Chapter Twenty Two
Harlow
“So what woman gets divorced and moves into a dream home with her best friend turned man?” Benny asked me. Benny was my ex-stylist that now ran his own styling company. I was dealing with a bunch of shit in my life and I wasn’t mad that he jumped ship to do his own thing. I now had a small office space downtown off of Woodward that had been open a month and I regularly styled people. My clientele wasn’t like it was before, but I was slowly working on it. I was now happily divorced from Marcio and sitting on a nice settlement as well. My sons spent the weekends with him and Marcos, which probably meant just Marcio, while I had them during the week. I got to see Jolie whenever I wanted which was a great thing as well. Jaycion had been everything that I ever needed yet we still hadn’t had sex. We both were nervous as hell to even take it there.
“Benny we’re not talking about Jay we’re talking about you and how successful you are. I always knew you would be. I’m so proud of you,” I told him smiling. Benny nodded as he leaned against my desk.
“We’re not talking about that right now Lee so don’t try to distract me. We’re talking about the fact that I was right. I always knew you and him were in love,” he said still probing into my business. I set down the papers I was looking over and I looked up at him.
“Okay Benny, you were right, is that what you want to hear?” I asked him. Benny gave me a wide-tooth grin.
“Actually that is exactly what I wanted to hear. So how are things between you and the twins?” he asked. My smile quickly washed off of my face at the mention of the twins.
“Well Marcos is being Marcos. He’s with Ginger, the stripper bitch that I caught him with when I was pregnant. They stay in his house out in Novi then there’s Marcio. He…uh...he-”
“I’m what Lee?” Marcio asked walking through my door. Benny stepped off my desk and we both looked at my ex-husband, decked out in a custom-made black suit with a grey shirt and black tie. Marcio stepped into my office like he owned the place. He always did have immaculate taste. His hazel eyes softened as they looked down at me. We have battled like hell in court and out of court. The last thing I would do is smile at him because he has shown me on more than one occasion that he feels like I was more of a possession of his and not really his wife. He’s smiling now but I can see behind his smile just how angry he still is with me for leaving him.
“Hi Lee, how are you?” he asked.
“Good.” Marcio smiled as he looked around.
“So I see the settlement money set you up nicely,” he said taking in the things in my office. His comment was a low blow.
“Marcio, I wasn’t broke when I met you so let’s not pretend like you made me. I was well into styling,” I said getting angry. Marcio sat down in the chair across from my desk and adjusted his Hublot. He fixed his platinum cuff links before looking at me.
“Well you weren’t necessarily a millionaire either was you? You really fucking tricked me you know,” he said chuckling.
“Now you’re gonna have to leave if you coming in here to start some shit Marcio,” Benny said looking at him. Marcio smiled at him as he pulled a gun with a silencer on the end out of his pocket. I could feel my throat jump into my chest as my heartbeat started to increase. Benny looked at Marcio then back at me. He held the same fear in his eyes that I had in mine.
“Or what? This is my fucking wife Benny. What I’m tired of is being the nice guy. Motherfuckas only want to respect you when you demand the shit. Like my Harlow. She didn’t appreciate when I gave her the world so what does she do? She leaves me for a fucking rapper. A broke ass rapper. Got my sons living in that cheap ass house. With me you lived like a reina! Now your living high off of my money and laughing at me,” he said getting so angry that his light skin started to turn a crimson red. Benny lunged at Marcio and Marcio pulled his gun and shot him twice in the chest. Benny fell down beside his chair. I screamed as I scooted back in my chair. I grabbed my phone and tried to call Jaycion but was stopped by Marcio. The hot tip of his silencer burned into my cheek. I closed my eyes as I allowed the phone that had connected to my call drop to the ground.
“Marcio please, I will give you the money back if it means that much to you.” Marcio chuckled like what I was saying to him was funny.
