by Nia Anderson
"I have no idea,” Erica replied. “I haven’t seen him in days."
Jade could tell by Erica’s less than enthusiastic tone that things weren’t going well. "Well?” she probed. “What happened?"
After sighing deeply, Erica told her friend in vivid detail about the horribleness that was her company Christmas party.
After take a moment to digest Erica’s words, Jade finally spoke. "Well has he tried to contact you at all since then?" she inquired softly.
"Yes, he’s left me a bunch of messages and he even came by my office a few times. I’m not ready to talk to him though. He acted like an idiot. I’m not a superficial woman, yet that’s exactly how he treated me." Erica could feel she herself getting angry all over again.
"Well had this ever happened before? I mean, what prompted this?"
"I have no idea. All I know is that I want Griffin for Griffin. Not for some kind of payout." Erica suddenly felt weary as she thought about just how out of control this whole situation had gotten. It was so ridiculous. She didn’t even like Tom as a person. How could Griffin ever come to the conclusion that she was into him romantically? And after one conversation, no less!
"Well I think it's pretty obvious that he feels intimated by the people you work with,” Jade pointed out.
"I know that. I just don’t understand why. I mean, who cares what a bunch of uptight corporate types think? He needs to get over it, or else…" Erica trailed off without finishing her thought.
"Or else what?” Jade probed. “Would you really end it with him over this?"
"I think so,” Erica confirmed, but her voice was laced with uncertainty nonetheless.
"That’s crazy talk. Look, Erica, you’re not thinking straight. You know what you need? Time off. Come out and stay with me for a few days. All that sunlight out in Cali most be muddling your judgment."
Jade’s attempt at a joke failed to make Erica laugh.
"I don’t know…" she trailed off.
"Come on,” Jade urged. "You work so hard. I think you can afford to take a few days off, don’t you?"
"Yeah, I mean...I guess so..."
"Of course you can. All you do is work. You must have a ton of vacation time saved up,” Jade reasoned. “Come on,” she pleaded when Erica didn’t recuperate. “We’ll have a great time. It'll be just like the old days.”
Throwing caution to the wind, Erica accepted the invitation. After that, the conversation quickly fizzled out and she headed off to her computer to book a nonstop flight to D.C. for the end of the week.
At work the next day, Erica told her boss she’d be taking a few days off and was surprised when he didn't inquire as to why. All he said was that she was one of his hardest working employees and that she’d earned it.
Later that night, after getting everything organized for her trip, Erica sat down on her couch and picked up her cellphone. After dialing a familiar set of numbers, she sat back and waited.
"Hello?" Griffin answered.
"Hey, it’s me,” Erica greeted. She suddenly had a lump of anxiety lodged in her throat. “Um…could I speak to Avery for a second?"
"Avery?” Griffin repeated. “Seriously, Erica? You've been dodging my calls all week and now you want to speak to Avery?"
"Yes, can you put her on please? I haven’t seen her in awhile and I want to make sure she’s okay."
"What about me?"
"What about you?"
Griffin sighed heavily. “Fine. Hold on. Let me go get her.”
Erica held her breath, but her heart rate returned to its normal speed the moment she heard Avery giggle and say hello. "Hi sweetie!” she exclaimed. “How have you been?"
"Auntie Erica? Where are you?"
"I’m at home honey. I’ve been really busy lately. That’s why we haven’t seen each other in a while."
"Okay." Avery accepted Erica’s explanation easily. "Are you coming over?" she asked next. Anticipation brightened the child’s voice.
"Not tonight. I called because you won’t be seeing me for a few days more. I have to go away for a bit, but I promise to stop by to see you as soon as I get home."
"At my house?" Avery asked with delight in her voice. She loved the novelty of showing off her bedroom to guests – especially Erica.
"Yep,” Erica confirmed with a smile.
"Are you mad at me? Is that why you’re going away?" Avery asked in a sudden switch of emotion. Erica could hear the sadness in the child’s voice.
Straightening in her seat, Erica answered quickly, "No honey. Of course not. I could never be mad at you. I love you. I don't want you to ever forget that, okay?"
"Okay,” Avery said joyously. She was obviously feeling better. "When you come back can I come sleep over at your house again?"
Unsure of how to respond, Erica hesitated before answering, “Of course. So long as your dad’s fine with it, that is…"
Avery cheered even as Erica worried over her promise. She didn’t know what the future held for her and Griffin. All she hoped was that he’d be mature and would at least allow her to continue seeing Avery.
“Avery, I have to go, but when I come back I’ll call you first thing, okay?”
"Okay,” Avery sang into the phone.
"Bye honey, I love you."
"Love you too."
With that, Erica disconnected the call. She was unaware that Griffin had dove for the phone when Avery said goodbye. It was just his crappy luck that the only thing he heard was the buzz of the dial tone. Muttering a series of expletives under his breath once out of earshot of his daughter, Griffin hung up the phone before reentering the living room.
