Chapter 14 #2
Me: Who is it?
Kera: Her name is Erleen and she’s causing a scene
Because I know Rush’s mother too-damn-well, I practically jump up and run to the front. I can hear her loud, rude, rough voice before I walk out of the back.
“Tell her to come out now,” she demands, the effects of a pack a day habit for almost forty years evident in her tone.
After rushing toward her and getting in her face, I grit, “I’m here but I’ll only talk to you outside.”
Before she can rasp another word, I walk out of the clinic and down the sidewalk.
She’s caused enough of a scene; I don’t want our inevitably volatile conversation to be overheard by my coworkers or the patients in the lobby.
When I turn back, I see her stomping toward me.
Her heavy breathing doesn’t stop her mouth because as soon as she’s in arm’s reach, she fires off.
“What’s wrong with you, girl?” she asks. Normally, I have nothing but respect for my elders but Erleen lost that from me a long ass time ago. “First off, I’m a grown ass woman, and second of all, what’s wrong with you, coming to my job and making a scene? You have crossed the line,” I fire back.
“No, you have. I don’t know what’s gotten into yo’ little uppity ass. After all my Rushmore did for you, you—”
“All Rushmore did?” I scoff and huff, on the verge of real laughter because what! “Please enlighten me. Give me one fucking thing that your selfish, lazy, and trifling ass son did for me. Just one. Please! I’ll wait.”
The look on her face is venomous. My words struck a nerve, as they should. She knows her son ain’t shit. Hell, she raised two ain’t shit sons. I’m not saying anything she hasn’t already heard or witnessed. She’s just furious because I’m right.
“He gave you that money!” she huffs.
“What money? Not that little two thousand dollars? You do know that was five years ago, right? Two thousand dollars, five years ago, that he already owed me for rent, food, and um, his daughters. You act like he left me a million fucking dollars. I’ve given that back to his stupid ass and then some.
Who do you think put money on his phone account to call you?
It wasn’t you. It damn sure wasn’t your other son,” I say and she rolls her eyes.
“Right, it was me but I’m done. Your son won’t get another penny from me so you, your son, and your nieces and nephews can leave me the hell alone. ”
“And what is he supposed to eat?” she says, as if she just didn’t hear anything that I said.
“Shit, for all I care,” I honestly say.
“You little bitch,” she says, practically yelling.
“I’ll be that. Proudly.” I smirk. “And one more thing, if you come to my job again, I’ll call the police,” I warn, then walk around her and back into the clinic.
As soon as I’m back through the door between the lobby and the back, Kera reads my face and stands. She steps toward me.
In a low tone, she asks, “You okay?”
“Yeah. I will be. I’m going to take my lunch a few minutes early. I need a break,” I tell her before journeying back to the office space.
After grabbing my keys, cell, and water tumbler, I let Levy know I’m taking lunch a little early then walk to my car. As soon as I’m inside, I call Xai.
“What’s up, pretty girl?” he answers.
“Hey,” I respond.
“Ay. What’s wrong?”
“I’ll tell you when you get here. I’m already in my car.”
“You sure? I don’t like how you sound,” he says with so much concern.
“I’m okay. Just annoyed. I’ll be better when I see you.”
“Bet. I’m almost there. My arms will be around you in ten,” he says and I immediately feel a little better.
“I can’t wait.”
I end the call then recline my seat back a little to relax and try to push Rush’s mother and her antics out of my mind. It works because my eyes close and I feel the tension in my shoulders subside. I’m interrupted a few minutes later by light taps on the window. It’s Xai, so I unlock the door.
“Sit with me,” he says while extending his hand.
I accept, and as soon as I’m up, he pulls me into him.
The minute I inhale him and feel his arms around me, all my tension dissipates.
“Let’s get in my ride,” he says after kissing me tenderly.
I turn back, grab my cell and tumbler, then we step over to his ride.
To my surprise, he opens the back door. “More room in case you need me to hold you,” he explains.
“I like that,” I admit before sliding into his Silverado. Xai slides in beside me then closes the door. On the console is a bag from Sushi House. My smile gets big as hell. “If there’s a Blue Ocean roll in that bag, I’m going to kiss the hell out of you,” I gush.
His hand slides behind my neck and he pulls me toward him. “Then give me my kiss,” he says before running his tongue over my lips. With all the passion I have, I kiss him.
“You know it’s not just about the roll. It’s just you. You always know what I need when I need it.”
“That’s what I’m supposed to do,” he assures me. “Now, make your little concoction so we can eat and you tell me what had you sounding sad.”
“Mad,” I correct him. “But yeah, sushi first.” He grabs the bag, opens his middle console, and grabs a pack of disposable wipes.
We both use one then I pull out the rolls.
He has my favorite Blue Ocean roll, a Shrimp Tempura roll, and their delicious Kani salad.
He opens it all while I make my mixture of wasabi, eel sauce, and soy sauce.
He jokes but he likes it too. After tasting everything, I inhale and exhale, savoring the umami. “Okay. Now, I’m ready.”
“I’m listening,” he says, then places his chopsticks down. He turns, stares into my eyes, and gives me his full attention.
