“Yes. I know. The apartment was your first suggestion the day after he arrived. And as you remember, I shot that down,” Gabrielle said.
“Yes, you did. Pretty quickly, in fact.” Zachary helped her as she walked up the steps on the path back to the car.
“And just in case you think I don’t know, my father did tell me how you’ve given him a ‘piece of money’ each week. That’s how he said it, that you give him ‘a piece of money.’ I was trying to give him something to help out as he’s searching for work, but he won’t take any money from me. He says the piece of money you’ve given him has been more than enough to do what he needs to do,” Gabrielle said. “He’s really a proud man, in spite of everything. You can’t help but feel sorry for him and proud at the same time. The last thing I want to do is kick him while he’s down.”
“Aunt Esther says your aunt Cee-Cee has been by a few times when you’re not there,” Zachary said. “Has he told you what she wants?”
“Yes, Miss Crowe tells me everything that goes on. She’s keeping a really good eye on things. And no, my father hasn’t told me what Aunt Cee-Cee wants, but when it comes to her it generally boils down to one thing. She’s always in need of more money. The thing is: There’s nothing my father can do to help her when it comes to that.”
Zachary nodded. “Aunt Esther believes your aunt is trying to get your father to somehow influence her into dropping the charges against her for stealing your Juilliard money. Aunt Esther says that’s never going to happen. She’s still upset about what was done to you—your aunt taking that money from you that way.”
Gabrielle laughed. “Yeah. Miss Crowe has made it abundantly clear, even if I wanted her to, she’s not going to let Aunt Cee-Cee off the hook. I believe her words were something to the effect of she will when Hades freezes over.”
Zachary opened the car door for Gabrielle to get in. He closed the door and walked around, getting in on the driver’s side. He buckled his seat belt. “Okay. Where to now?”
“Home. I have to get up really early for work tomorrow. I plan to get off early for Jasmine’s birthday.” She clapped.
“Are you glad you went back to work or would you prefer to be staying at home now?”
“Is this a trick question, Zachary?” Gabrielle smiled.
“Whatever do you mean, soon-to-be Mrs. Morgan?” He grinned. “Wow, I love the sound of that. I can’t believe we’re almost there and then I can drop the ‘soon to be’ entirely.”
“Almost is still a long way away. You and I both know from experience a lot can happen between now and then,” Gabrielle said.
“Please don’t. Don’t speak things like that into the atmosphere. Aunt Esther and Jasmine are working overtime to make this day huge,” Zachary said, looking at her. He hadn’t cranked the car yet.
“The two of them are so cute.” Gabrielle grinned. “I think they’re having more fun together than either of them have been having with me. Miss Crowe loves Jasmine and Jasmine positively adores her. I don’t know what we’re going to do after this is over and Miss Crowe goes back to Chicago.”
“Maybe we can talk her into staying. I mean, think about it. She can be there for Jasmine, the two of them continuing to get into mischief together,” Zachary said. “And she would be around to help out with the babies.”
Gabrielle shrieked and released a short laugh. “Babies! What babies?”
“All the babies we’re going to have, one right after the other,” Zachary said. He took his hand and gently moved a strand of hair out of Gabrielle’s face and lovingly tucked it behind her ear.
“So you want to ask Miss Crowe to stay after the wedding so she can help take care of all the babies, plural, that you and I will be having? That’s the plan?”
“You got it. And before you think I’m being chauvinistic, Aunt Esther told me the other day that she would love to stay here and help if we were planning on having more children. My aunt loves children. You know that.”
“I agree. But I don’t know about us having babies one right after the other, though.”
Zachary smiled. “Well, just being able to be your husband and Jasmine’s father will be more than I could ever hope for . . . for the time being anyway.” He raised his eyebrows several times successively. “You know what I’m saying? You know what I’m saying?”
“Yes.” Gabrielle placed the palm of her hand lovingly on his cheek.
He grabbed her hand and pressed it closer to his face. “I’m going to take care of you. I know you’re more than capable of taking care of yourself, but—”
“We’ll take care of each other,” Gabrielle said. “And I look forward to being there right by your side for whatever life has in store for us.”
“Now, you’re talking. June eleventh can’t get here fast enough for me!”
“Have you spoken to your mother since the other day when you told me she called?” Gabrielle asked.
His face showed his defeat. “I have, and she’s saying she’s not budging on her decision.”
“So she’s still not planning to come to our wedding?”
“That’s what she’s continuing to say. But she’s going to cave. I know my mother. She wants her way when it comes to making me do what she feels is right for me. She believes her refusing to attend will make me back down until she decides to give her blessing. But I’ve told her that I love you and we’re getting married whether she’s here to witness it or not. I suppose she can always see it on video. But everyone else in the family have already bought their airline tickets and made hotel reservations. We’re going to have a great time. And Aunt Esther and Jasmine want me to wear something they call the Prince Charming tux with gold military-looking tassels on each shoulder with a gold diagonal sash.”
