3. Anastazia
ONE WEEK LATER…
“This is also my thirty-, sixty-, and ninety-day plan if you were to hire me.” I handed off the folder with my documents printed on résumé paper to the frumpy hiring manager of the department store.
It was surreal to me that I would have to work somewhere else outside of medicine and nursing. Ever since I was a child, I wanted to be in the medical field and had been blessed thus far that the journey into that had gone smoothly. But now, with my license suspended and me only having my savings to live off, I needed a job. I didn’t care that my mother told me I didn’t need to contribute—I would. Not to mention, Sophie had needs, and I still had to pay the mortgage on my home that, because it was declared a crime scene, I couldn’t even live in.
“Okay, perfect. We will be in touch, Miss Chase.” She smiled softly.
“Thank you.” I stood. “Nice to meet you.” I reached to shake her hand, and she hesitated for some reason before obliging.
Leaving the room, I took a deep breath and exhaled heavily before locating the bathroom a few doors down. I went in, relieved myself, then washed my hands before exiting. As I bypassed the interview room, I heard the hiring manager’s voice as she spoke to someone else.
“Are you sure it was her?” they asked, speaking quite loudly, and I guess because they assumed I was gone by now.
“Yes. It says Anastazia Chase, and that’s the woman’s name.”
“Can you imagine if we hired her?” The woman laughed.
“Oh God no. People would be coming here just to look at her and not shop,” the hiring manager replied before they broke out into laughter.
“True. Plus, I don’t believe her story. This man abused you, but you didn’t just leave? You had to shoot him?”
“I said the same thing. I believe his family that she probably took out some policy on him and thought she and her side boo could run off with the money once he was dead. But joke’s on her.” The hiring manager tittered.
“Isn’t it?” The woman laughed. “Nobody but God kept that man alive. I hope he wakes up out of that coma and tells us the tea.”
Unable to help myself, I burst off into the room, startling the two old bitches.
“You know, you hos should be grateful you weren’t in my position, instead of sitting up gossiping about shit you have no idea about. I didn’t wanna work at this knock off TJ Maxx any-fucking-way.” I slammed the door and switched off, chanting inside my head that I had better not cry over them bitches I didn’t even know.
This wasn’t the first time I’d run across people who were team Cedric, and it was all thanks to his father, stepmother, and sister on every news outlet and interview available, maiming my character. I didn’t expect it, due to the fact that me and Cedric’s family had always gotten along. The other part of me did expect this shit because while they were cool for the most part, his father, in particular, enabled his behavior.
I’d confided in him once that Cedric had hit me. This was in the beginning stages before Cedric fully released the monster living inside of him. At that point, he’d only slapped me twice over the course of a year, and I stupidly felt like he was still a good man; he just had a temper.
I felt like because Cedric respected his father so much that if he talked to him about his hand problem, he’d fix it. I was very wrong, though, when Mr. Pete told me he was sure Cedric didn’t mean it and to just give him another chance. When I tried to explain that he needed help, Mr. Pete went on further to say Cedric was his own man, and there was nothing he could do. At the time, I figured he was right, but after meeting the Comptons, I realized how untrue that was.
While the boys weren’t exactly afraid Prime would put them over his knee—because get real—I knew Mr. St. Thomas would never just go on about his business if one of his daughters-in-law came to him with such an accusation.
To make matters worse, Mr. Pete told his son that I had come to him, and it resulted in him hitting me in the ribs and stomach several times with a closed fist. By saying that, it was difficult to see his family call me a liar on national television, especially Cedric’s father.
I could barely focus the whole drive home and ended up passing by the exit to get to my mother’s home, heading toward my own. Turning around, I finally made it to her house fifteen minutes later than intended.
“Mommy!” Sophie beamed, clueless to all that had shattered within our family.
“Hi, baby.” I quickly used some hand sanitizer my mother had on the coffee table, knowing Sophie would give me no time to wash my hands like I wanted. “What have you been doing all day?” I quizzed, and Sophie ran on, babbling for the some parts, but most of it was very clear.
“She’s been sweet as usual.” My mama entered the living room, and I rolled my eyes playfully.
“She could punch someone and you’d say that, Ma.” I giggled, removing my jacket and shoes before sitting on the floor with Sophie to join her coloring session.
“How did it go?” My mom descended onto the couch, clutching a cup of tea.
“Same as it’s been going. They act like they will call me, but as soon as I leave, they throw my application in the trash.”
“How are you the villain and he’s not?” She frowned, obviously perturbed by all that was going on.
