The Woman In Apartment 3D, page 1
The Woman
In Apartment 3D
A “Holy Rock Chronicles” Story
NATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR
Shelia E. Bell
This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.
THE WOMAN IN APARTMENT 3D
First edition. October 17, 2021.
Copyright © 2021 Shelia Bell.
ISBN: 979-8201444976
Written by Shelia Bell.
Also by Shelia Bell
Holy Rock Chronicles (My Son's Wife spin-off)
Calling Dr. Daniels
The Woman In Apartment 3D
Ruthless Rianna
If Your Price Is Right
Love Shoulda Brought You Home
Christian Black, Esq.
My Son's Wife
My Son's Wife: The Beginning
My Son's Ex-Wife: Aftershock
My Son's Next Wife
My Sister My Momma My Wife
My Wife My Baby And Him
The McCoys of Holy Rock
Dem McCoy Boys
My Brother, Father And Me
My Truth My Time My Turn
Dem Folk At Holy Rock
Thicker Than Water
Redeeming Holy Rock
Whom the Son Sets Free
The Real Housewives of Adverse City series
The Real Housewives of Adverse City
Standalone
Beautiful Ugly
Watch for more at Shelia Bell’s site.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Also By Shelia Bell
The Woman In Apartment 3D (Holy Rock Chronicles (My Son's Wife spin-off), #2)
Acknowledgements
one
two
three
four
five
six
seven
eight
nine
ten
eleven
twelve
thirteen
fourteen
fifteen
sixteen
seventeen
epilogue
Words from the Author
Additional titles by Shelia E. Bell
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Also By Shelia Bell
About the Author
The Woman in Apartment 3D
A “Holy Rock Chronicles” Story
© 2021 Shelia E. Bell
Digital Edition, License Notes
This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to the store and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced mechanically, electronically, or by any other means without prior consent of the publisher, except brief quotes used in reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Any references or similarities to actual events, real people living or dead, or to real locales are intended are to give the novel a sense of reality. Any similarity in other names, characters, places, and incidents is purely coincidental.
Acknowledgements
To all those who have supported my career and continue to support me over the years—thank you. To those who have just taken their first chance on reading my literary work—thank you! I’m fortunate and blessed to do something I absolutely love. When I am weaving and creating stories, I feel like I am living my very own purpose driven life.
Thank you to every book club, every avid reader, every book promoter, and every person who is in the literary arena. An extra special thanks to Rolonda (Frazier) Bridgewater! Rolonda, thank you for your invaluable advice, for being an avid reader of my work, and being one of my top literary supporters.
Extra special thanks to my three sons—I love you and I appreciate you for sticking by me, helping me, loving me, caring for me, and being the best sons a mom could ever have!
Always thanks to my mommy for supporting me in all my endeavors and for singing my praises to whoever will listen. I love you, Mommy.
A very extra special “Thank you” to Ethel Woodard, aka author Eve Alexander, for sharing your vast literary knowledge, skills, and expertise. You are a hidden literary treasure, my friend.
Thanks always to Regina (Robinette) Fleming-Dobbins, Marquitta Mason White, Quandra’ Swayze, Carolyn Denise Rooks, Yvette Williams, Tiffany Davis, LaDetria Titus, and Tasha Parker. Readers and supporters like you make what I do worthwhile and help me to be successful!
Shelia E. Bell
one
“I can take your man if I want to.” Mahogany Lox
RIANNA PACED ACROSS the creaking hardwoods of Apartment 3D. Hezekiah was supposed to have been there hours ago. He’d pulled this same disappearing act first three weeks ago, then last week, then a few days ago, and again tonight.
She shook her head as she peeped out the window at some kids in the apartment complex playing tag in the pot-holed lined street. Something was stinking; she could smell it! She’d been calling and texting him and he hadn’t responded since earlier that day.
Her mind was plotting, thinking about where he was, what he was doing, and who he was doing it with. She sure as hell hoped he wasn’t sneaking over to his ex-wife’s house.
She was nobody’s fool. Rianna could tell Hezekiah still had feelings for Fancy. When Fancy’s boyfriend got killed, Hezekiah ran straight to Fancy to comfort her, or that’s how he explained it. Why wouldn’t he check on her? He and Fancy shared history, a lengthy history. That history was the main freaking reason Rianna was against him moving into the same community where Fancy lived. She thought of a conversation they’d had about this a few weeks ago.
“I told you, New Holy Rock Ministries will cover the lease, nothing out of my pocket. You can imagine how nice the place is. I mean, we’re talking Lion’s Gate. Plus, it’ll give me time to decide if I want to buy another house or not.”
“Yes, but it’s in the same neighborhood where your ex-wife lives, baby,” Rianna said calmly, trying to sound concerned without saying what she really felt. “And what about, Pastor Stiles, your brother? Why can’t he move into Lion’s Gate instead? I mean, he is the assistant pastor.”
