Raging Blue (22 page)

Chapter
49

Gavin

When Gavin drove his vehicle into his father’s driveway, the front door was already opened, anticipating his arrival.

“You ready?” He turned to ask Lisa.

“Of course! I’m excited about meeting your dad! Are
you
ready for this?” she asked.

“Hell yeah, I’m ready. It’s been so long since I brought a woman to meet him that he was starting to question my manhood. Now maybe he’ll get off my back.” Gavin chuckled as Lisa playfully slapped his arm.

“Okay, let’s go!” Lisa said, smiling.

Gavin trotted to Lisa’s side of the car and opened the door for her. By the time they reached the front door, his father was pushing it open for them to enter.

“Hey, son,” Mr. Gray greeted as he held the door open.

“What’s up, Pop?” Gavin said, hugging his dad.

Gavin presented Lisa to his father like a gift.

“This is Lisa. Lisa, this is my father George Gray.”

Mr. Gray shook Lisa’s hand and then kissed the back of it.

“Nice to meet you, young lady,” he said, then winked at her.

“Hey, old man. Lay off my woman,” Gavin teased. They all laughed.

“Nice to meet you, too, Mr. Gray. I’ve heard a lot of great things about you.”

“Don’t believe any of it,” he joked. “Come on in, young people. I’ve got a nice dinner prepared. We’re going to eat out on the porch and enjoy the nice weather.”

“That sounds good. You got any beer, Pop?”

“Now what kind of question is that?” Mr. Gray turned his attention to Lisa. “And what about the lady? What would you like to drink?”

“Oh, I’m fine. Thanks,” Lisa said.

“Fine? You don’t want to start out with a nice cocktail?” Mr. Gray knitted his brow and looked at Gavin. “You don’t drink?” Before Lisa could respond, Mr. Gray looked back at Gavin and said, “Where did you find her?”

Lisa looked alarmed.

“Stop messing with her, Dad.”

Mr. Gray snickered, enjoying the tease.

“Come on in here, girl. You’ll get to know me soon enough.”

Lisa released the breath she’d been holding and smiled.

“My dad can be a bit of a jokester at times.”

Mr. Gray led Lisa and Gavin past the kitchen and onto the back porch.

“Hello!” A pretty, ample-sized woman around his father’s age, greeted them as they passed through. She was leaning over the sink preparing what looked like a pitcher of fresh lemonade.

“Hello,” Lisa and Gavin responded together.

“Dad, who’s that?” Gavin whispered as they stepped onto the back porch.

“Oh.” Mr. Gray smiled, then snickered. “That’s a friend of mine,” he said with a wink.

Lisa chuckled.

“Is she joining us for dinner?” Gavin asked.

“No. She’s about to leave. She just stopped by to help me out a little, that’s all. She’s nice like that. Makes sure I’m well taken care of. You know what I mean?”

“I bet,” Gavin replied.

Just then, the woman came out carrying a tray with a potbelly pitcher and matching glasses filled with lemonade. Each rim was garnished with a fresh lemon slice.

“Millie, I want you to meet my son Gavin. Gavin, this is my dear friend Millie.”

They traded nods.

“And this here is Lisa,” Mr. Gray continued with a grand sweep of his hand. “She’s a dear friend of Gavin’s.”

Millie extended her hand to greet both Gavin and Lisa.

“Very nice to meet the two of you,” she said with a slight southern lilt, then turned her attention to Mr. Gray. “Uh, George, I’ll be on my way. I’ll give you a call in the morning.” She directed her attention back towards Gavin and Lisa. “Enjoy the evening, and I hope you also enjoy the food. Have a blessed night.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” Gavin and Lisa replied together, displaying their manners.

When Gavin was sure that Ms. Millie was out of earshot, he whispered, “Dear friend?” and smiled.

Mr. Gray smiled and raised a single brow.

“Millie offered to help fix a nice dinner for you when I told her that my son was coming to visit with a
friend
.” Mr. Gray used both hands to draw air quotes around the word ‘friend’.

“Oh, that was very nice,” Lisa said.

Gavin rubbed his hands together. “Sounds tasty. What did she cook?”

“Shoot,” Mr. Gray sang, “she prepared a little bit of everything. I hope you brought your appetites with you today.”

