God's Gift to Women (11 page)

“Can I say something now?” I asked her.

“Not yet, I just have one more thing to say.” Her tone was very serious. “I admire you for being the man you are. Raising your daughter after losing your wife must be very difficult. I only hope that I haven’t ruined my opportunity to get to know you and find out what kind of man you are—outside of the studio. That’s it, I’m done.”

“Well, since you’re feeling so apologetic, what are you willing to do to make it up to me?”

“I’ll leave that up to you, but don’t ask for nothin’ crazy.” She laughed.

“How about a date?”

“Just say when.”

“Be careful how you say that. I can be quite spontaneous.”

“Like I said, you name the time and place and I’ll be there.”

“Okay, how about an hour from now at my place?”

“And may I ask what we’re going to do at your place, Mr. Payne?”

“Stop trippin’, Terri, I’m not trying to seduce you. It’s simply an invitation to get better acquainted and have a swim. That is, if a stuck-up, educated sistah like yourself isn’t afraid of getting her hair wet.”

She got quiet for a second.

“Okay, you’ve got yourself a date. I’ll be there in about an
hour and a half. I have to go by the mall and pick up a cute swimsuit. And by the way, don’t let my degrees and fancy office fool you, I’m a homegirl from the Fifth Ward and I can throw down with the best of them,” she said, sounding cocky. “Now give me the directions to your place so I can embarrass you in your own pool.”

I WAS SO excited about Terri’s visit that I mopped the foyer with a bucket of Lysol, vacuumed the carpet twice, and did one hundred inclined push-ups. “You da man!” I admired my physique in the dresser mirror.

At one fifteen I heard Terri’s BMW pulling into the driveway. I looked through the blinds as she was stepping out of her car. I wanted to see if she was just as fine as I remembered. She was wearing a white wrap over a two-piece yellow swimsuit and a gold chain that accentuated her slim waist. Her round, tan breasts stood out even more, 36C, I estimated. “That business suit didn’t do your body justice,” I said to myself. I grabbed a beach towel from the linen closet and wrapped it around my waist to disguise my erection, then I rushed downstairs to let her in.

“Welcome to Club Med, pretty la-dee,” I said with a Jamaican accent. “Cu-mon in and take ya shoes off.”

“Why thank you, Dexter Saint Jock—don’t mind if I do.”

“Can I offer ya some soda or tea, are maybe some ganja to relax ya mind?”

“Water will be fine.”

“Are ya for sure, now, ’cause I got the good stuff, the Panama Red, the Acapulco Gold.”

“No thank you, I’ll just have good ole fashion H
₂
O.”

“Comin’ right up, child.” I said as I went into the refrigerator. “Any ting ya want, just let me know.”

Terri laughed as she walked around the living room admiring the house. Her hair was pulled back in a tight bun and she wore tinted glasses that gave her an elegant and sophisticated look.

“I love your place,” Terri said. “How long have you been in Houston?”

“It’ll be two weeks on Sunday. But it already feels like home.”

“Aww, she’s adorable. Is this your daughter?” She was looking at Samantha’s pictures on the mantel over the fireplace.

“Yeah, that’s my baby,” I said while walking over to her. “And this must be your wife. She’s very beautiful! Your daughter looks just like her.”

“Thank you.” I picked up Carmen’s picture. “We met back in college when I was working at the campus radio station.”

“Janet told me that she passed away.” Terri put her hand on my shoulder. “How long has it been?”

“Two years.”

“You really loved her, didn’t you?”

“There are no words to express how much.” I put the picture back on the mantel. “What about you, have you ever been married?”

“Who, me—married? No. I haven’t even come close.”

“Is that by choice?”

“No, it’s by circumstance.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning most men aren’t interested in a committed relationship. They lie too much, they don’t have any goals, and they will lay up with any hoochie who’ll open her legs. Then they
have the audacity to expect the woman to be loyal,” she said. “At this point in my life, I’d rather collect dust than problems.”

“But don’t you want to fall in love, have children, and live happily ever after?”

“Do you want the strong, independent woman answer, or the real deal?”

“I want to know what’s in your heart, not your head.”

