Chapter 29: Doppelbanger: Chapter 29

“OKAY, YOU’VE ALREADY admitted that your anger is one of the biggest issues in your marriage, right? So, if this marriage means as much as you say it does, then what steps can you take to better control that anger, Mr. Giles?”

I’m only half paying attention as he spouts off all the techniques we’ve been discussing during his sessions, when my phone buzzes in my lap. With a quick glance, I see that it’s Evangeline. And now it’s even harder to pay attention, but I resist the urge to check my phone and push through the last fifteen minutes of his session. He is paying for my services after all.

“Mr. Giles,” I hold out my hand for his. “I’d like you to contact the guy on that card I gave you for anger management. I’m afraid if you can’t get this under control…Well, I don’t need to tell you what that’ll mean, or you wouldn’t be here in the first place.”

“Yes, ma’am. I’m desperate. I’ll give him a call as soon as I get out of here.”

“Very good.” I nod, ready to shove him out the door. “I’ll see you next week.”

When my office is finally empty, I collapse into my chair and pull up my message from Evangeline.

Hey, Gina. Do you have time to talk? I think something’s wrong.

It’s Friday. Just two days since the whole period debacle and I’ve been thinking of her nonstop but didn’t want to be the first to message. Somehow, I’m scared I’ll overstep. Even if Jeff did give us his blessing. His kids are slippery territory, and I don’t want to do anything to screw this up.

I’m between clients now. Can you talk?

Yeah, I just got home. Dad’s still at work.

Reaching across my desk I buzz Lois, my receptionist.

“Yes, Gina?”

“Can you hold my next client up front for a few minutes? I need to make an important call. I’ll buzz you back when I’m ready.”

“Sure thing.”

“Thanks.”

After resting my desk phone back in its cradle, I dial Vangie on my cell.

“Hello,” she moans, sounding like death.

“What’s wrong, baby?” Instantly my pulse starts racing.

It takes her a moment to stop crying enough to talk. “It just hurts so bad. My head and my—my stomach.”

“I know, honey. Did you try the Midol we picked up the other day?”

She whimpers. “Yeah, but I can’t take it again for another hour.”

“Listen,” I say, now pacing my office. “Plug in that heating pad and lay down with it across your abdomen for a while. This seems a bit excessive. I’m going to talk to your dad about taking you to a gynecologist. Just to check and make sure everything’s okay. Sometimes they can put you on birth control, and it helps immensely.”

“Oh, God. There’s no way I could ask him to put me on birth control. Dad would flip his shit.”

That makes me laugh, because she is absolutely right. “That’s why I’ll talk to him. Go get some rest, and I’ll check on you after work.”

“Thanks, Gigi,” she groans, ending the call.

My last two clients’ sessions fly by, and I’m off by five. It’s so nice having Spence back in the office and getting out before dark. Those long nights were really wearing on me.

As soon as I’m in my car, I text Vangie to see how she’s feeling, getting no response. I don’t want to call and bother her if she’s sleeping, so I decide I’ll try her again later.

When I get home, I text again. And once again there’s no response, so I call Jeffrey.

“Hey, gorgeous, I was just about to call you,” he answers. His cheery tone brings a smile to my face.

“Were you?” I ask, popping a frozen dinner into the microwave.

“I miss you,” he mumbles into the phone, indicating Willow must be nearby.

“You just saw me day before yesterday,” I tease, although I miss him so much my insides are twisted up into knots. The girls are staying home this weekend which means I won’t see him for a whole week. My plan is to spend as much time as I can with Spence and the kids to try to keep my mind off my . I really suck at this fuck buddy thing.

He chuckles. “So?”

“Hey, how’s Vangie?” I ask, changing the subject. “She wasn’t feeling well earlier, and I texted a few times to check in, but she’s not answering.”

“I just came down from her room. She’s in bed with the heating pad, passed out.”

“Poor baby.”

“Come over?” he blurts out of nowhere. “Spend the night…I’ll take the couch, and you can have my bed.”

Now my heart is racing for an entirely different reason. Lines are blurring, but I don’t have enough self-preservation to say no, so instead I ask, “Are you sure?”

“The girls will love it, and then you can check on Vangie yourself,” he adds. “Perfect excuse.”

