Page 32 of Happy Is On Hiatus
“I guess.” She shrugged. “Anyway, what I called you over here for was to tell you what else I’ve decided to do.”
Jemel sat up straighter, tucking the pillow under her arm this time. “We rollin’ up on this chick that slept with your man? ’Cause that was mad disrespectful, and she needs to know that.”
“Nate’s the one who’s married. It was his responsibility to be loyal to her,” Sharae said.
“Still, that heffa knew he was married. I just can’t get with women who’re okay with sleeping with men who’re already in a committed relationship.” Jemel was shaking her head. “Even if he tells you they’re ‘having problems’ or ‘separated,’ whatever, until he’sdee-vorced and canshow me them signed court papers, he can skip his happy little dick on off to somebody else.”
It could never be said that Jemel minced words about how she felt on any given subject. Rita admired and respected her cousin for that trait.
“Well, at least she’s letting him go on and be with whoever he wants to now,” Sharae said after nodding at Jemel. She looked back to Rita and continued, “Now it’s time for you to start over, and we’re here for whatever you need us to do to help.”
New day, new me.That was what Rita had whispered to herself when she’d gotten out of bed this morning. “That’s exactly what I wanted to tell you. I couldn’t talk in church, so I figured we could just chat here.”
“You should’ve also figured we’d eat dinner here too,” Jemel chimed in with a huge grin.
Shaking her head, Rita could only smile. “You already know I cooked.”
“I sure do. I can smell that roast baking in the oven,” Jemel said. “But I was tryin’ to be polite and wait for that invitation too.”
“Since when have you ever been polite?” Sharae asked.
They all laughed.
“I’m going to start a catering business,” Rita said a few moments later, cutting through the laughter.
“Well, it’s about damn time,” Jemel snapped.
Sharae clapped. “I second that.”
Rita felt the bubble of anxiety she’d been walking around with most of last week subside a bit. After speaking with Sharon about Nate emptying the accounts, she’d mentioned the possibility of wanting to start her own business because she needed to ask how that would play out during the divorce. Sharon didn’t think it was a problem as long as Rita wasn’t asking for alimony, which Rita had already decided she wouldn’t. Her plan was to take care of herself and to take half of everything sheand Nate had built. Sharon had happily directed Rita to a business attorney.
Sighing loudly, Rita rubbed her hands down her thighs. “I’ve been thinking about what you were going to say all week.” Even though she’d known neither of them would try to talk her out of it. The Aunts, on the other hand, were going to be a totally different ball game. But Rita was ready. She had to be.
“Girl, please. You know we got your back,” Jemel said. “Besides, I know all about wanting to be your own boss. I can take you right down to the bank where I got my small-business loan, and you can get started right away.”
“I don’t need a loan,” Rita said. “I told you I had money saved up, and besides, I think I’m just going to redecorate my basement to act as my office, at least for now. That’ll cut out costs.” She’d drafted a business plan and had done a cost-analysis report, which the business attorney was looking over this week.
“You’ve really thought this through,” Sharae said. “I’m proud of you.”
“Me too,” Jemel added. “And I’d like to be your first official client.”
“What?” Rita hadn’t expected that. Then again, Jemel was known for her impetuous nature, so Rita shouldn’t have been all that surprised.
Now, Jemel let her legs fall off the chair and sat up so that she could lean forward, elbows resting on her knees. “Remember when we were at the funeral home and Ditzy Dinah was talking about how Yolanda liked to do stuff for the community?”
“Was that before I arrived? ’Cause I don’t remember that conversation,” Sharae said.
Rita nodded. “Yeah, it was before you got there. Yolanda does all the flowers for the funeral home, but Jemel doesn’t like her because she’s cheap,” she said by way of a recap.
It was Sharae’s turn to nod now. “Got it.”
“So I was thinking that maybe I could do like you said and have a fundraiser, then donate the proceeds. Marc and I were talking, and he suggested supporting the music programs in the city schools. You know they never give enough to the music or any of the arts programs, and kids need a way to showcase their talent.” Jemel should’ve been out of breath at that quick spiel, but she wasn’t.
Instead, Rita saw a gleam in her cousin’s eyes that she hadn’t seen since Jemel had announced she was opening her flower shop. It was that same look that Rita had felt when she’d decided it was time for her to open her own business. “Let’s do it,” Rita said. “We’ll rent the Rowing and Water Resource Center down on Waterview and invite all the politicians that come to the church. They won’t say no because they know you’re Daddy’s niece, and they don’t want him on their bad side because they’ll eventually need him to rally his members into voting for them again.”
“And I can get the sheriffs and maybe the FOP to show some support, too,” Sharae added.
Even more excited now, Jemel clapped her hands together. “Necole’s good with graphic design,” she said. “She helped me with my website. We can have her do some amazing invitations and tickets.”
