The Company We Keep

by Mary Monroe

  “See, there’s a side to Teri that she doesn’t let too many people see, my man. Oh, she’s good at her job and she’s admired and respected by a lot of people, and she is pretty. But she’s also one of the most sensitive and passionate women I’ve ever met. She’s also funny, and witty, and a great conversationalist.”

  A dumbfounded look crossed Trevor’s face. “What about all this other action I’ve seen you with lately? Like that former Miss Jamaica with a butt that would bring the pope to his knees? And that light-skinned sister from Frisco? Does Teri know about them?”

  “Oh, Teri and I are not together anymore. I was with her about a year ago.”

  Trevor looked amused again. But he suppressed his laughter this time by pressing his lips together and caressing his chin. “Oh? What happened? How come you are not with her now if she’s so sensitive and passionate and witty and all the rest of that shit?”

  “That’s a good question. We started with a bang, but we both had so much going on in our lives at the time, we didn’t invest enough time and energy in our relationship. I’ve been trying to get back with her, but it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen.”

  “Hell no,” Trevor told him, putting so much emphasis on his words that it sounded as if he were speaking a foreign language.

  “You don’t think so?”

  “Well, I know for a fact that she and you have more going on in your lives now than ever before. If that was the reason you couldn’t make a relationship work in the first place, what makes you think you can do it this time? Get a grip, brother, and use your head for more than a hat rack.”

  “I don’t think we were ready that other time,” Harrison admitted, defeat in his voice.

  “But you’re ready now?”

  Harrison nodded. “I am, but I don’t know about her.”

  “Well, all I can tell you brother is that if you really want to get back with her, don’t give up on her too soon. Good black women, good women period, are hard to find.”

  “Tell me about it,” Harrison mumbled, slapping the side of the steering wheel.

  “Me, I lucked out when I found Debra. I’m glad I married her when I did while she was still a young virgin and didn’t know shit! True, she can’t fuck worth a damn, but that’s all right. I got that covered. I’ve always had more pussy than I could handle, anyway. Marriage didn’t change that. Me, I don’t care what Dr. Phil, Dr. Ruth, Dr. Doolittle, or any other doctor says, a man getting him a strange piece of pussy now and then has nothing to do with his marriage. What I do outside my marriage is only about biology, nothing more,” he decided. “But Debra’s clean, she can cook up a storm, she’s quiet and sweet, she’s cute—and she’ll do anything I tell her to do. She’s got everything she needs, and she belongs to one of the most sanctified churches in Atlanta to boot. I can do whatever else I want to and not worry about her acting a fool about it. Leaving me and shit then writing a tell-all book! What more could a man ask for? Shit. Man, do you mind if I smoke?” Trevor didn’t even wait for Harrison to respond before he whipped out a package of Newports and flicked on his lighter. But Harrison had stopped listening to him anyway.

  Harrison and Trevor visited an old friend who was now a bartender at a popular jazz club in South Central. This was where they spent the next two and a half hours. It had been a long day for Harrison and all he wanted to do now was relax.

  It had been a long day for Nicole, too. She had managed to set up a meeting for Teri with Eric. But because it was after hours and because Eric had a problem getting a babysitter for his daughter, Teri had to meet Eric at his loft. She didn’t have a problem meeting with Eric at his place, even though it was in a fairly rough neighborhood in a semi-industrial area near a vegetable-and-meat-packing plant on Baylor Street. Nicole had even offered to go with Teri to “take notes,” but Teri had jokingly scolded her and told her that she needed to come up with a better plan if she wanted to get in Eric’s pants.

  Teri had lived in a loft once so she knew what to expect when she entered the big brooding building Eric called home. The hallway to get to the elevator was long, dark, and deserted. And it was spooky enough for her to make sure that the can of mace she kept in her purse was easy to get to.

  When Teri got out of the elevator on the third floor, Eric was waiting for her. He wore a pair of jeans torn at the knees, a shabby plaid shirt, and sandals. He looked so bohemian and comfortable with himself. It was no wonder Nicole found him so irresistible. His front door, directly across from the elevator, was wide open.

