The young officer, who reminded me of a younger, taller version of Alfonso Ribeiro, stood from his seat, and dug out a business card to hand to Zane. “If you remember anything that you think may be of importance, please don’t hesitate to call me.”
“Absolutely,” Zane told him. “Baby, let me walk him to the door,” he said to me, before standing up.
“Thank you for your statement, Miss McCall. I appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome.”
When Zane came back from walking the officer out, he returned and held his hands out for me to grab. “Come here.”
I obliged, and he wrapped his arms around me tightly, rubbing my back softly. In the comfort of his arms is where I began to relax. Despite how relaxed I was, sleep wouldn’t be happening for me anytime soon. I was too distraught, and my nerves were wrecked. But, at least for now, with Zane nearby, I was relaxed enough to breathe at a regular pace.
“I’m taking you home with me,” Zane announced, piercing through the still of the moment. “You can grab some things, or we can buy you some. But I’m not leaving you here tonight, where there’s a constant reminder of a violent crime—possibly even murder.”
I didn’t hesitate to respond, “Can you come up with me to pack a bag?”
14 | Giselle
“Nooo, Mama,” Skai cried. “Nooo!” There was sadness in her brown eyes. I hated calling her with the news about Trevor, but they’re friends so I had to. “When did this happen? And how critical is his condition? Why would somebody even try to kill him?!”
“I don’t know, baby. But they questioned everybody in our end of the development. The shots were really loud, and… it was just,” I shook my head, getting lost in the memory of what took place. The sound of the shots was still so fresh in my mind. “I just hope they catch whoever did it.”
“Me too! Not just for Trevor, but because you’re right there! Do they think he was the intended target? Or is there some crazy-ass person on the loose, targeting random people?”
“The only thing I’ve heard related to the case, was that both the front and back doors were unlocked. That there was no forced entry.”
“Dang. Well, Trevor was… I mean, is…” Skai paused, realizing that she’d spoken about her friend in past tense. “Trevor is reckless like that sometimes. So, either it was somebody that he knew, or he was just in there lounging like he does, with everything wide open. I just… I don’t know, Ma. It’s just so scary.”
“I know. But don’t get worked up. I’ll keep you posted as I hear updates. And especially as it relates to his condition.”
“I hope he makes it. He’s got such a big life. And he gets on my nerves sometimes, but he’s a good friend.” Skai chuckled. “And he’s wild too.”
“Woman-crazy,” I laughed.
“That, for sure.” Skai shook her head and smiled. “And he kept that block lit. Some of those prim and proper married women in that development got their whole life from that dude.”
“Wait!” I exclaimed. “So, that’s true?! Why didn’t you ever tell me? I was listening to chatter and rumors not knowing whether it was fact or fiction.”
Skai burst into laughter. “It’s so true, Ma. Definitely facts. That’s why I could never take him seriously when he was talking about dating me. Nuh-uh.”
“Dating?! Say what, now? Why am I just now hearing about all this?”
“Because there was never really anything to tell. I rejected those advances right after they hit the air. Trevor is out there, Mama. The man’s whole lifestyle is sponsored by these horny women. Married women. His house, his clothes, his carrr! And he has girls… as in runs girls.” Skai laughed. “Buck wild is what he is. He’s made a whole business out of it. A booming business.”
“Okay, wait. This is all way too much information for your Mama. So, I’m living across the street from a gigolo, who’s also a damn pimp?!”
Skai shrugged her shoulders, innocently. “I mean...”
I sighed heavily, then blew out a big puff of air. “Well, damn. All jokes aside, some of that may be what contributed to his shooting, Skai.”
“Could be. I’m sure they searched the house for evidence. If there’s something to be found, they’ll find it. Hopefully, they thought to check him for DNA because he’s never not gettin’ down with somebody. I’m sure he’s got hair on him, or… you know.”
“Yeah, I know. Don’t even say it.”
