March 14th, 2018.
Ivory
" Daddy! Daddy!" Amira yelled out, pointing to him. I had her in my arms as we were outside, watching as Cairo put his belongings in his car. Today was the beginning of spring break, and Cairo was set to perform in 4 different states, all of them that included major cities. This was a starting point for him, in essence to preparing him for his upcoming tour that was happening in the summer.
" Ahhh, baby girl!" Cairo came back around from the car, taking Amira from my arms. He spun around in circles, and I couldn't help but to grin at the two of them, hearing them laugh.
" Daddy's gonna leave, and be gone for awhile...but I'll be back, you hear?" Cairo said to Amira. " I'm gonna miss you! You gonna miss me?"
" Mhm." Amira said, her tone lowering. She wrapped her arms around his neck, giving him a hug.
" Aye, don't be sad baby girl! Life's too short to be sad!" Cairo says in a high pitched. He started to spin her around again and tickle her, and nothing but pure giggles came from the two again.
" Hm, baby girl...let daddy talk to mommy. Okay?" Cairo says. He put Amira down, and we both watched as she ran over to the toys that she had out in the lawn.
" You gon miss daddy too?" I rolled my eyes at him, smiling as he pulled me into his arms.
" You're in a playful mood."
" Aye, I'm just happy this shit is starting now. I'm ready to be done with it all."
"....I wish you guys could go with me."
" I know...but I got to take care of business here. We been getting so many orders, and we've got a lot to restock on.."
" I understand. My lady's a businesswoman." Cairo says, coming closer to me. I felt his hands on my behind as he was closing in on me, nearly having me cornered.
" S-So what time is the flight again?"
" At 12:30."
" Well, it's 12:05...don't you think you need to get going?"
" I'll get there baby. Why you rushing me away?"
" I...I'm not Cairo. I just don't want you to be late." I say. He brushed what I said off, continuing to feel on me. But he came to a halt when Amira ran in there, seeing the both of us.
" Amira....now what were you doing out there?" I asked in shock. Her entire outfit was messed up. Just as I was about to go and take her inside, Nancy came out, offering to take her in and give her a bath.
" Wow...she is definitely her father's child."
" You got that right." I say, agreeing with Cairo. He grinned, his arms wrapping back around me.
" Ivory...you okay?" Cairo asked me out of the blue. " You seem like you got something on your mind."
" No, baby...I'm fine. I'm okay!" I respond to him. " Just want you to have a good trip, that's all."
In all honesty, I really wasn't all that okay. I didn't want Cairo to go because I was weary of what may happen. I mean, just from what happened with the picture scandal and how we were arguing. It still rubbed me the wrong way, mainly neck I felt like he wasn't telling me the entire truth. I felt like there was more to it. I didn't bring it up with him though because I didn't want to argue any more than we already have.
" Damn." Cairo mumbled. He had his phone in his hand, looking at all the messages that he hadn't responded to.
" Baby, I gotta go."
" Okay." I say, looking up at him. " Call me when you're on the plane, will you?"
" Ight, I will." he tells me.
" Be safe." he nods, and we kiss for the one last time. It was for a long time, but I didn't mind since we weren't going to see each other for awhile.
I watched as he went to his car, pulling off and driving away. I sighed, seeing him go. It was just me, Amira, and Nancy now.
____
4 days later, March 17th.
Ivory
" Mira baby, it's okay! It's okay!"
She wouldn't stop crying, and anything that I did wasn't working. Every since her father left, she's been throwing tantrums and crying all over the place. The only way she would calm down was if I'd call him, but that didn't even work.
But I'm sure it would have if Cairo answer his phone.
The fact that Cairo hasn't created any time to speak with Amira and I has been mind boggling to me. I know that nothing major has happened to him, cause I would have already know by now. The most I've got from him was a long morning text that was sent 2 days ago. I know he isn't so busy to the point where he can't contact us. Not having his attention and his affection was not only affecting me, but it was affecting Amira more than anything.
" Daddy!" Amira said, pointing. I glanced over, seeing the picture that she was referring to.
" I know baby girl. That's daddy..." I say, rocking her in my arms. I felt her tears on my shoulder as she laid her head on there, and it made me a bit sad.
Finally, it became quiet. Amira had seem to be drifting off to sleep. I was content with the silence that was apparent, as I hadn't felt in the last four days. But just when I was starting to feel relief, I heard mf my phone buzz. I was hoping it was Cairo, but like I should've expected....it wasn't. It was Tyler. I knew he was going to say something about business— but I wasn't up for at the moment. That was another thing adding on to my stress, and I didn't need it. I texted him telling that I couldn't talk right now, and that I'll do so later.
At this moment, I needed to do something for me. With Nancy being at the house, that gave me the chance to go out and do something for myself. So I grabbed my laptop and my purse, and headed out to the car. I knew the perfect place for me to go.
