by La Jill Hunt
Tricia’s eyes lifted from the single spot on the table she’d been staring at while Everett talked. “I appreciate that. Burke University is a great opportunity.”
“Your son is academically gifted. His teachers say he’s a math and science whiz. Our engineering or pre-med programs are stellar and the best in the country. Not only would Tarik graduate with a free degree from an Ivy League university, but he’d easily walk into a career making at least six figures. So many times, our young black men, especially those in athletics, feel like they have to attend the school that’s gonna give them the most playing time. But they can have more.”
Everett’s words were so sincere. Tricia could see that he was really trying to look out for Tank, and she appreciated that he made an effort to talk with her. “Thank you, Mr. Matthews,” Tricia said. “I’ll talk to Tank.”
“Everett, please.”
“Everett.”
“Here’s my card.” He reached into the pocket of his blazer and handed her a business card. “Please call me if you have any questions. And like I said, we’d love to have him come and tour the school.”
“I will.” Tricia nodded. “I’ll follow up with you in a few days.”
They walked to the parking lot, and he waited for Tricia to get into her car before he got into the Mercedes he was driving. She waved as she backed out. As she drove home, her mind was a myriad of thoughts. On the one hand, she was ecstatic that her son was being recruited by a prestigious college. On the other, she was angry at the thought of Tank being offered this opportunity months ago and it not being mentioned to her at all. They complained about how Tricia bitched all the time, but they failed to realize that it was the only time they seemed to pay her any attention.
As soon as she walked into the house, she called Titus. He didn’t answer the first four times, but on the fifth attempt, he finally picked up. The sounds of basketballs bouncing, yelling, and sneakers squeaking could be heard in the background.
“Yeah?” he answered. Instinctively, as if he instantly could sense her anger, he asked, “What’s wrong now?”
“Titus, first of all, why is Tank’s car in my spot?” she snapped.
“What? That’s why you’re blowing up my phone?”
“I’m blowing up your phone because you ain’t answering.”
“Tricia, Tank has an eight-hundred-dollar amp and stereo system in that car that he won’t be driving because you insist that he be punished. It doesn’t make sense for it to be parked out front for weeks. It’s safer in the garage,” Titus said. “I gotta go.”
“Titus, wait. I’m not done talking.”
“What is it?”
“You and Tank met with a guy from Burke University, and they offered him a scholarship?” Tricia took her food out of the bag.
“What? Man, I’m not—”
“You don’t think that’s something you should’ve told me, Titus? Something that important? What the hell?” she said, opening the microwave door and putting her Styrofoam container inside.
“Tricia, Tank has met with a lot of colleges over the past year, and Burke was one of them, but he doesn’t wanna go there. So it was a moot point.” Titus sighed.
“Moot point for who? Damn sure not me,” Tricia yelled and slammed the microwave door so hard she looked to make sure it hadn’t shattered.
“Moot point for Tank considering he’s the one who gets to pick his damn school and not you,” Titus replied. “I’m gone.”
Tricia stood in the middle of the kitchen. She was so angry that she almost screamed. Titus knew being hung up on was one of her biggest pet peeves, even though she had no problem hanging up on him whenever she felt like it. She knew for him the conversation was over, but she had plenty more to say. But she was tired, and it would be hours before he and Tank got home.
Tricia took the card Everett gave her out of her purse and stared at it. According to Titus, talking about Burke to Tank was pointless, but she would talk to her son and make sure he understood all of the points.
Chapter 10
Janelle
“Hey, wanna grab some sushi?”
Janelle looked up from her computer and smiled at her coworker Dexter who was standing in the doorway of her office. “Thanks, but I’m actually meeting someone.”
“Oh, really? Teacher bae?” Dexter asked coyly.
Janelle shook her head and laughed. “No, not teacher bae.”
“What happened to teacher bae? I liked him.” Dexter faked a pout.
“Nothing happened to him. We are still cool.” Janelle shrugged. She grabbed her blazer from the back of her chair and slipped it on.
“Just cool? Wait, what did I miss? See, this is why we need a lunch date. We are long overdue for one. We haven’t had a sit-down since you were out sick with the flu. Clearly, I missed some things,” Dexter said.
“We will definitely do lunch one day this week, I promise.” Janelle playfully pinched his cheek as she passed him. They’d been friends since what had been their first day of work, years ago. At that time, Dexter was fresh out of law school and preparing for the bar. Now he was a junior partner and one of the best attorneys at the firm. Dexter was also a great lunch buddy and listening ear when she needed one. Had she not already had plans, Janelle definitely would’ve taken him up on his offer.
“Don’t make me come and find you,” Dexter warned. “You may not be meeting teacher bae, but whoever it is you’re meeting must be special, because you’re looking cute.”
“Dexter, dear, I always look cute.” Janelle winked.
The midday traffic was surprisingly light, and Janelle made it to her destination a few minutes ahead of schedule. Just as she parked her car, Natalie called.
“What’s up, Nat?”
“Nothing much. What are you doing?” Natalie asked.
