I agreed and told her I would see her later. Her response reminded me, again, why I continued to love her so much.
After I’d spoken to Nokea, I ran a few errands, asked Nanny B to hook up a few things for me and then she left for a weekend vacation to St. Louis with the kids. The water park had to wait. Nanny B had been talking to Nokea’s mother and father; they were all supposed to meet at my house in The Bluffs.
Once everybody was gone, I took a shower that lasted nearly forty-five minutes. I then changed into a pair of jeans, a white T-shirt and a dark blue, slim-fit blazer. My goatee needed a trim so I hit it up with a razor then brushed my hair that was already lined perfectly. With the smell of Clive Christian wafting around me, I jogged down the stairs and went to the kitchen to check on the food Nanny B had prepared. It was warming in the oven and had the whole kitchen smelling delicious. I went into the dining room, dimmed the lights, straightened the pink roses in vases, lit some cinnamon candles and waited for my guests to arrive. Ten minutes later, Nokea was right on time. I opened the door, greeting her with a welcoming smile. She checked me out from head to toe, smiling right back at me.
“You look handsome. Are we going somewhere?”
“Yes. Right here in the dining room. Come in and have a seat.”
She halted her steps at the door. “Jaylin, I don’t want—”
I placed two fingers over her lips. “Shhhh, just chill, alright? I know what you said and I respect that. Just follow me to the dining room, okay?”
Nokea followed me, and when she got to the dining room, her eyes widened. She looked at the neatly wrapped gifts on the table and at the beautiful roses that screamed romantic.
“Okay, Jaylin. You have some explaining to do, right now.”
I pulled the chair back, inviting her to have a seat. “I’ll explain in a minute. Just relax and give me a minute to get everything in order.”
As I started to walk away, Nokea reached for my hand, pulling me toward her. I squatted next to her in the seat. She stared at me, as if something was on her mind. But as our eyes stayed connected, I felt anger inside. I could see her pregnancy starting to take effect. Her face was a little fatter, hips had spread and her belly was starting to protrude. She blinked to look away, and then she reached for the diamond cross necklace that rested on my chest.
“Didn’t I give this to you?” she asked.
“As a matter of fact, you did. On my thirty-fifth birthday, at Café Lapadero.”
“That’s what I thought. I have never seen you wear it before.”
“I’ve worn it. You just probably never noticed.”
Nokea shrugged and released the necklace. “Maybe not. But, uh, what are your plans for your birthday this year? I wanted to do something special for you and LJ, since the two of you share the same birthday.”
“I already have plans, but if you wish to do something for LJ, let me know and I’ll work around my plans.”
“Do you mind telling me what your plans are?”
I stood and wrung my hands together. “I do mind, but as I said, let me know what you want to do with LJ.”
Nokea appeared slightly taken aback by my response. Her only reply was, “Sure.”
I headed toward the kitchen, thinking about what I needed to say to her tonight. Maybe it was what she needed to hear, and if so, releasing all that was inside of me would do us both some good. I felt the same about Scorpio who was already fifteen minutes late. Purposely so, I assumed, just to annoy me. Her plan didn’t work, and just as I removed the food from the oven, the doorbell rang. I hurried to it, right after Nokea yelled and asked if I wanted her to see who was at the door.
“I got it,” I yelled. “I already know who it is!”
I opened the door, displaying another smile. Scorpio’s expression was flat.
“Sorry I’m late, but you should be glad I’m here, after what you did to me.”
I ignored her snobby comment and reached for her hand. “Thanks for coming. Follow me and cease the attitude.”
Scorpio walked with me into the dining room. She was surprised to see Nokea who was now standing and looking at the fish tank that was built into the wall. When Nokea turned her head and saw Scorpio, they both appeared perplexed.
“I’ve waited long enough, Jaylin.” Nokea said. “What’s going on?”
“That’s what I want to know.” Scorpio crossed her arms. “Why did you ask me to come over here?”
“I have a lot on my mind that centers around the two of you. I thought it would be a good idea if we talked it all out together.”
