CHAPTER 3
I met Chance about three years ago. It was my first year in grad school; student studying psychology at Illinois State. I always wanted to help people and understand why they did the things that they did. Lynn used to say I thought I was born to save the world and maybe she was right. Maybe I felt that since I couldn’t save Ladybird I had to help as many people like her as I could.
But anyway… Chance was an art major, in his senior year. He had to be one of the finest guys on the whole campus. He was about 6’1, 185 pounds, with smooth chocolate skin like a Hershey Bar, a slick baldhead like a milk dud, beautiful luscious kissable lips, and a body that made you wanna slap somebody! He looked so good that I just wanted to bite him!
Chance was incredible; the boy spoke like four different languages (Spanish, French and two dialects of Chinese). Damn… I mean… How many black people do you know who speak Chinese? Shit… Most of the niggas I met could barely speak correct English like they were supposed to, and on top of being well educated, Chance had to be the sweetest guy I had ever met. He would make candlelit dinners and take me on moonlight picnics. Chance knew just how to melt a ladies heart. He gave me flowers and candy, he even sang to me or at least he tried to (he couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket), but he loved me from his heart. He was every woman’s dream, at least mine anyway. He was so quiet, and strong; pretty much everything I never thought I’d have. Chance wasn’t from the hood, but he thrilled me in ways the hood never could…
From the day we met Chance and I were closer than close, even more than inseparable. We were soul mates. Chance owned a beautiful home outside Chicago in Lincoln Park; where he eventually asked me to come and live. I knew I had found the missing piece to my puzzle, my best friend, the breath of fresh air that I had been waiting for my whole life and nobody was gonna take that away! Please don’t get me wrong. Chance wasn’t perfect, just perfect for me. He had his own share of issues just like any other man, but I felt really lucky to have him in my life. Where I came from a nigga either sold dope, stole cars or had some other kind of dumb ass hair brained hustle that would eventually land him in jail or in his grave. The typical thug ass gym shoe hustler, stayin’ caught up in all types of stupid ass drama (with the police, other niggas, with their baby mama’s, etc…) and takin’ you wit’ him every step of the way. Those were the types of guys I was use to fuckin’ wit’. Chance was nothing like that; he brought quiet to my life. He was like the calm at the end of a bad ass storm.
Chance came from a really good family; a very rich family! He was one of seven children, four boys and three girls. His father was a Harvard Law School grad with a very successful practice in Ohio, and he was one of the first African-American representatives on city council where they lived. Chance’s brothers and sisters were also doing very well for themselves. He had a brother and a sister who were both lawyers, another brother who was a big time real estate developer, one sister was a police officer, the other brother owned his own trucking company, and his baby sister was still in college. We came from two totally different worlds but, Chance always let me know that it didn’t matter where I came from All that mattered was where I ended up.
Chance was a very talented artist. I used to love to watch him paint. My real father was an artist; he called it his great escape. I think one of the things that drew me closer to Chance was the passion that he showed for his work. He could spend hours painting and I could spend hours just watching him. Chance was always looking for different things to do to keep me excited. Not a day went by without him doing something sweet to make me smile. I gotta admit that it took some gettin’ use to.
I had to learn how to love and how to let somebody love me. I spent so much time running away from love, just living for myself, but never really loving myself; all that was behind now. For the first time in a long time, I was at peace; at peace with myself and at peace with being in love. Every night together was just like the first, and when Chance looked at me, I could see the love in his eyes. It was finally okay to let my guard down. I knew he loved me and it felt good! But I guess all good things are destined to find their end.
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One night Chance and I were out enjoying a beautiful evening at our favorite Italian restaurant, “Angelica’s” on Michigan Avenue. It was the third anniversary of our first date. It’s also where Chance proposed to me last summer. This place is very special and holds some wonderful memories for the both of us. Tonight was setting up to be just as wonderful! Out of nowhere two soft hands covered my eyes from behind. A strangely familiar perfume lightly filled the air as a soft seductive female voice spoke.
