“You look stunning. I wish you both a lifetime of happiness.”
“Crimson, I don’t have many friends. If you get some time, join me at the reception?”
“I’d love to.”
I watched her float out of the room in her third designer gown and sighed. It was getting harder to watch everyone live their joy while mine felt so far away. Seven months without Jahsir. Seven months clinging to a maybe. His promise to return “in a year tops” was the only thing keeping me upright.
I found myself humming Destiny's Child's “Killing Time.” Yes, it was decades old, but it expressed exactly what I felt.
Sitting on the stairways,
hoping that you’re okay,
waiting patiently for you to come back to me
What shall I do?
I was so gone that I could have sworn I heard Jahsir call out to me.Wishful thinking, I shrugged as I gathered the final scraps of material.
“Red.” I paused in my tracks. His voice sounded more real. I turned to see him standing there.
“Jah!” I screamed, launching myself into his arms. My legs wrapped around his waist like my body remembered him better than my mind. “What are you doing here?!”
“I couldn’t miss my cousin’s wedding.” He grinned.
“Ms. Brynlee is your cousin?” I blinked.
“No, I am.” A deep voice answered from behind us. Ramsey stepped in, phone in hand. “Y’all don’t have much time,” he added.
“And I definitely wouldn’t miss the chance to come get you.”
“Come get me?”
“We have to go, Crimson. But we need to leave now. Samson’s got the IT database looped, so when they scan our passports, different names will show. We’ve got about 15 hours, tops. That includes flight time, so no time to overthink. We ride now.”
“The media’s starting to gather out front,” Ramsey added. “I’ll send Slim around back so no one sees you leave. Jet’s fueled and ready. Y’all good?”
“Red… arewegood?” Jahsir asked.
I hadn’t even processed himbeinghere, and now he was telling me to leave everything. “Wait, Jah…you’re related to the richest family in the damn city! That's crazy! Zahara didn’t tell me that!”
“She’s not a Mulholland. I am because of my father. You know we got different daddies.”
“Okay, so run down the family tree for me.”
“Red, no,” he laughed, "we really have to go, like now.”
“Okay, okay. But wait, Scarlett. I’m not going anywhere without my baby.”
“Our baby, Red. Samson is taking her and Zahara to the hangar.”
“Who is Samson?” I asked, confused. Everything was happening so fast, too fast.
“That's my lil brother.” Ramsey handed over a manila envelope to Jahsir. “Here are the passports. You’ve got tenminutes, lil’ cuz.” He dapped Jah up and left us in the bridal suite.
I stared at Jahsir. “This is a lot, Jah. I’ve built a life. Scarlett has friends and a daycare she loves.”
“Bae, she’s not gonna remember those kids,” he said, grinning as I laughed. It was the weakest excuse I'd ever used, and we both knew it.
