Finally, You and Me

by Lisa Jackson

  “Oh, Darius, this is wonderful!” she exclaimed. She leaned over and hugged him. “I guess it’s time to make those plans a reality.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he replied. “With our business angle, technological skills, and knowledge of the industry, we believe that our business can be very successful. Bryant has a proposal with the city that looks very promising.”

  Annie cupped his chin gently. “You know I’m proud of you, right?”

  He nodded. “I know, I still can’t believe that everything is falling into place, but one thing. It worries me to leave you alone in the city.”

  She quickly dismissed his comment with a wave of her hand. “Boy, shoot, there’s no need to worry. You’ve been a good son staying here in town with me for all these years. It’s time for you to get your own life together.”

  “I know, but with Deidra moving to Texas I can’t stand the idea of you here all by yourself.”

  “You won’t have to worry about me. I’ve actually been thinking about checking out Texas myself. Deidra asked me to move with her.” She sighed, and her eyes scanned the four corners of the room. “Since your daddy passed and now that you’ll be leaving, it couldn’t have come at a better time. Besides, it’s not like I will be leaving anyone behind.”

  “Are you sure that’s what you want to do, Mama?” he asked. He knew how wild his younger sister could be. She was single, headstrong and loved to party.

  “I know what you’re thinking, but your sister has settled down quite a bit. She got approved for a transfer with her job and is looking into buying a house. She’s going to need me there to help keep her on track,” she said. “Plus I’m kind of looking forward to some warmer weather.”

  “Are you going to move out with Deidra?”

  She nodded. “I wanted to talk to you first to get your opinion. I thought maybe you’d be interested in staying in the house, but since you’re moving to Detroit, maybe we could look at selling it.”

  Darius glanced around the tiny kitchen. Though small and lacking the conveniences of modern appliances, the room would always be remembered for the love that was poured out to all who came there. His mother was the most hospitable person he knew and made everyone who visited feel like they were right at home.

  The old steel-framed chair where his father always sat after coming home from a long day on the job remained in its regular spot behind the door. The brown vinyl covering was now cracked and chipping away. Darius could almost picture his father plopping down in it to remove his shoes like he frequently did. Although he was tired, he still found time to take on Darius’s active baby brother Eric who met him at the door each evening to climb into their father’s lap and fall asleep.

  With a thoughtful sigh, Darius cleared his throat. He would miss the little house that his dad bought for his growing family back in the ’70s. The three-bedroom ranch home had provided the perfect shelter for his wife and their five children. When the neighborhood began to change in the ’70s and most of their neighbors headed for the suburbs, the Riverside family stayed true to their community. Initially, he couldn’t understand. But as he got older he respected his father for his decision to keep his family put. He owed his love for community activism to his father who would have been proud of the legacy that he passed on.

  “I’ll contact a Realtor first thing tomorrow, Mama.”

  Annie held her head slightly towards the ceiling with tear-filled eyes. “Jack, it’s time for us all to move on. This house has brought us so much joy, watching the children grow up and all. But now it’s gotten to be too much for me and I believe it’s time to pass this blessing on to another family.”

  Darius reached across the table and gripped her hand in his. Although they didn’t have much, his parents had provided a stable, secure and loving environment for their children. Their teaching prepared them for the rough road of life that was ahead. Darius felt like he learned well. The only area he struggled in was relationships. Sure, they talked about the birds and the bees and how Darius was expected to treat a woman, but he never really discussed with his father about how much love could hurt. Yet, when he glanced over at his mother, he immediately understood why the subject never came up. His dad had married an angel and the question of pain in love never came up.

  Chapter 22

  The New York evening air was chilly. Alexa shivered as she scurried across the room to close the partially ajar window. Her head hurt from the pressure of the day and she was looking forward to collapsing in her bed. She had just returned from another strategy meeting with the team Marks-St. Claire had assembled as the new staff for Radiance magazine.

  Her stress was attributed to having to learn the new staff coupled with the expectation from the home office to have the Radiance office fully functioning in less than two months. Alexa was anxious about all that was on her plate because she also had pressing personal matters that she had ignored due to her hectic schedule. For one, she was still on the hunt for an apartment. Teressa and Lewis had expressed an interest in buying her house and they were in the process of sealing the deal. While she was grateful for that weight being lifted from her shoulders, she still had her own housing to deal with.

  Although the company was gracious enough to pay for temporary housing in a classy Manhattan hotel near the office, there was nothing like being in your own place. Judging by her busy calendar, Alexa really couldn’t see when she could arrange an appointment with the Realtor. She was too busy traveling back and forth from Denver to New York every other week. Her hours were long and absorbing leaving little time for anything afterwards except a small dinner and a bath before collapsing into bed.

  She actually preferred the long working hours to having her evenings free. Being preoccupied helped to keep her mind off of Darius. Tonight, however, she wouldn’t be as lucky. The team was given the evening off as a reward for staying on the set timeline.

