Let Me Say This, Again Read online

  Copyright B. Swangin Webster

  All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, magnetic, photographic including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission of the publisher. No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher and author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  ISBN-13: 978-1-940758-04-6

  Cover Design by Instinctivedesign

  Published by:

  Intrigue Publishing

  11505 Cherry Tree Crossing Rd. #148

  Cheltenham, MD 20623-9998

  Printed in the United States of America

  Printed on Recycled Paper

  Dedication

  I would like to dedicate this to all the future authors. Your dream of being an author, as long as you believe in it, will come true.

  Chapter 1

  Matthew woke up by himself. He found his pants and pulled them up his muscular legs and then set about the house to find her. He walked upstairs and found the unmade bed. He saw the bathroom door closed and walked up to it, hoping she was behind it. He knocked and not a sound so he pushed it open. Still no Cheryl. He proceeded down the hall into her study and still did not find her. He descended the stairs and walked into the kitchen where an empty cup sat in the sink but there was no coffee made only the tea ball on the counter. He looked at the table, where the plates had been and then opened the dishwasher. He smiled as she must have gotten up and ran it late last night. He walked back into the living room and sat on the couch. Maybe she had went to work already, he thought to himself as he stood and stretched.

  He pulled his sweater on and as he headed out the front door he found the note. He read it over and over, then crumpled the paper in his hand and went to his car, letting the door slam behind him.

  He got home and needed to figure out how he was going to find her. He sat at his desk and thought about the note. She said she needed time to think, time to sort things out. She always spoke about going to Florida whenever she felt stressed and he hoped his hunch was right.

  He arrived at the airport hoping to find a seat on the first thing out of D.C. to Florida. “Good afternoon, I am hoping that you can help me,” he said as he walked up to the counter, “I am trying to get a first class seat to Florida.”

  “Oh, sir, I’m sorry. All of our flights to Florida are totally booked. Matter of fact, we have some passengers on stand-by trying to get there. With this crazy weather we are having everybody wants to get out of town. You know a little snow and people want to head for the sun.”

  “Well, it’s a matter of life and death. He smiled and leaned against the counter. “I would appreciate it.”

  “Let me check for you.”

  She started tapping keys and looking at the screen. “I’m sorry, sir, there is nothing. Even if there were, I would be obligated to get these other passengers on first, since they have been waiting for over two hours.”

  “Please, can you look again?”

  Again she went back to tapping the keys. She spoke just above a whisper. “Well there is a flight that has a seat, in first class, but it is going to run you at least nine hundred and fifty-two dollars, and that’s before all of the fees.”

  “I’ll take it!” he handed her his black American Express card

  “The flight is leaving from Gate 12 in twenty minutes. Do you have any bags that you need checked?”

  “No.”

  She printed out the boarding pass and handed it to him.

  “Thank you very much, Linda. You just made me the happiest man in the world. I will never forget this.”

  “No problem. Enjoy yourself, Mr. Perry,” she said with a smile.

  Matthew rushed down the concourse and was stopped in his tracks by the security line snaking all the way past the food court. He excused himself and he walked around people and then gave up and walked around the barriers. He walked up to the small podium and handed his license and his boarding pass to the security officer.

  “Sir, you can’t just walk up here, these people are in front of you.”

  “And my flight is leaving in ten minutes and I have to be on it.”

  “Sir, you have to wait your…”

  “I’m sorry, I gave you the wrong ID.” Matthew said as he pulled out his government issued CAC card. Now, I am assuming that I can proceed?”

  “Sorry Mr. Perry. Yes, please go ahead.”

  Matthew placed his bag on the conveyor belt and walked through the scanner. Glancing at his watch, he saw they were boarding in less than five minutes. His stride was long and hurried but he got there just as he attendant was making final call for boarding. He handed her his ticket and made his way to the plane.

  After taking his seat in first class, Matthew called the flower shop within the airport and had them make a special arrangement for Linda, just to show his appreciation. After taking his seat, he quickly took out his laptop, and logged into his AOL account. He shot off a quick note to his business partner and told him what was going on and asked him to call the Sheraton in Miami and book him a room. Matthew sat back, closed his eyes and thought just how lucky he had been.

  Her flight landed late and she was too wired to go to sleep. She sat up all night thinking of Matthew and how she should have told him where she was going.

  Her phone rang, breaking her trance. She answered it.

  “Where the fuck are you?” came the irate voice from the other end

  “None of your business.”

  “It’s my fucking business when you up and leave Kayla with your parents and don’t tell them where the fuck you are going.”

  “Kevin, look, whatever I do or don’t do is none of your business.”

  “Don’t get cute with me. I am not going to have you running off whenever the mood strikes you.”

  “What do you care, what kind of mood I’m in?”

  “Bitch!”

