Dessiah sat in the downstairs cafeteria and tried to clear her head as best she could. She was settled and the magnitude of what she did hadn’t fully sunk in yet. Paris Walked towards her with caution unable to decipher her mindset. Some people need time to fully calm down before being spoken to but Paris would take her chances. Pulling out the chair she sat at the high table.
“Hi.” Paris said faintly smiling.
“Hi.”
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, I think I am.” They both sat quietly for a moment then Paris spoke.
“He’s not a bad guy you know?” Dessiah looked at Paris as if she couldn’t believe what she was saying. Although he had been so kind when they first met almost two years ago. He was anything but, since Japan.
“Look I know he has been crazy disrespectful but trust me he’s not a bad person. Did I ever tell you how I came to work for him?”
“No.”
“When I first started working for the company I worked for this guy named Isaiah Chiles. Older Italian guy and complete creep. He would make little passes at me but I would just ignore them, I mean hey corporate America everyone sleeps with everyone. I thought maybe he thought I was the same, so I constantly declined thinking he would get the point. Soon he stopped and I was relieved a full month without little sexual innuendos. Then one night we were working late and he called me into his office. Told me handed me some files to put in the cabinet. I found it odd since it was a few feet from his desk, but I did what I was told. Next thing I know he was standing behind me and when I turned around he got closer. I could feel his breath on my face. He had this smile, it was a sick smile, perverse even. Like his intentions wore written on his face. “ Paris stared in the distance as if she were seeing the memory play out in in her eyes. Her voice lowered and became filled with emotion. “I tried to move away from him, then he grabbed me. I tried to pull away and he threw everything off his desk and threw me on top. Before I knew it my dress was over my face and I fought with everything I had. I kept hitting him and screaming but it seemed like it wasn’t working because he was so strong. I just couldn’t give up.” Slowly Paris’s tear filled eyes could not contain the emotion and pain of that night. One by one tears fell from her eyes. “I’ve never been so scared in my life Dessiah. I kept telling myself to fight, don’t stop fighting, he can’t win. But he was so strong and my screams were being muffled by his hand so I bit him. He slapped me so hard I started to see stars and slowly gave up and right when he thought he won, when I thought he won, he was knocked to the floor. Detrick came in the office and gave him one hell of a beating. His fists were covered in blood and Isiah wasn’t moving but he moaned in pain that was the only indication we had that he was alive. He called the police and took me to the hospital. Detrick stayed with me the entire night even after I was released he stayed with me in my apartment that night. I cried in his arms and he said nothing but just held me. I kept waking up fighting in my sleep. He left the next day and when I finally returned back to work all my things had been moved and I was his assistant. He saved my life. If it weren't for Detrick that man would have raped me.” Paris wiped her face and tried to pull herself together.
“Wow. What happened to the guy?” Dessiah asked.
“Detrick fired him and I pressed charges. I believe he was released from Jail a few months ago. So like I said Detrick maybe a lot of things, but a bad person he is not.” Dessiah stared at Paris unsure if it would be inappropriate to ask her next question. Apart of her felt it shouldn’t matter, but she just needed to know. Her face must have displayed her thoughts because Paris answered.
“No, Detrick and I never had anything going on. Matter of fact after that incident he became distant for a while. He has his moments and tantrums but he’s a good person. Now you done cursed the man all the way out. Hahaha.”
“I did. I really did. Oh my God, what have I done?” Dessiah rested her face in her hands.
“Don’t worry if you get fired you can say you went out with a bang. Not many people can say they told their boss to shove a tampon up their butt! Hahaha.” Paris laughed trying to make light of the situation.
“Oh Lord! I just lost it Paris. I was so sick of his behavior and I just couldn’t take anymore. The way he talked to you put me at my limit.”
“I must say with everyone taking up for me I sure do feel loved ahaha. Don’t feel bad Dessiah, I mean Detrick deserved it. Look everything is going to work out for your good. Somehow some way this is going to work in your favor. But just in case, I think you should head home that way you can get a head start on packing up to go home. Hahaha.” Dessiah looked at Paris with a serious face and she sobered. “Not funny yet?”
“No, not even a little bit!”
“My bad.” Dessiah and Paris rose from the table and made their way to the lobby. Paris hugged Dessiah seeing her off in a cab and headed back upstairs to Detrick. It was time they had a serious talk.
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“Come in!” Detrick answered abruptly to the knock at his door. Paris made her way in smiling and it was evident he did not want to be bothered. “What do you want?”
“Hey, you better behave before I go get my home girl to get you together again.” Paris snickered. Detrick didn’t find it funny.
“Get out Paris!”
“Fine give me your phone and I’ll call for her now. You know she got my back.”
“What do you want P?” He asked in a calmer tone.
“Well that’s what I came to ask you.” Paris walked over to the chair in front of his desk and sat on the arm.
“What are you talking about? Look I don’t have time for games so say what you want then get back to work.”
“Detrick stop playing and admit it.”
“Admit what?”
“You like her.” She smiled brightly.
“Who?” He asked as if he was unsure whom she spoke of. Paris gave him a look like don’t play with me. “Hell, no I don’t like that damn girl. Matter of fact you can send her back to where she came from.
