He gave a goofy laugh that warmed my heart. Though I still held my reservation about his orchestration at Kid’s party with Dawn Taylor, I’d easily learned to love Petey. He was very devoted to Azmir and that went a long way with me. I greeted Kim who has grown on me a lot as well. When I met her I could hardly get her to muster three consecutive words and now she’s my favorite chatter box—second to Chanell, who was there as well, dancing in her seat.
Then my eyes somehow met those of Dawn Taylor’s. As much as I wanted to question her being here I knew I couldn’t. This was a big night and the first of Bacote & Taylor’s work with Cobalt. Azmir prepared me earlier on in the week, saying Dawn would be around more often than usual as their marketing strategies would be launched over the next few months. I had to decide that if I wanted this thing with Azmir to work I’d have to bear the brunt of her presence and exposure to Azmir. But that decision wasn’t met without apprehension. What helped me arrive at that decision was how he’d never changed his password to his cell phone records, subliminally saying he had nothing to hide. Either way, seeing Dawn did something to me. It was a reminder of who my cleanup lady was. There was always something behind her charming smirk. Just like tonight. She gave a knowing smirk as her way of speaking. I responded with a firm nod.
Mark and Eric were there with their ladies. I couldn’t keep up with Eric and his wife, NaTasha’s, status. The last time I saw them they could stand no more than three feet within each other. Tonight, NaTasha couldn’t keep her hands off him. And clearly Eric loved it, as he is beaming from ear to ear.
“As ever, it is a pleasure, Ms. Brimm. You are a joy to look at as much as the sun on a new day,” Eric lightly flirted. I could tell he was taken by me, but he never crossed the line. It was like having a seven year-old have a crush on you. He was harmless in his puppy love.
“Why, thank you, Mr. Williams. As it is with you and your lovely wife,” I returned.
“When is that berk of a man going to end his vainglorious ways, make you an honest woman and put your sea of admirers out of their misery?” I suppressed my laughter in order to not make him feel uncomfortable. I so enjoyed Eric’s didactic vernacular.
“Hmmmmmm...I have no idea. You’re his bestie. Surely you have an idea of where his mind is, more or less his heart,” I returned.
“Hey, where is he, by the way?” Mark chimed in as he greeted me with a small peck on the cheek.
“I'm not sure,” I said with narrowed eyebrows. I’d just assumed he was there. He told me he’d be here so I was sure that he had been. “He’s probably up in his office. I just got here. I’ll ask Petey,” I said just before making a beeline for Petey.
Petey confirmed Azmir was in the building. So, I moseyed my way over to Chanell who was never short of an entertaining story. We chatted for about twenty minutes or so before the emcee began announcing the opening act. Certainly, Azmir should have been down here by now to watch the show. He’d told me how much he was looking forward to tonight.
I glanced over to Petey, subconsciously wondering where was Azmir, to see that he clearly had the same thoughts because he was looking over to me and motioned he had no idea with his hands. I excused myself from Chanell who was just telling me about her last street fight with a girl over the latest love she had been involved with. Never a dull moment with this chick. Gotta love her.
I walk towards the entrance of V.I.P. and pass Petey on the way, telling him I was going upstairs to look for Azmir. I walk down onto the main floor where security was waiting, unbeknownst to me, to escort me to wherever I was going. It was weird, but I did get moved through the droves of patrons quicker. I stopped at the elevator and that’s where I parted ways with my armor.
When I arrived to the third floor, I saw someone manning the receptionist desk. A young, chunky Caucasian woman who sported a jet-black boyish haircut with oversized black, plastic framed glasses and conspicuous lip and nose piercings. I’d seen her around a time or two. Clearly, she knew who I was from the way she respectfully nodded as I passed by her.