The Law of Motion (Law Series)

by Di'Nisha Robinson

“No one shares what they think outside of Gravity and Bravo, but we are allGravity now. We should be able to share everything with each other. I am closer to the people in this room than I am with my own mother and fatherand damn it how long are Joanne and Liam going to dance around the fact that he hasn’t popped the question?

  She wants to get married, you haven’t asked, she’s too afraid to ask, and whether you talk about it in front of us or in private it needs to be talked about because it’s a time bomb between you two, one that Liam doesn’t even know is there.”

  My dad’s eyes were definitely shocked; he had no idea that this had been the topic of conversation amongst us all at one point. We had all agreed that it wasn’t our place to say anything, but there Tink was frustrated and angry enough to say everything that was on her mind.

  “You want to get married Joanne?” Liam asked, looking at no one but her.

  Joanne was quite for a moment, her caramel colored hair covering her eyes because her head was down. “I… I understand that you have been married before, so I never wanted to press the subject. But it was always a question of why we never had the conversation.”

  There was a loud exhale and a throaty chuckle from my dad, his way of breaking tension. “Joanne, I would have married you years ago, but I assumed that at our age you didn’t see a point in it.”

  “Our age?” She repeated cautiously making Doc and Macon chuckle too. Easing the atmosphere a bit more. “I’m not even old enough to retire, Liam.”

  He nodded, “So you want to get married?”

  “Yes you idiot.” She smiled wrapping herself into him and giving him a kiss. “It doesn’t have to be anything big, but yes, I want to be your wife.”

  “Then let’s get married, Joanne.” Dad grinned kissing her again. His eyes fell on me and he hesitated for a moment. “Wait, how do you feel about this, son?”

  That threw me for a loop, “I love Joanne, and I love youmake it official.”

  “Are you sure Adrian,” Joanne hesitated, “I don’t want you to feel like I am trying to replace the mother you already have.”

  I shrugged. I’m pretty sure if I was still a kid the shit would have bothered me, but at thirty with my own adult life, him having his own wasn’t even a thought. “Last time I checked she was remarried and happy, and I think Dad deserves the same. You make him happy Joanne, so please don’t hesitate to say yes on my account.”

  Joanne kissed him on the cheek again, “Then yes, let’s get married.”

  “Alright, that means we got another bachelor party to plan.” Dario grinned conspiratorially with Macon.

  “No, no, no, save those plans for Adrian’s soirée, I’m a bit too old for that. Besides, I haven’t been a bachelor for some time in my eyes.” Dad rejected.

  Macon frowned at that idea. “Well we gotta do something man, dinner or a trip at least, come on I’m living my bachelorhood out through you guys.”

  “Keep on and you’ll be a bachelor again.” Kristen threatened with a smile.

  Ross laughed making a sound that mimicked the crack of a whip. Tink took a sip of her tea again, still saying nothing. Everyone quieted down again when the sound of Alyssa’s office door opened.

  Carmen walked out with Alyssa, still holding her hand, almost like she wasn’t sure Alyssa was real and would disappear again if she let go. “So I will try to explain as much as I can to Mama and the others, you know how the Espinosa tempers can be.”

  Alyssa laughed lightly, “Yes I can remember vaguely, I think I still have one myself.”

  Carmen became aware of us, and stopped, looking the group of us over, “I want to thank all of you, for being there for my cousin when we couldn’t be. Which one of you is Margaux?”

  Margaux stood up, and almost skipped over to her. Carmen planted a kiss on both of her cheeks, “Thank you for bringing us together again, the Espinosa family is in your debt.”

  “No debt needed, just make sure you’re here for the wedding in May, all of you.” Tink smiled pleased that she was helping.

  She nodded, her white teeth flashing an uncontainable smile. She turned her head to me, “You’re Adrian then.”

  “And you’re Carmen.” I repeated extending my hand to her, though I had never heard of her before today.

  She frowned at my hand, and extended her arms, “We’re going to be family now Adrian, I think that you should be able to hug me.”

