Love UnCharted (Love's Improbable Possibility) (46 page)

~~~~~~~~~~

Rayna

It had been two days since Azmir hit me with the news that, from now until the unforeseeable future, I’d be followed by security—and not just any security, my detail was professional. I learned yesterday he went to the extent of contracting with a private company that employed former governmental agency security and they carried weapons.

Imagine my surprise when yesterday, as I prepared for church, not only did Azmir get dressed along with me, but insisted on attending. I was followed all throughout service by a large, stiff red head man in an all-black suit. It was intolerable. It was odd enough having Azmir, a self-proclaimed Muslim, sitting next to me, stiff and squarely poised himself. But to be followed by my personal security to the ladies’ room was the most embarrassing thing I’d had to endure in years. All the women gaped oddly at me and ogled Azmir for the duration of the service. Once it was over, I made a beeline for the door before Pastor Edmondson could call for me. I couldn’t explain my varied company in morning worship that day.

And then this morning, I had to ride into work with Azmir and Ray with our security in tow, two cars behind. Who in the hell were we, Barack and Michelle? I didn’t express my disdain and total confusion about this debacle, trying to respect Azmir’s decision and accommodate his lifestyle, but this was too much!

This morning before we began seeing patients, I had to hold an impromptu mandatory staff meeting and inform my team that from here on out there would be security on the grounds monitoring, per the advisement and loan of the recreation center. I threw it all on the rec because there was no way that I was prepared to discuss my personal life with my staff. It was humiliating. 

Once my day was done, I jumped back into the Bentley with Azmir and Ray and headed back to the marina. As soon as I laid eyes on Azmir I could tell he ended his day with a session with Tyler. He wore a soiled sweat-suit. We rode in silence. Other than him grabbing my hand once we pulled off, we had very little interaction. I had forgotten he was there. I thought to myself maybe if I had the heart to express my feelings about this to him instead of holding them inside and suppressing them I wouldn’t be so wound up. I said very little to Azmir since his announcement of this insanity. He didn’t press me either. He had seemed so preoccupied, I’d assumed from the fire.

We walked into the apartment and Azmir headed straight to the shower. I was right on his heels, but went to the walk-in closet to discard my work clothes when I heard the phone ring. Azmir had state of the art technology at the marina, which included a telephone system that streamed jazz music at every station and utilized several ringtones. This particular ringtone indicated a call from the front desk downstairs. I answered and could hear Roberto speaking in a distinct murmur.

“There’s a Tara Harrison down here. She’s been waiting for over an hour for Mr. Jacobs. I explained to her when she arrived that he was unavailable and she said she knew and would wait.”

What on earth is Tara doing here? How does she even know where he lives? Does she have stalker tendencies like her father?
This was all becoming too much for me. I felt like I was going burst of frustration. Tara picked the wrong day to show up unannounced and I was prepared to show her.

“Send her up, Roberto.”

Within seconds, I’d hatched the perfect plan of introduction. I flew into the closet and pulled on my short peach silk robe and the matching slippers. I ran to the door, unclicked the lock, and left it ajar before cantering into the kitchen to prepare the dinner Boyd had cooked earlier, which coincidentally would have been my normal routine had she not shown.

In minutes, I heard the door push open and a little strange noise from that end of the apartment. I was sure to slam a counter drawer or two to indicate that someone was in the kitchen.

“Wow! This is some place,” Tara shrilled excited in her valley girl twang. “Damn, Mir. Is this the type of swanky bachelor you’ve turned into? I mean, you’ve always done well, but this is fancy as shit!” she tittered as she admired the contemporary decor of the apartment. I could appreciate her reaction, the apartment was really something to behold.

The place was enormous, but I could sense she was making her way to the kitchen. I could also hear a squeak as she neared. I just kept hitting pans and clicking the cabinet doors to lure her into my
direction. I adjusted the top of my robe to expose my cleavage. I wanted to appear as at home and informal as possible. My heart pounded from my jumpy nerves, hoping my plan would work.