“Lies you tell! You know that you need her on this account because like she said Mr. Aiko isn’t very fond of you anyway.”
“I don’t care.”
“Are you pouting? Oh my God! I knew it, you like her. I mean I had a feeling before but now I’d bet my good shoes on it. Maybe my Jimmy Choo.”
“I already told you I don’t like her so drop it.” He yelled.
“So why are you yelling? And why haven’t you said her name? Look Detrick I know you like the back of my hand. I see the way you look at her when you think no one is paying attention. Or the fact that you’ve been more than your normal testy self. We both know you wouldn’t let anyone tell you off the way she did except me. Hell I take that back, I would have never made it with the tampon. You like her.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, I was just controlling my temper.” Detrick stood grabbing his golf club and began positioning himself to hit the ball. Putting his back to Paris so that she couldn’t read his facial expression. She was right, she could read him like a book.
“Detrick this isn’t the playground you know? We are adults, you don’t have to push a girl down or make fun of her to let her know you care.”
“I don’t freaking care!” He yelled.
“Who are you yelling at sir? When you care about people you push them away. You did the something to me after…” Paris drifted in silence with her words and Detrick looked at her with a comforting stare. “Detrick when you noticed that you cared more than you could control about my well-being you became a complete asshole. You are lucky God wouldn’t let me quit because I had come close.”
“No you didn’t.”
“Yes I did. I was sick of you going off or as Dessiah would say pmsing. Hahaha. Matter of fact let me borrow your tampon. ” Detrick stood by the window overlooking the passing cars and patrons going about their day. “ Detrick your like my brother from another mother so I want you to hear what I say and take heed. Not everyone is going to hurt you Detrick. I know you’ve been let down in the past and left disappointed but you can’t keep pretending to be a heartless bastard when you know God didn’t make you that way. As much as you try to hide that part of yourself it keeps peeking through. You have a beautiful heart and that’s okay. Its alright to care for someone De.” Detrick turned around looking down at his shoes he finally stared in her eyes and said. “P they never care like I do. Every time I care for someone and start to open myself up to them they hurt me. They never want me the way I want them then I always feel like the fool for caring in the first place.”
“How do you know she’s like the others?” Paris questioned.
“How do you know she’s not?” He challenged.
“If I told you that I had a feeling that wouldn’t be enough. So I’ll say take a chance.”
“P I can’t afford to take a chance and be let down again. I’m tired of that. I can’t. I just won’t!”
“You ever think that maybe it didn’t work out with all those other ones because God was working on you and the one he has for you to unite? Every time someone hurts you and it feels like the pain won’t end, like you won’t come through God shows you just how strong he created you to be. With every heartbreak comes the best out of you because, you lived to love again. And that’s the testament of real love, against all odds, and all pain there’s just enough faith to love again.” Detrick’s eyes became glossy and he looked away with a resistance that tested Paris’s patience. “Look, you gotta fix this and if not for personal reasons at least for business.”
“What do you poverty me to do?”
“I don’t know that’s a personal problem. Maybe you should start with an apology I don’t know. But fix it and fast!” Paris stood from the chair and headed towards the door then turned on her heels. “Oh and if you ever speak to me like you did today I’ll put you in a headlock.”
“You wouldn’t dare!”
“Oh yea? You forget my man is a Marine. I’ll go straight G.I Jane on your ass.”
“Haha get to work.” Paris mugged him and his stiffened. “Please Paris, Please do some work. You know, your job.” Paris smiled.
“Fix it Detrick! I’m not playing with you.” Paris closed the door behind her leaving Detrick alone with his thoughts and fears. After all that he had said to Dessiah, how would he fix this with her and stop her from quitting? Had he lost the war before the battle? He had to set his sights on making this right. Hopefully it wasn’t too late because Dessiah seemed beyond fed up. It was worth an attempt, for professional reasons of course.
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I HAVE TO BE HONEST WITH YOU ALL. THAT PART WHERE PARIS WAS TALKING TO DETRICK ABOUT HIM PUSHING PPL AWAY WAS SPEAKING TO ME. I WRITE THESE THINGS BUT THESE CHARACTERS TAKE ON A LIFE OF THEIR OWN. I LITERALLY PRAY BEFORE I WRITE EVERY CHAPTER AND ASK GOD FOR THE WORDS AND THAT CAME TO ME. SO GLORY TO GOD AND THANK YOU JESUS. I DO THE SAMETHING. WHEN SOMEONE GETS TOO CLOSE I RUN FOR THE HILLS. SAD BUT TRUE. ANYONE ELSE DO THAT?
DO YOU THINK IT’S TOO LATE TO FIX? WHAT CAN HE DO TO MAKE IT RIGHT WITH DESSIAH? AWWW DETRICK REALLY IS A GOOD PERSON! DID YOU CRY WHEN PARIS TOLD HER STORY? IT’S NICE TO SEE HOW CLOSE THEY ARE. DID YOU GUYS ENJOY THIS CHAPTER? I CANT WAIT FOR THE NEXT UPDATE IM EXCITED. PLEASE COMMENT AND VOTE AND I NEED PEOPLE TO LIKE MY FACEBOOK PAGE. WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/LOURDARDEN25. VOTE AND COMMENT THANKS LOUR LOVES YOU HONEYBEES