My Little Secret by Anna J. Page B

away on her laptop, looking like she had a good groove going. I instantly felt bad about disturbing her because I knew it was hard for her to sometimes even write a sentence.
    I set my bag down on the coffee table and reached into the pocket of my trench coat to silence my ringing cell phone. Seeing that Ray was calling from his cell phone meant he had already left the house, so I didn’t even bother to answer. I just turned the phone off.
    â€œWhat are you doing here? I thought you were celebrating your husband’s birthday.” Jaydah said to me, not bothering to look up from her task. She had a habit of doing that, and she knew I hated that shit.
    â€œRay had to work,” I said, walking toward her spot on the living room floor. I stepped out of my house shoes at the door so I wouldn’t track snow on her carpet, suddenly embarrassed that all I had on was the lingerie I brought for Ray.
    â€œOh, so you came here because your man dissed you, huh? Ain’t that something?”
    â€œNo, it’s not like that. Just like I spent your birthday with you, I had to do it for him. It’s only fair.”
    â€œYeah, I hear that. Well, make yourself comfortable and drop that outfit in the incinerator. You bought that shit to wear for him, not for me.”
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    How could I have been so stupid? I know Ray is stepping out on me because he isn’t pressuring me for sex at home, and he doesn’t care that I stay nights out. I wonder if that bitch has ever been at my house? He specifically told me he had to leave for business, and he was laid up with this bitch?
    I can’t believe it. I fold the pictures back up into his wallet, taking that one and putting it inside my purse. I will be confronting her as soon as we get back to Philly. I can’t believe this shit. I could have been chilling with Jaydah, and here I am stuck on a damn island with this lying-ass nigga.
    I tried calling Jaydah back, but she wasn’t taking my calls. At this point I am just fed up with everyone. I called the airline to see if I can leave today, but the earliest flight out is Friday afternoon. I’m cool with that. All I have to do is bide my time until then.
    I get dressed in a basic terry cloth jumper so I can run downstairs to the front desk. The attendant is nice enough to let me make a copy of the picture after I tell him I am a doctor and need some files copied for a client. I have a few of Ray’s papers to make it look official, but I really only copy the picture.
    Like he promised, two hours later Ray is back in the room. He walks in on me watching a movie from the payper-view listing. I act like everything is normal, allowing him to kiss me on my forehead. He goes into the bathroom to shower and change because he wants us to have lunch with a few people from his office.
    Since I hadn’t gone anywhere, I just changed into a cute pair of peach capris with a white halter-top and sandals to match. I pull my hair up into a ponytail since it is hot as hell outside, and when he is ready to go, we meet everyone in the dining room in the hotel.
    Imagine my surprise when I see Barbara sitting at the table with her husband, laughing as if he’d just told the funniest joke of all time.
    It takes everything in me not to drop-kick her ass up out that chair. She gives me the phoniest smile when we approach the table, and I don’t even bother to return it. This bitch is sleeping with my husband, and I want her to know that I know. When the time is right, she will know. Two more days and I will be up out of this joint, and with the only person who truly cares about me.
    A Sucker for Love
    Jaydah
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    By Friday, Nevaeh is working my damn nerves. I couldn’t blame her because she loves hard, but she doesn’t give a sister any breathing room. When I told her that we should take it one day at a time, I thought she got it, but when I tried to leave New Jersey without her, that caused a glitch in the