Sweet Misery

By Sandra Allison-Chatman

Love has no limits

Passion has no boundaries

Things come to a boiling point for Sydney when her cruel husband verbally attacks her at their daughter's school for differently abled students. It's the final straw! She refuses to take anymore of his abuse. The experience gives her courage to leave a broken marriag

• Language: English
• Publisher: Go To Publish
• Release date: Sep 2, 2020
• ISBN: 9781647490188

Sandra Allison-Chatman

Sandra Allison-Chatman was born in Pine Bluff Arkansas. She was the first of five children born to Floyd and Elizabeth McMurray. Life wasn’t easy as a child living in a home with an alcoholic father. Everyone suffered from his illness. After a bitter divorce her mother moved to Detroit, Michigan where she was raised and educated. Only one month after living in a large city, her father was murdered. She was only thirteen years old at the time. Dealing with her emotional loss and unfamiliar new environment caused her to become extremely reserved. She learned to express herself through writing. While earning her degree in Liberal Arts, at Wayne Country Community College, a professor noticed her writing abilities and recommended that she write short stories. It was during her studies at Oakland University when she finally took writing seriously. She and brother, Devortrey, started an urban lifestyle magazine called, Bangin’ The Magazine, which secured both national sales and distribution. After publishing several articles for the magazine, she realized that writing was her passion and decided to take her gift further. With great pleasure she presents, Ring Around The Roses. A story of real passion. An uncoated romance with all the strengths and weaknesses that makes it an extraordinary tale. Ring Around The Roses embodies the challenges and truths that mass audiences can relate their journey to find love.

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Sweet Misery

Copyright © 2019 by Sandra Allison-Chatman

ISBN: 978-1-64749-018-8

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher or author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Although every precaution has been taken to verify the accuracy of the information contained herein, the author and publisher assume no responsibility for any errors or omissions. No liability is assumed for damages that may result from the use of information contained within.

Printed in the United States of America

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Contents

Prologue

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

Fourteen

Fifteen

Sixteen

Seventeen

Eighteen

Nineteen

Twenty

Twenty-One

Twenty-Two

Prologue

Sydney took a deep breath before walking down the hallway to the elevator. The doors slid opened and closed behind her like a huge suction cup. When the elevator finally reached the lower level, she was alone and slowly made her way through the long corridor into the parking structure. It was 9:30 p.m., cold and quiet, except for the distant groan of traffic coming from a nearby freeway. Shortly after entering the dimly lit garage, she sensed that someone else was present and hesitated to approached her SUV. As her uneasiness continued to grow, she took precautionary measures and stopped walking to survey her surroundings. Just a few feet away, something caught her eye. Hidden behind a huge support beam appeared the silhouette of someone watching her. Sydney was startled. May I help you? she asked nervously, watching closely. Her voice echoed against the brick walls and no one returned an answer. Something about the silence seemed sinister. The image was vague, making it impossible to tell if it was a male or a female.

After several moments, it was as if the silence created its own noise. It screamed fear. Her heart began to race, while adrenaline surged through her body. She wanted to turn back, but fear would not allow her to make a sudden move in any direction. Sydney stood rooted between the exit and her vehicle unable to she decided on what to do. By taking the exit, she would risk the chance of the elevator not being there, or worse, find herself stumbling on a dark flight of stairs. The unknown intensified her fear and dreadful thoughts ran through her mind causing her to envision the worst. She no longer wanted an answer from the shadow and she wasn’t going to wait any longer. Sydney decided that getting to her vehicle was her best option.

Her impulse was to run as fast as she could, screaming at the top of her lungs if someone came after her. She did not know what to expect. Then it occurred to her that someone else might be lurking in the shadows as well, waiting to creep-up behind her. A flurry of chills rushed up her spine. With her heart pounding like a drummer’s role, she whipped her head around to check over her shoulders. No one else was there. A minor stroke of luck, considering it could have been worse. When she turned back to the silhouette, it had disappeared. Where are you? . . . I know you’re still here! You couldn’t have gone far. she yelled, clutching onto her purse, while glancing between the beam and vehicles parked nearby.

The vibration of her voice disturbed a small flock of pigeons hidden in the rafters of the roof. Sydney panicked as they circled the ceiling above her, flapping their wings chaotically through the air. She almost stumbled over a speed bump as she raced to her vehicle. At the door of her Jeep Grand Cherokee, she franticly searched her purse for the key. Shoot! Shoot! Shoot! Where are they? she whispered. It was the only thing standing between her and safety. The noise from her fumbling sounded like an old spooky tale of a ghost rattling chains, until she found the right one.

