by Pamela Yaye
When Kendall picked her up on the corner of Garfield and Seventh Boulevard, she could tell that Ebony had been crying. Her eyes were red, her cheeks were puffy and her shoulders were hunched. Ebony wasn’t a crier. Aside from the occasional movie or heart-wrenching Oprah moment, she didn’t tear up. Kendall could count on one hand the number of times she had seen her best friend cry, and over a man? Never. She had encouraged Ebony to talk about what happened, but she’d looked away and stared out the window.
Kendall couldn’t make sense of her best friend’s behavior. Ebony was a woman of action. If she didn’t like the way things were going, she made changes. No whining. No complaining. No pity parties. But when Kendall pressed her for answers, she said in a sad, pitiful voice, “I can’t believe I was stupid enough to believe Xavier loved me.” Name-calling was completely out of character for Ebony; Kendall had never heard her best friend chastise herself. With tears in her eyes, Ebony recounted what happened at the barbecue. Kendall could understand why she was upset, could understand why she was feeling so low, but she couldn’t stomach Ebony calling herself names.
Kendall tried to reason with Ebony, but it was no use. She wouldn’t listen to what she had to say and lashed out whenever Kendall tried to comfort her. Sensing she wouldn’t be able to handle this situation on her own, Kendall called for backup.
Opal arrived fifteen minutes after Kendall called. Setting her sunglasses down on the counter, she said, “I got here as fast as I could.” She closed her arms around Ebony’s shoulders and held her tight. “Do you want to talk about it?”
Ebony didn’t know why, but her eyes filled with more tears. If she started crying in front of Opal, she would never have peace again. Mother Hen would insist she come and stay at her house and wouldn’t back off until she agreed. Ebony pressed her eyes shut to ward off the tears. She needed another good cry, but now was not the time. Later, alone, in the privacy of her bedroom, she would let it out.
“Has Xavier called?”
Ebony shook her head.
Opal took a seat. “Why didn’t he say anything when his sister was going off on you? Why didn’t he tell her to back off?”
That very question had been circling in Ebony’s mind ever since she left the Reed house. What bothered her the most wasn’t facing off with Jacqueline or even the malicious things she’d said. It was Xavier’s reaction. Or rather, lack of reaction. Jacqueline’s accusations didn’t trouble her half as much as his betrayal. He never once jumped in or came to her defense. He just stood there, watching, passing judgment with his eyes.
During the course of their relationship, Xavier had convinced her that she was special; that she mattered to him. Over the last few months, he had done all the little things men did to express their love. He brought her dinner when she was stuck behind her desk. She received three, sometimes four calls a day. Text messages and e-mails crowded her message box on a regular basis. But tonight, when she needed Xavier the most, he wasn’t there for her.
What would have happened if Jacqueline had tried to hit me? Would he have hung back and cheered her on? Ebony took a sip of her tea. Now, I’m just being silly. Xavier wouldn’t let his sister beat on me, would he? Sighing deeply, she stared down at her hands. Aspirin had alleviated her headache, but it did nothing to dilute the pain in her heart. The bubble bath had soothed her mind, relaxed her body and washed away the stench of the afternoon. She was still upset over what happened, but at least she wasn’t bawling all over herself anymore. “Xavier didn’t come to my defense because he believed what his sister said. Shouldn’t surprise me. He’s been judging me ever since day one.”
“You don’t mean that,” Kendall said to her.
“Yes, I do. If Xavier truly cared about me—” she pinched two fingers together “—even a bit, he wouldn’t have let his sister disrespect me like that. He would have stepped in.”
