Playthang

by Janine A. Morris

  Jordan walked in and immediately spotted one of her colleaguesstanding with some familiar faces. Jordan went over, said hello, and introduced herself to the others. She stood with the young lady for a while as she scanned the room for Tayese. She dabbled in conversation with them until she noticed Tayese walking through the door. Jordan excused herself and walked over to Tayese before she walked too far off. Jordan caught up to her and tapped her on the back.

  “Hey, J,” Tayese said as she reached down for a hug. “How long you been here?”

  “I just got here a few minutes ago,” Jordan said.

  “It doesn’t look like I’ll be staying here too long; these people look dull,”Tayese said.

  “Well, it’s not Diddy’s party,” Jordan replied.

  “Nope, and after this speaker is done giving us his advice on how we can be successful like him, whoever he is, I may just head over to Diddy’s party,” Tayese said, laughing.

  “Yeah, I heard he was having something. I would go, but I promised Jason I’d pick him up tonight.”

  “At least you have someone that is waiting on you tonight.”

  “Would you stop with that silly ... Trust me, you don’t want my drama.Why did my baby daddy try to break on me for not discussing with him that I told my son I’d pick him up tonight?” Jordan said, trying to keep her laugh in.

  “Your baby daddy?”Tayese said, laughing.

  They were both standing by the bar, waiting on the bartenderto take their orders. After she came over and started to make their apple martinis, Jordan continued.

  “Jason called me and asked me if I could come get him, and I said yes. I would assume Omar knew, being that Jason isn’t likely to have just called me on his own. Besides, I don’t have to discuss it. I would’ve hit him when I was on my way.”

  Tayese was looking at Jordan as she sipped on the drink that she had just been handed from the bartender.

  “Trust me, you don’t want my problems.”

  Just as Jordan was finishing her drama to take a sip of her apple martini, a girl came walking up to the bar. As soon as she got close enough, the girl and Tayese reacted to one another.

  “Hey,”Tayese said as the girl walked up to her.

  “Hey,” the girl said back as she hugged Tayese.

  “What are you doing here?”Tayese asked.

  “I was meeting a friend here, but he hasn’t gotten here yet. I was told tonight’s speaker is really good.”

  Jordan, having overheard the girl say her friend hadn’t made it yet, reminded herself that Jayon said he may be coming and she didn’t know if he was there or not, hidden in the crowd. Jordan pulled out her BlackBerry and began to send him an e-mail to see where he was, and she also noticed that Omar hadn’t responded yet.

  Jordan’s movement reminded Tayese of her rudeness, apparently,and she tapped Jordan to introduce her to her friend.

  “Jordan, this is Randi; Randi, this is Jordan,” Tayese said.

  “Hi, nice to meet you,” Jordan said as she reached out to shake the girl’s hand.

  “You as well,” Randi said.

  “Jordan and me went to law school together, and we both specialize in entertainment law.”

  “Oh, really,” Randi said as she began to become obviously intrigued by Jordan. She kept looking at her, watching her actions,and staring at her face.

  “I used to work with Randi when I was in law school, working at that firm. She worked in the finance department, and we became lunch buddies,” Tayese said.

  “I know how greedy Tayese is, so I know that was bonding time,” Jordan said, trying to ignore Randi’s looks.

  “Yes, she is,” Randi said, laughing back.

  Jordan had looked down at her BlackBerry and saw that Jayon wrote back that he wasn’t there yet and most likely wasn’t going to make it. She replied, “That’s cool, I have to pick up Jason anyway. Are you coming over?” Randi watched Jordan as she read her BlackBerry and responded. As Jordan looked up, she caught Randi looking at her, and Randi cut her eyes and looked away. Right then, Jordan’s Scorpio side came out. She wasn’t sure if she was reading things right, but she was almost sure that Randi had just basically rolled her eyes at her. Why, she didn’t know, but she wasn’t feeling like pretending she didn’t notice this chick’s looks anymore.Tayese had obviously noticed too, so she was trying to make things more comfortable.

