Estefania and I were out shopping for Remi's birthday. Shopping with Fania was always an adventure.  We have been doing a lot of shopping with me as I switch up my image.

"What's going on with you and The Beauty?"

"We are spending time together getting to know each other," was my response.

"Is she your girlfriend?"

"We don't have any titles?' Estefania asks questions to confirm what she already knows.

"Fania, What's up?" Her silence sends a warning to my brain to brace myself.

"Nothing is up. Just curious about you and the beautiful Ms. Remi-Blu. I haven't seen you with any other women, not even Serenity or Monique, and you used to keep those two in heavy rotation." She laughed and spoke the truth.

I no longer had the urge or felt the need to juggle multiple women. I had things to do, and women were a complication I didn't want. Remi is the exception.

"What information did you find, I know you checked her background." Fania knows something but doesn't want to tell me, this is going to be bad.

"Nothing everything she told me about herself matched the report"

Fania makes her facial expression unreadable and asks "Why don't you ask her to be your woman for her birthday and see what she says?"

"That would be perfect, but we are not there yet, it's been three months. I'm not in a rush and I don't want to scare her away"

Estefania gave me a skeptical look. My feelings for Remi-Blu grew stronger each day she stayed away. But that was the problem: she seemed to stay away the closer we got to each other.

We made it to the jewelry store to pick up Remi's birthday gifts. The tennis bracelet was made of Alexandrite and the Pearls set in platinum. It was delicate and unique. The bracelet was just one of the items I planned to give her during the romantic dinner I planned for her birthday.

If Remi keeps her word, she'll call me in a few days, and I will confirm the plans with her then. Estefania and I were leaving the jewelry store, when I heard a familiar voice call my name.

"Navi!"

Turning around, the person coming our  way had a smile on their face, a smile that wasn't returned.

  Fania and I  watched as Tina, my ex-wife, approached.

"Estefania, Navi, how are you doing?" Tina asked

"Wow, Navi, you look handsome as always."

I saw  the want in her blue eyes as they traveled up and down my body. Tina looked the same, her sandy brown hair was longer and straight, same tan skin. She had kept the tattoo of my name on her chest above a heart that I knew didn't exist.

Tina's absence during my trial ruined any chance of reconciliation. Tina's true colors came out the weekend before my trial began. Tina and I had just finished  getting it in, when she received the call. She told me it was her mother, and she needed her to run an errand for her. 

I was served divorce papers less than an hour after she left the house.  It sealed  our fate as a married couple and confirmed what I always knew. She was only with me for the lifestyle; she had never loved me, knowing that made it easy for me to accept the divorce.

We could have been cool after the divorce if she hadn't been so slick about it, I was shit as a husband. This was her final fuck you to me for all the times I hurt her by my bullshit.

I let her have that, but she would never have me again. 

"We are fine," Estefania responded, slinging her bag over her shoulder. By her new defensive posture  my sister was waiting for Tina to say something out of order.

"Navi, can I talk to you for a second?" Tina asked.  I didn't move

"Ban?" Estefania looked at me. I nodded

"Come get me when you are done talking to this," Estefania said, looking Tina up and down before walking away.

Tina stepped closer to me, touching the front of my shirt.

"Navi, why didn't you tell me you were home?"

I stepped back. "Why would I?"

"I'm your wife, that's why."

"My ex-wife," I corrected

"It was hard for me then-"

"It's irrelevant, it is the past. leave it there, now excuse me " Tina r palm placed her palm on my chest stopping me from walking past her.

Unbelievably,  she was wearing her wedding ring.

"I hear you have a new girlfriend. Is that true?"

"What I have going on is none of-"  involuntarily I paused, as Dante Adino approached Tina and I . He looked amused, barely able to contain himself. His reason for amusement was apparent: he was with Remi-Blu.

I'm not worried because Remi-Blu told me it is nothing to them; it hit me that I trust her; our connection, although new, is strong, so Dante can fuck himself. But that wasn't it, Dante thought Remi didn't know about Tina.

"What's up, Navi, Tina?" Dante said, because of our history, I could hear the malice in his voice. I looked at him and then Remi-Blu. While Dante spoke, I replaced the hard mask on my face with a smile and walked over to Remi.