“Rayqelle, Rayqelle. Never kiss, never tell.” The voice said.
“I’d know that perfume anywhere and that voice! Iesha? Oh my God. I can’t believe it’s you.” I said as I turned around in shock.
“Rayqelle Davis. You’d better get yo’ lil’ ass up out that seat and gimme a hug girl!”
I quickly stood up and hugged the friend I hadn’t seen in years. It was Iesha Ellis, my old college roommate and partner in crime. We hadn’t seen each other since we graduated from UCLA and left California to attend grad school back here in Chicago. Iesha went off to New York to pursue her career in fashion design.
“Girl, you look too good! How you been? I heard you moved to Miami to work with some big name designer or something. What brings you here to Chicago;” I asked as I hugged my girl again. I almost couldn’t believe my eyes. Iesha was drop dead gorgeous, petite, only about 5’1 and 135 pounds, but supa’ thick wit’ it, and everything in the right place. Her skin was the color of honey, with a flawless complexion. Her hair was a dark sandy brown with subtle hi-lights and her eyes were a deep hazel, like brand new soft suede.
She wore a cream-colored two-piece Prada suit that fit her like a glove. Iesha’s shoes were Prada originals with a stiletto heel. This couldn’t be the same ghetto ass bitch that I went to school with! I thought, “Damn. Did this girl hit the lottery? Did she get married and kill her husband for the insurance money? What the fuck?” Anyway, whatever she was doing, she was doing it well, and she sure did come the fuck up doin’ it, She was nothin’ like I remembered.
“Well, I’m here on business. I will be visiting an important client,” Iesha said shifting her eyes around the dark, crowded restaurant as though she was looking for someone she knew.
“Fashion related?” I asked.
“Not exactly… More like public relations kinda’ stuff. Ya’ know,” Iesha responded in a mildly evasive tone, with her eyes still glancing about.
“How’s your family? Letah, Lynn and your step-dad… Is he still with the police force?” She asked.
“Everyone is fine. My dad has had some minor heart trouble but nothing too serious. He retired about two years ago and moved out to San Diego with Lynn; so she could kinda’ keep an eye on him. Letah moved to L.A. and… Oh no, how rude of me! Let me introduce you to my fiancé. Iesha Ellis, this is Evan Chance. He is the love of my life and my future husband” I said proudly.
“Well, well, well, Rayqelle, Rayqelle. Girl, you always did know how to pick’ em! It’s a pleasure to meet you Evan,” Iesha said with a slightly flirtatious purr.
“It’s very nice to meet you as well Miss Iesha and please, call me Chance,” he said as he smiled slightly.
“Chance is a freelance artist and a very, very talented one might I add. He’s one of the best in Chicago. Chance is working on the fine arts revitalization project for Cook County and he is also being featured at the Black Renaissance Gallery opening in two weeks,” I explained.
“Oh… well, well, well, handsome and talented. Girl, you do know how to pick’ em. So, when is the wedding? Have you two set a date yet?” Iesha inquired.
“Not yet, but soon.” I responded.
“November 11th. This year” Chance said. This was a complete surprise to me
since we hadn’t even discussed a date.
“Girl, I guess y’all aint’ wastin’ no time! Aint’ that yo’ birthday? That’s so cute. Congratulations,” Iesha said, as she hugged me and then Chance.
“Just don’t wait too long. Some tramp might come along and steal him away. Girl... He is fine and you know a good man is hard to find and even harder to keep. I’m just kiddin’. Listen, I gotta get goin’. My client just walked in. But here’s my number at the hotel where I’m stayin’. Call me tomorrow so we can set up a time to meet for lunch and finish gettin’ caught up. Chance, once again it’s been a pleasure meeting you and I’ll be lookin’ for that wedding invitation. Rayqelle, girl, don’t forget to call me O.K.?” Iesha said as she quickly hugged me and hurried off to the other side of the dark restaurant; where she was greeted by a very handsome older man who kissed her on her cheek.