  “What time does the speaker come on?”Tayese asked.

  “I think he is about to start in a few minutes,” Randi answered.

  “Oh, OK, because I’m headed out as soon as he is done.”

  Jordan just sat back, eye mingling with the room. A few times she caught Randi staring at other females, giving off that catty girl vibe. Jordan figured it probably wasn’t personal with her; the girl just had an eye problem. When Tayese made her comment, Jordan took a sip from her drink, deciding to no longer partake in their conversation.

  “Yeah, I think it’s done after that anyway,” Randi said.

  “So what happened to your friend?”Tayese asked.

  “He just hit me and said that he was most likely not going to make it.”

  “So just chill with us if you want, until the speaker is done, and then we will head out.”

  “All right,” Randi said.

  Tayese looked at Jordan to see if she was cool with that, but Jordan had her eyes locked on Randi now. Randi caught Jordan’sattention with her choice of words. Those were the same words that Jayon had typed to her, “most likely not going to make it.” Her brain was rattling, thoughts moving at one hundredper minute. As she watched Randi for a second, she noticedshe seemed to not be awkwardly staring at her anymore. As if she knew that she had just given a hint. Jordan was trained to be suspicious and look for sarcasm, lies, hints, and bullshit, and in this instance she was feeling a detection of something.

  Tayese gave up for a moment trying to make the three of them coexist and took some sips from her drink as she listened to the announcer introduce the speaker. Jordan knew that she wanted to maintain the upper hand in this situation if there was one to be had; she had to remain calm and keep her mind clear. So as she tried to see if there were any pieces to put together,she realized that she could just be overanalyzing as she tended to do. Just as Jordan began to pay attention to the speaker, Randi pulled out her BlackBerry and began pressing buttons. Jordan found herself now trying to catch glimpses of her as she read and replied to an e-mail. It made sense: the girl was giving Jordan attitude; Jayon was no longer coming to the event; the girl works in finance, so it was possible she knew Jayon. It wasn’t impossible, but it was unlikely. The odds that this girl’s male friend was Jordan’s man, and it just so happened that they meet at an event that Jayon was supposed to come to ... The more Jordan realized how random that would be, the more she thought it was unlikely.

  “I can’t sit through this whole thing,” Tayese said in a low voice.

  “I don’t mind leaving; I have to pick up Jason anyway.”

  Tayese turned to Randi. “We are going to head out. You ready?”

  “Yeah, I’m ready.”

  The girls started to gather themselves and head toward the exit.

  Jordan looked down at her BlackBerry at the incoming e-mail, from Jayon. He replied to her e-mail, “I’ll be by. I have to make one quick stop and then I’ll be there before Jason goes to bed so I can see him.” Trying to make her way through the crowd, Jordan decided she would respond when she got outsideand had room.

  The girls made it through the exit and stood in the front for a second, checking out the surroundings.

  “Let me try to get this cab. My car is parked in the garage by my office,” Jordan said as she stepped into the street to flag down the yellow car.

  “Where are you headed?”Tayese asked Randi.

  “I’m going to meet my friend at 40/40.”

  “OK, I’m gonna take a cab with J then, because I’m headed her way.”

  “OK, I’ll see you later,” sh
e said as she hugged Tayese.

  Randi looked over at Jordan and said, “Nice meeting you, Jordan,”

  “You as well,” Jordan responded as she stepped into the cab.

  Jordan scooted to the other side of the cab to make room for Tayese. She told the cab driver where she was going and waited for Tayese to get in. Once Tayese sat down in the cab and closed the door, Jordan went in.

  “Hey, what was up with her?”

  “I don’t know what that was.That’s why I had to get out of there. That man was boring me, and then the two of y’all was bugging me out.”

  “She was normal until you told her we went to law school together, then she just started giving attitude and looking at me all crazy.”

  “I noticed, but I was confused as hell,”Tayese said, laughing.

  “I need you to ask some questions about what that was about, because I’m curious and a little mad.”

