Curly Q

by Jamallah Bergman

Madison started to laugh while Candace came over to touch up her hair. “You look great sis, just go, and grab a drink or something to munch on if you want. Hopefully, folks will be on the way soon.”

  Madison nodded her head.

  “I hope that everything is set you guys!” Candace shouted out to her crew while looking over the buffet tables and straightening one of the white starched tablecloths that looked sort of crooked to her.

  “Sweetheart, everything is fine. You’re acting like this is your first time around. Please try and stay calm,” Jonathan assured her with a hug from behind along with a kiss on her cheek.

  After about an hour or so of waiting, people started to come to the house. Soon it was crowded with people inside as well as outside around the pool. Even though Candace had told her that this was supposed to have been a party of friends and potential clients, she felt like it was more like a mob than an actual party. Thank God, she was able to get outside because she knew the house itself couldn’t handle too many more. She’d grabbed a glass of champagne and found a corner to where she could observe her surroundings as people talked and chatted with each other. Madison knew none of them and her heart really wasn’t into mingling within the crowd.

  “Everything tastes so fresh Candace, I don’t know how you do it,” Fatima Webster, one of her friends as well as clients said to her while standing with her boyfriend Vincent. “Did you try these little appetizers here? My God, I swear I’ve been eating on these since I’ve got here.”

  “Believe me she has.” Vincent winked.

  Candace giggled. “Well, those are my lobster puffs but I added something new to give it a bit more kick.” She smiled, “If you want, I can give you the recipe, but you got to promise me that you can’t tell everyone about it. I know a lot of people ask me for the recipe to certain things I make because they love it so much. But I’ve known you both since I first started, hell, you both were my first customers.”

  Vincent wrapped his arm around her shoulder, bringing her in for a hug while Fatima told her, “No need to worry, I’ll be taking this to the grave. Have you gotten any offers yet?”

  “I’ve been passing the cards around and I know that Betsy has gotten like three party offers so far.”

  “That’s great. I think the party so far, is a great success. We better go around and mingle and get the word out for you,” Fatima told her as the couple walked away.

  Candace continued to look around. Then she felt a hand touch her shoulder gently and she looked to see who it was. A surprised smile melted across her lips. “Oh my God, I can’t believe you came!” She gave the person a hug.

  “Good Morning Mr. Collins, did you have a good flight?” the driver asked who had met him when he came out of the airport terminal.

  It felt good to finally be home. Austin Collins thought when the fresh air hit his lungs once he inhaled it. The flight coming in was met with turbulence which jarred him a bit even though he’d been on so many flights that he literally lost count. He couldn’t wait to get home to call up some of his friends and see what was going on with them. He’d been on a shoot in Venezuela, Peru and Rio De Janerio for the past two months and he planned on taking it easy once at home. “It was a bit bumpy but other than that it was good.” He got into the Cadillac while the driver put his bags into the trunk.

  Driving along familiar streets, he knew he needed to run by the store since he knew he wouldn’t have any food at home. “Say Max, can you stop off by the store so I can grab a few things before you take me home?”

  “Sure thing sir,” They made a right turn to get onto the highway.

  After popping into the store and quickly coming back out with supplies, he got back into the car.

  When they pulled up, he felt happy to see his brownstone with the sign, ‘The Collins Gallery’ hanging over the front door. A welcomed sight to behold when he got out the car with his groceries as the driver brought his luggage to the door. Once inside, he opened up the windows to let some fresh air in. It was good to get some of the stuffiness out of the place while he put his groceries into the fridge.

  He grabbed the coffee pot from the maker to put some water into it, so he could make himself a fresh pot. Austin made his way towards the pile of mail waiting for him to go through but before he could really get into it, he spotted a red envelope placed on top of the stack. He knew it wasn’t Christmas but once he picked it up to really look at it, he noticed the familiar handwriting and knew that it was from Candace. When he began opening it, he noticed that there was an invitation to a party for this afternoon.

  Looking at the clock, he had just enough time to get a nap in and then get ready to see his niece and nephew for the first time in a very long time.

  The ringing of the clock woke him up from his nap. He knew he needed it even though he’d slept throughout the flight. But there was nothing better than sleeping in your own bed instead of leaning up against the window or leaning back in an uncomfortable chair with some pillow that had no cushioning to it.

  Sometimes, he thanked God for first class.

  Austin grabbed the bags of presents he had for little Janessa, Jon Jr. and Candace. He hadn’t brought anything for his brother, as he knew he wouldn’t accept it. Austin knew his brother still hated him even though what had transpired between them happened years and years ago. At first, he never understood why he’d gotten so so angry but it took him years to realize how he’d wronged his only brother. No matter how many times he tried to make it up, Austin knew what he’d done couldn’t really be made up for.

  After sitting in traffic for about an hour, he was able to make it to the little town of Rosehill. Such a quaint place to live and raise a family in, something he’d often hoped to have one day, if he could ever find such happiness. Austin knew he once had a chance of having a family of his own with his wife. It would never be though, since he and his wife Elizabeth got divorced. He’d been with Elizabeth for eight years—eight years! The first three years were filled with passionate nights and many trips all over the world during his shoots.

