Still thicker than water (11 page)

Chapter 9 - Destiny

“
First of all, when you’re on vacation, you’re supposed to try new things,” Sasha defended.

“
Tripe, yuck! It just looks nasty.” Tatum turned up her nose as she decided on the roasted fish.

“
The lady said it’s a Jamaican delicacy,” Sasha reminded them. Jayde shook her head.

“
No,
that
, is a Jamaican delicacy,” she said pointing at a Taye Diggs look a like. “Come here Langston, come give Stella her groove back, baby.”

The girls cracked up laughing.

“
Please Jayde, you are not even old enough to be Stella,” Tatum chuckled. “Stella was what, 40?”

Jayde grinned and sipped her wine.

“
No, I’m not 40, but I’m not 23 and 24 like you two,” she admitted. Tatum was shocked and Jayde continued.

“
I used to babysit Sasha when she was about 4 or 5 years old, Pocahontas.”

Sasha smirked, knowing that Tatum was surprised by Jayde’s revelation.

“
Well, how old
are
you?” Tatum asked, growing tired of the mystery.

“
Thirty-four,” Jayde answered proudly.

“
Wow,” Tatum responded, mouth open. “You look good, girl! I mean that’s not old, but you don’t look a day over 21.”

“
Thank you mama, I owe it all to Dr. Perricone, and Dr. Martinez… shit, and Dr. 90210, Dr. Spock, Dr. Giggles… man, I got so many doctors, it don’t make any sense,” Jayde joked.

Sasha choked on her wine, giggling, and Tatum laughed loud feeling tipsy from the champagne, Nuvo, wine train they had been on.

Ree turned around from the bar instinctively, but made no recognition as he scanned the restaurant.
Damn, don’t tell me I’m hearing things.

He figured it was just a coincidence, or maybe it was in his mind. The smile, the laugh, maybe they weren’t like hers at all. Maybe he just wanted them to be.

But that laugh, that was so much like the sweet laugh that Tatum had when she thought something was really funny, and she couldn’t hold back. She’d laugh loud like that and her eyes would squint up, and her mouth would be open wide, showing all of her pretty teeth, and it would make everyone else around her laugh too. Like the time at the pool in Disneyworld. Ree chuckled at the memory.

“
Hey, you okay? Are you here?” Trinity playfully asked Ree. He focused back on her.

“
Of course,” he lied.

“
You wanna order some food?” She asked. She wished that she could cook for him but it was a skill that she did not possess, no matter how hard she tried.

“
Nah, I gotta get back to work.” He downed the rest of his drink and stood up.

Trinity leaned into him, hoping for a kiss and when he puckered his lips, she smiled. And he planted a soft one, right on her forehead. He turned to walk away.

“
Hey!” She shouted to him. He turned and faced her, waiting for what she had to say.

“
Why don’t you kiss me next time on the lips, Mr. Knights?”

She said it in a joking manner, but was really serious. He tilted his head to the side and looked at her.

“
You talking crazy,” was all he replied with a sexy smile, and with that, he headed out of the restaurant. He thought back to a night he and Tatum had lay in bed, kissing until their lips were sore.

Ree… have you ever kissed anyone the way you kiss me… ……

Never……

Good…promise me you never will………

I won’t……

Promise? ………

Promise……

And he hadn’t.

The next day, the girls decided to take advantage of the free spa packages that they were given.

“
I can’t believe you forgot to tell us about these,” Sasha said to Jayde, as they all headed downstairs on the elevator. They had spent all night after dinner at the hotel lounge, and now were looking forward to winding down with a little relaxation time, followed by some sightseeing and shopping. At least that’s what was on the Sasha itinerary.

“
Girl, after seeing that fine ass bellhop, I forgot what the hell the conversation between us was even about.”

Tatum remained quiet, half hung over, and half thinking of Ree. She couldn’t help but feel like she was so close to him, yet so far. She wondered if she should go searching for him or leave it alone.

How mad would I be at myself if I leave Jamaica without seeing ‘what if’?

The doors opened to the main floor, and as they were coming out, Rodney was coming in.

“
Excuse me, can you tell us which way is the spa?” Sasha asked him. He smiled warmly at the ladies and pointed straight ahead.

“
Right that way lovely ladies, you can not miss it.”

They thanked him and he went to get onto the elevator.

“
One more thing,” Jayde said. “Where’s the other bellhop?”

“
The other bellhop?” Rodney asked, confused.

Jayde nodded, she couldn’t stop thinking of how fine he was.

“
Yeah, you know. The one who brought us these.” She held up the envelopes. “Brown skinned, his hair was like-”

“
Okay, that’s enough, thank you,” Sasha said to Rodney, pulling Jayde away. “We’re going to the spa Jayde, not to find the bellboy.”

Jayde pouted and crossed her arms.

“
Aw c’mon, I just wanted to see if I could make his little broke ass day, that’s all.” She laughed and Tatum and Sasha chuckled as the girls made their way across the lobby.

Once they reached the spa, they were blown away. It was completely decorated in white, with white calla lilies in vases and white bowls with white chocolates inside. There were white leather chairs and white marble floors. They approached the young girl at the register.

“
Hello ladies, how are you this afternoon? May I get you ladies a package menu?”

Tatum handed her the envelope.

“
Hello, we received these yesterday.”

The woman looked at them and looked back at the girls.

