Chapter seven #2
‘Gianna, thanks for letting me know. Have you contacted student services yet? If not, you need to because you’ll be out five days. Thanks for the assignments. BTW, when is your grandmother’s funeral? Have the arrangements been made yet?’
There was only so much I could say in these school emails. That was why I would have preferred to text me, but she hadn’t. I couldn’t tell her how much I missed her or wanted to see her and love on her. I would definitely lose my job if I did that.
She responded back a couple of minutes later…
‘My grandmother will be laid to rest this coming Saturday. Thanks for asking. I’ll be in touch if I decide not to return to school next week.’
What the fuck did she mean by if she decided not to return to school next week? She had better return to school by Monday!
I was glad that I was off on weekends because that meant I could head down to New Orleans on Friday, three long days from now, once I finished teaching my last class.
It was important for me to be there for Gianna.
I went online and through Expedia.com, I arranged to stay at a hotel for the upcoming weekend.
The check-in time was at four in the afternoon and check out time was at noon on Sunday.
Hopefully, I will be able to get some alone time with Gianna while we were in New Orleans.
Out here, in Houston, we couldn’t go out in public because I was her professor, and she was my student.
Not only that, but I was also married, which was something I had never told Gianna.
She was unaware that I had a wife and baby on the way.
Once I had booked my room and made the arrangements to rent a vehicle, the only thing left to do was tell my wife about my trip. I had a brand- new truck that I could drive to New Orleans, but I didn’t want my wife tracking my shit.
“Where are you going?” she asked, surprise written all over her face. “And when did you decide that?”
“Well, I just decided it today after one of my students informed me of her grandmother’s passing.”
“So, you’re going to a funeral?”
“Yes, I’m gonna go pay my respects,” I explained.
“And you have to go out of town to do that?”
“Yes.”
“Since when?” she asked.
“Since the funeral is out of town,” I responded.
“This student must be real special to you,” she remarked smartly.
“All of my students are special to me. This isn’t the first funeral I’ve attended,” I replied.
“This will be the first one you attend out of state Jonas,” she responded as she snaked her neck from side to side. “You ain’t never attended no funeral that far away and for the whole weekend!”
“I know, but I figured I’d get some sightseeing done while I was out there.”
“Oh, so it’s also a pleasure trip.”
“Not exactly.”
“You just said you’re gonna be sightseeing. It sounds like a pleasure trip as well.”
“I’m gonna try to go around the city a little. Doesn’t mean I will,” I remarked.
“Well, if you’re gonna be touring the city, why didn’t you invite me, your wife?” Cheryl questioned as she side eyed me.
“Because you’re pregnant Cheryl!”
“So, since when does pregnancy prevent a woman from traveling?”
“Well, you don’t need to be going out traipsing around in your condition! You should be at home resting.”
“I feel fine, and the exercise will do me some good,” she argued.
“No. You should stay home. Besides, having you with me is only gonna slow me down!” I argued.
“Wow! That’s crazy!” she said sadly. “Where are you going exactly?”
“Why? So, you can track me down and show up?”
“Damn! You really think I would do something like that?” she asked.
“I never know what you’re gonna do.”
“This student… is she a female?”
“What?”
“The student whose grandmother passed. Is she male or female?” she repeated.
“What difference does that make Cheryl?” I asked.
“It makes a lot of difference because you promised after that last affair, you weren’t going to cheat on me again!” she cried.
“You always think I’m cheating on you.”
“Because you always are! For some reason, you can’t seem to keep it in your pants, and I’ll never understand why!”
“I’m not cheating on you Cheryl! Not this time!”
“You know what Jonas? I don’t need to go where I’m not wanted.
I only asked where you would be in case of an emergency.
But if you wanna keep that to yourself, you go right ahead and do that.
I don’t know why I even bother staying in this marriage with you.
It’s clear that you aren’t happy with me and are constantly looking for someone else!
” Cheryl said as her voice cracked, and tears slipped from her eyes.
With that, she got up from the sofa and waddled to the bedroom, slamming the door behind her. I sat with my elbows on my knees and my face in my hands. I couldn’t ask my wife to accompany me to New Orleans. I was going out there specifically for Gianna.
What the hell kind of sense would that make to have my wife tag along with me to my girlfriend’s grandmother’s funeral?
A short time later, I heard some banging around in the room, so of course, I went to see if Cheryl was alright.
When I walked in and saw two suitcases open on the bed, I was confused.
“Now, what are you doing Cheryl?” I asked.
“What does it look like I’m doing? I’m packing to leave!”
What was my wife talking about? How could she be leaving? Where the hell was she going?
“What do you mean you’re leaving?”
“Just what I said. You obviously aren’t happy in this marriage, and to be honest, neither am I. I’m a good woman, and I was really trying to stay with you because we’re having a baby, but I can’t do this anymore. I refuse to sit around while you keep having affairs with your students!”
“Hey, watch your mouth! Just because you suspect I’m sleeping with my students…”
“Suspect! HA!” She laughed.
“That’s what the fuck I said. Just because you suspect doesn’t make it true. You’re talking shit that can end my damn career, so don’t speak on it unless you know, and you don’t!” I exclaimed as I pointed my finger at her.