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Authors: Shana Burton

BOOK: Flaws and All
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Chapter 12
“You know me, okay? Biblically!”
—
Lawson Kerry
 
“Miss Kerry!” called Mark from the school's parking lot. She saw him in her peripheral vision but pretended not to hear. She picked up her pace.
“Lawson!” Mark's footsteps were rapidly approaching her, making it impossible to go on ignoring him.
Lawson turned around. “Hey, I didn't see you.”
He took a second to catch his breath. “You wanna tell me what's going on?”
Lawson feigned innocence. “You know, first day of school and all . . .”
“This seems to be a little more than first day jitters.”
“I don't know what you're talking about,” she replied, walking away from him.
Mark grabbed her arm. “I think you're avoiding me, and I want to know why.”
Lawson eased out of his grip. “What makes you think I'm avoiding you?”
“For starters, I know you got my e-mail about the new teachers' luncheon yesterday that you didn't bother to show up for, nor have you returned any of my phone calls. In fact, you haven't said two words to me since Monday when you nearly passed out in my classroom. Tell me what's up.”
“Nothing. I've been busy. I haven't had time for social calls.”
He narrowed his eyes. “I believe there's more to it than that. I hope you're not embarrassed by what happened.”
“No. Why would I be?”
“Well, some people get a little embarrassed when someone else sees them in a vulnerable position. You shouldn't feel bad about it, though. Starting a new job can be overwhelming, and the pressure and stress took a toll on you.”
She shook her head. “You don't know me as well as you seem to think you do, Mr. Vinson. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a job to do.”
Mark crossed his arms in front of him. “Miss Kerry, I'm not letting you set foot into that school until you tell me what's bothering you.”
Lawson's voice filled with anxiety. “Just let it go, all right?”
“I'll let it go as soon as you decide to be honest with me.”
“Are you calling me a liar?”
Mark held up his hands. “Hold on. Nobody's doing any name-calling or making accusations. I'm just trying to find out what's going on with one of my teachers.”
Lawson rolled her eyes. “I'm not
your
teacher. I'm not
your
anything!”
Mark was taken aback. “The last time I checked, you were still my mentee.”
She huffed and blurted out, “Therein lies the problem! I want a new mentor.”
Mark looked surprised and a little hurt. “Why?”
“I don't feel comfortable around you.”
“Really? If I've done anything to make you feel this way, you have my sincerest apology. If you'd talk to me, I'm sure we could get to the bottom of this.”
“I don't need your apology. I just need another mentor,” snapped Lawson.
“Lawson, I know that I can come on a little strong sometimes. I don't mean anything by it, it's just the way that I am. I can take it down a notch if you need me to.”
“Your personality isn't the issue.”
“Then tell me what is. I'm positive that it's all some big misunderstanding.”
“There's no misunderstanding.” She hesitated before going on. “Working with you would just be too weird for me.”
“Why?”
She stepped in front of him. “Look closely. Don't I look the least bit familiar?”
Mark narrowed his eyes, examining her face. “No, not really.”
“You know me, okay? Biblically!” Lawson leaned close to him and whispered, “We slept together.”
He recoiled. “We did?”
“Yes, in high school, Manny's graduation party.”
“Manny . . . Are you talking about Emanuel Young?”
Lawson nodded.
Mark thought back and smiled. “
La-La?
”
“Now you remember?”
“Wow,” he said in awe. “You look so different, not that it's a bad thing, of course! You're just . . . wow.” He shook his head, amused by the revelation. “Why didn't you say anything sooner?”
“It's embarrassing enough that you didn't remember.”
“Shoot, that had to have been, what, fourteen years ago?” He chuckled. “
So you're having my baby
,” he sang in his best Jodeci impression. “You remember that?”
“I couldn't forget it if I wanted to,” Lawson thought aloud.
“Yeah, that night was crazy! Girl . . . well, come here.” Mark pulled Lawson into a bear hug before releasing her. “I hate we didn't keep in touch.”
“Not half as much as I do,” she mumbled. “At least then you'd know that nobody's called me La-La in years.”
“So, that's why you've been acting so strange,” he concluded.
“It's not every day that I end up working alongside the guy I lost my virginity to.”
“You know, they say that you never forget your first,” he added smugly. They began walking again. “If it means anything, I'm sorry I didn't call like I should've. I was young and couldn't see past football and college. I should've handled things better.”
“When you know better, you do better, as my mother used to say. We were teenagers. Who doesn't make mistakes at that age?”
“Thanks for being so cool about it,” said Mark as they made their way through the throngs of teenagers swarming the hallway. “Now that we've cleared the air, I hope that you'll change your mind about our working together. In light of everything, I really want to get to know you again. Just because we've seen each other naked doesn't mean that things have to be weird between us.”
“Actually, it wasn't really weird until you said that.”
He laughed a little. “You know what I mean. We're both adults. I'm sure we can handle it; assuming, of course, you'll still let me be your mentor.”
Lawson relented. “I suppose we can try and see how it goes.”
“Fair enough. I meant what I said about getting to know each other. By the end of the semester, I want to know everything about you from your favorite food to what student you want to throw over a bridge.”
Getting to know the intimate details of each other's life was the last thing Lawson was hoping for. “You'll soon find out that I'm a very private person, Mark.”
“That's what you say right now. Give me a few weeks, though,” he dared her. “I'll have you spilling your deepest, darkest secrets out. You'll see.”
Nothing frightened Lawson more than the possibility of him succeeding in doing so.
Chapter 13
“I think it's indelibly marked on my brain now.”
—
Sullivan Webb
 
