by Tracy Reed
We laughed. “You’re right about that.” I turned and faced him. “Not to mention that amped up sperm of yours.”
He sat up with his chest stuck out. “What can I say, a brother’s got power coursing through every part of his body.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I smiled.
“Come here.” I got up and sat on his lap. “What did the doctor say?”
“I’m seven weeks pregnant.”
He nodded and looked up at the ceiling. “That was around the time we chaperoned Zach’s dance.”
“Oh, my God,” I covered my mouth. “I remember that night. We decided to relive our high school days and…”
“Got busy in the coat check room.”
“And now look at us.” We laughed. “We aren’t telling anyone that story.”
“Why not?”
“Jason, we’re adults and…”
“That’s not what you said that night.”
“If anyone asks, it was a romantic weekend while Zach was away at a game.”
“Babe, anyone who knows us, won’t believe that story.”
I laughed. “You’re right. I spent my high school years trying not to get pregnant only to get pregnant while chaperoning my son’s high school dance.” We laughed.
Chapter Forty-Five
Bas
* * *
THE DOOR OPENED AND THERE she was, my best friend, sister, and boss.
“Bas.” She threw her arms around my neck and hugged me. “I missed you.” You’d think she’d been gone months and not a few weeks. She stepped back and I walked inside, and she closed the door. “Moses,” she called out. “Bas is here.” She slipped her arm around my elbow. “Let’s go into the kitchen. Hungry?”
“Of course,” I smiled.
“When Moses said you were coming for dinner, I put on my chef hat. I love our cottage, but after a couple of weeks, I need fish.” She laughed. “Don’t tell Moses I said that, he loves grilling. I might have gained a couple of pounds. Baby, where are you? Bas and I are hungry.”
I looked at her behind. “I see where it landed.”
“That’s my wife you’re checking out.” Moses patted her on the behind.
“Behave yourself,” she winked, and let go of my arm and walked ahead of us.
“What’s up, man?” We hugged and continued into the kitchen. He walked over and kissed Alex on the neck.
“You promised to behave yourself in front of company.” He whispered something in her ear and her smile got wider. “Maybe if you behave yourself.” He walked past her and patted her behind. “Hey…”
“Nothing wrong with a little appetizer,” he winked and smiled.
“Should I leave and come back in twenty minutes?”
“Twenty minutes…that’s just the warm up,” she teased.
“Okay, I’m going.” I picked up my jacket and started out the kitchen, and she grabbed my arm.
“I’m sorry. We promise to behave ourselves.” She looked at Moses and smiled.
“We promise.” He winked at her.
After dinner, the three of us cleaned up the kitchen, and it felt like we were at their house in New York. For the first time in a couple of weeks, I didn’t feel lonely. We went out to the patio for coffee and dessert. Watching Alex and Moses was a little nerve-wracking. I tried not to be jealous, but I wanted what they had. I wanted my wife to hang on my every word while at the same time calling me out when I was wrong. I wanted to be in a room full of people and only see her and feel like I did the first time I saw, her every time. That’s what Alex and Moses had.
They really were each other’s best friend. The moment she said “I Do,” I knew our relationship would never be the same. The love we shared was still there, but it was different and I was fine with that. What I was jealous of, was that she had someone to share her life with. Looking back on all of my failed relationships, they didn’t hurt as much, because I knew I had a symbiotic partner in the failed relationship or relationship waiting room. Now, I was alone, trying to figure out what happened.
I thought Kendell and I would be like my two best friends, but apparently, I was alone in that thinking. Funny, she asked if I was using her as a stopover to something better, when it seems I was the stop over. A point she made painfully obvious from the ring on her left hand. Not to mention her announcement that she was with someone else. The sound of those words coming out of her mouth, felt like someone just stabbed me with an ice pick.
I looked at Alex, feigning a smile. She tilted her head, put her cup down, nuzzled Moses’ neck and he nodded.
She stood up and Moses and I followed her lead. “Bas, sweetie, I love you. However, I think my husband wants to talk to you in private about store security. All I ask is that you two please don’t make it too restrictive,” she smiled and kissed me. “Thank you for everything you do. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Love you.” She hugged me.“Talk to Moses,” she whispered. When she stepped back, she brushed my cheek.
“Love you, too.”
She turned and looked at Moses, hugged him and said something that made his eyes get wide. “Not fair.”
“Good night.” She walked away and the look on his face said it all. That was the face of a man deep in love. His eyes were fixed on her behind as she disappeared inside the house.
“I’ll be right back.” He went inside and when he came back, he had a bottle and two glasses. He placed the glasses on the table and filled each half full, then he handed me a glass. “Take three sips.”
“Bro, it’s been a while since I had some brown juice,” I joked.
“Drink.”
“Salud.” We raised our glasses and took three sips.
“That’s smooth.”
He leaned forward and placed his elbows on his knees. “After Alex and I had our uhm, break, instead of going to the townhouse and let Grams coddle me, I went to see my dad. I walked into his office, sat down and he poured me three fingers of brown juice.” He smiled. “He said, take three sips and tell me what happened.” He took another sip.
