A First Class Act

by Mildred Riley

  As he watched her face, he saw her dark eyes grow even darker as her deep anger against her lost parents manifested itself.

  “Drew, do you realize that I have lost four parents? My biological and my adoptive ones?”

  He shook his head.

  “I’m so sorry. So, so sorry, Dina.”

  Her anger unabated, she looked directly into Drew’s eyes.

  “And the worst of it is, my real father never came back!”

  “Never?”

  “Never, Gram said. But, Drew, I’ve found him!”

  “You have?”

  “I have.”

  There was a certain triumph in her voice.

  “Where? How?”

  “Hired a private detective. My dad is living in Virginia with a wife and two children.”

  “Are you going to try to contact him?”

  “At first I thought I would…wanted him to know who I had become, that he had abandoned a child who had become a successful woman, by most standards. I wanted to flaunt it in his face and make him feel some of the pain that I’ve endured, but…” A tear fell on her cheek and she choked out a sob that tore at Drew’s heart. Drew wiped the tear away with the thumb of his left hand, still holding firmly to her other hand.

  “So,” he asked gently, “you changed your mind?”

  “Yes, I did. I thought if I could find him, he could find me!”

  “But, Dina,” Drew protested, “you have siblings. Don’t you want to meet them? Get to know them?”

  “Why? Why should I? I’ve lived all my life without them. No, Drew, I don’t think so.”

  Stunned by her vehemence, Drew picked up a piece of cheese.

  “You may want to give that another thought, later down the road.”

  He saw defiance flare angrily in her face as she responded, “All I have accomplished in my life has been mainly on my own.”

  “I know, my dear, and I don’t mean to belittle…”

  “Why else did I work so hard? To prove that I am somebody, that’s why!”

  “Dina, I would have financially helped you.”

  “Thanks, but I didn’t want your help. Somehow I had to do this on my own. That’s why I became a surrogate mother. Of course the money to help me with my studies was great, but much more than that I felt I could do something outstanding, create a human being for a desperate couple who wanted their own child to love, not throw away! Can you understand that, Drew?”

  “I can now. Knowing you, I would certainly call it a first class act. You are a remarkable, fantastic woman.”

  Raising her eyebrows at his pronouncement, she drew a deep breath, settled back against the sofa.

  Drew realized at this moment that it had taken a great deal of courage and self-awareness for her to reveal herself to him. Dare he ask for more?

  He said to her, “I’m so glad you felt you could talk to me, Dina. It helps me understand why you have been so focused on your dreams and goals. But I have to tell you, Dina, that from the first time I laid eyes on you at that football game I knew I wanted you in my life. And I’m hoping and praying that you will agree to spend more time with me.”

  He kissed her hand that he had been holding, then rose to leave. He asked her, “Have you decided to go to the Freeman wedding with me?”

  “I’m…considering it.”

  “Please say yes. I really want to take you. It could be a refreshing change for you right about now.”

  He headed for the front door and she walked behind him.

  “Thanks for listening, Drew.”

  “Anytime, anytime, you know that.”

  At the open door, he turned, grasped her face between his two hands, kissed her gently. She felt his lips, soft and warm, on her mouth.

  “Good night, Dina. I’ll call tomorrow, and…thanks for the coffee.”

  Then he left.

  Dina closed the door, double locked it. She leaned back against the closed door, still tasting the flavor of coffee from Drew’s lips, surprised that she felt serene and comforted.

  She went into her kitchen with the tray, putting the mugs into the sink and rinsing them with cold water. Then she wrapped the cheese with plastic wrap, as well as the remaining crackers and placed them in the refrigerator.

  Then she returned to the living room to put out the table lamps. Setting the alarm, she went upstairs. She brushed her teeth, washed her face and hands.

  Returning to her bedroom, she put on her pjs, a soft cotton pair that made her feel relaxed.

  When she slipped into her bed, put out her table lamp and drew the bedclothes up to her chin, her thoughts turned to Drew, the man who had just kissed her.

