“She’s gorgeous,” Lily whispered to James as Jayla passed them, proudly walking parentless down the aisle in an ivory silk dress that accentuated every taut, toned curve of her caramel-colored body. Taking in the sight of the beautiful and brilliant woman he had rejected, James was forced to agree.
At the front of the church stood Michael, his Afro tamed for the occasion, grinning so giddily that James suspected his manic expression masked a quiet terror at having tethered himself to such a driven, ambitious, albeit sexy force of nature. Jayla’s long-lashed cat eyes radiated happiness but also triumph at having achieved a goal established early in life. What James knew from experience, and what he imagined Michael was only just beginning to understand, was that Jayla considered a husband a work in progress for her to complete, another accomplishment to claim. The thought had terrified James. He wondered if Michael was smart enough to be scared.
“I can’t believe you broke up with her,” Lily said. “What’s wrong with you?”
“Believe me, beauty is only skin deep,” he returned.
“Shhh,” admonished an elderly lady in an enormous pink hat festooned with flowers.
“Ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters, we are gathered here today…”
James closed his eyes, flooded with a sudden, strange regret at the familiar words. What was wrong with him? Jayla was a catch by anyone’s standards, except, apparently, his. He liked to think he’d seen her ambition for what it was: an opportunity to rewrite the past rather than create a future. Her father had ended his days drunk and disoriented on the streets, while her mother had juggled jobs cleaning houses and waitressing in a Harlem diner. Jayla had two business degrees from NYU and was on the partner track at an important consulting firm. The only piece missing was the adoring husband, respectably employed, but still a few paces behind. Michael was managing an expanding construction business run by family friends. He fit the bill nicely.
But, James wondered, was it such a terrible thing to try to reverse your fortune? Wasn’t that what he was doing by returning to college with an eye on law school? His childhood circumstances had been very different from Jayla’s. His parents were happily married and had always supported him, even after he let them down. Maybe life was all about making amends, whether to yourself or others. He glanced sideways at Lily, who was leaning forward slightly, riveted by the reverend’s oratory. She was wearing a turquoise dress and stiletto boots, and with a spot of makeup and her hair blown out, she was much more attractive than he’d imagined, having only ever seen her in tattered workout gear. He wondered what his friends Gerald and Dewayne would think when they saw her.
“And now,” intoned the reverend, “if anyone knows of any just cause or impediment why these two people may not be joined together in holy matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace.”
James shot to his feet. Gasps and whispers flew through the crowd. Jayla’s bouquet slipped from her hand, and she brought her fingers up to her throat, where they scrabbled at her pearls. Michael’s eyes grew wide, and a look of pure hatred transformed his usually placid features. James’s hand flew to his pocket.
“It’s not—I didn’t mean—” He held up his still vibrating phone to demonstrate, to explain, but it fell from his hands. Lily caught it. “My phone…” he stammered. “Forgot to turn it off. Ummm…yeah. It’s all good. Congratulations.”
He sat down, hitting the bench hard, his heart hammering in his chest.
“Oh, my God, that was epic,” Lily breathed.
The whispering gave way to a release of nervous giggles as the congregation returned their attention to the altar. Jayla’s maid of honor picked up the fallen bouquet and handed it back to her. Jayla’s eyes squeezed shut, and James knew she was fighting back tears. She didn’t love Michael, but she had made her peace with settling. If she thought for a moment that James had changed his mind… It was a cruel joke, one he hadn’t meant to play. Jayla opened her eyes and turned back to Michael, an uncharacteristically weak smile playing over her lips. James knew she would never forgive him.
“Whoever that was, I’m going to kill them,” he muttered through clenched teeth.
Lily handed his phone back, an expression of smug satisfaction on her face. He knew then, without looking down, who had called.
“No answer.” Isobel set her phone on the counter.
“Did you leave a message?” Delphi asked.
Isobel shook her head. “It’s too complicated. I feel like I won’t know where to start until I hear his voice. It all depends on how he answers the phone.”
“So let’s have some dinner, and then you can try again in a little bit,” Delphi suggested.
Isobel looked pointedly at her brother. “I’m not cooking.”
“Okay, sweepings of the kitchen. What have you got?” he asked gamely.
“See for yourself,” Isobel said. “I lack your ability to look at assorted leftovers and envision an integrated culinary masterpiece.”
While Percival examined the contents of the pantry and refrigerator, Isobel stared moodily at her phone. She’d have to call James back, otherwise it would look like a mistake. Or worse, he would call her, and then she’d be the one taken by surprise. In order for this reconciliation to work, she couldn’t afford to be wrong-footed. There was a way to handle James. It couldn’t look like she was only getting in touch because she needed him, which, of course, she was. She had to at least pretend she wanted to restart their relationship on new, more comfortable grounds. And maybe she didn’t even have to pretend. With her defenses around her ankles like shed clothing, she was forced to admit that she missed him.
The phone rang, startling her out of her reverie.
“It’s him! What should I do?”
“What’s wrong with you? Answer it,” Delphi commanded.
Isobel flapped her hands helplessly for a moment and then snatched up her phone.
There was no sound, just heavy breathing, and for a moment Isobel thought James had butt-dialed her. Before she could say hello, he spoke in a slow, deliberate voice.
“I’m going to make this really easy for the officer in charge of your homicide. I am going to kill you.”
Isobel’s face ran hot. “That’s not funny. How can you joke like that?”
“Oh, I am so not joking. Do you know what I was doing when you called?”
“Taking a dump? How could I possibly know?” Percival shot her a look, but she waved him away.
“I’m at Jayla’s wedding. You interrupted her wedding.”
“You didn’t turn your phone off?” she asked, incredulous.
“Of course I turned it off! I’m not an idiot.”
“Then what the fuck are you talking about?”
“Do something!” Delphi hissed to Percival.
“Iz…”
The look she shot Percival was so fierce that his hands flew up as if to deflect a blow.
“It was on vibrate, and I jumped up right when they were doing the forever hold your peace part. You fucking ruined my life!”
“I ruined your life? Sounds to me like you ruined Jayla’s. Oh, no, wait. You already did that. Next time turn your phone all the way off, asshole, and don’t blame me!”
Isobel threw her phone across the room, where it landed with a bounce in the middle of her air mattress. She stood panting for a moment. Then she turned to Percival and Delphi, who were staring at her, flabbergasted.
She set her fists defiantly on her hips. “I think that went well. Don’t you?”