“You think this is about the money? That seven million dollars wasn’t shit to me, you could have gotten more if you would have had a better lawyer. No, this is about us and you thinking you can leave me. I have prayed on what to do Harlow. I really did try to let you go. I got with Jhene and I tried to replace you but it just didn’t feel right. How do you think it makes me feel to see you with that nigga on TV at award shows like shit is all good? How do you think it makes me feel for my father to see that? He thinks that Marcos and I are jokes now. He’s cutting us off to so much shit because of you and those loose legs of yours. I should have known that you would do this shit,” he said through gritted teeth.
“Marcio, you and Marcos hurt me. I tried I really did. I took care of a kid that wasn’t mine, I dealt with so much shit but it just wasn’t enough. I’m sorry but we weren’t good together. We just wasn’t,” I said with tears sliding down my face.
“Well then I’m sorry too, because if I can’t have you then Jaycion definitely can’t.” A gunshot went off and I held my breath waiting for death. Praying to God, asking him to forgive me of my sins. I never fell and the bullet never penetrated me. The gun to my cheek slowly fell and a gun shot went up in to my ceiling. I looked at Marcio and his body slowly fell to the ground. The hole between his eyes made me scream again.
“Baby, it’s okay, it’s okay,” Jaycion said running up on me. He hugged me tightly as I started to cry. I was so filled with relief that he was here. I had actually pissed on myself thinking that I was about to die. I looked up at Jaycion and could see his bodyguard that he sometimes kept with him, standing by my desk holding a gun. I looked down at Marcio and more tears fell from my eyes. Was he really going to kill me or was he just trying to scare me, played over in my head repeatedly.
Jaycion grabbed my face and frowned. He shook his head as his eyes misted over. I kissed him to reassure him that I was fine. He looked me in the eyes and pulled the world right from beneath my feet.
“Baby, I was on my way over here for one because I got your call and also to tell you that I talked to Elijah…Elsie is dead.” I blinked and licked my dry lips.
“What...what Jaycion?” I asked starting to breathe hard. He tried to grab my face and I pushed his hand away. “What do you mean Elsie is dead?” I damn near yelled at him. He pulled me into a hug so tight that I couldn’t break free. I closed my eyes and let out a gut wrenching cry. Not my Elsie. Not one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen. No it couldn’t be. Why Lord?
Chapter Twenty Three
It’s been a long day, without my friend and I’ll tell you all about it when I see you again. We’ve come a long way from where we begin oh, I’ll tell you all about it when I see you again. When I see you again……when I see you again.
“We first would like to thank everyone for coming today. Elsie made it very clear in her will that she did not want for us to mourn her. She wanted us to celebrate her life. So with that being said, she wrote letters to all of us that she wants us to read, even her parents. She also said for none of us to cr.….cry because she is in a much better place….than we…are. So with that being said, we will start with Elsie’s mother. Her father was too….sick to attend.” Inga stepped away from the mic and Elsie’s mother stepped up on shaky legs. The usually poised and camera-ready anchorwoman, lacked makeup and a smile as she stepped up to the mic with a small piece of paper. She looked out at all of the people that had shown up to say goodbye to her daughter and she actually shed a tear. She hadn’t cried since hearing the news, but to see everyone so emotional made her emotions come to the forefront.
“Hi…I’m Elsie’s mother. Her sisters are too distraught and well, they won’t be able t
o read their letters because the pain is just too much for them right now. Her father is well, whatever, here is the letter.” She cleared her throat. “Dear mom…I first want to say that I love you. I want you to know that even in my last days my thoughts are of you and my sisters and even sir. I wish that we could be close like other families. I don’t hate you. I never could even when I felt I should have. I’m happy to be your daughter still and I just want you to know that my spirit will always be near to comfort you when your days aren’t so good. You may have never said it but I know that you….that you…loved me mommy and I loved you too. Elsie.” Her mother stepped off of the stage and broke down as she reached the last step. Elijah rushed up to comfort her and led her back to her seat. With her sisters too distraught to speak, Tegan stood up and walked to the front of the church. She wiped her tears away as she held her sheet of paper. She looked out into the crowd and gave a small, pained smile to everyone.