  Then after a few years, Austin occupied his life with his work and not so much with his wife. This would be his downfall since Elizabeth wanted a family but he wasn’t ready for one even though she was. He just couldn’t settle down, especially when his career was taking off so well. So they decided a divorce would be the best for them both. He had gotten the feeling she was interested in someone else too. It hurt, but in the end, he couldn’t really blame her. That was almost ten years ago and even though they’d been divorced, they still would keep in contact from time to time. She’d gone on to marry that someone else and had the family she’d always wanted.

  When he pulled up into their neighborhood, he noticed the line of cars once he got onto their street. “How am I going to find a spot?” After going down the street and back up again, Austin eventually found his spot and made his way with his bags inside. The place was packed with people as he made his way towards where more people had gathered. Looking around, he tried to find Candace and thankfully, he spotted her right away, smiling and talking with a couple. She looked just as beautiful as the last time he had seen her which was about a year in a half ago before he went to France. Making his way towards her, he put his hand on her shoulder.

  She turned and looked up at him, shocked. “Oh, wow! I can’t believe you came.”

  Her hug was the welcome he needed as he chuckled a bit. “You know I just got in town today and I saw your invite on the counter. I had to come and see you and the kids since I have some things for them after my trip.”

  “Well, I’m so glad you came in time. I know the kids will be excited to see you. Are these their gifts?” She looked at the bags he had in his hand. “Three bags?”

  He handed them to her. “Of course, you know I couldn’t forget about you.” He chuckled when she gave him another hug. “So what is the occasion for the party?”

  “Just to get some new clientele and…just cause, I mean seriously,
what reason I would need to have a party you know?” She smiled.

  He continued talking with her while still looking along the crowd when something caught his attention out towards the terrace. “I’m sorry but I have to go and check something out.” He made his way towards her and the closer he got the more beautiful she was.

  A waiter came up to her with a tray of champagne flutes. She took one and walked out to the yard.

  “I cannot figure out why a lovely lady like you would be drinking alone.”

  She turned around.

  Now, Austin gazed down at the most beautiful eyes he’d seen in a long time. They were almost lavender in color, or were they? He’d never seen this color before.

  “Oh, hello,”

  Her smile was small but when she spoke to him, a shiver went through him immediately.

  She continued to sip on her champagne. “You must have just gotten here. I haven’t seen you around, unless you were hiding or something.”

  “Yeah, I just got in. You look awfully familiar, have we met somewhere before?”

  Shaking her head, she replied, “No, I don’t think so. I would have remembered someone like you.” She laughed with a twinkle in those unusual eyes.

  “Do you know Candace and Jonathan?” he asked her.

  “Yes, I do. Candace is my sister.”

  Why didn’t he realize it from the beginning? Once he really looked her over, the resemblance was striking except for the abundance of curly brown hair. “That’s unbelievable. I’m Jon’s brother, Austin Collins.”

  “Really, Well, I’m Madison Wilson.”

  Chapter Three

  Austin and Madison found a quiet little corner and continued talking.

  Madison realized it was nice to have someone to talk with. But in the back of her mind, she wondered why this was the first time she was meeting him. “So you’re an artist, huh?”

  “Yeah, I have my own gallery and I sometimes, go on shoots in different locations around the world. But I enjoy going to places, seeing new things and meeting new people and learning new cultures. What do you do?”

  “I’m a lawyer, actually a partner of a local firm. I had to take a break after the divorce. Candace told me to come here and try to be happy again. She has to understand that it’s going to be a very slow process for me.”

  Austin nodded. “I can relate to how you’re feeling, it’s not that easy to get over something that you’ve put your heart into.” He placed his hand on hers and softly squeezed it.

  Immediately, she felt a warmth she hadn’t felt in a long time from a man when she looked into his eyes.

  “Why hello Austin, when did you get here?” a voice asked from in front of them. Both stood up as Candace came over to Madison with a Cheshire cat smile.

  “Hey there Jon, I’ve been wondering where you were but of course, I got distracted by a pretty face in the crowd,” Austin said looking over at Madison.

  “Well, I was wondering who invited you here in the first place.”

  “Jonathan, I invited him, plus he had something for the kids,” Candace tried to intervene.

  “Where did you go to this time Austin, France, Morocco?” Jonathan asked in a bitter tone. His usually warm eyes looked cold.

  Madison had never seen Jonathan like this before. His demeanor showed a completely different side of him that she wondered about. Where it had come from? His tone was like nothing she’d heard from him before. This was his brother, why would he act like this towards his brother.

  “Um, maybe I should leave since I see that I wasn’t invited.”

  “No!” Madison and Candace both insisted.

  “Oh no, I don’t want to be made out to be the bad guy if you were made to leave. As much as I would love for you to, you are keeping Madison company have fun.”

  When Jonathan and Candace left, Madison felt sheer shock. “What was up with that?”

  Rubbing the back of his neck, Austin seemed to be having a hard time with words but then he said three words that would only counteract to the mystery known as Austin Collins, “Ask your sister.”

