“Good morning, Mrs. Taylor,” Darius greeted, squeezing her tightly.
“I suppose you’re looking for Mr. Thornton?”
Darius nodded. “But first, let me introduce you to my friend Alexa Kirkwood.” He went through the proper introductions.
Gwen gave Alexa a hug. She smiled brightly. “You must be pretty special,” she said with a wink. “This man has never brought a woman up here.”
Darius stole a glance in Alexa’s direction to find her awed by the older woman’s findings. He was relieved when Reg opened the door and interrupted the conversation.
“I thought I heard you out here,” Reggie announced.
“Alexa, this is the esteemed principal of this fine establishment, Reginald Thornton.” He turned to Reggie. “Reg, this is the lovely, the charming Alexa.”
Alexa pushed herself into Darius’s chest playfully. “It’s nice to meet you, Reggie.”
“Nice to meet you as well,” Reg casually replied. He gestured for them to have a seat. Darius noticed how Reggie’s eyes skeptically followed Alexa as she passed him to take a seat. His brow rose curiously as he observed Reggie’s behavior, wondering what brought that on. Normally, Reg openly flirted with his women friends. So it was to his surprise that his friend didn’t go out of his way to show him up with his charm. However, that wasn’t the case with Alexa. It was obvious to him that he was being more reserved than usual.
He pulled the envelope full of checks and cash from his pocket and handed it to Reg. “I sold all of the tickets.”
“Great. We need all the money we can get.”
“How much have we collected so far?”
Reggie opened up his desk drawer and removed a bank deposit bag. He unlocked it and pulled out a stack of bills and checks along with a mini register. “So far, we’ve collected more than five thousand. This doesn’t include your money. I’m also expecting some last-minute donations.”
“That’s great!” Darius exclaimed.
“I know. Now we can concentrate on launching our sports program and expanding our science and computer labs.”
Darius rose from his seat. “Well, we better get going. We have a few more stops.”
Reggie glanced at his watch. “Yeah, class will be dismissing in a couple of minutes and if I were you, I would get going before it lets out.”
Darius immediately picked up on what his friend was saying. He didn’t want to chance running into Tricia Herndon. Although it had been some time since they dated, she seemed to be hanging on to the possibility of the two of them reuniting. Darius planned to share the situation with Alexa but preferred to do it at the right time.
After they made their runs to pick up a few last-minute things and pay the deposit for the band, they went back to Darius’s place. With four hours left before they had to go to the Ball, the two decided to lie down and watch a movie. Darius grabbed a blanket and pillow from the front hall closet and stretched out on the sofa. He reached out for Alexa to join him. Without a word, she claimed the spot before him and squirmed around until she found a comfortable spot. The two never made it through the first five minutes of the movie. Once they were spooned together, they fell fast asleep in each other’s arms.
“You look so fine, I don’t think I want to share you with anyone tonight,” Darius announced as they walked up the stairs leading to the ballroom of the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
Alexa lovingly cupped his jaw in the palm of her hand. “If you stay on your toes, Riverside, you won’t have to share me with anybody.”
Darius grabbed her up in his arms. “Trust me, I won’t skip a beat.”
On the way over, Darius could barely keep his hands to himself. The black floor-length dress was definitely a good choice. The sleeveless dress with a simple jeweled neckline complemented her toned arms and shapely figure.
Alexa had her hair styled in a mass of curly ringlets, which framed her face perfectly. The only piece of jewelry she wore was a pair of pear-shaped diamond earrings, which were a gift to herself when she got her bonus last Christmas. She topped the outfit off with an elegant black velvet duster. Darius’s black velvet single-breasted suit jacket with black trousers and a stark white shirt made him look dashingly handsome. The suit fit him as if it were made to grace his frame.
There were all sorts of people milling about in the lobby. A large sign placed on a stand in the foyer directed them to the ballroom where the festivities were located.