“Hi, I’m Tegan, and I have been friends with Elsie since the tenth grade. She started dating Elijah and he was in, I guess, our group you would call it. I was dating his cousin at the time so she and I clicked instantly. Elsie has always been there for me and she is more than a friend but more like a sister. My heart is literally broken into a million pieces right now because I didn’t see myself saying goodbye to her so soon but um, here is my letter.” Tegan took a deep breath and sighed.
“Tegan…what can I say to you? Girl you know we go way back. You was my girl even when Inga and Lee felt like they had to figure out if I was cool for them to hang with me. You accepted me from the jump and I love you for that. We are so much alike and we are also so very stubborn. I love you Tegan and I am so proud of the woman you have become. Man so many people doubted we would be something but we all proved them wrong. I know you’re going to be one hell of a lawyer. What I want from you is happiness Tegan. You deserve it. I’m so happy that you have Domani. I mean the way you smile when you talk about him makes me feel good because I know that right now he is comforting you for me. He’s a good man and you’re a good woman. We aren’t our past Tegan, so let it go. I love you ‘T’ and you know that I am only a prayer away. Kiss my god baby for me.” Tegan wiped her eyes and leaned onto the stand for support. Domani quickly rushed to her side and helped her walk back to her seat. Inga looked at Harlow and pleaded with her to go next with her eyes. Harlow nodded and slowly stood up. Harlow walked up to the mic and shook her head. She never would have thought that she would be at Elsie’s funeral. She knew that eventually they all would die, but the sudden death had her confused, hurt and angry.
“Hi, I’m Harlow. Like Elsie said in Tegan’s letter, I wasn’t too nice to her when we met in high school, but I got over that and so did Inga. Elsie became a sister to me. I love her and I wish that we all had more time with her. She was a beautiful woman inside out and the only thing that comforts me is knowing that she is in a better place and that she is no longer suffering. Here is her letter to me.”
“Hey Lee. Well first let me say that I am proud of you. We have truly come a long way. We started out sneaking into clubs like the Saint Andrews to running our own businesses. God has been good to us. No matter what you are going through, don’t feel for a second that you can’t handle it because you can. You are so strong and I have watched you deal with things that a lot of people don’t make it back from. Continue to be a good mom and work at your dream, because those things are truly to keep you balanced and it’s okay to be happy with Jay. He’s been your next door neighbor that we all crushed on for years. He’s a good man. You know he wouldn’t talk to any of us because secretly he was holding out for you. Now that has to be love because we all look good as hell,” Harlow along with a few other people laughed. “But seriously, he loves you unconditionally and man, that’s the love people dream about. You are going to be just fine. I love you Harlow Lee.” Harlow wiped away her tears and looked up to the ceiling in the building. “I love you too Elsie.” Harlow stepped away and went back to her seat. Inga closed her eyes and said a prayer before standing up and going to the stand. She leaned towards the mic as she looked out at the crowd.
“Hi. I’m Inga and I’ve known Elsie since high school. She is like my sister and although we fought a lot, we did love each other. These last few months we grew closer and I hate that I waited so long to get close to her because now she’s gone. This is my letter.”
“Dear Inga. Well let me start off by saying that I used to hate you. I did not like how you just walked around like you was that deal and you were so judgmental, but over time I got to see the real you and that’s the Inga that I loved. These last few months have been amazing. You are not how people perceive you to be and I am so lucky to have you in my life. What I want from you is nothing. I watched you grow and then we dealt with some sisterhood things that weren’t that nice, but you changed because of your past situations. You matured and you were stronger than I had ever seen you before. Even if you might feel like you’re in a bad place, you’re not. If only you could see what I see. I see a woman that is now a wife and mother doing a job when she wants to that she loves. You are not the Inga that used to get walked over so stop thinking that you are. You have nothing to prove to anyone. I will always be with you and the girls, Inga so stop worrying about me and worry about the beautiful babies that you have. Goodbye sis.” Inga stepped away from the mic and rushed to the bathroom. Hayden stood up and followed after her as he held their newest addition to their family.
