The bouquet of yellow roses in a crystal vase surprise Elise one early morning when she enters her gallery. The card is the first thing she reaches for and pure shock is the only emotion that can capture what she feels upon seeing who the sender is.
Elise looks a little thicker than Donald remembers but her beauty hasn’t surpassed. Her skin glistens under the late morning sun as the waitress escorts her to his table outside a small café. He can see why Brandon fell so hard, so fast. He stands for her as she sits down. He goes to order something for them to eat, when Elise stops him and requests a sole glass of water.
“Wouldn’t you like something to eat?” Donald glances at her full of intrigue.
“No. I don’t want to be around you for much longer. I just came here to see what a bigoted asshole has to say to this lowly crop picking cunt,” she snidely remarks.
Donald bows his head in embarrassment realizing just how nasty and out of hand he was in dealing with her. He offers her a sordid apology, “Now, I feel the way I do about most people, regardless of their race or creed, but I was wrong about you. The affect and impact you have on Brandon is monumental and I am not seeing that until now.”
“Well my life over these past few weeks hasn’t been no picnic either dealing with the backlash of your spiteful and hateful words about me in wide open areas to wide open ears. So hurry this up please so I can get back to the client I have managed to get,” Elise demands.
“I don’t know what else I can say to help you consider taking him back, but it would be highly beneficial for Brandon and our company if he were in better spirits,” he confesses.
“Well I don’t have any control over that,” she affirms, “The only person who has control over Brandon’s emotions is Brandon. You got what you wanted and I’m out of the picture! If you want him back to his old self… You fix him! So leave me out of it. I’m done! I’m done with all of this.”
“I understand why you feel that way and I will promise to try harder in curbing my racial stereotypes and derogatory speech toward you,” he offers.
Elise softens her expression, “That’s at the very least a step in the right direction. I accept that.”
“Does that mean you’re going to give Brandon a second chance?”
“I’m not sure because my biggest issue isn’t you. I deal with people like you all of the time, and have been my entire life. My issue is him not standing up to you. You’re his friend and the very fact of the matter is with the future we have in front of us, he’s going to need to stand up for me and by me, especially since we’re bringing a child into this world.”
“A child?! You’re pregnant?”
“Crap! Don’t tell him! I’m not even sure yet and I haven’t spoken to him yet,” she reacts to his elation, “But once I’m sure, I’ll talk to him. Please don’t say anything. Thank you for reaching out to me and thanks for lunch. I’ll think about what you said.”
Donald watches Elise rise from the table and walk away. By the time Donald returns to work he finds transfer papers on his desk. Confusion and anger overwhelm him as he tries to get in contact with Brandon. All of his calls are going straight to his voicemail until he finally decides to call Logan. Logan explains that Brandon is no longer in communication with him and he’s lucky to still have his job. He must vacate his office immediately and telecommute from home. His racial slurs and genuine obnoxiousness to those around him have made it a unanimous decision amongst those in the office to have him removed. It seems that reaching out to Elise now, for Donald, is too little too late.
Another week passes by with Donald trying his best to apologize to Brandon for his behavior. So he resorts to trickery having Stephanie set up a meeting at a nearby bar to meet Brandon. Once Brandon arrives he searches the faces looking for Stephanie but only sees Donald. He makes an about face to leave the bar. Donald rushes out after him catching Brandon in the parking lot just before he gets into his car. Brandon pushes him away threatening to punch him in the face if he doesn’t leave him alone.
“Come on man,” Donald pleads, “I’m trying to make things right here! You’re letting this woman control you and you’re not even together anymore. It’s affecting you! It’s affecting our business! I’m here trying to make things right between you two, and let you know I won’t be an issue moving forward, especially since yawl gonna be parents.”
“Who told you that?” Brandon grabs Donald by his shirt.
“Elise! Elise told me,” he screams hoping Brandon lets him go, “I had lunch with her last week. That’s why I’ve been calling you so crazy trying to get in contact with you. Regardless of how I feel about them, I jumped the gun on her. She ain’t like the rest of them. I apologized to her and I thought she would have spoken to you by now.”
“Well she hasn’t,” he releases Donald, “Why would you think it’s okay for you to tell me something like that without okaying it with her first? Without me bringing it up? This isn’t common information. You fucked up and you been fucking up and I’m tired of it. You cost me my relationship and our friendship is over. Whatever you have to do in regards to work, speak to one of the VP’s. We’re done!”
Brandon spits at Donald before turning around to get in his car. Donald adjusts his shirt, steps away from the spit at his feet, and stares off at his best friend driving out of his life.
Chapter 5: Creating Families That Bond
Brandon gazes into the flames dancing in his fireplace. Lost in thought, he doesn’t hear Lucy bring his brother into the room. She pushes him toward his sibling in hopes to get him out of the mood he’s in. Brody watches as Brandon sits peacefully in a trance, wondering what can possibly be going on in his life. He taps him on the shoulder alerting him to his presence but Brandon is speechless. He knows he cares deeply for Elise and he’s more than willing to put the effort in to making their relationship work. But, love…being a father… it’s all too real for him. There’s no amount of money in the world that can prepare him for fatherhood and he knows that.
