Over. (This. Is. Not. Over. #2)

by Dianne, Shannon

  “So?”

  “So, either she’s going to get her Lithium on the street, which can prove fatal for us if anyone finds out or she’s practically suicidal by now.”

  And there is it.

  I watch him stand straighter and look away, completely missing the ball Nat just passed to him. Laura’s running wild.

  “Who’s helping you?” I ask him, as I lift my shirt up and wipe the sweat off my face. I hear someone whistle. Winnie’s ass is in the kitchen window. “When you’re not with her, who’s watching her? Right now, who has her?” He says nothing. “Dena.” He looks away again.

  “Cadence, what the hell!” Nat screams. I look up and watch Jacob shoot for another three pointer. Score.

  “Take that bitches!” I hear Winnie scream.

  “Game.” Jacob says. “Thank god.” He makes a slow walk back to the house, breathing like an asthmatic.

  “Nat, where’s Dena?” I ask him as I turn to head back into Jacob Land.

  “She took Evan to that chocolate shop on the Savannah Riverwalk early this morning. She just needed to get away, still stressed about Laura being missing.” Nat says with a shrug. “That’s her friend, you know, so she needs time to be alone and deal with this.”

  “Absolutely.” She’s lying. Dena isn’t alone; she and Cadence have a new babysitting gig.

  “Fuck Cadence.” I hear Lola say from somewhere in the house as Nat and I walk through the door.

  Walking up the stairs, I head to my room and straight for the shower, hearing my father screaming that the game is about to start. After I walk in my room, I close the door and look at the bed. Empty as hell. Red’s not answering my calls, her father basically told me to get lost and it’s too early to go to their house and settle this. I was hoping the report on Fox News, verifying that Red was divorced, would make her call me. Yeah right. I go my bedside table and look at my cell phone. No missed calls. She’s playing hardball.

  I take my clothes off, leaving a trail behind as I head to the bathroom to shower. I’ve got to come up with my next move. I’ve sent flowers to Red this morning. No call. I’ve had Fox News verify a phony divorce decree. No call. I’ve called Red’s phone and ask her out for breakfast this morning. No call. I turn the shower to the hottest setting I can stand, step in, pull the curtain close and try to think out my next plan of action. I can head to the house, endure looking at Jon’s smug ass and plead my case. I can send a courier there with a note to ask her to meet me for lunch. I can head to the house, tell her that I’ve had enough of this shit and demand she get over it. No, that may not be the best option. I’ll do option one. I’ll go to her house, endure Jon and–

  “Malcolm.” I hear Lola say as she yanks the shower curtain open.

  “What’s going baby?” I say while I let the water run over my head.

  “Oh shut the hell up. I need my phone turned back on, I’d like to call Danielle and settle this and no one is letting me use their phone and Jacob hid all the house phones.”

  “No phones for you Lola until this is settled.”

  “Give me a quarter.” She sticks her hand out.

  “Why?”

  “I’m going to a payphone.”

  “Lola, this isn’t a joke.”

  “I’m not laughing, Malcolm.”

  “Lola, my home insurance is investigating that fire. That means that they have hired independent contractors, contractors that I don’t know. Contractors that can’t be bought. When they discover that the fire was set purposely, and they will discover that, both you and Red will have viable motives. Are you watching the news? They’re already starting to go in on her and it’ll take them just a few more days until you and Cadence come into the picture. Then this shit will turn into a whodunit, which will excite the entire nation. That’s bad press for us and your father who will have no choice but to drop Blair and Associates as his legal firm and me as his Lead Counsel. I’m not letting you fuck this up for Red, the family, your father or me. The best thing for you and Red is to stay away from each other until the smoke clears. It’s not a time for you two to have a public blowup because believe me, when Red sees you, there’s no telling what she’ll do.”

  “Wait, back up. Why would I be in trouble? I didn’t start that fire.” She’s insulted that she would be considered among the likes of Red.

  “When the security footage reveals that Cadence accompanied Laura into the house not once, but many times since the house was purchased and when the footage reveals their frequent sleepovers, you’re officially a suspect.”

  “But I was in New York during the fire.”

