Free DUBIOUS by Tina Brooks McKinney Page A

his old office. I scribbled a disclaimer on a blank piece of paper that I found on the front desk.
    He returned about a minute later with a worried look on his face.
    I looked up from the disclaimer agreement. “Is there something wrong?”
    “ The door to my office is locked. Where is the key?” His brown skin had turned pale as if he’d come down with the flu.
    “ We’re not here for that. Or did you forget?” I followed his gaze; he was focused on my key ring. I grabbed my keys from the counter and shoved them in my pocket.
    “ I … Just let me get something out of my office. It’ll only take —”
    “ It’s my office, Randy.” I threw my hands up. “I knew it was a mistake letting you in here. Nothing is leaving this building until the divorce is over and I have the chance to go through it. Now you can accept that or leave. I’ll take care of this myself.”
    He sighed as if he was stuck between a rock and a hard place and unsure of what decision to make.
    “ Well?” I said with much attitude.
    “ I’m not about to fight with you, Felicia.”
    “ Good because I’m really not in the mood.” I handed him the disclaimer agreement and a pen, but I couldn’t help but wonder what in his office was so important.
    After he signed the disclaimer, he was really ready to check on the dogs that were due to deliver.
    “ Can you put on a pot of coffee while I go and check on things?” he said, leaving the room.
    I fixed the coffee, making it strong because I had the feeling we would both need it.
    I hated to admit that I admired his dedication to the animals. Another side of me, however, was pissed that he didn’t show that same amount of dedication to me. I felt petty comparing myself to his precious dogs, but I couldn’t change the way I felt.
    Two dogs were due, and he alternated his time between the two stalls. He was very patient and loving with both of them; it was obvious, even to a novice like me, they were experiencing pain. He spewed words of love and encouragement that I’d long since stopped receiving from him. It was a bitter pill to swallow, a terrible blow to my ego to be treated worse than a canine. I didn’t have a poker face, my emotions were clearly displayed.
    “ Felicia, I know you are trying to personalize this, but it’s not about you. Can you just believe in me for a change and help me?”
    What the hell did he mean by that? I always believed in him. He just didn’t believe in me. “I’ll help you, but I don’t have a clue of what to do. After all, I have a bigger stake in this than you do.” I could not help throwing in that little dig.
    “ Trust me, I only have the dam’s best interest in mind.”
    “ What the fuck is a dams?”
    “ A female parent of an animal, Felicia. Work with me,” his tone was condescending.
    I wanted to punch the fuck out of him just for being there even though I needed him. I’d never seen him display so much compassion for anything, including me, and that hurt me to my heart. Why didn’t he want me with that same passion?
    Never have I felt so inadequate. Randy knew his stuff, and I would be hard-pressed to find anyone more caring than him. But I refused to consider allowing him to continue working with the dogs. Eventually, he would have stood in my way of selling the animals to recoup my investment, and that would ruin the tummy tuck and ass lift I was contemplating. I left the room to allow him to do what he did best, ignore me.
    While yawning, I wonder how much longer this was going to take. It was already past two in the morning and my lack of sleep was going to be evident by the bags I felt growing under my red eyes. To keep myself awake, I kept going back and forth between the two rooms checking to see if there was anything I could do; but, in actuality, I was as useful as tits on a bull. Randy had lined both stalls with towels and blankets and each dog burrowed itself inside them, sort of like a small cocoon.
    “ What are you