them to you via email, but wanted to give you the original as well.”
“Don’t you want to keep the originals?”
“Nope. Even if you don’t use them for the covers I believe you’ll like them. Besides, I want you to have them. Think of them as an early Christmas present.”
“When’d you start giving out Christmas presents?” Keisha questioned sarcastically.
“Whatever,” he replied.
“Well, I’ll take a look, Jonas. If they flow with the storyline I’ll compensate you, aside of your regular earnings, for your work.”
“You don’t have to pay me anything.”
“Yes, I do. This is business. Nothing you do that is work related is free. So, again, I’ll look at them and I’ll let you know something tomorrow. Good job.”
Denise turned and went back to her office.
“What are you trying to do get us both fired?”
“No, I asked a question that I wanted to know the answer to.”
“First and foremost, let’s not start with the Christmas presents or the lack thereof. You’re the one who said ‘don’t get me anything’ and I didn’t.”
“Jonas, get away from my desk.”
“Relationships would be a whole lot easier to have if women would just tell men what they really wanted instead of trying to turn us into mind readers. See you later.”
“Maybe.”
“Whatever.”
***
“Mrs. Chatman speaking.”
“Hey Denise, are you busy?”
“Not at this moment. What’s up?”
“You were right.”
“I was right about what, Aprile?”
“You were right about Alex.”
“Aprile, I’m so sorry.”
“Shoot, I’m the one who should be sorry. All the signs were there. I ignored them as usual.”
“So, let me ask you a question. Why do you keep doing this to yourself? Do you understand that you’re self-inflicting pain? Unnecessary pain.”
“I wanted it to work out and he promised me that it would. I believed him because I’m tired of being alone. I wanted to be with Alex.”
“Aprile, honey , sometimes you have to stop pursuing what you want so God can send you what you need. You keep looking for love in a man who doesn’t even love himself. You are searching for happiness in a place where happiness doesn’t reside. I know you’re comfortable with Alex and the thought of starting over, or not starting at all, is frightening, but the more you give of yourself the more he’s going to take.”
“Why do men cheat?”
“Well, surely somebody has written a book about it, but the million dollar question is why do we let them?”
“Really, Denise?”
“Yes, really. Okay, he cheats the first time and you, and not you personally, but you let him back because you love him. He cheats the second time and you let him back. Why?”
“ Because I love him.”
“ Maybe. And maybe you let him come back because he shifted the blame on you and made you feel accountable for his cheating. What’d he say this time?”
Aprile sat quietly.
“Hello?”
“He said…he said that he couldn’t stand the thought of another man being with me.”
“He couldn’t stand the thought of another man being with you how?”
“ Sexually,” Aprile replied.
“Well, isn’t that interesting. He couldn’t stand the thought of another man being with you , but you have to think about and even be confronted by the women that have been with him. Very interesting.”
“I don’t care about him sleeping with those women, Denise. I have his heart and his wallet.”
“Do you know how ignorant that sounds? I pray that you never have little girls because if you pass this nonsense down to them, whew! God help us all,” Denise said placing her hand on top of her head.
“It’s better to know the truth.”
“Get the hell out of here! You can’t be serious, are you?”
“Yes, actually I am. Before I was speculating and didn’t know for sure if he was cheating or not. I was going half-crazy thinking that he was, but not being
“Don’t you want to keep the originals?”
“Nope. Even if you don’t use them for the covers I believe you’ll like them. Besides, I want you to have them. Think of them as an early Christmas present.”
“When’d you start giving out Christmas presents?” Keisha questioned sarcastically.
“Whatever,” he replied.
“Well, I’ll take a look, Jonas. If they flow with the storyline I’ll compensate you, aside of your regular earnings, for your work.”
“You don’t have to pay me anything.”
“Yes, I do. This is business. Nothing you do that is work related is free. So, again, I’ll look at them and I’ll let you know something tomorrow. Good job.”
Denise turned and went back to her office.
“What are you trying to do get us both fired?”
“No, I asked a question that I wanted to know the answer to.”
“First and foremost, let’s not start with the Christmas presents or the lack thereof. You’re the one who said ‘don’t get me anything’ and I didn’t.”
“Jonas, get away from my desk.”
“Relationships would be a whole lot easier to have if women would just tell men what they really wanted instead of trying to turn us into mind readers. See you later.”
“Maybe.”
“Whatever.”
***
“Mrs. Chatman speaking.”
“Hey Denise, are you busy?”
“Not at this moment. What’s up?”
“You were right.”
“I was right about what, Aprile?”
“You were right about Alex.”
“Aprile, I’m so sorry.”
“Shoot, I’m the one who should be sorry. All the signs were there. I ignored them as usual.”
“So, let me ask you a question. Why do you keep doing this to yourself? Do you understand that you’re self-inflicting pain? Unnecessary pain.”
“I wanted it to work out and he promised me that it would. I believed him because I’m tired of being alone. I wanted to be with Alex.”
“Aprile, honey , sometimes you have to stop pursuing what you want so God can send you what you need. You keep looking for love in a man who doesn’t even love himself. You are searching for happiness in a place where happiness doesn’t reside. I know you’re comfortable with Alex and the thought of starting over, or not starting at all, is frightening, but the more you give of yourself the more he’s going to take.”
“Why do men cheat?”
“Well, surely somebody has written a book about it, but the million dollar question is why do we let them?”
“Really, Denise?”
“Yes, really. Okay, he cheats the first time and you, and not you personally, but you let him back because you love him. He cheats the second time and you let him back. Why?”
“ Because I love him.”
“ Maybe. And maybe you let him come back because he shifted the blame on you and made you feel accountable for his cheating. What’d he say this time?”
Aprile sat quietly.
“Hello?”
“He said…he said that he couldn’t stand the thought of another man being with me.”
“He couldn’t stand the thought of another man being with you how?”
“ Sexually,” Aprile replied.
“Well, isn’t that interesting. He couldn’t stand the thought of another man being with you , but you have to think about and even be confronted by the women that have been with him. Very interesting.”
“I don’t care about him sleeping with those women, Denise. I have his heart and his wallet.”
“Do you know how ignorant that sounds? I pray that you never have little girls because if you pass this nonsense down to them, whew! God help us all,” Denise said placing her hand on top of her head.
“It’s better to know the truth.”
“Get the hell out of here! You can’t be serious, are you?”
“Yes, actually I am. Before I was speculating and didn’t know for sure if he was cheating or not. I was going half-crazy thinking that he was, but not being
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