Dionne
YESTERDAY WAS SUPPOSED TO BE all about my beautiful baby girl Ella. Leave it to my girl Kendell to throw a monkey wrench or a spatula into the day. I don’t believe she showed up with that person she’d been dating knowing Bas was going to be there. Then she stomped on his broken heart when that man she was with announced their engagement. I wanted to knock both of them into the pool. But my four legged baby, Wilbur, took care of Jackson when he peed on his shoes. Quentin and I laughed because Wilbur had never done that before. Maybe he was making sure Jackson knew who was top dog. Like any good dog, Wilbur didn’t want Jackson on his turf. I bought Wilbur a steak as a reward.
Alex suggested we girls have lunch. That was code for GTS or Girlfriend Truth Session and the person on trial, I mean we’d be discussing, was Kendell. I told Quentin about the lunch and he told the guys.
My nerves were on edge. I didn’t know what had me more terrified, this lunch or knowing that this was Quentin’s first time watching Ella without me. I should have been excited about this me time, but I wasn’t. I was leaving my sweet baby girl to be monitored by her father, godfather, and uncles. Of the four of them, the only one with child rearing experience was Jason. The movie Three Men and A Baby came to mind, and that terrified me even more. This group of babysitters sounded like a bad joke. What do you call a publicist, attorney, stockbroker and writer left to babysit two babies…a clueless hot mess. Alex asked Miss Connie to go over and check on them for me and Chloe.
I looked at Alex, Taylor, and Chloe sitting across from Kendell, looking like a Senate Reform Committee or a Congressional Hearing looking to vet the next Secretary of State. I hadn’t seen the three of them this serious since we planned our last vacation. I thought if Kendell blinked wrong, one of them would pluck her eyes out. What does the Bible say about cutting off your offending appendage? Chloe called dibs on cutting out Kendell’s tongue, so she wouldn’t have to hear another one of her lies or excuses.
Yes, Kendell and Jackson’s announcement at Ella’s dedication reception left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth, but I wasn’t really sure if it was any of our business. I looked at the tribunal and then at Kendell. After all the grief and unsolicited commentary she’d given all of us, over the years about our relationships, she had this inquisition coming.
I sipped my iced tea and waited to see who was going to pounce first. If ever there was an occasion for an extra large glass of wine, it would be now. But I couldn’t have any because I was still nursing.
“Let’s cut to the chase. What do you want to know?” Kendell asked.
That was a bold move. I just knew it was going to be…
“What the crap is going on with you Kendell?” Chloe shot the first bullet.
“What are you talking about?” I’ll give Kendell credit, she was real cool. She sipped her wine and didn’t flinch.
“This chick has lost her mind.” Chloe looked around the table. “She’s gone psycho. Instead of lunch, we should have taken her to re-hab.”
“Re-hab is for addictions not stupidity,” Taylor replied.
“Are you calling me stupid?” Kendell asked.
“Yes. I need a glass of wine and I can’t have one,” Taylor replied.
Chloe held her hand up towards Kendell and turned to Taylor. “Are you pregnant?”
Taylor dropped her head. “Damn pregnancy brain.” She raised her head. “Yes. Please act surprised when Jason announces it at dinner.”
“Congratulations, girl,” Chloe hugged her. “When are…you know what, let Jason give us details.”
“Welcome to the club.” I walked over and hugged her.
“Congrats, Cuz,” Alex hugged her.
“Kendell, aren’t you going to congratulate Taylor?” I asked.
“Congratulations,” she said dryly. She looked at her watch and started to stand up. “If this is going to be about babies, I’m…”
“Chick, get up from that chair and I will come over there and put my foot so far…” Taylor warned, and Kendell eased back down. “What’s going on with you?”
“Nothing.”
Taylor looked at Alex. “Do you have anything to say?”
“I’m tired, and I’ve had my last ride on the Kendell relationship roller coaster.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Kendell asked.
“Let’s see. You broke up with a man that really loved you to get with a man that keeps you isolated from your family and friends.”
“Who says he’s the one keeping me away? Is it that hard to believe that I don’t want to be around you four every waking moment.” Another smug hit for Kendell.
“Did she just go there with me?” Alex asked, as she looked around the table. “Look here, I don’t know what your problem is, but I’m done. In fact, I was done when you showed up with Bas for my wedding talking that nonsense about me acting irrationally. Not to mention that crap you were spreading about my husband being a gold digger.”
“That one gets me every time I hear it.” Chloe laughed.
“What’s she talking about?” I asked.
