A Merry Little Christmas

by Melanie Schuster

  “Okay, what’s on your mind Aneesah? I can hear those wheels turning from here,” he said.

  Aneesah shrugged as she got up to put her cup and saucer in the sink. Washing her hands carefully, she patted them dry with a paper towel from the dispenser on the counter and then turned to face Donnie. “I don’t want you to think that I took your proposal lightly,” she said softly. “I was honored Donnie, I really was. But I care about you too much to venture into something that’s going to end in disaster. I respect you too much and I value your friendship too much.”

  Donnie nodded briefly and continued to look at Aneesah, admiring her beauty. “I’m not going to say I don’t understand what you’re saying, because I do. I’ve always viewed marriage as something sacred, something to be taken very seriously. My family gets married and stays married; you know that. But I have to be honest with you and tell you that I’ve been giving more and more thought to the idea of being married. I want that commitment, that partnership, that love and companionship that makes marriage so wonderful. And you’re the kind of woman I want to be married to, Aneesah. I can’t lie to you about that.”

  Aneesah stared at him for a few seconds and then crossed the room to take her seat again. “The ‘kind’ of woman you want you marry?” she repeated in a dangerously quiet voice.

  “Yes,” Donnie said confidently. “You’re tall, full-figured, smart, educated, you have class, style and ambition. You’d make a perfect wife for me and we’d have some big healthy babies, too.” He sat back and smiled with satisfaction until he got a better look at Aneesah’s face, which was wearing an expression of total incredulity. He could see that he’d wandered into a minefield, but, like most men, had no idea how he’d gotten there or how to get out. He then resorted to the universal and ancient male plea for enlightenment.

  “What?”

  Aneesah had the universal female response to the one-syllable word drawn out to several times its normal length by the floundering man across the table. She puffed up her cheeks and blew out a long and forbearing breath, then crossed her arms over her ample and tempting bosom.

  “Adonis Cochran, you need to quit! Here I am feeling bad for turning you down and you had no more love for me than the man in the moon!” she said indignantly. “You look around and decide it’s time for you to have a wife and you whip out your i-Pad to make a grocery list. And when you decide that I have more of the items on my shelves than anybody else, you decide to do your shopping at my store, is that it? Well, I have news for you, Adonis, you don’t go shopping for a wife off a list of attributes, or what you think are attributes,” she said hotly. “You’re an intellectual snob, you know that? I never would have thought it possible, but you are! As long as somebody has a few degrees and some ‘back,’ you’re right in there. You should be ashamed of yourself. That’s not how you go about deciding on a life mate, you idiot!”

  By now Aneesah was so steamed, she’d risen from the table and was pacing back and forth and gesturing with her long, graceful hands. Donnie had dropped his head down to the table and was groaning aloud as he listened to her recite his many shortcomings. How had his life become so very unmanageable in such a short period of time?

  “Are you listening to me?” Aneesah asked sharply. “This wouldn’t be a good time to fall asleep, I assure you.”

  Donnie sat upright immediately. “I’m listening, Aneesah, I’m listening! But I think you’re overreacting a little…” His words were cut off by Aneesah’s prompt response.

  “I’m not overreacting, you’re underreacting! Who in the world makes a checklist and then tries to pick out a mate on that basis? Where in the world did you get that nutty idea?” she railed at him.

  Donnie, gamely trying to gain points, actually had an answer for her. “British royalty,” he said triumphantly. “They do it all the time.”

  Unfortunately, his words seemed to push yet another button in Aneesah. “Oh, great! This is your model for a happy marriage, an all but defunct political system that has nothing whatsoever to do with how you live your daily life? Or maybe you think you’re some kind of king, is that it?”

  His face blazing with heat, Donnie was tom between trying to argue more and trying not to laugh. Aneesah was really worked up now, and she was really beautiful when she was angry.

  “Donnie, love is something that catches you unaware, it’s not something you just go out and pick up when it’s convenient for you. Marriage is hard work. It’s tough being around the same person day after day in good times and bad. It’s hard enough when you love that person to death. But when you just up and decide someone is a good candidate for matrimony and it’s time you were hitched, you’re committing romantic suicide.

