by Tammy Lewis
that Quinn was dressed casually, in a pair of blue jeans and a
white cotton shirt, instantly I felt overdressed. Biting my
lower lip, confused, I asked, “where are you taking me?”
Watching a huge smile sweep across Quinn’s face, as he
replied “it’s a surprise, but I am pretty sure that you are going
to love it.”
Intrigued, yet highly apprehensive, I asked, “do I need to go
and get changed?”
Glancing down at my pretty flowing dress, Quinn shook his head, watching his eyes light up with delight, he replied, “no,
honey, you look perfect.”
Heading out, driving through the city, leaving the familiarity,
we began to enter the outskirts. Into the less desirable areas,
the places that Marcus and I would often hang out, away from
the elite. Unsure of my surroundings, glancing over at Quinn
behind the wheel, again I asked, “Quinn, where are you taking
me?”
Smiling over at me, noticing a sparkle in his eye, he replied,
“we are almost there and I promise you, that you are going to
love it.”
Watching the streets beside us change, and the dark alleys
and boarded up houses appear, I began to feel a little
unsettled. I was used to being in surroundings like this with
Marcus, but never alone. Turning right at the end of the
street, into the unkempt carpark, of a large hideous stone
building. Looking up, to see the bars fixed to each and every
one of its windows. It was then I could feel the colour
beginning to drain from my face.
Glaring over, sensing the tone in my voice struggle, I asked,
“where are we?”
Certain that there was something untoward about to happen,
at any second. Watching Quinn leave the car, only to walk
around to open my door, apprehensive to leave, I remained
seated. Reaching out for my hand, through the open
passenger door, Quinn asked “are you ready?”
Taking a deep breath, I shook my head and replied, “I think
that you should take me back home.”
Curious, crouching down before me, holding on to my hands,
Quinn whispered, “please Domini, all I ask is for five minutes.
Then if you don’t like it here, I promise you, I will take you straight back home.”
Knowing that I shouldn’t have left the car, yet compelled to
follow him, out of nothing but pure curiosity. All while
Marcus’s voice and chosen words ran through my head. Sure,
that if Marcus had been here right now, he would have never
have let me leave the car. Taking Quinn’s hand, reluctantly,
holding back, I let him lead me to the front of the building.
Hearing the rusty front door hinges screech in my ears, as
Quinn pulled the heavy door open before us. I stood with
bated breath, anxious, unsure what would be waiting for us
on the other side. Stepping inside, I froze to the spot, shocked
and bewildered, when a room full of children instantly
stopped what they were all doing and ran in our direction,
each calling out “Quinn.”
Gazing up at him, confused, I was speechless, watching a
group of youngsters circle him, all talking at once. Silencing
the young crowd, his entire face lit up before them, taking the
time to acknowledge each and every one of them, Quinn
called out, “hello, how is everyone doing?”
Watching an older gentleman make his way through the
crowd, taking Quinn’s hand and embracing him, with a
friendly greeting. Only standing back, to gaze over at me,
awaiting Quinn’s introduction. Turning to face me, Quinn
spoke, “Ralph, I would like to meet my… my lady… Domini.”
Reaching out my hand to take Ralph’s, watching his grin
widen, he responded, “Domini, that’s a great name! How
great to finally meet you.”
Confused I stood there, unsure how Ralph could have
possibly already known of me. When suddenly responding to
a call to someone at the far end of the large hall, Ralph called
out “I am on my way.”
Turning back to face us, excusing himself, he explained, “I have to go and help hand out the food, hope you guys are
hungry, tonight we’re having mac and cheese.”
Seated at a shabby old canteen table with an adjoining stool, I
glanced over at Quinn, his eyes fixed on to the room full of
children, anxiously awaiting their evening meal. Almost
whispering, trying to capture Quinn’s stare, I asked, “what is
this place?”
Replying, Quinn answered, “it’s a youth centre, it gives the
local kids in this area, a place to go, get a meal, and keep
themselves out of trouble.”
Bewildered I asked, “but how do you know about this place?”
Standing up to go and help Ralph give out tonight’s meals,
with the other staff members, Quinn replied, “because this is
the place where I spent most of my youth.”
Gobsmacked I sat there, this was the place that Mr
Pretentious came from, this could not be… or could it?
Placing a small take-out container of mac and cheese in front
of me, I forced out a smile. Feeling the words “thank you,”
struggle and fall from my tongue, praying that he wasn’t
expecting me to eat it.
When to my horror, he began to gesture for me to tuck in, I
lifted up the plastic fork, twisting it into the mound of
creamy, beige coloured pasta. To avoid placing the unwanted
meal into my mouth, deterring myself away, I asked, “so are
you going to tell me why you brought me here?”