  “So was Red and she actually has an alibi … she was at a concert with five other people. Who were you with?” She says nothing. “And I’m willing to believe that you made sure your face was hidden the entire time, so that no one would see you checking in or stealing Red’s bags. There’s no one to verify your face, to verify that they saw you. You have a motive and no alibi.”

  “I saw you!”

  “Says who?”

  I grab some soap to lather.

  “I swear, Cadence has ruined my entire fucking life.” She turns to leave.

  “That he has.”

  “Oh and by the way,” She turns back around, “Cadence was out all night. Laura is here somewhere, I know she is.”

  “I do too.” And with that, she barges out of the bathroom and leaves me in peace.

  After thirty minutes of showering, shaving, dressing and checking my phone (no, Red didn’t call), I head downstairs to hear my father and Nat shouting at the television. Walking into the living room, I check the score on the game and then head to the kitchen where Jacob is downing a Gatorade. Winnie is standing in front of him with her hands buried in his pants while kissing his chest through his shirt and Cadence is standing in front of a window, hands in his pockets, gazing outside. He’s in a deep mood. When Cadence hears me coming, he turns around with a look of exhaustion on his face. Yeah, I’ve been there bro. Now, I could make him suffer, but what would be the purpose? I’m thrilled that someone else has chosen to watch over Laura, I did it for ten years, I’m grateful for the break. So, I reach into my pocket, pull out a bottle of Lithium and toss it to him. Thirty days supply. I always kept extra pills around.

  “Thank you.” He whispers with his eyes closed, clutching the pills to his heart. What a damn drama queen.

  “Alright royal family!” I hear my mother scream out as she enters the house. “Is everyone here?”

  “Dena’s not here.” Nat says.

  “Okay, well make sure you call and tell her that we’re having after-dinner drinks tonight at Italiano’s with Danielle and her family! Let the festivities begin!”

  And my heart has the nerve to beat faster, like I’m a schoolboy in love. All that’s missing is my hand over it. This is what Red has done to me; she’s turned me into Cadence. She’s made me anxious just to catch one glimpse of her, just to watch her walk into my space so that she can look right through me. Just to steal five minutes away with her and talk in private. She’s made me seventeen again.

  “Thank goodness!” Winnie screams out. “I haven’t seen D since Friday, she hasn’t been returning my calls.”

  “Who’s all coming?” I hear Lola ask from the living room.

  “Everyone … Attorney and Dr. Rouge, Danielle, her friends, their kids …” Jon. Matt. Marlon. Great.

  “Oh I can’t wait.” Lola sings out.

  I don’t know why but at that moment, I decide to look at Jacob. Oh who am I kidding, I know why. Jasmine. The last time he saw Jasmine was at a sushi bar a few weeks back. She saw him from the window before she even walked in, I saw the two of them lock eyes. I also saw that she didn’t hold Marlon’s hand when they and their crew walked in. I walked up to her when she was coming back from the restroom but Jacob kept his distance, though they did exchange another look. She was shaken up after seeing him for a second time that night and even more nervous when I passed her a note to give
to Red, who was sitting next to Jon. But they said nothing to each other and Jacob never even mentioned the incident. He did get exceptionally hammered that night though. But other than that, he let it all slide.

  Jacob and Jasmine haven’t spoken since the day of his wedding, when I snuck out of the church with him, both of us in our tuxedos, and went to Jasmine’s condo. He wanted to give her a pearl earring and necklace set he picked up from Tiffany’s the week before. I remember leaning against the wall in the hallway, my hands stuffed in my tuxedo pockets while Jacob made some light taps on her door. Jasmine slid her door open and Jacob stood there with the box in his hands, his bow tie undone. She was trying not to cry when he silently passed her the box. She took it without saying a word. And once the deed was done, he turned around and we left. One hour later, he was married to Winnie. But I’ll never forget that day; I’ll never forget what it meant for him to pass up Jasmine for Winnie. I’ll never forget how silent he was in the car ride back to the church. I’ll never forget how the priest had to ask him to repeat his ‘I do’ because it was barely audible. I’ll never forget how quiet he was at his reception. Jacob sober at his own wedding reception where there was an open bar? I still can’t believe it. I vowed to never turn into Jacob. I vowed to never put duty over desire, when it came to a woman. Don’t get me wrong, in my humble opinion, Jasmine is the worst possible match for Jacob but he’s always had a thing for her. Tonight he could possibly be talking to Jasmine for the first time in years. And, truth be told, he was a little too eager to claim Marlon, in the Four Seasons, as the one whose face he wanted to smash. In the end, it took three cops to drag Jacob off of him … and Marlon hadn’t a clue as to why. So I look at Jacob, to see what’s going on his brain.

