Eric dropped Ericka off at school and then headed down to his office. He couldn't help but think about what Becky said. He had never seen Ericka that upset with him or her mother. As he drove along, he picked up the car phone and dialed the house number.
Lloyd picked up. "What did I miss Aya?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I came down for breakfast and none of these woman are talking to me. Becky and Dee, hurried off as they saw me and Tanya walked off in tears but would not tell me what happened on that date."
"When we got back Ericka was very upset. She woke up and didn't see any of us." Eric said.
"And that made everyone mad?" Lloyd asked.
"Apparently yes, you know she runs the household. Let me talk to Tanya."
Lloyd pushed the intercom to the master suite and told Tanya to pick up the phone.
Eric waited for her to pick up. "Hey,"
"Eric? Is Ericka ok?"
"Ericka is fine; how about you? You ok?"
"I think so," she said.
"Look I don't want you to worry; we will work this out. Like I said, I enjoyed our time together this morning and I will be over later so we can talk some more, yea?"
"Ok," She said.
Despite everything with Ericka, he felt better after talking to Tanya and he enjoyed the time they spent together that morning just watching that sunrise. He pulled up to the office and whistled as he walked in. His good mood turn to shit when he saw who was there.
Didi looked at her watch. "You are late."
Eric was puzzled by what she said. Since the incident with the shooting, he was not on a regular schedule. He came and go depending on whether he had an appointment with a client. He was sure that he did not have an appointment with Didi, especially since his father was handling her project.
"Late? Late for what?"
"I have been sitting here waiting patiently for you."
"Waiting for me? Why?"
She seemed upset, but she hid it well. "I am here to see you."
Rick walked in at that moment. He looked at his watch. "Did I mess up? Did we have an appointment Miss Rawlings?"
Didi smiled. "Didi, please call me Didi, and no Rick, we don't have a meeting. I am actually here to see Eric."
Rick looked at his son. Eric looked back at his father and shrugged his shoulders.
Eric walked pass Didi to his office and she followed him in and closed the door.
"Ok can I get you anything? Tea coffee?" Eric asked.
She nodded her head no. "You disappoint me Eric."
"Well get in line, I disappoint many people including myself."
"You acted like a total jerk last night,"
"How the fuck did I act like a jerk?"
"I was wasted and I asked for your help and you totally refused. What would it take for you to give me a ride home?" she asked.
"I got you a ride home. Jimmy offered to take you. you said no."
"I don't know Jimmy; I asked you."
"You don't know Jimmy? He is the same Jimmy you play poker with every Thursday night. He is a police officer, what better person to hitch a ride with and he had his wife with him; you could not possibly be any safer."
"Didn't I make it clear that I wanted you to take me?"
Eric looked at her. "What exactly is it that you want from me Didi?"
She gave him a seductive look. "Don't act as if you don't know; I want you silly."
"You know that I am married," Eric reminded her.
"Yes I know that. I saw your cute little pregnant wife last night. I also know that you are not as happy as you pretend to be. I hear all the rumors too Eric. You don't live with her. Did she trap you with that pregnancy?"
"I don't know what you think you know about me Didi but know this, I love my wife," Eric harshly told her.
She smiled as if she heard nothing he said. "I am not looking for commitment. Look stop by the apartment later. I will make you dinner and give you a good massage for that shoulder that keeps bothering you." She offered.
She looked at her watch as if she was running late. she got up to leave. "You deserve to be happy Eric and you can find that with a woman like me and not with a little girl like Tanya."
<><><><><>
Tanya and Sharon were out back chatting up a storm. All they could talk about was the gala the night before. She had nothing but praise for Tanya and not much for Eric. She wanted to know how she and Eli could get on the roster to throw one. After all they were prominent business people too.
"I am not sure. I think you are automatically added based on the work you do in the community...like providing jobs." Tanya said.
Sharon rolled her eyes with an attitude. "We provide jobs to several people in the community."
"You have to give back too, like to charity." Tanya explained.
"I guess we need to step up in the area of charity." Sharon said.
They were laughing and gossiping about the women at the gala, the clothes they wore and the fact that a few of the mistresses were also present rubbing shoulders with the wives.
"How disgusting is that to have your wife and mistress in the same room; these men have nerve, you have to give that to them." Sharon went on and on.
"I saw you talking to Didi; what do you think of her?" Sharon asked.
"I don't know what to think of her," Tanya lied.
