Deep down, my blood was boiling. One million dollars gone down the drain over some bullshit! I knew the bitch would demand a lot of money, but never in a million years did I expect her to ask for that much. Either way, I really didn't have much choice. Through the entire meeting, my mind had been on Nokea, and I was anxious to find out about her visit with Collins. I thought paying him a visit would be rather tacky, so instead, I pulled my car over to the side of the road and called the operator to get Jefferson & Associates' phone number. After the operator connected me, I wasted no time asking for him.
“Mr. Jefferson is on another call. Would you mind holding?”
“Sure, I'll hold.”
Only a few minutes later, Collins answered the phone.
“C. Jefferson,” he said.
“J. Rogers,” I replied. “I'm not calling to get on your bad side, but I would surely like to know what my wife was doing at your place yesterday.”
“Who is this? Pretty Boy? Now, after ruining my marriage, I know you don't have the nerve to pick up your phone and call me. But, because you did, I guess it's only fair that I inquire about the reason for your call.”
I swear I hated to do this, but I was desperate. “Like I said, all I want to know isâ”
“Oh, yeah. You wanna know what Nokea was doing here yesterday, right?” He snickered. “Well, Jaylin, it appeared that you failed terribly again. The look in her eyes said it all, and you should have seen the way her eyes lit up once she saw me. I'm not gon' speak long, because I'm already late for a meeting, but, uh, she still got those same ole sweet lips, her body still feels warm next to mine, and if we would have spent a little more time together, I would be able to share some other things with you. She's supposed to meet me for dinner, so how about checking with me and I'll let you know how it goes?”
Collins hung up, and I listened to the dial tone. Having a major headache, I dropped my head back on the seat and closed my eyes. I felt like crying, but I couldn't. Whether Collins told me the truth or not, Nokea should've known better than going to see him. We were already walking on eggshells, and she was going to make sure that we cracked through them. I wasn't sure what her purpose was for going to see Collins, but I sure as hell was anxious to find out. I looked at my watch, and it was a little after noon. I knew she and Pat were probably at Café Lapadero, so I made my way to the restaurant.
When I got there, I saw Nokea's rental car parked outside. I took a deep breath, placed my tinted shades over my eyes, and headed inside. I looked around and spotted Nokea and Pat chitchatting at a round table. Before I made my way over to them, a waiter stopped me and told me to wait to be seated. Today was not my day to take orders, so I quickly waved him off and walked toward Nokea.
Before I approached them, Pat spotted me. She smiled, stood up, and opened her arms to greet me.
“I'm so pleased that you made it,” she said. Without a smile, I hugged her back and looked over her shoulder at Nokea. She was all smiles and blew me a kiss. I backed away from Pat's and my embrace, and Nokea stood up. My eyes searched her. She was dressed in a stretch, black fitted dress that did hella justice to her curves. Not one strand of hair was out of place, and it looked to me as if she was preparing to go out on a date. The most interesting thing about it was when she left the hotel this morning, she had on something completely different.
She moved closer to me and reached out for a hug. Only my right arm went up to embrace her, and I quickly took a seat.
“Where did the dress come from?” I asked.
“Pat bought it for me. I tried it on and loved it. Loved it so much that I decided to wear it. Do you like it?”
I nodded and gazed down at the floor. “I love it. It looks really nice on you.”
Nokea noticed my demeanor and reached her hand out to touch mine. “Baby, is everything all right?”
I kept my head down, removed my glasses, and moved my head from side to side. “I don't know, Nokea. You tell me if everything is fine.”
“Of course. Why do you ask?”
I swallowed the huge lump in my throat. “Don't you want to know how things went today? Or, do you even care?”
She squeezed my hand. “Yes, I care. I was just about to ask you, but you asked me about my dress first. Did everything go okay?”
I stared at her with hurt in my eyes. “If you call signing away a million dollars okay, then that's what I did.”
Her arched eyebrows rose. “You did what! Jaylin, tell me you did not give Felicia one million dollars!”
“Maybe I should let the two of you talk alone,” Pat said, scooting back in her seat. “Nokea, I will be over by the bar, okay?”
Nokea didn't say a word. She continued to wait for a response from me, but I couldn't even open my mouth to get out what I'd come here to say.
Finally, Nokea spoke. “I ... I can't believe you would throw away money like that. No wonder you're upset. I told you this was going to affect your childrenâ”
I cut her off. “What did you do yesterday? From the time you left the hotel to the time you came back, I want to know your every move.”
She snapped, “Why? I told you what I did.”
“No, you lied to me about what you did and who you saw yesterday. Now, either tell me the truth or I'm about to embarrass the hell out of both of us.”
“Now is not the time or the place for us to have this conversation. And, if this is about me going to see
your
lover, then yes, I did go see her. I assume she couldn't wait to call and tell you about my visit, and if you have a problem with me confronting your mistress, then I suggest you learn how to keep your dick in your pants.”
Nokea hopped up and started to walk away. I grabbed her wrist and squeezed it. “Don't you walk away from me when I'm talking to you! I guess your visit with Scorpio prompted your visit to Collins. After whatever the fuck she told you, you wanted revenge, didn't you?” I stood up, twisted her wrist back, and gritted my teeth. “I swear to God that if I find out you fucked him, kissed him, or even thought about it, I will break your damn neck!”
