by RM Johnson
“No, Mr. Kenny. I’m only doing what I told you I was.”
“Okay. And that’s the way it’s going to continue. I don’t need you messing all of this is up, by trying to make decisions on your own. Understand?”
“Yes, Mr. Kenny.”
Nate hung up the phone without as much as saying good-bye.
Just then, a soft knock came at the door. Tori entered the office. She set a file on his desk, then said, “Mr. Hiller wants to know if he can push back his appointment with you half an hour. He said he believes he’ll be late.”
“That’s fine,” Nate said, barely looking up from his work.
Tori was about to turn and leave, but she halted, looking at Nate oddly for a moment.
After feeling her standing there, just feet from his desk, Nate looked up.
“What is it, Tori?”
“Is everything okay? You look angry.”
Nate paused to think about what Tori had said, and sure enough, he felt that his eyebrows were furrowed, his facial muscles tight. He made an effort to smile.
Tori walked back over to Nate’s desk, a smile on her face. “That’s better,” she said. “And I had a wonderful time last night.” She turned, walked out of his office, Nate watching as she closed his door.
Nothing out of the ordinary happened last night. Tori made dinner as she always did. They ate, watched a little TV, drank a little wine, and then lay around in the dark, him holding her, while Tori dreamed aloud how life would be once Nate divorced his wife. She mentioned repeatedly her excitement about having his children, and Nate didn’t know if she did that on his account, or if she really looked forward to it that much.
“It is still going to happen, isn’t it?” Tori said, looking into his face to see his response. She made a point of continually checking the status of what was going on between him and his wife.
“Yes, it is still going to happen,” Nate said. He would guarantee that, and that’s why he had quickly called Lewis after he had received the call from Monica.
When Nate had gotten home that night, after spending the evening with Tori again, he walked into his bedroom to see Monica sitting up, waiting for him, even though he specifically told her that she didn’t have to.
Nate glanced at the clock on the nightstand, seeing that it was just minutes to 11 P.M.
He pulled off his jacket and tie, and draped them across a chair that sat in the corner.
“You’re still up,” Nate said, heading toward the bathroom.
“Yeah, I need to talk to you.”
“All right, I just have to—”
“I need to do it now. It’ll be quick.”
Nate stopped just feet from the bathroom door, and said, “Okay. What is it?”
“Lunch tomorrow. We need to go.”
“I can’t,” he answered right away.
Monica appeared thrown by the abruptness of his answer, then asked, “Why not?”
“Because I have work.”
“You don’t get a lunch break? C’mon, Nate, you’re the president. It’s not as though you have to ask permission.”
“And you don’t think I know that?”
There was an awkward silence, then Monica said, “Considering how things have been between us, I don’t think I’m asking too much to want my husband to take a break from his busy fourteen-hour day and take me to lunch.”
“Monica, I can’t get out tomorrow, okay,” Nate insisted.
“Then I’ll come to you.”
“That won’t work, either.”
“It won’t work, or you don’t want it to work?” Monica said.
“And what do you mean by that?”
“Nothing. I just really need for you to take me to lunch tomorrow,” Monica said, almost desperate.
“What’s the big deal about tomorrow?” Nate said.
“There is no big deal,” Monica said. “I just need you to take me.”
“Well, it’s not going to happen.”
Monica dropped her head in defeat. “Are you sure?” she said, looking sadly now at him.
This was the moment, Nate thought. This was his wife giving him his last chance before she ventured down a path that could lead to their marriage changing, and he knew their future more or less lay in his hands. He could tell her that, as a matter of fact, he could make room. He would take her to lunch, call Lewis tonight, cancel everything, and then Nate could do whatever it took to put things right back with his wife.
Or he could let the course of events continue as they had been, by simply saying, “I’m sure. I won’t be able to go to lunch with you tomorrow.” Which is exactly what he said.
Monica looked even more disappointed, and said, “Okay. Thanks for trying.”
Nate turned, stepped into the bathroom, and closed the door.
33
The next morning, when Lewis knocked on Selena’s door, he was surprised that she answered, considering he had been missing her every time he tried to stop by there.
What surprised him more was the huge smile on her face, once she saw that it was him standing in front of her.
“Hey, Lewis. C’mon in,” she said.
Lewis stepped in, feeling weird for some reason, unable to remember the last time he had gotten this sort of reception.
He looked around, noticed that the place wasn’t nearly as dirty as the last time he had seen it, but it still could’ve used a little attention.
“So, you lookin’ good,” Selena said, eyeing him from head to toe. “Got a new haircut. I like it.” And now she was slowly walking around him. “And got some new clothes.”
He was wearing jeans, a jersey, and a pair of T-MACs, all stuff that he had bought the other day. But judging by the way that Selena was checking him out, he could’ve been wearing one of the expensive suits he had bought from Monica.
“Where’s Layla?” Lewis said, not responding to Selena’s compliments.
“She’s in the room.”
“Can I see her?”
“What’s the rush?” Selena said, grabbing Lewis’s hand, walking him to the sofa, and sitting him down there. “I haven’t seen you in more than a week.”
