Pamela blushed again. Micah always knew what to say to make her feel special.
Two hours later, Pamela walked into the Chinese restaurant, starved. She’d worked through her lunch to ensure she’d get off on time. Pamela headed straight for the buffet figuring she’d make her plate first then look for her men later. “My men? What am I thinking?” she mumbled. Pamela was about to reach under the heat lamp for a warm plate when she heard the sound that made her heartbeat accelerate.
“Over here, sweetheart.”
Pamela turned to see Micah and Matthew waving and smiling at her. Anticipation and excitement took control. Her stomach would have to wait. At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to give her men a big hug and kiss—both of them. That’s what she did. Upon arriving at the table, naturally, Pamela hugged and kissed her son. And almost just as natural, she hugged Micah and kissed his cheek.
Micah stood holding a chair out for her. He didn’t say anything, just grinned and returned the embrace.
Matthew slapped his little hands to his face and giggled.
“Have a seat,” Micah offered.
“Can I get something to eat first?”
“We’ll take care of that.” Micah pointed to Matthew. “You’ve had a busy day, now relax and let us take care of you.”
Pamela obediently sat down. As soon as they were out of sight, she checked Matthew’s backpack. All of his homework was completed and neatly organized in his homework folder. “Thank you, Lord,” she mumbled. “I can get to bed early tonight.”
She then scanned the buffet. There were people coming and going in all directions selecting everything from chow mein to steamed oysters. Through the throng of people only one person held her attention: Micah. Even in his company uniform, he was attractive. At that moment, it wasn’t his physical attributes that mesmerized her. It was him. His personality ; the concern he showed for her; the way he interacted with Matthew; the way he smiled at her like she was the only woman in the world. All that made Micah Stevenson the finest man she’d ever seen. Once again, Pamela prayed for her emotions to remain in control, before she made another shipwreck.
Pamela was impressed. The plate Micah placed in front of her contained all her favorite items.
“How did you know what I like?” she questioned.
“I told him, Mommy,” Matthew answered after setting down a glass filled with her favorite diet beverage.
Pamela’s eyes roamed from her son to the new man in her life, both of whom were smiling. They were so good together and even better to her. “Thank you,” she said softly.
Micah caressed both her and Matthew’s hand and said grace. At the end of the prayer, Pamela had to force herself to release the comfort of his hand to eat her dinner. His touch was so soothing that she was tempted to eat with her left hand and risk staining her white blouse. She’d decide to take the challenge until Micah released her right hand and began eating.
“Thank you for helping Matthew with his homework,” Pamela said after savoring a snow crab leg. “Micah, you are so good to us. What would we do without you?”
“I hope you never find out.” Micah winked and continued eating.
He was doing it again, planning their future, and this time the vision of Micah as a permanent fixture in her life completely agreed with her.
“Micah, how was your day?” Pamela figured she’d change the subject before she gave in to the urge to kiss him again.
“Except for falling off a roof, it was uneventful.”
Pamela dipped the crab leg into butter “What happened? Did you hurt yourself?”
“I was thinking about you and missed a step. Just the thought of you is a safety hazard for me nowadays.” Micah winked again, and Pamela suddenly became parched.
“Mommy, you’re really thirsty,” Matthew commented, watching Pamela down the diet soda without stopping. She then sent Matthew for a refill.
“Micah, hold up!” AC, carrying a pie from the first lady in his hand, caught up with him in the vestibule after Bible Study. “Man, has love made you forget about your friends?”
“What are you talking about?”
AC shook his head. “Man, you’ve got it bad. I saw you and Sister Pamela and Matthew enter the sanctuary together looking like the perfect family.”
“We met for dinner.” Micah beamed. “But what does that have to do with anything?”
“You were supposed to help me move my mother this evening, remember?”
“Oh, man!” Micah shook his head. He’d totally forgotten he’d agreed to help AC move a refrigerator, stove, and a couch into AC’s mother’s new senior citizen complex. “I’m sorry. I’ll meet you at your mothe’s house in ten minutes.”
