by H. H. Fowler
Hunter gave her friend a rueful look. “I’m sorry I dragged you to this place. I’d forgotten how bad it is on Wednesday afternoons. The stress people will endure for 99 cents never ceases to amaze me.”
Sasha laughed, thinking of all the 99 cent deals she’d capitalized on. “It’s a well-known marketing strategy. That’s why many retail companies employ it and as you can see, it works every time.”
“Well, it’s not for me,” Hunter said. “The fuss it creates, I mean. Do you want to go somewhere else?”
“Nope…because unlike you, Ms. CEO of her own company, I have forty minutes left in my lunch hour and if I don’t get back to my classroom on time, I will incur the wrath of Mrs. O’Grady.”
“That woman needs to be demoted,” Hunter spat. “I don’t understand why she gives you such a hard time, considering you are one of the brightest teachers Xavier High has ever had.”
Sasha playfully rolled her eyes. “Please, let’s not waste any more time talking about Mrs. O’Grady. I want to know the reason why you felt compelled to ask me to have lunch with you.”
“It can wait,” Hunter said.
“Don’t back out on me now. I command you: Reveal your heart to me.”
Hunter laughed at her friend’s unintended humor. “Nah…I’m more concerned about you and how you and Drake have been getting along since I’ve been gone. Is he still harping about moving out of the guesthouse?”
Sasha gave a sigh of annoyance as the waitress gestured to her and Hunter to follow her to a recently vacated booth. She waited until the waitress had taken their order before diving into her rant. “I don’t see why he wants to move. Drake knows quite well we can’t afford it right now. And to tell you the truth, I don’t even know where to start with that man.”
“Now why doesn’t that sound positive to me at all?” Hunter said. “Please tell me that you and Drake haven’t been arguing over whether to stay in the guesthouse or not. Because you both know that I don’t have any problem with that.”
“It’s not that…it’s just that…” Sasha looked away to gather her thoughts.
“What is it, honey? You know you can discuss anything with me.”
“I love my husband very much,” Sasha said, turning her gaze back to Hunter. “Maybe a little too much.”
“I’m trying to follow you…because I think it’s wonderful that you’re so enamored with your husband, especially with what you two have been through within the last eight months.”
“I think I’m sacrificing too much of myself for Drake’s dreams. If he doesn’t slow down and take precautions, he’s gonna get us both killed.”
“Okay, honey, you’ve lost me for good this time.”
“Let me make it plain to you, Hunter. I don’t think Drake understands how dangerous John Dewey is. I’m convinced it was Dewey who sent those men to burn down that church. And I’m convinced that he is going to return.”
“You don’t know that for sure.”
“Please, Hunter, don’t patronize me. You know full well as I do that Drake is in over his head and doesn’t acknowledge that he is in any danger. He acts like it’s business as usual. The only difference is, he’s having three services on Sunday to accommodate four hundred people in a room not much larger than my classroom. How long will those people put up with that foolishness? They will soon be complaining about purchasing a new facility and only God knows where Drake will get the money from. I don’t get why he is overextending himself like that and then expects me to agree with it all. I’m not cut out to be a pastor’s wife and I doubt I ever will be.”
Hunter took Sasha’s words in stride, reading between the lines of her emotions. She’d known Sasha long enough to know when Sasha was genuinely bothered by something or was using a mask to camouflage the real issue. And right now, Sasha was doing all sorts of camouflaging.
“First of all,” Hunter said. “You are much stronger than you think and you have what it takes to support your husband. I don’t feel comfortable either with Drake putting himself out there so soon. But we both know that when Drake is passionate about something, he goes after it with everything he’s got – even with the threat of danger lurking in the shadows. And as upsetting as this may seem, you have to stand by his side and continue to give him your support as his devoted wife. However, I don’t feel you’re being completely upfront with me. It’s almost as if you’re trying to find a reason to be angry with your husband.”
