I'll Be Seeing You (31 page)

"Okay, the cars are here, time to go," Matthew says, pulling me close to him.

"Cars?" I ask.

"Yes. This is a special day, baby. Dad, Brian, Jess and I each ordered a limousine. Besides, I want you to myself for a few minutes," he flirts, walking me to the car.

"Good evening, Nick. Would you take the long way, please? I would like some privacy with my girl."

"Yes, sir," Nick replies.

Once we are settled in our seats, the noises coming from the front are silenced, and I assume the driver must have raised the window.

"Do you have your lipstick in your purse, Joy?" Matthew asks. What a strange question.

"Yes, why?”

"Good, because I plan on removing what you are wearing." The next thing I know, his lips are hard on mine. I love the feel of the passion he builds within me and my arm quickly wraps around his neck, holding him tighter to me. I’m startled when his hands run up the inside of my leg, lifting my dress in the process.

"Lay your head against my arm," he says seductively. Doing as he instructs, I lay my neck against his arm, protecting my hair from the back of the seat.

"Spread your legs for me," he whispers in my ear and, again, I eagerly do what he asks.

"Christ, Joy! Where are your panties?" he growls when I feel his fingers slip inside me.

"Um … Oh, god … they're … um, at home," I mumble, his fingers making me nearly incoherent.

"Why is that, baby?" Does he have to ask me these questions now?

"I wanted … to surprise … you," I reply, my breathing becoming erratic.

"Well, it worked," he says, panting in my ear. "I love that whenever I touch you, you are always ready and wet for me."

Feeling the tingling begin, first, in my thighs, then in my stomach, I can't prevent my hips from moving against his touch.

"Matthew, please," I beg. As soon as I say that, he stops. My face quickly looks toward his direction. "Why did you stop?" I ask, frustrated. As soon as I ask, his fingers begin to move over me again.

"Please what? What do you want?"

As soon as he asks, the pressure builds again, and he knows exactly what he's doing. He wants to hear it. He wants me to say it out loud and I’m too distracted to speak. My hips begin to move against him again and the pleasure builds for a second time.

"Tell me, Joy. I want to hear you say it."

"Oh, God … please, baby

"Say it, Joy."

Oh, please don't stop.

"Oh, god, please, Matthew, please make me … come." He covers my vocal intense and wild orgasm with his mouth while my hips buck and move in rhythm with his fingers until I have completely fallen apart.

"Stay there, baby," he says, removing his hand from me. Reaching across my chest, he opens a metal drawer and touches me with a warm cloth, gently cleaning me.

"Thank you," I say in a sigh.

"You're welcome, baby. We're here, so we'll pick this up later where we left off, all right?"

"Oh, shit," slips out of my mouth, when he announces we are here. I hurriedly lower my dress, fix my hair and reapply my lipstick. "Do I look all right?"

"You look perfect," he says, stealing a quick kiss. "Show time."

When the door opens, Matthew gets out of the car, holding my hand to help me out. "What took you guys so long?" Jessie shouts out to us.

As we walk up to them, Laura speaks up. "By the looks of the glow on Joy's cheeks, they took the long way," she teases.

"Laura Reed!" I can't believe she said that out loud.

"Just sayin’,” she says.

"Okay, that’s enough. Let's go inside," Matthew says, stopping Laura from saying anything further.

As soon as we step inside, everyone makes sure to greet Matthew and his family. He properly introduces me to anyone that talks to him, making sure that everyone knows who I am.

"Come on, baby, we haven't even entered the building yet, and we've already been bombarded." He tightly holds my hand in the crook of his arm as we enter the hall where the music is loud and cheerful.

"It sounds crowded, Matthew. Are there a lot of people here?" I ask, leaning into him.

"It's pretty full, yes. We expect over three thousand people here tonight, so stick with me, all right?"

"I will," I say holding his arm even tighter.

I hear Laura's laughter from across the room and know that she’s going through the same thing I am — Jessie must be introducing her to everyone, knowing she won't remember most of their names come morning.

