by D. Camille
Danielle sighed. “Well…what can I say to that?”
Khalil stood to his feet and helped her to do the same. He cradled her face and kissed her forehead gently as Danielle placed her hands on his waist. Khalil embraced her gently and she pressed her face against his broad chest feeling the vibration of his voice against her cheek as he spoke.
“Love is the Beautiful Black Woman…Destined to become that, which has never been. Across the stars, the universe…Her love is as free as the wind. To grasp Her, to embrace Her, to even love Her…Would be loving Love Itself. And what more would a man want, desire or need. Love is the Beautiful Black Woman.” Khalil recited above her head.
She looked up at him. “That’s beautiful.”
He smiled down at her. “A poem by Vernon Davis Jr. in his tribute to black Queens.”
Danielle laid her head against his chest again. If this man had her ready to leap tall buildings before, now she was prepared to slay dragons as well. His words, his voice and everything that made him a black man, called to her very being.
“If you keep this up, I won’t be falling in love slowly,” she whispered.
“Fast or slow, makes no difference to me Queen, just as long as you get there.”
Khalil’s gaze landed on the bag she had brought with her. “I’m curious as to what you have in this bag.”
Danielle looked at him. “It’s not store bought cookies.”
“A gift from one of the mothers,” he supplied.
She stepped back and smiled. “How nice of her.”
“I’ll put them out for the after school program kids later,” he told her as she reached for the bag she’d brought.
“This is for you…” Danielle handed it to him. “For being so kind yesterday to both me and Kam.”
Khalil looked surprised. “You didn’t have to do this.”
“Just open the bag Khalil.”
The fancy shopping bag from some type of specialty store felt weighted in his hand. He sat the bag on his desk and opened it slowly. Removing the tissue wrapped item, he uncovered a black mug decorated with white writing. He reads the words then looked at her.
“Are you serious?”
She nodded and he shook his head in amazement. The words on the mug were scattered about in a small pattern where every word could be read. They included his name and all the ways he’d described himself in their phone conversation.
“You even added Twin,” he commented.
“You didn’t say that one, but you are the Twin.”
Khalil looked at the mug then back at her. “This was so thoughtful Danielle. I’ve never received anything like this before.”
“Next time you make that perfect hot chocolate, you can think of me.”
He pulled her close. “I’ll be with you whenever I make hot chocolate again.”
Danielle smiled. “There’s something else in the bag.”
Khalil lifted a brow and returned to the bag. Reaching inside, he pulled out another mug, similar to his but smaller in size. This one had words to describe his son, along with his name.
“Danielle…”
“I couldn’t forget the little King,” she said with a smile. “I saw how much he admires his Daddy and wants to be like him.”
Khalil sat the mug on the desk next to his then turned to her. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome Khalil. I was in the mall and I saw a little shop that made these. I hope you like them.”
“They’re wonderful and Kyros will love his.” He took her hand and gently tugged her forward.
“I should probably go, I’m sure you have work to do,” she told him.
He nodded. “I always have work to do, but you don’t have to go.”
When she was standing before him, she looked into his dark brown eyes. “I really should go before I do something very inappropriate to you in your office. Things that a Family Court Judge shouldn’t indulge in where children gather to learn and play.”
Khalil gave a slow laugh. “Okay, how about we make a date to indulge in these inappropriate things?”
“We can talk about it tonight,” she suggested.
“I look forward to it.”
Khalil lowered his head and kissed her again, allowing her to feel his strength as he held her close. Danielle knew what she had to tell him could certainly become a game changer, even though it wasn’t one that he’d mentioned, it was one that had been a game changer before.
She’d tell him soon, but she had to allow herself to feel this man. Memories of him would last her a lifetime, for there were very few Khalil Lewis’ walking into her life and she’d savor him for as long as she could.
******
Later that afternoon, Khalil drove to the Mayor’s office to meet with Brandon and Mac. He entered the room and saw the couple embracing. Brandon had his hand spread over his wife’s rounded abdomen.
“Hey Khalil,” they both greeted him as he walked over.
“The expectant parents.” He looked at Brandon. “Glad that all worked out for you my brother.”
Brandon laughed and looked down at his glowing wife. “Yes, it worked out perfectly.”
They all took seats and began their meeting. Khalil noticed how close Brandon sat to his wife, who was dressed in her uniform as the Police Chief of Detroit. It amazed him that a man could be so protective of a woman who ran an entire force with precision.
“So how are things going with the initiative Khalil?” Brandon asked.
“We’re just starting off, but so far there’s been good interest. I’m beginning to work with other programs already in place to connect the participants to those additional services,” Khalil explained. “It’s a damn shame how some of these young people have ended up in the prison system. That “school to prison pipeline” is some diabolical shit that has serious repercussions in the community.”
“They start the kids early, labeling them with behavior problems and putting them on medications, making billions of dollars for the pharmaceutical companies, then they ship them off to prison where they make billions more off of their bodies, while there’s no money for them to go to college or start a business.”
Khalil shook his head. “I think about Kyros and the future I want for my son, then I look at all this shit put in place purposely to block him. He has a strong support system, but what about those who don’t? They’re getting used and their lives taken away.”
