Page 3 of Stay Awhile
“Sir, would you like me to ring this up too?” the guy asked.
I nodded and scanned her gum, then handed it back to her before I paid the total. I grabbed all my bags, then looked over at her once more.
“You enjoy that gum, Val.”
I didn’t give her a chance to try to make conversation with me a second longer. I just walked off, and I was sure that was a slight bruise to her ego. I could tell she wasn’t used to being turned down. But shit, she better be happy with the gum. It was better she enjoyed that than to wake up the next day and some person she had never met was in her bedroom trying to get information she didn’t have out of her.
It was time for me to go for sure. I knew I had seen that woman more than once, and no one else had felt confident enough to approach me. I made a mental note to keep her face in mind in case I ran into her again. I didn’t believe in coincidences. That shit wasn’t real, just opportunities to fuck up someone’s life. Everything was intentional.
I walked a few blocks until I made it to my motel. Again, I spoke to no one as I made my way into my room. It wasn’t the best place to stay, but not many places that allowed me to pay with cash were. They usually all came with a little shit. I had slept in much worse growing up.
I tossed the groceries onto one of the beds and picked up the travel magazine. I flipped it open, and the first place that popped up was Fiji. I looked at my phone and did the one thing I hadn’t done in years.
Asked for a favor.
“I need a passport and other shit,” I said as soon as VC picked up on the other end.
“Well, hello to you too, muthafucka, but I got you.” He chuckled.
VC was the only person from my past I still kept in contact with. After the shit that happened that night, he had done the same as I did. We got gone. We had done this long enough to know some shit wasn’t right. That we hadn’t been given all the details.
“You know damn well we don’t have time for all that. Same pickup spot?” I asked.
“Hell yeah. Stay alert,” he said after a beat.
I knew what that meant without him having to say a word.
“Stay alive,” I replied, then ended the call.
I popped the back on my burner phone and cracked the SIM card. Then tossed it to the side. I glanced back at the magazine and nodded. I was going to do this shit for me. If heat came, so be it. It was ‘bout time I faced this shit, anyway.
The sun hadlong since fallen from the sky, and yet I was still sitting in my office going over contracts. It was my life. I had let the thought of me being married, or even in a loving relationship, go. It wasn’t that my heart was closed to the idea. I just never seemed to be in the right place or time to find love. So, my family and my best friend Chyna took up all the space my heart could handle. At least that was what I told myself.
My phone buzzed against my desk, pulling me from my laser focus on the computer screen. The picture of my best friend and I popped up on the screen with the time shining bright in the corner.
“Shit!” I yelled.
I grabbed my phone, answering and locking my computer screen at the same time.
“I am on the way.”
“You’re just now leaving the office, aren’t you?” she asked.
The dip in her voice alerted me to the fact that I indeed was holding everyone up.
“It was an accident, Chy. Just start the dinner without me. I promise to make this up to you.”
“Hurry up. I don’t want to order the main course without you,” she responded before ending the call.
I quickly stuffed my phone into my purse, then grabbed my jacket to my suit from the back of the chair. I was the only person left in the office, but it was usually that way on most nights. I was the CEO of the biggest fashion magazines in the world. I was the kind of person who needed to make sure everything had been looked over by me before I felt comfortable enough to let it go to print.
My family and Chyna complained that I pushed myself to be this invested in my business so I could avoid love, but let’s be real. I’d never told a man not to approach me or that I didn’t want to date. I just simply didn’t have the time, so why try? Especially when every relationship I seemed to get into ended in heartbreak.
Once I made sure everything was locked up, I quickly made my way over to the restaurant. Traffic wasn’t as bad as it usually was downtown. I said a silent prayer as I pulled in front of the restaurant, then gave my keys to valet. I could see through the window to see Chyna laughing and smiling as she drank what I was sure was a martini. It was all she ever wanted when we went to places this fancy. According to her, it made her feel extra rich and like a boss ass bitch.
I laughed at the thought and stepped inside. The hostess walked over to me and pointed in their direction. The hostess smiled and led me to the table. Chyna glanced up at me with a wide smile as I mouthed the wordsorryand then gave her a hug before taking the open seat next to her. I handed her the envelope with her birthday card and a few gift cards inside.
“Happy birthday! I didn’t have much time to get a big thing, but the card is super special,” I announced with a smile.
