A month later and just before Aiden’s 1st birthday I was able to find a house. Shirley came with me to look at the place. But frankly as long as it had electricity and running water I was going to take it. It was an old drab looking gray and white two family house and was the last house on a dead end street surrounded by woods.
The boys and I would live on the 1st floor which the landlord just finished renovating. No one lived on the 2nd floor because it had not been renovated as of yet. The other houses on the street were middle class family homes that were well manicured. My potential house however had a front yard that was over grown with grass and weeds. It looked like it hadn’t seen a lawn mower in years...literally. But since the front yard was not part of the inspection I didn’t care.
The apartment passed inspection and we were able to move in immediately. It was a two-bedroom apartment. So much bigger than the room the boys and I shared in Shirley’s basement. It had an eat-in kitchen and a living room with a fireplace that was closed up. We had no furniture accept for the boys’ cribs and the TV and VCR my mother had bought us the Christmas before we moved from Long Island. Some friends of mine gave us old living room furniture that they had gotten from someone else. So by the time we got it, there was no stuffing left in the cushions and the fabric had worn off a long time ago. But I didn’t care. I threw a sheet on the living room couch and moved on. This was our home and I couldn’t have been happier. Thank You Lord!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“There’s got to be something wrong with him,” Janice said. “He sounds too perfect.”
Janice sat back against the couch. The girls and I were hanging out in Janice’s condo, which overlooked downtown White Plains.
“She’s been seeing him for almost five months, and things are still going great,” Moira said sitting on the edge of the coffee table. “He hasn’t shown any signs of being a jerk.”
“He will,” Patricia added.
“There are good men out there ladies,” Melissa interjected.
“No, there aren’t!” Patricia said slumped in the high back-upholstered chair.
We all looked at Patricia. “Fighting with Tony?” Janice questioned.
“He did it again!” Patricia sat up in the chair.
We all laughed.
“Toilet seat up again,” I asked trying to hold in my laughter.
“I fell in the damn toilet again last night!” Patricia said looking extremely annoyed. “I’m tired of this passive aggressive crap!”
“No pun intended,” Janice mumbled.
I couldn’t hold the laugh in anymore.
“Do you really think it’s because you won’t let him get another dog? You already have one,” Moira said. Not being an animal lover herself she couldn’t understand the need for one dog let alone two.
“I’m telling you that’s when it started!” Patricia narrowed her eyes, “I tell you what, if he does it again I’m going to ‘accidently’ break his golf clubs over his head, the jerk!”
“Anyway,” Janice interjected, “back to the original subject…what’s wrong with this Charles character?”
“He doesn’t leave the toilet seat up,” I said laughing into my glass of wine.
“Very funny,” Patricia sat back in her chair and pouted.
“Listen, leave the guy alone,” Melissa said coming to Charles’ defense. “When he came with you to the dance he looked really hot in that tux.”
“Yes he did!” shouted Janice.
The girls and I attend an annual dinner/dance. It’s a fundraiser for breast cancer awareness in honor of Moira’s late mother. She passed away about five years ago. Charles had accompanied me to the dance where the girls and their guys were introduced to him.
Melissa continued, “I really like him. He seems like a good guy. Besides I like the way he looks at Simone when he thinks no one’s watching.”
“And he didn’t buckle under when we asked a million questions about himself,” chimed in Moira. “In addition he gave a really nice donation.”
“That’s true,” said Melissa nodding her head.
“And he has a really nice…” Patricia smiled while moving her eyebrows up and down.
“Yes, he does,” I agreed.
“Besides all that,” Melissa said, “This is the first serious relationship Simone has had since the boys were little. She’s spent practically her entire adult life making the boys her first priority. It’s time she put herself first. The boys are grown and out of the house now. She can’t keep using them as an excuse.”
I rolled my eyes.
“And if it means she’s finally getting laid…” Patricia trailed off.
The girls laughed.
“Geez, nothing’s private,” I said mumbling into my glass of wine.
They ignored me.
“No one has been able to penetrate that wall she has around her since she divorced old what’s his name 100 years ago,” Melissa continued.
“Yea and if he’s strong enough to penetrate that Berlin wall she’s built up over the years, then he deserves her,” Moira added.
Janice jumped in, “Besides all that he screws like a…”
“O.K., O.K.” I shouted. “If I can interrupt? Yes, we all know I tend to put up a wall.” I glared at Moira not liking the reference of the Berlin Wall in conjunction with my heart. “And yes, I did put the boys first. But I didn’t use them as an excuse.”
Janice cleared her throat.
“O.K. maybe a little excuse, but…”
Melissa cleared her throat.
