Drunk in Love 3: An Original Love Story (16 page)

Olivia looked at him through the mirror and said, “You love touching this fatty, don’t you?”

He laughed. “You know I do.”

“So, are you ready to meet my parents?” She asked as she puckered up her lips then kissed at the mirror.

“Yes, I’m a little nervous, but I’m ready.” He told her.

“Don’t be nervous. I don’t know what’s up with my mom, but she seems to be a changing woman. By that, I mean that she is slowly but surely releasing that tight grip and those high standards that she has held over us for years. She seems to be so laid back now with this edgy vibe that’s cool. She has been showing this comical sense of humor, too.” She smiled. I’ve always like just seeing my mom smile and relax a little. Being a business woman is all she knows. She rarely dresses down, she has always worn the same hairstyle, pulled up in a fancy bun, and she never wears flats. Zoe and I always called her a modern day Diahann Carroll look alike. She’s the most sophisticated woman that I know.” Zay smiled, because Olivia seemed to be a lot like her mother; especially since he thought that she was the most sophisticated woman that he knew.

“Well, no need to waste anymore time. Let’s go on over so I can put this initial meet and greet behind me. I don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous about meeting someone in my life.”

Olivia smiled and kissed Zay on the lips. “Shake it off, babe. You’ll be fine and they’re going to love you.” She said as she opened the hotel room door to leave. Zay followed behind her admiring the way she sashayed that nice ass while wearing the hell out of that Yellow Bebe dress.

Chapter 13

An hour later, Olivia and Zay pulled up in her Cadillac CTS with Zay sitting in the passenger seat. He was already on an important business call talking to one of his clients. He placed the guy on hold, and then looked over Olivia.

“You good?” he asked her.

“Yeah, are you good?” she questioned back.

“Yup,” he responded with a handsome smile. “Just go on in and let them know that as soon as I get off of this call with my client that I’ll be in.” He said while leaning over and kissing her on the lips.

Olivia smiled. “Okay, and don’t forget to remove your shoes when you come inside.”

“Oh trust me, that part I haven’t forgotten.” They laughed as Olivia stepped out of the car, leaving it running while Zay was still on the inside handling his business call.

Olivia had been inside the house, at least, ten minutes while Zay was just ending that call with his client. He had to make one more quick call to another one of his other clients so that he’d also know that everything was good. Upon ending that call and attempting to make his next call, his phone rang. His raised a concerned eyebrow with a nonchalant expression on his face.
Should I even answer this shit?
He questioned himself. “Fuck it.”

“What Angel?”

Angel sat on the other end of the call in disgust that he’d even talk to her like that. “Oh, it’s what Angel?” She questioned with an attitude.

“I’m just confused why you’re calling. I thought I made it clear at the hospital that whatever we have is over.”

Angel was quiet for a moment. A part of her was hurt. For years all she thought about was getting Zay back. She thought that all she had to do was show up and he’d give her a chance. Her chances were better by knowing that he’d not gotten married or had any kids, yet. Unfortunately, his feelings definitely weren’t the same anymore. However, she couldn’t believe the person that he’d become.

“I could remember when you were this carefree, loving, faithful guy that every girl wanted, but only one girl had you.” She said.

“Are we talking a scroll down memory lane?” He questioned, “Because if we are, I’m not in the mood.”

Angel softly smacked her lips. “What I’m saying is that you were huge on relationships and making things work. You always wanted to be in a loving relationship like your parents.” She said speaking of Georgette and Charley’s marriage.

“And, nothing has changed. It just won’t be with you,” he informed her.

“If you’re so keen on being happy in a relationship or happily married then why are you seeing a married woman?” She bluntly asked. Zay was a bit stunned and caught off guard, because he had never mentioned any such thing to Angel about Olivia being married. “I wonder how your mom would feel to know that her husband was the one that shot you. Yeah, I heard about the lil lie that y’all told her.”

“How the fuck do you even know anything about what happened that night?” Zay irritably asked, now feeling some type of way. “I don’t know where you’re getting your information from, but it’s a lie.”

