Playthang (9 page)
Authors: Janine A. Morris
Jordan scooted to the other side of the cab to make room for Tayese. She told the cab driver where she was going and waited for Tayese to get in. Once Tayese sat down in the cab and closed the door, Jordan went in.
“Hey, what was up with her?”
“I don't know what that was.That's why I had to get out of there. That man was boring me, and then the two of y'all was bugging me out.”
“She was normal until you told her we went to law school together, then she just started giving attitude and looking at me all crazy.”
“I noticed, but I was confused as hell,”Tayese said, laughing.
“I need you to ask some questions about what that was about, because I'm curious and a little mad.”
“Why you mad?”
“Because I'm wondering if it has something to do with Jayon.”
“How'd you reach to that?”
“Because her friend was supposed to come and changed his mind, Jayon was supposed to come and changed his mind, and I can't imagine what her problem was.”
“That would be crazy, but I will surely call or e-mail her tomorrow and see if she tells me, 'cause I can say she was actingstrange.”
“Where did she work after that firm?”
“I think she went to this financing firm in midtown. She is still there.”
“Hmm ... Jayon worked at a financing firm in midtown.”
“You are crazy,” Tayese said, laughing at Jordan's Inspector Gadget look.
“Just investigate,” Jordan said.
“I'm sure you will too.”
“Yup.”
16
“H
ey,” Randi said as she walked up to Jayon.
ey,” Randi said as she walked up to Jayon.
He was sitting at the bar with another gentleman.
“This is my friend, Randi,” he told the guy.
“Hi. Bryce,” the guy responded.
“Hello,” Randi replied.
“How was that event?” Jayon asked.
“Very interesting,” Randi said, making an awkward face at Jayon.
“What?” Jayon asked.
“I spent about thirty minutes or so with my friend,Tayese, and Jordan.”
Jayon's face lit up like he just saw a ghost.
“What?” he asked as if he was hoping that he had heard wrong.
“Yeah, Jordan.Your girl.”
“How did you know it was my Jordan?”
Jayon knew it was his Jordan, because he knew his Jordan attended the same event. He also knew it was his Jordan becausehis Jordan was there with her friend Tayese. Although he knew it was his Jordan, he was concerned how Randi knew.
“Well, once I heard she was a lawyer that did entertainment law, I put two and two together. How many black female entertainment attorneys with the name Jordan are there in New York?”
Not really interested in the statistical data or the humor, Jayon ignored her question.
“So, what happened?”
“Don't worry, Jayon, nothing. I didn't say anything to her. We didn't have some girl moment and bash you all night,” Randi said with an attitude, fully aware that his concern was the state of his relationship with Jordan.
“I'm just asking.You said it was very interesting.”
“Yeah, whatever.”
“What's your problem?”
“Nothing. I was tempted to say something slick, but I chose against it.”
“I guess I should say thank you.”
Bryce, who had been watching the baseball game on the big screens, turned to Jayon when the bartender approached him.
“You want another drink?” Bryce asked Jayon.
“Nah, I'm about to get out of here,” Jayon said as he downed the last sip of his drink.
“You leaving?” Randi asked.
“Yeah, I got to get going.”
“You made me come all the way here for five minutes.”
“I told you I was going to be here; I didn't tell you to come. I never said I would be here late. I had plans.”
“It's like that?”
“Nah, I'm not being funny. I didn't plan on staying here long. If you would've told me you was coming through, I would've told you I wouldn't be here that long.”
“Whatever, Jayon.”
Jayon knew that it was rude to bounce so fast, but he wanted to get to Jordan's house, as he'd promised, as soon as possible. He wanted to ensure that Randi hadn't started any trouble, and he didn't want to make anything worse by getting to Jordan's house after Jason fell asleep. So although Bryce didn't seem ready to go and Randi was clearly upset, Jayon scooted off his chair, gave Bryce a pound good-bye and Randi a kiss on the cheek, and was out.
Once Jayon walked in the house, he could hear Jason's laughter. He was relieved that he had made it in time. He hadn't seen Jason in two weeks, and he knew that if he missed out on this opportunity to spend a little time with him, it would look like he didn't care. Jayon had been around since Jason was born; people had spread rumors that Jordan named him after Jayon. It was important to Jayon that he didn't treat Jason different because he was with his mother; he still wanted to have that uncle relationship with him.
