The Choir Director

by Carl Weber

  “Aaahh,” I exhaled. “I guess I better go hit those dishes.”

  “Nah, nah, I’ll get it. You’ve done enough.”

  “You sure?” Kareem never cleaned up.

  “Yeah. Why don’t you go on back there and do what you women do after a date or something … call each other on the phone and all that mess,” Kareem teased.

  “Boy, please.” I waved my hand to brush off his statement. “That was not a date. Aaron is our choir director. I owed him a dinner for the one you so rudely kept us from having the other night.”

  “Okay, so it might not have been a date, but you and ol’ boy definitely got some chemistry going on, the way y’all sat across from each other at the table talking and eyeballing one another.”

  I gave him a skeptical frown. “What dinner were you at? Because it surely wasn’t the one that just took place at that table right there.” I pointed. “Aaron’s a good listener. We have good conversations. That’s it.”

  “Yeah, well, I know a couple in the making when I see one, and you and that choir director, well, you two would make a good couple. And if it means anything to you, he seems pretty cool. Your big brother approves.”

  I shrugged off Kareem’s nonsense and headed to my bedroom, not giving what he’d said another thought—at least not while my eyes were open. When I closed them that night after slipping into my pajamas and climbing into bed, it was an entirely different story.

  Simone

  34

  Ever since Aaron and I started dating, I’d been in my own fantasy world. This had to be what heaven felt like. Oh, our love-making was as rapturous as I could have ever imagined it would be. We were perfectly suited for each other. Sexually, no man had ever taken me to the places that Aaron had.

  I couldn’t wait for us to get together again, but I was trying to play it cool, and I think he was too. He kept insisting on staying at my place only two or three times a week, and every once in a while, he’d ask if I thought things were moving a bit fast. Fast? In my opinion, things couldn’t have been moving any slower. I mean, when you know the person you are with is the one you want to be with forever, why prolong the thing? And I knew Aaron was the one for me. I mean, I was letting him sleep over at my place, for heaven’s sake. No man other than James had ever gotten that far before.

  I could already imagine us marching down the aisle hand in hand after Bishop pronounced us man and wife. Unfortunately, there was still one person standing between us even now that Porsche was out of the picture: that phony, holier-than-thou bitch Tia.

  Every time I looked, she was all up in my man’s face, cheesing and shit. They’d go to the mall together; they’d go to breakfast on Sunday before church. She even got him involved with this rape hotline thing, which I didn’t approve of one bit. Then, of course, as if she didn’t spend enough time with him already, she went and invited him to her house for a home-cooked meal. Now, cooking might not be my favorite thing to do, but I could hold my own in the kitchen if I had to, so I didn’t know who she thought she was trying to impress.

  With that being said, today was the day I was going to put Miss Thing in her place and end this shit. I planned to marry Aaron one day, so she could just take her ugly mug and go sit down someplace, because Aaron Mackie was mine. His name was written all over my kitty cat, and if I had to go as far as to show her, then I would.

  I entered the church and went straight to the administrative offices, where I found her at her desk, working on her computer.

  “Hey, Trustee Wilcox, can I help you?” she asked.

  I could tell by the look on her face that the bitch didn’t like me—most women didn’t—but I didn’t really care. I wasn’t there for their approval. Besides, anyone who didn’t know by now that I was not to be played with better go ask Porsche Moore with her bald-headed ass.

  “Is the first lady or the bishop here?” I asked innocently. My eyes scanned the back office, and they were nowhere in sight. Thank goodness, because what I had to say was not for anyone’s ears but Tia’s.

  “No, they’re not here. They’re at an off-site meeting.”

  “Oh, that’s good, because I came here to see you.”

  “Oh, really?” Her tone made it clear that she couldn’t have cared less about what I had to say, but she would entertain me anyway. Good. At least the bitch knew her place when it came to church hierarchy. “What did you need to see me about?”

  I felt like strangling her ass, sitting there like she was all innocent. “I came to speak to you woman to woman.” I eyed her with a firmness to let her know this was no joke.