  I gave her a quick hug and she smiled to Alyssa as I pulled away. “You did very well with this one.”

  Alyssa winked at me when she answered, “I got pretty lucky.”

  “I got lucky.” I corrected shaking my head.

  Hunter stood up with open arms, “Do I get another hug Carmela?”

  Carmen’s lips hardened in a line and she sent five fingers and a palm across his face in a thwack. A few of the girls gasped but Hunter just rubbed the spot on his cheek and concluded, “I guess that hug was a one-time thing then.”

  Alyssa crossed her arms groaning, like this shit happened every day, “Guys…”

  Carmen just ignored her, keeping her gaze on Hunter. “You knew where she was and you never told us. You should have been the one to call us.”

  Alyssa pinched the bridge of her nose and exhaled, “We just got back in contact Carmen. It’s not his fault.”

  “Unless it was an hour ago, I don’t want to hear it Alyssa.” Carmen refused. Well at least I wasn’t the only one that didn’t like him.

  Hunter just rolled his eyes at her, “Oh course you don’t. Heaven forbid Carmela listens to anybody.”

  “It’s Carmen.” She corrected.

  Alyssa gave him a warning glance, but it softened to a pleading look, “Hunt…”

  “Fine,” He surrendered with a groan. “ I have a report to write anyway. I’ll call you tomorrow, Babes. Have a safe trip back, Carmela.”

  She shrieked internally as the door chimed again. “It’s Carmen.” But he was already gone.

  Alyssa just sighed, but the face I knew was trying to hide her amusement, “Just… let it go Carm.”

  “He’s so infuriating.” She muttered low enough for basically Alyssa. Then she took a deep breath and her attitude changed, like he had never upset her.

  Carmen retook Alyssa’s hand as she introduced her to everyone formally. “Ithas been great meeting all of you, and I will see you all again in the near future.” Alyssa walked her to the door where they finally let go of each other, “Two weeks.” Carmen turned back to stress, “Any longer andyou know how they are.”

  “They’ll come here. I know, don’t worry I’ll be there.” Alyssa promised.

  Carmen took one last look at me, “You should bring him with you, Mom would love to meet him.”

  “That would be interesting.” Alyssa agreed. “Send everyone my love and I will see you soon.”

  Once they said their goodbyes, Tink filled the silence with a smug statement. “That went well.”

  “For now, I still have to go back.” Alyssa sighed wearily. “But Carmen said she would come back with me.”

  I pulled her to me, being able to for the first time since I left her office, “Don’t worry we’ll get through it together.”

  “Mmm Hmmm.” She nodded in my chest before looking up at me. “What would you say to meeting my family?”

  Chapter 33- A Deals a Deal

  “They’re back! They’re back! They’re back!” Tink announced when we walked back into Gravity. We had been gone for two weeks, though it only felt like days. Adrian and I had no free moment to ourselves and though I had once thrived on privacy it felt good to be surrounded by the family I hadn’t seen in over five years.

  Kristen chided Tink playfully, “Can we let them in the door first Margaux?” Tink poked her tongue at her before giving us a few feet of space. Kristen smiled ignoring it, and I was glad that whatever issue there was between them had been settled. “How was the trip you two?”

  “It was… interesting.” Adrian admitted.
>
  Doc came down the hall joining us in the lobby, “Interesting huh? Did the family not take a liking to you?” She asked, her voice slightly worried.

  “There was an expected wariness, considering they haven’t seen me in years and I show up engaged, but no, they loved Adrian.” I assured going through the assemblage of mail at the front desk.

  “Maybe a bit too much.” Adrian added making me crack up.

  That got Jackson’s attention, “What happened?”

  “A few of my aunt’s saw Adrian as quite the beef cake.” I answered matter-of-factly.

  Macon hollered and howled in laughter, “Handsy cougars?”

  I huffed a laugh as I attempted to scold, “Don’t call my aunts cougars.”

  “Well I want to know what happened.” Tink demanded sitting cross legged on the coffee table. “Tell, tell, tell.”