My words seemed to momentarily calm both of them, especially since most women loved to talk. Nokea sat back down and Scorpio took a seat in the chair across from her. The dim chandeliers above and the scented candles set the mood. I returned to the kitchen to prepare both of their plates exactly as I wanted them. Shortly thereafter, I entered the dining room, serving Nokea first. I glanced across the table at Scorpio who shot me a mean mug.
“You don’t mind if I serve her first, do you?” I asked. “After all, she’s been working all day. I’m not sure what you’ve been doing. Maybe you’ve already eaten something.”
Scorpio cut her eyes and snapped. “You can serve who you want, but don’t insult me. I’ve been working my butt off, helping to paint rooms for your kids and decorating.”
“Then maybe I should’ve served you first.”
I winked then placed Nokea’s plate with steak, broccoli and a baked potato in front of her. She liked her steak medium well, onions on top with a slice of provolone cheese. Her potato always had to have sour cream and just a little butter. Salad was with ranch dressing and blue cheese chunks on top. I opened a pint of milk that was next to her, pouring it into a wineglass. After I gave it to her, I went back to the kitchen and returned with Scorpio’s food. She liked her steak well done with cranberry sauce on top. Her baked potato needed shredded cheese, sour cream and butter. Salad with blue cheese dressing, croutons and real bacon bits. I popped a bottle of rose wine that was next to her, pouring it into a glass. Busying myself like a waiter working for tips, I returned to the kitchen to get my food. I kept it simple—a chili cheese dog and some fries. I also grabbed a bottle of Remy for me, and as I finally sat at the table, slightly out of breath, Nokea and Scorpio glared at me as if I had lost my mind.
“Enjoy ladies. I prepared all of this for the two of you, just so we could celebrate what I would like to call, The End Celebration. I am tired of being blamed for shit, sick of being thrown up in the mix and I’m really fed up with the two of y’all running over here with men problems.” I looked at Scorpio first. “I regret having sex with you—big mistake. All it did was cause more problems; problems that I do not need. Do whatever you must do to get your marriage in order, and please understand that until your husband gets right with me, I will not, and I do not, trust him around my kids. My final piece of advice to you is to tell the truth, deal with the repercussions, and recognize that you are the one with the upper hand. It may take some time for you to realize how, but once you correct your attitude problem, take responsibility for your actions and wise up, you’ll figure it out soon.” My eyes shifted to Nokea. “No more talks, Nokea. You’ve made it crystal clear that we are done, so proceed in your relationship and be happy.”
I reached in my pocket, pulling out the wedding band I hadn’t removed from my finger until a few months ago. She asked me to, claiming that it was disrespectful to Travis. I laid it on the table in front of her and continued. “Do whatever you want to with that. If I keep it, it will wind up in the trash. Have your baby, Nokea, and good luck. I sit here today, telling you that you have my blessings. With Stephon and Collins I interfered. The only reason I did was because I knew you didn’t love them. With Travis, I know how you feel and I know when the woman I love is truly in love with someone else. My final advice . . . go do you, and keep begging for dick belonging to the man of your dreams. This friendly shit we got going on is over. I’m done apologizing to
you for the past, and the truth is, unexpected love for one woman, just one, who is sitting across from you right now, caused me to do things that I couldn’t control. You of all people know how love can make you do some crazy shit at times, so surely you can stop hating me so much and finally begin to understand why my heart made me take risks. Wrong or not, I did.” I lifted my glass to both of them. “To the end, and to the beginning of a life that I need to go live. That life starts today. As a matter of fact, it starts right now. So enjoy dinner, drink some wine, chat a little with each other, open your gifts and have a great fucking time tonight. I have somewhere else I need to be, and when the two of you leave, somebody please blow out the candles and turn off the lights. Take the roses to Travis and Mario. I’m sure they’ll appreciate them.”
I bit into my hotdog, tossed back a shot of Remy and then stepped away from the table. Nokea and Scorpio sat without saying one word. I jetted in a flash, and within the hour, I was on my yacht where I’d told Kenyatta to meet me earlier when we spoke. She was waiting for me on the top deck, rocking a bright orange bikini that displayed her mocha-chocolate skin and curvaceous figure. Her hair was cut short, and light brown eyes told me to stop tripping and get with the program. I wasted no time walking up to her and easing my arms around her waist.
