by Lady Keisha
Dot, or Dottie as she had introduced herself, was being extra chipper because she was on some kind of board for the group that had put this event together. She was not being fake, Mila explained as they walked toward the buffet table, she was just being a more exaggerated version of herself.
“I get it,” Aubrey responded as she grabbed two plates and handed one to Mila. They served food on their plates in silence before rejoining each other at the other end of the table and deciding on a place to sit. They chose a table that did not look as if it had been claimed, right under a beautiful tree providing it with shade. They sat down and looked around while sipping on their glasses of water.
“This seat taken?”
They both looked up to see a handsome, young man smiling down at them. He had a plate full of food and a glass of water as well. They shook their heads so he took the seat across them. “I’m Dave,” he said while waving at them, his smile not lessening for a second.
They introduced themselves and he wasted no time in digging into the food on his plate. He did still make small talk between bites and it was not long before the three of them were getting along very well, in particular him and Mila. “So what do you ladies do?”
Mila launched into her shortened version of how to explain her job because the title alone did not do it any justice. When she had finally finished and he had commented on how interesting it sounded, he turned his attention to Aubrey. “I’m currently earning a Master’s and looking to work with youths from a disadvantaged background.”
“She actually goes into the field for the first time tomorrow,” Mila chimed in.
She seemed to have this glow about her and Aubrey was unsure if it was because she was beginning to sweat a bit or if she was just very happy. Perhaps it was a combination of both.
“Oh wow! That’s exciting,” he commented in earnest. He leaned forward looking genuinely interested in learning more about what Aubrey was doing. So she decided to go ahead and talk about it. For the first time since she had started graduate school, she truly felt the excitement of pursuing something that meant so much to her. She had been so stressed and overworked the entire time she had failed to see the big picture. Everything she worked for and everything she wanted as a career was finally coming together. She would finally experience what it would be like to be out in the field, interacting with the very people she wanted to help.
“Well, it’s the practical leg of my coursework. They send you to an assigned neighborhood for three months and you work with a target group of youths there at either a school or community center. They grade you based on performance. After that, if you’re eligible, you take a test and upon passing it you are awarded the Master’s degree.” She said all of it very quickly, in one breath, the passion and excitement very obvious in her voice and in her eyes. As she began talking about her assigned neighborhood and the general information that had been given to her during the presentation, Dave shifted and made a face as if he recognized something. She paused and looked at him with a raised eyebrow, head cocked to the side.
“I know that area,” he told her. “A friend of mine did a similar program to yours just last year and she worked there.”
“Oh, wow! What a small world! Do you recall anything she might have told you about it?”
He leaned back in his chair and tapped his index finger over his pursed lips as he thought about it, trying to recall anything that she might find interesting or useful. “Oh yes, I remember she told me about this guy named Antoine.” Aubrey leaned forward with rapt attention. “He’s supposedly like this big boss type of guy and people are pretty afraid of him. So if you meet him or hear about him, just be careful. Pretty sure he runs in some drug circles too.”
Aubrey gulped. She knew she would be exposed to completely new things, things that were far from favorable, but somehow hearing something like this so directly really jolted her.
She did not know if she was ready for this or if she ever would be. She felt some panic coming up and she immediately stood up and excused herself to go for a short walk. Mila knew her best friend all too well and did not follow after her. Aubrey needed to be alone right now to walk and clear her mind before having some sort of panic episode. That was not what she wanted or needed to happen right now. This was neither the time nor the place. Plus, she did not want to work herself up into a state of panic regarding the job she was starting right the next day. That would only end up making matters worse.
She walked around the gardens and admired their beauty, focusing completely on what she was looking at. It only took her a few minutes to calm down and regulate her breathing so she returned to her seat. She found Mila and Dave conversing quietly but were quite engaged in whatever it was they were chatting about.
“Everything okay?” Dave turned his attention to her as soon as she sat down, genuine worry written on his face. She nodded and apologized for leaving so abruptly. “I completely understand, it’s a scary thing. But it’s your passion. It’s so clear you really care about this and your dedication shows. I really think you’ll do just great,” he told her. Despite having just met her, he seemed to have gotten a good read on the kind of person she was and the things that mattered to her. And, for some reason, she found his words reassuring.
She wanted to believe he was right and he did not seem like the type to just say something to make someone feel better. So they all continued talking and strayed away from any discussion of jobs or education. Nobody wanted to stress her out again but it did not feel like she was being treated as if she were a fragile being. It all felt natural, as friends had a good understanding of one another and had a lot share anyway.
She was quite surprised at how the two of them had gotten along with Dave so quickly. But she did notice there was some subtle flirtation happening between him and Mila and she did not want to end up being a third wheel. She saw the familiar spark of interest in Mila’s eyes so, as the afternoon progressed, she decided to go ahead and mingle with the other attendees.
From across the garden, Mila caught Aubrey’s eye and flashed her a knowing smile and a small nod. Aubrey returned the gesture before continuing her conversation with a small group of three women she had met. They were all talking about gardening and really going into details about the magnificent work of the Cheshire Gardens.