As they approached the room, Darius spied two men sitting outside the door. As he got closer, he recognized one of the men as O’dell Lymon, a dedicated volunteer, and father of four active boys who attended the Academy. Having been born in the rural south to sharecropper parents, O’dell’s own education was limited because he was needed at home to help bring in the harvest. At the birth of their first child, he made a vow to his wife, Delilah, that he would work hard to provide their children with the best education possible. Three boys later, he was disappointed when it began to appear like he wouldn’t be able to make good on his promise. Then Reggie Thornton came knocking on his door one evening, talking to him about a new school opening in the area. The school was an answer to their prayers. O’dell ran out and picked up two more jobs to pay half of their tuition. Because of his determination, Reggie worked with him and was able to get partial scholarships for the boys. All the Lymons had to do was put in some sweat equity through volunteering at the school or chaperoning special school-sponsored events. As far as Darius was concerned, the two had put in so much time that he believed the boys’ tuition was paid in full for next year as well. Now the couple anxiously awaited the opening of Mary McLeod-Bethune’s Academy for Young Ladies so that they could send their two younger daughters.
“Good evening, Mr. Lymon!” Darius greeted.
The older man jumped to his feet, “How ya doing, son?” He shook Darius’s hand. He acknowledged Alexa with a handshake as well. “Good evening, ma’am.”
“You’re sure looking dapper in that suit,” Darius complimented the older gentleman.
O’dell smiled, embarrassed by the attention. “You know if these monkey suits weren’t required for these affairs, I would be in my overalls.”
Darius laughed and turned to Alexa. “Mr. Lymon here is one of Douglas’s most committed advocates. He has four sons who attend the school.”
“Wow, four sons?” Alexa exclaimed. She couldn’t imagine putting one child through private school, let alone four.
The older gentleman rocked on his heels with a proud smile. “Yes, ma’am. all but one is on the honor roll. He’s too busy daydreaming about girls. Told him he has the rest of his life to do that. Right now his education is more important.”
“I don’t know, Mr. Lymon,” Darius teased, nodding his head in Alexa’s direction. “Sometimes a man can’t help himself.”
Alexa blushed from his comment.
“I see.” Mr. Lymon’s brow raised. “Looks to me like you daydream quite a bit.”
Darius burst out laughing, and the older man joined him. The line started to get long, so Darius and Alexa said their goodbyes and went inside to join the festivities.
The ballroom was fabulously decorated in the school colors of black and gold. There was a live band playing popular R & B as well as old Motown hits, an elaborate spread of finger foods, and lighted champagne fountains placed throughout the room.
Folks went all out for the evening dressed in designer tuxedos and ball gowns dripping with sequins and rhinestones. Many came out for the celebrated event. The attendees’ ages ranged from college students to senior citizens all gathered together in the name of education.
As they made their way through the thick crowd, Darius stopped several times to greet people. Alexa noticed that practically everyone present was representing a well-known organization. Representation from all nine of the black fraternities and sororities, the NAACP, Urban League and HBCU were present, not to mention Ebony magazine and Black Enterprise. Alexa was surprised to meet a
broad spectrum of people from the school’s maintenance team to the city’s mayor.
After exchanging small talk, the two continued moving around the room leaving Alexa feeling more like she was hosting the gala rather than giving her support. Each time they approached someone who played an important part in the success of the school, Darius would lean over and whisper their title and affiliation into Alexa’s ear. She sighed with relief when they moved away from their last group to a clearing. While she enjoyed special events, sometimes they could be tiresome. She had to do a lot of networking in her position in similar settings and often grew tired of putting on the business face.
“The turnout is great,” Darius announced, surveying the room. “Do you want me to find our table?”
Alexa sensed that Darius wanted to remain in her company while on the other hand he wanted to continue working the crowd. She placed a gentle hand on his cheek. “Baby, I know this is a fund-raiser and you have to network. Go on and do what you have to do. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Are you sure?” Darius asked, “Because I can stay here with you.” And then lower so that only she could hear. “You know I would love that.”
Alexa grinned and placed a kiss on his cheek. “Go.”
When he turned to leave, Alexa couldn’t resist and quickly patted him on the rear. He turned around with a gentle warning. “You’ll pay for that one later, woman.”
His threat made her warm with anticipation and she retreated for something cool to drink.
Just as she approached the bar, she spotted Reg arriving with his date. Alexa took her drink and went over to greet them. Reggie was immaculately dressed in an expensive tailored tux. The woman on his arm looked equally flawless in a cranberry sheath, which complemented her caramel-brown complexion.
“Hi, Reggie!” she called out, approaching the two. It was nice seeing a familiar face.
Reggie half smiled with a nod. “Hello, Alexa.” He placed his palm on the small of the woman’s back. “Honey, this is Darius’s friend Alexa Kirkwood. Alexa, this is my fiancée, Crystal Rawlings.”
