"So I had sex."
I was over Jade's helping her pack for her stay in Miami. I walked along the brown hardwood floor in her bedroom in my ankle socks and some of her designer clothes in my hand and carried them over to her bed and released them onto the comforter. The giggles coming from the playpen were by Chloe and Sarai and the TV before them played Karma's World. I plopped down on the mattress to help her start folding.
"Sex?" I repeated, interesting to know about this. "Whose this little friend that knocked the cobwebs?"
Jade chuckled as she folded a pair of pants. "Actually.. you know him."
"I do?" She nodded and I pondered on who she could've possibly had sex with that I know, then it wasn't hard to figure it out. "Jade.. please to me you didn't do it with Cairo."
Just by the expression on her face, there was my answer. "Jade!"
"It.. just happened."
"Well he didn't just fall in it Jade." I exhaled and paused the process of folding a shirt, "Why? Why would you revert back Jae?"
"It was only sex, Caren. I'm not getting back with him. I even told him that. I'm still divorcing him.
"And let me guess: he was cool with that?" She nodded and I shook my head in disappointment, "Checkmate, then."
She was confused. "What?"
"I said: checkmate, because that's what he done." I said, "I told you he was great at chess and you didn't believe me. Mom and grandma are gone. Mom cut you off. Carla cut you off and left. Exactly what he wanted. You're in this house alone with just Sarai and once Margo comes over. That's what he wanted to happen because it's easier that way. You fell into his trap, again. And if anyone knows about that, I do. I let X do that for eighteen years of my life until I opened my eyes and realized it. It's gonna take for you to open your own eyes to it. We can't keep forcing them open for you."
Jade fell into a sudden silence, while I continued to help her pack.
"His father.. Ekon," her mentioning my godfather made me return my gaze to her. "Where is he? I've never met him. Cairo doesn't talk about him. I feel if I talk to him–"
"You'll get some type of clarity on why Cairo is the way he is?" I finished and she nodded, "Well I can tell you now that won't tell you anything but that they are one in the same. Ekon abused Halle. Cairo's the only son. Probably thought it was what men were supposed to do."
"But why has he never mentioned him to me?" Jade wondered, "I've been apart of that family for years. No one talks about him. I mean is that why Claudia's so angry at her family?"
I stared into the eyes of my best friend and could tell all she wanted was answers to her genuine confusion. "Claudia.. She was a daddy's girl. A big one. Ekon couldn't go anywhere without Claudia there with him. I was thirteen when he left back to Nigeria. At least that's was the story around."
"You don't believe it?"
"I mean, I did. But that night Margo ended up in the hospital, Claudia may have insinuated that something different happened."
That made her eyebrow arch questionably. "Something different?"
"She just told me everyone was lying that he went back to Nigeria, my father included and once Cairo got to celebrity level, she had to sign an NDA."
"An NDA wouldn't be necessary.. unless something bad happened." Jade said.
"Yeah, that's what I was thinking."
"You ask Deon about it?"
"Yup, and he doesn't want to discuss it either. What I do know is that Ekon's not in Nigeria."
Jade let out a soft gasp. "Do you think he's..?"
I knew what she would say even without her finishing. "Don't know. But I plan to find out."
"Ooh as in our own personal investigation?" Jade smiled as she laid on the bed, on her stomach.
"No. Not we. Me." I playfully tossed the shirt at her face, "You worry about your album with Timbaland in Miami and I'll worry about Texas mess. I'm serious Jae. Focus on you."
Jade sighed. "I will. Promise."
I stayed over to help Jade for a few hours, then later on, I met up with Xavier at the location ZC2 Bistro would open. It was in Berry Hills, a safer neighborhood adjacent to and southwest of Downtown Dallas. Berry Hills was an industrial area turned artist haven. Around here it was full of successful black businesses and the only area that does. It was a great sight to see. These businesses have been here for several years, passed down from generations, and that alone scared me.
I held Chloe on my hip, staring out the window at the nonstop business outside. Racing footsteps approached making me turn around just as Xavier flipped Calen over his shoulder to put him on his back. "I'm nervous."
X laugh dies down as his eyebrows furrowed. "Nervous?"
"About this," I gestured around the nice size space. "We don't know anything about running a bistro. You know I looked it up and they go under after the first year."
"You gotta think positive," he said.
"I'm serious Xavier."
X sighed softly as he took my worry seriously. "You know Jarvis Edwards.."
"Uhh, yeah. He's the father of Andi's child."
"And very successful with restaurants, bars, clubs. You name it. None of his businesses went under."
"Cause he's been doing it for years. What does his business have to do with this bistro?" I wondered.
X put Calen down and gave his phone. "Go watch my phone with Coco so I can talk to Momma." I put Chloe down to follow her brother and X continued. "I didn't jump into this business without some thought. Jarvis been mentoring me about this business for a while now. Bro even teaches business class at that community college on Haven. I was one of those students. ZC2 Bistro been a plan for a few years now. This won't fail, because I've taken the initiative to actually take classes and know how running a business goes without going into it and not know. I wouldn't put you and our kids in this if I wasn't sure we can do it."
