Chapter Seventeen
"Your brother walked in on you!" Diniece squealed. She tipped over in a fit of giggles and landed face first into Gabby's mattress.
Gabby shut her eyes and then rubbed the heel of her hands over her face. She had nearly died when she saw her brother's face framed in the doorway of the pool house. But her heart fell when Prince had hopped off her, walked out the door and hadn't come back.
Hawk hadn't returned either. Ellie had stayed behind to talk to her. The woman was a bit socially awkward.
Ellie was an Entomologist; a person who studies bugs. After a few moments in conversation with the petite blonde, it became obvious that she spent more of her time with insects than she did with humans. But Gabby liked Ellie's awkwardness because it was clear to see that she was genuine and that she was head over heels in love with Gabby's big brother.
Hawk had never in his life had a girlfriend. Sure, there had been plenty of women in his life. But never just one. Whenever they were together, Hawk couldn't keep his eyes off Ellie. He'd brush a tendril of hair away from her forehead as she became animated about some new find in her lab, and then gently nudge her to turn the conversation away from creepy crawlers.
Last night, as Ellie tried to cheer Gabby up after Prince ran out on her, the bug doctor regaled Gabby with tales of the mating rituals of bugs, such as water bugs, praying mantises, and fireflies, who trap their partners as they copulate. A certain water bug known as the Male Strider actually trapped females when they copulate. Gabby wasn't sure if Ellie was trying to make her feel better or worse about Prince's running off, but she certainly had been distracted for a few minutes.
"He didn't come back," Gabby sighed. "I feel like my vagina is a Prince repellant."
Diniece fell over in another fit of giggles before sobering and coming to sit by Gabby's side. Gabby had told Diniece about what happened between her and Prince three years ago during their sophomore year. Her friend couldn't deny the pattern. Each time Prince gave Gabby an orgasm, he'd run off afterwards and wouldn't return for years.
Her heartbeat increased. Her palms began to sweat. Had he gone back to D.C.?
"There is a pretty big age gap between you two," said Diniece.
"Do you really think a number should keep two people apart?"
Diniece turned away from Gabby, looking out Gabby's bedroom window which overlooked the pool house. "People will talk."
"I don't care what people think," Gabby insisted.
"Maybe he does." Diniece twisted her bottom lip as she continued to stare out the window. "What about his reputation? People could call him a cradle robber, or a sell out for dating someone outside his race."
Gabby frowned. "How did this become racial? We're both minorities."
"Yeah, you two are."
"What?" asked Gabby.
"What?" blinked Diniece, turning away from the window and focusing on Gabby. Diniece's eyes were fogged as though she were someplace else, with someone else.
"You're not making any sense," said Gabby.
Diniece sighed and looked out the window again. "I'm just saying that we're getting started with our lives. Someone like Prince has lived. I mean lived. Sure, I bet the sex would be crazy good, but then what?"
Diniece twisted her bottom lip again. She rose and went to stand at the window, looking out over the pool house.
"But then you only live once," she said. "And we are young."
She tapped her fingernails on the bedroom window. Then she turned to Gabby abruptly. Eyes clear and bright. Mouth set in a firm line.
"Gabby, do you still need the pool house?" Diniece didn't wait for an answer. She grabbed her phone and headed out the door. Gabby could hear her bounding down the steps.
Diniece wasn't usually this inattentive. But she supposed that she had a lot of work to do for her internship. Gabby picked herself up and headed down the hall. Her parents were in their bedroom packing for a weekend getaway. She left them to it. The last thing she wanted was to witness her lovey-dovey parents dote on each other when the man she wanted couldn't stand to be in the same room with her.
She bypassed the kitchen where her textbooks lay untouched. She padded into the living room and peered out the front door. Prince's car was still at the curb of the Obademi house. But Gabby had heard his motorcycle take off into the night. She hadn't heard it return. And she didn't see any signs of it now. She did see Judge Obademi head down her driveway where her morning paper sat just inside the open gate.
Gabby threw the front door open and trotted across the street. "Good morning, Mrs. O."
Oluyemi looked up in surprise. "Hello, Gabby. I thought you'd be at the beach by now."
Gabby's steps faltered as she came up to the gate. "I'm getting some school work done."
"Really?" Mrs. O's brows sank together in a frown. "I thought you were a music major."
"I am." Gabby bit at the inside of her cheek. "But I still have to do regular core work."
The sound of an engine had Gabby whipping around. Unfortunately, it wasn't a motorcycle. And it wasn't who Gabby wanted to see.
"Kemi, is that you?" Judge Obademi beamed as the Wicked Witch got out of the car.
"Oluyemi." Kemi came into the judge's open arms for a prolonged hug. "It's so good to see you."
"It's been too long," said Mrs. O. "Is Prince with you?"
Gabby turned back around and peered into the car. She knew it had been empty when Kemi marched up the drive on her broomstick. But she still did a double take to be sure.
"No," Kemi confirmed. "We had talked about getting together last night."
"Yes," interjected Gabby. "Last night while we were at the Governor's mansion, where you work."
Kemi turned and arched an eyebrow at her. "Oh, I didn't see you there Gabrielle."
"I had heard you were working for our new governor," said Mrs. O with a purse at her lips. "That must be some task."
"Governor Drummon and I don't agree on everything," Kemi nodded. "But I love this country and this state. It's given me and my family so many opportunities. I'm committed to doing all that I can to be certain it is run well so that others have the opportunities that I was afforded."
Judge Obademi nodded slowly. Gabby could tell she was turning over Kemi's words in her head. Prince and his mother got the same look when they were working through a problem.
"Anyway." Kemi turned her back on Gabby, shutting her out of the conversation. "I just thought I'd stop by on the off chance that he was around."
"No, he's not here," said the judge.
Gabby wanted to interject that he'd been out all night, most of it with her. But she didn't get the chance.
"Why don't you come inside?" Judge Obademi linked arms with Kemi.
The two women continued talking, leaving Gabby standing in the driveway. It was clear Judge Obademi preferred the woman in the enemy camp to the girl next door.
Gabby's chin hit her chest as she slunk back across the street. She didn't have Prince. His mother had never taken to her. And now her toughest competition was welcomed back into the game with the advantage of home field.