“Watch it. I don’t want to be responsible for your messing up Alex’s evening,” I teased.
He smiled. “I’ll be fine. My dad knew I was hurting. He said, ‘If you love her, then she’s worth fighting for and waiting for. Drink up, because if you’re going to wait, you’ve got a long road ahead of you.’” He took another sip. “So, what did Kendell do this time?”
“How did you know?”
“In the short time I’ve known you, and from what Alex has said, Kendell’s the only woman you really put yourself out there for.” He took another sip. “So what did she do?”
I leaned forward and copied his sitting position. “She’s engaged.” I emptied my glass and placed it on the table. “Pass the bottle.” He handed me the bottle and I poured another three fingers.
“Engaged?”
“Yep.” I took a long sip.
“To who?”
“The dude she brought to Collier’s party.”
“Pass the bottle, because I’ll need to be drunk when I tell Alex.”
I tossed back the contents of the glass and let out a deep gasp. “Can you believe it?”
“How did you find out?”
“She came to the store today because she was supposed to have lunch with Alex.”
“Alex must have forgotten.”
“I tried to be nice, and even told her we could eat the lunch she brought, and that’s when she went all crazy and said she was with someone else.”
“I thought you said…”
“I saw the ring.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yep. Makes the one I was looking at look like a promise ring.”
“Maybe that’s what it is?” he joked.
“Dude, I appreciate your optimism, but…”
“Do you still love her?”
“If you had asked me that two days ago, I would have said yes
and I’m just waiting on her to get herself together, but now…we weren’t like you and Alex. You didn’t start seeing anyone else.”
“No, but…is she worth the wait?”
“I’m not sure.”
“If you don’t think there’s a sliver of a chance you two will get back together, then move on. But, if you think there’s even a mustard seed size of hope, then ask yourself if you’re willing to wait for her.” He finished his drink. “Drink up. I’m sure Alex has your room ready.”
“I can’t intrude.”
“Hey, I’m not about to have Alex bite my head off for letting you drive home after some brown juice and a broken heart,” he joked.
“I don’t have a…”
“Tell it to someone that hasn’t been there. Trust me, you’ve got a broken heart.” He stood up. “I’m going upstairs. Lock up before you go to bed.”
“Are you sure I won’t be intruding?”
“I’m sure once I share Kendell’s news, I’ll be up all night, and it won’t be in the way I planned,” he smiled.
“Sorry, bro.”
“Don’t be. Alex will definitely make it up to me tomorrow. Good night.” He went inside.
I filled my glass and walked around the patio and stared at the sky. “How did I fall in love? Scratch that, how did I end up with a broken heart?”
Chapter Forty-Six
Dionne
* * *
YESTERDAY WAS SUPPOSED TO BE all about my beautiful baby girl Ella. Leave it to my girl Kendell to throw a monkey wrench or a spatula into the day. I don’t believe she showed up with that person she’d been dating knowing Bas was going to be there. Then she stomped on his broken heart when that man she was with announced their engagement. I wanted to knock both of them into the pool. But my four legged baby, Wilbur, took care of Jackson when he peed on his shoes. Quentin and I laughed because Wilbur had never done that before. Maybe he was making sure Jackson knew who was top dog. Like any good dog, Wilbur didn’t want Jackson on his turf. I bought Wilbur a steak as a reward.
Alex suggested we girls have lunch. That was code for GTS or Girlfriend Truth Session and the person on trial, I mean we’d be discussing, was Kendell. I told Quentin about the lunch and he told the guys.
My nerves were on edge. I didn’t know what had me more terrified, this lunch or knowing that this was Quentin’s first time watching Ella without me. I should have been excited about this me time, but I wasn’t. I was leaving my sweet baby girl to be monitored by her father, godfather, and uncles. Of the four of them, the only one with child rearing experience was Jason. The movie Three Men and A Baby came to mind, and that terrified me even more. This group of babysitters sounded like a bad joke. What do you call a publicist, attorney, stockbroker and writer left to babysit two babies…a clueless hot mess. Alex asked Miss Connie to go over and check on them for me and Chloe.
I looked at Alex, Taylor, and Chloe sitting across from Kendell, looking like a Senate Reform Committee or a Congressional Hearing looking to vet the next Secretary of State. I hadn’t seen the three of them this serious since we planned our last vacation. I thought if Kendell blinked wrong, one of them would pluck her eyes out. What does the Bible say about cutting off your offending appendage? Chloe called dibs on cutting out Kendell’s tongue, so she wouldn’t have to hear another one of her lies or excuses.
Yes, Kendell and Jackson’s announcement at Ella’s dedication reception left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth, but I wasn’t really sure if it was any of our business. I looked at the tribunal and then at Kendell. After all the grief and unsolicited commentary she’d given all of us, over the years about our relationships, she had this inquisition coming.
I sipped my iced tea and waited to see who was going to pounce first. If ever there was an occasion for an extra large glass of wine, it would be now. But I couldn’t have any because I was still nursing.
“Let’s cut to the chase. What do you want to know?” Kendell asked.
