From Sinner to Saint

by Jones, Janice

  Regina took two steps back and squared her shoulders. She stared wordlessly at Antonyo for several moments as one lone tear slid down her cheek.

  “Fine, Antonyo! I expect you to move out of my apartment within thirty days. Otherwise I will be forced to take you to court and have you evicted. Leave all the furniture behind, seeing as how I paid for it all,” she announced just before she turned to leave. She pivoted with a few additional words still clinging to her lips.

  “Oh, and by the way, don’t bother showing up for work on Monday. I’ll simply tell everyone that you quit. I’ll even give you a glowing reference should any potential employers call. But if you even set foot at the law firm again, I will make sure your name is mud.”

  Regina left the apartment, got into her car, and drove out of Antonyo’s life forever.

  Chapter 9

  Antonyo ended up back at home with Trina after being formally evicted from the apartment Regina had paid for. It took a lot of begging, pleading, and promising on his part, but she finally relented and let her only child come back home. Trina still assessed him his monthly contribution of $250 (a far cry from the $650 Regina paid for the studio) and the same rules applied: No females were allowed to stay overnight. That was seven months and one birthday ago. Antonyo was now nineteen.

  Regina held true to her word and gave him a good recommendation when the human resources representative from KLR Alarm Systems called her for a reference check. Antonyo began working with the company as a customer service representative six months ago.

  Surprisingly, Antonyo had not been dating much since returning to his mother’s home. He was now working full time and taking a couple of night classes in community college. He and his mother reconnected and were spending quality time together.

  However, his little reversion was getting old. He began to feel like a recovering junkie on the verge of a relapse. The time had come for Antonyo to rebuild his harem.

  On the job, one female in particular had piqued Antonyo’s interest. Claire, his team supervisor, was not his usual cup of tea, but there was something relatively intriguing about her.

  Claire stood approximately five feet and seven inches tall. She was a little on the heavier side, but she had beautiful green eyes and a very pretty face. Claire was also a lot older than Antonyo. He wasn’t sure of her exact age, but he overheard her telling another customer service representative that she had a daughter that was a senior in high school. Antonyo guessed from that statement that Claire had to be around thirty-five or thirty-six. That would make their age difference more than double that of his and Regina’s. Claire and Regina did have one thing in common, however: They were both married.

  Claire was different from other supervisors at the company. She did not behave as a hardnosed, in-your-face dictator like the other team leaders. Those team leaders got their customer service representatives to work by issuing threats of reprimands and repercussions. Those representatives did their jobs out of fear.

  Claire, however, was friendly, compassionate, and fair. She would write you up if she had to, but she always made you realize that she was doing it because it was what you deserved. She never made you feel like she got any pleasure out of it.

  Claire never made her representatives feel like her job was more important than theirs either. They were all one big team working together. On occasions when the phone lines were jammed and a customer service representative or two were on break, most team leaders would interrupt someone’s break before they would take a call themselves. Handling phone calls were too far beneath them. But Claire had no problem jumping in and helping on the phones. She was a very good leader. Her team responded to her out of genuine respect. Almost every representative at the company wanted to transfer to Claire’s team.

  Antonyo thought Claire to be amazing. Now he had to figure out a way to get next to her. This particular undertaking would require another heart to heart talk with Auntie Treecie.

  Antonyo looked forward to seeing his aunt. While he loved his mother, he shared a special and unique relationship with Treecie. He always enjoyed the informational chats they shared. Treecie was a well of knowledge.

  Treecie greeted Antonyo with enthusiasm as he arrived at her home. “Hey, boy! Where you been? Auntie ain’t seen you in a minute.”

  “Hey, Auntie,” Antonyo replied as he walked in, gave his aunt a kiss on the cheek, and sat next to her on the sofa.

  Antonyo explained his desire to get with Claire and the potential roadblocks. He asked his aunt if there was any way that he could get around them.

  “Let me tell you this first, nephew, if you’re vibing this strongly over a female, it’s usually because there is some mutual electricity between you two. A Negro can usually tell when a female ain’t feeling him at all, especially after six months. What do you think? Has she shown you any special attention? ’Cause you know you are one fine piece of man. It would be hard for any woman not to be feeling you.”

  Antonyo thought about it for a minute and realized that Claire had been a little extra friendly with him. He shook his head in affirmation to his aunt’s query and she continued.

  “All righty then. Here’s how you should start this: First, begin flirting with her, but make sure it’s out of earshot of the other employees. You don’t need nobody all up in your business. Now, she will probably not respond to you right away. Like you said, she’s your boss, she’s married, and she’s older than you.”

  Antonyo stared at Treecie, hanging on her every word. Treecie noticed how intently her nephew listened to all that she had to say, and it filled her heart with pride. Most people would consider her ignorant and trifling because of her lifestyle, but her nephew never judged her. He always showed her respect. At times like these, she realized he even admired her.

  “Auntie gon’ make us a snack while we talk, ’cause I’m a little hungry. Come on in the kitchen. We can continue our conversation in there,” Treecie announced, trying to get control of her emotions before she started crying.

