by Tiana Laveen
“Yes… two questions, actually. Are you involved with someone and if not, would you like to go out sometime? Perhaps to dinner?”
She stopped moving in a slow halt like an amusement park ride before coming to a complete stop. She cleared her throat and turned towards him, her eyes sparkling. Might have been the lighting, but he doubted it. Cocking her head to the side, she gave him one of the prettiest smiles he’d ever witnessed. Sliding his hand into his pants pocket, he waited for her to give him what he desired.
“Well, to your first question, I date actively right now but I’m not committed to anyone at present. To your second question, yes. I’d like to go out with you.”
He smiled back at her.
“That’s great. Okay, we’ll arrange that soon. For right now though, I need to get the guys together, tell them the next steps to take. They’re waiting on me.”
“Yes, sure. Of course.” She picked up her computer again.
“So, if you’re ready, let’s walk out together. I can wait on you though, just let me send them on their way.” He hitched his thumb towards her open office door.
“Oh, I’m coming. No need to make two trips or wait on me.”
She quickly pulled out a folder from the cabinet, slammed it shut, and gathered all of her needed belongings. Then, they made their way back up the hall and out of the building.
“Thomas!” he called out with hands framed around his mouth. The man heard him this time and raised his chin in his direction. “Tell everyone to pack up and ship out. Tomorrow we start at 5:15 AM, all right?”
“Okay!” The man yanked his shovel out of the earth and headed towards his truck, three other workers taking his cue. He turned back towards Carmen, who stood waiting patiently.
“Let me walk you to your car. We’re parked next to each other anyway.” After a few steps, he said, “So, as I predicted and told you over the phone, the exterior and first floor will be complete within two weeks. The second floor is a different matter.”
“Yes,” she said with a grimace. “I know. I have to admit, that estimate you showed me made me think I was seeing double!”
He chuckled at that.
“Yeah, that is a common reaction when we have to add and remove walls, add plumbing and windows, go through various inspections, things like that. It’s an open area but what you want to have is going to require a lot of time and money. As I proposed to you though, you can do it in increments. We’ll start with what’s most important to you and then work down the checklist. You said that the Lamaze and breastfeeding classes were top priority so that’s what we’ll do first. Then, as your budget permits, we can work on another room, then another, so on and so forth. This could take a few short weeks or a couple of years if need be, maybe longer. It’s up to you but we’ll be there every step of the way.”
“That sounds good, thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I know it gave you sticker shock but I did manage to cut a few deals to reduce some of the costs, believe it or not.”
“Thank you so much for that. I must say, if what you did to my office and the drawings you sent over of how the first floor will look as well as the landscaping are any indication of the finalized second floor coming to full fruition, then I am already a believer that this will all be well worth it.”
“It will be.” He drew closer and placed a kiss on her cheek. When he drew back, the surprised expression on her face titillated him so. “It’s going to be done in a timely fashion and it’s going to be done right. That’s very important to me. Now, what’s also very important to me is dinner… with you.” She smiled at his words. “What do you like to eat? Sushi, right?”
The woman’s eyes widened.
“Yes, how’d you know that?”
“You had twelve menus in your old desk drawer. Eight of those were for Japanese restaurants.”
At this, she laughed. “I had no idea… Wow, well, yes, I do enjoy sushi but I like other foods, too.”
“Thai. You’re partial to the creamy dishes, mushroom and pepper pizza from Davanni’s, and the curry lunch specials at India Palace.”
“How’d you know all of that? I mean, obviously you saw the menus but you just stated actual details.”
“You had your choices circled in some cases, or the paper would be creased in some parts with a lot of wear and tear. I remembered because that’s just how I am. I pay attention to what people like because sometimes they have a hard time telling me what they want exactly when they consult with my firm. So, I ask them things they don’t think would matter to find out what I need to know.”
“Oh, really? Like what?”
