by Donna Hill
Dottie answered on the second ring.
“Montgomery residence.”
“Mornin’, Dottie. It’s me, Simone.”
“Hi, dahlin’. What can I do for you? Your mom and pop are still asleep—or at least they haven’t been seen today.” She chuckled merrily. “You’d think those two were teenagers.” She laughed again and Simone smiled, hoping that one day she’d find not just the lust but the love her parents had.
“No, I wasn’t calling for them.” She cleared her throat. “Actually, I was, uh, wondering if Chad was around. But—don’t trouble yourself,” she began to ramble. “If he’s still asleep, I can call later or tomorrow. Really, don’t bother—”
“Whoa, hold your horses. Chad is out back, been up for hours. As a matter of fact, he just this minute finished a call with Sam. Hold the line while I get him.”
Before Simone could register her protest, Dottie had laid the phone down and was gone in search of Chad.
Now she felt like a bumbling idiot. What would she say? Why was she even calling? This was so infantile. She should just—
“Hello?”
“Hi…it’s…Simone.”
“Hey, Simone.”
He sounded happy to hear from her, she thought. “Busy?”
“Not at the moment. But I will be soon. What’s up?”
“I was getting hungry and I was wondering if…you still wanted to…go to lunch.”
“Uh, you’re about five minutes late. Sam just called and asked me to meet her at Cisco’s.”
There was an uneasy moment of silence.
Sam? “Oh, hey, no problem. Have fun. Okay?”
“Sure. Maybe another time. We’ll have to get together at some point and talk about launching this case. Hopefully, one day this week.”
“Yeah…the case.” Her head was spinning and she had a sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach. “Anyway, let me run. I’ll talk to you.”
“Take care, Simone. I’ll call you.”
She hung up without saying anything further and possibly making a bigger fool of herself.
Heavily, she sat down in the chair. Maybe it was nothing, she concluded—Sam and Chad. Just a friendly lunch for old time’s sake. What else could it be?
Samantha arrived at Cisco’s at exactly noon. Chad was sitting at the bar of the upscale restaurant with his back to her. She pulled in a breath and walked forward.
“Hi, waiting long?” she asked, placing her hand on his back.
Chad turned his head and smiled up at her. “Not at all. Just got here myself. You want to sit at the bar or get a table?”
She gazed quickly around at the sprinkling of people in the trendy bistro. “Table sounds good to me.”
He rose from the bar stool and brushed innocently against her in the process. Samantha drew in a quick breath, slightly unnerved by his touch, and smiled tightly.
Casually, Chad put his arm around her waist and led her to the hostess who sat them.
“What are you in the mood for?” he asked, scanning the menu.
“The house salad is excellent. And I love the Tahini dressing they use.”
“I’m still growing.” He chuckled. “I think I’ll go with the burger and some fries.”
The waitress arrived shortly and took their orders.
Samantha folded her hands in her lap. “So, how does it feel being back home?”
His brows rose, then lowered. “Good but strange. Everything seems the same but different. I’ve been so accustomed to odd languages, customs and time frames—it takes some getting used to.”
“Yeah, I can imagine. I know you must have learned a lot.”
He nodded. “That I did. I mean, I went abroad with the intention of seeing how unfair the laws are outside of the U.S., only to discover that the real problems are right here at home—disguised as democracy.”
Samantha rested her forearms on the table and leaned forward. “How do you plan to go about the class action suit?” Her eyes studied him intently.
“I want to begin with securing a list, from you actually, of all the cases that have come through your office and begin contacting the families. Then I want to work with Justin to review case files and arrest records as well as hospital records.”
“Wow. That’s quite a load.”
“It can be done.”
“I’ll do anything I can to help. You know that.”
He reached across the table and covered her hands with his. “I’m counting on you.”
Their food arrived and they ate for a few moments in silence. Samantha was the first one to break it.
“So…besides hunting down the bad guys, what do you do these days for entertainment?”
He chuckled. “That’s a good question. I haven’t been out socially in nearly four years.” Images of his last night with Simone suddenly danced beneath his conscience.
“Maybe we can change that,” she said with a bold smile.
Chad cocked his head to the side, a playful glint coming into his eyes. “Are you propositioning me, Ms. Montgomery?”
“Absolutely. All work and no play…you know the rest.”
“I think I’d like that.”
The warm glow in her heart set her face aglow. “I was hoping you’d say that.” She almost giggled.
“What did you have in mind?”
“If I remember correctly, you love jazz. Hopefully, that hasn’t changed.”
“No way. It was one of the main things I longed for while I was away.”
“Great. There’s a fabulous local band, Magique, that’s playing on Wednesday nights. My treat.”
“Well, well, a woman for the millennium,” he chuckled. “Sounds great.”
“What if I pick you up about eight. That will give me enough time to finish up at the office and go home and change.”
“You don’t have to pick me up. I can meet you.”
“My treat, remember? That means transportation is included.”
“I was never one to turn down a good deal.”
Samantha looked at him from beneath her lashes, stuck the fork in her salad and slowly slipped a mouthful between her lips.
