Layover (26 page)

Before long, I was whizzing down I-459 in my loud yellow convertible. It was way too cold to put the top down, but it was fun just seeing stuck-up me in a car like that. I stopped by the office to see what was going on. I should have worn my ass-kicking boots just in case I had to get up in Haily.

When I got there, only Dee Dee was there. She handed me a copy of the police report that Haily had filed. Haily was such a little bitch but she didn’t know who she was fucking with.

“Dee Dee, I need to talk to you about something more important than this.”

“What’s up, Nya?”

“Dee Dee, I may be leaving Birmingham. I need to know where you see yourself in 5 years.”

“I never thought about it.”

“I’m asking you to think about it now.”

“Nya, I’m just trying to make it right now.”

“Dee, I don’t want you to just make it now. I want you to make it always. You have so many talents and gifts. I don’t give a damn about you being the lightest person in your family. I don’t care about anything like that. There is so much more to you than that. I need you to be my rock here in The Ham. I want you to manage the office. Hell, you practically do it anyway. But what I’m talking about is managing people too. I want you to run this thing while I’m away.”

“Are you offering me a promotion?”

“I’m offering you a promotion, more money, more responsibilities - everything. And, I want you to get licensed so you can do a broader scope of transactions. I don’t want you to place any limitations on yourself. You are just what I need to handle the Hailys of the world. Can you do that, Dee?”            

“I can do it if you believe I can.”

“I know you can. Listen, just think about it over the weekend. We’ll talk about it on Monday. Why don’t you go on home, now? Nobody’s working today.”

“You seem in a good mood. And what’s up with the new car and the new rock?”

“The car is rented, but the rock is not. Soon, I’m going to tell you about the ring and how it ties into my moving.”

“You got you a new man? What about Mr. Reilly?”

This one is Mr. Reilly, too.

“Don’t worry Dee, I won’t be changing my last name.”

I walked out and got into my rental. I drove home.

I had never been gladder to see my house. I went upstairs and took a shower. I looked around and tried to figure out what was going to happen next. Was I going to move to Colorado? Was I going to let Kenny have my house? I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I knew I wanted a life with Allen. He was so incredible. It is so refreshing to have someone who believes in your ability. He thinks I can do anything. When you have someone like that, it’s hard to fail.

I decided to climb into bed and call him before I went to sleep.

“Hello,” he answered his cell phone.

“It’s Nya. I had to hear your voice before I went to sleep.”

“I’m glad you called. Has my brother made it back yet?”

“No.”

“I hope he’s alright. I want to call him on his cell, but I’m afraid he’ll hang up on me.”

“Well, what do you think he will do if I call him?” I asked Allen.

“I’ll get ma to call him,” he told me.

“If he finds out that she helped us get together, he will hang up on her too,” I assured him.

“I just want to make sure my big brother is fine.”

“I know, Allen. I really hate to be the one driving a wedge between the two of you.”

“Ny, it’s not you. Don’t even think it. It’s Kenny.”

“I know, but if it weren’t for me...”

“Ny, don’t even talk like that. On another note, I’ve given this thing with Akina some thought. I’m going to stay here Monday and go take the paternity test. I just want to be done with this. I want this thing behind me when I go back home, so I can start planning my life with you.”

“That’s fine. Call me Monday and let me know how things turn out. I will be down at the courthouse filing my divorce papers. I think I’m going to prepare them online and just take them down first thing on Monday.”

“Sounds good to me. How long does it take to become final?”

“No support, no children, uncontested - 30 days.”

“What if he contests?”

“Then I’ll site emotional and psychological abuse, hardship divorce. What about you? How is it in Colorado?”

“Unfortunately for me, in Colorado, even if she doesn’t ask for support, I may be required to pay. Especially since she is having trouble with her legs and can hardly get around. As far as finalization, the same. 30 days, if uncontested. There will be provisions set by the court as far as Andy goes.”

“And what about the unborn baby?”

“Ny, you know there is no way that child is mine. Lisa was gone for months. Even when she came back, it was a while before we did anything.”

“I have to ask. There are a lot of folk running around claiming you fathered their children,” I joked.”

“So we can be married before the end of the year, if there are no snags,” he told me.

“I’ll pray for no snags.”

“Well, get you some rest. And if Kenny makes it there, tell him to call his mother so she won’t worry.”

“I will. I love you.”

“I love you too. Sleep well.”

I laid across the bed and imagined I was back at the hotel. I would give anything to have Allen next to me right now. As I imagined, the phone began to ring.

“Hello,” I answered.

“What’s up girl?” Kita asked me.

Kita is my resourceful friend. Her story is one of a once-project-girl to bank teller, to bank manager, and now owns her own magazine, Rapunzel. It spotlights women with long hair. Mind you, Kita has shoulder length hair. When I confronted her with this, she simply stated, “Short hair is nothing to talk about. So why would I start a magazine about it? I focus on what sells. I will sell a magazine about sweet potatoes if I thought niggas would buy it - and I hate sweet potatoes!”

“Nothing much,” I told her.

“You back from vacation?”

“Yeh.”

“Where is your fine, Black ass husband?”

“It’s a long story.”

“Did you all have a fight?”

“Not really. More like a realization.”

“Ny, you better treat that pretty ass nigga right before somebody comes and takes him.”

“They can come and take him and all of his shit, too.”

“Damn, what happened at Thanksgiving?”

“I’ll tell you in time, but I can’t right now.”

“Well, anyway that’s not why I called. I need your help. I need a cover for my January issue of Rapunzel.”

“What do you want me to do?”

“Come on Ny. I don’t have anyone with long hair for my cover.”