“I won’t. But all I know is until they can say, without a doubt that Trevor was the intended target, and that there’s not some crazed serial killer running around, you don’t need to be at that house. Or get you a Pit or a Rott. Or better yet, go to Zane’s house with him.”
As usual, whenever Zane’s name came up, I involuntarily blushed. And as usual, my daughter caught it. Her eyes widened and she brought her face really close to the screen.
“What?” I asked, feigning innocence.
“You know what. Where is Zane? Turn the camera. That is not our house in the background! You’re already with him!” she squealed, excitedly.
“Yes, she is,” Zane said, coming up behind me, and into view.
“Heyyy Zane!”
“Hey beautiful. How’s the Big Apple?”
“It’s beautiful, as always.” She leaned up on her palms and smiled at us, her eyes beaming. “Can I just say that I’m loving this? Y’all are the cutest ever. All swirly and stuff. Out there just kickin’ it like teenagers on summer break.”
“Umm, we are kinda on summer break, though,” I told her.
“Yeah, I know smartie-pants. I just love, love, love how cute y’all are.”
Zane rubbed my shoulders. “Thank you. I kinda think we are too.”
“Only thing you guys need to do now is put your heads together for a really nice, really expensive push gift for me. It can be for Christmas, it can be ‘just because’, it can be tomorrow… tonight. Whatever you choose. I’m not picky.”
“Push gift? What exactly is that? Is it some chick thing?” Zane asked laughing. “Never heard of it.”
I shook my head at Skai’s silliness.
“A push gift is something that you give a woman when she gives birth. And I gave birth—to a beautiful union. A forever union, if I can help it. So yeah, my push gift.”
“In that case, you definitely have something nice coming from us. Because I’m thankful for what you brought me. It’s so fun to unwrap.”
“Uhhh! TMI!” Skai shouted.
“I have to agree with him on that. Unwrapping is—”
“Yeah… okay!” Skai blurted out, amid my hearty laughter. “I’m done. I’ma let you guys go because I have a client to meet with.”
“Sure, you do,” Zane laughed.
“I really do, though. And thank God for that!” she laughed. “Because… yeah. But Mama, please keep me posted on Trevor.”
“Of course, baby. And I love you.”
“I love you too. And thanks again, Zane, for taking care of my favorite person in the world.”
“No thanks needed.”
“Mama, I’ll talk to you later. Hugs!” Skai told me, blowing a kiss before she closed out FaceTime.
One month later…
15 | Zane
Damn, Giselle looked good as hell in a light-colored turquoise dress, with some kind of gold chain belt around her waist. Her high-heeled shoes were the same color as her dress; just a little darker. Her hair was pulled back off her face, with a thin band around it. The eye makeup and lipstick that she wore, she didn’t need at all, but it was nicely applied. But if I got my way, she would have to redo every stitch of that ensemble she took so much time putting together.
“Swear to the Almighty God, if my teacher looked like you, I would probably be the oldest living student. Forty-fuckin-three, with an elementary school education.”
Giselle’s smiling eyes landed on me through the full-length mirror, before she snapped around to face me. “Zane… No…” she said in protest, both her hands
extended outward. She shook her head left to right. “Stay… where you are.”
“Stay? That sounds like a command one would give a dog. I’m offend—”
“But you do… need to stay.” She giggled lightly, looking behind her as though going through the mirror would offer an escape.
“Why would I stay way over here?” I took another step toward her. “When I could stay… right where you are?”
“Zane, I mean it. Stoppp,” she insisted. “You know we can’t,” she scolded, unable to wipe the smile from her face.
“Says who?” I asked her, as I continued making my way across the bedroom, my arms raised in surrender mode.
“Zane. We can’t.”
I made it to where she was, then stepped into her personal space. There, I wrapped my hands around her hips, pulling her to me. “Again… says who?”
“You are something else.”