Gavin and Lisa followed Mr. Gray back into the house to check out the food. The stove and countertops were filled with fine smelling, down-home, soul cooking. They filled their plates with collard greens, rice, yams, baked macaroni and cheese, and turkey wings.

“Make sure you leave room for dessert. Millie brought over some of her homemade peach cobbler and red velvet cake,” Mr. Gray added.

Minimal words were passed among the three as they indulged. Once Gavin came up for air, he patted his stomach and took a deep breath. He peered over at Lisa who seemed to have settled in comfortably.

“Whew,” Lisa said. “I haven’t eaten like that since…Thanksgiving!”

“Girl, it looks like you barely touched your food. You didn’t have but a little bit anyway. You can’t be full,” Mr. Gray said.

Lisa smiled. “Believe me, Mr. Gray. I’m stuffed. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to run to the ladies’ room.” She turned to Gavin. “Could you show me where it is?"

“Sure.” Gavin stood and led Lisa to the restroom, then joined his father back on the porch.

Mr. Gray looked past the door before turning to Gavin. “How long have you been dating this girl?

“Why?” Gavin asked.

“What happened to Blue?” he asked.

“That’s not going to work out, Dad,” Gavin said, dismissing his father’s inquiries with a wave of his hand.

“Why not? A few weeks ago, you were here talking about how you wanted to rescue that girl—be her knight in shining armor. Now you have this new girl in here. What happened? I mean, she seems like a nice girl, but are you sure about her or are you trying to distract yourself from Blue?”

“Not now, Dad.” Gavin turned away.

“Why not now? That truth won’t change if we wait and talk about it later,” his father said.

“I know. I just don’t want to talk about it right now. I’m trying to make this thing work with Lisa.” Gavin stood and started pacing the porch, while he kept looking towards the door in search of Lisa.

“Trying or forcing?” Mr. Gray asked.

“Dad!” Gavin wanted his father to stop.

“What?” Mr. Gray locked eyes with Gavin. “How long do you think it’s going to last?” A few minutes passed with no response from Gavin, so he continued. “When’s the last time you spoke to Blue?”

“It’s been a while,” Gavin practically whispered.

“Who’s fault?” Mr. Gray asked.

Usually, Gavin appreciated Mr. Gray’s no-nonsense manner. Today, it was agitating him. "Mine. Why?"

“You tell
me
why,” Mr. Gray replied, tossing the ball back in Gavin’s corner.

“I won’t…I haven’t been…answering her calls,” he finally relented.

“Um hmm, just what I figured. That’s why you’ve been single so long. Had me questioning you.” Mr. Gray snickered because of the look Gavin gave him. “Relax, boy. I know you’re all man. Deal with your feelings, son. That’s all I have to say.” Mr. Gray stood. “You want some peach cobbler or some of that red velvet?”

Gavin dropped his head into his hands, and then catching his father’s signal, he lifted it quickly. He’d changed the subject just in time for Lisa to reappear. Gavin wasn’t sure if she’d heard any of what his father had said and wondered if his uneasiness showed.

“Lisa, honey, I’m going to get me a little of that peach cobbler and red velvet cake. Would you like some, too?” Mr. Gray asked as he made his way past her.

“Pop, stop calling my girl, honey!” he teased.

Mr. Gray chuckled. Gavin took a deep breath and joined Lisa and his father as they laughed.

Lisa looked at Gavin and smiled when he said the words ‘my girl’.

Gavin noticed she gave pause to those words and hoped he wouldn’t end up regretting that statement later—for the second time. His emotions were on a seesaw.

After dessert, the three chatted late into the evening. When it was time to go, Gavin almost
regretted the ride back to Manhattan with just him and Lisa in the car. His father had raised ghosts that he'd tried his best to deny when he called him out about Blue. As long as he avoided her, it was easy to move forward. But, Gavin knew he could only avoid Blue for so long. He thought he was making a statement by bringing Lisa to meet his father. Now he questioned the statement and the target it was intended for.

