by La Jill Hunt
“Thank you,” Janelle said.
When he was gone, she took her seat at the bar and ordered a ginger ale to ease the queasiness in her stomach, which she now felt. She hoped she hadn’t rushed her recovery and her flu was returning.
“Where’s Jarvis?” Natalie leaned over and asked.
“He left. You know he has to work tomorrow,” she told her.
“We do too. He is so boring.” Natalie laughed. “You need someone fun, like Kenny. That’s who we should’ve invited. I told Nivea to tell him to come out.”
“Oh, my goodness. I keep telling you Kenny is a man whore.” Janelle laughed and shook her head.
“That’s the kind I like!” Natalie winked, and they fell out laughing.
“What’s so funny?” Nivea came back to the bar, followed by Sherrod. “Where’s your boo?”
Janelle’s eyes widened at Nivea’s question, and she blushed while avoiding looking at Sherrod. It was bad enough that Jarvis had been a little more touchy-feely than he normally was in public. She was sure Sherrod probably thought they really were a couple, which they weren’t.
“He left. You know it was past his bedtime.” Natalie giggled.
“Why? It’s not even your birthday yet! He couldn’t wait twenty more minutes?” Nivea asked, pointing to her watch.
Janelle just shrugged.
“See, that’s why I told you to invite Kenny! He would still be here!” Natalie told her.
“Dang, girl, how many boos you got?” Sherrod teased.
“Kenny’s not her boo. That’s her sister’s business partner and our friend,” Nivea explained to him.
“I’m trying to make Kenny my boo!” Natalie nodded.
“I tried calling and texting Kenny,” Nivea said. “He didn’t reply.”
“You shoulda told him you wanted to give him some ass. I guarantee he would’ve called you back immediately.” Janelle laughed.
“Probably,” Nivea agreed.
They ordered another round of shots, and Sherrod held his glass up. “Well, folks, it’s midnight. To the birthday girl!”
They joined him and clinked glasses, wishing Janelle a happy birthday and well wishes.
Janelle felt the vibration of her cell phone and took it out of her purse. She looked down and saw that there was a text message. It was from Titus.
Happy Birthday to the woman who will always hold my heart. I love you.
Just as she was about to respond to the text, Sherrod grabbed her by the hand and pulled her onto the dance floor.
“What are you doing?” she hissed, nearly dropping her phone.
“Dancing with the birthday girl. What’s the problem? Is your man gonna get mad?” He peered at her. His tone was light, but the way he was looking at her let her know that he really wanted to know the answer.
“That’s not my man. That’s my friend.” She made sure to clarify. “I don’t have a man.”
“Then what’s wrong?” He shrugged.
Janelle looked over at Nivea, who was again the center of attention at the bar, talking to some guys. Her friend didn’t even seem to notice that Sherrod had pulled her away.
“What?” Sherrod asked, looking confused.
“Nothing,” Janelle said, thinking she was making a big deal out of a simple dance.
When the song ended, he pulled her to a nearby empty table in the corner where they sat across from each other.
“Did you decide about dinner yet?” He leaned closer so she could hear him over the music.
Janelle had thought about it, but she hadn’t made a decision. She was still trying to figure out if she should mention it to Nivea. She had hoped to say something that night about it, but her plans had been diverted once he walked in.
“I’m still thinking about it,” she said slowly.
“Then let me help you decide.” He stood up and pulled her body against his, whispering in her ear and touching her softly on the neck. “I will pick you up at seven. Be ready. Happy birthday, Nellie.”
Janelle could barely get the word “okay” out of her mouth, so she just nodded.
He walked back to the bar, leaving her all alone, pondering. She watched him briefly hug Nivea and Natalie, and then he looked back at her and waved goodbye.
It’s just dinner, she told herself, that’s all. But somehow, she knew it was going to be much more than that, and she was looking forward to it.
