Ezra raises a wine glass to Princeton.
“I commend you for that, brother. Not too many brothers would be willing to take on that type of responsibility. Will this be your first biological child?” Ezra asks, pointing his chin towards Desiree.
Princeton smiles as he rubs Desi’s baby bump.
“This will be my first. Never thought I’d see the day.”
“I can definitely relate, man. Can’t wait to have a few juniors running around myself. Hopefully soon before I get too old.” Ezra grins, squeezing my thigh.
“I second that.” My mother chimes. Then asks, “Will your parent be joining us for dinner before the big day?”
“Both his parents are deceased, ma.” I answer, knowing full well that she already had that information from my cousin, Rozella.
My mother lays a gloved white hand on her chest in sympathy.
“I am so sorry to hear that, son.”
Ezra nods.
“It’s ok, Ms. Roux. They both died before my brother and I could even talk.”
“Oh, you have a brother?” She says with a raised brow.
My mother deserves an Academy award for this performance she’s putting on. She did her background on my fiancé months ago. I wouldn’t be surprise if she knew where in the motherland his lineage had originated.
“I had a twin brother. Ezell. We started our production company together. He passed away a few years ago in a boating accident in the Caribbean.”
My mother gasps.
“Bless your heart.”
“I’m sorry to heat that, man.” Princeton adds.
My mother continues on with her performance.
“So you mean to tell me, you don’t have any family left? None to attend your wedding?”
Fed up with my mother’s shenanigans, I release an annoyed huff.
“Can we please talk about something else?”
“Ivonka Nicolette Roux! Don’t be so insensitive.” My mother rebukes.
“I don’t mind talking about it.” Ezra assures. “I’m the only member left in my family unit but I still have both sets of grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and whatnot.”
“And now a mother-in-law.” She says with a smile so warm, I almost don’t recognize her.
Ezra reciprocates a smile.
“What time is Koreen and Isaac arriving?” Desi asks me.
“Isaac should be here tomorrow. His flight comes in bright and early.” I reply.
“How early?” She asks.
“4 a.m.”
“Mierda! I was gonna offer to ride with you to the airport but fuck that. That’s too early.”
Ezra looks over at me.
“I would join you, honey, but we both know I’m as dead as a log that early in the morning.”
“I’ll ride with her.” My mother volunteers.
“Are you sure, ma? You don’t have to come along. I’ll be with the driver.” I inform.
“I’m coming with you.” She says adamantly.
“And I’ll go with you when you get KoKo.” Desi volunteers.
“I’m not picking KoKo up from the airport. She said a friend is giving her a lift from LAX. She’ll be meeting us here.”
Princeton grunts and earns himself a jab to the rib from Desi.
“Ow!” He cries out.
My mother asks what I’m sure everyone is thinking.
“A friend? What kind of friend?”
I shrug.
“I don’t know. One of her L.A. friends, I guess.”
“At least Delilah will have someone to play with. Kiana and Delilah are like two peas in a pod.” Says Desi.
“Kiana’s staying behind with her dad.” I inform.
Princeton chuckles at the mention of Kiana’s dad, earning him another jab to the elbow from his pregnant wife.
“Woman, will you stop that? I didn’t say anything.” Princeton says to Desi.
Desi isn’t going for it.
“Well you were thinking something.”
“You’re a mind reader now?” He shoots back.
“Yeah. Us women think we know everything, remember?” Desi reminds him.
Ezra and I laugh.
Princeton continues. “All I’m saying is, KoKo is about to be in L.A. for a whole week, alone and kid-free. I do declare, this shall be interesting.” He predicts in a phony southern drawl.
This time Ezra and Desi chuckles in agreement.
I shake my head in disagreement.
“This whole week and this reunion is about me and only me.” I remind each of them.
“I guess I’ll be the prop at the wedding in the black tuxedo.” Ezra mutters, causing both Desi and Princeton to snicker.
“That’s not what I meant. This reunion and these next few days is about this wedding. It’s about celebrating Ezra and I’s union, that’s it.”
I look around the table as they each nod in agreement.
I continue.
“I don’t want anyone coming to me about whatever drama Koreen has gotten herself into, I don’t want anyone asking for my help or advice on any situation pertaining to KoKo until after Saturday, when the wedding is behind us.”
Princeton raises a hand.
Desi throws her husband a look.
“You’re not in class. You don’t have to raise your hand, Prince. Just speak.” She instructs.
“Shouldn’t we wait until the other dude and his wife gets here first so that everyone is here to hear these ground rules?” He says to me.
“I’ll let Isaac know as soon as he’s settled in tomorrow.”
My mother clears her throat.
“I still think someone should be appointed to keep an eye out on that woman while she’s in town. We don’t need any kind of scandal associated with this wedding, Ivonne.”
“Ma, Koreen is a grown adult. She doesn’t need a chaperone. I’ll be too busy planning our dinner rehearsal and last minute fittings and such to be worried about keeping an eye out on her.”
“I didn’t say it had to be you.” She rebuttal.
“Well, I cant do it. I’ll be too busy running behind these kids.” Desi chimes.
