by Pat Simmons
Once they disconnected, Eva replayed every word she had uttered to Kidd and his every reaction. She was reminded of Isaiah 55:11 where once God’s Word left His mouth, it never returned, but accomplished the task that God ordered. “If only I could have recalled my words so they would never have hit my intended target.” Then she would have bypassed Angela’s scolding and her need for repenting.
Eva garnished her salad with shredded cheese and olives, then glided across the hardwood floor to her oak wood bar table. Out of habit, two place settings were always staged for an unexpected visit. She carefully laid her teal bowl on a gray place mat; both colors inspired the décor throughout her condo. Without children or pets to clean up after, Eva couldn’t resist the white shaggy rugs scattered throughout a few rooms.
Before getting situated at the table, she strolled into her bedroom closet, where a stash of bridal magazines was hidden from view. In case she had company, Eva didn’t want anyone to get any wrong ideas and ask questions. They were purely for entertainment purposes only.
She reached for a thick edition of Brides magazine. While she ate dinner, she needed a diversion to keep her mind from returning to the scene of her crime. Just as she was about to flip through the pages, her hand froze. A wedding dress embellished with layers and layers of ruffles swallowed up a blushing bride on the glossy cover. The caption read “Let the Fairy Tale Begin.” The photo took her breath away.
In another world, Eva’s career choice would have been anything connected with weddings—hers or that of a family member, a stranger, or a mail-order bride. It didn’t matter in what capacity: cake decorator, planner, dress designer, or florist. It was just a fantasy.
She wondered if Angela and Lance were meant to walk down the aisle. If so, Angela would be Eva’s first test case, unless Dawn snagged someone beforehand. Physically, Angela and Lance complemented each other. He was a looker, and they were inseparable. They could almost be each other’s twin. In Eva’s eyes, his vice was placating Angela’s domineering personality. The couple never had an argument during their one year of dating. How was that possible? Lance was a wimp. Some women would love to have one just like him, including Dawn.
However, in his defense, Eva had also been on the receiving end of Lance’s generous nature by default of being Angela’s sister. Lance never hesitated about including her on outings, and he never made her feel like a third wheel. As it turned out, when Angela got a boyfriend, Eva got a big brother. Yet, despite Lance’s handsome looks and winning personality, men like him never intrigued her.
Eva was drawn to a strong Black man, and she wasn’t talking about his strength alone—although firm abs, biceps, quadriceps, and every other muscle in the human body were added bonuses. She wanted a man who possessed convictions and acted upon them. She preferred a man who was confident in spite of adversity and satisfied in an exclusive relationship—and the biggest attraction was his love for God.
That combination was her weakness, or it would be if that kind of man existed. She had yet to meet someone who had the complete package. But she could hold out. Either God would send the right man for her, or He would send His Son in the rapture for her.
Either way, Eva pondered, she would remain a closet romantic and occupy her time with other interests. When she assisted with an occasional volunteer project for Habitat for Humanity, it was definitely rewarding. Eva always shed a few tears after witnessing the joy on a single mother’s face when she finally had a place of her own to call home. Plus, she concluded, her so-called soul mate or knight in shining armor probably didn’t know how to ride a horse.
After dinner, she cleaned up her mess. Once again, she revisited the incident at work, trying to make sense of what caused her to lash out like that. As a Black man in a key position, Eva was Kidd’s cheerleader from the moment he swaggered through Garden Chateau’s doors. She had prayed he would succeed and dispel the myth that all Black men were sitting behind bars, mixed up in gangs, or using drugs. However, Kidd’s mannerisms suggested at times that he’d have no problem sitting behind bars or participating in gang activity. He just had a fearless spirit.
Eva returned the magazine to its proper hiding place before going back into her living room. This time she went directly to the nook that served as a condensed home office. Unzipping her book bag, which was dangling from a sturdy wall hook, she pulled out her nursing book. Then stretching out in her oversized chair, she rested her bare feet on a makeshift ottoman. Without any distractions, she began to read and highlight sections to review.
