Chestnut Brown And Cinnamon Happiness

by E. B. Brinson

  Loren could hear Robert behind him. There was no other man she had met that smell like he did. She couldn’t sleep the whole night. She had put her ear to his door and heard him pacing in his room. The only thought that she had is that he told her that he loved her. Would he change his mind if or when Maria dies? She wanted him to hold her, but she knew that wouldn’t happen now.

  Robert lost his train of thought when he started to get close to Loren. Her hair was in a ponytail. He hoped that she was in her glasses that he loved her to wear. She turn around and he didn’t realize how close he actually gotten until whatever that was in her hands was knock to the floor. They both went down to pick it up and there eyes locked, but it was Loren who looked away first.

  “I am sorry about that.” He said as he help her clean up the eggs off the ground and smiled when he realize that she had on her glasses.

  “That’s ok. I guess I am a little nerves. I don’t know if I should go to a hotel or stay here.”

  “You should stay here. Can I help you make some more eggs?” Robert said wanted to do anything, but wait to see his wife of ten years.

  “Sure. She can only eat egg whites only.”

  “How long having you been cooking for Maria?” Robert said.

  “She wanted me to cook for her the second week I was here. Normally I would say something about that but, because she is dying I wanted to give her dying wish. So now it is my duty to cook breakfast and dinner. Do you want to take her tray up to her?”

  “Yes, I will. Thank you.” Robert said as he finished cooking the eggs.

  Loren had set up the tray and told Robert to go up to Maria’s bedroom. Robert paused before taking the tray. He would have to face the thing he was scared of for years his wife. He breath in every time he took a step. He finally got to Maria’s room. He opened the door. He never saw her like that before she was thin and pale. Her room was dark.

  “You came back. I am glad. I wasn’t going to tell you ever. I would just let you find out on your own. I see you brought me breakfast.”

  Robert sat beside her and looked into her eyes. She looked like she was gentle and child-like. This is what Robert liked about Maria. He couldn’t say anything not because he didn’t want to. It was because the words wouldn’t come out. He wanted to say the right words, but the right words was somewhere lost in America.

  “If I told you I could cook in the beginning would it have matter? Would you let me cook for you?”

  “No, it wouldn’t matter. In fact I wouldn’t even let you take the cooking class. I thought it was funny that your father was a chef and you couldn’t cook anything. That’s what I liked about you.”

  “I wished I would have tell you so many things. I wish I had told you the truth about a lot of things. Why didn’t we go visit by parents more?”

  “Your father was competition for me. I didn’t feel right because I didn’t get you the right way.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You never asked me to marry you that night. All you had was a couple drinks, but I kind of drug your drink. So you couldn’t remember very much of anything. I knew that on your own you would have never married me.”

  Robert kept listening to Maria as if he was watching a TV show that wasn’t happening to him. After she finishing saying what it is she had to say Robert walk around all day in a fog. In the silent moments that he had to himself while Maria was a way he would always dream of a way out. Loren was a crush and new she was a better woman than Maria. But he realize how easily he gotten taken for fool from Maria he realize how could a woman like Loren ever love him.

  Loren couldn’t help, but to listened at door. Inside she was hurting for Robert for him to realize that beginning of his marriage was a lie. She silently followed him around the house without him seeing her which was easy to do because he was in some much of a fog. Loren felt worst that she was happy that Maria told him, not because she thought he needed the truth, that it would easier for him to move on when she dies.

  As days a couple days past Maria’s condition became worst. Robert stayed by his wife side. He didn’t care at that moment what she did. He realize having dreams about Loren or even getting turn on by Loren is just as bad as what she did. It was at these moments where Robert had to help Maria was the first time he in ten years really loved her. Loren let Robert take over the kitchen. All the things that she normally did she let Robert do them. The only thing she would do was read Maria stories and buys the groceries.

  Maria wanted to right all the wrong she did in her life. She wanted Robert to understand. There are some things that he would have to find out when she is dead. Thomas just came back from a business trip and told him to get Loren and Robert. They enter the room. There was a stillness in the room almost a dead calm.

  “There they are chestnut brown and cinnamon happiness. I want you to come close to the bed I want to tell you something.” The both gather around the bed. “I love both of you. Robert thanks for making last two weeks wonderful. Thank you for being there for me Loren and take care of Robert. Can both of you hold my hand?”

  The both sat down on opposite sides of the bed holding Maria’s hands. They didn’t know how long they were supposed to do this, but she wanted them to. She begin to close her eyes.

  “I love both of you very much.” With in minutes Maria took her last breathe. She let go of their hands before the life was out of her.

