Chapter 37 #4
“Whew!” she exclaimed, dramatically fanning herself. “It was real nice while it lasted, but I gotta get back to where the money resides… my own money. My clients are waiting, and bills don’t care about luxury views and emotional breakthroughs.”
I couldn't help but chuckle bitterly at her words, feeling a pang in my chest as the reality of her departure sank in.
I strolled over to Lainey, wrapping her in a quick hug. She hugged me back just as tight.
I pulled back, looking at her. “Thank you for staying as long as you did. I know you didn’t have to.”
Lainey waved me off. “Ajori, please! We’ve been through too much together for me not to be here for you during a time like this. Plus…” She paused for dramatic effect. “I had to make sure you didn’t lose your mind in this big fancy house. If anyone ever asks, you survived because of me."
I chuckled. “If that’s what you want to roll with then okay, friend. So… what’s the deal with you and Marcos?”
Lainey turned fully to face me, a nonchalant shrug escaping her shoulders. “We exchanged numbers. But I mean… I don’t really see it going past that unless he decides to pull up on your girl in our city or I come back down here.”
“So you’re not feeling him like that?” I probed, a hint of curiosity in my voice.
She tilted her head slightly, her expression thoughtful.
“He’s fine, Jo—we can both agree on that.
But my life isn’t here, boo. This?” She gestured around the foyer area.
“This is where you belong. You fit in this world whether you realize it or not. My happiness is back in Charlotte, and it took me coming here to really understand that. Now don’t get it twisted.
I don’t want to sound unappreciative because I definitely and forever grateful that you chose to bring me along.
I enjoyed every second of shopping like I had no sense and no budget. ”
I laughed, picturing her trying on clothes, picking out random trinkets, and hyping herself up like every mirror owed her a compliment.
“Not to mention, I was introduced to some Mexican dishes…” she added, grinning wider, “and a little… unexpected extracurricular activity.”
Lainey’s eyes were slightly unfocused and her lips were pressed together as if she was holding back a smile… or a memory.
“Not you having flashbacks in real time!” I kidded.
“Listen, all I’m saying is, the food wasn’t the only thing seasoned right.”
“Mm-hmm,” I nodded, grinning. “Yeah, okay. So the food was good, but Marcos’s dick was better. Got it.”
Lainey shrugged, completely unashamed. “You said it not me, friend. And don’t sit here acting innocent! I’m positive the feeling is mutual when it comes to you and Domino.”
“First of all,” I said, trying—and failing—to sound offended, “mind your business.”
Lainey straightened up like she was about to address a courtroom. “Objection,” she said smoothly. “You are my business.”
I blinked. “Girl—”
“Let the record reflect,” she continued, holding up a finger, “that based on observed behavior, suspicious smiling, and overall energy shifts… I am correct.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “What evidence? You’re trying to build a whole case off vibes.”
“Circumstantial evidence is still evidence!” Lainey fired back. “Exhibit A!” She pointed at my face. “That smile you keep trying to suppress.”
I pressed my lips together, already caught.
“Mm-hmm,” she nodded, satisfied. “The court sees everything.”
“Okay, okay.” I lifted my hands in surrender, playing along. “I can neither confirm nor deny those allegations.”
Lainey clapped once like she’d just rested her case. “No further questions. The witness has already incriminated herself.”
“You’re annoying.”
“And you,” she smirked, tilting her head as if she was delivering the final verdict, “have been found guilty of being emotionally and sexually involved with the type of man you swore you would never date.”
We shared a laugh.
“Seriously,” Lainey continued, her tone shifting to something softer and more introspective, “this isn’t where I’m meant to build my future. I had fun here, and it will always hold a special place in my memories, but my real life is waiting for me back home in Charlotte.”
Just like that, her expression shifted again, her playful demeanor reemerging.
“But don’t worry. If I ever want a Coach bag I can’t afford, need a quick vacation, or I’m short fifty dollars on my light bill…
” She pointed at me, her finger jabbing playfully in the air.
“I know exactly who to call. And don’t try to act brand new when I start popping up like, ‘Hey bestie, remember me?’”
I giggled. “I will never forget you, Lainey… ever.”
