by L. J. Taylor
Luke looked up from the game. “He is so adorable.”
“Thank you,” Ivy said. “I’ll be right back.”
She went into the kitchen, made coffee and set up a tray with coffee, cream, sugar, and large wedges of the sweet potato pie. She brought it out to the living room and set it onto the coffee table.
“This looks wonderful,” he said, “but the coffee might keep me up all night.”
“Regular coffee would keep me up too, so I made decaf,” she said.
“With skills like these, you could have been anything you wanted to be--a chef, a caterer, a restaurant manager. How did you wind up in the joint?” he asked.
“Well, I was young and stupid and dating his father.” She nodded in the direction of Omari’s bedroom. “He was into some bad things and I pretended not to notice because I was too busy being a danger junky and enjoying the spoils. One day, he came over to my apartment with a million dollars’ worth of jewels, another million in bearer bonds and $200,000.00 in cash. I asked no questions. We celebrated and he left early the next morning. Unbeknownst to me, he had hidden some of the stolen jewels in my place. When the cops came by the next day with a search warrant, they found them. They were never able to prove he committed the robbery, but, since they found some of the stolen jewels in my possession, I went down for it.”
“And you never gave him up to cut yourself a deal? Why? Was it love?” he asked.
“Yes. That and survival. I knew Zeke would never let me live to testify against him. I also knew he had people everywhere and thought that, no matter what protection the government offered, I wouldn’t be safe from him. I was worried for my baby.”
“He’d have harmed you even though you carried his child?” Luke looked at her in disbelief.
“He didn’t know I was carrying his child. I didn’t tell him, but even if he had known, that wouldn’t have stopped him,” she said. “Not if it meant him going to jail.”
“He does have a reputation for being ruthless.”
“I guess you heard about him through your own street associations, huh?”
“Yeah. You hear things on the street. And he’s been out there for a long time.” Luke said.
“And so have you, right?” Ivy asked.
“I was out there for a long time, but I’m not out there anymore,” he said.
“Really? What are you doing now?” Ivy asked.
“I’m a full-time working stiff by day,” he said, “and a crusader at night.”
“What does that mean?” Ivy asked.
“During the day, I design buildings and other structures. After work, I counsel kids in the hopes they’ll get out of the street like I did.”
Ivy was impressed. “Well, that was a good thing you did – going back to school and getting a profession. Doesn’t the nine to five get a little old though? Do you sometimes feel the lure of the streets--the call of easy money?”
“That’s what got old for me--the danger, the uncertainty, the risk. After the cops and my enemies almost caught up with me, I decided it wasn’t worth it anymore. My father was long gone before my formative years. My mother tried to raise us on her own, but she had to work a lot of hours to make ends meet and could only do so much to keep an eye on us. She did the best she could, but we struggled. I took to the streets because the only male influences out there for me were the gangs. Being reasonably intelligent and ruthless, I rose through the ranks pretty quickly and made a reputation for myself. For a while, that was important to me, but later, I realized that other things are more important. When my enemies took out my woman, I realized that my lifestyle was hurting the people I cared about. By that time, Karen was already involved in illegal activities. I knew I had to set an example for her, so I got out of the life.”
“Wow. Did you love the girl who was murdered?” Ivy asked.
“Yes. I loved her very much.”
The pain in his eyes was evident. Ivy’s heart went out to him. “Did you seek revenge from the people who killed her?”
Luke’s eyes hardened and his jaw clenched. “I not only sought it, I got it. Her murderers are no longer walking this Earth.”
A chill ran down Ivy’s spine. “Did you kill them?”
“No, but I made sure they would be killed. I set them up so that their enemies took them out.”
“How did it feel to be responsible for their deaths? Did it bring you any peace?”
“No. Revenge is overrated. It felt good momentarily, but the pain was still there. The only thing that makes that better is time.”
“Since Karen was in jail with me, I assume she didn’t follow your example.”
