Be Bad For Me(57)

When she was done showering, she ravished her overnight bag for clothes  and was dressed and had her hairstyled in a matter of minutes. She ran  down the stairs in search of Jordan. She was disappointed to see Troy  lying on the couch watching cartoons and Jordan nowhere in sight.         

     



 

"Where's Jordan?"

"Well, hello to you, too." Troy took one look at her and turned his attention back to the television.

"Good morning, Troy. Where's Jordan?"

"He left about thirty minutes ago. He had to go pick up a package or  something. He said he would be back in fifteen minutes, but again, that  was thirty minutes ago."

Annette frowned and walked over to the kitchen. She grabbed an apple out  of the fruit bowl and bit into it. She held out her finger and admired  the rock on her finger, again. When Troy walked past her, she  immediately moved her hand behind her back.

"What's for breakfast? I'm hungry. Remember how you made those omelets,  with the peppers and onions and a little cheese? Can you make me an  omelet?" Troy was looking at her eagerly over his glass of water.

Annette couldn't help but laugh. "You're pitiful. I'm not your live-in chef, you know."

"Come on. I gotta work at the shop today and I'm leaving in an hour. Please, please, please."

"Okay. But you owe me lunch or dinner," Annette said, opening the fridge and grabbing the ingredients.

"Thank you, sis," Troy said. He refilled his glass with more tap water,  while she continued to grab the things needed for the omelets. She began  cracking eggs over a bowl, carefully separating the eggs from the  shell.

"Whoa! What's that?" Troy eyes were just as wide as hers had been  earlier this morning, when she looked up. He was pointing to the ring on  her finger.

Annette smiled. She didn't say anything.

"You have got to be kidding me?" Troy said, half laughing. "Let me see."  Troy held up her hand to the light and expected the diamond ring the  same way she had in the bedroom, his mouth wide open, his eyes in a  daze. "Did Jordan propose to you? Why didn't you guys say anything?"

"I-I don't know. Yes. I mean-no. Look, I don't know. I woke up and the  ring was on my finger." Annette began beating up the eggs.

"When did he propose? What do you mean you don't know?"

"I said I don't know. He asked me last night, but I didn't know he was  serious until this morning when I saw the ring." Annette began chopping  and mixing the rest of the ingredients with the eggs.

Troy chuckled. "Oh, my God. You know what that guy told me years ago  about marriage. He told me that the day he proposed to any woman would  be the day hell froze over and the devil started giving out free  chocolate ice cream cones. No one informed me the devil had been giving  out ice cream cones."

"Look, I haven't seen him since last night and I don't know what his  intent is. So, don't go looking for the devil just yet for ice cream  cones."

"Are you for real? Do you not see that big ass rock on your finger,  girl? The intent is clear," Troy said. He seemed as surprised as she  was. "Booooyyy, wait ‘til I tell TJ about this."

"You're not telling anyone until I talk to Jordan," Annette said, holding up the spatula at him.

Troy walked out of the kitchen, mumbling to himself. Fifteen minutes  later she and Troy were eating omelets and turkey bacon and laughing at  Tom & Jerry on the television, when the front door opened and Jordan  walked in. Annette immediately smiled. She avoided his eyes, a little  embarrassed that something about them was now different. He smiled back.

"Hi, baby," Annette said, as he walked over to the couch.

"Good morning, beautiful." He leaned down to kiss her softly on the lips before plopping down on the couch beside her.

"Well, hello … remember your brother … Troy," Troy said, sarcastically, waving.

"Hey, Troy." Jordan tossed the manila folder he was holding on the coffee table. "Where's my omelet?"

"In the microwave. You know I didn't forget about you, baby," Annette  said, grabbing both empty plates from the coffee table. "I'll go get  it." Before Jordan could protest, she jumped up and headed to the  kitchen. While there, she took a few quick breaths. Jordan hadn't said  anything about the ring and they were all acting so nonchalant as if  nothing had changed.

During the minute in which the omelet and turkey bacon were reheating, Annette tried to collect herself.

With plate in one hand and glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice in the  other, she walked back into the living room. Whatever Troy and Jordan  were talking quietly about, they made it a point to stop when she  reappeared. She already knew what they were talking about.

"Here you go." She placed the breakfast in front of him.         

     



 

"Thanks," Jordan said, cutting up the omelet into sizable pieces that  would fit into his mouth. "I went downtown this morning to go pick up  something from my lawyer."

It wasn't immediately apparent whether he was talking to her or Troy, so she replied herself. "About the motorcycle shop?"

Jordan stuffed his mouth with two forkfuls of eggs, shaking his head, before saying, "No."

"Then what for?" Troy asked.

"He called me at six this morning telling me that I should get over  there right now. That what he had to tell me couldn't wait another  second. He wouldn't tell me over the phone. Sorry, Annette, that I left  out like that, but I had to find out why the hell my attorney was  calling me at six in the morning."

"Yeah, and?" Troy was insistent.

Jordan pointed to the manila folder on the coffee table. "See for yourself."

Troy snatched up the folder and opened it up. "The results of the  paternity test." Annette watched as Troy's eyes darted across the page  eagerly. "What?" Troy flipped through some other pages, quickly, and  then returned to the page on the top. "Oh, my God."

"What is it?" This time Annette was demanding something.

"He's not the father. The paternity test concluded that he is not the father of Tabitha's baby, David Martin Richards."

Annette's mouth gaped open in surprise and she couldn't help but smile, widely. "What does this mean?"

"That he is not the father," Troy repeated, as if that was the most obvious answer.

"David is not my son, Annette." Jordan was smiling, too.

"I want to say that's wonderful, but who is the father? Didn't she tell you that she was with you and one other man?"

"She lied. As always. I think she knew. Well, I think she had doubts but  she didn't want to tell anyone," Jordan said, downing his glass of  orange juice in one gulp.

Suddenly, Troy jumped up and clapped his hands together. "That is some  great news, man. This shit needs to be celebrated." Troy turned towards  her and Jordan. "A party to celebrate my brother's freedom again. And  then a party to celebrate your engagement. This is just great news."  Troy didn't walk off, he danced off. "It's going to be a good day at  work today."

When Troy was gone up the stairs, Annette had no choice but to turn her  attention to Jordan. He was looking at the rock on her finger. The one  he put there.

"When did you give me this?"

"You were sleeping," Jordan said, as if that answered her question.

"Apparently, I was sleeping." Annette smiled. "But, when and why?"

"Last night when you fell asleep. What? Did you think I was kidding when I asked you to be my wife?"

"But, that was … we were … ," Annette started. They were making love when he asked her.

"Did you mean yes when you said it?"

"Yes, I did." She met Jordan's eyes.

"I meant it too." Jordan took her hand, the one with the ring on it.

"Do you mind me asking when did you get this?"

"I bought the ring a few days after we returned from Biker's Week. What?  You don't like it? We can get another if you don't like it."

"I love it. It's beautiful. I can't believe you had this ring that long and didn't say anything."

"You're right. I should have said something the day I bought it. I never planned to wait this long to ask you."

At that moment, Troy came back down the stairs, with his keys and  motorcycle helmet, talking it up on the cell phone. "Yeah, man … can you  believe it … yeah, I'm trying to figure out what street corner I can find  the devil with the free chocolate ice cream cones, dawg … uh-huh … " Troy  took one last look at them, shook his head, and closed the door behind  him.

"What do we do now?" Annette said.

Jordan cleared his throat nervously. "I've never done this before, but … I think we should set a date and tell everyone."

Annette smiled. "I've never done this before either, but I think you're right."

He leaned in to kiss her. "Thanks for not laughing at me."