He looks to Brody fearing that he’s about to cry. Brody shuts the Pandora’s Box of emotions Brandon is ready to release by punching him hard in the shoulder. Brandon chuckles as he grips Brody around his legs pulling him down to the floor. The two brothers begin to wrestle, knocking over furniture and moving sofas out of the way. Brody Jr. hears the commotion and is confused at first to what’s happening between his dad and his uncle.
Once he sees the smiles and laughter, Brody Jr. lights up with joy. It had been months since his father’s been happy. He joins in on the fun jumping onto the two. They turn the tables and tickle attack the young boy. Lucy rolls her eyes at the mess she’s going to have to clean up, but still, the three boys’ rough housing brings some delight to her. The family distraction is just the boost Brandon needs to confront his responsibilities like the man his father raised him to be.
For the first time in forever, Brandon skips his morning chores heading straight toward Elise’s house. Knocking on the door is gut wrenching as they haven’t spoken in weeks but he takes a deep breath and rings the doorbell. The man who opens the door is just as tall as he, dark mahogany skin, and weighs about 250 pounds. Even as they stand at the same height, he looms over Brandon with an aura of authority waiting for the cowboy to introduce himself.
“Can I help you, sir?” the black man asks Brandon.
“Is Elise Saunders here?” he asks peering behind him to see if Elise is inside.
“Let me guess… Brandon right?”
“That’s correct, Brandon Fairchild. How are you today?” Brandon extends out to shake the man’s hand.
“Under the circumstances, I believe things could be better. But I’m Shawn Saunders, Elise’s brother. Based upon the events leading up to this moment here between you and Elise, I am not permitted to let you set foot in this residence,” Shawn states crossing his massively sculpted arms.
Brandon straightens his posture before leaning in close to Shawn, “Listen, you ain’t gonna
intimidate me. See I ain’t got to where I got in business or in life by being intimidated. So when I say I’m here to see Elise, I am here to see Elise. I ain’t tryin to cause no trouble. I’m just tryin to see the woman I love.”
“Oh, so she’s the woman you love now? But, you let your friend, your so-called best friend dog her out and disrespect her? You don’t love her! You love yourself!” Shawn barks back at Brandon, “Now remove yourself from this property or I will do that honor for you. And I don’t care who you are, or how much money you have! Your power don’t make things move here! This is Elise Saunders’ house, not yours! We’ll call the cops, you’ll get arrested for trespassing!”
Brandon’s demeanor shifts toward one that’s a bit cocky, “Listen, this has gone in a far different direction than I planned. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. We both know that if you do that, that ain’t gonna happen. They’ll get here and ask me to leave but you know how my money works around here and if you don’t today is not the day I wanna teach you that lesson.”
Shawn is on the brink of hurling punches but holds back, “You see! That’s that fucking attitude, that fucking sense of entitlement you crackers hold on to and hang over us coloreds! That shit don’t fly over here. Not at this house, not on these steps. So again, I’ve been told not to let you in. Remove yourself and when Elise is ready, if she ever gets ready, to talk to you she will. It can be today, tomorrow, or six years from now; when she’s ready, she will invite you but until then you will not pass over this threshold so long as I stand here. Good day, Mr. Fairchild.”
Shawn takes a step back into the house and slams the door in Brandon’s face. Brandon turns three shades of deep red before huffing back to his car. He uses the silence within his vehicle to scream out his frustrations cooling himself down before he goes back to try again. He looks at himself in the rearview mirror realizing the Elise’s brother is right. He had all intentions on coming here to get their relationship back on track just because of how he feels.
He still isn’t considering everything Elise has gone through and is going through in dealing with their fallout. He’s expecting everything to be okay because things in his life have always worked out the best for him. Yet, he’s not giving up. He breathes deeply through his nose in an attempt to get his anger to subside. Brandon gets out of the car. He rushes back up to the front door ringing the bell, banging on the door, and shouting for Elise to let him inside.
When Elise finally opens the door; Brandon smiles. Her beautiful brown skin glows in the morning sun. Her face is a bit rounder since he’s last seen her. But he’s happy nonetheless that she decides to open the door for him. Elise can’t help but smile at his antics because it’s a side she’s never seen from him.
“What are you doing here? You know my brother is ready to kill you right?” Elise chuckles.
“Well you know how protective brothers can be,” he replies.
Elise does know, especially remembering that dinner seeing Brandon defend his brother Brody to their own father. She just wants Brandon to fight like he did for Brody; for her. Not to everyone, just the people that matter. People like Donald. She wants to believe that Brandon knows that now as he stands on her doorstep waiting for the right to enter her home.
Brandon apologizes to Elise right there, “I know the kind of coward I was in the brief time we were together. Donald’s behavior toward you was unacceptable and I should have never let him address you in that manner. Truth is, I didn’t know what to do. Suddenly the things we would laugh at together were no longer funny to me because it was about you. It offended you. It disrespected you. It disrespected our relationship and our friendship. I shouldn’t have let it go as far as it did and I’m sorry. Can we go inside and talk?”
