22. Piper
Saturday Evening…
My phone chirped with a text from an unknown number. I grabbed it from the table and opened it.
(Sent a GIF of a man clapping impressively) Nice. But . . . A little harder than that, shorty.
A soft smile tugged at my lips until I found myself smiling fully. Khalil was really making me put in work to regain his love and loyalty. I wasn’t mad at it, but damn. I knew I’d hurt him, but what the hell else did he expect me to do?
As expected, the pre-halftime performance I put on went viral. I had to pull a lot of strings to make that happen, and he wanted me to go harder?
I sighed out of frustration and set my phone back down.
“What has you over there steaming, doll face?” my mom asked me. We were sitting outside on her patio, watching the sunset, and sipping lemonade.
I debated whether I wanted to tell her the whole truth about Khalil and me. I’d only told her about the fight and how we broke up, but I never told her that I’d run off and married him.
For one, she would have torn into me about having a shotgun wedding, and she wasn’t privy to it. Two, she would have torn into me about having a shotgun wedding with a man I’d only known for half a semester. I couldn’t tell her what I’d done, so I only told her half the truth.
Now, I knew it was time to reveal my secret to her because it killed me to keep this from her for so long.
Might as well take the heat and get it over with.
“Ma, I need to tell you something.”
She sat up abruptly. “Oh my God! You’re pregnant?”
I frowned. “What? No!”
She sucked her teeth. “Wishful thinking.”
“Ma.” I laughed. “I barely even date enough to be on the market for pregnancy.”
“Which is confusing because you’re a beautiful woman. You only brought one guy around, and the poor man didn’t last a week. And the only other boyfriend you had was that one in college.”
“Yeah, . . . about that. That boy in college, . . . we’re married,” I blurted. My eyes slowly went to her to see her facial expression. She paused mid-sip of her drink before looking at me in confusion.
“Come again?”
“I said we’re married.”
“I heard you, but I just needed you to say it again because I wanted to hear you wrong. How the hell, Piper Raquel?”
“We got married on October 14th, 2015.”
“Piper,” she said in an exasperated tone.
“I know, Ma. I can’t say I regret my decision, because in those few short months, Khalil made me feel alive.
He treated me like gold, spoiled me, and made sure I was happy and loved.
I know it was sporadic, but after Andre dissed us, I guess I was searching for someone to love me, and he provided that and much more.
Now, the universe brought us back into each other’s lives, and I want him back. ”
Mom looked away and shook her head. “I don’t know what to say. Isn’t he engaged to the owner of the basketball team’s daughter?”
“Yes, but that wedding won’t happen as long as he’s married to me. He’s hurt about the way I left him, but now he wants me to fight for him.”
“Fight for what? Clearly, he’s trying to move on.
This is all crazy to me, Piper. You’ve been married for ten years and just now telling me about this?
The better question is, how are you both walking around acting single?
I never even met the negro officially, and now you’re telling me you’re married to a man I never met?
I didn’t raise you to be chasing behind no man, Raquel.
If the nigga don’t want you, let his ass go. ”
I could tell she was getting upset now. I took her by the hand and massaged it.
“Mommy. Calm down.”
She let out a hefty sigh and interlocked our fingers.
“You listen to me, baby. I know Andre blindsided us, but I made sure to fill any voids that he left in his wake. God knows that man turned our lives upside down with his impromptu absence and down-low behavior, but I didn’t chase him.
I let that man be free because that’s what he wanted.
I put on my big girl panties and made sure you wanted for nothing.
“Don’t let what he did determine how you handle men or how you let men handle you.
If he loved you enough to marry you, then there is no way he would allow ten years of him being in his feelings for you to go by without any contact.
Now he’s engaged to someone else—that don’t sound like love to me, baby. ”
She was right.
It didn’t sound plausible when she put it that way, but I realized the magnitude of the pain I put him through. He was going through a lot with Nia, her negligence, the pressure of being a star ball player, and the amount of pressure to graduate with honors, on top of caring for a four-month-old.
“I agree with you. It doesn’t sound right when you say it like that, but I know he still loves me.
We didn’t make the best decision, but as I said, I don’t regret it at all.
If he wants me to fight for him, I’m willing to do it, only because I know it was my fault that everything ended the way it did.
He was dealing with a lot, and I just up and left him.