“Don’t say things like that, Ebony. You know that man loves you. Think of all the things he’s done since you started dating.” Kendall paused, as she thought back to yesterday. The excitement was clear in Ebony’s voice when she called and told her about their romantic birthday dinner. And last week when Xavier showed up at the office with lunch for all of the staff, Ebony had kissed him in front of everyone. Her friend was still very much her own woman, but she had made room in her life for Xavier to come in. Kendall found herself amazed at the difference in her business partner. Ebony wasn’t bopping around the office with a ridiculous grin on her face, or singing in the rain, but she was more patient and understanding with her employees. The staff was secretly hoping that the boss’s new relationship would lead to marriage, because a happy boss meant a less stressful work environment. Kendall urged Ebony to be patient. “Wait until you’ve talked to him before you make any decisions. Don’t discard a perfectly good relationship just because you’re angry. Talk things out—”
“What’s there to discuss?” Ebony asked, her voice devoid of any emotion. “We had our fun and now it’s over. Xavier alluded to the fact that he loved me, but after what happened this afternoon, I’m sure any love he may have felt for me is gone.”
Opal disagreed. “Love isn’t like a faucet, Ebony. You can’t turn your feelings off and on. Jamal and I have been divorced for years, but there’s a big part of me that still loves him. Every time he picks up the girls, everything I ever felt for him comes rushing back. I’m with Kendall. Give Xavier a chance to explain. He needs to hear your side of the story, too. What happened between you and Malcolm was years ago. Xavier’s a good man, he won’t hold your past against you.”
“Why bother? It’s my word against hers. You don’t have to be a genius to figure out who he’s going to believe. Jacqueline painted the picture and he bought it.” She snorted, “To hear her tell it, I’m a whore who only goes after happily married men.”
“It doesn’t matter what she thinks,” Kendall told her. “The people who love you know the truth. You just have to make Xavier see that.”
They sat in silence for several minutes, the tick of the grandfather clock the only sound in the room. A rush of cool air gushed through the kitchen window, filling the space with a soft breeze.
“I met with Yolanda this morning.”
“Oh?” Since Kendall and Ebony couldn’t agree on what to do with the district manager, they had suspended her without pay until they could reach a compromise. After checking in with the employees who worked under Yolanda and hearing all the admirable things they had to say about her, they had decided to give her one last chance. Yolanda had practically gotten down on her knees when she heard the news. Firing her would have been a mistake of epic proportions. The boutiques under her care had the highest sales, the most satisfied employees and the most creative merchandise displays. She was a talent, and they were convinced that she would do better.
“She came in to help us fine-tune the Women of Sensuality promotions and ended up giving us a few slogans, as well,” Kendall said, sure the news would lift her partner’s spirits.
“What did you come up with?”
Kendall filled her in. By the time she finished bringing Ebony up to speed, she had perked up a bit. “Sabrina wants us to get together on Wednesday to go over the budget, but I told her to pick another night. You have Changing Lives Through Meals in the evening and—”
“Wednesday’s fine.”
“But what about—”
Ebony reiterated, “I said, Wednesday’s fine, Kendall.”
“So, that’s it,” Opal concluded, refilling their mugs with tea, “you’re not going to try and work things out?”
Rubbing the tenderness underneath her eyes, she said, “I’m going to go about my business and forget I ever met Xavier Reed.” Ebony stared down at her cup, wrestling with the feelings in her heart. Pushing aside her insecurities about the future, she took another long sip of her tea. “I’m not going to lose any sleep over what happened. I learned a lot from him, we had some great times together, but it’s over and I’m okay
with that.” Kendall and Opal stared at her like she had just told them she was going to travel to South Africa and live in the jungle. “I’ll be fine, you guys. Stop looking so worried. God, you two are acting like Xavier’s a Greek god or something. He’s no different than any of the other guys I’ve dated.”
Ebony was lying, and Opal and Kendall both knew it.
Kendall looked long and hard at her best friend. Ebony loved Xavier with everything she had. He was the only man who had ever been given unlimited access to her house, her cars and even her finances. In turn, she had keys to his house, equal closet space in his bedroom and now had met his family. That alone was proof enough of his commitment. A man didn’t bring a woman home to meet his mother unless he was in love.
Kendall was struck by another interesting fact. Since Ebony had started dating Xavier, she had called in sick or left early for “personal reasons” a dozen or more times; last year, Ebony hadn’t missed a single day of work. Kendall thought of sharing this staggering fact with her friend, but decided against it. Ebony might take exception to it, and Kendall didn’t want to do anything to upset her further. Besides, she was thrilled with the changes Ebony had made in her life. For the first time ever, she had found a happy medium between work and play. She still took work home in the evenings and came in on the weekend, but the overtime hours had ceased and she delegated more tasks to her assistant. “Why would you want to stop dating someone who’s made you so happy?”