“Jeffrey…What are you going to do when Evangeline eventually asks about us? She’s not a little kid. She’s going to realize something’s going on. Women don’t just drive two hours to sleep at a guy friend’s house.”

“Sure, they do.” The man is completely deluded. “I’ll tell her we’re just friends, and you enjoy spending time with them. They don’t need to know more than that.”

I’d be lying if I said it didn’t hurt to be treated like his dirty little secret, but I knew exactly what I was getting myself into and dove in head first. I have no right to feel the way I do.

“I should say no.” With the phone resting between my chin and shoulder, I retrieve my Banquet spaghetti and meatballs from the microwave, tossing the little tray to the counter.

“What time can you be here?”

“See you at seven.”

§

“Gigi, you tame back!”

Jeff smiles down at me, grabbing the overnight bag from my hand so I can properly greet my little friend. Before he heads toward his bedroom with my things, he gives me a sexy wink.

“Hey, baby girl.” I swoop her up into my arms like a little baby and fall into the plush, oversized armchair, snuggling her to my chest. “I didn’t get to spend enough time with you the other day. I had to come back and get my little girl fix.”

“Gina?” Evangeline groans, rubbing sleep from her eyes as she steps into the room. “What are you doing here?”

“Hey, honey.” I pat the space next to me. “I was worried, and asked your father if I could come back and check on you. How’re you feeling?”

Vangie curls into my side, resting her head on my shoulder, “A little better, I think.”

With my right hand, I smooth the hair from her face, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

“I’m glad you’re here,” she says, yawning.

“So am I, sweet girl.”

§

“Gigi, wake up!”

My eyes flutter open to find Willow bouncing in Jeff’s bed next to me and Evangeline carrying a tray of bacon and eggs. “Made you breakfast,” that little angel says, smiling sweetly.

My eyes feel wet again. And this time I can’t blame it on my vagina, because Jeff is nowhere around. Dammit. “Thank you, Vangie. That’s so sweet.”

She shrugs her shoulders as if it’s nothing, setting the tray next to me and swooping her little sister up before she can dump the food all over the bed. “This little monkey helped.”

“Yeah,” Willow agrees, struggling to get out of her sister’s arms. “I putted the jelly on your toast.”

That explains the gobs of grape jam. I couldn’t wipe the smile from my face if I tried. “Thank you both so much.”

“You’re welcome. Enjoy.”

When the two girls exit the room, shutting the door behind them, I allow the tears to fall. I feel like I’m living someone else’s life. Then I remember that I am and that none of this is mine, and I cry some more.

Time to call in reinforcements.

“Hey, hooch.”

“Quick,” I say sniveling into the phone. “Make me laugh.”

“Are you—What the hell did he do to you?” Spencer shouts, jumping to the wrong conclusion.

“It wasn’t him,” I rush out. “It was the girls.”

Spence groans. “Oh, God. What happened?”

“They m—made me b—breakfast,” I sob, and my best friend loses her shit laughing at me.

“Oh, Gina.”

“This is gonna hurt, Spence. It’s gonna hurt so fucking bad. It already does.”

“Or,” she drawls out, “maybe you’re finally right where you belong.”

“Nuh-uhn,” I say, blowing my nose into the napkin on my tray. “Don’t you start filling my head with more bullshit than what is already there. I need you to make me laugh. Like right now, before Jeff wakes up and comes in here and sees this ugly, blubbering mess.”

“You’ll never guess what your godson did last night,” Spence finally starts, and I can already tell it’s gonna be good.

“Which one?”

“Savage.” Oh, his stories are always the best.

“What?”

“So, he was bathing in my tub last night, while I was watching TV in my room, and all of a sudden he’s screaming his little ass off…”

“What happened?”

It takes her a moment to stop laughing before she continues. “So, he shouts, ‘Mom, Mom, you have to come see this,’ and of course I’m already out of the bed rushing to see what all of the fuss is about.” Spence snorts. “I walk in, and he’s standing butt-ass naked in the tub, bent over, trying to see between his legs.”

“Oh, God. I’m scared.”

“H—his hand is all up under there, and he’s poking his ball sack, so I’m all, ‘What the hell are you doing, Kyle?’ and he lifts his head, serious as shit, and says, ‘Remember when I told you I losed my marbles? I musta swallowed two of ’em, cuz I found ’em. They’re in my nuts!’ ”