Nappily in Bloom

by Trisha R. Thomas

  “No, I will not be dismissed by you, Delma. Really, didn’t you hear what Keisha said last night. Everyone has had enough. Okay, enough.”

  “Oh, right. You came here with your obvious mother-of-the-bride-looking suit on. You wore this to stand out.”

  “It’s a green suit. If I wanted to stand out, I think I could’ve found something a little more bold. But if you’re trying to compliment me on how beautiful it is, you’ve accomplished that. Thank you.”

  Gray came and stood between us. “You guys . . . you want Keisha to hear you? ’Cause I did from all the way over there. Now, calm down—both of you.”

  I stood firm. Delma huffed and stomped off with her cascading chiff on like a big marshmallow cloud. I smirked and tried to keep myself from a full belly laugh. I was here at my daughter’s wedding. I could’ve told her she’d never win, she’d never keep me away.

  “Please behave.” Gray kissed me on the cheek. “You look stunning, by the way, Mom.”

  “So do you, son.” I was feeling too good to let him bring me down.

  Gray looked out over the huge attendance. It was a congregation of the who’s who of Atlanta’s rich and successful. Many his own clients. Family he hadn’t seen in years. Most hadn’t come around since the Hillman brood had lost their family fortune. Gray could taste the envy of his brother Skip, whom he hadn’t seen in close to four years. A shame money could break up a family. They’d fought over the remnants and crumbs while Gray took matters into his own hands. A self-made man. He smoothed down his tux lapel and made sure his tie was straight. The music started, and the bridesmaids lined up.

  The Wedding March began after everyone had already come down the aisle. It was really happening. Gray was relieved, and felt like he’d never worked for anything so hard in his life. Keisha appeared like an angel on the arm of Hudson. Her white gown billowed softly. Her smooth shoulders shimmered in the sunlight.

  A tall white man stood up and moved toward Keisha. Everyone had the same puzzled looks on their faces. He whispered something to Hudson and then exchanged places with him. Her father. Gray hadn’t met him, and Keisha told him the story only once and let it go. But suddenly she was in tears. He wanted to move toward her, but they were tears of joy.

  Her father walked her down the aisle, proud and happy to have the most beautiful woman in the world on his arm. Gray knew the feeling.

  They exchanged vows. Bishop Talley moved everything effortlessly along. The fastest-planned ceremony was now complete and a roaring success. Everyone stood and clapped as they held hands and moved down the red carpet placed on top of the grass.

  The reception was just as perfect. After their first dance, toasts were made, smiles and laughter echoing through the room.

  From the corner of his eye he saw a flash of green go across the lawn toward the suite where Keisha went to change her dress. Nikki. He bolted to cut her off. “Where do you think you’re going?” He put out his arm, blocking her way.

  “I’m here as I am supposed to be. I’m a bridesmaid, remember dat?”

  “Yes, but the wedding is over. You missed out, in more ways than one, I’d like to add.”

  “Get your hands off me, Gray, or so help me, I will scream at the top of my lungs.”

  He let go. “Why are you here, huh? You’re angry, I understand that, but do you want to hurt Keisha? What did she ever do to you?”

  She batted her long lashes, and he thought he saw a hint of glossy emotion.

  “You know I’m not perfect. You know I fly off the handle. But I’ve always been there for you, admit it. So we had a fight. Big deal. My only hope was that you would come back. And here you are.” His eyes twinkled with sincerity. “I’m sorry I hurt you.”

  He led the way to the far-side cabana, where the men had gotten dressed. He made sure no one was looking. He took two handfuls of her plump breasts and kissed her full on the mouth. He left her wide open, ready to do just about anything he said. “Just go home, okay. We’ll see each other tomorrow, and everything will be back to normal.”

  She batted her eyes in concession. He kissed her one more time, cupping the fullness of her crotch, enjoying the feel of the satin fabric of her gown. He had to be careful. He could feel his own desire building. “Go.” He pulled her back. “Not that way, over there.” He pointed, and that’s when he saw her. She’d seen and probably heard everything.