“Like their favorite food, favorite book, things like that. You can learn a lot about people by just watching… observing.”
She had an expression of genuine curiosity on her face. That strong, strange, beautiful pull consumed him once again. The attraction climbed to higher plateaus as each second passed.
“You were pretty decisive so giving you a pop quiz wasn’t necessary but asking the right questions and paying attention is an old hat for me. I’m a pleaser, and pleasers listen and learn. It’s essential.”
Reticence was born between them, the type built on the slippery back of lusty desires, making it all the sweeter when his sordid thoughts of her in the nude came sliding down, hitting him right in the groin.
“Well… that’s, uh, interesting. Being a good listener and observer is important in my line of work too, so I do understand where you’re coming from.”
“Of course you do; that makes sense. I’m glad we have that in common.” He removed his fob from his jacket pocket, then walked over to the driver’s side of her car and waited as she did the same. As soon as he heard the clicking noise of her unlocked door, he grabbed the latch and swung it open, letting her step inside and take a seat.
“Oh, Tristan, that’s really nice of you but I can do it. You don’t need to open and hold my door for me. Things like that are so antiquated and unnecessary. I appreciate that though.”
Her shoulders slumped as if frustrated by his act of chivalry. As if he’d somehow let her down. Her reaction perplexed him a little.
“Well, I appreciate your opinion, Carmen, but I don’t think being a gentleman is old-fashioned. Having class never goes out of style. It’s a door… nothing more, nothing less.”
“Yes, but see, that’s not what I mean. There’s nothing wrong with being a gentleman but women are fully capable of doing these things by themselves. I mean, we want equal rights and fair treatment, and I’m not a damsel in distress.”
“I never believed that you were. Just because we have the capability to know or do something doesn’t mean we always have to.”
“But why shouldn’t we?” The woman looked downright perturbed. Their otherwise magical encounters were now smeared with something out of the blue, something unexpected, an unwelcomed surprise.
“Carmen, you like sushi, but do you feel compelled to go down to the lake, bait your own hook, and catch it fresh out of Lake Superior?”
The woman’s expression morphed to a cross between a smirk and grimace as she crossed her arms over her breasts. Before she could answer, he continued. “There’s nothing to prove here, especially not with me. Having a foot of your own doesn’t mean you should walk through trash simply to show that you can. Having equality doesn’t mean you’re not a lady. I’m sure you can hang with the best of them. You could outsmart many, no doubt in my mind. That’s great, bravo to you, your womanhood is precious, I get it, I understand all of that…
“But look here, baby, I help design pathways, archways, hallways, you name it. I also open doors, and I close them, too. It’s your choice to walk through – I’m going to open it, no matter what you decide to do. Anyway…” He glanced at his watch once again. “I’ll be calling you soon. I can’t wait to spend a bit of time with you but just remember, I have an open-door policy. I’m not changing that for anyone, not even someone as beautiful and delight
ful as you.”
He winked and blew her a kiss, closed her car door, and made his way to his own. He could see her staring at him through his tinted windows; surely, she must’ve known she was providing a show for him to sit and enjoy, in front row. He enjoyed how her jaw had dropped at his words, which left her speechless. That was the last sight he saw of her as he took off, feeling good all over.
So, I’ve got me one of those fucking feminists on my hands. Holy shit. Never dated one of those before. This should be interesting. She may end up being a total pain in the ass, but knowing me, I’ll just see her as a challenge, someone to break down.
Well, that’s no biggie. I’ve cracked harder nuts before. Dr. Carmen doesn’t want men opening doors for her, huh? Since she told me ‘no’, all that did was make me more determined. She said ‘yes’ to the date, so that means she said yes to me, and all that I entail. Will we find out what’s behind door number three? I will open it, and we shall soon see…
CHAPTER FOUR
You and Your Feminine Ways…
It was seven in the evening and though Tristan had previously planned a quiet night alone, one that included a bottle of something strong and a well-prepared meal from a local carry-out joint, he couldn’t resist phoning a friend. An old mixed CD played in surround sound in Tristan’s home, set to random, free from scratches and giving him the vibes of yesteryear.