Sydney shoved herself behind the wheel of her automobile and slammed the door shut. Immediately she flipped the lock switch. Her senses heightened as she watched and listened for any sudden sounds or movements, getting the ignition started. Like the speed of light, she put the vehicle in gear and sped out of the parking structure. Only after she had made her way safely to the street and watched the hospital parking structure become smaller in the rearview mirror did her fear began to subside.

After entering the freeway, Sydney was thrown into a different state of reality. A gust of strong wind slammed into her SUV, forcing it to sway into another lane. The blare of a semi-truck shook her as the driver sped by thrusting his mid-finger from a bobbing fist, displaying his anger. She took a quick breath, clasping the steering wheel with both hands to gain proper control of her vehicle. Within a few moments of adjusting herself, she noticed a black sedan racing towards her as if it were in a NASCAR race. It seemed to come out of nowhere. Sydney worried that the driver might rear-end her. She automatically pressed the accelerator to the floor and changed lanes.

The car changed lanes with her. Suddenly, bright lights flashed, accompanying the wail of a siren. A second look revealed that the vehicle approaching was actually an unmarked police car. She hadn’t realized how fast she was driving. Though shaken, she felt a sense of relief. Her breathing returned to a steady pace and she reduced her speed. With the flip of a finger, she signaled to get on the service drive. After bringing her SUV to a complete stop, she sank deep into the seat overwhelmed with anxiety. From the side mirror, she watched the patrol car pull up behind her and two officers step out. While they walked towards her, she began to reflect. What a hell of a day it had been. She was mentally drained. What more could happen? Any second, she was going to explode. Jeremy was heavily on her mind. He had been the love of her life for the past three years and they were supposed to be on their honeymoon. Instead, she was leaving the hospital, praying that he makes a full recovery. Doctors gave little hope, but Jeremy was a fighter and Sydney couldn’t imagine life without him. She reminisced, thinking of how ironic things had turned out between the two of them. At first, a path together seemed quite unlikely. Ultimately, only fate would have the final say in determining their destination.

One

It was a sunny morning in July, a few days after Independence Day. Sydney couldn’t remember the last time she had acknowledged a man speaking to her beyond a casual hello. But this day proved to be different. A stranger walked into her life, a face she never expected to mean a thing. He caught her attention immediately with his long prideful stride. He projected the image of a strong African-American, sharing the same dominant status as a male lion, ruling as king of the jungle. He stood proud; merely an inch or so shy of six feet in height. With his chest held high, his military style haircut gave him a distinguished look of someone demanding respect as though it was not an option. Unfortunately, the air of confidence displayed in his brown chocolate colored eyes revealed an arrogance that required too much attention.

From a distance, he smiled at Sydney, studying her like a hungry cat stalking a bird. She felt completely naked as he approached her with a lustful gaze in his eyes. She sneered at him. Without effort, she recognized the ploy behind his flirtatious, self- assured look. She had seen it on other men and the results were always the same, love ‘em and leave ‘em. From Sydney’s point of view, he was as obvious as a preview of a movie, A man with a script, trying to get between the sheets. His aura sent off a negative message to Sydney, casting him in a room with a roaring fireplace escorting a beautiful woman to the door in his robe, and then kissing her goodbye. After the woman has gone, he walks to a secret place where he removes a sacred black book and conceitedly swipes a mark by her name.

Sydney sighed. She didn’t want to be agitated with his playful come-on or be drawn into trivial dialogue. But he was the repairman and she simply couldn’t go another hour working with a broken tool. Since she had to deal with him, she hoped her thoughts wouldn’t be as obvious. All she wanted was for him to make the repair and leave without a lot of hassle. Hello, Sydney barked. She didn’t allow him the opportunity to return the greeting. She turned away and walked towards the trouble.

He smiled at her amiably, without saying a word, watching her body move. Laggardly, he studied the situation and Sydney too. He knew right away what to do for the fixture; but Sydney was a different story. He sensed from her curtness that she didn’t want to be bothered and any attempt of getting to know her would be difficult. He pulled a few tools from his repair box and began to work. Sydney stood nearby, pretending to be pre-occupied with sorting stock.

Anxiously, waiting for him to hurry and leave, Sydney intentionally kept her head turned away from him to avoid eye contact, hoping he wouldn’t stir up an annoying conversation or try to flirt with her. But it didn’t work. He introduced himself anyway.

