by Zi'ere
4
Zoey
I stood at the floor to ceiling window in my corner office looking down at my big sister arrive at our office building. I watched Liam open her door and hold her hand as she stood up. His moves of protecting her body were committed to memory after being attached to her hip for the last ten years. Liam was the best dressed driver I had ever seen in my life. His style reflected as if Laini had dressed him herself. I shook my head in dismay. My big sister couldn’t see the love of her life even though he was by her side protecting her twenty- four, seven. Anyone with working eyes could see that Liam held passion for his work. His life was his work. And his work was Laini. I looked down at the silver Gucci insignia wide banded watch on my left arm. I didn’t have any knowledge of business she needed to attend to alone this morning. I was puzzled as to why she was coming in two hours late.
My sneaking suspicion was that it had something to do with the great, powerful, and absentee man in the center of her life, Quese. Although she was the big sister, I never passed up on an opportunity to school her with my expert opinion about her love life. I had always prayed that God would send my sister the prince charming she so desperately wanted. I never thought it would be so hard because she was with that prince every day. Even though Quese was never mentioned one time in any of my prayers, he was the only man Laini could see. If only Liam wasn’t paid to like her. Somehow she had placed him in the friend zone. Their working relationship was the most solid any kind of relationship Laini had ever been in with a man, in my humble opinion. I knew that it wasn’t a question of station because Quese was paid to do the same job Liam did. Even though I was sure Liam made more than Quese did in a year. I had never spoke directly about the possibilities of her and Liam being an item, I always thought they would figure it out on their own. And now my patience had run thin with them both.
Of course Laini had nothing but good words to say about Quese, but something in the milk wasn’t clean. I felt the wrongness of his existence in my pinky toe every time I heard his name. I had promised my sister that I would stay out of her love life more than once after the house of hearts had come tumbling down all around her. There was no way I could tell her about the private investigator I had hired to find out who Quese Calhoun truly was. That was one battle I was not prepared to fight at the moment. I needed more time to get the full scope of what we were dealing with in this stranger that had latched onto Laini. Being on our level and especially in our professions, we were automatically placed within the confines of a media circus. We all had to be very careful about our affairs, professional and personal; because they would always replayed over and over in the media. Every person who knew our names could see and hear our every move, then critique us on untruths.
The second prayer that I prayed daily was that my sister would be spared the hurt and humiliation that would surely come if Quese was not who he said he was. The tabloids were already making a killing off of Laini’s past ruined relationships. When you reached a certain income bracket, the weirdo’s and the crazies came out of the woodwork like an army of ants at a summer day’s picnic. If there was a wrong man to have, some kind of way Laini ended up with him. There seemed to be an endless supply of the cheater, the liar, the abuser, and the insecure just to name a few. Her problem was just that she was a hopeless romantic, we all knew it too. Watching the way our best friends had been swept off their feet when they started dating the infamous Haywood men didn’t help the situation either.
I began to feel the weight of the baby pink three karat engagement ring lodged onto that special finger on my left hand, I frowned. Laini had already served as a brides-maid or maid of honor in eight weddings to date. It seemed as if she would be walking down the aisle at my wedding before she would get the chance to have her own solo walk in all white. Although the engaged and married sister friends collectively made a decision that we wouldn’t gloat our happiness with our men too much in her face, it was impossible not to see our men were the crème-de-la-crème. Amina and Emani had married two out of the four Haywood men who were just as successful, paid, and beautiful as they were.
Our best friends had also produced a set of twins and triplets between the two of them. Married life suited the black beauties and there was no questioning that their men were true to them. Their marriages would surely stand the test of time. Then to add icing to the already baked cake, six months ago Laini had to stand beside me as I announced my engagement with my man, Mekhi Wilson. I so desperately wished that she could take my place. My wedding was in nine short months and I had also asked God to protect Laini’s sanity. Even though she would go to her grave saying otherwise, I knew that she was jealous. I was jealous for her. Our parents were gone and everyone else around her had already been paired off. Laini was the odd woman out.
5
Zoey
I turned around just in time to see my big sister float into my office. As usual I took in her fashion ensemble from head to toe. Laini was a true diva times ten. She was never caught in a no-filter photo on purpose. We were identical twins but Laini was a little bit taller than me but we still shared the same physical build. The only other thing that gave a hint to strangers as to which twin you were talking to was that Laini had a beauty mark on the right side of her lip. My beauty mark was on my chin, the marks were like noticeable dots placed with the tip of a black marker. My big sis was a woman enslaved to the very fashion trends she created every day for Purple Label. Laini’s work uniform always consisted of wearing at least six inch stiletto’s, making her almost as tall as our naturally tall best friends.