“It’s too late now,” AC responded. “Mama said to tell you, if her food spoils, you’re cleaning up the mess and buying her a freezer full of groceries.”
“Man, I’m really sorry, but Pamela had a busy day and needed my help.”
“And you were just the one to help a sista out,” AC teased. “It’s cool. For a three-piece meal from Popeyes, my nephew helped me at the last minute, but next time . . .”
“I know, man.” Micah’s voice trailed off. Pamela approached, and he lost his train of thought.
AC shook his head. “Man, you are one sick puppy.”
“What’s wrong, Micah? The food from the buffet didn’t make you sick, did it? Do you need to see a doctor?” Pamela asked after overhearing AC’s comment.
The concern in her eyes and the soft feel of her hand on his shoulder only added to Micah’s absentmindedness. He couldn’t think of an answer. AC had to help the brother out.
“Sister Pamela, the kind of sickness he has can’t be cured with modern medicine,” AC laughed. “But I’m sure you can cure him.”
Pamela blushed.
Micah dismissed his friend’s musings with the wave of his hand. “Come on, sweetheart, I’ll walk you to your car.”
AC watched his friend disappear. The three of them, Micah, Pamela, and Matthew, truly did display the perfect family image. In all the time he’d known Micah, he’d never seen him happy until now. AC bowed his head and prayed. “God, please let everything work out for my friend.”
Chapter 6
Pamela thought the knocking and ringing was all in her head until discerning Micah’s voice. It was then she realized he was outside her front door trying desperately to awaken her. Micah Stevenson was the sweetest man she knew, but he was also crazy. He had to be. Why else would he think it was normal to bang on someone’s door at 6:00 A.M. on a weekday?
“Wake up, sleeping beauty,” she heard him call.
“Micah Stevenson, are you crazy?” She swung her front door open only to find him grinning like his name was called as the next contestant on The Price is Right.
“Yes, I am, for you.”
Pamela placed her hands on her hips. “Can you at least act like you have a little common sense before 7:00 A.M.?”
Micah laughed. Pamela didn’t. She was furious. How dare he rob her of her last thirty minutes of sleep? She was so mad, she didn’t care that she had a red and white scarf tied around her head and dried drool on the side of her face. She folded her arms and glared at him.
“Lighten up, sweetheart; it’s a special day. I’m on my way to work, but I didn’t want to wait all day before expressing how special you are to me.”
Pamela didn’t have a clue about what he was talking about. All she knew was the sun hadn’t come up yet and this cute madman was getting on her nerves.
“Micah, if I’m so special, you’d let me get some sleep, and you wouldn’t come here uninvited at 6:00 A.M.!” she yelled.
Micah frowned. “You sure are grouchy in the morning. Here, before you mess up my day.”
“Mess up your day,” she started to scream, but stopped when he revealed the single red rose and the huge card in shape of a heart that he had been hiding behind his back.
“Happy Valentine’s Day,” he said sole
mnly. “I know it’s early, but I wanted to see you before I went to work. True, I could’ve called, but I wanted to surprise you. And yes, I could’ve waited until this evening, but I didn’t want you to be the only one at your office without something special on this day.” He then bent over and picked up the gift box and handed it to her. “Have a good day.” With that he left.
Pamela was stunned. She’d totally forgotten about Valentine’s Day. She hadn’t celebrated the day set aside for love since before Matthew was born. She didn’t even purchase cards for Matthew to exchange at school. Pamela closed the door and slowly walked over to the counter and laid her unexpected gifts down.
Slowly, she sniffed the red rose and savored its fragrance. Next, she examined the big red heart made from construction paper. Her eyes watered as she read the handwritten sentiment.
Good morning, sweetheart.
Today would be dull and boring without you.
You make every day special to me.
My day would be incomplete without your warm smile and the sweet sound of your voice.
Every day, I thank God for blessing me to be a part of your life.