The white, minimalistic layout of his open floorplan allowed the music to waft about and echo up to the high beams and rafters, creating a concert-like affect. This CD was special; he’d had the damn thing since sophomore year in college. Tristan had held on to many cherished possessions from his youth, which he’d carefully stored away in a closet, labeled and secure. This compact disc was the one his college buddy Darryl had made for him at a time when the fun was endless, spending life racing around with their gang of insane friends.
They’d been a mosh posh posse of young men, new adults running free in the world. Darryl had attempted to school Tristan on Rhythm and Blues, make him ‘hip’ with a collection of classic old and new panty dropper songs, as the guy called them back in the day, all certain to get the girls in the sack. And Darryl had been right. It had worked like a magical, sexscapade charm. “We Can’t Be Friends” by Deborah Cox played as he lazed about on his snow-white leather couch decorated with black round pillows. Darryl sat across from him, chuckling. The Black man was tall and slender with cropped curly hair, an award-winning smile, husky voice, and sleepy dark brown eyes.
“Maaaan,” the guy said, running his hand down his face. “So, you’ve busted out the old fuck ’em good music. You’re in your feelings… running as fast as you can down memory lane.” The guy set his drink down on the black tinted glass table, clasped his hands and shook his head as if he’d received terribly bad news, all while sporting a smirk.
“I couldn’t help myself. I haven’t felt this excited in a while. I had to whip out the old music… hear some Nelly, “Dilemma”, a little Carl Thomas, “I Wish” and Joe, “I Wanna Know.”
“Been around me too long, Tristan! I taught the White boy well! Man, I gave you game!”
“I had game already, but you improved it tenfold. Do you realize how much pussy this CD got me, Darryl? You gave me the beans to the magic beanstalk and I became the sex giant on campus!” At this, they both burst out laughing. “I had no idea that music could cause women to do this! I mean, I was getting laid plenty without it like I said, but this took it to an entirely different level!”
“In college you were the popular frat boy, hanging out with everybody that didn’t have shit to do with your fraternity. You didn’t care who anyone was, you just wanted to have fun and if they were down with what you were down with, you were game. At the time, we all thought that was cool but in retrospect, you were always a weird ass.”
Tristan scoffed, but couldn’t help a guffaw. What could he say? It was true. He was continuously drawn to people who were different from him. He never wished to be anything or anyone other than who he was, but his love for people-watching and collecting information from his observations drove him to mingle in circles that some deemed peculiar. He’d been practically a straight A student, and his fraternity was mostly White guys, with the exception of Robert Chan, his Chinese buddy who won an award for smoking sixteen cigarettes at one time on some stupid dare.
“Those are great memories—the best. But now my mind wanders to her. I think about her all the time. I find excuses to call her, see her. It’s unnerving, but it feels good, too. She excites me.”
“So, she’s got your nose wide open? You’re gone… I can see it in your eyes. You’ve been trying to find every excuse in the book to be in her presence. You flirted over and over; you really like her.”
“That about sums it up.”
“This doctor has gotten your attention, captivated you… You wanna be like me, huh? Old, happy, and married?” They both chuckled.
“Yeah, I do, but I don’t know if that’ll be with her or not. You’re going too fast and too far now. Nah,” Tristan leaned forward, gripping his glass of Godfather, a mix of Amaretto and Scotch whisky. “I just, uh… I like her.”
He stared down at his Italian white marble floors, his grin fading as his heart beat a bit faster. Gripping his glass tighter, he gulped down the liquor then plopped back into the couch. “I told her that I want to be finished with the work first before we go out on a date; you know, not to make her uncomfortable or feel awkward in case things don’t pan out, I guess. That doesn’t include the upstairs though. That’ll take some time like I told you, but I need to call her again and follow up.”