“There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t hope for all those wonderful things. But wanting something badly comes with a price, and that’s the disappointment of knowing you can’t have it. Every little girl dreams of Prince Charming whisking her off on a white horse, but when you grow up you realize the prince has turned into a toad and the white castle is the basement at his mama’s house.” She took a deep breath and lowered her head. “I can’t even believe I’m telling you this; I don’t even know you.”

“Why does being comfortable with a man make you so uncomfortable?” I moved in closer and grasped her hand on the mantel. “Maybe you’re just afraid of letting someone get close.”

“What kind of romantic nonsense is that?” She laughed nervously.

“If it was nonsense, why are you trembling?”

Terri pulled away.

“I’ve been the only one doing all the revealing—you haven’t told me what it is that you want.”

“I want everything! A soul mate, a role model for my daughter, and a woman who can make a good pitcher of KoolAid.”

“Is that pink lemonade or the red kind?”

“I like mine mixed.”

We both laughed. It relaxed the mood temporarily, but we both knew where the conversation was going.

“Look, Julian, there are hundreds of women out there you could choose from. Why me?”

“I wasn’t looking to get involved, either. Just two weeks ago I was telling my best friend that I wasn’t interested in a serious relationship; then you came along and all of a sudden my attitude changed. Maybe it’s fate or just coincidence. All I know is ever since we met, I haven’t been able to get you off my mind.”

“Julian, I’ve been down this road before with men who talk about settling down. But after a couple of years, months, or even weeks, they’re ready to move on to something new or back to someone from their past.”

“I’m not expecting us to get married next week and start having babies. All I’m asking is that you leave the baggage from your previous relationships behind. It all starts with friendship and trust. Don’t you remember what I wrote on your card? If you need a friend, I’ll be there.”

“I also remember you offering your services if I needed a maintenance man,” Terri said. “If this is all about sex, I wish you would come right out and say it.”

“Terri, I’m not gonna lie and say that sex isn’t important. I have needs like any other man. But a relationship is also about being compatible and wanting the same things,” I told her. “But you have to admit, if the sex isn’t good, you’re not stickin’ around either.”

“You got that right!” Terri said. “You’ll never hear me lie and say size doesn’t matter. I’ll take a cruise ship over a canoe any day of the week!”

“Then why can’t we deal with this like adults and move forward. You know, just get to know each other?” I walked over to where she was standing and took her hand. “Like I told you when we met, I’m different, and if you give me a chance, I’ll prove it to you.”

“Julian, I have no doubt that you’re a good man. I admire and respect you for making it to this point in your career and for raising a child on your own. Not many men would do that. But I can’t help guarding my heart after it’s been stepped on so many times. A woman
has
to be strong just to survive!”

“Terri, being strong doesn’t keep you warm at night. And it damn sure doesn’t hold you and tell you everything is gonna be all right.” I moved in closer. “As strong and independent as you are, you’re still alone and incomplete. Why can’t you stop focusing on being strong and just be Terri? There’s more strength in that than anything in the universe.”

She got quiet as if she was contemplating what I said, and then she put her arms around my neck.

“Okay, Mr. Payne. I’m gonna do something I haven’t done in years. I’m gonna trust you. And if you can handle my love without getting scared and running away, I will be more than happy to play my role. Hell, I’m tired of being strong and independent anyway; it’s too hard,” she whispered as she moved in toward my lips. “It’s too damned hard.” Then we kissed.

Her lips were soft. She moved her tongue slow and smooth, just the way I liked.

“Umm!” we moaned.

When I hugged her around the waist, her wrap fell off, exposing her firm, round ass. I rubbed it gently at first, trying to be a gentleman, but then I grew bold and palmed it. The contours of her hips and the dip in her lower back made me erect. She must have felt it because she backed away.

“I think we’d better stop,” Terri said. “I’m not quite ready for that tune-up yet.”

She walked over to her bag and pulled out a towel and a pair of goggles.

“Why don’t we go get into the pool and cool off. I think we both could use it.” She looked down at the bulge in my towel and smiled, then took off running toward the pool. “Last one in is a rotten egg!”