While it was very interesting to Aubrey and she certainly had some comments to contribute, it was not exactly what she wanted to spend the rest of the day talking about. She excused herself from the group and opted to wander around instead. She really enjoyed taking in the sights of her surroundings and inhaling the different scents from everything around her.
As the sun was beginning to sink, she decided to go back to the main area and look for Mila. She did not want to ruin whatever fun she might have been having with Dave but she did need to go home. She spotted them leaning against the tree next to their table, talking and laughing. She made her way over to them slowly with an apologetic look on her face.
As soon as she reached the pair, Mila gingerly placed her hand on Dave’s shoulder and told him, “This has been a great time but I have to get going.”
He made a quiet sound of disappointment but followed it up with a nod. “I understand. Would you like to get together some time during the week for drinks or dinner?”
Mila’s face lit up and she readily agreed, prompting them to exchange phone numbers. After they did, Mila nodded toward Aubrey and Dave turned to see her standing there.
He looked and sounded somewhat surprised when he asked, “Where did you get off to?”
Aubrey shrugged and replied, “Just did some mingling and looking around.”
“Hmm,” he said with a sweet smile. “Well, good luck tomorrow! It was really great to meet you. And if you have any questions, feel free to steal my number from Mila. I can even get you in touch with my friend if you need it!”
Aubrey thanked him and she joined Mila so they could walk out to the valet desk. As they stood th
ere waiting for Mila’s car, she started gushing about what a great time she had with Dave and how happy she was to have met him. She then, as usual, apologized to Aubrey. Mila always felt the need to apologize when something like this happened. Aubrey waved dismissively, instead agreeing with her that it was a great day.
They talked about Dave the rest of the ride home, with Aubrey having comments to add as well, and Mila ended by thanking her for coming along and wishing her the best of luck for tomorrow.
Aubrey walked up to her front door feeling tired and happy. She dropped down onto her couch and turned on the television, completely spacing out. She was not thinking about anything in particular at first but as something in the news caught her attention her mind drifted to tomorrow. No matter how much she wanted to relax and get a good night’s sleep, there was no denying it would be pretty much impossible not to focus on what would be happening in just a few hour’s time.
She stood up and walked to her bedroom to get her outfit out and hung up on the back of her closet door as well as everything and anything she would need to get ready in the morning. She made sure her bag was all put together and when she was done putting everything in order, she changed into her pajamas before going back into the living room to watch some television. It was not even eight pm but she already felt sleepy.
She sighed and decided a bath was in order and maybe it would not hurt to go to bed early tonight. So she meticulously set up her bath, with her favorite combination of salts, and stepped in. She practically felt any tension in her body melt away as she enjoyed the music playing through her speakers and the way the reflection of the candle’s flame danced on her bathroom wall. She ran over the procedure she needed to go through for the first morning in her head.
When she was sure she had every last detail down, she pushed herself out of the tub and toweled her body and hair dry. After slipping on her favorite panties, she crawled into bed and slipped immediately into a peaceful sleep.
It was Wednesday afternoon when the trouble started. After having had a very smooth first two days out in the field and excitedly filling her mother and best friend in on every last detail, her good luck came to an end. The kids in her group all seemed to like and even respect her but there was something that was holding back one student in particular.
Her name was Mikaela and she seemed like the type of person who was rough around the edges just to protect however soft she really was inside. But she seemed afraid. No matter what Aubrey tried, Mikaela barely even spoke to her. On Tuesday she decided maybe Mikaela just needed more time than the other kids and, in her opinion, it was perfectly understandable. But it was on Wednesday afternoon that she would discover that was not the case.
As the kids were working on an activity she prepared, she caught Mikaela sneaking a look at her phone. Aubrey stepped up behind her quietly and peeked over her shoulder. She only glimpsed the words, “watch out when you come back,” from the sender Antoine.
Aubrey’s heart plummeted right down to the pit of her stomach. She immediately feared the worst. Mikaela was in some sort of trouble with a major drug lord who scared everyone in this neighborhood. His name was burned into her brain ever since her short conversation with Dave at brunch on Sunday. How could such a young girl have gotten mixed up with someone like him? What could Aubrey do to help her? She knew it was a sensitive situation that had to be handled with the utmost care.
She backed away quietly from Mikaela so she wouldn’t be aware she had looked at her phone and continue making her rounds in the room. When their session was over and everyone was going home, Aubrey decided to take a more careful look at Mikaela’s file.
She wrote down the home address and phone numbers listed, deciding to drive by that address to check it out. She knew it was risky but she could not fight herself on this. She truly felt the need to go. As she drove down the street she made sure to pay very close attention to all her surroundings. It was then that she discovered Mikaela’s listed address was not all that far from the community center she met with kids at but the sharp turn also made a turn into one of the darkest and dingiest areas of the neighborhood.
It was almost as if this area were blocked off from the rest and not even sunlight could penetrate into it. She knew her car would stand out immediately so she made to turn around and head out. As much as she wanted to know more about where Mikaela lived as a means to help her, this was far too risky.