  Treecie truly loved her nephew like he was her own son. In her heart, she sincerely believed that the advice she gave benefited his life. Antonyo was very good-looking, so why shouldn’t he use it to his advantage? He was also very intelligent, something she couldn’t really say about her own son. Darnell was currently serving two years in prison for his role in an auto theft ring. She still had her girls, however, and thus far they were both doing okay.

  Seventeen-year-old Taraija, who still lived with her dad, was an honor roll student in high school. Treecie was especially proud of her. When she was Taraija’s age, she had already given birth to her first child, and high school had become a distant memory.

  Fourteen-year-old Tianca wasn’t quite as smart as Taraija. Her grades were average. But her baby girl was shaping up to be a fine female. Tianca was absolutely beautiful, outshining all of her little girlfriends. Her breasts, hips, and behind were envied by grown women. Yes, Tianca had it going on. Someday in the very near future, Treecie would begin schooling her just as she had her gorgeous nephew. Treecie knew from experience that beauty had a benefit all its own.

  While Treecie prepared a light meal of fried catfish, grits, and scrambled eggs with cheese, she sent Antonyo to the store to pay a utility bill for her. He returned just as she completed cooking the meal. As soon as they were settled at the kitchen table, she continued educating Antonyo on how to score with his supervisor. They talked as they ate.

  “Now, back to your boss lady,” Treecie picked up between bites. “Once you start flirting with old girl, if her first brush-off does not include a statement about her being married, she’s interested.” Antonyo looked a little confused at Treecie’s reasoning, so she broke it down further for him.

  “Okay, listen. If she says something like ‘Tony, I’m your boss, so we can’t hook up’ or ‘Boy, I have a child at home your age,’ then you should keep flirting. Her not mentioning hubby right out the gate means the relationship ain’t that solid.”<
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  Antonyo chewed while pondering. In addition to mulling over the good advice she gave, he wondered where she’d acquired all of her knowledge. Then again, Treecie always managed to have a man in the house paying the bills and one in her hip pocket for backup, so he just assumed that her info came from direct experience, and he let it go. He continued listening to his professor lecture.

  “Now, I know I ain’t got to tell you what to say to get your mack on, do I?”

  “No, Auntie. All I needed to know is how to get it started and what clues to look for. I’ll keep you updated.”

  The following day when Antonyo returned to work, he waited for the perfect time to start in on Claire. Opportunity knocked during his thirty-minute lunch break.

  Claire walked into the makeshift break room and flopped down as if totally exhausted. She sat at a table across from where Antonyo sat.

  “What’s up, Claire? Are they working you too hard out there?”

  “I just got off the phone with a customer who requested a supervisor simply because he wanted to complain about his service being disconnected. When I tried to explain that his bill was more than ninety days delinquent, he called me everything but a child of God. Like it’s my fault he neglected to pay for his alarm service.”

  Antonyo got up from his seat to join Claire at her table, making sure no one else was on their way into the room.

  “Well, like my mama used to tell me, you’ve got to pay the cost to be the boss, and as one of the bosses around here, Ms. Lady, I guess your account has come due,” he said as he sat down next to Claire.

  “Some days, Tony, I wonder if it’s worth it.” She propped her arms on the table and put her head down on them.

  Antonyo began lightly rubbing her exposed arm, careful not to put too much sensuality into his movement. “Hey! Come on now, boss. You are far too pretty to let these customers stress you out, adding worry lines to your perfect face.”

  Claire lifted her head slightly and looked at Antonyo. “Are you flirting with me, Antonyo Simms?” she asked seriously.

  He started to correct her about the use of his name, but instead he said, “Maybe.”

  Claire sat upright and chuckled good-naturedly. “Boy, you know I’m old enough to be your mama. I’ve got a daughter at home just about your age.”

  Antonyo smiled at her reply, remembering his auntie’s clues. Antonyo continued to rub Claire’s arm, but he now used just two fingers instead of the palm of his hand, teasing and tickling her. “You know, having a daughter close to my age does not stop you from being beautiful to me.”

  Claire blushed all the way down to the bottom of her feet. She always did find Antonyo attractive, but he was her customer service representative, and nearly half her age. She was also married, but that relationship was strained at best.

  She finally stopped squirming at the attention of this fine but young man and stood to go back to work. “You’re sweet, Antonyo. I’ve got to get back to my team.”

  “Okay, Claire, but before you go, can I ask you to call me Tony? Only my mother calls me Antonyo.”

  “Sure, Tony. I’ll see you back on the floor in about ten minutes.” Claire left the room with a huge smile on her face.

  For the next six days, Antonyo persistently but discreetly flirted with Claire, and he could tell that she enjoyed every word and gesture. On the sixth day, he anonymously sent her an inexpensive bouquet of flowers to the job. Everyone in the office assumed the flowers were from her husband, but Claire knew better. Leonard would never do something so thoughtful for her. The flowers were from Antonyo and she knew it.

  Later that afternoon, just before Antonyo got ready to leave the office, Claire discreetly handed him a piece of paper. After Claire walked away, Antonyo read the note.

