After a few moments she eased out of the bed, standing beside it. He looked at her questioningly, and she replied to the unspoken question. “I need to shower again.”
G.K. watched her, eyes at half mast as they moved over her nude body. Feeling that familiar tingle in his lower body, G.K. held in a groan.
Will I ever get enough of her?
He asked himself.
Don't count on it
, the back of his mind called.
"You know, we could conserve water, and you could shower with me. Try and save the world, one shower at a time." Leila teased.
G.K. was now wide awake and out of the bed before she’d completely finished her sentence, grabbing her hand and tugging her into the bathroom behind him, Leila's laughter at his excitement surrounding them.
***
When Leila made it back to her loft, Marcia was at the breakfast nook. She looked up at her recently AWOL roommate with an impish grin.
"Oh you still live here? I thought you had moved to Korea or something."
Leila flushed. "I've just been busy with something."
"Busy
with
something, or busy
doing
someone?” She asked cheekily.
Leila struggled for a snappy comeback but she knew she was so very busted. The only thing she could manage was, "You’re so nosey Marcia, has anyone ever told you that?”
Marcia chuckled. "Every day of my life!” she announced before continuing, “Anyway, do you want something to eat?"
"No I'm tired. Between those murderous practice sessions and everything else, I'm amazed to be vertical."
"I'm so sure," her friend smirked. "Somebody’s been wearing you out huh?"
The exhausted dancer just shook her head as she practically stumbled to her bedroom. With a weary sigh and heavy yawn, Leila collapsed on the bed, not even bothering to kick off her shoes.
Several hours later the annoying chime of the doorbell rudely interrupted her rest. It took her a moment to remember she was home, and still in her clothes.
Damn, she thought, swinging her feet to the floor. Whoever was at the door needed to lay off the button. Mind still fuzzy with sleep, Leila stumbled from her bed. The place was quiet. Marcia was probably at another audition or something.
"Okay, okay! Give it a rest!"
Hand on the doorknob, eyes still sticky with sleep, when Leila opened the door her mouth gaped open like a goldfish.
"Hey sis! Guess who decided to give the Big Apple a try?"
Chapter Fourteen
"Sam?"
Exhaustion instantly gave way to shock and surprise. Her big sister was supposed to be in Georgia, not standing in her hallway with enough luggage to last for at least six months.
"Well, are you going to let me in or have you forgotten what I look like?"
Leila pushed open the door and ushered her sister inside. They each grabbed a couple of suitcases and brought them inside.
"Wow," the older woman whistled admiringly. "How'd you swing this place?"
"Long story. What are you doing here? Why didn't you tell me you were coming? Why didn't momma tell me?"
Sam looked everywhere but at her sister. "Sorry, but can I get something to drink? Airplane sodas taste like water."
"Yeah, sure. Make yourself at home."
She made her a tall glass of water before she went to sit in the chair adjacent to the spot her sister had chosen on the sofa.
"Here you go Sam." She said, handing her the beverage. Her sister took it, taking a deep swallow. They sat in silence before Sam spoke up, "This is a nice loft. Me and momma were sure you were living in a broom closet. We've heard how expensive New York is."
"It is, but having a roommate whose father gave her an apartment for her birthday always helps." Sam's soft brown eyes widened. "Marcia and I split all of the expenses like bills and food though."
"Where is your room mate?" Leila shrugged; she honestly didn't know where Marcia had disappeared off to. "I don't know. She was here earlier before I took a nap."
Sam continued to look around, fidgeting with the rim of her glass. The longer Leila looked at her the more she knew something was way off. Her sister’s usually glowing brown skin seemed ashen and her normally shiny dark hair looked flat and lifeless. Even more telling was the fact that her normally fashionable sister was wearing sweat pants. Sam had always prided herself on her style, but now she looked like she'd just grabbed the first thing in a hurry. Leila was concerned.
"Alright sis, what's going on?"
The woman nervously licked her lips. "What do you mean? I can't just come and see my sister?"
"I've been trying to get you to visit for the longest," Leila looked at her sibling with curious eyes. "But you're always so busy with work and everything. And besides, you practically brought your entire closet. So what happened? Did you fall out with momma?"
Sam silently shook her head.
"Is everything good with Paul?"
Leila was stunned at the mere mention of his name her sister burst into tears. Painful, wracking sobs shook the young woman's voluptuous frame and Leila instantly gathered her in her arms. She let her sister cry and get it all out.
"P...P...Paul cheated on me." Sam whispered through her sobs.
Leila listened quietly as Sam poured out the whole story.
Leila's back stiffened in shock and outrage, as her sister retold the story.
Sam had met Paul at work when he had taken over her previous bosses’ position when he had retired. She had worked for him as his assistant for a year before they had started dating. Soon after she had received an offer for a better position at a different company and Paul had been forced to find a replacement.
“When Paul proposed last month I was so surprised, we’ve been dating so long and he’s never even mentioned marriage.” She sniffed and Leila handed her a box of tissues. She took one and dabbed her eyes.
"He started staying later and it was always work related, or so he said. At first I didn't think about it because he's always been kind of a workaholic." Sam roughly wiped her wet cheeks. "Then about week and a half ago he called and told me he was working late even though it was our anniversary. I thought he might have forgotten, because he tended to do that with everything. If it wasn't clearly marked on a calendar, a reminder set on his smart phone and a post-it-note stuck on his forehead, he'd forget his own birthday."