“You’ve talked to her quite a bit now, haven’t you?”
“Yeah, we talked about where we went to college, where we stay, things like that. Just some general conversations for the most part, nothing too deep, but I’ve been really trying to watch what I say to her now. I’ve said some things that I don’t think she liked. For instance, her design flair isn’t quite average or the norm, all right?”
“What’s wrong with it?”
“It’s tacky and dated. I even had to talk to her about the way the staff was keeping records; how, from a visual standpoint, it was off-putting. When a patient walks in there lookin’ for a doctor to deliver her baby or shove her hand up ’er pussy, the last thing she wants to think is that this practice is inept. I explained to her that if the papers are all crumpled, their record keeping archaic, and the staff looks like something outta a freak show, then that sends a message they may not be trustworthy. I mean, it’s not fair, but this is how business works. Some of the most talented and competent people probably look homeless, but that’s not the world we live in.”
“Yeah, I understand where you’re coming from.”
“I mean, I tried to be nice about it but how nicely can you say, ‘This shit is so unorganized it makes my skin crawl.’ There’s no easy way to say that, but it has to be done so that she understands what’s going on and why it needs to change. I’m not just an architect. I’m also responsible for helping to usher in a new atmosphere that is inviting and allows her business to thrive. I’m a coach, too. Most of the time I tried to keep my mouth shut because I think we kinda got off on the wrong foot, but I just couldn’t. After all, this is my brand, and she needed to accept the truth of the situation.”
“Yeah, when someone asks you your opinion, I really don’t remember you not taking that chance to give your perspective. Some can’t take the heat though.”
“Exactly, but for her I want to try to smooth out my words, you know? I don’t want to push her away. I need to take a lesson from you in that, I guess, but I mean…” He folded his hands across his chest. “I’d be doing her a disservice if I kept quiet. I can tell she’s kinda sensitive. I guess I can respect that because she has a nice bedside manner according to the reviews her patients leave about her. That requires a level of understanding, thoughtfulness, and things like that I imagine.”
“Her r
eviews? You’re all in her damn business, aren’t you?” Darryl took another taste of his drink.
“Yeah… She’s mesmerizing, man. I can’t help it.”
“You’re just nosey.”
“Yeah… that, too. She seems really into African and Asian culture, so we’ve incorporated some of that in the layouts.”
“Asian plants and décor is your thing, too.”
“Yes, it is. I told the designers and they know what to do. Finishing touches coming soon. It’s a beautiful merger, actually. The West African and Japanese mesh is beautiful. It’ll be seamless once it’s all finished.”
“I bet you did a bang-up job, I’d like to see it when you’re all finished.”
“Of course… yeah…” Stretching his legs, he recalled he had a meeting scheduled first thing in the morning. He wished he could blow it off and go by Carmen’s office instead.
“You did a great job on my and Katie’s house, too. To this day, people still ask about the exterior layout, where we got the bushes, how we set them up like that, the bench, firepit, all of that. And that fountain… wow! I can’t believe you turned that old statue into a fountain; that was insane and it turned out so nice.”
“Thank you. You all made it easy, though. Sometimes it’s nice doing work for friends.”
They were quiet for a spell. Tristan didn’t admit it, but he’d been lonely lately. Nothing felt right anymore. He wanted someone near, not his sister, not his employees or clients; he wanted someone warm in his bed, someone to kiss and hold him at night, someone to give him inspiration and someone he could inspire, too.
“I’ve missed talkin’ to you, Tristan. It’s a shame we’ve both been so busy lately that we’ve barely had time to say hello. I’m so glad you called. We have to change that… try harder to get together.”
“I agree with you there. It’s long overdue. I miss you guys, the old UM crew. I was reminiscing… that’s why I called you today. Yeah.” Tristan sighed and took another sip of his drink. “Life is crazy sometimes. How’s work going for you lately?”
