by Linda Verji
“I’m sorry.” Tasha felt obliged to apologize.
“You have nothing to be sorry for. This isn’t your fault. It’s Polo’s,” Zain said. “If he’s a man, he’ll come and talk to Lucky himself because what he did was beyond foul.”
“I don’t think that’ll happen,” Tasha muttered with her eyes on her hands. It was embarrassing to know that everyone thought of her husband as a coward. “I understand if that means we can’t hang out anymore.”
“What do you mean ‘we can’t hang out anymore’?” Zain grasped Tasha’s hand. Their eyes met and with sincerity glowing in her eyes, she said, “You’re my friend, Tasha, not Polo. The men can have their quarrels. We always stick together.”
“Won’t Lucky be angry?”
Zain rolled her eyes. “Psh! What’s the worst he can do?”
Tasha could tell stories about the worst things a man could do but she said, “What about Chrys?”
“You know how she is. Just get her an expensive bag.”
They chatted for a little while catching up on the past couple of months before Tasha broached the subject of Ash. “We’d like for Ash to stay with us.”
Zain was silent for a moment before she said, “Tasha, you know I can’t stop you from taking him because he’s not ours, but are you sure this is the right thing to do; especially with Polo being…well, Polo? Whose idea was this?”
“Polo’s.” Tasha hated lying to her friend but she was sure that if she told Zain that this had been Kian’s idea, it would only make it harder for her to let go of Ash.
“I suppose it’s a point in his favor if he’s the one who wants Ash.” Zain acknowledged grudgingly. “But still…”
“You don’t have to be worried about Ash,” Tasha reassured. “I’ll be there to take care of him.”
There was another period of silence as Zain sat back in the seat in obvious contemplation. Finally she said, “Can you give me a minute to talk to Lucky?”
When Tasha nodded, Zain picked up her cell-phone from the coffee table and walked out to the balcony. Tasha could see her gesturing anxiously as she talked to Lucky. She hoped that the Fords weren’t going to make this process any harder than it already was. If she didn’t go back home with Ash, she’d be the one on the hot-seat.
A couple of minutes later Zain came back. Her furrowed brow showed that the conversation with Lucky hadn’t been a happy one. She said, “Let me take you to him.”
The last time Tasha had been in the Ford nursery, it’d been in all yellow for the twins, Iris and Lily. Now it was in all green with toys scattered all around the room and a white crib right at the center. Their helper, Marilynn was sitting on the rocking chair feeding Ash. When the woman saw them, she greeted, “Ma’am. Mrs. Nelson.”
“Marilynn, pack up Ash’s things. He’ll be leaving with Mrs. Nelson,” Zain said as she picked the baby from her arms. She made funny faces at Ash, causing him to chortle in glee while Tasha and Marilynn packed up.
Getting Zain to hand Tasha was a drama all in itself. Zain burst into tears clinging onto Ash as if he was hers. Despite the fact that the baby had only been in her life for a short time, she’d already formed a strong attachment. It took a lot of convincing but finally she let him go.
How had no one realized Ash was Polo’s son? Ash looked like the exact replica of a younger and lighter-skinned Asia, with the wide eyes, button nose and little mole of the side of his right eye. She should’ve felt anger just looking at him. Instead Tasha only felt overwhelming sadness for the little boy, burdened with monsters like Polo and Sonia for parents.
Though their own house had a nursery, she’d never bothered to decorate it. First, because by the time she and Asia came to New York, Asia was too old for one; and second, because she had no intention of ever lending Polo her womb again. She made a mental note to ask him for his credit card tonight so that she could get Ash’s room prepared. Meanwhile the basket Zain had lent her would have to do.
Tasha didn’t even want to think about how Polo was going to react to having a baby in their room. Best case scenario – he’d move to another room. Which he did!
“Get that child to stop crying?” he shouted later that night. It was past midnight and Ash had just woken up.
Yelling isn’t helping. Tasha wanted to say. Instead she cradled the baby in her arms, soothing him with soft words as she reached for his bottle. The moment she pressed it to his mouth, Ash turned his face away and his cries got even louder. Polo threw them both a disgusted look before he stormed out of the room, banging the door loudly behind him.