“O.K. damn it! Yes I may have used the boys as an excuse. However,” I said before I could be interrupted. “I still say I did the right thing.”
“No one’s arguing with you,” Patricia said looking at Janice.
“No, I’m not arguing with you,” Janice said looking at me. “I just want you to be careful.”
“She’s been careful forever,” Melissa said. “It’s time she relaxed and enjoyed herself.”
“Didn’t you like him when we met him, Janice?” Moira asked, “I did.”
“Yea, I liked him. Actually he’s very nice, very smart and very hot,” Janice smiled. “I just want you to be happy.”
“I am, Janice, I am. I know I have blocked men out over the years. I didn’t want to get hurt again. But I’ve worked through that. Besides, this shouldn’t have come as a surprise to you guys. I told you I was ready,” I continued.
“Yea, but that was almost a year ago,” Moira interrupted.
“But I hadn’t found anyone, until I met Charles. He was definitely worth waiting for.”
“Do tell,” Janice leaned forward.
“Well, nothing I haven’t told you before. He’s kind, attentive, compassionate and ambitious. He’s supportive of my career. He’s strong. He doesn’t put up with my crap. And I need that.”
Janice looked at me waiting.
“And yes he makes love like a champion thoroughbred. He knows my body better than I do,” I said directly to Janice.
“I knew it!” Janice sat back in her seat with a satisfied smile.
“As long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters,” Melissa said.
“Giddy up!” Janice said under her breath but so that everyone could hear.
Totally ignoring Janice’s comment I continued, “I’m sure he’s not perfect. No one is. But he is all that I have been looking for and more. I have to keep pinching myself to make sure I’m not dreaming,” I smiled. Then I cleared my throat. “Also…ummmm….there’s something else.”
“What is it?” Melissa asked.
I hesitated. “He wants me to meet his parents,” I said looking at each of the girls.
“Oh, that’s serious,” Janice sat back up on the couch.
“Yes, it is. I’m really nervous,” I said picking at the plate of grapes I had in front of me. “I feel like a 16 year old. It’s crazy.”
“Why are you nervous?” Moira said. “They’ll love you.”
> “I’m not so sure of that,” I said looking down at my plate.
“Why? What’s not to love?” Patricia said.
“His parents are a really big deal.”
“So are you,” Melissa said with an edge.
“They may not think I’m good enough,” I said.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Patricia exclaimed. “They’d be lucking to have their son date you.”
I shook my head. His dad is a retired Chief of Surgery from Harlem Hospital. His mom is a retired attorney and the daughter of an attorney that worked directly with Thurgood Marshall…you know the Justice Thurgood Marshall of the U.S. Supreme Court.” I looked at the girls…No response. “And they have a four story brownstone in Brooklyn Heights!”
“Ohhhhh,” the girls all said in unison.
Yes, we all knew about Brooklyn Heights.
“Wow they’re heavy duty,” Melissa said.
“I told you!” I said exasperated. “On top of that his father is on the board of different organizations; and his mother is the head of the Women’s Ministry Board at The Abyssinian Baptist Church. Do you know who the ministers there were??”
“Yea, Adam Clayton Powell, Jr, the first African-American Congressman from New York City and over 10 terms as a U.S. House of Representatives,” Melissa said.
“Exactly!” I said. Not to mention other prominent African-American men. That church is very powerful.
“Wow” Patricia said.
“Yea wow. So now you understand why I’m pretty nervous. I really want to make a good impression,” I said quietly.
“Look Simone,” said Melissa, “Remember who you are and whose you are.”
“Yes,” I said.
Moira added, “And I don’t care how much money they have that doesn’t make them better then you.”
“All that matters is your relationship with Charles,” Patricia said. “Don’t let them intimidate you.”
“I won’t,” I said shaking my head.
“You really like this guy, don’t you,” Janice asked.
“Yes, I really do,” I answered.
As silence fell over the room it occurred to me even if I wanted to rebuild the wall and run for cover it was too late. I’ve already fallen for him.
1
Chapter 6
Driving down the tree lined street of Pierrepont Place in Brooklyn Heights I looked at the majestic brownstones as we passed by. Built in the early 1800s, they all were just as beautiful as the next. As we pulled up in front of the stately Dupree brownstone my stomach began doing somersaults. After turning off the ignition Charles squeezed my hand and gave me a kiss on the cheek. “Don’t worry, it’s going to be alright,” he said trying to reassure me.
“How do you know that?” I said.
He laughed, shook his head and got out of the car. As he circled around to open my car door I thought to myself. Why am I so nervous? I’m a middle aged accomplished woman, for God’s sake, not a teenager. Girls get nervous when my sons bring them to meet me. I shouldn’t be feeling this way.
