Forgive for Joy's Sake (Part 16)

Wes, Mel, and Joi had an early morning appointment at the lab where the paternity test had been scheduled. Chelsea had been given the morning off and Wes was left to deal with an agitated sister and a cranky niece on his own. “Is she okay?” Wes asked Mel after Joi started crying for the fifth time in an hour. “I’ve fed her, checked her diaper and cuddled her.  They had made it back from the lab and was waiting for Chelsea who was scheduled to arrive in another half hour.

“I don’t know Wes. She’s normally a happy baby. Can you check her temperature? Maybe she isn’t feeling well.” Mel took a seat on the couch, leaving Wes to deal with her cranky daughter.

“I could, but I see no reason why you can’t do it.  In fact, I’m going to go grab the thermometer so that you can take your daughter’s temperature.” Wes picked up Joi from where she laid herself down on the floor to cry and handed her to Mel, before leaving them in the living room so that he could go in search of a thermometer. It took him ten minutes to locate Joi’s thermometer and return to them. He found a sleeping Joi resting in Mel’s arms. “Apparently, she just needed some attention from her mother.”  Wes said to Mel as he took a seat next to her.

“Apparently, I needed her too,” Mel said lovingly looking down at her child. Her agitation had subsided as well.

“Do you want me to take her and lay her down in her room?”

“No, Chelsea will be here soon and can take her. For now, I want to enjoy her laying on my chest.” Mel gave him a slight smile.   They sat quietly for ten minutes, each in their own thoughts. When the doorbell range, Wes got up and opened the door and let Chelsea in. She greeted them, before taking Joi from Mel and taking her to her room.

Wes sat back down beside Mel. “So tell me Mel, how are things been between you and Joy? Are things still awkward?”

Mel gave him a wry smile, “Awkward is an understatement. She is cordial in a strained way. You see how fast she got out of here once you arrived? I’ve tried to strike up conversations and she shuts me down quickly. I don’t blame her. I turned out to be a horrible friend, but truthfully, I miss her terribly and regret every day how badly I hurt her.  I’m torn too, because if I hadn’t made that mistake, I wouldn’t have had the best thing in the world happen to me with having Joi.” Mel wouldn’t allow herself to think that Joi hadn’t come from her friendship destroying mistake, but happened with one night with Lamar.”  Before she could stop them, tears formed and ran down her cheeks.

Wes pulled her into his side, “What happened Mel? You two were so close.” Wes believed it had been the effects of the brain tumor that had Mel act so out of character, but he wanted to know if she thought so too.

Mel sat up and reached into her pocket and pulled out a tissue, wiped her eyes and blew her nose. “Honestly, I think a part of it was the tumor. I struggle with putting the blame fully on the fact that it made me do things that I normally wouldn’t have because truthfully, I still knew that messing with Jackson was wrong. Over the years we developed a friendship and then one day I looked up and we were in love. He became as much a part of me as Joy. Even more so, because I couldn’t imagine my life without him in it.

The fact that he is gone tears at me every day and I feel like it’s a punishment, because I didn’t deserve the happiness we found with each other. Now I’m facing a battle with my health and possibly one over my daughter and two of the people I love most won’t be in my corner to help pull me through.” Mel’s face crumple and she leaned back in to Wes.

“Well for what it’s worth, you still have me and I’m going to help you through this as best I can.”

“I know and I love you the more for it. I also know that you have feelings for Joy and I hope you two won’t let what I’ve done keep you apart.”

“We are having dinner here tomorrow so I’m going to give it a go. If I had a gone after her before instead of putting it off maybe all this other mess could have been avoided.”

“Yep, now that you mention it this is all your fault. I told you to make your move a long time ago. She should have been my sister-in-law long before she married Jackson.” Mel smiled up at him. They fell back into silence, both of them thinking about how different things might have been.

***

I had an hour to figure out what do you wear to your parent’s house for a date with your girlhood crush?

Finally, I decided that dinner couldn’t be all that fancy and put on my best pair of jeans and a yellow off the shoulder tunic.  I coaxed my hair into an underhanded braid down the back of my head and put on large hooped earrings.  Not wanting to seem like I was trying too hard I kept it light with my makeup and just glossed up my lips.

I arrived at the house at 6 pm and let myself in. “We’re in the kitchen.” Wes called when he heard me enter the house. Good thing I didn’t dress up, I thought as a reaction to him saying we. Apparently, we were having a “family” dinner and not a private dinner date.