10 minutes later, I arrived at Sunnyside Inc. It was small tea business that served breakfast and lunch. With that, meant that not very many people came in here...at least not during midday. And along with that, it was on the hill, giving me the perfect of Calabasas. And those things combined gave me comfort, the comfort that I wanted.
Sitting there, I ordered my favorite drink and got a small breakfast sandwich. I looked out at the views, reflecting and thinking about my life and how crazy it was lately. The person I needed and counted on wasn't doing his part, I had a business that was growing faster than I could count, an emotional and wild one year old, not to mention a psychotic ex husband that was basically stalking me.
Was peace too much to ask for?
My phone was going crazy, and it all was coming emails and such, pertaining to my business. I pulled out my laptop and went to them, figuring out what I needed. It was nice for me to work out here and not at the office, as I found it a lot more easier to work. Mainly because how quiet it was.
" Ivory?"
I was shocked to hear my name. To my surprise, when I turned around, it was Damon.
" Oh...hey. What are you doing here?"
" I always come around during this time of day...it's the best time of day to be around here."
" Isn't it?"
"....you know, I didn't think you'd recognize me."
" What makes you say that?"
" I can tell your a busy woman. So I know things just come and go for you if they're not important."
" Hm, well I can't forget a guy that came in on closing day, and had me worried as hell." I say as I chuckle. He did the same, still standing around.
"I don't mean to interrupt...but do you mind if I have a seat here?"
" Sure."
30 Minutes Later...
" That's crazy...I got a sister similar to yours, expect that she's younger than me."
" You would think that I'm the older than one."
" I don't know...if I were to see you two for the first time, I'd think I'll get it right with saying that you're the youngest..." Damon says, making me grin.
We'd been sitting here for the longest, talking our lives away— but it felt good for me to do so, as it took my mind off of all the craziness that was surrounding my reality.
" Mhm...and how old do you think I am?"
" Hm..." he hums, looking up and down at me. " If I'm being realistic, I'd say a solid 27. But I'm just hyping you up, I'd say you aren't a day over 22."
" Wow..." I say, laughing. " I'm 32...my birthday was just last month."
" Really? You're 32?"
" What? Isn't that about how old you are?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows. He chuckled, sipping his drink before looking back up at me.
" I'm 39...my birthday is in January." he revealed to me. It wasn't as shocking to me, because he did have a mature look to him.
" You really good for your age. Really." I say to him, being a positive mood now.
" You do too." he says to me. " So...you said you recently just moved out here, right?"
" yeah...me and my family."
" What made you do so?" he asked. I thought back to all of the chaos when I lived back in New York, and it was pretty traumatizing to think about.
" I...uh, I rather not talk about it."
" Oh okay...well that's fine. That's all good." Damon says to me. " You know, I ain't from here either. Actually, I moved out here about 10 years ago."
" Hm, so where are you from?"
" Queens. Born and raised."
" What made you move all the way over here, if you don't mind sharing?"
" I needed a change of scenery. I was tired of riding the subways, running into crackheads every second of the day, and eating the same ass food from the Bodegas...although the food was good as hell." he says, making me laugh.
" So I came out here, and started fresh. It wasn't too bad, especially since I had some family out here."
"....it's pretty nice out here, you know...if I had to the choice to either be here or up where all my dogs are at up in NYC, I'd stay here; it's peaceful, the views are worth dying for, and the people are lovely..." he says as he winks at me. He sure was a tease, I knew that for sure.
We continued to talk, but my phone interrupted that. I glanced down at it, seeing that Cairo had finally called me back. He called me about 4 times, and blew my phone up with a crap ton of messages. I rolled my eyes, mentally sighing. He couldn't get mad at me for shit— and in all honesty, he needed a taste of his own medicine.
" You gotta head out somewhere? Cause I don't wanna hold you..." Damon says, taking me away from my thoughts.
" No...no, you're fine." I say to him. " I just have a lot I got to handle, that's all."
" Well, let me get myself out your way then." Damon says to me. " I know how you business woman are..."
He rises up from his seat, and I do the same. He seemed a bit surprised that I was doing so, but I didn't want him to just leave like he was.
" Uh...Damon."
" you have a nice day, alright?"
" I definitely will." he says. It seemed like he was about to say something else, but he didn't as he looked down at my phone.
There was the contact of Cairo's, appearing on my screen. I looked down and back up at Damon, seeing the look on his face. He just waved me off, going on about his way.
As soon as he gone, I sighed— picking up all of my things and heading back to my car. Here Cairo was again, calling me for the 10th time. I answered the phone frustrated, waiting for what he had to say. He and I both knew that this was gonna end up in an argument.
And that was the last thing that I needed or wanted.
____
thoughts?