  His masculinity was apparent to anyone who met him. He had a football body, tall, with well-defined muscles that enabled him to move on the football field with unbelievable speed. Nothing seemed too difficult for him. She remembered his amazing catches of the football, his ability to judge its flight, its arc, and where he needed to be to receive it.

  In her mind’s eye she could see his face. Skin that had a healthy bronze coloring, dark, sleek eyebrows over eyes that seemed to be all-seeing.

  She felt relieved that she had shared some of her history with him. She decided she just might go to that wedding with him, and with that thought on her mind she went to sleep.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  It was a beautiful summer morning when Dina and Drew boarded the first ferry of the day for Martha’s Vineyard.

  Charlie’s family had reserved rooms for the guests at various inns and bed and breakfasts, as well as at the homes of some of their neighbors and friends.

  However, Dina had told Drew that she could not stay overnight. He did not press her on the issue, happy that she had consented to spend the day with him.

  The wedding at eleven that morning was held on the beachfront property owned by the Freeman family. The bride, tall, blonde, barefoot, and breathtakingly beautiful, came down a floral path, accompanied by her father to the skirl of a bagpipe.

  Charlie, also barefoot, waited for her in front of an arched trellis covered with blue and white hydrangea blossoms.

  The guests, seated in white folding chairs, witnessed the exchange of vows as the ocean’s blue waves lapped the shore.

  For the reception, a large tent had been set up near the Freemans’ swimming pool.

  It was when they were going through the receiving line that Drew was able to introduce Dina.

  “Drew!” Mr. Freeman shook his hand. “Look, dear, it’s Charlie’s good friend.”

  “How are you, Mrs. Freeman? It was a lovely wedding. May I introduce my special friend, Dr. Dina Raines?”

  “Oh, my,” Mrs. Freeman grabbed Dina’s hand, “a doctor?”

  “Oh, no, ma’am,” Dina said quickly, “a doctor of education.”

  Mr. Freeman spoke up, “Way to go, son.”

  Drew was so proud of Dina, thought her elegantly tailored outfit emphasized her slim, attractive figure.

  Wearing a white linen pencil slim skirt, a black linen jacket, hip length with cuffed short sleeves, and white leather pumps, she was striking with her gold hoop earrings and gold necklace. She carried a small white clutch bag.

  Her dark brown hair, glossy with good health, swung lightly around her shoulders. Her makeup was subdued, natural, her eyes fringed with curved eyelashes.

  They followed others through the receiving line.

  “It was a lovely wedding, Mrs. Freeman,” Dina told the groom’s mother.

  “Thank you, my dear. It’s what we wanted for Charlie and his bride. We’re very proud of them.”

  * * *

  It was late afternoon when Drew and Dina boarded the ferry for the return trip to the mainland.

  They found seats in the lounge area.

  “It was a very nice affair, Drew. Thanks for taking me.”

  “It was my pleasure, and I must tell you there were as many eyes on you as there were on the bride.”

  “Oh, Drew, I don’
t know about that! She was lovely.”

  “Only because she was the bride. And I want you to know that all the guys, my teammates, were dumbstruck when they met you. Wondered why I’d been keeping you a secret!”

  “I enjoyed meeting them. It was easy to see that they hold you in high esteem, have a lot of respect for you.”

  “Yes, they are good guys and we work well together. Much, I should say most, of the credit goes to our coach. He insists that we be like the three musketeers, ‘all for one and one for all.’ ”

  “That’s the true meaning of teamwork, I believe.”

  They sat in silence for a moment, each thinking about the day’s events.

  For Dina it was the unmistakable warmth of the two families. She doubted that such an experience would ever be a part of her future.

  On the other hand, Drew knew that he wanted to have such a family with Dina as his wife. He was determined to make that happen. It must happen, he thought. His personal happiness depended on it.

  But the stumbling block to their future lay in her role as a surrogate mother.

  The remarkable part of the whole situation, in his mind, was that Dina, an African-American, had delivered a white baby for its white parents.

