Forgive for Joy's Sake (Part 22)

After a Sunday morning spent in bed with Wes, we came up for air in time for me to rush and get ready to catch my flight. He tried to convince me to stay another day, but I knew it would be even harder to leave if I stayed. We rushed to the airport, exchanged a quick hug and kiss, then I rushed to make my flight. I made it with only minutes to spare.

I caught a car service home and was exhausted when I got in. I texted Mom I was home but was tired and would call her tomorrow. I texted Wes the same thing, before I took a quick shower and went to bed.

The next morning, I woke up at 10:00 a.m. refreshed, but hungrier than I’d ever been in life. I was glad I took the day off because there was no way I would have been able to get up in time to work. I looked at my phone and as I suspected I had missed some check in calls. My first call was to Wes.

After checking in with everyone, I headed out to grab something to eat. I arrived back home only to find an unwanted, familiar person sitting on my front steps waiting for me. “What in thee…” Can a sister catch a break?

Maybe he hadn’t seen me. I was tempted to drive off. When Lamar stood and started walking towards the car, I knew he saw me. Parking the car, I waved him around to the driver side and rolled my window halfway down.

“Why are you here, Lamar?” I got straight to the point.

“I need your help. Believe me if I could get the information I need without your help I would, but I can’t get passed their lies. Now they won’t even answer my calls or open their doors to talk to me.” He looked frustrated and hurt, and I knew I was about to step into something smelly.

After a revealing conversation with Lamar, I called my mother and after some chit chat, I asked, “Jackson’s mom hasn’t been bothering Mel about the ring, has she?”

“She’s been leaving Mel some nasty voice messages about it. Mel hasn’t responded to her yet. Why?” Suspicion laced her question, so I tried to dispel her suspicion by saying, “I had a taste for food from my favorite Caribbean restaurant, but didn’t want to risk running into her again if things haven’t been worked out.”

“Oh, well they haven’t yet. Mel’s just not up to it.” We talked for a few more minutes, but I had to hurry off the call when she started grilling me about how things were going between me and Wes.

After that call, I paced back and forth, trying to decide if helping Lamar was something I should do. Wouldn’t knowing who he was also help Mel? I picked up the phone to call Wes and told him about my conversation with Lamar and what he wanted me to do.

“Absolutely not, Joy. We know nothing about Lamar and what he will do to get answers. Maybe they have good reason for wanting to avoid him. You yourself said he creeps you out.”

“I know, but he seemed so hurt and it seems only right that they provide him with the answers he needs to move on. Besides, aren’t you curious to know if he is Joi’s uncle or cousin?”

“Not in the least. Look, let me talk to Mel. If she decides this is something she wants to know then we’ll set something up for when I’m there. I don’t want you or Mel doing anything with Lamar without me. Can you at least agree to that?”

“That works for me. I’ll call Lamar and let him know,” I told him.

“No, I’ll call him. I need to remind him I told him to stay away from my woman and my sister and he seems to have forgotten that conversation.”

“Your woman, huh? Is that my official title?”

“For now. I’m planning to upgrade you some time in the future.” His voice conveyed the message that he was serious. With that, I hurried off the call both excited and afraid of what that meant for our future.

*** 

Mel took a couple of days to make up her mind, but finally decided she wanted to know the truth. She also decided it was time to stop running from her problems and begin to address them. She placed a call to Jackson’s mom and arranged for them to meet at the storage place on Saturday where they would exchange her things for her engagement ring.

Wes would be flying in on Saturday morning and accompanying her to the meet. With it all in Wes’ hands, the only thing I was tasked to do was head to my parents to wait for Wes. My parents were going to take Joi to a local water park and would be out most of the day. Chelsea was off on Saturday, so that left me to stay with Mel.

I arrived as planned and saw my parents off. Mel was a bundle of nerves and it only became worse when Wes texted us both saying he had landed but the plane was still waiting on the terminal and they couldn’t deboard.

“Stay calm, Mel. He’ll be here as soon as he can. Maybe we should call everyone and push the meet back an hour,” I suggested.

“She made it clear that she was a busy woman and if I didn’t show up on time, she would send my things to good will. To be honest if it wasn’t for her having Joi’s baby pictures and records, I’d tell her to go right ahead. I feel like I need to start all over again anyway. If Wes isn’t here soon, I’ll have to take a car service there and go it alone. As much as I hate to have to do that, I will to get this over with.” She paced back and forth in front of the living room couch wringing her hands.

I looked at my watch. Wes had an hour to get to us and he still had to get off the plane, grab the rental car, and make his way to us. It would be tight.

Thirty minutes later, Wes called Mel to let her know he was making his way to pick up the rental and would get to her as fast as he could.

“You’re not going to make it in time. You are going to have to meet me at the storage place.” Mel looked both determined and strained at the same time.

“I’m not arguing with you on this, Wes. There is no way you will make it here in time to grab me and make the meeting. I’ll call a car service and meet you at the storage unit.” She listened to him for a moment and then said, “Sure, wait a minute.” She walked over to me and handed me her phone.

“Hey, Wes? What’s up?” I said with a sinking feeling in my stomach.

“Joy, I hate to ask you this, but can you go with Mel to meet Jackson’s mom? I will be there as soon as I can, but don’t want her going by herself.”

I didn’t answer right away. Would this be the way things go when Mel issues arose? Would she come first every time? “Sure, why not?” I said, feeling a bit offended.

“Thanks, Joy. I promise I’ll get there as soon as I can. I’ll see you soon,” he said, ending the call. I looked over at Mel. “Grab your things. We are going to leave in a few minutes.”

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