“It’s Rushmore, my baby daddy, and his family,” I begin.
“That lame from Redmond’s approached you again?” he grits with a tight face.
“No. No. He didn’t,” I say and his face visibly relaxes.
I inhale and exhale again before saying my next words.
“It was his mom but I need to give you background perspective first. I’ve never told you this outright but I lost my mom in January, car accident,” I say then swallow hard.
It hurts each time I speak that reality out loud.
“I’m so sorry. I really am,” he says so apologetically.
“Thank you. I’m still dealing with it. It’s been hard but it’s been easier these past few months because of you.”
“Don’t give me credit for that,” he says solemnly.
“I am and I will. You have been a much-needed distraction and you actually brought my smile back. I thought I’d lost it until you. Don’t diminish your positive impact in my life because I don’t, not at all,” I assure him. I grab his hand and squeeze before continuing.
“My mom left me her house and a nice-sized life insurance policy. Because me and the girls moved, Rush knows about the house. I was still allowing the girls to have weekly video visits with him at the time. He just guessed about the policy and he’s been begging me for money since.
His family doesn’t know about the policy.
They believe he left me some crazy amount before he went in, which is absurd.
He didn’t have shit. I paid the bills and the two stacks he left me were no doubt stolen but I put half of it on his books and spent the rest on my girls’ tuition. That was five years ago.
“The real issue is I cut him off. As big as his damn family is, not one of them has done shit for him since he’s been locked.
I was the only fool because he’s their father but that girl is long gone.
Rush is one hundred percent out of our lives and he hates it and so do they.
Especially his mother. She has to face the fact that she raised an ain’t shit man that she now has to take care of. Which is why she came to my job today.”
“Did she hurt you?” he asks.
“No. Erleen can’t do anything but talk shit. She just pissed me off for even coming to my job with her bullshit.”
“Was she alone?”
“Yes. Just her. His family is aggravating as hell but they are not stupid. After you checked Mekhi, he won’t say shit to me again, and for real, his mother is harmless. All bark no bite. She’s just used to the old me giving in when it comes to Rush.”
“We just need to talk to them together,” he says sternly.
“No, we don’t. That’ll only make it worse.
Trust me,” I say, then lean in and touch the side of his tight face.
“Smile. It’s really nothing for you to get mad or concerned about.
I was just upset at her disrespect. Smile,” I repeat before kissing his lips.
He’s stiff at first but eventually relents and kisses me back.
“Let’s finish this good lunch and change the subject. Are you ready for the music festival?”
“Adora, I don’t like this shit with your ex. Let me take care of it.”
“Xai, there’s nothing to take care of.”
“I’ll go to the source and deal with him. That should shut his fucking family down before they try any other sneak up on you shit.”
“Deal with him how? You are a businessman who’s trying to open up his second location.”
“A businessman raised in the streets. That shit don’t just fade away ’cause I make my money the legit way now. The Manor bred me; it’s who I am at the core. I promised you I’d never hurt you and I’m already in the hole. I’m not about to let anyone else hurt you.”
“In the hole,” I question, but he keeps speaking.
“Rush ain’t a man. He’s a bitch ass nigga for sending his family to harass you. That shit ain’t cool at all. At the end of the day, he’s violating you and you are mine. Mine to take care of and mine to protect. He’s threatening that, so he’s got to see me.”
“Rush has nothing. He’s nothing so he has nothing to lose. You do and I don’t want you risking that over nothing. If anything else happens, and I don’t think it will, I’ll let you know and you can try to talk to Rush.”
“I didn’t say talk,” he declares, then quickly pecks my lips when I try to rebut. “If anything else happens, I’m dealing with it. It’s no longer your problem, okay?”
“Okay,” I utter back because the seriousness in his eyes reveals no other response will be accepted.
“Okay,” he repeats, kissing my forehead. “Now eat, pretty girl. Your lunch hour is almost over.”
He hands me the Blue Ocean roll, and using my chopsticks, I eat a piece. He joins me and we kill both rolls. I save the Kani salad for Romi because she loves it with crackers. She’ll want to eat it instead of our leftover spaghetti I have planned.
“I’m done. Can I talk about the festival now, Mr. Xai?
” I tease. He had been so serious minutes earlier and his face is still a little tight.
I want to change the vibe in here. After placing the empty roll containers back into the bag, I scoot closer to him and drape my legs over his lap.
When he doesn’t say anything, I nudge him. “Smile,” I tell him.
“I’m straight,” he says so nonchalantly, too nonchalantly. I straddle him and lift his hands to my ass. “Adora,” he says.
“What? You gon’ let me go back to work with a frown after brightening my fucked-up day?” I ask, throwing in a little pout for effect. I rest my forehead on his and he shakes his head, then sighs. “Can I get a smile before I go in?”
He shakes his head again then his hands grip my ass. “If they reach out again in any way, you tell me, even if it’s a call or text,” he says, glaring, waiting for my response.
“I will.”
His hands move up my back and he caresses me. “Good. Now kiss your man,” he says with a smile.