Revolving Doors

by Perri Forrest

  “Yeah, my parents live there too. So the family’s not too far away.”

  Wait, was I hearing that he lived with his parents?

  Seemingly, having read my mind, he reiterated.

  “I don’t mean my parents live with me,” he said with a slight grimace, “I meant they live in Hercules as well.

  Whew. Inside I was breathing a sigh of relief.

  That would have been hard to come back from finding out he was a grown ass man sharing a residence with his parents, especially with the CEO behind his name on the business card he gave me!

  When the waiter arrived at our table, I ordered a Hibiscus Martini, and Robert ordered a Rock Coconut Mojito.

  “No Scotch on the rocks, tonight?”

  “You remembered my drink I see,” he exclaimed, with a look of surprise. “And what about you? You don’t trust the bartender here to make you a perfect Blue Hawaiian?”

  “Touché!” I acknowledged. “The night is still young though, I might have a second drink. We’ll see.”

  When our drinks arrived, it wasn’t too much longer after, that our meals were delivered: Roast prime rib dinner for Robert, and the grilled Atlantic salmon, for me.

  After a few bites Robert asked, while cutting into his steak, “Is the food to your liking?”

  “It sure is,” I answered. “Every time I have it, I walk away satisfied.”

  “Is it one of a few dishes that you order?”

  “It’s the only dish I order.”

  Robert chuckled and placed his fork onto his plate momentarily.

  “Gabriella, you’re kidding, right?”

  “Nope…not kidding at all.”

  He shot me a look of confusion.

  “Whhaat?” I faked innocence knowing full well what his issue was. It wasn’t anything I hadn’t encountered before. “It’s just that I’m not a huge fan of changing up after I’ve already taken a liking to something; especially, when it has to do with food. It’s just too risky.”

  “So, you order the same thing each and every time you come?”

  “I do.”

  “Gabriella…”

  “Yes, Robert…”

  “You’re missing out. Life is about chances. You owe it to yourself to try new things every now and then.”

  He was right and I knew it. And while we were discussing food in that moment, I was well aware that his angle was less about the food and more about him.

  “You got a point, Sir. So I’ll tell you what…the next time I come here I’ll make it a point to choose something different off the menu. How does that sound?”

  “Well, seeing that you didn’t say anything about me being there, I guess it sounds alright,” he kidded. “But…since there’s no time like the present, how about you try mine?”

  I watched as he cut a small piece of prime rib and reach across the table with his fork.

  “Here…” he offered. “Take a walk on the wild side.”

  Reluctantly, I leaned forward to wrap my mouth around his fork and as I chewed, he studied my reaction.

  “I like! It’s tender and perfectly seasoned.”

  “Whew! Cool! I was nervous as hell thinking, if this lady doesn’t like it, I’m done for and will forever be the man remembered as the bad steak man!”

  We fell into laughter, and I realized, and appreciated that he offered a much-needed good time.

  “It was good! I will for sure be ordering something different when I come back.”

  “Told you!” he boasted. “I won’t steer you wrong.”

  “Yes, I’m beginning to see that…”

  ~*~*~

  Conversation was flowing at a healthy pace as we finished our meals and debated whether we would tackle dessert, settle for wine, or indulge in caffeine.

  Since it was nearing a late hour and we were our own designated drivers, we agreed caffeine for the finale would be best.

  “Where do your parents live, Gabriella?” he inquired during our caffeine sip fest.

  “They’re in the Temescal area, up near the Caldecott Tunnel.”

  “Oh yeah…beautiful area. You ever seen that house up there that’s shaped like a musical note? Crazy!”

  “I have!” I almost wrecked in disbelief when I first saw it. That’s some weird architecture.”

  “I know, right? I thought the same thing!”

  “So do you…or have you, traveled much?” I asked him.

  “Unfortunately, with my schedule, I don’t get to often. But there are two places I want to get to one day. The first one will crack you up, but don’t judge me. And don’t laugh too hard because people might stare.”