The waitress returned at that moment and rested their espressos on the table. Sasha was relieved for the brief intrusion, because it gave her a few seconds to gear up for what she knew Hunter was trying to get at.
“It is not my style to pry,” Hunter said, “but I’m looking at my friend who doesn’t seem as happy as she should be. That can only be because of two things when it comes to Sasha – or should I say two men. Drake or Levi. Now, I already know it’s not Drake. Your husband has done more than enough to make up for those six months he abandoned you. You said you forgave him, yet you still have a dissatisfied look stitched on your face.”
“It’s because of what’s been going on lately with the church,” Sasha said in her defense. “I don’t want Drake, myself or anyone else to become John Dewey’s next victim and that in itself is enough to make anyone feel edgy...”
“I hear you, girlfriend…” Hunter narrowed her eyes. “But there’s more you’re still not telling me. However, it’s your prerogative to be evasive, so I will not push you –”
“What does it matter if Levi is still pursuing me?” Sasha suddenly blurted out. “Truth is: I’m not gonna do anything about it, except continue to resist him. He gets under my skin – the way he constantly leers at me, knowing that I’m a married woman. Everywhere I turn, he’s there, rescuing me, following me around like some lovesick puppy. The other day when…” Sasha placed a trembling hand over her mouth to keep from embarrassing herself more than she already had. “So there you have it, Hunter, and I don’t care to bring up this issue again. Do you understand?”
“Honey…” Hunter reached over and gave Sasha a supportive touch. “You haven’t admitted anything except your true feelings for Levi…you’ve been struck with the reciprocity bug.”
“The what?”
“Reciprocity bug,” Hunter repeated for emphasis. “You are subconsciously responding to Levi’s love signals. Reciprocity in itself means that in response to friendly actions, people are normally much nicer and much more cooperative. In your case, all of Levi’s kind gestures, his constant need to console you and to rescue you is finally having a staggering effect on your emotions. It’s like being pierced in your heart by Cupid’s arrow…”
“Oh, Hunter, please tell me you don’t believe that mythical nonsense…”
“I believe you are very much attracted to Levi,” Hunter maintained, “and this realization is tearing you apart on the inside.”
“I’m not attracted to Levi,” Sasha shot back. “And don’t you dare let Drake hear you say such drivel.”
“Listen to me, honey. I’m not trying to play the devil’s advocate. I stand 110% behind you and Drake; I want your marriage to work and be all that you hope it would be. However, just because you deny something doesn’t mean that it will go away...you have to be honest with yourself and deal with the issue…”
Sasha suddenly stood to her feet. “I don’t want to be rude, but I have to get back to my classroom before Mrs. O’Grady misses me.”
Hunter didn’t bother to stop Sasha. Love was complex, hard to describe with simple words. However, Hunter was certain about one thing: it was also hard to control the heart and what it yearns for. If Sasha thought for one minute suppressing her attraction for Levi was going to make it go away, she was only deluding herself big time. Hunter’s only concern was how this new development was going to affect Sasha’s marriage in the long run. And it happened just when she thought Sasha had finally gotten her life back on track.
Hunter took one final sip from her cup
of espresso. And as she stood to leave the booth, she heard her cell phone ringing in her purse. She retrieved it and though she was pleased to see that it was Kevin, she hesitated answering his call. You told me you are committed to making this relationship work, but why didn’t you tell me about the card that woman pushed into your pocket? How do I know you haven’t already called her and made plans to see her? It’s because you still prefer a black woman over a white woman. You’re just not man enough to admit it.
“Hi, Kevin.” Hunter tried to not let her mental tirade ruin her happy greeting. “I wasn’t expecting your call so soon.”
“You were heavily on my mind,” he said. “Plus, I wanted to make sure you got back to Devin’s Cay in one piece.”
“Awww, that is so sweet of you; I miss you already.”
“Don’t start with that, girl. You make me wanna book a flight this evening, just to come see you.”
