by Kenya Wright
“Mom, I’m trying. Zora is not sure if she’ll be back. Plus, all the airlines are reducing or completely cutting flights into and out of LaGuardia and JFK.”
“What about Newark? You can go over to New Jersey—”
“Same thing, Mom.”
“But did they cancel your flight?”
“Not yet. However, I received an email from American Airlines saying I can cancel and reschedule it for a future date.”
“Then, maybe you should plan to go on your flight as usual.”
I shook my head. “The flight isn’t until next week. Who knows what will happen by then.”
“Maybe, you should just get a flight out tomorrow. If you need help, your father and I can pay. Surely, Zora will understand that you can’t dog sit anymore.”
“And what am I going to do with Ganesha? Just leave him here?”
“Give him to her brother.”
“Zora says the dog hates his girlfriend.”
“Because dogs don’t like gold diggers.”
“Mom, that’s not nice. You barely know Amber.”
“I met that Amber at Mrs. Patel’s birthday party last year and she might as well had walked in with a shovel.”
“Anyway, I’m not handing over Ganesha to Kamal and Amber.”
“So, you’ll risk your health for a dog?”
“Mom, I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying in Zora’s apartment.”
“Dear God. You’re in New York—the epicenter. Everyone’s dying over there—”
“Mom, could we just. . .chill out from the death talk right now.”
“And have you called Jason and checked on him?”
I closed my eyes. “No. I haven’t. We’re not together. Remember?”
“I still don’t understand why you two broke up. Did he cheat?”
“I told you he didn’t.” I opened my eyes. “So. . .I have to go because—”
“I want you back home.”
“Give it time. I’m being positive and practicing social distancing.”
“Social distancing. Self-quarantining. All these new terms from this craziness.”
I shrugged. “I learned another one today. Covidiot.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s the name of a person who disregards health and safety guidelines dealing with the coronavirus. And I don’t want to be one, so I’ll be sitting in Zora’s apartment with Ganesha until I have better news.”
Silence hit the other line.
“Mom?”
“This is too much for my mental state, Jade.”
“I probably shouldn’t be there anyway, Mom. Dad is high risk.”
“Well—”
“I saw on the news that people with underlying conditions should engage in social distancing. He’s diabetic. Even if I were back in Los Angeles, I wouldn’t visit you until this was done.”
“Not visit? He doesn’t care. He would rather you be safe at home in your old bedroom.”
“What?”
“You can do your sculptures in the garage.”
I laughed. “Mom, even if I flew back to Los Angeles, I am staying at my apartment. I am not moving back into my old room. And I have so much I would have to move from my studio to sculpt there. No way.”
“Why not? Only God knows how long this quarantine will last. Geneva said it could be until 2021.”
“Where is Geneva getting her information?”
“From reputable news sources. . .I’m sure.”
I smirked. “Okay.”
“And your grandmother is in that nursing home. I should have never let your father convince me to put her in there. She could die from—”
“Grandma is going to be okay.”
“How are you with money?”
“Excellent. Dad and you have bothered me about saving money for years. I actually have six months of my budget in the bank. Rent is paid.”
“That makes sense. The last art showing was a success.”
“Every piece sold.”
“What will you do next?”
“I have no idea. I’m just trying to get back.”
“Well, maybe you can just bring the dog with you.”
“I’m not doing that.” I tapped my finger on my leg. “So. . .Mom, I have to go take Ganesha for a walk.”
“Well, call me as soon as you get back in the apartment. Hundreds of people are dying in New York every day. And not just from the virus. I want to make sure you’re safe. New York is full of serial killers, rapists, and—”
“Mom, I’ll talk to you later. Love you. Bye.” I hung up before she could say anything else. “Jesus Christ!”
I set my phone on the coffee table. Annoyance came, but I had no one to be upset with. It wasn’t my mother’s fault that she was stressed for me. We were all worried. It wasn’t the airline’s fault that we had a global pandemic. And it damn sure wasn’t Zora’s fault for scheduling her wedding right at the time when shit became real in the US. No one had any idea what we were facing.
Yet, my anger persisted.
I tried not to let my anxiety take over me. I was twenty-seven and this virus had taken people of all ages. Doctors had reported that many of the infected could not breathe without ventilators. That didn’t sound like anything I wanted to play with.
Damn it. What the hell am I going to do?
I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs, but I knew it would wake Ganesha. And this dilemma wasn’t his fault either.
My phone chimed, signaling text messages.
I grabbed it and read.
Zora: How are you & Ganesha?
Me: Fine. U?
Zora: Our flights back to New York are officially canceled.
I scratched my head. “Fuck. Which means Ganesha has no one to watch him until you get back.”
I tried to dial her.
She didn’t pick up. Instead, she texted back.
Zora: I can’t talk now. I’m at a meeting held by the resort manager. We’re all stuck here. It’s a shit show. This woman is crying, and her husband is going delirious, yelling at the staff.
Me: Holy shit!
Zora: But I guess being stuck at a resort in the Maldives isn’t as bad as most people right now.
True. Unless there are people on the island with you that are infected.
