Never Again Once More

by Morrison, Mary B.

  “Sorry. No window for seven. We have one for you at eight.”

  “Thanks. Eight is fine.” A couple of extra hours wouldn’t hurt. Although they would miss the sunset, eight was actually a better time for both of them.

  “Are you going to work tomorrow?” Jazzmyne asked.

  “No, I need another week.” Actually, Jada was taking Wellington and Darius’s advice. With so many events happening, she hadn’t allowed herself to fully grieve. Another week off from work was necessary for more reasons than one.

  “I dropped in his office a few times.” Jazzmyne nodded. “Seems like Darius is doing a decent job.”

  Knowing Lawrence, he was probably working late, Jada thought. During their last conversation, he’d said the next time they spoke, she would have to call. The more Lawrence tried to console her, the farther she pushed him away.

  When Jazzmyne pulled in front of their house, Jada noticed all the cars were parked in the driveway, including Darius’s. They hadn’t seen each other since he’d stormed out of her mother’s house. She knew he was blowing off steam and he’d come back after he calmed down.

  Jazzmyne placed Jada’s luggage in the middle of the foyer. “You haven’t heard a word I’ve said.”

  Jada looked at Jazzmyne. “What?”

  “Nothing. I’ll call you later.” Jazzmyne got in her car, tooted her horn, and cruised out of the driveway.

  Jada closed the front door and left her bags where they were. Peeping through the house, no one was in sight. The living room was empty. As she walked past her study, her computer was on, so she stepped inside and saw a shadow move.

  “Darius? What are you doing in here?” Jada turned on the light. Darius didn’t respond. He minimized the screen and shut the computer down.

  “Darius, I asked you a question,” Jada repeated herself.

  “Working.” Darius continued to look at the seventeen-inch monitor displaying the words, “It’s now safe to turn off your computer.”

  “Darius, get out of my office. That’s why you have your own,” Jada insisted.

  Darius hit the power button and brushed past her. Jada grabbed him by the arm. Darius aggressively jerked away. “What is your problem?” Jada asked.

  Looking down at her, he said, “You. Maxine. My Dear was the only real woman I knew.” Darius stomped off. Later she heard a door slam.

  Jada shook her head. “Children these days. I just don’t know. I guess he’s not over being angry.”

  In some ways Lawrence’s upbringing had been fuller than hers because he had siblings. Family day, which was every fourth Sunday at the Andersons’, was like a reunion. Lawrence’s grandparents lived on a farm outside of Los Angeles. Pony rides. Dunking machines. Swimming pool. Jumping balloons. Swings. Cotton candy. Popcorn. Potato-sack races. There was always someone getting his or her hair braided or twisted. The youngsters gathered in a circle just before sunset and listened to the elders tell folktales. No wonder Lawrence made the perfect husband. But the Andersons and the Joneses could never combine events. Wellington’s mother’s nose was so far up in the air, she could sniff the clouds. Cynthia knew nothing about how to have fun, but she could raise hell all by herself.

  Jada sat on her side of the bed. If she didn’t get in touch with Lawrence, she’d be dining alone at the restaurant or at home. If his cars were home, then how was he getting around? She sent him a message on his two-way pager and plopped across her bed. The security light on the panel flashed. Jada rushed to her sliding patio door and stepped outside. Darius was putting a suitcase in the back of his car. She frowned and walked back inside. Better to just let him be. Kneeling beside her bed, she prayed, “Dear God, give me the strength to change the things I can. The courage to accept the things I cannot. And the wisdom to know the difference.” Jada begged forgiveness for all her sins.

  When she opened her eyes, Lawrence was standing next to her with a colorful bouquet of assorted fresh flowers. “Welcome home.”

  “Thanks.” Jada stepped into Lawrence’s open arms and embraced him. “How’d you get here so fast? I just e-mailed you.”

  “I was in transit. We have a big case in court tomorrow, so my dad picked me up and dropped me off. I’m happy you’re back.”

  Jada hesitated, then said, “I’m not going to work tomorrow.”

  “That’s probably not a good idea. In fact, you need to go,” Lawrence insisted.