Chapter 50

Mia

Jay picked up his pace against the constant flow of people and the winds whipping around the tall downtown buildings. Mia remained right on his heels with her mink coat hanging open. Autumn had arrived in New York with a vengeance, and the weather was seasonably cool. It may not have been fur season yet, but Mia didn’t care. She refused to let him out of her sight. Jay looked at her for a moment, then continued down the street towards the courthouse.

“What’s the problem, Jay? I didn’t come all the way to New York to sit at that damn hotel and wait around! I know you aren’t trying to hide me after all this time?”

“You shouldn’t be here. Don’t think you’re coming inside with me when it’s time to go before the judge.”

“Whatever, Jay. I’m here and that’s what matters.”

“Don’t start your shit. I already know Blue is going to be ready to blow up when she sees you. I told you before we
left this wasn’t a good idea.”

“Well, she’s got to know that we’re together. Everybody else knows.”

Mia made sure of that every chance she got. She was especially proud of the way she and Jay gallivanted around Atlanta in all the athletic and celebrity circles. Paparazzi had captured them at quite a few events. Though they were never a main attraction, she made sure they remained highly visual. After each gathering, she wasted no time putting her pictures up on Facebook and Twitter for all of her “friends” to see. Every now and then, she’d scour the blogs to see if there were any new pictures of them on the internet. If so, she’d quickly post a link on her social networks.

Jay just looked at her, lifted his eyes to the ceiling, and sighed. “Blue doesn’t deserve this, Mia.” With his shoulders hung in shame, he looked away, standing still for a moment.

Mia felt her skin heat up. A quick pang of guilt surged through her, but she shook it off. Jay was finally hers, she reminded herself. All she had to do was continue to make sure he didn’t have the time or energy for anyone else. Once they were back in Atlanta, she wouldn’t have to hear about Blue anymore.

“What’s so bad about me being here, Jay?” Mia asked, breaking the silence. “Don’t you want me to support you?”

“That doesn’t mean you have to come to court with me.”

Mia pulled his arm, making him face her.

“Having you show up at my divorce proceedings allegedly pregnant with my child is not the kind of support that helps in this situation.”

Mia looked away and tapped her feet when he said ‘allegedly’. Then she pouted—which had become commonplace in her third trimester.

“Okay,” she said. “I’ll find something to do. Call me when you’re done.”

As much as she wanted Blue to see them together, she didn’t want to blow things for Jay. Yet, she prayed that seeing Blue wouldn’t have any effect on him.

“Thank you!” Jay said, exasperated.

Mia huffed
.

“Thank you,” he said again, but this time in a more casual tone.

When Jay turned to walk into the courthouse, Mia cleared her throat. He looked back to see what the problem was, and she walked up and kissed him sensually on the lips.

“Good luck in there,” she said while thumbing away the pink gloss she’d left on his lips.

“Thanks,” he replied and walked away.

“Hey, Scott,” Mia said as she spotted the attorney she'd connected Jay with.

“Hey, baby.” Scott leaned over her belly and squeezed her in his arms. The hug lingered. “I see you’ve been busy,” he said and rubbed her stomach.

Jay had stopped walking when Scott approached, and he stared when Scott pulled her in for the hug. The change in Jay’s demeanor made Mia smile. Jealousy was the only way she could manage to get a rise from Jay—the only indication that they had a connection. She took what she could get.

“You ready?” Jay called out to Scott.

“Yes, sir. Let’s go,” he said cheerfully.

Jay looked back at Mia, paused, and walked back over to her.

“You and this guy are awfully familiar with one another,” he said.

“Jay, babe, don’t tell me you’re jealous.” A full smile spanned her cheeks. She wasn’t fazed by his burning gaze.

“I don’t see anything funny here.”

Jay was clearly agitated, but before Mia could respond, he turned and followed Scott into the courthouse.

Mia busied herself at the shops throughout downtown Manhattan. When she got bored, she made her way back to the courthouse and went inside. After receiving directions from the officer, she perused the courthouse, but found no sign of Blue or Jay.

Minutes later, she heard a door open, and Jay whizzed past with Scott on his heels. His face was twisted in anger as he ranted about something being unfair. Mia jumped to her feet and scurried to Jay.

“Baby, what happened?” Mia asked, trotting alongside of him.

“Let’s just get outside, and we can tell you all about it then,” Scott said.

