8. Emerald #3
“I guess I gotta accept the fact that you’re becoming a man now. Even though I hate it!” I scrunched my nose and lips together and focused on the road. “And this thing . . . with Ivo . . . it’s not like I set out for it.”
“I know that. That ain’t you. But what you gon’ do about it?” My brother swung his attention my way.
“That is the question,” I muttered.
The rest of the ride, I let him talk my ear off about basketball, practice, and a few upcoming events at school.
By the time we pulled into the garage of the condo, I was yawning and ready to end this day.
I shut the car off, and Sapphire and I walked to the door for entry into the house.
The new tropical scented plug-ins struck my nose immediately as I kicked off my shoes.
“I’m gonna go get ready for school tomorrow.”
“Okay. I have an interview at this startup media company tomorrow. I’m going to take a bath and try to mentally prep for that.”
“’Night, Em.” My brother hugged me before starting toward his bedroom.
Sighing, I dropped my purse on the kitchen counter and sighed before looking around.
The entire day had blown me. I decided to FaceTime Cambrie as I turned to grab a bottle of water from inside the fridge.
She picked up with the kids going crazy in the background but moved away from them so she could have some privacy.
“Hey. Are you OK?” she asked, concern immediately filling her face.
“I’m good.” I twisted the cap off my bottle and brought it to my mouth. “I luckily have tough skin and Rossi has never liked me, so I’m used to it.”
“I’m sorry, Em. Nobody should come for you like that. Everybody makes mistakes and goes through shit. She shouldn’t have thrown it in your face or brought it up in front of the entire table like that.”
“Public record, like she said.” I shrugged and moved through the condo so that I could go to my room.
“She said the same thing about my mama’s accident. Rossi is a cold woman. I don’t know if she’s always been that way, or if the accident caused it, but she needs some healing.”
“So when I was coming out of the bathroom, I heard Ivo arguing with Jordan.”
“Oh, girl, yes! He got the hell up out of there. He was hot! Jordan was blowing him up, but Ivo wasn’t answering. I think Staten and Brick talked to him, but I doubt he’s going home tonight. Have you heard from him?”
“Today was my first time seeing him in days. He hasn’t called me, and when I call him, he lets me go to voicemail.
Yet they still want to go through with this whole surrogacy thing.
Honestly, it makes no sense. I need the money though, and I already signed this contract.
I just wish he would pick up the phone and talk to me. ”
“What about Blaine? What’s going on there?” Cambrie pried.
“Girl, that’s a dead end. I told him we should just stick to being friends. It’s too much on my plate as it is.”
“I damn sure can understand that. How did he take it?”
“He was cool. I was more concerned about him icing Sapphire out after everything, but he’s been consistent with my brother and coaching him, so I’m grateful.”
“Well, that’s good. Definitely don’t need any extra drama.”
“Not at all,” I drawled, starting up the steps.
“Who dat?” I heard Staten ask in the background.
“Emerald,” Cambrie told him.
“Hold ya head, Em. Fuck Rossi!” Staten yelled from behind her, making me laugh.
“Tell him that is his mama.”
“Girl, he don’t give a fuck. He got his own issues with her,” Cambrie replied. “I’m glad you called though. We just made it to the house. We on the way to my dad’s facility. We’re going to spend a little time with him then head back to the house.”
“Thanks for checking on me, Cam. I’ll be fine. Let’s link up for lunch this week or something.”
“Yeah, for sure. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Later.” I entered my bedroom and hung up.
I dropped my phone on the dresser and marched over to the bathroom door.
A hot bubble bath with a few salts and some lit candles was so appealing that I found myself in the bathroom doing just that.
I damn sure needed the relaxation even though Ivo was running amok in my head.
Going against my pride, I went to retrieve my phone.
When I got to my call list, my finger lingered over his name, and I debated on whether I should hit him up.
I didn’t want to be rejected again, but I couldn’t stand him thinking I didn’t give a damn.
He had me genuinely concerned about him and his headspace.
The phone rang twice, and surprisingly, he picked up.
There was a pause before he spoke though.
“What’s up?”
“Are you good?”
“Straight.” I could hear him inhaling, so I knew he was probably sitting somewhere alone, blowing a fat one.
“Ivo, we need to talk.”
“Ain’t shit to talk about,” he quipped. “It is what it is, Em. I can’t live my life for you or Jordan anymore.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“It means I got other shit I need to be doing. I already talked to her and let her know I was moving into Brick’s house.
We’re separating, but she still wants to go through with this whole surrogacy shit, and with the stipulations in my pops’ will, it seems like I have to go along with it too.
You need the money, so it works out for everybody in the end. ”
“Except it really doesn’t. Listen, I’m sorry about the other day. The thing with Blaine . . . it didn’t mean anything. I was caught up in the moment and my emotions and . . . I was weak.”
“You good, mama. You only been half in this to begin with. Been pushing me away from jump,” he tittered. “I get it, and I ain’t even gon’ hold it against you.”
“So what happens now?” I asked, relieved that he wasn’t going to be stubborn in all this. “Can you just come over so we can talk?”
“I can’t do that. I’m at the air strip. I got some business I have to handle out of town. I’ll be gone for about a month.”
“A month! What kind of business you got?”
“The kind I can’t talk about. You good though. The condo and the cars, they’re yours. You need them to get around, and I ain’t the kind of nigga to give some shit and take it back because shit didn’t work out how I wanted.”
“The car and the condo are great, but what I want is you. Us.”
“Right now, I can’t give that to you. I need some space to figure some shit out.”
“So that’s it? You just hop on a plane and run from this?”
“Shit should be familiar. It’s what you did to me all those years ago,” he rebutted.
That was like a slap to the face. Tears stained my eyes, and my hand trembled as I gripped the phone. I’d had some hateful things said to me, and Juke stayed throwing shit in my face, but Ivo’s statement right now had split my heart open. Sniffling, I swiped under my nose and nodded.
“Wow. I guess I know how you really feel. Have a safe trip, Ivo.” I quickly ended the call before I broke down into tears speaking with him.
Normally, if we had a fight, he would text or call right back.
I stood at the dresser, staring down at the display of the iPhone, waiting for it to light up, but it never did.
I plugged it into the charger after a few minutes and decided to go take my bath.
Maybe this was for the best. It just hurt that now he had officially made the decision to leave Jordan, but, in the process, had also eliminated me.
Once I turned into a prune and the bath water had gotten cold, I got out, handled my oral hygiene, and moisturized my body.
I grabbed the pink satin pajama set from my drawers and put them on before pulling the covers down on my bed.
By the time I curled up to my pillows and turned on my side, I could barely keep my eyes open.
My last thoughts were of Ivo and the future of this whole situation.