“Whoa—Mille, Benjamin is a friend of Kevin’s as I said before. The play is umm . . . I guess urban with a gospel feel to it. The producer is some guy who used to be homeless. Come on, just say yes, do it for me.”
“Paige, I will not be attending a play tonight, and with a blind date no less. I’m going to decline on this one.”
“Camille, come on, Benjamin is not really a blind date. You two have been at a few of Kevin’s political events together.”
“Have we been introduced?”
“Not exactly.”
“Well, Paige, my friend, the answer is the same. NO!”
Camille was now exasperated. She needed to end this conversation. She had a book she wanted to begin reading before preparing for work.
“Okay, Mille, I see you becoming all tensed and would rather curl up with imaginary people. So what about meeting him next Saturday? We have tickets to another production at the theater.”
“Paige! What part of ‘I will not be going on a date with someone I have not at least spoken with,’ don’t you understand?”
“Ok, how about I give you his number, and you can call him?”
“Another negative, Paige. But you can give him my office number, and I will let you know once I speak to him.”
“Fine, Mille, have it your way. I wish you would understand you have to live outside of work.”
“I do understand that, Paige. That is why you can give him my office number.”
“Okay, but do you promise you will allow Karen to put him through, and you will talk to him?”
“Yes, Paige, I promise. Do you need a Color Purple tee tah ta on it?”
“Matter of fact, I do. I will come by your office, and we can do our hand clap tomorrow. I got to run now and meet my man. Smooches.”
“Smooches!” Camille replied, ending their call as they did every phone call.
Camille was relieved to disconnect from the matchmaking phone call. She only entertained this Benjamin guy because Paige was one of her dearest friends. Camille vaguely recalled Paige mentioning a guy named Benjamin as one of Kevin’s friends. She thought that Benjamin had a girlfriend, but she could not remember. Maybe Camille had nothing to worry about. Most guys would be offended she did not meet on the first request and not call her. One could only hope, but if he did call Camille would go through with her promise to Paige.
Camille and Paige met while attending the Business Institute of Memphis. Camille obtained a degree in Business Management with an emphasis on Project Management. Paige earned a degree in HealthCare Administration. The two hit it off in a study group held at a local bookstore with a coffee shop. They became the best of friends. Over the last few years, they had seen each other through several career changes (including the start-up of ITS), relationships, family tragedies, and so much more. They were both grateful for their sisterhood.
Paige’s personality was rough around the edges. While she looked refined and sophisticated, she could go from one to ten in a second. But Camille had nothing but love for Paige because she was loyal. The trust between them was unbreakable. Paige was a true ride or die friend, but often, Camille would have to rein Paige in if she felt provoked by someone.
Camille smiled, thinking about Paige, and returned to her novel. She had to giggle because Paige was correct. She was about to read A Storm is Coming by LaShawn Vasser, and by the end of the first chapter, she knew this one would receive a five-star rating.
The next morning it was a little after eight when Camille made it to her office. She was elated that a local retailer had signed a three-year contract with ITS for their distribution services. Before she could power up her laptop, Karen, her Executive Assistant came on her phone’s intercom stating there was a Benjamin Adams on line one. Camille lifted the receiver of her desk phone and said, “Send him through Karen.”
Although Camille knew who it was, Benjamin, on the line, she answered the phone in the same professional manner she always did. “Camille James, ITS.”
“Hello, Ms. James, this is Benjamin Adams.”
“Hello, Benjamin. How are you?”
“I’m well, thanks for asking. I am assuming you know Kevin and Paige gave me your telephone number?”
“Yes. I gave Paige the okay last night. I was expecting your call although not this early. Paige is my persuasive best friend and can get me to do just about anything.”
“Well, she could not get you to go out to the play last night,” Ben said with a smirk that Camille could hear over the phone.
“Benjamin, you did not want our first meeting to be at one of those gospel-slash-urban plays. The last one I went to, I had Karen, my executive assistant who answered your call, look up the promoter via text for me. It was just that bad. I had to know to whom to give the credit. To top it off, all night I felt like I was on some island and the joke was on me. There was Kevin Michelson, an Assistant District Attorney, laughing out loud at the ridiculous ensemble of cast and hideous dialogue. Not only was he sitting through the ghetto fabulous mess, but was enjoying it more so than Paige. It was just beyond my realm of comprehension. So, Mr. Adams, I did you a favor by not attending it. You would not have appreciated that introduction to me.”
Camille paused to allow Benjamin to get his laugh out. She was happy he found mirth in what she said, but she was serious. Poorly scripted gospel stage plays were a pet peeve of hers.
“You know what, Ms. James, we have our first thing in common, and I have a secret to share.”
“Really? We are just a couple of minutes into our phone conversation and a secret already?”
“It’s nothing major, I promise.”
“Okay, so spill it.” Camille could not keep her bossy side down, and she hated that. Her last serious boyfriend had said she was too guarded and bossy. Despite what he thought, she did let down her guard and revealed her bourgeois side, which was a plus. There was nothing she could do about being bossy. She was the boss.
“I don’t like those plays Kev and Paige are always dragging people to.”
