Fall Black In Love 1: When Henry Met Millie

by D. Camille

  Henry removed his jacket and tie before hugging Millie close. “The next twenty-five are going to be even better.”

  “How’re you going to do that?” she asked as he unzipped her dress.

  He gave her a look and Millie laughed softly. “I forgot…you know things”

  ******

  Henry returned to work feeling good after his anniversary celebration with Millie, the one in public and the one in private. Sitting in the lunchroom eating the items that she had prepared for him, he smiled.

  “Hi, is this seat taken?” a female voice asked breaking into his thoughts.

  Henry looked up at the secretary who worked outside his office. “No ma’am.”

  Smiling the woman sat across from him with her own lunch. “I see you always bring your lunch,” she commented nodding at his food.

  “My wife makes it for me.”

  She laughed softly. “If I had a handsome husband like you, I’d make his lunch too.”

  Henry went back to his lunch and she continued.

  “I hear you have the most adorable granddaughter. Is that her picture on your desk in your office?” she inquired.

  Henry looked up. “Yes ma’am, the one right next to the picture of my wife.”

  She nodded. “She’s pretty too.”

  He agreed and continued with his food.

  “You’re a very handsome man as well Henry,” she said softly.

  Henry moved his attention away from his lunch. “Okay Brenda, let me say this…I know that these other guys around here step out on their wives. I am not one of them.”

  Brenda looked surprised at his candidness. “You shouldn’t be surprised that a woman finds you attractive Henry, and tries to act on it.”

  “There’s nothing to act on.”

  She studied him. “They say you and your wife have been together for a long time.”

  “Twenty-five years,” he answered proudly.

  Brenda lifted a brow. “And you’ve never stepped out?”

  Henry leaned forward. “No ma’am.”

  She smirked. “You’ve never wanted to?”

  “Haven’t met a reason yet…” Henry looked at her. “Including now.”

  He watched as she gathered up her food hastily. “Enjoy your lunch Henry.”

  “I was doing just that before you sat down in that chair.”

  Henry shook his head as she walked away. These women didn’t understand that Millie Patterson did not play when it came to Henry Patterson and they did not want her to start whipping ass.

  Henry had not lied to Brenda. In twenty-five years, he’d never entertained another woman’s advances. His Millie was more than enough for him and the thought of ever hurting her in that way never even occurred to him.

  While the other guys inside the plant had no qualms about having “work wives”, that was not a game that Henry played and he had no problem letting it be known. At the end of the day, he was going home to kiss his wife and granddaughter. They’d have dinner and then he’d lay his head next to the love of his life.

  ******

  That evening at home, Millie was preparing dinner while Tauri was sitting at the table coloring.

  “What’s that smell Granny?” Tauri asked.

  Millie smiled because Tauri was constantly asking questions. She was going to be a great lawyer one day.

  “Which smell?” Millie inquired.

  Tauri sniffed the air. “It smells like flowers.”

  Millie pointed to the source, on a high shelf. “It’s the candle burning.”

  Tauri looked up in that direction. “Can I see it?” she asked eagerly.

  Millie shook her head. “No, that’s hot and not for little hands. That’s why it’s up on that shelf.”

  “Will it burn my hands if I touch it?” Tauri asked inquisitively.

  “Yes, and then I’ll have to spank you for touching it when I told you not to.”

  Tauri’s eyes locked on the flame. “Is it fire Granny?”

  “Yes, it’s fire Tauri.”

  Tauri looked at Millie. “Did it burn you Granny?”

  Millie shook her head again at the questions. “No, it didn’t burn me because I know what I’m doing.”

  “Okay Granny.” She smiled and went back to her coloring while Millie cooked.

  Tauri looked at the page she was working on that had a little girl and a mother. Frowning, she looked over at Millie.

  “Granny, is my momma coming back?” she asked and Millie paused.

  Moving to sit next to her granddaughter, she looked into eyes like hers. “Tauri Ann, I don’t know baby girl. She may not.” Millie said sadly. “But I do know that me and your Granddaddy will always take care of you. Okay?”

