"Oh-oh-oh, I won't waste no time
I won't waste my time when it come to you
Put my pride aside, give it all to you
Put my pride aside, no, oh
Girl, I won't waste no time
I won't waste no time when it comes to you (no time)
Put my pride aside, give it all to you (to you)
Put my pride aside, give all to (woah, oh)."
Fridayy "When It Comes to You"
Nicole
"I'm in Houston all alone." Dewayne sang through the phone.
"Okay, Rod Wave."
"You can't lie and say you don't miss me."
"A little bit, but we saw each other last week. It's not that serious."
"Damn, just cast me off to the side then."
"Babe, you're being dramatic. You know I love you."
"Mhmmm. Keep playing with me and I'll show you that I can do bad all by myself."
"Says the person who was planning to propose to me last week." I smirked as he became real quiet.
Let me tell y'all what happened in Memphis last week.
*************************************************
"I see you, Mr. Big Time." I smiled, looking at Marc via FaceTime as Tucson helped me with my makeup.
"Nicole stop." He laughed.
"Come on. It's not everyday you're selected to be on the Forbes 30 under 30 list in Consumer Technology. I am so proud of you."
"Thank you, especially for submitting the nomination."
"You've been working so hard on your company. It was only right."
"This is going to be you next year."
"I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I only have two years left of being under 30."
"Trust me, Forbes has their eyes on you. You just don't know it."
"Thank you. What are your plans for tonight?"
"Not much. I'm just going to stay in and watch Get Out."
"I am so jealous. I love that movie."
"One of the best horror films ever made." I heard his doorbell ring in the background. "That must be my takeout."
"Okay, I'll leave you to enjoy your night. I need to get out of here myself."
"I'll make sure to buy my ticket tonight for New Orleans."
"Perfect. I'm so excited."
"T, I'll hit up your line in a few." I looked back at Tucson who was trying to hide his smile.
"I'll be waiting. I mean, I'll see if I want to answer."
"Oh, you'll want to."
"Bye Marc."
"Bye Nicki." After the call ended, I smiled at Tucson.
"What?"
"Nothing. I just thought it was cute seeing you cheesing."
"We're just friends."
"Did I say y'all were more than that? You need to stop telling on yourself."
"I don't know. When we first started talking, it was awkward and he couldn't even look me in the eye or hold a conversation for more than a minute. Now, it's like he's gained so much confidence and it's so sexy. He's so caring and funny. I really like getting to know him, but..."
"But what?"
"I'm not a fan of the whole long distance thing."
"If y'all eventually get to that step, I'm sure you two will figure it out. You guys could take turns going to see each other for a while before one of you decides to move."
"New York didn't seem that bad when we were there."
"That's the spirit."
"Whatever." He rolled his eyes and walked out of my room.
"Are you guys sure y'all don't want to come to dinner?" I asked the crew as I slipped on my heels.
"We're sure. Enjoy the time alone."
"You still going to Capital Grille?"
"Actually, I decided to make a reservation at Coastal Fish. I'm more in the mood for seafood than steak. What?" I saw them looking at each other.
"Nothing, have fun."
"Don't stay out too late or we'll come hunt you down."
"Yeah right. Love y'all!"
Dewayne called me on the way to the restaurant. That man told me that he was on the way to his hotel when he was actually on the way to Coastal.
When I got to the restaurant, I was seated outside where I had the view of the water. I ordered calamari to start and the Chilean sea bass for my main course along with a Paloma cocktail.
As I looked through the wine list, I noticed someone stop at my table.
"Do you have room for one more?" I looked up to see my boo looking so handsome in black tie.
"Dewayne, stop playing with me. What are you doing here?" I engulfed him in a hug.
"I wanted to have dinner with my lady. Is that a crime?"
"No, it would be my pleasure." I kissed him. The waitress came back with my drink and appetizer, and she took Dewayne's order.
"We would also like two glasses of Chardonnay."
"Yes, of course."
"What are we celebrating?"
"It's our anniversary."
"It hasn't been a year yet."
"I know, but these last three months with you have been amazing."
"Awww, baby. I wouldn't trade these last three months with you for anything in the world." I really enjoyed with Dewayne. He told me all about Toosii's pranks during the tour. He was so annoyed, but each story cracked me up.
After eating our meals, I laid my head on Dewayne's shoulder as our hands were intertwined. We ordered mango sorbet for dessert. The only sounds we could hear was the light chatter from the indoor dining room and the waves hitting the current.
"What are you thinking about? You got real quiet." I looked up at him.
"I—I'm just thinking about how lucky I am to have you in my life. You'll always be the one I need and want."
"You will always be the one I can run to and give my all to. You are more than man enough for me. I love you."
"I love you too."
*************************************************
"How did you know?"
"I know how romantic you are, but you wouldn't have come to Memphis just for a dinner. You seemed nervous as the night was winding down, so I put two and two together."
"I wanted to do it, but my nerves got the best of me."
"It's okay. I'm sure you'll get it right next time."
