No Place Like Home

by Trina Crooks

  “I can’t believe I am in New York City. Never in a million years did I really think I was going to make it here.”

  “But you said you were going to move here.”

  She turned to face him. “That was my desire but that didn’t necessarily mean that was going to actually happen. I’ve wanted to leave Jasper Springs my whole life and I never did it. My best friend lived in LA and offered me to come there and I still never went.”

  “Why?”

  She shrugged. “Fear mostly, I guess.”

  “I guess I am lucky that I never had those feelings. I always had the resources to do whatever I wanted.” Antonio couldn’t imagine his life any other way. “Well we are not going to let fear hold you back any longer. I am going to get you here come hell or high water.”

  “Okay,” she answered but didn’t sound like she believed it. They rode along with him pointing out what he could to her in the dark. “Thank you for bringing me here.”

  “You’re welcome sweetheart.” Snow started falling very faintly from the sky which made Sonya turn to him with a gasp.

  “Snow!”

  He chuckled because she was probably one of the only people in the city that was excited about snow. “Just wait until morning. There will be more snow than you can stand.”

  Chapter Twelve

  The sun was shining brightly into the room which was the only reason I opened my eyes. I was still so tired, probably from the jet lag, but I managed to drag my weary body out of the bed and made it into the bathroom so I could brush my teeth and wash my face. I then moved down the hall toward Antonio’s room and knocked softly on the door. I stood there for a moment, not hearing anything coming from the inside, so I pushed the door open. Antonio was still sleeping peacefully. It crossed my mind to just turn around and leave but I felt this overwhelming pull to go lay in the bed with him. His king size bed appeared almost massive as I eased back the covers and slid in next to him. I rested my head on a pillow and wrapped an arm around his bare stomach and sighed. This felt right.

  I enjoyed the moment for a little while before another thought entered my head making me think this was a bad idea. How many women did he wake to like this? So, I started to move away to save myself from embarrassment, but he pulled me close.

  “I could wake up to you every morning Sonya Cummings.”

  “Oh really.

  “Mm hmm.” Antonio finally opened his eyes and was staring right into mine for a long moment. He leaned forward and placed a quick peck on my lips and then he caressed my cheek lovingly before I moved away.

  “I came in here because your room shows the backyard and I am praying that there is snow.” I scrambled to the window and there it was. “Antonio! There’s snow!”

  He laughed as only he could and came to stand with me. It was not lost on me that he didn’t have a shirt on. His chest was perfect in every way. “Do you want to go out in it?”

  “Yes.” I ran to my room and put on some jeans and a sweater. I’d always dreamed of one day seeing snow, real true snow, and that day was today. I could hardly contain my excitement. I pulled a pair of boots from my suitcase and then ran downstairs but I did now see Antonio anywhere. “Antonio!”

  I moved to the back door and saw fresh footprints in the snow. “Really?” I tried to look all around but he made tracks going in every direction. I bounded down the back steps in search of him but once I turned to see if he was around the side of the house I was hit with a pile of snow. “Antonio!” I yelped as I brushed it off and bent down to grab a handful. Once I caught sight of him standing there in his black bomber jacket and black skull cap, I was frozen by how ruggedly handsome he was until he hit me again with snow.

  “You can’t be standing there doing nothing woman. Fight back!”

  I threw the snow I had in my hand and didn’t get anywhere near him.

  “You missed.”

  “I bet I won’t miss again,” I said as I picked up more snow and hurled it at him, hitting him in the chest. We ran around heaving snow at each other for a while until he put some snow down the back of my shirt.

  “You wanted snow. Here you go.”

  “Oh!” I squealed as I tried to get the snow out of there. Antonio, being the true expert he was at the art of a snowball fight, came over to me and put even more down my shirt. I was so stunned that I just stood there. “I am going to get you for that.” I threw some snow at him but I was so cold and tired that it didn’t go very far, missing him entirely. Antonio wrestled me to the ground leaving me surrounded by the cold fluffy goodness and joined me down there which I thoroughly enjoyed more than the snow.

  “You throw like a girl,” he said as he stared at me. Even though I was laying in all of this cold snow I was so extremely warm right now.

  “I am a girl. Or hadn’t you noticed.”

  “Hell yeah, I’ve noticed,” Antonio answered as he kissed me. His tongue immediately made a home inside of my mouth and I didn’t much care. I wrapped my arms around his neck to pull him closer to me as my tongue gently rubbed against his. A guttural moan escaped from his lips when I did this. I turned my head to the side to give us better access to each other and wrapped my legs around his. “Dammit Sonya.”

  I gave him a soft peck. “What’s wrong?”

  “Shit,” he responded as he gave me a small kiss. “This is not good for me.”

  I moved my lips right next to his ear. “What isn’t good for you?”

  “See. We have to get out of this snow before I do things to you that my neighbors shouldn’t see.” Antonio immediately rolled off of me and stood to his feet while my eyes instinctively went to the bulge in his pants. He looked like he was working with a decent package there. He reached out his hand and helped me to my feet and then went on inside the warm house.