A few hours later, Eva was glad when her phone interrupted her thoughts. “Up for a late movie? The next one is at ten-fifteen,” Dawn asked when Eva said hello. The woman’s energy always amazed Eva.
“You should have asked me before my lesson put me to sleep. I was trying to get a jump start on studying for my test next week.” She yawned.
“Oh, I just felt like getting out—dinner, dancing, movies, skating. I would even borrow someone’s dog if the mutt would let me take him for a walk. I just didn’t want to go by myself.” Dawn sounded disappointed.
“Why did you wait so late to plan a night out on the town?” Eva rolled her eyes.
They definitely were opposites. Eva was content as a homebody, while Dawn considered home a place for sleeping only. Dawn had been an RN for six years, since she was twenty-seven; Eva was twenty-seven and trying to become an RN. Dawn was divorced; Eva had never been married or engaged and remained abstinent to honor God. Close friends knew Dawn battled low self-esteem, but she always bounced back. At times, Eva’s confidence could be overbearing, and Dawn always put her in check. When all was said and done, their differences complemented their friendship and they respected each other’s point of view.
“You know, at this stage in my life, I thought I would be happily married with at least one child.” Dawn sighed. “Look at me, no husband and no brats.”
Eva hated these conversations with Dawn because she never knew the right thing to say. Personally, if Eva had survived a bad marriage like Dawn’s, she would be glad there were no ties. She felt bad for even thinking that and dared not voice it.
“I’m venting,” Dawn continued. “Recently, I overheard a woman say every woman should be limited to one shot at love. If it doesn’t work, too bad. I guess I never really thought of it that way. I’ve lost my chance.”
“That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard. Some women have several chances …” Eva stopped herself from saying others had none.
“Maybe. I guess I could’ve stuck it out with Gary and his drinking. But, girl, after the first punch, I made sure that was his last. I didn’t stick around for an encore.”
“Dawn, stop second-guessing your decision to get a divorce. Gary was a decoy, not God’s blessing.” Eva did her best to pump up Dawn’s spirits. So their conversation bounced from one topic to another, until finally Dawn settled on a taboo subject for Eva.
“So what do you think about our Chateau hottie? Kidd’s not only fine, but he’s got the killer charm too. He has a smile for everyone. And I see him winking all the time at the little ladies. They get such a kick out of it. The board members really outdid themselves when they tapped that guy …”
Eva cringed as she listened to her friend sing the praises of a man who she had chewed out less than twenty-four hours ago. Despite what her sister said, Eva felt it was for a good cause.
“So what vibes do you get from him?” Dawn pressed her.
Eva would never tell.
Chapter Eight
“Kevin?” The intruder sounded hesitant, approaching his bench on the facility’s campus. Eva. Stirred by the light breeze, her perfume had preceded her. He liked the pleasant fragrance and immediately recognized her by it. Then it all came back to him: what she said; the fury behind how she said it; and the beauty of her stormy eyes when she said it.
The fear that shivered through his body didn’t come from her threat to beat him down. Kidd doubted he would even feel he
r most powerful blow. What he feared was that she may have been right. He struggled with that possibility all weekend, and he still didn’t like it. In fact, he returned to work simply for the challenge of bumping heads with Eva, definitely not for the love of and the commitment to his job.
“Kevin?”
Stubbornness wouldn’t allow him to immediately acknowledge her. Instead, he scrutinized several male geese bold enough to leave the rim of the facility’s water fountain and mosey his way.
“I come in peace,” Eva said softly.
“Wasn’t that a line from the old Mars Attacks movie, and the beautiful creature is really the evil enemy?”
“I’m not your enemy, Kidd … Kevin.”
As Eva inched baby steps toward the bench, one goose seemed poised to protect its territory. Kidd was in a position to defend his with one movement if the beast second-guessed itself about bothering Eva.
“I had no right to judge you, and I’m sorry.”
“Accepting apologies isn’t part of my makeup. I believe in saying what I mean and meaning what I say. Don’t you mean what you say?” Shrugging, Kidd angled his body to glance over his shoulder. Once he made eye contact, he didn’t blink.
