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“I’ve heard so much about you.” That was Katie. She spoke as we shook hands after Erik introduced us.
I hoped she wasn’t waiting for a same here from me because I knew nothing about her. Erik never even mentioned her before the day he was shouting at her on his phone.
“Courtney, Shaun, there is someone else I would like for you two to meet.” Shaun had made his way upstairs with us.
“Courtney, this is my brother Thaddeus; we all call him Thad for short.” Erik’s eyes shot downward. “And this is his daughter, my adorable niece, Miranda.”
She was the cutest little thing ever. Her dad wasn’t too shabby, either.
Before I could extend my hand to him, Thaddeus’s arms were wrapped around me. And then there was his daughter, Miranda. She jerked at my pant leg, looking up at me. I instantly reached down and picked her up.
“Well, hi there. How old are you, Miranda?”
Before she could answer, Thad rushed her from my arms.
“We really need to be going. It was nice meeting both of you.” Thaddeus, Miranda, and Erik all followed Katie’s bulky body back down the staircase.
She didn’t look like a typical Fenmore’s patron. She had an odd appearance, an odd walk, she wore odd clothes, and she even had an odd smell. Erik deemed her as his right hand earlier, but she didn’t look much like a hygienist that would be running a swank dentist office for the Great Falls, Potomac elite. I don’t discriminate, but no employee of mine would ever leave their homes looking how Katie showed up here this evening, regardless if they were on Fenmore’s dime or not.
“Erik, where are you going?” I tried to catch him before he walked off.
When he turned to me, he said, “I’m just going to walk them to the door. Katie is not feeling well, and this is not exactly the atmosphere for a seven-year-old child.”
“Well, when you come back in, I’ll be downstairs.”
“Okay . . . Give me just a few seconds.”
I nodded as Erik headed down the small staircase.
“What?” Shaun had been staring at me since Erik left. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Girl, what just happened?”
I snapped, “What part did you miss?”
“Who were those people?”
I was quickly becoming annoyed. “Shaun, Erik introduced you to his assistant, his brother, and his brother’s daughter at the same time he introduced me. What part did you miss?”
“Obviously, you’re the one that missed everything, including how bizarre Erik was acting. What was that all about?” When I didn’t answer him, Shaun came back with, “Come on, Byrd; now I know you could tell something wasn’t right with him. And you told me he didn’t have a brother. Where did this Thaddeus person come from all of a sudden? He wasn’t at the wedding, and neither was his daughter. None of Erik’s family or friends was at the wedding. Can you explain that?”
My back teeth were grinding together so tight I’m sure Shaun could hear them.
“Courtney, . . . Listen . . . You know I’m your friend, and I love you to death. I just want what’s best for you. I’ve always told you that.”
His voice was calm and sweet; it’s just too bad he was saying all the wrong things.
“If constantly questioning Erik’s motives and his actions are considered wanting what’s best for me, then, girl, I’ll pass.”
He looked offended. “Really, Courtney?”
“Shaun, you were the one that was running around here just a few hours ago yapping about my husband being too secretive. ‘Where is his family? ‘Why haven’t we met any extensions of him?’ Now, after we meet not only an employee—a longtime employee might I add, his brother and his niece, you’re still not satisfied.”
“Courtney, stop. Where the hell did he find those people? Don’t you think his family and office assistant would have been at the man’s wedding?”
“Shaun, . . .” I wasn’t shouting this time, but I’m sure my tone was heard in the near distance. “I know you love me. There is not a doubt in my mind about that. I know you care about what happens to me, but this . . . this problem you have with Erik has got to stop!” When I asked him, “Are you jealous of Erik and me?” his face lit up, and not in a good way.
“Jealous? Courtney Byrd, chile, please! Erik is a very handsome man; anyone within twenty feet of him can see that. He dresses nice, he smells good, and from what you’ve led on, he’s a stellar lover, but he’s your man. Yours! You have a great life, Courtney. Some would even say you have a perfect life, but your life is perfect for you, not me. I have my own situations going on. Furthermore, I’ve never been the jealous type. You know that.”
“He’s my husband!” Now I was yelling.
“What?”
“You said Erik was ‘My man.’ He’s not my man; he’s my husband!” I was seconds away from calling Shaun the B-word. He hated being called a bitch almost as much as I hated being called girl.
“Courtney, I don’t give a damn about you getting mad. You snapped on me earlier about Erik, and now you’re trying me again? I’m just looking out for you, but if you want to keep pretending something isn’t off with your husband, honey be my guest.
This damn man brings a pair of actors to your bar and introduces them to you as his family, and you stand here coming for me when I question why? Girl, stop! You can keep acting like something isn’t off with Eric, but don’t get mad when I call bullshit when I see bullshit.”
Now my blood was boiling! “Did you just say, actors? What the fuck! Shaun, I think something is wrong with you, not Erik!”
“Courtney, Erik doesn’t even favor that man or his little girl. And why did he wait until now to introduce you, if that’s what you want to call it? They all ran out two minutes after they got up here.”
That’s it! I had to get away from Shaun before my fist landed between his shiny lips. Actors? Was he serious?
“Courtney, wait!” he grabbed my arm.
I snatched away from him. “I’m done with this conversation, Shaun!” I looked around to make sure no one was watching as I hushed my tone. “I don’t know where all this sudden animosity for Erik is coming from, but I’m not doing this with you tonight.” I couldn’t stand to look at Shaun for another second. He was way out of line this time, and there was no coming back.
“Courtney, I know what I saw, because you saw it too. I’m not about to stand here and let him make a fool out of you, Court—”
Shaun was cut off by the shouting female voice coming from behind us. It was one of my hostesses that finally decided to show up. “Courtney . . .” She was panting for air.
“What is it, Angela?”
“On the other side . . . The other side of . . . where we are now, second-second level, a woman just fainted!”
“Fainted?” That was Shaun.
“Fainted?” That was me.
“Yes, she fainted. I’m not sure what happened, but she looks pretty bad . . . the ambulance is already here.”