He treated me like fine China. Poured into me and affirmed me so much that I would have done anything he asked of me. ”
“Then why did you leave him?”
“I can’t give you a full answer to that, but I guess because of selfishness, trauma, and the attacks from his people. Just know he’s worth the fight.”
Silence sat between us before Parnell came outside with a smile on his face.
“Evening, ladies,” he greeted.
Mom smiled widely as he kissed her. “Hey, baby.”
“Hey, P.”
“Whaat? You ain’t working today?” he asked.
I laughed. “It’s after six. My office hours are closed.”
He chuckled. “I don’t mean to interrupt y’all’s girls’ moment, but you mind if I borrow this gem for a second?” he asked me.
“Sure. I think we’re done here.”
My mom stood then looked down at me, cupping my chin to look up at her. “You’re a smart and beautiful woman, so I can’t tell you what to do. Just make sure you’re making the right decision this time around. I don’t want you to end up with your heart broken, should he choose to move on.”
I placed my hand on hers and smiled. “Everything will work out. Trust me.”
She nodded once, then they were gone. I picked up my phone and hit reply on my messages.
Me:
I want to see you. Dinner tomorrow night?
947-333-2223:
I’ll be in NY. I’ll be back on Tuesday. We can link then.
“New York. Hmm,” I said aloud.
Me:
Sounds good. I’ll see you then.
He hearted my message, then I went online to see what time they were playing the New York Guardians tomorrow. I then contacted my source to find out what time Khalil would be arriving tomorrow and what hotel he’d be staying in.
The phone rang four times before he finally picked up.
“Ms. Piper. What you need now, ma’am?” Aaron, the VP of the Detroit Vipers asked as I chuckled.
I met Aaron when I transferred to Saginaw Valley State University.
He was one of the many people I’d met who quickly became my favorite person.
When I learned that he’d become the vice president of the prominent Detroit Vipers, I knew I would be able to get the scoop on my estranged husband whenever I needed it.
I hadn’t needed it until recently, so I was finally utilizing my source.
“Don’t do me like that, Aaron. You know we go way back.”
“Yeah, yeah. After that stunt you pulled at the game, you got the people talking. It’s gon’ cost you this time.” We laughed.
“You know money ain’t a thang over here, sir. Name ya price.”
“It ain’t monetary, sis. I need you to hook me up with your sister.”
“Done.”
“Just like that, huh?”
“Trust me. Shina loves a good front-row seat to a Vipers game.”
“Bet. What you need? I got you.”
“Khalil’s itinerary for tomorrow. I need information on the hotel he’s staying in and his flight departure.”
He sighed. “You’re playing with fire, sis. I don’t know why you’re going so hard for him, but I know you don’t do shit without good intentions. I’ll have that for you before the end of the night.”
“Thank you, bookie. You’re the best. I’ll be sure to set that date up with you and Shina as well.”
“You got it, love.”
“Byyee.” We hung up as another smile crept on my face. His little fiancée may as well move out of the way. There was only room for one queen, and this time, I wasn’t giving up without a fight.
New York City
Butterflies swarmed in my stomach as I waited for Khalil to enter the presidential suite of the Waldorf Astoria hotel. Since I knew discretion was a must for him now, I set everything up inside his room so we wouldn’t have to leave.
Khalil was a simple man—sometimes. When I learned that he only had a regular room here, I had Aaron switch his hotel, and I paid for the upgrade, hired the fashion designers, Leslie Gianni and Kamilla Moring, and they had their team deliver a rack of clothes each, then ordered the best champagne and dinner for when he was ready to eat.
I had two more surprises that I was hoping would get me out of the cat house and possibly some dick by the end of the night.
I poured two glasses of champagne and sat outside on the terrace to enjoy the night’s breeze. Just looking out over the city made me feel as though blowing a bag on him could work. If not, then I’d cut my losses and set him free because I was all out of options.
Moments went by before I heard voices, then the door opened. Khalil and Isaiah entered, and I saw him pause, seeing the setup I’d done for him.
I wasn’t expecting Isaiah to be with him.
Shit.
I moved over some so they wouldn’t be able to see me. I was hoping Isaiah would hurry up and leave because I didn’t want him to know I was here and blow our cover.
“Damn, brodie. Ana doing it big for you like this?” Isaiah asked as they walked further into the suite.
“I don’t know. Shit, I’d be surprised if her ass bought me a piece of fucking gum.”