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Fantasy watched the expression of Carter’s face change and she knew that his next words to her would be, I gotta go. She got up from the bed and began gathering the clothes that she stripped off Carter and brought them to him.
“I’m on my way, Rain,” Fantasy heard him say and then he ended the call and turned to her. “I gotta go.”
After Carter left, Fantasy walked back toward the bedroom drying her hair when there was a light knock at the door. Thinking that it was Carter, she rushed back to the door and quickly opened it.
“Jada?”
“Hello, Fantasy. May I come in?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Thank you.”
Fantasy quickly stepped aside and admired how striking Jada looked in the sleeveless silk Marchesa printed floral taffeta cocktail dress with a ruched bodice.
Jada sat down on her couch, crossed her leg and delicately placed her hands on her knee as Fantasy stood in front of her. She was wearing the most adorable sheer lace peep toe heels and Fantasy wanted to ask if they were Jimmy Choo, but the look on Jada’s face said that this was not the time.
“This is quite a surprise. May I ask why you are here?”
“I am here to speak with you about your recent deplorable behavior,” Jada said.
“My behavior?” Fantasy question as she stood before Jada’s disapproving eyes. “Deplorable?”
“I am told that during my absence you began disgracefully throwing yourself at Mr. Garrison.”
“Mr. Garrison and I have—” Fantasy began but when Jada held up her hand, she stopped talking.
“And this shameless behavior has continued. This is not what Mercedes and I have spent months preparing you for,” Jada said looking abhorrently at Fantasy. “Look at your hair.” Fantasy’s hair was still wet from being on her knees in the shower.
“I was going to get it done in the morning,” Fantasy said, but Jada shook her head in obvious disgust.
“I have no one to blame but myself. I have been so involved in rebuilding what Simone tried her best to destroy that I wasn’t giving you the attention that you needed. But still, I am disappointed that disgracefully throwing yourself at Mr. Garrison was how you chose to spend that time instead of doing what I asked you to do.”
Fantasy dropped her head. “I’m sorry, Jada.”
“Do you even remember what that was?”
“Yes, Jada. You asked me to be seen and recognized and my objective was to observe.”
“And you chose to observe Mr. Garrison.” Jada paused. “Do you know why I wanted you to be seen and recognized while you moved about The Family?” she asked, but before Fantasy could answer, Jada said, “What am I saying, it is obvious to me that you had no understanding whatsoever of why. Had you, you wouldn’t have chosen to spend that time shamelessly throwing yourself at Mr. Garrison. And here again, I have no one to blame but myself. I should have made my wishes plain to you. I wanted you to represent me in my absence, and I mistakenly thought you were ready for that responsibility,” Jada told Fantasy. “I am sorry that I failed you in that regard as well.”
Jada stood up and walked to the door without saying another word and she left the suite. Fantasy dragged herself to the couch and plopped down. She felt defeated. But when there was a knock at the door, Fantasy bounced up and rushed to open it.
“Monika?”
“Hello Fantasy. You’re with me now.”
Chapter Thirteen
It was not a good morning as members of The Family arrived at Black’s house the following morning. It was early, and nobody wanted to be there, but there they all were. Rain was the first to arrive, she was inside eating the breakfast that M had prepared for her when Wanda got there. She made a plate for Wanda and it wasn’t long after that when Bobby reached the house and went inside. The last ones to arrive were Carter and Jackie.
“I don’t even know where to begin,” Black said and looked at a room filled with solemn faces. He shook his head. This war they were fighting had cost them greatly. They had expended resources that would have been better spent elsewhere. In terms of men with earning potential in The Family it was no different.
Chet Brightman, Jerry Demet, Gene Hazelton, Irving Spencer, Darius Wilkerson and Ed Weather; each of them had been with Black and Bobby since the old Vicious Black days. He counted each one as a friend, not just people that worked for him.
But what happened the night before had hit close to home. In Doc, Black had lost one of his oldest and closest friends. It was Black that introduced Doc to his wife, Melody. He and Bobby were at the hospital when his children, Judah and Phoebe were born. Doc wasn’t just his longest serving captain, Doc was fam
ily to Black and he was taking his death hard.