  She pressed the end button and set the phone down. It began to ring again. She looked at the caller id but didn’t recognize the number. She started to let it ring but she needed to make sure that her daughter was ok.

  “Hey sexy. Don’t think you are going to get away from me that easily. I’ll see you soon.”

  She didn’t get to say anything because the caller hung up. It wasn’t a voice she recognized. She went to the bathroom and decided to soak in some bubbles for a little while before starting her day.

  Chapter 2

  Matthew arrived in Florida to rain and wind. He mumbled as he slid his keycard into the door. He walked in and cranked the heat to 75 and felt sleep weighing down on him. Just as he pulled his shirt above his head, his cell rang.

  “Hello?”

  “Is this Matthew Perry?” the husky voice inquired.

  “Who’s asking?” Matthew asked while looking at the phone.

  “Answer the question.”

  “I ain’t answering anything until you tell me who this is.” He said as he wrote down the number on the notepad by the bed.

  “Well, I think I have my answer, so to answer yours–this is the past coming back.”

  He hung up and tried to get back to get some sleep. He couldn’t because something about that voice
felt familiar to him. He picked up the notepad and stared at the number.

  “Hey mom, how is Kayla?”

  “Mad,” She wanted to go with you, can’t say I blame her. She hardly gets to see you, now that you are working and now you just jump up and go to Florida. I guess now that you have a man, she hardly gets to see you anymore.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?” Cheryl asked.

  “Don’t act like you didn’t know that Matthew called here looking for you, like he didn’t know…”

  “Mom, I am not here with Matthew. I don’t know where he is. So let me guess, this is the reason why Kevin is being a plum fool because you told him that I was here with Matthew, huh?”

  Silence.

  “I can’t believe you mom, all I asked you to do was to keep Kayla for me and asked you not to tell anyone where I was going. Now I have to be looking over my shoulder for his crazy ass.”

  “You watch your tone with me, Missy, that boy still loves you…”

  “Really, you are going to say that to me? First of all, he has been cheating on me for over two years with Rebecca. Secondly, he would beat me almost on a daily basis and lastly, how about he almost killed me? So don’t tell me about him still loving me, if he loves someone, it sure as hell aint me!”

  “As I was saying, that boy loves you like no other, and for you to be traipsing around here like some tramp…”

  “Goodbye, mother.” Cheryl pressed end and threw the phone on the bed.

  Matthew dressed quickly and ran down to the lobby and asked the front desk where the nearest flower shop was.

  The sky was clearing and it might just be a good day after all, he thought to himself, as he found the flowers that he wanted. He whistled as he walked back in and walked to the front desk counter.

  “Can you have these delivered to the room of Mrs. Cheryl Bookman.”

  The woman took the flowers and sat them to the side. He walked towards the chairs in the lobby and took a seat. Patience was not what he was known for but in the case he had to show some.

  He saw the woman with the beige pants and hotel polo shirt take the flowers from behind the desk and head towards the elevators. As she stepped in and the doors began to close, he yelled for her to hold the elevator.

  “Nice flowers.” He commented to her.

  “Yes, someone is going to love these.” She said as she smelled the yellow roses.

  The elevator stopped on the twelfth floor and the woman got off with Matthew behind her.

  “Have a great day.” He said to her as he continued past the door that the woman stopped in front of. He continued down the hall and rounded the corner. When he heard the elevator ding its arrival he walked back around the corner and straight to Cheryl’s room.

  He knocked and waited for her to answer and when she did, he grabbed her into his arms and kissed her before she could say a word.

  “Well, hello to you too.” she said.

  “So are you going to invite me in?” he said.

  She stepped aside and he walked in and stood next to the door.

  “So I am assuming you sent these to me.”

  “Guilty.” He said with a huge smile on his face.

  “Thank you so much. You sure know how to make a woman feel special.”

  “Good because I wasn’t sure if you were upset with me.”

  “I just felt like I needed to get away.” She stood and got the brush from the dresser. She began brushing her hair.

  He walked behind her, taking the brush from her and began to brush her hair. “No need to apologize. I’m just glad that I found you.”

  “How did you find me?”

  “I am a very resourceful man when I need to be. Would you do the honor of accompanying me to dinner this evening?”

  “Well since you went through all this trouble, sure.” She said as she stood and kissed his cheek and walked him to the door.

  “Good, I’ll be back to pick you up around five. Oh, and make sure you don’t change. I like seeing you in those jeans.”

  As he walked back to his room, his phone began to ring. He saw his daughter’s picture flashing on the screen…

  “Hey baby girl. What’s up? What! Put your mother on the phone.”

  She came on the line and immediately started yelling.

  “Look, don’t fucking ask me shit! Ask your daughter why she brought in two D’s on her damn report card. Always calling me asking what I’m doing to this little brat!”

  Matthew kept his voice calm because he knew this would become a shouting match without any effort on his part.