"I will. This also gives me time to upgrade the ring. I need to make sure it shines bright like the diamond you are."
"I can't wait."
"Yo Dewayne! We're going to be late." Nardo yelled in the background.
"I'm coming! Baby, I gotta go."
"Go handle your business. I'll talk you later."
"For sure. I love you Nic."
"I love you more baby boy."
"Thank God you're finally done." Tae sighed coming into my room and throwing himself on my bed.
"Did you need something?"
"No, I just too much sh*t on my bed and needed somewhere to lay down."
"You need help." I giggled. Tucson came into my room eating a bomb pop.
"What's going on with Marc? Is he still coming?"
"I don't know. I've been blowing him up for the past two days. His flight was for yesterday night. I have no idea if he ever boarded the flight."
The plan was for Marc to meet us here in New Orleans and ride with us to Miami. He was fine with missing the first two days of Essence Fest, but he wasn't trying to miss Tems on day 3.
That's why I feel like something is wrong. At first, I thought maybe it was a network issue, but I've seen that he's read the messages. I just don't understand why he's not responding. Did I do something to make him upset? I don't even know anybody I can call over in New York to see stats up with him.
"Maybe his phone got damaged and he doesn't remember your number to get in contact with you."
"That's possible, but he could have gotten in touch with me on Instagram or something. I hope I'm just overreacting."
"Try calling him again." I dialed Marc's number and held the phone to my right ear. I listened to the rings. Right when I was about to lose hope, the ringing stopped but the voicemail message didn't pop up. I looked at my screen to the timer had started, so that meant he picked up the call.
"Hello? Marc?"
"Nicki."
"Oh, thank God." I breathed a sigh of relief. "Are you okay? I've been trying to reach you."
"I'm okay. I'm just tired." He sounded so defeated.
"Did you make it to New Orleans or are you still in New York?"
"I never left."
"Are you sure you're okay? I'm really worried about you."
"I'm sorry for the panic, but you don't have to worry about me anymore."
"What do you mean by that?"
"I finally realized that I don't need to be here anymore. Who am I without my family? I'm nobody. There's nothing left for me."
"Marc, that's not true. What happened? Did something happen to your sister or father?"
"I just want the pain to stop."
"Marc, I know you're hurting but we can get you some help."
"It's too late for me. I need to end this suffering." I heard a sound that reminded me of the cocking of a gun.
"Marc, wait! Please don't do this. Let me come over there so we can talk about this. I will catch the next flight."
"Nicole, you've been the only person who has cared for me after all these years. I just want to say thank you. I hate to bring another loss and grief to you, but I have to do this."
"The best way to thank me is if you stay alive. It doesn't have to end this way."
"Nicki, you're a beautiful soul and a true friend. You don't need a screw up like me in your life. Don't worry about me. I'm going home."
"Marc, Marc! Listen to me. I'm on my way." The call dropped and I immediately grabbed my bag from my bed.
"Nicole, what is happening?"
"I need to get to the airport right now. Where is my wallet?" I nearly screamed.
"It's right here!" Tae grabbed it from the dresser and handed it to me. I picked up my shoes and ran to the door.
"What did Marc say?"
"I think he's about to kill himself." I said before running outside to meet Shawn. "Shawn, I need you to get me to the airport ASAP."
"You got it." He opened the door and I hopped in. Just as he closing it, a hand poked through. I looked up to see Tucson.
"I'm coming with you." I nodded and he got inside. Shawn pulled off and I dialed 911. I got the operator to route me to the Marc's local department. I almost choked that b*tch in New York. Ma'am, I'm telling you there's an issue and I need a wellness check, and you're busy asking me where I'm calling from.
Why the f*ck does that matter?
I knew I looked crazy when I got to the Delta counter with the rollers still in my head and eye masks on my face. Luckily, a flight to LGA was scheduled to leave in an hour. The only seats available were in first class, but I didn't care. I need them to hurry up and board this plane.
"I should have seen this coming."
"Nobody could have believed—."
"No, when I saw him in New York, he had a sort of empty look in his eyes. Sure, he was doing good with business, living in a nice place, but he was missing his family."
"You think this is about his dad?"
"Possibly. He said was nobody without his family. Either something happened to his father or they exchanged words."
"We'll soon find out."
"What if we're too late?" We looked at each other. I stood up from my seat right before my phone started ringing.
"It's Dewayne."
"I can't even think straight right now. Just tell him something." I kept pacing back and forth. Every time I closed my eyes, I could only imagine seeing myself entering Marc's room to see his lifeless body sprawled across the floor with his blood pooling onto the floor.
"Hello? Yeah, we're at the airport. The plane is going to be boarding soon. She's right here. I'll put you on speaker."
"Nic?" I don't know why hearing his voice made me so emotional. I covered my face as I fought so hard to hold back my tears. "Baby, listen to me. I know it's hard, but I need you to be strong and have faith that he's going to be okay. I'm going to catch the next flight to New York and meet y'all there. All you need to do is pray for him and everything will be alright. Okay?"