  Nikki left. He dropped his head, then lifted it up. Why. Why now?

  “Ain’t this about a blip?”

  “It’s not what it looked like.”

  “Unless this is a bad dream, it’s absolutely everything it looked like.” She pinched herself. “Nope, not a dream.”

  Gray was tired. He was about ready to throw in the towel. “All right, you got me. Now what? It’s over. You could understand when two people work together, there might’ve been a relationship. Look at you and Hudson—you two fell in love. Got married. Only problem is that I chose Keisha instead of Nikki. I was trying to make her feel better.”

  Delma shook her head. “You might fool all of the people all of the time, but not me, Gray Hillman. Not me.” She started toward the suite where Keisha was probably sitting, poised like a fairy princess and exchanging her veil for the tiara.

  “What’re you going to do?”

  “I’m going to tell her everything. I spared you the embarrassment about the money, but not this. No more. I knew you were a bad seed. I knew it.”

  He popped in front of her. He towered over her. He hadn’t realized how small she was, height wise. Her big attitude and tough talk had made her appear larger than her petite frame. “I can’t let you tell her. I really, really love Keisha. We’re already married. What’s this going to do but cause a rocky start?” He hunched his shoulders like it was out of his hands. And it really was.

  “Gray Hillman, you aren’t actually looking at me like you’re going to stop me from telling my daughter the truth.”

  “I want to go with you, is all. Okay? I want to be there just so I can explain.”

  “You’re thinking you got a fifty-fifty shot, thinking she might not believe what I have to say, so you want to be there to clean it up. Yeah, I understand. Well, let’s say we take our chances, then.” She started walking ahead of him.

  He saw the open utility room and tools inside hanging on the wall. His eyes drifted to the large storage crate open and empty. He’d decided in that split second that it was a really dumb idea, but for whatever reason, he couldn’t stop himself. He wrapped a hand around her mouth, lifted her off her feet with the other arm, and carried her while she kicked and squirmed.

  “May I have this dance? Don’t tell me—I know I clean up pretty well.”

  “Very well,” I corrected, taking his hand. “I almost didn’t recognize you.”

  “I figure you weren’t going to call for the rain check. But I didn’t want you to be alone on this day, however it turned out.”

  “It was perfect. It really was.”

  “So then you don’t need me. Want me to leave?” He stopped their halfhearted dance.

  “It’s perfect because you’re here,” I said. “But you have to know, I’m not open for business. You hear what I’m saying?”

  “I hear what you’re saying.” He grinned, revealing a sharp dimple. “Just so you understand. I also have a right to refuse service.” He seductively whispered in my ear before dipping me backwards and spinning me around.

  “You’re too much.”

  “That’s what I hear.”

  I was smiling again and couldn’t help myself.

  Gray had danced with almost every woman in the room. The DJ knew all his favorite songs, since they went way back to the days of pledging on the line and mimicking Kid N Play when they went out on the prowl.

  He used a napkin to wipe his forehead. Sweat had saturated his collar and underarms. He waved for Keisha to join him. He wanted to introduce her to his buddy he hadn’t seen since middle school. He sipped on champagne and o
ffered solutions to the world’s ills. He was feeling good, bottom line. Gray Hillman couldn’t recall a time in his life when he felt more on top of the world. He was always scratching, calculating, anticipating his next move. Not tonight. He was free-falling, landing amongst friends and even strangers who simply appreciated his presence.

  “You got a good woman, son. Congratulations.” His uncle Jerry was a crackhead. He’d been on the drug for twenty years and still going strong.

  “Thank you, Uncle. I appreciate you coming.”

  “Aberdeen, is that you?” Gray gave his cousin a hug. She’d gained a whole other person. He forced himself not to ask if there was a baby in there. “You sho looking good, girl. Yeah, God bless.” He headed toward the direction he’d last seen Keisha. It was a good run, but the party was closing out. All the celeb clients had already left. He knew the envelopes were filled with checks of gratitude. He had his eye on a beautiful estate in Buckhead, large enough to raise the three or four kids he’d hoped for. He planned on paying cash. Dropping a million or so just like that. He never wanted to be on the bubble again, hoping something came through just so he could meet his obligations.

