It’s my birthday tomorrow, then the party a few days after.
I’ve been working out of the Knight Enterprises offices for a few days, deliberately keeping away from the Stella offices.Keeping away from Maya.
I’m not sulking.We’ve not split up.I’m just choosing to put some space between us.Also, having focused purely on Stella for the past few weeks, I’ve let the ball fall on all my other business ventures, so I’m trying to catch up with those.
Dad’s in South Africa and he’s going to miss my party.Not that it matters anymore, because the one person I wanted to be there, who I needed to be there, won’t be.
Before he left, I passed by his penthouse, to check in on him.I needed to know that he was completely well to take this trip.He says it was for some a multi-million-dollar mining deal.He looked tired, dark circles staining the skin under his eyes.I had a premonition that this was a bad idea, that maybe one of us should accompany him.Given that the only one who’d volunteer to do such a thing would be me, I put the idea to him, but he wouldn’t have it.He said it was my birthday and surely I had better things to do than to go with him on a business trip.
Secretly, I’d rather have done that than be at my own birthday party.It’s taking place this weekend.Saturday night.A yacht in the Hudson, anchored off Manhattan.I can see it now.All glass decks and champagne bars and the skyline blazing behind it like a light show.
I hate that Maya won’t be there.Dex and Rio continue to regale me with the party plans, but it’s lost its luster.I no longer care about it much.I agree to still go ahead with it because it’s what Mom would have wanted, and I find myself going through the motions, going along with it, but in the back of my mind, I’m having a hard time understanding Maya’s reasons for not wanting to come.
My cell phone rings, and I don’t rush to answer it, but get back to reading a financial report.When it doesn’t stop ringing, I snatch it, and see that it’s Maya.
Should I answer it?
We’ve not spoken for a few days, ever since I went to her apartment asking her to come to my party.I set the phone back down and ignore it.My pride prevents me, stupidly perhaps, but when it stops ringing, I breathe a sigh of relief.
Until it starts ringing again.
It could be important, so I answer it.“Maya.”
“Hey.”Her voice is soft, and warm.I missed it.I missed her.“You seem busy, but do you have a few minutes?”She sounds guarded, like she’s weighing up her words carefully.
“I was in the middle of something.”
“Oh.”She coughs lightly, like she doesn’t know whether to continue or not.“I haven’t heard from you in a while.”
She noticed, huh?
“I’ve been busy,” I reply, with a touch of gravity.Like I’ve been busy doing big billionaire deals, and she was too insignificant for me to even think about.I’m behaving like a douchebag, and she deserves better.
“I-uh, I didn’t want to leave things the way I did, about your birthday, and you inviting me, and me turning you down.I’m sorry.”
“It feels like you’re pushing me away.”
“I’m not,” she says quickly.Too quickly.“It’s not about you.I swear.”
I wait for her to elaborate, but she doesn’t.Not fully.She gives me half answers and we go back and forth like that for a few minutes.I can feel her holding something back, something heavy, but she sidesteps every question I have.
“Can we talk in person?”she asks, finally.
I shoot forward in my chair.“You want to meet?”This is new.She sounds serious.“Where?”
“At the diner maybe?”
What’s wrong with meeting at the apartment?But I understand.It’s too personal.Too intimate.Too tempting.
“Only if you’re free,” she adds.
I stare out of my window at the bejeweled city lights twinkling in the night sky and I’m curious to know what prompted this from her.“You having second thoughts?”I ask, feeling hopeful that she might come to the party after all.
“Not exactly.”She takes a loud breath.“But I have an idea.”
That’s something.“I’ll meet you there.”
A short while later I’m outside the diner.I see her through the window, sitting alone at a small table, waiting for me.The fact that she called me, that she wants to meet, sends a quiet jolt through me.This is important.I just hope it isn’t bad news.
