The Gift

by Perri Forrest

  “I’m here. Right near the front.”

  “Okay, cool. I’m near customer service. So just walk toward the back and you’ll spot me.”

  I made my way to the aisle and spotted the neon CUSTOMER SERVICE sign right away. In the distance I spotted the man who saved my gas and electric—all six-foot-something of him. He wore a pair of dark denim jeans, a burgundy button-up shirt, and a fedora to match, with a black leather shoe.

  Yummy!

  “Good morning,” I greeted, when I finally stood before him.

  “Good morning to you,” he said, his face already opened into a smile. “You look nice,” he complimented.

  Crazy was the fact that up until that very moment, I hadn’t noticed the sandy-brown mustache and chin hair. It might’ve been because the hair blended with his complexion so closely. It had to be the fedora that brought everything into focus. It was a nice sight too. I came to the conclusion right then and right there that this man had to have a flock of women somewhere. He had to!

  “So do you, Silas. Very nice.” I looked around, then leaned in to whisper to him. “So, can you tell me a little about the job so that I’m prepared with my responses? I’ve never, ever done sales.”

  “Good morning, Silas.”

  It was a male’s voice coming from out of nowhere, and startling me from behind.

  Shit. I immediately tensed up. Any prep I was hoping to get was over with now! I was going to have to wing it, unless by some twist of fate they were giving me the job on Silas’s word, alone.

  “Morning, James.” Silas stuck his hand out to greet the guy. “How’s it going?”

  “Going good, really good. Is this your friend here?” he asked. “Kayla, right?”

  “Yes, I’m Kayla,” I responded, sticking my hand out for him to shake.

  “So, James . . .” Silas started. “As we discussed, the credit line is $8,000. I wanted for my friend here to—”

  At hearing ‘credit line’, and then, ‘$8,000’ my mind left the room. My thoughts were everywhere. I almost choked on my own damn spit! What was happening?! My heart was racing really fast and really hard.

  “Kayla . . .” I heard from one of them, though, not sure which. “You okay with that?”

  “I’m sorry, what was that?” I asked, truly not having heard the conversation after a certain point.

  “James is going to help you pick out living room, dining room, and bedroom furniture. I’m assuming that—”

  “Silas,” I whispered, looking from him and then to the James guy. “I thought I was—”

  “You’re here for furniture for your home,” he stated nonchalantly.

  I was stunned. I couldn’t believe that once again, this man was doing something so amazing.

  “Why are you doing all of this for me?”

  “James, can you give us just a few minutes?” Silas asked of the salesman.

  “Absolutely. I’ll be right here and ready to help as soon as you’re ready.”

  “We won’t be long,” Silas said. His arm snaked around my shoulders. “Kayla, come with me for a few minutes.”

  And off we went . . .

  “Silas, I’m just trying to understand,” were my first words when we were out of earshot of his friend.

  My voice had a tinge of pleading in it. I really did want to understand what was happening.

  “The only thing you need to understand, Kayla, is that I’m here to help. I just want to make sure that your house is a home for you. From my vantage point, there are things going on beyond your control. At the very least, your house should feel like a home. Your place of comfort. Something with hope and not despair. I know it’s just furniture, but it’s more than one place to sit when you want a small change of scenery.”

  I looked away from him. It was out of shame more than anything. My predicament wasn’t something to be proud of. And the fact that a total stranger had been inside of my ‘situation’, was unnerving. However, I did have to admit that it gave me a little bit of comfort, knowing that I didn’t have to carry the burden in silence anymore—no matter the humiliation. That, by all accounts, I really did have a friend in him.

  “But you’ve already help—”

  “Just let me, Kayla. I’m not here to take advantage of you. I’m not here to judge you. I’m here for nothing more than to help where I can.” He lightly rubbed the side of my arm, delivering immediate comfort to what I had made an awkward moment. “Just let me help you . . .”