"Matthew, may I borrow Joy for a moment?" Maddie asks, sounding desperate. "I'll bring her back, I promise."

"Yes, but you do not leave her alone, do you hear me?" he says sternly. I know that Matthew is protective, but still. He must have seen the puzzled look on my face because it doesn't take him long to explain himself.

"Joy, there are over a thousand people in this room, and if you are left alone, how do you think you will get around without someone to help you? I don't want you to get hurt, all right?"

"I won't leave her alone, I promise," Maddie replies, pulling me away from Matthew's arms.

Maddie guides me to a space where the hum of the room quiets a bit. "Joy, I need a huge favor," Maddie says through a shaky breath.

"What is it?" I ask. "Is everything all right?"

"The entertainer for our main event is sick and …"

It doesn’t take me long to catch on.

"Oh, hell no, Maddie. No way!" I say firmly, trying to pull my arm away from her.

Laura and I giggle our way into the bathroom stalls. "God, I've got to go so badly," I announce, fumbling with the hem of my dress. "I was so afraid I was going to pee up there on the stage."

“You sing so beautifully, Joy. You had everyone in the room listening to every note.”

“I can’t believe I let Maddie talk me into going onto that stage. But, she was in a bind, I had to help her, the poor thing,” I say, my heart going out to her even now.

I let out a huge sigh with the release of my bladder. "This is almost as good as an orgasm."

"Was it as good as the one you got in the limo?" Laura inquires, laughing from the stall next to mine.

"Laura!” I admonish, and then giggle at the memory. "No, it wasn't."

We both burst out laughing and then laugh even harder when our toilets flush at the same time.

After she helps me to the sink so I can wash my hands, I realize I don't have my clutch with me.

"Shoot, Laura, I don't have my lipstick. It's in my clutch at the table. Would you mind running out to get it?"

"Sure, hon. Sit right here in this chair, and I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere, all right?" she instructs before she leaves.

"I promise."

Shortly after, I hear the door open and two ladies enter the room whispering, one of them says my name and I recognize Carol’s voice. She’s Matthew’s head nurse at the hospital.

"I'll let you know if I finally score the sexy doctor, and we'll meet up at your place, okay, Emma?"

Carol? Emma?

The door slams shut and the heels on the floor get louder, moving closer until they stop in front of me.

"So, you're Joy?" she states matter of factly.

"Do you know who I am?" she demands, and when I don't answer, she yells at me. "Answer me!"

"Yes, Emma, I know who you are. What I don't know is what you want," I reply with a deep sigh, feeling brave and frightened at the same time.

"I'll make this quick because I'm sure your bitches will be here soon enough," she pauses. "Has Matthew told you what he is planning?" she asks, getting to the point.

I cross my legs and sit back, showing her that I am not falling for her antics. My silence answers her question.

"I thought not. He told me he wasn't going to tell you until after the holidays anyway. He tells me everything, you know," she boasts. I know this isn't true, because I know perfectly well how he feels about her.

"Did you know he was planning on performing his procedure on you? And that the government funding is based upon the outcome of that surgery?"

What?

"Did he also tell you that we met yesterday at his office?"

I feel the blood drain from my body, and I sit back in the chair, hoping my unease isn’t obvious.

I am not going to faint … I am not going to faint.

"Yeah, typical Matthew," she giggles, taking a seat next to me. "He said he enjoyed fucking you, but not as much as me. He had me over his desk until that pesky Krista knocked on the door. It's our code that someone’s coming … besides me, of course," she adds through a wicked laugh. She’s sitting so close to me that I can feel her breath on my face.

"Anyway, I thought you should know. Us girls need to stick together, isn't that right? The sooner you give him permission to do the surgery, the sooner he can get the funding, and then he can begin to help millions of people. I know you wouldn't want to deny anyone the opportunity of their sight, would you, Joyce?" Her constant mispronunciation of my name is getting boring.

I sit in stunned silence listening to her, because, frankly, it would be fruitless if I were to argue any of these points with her. You can't win with a sick person like Emma, so I decide to remain stoic and listen to everything she says.

