The Never List

by DL White

  "What, you're the Oracle now?"

  "I'm in love with a woman that can't get enough of me. My advice is probably better than just showing up and expecting her to drop her life for you. Even if you're Ken Takagi, owner of Eito Worldwide, nobody gives a shit about your social status if you're a dick."

  He nodded his head. "Maybe you're right."

  "I know I am. Another piece of advice, and then I'm taking my ass to bed. 5 AM comes early." I stood and stretched my already tight limbs. "NAKED condoms. Buy a lot of them. They're pricey but worth it."

  "You uh…" He pointed at me. "You two use them?"

  "We did. We both tested clear for STD's and Esme is almost 40 and on the pill. At this point, if she gets pregnant, it's meant to be. I'll be happy as shit."

  "You as a dad? Now that's a weird thought."

  Ken stood, drained his beer, then dug into his pocket for his wallet. He left a few dollars on the table. I added to it, and we walked together toward the elevator.

  "For what it's worth, I'm glad you met somebody. I really hope it works out for you two. And I'm watching. It's long past time for us both to grow up, you know?"

  "Thanks for coming in, son. Good to see you."

  "Sure, Pops. Surprised to see you in the office."

  I was still recovering from the shock of walking into Pettigrew at my normal time of 7 AM, a cup from Brew Bar in hand and the residue of Esme's lip balm on my lips to find Pops in his office. He wore a dark, tailored suit, collared shirt, and tie with a pocket square, even shiny wingtips like he hadn't been out of the office for months.

  His physique showed it, though. His eyes were bright, but the lids were hooded. He'd lost some hair, and he'd slimmed considerably, making him appear even taller. More foreboding. He perched in a tall leather chair, rolling it up to his desk, the surface of which had been clean for months. We hadn't used his office, and his Executive Assistant made it a point to keep it dust-free.

  An 8 AM meeting popped up on my calendar as soon as I settled in at my desk. I had been summoned to Pops' office.

  "You won't see me here often," said Pops, "but I am trying to get out of the house, ease back into business. It's no longer relaxing to sit at home and let other people run my company. I'm under strict orders to be home no later than 5 o'clock."

  I let my deep nod show my understanding. My mother was not a tall woman, but her personality was a beast, and she was not to be ignored. Pops would vacate the office at the agreed upon time, or else.

  "Anyway, Vincent is still in control, so I planned to have an easy day. Check up on progress, get a feel for how the business has changed since I was gone. I'd like to run down the current projects, discuss the forecast for next quarter and project into the first quarter of next year. A baseline, just to get your thoughts."

  I… was not ready for this conversation.

  I had the information in my head, of course. It was my job to know those numbers forward and backward for such a time as this. But this would mark the first time that Pops had called me into his office and asked me such detailed questions about the business, listened to my thoughts and assumptions, and offered opinions without starting a sentence with, "See, that's why you're here to learn."

  I didn't feel like a pup anymore.

  After a few minutes of polite back and forth business-speak, Pops leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across the belly he had left. "What do you think about carving out time next year, maybe first or second quarter, to float a pilot of your division? I'm thinking about that space on the second floor, in the southeast corner. It's got room for about four people to have a dedicated workspace. You don't need more than that to get started. Do you?"

  I sat up, unsure that I'd heard what I'd heard. I wanted to be dramatic and pretend to clean my ears or turn my head toward him and ask him to repeat himself, but Pops wouldn't find that funny. Vincent would, though.

  "Uhm…Sir?"

  "Vincent has convinced me that this would be a great move for you. He thinks you've earned the opportunity and his respect. I am inclined to give you both the benefit of the doubt. I expect you to stay up on your current workload until the new division begins to demand more of your time. We aren't going through the effort to replace you, then shuffle people around if it doesn't pan out."

  "Understood, sir. I appreciate this opportunity. I want to say that I won't let you down, but…"

  I let the long pause float in the air between us.

  "You've never been a disappointment to me a day in your life, Trey," said Pops. "You're a hard worker, with a sharp mind. Your business sense is impeccable, and I was wrong to question it. You got it from me, after all."