When he got upstairs, he found Jason sitting in front of his television, watching the Disney Channel. Jordan was in her bedroom changing clothes, and she heard Jayon coming up the stairs and poked her head out the door before he went into Jason's bedroom. She signaled with her pointer finger for him to come here. Jayon walked past Jason's room as he glanced in at him, then went straight into Jordan's room.
“What's up?” he said in a casual tone as he gave her a kiss hello.
“What happened to you tonight?” she asked.
“Bryce stopped by my office. He needed some help with something he was working on, and we stopped by 40/40 real quick after, and now I'm home,” he said.
Jayon had no idea the hot seat he was in.
40/40 huh
, Jordan told herself. That's where Randi had said she was going when she left them. Jordan's blood pressure began to rise again, becauseshe knew drama was on the rise. She was trying to be strategic and not jump the gun breaking on him so she didn't lose ground.
40/40 huh
, Jordan told herself. That's where Randi had said she was going when she left them. Jordan's blood pressure began to rise again, becauseshe knew drama was on the rise. She was trying to be strategic and not jump the gun breaking on him so she didn't lose ground.
“So, you were at 40/40 before you came here?”
“Yeah, just for a little while. I had one drink.”
“Who were you there with?”
“Bryce,” Jayon said, trying to remain calm through her line of questioning, completely unaware of what she knew and didn't know.
“That's it?” she asked.
Jayon didn't know what to do with this question. He hadn't gotten a chance to feel her out yet, but Jordan appeared calm and regular.
“Yeah, me and him left from my office.”
“Oh, OK. I should've stopped by, but I had to pick up Jason.”
Using that as a perfect opportunity, Jayon stood up.
“Let me go check on my lil man,” he said as he headed out of the room.
Jordan continued to slip into her night clothes and brush her hair into a ponytail as she talked to herself about the situation.She knew that there were more than enough coincidences with the situation, and she also knew that she wasn't bugging that the girl was acting real strange, because Tayese noticed it too. More than anything, her gut was telling her that it wasn't to be ignored.
Jordan finished up and decided that she would remain calm until she got a report from Tayese, even if it was the next day. Jordan headed over to Jason's bedroom to hang with her fellas.When she walked in the room, she saw Jason sitting with his PlayStation controller in his hand.
“Where did he go?” Jordan asked.
“In the bathroom.”
Jordan looked and noticed the other controller on the floor along with Jayon's sneakers and BlackBerry. Jordan walked toward the bathroom and knocked.
“I'll be right there. Give me a few minutes,” Jayon said through the door.
“You taking your daily doo-doo?” she asked, laughing.
“Yup,” he replied.
Jordan headed straight back to the room where Jason was waiting.
“He'll be right back,” Jordan assured Jason.
Jason continued to select the options on the screen and prepare the football challenge that he and Jayon were about to have in Madden's virtual world. Jordan sat on the beanbag besideJason, picked up the BlackBerry and controller and put them on her lap. A few seconds later, she selected the outbox on Jayon's phone, scrolled to the time she was looking for, and there it was. An e-mail to Randi Hertz that said “I'm most likely not going to make it.” Jordan's heartbeat was racing a million times a minute as she continued to scroll and saw another e-mail to Randi Hertz that said “I had to help my friend with something, and now we are headed to get a drink at 40/40.” Just as Jordan was looking for more, she heard a noise from the hallway. She quickly hit the
HOME SCREEN
button and put the phone back on her lap along with the game controller. Although she was pissed, she needed time to assess her game plan. She wasn't ready for him to know what she knew yet.
HOME SCREEN
button and put the phone back on her lap along with the game controller. Although she was pissed, she needed time to assess her game plan. She wasn't ready for him to know what she knew yet.
17
J
ordan had only been in the office for fifteen minutes when she picked up her office phone to call Tayese. She had gotten through the night the best she could. She went to sleep before Jayon came to bed so she could avoid any conversation with him. He and Jason had spent hours playing Madden, and Jordan told Jayon not to let Jason go to bed too late, and that was that.
ordan had only been in the office for fifteen minutes when she picked up her office phone to call Tayese. She had gotten through the night the best she could. She went to sleep before Jayon came to bed so she could avoid any conversation with him. He and Jason had spent hours playing Madden, and Jordan told Jayon not to let Jason go to bed too late, and that was that.