  But Jacob’s already looking at me.

  “Ooh!” Lola says from the living room. “We’re going to have so much fun!”

  Danielle

  3:30 PM

  “Oh boy!” Jasmine screams out as she drops her head back, a glass of Chardonnay in her hand. “Malcolm, Malcolm, Malcolm. Is that all we’re going to talk about this week?” Rena and I look at each other like she’s demented. Of course that’s all we’re going to talk about this week! That’s all the entire nation will be talking about this week.

  We’re sitting at lunch right now, having girl time at Plantation Kitchen. I called us all together to talk about the recent news of that fake divorce decree Malcolm released. I’m feeling a little crummy about it. The problem is that everyone in the house is walking around pretending like it’s real. No one has mentioned the obvious: I was screwing Malcolm while I was married to Jon. And, to tell you the truth, I’m feeling self-conscious now. I had to get out of the house so I asked Jasmine, Rena and my mom to lunch. My mom declined, wanting to spend some alone time with my dad. So here the three of us sit right now, talking about the biggest tragedy of my life and Jasmine wants to know if we can do this without mentioning Malcolm’s name.

  “Jasmine, what the hell is your deal with Malcolm.” Rena asks. Even she’s beginning to get pissed off with Jasmine’s anti-Malcolm sentiments.

  “He’s so overrated.” Jasmine gives us a ‘screw’ face. “God, if he were black, he wouldn’t even be news. But since he’s decent looking and white and rich and connected and likes rap music,” she rolls her eyes, “all of a sudden he’s the second coming. He’s such a joke.” Okay, that does it!

  “Tell us how you really feel Jasmine.”

  “Jasmine, I’m starting to get offended by your attitude.” I say to her. “I mean, I never say a thing about Marlon so I don’t know why you would feel comfortable calling Malcolm a joke.”

  “Well what could you say about Marlon?” She asks as she starts blinking in rapid succession.

  “Oh let’s see,” I raise my fingers up to count the ways. “He’s a chump–”

  “That’s enough Danielle, thank you.” Rena says.

  “He dated Marla in college right after I took Jon from her.”

  “Two reasons will be sufficient, thank you.”

  “Obviously he can’t fight worth a lick, his face is all kinds of fucked up.”

  “Danielle, enough.”

  “My husband wouldn’t have had to get into that fight if it wasn’t for Malcolm!” Jasmine screams out.

  “Malcolm or Jon? Because I do believe Jon arranged that massacre. Because that’s what happened. Malcolm, Jacob and Nat massacred their asses.” I say with a ‘top that shit’ face.

  “Well, I don’t mean to butt in,” Rena says, “but Matt looks perfectly fine.”

  “Shut up Rena,” I say, “no one’s saying Matt got beat up.”

  “Oh okay.”

  “Just Marlon.” I say with a little jiggle of my head and shake of my shoulders.

  “You know what Danielle, I’m glad Jon’s moving to Boston. Maybe Nicky can be around someone a bit more grounded than you and your new Blair family. Because you’ve been in rare form ever since you’ve been with Malcolm.”

  “What are you talking about, Jon’s moving to Boston?”

  “Yep.” She gives me a smirk and a shoulder shake as well but for good measure she adds a nod. “Nicky needs to have a stable parent around and that obviously isn’t you anymore.”

  “Jasmine you don’t even have kids, you have no idea what it takes to be a parent!”

  “Let’s be mindful of others.” Rena says.

  “Malcolm is bad news!” Jasmine screams.

  “He is not!” I yell.