  If only that damn Byron had given him the pass codes. He’d set him up with nearly all his important clients, and the deal was simple. He got 10 percent off the top. Byron did all the hard work, the thinking, the execution. Now he was dry as a bone. The programs were in place, the money piling up, and he couldn’t touch it.

  “Mr. Hillman.” A hand landed on his back. “I just want to say, you sure know how to throw a party.” His drunk cousin Nedra smelled like vinegar. She’d tried to suck his dick when he was ten and she was thirteen. Only three years apart, but now she looked like she could be his mother. “You want a dance?” She slurred the question. Then answered it herself. “No. You think you too good for your old cousin now. You wasn’t too good for me when I licked your monkey.”

  Gray patted her on the back. “I need to call you a taxi.”

  She hugged him back, both her hands falling on his backside. “Damn, you still fine.”

  “Thank you, cousin. So are you.”

  “Liar. You always was a liar. Tell the truth. You think I’m sexy?”

  Gray stopped and turned around. He stared her down. “No, cousin. I don’t think you’re sexy.” He wasn’t a liar. He told the truth when he could. He tried to be honest when he could. No one wanted to hear the truth. Was that his fault?

  He finally made it through the throng of people to the other side of the ballroom. There before him was Nikki in the green dress, leaning into Keisha’s ear.

  “Hey, you guys having a good time?”

  Neither one of them answered him. Keisha directed her eyes to the ground. Nikki smiled. “I told her about everything.” She touched Keisha’s arm. “Ask your mother if you want confirmation. She saw us. She knows the truth.”

  Keisha slapped Gray hard across the face. He gripped her wrist. “Don’t believe her. Do you hear me? I love you.”

  She snatched her arm away. “I’m going to give you one chance. One only. Were you with her the entire time we’ve been engaged?”

  Gray felt the eyes staring him down. “Can we please talk about this in private?”

  “No. Why should we be in private? Everyone here seems to know you but me.”

  “You know me. You know the best part of me.”

  Keisha moved past him. “Has anyone seen my mother? Delma, has anyone seen Delma Hawkins?” She pulled the crystal crown off her head. The saltwater pearl earrings she held in each hand dropped to the ground. “She’s about this tall.” She faced him. “Where’s my mother?”

  The sky seemed to have darkened and opened up within minutes. Rain started pouring. The pummeling sound of drops outside the open door made everyone conclude the party was over. The bride and groom were staring each other down, one with a ferocious hate and the other with a passion too deep to call love.

  Keisha walked out into the rain and called her mother’s name. She stood still and waited for a response. Something, an inkling of a stir. Thunder jolted the sky. Keisha’s tears mixed with the rain, and all she wanted was her mother.

  “Did you hear that?” I put my fingers to my lips.

  “What? I don’t hear anything except the rain and now thunder. It’s coming down.” Vince ran a hand through his wet hair. His nice suit was sprinkled with dark droplets.

  “Listen.” We’d gotten caught in the rain, then ran to take cover. We were close, taking in each other’s air, hearing only each other’s breathing, then, “There it is again. Did you hear that. Like someone’s crying.”

  “Or something like a puppy.” Vince nodded then took my hand. We followed the muffled sound. Rain poured down a gutter spout and splashed around our feet. We tiptoed best we could, but the water was deeper than we thought.

  “Oh, great. Do you know how much these shoes cost?”

  He pressed his ear against the locked door. Vince slipped off his jacket. His shirt fit close and tight. “How do you get a body like that?” I asked spontaneously.

  “It’s something called having too much time on your hands.”

  I knew the lingo. “You were in prison?”

  He shook his head. “Lets just say I was separated from the people I love, who loved me, for their sake. I was afraid to get to know anyone else, start over. Until now.”

  I held his jacket close and appreciated the scent of him. The moaning sound came again, and I focused. “It’s a woman.”