Almost as soon as he was gone, Ash quieted down.
“Smart baby,” Tasha said with a laugh.
CHAPTER 5
“Do you like it?” Tasha nervously watched Melanie Gavilan, the proprietor of Darlene’s, as she thumbed her way through Tasha’s designs for the month. When Melanie didn’t raise her head or say anything, Tasha filled it in for herself, “You don’t like it.”
“Calm down, Mrs. Insecure,” Melanie laughed as she glanced up. She refocused on the designs. “You know I always love the stuff you draw. I love that you went oriental for these ones. You’ve been to China and didn’t tell me?”
“When would I have the time?” Tasha laughed. The talk with Kian had actually been her inspiration for this week’s designs. She’d felt compelled to get on Google and do some research of her own. The ideas for an oriental collection had just come flowing after that.
“It’s almost like you’re in my mind.” Melanie shook her head as if she couldn’t quite believe the designs she was seeing. “I’ve got this client who’s been looking for something in Kimono style for the BAFTA awards and I was completely blocked.”
Tasha had come across Melanie quite by accident. It was one of those days when Polo had handed her his credit card after once more doing something shitty. She’d been perusing the shops for a ridiculously expensive dress that she could resell at a discounted price then tuck the money away when she’d walked into Darlene’s.
As a celebrity wife, she was used to getting more personalized service, so when Melanie had exited her ‘throne’ room to help out it wasn’t surprising. What was surprising was how Melanie had complimented her on her eye for detail and asked her if she did any designing. When Tasha had told her that she only did it as a hobby, Melanie had asked her to bring her a couple of designs to see.
Even more surprising was the fact that Melanie had given her a three thousand dollar advance for those designs and promised her a royalty on whatever amount of clothes they sold. In the grand scheme of celebrity money, the three thousand dollars was nothing. But hundreds of designs later and Tasha had built herself and Asia a nice little nest egg that Polo had no idea about. As far as he knew, her frequent visits to Darlene’s were to buy dresses.
“I’m not sure about these pants with this shirt though,” Melanie brow furrowed as she tapped on one of the etchings. “I like both their designs, but the combination seems a bit off. We might have to sell them as separates, or…” She picked up another portfolio off the desk and then flipped through it to land on another page and pointed to another picture. “…I’ve been playing around with some Ancient Greek ideas so we could flip your shirt with my shirt and then have this combination.”
Tasha leant forward to see what she was talking about. “Oh, that’s pretty. The ocean blue on white will look amazing.”
Ash punctuated her words with a gurgle drawing both women’s attention to his location inside the new navy blue stroller beside Tasha’s seat. He looked fabulous. All white was definitely Ash’s color. Even Asia had wanted to carry him to school as her science project.
“See, even Ash agrees,” Melanie said, which drew even more happy gurgles from the baby. Tasha hadn’t realized how much she’d wanted another baby until she’d started taking care of Ash. He was a happy baby and the house didn’t seem as lonely as it usually did when Asia was in school.
The one thing she appreciated about Me
lanie was that she never asked more than she needed to know. When Tasha had explained that Ash was Polo’s son, Melanie hadn’t tried to dig for more information about the scandalous details of the Polo-Lucky-Sonia saga like most people would’ve done. She’d simply nodded and gotten back to business.
“Okay so I’ll take these five designs,” Melanie said as she picked up her favorites then slid the rest of the portfolio across the desk and back to Tasha, “that’s five thousand then your royalty for this month is…” She turned her gaze towards the computer screen clicking on the mouse a few times and tapping on the key board before she finished, “…sixteen thousand. That’s twenty one thousand.”
Tasha nodded her agreement.
“All right.” Melanie stood up. Tasha would’ve killed to have Melanie’s body. Where she had small breasts that disappeared under her blouse and hips that were too wide, Melanie had curves all over, emphasized by her green wrap dress. “Close your eyes, Tasha.”
“Really, Mel?” Tasha chuckled as she watched her. “I already know where your safe is.”