Laini’s semi thick frame was adorned in Purple Label clothing and accessories from neck to feet. She was everything a live walking and talking advertisement could be for our company. Every piece of clothing she wore and owned, even her under garments had been designed by the two of us. I would venture out and wear other designers from time to time but Laini was determined to show the world how versatile Purple Label was. Every time she made the news her clothing was picked apart by the critics on all the fashion blogs yet she had not made the worst dressed list once in fourteen years. She really was worth her salt and was convinced that Purple Label was the finest label in the market, period.
According to Laini there was no competition hitting all the target selling points to women the way Purple Label did. Certain male designers were becoming names we were hearing way too much, but Laini wasn’t concerned in the least. Her argument was that we had the upper hand in the competition because we were able to wear all of our products seven days a week, something the men couldn’t do. So on this sunny Wednesday in Chandler, Arizona Laini wore a solid black peplum sleeveless top with leopard print wide legged, high waist silk slacks. On her feet were French tip manicured toes that sat in Purple Label black open-toed platform stilettos. Paired with matching neck ware, earrings, and bangle bracelets Laini was dolled up. Simply put my sis looked damned good.
“Hello dawling, how are you?” Laini walked up to me speaking in a fake hearty southern drawl with her arms outstretched to give a cheek to cheek air kisses. I laughed at her silliness.
“My, my, my… someone is in a good mood today! What is all this about? Did you run over a small child on the way here?” I stood back so that I could look her square in the eye.
“What? I can’t be in a superb mood sometimes?” She busied herself picking imaginary lint from the shoulder of my sleeveless black silk pant wrap romper jumper, that just so happened to be Purple Label as well.
“Did you just say ‘superb’?” When her eyes dropped down to my feet she rolled her eyes. I contained the chuckle I needed to let out. She was pissed that I had a Jimmy Choo addiction.
“I love to see you in my clothes! That romper is giving me life Bug if I must say so myself!” She blessed me from head to toe with finger snaps.
“Well when one has a fashion designer as their sister, I am expected to look good at all times, right?” I offered an understanding grin of tru
ce on the shoe issue.
“Don’t worry your pretty little head. I’m not going to say anything about the shoes today. As much as I want to, I’m choosing not to.”
I barely noticed that she shifted her eyes every time we made eye contact. Something was up with Ms. Laini Jefferies and it had nothing to do with Jimmy Choo.
“Ok, here we go. First off don’t call me Bug in the office please. How many times do we have to go over this?”
“Who can hear me?” She looked around knowing full well we were alone.
“Second, where have you been ma’am?” I looked her square in the eye, daring her to tell me a lie.
Laini rolled her eyes in frustration. Laini gave me much respect in our business ventures, we were a package deal. Always had been and would always continue to be. I knew she would never attend a business meeting without me.
“I had to make a quick errand to see George.”
“Are you speaking of jewelry store owner George? The only man qualified to be your sugar daddy and real daddy at the same time, George?” Her eyes shifted again but even she had to smile at the honest words I spoke.
“You play too much! You ain’t right for that!” She took a seat in one of the antique chairs that sat before my desk.
“That’s what you get for calling me Bug!”
“Well, anyway. I see the building hasn’t burned to the ground. Did you need me for something this morning?” There was the attitude, it was now clear as daylight. The only time she gave me attitude was when she was attempting a solo mission regarding an unworthy man in her life.
“What was so pressing that you had to see George first thing this morning? Laini what did you do?” I walked over to my desk and took a seat.
Surely this news would knock me off my feet, I knew her too well. I needed to take the necessary precautions. Way back in the way back, Laini had been infamous for staring in the most unbelievable circumstances that would rival any day time soap opera. I was unsure if I could live through another scandal.
“What are you talking about? I haven’t done anything.” She was a horrible but pretty liar.
“See. Look at me. I’m already seated so I am ready for whatever the news can possibly be.”
“I have no idea what you are tripping on this morning sister girl.” She lied again.
“You know exactly what I’m talking about. All I know is whatever it is, it better not make the blogs before I find out about it. We are going to have a misunderstanding with furniture moving all around us if that happens again. You can take that check to the bank and cash it because I mean that!” I folded my arms above my modest bust and stared her down.
Instead of Laini answering me she gathered her designer bag and briefcase, and slid out the door just as quick as she had come in. My stomach began to twist in knots. I felt a storm coming and it was not going to be cute. I understood storms made us all stronger individuals, but no one was ever excited about the possible damage and confusion that would be left behind. I pressed the button to call for my assistant, Jamel. I needed to check on the status of the private investigation. I wasn’t going to let my sister crash and get burned on my watch ever again.
6
Zoey
When Laini’s assistant Yvette, cancelled our normal weekly lunch date on her behalf I was set in full alert mode. I reached out to my best friends to pour the tea on whatever it was that had Laini acting so secretive. I used the cancellation of our plans as an excuse to invite myself to lunch with Emani. She was older than Amina, but that didn’t stop her from thinking that she was years older than all of us. Even though we all were the same age they were older than us by four months. She elected herself to parent all of us, keeping us all in line as she preached her gospel. She didn’t know it but her words mostly went in one ear and out the other, she had mouth for days. Asking her to lunch alone wasn’t something I normally did but my first choice, Amina wasn’t available.