  “What do you mean by that? My business is doing very well, thank you.” Casually, she rolled her eyes upward.

  “Exactly what I said. If you weren’t so busy laying up in Oakland with Wellington, you’d know, too.” The floral arrangement was now upside down in his hand.

  “Okay.” Jada sighed. “I see what this is about. I was going to put this off, but there’s no need.” Jada looked Lawrence directly in his eyes and callously said, “Lawrence, I’m filing for a divorce.” After she’d said it, she felt like scum stuck to the bottom of a shoe.

  “What! Divorce? Okay, you have every right to be upset. I’ve been lonely without you. I miss you. I just want my wife back. I admit I’m jealous, but there’s no way I want a divorce.”

  Uneasily, Jada said, “There’s really nothing to discuss. I hate to see our marriage end like this, but I cannot and will not continue to live a lie.” The thumping in her throat quickened. She had to tell him eventually, and no time was the right time.

  Lawrence bit his bottom lip and said, “Then, I guess it’s fitting to let you know three of your four top executives have consulted with my father to sue Black Diamonds. And it’s just a matter of time before the last one joins in.”

  “What in the hell are you talking about? Don’t be ridiculous. I treat my staff exceptionally well. Lawrence, you don’t have to use my company to get back at me.” Jada sat on the red sleigh bench at the foot of their bed.

  “I’m not.” Lawrence loosened his tie and the first two buttons on his shirt.

  “Well, what’s the case about?” Jada figured she’d better learn as much as she could in case he was telling the truth.

  “Sorry, confidentiality prevails. We naturally declined representation, but my grandfather gave them two referrals.” Lawrence threw the flowers to the floor. His size fifteen squashed them into the carpet. “They’re better off without you. So am I. I should have known I’d be next. Any woman who’d lie to her own flesh and blood surely wouldn’t hesitate to pull a fast one on her husband.”

  Floral fragrances burst into the air. Sooner or later she had to tell Lawrence the truth. But Jada never imagined the conversation happening the way it just did. Damn. Fine. So be it.

  Jada pressed the talk button on her cell phone twice to redial the restaurant. “Please cancel the Anderson reservation for eight o’clock.” If Lawrence wouldn’t tell her what was happening, she wasn’t going to beg. There was another man who would. Theo.

  Chapter 28

  Darius was livid. After promising she would stay in Oakland another week, his mother had lied again by coming home early. Regardless, he was implementing his plan at her expense. Since New York had been a big hit, he’d invited Ginger, Zen, Heather, and Miranda to spend a different day of this week out of town with him again. His treat. Actually, at his company’s expense. Darius had wanted to tell Kevin—while they hooked up in New York City—the shit Maxine had laid on him, but he wasn’t sure if Kevin was blood or if he could be trusted.

  Maxine couldn’t have been serious. Her last name was definitely going to remain Moore, or at least it never would become Jones. As much as Darius lusted after sex, death was better than living with AIDS. Relocating to a new environment where no one would judge him or treat him differently was another option. New York was cool, but after the conference too many people in Manhattan may recognize him. Maybe he’d live in Canada, D.C., or Cannes.

  Shit! Darius repeatedly slapped himself upside the forehead. He used a condom religiously, except when he was with Maxine. Was this God’s way of punishing him for boning so ma
ny women? Or was Maxine trying to fuck with both of his heads?

  Darius picked up his home phone and started dialing Maxine’s number so he could curse her ass out: first for being unfaithful, then for backsliding to Rodney—because a man never wanted to be defeated by the same idiot twice—and ultimately for testing positive for HIV. Looking at his watch, it was only three o’clock in the morning. Before she answered, he hung up. What good would that do? Plus it would give Maxine the upper hand, and the only time he allowed a woman on top was during sex. His plane was leaving in a few hours, so Darius decided to use his cellular phone and call his best friend.

  Ashlee answered in the middle of the second ring, “Hello.”

  “Hey, Ashlee. What’s up?” he said as he left his house and got in his car.

  “Just waking up.” Ashlee yawned. “What time is it? Everything okay?”