Angel grinned. “Yeah, if you say so Xavier,” she responded with sarcasm. “It just baffles me how you’ve turned out to be a home wrecker. I know how you feel about pussy that’s just your own. That must’ve changed over the years that we’ve been a part. No wonder the chick was never around. Hell, she had a husband to go home to.”

Zay complacently chuckled. “You’re enjoying this aren’t you?”

“Maybe,” she said thinking about the ass cutting that Olivia had given her back at the hospital.

“Whatever you think you know, you don’t. Regardless, it still doesn’t change anything between us. It’s over. Oh and I hope you also enjoy this just as much,” Zay said then hung up in her face. “Bitch,” he whispered with a frustrated shake of his head. He sat quiet for a moment. Angel had to be the sneakiest woman he’d ever encountered. Back in her day of being a high profiled news reporter, she was hell. She’d get the job done by any means necessary. If there was a story, but no one could get it. She could. She’d travel near and far for a juicy headline that included her name on it. It was one of the things that turned him on about her. She was sexy, a go getter, and a hard worker. He didn’t know what kind of life she lived after they’d gone their separate ways, but apparently being a news reporter and getting to the big story was something that was still in her. He shook his head, never knowing what Angel could be up to.

For the most part, everything was good and had been kept under wraps. Talking to his clients back and forth had been proof of that. He just hoped that Angel wouldn’t leak the story just to be nasty towards him. For the first time, he laughed thinking about Olivia beating her ass in the hospital. It was quite hilarious. The smile on his face suddenly disappeared as he thought about his relationship with Olivia. She would need to get the divorce papers signed and get that part of her life over with before he could pursue anything serious with her. However, Mark was somewhere running and hiding. Hopefully, they could get him to agree to the conditions that Olivia would be seeking, and then they could easily go their separate ways.

He shook his head feeling unsure. “Who am I kidding? This thing could drag on and on, but if I can help it Mark is going to have to go, one way or the other.” He said then switched off the engine on the car. He then got out and headed up on the front porch of Olivia’s parent’s house. “I hope this meeting turns out better than that fucked up ass phone call with Angel.” He said just above a whisper as he knocked on the door as a way of showing his manners.

****

Mark pulled up in Mrs. Tolver’s driveway after making the three hour ride back to Augusta. He looked over at Felisha as she rolled her eyes at him, and then she said, “You could’ve taken me home, you know. I definitely didn’t wanna come here.”

“Our son is here.” Mark reminded her. “I would think that he misses you and wants to see you.”

“Don’t act like I’m a bad parent. I wanna see him, too. I just don’t want to deal with my mama right now. I told you what the deal was on the way back to Augusta.”

“There is no better time than to clear the air than now. Regardless of what has happened your mama loves you. Is she feeling a little disappointed in you right now? Maybe, especially depending on what O’ has told her, but this is your chance to come clean and for her to get out anything she already wants to say. This also gives you a chance to tell your version of how things happened. You don’t necessarily have to be honest about everything, but take fault, own up to it, and tell her that it’s your life. Either she still wants to be in it or not.”

Felisha looked at Mark liked he’d lost his everlasting mind. “Nigga, you sound like a damn fool right now. You want me to own up to it, take fault, and uh… What’d you say? Tell her it’s my life and she can either be in it or not. Why the fuck you ain’t walking in there with me and taking part of this ownership? That’s what would make me feel better.” She said with a jerk of the neck.

“I told you that I had some business to take care of. I’ll deal with your mama later.” Mark said.

Felisha popped her lips with an attitude. “But, you want me to deal with her now, when you could’ve taken me home already.”

“Come on, Felisha. This stop was on the way,” he said looking down at his Rolex. He was pressed for time as she sat there pouting like a baby. “You need to get out. Now, you have spare keys to your other car that’s parked right over there.” He said pointing to her Dodge Charger that she’d left there for her mom to use since her car had been in the shop for the past week. “Now if you wanna leave then help yourself, but I’d think that as a mother you’d at least want to see Lil Romeo since you’ve been gone the whole weekend.”

