Her Protector

by D. Camille

  ******

  “Kent?” Lavender asked.

  “Yes, he’s answering.” Lotus told her.

  Lavender frowned. “Does he know he’s answering?”

  Lotus laughed. “Of course not Momma. Kent doesn’t believe in any of that.”

  “Tell me what happened,” Lavender instructed.

  Lotus relayed seeing Kent at the club, then her encounter with Warren and finally the time she’d spent with Kent.

  “Be careful Lotus,” her mother warned.

  “The Diamonds are looking out for me,” Lotus told her. “And I know how to take care of myself too. Daddy showed me how.”

  “I know. Alex was a wonderful man.” Lavender said wistfully.

  Lotus picked up on her mother’s emotions. “Yes, he was. Lloyd is too.”

  Lavender smiled at her daughter’s perception. “Yes, Lloyd is a wonderful man.”

  Lloyd Sable and Lavender met in Jamaica a few years ago and although Lloyd was clearly in love with her mother, Lotus knew why Lavender kept him at an arm’s length.

  “Momma, you know Daddy would want you to be happy,” Lotus told her.

  “Yes, I know.” Lavender responded. “And I want you to be happy.”

  Lotus smiled. “I just hope he’s ready now, because my honey pot is ready to be stirred.”

  “Okay Lotus,” Lavender shook her head at her daughter.

  “It is Momma. I’ve waited a long time for him and he’d better be worth it,” Lotus said firmly.

  “From what I understand, stirring honey pots has been his specialty,” Lavender agreed.

  Lotus frowned. “Don’t remind me.”

  “What are you going to do now?” Lavender asked.

  “Just be myself and let him figure this out on his own.”

  “What if he runs?”

  Lotus touched her lips. “He can’t.”

  ******

  Kent turned at the sound of his phone.

  “This is Kent Baker.”

  “Kent, hey it’s Dennis.”

  Kent’s eyes narrowed. “What’s up Dennis?”

  “Hey I got some information for you.”

  “Okay,”

  Dennis paused. “Uh, let’s meet somewhere.”

  Kent felt his spine tingle. “Where do you want to meet?”

  Dennis named a location outside of the city and Kent lifted a brow.

  “That’s pretty remote,” Kent commented.

  “Yeah, well I can’t get caught talking to you.”

  Kent nodded. “Yeah, okay. When?”

  “Tomorrow evening at six.”

  “I’ll be there,” Kent told him then disconnected the call.

  “What the hell are you up to Dennis?” Kent said aloud.

  Turning to the work on his desk, Kent tried to prepare for his meeting with Carla. His precision focus was off and he knew the reason. He needed to be on top of his game to serve his clients successfully so he knew he had to handle this right now. He dialed Lotus’ number and waited.

  “I didn’t think I would hear from you again,” she answered and he smiled.

  “Nah, not this time.”

  Lotus smiled. “You ran out of here like you had the police chasing you.”

  “Like a little bitch,” he agreed laughing.

  “Well, yeah.” She laughed too.

  Kent quieted for a minute. “So, can I take you out for dinner?”

  “I’ve already done my laundry.”

  “Cool.” He laughed again. “I don’t mind washing your panties though.”

  “Keep talking,” she warned.

  He smiled. “I’ve got a meeting shortly but I wanted to check in with you and make sure we’re good,” he told her then waited for her response.

  “Yes, Kent we’re good.”

  Kent felt relief that he didn’t understand. “I’ll see you tonight then.”

  “Have a good meeting.”

  “Thanks.”

  They hung up and Kent went back to his work with a smile on his face.

  ******

  Lotus spent the rest of the afternoon following up on her car and arranging for a loaner vehicle to be delivered to her house. In her bedroom, she walked into her closet to find something to wear to dinner. Skimming through the selections, she discarded a few.

  Her objective was to look sexy, but not on complete display. She wanted him to see what he was getting, but without saying he could have it. Lotus put a finger to her lips in contemplation then her phone rang.

