by D. Camille
She looked at Danielle. “Even you have somebody now,” she said with a sly look.
“That doesn’t mean I’m going to forget about you,” Danielle admonished. “Why don’t you come with us to Florida?”
Kim shook her head. “Are you kidding? You and Khalil have offered to take Kam to Disney and to visit her grandparents for a week? Girl, I’ve already made plans!”
Danielle laughed. “Okay, Miss Lady. Don’t hurt yourself.”
“Momma and Daddy are looking forward to meeting Khalil. They’ve been all nosey asking about him,” Kim shared like sisters do.
“What did you say?” Danielle inquired.
“I told them that he’s got your panties so hot you walk around with a fire extinguisher in your pocket,” Kim told her.
Danielle frowned. “See, you and Toya. You two should be best friends.”
Kim laughed. “Who do you think I’ve got plans with while you’re gone?”
“Oh no!” Danielle protested. “Don’t let Toya make you get divorced.”
“Don’t worry about me getting divorced, you just worry about getting married,” Kim told her. “And just when will that be?”
Danielle smiled. “Khalil and Kyros are coming to Florida next month to meet Momma and Daddy and we’ll go from there.”
Kim lifted a brow. “You’d better hurry up; I know the women are swarming.”
Danielle lifted a shoulder. “Let them swarm.”
Kam returned with her coat and little girl purse then she and Danielle said their goodbyes before heading to the Center. Danielle laughed as Kam talked the entire drive over about how Kyros had explained Karate to her and now, she too, wanted to take the class.
They headed inside and walked down a hall to the room where the ceremony was taking place. Signs with arrows led the way down immaculately pristine halls. Khalil ran a tight ship and it showed. When they stepped inside the room, Danielle heard someone call her name.
She looked at the woman waving her arm and frowned. Holding on to Kam’s hand, she made her way over to where she sat.
“Here, I saved some seats,”
“What are you doing here Toya?” Danielle asked.
Toya sat back. “Listen, I’ve been waiting weeks to meet this man. You act like you’re hiding him so I came to check him out in his element.”
Danielle stared at her in amazement. “You really are crazy. How did you even know I was going to be here?”
“I talked to Kim and she told me.” Toya pinned her with a look. “How are you going to let Kim meet him and I haven’t?”
Danielle took a seat and placed Kam between them. “She met him because she was at my house picking up Kam and he was there with Kyros.”
Toya rolled her eyes. “Umm hmm…whatever.”
“You talked to him on the phone, and he still hasn’t told me what you said,” Danielle pointed out.
“Good, you’re too nosey anyway.” Toya said flatly.
Danielle reached around the back of Kam and pointed at Toya. “Don’t embarrass me.”
Toya laughed. “I love you D.”
******
Theresa Watkins entered the large room and staked out a seat. Tonight was the ceremony for the Karate Class and although her daughter wasn’t in Karate, she wanted to support all of the programs here at the Center, and Mr. Lewis.
Instructing Brandi to take a seat, she selected chairs that would give her a clear view of him when he entered and the ability to see him when he left. His little son was definitely a cutie pie and she could see he’d be just as fine as his Daddy when he grew up.
There was something about Mr. Lewis that had all the Mommas in a tizzy. His take-no-shit demeanor and the way he ran things was so damn sexy. Add to that, he was fine as hell and worked out regularly. That was a package every woman was trying to open.
Theresa had peeked in on the Director a few times while he was lifting weights in the gym, always pretending that she was looking for something. If he suspected her motives, he hadn’t given any indication, always directing her to where she wanted to go.
She’d then upped her game by bringing him cookies, to let him know she was interested, if he so chose to partake. She glanced at her daughter and sighed. Then her big-mouthed daughter had put her on spotlight by being in grown folks’ business. Theresa had checked that real quick. She wasn’t that desperate to send her daughter to do her hookups.
He appeared at the door and Theresa smiled. “Hi Mr. Lewis,” she said softly with a slow finger wave.
