Loves Redemption (10 page)

Damn!”

“What do you mean, ‘damn’?”

“That was it, Jordan. Nothing else can describe it. I felt like I got sucker punched, and I hadn’t even gotten a clear look at her. At first I saw this figure kind of huddled in the chair, and I thought she was a kid. She looked so damn little sitting there. But then she turned toward me, and I felt like someone hit me. I have
never
felt like that in my life--you know?” he asked his friend in an abstracted voice.

“I mean she’s gorgeous. Those eyes and those lips--man what I think about when I look

at those lips....” Catching himself he looked at Jordan. “I’ve dated beautiful women before, but there’s something different about her. She’s gorgeous and I don’t know if she knows it, or she just doesn’t think about it too much, like she doesn’t care.”

As the waiter returned with their lunch, both men took a moment to take a few bites

before Mark continued the conversation.

“Maya puts out a different vibe. From the moment she speaks, you can feel that she’s

interested in what you have to say; just in the way she looks at you. I met her under pretty rough conditions, and yet that
still
came across. When I went to Imani House I saw her in her counseling session, and it was even more obvious. Man, she has a beautiful soul.”

“Damn, Mark, I don’t think you’ve ever waxed poetic like that. She’s made an

impression on you in a short time. What’s the problem? She not feeling the same way?” Jordan asked as he took a long swallow of the sweet tea the waitress had refilled.

“Not a problem. More like maybe a concern. There’s no way she’s not feeling this

chemistry. There’s no way this feeling is one-sided,” Mark insisted.

As he paused and took a healthy bite of his BLT, Jordan asked, “Is it because she’s

black? Is that the problem?” Jordan asked bluntly.

“Hell no. I mean yes. She is black but that’s not a problem. At least not for me. Why? Do

you have a problem with it?” Mark and Jordan were close and their discussions had ranged from politics to religion with no issues. If one of them had a differing opinion, it was handled with good nature; they ribbed each other and let it go.

On the issue of race, Mark always felt they saw eye to eye on most topics. But as a white

man, he knew he’d never be able to understand or see the world through Jordan’s eyes as a black man.

“Man I don’t have a problem with interracial relationships. You know me, I’m an equal

opportunity lover.” Jordan laughed. “But everybody doesn’t feel the same way. I see it like this; we’re on this earth for a blink of an eye. Grab love where you can, and don’t worry about

anybody else’s hang-ups.”

“Now who’s waxing poetic?” Mark laughed, relieved with Jordan’s assessment. It

wouldn’t have altered how he felt about Maya, but it was good to know how his friend felt.

“Maya and I have touched on the issue, but we haven’t gotten too deep with it. So to be

honest, I’m not sure how she feels about it,” Mark admitted.

“Yeah, I can see that. I mean the relationship is new, kind of in the honeymoon stage.

You’re busy trying to get to know her, and she’s doing the same. Everything else will come with time. The deeper you get into the relationship, the quicker reality starts to kick your ass,” Jordan laughed, as he finished his sandwich.

They ate in companionable silence before Mark continued. “My problem is with her

work. She has this
incredible
commitment to Imani House, and I think she has a hard time separating herself from it. She’s already warned me her priorities are always going to be there first.”

“Well if the relationship deepens, I’m sure things will shift. But this is all new, right? I mean it’s not like you’re in love or anything, you know?”

Mark was taking a long swallow of his drink when Jordan spoke, and being unprepared,

the question made him choke on his drink.

Jordan jumped up and thumped him hard on the back. “Damn man--are you okay?” he

asked after Mark regained his composure.

“I’m fine, thanks,” he choked out. He could feel the heat spread throughout his face as

realization dawned. He couldn’t believe it. It was too soon. There was no way he could be falling in love with her this soon.

The waiter returned to ask if they needed anything and Mark asked for the bill.

Not realizing the cause of his partner’s near choking accident, Jordan continued. “Yeah,

like I was saying, give it some time. This is new to the both of you and time will tell.”

“Yeah, you’re right. We’d better head back.” Leaving money on the table for the bill and

a healthy tip, they left the café.

As Mark drove home later that evening, he remembered the interview Alicia Somers had

conducted with Maya. He drove faster so he could catch a glimpse of her on the late news, as he thought back over his conversation with Jordan.

* * * *

Imani House was quiet when Maya finished her duties at the end of the day. Time was

approaching when her practicum students would finish their semester. Although some had

agreed to stay on for the summer to earn an additional graduate credit, most would not be

returning until fall.

Summer was the House’s downtime. She was able to have less staff than at any other

time because people were at their most content during late spring and summer, and her residents were no different. She needed fewer counselors because she held less counseling sessions.

Maya stretched her achy back and began to straighten her desk, placing important

documents she was working on in her bag as she prepared to leave for the day. Turning off the light, she left her office and said goodnight to the night security officer as well as to Jorge and the few residents watching television in the dayroom.

As she drove home, Maya popped in a CD, eased back into her seat and listened to the

smooth vocals of Etta James coming from the speakers. Music always helped her relax on the

drive home; time seemed to go by, if not faster, at least pleasantly. As she maneuvered through the near empty streets heading toward the interstate and home, she thought back on the current events in her life.

She hadn’t had time to start her investigation for information today. Now as she was

driving home she had time to think about what her first plan of action would be to gain the information she needed. Whenever she needed information she would put the word out in the

community and it didn’t take long before either one of her staff members or one of the residents would come through with what she needed.

Although this time there was a difference. This was more personal.

Maya could see the lights were on in Dalia’s section of the mansion as she drove into her

driveway. Finals were approaching and although her friend was a part-time student, she took her studies seriously.

