Honest Man: A BWWM Romance

by Tyla Walker

Did I mention how much I love snuggling with Charlene? How much I adore smelling her conditioner on my pillowcase when I lie awake in the morning? Or how calm I feel whenever she’s in my arms?

  Because that’s all my mind been yammering about for the morning.

  I’m a little disappointed that Charlene and I didn’t get a chance to talk last night. I figured that everything would settle down once the Dad’s deal went through. Then, and only then, can I have a real talk with her and tell her that I love her and can’t imagine life without her and Brittany.

  But fuck. What would she say in return? I’ve been so busy thinking about just saying everything I feel about her, that I forgot to take into consideration that what if…Charlene doesn’t like me back?

  I dismiss my thought when I hear my cellphone ring. My heart skips a beat when I see the caller ID, ‘Dad.’ I quickly pick up the phone. “Yo, wassup. Daddy-o?” I say, trying to sound as casual as I can.

  “Johnny. Good morning to you as well,” Dad replies.

  “To what do I owe this pleasure, father?”

  “You can drop the nice act, boy. I’m in a good mood today,” says Dad.

  “Oh, thank god,” I reply, “If I had to take one more second of kissing your ass…”

  “Believe me, the feeling is mutual,” says Dad. But I can’t help imagining him joking a bit.

  “Listen, John. We haven’t been spending much time with each other. What do you say we head out for dinner tonight? My treat.”

  “Wow, you really mean that? I’d love to––wait a minute. There’s a catch, isn’t there?”

  “That’s quite astute of you, John. For that, I’m just going to come out clean to you.”

  “Dad,” I interrupt, “It’s okay. I know. You don’t have to say anything. I’m here to tell you that I support you, no matter what letter you are in the LGBT alphabet. You still have my respect and my love.”

  “Ha-ha,” he fake laughs. “Now, if you’re quite down fooling around, let me tell you what I want from you.”

  Crap. I’ve got a bad feeling about this.

  “Fist of all, you need to charm the living hell out of the client during dinner.”

  “Sounds easy enough,” I remark.

  “And then, we top it off with a few drinks. What do you say?” he asks.

  Sigh. “Of course, father,” I obey. Crap. Another night that I won’t be able to get to see Charlene.

  “Is something the matter?” asks Dad.

  “None.”

  “John, it’s just a little bit more. The sooner we can get them to sign the deal, the sooner you can get back to Charlene. The deals are almost done.”

  “I know,” I reply, “It’s just that…don’t You remember how it felt to be with someone you loved? I really wanted to see her again today.”

  “Did I just hear my son say the ‘L’ word?” he screams furiously before bursting into laughter.

  I wonder what’s so funny.

  “Forgive me. It’s just that I find it ironic that I needed to sell my life’s work just to make you see the bigger picture, John.”

  “What bigger picture?” I ask.

  “Charlene,” he says.

  It takes a few seconds to internalize, but I realize that Dad was right. All this time, I’ve been running amuck in this city. Cavorting and sleeping with as many attractive women as possible. I've been so concerned about living the good life, when all that matters is living my life with that one person who makes me feel alive, Charlene.

  “I get it,” I admit, “But are you telling me that you’ve been planning this all along, Dad?”

  “Ever since the day, I saw both of you sitting one of the roots of that Oaktree. It’s as clear as day, John. You and Charlene are perfect for each other. Both of you complement each other. And based on my intelligence team, you guys just can’t get your hands off of one another.”

  “She is quite the lovely woman,” I added.

  “Yes, she is,” says Dad.

  After a few hours, I accompany Dad to the best boy’s night out that he’s ever had. We eat lobsters and fish with the perfect glass of wine. Mr. Saneki is quite pleased with me as I regale him with stories I just made up a few seconds ago.

  After the magnificent dinner, Dad and I take Mr. Saneki and his gang to the nearest karaoke shop. Mr. Saneki immediately grabs the mic first and sings for the next thirty minutes or so.