“No. At first, she didn’t believe I had really decided to change my life. She thought I’d probably drop out of school when things got tough and the money I had saved ran out. It wasn’t until a year after she was arrested that she began to believe I was serious. That was when I graduated and landed my first job.”
“She must be really proud of you. She only told me stories about what a badass you were, though.”
He smiled. “Sounds just like her. You know how crazy Karen is. She probably told everyone about her badass big brother so no-one would mess with her.”
“Yeah. That’s what she told me.” Ivy took a good look at him. He really did seem to have turned his life around, but he had done some pretty bad things in his past, including deliberately getting his enemies killed. She understood his motivation, but she didn’t know how she felt about what he had done. Anyone who could do what he did was a pretty scary dude. She wanted to ask him about what she had seen on the basketball court, but decided not to. It wasn’t her business. Her best bet was not to mess with him.
Chapter VII
Ivy stared at the phone and debated whether to call Luke. It wasn’t as if she really had a choice. Kathy informed her that she wouldn’t be able to watch Omari on Thursday night. She and Charles would be in Orlando attending an event at which Charles would be presented with an award.
She’d considered skipping Thursday night’s class but knew it wouldn’t go over well with Mrs. Johnson. She looked at the phone again. She hated to impose on Luke and wasn’t sure she was entirely comfortable leaving Omari with him in light of the unanswered questions she had about what she had seen on the basketball court. In the end, necessity had her picking up the phone.
“Hello?” His deep voice sent a shiver down her spine.
“Hi there, Luke. This is Ivy,” she said.
“Ivy.” His voice warmed over her name. “What a surprise. How are you?”
“I’m good. Listen. I need your help.”
“Oh yeah? With what?”
“Do you remember when you said I should call you if I needed babysitting for Omari while I’m in class? Is that offer still open?” she asked.
“Of course it is,” he said. “When do you need babysitting?”
“Thursday evening from 5:30 to 9:30p.m. Are you available then?”
“Yes. I am. I’d be happy to help you out.”
Ivy blew out a sigh of relief. “Thank you. You’re a lifesaver.”
“It’s my pleasure. So, how’s school going?”
“It’s going okay. Sometimes, it’s hard to stay awake though after a long day of work.”
He laughed. “I hear that. Well, whatever I can do to help you and little sis make it through.”
“Thanks. That means a lot.” And it did. No man had ever looked out for her best interests like this. Her father died when she was a little girl and the men she dated were usually only out for themselves. She didn’t have a big brother to look out for her like Karen did. It was nice. She realized they had lapsed into a comfortable silence. That was weird. She’d never experienced that before either. “Okay then, see you Thursday.”
“See you then.”
***
Thursday came around sooner than expected. Work was hectic. They were still prepping for trial. She’d left late and barely had enough time to pick Omari up
from nursery school and get him over to Charles’ place before she had to get on the road. She dashed into her apartment, grabbed Omari’s toy truck and headed upstairs to Luke’s place.
She got off the elevator on the 6th floor and knocked on the door of Luke’s apartment. She heard footsteps and then the sound of locks clicking open. The door opened and Luke stood behind it looking casual and sexy in a pair of jeans, a short sleeved shirt, and a welcoming smile. Ivy felt the punch of lust she felt every time she laid eyes on the man.
“Hey there. Come on in.” He stepped back.
“Hi Luke,” Omari said. He walked in, made a circle around Luke’s living room and looked up at him. “Is this your house?”
Luke crouched down to his level. “Yes, little man. This is my house. We’re going to hang out here while your Mommy goes to school. Okay?”
Omari nodded. “Okay. I brought my toys. Want to play trucks with me?”
“Sure, Little Man. We’ll play trucks.”
Ivy walked into what was essentially a man cave. Black leather dominated the living room which boasted a couch, a love seat and big chair all situated with a great view of the large flat screen television. The gaming consoles hooked into the television and the stereo system next to it looked state of the art. She glanced around nervously. She couldn’t afford to replace any of this stuff if Omari broke it.