“Whose fault is that? I’ve been coming by here like crazy.”
“I know. And I got what you left me last time you was here.”
Last time Lewis came by the house, and didn’t find Selena there, he slipped $300 in an envelope and slid it into the locked mailbox.
“I ain’t just left it for you, but for you and Layla. Did you pay the bills?”
“I did what I could with it, but it was only three hundred,” Selena said, looking sadly toward the floor. “I would need some more to take care of everything.” She looked back up at Lewis. “You think you got any more?”
Lewis shook his head, wishing that there was someone else he could give his money to, so he would know that it would benefit his baby, but he would just have to trust Selena.
“Where you getting all this money from, anyway? I know you ain’t cutting heads like that at the barbershop.”
“It ain’t important where I get it, as long as I have it,” Lewis said.
“Can you let me hold some more…to pay the bills with?”
“Get Layla. Let me see her first, and then I’ll see what I can do.”
Selena sprung from the sofa and hurried into the bedroom. When she came back out, Layla was in her arms, the child sleeping. She gingerly handed over the baby to Lewis, who thankfully took her.
“She ain’t get to bed till early this morning, that’s why she still sleep.”
Lewis thought of asking her, just why in the hell was that?—what was she doing up until early in the morning?—but figured, what good would it do?
“You can wake her up if you want. She’d be happy to see her daddy.”
“Naw. She needs her sleep,” Lewis said, lowering his face to kiss her softly on the cheek.
He held her for a little while longer, then passed her back to her mother.
> Selena took her back into the bedroom, then returned and sat back on the sofa.
Lewis pulled another $300 from his pocket, money he knew he would be giving Selena when he planned to come over here.
Before he handed the money to her, he said, “I want to take her with me next time I come by.”
“What do you mean, take her with you?”
“I mean, spend time with my daughter away from here, at my place.”
“I don’t even know where you live.”
“You didn’t seem worried about that when you threw me out,” Lewis said, still resenting that action.
“I still don’t know. I have to think about that,” Selena said, as if this was causing some huge dilemma.
Lewis reached into his pocket, pulled out his wallet, and with Selena watching closely, fingered out another hundred-dollar bill, and placed the four hundred in her hand.
“Can I take her next time, or what?” Lewis asked again.
Selena smiled, folded the bills, and slid them under the sofa cushion she was sitting on.
“Yeah. You’re her father. You can take her.”
Lewis gave Selena a long look, hating how he was considered Layla’s father only when he paid to be.
He stood up. “Then I’ll call to let you know when. I hope you have the phone on by then.”
Lewis walked around the table to the front door.
“Hold it,” Selena said, quickly following up behind him. “You leaving already, and you ain’t even giving me no hug.”
Lewis didn’t say anything, just stood there, allowing Selena to throw her arms around him. She pressed hard up against his body. “I missed you,” she said.
“Okay,” Lewis said, not caring a bit.
Selena leaned away some to look into his eyes. “You know I do, right?”
“Okay,” Lewis said again.
Then Selena all of sudden pressed her lips into Lewis’s, trying to stick her tongue into his mouth, before he pulled away.
“What are you doing?”
“I told you, I missed you, and it feels like you missed me too,” she said, her hand grabbing him in between the legs.
Lewis stepped back from her. “You don’t know what you talking about.”
“Then let me show you what I’m talking about. Let me thank you for the money you been giving me.” She was at his pants again, this time trying to undo his belt buckle.
Lewis grabbed both of her busy hands, held them firmly up to her chest.
“Selena, I ain’t give you that money so I can have sex with you again. I gave it to you so you can take care of our daughter, so you can take care of the things you need to get done around here. You got that?”
Selena looked into Lewis’s face as though she hadn’t comprehended a word of it, then said, “You don’t want to stay just a little while?”
“I ain’t those men that you been fuckin’, okay? Yeah, I gave you money, but you don’t owe me nothing but to take care of Layla.”
“Oh,” Selena said angrily, yanking her hands away from Lewis’s hold. “So you lookin’ down on me for doing what I had to do.”
“Selena, I’m not gonna get into this with you.”
“So you better than me now, because you got a little money?”
“Selena, I told you—”
“Fuck you, then! I was just trying to show you a little appreciation, but since you don’t want it, fuck you!”
Lewis stood in front of her, not saying a word, sorry that it had to be the way it was between them.
“So I’ll call you when I want to come and pick Layla up.”
“I might be home,” Selena said.
Lewis turned and walked out.
When he walked in the door of AERO later that day, the episode with Selena was still on his mind. He was disappointed with how it went down, but he was hopeful that she would keep her promise, and let him take his daughter like she said.
It was five minutes past noon when Lewis stepped up to the counter, to see just Tabatha standing there. He felt that there was probably more disappointment on the way, thinking that she would tell him that Monica wasn’t there, that she had stepped out to lunch only moments ago.
But when Lewis asked, “Is Monica here?” he heard a voice answer from behind him. “Right here, and ready to go to lunch,” she said, walking near him, looking very beautiful, wearing slacks and a waist-length denim jacket. Her hair was still the way he liked it, and she had her purse on her arm.
