What He's Been Missing

Xavier winced and one of his dimples puckered in his cheek.

“I could be your date? But why would we—?”

“I just thought it would make things easier. But if you don’t want to, I understand.”

“I don’t care,” I said. “Ian isn’t going to let me come to the wedding anyway. It doesn’t matter.”

“Let me be the judge of that.” Xavier winked at me and got up from the bed. “I’ll go talk to him now.” He started backing away from the bed slowly

, but he stopped and stared into my face.

“What?” I asked, afraid I’d left some residual vomit on my chin. “Do I have something on my face?” I tried to swipe at my chin, but he stopped me.

“No, stop moving,” Xavier said. “I was just looking at you lying there. No makeup on. Hair all over the place. A little crust on the side of your mouth.” He laughed a little and I tried to wipe my mouth, but he stopped me again. “No, don’t do that,” he said. “Stay just the way you are.” He started backing up again and made it to the door. “Beautiful.” His eyes left me and went to the window where the blinds were half drawn. I turned, too, to see the sun full in the sky. “Good morning, Rachel,” I heard Xavier say. I turned back to the door, but he was gone.

I looked back at the sun in the window and remembered a whisper in my ear.

“Tante Heru?” I said. “No. He can’t be.”

Uncle Cat answered Krista’s hotel-room door like it was his. He was wearing a hotel embroidered robe and a smooth, old-player grin that nearly invited me in. Only a smoky cigar hanging from his mouth would make the ridiculous spectacle complete.

“That isn’t room service, is it?” Krista called helplessly from inside, probably sensing that her cover had been blown.

“Service, it be not, baybee,” Uncle Cat said. “You have a visitor.”

Krista pushed her head underneath Uncle Cat’s arm holding the door open.

“Oh shit,” she said. “I can explain. See, he was trying to—”

“No need, Krista,” I stopped her. “That’s not why I’m here.” I looked at Uncle Cat. “Can I have a moment with her?”

“Right by me, baybee,” he said. “Cat only knows one kind of laydee business anyway.”

“Sure. Fine,” I said.

Uncle Cat went back into the room and Krista took his place in her smaller hotel embroidered robe.

“Really?” I held my hand up to her in disappointment.

“It’s not how it looks.”

“You looked into his eyes, didn’t you?”

“Yeah.” She looked off all dreamy eyed. “It was like looking at an emerald forest. He had me.” She looked back at me. “Took me! And I liked it.”

“He’s fifty-six. He has six kids. Six kids!”

“Lord, I know why now! Whew! That man!” She fanned herself.

“You know what, whatever! I just came here to tell you what happened last night,” I said before telling Krista about the fight with Ian at the pier, the priest with the bull ring in his nose and Tante Heru. I explained that Xavier was going to talk to Ian for me, too. That I really didn’t want to miss the wedding.

“You sure you can do this? I mean, after all that’s happened?” Krista asked.

“If he’ll let me, I have to. I owe him that much. If I’m not there, people will ask questions—it’ll be—”

“I get it,” Krista stopped me. “I just don’t want anything else to happen.”

“I’m fine,” I said. “Look, I’m about to go call Xavier and if everything is cool, I’ll meet you down in the ballroom? Say fifteen minutes?”