"Cariño, sigue el juego, te lo explicaré más tarde"

I wrapped my arm around her waist and kissed her lips lightly. I asked her to play along, and I would explain later. I knew neither Tina nor Dante spoke Spanish, but Remi would understand.

She accepted my kiss and kissed me back. I knew she understood by response

"Está bien mi amor, pero divirtámonos."

My smile grew at her response. She was okay following my lead, but she wanted to have some fun.

The exchange between Remi and I happened quickly. But not fast enough to stop Dante from trying to create chaos.

The mischief in Remi's eyes relaxed, she was aware Dante was on bitch mode.

"Navi, oh wow, I didn't realize you knew Remi-Blu?" Dante said, acting surprised.

Tina looked furious as her eyes went from Dante to where Remi and I stood. Tina's response was just what Dante wanted, but my Remi-Blu quickly killed whatever it was he thought he was doing,

Giving Dante her full attention Remi didn't acknowledge Tina staring daggers at her.

Mr. Adino, are you being funny? Why wouldn't I know, my man?"

Tina's face dropped. "Bullshit,  What do you mean, your man?

Shifting my stance I placed myself slightly in front of Remi. I didn't trust Tina not to act stupid. Tina had fought more than a few of the women from my past.

Dante knew this as he witnessed his girl get fucked up by Tina. I hadn't fucked with his girl but Tina caught the girl in my face being too friendly and  I am sure he expected the same reaction from Tina now. 

Trying to put Remi-Blu in her place, Tina pointed at me, "That is my husband."

Dante looked on and waited for the fallout. Remi-Blu ignored her comment, infuriating Tina and surprising Dante.

"Did you hear what the fuck I said, Esteban? Really?" Tina turned to me. She expected an explanation, one she had no right to expect. When that didn't work she continued.

"Do you like sleeping with other women's husbands?" Tina was truly disgusted as she pushed Remi-Blu for a reaction. Tina misconstrued Remi-Blu's silence believing her comments were intimidating Remi-Blu into silence.

Watching Tina move in our direction, I pulled Remi behind me. She resisted my protection and walked to Tina standing face to face.

"Tina, that's your name right?"

"Well, Tina, I'm not going argue over a man that clearly belongs to me, but let me clarify a few things for you; I didn't sleep with your husband, I fucked your ex-husband while laying on top of your signed divorce papers. So if you want problems with me, take another step, but understand the type of problems I give aren't easy to fix."

Remi-Blu spoke quietly, looking Tina directly in her eyes.  Tina couldn't maintain her gaze. The energy and the clarification left both Dante and me speechless.

  Dante must know something I don't. It was quick but I noticed his eyes widened, and straightened up as Remi-Blu talked. When she finished, he looked at her and then at Tina but didn't say a word, nor did I.

The energy changed when  Estefania joined us, returning us to the present. "Hey, what's going on?" she asked me, looking at Remi and Tina.

Tina stepped back from Remi-Blu. "I met your brother's mistress."

Remi-Blu chuckled. "So you want problems, Ms. Harrington, you got them, but watch yourself. I hear Coconut Grove is dangerous."

Without another word, Remi walked past Tina strolling  nonchalantly, leaving the three of us astounded at the reality of what had just happened. In one sentence, Remi-Blu told Tina she knew about her and where she lived.

The amusement went from Dante's face. I'll talk to her," Dante assured me as he walked to catch up with Remi-Blu. I didn't go after her because I understood her walking away was so she could reign in her anger. I knew that feeling.

"You always have to cause trouble," Estefania said to Tina as she pulled my arm so we could walk away, leaving Tina standing alone.

Despite the excitement, Estefania and I continued to shop. I needed to update my wardrobe to reflect my current state of mind. Gone was the flashy, over-the-top playboy.

I went away barely into my thirties, immature and unprepared to face the consequences of my bad decisions. Now, at 34, my mindset has shifted, and my future is important. I wanted legitimate success, a wife, children, and a family. I needed my image to reflect where I was going, not where I had been.

"Back to your old ways huh" Fania teased me but my mind was elsewhere

"Ban what's on your mind?"

"Hmm?"

