As Long As We Got Love

by Tina Martin

  “Right,” he said, thinking about which one of the two suits he owned would get dusted off for tomorrow.

  “Hey, y’all,” Gabrielle said when she noticed her father and sisters standing in the foyer. “Come on in and get some of these yummy appetizers. Everything is so delicious.”

  The three followed Gabrielle into the dining room to join Padma, Colin, John, Rena, Tyson, Heshan, Prasad, Lalita, Tamera, Preston and Ms. Beatrice. Padma had also invited a few dozen of her closest friends, acquaintances and business contacts.

  “Hello, everybody,” Henry said.

  They all replied back in a barrage of greetings even the people who didn’t know him.

  “Gabrielle, you and your sisters look just alike,” Rena commented. “What are your names again?” she asked, looking at the girls.

  “I’m Carmen.”

  “And I’m Destiny.”

  “Carmen and Destiny,” Rena said. “Well, that’s all right. And how are you doing, Henry?”

  “I’m okay for an old man.”

  Rena chuckled.

  “Oh, stop it, Dad,” Gabrielle said. “There’s nothing old about you.”

  “Tell that to these gray hairs on my head.”

  The group chuckled.

  “Where are the kids?” Destiny asked Gabrielle.

  “Oh. Padma set up a play area for the kids. Charity is in there watching them. It’s the large room on the other side of the kitchen.”

  “Got it,” Destiny said, heading that way. Carmen joined her.

  Padma handed Henry an appetizer plate.

  “Thank you, Padma,” he said glancing up at her.

  “You’re welcome.”

  He still felt uneasy around Padma at times because he was always reminded of the transaction between them involving the arranged marriage of his daughter Gabrielle to her son Dilvan. Dilvan had ended up abusing Gabrielle and Henry had always wanted to put hands on him. Still, somehow, he maintained a good relationship with Padma. After all, he couldn’t blame Padma for her wacko son.

  But that was then. He didn’t want to dredge up the past, especially since Gabrielle had moved on and was happily married to Tyson with two beautiful children.

  “Let me go make my rounds,” Padma said, glancing at her watch. She walked up to Heshan and asked, “Where’s Dilvan and Eden?”

  “I don’t know. I haven’t talked to Dilvan at all today or yesterday for that matter. I last saw him Thursday night.” He glanced back at Prasad and said, “Hey, Prasad, come here for a minute.”

  Prasad got up off of the couch and walked over to where his mother and Heshan were standing. “What’s up?”

  “Have you heard from Dilvan?” Heshan asked.

  “Not today. He was at the restaurant yesterday working though.”

  “Mom was just curious about why he and Eden aren’t here yet.”

  “Oh,” Prasad said thinking about what Dilvan had told them at the bar, although he didn’t know if it was his place to relay that information to their mother. So he simply replied, “They’ll probably be here soon. You know Dilvan…always late. Give ‘em time.”

  “Alright,” Padma said. “Let me go make sure everything’s okay in the kitchen.”

  When she walked away, Prasad looked at Heshan and said, “It’s going to be trouble if he doesn’t show up.”

  “I know. Let me see if I can reach him.”

  Colin and John took a break from the festivities to have a quiet one-on-one chat in Colin’s office – just two brothers, sneaking away from the crowd to enjoy a sampling of pure, white Cognac.

  John took a swig and said, “This stuff is the truth. One shot has me done with alcohol for the rest of the evening.”

  Colin grinned. “That’s how you know you got a good grade of liquor.”

  “And how you know you’re getting old,” he added.

  The men chuckled, then Colin joined John on the antique, cherry oak, leather sofa with a deep button tuft and nail head trim accent.

  “Padma’s outdone herself this time,” John said, crossing his legs.

  “Padma has made it a common practice to outdo herself on a regular basis.” Colin chuckled. “She’s definitely a busy woman. In fact, Heshan and Prasad pulled me aside earlier to ask me if I thought she was taking her medication.”

