by H. H. Fowler
Sasha smirked. “Even after you spent nearly half an hour talking to him that night?”
“Hey, that doesn’t count,” Hunter said in her defense. “Kevin and I barely talked about ourselves. We were more concerned about what you and Drake were discussing. But I will say that I was very comfortable in his presence. So please, tell me everything you know about Kevin Beckford.”
Sasha tried stalling because she didn’t like indulging in such talks that could take away from the true worth of an individual. She preferred for Hunter to glean her own perception of Kevin, but the look in Hunter’s eyes told Sasha that she was very serious about this inquiry.
“Have I told you how much I appreciate you letting me stay here all this time?” Sasha said. “You are an amazing friend, even though I’ve had to put up with you wearing down my conscience.”
Hunter rolled her eyes. “Don’t change the subject, because if you don’t tell me a little more about Kevin, I will kick you out of my home after this.”
Sasha’s smirk turned into a full laugh. “You’re threatening me because you’re anxious to get Kevin’s phone number so that you can text him dirty stuff late at night? Shame on you. I thought you had more couth than that.”
Hunter’s pale cheeks turned bright red. “Oh stop it, Sasha. You’re behaving like the devil’s advocate. You know that I am a well-brought-up woman, so stop playing with me.”
Sasha took a bite into the tender meatloaf, laughter still rolling around in her tummy. “I’m so happy to be spending this time with you. You certainly know how to keep my gloom away. I should hire you to be my personal motivational speaker.”
Hunter wanted to laugh, but she suppressed it. “You’re really not being nice to me.”
Sasha reached over the marble island and squeezed Hunter’s arm. “I’m sorry; I was only having a little fun. But seriously, Kevin is a viable catch. I wouldn’t have said that when we were growing up, but he’s matured into a well-balanced man.”
Hunter began to relax. “How does he make a living?”
“The last I heard he was managing a mid-size accounting firm in Tampa, Florida. He moved there for school when he was nineteen and has been there ever since.”
“And what about the other brother?” Sasha queried. “Is he anything like Kevin or Drake?”
“Oh my gosh!” Sasha exclaimed. “You’re interested in Armando too?”
“I am trying to get a sense of who Kevin is and knowing a little bit of his background will help create that picture for me. Haven’t you heard that we are products of our environment?”
“I have, but I don’t fully agree with it. Anyway, all you need to know is that Armando is heavily into his music career and barely has time to visit his own family.”
“But he came to Devin’s Cay for your wedding.”
“Only because Drake threatened to cut him off from the family if he hadn’t attended the wedding…” Sasha paused, realizing their conversation had circled back around to Drake. “Look, if you’re really interested in getting to know Kevin, I’ll give him a call right now and set something up. I’m not sure how much longer he will be in Devin’s Cay.”
Hunter’s eyes began to sparkle, but there was resignation in her tone. “Please don’t make it seem as if I’m desperate; otherwise, I’m not interested.”
Sasha slid off the stool toward the cordless phone that was on the kitchen wall. “Come on, girl. Give me a little credit. After everything you’ve done for me, I would never throw you under the bus like that.”
Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths. Many are the victims she has brought down.
Proverbs 7:25-26
Chapter Five
The Smithson Hotel
“I’m heading back to Tampa in the morning,” Kevin said to his brother. They were walking toward the elevator after having stopped to grab a bite to eat. “What are you going to do?”
“What do you mean?”
“You know what I mean.”
Drake shrugged. “I don’t know…I may be going back to Tampa with you.”
Kevin put a hand in front of Drake to stop his movement. “Are you telling me that you haven’t worked through this situation with Sasha? What the hell have you guys been talking about?”
“That’s the problem; we haven’t been talking. She won’t answer my calls or respond to my texts.”
“Maybe you haven’t been trying hard enough.”
“It’s not that easy getting through to Sasha,” Drake said in his defense. “That day when I spoke to her, her actions made it clear that she won’t let me forget what I’ve done to her, as if she hasn’t done anything to hurt me.”