How are you? he asked firmly.

Good, she replied, still occupied with her work. My name is Jeremy. I’m new to this department. What’s yours?

Though his demeanor was pleasant, Sydney didn’t care. She thought of giving him a fake name, but after a moment, she realized it would be useless. He’d find out eventually. She offered a sigh and reluctantly answered, Sydney. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, still too busy to give him her full attention. They both knew what was going on and Jeremy found it amusing. When Sydney saw Jeremy nod his head up and down with a smirk on his face, it made him appear even more arrogant than she had initially thought. That smug look on his face made her even more determined to ignore him.

Jeremy wore a white T-shirt with the slogan, TOMMY HILFIGER printed across the chest. Without his knowledge, of course, Sydney caught herself watching the muscles on his arms flex. They bulged like a scene from the Incredible Hulk, after the creature’s shirt had torn from his body. She couldn’t help but take a closer glance at how chiseled his body looked in his uniform pants. He continued to work efficiently at repairing the equipment. But she knew his underlying mission was to prolong the job and keep talking. She was completely unenthused with his intention. It’s so nice outside today. I can’t wait until the shift is over. I want to get out there and enjoy some of this good weather we’re having - - - I’ve got to take care of my lawn first, but after that . . . etc., he said.

He hoped for a response, but his conversation fell on deaf ears. Sydney acted as if she hadn’t heard a word. She had no intention of showing interest in anything he had to say. However, Jeremy didn’t let her silence distract him. His mannerism was impeccable. This should be about right for your height. Let me make a few more adjustments and you shouldn’t have any more problems, Jeremy explained with a wide smile. His kind gesture made it hard for her to be completely rude. The more she thought about it, the more she didn’t want to appear as a snob. Slowly she turned and looked at him. This seemed to give him the okay to talk more.

He talked about several projects he had been working on in his spare time, indicating to her that he was a very busy man with too many things going on in his life to have a vibrant social life.

I have a lot of work to do around my house but I’ve got to work on my grandmother’s house first. She’s almost ninety-years-old and still drives herself anywhere she needs to go . . . I need to paint . . . I just started remodeling my basement, Jeremy said.

Oh yeah, she replied, half listening and half bored.

Jeremy never asked her any personal questions. The conversation turned out to be harmless and before long, he was finished with his work. Sydney was relieved that Jeremy hadn’t tried to hit on her. She found herself exhaling as he gathered his things and said goodbye.

Less than a week later, someone had changed the setting on the air tool and service was needed to repair the trouble again. Jeremy returned. Sydney observed from a distance, the way he smiled at her. The hypnotic look in his eyes locked on her. He winked and then puckered his lips into a kiss. Oh my God! Here he comes again, she whispered, I hope he doesn’t think I’m naïve, pretending he wasn’t interested in me the last time he was here. I know that trick too. He’s trying to act like he’s different, but I’m going to set him straight quick, she thought. His intentions seemed obvious before and now she was sure of it. He wanted to know her better, but she preferred not. Her life was already filled with responsibilities that required a lot of time. Furthermore, she wasn’t going to let it happen.

Her primary goal was to earn a paycheck and go home to her family.This time, Sydney was determined to ignore Jeremy by giving him a complete brush off. She decided to let her supervisor explain the problem to him this time. Sure enough, she carried out her plan to maintain an aesthetic distance without making eye contact. When more input was required to make adjustments, she spoke directly to the supervisor, not him. She made having a casual conversation with her virtually impossible. Jeremy recognized what she was doing and when the job was finished, he nodded to her without saying a single word, just as she wished. For the moment, she was happy that she had accomplished her goal. She had no desire of establishing anything beyond a work relationship with any man, especially at the workplace. Her mind was made-up. Nothing was ever going to develop beyond small talk with her.

A couple of months later, the company found a faster, less expensive method of performing the same job without the use of a hand held tool. The new system eliminated the need for Jeremy’s repairs. Sydney hadn’t seen or given him a second thought since the last repair. Then one afternoon, he suddenly appeared driving one of the company’s utility vehicles. The moment their eyes met, the smile on his face spoke volumes. He waved eagerly; however, Sydney’s face was emotionless. She reluctantly reciprocated a wave and hurried off in the opposite direction. In the meantime, annoying thoughts of him bothered her. This guy’s head must be as hard as a rock. He won’t take the hint. I’m going to have to show him my disinterest in another way, she thought. Sydney needed a diversion, someone else to take his attention away from her without appearing conspicuous.