Emani and I agreed to meet in the lobby and her driver would transport us to her secret favorite restaurant. Because she didn’t have Amina to impress, Emani chose a soul food restaurant for us to dine. On this particular day she was dressed a bright pink number that was a top selling creation by Laini. I looked down at her feet to see gold opened toed stilettos with strap that secured them around her ankles that I had designed for the summer line. Although she claimed she never got anything from our sample racks, I knew better. I don’t know if she had tried to rifle Laini’s feathers on a regular basis but shutting Emani’s mouth was Laini’s personal goal in life. Anything Emani brought to the table, Laini could do better.
Emani was a six foot model who looked like she only ate lettuce. Laini was still getting modeling offers even though she ate whatever she wanted. She didn’t bother to hide either fact which in turned burned Emani’s britches. All of us knew that Emani had a fried food addiction that would lead her down the path of unrighteousness if she wasn’t careful. After a hearty lunch of smothered pork chops, smashed loaded potatoes with gravy, with peas and carrots on the side; Emani demanded information on Laini. The way she demanded the information, I felt as if I was selling Laini out to the devil.
I took the time to tell her about the impromptu visit Laini had made to see George that morning but never produced the piece to show what she had purchased. I did not leave out how her mood had shifted when I brought up the failed relationships in Laini’s past that had been televised and spun in written media. I also noted that I did not bring up Quese’s name once even though I knew her behavior had everything to do with him. I even went into how I felt that her most stable relationship was with the man she was with every day, Liam. I wanted to know if she or Amina had ever picked up on chemistry between them as I had. Emani listened to everything I said before she decided to speak, Where Laini was more reserved, letting her actions make statements for her; Emani was a full blown power stricken diva with a mouth to match. I recognized that I now had her complete attention.
“Just think about it, who knows her better than Liam?” I tried to focus on the positive.
“No I’ve never picked up on anything between the two of them. Let’s just put everything on the table right now. I would not put Liam in the center of the tornado called Laini ever in this lifetime.”
“Girl, cut it out. Don’t be so dramatic. There is no one here but me.”
“What I know for sure is that there will not be another press conference held by the three of us while Laini is somewhere licking her wounds! I will not stand for it this time. She is a grown ass woman over thirty!”
I shook my head at the sharpness in Emani’s words. I needed her support and help. I did not intend for her to take over.
“Once again, calm down for just a second now. I really did talk to her to get an understanding about what cannot happen in the future. I know that she really heard me this morning.”
“I know you threatened her and all that jazz. But Laini is not concerned about her image in the media when it comes to her personal affairs. We, meaning the three of us, are the only one’s concerned with that. If anything pops off wrong this time I am going to take her to the woodshed myself. She’s not even trying avoid a potential disaster, sister girl has no shame.” Emani pressed her manicured pointer finger into the table top at the end of every sentence.
“Oh, I gave her shame when I talked to her this morning!”
“We both know she isn’t afraid of you!” I was hurt by the deep chuckle she released. “Ya’ll think the only thing I know is modeling and that is further from the truth. Sis, it seems like we are going to have to do what we should have done years ago. We cannot be too scared to do what we know we have to do. Quese needs to be gone, really gone, and really fast.” Emani rubbed her hands together and stared off into space as she talked.
It became clear that I was not going to get control of this situation back from Emani. If there was going to be anybody to twist Laini’s arm, it was Emani. I would assume the usual position and all
ow them to go toe to toe like they always did.
“I am just concerned that before we get a chance to do anything there will be another unpreventable embarrassing story. You know how long it took her to bounce back after that liar Tony was exposed for the habitual cheater he was.” I tried to shift the conversation to empathy once again. “Remember the hurt she suffered in the aftermath.”
“Yes, I remember all of that but we all know that Quese is not all that Laini claims he is. I mean what man goes two years without laying a finger on his woman? I mean we are talking about ‘the Laini Jefferies’ here!”
“I know something isn’t right about him, that’s why I hired the private investigator.” Today was the first time I had uttered those words to anyone besides Jamel, my assistant.
“Why did you hire someone to do a job we could do ourselves? Not to mention why am I just now hearing about the seriousness of this matter?” I watched the flicker of anger rise up in her facial expressions.
“When you don’t tell someone about certain things, it’s called keeping a secret. And we all know Emani can’t keep a secret. It’s not like I didn’t tell anyone, anyone. Amina knows about it.”
Emani gave me another sarcastic chuckle. “Had you let me in on the hush-hush, we would already have answers instead of still waiting on answers! “
“I have the situation under control. Don’t get all bent out of shape about it.”
“So Laini thinks she is so smart but still making the same dumb decisions over and over, it is a crime and a shame. I mean she has a master’s degree, and she runs a successful empire for God’s sake!” Emani’s words hurt but they were very true.