  I applaud his gallant gait and poise. These Japanese can surely hold their own in a drinking match.

  Mr. Saneki finally talks to me after singing his heart out for thirty straight minutes.

  “I like you, Jackson,” he says, “Now, you go sing ‘Man in the Mirror,’ King of Pop.” I stare at the mic in his hand.

  “I joke!” Mr. Saneki laughs his heart out. He’s had one too many drinks. So, I help him sit down so that he can rest.

  “So, what do you do for a living, John?” he asks.

  “Well, I sell rare cars to rich clients. And I sell them well,” I say proudly.

  “Antique cars?” Mr. Saneki clarifies, “Oh, this is perfect! I’ve been looking for one pretty rare. I’ll definitely keep in touch with you.”

  This is great. Just great. Don’t get me wrong I love making new relationships, but you know what’s better?

  What’s better is my being able to smell Charlene’s shampoo on my pillowcase.

  What’s better is calm, I feel whenever I snuggle up to Charlene.

  What’s better is the thought of me being with her.

  But being able to help out Dad with work while getting some street cred on actually how to become a husband.

  Because I’ve already made up my mind. Deal or no deal, I am going to be spending the rest of my mornings waking up to that beautiful woman.

  My Charlene.

  Sixteen

  Charlene

  I let out a sigh of disappointment. John’s been very busy as of late. If it isn’t about Stacy’s being sold to their Japanese counterpart, it’s with his vintage cars.

  I admit that I’m guilty of wanting to spend more time with him. This agreement that we have should only last until Stacy’s transfer of ownership gets settled. It may seem selfish on my part, but I want to cherish the remaining time I have with him, which is strange. I’d still get to see him since we’re best friends, but I don’t know. Something about this whole thing ending is giving me feelings of anxiety.

  “Mom, is daddy busy again?” Brittany asks pouting.

  I pat her head. “Yes, baby. You know how daddy has a lot of responsibilities right now.” I reason with her.

  She sighs and frowns. “I know. But it doesn’t mean I like it.” She says, crossing her arms over her chest.

  I chuckle at her antics. “I miss him too, baby. Don’t worry. I’m sure he’ll have more time for us as soon as things get settled.” I assure her, pulling her arms down to her sides slowly so she can relax.

  “Okay, mom.” She says a bit sullenly.

  Ring. Someone’s calling on my phone. I look for it and find it on the couch. It’s John’s mom, Rosalie. I answer the phone immediately.

  “Hello, Mrs. Jackson. What can I do for you?” I ask, surprised at her sudden call.

  She chuckles. Charlene. How many times must I remind you that you may call me mom, or mother. You are, after all, married to my son. And even before then, you’ve been like a daughter to us.

  “Right. Sorry about that, mom. I sometimes forget.” I say apologetically.

  It’s alright, dear. Now, I was wondering if you and Brittany would want to have dinner with me. I figured since both our husbands are out working, we should spend some quality time together.

  I smile at her thoughtfulness. “Okay, sure. Where did you have in mind?” I ask.

  There’s this new Asian Fusion restaurant that I’ve been wanting to try. To save you from the hassle, I’ll have our driver pick you up.

  “It’s really no trouble at all. I can always drive.” I tell her.

  She c
huckles. Nonsense, dear. I insist. Click.

  The line goes dead.

  John’s mom has always been like that. She needs to have her way. Not that I mind. If she insists, I’ll just let her pick us up.

  I find Brittany in her room. “Hey, Grandma Rose just called. She wants to have dinner with the two of us.” I tell her.

  Her eyes light up. “Really? I’m glad, mom. I’ve been kind of bored lately.” She says.

  I pinch her cheek playfully. “You are so adorable. You need to get ready. Go take a bath.” I say.

  She immediately complies, rushing to the bathroom with her little towel.

  I get ready as well, deciding to wear a nice form-fitting black dress.

  I finish putting on some make up when I hear Brittany call for me.

  “Mom! I’m done with my bath!” She shouts from her room.

  I hurry to her room and pick out a nice pink dress for her.