“I was starting to think you weren’t coming,” she said.
“My word, my bond. I told you I was coming, and even though I’m a little late, I hope you don’t hold that against me.”
The only thing she held against me was her naked ass when I escorted her to the master suite and had sex with her. This was long overdue. I had been depriving myself too much when it came to sex—my decision had a lot to do with Nokea. The good thing was, she wasn’t even on my mind tonight as I lay on my side behind Kenyatta, holding her slender leg straight in the air. My dick had seduced her and was curved into her warm pussy, hitting multiple sensitive spots that made her whine. Her wetness covered every inch of my shaft, polishing it as I glided in and out of her. From one position to the next, we had ourselves a ball. I watched her ass clap while on top of me, and as appealing as it was, I had to reach out and guide it. My meat got lost in her sweet tight hole, and every time my steel disappeared, it reappeared wetter and harder than before. Her flexibility was a big plus. But as I stroked her in a butter-churning position that enabled me to penetrate deep inside of her, she expressed her enthusiasm and roared my name. The sound was piercing, but sweet. This was the kind of shit I missed, but I had to be perfectly honest with myself. Even though my dick was eager to break free and run wild tonight, my heart was in another place. Still, I focused on where else I was going to venture to next with Kenyatta, especially since we’d made plans to sail the high seas for a few days. Once we returned, there was no reason for me to pursue a relationship with her. This was simply a fuck thing, and as long as she knew it, we were good.
SCORPIO
Honestly, the food was too delicious for Nokea and me to walk away from, so we sat at the table and finished eating. We talked and laughed about Jaylin’s crazy self. The ‘end’ was what he wanted to celebrate, and I was perfectly fine with that. So was Nokea. We kind of understood where he was coming from, because neither of us had closed that door and shut it tight. I, myself, continued to run back to him for everything. That included sex that had me in deep trouble with Mario. Maybe it was time for me to tell him the truth. I needed to get it over with, and as Jaylin had said, I was the one with the upper hand. I knew exactly what Jay Baby meant. If Mario tripped and did something stupid, he would lose. I would divorce him and he’d have to pay up. I wasn’t trying to go there, but then again, I had played the fool once before. Never again.
“Is your steak as juicy as mine is?” Nokea asked while chewing. “Nanny B must’ve cooked this.”
“I agree. And yes, mine is delicious. This whole little scenery is nice, but too bad Jaylin didn’t want to stay and enjoy this with us.”
“Obviously, he had plans. There’s no telling what he’s up to, and it appears that he won’t even be around for his birthday.”
I clapped my hands. “That’s a good thing. Besides, he’s already celebrated enough of his birthdays with us. Remember when his slick self had sex with us on the same day? I was livid—could have killed him when I saw him pull into his driveway with you in the car.”
Nokea shrugged and shifted a bit in her seat. She appeared slightly bothered by my comment. Then again, I wasn’t so sure. “Yeah, that was crazy. I have a feeling that his birthday wasn’t the only time he’d had sex with us on the same day. It was probably more times than that.”
“Maybe so, but let’s be thankful for ‘the end’ of that.”
I raised my wineglass, clinking it against Nokea’s that had milk inside. We laughed, and she proceeded to tell me about what had happened when Jaylin interrupted her and Travis about to have sex. My eyes were wide; I was tuned in. I was also a little jealous, too. I had always been slightly jealous of Jaylin’s and Nokea’s relationship. If he’d felt the same way about me, we would be together for sure. I wasn’t ashamed to admit how much I loved him, and I appreciated him for expressing how much love he had for me. In the beginning, it was all about sex, but over the years, for both of us, it grew into so much more than that. Married or not, Jay Baby would always have a huge piece of my heart.
“I know Travis was pissed,” I screeched. “I’m surprised him and Jaylin didn’t start fighting.”
