by Cherry Kay
Well, Brooklyn’s plan wouldn’t last forever, as soon as the weekend came around, Ari would have to go back to me, she’d just have to remember to let her employees work, they had minds of their own.
Ari pulled into her building’s garage and got out of the car, she dropped her keys on the way out and bent down to pick them up and lock up the car. When Ari straightened, she nearly screamed when she saw Darrel not two feet away from her standing near one of the garage pillars like a damn statue.
“What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you standing there like a creeper, and why are you here?” Ari yelled at him, beyond the capacity for patience regarding Darrel anymore. She really should seriously consider filing that restraining order; this was ridiculous now.
“I just need to talk to you, can you at least hear me out? I’ll leave you alone after you listen to what I have to say,” Darrel pleaded. The fact that he wasn’t demanding or yelling gave Ari pause. Maybe she could hear what he had to say so he’d leave her alone.
“Fine. What?” Ari asked and Darrel took a step towards her, she took a step back and he stopped, sighing instead.
“I want to make things right with us, Ari. I tried to give us both time to heal, but I can’t wait any more. I need you, I’ve always needed you and I let things cloud my mind. Stupid things, superficial things. I should have never put my hands on you and I swear to you I never will again. I just want another chance, baby, please? Let me make it up to you and show you I can be better than I was, that we can go back to how the way things were between us before we got so stressed out with me.”
Darrel spoke seemingly all in one breath and Ari sighed when he fell silent. She didn’t know how to get it into his thick skull that she wanted nothing to do with him, now or ever in the future. He was remorseful, though he still didn’t apologize for hitting Ari.
“Darrel… I realize that our split must be hard for you and I know you must hate yourself for what you did. I did love you at one point, you’re a good guy, but your judgment just got screwed up. You broke something vital to our relationship that cannot be fixed, Darrel. So please, just move on… because I can’t be with you, not now or in the future,” Ari said truthfully.
Darrel’s features went from hurting and remorseful, to unreadable and void of emotion in about three seconds flat.
“You won’t even try to forgive me? You won’t even try?” he asked, his voice reminding her of how it was before he attacked her that night their relationship ended.
“No, Darrel, I have forgiven you and I’ve moved on. I don’t want to make the same mistake twice… You need to forgive yourself and move on,” Ari answered, her voice stronger than she felt.
“Whatever, you’ll regret it… You’ll regret it,” was all Darrel said before walking off, leaving the parking garage and Ari rooted to the ground, fear creeping slowly into her heart. She didn’t know if Darrel changed or got worse and that was what scared her most.
Ari eventually forced herself to calm down enough to make it to her apartment; she locked herself inside and curled up on the couch. Ari let the pent up emotion of dealing with Darrel, and not having anyone to hold her, free and she cried while hugging her throw pillow. After the last sobs left her, Ari picked up the phone to call the police. She would file a restraining order against Darrel; she wouldn’t let herself become victimized by this man.
Ari spent an hour with two policemen in her kitchen making a proper statement to get the ball rolling on the restraining order. She was given a measure of relief that she had enough information and evidence to file for a restraining order, though one policeman told her that Ari’s decision to drop the charges against Darrel after the initial abuse could work against her in court, but if he came around again, she needed to call the police.
This gave her a measure of relief that she was doing what was necessary for her protection, but she was afraid about timing. How long would it be until she got a court date? What if Darrel acted before the courts did? She couldn’t stay locked up in her condo forever. After all, she did have lunch with Sandy in half an hour. Ari took a deep breath, she’d simply call the number Officer Rick gave her and Darrel would be dealt with if he bothered her again.
Ari nodded to herself and took a deep breath, hardening her resolve. She could do this, and she would go out. Ari grabbed her purse, made sure her pepper spray was in her bag, and headed out to go meet Sandy.
Ari met up with Sandy at Panera Bread and debated telling her about the morning’s events with Darrel.
