Chapter Seven
JULY
Blood pumps into my ears as I watch the hall where Ludo has vanished. Its awfully quiet till Question decides to make himself at home by sinking into the nearest couch. I inch away from Joshua my feet pointed towards the hallway that is too quiet considering the caliber of people who just rushed down it. Maybe Nancy was hiding in a dark corner and knocked Vincent out with a broom handle, Ludo must have arrived on the scene and like it happens in movies she knelt down beside his still body and whispered, ‘he is dead.’ And Nancy freaked out and hit her too.
Okay I did sneak peeked at Ludo’s movies when I am thoroughly bored. Besides I don’t believe anyone can stick to one hobby and completely without mercy hate the other. It’s a big fat lie.
I start towards the hall way to make sure my imagination isn’t running with me and also—I hate admitting this—I need to get away from Joshua.
‘I don’t want to talk to you.’ Nancy’s voice stops me in my tracks
‘please Nance—just let me explain okay?’ Vincent’s pleading voice follows and I am dying to see the look on his face right now.
‘explain? You cared more about your image to people than explaining last time Vincent—I’m afraid that ship has sailed.’ That would be Ludo
‘can I please have a private moment with Nancy?’ Vincent is surprisingly polite, maybe Ludo is wearing one of her killer expressions.
‘that ship has sailed as well—I am not leaving you alone with her.’
I think I hear a growl, I’m just not sure whether its from Ludo or Vincent.
‘Ludo its okay I will be fine.’ Nancy says softly followed by a sigh.
I swear I can hear anger pulsing in the air followed by a harsh mumble from Ludo and the slam of a door. Ludo storms from the hall way with a broom in her hand, my eyes bulge.
‘self-defense.’ She mumbles as she brushed past me and storms into the kitchen where she opens the fridge and takes out cheese, tomatoes and practically things to make a sand which. Comfort food. Or calming food in Ludo’s case.
‘anybody want a sand which?’ Ludo glance at us from her shoulder.
‘I thought you would never ask.’ Question gets off the couch and walks into the kitchen, plopping himself on a stool close to where Ludo is busy on the kitchen island. Ludo casts him an annoyed glance. His response is a cute little smile that I mentally recognize as something I used to use to get mom to give me goodies before dinner.
I shake my head and then notice that I am now alone in the living room with Joshua who is still standing in the same spot his eyes fixed on me. I glance at the hall—maybe he is worried about Vincent, one cousin knows the other best—but his eyes follow my movement and settles back on me.
‘uhm aren’t you going to join them or breakfast?’
‘sure, thank you for inviting us into your house.’
I just nod, praying for him to go already. He is making me nervous. There is no reason for him to be standing there all gorgeous this time of the morning while I am still pretty much rocking my wrangled pajamas.
I walk into the kitchen and we both sit at the same time. I wave my hand off when Ludo offers me a sandwich, I don’t do stress food—I prefer music.
‘so what are you guys planning?’ Ludo asks pinning both of them with a glare.
Question shrugs, ‘Vee wants his girl back.’
‘and you are his minions?’ I blurt out with raised eyebrows. Because a part of me believes they could have been reasonable enough to keep the mad bull away from our friend.
‘Vincent is scary and Josh is too reasonable for his own good.’ Question explains. Ludo gives me a look that says- definitely minions- ‘and wouldn’t it be good to clear out this little misunderstanding?’
‘misunderstanding?’ Ludo and I both say in a dangerous quiet voice, ‘do you have any idea what is going on here?’ Ludo snaps reaching for another calming sandwich. Why is she not fat?
‘you helped Nancy to leave Vincent stranded by the alter.’ Joshua’s voice is accusatory.
I raise my chin at him, ‘he lied about his family and background.’
‘you have no proof that he lied.’ Question pointed out.
‘Nancy said he lied and so he did.’ Ludo said with finality, ‘and so are you.’
‘why is it hard to believe that my name is Question?’
Ludo scoffed, ‘you tell me. We are not idiots.’
Joshua nods, ‘I could go with impulsive.’
Ludo turns to him, ‘shut up,’
‘shutting up.’ Joshua does a little head bow and Question snickers, ‘seriously you two—you should try to reconcile them not separate them.’
‘oh I didn’t realize you were the doctor Phil of the three.’ I roll my eyes at him. Okay I did notice he could be the peace keeper but I don’t want to entertain the fact that he thinks we did something wrong. Helping our friend run from her own wedding and causing havoc between the families wasn’t wrong at all. If it was for the right reasons.
‘you have no idea what you caused.’ And the bastard has the guts to frown disapprovingly at me, ‘you just took off and vanished like you had any idea what was happening between Vincent and Nancy.’
‘and you do?’ I glare at him
‘I’ve known Vincent my whole life—he really cares about Nancy.’
‘and I’ve known Nancy my whole life, she would never make up a lie, especially one that scares her.’
‘maybe it was a misunderstanding.’
‘one he didn’t want to clear up before the wedding?’
‘he’s afraid of losing her okay—he thought she wouldn’t understand quickly enough and there was no time.’
I scoff, ‘he had all the time in the world to explain to her that he is a married man when they were dating.’
‘what?’ Question’s shrilled high voice make us all whoop our head in his direction, ‘what is this all about really?’
Ludo and I gaped at him
‘you let that maniac drive you six hours here and you have no idea what is going on?’ Ludo shakes her head clucking her tongue.
‘apparently that seems to be the case.’
Joshua comes to Question’s defense, ‘we are friends we help each other no questions asked.’
‘same here.’ I raise a hand.
‘you said Vincent was married?’
‘present tense.’ Ludo air quotes, ‘is married with two little buns who look like him.’
Joshua and Question exchange glances and a silence falls before they howled with laughter. We both continue to stare at them as they only seem to laugh harder. Question removes his glasses to wipe his eyes.
After several seconds they manage to calm down to snickers and snotty laughs and the two of us continue to glare at them.
‘so glad you find this crucial issue very funny.’ Ludo mumbles and reaches for another sandwich.
‘look.’ Question raises his palms, ‘you would laugh too if you were in our shoes.’
‘no he shouldn’t be laughing.’ Joshua points at Question, ‘I’m surprised Vincent hasn’t broken your bones for what Tasha did.’
So that’s her name, Tasha.
‘how was I supposed to know Tasha would do what she said?’
‘after she made her kids call Vincent dad? Of course she does what she says.’ Joshua’s face loses all laughter, ‘I’m surprised you didn’t know this.’
Question shrugs, ‘I was afraid to ask why she came back singing kumbaya after Vincent’s wedding as cancelled.
Ludo and I keep looking from one man to the other as they continue.
‘you are an idiot.’
‘you are the one who bed-nursed him for a week.’
‘its no joke Que—Vee was a mess after the wedding, I didn’t know Tasha was behind all this—the girl needs to go to a nuthouse.’
‘hey that’s my sister man.’
‘well I wouldn’t have it any other way.’
I clear my throat and both men finally pay us attention, ‘can you please tell us what the hell is going on? We are a little lost.’
Question rolls his eyes and gazes into space.
Joshua faces us both seriously, ‘look, Tasha is Question’s sister—she has a crush on Vincent she even made her two kids call him dad and Vee—soft hearted that he is didn’t stay away from her you would think the kids are really his.’
Silence falls as everything falls into place. Somehow we both know that Vincent is telling the truth. This time it is me who says
‘oh shit.’