Didi was definitely on her radar. Tanya was still not sure if she was the woman on the phone the night of the shooting.
"What do you know about her?" Tanya asked.
Sharon scrunched up her nose. "Not much, I hear that she is building a house here; she comes to the club, plays poker with the guys, but has eyes only for Eric. She looks at him like a hungry person looks at food."
Tanya looked at Sharon knowing how she felt about Eric. There was no love lost between the two. "And does he look at her in the same way?"
"To be honest, he pays little attention to her, but that doesn't mean anything."
"What are you saying?"
"Well we are talking Eric here, the serial womanizer of the century," Sharon said.
"And you think Eli is a saint?" Tanya asked.
Sharon opened her mouth to respond when Dee pulled the sliding doors opened and walked over to them. "You have another visitor mam, a Miss Didi Rawlings."
Tanya looked at Sharon. "Speak of the devil," Sharon laughed.
"Should I bring her out here?" Dee asked.
"Yes, she can join us out here." Tanya instructed Dee.
Tanya looked at Sharon. "What on earth does she want?"
Sharon grinned from ear to ear. "I thought you had to leave." Tanya said.
"Not on your life; I want to know why she is here too," Sharon grinned.
Dee walked over with Didi following behind her.
"Wow, just wow! I can't believe this is a private home. This is a resort!" Didi blurted out.
"That is what I keep telling her. She lives in a frigging resort," Sharon said.
"And that cool breeze coming off the ocean is a welcome treat in this hot weather." Didi continued.
"Miss Rawlings, this is a surprise. Please sit down. Have you and Sharon met?" Tanya said.
Didi looked over at Sharon who was eyeing her suspiciously. "Oh yes Didi and I have met."
Didi nodded. "I still can't get over this property."
"So what brought you all the way up here?" Tanya asked.
"You invited me ... last night ...remember?"
Tanya and Sharon looked at each other. "Oh of course, you were going to show me your jewelry line." Tanya said.
"Yes, yes I brought a few pieces that would suit you just fine," Didi announced.
Sharon settled back in her seat. "I hope you have gold or diamond in that case because Eric will not want to see his queen in anything less."
"Oh really?" Didi asked.
"Yes really, you have to know that island people don't go for the fake stuff, girl didn't you see that necklace she wore last night? Did you think that was cubic zirconia?" Sharon asked.
"Sharon let Miss Rawlings show us what she has. I love costume pieces too. Don't listen to Sharon."
"Are you hungry Miss Rawlings? I could have Dee fix you something."
"Please call me Didi; and some of that lemonade would be just fine," Didi said.
Dee brought a glass for Didi and Tanya poured her a glass of lemonade.
Didi gulped down her lemonade then turned to Tanya. "How about I show you what I have and then you can give me a tour of this amazing home. Maybe I can get some inspiration for decorating a Caribbean home."
"Of course, I wouldn't dream of you leaving without a tour," Tanya said.
"Yes, you just have to show her the third floor," Sharon said.
"What's on the third floor?" Didi wanted to know.
"That is Eric and Tanya's private retreat ... a place where babies are made."
<><><><><>
Tanya was particularly gracious to Didi, showing her around the home, from the panoramic ocean front views to the roof top pool and finally to the suite she once shared with Eric. Didi was just blown away by the master suite. The suite was beautifully decorated as was the entire house and property to reflect the season and all tastefully done.
The house was probably the only home on the island decorated to reflect the seasons. They were just coming out of the winter holiday season and all the winter decorations of red, green and white were replaced with the most beautiful tropical flowers in pink, lavender and white. These were sprawled throughout the house, with huge over sized wreaths accenting the front doors and back decks. Didi was impressed by that and asked who did the decorations. Tanya gave her the information on the small landscaping company that came in to do it but that the family also added their personal touch.
Sharon who was unusually quiet during the tour did not miss Didi's reactions, from shock to envy and even jealousy. Didi's eyes just bulged at seeing the master suite. She didn't seem to want to leave the space.
"This is our little getaway from the rest of the world," Tanya told Didi of her master suite. Didi was beyond impressed as Tanya told her that Eric designed the master suite himself from memory of the things they talked about as kids. She told Didi the "moon" story.
"As a boy Eric promised that we would live on the moon. Since that is realistically impossible he designed this house to make up for that, so this is our moon," Tanya fondly told the story.
"So you and Eric knew each other since childhood?" Didi asked.
"We have known each other forever. We sometimes think that we knew each other before this life."
"I don't understand," Didi said.