  “I hope he hasn’t changed his mind,” she said aloud.

  Grabbing her phone, she froze at the name and number.

  “What do you want?” she answered.

  “I’m calling to check on you.”

  She frowned. “Check on me? What the hell did you do to my car?” she demanded.

  ‘I didn’t do anything,” Warren defended.

  “How did you even know where to find me?” Lotus yelled.

  Warren paused. “I was following you.”

  Lotus’ heart stopped. “What the hell is wrong with you? Stay away from me!”

  “Let me help you Lotus!”

  Lotus ended the call and immediately blocked the number. Her hands were shaking as she threw the phone onto the bed and she hugged herself. “I have a damn stalker.”

  Lotus somehow managed to get dressed, do her hair and compose herself before Kent arrived. She opened the door and was not disappointed at what was on the other side.

  “Hi,” she said smiling.

  Kent came inside and placed a hand on her waist before bending to kiss her cheek. “Hey sexy dimples.”

  Stepping back, he looked her over in a hot red dress that made her look like chocolate covered in strawberry and he licked his lips.

  “You look like desert,” he commented taking her hand and slowly spinning her around. “Okay, okay…”

  When she was facing him again, she shook her head. “I’m straight?” she asked.

  “Oh hell yeah,”

  “Are we leaving now?” Lotus questioned.

  Kent rubbed his chin. “First show me where you put my picture.”

  “I put it in the bathroom, cause you’re full of shit.” She told him.

  He laughed loudly and pulled her into his arms. “That’s cool ‘cause you always peeing anyway, so at least I know you looking at it.” He inhaled into her neck.

  “Boy, if you don’t stop smelling me,” she protested.

  Lotus froze when she felt his warm tongue lick her skin. “Kent!”

  He released her and smiled into her face. “I had to, I couldn’t help myself.”

  She folded her arms and stared at him. “We can go now,” he told her.

  Lotus grabbed her purse before they headed out to the car. He helped her inside then joined her. Kent began driving and looked over at her.

  “How was your day off?” he asked.

  She took a breath. “Warren called me.”

  Frozen green eyes turned to her. “He called you?”

  “He says he was following me last night and he wants to help me.” Lotus frowned. “I hung up on him and blocked his number.”

  Kent took her hand. “You okay?”

  “Honestly, he scared me.” She told him. “I don’t understand why he keeps saying he’s trying to help me.”

  He brought her hand to his lips. “It’s okay. He’s not going to hurt you.”

  Lotus looked at him. “You really are my protector now?”

  “And I don’t fuck around.”

  She removed her hand and touched his face. “I feel safe then.”

  For the rest of the drive, they sat in silence listening to Kent’s selection of rap songs. When they stopped at a light, she turned to him.

  “Do you listen to anything else?” she asked.

  “You don’t like my music?”

  Lotus frowned. “Listening to “It Goes Down in the DM” is not exactly date music to me.”

  “So I need to st
ep my game up huh?”

  She put her thumb and forefinger up an inch apart. “Just a little bit.”

  He reached and pressed a button on the dash and Amel Larrieux’s “For Real” began to play. Looking over at her, he smiled a sly smile. “Is that better?”

  “So you were just waiting for me to say something?” she asked.

  “I like a woman to tell me what she wants.” He turned back to the road and Lotus looked out of the window with a smile listening to the mellow beat.

  When they pulled up to a large home, Lotus turned to him in confusion. “Where are we?”

  “My Momma’s house.”

  Lotus’ eyes widened as he cut the engine. “You brought me to your Momma’s house for dinner?”

  He nodded. “Yeah.” Kent went to open the door and she grabbed his sleeve.

  “Why did you bring me to your Momma’s house?”

  Turning back to her, he answered. “She called earlier to tell me she was cooking and I told her I had plans with you, then she told me to bring you.”

  Lotus sat frozen. The last thing she’d expected was to meet Kent’s Momma tonight. When Kent opened her door, she got out slowly as he took her hand.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  “You bring everybody to meet your Momma?” she questioned.