  Biology was never his best subject in college. He’d have to do some research, get some answers. He thought, too, about his father’s comment. Was he right…that this situation should not bother him…if he truly loved Dina?

  Dina glanced at him, observed the faraway look in his eyes. She touched his hand.

  “A penny for your thoughts?”

  He shook his head as if trying to clear his mind.

  “I…I don’t know how to say this, but, but the idea of you having sex…”

  She laughed. “Drew Tyler, I have never had sex with any man!”

  “Never?”

  “Never.”

  “But how…” His eyes wide, eyebrows raised, he repeated, “Never?”

  “Let me explain it to you. The mother’s eggs were harvested and fertilized by her husband’s sperm, put together in a laboratory, and when the zygote, as it’s called, reached a certain stage of development it was implanted into my body where it grew for about 270 days. I delivered it, and it was given to its parents. I never even saw the baby. Heard it cry. That’s all. Drew, I am a virgin, so to speak.”

  “Well, I’ll be damned! Never knew such a thing was possible.”

  “You’ve heard of organ donors, haven’t you? Kidneys, hearts, livers…”

  “Yes, but…”

  “What I did was donate my uterus. I am a virgin because I have never experienced sexual intercourse. And I have to tell you that many American couples are going to India to search for surrogate mothers.”

  “Dina.” He kissed her cheek, took both her hands in his. “You are the most remarkable woman I have ever met! I’m dumbfounded! Wow!” He kissed her again, this time on her lips. She let him, did not pull away.

  The kiss deepened as Drew, his mind relieved of all doubts, sought what he had so longed for, the sweetness of Dina’s soft, full lips. He had been so tormented by what he thought was an insurmountable hurdle that he could not stop searching for the warmth of her mouth.

  Dina, suddenly aroused by the intimacy of Drew’s mouth on hers, was almost shattered with an overwhelming desire for this man. She smelled the subtle fragrance of his aftershave. The masculinity of him affirmed his desire for her. It was her awakening to what this man was seeking from her, and her almost frantic inability not to surrender, that made her react. She pulled away.

  Barely breathing, she whispered, “Not now, Drew.” She pushed him back. “No, not now.”

  She was shaken because she had wanted more, and the revelation stunned her. She felt she had been close to submission.

  * * *

  The ride back to Dina’s condo was quiet, with each aware that a crisis of sorts had occurred in their relationship. They talked about mundane subjects, politics, the weather, the financial crisis, anything and everything except the situation that was bound to change their lives.

  The earth-shaking moment they had shared could not be ignored, but neither wanted to acknowledge it.

  On arriving at Dina’s condo, Drew walked her to her front door, took the house key she offered to him, and unlocked the door. The tension between them was almost unbearable.

  “I won’t come in,” he told her. “It’s been quite a day. Call you tomorrow?”

  “Yes, good night, Drew.” She remained at the door, watching as he slowly drove away.

  With a deep sigh, she went inside, checked the alarm, double locked the door.

  What a day! she thought, kicking off her shoes.

  She went to bed that night, aware that her life was changing. What was she going to do about it?

  When Drew called her the next morning, she was at her computer, because her next goal was to find a job.

  Dr. Ralston had offered her a position at Waverly, but not one using her advanced degree.

  She owed him a great deal for his guidance and support, financial and otherwise.

  “Dr. Ralston,” she’d said to him, “if you ever need me as an on-call nurse, I will be happy to help, but I really want to teach nurses.”

  He’d told her that he understood, wished her good luck.

  She was in the process of sending résumés and inquiries to each university with a nursing program in the New England area, as well as New York and Pennsylvania.

  “Yes, Drew,” she answered, and in response to his question, “I’m doing well, thanks. What’s up?”

  “Good, that’s good. My mom has asked me to invite you to Sunday dinner. Just the family, but really she wants to hear all about the wedding. Knows I can’t tell her, but you can, believe it or not.”

  Dina laughed. “It’s woman talk, Drew, be not dismayed.”