  “The one thing I don’t think I will get used to is this crazy cold weather. I have been spoiled.” I set my coat on the back of a chair and Antonio did the same.

  “You want some breakfast?”

  “Can we get something out? I am ready to see more of New York. I only have a few days here.”

  “Sure. Let me get a game plan together and we will hit the road.”

  I sat down on the sofa to relax for a moment and relived the snowball fight. I was so enjoying the trip and was happy that I came. I could truly see New York as my home and I was determined to make it a reality. No chickening out. No second guessing. Life was way too short.

  My cell phone rang out with my mother’s ring tone. I texted her the day before to tell her that I made it so I was not real sure what she was calling me for now. “Hello.”

  “Sonya. How are you doing honey?”

  “It’s going great. Last night we went to a lovely dinner and a carriage ride. And this morning I finally saw snow Mom. It’s only been two days and I have had an amazing time,” I gushed.

  “I’m hurt,” Antonio whispered behind me. “No mention of me.”

  I smiled at him before bringing my attention back to my mother. “And Antonio has been the perfect host.”

  “I am happy that you are having fun. But I want you to be careful. You don’t know this Antonio character.”

  And so it begins, I thought. I sighed and tried not to get upset with my mother. I knew she was just concerned like any other parent would be but this was getting ridiculous. “I will. We are about to leave so I will call you tomorrow.” I hung up the phone and closed my eyes once again.

  “Are you ready to hit the road?”

  “Mm hmm.” I stood up and put my coat on and forced a smile on my face. There was no reason to bring Antonio down just because my mother was trying to rain on my parade.

  *~~~*

  They drove all around town, checking out apartments and showing Sonya the sights. She was in awe of everything that New York had to offer but the sticker shock of decent housing was clearly a worry of hers.

  “The pricing here is insane. I think I can afford a small linen closet and one burner to cook
on,” she said with sarcasm as she sat down at the kitchen island.

  “You know you can stay with me. Housing is the least of your worries.”

  “I can’t ask you to put me up. I was going to make a way for myself before I met you and I will figure something out now.” She was saying the words but Antonio could plainly see the worry on her face.

  “You are not asking. I’m offering. There are four bedrooms in this place and the one you are staying in can be yours if you like. Shoot there is a room in the basement if you never want to look at my face.”

  “Looking at your ugly mug is not one of my main concerns,” she commented with a smile. “And you know what. I just might take you up on that offer. Only for a couple of months and I have to pay you some sort of rent.”

  “Sonya you don’t have to pay me anything.” He opened up the freezer to see what he might have in there because they didn’t drop by a grocery store while they were out. Breakfast was almost seven hours ago and he was starving.

  “Yes I do. No grown person can stay anywhere for free.”

  “Fine.” Antonio was not going to argue with her now. He just wanted her here so he would wait to have this fight once she moved in.

  “What are you making us for dinner roomie? I’m hungry.”

  “I don’t have anything to make. I might place an order with the grocery store and have some food delivered but they would take too long so we might have to order dinner from a takeout joint.”

  “That sounds good. I want to try all of the authentic places I can. I want to feel like a true New Yorkian. Is that what you guys call yourselves?”

  “No,” he answered with a chuckle before his cell phone rang out. It was his mother. He should have known she would call because she had yet to lay eyes on him since he’d been home. “Hey Mama.”

  “What are you guys doing right now?”

  “Just sitting here talking right now. Trying to figure out what we want to do for dinner.”

  “I am preparing dinner for you two. I want you to come over.”

  “I was going to take her out to dinner. She wants to feel like a New Yorkian.” Sonya shook her fist at him which made him laugh out loud.

  “Well now you don’t have to. I want to meet her.”

  “Fine. I will let her know.” Antonio hung up and looked at Sonya, who was focused on her phone. She had pulled up a job search app while he was talking to his mother. “My mother wants to meet you.”

  “I would love that,” Sonya said as she stood up. “Is what I have on alright for your parents?” She made a slow turn, showing off the tight blue jeans and light gray sweater she had on all day, and Antonio groaned. She looked good in anything she put on.

  “It’s a casual dinner I am sure. You look great. I don’t plan on changing.”

  “All right.”

  Antonio helped her to put her coat on and they drove the five miles to his parent’s house. Their house was as big as Gigi’s was with six bedrooms and four baths, and he thought that they too should be looking to downsize. The house was sufficient while he and Rashad lived there but now it might be a tad too much.

  “This is a nice big house,” Sonya commented.

  Antonio pulled to the side door and parked in front of the four-stall garage. “Yeah. I grew up here. My mom wants a smaller home but my dad still likes his big house so they will probably be here for a while.” He grabbed her hand which brought a smile to her face and then knocked on the door. “I apologize ahead of time for what happens in here.”

  “Oh, I’m sure it will be fine.”

  The door whipped open and there stood Clara Randall and Antonio immediately wrapped his arms around her. He picked her up and swirled her around as she laughed. “Boy put me down.”

  “I missed you. I don’t think it’s ever been this long since I have been in your presence.”

