Chapter 24
“What’s so funny?” I asked.
“I just think it’s wild the way you’re bopping around looking at all the vintage stuff when less than two hours ago your legs were shaking while I fucked you raw.”
I grabbed his arm and escorted him to a less populated corner of the store. “Stop it. Not appropriate.” We were in this cute little area of Sedona with coffee shops and small boutiques.
After checking into our hotel and taking a much-needed rest, we were exploring the town. We dipped into a kitschy home decor shop, with patrons buzzing in and out and Aldridge was speaking in his deep full voice so anyone could overhear.
He imitated my raspy voice from hours ago. “Aldridge … please … baby.”
I raised my fist with a shake. “I will assault you in this quaint little shop.”
“Like how I beat the pussy back at the hotel.” His smile was devilish, and I knew he was trying to get a rise out of me. He was proud of his performance and rightfully so. I was already prepared for an encore.
Crossing my arms, I walked away from him. “I’m not talking to you anymore.”
“I’m just saying the faces you made.” He contorted his mug into something more similar to pain than pleasure. “Daddy please.”
“Aldridge, shut up.”
“I’m sorry, don’t be mad. I’ll stop.” He draped his arm over my shoulder and kissed the top of my head.
When he suggested we take a mini vacation, I was thrilled.
The holidays flew by, and school was in full swing.
I had readings to complete, papers to write and homework that was due, but I also had an unshakable desire to be laid up under this man.
So, I powered through the week, staying up late to complete a paper due next Wednesday.
All this while showing homes and closing deals.
Aldridge circled the table, picking up a wiener dog napkin holder. “Why?” he mouthed.
Granted this store housed everything but the kitchen sink, but I loved incorporating pops of color or cute kitchen tools into my decor. Not a wiener dog napkin holder but a pink cowboy boot matchbox, yes.
For the next two and a half days I was focused on the Arizona sun, filling my sexual cup, and frothing over items I didn’t need but made me smile.
Aldridge’s phone was blowing up and he was declining incoming calls. Didn’t the world stop for everyone else when we were together? Like in a video game only Aldridge and I mattered and the blonde lady with the bob looking at cookbooks in the corner was just a NPC (Non player character).
I pointed at an item on the table. “This is cute.”
“What is it?”
“Measuring cups that look like citrus. I bet they’re hand-painted.” I picked up each showing them to him. “You have a grapefruit, an orange, a lemon, and a lime.”
“You should get it.” He never looked up from his phone to take in the hand crafted wonders.
“I don’t need them. They would just be a fleeting serotonin boost.”
His eyes were still focused on his phone and not where they should be, locked in on me.
“Hmm.”
“Everything okay?”
“Uhm. TMZ reached out to my publicist regarding a breaking story they’re working on.”
“Not about you and me?” Us dating shouldn’t be headline news.
“No, my dad.” He scratched the length of his jaw, and his voice was stiff, less relaxed as if he were masking anger or hurt.
“Full sentences, Aldi.”
He returned his phone to his pocket and finally looked at me. “Apparently, he’s been betting on my games.”
The blood drained from my face from the initial shock, but then I went into fix-it mode. After all, I did have a few weeks of law school under my belt. “Okay a parent placing bets on their child’s professional NBA games, while some would argue is morally wrong, isn’t illegal.”
“They want to know if I was in on it.” There was a tightness around his eyes and the vein in his forehead was visible.
“That’s ridiculous.”
“The money he used to place these bets came from a joint account. An account I set up so he’d have a monthly allowance.
I knew he was blowing through money quickly, but we barely talk, and I never thought to ask him where the money was going.
I knew it was being wasted on dumb shit … but gambling on my games.”
“He should’ve known better. But his inability to identify the conflict is solely on him. Your father is a grown man who, and I can’t stress this enough, should’ve known better.”
“You and I both know Lamonte is a piece of shit but when this story breaks people are going to start looking at me and asking questions about the level of my involvement.” Aldridge pressed his fist to his mouth.
It was clear he was mentally processing this shocking news and all the possible scenarios that could follow, up to and including losing his job.
“My publicist is setting up a meeting with my lawyers in thirty minutes. I have to join.”
“Okay let’s head back to the hotel.”