Gabrielle laughed. “They’re taking this Cinderella theme seriously.”
“Well, if I get what I want, which is to be married to you,” Zachary said. “And they get what they want, which is a fairy tale wedding—”
“But Miss Crowe is spending way too much money accomplishing this.”
“So? Let her,” Zachary said.
“That’s what she told me. But I still don’t feel right about it. After all is said and done, this wedding—taking months to plan and put in place and great funds being shelled out—will be over in a few hours and that includes the reception.”
“No, we’ll get more than that out of the wedding,” Zachary said. “We’ll get memories. And although memories can cost as little as nothing and carry the same weight as those things that cost a lot, at the end of this day, at the end of our wedding day, I believe we’re all going to walk away with something that can never be taken away by anything, with possibly the only exception being Alzheimer’s.”
“How depressing,” Gabrielle said with a frown. “Alzheimer’s? You didn’t have to bring up that.” Gabrielle shook her head.
“Well, people used to say there were certain things they would never forget as long as they live. But we know Alzheimer’s can indeed rob folks of even those precious memories, no matter how well a stated intention otherwise. So let’s allow everybody to do what they feel is right for them, including my mother if, in the end, she denies herself the privilege of seeing me pledge my heart to the woman I love.”
“Ohhh.” Gabrielle said it like a purr.
“I mean it. I’m going to marry my girl. Aunt Esther and Jasmine will get the wedding they’re dreaming of. And you—”
“And I get to know what true happiness looks and feels like because I’ll have you to wake up to each and every day of my life, for the rest of my life, until death do us part.”
Zachary nodded, biting down on his bottom lip. “Yes. Until death do us part.”
Chapter 18
And at evening let them return; and let them make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city.
—Psalm 59:14
“Honey, I’m home,” Darius said as he stepped into the house and made his way upstairs to the bedroom t
wo steps at a time. “Divine . . . are you up here?”
She held up a finger to silence Darius. “Yes, dearest, I understand,” Divine said to the person on the phone.
“Sorry,” he whispered as he walked over and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.
Divine moved the phone to the side where he’d just kissed. “I’m working on it. Yes, yes, I’m looking to hire a few more people to handle that. It shouldn’t be too difficult in this economy. Yes, dearest, I’ll get back with you soon. I promise. Okay. Bye now.” Divine clicked her cell phone off and looked at it before setting it down on the coffee table in the bedroom.
“You have got to be the hardest-working woman in the state of Alabama,” Darius said. He began to massage her shoulders.
“Oh, that feels so good,” she said, slowly lowering her body down to sit on the sofa in the bedroom as she kicked off her leopard heels.
Darius sat down on the floor and, picking up her feet, placed them in his lap. He began massaging one and then the other.
Divine slouched down and laid her head against the back of the sofa.
“You like this?” Darius asked as he smiled.
“Oh, yes. But I can’t play for long. I have some pressing business vying for my attention.”
“Yeah, I heard you saying you needed to hire some more people,” Darius said.
“Yes. We lost a couple of folks in that little mishap the other day,” Divine said. “And wouldn’t you know, we have an order to fill with a huge payoff.”
“So what qualifications are you guys looking for?”
Divine sat up and began sliding her feet back into her heels. Darius helped slip them on. “If one can cook and follow instructions, they pretty much have what we’re looking for. Why? Do you have someone in mind?” She stood up.
“I could possibly help if you’re in a real jam.” Darius stood to his feet.
“Nope. I don’t want to take any chances when it comes to you. Some parts of this business can be pretty dangerous, as you’ve now heard. I won’t ever be putting you in that position.”
He grabbed her around the waist and drew her close to him. “Would you like me to see if I can round up a few folks in need of a little extra change?”
“If you could, it would certainly help me out. But you know how careful we have to be when it comes to recruiting folks. Our operation is being tracked pretty closely lately, too close for comfort.”
“Well, I know how to be discreet and do a good job at the same time.”
“I don’t doubt your abilities. You’ve caught on to the business better than I would have ever imagined. I confess: I didn’t bring you home with me that day thinking I’d let you in on this part of my world,” Divine said with a flirt and a smirk.
“Is that right? Then why did you bring me home with you that day?”
She flicked her hair to the back. “I guess you can say I felt sorry for you. It was obvious you were sleeping in your car. You were all scraggly looking. And that pillow in the backseat with the blanket . . . a dead giveaway.”
Darius rocked her sideways as he wrapped her tightly and securely in his arms. “Is that right, Sherlock?”
She looked up at him with a sheepish grin. “Yes, Watson, that’s right.” She smiled for a few seconds more, then turned and faced him. “So, what all did you do today?”
“Oh, you know: the normal stuff—me and the gang of six hitting up drug stores for the behind-the-counter golden meds containing our favorite ingredient.”
“Did you go across the state line this run?”
