Page 16 of Aquarius Awakening
“The end of our marriage feels like a death. I know it sounds dramatic, but my idea of the perfect life came crashing down. Listen to me complaining about a man who is alive and well, when you really did lose someone you loved. How do you deal with the loss of Jada’s mom?” I asked.
“Losing the love of my life was one of the hardest things I’ve ever experienced. The experience was worse because she died during childbirth. She left me with the child we made in love, but she isn’t around to raise her. It sounds awful, but I resented her at first. Thankfully, my mother was with me every step of the way. She prayed over me and reminded me that someone in this world needed me,” he answered through teary eyes.
I wiped my eyes because they started to water as he spoke. Jacob’s vulnerability was appreciated. I couldn’t imagine bringing life into the world and dying in the process.
“It doesn’t matter how hard things get. I have the best of her here on Earth. I know right now you can’t see the potential of this painful situation, but one day, you’ll understand,” he advised.
“Did you figure out why you had to lose the love of your life?” I asked.
“That part I’m still figuring out. I like to think that Jada was meant to live life this way. As she grows, I hope I learn the why, but it’s not as important to me anymore. Life moves on, so for all I know, her death was meant to make me evolve into a better human for Jada,” he expressed.
The sounds of nature filled the silence between us. Jacob had a solemn look on his face. He gave me a new perspective on my situation. I kept looking at my divorce as a failure. This divorce could be the thing that propels me to be the best version of myself. I got up from my side of the couch to sit next to Jacob and gave him a hug.
“Thank you for sharing that with me. I could never have imagined you would pop up in my life at such a challenging time. My Jakey has grown up, and now, he’s dropping life gems on me,” I teased.
“Your boy knows a little something, something about this thing called life. Stick with me. I’ll teach you a thing or two,” he joked.
We shared a much-needed laugh after the seriousness of our conversation. I may have lost Mason, but Jacob was the perfect person to take my mind off things. We stayed up until the wee hours of the morning talking about everything. I hated for him to leave, but I was exhausted. Before Jacob left, he made me promise to answer the phone the next time he called.
Back on the Grind
Bright and early Monday morning,I was back at the office. After every show, I fought the urge to check my work email. With the distraction of the divorce, I hadn’t even checked the fashion blogs for feedback on the show. My head was all over the place until Jacob came over. Yesterday, I spent the day relaxing in the pool at the gym in my building. Now, I felt refreshed and ready for whatever my day had to offer.
I sat down at my desk and opened my email. Just as I got comfortable, Milani walked into my office.
“Please tell me you have seen the blogs. Everyone loved the show, and the phone has been ringing off the hook all morning,” she excitedly shared.
“I haven’t seen anything,” I replied as I opened the internet to look at the blogs.
One by one, I scanned everyone who praised the resort line. I was so excited that I jumped up and down as Milani joined me.
“I can’t believe it.The Timesfashion editor called the line timeless. Whew, let me catch my breath.” I panted through labored breaths.
“The purchasing directors from a number of department stores have called. My email inbox is packed with stylists looking for pieces for their clients. You did it, girl! Love Faith is on its way to being a household name!” Milani exclaimed.
I allowed her words to sink in. After seven years of building this brand, I’d done it. The designs I was so afraid to sketch were all the blogs talked about, along with the bathing suits Louisa designed. I needed to share this moment with her. With my phone in hand, I sent her a text to come to my office. Milani’s phone kept ringing, so she left my office to handle the influx of calls. As Milani left, Louisa entered the office with a nervous look on her face.
“Come on in and close the door, please,” I instructed.
Louisa closed the door and then took a seat.
“I’m sure you’ve seen the blogs by now. I wanted to congratulate you on getting your pieces recognized during your first fashion show,” I complimented her.
“Thank you. I’ve never been called to your office before, so I thought I was getting fired,” she confessed.
“It’s partly my fault that you’re so nervous around me. After working closely with you on this project, I see I made a mistake by not being more invested in the design process. Leon’s leaving gave me the opportunity to see your work for myself, and I wouldlike to mentor you. This show was only the beginning for you,” I offered.
Louisa gasped at the offer. “Yes, I would love that. Can we start today? I have some ideas for our fall line,” she informed me.
I let out a light chuckle at her enthusiasm. “Yes, we can. Also, I want you to relax around me. You actually remind me a lot of myself when I first started out. It would be my pleasure to show you the ropes. Let me see what Milani has on my calendar for the day. I’ll have her coordinate some time for us later today,” I responded.
“Sounds good. Thank you again. I can’t wait to hear your feedback on my designs.” Louisa expressed her excitement. The newfound excitement replaced that nervous energy she initially walked in with.
Once Louisa left, I went back to my emails. Milani had placed a number of appointments on my calendar. As I scrolled, one email stood out from the rest. It was from Mason, so I double-clicked on it to open it. It was a link to one of the fashion articles about the show. Underneath the link, he wrote a message that irritated my spirit.
Glad to see our business is doing well. I can’t wait to take my place as the co-owner.
He was really starting to piss me off. I hadn’t heard from Mason since he called me a whore, yet now he was going to taunt me with empty threats. I was two seconds away from breaking character and giving him the reaction he wanted. Before I left Ms. Lisa’s office, she told me to limit all contact with him. As bad as I wanted to reply back and tell him to kiss my ass, I kept my composure. Instead, I moved the message into another folder. Mason had taken up too much of my thoughts, and I wouldn’t allow him to consume me.
