Surrounding Grace

17 Victoria-When it all falls down

“Shut the fuck up.  You know damn well why I’m here.  I can’t stand your trifling ass.  You ain’t shit.” Victoria shouted. “As a matter of fact, I think I’ll stay until she gets home.  When is that?  About 30 minutes? I’ve got nothing but time.  I’m sick of this shit.” Victoria hopped backwards onto the bed.

“Go ahead, Victoria.  But remember, it’s you who will lose in the end.  My baby ain’t leaving me.  But she will for damn sure whoop your ass. Not to mention all it will take is one phone call to a particular sister to end your itty bitty celebration. Now, you don’t really want that do you?”She said while twirling her hair.  “Hmm?  Do you want your little princess to find out about this?  Unlike Sarah, Grace will be quick to leave your ass high and dry.  Are you ready to risk that?”

Victoria laughed.  “If it means I finally get rid of you, Emmelia, I am game.” Victoria leaned back.

“Ok.” Emmelia shrugged her shoulders.  “That’s fine.  You stay here.  I’m going to go and get the phone and expose your little princess’ secret.  I think my friend Tommy from Star is looking for a front page exclusive.” She turned her back to walk away.  Victoria grabbed her arm.

“Okay! Go ahead but I’m not leaving.”  Victoria walked to the door to get her coat.  She chuckled again, “And when you get them on the phone, make sure you show them this.”

“I thought you’d see it my way.”  Emmelia laughed.  “So I ask again, same time next week.” Emmelia asked catching the box. She read the note and swallowed real hard. She forced a smile and looked up at Victoria.

“What’s this?” She muttered trying to remain calm.  Victoria could see in her eyes the panic in Emmelia’s face.  She put her coat back on the hook fighting back tears of anger.  She wanted so badly to punch that stupid grin off of Emmelia’s face.  “What does it look like?” she scowled. “See, now the tables have turned.”  She said walking over to Emmelia. “Now, Grace is no longer in the picture, she found out.  As a matter of fact, she was downstairs when I left yesterday.”  She continued as she circled the now terrified Emmelia.  “Lucky for you, she doesn’t know it’s you yet, but how long do you think it will take for her to figure it out?  You know? Once she tells Rey…” Victoria was now in Emmelia’s face.  She could feel her start to tremble.

“As close as they are, I give it, tomorrow… tops.” Victoria walked over to the dresser and tossed Emmelia her phone. “Don’t you have a phone call to make? I mean I would love for everyone to find out that ‘The Happy Marriage’ has ended and you’re the blame. And you sold your story to the tabs?!” Victoria’s laugh got louder. 

“You know?  Grace always speaks so highly of you.  She says you are the best thing that ever happened to Sarah.” She sat on the bed and leaned back. “She talks about how pretty you are.  How nice you seem.  How well you did at the set. How much she looks forward to working with you again and she hopes you make it in the ‘industry’” Victoria sat up and used her hands to emphasize the quotations on the word industry.

“So?” Emmelia said putting her hand on her hip and rolling her eyes.

Victoria leaped from the bed at Emmelia pressing her against the wall.  She grabbed Emmelia’s face so hard she could feel her teeth. “SO? SO? When the FUCK have you EVER said anything nice about Grace? EVER?”  Victoria felt the anger reach her face as she spoke through her teeth.  She felt Emmelia shaking as tears fell from her eyes.

“Oh,now you have a heart?  Now you want to cry?  You have done nothing but use those girls since you met them. What have you done for them, Em? Huh? Huh?” Victoria pushed Emmelia’s head into the wall. “Use them? Talk shit about them behind their back? Fuck with their wives?  Tell me, Em, are you fucking Jacey, too?”  Emmelia shook her head no.

“No?  Or not yet?” Victoria pushed Emmelia’s head into the wall again.  “You’re pathetic .”   She let Emmelia’s  face  and grabbed her phone from her pocket.  “You’re not even worth the drama.”  Victoria walked to the door and grabbed her coat. She looked back at the shaken up Emmelia, “You’re not worth the energy?” She walked out of the door slamming it behind her.

She walked hurriedly to her car and grabbed her phone hoping to see a missed call from Grace.  Nothing.  She started to call Grace but a hand grabbed her phone. 

The person jumped in the passenger seat of her car.  She looked over to see Graham who looked like she wanted to kill her.  “Drive.” She commanded in a deep voice.  Victoria put the car in drive and sped out of the parking lot.

They drove about 5 miles before Graham looked over at Victoria. “Pull over.”  Victoria felt her heart racing.  Graham took off her seat belt and clicked the release on Victoria’s.  She grabbed her cigarettes and leaned the pack towards Victoria to offer her one. Victoria took one waiting for Graham to hand her the lighter.

“So, how was she?” Graham asked blowing the smoke above her head.  She lowered her gaze back to Victoria who was sitting speechless.  Graham grabbed Victoria by the ear.  “Don’t act like you didn’t hear me. I asked you a fucking question.  Now the smart thing to do would be to answer it.” She let go waiting for an answer.

Victoria began to stutter.

“You know what?  Don’t even answer that, I’ve had it, so I know.  The thing that gets me though, is that you won’t touch your girl, but you are down to fuck your best friends. Ain’t that some shit?  But what you don’t know is, while you’re fucking Emmelia, making her feel real good, your woman has been missing in action for a day.   The funniest part is, when Reyna told me she had you followed and you were heading to the south side, something in me already knew where you would be.  So I tipped her off and low and behold, look at where your simple ass is.”  Graham inhaled the cigarette smoke. “Get the fuck out.”  Graham said pushing Victoria into the door.  She got out of the car and watched Graham climb over to the driver’s side.

Graham looked at Victoria like she was stupid. “What the fuck are you waiting for?  Get in.”  Victoria walked over to the passenger side of the car.  She had half a mind to run for it but she knew she wouldn’t get far. As soon as she got in the car, Graham peeled away from the curb.  Victoria looked back at the distant apartment building.  She had no idea how this was going to turn out, but she knew one thing for sure, this meant it was over between her and Emmelia.  She smiled and let out a sigh of relief.  It was finally over.