Happy Valentine ’s Day,
Micah
Pamela grabbed a paper towel from the kitchen counter and wiped her face before opening the neatly wrapped box. The red and gold paper was so pretty she hated to tear it, but she bubbled with anticipation. “Oh, Micah,” she whispered after lifting the fuchsia silk pantsuit from the box. It was the same pantsuit she admired on the mannequin in the window at Macy’s two weeks ago when Micah accompanied her and Matthew on a shopping trip for shoes at the mall. At the time, Micah acted like he wasn’t paying her any attention when she expressed interest in the ensemble. Turns out, he had paid close attention. Micah had also purchased jewelry and heels to match. Everything was the right size. Pamela was impressed. She also felt like an idiot for the way she’d treated him. “I’ve got to catch him,” she announced, then quickly ran to the door. She opened the door and gasped; Micah was standing there, arms folded, wearing the biggest smile on his face.
Pamela didn’t bother hiding how she felt. She hugged him with such force she almost knocked him off balance.
“Thank you,” were the only words that she would allow to flow from her. She wanted to say more, much more, but was afraid to. She wasn’t ready to vocalize what she felt inside for this sweet man in the cable company uniform. Not just yet.
“I guess this means you like your gifts,” Micah said after forcing himself to release her.
“I love them, especially the card,” she whispered, trying to interpret the look in his eyes. Then he did something she didn’t expect. He stepped away from her and placed his hand over his nose.
“Pamela, sweetie, I’m really enjoying this moment, but it is early and you have drool stuck to the side of your face and that morning breath is killing me!”
Micah was laughing, but Pamela was embarrassed. She turned her head and covered her mouth with her hand.
“That’s what you get for coming here so early uninvited.”
“You’re still beautiful, but I have to go.” He turned to leave then stopped. “Don’t work too hard. I’m picking Matthew up from after school care. We have plans for you.” He blew her a kiss, then trotted to the cable van.
Pamela stood in her doorway enjoying the morning air and the orange rays peeking through the gray morning sky. Her irritation a distant memory. The forecast called for rain, but Pamela didn’t care. It could snow and her day would still be wonderful, thanks to Micah.
“Good morning, Ms. Pamela.”
Pamela’s neighbor startled her. What was Mr. Larson doing up this time of morning, watering his lawn without a shirt, she wondered, but didn’t dare ask him. She quickly greeted the middle-aged gentleman and hurried inside.
Pamela stared at the stack of documents in front of her; she really needed to review them. Her clients were due in half an hour, but she couldn’t focus. Micah’s early-morning visit filled every corner of her mind. Even when she was married, Valentine’s Day didn’t mean anything to her. Micah changed that this morning. All morning, she’d been thinking about their relationship. She finally admitted to herself she liked where they were headed and loved the attention and appreciation he showered on her. She loved how he looked after her, not wanting her to worry about anything. Like the other night after Bible Study when he followed her to the gas station where he filled up her gas tank and put air in her tires. He was so thoughtful, he even prayed with her once a day. She couldn’t imagine what Micah had planned for that evening, but whatever it was, she would enjoy it, of that she was sure.
“What are you smiling about?” Jessica asked, taking a seat in Pamela’s office.
Pamela hadn’t heard her enter or realized she was smiling; she should have. Thoughts of Micah always brought a smile to her face.
“It’s Valentine’s Day,” Pamela answered.
“That has never made you smile before, and neither did it give you a reason to dress up,” Jessica said, checking out Pamela’s outfit.
“That was before Micah,” Pamela whispered, although no one was in her office but the two of them. “This is one of his Valentine’s Day gifts to me.”
“What are you talking about, girl?”
Pamela giggled like a schoolgirl. “Jess, that crazy man showed up at six o’clock this morning with this entire outfit. I even got a rose and a card.”
“Pam, you’re kidding.”
“No, I’m not. But the funny part is I didn’t even know it was Valentine’s Day!”
Jessica laughed so hard she cried listening to Pamela tell her about the drool and morning breath.