  “Is she?”

  “I doubt it. I think that’s why she has to stay busy, you know. If she ever slows down, she’ll probably have time to think about all that bipolar stuff, so she fills every nook and cranny of her day with work.”

  “That can’t be good for her.”

  “It’s not. I’d much rather she slow her pace and become one of those women who knit those ugly little sweaters and blankets for their grandkids.”

  John chuckled. “You don’t want that, man.”

  “No, I don’t.” Colin stretched his arms up in the air and yawned. “I could stay in here for the rest of the night and kick back.”

  “You know Padma ain’t having that.”

  “Nah, I wouldn’t do that to my baby. I try to support her any way I can, but somehow, I have to convince the woman that we deserve some kind of vacation. I can’t tell you the last time we went somewhere, you know, just the two of us.”

  “You definitely need to do that, man. Me and Rena just spent some time at a beautiful resort in Martha’s Vineyard back in the fall. It was nice to get away from it all and just lay back and be served.”

  “That’s exactly what I’m looking to do,” Colin said. He finished the other half of his shot. “Our children have done well, John.”

  “They have.”

  “And Tyson…man…I remember when he was just a little boy tossing a football around. Who would have thought he’d grow up to be a multi-million-dollar restauranteur?”

  John nodded, proud of his son. Boasting about him, because that’s what parents did about their children whether they were successful or not, he said, “You didn’t hear this from me, but he would’ve been a billionaire restauranteur if he hadn’t passed up an opportunity to move to Paris.”

  Colin’s ears perked up. “Really?”

  “Yes. You know you have something special when rick folks in Paris want you to open up restaurants there. They offered him double the money he makes in the states, but Tyson turned it down.”

  Colin’s eyebrows rose. “He turned it down?” Colin asked, attentive to his brother.

  “Yes. He turned it down.”

  “Why on earth would he do something like that?”

  “He said they wanted him to move there as a part of the deal. Tyson said he couldn’t drag his family over there, and I don’t blame him. Family comes first over everything. I taught him well.”

  “But money is important, too,” Colin said. “And one could make the argument—is passing up millions of dollars really putting your family first?”

  “Come on, Colin. You know the answer to that?”

  “Yeah, but I worked hard to make sure my family was comfortable, but you’re right. I see your point. Sometimes, I wish I was there for my boys more than I actually was. I left most of that responsibility on Padma. I wasn’t around much when they were younger. I still regret that. I’m sure Tyson doesn’t want those same regrets.”

  “I know my son. As much as he loves Gabrielle and those kids—he’s making it a point not to have any regrets as far as they are concerned, even if that means making hard sacrifices. And let’s be honest…it’s not like he needs the money. They’re doing just fine right now. More than fine.”

  “That much is true.” Colin stretched again. “Alright, brother, I think we should get back in there before Padma notices I’m missing.”

  “I think you’re right.”

  _____

  Gabrielle wasn’t being sneaky and trying to intentionally listen to the conversation between John and Colin, but on her way to the bathroom, she’d heard Tyson’s name and stopped right by the cracked office door. Now that they were done talking, she continued on t
o the bathroom. What was this deal that Tyson had supposedly passed up? Whatever it was, it sounded major and she couldn’t help but think she stood in the way of that. In the way of his dreams. She didn’t want to feel that way and she definitely didn’t want Tyson to miss out on any opportunities to further his career – his empire – because of her.

  And why hadn’t Tyson told her about any of it? He’d kept this from her. What happened to communication? Talking things through? How could he unilaterally make a decision as big as this without discussing it with her first?

  Chapter 18

  -*- Eden -*-

  The last time she ran from a bad relationship, she left without telling her mother or Charity. This time, Eden wanted to do things differently before hightailing it out of the country. She sat in the car and gnawed on her lip, wondering if she was doing the right thing. History was once again repeating itself.