  Chapter Eleven

  Two days later Maria was turned to ashes. Her lawyer came out to read the reading of the will. Robert thought to himself that this was another thing she forgot to tell him. Comes to find out that she updating her will every year they were married. They flew the United States, but Maria remains stayed in London and was buried in a location that only Thomas knew about. Mr. Lance C. Williamson called Robert when he was getting off the plane. Lance told them to meet him at Maria’s cottage so he could do the reading. He told the lawyer they will be there as soon as possible. This was another thing about Maria that he didn’t know about her that first she had a lawyer and a cottage. Robert and Loren didn’t ride together. Loren thought that Robert needed his space. Jason and Loren made up when she told him that Maria was dead. Jason took followed Robert to the cottage. Loren fell asleep on the way to the cottage. She image the lawyer was being this old man.

  The closer he got to the cottage the more he had a former feeling like he been there before, but he didn’t even know this was out here. He could remember where he seen this place before. He parked the car and he had always wanted a place like this. This was perfect place. Mr. Williamson was waiting outside of the cottage when he got out of the car.

  The lawyer was nothing like what Loren had envision in her head he would be. She thought he would be old and unattractive and he was the polar opposite of that. Loren got out of the car with Jason and headed to the cottage when she reached it she saw how tall this lawyer really was. He had the clearest green eyes she ever saw in her life. His smile widen when he saw her. His short blond hair moved slightly as the wind blew through it. When Robert came up to him Mr. Williamson shook his hand. When Loren came to him, he kissed her hand and grabbed her arm and lead her inside with Jason looking amazed. Jason thought to himself that his lawyer was bold in trying to make a move on her like that.

  Robert was starting to not like this lawyer. He thought he was a little to “gentlemen – like” for his taste. Once the lawyer let go of Loren’s arm Robert had a chance of focusing on something else. He saw it, the picture he painted fifteen years old. The closely he looked at the cottage the more it was what he envision the cottage he always want. It wasn’t surprising that they were the only ones there. Maria didn’t have a lot of friends or even female friends at that.

  “Maria requested that there would be three different reading of the wills. The other two has already been read. Loren here is a letter that Ma
ria left you. And this is a box for you. After you go to the place that it said in the letter go here.” Mr. Williamson hands Loren a business card.

  “Ok, let’s go to where the letter said.” Jason said trying to break up the intense way he was looking at Loren.

  “Don’t leave just yet, Jason this for you. She left you a box too. She knew you would be Loren comfort friend so she left you something to.”

  “What do you mean she left me something too?” Jason said very surprised.

  “Maria, knew both Loren and Robert. She knew that Robert would need sometime dealing with her death. So, partly Loren gift you hold. She told me to make sure that you two leave right after receiving the boxes. I will meet you twenty minutes after you get to the location. Now I need to talk to Robert privately.” Mr. Williamson.

  Loren just looked at Robert and she walked away out the cottage. She wanted to say something to him, but she didn’t know what she needed to say. During talking with Maria she told her that Robert always needed a week to deal with something major. Jason opened the door for her and they left.

  Robert wanted so badly for Loren to be by his side, but he was happy she left. He notices how Mr. Williamson looked at Loren especially when she left. He didn’t like it the least bit. He didn’t understand what Maria would have left Loren except for a couple kitchen things. Mr. Williamson lead him to a room with a bunch of paintings in it. All of he paintings were paintings he left at his mother’s house. The only ones that was missing from the collection was the pictures he had of his dream girl. It all started from a picture he saw that his father had of his best friend’s daughter. Every year like clock work he would paint how he thought she would look. He stopped painting her fifteen years ago when the DC, his father’s best friend, called the house saying that her father was sick and for him to tell his father. He remembered the way she sounded like the wind.

  “Mr. Williamson, why am I here?” He said trying focus on the reading of the will.

  “Let me begin. First, this cottage was built right two years after you were married. Did you know that Maria was very wealthy in business? Maria in whole had three companies. She told me not to let you what you are not going to own. She wanted me to bring you in this room and to turn on the television. By the way this is yours the keys.” With that being said He left the room.

  Robert paid the DVD and started to watch. Maria told him that she was going surprised him with. She told him that her father wasn’t really racist and that was one of the ways she used to try to control him. She told him how she noticed that his mind was thinking about something lately. Maria told him how she found the letters to a girl he called Cinnamon Happiness.

  Loren was at this building that looked like a corporate office of some kind. She didn’t know why she started to remember some things that she forgot a long time ago. The last letter that she ever wrote to her father’s best friend son was around eighteen years ago. She kept writing, but he stopped. She didn’t even know his name only that she called him Chestnut Brown. She saw a picture of him only once. She thought he was the best looking boy she ever did see in her life. She called herself Cinnamon Happiness. She thought to herself there was no way that Robert could be the boy. Jason was talking about how he thought the lawyer had a little thing for her. She had told him whatever.

  “Come on you don’t think that ‘Mr. Williamson’ have a little thing for you.”

