“Well are you going to answer my questions?” Tee interrupted his thoughts.
“Oh yeah, sure…I was just thinking about how beautiful you are, Tashonda.”
“Why thank you, Jamal. That’s nice of you to say, and by the way, just call me Tee.”
“Alright, Tee. To answer your questions. I —”
“No, not my questions, but your questions, remember?” she stated with a smile.
“Okay, to answer my questions then. I'm from North Philly, my parents are still living there. I have a younger brother and sister. My religion is Baptist. I’m twenty-six years old, never been married and well it’s obvious you already know my profession.”
“What, a dancer?” Tee said, jokingly.
“No I was drafted in the second round by the Charlotte Bobcats, sent to the D-league where I started for a year before being moved up. Tonight was my first official game.”
“Oh,” Tee said. She did remember him getting some playing time.
“As a matter of fact, I do remember seeing you on the court. You had like seven points if I remember correctly.”
“That’s close, but I ended up with eight,” Jamal corrected her. “I’m still impressed though. I mean with Kobe and the Lakers in town, I’m surprised anyone noticed anything except his forty two points.”
“It was forty-five. That last three he shot just behind the half court line counted.” She reminded him.
“Oh yeah.”
“That’s my favorite player,” she said
“I see,” he responded. “Well that’s enough about me. What about you?
“What about me?”
“How about starting with all of the above?”
“Well for starters, I was born and raised in a small town you’ve probably never heard of, it’s called Rockingham, NC.”
“Heard of it? I’ve been there.” Jamal responded.
“Really?”
“Yeah, my dad used to race on the NHRA circuit and they always held their events down at the racetrack in Rockingham.
“Small world,” Tee said, then continued. “Let me see, where was I?”
“You were in the middle of telling me about your exciting life,” Jamal told her.
Tee looked around as if he was talking to someone else at the table.
“I think you got me mixed up with someone else,” she said, smiling.
“You have the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen.”
Tee couldn’t help but blush like a young girl fresh out of high school. “I’m sure you tell all your women that, Jamal”
“Yea I do, and that woman is my mother,” he said seriously.
“What about all the groupies chasing you and your teammates around after every game?”
“Well, to be completely honest with you, Tee, there are a lot of groupies out here every night. Believe me a lot of times their tempting, even with me knowing their intent. But I wasn’t raised like that, my mother would kill me! Now back to you, Miss Lady.”
“Oh okay,” Tee responded. She was really enjoying this man’s company.
“I’m twenty-six years old also. I own and operate my own salon, it’s called Honey’s. I have a son that’s five. His name is Gerard. And no I’m not married, but me and my child’s father do have somewhat of a relationship. Let’s just say, my relationship status is considered complicated
“That’s understandable,” Jamal simply acknowledged.
They laughed and talked for the rest of the night, while the other girls got their groove on. By the end of the night, they had exchanged numbers and agreed to see each other again.
Chapter Fourteen
“Unconditional Love”
Two weeks later, Q feverishly walked through the hospital’s doors. This was the day he’d been longing for. It was the day that Van was due to be released from the hospital and the doctor’s immediate care. He was happy and excited for her and himself.
“Good morning, Mr. Jackson. How are you today?” One of the nurses behind the main desk asked him as soon as he stepped through the sliding doors leading to the hallway and Van’s private room.
“I’m good, Mrs. Kelly.What about yourself?”
“Just another day with my children,” she replied, speaking of her patients. “And lord knows, one of my favorites is leaving me today.”
“I’m really gonna miss her, Quentel. She’s such a sweetheart.”
“Well I’m sure she’ll miss you just as much, Mrs. Kelly.”
“I don’t know about that, Quentel, since I wasn’t the one giving her, those evening baths.” She answered with a smirk on her face.
Quentel couldn’t contain himself; he burst into laughter.
“Here, I think you might need one of these,” she said, while rolling a wheelchair in his direction.
“Thanks.”
“Oh, and before I forget, please give this to Van. I have all her favorite scriptures marked.”
Q looked down at the book’s title ‘Women of Color Study Bible”. He wasn't sure what to say, so he went with his manners.
“Yes mam, thank you. I'll make sure she gets it.”
“Great. Now go pick up that feisty young lady of yours, and get her out of here, before I start to cry, Quentel.”
“I’m gone,” Q said, and sped off pushing the wheelchair.
He entered Van’s room to find her fully dressed and sitting on the edge of the hospital bed.