  Alexa found herself able to enjoy being at home for the first time in weeks. To her chagrin, much had been neglected back in Denver since stepping into her new position. There were projects to complete, an office to clear out and positions to fill. At home, there were plants to tend to, loads of laundry to wash and several past-due bills to pay.

  “How did I get so behind?” she asked herself as she flopped down on the side of the bed with an exasperated groan. She had gone from a fairly relaxed job that didn’t require much attention outside of her forty-hour work week to a very intense position that held in the horizon long hours and many late nights. She was in for calls made to her home at inconvenient hours, not to mention early morning meetings at the spur of the moment.

  Up until now, her promotional transitions were a breeze, but this position was like no other that she had ever held. She prayed that she could adjust to the spontaneous and tedious schedule with a pleasant attitude. While her daily duties consumed her days, thoughts of Darius invaded her nights. It was hard swallowing the fact that their relationship was over. She truly missed curling up against him in bed while they read the morning paper over coffee as well as enjoying each other’s conversation via the telephone every night.

  She missed Darius’s strong arms holding her protectively and hearing his soothing, baritone voice as they talked late into the night on the phone. She had grown accustomed to his outright admiration of her and his adoring glances and warm caresses. No man had ever made her feel like he only had eyes for her regardless of the many beautiful women around them.

  “No, I can’t think about him!” she shouted out in the empty room. She needed to occupy herself with something. Reaching for the remote, she turned on the television just as the telephone rang.

  “Hello.

  “Hey, Alexa.” It was Maya.

  “Hey, girl.”

  “Long time no talk to. I’m surprised I caught you in your room.”

  “You and me both,” Alexa sarcastically replied.

  “You don’t sound so good. What’s eating you?”

  “Just tired, I
guess.”

  “So how is your new job coming along, Ms. Editor-in-Chief?”

  “Besides the long hours, trips back and forth to New York and the never-ending meetings, it’s all good.”

  “Wow, is it what you thought it would be?”

  Alexa didn’t have the heart to admit the truth to her or anyone for that matter. She didn’t want to confess that this time she was second-guessing her decision.

  “I knew that being in charge of a magazine would have a lot of responsibility with few allowances for distractions.”

  “I bet you were prepared for that loot, too, huh?” Maya teased. “So, are you making good?”

  “Let’s put it this way. I think I might retire the old Honda and get uptown like you!” Alexa quipped. She had to admit that the monetary benefit was definitely a reward.

  “All right now,” Maya replied, with a chuckle. “For real, do yourself a favor. I know you’re in the throes of your greatest career move ever and sometimes when things work out in such a way, we have a tendency to believe that you are on the right track. I implore you to pray about what’s going on. Ask God if you are in His will because that is where we find peace in the end.”

  “Why do you say that?” Alexa asked, surprised by Maya’s examination. In her opinion, the position must have been meant for her because she was filling it.

  “I just don’t want you to get into the habit of making decisions based on your emotions. In all that we do, we should ask the Lord for guidance.”

  “You wouldn’t happen to be referring to Darius, would you?” She knew that he had to be in some way affiliated with Maya’s comments.

  “Well, yes. But I’m thinking of you as well.”

  Alexa exhaled loudly. She knew the conversation was going to go there.

  “Maya, you know writing has been my dream since I was in fourth grade. I always wanted to reach and inspire people through my writing. Now that I have the chance to influence possibly millions of women, you’re telling me I need to pray about being here because of Darius?” Confusion mapped her mind. If there was one thing Alexa always believed, it was that Maya was in her corner. “This is my destiny.”

  “Alexa, I know that writing is your passion, and I am confident in your abilities, but I am also aware of the fact that marriage is a very serious matter. You made a vow to Darius and you just can’t say ‘I do’one minute and ‘I don’t’ the next. It just isn’t right.”

  Alexa silently pondered Maya’s words. Things had happened fast for her. A week after accepting the new position, she was on a plane to New York for their first official meeting. Everything was a blur. So much so, that all she could do was ride the wave. She had every intention of including Darius in her plans but had waited a little too long before the chips fell to her dismay.

  “I appreciate your advice, Maya, but I think this position wouldn’t have been offered to me if I wasn’t supposed to fill it. As for me marrying Darius, it was something that I thought was the right thing to do at the time. If Darius loved me like he said, then he wouldn’t have handled me the way he did. He should have given me the chance to explain myself. All I did was try to protect him from a potentially painful situation. I was thinking about a way to approach the subject in a delicate manner that he could deal with, but he didn’t want to hear it. Right now, he could be running his business successfully in New York with me!”

  Maya sighed in exasperation. “Alexa, I think you’re missing the point.”

  “What point?”

  “The one thing that is needed in a relationship is honesty. Honesty together with a sincere apology can heal a wound. If you want to repair the damage done, mix those together and go back to your husband.”

  “It takes two to fix this mess,” Alexa stated.

  “And I think you should be the catalyst. I just want you and Darius to be happy.” She knew Alexa could be stubborn especially when she thought she was right.

  “I am happy,” Alexa confirmed with emphasis.