Mac and Brandon shared a look. They understood Khalil’s point far too well in their respective positions in the city.
“This is why we pushed for this initiative Khalil. We know how much it’s needed. So whatever you need from us, just let us know. As the Mayor, my objective is to make as much change as possible, as quickly as I can,” Brandon told him.
“Services are so important,” Khalil relayed. “We have to provide what they need to be successful. We can’t keep sending them out to the well with holes in their buckets.”
“What services are you trying to connect them with?” Mac asked.
Khalil sighed. “Employment, housing, mental health. Those are the most important.”
Brandon lifted a brow. “How are those mental health services working out?”
“Finding black therapists is a challenge, because we need a lot more of them. Then there’s the issue of how they’ll get paid, since most of the participants don’t have any type of health coverage or coverage that doesn’t pay for mental health services,” Khalil explained.
“There’s also the stigma attached to seeing a psychologist. Black people have been taught so long to be strong and overcome, while everyone else gets to sit on a sofa and cry about their problems,” he told them. “We’ve been traumatized more than any other people on this earth and we need to realize that’s it’s okay to let it out and deal with it.”
Mac nodded. “Maybe Brandon can speak with the Health Department to see if any therapists are available for the project.” She looked at her husband. “And possibly
generate some funding to pay them.”
Brandon smiled at her. “Yes, Mackenzie, I will get on it.”
Khalil shook his head. “Is that all we need to do to get funding around here?” he asked.
“No, that’s all Mackenzie needs to do.” Brandon told him.
Khalil looked at Mac. “Okay Mac, I’d like to put an outdoor classroom at the Center. Our children learn better outside in the nature they are connected to. Currently, I’m assisting Kyros' school to get one but I think it would be nice to have one at the Center that the kids can use during summer break.”
Mac looked at Brandon. “You heard the man.”
Brandon frowned. “Go talk to Rion or Lance.”
Khalil laughed. “It didn’t hurt to try.” He stood to his feet. “Actually Corvus has already sponsored the classroom.”
Mac and Brandon looked at one another again. “Corvus?”
Khalil shrugged. “He’s into philanthropy now.”
“Corvus?” they both asked again.
“Yes, Corvus. Orion’s little brother.”
“Is he okay?” Mac asked.
Khalil shook his head. “He’s fine. Little brother is growing up.”
They both gave Khalil a look. “Slowly…” he amended. Looking at his watch, Khalil said, “Kyros is going to the Pistons game tonight, so I’ll check in with you two later.”
Brandon smiled. “Does he still love basketball?”
“First it was baseball, then basketball, now he’s moved on to books so I’m happy to oblige him,” Khalil answered.
“Rion and Lance said he wasn’t good at the other two, so that’s probably good,” Brandon told him and Khalil frowned.
“My son’s simply not a stereotype.”
“Please tell Kyros that we said hello,” Mac said and walked over to Khalil before he got started on a tirade. Everyone knew how Khalil felt about “performing for the system” and how long he could go on about his opinion.
He bent slowly and kissed her cheek. “I will.” He turned to Brandon with a small smile. “I’ll be in touch, my brother.”
The two gave each other a manshake before Khalil departed. He drove to the school and waited for Kyros to exit. When the boy saw him standing in the cold by the car, he ran to him.
“Hey Daddy!”
Khalil patted his head. “Hey son. How was school?”
Kyros smiled. “It was fun. Kam likes me.”
Khalil raised a brow as he opened the car door. “And how do you know that?”
“She told me.” He climbed inside and began to fasten his seatbelt.
Sighing, Khalil closed the door and walked around to get inside. When he’d started the car, he glanced in the rearview mirror at his son in the back seat.
“So how did she tell you that?” Khalil asked.
Kyros shrugged. “We were at lunch and she said I was cute.”
“What else did she say?” Khalil focused back on the road.
“That’s all.”
He glanced in the mirror again at Kyros. “So why did you say that she likes you?”
Kyros smiled. “Daddy, she said that I’m cute.”
Khalil laughed. “That doesn’t necessarily mean that she likes you Kyros. She could have simply been giving you a compliment.”
Kyros frowned. “Brandi said her Momma thinks you’re cute and she likes you.”
Khalil matched his frown. “I want you to forget about everything that Brandi said to you.”
“So she doesn’t like me?” Kyros asked concerned.
“Do you want her to like you?”
Khalil watched as his son looked out the window. “Yeah…I want to be friends with her.”
“I’m sure she likes you as a friend Kyros,” Khalil assured his son. “And apparently she thinks you’re cute too.”
Kyros looked at his father. “Did girls think you were cute Daddy?”
Khalil smiled and focused on his driving. “They still do son.”
Laughter from both of the Lewis’ filled the car as they drove home. Khalil ushered Kyros inside and instructed him to change his clothing for the game. Kyros ran to his room to put on the clothes that Khalil had laid out for him while Khalil went to his room to change as well into some jeans and a sweater.