“Girl, whatever it is you might as well spit it out. It’s written all over your face that you’re debating telling me something,” Sandy said while studying Ari closely. “Oh my God, you’re pregnant!” Sandy said with a dramatic gasp, her hands covering her mouth, her eyes widened in shock.
Ari rolled her eyes and sighed just as dramatically as Sandy was acting. “No! I’m not pregnant, of course not. I, um… I filed for a restraining order against Darrel,” Ari said almost hesitantly, Sandy gasped, otherwise not moving from her shocked pose across the table from Ari.
“Why did you file now? What the hell happened Ari? I mean good for you, but what the hell happened?” Sandy was in more shock than Ari was over the whole thing and Ari hadn’t even told Sandy the entire story yet.
“I saw him at my little coffee shop and then left, but he followed me home and threatened me after I told him that things were over for good between us.” Ari gave Sandy a condensed version of the story, knowing she probably wouldn’t react well if she knew the details, like how cold Darrel looked and how much he scared her still.
100“Thank goodness you called the cops, Ari, don’t spare him any consequence this time okay? That man needs to leave you the hell alone. Do you want to stay with me until the courts issue the restraining order?” Sandy offered and Ari shook her head.
“No, I’ll be fine. I don’t want to fall into any fearful habits. If I see him again, whether up close or far away, I’m calling the police,” Ari said, strength in her voice. Though she didn’t dismiss the idea completely.
“I understand, but you know all you have to do is knock on my door and you won’t have to worry about anything,” Sandy said sincerely and Ari nodded, she understood completely that her sister had her back.
“I know, don’t worry about me, though, I’ll be fine. Promise,” Ari said and smiled at Sandy reassuring both herself and her sister.
Mark
Mark woke feeling shitty; his head felt like it was filled with cotton and he swore he was hearing ghosts. Mark sat up in bed and remembered that he had come to his parents’ house last night. He could hear them whispering outside his door. Mark checked his watch and cursed, he was more than an hour late for work, and he had a meeting in five minutes and would most likely miss it.
Mark jumped out of bed and opened his closet, finding a clean towel and thankfully a few clean suits. He grabbed what he needed for a shower and hurried across the hall for a shower.
“Marco, you didn’t tell us you were coming home last night.” Mark’s mother, Isabella stopped him in the hall and he saw his dad’s retreating form heading downstairs. Mark bent down to kiss his mother on the cheek and flashed a grin at her.
“I didn’t even know, Mama, but I'm sorry, I’m running late. I’ll be back for dinner, though.” Mark slid into the bathroom, away from his mother’s calculating stare. She obviously wanted to get to the bottom of his unexpected visit. Really, Mark didn’t know himself. He just wanted the comfort of home.
Mark took a quick shower and got dressed even quicker before carrying Ignacio downstairs with him and briefly greeting his father who was sipping a cup of coffee and reading the paper. He kissed his mother goodbye and patted Ignacio on the head before hurrying outside. Paul was waiting with the car on the curb and Mark got in with a huff.
“Thanks, Paul, for being here, I don’t know if I would have made it today,” Mark said as Paul got into the car and peeled out into traffic, he was an experience
d New York driver and skillfully wove through traffic, getting Mark to the city as quickly as possible.
“Of course, sir. Will you be staying at your parents’ home again this week?”
Mark nodded absently while checking his email and texting his assistant that he’d be more than a little late to his ten o’clock meeting with his Florida investors. Mark hadn’t had the time to tell his investors of the added cost of reconfiguring the ground floor and parking garage. They’ll want a full update on the changes and what was going on, especially what that meant for the schedule for the hotel being completed on time.
Paul pulled up to the Garden Tower on Sixth Avenue and Mark hurried past reception and up to his offices on the twenty-third floor.
“Mr. Robinson, the investors are waiting in your office, you only have twenty minutes left of their time, sir,” Mark’s assistant informed him while taking Mark’s briefcase and Mark thanked him.