  “Okay, go ahead. Shoot.” She fell back against her chair like she didn’t have a care in the world.

  “What would you do if you had a man and there was another woman all up in his face?”

  She looked confused for a second, and then slowly I watched her expression change as she realized what I was saying. She still tried to play dumb, though. “Are you asking for advice, or are you making an accusation?”

  “You know what I’m talking about!” I shouted. “Don’t act like you all innocent. Everyone can see how you’re always up in Aaron’s face.” I paused for dramatic effect. “Well, you really need to stop!”

  She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned forward in a defiant posture. “First of all, why are you shouting? Second of all, what are you talking about?”

  “I’m not shouting! And I’m talking about Aaron! I want you to stay away from my fiancé.”

  Tia looked surprised for a second, but then this condescending smirk appeared, like she didn’t believe me. “Wait a minute. Are you trying to tell me that Aaron is your fiancé?”

  I was prepared for her doubting ass. “I’m not trying to say anything.” I showed her the back of my left hand, flashing an old ring some fool had given me years ago. I’d pulled it out of my jewelry box and dusted it off just for this purpose. “He is my fiancé, and I want you to stay the hell away from him!”

  “I think you’re talking to the wrong person. Shouldn’t you be talking to him? Besides, if he’s really your fiancé, you should trust him.”

  “It’s not him I don’t trust.” I stared her down.

  “What are you trying to say, Simone?” She stood up, surprising the heck out of me. The little wench was a lot more ghetto than I gave her credit for.

  “I’m trying to say that chastity belt you be pretending to wear can be opened just as easy as any zipper, so stay away from my man!”

  “You know what? I’m a woman of God, but if you don’t get away from my desk with this nonsense, you are gonna have a problem! Now, try me if you want to.” She snatched off her earrings, balling her hands into fists like she was about to come around her desk. I took a step back just in case I had to head for the exit. I was too pretty to let this chick mess up my face.

  She continued her rant. “And for the record, if you try that crap you pulled on Porsche in the locker room with me, I’ll whip your ass so bad you’ll be hiding the bruises for the next six months. Now, get the hell out of my office.” She pointed toward the exit.

  At that very moment, Aaron walked into the office. Obviously he’d heard us fighting, because he was glaring at us like we’d both lost our minds.

  “Hey, what’s all the shouting about?” he demanded.

  “This woman is crazy, Aaron. She just threatened me. Did you hear her?” I turned to him. I was hoping he would wrap his arms around me and kiss me to prove to Tia that he was my man, but he was holding me at a cordial distance.

  “Tia, is that true?” Aaron looked confused.

  “I only threatened her after she came in here harassing me about you.” Tia shook her head. “Now, will you tell your fi-ancée here that there’s nothing going on between us, please? That we’re just friends? I don’t like being harassed at work.”

  Dammit, that dirty bitch just dimed on me.

  The shocked look on Aaron’s face told me I had crossed a boundary I shouldn’t have.
r />   “Fiancée?” Aaron exploded.

  I tried to clean it up. “I was just telling her we’re trying to work things out.”

  Aaron’s face took on a cold expression I’d never seen before, like he was shutting me out completely. That wench Tia had better watch out, because I was gonna get her ass for this. She had best believe it.

  “Simone, didn’t we just talk about this … us? Did I not just tell you that I think we should slow things down? With everything going on with the choir, the competitions and all, I don’t have time for a serious relationship. Especially not one with drama,” he said through gritted teeth. “I’m just learning this city, and I’m not ready to settle down with anyone at this point in time. Now, we have a good time together, but my only commitment is to the choir, and Tia’s a big part of that. You got a problem with that, then take a hike.”

  “But, Aaron, I thought that after last night there’s no question our relationship is progressing.” I was trying to keep the tears from falling, to keep some shred of dignity. I’d never felt so humiliated in my life. Men tended to salivate at my feet. I wasn’t used to getting played like this—and in front of Tia, no less.

