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It was the crack of dawn, and I was up, holding a cup of coffee and peering out at the open terrace where Jade sat in her own head and eyeing the view of the beach. Today's our last day in this beautiful place and the peace we felt here would be yanked under our feet. We would be back to the outside world—our own individual problems. And even though I had to face my divorce, I was more worried about Jae.
Jae had way more to deal with and that top person would be Cairo.
The song she sung, the emotions behind it, I felt it. Joie felt it.
Jae was herself here—the her we all knew prior to Cairo. But now that we're leaving, I could spot with my own eyes the way she was crawling back into that shell the world knows as Mrs. Cairo Norman, that terrified woman.
"Hey." Joie's voice peeled my eyes off of Jae outside and to her.
"Hey." I respond.
Joie took a breath, coming beside me and staring out at Jae herself. "How long has she been out there?"
I sighed and stared back out at Jae. "I been up for an hour and she was already up. There's no telling how long she's been up, honestly."
Joie's silent for a second. "Can't I just... kill Cairo and get it over with?"
"And have you in prison? No. Come on." I said as she followed me out to the covered terrace to where Jade sat. I retrieved her attention by holding out the mug of hot coffee in front of her. "Here you go. I just made it."
Jade forced herself to smile, accepting the mug. "Thank you. What are guys doing up?"
"Same question we should be asking you." Joie took a seat at the bottom of the lounge chair Jae occupied. "How you feeling?"
"I have a hangover. But I'm feeling okay." Jade replied.
"That's not what I meant." Joie eyed Jade intently as she drunk on her coffee. "Jae, do you remember anything from last night?"
Jade swallowed slowly. "I... Uh, yeah, I do. Listen y'all, it was just something I wrote. All right? Let's not think too much on it."
