The Drug Dealer's Wife.

#7 - This Is Not A Drill

"Bitch have you lost your damn mind?! Lying to Bryson, really? Do you know the hell that's about to come if he finds out? Why would you listen to dumbass Chloe? Does she even look like she can keep a man?"

I shushed Divine and glanced around to make sure no one was listening. I had invited the rude twit to my office so we could catch up on a couple of things, and the very last thing I needed was her yelling out my business to these already nosey folks I work around. My staff was extremely excited and grateful for the deal I pulled through with Watson, so much so that they were treating me like the queen of England. However, they still had their doubts about me, especially knowing who my husband was and his line of work. Sometimes it felt like they were waiting for me to slip up so they could throw it back in my face.

Divine got up from where she was seated and closed my door so we could no longer be heard or potentially eavesdropped. She sat back down and looked at me with grave worry. I knew I was about to get some drawn out dissertation from her about my choices.

"Nova, baby. What are you doing?" Divine simply asked.

I shrugged slightly and looked out the window. What was I really doing? This wasn't me. I wasn't down for the scheming, the lying, the deceit. Bryson and I were great, we were doing better than ever before. Shit, we even had a having and planning kids conversation when I returned from my meeting with Watson. Was I really ready to fuck all of that up?

"You know Bryson called me this morning, hoping that I was doing better. He said that he didn't mind if you even had to stay over to help alleviate my stresses. Sis, I had no idea what the hell he was talking about but of course I covered for you. Nova, you need to stop with these lies. Someone's going to get seriously hurt in the end." Divine said.

Divine was speaking the truth, and I couldn't help but smile at Bryson's kind gesture towards her. My two friends were giving me a lot to think about but in the end I knew I had to do what was best for my marriage, and most importantly, myself.

"What about me, D?" I asked softly. "What about what I want? My dreams, my goals. I get what you're saying and trust and believe I'm not proud of what I'm doing. But this is my shot right here. To finally get the exposure and be on top of the accounting game like I always desired. I'll handle Bryson. I'll make sure I'm not ever caught up again involving you."

Divine sighed and then smiled weakly at me. "Girl you know I got your back. Whatever you do, I'll support. But I need you to be wise. How much do you even know about this whole situation with Bryson and the Watson family? Is it really something you would want to risk your marriage and career for? Does John Watson even want you for you, or does he want you because you're attached to a drug dealer he hates? Now I'm not saying you ain't a damn good accountant, you're probably the best in the country. But be smart sis."

I twirled my office chair and gave Divine's words some thought. I hadn't given this whole situation a detailed synopsis like I should have and I was thankful that I had someone like Divine to show me the light. I definitely had to investigate the whole Bryson vs the Watson family more to see what was really up. I wasn't about to get played with about my accounting passion, oh hell no.

"Thank you Divine. I can always count on you to keep it a hundred with me." I expressed.

Divine winked back at me and glanced outside. Following her gaze, I noticed she was eyeing down one of my newest employees Ian. He was great eye candy for sure, and he surely kept all the women in this department on their toes.

"You know I think he plays for the other team." I admitted as we watched Ian go back and forth to the printer. "He's just too perfect."

"Well there's only one way to find out." Divine said clearing her throat. "I'm going to go introduce myself. How do I look?"

"Arousingly amazing." I answered.

Divine burst out laughing at my response and I watched my longest friend shoot her shot with Ian. I hoped it went well because my sis truly deserves happiness. Divine was the first to really find love. She was one of those women who got married right after college and settled down. Unfortunately when her husband Daniel died from cancer, things were never really the same with Divine. I just wanted to see her contented with love again.

My phone buzzed, interrupting me from my internal feelings. It was Bryson, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to speak to him just yet. I hated having to constantly lie about the whole work partnership, and I felt as though he was slowly figuring out the mess I put myself in. Bryson wasn't an idiot, he was in fact the smartest man I knew. If I really wanted to play the deceitful game, I had to do it head on. Alas, I answered the phone, but it wasn't a voice I wanted to hear.

It was a lady's voice and she letting me know that she was a nurse at The Sarain Hospital. She continued by stating that my husband has been shot four times and I needed to come down there immediately.

I felt giddy, and the nurse's words kept echoing through my head. Shot? Four times? Oh God. I swallowed nervously and tried desperately to keep my breathing and heart rate in tact. Bryson had been shot at before, and each time he pulled through. But four times? Oh my God.

"So girl guess who's going on a dinner date tomorrow?" Divine happily said walking back into my office. "Nova, is everything okay?"

At this point I was on the verge of a panic attack, grabbing up my things to head through the door. I was shaking ridiculously, and I tried to keep all the negative thoughts at bay. I just got my husband back, there was no way I was about to lose him again.

"Nova, Nova!" Divine yelled grabbing me. "What the hell is going on?"

"Bryson got shot!" I whispered shouted. "Divine, I need to go. Let go of me."

"Well there's no way in hell you're going down there by yourself. Head to the car, I'll get Ian to cover things for you here. I'm coming." Divine replied.

Nodding, I basically ran to the car park and Divine was behind me seconds later. We travelled swiftly and carefully through the streets, and I prayed the whole way to the hospital. I couldn't take this type of pain. I wouldn't wish it on my worse enemy.

"Hi, we're here to see Bryson Harding. We were told that he is here in a serious condition." Divine said hastily to a nearby receptionist. "Can you help us?"

The receptionist started doing receptionist like things, checking her computer and going through files. I was getting aggravated by the second. Why were these people trained like this? I was ready to jump over her desk and act a damn fool but Divine had me in check, holding onto my hand. The receptionist finally looked up from her screen, and pointed in the West direction. At least she was good for something.

"Nova, sweetie. Everything's gonna be okay. Just breathe, relax. Can I get you something?" Divine asked.

"My husband, Divine!" I snapped. "That's what you can get me. Shit, where are these damn doctors?"

I glanced around the busy waiting room to see the hospital's workers scurrying around. Tapping on a man who looked like a doctor, he glared at me irritated and aggressively.

"Hi, I was hoping for more information on a Mr. Bryson Harding. I got a call earlier from a nurse." I said.

"Mr. Harding is undergoing surgery ma'am. He's in a very serious condition. I take that you are his wife? My name is Dr. Leacock." the man responded.

"Yes, she is." Divine spoke up. "Is that all you can tell us?"

Dr. Leacock looked at me sympathetically and that was the one look I was terrified of the most. "Things aren't looking too good for him, Mrs. Harding. I suggest you start calling the rest of his family and prepare for a very long night."

Divine urged me to have a seat but that didn't help the feeling of the walls closing in on me. I was too distraught to cry, and too scared to be mad. This wasn't how the Bryson and Nova Harding story was supposed to end. I wanted so much more for us. I wanted so much more for him. He was supposed to prove everyone around him wrong, showing that he was more than just some drug dealer. He survived vicious attacks before, and he had to survive this one. He just had to.