entering, he kissed her on the cheek, smelling like sweat and cologne. The action was robotic at this point. She didn’t even bother to look up.
“Sorry I’m late, babe. I was…”
“Looking at scouting videos,” Nadine interrupted. “I know.”
Eddie sighed, rubbing hand across his low waves. “I’m sorry, Deanie. I know you’re disappointed and so am I. Every day, I say I am going to be home in time to read EJ a bedtime story. And shit just comes up. With signing day coming, I have a lot on the line here.”
Nadine looked up from her cell phone, giving him a weak smile. “I get it. I missed bedtime too. I know this is your first year coaching on the collegiate level. There’s a lot of pressure.”
Eddie pulled his chair closer and pulled Nadine onto his lap, the action lowering her defenses. She instantly melted into his embrace. “You’re under pressure too, baby. I see the hours you’ve been putting in, especially with that deal on the line. I know all of our hard work won’t be in vain.”
“You sure about that? I feel like we’re failing our family. Failing each other. We work so much that we’re missing out on things with EJ all the time. And don’t get me started on Alex. Unless it’s an issue with the credit card, we don’t hear from her.”
“Baby, Alex is fine. Just being a typical college kid. Don’t you follow her Instagram? TikTok? She posts like every day.”
“I think she blocked me.”
“Damn,” Eddie chuckled. “That’s Alexandria for you. Don’t take it personal.”
Nadine ran a hand over her husband’s low beard. “What about us, Ed? I feel like it’s not just the scouting videos and coming in late. That feels like an excuse. I feel like you’re so distant. Be real with me? You're blocking me, too?”
“I…” Eddie’s impossibly long lashes fluttered. He inhaled slowly before answering. “It’s…nothing.”
Nadine furrowed her brows. She could tell he was holding back. “Are you sure? Eddie, whatever it is, you can tell me.”
Nadine watched the Adam’s apple in Eddie’s throat bob a few times before he spoke. “How was therapy, Deanie? You did go today, right?”
Nadine blinked. “It was fine.” He was clearly changing the subject, but she didn’t feel like getting into that with him. She never said more than that. She wasn’t ready to talk about it, not even after years of sessions. Besides, what she said to her therapist was personal.
“That’s it? Just fine? Your answer is always that it’s fine.”
Nadine said nothing. Eventually, he lifted Nadine off his lap and back onto her chair. “Yeah. Imma just head to bed, Deanie. Don’t stay up too late.” Eddie leaned down to kiss Nadine on her temple and walked down their impossibly long hallway, then up the stairs toward their bedroom.
This was how it had been every night, it seemed. Expecting a different result was pointless. What is it that they say about insanity?
Nadine poured another glass of merlot, downing it.
Nadine felt the space next to her in the bed, finding it cold and empty.
Squinting, she looked at the time on her phone.
It was nearing 2 am and Eddie wasn’t in bed.
Nadine was worried and slightly annoyed.
I bet he is watching those damn scouting videos instead of sleeping.
She slid her feet into her slippers and padded down the hallway.
She looked in the upstairs theater room and didn’t find him there.
Maybe EJ had a nightmare? Eddie was always better at soothing EJ after a nightmare.
He had the magic touch. Nadine moved down the hall to EJ’s room, only to find her son hanging halfway off the bed, still clinging to his stuffed Bluey plushy.
After maneuvering EJ back into bed, Nadine went downstairs.
There was a sliver of light coming from Eddie’s office.
If he was still up watching scouting videos, Nadine wouldn’t be surprised.
Nadine peeked through the door, then froze as the light illuminated from the computer made everything clear.
There, with his hands in his boxers, was Eddie jerking his dick frantically.
What the fuck?
Nadine’s eyes tried to make out what was on the screen.
In the dark, her eyes finally focused on the flickering images.
A man was tied to a chair, intricate red ropes tied in knots, as he watched his wife get fucked in the ass.
His dick was weeping, pre-cum pooling on the floor in front of the couple.
Eddie’s face was a mix of agony and pleasure, his eye glued on the scene before him.
“Sit there and watch, nigga. Watch me fuck your wife, bitch!”
Nadine’s eyes widened. What the actual fuck? Her hand flew to her mouth in disbelief. Sure, Eddie jerked off. What man didn’t! She’d been a fool not to know that. But to this kinda shit? As soon as the man fucking the wife came in her ass, Eddie also exploded all over his boxers and into his hand.
Slowly, Nadine tip-toed back upstairs to her bedroom and got back into bed.
She stared up at the ceiling, trying to scrub the image of her husband jacking off to that filth out of her brain.
She tried to calm her nerves, to make her hands stop shaking.
Nadine jerked open her nightstand, found her bottle of Ambient and swallowed one without water.
When she heard Eddie coming back into the room, she covered her head with the duvet and pretended to be asleep. The weight of the bed shifted as Eddie leaned over and kissed her exposed shoulder. Nadine didn’t move. She couldn’t even take an exhalation of breath.
“Sleep tight, babe,” he whispered sweetly. Nadine rolled her eyes. As if he hadn’t been downstairs jerking off to some weird shit.
When she knew he was fast asleep, Nadine grabbed her phone and texted Alisa and Tatum in their group chat. She was sure they were asleep, but they’d see it tomorrow.
Nadine: Emergency lunch tomorrow. I’ll text you details.
Eventually, the sleeping pill kicked in and Nadine fell asleep.