“You’ve changed, Samantha,” he said as if seeing her for the first time.
“I know,” she said softly.
Simone stared at the typed words in the book she was reading. All the lines seemed to merge together, not making any sense. Gibberish. She tossed it aside and gazed up at the bedroom ceiling. Her house was spotless. Her laundry was finished. She didn’t have to return to work until Monday and she didn’t have a damned thing to do in the meantime.
She crossed her legs at the ankle, then folded her hands across her stomach. She was edgy, too full of energy. Her mind was racing. Driving usually helped when she felt this way. The concentration it took to maneuver the roads, the relaxation that came from seeing the landscape spread out in front of her worked to knock the kinks out.
She popped up from the bed, put on her sneakers, grabbed her car keys and headed out.
After driving for a good hour, she took stock of her surroundings and was surprised to find herself on the road to the bed and breakfast that she’d shared with Chad. She kept going. That was then. This is now. A memory. A good time. That’s all it was. So why couldn’t she just file it away and forget it?
If only it was that easy.
Taking the next exit, she headed back. She needed to talk, get her feelings out, the ones she’d tried to pretend didn’t exist for the past four years. And the one person who understood her feelings, her fears and struggles was her sister, Samantha. Her eyes momentarily filled. She’d been so determined not to get caught up in that love trap thing that she’d probably ruined whatever chance there might have been. It had been a matter of priorities. Her career had been more important. She’d been a modern woman of the nineties. No strings. No commitments. So she’d never admitted to anyone, not even herself, how much that one night had meant to her.
And now, she’d go
tten what she wished for—a relationship free of commitments and strings. And he was free as well. Free to be with her sister.
“Thanks for hanging with me this afternoon. It was great,” Samantha said as they stood together outside of Cisco’s. Her voice dropped a note. “I’m looking forward to Wednesday.”
“So am I.”
Samantha pulled in a breath. “Well, I guess I’ll see you.”
“Absolutely.”
“How long are you going to be staying at Mom and Dad’s?”
“I have to start apartment hunting as soon as possible. They keep insisting that I can stay as long as I want, but I can’t do that. I need to have my own space. Where I can work and think.”
“I know what you mean. As much as I love them, I love being on my own.”
Chad slid his hands into his pockets. “Are you really on your own?”
“What do you mean?”
“Are you seeing anyone, living with someone, planning to?”
She smiled nervously. “No to all of the above.”
“By choice or circumstance?”
“A combination of both. I haven’t come across anyone that I want to be with—like that.”
“Hmm.”
“What about you? Is there a lady in waiting?”
“Not that I know of.”
Silence momentarily hung between them like a sheer veil until Chad brushed it aside. “Maybe if you have some time you can help me apartment hunt.”
Her heart raced. “Sure. Let me know when you’re ready.”
“I’ll do that.” Suddenly, he leaned forward and kissed her cheek, not a big-brother kiss, but a man kissing a woman kind of kiss. A kiss promising intimacy to come. A kiss which set her entire body to tingling. He eased back. “Good seeing you, Sam. Get home safely.” He turned and headed for his rented car.
For several moments, Samantha stood there as if she’d been glued to the concrete, watching him move languidly down the street.
“It was good seeing you, too,” she whispered and opened the door to her car. She couldn’t wait to get home and call Simone.
Chapter 7
Simone tossed her keys and purse on the hall table and aimlessly headed for the kitchen. The drive had done little to unfurl the tight coils of her tense insides. Rather, it aggravated her condition.
She opened the fridge, searched through its contents and took out a glass bottle of fruit juice. What she really wanted was a cigarette. A quick, relaxing smoke. But she’d given them up about a year earlier after a severe bout of bronchitis.
Sitting at the kitchen table, she twisted the smooth glass bottle around in her hands, staring blankly into space, and finally her gaze landed on the flashing red light of her answering machine. Slowly, she got up and pressed Play.
“Hi, sis, it’s me. I have so much to tell you. Call me when you get in,” she said, and Simone could hear the high pitch of excitement in her sister’s voice.
Simone pressed Erase. She stared at the phone, debating. A part of her wanted to hear the details and share her sister’s excitement. Another part of her dreaded what Samantha might say. Did he kiss her, touch her in that gentle way of his? Did he laugh at her corny jokes and did his eyes crinkle at the edges when he did?
She tugged in a breath. The truth was, she didn’t want to know, but she had to.
Simone defiantly snatched up the phone and dialed Samantha’s number.
“Hello…”
The voice sounded breathless. Simone flinched. Was Chad there? Were they…?
“Hey, sis, sounds like you were running.”
“Whew, sorry about that. I was outside when I heard the phone. I was hoping it was you.”
“This is your lucky day.”
Samantha chuckled, missing the sarcasm. She pranced into the kitchen and skulked around in the fridge for her container of vanilla soy milk. “Guess what?” she asked, following a long swallow of the creamy liquid.
Simone briefly shut her eyes. “What?”
“I had lunch with Chad today—at Cisco’s.”