  He frowned. “Hell nah, my Momma don’t do onesies?”

  “Onesies?” Lotus asked walking with him to the door with his hand on her back.

  “One and dones baby.”

  She turned to him as the door was opened.

  “Hey Momma,” Kent said hugging his mother. He turned to Lotus. “This is Lotus.”

  Vanessa smiled as she took Lotus into her arms. “Well hello.”

  “Hello Ms. Baker. Thank you for having me at your home.”

  “Y’all come on in here and get some of this food.” She ushered them both inside. Kent kept his hand on her back as he guided her through the beautifully furnished rooms.

  “You have a beautiful home,” Lotus commented.

  Vanessa beamed at her. “This was a gift from my baby.” She smiled at Kent before she disappeared further down the hall.

  Lotus looked surprised and turned to him. His green eyes twinkled at her surprise. “I’m a good son.”

  They stopped at a bathroom off the hall and Kent waited while Lotus washed her hands then did the same. He joined her and she smiled at him.

  “You bought your mother a house?”

  He nodded. “I promised her since I was little that one day I was going to buy her a big house to thank her for all she’d done for me.”

  Lotus held his gaze. “That’s really sweet.”

  “I can be sweet,” he said staring down at her.

  “I know.”

  His mother started calling his name so he hurried Lotus to the dining room where the table was set for four and his eyes narrowed.

  “Who’s coming?” he asked.

  His mother sat a dish on the table. “Keisha said she might stop by.”

  Kent rolled his eyes indicating that he wasn’t in the mood for his little sister tonight. Holding out Lotus’ chair, he seated her then waited for his mother to bring the final dish before doing the same for her. Vanessa passed the dishes around and everyone fixed a plate.

  “This smells so delicious, Ms. Baker.” Lotus said picking up a utensil.

  “Well thank you sweetie.” Vanessa smiled.

  After a quick thank you over the food they began eating and Lotus savored the delicious sweet potatoes.

  “These are so good. I have to get your recipe,” she told Vanessa, whose eyes lit up.

  “You cook?”

  Kent nodded. “She made me a pasta dish for lunch that was hitting hard.”

  His mother turned to him. “You ate it?”

  “I thought I was going to have to force it down his throat,” Lotus told her and he laughed.

  “Yeah, I ate it.” He looked at Lotus. “And I liked it.”

  Vanessa looked between the two until Lotus tore her gaze away and studied her plate. “So you two have known each other a long time?”

  Lotus nodded. “I met Kent on our way to LA for Trent’s eighteenth birthday party.”

  “I can’t believe that boy is married with a baby and another on the way,” Vanessa said happily.

  Kent and Lotus shared a look then started laughing.

  “Did I miss something?” Vanessa asked.

  “Nah, it’s a private joke.” Kent answered.

  The meal progressed until Lotus asked his mother, “You have to tell me what kind of little boy Kent was.”

  “Bad,” she answered.

  Kent smirked. “Come on Momma.”

  Vanessa laughed. “Kent was my little man. He tried to do everything he could to help me even trying to be a little dope boy.”

  Kent lowered his head into his hands. “Aww…not that.”

  Lotus gasped. “What?”

  He looked at her. “Yeah, I tried it and got beat up. That’s how Trent came to live with us.”

  “Wow, that’s crazy,” Lotus said. “I would’ve never thought that.”

  “I was in and out of the game in a flash, especially after my Momma found out.” He looked at Vanessa.

  She shook her head. “I wasn’t having that foolishness in my house. I’d had enough of that.”

  Lotus looked confused but no one elaborated so she went back to her food.

  “Trent and Kent became joined at the hip after that,” Vanessa commented.

  Kent smiled. “Yeah, that’s my dude.”

  “Trent is a sweetheart and always has been,” Lotus agreed.

  “He a’ight.” Kent added taking a sip of his glass of lemonade.