We both watched her from the table where we sat, it was clear that Chance was somewhat intrigued. You see, he was my man and I knew what he liked. I could see that he was attracted to Iesha, not in a way that disrespected me, but in all the subtlety that was Chance. He and I had a very unique relationship; it was different than anything that I had known before. If he saw a woman that he thought was sexy, he had no problem letting me know.
Again, he was never disrespectful, just honest. At first it made me a bit uncomfortable but in a strange way I had come to respect his honesty. I ultimately learned to love him that much more, because he felt close enough to me to reveal this most personal part of himself. This was so much more refreshing than those niggas who swear that they would never even so much as look at another bitch, then wait ‘til yo’ back is turned to drool at every nasty little piece of ass that walks by. I felt safe with Chance because he is honest with me.
So as we finished dinner, the conversation quickly turned to the topic of Iesha. Chance was curious as to why if Iesha and I were such good friends in college; I had never mentioned anything about her before. I explained to him that we had just lost touch and that so many other things had gone on since we graduated. She was busy workin’ in New York, Los Angeles, and Miami. Then I had grad school to prepare for, and to be perfectly honest I tried to keep in contact with Iesha for a while but her ass kept movin’. Every three months the girl had a new address and phone number. So after a while I guess we just lost track of each other.
“Folks lose touch, shit, people get busy.” I explained.
“And speakin’ of gettin’ busy did y’all?” Chance asked playfully; with that devilish grin. That by itself could always get my panties wet.
“Did we what Chance?” I asked, already knowing what he was trying to get at.
“You know… did y’all get busy?” Chance said looking at me smirking.
“What? No nasty! Now… Why would you even ask me something like that anyway? You are such a freak Chance. Iesha and I were roommates and that’s all. What do you wanna hear me say? Do you wanna hear that we kissed, we fucked, ate each other’s pussies? Nigga what? Is that what you wanna hear?” I quickly responded; as I grew slightly more agitated and horny at the same time. I could feel my nipples starting to harden. Chance’s brashness excited me and he knew it! He knew exactly which buttons to push and what to say to get a rise out of me and he did it every time.
Chance leaned in close to me. He smiled, licked his juicy lips and said, “Only if that’s what happened and fa’real. You really don’t even have to tell me if you don’t want to cuz’ that was then and this is now, but I know a freak when I see one and yo’ girl Iesha got FREAK written all over that ass. By the way, why are yo’ nipples standing at attention?” Chance remarked, reaching toward me as if he intended to sneak a grab at my titty in the crowded restaurant.
“Boy shut up. You da’ freak! You are nasty and you want everybody else to be nasty too! Come on here, pay the check and let’s go. Dinner was great, now it’s time for dessert.” I said slapping his hand and standing up to head toward the door.
“Well, wait a minute, sit down. Why can’t we have dessert here? They have Italian ice and that double chocolate cake with that whipped icing you like so much, and…”
“And what fool? If you don’t get up and come on so we can go, or must I spell it out? I’m ready for some dick! You know, the chocolate dick with that cream fillin’ I like so much? Let’s go!” I was horny as hell and ready to go home and fuck! Oh, and to answer the question, yes Iesha and I did fuck around here and there on some freaky shit, but I wasn’t about to tell him that. Not yet anyway. Besides that, he wasn’t ready to hear the whole story about me and Iesha and the part she played in my past. Not yet. Not tonight.
As Chance drove us home I could tell that it was killing him not knowing what may or may not have happened between me and Iesha. He wasn’t going to let me see how curious he really was and I wasn’t about to tell him anything else. As he said, “that was then and this is now.” Besides, tonight was all about us and the mood was perfect. I was not about to let anything distract us from this evening’s main-event; which was me feelin’ that long black dick inside me all night. Although, I was gonna have to thank Iesha the next time we talked. You see, she didn’t know it but she really added some unexpected extra spice to dinner.
Chance Encounters - Preludes to Love & Death Page 3