Elijah stood up and took his time as he stepped to the mic. He stared down at his letter for a minute lost in his own thoughts. When he looked up, the pain he held in his eyes made Elsie’s youngest sister Celine stand up and join him at the mic. She held onto his arm and rubbed his back, as they tried to comfort each other in their time of need.
“Hi I’m Elijah. I have been in love with Elsie for as long as I can remember. I read her letter and I have to say that I am not strong enough to read it out loud to you all. What I wanna say is that I spent so much of my life doing things that I felt I had to do rather than what I wanted to do. Those things kept me away from the one woman that I loved with all of my heart. Elsie was my everything and we went through so much to be together. I won’t forget the times we shared and I know that she is with us right now. She wouldn’t want us in here like this,” Elijah chuckled through his pain. “I know she wouldn’t but man, don’t we miss her already. I had no clue that when I rushed her to the hospital for vomiting that, those would be my last moments with her. Life is too short to spend it doing things that don’t matter. I wish I could have spent the rest of my life with her….I really do. She went from being my queen by my side to now my angel up in heaven. I love you girl….” Elijah stepped off and Celine grabbed the mic. The beautiful fair-skinned woman with the vivacious red hair, had eyes that were swollen and red from crying so much. She had already lost her child’s father a year back and now to lose her sister, she was devastated. She looked up to the ceiling asking God for strength.
“Elsie was my everything. My mom when need be, my sister all of the time and my best friend. I love her so much and I am angry….I’m angry that she died. I have lost so much and if it wasn’t for my son I would have lost my mind a long time ago. I don’t wanna say goodbye to my sister. I feel lost and empty without her. My son will never get to know how nice and beautiful she was. He won’t remember her and that breaks my heart. She has been through so much already so to have cancer and die so suddenly from it angers me. We needed more time with her. We…did. We appreciate all of the cards, flowers and condolences, we really do. I know Elsie does as well.” Celine stepped away from the mic and went back to her seat. The pastor stood up and said a few words before calling the pallbearers up to the front of the church. Everyone stood by as Elsie was carried out of the church and down to a white carriage with glass doors. Everyone shed tears as they walked to the car to follow the carriage to the gravesite, which would be Elsie’s final resting place.
Epil
ogue
A year later
Harlow
“Happy Birthday daddy!” the twins yelled running up to Marcos. He pulled both of them into a hug at the gravesite. Ginger stood by along with her child that she had by Marcos. She watched us closely but didn’t have anger in her eyes; it was more of an envious stare. I hugged myself as I watched my sons play with their father near Marcio’s grave. A whole year passed without him and still it feels weird that he’s not here. He killed Benny because of his anger towards me and that is a pain that I am still dealing with to this day. Jaycion’s bodyguard saved my life and I will forever be indebted to him for that.
Marcos had changed his ways when it came to our kids because of all of the death that had surrounded us. He picked them up faithfully on the weekends and whenever I called him he came. I think a huge part of him felt like he let me and Marcio down.
I sat down next to Marcio’s grave and bit into a cupcake. Today should be a joyous day but with one twin gone my heart ached because I did love him at one point in time. We shared some good times. I offered Ginger and her daughter a cupcake and she took it while Jolie tried to help the boys fight Marcos. Ginger sat down next to me with her child. She grabbed the cupcake and took one for her child as well.
“Thank you and I’m sorry for your loss again,” she said quietly. I nodded looking at her. She’s now six months pregnant with their second child and even though Marcos refuses to even call her by her real name, I know he loves her. I can see it when he looks at her. He tries to mask it around me but it still shines through. I’m cool with it though. I’m happy he’s happy and even though they both did me dirty, I pray that he doesn’t put her through the hell he put me through.
The Way That I Love You 3 Page 21