Soulmates Dissipate (18 page)

“Let me think about that and I’ll call you back next week,” Jada said.

“Next week?”

“Please, Darryl. I have a lot on my mind right now. I promise I’ll call you.”

Jada hung up, picked up her purse, and walked out.” Karen, I’m leaving for the day. Send my calls through to my voice mail.”

“Will do,” said Karen.

Jada arrived at Wellington’s by six-thirty that evening and tried her key.” Damn. He was serious about changing the locks.” Before she could put the keys back in her purse, Melanie opened the door.

“Hi, Jada. How can I help you?”

Jada brushed past Melanie and entered Wellington’s office.” Wellington Jones, I need to speak with you right this minute.”

Wellington’s eyes narrowed and his lips tightened. His backhand waved in the air like he was sweeping crumbs off his collar. Jada interlocked her arms, extended her left foot, tilted her head, and waited. She looked over her right shoulder. Melanie was nowhere in sight.

“I apologize, Mr. Gray, can I call you back in five minutes? I have an emergency I need to take care of immediately. I
promise.
I’ll call you back in five minutes tops.” Wellington pressed the disconnect button and slammed the phone.” Are you crazy?
You
are interfering with my livelihood now and I’m not going to accept this! Mr. Gray is one of my largest investors.” Wellington stood directly in front of Jada.” Now you have a choice—you can either wait until I finish working with my clients,
or
you can leave.”

Teardrops clung to the edges of Jada’s eyelids.
She couldn’t believe he was the same person she’d met last year.” What has happened to us, Wellington?” She placed her hands on his biceps. His body felt wonderful. Her pussy pulsated once. She shivered. She missed her man.

“Look, just give me a few minutes and we’ll talk.” Wellington smiled and stroked Jada’s cheek.

Jada walked into the living room and sat on the couch. Melanie was lying on the chaise watching the world news.

“I’m about to prepare dinner.” Melanie grinned.” Will you be joining us?”

It was a good thing for Melanie she was pregnant because, as angry as Jada was, she would have turned that scene into the WWF championship. “Thanks, but no thanks,” Jada said softly. It was strange. Jada used to feel so comfortable at Wellington’s. Now she felt like an intruder.

Wellington walked into the living room.” Hi, my Nubian Queen.”

Jada looked around the room like an owl. He couldn’t have possibly been talking to her. And he had better not have been speaking to Melanie. Was this the same man who’d yelled at her moments ago? “I haven’t heard you call me that in a long time.”

“Yeah, I know. It’s long overdue. Let’s go out for dinner so we can talk.”

“I’d like that.” Jada refused to give Melanie the satisfaction of looking in her direction. Wellington opened the door.” Here’s your key.” They laughed.

“How does Pier 39 sound?” Wellington suggested as he placed the key in Jada’s ignition. She refused to leave her car at his house.

“Excellent choice.” Jada reflected on the beautiful
moments they had shared at the pier. They would sit for hours and watch the seals. They secretly fed the seagulls. They would have lengthy discussions about what they could see on Alcatraz Island through the telescope. Then they would ride over on the boat and try to find what they saw. A quick laugh escaped her lips. Jada remembered how Wellington gave her a horseback ride and galloped around the carousel. He was her stallion. People stared. They didn’t care. Wellington kept trotting until the carousel stopped. Jada could hear the sista with the British accent.” How much to ride that one? He’s sexy.” Wellington mimicked, “Closed to the public, miss. You’ll have to get your own.”

“We haven’t been here in a long time,” Jada said. She held Wellington’s hand. They strolled along the pier.

“Yeah, I remember the first time I brought you here,” Wellington responded.” You were wearing your blue jeans and that sexy scarf with the African design that you wrapped around your breasts and you wore a matching head wrap. That was sexy.”

“I didn’t realize you noticed such details.” Wellington didn’t respond. He didn’t have to. Jada tasted the same bittersweet lump in her throat. Wellington walked in complete silence until they entered the restaurant.

“Mr. Jones, we were able to reserve your regular table by the window,” said Ralph.” It’s good to see our favorite couple.”

“Thanks, Ralph,” Wellington said as he flipped him a twenty. They were seated at their table overlooking the bay.

“Diamond, I remember almost everything
about you.” Wellington picked up the conversation as if it had never ended.” But I don’t
ever
remember you acting so irrational.” His dreamy eyes drooped.

