Many the Miles

Part 7

Mia

My mom was off on a cruise with her new boyfriend, so, I decided to take my younger sister out to find a dress for her back-to-school dance. This was usually a Rafaela job but I’m good at spending my dad’s money too. He wanted to help out without getting rejected so of course I was sent in for the mission.

“Why doesn’t he just come over and take me shopping she wouldn’t say no. ” My sister looked at me to try and make sense of our parents messy behavior.

“Look Dom, it’s hard for them to talk to each other in a civil manner. The less they see each other the better.”

“Is that what you’d want for your kids when you and John finally get a divorce?”

“I’m not them and neither are you. If you want to spend time with him you do it your way. She won’t stop you, but I can assure you. Daddy isn’t going to show up anywhere he is not welcomed. And he is not welcomed at your mother’s door.” I pulled a yellow cocktail dress with pink flowers across it. “This is you chica.”

“Love it. I’m going to try it on.”

Soon as she walked to the back Benji called. “How was the drive?”

“Quiet, they were all sound asleep. That was such a good idea to leave at 4 am. You really are a miracle worker.”

“Or I have 4 annoying siblings,” I sighed.

“Still I appreciate it. So, what are you up to now?”

“Out with my little sister Dominique. She has a dance coming up. Ella was supposed to take her shopping so guess I’m the B-team.”

“How about I put you on my A-list with Megan Good, Megan the Stallion, and Megan Fox. Only catch is now you have to be a Megan too.”

“Wow, I’ve just learned something new about you. It’s a little scary,” I laughed.

“OH, Mel B and the rest of the Spice Girls are on the D-list.”

“Okay, now we have a problem. The Spice Girls are icons. They kicked off one of the best periods in girl group existence since the Motown Era.”

“Okay Berry Gordy.”

“More Quincy Jones if I have a choice.”

He gave a deep chuckle, “You always have a choice,” he said.

A wave of sadness moved through my chest. “It’s starting to feel like that, again.”

Ben sighed. “I know your answer but I’m gonna ask. Come to LA.”

“Benji Asher Russell”-

“Who are you talking to,” Dominique yelled.

It felt like I was caught red handed. I’m not sure if Ella told Dominique about Benji but they both were in love with him. “Just Ella.”

Dominique is a walking lie detector. I don’t know how she learned it, but she was bound to get the job she disparately wanted with the CIA. “Mia do you know Benji Russell.”

“Someone is caught, guess you can’t keep me a secret much longer,” Benji said.

“Don’t be cute,” I told Benji. “Dee it’s a complicated situation.”

“Not more complicated then my birth,” she said.

Damn my messy ass parents. “Ella’s friend is Benji’s sister,” I explained.

“Wow that’s it,” Ben teased.

“Shut up, or I‘ll hang up on you,” I warned him.

“Yeah and you want me to believe that. Seems like he’s your boyfriend or something,” Dominique said.

He isn’t my boyfriend. He could be if I wasn’t married to an asshole. OK hesitating. Say something almost true. “He and I are closer now that Ella is staying there and not really talking to me.”

“You like him. Does he know about John?”

“Awe you like me.” Ben said in a soft whisper.

I hung up the phone. “I enjoy his company and we talk. That’s all there is, for now.”

Dominique started to talk and Benji called so I declined it. “So, are you thinking about dating him?” Dee yelled.

I started to say something when Benji called. I declined his call again. “I’m married. So, when I’m not. Anything is possi”- I was cut off by Benji calling.

I went to decline his call when Dominique took my phone. I knew she was going to act like my mother. As the youngest she always tried to act like she was the oldest. And Grant had the maturity of a 5-year-old boy in a fart factory. All of my siblings are annoying.

Benji

I was perturbed with Mia this was the second time she declined my call. I called again and it rang a little longer.

“Benji. First, we’re having a conversation. Have some respect. Second, why aren’t you here taking her on a date?”

I laughed hard. “I’ve asked. I’m starting to think I’m not her type. Can you help a guy out?”

“Just give it sometime she is very loyal. Her marriage means a lot to her even if her husband is a douche.”

“Dominique Grace Hernandez,” I heard Mia yell.

“She pulled out the middle name gotta go.” She hung up.

