by Zuri Day
“I don’t believe you.”
“I didn’t believe Luther when he told me, either. Told him I had to see it to believe it. I saw. I believe.”
“But how? It’s like he just glanced at the numbers and then wrote down the answer.”
“That’s exactly what happened. That’s why I called you all excited, woman! But you blew me off. You were busy.”
“I didn’t and I was. Wow. He stands there for just a second, then walks up to the board and writes the answer left to right. How is he adding those numbers?”
“I pretty much asked him the same question, asked how he knew the answers. He said he just did.”
“Maybe Lauren’s been teaching him. Or Conner’s oldest brother, Conrad. He’s around fifteen or so. Maybe he’s been working with him.”
Her voice trailed off as she watched the short video once again.
“I think it’s him taking after his brilliant mommy.” No answer. “Aliyah.”
“Sorry. I’m sending the video to Lauren, and asking if she or Conrad have been working with him.” She also sent it to her family. “Now, what did you say?”
Terrell repeated his statement.
“Thank you, but Mommy wasn’t solving problems like that at five years old. Darn it.”
“What?”
“Mama has a dinosaur phone. It says the file is too big to send her.”
“Upload it to YouTube. That way you can just send the link.”
“Good idea.” She looked at her watch. Break time was over. She walked toward the nurses’ station. “I’ll do it when I get home.”
“Cool. Send me the link, too.”
“Okay.”
“Are you rushing me off the phone again?”
“Pretty much.”
“Ha! You’re a trip.”
“No, I’m east coast. We keep it real. Your workday is over but I’m still on the clock.”
“What do you say I meet you when you get off the clock?”
“Negative. When I finally get to bed, the only thing I want to do is sleep.”
“That’s unfortunate.”
“I’ll let you make it up to me.”
“When?”
“Friday night. We can go somewhere and be naughty for a couple hours.”
“Negative. Friday’s too far away.”
“It’s tomorrow, Terrell.”
“Exactly. And I haven’t seen you since—”
“Two nights ago.”
“That long?”
“Goodbye, Terrell.”
“Call me later.”
“Okay.”
Later, when a surgery had to be rescheduled, Aliyah found herself with an hour of downtime. She updated a couple of patient files and then tackled the process of uploading her son’s video to YouTube. A few minutes later, she had a link. She resent the text to her family, sent the link to Lauren and Terrell and finished her shift.
On her way to the car, she pulled out her phone.
Four missed calls. Eight missed text messages. Her heart leaped into her throat. What had happened to Kyle?
Then she remembered. The video. She reached her car, got in and tapped the first message. It was from her twenty-two-year-old brother, Kieran, who’d recently graduated from NYU.
Wow, sis. That was pretty cool. Now tell me how you got Kyle to remember all those answers, cause no five-year-old can do all that.
Next text. Her twenty-year-old brother, Joseph, who was attending a college in Iowa on a full, four-year basketball scholarship.
Look at little shorty, taking after his uncle! This is impressive. If it’s not fake.
Text number three, from a cousin in Atlanta. The video had already reached extended family. Her mother, Aliyah reckoned. But still, that was fast.
Is this my cuzzo??? Wow!!! He’s so smart, but then again, look at his mama. Xoxo
The last text was from Terrell.
Hope you don’t mind that I sent your son’s video link to a few people. No one can believe it. At least half of them have responded back to ask me how I got him to memorize those numbers! LOL. Your son is really gifted, A. You should probably have him tested. He’s probably a genius. Like you...
His words warmed her heart, and other places. Handsome, successful, unassuming and genuinely a nice guy. She’d noticed it at the Halloween festivities. A smile here, a compliment there, everyone happy to see him because he made people feel good. No wonder he was a chick magnet. Good thing their relationship was casual and she didn’t care about what monkeys were in his circus. Let someone else be the ringleader. Yes. That sounded good. She tapped the missed-calls icon and saw that most were from family, though Terrell had called as well. After activating her car’s hands-free system, she pulled out of the parking lot and returned his call.
“Good evening.”
Two common words. But the way he said them, slow and easy, in that deep, slightly raspy voice, with her imagining how his lips moved and his tongue rolled, caused her to almost bypass the next corner, where she was to make a left and continue to the highway, and Paradise Cove.
“Hello.”
“Baby, I’m concerned. You sound exhausted.”
“By Thursday night, I’m pretty beat. But having Friday morning off gives me time to get rejuvenated.”
“Your hard work is going to pay off.”
“Let us pray.”
“You’re headed home?”
“Yes, and no.”
“What does that mean?”
“Yes I’m headed home and no, you can’t come over.”
“Did I ask to come over?”
“You did earlier. I made an exception to my rule the other night but don’t want you to get used to coming to my house. As the video you shot plainly shows, Kyle is a very bright kid. He heard you the other night and thought it was a dream. If he saw you, we’d have a whole bunch of explaining to do.”
“He said that?” She nodded. “I’m sorry. Teresa wants to talk to you about how smart Kyle is.”