"I've got to go make sure Matthew and I hook up this week," she says, bending down closer to my face. "He so loves to fuck my mouth. He always did call me his 'little sucker' because I love to suck that dick of his. It's so long and thick. Does he like it when you suck him off, Joy? I would doubt it, because he likes to look into the eyes of the woman who takes him down her throat. Sadly, that's not you, is it?"

Trying not to allow her cold and callous words affect me is difficult when she refers to truths that only Matthew and I know.

"See you around, Janice. Oops, I keep saying that, don’t I? I guess you won't be seeing me, but I will be seeing you. Oh, and I will be seeing Matthew too, all of him." Her voice and tone becomes even more sinister. "It's rather convenient you being blind and all. Matthew and I could be in the same room with you, and you wouldn’t even know it. We could play hide and seek, and you wouldn’t even have to cover your eyes. We could be fucking under his desk and, and you wouldn’t have a clue. Or, better yet, he could have me straddle his lap just the way he likes it, while you are talking about the weather and chatting along, only moving to cover my mouth as come all over his cock."

I try not to feel it, but the pain is there nonetheless.

"Okay, be seeing you. Oh, shit, there I go again!" I hear her devious laugh as the door shuts behind her. When I hear it open again just moments after she leaves, I've had enough of being stoic.

"What the fuck do you want now, Emma?" I shout at her.

"Baby, it's me, Laura. What did she say to you? Are you all right?" she asks, sounding worried. Sitting next to me, she takes my shaking hands into hers.

Oh, God. I can feel my entire body shiver. I don't know if I'm shaking from the cold or from shock at everything Emma just said to me. Trying to rationalize it all, my mind begins to replay the time I've spent with Matthew.

"Get me out of here, Laura. Take me to Matthew and then I need to go home. My home, not his." As soon as she helps me up, my knees give out and I nearly fall to the floor. Not only did this woman insult me in the worst possible way, I have also been humiliated beyond reason.

"What happened, Joy? What did she say to you?" I hear the panic in her voice.

"Just take me to Matthew. Please."

After Laura helps me get my balance, we walk out to the ballroom. I can hear him rush toward me by the sound of his shoes on the tile.

I have to ask him. I need to know.

~.~

Seeing Emma walk out of the ladies’ room was the last thing I expected to see tonight. And when I see my Joy, white as a sheet, my heart plummets into my stomach.

She knows.

"Joy, what is it? Did she hurt you? Did she touch you?" I ask frantically, taking her by her arms, looking for any sign of injury, feeling her body shaking against me.

"Is it true, Matthew?" she asks again, slowly pulling out of my hands.

"Joy, honey, let's go somewhere private where you and Matthew can talk," Laura says, taking Joy by her hand.

"No! Tell me, Matthew. Is. It. True?" She’s trembling and gasping for air, so I motion for my parents to stand next to me to monitor her physically.

"Baby, you have to tell me what you're talking about first," I say, quietly trying to get her to calm down.

"How long have you been planning it, Matthew? When were you going to tell me?"

There it is. She knows. Here is the anger I've wanted to avoid until after the holidays.

"Joy, we need to go home to talk about this. Everyone is watching." I sense she’s about to have a panic attack and I need to get us out of here before she goes into convulsions.

"How long, Matthew?” she yells, not caring who listens. “How fucking long?"

The pain on her face is unbearable.

“Were you with her yesterday?” she asks angrily. I know there is no right answer.

“She showed up at my office …” I reply, sick at having to tell her yes. When I hear an exasperated breath leave her, I can see she’s about to lose it.

"Mom, will you please help her?" I ask as my mother makes her way toward Joy.

"No one touch me!” she demands, turning toward her friend. “Did you know about this, Laura?"

"Yes," Laura answers quietly and truthfully.

"Who else knows?" Everyone stands there dumbstruck. "Brian? Maddie? Leland? Lillian?" When we all remain silent, she breaks down and falls to her knees. I rush to her side to pick her up, but she yells at me not to touch her.