“Mm hmm,” Melanie said. She tried to cut her eyes at Tasha but ended up laughing instead as she walked towards one of the large paintings in the office. She swung the door open to reveal the safe behind it and punched in a code. A few minutes later after extracting a brown envelope, she secured the safe again and walked to the desk.
“That’s twenty five,” Melanie said as she handed Tasha the envelope. “You can count the extra as an advance for next month’s designs.”
“Thanks,” Tasha said as she gave the bills in the envelope a cursory glance before tucking them into her bag. She couldn’t take a check because that would force her to open a bank account. With how Polo tracked her movements, she was sure he’d know about her money within no time. A safety deposit box offered her more privacy.
Understandably, Melanie had been reluctant to pay Tasha in cash at first forcing Tasha to explain her situation. As someone with a troubled past herself, Melanie had understood the situation and though it was both dangerous and cumbersome for her to carry cash around on the mornings that Tasha was coming to the shop, she never complained.
“Mel, I might need another passport,” Tasha said, glancing pointedly at Ash.
Melanie’s eyes widened. “You don’t think it might piss off Polo even more? I mean that’s his son.”
For the last two days since Ash’s arrival, Polo had been alternately ignoring or cussing at him and making strange comments. How far do you think he’d fly if I kicked him? Think I could get a touchdown. There was no way Tasha was leaving Ash with that mad man.
“He’s coming with me.” Tasha’s tone brooked no argument.
Melanie raised both hands in mock surrender before saying, “I’ll call Rashad. When do you think you might come in again so I can ask him to make an appearance?”
“I’m not sure yet.” It all depended on Polo’s generosity. Tasha said, “Why don’t I call you and let you know?”
Transactions finished, Tasha pushed the stroller out of Darlene’s. “Okay, Ash. You ready to go to the bank?”
The baby answered her by a blowing a spit bubble.
Chuckling, Tasha wiped it off his chin with his bib. She ignored her car which was parked in front of the store and turned right. Considering all the surveillance he’d installed in the house, it would be stupid to assume that Polo didn’t have some kind of GPS tracker on her car. If she drove it to the bank, he’d know. Fortunately, the bank was close enough that she could walk to it.
It took a little over twenty minutes to complete her business. After making sure that she and Asia’s fake passport were still valid and that their escape fund was still intact, she exited the bank. The truck was already bursting at its seams from all the things she’d bought for Ash’s room but Tasha passed by the children’s store. She needed to pick up a few things for Asia for the photo-shoot at Harper Inc. tomorrow.
Will Kian be there?
Unconsciously, Tasha smiled.
*
Kian wasn’t needed at the photo-shoot. Lauren was perfectly capable of handling the Soul interview. She would make sure that Gina Bell stuck to the agreed interview questions and that Polo didn’t say anything stupid. Massoud was a good enough photographer that Kian was sure he could make even a warthog look like a Ralph Lauren model. However, that knowledge didn’t prevent Kian’s feet from carrying him to the third floor where they’d set up the makeshift studio.
The room was in a flurry with people bustling around. The crew was busy setting up the scene; couch, cameras and lights, while Massoud shouted instructions. Kian ignored them all, instinctively searching for Tasha in the milieu.
She was on the other side of the studio getting her hair done while a girl sat on the chair opposite her cradling a baby. This Tasha was a different one from the one he’d seen earlier in the week. She was all smiles as she talked to the little girl, her happiness only enhancing her natural beauty.
The smile was contagious because Kian found himself matching it as he drew closer to them. Tasha didn’t notice him at first as all her attention was on the girl and baby.
“Uh uh. Asia, don’t move so much,” she said. “You might drop my pretty baby.”
“I’m your pretty baby.” Asia pouted. “He’s the handsome baby.”
Tasha chuckled. “You’re both my pretty babies.”
He’d been right. She looked amazing with her hair down. The soft strands fell around her shoulders, softening and emphasizing her features all in the same breath. They’d done something smoky to her eyes and applied a shimmery gloss to her lips that made him think of dark nights, red wine and silky sheets.