  Although Maya was skeptical about her answer, she left it alone. She knew that Alexa comprehended where she was coming from, but was being stubborn. She just hoped Alexa’s obstinacy would not prevent her from doing the right thing.

  Maya sighed. “The Lord just put it on my heart to call you. I’ll let you go so you can get some rest.”

  “Thanks, I’ll talk to you later.”

  After Alexa replaced the cordless phone back on its base, she lay gazing at the ceiling, trying to make sense of the confusion. It had been awhile since she spent some time with God. Her schedule made her sleepy by the end of the day and in the morning she rolled out of bed at the last minute. Plus, when Darius was around, she couldn’t find a convenient time to set aside time for prayer. She was lucky if she got in a thank-you while in the car on her way to work.

  Just as Maya had suggested, she rolled off the side of the bed and knelt with her hands clasped tightly together.

  “So, you’ve decided to set up in Detroit?” Reginald asked.

  “Yeah,” Darius confirmed. “We have our office space selected and the plan is to open the doors in August.” The plans were finalized. It was a long time coming, but was definitely worth the wait.

  The two were seated at their usual table at the End Zone eating their usual meal of five-alarm chicken wings, barbecue ribs and spicy fries with beer.

  Reg took a long swig of his beer and placed the bottle on the table, shaking his head in disbelief. “I can’t believe that you’re doing your thing.”

  “Got to. Bryant and I have wanted to merge forces for a long time,” Darius replied, picking up his napkin to wipe his sauce-covered fingers. “I’m just glad that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

  “Why move to Detroit? I thought you were going to open up shop here? Besides, is the market for your business big there?” Reg tossed out one question after another.

  “No, we scrapped the idea of having an office here. Detroit is rebuilding, man. The mayor is committed to revitalizing the city. He’s caught the attention of several big-name corporations as well as minority-owned businesses in an effort to attract them into investing in the city. Bryant said his goal is to create an Atlanta of the North.”

  “I don’t know if I can imagine the Olympics there,” Reg joked.

  Darius laughed. “No, maybe not for a while, but they’re getting it together. Besides, you know me; I’m a grass roots kind of guy. I like to get in on the ground level where I can get my feet wet.”

  Reg nodded. He could attest to Darius’s commitment to the inner city, especially the black community. When he first mentioned the school’s concept to him, that was all Darius wanted to talk about. It was as if he had made the school his own personal project and like his own, he saw it through to fruition.

  “You know there are going to be some disappointed folks around here.”

  Darius chuckled. “I’ll miss everybody.” He glanced at the food on the platter. “You don’t suppose I can get some wings and fries like these in Detroit?”

  “You damn sure won’t get them served to you by someone like our Midget.”

  The two laughed, giving each other five.

  “Seriously now, I’ll wrap up everything tight before I jet.” Darius held out his balled fist.

  “Cool,” Reg replied.

  Darius felt compelled to say more but he knew it wasn’t necessary. Reg was just that kind of guy. He appreciated his friend for having his back over the years. Although his style was sometimes a little too direct, Darius knew his heart. Over the years Reg had proven to be a good friend.

  Reg looked up as if he had just read Darius’s mind. “Hey, I know you probably don’t want to talk about this, but I want to say I’m real sorry about what happened with you and Alexa.”

  “Thanks, man, but that’s behind me now,” he lied. He didn’t want to discuss his feelings for Alexa. The humiliation of having been duped a second time was unbearable.

  “Are you guys getting a
divorce?”

  Hearing the word divorce stunned him. He never really ingested the term let alone the fact that he would be going through one. Darius couldn’t believe that he had been married for three months.

  He recalled the astounded look on Reg’s face when he told him that he and Alexa were married. He had sat there with his mouth wide open as though he was trying to catch flies. Bryant and Maya were just as shocked. Darius was surprised that Alexa had actually kept their secret from her best friend. He assumed that if there was one person she would tell it would be Maya. The encounter was painful when he learned that wasn’t the case. Within an hour’s time, Maya went through emotions from disbelief, to anger and finally giving way to tears of sadness. Both she and Bryant were hurt to learn that their best friends had gotten married behind their backs.

  “Didn’t you trust us enough to tell us?” Maya cried.

  It hurt him to see her cry as well as the obvious disappointment lining Bryant’s brow. He regretted that he had handled things in such a haphazard manner and wished he could have done things differently. It was then that he realized that he had set the tone for the secrecy in their marriage. Maybe if he wasn’t so bent on keeping their marriage a secret, Alexa would have felt comfortable enough to talk to him about her promotion. But then again, she did predict correctly that he wouldn’t be amicable about her accepting the new position. He was determined not to play second fiddle again.

  “Darius!”

  Hearing his name brought Darius back to the present. He had been drifting off a lot lately.

  “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

  “I asked if you thought you two could work things out or are you going to file for divorce.”

  “Alexa has moved on to New York and I’m having my attorney draw up the papers now.”

  “You sure this is what you want, dog?”

  “I’m surprised to hear you say this, Reg. I know that Alexa wasn’t your favorite person.”