“Well, why did you agree to go?” If he didn’t want to go, Camille wondered why he said yes. Although she was bossy, Camille did not want a pushover. She bored with them too quickly.
“I tag along because Kevin is my boy, and he is trying to get me out of my normal dating habits. I am trying something new in hopes that I can find the right lady.”
Camille thought that was a satisfactory answer and not really a pushover’s response.
“So, am I on a right-lady phone interview? If so, how am I doing so far?” Camille frowned at herself, did she really ask that? Was she flirting with this stranger? She had to admit that his voice was speaking to her. It was deep and husky and giving her goosebumps. Had it been too long since she had a conversation with a man that was not about business?
“Ms. James, I am the one on the interview. After all, you would not go out with me without a prescreening.”
“Touché, but a girl can’t be too careful, Benjamin George Adams. By the way, I love your name it is so presidential.” Really, Camille? That was lame.
“No, I understand. I am happy you stood your ground. I have to respect a woman who makes a brother work for it. If you are as lovely in person as you sound, it will be well worth my effort.”
Did he just flirt with me? This brother has game. Camille blushed. She was positive Benjamin could hear it. Her goosebumps were now sizzling from the heat of his last statement. Benjamin’s voice was sensuous, and she could not remain focused on the words, only the sound of his voice. She had to get her mind out of the gutter and steer this ship back to safe, dry land.
“Ummm . . . have you been on many blind dates?”
“I have had more than I would like to admit. However, I can’t say that they were official blind dates. I always google her name and check out whatever public social posts, and pictures are available.”
“Really? Tell me what you think about my public social media image.”
�
��I did not have time to google you.”
“Sure, Benjamin, you did not look me up,” Camille said with sarcasm.
“Honestly, Ms. James, Kevin invited me last minute. I said okay then rushed to get dressed. Then he called back and informed me you had rejected me. So I took my broken heart to bed, resigned to call you this morning.”
Camille’s heart warmed as she listened to Benjamin recap of being turned down. She was regretting not going to the play now. “I did not reject you. I just delayed our meeting.”
“Tomato, tomata, Ms. James . . .”
“Well, I gave you my phone number.”
“To your place of business, Ms. James.”
“Regardless of that, Benjamin, we are now speaking. To prove that it was not my intention to leave you feeling rejected, why don’t you text your phone number to 901.789.2345.”
“Ok, I’m texting. Whose number is this, your assistant’s?”
“Ha. Ha. You are a comedian. That is my mobile number. Ben, can we make an agreement until we meet at the play next week?”
“As long as it does not mean I can’t speak to you until then.”
“No, just the opposite. Don’t look me up, and I will not google you.”
“Ok, Ms. James, that is a deal I can make.”
“Benjamin.”
“Yes.”
“Can you kill the Ms. James? I get enough of that in business. This is personal, and I want to keep it that way.”
“Done, Camille, whatever makes you comfortable. I don’t want to have any misunderstandings. This. Is. Personal.”
Oh my God! Camille needed to go to morning prayer. Respect was not what this man made her want. If just one conversation with him could have her feeling this way, what would happen when they met? She did not want to ruin any chances that this may blossom into something. That is why she suggested no social media contact. She would live in la-la land for the next week, dreaming he was her Idris Elba. She could not risk taking a look at a profile picture of a man who looked like Urkel, which was her last date. If his looks matched his manly voice, she may lose all her good senses and meet him before the play next Saturday.
The conversation went on for two hours. They talked about ITS, both their families, friends, and religion. They admitted needing to do better about attending church. They both had all consuming schedules. Benjamin did not own his own business, but he was a senior-level executive at the Fortune 500 Company he worked for. They had so many things in common: their love of books, music, art, exercise, philosophy, and both were brought up in the Pentecostal church. Camille could tell his relationship with his mother, Ellen, was at the forefront of his life. He had a cousin who had been raised with him as a sister and was now married with a teenage daughter. She told him about it just being her grammy and dad as she lost her mother at an early age. Since her grammy passed, the only family she had now was her dad. The conversation had Camille smiling and blushing for the duration of the call. She was definitely feeling him. It was Benjamin who had to end the call due to a conference call. He promised Camille he would call her that evening around eight.
That night, and for the next six days, they talked briefly in the morning and for hours at night. Needless to say, Camille had not read one book on her reader since the initial call with Ben. She could not wait to meet him. The anticipation was building with each phone conversation. She was wondering if he was having a battle not to google her. She struggled not to look him up and regretted suggesting the no social media browsing rule. Paige wanted to kick her butt for that insane promise. She told Camille that it was 2015, most people look up a person as soon as they hear a name, and that they were geeks for not already getting it out of the way. Karen helped her feel better about the decision by saying it was sweet, old-school romance—before social media took away the intrigue of meeting someone new. Camille agreed and waited to meet him.
Camille decided to dress simply for the play. She selected a fitted black dress, added sterling silver jewelry, applied light cosmetics, and was out the door. She hopped into her crimson colored SUV, which she loved and would not be trading in for a hybrid of any kind. Sorry environment!