Felisha did feel guilty at that moment as she reached for the latch on the car door. Even though, she wanted to see her son, she also wanted to see what Mark was up to. “Will you just tell me what you have planned?” She pleaded. “I know you have something up your sleeve. Since Friday night, you’ve been walking around the cabin like we’re good. You keep telling me not to worry, but why? I have just as much to lose as you do when it comes to my business and my son. Damn, I just wanna be in on what’s going on.” She irritably stated as she stared him directly in his eyes. Mark grabbed his phone out of the middle cup holder and started scrolling through it. “Now, you’re just going to ignore me? I know you ain’t messaging a bitch while I’m trying to talk to you.” Felisha stated really feeling some type of way now.

“Please, just hush the hell up!” He scolded her like a child. “I said I have a plan to make O’ be civil about this divorce. Damn, just trust me.”

“I can’t. I need to know what the plan is.” Felisha insisted with a mean expression on her face.

“Fine,” Mark said then handed her his cell phone.

She looked at it with a frown on her face. “What’s this?” She pondered.

“Just press play.” Mark said.

Felisha pressed play on Mark’s IPhone, watching quietly for a moment. She didn’t say a word as the video played for a few seconds, then all of a sudden her mouth opened in pure awe of what she was witnessing. Her free hand unconsciously covered her mouth as her eyes widened with shock. “Oh my God,” she said just above a whisper as the video finally ended a few minutes later. Without saying a word, she handed the phone back to Mark. He just looked at her waiting for something back, but the only thing she did was reach for the latch and opened the car door, and then got out. She was absolutely speechless, not knowing how to respond.

Before she could shut the car door behind her, Mark called out to her and said, “I’ll call you later.” Felisha nodded her head and walked off as Mark backed out of the driveway to go handle this much needed business that he’d been contemplating the entire weekend at the cabin. It was either now or never.

****

Thirty minutes later, Mark found himself standing at the door of a hotel as he contemplated whether he should knock or just turn around and leave. Speaking to this person could be beneficial to more than a few things; especially with his divorce from Olivia. He didn’t really want out, but there was no going back. Olivia had made that perfectly clear. The only thing he had left to fight for was his sanity, his business, and his money.

Fuck it,
he thought then quickly knocked on the hotel room door. The door opened up and Mark was stunned to see this really pretty lady standing there in a tall pair of red pumps. She smiled at him, and then extended her hand for a friendly handshake.

“Hi, I’m Angel. I was about to head out of town thinking you’d changed your mind, but I’m glad you could make it.” She deviously smiled. “I believe that I can help you.” She didn’t mention anything about him being able to help her too, but she was hoping like hell he could as she flashed her pearly whites at him. “Come on in, handsome. We have a lot to talk about.”

****

Olivia and Mrs. Jackson stood around the Island granite countertop inside of the Jackson’s family kitchen. Mrs. Jackson was gently stirring up the cooked potato dices inside of a bowl while adding mayonnaise, a bit of mustard, sweet relish, and cut up boiled eggs to the potato salad that she was preparing. Olivia was standing there watching her with a smile on her face. If felt good to be able to be there knowing that Zay was in the backyard helping her father on the grill.

Mrs. Jackson looked up from the bowl and smiled at her daughter. “Xavier seems to be a really sweet guy. He’s very charming, well educated, and has a very promising career. You should’ve brought him home first instead of Mark,” she teased causing Olivia to laugh out loud.

“Considering the circumstances surrounding Mark, I wish I had known Zay back then instead of his no good behind.” She said with a slick roll of her eyes. They both laughed about her comment. It felt good to Olivia for her and Mrs. Jackson to connect on another level; a level she never would’ve imagined a few years prior. “Hold up, mom. This is your daughter calling.” Olivia said.

“Yes, ask her if she’s coming over to join us.”

“What’s up Sis,” Olivia answered.

“Hey Sis, what’chu doing?” Zoe asked.

“Sitting here talking to mom.”

“Are you over there already?”

“Yes, and mom said to come over. Plus, Uncle Craig and Skeet are here.” She responded with a smile while looking at Mrs. Jackson as she put the bowl of potato salad inside the refrigerator.

“OMG,” Zoe said with light laughter. “Uncle Craig and Skeet are there, too? I know y’all are having fun.”