Over. (This. Is. Not. Over. #2) (27 page)

Yeah, this me
ss, all of these broken hearted and crazy people, is my fault. I singlehandedly altered the fates of at least four people: Malcolm, Jon, Marla and Nicky. Chances are Jon and Marla were supposed to have met in college, stayed together, never married (since Jon is against marriage) and have been perfectly fine with that.  Nicky wouldn’t have to pack a bag just to spend a day with his dad. Malcolm wouldn’t be running around trying to fan out the flames of my fire.

“Yeah, I messed this up.” I say, thinking out loud. The thought of it stings my throat. “I really messed things up.”

“How?” I look to Jon who appears to be completely lost. Were you not just in my head just now? Did you not just see how life would have ended up had I not stole you from Marla?

“I shouldn’t have interfered with you and Marla in college.” He gives me smile. “Everyone would be much happier now.”

“You’re the only woman I will ever love. It wouldn’t have been healthy living my entire life having never felt that type of love.” Wow. I nod and drift my eyes down towards my glass of scotch. Damn.
Yeah, we’re over Jon. I knew that we were over but we’re
really
over. Both of us are moving on. Our story is done. Over.

Jon

8:25 p.m.

              “I haven’t told Nicky about the move, I figured you’d want to.” She says to me as she looks up from her scotch glass.

             
“I plan on telling him when everything’s finalized. I’m not sure what all Jasmine told you but I’m starting my own tech firm, I even have clients waiting for me so hopefully it’ll be an easy transition. Considering what’s going on, I hope this doesn’t turn they’re business away from me.” I’m glad we’re off of the Marla subject. I just want this moment to be about Nicky, Danny and me. That’s it. No Marla.

             
“He’ll be happy.” She smiles. “I’m happy you’re moving to Boston, Jon and whatever I need to do to make this go away for you, I will. I don’t want your business to suffer over this.” I nod and then we both take sips of our drinks. We’re having a ceasefire. Once again, it’s easy … peaceful … chill … This feels good. Funny, I remember wanting to do this with Danny for years, drinking and taking it easy, and she fought me tooth and nail. Now here we are divorced and she’s drinking with me, taking it easy, and I’m dreaming of a life with a big house, kids and home cooked meals. With the hell is wrong with us?

             
“Glad everything worked out for you. You know, with the divorce decree.” I say to her. She shrugs. It’s a little strange that we both know she cheated on me, that we both know the divorce decree is a fake and yet neither one of us has brought up that fact today. What’s even stranger is that no one else has brought up that fact either. In all honesty, I’m actually pissed that Malcolm got Danny out of the adultery story with that phony divorce decree. It’s not that I didn’t want Danny to be cleared, after all she’s my son’s mother. But clearing Danny means Malcolm’s cleared too. Unfortunately, he couldn’t go down without Danny going down with him, but still … if I had a way to take his ass down, trust me, I would. I won’t lie, my dreams are filled with visions of the devil rotting in hell.

             
“I’m expecting a few straggler photographers in Boston when I get back, but nothing like there would have been.”

             
“Give it a couple of weeks and it’ll all die down.”

             
“Yeah.” She takes another sip of her drink.

             
This news story wasn’t only embarrassing for Danny, it was
mortifying
for me. This Blair incident is all anyone’s talking about, since Laura Blair is Senator Rossi’s daughter. Had Senator Rossi not be rumored to be running for the presidency, this issue would have remained local. But now this is a national news story with Danny and Malcolm right in the center of it. And that’s where you’ll find me: right in between them, too embarrassed to even call back home to check in with my mother. Danielle cheated on me. She did.  And to know my mother, my brothers, my sisters, and my bum ass father all know that … it’s humiliating.

             
“Business still going okay?” I ask. I know this all happened over the weekend but, I’m secretly hoping that these past few days have been financially fatal for her. Even if that means I’d have to shove out more money for Nicky to pick up her slack. (Though you wouldn’t believe how much I have to pay for child support; almost as much as the annual income for the average American.) She shoos me away with her hand.

“It’s too soon to tell but in the end, people want book deals, I give book deals, case closed.”

              “And the feminists?”

             
“How do they feel about the news calling me an adulterer and not Malcolm?” She smiles. “I believe they’ve planned a rally.” She lets out a light laugh.

             
“What about Rossi’s daughter. Laura. What’s she saying?”

             
“I have no idea. Why does everyone keep asking me about her?”

             
“Just for argument’s sake, I’d be interested to see what she has to say about this. You know, with her being called a mistress.”

             
“Who cares about her?”

             
“Just saying … well I’m glad this all worked out.” I’m really not.
Danny, I hate to say it but maybe I would risk seeing you go down if it meant destroying Blair.
Damn, I wanna destroy Malcolm.