“You’re a magician for getting them to stay so long, lunch is on me today, Brian.” Mark smiled at his assistant in thanks and then hurried into his office where six investors milled around the room impatiently.
“Mark, we were beginning to think you had taken our money and run off to stay in Florida,” Robert Stein quipped as Mark walked through the glass doors of his office.
“I apologize for my tardiness, gentlemen. Rest assured, I haven’t made off with your money and skipped off to Cuba,” Mark said, glancing at Stein with a smirk. “If you’ll please join me, we can address all of your concerns,” Mark said while moving over to the small conference table near his desk.
The meeting bit into Mark’s time slot for his next one; his entire day went by like that, one step behind. Mark had to cancel lunch with Rose and while she pouted over it, Mark was relieved he didn’t have to sit through painfully awkward conversation with her for twenty to thirty minutes.
Mark finished work more than an hour late and had Paul drop him at his parents’ and sent for some of his clothes to be brought over there as well. Mark supposed he would spend the week with his mom and dad.
“There is my son, I was beginning to think you forgot about dinner. I made your favorite tonight, Marco.” Mark’s mom used his Italian name. Mark had changed his name from Marco Rabottini to Mark Robinson when he was just starting out in the business world so that he wouldn’t be associated with any Italian mobsters. Yes, he turned his back on a large part of his heritage, but he felt it would help him fit in better to the American business world.
Mark walked into the kitchen and he could smell the delicious eggplant Parmesan before seeing it laid out on the kitchen table. “It smells delicious, Mama, thank you.” Mark kissed his mother and sat down at the table. Ignacio padded up to the table, ever vigilant for dropped morsels. “Where is Papa? He's working late tonight?” Mark asked his mom as she sat down at the table and started fixing a plate for her son.
“Yes, they had a malfunction with one of the printing machines, he had to stay to help get the paper printed.” Mark’s mom filled him in and Mark nodded thoughtfully. His father had worked for one of the largest newspaper printing companies in the city for as long as Mark could remember. He should be retiring soon, though; Mark didn’t think it was okay that his dad was out so late working.
“You know your father, Marco, work is his passion. That and he is the most experienced so they needed him to fix the machine,” Isabella said with a smirk.
Mark smiled; his mom always found a reason to laugh at her dad, he thought that was what kept their relationship so strong. His father, Chris, was always a source of laughter for his mom; they made each other happy… they loved each other like a married couple should.
“This is delicious, Mama, you’ve outdone yourself this time.” Mark leaned over to kiss his mother on the cheek before going back to his food.
“I outdo myself each time I cook for you and your father. Soon I’ll be a five Michelin Star chef!” Mark laughed and his heart was filled with the love he had for his mom. This was exactly what he needed.
“Mama, it only goes up to three stars,” he said with a laugh still in his voice.
“My joke was still funny though, so we’ll make the exception, Marco,” his mom said while patting Mark on the hand fondly. Mark couldn’t help but laugh again.
They ate in comfortable silence for a few moments before Isabella got that look in her eye. Mark knew she would soon ask him why he was there, and more importantly, why he had an overnight bag packed well enough for all week.
“I missed you, Mama, that’s all. I missed you and Pop and Ignacio, so I thought that instead of visiting you for a night and only seeing you for a moment, I’d spend the week here and really spend some time with you guys,” Mark said truthfully. He did miss home and his parents; he was just spurred to make this visit by his conflicting emotions over how he was living out his life.
“I don’t doubt you’re homesick, you hardly call or visit us anymore and I never know what is going on with you, Marco. You have become so successful and your father and I are so proud of you, but you must always, always remember your roots, remember how I raised you.” Mark’s mother looked at him in all seriousness and Mark nodded. She patted his cheek affectionately before they went back to having dinner.
