Chapter 7 #2
Later that night, I got dressed for Hymn’s bachelor party.
The women were going on a trip for Brion’s bachelorette celebration, but Hymn was keeping it simple.
He wasn’t having the gathering at a club.
Hymn had paid for the presidential suite at one of Diamond Cove’s most luxurious hotels.
There was going to be a caterer to cook for us and four strippers handpicked by Hymn and Brion.
I was looking forward to drinking and maybe even smoking a joint or two.
Hymn was celebrating his impending nuptials, and I was celebrating my upcoming divorce.
Celebrate might not have been the right word because I wasn’t happy about it, but what could I do? Cry about it? Shit, I had done that.
When I arrived at the hotel, Hymn had to come down and let me up.
We entered the plush suite, and the caterers were there setting up.
The room Hymn was in for the night was bigger than some apartments I had been in.
I’d frequented the hotel before I got married and back then, presidential suites ran $3,500 a night.
There was a spacious living room area, nice sized dining area with a full bar, and a dining table that could seat six.
There were two bedrooms and two bathrooms. The suite also had a balcony that boasted a view of the ocean.
I was set to stroll past the caterers, but I had to do a double take. “Alandra?” I asked with furrowed brows.
The woman that I thought I recognized lifted her head and sure enough, it was her.
I had dated Alandra in college. She was the person I thought I’d marry if I married anyone, but we were off and on.
During one of the off times, London swooped in and had my nose wide open.
I forgot all about Alandra. London and I moved pretty quick and when Alandra found out I was engaged, she stormed off crying.
That was the last time I’d seen her. She might curse me out, flip me the bird, or ignore me.
Whichever one she chose, I still couldn’t be in the same room as her and not acknowledge her.
“Hi, Isaac.” She gave me a small smile before going back to what she was doing. She didn’t appear angry but maybe she was being professional.
If Hymn was using her, whoever she worked for had to be one of the best. If they were one of the best, they weren’t cheap.
Enough time had passed that I doubted Alandra would risk losing her job for me even if she did hate me.
There were two caterers in the kitchen area.
Alandra and another woman who looked to maybe be in her mid-forties.
They were setting pans of food along the counter.
I wasn’t sure what was in the pans, but it smelled delicious.
Hymn had instructed the front desk staff that they could give Huncho a key, so he entered the room just as Hymn was taking the top off a bottle of tequila.
Every now and then, I would discreetly glance over at Alandra who seemed to be focused on her job.
She was 5’3 with dark, exotic skin, high cheek bones, and a short pixie cut that made her look like a runway model and a grown ass woman at the same time.
It seemed as if women everywhere were cutting their hair, and I wasn’t mad at it.
On the right female, those short styles were sexy as fuck.
The guys began arriving, and Alandra let Hymn know that they’d be back in three hours to clean up. Once they left, Huncho poured shots for everyone and gave a short speech.
“This nigga gets on my nerves at least once a week, but he wouldn’t be my brother if he didn’t.
My father has always been in my life but somehow, this dude right here was my first hero.
I wanted to do everything he did. I’m glad you found, Brion.
That’s a good look for you, bro. You better treat her right. ”
“That’s something you don’t even have to tell me,” Hymn stated proudly.
Swallowing down a lump, I raised my shot glass and tossed back the potent liquid.
Brion was just as headstrong as London, so he’d damn sure better do right by her unless he wanted to find himself single.
Hymn encouraged us to fix our plates and get a full belly before the dancers arrived.
We sat around eating, drinking, and talking about everything from sports to fatherhood.
The drama with my marriage had been monopolizing so much of my mental that I didn’t have the chance to really relish in the fact that in four months, I was going to have a child.
When I realized that I wouldn’t be picking my wife and son up from the hospital and taking them home with me, my stomach soured.
The aroma from the food was no longer appetizing, and the only thing I wanted to consume was alcohol.
When Huncho went out on the balcony to smoke a blunt, I followed him.
“You good?” he asked inhaling a thick cloud of smoke.
“Yeah, I’m straight.” I lied. I was tired of discussing my failed marriage. Plus, Huncho was cool, but he wasn’t my friend, Hymn was. I wasn’t about to stand out there and pour my heart out to him.
Hymn walked out onto the balcony and placed one arm around my shoulder. “Oh shit, why you out here? You smoking? I’m gon’ have to watch yo’ ass tonight.”
“Don’t watch me watch the strippers. I’m for sure cracking on something tonight. It’s been too long. London filed for divorce, and I’m not about to keep dealing with blue balls.” What a hell of a way to announce the fact that I was getting divorced. Hymn removed his arm.
“Damn homie. I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Man,” I waved him off as Huncho passed me the blunt. “I’m good. I will be good. Tonight is about you and Brion. Fuck what I got going on.”
Hymn eyed me skeptically, but I ignored the empathetic glare and pulled more smoke into my lungs.
Shit would be what it was. I would never ask Hymn if his fiancée went both ways, but the strippers she picked were top-tier.
They were all bad as fuck. At one point, Hymn even facetimed her, so she could see the stripper giving him a lap dance.
I remembered those days. The fun and spontaneous ones.
Every time a disheartening thought invaded my mental, I took a shot.
By the time the caterers came back to clean up, I was at least six shots in and starting to feel like it.
I watched Alandra like a creep for a little bit while she moved around the room cleaning up until she finally looked up at me.
“Why are you staring?’ she asked in a nonconfrontational tone.
“You hate me?” I concentrated on speaking clearly and not slurring my words because I was wasted.
“Hate you? No. What transpired between us was a long time ago. We were young, and you found your person. It wasn’t me. What’s the point of being angry?”
“You single?” my eyes roamed over her freckle covered face. Alandra’s brows hiked.
“I am, but you’re not.”
“Oh, you don’t read the blogs, huh? Good shit. I’m getting a divorce. My wife left me months ago and got her own place. She had me served a few days ago. We’re done.” Even as I spoke the words, my chest tightened. Alandra shook her head as I grabbed a bottle of tequila.
“So, you think years later, I still want to be on a back-and-forth roller coaster with you?”
“Who said anything about a back-and-forth roller coaster?” I frowned. “We know one another very well and have history. I didn’t want to step on anyone’s toes if you were taken, but us catching up and having a conversation is back and forth?”
Alandra rolled her eyes. “Yeah, we’ll catch up and converse until it leads to something else and then you and London will suddenly work things out and get back together, and I’ll once again be the one looking dumb.”
I poured a shot glass full of tequila and drank it without flinching. “Forget I said anything, Alandra. Have a good night.”
Shit, maybe I should hit up Miamor or Jenette’s thirsty asses. At least they knew what it was and didn’t come with the extra shit. I wasn’t getting my wife back so fuck it. I wasn’t going to sleep without busting a nut.