  “For a marriage to work, you need to have passion, excitement, desire and romance. Someone needs to be able to take your breath away with a kiss, to surprise you with love every day. And you can’t sit there and say that the person has to be this tall, this wide, have this degree or that many IQ points. Real love doesn’t work that way.” Aneesah paused for a moment and put her hand on her hip. “You dodo, I thought you had more sense than this. My whole Christmas was ruined because I thought I’d really hurt you. And when I think of how much you spent on that stupid ring... ooh! Come walk me to the door. I’m about to leave in a rage because now I’m mad at you, Adonis.”

  Donnie watch her big, shapely bottom move as she whirled around to leave the room and decided that having two feet in his mouth was plenty; he probably needed to shut up right about now. He got up from the table and hastened to get Aneesah’s coat.

  “How long are you planning to stay mad at me?” he asked politely.

  Aneesah looked at his handsome, unshaved face, his rumpled jeans and cruddy sweatshirt, and made the sound sistahs the world over make when disgusted. “Mmm-hmm! At least the rest of today and maybe part of tomorrow, that’s for sure. I may allow you to take me to dinner later in the week to make up for it. But you have to swear that you’re going to think about what I said,” she said as she slipped into her coat. “Don’t just sit around watching football today—really think about what I said. Love is too precious and marriage is too important to play around with.”

  Donnie hugged her tightly and promised her. “Aneesah, you’re right, and I was wrong. Although I still believe in my heart that you’d make a beautiful wife for me or any man, I promise that when I get married it will be to the right person for the right reasons. I swear,” he said solemnly, ending the hug and holding up a hand like a scout reciting his pledge.

  “The words are nice, but that’s the wrong hand,” Aneesah said wearily.

  Chapter Five

  No one was happier than Donnie to have the holidays over and the normal work year start in earnest. He’d had quite enough of parties, rich food and endless gatherings, and was ready to go back to work and get back in his right mind. Even though he was back on a normal kilter as far as his feelings about marriage and Aneesah’s refusal of his proposal, there were some strange things afoot in his world. He knew that whatever remained of his mental turmoil would be erased once he plunged back into work. The strange things all centered on the woman he called Evilene, but he was sure it was leftover holiday angst.

  There was the New Year’s Day incident, for example. After his heartfelt chat with Aneesah, he really did think about what she’d said to him, and after a long shower and a much-needed shave, he’d hauled himself over to Alan’s house for the traditional open house. He was ready to relax and kick back with the rest of the family, and was even anticipating seeing Angelique again while the memory of that spectacular kiss was still fresh in his mind. He’d have been less than human if he hadn’t admitted to a certain amount of curiosity about how they would react upon seeing each other. Within minutes of his entrance he had a very different perspective on the situation: there was Angelique and there was that A.J. with his arm around her.

  Oh, so it’s like that, is it? Okay, cool, if that’s how you are, Evilene. Donnie let
this and other savage thoughts disrupt his enjoyment of what usually was a relaxing day with his family. He’d given a lot of thought to how he would act when he saw her again, but it hadn’t once occurred to him that Angelique would bring a date to the open house. He’d always suspected that this A.J. had a more-than-brotherly interest in Angelique and now he was sure of it. A.J. was hanging on to her like she was his personal property, and she was acting like she enjoyed the treatment, smiling up at the man for all she was worth. Donnie hadn’t really noticed those deep dimples before, but now it was all he could see. Her long, thick eyelashes, her pretty, juicy lips turned up in a constant smile and her amazing dimples begging for the tip of his tongue to sample their sweetness—the entire package drove him crazy.

  Donnie was so twisted at the sight of Angelique and A.J. that he ignored her presence completely for the short time they were there. He had just gotten Faye, his sister-in-law, to fix him a plate of fried turkey, black-eyed peas, greens, com-bread and yams when he looked up and the objects of his disdain had vanished, not to be seen again the rest of the day. With considerable effort he concentrated on watching football with his brothers and playing with his nieces and nephews. He made it a point, however, not to attend the open house Paris and Angelique were hosting the next day. He wouldn’t have admitted it to a living soul but he was really angry with Angelique. She had no right to kiss him like that if she was involved with some other man. And to bring that man into his family’s home, well, that was just too much. The less he saw of the sneaky little wench, the better.

