Wednesday at Noon

by Teneka Woods

  “How dare y’all try to leave now!”

  Nate said, “Sunny is okay with it, so there’s nothing for you to worry about, Kaneesa.”

  “Y’know… it’s really blowing my mind how selfish you’re acting right now. This is your sister’s engagement party!”

  “You need to lower your voice, Kaneesa,” he said. “Sunny no longer cares about this party since the main person that’s supposed to be here with her is not here. And yet I’m the selfish one?”

  “That’s beside the point, Nate.”

  “No, that is the point. You think I want to stand in there and see my mama having to lie to these people to cover Levi’s punk-ass? Or see my sister crying? Don’t tell me you actually believed Sunny’s tears were tears of joy?”

  “Nate, you have no idea what you’re talking about. He is helping his sister. Y’know… like you had to help her,” she motioned towards Tora.

  Tora felt as though she was right there in the Walkers’ driveway again, being a witness to the family’s drama.

  Nate said, “Kaneesa, days or weeks or months from now when my sister looks at the pictures from this night, I doubt she will remember how I left an hour early, but she will remember how her fiancé—the father of her children, the one who’s supposed to be her biggest supporter for life—didn’t love her enough to go through hell or high water to ensure he would be at this party tonight.” Nate grabbed Tora’s hand and left for the elevator.

  Tora realized whatever was going on with his sister bothered him a great deal, so she made no complaints about his fingers entwined with hers. And he was still holding her hand as they exited the elevator and stepped into the parking garage.

  It wasn’t until he’d assisted her in the jeep and took his place on the passenger side that he apologized. “That’s the second time today you had to see something like that. I’m sorry. We’re not this way all the time.”

  “It’s fine. I completely understand.” She started the jeep and pulled out of the garage, headed towards Nate’s parents’ house.

  They rode in silence for awhile before she said, “I feel bad for your sister.” At the party, Tora thought it was strange then that the fiancé wasn’t present for any of the photos, but she had no idea the reason behind it. She only focused on doing her best to capture beautiful memories for her client. But now she knew he hadn’t even shown up.

  “I do too, but that guy—” he shook his head. “Well… I don’t even wanna talk about him right now. I wanna talk about something else.”

  Tora glanced at him out the corner of her eye. She wanted to keep her attention on the road this time for fear of another disaster involving a pot hole. But she knew what Nate was going to say before she asked the question, “What do you want to talk about?”

  He looked over at her. “Us.”

  Her stomach answered before she could. And because they were sitting at a stoplight near the turn onto the Walkers’ street, it was loud and clear. A growl. Long and slow and mournful like a lost dog.

  Her eyes widened as she looked at him. Then the two of them burst with laughter.

  Nate said, “Are you hungry or did you eat something bad?”

  “Hungry,” she said. “All I had this whole day was some toast.”

  “Then we definitely need to get you something to eat,” he chuckled.

  “I will as soon as I get back to my apartment.” She pulled in front of the Walker estate. “By the way… your parents’ house is gorgeous. A dream house,” she said, placing the jeep in Park and releasing the door locks. “I love those private terraces.”

  “Come inside. I’ll give you a tour.”

  “It’s late. I should go,” she said, shaking her head. “I will start on your sister’s photos tomorrow morning.”

  Nate reached over and turned the key in the ignition, shutting the vehicle off. “I don’t want you passing out from hunger on your way home. We still got leftovers from earlier. It won’t take long.”

  She sighed in resignation and got out of the jeep. As soon as she stood on the pavement her feet throbbed in protest. The pumps she wore were one of several pairs that didn’t cause discomfort after all-day wear, which was the reason why she’d chosen them, so she wondered what was different about today. But perhaps her body was just irritable and in need of sustenance to revitalize blood flow.

  Her phone began to vibrate in her handbag as she stood waiting for Nate to unlock the door. She knew it was either her mother or her father calling since she normally would have called them by now.

  “Is that Nobody calling to find out where you are?”