“I told you, Stiles just signed his new lease on his spot, and he’s content living where he is, for now,” Hezekiah said impatiently. “And as for my ex? Baby girl, you have nothing to be jealous of. She’s my ex-wife for a reason.”
“I still don’t like it.” She huffed.
“Okay, what if I hold off a couple months? I’ll stay where I am and pray on it some more.”
“Oh, baby, I love you! And you can always live here. I know it’s not much, but it’s quiet over here, nobody all up in your business.”
“We’ll see. I might do that.”
Rianna shook off the thoughts and went to her bathroom. Standing in front of the mirror and resting both palms on top of the granite vanity, she bit down on her bottom lip, frowned, and shook her head.
“Hezekiah McCoy!” she seethed like a mad woman. “Where the heck are you? Talkin’ ‘bout I don’t have nothin’ to be jealous over. That’s a bunch of bull—and you know it,” screaming at herself in the mirror.
She turned and rushed out of the bathroom, went back in the living room, retrieved her cell phone, and plopped down on her deep cushioned sofa. Again, she texted him, and followed up with a phone call to his cell phone. Like the times before, Hezekiah did not answer.
“MAY I USE YOUR BATHROOM?”
Fancy weakly pointed over her left shoulder. “It’s up the hallway, on the right.
Hezekiah checked his phone when he entered Fancy’s bathroom. Rianna wouldn’t stop blowing him up. He shot her a quick text.
“@hospital visiting a sick member. Call you as soon as I can.
Hopefully his text would quieten Rianna’s behind down. He didn’t need a jealous, out of control, psycho woman chasing after him. He had to get her in check, let her know he was not going to be confined. His ministry wouldn’t allow it and neither would his flesh.
After sending the text, he switched his phone to silent and refocused his attention on his ex.
He walked back into the quiet, dimly lighted living room.
Stepping up, closing any gap between them, he tenderly embraced Fancy and whispered, “You’re a wreck. I hate to see you like this.”
Fancy succumbed to his touch, resting against his chest, allowing his massive hands to travel the familiar course of her spine.
“I’ll be fine,” she finally managed to say, weakly, while pulling away from him.
“Maybe I should stay the night,” he offered.
She looked at him strangely, her brows rose with a dreamlike gaze. Don’t do anything stupid, Fancy. You’re just in your feelings about Micah.
In her feelings or not, her body told her what her lips refused to openly admit.
“No, you should leave.” She pushed him away, but not with much conviction. Then a light bulb came on. “I wouldn’t want Rianna to come looking for you,” Fancy jabbed.
“I’m my own man. You should know that better than anyone,” Hezekiah shot back.
“How could you do this? I can’t believe you.” Fancy eyed him in disbelief before turning away and looking out the double glass patio door at the lake. “Wait a minute, what am I thinking? Yes, I can believe you would manipulate her to get what you want.” She turned back to him spitting the word out.
Hezekiah straightened up, stiffened a bit, but remained silent. He allowed her to continue her banter. He knew Fancy. If she had no one to argue back with her, she would settle down in no time.
“I saw you, you know.”
“You saw me? What on earth are you talking about, woman?”
“I saw you out in the church vestibule the day of Khalil’s wedding. You were all up in Rianna’s ear. For God’s sake, Hezekiah, have you no shame? She’s the freaking choir director. She’s certainly not...well, who am I to say anything?”
Hezekiah looked at Fancy. His smile wasn’t really a smile. It was something between a smile and a sneer.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He held her eyes for a moment. “Was I at our son’s wedding? Of course I was there. I wouldn’t miss that day for anything, even though I wasn’t invited. Granted, that boy has done some scandalous things against me, but he’s still my son. I love him no matter what.”
“You may love him, but I know you all too well, Hezekiah. You still blame him for the money you say came up missing. Sabotaging his wedding day was one way of getting back at him. But, you forgot something.”
Hezekiah remained silent, but he was quite curious to hear what else Fancy was about to tell him.
“You forgot your son is a chip off the old block. He’s definitely his father’s son because despite your cunning to ruin his day, he still married the girl of his dreams.”
This time Hezekiah broke out into laughter. “Girl of his dreams? Come on now! You must have a concussion because you’re talking crazy!”
Even Fancy laughed. Not as loud, but still he did what he had always been able to do—bring a smile to her face and a bit of laughter in her heart.
two
“Jealousy in romance is like salt in food. A little can enhance the savor, but too much can spoil the pleasure and, under certain circumstances, can be life-threatening.” Maya Angelou
“WHERE WERE YOU? I TEXTED you all night and you didn’t answer. I was worried about you,” Rianna said, whining.
“I told you, I was with a sick church member, When I didn’t answer after you kept hitting me up, that should have told you something.” Hezekiah was trying to keep calm, but the last thing he needed or wanted was someone to keep a check on him like he was a kid or something.