  “This is exactly what I was trying to tell you the other day.” Aaron buried his forehead in his hands.

  He’d told me on many occasions that he wasn’t ready to get married, so I figured that’s what he was referring to. I reached down and twisted the ring around on my finger to hide the diamond. “What are you talking about?”

  “I told you I don’t like drama. Why would you go to Tia with this mess? How could you embarrass me like this? She’s my church liaison, the go-to person between me and the church. She’s the one who’s taken me around New York and helped me get settled in. Not that it’s your business anyway, but Tia and I are just friends.”

  Aaron turned to Tia. “Tia, I’m sorry for Simone’s behavior. She was totally out of line.”

  No, he didn’t just apologize for me like I’m some little kid!

  “You don’t have to apologize for her,” Tia said, but I saw that smug gleam in her eyes. I felt like scratching out her eyeballs. In my mind, I could see myself choking her to death.

  “Oh, Aaron,” I said, trying to play it off. “I was just messing with Tia.” I turned to Tia. “Girl, I didn’t mean anything by what I said.” Inside, I was cringing. This whole thing was so embarrassing.

  “Yeah, she was just playing,” Tia said.

  I didn’t want that bitch covering up for me. I didn’t want her sympathy.

  “Simone, you need to back off,” Aaron said. He looked back to Tia. “Tia, I needed to run something by you real quick, but I guess it can wait until choir practice.”

  Aaron exited Tia’s office without so much as looking my way.

  Aaron

  35

  I stomped out of the church, pissed off big-time after walking up on Simone acting like a fool. I couldn’t believe she had the audacity to tell Tia she was my fiancée—not to mention the big-ass diamond she thought I hadn’t noticed. I shook my head, wishing I could shake the entire situation from my mind. This was crazy. What I really didn’t appreciate was Simone telling Tia to back off of me, like she owned me or something. Hell, Simone was the one who needed to back up off me. I couldn’t deal with this type of thing, not now. I had way too many things on my mind with the growing choir, and having a crazy-ass, insecure woman chasing me around was only going to get in my way.

  As much as I liked Simone, and I did have to admit she’d grown on me, sometimes she smothered me so bad I felt like I couldn’t breathe. Even now, after the incident that had just occurred, she couldn’t leave well enough alone. I had barely gotten out the church doors before she came running up out of nowhere and grabbed my arm.

  “Aaron, hold up for a second. Let me explain.”

  I snatched my arm back. “There’s nothing to explain. I don’t want to hear any more lies. Everything out of your mouth is some kind of elaborate fabrication.”

  “That’s not true,” she huffed.

  “Why, isn’t it? You just lied in there about us being engaged. Do you know how embarrassing that is?” I tried to keep my voice down, because there were people walking by, but I was furious.

  “Baby, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to embarrass you,” Simone whined, sounding all pitiful as she tried to keep pace with me. “But you don’t need friends like her.”

  I stopped dead in my tracks and glared at her. “What did you say? You don’t pick my friends! See, this is exactly what I mean. I can’t deal with you.”

  “I’m not trying to pick your friends, but if we’re dating, I’d like to be shown a little respect! You don’t know Tia like I do. She’s not as innocent as she pretends to be. I’m just trying to protect you.”

  I seriously doubted that what she said about Tia was true, but that was beside the point. What mattered was that Simone was trying to control me, and I wasn’t having it. “I’m a big boy and I don’t need protection. I can take care of myself. What you need to be concerned with is your own situation, instead of worrying about everything that’s going on with me.”

  Suddenly her neediness turned into bitchiness. Guess I’d struck a nerve.

  “What situation would that be?” she spat.

  “The situation with your fath—I mean, Deacon Smith … dammit!” I shouted in frustration. “You know what I mean. The man is dead and you haven’t shed a tear. That’s not exactly healthy.”

  “Why do you keep bringing this up? The cops have dropped it, so why can’t you? Deacon Smith was nothing more than a sperm donor, considering the circumstances,” Simone protested. She held her hands up imploringly. “You met the man who raised me. That’s my father.”