  “Uh-oh…I can’t make any promises with an introduction like that.”

  “You gotta promise, first. I don’t just give up details like this without knowing that I won’t get laughed at.” He placed his baby pinky across the table for me to lock with mine. “Swear?”

  “Okay, let me get my laugh out right now because I haven’t had to pinky swear since I was a little girl.”

  After pinky swears had been committed to, he blurted out, “Disneyland…there, I said it. I want to go to Disneyland.” He threw his hands in the air and leaned back into his chair.

  I placed my coffee mug on the table, in disbelief. “You’ve never been to Disneyland?”

  “Nope, never have. Is this where you break the promise and start laughing at me?”

  “Actually…this is the point where I tell you how insanely criminal that is! Also that Disneyland is one of my favorite places in the whole world! Not that I’ve traveled the entire world, but I swear I will never outgrow that place. You have to see Fantasmic when you go! It’s soooo pretty with lights and all the Disney characters on this huge tug boat! It’s amazing. Then there’s Downtown Disney with my favorite candy apple store and a huge movie theater…”

  When I saw him smiling, I realized that I had been talking nonstop and immediately activated the mute button.

  “Don’t stop on my account,” he teased. “Have you ever given thought to being a Disney cheerleader? I’m 100% sure you could pull it off,” he said grinning.

  “Ha ha ha! Funny guy! No cheering for me. I don’t have the moves,” I said playfully.

  “The hell you don’t,” he announced. “On the dance floor, and off.”

  I couldn’t help blushing, as he sat staring into my eyes and flashing that beautiful smile again.

  Change the subject, Gabriella!

  “What’s the other place you want to visit?”

  “Huh?” he said, seemingly caught off guard.

  “You said there were two places,” I remarked, holding up two fingers, “…that you wanted to go, right? What’s the other?”

  “Oh yeah, my bad! Well, the other is far from a laughing matter…because I don’t know a living soul that doesn’t want to go. My boys talk about going for the women. Me, I want to go for the beauty of the oceans, scenery and to see Carnival up close.”

  I almost choked on the sip I had taken.

  “You okay, Gabriella?” he asked concerned.

  “I’m good, thanks. Just went down the wrong pipe, I guess.”

  Of all the places on Earth…beautiful places on Earth and he picked there? My place of comfort?

  “You sure the women have nothing to do with it, Robert? Women are at the root of all men’s actions.”

  “Not this man. Promise. I love women as much as the next man, but women aren’t the driving force behind anything that I do.”

  “Well excuse me. I guess you are of a different breed. Unless that’s just what you’d like me to think.”

  “Don’t get me wrong, I’ve heard the women are all that and a bag of chips. But…when I think of Brazil, I think of the way it comes alive in every picture I’ve seen, the food, the beaches, the culture.”

  “It is beautiful,” I admitted.

  “You been before?” he inquired.

  Careful, Gabriella…

  “My family vacationed ther
e a lot when I was young,” I told him downplaying it a lot. “I try to go ever so often to visit my extended family.”

  I don’t know why I decided to confide that much detail to him in that moment, but it just poured out. What could it hurt? It wasn’t like him or anyone else, for that matter, could put the pieces together. Nevertheless, I was ready to abandon the topic of Brazil. Felt eerie, in a way.

  “That’s pretty cool. You speak Portuguese?”

  “I do…fluently.”

  “Damn, I just keep learning things about you, woman. Do me a favor.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Tell me how you enjoyed the date and whether I have a chance at taking you out again.”

  “Okay,” I smiled. “Eu gostei da data muito e gostaria de sair novamente.”

  “That’s sexy as hell. What did you say? This time in English,” he laughed.

  “I said…I enjoyed the date very much and would love to go out again.”

  His face lit up, “Nice…” he replied.

  By the end of our evening, I had learned a great deal about Robert, including that he was undeniably, a ‘street’ success story.