  “I know. But I am willing to forgive you since you needed a vacation,” she said as she hit him lightly on the arm. Her eyes then went to Sonya. “And this pretty woman here is Sonya. You are more beautiful in person.”

  “Thank you.”

  Antonio watched as his mother pulled Sonya into her embrace. “I am so happy that you came.” They moved further into the kitchen and he searched the counter for any signs of food.

  “Me too. Antonio has been a great host. I have seen a lot of the city.”

  “He better be a good host. Please have a seat. Dinner will be served in here since the living room and dining room are set up for the party tomorrow.” Sonya sat down but Antonio kept standing.

  “Where’s the food at Mama? I’m hungry.”

  “It’s on the warmers,” she said as she pointed. He should have known his mother was not going to cook. She always catered food in from someplace.

  “Where’s Dad?” The doorbell rang and he moved toward it.

  “He is on the phone. He will be right out.”

  Antonio reached for the door handle to find his brother, sister-in-law and two nieces standing there. “I guess the gang is all here.”

  “Of course. We all wanted to meet Sonya,” Angela stated as she pushed past him to go introduce herself.

  “Just couldn’t keep the information to yourself could you,” Antonio said to Rashad as he gave his brother a hug.

  “You know I can’t keep nothing from her.”

  “Uncle Antonio!” Brandy and Tasha yelled. He bent down to give each one of them a hug and by the time they were all moving to the table his father was finally entering the kitchen.

  “Well it is about time you got on home,” Nathan Randall said with a smile.

  “Dominick is doing a good job of picking up your slack but I need you back.”

  “I have one more week Dad. And I want to introduce you to someone.” He moved closer to Sonya who was now sitting while she talked to Angela. The two seemed to hit it off instantly. “Dad, this is Sonya, my…friend.” He liked her a lot more than just a friend but they had not moved to any other levels yet.

  “It is nice to meet you Sonya. Nathan Randall. I am happy that you could join us.”

  “Thank you for having me.”

  They all took turns fixing themselves a plate of food which looked amazing. His mother ordered fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, vegetables and a salad. The group of adults had a rousing conversation about sports and Antonio was happy that Sonya was fitting right in. He placed his hand on the back of her chair and leaned nearer to her as she gave his brother crap about his favorite basketball team. “Are you talking about the Knicks?”

  “The Knicks have not been a decent team since Patrick Ewing was on it,” she teased.

  “Oh!” Rashad yelled as the table laughed. “Well you better start liking the Knicks or you are going to have a problem with your friend next to you.”

  “I don’t think there is anything she can do to create a problem with Antonio,” their mother said as she looked at him. She had been watching him the whole meal because he was very attentive to Sonya. He wanted to make sure she was comfortable. “Come on Sonya. Let me give you a tour.”

  They walked off and Rashad came over to stand behind him. “Can I have a word with you?”

  Antonio could tell it was probably important. “Yeah.” They walked away from the group and met in their dad’s library that he rarely used. Only when he wanted to smoke his cigar. As soon as you walked in that room all you could smell was the lasting aroma of the cigar of choice. “What’s up?”

  “First I wanted to say that Sonya seems nice and is very pretty.”

  “Thanks. I can’t believe I met someone as wonderful as her. She is so different. She has the qualities I want most in a woman and I don’t even know everything about her.”

  “You sound like you really like her.”

  “I do. But you didn’t bring me in here to talk about Sonya. What did you want to talk about?”

  “I heard that Michaela is going to be at the party.”

  Antonio figured she would be. She was the
daughter of his parent’s best friends and a semi famous model. They dated for a year and things ended mutually so there were no hard feelings. “It’s fine.”

  “Have you told Sonya about her?”

  “No. I will bring it up.”

  On the drive home Sonya expressed how much she enjoyed his family. “I really had a nice time.”

  “I’m happy you did.”

  “Your mother took me to see the wall of pictures.” Sonya turned to him in the car. “It seems that you are not filling in your area of the wall very well.”

  Antonio smiled. His mother had started the wall when they were children—filling it in more and more after every family portrait. Then Rashad got married so his wedding portrait made the wall. And then they had their children. Eventually he had filled in his portion of the wall. All Antonio had was the picture he took when he graduated from college. “No, I’m definitely slacking.”

  “It’s looking kind of bare there Chief.” Her eyes were smiling with humor as she teased him. Antonio grabbed her hand.

  “As soon as we get married, we can add that picture to the wall.”

  Sonya started to cough which made him laugh. “See you can’t keep saying stuff like that. You mentioned our future children in Jasper and now our wedding.”

  “When a man knows what he wants, he sees the future. I see you in my future.”

  Sonya stared out the window for a moment before she spoke. “Did you think Michaela was going to be a part of your future?”

  His mother talked too much. “I suppose my mother told you about her when she took you on the tour.” He pulled into his garage and they walked into the house where he set his keys down and turned to her. “I was going to tell you about her because she is supposed to be at the party tomorrow.”

  “It’s fine. I can handle being in the same room as your ex.”

  “We only dated for a little while. And no, I never saw a future with her.”