  “I want to wear black too, mom.” She says.

  I chuckle. “When you’re older, baby. For now, you need to stick to pink and all the other light and bright colors for kids.” I explain.

  She doesn’t seem to mind as she doesn’t broach the topic any further.

  “Ma’am. Your driver has arrived.” One of the maids, Alice, interrupts.

  “Thank you, Alice. We’ll be heading down now.” I inform her.

  She nods and takes her exit.

  “Grandma!” Brittany shouts excitedly, waving enthusiastically as soon as she sees John’s mom sitting at a table by the corner of the restaurant.

  For an Asian Fusion restaurant, the place looks very classy. She greets me with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. I kiss her cheek in kind. “Hello, mom. Thank you for inviting us.” I say, glad to spend some time with her. I’ve missed her. It’s been a while since we spent some time together.

  She bends down to give Brit a kiss on the cheek as well.

  She then focuses her attention on me. “Of course, dear. I’ve missed the two of you and wanted to catch up.” She says as we all take our seats.

  “Let’s give our orders first, shall we?” She says, raising her hand to call the waiter.

  I look over the menu. The food seems appetizing.

  “I’ll have the salmon sashimi and pad thai. For the little girl, she’ll have the miso ramen.” I tell the waiter.

  “I’ll be having the chicken nikko curry with white rice.” John’s mom says.

  The waiter instantly scribbles down the orders before leaving for the kitchen.

  “Now since that’s taken cared of, how has marriage life been treating the both of you?” She asks.

  “Things have been good, mom. John’s been busy lately, but it’s fine. Brittany’s been calling him daddy since the wedding and she loves him, don’t you baby?” I ask Brittany.

  She grins. “Of course, I love daddy. He’s fun.” She says.

  This brings a smile to my face. I can tell that John’s mom appreciates what Brittany said as well.

  “For what it’s worth, I truly am glad that he chose to marry you, Charlene. Hugh and I have always seen you as family. And from the way John looks at you, the two of us could just tell that he loves you.” She says.

  Cough. I almost choke on my water.

  She looks at me concerned. “Are you alright?” she asks.

  I nod, still coughing a bit. “What makes you say that?” I ask curiously.

  “Call it mother’s intuition, dear. A mother just knows. Besides, it’s clear that he goes through all those women in the hopes that he’d somehow see glimpses of you in them. It’s why no relationship was ever good enough. You’ve set the bar pretty high.” She explains.

  I shake my head disbelievingly. “Mom, I think I would have seen it if that were the case.” I say, expressing my doubts.

  She chuckles softly. “Trust me, dear. My son, smart as he is, has been acting like a stupid fool, not knowing he’s been in love with you all along. And the only reason you never saw it is because you were probably just too close to the situation. From a third-party perspective, like Hugh and I, it’s very obvious.” She says.

  I feel a surge of hope in my chest. Could it really be that simple?

  “You know, we’ve watched the two of you go around in circles around each other, not realizing that you’ve been under each other’s noses all this time.” She adds, a hint of amusement on her features.

  All of a sudden, it’s like I have a lot to think about.

  The dinner ends and the driver takes us home. I try to wait for John, wanting to talk to him. I can’t help feeling hope that maybe it’s alright to fall in love with him.

  I try to stay awake, but my tired body does not cooperate. I soon find myself drifting into a comfortable sleep, feeling like everything is right with the world.

  Seventeen

  John

  “Alright Brit, are your all set to go?” Charlene asks Brittany as we enter her room.

  “Wait just a second, Mom.” Brittany replies as she stands in front of the mirror finishing up tying her hair up into a ponytail. “Ugh, it’s so messy! Mom can you please help me?” We chuckle at the expression of annoyance on her face as she turns to face us.

  “Of course, sweetie.” Charlene walks towards Brittany as she proceeds to help her with her hair, while I stand and lean by door frame. I just can’t help but smile at the sight of the two of them.

  “Alright, we’re all done.” Charlene announces as she runs a hand through Brittany’s hair one last time.