“Yeah. That’s where we’re getting the best bang for our bucks. We can buy it without having to show IDs. Although I hear there’s talk about more states enacting stricter laws to curb the problem. If too many more neighboring states keep this up, our time may require some overnight stays since I’ll likely have to go farther away.”
“We certainly wouldn’t want that, now would we?”
Darius kissed her. “No . . . we wouldn’t, especially not me. I’d miss you too much.”
“So is that all you did today? Went and got a stockpile of Sudafed?”
“I did drop by and see my wife,” Darius said. “Or as I informed her, my soon-to-be-ex-wife.”
Divine broke from his embrace. “You’re planning on divorcing your wife?”
Darius grabbed Divine back and locked her in his arms, pulling her closer to him. “Yes.”
“I don’t know about that,” Divine said. “Divorce. That’s a really big step.”
“I know. But I feel I’m ready to make it. It’s time.”
Divine placed her hand on his chest. “Listen, Darius. I don’t want you divorcing your wife because of me. You know I’m not one looking to settle down or anything. You have a family. I believe you need to think about this a little more.”
“I have thought about it. I’ve thought about it since you and I had breakfast together that first morning that changed everything for me.”
Divine shook her head slowly. “We don’t know each other all that well. It’s only been two months.”
“Two glorious months,” he said. “Two months of you and me opening up about everything. Two months of me finding out what it’s like to be with a woman who is all woman and not all the time having to be hassled about every single little thing.”
“So you’re saying you’re a man who likes to be taken care of and not have any responsibilities?” Divine pressed her lips tightly together.
“No,” Darius said with a puckered smile. “I’m merely saying that I really enjoy my time with you. And as you can see, I’m not at all allergic to hard work if it’s required. I would get out there and dig ditches . . . for you.”
Divine tilted her head to the side. “Is that right now? Ditches?”
“Oh, Miss Divine, that is right. Don’t believe me? I’ll walk away right now, go out and find me something to do, and return and take care of you.”
Divine broke out of his embrace. “I don’t think you can find a regular job that can take care of me in the way I’ve grown accustomed. As you’ve noticed, I have quite expensive taste. I love the finer things of life, and I’m a subscriber of the good. I love good food, good wine, and good company. The company part, you can handle with no problem. Providing me with all the other stuff, including the mortgage on this house”—she looked around her large black-and-white-color-schemed bedroom—“well, let’s not pretend. You and I both know that’s not something you can handle.”
“So what are you saying? You don’t want me around?”
“I just told you I love good company. And you, my dearest Darius, have succeeded when it comes to fitting that bill beyond my wildest dreams.”
“So if I can come up with a way to provide for you in the way you’ve grown accustomed, you’d consider spending the rest of your life with me?” Darius asked.
Divine smiled, then winked. “Fortunately for both of us, I’m not looking for anything beyond the here and now. And for now, Darius Connors, you’re perfect for what I need.”
He grabbed her by the hand and entwined his fingers with hers. “So tomorrow, should someone better come along, what would that mean for me?”
Divine glanced down at his hand locked with hers, then back up to his eyes. She rose up on the tips of her toes and gave him a peck on his lips. “Tomorrow will take care of tomorrow. Today . . . we enjoy today.” She gave him a long, passionate kiss. “And right now, I’m starving! What say we go to my favorite restaurant and get something fabulous to demolish?”
Darius grinned. “I’m going to win you over completely, do you hear me? I refuse to allow what we have to come to an end. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. And I have no intention of losing you. Ever. So whatever it takes to keep you—”
“Change into your dark lavender shirt and those black pants I bought you the other day. I love seeing you in that shirt,” Divine said, before turning and strolling away.
Darius watched her walk a
way with a full grin on his face. “Ruff, ruff!” he said, barking like a dog. “Ruff!”
She turned around and smiled. “Meow. Bow-wow,” she said.
Chapter 19
Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom: but a man of understanding walketh uprightly.
—Proverbs 15:21
The most popular restaurant in town these days was packed. Andrew had called ahead and made a reservation because he knew how long he and Paris would have to wait otherwise. She was too close to her due date that he definitely didn’t want to put her through any more stress than necessary. And after his mother left the house, he could see Paris was really down. He was just thankful Paris hadn’t heard any of the things his mother had said prior to her entering the house earlier that day.
He couldn’t believe how much his mother didn’t trust Paris. The idea that the baby she was carrying might not be his was absurd. They’d been trying to have a baby for over two years now. Of course, Paris wanted to get pregnant. Sure, she’d been really busy during the time she’d finally conceived. But everything had worked out. She’d found out she was pregnant and lost her job at the same time. Andrew couldn’t have been happier. Now he was determined to show Paris how much he loved her. And he was not going to allow his mother to ruin things. He was not going to let the negative thoughts she was attempting to plant take root in his head.
Fifteen minutes after arriving, the head hostess showed them to their table.
“Thank you so much for bringing me here,” Paris said. “I absolutely love this place! I’m just glad we didn’t have to wait as long as some of those other folks are having to.”
The Other Side of Divine Page 12