  Tony,

  Thank you so much for the lovely flowers. No one has ever shown me as much kindness as you have this past week. It’s hard to believe you are only nineteen years old. But if it’s all right with you, then it’s all right with me. Tomorrow is your scheduled day off. I am scheduled to get off at noon due to a dentist appointment that I set up a few weeks ago. However, I got a call earlier today from the receptionist informing me that they actually need to reschedule my appointment, so I have some free time tomorrow afternoon. Can we meet somewhere for lunch? Here is my cell phone number. Call me tomorrow around 10:00 A.M. and we can set something up.

  Antonyo and Claire met the following day for lunch, signifying their first date and the beginning of their secret relationship.

  At work, the two had a ball sneaking around in an effort to steal little kisses, hugs, and caresses. After business hours, they would steal away to a cheap motel, always at Claire’s expense.

  Their alone time was brief in the beginning. Claire, being a responsible mother with two teenage daughters, made sure her children knew nothing about their mother’s duplicitous—albeit fulfilling—relationship with her young stud.

  Claire had spent the last eighteen years in an unfulfilling marriage. The couple ceased having sex more than a year ago. Claire knew that Leonard was having an affair, and she couldn’t care less. She used to just hope they could stay together until their youngest child graduated high school. Lately, however, Claire started thinking less and less about preserving her marriage and more and more about being with Antonyo all the time.

  Part of Claire was beginning to feel guilty. Her guilt did not come because she felt bad about what she was doing to Leonard, her husband, but what she felt she was putting Antonyo through. Claire felt she belittled her relationship with Antonyo by sneaking around with him, keeping their affair a secret. While he never complained, she was sure he had to feel slighted on some level. He was available to her at all times, and her time for him was limited.

  Claire then began to question her reason for staying in her loveless marriage. Yes, she always said it was for the sake of her daughters, but if she were totally honest with herself, she had to admit that she also stayed because she did not want to bear the stigma of being man-less. Sure, she could have found someone else eventually, but she had become content maintaining the facade of her seemingly comfortable life.

  That was until two months ago, when Antonyo Simms awakened things in her heart she had not felt in more than eighteen years. Now, a seemingly comfortable facade no longer held the same appeal. Claire wanted more. Claire wanted better. Claire wanted Antonyo.

  Claire knew it would be very difficult explaining things to her daughters. Her separating from their father would be hard enough on them. Couple that with the fact Antonyo was sixteen years younger than her, and she knew it would be the most difficult thing she would have to face with her girls.

  But didn’t Claire deserve some happiness? Mommy had been there for them their entire lives. Was it not her turn to do something exclusively for herself? Most definitely, Claire thought. Right then and there she had made up her mind. She was falling hard for Antonyo. She was going to tell Leonard she wanted a divorce.

  Chapter 10

  Antonyo and Claire’s relationship had just entered the beginning of its third month, and Antonyo was well aware that the past two months had been sheer bliss for Claire. At every opportunity, Claire informed him how much she enjoyed being with him in every way. She also began to talk about how annoyed she had become by having to go home every day to a husband she felt nothing for anymore.

  So, by Antonyo’s estimation of his worth, the time had now come for her to start paying to play. And, no, the few bucks she shelled out for their dates and motel rooms were not going to be taken into consideration. It was time for Mrs. Claire Anderson to start anteing up and kicking in more.

  Antonyo assessed his situation thusly: He was an adult male with a full-time job; therefore, he should no longer have to drive the same vehicle he had acquired while still in high school. The time had come for him to own a new or only slightly used car. Accomplishing this coup would require financing, a down payment, and a co-signer. The financing he could
handle; the other two facets of this feat were what posed a challenged for him.

  Approaching Claire about co-signing for a new car would have to be handled just right, though. The art of Antonyo getting a woman to take care of him hinged upon never making her feel like she was being used. He had to figure out how to make her want to do it for him.

  Later that evening, Antonyo and Claire were together in one of their regular motel hangouts. Antonyo had just put in another spectacular performance, and Claire was floating on cloud nine. Her excitement stemmed from not only the fabulous lovemaking, but also her decision to ask Leonard for a divorce and planning to share the news with Antonyo. She lay in bed, wrapped in his arms, searching for the perfect words to tell him the good news.

  Antonyo managed to impress even himself with his dance of the mattress mambo. He lay with Claire, figuring now was the best time to make his request known.

  “I have something I want,” they both began in unison.

  “Ladies first,” Antonyo said. Claire began.

  “Tony, I haven’t said this to you before, but I’m sure you know how much I care about you, how much I enjoy being with you. In all truth, Antonyo, I have fallen in love with you.”

  Claire paused for a moment to see what effect, if any, her words were having on Antonyo. When she saw his smile, she knew she was doing and saying the right thing. She sat upright in the bed and continued. “My marriage to Leonard has been dissatisfying for so many years. Meeting you and starting this relationship has made me realize that I can have so much more. That I deserve better. So, I’ve decided to ask Leonard for a divorce. I want to commit myself totally to us.”

  Claire had not rehearsed her speech. She simply spoke from the heart. Now that she had shared her thoughts and feelings with Antonyo, she swam in the satisfaction of the way she handled things.