  “I hope you didn’t have any trouble finding this place,” he said, greeting her with an embrace.

  “I used to live around here. I still know my way around,” she explained, following him inside.

  “I won’t take up too much of your time. I know how busy you are, Teri.” Eric had no way of knowing that the only thing left on Teri’s agenda for the day was to pick up some take-out soul food, then go home and see what movie the Lifetime movie channel had to offer.

  “Don’t worry about the time. I can stay as long as you want me to,” she said. She immediately wished she had not said that. Yvette leaped up off the floor in front of a large leather sofa with the same scowl on her face that Teri had seen the last time she saw her at the Andrewses’ party. “Hello, Yvette,” Teri said, forcing herself to be cordial.

  “Eric, I wish you would stop leaving that damn door open when you expecting somebody. We got enough flies and other flying creatures up in here already.” Yvette paused and gave Teri a crooked smile. “Hi, uh, Teri is your name, right?” Yvette blew on the nails she’d just painted candy apple red.

  “Teri is my name,” Teri said, putting a lot of emphasis on her words.

  Yvette gave Teri a prolonged critique, staring her up and down determined to find a few flaws. “I’m glad I’m not the only one having a bad hair day,” she said, patting her matted braids. “It must be windy as hell out there. Girlfriend, you ought to wear a cap or something when you go out.” Yvette’s unflattering comments didn’t even faze Teri. Yvette was what she was, and that wasn’t saying much. She was consistent if nothing else, so Teri always expected a chilly reception when she encountered miserable people like Yvette.

  Eric’s five-year-old daughter, Akua, entered the room from behind a curtain with an iPod in her hand, shaking it. “I’m Akua. I know who you are already, Teri. My daddy told me all about you and how much he likes working with you.”

  “Hi, sweetie. I’m glad to finally meet you.”

  “Do you help them dudes make records?”

  “Not exactly. All the recording is done in a studio in Encino and I rarely go out there. I work in the administrative end of the music business. But I get to hang out with a lot of stars,” Teri said, speaking in a childish tone of voice.

  “You know Bow Wow or Romeo?” Akua wanted to know. She stood in front of Teri, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

  “No, I’m afraid I haven’t met those young brothers yet. But when I do I’ll let you know.” Teri’s face was all smiles despite the fact that Yvette was staring daggers at her.

  Teri knew that Eric had a daughter, but she had never met the girl until now and she’d never even seen a picture of her. Akua looked exactly like Eric, and she seemed well mannered, despite the fact that she had an oafish bitch like Yvette in her life.

  “Oh, okay.” Akua shrugged then turned to Eric. “Daddy, it still doesn’t work,” she whined, shaking the iPod so hard it rattled.

  “Eric, if this is not a good time we can get together tomorrow or a later date. There’s really no real rush for me to see the prints we discussed or to talk to you about your bid.”

  Yvette plopped down on the couch and began to paint her toenails, which were almost as long and curled as her fingernails.

  “This time is as good as any,” Eric insisted, cutting her off with a wave of his hand. Right after he said that, Yvette whirled around.

  “Boogie Dawson is on her way over here to do my hair. She
couldn’t find a babysitter so she’s bringing all her kids with her,” Yvette announced with a smirk. “I didn’t know you had planned no meeting here tonight and I can’t change my appointment.”

  “Eric, we can go to my office so I can look at the prints,” Teri suggested. She caught the glare that Yvette cast in her direction, but that didn’t bother her, either.

  “Well, if you don’t mind, I don’t mind,” Eric said. Teri could tell from the look on his face that he was in a situation that he was no longer happy with. Why that was the case was a mystery to her. “Just let me get my gear and we can be on our way. Honey, now that Yvette is going to be home with you, you’d better mind her while I’m gone,” he said to his daughter, offering her a weak smile.

  “What?” Akua shrieked. “I want to go with you!”

