That would include explaining the situation and apologizing. Shit like that only added to the time it would take.
“Kind of,” I replied smirking with the tip of my finger in my mouth. Seeing him in my waiting area was a temporary moment of relief. I still couldn’t believe that this happened at the busiest time of the year. However, I had to give Houston the gold star because he was accurate about it being fate. He hadn’t left my mind since the meeting, but I had to play his game and wait for him to reach out.
“You know you can go back there if you want. It’s clear you would like to know him, know him,” Missy joked. Although I was the owner I still had a hand in every aspect of the practice. Sometimes that meant I had to roll my own sleeves up and dig in. So Missy wasn’t going to get rid of me that fast.
“Not really. I mean I’ve met him before at the school. So I don’t know him and I’m not sure I need to even embark on that journey. He’s a widow.”
“So he’s free game?” she laughed.
“Don’t play with me. And why?” I asked me and Missy had been good friends since I started the practice, but none of that mattered. I wouldn’t hesitate to cut her if she wanted to sink her fangs into Houston. It was clear I wanted dibs by how softly I answered. It didn’t matter that she saw him first this morning. I was destined to be his eternity and plus she had someone.
“Chill, nah, I just saw how you looked at him and how he looked at you. I saw some sparks, honey.” Sparks were right, every nerve was snapping, crackling, and popping right now. It took my breath away laying eyes on him again. The surprise became nothing but delight once I stepped around the corner and noticed that beanie and his weird ears.
My face read the same, but I planned to play it off to keep Missy from intervening. Soon, Missy would stick her nose in any way; it wasinevitable. Missy thought she was the big sister. All big sisters were bossy. That was Missy spot on. A friend like her was the best thing that ever happened to me, so her being bossy was just something you had to deal with.
“I met him last week at that school meeting with Ms. Cranky. And I don’t believe shit you say about sparks. I still can’t believe you set me up with Chase. You are currently on a time-out from setting me up.”
“I apologized about that and knocked Lewis’ brain back on correctly,” she laughed as I rolled my eyes at her. “Oh, he’s the one that got her together, huh?”
Parts of me were still brewing from the way she tried to play the young man. When I explained it to Missy she was just as pissed. Malone was mischievous, but his grades didn’t show that. She forgot to highlight that Malone was top of his class. That pissed me off. I laid into her once the meeting was over. I wasted no time letting her know that if she removed him from the school a phone call to my father would be made and funding would be cut. Kids needed team players and if Ms. Norwood wasn’t up for the challenge she needed to step down.
Her antics wouldn’t be rewarded. The school didn’t even need the damn funding as high as the tuition was. The problem with Ms. Norwood was that she refused to see each student as a reward instead of an obstacle. That was something no one with a mothering nature would understand. I wouldn’t try and understand why she was acting as if she was above helping a young man that didn’t otherwise have help. That would only lead to a headache. Children were innocent and no matter the circumstance needed patience, compassion, and someone to act like they gave a damn.
“Yeah, that’s him.”
“And did sparks fly then? Because honey, he’s grown man fine.”
“Missy, I met him via his son, not on a date. So, although he is extremely good looking, I was focused on that.” I wished our initial meeting was different, but maybe I had a second chance. I would save that for another day. A man like him took patience as well. He clearly had a lot going on and if I wanted to be a part of that, preparation wasimportant. I loved kids, but I didn’t have any of my own. It was a full-time job on top of working a full-time job. His time would be tied up and I wasn’t sure if I was capable of dealing with failed commitments and postponed dates.
“So there were sparks?” Missy could already feel the galaxy working in my favor. She was tired of me not dating and letting love in. Sure pain was never anyone’s favorite emotion, but she constantly reminded me of how wonderful I was and how much marvel I would bring to a relationship. However, her advice was shut down right now after the last stunt she pulled.
“Of course, but you know I’m a genie in a bottle and you gotta rub me the right way,” I danced. My youth was nothing to play with and I also took it very seriously. This was my last year of play and I was going to take advantage. Most considered me the Mother Theresa around the office because I was so good with kids and humble. It was far from true. Outside of work I was adventurous, fearless, and free. I continued to dance and move my hips until Missy’s face dropped in shock and humor.
Turning around my normally murky skin was a bright shade of red. I caught him staring and licking his lips. Being caught up in my own groove may have paid off because that was the look of fire and desire. “Don’t just stand there join the fun,” I offered going back to winding my hips. Missy cut the radio back on and “Fetish” played by Selena Gomez. I had a serious girl crush on her, and this was my jam. He was going to get this work one way or another.
“I don’t dance but I can appreciate the art,” he admitted. I cut the music off and got serious. He was either done or had a question. Houston had seen enough of my moves without paying.
“What a poor sport,” I joked. Houston was somewhat standoffish. I liked the mystery, but this was a lot of mystery for one person. The mystery was overwhelming. It was almost as if he wanted to be lighter and open, but something was holding him back. We were strangers but something behind those beautiful eyes wanted to show someone exactly who he was. My heart thumped thinking about listening to his problems until they vanished. I was up for a little pillow talk.
“Yea I hear that a lot, but my assistant and I wondered if you had some water or something?”
“Sure, follow me,” I brushed past him and my vagina thumped at the contact of my back to his torso. Once I calmed the shivers down I led him and Malone to my office. Hiding things was a habit I had. It was a bad habit I picked up from college. College life changed me from the naïve little girl that assumed everyone was raised with manners. After being burned once I was now someone that hid everything. I hid stuff so well sometimes I couldn’t find it myself. If I wanted to keep something to myself it was my job to protect it. That meant my heart, my emotions and my time. Water bottles were no different in my world.
Inside the office, he walked around and looked at all my photos. Most were of me, my parents, and a few achievements. It was nothing interesting. But my best-captured achievements were of the kids I assisted in shelters, schools, and sometimes at home. The money and the spotlight from the state didn’t mean anything if I hadn’t helped those that mattered in the process.
“It’s cute that you love kids like that. It takes a lot to get on a child’s level and instead of seeing them for the tiny monsters they are.”
“Thank you, it’s my life, and I suggest for anyone to find what they love and do the heck out of it,” I responded as I handed him and Malone waters and a light snack. They had been at it for a little while and I figured he was hungry.
“Thank you, Ms. Tea,” Malone said beaming and nudging his father who was staring like I had something protruding from my face. I shifted on my feet because no one had ever cared about my profession or what I did. Everyone needed someone in their corner to cheer them on and just say ‘good job’ sometimes. I couldn’t say I had that. My mom Dionna congratulated me but most of the time she was being the messenger for my father. It made me weak that he was fascinated with my accomplishments. He seemed so intrigued with all that I had done and that made me want to wrap my arms around him and embrace him.
“Oh yea thank you,” he followed up.
“Don’t mention it, gotta take care of the workers, right?”
“Yep, I’m going back to my tablet,” Malone said, scattering away back to the waiting room. Malone was your typical kid, obsessed withelectronics. We stood in my office side by side completely still while he stayed engrossed in my hanging photos.
“Those are my parents, Dionna and Frank LeJune,” I commented, attempting to continue the conversation. I was acting a little thirsty, but I couldn’t help but feel this magnetism.