  “I’m on my way to meet Zen in Chicago,” Darius replied as he cranked up his car.

  Ashlee sleepily asked, “Business or pleasure?”

  That’s what happened when you confided in a woman. “You know me. But on the serious tip, I need your support on something.”

  “Sure.”

  Darius took a deep breath. “Maxine called and told me she tested positive for HIV.”

  “Darius, no! Not Maxine, she’s such a nice person. Is she sure? But it’s not like Maxine to say something like that unless she was sure.” Ashlee lowered her voice and said, “And you?”

  “I don’t know. I haven’t been tested yet. Ashlee, I’m scared. What if she’s telling the truth and I have it, too? Then what?”

  Ashlee coughed into the receiver. “Excuse me. If Maxine contracted the virus within the past couple of months, and the two of you had unprotected intercourse during that time, that’s not good. Once the virus enters the system, the viral load builds up heavily but tends to decrease after about eight weeks. I did say decrease not disappear.”

  Darius bit his bottom lip so hard he almost drew blood. “Now I’m really frightened, sis.” He punched his steering wheel.

  “Calm down. In addition to the level of infectiousness, you also have to be susceptible. It’s a good thing you eat right and work out, and hopefully no blood was transmitted from Maxine to you. Oh, yeah, stress can also increase the probability of transmission because it adversely affects your immune system, so try not to drive yourself insane. I’m flying to L.A. I have two weeks vacation time. I’ll go with you to get tested and stay until you get your results.”

  “I can handle this.” Darius plunged his accelerator. “I just needed someone to listen. I recently took my paternity test, so I’ll call my doctor today and ask him to have the lab run both tests at the same time.”

  “Then, it’s all set. I’ll be there, and we’ll go for your results together,” Ashlee insisted. “You’re not planning on having sex with Zen, are you?”

  “No. I’m not.” He never planned to have sex with anyone. It just happened.

  “I know you, Darius. Please refrain until after you get your results. Please, Darius,” Ashlee begged.

  There was no traffic at three-thirty, but he hated the new three hours prior to departure check-in regulation. He and Ashlee talked the whole way to the airport. Darius parked in the short-term lot and continued his conversation with Ashlee using his hands-free headset as he retrieved his bag from the backseat of his car. “Don’t worry. I’m practicing safe sex.”

  “The only safe sex is no sex. It won’t kill you to wait a few days, but you might kill someone else if you’re infected,” Ashlee scolded as if she were his mother.

  The airport was crowded as usual. Darius strolled inside the terminal. His dreadlocks were bonded together with a black rubber band. The blue Fat Albert T-shirt had the whole gang on the front and was long enough to hide his new No Limit boxers with the platinum tanks on the waistband. His sagging blue jeans covered his untied Timberland’s. Darius carried Ashlee’s conversation along with his belongings to the security checkpoint. “I’ll be cool. I gotta go. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  “I’ll see you Thursday. You know I love you. You’re the only brother I have.”

  “Bye, sis.”

  “Bye.”

  Darius placed his phone and earpiece inside his front pants pocket. Realizing he didn’t know what gate to go to, he walked over to the monitor and scanned for his flight number. His seven o’clock flight was on time, surprisingly, because L.A. was notorious for delays. Darius continued his stride through security check. After waiting over an hour for the attendants to arrive at the gate, he walked up to the ticket counter with his confirmation in hand. Darius noticed her nametag and handed her the piece of paper.

  “Chicago?” the flight attendant asked.

  “Yes.” Darius smiled. Tammy could have just read the information he handed her, but she was looking so fine it didn’t matter.

  Tammy keyed in the numbers and stared at her screen. Then she looked up at Darius and said, “I’m sorry. This reservation has been cancelled.” She handed Darius back the piece of paper and asked, “Are you sure you have the right number?”

  “I’m positive. Check again,” Darius insisted as he searched for his Executive membership traveler’s card. “There must be some mistake.” This time Darius flirtatiously smiled at Tammy.

  Zen had taken an earlier flight, and his driver was instructed to meet her at her gate. Then they were to wait for his plane to arrive.