Leila rolled her eyes, but said nothing.
"So I decided to surprise him with a romantic picnic dinner at the office. Wine, roses, appetizers, entrees...everything. I wore his favorite dress, the dark blue with the spaghetti straps. When I got there, I didn't hear anything. Then I opened the door and...
Leila knew, but her sister needed to get it out.
"He was screwing the assistant, right there in his office!" Sam spat with disgust. "Right there on the leather sofa. I mean how fucking cliché is that?"
Leila gasped. Sam very seldom swore; not that she'd play mother hen and tell her to watch her language.
"I probably should have known. As they say, all the obvious signs were there. Since I left, he'd had so many assistants. For all I know, he'd probably been doing them all."
She put a comforting arm around the older woman's shoulder as her sister shook, tears streaming down her face. They remained together in silence, Leila knowing Sam just needed to get everything out.
"Did you tell him, that you saw him?"
Sam shook her head, "No, I didn't. He was so
BUSY
, I just left the room. The last time I saw him, I was putting my luggage into the cab. I just told him it was over, and walked away."
Sam angrily wiped her eyes. "I’ve been staying with momma since then. But I just had to get away. We have all the same friends, everywhere I went reminded me of things we’d done together. I had to get out of Georgia.”
Leila nodded silently in understanding, as Sam’s hands tightly gripped her pants leg.
“I shouldn't still be crying over his cheating ass at all. I can do better than him anyway!"
Leila nodded in agreement. "Damn right, sweetie. Don't waste any more tears on that jerk. Besides, I never really liked him anyway."
Sam gave her a weak smile, unshed tears brightening her warm brown eyes. "You're not the only one. Momma didn't like Paul either. She said he acted like god's gift to everything. Maybe I should've listened to you both." She blew her nose. "Speaking of momma, I'd better call her and let her know I made it here alright or she might get on a plane and fly up here." They both giggled. Their mother hated planes.
"What about your job?"
Sam shrugged. "I'd already put in for vacation before all this mess. I just need time to figure out what I'm going to do."
Leila enveloped her sister in a tight hug. "Well you can stay with me as long as you want. I've got your back."
***
G.K. looked at his cousin who was grinning ear to ear like a fool.
Must have been a good night with Noel, he thought wryly. Too bad my dinner with my parents was such a disaster.
T4L was in the middle of yet another press conference and the guys were all on. The American press was especially interested in the hugely growing popularity of Korean pop music.
He answered their questions politely but his mind was elsewhere until a Korean reporter asked him about the photo of him and Leila. In a way G.K. was thankful for father's visit. Had he not come and told him about the magazine, and the photo of himself and Leila, he would have been blindsided.
Turning on the charm full force, G.K. smiled warmly at the reporter, "Yes, Miss Dumas and I are very close."
It was a safe enough answer for their fans and an honest enough answer for himself.
***
The press conference over, the group sat around a cafeteria eating lunch.
Kai sat next to G.K., a huge bowl of pho in front of him. "So, how was dinner uncle?"
G.K. slouched. "It was a disaster. Father hasn't changed at all. In fact I think he's worse. He told mother that he
retired
from managing us."
"What?"
Kai's shocked question brought Kwan, Young and Boom into the conversation. G.K. told them everything, trying to keep the anger from his voice.
When he finished, Kai's face was stony. "How could he not tell her? How could he lie like that?"
"Maybe he was trying to save his pride," Young suggested.
"Or maybe he was just being the liar that he always is." Kwan interjected.
"Have you talked to your mother again?" Boom asked.
G.K. shook his head. "
Aniyo
. No, not yet. She hasn't tried to see me or call. So I assume she's still with father."
Kai looked at them and steepled his fingers together in thought. "Maybe Jin Yung is right. Maybe we do need to all sit down and talk."
G.K. looked at Kai as if the man had sprouted a second head. "What's there to talk about? Father will just try to make us feel guilty and criticize your relationship with Noel."
And my relationship with Leila
, he added silently.
"Uncle can think what he wants about me and Noel," his cousin narrowed his eyes. "She's still my
fiancée
. But I think we need to hopefully to reach an understanding with him. Besides,
umma
is the only mother I've ever known. I don't want to lose her. I want her to be at my wedding."
Four sets of eyes turned to look at him at once. “You finally set a date?” Kibum asked excitedly.
Kai gave him a serene grin and nodded.
The group of men exclaimed happily, Kai’s announcement successfully lifting the group’s heavy mood.
***
Leila and Sam were spending the afternoon watching classic horror movies and snacking on leftover pizza. They made snarky comments about everything, and it seemed as if Sam was well on her way to forgetting all about Paul.
She just hoped her sister wouldn't ask about
her
love life. It seemed a little unfair to be so happy when Sam was dealing with a huge betrayal.
"
Hola
chica, did you go shopping and didn't take me?"
Marcia blew in like she always did, a flurry of hair and excitement. She pointed at the suitcases then noticed Sam.
"Those are my sister's bags, you lunatic." She looked over at her sister. "Meet my crazy roommate Marcia. She's relatively harmless. Unless she's without her daily cup of crack then she's certifiable."
The other woman blew a kiss in her direction. "Love you too. And nice to meet you..."