Nokea snatched her wrist away from me. “Let go of my wrist, Jaylin! After all of the crap you've put me through over the last month, I should have fucked him and fucked him good!”
My hand went up, and before it landed on Nokea's face, Pat grabbed it.
“No, no, no. We're not going out like that,” Pat said.
Nokea snatched up her purse and ran off. I dropped into the chair behind me, and Pat ran after Nokea. Feeling terrible, I covered my face with my hands. Within seconds, somebody walked over to me and asked me to leave. I removed my hands from my face and saw that it was the waiter who had approached me when I walked in. More than angry, I picked up the chair, glanced at the huge picture window and at several people sitting by it. I guess they knew what I was about to do, and many of them had already ducked out of the way. As hard as I could, I threw the chair, and it crashed through the window. After that, I straightened my suit jacket and walked the hell out.
SHANE
15
It was rather late when I heard the doorbell ring. I looked over Scorpio, at the alarm clock, and it showed 12:45
A.M.
I reached for my robe and stood up to put it on.
“Who could that be?” she mumbled.
“I don't know.” I yawned. I made my way to the door and looked out the peephole. It was Jaylin. Since I'd been calling him all day and got no answer, I hurried to open the door.
“Man, what's up with you not answering your phone?” I asked.
Jaylin stepped inside. His forehead was wrinkled, and no smile was on his face. “Is Scorpio here? If she is, I'd like to speak to her.”
“Yeah, she's here. Have a seat and let me go get her. But is ... is everything all right?”
Jaylin stroked his goatee. “No, it's not all right. But I'm here to make it right.”
I didn't like the tone of his voice, so I invited him into the living room to sit.
“Shane, I don't want to talk to you right now. Would you please go and get Scorpio, before I go get her myself?”
“Jay, I can tell that somethingâ”
Scorpio walked up from behind me and interrupted. “It's okay, Shane. If Jaylin wants to talk to me, I'm fine with it.”
We all stepped into the living room and took a seat. Scorpio sat next to me on the couch, and Jaylin sat in the chair beside us.
“All I'd like to know is, when Nokea came to see you, what did you tell her?” said Jaylin.
I looked over at Scorpio. “When did Nokea come to see you? She didn't pay you a visit, did she?”
“When I was at Jay's yesterday, she did. She inquired about that day at Davenports and accused me of interfering with her marriage. I told her that I had a hard time letting go, and once I found a way to move on, I did.”
“And that's it?” Jaylin asked.
“Yeah, pretty much.”
“Then why is it that she now believes you and I had sex?”
“I never told her we had sex. I told her that the day after the incident at Davenports, we almost did. But I also told her you had a change of heart that day and left. I didn't want to lie to her, because she deserved to know the truth.”
“Under the circumstances, I think you were wrong for sharing as much information with her as you did. And I know for a fact that given the opportunity, you said more to her than just that. But since everybody deserves to know the truth, did you just happen to tell Shane about our close encounter the other day?”
I sat back on the couch and placed my hands behind my head. Scorpio caught a quick attitude with Jaylin. “There was nothing to tell. How dare you come over here and try to mess upâ”
“Jay, why don't you be a bit more specific?” I suggested. “If you got something to say, just go ahead and say it.”
“Let's just say that not once did Nokea save me, but twice. When she called your house and Scorpio answered the phone, if Scorpio would've had it her way, shit would've been on and popping. I was between her legs, dog, and she had spread them this far apart for me.” Jaylin opened his hands and gave me an example. “Basically, all one of us had to do was make the first move. But you see, that never happened. Nokea called, and the pursuit was over.”
“You're damn right it was over,” Scorpio fired back. “Like I told you that day, Jaylin, I don't want you anymore. You act as if you're some kind of prize or something and no woman can resist you. The only thing I did to you that day was prove you wrong. Now, you can see it however you want to, but that's your imagination playing tricks on you.”
Jaylin stood up. “Shane, my friend, there's always two sides to every story. I told you my side, and I'm gon' finish it off by saying that she came to
my
room, where I was chilling back and minding my own business. Whether you continue your relationship with Scorpio or not, you still gon' be my nigga. As for you, Ms. Valentino, please do not converse with my wife again. If she ever questions you about us, just refer her to me. It's as simple as that. That's the least you can do, especially after putting me in a messed-up position that day at Davenports. I hadn't considered you as being the sole person responsible, but not once have you apologized for the damage your actions caused me. Maybe it was your intention to hurt me, and if it was, I applaud your efforts. They were good, and you won.”
I'd never seen Jaylin look so hurt as he spoke.
He went on. “I don't know where my wife is, I don't know what our future holds, and I don't even know if she loves me anymoreâ”
I had to interrupt. “Man, you know damn well you and Nokea will work this shit out. Married couples have ups and downs, and it is not the end of the world. Stop ...”
I'm not sure if Jaylin listened to me or not. By the time I finished speaking, he'd already made it out the door.
