Deadly Charm by Claudia Mair Burney Read Free Book Online Page B

thirty-five. Thirty-five is the new…thirty-five.”
    â€œDidn’t you say you couldn’t get pregnant without some kind of procedure?” Carly jabbed.
    â€œYes, a procedure that I didn’t have.”
    Rocky chimed in, “You had sex.”
    â€œI married him. Before we had sex.”
    â€œYou could be pregnant.”
    â€œ Shut up! I can’t be!” I yelled at my former pastor. Again, I glanced around the room. “Why are you all here?”
    â€œIt’s about Jazz,” Addie Lee said.
    â€œThis is a Jazz intervention? You think I’m addicted to Jazz?”
    Souldier popped up from his chair. “No, Jazz is addicted to you, Bell. You’ve got to go back to him. He’s…”
    â€œA nutjob,” Jack supplied.
    â€œCould you be a little more specific, Jack?”
    â€œDon’t call me Jack,” he said. “I’m Dad to you.”
    â€œI’m sorry, Dad . What do you mean he’s a nutjob?”
    â€œFirst of all, baby. You look terrific. And Addie never calls ’em wrong. Congratulations.”
    â€œDad, with all due respect to Mom’s track record, I’m afraid I’m not pregnant.”
    Carly’s cigarette smoke was starting to nauseate me. I shifted my weight on my legs. “Carly, this is a smoke-free office.”
    She kept puffing. “I’m under stress, and Timothy broke up with me. Is everything about you ?”
    All attention went to her. My own intervention, and things couldn’t even be about me.
    â€œWhen did you and Tim break up?”
    â€œThis morning. And where was my sister when I needed her? At home, doing pregnant things instead of answering any of her phones.”
    â€œI’m not pregnant! And sorry about the phones. I forgot to charge them.” Again.
    Maggie shook her head, her no-longer-blond hair swinging about. Her vivid blue eyes regarded me with a look of pity. “Why, you practically need maternity clothes.”
    â€œI do not need maternity clothes. I just need a size up. Maybe.”
    Dad Jack added, “You certainly are acting like a pregnant woman.”
    I screamed. One of those high-pitched, tormented wails like the comedian Sam Kinison used to do, God rest him. “I’m not pregnant, people, and I find it hurtful, as well as distasteful, that you’re all persisting in this mass delusion because I’ve gained a few pounds.”
    Rocky shook his head. “Elisa’s the same way.”
    â€œI said shut up, Rocky! This is not about your girlfriend. This intervention is about me !”
    Jack scratched his head. “His girlfriend? You mean he’s cheating on you already?”
    â€œHe’s not cheating on me, Dad. We’re not a couple.”
    â€œBut I thought Rocky was in love with you,” Addie said.
    â€œI do love Bell, but she’s married,” Rocky said.
    â€œYou young people confuse me,” Jack said. He looked at Rocky. “You mean your girlfriend doesn’t mind if you’re in love with a married woman?”
    Kalaya answered. “No, Elisa isn’t his girlfriend. Yet. See, Rocky didn’t realize he loved Elisa until he caught Bell sleeping with Jazz. Really, she set him free to love again.”
    â€œJazz and I are married! It wasn’t a sin to sleep with him.”
    â€œDo I know you?” Rocky said to Kal.
    I stomped my foot. “Hello. My intervention here!”
    And speaking of Jazz …When I had everyone’s attention, I continued. “What did you people come here to tell me about my husband ?”
    Jack spoke up. “He’s in bad shape, especially at work. It’s that whole thing about Kate’s murder. He’s still mad because he thinks everybody turned on him. Said he gave his life to that department, and now he can see who his friends really are.”
    I wasn’t sure if I made the friends cut, despite the fact that I’d risked my