“I’m actually about to walk into a lunch appointment,” Janelle said, checking her reflection in the rearview mirror. Hearing Dexter comment that she looked cute did make her feel a little more confident. When she chose the simple wrap dress to wear under her blazer and paired it with her colorful heels, she had no idea she’d even be meeting anyone for lunch.
“A lunch appointment or a lunch appointment?” Natalie’s emphasis let Janelle know exactly what she meant.
“No, fool, just a lunch appointment.”
“Okay, cool. Oh, Taryn called and said she can take us for mani-pedis Saturday at two. I tried calling and texting Nivea the other day, but she’s still MIA. Did she come over the other night?” Natalie asked.
“No, she didn’t. I waited for her and everything, but she didn’t show up and finally sent a text that she fell asleep and would catch up with me another time,” Janelle said, recapping Nivea’s failure to show up and the excuse she gave. Even though she still didn’t know what Nivea wanted to discuss, she was relieved she hadn’t shown up. Had it been that pressing of an issue, Nivea would’ve at least wanted to talk about it over the phone, which she hadn’t.
“That was weird. That’s all she said?” Natalie asked.
“That’s it. I guess it wasn’t as important as she thought it was.”
“Girl, knowing Nivea, she probably wanted to ask if she could order something on your Amazon account and pay you later.”
“Probably. But Saturday is fine. I’ll call you later,” Janelle said, noticing the time and hopping out of the car.
“A’ight, girl. Chat later.”
“You look nice.” Sherrod smiled as Janelle walked toward him.
“Thank you. So do you.”
“You’re saying that to be polite, but thanks anyway.” He gave her a brief hug.
They hadn’t spoken to one another since Sunday. All week Janelle had been waiting for the call from Sylvia telling her that Garry had gotten some kind of summons or documentation, but there was no mention of it. She’d been pleasantly surprised when he sent her a text asking if they could meet to talk. She could tell by the look on his face that he was just as hap
py to see her as she was to see him. Even though they’d only known each other briefly, she realized she enjoyed spending time with and getting to know him and that she missed talking with him.
“How much time do we have?” he asked as they began walking.
“About an hour or so. What about you?” Janelle asked.
“I actually don’t go into the store today. It’s my day off.”
“Nice.” She nodded.
“So, what do you have a taste for?” The shopping center where Sherrod asked to meet had a multitude of restaurants to choose from.
“Panera works for me.” Janelle pointed to the sign of the nearby restaurant.
After ordering soup and sandwiches, they found an empty table and sat across from one another. For some reason, Janelle felt a slight twinge of nervousness, so she took off her jacket in an effort to relax a little.
“How’s your week been so far?” Sherrod asked.
“It’s been okay. Work had been kind of hectic, which believe it or not is a good thing because it makes my day go by faster. How about yours?”
“Same. You know we’re in the middle of flu season, so it’s been pretty busy.” He nodded.
“You know I know about flu season.”
“Yeah, I recall you whining like a baby,” he teased. “Good thing I came to your rescue when I did. We probably wouldn’t be here having this conversation because you would be gone to glory.”
“Oh my God, that sounds like something Aunt Connie would say.” Janelle laughed.
A server brought their food over to the table, and they made a little more small talk as they ate. Janelle wondered if it was a coincidence or if they both were purposely avoiding the many obvious subjects at hand. Her curiosity was cured by what Sherrod said next.
“I talked to your sister.”
“What? When?” Janelle asked, surprised by his statement, mainly because she hadn’t even spoken to Sylvia.
“Monday morning. I ran into her at Starbucks, and we had a nice talk,” Sherrod said, then continued to tell her about the conversation he had with Sylvia days before.
Janelle listened, recalling how, when she told Sylvia about Sherrod’s plans to file charges, her sister had seemed nonchalant about the entire situation. Now after hearing this, she still had no idea where her head was at.
“So, you changed your mind?” Janelle asked as she stirred her soup.
“No. I can’t abandon Jordan. She needs me. But I’m just coming up with a plan that will put me in the best position to do what’s best for her. One thing your sister pointed out was that Jordan needs a support system, and that’s the one thing I don’t have in place right now. But I’m working on it,” Sherrod answered.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, for starters, I’m going to need a good attorney.”
At the word “attorney,” Janelle looked up at him. “You want me to help you fight Garry and my sister, Sherrod? You know that I can’t do that.”
“I’m not asking you to help me fight them, Janelle. I wouldn’t put you in that position. All I’m asking is that you point me in the right direction. It doesn’t have to be at your firm.”
“That’s still helping you.”
“Instead of looking at it like you’re picking sides and helping me, look at it like you’re helping Jordan. No matter what happens, don’t you want her to be in the best situation?” Sherrod asked.
“And what makes you think that’s not with Garry and Sylvia?”
“And what makes you think that it is?” Sherrod shot back at her. “They’re in the middle of separating right now and have their own issues to sort out, don’t they?”
“Who told you that?” Janelle frowned. It was one thing for her to know about her sister’s marital problems, but she didn’t know how she felt about anyone else commenting on them.