“So when did Pop say he’d be back?” Mark asked his mom. She told him that he’d most likely be back in the morning, as he had to oversee printing for the night. “You should talk to him about retiring soon, Mama. You guys can travel the world, visit Italy more often. It’s not good that he's being worked like he's in his twenties,” Mark lectured his mother. This time she rolled her eyes.
“I tell him this every day, Marco, don’t think I haven’t tried everything. He’ll only stop working if the company forces him to. That man is more stubborn than you.” Mark’s mother put emphasis on the word and she lifted an eyebrow at Mark, a smile touching her lips.
“I’m not stubborn, Mama, I am simply driven. There is a difference,” Mark said, bringing up their age-old teasing argument.
“Yes, well, you could drive yourself into a ditch and not be able to drive out of it. So be careful Marco.” Mark’s mother had finished her food and she took his empty plate with her to the sink. Mark helped her clean up, putting a plate for his father in the oven; even if his dad missed sitting down with the family at dinner, he never ever missed eating dinner. Mark’s dad would eat his wife’s cooking at any time of the day.
Mark started wondering if Ari could cook, he bet she could and he wanted to kick himself for not finding out if she liked to cook. Then he shook himself internally; what was he thinking anyway? He was supposed to be forgetting about Ari, not wondering if she’d be a good wife and mother like his mom was. Mark knew for a fact that Ari would be ten times better than Roselyn.
Mark sighed deeply as he put the wrapped up leftover eggplant Parmesan into the fridge and his mother looked at him with questioning concern.
“What’s troubling you, Marco?” she asked matter-of-factly, wanting no nonsense from Mark and a straight answer. Mark wasn’t ready to tell his mother that he was going to marry Roselyn Ivory and he simply shook his head. “Well, you’re here for the week and so am I, you know you can tell me anything,” Isabella said in a motherly tone.
“I know, Mama, thank you.” Mark kissed her soft cheek before walking towards the staircase, Ignacio followed after him and looked up at Mark expectantly when Mark made to climb the stairs. Mark scooped up the old dog and went to go take care of some work in his room.
Roselyn called him later than was usual, and their conversation was short and superficial. Mark made plans to have lunch with her the next day and felt sick to his stomach when he hung up the phone, his mother’s words haunting him. Perhaps Mark should think of things in terms of what would kill his mother if he told her and what wouldn’t. If Mark told her he was marrying Roselyn and what he was marrying her for then he was sure he would be responsible for his mother’s death.
Mark sighed and laid
on his bed; while he stared up at the ceiling he let himself think of Ari. She was everything he didn’t know he wanted in a woman and all that he did want. He wondered if she had gotten over him already and moved on, or if he broke her heart and left her alone back in Florida. He’d never forgive himself if it were the latter; then again, he was also having a hard time coping with the idea that she had moved on.
Mark was going to have a hard time sleeping. He decided to just go for a jog, and then maybe he would exhaust himself into sleeping. Mark changed into something he could exercise in and left the house for a quick run around his old neighborhood. Mark ran four miles by the time he returned home and he was surprised to see his father’s car in one of his parents’ parking spaces.
Mark entered the house quietly, locking the door behind him and greeting Ignacio who wagged his way into the front room. Mark had brought him down before leaving.
“Marco, that you?” his father’s gruff voice called out from the kitchen and Mark walked through to the kitchen to greet him. Chris gestured for his son to have a seat at the table and Mark did after grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge. “So how are things with you, Son?” Chris asked before taking a bite of his dinner they saved for him.
“Things are hectic as usual, Pop, but business is good so I can’t complain,” Mark said before taking a swig of water. Mark’s father watched him for a moment and then nodded thoughtfully. Mark’s father was the observant one and he always seemed to know what Mark was thinking, more than Mark’s own mother did sometimes and that was saying something.
“Business is steady and that’s always good, so now that you have your future secured, what about your heart, hm? Who will you share all that you’ve built with?” Chris got right down to the core of Mark’s troubles and Mark swallowed another drink of water nervously.