Charles helped me out of his car and we stood in front of the 4-story brownstone, in all its glory. But all I wanted to do was jump back in the car and floor it back to Westchester. Again, I asked myself why I was so nervous. I could only come up with the juvenile answer of, because.
Then I thought, what would happen if Charles’ parents didn’t like me? Too upsetting to even think about it, I tried to push the idea out of my head.
Charles took my hand and led me up the stairs of the stoop. The carvings around the high arched eleven-foot double entry doors were amazing and the decorative glass doors were just as beautiful and timeless. When he rang the doorbell Charles brought my hand up to his lips and kissed the back of my hand. Looking into the warmth in his eyes I felt a sense of peace.
An older woman with shocking white hair and dark skin came to the door. Her stark white uniform told me she must be the housekeeper.
“Hi Sophie!” Charles said, with a big grin when the woman opened the door.
“Mr. Charles. Why did you ring the bell? You know this is still your home,” she scolded him with a stone face.
“Well, I was bringing my best girl home to meet my first best girl and I wanted to impress her.” Charles turned to me. “Simone, meet my first best girl, Sophie. Be careful she gets jealous easily.” He grinned and turned to Sophie.
“Oh Mr. Charles, you’re forever the flirt!” Sophie said with a big grin that almost split her face.
Charles gave her a bear hug that had her feet lifted off the floor. “Oh Sophie I missed you!” he laughed.
“Put me down you crazy boy!” Sophie laughed, as she playfully slapped his shoulder as he placed her down gently.
With her feet now firmly on the ground, she closed the door behind us. We walked in to the foyer.
“Hello Ms. Simone, nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you as well Miss Sophie.” I couldn’t help but smile. The love between Miss Sophie and Charles was infectious.
Charles had told me that Miss Sophie practically adopted him when his grandmother suddenly died when he was in his early 20s. Miss Sophie had been the cook/housekeeper they hired when Charles’ grandmother, Miss Josephine, finally gave in. She and Miss Sophie often argued about how to run the house. Although Miss Sophie showed Charles’ grandmother the utmost respect, they were like best friends who loved to annoy each other. Miss Sophie was just as heartbroken as the rest of the family when Charles’ grandmother passed. Her death had left a heartbreaking hole in Charles’ heart. A feeling I know all too well. Charles and Miss Sophie helped each other through the grief with laughter and shared memories of Miss Josephine. And when Miss Sophie had a bout with breast cancer Charles was right there to take her back and forth to her treatments. He sat there with her through every one. Miss Sophie was more like family than anything else.
The inside of the brownstone, a mix of old and new, made you feel as if you had traveled back in time. Walking into the foyer, I immediately noticed the 13-foot high ceilings with its detailed cornice moldings. The walls were embossed with full mahogany wainscoting, which are usually only in luxury homes. The floors and the mahogany staircase across from the front doors looked to be original wood.
“Dr. and Mrs. Dupree will meet you in the parlor,” Miss Sophie said as she pointed down a long grand hallway adorned with family photos.
The parlor, I thought? Oh this is going to be a stuffy night.
“We got it from here Sophie. Thank you.” As he gave Sophie a kiss on the cheek, she blushed.
Charles directed me through an archway trimmed with wood and into a large room, which seemed to be filled with art and lights strategically placed to show off the artwork. The vaulted ceilings were painted white with gold leaf trimmings. The gold curtains on the floor to ceiling Victorian windows were pulled open to let in the light. Beethoven’s “Piano Sonata No. 14 in C Minor” played in the background throughout the room on the high-end sound system. The regal looking fireplace had a large white marble Marseille mantel with a black marble hearth. The fireplace screen was an Aubusson with a polished brass finish. It looked like a royal seal. The smell of the wood burning brought back memories of home. A massive mirror with a gold leaf frame hung over the mantel with sconces on either side. The off white “c” shaped couch was decorated with several multi-colored pillows. Across from the couch were two matching Louis XV styled upholstery chairs.
Instead of stuffy, I found the room to be warm and cozy. Although the walls were painted white the décor was very colorful due to the paintings on the walls, pillows on the couch, and artifacts strategically placed throughout the room. The soft lighting showed off the art work. Since Charles’ parents were not in the room as of yet, I took a moment to look at the extraordinary art work on the walls. The paintings and black and white photos took you back in time. There were pictures of persons from the late 1800s up into the 1960s, some famous people like Lena Horne and
Dizzy Gillespie and others were just everyday people doing everyday things. Right next to Dizzy was a picture of a young Charles looking to be about 10 years old playing the trumpet, he wore a suit with a bow tie. He looked so adorable. But then another painting caught my eye.
Till We Meet Again Page 7