  It had always been Eden’s belief that her mother favored Charity over her because Charity always made the right decisions. Charity was running her own school and married to Heshan, who in many ways was far different from his brother, Dilvan. Dilvan was the bad boy, or maybe he was so bad because he refused to get a handle on his disorder. Either way, Eden had chosen him. Married him. Maybe she shouldn’t have fallen in love with someone who had such a shady past, especially given her own past with an abusive ex.

  Now, she had to face the judgmental eyes of her mother.

  May as well get it over with. The plane leaves in a few hours.

  Pushing the door open to get out of the car, she walked toward the house, rang the doorbell and waited. She grew more anxious when she heard the click of the lock, the turning of the doorknob and the creaking sound the door made as it opened.

  “Eden, what are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be at the reunion?”

  “Yes, but I need to talk to you about something,” Eden said as she entered the house.

  “Okay.” Her mother closed the door and joined Eden in the living room. “What’s bothering you, honey?”

  “Let me preface this by saying, please don’t judge me because I need a mother right now more than I need a judge, so—”

  “Eden, just tell me what’s on your mind.”

  “I think I’m leaving Dilvan,” she blurted out quickly.

  “Oh,” her mother said calmly. “Why?”

  “Mom, he’s not taking care of himself. You know about the bipolar and people who have the disorder can function just fine as long as they take their medicine and with the help of his doctor, I had a regimen down for him that was working flawlessly but he doesn’t follow through with any of it on a consistent basis anymore. No, I take that back. He does some of it, and then some days he goes without it. On the days he takes his medicine, he’s the best husband a girl could ask for. On the days he doesn’t, he’s mean and irritable or way over the top with happiness. I just don’t know which Dilvan I’m going to end up with on any given day.”

  “Do you really think the right answer is to run away from the man you love? The man you married?”

  Eden blew a breath of frustration. “No, I don’t think that’s the right answer, but I don’t know what else to do, Ma.”

  “Oh, Eden…when you left the first time, you didn’t tell me, didn’t say a word. You just up and left me with so many questions about your whereabouts. Now, I understand why you left—to escape abuse—but let me ask you something, honey. Has Dilvan ever abused you?”

  Eden shook her head. “No.”

  “Then why on earth are you talking about leaving him?”

  “Well, I didn’t want to tell you this, but I’m pregnant.”

  “Oh, sweetie, you’re pregnant!” her mother said excitedly, embracing her in a hug. “That’s all the more reason for you to stay with your husband, dear. You need him. Listen to me—in life, we’re going to encounter problems—some, big, some small, but they’ll come. That’s a guarantee. And some problems you can walk right over and keep it moving. Other problems you have to climb over—like climbing a mountain—something that takes a little more effort. But one thing is for sure—you’ll never solve a problem by running away from the problem. Just because you run away doesn’t mean the mountain is gone. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

  “Yes, but—”

  “No buts. I know you love Dilvan. Now, the man got his issues, but that didn’t stop you from marrying him, did it? You saw something in him—something no one else saw—but you saw it and you accepted it. Is that right?”

  “Yes, mother, but I have a child to think about now. I told Dilvan I was pregnant and he just walked out.”

  “Why would he walk out? Was he that much in shock?”

  “He once told me he didn’t want to bring a child into the world that could possibly have bipolar disorder. I guess he was serious about it because when I told him I was pregnant, he literally got up and left.”

  “It sounds to me like you need to have a good talk with him.”

  “Why? Why waste my time talking when he’s not listening to me.”

  “Then listen to him.”

  Eden was all set with a retort but she paused. Listen to him. Hadn’t she done that? Listened to him? Helped him? What was she supposed to do? Pry his mouth open and toss the pills inside?