  I smiled, because I had missed her chanting of threes. I took a seat and told them everything that happened. My cousin lived in Atlanta now, so we took a layover there so that the three of us could fly in together.

  I admitted to being nervous the entire flight and that Adrian assured me that it would be ok, and I didn’t have to answer any questions I didn’t want to. When I responded with a worried sarcastic, “You don’t know my family.” He ran his finger down the bridge of my nose and patiently continued to reassure me which helped me feel better. Until we landed.

  When we got to my aunt’s house it seemed like so many members of my family were waiting to greet me. They all had a thousand questions asked in a thousand tones, and they all wanted the answers at one time. Tia Alta was my saving grace.

  She shushed my entire family and took me into the back alone. Carmen had called and told her the summary long before we got there, but she still wanted to hear it from me. I gave her the same half-truth version I gave Carmen. That I was doing a Public Relations piece in Cuba when me and my film crew were taken hostage. I couldn’t tell her the full truth, for so many reasons, but what I shared with her she took it better than I imagined. She cried a little; but when I was finished she squeezed my hand, wiped her eyes, and promised me that I wouldn’t have to worry.

  She took me back in front of my entire family and told them that her baby sister’s only daughter had returned safely, and that was all that mattered. She told them that when life gives us miracles, our job isn’t to question them but to be thankful. Therefore no one was to question me about why I was gone for so long.

  You see, the thing about my aunt was, when my grandfather passed she assumed the role of the family matriarch and though she was kind, she had a no nonsense side. No one questioned when she decided something, and she was always included in a decision involving the family.

  Everyone spent the entire two weeks catching me up on things I’ve missed over the years, and though I was still wary to their touch, I soldiered through it and though I had to spend a lot of time translating, my family loved Adrian. They saw him as the man that brought me home, and in a lot of ways they were right, because I wouldn’t have been brave enough to make the trip without him.

  “Great, great, great! Now that that is settled, we can focus on your wedding.” Tink declared getting up.

  Kristen added, “We have so many things to show you Chance. You’re going to die.”

  “I’m… pretty sure that I won’t.” I muttered not wanting to look at linen shades until my eyes bled.

  The front door chimed and for a second I was thankful for the distraction. That was, until I saw Paul standing in the doorway with a large bouquet of flowers. “Hello everyone.” He greeted while his eyes searched my group for me, “Hello Alyssa.”

  There were a few muttered ‘heys’ in response.

  “Well Giselle I have that… paperwork to do.” Dario declared dismissing himself down the hall to his office.

  Jackson, Ross, and Macon were right behind him, “Yeah man let me help you with that.”

  I shook my head because Dario and Macon were infamous for not doing their reports but I suppose they also knew that it was best to steer clear of a Neil vs. Marshall visit.

  “You ok, Honeyface?” Adrian asked appraising my expression, unsure if he should stick around or duck behind cover like the rest of my wussy security team.

  I nodded kissing him on the lips, “I’m good, go do your paperwork.”

  “I’ll be in the back if you need me.” He promised, and I rolled my eyes at the fact he skipped over what I said about doing his reports.

  My girls didn’t leave the front, but they did scatter around finding things to do. Doc, went back to something she was sketching. Kristen and Tink went behind the reception desk going over future clients she would need to look into.

  “Paul, you think a CEO would really be used to making an appointment.” I smirked sarcastically. I wasn’t as harsh as I would have been normally, because Paul did do me a huge favor, so I could at least be cordial. “You can’t just show up in your Armani suit and flowers and expect to get an audience.”

  “Actually Alyssa, that’s a Brioni Vanquish II,” Kristen corrected looking up from her computer.

  “Yep, yep, yep.” Tink concurred not looking up from what she was doing.

  Paul noted with praise, “Ah, you have an eye for Italian clothing?”

  Kristen blushed and nodded the same way she always did with Paul, “Who doesn’t know Brioni? That suit was woven with pashmina, vicuna, and qiviuk.”

  I rolled my eyes but Paul’s face was full of delight, “I’m impressed Kristen.”