“Fine,” Elise agrees leading Brandon into the house, passing the living room, where Shawn sits on the couch. He glares at Brandon following Elise into the kitchen.
Brandon smirks tauntingly, “See! She let me in the kitchen!”
Shawn rolls his eyes turning back to the television. Elise scolds Brandon for taunting her brother and pulls him into the kitchen faster.
“Never knew you had a brother,” Brandon points out while Elise pours him a glass of water.
“And I never knew you had a sister,” she quips back.
“Yeah that’s a touchy subject,” Brandon admits, “Honestly, she’s in Los Angeles. When Stephanie left, she put the bug in my sister to want to go out there and be famous or something. But she ain’t making it like Stephanie. My sister, Jessie, is a junkie.”
“Oh my goodness, I’m sorry to hear that,” Elise now regrets bringing her up.
“You were bound to find out anyway since you’re gonna be a part of the family anyway. Me and my parents, have tried and spent a countless amount of money trying to fix her. Different programs and even tryin to convince her to move back out here, but none of it worked. She wants to be a junkie. So while we’ve accepted it, we rather not talk about it, especially around my mother.”
“I can understand that,” Elise nods, “There isn’t any real reason in particular why I haven’t mentioned my brother to you. The topic of my family never really came up. But now he’s here.”
Brandon wants to question her further but knows he has no right to. Elise can see the questions shooting from his eyes.
“I don’t know how long he’s staying, but it will probably be until he feels I’m safe and can get back to normal life around here,” she volunteers.
“What’s been out of the ordinary for you?”
“Well you know aside from the comments Donald’s made, he’s been spreading rumors about me too. Tarnishing my reputation to possible clients to the point where they cancelled meetings and projects with me. Not to mention that Shawn told me my name was flagged for a background check, criminal and financial. I know that was him, but it came from a mortgage lender. How did he even get my information?”
“I’m so sorry baby. I had no idea. I know you’re information is on file at the office for when I hired you and if he used that info, I’ll make sure he’s taken care of… legally. When I met with him, I was under the impression that he tried to make things better between you two, but I didn’t know he’d went that far,” Brandon confesses, “I haven’t been in the best of moods and honestly, I hadn’t spoken to him for weeks prior to our meeting yesterday which he used Stephanie to trick me into coming to.”
“When I met with him, he seemed like he was trying to be tolerant of me and our situation, but I think it’s more for the business than for the sake of his relationship with you. I told you, it’s a rarity that people like him change,” Elise reiterates.
“He told me that you two met,” he glances to her belly, “Are you going to tell me more about that?”
“Shit! You know it’s bad enough that he talked to me the way he did but now he’s telling you things that I didn’t get a chance to.”
“You know even though you told him, I’m sure by accident, and he then blurted it out to me, you should’ve told me the day you two had lunch,” he tells her firmly, “But I would like to hear it from your lips.”
Just the way he says ‘from your lips’ brings back sultry memories of their last time together. She grins at the father of her unborn child, “Brandon Fairchild, we’re going to have a baby.”
He lifts Elise off her feet, spinning her around, and kissing her on the lips.
“Can I tell your brother? Does he already know?”
“No he doesn’t know yet and he isn’t your biggest fan right now,” she warns, “I think you should wait and let me do it.”
“No we got off on the wrong foot and I want to use this as a way to smooth things over,” he reasons.
Elise shrugs her shoulders. She agrees to let Brandon tell her brother the news, watching him walk toward the living room is like watching him walk off the plank from a pirate ship. She hides out in the kitchen until the coast is clear.
Brandon clears his throat before si
tting down on the couch next to Shawn.
“Man, what do you want?” Shawn asks shaking his head.
“First and foremost, I would like to apologize to you. I was not the man I should have been when dealing with your sister. I understand how I came off and I was a complete asshole. I know you were just doing what a brother is supposed to do. And you shouldn’t have had to come out here to protect Elise, I should have been the one to do that and I’m sorry,” Brandon extends his hand.
Shawn stares at the cowboys hand and lets it hang there for a moment before grasping it and accepting his apology, “I’m glad that you were man enough to apologize. Most folks tell me I’m not the easiest person to talk to, so I’m glad we’re talking, especially since you say you’re in love with my sister.”
“Well like I told you before, I ain’t got to where I am from being intimidated. I am the man my father raised me to be, and even through my faults, I intend to be the man your sister wants and needs me to be.”
Shawn nods in agreement with Brandon allowing his anger with this man to subside. He looks at the man sitting next to him on the couch with a newfound respect wondering what else he has to say since he’s still sitting there.
“Do you like to ride horses Shawn?”
“I haven’t ridden since we was kids but yeah, I guess,” Shawn shrugs, “Why?”
“How would you feel about teaching a kid to ride a horse?”
Shawn turns to look at Brandon showing him how absurd he thinks the question is, “What?”
“Well if you had a niece or nephew, I mean, would you like to teach them how to ride a horse?”
He looks at Brandon with a slow smile creeping across his face and then to Elise, who’s taking small steps into the living room, “Are you guys?”
The Art of Love Page 7