With wide eyes she asked, “Where?”
“Paris. My partner has a few things lined up over there...potential associates who are in markets we’d like to engage. If I'm lucky, I'll return a man with many connections and more enterprises,” I simplified.
“Paris. For how long?” She seemed disappointed.
“I'll leave out on Monday and due to return on Friday. It's a relatively short trip and is extremely hopeful. Will you miss me?”
“Probably more than I can stand.” She pouted softly while looking into the distance.
I know this is bad timing considering we've been locked at the hip for about a week now. She's still grieving and won't have anyone while I'm away. Her nightmares that she has no idea that I am aware of were still frightening for her. But this was an opportunity that I could not turn away. Things were drastically turning around for me in the land of merging and acquisitions and I had to strike while the iron was hot.
“You can always come. I'm sure you can request the time off,” I offered knowing I'd be more than agreeable to that.
“Don't be silly, Azmir. I could never impose on you like that. I'm a big girl. I'll be fine,” she tried to assure unconvincingly. “But I am excited about this opportunity and what it means for your career. I can say I smashed you when,” she joked and we both fell into laughter.
Moments later, as we were chatting, another familiar voice spoke from behind me.
“Oh, wow! I didn't know you'd be here.” I turned to find Lady Spin. I wasn't expecting to see her either.
“Lady S,” I said inexpressively. Right away she locked eyes with Rayna who's standing next to the table. She reached up and air kissed me on the cheek. Not a good move but I allowed it.
“It's a surprise seeing you, too,” I said, feeling indifferent.
“Did you come alone?” she asked looking Rayna square in the face.
“No. This is Ms. Rayna Brimm. Ms. Brimm, I'm not sure if you are familiar with Lady Spin from the radio?” I pose as a question knowing damn well they met at an event a couple of months back.
“Why, of course. It's a pleasure to see you again,” Rayna said with grace.
Spin gave a spurious smile and cut her eyes to me. She was getting the message. She may not have liked the painting, but she understood the picture. Now, I’d always liked Spin because she was easy to get along with and fun to hang out with. She didn't press me for much. She was very direct with wanting a sexual relationship with no strings attached. And I knew her heart was with a guy from a popular R&B group from the early 1990s. She was nearly forty and knew how to separate her feelings from her * or so I thought until today.
“So, how's everything? How's Petey? I have to get back to him about your party pictures. He told me they're ready,” she said, trying to illustrate intimacy between us and name drop. Women can be so conniving.
Rayna just stood there heedfully and coolly watching. The look in Lady S’ eyes told me this wouldn't go over easy, which I didn’t understand because she was pliant to our arrangement in the past.
To my surprise we were interrupted by Rayna's girl, Britni.
“Rayna! Heeeeeeey, girl!” Britni shrieked.
Rayna turned and gave a huge smile and said, “Hey Britni, how are you? What are you doing here?”
Britni announced, “I'm here with Spin.”
Rayna narrowed her eyebrows in confusion. “Oh, wow. Small world.”
Britni had a slick look in her eye. “Yeah, she's my cousin.”
“Oh, I didn't know that,” Rayna muttered, trying to mask her disappointment.
“Well, it’s not like you ever hung out with us outside of Michelle. But Michelle met her a while back,” Britni announced.
This was some bullshit brewing. I wasn't looking forward to the outcome at all. Rayna was visibly uncomfortable.