  Tauri glanced at the picture then back at Millie. “Okay Granny. I wanna stay with you and Granddaddy forever.” She threw her arms around Millie and her Granny hugged her in return. The phone rang and Millie went to the other room to answer. When she returned, Millie noticed that Tauri had moved on to another picture in her coloring book.

  A few minutes later, Henry entered the kitchen picking up his granddaughter from her seat and lifting her into the air.

  “There’s my baby girl!” She laughed heartily as he brought her down into his arms.

  “Granddaddy!” She hugged him tightly.

  Henry kissed her loudly on her cheek. “You been good today?” he asked and she nodded quickly.

  He looked at her. “Did Granny have to get a switch for you?”

  Tauri looked at her Granny slyly. “No sir!” she answered imitating Millie.

  Both adults laughed at the little girls’ antics. She thoroughly entertained and they couldn’t imagine their lives without her.

  Henry glanced at the table. “What are you doing right here?” he asked Tauri.

  “Coloring, but I want to draw now.”

  Sitting her on her feet, he watched her take off to her room to get drawing supplies. Walking over to Millie, Henry took her in his arms and kissed her softly.

  “Hello Millie Patterson. I missed you today.”

  Millie returned his kiss. “I missed you too Henry.”

  She hugged him then drew back. “Tauri asked about Victoria. She wanted to know if she was coming back.”

  Henry looked concerned. “What brought this on today?”

  Millie walked him over to the coloring book still on the table then flipped to the page. Both their eyes widened when they saw that Tauri had put a big red ’X’ over the mother in the picture.

  Millie lifted a hand to her mouth. “Henry…”

  Henry put an arm around her. “Let’s talk to her when she comes back down.”

  Both Henry and Millie jumped when they heard Tauri scream. Running towards the stairs, they heard the fire alarm and Tauri calling for her Granddaddy.

  Henry felt his heart nearly burst out of his chest as he ran to the room where she was located. Rushing inside he saw the fire on her bed and quickly scooped up the shocked and crying little girl. Running out of the room, he quickly handed her to Millie.

  “Take her downstairs and both of you get out the house!” he yelled before going back to where the fire was burning.

  Shaking, Millie followed his orders and took Tauri downstairs and out the door. On her way, she grabbed the phone. Outside she dialed the fire department and tried to comfort the distraught child.

  “It’s okay precious. You’re okay,” Millie said, frantically checking the child over. “Did you get burned anywhere?”

  Tauri shook her head while tears ran down her face and her chest heaved.

  Finishing her inspection, she pulled the baby into her arms. “It’s okay.”

  She rocked Tauri in her arms until Henry appeared on the porch and she ran to him. “Are you okay?”

  He nodded swiftly. “Is the baby okay?” he asked in a rush.

  “She’s fine. She’s not burned anywhere,” she assured him and he breathed a sigh of relief as the fire department arrived.<
br />
  Walking out to meet them, Henry explained what had happened.

  “It’s okay. I put the fire out.”

  “What happened?” the fireman asked.

  Henry glanced back at Millie who still held Tauri in her arms. Turning back to the fireman, he answered, “The baby had matches. I found them on the floor.”

  Millie gasped then looked at her granddaughter. “Tauri Ann!”

  “I’m sorry!” she cried. “I’m sorry Granny!”

  “Is she going to be okay?” the fireman asked. “Do you need paramedics?

  Millie shook her head. “No, I’m a nurse and I’ve checked her over. She’ll be fine.”

  “Okay,” he agreed then turned to Henry. “We’d still like to check out the inside, to be sure nothing’s left smoldering.”

  Henry nodded then showed them inside.

  Millie stood Tauri on her feet and looked at her. “Where did you get matches from Tauri?”

  The little girl looked sad and afraid. “In the kitchen…”

  “When?” Millie demanded.

  She sniffed. “When you went to get the phone, I put them in my pocket.”

