28. Jamie
jamie
. . .
T he idea of waking before the sun is up is not my idea of a good time, even worse is trying to rouse Evelyn out of bed. This child refuses to budge and keeps slapping my hand away when I try to tickle her. I should’ve told Dhara no, that I didn’t want to go to her stupid concert with her, but Ajay convinced me to come even though I will only see him for a day. Technically not even a full twenty-four hours, but something more like five. Five hours together after not seeing him for six weeks feels like a lifetime apart when I don’t take into account our earlier separation. But I’m trying to forget that period of my life and focus on the future, which is challenging considering Ajay’s elusiveness. I have hope that once I’m out there, things will be different. I’m going to use my time wisely to show him that the three of us deserve a chance at happiness with each other.
“Evelyn, don’t you want to go on the airplane?”
When Dhara told me about the contest she won, I called bullshit. It seemed obvious that she didn’t actually win but rather found something to hold over Ajay’s head to get tickets. That was until he told me Sinful Distraction wasn’t even going to be in town, but that he’d find a way to come see me while I was in Los Angeles. I tried to tell Dhara that I wasn’t going, that it was a waste of my time, but she cried and went on about how she already gave them our names and things were nontransferable. I finally relented but am still leery of the whole thing. It’s just too convenient to be a coincidence.
“Mommy, I tired,” she says, rubbing her eyes.
“I know, sweetie, but you’ll be able to sleep on the plane, and I think it’ll have a TV so you can watch some shows. You’ll be able to color and read your book.”
“But no math?”
“Nope, no math. Not on this trip.”
Evelyn sits up but keeps her eyes closed. She lifts her arms so I can remove her pajamas and put her sundress on. “It’s warm in California,” I tell her. “But not humid like it is here.”
“What else is there?”
“Well I don’t know, but I imagine it’s a lot like North Carolina with palm trees and the ocean.”
“Sounds boring.”
“I know, but Auntie Dhara asked us to go to a concert with her. It’ll be fun.”
While she’s still in bed, I sit behind her and pull her hair up into a ponytail. Normally, I’d ask her what she wants but this is just easier for the trip. I’m afraid she’s going to be miserable. Not only is this her first flight, but mine as well, and despite reading testimonials from people who have flown before, I’m not certain I’m ready for this.
The loud knock on my door has me scrambling through my darkened living room. Fletcher and Dhara are standing there under my porch light and the only one who looks even remotely happy is Dhara.
“I think I’m still asleep,” Fletcher says as he enters my house.
“Me too. Evelyn’s a zombie. I’m really afraid she’s going to be unbearable.”
“Y’all are worrying for nothing. We’ll be fine. We can sleep on the plane and we have a really nice hotel where we can nap and have room service,” Dhara says as if winning a big contest is an everyday thing for her.
“Where are your bags? I’ll put them in the car,” Fletcher asks. I point to my room and he disappears down the hall.
“I’ll go get Evelyn but be prepared, she’s crabby.”
“Eh,” Dhara says as if a tired five-year-old means nothing. Instead of waking her up again, I scoop her into my arms. She’s heavy but I only have to carry her to Fletcher’s car. Dhara locks up after I step out onto the porch and when Fletcher sees me, he comes rushing over to take her.
The drive to the airport usually takes about an hour, but with no traffic Fletcher gets us there in forty-five minutes. He drops us off curbside and tells us to wait for him while he goes to park the car. I’m thankful he had the wherewithal to do this because Evelyn is still out cold.
“Shit, I forgot to put her shoes on,” I say aloud as I start going through her bag. Luckily her flip flops are in there, but I decide to hold onto them until after she goes through security.
When Fletcher comes back, he reaches for Evelyn and picks her up. “You don’t have to.” I tell him, but he doesn’t seem to mind.
“It’ll be easier for me to carry her while we walk to security.”
“Maybe you can try to wake her up before we get there. I don’t think they’ll let you carry her through the detectors.”
Our airport is small and there aren’t too many people traveling this morning, so it doesn’t take us long to get through the line and to the TSA agent who checks our identification and boarding passes. Somehow Fletcher manages to get Evelyn to wake up, although the scowl on her face looks like she’s about to start the next world war.
By the time we’re called to board, Evelyn’s awake but moody. I’m silently kicking Dhara in the rear for suggesting an early morning flight. I get it, we want to get to the other coast as early as possible but I’m not sure this was such a good idea for Evelyn.
I get her situated in her seat with her pillow and blanket and tell her that once we’re up in the air she can have some breakfast. Except she never makes it that far because she’s out like a light before the plane takes off and so am I.
By the time the plane lands, I’m second-guessing the trip. It’s nice to get away, but the only reason I would come out here is to see Ajay and knowing that our visit is only a few short hours makes this trip really not seems worth the hassle. Dhara should’ve asked her friends from work to go with her. I wouldn’t have been upset at all.
There is, however, one shining light right now: Evelyn’s awake and pulling her luggage behind her while she carries her stuffed elephant. I have to stop every few feet to remind her to keep walking because something catches her attention.