Hunter laughed. “You are crazy, you know that?”
“Well, you make me crazy and I’m crazy about you. This relationship means everything to me and like I told you before you left Florida, I’m committed to making it work.”
There you go again, reassuring me of your fidelity. What is up with that, Kevin? “So am I…I just wish we were living in the same city and didn’t have to wait for the end of the month to see each other.”
“But you don’t have to wait until the end of the month to see my face.”
“How so?”
“Now that I’m on the front cover of your magazine,” Kevin joked, “you will see my handsome face every day, wearing your handcrafted jewelry, which I love by the way. When I saw myself on that projector screen, I dare say that all of your previous male models paled in comparison.”
“Should I tell you, my dashing beau, self-praise is no recommendation.”
Kevin chuckled at the old proverb. “I haven’t heard that in a while. But you must admit, I do take some sexy photos.”
Because you are a very sexy man, Hunter wanted to say, but she didn’t want Kevin to think that she was too smitten with him. He could use that to his advantage.
“Since we’re talking about sexy photos,” she said, “your next shoot will be in two weeks. One of my photographers will fly to Tampa to accommodate you. Please, make sure you fit me into your busy schedule, mister.”
“Yes, ma’am…I don’t wanna hang up, but I have to go…”
“I know that you’re busy at work,” Hunter said. “Call me later?”
“Most def…I wish I was there to kiss you goodbye.”
The tips of Hunter’s ears suddenly became an inferno. This man was saying all of the right things and making her feel like she was the most important person to him in the world. Why would she ever doubt his fidelity? The truth was: Hunter had never in her life fallen so hard and so fast for a man that she was constantly telling herself that it was too good to be true. What if Kevin was not the man she thought it was? She hoped that he was, because Hunter was not sure if she could handle the disappointment.
Despite her consternation, she walked out of The Shale with a smile on her face. Maybe she had found real love or maybe it had found her. She just needed to relax and trust her heart. Kevin was one of the good guys.
The wise are wise only because they love. The fool are fools only because they think they can understand love.
Paulo Coelho
Chapter Eight
2:11 p.m.
Drake wanted to give his mother a surprise visit, considering it’d been a while since she’d last checked in on him at the hospital. And while he was in the hospital, recovering from first and second degree burns for those two weeks, his mother had remained at his side. The problem Drake had with getting around was that he hadn’t any means of transportation to call his own. Well, his wife’s car was available on weekends and on Sunday when they drove to church, but during the week, Sasha took the car to work, leaving him stranded in Hunter’s guesthouse.
And Drake was okay with the arrangement, because he used those quiet times to meditate on the Holy Scriptures anyway. It was only during times when he really needed to get out of the house that he’d felt as if his hands were tied. There was no one else for him to call. Well, maybe there was, but did he dare invite trouble back into his life? Drake reached for his cell phone despite his reservation and punched in the number of his former best friend. Indeed, Levi Johnson spelt all of kinds of trouble, but Drake was willing to believe that his past friendship with Levi that spanned over twelve years had not all been based on lies and deception. Surely, there was still some shred of humanity left between them.
“Yasmine?” Levi had picked up on the first ring, his voice heavy with anxiety.
Drake was confused and for a second he thought he’d dialed the wrong number. Why would Levi be asking for Yasmine in the first place, knowing the treacherous nature of the beast? But then again, Drake thought, both of them were cut from the same material. Yasmine had falsely accused him of rape and Levi had tried to steal his wife from under his nose. Drake couldn’t say which one was worse. In any event, he had forgiven them, though at times it was hard to forget what they did to him.
“Sorry to disappoint you, Levi,” Drake said. “This isn’t Yasmine. My number should have showed up on your caller ID.”
Levi was genuinely shocked to hear his friend’s voice, even though he had to take a second look at the screen to make sure. “Drake? What’s up, man? I never imagined you calling me ever again. That’s probably why I didn’t pay any attention to the number.”