I kept that thought to myself and typed back.
Me: You’re right. You’re lucky. Stay positive and safe. Call me when you can.
Zora: I will. Love you!
Me: Love you too.
When I gazed down, I spotted Ganesha looking up. He always did that, when Zora texted or called as if he knew his mommy was checking on him.
“Sorry, buddy.” I gave him a sad smile. “You’re stuck with me for longer than we thought.”
And what about all my upcoming sculpture commissions for this summer? I’ll just have to email all my customers and let them know I can’t make anything.
I gritted my teeth. I hated to disappoint people, even if this was an actual emergency.
A noise sounded near the door and jolted me out of my thoughts.
Alert, Ganesha jumped to his feet. I rose too.
What the hell?
Ganesha growled as the noise continued and the doorknob rattled.
Someone is trying to get in.
I rushed over to the TV. Zora kept a big bat there. Corey thought it was an absurd safety measure, but if she had a gun, we all thought she might accidentally shoot herself.
I crossed the room with the bat in the air, ready to slam the person’s head in. All I could think about was my mother’s last statement about New York being full of serial killers and rapists.
Ganesha rushed in front of me and barked.
That’s right. Let them know. There’s a massive and very vicious dog in here. You’ve been warned.
Shadows moved underneath the door. The person was using a key to get in.
Who the hell is that? Can’t be her mom. She’s in Cali.
Zora told me th
at I had the only key.
The door swung open.
My gaze met familiar and very gorgeous brown eyes.
Kamal?
As usual, the first few seconds of seeing him caused instant nervousness and loss of words. I blamed it on his sculpted face and full lips. The broad shoulders and muscular arms. The way his hair hung in loose curls on the top and had been skillfully cut on the sides. Today, he wore a designer suit that fit his muscular body perfectly. A laptop bag danged on one shoulder. He held a bunch of bags in both hands.
What is he doing here?
Kamal stepped inside and set the bags on the floor. “Are you going to say hi or hit me?”
“I haven’t figured that out yet.”
He walked inside and put his laptop bag on the counter. “Have you eaten yet?”
I blinked. “No.”
“There are sandwiches in that bag.” He pointed. “You can have one. Maybe both. I don’t know. I lost my appetite.”
“What happened?”
“Life.” As he walked my way, he moved his gaze along the length of my body and stopped right in front of me. “You’re wearing Hello Kitty?”
I gazed down at my pajama short set. “I’m social distancing. There was no need to put on any special clothes.”
He took the bat from me, walked over to the television, and set it next to the wall. Then, he gazed at the screen and shook his head as Crystal Waters and her daughter wrestled on the ground. This time they were both dressed in black and looked to be choking each other. Near them, a man lay in a casket.
He frowned. “Zora still watches the Beautiful and the Deceitful?”
“Yes.” I walked off and shut the front door. “So. . .you came over to bring me food?”
“No. I actually forgot that you would be here.”
Ganesha trotted over to Kamal and rubbed his head against his leg. Kamal lowered and petted him.
“Okay. You didn’t know I would be here.” I headed over and placed my hands on my hips. “So. . .no disrespect, but why are you here?”
“I needed a place to stay for a week. With this virus, I’m not excited about being in a hotel. No matter how luxurious it is. I considered a few buddies, but they have fiancés or wives. It wouldn’t be right to bring anything their way. Then I remembered Zora would be gone for a while on her honeymoon and figured this would be the best place.”
“Um. . .” I gazed around that apartment. “I mean. . .sure. . .it’s just. . .”
“The place is small.” He stopped petting Ganesha, stood, and scanned the tiny living room. “We’ll make it work. We must. I’m not going back to my place until after seven days.”
“Why?”
He picked up the remote control and unmuted the tv.
“Ha!” Crystal Waters screamed. “I told you that Blake wouldn’t leave you anything.”
“I hate you!” Selene ran after her. A priest grabbed her waist and stopped the fighting.
“Good job, Father Samuel.” Crystal fixed her black blouse and adjusted the hat on her head. “Glad you caught that bitch. If I did, you would need to make room for her in that casket.”
The priest grimaced. “You must leave.”
Crystal batted her eyes and walked off. “No problem. I’ve been kicked out of better places.”
The show switched to commercials.
I stepped closer to the couch. “Kamal?”
With a weary gaze, he turned to me. “Yes.”
“What’s wrong with your place? Is everything okay?”
“No.”
“But. . .”
He left me there. “You want a beer or some wine?”
“Uh. . .it’s the middle of the afternoon, but. . .who cares, it’s a pandemic.”
“Exactly. We’re both stuck here. Might as well drink.” He picked up a bag. “I’ll put this stuff up.”
I watched him.
He pulled out a pack of beer and raised his eyebrows at me. “Why are you staring at me like that?”
“You haven’t really explained why you’re not staying at your place. It’s mega-huge—”
“How do you know that? You’ve never been.”
“Zora sent videos of your condo, when you bought it.”
“Hmmm. I had no idea.” He unpacked the rest of the bags. “Did you like it?”
“Like what?”
“My condo.”