"Don't fucking touch me!"

"Brian," Laura calls for her brother to help Joy.

"No! All of you, just leave me alone. You all knew about this, but you kept his secret for him." I watch as she scours the floor for her fallen clutch and, when she finds it, she pulls out her cell phone.

"Peter, it's Joy,” she says through quiet sobs. “I need your help. I'm at the Crowne and need a ride home. Would you come and get me?” After a brief pause, she says she’ll meet him in the lobby and she ends the call. Shaking uncontrollably, she tries to turn her cell off to put it back in her purse.

Standing there, totally helpless, I watch her fumble when all I want to do is help her … protect her.

"Joy, it's Krista, if you'll allow it, I'll take you to the lobby while you wait for your ride." I'm thankful that someone that I know and trust has offered to help, but I need to talk to her.

"Joy, can we talk about this? I can explain," I say, sounding desperate. As she gets up from the floor, my hand reaches out to help her, but Krista assists and smooths out her dress.

Panic and the feeling of utter loss rips through me.

"She'll call you, Matthew." I turn when Maddie places her hand on my arm. "She just needs some time."

"Maddie’s right, Matthew. She just needs some time to think. She'll call," my mother says, attempting to reassure me.

"She's not going to forgive me. She feels betrayed by all of us and it’s all my fault, because I asked you to keep it from her."

"Matthew, we knew what your plan was and we all agreed with it. If we didn't, we would have said something to her. We know you intended to tell her in a few weeks. She'll come around. She loves you." The voice of reason just happens to be my best friend.

My eyes follow her every move until she disappears through the doors as if frozen to the spot, unable to move.

"Conrad’s at the house. She needs him," I say frantically. "She can't be without him." I quickly pull my cell phone from my pocket and call Rebecca. She doesn't live far from my house, and when I ask if she will take Conrad to Joy's apartment, she doesn’t hesitate.

"Matthew?" I turn to find Krista behind me. "I'm sorry, but Joy has asked me to get your key to her apartment from you. It appears she has left hers at your house, and she has no way of getting into her apartment."

Staring blankly at her, she’s asking for my only link to Joy. Dread overwhelms me as I pull my keys from my pocket and take it off my key ring and hand it to her.

I knew this was going to be a fight. I just wish I could have been the one to tell her. Leave it to Emma to fuck up my life for the second time. Looking around the room, everyone is quietly whispering and watching the scene before them.

"Maddie, go get the music started. Dad, Mom, will you start the crowd dancing? Laura, Brian, if you want to leave, I understand, your loyalties are with Joy."

"They are, but I believe she needs to be alone for a few days, Matthew," Brian replies, moving to stand beside me. He places his hand on my shoulder, "I know her. She is pissed, no doubt about it, but she’s a fair and forgiving person. She loves you, and that doesn't go away quickly or easily. She'll come around, so let's let her be for a few days. If Laura and I haven't heard from her by Tuesday, one of us will go over there. She’ll probably drown herself in her work while she thinks all this through."

I walk toward the lobby to check on her and that’s where I find her being escorted to Peter’s car. He turns and sees me standing there and bends to say something to Joy.

“Joy,” I say, barely able to talk knowing this could be the last I see of her. My heart beats with hope when I see her stop and turn toward me. It’s a few long moments before she speaks, and I wait as long as she needs.

“I’ll be seeing you, Matthew,” she says in a tone of finality.

My heart aches to the very core of me, I want to know exactly what Emma said to her. When my phone vibrates in my breast pocket, I secretly hope it’s Joy, and I answer in anticipation.

"I see you got my little parting gift," Emma cackles over the phone.

"Well done, Emma. You threatened, and you delivered. I just don’t understand why. Why you fucked me over ten years ago, and why you want to do it again? What did I ever do to you?" I ask with deep sincerity.

While I’m speaking, Brian holds his phone up to mine and begins to record the conversation. I smile with satisfaction and start talking business with the devil herself.