by Tina Martin
“Okay.”
The waitress slid Colin’s coffee on the table and walked away quickly.
He continued, “Do you think your Mother is really upset about you being a model?”
“Yeah, she is.”
Colin grinned. “Then I got news for you...your Mother could care less that you’re a model. She’s more concerned with what being a model has done to you, son, and quite frankly, so am I.”
Dilvan glanced out the window and clenched his teeth. “And what has it done to me?”
Colin took a long sip of coffee. “You got big-headed...thought that somehow, the recognition and fame has elevated you above us like you made it, son, and I’m here to tell you...there’s nothing shameful about what I do...about what this family does. The tea business has been very profitable for this family.”
“I know that—”
“Wait...let me finish. Your mom feels like you’ve forgotten your roots, and I blame myself for that because I moved us here. However, you’re a grown man now, and I don’t expect you to walk in my footsteps, son. But whatever path you choose in life, just be a man, a gentleman. Treat people with respect and remember, the people you trample on the way up will be the same people you pass on the way down.”
“I get it.”
“You do?”
Dilvan sipped his coffee. “Yes. I do.”
“Okay, so what’s your plan?”
“My plan for what?” he asked, his fingers wrapped around the coffee mug.
“Your plan to mend your relationship with your mother and your brothers.”
“Well, I gotta think about it.”
“You do that, and don’t take too long thinking about it.”
“I won’t.”
“Hey, listen, I would love to stay and play catch up with you, but I have run. Take care and call me later, all right?”
“Okay, Dad.”
Once his father was out of sight, Dilvan checked his phone. He saw another email from his manager:
FROM: Len Phillips
TO: Dilvan Alexander
SUBJECT: New Gig in the Windy City!
Come on, Dilvan. You’re killing me. You said you wanted small gigs...I deliver small gigs. Just think on it and call me tomorrow.
Len
- - -
“More decaf?” the waitress asked, standing with a fresh pot of coffee in her hand.
“Uh...no. I’m good.”
“Then I’ll be right back with the check.”
Dilvan smirked. “The check...”
“Excuse me?” she said, walking back towards the table.
“Why do you call it a check, instead of a bill?” he asked. “I’ve always been curious about that.”
She shrugged. “I’m not sure. It doesn’t make sense to me either. Either way it goes, you still gotta pay up.”
Dilvan chuckled. “What’s your name?”
She pointed to her name tag. “Bianca.”
He stood up and said, “Well, I have to run, Bianca.” He took out his wallet, pulled out a fifty dollar bill and handed it to her. “This should cover the check. No change needed.”
Her face lit up at the large tip he was leaving her. “Thank you.”
“You deserve it. See you around.”
She watched him walk away, feeling her heart thudding in her chest.
Chapter 5
~ * ~
“So I have some bad news,” Gabrielle said to Padma as they sat in the living room at Padma’s house.
“What’s wrong?”
She sighed heavily. “Tyson doesn’t want me to go.”
“Did he say why? I thought he’d be thrilled to know that you wanted to learn the inner workings of the restaurant business.”
“I thought so too, but he didn’t like it. I’m not going to go into detail about what he said...just wanted you to know that I’m not coming with you guys on Friday so I hope you and Lalita will have a blast.”
Padma sighed. “Maybe if I speak to him, he’ll be more open about it.”
“No, Padma. This is something I need to work out with Tyson, and frankly, if he doesn’t want me to go, I won’t go. I love and respect my husband and I have no issues being a submissive wife.”
Padma nodded. “I can understand that, dear.”
“At least I’ll be here to monitor the garden...meet the students there and all.”
“Prasad will be there too. I had already told him that you were coming with me to Chicago, so—”
“I’ll tell him not to bother.”
“No. Just let things stay like they are. Prasad will meet you there and that way, you’re not there alone.”
“Okay.” Gabrielle buried her face in her hands, exasperated, trying to think of a way to get through to Tyson. “Oh, wait a minute. Gosh, what am I thinking? I’m supposed to be going with Tyson to Atlanta this weekend, so I won’t be here to meet the students at the garden.” She shook her head. “I’m so out of it, Padma. Tyson and I had such a good morning and then when I mentioned something about Chicago, everything fell apart. But, anyway, I’m not going to dwell on it. What’s going on with you?”
“Besides getting ready for this trip? Nothing. Oh, I did want to ask you something, Gabrielle.”
“What’s that?”
“Beatrice told me that Dilvan told her he spoke with you the day of your wedding reception.”
Gabrielle rolled her eyes. “Yeah, he did, but I wasn’t trying to hear anything he had to say.”
“What did he have to say?”
“Something about Tyson, of course...sounded like he was making up stuff as he went along.”
Padma crossed her legs. “Like what?”