“Call Crystal Gail, shit. What do you want me to do?”

“I did Crystal Gail two years ago when I started this magazine. I need someone new, someone fresh. Someone not so famous - someone like you.”

“Not going to happen,” I informed her.

“Well, just think about it, I don’t have much time. I’ll fuck around and slap a wig on Halle Berry and call it a day.”

“You would do some stuff like.”

“Call me and let me know.”

“Ok, I call you next week,” I promised.

Kita was crazy.

I decided to call it a night. I was tired but I guess subconsciously I was waiting for Kenny to come home. I was as concerned as Allen, but I did not want it to be mistaken for still having feelings for him. That part of my life was over and now it was all about Allen. I fell asleep shortly after lying down. I tossed and turned all night, dreaming about a life with Allen. I woke up around 5:00 am to the sound of Kenny packing his things.

“You made it,” I acknowledged.

“Since last night. I slept in the guest room.”

“I hope you called your mother, she was worried.”

“I’m going to be moving out today.”

“Where are you going to stay?” I wanted to know.

“I’m going to move back with Anthony.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to keep this house? If I move to Colorado, I’m probably going to rent it or sell it. You’re welcome to keep it, if you want to make these payments by yourself.”

“No, I’m going to do what I should have done years ago. I’m going to grow up, act like a man. I’ll move in with Anthony until I can save up a down payment for my own house.”

“What brought all this about?”

“When you are alone with yourself in a car for 9 hours, you begin to see things for what they are and not for what you want them to be. I wanted to blame you for my problems, I even wanted to blame Allen. But, the truth is that the only one I have to blame is myself. I took you for granted and now I’m paying for it. I thought you would stay because of my looks and my personality. But, I see my funky attitude was more than you could take. Ny, I admit, I still think it’s fucked up that you are with my brother, but I can see why you two would fall for each other. It’s finally clear to me why Allen has always gotten what he wanted - he treats people well. I mean, it sounds simple, but he has always been that way. It works for him. Me, I think the world owes me something. I’m only going to be nice to someone if I think there’s something in it for me. I see where that’s gotten me - nowhere. So, I’m out. I hope you two have a nice life. The worst part is that I know I am still going to have to see you, only next time, you’ll be with him, not me.”

“I’m sorry things worked out the way they did, Kenny. God knows I loved you with all my heart and soul. You were the love of my life. You will always be my first and I will never forget that. But, as you said, it’s time to grow up and mature, for all of us. I think Allen and I are a good fit.”

“Well, I hope the two of you will be very happy. There’s just one thing, Nya. There are some things that happened in the past that you don’t know about. I just hope Allen loves you for you, and for no other reason.”

“What are talking about Kenny?”

I could feel it starting. He was very manipulative. He was setting me up so he could say something bad about Allen. He wanted me to take the bait, he wanted me to inquire. I can’t believe I fell for it.

“I’m just saying that I hope Allen’s feelings for you are real and not something borne out of sibling rivalry.”

“Don’t worry. Allen loves me - probably more than you ever did.”

“Let’s hope so.”

With that, he grabbed his last bag and threw it in his car. It was really strange to see him leave. The house felt very empty without him and a small part of me wished he would stay, at least until Allen and I get married. Of course that wouldn’t be appropriate, but I couldn’t help but feel something for Kenny. There is some woman out there who will be very glad to have him. I hope he treats her better than he treated me. If he does, he may find happiness.

I sat in the bed and tried to think of what I used to do before I got married. I was going to be single for at least the next 30 days or so, I was going to have to find something to occupy my mind or I would go crazy. I decided that I would get my hair and nails done today, and hang out with my girls tonight. I haven’t hung out since I’ve been married. One thing my mother taught a long time ago, don’t hang out with single women when you’re married. They will either try to get you in trouble or they will try to take your man. Either way, it’s not good. That’s how my mother has been able to hold on to my father for well over 25 years. I don’t know if my girls will let me back in the crew, but I have to give it a try. Tomorrow, I will go to the mosque since I missed service on Friday. That should be enough to fill my weekend. It will be a transition for me into this single lifestyle, but it would only be temporary.

On Monday morning I was up before 5:00 a.m. I made ablution and performed my Fajr prayer. I had spent most of Sunday preparing my divorce papers online, and I would go and file them today. For as much as I once loved Kenny, today is the day I would officially cease and desist! I couldn’t decide what to wear, I had most of my favorite clothes still packed in my suitcase. I decided to back up a bit and unpack. I began taking things out of my bag, when a small piece of paper fell out onto the floor. I picked it up and opened it.

“This is how much I love you,” the note read.

It was from Allen. It was all the confirmation I needed that today was the day that great things were going to happen. I knew it was too early to call him. But, as soon as the day breaks, I would certainly call him.

I pulled out my favorite suit to wear but I didn’t want to put it on this early and get it all creased. I wanted to walk around the house for a while like a single person would. However, I didn’t want to get too used to being alone, I didn’t want to make it permanent. I went downstairs, made some hot tea, and watched the morning television show. I tried to imagine what my life would be like without Kenny. For one thing, I knew that there would be a lot less stress. Without someone constantly arguing with you and criticizing your choices, it would be easy to alleviate some unwanted tension. I know things aren’t going to be perfect with Allen, but they are bound to be better. We seem to connect on every level. The hardest thing that Allen is going to have to deal with is de-Kenny-ing me! I’ve been with that fool for over 3 years and in that time I have picked up some very unbecoming traits. Any man willing to deal with that is a saint, if for no other reason. I finished watching the morning show and got up from the couch, just as the phone rang.