“Who?’
“Really? My twin?”
“Excuse me but I only met her once. And on a day where I met about a dozen other people.”
“You’re excused.”
“I don’t know what I’d tell her. The games and apps I’ve downloaded for him are nowhere near as complicated as the problems he solved. Lauren said she’s never taught him anything like that and doesn’t think her son has, either.” The last few words were mumbled through a yawn.
“How far are you from your house?”
“Not far, why?”
“Because you’re yawning, and I don’t want to worry about you falling asleep at the wheel.”
“I won’t. I’m almost at Lauren’s to pick up Kyle. In twenty minutes, I’ll be in bed.”
“Hey, I’ve got an idea.”
“What?”
“Do you think Lauren could watch Kyle for a little while longer?”
“She could, but she won’t because I’m here to pick him up.”
“Babe, I can’t explain now but can you trust me? Can you ask her to watch him, and then be ready to leave your house in an hour?”
“Leave my house in an hour?!”
“Okay, thirty minutes?”
“No, Terrell.”
Terrell groaned. “Man, that same stubborn drive that makes you so successful is driving me crazy right now.”
“Then I’ll solve that by letting you go.”
“That’s fine. But I’m stubborn, too. So ask Lauren to watch Kyle, please, and be ready in half an hour.”
“Wait, Terrell, don’t—”
But he had. The line was dead.
Aaliyah pulled into the Hensley driveway, but kep
t her car idling. It had been a long time since a man told her what to do. Aside from her father, it had never happened, come to think of it. So why start now? She turned off the car and opened the door. But curiosity stopped her. What was Terrell up to? Where did he want her to go? The last time she’d trusted him, they’d ended up spending a magical night in San Francisco. Hmm. She closed the door and called Lauren. A die-hard romantic, Lauren had sided with Terrell and practically threatened her with bodily harm if she came in to get her son. So she didn’t. She drove home.
Thirty minutes went by. Nothing happened.
Forty minutes. She texted Terrell. What’s up? No answer.
An hour. Aliyah took off her clothes and got into bed.
Fifteen minutes later, she heard her indicator chirp. Terrell.
You ready?
The nerve of this guy! She yanked up her phone. No. I’m in bed. Asleep. She placed the phone on the nightstand and pulled up the covers. Chirp. She tried to ignore it. Couldn’t. Grabbed the phone again.
Go look out your living room window.
She resent her last message, and hoped this time that not only would his phone get it, but that he would, too. Chirp.
It was now obvious to Aliyah that he was not getting her message. But he would. She turned off her ringer.
Five minutes went by...before someone rang her doorbell.
“What the heck?” She sprang out of bed, ready to give Terrell a piece of her mind. So this is why he wanted Kyle gone? So he could come over here against my wishes?
She reached the door, yanked it open and...looked into the face of a startled, uniformed stranger. Really should have checked that peephole. But she was thankful for the screen door, which she promptly locked.
“Why are you at my door?”
“Forgive me, Ms. Robinson. I didn’t mean to startle you. I am here at the request of Mr. Drake. He says he could not reach you by phone, and asked that I let you know your limo is waiting.”
“My limo?” The stranger stepped back, allowing her to see a big, black, shiny limousine fairly glistening under the streetlight. Her jaw dropped.
She heard her cell phone ring. Her attention went from the man to the sound of the phone and back. Her mind was too fuzzy with fatigue to think. “Just a minute,” she told the driver and then rushed to get the phone.
“Hello?”
“Good, you answered. Is Ed there, with the limo?”
“You mean the stranger who scared me half to death ringing my doorbell?”
“Sorry, baby. Couldn’t be helped. You didn’t answer your phone so I told him to get you. Are you ready?”
Aliyah had never been so flummoxed in her life. Didn’t she text this man that she was in bed and asleep? Twice? That she was neither right now was inconsequential.
Terrell continued, as if reading her mind. “I know you’re tired. This will make you feel better. I promise. Will you trust me, throw something on and be nice to Ed as he brings you to your destination?”
“Which is?”
“A surprise. Are you coming?”
“Yes,” she finally huffed.
“Good. I’ll see you soon.”
She hung up and all but stomped back into her bedroom and over to the closet. “I can’t believe he’s pulled this,” she mumbled, pulling on jeans and replacing her nightshirt with a simple T-shirt. I shouldn’t go. I should just go out there, tell Mr. Ed that’s there’s been a mistake and send the limo on its merry way. She thought this, even as she slipped on sandals, reached for her purse and headed toward the door.
Half of her was exasperated at the gall this man had. But the other half, the lower half specifically, was getting excited.
Chapter 14
Terrell had surfed the internet, looking for sites of local companies that could provide the service he wanted. No luck. So he resorted to the familiar and called up his go-to girl.
She answered immediately. “Tee, what’s up?”
“Hey, Tee. You still in town?”
“No. Atka had a business meeting first thing this morning so we left last night. I thought I told you.”