"Av, what did Auntie Erica say to you?"
"Nuffing. She's going away but we’re going to have a sleepover when she comes back!” Avery’s voice was full of excitement as she spoke to her father.
"Well did she say where she was going?" Griffin asked as he cleared his throat. He was suddenly very worried, but he knew he couldn’t alarm Avery.
"I don’t know." Avery shrugged and then started playing with her Barbie’s on the floor.
Feeling entirely defeated, Griffin walked back into the kitchen and threw the dishcloth he was holding across the room in frustration. He’d screwed everything up with Erica over an asinine insecurity, and now it seemed like she was on the verge of taking off on him again.
Looking out the kitchen window, Griffin tried to think of a way to fix things before he lost her again – this time for good.
Chapter eleven
Jade retrieved Erica at Dulles International Airport and immediately showed her friend a great time. Though she had to work during the day, the nights were an entirely different story. As soon as she got home each afternoon, she and Erica hit the town. They went to all their favorite restaurants, they saw a few plays downtown, and they even hit up a few nightclubs that they’d all but lived at throughout college.
Jade seemed to have boundless energy, and Erica left D.C. feeling refreshed, alive, and ready to get back to normal.
Griffin, on the other hand, had been out of his mind with worry the entire week Erica was gone. As upset as he was with himself, he quickly realized that he pretty furious with Erica too. She never even gave him a chance to rectify the situation. She just left. How was that fair?
Desperate, Griffin went over to Erica’s parents’ house with the hope that they’d be able to help him through his blunder. Once there, Erica’s mother answered the door and invited him in warmly.
"So, Griffin, how’s Avery?" Erica’s father, Malcolm, asked with a huge grin on his face.
"She’s great,” Griffin said distractedly. He was pacing back and fourth across the living room, and his jittery manner made the couple look at each other with concern.
"Griffin what’s going on?" Erica’s mother, Rhonda, asked. He was really starting to make her nervous.
"Nothing, it's just…I might have screwed things up with Erica.” Griffin was rambling now. "I’ve been trying to fix it all
week, but she’s so stubborn. She refuses to even answer my calls...” Sighing heavily, Griffin collapsed into an armchair and looked toward Erica’s parents. “What am I going to do? I can’t lose her again. I just…I can’t.”
Malcolm and his wife looked at each other briefly before returning their gaze to the desperate man seated in front of them.
"Griffin, calm down,” Malcolm said sternly. "Why don’t you start by telling us exactly what happened and we can go from there?"
At this, Griffin relayed the story of what had happened at the Christmas party to them. He also went into detail about how isolated he felt during all of Erica’s company functions. Bowing his head, he continued, “She tries to make me feel welcome, but I don’t know…I guess I’ve never really made an effort to accept her colleagues. They’re all just so...sophisticated. How can she want someone like me? I don't get it. The most luxurious thing I do everyday is make Avery organic Mac and Cheese instead of the Kraft stuff.”
Griffin voice dropped to a whisper then, and for a moment Rhonda swore she could see tears in his eyes. "Well I guess that explains why she called saying she had to get out of town for a few days,” she said to no one in particular.
Malcolm nodded before turning to address Griffin head-on. "Griffin, trust me – my daughter has loved you for quite some time now." He paused in search of the right words. "As I’m sure you probably already know, I wasn’t very fond of you when Erica first brought you home all those years ago, but…you've come a long way since then. You and my daughter…you share a special bond. Not too many people can say they know what it’s like to lose a child, stillbirth or otherwise. That’s one hell of a thing to overcome, and yet, you and Erica have done it. So take my advice – don’t let it fizzle out again over something as trivial as this."
At that last part, Griffin’s head snapped upwards and tears glittered his eyes. “But how do I fix it? Can you guys help me?”
Smiling, Rhonda walked over to Griffin and took his face gently in her hands. "I’m afraid not. You're gonna have to do this one on your own. Erica’s stubborn, you’ve got that right, but she’s also loyal. You need to put aside your insecurities and accept her life for what it is. She's worked very hard for her career, as I’m sure you have for yours. It’s not fair for you to make her choose."
Releasing Griffin’s face, Rhonda walked back over to her husband’s side and took his hand. "Love can be trying sometimes, but it's also wonderful. Don’t let the small things ruin it." Looking all of a sudden smug, she carried on, "I happen to know that Erica’s plane touches down on Friday at 8:00 p.m. I was supposed to pick her up, but…"
Springing from his chair, Griffin ran over to the couple and embraced them both. “I’ll get her. Thanks for the advice."
With that, Griffin ran to the door and bounded out of the house. He felt renewed after talking to Erica’s parents. Though they might not have known it, they’d given him his first glimmer of hope in days.
Epilogue
Erica grabbed her suitcase from the baggage carousel and wheeled it through the crowded airport. As she neared in on the exit, her eyes scanned through the mob of travelers in search of her mother. However, she skidded to a halt when she saw Griffin walking up to her with a look of determination on his face.