Kevin stared at his younger brother, who was almost a replica of himself. Intelligent eyes and a smooth mango complexion they’d gotten from their mother. The greatest difference between the two brothers was seen in the way they styled their hair. Drake wore a well-polished temple fade, with deeply set waves at the top, while Kevin rocked a clean-shaven look that had always gotten him numerous compliments from the ladies.
“Well, our mother certainly thinks things are copasetic between you two,” he finally said, not wanting to get into the conundrum of his brother’s crazy logic. “Why did you let us go on thinking that you and Sasha might be getting back together?”
“Because you know how our mother thinks,” Drake said. “You tell her one thing and she interprets her own meaning. Then she goes off on that uncontrollable rant.”
“That’s wrong, bro,” Kevin reprimanded. “You of all people should know that. If you really want Sasha back, you have to be honest with yourself and honest with everyone around you. Don’t pretend. See the situation for what it is and then put your every effort into making it work. Have you even confronted Levi since this whole thing started?”
Drake stiffened at Levi’s name. “No and I don’t plan to…it’s best that I don’t.”
“Grow up, man and stop acting like a jerk.”
Drake huffed, attempting to deflect the attention from him. “What are you complaining about anyway? You were lost in conversation with Hunter the whole time. Do you see me jumping down your throat about it?”
“What does my talking with Hunter have to do with you working out this crap between you and Sasha?” Kevin shook his head slowly. “Your actions concern me greatly, because right now you are setting a very poor example of what it means to be responsible.”
Drake’s comeback was hindered by the ringing of Kevin’s cell phone. He took one look at his caller ID and had an instant surge of adrenaline. Not wanting Drake to get wind of it, he excused himself and found a private spot near the front desk of the hotel. Drake, of course was confused by his brother’s actions. What could be so important and so private that Kevin had to rush away as if he had some secret assignment with the CIA?
Well, he wasn’t going to stay in the lobby and wait around for Kevin. There was a lot on Drake’s mind and he was anxious to get to the fourth floor so that he could take a shower and sort through the quagmire of his pathetic life. But as his finger connected with the ‘up’ button next to the elevator, Drake heard a woman’s voice, trying to get his attention.
“Drake Beckford…I’m sorry…Minister Drake Beckford, I presume…”
Such an unusual address, Drake thought, as he spun to face the person. He was taken aback by the elegant appearance of Yasmine Strummer. Her beauty seemed almost ethereal with her long ebony tresses, her flawless complexion and hot pink lipstick. The pink dress she was wearing emphasized every curve on her body, suddenly reminding Drake of the reason why Kevin had fallen hard for this temptress during their adolescent years. Back then, Yasmine had always kept a refined appearance and even now she was doing a better job at it. But then again, having been in beauty pageants basically all her life, probably provided Yasmine with most of her grooming secrets.
Drake was soon taken out of his subliminal trance when he felt Yasmine’s small hand encased in his palm. He had
n’t realized he’d accepted her handshake.
“You seem shocked to see me,” she said, a smile showcasing her great dental care.
“I’m sorry, but it’s been a while since I’ve seen you,” Drake managed. “How did you even recognize me?”
“Oh please,” Yasmine cooed. “You and your brothers’ handsome faces are hard to forget – no matter how long it’s been since I’ve seen you all. And plus, I noticed you and Kevin sitting together at Rev. Henderson’s funeral.”
The mention of Rev. Henderson’s name produced a severe jolt in Drake’s heart, so much so that the effect of it appeared in his expression. It would take him a while before he got over the death of his beloved mentor.
“Please forgive me,” Yasmine said, noticing the switch. “I didn’t mean to bring up such sadness, but Rev. Henderson is a great part of the reason why I’m here. Can we go somewhere private to talk?”
“Sure…” Drake looked around and saw an empty coffee table with two empty chairs. “We can sit over there.”