Jada backstroked in her pool of emotions.” I’m not irrational.” Her emotions began to discount her intellect.” Well, maybe you’re right. But it’s not my fault. It’s all because of Melanie. She has manipulated our relationship. I started feeling like I was losing my soulmate,” Jada rambled. She desperately needed Wellington’s love and understanding.

“Maybe I was
wrong
about us being soulmates,” Wellington said. His eyes seemed to look straight through Jada.

Suddenly her emotions took a dip in the pool. She frantically dog-paddled to stay afloat.” What are you talking about? How can you doubt our love?” This wasn’t the Wellington Jones that Jada used to know.

“Here’s the bottle of Dom you ordered, Mr. Jones,” said their waiter, Dominic.” Would you like to sample and give your approval?”

“No need to sample, Dominic,” said Wellington.” You can pour the lady a glass and I’ll have one too.”

“Certainly.”

“Wellington. I’m waiting for a response.”

“Jada, I thought we were soulmates, but then you changed on me. I saw a side of you I’d never seen before. I didn’t realize you had such an awful temper. You always seemed so peaceful. Jada, this was the first authentic challenge to our relationship. And your actions proved you didn’t trust me. When I tried to open up to you, you slapped my
face and ran out the door. When I called you, you hung up on me. When I went to sleep, you turned my house into the Hunan Garden.”

Jada looked out the corner of her eye. Her lips curled.

“I’m serious, damn it! This is
not
a joke,” Wellington continued. “You didn’t try to meet me halfway. I made a mistake. I was honest enough to share that with you. I’m not perfect and I don’t try to be. I told you that the first time we went out. And now that you’re ready to talk, am I supposed to be ready too? Look, I still love you. I’ll always love you. But I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to get married.”

The wind escaped Jada’s lungs. She had been hit below the belt. Jada’s heart sank to the bottom of the pool. Every time she gasped for air, she swallowed water.” Wellington, how could you do this to us?” Her salty tears plopped into her glass of champagne. The bubbles fizzled.” It’s your mother, isn’t it? She’s telling you to do this. Cynthia never has liked me. If she tells you to jump, you ask how high.”

Wellington remained calm.” Leave my mother out of this, Jada. I’m warning you. When are you going to take a long look in the mirror? You have yet to acknowledge you’ve played your part.” Wellington’s dreamy eyes grew stone cold.

“So I guess you
are
going to marry Melanie!” Jada shouted.” Is that what you brought me here to say?”

“Actually, I just wanted to see if we could have a heart-to-heart talk. But I do respect Melanie. At least she’s woman enough to admit her mistakes. It’s not her fault she got pregnant. I’ve accepted
my responsibility. And I do have an obligation to make her a decent and respectable woman. I don’t want to bring children into this world out of wedlock. Jada, I’m hurting. I’m in pain, and I admit, I am confused. Look, I’m sorry all of this has happened, but I want to do what’s right.”

“Sorry! You’re sorry! You’ve got that right, you really are sorry.”

“Should I bring you the check, sir?” Dominic whispered.

Wellington stood. He placed one, two, three one-hundred-dollar bills on the table and handed Dominic a fifty. Then he strolled out like Denzel Washington.

When Jada got outside on the pier, Wellington was nowhere in sight. She heard a familiar voice behind her.

“Ms. Tanner. Mr. Jones asked me to give you your keys. Here is your validation. Do have a good night,” said Ralph. Jada’s heart felt lifeless.

When Wellington arrived back at his home, he noticed his Jaguar had been wrecked. He shook his head and walked inside.” What happened to my car?” he asked Melanie.

“I reported it. I told the police I didn’t recognize the car or the driver, but it was definitely Jada. Poor thing, she should calm down before she suffers a heart attack and dies.”

“I’m starving,” Wellington said.

“I’ll cook you something. What would you like?”

“Well, let’s just say it’s already cooked.” Wellington flicked his eyebrows twice.

Melanie raced upstairs to Wellington’s bedroom.
He playfully chased her. She stripped off all their clothes. His lust escalated. Wellington stroked his penis. There was no response. He desperately needed to release his frustrations. He stretched his dick as far as he could. It snapped back like a rubber band.

“Suck it for me?” Wellington asked. Melanie bowed on her knees. There was no response. He pushed back and pulled harder. His penis wouldn’t expand.