Stay in the shower for a few more minutes, Mr. Jacobs
. I knew after late day workouts he liked to sit on the shower bench at home, under the parching cascade, and it seemed like today was one of those days.
Perfect!

“Is this a Claude Monet?” she gasped. I could still hear those odd noises that grew louder and sharper as she drew closer. I could now hear that she was rounding the doorway of the kitchen, “This place is magnificent! I can’t believe you did this—” her speech was halted at the sight of me. I couldn’t hold my suspense any longer, the noise was killing me, so I took a few steps closer until we met. And I froze once I caught a glimpse of her as well. But it made sense at first sight of her. Tara had
 her baby with her in a stroller.
Why would she tote her baby here for a surprise visit to Azmir’s?
I quickly regained myself. Baby or no baby present, I was prepared to play ball. 

“Surprised?” I asked with wide eyes and a Cheshire cat’s smile. “I was prepared to offer you a glass of wine, but I see you’re...
with child
.” I carried a sardonic tone with a matching faux smile as I held a tray topped with three glasses of wine.

Tara’s feet looked as though they were nailed to the floor.
Score!
She was clearly knocked off balance by my presence.

“Azmir must have forgotten to mention you coming by this evening or else I could have prepared for you and your baby,” I threw the infant a smile of acknowledgement as I referenced her. “Are you planning to stay long…because I can throw something together?”

Tara, suddenly, had a sway in her neck, “Azmir didn’t tell me you spent so much time over here. Had I known, I would have been sure not to show during your assigned time.” Tara’s wit was always on point.

“That would have been a little difficult for you to do considering
I live here
.” At the raise of my eyebrows, I conspicuously whispered my last three words. 

Her eyes nearly popped out of her head at my words.
Second score!
To say she was taken aback wouldn’t properly describe her reaction.

“Don’t worry, Tara, you’re in good company with not being up to date with Azmir’s world. Apparently your father knows very little about the inner workings of his life as well. But I’m here and I’ll be glad to acquaint you with every detail necessary to illustrate that you have no place in it,” I maintained my smile.
 

Tara’s eyes darkened, but her voice remained pleasant, “And you do because he lets you spend the night? You have a lot more convincing to do than just standing here in your stay-over robe and slippers.”

The baby started becoming agitated, forcing Tara to tend to her, “Oh, Azina. It’s alright, princess. Mommy’s here,” she sang in her maternal vocals as she picked the baby up. She no doubt wanted me to catch her daughter’s name and deep down inside it was a gut blow, but I had my game face on and was facing a gridlock in score.

The doorbell rang and I jumped to it, remembering Azna was being dropped off from his grooming appointment, another service that the property assisted with.
 

I took Azna from the arms of Roberto, thanked him and closed the door. There was still no signs of Azmir, leaving time on the scoreboard. I carried him over to Tara.

“Oh, a doggie. How cute. I didn’t know Azmir was fond of animals,” her wry statement screamed of sarcasm.

With a smile as broad as a billboard I said, “He bought him for me,” as I petted Azna. “Tara, maybe Azina would like to say hello to Azna,” I smiled with my eyes, trying to keep from laughing at her haunted expression. She was offended and I was glad.

And yet another score!

“You named your dog after him, honey? How pathetic,” she laughed, and well it seemed.

“Oh, sure! I find naming a dog he
gave
me after him far more appropriate than a baby that he
didn’t
give you.”

Her smug was clipped. Tara took off her gloves, “Listen, bitch. You have no right speaking about my child or anything between Azmir and me. You may be his new little piece of ass, but we still have undeniable and irreversible history.”

I scoffed, “New little piece of ass? I guess you weren’t made aware of our recent engagement.” As I extended my hand I informed, “Azmir can be so modest. But you still should have heard, I was there when he shared it with all of his closest friends,” my eyebrows furrowed. As bad as I wanted to laugh at the lack of a poker-face Tara was capable of issuing, I had to stay focused on her next move; I knew it was coming.

