Chapter 13
Lauren awoke to an empty bed and pulled herself from the sheets.
Bare feet tested the temperatures of the hardwood floors as she searched for him.
She knew where he’d be. The home gym at the crack of dawn was a routine.
It was a necessity for Demi, because if he didn’t work out his aggression, he’d be volatile all day.
She knocked on the door frame, announcing her presence, admiring him as he gritted his teeth while bench pressing a set.
“You want breakfast?” Lauren asked.
“Nah, you ain’t got to do all that. I’ll grab something when I take DJ to school,” he said.
Demi finished his fifth mile and then powered off the machine.
He walked directly by Lauren, only pecking the side of her head before leaving her alone.
She didn’t know what she felt. Indifference maybe, but something about him made a pit form in her gut.
She turned on her heels and followed him.
A woman’s intuition was a motherfucker because Lauren felt it in her gut that something had changed in the short hours that had passed since they had gone to sleep.
“Demi, is something wrong?” she asked.
Demi turned, pausing, as he stared at her from the other end of the hall.
She could tell just from his disposition that something indeed was wrong.
She braced herself. The dip in his forehead and the way an invisible weight rested on his shoulders, tensing his entire body, made her heart ache. Definitely something wrong.
“Just say it,” she said, almost breathless.
“Lo, there’s something I got to tell...”
DJ popped out of his room. “Morning, Ma. ‘Sup, Dad!” he said. “Aww dang, you worked out without me?”
The interruption sent Lauren’s anxiety through the roof.
“DJ, go get ready for school. You can workout at practice. You don’t want to be tired for school,” Lauren said.
“But Dad said he would help me condition!” DJ protested.
Demi rustled his son’s head and pushed him back toward the gym.
“I got you, man,” he said.
Lauren couldn’t hide her concern. “Demi...”
“Don’t worry about it. It wasn’t important,” he said. “We’ll talk later tonight. You got a meeting, right? You got the new girl coming in. You mentoring somebody, right?”
Lauren nodded, hating that he was right. She didn’t have time to figure out whatever was going on between them.
“Yeah. Can you stop by my office for lunch?” she asked. “I really want to talk. I want us to be okay.”
“I’ll pull up, a’ight?”
That settled her nerves some and she nodded before heading to their bedroom to prepare for her day. She and Demi had been through many storms over the years, but she felt like the biggest one yet was approaching. She’d be damned if she let it blow down her home.
“Show me that punch you hit the kid with yesterday,” Demi said as soon as he entered the gym. He bent down to grab the training gloves he had and tossed a set to his son.
“I thought I was in trouble for fighting?” DJ exclaimed.
“For bullying. A man gon’ have to fight in his life sometime. When the time comes, I need you to know how. Put them dukes up, li’l nigga,” Demi said, tapping the side of his son’s head.
“Hold up! I wasn’t ready!” DJ’s protests pulled a chuckle from Demi.
“You think niggas always run up when you ready? It would be nice but it don’t work like that. You stay ready so you ain’t got to get ready, boy. Hands up,” Demi schooled.
Demi put his pads on and lifted his hands. “Let’s get it. One, two,” Demi said. His son threw two rooted punches and Demi tagged his ass.
“Move them feet,” Demi said. “You keep your feet stuck to the ground like that and you’ll get knocked out.”
“You ever been knocked out, Dad?” DJ asked.
“A nigga ain’t never touched your daddy. Your daddy put niggas to sleep, homie. Now, let’s go,” Demi said.
He spent an extra hour training his son before showering and getting him to school.
He was late, always late to school when it was Demi’s turn to drop him off, but the lessons he learned along the way, no school could ever teach.
It was their time. Father and son. Demi wondered if those times would be fleeting if he did what he was thinking of doing. Leaving Lauren.
Demi wasn’t a cheater, at least he tried not to be.
He took no joy in lying to women, especially his woman, and Lauren indeed held that spot.
Some men got a kick out of deceiving a woman, out of making a fool of her, out of making them believe one thing when reality was the opposite, but Demi thought it was bitch shit.
If a man could sleep next to a woman and lie to her, be disloyal to her, the woman who provided a home, he could do anything.
Demi didn’t trust niggas who didn’t have a code, who hurt the person who loved him most. If a man could betray his woman, he could for damn sure put a bullet in his back.
How he had become a betrayer of women, he didn’t know, but he had to make a choice.
