Drunk In Love: An Original Love Story Read online

  “Baby, please don’t do this.” Olivia begged. Zay handed her the gift back that she’d gotten him and turned to walk in the bathroom. He couldn’t look in her beautiful face any more. Her tears were much too hard to witness. “Babe,” she called out. By the time she’d made it to the bathroom door, he’d lock it behind him. She knocked lightly on it once then realized that he wasn’t playing. She hesitantly grabbed her things while placing the gift on his bed and before she left she spoke to him from the other side of the bathroom door…

  “For the record, I do love you.”

  Chapter Ten

  Olivia canceled her meeting with the realtor and headed straight back home. The two hour ride down I-20 was sickening. She didn’t know what made Zay feel that way, but whatever it was had her fucked up, too. She wanted to call Felisha for some friendly advice, but Felisha was already out with Mark doing her a favor. Getting home and soaking in a Jacuzzi full of hot water and a full bottle of red wine close by was exactly what she felt like she needed.

  She wanted to drown her sorrows and linger in the pain of Zay leaving her. It was a part of her that felt like the pain still being there meant that he was still close by. She didn’t want to lose him and it hurt like hell that he’d just called it quits, straight like that.

  She looked down at her phone, noticing that it was her mom calling. She and her mom had one of those love, hate relationships. She almost hated to answer.

  “Hi mom,” she answered. “Or is this Dr. Jackson, today?”

  “Stop with the Dr. Jackson jokes,” she said, knowing that was Olivia’s way of teasing her. “And, hi to you too, O’; what are you doing?” She calmly asked as if she was the sweetest, most loving woman in the world.

  “I’m heading from Atlanta.” She stated.

  “What was your reason for going there? What have you been up, too? Why haven’t I been hearing from you as much, lately?”

  “I went to Atlanta to talk with our realtor about the building space for our new salon. I’ve been up to the same ol’ same ol’, just a different day. Aaaaaand,” she dragged. “You would hear from me more if you called to speak to me as my mom and not as my Financial Advisor or shall I say my Psychiatrist.”

  “I only try to look out for your best interest.”

  “So you always say.” Olivia mumbled.

  “Well, I’d heard from your sister that you and Mark were planning on opening a salon in Atlanta.”Olivia turned up her lip. “Funny, I told her not to mention that.” She said with sarcasm, feeling like her sister would throw her under the bus quick, just so their mom would stay out of her business.

  “Well, you should’ve told me,” she said.

  “Why, so you could’ve told me what a bad idea that would be?” Olivia asked, because her mom always wanted to be in on everything she and her sister had going on, whether it was dealing with business, their social life, or their men; she didn’t discriminate.

  Mrs. Jackson kept going as if to ignore her daughter. “Well, if you ask me--”

  “I didn’t,” Olivia cut in. I never do, she silently thought with an irritated shake of the head.

  “Well, if you ask me,” Mrs. Jackson carried on. “I do think that it’s a bad idea. About as bad of an idea as it was for you and Mark to invest in helping Felisha start her own business,” she said.

  “Mom, don’t start this. I’m really not in the mood.”

  “You should listen to me sometimes.”

  “All my life, that’s all I’ve heard from you. You’re so controlling. You want us to be like you so bad.”

  “What’s wrong with wanting your daughters to be successful Doctors? Your father and I have made a great living off of it and so have you and your sister. You didn’t have to be a Psychiatrist, like us. You could’ve been anything like a professor or an attorney--”

  “Mom please,” Olivia said taking in a deep breath. She didn’t see anything wrong with making a wise investment in an upscale hair salon, one that was making her and her husband some really good money.

  “Come on, O’.” Mrs. Jackson sincerely said. “Give me some slack here. Look, I know what I know and it has always been about business and family for me. I’ve been with your father for thirty-six years. I love him. He’s not perfect, but he’s perfect for me. I’ve always wanted that for you and your sister. I planned everything I am today from the moment that I was ten years old and it all happened just as I planned it, including you and your sister.” She said, just wanting to get through to her daughter. “Your salon is doing well, I admit. I just think you need to keep it for a few more years before you expand to another city. You’ve already made a not so smart move with Felisha. See how that works out first, before adding too much on your plate too soon.”