We all turn our attention to Princeton.
“Don’t look at me. I’ll be making sure my wife don’t go into pre-mature labor while chasing behind these kids.” Princeton says.
“I’ll hardly be here.” Ezra speaks. “We’re shooting the final scene of my new film. You’re welcome to tag along if you want, Princeton.”
Princeton eyes buck. “Really? Man, that would be an honor. I appreciate that.”
Desi cuts her eyes at Princeton.
“What happen to lookin’ after your pregnant wife?”
I pout and wrap my arm around Ezra’s arm.
“Do you have to leave?”
He plants a kiss on my forehead.
“It’ll only be for two days.”
“But the wedding is in three days. Remember, you promised not to miss rehearsal dinner, Ez.”
“I wont. I promise.” He reassures.
The sound of silverware crashing onto porcelain startles us all.
I realize my mother has deliberately dropped her fork and knife onto her plate. She looks at each of us in exasperation.
“I guess I’ll have to be the one to keep an eye not only on Koreen, but on Isaac as well.” She says before I can stop her.
“Isaac?” Ezra asks. “What do you need to keep an eye out on him for?”
“Alright ma, you can keep yourself busy as chaperone.” I answer before my mother has a chance to answer.
“Ez and I are gonna call it a night. You guys can leave everything on the table when you’re done. Housekeeping will take care of it.”
“But I’m not done eating.” Ezra protests.
“Yes you are.” I reassure while rubbing dick underneath.
Ezra jumps, nearly knocking over his wine glass.
“I am suddenly feeling a bit stuffed.”
4
�
�I think Ezra is proposing to me tonight!” I announced excitedly into the receiver of my iPhone.
“Don’t get your hopes up too high, Ivonne. You don’t know for sure.” Isaac says.
“Trust me. I am 99.99% sure that he’ll be proposing tonight.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“Remember my neighbor I told you about?” I ask.
“Yeah. London-Marie Paisley. What about her?”
“London told me that she helped pick out my ring two days ago. I can’t believe this is really happening.” I gushed.
“And if it hadn’t been for me convincing you to give him a chance two years ago--” His voice trails off.
“I know, I know. I have you to thank for this.” I admitted.
“No. Please don’t thank me.” He sighed. “Well are you gonna accept his proposal?”
“Of course I’m accepting!” I say incredulously.
“Why the rush? I think you should take your time..”
“Ezra and I have been dating two years, Isaac. I think it’s time. I’ve never felt anything like this before. This feels different. It feels easy. I can be myself and not feel the need to be who he wants me to be or hide my flaws. Ezra loves me for me.”
“Just wanna make sure you’re making the right decision, that’s all I wanna see you happy. His tone comes off as glum which surprises me.
“Like you and Michelle, right?”
My question is met with a silence on the phone so long and so deafening, that I have to check the screen on my phone to make sure our call hadn’t disconnected.
“Right.” He finally says, but I know Isaac well enough to know that his bearded jawline is clenched right about now. .
“You guys having any luck with...?”
“Not yet. We’re still trying. We have an appointment with a fertility clinic next week and another doctor. They wanna make sure my…...boys…are good.”
“I’m sure everything will work out for you guys.” I encourage, attributing his glum disposition to this bit of revelation.
***
“I’ve never been followed by paparazzi before.” Michelle says enthusiastically, shutting the front door of our mansion behind her.
“Well, what do you expect, Michelle? That’s what happens when you’re marrying a prominent billionaire in three days.” Isaac retorts sourly.
“I wasn’t talking to you. I was speaking to Ivonne.” Michelle shoots back.
Leading the way to Isaac and Michelle’s guest bedroom, I correct Isaac.
“The only reason they’ve been hounding us is because they think KoKo’s already here.”
“That’s crazy. How did they even know she’d be arriving today?” She ask.
I shrug.
“How is Ivonka supposed to know?” Isaac ask.
“I’m not talking to you!” Michelle repeats.
“But I can hear you and as long as you continue to ask stupid questions, I’m gonna answer.”
The tone of Isaac’s voice shocks me. I quickly jump in before the air can get any thicker than it already is.
“I guess because Koreen’s my best friend. They figure she’d show up any day now. Not sure how they found out the date of my wedding, though.”
Knowing Koreen Wilson, she had probably contacted the paparazzi herself. A lot of celebrities had their P.R. people leak information to the media. At least according to London-Marie Paisley.
“Here’s your room. That door in the corner is the bathroom. Make yourself comfortable. For the next three days mi casa es su casa.” I say as we finally reach the largest guest bedroom of the mansion.
The same bedroom on the third floor that my mother had given up just 24 hours ago.
“I hope you remembered to pack your mouthguard. I can barely sleep with the sound of your teeth grinding besides me.” Isaac says to his wife with a scowl.
Astonished, she glances at me in embarrassment, then at her husband.
“Isaac Charles, I don’t know what the fuck has gotten in to you these this week, but I will leave your ass in California if you continue speaking to me this way!”
Leaving the quarreling couple behind to settle in, I head to the second floor and bump right into a sleepy Desiree in the hallway. Her short dark mane is disheveled and her eyes are crusted.