  “Jason really now he just met me. I don’t know if he even likes women or black women. He was just being nice.” Loren said.

  “I definitely like black women or all kinds of women as matter of fact, but we can discuss my love life at a later date.” He said walking towards us.

  “I am so sorry I didn’t mean to get in your business. Can you forgive us?” Loren said embarrassingly.

  “No worries and don’t apologize. The reason why I brought you her is because this was Maria’s company. She is giving this company to you and Jason. She knew how much you dislike the company that you are working for. The company is officially yours in three weeks. She said that she knows that you are the kind of person who have to give their two weeks notice.” Mr. Williamson.

  “What do you mean she is giving me this company? What does this company do anyway?” Loren said.

  “This is a publishing company. This deals with publishing books and magazines and actually it is the same company that Robert writes to.” Mr. Williamson said.

  “Mr. Williamson I need to give this a lot of thought. Maria just wanted me to leave the company that I been working for the last ten years to a company I know nothing about.”

  “Call me Lance. Weather you want the company or not it is being sign over to you in three weeks.” Lance coming close to her. “It was Maria’s wish to for me to handle the paperwork. The best time for me to talk about it tomorrow night around seven o’clock.”

  “Focus, Mr. Williamson you still didn’t tell me why I was here.”

  “It was her wish that you would be part owner with Loren. She wanted you here in next week so you can go over the actually work duties and since you already do this, this is not going to be a stretch for you and plus she is giving you both $500,000 a piece.” Lance said talking to Jason, but looking at Loren.

  “Ok, I can’t talk to you tomorrow what about the day after that.” Jason said knowing good well that would make “Lance” more than happy.

  “I do understand. Why don’t you meet me in the morning the day after tomorrow.” Lance said for the first time looking at Jason.

  “I hope you don’t mind, but I haven’t been home in about four months. I am really tried and hungry. Where do you want to meet? Would you have a problem with meeting at my house? I would love to give you the address.” Loren said pulling out a piece of paper.

  “That would be fine.” Loren hands him the piece of paper and started to walk to the car, but Lance held her arm.

  “By the way your friend was right. I think I might have a thing for you.” He said.

  The way home Jason was just thinking about what he said. He would look for himself. Normally any other time she would be thinking about the cute lawyer, but she couldn’t think about it. The letters kept popping into her head. She had to find the letters. She search every where, but she found no letters. She thought she packed it with her stuff. She didn’t know why it was so important that she finds the letter.

  Jason just arrived at his house. He could tell that Loren mind was on something. He waited until he got home to open the box. In the box it had paperwork on the L&J Publishing, but it also had a package of letters. The first letter dated fifteen years ago. It read:

  Dear Cinnamon Happiness,

  How are you today? Let me first say you are one of the most beautiful girls I have ever seen. For some reason my father won’t tell me your name. I don’t even know where this letter is going to. I painted your picture today. One day I will send it to you. My dad told me that he believes in fate or something like that. I believe that love is all around us even in the sunrise. Please write me back. I wait every day for your letter. I wanted to call you Cinnamon Happiness because when I saw your picture all I could do is smile. I guess you can call me well, Chestnut Brown for my eyes and my hair.

  I will be waiting for your letter,

  Chestnut Brown

  Jason didn’t know why Maria would give him these letters. She had a DVD that came along with letters. He put the DVD in his player and beginning to watch. He saw it was Maria on the DVD explaining why she wanted him and Loren to go into business together. She wanted someone who had the background to ensure that Loren is successful with her life and her career. She also told him that is a good thing they were friend. The Last thing that Maria talked about was the letters. Maria told him on the DVD not to tell Loren about the letters. She told him that she wanted to see if fate does indeed exist. She also said that Mr. Lanc
e C. Williamson would be there to make sure nothing is said to Loren.

  “Plus Thomas would be coming around the next week after you get back. He also was going to help with the business. These letters belong to Loren. I took these when she trust me enough to let me go into her apartment. This was Loren’s first love. I know Loren now and let’s see if fate exist.”

  Robert was trying to deal all the things that with was said. She said something that was the opposite of what she was saying on one part. She said that she was sorry about something that she was doing. She said it in the present tense. He turn around to see the picture of cottage that he painted and just below it was a letter was a couple months before he married Maria.

  Dear Chestnut Brown,

  I remember the first letter you ever sent me. You told me that your father believes in fate. Since writing you all those year ago I thought about marriage. I wonder what you look like. I tell myself it matters, but I don’t care anymore. I love you. I have always had since the moment that I talked to you on the phone that day. Why did you stop writing? I waited for the letters from you. My father won’t give me your name, but he gave me a location. I know now that no man would be good enough for me. Maybe one day I will I out grow. I believe fate will throw us together once again. Even if we are both married some where down the road we will find each other again.