“His sister hates me. Jacqueline is the most important person in Xavier’s life and though I want to be with him, I can’t put him in a situation where he’d have to choose. That wouldn’t be fair.”
Opal covered Ebony’s hand. “Talk to him. Tell him how you feel and then go from there. I know you’re hurting and it may seem like things are over, but don’t make any rash decisions until you’ve talked to him.”
Kendall thought for a moment about the problems she had encountered with her husband’s side of the family when they first started dating. “Remember when I moved in with you?”
Ebony did. The few days Kendall had said she would be staying had turned out to be three weeks. Ebony hadn’t minded the company, though. It was nice having someone around, and her best friend could throw down in the kitchen. “That was the weekend Turner’s parents visited, right?”
“And were they ever surprised to find a half-naked black woman frying bacon in their son’s kitchen!” Kendall giggled, despite the anguish that had surrounded the situation. “They told Turner if he married me, they were going to disown him. He told me he didn’t care what his parents said, and begged me to stay, but I knew the best thing I could do for both of us was give him the space and time to think about what he wanted.” Her words came out powerfully. “Ebony, I had Turner’s entire family to convince, and I’m still working on it, years later. You only have one person to win over—Jacqueline. You said yourself that the rest of his family welcomed you with open arms, so quit focusing on the negatives. Reach out to his sister. Go to her and tell her the truth. Do whatever it takes to change her mind.” Kendall had one more thing to say. “And take it easy on Xavier. The brother’s in a tight spot.”
Ebony gave some thought to Kendall’s words. She had been so busy feeling sorry for herself, she hadn’t considered what Xavier must be going through. Her friend made a valid point. This has to be a difficult time for him, too.
Opal spoke next. “Things will work out, Ebony. I’m sure of it.” She checked her watch, then stood. “I wish I could stay longer, but I left the girls at my neighbor’s house and it’s past Tessa’s bedtime. I’ll give you a call once the girls are in bed, okay?”
Ebony nodded.
“I should go, too. That husband of mine is probably wondering where I am.” Kendall rubbed a hand across Ebony’s back. “If you wake up in the morning and don’t feel like coming in, stay home. After the day you’ve had, you deserve some R&R.”
After another quick hug, Ebony walked her friends to the front door. Guilt pricked her heart as she watched Opal slip her feet back into a pair of her sandals. She had been so busy chasing after Xavier the last few months, she hadn’t been much of a friend. Opal, who had been battling her weight all her life, had shed what appeared to be a good twenty pounds. Her face had thinned out, the flesh around her stomach was gone, but the most drastic change was the way her clothes fit. The clingy material of her powder-blue sundress hit the slope of her hips and showcased her slim thighs. Her loose, flowy micro braids were held together with a silver barrette, and added a soft feminine touch to her summer look. Ebony infused her voice with humor. “Looking good, Momma,” she teased. “What have you been taking and where do I get some?”
Opal giggled.
“Doesn’t she look hot?” Kendall asked Ebony.
“She does.” Then to Opal, “How much weight have you lost?”
“Ah, give or take about eighteen pounds.”
“You go, girl! I’m scared of you!” Ebony chuckled. It felt good to laugh again. This time, it was Ebony who threw her arms around Opal and squeezed tight. “Keep at it, girlfriend. I like the new you.”
“Me, too.” Swallowed by her career, her children and being there for her friends and family, Opal hadn’t even noticed that an entire year had passed without a single date. Sure, she went out with male friends and co-workers, but it was never anything serious. No more waiting by the phone for Jamal to call. She was wasting her time waiting for him to come to his senses and ask to come back home. Opal was going to get out there and see what the dating world had to offer.
After agreeing to meet for lunch later in the week, Kendall and Opal left. Ebony watched her friends get into their respective cars, and waved goodbye.