"I said you back to your old ways"

"How" I asked

"I thought you were so into your new girl, Remi-Blu but you hugged up with with- "

"Fania that is my new girl, that was Remi-Blu"

"Oh" Estefania hesitated

"Do you know Remi-Blu" I asked trying to get to source behind Fania's shock

"Yes she has been to Estelia's."

"Who was she with?" surprised  because Remi didn't mention it when I told her about owning the business.

"The first time she was with a group of girls, they were in town for a bachelorette party I think.  After that, she came in regularly for almost a year."

Remi-Blu never mentioned any of this to me. According to Estefania, she stopped her regular visits after a few months informing her regular stylist she'd be traveling for business.

"Why didn't you tell me you knew Remi-Blu? I've been talking to you about her non-stop?"

"Ban I didn't know her name was Remi-Blu, she introduced herself as Dominica, I thought you said you checked her out"

"Dominica? I checked  for Remi-Blu, none of the sources mentioned that she had a different name." my agitation was showing .

"Dominica, what? What is her last name?" I asked Fania

"I don't know, I can check the spa records"

"That's not necessary" I said, but my gut feeling wasn't good.

"What else do you know about Dominica?" something is not adding the fuck up I thought waiting for my sister to tell me something.

"When I met her she looked different,  she had a really short blue  pixie cut that showed off her pretty face, not to mention that bombshell body. I thought she was a dancer, and she was really sweet and quiet."

Estefania continued to describe how a few of the guys from my crew had tried to get with her, but she never acknowledged them or their attempts to get next to her.

"Esteban, believe it or not, she is even prettier now. I always felt that she was not someone to play with," my sister said, and her tone changed.

"Why would you think that?"

She looked at me like she couldn't believe I would have to ask, maybe forgetting I had been out of the loop for a few  years.

"Really, Ban, you see how she just handled Tina, well she was even colder with the way she handled your crew whenever they tried to talk to her" she laughed.
See
"Did you ever see her with anybody?"

My question stopped Fania in her tracks, she was silent for a moment too long.

"Fania don't fuck with me right, have you seen her with someone?'

Taking a deep breath my sister explained " Well no, but I have heard things about Remi-Blu from some of the clients and stylist gossiping "

"What Fania, what have you heard?" I could tell she didn't want to tell me something.

"I heard that she has been seen  with and linked to different crew Commanders, and it was dangerous because she is married-"

"She is fucking married, is that what you just said?" I could feel the blood pumping fast through my heart.

"Ban, I just heard the gossip, I don't know if it is true or not, and I personally  have never seen her with anyone, plus nothing came up on her check, right, so it nothing"

"Yea but her real name didn't come up either"

Ten deep breaths later and the old me was still ready to break through. It makes fucking sense she is fucking married. As calmly as I can I ask Fania about Remis' husband.

"The only thing that I have heard is that he is rarely in Miami, and may live in New York, People speculate it's the commander of the Russian crew out of New York, because she was seen with him often"

"Why didn't you mention any of this when I told you I was seeing her"

"I  thought it was just gossip "Fania looked worried, probably regretting she even mentioned it.

They say if something is too good to be true then it probably is, she's married. And to a Commander, I knew it when I saw her, she had to be taken by a Boss.

*****

Sitting around waiting for anything can lead to desperation. I have waited for Remi to return my call for the last three days. The truth is my ego refuses to let me sweat any woman, even if it is the one who has my complete attention and may break my heart.

I wanted to talk to Remi about  what Fania told me, but I'm not a bitch and I will not let an unverified fact control my emotions.  I had Lo checking into it and until then I would wait and see how it plays out.

I thought she would have called by now, her birthday is  a couple of days and she hasn't confirmed our plans.. But maybe she is busy with her Russian husband. The thought sickened me. Me, Navi a side dude, have I ever been probably, did I care, never. I have worked too hard to get away from the old me, and now even though it will hurt, I can't agree to be that man, even for Remi-Blu.  

I thought about the run-in with Tina, is she second guessing  being with me? The reality is ,maybe she really is married and can't be with me. Either way I intend on getting the truth from Remi, the next time I see her. And to get the truth I have changed our plans slightly.

I remind myself that we have no titles and no understanding of what this is between us. Remi called me her Man, but that was after I asked her to play along .