“Mr. Clermont, don’t leave!” Brittany sobbed, throwing herself at him once more. With a heavy sigh, he patted her back and two of her friends helped her out of the classroom. Slowly, everyone left, saying their goodbyes. Then he came to me.
“Miss Okolo…” He clasped his hands in front of him and I did the same. The urge to touch him was strong.
“Mr. Clermont,” I cleared my throat. “I hope you have a great winter break.”
“Thank you. You do the same.”
“Maybe I’ll see you around?” I asked, lifting an eyebrow.
“I don’t know. I’m spending the break with my son. My parents insist on seeing him, so we’ll spend time with them too.” I knew that meant he’d be super busy all winter break and I felt my heart slip down inside of my chest just a little.
“Oh…” I nodded.
“I’m gonna try to spend some time with my girlfriend too.” My eyes lit up.
“Really?”
“Yeah. Things are tight but I always have time for her. She’s one of the most important people in my life. It’s good to have people that mean a lot to you, stick close by your side, Miss Okolo.”
“I agree.”
“What is your winter break looking like?” He asked as he stacked his belongings into plastic totes. The sight choked me up a bit.
“It’s pretty empty. I’m going to try and catch up with my mother if my father lets me. Then I’ll go hang out with Krissy if my father lets me. Hopefully, I’ll get to spend some time with my boyfriend.”
“I hope so too. I’m sure he loves you very much. You’re an amazing woman.”
“I’m okay,” I laughed and so did Roman. I leaned over and gave him a quick hug, then I stood near the door. “Goodbye, Mr. Clermont. Thank you for being an amazing teacher.”
“Thank you for being an amazing teacher, yourself, Zuri.” He winked at me and I thought my heart would explode. The range of emotions he sent me through was staggering. I waved at him and slipped out of the doors.
**
“I can’t believe it’s his last day. It’s not gonna be the same looking across the hall and not seeing his fine ass standing over there.” Krissy pouted at lunch.
“I know. I hope I don’t have to stay in school much longer because it’s going to be boring as hell without him.”
“Yeah, I’m sure the new teacher won’t dick you down on the desk like he did.”
“Krissy, shut up,” I laughed, hiding my face. “So, what’s going on with you and Colton?” I asked.
“He’s been spending so much time at our house. The sex is amazing. He’s a little worried about my dad finding out though. He’s leaving until next week and he’ll come back to stay the entire break with us. I think he’s going to look for a job out here.”
“Oh my God, he’s looking for a job to be closer to you?” I quizzed with wide eyes.
“I didn’t say all of that, Riri.”
“But that’s exactly what it is. He might be serious about you, Krissy.” Her cheeks turned red even though she managed not to smile. I knew my best friend.
“We’re not serious. We’re screwing around. It’s nothing.” She gave me a nonchalant shrug.
“Whatever. Ignore it if you want to but tell Colton not to fuck it up because then you’re going to be all heartbroken and I’m going to have to cut him.”
“Shut up, you are not. We’re coasting along. Nothing serious. I swear.” She held her hand up like that would make me believe her. I rolled my eyes and ignored her lies.
She sat beside me for the rest of lunch and talked my ear off about Colton. The man she claimed she didn’t really care about. The man she claimed she was only fucking. Yeah. Okay . Sometimes the best thing to do was let Krissy talk. She’d figure it out eventually.
**
I stood outside waiting for Duke to pull up, which was strange because he was always there when I walked out. Not today though. I sent him a text and he took ten minutes to answer.
Me: Hey, I’m done with school for the day, can you come get me?
Duke: Miss Zuri, I’m on the way. I’m so sorry.
Me: Make it up to me later?
Duke: We’ll see…
I laughed a little before slipping my phone into my purse. Duke pulled up five minutes later. When he stepped outside to open the back door for me, I noticed how disheveled he looked. I smirked at him and got in, clicking my seatbelt into place.