  I stood in place with him for a few seconds, allowing myself to scan the massive showroom. Beauty and luxury were in every corner. It was all too good to be true, and yet it was.

  “This seems like a dream. To wake up to good things happening in my life . . . I’m so not used to that, Silas.”

  “Well, then that’s all the more reason to head back over where James is. Let him be your guide to tearing a hole in that eight-thousand dollars you have access to. If it makes you feel any better, it’s a credit I’ve had for two years. Use it, please.”

  And then he flashed a smile that lit up his beautiful eyes and I just couldn’t resist. I mean, how could I?

  -6-

  Silas

  My baby girl Leilani threw her arms around me at the front door of her place. “Daddy!” she squealed, “What brings you over twice within a week? I didn’t know you’d be coming by.”

  “You got company up in here or something? I need to beat up somebody’s son?!”

  “Daddy, stop!” Leilani laughed.

  She laughed, but she knew I was serious. She was my baby girl, my only child and I was extremely protective of her. I had already run off some wannabe rapper who thought he was going to parade her around like some trophy, and have her around the wrong types of individuals. When I agreed to buy her a condo at only 18 years old, it wasn’t for her to run wild and not be careful about what company she kept. Now, two years later, while it had gotten better I still kept a close eye on her.

  “I was just coming to see my baby girl off. I thought you were going to be spending the night with your old man, before you took off to see your mom in Texas.”

  “I thought so too, Daddy. But it’s a whole mess up in this place. You know I don’t like to come back to a dirty spot. I’m anal like that.”

  “I know how ya are, kid,” I said, releasing her and walking over to a seat in the dining area. “Why not just have Diana come do housekeeping for you?”

  “I thought about it. But then I also had to pack and as you know, I’m not the best packer! Watch me get out there and still have to buy something that I forgot.”

  I shook my head, and laughed. “Right. Something you forgot. Not at all because you’re obsessed with spending money. That’s just not it at all.”

  “Well, who spoiled me?” she charged.

  “No idea. Maybe your mother? Your aunts? Your grandma—on both sides!”

  “And my father!” she bragged. “Y’all loved me so hard, that I can’t help but continue with the tradition.”

  “Tradition?!” I guffawed loudly at her. “Yeah, okay. So anyway, you don’t think there’s a chance you’ll get done in enough time to give me some time?”

  “Daddy,” she whined. “I’m sorry. I don’t know. My flight is super early in the morning . . .” She looked over at me in the middle of her speech. “Actually, you know what? I’ma get this stuff packed up and then spend the night at the estate with ya. Two weeks away from you is kind of a big deal. So, yeah.”

  “I’m glad you changed that. Because my next angle was going to be accusing you of caring more about those come-and-go boyfriends that you keep on retainer.”

  “Well, I’m glad it didn’t come to that. Because then I would tell you how you should have a few girlfriends on retainer!”

  “Woww!” I exclaimed. “Like you’d even be okay with that.”

  “I’d be okay. Two tops. No more than that. I’d prefer one. A really good one. But I’ll settle for two while you narrow it down to the winner.
”

  “Pssh, you are too much!” I laughed.

  “And just so you know, there will never . . . ever . . . never be a man that I care about more than my Dad. I ought to make you wash your mouth out with some Dove soap for even having such foolishness at the tip of your tongue.”

  “Okay, that does not sound cool at all.”

  “Well, stop speaking nonsense, then.”

  “Copy that.”

  I took in the scene in my baby’s apartment and did the mental comparison to Kayla’s. Where Leilani’s was a split-level model, bright and lively, with custom hardwood floors, beautiful furniture throughout, large screen televisions, and paintings on the wall, Kayla’s completely contrasted. Nothing seemed alive in there. Even her soul seemed compromised. I felt badly that she seemed to be in this world all alone, with nobody to call on. I was glad when she finally caved on the furniture. Maybe she knew that I wasn’t going to give up until she did.

