Authors: Frederick Germaine
Eye Candy (2 page)
Even though I had memorized and practiced my vows to Monica for what seemed to be a thousand times before the wedding, I felt a sense of nervousness come over me. Quickly, I regained my composure, took a deep breath, and began my recital.
“I Aaron take you, Monica, to be my wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worst, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.”
Streams of tears raced down Monica’s face as I ended my vows. She took a quick second and slowly, yet carefully, wiped the tears from her face.
“Monica, you may now recite your vows to your groom,” said Pastor McGregor after she had regained her composure.
As I had done, Monica said her vows effortlessly and with confidence. The ceremony was almost complete when Pastor McGregor spoke again.
“The wedding ring is a symbol of eternity,” stated Pastor McGregor. “It is an outward sign of an inward and spiritual bond that unites two hearts in endless love. And now as a token of your love and of your deep desire to be forever united in heart and soul, you Aaron, may place the ring on the finger of your bride.”
“Monica, I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness to you,” I said gently placing the shiny one carat diamond ring on her finger.
“By the same token, Monica” said Pastor McGregor again. “You may place the ring on the finger of your groom.”
Monica did as instructed and Pastor McGregor spoke for the final time.
“By the powers vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Aaron, you may now kiss your bride.”
The Fourth of July was only a few days away but I swore I heard fireworks over the ocean as I kissed Monica. While our lips were locked on each other, I didn’t want that feeling to end. The woman on the cello began to play soft music again as the small crowd gave out a loud boisterous cheer and clapped continuously. Even Sebastian had vacated all doubt and joined in too.
“Monica, I love you so much,” I said after we kissed momentarily and opened our eyes to each other.
“Oh, Aaron, I truly love you with all my heart.”
Before she could say another word, I kissed her again but this time much longer. Today was the beginning, of the first day, of our lives together.
APRIL 2012: ATLANTA, GEORGIA
The sweet aroma of hickory bacon filled the air and penetrated my nostrils. I stood in front of the dresser’s mirror attempting to tie the perfect double Windsor knot getting ready for work. My meticulous attitude was the culprit as I was now on my third attempt dealing with my tie. As I gave a big sigh, I started the process again knowing I had to hurry as work awaited me this Monday morning. But more importantly, breakfast downstairs was just about ready.
Nothing much had changed in the nearly five years since Monica and I had been married. I still worked at Donaldson and Bradshaw as a senior designer and Monica also enjoyed teaching at North Atlanta High School. Well, I guess I did leave out one major change in our lives. Since the marriage, we had two bundles of joy named Brandon and Braylon. The twin boys would be celebrating their four-year old birthday next month. My wife and I would be celebrating our fifth-year anniversary the following month after that. Monica was responsible for putting the twin’s birthday celebration together while I had to come up with a way for us to celebrate our anniversary. Currently, I didn’t have a clue how I was going to put together the latter as I had to deal with the stress of a new project at work.
“Finally, now that’s the perfect knot,” I said to myself staring in the mirror. “You look like you’re all ready for work.”
I slipped on my burgundy loafers, grabbed my blazer, and retrieved my briefcase which was propped against the bed. The next stop for me was the kitchen.
“Daddy,” yelled both boys, from the kitchen, by the time my shoes hit the bottom of the stairs.
Then without hesitation, they both rushed me with a hug as their mother looked on still preparing breakfast. Their mother had already dressed them.
“How are my two little munchkins?” I asked the boys welcoming each of them with a big hug while they both giggled and laughed.
“Daddy, are you going to work again today?” asked Brandon.
Brandon was born a few minutes before his younger brother Braylon and always took the leadership role when it came to questions or anything else. Braylon never seemed to mind either.
“Yeah, I have to,” I said still holding the two. “I nominated myself the breadwinner for our family.”
“What’s a breadwinner?” he asked.
“Don’t worry you’re a long way from becoming one,” I replied. “Let’s go see what mommy is cooking in the kitchen this morning.”