  His desire to see less of Angelique was complicated by the fact that she had a studio in the Cochran building. Cochran Communications, under Donnie’s leadership, had moved from its original home on Jefferson Avenue to a new location in downtown Detroit that was closer to the heart of the city. Detroit was enjoying a resurgence of vitality and energy and Cochran Communications was right in the middle of it all. The new building was one that had been renovated by Adam and Alicia and preserved the elegant architecture of the auto-baron age combined with a sleek modem interior. Located near the Greektown Casinos, the new Ford Field indoor arena where the Detroit Lions played football and the beautiful Comerica Park, home to the Detroit Tigers, the Cochran building was home not only to Cochran Communications, but several other businesses. Angelique had leased office space there and it hadn’t fazed Donnie one way or another, but that was before the kiss. Now it was pretty much a moot point since Donnie was in and out of the office so much that he’d never see her. At least that was the plan until his first day back at work.

  There on his desk was a huge, obnoxious SpongeBob SquarePants gift bag. Donnie hung up his coat while eying the bag with suspicion. His secretary thought Angelique was sweet and would have delivered the package to his office without hesitation. He approached the parcel warily, and found a more conventional bag with a gift tag that indicated it was from Benita. He smiled and reached for the inside bag eagerly and then remembered why it was necessary for him to get the gift in this way. He was supposed to get the package at Angelique’s open house and he hadn’t gone. And now he had the package and no need to encounter that evil little woman again for a good long time. Life just couldn’t get any better.

  ***

  Angelique was so busy after the end of the holidays she barely had time to remember there was an Adonis Cochran in the world, which was just fine with her. At that moment she was in her studio in the Cochran building, matting the photographs she would bring to her presentation at the African-American museum. The bright winter sun streamed through the windows and her precise, careful movements occupied all her attention, keeping her thoughts at bay. To think about him meant that she remembered that kiss and that was something she really didn’t want to do.

  That kiss... it was so sweet, so sensual that the mere memory of it took her breath away and put her right back into a place where she could still taste his lips, still feel his strong arms locked around her, still feel the wild and unfamiliar longing that only he could assuage. The tender memory was always followed by the recollection of his behavior the very next day, when he had ignored her completely. That was also something she’d like to forget. Suddenly, despite her efforts to concentrate on her work, her mind drifted. With a sound of disgust, she stopped what she was doing and propped her head in one hand, the past few days coming back to her with unerring clarity.

  She, Paris, and A. J. had all gone over to Alan’s house and she’d even brought a huge bowl of shrimp salad to contribute to the meal. It was her mother’s recipe and Lillian’s shrimp salad was welcome wherever it went, it was that spectacular. The real reason she’d brought the salad, however, was because Donnie loved it. He’d had it on several occasions when he was visiting Bennie and Clay in Atlanta and always raved about it, so she’d taken the shrimp salad out of the refrigerator without hesitation, even though it was for her party the next day. After A.J. and Paris convinced her to go to the party, she decided to cast caution to the wind and see if there was something more to the spontaneous kiss than either she or Donnie realized. Dressed in the beautiful lapis-blue cashmere sweater Paris had given her for Christmas, Angelique really thought she was looking her best. She had on midnight-navy velvet jeans and sleek ankle boots, and a sheer misting of her favorite fragrance, Youth Dew by Estee Lauder. It was considered to be an old-fashioned fragrance, but she loved it and it smelled fantastic on her skin. She was ready to face Donnie, whatever the outcome. Yes, she’d made herself vulnerable to him and even a target for his ridicule by giving him that kiss, but now she was ready for the consequences.