  “Ha. Ha.” she jeered playfully, stepping into the foyer with him. Her father was just one of the missed calls she noticed. All five of the others—including a couple text messages—were from Eric.

  She followed Nate to the kitchen and he told her to have a seat at the island while he went to the sink to wash his hands.

  “Can I have a cupcake?” she asked. A box of the tempting treats sat on the counter in front of her. She remembered seeing Kaneesa haul them in earlier.

  Nate turned from the sink to face her. “I thought you wanted some real food.”

  “I do. But I want a cupcake, too.” She was so hungry she couldn’t wait another second. “I’ll eat this while you warm the leftovers.”

  He shook his head and smiled. “Knock yourself out.”

  And she did in four bites.

  A half-hour later she was enjoying her second helping of the shrimp kebabs and jasmine rice he’d warmed in the microwave. She’d slid out of her shoes and had her toes curled around the rungs of the bar stool. It was the relief she needed.

  “I’m ready for my answer now,” he said, looking at her as he stood on the other side of the island. His bow tie had been loosened and his shirt unbuttoned, revealing the white tank underneath. He’d helped himself to only a couple of the kebabs and stood as he ate them.

  She looked at him just as she was biting into a pineapple chunk. “I’m here, aren’t I? And we’re eating.”

  He frowned. “Oh, so this is considered our lunch date?”

  “I don’t see why not. You said it was just lunch. Nothing major, remember?”

  He chuckled and Tora looked down into her plate to keep from looking at him and his hardened nipples. At the ripped abs beneath the thin undershirt. She thought of how it was just eight hours ago when she was upset with him, believing he’d deceived her into coming here. But with the way her body was reacting while in his presence, how could she remain angry?

  He gave a slight shrug. “Well… I guess I have to accept that. You ready for me to show you around?”

  “Yep,” she said, and pushed her empty plate and glass towards him. “I appreciate that. It was very good.” She slipped on her heels, but just as quickly got out of them. Her feet needed a little more time. She waited as he scraped the crumbs into the trash can and placed their dishes in the sink. He led her through a narrow archway on the opposite side of the kitchen and down the hall.

  He said, “So… back here is the rec room. This is just where we kick back and watch TV when we’re all here.”

  Tora stepped into the dim room and looked around. The L-shaped sofa itself was big enough to hold a dozen people. A barrel pub table sat in one corner. A dry bar occupied another. She imagined how great it would be to watch one of her favorite movies or a Steelers game on a massive projector screen like this one covering the majority of the wall. They exited and continued down the hall.

  “These windows are amazing but kinda spooky at the same time. I can’t believe you guys leave the curtains open.” The house where she grew up in Pittsburgh had only three windows. All were on the front of the house facing the street. Leaving the interior exposed for outsiders to see in was unthinkable. “I take it you all don’t worry about a Peeping Tom or a—”

  “They can peep if they want to,” he answered haughtily, cutting her off midsentence, “but if they try to come in…”

 
Tora laughed, the sound of it surprising her as it reverberated off the walls and tiled floor. She followed him into the room where she had imaginary tea with Bryanna and Melody earlier.

  “This actually used to be a wine room,” Nate said. “But my mama had it re-done for the kids to play in.”

  She nodded and they continued on. He showed her the guest room and then they retraced their steps back to the front of the house. He pointed in the direction of the master suite before leading her up the winding staircase. “How many bedrooms is it?” she asked.

  “Just five. Two down here. Three upstairs.”

  Just five? Most of the people she knew back home had only two. Three if they were lucky enough to have a well-paying job. “Is this the house you grew up in as a kid?”

  “No,” he shook his head. “We didn’t move into this one until me and Sunny started high school. We used to live in a house not too far from here though.”

  “Travis told me y’all grew up together.”

  “Yeah, his dad still lives down the street.” Without opening the doors, Nate pointed out Bryan and Sunny’s old rooms.

  “By the way,” she said, “what did you tell him about me?”