She was wearing a white fitted shift dress whose fabric contrasted amazingly with her dark skin. It molded over her breasts, smoothed over her tummy and stopped right at her knees flaunting the length of her legs. He couldn’t wait to see her stand up so he could get the full effect of that dress.
It looked like she’d taken to the baby without trouble. As a child who’d been abandoned at his grandmother’s doorstep because his step-mother didn’t want children who weren’t hers, Kian knew all too well that women like Tasha weren’t the norm.
“Mommy, Ash isn’t pretty. He’s a boy,” Asia retorted knowledgably. Ostensibly in support of her, Ash blew a spit bubble.
Tasha leant forward to wipe the baby’s chin and that’s when she spotted him. Instantly, her face took on a more guarded expression. “Oh, Mr. Harper.”
“Kian,” he automatically corrected her. Everyone, except his close friends, called him Harper, Mr. Harper or Shark, but for some reason it felt wrong coming from Tasha’s lips. He added, “It’s nice to see you again Tasha.”
Now he could add more fodder for his dreams. After meeting Tasha, the woman who usually filled his erotic fantasies had gotten a face. Tasha’s face!
Last night had been excruciating.
Tasha had filled his dreams; her lush lips opening up for his kiss, her hands scouring his heated body, her limbs tangling with his as he plunged himself into her over and over again. He’d had to service himself twice just to get rid of the residual desire. This was even worse that what he’d felt for Hanna – and he was a randy teen back then.
He turned his attention to the girl. Even before he asked, it was obvious who she was. Except for the eyes and the slightly lighter complexion, Asia looked just like Tasha. He asked, “And who is the pretty lady?”
Asia didn’t answer. Instead she threw a nervous glance at her mother who responded in her place. “That’s my daughter, Asia…” She turned to her hairdresser giving her an apologetic look before she reached for the baby “…and this is Ash. Asia, say hello to Mr. Harper.”
Asia bowed her head shyly as she mumbled, “Hello, Mr. Harper,” before she scrambled to her mother’s side, propping her forehead on Tasha’s shoulder.
“She’s just a little bit shy.” Tasha smiled as she stroked Asia’s hair that had been styled in long pigt
ails. Turning back her attention to him, she said, “Lauren said you weren’t coming down here today.”
Was she relieved or disappointed that he’d come? He couldn’t tell from the curious expression on her face so he said, “I had some free time on my hands.”
Before Tasha could say anything more the hairdresser said, “Mrs. Nelson, I need to finish up with your hair.”
“Do you want to carry the baby so Mommy can get her hair done?” Tasha asked Asia. The little girl shook her head and inched even closer to Tasha, her fingers clinging to her mother’s arm. It almost looked like Asia was trying to crawl into her. Tasha turned back to the hairdresser. “Maybe we can do it later?”
“I can hold him.” Kian regretted the offer as soon as he made it. He’d never held a baby in his life. Growing up under his grandmother’s care out in L.A., there weren’t exactly many babies around to be carried. With no other relatives and no baby mamas, he just hadn’t had the opportunity. What if he dropped the baby? Ash looked so small, as if he could slip out of Kian’s arms like a drop of water.
“Are you sure?” Tasha looked at him hopefully. Who could resist those eyes?
“Sure.” Kian said hoping he sounded more confident than he felt.
It can’t be that hard. I mean it’s just a baby. Was that an ‘I dare you to drop me’ look Ash was giving him? He didn’t blame the kid for watching his own skin. He fit his palms beneath the child’s armpits and gingerly him from Tasha’s arms. God! This kid is too small. I’m gonna drop him.
“You’ve never done this before have you?” Tasha laughed as she stood.
“That obvious, huh?” he smiled sheepishly still holding Ash away from his body.
“Kind’a. You’re holding him as if he’s a grenade,” she said as she sidled up to Kian. “Hold him like this.”
Standing this close to her was intoxicating. Her soft vanilla scent suffused his senses. The touch of her hand on his arms and the back of his palm as she demonstrated how to hold Ash was exhilarating. The movement of her lips was enchanting. It almost felt like the world was moving at snail’s speed allowing him to savor every aspect of Tasha.