“You may have. There’s a lot going on.”
“Tell me about it.”
“From what I saw, you’re handling it well—marriage, motherhood, the blog and how fast it’s growing. Sometimes I still can’t believe I’m an uncle. Not once, but twice!”
“Yes, my son, Logan David, and Warren’s daughter, Sage.”
“Speaking of babies and baby making, where can I find a mobile spa company, someone who does manicures, pedicures, facials, et cetera, as a home visit?”
“Really, brother? All of that for a segue?”
“No,” he said, laughing. “You know I’m always about family but my question is why I called.”
“Is this for Aliyah?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm. She’s got you working, thinking outside the box. Normally it’s your women doing all the work. Interesting. Though I can see why. Not only is she gorgeous, but she’s smart. And her son is the cutest. I like her.”
“Good. Now can you help me?”
“Sure. When do you want to do it?”
“In about thirty minutes.”
For anyone else such a request would have been impossible. But Teresa was one of the most connected women in all of PC, and the right amount of money could always get an appointment. So by the time he’d sent the limo and then texted Aliyah, everyone he’d summoned to take care of his lady was either setting up or on the way.
When she arrived, Terrell was waiting at the side door, the direct entrance to his wing of the Drake estate.
“Hello, beautiful.” He gave her a hug.
Stepping back, she said, “This can’t be your house.”
“It belongs to my parents. This is just my wing. Come with me.”
She took Terrell’s outstretched hand and followed him down the hallway. “This is the largest private home I’ve ever seen,” she whispered.
“It’s pretty big,” he said with a chuckle as they neared his suite. “Which is why you don’t have to whisper. My parents are all the way on the other side and, trust me, you can holler even and they won’t hear a thing.”
“And we know this because... Never mind, don’t answer that question.” She took a moment to survey the pictures lining the hallway. “This is nice, Terrell. Really nice.”
“Thank you.”
“Did you grow up here?”
“Pretty much. My parents had this home built twenty years ago, when Golden Gates was established as the town’s gated community. I had just turned eight when we moved in. My parents did a major renovation seven or eight years ago.”
They reached his suite. The doors opened to a room that had been transformed from a bedroom to a spa. Dim lighting combined with fragrant white candles to create an ambiance of fantasy. Aliyah was floored. “Did you do this?”
“I helped. Go on in.”
She did, and was immediately drawn to his massive custom bed. “Wow, very nice. This room is fit for a king.”
“And that—” he raised his arm in the other direction “—is for you, my queen.”
She turned, and had to pick her jaw off the floor.
Amid the sea of flickering tea candles were two massage tables. A short distance from them, a spa pedicure chair. A delicious scent of jasmine mixed with something fruity tickled her nostrils. Soft music played in the background. Across the room, in the living area’s fireplace, red embers glowed. Aliyah took in the fantastical scene and felt like Cinderella when invited to the ball.
Terrell came up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. She turned into his embrace. “This is all so amazing, Terrell. I don’t know what to say.”
&nbs
p; “Then say nothing.” He gave her a quick kiss on the lips. “Just enjoy.”
She walked over to the massage table nearest her. “I was thinking about how badly I needed one of these just the other day! And this, with the music and the aromatherapy, is an even better atmosphere than I imagined. That’s jasmine I smell, right?”
“Yes.”
Aliyah turned, startled by the strange voice, even more surprised that there wasn’t one person who’d quietly entered the room, but two.
“I’m sorry, dear friend. I did not mean to scare you.”
“Aliyah, this is Sanje and Heaven, owners of Heavenly Spa Treatment, a mobile service that, as you can see, brings the spa to you.”
“To further answer your question,” the woman, Heaven, said to Aliyah, “in the infuser is our product called Surrender, a combination of jasmine, ylang-ylang, bergamot and a couple secret ingredients, all designed to help you de-stress, relax and be at peace.”
“For me to achieve all of that may take more than just one sitting.”
Terrell’s voice turned sexy. “That can be arranged.”
“We will travel wherever needed,” Sanje said.
“Sounds great.” Aliyah placed her hand on the table, felt the soft, cotton spread. “I’m ready.”
Heaven stepped forward. “Then let’s get started.”
Thirty minutes in and Aliyah felt like putty in Heaven’s capable hands. If his satisfied grunts were any indication, Sanje’s work on Terrell was excellent as well. Aliyah luxuriated in the feeling. She could get used to this. She could also get used to Terrell in her life. As quickly as the thought came, Aliyah worked to dispel it. She didn’t know if she could trust someone like Terrell with her heart. But when it came to making that decision, she realized, it might be too late already.
Chapter 15
Terrell sauntered into the boardroom, more than ready for the Monday morning meeting at his family’s firm. Since finding out that he was being considered for the position of VP of sales and marketing, he’d doubled his sales efforts, often working eighty-hour weeks. Last night he’d received an email that proved his efforts were paying off. A professional organization whose membership represented several companies planning expansion had chosen Drake Realty as their sole realtor and consulting firm.