He nodded. “Good evening Ms. Watkins. I’m glad you came out tonight to support the kids.”
She laughed softly. “You know I’m all about the kids.”
“Well good. Hello Brandi,” Khalil greeted and the little girl smiled. “I hope you enjoy the ceremony and there are refreshments afterwards.”
“Okay, I’ll see you later…” Theresa said before he walked away. She watched as he headed to the front and checked with the people setting up. In a dark suit and tie, he looked scrumptious, but then again, he looked scrumptious in jeans and Timbs or her personal favorite, workout shorts and no shirt.
She watched Khalil turned towards the seated crowd and stop. His gaze landed a few rows away from her and to her left. When he gave a soft smile, Theresa’s head snapped in that direction. Who the hell was he smiling at? In all the time she’d known Mr. Lewis, he’d never smiled like that.
Theresa waited until he finished then headed in the direction of his gaze. He took the seat next to a woman and slid his arm around the back of her chair before she lifted her face and he kissed her softly.
“Who the hell is that?” Theresa put a hand to her chin.
******
“Hello Queen,” Khalil said softly before gently touching his lips to Danielle’s.
“Hello Khalil.” She gently wiped her lip gloss from his lips with a thumb. “Everything looks wonderful.”
“Thank you.”
They both heard someone loudly clear their throat and Khalil looked up as Toya reached across both Kam and Danielle with her hand. “Hello Khalil, I’m Toya.”
“Let me introduce myself, because clearly Danielle can’t think around you,” she finished.
Danielle looked from Toya to Khalil. “Yes, Khalil this is my best friend Toya, who decided to crash a kids Karate ceremony to meet you.”
Toya laughed. “If I would’ve waited for you two, I’d be at your anniversary party.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you Toya. Had I known you were so anxious, I would’ve made this happen sooner,” Khalil told her as he took her hand, and she smiled.
“Ohhh, I like him.” Toya cooed.
Danielle shook her head. “Do not start.”
Toya released Khalil’s hand, then sat back and turned her attention to the front as Kam started explaining Karate to her. Khalil took Danielle’s hand and brought it to his lips.
“Thank you for coming.”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world. I was so honored that Kyros invited me.”
“It’s all he’s been talking about,” Khalil told her.
She laughed. “Kam too. She wants to take Karate now.”
“There’s always room.”
Danielle looked around. “I’m so proud of what you done here. I can’t tell you enough.”
“I’m happy that you appreciate my purpose and you support me,” Khalil said softly. “That’s why I’m so in love with you.”
Danielle blushed. “Are you going to tell me that every day?”
He nodded. “Yes.”
And he had…since the day of their ‘argument’, Khalil had made it a point to tell Danielle every day that he was in love with her.
She looked into his eyes. “I’m in love with you too.”
They both turned to the front as the students walked in. Kyros looked out and saw his father, Danielle and Kam. He smiled but kept his hands at his sides as instructed. Danielle, for her part, had never seen anything so cute
than all the kids, girls and boys, dressed in their uniforms with their little bare feet. Kam grabbed her arm. “There’s Kyros!”
For the next hour or so, they all watched as the students went through their moves and were graded. At the end, they were presented with new belts and were all smiles. Kyros ran over to the group that was there waiting for him and hugged his father.
“Good job soldier,” Khalil praised and kissed him on the head.
“I did all my moves Daddy!” Kyros said happily.
Khalil nodded. “I saw you. I’m going to have to watch out now.”
Kyros laughed. “Not yet. I’m still too little for you and you got lots of moves.”
Danielle turned to Khalil. “You know Karate?”
“Yes.”
Danielle shook her head...this man right here. Kam and Kyros started talking and Khalil was called up to the front to assist with some logistics.
“There’s food Kam, you want some?” Kyros asked.
Kam nodded. “Oh yes.”
Kyros laughed. “I know, me too.” He looked at Danielle. “Can we go get some Ms. Danielle?”