“Travis was too drunk to do anything. I have some serious work to do when it comes to my relationship with him. I think he’s getting kind of tired of my close relationship with Jaylin, so cutting ties with him, and strictly making it all about the kids may be best for all of us.”
Nokea picked up the ring Jaylin had placed on the table, staring at it. I wondered if she still loved Jaylin or if all of this love she claimed to have for Travis was fake? I wouldn’t dare tell her how I still felt about him, only because it really didn’t matter anymore.
“I agree that cutting ties with him is a good thing,” I said. “The men in our lives deserve better. After I leave here, I’m going home to have a serious conversation with Mario. Things have been rocky since our wedding day. We used to have so much fun. I miss that, and I know the problems in my marriage are on me.”
“It seems that way, and if you don’t mind me saying, I kind of agree with Jaylin about the kids taking a break from being over there. If you and Mario are arguing a lot, that’s not good.”
“I understand what you’re saying, but the kids weren’t around when we were arguing. I’m not mad at you or Jaylin for being concerned, but I’ll work this out soon. You both can be sure that I will never have the kids in a place that’s uncomfortable or unsafe for them.”
“I trust that you wouldn’t, so here’s to you and Mario working things out, and to Travis and me staying on the right track.”
She lifted her glass and we toasted again. I couldn’t help but to think what a sweet person Nokea was. As I had gotten to know her on a different level, one where we weren’t clashing all the time over Jaylin, I finally understood why he was so in love with her. I never regretted meeting Jaylin, but I did have regrets about the hurt I’d caused her. It felt good to let her know why I had a difficult time letting him go. Now, I truly believed that she understood me as well.
After we finished dinner, we ripped open the gifts he’d given us. My gift was a soul food cookbook. Nokea’s gift was a newborn baby outfit for a girl. We chuckled at Jaylin’s foolishness, and left the dining room messy for him to clean up. I blew out the candles, turned off the lights and left with a bouquet of roses in my hand. I was home in less than twenty minutes. The second I walked through the front door, I saw Mario talking to his father while chilling in the great room. A bottle of Hennessy was on the table, and the smoke from their Cuban cigars permeated the air. When they saw me enter the house, silence fell over the room. Both of their expressions were flat—it was apparent that they’d been dis
cussing me. With the roses in my hand, I strutted into the room feeling upbeat.
“These are for you.” I placed the roses on the table in front of Mario. “I stopped to purchase them, after I left Nokea’s shop. We also had dinner. That’s why I’m late.”
Lies continued to roll off my tongue, but I figured if I told him dinner was at Jaylin’s house, Mario wouldn’t like that. Instead of him responding to me, his father did.
“I love how this house seems to be coming together,” he said then smashed his cigar in an ashtray. He stood and reached for his cane that was next to him. “Now that you’re home, why don’t you show me what you and the decorators have done? Mario said I should wait for you to come home so you could give me a grand tour.”
“Sure,” I said, kicking off my heels. I was positive that Mr. Pezzano had already seen the entire house, but what the hell? Maybe he wanted to say something to me in private, so instead of asking Mario to join us, all I did was bend over and pucker for him to kiss me. He gave me a quick peck, before raising the glass of alcohol to his lips. He sniffed it twice then tossed the liquid down his throat, clearing it afterward.
“Papa is waiting.” Mario nudged his head toward his father who was standing behind me. “Go show him what you’ve done.”
I was proud of how well the decorators had done the modern kitchen, so I decided to start there. As I moved in that direction, Mr. Pezzano followed behind me. He limped when he walked. Mario said he’d been injured several years ago, but without getting into specifics, all I knew was his father had been shot. He was on the hefty side, too, but that didn’t stop him from wearing tailored suits like the black one he’d had on today. His healthy, salt and pepper hair was slicked back, and his chiseled face was always clean shaven. We stood in the spacious kitchen that had an eighteen-feet ceiling and two granite-topped islands. I had chosen a unique metal backsplash that matched the stainless steel appliances, and as I started to tell Mr. Pezzano what had been done to the kitchen, he appeared disinterested. I paused to ask if everything was okay. He rubbed his chest and squinted while studying me.
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