  Yvette let out a croak of a gasp that was probably heard by residents in the next state. “Oh no, you ain’t going there! Just because I’m going to be home, that don’t mean I feel like babysitting, Eric. I already told you that. If you are not taking her with you, you’d better call somebody else up and get them over here,” Yvette told him, not looking up from her toes.

  “Teri, I’m sorry. It looks like I’m going to have to reschedule after all,” Eric muttered, a sharp pain shooting through his chest. This was one brother who knew that he had to make some serious adjustments in his life. He loved his daughter and he loved his work so there was nothing he could do about that. And, in his own strange way, he still had feelings for Yvette. Whenever she acted a fool, which seemed to be all she ever did anymore when it came to his friends and associates, he thought about the good times they had had early in their relationship. But the memory of the good times was getting dimmer and dimmer and he knew he had to make a change.

  CHAPTER 34

  Teri kicked off her pumps and slid out of her pantyhose as soon as she got inside her front door. She poured a glass of wine as she stood over the counter in her kitchen to listen to her voice mail messages. She deleted the first one before it even played all the way through. She didn’t need a copy of her credit report. She listened twice to the next one, which was from her grandmother, just calling to say hi and to ask if she wanted some bread pudding. Since it was almost nine o’clock, she decided not to return her grandmother’s call. She didn’t want any bread pudding, but she’d call her from work tomorrow and visit on her way home from work. Even though she had just done that two days ago. Her grandparents loved seeing her and she loved seeing them. But she had other reasons for wanting to see them again so soon. Ever since she had diverted that potential scam that they’d gotten involved in, she discretely monitored their actions more closely.

  Teri glanced at some travel brochures on the telephone stand next to the answering machine. Mexico, Belize, and Jamaica were beckoning her, but she knew that she was way too busy to answer them with a visit. With a heavy and hesitant hand, she dropped the brochures back onto the stand.

  The third message, which was so long the machine had cut it off, was from Lola, Nicole’s long-winded cousin. Lola had interviewed Teri for a piece that she had written for her magazine about women who worked in the music industry. She wanted to know if Teri wanted her to mail her a few copies of the magazine with the interview in it, or if she wanted to meet her somewhere. Lola offered to treat Teri to dinner and drinks and some girl talk.

  Teri liked Lola, but Lola ran a little too hot for her tastes. The few times she’d met Lola for drinks, Lola had spent most of the time yip-yapping about how great her life was. “Girl, you need to let me hook you up with some fresh meat,” Lola told her during their last encounter. “Nicole told me you weren’t involved with anybody.” She had declined Lola’s offer and reminded her that none of the men she’d hooked Nicole up with had worked out anyway.

  She decided that she’d look at those travel brochures again soon and figure out a way she could get away for a week or two. That thought didn’t stay on Teri’s mind long. She knew that her time was severely limited. She told herself that even if she had a man, when would she have time to spend with him? She answered her own question: Now. Instead of devoting her time and energy to her job and other people’s needs, she could be with her man tonight, if she had one.

  Victor had left the office early that day to spend some time with his wayward wife so they could work on their faltering relationship. Less than an hour after he’d left to go home, he called up Teri on her cell phone and told her that he was taking the next two weeks off to spend with his wife in Paris. Not Paris, Texas, where Victor was from, but Paris, France, the most romantic city on the planet. Shit! If a workaholic like Victor could put everything on hold at the drop of a hat to run off to Paris to work on his personal life, why couldn’t she? Teri wondered.

  The last voice mail message made her heart skip a beat. It was from Dwight. As soon as she realized it was him, she stopped it and played it from the beginning, leaning over the machine as if she were half deaf. “Teri, this is Dwight. I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately and I’d really like to see you. Nothing heavy, just drinks, if that’s all right with you. I miss you…”

  She listened to his message three more times before she finished her wine and went to bed. She was flattered that Dwight was still trying to get back with her. And even though she had no desire to resume their relationship, she was still glad he’d called. Having drinks alone with him was tempting, but scary. She knew that she was losing her grip. Just the thought of him and the way he had handled that big stick between his legs when she was in bed with him was too much for her to think about.

