A Greek God In Harlem (16 page)

She quickly exited, leaving him there standing, looking shocked and sad.

She closed his office door behind him and started to sob profusely as she walked down the hallway. Thanks for nothing.

Later that evening, Tanya lay on her bed as she flipped through her teaching schedule. She was going to start teaching again soon.

That reminds me, she thought. She reached for the envelope containing her diagnosis. She wanted to know exactly what it said, since she'd have to present it to the school principal. The school principal and Aisha, his daughter both knew about her condition but only the principal had known about Percy being a doctor. Aisha, just like Tanya, had thought he was just a new hunky recruit, had practiced her 'feminine wiles' on him, which had only resulted in Percy and Tanya's kiss in her office, for all her trouble.

They had felt so real. His kisses. The way his face had lit up on their date at The Apollo to see 
The Kings of Comedy
 live. His lovemaking. It had all felt so... genuine. Tanya was angry at him not because he had done all those things with her, but because she couldn't tell... or dare to ask... if he had any feelings for her.

And now that he was leaving dodge, well that just explained. He was done with Harlem, done with her. Onto the next Lolita, in Greece. 

Tanya ripped open the envelope with more vigor than was required. She removed her diagnosis and scanned through it. It pretty much said what he had told her, she was cured, which was true.

She then looked down curiously at the colorful paper that had just fallen out of the envelope as well. 

She picked it up. It was a ticket. A ticket to... the Apollo? Tanya frowned. Had Percy intended to put this in the envelope? It was for one person. 

Come see Eddie Griffin at The Apollo. Above 18 only.
 ... And it was for that evening.

Tanya wondered if this was Percy's ticket and he had included it by accident. Perhaps he had gained an obsession for 
The Apollo
 ever since she had introduced him to it, that amazing night when they had come home and made love for the first time. 

She wondered if she should take it back to his office. He wouldn't want to miss his show. This had nothing to do with their failed relationship. Except for the fact that 
The Apollo
 was a special symbol of the time they had first really fallen for each other. The first time she had fallen for him. She didn't know what he felt, after all he had lied to her.

She turned the ticket around and that's when she saw what he had written on the back in pen, 
It's for you Tanya. Please go. Begs, Percy. p.s. I love you.

She looked at those last three words and her heart skipped. Then she rolled her eyes. So he wanted her to go alone? Why hadn't he at least offered to come? Yes, she would have refused, but that was the most gentlemanly thing he could have done.

She shrugged and decided not to waste the ticket. Percy probably had many boxes of books to pack up before he walked out of her life. Too busy running away. 

Tanya decided she would follow the ticket's instructions and go. She decided on the same red dress she had worn the last time, hoping no one would notice.

"Hey! I remember you! You were that honey in the red dress the other time! And you're in the same. Red. Dress." The guy collecting the tickets at
The Apollo
entrance
engaged in a quick conversation with her. She threw him a chilly smile and he chuckled nervously.

"It's a lovely dress 'specially on you girl. Even if it you worn it before. Say. Where's the white boy? The tall one you came with last time?"

Tanya grabbed her half of the ticket and told the man politely, "I'm now single and available." The old man whooped and started talking again before the line behind her started to grumble and shout.

Tanya giggled and entered the theater, ready to listen to some rehashed Eddie Griffin jokes.

"And you know what I just love? I just love how white people talk about hockey and shit. Shiettt... they should hire some brothas in the NHL, y'all know we got them third hockey sticks!"

The audience howled. Tanya shifted in her seat. Funny, slightly crude joke. She should have laughed like a normal human audience member. But seated there alone, she couldn't. 

Her mind was all on Percy. Who was probably cleaning out his office right now and counting down his days to leave Harlem. To leave her.

Eddie Griffin walked back and forth with his tiny body, making people pee in their pants. Then he suddenly stopped and looked at his watch,
"You know I love white people," the audience laughed knowingly, since his repertoire claimed otherwise. He continued, "But if one more white boy comes up to me and talks about can I interrupt your stand up to propose to my girlfriend? Happened in San Fran. So obviously girlfriend was a dude."

Tanya face palmed.

"Now y'all won't believe I got another white boy in my schedule. He emailed me a month ago, knew I was coming to town and wanted to use this opportunity to say something to his girl. Okay we in Harlem. If his girl's a sexy sista. Imma cut him off and tell him to go back to the Midwest. No more coming to Harlem, takin' our resources."

The audience and Tanya laughed. Eddie Griffin was crazy.

"Okay so y'all give some minutes to Percy Theo... Theo-something. Geez. Dude, where you from with that crazy ass name, Iran?" 