  I wanted to roll my eyes. The fight to resist was valiant, and I won.

  "The house you designed? I took another look at the plans you showed me a few years ago." He gave me a solitary nod. That was a lot, coming from him. "I understand that you're building now?"

  I nodded, swallowing hard. I hadn't shared any housebuilding updates with him. I didn't want him to disregard them like I was a petulant teen who thought I could become a Grammy-winning rapper. I had knowledge, skills and a goal. It wasn't a silly pursuit, and I wouldn't give him another chance to push it down.

  "It's almost up, actually. I'm hoping to be in it by Christmas."

  "Mmmmm. I'm anxious to see how nice it looks in real-time. How's..." He shrugged, opening his hands to show his palms. "You know... construction?"

  I shifted, feeling myself grow more at ease in this room, in the shadow of my father. I felt more like we were colleagues, not father and son. It was gratifying. Also terrifying, but I was ignoring that feeling.

  "It's honestly about the same. Riding rough on the project manager, having somebody out on-site running the show, keeping the budget in line. Watching it come together is still like magic. It's very much… artistic. Know what I mean?"

  "Mmmmm," he hummed, stroking his beard the same way I did. "I do. I cried at the first finished Pettigrew build."

  "See, I might cry when my house is done. I'm not going to feel bad about that now."

  We laughed together, a pitter-patter of polite chuckles.

  "How's the lady?" He asked quietly. I hadn't brought up Esme, either, since she played a part in the contract negotiations flying off the rails. Though I shouldn't have been surprised that he was asking about her.

  "Esme…" A smile broke out. Though I wanted to remain professional, her name on my lips made me happy. "Esme is great."

  "Is she working again?"

  "She had a great interview yesterday at a spot she really wants to jump to. They called her back already and offered her the job. Almost twice what she was making at the old spot. So...yeah, actually."

  "Good." He tapped the desk and gave a resolute nod. I hadn't realized he was so invested. "I'd like to meet her. So would your mother. More than you realize, probably."

  "I'm sure you'll get the chance soon."

  "Oh? It's serious?"

  "Yes," I admitted. "It's serious. I'm in love with her."

  "Well, why don't you bring her by this weekend? Your mother hasn't had a chance to show out in the kitchen in a while."

  "Uh…it's her birthday weekend. I've got something special planned. But maybe we'll swing through."

  "Excellent." Pops smiled. Not a fake business smile, but the kind of smile a man has for his son. "Let us know. And… tell her that I said happy birthday."

  He tipped his chair forward again and reached for his laptop to flip the cover open. That was his usual signal that the conversation was over.

  "You'll report to Vincent, of course, on the residential business. I'd like you to set up some time to discuss the launch. And go down to the second floor to scope out the area. That's all the space you're getting for right now. Make it work."

  "Yes, sir. I'll do that."

  I hopped up from my seat like I'd been electrocuted and shot for the door. I wanted to get out of Pops' office before he changed his mind.<
br />
  I still had to make plans for Esme's birthday, and we had one last adventure to complete.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Esme

  * * *

  "Happy birthday, Aunt Esme!"

  "Thank you, sweet Samuel!"

  I bent to let my nephew give me a kiss on the cheek and held out my arm to fold Georgia into a hug. Having fulfilled their required greetings, they rushed past me to the living room to say hi to O'Neal and their cousins, Layah and Courtney. Joe and Jada were making lunch, and Corey and Jewel took their time walking up the front sidewalk.

  The Whitakers didn't need any excuse to gather, but birthdays were a family affair. We were only missing my parents, but we'd probably Skype with them once everyone sat down to eat.

  I was giddy, knowing the family had set aside time to celebrate me. O'Neal made sure he was home, Jada took the day off from the salon, and Corey and the kids took the weekend off from trivia challenges and Math Olympics activities.

  This wasn't any old birthday. It was my 40th. I had been alive for four decades, nearly half a century, and I was still learning, still growing, still becoming me. At my big age, I was still doing things for the first time, making career moves… and falling in love.