“Did I um…interrupt something, Duke?” I asked, meeting his eyes in the rearview mirror.
“What gave you that idea? I was at the gas station.” He looked at the road ahead and I laughed a little.
“Okay…sure. So that situation you told me about…you must be back on with the girl huh?”
“Ah…something like that. We’re trying to work things out over this winter break.”
“That’s good, Duke. Work it out. I don’t mind. Can you cover for me with my father though?”
“When?” Duke asked without hesitation. Usually, when it came to my father, he was cautious like everyone else. He seemed to throw caution to the wind this time.
“This winter break. If I need to go see someone would you mind telling Father I went to see my mother?” Duke and I shared a long stare in the mirror while he was paused at a red light. Finally, he nodded.
“I’ll cover for you, Miss Zuri.”
“Thank you so much.”
“I heard that your situation is being handled. I understand that your art teacher is no longer your art teacher.” How much shit did my father divulge to Duke? I treated him like a family friend but I’d never known my father to open up to anyone before. It was a first.
“Yeah…I’m not too happy about it but what can I do?” I shrugged with a frown.
“Miss Zuri, I’ve learned that being happy means taking risks. If your situation makes you happy…sometimes you have to risk ruffling feathers. I’d walk through hell to be happy and free. I think you should take your chances.” He pulled into my driveway and I nodded my understanding.
When he opened the door for me, I hugged him tight. “Thank you, Duke. I hope you get to be happy and free. You deserve it. One day, will you let me meet her?” He let out a deep chuckle and patted my shoulder.
“Miss Zuri, I can’t introduce you to who you already know.” He didn’t give me time to react before he was back in the Escalade, pulling off.
What the fuck?
Who did I already know?
I couldn’t stop running through the countless women I knew and the only person I could come up with was my mother. The thought made me both laugh and cringe.
My father was home for once when I walked in and I felt my entire body tense when I smelled his sterile scent in the study. “Zuri,” his deep voice called out the moment my step caused the floor to creak. I cringed and spun around to turn down the hallway.
I hated even looking at his face and it was a shame because I used to always think of my father as a handsome man. Since he divorced my mother and turned into a monster, all I could see was evil when I looked at him There would be no repairing our relationship once I left his prison.
“What?” My tone was sour before I even heard why he was calling me.
“You need to watch your mouth, child. Did you see your beloved art teacher today?” A snide smirk tugged the corners of his lips upward and I wanted to smack it off his face. That meant I’d have to touch him though. My skin crawled at the thought.
“I did,” I replied, my chin tiled and my shoulders back. I was tired of being pushed around. I was tired of being broken by my father’s words and his oppressive ways. The least I could do was stand up straight and look him in the eye.
“You know he won’t be coming back, right? What’s his name? Mr. Clement? I hope you said goodbye to him. This next art teacher will be a female. Someone you can’t lie on your back for.”
“I’m sure you had a hand in choosing who was hired,” I scoffed, shaking my head. His eyes narrowed a
nd he leaned forward in his seat.
“You’re damn right I did. At least this new teacher will comply. The sooner you graduate, the better. I can send you off to Spelman or Brown.
Maybe you can redeem yourself and at least become a doctor or a lawyer. Although I’m sure I’ll have to pay for you to get good grades there too. You’re too stupid to get them on your own merit.”
My head began to throb at the base of my skull and I let out a laugh. I wasn’t amused though. “Wait…you got my teacher fired because he wouldn’t take your money?” Laughter poured from my mouth. It was such a stupid reason to have someone fired.
“Call it what you will. You’ll graduate now. Early like I’d planned before this high and mighty asshole started working there. Who does he think he is, anyway? I know Palmer told him who I am. I was there when the smug bastard started working there.” My father had the nerve to fuss and call someone else smug.
“This is ridiculous,” I scoffed, tossing my hand in the air.
“The next disrespectful thing out of your mouth will get your teeth knocked out, Zuri. Go to your room. You can stay there for the entire winter break for all I care. Ungrateful brat.”