“Damn,” Q mumbled to himself as he took in Van’s shapely figure.
She stood to her feet and Q almost lost his breath. Her body was perfectly tucked inside a pair of Michael Kors Jeans and a Karl Lagerfeld strapless shirt. Open toe wedge heels exposed a set of the most beautiful manicured feet and toes Q had ever seen.
“Are you gonna say something Quentel? Or are you gonna just stand there like the cat that ate the canary?” she asked him.
Van was just about to continue when she noticed tears slowly making their way down both his cheeks. No more words had to be spoken. She simply walked over to her soul-mate and climbed into his muscular arms. They caressed, consoled, and held each other for a long moment before Van finally pulled away from him and spoke.
“Why are you crying love? I thought you said soldiers don’t cry!! Those were your words, not mine, Quentel,” she said with a mischievous grin.
Q smiled at the thought of her using his own words. With his face turning serious again, he spoke.
“Baby, I thought I was gonna lose you. I….I mean if you would have di—”
He once again cut his words off, resenting the fact of even mentioning her and the presence of death in the same sentence. Unable to finish, he quickly shifted the words back to himself.
“Baby, without you I would have had nothing to live for. No soul-mate to share my dreams, my aspirations, my desires, my secrets, or my problems.”
Quentel was right, Van thought as she stared up into his eyes. What they shared was something special. Special since the very first day they carved each other’s name in that oak tree so many years ago. Two hearts which had been joined together as one, unlike any other.
“I love you, Quentel Jackson. We will always be one.”
“Are you sure about that?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.
“What are you talking about Quentel?”
“Well, let me see. I think that ever since your accident, you’ve cheated on me I’ll say four, five times at least.”
Van looked at him, then rolled her eyes towards the ceiling.
“Are you talking about Doctor Conway again Quentel?”
“That’s exactly who I’m talking about.”
“I told you, he is a coworker and he's happily married. More importantly, he's not my type.”
Q had asked Van about the doctor’s desire to visit her. He never mentioned the text messages he had viewed while searching her phone. He didn’t want to start a trend that could lead to her searching through his as well.
“And what is your type?�
�
“You baby, only you.”
“I better be your only type or you going to get yourself and someone hurt real bad, if I find out you stepping out on a nigga,” Q said laughing off the seriousness of the conversation.
“Boy please. I have never, and I will never cheat on you, Quentel. Unless…” she let her words trail off.
“Unless what?” he asked suspiciously
“I’ll leave that much for you to think about, love. Now would you please get me out of this damn hospital? I’m ready to go home Quentel.”
“I should leave yo ass,” Q mumbled still thinking about her last statement.
“What was that Quentel? Did you say sumthin’?” she asked
Q finally gave in. “No baby…I didn’t say anything. Let’s get outta here. It’s time to go home.”
Just as Quentel was reaching the first floor, he realized that he wasn’t carrying his phone or his keys. He’d accidentally left them in Van’s old hospital room. He silently cursed himself for his mistake.
“Wait right here, ma. I have to run back upstairs. I forgot my phone,” he explained rolling her to a stop in a small waiting area.
“Quentel!!” Van heaved before letting out a long exasperated breath. “Please hurry,” she finally said.
Q was already stepping back inside the elevator, unable to hear her last statement. After grabbing his phone and keys, was heading back to Van when he was stopped by Vie.
“Good luck to you Quentel, you and the young lady.” Vie said with sincerity.
“Oh…ah...thanks, and the same to you.”
“Me?”
“Well, I mean with the investigation of Mrs. Parker’s case.”
“How is it going?” he asked.
“Actually, it’s almost over, Quentel.”
“Really?”
“Yes, two suspects have been arrested and one has confessed.”
“Damn, maybe I should hire you,” Q said in a joking manner.
Before his smile could fade, Vie had produced a business card and was passing it to him.
“I would be more than happy to assist you,” she said. Q stared at the card a moment before responding.
“I aah...I appreciate the offer, but Ima have to pass.”
“Oh. That’s okay, Quentel. No harm , no foul right?”
“Not at all,” he replied.
“Maybe lunch sometime?” Vie mentioned, deciding to push the issue a bit further.
Q paused, as if thinking her invitation over. Then he remembered Van, who was still waiting downstairs for him.
“That’s sounds good,” he quickly answered, suddenly in a hurry.
“Here’s my info, just call me. But right now, I’ve gotta go.”