  “Why you mad?”

  “Because I’m wondering if it has something to do with Jayon.”

  “How’d you reach to that?”

  “Because her friend was supposed to come and changed his mind, Jayon was supposed to come and changed his mind, and I can’t imagine what her problem was.”

  “That would be crazy, but I will surely call or e-mail her tomorrow and see if she tells me, ’cause I can say she was actingstrange.”

  “Where did she work after that firm?”

  “I think she went to this financing firm in midtown. She is still there.”

  “Hmm ... Jayon worked at a financing firm in midtown.”

  “You are crazy,” Tayese said, laughing at Jordan’s Inspector Gadget look.

  “Just investigate,” Jordan said.

  “I’m sure you will too.”

  “Yup.”

  16

  “Hey,” Randi said as she walked up to Jayon.

  He was sitting at the bar with another gentleman.

  “This is my friend, Randi,” he told the guy.

  “Hi. Bryce,” the guy responded.

  “Hello,” Randi replied.

  “How was that event?” Jayon asked.

  “Very interesting,” Randi said, making an awkward face at Jayon.

  “What?” Jayon asked.

  “I spent about thirty minutes or so with my friend,Tayese, and Jordan.”

  Jayon’s face lit up like he just saw a ghost.

  “What?” he asked as if he was hoping that he had heard wrong.

  “Yeah, Jordan.Your girl.”

  “How did you know it was my Jordan?”

  Jayon knew it was his Jordan, because he knew his Jordan attended the same event. He also knew it was his Jordan becausehis Jordan was there with her friend Tayese. Although he knew it was his Jordan, he was concerned how Randi knew.

  “Well, once I heard she was a lawyer that did entertainment law, I put two and two together. How many black female entertainment attorneys with the name Jordan are there in New York?”

  Not really interested in the statistical data or the humor, Jayon ignored her question.

  “So, what happened?”

  “Don’t worry, Jayon, nothing. I didn’t say anything to her. We didn’t have some girl moment and bash you all night,” Randi said with an attitude, fully aware that his concern was the state of his relationship with Jordan.

  “I’m just asking.You said it was very interesting.”

  “Yeah, whatever.”

  “What’s your problem?”

  “Nothing. I was tempted to say something slick, but I chose against it.”

  “I guess I should say thank you.”

  Bryce, who had been watching the baseball game on the big screens, turned to Jayon when the bartender approached him.

  “You want another drink?” Bryce asked Jayon.

  “Nah, I’m about to get out of here,” Jayon said as he downed the last sip of his drink.

  “You leaving?” Randi asked.

  “Yeah, I got to get going.”

  “You made me come all the way here for five minutes.”

  “I told you I was going to be here; I didn’t tell you to come. I never said I would be here late. I had plans.”

  “It’s like that?”

  “Nah, I’m not being funny. I didn’t plan on staying here long. If you would’ve told me you was coming through, I would’ve told you I wouldn’t be here that long.”

  “Whatever, Jayon.”

  Jayon knew that it was rude to bounce so fast, but he wanted to get to Jordan’s house, as he’d promised, as soon as possible. He wanted to ensure that Randi hadn’t started any trouble, and he didn’t want to make anything worse by getting to Jordan’s house after Jason fell asleep. So although Bryce didn’t seem ready to go and Randi was clearly upset, Jayon scooted off his chair, gave Bryce a pound good-bye and Randi a kiss on the cheek, and was out.

  Once Jayon walked in the house, he could hear Jason’s laughter. He was relieved that he had made it in time. He hadn’t seen Jason in two weeks, and he knew that if he missed out on this opportunity to spend a little time with him, it would look like he didn’t care. Jayon had been around since Jason was born; people had spread rumors that Jordan named him after Jayon. It was important to Jayon that he didn’t treat Jason different because he was with his mother; he still wanted to have that uncle relationship with him.

