When she opened the door, she wasn’t prepared to see who was standing there. “What are you doing here?”
Jordan answered, “I’m here to check on you.”
She almost burst out laughing. “I’d have thought you’d be out celebrating with Marvin.”
“Why is that?” he asked flatly.
“You told him he was making a mistake marrying me. And look, he’s still a bachelor,” she said snidely, her arms crossed.
“That’s why I’m here. Would you mind if I came in?”
Yes actually I would. “You can see I’m…fine.”
“Please, Gianna.”
There was something in his tone that had piqued her interested. The last thing she needed was to have the conversation in the hall where she knew her neighbors were eaves dropping. Once inside, she shut the door, but didn’t invite him to sit. Gianna still wanted to keep this as brief as possible. “I really don’t know what else there is to say. It’s…over.” What she really wanted to add was the word lie, but chose not to. Damn you Marvin. Why didn’t you come clean with this? What is the point of keeping the lie going?
“There were things I didn’t say at the church. Things I thought you’d want to hear in private,” Jordan said.
“I think I’ve heard enough,” Gianna stated. She knew more than Jordan did.
“Gianna, he’s married,” Jordan blurted.
Married? She was glad Jordan didn’t announce that in front of her family. It would’ve only made things even worse, if that was possible. “Marvin? Married?” Jordan nodded and she asked, “When?”
“Last night.”
Gianna had spoken to Marvin yesterday morning and he hadn’t said anything about Rhonda. If anything, Marvin had given her the impression that his plan had failed, but they were going to act it out until the grand finally. Jordan definitely had his wires crossed. It made no sense for Marvin to have run off and eloped. If he had, that would’ve meant he and Rhonda were still talking all that time. Gianna might not really have been the other woman, but damn, it still looked and felt…horrible. Who the hell did he think he was treating her like that? And Rhonda had to know about the wedding. There had been an announcement in the paper and everything. What woman would take him back after all this? She couldn’t believe she was wasting her time even trying to figure it all out. Granted he was twenty-four, but he seemed to be acting as immature as she had been. “I can’t believe it.” She didn’t mean Marvin running off, but the entire shenanigan.
Looking down at her, with his dark eyes, softer than she’d remembered, he said, “I’m serious. Marvin ran off with Rhonda to Vegas, got married, and currently is on some tropical island celebrating their honeymoon. I wish he’d have told you himself, but…but I guess he thought it’d be easier coming from me.”
Marvin seemed to only have thought about what made him happy. But she knew that was the case all along. He was a narcissist and she played right into his hand. This eliminated her parents or friends telling her that maybe she and Marvin could work things out.
Gianna turned away as to hide her smirk. This really wasn’t funny, but in some ways, it was hilarious. The man she thought was her friend, obviously had only used her, and the man who didn’t like her from the beginning, was here trying to be…nice. How ironic.
For the briefest moment she’d almost forgotten Jordan was standing behind her until she felt his hand on her shoulder. She almost leaped out of her skin. Gianna didn’t turn to look at him. Instead she pulled away. “Please don’t touch me,” she said firmly. She didn’t want his pity and she surely wasn’t about to cry on his shoulder. All she wanted was for him to go.
“Gianna, I’m not trying to…”
“I wasn’t suggesting that you were. You’ve delivered your message. Now if you don’t mind, I’d like to be alone.”
“You shouldn’t be alone at a time like this. Is there someone I can call for you? Maybe your mother or…”
She spun around and looked him directly in the eyes. “I have a message for Marvin too.”
“I don’t know when I’ll see him,” Jordan said.
“Hopefully it is before I do. Please tell him that…” she was going to say ‘he can kiss my ass’, but changed her mind. “Tell him I wish him and Rhonda all the happiness they deserve.” Which ain’t much.
Jordan hesitated then said, “Gianna, I’m really sorry. I know we didn’t see eye to eye.”
“No we didn’t,” she replied sharply. She wanted him to know, she wasn’t as ignorant to everything as he might think. Some things she’d picked up on right from the start.
He didn’t flinch as he answered calmly, “That doesn’t mean you deserved this.”
No. I got exactly what I deserve for listening to Marvin. But from Jordan’s expression, she could tell he knew nothing about Marvin’s little charade. He’d probably have just encouraged Marvin anyway. She wasn’t going to fall for the sympathetic act. Not from Jordan as least. “Thank you.”
Jordan opened the door but before he closed it he added, “I still stand by what I said when I first met you. You and Marvin weren’t meant for each other. It was better that you found it out before the nuptials took place.”
Her blood began to boil. How dare he still think she wasn’t good enough for his dumb ass, inconsiderate, immature, friend? Once the door clicked shut, her temper soared. Picking up an empty coffee cup that was on the counter she flung it across the room. The sound of it shattering against the wall echoed in her small apartment. Damn you Marvin. Damn you Jordan. You guys are all the same. But what neither of you get is he’s not too good for me, I’m too good for him!
Once again the tears started streaming down. She ran to her bedroom and slammed the door shut, rattling the pictures on the wall. Gianna was so angry right now that she could scream. But when she went to lie down on her bed, that damn wedding dress was there, taunting her. Grabbing the dress she walked over, opened the window, and tossed it out letting it drop into the alley. She picked up the flowers, sending them down the same path. Gianna wanted nothing here to remind her of Marvin. She twisted the diamond ring and pulled it off her finger. She was about to send it on its way, then stopped. What was she doing? The flowers were going to die anyway, but the dress could’ve been donated somewhere. Her closets were filled with things Marvin had purchased for this charade. There was no need to act so rash and rid herself of it all. It wasn’t going to change anything. Actually all it was going to do was get a written complaint from the landlord for trashing his property.
It was time she stopped and used that brain of hers, something she should’ve done months ago. It had been agreed that whatever he bought was hers to do as she choose, and that included the ring. No way was she going to keep it, that much she knew. Tomorrow she’d take it to the shop to be pawned. It was huge, and with Marvin’s kind of money, it was real. With any luck it’d be enough money to pay for her next semester in college.
Gianna walked over and laid it on her bureau. This was going to be an investment in her future.