Sylvia
It had been a long but productive Friday. Sylvia had three meetings with Kenny and clients, all of which had gone remarkably well. She had dropped Aunt Connie off at the bingo hall for the afternoon after swinging by the mall, where she picked up a Michael Kors purse with the matching wallet for Janelle’s birthday gift. She was now back at home and decided to do something she hadn’t done in a long time: relax and take a hot bubble bath in her Jacuzzi tub. She ran the water, put on some music, lit some candles, and submerged herself for nearly an hour. It was some much-needed private time that she truly enjoyed.
When she stepped out of the tub, Sylvia wrapped herself in a towel and walked into her bedroom. She was startled to find Garry standing there, and she screamed.
“What are you doing home?” she asked when she finally caught her breath.
“I . . . because . . .” Garry stuttered but never answered her question.
She could feel his eyes traveling along her body, and she pulled the towel tighter around her, suddenly conscious of her nakedness. She could see the wanting in his eyes, and she turned her back to him. She could still hear music coming from the bathroom.
“Syl,” Garry called her name.
Sylvia looked at his reflection in the mirror of their dresser and saw him walk toward her. She didn’t move when she felt his body behind hers, and she didn’t know who was more surprised, him or her. It had been weeks since she had felt his touch, and she missed it. She continued to stare as he tilted his head and kissed her neck, reaching for the towel and pulling it off. She let it drop to the floor and arched her back, reaching for his hands and putting them on her breasts. He played with her hardened nipples, and his kisses continued down her back. He turned her around, and they stared at one another. She pulled his head to her and kissed him passionately. She had missed everything about him, but his kiss had been what she missed most of all. It was soft, wet, hot and inviting—everything that she felt when she was with him.
He lifted her off the ground and carried her to their bed, gently placing her down. They both fumbled to take his clothes off, and then he paused. At first, Sylvia thought something was wrong, until she saw Garry smiling at her. Just as she was about to ask what he was doing, he put his finger on her lips to silence her, and she listened. She then smiled back at him as she realized what was putting the smile on his face. It was D’Angelo’s “Untitled.” When the song first came out, the music video used to make Sylvia swoon, and Garry once overheard her comment on how she wanted a “piece of that.” That same night, Garry came out of the shower, while making sure that song was on, and took her to a new sexual height. From that moment on, it had been “their song.”
Sylvia’s heart began pounding, and Garry wrapped his arms around her legs and pulled her to him. She lay back and moaned as he licked her inner thighs and spread her wetness open with his talented tongue. Deeper and deeper he licked, teasing and sucking on her clitoris until she begged him to stop. Garry refused, and she had no other choice but to release as he continued tasting her. Over and over, he continued to please her orally, until he was satisfied that she’d had enough.
By the time he climbed on top of her, Sylvia had lost count of how many times she came and wondered if she would be able to take any more. Garry guided her hands around his swollen manhood, and she became aroused all over again. She gasped as he entered her, and she enjoyed each and every inch of him. She bit into his shoulder and lifted her hips off the bed to meet his thrust, knowing having her “throw it back on him” was one of the things he loved.
�
�Tell me you missed this,” she demanded.
“Damn, I missed this.” He nodded slowly.
“Tell me how much you love it,” she continued as her arms reached and grabbed the headboard of their bed.
“I love it,” he told her.
“Tell me,” she panted.
“I love it, Syl. You know I love it.” Garry grunted, his lust-filled eyes staring at her.
“Tell me it’s the best.”
“It’s the best, baby. It’s always been the best.”
“Prove it,” she whispered. “Cum for me.”
“No, Syl, not yet,” Garry said.
She knew she was almost there, and Garry was too. Once she told him to cum, he couldn’t resist. Hearing her tell him was his trigger word, and he damn near lost control every time.
“Cum for me . . . now.” Sylvia tightened her walls around him and gasped his name. “Garry!”
As if on cue, Garry followed her command and climaxed with her. They were both panting and dripping with sweat as he rolled off of her.
“Damn,” he said.
“Why did you come home again?” Sylvia laughed.
“Hell, I don’t even remember.”