“She’s referring to comments I made about Moses living with his grandmother because he’s broke.”
“Are you nuts?” I looked at my best friend, stunned at her behavior. “Do you know who he is?”
“I didn’t at the time.”
“Even so, the size of his wallet is none of your business,” I retorted.
“For the record, we really should say wallets.” Chloe raised her glass. “Alex, you hit the mother lode.”
“Chloe…”
“What? It’s the truth. His family makes mine look like the hired help.” She sipped her wine.
“Are you supposed to be drinking?” I asked.
“Hey, my big head son is off the breast and on formula, and I’m on wine.”
“When did this thing happen?” Taylor asked.
“What thing?” Kendell bounced back.
The shocked look on Taylor’s face spoke volumes. “I think she’s trying to make me come across this table. Look here, I will not hesitate…”
“Wednesday,” Kendell replied.
“Why did you have to announce it at Ella’s party?” Alex asked.
“That wasn’t my intention. I told Jackson to wait.”
“Apart from the announcement faux pas, didn’t you think it would have been polite to tell Bas before announcing it like that?” Chloe asked.
“To be honest, I hadn’t given him any thought.”
“That’s a lie,” Alex blurted out.
“Now I’m a liar.”
“I didn’t say that,” Alex bounced back.
“You implied it.”
“No, I’m saying I think you wanted to hurt him.”
“Why would I care about his feelings?” Smug strike number two, or was it number three? I lost count a few blows back.
“Is this because he didn’t tell you about me and Moses? Because, you’ve been acting strange ever since my wedding.”
“It’s just like you to think everything is about you.”
Alex jumped up, rested her hands on the table and leaned forward. “Chick, keep it up and I’ll knock you and that smug ass attitude so far back you’ll be sous chef for the Last Supper.”
It was hard not to laugh at that one. I have to remember to share it with Quentin. “Alex, calm down.” I pulled on her skirt. Someone needed to get control of this group. “Alex, sit down.” I looked at the tribunal, and then at Kendell. I wasn’t sure who to address first. I tossed my head back and said a silent prayer. Then, I lowered my head and turned to Kendell. “Kendell sweetie, I think what they’re trying to say is, even though you had no intention of announcing your engagement the way Jackson did, you should have told Bas in private.”
“Why did he deserve special treatment.? I wouldn’t expect him to single me out if the tables were turned.” Smug strike number…after that last round, it was pointless to count any more. “Because…”
“My God, Kendell, he wanted to marry you,” Alex blurted out.
“What?” Kendell finally looked shocked.
“That’s right, chick,” Chloe jumped in. “You finally had the fairytale, and you closed the book before getting to the end.”
“He never…”
“Why would he say anything to you after the way you acted that weekend?” Taylor replied.
“What are you talking about?”
“Bas told me he was going to propose the night before we left,” Taylor confessed.
“That’s not true.”
“It’s true. Moses told me Bas had the ring, and he was going to propose at the Pink Rose the night before we returned home,” Alex confirmed.
Kendell stood up. “You’re just saying that so I…we never…we didn’t talk about marriage until…” She covered her mouth and turned her head slightly.
“Yep, girlie, that’s how it feels when you realize you let the dream get away.” Chloe sipped her wine. “Fret not little one, you’ve got Jackson. He’s probably, well, he’s…I’ve got nothing. Alex…”
“I don’t know him, so I can’t comment. But, hey, according to Kendell, I have poor judgment when it comes to men.” She sipped her wine.
Taylor leaned back in her chair. “I told you to talk to Bas. Instead you broke up with him.” She shook her head. “Hey, at least you can say you just made some woman very fortunate.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Kendell asked.
“It’s simple. You just gave your happy ending to another woman who will appreciate it. But as Chloe said, you’ve got Jackson. A man so insecure in your relationship that he chose to announce your engagement at a baby’s christening reception.” She raised her glass to Kendell. “Congratulations, you’ve got a real prize.”
Alex stood up and raised her glass. “Kendell, for your sake, I hope Jackson learns to love you as much as Bas does.”
“Bas doesn’t love me.” She shot back.
“You’re right.” Chloe stood up. “He’s in love with you.” She raised her glass. “Kendell, as Bas’ friend, I promise to do whatever I can to help him find that good thing he desires and deserves.”
“That’s not fair,” she replied.
“I thought we were making toasts?” Chloe asked.
Taylor stood up and raised her glass. “To Kendell, we love you, and pray you know what you’re doing, and realize what you’ve lost. Salud.”
That was the best GTS we’d had since Chloe’s surprise wedding.