  Angelique suddenly sat up straight with fire in her eyes. She picked up a matting tool and stared at it, then put it back down. She couldn’t trust herself to cut anything in her present mood. There was no point in trying to avoid it—the memory was too galling to go away. After greeting all the Cochrans and introducing A.J. to anyone who didn’t know him, Angelique had really begun enjoying herself despite the little thrills chasing around in her stomach in anticipation of seeing Donnie. Tina, Alan Cochran’s wife, had just said something to Angelique about the possibility of her showing at the museum and Angelique had confirmed the information. A.J. had put a brotherly arm around her and was praising her work when Donnie finally walked in and everything went wrong.

  Donnie looked as handsome as ever in another gorgeous sweater, this one a soft blue gray that warmed his already rich skin tone and made it more appealing. He was wearing jeans and some good-looking black shoes that laced up and looked very Italian, although they were probably Doc Martens. His smooth face was freshly shaved and he smelled wonderful. Angelique’s mouth had become dry and her hands had gotten damp and itchy. She couldn’t have said anything if she’d wanted to. As it turned out, she didn’t have to say a word; Donnie had ignored her completely. He didn’t look at her, he didn’t greet her in any way and he had acted as though she didn’t exist. A hard, cold weight formed in her stomach and the rest of the time went by in a blur. Luckily, A.J. was serious about shooting some film and they left rather quickly. They drove to Metro Beach and took some shots of the setting sun over the bleak winter shore.

  Angelique jerked out of her reverie, suddenly reminded that her film would be ready that day. They’d been shooting in color and she didn’t like to do her own color processing. She’d developed a good relationship with a small lab that wasn’t too far from the building, and they were always willing to expedite her orders. She glanced at her watch and saw it was almost time for lunch, so she decided to go pick up the order, reasoning that a brisk walk in the cold air would do her some good anyway. Abandoning all pretense of work, she quickly put everything away and went down to the main lobby. As she waved at the concierge and turned quickly to the big brass doors that led to the street, she ran smack into what seemed to be a wall made of wool.

  The wall was actually a tall, good-looking man who seemed rather pleased at the collision. “I guess I was in the right place at the right time
,” he said. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

  Angelique looked up into a broad, smiling face and had to smile herself: the man was adorable. It was a strange adjective to use about a big, handsome, obviously well-off man, but there was no other word that fit him so well. He was about six-two and a big teddy bear of a man, with that Gerald Levert kind of sex appeal. His skin was a rich, warm brown and his full, chiseled lips were surrounded by an impeccably groomed mustache and beard. His eyes were kind and merry with thick eyebrows and long, straight lashes.

  “I’m fine, thank you. I think I should be apologizing to you,” she said nicely.

  “I wouldn’t hear of it. Here, let me help you with your coat,” he said gallantly, holding out his hands for the garment.

  Angelique promptly gave it to him and allowed him to assist her. He waited while she shifted her purse and gloves from one hand to the other, and then made sure the coat was on her shoulders properly. “No hat today?” he asked.

  Still smiling, Angelique shook her head no.

  “Now, that’s not good. You lose most of your body heat through your head and your feet,” he chided gently.

  “You’re not wearing one either,” Angelique said with a raised eyebrow.

  “Aww, baby, just look at me. I’m a walking furnace,” he said with a chuckle. “Besides, I don’t want to mess up my hair.” He gave his hair a pat with an exaggerated flutter of his amazing eyelashes.

  He did have a pretty head of hair, thick and black and perfectly trimmed. Angelique thanked him again for his chivalry and promised she would get a hat.

  “I have to run now. Take care of yourself,” she said as they each gave a brief wave good-bye. Suddenly the cold winter day was warmer and more cheerful, all because of a chance encounter.

  ***

  “Mr. Cochran, Dr. Alexander is here.”

  “Thanks, Margaret, I’ll be right there.” Donnie smiled broadly as he went to the door of his office. It was his habit to personally receive all visitors; Benita had taught him that courtesy when she was head of Cochran Communications. This time he was combining business with pleasure, as Dr. Warren Alexander was one of his oldest friends. The doctor had been interviewed on the talk-radio station owned by Cochran and the two men had arranged to have lunch afterward. Donnie met his friend in the reception area of the executive floor and took him back to his spacious private office, where the two men began chatting.