I left my blazer and briefcase next to the staircase. Then I grabbed the twins by their hands as we marched slowly forward.
“She’s cooking meat,” said Brandon once again taking the leadership role in the conversation.
The twins didn’t know the difference between bacon, sausage, or ham. They did recognize the smell but referred to it all as meat.
“Good morning, sweetheart,” I said to my wife before I kissed her on the lips.
“Morning, honey,” she replied back after our lips departed. “So are you ready for the big day at work?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I responded while sitting at the kitchen table with the twins joining me. “Mr. Bradshaw is finally announcing the full development plans for the revitalization project for the old General Motors assembly plant. Plus, he is going to reveal who will be the consultant assisting me on initial development designs.”
After many lengthy months of bidding and negotiations, my firm was selected as redeveloping the now desolate General Motors assembly plant which had been closed down permanently a few years ago. The plant had become an eyesore which at one point employed thousands of workers. Now, the only thing that remained in the area was outdated machinery and forgotten memories. My firm would turn the area into a thriving mixed-use development consisting of high-rise condominiums, retail space, a nature park, and of course fine dining.
“Well, that’s interesting,” she said while placing the plates, silverware, and glasses on the kitchen table. “Hopefully he won’t bump heads with you since you’re so sensitive with your designs.”
“Actually, the he is supposed to be a she according to the corporate grapevine.”
“So there is no glass ceiling for women in Corporate America?”
“I presume not with Donaldson and Bradshaw.”
“Mommy, I’m hungry,” screamed Brandon from the table while his brother looked on.
“Okay, Brandon, the food is on its way,” she reminded him.
By the time the hot food hit our plates, I licked my lips and realized how much I loved my wife. Even though the sex between us had diminished just a bit over the last few years, her great cooking was still consistent. Pancakes, bacon, sausage, and French toast adorned our plates. She even managed to dress the plates with a healthy course of sliced watermelon and pineapples.
Brandon was the first to dig into his plate after grace was said, while Braylon was a close second. As for me, I devoured my plate without haste. My wife looked on knowing the meal she prepared was pleasing to her family. Seasoning and spices makes food taste good but when you put love into the meal, like my wife did, it taste great.
“Honey, I’m wrecking my brain trying to decide on the twin’s birthday event for next month,” said my wife continuing our morning conversation. “I’ve narrowed it down to Six Flags, White Water, or a cookout birthday party at our house.
“Six Flags,” yelled Brandon.
“White Water,” shouted Braylon.
“See how difficult it can be,” she announced.
“Well, I’ll leave it up to you for the final and deciding vote,” I said. “Besides, I have the harder task of planning our fifth-year anniversary event.”
“So what do you have up your sleeve for our anniversary?”
“Now, that wouldn’t be a surprise, would it?”
“Come on, Aaron, you’re not even going to give me a hint?”
“Nope, not one.”
It was now a few minutes after seven o’clock and my stomach was filled thanks to my wife. I wanted to arrive early enough at work well before my routine day which normally began around eight. Before I exited the table, I grabbed a slice of pineapple and stuffed it into my mouth.
“Alright boys it’s time to go upstairs and brush your teeth,” she said. “Then it’s off to grandma’s house.”
Monica’s mother was a stay-at-home mom for the majority of her marriage to Dr. Carmichael. Every weekday for almost the past four years, Monica would drive the twins from our Sandy Springs home to Dunwoody where the Carmichael’s lived. Her mother was always overly anxious to see her grandkids and never minded her babysitting duties. Monica would then make her way to North Atlanta High School to begin her day.
“Come on, Braylon, I’ll race you upstairs,” said Brandon to his younger brother as he removed himself from his chair.
“Okay,” replied Braylon as he positioned himself in his sprinter pose.
Then without hesitating, the two boys flew upstairs with Brandon in the slight lead. Monica and I looked on as we thought how refreshing it would be to have so much energy.
“Good-bye sweetheart,” I said as I leaned towards Monica giving her a kiss.
