Chapter Twenty

 

Darius glanced at the clock on the side of the hotel bed. From the stream of sunlight filtering into the living area of his suite, it promised to be a beautiful day. So far, the tour hadn’t produced any surprises. Dan deserved a pat on the back for planning so well. The routine of being on the road fueled his creative juices. Five songs for his next album were done, and the collaboration with Son of Summer was inked.

He reached for the phone and dialed Melissa. The next best thing to having her in the bed beside him in the morning was talking to her early, before he started his day.

She picked up on the first ring. “Good morning, Darius.” Her voice sounded heavy with sleep but happy.

“How did you know it was me?”

She laughed. The soft chuckled only made him miss her more. “Nobody else calls this early. Besides, you call every day at the same time.”

“I booked my flight. I should be there next Wednesday by the time you get home from school.”

“Umm. I can’t wait. Even though you’ve only been gone a few weeks, it feels like three months. What city are you in tonight? I’ve lost track.”

“Atlanta. We’re working our way down the east coast, then back up. After a short break, we’ll finish in Philadelphia. But I don’t want to talk about the tour. Tell me what’s happening with the gallery.

“If everything stays on track, I should sign the lease later this month. It has an option for purchase, so the deal is even sweeter. I have talked with Vincent Michaels and he has agreed to show his work at my opening. Isn’t that great? Everyone’s been trying to get him, but he likes the idea of helping a local artist.” The enthusiasm in her voice made him smile.

“You sound like you are about to burst with joy.”

“I am. You and I are doing great, the gallery is coming along. What more could I want? If I don’t get up and start my day, I’m going to be in trouble. But come May, all of this will be history,” she said. “Besides, isn’t Sunny Kincaid getting ready to air? I know you don’t want to miss it.”

“You’re more important than any show, and don’t ever forget that. I’ve got a surprise planned for you when I get home.”

“Can’t wait. You know I love surprises.”

“Why don’t you meet me in Philly for the show? We can have a celebration.”

She hesitated. “I don’t think I can. I’m moving full-steam ahead with gallery stuff. I think I can have it opened in a few months and I don’t want to jeopardize the start up. You understand, don’t you?”

He hid his disappointment as she blew a kiss before disconnecting the call.

The gallery wasn’t even opened yet and already she was changing. Putting him second. He reached for the television remote. With three long days at home, they would have plenty of time to organize their schedules. A trip to her favorite bed & breakfast, the one she loved in the hill country, was already reserved. They would have the whole place to themselves.

The television picture came into full view just as Sunny positioned herself on the plush sofa. Her bright yellow dress was a stark contrast against the purple velour. She smiled at the studio audience and pumped her right fist into the air.

Darius climbed out of bed and made his way to the stocked mini bar. Instead of the 5-Hour Energy, he removed a bottle of water. Melissa would appreciate the healthier choice.

“Boy, do I have new news for you today. We’ll discuss what’s going on with my favorite reality show, Beverly Hills Madams. Did you all see the cat fight last night? But the biggest scoop is the upcoming divorce of Darius B. I didn’t even know he was married. Stay tuned and we’ll be discussing all that and a whole lot more after the commercial break.”

Darius rushed back to the bedroom to stare at the television. He shook his head to clear away the sleep still clogging his ears. “What the…” he turned the volume up on the set and moved to the foot of the bed to wait for the show to come back on.

A series of commercials glued him to the flat screen. With each advertisement, his heart slapped against his chest.

He pulled his hand down his face. Maybe he’d misunderstood. After so many nights of loud music pounding in his ears, he couldn’t be sure. Was this one of Dan’s stunts? Maybe the time had come to break their contract. The antics were becoming ridiculous.

When the show returned, Sunny spent a lot of time talking about what the celebrities wore to a gala, and some reality show about women who were trying to become famous.

“Okay, everyone. This is hot new news. A few days ago I asked my viewers to find out if Darius B had a girlfriend. Well.” She smacked her lips. “Thanks to your help we found out he’s married. And, just a month ago, his wife filed for divorce.” She leaned closer to the camera and dropped her voice to a whisper. “Remember I told you all I was at his show a few weeks back? Well, it looks like while he is on the road, she ran off and filed for divorce. How many of you knew he was even married?” A few audience members clapped. “I know, right. If he kept his marriage so quiet, what else will we be finding out about him in the next few days?” She gave the camera a big grin like she’d just discovered weapons of mass destruction. “We even have a picture of his wife with her new man, looking quite loving.” Two pictures flashed on the screen. The top one showed Melissa seated at a small table, holding hands with Rob. The second one showed the two of them hugging.

Darius inched closer to the television to stare at the photographs. The sound on the television faded into one long garbled sound that wrapped around his heart and squeezed the life out of him.

“She’s very attractive, right? With the long lashes and those good pouty lips. And check out those expensive Ferragamo boots. I hope the new man can afford to keep her in the style she must be accustomed to. He must have big bank too.” Sunny nodded. “She didn’t waste any time replacing Darius. The new man is good-looking, but he’s no Darius. Well, since Darius is going to be single again, we’ll have to keep an eye on him. This might get very interesting.” She wrung her hands like a witch casting a spell over a boiling cauldron. “When we come back, we’ll discuss some hot summer trends. Stay tuned.” She smiled unaware that the earth had stopped spinning.