  Millie grabbed her arms. “What did I tell you about fire?”

  “I know Granny. I wanted my bed to smell good like the candle,” she explained quietly. “I’m sorry!”

  Millie looked at the girl as she cried and shook. “Come here precious.” She held her tightly quieting her fears.

  “I was scared Granny…I didn’t mean to make a big fire!” she cried against Millie’s shoulder.

  They both looked up as the firemen pulled the mattress out of the house with a big hole burned in the middle along with some charred bedding.

  “No damage was done to the room. Your husband got to it quick enough and put the fire out,” the fireman told Millie before heading to his truck.

  Henry returned and they waited until the fire departed left before going back inside. Henry turned to Tauri. “You know you’re in big trouble?”

  She nodded slowly.

  “She took the matches out the kitchen when I was out of the room,” Millie explained. “She wanted to make her bed smell like the candle.”

  Henry looked at Millie then at Tauri. “What did we tell you about matches and fire?” he asked.

  Her eyes watered. “That I could get burned and don’t touch them,” she recited.

  “So why did you touch them?” Millie asked.

  Tauri pouted. “I was sad and I wanted to smell something good to make me feel better.”

  Henry kneeled down to her. “Why were you sad baby girl?”

  “Cause the girl in the book had a momma,” she told them while staring at the floor.

  “Your momma’s not here, but we’re here,” Henry told her.

  She lifted sad eyes to Henry. “But are you gonna go away too?”

  Millie’s heart broke for this baby and she wanted to wring Victoria’s neck for putting her through this.

  Henry wiped her damp cheek. “You see this house?” he asked and she nodded slowly.

  “This is your house for as long as you want to be here. You hear me?”

  She nodded again.

  “I’m not going anywhere. Your Granny’s not going anywhere and you’re not going anywhere,” he assured her. “We love you.”

  “I love you too.” Tauri looked at him. “I’m sorry Granddaddy. I won’t be bad no more.”

  Henry hugged her. “It’s okay baby girl.” Pulling back, he looked at her. “You know what we told you happens when you play with matches?”

  Tauri looked at her Granny. “Yes, I know…”

  Chapter 21

  The New Millennium…

  The 2000’s brought many changes for the Pattersons. Eight years into the new millennium, they witnessed world history as the first African-American man was elected President of the United States. This brought a tear to the eyes of many as few thought they would ever live to see that day, especially Henry.

  Even more important to Henry and Millie was watching their granddaughter graduate from college, then law school. Tauri’s love for her grandparents and her city was in direct contrast to her mother, who she had never met.

  Out of concern for Tauri, Henry and Millie had made the decision that Victoria would not be allowed to ‘float’ in and out of Tauri’s life. They’d given the ultimatum that if she couldn’t be a full time part of her child’s world, then there was no other option. It was not fair to Tauri, having to wonder when and if she would see her mother.

  Millie had lost her own mother at the turn of the century and she felt the void of not having her around. Gina had been her rock when Victoria had run away and in raising Tauri. She’d helped Henry and Millie immensely by babysitting Tauri while they worked, before she reached school age.

  A few years ago, Henry and Millie made their last visit to Mississippi to pay their respects to his last living relative in that area. When Victoria was a little girl, the family had traveled there for Millie to see Henry’s hometown and visit his family. They’d made another trip when Tauri was small and his father had died. Mississippi did not hold good memories for Henry and it wasn’t a place that he looked forward to going for any reason.

  Henry and Millie’s concern at the present time was the young man who’d clearly turned their granddaughter’s head. Tauri was a grown woman at twenty-eight, beautiful, brilliant and accomplished, but her grandparents knew the emptiness that still dwelled in her heart.

  This man that she’d brought home was rich, famous and exceedingly handsome. Millie worried that he might just want a beautiful woman on his arm and in his bed. When Tauri had brought him to dinner, Millie had made her concerns known and Henry had also had a ‘chat’ with the young man.