I laughed as I ran after her, because that’s a line I always used with Samantha.

For the rest of the afternoon we laughed and talked about all the things we wanted out of life. I could feel her enthusiasm as we engaged in conversation. When she mentioned a city she
had traveled to, I had been there. When she talked about ethnic foods, I had tried them or was willing to try them, and when she asked me a question about relationships, I answered it directly.

Terri was everything I wanted in a woman. On the outside she was beautiful and classy, on the inside she was sweet, smart, and vulnerable. Most men would try to take advantage of her past pain, but it only made me even more determined to make sure nothing like that happened again.

THE THERMOMETER ON my dash read seventy-six degrees as I cruised down Highway 59 on my way to the studio. I had the convertible top down and the music blaring as the warm breeze blew across my face. I smiled as I sang along to “Baby Can’t Leave It Alone” by Olu. It was a popular stepper’s cut in Chicago. The first time I heard it was at a club called the Fifty Yard Line, a small but classy joint on the south side.

It was the perfect song for a perfect night. Even the humidity was low. Houston may have been hot as hell during the day, but the nighttime was incredible! I felt blessed to be where I was, to have my job, to have a healthy child, and to have Terri in my life.

When I arrived at the studio, I parked in my designated space in the underground garage. It was only nine thirty, so I decided to chill out and listen to one more track off the
Soul Catcher
CD. I pushed the selector to track three, “Sistah Why?” I reclined my seat and closed my eyes while I sang along to Olu’s poetic lyrics.

“
Sistah why do people fall in love so mad-ly
And then leave each other standin’ all alone. …”

The symphonic violin interlude echoed through the tiers of concrete like in a concert hall. “Maxwell better watch his back,” I said to myself. Just about halfway through the song I felt a light tap on my shoulder. I ignored it until I felt it a second time. When I opened my eyes, I couldn’t believe who was leaning over me.

“Olivia, what the hell are you doin’ here?” I turned the volume down, then stepped out of the car.

“I just wanted to give you this.” She handed me a small box. It was covered with red Christmas wrapping paper. “It’s my way of apologizing for the way I acted last week.”

“You flew all the way from Chicago to give me this?”

“Who said I ever left Houston?”

Her hair was all over her head like it hadn’t been combed in days and she was wearing a long trench coat, which was odd considering it was seventy-six degrees outside. I played it cool, but deep down inside I was scared. I didn’t know what she was capable of.

“Olivia, I have to go to work. My show starts in twenty minutes.”

“Don’t you think I know what time your show starts? I’ve been listening to you every night.”

“Then you should know I don’t have time for this drama.”

“I didn’t come here to bring drama, I just wanted to give you this before I left for Chicago tomorrow.”

“What is it?”

“Open it and find out.”

I figured the best thing to do was open the box and get it over with. I peeled the paper off and lifted the top. Inside was a small royal blue pillow covered with packing paper. There was a long rope attached that I assumed was used to hang it on a hook or doorknob. On the front were embroidered white letters that read
The Princess Is Sleeping.

“When we first met, you called your daughter Princess,” Olivia said. “I thought she might like it.”

“Thank you, Olivia. Now I have to go. I’m running late.” I put up the convertible top on my rental car and locked the doors.

“Can’t you take a couple of minutes out of your busy schedule to talk to an old friend? I’ve been waiting around this dump for hours just to see you.”

“Well, now you’ve seen me. Good-bye!” I started walking away.

“Wait, baby, look at what I brought you.” She untied the belt on her trench coat and slid it off her shoulders.

When it fell to the ground I damn near lost my breath. She was naked. From twenty feet away I could see her erect nipples.

“Olivia, put on your coat before somebody sees you!” I ran over and put the coat over her shoulders. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

“I just miss you, Julian. Don’t you miss me?”

“Go home, Olivia, you’re embarrassing yourself.”

“Fuck these country-ass people!” she shouted. “I came here to see
my man
!”

“Your man?” I laughed nervously. “Woman, you don’t even know me. Now go back to your hotel and sleep off whatever you’ve been drinkin’ or smokin’!”