The last time he said those very words, they backfired on him and he was sentenced to this nursing home. So much for his conviction set in stone, but Eva didn’t have to know that. He didn’t take mess off any man. He sure wasn’t going to let a woman—a pretty one at that—run over him.
“Accepting apologies is the centerpiece of humanity and Christianity.” She flopped down next to him.
“Spoken like a textbook.”
She practically growled. “You’re a frustrating man when you’re crossed, Kevin Jamieson. I was wrong to think you had a chip on your shoulder. Your weight is the size of the Rocky Mountains—no, Mt. Rushmore—and we know how hard it must be to chip through that granite.”
If it was anyone else invading his space besides Eva, Kidd would have demanded, “Who invited you to sit with me?” Instead, he snickered and focused ahead.
“Kevin, I deserve your cold shoulder.” Through his peripheral vision, he watched, amused as Eva toyed with her fingers. “I mean, you haven’t known me for more than a couple of weeks, and I go berserk on you. When I thought about my actions later on, I realized that if I had said what I did to the wrong person, I could have gotten hurt.”
Kidd snapped his neck around and gave her his full attention. It only took a second for his eyes to focus like the lens of a camera. Eva’s freckles, moles, and the subtle lines around one side of her mouth became sharp in his view. Her hair was twisted in a loose ball anchored on the top of her head, accentuating the youthfulness of her features. What he didn’t like was the drab green uniform she should have left in her closet. One day, he might tell her his opinion.
“I don’t strike women. I live by standards and that’s one of them. I would never touch a woman, except to kiss her or make love to her.”
Even with all Eva’s attributes, Kidd was not a chump. He didn’t take kindly to a woman—however beautiful—cutting him down with words.
She straightened her posture, and Kidd braced for an impending challenge. He flared his nostrils in a stare dual. Suddenly, Eva nodded, as if she had made up her mind about something.
“Okay, so I’m safe with you, and so is the rest of the female population.” She paused and lifted a finger. “What about an old, defenseless, senile man in a wheelchair?”
He leaned closer. Whatever snack she had indulged in before coming outside, the fruity scent lingered. “You’re pushing it.” He winked.
“You’re an arrogant one.” Eva put some more distance between them.
“Keep that up, and you might be apologizing for the next words coming out of your pretty mouth.”
“To set the record straight, I am genuinely sorry and ashamed. I like to think of myself as a peaceful, loving creature.” She emphasized the last word.
“Don’t forget the attractive part,” Kidd teased. He enjoyed their banter. He liked the vulnerable side of her fighting for dominance over her self-assured persona.
“So you noticed.” She didn’t miss a beat, as she lifted her chin nonchalantly. Still, a blush was apparent.
“Nothing gets by me, Eva—nothing.”
“Hmm, I’ll keep that in mind.” She stood. “So, are we friends … again?”
When she extended her hand, Kidd snickered. Did she really expect him to accept an antiquated handshake? Kidd held his tongue. In these surroundings, they were nothing more than colleagues, but that could change in the future—if he wanted it to. He wasn’t even friends with his cousins, Parke and Malcolm.
Not wanting to hurt her feelings, Kidd reached for her hand and held on to it. It was soft. He didn’t realize he was daydreaming, until Eva’s voice shattered his reverie.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “And, I’m truly sorry.”
He watched her retreat into the building until she was out of sight. There was something magnetic about Eva, besides her passion and exquisiteness, and Kidd just needed to figure it out. Clearing his head, he squeezed his knees.
“Might as well get this over with, Mrs. Beacon,” he mumbled. She had been the source of yet another argument between him and Parke over the weekend, until Kidd had had enough. Parke accused him of not keeping his end of the bargain when, technically, there had been no negotiation.
“What do you want me to do, Parke? Stay by her side with a clipboard and constantly take notes?” That comment had seemed to chop down his tree.
“You’re right,” Parke replied, conceding. “Just you being there for her and us means a lot. I do appreciate your sacrifice.”