“I wanted to spend Christmas and New Year’s with my mother,” I frowned.
“Like that much stupidity needs to be under one roof. She can suffer alone for Christmas and New Year’s, just like you. I’ll inform Duke not to take you anywhere and I’m taking the keys to your car.”
I quaked with the hatred I had for my father. It rushed through my veins, hot like lava and just as toxic. “Good. I like that look on your face. It matches how ugly your insides are. Now, get out of my face.”
I gladly stormed out of his study and went to my room, closing and locking the door.
I sank to the floor, once I heard him moving around. I knew he was taking my keys. I was really going to be a prisoner in my own house. Honestly, it didn’t even feel like my house. That house belonged to my father.
My home was with Roman. It didn’t matter where he lived. I lived inside of his heart and when I was with him, I was home.
As badly as I wanted to cry, I didn’t. I sat there with a hot face and pounding heart but I refused to let him make me cry again. He didn’t deserve that kind of power over me. Fuck him.
My hands shook when I called my mother. I pressed the phone to my ear and listened for her kind voice. How she still managed to be kind was beyond me. How could she not be angry? I couldn’t imagine having a child stuck in a hellhole and not being angry. I would fight my ex-husband every chance I got.
I wanted someone to fight for me.
I couldn’t seem to win any battles and all it did was exhaust me to try.
“Zuri, hi.”
“Hi, Mommy.”
“What’s the matter? I can hear it in your voice. Is it your father?”
“Who else?” I muttered. I went into the bathroom and ran the shower so that the rushing water would quiet my voice. “He said I can’t spend the holidays with you. He’s forbidding Duke to drive me anywhere and he took my car keys.” I wanted to see if my mother would finally stick up for me. I wanted her to come pick me up. “Can you come get me on Christmas Eve?”
“Oh, Zuri…your father doesn’t want me anywhere near his house. You know that. I wish he wouldn’t be so hard on you, my sweet girl.” I rolled my eyes at her words and sighed. What else would I expect from her?
“Why can’t you come get me? Who cares what he says? I’m almost eighteen, why does nobody care what I have to say?” It was hard keeping my voice down when emotions were running on high.
“He’ll have the police involved.”
“I’m so tired of being scared of him. I’m tired of holding back and I’m tired of him saying whatever he wants to me. He doesn’t own me and he doesn’t own you either. You should stop acting like it.” I hung up on her and turned the water off.
I turned the phone off too. I didn’t want to talk. I wanted to think.
Thinking turned into writing in my poem book and writing soothed me to sleep. I woke up with my forehead stuck to my book and a pen in between my fingers.
I fumbled around in the darkness of my room and found the phone Roman gave me. When I turned it on, tons of texts from him came through.
Fuck .
He must have been worried sick when my phone kept going to voicemail. I rushed to call him back and thank goodness he answered on the first ring.
“Zuri, are you okay?” Concern laced his words and his tone.
“I’m okay, Roman. I got pissed at my father and turned my phone off. He’s being such a dick. I can’t go anywhere for the holidays and he took my keys.”
“What about your driver?” He asked. I could hear River humming a tune in the background and it made me smile. I missed his cute little face.
“He’s forbidding Duke to drive me anywhere. I’m stuck in the house.”
“I’ll see what I can do. You want me to talk to my father about pulling him away so you can get out? I’ll come get you.”
“I don’t know…will there be anything for him to do over the holidays? And aren’t you spending Christmas with your family?”
“Zuri, you’re my family. Besides River, how am I going to enjoy Christmas if you’re not here with us or we’re not there with you?” I couldn’t stop smiling against the phone.
“Okay, you can try.”
“I’m not making promises but let me see what kind of strings I can pull.”
“You sound very much like a Clermont,” I laughed.
“I’ll sound like Glenda the Good Witch if it means I can see you on Christmas. I’ll call you back and let you know.”
