Chapter Fourteen - Jeremy

I flew between New York and Miami so often that it always felt like a quick trip, with the exception of my first flight to New York and the flight I took back to New York with Marsha. I needed time to think and process what happened in Miami, and create strong excuses for my behaviors. With Marsha being close at my side the entire time, that was impossible. I thought about running into my ex in the club while Marsha was there. That was a close call. I admitted to her that I was there with Marsha, but that I missed her. She blew me off, but later the phone at my parents’ house would ring, and when I answered, the person on the other end would hang up. I knew it was her.
I thought about trying to get a few hours alone with her while in Miami, but with the way Lovelie and my mother treated Marsha, there was no way I could sneak away and leave her with my family. I was almost relieved when my ex blew me off in the club. But then she started the phone calls, and I knew my mother would get fed up and curse me out for it.
I looked over at Marsha, who stared out the airplane window. She loved the window seat. I didn’t care for it. As stuck-up as people claimed she was, she was game for anything most of the time. That was good and bad. Eventually, fancy restaurants and trips to Miami wouldn’t be enough for her. She wanted to really travel, and I didn’t care to. To hold on to her, though, I would possibly have to compromise somewhere down the line. Marsha turned to look at me as if she could feel me looking at her. She gave me a half smile and turned back to the window. She hadn’t been the same since the argument with Lovelie, and there was nothing I could do about it without telling on myself.
I put my headphones on and nestled down in my seat as the plane continued to soar higher above the clouds. I drifted into a light sleep, opening my eyes intermittently to find that we were still in the air. I thought about the moves I would have to make back in New York. Papi had already put in a call for me and gave me some extra money, with a warning not to tell Mommy or Lovelie. Lovelie was already overly opinionated about everything I did, so Papi didn’t want to hear her laments any more than I did. He also explained that Mommy wasn’t too fond of Marsha. She felt she was just like my ex-girlfriend, and she would not be pleased to hear about me footing the bill for us to move in together since Marsha came from a wealthy family herself.
Now that we were moving, I was officially responsible for the family’s business dealings in New York. My father started shifting some duties from Uncle Marvin to my charge. I would have to make time as soon as I landed to meet with Marvin and discuss the recent changes. I was excited and nervous. Finally, I could show them what I was capable of. Lovelie would have to share some of her golden-child spotlight now. I smiled as if I were having his mental conversation out loud, then looked around to see if anyone noticed. This was a huge undertaking, but I could handle it. I had to. Marsha and my family were depending on me.
When we finally landed at JFK Airport, Marsha turned to me and said, “I don’t want to go to Sheila’s.”
I pursed my lips. Marsha had never been in my basement apartment, and I wanted to keep it that way. She asked about it a few times. I told her she wouldn’t like it and tried to leave it at that. “What do you want to do?” I asked, though I’d already started considering the cost of a hotel.
“Can’t I just stay with you?” Marsha pleaded.
I couldn’t say no. Marsha never asked for anything, and now she seemed to be begging. “Okay. I’ll get a hotel.”
Marsha cocked her head to the side. “Do you think that’s a good idea? You just spent all this money on a trip.”
“Don’t worry about it,” I said, thinking of how I could stretch the extra money in my pocket.
“Why can’t we go to your place?” Marsha pressed.
I sighed so hard it came out like a snarl. “I told you before, you wouldn’t like it.” With that, I walked ahead of her towards the baggage claim. I hated talking to her that way, but I needed her to trust my word and go with the flow. After the week we had, I was not about to expose her to that underground dwelling.
To my satisfaction, Marsha shut down and didn’t say a word. We took a silent taxi ride to my house and immediately transferred our bags to my car. From there, we headed straight to a Marriott hotel in New Rochelle. Once settled in the room, I sat next to Marsha on the bed and put my arm around her.
“Do you have another family?” she asked, shocking me and deterring me from the apologetic monologue that brewed in my brain on the drive.
“What do you mean?” I asked back.
“I mean, like, do you have a wife? Kids?”
I chuckled. “Nah, what would make you think that?”
“I know you don’t want me to talk about it, but you never let me in ya house. I thought maybe—” Her voice faded.
I shook my head. “No wife. No kids. For a while, it was just me, myself, and I. Now it’s me and you. Okay?”
Marsha nodded. I blinked to soften the intensity growing between us as she stared into my eyes.
“I’m really sorry about everything this weekend,” I said, getting back to my planned apology, and I meant everything. I hoped that one word would cover it all and we wouldn’t have to discuss every detail.
“Me too,” Marsha returned.
“You don’t have anything to be sorry about,” I said, taking full blame.
“I’m just sorry your sister doesn’t like me. I don’t know what it is about me or what I did.”
“I told you, Lovelie is miserable. Her husband is weird, and her kids drive her crazy. Seriously, don’t worry yourself, Marsha. It is what it is. Soon, we’ll be in a new place, living a new life together. Just look forward to that.” I did my best to reassure her, rubbing her back gently. The stiffness in her wilted with my massages.
I can handle this, I thought to myself. We’re gonna have a good life. Everything will be fine.