The nerdy man lowered his glasses from his eyes and handed me a few tissues from the box on his desk. He appeared almost human as I grabbed the tissues and wiped both my nose and eyes. Shame weighed on my shoulders.
He did not comment as he continued to read through my paperwork. I had marked Mya’s special needs on the form and, as he read, his face softened. He turned from me and began punching information into his desktop computer. I could do nothing but stare at the back of his sandy-colored head. After several minutes of silence, Mr. Weiner swung around to face me again.
“Unfortunately, according to regulations, you’re ineligible for unemployment, but I think you knew that. I’ve listed you in our data bank and will personally be on the lookout for suitable employment for you. I’m sorry, but it’s the best I can do.”
I pushed my chair back, attempting to stand, but I didn’t have the strength. I didn’t know how much more I could take.
“Wait,” he hastily spoke as I rose from the chair. “You have other options that you might not be aware of. Your paperwork says you don’t have medical insurance.” He handed me a form explaining the benefits. I scanned the paper and felt a small measure of relief.
He handed me two more sheets of paper. One was a handwritten note with the name of a day care facility not too far from my house. I stared at him blankly, not understanding where he was coming from.
“I can’t afford day care!” I told him, bordering on getting pissed. He leaned in closer to me so no one could overhear.
“This facility was created to ensure adequate day care for the employees of Blank, Rome, and Carpenter. It’s a law firm two blocks west of the facility, and they’re hiring. With your skills you should be able to get a job as a secretary and have affordable day care as a part of your benefits. I didn’t give you this information. You heard about it someplace else, right?”
Comprehension dawned slowly, but I got it. He was giving me a break.
“I’m taking a chance that you need the job more than most and won’t let me down.” He sat back in his seat with the biggest smile glued to his face, and I was riveted in mine.
“Thank you,” was all I could come up with. Fresh tears made their way from my already swollen eyes, and I dabbed at them. I looked at the final paper he had given me. It was from the welfare office. I hated this form the most, but he wrote a personal friend’s name on it.
“I’m calling her right now. Her name is Ms. Moore. I’ll set up an appointment. Can you go directly from here?”
I drove the three short blocks to her office in a daze. Mr. Weiner was no round the way brother, but I was getting the help I needed.
I asked for Ms. Moore at the intake desk and was led into the supervisor’s office. She stood up when I came into the room and greeted me with a warm smile.
“Please, have a seat,” she instructed, and I practically fell into the chair.
“Mr. Weiner faxed over your information to me. Unfortunately, there’s nothing I can do today to ease your situation. However, I can file emergency papers that’ll get you food stamps within forty-eight hours. You’ll be receiving seven hundred and fifty dollars a month in food stamps. Of course should you become gainfully employed this amount will be reduced or taken away completely depending on your income. Are any of your children still using formula?”
“No, they all drink regular milk,” I replied.
She was banging on her computer the entire time I was talking with her. She pressed papers into my hand, indicated where to sign, and I complied. She detached my temporary WIC card and handed it back to me.
“Is there anything else I can do for you?” she asked with a huge smile.
“Not that I’m aware of,” I said, rising to leave. “I can’t thank you enough for the help that you’ve offered me. I truly wasn’t expecting this much,” I said.
“Mr. Weiner and I try to look out for special cases. What we’ve done is illegal and we could both lose our jobs, but we believe that, in some cases, rules are meant to be broken.”
I sucked in my breath, feeling like I was sucker punched. “Why?”
“Help you?” she nodded and smiled. “We see a lot of people come through these doors. A lot are either strung out on drugs or are plain lazy. Both Mr. Weiner and I have special needs children. We’re trying to help those unique persons who didn’t give up.”
“How can I ever thank you?” I wanted to hug her and fought the impulse, but I did not have to. She approached me and opened her arms, and I went into them.
“Just hang in there and keep in touch,” she whispered in my ear. For a brief moment, things did not seem so bleak. As I was leaving the office, she called me back in.
“Leah? I can call you that, can’t I?”
“Yes, of course.”
“You need to file for child support. Do you know where your husband works?”
“I know where he was working when he left, but I can’t get anyone to talk to me over there.”
“Come here for a minute. Since you’re a state aid recipient, you’re required to file for child support. We’ll file the papers for you.” She handed me another form, and I signed it. “Hey, if push comes to shove, he might come back home; if you hit him hard in his pockets.”
That was something that I did not even want to think about. I hated to put Kentee into the system, but he had placed us there without a second thought. Later, pulling into traffic, I suddenly realized that there was no hope for a happy ending for my family.
I stopped by the law firm and inquired about the job opening. Apparently they needed someone badly. I was instructed to wait while they set up the testing area.
The waiting made me nervous. Big beads of sweat broke out all over my body, and I tried to appear calm despite the havoc taking place in my stomach. I went to the bathroom three times and managed to read the same page seven times as I waited for the testing to begin. Stress messed with my bowels and I felt sorry for those who entered the bathroom after me.
