Happy New Year everyone! I really tried to have something ready for you by Christmas but alas...it wasn't meant to be. Took longer to get this one together, but I'm pretty satisfied with my efforts and I do hope that you enjoy it.
Just another quick note - believe it or not, I'm still getting comments posted about how offensive Nigha's name is. For hopefully the last time, Nigha is pronounced just like the word 'night' with an 'uhh' sound replacing the 't' sound at the end. 'G' and 'H' together is silent in any word in the English language that I can think of.
Thanks so much to all of my supporters for the wonderful comments and emails. I appreciated each and every one of them, and I appreciate you.
Now...on with the show, and please vote/rate and comment!
*
The week before the wedding:
***Monday***
She pulled up to her office right around 12:30 pm; the time that Jason started to look at lunch options every day, so she was right on time.
She greeted the security guard, and got onto the elevator to get up to their floor. Once she left the elevator; she noticed that Jason's receptionist Riley wasn't at his desk. Since she didn't need any clearance anyway; she just decided to let herself into his office.
**
"Oh Gina! This is perfect. I knew I was making the right choice when I picked you," Jason exclaimed before pulling the woman into an intimate embrace.
Gina laughed a little before replying, "I've told you that so many times before; it's about damn time you came to your senses..."
Gina's remaining words froze on her tongue when she saw Nigha in the doorway; standing stock still, with a slightly mortified expression on her face. Although Gina had never met her; she and Jason had stayed in contact, and she'd seen numerous pictures.
Nigha cleared her throat; knowing that it was too late to leave and pretend that she hadn't just walked into this awkward situation.
Gina pulled back from Jason a bit and made movements to indicate that they had company, and when he turned and saw Nigha; he looked as guilty as she thought he was.
"Uh, Nigha, what are you doing here?" he scrambled to ask while he gathered some paperwork on his desk, and hastily stuffed it into one of his desk drawers.
"Umm, well; I stopped by to see if you had plans for lunch, and I wanted to pick your brain a little about your bachelor party plans, but I see that you're busy so maybe we can set up a time tomorrow..."
"Nonsense; lunch won't work, but would you like to grab some dinner after I get off?"
Nigha looked at him like he'd grown another head, and then looked into the cerulean eyes of the beautiful woman standing so close to him.
"OH! How rude of me. Nigha this is Gina; a friend of mine from Atlanta, and Gina, this is Nigha..."
"I know exactly who you are," Gina said as she walked around the desk to meet Nigha as she began walking toward her. "It's a pleasure to meet you; Jason has told me so much about you" she said with a smile.
"Well, I've heard a few things about you two; all good, and all true from what I can see," Nigha replied.
Nigha struggled to hold her composure, and to act as though the moment that she'd walked in on didn't have her burning up inside.
"So, 6:00 then Jason?"
"That'll work just fine," he replied before sitting back down at his desk.
"Great; I'll meet you in the lobby at 6, and it was nice to meet you Gina," she indicated with a smile that was a little less than genuine.
"Likewise Nigha; I hope to see you again soon," she said with a mischievous smile, that made Jason look over and up at her with an inquisitive look on his face.
Nigha walked out of the office mortified, but had to quickly regain her composure when she saw that Riley had returned to his desk.
"Hi Mrs. Stevens; is everything alright?"
"Yes Riley, everything's fine. You have a great day OK," she called over her shoulder as she walked toward the elevator.
As she rode down in the elevator; she pictured the painfully beautiful woman in Jason's office, and the way his mother talked about her. It looked like he was moving on after all, and although she'd said that was what she wanted for him; now she didn't feel so sure.
She exited the elevator, with a sick feeling in her chest as she walked to her car. She didn't know what to make of her swirl of emotions, but she did know that relief at him going on with his life wasn't among them.
***
"Is it just me, or did Nigha have the impression that you and I are together?" Gina asked Jason.
"It did seem that way, but believe it or not; that assumption is easier to deal with than her knowing the truth before I'm ready."
"So you think this will do the trick? I mean if you were just trying to get a female without so much complication; this would be a slam dunk, but after all that you and she have been through..."
"It HAS to work," he interrupted. "There are no other options. She belongs with me, and hopefully this will bring her one step closer to making her see that."
"Well, if I may make a suggestion; I would continue letting her draw her own conclusions about you and me. From what I saw in her eyes; regardless of what she says, she ain't ready to let you go just yet," Gina said with a gleam in her eyes.
"You suggesting that I just lie to her?"
"Oh no, nothing like that. I'm suggesting that you act like nothing was out of the ordinary today. She'll probably be too proud to ask you, and if you don't volunteer any info; she'll drive herself crazy trying to figure it out. It's perfect for what you need," she said excitedly, clapping her hands.
"Hmmm, maybe."
***