“
Great, you guys get a fabulous treatment today. A full body massage, spa pedicure, and manicure.”

“
Do we get a facial too? If not, can I purchase one separately?” Jayde asked, but was cut off by another voice.

“
You can most definitely get a facial, no charge.”

The girls turned and found Trinity standing there, looking radiant.

They all exchanged hellos and Trinity turned to the worker.

“
Can you please get my friends some towels and robes…and you know what, get one for me too, I think I may join you ladies.”

The girls all giggled.

“
Rough day?” Tatum asked.

“
Already,” Trinity agreed. “This season is so busy. I’ll be happy when everyone goes home and everything goes back to normal…well, everyone except you guys,” she joked. The girls shared another laugh as the worker brought them towels.

“
By the way, thank you for this,” Sasha said, excited about getting her favorite thing, a massage.

“
No problem…it was actually my man’s idea.” She blushed just thinking about Ree.

“
Some man, the way you blushing,” Tatum teased. “Let him know that we said thank you, as well.”

Trinity beamed.

“
Girl, you have no idea, he is, whew,” she laughed. “But will do. Okay ladies, let’s go get changed and pampered.”

After the girls were dressed in their robes, they emerged from the locker room and found the female masseuse waiting. She was surprised to see Trinity with them.

“
Ms. Trinity, you get treatment today, too?”

“
I am, Mildred. I am treating myself. Ladies, this is Mildred, and she is a miracle worker.”

The girls said hello and introduced themselves and Mildred focused on Tatum.

“
Ms. Trinity, this is your sister? You two look alike.”

The girls laughed and Sasha and Jayde looked for the resemblance, and there was one. Both ladies had long curly black hair, mocha dark brown complexions, and wide bright smiles, but Tatum was prettier by far. And her face was much softer.

“
No, she is not. But I will take that as a compliment,” Trinity smiled.

The girls were split up; Sasha and Trinity were to start with massages, and Jayde and Tatum with facials. They were on their way to their rooms when Trinity asked the girl who performed the facials, if she would do hers as well.

“
I’m not sure if I have time for both and I would much rather get my facial first.”

The girl looked confused, not sure of what to do.

“
I can only do two at a time,” was all she could say in her light voice. She didn’t want to get in trouble.

Trinity laughed.

“
Sweetie, I’m the manager.” But Tatum intervened.

“
No, it’s okay. I’ll get my massage first. I’d rather do that...we can switch.”

Tatum saw that unlike the massage room, the room for the facials had both girls in the room together. And although Jayde was cool, she would much rather have Sasha to talk to during facials. She and Trinity agreed to switch.

Tatum entered the massage room and took off her robe. She wrapped the towel around her and laid face down as she was accustomed to doing. The room was quiet and she wished that she had Sasha to talk with her during massages as well. She pulled all of her hair forward and let it hang toward the floor as she tried her best to zone out. Her thoughts immediately went to Ree.

I can’t believe I’m here. It took me over two years to muster up the courage, but I’m here. I have to find him. I have to see him.
I miss him…

Tatum continued to zone out as she waited for Mildred to come in and work those miracles on her.

Meanwhile, at the front of the spa, Ree entered in search of Trinity. He had thought of the way he had been treating her, keeping her at a distance, the way she had brought up the whole kissing situation, everything.

Then he thought of how he had asked Tatum to come with him, how she had turned him down, and then how she had never come even after he reached out to her again. He had been so sure that he had succeeded in getting Tatum out of his system, but for some reason, she recently had crept up in his mind again. She was the only woman that Ree had ever felt strong enough about to even consider it being love, but that was over two years ago, and it was time to let that go.

He wanted to make it up to Trinity for the way he had dipped out on her the night before. He greeted the girl at the register and asked if she had seen Trinity. Before she could respond, Mildred walked up.

“
Hello Mr. Knights. Ms. Trinity is one of my rooms, prepping for a massage… Room 207.”

Ree winked and smiled.

“
Thank you, Mildred.” Even Mildred couldn’t help but to swoon at his charm as he made his way down the hall.

“
Ms. Trinity is a very lucky woman.”

“
Indeed,” the other girl agreed.

Tatum was halfway into a sleep when she finally heard the door open and Mildred enter the room. She heard the footsteps as she approached but couldn’t bring herself to say anything, she was fully relaxed. She kept her eyes closed and anticipated her massage as her mind kept her in peaceful thoughts of Ree.

Finally, Tatum felt a pair of strong hands working on her back and she exhaled.

Ree was instantly aroused at the sight of Trinity’s smooth back exposed and a small towel only covering her bottom half. He rubbed his strong hands over her smooth skin and noticed that she felt extra soft today. He leaned down to her, and she smelled so good, so much like…
damn, there goes my mind again,
he thought.

“
You smell so good,” he whispered, in his deep baritone and kissed her lightly on the back. He inhaled her scent and it was like an aphrodisiac to him. It awakened his senses in a way that they hadn’t been in a long time. “Damn,” he whispered, working her over with his hands.

Tatum’s heart raced and she was sure that she was dreaming.
But it feels so real.
None of her dreams of him had ever been this palpable. She could feel him, hear him clear as day, smell him. She parted her lips and submitted to the ecstasy. It felt so real that she wanted to cry, and she could feel every nerve on her body coming to life and her juices began to form.