“Okay. Thank you, Roman.”
“I need to hear something a little sexier…” His voice turned gruff and my insides turned to mush.
“Thank you, Daddy,” I purred.
“Much better, princess.”
When he called back about twenty minutes later, he told me that his father would try but couldn’t guarantee keeping my father busy for Christmas. It was the same update day after day and I started to lose hope that I’d get out of that house at all during winter break.
**
My father left on the night of Christmas Eve and didn’t say a word to me. Loneliness was starting to suffocate me again. I took a chance and called Roman on Facetime.
“I hate how sad you look. Do you know where he went or how long he’ll be gone?”
“No. He won’t speak to me and I can’t say that I’m complaining.”
“Zuri, me and River are coming over there.”
“Roman, don’t. I don’t know when he’s coming back or anything. I don’t want you to get in trouble.”
“I’m not letting you spend Christmas alone. Plus, River misses you like crazy.” I smiled at that last part.
“I miss him too.”
“So then let me come over and bring the kid.”
“Roman, no. It’s too risky. What if my father comes home and you’re here with River? I don’t want to risk it.”
“Well, we’re going to have to risk it because you can’t spend Christmas or Christmas Eve alone. It’s nighttime. What are the chances that he’ll come back? Didn’t he tell you that you would spend Christmas alone? That says he’s not planning to come back until some time tomorrow. He’s probably at some chick’s house.”
“Ew. Gross.” I scrunched my face up and shook the mental images from my mind.
“If it makes you that nervous, I’ll come get you and bring you here. As long as we’re together, I don’t care where we are.”
“Okay,” I sighed. “Come get me.” Once I knew that Roman was on his way, excitement mixed with fear pooled in my belly. What if my father came home and I wasn’t anywhere to be found? What if he didn’t come home and I pulled it all off? The two thoughts battled in my head as I threw a bag of clothes together, making sure my monarch journal was on top of everything.
I pulled on a pair of jean
s and an Aspen Grove sweatshirt, then I stood in the middle of my room, my heart pounding. I was getting ready to sneak out to be with Roman. It wasn’t the first time though.
It would be my first Christmas with him.
My phone buzzed with a text from Roman, telling me he was outside. I rushed over to my bed and tossed a few pillows under the blanket to mimic a body lying there. Clearly, I’d watched too many sitcoms.
I hurried to Roman’s car and smiled when I saw River sleeping in the backseat. The sight of that little boy made my heart swell. “Oh my God, I missed him,” I gushed when I got in the car.
“He missed you too. He tried to stay awake on the way over but he couldn’t hang. You know, he’s my best friend but he kinda sucks when it comes to staying up late and treating me to food. He never has any money and I end up paying for everything.”
My laughter filled up the small space and Roman stared at me like I held galaxies in my eyes. “I missed that sound.” He brought the back of my hand to his warm lips and kissed it. Such a tiny thing set me on fire.
Roman reached down to grab his phone and put on Biggie’s Juicy and I bobbed my head while he drove. I missed being with him outside of school but I damn sure would miss seeing him in school.
“Roman, I have something to tell you…don’t be mad.” I pulled out the phone he gave me and tapped Instagram.
“What did you do?” He quizzed, lifting an eyebrow.
“When Palmer first found out about us, I wrote a poem and took a picture of one of your sketches then posted it to Instagram.” He was already giving me a heavy side eye. I grinned sheepishly and continued. “I’ve been keeping tabs on the likes and I think it’s safe to say you’ve gone viral.”
“Over a sketch?” He asked with a frown. We pulled up to his house and he killed the engine. He took my phone and made a noise at how many likes and comments the post received. “Zuri, this post has over three hundred thousand likes.”
“Yeah, I know. It’s been shared all over the place. People love your art. So, even though you lost your job at Aspen Grove…your art will take you places, Roman. It’s amazing.”
The Monarch Room Page 24
