Page 67 of A Lifetime in 30 Days
“Why would you think I wasn’t going to show up?” he asked, the corner of his mouth lifting into that teasing grin she hated to love. “It’s your birthday, Savannah. I wanted to spend it with you—I mean, along with all your other family and friends.”
She nodded and glanced quickly away to see those family and friends either sitting down or standing in small groups, socializing. When she returned her gaze back to him, she admitted, “I’m glad you’re here.”
Now Aden’s smile was broad, laughter twinkling in his dark-brown eyes. “That didn’t hurt too much, did it?” he asked.
Vanna rolled her eyes. “Whatever, Aden,” she said playfully, and attempted to pull her hands from his grip. “You know I’m not used to this.”
“Nah, you know I’m just kidding. But it’s good to hear I finally did something to please you.”
“You’ve done a lot of things that pleased me,” she said.
“Ah, man,” he groaned. “Don’t talk like that when we’ve got all these people around us. You look good as hell, so I’d hate to rip this dress off of you.”
If she hadn’t already thought she looked sexy in the off-the-shoulder rose-colored dress that molded against her every curve and stopped at her knees with a small split on the left side, she felt like a whole snack after his words and the way he was gazing at her.
“Oookaay, come through with the matching prom look, Aden,” Jamaica said as she walked up to them.
“Glad you’re here, man,” Davon, who was right beside Jamaica, said. He extended his hand to Aden, and Aden released Vanna’s hands so he could shake it. “Your lady’s got a whole program before we can cut loose. I need you to try to talk her out of that.”
Aden laughed. “Nah, man. This is her night. I’m just here to be whatever she needs.”
“Oooohhh, that sounds nasty,” Jamaica said, and Vanna swatted her arm.
Moments later, Domonique came out to grab Vanna and go over a few things scheduled for the night. Ronni blessed the food, and they ate while soft music continued to play. The candles were alight on each table and, combined with the twinkle lights that covered the few bushes surrounding the patio, they created a casual-chic atmosphere that Vanna adored.
Jamaica tapped a fork to her glass and looked expectantly at Vanna a few minutes after the meal had been completed. Vanna frowned at her friend and said, “This is not a wedding girl, stop it.”
Laughing, she picked up the glass of champagne that one of the servers had just filled for her and stood. Right on cue, servers were now moving around the patio, filling every guest’s glass with champagne.
“I want to take this moment to thank each of you for coming out tonight,” Vanna said. “You have no idea how much it means to me that you thought enough of me to spend some of your time celebrating my special day. How much it means to be able to stand here today and focus on the significance of joy around a birthday celebration in light of our ancestors who were brutally stripped of age, life, and milestones.”
A round of applause sounded, and Vanna paused, glanced around once again at all her friends. Granny, who sat on one side of the table to the right of Vanna’s head of table seat. And Aden, who sat on the leftside. To Jamaica, Davon, Ronni, and Croy, her closest crew, who held their glasses ready to toast her.
“I’m blessed beyond measure,” she continued. “And while I sometimes forget that, I always feel you with me. Your support and your positive energy is appreciated. Your—”
Clap. Clap. Clap.
The singular clapping sounded through the quiet, and everyone looked in the direction from which it had come.
“Bravo,” Gail said in a slurred voice as she made her way from the far end of the patio. “Bravo. What a great performance.” She clapped again, this time so hard that the glass she was holding slipped out of her hand and crashed to the floor, splashing its contents onto the bottom of Gail’s white slacks.
Vanna slowly lowered her glass, not sure of what exactly was happening but acknowledging the rise of a sickening heat in her stomach.
“You been standing up and showing out since the day I met your ass,” Gail said as she came closer to the head table where Vanna stood. “Always talking, always stealing my boy’s shine. Acting like you were better than him. Better than e’rebody else around you.”
“Gail,” Vanna said when she could finally find her voice again, “you weren’t invited.”
Gail let out a nauseating laugh. “See what I mean? That’s it right there. Your ass always acted like you were the big boss. I mean, you’re big—always have been. Told Caleb he needed to put you on a rabbit diet.” That laugh sounded again, and she stopped beside the chair where Croy sat.
Aden stood then. “I’ll take care of this,” he said, but Vanna shook her head.
“No,” she said, and stepped from around the table. “She obviously has something she wants to get off her chest. I’m game for giving her the stage to show everyone here what a trash mother she was to her child and how disrespectful she still is to me after all I did to keep him upright in this world.”
There was a part of her that wanted to assure Aden that she wasn’t refusing his help because of herDon’t need a man to save meroutine, as he liked to call it. This was based solely on the fact that she was tired of Gail Carlson. Tired of her slick comments, her rude behavior, and, like she’d just said, the blatant disrespect she’d continually dished out to her.
“Oh, you always did think you were tough,” Gail said, and shook her head. “You don’t know the meaning of the word, with your bougie ass!”
“You’re interrupting my party, Gail. Say what you have to say so we can get on with our night,” Vanna spat.