  “I hear you, Dr. Jackson.” Olivia nonchalantly responded.

  “Look at your sister. She started out going to school to become a teacher, got a degree in that, but never pursued it. Now, she lives in Marietta and has opened an Urban Clothing store… or boutique, so she calls it.”

  “And she’s had it over a year and it’s doing good. It’s in a popular location and I can see her business expanding.”

  “Tell me that in the next three to five years.”

  “See, mom. I have to go.” Olivia said. She couldn’t deal with the break-up of Zay, plus listen to her mom’s shenanigans of not being totally proud of who her daughter’s had become.

  “Olivia,” Mrs. Jackson called out. “Come to dinner next Sunday. I’m talking your sister into coming home next weekend for her birthday. Oh and don’t be a stranger. You can call me.”

  “Okay mom,” Olivia said and before Mrs. Jackson could say something else, she hung up.

  The closer she got to her house, the sicker she started to feel. She didn’t know if she was having symptoms of a broken heart, but it was a familiar feeling she’d experienced in her past. Picking back up her phone, she dialed her husband’s number.

  “Hey baby,” he answered after a couple of rings.

  “Hey babe,” she spoke back.

  “Is everything okay? Have you made it to the A, yet?”

  “No, I’m actually closer to home now, than I am to Atlanta.” She responded.

  “What happened?” He asked.“I canceled with our realtor. I just wasn’t feeling well. I started getting anxiety just out the blue and it was kind of bad, and then mom called.”

  “My gosh,” Mark dragged, already knowing how Mrs. Jackson could be. “She found out that you were opening a salon in Atlanta, didn’t she?”

  “Yep, and you know who told her.”

  “I told you not to tell Zoe, but you did, anyway.”

  “Yeah well, she’s my sister and I tell her everything.”

  “You gon’ learn.” Mark chimed in.

  Olivia ignored him. “Well, mom certainly had something to say about it. She thinks I should wait a few more years before I open another salon in another city. Plus, she is still tripping about the investment we made in Felisha’s nail shop.” She added.

  “Don’t let your mom get to you. If you want to wait on opening a shop in Atlanta then we’ll wait. If you want to do it now, then we’ll do it now. Just know that I’m with you, whatever you decide.”

  “I know, baby.” Olivia said, feeling grateful for having a husband like Mark during times like this.

  “Do you need me to come home? I know how you get with that anxiety.”

  “No, I’m good. I’m just gonna go home and soak in the Jacuzzi with a bottle of wine.”

  “Yeah, go take a breather,” Mark said. “You’ve had a rough week with the back and forth traveling and the shop has been crazy busy because of The Master’s week. You just need a break and you’ll figure it out. You always do. Take a pill or something if you have too.”

  “Okay, baby. Have fun and tell Felisha that I’m on my way back, but I’ll call her later. I’m just gonna take a much needed nap after I soak.”

  “I think that’s what you need and I
’ll tell her,” Mark said. “Call me if you need me.” And with that, they ended their call.

  ****

  A little less than an hour later, Olivia was walking through her front door. She was miserable already, knowing that Zay had dumped her like a bad habit. She went straight into the wine cooler and grabbed a fresh bottle of red wine. Then she headed down the hallway and straight into the master bathroom. She turned on the water inside the Jacuzzi and squirted some Lavender Chamomile bubble bath in it to soothe her aching heart and wash her stress away. She opened the medicine cabinet and took a Klonopin.

  Twenty minutes later, she was soaking in the warmest, most relaxing water she’d ever felt. Each time she’d soak like this only felt better and better, but she sat in it and cried. She was feeling hurt over not knowing how to feel about her feelings for Zay. She just didn’t see it coming. A part of her wanted to embrace the break-up and just make things right with Mark, but another part of her didn’t want Mark anymore.