             
And then we continue to sit in peace. Quiet, peace, no music, just the sounds of waves, the smell of salt water, hushed conversations, the candles quietly popping in the center of the table and … this muthafucka. He’s like a gnat that won’t go away, just as bad as a damn nightmare. Malcolm and his
crew
just walked in, their eyes stuck on Danny’s back and then my face. Lola and Winnie are with them, Winnie’s holding a kid, smiling and laughing with him. They have no clue that I’m two seconds away from flying over this table and pounding Nat, Jacob and Malcolm six feet under. I will never forget New York. They may have hands, but guess what? I’ve got Red. Funny, huh? The tables have turned. I smile at Blair, grab my drink, raise it … and see murder in the devil’s eyes.

             
“Ignore him.” Danny says, her words floating out her mouth before she takes a sip of scotch.

             
“Huh?” She grins and then looks at her watch.

             
“He’s early, you and I are enjoying a few moments alone. Ignore him. We’re having a nice time, don’t ruin it.”

             
I nod and then place my drink back on the table. I look back at him and see that he’s seated now, clenching his jaw. That’s a bad habit of his. He always does that when he’s pissed. He did that at Plantation Kitchen this summer, he did that outside on the streets of New York on Friday, and he did that at Sands Bar yesterday. That’s his thing. It’s funny that a man as ‘powerful’ as Malcolm Blair isn’t wise enough to break a habit that shows everyone his hand. Seems he does have a weakness. Her name is Red. But guess what? I too have a weakness, her name is Danny.

             
“Toast?” I say to her and watch a grin come across her face.

             
“You don’t toast.”

             
“I’ve picked up the habit.” I shrug. She raises her glass.

             
“What are we toasting to?”

             
“My moving to Boston.” She smiles.

             
“I’m glad for it.”

             
“Yeah, me too.” We clink our glasses together, smile at each other and then we each take a sip of scotch and rum.

             
And I watch
Mac
clench his jaw. Good.

I’ll admit that I invited Danny here, hoping that Blair would come in and see us together. I used Danny to get under his skin. But I’m no fool, let’s just be honest here, she’s using me to do the same thing.

              “Well,” She says as she checks her watch and then looks towards the door, “there’s Jasmine and Marlon.”

             
“Rena and Matt are right behind them.”

             
“I guess we should head on over to the table.” She gives me a sly look and then proceeds to get up. “You plan on being good?” I look over to Malcolm who’s whispering to Jacob.

             
“Sorry Danny, I can’t make any promises.”

             
“Well this should be a blast.” And as Jacob is whispering into Malcolm’s ear, Malcolm glances up and locks eyes with me. Damn, I want to destroy Malcolm Blair.

Jon

8:30 p.m.

“I’m hoping we can all act civilized here.” Malcolm’s mother says as she looks around the table at us men. We all nod without looking at each other.

Let’s see if I can explain the seating correctly. We’re at a rectangle table and we’re seated like this:

Jacob  Lola  Cadence  Ralphie  Winnie  Danny  Me  Jax  Nicky

                   Malcolm                                                                                                
       Elise

                   
Nat    Georgie    Matt  Rena  Marlon   Jasmine   Wynston  Angie

Notice my position.

             
“Our guys feel absolutely horrible about that fight, don’t you guys.” Elise says as she looks at Marlon, Matt and me.
Yes
, we all mutter together. “I’ve known all three of them since they were eighteen.” Elise says to Angie with a smile and a shake of her head. “Jon and Marlon were college basketball players and roommates. Danielle met Jon and then introduced Marlon and Jasmine.”

              “Oh and they’re married now!” Angie says with a smile as she looks at Jasmine. “And my dear, those pearls are gorgeous.” She says to Jasmine as she points to her necklace. Jasmine touches her pearl necklace, something she’s worn every day for years, no matter if she has on a dress or jeans and a tee. She’s sure to have those pearls on. She even wore them on her wedding day. I remember that because I really couldn’t imagine seeing her without them, since she wore them day in and day out, and I wondered if she’d have them on then. Sure enough she did.

              “Thank you.” Jasmine says with a smile. She touches her earrings and pearls before reaching for her water glass.

              “Oh, you’ll never find Jasmine without her pearls.” Elise says. “She received them as gift a few years ago and I don’t believe I’ve seen her take them off since.” Jasmine smiles, nods and takes a sip of water.

              “Be careful with them, you don’t want the strand to break.” Angie says to Jasmine.

              “I take them in for checkups.” Jasmine almost whispers.

              “Checkups!” Elise says. “She treats that necklace like they’re her baby.” Elise smiles at Jasmine and takes a sip of her brandy.

              “Well they’re absolutely beautiful. Now, Matt, did you go to school with Marlon?” Angie asks.

              “No I went to Columbia. I ran track and happened to have a meet in New Orleans. I met Jon and Marlon at a frat party. We all pledged the same fraternity. I ended up keeping in touch with them and then I met Danny. She introduced me to Rena.” Matt answers in his work voice. I look at Marlon and he and I catch eyes with each other and smile. Matt is funny as hell; Roxbury boy one minute, corporate killer the next. We all laugh at “The Voice”, the stuffy ass tone he puts on for clients and white people.

              “So Danielle’s the love doctor, I see.” Angie says with a smile. The table gives a respectful laugh. But I don’t.