Love To Luv (2 page)

JACOB

I love you too.

As we ended our phone call I thought about what the next few calls would bring. I decided that the first call I would make would be to Dennis Hartley. Dennis is a friend from college.
He used to date a guy named Andrew Robinson. Andrew was a star basketball player at Alcorn. Ellis and I used to double date with them. At 6’2, 200 pounds he is nothing short of an Adonis. Dennis is fine and has a wonderfully toned body with an ass that is dented on the sides with the promise of power. Dennis has a successful law firm where he represents Fortune 500 companies.

             
I pressed his picture on my phone to call him. After three rings my call went to voicemail. I decided to leave him a message asking him to call me back when he got a chance.

             
Thumbing throw the papers on my desk I decided that I would call about a speaking engagement in New York.

__________________

Monique was waiting in her car when Ian and Jeremy came up. She was on her web tablet checking out hotels for their weekend trip. She didn’t notice that they were standing outside until Ian knocked on the window. It startled her so much that her tablet fell to the floor. She pressed the unlock button for them to enter.

             
As they began to drive out of the parking lot and talking about their first day back to school, Monique noticed Teddy walking. She quickly hit the brakes and let the window down.

MONIQUE

How was your day?

Teddy turned around and saw Monique in her yellow
Camaro
Convertible. He smiled as he walked over to her walk. When he noticed that she had two other guys with her, his smiled dropped.

TEDDY

It was ok. I am just trying to figure everything out.

MONIQUE

That is good. Oh these are my friends Ian and Jeremy.

TEDDY

Sup fellows?

IAN

How is it going?

TEDDY

Cool.

MONIQUE

We are about to head to
Chucky’s
to grab something to eat. Would you like to ride with us?

TEDDY

Yeah. That’s what’s up.

Teddy jumped over the side of the car into the back seat with Jeremy. As they drove down the highway to
Chucky’s
, they all talked about their day at school. Monique glanced in the rear view mirror at Teddy. She flashed him a quick smile. He gave her a quick nod and wink. She could not help but to blush. They begin to talk about the upcoming football season and, of course, Jeremy tried to bring up the conversation of females.

             
When they arrived at
Chucky’s
a lot of the kids from school where there. They grabbed a table over in the corner. A waitress came over to take their order. Teddy tried to order Conjure Cognac with pineapple juice but the waitress asked to see his I.D. Needless to say that it didn’t work. They all begin to laugh out aloud.

TEDDY

Tell me what you all think about Ms.
Welton
.

JEREMY

We have never taken her. She is more of a tutorial teacher.

TEDDY

Oh so what is it that you are trying to say?

JEREMY

I am not trying to say anything. It’s just that we have not had to take her.

At this point Teddy was getting upset. He thought that Jeremy was trying to pick at him because he took some tutorial classes. Ian interrupted the conversation.

IAN

Have you guys heard R. Kelly’s new CD?

TEDDY

Yeah man.
That thing go
hard. That man is serious about his music. I would love for him, Janet Jackson, and Plies to do a
collabo
together. Can you imagine how many babies would be made from that track?

MONIQUE (laughing)

Yesss
!!!! I think I am pregnant now just thinking about it.

JEREMY

Girl you are crazy.

An hour and a half passed before they knew it. They returned to the car and proceeded to go home. Teddy gave Monique directions to his house. She was a bit surprised that he lived about three blocks from her.

             
After Teddy got out of the car Jeremy made mention of the attraction between Teddy and Monique. Monique tried not to pay any attention to the conversation but she could not help but think about Teddy and smile.

             
When Monique arrived home Jacob was cooking dinner. She entered the house and set the alarm. She threw her bag on the sofa and walked into the kitchen. She gave Jacob a hug and kiss on the cheek.

JACOB

How was your first day as a SENIOR?

MONIQUE

It was great but I think that I am going to change my schedule so that I can get out at twelve every day.

JACOB

Are you going to get an afternoon job?

MONIQUE

Yes Pop.

JACOB

I talked to Aunt Aretha today.

MONIQUE

Really?
I was supposed to call her back last week but I forgot.

JACOB

She mentioned that. Dinner is ready.

Monique ran to wash her hands. I placed two plates on the table. Monique came and sat down.

             
I discussed my upcoming trips for the foundation. Monique’s face lit up when I told her that I was going to be out of town for a few days. Maybe she was thinking that I was going to leave her alone. She knows that I trust her but I am not about to leave her alone for three days while I am in New York.

JACOB

I am going to ask Aunt Aretha to stay with you while I am gone.

MONIQUE

Pop!!! I am 18 now. I can stay by myself.

JACOB

True but I want someone here with you just in case.

MONIQUE

Just in case of what?

JACOB

Monique, anything can happen. Just go with me on this one ok?