“No, you stay here, buy your measuring cups. I don’t wanna ruin your trip.”
“Aldridge, I’m not letting you go through this alone.” I squeezed his hand. He nodded absentmindedly. “We’re in this together.”
Back at the hotel, I listened in as Aldridge and his team strategized.
The plan was to immediately distance himself from his father and this scandal.
He couldn’t control the actions of others, and he wasn’t responsible for his dad being a major fuck up.
After the call I helped Aldi draft a well-crafted statement.
“How does this sound?” Aldridge took a deep breath.
“While it is disheartening to think my father would be involved in something like this, I must admit I’m not surprised.
Unfortunately, my father has struggled with addiction and gambling for many years.
I’ve paid for treatment facilities and witnessed him navigate twelve-step programs only to fail.
Our parents are supposed to be our heroes, but occasionally they’re fighting battles that make it difficult to be present for their children in the way most would expect.
While I love my father, I don’t support his actions and hope he’ll be able to get the help he needs. ”
“I think it’s concise and you come off sympathetic but not culpable.”
Aldridge hit send on the email to his team for final review. Standing, he straightened his shirt. “Let’s go to dinner.”
“Dinner? Do you want to talk about this?”
“I’m done with this. There’s nothing more to talk about. We’re on vacation, and we shouldn’t let the fact that my father is an op ruin that.”
“It’s obvious you’re upset, maybe a little hurt.”
His shoulders jerked and his mouth wadded into a ball. “I’m not hurt. I expect nothing from him, and he just keeps delivering every single time.” The last three words were punctuated by his fist slamming into his palm.
“Maybe you should call him to hear his side.”
“Nope. I’m cutting him off. Already texted Nori and asked her to freeze the account.”
My gasp telegraphed my surprise. I feared his actions were reactionary and he wasn’t taking the time to think things through.
We could all agree his dad was a piece of shit, but pretending he didn’t exist wasn’t going to fix the long-term problems. In my opinion Lamonte should’ve been cut off years ago.
A child shouldn’t be expected to support his freeloading father.
Aldridge was a good son and Lamonte took advantage of that.
“What? Do you think that was a mistake?”
“Yes … I mean no. If he’s going to gamble his money away, then he doesn’t need to get it from you. But there’s also optics to consider. People could perceive the account being quickly closed as an admission of guilt on your part.”
“Bullshit.” Aldridge stood, picked up a glass and tossed it at the wall. Shards of glass exploded, falling to the carpet. That wasn’t the reaction of a man who was over it.
“Aldi, I know it’s upsetting finding out—”
“I’m not upset. You were right, I’m over here taking care of a bunch of people who don’t deserve it.
What’s that saying? New Year, New Me. That’s my motto all year long.
I’m only helping my mom and you.” He sat down on the couch and rubbed his knees.
“And Duane, Tootie, my niece. Maybe Nori if she needs anything.”
I sat next to him. “You have a big heart. You always have. And that’s a quality I appreciate the most in you. I don’t want this shit with your father to harden your heart.”
“Weren’t you the one telling me I was doing too much … giving too much?” He sunk in the space next to me.
“Yes, and I stand by that. But I also heard you say how important it is for you to take care of the people you love.”
“And see that’s where I messed up with that motherfucker because he doesn’t love me, all he’s ever done was use me.
As far as I’m concerned, I don’t have a father.
” His expression was pained. It was clear he was taking this betrayal personally, as he should because the choices Lamonte made often felt like a direct attack on his son.
But disowning a parent, no matter how horrible they were, was easier said than done.
“Aldi, don’t say that.”
“Why Nessa it’s true. I’m done.” Aldi grimaced as if he’d been hit in the gut with a baseball bat.
“Why does … Why did he have to be my dad?” His voice was shaky, and he was having trouble meeting my eyes.
I didn’t have a good answer for that. But I knew what it was like to be disappointed by your family.
“All I ever wanted was a dad that would come home after work and ask me how my day was. Ask about what we learned in school. But instead, I came home to my dad passed out drunk on the couch at three thirty in the afternoon. And those were the good days.” He seeped in a long breath.
“Sometimes he wouldn’t come home until well past my bedtime, yelling and banging shit around, waking the whole house up. ”