“Really.” A tense bubble of laughter burst and dribbled over her lips. It was apparent that Chad hadn’t mentioned their brief conversation, so neither would she. “You make it sound like more than business.”
“Well…” She let the word stretch to four syllables.
Simone gripped the phone a bit tighter. “What does that mean?”
Samantha went on to explain about their upcoming “date” to the jazz club and Chad’s subsequent request for her to help him find an apartment.
“Sounds like you two are going to be spending a lot of time together.”
Samantha sighed. “I hope so, Monie,” she said, using her pet name for her sister. “I like him and I think we could have something.”
“You figured that all out after one lunch?”
Samantha frowned, startled by Simone’s sharp tone. “What’s bugging you?”
Simone caught herself. “Hey, I’m sorry. I guess I’m just tired and I have a headache brewing. A bit on edge.” At least that part was true.
“Did you take anything?”
“No, not yet. But I will.” Simone’s tight expression softened. Although they were only separated by one year, with Sam being the younger, early on Samantha had taken the opposite role as big sister and nurturer. Samantha was the type of person who couldn’t stand to see anyone suffering or in pain. She somehow believed it her duty and obligation to take on the weight of everyone’s ills and find a way to make them better. You had to love her.
“You go and rest. If it gets worse and you need me, just call. Okay?”
“Thanks, but I’ll be fine. I think I will lie down for a while.”
“Good. I’ll check on you tomorrow. Later.”
“Hey, uh, when are you guys going to the club?”
“Wednesday. Why don’t you bring Chris and come along?”
“Chris Walker has risen to the top of my not-to-do list at the moment.” She’d been dating Chris for about three months, and although he was smart enough to have “Doctor” in front of his name, it had become abundantly clear, at least to her, that his intelligence was trapped between his legs. Whenever they were together all he ever wanted to do with any enthusiasm was to have sex. Any other activity he was always “too tired” to participate. That wore thin pretty quickly. Their relationship was going nowhere fast.
Samantha chuckled. “Girl, you and men. You shed them faster than I can keep up with. One of these days you’re going to have to figure out what you want and stick with it.”
“Sam, you don’t know the half of it. But that’s another story for another day. Anyway, I’ll talk to you later.”
“Bye.”
Simone absently hung up the hone. Humph. Figure out what I want and stick with it. I thought I had, once upon a time. Guess I was wrong.
“How’s it feel to be back in your own office?” Justin asked, leaning against the frame of the door.
Chad looked up from sorting the files on his desk, happy to see his mentor. He leaned back in his chocolate-brown leather chair and expansively linked his fingers behind his head. “Man, I am home,” he stated, enunciating every word.
Justin chuckled and stepped inside. Casually, he gazed around, intermittently picking up and putting down objets d’art that Chad brought back with him from his travels. Statues from Ghana, talismans from Uganda, native cloths from Liberia and fetishes from the Sudan, among others.
Chad monitored Justin’s apparent ease and lack of agenda, and knew from years of working with him that he had something on his mind. It was a tactic that worked like a charm with juries, and Chad, too, had mastered the technique—biding his time before making his move. The only unknown factor was when Justin would strike. Chad didn’t have to wait long.
Justin crossed his arms and pursed his lips as though preparing for his closing argument.
“I have a few concerns I want to discuss with you.”
“I figured
as much.”
The two men looked at each other with quiet amusement.
“You know I think of you as a son, Rush,” Justin began, using the name he’d tagged him with since Chad’s early days at the firm. “You’re one of the sharpest attorneys I’ve come across in years. I can easily see you winding up in a political office, maybe in the House or on the federal bench.”
“Thank you, Justin. You know your opinion means a great deal to me.”
“However…”
“I knew there was a ‘however’ in there somewhere.”
Justin took a seat opposite Chad, crossed his right ankle over his left knee and eased back. “And I’m sure you know that even though I will support you in this endeavor, I have some serious concerns on how this will impact on my family. Simone has always been the more levelheaded, thoughtful one of my children. But she can be willful and stubborn once she sets her mind to something. This run for the Assembly seat is a major step in her political career. And with the Republicans running the show and backing the police, what you propose could severely damage whatever chance she may have. These are very powerful people you’ll be battling, and the word defeat is not in their vocabulary. They’ll do whatever is necessary to protect the status quo. Don’t expect them to just roll over.”
“So what are you saying?”
Justin held up his hand. “Hold on. Sam, on the other hand, will run out into the fray with guns blazing. She’s hot-tempered and doesn’t care who knows it. Many times she thinks with that big heart of hers and not her head. Did she mention to you the death threats she’s been receiving?”
Chad’s eyes widened in alarm. “N-no. She hasn’t.”
Justin nodded. “I didn’t think she would. She believes she can handle everything. This is not the kind of think you ignore.”
Chad leaned forward. “How did you find out?”
“Purely by accident. I was in her office one day when the mail arrived. I saw her face when she opened one of the letters. I made her show it to me. That’s when she admitted it wasn’t the first one.”
“Has anything been done?”