Using the automatic garage door opener, she drove inside the garage’s brightly lit

interior. Turning off the ignition, she grabbed her bag and jumped off the raised platform of the jeep, landing sneaker-clad feet on the garage floor. Humming the tune she’d been listening to under her breath, Maya walked to the door, which led into her private entrance.

After she’d entered the house, she automatically turned on the light and didn’t look up.

Instead, she leafed through the mail on the side table. Because of thi, she accidentally bumped into a large vase filled with a beautiful arrangement of fragrant yellow roses.

Maya’s mouth formed a perfect O as she placed the unread and forgotten mail down to

admire the beautiful floral display on the small table. A note sat beside the vase written in Dalia’s hasty script. “These came for you this evening. I didn’t want them to stay outside so I brought them in for you. From your detective,
Sesute
? Enjoy!!”

She smiled and took a deep breath before she began to hunt around for an accompanying

note. Finding it tucked into the middle, she opened the small envelope and read the contents.

“I saw you on the news. You were wonderful. I’ll bet that Alicia Somers will think again

before she opens that big trap of hers and tries to make anyone else look foolish!!” The note wasn’t signed, but she couldn’t think of anyone who’d send her flowers, except for Mark.

Although the wording seemed a bit odd, she smiled, as she once again took one of the delicate stems between her fingers and inhaled its lovely fragrance.

She had forgotten all about the interview and wondered if she could catch it on a later

broadcast. As she glanced around the room, she noticed the red light blinking on her antiquated answering machine. The machine was old, but it served its purpose, and she had a hard time

wasting money. She took off her Nikes and padded on stocking feet to hit the play button to listen.

“Hi Maya, it’s Mark. I’m at home catching up on paperwork, but I wanted to call to see

how your day went. It’s after ten, and after I catch the evening news, I’m turning in. I don’t want to call you at Imani House, because if you’re still there, I’m sure you’re busy and I already feel guilty enough for us taking up your morning. I saw you on the news, and you looked and

sounded great. I’ll give you a call tomorrow. Sweet dreams.”

Maya was surprised he hadn’t mentioned the flowers. She’d have to remember to thank

him tomorrow. She picked the flowers up and carried them with her into her bedroom.

After she’d placed them on her dresser, she stripped out of her clothes, anxious to take

them off, having had them on for over 15 hours. She was too exhausted to do anything else but take a quick shower and climb into bed. The last thought in her mind was Mark, and the

unexpected turn her life had taken with him in it.

* * * *

The following week was a busy one for Maya as she planned to take time off on the

weekend. She didn’t know the last time she had and was looking forward to it.

She’d spoken with Mark often during the week and found herself more and more

attracted to him. She believed what made a person interesting wasn’t the outer trappings. The inside, the spirit of a person, is what called to her.

She liked the very way he spoke, how she could often hear the smile coming through. He

would ask her questions about herself, and she could tell he was really interested in the answer.

On Wednesday, they’d talked long into the night. She told him about her short stint in private practice during her days in graduate school.

“That didn’t strike you in the least bit funny? Come on! I don’t see how you do it. I

couldn’t have kept a straight face if someone was flipping back and forth like that, right before my eyes!” he laughed outright.

She’d been telling him of a client who had multiple personality disorder. The client was a

middle-aged, overweight, white male, whose alter ego was a flirtatious young black woman in her mid twenties. Who was
very
sexually active.

“Mark, it’s what I do.” She knew she shouldn’t laugh, but his was so infectious she

couldn’t help herself. “I’m a therapist. How would it look if I laughed? That could have seriously damaged his already fragile hold on reality…”

“But what about when he was giving you advice on how to please a black man in bed?

That didn’t strike you as funny?” She could hear him holding back another deep chuckle.

“I’ve learned to roll with the punches. I thanked him for the advice and went on with the

session!” she said, tongue in cheek, desperately holding her humor at bay. She finally gave up and laughed out loud, right alongside him.

“I have to be honest, it would have driven me nuts, Maya.” She loved his laugh, so deep

and husky; the sound alone sent a quick jolt through her body.

They talked for a few minutes more and she caught herself yawning, and looked over at

her bedside alarm clock for the time.

“You sound exhausted Maya, maybe we’d better end this. It’s getting late. I could talk to

you all night.” He admitted in a husky voice and laughed again when she yawned for the third time in five minutes.

“So could I,” she said and Mark laughed.

Eventually they were forced to hang up, and Maya couldn’t remember the last time she’d

enjoyed talking on the phone with anyone through the night as she had with Mark.

At lunch the next day, Dalia had come into her office to tell her she had a visitor, and

moved aside to allow Mark, with a huge, overflowing basket in his hands, to enter her office.

“I hope you’re hungry!” he said, a huge grin on his face as he looked around the pretty

wicker picnic basket. He placed it down on her desk and gave her a casual kiss.

Between the kiss and the picnic basket, she didn’t know which one caught her more off

guard. “This looks wonderful,” she said around the growl of her stomach. She groaned as she hungrily viewed the contents. There were dinner rolls, strawberries, assorted cheeses, and a bottle of nonalcoholic wine.

“I felt bad for keeping you up so late last night. Thought this would make up for it.”

Maya turned to him and had to quickly look away, overwhelmed with the gesture as she pulled out food and placed it on the picnic plates in the basket.

“It all looks so wonderful, I don’t know where to start,” she said on a shaky laugh. She

felt a silly urge to cry. She didn’t know what was wrong with her, but his showing up so

unexpectedly, thinking of her with something so simple, made her want to bawl.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m starved,” he said, as he sat down in the overstuffed

chair near her desk.

“Thank you so much for thinking of me,” she said, and smiled when he gave her a sexy

wink, as he picked up a piece of chicken and sank his even white teeth into the breast.

“Delicious,” he agreed, licking his lips, and Maya had the feeling he was referring to