Here I Am (Arabesque) - By Rochelle Alers Page 0,44
nurse with two looks: working girl and party girl. You’re familiar with the working girl and the other night you saw the party girl. It was my party-girl persona that caught the eye of a plastic surgeon—Dr. Victor Seabrook.” Ciara paused, waiting for Brandt to acknowledge that he recognized the name.
“Go on,” Brandt urged when Ciara fell silent. Although he didn’t particularly like watching reality television, he knew the doctor’s name.
“The first time Victor asked to take me out I turned him down. I’d gone back to school to get a graduate degree, because I’d wanted to go into psychiatric nursing, so between work and school I had very little time for socializing. A week after I was appointed to a position as a psychiatric nurse he asked me again and I accepted.
“What had begun as casual dinner dates escalated to media gatherings with A-list actors and other celebrities. Victor insisted I have a new outfit for every occasion and he’d accompany me to the various shops and boutiques, personally selecting what he wanted me to wear. I was flattered by the attention, but after a while I felt as if I was being smothered. When I told him how I felt he’d dismiss me with a wave of his hand, saying most women would give anything to have their man pay them that much attention.
“Initially I believed him, because my mother used to complain about marrying a salesman because my father was on the road more than he was at home. I rationalized, telling myself most women would love a man like Victor. He paid my rent, bought the groceries and paid for my clothes. The only thing he wanted was for me to be available for him when he needed sex, or a date.
“I panicked the day he proposed marriage because I had to ask myself if I wanted to spend the rest of my life with a man who controlled every aspect of my life and the answer was no. I told Victor I would have to think about it. That’s when he slapped me, saying I was an ungrateful bitch.”
Every muscle in Brandt’s body tensed. “He hit you?”
Ciara nodded, recalling the incident as if it’d occurred seconds ago. He’d struck her across the face with an open hand. She had been more stunned than hurt, but his intent was more to humiliate than hurt.
“I screamed at him to get out of my apartment, or I would call the police and have him arrested for assault.”
“Had he ever hit you before?”
“No. It happened so quickly that it took a minute for me to react. I was so angry I couldn’t cry. I applied an ice pack to my jaw, called in sick and twenty-four hours later I’d made a decision that changed my life. I called my supervisor and told her I was sending off a certified letter verifying I was resigning because of burnout. A friend had purchased a two-bedroom co-op in West Harlem, and she was looking for a roommate. I told Sofia I had to get away from my boyfriend, so she sent her police officer brother and some of his friends to pack up my apartment while I moved in with her. I’m certain if I’d told Esteban that Victor had hit me he would’ve impounded his car, then waited for him to retrieve it and arrested him on some frivolous charge like spitting on the sidewalk.”
“You’re lucky to have had friends who had your back.” Brandt didn’t want to think of some man slapping his sister, or any of his female cousins.
“They’re the best.”
“I take it you haven’t run into your ex since you left the hospital.”
Ciara exhaled. “I saw him about a month ago at my former supervisor’s retirement party. He showed up even though he wasn’t invited because he knew I would be there. He said he wanted to apologize, but I wasn’t having any of it. I’d asked Esteban to come with me as my date, so when I told him my police officer boyfriend would like nothing better than to arrest him for stalking, he left.”
“Is Esteban your boyfriend?” Brandt knew he sounded jealous, but he couldn’t help it. He had to know where he stood with Ciara before whatever they had went any further.
“No. Esteban Martinez is a confirmed bachelor. It’s his fortieth birthday party that I’ve agreed to attend. Have you asked your mother to come over and stay with you?”