“Of course. It’s huge, especially for New York. And then you have. . .”
He quirked his brows. “What?”
“You have great taste.”
“Yeah. Sure.” A cruel chuckle left him. “I have such great taste.”
O-kay.
I crossed my arms over my chest.
He finished unpacking the bags and placed two sandwiches on two plates. He pulled out a wine glass, uncorked the bottle he’d brought, and poured. “There you go. A nice glass of afternoon wine.”
I walked over and took it. “Thank you.”
He set the wine bottle on the counter, grabbed a beer from the fridge, twisted off the tap, and held it up. “To the global pandemic.”
“No.” I shook my head. “How about. . .to global health?”
“Doesn’t matter as long as we drink.” And with that, he took a long swig of his beer.
“O-kay.” I sipped my wine.
After that swig, he looked at the bottle and then took another gulp. When he finished, he directed his attention to me. “What? You’re still staring at me.”
“What the hell is going on? You have a million-dollar property and now you’re standing in your baby sister’s tiny apartment that could fit inside of your master bedroom.”
“That’s impossible. Zora’s whole place couldn’t fit.”
“It was a metaphor.”
“Not an accurate one.”
“It doesn’t have to be.”
“It should.”
“What the hell is going on?”
“Amber and I are done. I’m giving her a week to get her shit and get the fuck out of my condo. Until then, you’re stuck with me, so enjoy your wine, try one of these great sandwiches, and let me know where I can set up my laptop. We’re roommates. Congratulations.”
I widened my eyes and kept my glass in mid-air.
He pointed to the small dining table. “I could set up over there.”
“Sure.”
“I won’t get in the way of your sculpting or anything?”
“All my stuff is back on the west coast. I’m not doing any art right now.”
Nodding, he drank more of his beer, picked up his laptop bag, and headed that way. “I’ll be right back.”
“Okay.” I watched him walk away, noting that coiled muscular back and firm behind of his.
Alrighty.
For me, he was never just Zora’s older brother. He represented the hottest guy in the neighborhood. In school, people thought of him as a nerd. Still, he dated some of the popular girls from time to time and was even on the ballet as Prom King. That was more recognition than I’d ever received at school. Most of the school ignored me.
What the fuck happened between Amber and him?
For all these years, I’d managed to keep my crush a secret because I was able to avoid him with no problem. During our school years, he barely came in to chat with Zora and me. Although there was this one time when he was building a photography portfolio. I’d been shocked when he asked me to model for him. Unable to keep my jitters down, I fell into my typical defense mode—be silly and make a joke of everything.
He’s staying here for a week. I don’t know about that.
At the dining table, he pulled out his laptop and set it up. Next, he took off his jacket. Warmth blossomed in my chest. My hormones buzzed within my skin. Granted I hadn’t really been around anybody in a few days. Therefore, I blamed the reaction on my recent confinement from society.
How the hell am I going to stay in this apartment with him?
Several images entered my head. Many
involved my drooling all over him.
He leaned over to plug the laptop in. His ass flexed.
This will be. . .fine. I can control myself. We’ll just be around each other. . .twenty-four seven. What could go wrong?
I finished my glass of wine in one long gulp.
Chapter 2
Kamal
Coronapocalypse
Now what?
On the couch, I sat beside Jade and snacked on my sandwich. She ate the other. Surprisingly, it tasted fresh and perfect.
I made sure to keep my view in front of me. The few times, I glanced her way I was caught with the startling notion of how gorgeous she was—those sexy eyes. Those full lips. The sexy point of her nose. Those perfect cheekbones.
Why hadn’t I noticed it before?
Of course, I understood she was attractive, but I never had the time to really drink her in. Zora always dragged her away or Amber was around or even my mother loved yapping it up with Jade.
It might not be a good idea to stay with her in this small apartment by ourselves.
Against all sanity, I gazed her way. All grown up, Jade still had that flawless brown skin, beautiful lips, and round brown eyes that shimmered in the soft sunlight peeking into the living room. I didn’t even want to think about her breasts, which were right there—so close—full and round under that thin Hello Kitty top.
Stop looking at her. You’ve got enough woman problems. You don’t need more.
I cleared my throat and moved my view back to the tv in front of me.
Munching on a bite, Jade loudly moaned.
I turned her way and raised one eyebrow. “You like it?”
She wiped her mouth with a napkin. “This is the best sandwich I’ve eaten in my life.”
“Hold on. That can’t be right.” I frowned. “I remember making you a tuna fish sandwich when you were ten years old. That should have been the best sandwich of your life.”
She grinned. “What?”
“You don’t remember? You were waiting on Zora to finish with tennis class. Your mom and dad were working, so you asked if you could hang out in the living room. I told you yes and since I was making a sandwich, I asked if you wanted one. You said yes.”
“That’s right.” She set the rest of her sandwich down. “How the hell do you remember that?”
“Because you told me that it was the best sandwich you ever ate in your life. From that very moment, I believed that I was the best tuna fish sandwich maker in the world.” I frowned. “Now my beliefs have diminished, and I no longer know who I am.”