“Did he say what kind of business?” Reno asked.
“No. Why does that matter?”
“It doesn’t,” Tommy said and looked at Reno. The last thing he wanted to do was to worry Gemma. “How long ago did you hear from him?” Tommy asked her.
“A few minutes before you called,” Gemma said, and when she said those words all of them exhaled. Including Mick. He was starting to get worried too.
“Okay Gemma, thanks,” Tommy said. “When Sal’s handling business he keeps his phone off, so I wanted to make sure somebody had heard from him.”
“I did,” Gemma said. And then she and Tommy ended the call.
“Where’s your mother?” Mick asked the twins.
“In her room,” Jackie said.
Mick headed upstairs. Everybody else headed for a chair.
But when Mick got to the door of his own bedroom, he hesitated. Roz was still pissed with him or she would have never told his children to ignore his knocks. And to change the code? He gave her some space, and didn’t contact her for a couple days.He was hoping that would help her calm back down. Now he wasn’t so sure if that was a good idea at all.
All of his ideas seemed to be backfiring on him.
He closed his eyes, tried to wave down his messy hair although he knew he looked awful. And then he opened the door and walked on in.
Only Roz wasn’t in bed. She wasn’t in the ensuite bathroom either. But when he looked out onto the terrace, that was when he saw her. She was laying on one of the loungers. Big Daddy was laying on the other one. Mick didn’t even know he was back in town. But Roz undoubtedly called him crying and complaining about Mick’s sorry ass. And Big Daddy came running.
When Mick went out onto the terrace and his big brother saw him, he stood up from the lounger and began to go back into the house. Big Daddy knew the couple needed to have a conversation. But as he passed Mick, he saidhello asshole, and then went inside.
Mick looked at his brother as if he couldn’t believe Charles would turn on him too. But there it was. His downfall was complete. He couldn’t even keep his brother, his biggest champion, in his tent. He was in trouble.
He looked over at Roz. She had on a bathing suit with a sheer sarong around her narrow waist, and her shoulder length wavy hair was smoothed back as if it had gotten wet earlier. Mick assumed she did a few laps in the pool before coming upstairs. Swimming had become a stress reliever for Roz. Which didn’t bode well for him. He used to be her stress reliever. He wanted to turn around.
But he was there now.
He walked slowly over to the loungers and sat down on the edge of the one Big Daddy had just vacated. Roz didn’t move a muscle. She continued to stare straight ahead. Mick knew hehad to come clean. Just tell the truth. And let the chips fall where they may.
“We had just met,” he said to her. “I hadn’t invited you to come to Philly yet. I didn’t know what was going to become of us. But I’m not going to make excuses for my behavior. I was wrong, Rosalind. I own that.”
But Roz shook her head. “I’m done, Mick.”
She seemed so certain. Which kind of pissed Mick off. “You’re done because of something that happened that long ago?”
“Because of everything, Mick. That’s just another thing.” She looked at him as if he was dumb. “Don’t you understand that by now?”
He was losing her. He could feel it in his soul. “Yes, I understand it, Roz. I’m well aware that it’s virtually impossible to be with a man like me. I understand that.”
“I don’t think you do. But it doesn’t matter. I’m done.”
“Please Roz,” Mick found himself saying.
“Nope. I’m done.” Then she removed her shades and looked him dead in the eyes. “I called my attorney. I want a divorce, Mick. I can’t take any more of your shit!”
Mick’s heart sank. She meant it this time. He saw it in her eyes. And his life flashed before his own eyes. “Roz please,” he pleaded. He even slid off of the lounger and fell on his knees.
Roz was shocked when he got on his knees.
“Don’t leave me, Roz.” His voice sounded frustrated. Desperate. “You’re all I want. I’ve never been unfaithful to you since the moment you landed in this town and proved to me you were willing to give us a try. I messed up with Cleo before I was certain about where we were headed. I take ownership of that. I don’t tell lies, Rosalind, you know I don’t. Please don’t give up on me. You’re the only one who never has. Please don’t now.I’m begging you.”
Her heart felt those last three words. It seemed so genuine and so heartfelt that it threw Roz for a loop. She never expected to see him this distressed. His entire face was a mask of anguish. She didn’t know what to do, or say, or how to even feel. Men were always apologizing for their bullshit and telling the women it’ll never happen again. And it always happened again. But Mick never did that. He never got on his knees and bared his soul to her. He rarely ever apologized, let alone beg her.