  Lotus looked at him and laughed. “You just said he’s your dude.”

  “He is; I’m just not saying all that.”

  They smiled at each other across the table and Vanessa excused herself for a moment.

  “Your mother is really nice,” Lotus told him.

  “She’s nice to nice people. She cusses everybody else out.”

  “Stop, you are so wrong.”

  Kent shrugged. “It’s true.”

  Lotus finished her plate. “Well she can burn.”

  Kent stood and took her empty plate along with his into the kitchen. He returned with a bowl of banana pudding.

  “Where did your mother go?” Lotus asked as he handed her a small plate.

  “On the phone with my sister, talking her through another one of her episodes.”

  They dished up the pudding and Kent took the seat next to her. “This is my favorite. You know how to make it?”

  Lotus tasted the sweet dish. “And what if I can?”

  His green eyes studied her face. “Then this could be the special dish you make for me.”

  “You are too spoiled,” Lotus told him softly.

  “I mean, since you got special dishes for people.”

  Lotus laughed. “I have special dishes for people that I like.”

  Kent pulled her chair closer. “You don’t like me Lotus?”

  She took another spoon of the pudding. “You a’ight.”

  He touched her cheek. “Yeah, okay.”

  His mother returned and smiled at the pair as Kent moved Lotus’ chair back into place. She looked down into her plate. “This is really delicious. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. I’m so glad that Kent brought you tonight.”

  Vanessa looked at her son and saw the look on his face as he watched Lotus. It was a mixture of adoration and confusion. What had this chocolate beauty done to her son? Whatever it was, Vanessa liked it and she liked her. Most women fawned over her son and his ‘pretty eyes’, allowing him to do as he pleased. This one looked like she could handle him and keep him in check.

  Kent had told her she was a doctor at the Emory Medical Center and that he’d had lunch with her and was planning to have dinner as well. That alone had peaked her curiosity. Then
when Kent had accepted her invitation to bring her along, Vanessa knew she had to meet this woman.

  Lotus stood with her empty plate. “May I help clean the kitchen?” she asked Vanessa.

  Kent continued to eat his dessert. “I made sure my Momma has a dishwasher.”

  She frowned at him across the table. “It was two plates Kent.”

  Vanessa looked confused. “He washed a few dishes today and cried the whole time.” Lotus told her.

  “Washed dishes?”

  “Lotus is earth friendly,” Kent explained. “So she doesn’t use her dishwasher.”

  Vanessa looked at Lotus. “You got him to wash dishes?”

  Kent cleaned his plate. “Yeah, she did but it was worth it.” He winked at Lotus before he stood and cleared all the dishes from the table.

  Vanessa continued to stare at Lotus. “He really washed dishes?”

  ******

  Lotus said her goodbye to Kent’s mother with a promise to visit again before he ushered her out to his car. Inside the vehicle, he smiled over at her.

  “Did you enjoy the food?” he asked

  “And the company,” she told him returning his smile.

  He started the car. “You want to go out for drinks?” he asked.

  “No, I’ve got work early in the morning.”

  He nodded and began driving. Turning on some more neo-soul for her, they rode in a comfortable silence. When they reached her apartment, Kent walked her inside and took a quick look around before meeting her back at the door.

  “Thank you for dinner,” she whispered to him.

  “You’re welcome,”

  They stood staring at one another until she spoke, “So, yeah I’ve got work early in the morning.”

  “You told me that in the car.”

  Lotus nodded. “Umm hmmm.”

  He didn’t move but continued to watch her.

  “Are we going to stand here much longer?” she asked quietly.

  “I’m trying to understand,”

  She lifted a brow. “Understand what?”

  “What Lotus Masters had done to me.”

  “Kent, go home.”

  Instead he stepped closer causing her to back up against the door.

  “You know you’ve done something,” he said pressing against her.

  Lotus tore her gaze away. “I haven’t done anything.”

  Kent’s arm slipped around her waist, fitting them together. “Then tell me why I want you so bad.”