Chapter 17
“Hey, girl!” Carol had just been thinking about Gabriella and wasn’t at all surprised when her phone rang with her best friend on the other end. It had been this way with them for over a decade. “You know I was just thinking about you.”
“That’s why I called.”
“Ha!” Carol went into the room that was now her office at the community center and closed the door. “We received your incredibly generous donation at the center last week. Gabriella, I can’t even begin to thank you for helping us out like that.”
“It was my pleasure, Carol. One day in the future, I’d like to do a toned-down, perhaps acoustic concert there, too. As a future fund-raiser.”
“Jeremy will be thrilled! Can I share this?”
“Absolutely. When is the opening again?”
Carol told her. “Can you come?”
“No, I’m not going to be able to make an appearance until next year.”
“I thought so. What else is up, chick?”
“This and that. But you first. How are you and Alex?”
“We’re good. He’s back in his hometown of Philly right now; spending time with his family and handling some personal business before he goes back out on the road with Marlon.”
“How do you feel about him leaving?”
“How do you think I feel? I don’t like it at all!”
“Did you tell him that?”
“He knows that the reason I left the road was to have a more settled, established life. And I know that he feels most alive when he’s working someone’s tour. It is what it is.”
“So what does that mean in terms of your having a relationship with him?”
“I guess we’re still trying to figure that out. We’re taking it one day at a time and enjoying the journey.”
“That sounds good. Is Alex going to be there for the community center opening?”
“He’s going to try and make it. It means a lot to me, and he knows that.”
“Then I imagine he’ll be there. It sounds like you’re doing more than enjoying him, Carol. You sound like a woman headed for love.”
“I don’t know about all that. Love is a big word.” Silence. “So, what’s going on with you?”
“I’ll tell you, but don’t think that I don’t know why you’re changing the subject. You’re afraid. You’ve been this way ever since your parents broke up and you lost the daily presence of your dad in your life. Afraid to let go, afraid to love, afraid to be hurt. I know because not too long ago that was me feeling the same way. But let me tell you something, girl. Finding true love is worth it. Worth all the fear and even worth the hurt, if it comes to that. If you’re feeling Alex the way I believe you’re feeling him? Let down the wall around your heart, Carol. It’s the only way his love can come in.”
“Thank you, Iyanla.” Carol said sarcastically, but both Carol and Gabriella knew that truth had been spoken. “How does it feel to be off the road? Keeping busy enough to not get bored?”
“For the first time in my life, I’m really loving it, Carol. Troy is too. He’s able to be more hands-on at his company and training new employees. I’m working on the new album, as you know, but filming the movie has been put on temporary hold.”
“Oh, no! I’m sorry, Gab. You’ve been so looking forward to your acting debut.”
“It’s okay. There’s a very good reason for the delay.”
“What?”
“Hmm, how can I say this? You’ll be able to hold the reason in about seven months.”
“What?!” Carol’s voice had raised two octaves. “Quit playing!”
“I’m not playing!”
“You’re pregnant?”
“Yes, ma’am. Eight weeks along.”
“Two months. That means you were pregnant when Alex and I were there over Christmas.”
“Yes, but we didn’t know it then. I’ve had no morning sickness, actually no pregnancy symptoms at all.”
“So how did you find out?”
“I missed a second period. Hadn’t thought much when I missed the first one because being stressed has caused that from time to time. But when Miss Flo didn’t show up last month I bought an in-home pregnancy test. It came back positive. So I bought another one. That one came back positive, too.” Carol laughed. “After that I decided to go to the doctor’s. They made it official. You’re about to be a godmother!”
“Really? I’m so excited! I would be happy just being an auntie.”
“Oh, you’ll be that, too. Just get ready to babysit because three months after dropping this angel we’ll start shooting.”
“The movie?”
“Yep.”
“Are you sure that’s enough time, Gab? You’re in shape and all, but you don’t know how much weight you’ll gain or how easy it will be to lose?”