  A former felon – a detail he was reluctant to provide – he worked hard to clear his destructive path and ventured into the world of entrepreneurship.

  He owned two nightclubs before his arrest that were subsequently closed since they were purchased with questionable funds.

  Two years after his release from prison, Robert developed a business proposal for 3 Swords, an educational software program, an idea he got after talking to his sister about his niece’s struggle with Algebraic word problems.

  He created a tool that provided algorithms for an area of Math that seemed to be a problem for most. With its success, 3 Swords was implemented in 30 elementary schools nationwide.

  Though it took two years to execute, Robert initiated all aspects of the launch – from locating investors, to the logo, to the packaging.

  His proven business savvy caught the attention of a well-known Philanthropist, and together they built YESterday, Inc., a company with subsidiaries catering to building businesses. Their tagline: Use yesterday’s mistakes to build tomorrow’s plan.

  I thought his story was inspirational, and was sold on the idea that the man who sat before me was a brilliant individual.

  ~*~*~

  Before we rose from our table, I gave him both home and cell contact numbers.

  When he walked me to my car, we shared a passionate kiss that lasted for more than just a few minutes. It was nice and sweet, thanks to the mints we both grabbed on the way out the door.

  “Thank you for a nice evening, Robert,” I said to him when we pulled apart. “I enjoyed myself.”

  “So did I.”

  When I deactivated my car alarm and the doors unlocked, he reached to open my door for me.

  “Wow, chivalry isn’t dead, after all.”

  “My mama raised me right,” he gushed.

  As he closed my car door, he made a small request.

  “Call or text to let me know you made it safely. I’ll wait to hear from you.”

  “That is so sweet of you. I will send you a text as soon as I’m behind locked doors.”

  While I was driving home, it dawned on me that Robert’s mention of Brazil had me shaken. Why, I didn’t know. It’s a country visited, fantasized about and loved by many.

  Maybe it was that I had a whole other life there that I didn’t want anyone to know about and him mentioning it made me feel intruded upon, and that I could be found out.

  But Brazil was definitely large enough for me to go undetected, so it was really a null issue, and all I needed to do was allow that moment to pass.

  By the time I hopped in the shower and turned the TV on, I was back to normal.

  I had a momentary lapse, after which the regret about not inviting Robert back to spend the night was setting in.

  I lifted the receiver of my house phone and dialed his number.

  “Hey Gabriella, I was just about to call you,” he said as soon as he answered the call.

  “Did I take too long to call?”

  “I figured you must have made it by now.”

  “You were right. I made it in a little bit ago, but took a shower first.”

  “Oh, okay. Well, I’m glad you made it in safely. Thanks for calling to let me know.”

  “You’re welcome. But Robert…”

  “Yes?”

  “That’s not why I was calling…”

  CHAPTER 32

  ~*~*~

  My alarm sounded just before noon. I deliberately set it fifteen minutes to the hour so that I could use that time to acclimate, see Robert out and get ready to rise and move ahead at full speed.

  Although I had gone to bed a few hours earlier, I knew it would be a challenge, but that day was far too important for me to let a good love down deplete me of all my energy.

  Get in gear, girl! My inner voice commanded.

  What a mistake it was to have a full on lovemaking session the night before so much to do.

  But damn, it felt so good. Too late for regrets!

  I realized something important – Robert couldn’t disappoint even if he tried. He was a true performer in the bedroom.

  I wasn’t ready to make him my man, but I was certainly willing to allow him to explore whenever the urge hit him. Both me and my body had unanimously voted in favor of that option.

  After seeing Robert to the door, I went back to my bedroom and opened the blinds so the summer sun could invade my room.

  If there was one thing that gave me life, it was the sun. Even after having a long and productive night, when the sun appeared, I was all anew. Then I put the music on, and that was all she wrote. I was in full swing.