Smiling from his eyes, avoiding my question entirely, Quinn
asked, “your roommate Marcus, I can’t understand why, but it
would seem that he doesn’t like me. Do you have any idea
why, he has taken an instant disliking to me?”
Avoiding his question, almost the same way that he had mine.
Grinning, glancing up from my coy disposition, I replied,
“what makes you think that I like you?”
Hearing Quinn’s coarse laughter deepen, made my grin
widen, biting my lip harder, I tried my best to hide my levity,
but to no avail. Resting my chin on to my palm, I began to
study him. Certain that everything that I thought that I had
originally known of him, I had completely misconstrued.
Despite his lucid appearance, it would seem that he was some
kind of enigma, wrapped within a puzzling illusion. Where
none of the pieces were yet to fit together and nothing would
be as it would seem.
Chapter 15
Joining us over at the table, Ralph placed himself down
beside Quinn, apologising, he stated, “I am sorry that I
couldn’t make the charity event. Though you know how
grateful we all are for your continued support, Quinn. You’ve
definitely kept to your word and looked after us.”
Turning to face me, Ralph asked “has Quinn showed you the
plans for the new centre yet? They are incredible. The kids are
going to love it there.”
Watching the tears appear in Ralph’s eyes, unsure if I had the
words to even begin to answer, catching Quinn’s star
e, I
smiled, sure that with each and every moment that we stayed
here, my impression of Quinn exceeded itself, with every
second that passed.
Depositing the empty containers into the trash, Ralph called out to the kids, “get yourselves into two teams, you know the
rules.”
Watching the room erupt, confused to what was about to
happen, I whispered over to Quinn. His eyes instantly lit up
before me, sure that he had participated in whatever was
about to commence, so many times before.
Taking my hand across the table, Quinn replied, “it’s almost
home time, though the kids don’t leave until we all get to play
a friendly game of basketball, before the sun sets.”
Whisking me off through a rear exit, we found ourselves stood
on a shabby, dishevelled, makeshift court. Where the children
began organising themselves into groups, when a young boy
approaching Quinn asked, “can the pretty lady be on our
team?”
Sure, that I couldn’t even begin to explain to this charming
young man, the reasons why I couldn’t play in my attire.
When thankfully Quinn intervened and replied on my behalf,
“maybe another time, I promise to remind Ms Stone to bring
a pair of sensible shoes next time she visits. But don’t worry
young man, I will be on your team.”
Watching the boy disappear into his group of team mates, I
mouthed the words “thank you,” over to Quinn.
Only for him to reach forward and kiss me upon the cheek, to
a roaring crowd of children, heckling Quinn’s spontaneous
chosen behaviour.
Standing back, out of the line of fire, away from the stampede
of children and a heavy basketball being passed around freely.
I stood with Ralph, whose eyes were fixed on to the match
before us, taking in each and every manoeuvre. Without
taking his eyes off of the game, Ralph asked, “well in all the
years that Quinn has lived in the city, you’re the first person that he’s brought back here. I have to say Ms Stone, I am
quite intrigued, have you known each other very long?”
Shaking my head, bewildered by his words, somewhat
unaware that he wasn’t able to see my gesture, I replied, “a
couple of weeks I guess.”
When suddenly Ralph laughed in amazement, taking his gaze
away from the game, his face filled with joy. Sure, that he was
about to speak, instead, pursing his lips together, to my
disappointment, he held his tongue.
Congratulating both teams on a great game, we began to
watch the children make their way home. With each taking
the time to say goodnight to us all, as they left. Feeling the
gentle tap of a hand against my arm, turning to see a young
girl, no more than 10 years old, stood at my side. Unsure how
to greet her, I stood frozen to the spot and smiled, watching
her reach into her pocket and pull out a bracelet.
Handing the multi-coloured threaded yarn over to me, she
spoke only to say, “I made this for you, Mrs Hamilton.”
Feeling my eyes widen in amazement, then instantly fill with
tears at this grand gesture.
Certain that no one had ever gone to the trouble of ever
making me anything like this before. Taking the bracelet,
unable to speak, I hugged the young girl tightly, taking the
friendship token and placing it on to my wrist. Feeling a tear
cascade over my cheekbone, collecting it quickly, finding my
voice, I gushed, “wow, that’s incredible. Thank you so much.”
Watching the young girl flee, skipping over to the front gates,
I stood back in wonderment, unsure what I had done to have
deserved this precious token.
Distracting me from my distant gaze, Quinn called out,
“Domini, honey, are you ready to go?”
Nodding, still in awe, I shook hands with Ralph, thanking him
for his generous hospitality, promising at his request that I
would return. Following Quinn to the car, looking around at
our surroundings once more, taking it all in, I asked, “Quinn
why did you bring me here?”