Lewis was shocked, wondered what changed her mind, but he wouldn’t concern himself with that. Just be happy that she was willing to go.
They ended up at the Cheesecake Factory, just down the street from where she worked.
Surprisingly, they were seated, and had already been served drinks, and their food orders had been taken just fifteen minutes after they arrived. Lewis sipped on a raspberry iced tea, but he was surprised to see that Monica had ordered a glass of wine.
“So, you really look beautiful today,” Lewis said, sincerely.
“Thank you.” Monica smiled. “But you’re the one looking like a million dollars. Could that be a new suit you’re wearing?” Monica joked.
Lewis had specifically picked the best of the suits he had just bought from her store to wear today. “Naw, just some old getup I thrown on to hang out in.”
They both laughed a little, then Lewis said, “I’m glad you decided to come to lunch with me. What finally changed your mind?”
Monica took another sip from her wine. “Stuff. Just stuff, is all. But what’s your story? Why were you all bent on getting me out here, wouldn’t take no for an answer?”
“Because over the week that we’ve been getting to know each other, I found out that you’re a sweet woman, with a great personality, ridiculous body, and as gorgeous as she want to be.”
“And there’s a zillion more just like me walking down Michigan Avenue. Only difference is, is that they’re single. So why would a handsome, successful, kind brotha like yourself be pursuing me?”
“Who said I was pursuing you?” Lewis said. “We’re having lunch. When did that become pursuit?”
Monica smiled, shaking her head. “Okay, so you want to play games. Lewis, you’ve been in my store every day this week.”
“Buying suits.”
“You couldn’t buy all four suits in one day? No,” Monica answered for him, “you had to stretch it out so you’d have a reason to come back and see me, right?”
“I like the store.”
“Right.”
“And like I said, we spent a lot of time together, and it’s been fun. Don’t you think?”
“Yeah,” Monica hesitated to say. “It has been fun. But why me? You still haven’t told me.”
“I already gave you all the reasons, and then there’s the fact that it’s you. No one else is like you.”
“Oh, you are so full of it. Lewis, you can tell me. It doesn’t matter. Nothing’s going to happen between us. I’m a happily married woman. See,” Monica said, displaying her ring, as if he hadn’t already seen it. “I just want to know, what’s your deal?”
“Are you happily married?” Lewis questioned.
“What difference does it make?”
“I don’t know. None, I guess. I was just wondering, because that time I asked you, it looked like you got sad all of a sudden.”
“Then I’ll say that yes, I’m happily married, but a marriage isn’t always going to be happy.”
“I’m guessing that this is one of those times when it’s not.”
Monica looked in Lewis’s eyes, as if almost ashamed to give her answer. “Then you’re guessing right.”
Lewis felt sorry for her. “If there’s anything you need, anything I can do for you, you know you can always ask.”
“And just what could you do for me, Lewis?”
“I don’t know. Anything. I just don’t want to see you sad. It just makes me feel like giving you a hug. Yeah, that’s what I can do,” Le
wis said, pushing back in his chair.
“Lewis, don’t you get out of that chair. I’m fine.”
“A hug has never hurt anyone,” Lewis said, standing and walking around the table, wrapping his arms around Monica, rocking her back and forth, giving her an exaggerated hug.
“Lewis,” Monica said, laughing, smothered under all his affection, “get off me, boy!”
“There,” he said, giving her a fat kiss on her forehead as she continued to struggle. “That’ll make it all better.” He stepped back around the table and took a seat.
“How’s that?” he said.
“Gee, Lewis, thanks. I feel so much better.”
After Lewis had walked Monica back to the store from lunch, and picked up his suit, they stood outside the doors, talking.
“So, same time tomorrow?” Lewis asked, hopeful.
“No. This is not going to become a habit.”
“Okay. Well, did you have a good time? Enjoy yourself?”
“Yes. I had a very good time, and I’m glad I changed my mind,” Monica said.
“Good, I’ll see you whenever, then.”
“Okay,” Monica said, seeming uncertain of how she was feeling about that.
They stood facing each other for another moment of silence, then Lewis spread the one arm that he wasn’t holding the suit with, and said, “Well, do you think I can get a hug good-bye?”
Monica didn’t answer right away, then after a moment said, “Sure. Why not?”
She moved into Lewis, gave him a hug. Lewis pressed her body gently but firmly into his, and he was thankful that she didn’t give him the old “just friends” pat on the back. He hated that.
They pulled away from each other, and Lewis had to stop himself from leaning in and kissing those full, pink lips of her.
“Okay then, whenever,” Lewis said.
“Whenever,” Monica said in return.
She turned, about to go in the store, as Lewis walked away, but then he stopped.
“Monica.”
She turned back around, and Lewis hurried up to her. “You know, I wasn’t going to ask you this,” Lewis said, digging into his pants pocket and pulling out something. “But I figure, I can’t get anybody else to go with me, I might as well ask my new friend.”