  Her mother crossed her mind and this only made things worse. Sometimes, she could say the damndest things that made sense, but then sometimes she didn’t. Her mom had made just living a normal life, difficult. Mrs. Jackson didn’t raise any slackers and she was very hard on them in being successful and in settling down early on and establishing a strong foundation with their husbands; if they ever married.

  She thought back when her mom didn’t like Mark. She didn’t think he was right for her. To her, he was too good to be true. But over time, he’d proven his loyalty and had even gotten Mrs. Jackson on his side fully. She loved him and treated him like her own son and because of that he didn’t get any more slack than she gave her girls.

  Olivia sighed, because Mark was too good to be true. His sex game was wack and it put a serious strain on her marriage. So serious, that she’d fallen drunk in love with another. After revealing to her sister once that Mark’s sex game was about as awful as it came, she’d said to her back then…

  O’, you’ve been faithful to this man for a long time. Deal with it if you want your marriage to work. Don’t go looking to get fucked senseless, because if that happens… Your marriage will be over.

  “Damn, I should’ve listened to Zoe.” She said out loud, drowning her sorrows with the bottle of wine in her hand as she turned it up. She cried, because she hadn’t been in love with Mark for years. She didn’t believe that she ever loved him. She just loved the good-hearted man that he was. It had nothing to do with seeing him and feeling her heart flutter each time, it was just his good nature, nice sense of humor, and hot body. He didn’t even kiss her like it was real.

  An hour and half had passed with Olivia still in the tub, soaking away her problems. Her phone rang, disturbing her thoughts and she looked over on the counter next to the Jacuzzi. She could see that it was Felisha. She dried her hands on the towel sitting nearby then answered the phone.

  “Hey,” she spoke like she was sad.

  “You okay?” Felicia asked with concern in her voice.

  “I’m good.” Olivia responded, but she knew that Felisha had known better. She almost knew her better than her own sister. They’d been best of friends since pre-school, and living down the road from each other in the same prestigious neighborhood. However, when they got older, Felisha moved in a different area, a different district and this separated the girls. However, they always remained best of friends.

  “You don’t sound good,” Felisha probed.

  “Where’s Mark?” Olivia quickly asked.

  “He walked inside the store to pay for the gas.”

  Olivia took in a saddening deep breath. “He broke up with me.” She informed her.

  “Aww,” Felisha said. “What happened?”

  “I don’t know. Things were going good and then he started questioning me about my marriage.”

  “Your marriage,” Felisha said. “Why was he questioning you about your marriage?”

  “I don’t know. He just started asking questions and I wasn’t saying what he wanted to hear. He just feels that I’ll never leave Mark.”

  “Well,” Felisha cut in with a raised eyebrow. “Will you?”

  “Nope,” she said then feeling unsure. “I don’t know,” she stated.

  “You’re talking that foolish shit now,” Felisha said.

  “It doesn’t matter what I do. All I know is that right now, I’m not happy in my marriage.”

  “Oh, yeah well. I’m glad you took something for that headache and since you’ve taken a calmer you can get some rest now.” Felisha said as Mark got back inside the car. “Your hubby said he’s about to call you.”

  Olivia had caught on immediately once the conversation changed. “Okay, and tell Mark to fix your back porch light before he leaves. I don’t like you and my nephew walking in through the back with the light off like that at night.”

  “Yes ma’am.” Felisha said. “I’ll call you later.” And then they ended their call.

  ****

  A few hours had passed, and Olivia was sitting on her plush, king size, rice bed watching Scandal that she’d set up a series recording, on her DVR. This was one of her favorite TV shows. It sort of reminded her of her life except she was the wife cheating on her husband instead of it being the other way around.