Ebony closed the door and returned to the kitchen. As she entered the room, she spotted Opal’s sunglasses sitting on the counter. Ebony snatched up the glasses and sprinted back down the hallway, in the hopes of catching her best friend before she drove out of the cul-de-sac. She flung open the door, but instead of entering a wide-open space, ran smack dab into Xavier.
Chapter 20
Ebony didn’t want Xavier in her house. Didn’t want him in her personal space, asking all sorts of questions, trying to get all up in her business. Her friends had cheered her up, given her the support she so desperately needed and helped to restore her self-confidence. Xavier being here would just complicate matters.
Her heart had shattered into a million pieces when Jacqueline humiliated her, and now Xavier was here to stomp on what little of her pride she had left. I’m not going to let you hurt me, she vowed, crossing her arms over her chest. Casting aside the advice she’d been given by her friends, she stepped back to create some distance and usher in some fresh air. “What do you want?”
Xavier stood firm. He had some hard questions for her and he wasn’t leaving until he got answers. She had lied to him, maybe not point-blank, but neglecting to tell him she had once dated his brother-in-law was inexcusable. “We need to talk.” Anticipating her response, he added, “And I’m not leaving here until we get everything out in the open.”
Ebony shivered as the wind flowed into the foyer. Rubbing the cold from her shoulders, she thought of what to do next. Ebony definitely wasn’t in a talking mood and she didn’t want to be badgered about her past. Exhausted didn’t begin to describe her emotional state, and the sooner Xavier vacated the premises the sooner she could go to bed.
“Xavier, I want you to leave.”
Pretending he didn’t hear her, he closed the door behind him and slipped off his shoes. Not bothering to wait for an invitation, he stalked into the living room and sat down on the couch. Xavier waited for Ebony to join him, but when she didn’t, he patted the empty space beside him. “Come here.”
Ebony didn’t know if she could. Being in such close proximity of him might end up working against her. What if he tried to kiss her? Or touched her hand? Pushing his kisses and soft touches out of her mind, she stood there quietly.
“Please?” The soft pleading of his eyes did her in.
Ebony ambled into the room and took a seat. Inhaling deeply, she waited for the interrogation to begin.
“Why didn’t you tell me about you and Malcolm?”
Her lips pinched. “Tell you what, Xavier? How was I supposed to know you knew who Malcolm Pleiss was?”
“You didn’t know he was married?”
“No!”
“Really?”
Ebony didn’t know why, but she couldn’t bring herself to meet his gaze. Maybe it was because of the skeptical look on his face or the way he was studying her. Xavier was implying that she knowingly took up with Malcolm. He couldn’t be further from the truth. Making no effort to hide her displeasure, she said, “Malcolm told me he was separated.”
His voice was thick with insinuation. “And you believed that?”
“There was no reason not to.” She offered an explanation before Xavier could probe any further. “Malcolm had a two-bedroom apartment on Thomas Avenue, he was available whenever I needed him and he never once mentioned his wife in my presence. I didn’t even know her name.”
Ebony read the question in his eyes. “When I heard you and Jacqueline talking in the living room, I recognized her voice but I couldn’t place her right away. All I knew was that she was somehow connected to my past.”
“How did you get involved with Malcolm?”
Ebony hesitated. This was the question she had been dreading. What she said from here on out would definitely change the way Xavier saw her. Thoughts of Malcolm Pleiss came creeping in, and try as she might, she couldn’t shake them. Normally Ebony stayed far away from men with baggage. She didn’t date single fathers. Or divorcés. Refused to give her number to men who weren’t gainfully employed, regardless of how fine they were. But with his confidence and won’t-take-no-for-an-answer approach, Malcolm had easily won her over. Ebony had contacted five different construction companies about renovating one of her boutiques that had suffered flood damage. On top of guaranteeing the renovations could be done after store hours so that business wouldn’t be disrupted, Malcolm had quoted an estimate five thousand dollars less than his competitors. Ebony would have been a fool to turn it down. “I met Malcolm at a low point in my life. My parents had just died, I was busting my ass trying to get my business off the ground and I was living on a meager three hours of sleep a night. Every time my head touched the pillow, I had a nightmare about my parents’ car accident. It was those nightmares that ultimately brought Malcolm and me together.”