  Nate chuckled. “Oh, I just told him he was wasting his time because you recently joined a convent.”

  She sucked her teeth. “Men… I swear…”

  He turned the door handle for the room at the end of the hall. “This was mine,” he said.

  Tora was surprised by how sparsely furnished and decorated it was. She was expecting to see the cluttered room of a teenage Nate—all the memorabilia he’d left behind once he moved away from home. The only furnishings were a king-size bed, two nightstands, and a lone dresser on the opposite wall facing the bed. A couple paintings adorned the walls. It was as if the room had been staged for a retail showing.

  Soft light shone through the door leading out to the terrace. “I love this,” she said as she stepped outside. “I would sit out here every morning with my cup of tea. And probably every night before bed.” Nate came to stand beside her as she looked over the railing onto the yard below. “It’s so peaceful and quiet.”

  “I used to come out here all the time,” he said.

  “How many girls did you sneak up here when you were in high school?”

  Nate laughed out loud. “Just one.”

  “Are you serious?” she looked at him.

  “Heck naw! My mama would’ve kicked my butt if I tried something like that.”

  Tora laughed too.

  “No girlfriends were allowed upstairs when we were younger. We had to stay downstairs in the living room. Or on the patio in the backyard where she could see us.”

  “I’m surprised you were allowed to date in high school. Mrs. Walker seems like the short-leash type of mom.”

  Nodding his head, he said, “She was. She didn’t even want us talking to girls until high school. My sister used to cry all the time about that. All of her friends could go to the movies and the mall with their boyfriends, but Sunny couldn’t even talk to hers on the phone.” He chuckled at the memory.

  “Well, by the looks of it, it seems like you guys had a lot to keep you occupied at home anyway.”

  Nate walked over and took a seat on an arm of one of the chairs. “Well… we lived good if that’s what you’re hinting at. But she was strict about what we could and couldn’t do, and who we hung out with. Every once in a while she would let us do something out of the ordinary, but it was rare.”

  “What do your parents do?” she asked, turning to face him.

  “My dad is a corporate attorney and my mama is a medical scientist.”

  “Oh wow. They are some hard-working people.” She didn’t know what their occupations entailed exactly, but they sounded fancy enough. And anything with scientist attached to it automatically screamed smart according to her definition.

  Nate nodded in agreement. “Sunny’s an attorney, too. She just made partner, and so is Bryan. My brother Geo is a professor at Rice U.”

  “Wow,” she said again. “So you’re from a family of excellence.” And all I do is dress mannequins and store displays for a living, she thought.

  “I was an attorney myself,” he continued. “Criminal lawyer. I did that for a few years.”

  “Are you serious? So what happened with that?”

  “I didn’t like it.”

  She looked at him in surprise.

  “I’ve always liked health and nutrition, so… I knew I wanted to work in fitness.”

  “I see.” From attorney to fitness trainer. She rolled it over in her head. Silence fell between them and she turned back to look out over the yard again. And to keep from looking at him and all of his sexiness under this moonlight. “I just have to say it again… I love the peacefulness of this neighborhood.”

  He said nothing. She knew he was watching her from behind.

  After a while she felt the sleepiness coming on suddenly, and said, “I need to go. Gotta make this drive all the way back towards Katy.”

  “You live in Katy?” he asked, standing.

  “Well, I’m not in Katy proper, but my apartment’s not too far from it. Off Highway Six.”

  “You serious? I live off Highway Six! On Park Row.”

  Now why did I open my mouth? She’d forgotten how close he lived to her.

  “Where off Highway Six?” he asked eagerly.

  A vehicle door slammed shut below and Tora leaned slightly over the railing. “I think somebody just pulled up,” she said.

  “Most-likely my parents.”

  “My purse and my shoes are still in the kitchen.”

  Nate led her back inside. He held her hand and she didn’t know if it was because he believed she needed assistance walking down the stairs or if it was to protect her from Mrs. Walker’s wrath. Mr. and Mrs. Walker were entering the foyer as she and Nate descended the steps. Unhappiness showed all over his mother’s face, but Nate acted as if he didn’t notice.