Danielle looked surprised that he would ask her and Toya gave her a don’t look at me look. “Um...does your father let you run around here?”
Kyros nodded. “The whole Center is a safe zone. Daddy has people all over watching the kids.”
“Okay,” Danielle said slowly. “We’ll meet you out there.”
Grabbing Kam’s hand, Kyros took off and Danielle looked at Toya. “Did I do that right?”
“Girl, who you asking? I don’t know about kids.”
Danielle sighed. “Well, Khalil will let me know, but let’s not let them get too far away.”
“Right,” Toya agreed and they began to walk toward the exit. When they got near, a woman stepped in front of them.
“Hello!” she greeted with pursed lips.
Toya looked at Danielle first then back to the woman.
“Hello,” Danielle returned.
The woman then smiled. “So,” she dragged the word out into multiple syllables. “You know Mr. Lewis?”
Toya discreetly slipped one of her earrings out of her ear.
“Yes, I do.” Danielle answered.
The woman held out her hand. “Theresa Watkins.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Danielle saw Toya reach for the other earring.
“Danielle Baxter.” She shook the woman’s hand.
“So I have to be nosey,” Theresa began.
“No you don’t.” Toya cut her off.
Danielle locked arms with her friend. “You know, it was nice to meet you Ms. Watkins, but I need to check on the kids.”
At that moment, Khalil walked up and placed a hand on Danielle’s back. “Is everything okay here?”
“Not for long,” Toya muttered.
Theresa smiled. “I was just introducing myself to your friend. I hadn’t seen her around here before with her little girl, so I wanted to welcome her.
Toya looked at Danielle. “Did this…”
Danielle squeezed her arm and gave her a warning look.
“Well allow me to take care of that for you,” Khalil told Theresa. “This is my Queen, Danielle and this is her friend Toya. Thank you for welcoming them and you will probably see them here more often.”
Toya smiled. “That’s why I like him,” she told Danielle.
Theresa looked taken aback. “Well, congratulations Mr. Lewis.”
“Thank you,” Khalil responded. “Now I need to check on the kids.”
Khalil escorted both Danielle and Toya from the room and down the hall to where the snacks were being served. Toya moved to make a plate as Danielle turned to Khalil.
“I’m surprised your family isn’t here.”
“Kyros is involved in so many things, that they can pick and choose the ones that they attend although, my sister did donate the refreshments for tonight.”
“And Kyros was more excited about you coming than anybody else,” he finished.
“He’s so sweet, I just love him.”
Khalil nodded. “I was proud of him tonight. He did really well.”
“You should be proud, he’s an amazing little boy,” Danielle told him as she reached up to straightened his tie. “Just like you.”
He smiled down at her. “I got the tickets today to Florida and to Disney,” he finished on a groan.
“I promise it will be fun,” Danielle said stepping closer.
“Not my idea of fun,”
She touched his face. “I know and I’ll never ask you to go again, but Kyros has to go at least once.”
Khalil shook his head. “I didn’t think he would be this excited.”
“He’s a kid, baby. Every kid wants to go to Disney. Kam’s been like ten times and she’s still excited to go every time.”
He frowned.
“You know they made Lion King?” Danielle pointed out. “That was in Africa.”
“You don’t want to do this with me,” he warned.
Danielle held on to his lapel. “No baby, that was a beautiful story. You and Kyros are like Mufasa and Simba.”
He frowned again. “Mufasa died then Simba left his mother and ran away.”
She pressed on. “Where he met up with Nala, who became his Queen.”
Khalil shrugged. “And she could still whip his ass. Reminds me of Lance and Khayla.”
“You are so tenacious,” Danielle chastised. “So you wouldn’t have a Queen who could whip your ass?”
“No, then she’d be the King.”
Danielle sighed. “Okay Khalil, I know when not to try to win a battle with you.”
He looked down at her. “I agree; it was a beautiful story.”