Up until that argument, Kidd hadn’t planned to spend any significant time talking to Mrs. Beacon until he was ready. When he did make his move, he had every intention of identifying himself to her upfront and revealing the real reason for his presence at Garden Chateau. Rethinking his strategy, he determined that would have been juvenile and petty. Plus, it wasn’t his style.
For the time being, he decided to make an effort to track her progress. And when she was discharged, Kidd planned to discharge himself of his involuntary obligation. Aside from his ego trip, Parke wasn’t such a bad guy, so Kidd could play this charade for a while.
An image of Eva flashed through his mind. She wasn’t part of the bargain, but there was something about her that kept him questioning his attitude toward things and people.
Standing, Kidd flexed his biceps and began his trek back inside. He was ready to perform his so-called covert mission of checking on Parke’s family friend—the crazy woman—in Kidd’s opinion.
He caught a glimpse of Eva not far away down the hall. Her back was to him before she slowly turned around. Kidd froze and took a mental snapshot as they made eye contact. He winked to convey everything was cool between them—almost. She responded with the most engaging smile he had seen in a long time. That is, aside from the smile and hugs his little cousin, Kami, lavished on him before her bedtime. Then the toddler, Paden, would copy his big sister’s actions. Even the oldest, Pace, clung to him whenever he was home.
Reflecting on Kami and her brothers made him think of Parke, which reminded Kidd that he was supposed to be somewhere. He turned away and headed down another corridor, searching for Mrs. Beacon’s room number. His intention was to give her a little more than the quick hi and bye he usually said in passing.
During those brief encounters, the woman didn’t appear to be in any distress. Otherwise, Kidd would have stepped in. Plus, this passive little woman didn’t fit Parke’s explosive description of being a shoe-whipping somebody. Then again, he had to admit he hadn’t spent enough time with her to really know. Five minutes tops, then Kidd would be on his way.
Gathering a smile, he knocked on the door frame of suite eighty-seven, without looking inside. “Hello,” he called out.
“Come in,” a sweet voice echoed from within.
Ent
ering the room, the décor reminded Kidd of a parlor in an old Western movie. Two pairs of women’s eyes lit up; immediately, they worshiped his company.
“Good morning, ladies. My name is Kidd, with a double d.” He grinned. It was right on the tip of his tongue to say his last name just to spite Parke.
“Kidd? Weren’t no fellas on my block who looked like you as a boy, or I would’ve married sooner. You’re fifty years too late, young man. I’m Mrs. Ollie Valentine.” She blushed and batted her eyes. “It means love, you know.”
“Then it looks like I already have my valentine for next year,” he said, charming her. He could tell she had been a striking woman in her heyday. The remnants were evident. Mrs. Valentine’s hair was white as a cloud. It was combed in some type of style he couldn’t describe, but it was flattering on her. The way she moved her mouth suggested her teeth were indeed hers.
Kidd stared at Parke’s friend.
“Friends call me Grandma BB. Foes are restricted to Mrs. Beatrice Tilley Beacon.” She squinted. “Give me time to check you out.” After making a bold appraisal of Kidd, she glanced around the room, as if she was seeing it for the first time. Looking back at him, she nodded. “Humph. You pass. I’ll grant you permission to address me as Grandma BB.”
Kidd laughed. What else could he do? The two definitely didn’t fit Kidd’s old folks’ profile. He shook his head and smirked, enjoying the woman’s spunk. Maybe she did say all those things Parke accused her of uttering. Perhaps this visit wouldn’t be an in-and-out assessment after all.
Mrs. Beacon was also an attractive senior with silver hair and the clearest skin tone. She was all dolled up. Jewelry hung around her neck and dazzling earrings drooped from her ears. Her gold velour jogging suit gave the impression she was young, spirited, and nobody better not tell her otherwise.
She had all the outwardly feminine appeal, except when his eyes traveled downward. On her feet, she wore black Stacy Adams shoes. That appeared to be a problem. Perhaps they were from another resident’s room. He would have to ask Parke if Mrs. Beacon was a kleptomaniac. When he spied the wheelchair near her bed, he wondered, Why did she need shoes at all?