Erica’s nostrils flared as Griffin explained that he was her ride home, and she inwardly seethed and started to walk off in the opposite direction in search of a taxi. She wasn’t ready to talk to Griffin just yet, but he’d obviously spoken to her mother behind her back. Thus, she was fuming.
Griffin caught up with Erica outside and prevented her from sidestepping him by blocking her path and grabbing hold of her arm.
"Erica, please..."
"Please nothing, Griffin. Let go of me,” Erica said as she tried in vain to disengage her arm from Griffin’s grip.
"Fine, but I'm not leaving. I'm your ride home whether you like it or not.”
Deciding that she didn’t want to make a scene, Erica complied and followed Griffin out to the short-term parking lot. Once they were on the highway, he tried to talk to her again.
"Er…"
"Don’t,” Erica whispered. “I have nothing to say to you." In an attempt at ignoring him, she looked out her window and tried to mentally block him out.
Unperturbed, Griffin looked over at her and then returned his eyes to the road. "Where were you?" he asked softly.
"D.C.,” Erica stated irritably. “I was visiting Jade.”
The only reason she answered at all was because she knew he wouldn't stop pestering her until she did. Fifteen minutes later, he pulled to a stop in front of her house and cut the engine.
Erica smirked at his arrogance. He sure is confident, she thought, what makes him think I'm going to invite him in?
At this point, Erica was so ready for a fight that if Griffin so much as looked at her the wrong way she was sure she’d fly off the handle at him. After grabbing her suitcase from the trunk, she marched ahead of him at a clipped pace in an attempt at outrunning him. Of course, it came as no surprise that he was having none of that.
As soon as Erica unlocked her front door, Griffin grabbed her suitcase and shoved his way inside her foyer. Outraged, Erica slammed the door and rounded in on him.
"How dare you," Erica seethed. "Where do you get off just barraging in here? You have no right!"
"Too bad, because I have to talk to you." Griffin raised his voice to match Erica’s.
"Talk all you want, I’m not listening." With that, Erica took her suitcase and marched into her bedroom. Once there, she began to furiously unpack.
Griffin followed silently behind her. "Erica, come on. This is ridiculous. I love you, and I’m really sorry if I made you doubt that. I guess I just I felt like I wasn’t good enough for you."
Spinning around, Erica threw a shirt at Griffin’s chest.
"Griffin, when have I ever asked you to be someone you’re not? I could care less if you made two dollars a week! I want you for you. That’s all I’ve ever wanted!" Erica tossed her arms in the air in exasperation. "I wouldn't care of we lived in a four by four shack if it meant I was with you, you stupid idiot!"
With that, she turned back around and removed the remaining articles of clothing from her suitcase.
"Erica, I’m sorry,” Griffin tried again. “I guess I just…I couldn't wrap my head around why you wanted me. I mean, look at you. You're successful, smart, ambitious...and you're wonderful with Avery. You care more about her than her biological mother ever did. And me? Well I'm just the guy who let you go after our baby died. That's all I'll ever be."
Without turning, Erica shook her head and sat down at the foot of her bed. "Griffin, how can you not see that you're so much more than that to me?" she asked as she gazed up at him through her tears. “I mean…do you even know why I love you so much?”
Erica paused to regain her composure. Once she was levelheaded, she continued, “Because you’re a good man, Griffin. That’s why. Sure, you might have let me down in the past, but that’s done and over with now. Our daughter is in heaven, and we…we've been given a second chance. Through Avery. That's if you're still willing to share her with me…”
Erica’s eyes were misty, and her expression was somber as she stared at the man she so loved.
Rushing to Erica’s side, Griffin knelt down in front of her and took her small hands in his. “Of course I do,” he said as he looked deep into her eyes. “Please forgive me. I don’t care about your job, or the people you work with, or anything else. I can’t stand the thought of spending even one more day without you by my side."
Still unsmiling, Erica looked at Griffin long and hard before responding. "Don’t hurt me again,” she warned. “I don’t know if my heart could take it."
"I won’t,” Griffin vowed as he kissed her. Once they separated, he held up a small velvet jewelry box and flipped it open to reveal a beautiful diamond ring that twinkled in the light.
"What's this?" Erica was
so taken aback that she was nearly speechless. Her hand flew up to her mouth, and she could hardly think straight as she tried to wrap her head around what was happening.
"Erica, you’re amazing,” Griffin proclaimed. “Be my wife." Slowing nodding, Erica whispered a quiet ‘yes’ and allowed him to pull her into a hug. Once he had her tightly in his embrace, he proceeded to shower her with kisses. "I love you,” he purred as he clung to her. “I always have…”
Letting out a joyous laugh through her tears, Erica rested her head on Griffin’s chest and took a moment to revel in the soft thump of his heartbeat. She was more than just content. For the first time in years, she could honestly say that she was entirely at peace.