She gave him a look. “Why didn’t you just agree in the beginning?”
“I like to hear the passion in your voice when you’re presenting your case.” He winked at her before leading her over to the food table before everything was gone.
“I wanted you to try some of these,” Khalil told her as he filled a plate with the snack. Danielle looked over at Toya who had a full plate and frowned at her. Toya gave her a thumbs up before she went back to her food.
“I’m sorry that my friend crashed your event and ate all your snacks,” Danielle said turning back to Khalil.
Khalil glanced in Toya’s direction and she nodded at him. “She’s hilarious and I can see how much she cares about you.”
“She was with me through everything and as much as she drives me crazy, I love her to death,” Danielle confessed.
He nodded. “That’s how I feel about the Negus.” Khalil lifted one of the appetizers to her mouth. “Try this.”
Danielle opened her mouth and allowed him to feed it to her. Her tongue touched his finger after she took a bite. They watched one another until she swallowed and licked her lips.
“That’s really good,” she whispered. “What is it?”
Khalil continued to watch her mouth.
“Thai, farm raised chicken spring roll with peanut sauce.”
She lifted a brow. “Wow! That’s delicious.”
Khalil held out the remaining part to her mouth and watched as she took it.
“So, you’re coming home with me tonight,” he told her.
Danielle finished chewing and smiled. “I didn’t say that.”
“You just said it with your mouth.”
“Kyros knows that we’re doing something,” she pointed out.
He touched her jaw. “Kyros is going to be so tired from today, he won’t know what we’re doing and this time, we’re moving to the bedroom.”
Khalil kissed her cheek. “Your side of the bed is waiting…”
Theresa watched the couple with their little whispered conversations and little kisses. She even had the damn man feeding her! She had to find out who this woman was, just for her need to know. She jumped as the seat was taken next to her.
Toya placed an elbow on the table. “Listen
sister, let’s not start any drama. See, that’s my girl and she deserves all the happiness in this world.”
“And that man, that you’re hawking right now is the one who’s giving it to her…literally.”
“So just back up and let it go, ‘cause you don’t want none of this,” Toya finished. “Let’s be ladies.”
Theresa sat back for a moment. “Yeah, I feel you.” She put her hands up. “I’m not for the drama either. Mr. Lewis is a good looking man and I’m not the only woman hawking him, but I know when I’m out of my lane. I’m not trying to begrudge a sister her happiness.”
Toya nodded then said, “Girl, I wish they would just clone the good ones and sell them in the damn store. Make them easy to find, you know. One aisle, lined up from light-skinned to night black.” She raised a hand in the air. “I would pay good money.”
Theresa agreed. “Girl, tell me about it. I’d work two jobs to pay for that.”
They gave each other a high five then turned to look at Khalil and Danielle who were now joined by Kam and Kyros. Each thought in their minds that the group looked like one big, happy, beautiful, black family.
Chapter 19
After taking Kam home, Khalil followed Danielle back to his house. He got her settled into his living room before going to help Kyros get ready for bed. The little boy was so sleepy, he could barely stand and Khalil knew this was going to be a chore, bathing him and putting him in pajamas.
“I’ll be as quick as I can,” he told Danielle.
“Take your time, I’m not going anywhere.”
Kyros yawned. “Goodnight Ms. Danielle,” he said sleepily.
Danielle smiled. “Goodnight sweetheart. Have sweet dreams.”
She watched as the two disappeared down the hall. Walking over to the sofa, she took a seat and laid her head back for a moment. Today had been a good day. After a while, Danielle smiled to herself and sat up. On the table, Khalil had printed the confirmations for the tickets to Florida.
Frowning, she picked up the papers and looked them over. Silently, she sat them back on the table and waited for him to return. When he entered the room, he’d changed out of his suit into a T-Shirt and sweatpants.
Seeing her face, he slowly took a seat next to her. “What is it Queen?”
Danielle nodded towards the table. “Are those our plane tickets?’