  “I’ll pick you up at one-thirty. Dinner is at two.”

  “Fine. I’ll be ready.”

  Dina did not know, nor did Drew, that Vanessa Tyler had an ulterior motive for inviting Dina to a traditional Sunday dinner.

  For most African-American families, Sunday dinner was the heart of African-American life.

  More than one husband informed his new wife, “Don’t care about what we eat during the week, but a big Sunday dinner is a must! Meat, gravy, peas and rice, sweet rolls, vegetables, salad, macaroni and cheese, and a homemade dessert. No bakery stuff!”

  Vanessa’s real reason for inviting Dina was to determine for herself how this girl felt toward her son. She knew exactly how Drew felt. He was in love, and Vanessa was not about to let anyone, not anyone, hurt him.

  Her thoughts were on Dina as she prepared the meal, an oven roast, gravy, oven baked slices of potatoes, steamed zucchini, and summer squash, a tossed green salad to be served with a creamy ranch dressing, and for dessert, a family favorite, peach cobbler, to be served with ice cream.

  Her husband’s favorite, iced tea, would be the beverage.

  She also had a tray of sliced red and green peppers to be served with an avocado-spinach cheese dip.

  That morning, before they left for church, she had set the table with her best tablecloth, china, silverware, and glasses for the tea. The centerpiece was a shallow glass bowl with pink and white roses from her garden, afloat in clear water.

  She had baked the peach cobbler the day before and planned to warm it by placing it in the warm oven after removing the roast.

  It was about one in the afternoon when the family returned from church.

  Vanessa changed into a pair of brown slacks and a bright yellow cotton blouse. She did not want to appear too dressy, but she kept on her gold earrings and her crystal necklace.

  When she got back to the kitchen, she tied on her apron. Drew appeared in the doorway.

  “Anything I can do, Mom? Need anything from the store?”

  “No, thanks, dear. Everything is right on schedule. On your way to pick up Dina?”

  “I am.”
<
br />   “Good. I’m looking forward to seeing her again.”

  He kissed her cheek.

  “Thanks, Mom. Be back soon.”

  * * *

  Dina pulled her hair up into a French twist. She placed a pair of pierced silver filigreed earrings which reached nearly to her shoulders into her earlobes. A black and white silk blouse with tiny jet black buttons marched down the front, creating a striking accent to her black silk slacks. She also wore two silver bracelets on her right arm.

  When she heard Drew’s car pull into her driveway, she opened the door for him.

  “Dina!” he gasped. “You look beautiful! You take my breath away!”

  “Thanks, Drew.”

  She allowed him to kiss her cheek.

  “Ready?”

  “I am. Let me get my shawl and handbag.”

  She picked up a lacey pink shawl from her sofa, as well as a small black purse that she swung over her shoulder.

  “Lead on, MacDuff!” she smiled at Drew.

  “Indeed, ma’am. My pleasure!” His eyes sparkled with delight as he extended his arm to her.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  “Mom, here’s Dina!”

  Drew led his guest down the front hall to the kitchen where his mother turned away from the sink, drying her hands with a paper towel.

  Arms outstretched, she reached for Dina. “Welcome, Dina. You look wonderful.”

  “Thanks, Mrs. Tyler. It’s so nice of you to have me. May I help with anything?” she asked, giving her purse and shawl over to Drew.

  “Put them in the hall closet, on the shelf, Drew. They’ll be safe there,” she told Dina. “And no, don’t need your help right now. Maybe at clean-up time.”

  “Anytime. Glad to help.”

  When Drew returned, his mother suggested that he take Dina out to the deck where his father was.

  “And, Dina, later on you can tell me all about that fabulous wedding.”

  “Be glad to. It was something else!”

  “Come with me, Dina.”

  Drew led her out to the deck.

  “Dad, here’s Dina!”

  His father jumped to his feet and hugged Dina.

  “Good to see you, Dina. How have you been?”

  “Just fine, sir, thank you.”

  * * *