“Luego, Mami.”
She waited until her mother left the room, closing the door behind her before Nydia adjusted the pillows cradling her shoulders. Staring up at the design on the plastered ceiling, she thought about the last time she and Lamar made love with each other. It was different from their prior encounters because neither wanted to yield, to give in to the pleasurable sensations taking them beyond themselves. Both held back until the last possible moment, and then climaxed simultaneously in a shattering ecstasy where she’d struggled to breathe. It was only after her respiration returned to a normal rate that Nydia realized they were each bidding the other goodbye until they met again.
Reaching out, she turned off the lamp and closed her eyes. Within minutes she welcomed sleep, which had been more of a stranger than friend since she boarded the jet in Kenner for her flight to New York City.
Chapter 21
Nydia parked in the airport lot and walked to the terminal to wait for Lamar’s flight to arrive. Because he was flying in on Christmas Eve, she’d recommended that he fly into Charlotte, North Carolina, and then take a connecting flight to the Westchester County Airport. The airport was only seven miles from White Plains and her brother’s home.
She’d managed to keep busy since her return to New York. She assisted her mother in the salon and filled in for the receptionist and shampooer when they took their breaks.
Milagros called to ask her whether she wanted to join her bowling, but she had turned her down because she’d left her ball and shoes in New Orleans. She enjoyed bowling with the retirees, and she didn’t mind the hostile stares when the victorious Innkeepers posed for photographs holding their first-place trophy. Nydia ignored the snide remarks whenever someone called her a ringer. She wanted to tell them she wasn’t a ringer but someone for whom bowling had been a serious hobby.
She had set up a loop with Jasmine, Hannah, and Tonya for them to send and reply to texts. Hannah claimed she was through stressing over when the inn would open for business, and St. John had surprised her with plans to take her to an all-inclusive resort in the Caribbean for two weeks during his college’s winter break.
Nydia’s cell phone rang. She took it out of her pocket, a slight frown creasing her forehead when she saw Cameron’s name on the display. Her heartbeat quickened and she prayed something hadn’t happened to Jasmine. She still had another month before her baby was due.
“Is something wrong with Jasmine?”
“Yes and no.”
“What do you mean yes and no, Cameron!” Nydia noticed people staring at her when she realized she was yelling, and she moved away from those waiting in baggage claim.
“Jasmine’s in the hospital.”
“What!”
“The baby’s okay, but Jasmine dropped a box on her foot and broke a bone. Right now she’s in a soft cast. She’s going to be laid up for four to six weeks.”
“What was she doing lifting boxes?”
“Please don’t get me started, Nydia. I’ve talked to her until I’m blue in the face about doing too much in her condition. She’s been complaining of backaches, and now the doctor tells me she’s spotting. That’s why the doctor wanted to keep her for a few days to make certain she’ll be okay. And . . .”
“And what, Cameron?”
“I did something to her that I swore I’d never do.”
Nydia went completely still, her hand tightening around the phone until it left an imprint on her palm. “What the hell did you do to her?”
“I yelled at her. I grew up with my father yelling at my mother, and I swore I’d never do it to my wife. Now she refuses to talk to me.”
Nydia blew out a sigh of relief. Her first thought was he had hit her. “Give her a few days to get over it. I’ll send her a text tomorrow asking how she’s doing.”
“I’d appreciate it if you would. I hate to dump on you, but I know she listens to you.”
She wanted to tell her friend’s husband that Tonya had said the same thing about her and Hannah. However, it was Lamar who reassured Hannah that his company would oversee the installation of the elevator once the fire marshal completed and submitted his report to the city.
“Don’t worry about dumping, Cameron. Jasmine, Tonya, Hannah, and I are joined at the hip when it comes to friendship. If her foot is in a cast there’s not much she can do. I’ll be back in New Orleans the first week in January, so if she needs anything I’ll take care of it.”
“Thank you, Nydia.”
“No problem, Cameron. Have a very merry Christmas and happy New Year.”
“Same to you and your family.”
As soon as she ended the call a text came up on her cell. A smile lit up her eyes. Lamar’s flight had landed, and he would meet her at baggage claim.
It was another twenty minutes before she spied him and Kendra wearing winter jackets. Winter had come to the north-east with freezing temperatures and lightly falling snow, most of which disappeared before city officials had to authorize the use of snowplows. Meteorologists were predicting a white Christmas, much to the delight of her nieces and nephews, who were planning to sled down the hill fronting the house.
