CHAPTER THIRTY

The next day, instead of going into the office, Giorgio locked himself into his design studio at home and began working feverishly, as if there was no tomorrow, and he loved it! Finally, he loved it again. He sipped wine and designed and sewed and redesigned and resewed and he felt like his old self again. An even younger version of his old self. It had been nearly a year since he designed anything, and now he was hitting it hard.

Vivian supervised the housekeeping crew that showed up that morning, which rejuvenated her after that disastrous news on their way to Oklahoma yesterday. Although Giorgio took it better than expected, mostly because he was accustomed to bad news on that front, they spend the balance of yesterday at home watching movies. It was the most relaxing day Vivian had had in years. By nightfall yesterday, Giorgio was even upbeat and hopeful that things would turn around and he'd find his son. His ex had been on the run for a full decade. Something, he felt, had to give.

When he decided to work from home that next day, Vivian was concerned. He'd barely put his foot in his office yesterday, and already he was jaded? But when she realized he was actually in his design studio working, she relaxed again. And continued to supervise the housekeeping crew.

When the housekeepers left late that afternoon, and while Giorgio was still working in his studio, Vivian went into the kitchen and started sipping wine and cooking dinner. She had groceries delivered early that morning. She was well prepared. Her goal: give Giorgio a down-home cooked meal of baked turkey wings and dressing. Collard greens and cornbread. Old- fashioned potato salad and her famous raisin bread pudding that Rog and everybody who knew her used to beg her to bake. She was gladly baking it. Life, for the first time in a long time, was sweet.

But it was bittersweet too. She realized that when the neighborhood front gate security buzzed her phone and notified her that Nayla was outside of the gate asking to come see her. Did she want them to let her in?

Vivian almost told them to turn her away. She wasn't sure if she wanted to see her just yet. But she needed answers. "Yes, let her in," she said. After checking her food in the double ovens, she made her way outside.

She pressed the button at the end of the driveway and the huge electronic gate opened. And then Vivian walked through.

Nayla was standing beside her old Ford outside the gate. Mason drove a Bentley. She was still driving her Ford. Vivian could see the pain in her eyes. But Nayla put on her best big smile anyway. "Hey girl. Living it up in this mansion in this bougie neighborhood. What's up with this? You didn't look like no maid to me when I saw you at HOJ."

But Vivian knew her friend well. And that greeting was so Nayla. Whenever they had major disagreements, she'd call later and behave as if nothing had happened. Vivian used to go along with it for peace sake. She wasn't going along with it anymore. "What do you want, Nay?"

"I want to talk to my best friend. I came all this way to see how you're doing."

"Why did you claim Mason owned a hundred percent of V and N?"

Nayla continued to smile, but Vivian could see the phoniness. "Girl, I don't even know where to start."

"Why did you lie to me? Start there."

Nayla didn't like her attitude. And it caused her to get one. "Why you gotta act all nasty and about it?"

Vivian frowned."Nasty?"

"You know how Mason is. If I didn't keep that fifty percent for us, then he would have gotten rid of me as soon as the ink dried. I'm divorced from Joe. My kids, who aren't even Joe's kids, don't wanna live with me. They're still living with Joe. That fifty percent of V and N is all I got. And you mad at me for keeping it?"

"Of course I'm not mad at you for that, Nay. But you lied to me." Her voice was trembling. "You told me we both lost out to Mason. You told me you tried with all you had to keep at least a little piece of the business, but he wouldn't let you. When it was all a lie. And you aren't even being honest with me now. Talking about you kept that fifty percent for us."

"That's what I did."

"Quit lying, Nay. Just quit! You kept it for yourself and you and me both know it. If Jonni hadn't had his people look into it, you would have never told me. I would have never known that my best friend stabbed me in the back."

"Girl bye with all that drama. Ain't nobody stabbed you! And you standing out here, in front of this mansion talking about Jonni like he's your man. That man don't want you. He's using you."

Vivian wasn't going to convince her that Giorgio was the best thing that ever happened to her or that he cared about her. She wasn't going to bother. Because it might just blow up in her face. He might just get bored with her and get rid of her. But she doubted it. Because Giorgio still remained the only person on this earth who actually did things for her. And looked out for her best interest rather than his own. He remained the only person on this earth who never used her ever. Now Nayla, who always used her all their lives if she was to be honest about it, was calling him the user? "I've got to go, Nay," she said and began turning around.

"Make him give it back," Nayla said to her with a plea in her voice.

Vivian turned around again. "What?"

"Make Mr. Janardi reinstate our contract with HOJ."

Vivian shook her head. She should have known Nayla didn't drive to White Plains to check on her. Or to apologize. Once again, like always, it was all about her.

"If we lose that contract, Vee," Nayla continued pleading, "then other businesses might drop us too and we'll have nothing left. And Mason will leave me for sure then."

She was begging. She was asking Vivian to prop her up on sinking sand so that she could keep a man she never really had. Because had he cared for her at all then losing a contract wouldn't be a reason to leave her. She was desperate.

Any other woman would have told her what she could do with Mason and that contract. But Vivian couldn't do that to Nayla. "He probably won't do it," Vivian said, "but I'll ask him to reinstate it."

Vivian could see Nayla's relief as a sincere tear fell down her face. "Thank you, Viv. Thank you so much."

But Vivian didn't want her thankyous. She didn't want to have anything more to do with her. Because she couldn't trust her anymore. But as Nayla was opening her car door, Vivian felt a need to tell her. "Nayla?"

Nayla turned around and looked at her best friend. "Yes?"

Vivian swallowed hard, but she felt it needed to be said. "I'm glad you kept fifty percent for yourself. Don't let him take that away from you."

Nayla smiled through her tears. "I won't," she said. "I won't."

Vivian smiled a weak smile. They were kids again. Happy and filled with hope. Even though both of them were now, no longer kids, relying on men to hold them up.

"It wasn't supposed to be this way," Nayla said to Vivian.

Vivian nodded her head, fighting back tears too. "I know. But it is."

Nayla nodded too. Then she got in her Ford and left the mansion.

When Vivian walked back inside, Giorgio, who had seen and heard the entire conversation through the monitor in his studio, was waiting in the foyer. "You're okay?" he asked her.

Vivian nodded her head. "I'm okay. But Jonni, about that contract Nayla and Mason had with HOJ?"

Before she could continue, Giorgio placed his finger to her lips. "I will reinstate it," he said.

Vivian was shocked. "You will? But why?"

"Don't misunderstand me. Your friend is a piece of shit," Giorgio said firmly. "But she's your shit."

Vivian smiled.

"That's why I'm going to do it," Giorgio said. "For you."

Vivian threw her arms around him, kissing him all over his face. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she said happily.

"Now come to my studio," he said, grabbing her by the hand and escorted her down the hall. "I just designed you an outfit. You will make your debut at the club tomorrow night and you shall be dressed in Janardi head to toe."

Vivian couldn't believe it. "And you've already designed it?"

"I have."

"But how did you know my measurements?"

"My hands, my dear, have been all over your body. I know your measurements in my sleep," he said, and they laughed. "You have inspired me!" he added.

And Vivian, who had never worn designer anything in her entire life, was as thrilled as she was shocked. And she practically ran into his studio.