Chapter 9

My mouth was dry and tasted like cigarettes.

My head hurt, and my body was sore.

I crawled out of bed and stumbled to the bathroom. I shrieked slightly when I saw my raccoon eyes and hair was a mess.

“Babe?” I heard Joey yell from somewhere in the house. I cleared my throat and shrugged it off waiting for him; he would find me sooner or later. I heard the door to the room open and heard his footsteps at the door. “You okay?” He tapped on the door. I pulled the door open and his smile was huge.

“My head hurts.” I said sticking my lip out in a pout. He pulled me into his arms and held me close.

“I got some Excedrin and some toast on the counter when you’re ready.” I shook my head and held him tight.

“Let me just brush my teeth and I’ll be right down.” I said kissing his cheek lightly. I walked back into the bathroom and began my morning ritual. “Oh babe, can you get my phone?” I put the toothbrush in my mouth.

He stuck his head back in the bathroom. “I don’t have it… maybe you lost it last night when you passed out, maybe that bouncer who found you might have seen it. We’ll go back to the club today and see if they have it. Don’t hold your breath though, people aren’t honest like that.” My brows frowned and I was so sure he had taken it, maybe he was right. Must have just been a drunken dream.

~*~Afternoon~*~

“God, I know I must have missed 2 appointments today for the wedding. I hate not having my phone I feel so out of touch.” I mumbled to myself as I dug through my bag for the car keys. I glanced up and gazed across the street. That’s when I saw him.

For the first real time I saw Manuel, he leaned against a wall and puffed on what looked to be a cigar. I sighed and tossed my bag into the front seat; I pressed the button on the Mercedes laser key and locked the doors as I started to walk across the street. I pushed the sunglasses on top of my head and stood 10 feet away from him.

He stared at me but didn’t say anything while he stood straight.

“It’s good to see you, you look great.” He said after a minute of staring at me.

“They came looking for you; you have to get out of town.” I crossed my arms over my chest and stared him down.

“Yeah, I know. I saw, I see everything…” He trailed off. “Here.” He handed me my cell phone.

“How did you get this?” I asked taking it from him and turning it on.

“I see everything mama, I’ve been keeping up with you. Congratulations. Getting married huh? I thought you were so in love with Tony. Love of my life, all that bullshit.” I felt my eyes shrink and the taste was sour in my mouth.

“I loved him, you saw to that…” I turned and walked away.

“Wait, stop. I’m sorry. I ain’t mean it like that; I don’t want us to end out like this… I miss you. Where’s the love?” He asked opening his arms wide.

“It died… the day you shot Tony, that was the day you burned your bridge with me. You know how much he meant to me. How much I loved him and how- you know what? I don’t have anytime for this… as you know, I’m getting married. I need to work on my wedding and not you. Leave us alone, you are not welcomed in any part of my life.” With that I left him on the sidewalk.

~*~2 weeks later~*~

“Can’t we just elope?” Joey asked while I fitted him for his tux. AGAIN. I laughed and tapped his dick through his pants.

“We are going to show the world we love each other, together, in front of our friend’s and family. They need to know we made the right choice for ourselves, in front of them and God.” I smiled when he didn’t reply. “How did you gain so much weight? A month ago these pants were falling off of you… this is going to be the last adjustment until the wedding. Hear? I am not making anymore adjustments.” I added standing up; I looked at him while he dipped down and kissed me on the lips.

“You’re going to get me healthy lady.” He said getting down off the chair and then wrapped his arm around my waist and pulling me against his stomach.

“Good, that’s more years I get with you.” I said in a plain tone, trying hard to hide my excitement. It was amazing the things that happen in life. I was so lucky to have found Tony, only to lose him. Find my way back through so much pain and be so lucky as to find Joey.

I knew it was right. It was natural. Like breathing, we fit and the fact that I found another love was amazing. I was going to get married, and though Brianna was already a daughter to me in many ways, I would be able to have my own baby. Big, glowing, and blissfully happy, I imagined myself pregnant, closing my eyes as he rocked us slowly around the living room, humming softly in my ear while his fingers played with my engagement ring.