             
Aretha retired from her job as a hospital administrator. She and her husband, Edgar, separated after being married for almost twenty-five years. Aretha always said that she would not divorce Edgar. Edgar was a stallion of a man. He was a blues singer and was always on the road.

Aretha decided she would surprise Edgar and show up at one of his concerts. To her surprise, Edgar had a mistress on the side that would travel with him when he knew that Aretha wasn’t going. She heard about this lady before from her best friend, Mattie Holmes.

Today had been a stressful day for Aretha. This morning she volunteered at a retirement home where she read to the residents and played card games with a few. After she left the retirement house Aretha went to her attorney’s office to sign papers about Edgar’s estate.

Edgar’s collapsed on stage one night during a performance. He had open heart surgery a few weeks earlier and the doctor told him to take it easy. Edgar had three gold albums and more than $1.7 million in the bank. His mistress tried to contest the will but Edgar and Aretha was still married. Aretha was generous and decided to sell the
mistress
Edgar’s house. It was not a decision that she wanted to make but Aretha had a house of her own.
             

It was a breezy Monday evening. Aretha was relaxing in her
jacuzzi
sipping on a Mimosa while listening to Will Downing and
Kem
. She loved to place candles around the edge and just drift away for hours at a time. Her cell phone was in her Medium Valerie
Dooney
and Bourke handbag. Her phone had rung three separate times.

While in her state of serenity her doorbell rings. Aretha grabbed her towel and raced to the door. It was Mattie.

ARETHA

Hey
chile
. C’mon in here.

MATTIE

What have you been doing? I have tried calling you.

ARETHA

I was in the
jacuzzi
out back. My phone is in my handbag.

MATTIE

Someone could have kidnapped me, tried to take my pocketbook and left me by the road.

ARETHA

Chhhhiiillleeee
, you know no one wants your ole dusty pocketbook.

MATTIE

My pocketbook is …girl I am not about to get into that with you. Are we still watching the season finale of Season 25: Oprah
Behind The
Scene? If so, I need a drink.

ARETHA

Yes. Fix you a Mimosa. That is what I am sipping on. Let me tell you about my day. You know that I go to the retirement home on Mondays. Well after I left there I went by Dennis Hartley’s Law Office to wrap up some things about Edgar. Well how about that “okra” had over $1.7 million in the bank.
Nigga
use to tell me he wasn’t making any money on the road.

MATTIE

$1.7 million!!!
Girl.
Does it come to you or that hussy?

ARETHA

What do you mean come to me or her? I am his wife. We may not have been scratching the sheets together but we were still married.

MATTIE

What she say? Will she get anything?
ARETHA

I called her and told her I would sell her the house. The reason I said sell is because there is still a mortgage on it. I can sell it and get it out of his name and then if something was to happen it would not come back on me.

MATTIE

Or you can burn it down.

ARETHA

I knew you weren’t my friend. You want to see me in jail fighting to keep my pocketbook.

Aretha and Mattie left the kitchen and went into the living room. Aretha decided to go to her bedroom to put on some shorts and a t-shirt before the program was to start. She also grabbed her cell phone.

             
While walking down the stairs she scanned her phone. She had four missed calls and two text messages. One message was from her nephew Jacob. She dialed his number to see what it was that he wanted.

JACOB

Auntie I am glad that you called me back.

ARETHA

What you need Papadopoulos?

JACOB

I have to go to New York for a few days. I leave on Thursday. If you are not busy do you think that you can come housesit and watch Monique?

ARETHA

Yeah baby. I will do that for you.

JACOB

OK. Thanks. I will have to get you a gift.

ARETHA

I would love to have a new winter coat.

JACOB

You got it.

ARETHA

Well Papadopoulos – I got to go. Mattie is over here and our shows are about to come one. I will talk to you later.

JACOB

OK. Tell Ms. Mattie I said hello.

After pressing end on the phone Aretha continued her conversation with Mattie.

I raced to Monique’s room to tell her that Auntie had agreed to stay with her. She was upset about it. I tried to explain to her why I didn’t want to leave her alone. But being a teenager, I knew that she did not want to hear what I had to say. She was lying across her bed with her face turned towards the window. Within five minutes of me talking, her cell phones rings. Monique jumped out of the bed to answer it. I saw that she was not going to pay me any attention, so I exited her room.

MONIQUE

That was my dad.

IAN

You sound like you don’t want to be bothered.

MONIQUE

No it’s not that. Pop is leaving this weekend. Well… why don’t you just come over.

IAN

Give me about ten minutes.

Monique came into my room to tell me that Ian was coming over. I told her that was fine. Monique closed my door. I started to prepare for my trip by picking out clothes. I thought about one of my prison pen-pal's that is in New York. Should I? Ok why not.

             
I went into a lockbox that I had under my bed that I kept my letters in. Finally I found a few letters that he had wrote to me: