by H. H. Fowler
“You would do that?”
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. You’ve been a better friend to me, better than I could ever be to you. I will make time for you, man. Just tell me what you need me to do and I’ll be there—present and accounted for.”
“I was hoping you would say that,” Drake said. “I’m parked outside your house. Just bring yourself, because I’m taking you along for a drive.”
Levi walked into his bedroom and parted the blinds. Sure enough, there was a car parked out front. A late model Toyota Camry. Levi grinned, deciding to save his comments for later.
“I’ll be right out, man,” he said. “Give me a few minutes to make myself presentable.” He disconnected from the line and then shouted into the hallway toward the guestroom. “Yasmine…I’m stepping out for a minute with Drake. Do you need anything?”
No answer, which was a deliberate move Levi knew was meant to draw him into the room. But he dare not go into the lioness’ den and chance being eaten alive. He shrugged and proceeded to get dressed. If she needed anything, she knew how to reach him.
Another Twenty Minutes Later
The house was suddenly quiet and Yasmine gathered Levi had finally gone on his merry way. Another reason to avoid working on this rift that was between them. Well, Yasmine had taken all that she could and was now prepared to execute what she’d purposed in her heart from last week. Had Levi been willing to honestly sit down and lay all the cards on the table, instead of becoming annoyed with her analysis of their relationship, she would have suggested that some time apart would be the right antidote to help them come to terms with the inevitable.
But Yasmine was glad she didn’t mention it, for the simple fact that Levi would have stood in her way, continuing to beat a dead horse when both of them knew it made no sense pursing a romantic relationship. Did she love Levi? Of course she did. But loving someone as a friend versus being in love with someone was like traveling in two separate directions. The man had done more good for her than anyone had ever done in the thirty-something years of her life and she would always be indebted to Levi for the way he’d defended her against her evil stepfather. But anything beyond sharing a mutual, warm friendship was simply not in the cards for them.
And although Yasmine wouldn’t have minded giving in to their carnal desire for sex, she was happy they didn’t. Because sex made things more complicated and had a way of making people feel more connected than they really were. So while the getting was good and while she was still able to keep Levi at bay, she knew she had better leave. It seemed heartless and maybe Levi would think she was heartless for the way she left him, but Yasmine knew that this was the right thing to do. Levi would eventually come around to the fact that she’d been telling the truth all along.
She quickly slid out of bed and began to pack her things. She needed not to worry where she would go because she was still in possession of her one-bedroom apartment. She had enough money in the bank to carry her and her baby for the next two years of their lives. Enough time for her to figure out what she wanted to do with this jobless part of her life. She guessed being a past beauty queen and a pageantry consultant did come with its perks. However, Yasmine had to pause for one minute and think: Whatever possessed her to move in with a man, knowing that he had an ongoing obsession for another woman?
It actually pained her, thinking about leaving behind such a good man because such qualities would be difficult to find in other men, but this situation with Levi and Sasha had gotten past her tolerance level and there was no way she could continue to submit herself to such misery. About half an hour later, she stood in the mirror to assess her appearance. The signs of pregnancy were evident. Swollen nose, a complexion that did not glow, but rather showed more bumps and bruises than she cared to see.
She still couldn’t believe she’d allowed Levi to convince her to keep this thing inside of her. She had yet to connect with it, especially when she thought about the disgraceful way it was conceived. She would have had an abortion, if she could. However, at nearly six months along, it was too brutal to even consider the option. With a heavy sigh, she gripped the handle of her suitcase and took one last look around the room, more so to ensure she hadn’t left any of her personal items behind. But what she did leave behind was a brief note for Levi, explaining again what she had already said to him. Maybe this time, he would take her seriously.
Chapter Twelve
Drake did not tell Sasha about the appointment he’d made with the Mercedes dealership, just like he didn’t tell her about the Ford Taurus he’d given to Lewis, or about the Toyota Camry he had in hiding all this time. He did, however, wanted to surprise Sasha with her dream car – today, if possible. Levi, who sat uncomfortably in the passenger seat, still amazed by the fact that Drake had called him along for the ride, didn’t have any idea of the plans that Drake was about to execute or that Drake had inherited millions of dollars.
He was too busy thinking how strange Drake was acting. Their tarnished history was reason enough for the both of them to go their separate ways. Yet, Drake was embracing him as if none of it had occurred. This unusual level of kindness Levi was not accustomed to and it had him extremely suspicious about Drake’s intentions.
“You never answered my question,” Levi said.
“About what?”
“This car, man. Whose is it?”
Drake smiled. “Patience, my friend. You will find out in a short while.”
“You know I don’t have any patience, man,” Levi chuckled nervously. “What’s up with all of the secrets?”
Maybe I should be asking you the same question, Drake thought. Because even though you’re with Yasmine, I can still see that ‘look’ in your eyes. You’re not completely over my wife. But I digress…I will not put myself through the agony…I prefer not to know.
“It’s not a secret,” Drake spoke up. “I’m just deciding to reveal certain information at a later time. Now sit back and enjoy the audio system.”
Drake pumped up the volume and a jam by Mali Music swelled through the enclosed space. The acoustics was tight, exactly the way Levi would have had the equalizer modulated to his taste. The name of the song was ‘Heavy Love’, a clean prose that spoke about the power of love – of friendships, of marriage, of family, relationships of every kind that survived the harshest conditions of disappointment and grief. Levi had never heard the song before and although he was bobbing his head to the jazzy conglomeration, he was really paying attention to the lyrics.
Again, his suspicion began to mess with his mind. It was obvious Drake was trying to send him a message. It didn’t make sense that Drake would play such a song that forced Levi to recall the sins of his past when Drake had already forgiven him. But while Levi was trying to answer his own confusion, someone else was sending him a message via a text. He pulled the vibrating phone from his pants pocket and stared at the screen. Sasha.
“I need to see you,” she’d typed. “The evil witch has struck again.”
Levi’s heart was pounding at the bottom of his feet. Sasha knew how to do it to him every time! She had no idea how close he was sitting to her husband. But even with Drake sitting so close, it didn’t stop Levi from responding to Sasha. It was almost an automatic reaction.
“I can’t see you,” he replied.
“Why?”
“Because…I told you I don’t want anything to do with you.”
“The feeling is mutual.”
“Then why are you texting me?”
“Because I think you should be the one to tell Drake about that incident in the boys’ locker room. He won’t allow me to get into the blackmailing incident…he needs to know!”
“If your conscience is messing with you that badly, it’s all the more reason to free yourself and tell Drake. I can’t help you…and I won’t.”
“You’re so selfish and so pigheaded that it irks the hell out of me…you’re just as guilty as I am.”
“Go a
head and call me names. It’s what you always resort to. The way I see it, what we’ve done is in the past and that’s where it should stay. Your husband has forgiven us and we should respect that the best way we can.”
“By keeping secrets from him?”
“We’re not keeping secrets. I just ain’t about starting no more drama.”
“You could say that, because I’m the one who has the burden of looking in my husband’s face every day, and remembering what we did in the boys’ locker room.”
“Seriously, Sasha, I can’t talk to you about this right now.”
“Then you had better make it your business to find some time to deal with that woman. What if she does something stupid by sending Drake a copy of that video clip? She sent me an email, virtually boasting that my marriage days are numbered.”
“The hell you talking about?”
Levi was confused, because up to this point, he didn’t know that Mrs. O’Grady had been the one behind the blackmail. The texting between him and Sasha came to an abrupt halt when Drake suddenly slapped him on the shoulder.
“We’re here!” Drake announced excitedly. “Put that phone away, man. I didn’t bring you along to get distracted from the main task at hand.”
Levi played off his nervousness by cracking a silly joke. He took in his surroundings and then stood back with a grin. “You are certainly full of surprises, man. What are we doing here at a Mercedes dealership?”
“You will soon find out, my friend,” was Drake’s succinct reply. “Just follow me.”
The men entered through the double glass doors of the dealership, which for Drake, was a testimony in and of itself. Here he was, an island boy, who simply wanted nothing more than to be a faithful preacher in the eyes of the Lord, didn’t see himself becoming a millionaire, especially at the age of twenty-six. The gates of affluence had certainly swung open in his favor. And even though the 2014 Toyota Camry was a decent ride, it was not Sasha’s taste. His desire was to get her exactly what she wanted and it was only because of his deep affection that he would shower her with the choicest of blessings.
“You’ve arrived right on time,” the owner of the dealership said to Drake. “I have done all of the paperwork and will just need a few signatures. But if you want to drive the car off the lot today, it’s yours.”
Drake wanted to be sure. “The same as the photos you sent to me by email?”
“The 2016 E350 with a panorama roof, 19-inch twin 5-spoke wheels and a rear spoiler? All of the bells and whistles fit for your queen. Trust me, it looks even better in person.”
Drake grinned. “I can’t wait to see her reaction when she sees it. But before I sign, I would like to take a look at it.”
“Sure, my man. Right this way.”
Levi had not closed his mouth from the time the salesman had begun describing the car Drake had bought for his wife. What the hell? How and when did this happen – the elevation in Drake’s finances? Was Drake playing some sick joke on him? Was he dealing drugs?
“Don’t take another step further,” Levi instructed his friend, “until you explain to me what the hell is going on.”
Drake laughed. “It won’t be long now, man. I’ll tell you all you want to know, but first I need you to help me surprise my wife. You drive the Toyota Camry and I’ll lead the way in the Mercedes.”
****
Sasha’s phone clamored in her hand and she noticed that it was Drake calling. She vacillated over the decision to ignore the call, because she was in the middle of a heated exchange with Levi, who was taking his own time responding to her last text. Hunter’s advice of leaving her ‘problems’ in the hands of God wasn’t working in her favor at all. Better she deal with this situation the best way she knew how, because it would be far too late for her to explain anything to Drake if Mrs. O’Grady got to him before she did.
Somewhere in the back of Sasha’s mind, she had always felt that Mrs. O’Grady would have bounced back with revenge. That was part of the reason why she was so adamant about Drake knowing the truth. But then Sasha suddenly thought: why was Drake calling her at this time in the evening anyway, when he should be at home with her eating dinner? These ‘unexplained’ disappearing acts of her husband was becoming a grave concern because they reminded her of his past behavior that resulted in him abandoning her for six months. Despite herself, she answered the phone in a respectful tone.
“Hi, honey.”
Drake could barely contain his excitement as he dangled the key fob to the brand new Mercedes. “What are you doing right now?”
Fretting myself to death. “I’m about to prepare dinner…and I was expecting you to be home by now.”
“I am home, well, in front of Hunter’s driveway. Could you step outside for a minute? I want to show you something.”
“Drake,” Sasha called with a puzzling modulation in her voice. “What is going on?”
“Please indulge me and just step outside for a minute.”
“Okay, I’m coming…”
Drake swung his gaze to Levi and grinned. “She said she’s coming…take our picture.”
“You still haven’t told me yet what is going on with you,” Levi said, as he took Drake’s cell phone, which had already been set to camera mode. “Where are you getting the money to do all of this?”
“What if I told you that God has made me a millionaire?”
“A what?!”
Levi’s outburst was overshadowed by Sasha pulling open Hunter’s front door. She stepped out onto the first step and her eyes immediately locked on a shiny black car with a big pink ribbon on top of it.
“I know you’ve always wanted a Mercedes,” Drake beamed, walking toward her. “And before you say anything, I want to let you know how special you are to me…”
As Drake droned on about the 1001 reasons why he loved her, Sasha allowed her confused gaze to rest on Levi, long enough to ascertain whether or not he was in on this with Drake. There was another car in the driveway beside the Mercedes, which looked to be a brand new model as well. Did Levi get a new car too? Wrong question! What is he doing here with my husband, knowing how sick I am of him and this situation? A flash of heat suddenly ran up Sasha’s spine as she imagined Levi being with Drake the entire time she was sending those inappropriate texts to Levi.
Drake gently tugged Sasha to get her attention. “You don’t look too happy…” Holding her hand, he pulled her to the driver side of the Mercedes, opening the door for her to get a whiff of the leather interior. “I assumed you would be jumping up and down by now, because you’ve always wanted to own a Mercedes. It’s your dream car!”
Sasha placed a hand on her chest to express genuine gratitude, but she was so taken by the surprise of seeing Levi that it was hard for her to fully recover from it. She sat behind the steering wheel and admired the affluence she never dreamt of ever experiencing in her lifetime. And just for a brief second, Levi faded into the alcove of her thoughts.
“Honey, of course I’m happy,” she said to her husband’s remark. “I’m just in shock right now…when and how did you do all this?”
Drake smirked. “You remember all the times when I would suddenly have somewhere to go…”
“Uh-huh…”
“And that I was hesitant to let you in on what I was doing…”
“Uh-huh…”
“Well…now you know. I was busy trying to find ways to blow my wife’s mind.”
Sasha laughed, despite of the awkward situation of having Levi weighing in on one of her happy moments with her husband. “With a car like this,” she said. “Who wouldn’t be blown away? I just can’t believe you did something like this.”
“God has greatly favored us,” Drake said in response. “And I promised Him that I would do the right thing by taking care the responsibilities of my family, His sanctuary and His people. Rejoice, babes! The season of never having enough is finally over!” He turned to Levi. “Are you still taking pictures? Because I want to capture ev
ery moment.”
Levi swung the phone upwards and focused the lens in front of him, his emotions torn between Drake’s excitement and Sasha’s angry glare toward him. “Man, how you expect me to stand up and snap pictures? I’m completely baffled over what is going on with you right now. I can barely think straight.”
“Well, you’re about to lose your mind,” Drake grinned. “The keys to the Toyota Camry are yours – all yours!”
Levi moved the phone out of his view and stared at Drake. “Man, stop trippin’!”
“I had it in mind to bless you all along,” Drake admitted. “Think of it as a peace offering between us.”
Levi laughed, but it was heavily doused with incredulity. “For real, dawg…I mean, didn’t mean to call you that…but for real? What has gotten into you, man? Spending money and giving away stuff like some big-time drug dealer?”
“No drugs, my friend,” Drake said to Levi. “Rev. Henderson bequeathed the bulk of his estate to me. I’m simply following the direction of the Lord, as He put those on my heart to bless…”
You have lost your blithering mind. Sasha stepped out of the Mercedes at that point, clearly not happy at all about Drake ‘squandering’ his wealth. Her instincts told her that the Toyota Camry was one of two cars that Rev. Henderson had left behind for Drake. Where was the other one? Up to this point, she had no idea that Drake had gotten the cars released to him Granted, they were his assets to do as he pleased with them, but still, she was his wife and she would have expected him to at least mention what he’d planned to do with them. But she swallowed back what she really wanted to say to Drake because her words would certainly ruin his inspirational speech. She would get him together at another time.
“I’m going inside to call Hunter,” she announced. “I have to tell her about the good news.”
“You can use my phone and call her right here,” Drake suggested.
“No, no…when we girls get to screaming, trust me…it could get all crazy.”