  Aside from O'Neal, none of my family had met Trey. He was coming over for my birthday lunch, and I was nervous, not that they wouldn't like him, but that they would be themselves.

  I'd already warned Trey about them. He admitted to being jealous that I'd had what seemed like an above-average childhood and a great relationship with my parents, siblings, and cousins. Therapy was stirring up all sorts of feelings for Trey. He'd already helped me over so many hurdles in the weeks since we'd met. The least that I could do was lay next to him in a dewy, post-coital heap and listen to him process the thoughts that kept him awake at night.

  I didn't picture myself as one of those women that put a lot of stock in a sexual relationship and how it changed a connection with a person, but… man was I wrong about that. The instant that I crossed that line with Trey, so much changed for me. I wanted more, needed more, and felt that I deserved more.

  And right there with me was a man willing to give me more. I wouldn't be true to myself if I didn't give him a chance to give me more.

  Jewel and Corey had just made it into the house when Trey's Acadia pulled into the driveway behind Corey's Jeep. I rushed out of the front door and down the sidewalk and shot my arms up and out to pull him into a hug.

  He was casually sexy in a pair of dark, relaxed fit jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt since autumn had officially arrived in Atlanta, and the air carried a crispness to it. He'd shown up the night before with a cut and a nice beard trim. Now he had a fresh face and appeared well-rested, though I knew full well that he was not. Neither was I.

  "Hey, girl," he said, his mouth muffled against my shoulder, squeezing me as I squeezed him back. He lifted his head, and I turned mine. Our lips met in a long, sweet kiss that left both of us groaning.

  I finally pulled back, smoothing my arms down the soft cotton of his shirt until I held his hands in mine. "Hi. It's good to see you."

  "Back at you." He brushed a thumb across my cheek, then leaned in for another kiss. "It's almost like I didn't just leave here a few hours ago."

  I giggled aloud at us earlier that morning, trying to get in a few minutes of what we thought was quiet sex before he had to leave to meet his parents and sister for breakfast. After I walked him to the door, I went back upstairs to find O'Neal standing in the middle of the hall, pulling earbuds from his ears.

  "Look here, Cousin," said O'Neal, his voice gritty from sleep. "I need some kind of warning if y'all are gonna fuck like sailors on shore leave before sunrise."

  "You know what, O'Neal? I have a lot of time to make up for. If Trey's vehicle is in the driveway, we're gonna fuck like sailors on shore leave, whenever we like."

  I marched past him into my bedroom and shut the door in his face.

  "Are you ready for this?" I asked Trey.

  "I've already met O'Neal. How much worse could they be?"

  "It's O'Neal times four. They literally have no chill. I want you to know that you're a big, strong man, and you can take it."

  Trey dropped an arm over my shoulder and began walking up the driveway with me. "I think I'll be Ok."

  We stepped inside the house to find everyone in the living room, not even trying to hide that they were all watching at the window and waiting for us to come inside. Since everyone was standing there, I made quick introductions.

  "So, this is Trey. My dude, my guy, my partner in doing dumb shit we could probably get arrested for." I glanced at him, he glanced at me, and we laughed, knowing we were both thinking about that night at his half-built house where we really got to know each other.

  "Uhm… this is… my bond," I told Trey. "My strength, my guidance, my wisdom, my fun. Everything that I am, they made me. I mean, my parents gave me life and whatever, but my sisters and O'Neal are my heart."

  Trey got long, tight hugs from my sisters, daps from the kids, and a head nod from O'Neal. Joe and Corey came forward to give Trey strong handshakes and slaps on the back.

  "What about your brothers in law? We're not your heart?" Joe's long, thin face bore a constant serious affect, but I saw the mirth in his eyes. He worshipped the ground my sister walked on, and I loved him for it.

  "The brothers I never had."

  "You said I was the brother you never had," O'Neal grumbled.