  “My sister? What does she have to do with it?”

  They started to walk to walk back inside over towards the buffet table.

  “She can tell you the whole story because it’s a long one. Anyway, let’s not dwell on that. Now can I ask you a question?”

  “Sure what is it?”

  “Can I take a picture of you right now?”

  Madison had to laugh because she’d never been asked to have her picture taken. “Do you always ask every woman you meet for their picture?”

  “Oh no, only the really pretty ones that seem to catch my eye.”

  His smile was mesmerizing as she continued looking at him. Why in the hell would anyone want to be mad at someone who looked like this? “Alright, I’m game.”

  “Great, I’ll go out to my car and get my camera. Be right back.” He rushed out.

  She shrugged as she continued looking over the buffet table for something to eat. Grabbing a few of the crab puffs on a saucer, she went back over to where they’d been sitting to eat them. By the third puff, Madison watched him coming back out looking for her as she stood up.

  He smiled when he came over with camera in hand and told her while gazing around, “Let’s see if we can find the perfect spot for you.” Grabbing a lily from one of the centerpieces as they moved over to another bench near some hedges, he sat her down. Then put the flower in her hair. Stepping back, he looked her over. “Ok, I just want you to relax and be natural.” He started to take pictures of her.

  Madison felt like a queen at that moment as people started to congregate around to watch Austin while he took numerous pictures of her. She found herself smiling more and more as people continued to watch.

  When he stopped, Austin walked over and took her by the hand as they walked inside. “Well I have to go. I have to develop these photos and call some people I didn’t get the chance to call when I made it back home. Can I call you sometime while you’re here?”

  “Sure, I would like that. I’m going to be here with Candace for a while.”

  Austin pulled out a card case and took out a card to hand it to her. “That is my gallery and right there is my cell phone number. You can give me a call anytime and we can just talk or I’ll come and take you out to lunch or to my gallery, so you can see some of my work.”

  “I’d like that, thank you.” She smiled.

  Taking her hand once more, Austin kissed it and whispered, “Goodbye,” as he walked into the crowd.

  Now Madison was wondering more and more about the man known as Austin Collins.

  Later that night, Madison had come out of the shower, finding Candace sitting on her bed with that Cheshire cat smile plastered on her face. “So?”

  “What do you mean so…?” Madison giggled while continuing to dry herself off.

  “Oh come on, you and Austin was all over each other tonight, like white on rice. Now you have to answer this for me, don’t you think he’s hot as hell?”

  Madison laughed so much that it felt as if her chest was about to cave in. “Do you know how crazy you are and yeah, he’s hotter than hot.” She sat down next to her sister.

  Candace nearly squealed with delight.

  “Alright, since we’re asking questions then maybe you can answer this one for me. What was the scene between him and Jonathan? I asked him but he said that it was too long of a story and I should ask you about it.

  Getting off the bed, Candace walked over to the door, closing it quietly before sitting back down next to her. “Back when Jon and I were dating, he’d warned me about Austin. He told me time and time again, about how he could never date any woman because once Austin met them, he would try his best to break them up. Well, that’s what kind of happened when we were dating. I got to meet him at a cookout that Jon’s parents were giving. He’d just come from doing a shoot in Hawaii. Man, he was even hotter than he is now. But anyways, during the entire
time I was there, whenever I went to the bathroom or inside the house for something, he was always around. Then he got me cornered when and we started to talk. He kept telling me how pretty I was and how lucky Jon was to have me in his life.” That when she stopped, seeming to hesitate.

  “What else happened woman you can’t leave me hanging here.”

  “Well, he bent down and kissed me on the lips and man it was…” She came in closer. “One of the most mind blowing kisses I have ever gotten from a man in my entire life. Well Jon walked in right in the midst of it and man, did he give Austin hell over it. There was a big ass fight and he punched the hell out of Austin. Hell, the cops were called and everything. And ever since that day, Jon has hated Austin with a vengeance. He didn’t invite him to our wedding and never told him about the twins being born. I have kept in touch with him more than he has because I forgive and forget. Well not necessarily forget, I mean that kiss was hot. But that was deep for Jon, really deep. This was the first time I’ve seen Austin in…well, I don’t know how long. He’s always so busy traveling all over the world. He sends the kids postcards from all the places he’s been to along with different little gifts. But all in all, he’s a sweetheart Madison. It was a long time ago and he’s never stepped out of line since then. Wouldn’t it be cool if you guys got together?”

  “Whoa sister, you’re already picking out my china patterns. I just met this guy. Plus, I’m still trying to get over this divorce. That doesn’t mean I am going to jump into something that I don’t know I would want to pursue just yet.” She got up under her covers. “And with that, I will say goodnight.”

  Her sister shook her head at her, that huge smile still on her lips. “Good night.”

  When Madison woke up from her slumber, she slowly opened her eyes to see two little hazel ones looking down at her.

  “You know that you sleep with your mouth open Auntie?” Janessa asked.

  Stretching out, she laughed then sat up in bed, giving her niece a hug and a kiss on her forehead. “How long have you been in here watching me sleeping?”