He stared at her and said, “From what Jordan told me, he and Sylvia aren’t even speaking, and there’s so much tension in the house that she can’t even sleep at night. She’s scared and has started sleeping with Aunt Connie.”
Janelle quickly came to their defense. “Every marriage has problems, Sherrod. And no matter what I can tell you right now, their main concern is the well-being of their children. They will work it out.”
“Are you sure? What if they don’t? Then what will happen to her?”
Janelle didn’t have an answer to his question. She didn’t even want to think about what was going to happen if Garry and Sylvia inevitably split. Peyton had one foot out of the house anyway, so although she’d be hurt by her parents’ decision, she would be okay. But Jordan had a few more years in the nest. She’d recently lost her mother, and in reality, Sylvia just might have a better chance at winning custody than Garry.
“Sylvia will make sure Jordan is—” Janelle started.
“Janelle, Jordan doesn’t want to be there. She wants to be with me,” Sherrod stated. “And her mother agreed. But just think about it. You asked me to think about it before filing those assault charges, and I did. Now I’m just asking you to do the same thing. If not for me, then for Jordan.”
Janelle inhaled, then said, “I’ll think about it, Sherrod. But I’m not making any promises. This situation is hella complicated as it is.”
“You’re right, and I thank you for agreeing to think about it.” He reached across the table and grabbed her hand. “Now that we’ve tabled that discussion, I have something else for you to think about.”
“What?” Janelle gave him a suspicious look.
“I want you to consider going out with me again. I know it’s crazy with everything going on right now, but—”
“Sherrod, I don’t know,” Janelle said softly. “And not just because of the Jordan-Sylvia-Garry situation.”
“Is it the teacher guy who was at your birthday party?” he teased.
“God, no, not him either,” Janelle told him.
“Okay, then it must be him.” Sherrod released her hand and sat back.
“Who?”
“You know who. The guy who grabbed you while Garry and I were fighting. The one who you can’t keep away. The one who’s married to someone else.” Sherrod shrugged.
Janelle looked down at her half-eaten lunch. “No.”
“Hey, I don’t want you to think I’m judging you, because I’m not. I’m just trying to understand why a woman so beautiful and smart, with so much to offer the right guy, would be caught up and settling for less than she deserves.”
Finally she looked up. “I’m not settling. Yes, Titus and I are... were... I mean, he’s just my friend. We’ve been friends for years, even before he was married to someone else. We just somehow gravitate toward one another. But I’m not with him. I know what I want and what I deserve. Please don’t get that twisted.”
“And what is that?”
“What is what?”
“What do you want? And what do you deserve?” Sherrod asked.
Janelle thought about his question. At one point in time, she wanted to fall in love and get married and have a family when the time was right. But after one failed relationship after another, she began to think it wasn’t possible, so she changed the items on her list of wants and found happiness in other ways. She enjoyed spending time with her family and friends, she loved her job, and she loved being independent and having the freedom to travel the world. She reminded herself that her friends who were married with children couldn’t do the things that she could.
“I want and I deserve to be happy, Sherrod. And I am. And my concern for dating you has nothing to do with Titus or any other man.”
“Then what is it? Is it me? Is it because you aren’t feeling me anymore?” Sherrod stared at her.
“It’s not you, Sherrod. You’re still as amazing to me today as the day you showed up on my doorstep to nurse me back to health.” Janelle gave him a reassuring smile. “I’m worried about how Nivea would feel if we became serious.”
“Nivea?” Sherrod said so loud
that the people sitting nearby looked over at them. He quickly apologized. “Sorry. What the hell does Nivea have to do with us?”
“It’s kind of breaking girl code to date the guy who happened to be the first love of one of your best friends, Sherrod,” Janelle said.
“First love? Whose first love?” He seemed confused.
“Nivea’s first love. You. You said it yourself that you were her first,” Janelle reminded him.
“That was in high school, Janelle. And yeah, I was the first person she had sex with, but I wasn’t her first love. The crazy thing is she had sex with me because the guy she was in love with at the time didn’t believe in having sex with virgins, crazy at that sounds. I didn’t even know her ass was a virgin until after it was over.” Sherrod laughed.
“Are you sure?” Even though Janelle didn’t have a reason not to believe him, she wasn’t sure if he was telling the truth, especially since that wasn’t the way Nivea had portrayed them to be.
“I’m positive. So as I see it, there’s no reason for us not to pick up where we left off, right?” He smiled as he grabbed both her hands this time and held them tight.
Janelle looked at his handsome face, not knowing what to say. He was right when he said their lives were complicated. There was also the possibility of their dating making both of their situations worse. I really need to talk to Sylvia and Nivea. It’s the right thing to do.
“Sherrod...”
“Fine, what about this? One date, this weekend, no pressure, no strings. Just you and me hanging out as friends.”
“One date?” she repeated. Agreeing to one date as friends seemed like such an easier decision for her to make.
“That’s it, Saturday night.”
“Fine, one date.”
Sherrod put her hands to his lips and kissed them. She realized that she was just as happy about her accepting his invitation as he was. In the back of her mind, she knew she still needed to talk to her sister and best friend. Okay, and I will. But for now, it’s just one date.