  “Thanks, Mom.” Brittany turns to face me. “Don’t I look cute?” She gives me a sassy pose, and both Charlene and I let chuckle.

  “You always do, Britt.” I casually tell her.

  “Well, you have a point.” Brittany shrugs.

  “Okay, Britt we really have to go now. Grampy and Nana are already waiting for you at the house.” Charlene heads towards the bed to collect Brittany’s things.

  “Bye, Uncle Johnny.” Brittany runs towards my direction to give me a hug, but pulls away quickly. “Oh I mean bye, Daddy.” She covers her mouth as she chuckles shyly.

  “Bye my little angel. Mom and I will see you tomorrow.” I pull her back in for a hug before all three of us head down the stairs.

  “Are you sure you don’t want me to go with you?” I look over to Charlene as we start walking down the stairs.

  “Yes, I’m sure. You might be needed here, so it would be better if you just stay. I’ll come back after dropping Brittany with my parents.” Charlene assures me.

  “Well, okay the. Just give me a call if you need anything.” I tell her.

  Brian is already in the driveway waiting for my two girls. They get in the car and start to drive away. Before they could get far, Brittany pops her head out of the window.

  “Bye, Daddy!” She waves quickly before disappearing from my sight. I just love that girl so much, that’s why I’ve always treated her as my own.

  I head back inside the house and decide that I’m going to take Charlene out dancing tonight. I grab my car keys and head out to buy her something to wear. I search the mall for about an hour before deciding what to buy for her.

  I drive back home with all my purchases and start laying them down on the bed. I admire the black sparkly dress and a diamond necklace to match. I quickly grab a pen and a small piece of paper, and start writing her a note.

  Will you let me take you out for dinner and dancing tonight? I smile like a stupid high school boy as I place the note down on top of the dress and necklace.

  I take a look at my phone and see her text from about twenty minutes ago. She’s about to come home. I smile again as the thought of her coming home to me lingers in my head.

  When did that happen? Maybe it’s like what everyone have been thinking. Maybe it’s been there all along.

  I quickly hide myself as I hear Charlene come up the stairs. I’m not trying to be a creep or anything, but I just really want to see her reaction to my surprise. I can’t believe I’m hid
ing in the closet for this, what am I five?

  I peek and see her looking around, maybe to see if I’m in the room. She looks at the note and a smile forms on her beautiful face. I’m assuming that she’s accepting my invitation since she’s heading towards the bathroom.

  I quickly rush out the closet and head downstairs. I join my father and the buyers, who are currently having a drink as I wait for Charlene to finish up. It seems to be a good day for me, since today is also the day that the buyers are already finalizing their purchase of my father’s business.

  I excuse myself to check on Charlene, but I stop in my tracks as I catch sight of her coming down the stairs. I can feel my jaw literally drop and my heart is about to jump out of my chest as Charlene takes each step down. She’s so freaking gorgeous.

  “I’m guessing you left this for me?” She smirks as she holds the note up with two fingers.

  “Yes, I actually did.” I get myself together and turn to face the gentlemen behind us.

  “It’s a pleasure spending time with you all tonight, but if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be taking my wife out for a date.” I slightly lift my arm and Charlene accepts. “Goodnight, gentlemen.”

  As we arrive at the restaurant, one of the servers assists us to a vacant table right in the middle. The place isn’t as packed yet, thankfully. We take a seat and start scanning the menu, while the server stands by our table waiting for our orders.

  We tell him our choices, and he heads to the kitchen to get our food ready. I can’t stop looking at Charlene. She looks so goddamn beautiful.

  “I’ll just use the ladies’ room.” She gives me a small smile before standing up and heading towards the restroom.

  I take a deep breath as I think about my plan of finally telling her that I love her over dessert later tonight. I hope my luck for today continues.

  I look around the restaurant and more people are starting to arrive. As I shift my eyes, I spot one of the girls that I recently just hooked up with. How long has she been looking at me? I can see that she’s with her friends.