Don't Remind Me

Chapter 7: The Investor

Now:

"You have no idea how long I've waited for this call."

His voice is soft. It's deeper than I remember. His accent has changed too. I wonder what else has changed about him...

No. I don't wonder. Because, he is nothing to me; and it seems silly to  think about a Non-person in that way. 

"Hayat?" he prompts. 

"I'm here."

And I'm pissed off. Majorly. 

'You're fired.'  I mouth to Pareeshae. She just rolls her eyes. 

"Well. Then. When can I pick you up? for our dinner?"

"Are you insane? I hate your guts, you presumptuous ass! Why would I share a meal with you?" I snap back.

"Sweetheart. YOU called ME." He is smiling; the jerk. I can hear it through the airwaves. "I'm assuming you came to your senses about dinner..."

Ugh.

"Don't call me sw--You know what? screw this." I hang up before he can say another word.

"Oh. My. God. Layla. You're so damn selfish." Shay is glaring at me. 

What the WHAT?

"I'm selfish? ME? How dare you! You know what he is Shay! How can you approach him for funds? How can you ever force me to contact HIM? Do you realize how humiliated I feel, every time I even THINK about that man?" I don't mean to cry, but I do. Angry tears making their way down my cheeks, and I swipe them away. Shay looks guilty, and moves to placate me. Wrong move. "NO. DON'T COMFORT ME DAMMIT! I'M ANGRY!"

My anger is hot-wired to my tear ducts. The single most annoying thing a person can endure.

"Honey, I'm sorry. Kay? But honestly, you can't blame me for this. It was his idea, I swear! The entire project plan, and brand direction...everything. He told me to ask you about it-NO- he pestered me, and pestered Faris to pester me about it. There was a lot of pestering involved...."

I sniffle, ignoring the buzzing phone in my lap. It says, 'Azzy Calling' 

She is on nickname-terms with the guy who broke my heart. Go figure. 

"Pareeshae. I don't know whose side you're on here. But it sure as hell isn't mine. I'd appreciate it if you can leave me alone right now."

Shay sighs, moving towards me, "Lil. Do you remember that time I was mad at Faris and I wanted to leave him?"

I shrugged. I don't know where she's going with these theatrics. Yes, I do remember the night very clearly, because, Shay showed up at my doorstep at 3:30 in the morning. My security guards almost shot her dead, and Maria nearly strangled me in her attempt to wake me up.

"Do you remember how you cooled me down? and offered to be my rationality? because I was so distraught, I couldn't see straight..."

"I'm not distraught, woman. I'm furious! This isn't a domestic spat, this is a breach of trust. How can I do business with a guy who- with a guy whose face I can't stand. He is the reason I hate men!" I quell the urge to break the crystal paper weight on my desk, not even caring about the irrationality of my statement.  

"You're so emotionally unstable right now, Lil, that you can't possibly think objectively about it. Do you think I like seeing you upset? Do you think I don't care that you're hurting inside?" I open my mouth to Duh her, but she plows on; "At this point, I, as a bystander in your conflict, can better assess the situation. And my verdict is that, you don't have to love him...but you have to let him help you with this. For the girls, Lil. You have to be selfless for the girls."