Total pages in book: 56
Estimated words: 53725 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 269(@200wpm)___ 215(@250wpm)___ 179(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53725 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 269(@200wpm)___ 215(@250wpm)___ 179(@300wpm)
I walk into the kitchen and grab a bottle of water and pause by the sink, unease in my belly. There’s only one coffee cup waiting to be washed. My mother’s favorite coffee cup. Normally there would be two, and I can’t help but fear my father didn’t come home last night. If that happened, then we were both gone, and my poor mother must have been a mess. I need to set aside all that happened between Damion and me last night and think about my parents. They need me.
For now, what I need is a shower and my own clothes.
I walk into the laundry room, strip and put the other woman’s clothes in the washing machine. When I’m done, I shower and change into my own outfit, not so unlike the one I just took off, but about a thousand dollars cheaper. I don’t buy Gucci. My family always said you get money by respecting money. Translation in our case, which I learned fairly easily and early on: we don’t have enough money to buy Gucci. We settle for Coach. My sweatsuit is Coach, but I’m okay with that. A lot of people can’t afford Coach. I feel blessed to be who I am and where I am with opportunities before me.
I sit down on the bed, grab the Gucci backpack and remove my purse and set it on the bed. Next comes the note from Damion. I decide to just pull the band-aid off and open it. I slip open the seal, removing a cream-colored notecard and begin to read:
Alana—
I’m regretfully leaving for Europe late tonight and will be gone at least a year. I made a call last night and had someone I trust look into your father’s situation. This morning I already had the answer. I’m sorry to tell you that he’s in bed with some very bad people, dangerous people, to whom he owed a large sum of money. I took care of it for you. They won’t be bothering you or your family anymore as long as your father stops gambling now. You have to make him stop at all costs.
Taking care of this for you is the least I can do. I owe you so much more.
—Damion
He’s leaving, is my first thought. He’s not just leaving. He’s leaving the country.
I re-read the message and swallow hard. What does he mean by a large sum of money? The implication in this letter about the trouble my father has found is downright chilling. But what does he mean, he handled it? I grab my phone to call him and realize I don’t even have his current phone number. I not only got blown off by a Dear Jane aka Dear Alana letter, but I also can’t call Damion and tell him how I feel about his morning after skills. I punch West Enterprises into my search engine, find it easily and then call the office.
When the receptionist answers, I say, “Hi. I’m supposed to stop by and bring Damion West a list of properties to review. He told me to call ahead and make sure he’s in.”
“Your name?”
“Alana Blue.”
“Oh, right. I know your company name.” There is at least one plus to this day. The family real estate business still has clout. “Yes,” she continues. “He’s in, but I’m not sure for how long. I’d come now.”
“Thank you. I will.”
We disconnect, and I stand up and grab my purse.
If Damion thought his handwritten note would be the end of me, he doesn’t know me at all. I’m headed to West Enterprises so Damion and I can say a proper goodbye.
Chapter Nineteen
Alana
The West offices are in West Tower on 5th Avenue. Of course, they’re on 5th Avenue. The address is symbolic of success and money. Everything West is about money, power, and apparently bedposts, at least to Damion.
On the subway ride there, I try not to think about the claims Damion made that my father owed a lot of money to some bad people. How did he make it go away, as he claims? And how did he think he could say such things and just leave? The idea that his knowledge of my father should be relayed by a notecard angers me.
It’s just one of the reasons I’m angry right now.
There is, of course, the other woman’s clothes and me becoming his number two, not one time, not two times, but three times. It’s a shift of mindset from my father back to me, but then for me, it’s easier to deal with my love life, or lack thereof, than to digest what could be a real gambling problem for my father.
Bottom line, on the personal side of this, I’ve been downgraded from best friend to some sort of side chick. And I can’t even blame Damion. One time is a mistake. Two times is a screw up. Three times just makes me stupid. I’m forced to own my own stupidity. I think the world would be a better place if more people did.