I nod in agreement. “And I could’ve as well, but neither of us did. What does that tell you?”
She slides off my lap and stands in front of me. We’re silent for a long time before she speaks. “What time is your flight?”
“Quinn will be here in a couple of hours. I think it leaves at five.”
“I should probably let you get some sleep.”
I stand and pull her into my arms. “I love you, Whiskey Girl.”
“Then stay,” she whispers into my ear.
“I can’t.”
26
Jamie
It’s been a month since Ajay left. I thought he was bullshitting me when he said he wasn’t coming back, but he wasn’t. My father says I got played. I don’t believe that. I know Ajay’s busy and this is part of his life, one that I have to accept if I’m going to be in it. And in it is exactly what I want to be. But that means seeing him, and he refuses to commit to a date. Maybe this week or next, maybe on such and such date, he’s not sure. He has to ask Elle. Elle this. Elle that. I’m starting to think that Elle tells him when he’s allowed to take a piss. I know that’s not the case but that’s how things feel right now.
We are under the sixty-day mark for the finalization of our divorce. Sadly, my father has a countdown on his phone, and he reminds me of it daily. He means well, I know he does, but he has to stop. Even my mother says so. I want to try and work things out with Ajay and would much prefer it while he’s legally bound to me. I know how he thinks, and right now he considers us married. I can guarantee he’s not looking at another woman, speaking to another female or even giving entertaining the idea of being with someone else. I’d say that’s not how he was raised, but in a sense it was. He grew up knowing what a shit bag his father was and always vowed to be different.
Evelyn comes into my room and sighs dramatically. Call me evil, but over the last few weeks I’ve played Sinful Distraction’s album continuously. She knows the words to most of the songs and I plan to have her sing to Ajay… if he ever comes back.
“What’s wrong with you?” I ask her as she lays across my bed with another sigh.
“Today is the last day of school.”
“You should be happy. It’s summer vacation. We’re going to do lots of fun things.”
“Like what?”
“Go to the beach. Read books. Practice math. Hang out at the park. Spend time with Dhara and Fletcher.”
Evelyn picks her head up, turns to look at me and flops it back down dramatically. “I like all those things except the reading and math part.”
“Oh? Okay.” I pretend that my feelings are hurt.
“Ugh, fine. I can read a book, but no math.”
I jut my lower lip out and make a whimpering sound.
“You are a hard bargain.”
“You drive a hard bargain,” I correct her. There are times when I wish I could go back to when she was learning to speak and do the baby talk thing with her. I was so hell bent on her being a smarter person than I am that I didn’t encourage it. I’d correct her and we’d work on saying words correctly. Hindsight is a bitch.
“Are you going to finish getting ready for school?”
She comes over to me, dragging her feet behind her. “I’m sad.”
“Why?” I bring her to my lap, and she rests her head on my shoulder.
“Because I won’t see my friends during summer.”
“Of course you will, silly girl. Most of your friends will be around here, you’ll see them all the time.”
Evelyn picks up her head and looks at me. With her hand in the air, her face deadpans. “Not with all the math I have to do.”
“Oh geez, Evelyn. Now you’re just being silly. Go finish getting ready. Mommy has to meet Auntie Dhara for breakfast.” I set her down on the ground.