  Kristen nodded, “Is it true what they say? That a Brioni Vanquish II feels like walking around in a custom fitted orgasm?”

  “Would you like to find out personally, Kristen?” Paul asked giving her his patented devilish grin. The one that could be considered teasing, or lustful all depending on how the person he used it on decided to take it.

  Kristen’s blushing face went from a pink to a beet red, almost as dumbfounded as the men who fell victim to her chameleon talents. Doc was staring wide eyes with pink cheeks and Tink had a hand over her mouth looking at Kristen’s face.

  I shook my head, “Paul…”

  He directed his attention to me completely innocent. “Yes dearest daughter?”

  “You can’t help yourself can you?”

  Paul gave me an oh so familiar eye roll, “For heaven’s sake Alyssa, I was merely offering her a chance to find out for herself. My family has been a client of the Fonticoli family since 1954, they don’t normally do female apparel, but they have made a few exceptions for me in the past.” Then he turned back to the Kristen, “If you’d like a suit Kristen I’d me more than happy to arrange it for you.”

  “Come on.” I demanded shaking my head and leading the way to my office.

  Once I let him in I shut the door behind me and he looked around. “This is the first time you’ve let me into your office Alyssa.”

  “What’s your reason for coming Paul?”

  He passed the flowers over to me before taking a seat in front of my desk. “These are for you.”

  “Calla lilies.” I mused smelling them before sitting them on my desk, stuck in my on private memories.

  He nodded, “Your mother’s favorite.”

  “I know. I was there.” I sighed letting out a deep breath and taking a seat of my own. “Now what can I do for you?”

  I could tell my comment hurt him, but he composed it pretty well. “I heard, Roman was the reason Tawny lost her son. I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”

  “I didn’t think you did, Paul. All is as it should be now.”

  “I just don’t understand why he would do that. He was my right hand for over ten years.” He continued on.

  I could explain to him exactly how Roman felt, but he wouldn’t have understood, and I didn’t want to talk about him anymore. In truth, I had let myself grow fond of Roman, and I was mad at myself. I spared him under circumstances that I normally wouldn’t have. “It doesn’t matter.”

  He
let out a breath and a smile shifted into his features, “Praises are in order. I am going to have to work some pretty late nights to keep up with everything you managed to do in five months.”

  “I didn’t really do much.” I disagreed.

  He smiled but disagreed, “Tell that to my staff and the N.I stock prices. Now granted, my board wouldn’t be too pleased to have you back.”

  “Don’t worry, the feeling is mutual.” I groaned. “And I won’t be coming back.”

  That made Paul’s smile fade. “Which brings me to the other reason I came. I’m going to my lawyer’s office later today, but I wanted to make sure that you were absolutely sure that this is what you want. My feelings haven’t changed, Alyssa. I still want it to be yours, even more now.”

  “No Paul.” I cut him off. I didn’t want the company for as long as I did have it.

  He nodded troubled getting up from his chair, “Well, a deal is a deal.”

  “Wait, one more thing.” I had been meaning to ask him since forever but I didn’t have a chance. “When I went into your apartment, there were some pictures of my mom. Pictures that I took, how did you get them? Why do you have them?”

  “The pictures in the study, are those all you saw?” He asked, his face sad and for some reason pensive.

  “Are there more than what’s hanging up in your office?” I questioned, my PI senses kicking in.

  His expression changed back to a happier one, but it was forced. “I have them for two reasons, Alyssa. One, because you took them. Second, because they are of your mother.”

  “How did you get them?” I repeated the second half of my questioning.

  “Is how really important Alyssa?” He deflected with a sigh.

  “When it pertains to my mother, yes it is important.” I demanded, “How?”

  He looked at his watch, and then back at me. “I have an appointment. I’ll see myself out.” Before I could protest, he did just that, “Goodbye Alyssa.”

  A minute later Dario peeked his head in, “You ok Giselle?”

  “I hate him,” I swore staring at the lilies on my desk, debating on if I should toss them in the trash. I decided not to because they were so damn pretty.