“And you’re hypnotizing.” I stared into her eyes, then pulled back only slightly for a full-body scan; from her neck on down to the place I was hungry for. The place trapped behind the nice dress she wore. “How do you expect me to behave, when you look like this? It’s too much to walk away from. What am I supposed to do? Act like I don’t see it?” I grabbed her hand into mine, and lowered it to my growing erection. “Even if I could… he has his own set of eyes.”
She looked away bashfully, like she did sometimes, then shook her head. A piece of laughter fell from her mouth. “You…” she sighed, reaching up to stroke the side of my face. “We discussed this. I get to school extra early so I can—”
“Yeah, I kno—”
“And it’s the first day back.”
“And the first day for change.”
“Zaaane. Don’t you have to be—”
“There before 8. It’s 6:30. I’m done talking.”
Because she insisted, I allowed Giselle to undress herself so that she could lay her clothes out neatly. It was probably best that way, too, because I was prepared to rip them off. I wanted her that bad. I observed in awe as she stripped down to that silky golden layer that was her sacred temple. The waist with the sexy indentation. Then that indentation that met at the curvature of those hips. Her thighs… firm. Shit. That peak between the thighs, hidden. Fuuuck. My dick was hard as steel.
My patience had abandoned me. And with the time Giselle and I had to work with, there was really no room for it anyway.
“You want the heels off?” she asked seductively, knowing that she already knew the answer. When all I did was stare, she said, “I didn’t think so.”
I lifted her into my arms and took her right there, against the wall. My dick didn’t need directions. He didn’t even need my help. As soon as I had her in position, he slid inside with no guiding. She had become my best place to be. The place my passion felt the most wanted, loved, and caressed. Her walls wrapped around me so tightly they could’ve squeezed the life away. But just the same, being in that slippery, wet place is where life resided.
Those moans. So hungry. So fucking telling.
Pleasing her, pleased me.
“You feel so fuckin’ good, Giselle,” I told her, as she gazed into my eyes. The lust in our eyes matched with the same amount of energy. “I get lost inside of you. Ohhh... lost, baby. It’s… so… fucking… wet. So gooood.”
Her mouth fell agape, her eyes tightened.
“Ahhh… Zane…” Hearing my name roll off her tongue was the sexiest shit ever. Her labored breaths hung in the air around us, driving me wild. We fucked in sync, her legs locked around my waist, my hands full with the tenderness of her ass. I held out for as long as I could. Truthfully, I wanted to unleash as soon as I was all the way inside of her waterfalls, but I had to reel that urge in. Coming before her would always be unacceptable, no matter how amazing the sensation. So, I waited and I relished in the goodness of what she put on me—up until she announced the arrival of her end. “I’m com... innn. Ohhh b-b-baby... I’m com... m-m-mmm… ohhh!”
“Zip me up, baby. And don’t try any funny stuff.”
“What funny stuff?” I asked, trying not to laugh.
“You know exactly what I’m talking about. Just zip me up so I can get to this school.”
“Wow. The teacher lady is so bossy after the seduction of me is over and done with,” I teased after I had her zipper up. “I feel so used.”
She looked at me, with a full smile and shook her head. “I won’t even dignify that with a response.”
She speed-walked from the bedroom, and down the hall toward the front of the house, with me close on her heels.
“Why? Because then you’d have to admit—”
“I don’t have to admit to anything.” She stopped at the door and turned around, pointing a finger at my chest. “You’re the culprit. Now, give me a kiss so I can be on my way.”
I pulled her close and prepared to lean down. “Uhh, I’m in bargaining mode, Miss. So, what do I get for this kiss you’re about to potentially… tentatively… get?”
“Zane, oh my God!” she laughed, trying to wiggle away from my grasp. “I’m out.”
“Well, wait. My kiss!”
“Nuh-uhh!” she giggled on her way through the courtyard and out to the car. “You, and that suit, and looking all good… smelling all good. Talking about bargaining. No! You’re trying to lure me back in. I am not trying to be late on the first day, Sir.”