I finally heard my name called, so I willed my knees to stop shaking and headed to the test area. First was a spelling test; my weakest skill. For the life of me, I could not understand why we had to be so proficient in spelling in the era of computers. Hell, if I can make out enough of the word, spell check will correct the shit, I thought to myself. The typing test was next, then a terminology test, which I felt sure I aced. At my last job, I was about to be promoted to a paralegal, and surprisingly I had retained that knowledge.
“Have a seat in the waiting room, please,” the receptionist said when I completed the last test. I sat and thumbed through a copy of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that I had found on the table. I was so nervous, I skimmed the pages barely noticing the words.
Less than ten minutes passed, and the receptionist was calling my name.
“Follow me, please,” she said sweetly. She led me down several corridors and past what seemed like a gazillion offices before she stopped in front of a plain oak door. Rapping twice, she turned the knob. The nameplate beside the door read “Anita Blank.”
Suppressing the urge to run, I followed her into the office and stood there in front of this tiny black woman who barely could see over her desk. She needs a booster chair. I fought the urge to laugh when she sat down and I could barely see her chin.
“Mrs. Simmons, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” she said and took her seat. She nodded with her head that it was okay for me to sit as well.
“Your test results are quite impressive. I see you haven’t worked in a while. Can I contact your last place of employment for a recommendation?” she inquired, all about business.
“Why, of course,” I stammered. “My record with White, Muller, & Stevens was impeccable. In fact, at the time I left, I was being considered for a paralegal position. I had completed the necessary classes, but I didn’t take the final test,” I replied.
“And you turned that down? That’s a very prestigious firm.”
“I know, but I got married
, and my husband didn’t want me to work.”
“I see,” she said, jotting notes on her legal pad. I took a moment to look around her office. It was gorgeous. The room was done in soft neutral colors, with a leather sofa in front of a big bay window and cherry wood furniture. I noticed pictures on her desk of children, hers I presumed, but no husband. Searching for an angle that would give me an edge, I decided honesty was the best policy. I sensed that I was losing her, and I needed her in my corner.
“He left me and I need a job in the worst way!” I blurted. Her eyes rose from the pad she used to take notes and focused in on my face. “I have three children.”
“Well, when can you start?”
I stared at her in disbelief. I thought she was about to kick me out of her office when she said, “I see” in a dismissing tone of voice, and here she was asking me when I wanted to start.
“Now, if you’ll let me,” I said, even though it was three o’clock in the afternoon.
Laughing, she stood up and came toward me. “You can start on Monday,” she said, extending her hand to me once again. “Just tell Tracey to give you the employment package, and I’ll see you first thing on Monday.” She was ushering me to the hallway, and my damn feet were not cooperating. I felt like someone had replaced my high heels with air balloons, and they kept trying to lift me off the floor.
I finally got my feet under control and managed to find my way back to Tracey’s desk. She greeted me with the biggest smile and handed me the forms to fill out. “Welcome aboard.”
“Hot damn!” I screamed at the sky as I skipped to the car. This day was turning out a lot better than I expected. I had just fastened my seatbelt when I realized I did not even know what time to come in. Leaving my purse on the seat and the keys in the ignition, I raced back to the building, snatched open the door, and dashed back into the office, looking like a crazy woman.
“What time?” I gasped. It was a short run but I was out of practice.
“Eight o’clock,” Tracey responded, struggling to hold back her laughter. I bowed out the door thanking her as I went. Things were looking up at last. “See you.”
I was so excited that I didn’t see the red light that I ran, but I noticed the blue lights flashing in my rearview mirror; especially with the help of that loud-ass siren.
“Fuck!” I slammed my hand on the steering wheel in frustration. “Why, Lord? Can’t I just have one good day?” I screamed, searching my purse for my license.
LEAH
The officer took his sweet time getting out of the car, and it was making me crazy. I self-consciously smoothed out my wayward hair and licked my suddenly chapped lips.
When he did exit the car, I almost wet myself. Adonis himself could not have been finer! He was tall, brown-skinned with a tiny diamond in his left ear, and drop-dead gorgeous. His eyes practically drilled a hole in me, and his body was to die for. His arms were long and thick, and I envisioned them holding me down while he sexed my body. I stopped myself from looking at his thighs because it would have been on then. My overheated twat started smoking and I could feel it trying to reel him in before he even got to the car. Sweet Jesus, I thought, trying to fan the fire burning between my thighs.
This was the first time I had ever gotten stopped by the police, and while I was slightly afraid, I thanked God for this piece of eye candy. Regardless of the ticket, this officer would be the subject of all too many fantasies in the coming nights.
Without being asked, I handed him my license and registration. My eyes could not leave his thick, full, and wet magnificent lips. I could actually taste them and that started my mouth watering. I used the sleeve of my dress to wipe my lips. I could not talk to this man, because I might tell him exactly what I was thinking. Instead, I wanted to gaze at him and etch a picture of his body onto my mind.
The muscles in his arms were testing the strength of the blue fabric covering them. I could identify each tendon in his hands and fought myself not to reach out and touch. I imagined his voice would be deep, but I was totally unprepared for the melodic baritone that came out of those perfect lips.