  “I am not going to tell you again about calling her names. Put her back on the phone”

  After a few seconds Tamia came to the phone.

  “Tamia? What is your mom talking about… you got D’s on your report card?”

  “Mommy wouldn’t let me go to the choir concert so I got marked a grade down for that and then she didn’t bring my project to school. She knew it wouldn’t fit on the bus.”

  “Put mommy back on the phone.”

  He could hear the yelling in the background.

  “Look, I don’t want to hear it. Get your ass in your room and stay there until I tell you to come out, and stop stomping your damn feet before I whoop your ass! What do you want?” Sherrie shouted into the phone

  “I have told you about a million times about the way you talk to her. I am not going to tell your trifling ass anymore. Why didn’t you take her project to school?”

  “Look, don’t ask me a thing. Why didn’t you bring your ass over here and take it your damn self!”

  “Look from now on, I will have one of the limos take her to school, that way she doesn’t have to wait for your whoring ass to do something!”

  “Fuck you!”

  “I’m sure you have already done that to someone else today.”

  He disconnected the call as the curse words hung in the air like cheap perfume.

  Chapter 3

  Cheryl finished up her spa treatment just as her phone rang.

  “Where in the hell have you been?” Dee screamed into the phone “I have been worried sick about you.”

  “For what, I’m fine. I’m in Florida, chilling.”

  “Look, Kevin has been calling here acting weird, saying stuff like he is going to get you because you left Kayla. Where is my god daughter?”

  “Dee, are you serious? She is with my parents. You know how Kevin is, don’t pay him no never mind.”

  “Look, just be careful. Remember that poor woman whose boyfriend went to her job and poured gas on her. I don’t want that happening to you, you know he is a damn nut and I don’t have anybody to bail me out if I whoop his ass!”

  “Look, stop being so dramatic. I’m here in Florida and I am not dealing with him on that level anymore.”

  “Good for you but I hope you are getting your freak on in Freaky Florida.”

  “Get your mind out of the gutter. Matthew just arrived and we are going to have dinner.

  “I bet you are,” Dee said seductively.

  “It ain’t that kind of party.. Not doing that again until I’m sure I am ready to handle it.”

  “Whatever. Just don’t wait too long, I’m sure there are other fish in the sea waiting for him to swim by. Talk to you later, girl.”

  She hung up just as she got in front of her hotel door. A smile crept on her face when she saw another dozen yellow roses sitting beside the first. Her phone rang again as soon as she was inside.

  “Hello.”

  “Hello, sweetness,” the male voice said.

  “Who is this?”

  “Someone who wants to get to know you as well as Matthew does.” The phone went dead and her hands were shaking. She nearly jumped from her skin when there was a knock on the door

  “Who…who is it?” she asked.

  “It’s me. Matthew.” She quickly opened the door and fell into his arms “Man, maybe I need to surprise you more often.”

  She tri
ed to calm herself but her heart was racing. He pulled back from her as he felt the small tremor coming from her

  “Wait, what’s wrong?” He said as he led her to the desk chair, “Is it Kevin?”

  “I don’t know. Someone just called my phone. Called me sweetness and said they want to know me like you know me.”

  “Look, calm down. It’s probably just some kids.”

  “I don’t know. I have heard that voice before. He has called the house. I thought it was some of Kayla’s friends, but I guess…” She reached for her inhaler and took a hit from it like a crack addict on the pipe.

  “Look, give me your cell. I’ll try and find out who it is.” Matthew took the phone and walked in the other room. He called his contact at the phone company.

  “Yes, can you block any and all unknown or private numbers to this phone? Yeah, and thanks, I owe you one.” Matthew said as he walked back over to Cheryl “Now, just calm yourself down, and I’ll get you some water.”

  Chapter 4

  Matthew took her sightseeing and to the beach where they lay around until they were hungry and then they each retired to their own rooms. Heading back into the real world would be hard but it was made much easier now that she was giving Matthew a chance to win her heart. Cheryl was comfortable with the way they had talked things through and she was beginning to see that she was deserving of a man like Matthew. They left Florida together after three days.

  She was preparing for another date with Matthew when the phone rang,

  “Ma, telephone!” Kayla yelled upstairs.

  “Hello, sweetness,” said the husky voice on the other end. “Going out tonight?”

  “Who is this?”

  The phone went dead.

  “Kayla! Get up here! Who do you have calling here?” she said as her daughter stood in the doorway of the bathroom.

  “Nobody, why you always accusing me?” Kayla said while smacking her lips together.

  “Look, I’ve told you before, don’t give out this number. I don’t want every Tom, Dick and Jerome calling here.”

  “How do you know it wasn’t for you?”

  “Cause they hung up when I asked them who it was. Now if your friends can’t be civil, then they can’t call here. Do you understand me?”