  “So y’all finally making it back, huh?” he said.

  “Nate, why on earth would you leave the party early?”

  “I was tired, Mama. And what was the point of being there? I didn’t like seeing Sunny sad like that.”

  “What do you mean you were tired? We all were tired, Nate, but Levi showed up just minutes after you left.”

  “Oh he did?” Nate said, shocked.

  “Yes, he did,” Victoria answered sharply. “There was no way I would’ve allowed you two to leave had I known about it.” She glared at Tora.

  Tora shifted her eyes, glancing at Nate’s father as he stood nearby listening.

  “So what was his excuse for showing up so late?” Nate asked.

  “I don’t know. But Sunny was glad he could make it, and so was I. And you should’ve been there…”

  Nate sucked his teeth.

  “You claim to be tired,” Victoria continued, “but here you are—the two of you—gallivanting around my house this time of night when you were supposed to be with family. And doing your job.” She looked at Tora again, her eyes traveling all the way down to her bare feet.

  Tora squeezed Nate’s hand. “I was just telling him how much I love your house, Mrs. Walker. And he decided to show me around.”

  Victoria grunted. “Yeah, well, my husband and I work very hard to be able to afford these things. It’s something we tried to instill in our children.”

  “Yes,” Tora smiled. “Nate was telling me about that, too.”

  She raised an eyebrow and looked over at her son.

  Nate walked down the remaining steps, pulling Tora behind him. “We just need to get her purse and then we’re leaving.”

  Tora quickly slipped on her shoes and grabbed her handbag once they were in the kitchen.

  “You can take a cupcake home with you if you want.”

  She gave him an ‘Are you crazy?’ look, and he chuckled.

  Victoria had disappeared, but Nate’s father stood at the door, waiting to
lock up behind them. “You’ll be here tomorrow for Sunday dinner right, son?”

  “Of course,” Nate nodded.

  “It was nice meeting you, Mr. Walker,” Tora said, and took his hand when he offered it.

  “You, too. Thanks for your help today.”

  “It was my pleasure.”

  “I told you leaving early was a bad idea,” Tora said to Nate once they were outside. “Give me your sister’s telephone number. I will call her first thing tomorrow morning and tell her not to worry about the final payment. And I will gladly meet her somewhere for another photo shoot to include her fiancé. It will be on me.”

  Nate shook his head. “Tora, that’s not necessary.”

  “How can you say that?” she asked, her voice rising slightly in the night air. “She was depending on me to do a job!”

  “And you did it,” Nate stated calmly. “It’s not your fault he wasn’t at the party. You were hired to be here starting at three-thirty and he wasn’t here then. That has nothing to do with you. Sunny is not mad about it, trust me.”

  “How do you know?” Tora folded her arms.

  “Because I know my sister. Taking pictures was the last thing on her mind for worrying about where he was.”

  “I knew I shouldn’t’ve listened to you. This whole day was a mess. And totally not how I like to conduct business.” She pulled out her phone. “What is your sister’s number?” she asked again.

  “Tora, it’s fine.”

  “Nate, why is it such a problem for you to give me her number? This is crazy!”

  He called out the number and she punched it into her phone, saving Sunny to her contacts list.

  “When do I get to see you again?” he asked as she got into the driver’s seat and started the jeep.

  She had to laugh to stop herself from screaming at him. She wanted to scream because despite being so frustrated the majority of the day—and him being the root cause of it—she was having a hard time controlling her body’s response to him. Perhaps it was the after-midnight hour and the fact that it had been two years since the last time she’d had sex, but looking at him standing there with an air of nonchalance about the entire day, with his top shirt still unbuttoned, his hands resting in his pockets, looking like the adonis he was, was driving her crazy. His brothers were just as handsome, but taller, and they were married—which didn’t surprise Tora—and she wondered why Nate had to be the one lacking in the height department.