“Did you realize that you ran a red light?” he asked, looking me over.
I turned my head away from his eyes. I felt myself drowning in them. I shook my head to clear my thoughts.
“To be honest, Officer, I didn’t notice until you pulled behind me. I’m sorry. I’ve been having a very bad month I just got some great news and I was excited. I know that’s not a good excuse, but it’s the truth.” I hung my head, even though looking away was hard to do.
“So, what’s the news?” he said, looking at his pad. I do not know what it was about the man other than his good looks, but I wanted to be honest with him. Without hesitation I recounted my situation. Hell, he might even feel sorry for me, and if he was single, we might be able to hook up.
“Several months ago, my husband left me with no money and three small children. Our house is being foreclosed on, and I’ve been out today looking for work. My good news is that I found a job.” Wow, saying it out loud to another human being made me feel even happier than when I got the job.
He stopped writing on his pad, lowering his massive arms to his sides. He must be a body builder, I thought.
“You did have a good day,” he stated.
“It’s been a great day. That is, until now,” I said.
“Oh, you didn’t want to meet me?” he asked with a twinkle in his eyes and a slight smile on his lovely lips.
“Shoot, I’d want to meet you anytime, but my financial situation is so bad, a ticket is the last thing I need!” I realized he was flirting with me.
“What ticket?” he said, giving me back my license and registration along with a piece of paper with his name and phone number.
Shocked, I stared dumbly at the piece of paper in my hand. I looked up into his deep brown eyes, and he smiled; showing off a perfect set of pearly whites.
“Are you all right to drive now? I don’t want to have to follow you home to make sure you don’t continue to ignore red lights and things like that. I’d hate for something to happen to you before we get a chance to know each other,” he said, stepping away from the car.
My hands trembled as I pulled into the flow of traffic. I didn’t even tell him my name, I thought, before I realized he knew everything about me since I had given him my license.
“Hope your day gets better and better!” he shouted to my receding taillights. I squealed with joy as I drove the few blocks to Momma’s house.
LEAH
Momma looked worse for wear when I got to her house shortly after four p.m. It was a fulltime job taking care of three children, and I could relate. Thankfully, now that I had a job that included day care, I would not have to bother her as much. She pushed us out of the house so quickly, I did not have a chance to tell her all my good news.
At home I fixed a quick supper and I was busting at the seams wanting to share my joy. Then I briefly thought of Marie and became sad. We had only been friends for a few years, but she was the closest friend I had. Old anger surged through my veins when I recalled her senseless murder. She was killed by her boyfriend who then turned the gun on himself. Thoughts of Marie brought me back to Sammie.
I retrieved the cordless phone from the kitchen and went into my room to call Sammie. I needed to tell someone about my day, and Sammie was an excellent choice. She understood adversity and was herself a survivor. She always had some type of drama going on that took my mind off my own problems.
“Hey!” she said as soon as she answered the phone.
I felt a smile cross my lips. I assumed she would be happy to hear from me, but I did not expect this enthusiasm.
“Hey, yourself.” I laughed.
“Oh, Leah, I’m sorry, gurl. I was expecting a call at six, and I was shocked thinking he was actually on time,” she said, laughing herself. “What’s going on?”
“Do I need to hang up? I don’t wanna block a booty call,” I said
, giggling.
“Shit, that’s what call waiting is for. If he calls, I’ll hit you back!”
“Some things never change. I needed to hear a friendly voice.”
“Uh-oh. What’s going on now? Did the bastard come running back with some wild-ass excuse?” She was suddenly serious.
“Naw, I still ain’t heard from him. But I know he ain’t dead!”
“How’s that?”
“I called the mortgage company because I got a notice posted on the door for foreclosure. The rat bastard hasn’t been paying the note!”
“Aw damn, Leah. What are you going to do?”
“The only thing I can do. Move! I lucked up and this sista took pity on me. She was the loan officer, and she told me Kentee bought another house about six months ago. Of course he’s current with that. He told her I was a renter! Can you believe that shit?”
“Damn, he’s got some fucking nerve. He’s going straight to hell on a silver bullet!” she said with attitude.
“Yeah, but in the meantime, we’ve got to live.”
We were both quiet for a few minutes, contemplating the gravity of the situation.
“Damn, Kentee has it going on like that? Can he afford two house notes?” she asked.
“He’s only paying one, remember?”
“Oh, my bad. But still, gurl, he has to be making some big paper to even qualify for two mortgages. Most people can’t qualify for two cars, let alone houses.”
“He must have it going on, but he never hipped me to it. I scrimped and saved, thinking we were on such a tight budget, and he’s been living large.”
“I don’t even know what to say about this,” Sammie empathized.
“You could start by saying that it’s all my fault. I should’ve been more responsible in our relationship and our finances. When it came down to the money, I threw blinders on. I never knew how much money he made and, to be honest, I didn’t care as long as he took care of home.”
“I understand. I’ve been there and I was burned by it, too.”
Lawd, Mo' Drama Page 3