  Sunlight and my music…the combination that made it possible for me to deliver the magic.

  Fortunately my iPod provided the hits I could dance to while I made my way from room to room, multi-tasking between cleaning and cooking.

  Four hours later, my house was sparkling clean and my mental space was a weird mixture of spent and energetic.

  When I first began planning, I considered using caterers, but decided against it because I wanted my personal touch on the appreciation dinner I had planned for the wonderful people who filled my life.

  Had I used caterers, I would have had not just more oomph, but more time to sleep as well, but everything was coming together nicely.

  I covered all the food with aluminum tops to keep it warm, and ran to complete my last minute runs which included picking up a cake at Costco and stopping by the store to get balloons.

  I thought I had time to spare, but around 6PM, panic set in. I’d gotten so caught up adding decorations around the kitchen and on my newly completed deck, that when I finally looked up, I had twenty-five minutes before everyone was expected to arrive.

  Disaster would come swiftly if I didn’t hurry. I hated an event that didn’t get pulled off with flying colors – especially when it was my own.

  My mother was generally the first to arrive anywhere, so that was one time I hoped that my father was dragging his feet like he sometimes did, because it would buy me time.

  Shit!

  I bolted for the shower as fast as I could, pulling clothes off along the way. When I emerged from the shower, I had ten minutes to spare.

  Whew!

  I was comfortable in shorts, a halter, and sandals. My hair was pulled into a slick ponytail, and my favorite sterling silver hoop earrings.

  Checking myself out in the mirror, I was satisfied with what I saw.

  “Damn, you’re pretty, girl!”

  I heard the door unlock as I made my way to the front of the house.

  “Alexis, and Gabriel!” I skipped to the door like a kid and pulled my parents into a group hug. They looked nice in their matching white – my father in white linen shirt and pants set, my mom in a white cotton summer dress with teal accessories and a pair of white
wedge heels.

  “Damn, y’all are a stunning couple!”

  “Why thank ya, ma’am,” my mother beamed.

  “It sure smells good in here!” my dad yelled looking around. “Perfect setting… Got the music going. My kinda music at that!” bobbing his head to The Gap Band’s Outstanding. “We used our key because when we heard the music, we knew there’d be no way you could hear us.”

  “Daddy! That’s why y’all got a key…to use it! Stop it! Besides, the music isn’t that loud.”

  “Who’s in there cookin’ little girl?” my mom chimed in.

  “The cookin’ is done for your information. Don’t be jealous I didn’t call you over to help with the menu items?”

  “Please! Why would I be jealous because you catered some eats?”

  The two of them erupted in laughter.

  “Ha-ha-ha! Very funny! I cooked myself, I’ll have you know.”

  “Of course you did baby,” my mom said, winking at me.

  “I’ll bet if I went outside to your garbage bin, I’d see some nice containers from one of the fancy restaurants around here!”

  I walked off waving my hand in the air.

  “Okay, this is a lost cause. I’m done trying to convince you two.”

  “Hey! Wait a minute, you. Come back here!” my dad shouted after me.

  “Yes, papa…what ya got? More jokes?”

  “Aww, she’s mad at us,” my mom whined, as she made her way next to me rubbing my shoulders.

  “Y’all sure are acting silly today. Drinking before you got here? What’s going on? I need to get in the kitchen and prep a bit more before everyone else gets here.”

  I had already ignored my dad’s request to remain in the front room and was headed to the kitchen.

  As I rounded the corner to disappear into the kitchen I heard, a familiar voice.

  “Hey Gabriella!”

  Oh my god! I know that voice!

  I turned around and when I was sure my eyes weren’t playing tricks on me, I went running back toward my front door, screaming the entire way.

  “No…way! No…way!”

  “Yes…way!” she yelled as she ran to meet me.

  I couldn’t believe she was there, but she was.

  As my parents looked on, Natalia and I hugged for an eternity there in my doorway, crying into each other’s shoulders.