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“I don’t know, man. This doesn’t seem like it will help. Ivy can’t be hap—” Frank stopped short. “Ohhh. Wait, this was her idea?”
Well, it sure the fuck wasn’t mine.
Frank didn’t wait for a response. “Listen man. I’ll talk to her.”
“You will do no such thing! Leave it alone Frank.”
“It’s okay. She’s my little cousin. I will talk her out of this.”
“I don’t want you doing that. Ivy feels like this is what she needs. I have to give her some space… it won’t be for long.” God, he hoped he was right.
“Why are you staying at the condo? You know my door is always open. Stay with me.”
“I appreciate the offer, but you and Darren just moved in together. I wouldn’t dream of intruding.”
Frank huffed. “Whatever.”
It hadn’t been a complete lie. Frank had waited for a long time to find someone whom he trusted enough to cohabit with. They didn’t need a third wheel. Plus, Emmanuel didn’t think he would be good company.
“I want to go on record as saying, I think you two shouldn’t separate. It would be better if you guys are together—” Frank trailed off as Emmanuel made the gesture for him to cut it off.
“Last thing on the subject. Promise. Have you guys thought about how my precious godchildren will handle this?”
Emmanuel sighed deeply as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “Of course, we have thought about our children. We will talk to them tonight.”
“If you need me…” It went without saying. Emmanuel nodded.
“Before I head out, I have been spit balling some ideas of how this paternity shit could have gone down. The sooner we figure this out, the quicker two of my favourite people can get back to being the cloyingly sweet couple that makes everyone slightly nauseous.”
It hadn’t been the first time Frank alluded to this. Emmanuel didn’t give a fuck if others thought he and Ivy were being too much. Once he realised that somehow Ivy had begun to occupy the majority of his thoughts, he never shied away from showing his affection.
Snap, snap. “Yo, are you listening? So, like I was saying. Your ass is always travelling. Maybe you haven’t been careful with your little soldiers.”
Emmanuel’s head whipped in Frank’s direction. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“I’m saying, maybe during your travels you left a sample behind, and someone scooped it up.”
It wasn’t often Emmanuel was at a loss for words, but Frank got him to that state. His friend looked normal to the naked eye, but obviously, something wasn’t right with him. He opened his mouth and shut it. After a couple of false starts. “I will not ask what you do when you’re travelling, but I don’t leave ‘samples’ behind.”
“You’ve never rubbed one out while you were on a trip?”
Emmanuel had slipped into an alternate universe known as Hell!!
“I am sure you can figure out why this conversation is over. Go back to work or don’t. Just stop!”
Frank didn’t understand boundaries. He made that clear as he waved him off and continued. “Let’s say you are alone in the hotel. You give yourself some manual love. It stays on the sheet, or towels, or plant, or whatever. Then bang, someone comes in and grabs it.”
What the fuck!?Plant? Who was coming in the hotel on plants?
While Emmanuel didn’t want to engage in this conversation with Frank… the practical side of him wouldn’t let it slide. “You realise that theory doesn’t make sense. Even if I was a horny teenage boy just ejaculating every time, I entered a hotel room. Sperm doesn’t live indefinitely. What the fuck were you doing in science classes?”
“I’m trying to figure this out. Normally I go the practical route. This shit has me stomped. So, we have to think outside of the box.”
“Can the box not include hotel plants being nourished by me?” Although his idea was outlandish, Frank had the right idea. They needed to figure this shit out and end this nightmare.
It wasn’t really a surprise to Emmanuel. Frank’s visit had inspired him to be more proactive regarding finding a solution to how that Journee woman set him up. The company kept the private detective firm Khana Agency on retainer to handle corporate matters. Emmanuel didn’t like surprises when it came to employees and business partners. They thoroughly vetted everyone. He didn’t bother to check with his hard-nosed attorney or Frank if what he was about to do was okay. It was better to ask for forgiveness than permission.
“Hey Darsh,” Emmanuel greeted the owner of the Khana Agency. Both men attended high school together and became friends, so they engaged in some small talk. Then Emmanuel got to the reason for his call.