Entering the kitchen I stopped short, because I wasn’t seeing the “we” I expected. “Uh, hello.” I said slowly walking over to the counter where Wes stood with a short, pretty and young woman in all black.

“Hi, you must be Joy. I’m looking forward to serving you two tonight.” She said sticking out her hand.

“Uh, okay. And just what will you be serving us tonight?” I asked looking between her and Wes for an answer.

“This is Camille Wittingham. Chef Wittingham to be exact and she will be cooking us a three course meal tonight.” Wes smiled as he walked over to me and took my hand and guided me to the beautifully set table in the dining room.

“Actually I go by Chef Cam. Wes here says you don’t have any food allergies I just want to confirm before we get started.” She slid into her chef’s coat and rounded the island to stand behind it.

“Nope, no allergies that I’m aware of,” I said as I took my seat and watched Wes take a seat across from me.  “How did it go yesterday?” I asked, curious despite myself.

“It went well enough. We should know by Tuesday.”  Wes replied holding up the wine bottle. I shook my head; I wasn’t much of a drinker. If the drink didn’t taste like dessert in a glass than I wasn’t drinking it. “You know if the results aren’t what Mel hopes they are she may need some emotional support. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to be here to give her that support.”  He poured himself a glass of wine and me a glass of the lemonade that sat in a pitcher on the table. 

“Mel’s a big girl. She’ll be okay.” I felt I already been forced into taking care of Mel and Joi. I refused to be forced into doing more than was absolutely necessary.

“If not, you can keep her calm over the phone until my Mom and Dad get back on Wednesday.” Chef Cam walked over and served us stuffed mushrooms on a microgreen salad. We thanked her and she went back into the kitchen.

“Doesn’t sound like you decided to forgive her.” He took a bite of stuffed mushroom as he gave me a questioning look.

“Oh, you expected me to get all giddy over you and be willing to forgive your sister anything right? Well, I want to be upfront with you. Even if I forgive her, she and I will never be the friends we once were.  The best you could hope for is me being cordial.”

“Why?” He asked sitting his fork down on his empty appetizer plate.

“Are you serious?” I decided to change direction. “How is Mark doing?” I asked him about his high school best friend who had slept with his high school sweetheart Desiree, while he was away at college.

“Actually, he is doing well. He and Desiree ended up getting married and have three kids. While I didn’t attend the wedding all those years ago, I have since run into him a few times and we were,” He smiled wryly, “cordial with one another.”  He looked at me, I looked at him and we burst out laughing. He shook his head knowing I had made my point. 

Funny enough that had been our ice breaker and we went through the next two courses talking and catching up with one another. We stayed at the table talking. Chelsea stuck her head in to the dining room and announced Joi was sleep and she was leaving.  Soon after Chef Cam announced that she had finished clean up and was heading out as well.  Both times Wes walked them out to their cars.  While he walked Chef Cam out I decided the evening had been nice but it was probably time for me to make my exit too.  I grabbed my purse and walked towards the door.  Wes opened the door and stepped back in right before I reached it.  Seeing my purse on my shoulder he didn’t say a word, he simply reached out and took my hand and then turned and walked me to my car.

At the car he pulled me into him, dropped my hand and put both his arms around me. He leaned down and kissed me in a way that made me imagine future possibilities that weren’t new but were elevated from my five year old childhood mind to my grown, adult womanly mind. I pulled away slowly, my lips the last to leave the scene.

“Why now?” I asked stepping back and unlocking the car door while trying to get my bearings.

“Because now’s the time. Life is too short and if we are truthful, because we both want this.” He reached around me and opened the door.  “Am I lying?” He asked me as I got into the driver’s seat. I didn’t answer, just looked at him and smiled slightly.  In the back of my mind I wondered if this had happened before Jackson, how differently things would have been.

As if reading my mind he said, “We can only go forward from here. Now call or text me when you get home. Remember I don’t have to be at the airport until 8, but I would love you to come over earlier so we can spend some time together before I head out.”

“I’ll see how I feel tomorrow before I decide and then let you know.”  I wanted time to sort through my thoughts and feelings and didn’t want to make a promise I couldn’t keep.

“Fair enough. Still let me know when you get home safely.”  He shut the door and stepped back.  I backed out the driveway and headed home.  Once home, I decided to text instead of call, because I was still trying to process where we now were in our relationship.  I knew he was hoping that I would build a relationship with Mel again so that it wouldn’t be a strain on him and our relationship. Unfortunately, I wasn’t sure that was possible or how would I feel if one day her needs would have to make him choose taking care of them instead of my needs.  Given her situation, that day was more likely to come than not.

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