“Bye honey,” she said back. “So what do you want for dinner tonight?”
“I don’t know. Just surprise me.”
“You mean like the surprise you have in store for our fifth-year anniversary.”
“Exactly.”
“Come on, Aaron, you’re really serious about not giving me a little bit of a hint?”
“Nope, not one.”
Before I stepped out of the front door, I ran upstairs to give the twins a good-bye kiss. I found them in their room debating over what shoes to wear. Quickly, I thought to myself, I wished my day was that easy. After I left their room, I made the trek downstairs and winked at my wife. Then I grabbed my blazer and briefcase and exited the front door.
Driving my Audi out of our gated community very slowly, I noticed my neighbor Mr. Newman who lived a few houses down. He was an elderly and eccentric man who was diminutive in stature. Around the same time each morning, he always walked his cocker spaniel he called, Jewels. There he stood on the sidewalk, outside his home, dressed in a blue robe with striped pajamas underneath them. On his feet was solid white bunny slippers that I always thought were only worn by women until I first saw him wearing them. Jewels was attached to a leash which I found comical because she couldn’t have weighed more than five pounds or hurt a flea.
As the two made their way down the sidewalk, facing my vehicle, I lifted my left hand off the steering wheel and waved. Mr. Newman waved back, with a pleasant smile, while Jewels let out a wimpy bark as if she was trying to say hi. I chuckled a little and maneuvered my car out of the community.
Luckily for me, I worked just minutes from our house at the well known King and Queen Towers on Peachtree-Dunwoody Road. The two thirty-four story iconic buildings towered over the North Atlanta skyline and could be seen from GA-400 and I-285 simultaneously. After traveling a short distance, I turned into the building’s parking garage and found my reserved spot empty as usual. Once I parked my car in my designated area, I turned the vehicle off, and headed for the lobby’s entrance.
“Good morning, Mr. Malone.”
“Good morning, Harold.”
Harold was the building’s shoe-shine attendant and had been for quite a while now. He was a proud black man who always wore slacks, a neatly pressed collared shirt with an apron over it, and of course well shined shoes. Shining shoes was his hobby that occupied his time after serving over forty-five years in the armed forces. His work area consisted of three steel chairs with brown leather seat cushions which were positioned on top of a solid oak boxed platform. He was the first person you saw as you entered the building.
“So, how are the wife and kids doing?” he asked causing me to pause in my stride towards the elevators.
“Everyone is wonderful. Thanks for asking.”
“How about letting me put the perfect shine on those Allen Edmond loafers for you today?”
I looked down at my watch and noticed it was twenty minutes until eight o’clock and I still had plenty of time to make it upstairs. I also glanced at my new loafers he was referring to.
“It will only take five minutes,” he said closing the sale. “And I’ll make them shine just the way you like them.”
“Okay, Harold, you’ve convinced me.”
I took the middle seat while he carefully rolled up the bottom portion of my slacks, so they wouldn’t get in the way of his polishing work. As I sat there, I noticed more people coming into the building. Even though he was an older gentleman, he had the memory of an elephant and remembered everyone’s name he came in contact with.
“So are you ready for the big day?” he asked opening a can of burgundy polish.
“Yeah, I sure am.”
Harold knew mostly everything that went on within the building and its tenants. He was sort of a grapevine of information with the majority of it being true.
“I heard your firm is revealing the plans for the revitalization project for the old General Motors assembly plant today,” he said while lightly rubbing the polish on my shoes.
“That’s right, Harold.”
“Well, it’s about time someone finally fixed up that area of town. Plus, it will bring in more jobs too.”
“I couldn’t have agreed with you more.”
“I think that new consultant your firm brought in may also add a little spice to the project.”
“Really?” I asked perking up a bit in my chair.
“Oh yeah, Mr. Malone, she is a real classy and confident woman. She’s definitely some good eye candy to look at.”
“So you saw her already?”
“Sure did. She came in about five minutes right before you entered the building all bright-eyed and bushy tailed.”
“So how did you know who she was?”