* * *
Sylvia was still floating from her afternoon of lovemaking when she pulled up to the school to pick up Peyton. She waited for almost twenty minutes for her daughter, and then parked the car and went inside the building. The hallways were fairly empty, but that was normal for a Friday afternoon. Peyton hadn’t mentioned any type of meeting or practice when she had dropped her off, so she wondered where she could be. Sylvia walked into the office and asked the secretary.
“No, Mrs. Blackwell, there aren’t any activities scheduled today, and I haven’t seen Peyton,” the woman said.
“Okay, thank you,” Sylvia said and walked back to her truck.
She checked her phone, and when she didn’t see a text or missed call from Peyton, she tried to reach her. There was no answer. Sylvia dialed Meagan’s phone, but she didn’t answer either. Sylvia sent both girls a text message and told them to call her back immediately. She then called Meagan’s mother, who said Meagan was at work at the mall, but she didn’t know where Peyton was. She promised to call Sylvia if she heard anything.
Sylvia tried not to panic, but this was not like her daughter. She wondered if she should call the police. Her phone rang, and thinking it was Peyton, she answered without looking at the caller ID.
“Hello.”
“I’ve been sitting out here waiting on you, child. Did you forget about me?” Aunt Connie asked.
She had forgotten to pick her aunt up from bingo. “I’m on my way, Aunt Connie. I came to pick Peyton up from school, and she’s not here. I don’t know where she is.”
“Calm down. She’s probably somewhere with Meagan,” Aunt Connie told her.
“Meagan is at work.” Sylvia’s voice began to tremble.
“Just come and pick me up, and we will go and look for her. I promise you, Peyton is fine. She is a good girl. Now, come on.”
“Okay.” Sylvia tried to calm down and headed to go pick up her aunt. Again the phone rang, and she quickly answered. “Hello.”
“Hey, baby. I want to take you to dinner tonight. You feel like dressing up and going to Copeland’s?” Garry asked.
“I don’t know, Garry. I can’t talk about that right now.”
“What’s wrong, Syl? What’s going on?”
Sylvia didn’t want to upset Garry, but she thought he should know, so she told him. “I don’t know where Peyton is. She wasn’t there when I went to pick her up.”
“What? What do you mean? Did you call her?”
Sylvia could hear the anxiousness in her husband’s voice.
“Yes, I called and texted her. I am going to go pick Aunt Connie up now, and we are gonna go look for her.”
“I’m on my way. I’ll meet y’all at the house,” Garry said and hung up.
An hour later, there was still no sign of Peyton. Sylvia was beyond worried. She even reached out to Jordan for help.
“Jordan, do you have any idea where Peyton could be?” Sylvia asked her.
“I don’t know.” Jordan shrugged. “I’m sorry.”
“I mean, I know y’all aren’t close, but aren’t you her friend on Facebook? Don’t you all have some mutual friends?”
“We aren’t Facebook friends. We follow each other on Instagram, but that’s about it.”
“Why aren’t you friends on Facebook?” Garry asked. “That’s your sister. You’ve been living in the same house for the past month and a half.”
“Why are you yelling at me? This isn’t my fault.” Jordan frowned.
“I’m not yelling!” Garry yelled.
Sylvia looked over at him and nodded. “Yes, you are, Garry. And she’s right. It’s not her fault.”
“I can go look on my page and see if we have any mutual friends or something.” Jordan excused herself.
“I’m telling y’all she’s fine,” Aunt Connie told them.
“Then she needs to let us know that she’s fine!” Sylvia said.
Her cell phone rang, and she saw Meagan’s face on her caller ID.
“Meagan, where is Peyton?” Sylvia said without even saying hello.
“Aunt Sylvia, I just got your message because I’ve been at work since after school.”
“Does she know where she is? Has she seen her?” Garry asked.
“She’s at work, Garry. She hasn’t seen Peyton,” Sylvia told him. “If she calls or if you hear from her, please let me know. Tell her to call home.”
“I will,” Meagan told them.
“Maybe we should call the police,” Sylvia said.