  “I’m sorry, sir. The reservation is definitely cancelled.”

  Darius leaned over the counter. “I insist on getting on this plane.” Darius spoke slowly and deliberately. “I did not cancel my reservation. If I had, I wouldn’t be standing here. Do you realize how early I woke up for this flight?”

  Tammy didn’t respond. Instead, she made eye contact with the attendant standing next to her behind the counter.

  “Well, let me purchase another ticket and I’ll straighten this mess out when I have time.” Darius pulled out his platinum American Express Business card and placed it on the counter next to his membership card.

  “You’ll have to go to the ticket machine, the purchasing counter, or customer service. I can’t issue tickets at the gate.” Tammy picked up Darius’s cards, and looked at the credit card photo and then at Darius before handing them back. “You look much better in person. Sorry I couldn’t be of more assistance.” Tammy smiled.

  Darius snatched up his cards. “Fuck!” Bumping into anyone in his way, Darius raced to customer service. The line was long, so he continued walking and skipped everyone else and stood in front of the next available representative.

  The airline employee behind the counter said, “Sir, you’re going to have to wait at the end of the line.”

  “I have a plane to catch, and they’re boarding right now.” Darius had seen other people get away with jumping the line all the time, so he ignored this Tammy’s comment.

  Opening her hand, she said, “Let me see your ticket.”

  “I have an e-ticket. Here’s my confirmation number.” Two women named Tammy in the same day. That was not a good sign. The first one was white. This one was black. And they both looked good enough to eat.

  “You shouldn’t have cancelled your reservation. This flight is overbooked. I can put you on standby for this flight, confirm you on the one o’clock flight, and you can fly standby for the next two flights leaving at nine and eleven, because they’re overbooked, too.”

  “Never mind. Forget it.” Darius picked up his carry-on bag and walked away. His cellular phone rang. The ID was blocked. Normally Darius would ignore unknown callers and let them leave a message. “Hello.”

  “Darius, this is Zen. I expected to get your voicemail. Where are you?”

  “I can’t make it to Chicago. Just have the driver escort you for the day and have him bill my account.”

  “There is no driver. Just me. What in the hell is going on?” Zen muffled her words to keep from shouting.

  “I don’t know.
My flight was cancelled, and by the time I get there, it’ll almost be time to leave.”

  “I’m catching the next plane back to L.A. Don’t ever ask me to meet you anyplace ever again. I could have been at work.” Zen hung up the phone.

  Darius shook his head and returned to customer service to confirm his reservation for Tuesday’s flight. Everything was solid. There must have been some kind of mix-up. Tomorrow’s flight with Miranda would be better.

  Darius paced the floor and looked at his watch. After yesterday’s episode, he’d hired a driver to take him to the airport Tuesday morning. His driver was already thirty minutes late, and his flight was leaving in exactly two and a half hours. Perhaps his escort service screwed up his place of pick up. Ever since his mother had returned from Oakland, Darius had stayed at his condominium. How could she have lied to him for twenty years? Thirty-five minutes and still no driver, so Darius decided to call a taxi. After waiting fifteen minutes for the cab, Darius fired up his Escalade and tore out of the driveway. He parked, rushed inside, checked the monitor, and prayed he’d make it through security in time for his departure. Fortunately, he heard, “Boarding all rows for flight number two seventy-two to Vancouver.” Darius confidently handed the attendant his confirmation. She keyed in his number twice.

  “I’m sorry, sir. This reservation has been cancelled.”

  “Oh, hell no! Not again. Something must be wrong with your computers. My flight was cancelled yesterday and today!” Darius was raging mad.

  “The flight isn’t cancelled, sir. Your reservation is cancelled,” Sophia responded.

  “Somebody’s going to get to the bottom of this. Let me speak with your manager.”

  Sophia picked up the intercom and announced, “Last call for boarding on flight number two seventy-two.” Then she responded to Darius. “I can page her for you, but I’m not sure how long it’ll take. If you’d like, you can go speak with her. She’s downstairs in ticketing. Her name is Amanda.”