Yasmine put on a face that told Drake that that was not the ideal location. “The information I’m about to release is rather sensitive,” she said. “I would prefer a more secluded space. Perhaps Kevin would not mind if I came up to the room. I promise I won’t stay long.”
Normally, Drake would be on high alert with such a bold invasion into his personal space, much more a trap being set by the devil. But after six months of battling hurts and warped perceptions of Sasha’s fidelity, coupled with the unexpected loss of Rev. Henderson, Drake was almost left in a comatose state. He wasn’t even in the presence of mind to ask Yasmine how she’d tracked him down at the Smithson Hotel. He barely gave Yasmine’s suggestion careful consideration, reasoning in his mind that there was no real harm in bringing Yasmine up to their room. After all, they had been childhood friends at one time.
“Kevin shouldn’t have a problem with you coming up,” he finally told her. “He would probably be ecstatic to see you anyway.”
The smile on Yasmine’s face said it all, made aware that she was still a very big part of Kevin’s heart. “Well, then,” she said, touching Drake’s hand in an affectionate manner, “why don’t we go up and wait until your brother joins us. It looks as if he is on a very important phone call. That way, we can begin our discussion.”
Drake agreed and the two entered into the elevator when it ‘binged’ open. Kevin barely caught the scene and had tried to stop Drake to tell him that there was a slight change in plan. That was Sasha on the phone, calling from Hunter’s home number. Sasha had asked a favor of him, but it was too late to run behind Drake and explain his reason for leaving. He would simply call Drake on the way and let him know the situation. In the meantime, Kevin frantically looked around for the nearest restroom so that he could wash the grease off his face. His mother had always taught her boys to put their best foot forward.
****
Yasmine followed Drake into the room and closed the door behind them. She furtively locked it, hoping it would be a while before Kevin showed up.
“Do you want something to drink?” Drake asked the flawless beauty. “By the way, Kevin and I only have water and juice.”
“Water is good enough for me,” Yasmine said. “You and Kevin are alike in so many ways that you even look alike. You two could almost pass for identical twins.”
“We are only two years apart,” Drake said, turning to face Yasmine. “Maybe that would explain the closeness. Our eldest brother was already six years old when Kevin was born.”
Yasmine didn’t wait for Drake to invite her to sit. She found a seat on the nearest couch, sitting in a way that caused her dress to provocatively rise a few inches above her knees. For it to be the living quarters of two young men, everything looked amazingly well organized. No shoes or clothing were thrown anywhere and the coffee table showed no evidence of beverage marks. That scored huge points in Yasmine’s book. She admired men who knew how to keep a place clean.
“And how is Armando doing by the way?” she asked. “I haven’t seen him the longest…fifteen years, perhaps.”
“He lives in Trinidad and Tobago now, where he’s getting a lot of attention for his music artistry.” Drake brought a glass of water and set it down in front of Yasmine. He then sat on the other side of the coffee table and arrested Yasmine with a quizzical gaze. “If you were at my wedding six months ago, you would have gotten a chance to see Armando.”
“Wow, I’m sorry to have missed the opportunity.” Yasmine made sure her voice was filled with concern at this point. “And I’m also sorry that I missed your wedding. At the time, I was in Brazil, preparing a group of beauty pageant contestants for the competition.”
Drake looked away and mumbled. “I’m sure you heard by now that Sasha and I are not together anymore…at least for now.”
“Are you playing with me? I didn’t know.”
Drake turned to face Yasmine to see if she was putting him on. “Doesn’t it seem strange to you that I’m staying in a hotel room with my brother, rather than at home, where I should be with my wife?”
“Seriously, I really didn’t know,” Yasmine insisted, but of course she knew that Sasha and Drake weren’t together. Her father had told her so. But she needed Drake to trust her so that it would be easier to deceive him. “I was under the impression that you were just hanging out with Kevin, considering he’s in town for a few days.”