She had decided that she knew that Jayon knew this young lady, and he purposely didn't mention that she met them at 40/40. Although it could've been innocent or just a colleague, because this woman was giving a nasty attitude, she still had a strong belief that there was more. She didn't want to flip out or say anything until she had all her facts straight, and she was banking on Tayese to come through for her.
“I haven't hit her yet,”Tayese said as soon as she answered.
No hello, no nothing. Straight to the point to let Jordan know she knew exactly why she was calling. They both started laughing.
“You not funny, heifer, now call her.”
“You are a mess.”
“No, I know he knows her. I also know that when she went to 40/40 after she left us, she met Jayon there. I need to know what the extent of their relationship is.”
With no more laughter in her tone,Tayese said, “How you know all that?”
“He told me he was at 40/40, and I looked in his phone and saw that he and her were e-mailing each other. Her last name is Hertz, right?”
“Wow, yeah it is. What a small world.”
“Yeah, yeah. Call that chick and find out what I need to know.”
“Now I don't know if I want to get involved in this.”
“Tayese, stop playing. You are my friend. If Jayon is up to no good, I need to know.”
“Aight, girl, I'll hit her as soon as I hang up with you.”
Jordan hung up the phone an emotional mess. She didn't know what she even wanted to happen. A piece of her wanted to get the information that she needed, that she was expecting, because it would answer so much. His behavior and lack of enthusiasm, his lack of interest in sex, and his attitude a lot of the time. She wanted to be able to curse him out and say everything that had been in the back of her mind for weeks.Yet on the other hand, she wasn't ready to face the painful truth that he had betrayed her trust and once again broken her heart. She couldn't really imagine how it would feel to hear that he was creeping around behind her back.
Jackie came up and broke her trance.
“Darren Williams is on line one,” Jackie said.
“Thanks,” Jordan said as she reached for the phone.
“Hello, Mr. Williams,” Jordan said when she answered.
“Hello, Ms. Moore,” he responded.
“How may I help you today?”
“By accompanying me to lunch,” Darren responded.
“You just won't quit, will you?” Jordan replied with a giggle.
“No.You're not the type of woman you just give up on.”
Jordan had to admit to herself that she could use the flattery right about now. A reminder that she was one in a million was exactly the cure to replace her backbone. The past ten hours or so, she had been trying to figure out how Jayon could be so stupid over some short, half-cute support staff and risk losing all that she was.
“You want to go to lunch when?” she asked.
“Today would be nice,” he responded.
“How about tomorrow?” she replied.
Jordan knew she was in for a dramatic day; she couldn't bother with anything additional.
“OK, tomorrow at one. I'll be by the office.”
“See you then,” Jordan replied as she hung up.
Jordan was dying to call Tayese back, but she figured she wouldn't rush it. When she left the house that morning to drop Jason off at school, Jayon was almost ready to walk out too. When Jason was home, Jayon would get up before Jason and lay on the couch. Jordan didn't want her son seeing anotherman sleeping in the same bed with his mother, so she requestedJayon respect that, and he did. When Jordan was leaving, Jayon pulled her aside and whispered to her that he missed her last night. Jordan was surprised at his sudden sweetness,and although she wanted to embrace him so badly, she knew there was a good chance she would be finding out somethingdreadful, and she didn't want to open her heart up any more than it already was.
An hour had gone by and Jordan still hadn't heard anythingfrom Tayese. Jordan hadn't gotten any work done; she had been completely distracted. She had called Chrasey and told her what happened, and Chrasey told her it was probably nothing. Jordan knew she probably didn't want to agree that it was pretty suspect, just being a friend.Tayese probably was hesitatingto call back for that same reasonâshe didn't want to be the bearer of bad news. Jordan was sitting at her desk, attempting to read over a contract that her thoughts wouldn't let her comprehend. Jordan picked up the phone and began dialing Jayon's number.
“Hey, dear,” he answered.
“Hey, Jayon,” she said.
“What's up?”
“I have a question to ask you, and I need you to be completelyhonest with me.”
“What's up?”
“What is the relationship between you and Randi Hertz?” Jayon took a second.