“Um, are you sure you want to do this? Two year old boys have a ton of energy. They get into everything and sometimes break stuff,” she said.
Luke laughed. “Don’t worry, Ivy. We’ll be fine. Go to class.”
“Okay,” she said, drawing the word out. She doubted he knew what he was in for. She bent down to give Omari a kiss. “You be a good boy now. Mommy has to go to school. Okay?”
“Okay Mommy. Bye.” He gave her a hug, then walked over to his truck, sat down and began playing with it. Ivy stared after him, a little surprised he hadn’t put up a fuss over her leaving.
“You’re going to be late, lady,” Luke said. “Can’t have that.”
“Okay. Okay. I’m going. Keep a close eye on him though.” She handed him a bag. “I brought some food for his dinner and his night clothes since I’m getting back so late. He normally goes to bed at 8:30p.m. My sister gives him a bath and puts him in his pajamas because he’s usually asleep when I get him, but you don’t have to do all that.”
“I’ll take care of it, Mama,” he said. “Don’t worry. I practically raised Karen and a couple of our cousins. I remember what to do.”
“You have my cell number, right? Call me if you run into any problems,” she said.
He smiled. “Yes. I have your number. Now woman, will you get yourself to class?”
She had to laugh. She was probably driving him nuts. She put up her hands. “Okay. Fine then. See you later.” She looked at Omari one last time. He was playing happily with his truck. She glanced down at her watch and left in a hurry.
***
Later that evening, Ivy hustled down the hallway and knocked on Luke’s door. She had barely been able to concentrate in class and had to stop herself from calling Luke five times that night to check in on Omari. Karen tried to reassure her all night, but still she had worried.
The hallway was eerily silent. She didn’t hear any crying or cursing and took that as a good sign. Quiet footsteps approached the door. The locks clicked and the door opened. Luke stood there, a warning in his eyes and a finger to his lips. “He’s sleeping.” His voice was a whisper.
Ivy smiled at him and nodded. He looked a little weary around the eyes. She’d never seen him like that. It amused her. She tiptoed into the apartment then turned to face him as he closed the door behind her.
“Where is he?” she asked, careful to keep her voice low. The living room was empty. A paperback lay face down on the standing wooden tray next to the large reclining chair. A floor length reading lamp she hadn’t noticed before was switched on.
“He’s in the guest bedroom.” He made a hand signal for her to follow and led her deeper into the apartment. They walked past the dining room and the kitchen to the door of a dimly lit room. It was cracked open. He pushed it further open and followed her inside.
It was a small bedroom/home office setup. A desk, chair, computer, printer, and other office equipment dominated one side of the room. A full-sized bed and an armoire with a TV cabinet occupied the other side. A desk lamp switched on a low setting provided the dim light. Omari sprawled across the bed in his footie cartoon-covered pajamas, knocked out. A blue crocheted blanket that had probably been used to cover him was still draped over one of his little feet.
A rush of love so intense it caused her throat to tighten washed over her as she looked down at her little boy sleeping so peacefully. She swallowed, then turned grateful eyes to Luke who had clearly taken very good care of her son. “Thank you.” She mouthed the words silently. He smiled and nodded at her then inclined his head toward the door of the bedroom.
They exited the bedroom and headed back to the living room. “Thank you,” she said again, this time saying the words out loud.
“It was my pleasure. I’d forgotten how much fun and how much work it is to babysit a kid that age. We played trucks, drew a little on my drawing board, watched cartoons, had dinner and chatted. Then I got him ready for bed,” he said.
Amused, Ivy raised her eyebrows. “You chatted? What about?”
Luke chuckled. “You, actually. Omari told me all about how you make his favorite foods, how you like to play music and dance around the kitchen when you cook, and how you won’t give him his chocolate pudding if he doesn’t eat his dinner. By the way, you forgot to pack his chocolate pudding. Little man was quite upset when he finished dinner and there was no chocolate pudding in the bag. I had to distract him with a banana.”