While driving to downtown Memphis, she listened to jazz and let her thoughts drift to Benjamin, and all the conversations they had over the last week.
Twenty-five minutes later, Camille was getting out of her truck and saw Paige across the narrow street. She laughed to herself at Paige’s attire; the girl was dressed for a black and white event. Paige looked like a black china doll. She was five feet flat, but often wore five- to seven-inch heels. She had mystic brown eyes with a smooth cocoa complexion. Her figure was like a gymnast, which was all genetics because Paige would become winded walking around the block. But there was her best friend, at a simple stage play dressed in a black, strapless, baby-doll, tutu, cocktail dress with, what seemed from the distance like, six-inch platform shoes. She was beautiful but over the top as usual. Seriously Paige!
Standing with Paige was Kevin Michelson, Paige’s longtime boyfriend. Kevin was biracial, six foot two inches and two-hundred-forty pounds of muscle with dark brown hair, light brown eyes, and clean shaven. Kevin was an Assistant District Attorney for the City of Memphis. With them, stood a dark, handsome man who Camille knew was Benjamin. She could see his presidential air from across the street. Camille glanced at the sidewalk light and saw the WALK flash and stepped off the curb. Before she could plant both feet on the street, a speeding SUV came zooming toward her from out of nowhere—actually, it was possible, Camille may not have seen it as she was checking out Benjamin who appeared to be at least six feet tall, and she could not wait to get to him. Before she could react, the SUV was closer, and she felt like a Super Klutz trying to get out of the way. She was petrified of falling in front of Benjamin, as she would not recover from the embarrassment.
Camille heard a crash, and something felt like it was scratching flesh from her face, then a piercing to her abdomen sent heat through her entire being. Her hands began to burn as if she was falling onto hot coals. Was she on fire? She tried to process what was overtaking her. Then it hit her; it was pain—violent pain! It took control of her limbs before they began turning cold and went numb. Camille closed her eyes as the numbness took over her body, but before it took total control, the intense pain returned with a vengeance going through her side. Her head started to pound. It was unbearable. Her body shut down, and she started to lose consciousness.
Camille struggled to open her eyes and squinted to see Paige and Kevin kneeling at her side. Someone was holding her wrist, taking her pulse; it was Benjamin. She tried to get up, but the pain she felt all over her body did not allow such movement. If Camille was not sorely embarrassed and aching enough, Paige put her to shame by her screaming. Her screams added to Camille’s already ringing ears made it feel like fluid was running from them.
“Mille, you okay girl? We called 911. They should be here in a minute. You are about to give me a heart attack! You don’t know to look both ways before you cross the street? I know your momma was absent, but didn’t your daddy cover that basis with you!”
Great, Paige, let’s just spill out Camille’s issues while I’m lying in the middle of Main Street, likely dying. The thoughts were going through Camille’s mind, but she could not voice them. All she could do was close her eyes and grimace as the piercing pain went from her head to her toes.
Benjamin let go of her wrist and whispered in her ear as she began to fade slowly. “Do not think you are getting out of a date with me. Rest now. I hear the ambulance coming. You will be all better in no time.” Camille drifted off under his soothing voice. What a way to go if it was her time!
Downtown Trauma Center
“She has been back there for two hours!” Paige yelled while she paced back and forth in the waiting room of the Downtown Trauma Center. Ben observed his friend Kevin being the patient boyfriend as he tried to soothe Paige with rubs on her back and by helping her take a seat. Paig
e was a nervous, babbling wreck over her friend. Ben was happy to see this kind of dedication existed between women. Kevin was now a contrast from his Assistant D.A. role that he assumed earlier. He was all business at the accident scene, working vigorously after Camille and Paige left in the ambulance. Kevin pulled out his state identification and took statements from over thirty bystanders along with their contact information. Ben figured it was Kevin’s police academy training that allowed him to be sharp enough to know the year, make, and model of the 2013 Ford Expedition that hit Camille. Ben had no clue how Kevin managed to get the license plate number to give to the police because the accident happened so fast. Kevin told Ben that he believed for him to be an effective attorney he needed to know all aspects of the law. So Kevin completed police academy training although he never swore in to be an official officer. Kevin had vowed, the driver who hit Camille and drove off like a coward would be found and charged within twenty-four hours. Now, the three of them waited for a doctor, or any medical professional, to come out and give them an update on Camille’s condition.
Ben found himself worrying as if he had known Camille for a lifetime and had googled the possible injuries she could have from the hit-and-run. The injuries could range from minor cuts and bruises to spinal and brain injuries. She had opened her eyes briefly but did not say anything. He could only pray her injuries were not life-threatening. He sent a text to his mother requesting prayer for a friend who had been in an accident. As his mother always said, “Prayer never hurts.” She would get their church’s prayer warriors to intercede for Camille to recover.
Ben lifted his head as he heard Paige yell, “About time!” He chuckled to himself out of amazement and fear. Paige actually had her hand in the doctor’s face pointing at him. The nurse who had called for the family of Camille James was now trying to calm Paige down. Finally, Kevin took her by the arms, and the doctor was able to proceed.
It Won't Prosper: Parable On Infidelity In Marriage Page 7