“Don’t look at the bags under my eyes. I didn’t get any sleep.” She yawns.
“Why? Is it the mattress? I could send Ezra’s assistant out to get a firmer mattress.”
She waves her hand in the air dismissively.
“You guys like to throw away money. The mattress is fine. It’s Delilah. She was kicking all night.”
“Delilah? I told the kids they could each have their own room to sleep in-”
She raises her hand, cutting me off.
“I know. She crawled into bed with us last night. Sebastien forgot to pack Delilah’s nightlight like I asked him to, so she was too scared to sleep by herself. Not one of my knucklehead sons allowed her sleep in their bed with them.”
“Do you blame them? You did say she kicks.” I remind her.
“Well I guess you have a point. Let the pregnant woman suffer, then.”
I sniffed the air. Something reeked.
“Aw shit,” Desi glances down at her yellow flannel pajamas. “The idiota also forgot to pack his sister’s overnight pull-ups. She must’ve pee’d on me. I’ll have Prince write a check for the mattress.”
“No, don’t worry about it.” I assure her, remembering how tight finances were for Princeton and Desiree since Lucas had stopped supporting his children.
“You sure? You’ve already done so much for us. Paying for our flights and everything.”
“Girl, I’m sure. I’ll send an assistant to purchase a night-light, pull-ups, and a new mattress. Don’t worry about it. In the meantime, use one of the other bedrooms. The soiled mattress should be replaced before Koreen arrives.”
“Is Isaac here?”
I nod.
“Did he bring whats-her-face?”
I nod again.
“Good.” She answers and heads to the bathroom.
I don’t even bother stopping her to ask what she means by that. It’s still dark outside and everyone is still asleep. With the exception of a muffled lovers’ quarrel from the upper level, the house is quiet. Suddenly, a rush of falling water slaps the marble floors of the shower just a few doors ahead me. Behind the door Desi had just entered.
Remaining in the hallway, I close my eyes and inhale; allowing air to travel from my lungs and through my trachea.
“You’re gonna need more than that to get through this week.”
I turn around to see my mother’s head poked out from the room beside mine.
“Did you hear that?” She asks. “It’s pouring outside. If that’s not an omen, I don’t know what is.” She says.
Just as I’m about to tell her that its not rain she hears, that the sound is coming from the shower, a flash of lighting illuminates the darkened room behind my mother’s head followed by a low powerful rumble.
“ Could you tell them to keep it down up there? All that carrying on their doing. Their room is right above mine, I can’t sleep.” She rants before slamming her door shut.
The slapping of water against marble halts.
For some reason, I don’t want Desi to catch me still standing in the hallway. I quickly trudge to my bedroom, crawl into bed, and push myself as close as I can to Ezra’s snoring body as lightening illuminates the darkness.
5
“So, did you enjoy yourself tonight?” He asked as his driver slowly drove through the wrought iron gate and onto the circular driveway directly in front of my door.
I smiled.
“I had a great time.” I admitted.
He smiled back triumphantly. “See, told you I don’t bite.”
I rolled my eyes, pretending to be annoyed.
“Thank you for a wonderful evening, Mr. Banks.”
“I told y
ou to call me Ezra.”
I modded.
“Okay…Ezra, then.”
“When can I see you again? This time a real date.” He clarifies.
“This time without tricking me into a date, hunh?” I joke.
He grins, revealing a set of perfectly white teeth.
“Look, a brotha had to do what a brotha had to do.”
“So you set up a fake business dinner with my firm?”
“What did you expect me to do. You wouldn’t take any of my calls, refused to respond back to my emails--shit you probably threw away the flowers sent you a couple of weeks ago.”
I snicker.
“Aw, that’s fucked up. Those flowers did nothing to you. They didn’t deserve to die.”
I chuckle.
“Well I still don’t appreciate how awkward you made both my employees tonight. We were under the assumption that this was gonna be a real business dinner.”
“It was a real business dinner!” Ezra cried. “I hired Crème de la Creme to represent my production company, didn’t I?”
“Pssh, you would’ve hired us anyway..”
“You sure about that?”
“Positive. They don’t call us the cream of the crop for nothin’.” I boasted.
He bit into his full bottom lip and turned his head slightly as he stared at me.
“What?” I asked uncomfortably.
“You’re cocky. It’s very sexy.”
“Only when it comes to what I do best, which is running my business.”
He nods.
“How about I take you out on a real date tomorrow night?
“Tomorrow night? That’s a bit of a short notice, isn’t it?”
“Well what day are you free this week?” He asked eagerly.
“This week? I‘m not sure. I’d have to get back to you after checking my calendar.”
“I’ll be in London beginning of next week for the next six months. I really hope I can see you again before I fly out.”
I wanted to ask him why me? Out of all of the beautiful women who’d give anything for just a couple of minutes of his time, why had Ezra Chiffon Banks chosen me? What could he gain from being with me? How could he use me? He had his own money and I was sure women were practically throwing their underwear at him wherever he travelled. Young beautiful women.
Pick Me Blues (The KoKo series Book 5) Page 3