“You two are a mess.” Jessica was smiling, but Pamela knew her friend wished she could trade places with her. It wasn’t a secret that Jessica desired to be a wife and mother.
“Have you talked to Anthony lately?”
Jessica rolled her eyes. “Why did you have to go and mention him?”
“Because I know he’s on your mind. Jess, why don’t just admit it, you like the man.” Jessica pouted. “Come on, Jess,” Pamela coaxed.
“All right, all right. I like him. Happy?”
“I knew it!” Pamela shrieked. “I think he likes you too.”
“How do you know?”
Pamela recognized the desperation in her voice. “Well,” Pamela leaned back in her chair. “I’ve seen him watching you in church, and Micah told me he asks about you from time to time.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Jessica snapped.
“Because you kept denying your attraction to him.”
Jessica glanced at her watch. “My clients will be here any moment, but the next time Anthony Combs asks about me, tell him to talk to me!”
Pamela laughed watching her friend stomp away like a two-year-old, until she realized she had ten minutes to prepare the documents for her next appointment. She blocked everything out of her mind and focused on her work. That is, everything but Micah. She couldn’t think about him enough.
Three hours later, Pamela practically skipped along the concrete walkway of her complex leading to her town house. The cable van was parked outside. That meant Micah was there, but where? She retrieved her mail and unlocked her door and stepped inside.
At first she thought the sight of Micah and Matthew dressed as waiters in black suits and white shirts waiting to serve her was a hallucination.
“Happy Valentine’s Day, Mommy.” As if on cue, Matthew stepped forward and handed his mother a red rose.
“Thank you, sweetheart.” After hugging her son, Pamela added the rose to the vase that contained the one Micah had given her earlier that morning.
“I hope you don’t mind Matthew showing me where you keep the spare key,” Micah stated. “We wanted to surprise you, and by the way, you look beautiful in that outfit.” Micah winked at her, and Pamela’s breath caught in her throat. He was simply gorgeous. Micah’s well-defined physique made the black sui
t look good, instead of the other way around.
“I am surprised, and thank you,” she said, hesitantly looking away at the dinner table. It was set with china and crystal topped off with candlelight.
“Do you like it, Mommy? Micah said you would like it because you are our Valentine, and this is what you do on Valentine’s Day.” Matthew anxiously awaited her approval.
“I love it.” Pamela knelt to hug her son, but held eye contact with Micah. “And I like you,” she cooed.
The smile Micah afforded her sent a warm feeling that started in her chest and then flowed throughout her entire body.
“Come on, Mommy, sit down.” Matthew pulled out her chair. After Pamela sat, he placed a cloth napkin across his mother’s lap with ease.
“How did you learn to do that?”
“Micah taught me,” Matthew beamed.
“What else did Micah teach you?”
Micah cleared his throat. “You ask too many questions. I hope you’re hungry,” Micah interrupted, pouring sparkling apple cider into her flute. “We have all of your favorites, so sit back and enjoy.”
“Where did all of this come from?” Pamela knew the china and crystal didn’t come from her cabinets.
“If you must know, Ms. Nosy, I borrowed a few items from my aunt.”
She noticed the table was set for one and not three. “Aren’t the two of you going to eat?”
Micah shook his head. “The help never eats with the mistress of the house. Besides, we ate earlier. Now please, no more questions. Matthew and I have worked very hard to make this evening special. So settle down, relax, and enjoy your meal.”
Pamela wanted to tell him she didn’t care what the food was or what it tasted like. Micah made her evening special by simply showing up. But instead, she just whispered, “Okay.”
“Here, Mommy.” Pamela was impressed with the skill her son used to place a basket of warm rolls on the table followed by a Caesar salad.
Pamela enjoyed her food as her men served her like she was the Queen of England. Micah made sure her the drink in her glass never dropped below the halfway mark. As soon as she set her fork down upon taking the last bite of her salad, Matthew removed the dishes, and Micah promptly set a neatly garnished plate with grilled salmon, asparagus, and wild rice in front of her.
Right Package, Wrong Baggage Page 5