Scorpio looked at me, and I looked at her. Saying nothing to her, I left the living room and hit the lights. Maybe being in the dark would give her a little more time to think about her actions.
NOKEA
16
No doubt, it was simply time for me to go. After I left the restaurant, I said good-bye to Pat and went back to the hotel to gather my things. I didn't even bother to check out, because that would have taken more time. Instead, I drove the rental car back to the airport and waited for my plane's departure.
It wasn't long before I sat on the plane and had time to think about all that had happened. My only question was, where did Jaylin and I go so wrong? For almost two years, things had been good. Good until he'd gone back to St. Louis and connected with Scorpio again. I never thought he'd allow her to come between us like he did. And to treat me like I had no say-so about the matter was what hurt more than anything. Then, to top it off, he had the nerve to be upset with me because I paid her a visit? What was wrong with him? Was he still in love with her and didn't know how to tell me? I was so confused, and when I thought about him raising his hand at me, that truly brought tears to my eyes. I was starting to wonder if he'd even changed. It had just been a matter of time before the old Jaylin returned; and at this point, I had to decide what was best for my children and me.
I turned my head, gazing out of the plane's window. I thought about Felicia and her one-million-dollar payoff. She had surely been the victorious one here, and I knew something had to be seriously wrong with Jaylin to make that kind of deal. I knew if I had been there, that surely wouldn't have ever happened. Maybe it was a good thing I didn't go; then again, maybe it wasn't. Either way, whether he was willing to admit it or not, a million dollars put a dent in our financial situation. Not only that, but Frick had to be paid, Jaylin's bond had to be paid, and Lord knows how much more money Jaylin had to put out in order to clear up this mess. None of it was worth it, and there was no way he would ever convince me differently.
I looked at my watch and saw that in less than an hour my plane would arrive in Florida. I couldn't wait to hold my babies in my arms, and poor Nanny B had to be exhausted. The thought of seeing them all made me smile, so I reached for my purse to look for our family picture in my wallet. I flipped right to it and placed it on my lips. A few tears fell, and I turned to both Jaylene's and LJ's baby pictures. We had a lot to be thankful for, and even at a rough time like this, all I could do was look up to the Lord and thank him for my many blessings.
I flipped through a few more pictures and came to a picture of Collins and me that was hidden away in my wallet. I pulled it out, holding it in my hands. My visit with him was rather interesting. Of course, I had a purpose. I had often heard that when you loved someone, the memory of them always stayed in your heart. And since Jaylin seemed to have such difficulty being around Scorpio, I wanted to see for myself if being around Collins again made me feel something ... anything for him. Maybe I'd feel the need to make love to him, or want to be with him again. Maybe even have a queasy feeling inside because he was in my presence. But, for me, none of that happened. Yes, I was happy to see Collins. I was even more delighted that he was doing well. However, there was nothing inside of me that wanted to love him again. I had no desire for his touch, and when he placed his lips on my neck, my first thought was of Jaylin.
The funny thing was, even though we shared a different kind of love, I felt secure when Shane held me in his arms at the courthouse. I felt even more secure when we made it back to his house and talked that day. And upon my departure, our tender, juicy kiss went a bit too far. It was I who leaned into it, and I hoped he accepted my apology for being the aggressor. I guess I felt the need to get my many frustrations off my chest, but when I thought more about it, I realized that I could never love another man like I loved Jaylin. However, since the kiss between Shane and me happened, it was easier for me to understand Jaylin's thoughts of another woman. Shane had been on my mind, and I was so disappointed about his relationship with Scorpio.
Just as I placed the picture back into my wallet, turbulence on the plane caused my body to shake. A few moments later, it shook again. The third time it shook, things started to get a bit frightening. The passengers around me had worried looks on their faces, and the stewardesses asked for everyone to remain calm. The pilot made an announcement that there was a small problem and it would
hopefully
soon be fixed. He ordered everyone to stay in their seats and reminded us where to locate the safety equipment. That, in itself, was not good news to me, especially since the plane seemed to be flying a bit out of control.
Soon, things got more intense. Two passengers started yelling and screaming, and as one stewardess tried to calm them, I saw the frightened look of another, who quickly sat behind me and dropped her head to pray.
I did the same, and the white lady who sat next to me placed her hand over mine. I glanced over at her, noticing she had tears in her eyes as well.
“I saw you looking at those pictures. Was that your family?” she asked.
“Yes. How about you? Do you have a family?”
“An awesome husband, two boys, and two girls. Let's just pray that we make it to see them.”
She squeezed my hand tighter, and we both dropped our heads and prayed some more. When the pilot mentioned an emergency landing, I panicked. At this point, I begged the Lord to allow me to see Jaylin again. The way we departed should have never been. I needed to tell him so much, and I didn't want our life together to end on this note. I was so sorry for not being there with him at that meeting. I was sorry that my anger had gotten the best of me. More than anything, I was sorry for allowing others to destroy what God had put together. We'd come too far for it to be over with so soon.
My children, Lord, what about my children, my parents, Nanny B, Pat?
I thought.
Not now, no!
Especially when I had so much more to live for.