Ivy’s eyes grew wide and she clapped a hand to her mouth. “Oh my goodness. I was in such a rush today that I forgot. I am so sorry. Next time, I leave him with you, I’ll leave you a set of keys in case you need to get something from my place that I forgot. That is, if you’re still willing to babysit Omari when and if my sister can’t.”
“Absolutely. I’d love to babysit him again. So, how was class?” he asked.
“It was good. I was so nervous about Omari though that I could barely concentrate.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Oh? Should I be insulted?”
Ivy felt a twinge of horror. “No. You’ve taken such good care of Omari. The last thing I wanted to do was insult you. It’s just that–.” She stopped when she noticed his grin. She glared at him. “Very funny!”
He started chuckling out loud then, struggling to keep his voice low. He caught his breath. “You should have seen yourself backpedal. Don’t worry, I don’t know a mother alive who wouldn’t worry about leaving their little boy with a new babysitter – especially a man they’re just getting to know.”
Ivy felt her lips twitch. She punched him in the arm. “That was mean.”
“Ow.” He rubbed his arm. “Violence is not the answer.”
She smiled then. “It is tonight.” She looked around the living room. “Well, I need to pack up his stuff and bring him downstairs. Where are his toys and his bag?”
He led her into the dining room. The baby bag and his toys were neatly packed up and sitting on a chair. “How are you going to get all that stuff and him downstairs?”
She eyed the truck. She was used to carrying Omari and the baby bag inside. She didn’t normally have the truck with her. She’d brought it tonight to help make Omari more comfortable with the new surroundings and the new babysitter. “I’ll just have to make two trips. I’ll bring the bag and the truck downstairs first and then come back for Omari.”
“I’ll tell you what. You get the bag and the truck and I’ll bring Omari downstairs,” he said.
It was a good plan, but she didn’t want to impose on the man any more than necessary. He had already done so much. “Are you sure? I have no problem making two trips.”
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He rolled his eyes. I’m sure, woman. Grab the stuff.”
A little tingle danced down her spine and she smiled. She didn’t know why but she liked it when he took charge like that. She grabbed the bags and he headed into the bedroom to get Omari.
They rode the elevator down to her apartment in companionable silence. He carried Omari, who was still knocked out, and she carried the toy truck and the baby bag. She let them into her place, flipped on the lights and followed as he carried Omari into his bedroom and laid him gently on the bed. She covered Omari up and placed a gentle kiss on his little cheek, then she and Luke crept out of the room.
Once back in the living room, she smiled at him. “Thanks a lot for everything you did tonight.”
“It was fun. He stared into her eyes. She felt the twinge of attraction she normally felt for him. It was even stronger now that he had shown her his tender side. It had been fun. She’d enjoyed herself more in the past half hour than she had in a long time. What was it about a man being good around children that made them so damned attractive? If she wasn’t careful, she’d start fantasizing about finding Omari a sexy stepdad and considering Luke to be the ideal candidate. She had enough problems with the child support issues and didn’t need to bring on anymore. She broke off the eye contact and took a step back. “Uh, you must be tired and we both have to get up tomorrow, so I’ll let you go now.”
She saw a hint of disappointment in his eyes before he covered it up. “Uh, yeah. Well, good night.” He took a step toward the door.
“Goodnight.” She locked up and tried not to think about him as she went about preparing for the next day and getting ready for bed, but she couldn’t control her dreams. She tossed and turned all night and woke up groggy the next morning with a strange sense of foreboding and a vague memory of a nightmare in which she, Luke and Deke were involved in some sort of life and death struggle.
***
“That damned doctor is as fussy as an old woman. I feel fine. I don’t see why I have to lay here like a bump on a log when I feel fine.” Kathy’s face drew into mutinous lines.