“What are you doing in here?” Jay yelled. “I told you to stay outside.”

“Don’t yell at me like that. I just asked what happened,” Mia said, feeling the sting of tears behind her eyes.

“Let’s take this outside, guys. I don’t want to make a scene. Jay, you have to calm down. The judges make note of these kinds of outbursts. This is a minor setback—par for the course.” Scott looked around. “We’re getting too much attention. Let’s get outside now,” he said, referring to the eyes that were trained on them.

“What the hell happened in there?” Mia’s question was ignored again. “Just tell me what’s wrong.”

Jay’s anger, mixed with her impatience, made her anxious. She managed to suppress the tears, but her breathing began outpacing her control.

“Everything!” Jay yelled. “This didn’t go the way it was supposed to.”

Mia flinched under the roar of Jay’s thunderous tone. “Why?” she asked, trying to maintain her composure and keep her anger in check.

People were beginning to stare, and this wasn’t the type of attention Mia relished.

Jay stopped abruptly, whipped his head in Mia’s direction, opened his mouth to speak, and then shut it tight. Mia wanted to lash out, but from the look on his face, she thought again and held her tongue. Just as they started toward the exit again, Blue stepped out and looked directly into Mia’s eyes.

“Just keep walking,” Scott said, grabbing Mia by the arm and guiding her toward the exit.

Blue picked up her pace, following them. Her attorney trailed close behind. Looking back, Mia saw Blue point her out to the lawyer as she mouthed, “That’s her.”

For the first time, Mia questioned her decision to come to court with Jay. She quickly pulled herself together. This was supposed to be her moment, and she didn’t want Blue to witness any kind of breakdown between her and Jay. They had to at least appear to be a strong, united front. Mia rubbed a comforting circle along Jay’s back and then turned back to look at Blue with a slight smile as Scott ushered her and Jay out of the courthouse. Even after they hit the pavement, Scott continued to hasten them away from the building.

“Mia!” Blue called behind them.

When Mia turned around, Blue’s lawyer was holding her arm. Blue pulled her arm from his grasp and marched towards Mia, who stopped and waited for Blue with her arms folded.

“Come on, Mia. Let’s go,” urged Scott.

“Mia!” Jay ordered.

Mia didn’t budge. Blue approached her, stopping a hair’s width away from her nose.

“How dare you show up here today!”

“Do I need permission from you to go somewhere with my man?” Mia smiled and rubbed her well-rounded belly.

Blue slapped Mia’s face so hard, she stumbled backwards a few feet. The slap caught her completely off guard. From the reaction of everyone else in their party and the immediate bystanders, everyone was surprised. Jay ran and stood between the two women.

“Mia, let’s go!” he ordered.

“Let’s go?” Mia said, still holding her face. “She hits me, and all you have to say is, let’s go? You didn’t say anything to Blue.
I’m
your woman.
I’m
carrying your baby. You’re not supposed to let her get away with that!” Mia shouted.

She pulled her flailing arms in and squirmed out of Jay’s reach, but he succeeded in grabbing hold of her arms and held her firm.

Blue hadn’t moved.

“Mia!” Jay yelled again, positioning himself in the way, blocking Mia’s line of sight to Blue.

“Mia, my ass! I’ll deal with you later.” Mia swung her head around Jay, trying to see Blue.

Jay refused to move when Mia tried to push him out of the way. Realizing she wasn’t getting around Jay, she shouted over him toward Blue.

“You always thought you were better than me with your trust fund, blue eyes, and all your fancy clothes and men. Well, this one doesn’t want you anymore. He’s mine now.”

“Mia, stop.” Jay forced his words through clenched teeth.

“I never flaunted anything in your face. I shared everything I ever had with you!” Blue said, looking flustered.

“You were showing off! You could have kept your shit! I didn’t need any of it,” Mia yelled, still writhing in Jay’s hold.

“What?” Blue looked bewildered.

“Now you know how it feels to be the one without the man.” Mia turned her back. “Come on, Jay. Let’s go.” She grabbed him by his hand and marched down the street.

“Mia!” Blue called after her, and Mia turned with her lips perched. “Be careful of what you covet!”

Mia dismissed Blue’s comment with a wave of her hand and kept walking.