“Um...said Tyson was a sniper...tried to imply that Tyson killed some guy named Dennis who was supposedly his best friend.” Gabrielle giggled. “Then, as if this wasn’t strange enough, he tells me that Dennis stole his ex- fiancée, Desiree, from him so out of retaliation, Tyson killed the man.” Gabrielle laughed more but when she saw the stoic, serious look on Padma’s face, her smile gradually faded.
“Padma?” Gabrielle said. “That’s not true, right?”
“Well, I told you Tyson’s friend Dennis was sleeping with Desiree. You remember?”
“Yeah, but Tyson isn’t a murderer. He’s the sweetest man I know, well other than my dad, of course.”
“Listen, dear. I love Tyson like a son, but there were rumors about his involvement in Dennis’ death.”
“But—”
“And Tyson was a sniper...that part is true as well.”
Gabrielle’s eyes widened and brightened. With raised eyebrows, she said, “A sniper? My Tyson was a sniper?”
“Yes, dear.”
She thought for a moment and said, “Why would he not tell me that?”
Padma shrugged. “Maybe he didn’t want you to know. You’re his new start.”
Gabrielle felt a sour feeling in her stomach at the thought of Tyson hiding things from her. Who was he exactly? Was Dilvan right? Was Tyson a monster?
Chapter 6
~ * ~
Tyson jumped in is Range Rover and sped out of the driveway like a mad man. He was furious that he couldn’t get in touch with Gabrielle. This morning, after breakfast, she had left for Padma’s and it was clear to him that she was disappointed about the Chicago trip, but that was no excuse for not answering her phone.
She’d left seven hours ago, and he hadn’t heard from her since, even after calling her cell phone plenty of times. With every unanswered call, he grew more furious, yet worried at the same time. And it wasn’t helping matters that Padma wasn’t answering her phone either.
Lightning flashed across the night sky. Thunder crackled and roared immediately after. Rain poured, almost instantly reducing visibility as he drove down the highway, intent on finding his woman.
Tyson dialed the windshield wipers to their highest setting, the noise of it drowning out the low
tunes from the local Hip Hop station.
He pulled up at Padma’s house, looking for Gabrielle’s car. He hadn’t seen it, but he still wanted to talk with Padma since he was there already...since Gabrielle told him this is where she would be.
Shutting off the engine, he jumped out of the car without a second thought and jogged to the front door.
Colin had been standing there, watching Tyson running towards the deck, in the rain without an umbrella and getting drenched.
“Hey, nephew,” Colin said. “What on earth are you doing out here in this storm?”
“I’m looking for Gabrielle,” Tyson said standing on the deck.
“Here,” Colin said, opening the door wider. “Come on in and get out of this rain.”
Once he stepped in, Padma said, “Hey, Tyson. Are you looking for Gabrielle?”
“Yeah. Where is she?”
“You just missed her. She left here ‘bout ten minutes ago. I’m surprised you didn’t pass her on the road.”
Tyson frowned. “She was here all day?”
“Yep. All day.”
“Where was her phone?”
“Don’t know. I didn’t see her with a phone so I guess it was either in her purse or maybe she’d left it in the car.”
Tyson sighed.
Boom!
Thunder roared so loud, it sounded like it struck the house. The lights flickered.
“I wouldn’t worry Tyson. Gabrielle’s fine. She’s probably already home by now,” Padma assured him.
“Padma, what did Gabrielle say to you?”
“She told me you didn’t want her to go to Chicago with Lalita and I. She was pretty upset about it.”
“Here you go,” Colin said, tossing a towel to Tyson so he could wipe his face.
“Thanks,” Tyson told him. “I’m going to head back home to see if she’s there.”
“Have you tried calling?” Colin inquired.
“Yes. She’s not answering...probably still angry with me.”
“Let me give it a shot,” Padma said. With her phone to her ear, she listened to the rings – one after another. No answer. “Nothing...just getting voicemail, but maybe her ringer’s off.”
“Maybe,” Tyson said. “I’m going to go.”
“Tyson, wait...I need to tell you something. Ah...Gabrielle told me some stuff that Dilvan told her about you.”
“You know I don’t care what Dilvan has to say about me.”
“Well, maybe you should care this time.”
“Why’s that?”
“He told her you were a sniper.”
Tyson blew a breath, sat down and rubbed his eyes. The rain tap danced on the roof, created a melody against the window pane while thunder continuously crackled, rumbled and echoed angrily in the dark sky.
Tyson sighed and said, “I didn’t want her to know that. Gosh, why can’t the past just be the past?” he asked, exasperated.
“That’s not all. She also knows about Dennis and the rumors...”
“Wow,” Tyson said. “I can’t believe this.”
“I’m sure if you sit down and talk to her about it—”
“No. I’m not bringing old garbage into my marriage.”