“What do you mean?”
“Jayon.You know exactly what I mean.”
“We used to work together.”
“And?”
“And, we are still cool. We kind of stay in touch.”
“Has there been anything between you two, then or now?”
“Where is this coming from?”
At first his hesitancy was giving it away, but that question said it all.
“What do you mean, âwhere is this coming from,' Jayon? It's a damn question.”
“But I tell you she was my coworker and we kept in touch, and you jump to asking me has there been something between us.”
“Since you want to act dumb, why don't you put two and two together? Me and her were both at that event last night that you conveniently avoided; you don't think I am asking for a reason? If you want to see what I know before you answer, not a chance.”
“Jordan, I just don't know where this is coming from. Randi is just someone I'm cool with, and we used to work together.”
“And that's it? You never fucked her?” Jordan blurted out, pissed off.
“This is crazy,” Jayon said.
“I bet it is. Crazy to you or me. Crazy that you have been walking around here pretending, and making me seem like I was bugging when I said you were acting strange, and all along you were playing games again.”
Jayon didn't say anything.
“Jayon, I'm going to ask you one more time. Is there anythingyou want to tell me about you and Randi?”
“I'm sorry, J!”
Jordan's heart dropped. She called his bluff, but really she was the one who lost after all.Those three words were enough; she knew what was to follow. Overwhelmed with all of her emotions, she hung up, jumped up, and closed her office door. Jordan didn't even make it back to her desk before she collapsedon the floor in tears. She could feel her heart in her stomach. All she could think about was this skank staring at her like she was a fool, knowing that she had been with her man who knows how many times, and that she was on her way to see him right then. The chick was watching while Jordanstood there so confident and so together, but in this chick's eyes it was all false because she knew what Jordan didn't. Jordan was so angry and so hurt all at once, she couldn't think straight.
She heard her phone vibrate, and she heard her secretary tell her over the intercom that Jayon was on line one. Jackie knew not to knock when Jordan had the door closed and was ignoring the intercom; she knew that probably meant that she wasn't to be interrupted. Jordan lay there bawling, until she heard Jackie say over the intercom that Tayese was on line one. Jordan quickly stood up and went over to the desk. She wasn't sure why, but she wanted to hear everything. She was definitely embarrassed, but Tayese was a good enough friend that she could be vulnerable in front of her.
“Hey, girl,” Tayese said as soon as Jordan got off the line.
“Hey,” Jordan said.
“You sound like you been crying.”
“I have. Let's just say my instincts are always on point.”
“Yeah, I figured. But don't let it get you down, J. It's not the end of the world.”
“What did you find out?” Jordan said, cutting to the chase.
“Nothing really. She just said they started messing around when they used to work together, and it has been kind of an on and off thing. Of course I had to promise I wouldn't tell you, but I'm sure she knew it was a possibility.”
Jordan wasn't paying a bit of attention to the agreement they made, and she was trying to dissect everything in her mind.
“On and off, continuing through now?”
“I think so.”
As Jordan listened to her friend, she dug the courage back up to face Jayon with it. The pain subdued for a minute, and the anger was taking over.
“Tayese, let me call you right back,” Jordan said suddenly.
“OK.”
Jordan hung up and dialed Jayon's number.
“You're sorry?” Jordan said with a very curt tone when he answered.
“Yes, Jordan, I am. It's not how you think.”
“You've been fucking that bitch on and off for over a year, the entire time you were supposed to be only with me.What's not how I think?”
“Jordan, it wasn't like that.”
“I really wish you would grow up and stop making excuses for yourself. Admit that you have insecurity problems that lead you to need acceptance and ass from any woman that is willing to give it to you.”
Typically, Jayon remained silent while Jordan vented. She tried to fight her tears back; this was not a moment to be vulnerable.This was strictly to let him know that he was a piece of dirt.
“If you want a whore like Randi that doesn't even respect herself enough to at least expect to be acknowledged, have that. She is cool with being the secret, because she isn't worth being spoken for, and that's why she plays her position so well. So, have that, because it's obvious that you are not worth havingme.”
Jayon still didn't say anything back. Jordan sat there for a few seconds awaiting some sort of response, and once she realizedthat there was nothing for him to say, she hung up again.
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