“No,” Aunt Connie said. “The girl ain’t even been missing but three hours.”
Sylvia walked out of the living room and into the kitchen. It was as if her worst nightmare was coming true. Her daughter had never done anything like this; something had to be wrong. Recent news stories about abducted girls and sex trafficking flashed in her mind, and she became even more panicked. The doorbell rang, and Sylvia rushed to open it, hoping it was Peyton. Instead, she found Janelle standing there.
“Is she home?” her sister asked as she walked into the foyer.
“No,” Sylvia told her, her eyes filling up with tears.
Janelle hugged her tight. “Syl, don’t cry. She’s fine. Peyton is probably somewhere at a college informational seminar that she forgot to tell you about.”
“Then why hasn’t she contacted us?” Sylvia asked.
“I don’t know, but I’m sure there’s some sort of good explanation,” Janelle said reassuringly.
“I’m gonna go ride around and look for her,” Garry told them as he passed where they were talking and headed toward the front door.
“Where?” Sylvia questioned.
“I don’t know, but I can’t just wait here,” he told her.
He opened the door, and to their surprise, there was Peyton.
“Hi, Daddy,” she said as if her arriving home three and a half hours late was no problem.
“Don’t ‘Hi, Daddy’ me, Peyton Janelle Blackwell! Get in here! You are in so much trouble!” Garry told her.
Sylvia, no longer able to control her emotions, sobbed and rushed over to Peyton, grabbing her tight and holding onto her for dear life. She had never been so happy to see her child.
“Mommy, what’s wrong? Why are you crying?” Peyton asked.
“I told y’all she was fine.” Aunt Connie walked into the foyer, shaking her head, followed by Jordan.
“Girl, your mother and father have been worried sick,” Janelle told her. “Where have you been?”
“I had a meeting after school for SAT prep,” Peyton said when Sylvia finally let her go.
“You’re lying.” Sylvia’s joy now turned to anger. “I went to the office when you weren’t outside, and they said there were no after-school activities.”
Peyton looked from her mo
ther to her father to both her aunts. “It wasn’t at school. It was at the Campbell Community Center.”
Sylvia noticed the slight frown on Jordan’s face when Peyton gave her explanation.
“Why didn’t you let someone know? Why didn’t you respond to any of our calls or texts?” Garry asked.
“I sent Mom a text before my phone died. I told her where I was going, and I already had a ride home,” Peyton explained.
“I didn’t get a text from you, Peyton,” Sylvia snapped, wondering why Peyton was trying to play her for a fool.
“I sent it, I swear,” Peyton whined. “I don’t know why you didn’t get it.”
Sylvia reached onto the table near the door and grabbed her cell phone, which was lying there. She opened up her messages and showed Peyton the log, proving that there was no message about an SAT prep course.
“How did you get home?” Sylvia asked. Campbell Community Center was across town and too far for Peyton to walk. No public transportation ran near their neighborhood.
“Coach Dragas was there, and she gave me a ride.”
Coach Dragas was Peyton’s volleyball and track coach and had given her plenty of rides before, but normally she came inside and talked when she dropped Peyton off.
“Well, I have a birthday dinner to get to,” Janelle said, excusing herself.
In the excitement of everything that was going on, Sylvia momentarily forgot that it was her sister’s birthday.
“Oh, hell, my bad. Happy birthday.” Sylvia hugged her.
“Happy birthday, sis.” Garry smiled and hugged her as well.
“Happy birthday, Auntie!” It was Peyton’s turn to hug Janelle. “Are we still having your birthday breakfast in the morning?” They had planned to meet the next day to celebrate as a family, followed by mani/pedis at the nail spa.
“Ummmm, now you know Auntie is partying tonight, so we will be having brunch. I will see you all at about eleven, right?” Janelle asked.
“After the stunt you just pulled, you may not be going anywhere, young lady,” Garry said. “You’re on punishment.”
“What stunt?” Peyton cried. “I explained where I was.”
“And that’s my cue to leave. I will see y’all tomorrow.” Janelle eased out the door.