  Orion Shaw was retired major league baseball player who had returned to his home city of Detroit, to become the first black owner of a MLB team. He was a future Hall of Fame candidate and handsome enough to make any regular woman fall at his feet.

  That’s what concerned Millie. Tauri was not a regular woman yet Orion Shaw seemed to have her in a tizzy. Tauri was no nonsense and about her business. She was the top prosecutor for the city and took no prisoners but this Orion Shaw had somehow managed to get past her defenses.

  Millie stood in the kitchen making Tauri’s favorite meal. Her granddaughter was working on a few big cases including one involving Orion Shaw. She planned for her and Henry to drive over to her office later and drop off the food, since she knew that Tauri didn’t eat like she was supposed to when she was engrossed in work.

  The doorbell rang and Millie continued cooking because she knew Henry would get the door from where he was watching TV in the living room. When he showed up in the kitchen with Orion Shaw in tow, she lifted a brow.

  “Look who we got here Millie,” Henry announced.

  “Hello Mrs. Patterson,” Orion greeted her with flowers.

  “Hello Mr. Shaw,” she responded taking the bright arrangement.

  He smiled. “Please, call me Rion.”

  “Thank you…Rion,” Millie responded before pulling down a vase for the bouquet. “You’re very thoughtful.”

  Rion continued to smile as he listened to the raspy voice that reminded him so much of the woman who’d stolen his heart basically on sight.

  “I hope you don’t mind me stopping by, but I wanted to speak with you and your husband,” Rion explained.

  After filling the vase with water and adding the flowers, Millie turned to both men. “This is a surprise.”

  “I imagine it is, since I was just here a little while ago for dinner,” Rion agreed.

  Henry looked at the pair. “Let’s go into the living room and sit down.”

  Both men waited for Millie to head in that direction before they followed. After they all settled on the sofa, Millie turned to Rion.

  “What brings you here Rion?” she asked.

  He leaned forward. “I wanted to speak with you outside of Tauri’s presence. I
felt it was appropriate to let you both know my intentions with your granddaughter.”

  Millie and Henry shared a look at his words.

  “Tauri and I have not known each other long, but I have no doubt that she is the woman that I came home to find,” he continued. “I plan to marry her as soon as she agrees and raise a family together.”

  Both Henry and Millie gave him look.

  “With your blessings, of course.” Rion added.

  “Tauri won’t want to leave Detroit,” Millie told him.

  “I don’t want her to. This is my home as well,” Rion explained.

  Henry clasped his hands in front of him. “Baby girl won’t be easy to win over.”

  Rion smiled. “I think that’s what made me fall in love with her. She’s tenaciously sweet.”

  “Like her grandmother,” Henry said smiling at his wife.

  “I won’t rush her,” Rion promised. “But I also won’t let her run away.”

  Millie smiled at the perception of the young man in regards to Tauri. Their granddaughter was complex and still harbored emotions about the desertion of her mother, although she had adapted amazingly well and accomplished all of her dreams, a part of that little girl still resided inside.

  “Have you told Tauri of your intentions?” Millie asked.

  Rion nodded. “Yes, I have. I’ve told her that I intend to marry her and have five children.”

  “Five?” Millie asked incredulously. “What did she say to that?”

  He laughed. “Her exact words were, ‘I was smoking’.”

  Henry laughed as well. “Yeah, that sounds like my baby girl.”

  “Do you really want to have five kids?” Millie asked.

  “Yes, at first I was thinking five boys, but I think I could compromise with three boys and two girls,” he told them.

  Millie smiled. “I think that’s fine…just fine.”

  Rion relaxed a little. “I’m going to give Tauri Patterson everything that she needs.”

  Henry nodded listening to the sincerity in his voice.

  “I love everything about her. I love her feistiness, her compassion, and even her snoring,” Rion told them.

  Henry frowned. “You’ve heard my granddaughter snoring?”

  Rion doubled back. “Uh, we were watching the moon and she fell asleep.”