Page 8 of Nothing Even Matters
Family Affair
There was no place like home.
No matter how many trips she’s made to L.A. No matter how many celebrities she took selfies with. No matter what was on and poppin’ in L.A., Harlem was home.
Harlem was Rucker Park, the Apollo, and Ginny’s Supper Club. It was the Demolition Club, home of the $1 pizza slice by 2 Bros Pizza, and Sylvia’s.
Green grass and light blue skies were the corner point of spring while snowy driveways, makeshift snow families, and defrosting her Escalade made up the winter months. The summers were filled with short shorts, tank tops, and all the ice cream a sista could eat without busting out of said outfit.
Faith could trace her entire childhood, teenage years, and adulthood to many different places and events. Her first kiss was in a carriage ride with Eli. The first time she had pepperoni pizza was delivered by Eli. The first time she ever had sex was…with Eli.
As much as she didn’t want to admit it, Harlem…was Eli.
As she bundled herself up more in the freezing single-digit temperature, Faith thought about her week ahead. She needed to pack up everything, close down the shop, and get ready to start over in Los Angeles. If she wanted snow, she would have to drive to it. The coldest temperature in L.A. was around 30 degrees and Faith thought that was pretty warm in comparison.
The only thing she didn’t care for was the traffic. It seemed just to get to one place, she had to plan to be in the car for at least an hour. In Harlem, she would’ve made about eight stops in the same timeframe.
It didn’t really matter, any more. In a few days, Faith was going to be on a plane with her children and starting all over in Los Angeles.
It was Christmas Eve and she hated she was spending it away from Jeremy, but he had a televised game the next day so she would see him there. He offered to ask some of his friends to help her pack and move, and possibly deal with any pass interference from Eli, but Faith declined. If things really got bad between them, she would get their lawyers involved.
She silently snickered to herself.Eli wasn’t the type to become violent unless he was pushed.
Dramatics aside, it was time to get serious. She had only a few days and she needed to make the best of them. They were going to be in L.A. by the New Year and she had no time to waste. It was time to finally move on.
It was time to finally say goodbye to Eli.
~~~~~
“There’s my princess!” The Reverend David Sheppard greeted his only daughter with a big, bear hug. He was a muscular and tall Black man, standing over six feet tall with a bald head and goatee. “How was L.A.?”
“It was nice but it’s nice coming home!” Faith hugged her father tight. She let go of him and saw he was alone. “Where’s Mom and the kids? I thought they would meet me here?”
“Your mother is doing last-minute preparations for tomorrow and I’m on my way to pick up the kids from Eli. I figured I’ll pick you up first before I head over there.” David grabbed his daughter’s luggage and walked out to their car. “And I wanted to talk to you alone for a while.”
“Oh?” Faith got into the Mercedes and buckled up while her father followed shortly behind. “What’s going on, Daddy?”
“I don’t know, you tell me.” David started up the car. “Moving to L.A.? This seems like a sudden decision, Faith Marie.”
“It wasn’t,” she shook her head. Actually, it was. The decision was made no less than a week prior. “I just thought about how we’re about to become a blended family and I needed to be out there with my fiancée.”
David didn’t like the change in attitude from Faith since she got involved with Jeremy. She seemed more cattier, pettier, and had an inexplicable attitude that came out of nowhere. She also became quite skinny due to waist trainers and fitness teas, which added to her newfound attitude.
He particularly didn’t like Jeremy. While it was clear the young superstar was on his p’s and q’s when he was around the Sheppards, there was something rather off-putting about him. David knew what it was – he was faking the funk. Was Jeremy really going to piss off the famed Reverend Sheppard?
He also didn’t like the change he had within Faith. Faith loved the finer things in life but she was never this materialistic. She’d never bragged about her income or wealth before; now she was posting ‘hauls’ of her many shopping excursions. She stopped donating to the church.
David missed the obedient, churchgoing woman who may have been a bit childish at times, but always respected others. David didn’t want to admit it, but it seemed when Eli cut off Faith, he destroyed something within her. “You’re packing up the kids and leaving in the middle of the school year,” David replied. “That’s a lot for any child, let alone three.”
“They’ll adjust fine,” Faith replied. “They’re excited about L.A. They can’t wait to go to Disneyland and what have you.”
A small silence passed between them before he began speaking again. “Your mother went and saw Eli this past week while you were gone. He’s going to fight the move.”
Faith stiffened as a quiet anger boiled underneath her skin. Of course, he would. Why wouldn’t Eli add more to being asshole of the year? “No surprise there.”
“Well, when I get the kids, that gives the two of you some time to talk and discuss amongst yourselves what is right for everyone involved.” He nodded. “If it gets really bad, just call us and we’ll come pick you up.”
David hated what Eli did to his daughter but he was willing to overlook it because how great a father Eli was to his children. In private conversations with the Sheppards, Eli never spoke bad about Faith nor did he bristle when he heard her name. Any sane man would’ve cursed a thousand times and threaten not to speak of her name ever again. Eli never did.