“The studio has already agreed to pay my personal trainer double his rate to whip me in shape.”
“Wow, this is crazy! Are you really ready to be a mother? Oh, and wait? What about Gary? Have you told your parents yet?”
“No, we’re still trying to get over the surprise. This was just confirmed by the doctor last week. I’ve been on the pill, but these past three, four months admit to getting sloppy. One time, when Troy and I took a quick trip to New York, I forgot to pack them all together. Still, getting pregnant was the furthest from my mind. I still haven’t wrapped my mind around it. Besides Troy, of course, you’re the first person I’ve told.”
“Well, I’m happy for you, Gabriella. Really, I’m thrilled! And after they get over the shock, I’m sure your parents will be, too.”
“You know . . . this would be a perfect time for you to think about having a baby.”
“Oh, hell no!”
“Come on now, Carol. Don’t you remember how we said we’d get pregnant at the same time, and have our children grow up together . . . like cousins?”
“Girl, please. We said that mess when we were twelve, thirteen years old.”
“But if I remember correctly, we made a pinkie promise. I’m not trying to sit here and get fat all by myself. I’m going to hold you to it!”
The besties continued to talk for over an hour. They laughed and shared and reminisced. During it all, totally unconsciously and unsuspected, the ice around Carol’s heart began to melt just enough for love to slip through.
Unbeknownst to the women, an eerily similar conversation was taking place on the other side of the country.
“It’s nice to see you happy, man.”
Neil and Alex were in Neil’s man cave, talking smack over a friendly game of dominoes.
“You know how we do it,” Alex casually replied as he studied his bones. “Try and not let anything get us down.”
“Even a gunshot?”
Alex looked up and met Neil’s eye. “Especially a gunshot.”
“I feel you,” Neil replied with a nod. “But I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about the kind of happy that only a woman can bring about.”
“Are we playing dominoes . . . or going fishing?”
“How’s she doing?” Neil replied to Alex’s question with one of his own. “The woman who brought you dinner on Christmas. Carol, I believe is her name?”
“She’s fine.”
“Yes, she is very attractive.” Alex delivered the smirk Neil had sought for. “That the new woman in your life?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact.”
“Good to hear it. It’s been awhile.”
“I’ve told you how hard it is to maintain a long-term relationship on the road.”
“Yes, you’ve told me. But you’re not getting any younger, man. You’ve got to start thinking about settling down one of these days.”
“Dang, man. You’re worse than Mama!”
It was true and had always been this way between them. Though at thirty-two Neil was only older than Alex by four years, his actions tended to be more paternal than brotherly, even when the two were young boys.
“Before I got married, I couldn’t imagine spending the rest of my life with only one woman. Now, I can’t imagine how I stayed on the relationship merry-go-round for so long. Then, after becoming a father . . . that was all she wrote.”
“Yeah, little Marissa has definitely made you a softie. Linda already had you wrapped around her finger, though, so you didn’t have far to go.”
“A few years ago I may have tried to argue your point. But now, I can’t even fake the funk. I’ve got two of the greatest women in my life who God ever created. I’m a blessed man, Alex. No doubt.”
“Anybody who looks at you can tell. I’m happy for you, man.”
The two brothers enjoyed a handshake before refocusing on the game. “If you’re really feeling Carol, let her know,” Neil said, as he slid a double six domino across the table. “From the short time I spent with her, I got the feeling that she’s a good woman. These days those are harder to come by. You wouldn’t want to let her get away.”
“I’m not sure that decision is up to me.” Alex told Neil about their major difference, namely, his love of being on the road and Carol’s gradual aversion to the nomad life. “Besides, I’m not sure I’m ready for marriage, let alone fatherhood.”
“I said that, too, at one time,” Neil calmly replied. “And then I learned that sometimes in life those things you think you’re not ready for . . . are out there ready for you.”