Percy grimaced as he walked onto the stage, from backstage where had been waiting.

The audience clapped and laughed, some women wolf whistled seductively at him. What a hunk! Who was the lucky girl?!!

Eddie Griffin stood on his toes and patted Percy on the back. Only way he could reach him. Percy smiled gratefully at the famous comedian who gave him the mike and stepped aside.

He looked out to the audience, looking for... her. The audience was too large.

When he brought the mike to his mouth, Eddie Griffin interrupted, "Yo, dude. Wait a minute. Let your girl stand up... what's her name?" 

Percy spoke into the mike, "Tanya Whitford..."
Some girls jokingly stood up, wanting to claim the hunk. The audience chuckled, and when the crazy girls sat down again, one remained standing.

A very shocked Tanya Whitford. Everyone turned to look at her. She was staring straight at Percy, her face a mixture of shock, happiness and forced anger.

He took in a deep breath as he saw his gorgeous soul mate standing there.

Eddie Griffin looked at her then at him, "What. Her? That's Tanya? Oh hell naw! Dude I. Hate. You."

The audience laughed. Tanya was a tall, gorgeous brown skinned woman with box braids. They could all see that from a mile away. 
The guys were now looking at the 'white dude' on stage thinking... dayumm! Dude, we totally get you!

Then they all went quiet anticipating what Percy was going to say. Tanya's eyes were twinkling. She couldn't believe it. What the heck was Percy doing?

He cleared his throat. He had never really spoken to a large audience before. Let alone a black audience who had come here for scathing comedy, not some soppy interracial romance.

He continued anyway, looking straight at the curvy lady in the red minidress, who was standing quite awkwardly and shyly,

"Miss Tanya Whitford has absolutely no reason for liking me right now."

The audience hushed, now very curious.

"I was not supposed to fall in love with her. But I did. I lied to her... about who and what I was, thinking she would not respond to my advances if I told her I was... what I was.

"That... and in my world I was doing the right thing. Playing a role, to help her heal."

The audience was absolutely confused right now. Playing roles? Lying? What?

Tanya however completely understood what he was talking about and held his gaze as he trudged on,

"I had the best moments of my life with her, and somewhere, sometime in our laughter, I must have told her I loved her. I'm here to tell her I was not playing a role, whenever I said that. I was being me, Percy Theodosiou, the doctor. 

"I want her to understand that I cannot take back what I did, and I might never fathom the pain I caused her, or the humiliation. I want her to know that, I am truly sorry from the bottom of my heart. But I don't want that grief to be the only feeling that I hold there. My heart'll have to make space for the ever growing love I have for her. A feeling I cannot just store and box away. I-"

Eddie Griffin interrupted, "Dude can I write that shit down? Real deep!" He was trying to keep the comedic aspect of the show but the audience told him to shush, which stunned the top-billing comedian. They hadn't even laughed. They were all looking at Percy, whose earnest, gentle eyes and unsure voice betrayed his tall, muscular frame.

"I love you Tanya and I want you to know that if you feel the same love for me, after all I've done, I have two plane tickets waiting to take us to
Athens, Greece
... a place I know you're familiar with from your teachings. Where it all began for the Greek gods. But forget about Greek gods. A place where two human beings can come together, love each other and start a new life. Start a family."

Percy bit his lip as he watched for Tanya's reaction. She held her hand up to her mouth and a few tears rolled down her cheek.

Some women in the audience were sobbing too, and they didn't know why. One husband nudged his wife, "He ain't talking to you boo. Plus, you have me..." The woman looked at her potbellied hubby and sobbed even more. Percy sure as hell wasn't talking to her. But still... this was so unbelievable and sweet. She was now living vicariously through this lucky Tanya bitch. 

Percy lowered the mike from his mouth and Eddie Griffin walked up to him and said softly, "Anything else you need to say to your girl?" Percy nodded. He did have something else to say. Something to ask.

"Tanya Whitford, will you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?" 
This is it
, he thought. 
If she says no, the stage should do its best to collapse and take me down.

Tanya was now walking up to the stage, wiping away tears. The audience was anxious. She hadn't yet said yes.

When she got to the bottom of the stage, she held out her hand and Percy pulled her up.

They both stood face to face and Tanya nodded slowly. Then faster. Then she whispered a jubilant, "Yes."

Percy dropped the mike and took her into his arms, lifting her up and holding her tightly. Tanya then slid down his body deftly and their mouths met in a kiss of atomic proportions.

The audience stood up and cheered for the longest, loudest time. 

Outside 
The Apollo
 two passer-bys heard the cheers and the woman said to the man, "Wow! You gotta get us tickets to Eddie Griffin next time!"