  She had a dream that night that she was embarrassed to think about the next morning. The dream had been so sexual that she’d experienced a climax so intense, it woke her up. She was throbbing between her legs and juice had soaked clean through her thong panties onto her silken sheets. All she could remember about the man who had shared her erotic dream with her was that he’d had no face.

  Various parts of Teri’s tortured body were still humming when she got to work. Victor’s sudden departure was an undisguised blessing. It wiped out half of the meetings on her calendar for the next two weeks. The first thing she planned to do today was call up Eric and invite him to lunch or dinner, her treat. She would have Nicole reschedule the only other meeting she had on her calendar. Then she would lock herself in her office and kick back. Maybe she could finally read the last three issues of Ebony and other magazines stacked up on her desk. After that, she’d sneak out the back way, go get her nails done, and get a facial.

  “See if you can reach Eric,” she told Nicole as soon as Nicole got in that morning. Nicole called up Eric right away and transferred him to Teri’s line. A few minutes later Teri pranced out of her office, grinning. “I wish every day could be like this.”

  “If I didn’t know any better I’d swear you finally got you some,” Nicole teased.

  “Why would you think that?”

  “Well, you’re glowing for one thing,” Nicole said, looking toward the hallway that led to the elevator. “Either you’ve had a few drinks to prepare you for your meeting with Victor this morning or you’ve had a nervous breakdown.”

  “Neither.” Teri proceeded to tell Nicole about the phone call she’d received from Victor last night.

  “Victor’s going to be on the other side of the planet for two weeks?” Nicole was not Catholic, but that didn’t stop her from crossing herself and swooning as though she’d just seen the face of God. “We all need to celebrate!” she hollered. “I suggest I go to lunch with you and Eric.”

  “I don’t need you along to take notes. And you know I don’t believe in mixing business with pleasure.”

  “You don’t, but I do,” Nicole said firmly.

  “Listen.” Teri slid her tongue across her bottom lip and moved closer to Nicole’s desk. Nicole didn’t know what was coming, but she had a feeling it was something she didn’t want to hear. She was right. “Yvette is still living with him. She’s got a goo
d thing going. She’s not going anywhere anytime soon.”

  “What are you talking about, woman?”

  “Girl, don’t clown me. I know you better than you know yourself. I see the way you look at Eric and I see the way he looks at you. But the timing is off.”

  “So what are you trying to say, Dr. Phil?”

  “I’m not trying to say anything. I’m saying it. I don’t want to see you get hurt again. If and when Eric wants to be with you, he will do it after Yvette is out of his life. He’s not a player. He’s not the type to juggle two women at the same time.”

  “You know Eric that well?” Nicole asked, suspicion clouding her face.

  “What? Oh no, it’s not what you are thinking. I know him just well enough to know that he’s not like a lot of the men we know. He’s among the last of the, uh…good ones,” Teri allowed, with a wan smile on her lips.

  “Well, since you are such an authority on relationships, I won’t argue with you. By the way, I put a brochure in your in-box from some dating outfit called eHarmony. Did you see it?” The smirk on Nicole’s face was brutal.

  “You can keep it for yourself.” Teri chuckled, shaking her head. “Make a lunch reservation for two at Mr. Chow. Then call up Eric and give him the address and time. And make sure you request a table in the back. I can’t stand to sit near the entrance and watch all those egomaniac celebrities prance in and out, doing everything but standing on their heads to get attention.” Teri cleared her throat and glanced at her watch. “That’s all for now,” she said.

  “How was your lunch meeting with Eric?” Nicole asked when Teri returned to the office at half past two that afternoon.

  “Perfect. Eric’s happy with the numbers, I was happy with his sample prints, and I am sure that Trevor is going to be happy. Life is good,” Teri said, strutting toward her office. “Any messages?”

  “None you have to worry about.”