Her smile softened then, and so did her voice. “For real though, this is your time. You did what you had to do for Kyrin, and I’m proud of you… like, so damn proud. Not a lot of people could do what you did.”
I looked down for a second.
Lainey reached out, tilting my chin up slightly. “Don’t shrink now… not after everything you just fought through.”
I nodded slowly, absorbing her words.
“On another note…” she added, her tone shifting just enough to let me know she was serious now, “talk to your momma… for real. I know she fucked up, but sometimes people don’t realize what they’ve broken until they hear the silence they created…
and sometimes they just need one door left open so they can find their way back. ”
I sighed softly but nodded, mostly to satisfy her. “I’ll think about it.”
“Do it, Ajori,” she pressed. “Life doesn’t send reminders twice.”
I scoffed. “I beg to differ. But I will. I promise.”
Eventually.
Because the truth was, I wasn’t ready.
Not yet.
Top of Form
Bottom of Form
Lainey gave me one of her trademark looks; the one that said everything. “And be good to Domino. I’m not saying let him stress you out,” she added quickly, holding her hands up in a gesture of caution, “but don’t be playing games either. That man doesn’t look like he’s built for confusion.”
I chuckled, knowing all too well how true that was. “He’s not.”
“Exactly. And neither are you. So either love that man right or leave him alone before you both end up needing therapy and prayer circles.”
Lainey paused at the door, looking back one last time, the weight of the moment hanging in the air between us.
“I love you,” she expressed, her voice tinged with sincerity.
My chest tightened just a little with emotion. “I love you too. Call me when you land.”
After she left, I stood there for a second longer than I meant to, my hand still resting on the door like I hadn’t fully accepted that she was gone yet.
I exhaled slowly.
And then I remembered Domino was outside waiting for me.
I pulled myself together and turned away from the door and headed to my room.
The moment I stepped inside, I didn’t give myself time to think too hard about anything.
I just started moving. I pulled open drawers, grabbing whatever I thought I might need to take back to the hospital.
My hands worked faster than my thoughts, folding things halfway neat, halfway rushed, before tossing them into the bag.
I zipped the bag halfway, reaching for something else when the door flew open.
“Ajori, we need to get to the hospital now!” Domino urged.
I turned fast. “What happened?! Is it Kyrin?!” I panicked.
“No. He’s good. It’s your father. He collapsed, but he’s stable.”
My heart dropped anyway.
He grabbed my bags before I could even process it fully. “Come on. I just need to get you there.”
“O-Okay.”
I followed him out, my thoughts already spiraling.
The ride there felt like it took hours… even though it was barely ten minutes.
My hands stayed clasped in my lap, fingers tight, and my mind running in circles, I couldn’t slow down.
He was fine when I left.
That’s what I kept telling myself.
He was talking, standing, and acting like nothing was wrong.
The words repeated so much that they stopped making sense.
By the time we arrived at the hospital, a gripping tightness had settled heavily in my chest, and my breath came in uneven gasps. We hurried inside, and I didn’t stop until I reached his room. As I pushed the door open, time seemed to freeze.
The room was reminiscent of Kyrin’s. There were fewer machines beeping and blinking, but enough to instill a sense of seriousness that sent chills down my spine.
My eyes found him instantly.
For the first time, the man who had always appeared so invincible and so untouchable seemed fragile, anchored to the bed by the weight of his pain.
“Daddy…” I barely recognized my own voice as it slipped out, unbidden.
His eyes homed in on me. "Ajori,” he replied, his voice a rasp, weakened but undeniably still him.
I dashed to his side, tears already welling, blurring my vision.
“What’s going on?” I demanded, my voice trembling as panic coursed through me. “What happened?!”
He inhaled slowly, pain etched across his features, and then nodded slightly towards Domino, who was standing close beside me, quiet. “Give us a minute.”
Domino didn’t question it. He gave me a quick look—one that said I’m right outside—then stepped out, closing the door behind him.
Now it was just us... the relentless hum of the machines... and the unforgiving truth we could no longer avoid.
I turned back to him, desperation clawing at my insides. “Talk to me.”
He didn’t drag it out. “It’s cancer.”
“W-What?”
“Prostate... stage four,” he clarified, each word punctuated by a sense of finality.
The swell of tears nearly spilled as I struggled to process the devastating reality.
