Page 81 of The Marriage Agreement (Agreement)

“Hope your mom is better.”

“Yes, thanks to your wife.”

“Dele isn’t home right now. I just spoke with her. It’ll be hours before she gets back.”

“I’m staying the week with mom and will stop by later. I’d just like to thank her in person, if that’s okay.” Did he just indirectly call me out for being protective of my wife?

“You can return in about four hours. I don’t mind. She should be back by then if it’s not too late for you.”

“No, that should be fine. My mom won’t let it go unless I tell her I thanked Dele in person.” I nod. I bet my mom would do the same.

“Thanks, and I’ll see you in a few hours.”

“Good, see you then.” He leaves, and I close the door.

Setting the items on the kitchen island, I turn to Paula, who is standing a few feet away from me. I bet she heard it all.

“Is that Mrs. Grayson’s son?” I nod. “Glad to know she’s okay. The whole building is talking about how Dele helped Mrs. Grayson.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Dele is popular in the building. Everyone is talking about how she helped Mrs. Grayson, who might have died in the elevator had Dele not been there.”

“Dele didn’t tell me.”

“You know, for her it’s an everyday thing since she works in the ER saving lives, and last week was her exam week, so sheprobably forgot too.” Paula sounds like she’s trying to appease me.

“When did this incident happen?” As Paula tells me the day, I realize it was the day of her exam, and the next day was the incident at the ER that triggered her. I nod to Paula.

“You can have the flowers and the hamper, if you like.”

“It’s for Dele,” she answers in an alarming tone, questioning why I would give away the gift that’s for Dele.

“Fine, take the flowers. I don’t like other men giving my wife flowers.” She smiles and nods. At least she gets it. My wife probably won’t.

I head to my office and shut the door. I need to talk to Bruce. My wife is being herself—helping people—but some in that group might not be innocent; they might just be out to take her. Call me paranoid, but she has barely survived such horrors, and last week I promised to always have her back. The only way I can do that is by putting things in place to keep her safe and protected from wolves in sheep’s clothing.

The Levi guy will be back, and I told him to come back today because it was clear he would return when I’m not home, and I don’t want that.

Bruce answers my call.

“I’m guessing Dele isn’t home,” he snickers.

“That would be correct, and it’s a good thing. I need a favor.”

“Shoot.”

“I need some kind of monitoring device on Dele.”

“Seriously? You want to monitor her every move? Where is this coming from?” Disbelief drips from his voice.

“I’m not asking because I think she’s cheating. I know she’s not—that’s not who my Dele is. She’s an all-or-nothing kind of person. I’m asking for a device to protect her. She’s kind, and people will abuse that kindness. A guy just pressed my bell looking for her.”

“What guy?” Now he’s alarmed.

I go into how Dele saved Mrs. Grayson and what Paula told me about the talks in the building, which I’m sure Dele is unaware of. “I just don’t want crazies twisting her kindness for their own selfish needs.”

“Whoa, so she saved this woman?”

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