“You’re doing it again, aren’t you?” I could hear the smile on his face, and saw it while he slowly spun me around to face him. My cheeks flushed a deep red and then it couldn’t be hidden, the huge smile was plastered on his face.

“You are. I’m not even going to lie… I’ve dreamt about it too. Thought about what our kids would look like, if they would be more like me… goofy and happy, or like you collected and amazing. I think…” I watched as he swallowed deeply. “I think maybe you’re right, no. No, sorry not think. I know you’re right. I want to have another baby. I want to have a football team, and I want to have them with you. Married or not.” He moved his eyebrows up and down.

I giggled but threw my arms around his neck; he lifted me off the ground as I wrapped my legs around his waist while he moved to move to the couch.

The door buzzed. We both glanced at the clock, it was almost two-thirty in the morning I looked at him and he shrugged. He set me down on the ground as I started for the stairs going down not even bothering with the intercom.

“Who is it baby?” Joey asked before I the landing and started to look out the peephole, custom made, it was about a foot lower then the small sliding door with a latch, I could open it but I couldn’t see out, his idea of a joke.

“Wait.” I giggled as I looked through the peephole, I gasped.

Man this is now a total boundary issue.

“Babe?” Joey dipped his head over the railing.

“Joe… listen. I- something happened a couple of weeks ago. I thought I took care of it… but- look-“ I sighed deeply while Manuel pounded on the door.

“MARISOL!” I shook my head, looking up as Joe made his way down the stairs.

“What’s going on?” He asked when he met me at the bottom. I sighed again; He wasn’t going to leave since he toughed it out and came here.

“Don’t get mad, but Manuel is here.” I looked at the ground and shook my head. He pushed me behind him while he opened the door not bothering to look out the small sliding door.

Joey scoffed and moved back slowly. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” He pulled the door open and looked at me. “We’ve met… this is the bouncer from the club.” Joey said standing between him and I.

“I have to talk to her, and I know you want to hear what I got to say.” He said holding up a legal size envelope.

“5 minutes.” I said walking up the stairs towards living room. I went and stood on the other side of the room, furniture between us was best, in case he said something that got to me.

“I know that the last time, it didn’t go well, this is serious though. I just-I just don’t know how to tell you.” My brows frowned.

“4 minutes.”

“Here.” He threw the envelope on the closest couch to me. I picked it up and pulled at the strings that held it close. It was thick but not overflowing. “It’s not all of it, I just, man I just couldn’t bring it all. It’s a lot.” I was confused and pulled out a stack, I watched as glossies of myself in daily life played out in pictures.

Pictures of me at Tony’s funeral, me, getting all of my tattoos, the first day I met Joey, the first day I met Frank… it was insane to see myself in pictures with other people. It was so candid, and was starting to creep me out, but I couldn’t stop looking, me and Joey going home, holding hands, laughing, kissing. He had invaded my privacy.

“What? What is this?” I asked, I looked up but he didn’t say anything and then nodded at the envelope. I put the pictures aside, looking into the envelope I pulled out another thick stack of papers.

“Get out! GET OUT! TAKE THIS SHIT WITH YOU! GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME! GET AWAY FROM HERE?! YOU’RE SICK!” I said while I threw the papers, letter’s and pictures in his face. “TAKE IT! DON’T EVER COME BACK!?” I yelled turning my back on him, but I couldn’t help it the blood flushed up my face.

I turned and ran at him; Joey grabbed me mid-flight over the couch.

“I HATE YOU! GET OUT!” I picked up the magazines from the coffee table and threw them at him that moved him; the bridal magazines were thick and heavy.

I heard the hard footsteps go down the stairs, Joey let me go and I slumped to the ground putting my head between my knees. I could tell he didn’t know what to do, what had happened but he held me anyway. The door slammed and footsteps came back up the stairs, I ignored them. Joey would get it for me this time. He would make Manuel leave.

“Who are you?” He asked surprised, I looked at him and then in the direction he looked towards.

My breath was blown away. My jaw dropped. I stood up slowly. I could feel another rush of emotion, new… and old it ripped my heart completely in two.

“Tony.” I sighed out into the room.