“Okay, you win. I’m right behind you, baby. Call me when you get some time,” I told her.
“You got it. Good luck on your first day, baby! Hugs!”
16 | Giselle
Refreshed.
Renewed.
That’s how I felt walking into my classroom, a brand-new woman. When I last walked out the door of this small world, I wore a very different skin. One that had now been shed. Growth had happened. The world had opened. Hell, I had opened! I had an amazing summer, met an amazing man, had a tremendous amount of mind-blowing sex, with orgasms that felt like full-body tremors. Life was good. No, scratch that; life was great. And I had my wonderfully amazing daughter to credit for it.
Who would have ever thought?
As at home as I was reveling in the welcoming of the new me, the sudden, yet welcoming ring of the morning bell, threw me into the moment head on. And I was ready for it with a fresh excitement. All the cute little people gathered in my shared space, made my heart warm.
“Good morning, everyone!” I greeted excitedly, standing at the head of my brightly-lit classroom. I watched in joyful anticipation as the last of my newbies filed in. A few of their parents were in tow, making the room very high on energy.
“Good morning!” everyone greeted in unison.
“I’m Miss McCall, and I’m very excited to meet all of you.” I paced back and forth in front of my whiteboard as I spoke, careful to make eye contact with everyone around the room. “I’m thankful that I was the chosen one, for you to spend the school year with. You’re going to learn a lot. You’re going to make new friends. You’ll also have a lot of fun. Are you excited?!”
“Yeahhh!” they screamed collectively, along with clapping little hands.
“They probably won’t cheer so loud with the homework,” I teased, addressing the parents in the room. Laughter ensued among the older crowd. “So, what I’m going to do is let you guys get acquainted with your classroom and with each other, while I head over to the corner to meet your parents. Is that okay?!”
“Yeahhh!” came from some, while others shouted, “Yes, Miss McCall!”
When I got to where the parents were, I went around the small group of three men and seven women, shaking hands.
“I’m glad you could all make it this morning. I won’t keep you long. I’m sure you have places to be. I really just wanted to introduce myself, in person. I’ll begin by saying that I consider us a village. Your child’s village.”
“I love that,” one of the male parents commented.
“So do I,” another one cosigned.
/> “What a way to intro, Miss McCall. I like you already,” one of my female parents complimented.
“Thank you so much. I appreciate that. It makes me happy to know that you are all on board. The way that I approach the village philosophy, it is that I supplement for you; you supplement for me. We’re a unit assigned to different shifts, on a very important nine-month project. I’m on duty from the time that morning bell rings, and up until that afternoon bell does the same. Then you pick up where I left off. I’m definitely going to do my part. But your child’s academic success is a collaborative effort.”
As I spoke, I caught an eye roll from one of the parents. At first, I thought I imagined it, but then I caught her doing it again. Once it was confirmed, I still dismissed it. I felt that if she had something to say, she’d be woman enough to do so. And maybe she would, when it was just the two of us. Until then, I continued.
“I don’t give a lot of homework. For the most part, we will get our studies done while in-session. I do, however, recommend supplemental math sheets. They’re not required, but I think it would be good, since math is a core subject, and constantly changing. Just to… you know… get them a little more prepared, and less intimidate when the algorithms shift a little. As they’re known to do.”
“You… ummm… if I may,” the eye-roller finally spoke. “You sound a little bit like you want us to do your job.”
Wow.
All the other parents turned to look at the speaker, the discomfort on their faces showing.
“Your name, please?” I asked her.
“Nicole,” she sassed.
“Okay, so Nicole. It is definitely my job to educate your child. It’s what I went to school for, it’s what I signed on for. It’s what I’ll continue to do… for the 7 or so hours that they’re with me. However, as just one part of your child’s village—I stress the one—I can’t do the work of the collective. I’m invested in your child’s success. I’m just asking that you be, as well.”
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