Tanya smiled. "Well we sometimes get the feeling that we knew each other in another life,"
"Hmm island superstition?" Didi asked.
"You could call it whatever you like, but it is very real," Tanya said.
Didi stared somewhat mesmerized by the portrait hanging over the huge custom made bed. It was a picture made into a portrait of Eric and Tanya at the water falls in a very romantic pose.
"This is the biggest bed I have ever seen; it is just awesome and so is that picture; I can't believe that Eric had dreads that long. That has to be at least three feet of hair," Didi said.
Tanya smiled. "Yes I loved his hair like that. He only recently cut it, and Eric had the bed made with the family in mind I think; sometimes we all cuddled up together and watch a family movie right in here and we all sleep in here when there is a thunder storm; Ericka is afraid of the thunder," Tanya said.
Didi picked up a picture frame of Ericka. "Wow! this must be Ericka; she is absolutely adorable. She is a stunner; Is that green eyes I am seeing?"
"Yes, Ericka has beautiful green eyes,"
Didi continued to stare. "I can't get over her eyes; they are so unexpected; who did she get those green eyes from?" Didi asked.
"Yes I guess her green eyes are unexpected; My great grandfather had eyes as green as emerald, but her doctor thinks it could have been a mutation. We don't know for sure; we think she is stunning too," Tanya said.
"Yes, she is," Didi said still holding the frame in her hands.
"Yes, and she is the image of Eric inside and out. I have never seen a child look and behave more like a parent than the way Ericka does of her father," Sharon added.
"Yes I see the resemblance; I am just thrown by her eyes."
Sharon did not like where Didi was going with this. "And why is that? Why are you so focus on her eyes?"
"She is a beautiful little girl. It's just a pity that she does not have her father with her," Didi continued and ignoring Sharon's question.
Sharon and Tanya looked at each other and Sharon held up her palm to tell Tanya that she got this one.
"Why would you say some shit like that?" Sharon asked.
"Well the rumor is that Eric and Tanya are separated. He does not live here, does he?" Didi went in for the kill.
"Miss Rawlings this is not the United States of America. You should be very careful how you repeat "RUMORS" Sharon stated all fired up.
"So you are saying that Eric lives here?"
Sharon was on a roll and in Didi's face. "Yes, that is what I am saying and I am also saying DIDI that it is none of your business. You forced yourself into her home on pretext of selling your ugly cheap trinkets and she has been gracious to you and then you attack her marriage. You know what we do to women like you? We beat the shit out of them."
"Look Sharon I don't want any trouble with you. I am sorry Tanya if I offended you. People told me that you and Eric are separated, I was just repeating what I heard."
"Well take my advice and don't repeat things you can't back up with proof." Sharon told her.
"I better go," Didi said.
"Yes you better before I pop you upside your head." Sharon said.
The women made their way back downstairs and was just in time to see Eric walked in with Ericka.
Sharon looked over at Didi. "Does that answer your question?"
Eric looked on in shock from Tanya to Sharon, and finally to Didi.
'What the fuck is she doing here?'
Ericka ran to her mother and embraced her.
"Ladies?" Eric said with a hint of warning mixed with annoyance in his tone.
Didi looked at Eric like a child who got caught stealing from the cookie jar. "I was just showing Tanya some pieces from my jewelry line. Let me get my case. I was just leaving."
"Hey Didi take a good look at Ericka's jewelry. She is wearing gold bracelets, gold necklace and gold earrings and she is the princess. Do you think the queen would wear anything less?" Sharon teased.
Didi hurried off to get her things. Eric glared at Sharon. He knew that she was up to no good. He wondered how Didi found herself being cornered by Sharon of all people. Didi walked back into the room with her bag and case.
Eric looked at his wife. "I will see Didi out; I will be right back. Sharon don't you have some place you need to be?" He did not want to deal with Sharon.
As he walked Didi to her car he turned on her. "What the fuck are you doing? This is my fucking home Didi...where my wife and daughter live. Don't you fucking do that again. Why the fuck did you come here? Why?" he was pissed.
"Calm down Eric. You heard what I said in there; I wanted to show Tanya my jewelry line," Didi defended her move.
"Why here? Why her. She is not a retailer."
"I heard that she is about to become one of the island's biggest retailer," Didi said rather bluntly.
Eric stopped in his track. 'What? What is Tanya and her mother up to now?
***************
It's Oscar night tonight my ladies. I will be watching. Happy viewing!!!