The Gemini: Emancipation

34 - Paternity

May 13, 2007

"Aht!" Swiping the photo portfolio from his wife's hands, Prince frisbees it to the side. It lands barely balancing on the end of the bed.

Glancing from it to husband, "Was it necessary?" Jody asks.

"Nope! But it felt right," he smiles, grabbing it up before reclining on his side of the mattress.

Watching him set it on the nightstand, "Can I have it back, please?"

"What for? Are you tired of me already?"

"Yes."

"Oh, you really aint gettin it back now."

Prince means what he says, he's not even budging. It doesn't matter though, Jody's left her side of the bed. Crawling over, she leans across him in reach for her property. Of course he tries to intervene.

"Babe."

"Don't babe me, you faker. What happened to no distractions?"

"You went to the kitchen, I saw opportunity."

"Where am I now?"

Successfully dodging his childish arm movements, Jody snatches the folder. "I didn't think you'd mind bending the rules a little. Just for a second...or eight. It's just that Tarik—"

"Nuh-uh." With her guard down, Prince is able to pluck the portfolio away once more. "The way you'd fuss if the shoe was on the other foot."

He has a point, one that Jody can't call untrue. So she searches for middle ground. "Fine, what if we look at it together? You can help me finalize real quick and then we can go back to staring at the ceiling." That last bit's a joke that Prince rolls his eyes at.

He expected to see a showcase of only Jody, instead these pages are filled with other models.

"We need a billboard girl. Three of the have my eye but—"

"Her," Prince points.

"You're not gonna look at the rest? There's twelve others."

"She's the one. It's in her eyes, no one's gonna top that. This one would make me stop."

Jody okays, realizing that he should know. After all he is Mister Eyeballs himself. Those peepers nearly pop out of his head when he sees the occupant on the next page.

"So that's what that looks like."

Catching the source of his intrigue, Jody laughs. It's Nikki.

"What's she doing in here?"

"I begged my ass off to get her to pose. She looks good, doesn't she?"

Prince's continued ogling is an answer in itself. "So that's what I could've had."

It's Jody's turn to swipe, this time for good. Taking the folder, she slides it into her messenger bag at the bedside. Back to Prince's side, she scoots close. A reversion to their original position before any distractions came.

"You want a refund?"

"If it were meant to play out that way it would've." He accepts her tiny kisses. "Besides, Nikole Nelson don't got that zing."

Jody's little laugh rattles in his ear. "Honey, you would've never made it that far."

Drawing back from her lips, he huffs, "You sound so sure."

"I'm very sure. Candid?"

"Go on."

"If Nikki would've went home with you that night, I'd still be struggle spinning at 94 East and—"