I called 2 more times and got sent straight to voicemail. It was time for me to get ready for this stupid party. Levitt was a great mentor to me, but his parties were over the top.

This was important to Ella so it was important to Mia. I also knew Lauryn would be there and I’d have to endure this again tomorrow for her pre-birthday dinner. I groaned and fell back on my beds.

It wasn’t long before I was able to will my body out of the bed and into the shower. I was going to be what everyone needed me to be until I could get back to Mia and our kids.

Ella really went out of her way to make something for all of us and had to work on her dress last minute. If I didn’t witness the hysteria she and Katie were in trying to finish it, I would have never known.

She was gorgeous in her cream colored gown. The beading did a slight ombre from cream to white and that was what took the girls all day to finish. “Wow, you both look beautiful.”

“No one will care if Taj is late and we don’t make the red carpet,” Katie said and I glared at her.” Not helping I’ll go call the car.”

After 15 minutes, of Katie trying to hide her anxiety, Taj arrived. He came with a large bouquet of red and white roses. His suit complimented Ella’s dress and had the same beaded details on the cuffs.

Ella was extremely talented and I was happy to help her share that with the world. “Finally, God could you take any longer.”

I pulled Katie out the door to allow Taj and Ella the moment they deserved. “We’ll be in the car.”

“I got a separate one we’ll be good,” Taj assured me.

Mia

I called John to inform him I’d be staying at my mom’s until she gets back. My brother and Tio have been helping me get things prepared for the divorce. Grant found something he described as “interesting” in an account John started for my dad. I hadn’t seen him since. So Dominique was being left alone.

“I’m 15 I can take care of myself,” she said as I did the laundry that’d been pulling up.

“When did you last see Grant. It’s nasty in here,” I said as I looked around his bedroom off the laundry room. He had molding food on his desk.

“I don’t know the day after mommy left. He went grocery shopping with me and then he said he was going to your house.”

I remember he came over but he came a few times after that. Why does he do the stupid s**t he does? I called him and I heard his phone buzzing in the room with his signature Outkast “So Fresh, So Clean” ring tone from 2000.

I went back to the living room where Lyssa was reading to the boys and they were playing with their cars. It was actually RJ’s boxcar set with the little carpet race track.

It was nice to be away from John and to sit and look at my life and what I wanted it to be. I found a house across the street from my tio he was fixing it up for us. And the worse was almost over. Now all I have to do is tell my dad I’m getting a divorce and serve John the papers.

My only concern was custody. Grant was sure I’d have to share custody with John, but my tio was going to see if they could void his fatherhood by the paternity test Ben and I took. If only Grant went to law school like RJ and used his evil genius for good.

Dominique came running down the stairs. “Mia mommy is engaged she said showing me a picture of my mom kissing her boyfriend with a huge emerald diamond on her hand.”

Instantly my phone rang, “Mia did she show you,” my mom yelled. She called me in duo but was holding the phone to her ear to hear my reply. Dominique rolled her eyes. “Mom hold it like a video camera,” she adjusted. “She did show me I thought you didn’t want to be anybody’s wife.”

“Well anybody didn’t ask my to marry them. Abu is great. What do you think?”

“I think you are happy and I’m happy for you,” I smiled at her.

“Mia tell mommy about your”- I pushed Dominique away.

“What’s going on?” my mom asked.

“Nothing see you when you get back.”

“Mia, wait! I’m going to spend some time in Nigeria with Abu to meet his family.”

“You moving to Nigeria with Ola Abu and his 9 kids?” I teased my mom and Dominique’s eyes got big.

“I’ll be home next month tell your brother to call me. He isn’t answer his phone.”

Because he doesn’t have his phone. “I will. Love you.”

“Love you mommy,” Dominique yelled as she took my phone. “Don’t get pregnant I wanna be the baby.”

My mom already hung up on her. “You’ll get over that,” I informed her.

“She never abandoned you and went across the world,” she pouted.

I sighed. “You love Abu and he is great for mom. Once you let go of all the salt on your shoulder you’ll see it again.”

She reluctantly laughed. “I don’t want to be happy I want to be mad. And the important thing is your getting a divorce and you’re going to live near us and you didn’t tell mom.”

I hugged my sister. “Time and place. And your mom can’t hold water.”

“True.”