  “Yeah.” He looked around briefly, then lunged into the door. The wood cracked but didn’t give way. He pushed three or four more times before it let go. He rubbed his shoulder. “I’m going to need a serious massage.”

  I smirked but didn’t offer. If I’d learned anything at my age, it was start how you planned to finish. If anyone was going to be getting the massages, it would be me. He stepped inside. The room was filled with water from the cracked spout pouring directly onto the walkway.

  “Please, somebody. Can you hear me?”

  Vince lifted off the heavy boxes that were placed on top of a storage crate. When he got it open, I screamed from shock. Never in a million years could I have expected to see her bent, tattered, and defenseless. “My Lord. What happened? Who did this?” I took Vince’s jacket and draped it over her shoulders. She stepped out, weeping uncontrollably. I held her by one hand, and Vince took the other. She could barely stand.

  “He’s going to take her, he’s going to take Keisha.”

  He didn’t try to run. When the police came, he was still sitting in the ballroom, long after most everyone had cleared out. His shirt-sleeves rolled up. He held his Rolex in his hand and twirled it around. He tossed it to the worker who was cleaning up plates and glasses.

  “Serious?” The young man shoved it into his pocket.

  “You want to stand up, please?” An officer snapped on handcuffs. Maybe by the time he got out, he’d figure out those pass codes. Interest would’ve built up nicely, and whatever was left of his life would be spent well.

  He was escorted past Keisha, flanked by both mothers at her side. All three women refused to look in his direction. He guessed it wouldn’t be long before they were at one another’s throats.

  The Sun and the Rain

  Make Flowers Grow

  It took a couple of weeks to digest everything. Jake wasn’t talking much since coming back from his meeting with the FBI. He couldn’t bring himself to tell them about Legend, who seemed to have disappeared overnight. But the biggest mystery was still plaguing me.

  I’d tried to keep silent on the issue. After all, there was so much to be grateful for.

  Jake was relieved to know what really happened to his accountant, and that was all that mattered. He was also relieved to have his company back. JP Wear was solid and profitable. The only problem was, we were going to have to move back to Los Angeles, just when I was in my groove.

  Business was booming. Vince was happy, and a happy em
ployee makes for a happy business. He was seeing someone religiously, no pun intended, and I refused to ask for details. The less I knew, the better. My new friend and fan, Senator Stanton, made sure all his associates called In Bloom if they needed flowers, and they needed them often.

  Then Jake got a call from Keisha Hawkins, who was taking over new clients at Shark and Boyd Associates, letting him know they still wanted to work with him. So we had good options. Things were looking way up.

  The decision was a toss up: heads we move back to Los Angeles and run JP Wear; tails we stay in Atlanta and smell the roses. The decision wasn’t going to be that easy. We had a lot to think about. Uprooting Mya was a major factor. Best friends were hard to come by, even if you were only four years old.

  I came up and wrapped my arms around Jake from behind. I planted a kiss in the center of his back. “You all right?”

  “I am, or I will be,” he said. “Why aren’t you rushing off to In Bloom?”

  “I wanted to have a full day alone with you. Just us.”

  “I like it.” He turned around and kissed me on the lips.

  “What are we going to do?”

  “Flip a coin.”

  “We already flipped. Seems either way we both feel like we’re losing. I want you to be happy. You want me to be happy.”

  “The decision should be about what makes us both happy,” he said. “I don’t have any ties here in Atlanta. But you do. You have Vince; Mya has Jory.”

  “And you have Sirena Lassiter.”

  He tensed his muscles then caught himself and tried to relax to a not a care in the world stance, but it was too late. “I guess I was waiting for this.” He shook his head. “I don’t have Sirena Lassiter. I knew her way back when. We ran in to each other when I was out with Legend. We exchanged numbers. Luckily she was there to pick up Mya. End of story.”

  I kissed his chin. “She’s enough of a reason to pack up and move. Could she be any cuter?” If I wasn’t mistaken, I felt something move between us before he loosened his grip for a little distance.