  I felt a light nudge against my shoulder, and was met with bright green eyes, inherited from Leilani’s mother’s side of the family.

  “Where is your head?”

  “Uhh, right here on my shoulders,” I kidded.

  “Whatever, smart aleck.”

  “Well, you asked.”

  “Okay, so let me ask this then: what happened when you took that shut-off notice to the girl? Was she there? I’m assuming so, since you didn’t bring the letter back. I don’t know how the mailman put that in my box when the building numbers and boxes are clearly different! They get so lazy sometimes. I mean, I get that they have sacks and sacks of mail, but isn’t it sorted for them? The hard part is already done. All they gotta do is—”

  “Leilani . . .” I interjected, when she went miles away from her topic.

  She started to giggle uncontrollably. And I laughed right behind her. Leilani’s attention span had always been an issue. Since she was a youngster, she could carry out several different conversations within the course of a few minutes.

  “So, what was I asking you, Daddy?”

  “No idea,” I lied.

  “Oh, yeah! So, was the Kayla person there?”

  “Yep, she was there. I gave her her piece of mail and she was thankful.”

  “Was she cute?”

  “Wasn’t really paying attention at that level.”

  Leilani stared at me with those inquisitive eyes of hers. The whole time she was shaking her head in slow motion, causing the ponytail sitting at the top of her head to sway along with the motion.

  “Daddy,” she said, flashing a crooked smile. “Stop the lies. Was she cute or nah? You know I don’t know anybody in this little community, so tell me. Did she have kids, a man, an attitude? Oh, wait, she couldn’t have a man with a disconnect notice! What am I talking about?! Because if she did and he’s over there letting lights and things get cut off, what good—”

  “Okay, so as far as getting packed up, here’s what you do . . .” I bogarted, trying to get my daughter off the topic of Kayla.

  “Shocker,” Leilani said. “He’s going to change the subject on me to keep from answering. Alrighty then.”

  “There’s nothing to answer, Miss know-it-all. And we’re pressed for time, so let’s focus and get these piles done so we can be out and still have time to chill.

  “Piles? Dad, that sounds super extra.”

  “It’s not. Since you’re leaving for twelve days, then you put everything in piles by day.”

  “Huh? I’m not clear,” she said before laughing.

  “Underwear. Put 13 pair together. Shirts. 13 of them together. Pants. Same thing. When you get your stacks together, then pack them all. You’re basically trying to anticipate for the day and packing accordingly. And doing it like that, you don’t have to wonder what you left out.”

  “Dang, Daddy, that’s a good idea! Which one of those birds taught you that?”

  “Birds? Why they gotta be birds?” I laughed. “And no, none of the women taught me anything. Having a daughter, and having to share custody, taught me. Now, let’s get to it.”

  “Alright, alright, bossy old man!”

  “Old?! I’m only nineteen years older than you youngin’. Watch ya’self!”

  “Okay, I’ll do that, elder. Under one condition.”

  “Oh boy, here we go with the ultimatums. What now?”

  “While we’re packing, you can tell me the truth about whether or not you thought Kayla Carter or whatever, was cute.”

  I cleared my throat. “We’ve already been over that.”

  “Right. And you fibbed. Sooo, I’m waiting. And not so patiently, either.”

  -7-

  Kayla

  I wanted to break down in tears when Silas and I were talking about him gifting me the furniture. It was just all so unbelievable. He was such a generous and genuine person. He made me a believer that there were still really good people in the world. And to think he entered my life by way of mail going to the wrong person’s apartment.

  Only God. Only God.

  Before Silas left me and James to our business, I told Silas a few times that I doubted very seriously I’d need the entire amount. But he didn’t care. Just said that whatever was left would just be left. In the end, I ended up wrapping my arms around him and giving him the biggest hug in that store, in front of everybody watching.

