Chapter 10 #2
My smile faded as I released a heavy sigh.
I knew he would eventually show up but I also knew it wouldn’t be right away because I was sure he knew I’d told my parents what happened.
He’d been blowing my phone up with calls and texts from random numbers because I’d, of course, blocked each of his.
I didn’t bother to tell him the obvious, that he should move on and leave me alone, because it would be pointless.
I was sure that he thought this was the same as any other time he cheated, but he was severely mistaken.
I took a lot of his crap because I felt like less than a lot of times, and bad about not being able to fully do my job as his woman, but I was drawing the line at having a baby with my coworker and telling her something sensitive about me only for her to throw it in my face later.
He didn’t respect me or our relationship, so I was doing us both a favor by leaving.
“What did he want?”
“An ass whooping!” my father quickly answered. He never really cursed, but he hated Derrick, so I wasn’t surprised. “And he almost got it too. Shoot. He better be glad your mother was here.”
“I don’t like that bastard, but I can’t have my man crashing in behind him.”
“It’s crash out, Mama!” I cackled. “You need to stop hanging around Geri.”
“Same thing,” she giggled. “But seriously, Jruelle, when you get back, I want you to get a restraining order. I don’t trust that fool.”
“Derrick is crazy, but he isn’t stupid. He won’t do anything to me.”
“That’s what you think, Jru, but I saw the look in that man’s eyes. He looks deranged. You cannot underestimate him.”
“I’m not, Mama, I just know him.”
“Okay, be hardheaded, Jruelle.” I could hear the disappointment in her voice. “That boy is trouble.”
“I’ll do it, Ma,” I conceded. “If that will make you worry less.”
“It will.”
“Fine. I’ll do it.”
“Good,” she replied. “We won’t keep you, but please be careful, Jruelle.”
“And call us if you need us,” my dad added causing me to smile.
“I will. I love you guys.”
“We love you too, baby.”
After hanging up with them, I stayed on the balcony to finish my coffee before going inside and getting ready for my day.
Since it was just a cooking class and there was a chance that I could get dirty, I just threw on some leggings, an ACU t-shirt, and my Birkenstocks.
They were new and hadn’t been broken in, so I knew I’d regret my shoe choice later.
Once I was dressed, I brushed my teeth again, flossed, threw my hair in a bun, put on some perfume, and headed downstairs.
The cooking class was taking place in an open-air pavilion that was located on the resort.
It overlooked the sea giving us a beautiful view.
The breeze also carried the smell of sea salt and hibiscus through the air.
There were long wooden prep tables set up with cutting boards, the utensils we’d need for the class, bowls of fresh produce, and a variety of spices.
Since we signed up for the class ahead of time, the aprons had our names on them.
My eyes glided over the empty spaces for my name.
When I found it, I stepped up to the spot and slipped my apron on, anxious for the class.
As I readied myself, my eyes scanned everything in front of me—peppers, bundles of plantains and fresh bunches of thyme.
“It’s almost too pretty to cut, right?” the lady that was next to me said.
Smiling, I nodded as I tied my apron behind my back. “I was literally thinking that.”
“Rhea.” She extended a hand which I accepted.
“Jruelle, but you can call me Jru.”
“Jru,” she smiled. “Are you from around here?”
I shook my head. “I live in Atlyn City.”
“Shut up!” her smile widened. “That’s home for me too. I was born and raised there.”
“Wow, small world.”
“Definitely.”
The instructors voice pulled our attention from the conversation. She’d begun welcoming everyone and explaining the recipes we’d tackle. Once she’d given the first set of instructions, we started chopping the veggies in front of us and fell into another small conversation.
“Are you here on a girl’s trip or something?” I asked as I slid the chopped peppers into the bowl in front of me.
She shook her head. “Nope. My family staged an intervention—said I was too deep into work, so they planned this trip, took my laptop, and put me on a plane,” she laughed.
“I was mad at first, but after getting here,” she looked around then her eyes settled on me.
“I get it. I do work a lot, and hard too, but I never enjoy the fruits of my labor.”
“I get that. I needed a reset myself. Little bit of quiet. Little bit of fun.”
“Exactly.”
We continued small talk while we finished preparing the meal together, which turned out to be good.
I was excited to go home and make it for my family.
After we were done with the class Rhea asked what else I had planned, so I ran my itinerary down to her.
I still decided to finish the rest of my day solo.
We’d both come to the island to achieve something for ourselves, so I didn’t want to steer away from that.
She was, however, a really sweet person so I hoped to get up with her back home.