“What the fuck?” Azmir belted from the foyer a few feet away. Both our heads swung to him. He was topless, wearing basketball shorts and black ankle socks. His splendid frame was hard to ignore. This couldn’t have played out any better if I had planned it from start to finish.

“What the fuck are you doing here and why do you have...” he gestured toward the carriage. His tone wasn’t of his CEO mien, neither was it raised as to involve emotions, but it was sound and crisp. It was also clear that he was just as dismayed by her visit as I was. At this point, he had even intimidated me.

“I didn't know you had company,” Tara hissed in my direction.

“That doesn’t answer my question. How’d you even know where I lived?” Azmir was livid. I could see it all in his face as he approached us in the living room. I put Azna down on the floor. Even I was heavily awaiting this answer.

She cut her eyes to me and I could tell my presence under Azmir’s wrath made her incredibly uncomfortable, but seeing that we were both indisposed drew a picture of private boundaries that she had clearly crossed.

“I heard about the fire in Pasadena and wondered if you weren’t still living in
that
house where you could be. So, I did some digging around and came up with this address.”

“Digging around? What type of answer is that? You know what…” He raised his hand to cancel out his previous question. “How about we get back to why you’re here?” He didn’t stand next to me, instead he was adjacent, placing himself in the middle of Tara and me, but I still had clear view of her.

“If we
must
do this here...” she said, once again, stealing a glance at me. “I thought we could talk about why the money has stopped. I didn’t receive anything for this month and I have bills due.” Tara didn’t resemble the strong, confident, and colorful woman who had confronted Azmir and me last summer at
The Grove
. Instead, she looked all of a twelve-year-old child who was embarrassed and in need.

This all boiled my blood. I absolutely felt nothing but enmity for those who pulled on and relied entirely too much upon Azmir’s wealth. No one seemed to have sowed into him, other than her father and even that has changed according to Azmir. Azmir said he was helping out financially and I had wondered why, but didn’t deem it appropriate to ask.

“I take it you haven’t spoken to your father?” His face was agitated.

“Why should I? This arrangement is between the two of us.”
 

“But made between your father and me,” Azmir pushed out a long exhale as he gripped his head with both his hand. You could see all the muscles in his back bulge reflexively. My heart bled for him. In that moment I wanted to kick Tara’s ass for upsetting him. I wanted to call on my inner b-girl and drag her across the apartment by her hair. I still had it in me. The only thing making me think twice was her baby being present. With calm in his voice, Azmir said, “You brought the baby to play on my conscience. How fucking incredulous,”
 He’d just been smacked with the revelation.

Oh, wow.

“Tara, you have to go. I can’t have you barging in on my personal life like this. Please don’t stop by again. I don’t live alone and don’t think it’s fair to her to have to deal with reminders of my past. If you need to contact me, call my cell or my office.”

I saw the tears rushing from their ducts and Tara’s face reddening. A ball gathered in my throat. I felt uncomfortable for her until she said, “Azmir, could you at least let me know what to expect with the money so that I can take care of my mounting bills?”

That’s it!
“Why can’t you just hurry with the paternity test so that the payments to her will either be justified or permanently suspended!” I shouted to Tara before turning to Azmir and asking, “Why must you carry a load that we don’t even know is yours?”

“Not now, Rayna,” Azmir warned calmly.

“Don’t know?” Tara perked up and giggled as I watched her mood go from sullen to excited within a second’s time. I didn’t understand how or why. Just seconds ago, I felt sorry for her. “How did you phrase it earlier?” Tara furrowed her brows and tilted her head, feigning a pensive state. “
Oh!
I guess
you weren’t made aware
that the test was taken and the results were revealed weeks ago. Azmir isn’t the father, but he’s been helping out with things until I get on my feet.”