Time wasn’t enough to keep him with Lauren.
Or was it? It should be. Consistency over years was better than passion in the moment, right?
His dilemma wasn’t easily solved. Conflict lived in him because he couldn’t explain this sudden need for Charlie that had transpired in the blink of an eye.
He knew the conversation couldn’t wait. He didn’t know if he needed a break or if he wanted to end it altogether.
All he knew was that he was headed to see Charlie and if he did it without letting Lauren know where he stood, he would be digging a deeper grave for himself, one that he would eventually have to climb out of.
Stassi sat in the plush lobby, admiring the style of the office. She held her portfolio in her hands and tapped her foot against the plush carpet, a nervous habit.
Traitor. She was a motherfucking traitor.
She had a growing pit in her stomach that had been present ever since the showcase.
The fact that she was sitting there knowingly interviewing for a position with Demi’s wife made her feel like shit.
Charlie would never hold that type of information.
She knew it, but Charlie also didn’t have as much to lose.
Stassi was elevating in her career, chasing her dreams.
Charlie’s a mess. She’s singing in bars for tips. She wouldn’t understand what this means to me. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I shouldn’t have to turn it down because of her drama, Stassi thought.
“Anastassia, Mrs. Sky is ready for you.”
Stassi looked up at the assistant. Even she shined like money. Anybody attached to Lauren Sky eventually blew up and became their own brand. Stassi wanted parts.
She stood and rubbed the wrinkles out of her dress, the same dress she had worn for every important event in her life, praying that it brought her good luck.
Stassi followed the woman to a conference room.
Lauren sat at the head of the table and she was stunning in a Louis Vuitton dress that Lauren recognized from ogling the website.
“Hi, Anastassia, thank you for coming in,” Lauren said, smiling.
“Thank you for having me, and please, it’s just Stassi,” she replied.
“Stassi it is then,” Lauren replied. “Can I get you a mimosa or anything?”
“No, I’m fine, but thank you,” Stassi answered. Butterflies danced in her stomach as she tucked her hair behind her ears. “I’m so honored to even be interviewing with you.”
“Day speaks highly of you and he doesn’t speak highly of anyone.” Lauren laughed. “You’re a challenge for him and anyone who challenges Day is someone I need to meet.”
Stassi laughed.
“I take it that’s your portfolio. I’d love to take a glance at some events you’ve done,” Lauren said.
Stassi handed the folder to Lauren. “I don’t have as much experience as you, but I have been building a pretty reliable clientele. The event that probably put me on the map is the Okafor baby shower. I was the co-planner on that event, and I’ve gotten a lot of business from the guests.”
“Oh, yeah! I heard it was beautiful! My son plays football with Alani’s baby boy.
I’ve seen the pictures. Great work,” Lauren complimented.
“I’d love to bring you on. I pay a salary and offer a twenty-five percent commission on business you bring in.
Of course, it’s easier to bring in business under my umbrella because we have the reputation and established brand. ”
“I’d love to work here. You’re not much older than me but you’re so established. You’re respected by all the celebrities. You’re practically an influencer all on your own. I want that to be my brand one day,” Stassi said.
“Well, you’re on your way. You’re doing something right to have Day call in this type of favor, but honestly, you didn’t need him to. Your work speaks on its own,” Lauren said.
Stassi had never felt this type of pride in her work. Her grind was beginning to pay off and it felt amazing. Lauren didn’t even seem like a bad person.
I deserve this job. This has nothing to do with Charlie.
Only, it had everything to do with Charlie, and she was sick to her stomach because she knew one day the shit would hit the fan.
“Mrs. Sky, I’m sorry to interrupt, but you’re needed.”
Stassi looked up at the assistant and then over to Lauren. “Oh, I mean, we can cut this short. I know you’re busy. Thank you for looking at my stuff.”
“I appreciate you for stopping in. You’re absolutely hired. Let’s get your documents together with McKinley and you can start as early as tomorrow. She’ll show you your office and explain the benefits package to you,” Lauren said.
Stassi had never felt so accomplished. She followed Lauren back to the front and her stomach bottomed out when she saw Demi waiting for her.
If he recognized her, he didn’t let on, but Stassi’s eyes grew wide at first sight.
“Hey, baby,” Lauren said greeting him.
The hand to her hip and Lauren’s kiss to his cheek told a story of comfort, a story of intimacy.
Oh, you dirty-ass nigga, Stassi thought.