“But Tyson, it may be time to address the rumors,” Padma said like she wanted answers herself.
“What rumors?”
“About Dennis. People think you had something to do with it.”
“I’m glad I’ve never been a person to care what people think.”
“What about your wife? You care what she thinks?” Colin asked.
“Of course I do. I gotta go. I’ll see you guys later.”
Heading for the door, Tyson opened it, inviting the hissing noise and rusty smell of the rain inside. The downpour had only gotten worse with heavier and thicker raindrops. Still, he didn’t hesitate to run out into the elements, jump in his jeep and go back home, all the while hoping Gabrielle was there and was safe and sound.
Chapter 7
~ * ~
Gabrielle stood in the shower, just standing under the lukewarm water. It had been a long day, a day that started at 4:00 a.m. with running on the beach with Tyson, making passionate love afterwards. After breakfast, he’d been adamant about not wanting her to work. His ideology had upset her. What man didn’t want a woman who wanted to better herself? That’s all she wanted. She wasn’t asking for much.
She closed her eyes while the water ran down her face. She was new to this marriage thing, but was Tyson right? Should she be content just being his wife? That wasn’t a bad position to have, especially from a successful, attractive man who could hand pick any woman he wanted. And he wanted her.
She opened her eyes and the moment she did, she saw him standing there, behind the fogged glass, nearly scared the breath out of her petite body. His clothes were wet and so was his face.
Her heart thudding, she said, “Tyson, jeez, you scared me.”
Tyson hadn’t responded. Instead, he stepped in the shower with her and asked, “Why have you been avoiding me?” His first thought was that she was avoiding him because she was upset, but after talking to Padma, he surmised that she’d been ignoring him because of the things she’d learned about him. The things she’d found out from Dilvan.
“Tyson, why are you in the shower with you clothes on?”
“My clothes were already wet with me running around in the rain, trying to find you, so what does it matter, Gabrielle?”
Guess it doesn’t matter. She looked at him, giving his face a thorough once over. The dominant frowns in his forehead made her shiver.
“Why have you been avoiding me?” he asked again, in an eerie, monotone.
“I haven’t.”
“You have,” he said with flared nostrils. “I called you over a dozen times.”
“Well I left my phone in my purse. It must be on silent or something, okay?”
His penetrating gaze almost made her lose her footing. Made her not even want to look him in the eyes.
“Tyson, I’m sorry, okay, but it’s not like you didn’t know where I was. I told you I was going to Padma’s house.”
Tyson frowned. “You listen to me, and you listen well.” He placed his hands on her face, forcing eye contact, and said in a reprimanding tone, “Don’t ever do that to me again.”
“I didn’t do—”
“Don’t play games with me, Gabrielle. Don’t do that to me!”
“I’m not playi—”
“I have to ride around here in this storm, thinking something happened to you, feeling like my world is falling apart when all you had to do was pick up the phone and call me...don’t ever do that to me again! Do you understand me?”
“Tyson—”
“Do you understand me?” he asked in a raised tone.
Gabrielle stared at Tyson, deep into his eyes. He was hurt. She’d never seen this potent pain in his eyes before. Desperation in his actions. In his voice. Who gets in the shower with clothes on?
“I’m sorry, Tyson...didn’t mean to hurt you. I’m sorry,” she said watching water wet his worried face.
Tyson stared at her for a long moment, then he stepped out of the shower, leaving her there while he came out of his wet clothes, dried himself off with a towel and slid into a pair of shorts and got into bed.
Once Gabrielle had finished her shower, she took a towel, dried off, then slid into a gown, joining him in bed. He was upset. He never slept with his back to her, but tonight, he’d been furious.
Moments passed. The silence was killing her. She slid closer to him and left a kiss on his back. “Tyson, I’m sorry. Please forgive me.”
He turned around to look at her. “I forgive you, Gabrielle. Just don’t do that to me. Okay?”
“Okay.”
They lay quietly resting. Gabrielle snuggled against his chest.
“Gabrielle.”
She felt a tingle run down her spine at the sound of him saying her name. “Yes?”
“I know you
heard some things about me. Why didn’t you tell me that Dilvan had approached you?”
“I didn’t want to bother you with it.”
With his hands threaded in her hair, he said, “I don’t want you to keep things like that from me.”
“Okay. I’m sorry.”
“And I don’t want to keep things from you so, listen. I was a sniper in the Marines.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I didn’t want you to be afraid of me. I mean, that was my job...a job I was very good at, but that’s not who I am anymore. And I will never hurt you, Gabrielle.”
“I know that.”
Tyson smiled. Then after a few beats, he said, “I’ve been thinking about it pretty much since you brought it up and I want you to go to Chicago with—”
“No. That’s okay. I don’t want to go.”