  She was sad and still feeling hurt from Zay pushing her away. She couldn’t believe that he’d been so cold towards her after things had been so good for three months without the craziness. She grabbed her iPhone off of the nightstand to check her Twitter account. She wanted to see if he’d logged in and said something. She scrolled through the newsfeed, but then decided to just go to his page. She frowned while reading the most current tweet that he’d posted about two hours prior.

  Hanging out with my Bro, Dillon. We bout to see what’s poppn’ tonight.

  “Oh, so he’s chilling with his brother tonight,” she said, trying not to think that he was out looking for some new pussy in hopes of getting over hers. “Who the hell am I fooling?” Zay hadn’t attempted to text her or nothing. She was definitely sick, thinking about the women that were probably hanging in his face, wanting a piece of his sexy ass.

  She sat there missing him. So, she signed into her Instagram account just to go through his sexy pictures. As she clicked from one picture to the other, her eyes suddenly widened as she clicked on a photo that had just posted to his page within seconds of her being nosey. The photo showed a pretty, video vixen looking chick, sitting in his lap at the club. To top it off, she had her painted on red lips stuck to the side of his face like he was her man. She was disgusted at what he’d had the nerve to say concerning the picture as it read …

  I’ve missed this.

  “Is he fucking serious right now?” She asked, feeling the need to talk to somebody. She immediately called Felisha’s phone, but didn’t get an answer. Knowing Felisha, she probably had company over. She always had a different man. Olivia sometimes thought that she just didn’t want to settle down. Maybe it was the company of different men that kept her attention off of her one true love; her no good baby daddy that was never ever around.

  She quickly glanced back at his Instagram page just to get another look at the disturbing photo. It had her stomach turning in knots.

  “Is this nigga testing me?” She wondered and then went to her Twitter account and started typing on the key pad of her cell phone.

  Hubby is out with the guys. I can’t wait until he gets home so I can rest my weary head on his loving chest.

  “Let’s see how that makes him feel since he’s so worried about how good my husband is to me.” She said, and then pressed enter as she smiled once her message showed up on her twitter newsfeed.

  She lay back, not wanting to be petty, but Zay was bringing out different emotions. Emotions, she didn’t realize that she had. In the past eight years of being with Mark, he’d never disrespected her. He better not had thought about ever doing her like that.

  She pulled the covers up around her neck and logged o
ff of Twitter and Instagram accounts. Zay already had gotten one reaction out of her and if he posted one more picture, he was sure to get another one. Logging off was her best bet at the moment. She didn’t know how she would shake him, but one thing’s for sure; it wasn’t going to be easy to do.

  Chapter Eleven

  Zay sat at his computer desk inside of his office going over some numbers. He was already scouting players for the upcoming draft season. He looked up as he heard a tap on the door.

  “What’s up, Bro?” Dillon spoke.

  “What’s up, Bro?” Zay spoke back. “I know I gave you a key for emergency purposes, but I don’t see nothing major going on ‘round here,” he said, looking around the room, with a wandering eye like he was looking for something.

  Dillon laughed, stepping inside the office and immediately sitting down on the beige leather love seat. “I see you’re stuck in your work as usual.”

  “That’s the only way to get it.” Zay said with a smile on his face. You already know how it is, Mr. Up and Coming concert promoter.”

  “I know right,” Dillon said with a cool smile.

  “So, what brings you by little brother?”

  “I was just in the area, meeting one of the girls we clubbed with Saturday night.”Zay looked over at his handsome lil brother and approvingly nodded his head. “That’s what’s up.” He coolly said.

  “Yeah, she ain’t nobody I can see myself chilling with, though.” He commented, shaking his head.

  “She lives in this building?” Zay asked, figuring that the chick must’ve had some money to be living where he lived. And, if his brother didn’t want a female with her own then something had to be wrong with her.

  “Yeah, but she ain’t look nothing like she did in the club that night,” he said like his stomach started hurting just thinking about it. “See, she told me that she didn’t have a man and that I could stop by and surprise her. I know I was drinking heavily that night, but damn I think I would’ve remembered if the girl was missing a tooth.”