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Augustine nodded off not too long after we took off. I’d never seen her sleeping. She was happy looking and before I could focus on much else, I’d watched her for twenty minutes. The trip was almost over, and I had gotten nothing done.
When we landed, I nudged her awake and for a brief moment, her eyes weren’t guarded, and she was absolutely lovely.
“We’re here.”
Augustine was confused, her eyes blinking to the lights. “Already?”
I agreed. It had been enough time for me to fall harder than I thought possible. There was no friction between us, just this open understanding. Augustine got up and I helped her get out of the plane. We’d never been so close before, me holding her just inches from my body. Augustine was never this pliable. I used it to my advantage.
Augustine almost tripped and our bodies collided. Augustine gasped and I made another sound similar. She just felt perfect in my arms, she really did. Augustine realized how close we were, apologized, and moved away. It was already too late though. Augustine claimed my heart in that moment.
8
Augustine
The hotel was bigger than any that I’d seen before. It wasn’t like I hadn’t gone to the city before. I had, but I’d never stayed at a place like the Regent. It was big, opulent, and I felt out of place here. My family came from means, but this was in excess. Traveling with Derrick wasn’t like normal travel. We spent far less time in lines. I didn’t have to go through the TTA, which was one of the best experiences. Getting from point A to point B without getting felt up was a win in my book.
Derrick had our rooms right next to each other and it was a suite. I’d never stayed in a suite before, especially not one that had a jacuzzi and an inground pool on the balcony. None of it seemed real. I was just here to hold the camera for the boss, but now I felt like I was on top of the world.
My phone rang a few minutes after I got there, and it was my cousin Angie. She called on FaceTime, so I got to the bathroom that didn’t have anything behind me, some marble, but that was it. I answered the phone and asked Angie how she was doing. Angie just looked at me like I was crazy for a minute, and then right away asked me where I was.
“What do you mean?”
She sighed and then admitted that my mom knew that I was in Chicago. I should have known that there was some kind of tracking device on my phone.
“It’s an app, Augustine. It’s no big deal.”
I told her that it was a big deal. Angie wanted to know what was going on.
“I’m working.”
Angie crinkled up her nose, her soft blue eyes were on mine. Even over the phone, I couldn’t lie to her. I was working, but it felt like more. It could just be my hopes coming through. It didn’t mean that it was actually going to work or not.
“I thought you were getting married. My mom said that you were engaged.”
I told her that I am, explaining that it was just a couple of weeks away.
“Yeah, but you’re getting married soon, right? At your age, I am sure they aren’t going to push for a long engagement.”
“No, so?”
“Well, I mean, aren’t you going to quit? Isn’t that the best part of getting married, letting a man take care of you?”
She had probably been told that since she was a kid. I had, and we were only a few years apart. She still had time. Angie was beautiful and would find love as soon as she slowed down. I envied what was ahead of her. I was twenty-five, but people in the family talked about me like I was already too old to do anything. I didn’t feel that way.
“I don’t want to give up my life, my job, my independence. I don’t want any of it.”
Angie shrugged and said that she had seen a picture of Dalian. She thought he was cute, which was fine, but that didn’t mean that I wanted to talk about him. He was a mistake that I had agreed to because I never thought I would be single at this age. It was most likely my fault. I should have been less picky, but giving up the life I had made for myself wasn’t anything that I wanted to do.
“I don’t think you have a choice. He’s traditional.”
I knew that, didn’t want to talk about it either. I knew what my role was to be, far before my mother and cousin told me about it. I had heard it all since I was young, but that didn’t mean that I agreed with that sentiment. I was around many cultures, and I didn’t agree with the marriage or the idea of it. I wanted a family, but I didn’t think it had to happen before a certain day. It would happen when it was supposed to.
“Was there anything else you wanted to talk about?”
There was a knock at the door, and I knew that it was likely Derrick. Angie wanted to know who was there and why a guy was coming to my room so late at night. I tried to tell her it was no big deal. She wanted me to keep the phone on. I did, just because I knew that there wouldn’t be anything, and I guess I kind of wanted her to see Derrick. If she saw how cute he was, maybe there would be less judgment. Derrick was that handsome. He made me rethink how it could all be different.
Derrick had a grin, said that we were going to go out, and his eyes were on my body. I wasn’t dressed, as I was about to get in the shower, and I asked him if he could wait for me.