The first person to enter her mind was Nicole Collins, a coworker, whom she loved like a sister. Nicole was a good friend and a hard worker. She liked the finer things in life, including good looking men. She had a dynamic personality and a pretty face too. Mother nature had taken care of the rest for her. Nicole had a body, one would expect to see in Playboy magazine, honed to perfection. She weighed approximately 120 lbs., and stood 5’5 inches tall. Her waist was very tiny and no matter what she wore, her breasts looked like they wanted to spill over. Better looking than the average woman, the curves on her body demanded attention like the famous painting of Mona Lisa by, Leonardo da Vinci. Her long legs accented her swaying hips and gave her a sculptured look that drove men wild.

Women envied her and men admired her feminine sexuality along with her incredible sense of style. Nicole’s skin was flawless, a light honey brown color. She glowed, as if a guardian angel floated aloft. Her hair was as dark as coal and shined like black pearls. She wore it short in the back and long on the top, covering part of her right eye. Sydney often found it humorous to watch Nicole swing her head back and brush the hair away from her face with her finger tips. Seconds later, it would fall down again. Nicole had a good spirit and always seemed to be happy. Her smile was mesmerizing and her voice was as gentle as a humming bird. Every morning, Nicole would say, Hey, Sid. What’s going on girl? No one other than Sydney’s mother had ever called her by that name.

As friends often do, Nicole and Sydney spent their lunch breaks together. They met in the plant cafeteria almost every day. Most of the time, one offered to pay for the others meal. On occasion, they would dutch treat. Although neither had financial difficulties, both knew that if the occasion ever occurred in which one had no money, the other would come to the rescue.

One morning, they both left for work without any cash. It wasn’t until lunchtime, while standing in line that they discovered neither could pay. They laughed as they emptied their purses to put their change together. Combined, they were able to buy a hearty order of chili-fries and a couple of soft drinks. The cashier had a look of disbelief in her eyes when they handed her two dollars in pennies and the rest in nickels and dimes. That day, they enjoyed the best lunch two friends could ever share. With everything in her favor, Nicole seemed to be the perfect woman to handle a flirtatious man like Jeremy.

The next time she ran into him, it was a complete surprise. Jeremy’s attention was elsewhere when he stepped into the aisle way unexpectedly. Her heart galloped as she quickly stepped aside to avoid a near collision. It seemed to be a million to one chance that they would meet at the marriage-line, in one of the few isolated areas of the body shop. With more than three thousand employees working in the same building, no one else was in sight. He smiled warmly.

The gleam in his eyes revealed his excitement of seeing her. Hey… this is a nice surprise running into you, he said. Sydney smiled back, Yeah, we almost walked into each other. Jeremy stretched his arm forward, holding a Palm Pilot. This time, his face looked troubled, but he quickly shrugged the mood aside.

I’m trying to get a good signal to get today’s market results. Oh really, she said, glancing at the Palm Pilot, Be careful with that day trading stuff. I hear it could be pretty risky business, if you don’t know what you’re doing.

I’ve been trading in the market for the last six years, I wish I’d been in it sooner, he replied confidently.

Do you study the stocks that much?

It’s my second job. If you ever become interested and want to know a little something about trading, maybe I can help you out, Jeremy said.

I’ll keep that in mind. Right now, I’ m so busy, I don’t have time to get involved with anything as serious as the stock market. But, if things change and I do get some extra time, I’ll know where to come, Sydney said. She paused, deliberating on the best way to tell him about Nicole. Jeremy... I’ve been meaning to talk to you about someone.

Oh yeah, who? he asked, wrinkling his forehead.

A friend of mine, she works here. Her name is Nicole Collins. You’ve probably seen her around. Everybody thinks she’s attractive. She has a sweet personality. I’m sure you’ve seen her.

That’s good to know. Why are you telling me this? Jeremy asked, uncertain of her reason.

I think you should meet her, Sydney said with a smile. Nicole mentioned there was a good-looking guy working here that she wouldn’t mind meeting. She must have been talking about you. Jeremy rubbed the top of his head in bewilderment, as if he were trying to put a name to a face.

What’s her name again? he asked curiously.

Nicole Collins, Sydney repeated.

I don’t know anyone by that name, but I’ll a keep an eye opened to see who she is, he said. Sydney felt sure he would find Nicole appealing as well.

Let me know what happens if you see her okay? I’ll catch you later, she said, taking small steps to leave. Jeremy nodded in agreement and waved goodbye as she left. Sydney walked away with a smile on her face, pleased with what she had accomplished.