Finally, Melanie said, “Look, you have a lot on your mind. Relax and let me take control.”

Melanie massaged every muscle in Wellington’s body. Then she slid his seven-inch dick inside her. She squeezed him from top to bottom. Wellington moaned with relief when he felt the other two inches add on.

“Don’t move. That’s my spot,” Melanie said.

Wellington’s head expanded like an overstuffed sausage ready to burst through its skin. Melanie rocked back and forth and rolled her hips in a grinding motion.” Oh, that’s my spot. Don’t move,” she repeated. Wellington felt Melanie hit her G-spot again and again. He licked his finger and rubbed it along the shaft of her clit.

“I’m cumming!” Melanie yelled.

Wellington stroked her clit faster. His fluids shot off in her like Fourth of July fireworks. His body went limp with gratification.

Melanie continued to grind as she licked and sucked her own nipples. Wellington reached for the little black box on his headboard and opened it. Melanie was so excited she didn’t wait. “Yes! Yes! I
will
marry you.”

J
ada spent the next month wondering: Was it her fault? Was Wellington to blame? Melanie? What could she have done differently? She slouched on her sofa. Her eyes wandered aimlessly.

Jada’s heart ached. She didn’t deny she was still in love with Wellington. But at what point would she get over him and at what cost? She had already lost twelve pounds. With each passing day neither her migraines nor her nausea would subside. Jada faintly heard the phone rang. She had turned the volume down to its lowest.

“Hi, baby, this is Mama. Are you keeping your appointment with Dr. Bates today? I’m really concerned about the migraine headaches you’ve been having lately.”

“Yes, Mama, I’m going to keep my appointment and Candice is going with me. How’s Mr. Hamilton?”

“Oh, Robert is fine. We went to the movies yesterday,” Mama laughed.” I really do enjoy his company. If he gets any funnier, we’re going to have to put him on Comicview.”

“I’m happy for you, Mama.” Robert made Mama feel young again.

“You know I spoke with Jazzmyne last night. She said she’s willing to talk with you and Wellington.”

“Wellington would never agree to talk with Jazzmyne.” Jada wasn’t sure if she wanted to talk with Jazzmyne or Wellington. Jada selected a gold sarong and tied it about her waist.

“Well, she has a way of getting information and people don’t even realize it,” Mama said.” She said if you preferred, she could go to Wellington’s house. Talk with him. Then come to your house. Just think about it. If you decide you want her help, let her know.”

Jada checked her hair and her makeup. Just because she didn’t feel good didn’t mean she had to look bad.” Sure, Mama, I’ll keep that in mind. I have to go. Candice is here. I love you. Bye.”

“Bye, baby. I love you too.”

“Hey, girl. How are you feeling today?”

“You know how it is. You are constantly in pain until you go to the doctor. At the moment, my head hurts a little. But I bet you any amount of money, as soon as I step out of Dr. Bates’s office, it’ll feel like someone’s pounding on it with a hammer.”

“It’s only temporary and self-imposed, mind you. You know the minute you get what you want—or get over Wellington—you’ll be fine. I’ll drive,” Candice said. “You ready?”

“Yeah, let’s go.” Jada gave her a hug.

“Perhaps a vacation will help clear your mind.” Candice reached for the button to turn on the radio.

“I’ve been thinking about taking some time off,” Jada replied.” Permanently. But for right now a short trip to Mexico or Hawaii would be nice. You should go with me.” Jada pressed her hands against her temples.

“That sounds like a plan. Make reservations for two. Let’s go to Oahu. It’s great to take a break from reality and live in a fantasy world every once in a while. Besides, I need some place to wear my
new
G-string bikinis.”

“Get-back boo-tay.” Jada laughed and pressed harder.

“Here we are,” Candice said.” I’ll let you out and meet you inside.”

“Thanks.” Jada got out of the car slowly. She tried not to agitate her headache. She checked in with the receptionist. Jada sat on the couch and thumbed through an old copy of
Essence.
Dr. Bates’s office always smelled woodsy like the fresh outdoors.

“Jada, hi. How are you doing?” Dr. Bates asked as she stood in the doorway.” Come in. Bring the magazine with you if you like.” Dr. Bates was fifty-five, but no one would ever guess. She dyed her hair black to cover the few strands of gray. She slicked her hair back and behind her ears. The waves bounced on and off her white lab coat when she walked.