That was when she spotted him leaning against a vandalized street sign. He was tall, very dark, and had a buzz cut. He was wearing blue jeans and a white t-shirt with very clean white sneakers. She noticed his clothes were much more fitted to his body than most of the men she had seen walking around the neighborhood. A chill crept up her spine and she broke out into a cold sweat at the intimidating sight of this man.
She gulped and turned her car around only to see him approaching her from the rearview mirror. He did not walk in a threatening manner and he was not reaching for any sort of weapon. She sat there, rooted to the spot, not knowing if she should flee or if that would make it worse. She was in a car, after all, so if danger presented itself she could theoretically drive and get away. But something in her kept her rooted there, waiting as the approaching man got closer and closer. He walked around to the passenger side of her car, bent down, and knocked on the window. She took a deep breath and put the window down just a crack, just enough for him to speak and be able to hear anything she might respond.
“I’m not looking to hurt you,” he said in a gruff voice. She swallowed and lowered the window a bit more and heard him scoff. “What are you looking for?”
“Nothing,” she replied in a shaky voice.
“I can help you if you tell me. You don’t have to tell me, of course. You can just drive off. But you didn’t look like you ended up her accidentally. You look like someone who doesn’t belong here but is looking for someone or something.” He leaned in closer and looked around before he very quietly said, “It’s not safe here.”
She looked around as well before turning back to meet his gaze. The way he spoke and expressed his thoughts took her by surprise. Everything about this man was very surprising. He did not exactly look like everyone else in the neighborhood but he still looked like he belonged. He was intimidating but not necessarily threatening. He seemed honest. She had no idea what to make from any of it. She did not want to put Mikaela in any sort of danger so she knew she had to keep her name out of it at all costs.
“I’m Antoine,” he told her. It was right at that moment she questioned everything about her instincts. “I have to go,” she said in as strong a voice she could muster. He backed away from the car and threw his hands up in defeat before she sped off.
The following afternoon as everyone was going home, Mikaela timidly made her way up to Aubrey’s desk. “Miss Aubrey,” she said quietly, “Did you go home after class yesterday?”
Aubrey was completely shocked. She had never spoken to her this much and her voice was incredibly soft and small. She also wondered why she would be asking her this so suddenly and then it dawned on her. Maybe Antoine had brought it up or even questioned her. Aubrey lowered her voice and asked, “Why? Is everything okay?”
“My uncle said a strange lady came by and he described you and your car a little. He seemed kind of worried. I told him I thought I knew who it was,” she said sounding unsure, as if she was worried she had done something wrong.
Aubrey took a leap of faith and placed her hand on Mikaela’s shoulder. “Antoine is your uncle?” Mikaela nodded. “I did go by your area last night. Nothing bad happened.”
Mikaela nodded again and pulled out her phone, asking if she would meet with him. Aubrey gulped and nodded. Just a few minutes later, Antoine pulled up and walked into the gym. “Good afternoon,” he said politely as he extended his hand out.
Once again, Aubrey was completely surprised. His demeanor and reputation did not match the way he spoke or behaved. As he sat down to talk about why she was
in the area last night, she had the bravery to ask why Mikaela was so shut down. He explained she had a hard time trusting people because she had an extra difficult and traumatizing life. He always tried to protect her and, luckily, he was very feared and respected. But he still worried about her overall well being. “I know this will seem strange but would you be free to have dinner here tonight? We can talk about ways for you to help Mikaela.”
Aubrey was beyond shocked but she agreed. She wanted to help Mikaela as best she could and she found Antoine to be someone quite helpful in that area. So they ordered a pizza and set to work but it was not long before they ended up talking about other things in life and actually bonding. Everything moved at warp speed and was all so surreal with Antoine.
He was nothing like how people had described him, at least not with her. He seemed to truly love and care about Mikaela. He was as serious as Aubrey about helping her reach a better place in life. It was nearly midnight when Aubrey finally looked at her watch and gasped. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t know it was so late! How rude of me to keep you like this.”
Antoine smiled softly and she felt something swirl in the pit of her stomach. It was the first time all night he had looked at her like this. She gulped.
“You didn’t keep me. I enjoyed being with you,” he said in his low, gruff voice. Even when saying something nice he had rawness to the way he spoke, something that she found very attractive. She resisted the urge to slap herself for finding him attractive at all. It was completely inappropriate. But that didn’t make her stop him from leaning forward and pressing his lips against hers.
Her heart raced as she felt his lips mold to hers and their mouths begin to move as the kiss deepened. She felt her breath catch in her throat as he shifted his body and got closer to her, the heat between them growing exponentially. She knew this was all so wrong but she did not want to stop. She could not remember the last time she was attracted to anybody, much less the last time she had been kissed. Her heart rate picked up, beating faster and faster, until she felt it might pound right out of her chest. She broke the kiss while drawing in a loud breath and looked at him in surprise. “I’m sorry,” he said. She shook her head and replied, “Don’t be. It’s just…”