"Okay. Thank you."
"I'm always here for you. I love you and I'll see you soon."
"I love you too."
"Take care of her Tucson."
"You can count on me. We'll see you soon." Tucson handed me some tissues. "You okay?"
"I'm a little cold, but I'm okay. Keeping my fingers crossed."
"Here, take my jacket."
"Thank you." I gave him a weak smile.
"Come on." On the plane, I kept praying in my heart. I tried to think positively and keep myself calm. I was in and out of sleep the entire flight. It felt like the longest 2 hours and a half in my life.
"Ma'am, you cannot come any closer. This area is closed off." An officer told me as I approached Marc's apartment.
"Look, I was the one who called you guys to come check on him. Just tell me if he's still alive."
"He attempted to use the gun, but it appears that it jammed. Unfortunately, he looked for an alternative and we found an empty bottle of pills by his head. He was unconscious but had a faint pulse. They ushered him into an ambulance. I don't know what his condition is right now."
"Which hospital?"
"Mount Sinai." Tucson and I got into a cab, making our way there.
We stepped into the emergency room and immediately went to the front desk. The nurses told us to take a seat and wait. The doctor would be out soon.
I watched an older man walk in with a little girl. Just by seeing her face, I knew that was Amina, Marc's younger sister. She has gotten so big and looks just like Marc.
Marc's father turned around to come over to the waiting area. I avoided looking in his direction, but somehow noticed me and came over.
"Nicole, I'm glad you're here. Have you heard anything?"
"You've got some nerve."
"Excuse me?"
"Did you come to see if your wish finally came true? Did you want to find out if he was dead yet? That would make your life so much easier, wouldn't it?" Tucson tried pulling me back and I had to give this man a piece of my mind.
"I will not stand here and allow you to talk to me like that."
"All Marc wanted was for you to love him, say you were proud of him, and accept him for who he was. Who cares if he didn't become a doctor and loved someone of the same sex? He is still your son!"
"Don't you think I know that? I love my son!"
"No, you don't." Our heads turned to Amina.
"Amina." Her father tried to touch her, but she moved back and shook her head.
"When people ask me if I have any brothers or sisters, I don't even know what to say. Marc and I can't hang out with each other. He doesn't know what my favorite tv show is and I don't know what his favorite food is. I don't know what is going on in his life. All I can go by is what I see on the computer screen because of you! Marc is so selfless that he still gave you credit in his Forbes interview for helping him come this far when in reality, you wouldn't care if he dropped dead."
"Amina, I'm sorry."
"Now, you're sorry? My brother wouldn't be here in this situation if you didn't call him and tell him to keep your name out of his mouth. You even called him worthless. Newsflash Dad, you're actually the one who's worthless and a sorry excuse of a father. No wonder Mom hated you. You had a black heart then, and a black heart now."
"Jesus, fix it." Tucson sat down.
"Nicole?" A doctor called out.
"Yes?"
"We were able to pump his stomach. He's awake now, but still very fragile. He would like to see you, but try not to make him move too much."
"Thank you. I'll go see him right now."
"Nicole?"
"Yeah?"
"Can you tell him I'm here?"
"Of course Amina." I walked over to Marc's room. I stood in the doorway, watching him stare blankly at the wall. I moved further into the room and took a seat next to the bed. He turned his head. At the sight of me, he reached for my hand. I gently held it. It looked like he was searching for the right words to say.
"It's okay. You don't have to say anything."
"I'm sorry."
"I'm just glad you're still alive."
"My father called after my interview was published."
"And said some unimaginable things to you. I know. Your sister basically exposed him in the waiting room."
"Amina is here?"
"Yes and so is your father."
"He's actually here?"
"Surprisingly, he is."
"I don't want to see him."
"I understand. We both blew up on him. I kind of feel bad. I don't like to disrespect my elders."
"Don't be. Sometimes they don't know how to respect themselves. He deserved it."
"Do you want me to bring Amina in?"
"Please."
"I'll go get her."
"Nicki?"
"Yeah."
"Thank you for coming all the way up here."
"I know you would do the same for me. We're going to get you some help. You'll be fine." I left the room to get Amina. I gave them some privacy and went back to Tucson.
"What have I done to myself? I watched my wife die with a broken heart, I almost lost my son, and my daughter hates my existence because of my selfishness and pride." Marc's father thought out loud.
I had no words for him. It will take time for them to resolve their differences, but if he's sincere in his apology, there's nothing God can't remedy.
After about 20 minutes, Tucson went in to see Marc. I went to a vending machine to grab a granola bar.
"Nic." Dewayne rushed over to me. "You okay?"
"I'm better now that I've seen you. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, better now that I've seen you. How's he doing?"
"Lucky to be alive, but on the road of recovery."
"That's good."
"Thank you for being here."
"When it comes to you, I won't waste any time to drop everything to get to you."
"I love you."
"I love you more."
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