“Stage four? That’s… that’s advanced.”
“It is,” he confirmed, his tone steady yet filled with sorrow.
“We just met…” My voice faltered, drifting into the depths of despair. “And now you’re about to leave me again? I’m not ready for this. I’m not ready to lose you,” I admitted, the rawness of my heartbreak seeping through my defenses.
“I know; nobody ever is. And I wish I had more time to give you,” he said, and his words shattered something deep within me.
For a fleeting moment, I looked down for a second, trying to steady myself, then back at him. “When did you find out?”
“I’ve known for over a year now.”
“A year?” My voice cracked, but I didn’t raise it. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t want to worry you… not with everything you already had on your plate. Your brother… your life… I wasn’t about to add to that.”
“So you just… handled it alone? Act like nothing was wrong?”
“I handled it the only way I knew how… quietly… without putting fear in the people I care about. Sometimes strength doesn’t look like noise, Ajori; sometimes it’s just carrying what you can without letting it spill onto everybody else.”
My chest tightened painfully at his words, feeling the weight of his choice pressing down on me.
“And you’re at peace with dying?”
He gave a small nod, his eyes reflecting a lifetime of wisdom. “I am. Fighting this battle takes energy, and energy is something I don’t have much of these days. I’m not accepting it like it’s nothing; I’m accepting it for what it is.”
My father paused, glancing deeper into my eyes, searching for understanding.
“Ajori, I’ve lived my life and made my choices—some good, some not—but one thing I will never regret is you. I never stopped loving you… not one day. Even when I wasn’t there the way I should’ve been, I loved you from wherever I was.”
A lump formed in my throat, and I shook my head slightly, trying to dismiss the tear that threatened to cascade down my cheek.
“I never wanted perfect parents, just present ones.”
“I know. And I’m sorry it took me so long to understand that.
But I’m grateful for the time I did get with you…
even if it came late. Not everybody gets a second chance to fix what they broke.
Now I can leave this world knowing I got to look my daughter in her eyes, talk to her, hear her voice, and see the beautiful and strong woman she became. ”
I felt an ache in my heart, not just for what was fading but for the little time we had shared.
“That matters to me more than anything. So if no one ever tells you, always know that you’re stronger than you think, capable, and full of heart. You carried your brother through something most people wouldn’t survive, that’s how I know you’ll always be okay.”
I shook my head slightly, wiping furiously at my face. “I guess I inherited those characteristics from you.”
A faint smile touched his lips, momentarily lifting the heaviness in the room. “You got the best parts of both me and your mom.”
I let out a small breath, trying to keep the fragile composure intact. “I’m still mad you didn’t tell me… but I understand… somewhat.”
Gingerly, I reached for his hand. “But like you said, I’ll be okay,” I said, more to reassure him than myself.
“I know you will, and you won’t be alone. Domino told me about you two, and I’m not mad… I never was. I always thought I’d be the kind of father who wouldn’t want his daughter dating anybody until she was forty.”
My dad let out a soft chuckle, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes.
“I used to think about your first date,” he went on, his voice slowing, turning reflective.
“Some nervous boy showing up at the door, and I’m standing there, asking him questions he’s not prepared to answer, making sure he knew exactly who he was dealing with.
Prom night, too. Watching you walk out, all dressed up, telling him what time you better be back, and letting him know I don’t play about mine. ”
His smile dimmed slightly, revealing the weight of regrets that settled upon him.
“I missed all of that,” he admitted quietly, the words thick with emotion. “Every milestone I should’ve been there for, I wasn’t.”
He exhaled slowly, then looked back at me.
“I’m going to miss walking you down the aisle; that’s something every father looks forward to.
I won’t be here for it, but don’t ever think that means I won’t be around.
I’ll always be with you in every decision you make and in every step you take.
You won’t have to look far to feel me. And as for Domino, that man is solid and loyal.
He’s going to protect you, stand beside you, and make sure you’re never lacking anything.
All you have to do is do right by him, and he’ll do the same for you. ”
I nodded, squeezing his hand gently. “I will.”
In that moment, we weren’t just dealing with the time running out or thinking about what was coming; we were just… father and daughter, finally in the same space, saying the things that should’ve been said a long time ago.