My sudden worry started vanishing hearing that he actually planned this bistro and didn't just wake up one morning and want to open an restaurant. And to have Jarvis Edwards for a mentor was a plus, because aside from the past transgressions with Andi, he was one of the most successful black business owners in Texas alone.
In fact, majority of these businesses around in Berry Hill Jarvis Edwards had a hand in.
I smiled and said, "I trust you. I trust this process."
X held his hands pressed together in a prayer posture. "Thank you." he said.
I smacked his arm, then stood beside him. "Now, how many can this space fit?" I asked.
"One thirty eight, inside and out." he informed.
I nodded. "I take it I'm choosing the decor and furniture?"
"Yup. That's you right there."
"Good. The uniforms too. We're not about to have girls wearing shit that shows their asses."
"Not even a little bit?" X joked.
"No," I chuckled and nudged his shoulder. "Not even a little bit."
The bell chimed, indicating someone's entrance.
"Forgot to tell you, I gotta chef friend comin' thru." X told me.
We both turned around and entered the tall and slim gentleman that was familiar to the eyes. He had on a nice button down that fit his body perfectly and tailor style shorts. Difference was his raven hair was cut shorter than the long tresses I remembered and under a backwards hat. He approached us in his suede oxford shoes.
"Caren, this my chef homie-"
"Gustavo," I recalled as I cut in on X's sentence.
X stared between us both. "Y'all know each other?"
"Not really. Well, kind of. Gustavo was our chef in Costa Rica. That trip me and the girls went on."
"Jae Skye's friend," Gustavo remembered, naming Jade's stage name.
"Jae Skye's friend," I repeated and smiled. "I see you remembered her."
Gustavo chuckled and his deep voice said, "Not like that. My sister loves her and I hear her music all day."
"Mmhm. You don't gotta front liking my girl." I spoke and Gustavo didn't deny, "Anyway, nice seeing you again, Gustavo. How'd y'all meet? Long way from Costa Rica."
"Jarvis introduced us," X let me know. "A few years back."
"Yup. I heard about my boy opening this bistro with his family and couldn't pass that up." Gustavo grabbed X's shoulder and shook him. "Well if the misses approves that I'm hired."
"Oh, I'm a miss," I corrected. "Divorcing."
"Oh okay," Gustavo nodded.
"But I've ate your food. Delicious. Of course you're hired."
"What kind of food were y'all thinking?" Gustavo asked.
"American cuisine."
"Slide in some vegan and vegetarian options," I add.
Gustavo nodded. "How about we set up a day where we can have a tasting to try out some food to go on the menu? Say next week?"
"Sounds good to me."
X agreed too. "The kitchen will be finished. Let's do it."
"Well, welcome to the team, Gustavo." I stuck out my hand and Gustavo put his in mine, shaking it firmly, then he done the same to Xavier.
After discussing business with Gustavo, he left to plan a menu for ZC2 Bistro, then after a little while of looking around the rest of the space, X and me left out with the kids that were getting bored and restless. I was in the driver seat of my car when Xavier stood at the window to let me know something.
"I talked to Grant and Necole," he mentioned his parents.
That was a surprise. "And.. how did that go?"
"Coo because we ain't discuss me." X said.
"Who did y'all discuss?"
"The kids, Kamden. They want a closer relationship with 'em. I realize I been keeping mine away out of spite. But that ain't fair to them. That ain't fair to Zay, Calen, or Chloe. They a way better parent to Kam than they was for me. Figure I let 'em right they wrongs wit what they done to me and make up for it with our kids. I mean, Zay already gotta relationship wit 'em. I forgive 'em. Can't keep holding onto the shit that hurt me. I was a child. I'm letting it go."
My brows raised immediately, pulling my head back in shock. "Oh, wow. You sick?" I palmed his forehead as he chuckled, "Cause if not that therapy has done a number on you."
"Fuck outta here," X laughed as he knocked my hand down. "Therapy been coo. I can't hold onto that anger no more. Calen already been asking if he got grandparents. Say they go ova there this weekend?"
I arched a brow. "By themselves?" I asked.
He gave me a look. "Caren.."
"Okay, okay," I gave in as I rolled my eyes. "They can go. I'm trusting you enough to trust your parents that when my baby's come back home they will be fine." I said.
He chuckled. "They a madam and pimp, CC. Not child molesters. Besides, parents like mine better grandparents than they are parents."
"Mmhm. Away from my car. I gotta go."
He leaned in the window, planting a kiss on my temple and I made a face, reeling back. "Get away," I chuckled as I mushed his face back.
X chuckled and tapped the car. "Y'all drive safe."
I backed out of my spot as he walked to his car. I got on the road just as a call came in and rung out the speakers around the car. Seeing it was Joie, I answered. "Hey, J-"
"This bitch is tryna take them from me Caren!"
Thankful for Calen and Chloe wearing headphones. "Wait, who? Tanika?" I questioned.
"No. Fucking Aqua!" Joie informed, taking me by surprise. "The bitch served me with custody papers Caren. Fucking custody papers!"
She did what!?
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