“I guess I would’ve had to allow him to kill me for me to be the victim. I just wish I could be a damn nurse or anything in my field. I don’t even want these jobs I’ve been interviewing for, but I wanna keep myself afloat. My savings will only last me about a year, and I don’t know how long it will be until this trial is over. And who knows if I will get my license back at the end? Shit, I may not even be free.”
“You will be free. Bashar is gonna make sure of it. He’s the best you could get.” She beamed, bragging on her son-in-law.
I scoffed playfully, though I knew what my mother was saying was true. Bashar had a 98 percent success rate, making sense as to why he got a lot of hate in the public for defending criminals. What they didn’t know, though, was that the man did have some morals, so he wouldn’t just defend anyone, no matter how much money they had. If he felt like they weren’t good people or were serial killers, pedophiles, or rapists, he would decline. My sister told me so.
If only I could pay the man, but he wouldn’t let me. He’d explained that I’d paid enough, having to deal with Cedric, and he wouldn’t feel right taking my money. He also let me know keeping me out of jail would make his wife happy, and for her happiness, he would do just about anything.
I would surely pay him back for my bail, though, because that was just too much.
“Yeah, that’s why people can’t stand him,” I finally said, and we chuckled in unison.
“Well, while you two play, I will make some Green Chile Chicken for you.” My mother stood, bent down some to kiss my forehead, and switched off.
As much as I complained about her ass, because she could be annoying, I was thankful for my mother.
My mom’s doorbell sounded off and was followed by heavy knocks, startling me from my sleep. Sophie was with her aunt and cousins for an ice cream date, so I was trying to actually get some sleep for once, since I never could at night. I would stay up for hours just pondering, wondering if I should have done things differently. Additionally, I suffered from really vivid nightmares.
Climbing from the bed, I opened my mother’s security app to see who the fuck it was. If it was some door-to-door people, I was gonna leave their asses outside and continue on with my slumber.
My stomach dropped seeing Asif there, and for several reasons. For starters, why? Secondly, how did he even know where my mother lived? Lastly, he made me too skittish, and I wasn’t in the least bit presentable condition, making things worse.
Standing, I glanced around the room in a slight panic, wondering what I should do. Quickly, I rushed to the bathroom and washed my face, then brushed my teeth before rinsing with mouthwash. I had no time for flossing, so I would do that once he left. Having taken long enough, I realized my boxer shorts, sleeveless crop top, fuzzy socks, and clipped up hair would have to do.
This was not a damn date, and most importantly, I was four years his senior, so he wasn’t even a prospect. He couldn’t even be a fuck buddy because I needed to be alone for a while, at least until my trial was over. Once my life was back on track and normalized, only then would I dream of dating anyone.
“Hey.” I opened the door, feigning confusion as if I hadn’t known he was out there for almost ten minutes.
As his eyes roved over my face, it was only then that I remembered I still had some bruising around my right eye and mouth from Cedric and didn’t have on makeup like the last time he saw me.
“You good?” He frowned lightly, staring down at me. I swear he got taller every time I saw him, and his build was so perfect as if he’d played professional sports.
“I am. I’m just confused as to why you’re here. I mean, not like that but?—”
“Nah, I feel you.” He glanced off. “Can I come in?”
“Okay.” I stepped back, and he slipped inside, his cologne immediately taking over the living room space.
He took in his surroundings, then sat down on the couch. When I noticed he was waiting for me to join him, I hesitated. This couch wasn’t the biggest, and it felt wrong for me to be here with him alone and sitting this closely. So I opted to stand.
“Sit down, Stazi.”
“I’m fine. I need to stand.”
“Why?”
“Because I’ve been sitting down too much today already and need to stretch my legs.”
His face lit up cutely as he chuckled a bit, sinking into the couch and throwing his arm along the back.
“Sit down, please, love.” He ran his tongue along his bottom lip, something I had begun to look forward to whenever in his presence.
Exhaling, I made my way over and sat down as closely to the arm of the couch as I could, leaving a comfortable space between us.
“How did you find out where I lived?”
“Your sister is married to my brother. It wasn’t that hard, Anastazia.” He smirked.
I loved the way he said my full name.
“You just wait until I talk to her ass next,” I joked, making him grin. His eyes darted down slightly to my chest, making me peer down, and I was mortified to see milk stains along my nipples.
Sophie was still drinking breast milk whilst eating regular food, and therefore, I still leaked at times. Of course, for some reason, Mother Nature thought now was fucking perfect.
“Oh my gosh.” I covered myself. “Let me change real quick.” I started to get up, but he put his hand on my forearm, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand at attention.
“You straight. It’s natural.”
“Okay. So what’s up?” I relaxed once he finally took his big warm hand off me.
“My brother, mainly Leeci, told me you was having trouble finding a job, which is wild because I’m looking for someone with enough medical knowledge to help me and my people,” he explained.