“I almost didn’t call,” Drake said. “But it’s been almost two months since I last saw you and a lot has happened in that time. In fact, I almost lost my life in a fire.”
“I’d heard…and I would have come to the hospital to see you, man, but I wasn’t sure how my presence would have been received. But I’m relieved to know you’re ok. I still love you, man.”
Drake allowed Levi’s words to sink in for a second before he responded. “You almost seem sincere…”
“Look, Drake, despite what you may still think about me, I don’t feel good about what I did to you and to Sasha. I can’t say enough how I wish to go back and change –”
“There’s no need for you to keep on rehashing it. What’s done is done. I’m trying to leave the past alone and so is Sasha. Besides, I called you because I need a favor from you.”
“Anything, man. Just ask and I’ll do it.”
“Take note of this address and pick me up in half an hour…I’m staying in the gated community of Paradise Blvd. The sixth, two-story house on the left.”
“Sure thing, Drake. Count on me to be there.”
****
Levi made a U-turn at the traffic light to head in the direction of Paradise Blvd. He’d not too long finished training practice with the basketball team and had been almost home when Drake called. But it was nothing for Levi to make the ten-mile commute and fulfil a request for a man who’d once been his best friend. It was the least he could do to make up for all the pain he’d caused. However, Levi was more focused on trying to reach Yasmine. It’d now been almost two full days since he’d heard from her. And he would have called Officer Mitchell and alerted him of his suspicion, but Levi was not certain if Yasmine would want him to do that. No one was supposed to know that she was in a witness protection program.
But still, what if Yasmine was really in trouble? After his run in at the club with Yasmine’s stepfather, Levi had been in anxiety mode. He couldn’t believe that he was actually feeling such emotions for another woman, terrified of losing her through some violent means. But he’d signed up for this, hadn’t he? He knew that Yasmine came with heavy luggage – an abusive childhood, raped repeatedly and pregnant by the man who was in hot pursuit to end her life. Yet knowing all of this, Levi was willing to make Yasmine his woman. Did he love her? Levi wasn’t sure, but he certainly did care a great deal about her safety.
In exactly twelve minutes, Levi swung his Musta
ng through the gated community of Paradise Blvd. Under different circumstances, he would have taken time to notice the affluence and beauty of the large custom-designed homes and well-maintained lawns. But with so much on his mind, he was simply looking for a two-story house on the left, the sixth one down from the main entrance of the community. Certain that he’d found it, Levi turned into the driveway. He rang the doorbell and shortly after, Drake pulled the door open with a cordless phone attached to his ear.
“I will be right with you,” he said to Levi. “I’m on an important call with someone from the church.”
“Take your time, man,” Levi said. “I’ll be right outside.”
Drake dashed away as if he’d left a pot burning on the stove. Levi shook his head. Man, what is up with you and this church? Do you ever have time to deal with anything else? But Levi should’ve known by now that the church was Drake’s life and nothing was going to deter Drake from what he believed was his mission. And although Levi was against it, he dare not raise the issue with Drake. He moved away from the front door and sat on the hood of his car.
Two minutes turned into five minutes and then five minutes turned into ten. Levi was about to ring the doorbell again, because it seemed as if Drake had forgotten that he was outside waiting on him. It wasn’t long after that that Levi saw Sasha’s Toyota hatchback turning into the space next to his car. It seemed surreal, because it’d nearly escaped him that she and Drake had reconciled and were now living together. Plus, he hadn’t anticipated her coming and meeting him here with her husband. Levi’s first thoughts were to bolt before Sasha had a chance to say anything to him, but he remembered he didn’t come to see her, but came out as a favor for Drake. So, he stayed where he was with his arms folded against his chest.
But as he had expected, Sasha could not walk past him without saying a word. She just had to let him know how irritated she was with him following her around. With one hand on the knob of the door and one flailing in his face, Levi prayed she went inside before Drake came out and heard her mouth.