  With James’s help, I picked out furniture for every room! I had never had a piece of furniture as nice as what I walked away with. The few items that I did have left in my condo came by way of generic furniture stores. The kind with Ashley Furniture hand-me-downs, shady salesmen and layaway plans. But today, I ended up with a beautiful teal-colored sectional for my living room. I also got an oversized chaise in the same color, glass end tables and a coffee table to match.

  The dinette set I ended up with was some sort of white oak and seated six people. The bedroom set was amazing. A queen-size, dark cherry sleigh bed with the thick canopy posts. The nightstands, dresser, and armoire were all a light grey. I picked out a flat screen for the living room, along with an entertainment center. And when I went in the back of the showroom and saw the items they had on clearance, I chose a computer desk whose only defect was a thin scratch on the side panel. I even let James talk me into getting a much-needed, new laptop.

  “That’s it!” I’d told him at the laptop purchase. “It was only supposed to be furniture and now here I am adding a piece of technology to the deal.”

  “You’re not doing anything that he’d disapprove of.”

  “But I’m still done,” I told him.

  “Understood,” he said smiling at me.

  By the time I walked out of RC Willey, it was close to one in the afternoon. I left having spent a little over half of what was given to me. I hadn’t felt so good in a long time. I had bouts of guilt at points. Was I wrong to be accepting such an extravagant gift from a man that I didn’t even know? Was he going to expect something in return?

  A part of me was excited at the thought of someone splurging on me. I hadn’t ever had that before. Nothing even close. I wondered what Silas did for a living, and what his background was. The card that he’d given me that day only had his name and cell on it. So far, the only things that I knew was that he had a daughter that was old enough to have her own apartment, that he was very easy on the eyes, and that he was compassionate.

  He intrigued me.

  In the back of the uber, I accessed my Gmail account to see if anybody had contacted me about any of the jobs. I was slightly disappointed when I didn’t have any new emails. The more I thought about it, though, the more it made sense that because the holidays were so close, most people were already on vacation. So any interest in my skill set or any responses to inquiries I had put out there, would probably go unanswered until after the New Year.

  But what good is all the furniture, and utilities, if there was no apartment to go with it? I found myself asking. But then just as quickly as I went to those thoughts, I pushed them away and decide
d to work with a different perspective.

  Change the way you think, you change your life, started to play on repeat in my mind. Couldn’t remember who said it, but I was going to let it be the mantra of my day. Think positive. You’re going to find gainful employment and everything is going to turn out good!

  I said it to myself three times to allow it to resonate. I had to own it, claim it. And that’s what I was going to do. Once I made that agreement with myself, my mind was able to focus on other areas. More productive areas.

  I decided that I was going to put my couch on Craigslist for free and do a thorough cleaning of my condo before the furniture was due to arrive. I had a full 48 hours to get that done. If I couldn’t get rid of the sofa online, then I was going to call Goodwill and donate.

  Even though I still needed to contend with the whole eviction situation, after getting comfortable in my new mindset I believed in my heart that things were about to look up. Change the way you think, you change your life . . .

  In all this time I hadn’t thought to call my property management company to ask if I could use my deposit toward the rent! If they allowed that, it would give me time to go harder in hustle mode to find either a full-time job or a contract assignment. Contract would be even better because then I could get a weekly paycheck and better my chances of stacking funds at a faster rate.

  “Can you drop me off at Starbucks instead of my house?” I asked my uber driver when we took my exit.

  “Did you want me to wait while you go inside?” he asked.

  “No, I’ll probably be there for a while. I can walk home. I’m going to spend some time with this new laptop and get it all set up.”

  “Laptop? Did you get that in RC Willey?”

  “Sure did. Surprised, huh? I was too.”

  “I had no idea that they sold computers in there. Thought it was all furniture,” he said.

  “Me too. But turns out they have an entire electronics department with televisions, computers, stereos and everything. It’s literally a one-stop shop. Shit, they even have a café in there with food. They want to make sure you’re there for a while.”