"Jasmine, I was embarrassed. I didn't want you to think less of me. I'd hoped that I could go the rest of my life, never mentioning her name again. She never cared about me. You know that I would never hurt you. Don't leave. Stay." His words were quiet and firm as he spoke into my ear.
For a moment, I thought about staying with him and working it out. Shrugging out of his clutches, I turned to look at him. "You've broken my heart. I don't know if I can look at you right now. Garrett, please give me a moment alone."
With a sigh, he walked to the door, then paused at the doorway and turned back.
I interrupted whatever he was about to say. "Please. I need a minute."
He nodded and disappeared out of the bedroom. Pulling my suitcase from the walk-in closet, I unzipped the bag and pulled out leggings, a t-shirt and black ballet flats. I changed into the casual outfit and threw my traveling clothes in the bag before struggling to get the damn bag zipped.
I stood at the entry of his bedroom and took deep, calming breaths.
Come on, Jazzy. You can do this. Don't look at him. Shoulders straight and walk out of the room.
I awkwardly wheeled the bag into the living room and walked directly to the foyer. He ran over and grabbed his key from a bowl that sat on the console table.
"I'll take you wherever you want to go."
"Don't worry yourself. I called an Uber."
"Jazz, c'mon. It isn't safe. Please let me at least do this."
His puppy dog eyes pleaded with me to allow him to do the right thing. Damn, Garrett. Why weren't you honest? I somehow gathered the strength to walk away from him.
"It's best this way." I opened the door and hurried down the hallway to the elevator before the tears began to flow.
"I'll come to you," he called out. The last words we spoke echoed in the hallway as the door shut behind me.
I won't be there.
A fog followed me on the drive from Garrett's condo to O'Hare. I looked out the window, yet the hurt and sadness cloaked everything. I arrived at the airport with an hour to spare before the flight.
I returned to Atlanta at one-thirty in the morning. When the plane landed, my phone vibrated with all the missed text messages and voicemails. Each message became more frantic than the one before. I'd expected to hear from Garrett, I saw his messages when I checked into the airport, but I hadn't expected Lilah and Alexandra to reach out.
I wasn't in any shape to trust an Uber. There was only one person who would get me at such an early hour, my sister. I dialed the house number, and she answered on the first ring.
"Where the fuck are you? Garrett called, and he's upset. Mom's here, and we're worried sick. We've called all the hotels and airlines. Nobody would give us any information. Don't you ever pull a stunt like that again."
Alexandra had talked with Garrett.
"Hello? Are you there? Hello?" She asked, panic rising in her tone.
"How did he get your number?" The dam broke, and floods of tears ran down my cheeks.
"Lilah gave it to him. Where are you?" Her tone was as firm as I'd ever heard it.
"I'm at Hartsfield. I need a ride. Please come get me out of here."
"We're on the way. See you in thirty minutes."
Twenty-five minutes later, Alexandra texted me from the cell phone lot before driving to passenger pickup. My mother bounded out of the Escalade before it came to a complete stop. I groaned inwardly when she ran to me with outstretched arms, but I felt comforted by her embrace.
"My baby girl, come here." She wrapped warm motherly arms around me and guided me to the back seat. Once we were fastened in, Alex took off to I-85, speeding along the route to Brookhaven.
"First, you got fired, now this. It'll be okay." My mother stroked my arms and cooed to me like I was a baby. "Don't you worry about looking for a new job. Daddy and I will make sure you have everything you need."
My horror-filled eyes drilled holes in the back of Alex's head.
"Sorry. I told Mom and Dad about ER Wallace," she said sheepishly, lifting her shoulders while keeping her hands on the steering wheel.
We exited the highway and turned down the streets in the opposite direction of my townhome. The SUV pulled in front of Alexandra's European-style home.
"I thought we were going to my place."
"You are in no condition to be alone. The boys are asleep, but they'll be happy to see you in the morning. Don't worry about Jackson. He's in the bedroom. I'll make us some tea and we'll talk."
We entered the quiet house. Mom and I sat in the family room with a box of Kleenex by my side. Once the tea was prepared, Alex placed a tray holding three cups of tea on the coffee table.
"Sleepytime," she sang. It was our little inside joke. When we were younger, we would often drink a cup of chamomile and lavender tea as a part of our bedtime routine. “Now, tell us what happened."
"Garrett and I are no longer together. He told me that he'd fu—" I peered at my mother, "had sex with Nic Sewell. The CEO. No wonder the woman's had it out for me from day one." Alex and my mother were both quiet. I raised my hands impatiently and rapidly shook my head. "And? Don't you guys have anything to say about that?"
"My answer depends on the reason you're angry," Alex spoke up.
"He had sex with a woman that hates my guts and got me fired. That's important to know in advance."
"Jazzy, is it reasonable to expect full disclosure so early in the relationship? If I'd known Jackson's sexual history, I would have never married him." She answered the question in my mind. "He was a bit of a ladies' man in undergrad."
"Alexandra's right. Have you told him everything about your dating life? He's likely embarrassed. If the woman is as big of a bitch as you say, I can see why he wanted to keep that under wraps," my mother chimed in.
"No. I haven't shared my dating or sex life." My mother held her hands up, and I regretted that the statement came out sassier than I'd intended.
"I'm speaking from a different perspective. I love you, and I don't want your pride to keep you from a good man," she said.
"There will be other guys," I answered.
"Yeah, but not him," Alexandra said. "I'd instantly liked the guy. We'd spoken for less than ten minutes, but I felt his genuine concern. Not knowing your whereabouts had him worried sick. He drove to both airports just to make sure you weren't lying in the street somewhere. What were you thinking?"
"I was angry. And hurt." My pride caused me to walk out that door. I should have stayed and heard him out. I was afraid that my little spectacle has ruined one of the best things in my life.
"Babygirl, if you want Garrett, then use your anger to fight for him. If you don't want him, you've got to make it to the other side of that anger. Either way, if you don't make a move, then you let Nic win," my mother offered.
"Amen," Alex agreed. "Jazzy, what does he mean to you?"
Everything.
Garrett
"Good morning, Garrett. I'm so happy to see you. Welcome back."
"Good morning, Beverly."