When they both appeared back in the living room, Khalil checked Kyros over and made sure he had everything on and fastened correctly. Kyros, sometimes in his haste would miss a few things like your typical almost seven-year-old.
“How do I look Daddy?” Kyros asked once Khalil was done.
Khalil surveyed his jeans and the vintage Isaiah Thomas, Detroit Pistons jersey that Khayla had given him. “You look good, son. Good job on your clothes.”
“I took my time, like you tell me,” Kyros said proudly.
Khalil kissed his head. “Are you hungry?”
Kyros shook his head. “Uncle Lance gets me hot dogs at the game. They’re so good.”
“I’m sure Khayla loves that,” Khalil commented under his breath, then said to Kyros, “Okay, let’s get the rest of your stuff.”
The two bundled up and headed back to the car then Khalil drove to their destination with Kyros in the back seat singing a song he’d learned at school in the native tongue. Khalil smiled as he continued to drive. He was happy with his choice of enrolling Kyros in a school that taught him what he needed both educationally and spiritually.
When Kyros finished singing, Khalil smiled at him in the mirror. “That was good. Maybe you could teach it to some of the other kids at the Center?”
“Okay, it’s the Jambo Song.”
“I know. It’s in Kiswahili.”
Kyros smiled. “Man, you know everything Daddy.”
“I’m glad you think so, but I learned that song not too long ago,” Khalil explained. “Let’s sing it together.”
Kyros nodded happily and they both sang loudly driving through the streets.
******
Danielle sat in her den reading a book on her Kindle that she had been putting off for the longest. Her vacation was starting out very well, she thought to herself. Except for falling on the ice and almost killing herself, but even that wasn’t so bad since it got Khalil to her house.
When she’d seen him in her courtroom last week, she’d never imagined she’d be going gaga over the man or that he’d want to pursue a relationship with her. Khalil Lewis was a complex and intriguing man. He was extremely serious, handsome, intelligent and sexy. Whether in a business suit or jeans, he wore his masculinity like a true king.
His love for his son, his community and family only added to his appeal. His intense nature could be both overpowering and comforting at the same time. Khalil was a man who said what he meant and never left you guessing. You could trust every word that came from his mouth, whether good or bad and that’s the part that Danielle found comforting. Being a judge, she had to determine on a daily basis whether people were being dishonest, so knowing that she didn’t have to worry about that with Khalil allowed her to relax when she was in his presence.
Her doorbell rang and she looked at her watch. It was seven in the evening and she’d just finished dinner. Wondering who was at her door, she stood and walked out to the foyer. Danielle peeked through the peep hole and caught her breath.
Surprised, she opened the door. “Khalil…what are you doing here?”
He held her gaze intently. “I wanted some hot chocolate.”
Chapter 6
“Hmm…and they were all out at the grocery store?” Danielle asked.
“Didn’t stop there.”
Danielle gave him a look and rubbed her arms.
“It’s cold out here too.” He commented.
She gave him another look and stepped back allowing him inside. Khalil closed the door behind him and stomped his boots on the rug.
“What are you doing here Khalil Lewis?” she asked again and he looked at her.
“I came for hot chocolate,” he repeated.
“
Did I invite you for hot chocolate?”
He shook his head. “You said we’d talk tonight.” He shrugged. “I just figured the hot chocolate was included.”
“You know there’s an invention called the telephone. It was invented by Mr. Bell,” she told him.
Khalil brushed snowflakes from his coat. “Actually Alexander Graham Bell bought the patent from a black man, Granville T. Woods who was also known as the Black Edison-”
Danielle placed a hand over his cold lips. “No, you’re not going to sweep me off my feet with that brilliant mind right now.”
He gently removed her hand and looked down at her. “Kyros is at a basketball game with my sister and brother-in-law and I wanted to see you,” he explained quietly.
“I thought you wanted hot chocolate,” she questioned sassily.
“I do.” Khalil slid an arm around her waist and leaned down to kiss her softly. He stood upright and looked down at her. “Hello Queen.”
“Hello Khalil, although this is an unexpected visit,” Danielle looked at him pointedly. “I am happy to see you.”
“I don’t know about that,” he said watching her. “It’s almost as cold in here as it is outside. One would think that possibly you aren’t as happy to see me as you say.”
Danielle touched his warming face. “I just told you that I am,” she said softly.
He nodded and began to remove his coat. Danielle looked him over in his sweater and jeans before taking the jacket and hanging it in her closet. When she closed the closet door and turned, she was wrapped in two strong arms.
“I apologize for not calling first. After I dropped off Kyros, my only thought was to get to you.” Khalil said looking down into her eyes that softened.
“I could’ve been looking like a full mess,” she whispered.
Khalil studied her face framed by the thick twists. “I don’t think that’s possible.”
Danielle smiled. “Oh baby…believe me, anything is possible.”
Khalil lifted a hand and traced her lips. “May I have some hot chocolate?” he whispered.
Danielle was caught up in his heated dark brown gaze. “Are we talking about a beverage?”
“Yes Queen, I would never ‘drop-in’ to taste the sweet, hot chocolate that is you. That deserves and requires ample time and attention.”