Sullivan half listened as Charles chatted with her on the phone that morning, reminding her to pray for one of the deacons at the church who was having surgery that afternoon. Deacon Wade and his heart problems were the furthest things from Sullivan's mind. She was too busy trying to stop her thoughts from wandering to the wonderfully and fearfully made Vaughn Lovett.
“And don't forget to schedule a rehearsal for the children's choir this week,” added Charles. “Next Sunday is fifth Sunday, you know.”
“I still don't know why
I
have to do it,” whined Sullivan as she sipped on her Morning Sunrise, a potent combination she created, consisting of grapefruit juice blended with ice, yogurt, and vodka. “You know I don't mix well with children.”
“And you know that it's customary for the First Lady to direct the children's choir on fifth Sundays. It's only a few Sundays out of the year. Surely that's not asking too much.”
“Would it matter if it was?” she fired back. Another call came through before Charles could answer her. “That's my phone. I have to take this call.” She hung up without another word to her husband and clicked over to the other line. “Hello?”
“May I speak to Sullivan Webb please?”
She was caught off guard by the velvety voice on the other end of the phone. “Yes. Who's this?”
“It's Vaughn from Supreme Auto on Sexton. I fixed your BMW the other day.”
A grin snaked across Sullivan's lips. “How could I forget? Hello, Mr. Lovett.”
“You remembered my name this time.” Sullivan smiled into the phone. “I think it's indelibly marked on my brain now. Now, to what do I owe the pleasure of this phone call?”
“Huh?”
She giggled. “Why are you calling me?”
“I just wanted to make sure the car's running okay. I'm the new guy, so Mike likes for me to do follow-up calls to make sure everything's all right after the first day or so. You haven't had any problems, have you?”
“Nope. You took very good care of me, if I do say so myself.”
“Just doin' my job. Glad I could help.” Silence passed between them as Sullivan scrambled for something to say to prolong their conversation. “Well, it was nice meeting you, Mrs. Webb. If you have any problems, just holler at me. You know the number.”
The thought that this could be their last time speaking was sobering for Sullivan. Their brief connection may not have amounted to much, but his presence was a welcomed break from the monotony of her routine life. “So, this is it, huh?”
“I hope so,” replied Vaughn. “It's not too good for business if your car is breaking down every week.”
She scrawled his name with her finger. “Well, we'll always have Auto World.”
“I'm sure we'll see each other around,” he assured her. “Hey, a customer just walked in. I'll check you later.”
The easiest and smartest thing to do at that moment would've been to hang up, but Sullivan wasn't always prone to doing things the easy or the smart way. “Vaughn, wait!”
“'Sup?” She heard Vaughn tell the customer he'd be right with him.
“Maybe we should get together for coffee some time.”
“That's cool.”
“Maybe, like, one day this week,” she ventured.
He hesitated. It was only for a second, but it was long enough to make her want to rescind the offer.
“On second thought, maybe we shouldn't. Forget I said that.”
Vaughn cleared his throat. “When?”
“Excuse me?”
“When do you want to hook up . . . for coffee?”
Sullivan sighed, relieved. “Are you free Thursday?” She crossed her fingers.
“Yeah.”
“What time?”
“How's seven?”
She puckered her brow. “In the morning?”
“Yes. Some of us have to work, you know.”
She acquiesced, giddy from the prospect of seeing him again. “Seven it is then.”
“Cool. Can't wait.”
“Is Starbucks okay?”
“I don't really get into all those lattes and mochas. I was thinking about just a regular old cup of joe at McDonald's or someplace like that. There's one a couple of blocks from here.”
McDonald's?
She didn't even know where the nearest one was, but she'd spend all night staking out every one of them if she had to. “Mickey D's is fine. I'll see you tomorrow, Vaughn.” She hung up the phone and squealed with excitement.
As Sullivan made her way upstairs to find something to wear for her date with Vaughn, she caught sight of one of her wedding photographs, mounted up above the staircase, staring back at her. The guilt bolted down on Sullivan at once. What was she thinking? She was the pastor's wife, for God's sake. How could she risk her reputation by cavorting with the family's mechanic? How could she do that to Charles, who had never been anything but good to her?
“I can just about hear those three stooges right now,” grumbled Sullivan, thinking about Angel, Lawson, and Kina. She mocked them: “Remember what the Bible says, Sully. Have respect for marriage. Always be faithful to your partner because God will punish anyone who is immoral or unfaithful in marriage.”
Try as she might, she couldn't argue with what the Word says regarding marriage and fidelity. Lawson, Kina, and Angel's wrath would be nothing compared to God's. Sullivan flipped through the call history on her phone to find the garage's number to call Vaughn and cancel their date.
As quickly as that repentant moment came, however, so did the memory of Vaughn's electric touch and seductive smile. Sullivan put the phone away and decided that God knew she would never do anything to intentionally hurt Charles. This was just coffee. After all, didn't the Bible also say that people should be kind to others because many people have entertained angels without even knowing it? Vaughn could be one of those angels for all she knew. It wouldn't be a far stretch, considering that he certainly had the body of a god.
The twinge of guilt tried to creep in again, but she wasn't perturbed. It was nothing that another shot of Morning Sunrise couldn't cure.

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