Taking his hand away from the car’s ignition, lowering his
head, he replied “because I wanted you to see where I came
from. Despite what you and Marcus think, I didn’t have the
same upbringing as you both. Even though you belong in that
world, you seem to distance yourself from the rich, A list, high
class crowd. I knew from the first time that I met you, that
you were different, you’re real. That’s why tonight, I wanted
to show you that I came from nothing, that I came from here.”
Speechless, I sat there, while Quinn started up the car and we
made our way back to the heart of the city. Letting each of his
chosen words sink in, curious I asked, “do your family still
live in your old neighbourhood?”
Unsure if I had overstepped the mark, feeling the silence fill
the car, when suddenly he replied, “no, my mother, sister
Janine and her husband Jerry live in Maine.”
Feeling my eyes widen and a smile sweep across my face, at
the sound of their names, recognising them instantly.
I asked, “so it was your sister that set up the fake trap?”
Glancing over to me, shaking his head, fashioning a huge
grin, Quinn replied, “no it was me. I used my sisters email
account. She’s had the same passwords since college.”
Shaking my head at him in disapproval, I playfully scowled
him, “naughty, naughty Mr H!”
Hearing him laugh loudly, he suggested, “yes, says the lady who likes to bound her male liaisons to metal bed frames.”
Turning away from him, feeling the fire burn within my
cheeks, I replied, “just business though Mr H.”
Sure, that his eyes were glancing over to me once more, his
voice lowered, as he asked, “do you always kiss all of your
operatives in the same manner, with the intensity, that you
kissed me?”
Laughing nervously, sure that I couldn’t even begin to answer
this question, not wanting the answer to leave my own head.
Biting my lip once more, remaining coy, I replied, “whatever
do you mean, Mr H!”
Watching his amusement, at my shy, embarrassed
demeanour take over my whole body. With my heart racing
inside my chest, remembering every second, of every
moment, that our lips had become one. Noticing my
apartment building appear before us, sure that I had to get
out, in a desperate need for fresh air. Feeling the car come to
a smooth halt, turning to face me once more, watching him
lean over in the corner of my eye. Reaching into my purse,
pulling a cheque from one of the inside pockets. Stopping him
in his tracks, ruining whatever was about to happen. I handed
him a cheque, to his surprise. Opening it, I watched as his
eyes became illuminated with both shock and delight, though
his silence made me uneasy.
I asked, hoping that it was “is it enough to cover my tab and
the auction?”
Blinking profusely, he replied, gasping for air, “Domini, it’s
more than enough. Though I was only using it as leverage, to
get you to go out with me again. I certainly did not expect
anything.”
Handing the cheque back over to me, shaking his head, he suggested, “I can’t accept it. It just doesn’t feel right.”
Wanting him to take it, certain that he would put it to great
use, pushing his hand towards him, I begged, “please Quinn,
for the kids.”
Taking the cheque and placing it to his chest, looking at me
with both awe and amazement, making me feeling a whole
new level of awkwardness, that I just couldn’t bear. Hearing
his tone lower, he whispered, “I’ll accept, but only on one
condition.”
Nodding, I agreed, when suddenly he leaned over, caressing
my cheek in his hand, feeling my heart flutter, gazing into my
eyes, seizing the moment, he kissed me once more.
Chapter 16
“I’d ask you in… but… uh… umm… you know… Marcus is…
home,” I stumbled, trying to catch my breath.
Hearing him suggest, “you could always come over to my
place.”
Knowing that I had to get out of this car pronto, I shook my
head and replied, “maybe some other time.”
Feeling his hand take mine, his face filled with
disappointment, nodding solemnly, almost repeating my very
own words, he agreed, “yes, maybe some other time.”
Lifting my hand to his lips, lowering his tone, gazing at me,
straight into my eyes, without even blinking, he whispered,
“goodnight Ms Stone.”
Leaving the car before I changed my mind, gave in to him and completely ruined everything. I made my way upstairs, to the
apartment, to gloat to Marcus that despite what he thought, I
was alive and well.
“Ah, I see Mr Pretentious didn’t kill and bury you this time, is
that more of a fifth date activity?” Asked Marcus, as I sat
myself opposite him in the living room chair.
Rolling my eyes at him, while he grinned widely, I replied,
“nope, he took me to a youth centre in Meldwood Park.”
Watching Marcus’s face redden with anger, and the fire burn
within his eyes, unable to hide his annoyance, he yelled, “he
took you where? You did what? And what was he going to do
to protect you, and keep you safe while you were there. If you
were to be attacked, throw his damn cheque book at them?