Girl, bye.
I shouldn’t have had so much sugar and caffeine so early in the morning. I never ate before ten. My brain was all types of scattered.
“Uh, I can’t say for sure, Junior. He’s involved when it comes to that area since he was overseeing it but if it’s an issue, I can try my best to make sure your paths don’t cross.” Him wanting to keep us apart made my stomach bubble.
I was finally getting my secret wish – to see Paxton again.
Trying to control my wild and frizzled nerves as my anxiety started to pop like pop rocks, I began pacing out of nervousness. I haven’t laid eyes on that man in seven years, and he still could turn my world inside out with just the mentioning of his name.
“When would you need me to start?” I can’t believe I was agreeing to this but then again, I could.
I lowkey prayed for this.
This was my moment to get the seven-year-long closure I’ve been wanting. The freedom to release myself from him. For him to release the hold he’s had on me.
To get my heart back.
Excitement danced in his eyes as if I told him we won the lottery, and I needed his routing number to transfer his winning share. “Junior, if you aren’t comfortable with working with us, I understand. I’m going to do my best to make sure that you’re comfortable. I know the history you two have and I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t think you were capable of helping and able to separate the past from business.”
Oh, he was laying it on thick.
How cute.
For the last minute or so, none of my thoughts were of Paxton. Instead, my mind went into calculating mode trying to figure out how long it would take me and what type of bookkeeping system they had. Only two things in this world that could overlap my thoughts of Paxton - God and numbers. “You never answered my question. When are you expecting me to start?”
Stepping back, he sighed heavily placing his hands in his starched slacks. “In two days. I’m willing to pay any number you throw at me.”
A loud snort brushed past my lips. “Oh, you’ll be paying me very handsomely, sir.”
We chuckled. “Thank you, Junior. I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t need to. No one knows digits like you.”
“Yeah. Yeah. No need to butter me up.”
“I’ll let you get back to your morning dancing. See you later.”
As soon as the door closed, I ran to my bedroom in search of my phone. My heart raced, and my palms became sweaty. “Answer the phone, Jalonie,” I yelled at the receiver.
“Inside voices. Inside voices please,” Pi screamed.
“Hush, Pi. Go back to sleep.” I threw my slipper at the large Macaw Parrot Cage.
“Sassy, stop the violence.” He yelled back.
“Jacolby, please tell me you are not arguing with that bird?” Jalonie answered with a voice full of sleep.
Placing my phone on speakerphone I started pacing back and forth in my room. “That bird you are referring to is my son. He’s been a part of this family for seven years, Jalonie. Treat Pi with some respect,” I teased.
Pi, my African Grey Parrot, came into my life when the silence of my thoughts became deadly. He brought conversation when no one wanted to talk to me because all I could do was cry over tasting the bitterness of heartbreak for the first time. Made those nights of being lonely less lonely.
“When I see that bird, I’m going to stuff a chicken bone down its throat and fry it.” She threatened. “Anyway, what can I do for you, Junior? It’s so damn early and this better be good.”
Unable to referee between the two, I banged my palm on Pi’s cage. “Hey, watch it bird. Jalonie feeds you when I go out of town. Be nice to the hand that feeds you.” I blew him a kiss.
“Oh yeah, pucker up, Sassy.” He said while moving his head, making kissing sounds.
“Junior, that is animal cruelty. Why does that bird call you Sassy? Better yet, who taught him how to flirt?”
All of this pacing wasn’t doing anything but making me sweat and feel dizzy. “Jalonie, stop questioning me about my bird and listen. Kameron just left my house and asked me to help them with a finance issue at Monarch. You know what that means right?” Biting my lip, I speed walked to my bathroom to turn on the shower.
Her quietness troubled me. “Are you…are you ready for that? Eventually, you’re going to run into him, Jacolby.”
“I know and I’m kinda excited but scared. Maybe this was supposed to happen so I can finally let him go. You know maybe get the closure to move on.” My lips said one thing but my heart said another. It was ready to continue loving Paxton again. Picking up where we left off like nothing ever happened.
“I get that you’re excited but one big fact remains, ma’am. He’s married to another woman.”