"Sure. But you two be careful." She said in her most motherly voice. I had grown to respect Denise a lot since I had been working with her. She never gossiped and anything you told her was kept as private as the Clinton's Swiss bank accounts. It was a habit I quickly mirrored.
After Denise had grabbed her things and left, Marty and I went into his office. Talking briefly about what had just happened I looked at him not knowing what to say.
His eyes made me think he, too was reading my mind. Except, instead of the brutal intrusion I felt from Joshua, Marty seemed to assure me that my past was not an issue. We made love there, as we had done before, in front of the windows with the lights off and only the city lights below to see us. But this time it was different. This time we clung to each other harder and more passionately as if it was the only way we could express our real feelings for each other.
It was never like this with Joshua who seemed to live for the thrill and not the meaning of the act. But Marty held every part of me gently yet with command and an authority I was willing and wanting to submit to. Most importantly, he held my heart with strong, protective hands.
When we were dressed and sitting together on the sofa in his office I began to cry. I sobbed into his strong, muscular chest and I didn't know why. Well, that wasn't all together true. I was afraid that Joshua was going to make it impossible to stay with Marty.
"Right?" I mean, what would Christmas be like at their house?" I said to Diamond who looked at me with nothing but sympathy. "They were brothers. I was just some girl. I felt in my gut that Marty would have no choice but to choose blood over me."
"What did he say when you told him you felt this way?" She asked, handing me a paper napkin from the dispenser to wipe my eyes and blow my nose.
"I didn't tell him. Not that night. Everything just went downhill from that night on."
About a week later Denise didn't show up at work. That wasn't like her at all. It would take a case of Ebola to keep her away and even then I wasn't so sure. No one answered her phone at home or her cell. It wasn't until later that we got a call from her husband that she was in the hospital. She had been attacked in the garage of the building. Beaten and robbed. And there was no footage on the security camera.
"She won't be coming back to work." I said to Diamond. "Her arm was broken and her assailant gave her a concussion pounding her head against the concrete floor. She has lost her short term memory." My eyes dried as I repeated this information.
Diamond clenched her jaw.
"Did Joshua do it?"
"I don't know." I shrugged. "If he didn't, I think he paid someone to."
"And does he know about the baby?"
That was all I needed to hear. I couldn't stop the river of tears rolling down my cheeks as I thought of the beautiful little helpless life inside my belly. It was Marty's. There was no doubt about that. And every day and night I thanked God for that knowledge. But I was terrified because there was a devil out to hurt not just me but everyone around me. I shook my head.
"You are the only one who knows. Don't say anything."
"Who am I going to tell?"
I looked at Diamond seriously.
"He might try and find you. Joshua might try and hurt..."
"Please, Nat. It'll take a little more than some rich spoiled brat to intimidate me. If he went after Denise she is an older lady. An easy target, no disrespect."
"Just be on guard is all I'm saying."
"You too, you two." and she pointed at my stomach making me chuckle a little.
I told her when I'd be getting in to my parent's house and that if she talks to Marty not to tell him.
"You mean he doesn't know? Nat, are you sure that is a good idea?"
"I just need some time to think. Time away from photographers and wealthy people and homes with more rooms than people to stay in them. I just want my quiet home for a while."
"How long will you be gone?"
"Just the weekend. I don't want to miss work, right?"
Diamond smiled but I could see she wasn't exactly happy with my decision.
"I'll be alright."
We left the coffee shop and while helping me carry my bags to a taxi I heard Diamond sniffle.