“There’s a car waiting for us,” Dhara says as we make our way toward the exit. When we step outside, I take in the many cars waiting for everyone. The traffic at the airport alone is insane.
I grab hold of Evelyn’s hand and tell her not to let go as we follow Dhara through the mob of people. They bump into us without any regard for our well-being. I don’t like it and I’m ready to turn around and go back home. But I know having those thoughts is not productive. If I want to be with Ajay, this is where I have to be, unless I want us to live apart. I don’t. I want a chance at the fairytale I thought I was getting when I turned eighteen. Of course, in my mind that fairytale didn’t include one of the busiest airports and the feeling of helplessness I have going on right now.
“Mommy, why does that man have our name on his paper?” Evelyn stops us in our tracks and points to a man holding a sign that says, “Foster.”
“I’m sure he’s waiting for someone else. We’re going with Auntie Dhara,” I say as I turn to follow her.
“Actually, you’re not.” That voice, the one I’ve known and have had memorized for most of my life, has me frozen in spot. I turn slowly to find Ajay standing there with a bouquet of roses and a stuffed Minnie Mouse toy in his hands.
“Ajay,” I say softly. He steps forward, leans down, and places the roses strategically between us.
“Can I kiss you?” he asks quietly. I nod and tilt my head toward him, welcoming the soft sensation of his lips against mine. He pulls away far too soon.
“I thought I wasn’t going to see you until tomorrow.”
He smiles shyly and drops the roses from shielding me. I know he did it so Evelyn wouldn’t see us kiss, and I love him a little bit more for that.
“That was a ruse,” he says as my mouth drops open. “Dhara and I have been in cahoots to get you and Miss Evelyn out here.”
“So, she’s not going to the concert?”
“Oh no,” his eyes go wide, “She is, but you’re not unless you want to.”
“I don’t think I want to. And you’re here the whole time we are?”
He nods, leans forward, and kisses me on my cheek before dropping down to his knees to face Evelyn. “Hi, do you remember me?”
Evelyn turns shyly into my leg. Ajay shows her the stuffed Minnie and she takes it slowly. “I’m Ajay, a friend of your mom’s.”
“I know,” she says.
“And I was wondering if you’d like to go meet Mickey and Minnie Mouse tomorrow.” My eyes go wide, but he’s not even paying attention to me. “You see, they’re friends of mine and have asked me to ask you if you’d like to come have breakfast with them tomorrow?”
Evelyn looks at with the widest eyes possible. “Mommy, can I?”
I nod and crouch down. “I think you have to tell Ajay that you want to go.”
“I do, Ajay. I really, really do.”
“Well okay, then. But first we have to go to my house. I have some friends who want to meet you. Do you mind if I carry your suitcase for you?”
“Nope,” she says happily. Ajay points to the car we’re going to ride in — it’s a limo where the man standing by the car is sure enough holding a sign with our name on it. “See, Mommy,” she says when she reaches the man. “It is for us!”
Ajay steps closer and hands me the roses. I lean in and smell their heavenly scent. “These are beautiful.”
“Not nearly as beautiful as you.”
“You’re biased,” I remind him.
He nods and reaches for my bag. “I’m happy you’re here, Whiskey.”
I turn in front of him and place my hand on his side, clutching at his t-shirt. “I almost didn’t come but the thought of seeing you for five hours when I haven’t seen you for six weeks was too good to pass up.”
“I’ve had some things that I needed to take care of here first,” he tells me. “But now I’m all yours until you decide to leave.”
Until I decide to leave. Not when I leave or at the end of my trip, he’s just left our relationship completely open ended with one comment.
Ajay and I get into the limo, only to find Evelyn sprawled out on one of the bench seats. I remind her that she still needs to put her seatbelt on, and she does, along with putting one on Minnie Mouse. I send a text to Dhara, thanking her and promising that we’ll find a way to meet up later. She sends a picture back of her and Fletcher, drinking champagne in the back of a car and tells me to have fun and enjoy the drummer and his stick. She’s utterly ridiculous.
But she’s right, I do want to enjoy him. I put my phone away and rest my head against the back of the seat, angling myself so I can stare at him. It takes him a moment until he mimics my position. My hand reaches for his and he holds it without hesitation. It feels good to hold his hand, and while I know Evelyn’s watching me and I need to explain to her that this man is the love of my life and part of our future, I don’t want to stop looking at him.
With my free hand, I reach over and stroke his cheek. He leans into my touch and kisses my palm.
“We’re almost at my place,” he says.
“I thought you lived with your friends.”
He shakes his head. “I rented a condo. It’s not on the beach, but it has a pool and a playground. It’s a gated community so people can’t just come and go. There are sidewalks so Evelyn can ride her bike.”
“Ajay, I didn’t bring her bike. Just enough clothes for a few days.”
He nods and smiles. “I bought her a bike with training wheels and a helmet. She has clothes hanging in her room. Miss Katelyn bought them for her, along with Elle and Peyton. They also bought you some clothes, with Dhara’s input, in case you want to stay longer.”
He’s left me speechless and in complete awe. When I last saw him, he was unsure about how this would work between us, but it seems like he’s pulling out all the stops to show us that we can live together as a family.