Analicia was gonna get a punch to the throat for all her fucking meddling.
“I am having some difficulty, yes, but what do you need with a person in the medical field?”
“In my line of work, people often get shot, injured and shit, and it’s not preferable for us to go to the hospital for treatment. But a lot of these fucking wounds need professional care. You get what I’m saying?” He stared me deeply in the eyes, and I could tell that whatever he did, he was in charge. He gave off head of the food chain vibes.
“I do.”
“So we need someone in-house that’s gon’ be ready to handle that around the clock.”
“Does your line of work happen to be within the streets?”
He chuckled again, and every time, I found something else about it that I liked. This time in particular, his pretty eyes sparkled, and I noticed a slight dimple in his face. It wasn’t as prevalent because of his facial hair, but I could see it.
“I’m gon’ keep shit real with you since I’m asking for ya help. So yes.” He gave one stiff nod.
“Oh, okay.” I ran my hands up and down my thighs. “I really appreciate you offering this to me, but honestly, I wouldn’t feel comfortable working with those types of people. Not that anything is wrong with you or them; it’s just being surrounded by a bunch of ruthless men doesn’t sound all that appealing to me in particular.” I cleared my throat. “Also, I’m only a nurse, not a doctor.”
“I know you not a doctor, but ya sister told me you were about to become a DNP, whatever the fuck that is. She made it clear you was damn near a doctor and if not, good enough.”
“Analicia knows a lot, huh?”
We chuckled in unison before he asked, “Can you treat bullet and stab wounds? Provide sutures? IVs, shit like that?”
“Well, yeah but?—”
“Then we good. That’s all I need.”
“Okay, but even if I said yes, I cannot provide that type of care in a warehouse or a home. I would need a facility or at least an area with all the necessary tools.”
“If I had a space like that set up for you, you’d do it?” He eyed me for a moment, then continued. “The pay would be double or triple whatever the fuck you was making.”
“You don’t know what I made.”
“I don’t care what you made. Tell me what it was, and I will triple the shit.” He shrugged as if it were nothing.
Damn, this was tempting. Making triple what I was paid at the hospital would be crazy.
“Sounds good.” I looked down into my lap briefly, then back at him. “Will I have security? If patients can get crazy, I know them niggas you’re working with can.”
He tittered a lowly, and it made me smile.
Licking his lips, he replied, “Niggas ain’t crazy enough to bother you.”
“Right, because I shot my ex.”
“Nah, ’cause them muthafuckas ain’t trying to answer to me.”
His face was as serious as his tone, and I believed him.
“Is it okay if I think about it?”
“Go ’head, and don’t worry about losing the position to somebody else. This offer is for you only.” He stood up.
I got caught up in staring at him, so I stood too. “Alright. Well, I will be in touch, Asif.”
“Let’s exchange numbers.” He handed his iPhone off to me with a new contact sheet up.
I thought for a second but then said fuck it. This was just business. Asif came off professional, and I couldn’t see him hitting me up on some leisure type stuff.
As I handed him back his phone, his hand brushed mine, rendering goosebumps all over me yet again. Moments later, he was out of the door, and I quickly closed and locked it.
Seconds later, my phone chimed with a text, and I saw it was him.
(213) 555 -6433: It’s Sif.
Me: Got it.
Leaving the text messaging app, I dialed Analicia.
“Hey!”
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“We just finished ice cream, so now we’re about?—”
“No, Leeci. I mean what are you trying to do? You told Asif I couldn’t find a job, damn near did the interview for me, and sent him to Mama’s house.”
“Yeah, because he needed help, and so do you.” She giggled, making me roll my eyes. “I hope your ass took it, because no one else is gonna hire you right now with this sensational case everywhere. They only call you for an interview to see you in person. Plus, you need your nursing pay, not these other jobs.”
“You are definitely right, but I don’t know.”
“Is it because you kind of like him?”
“No, I don’t like him. I don’t even know him to like him. I think he’s handsome, but I’m sure every woman with working eyes thinks that. Not to mention, meeting a new man and having a new relationship isn’t really at the forefront of my mind. I’m just leery about the people that I will be around. They could be like Cedric.”
“I doubt it, because Asif ain’t gon’ let that happen,” she replied, having the same sentiments as he did. “I know you don’t like him, though. I was messing with you. However, if y’all do get to fucking in that warehouse, you better tell me! I want details!”
“Girl, do not get your little freaky hopes up.”
We laughed together and talked some more before she told me she would be bringing Sophie back in half an hour.
Once I hung up, I went back to the conversation with Asif.
Me: Can I see the setup before agreeing?
Asif: Anytime, love.
Goodness.