  Jewel started waving us all to the dining room. Lunch smelled delicious — grilled herb and garlic salmon, lump crab cakes, and crisp lemony vegetables with cheesecake for dessert was my request, and I was ready to eat.

  "Come on, y'all, before we start fighting about who Esme loves more. I don't really want to go up against Trey on this one."

  A few hours later, we all found a spot to recover from having eaten every piece of food available on the table. Joe was magic in the kitchen and had handled most of the meal himself. Jada made the crab cakes, and Jewel brought dessert. In the middle of the meal, we'd stopped to Skype our parents in Palm Springs. Trey met them digitally but promised to meet them properly when they returned to Atlanta before Christmas.

  "When do we tell Aunt Esme about the surprise?" Courtney, who was on his second serving of cheesecake, blurted as he walked out of the kitchen.

  "Boy, I told you to hush!" Yelled Jada.

  "Uh, no. Courtney should say more. What surprise?"

  Trey sat up. I'd been leaning against him, tucked into a corner of the couch while we watched an old episode of Bernie Mac on Def Comedy Jam. O'Neal lowered the volume on the TV.

  "I guess that's my cue."

  "What's your cue? What surprise?"

  "First of all, baby… I lied to you."

  I sat upright, fully upright, on the edge of the couch. "When? About what?"

  "I've met your family. Your sisters, at least. Don't you recognize Jada's skills on my hair? My beard?"

  He leaned over to let me look like I cared about his hair at a time like this.

  "Somebody better say something to me. What are y'all talking about?"

  "I went to Jada's shop about a week after we got back from Myrtle Beach. I wanted to meet her, but I didn't think you were ready to introduce us. I asked her not to tell you that I stopped by, but I wanted to set up a meet with me, her and Jewel."

  My eyes narrowed as I bounced my eyes from Trey to Jada and back. "Unh, huh..."

  "Anyway, we all met last night. To talk about...well, today."

  "Oh. So... lunch and everything?"

  "Yes. Lunch with everyone that loves you, including your parents. But we have another surprise for you. Can't tell you what it is, but… do you trust me?"

  "Oh, hell no!"

  After an hour and a half of driving, Trey exited onto a service road that wound up into the Tennessee mountains. And after a few miles on that road, followed by my sisters and their families in their vehicles behind us
, Trey turned into the parking lot of a small ramshackle building set in the middle of nowhere. I wasn't so much concerned about the building, but the sign that loomed over it filled me with fear:

  ADVENTURESOME! Balloon Rides, Bungee Jumping, and Zip Lining.

  "What do you mean, hell no? "

  "Exactly what the fuck I said, Trey! Hell no!"

  "After all of those things you crossed off of your list, you're going to punk out at this?"

  "Are you serious? I rode an elevator to the roof. I jumped over kid lasers."

  "You also flew in an airplane and rode a Ferris Wheel."

  "Which of these insane, daredevil activities did you sign me up for without asking?"

  "Bungee Jumping."

  "The one thing I always ask you not to set up. I am not in the mood for this."

  "Es, you said you trusted me. This is going to be like all of the other things we did together. It's going to be like getting on the Ferris wheel. And dancing on the roof. And swimming in the ocean. And riding on a sailboat. And petting a cute baby goat."

  "Except it's not," I shot back. "Except this one is actually extreme and dangerous, and legitimately scary."

  "I get that. But you were scared before, and you didn't punk out. I'm here, and we can do this together. Your whole family is here."

  Trey pointed out of the window on my side of the car. I looked up to see my sisters, my brothers in law, my nieces, and my nephews standing outside the vehicle waiting for us.

  "You're not going to let them down, are you?"

  "So, you told them that I was going to do this?"

  "I told them that I was bringing you here. And that not doing it was going to be your choice, but I would be here to do it with you if you chose to."

  "And did they tell you I would cuss you out because you're out of your fucking mind and you need to turn this vehicle around and drive me back home?”

  "Yes, they did. And I told them that my girl was a badass that would eat this bungee jump for lunch."

  I glared. "How dare—you bring up Badass Esme when you want me to do some fuckshit like jump off of a bridge."