He turned and jogged back in the direction of the elevators, not noticing the deceitful look in Vie’s eye.
In less than an hour, they were pulling into the half-circled driveway of their home. Instantly, thoughts of the unforgettable night began to flood Van’s memory. Q sensed it, and quickly tried to comfort her.
“Are you okay, Shawty?” he asked.
Van wiped the moisture from her eyes and looked over at him, then smiled.
“I’m gonna miss him, love.” she spoke the words while looking out over their large dog kennel.
Q grabbed her hand, not wanting to relive the painful night that he’d told her that her best friend and partner, Bear, had given his life trying to save hers.
It was a serious emotional blow that had nearly derailed her rehab, but Quentel was there with her. Step for step, stride for stride, together, they climbed out of the depths of sadness and despair over their loss. They were riding on a tidal wave of anger and a thirst for revenge that raged inside them like a category five hurricane.
“I’m going to miss him too, Ma. But it’s time for us both to move on,” he said, hoping he wasn’t sounding too harsh.
“Oh we will Quentel,” she squeezed his hand tightly. Her grip seeming like the Van of old. “I will never forget him, and I promise you that his death will not go un-avenged.”
Van thought of one of her and the old nurse’s conversations. God forgives us, so we must be willing to forgive one another. It was a beautiful idea, but one that Van had not grown to fully embrace yet.
“I made that same promise the day that I buried him, Van,” Q responded with tightness in his voice.
“Are you ready?” he asked her.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Van said, opening the door on her side, then stepping out the car into the bright sunlight. She inhaled a deep breath of all the different scents, aromas , and even the sweet smell of all the honeysuckle bushes outlining the back and sides of the spacious landscape.
Flowers bloomed up and down the brick driveway, and inside the many diamond and heart shaped flower beds that Van had placed all over the perfectly cropped lawn.
“The landscape looks nice, baby. Who did you pay?” Van asked
“Pay for what, Shawty?”
Van gave him a quizzical look. “Quentel you hardly ever helped out with the yard the entire time we’ve been here.”
“Well …there’s a first time for everything,” he teased.
“Whateva, Quentel.”
Q had made his way around to the passenger's side of Van’s SUV.
He was about to retrieve her wheelchair from the back seat when Van turned and began walking towards the front entrance of the house.
“What are you doing, ma? The doctor said for you to take it as easy as possible.” Q yelled at her.
Van stopped, turned, and spoke.
“Quentel Jackson.”
“Yea what’s up, ma?”
“Do you love me?”
“Of course I do, Shawty. Why would you —”
Van cut him off with a slow wag of her index finger, then continued. “You gave the good doctor and my mother your word, and promised that you would take care of me, hand and foot, right love?”
“I did, Van. And anything…I mean anything,” he repeated. “Anything you need or want, I promise you, I will give it to you or die trying,” Q answered.
“You promise, Quentel?” she asked him again.
“That’s my good word, Shawty,” Q said, then kissed his finger before pointing it toward the sky, as if swearing.
“Will you start now?” she asked him
“All you have to do is ask, Van.”
“Good, this is what I want you to do. No wait, this is what I need you to do,” she said changing her want to a need.
“Walk up those steps,” she said, pointing over her shoulder at the large patio and circular steps that led to their bedroom.
“Then, open that door, walk up those stairs and prepare our Jacuzzi for me to take a long hot bubble bath.”
“I think I can manage that,” he said.
“Are you sure?” She purred, walking seductively up to him.
“I’m absolutely positive,” he teased her back.
“Good, because after I finish my long hot bubble bath, do you have any idea what I would like next, love?”
“Please inform me, ma,” Q said, now licking his lips in anticipation. “Maybe a nice massage?”
“Hummmmmm,” she moaned at the thought.
“With your favorite body lotion,” Q added. “That sounds real good, right?”
“And I saved the best for last,” she said, her body now pressed against his.
“And that is?” he played along with her game.
“This,” she answered, grabbing his rapidly rising dick.
She squeezed harder, causing a low groan to escape his lips.
“I need some dick, love…D-I-C-K,” she spelled the word out to him. “Now are you going to fuck Mami?” she teased, her hand now finding its way down the inside of his True Religion jeans.
“At least someone misses me,” Van whispered, moving her hand along the full length of his manhood.
Q had just closed his eyes, beginning to enjoy her touch. His
body was swaying back and forth from the intoxication of her baby soft hand, when Van suddenly stopped.
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