That was a bold move. I just knew it was going to be…
“What the crap is going on with you Kendell?” Chloe shot the first bullet.
“What are you talking about?” I’ll give Kendell credit, she was real cool. She sipped her wine and didn’t flinch.
“This chick has lost her mind.” Chloe looked around the table. “She’s gone psycho. Instead of lunch, we should have taken her to re-hab.”
“Re-hab is for addictions not stupidity,” Taylor replied.
“Are you calling me stupid?” Kendell asked.
“Yes. I need a glass of wine and I can’t have one,” Taylor replied.
Chloe held her hand up towards Kendell and turned to Taylor. “Are you pregnant?”
Taylor dropped her head. “Damn pregnancy brain.” She raised her head. “Yes. Please act surprised when Jason announces it at dinner.”
“Congratulations, girl,” Chloe hugged her. “When are…you know what, let Jason give us details.”
“Welcome to the club.” I walked over and hugged her.
“Congrats, Cuz,” Alex hugged her.
“Kendell, aren’t you going to congratulate Taylor?” I asked.
“Congratulations,” she said dryly. She looked at her watch and started to stand up. “If this is going to be about babies, I’m…”
“Chick, get up from that chair and I will come over there and put my foot so far…” Taylor warned, and Kendell eased back down. “What’s going on with you?”
“Nothing.”
Taylor looked at Alex. “Do you have anything to say?”
“I’m tired, and I’ve had my last ride on the Kendell relationship roller coaster.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Kendell asked.
“Let’s see. You broke up with a man that really loved you to get with a man that keeps you isolated from your family and friends.”
“Who says he’s the one keeping me away? Is it that hard to believe that I don’t want to be around you four every waking moment.” Another smug hit for Kendell.
“Did she just go there with me?” Alex asked, as she looked around the table. “Look here, I don’t know what your problem is, but I’m done. In fact, I was done when you showed up with Bas for my wedding talking that nonsense about me acting irrationally. Not to mention that crap you were spreading about my husband being a gold digger.”
“That one gets me every time I hear it.” Chloe laughed.
“What’s she talking about?” I asked.
“She’s referring to comments I made about Moses living with his grandmother because he’s broke.”
“Are you nuts?” I looked at my best friend, stunned at her behavior. “Do you know who he is?”
“I didn’t at the time.”
“Even so, the size of his wallet is none of your business,” I retorted.
“For the record, we really should say wallets.” Chloe raised her glass. “Alex, you hit the mother lode.”
“Chloe…”
“What? It’s the truth. His family makes mine look like the hired help.” She sipped her wine.
“Are you supposed to be drinking?” I asked.
“Hey, my big head son is off the breast and on formula, and I’m on wine.”
“When did this thing happen?” Taylor asked.
“What thing?” Kendell bounced back.
The shocked look on Taylor’s face spoke volumes. “I think she’s trying to make me come across this table. Look here, I will not hesitate…”
“Wednesday,” Kendell replied.
“Why did you have to announce it at Ella’s party?” Alex asked.
“That wasn’t my intention. I told Jackson to wait.”
“Apart from the announcement faux pas, didn’t you think it would have been polite to tell Bas before announcing it like that?” Chloe asked.
“To be honest, I hadn’t given him any thought.”
“That’s a lie,” Alex blurted out.
“Now I’m a liar.”
“I didn’t say that,” Alex bounced back.
“You implied it.”
“No, I’m saying I think you wanted to hurt him.”
“Why would I care about his feelings?” Smug strike number two, or was it number three? I lost count a few blows back.
“Is this because he didn’t tell you about me and Moses? Because, you’ve been acting strange ever since my wedding.”
“It’s just like you to think everything is about you.”
Alex jumped up, rested her hands on the table and leaned forward. “Chick, keep it up and I’ll knock you and that smug ass attitude so far back you’ll be sous chef for the Last Supper.”
It was hard not to laugh at that one. I have to remember to share it with Quentin. “Alex, calm down.” I pulled on her skirt. Someone needed to get control of this group. “Alex, sit down.” I looked at the tribunal, and then at Kendell. I wasn’t sure who to address first. I tossed my head back and said a silent prayer. Then, I lowered my head and turned to Kendell. “Kendell sweetie, I think what they’re trying to say is, even though you had no intention of announcing your engagement the way Jackson did, you should have told Bas in private.”
“Why did he deserve special treatment.? I wouldn’t expect him to single me out if the tables were turned.” Smug strike number…after that last round, it was pointless to count any more. “Because…”
“My God, Kendell, he wanted to marry you,” Alex blurted out.
“What?” Kendell finally looked shocked.
“That’s right, chick,” Chloe jumped in. “You finally had the fairytale, and you closed the book before getting to the end.”
“He never…”
“Why would he say anything to you after the way you acted that weekend?” Taylor replied.
“What are you talking about?”
“Bas told me he was going to propose the night before we left,” Taylor confessed.
“That’s not true.”
“It’s true. Moses told me Bas had the ring, and he was going to propose at the Pink Rose the night before we returned home,” Alex confirmed.