Remaining quiet, Rianna rolled her eyes and bit down on her bottom lip while holding the phone to her ear like it was stuck.
“You still could have texted me back,” she said, in almost a whisper.
“Look, I’m not going to do this, Rianna. I told you from the start, I don’t do well with clinginess and jealousy. I’m a pastor. I am at the beck and call of God and his people. I can be gone for hours at a time ministering to His people. There’ll be times when I can’t answer your call or text. Now if you can’t handle that, then this is the time for you to walk away.”
Rianna didn’t like it, but she listened as she stood looking out the window of Apartment 3D. Though she’d heard every word he said, she didn’t quite believe him one hundred percent. Her thing was New Holy Rock Ministries wasn’t opening its church doors until the following week, and he didn’t have a slew of members. So who was he babysitting tonight?
Get a grip, she thought while Hezekiah continued talking. Play your hand right if you want to walk down that aisle and become First Lady of New Holy Rock.
“I’m not jealous, Hezekiah,” she lied, suddenly responding to his banter. “I was just concerned about you, baby. I wanted to make sure you were ok. You know how these Memphis streets are,” she cooed.
“Yeah, I hear you. Well, look I’m about to take a shower and get dressed. I have to meet my brother at eleven.”
“Okay, are you coming over later?” she asked, hoping this time she didn’t sound like she was pleading.
“Yeah, I’ll hit you up when I’m on my way. You going to work today?”
“Nope, I don’t have to go until tomorrow afternoon.”
“Cool. Then I’ll be over soon as I’m done. Oh, make sure you have something to help me relax. It’s been a hectic few days.”
“You know I got you,” Rianna said and sent him a smacking kissy sound over the phone. “I’ll see you soon.”
Hezekiah responded by ending the call. Rianna was cool, but she had a long way to go if she ever hoped to be on Fancy’s level. No woman had ever done to him what Fancy did and still managed to do. She had him hooked for life, yet she had no idea. Hezekiah wanted to keep it that way. Some women tend to get crazy when you let them know how you feel about them.
As for Rianna, just like the other women who had been in and out of his life, she was temporary. A temporary fix until he could get into a permanent situation with who knows, maybe Fancy again.
three
“You can only be jealous of someone who has something you think you ought to have yourself.” Margaret Atwood
RIANNA READ A NUMBER of online articles and social media posts about the murder-suicide involving Fancy McCoy. She read a couple of captions out loud to her friend and co-worker, Tiny, who was visiting.
“But they haven’t really said what the relationship was between her and the doctor and why she was at his house,” Tiny said.
“I know, right. The dead woman was his ex-wife.”
“Right, and the man who killed her and the doctor was her boyfriend. They say he had beat her up really bad and put her in the hospital recently. At least that’s what one of the clickbait articles said.”
“So what do you think of the former First Lady of Holy Rock? She’s not so perfect after all, huh?”
“Not by a long shot. Then again who is?”
The friends laughed.
“I’m going to make it my mission to find out what’s really up with Miss First Lady. I have this feeling Hezekiah has seen her, talked to her or something since this stuff went down.”
“Why do you say that?” Tiny asked.
“I just do, that’s all. And he moved in the same gated community where she lives so he could easily have gone over to her house when he heard about the shooting.”
“What? Did you say he moved in her neighborhood?”
“Yep.”
“Ummmm. Well, I don’t guess that’s anything wrong with that. He told you, so it’s not like he’s hiding anything, right?”
Rianna didn’t respond. She got up from the sofa and disappeared into the kitchen.
Tiny took the last swallow of her glass of alcohol, got up and followed Rianna.
In the kitchen, Rianna was preparing her own glass of alcohol.
“You want more?” She asked.
Tiny walked up and extended her glass toward Rianna.
Rianna poured until Tiny showed her palm. “Thanks.”
“So, like I said, he told you he moved over there so he wasn’t hiding anything.” Tiny watched her closer.
“Who says he told me?” Rianna looked away.
Tilting her head, Tiny’s small eyes narrowed. “So if he didn’t tell you, how do you know where he lives?”
Rianna smirked, and brought the liquor to her lips and did not bring it away until her glass was empty.
She shook her head like a dog shaking off water. “If I tell you, I might have to kill you.” She laughed hysterically.
Tiny joined in the laughter while shaking her head. “You know you’re crazy.”
“Yep, tell me something I haven’t heard before.”
four
“Be happy in front of your haters; it kills them.” Unknown
“IN CELEBRATION OF THIS first Sunday back in the Lord’s house, we’re asking for a special love offering to God to show our gratitude to Him for keeping us safe during this past year and thus far. You know some folks didn’t make it,” Khalil preached, parading back and forth across the front of the sanctuary.