A week later, she saw him in the same isle way again. Before he could utter a single word, Sydney spoke boldly and clearly.

Did you see Nicole, yet? she asked.

Nicole your girlfriend? he asked. She nodded with enthusiasm.

Uh huh, she said with excitement, smiling happily.

Jeremy’s tone of voice changed to boredom. No. I did see a young lady who might have been her, but she’s not my type, he replied. Once again, he focused was on her and his voice perked.

Why don’t you let me take you out to dinner and a movie? he asked kindly.

No thank you, she said politely, I’m really busy.

She never mentioned to Jeremy that she was married, nor was she hiding it. Working in an auto-plant is a city in itself. Flirting is common practice and sex in the plant is a lifestyle. She saw it all the time, men and women looked at each other like steak dinners. Inside the plant, people live double lives. Giving the word marriage a superficial meaning. Behind the scenes, their spouses have no clue that their counter-part has a plant-wife or a plant-husband, some involved children. Sydney was sure the suggestion of meeting another woman would speak for itself. He would get the message and lose interest.

He said, I understand. People don’t always believe me when I say I’m busy. Let me know when you have some time. She responded, Okay. Sure, uh . . . see you later.

Sydney smiled at Jeremy and walked away. While her back was turned to him, her smile widened. He preferred me over Nicole, she thought. Her self-esteem bloomed. It had been a while since a handsome young man had given her so much attention. The very idea of going out on the town was flattering.

At home, her marriage had collapsed. Her daily routine had become a repetitive non-ending task. Although she undoubtedly loved her children whole heartedly, her role as a mother had become physically draining. She would go straight home from work, cook dinner and take care of her family, then off to school. She felt as if she was suffocating. Life was hectic, but she never complained to anyone. On the other hand, she would have given anything for just one blissful evening of serenity. As a woman, she needed attention too. She wanted to be pampered and romanced. Something wonderful and new, away from her regular routine sounded intriguing.

Without realizing it, Sydney had lost touch with the outside world and couldn’t remember what it felt like to have a fun night out. Secretly, she had fantasized an enchanting evening on the town with a knight in shining armor like Jeremy. It certainly felt good to be asked, but she never dreamed of letting it actually happen.

When she got married, she married into a ready-made family and became the proud stepmother of two children. The oldest, Sabrina was eight-years-old. She was a quiet child with high hopes of becoming a singer. She idolized Mariah Carey and dreamed of becoming as popular. Then there was Junior, he was only five-years old. He had a cute boy face with blonde hair and green eyes. Junior thought everything was funny, especially when he had been mischievous. He had a peculiar giggle that sounded like a cartoon character. When he smiled, he often raised his shoulders. Before he was even asked a question, he would say, I didn’t do it. It happened all by itself.

After a trip to the playground, it wasn’t strange to find a trail of rocks or pebbles leading to his bedroom. When asked about the rocks, he had no idea of how they had gotten there. On laundry day, Sydney would find his pants pocket full of them. Oddly enough, she never got angry. She loved every minute of her parenthood.

When Nicolas was born, he brought closeness to the family. His bright eyes and sunny smile filled the house with a certain kind of joy that only a baby brings. Two years later, Megan was born weighing under six pounds. She looked so tiny and precious; her parents couldn’t have been prouder. Sydney’s joy slowly turned into a serious concern for her new baby. Megan never cried, even for a feeding. At six-months-old, she couldn’t sit up or babble any words. As the months progressed, Megan was tested for many possible causes. Dealing with the unknown possibilities of her daughter’s condition was a challenge for the whole family. Finally, she was diagnosed as having Delayed Development. Megan needed physical therapy and other medical treatments. The doctors had no medical explanation of why Megan was born with a birth defect other than a lack of oxygen reaching her brain. Sydney was dedicated to caring for Megan as well as her other children. The attention required for her child and family left very little time for a social life outside the home.

***

September had come before Jeremy and Sydney’s paths crossed again. It was early in the morning. She was on her way to a vending machine to get a cup of hot chocolate when she noticed him coming her way. He smiled at her in such a friendly way that it made her feel warm all over. This time she didn’t want to get away. She slowed her pace and welcomed him back with a bright smile as they came to a complete stop in front of the machine.

Hello, Miss Lady. How are you today? Jeremy asked with

a wide grin.

Good. How are you? I just came over here to get a cup of hot chocolate. What are you up to? she asked in one long breath. I’m all right, Jeremy answered. "I