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Jas turned again, this time his whole frame pivoted, inviting me to a direct view of the woman. “This is Josie.” He tossed his chin. “Josie, this is Chivon’s moms, Shi-Shi.”
The woman had beautiful doe-shaped eyes with dark irises matching her hair, it seemed. The fuchsia lipstick paired well with her complexion, and she had me convinced her lashes were natural.
Then it happened.
My face split into a full smile. “Hi, Josie!” I waved. “So sorry to interrupt. You’ve been playing for a while? You sound good.”
Josie’s attention admiringly swept up to my child’s father.MyJas. She gushed. “Thank you. Not really. I told Ojasvi I played up until high school. Life got hectic for me. Hormones took over and I lost interest. Then…” She giggled, swinging her arm back to the room he rearranged for her to play for him.
Ojasvi?
That reference answered my question about their date.
My beam receded to a deep grin as I acknowledged Jas. “You are a fan of the arts, aren’t you?”
He loved my dancing, never making a secret of it. Always had supported my choreography efforts.
Josie’s expression darkened to confusion as she continued to look to Jas for assistance. Then she laughed and tossed her thumb backward. “I’m going to give you two a minute.”
“It was nice meeting you, Josie.”
“You, too.” Her eyes sparkled. “I follow you on social media…have been since theAsè Garbcommercial.” Her eyes fell. It was fine. Just as it was awkward for Josie to have appreciated my work, it was for me to have met her this way in my personal world.
Ojasvi.
“Thanks so much for that. I promise not to take up too much of your time.”
She nodded, smiling, before returning to the room.
Jas followed as I sauntered into the foyer, this time allowing my heels to meet the floor.
When I turned to him, I almost forgot why I had stopped by.
And I didn’t have to. “Man hit me up almost an hour ago. What’s the problem with Ava now, Ashira?”
In a flash, my anger had returned and, with it, the reminder of my visit. But somewhere back in the hallway, watching them...him…I lost my stamina.
Unable to feel my lungs, I answered, “I don’t trust her.”
“But what did she do?”
“That’s the thing: she does too much. Too much for you, which in turn gives her privy to my personal life: my businesses, my travel, my child. I was never asked if she could have access to sensitive pieces of me. You worked out a relationship with her beforePrism Built. I didn’t get it then, but didn’t feel it was my place to say anything. Now,” I sighed, exhausted at this point by it all. “…she’s been toDella, my dad’s home countless times, to my sister’s mother’s funeral—she’s everywhere you are. I didn’t sign up for Ava. You did.”
Jas shifted his weight, leaning into his pelvis with crossed arms. “And how do you suggest we reconcile this?” Far gone was the thug from Harlem who pummeled my ex-boyfriend to the point of gut-wrenching wails.
Was this his professional deportment because the topic of conversation was his employee, or had Jas’ bravado been neutralized by Miss Betty Bop Josie in there?
Another wave of exhaustion, followed by a deluge of defeat, washed over me. All I could do was shake my head. “You’re keeping your company waiting. I’ll let you figure out the details of removing Ava from my and my daughter’s lives.”
Just before I turned to leave, Juggy appeared from the adjacent hallway. He wore a housecoat, a matching thermal set that he looked to be swimming in, grandpa slippers, a black skully cap, and his trusty oxygen tank. His face wrinkled upon recognizing me. Then his head swung to the right, which was the direction of the family room—or den. Juggy looked my way again, taking in my long coat and tall boots.
“Damn,” he muttered. “You good, Sin?”
Jas turned away from him while shaking his head. Juggy studied my presence for seconds more before hanging a right; I was sure for the kitchen. He didn’t speak, and I believed he understood that for me, it wasn’t a good time.
I couldn’t even look at Jas. “Goodnight,” hardly pushed from my throat as I finally left his home.
April | Three Years Later