  When he got upstairs, he found Jason sitting in front of his television, watching the Disney Channel. Jordan was in her bedroom changing clothes, and she heard Jayon coming up the stairs and poked her head out the door before he went into Jason’s bedroom. She signaled with her pointer finger for him to come here. Jayon walked past Jason’s room as he glanced in at him, then went straight into Jordan’s room.

  “What’s up?” he said in a casual tone as he gave her a kiss hello.

  “What happened to you tonight?” she asked.

  “Bryce stopped by my office. He needed some help with something he was working on, and we stopped by 40/40 real quick after, and now I’m home,” he said.

  Jayon had no idea the hot seat he was in. 40/40 huh, Jordan told herself. That’s where Randi had said she was going when she left them. Jordan’s blood pressure began to rise again, becauseshe knew drama was on the rise. She was trying to be strategic and not jump the gun breaking on him so she didn’t lose ground.

  “So, you were at 40/40 before you came here?”

  “Yeah, just for a little while. I had one drink.”

  “Who were you there with?”

  “Bryce,” Jayon said, trying to remain calm through her line of questioning, completely unaware of what she knew and didn’t know.

  “That’s it?” she asked.

  Jayon didn’t know what to do with this question. He hadn’t gotten a chance to feel her out yet, but Jordan appeared calm and regular.

  “Yeah, me and him left from my office.”

  “Oh, OK. I should’ve stopped by, but I had to pick up Jason.”

  Using that as a perfect opportunity, Jayon stood up.

  “Let me go check on my lil man,” he said as he headed out of the room.

  Jordan continued to slip into her night clothes and brush her hair into a ponytail as she talked to herself about the situation.She knew that there were more than enough coincidences with the situation, and she also knew that she wasn’t bugging that the girl was acting real strange, because Tayese noticed it too. More than anything, her gut was telling her that it wasn’t to be ignored.

  Jordan finished up and decided that she would remain calm until she got a report from Tayese, even if it was the next day. Jordan headed over to Jason’s bedroom to hang with her fellas.When she walked in the room, she saw Jason sitting with his PlayStation controller in his hand.

  “Where did he go?” Jordan asked.

  “In the bathroom.”

  Jordan looked and noticed the other controller on the floor along with Jayon’s sneakers and BlackBerry. Jordan walked toward the bathroom and knocked.

  “I
’ll be right there. Give me a few minutes,” Jayon said through the door.

  “You taking your daily doo-doo?” she asked, laughing.

  “Yup,” he replied.

  Jordan headed straight back to the room where Jason was waiting.

  “He’ll be right back,” Jordan assured Jason.

  Jason continued to select the options on the screen and prepare the football challenge that he and Jayon were about to have in Madden’s virtual world. Jordan sat on the beanbag besideJason, picked up the BlackBerry and controller and put them on her lap. A few seconds later, she selected the outbox on Jayon’s phone, scrolled to the time she was looking for, and there it was. An e-mail to Randi Hertz that said “I’m most likely not going to make it.” Jordan’s heartbeat was racing a million times a minute as she continued to scroll and saw another e-mail to Randi Hertz that said “I had to help my friend with something, and now we are headed to get a drink at 40/40.” Just as Jordan was looking for more, she heard a noise from the hallway. She quickly hit the HOME SCREEN button and put the phone back on her lap along with the game controller. Although she was pissed, she needed time to assess her game plan. She wasn’t ready for him to know what she knew yet.

  17

  Jordan had only been in the office for fifteen minutes when she picked up her office phone to call Tayese. She had gotten through the night the best she could. She went to sleep before Jayon came to bed so she could avoid any conversation with him. He and Jason had spent hours playing Madden, and Jordan told Jayon not to let Jason go to bed too late, and that was that.

  She had decided that she knew that Jayon knew this young lady, and he purposely didn’t mention that she met them at 40/40. Although it could’ve been innocent or just a colleague, because this woman was giving a nasty attitude, she still had a strong belief that there was more. She didn’t want to flip out or say anything until she had all her facts straight, and she was banking on Tayese to come through for her.