“Well, now you know. In fact, I’ve been living with Kevin for the last six months in Tampa,” Drake said. He didn’t know why he was divulging his life story to Yasmine, but it certainly felt therapeutic talking to someone else about it other than his brother. “And the craziest thing about this whole situation is that Sasha blames me for the failure of our marriage. I accept my wrong and I have even confessed that much to her, but Sasha is stubborn. How could she act that way when it was she who hurt me first?”
Yasmine edged the couch with her butt and leaned toward Drake. “I am so sorry for how things turned out for you…I truly am. You are an amazing man and you don’t deserve to be treated this way.” When Yasmine saw Drake dropped his head toward his knees, she pushed to her feet and walked over to him. She began to massage his shoulders. “Gosh, Drake. I can see this situation has torn you apart. What can I do to make you feel better? Wow…your shoulders are so…tight.”
Drake closed his eyes in response to the sensation, as Yasmine firmly pressed and kneaded the weariness out of his muscles. He could smell her powdery perfume, gently working his nostrils into a sort of drunken stupor. The last time he’d been this close to a woman was on his honeymoon with Sasha. And even though Drake knew it was wrong to entertain Yasmine’s obvious agenda to seduce him, he didn’t want her to stop.
“Tell me why you’re here,” he whispered. His body was beginning to relax at this point and so was his breathing. “You said it had something to do with Rev. Henderson.”
“We could talk about that later, if you like. Right now I’m concentrating on making you feel better. When was the last time you had a woman touch you like this?”
“Too long.”
Yasmine loved Drake’s response, but she was not one to beat around the bush. “They say spontaneous sex can be exceptionally rewarding…to relieve built-up tension and stress.” She jabbed a hand in Drake’s shirt and raked her nails over his bare skin, causing Drake to wince at the pain. Surprisingly, though, he found it extremely gratifying. “No analyzing. No thinking about the consequences…just ten minutes of uninterrupted pleasure…allow me the chance to slowly kiss away your troubles.”
Drake’s body now seemed completely under the control of Yasmine’s touch, but the battle of right and wrong still waged on in his mind. He had Rev. Henderson to thank for that, because it was Rev. Henderson’s robust teachings on purity that had the sword of righteous deeply wedged into Drake’s conscience. He could hear Rev. Henderson’s commanding voice even now, seeping through the crevices of his being.
“In M
atthew 5:8, Jesus said, ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.’ By now we should know that the heart in itself is more than a physical organ that pumps blood through the body, but it can also be referred to as the spiritual center of life. Proverbs 4:23 in the NLT version says this: ‘Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.’ Our heart is where our thoughts, our desires, our sense of purpose and our character exists – it is who we really are when no one is looking. So then, we must ensure that these areas are blameless before the Lord!”
When Yasmine leaned over to press her lips against Drake’s mouth, he jumped to his feet. “I think it’s best you leave, before things get out of hand.”
“Things have already gotten out of hand.” Yasmine looked at Drake’s crotch, seeing the result of her touch. “I know for a fact you were enjoying that massage.”
“That’s not the point. I am still married to Sasha and I will not allow myself to be put into a compromising position.”
Those words didn’t go over well with Yasmine. She sneered, turning her beautiful face into a caricature of some sort. “Oh really?” she spat sarcastically. “The same Sasha who slept with your best friend and made you look like a blithering fool?”
Whether it was a lie or not, Drake had believed it too, but that didn’t give Yasmine the right to throw it in his face. “Who told you that garbage?”
“It doesn’t matter, preacher boy. It’s the truth and you should accept it, instead of moping around being pitiful. Men like you always get stuck being obsessed over the same dumb broads who never really appreciate your worth. Get over Sasha because she was never yours to begin with!”
Drake had had enough of this ostentatious female. How could he have not seen through this she-devil in disguise? Had he become so bogged down in his quest for revenge that he’d somehow lost sight of who he really was? He hastened to the front door of the room, only to find that it had been locked.