“I’m fine,” was her curt answer.
“The honeymoon must be over,” I asked, knowing perfectly well that if Jacob cheated with Justine, he probably had changed into a jerk in other ways.
“No, everything is great, really,” Destiny assured.
“Well, what’s bothering you?” I prodded.
“It’s just that Justine stuff with her ex being found murdered. That has been worrying me a lot. Along with one more thing that I haven’t expressed to a soul, not even my mother. She’s been traveling the world with John and I have hardly seen her since the wedding.”
“Oh yeah. Your moms finally dug the right mine for gold.”
“You just wait until I tell her that you said that about her. She’s going to get you.”
“Tell her. She’ll probably admit that it’s partially true.”
She chuckled.
I gave myself a pat on the back for being able to bring a smile to her face.
“Can the kids go sit with Shalonda while we talk?” she asked.
“Hold on.” I picked up my phone and buzzed Shalonda’s line.
“Hey boss man.”
“Got a request. Can Junior and Montana sit with you while?”
“You better stop playing and bring my babies on up here,” Shalonda said.
“Okay, thanks.” I watched as Junior and Montana ambled up the hall and into Shalonda’s waiting arms. I then turned to Destiny whose usual soft skin was wrinkled into a million worry lines. “Tell me what’s on your mind, Destiny.”
“Given our history, you may not be the ideal person to talk to about my problems, but you are still a good friend to me.”
“We’ll always be great friends,” I agreed.
“So, tell me…what made you fall in love with me, Montie?”
I sat down on the sofa beside her. “Shit, that’s a loaded question.”
“What’s your simple answer?” she asked, looking at me with the softest eyes and oozing of the tender aura that kept me entrapped in the prospect of us getting back together for so far too long.
“Everything about you, Destiny. From the way you smile to the way you rub your hair when you get nervous, like you’re doing now, to the way you looked at me so innocent and caring. Everything. I loved everything.” I spoke my fire-burning truth. I had loved that woman so long and so deeply I thought I would never be able to rightfully love another.
She looked into my eyes and quickly looked away. If hadn’t seen it for myself, I wouldn’t believe the burning passion emanating from her.
“Montie, I guess I’m having second thoughts about the way we ended things. With the kids being in Miami, I just wish that maybe Jacob and I would have stayed in Atlanta,” she said, her words hitting me in the gut.
“It would have been nice if you guys stayed in Atlanta,” I said with the straightest face that I could muster. It also would have been ideal if we had stayed married, but we’re beyond that.
“If we would have stayed here,” she continued, “then I wouldn’t be in the same city as his ex who is always comes up in discussion when his mother is around. Jacob makes it clear that he doesn’t want her around us, but his mother has an attachment to her and it’s excruciating for me to be around her. I’m getting to the point where I just want to move back. I’m tired of the entire charade of looking over my shoulder for the woman that has an invite to my in-law’s home. I told Jacob that I’m uncomfortable. He’s been more subdued about her, like there is something more to them than before. He told me you ended up going out with her. How did that happen?” she rambled through a slew of thoughts, the final one I could have done without delving into.
“Oh, Jacob told you that?” I asked as my chest tightened into a huge knot over Jacob’s audacity to put my business on front street without telling his own.
“Yeah, he said you guys hooked up when you were in Miami. Is she the reason you didn’t come to the wedding?” she asked.
“No, I just didn’t want to attend. Did Jacob also tell you that he slept with Justine in your new house?” It flew out in retaliation of Jacob’s partial revelation of my truth. I clenched my jaw tight in attempt to suck the words back in. I didn’t mean to spill the beans like that. I truly didn’t.
Destiny leapt from the sofa, doubling over and holding her belly. Tears sprang from her eyes and a loud moan followed by a wail escaped her throat. “I knew it. I knew it,” she repeated.