  “See, here’s the thing, Eden. People think that when you fall in love and get married, you’re going to live happily ever after. Well, honey, I’m here to tell you…happily ever after only happens in romance novels and Hallmark movies. That stuff ain’t real life. Real love encompasses the pain of going through trials successfully as a couple. This is a trial for you and Dilvan. A test of your love and commitment to Dilvan. You need to see this through, Eden. As a grown, capable woman, you should no longer be running away from your problems. You shouldn’t be running away from anything. Running away is a sign of immaturity and if you weren’t ready for marriage, you shouldn’t have gotten married.”

  “Ma, please don’t lecture me right now. I need advice.”

  “Well, listen to me then, girl, because I’m giving you all the advice you need. Go home. Talk to your husband. It’s time to stop running and start living. You’re carrying the man’s baby and he has a right to be a part of that child’s life.”

  Eden stood up and paced the floor. “You think I’m stupid, don’t you?”

  “No. I—”

  “Yes, you do. You always thought I made poor choices, and now here I am again. Stupid Eden with the same ‘ol story.”

  “Eden, come over here and sit down for a moment.”

  She didn’t want to but Eden went to sit next to her mother again.

  “You’re not stupid. You’re my daughter and I love you.” She held her hand when she said, “I remember when you and Charity were young. You were always the strong-willed one—the one who learned how to sew her own dress. The one who got a job first. The one who was always a part of school clubs and any committee you could sign up for. It drove me crazy, but when I realized I did the same thing to my mother, I could only sit back and smile.”

  “Really?” Eden asked, staring at her mother through misty eyes.

  “Yes. Really. You’re just like me, baby, and that’s why I know I’m giving you the right advice. I’m speaking from experience. Sometimes when you’re mad and I mean pissed-off mad at somebody, especially if that somebody is a man, all you can think about is getting away from him. Now, I know Dilvan is all kinds of flaky, but he’s a man, your man and he has feelings. You knew he had bipolar disorder before you married him, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “But you chose him, anyway.”

  “I did.”

  “Why?” her mother asked.

  “Because—because he’s…he’s…”

  “He’s what?”

  “He’s everything I want in a man, but—”

  “No. Say that again without the but.”

  Eden smiled. “He’s everything I want in a man.”

  “He�
�s everything you want in a man and you’re leaving him because he’s not perfect. Baby, I’m here to tell you—it doesn’t get much closer to perfection than that.”

  “You’re right. I just felt like I needed to do something drastic so that Dilvan knows I mean business.”

  “He’ll know you mean business when you sit down and lay out your wants and needs. When you make it clear that you understand how he feels living with bipolar. He needs to know that you care and not just for the short term. He needs to know when he falls off the wagon and is at his worst, you’ll still love him as if he was operating at his best.”

  Eden nodded. “You’re right, Mom.”

  “Does that mean you’re going to stay?”

  “Yes, but I have to talk to Dilvan.” She leaned over to hug her mother. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. I know we haven’t always seen eye-to-eye, but Eden, that’s why I’m here. Now, I want to know a little more about my grandbaby.”

  Eden’s eyes brightened. “I don’t know the gender just yet, mom. I’ll find out soon. At this point, I’m nervously excited. I wish Dilvan was as excited as I am.”

  “Give him time. He will be.”

  Chapter 19

  -*- Tyson and Gabrielle -*-

  Gabrielle couldn’t believe what she’d overheard. Well, she could believe it – she just didn’t like the fact that Tyson had kept the decision from her. Had he actually turned down a chance at having a nice Paris empire – a multi-million dollar venture – because of her? How long ago was this offer? Why didn’t he bring her in on the conversation?

  She slowly walked back into the living room to rejoin the family, her eyes immediately meeting Tyson’s as he sat reclined on the sofa holding a glass of white wine, drinking while watching her attentively as she walked toward him. He stared hard, looked her up and down as if he hadn’t seen the black slacks and aqua blue turtleneck she had on when they left their home together. Hadn’t seen her hair pulled back in a ponytail and a fluffy bang – a style that made her look at least five years younger.