  “Yep, I sure did, and it just brings up more questions. Anyone ever tell you how much you look like Mr. Wilcox?”

  “What are you trying to say, that I lied to the police?”

  “I don’t give a damn about the police. I think you lied to me.”

  “You know what? Fuck you, Aaron.” She gave me the finger in the middle of the church parking lot. “I would do anything to have my daddy’s blood pumping through my veins instead of Jonathan Smith’s, that Judas to the church. So, if you don’t believe me, you can kiss my ass.” She started crying, and I actually felt bad.

  “Look, I’m sorry. It’s just some of the things you’ve said and done lately just don’t add up.”

  “Well, if you were the bastard child of a suicidal church deacon, would you tell everyone the whole story?” she said as the tears streamed down her face.

  “You’re right, but I didn’t think I was just anyone.” I gently placed my arms around her shoulders.

  “Dammit, Aaron, what do you want from me?”

  “I want the truth. I wanna know why Deacon Smith was really in your driveway that night. I wanna know why he killed himself. I wanna know why you don’t care for a man who gave you life, but you would take his money.”

  “Okay, we can talk about it all—later. I’ll tell you everything you want to know tonight over dinner.” She glanced at her watch, then spoke like everything was settled. “Look, I have a meeting inside the church. When I finish, I’ll come back to your house. I’ll make you dinner, give you a blow job, you can go down on me, and then I’ll explain everything to you. How does that sound?”

  She made it sound so simple. I knew it wasn’t, but I’m a man and a sucker for a good blow job. “I don’t know, Simone.”

  She rocked from side to side and batted her eyes at me flirtatiously. “Come on, baby. Don’t you want me to suck it? I know I wanna suck it.” She placed the tip of her thumb in her mouth. “I’ll tell you everything you wanna know. Promise.”

  I felt myself weakening. “Okay, but I wanna know everything.”

  She nodded quickly with a grin. “Everything. I’ll tell you everything. Just don’t be mad at me anymore. I can’t take it when you’re mad at me.”

  Just as the two of us were reaching a truc
e and making plans for some hot makeup sex later that night, a car screeched to a halt next to us, totally ruining the mood. It was Andrew Gotti with that damn perpetual frown on his face. He got out of the car, and his sidekick exited the passenger side.

  I sighed in resignation. “What do y’all want now?”

  “Weren’t you supposed to meet up with us yesterday?” Gotti snapped, pointing at his watch. “I told you not to make me come looking for you.”

  I pounded my palm against my forehead. “Oh, no! It’s Wednesday! Damn, I totally forgot!”

  “Damn right. You ain’t got that much time left. Why do you keep screwing around? Get in the car,” the taller man barked.

  The next thing I knew, Simone jumped up in the tall man’s face. “Y’all can’t do this. Who the hell do y’all think you are?” Her professional façade had dropped, and she was total sister-girl, hand on her hip, neck swiveling and finger pointing in the tall guy’s face.

  “Simone.” I held out my hand to restrain her. “Let me handle this, okay? I’ll meet you back at your house. We’ll have dinner like you said. Everything will be fine.”

  I know she was trying to help, but this girl didn’t have any idea what she was getting into. I hoped she didn’t make matters worse for me.

  “You sure?”

  “Yeah, I’m cool. They’re cool.”

  For a moment Simone looked uncertain, but finally she relented. She slid her door key off her key ring. “Here’s the key. If you get there before me, make yourself at home. I’ll be there later. The meeting’s going to take awhile.”

  I nodded as I climbed into the backseat of the gray car. Looked like Simone wouldn’t be the only one with some explaining to do tonight.

  Monique

  36

  “Ah, can I help you, Mr. Mackie?”

  I’d just walked into my office and found Aaron placing a Macy’s bag on my desk. I wasn’t at all surprised. I suspected all along that he was the culprit behind all those gifts. Lord have mercy, this boy was bold and disrespectful. Here he was trying to play secret lover, and my husband was right next door in his office.