  “He’s still screwing his ex!”

  “He is not!”

  “He probably burned her house down!”

  “He did not!”

  “They probably had an argument!”

  “They did not!”

  “And then he tried to kill her!”

  “Shut up Jasmine!”

  “Yeah,” Rena says, “people are starting to notice us.”

  “He owned her house Danielle!”

  “So what? She’s too irresponsible to own her own home. You have no idea what’s going on with Laura, Jasmine. He was trying to help her out.”

  “Oh my god! He’s totally manipulated you. You know, I’d love for you to hear Laura’s side of the story. It’s guaranteed to be much different than all of that Blair bullshit you’re being told.” She begins to get up from her seat while adjusting her pearl necklace.

  “Jasmine, I just don’t know who you’ve become here recently. It’s like you’ve changed into an entirely different person.”

  “Yeah, well, things were perfectly fine when you were with Jon.” She snatches her purse off the table. “That’s who you should be with.” She points her finger at me. “And another thing, until you see where I’m coming from, I don’t have shit left to say to you. And I can tell you now, I’m not budging on that.”

  “Who the hell do you think you are?” Is this bitch crazy? She’s not budging?

  “I used to be your best friend but now apparently I’m a no one. You don’t even listen to my advice anymore.” She slams her chair into the table. “If you had just one conversation with Laura, just one, I’m sure you’d be singing a different tune.” And then she whips herself around and storms away.

  “Well,” Rena says as she takes a sip of her champagne, “that was stressful.”

  “Laura?” I say as I turn to Rena. “What the hell would I need to speak to Laura about?”

  Malcolm

  7 p.m.

  “Slip two Lithium pills in her drink.” I say to Cadence as Jacob and I catch him sneaking out of my parent’s house to see Laura.

  “Huh?” Cadence says as he pauses with one foot in the cab.

  “Before you leave for Italiano’s slip two Lithium pills in a drink and give it to Laura. Go buy a Vitamin Water from the hotel bar and slip the Lithium in the bottle.”

  “But that’s too much Lithium.”

  “It’s not. It’ll knock her out so that we don’t have to worry about her showing up at Italiano’s. By the time dinner�
�s over, Jim should be here to fly her, Nat and Dena back to Boston.”

  “But two pills Malcolm? Yeah, I don’t know. I’m gonna have to think about that.”

  “Cadence, shut the fuck up and give her the fucking pills or I break your fucking neck.” Jacob says. Well I wouldn’t have put it exactly like that but thanks Jake. I toss Cadence a pill bottle that holds two Lithium pills.

  “Fine.” He says as he catches it. He hops in the backseat of the cab and slams the door shut.

  “Cadence.” I call out to him. He rolls his window down.

  “Yeah.”

  “Can you do this?”

  “Of course.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Come on Malcolm, I can do this.”

  “Cadence–”

  “I can do this! Stop treating me like I’m a damn kid!” He rolls his window up and the cab drives away.

  Laura

  8 p.m.

  Dear Danielle,

  I have bad news: Cadence found me.

  You know, for him to be a stupid ass, he sure did find me pretty quickly. This is what happened:

  I was standing outside of your rental home, in the bushes, minding my own business, when I saw you jump out of your bedroom window and damn near slow crawl to a waiting cab, like you were in Desert Storm. What the hell was that all about? I mean, the cabbie turned his lights off at the corner and everything before he pulled up. Why did you tell him to do that? Then you jumped in the backseat and rode down the street with the door open until you reached the corner. That’s when you eased it closed. I’m telling you, I’m beginning to think that there’s something a little off about you.

  So, I took off my wig and ran in the direction of the cab. Something told me that you were headed to see Malcolm. You ever just get a hunch like that? You ever just sense that when someone has just slow-crawled past you they’re heading to get some ass? Well I was right. Of course I know where Malcolm and Jacob parents own their side-by-side resort homes, so I headed there. Sure enough, the cab was stopped across the street from their homes. But, sorry to say, I didn’t run there fast enough to catch you. Malcolm was just stepping out of his cab when I arrived. I saw him trying to wrestle the clothes off of you while you both stumbled into Jacob Land.