Past
It was the Thursday morning of our meeting with my financial planner, and I was nervous. I’d taken the day off work so that I’d have enough time to devote to the meeting. Travis had gotten up early and made breakfast for the both of us, but I just wasn’t hungry at all. I followed the smells of bacon and vanilla-flavored pancakes into the kitchen with a lackluster attitude.
Travis was standing in the kitchen cooking in his underwear. He liked to go around the house wearing no shirt, allowing his muscular form to get all the exposure that it needed. His chest and back were glistening with scented body oil. I’d never met a man more concerned with his appearance.
Even though he was half naked, I felt underdressed in my robe and slippers. He’d suggested to me that I try going around naked. He said I would feel liberated. I told him that in order for me to walk around the house naked, we’d have to paint all the mirrors black.
I sat down at the kitchen counter. “Good morning, Travis.”
“Morning!” he said cheerily.
“Breakfast smells good. What are we having?”
“You are having a stack of my gourmet vanilla pancakes and warm crispy bacon. I am having a protein shake.”
“What are you doing? Trying to fatten me up?”
“No. You’re fine, and I’m about to start training, so I need protein.”
“Training? For what?”
“Training, so that I can retain this physique that I’ve been blessed with. I’m also joining a gym. There’s a new twenty-four-hour gym on South Woodland.”
“Great! I’ll join with you. I need to get in shape anyway, and that’s something we can do together.”
Travis furrowed his brow and shook his head. “I don’t have any objections to you joining a gym, but not my gym.”
“You don’t want to work out with me?”
“I wouldn’t be working out with you anyway. You need strictly low-impact cardio, and I’m doing mostly weight training.”
“Well, we can still be in the same building.”
“I’d rather not. I use my time at the gym to clear my mind and meditate. I don’t need you there.”
I was angered beyond words. “Is clear my mind and meditate another term for messing around on me with another woman?”
“Here we go again with the trust issue.”
I shot right back, “No, here we go again with your surprises.”
Travis placed the heaping plate of food in front of me. He then took his protein shake and marched right on out of the kitchen. I guessed that the conversation was over and the decision had been made. Travis would be joining a gym, and I would be sitting home getting even fatter off his cooking.
We were still not conversing with one another when we left for the meeting with my financial planner, Victoria Summers. I’d informed her ahead of time that I wouldn’t be revealing all my assets to Travis. Vicki didn’t think it was a good idea to keep anything a secret. She’d asked me what I would do if I needed to tell him somewhere down the road. She thought that it was the kind of secret that could destroy a marriage. I’d taken her admonishments to heart, but I was willing to risk it. I wasn’t planning on being anyone’s sugar mama.
Vicki greeted us at the door, as I was one of her most lucrative clients. She’d even ordered a catered lunch for our meeting. Travis was impressed, but I knew Vicki, and this was the typical red-carpet treatment she gave her best clients. I felt it was deserved, with the amount of money I paid for her services.
Travis handed Vicki his small stack of bank account receipts. She bit her lower lip as she read the information. I knew exactly what was going on in her mind. His $22,000 in assets paled in comparison with the $210,000 that I had stockpiled in mutual funds, bonds, annuities, and liquid cash. Vicki usually didn’t even take on clients who had less than $150,000 in assets. It began to dawn on her why I only wanted to give Travis a limited picture of my net worth.
Vicki asked, “Mr. Moon, is it all right if I call you Travis?”
“Of course.” Travis smiled broadly. He was finally getting the respect he felt he deserved.
“I’ve been with Charmayne for years, but I didn’t want to take any liberties. You may call me Vicki.”
“All right, Vicki,” said Travis, “let’s get down to business. What has my beautiful wife not been telling me?”
Vicki glanced in my direction and I smiled. I hoped that she was going to honor my request.
She responded, “Well, Charmayne has one of the best credit scores I’ve ever seen. She’s above seven hundred, which is perfect. She has one hundred ten thousand dollars in a highly diversified portfolio that includes mutual funds, annuities, and bonds.”
Travis looked from Vicki to me and then back to Vicki. “A hundred ten thousand? Is that all? How much of that is liquid?” His voice was ominously tense, and he was sitting at the edge of his seat.
Vicki chuckled nervously—she’d noticed Travis’s demeanor. “It almost sounds like you’re ready to cut and run, Mr. Moon.”
“Of course not. I simply don’t like being in the dark. What if something happens to Charmayne today? You could end up robbing me blind and I’d never know.”
Vicki answered, “About forty thousand is relatively liquid, with ten thousand in a money market checking account that is totally accessible.”
“So when are we putting my name on everything?” That question was to me, and I looked to Vicki, hoping she’d stall for me.
“I can draw up the paperwork, and it will take about sixty days for everything to go into effect. I’ll have the papers in Charmayne’s office by next Wednesday.”
Travis looked irritated. “Well, I guess that will do.”
“I’m sorry it can’t go any faster than that. But you know how banks are.”
He shifted in his seat. “Yes. I understand. Is there a restroom in this office?”
“Yes.” Vicki handed him the keys. “Go down this long hall and make a right, then it’s the third door down on your left.”
“Thank you.”
When Travis was safely down the hall, Vicki closed her office door. She exhaled loudly and walked briskly back over to her desk.
She said, “He’s a real piece of work. Where did you find him?”
“Don’t ask. I didn’t know he was so concerned with my assets until about a month ago. I paid for something with a gold credit card and he’s been obsessed ever since.”
“Well, don’t worry. I’ll handle it, and it will be painless for you.”
“Thanks, girl.”
Travis opened the door to the office noiselessly, as if he’d hoped to catch us in the act of doing or saying something. He kissed me on the forehead as he sat down. The kiss didn’t feel genuine, and Travis seemed agitated.
Vicki finalized some forms and got Travis’s signature on them. Signing the papers had a calming effect on him. I noticed the tension that was on his face melt away like hot butter.
“Well, I guess that does it. We’re finally one flesh,” Travis said joyously.
“We already were.”
“In the spirit realm we were, but now we are on paper. Aren’t you happy about it?”
“Of course I am.”
I was glad that the Lord didn’t strike me down right then and there for lying through my teeth. I didn’t want Travis to be able to get his hands on even a fraction of my wealth.
We walked out of Vicki’s office hand in hand. Travis’s joyfulness was bothering me so much that I was happy he was leaving for the weekend. I was ready to go home and help him pack his bags.
While we were driving home he asked, “Is everything all right, Charmayne?”
“Yes, I’m fine. Just a little tired. I’ve had a long week. One more day and then the weekend.”
“That’s when my work begins,” lamented Travis.
I wondered if he was already growing tired of running his own business. He sure didn’t seem as excited about it as he was in the beginning.
“A little hard work never hurt anyone.”
Travis answered quickly and sharply, “Yeah, well, I’m not going to be working like a dog my whole life.”
Something about the way he looked at me when he made that statement sent a chill through my body. It was as if he blamed me for his hard work and was going to make me pay. His eyes turned dark and ominous as we drove on in silence. I felt troubled in my spirit; something malevolent was brewing in the atmosphere. I prayed silently as Travis drove, Lord, I feel restless in my spirit. I pray that you keep me and protect me. Please give me light for my path. Touch Travis’s heart and spirit . . .