“Hi, Alexa,” Crystal drawled. “It’s very nice to meet you.”
Crystal and Reg reminded Alexa of Maya and Bryant in appearance as they were an equally attractive couple. She wondered if she and Darius looked as good together. Crystal put Alexa in mind of Halle Berry. She was a petite woman, standing an inch above five feet, slender yet shapely. She wore her honey-brown hair short, tapered in the back and on the sides with feathery bangs grazing her brow. Crystal’s most captivating feature was her eyes, which were a striking gray as well as her long, curly eyelashes, which seemed to touch her prominent cheekbones when she batted them.
“It’s nice to meet you, too,” Alexa replied.
“Place is filling up,” Reg announced, straightening his tie.
“Yes, it is,” Alexa agreed.
“So, where’s Darius?” Reg asked, his eyes scanning the room.
Alexa turned and pointed him out near the middle of the room. “He wanted to stick with me, but I released him to get out and mingle. I know how important it is for him to get out and schmooze, after all, that is why we came.”
Reg’s eyes widened in response to her comment, making Alexa wonder why he would show so much surprise.
He then turned to Crystal. “Honey, do you mind if…” he began, but Crystal cut him off before he could finish his question.
“Go on,” she assured him. “I’ll be fine right here with Alexa.”
Reggie planted a kiss on her cheek before departing.
Crystal shook her head with a smile. “They act like we need to have them waiting on us hand and foot.”
“I know.” Alexa added, “I learned long ago that it is best to not sweat the small stuff especially if no one is getting hurt.”
“You are right. Besides, when you hold them back it only makes them rebel and I for one cannot stand a rebellious man.”
The women decided to find their reserved table. They found their table located near the front of the room and took their seats. After ordering drinks, they began talking about everything from their jobs to their personal tastes as well as their relationships. Alexa learned that Crystal was a flight attendant and had traveled abroad to exciting locations such as Accra, Kenya and Egypt in Africa, Paris, London, Rome, Greece in Europe, Tokyo and Bangkok in the Orient and Trinidad, Aruba and Belize in the Caribbean. She and Reg met on a flight to Japan two years ago and had been dating ever since. Although she thought him to be self-absorbed at times with his various career and community responsibilities, she didn’t mind their arrangement for now. But she stressed that once they were married, she was determined that most of his energy would be spent at home.
At first, Alexa was hesitant about sharing her and Darius’s story, but somehow she felt she could trust Crystal. She proceeded to tell her the story of when and how they met and what they had been through, up to how they reunited at their friends’ wedding.
“We have been through a lot, but I really love him.” She looked up from her place at the table and searched for Darius. When she located him, she was surprised to find his eyes resting on her. He winked and she smiled, sticking out her tongue playfully. Darius gripped his heart in response and the two laughed silently.
She turned her attention back to Crystal who sat there watching the whole interaction. Crystal shook her head with a smile. “You two are in love.”
After cocktail hour ended, there was a short welcome and introductions over dinner followed by the party portion where the band began to play. The couples got out of their seats. Darius was egging Alexa on to join him in doing some dances from the past. After his poor attempt at doing the Prep, Snake and Freddie Krueger, Alexa jumped in to help him out. However the surprise of the evening was seeing the ever-reserved Reggie doing the Whop.
Out of breath from dancing to several songs and laughing at each other, the foursome exited the floor. Reg and Darius ran off to get cool drinks while Crystal and Alexa reclaimed their table. Minutes later, the men returned with glasses of white Zinfandel for the ladies and cold beer for themselves. Darius placed the glass before Alexa and sat down, placing his chair so that her chair was positioned at a sideways angle, putting her possessively between his legs.
“So, what kind of notes have you two been exchanging about us?” Reggie asked, sitting beside Crystal in the same possessive manner.
“Who? Us?” Crystal replied with mock innocence.
“Yeah, I know you, Crys,” he chided. “Alexa probably knows everything about me and then some.”
“Are you having a good time?” Darius asked, draping his arm across the back of her chair.
“Yes, I am. Thank you for inviting me.”
The four sat there for a while conversing and listening to the good music when the band started to play another upbeat tune. Darius immediately held out his hand for her and the two stepped onto the dance floor with several other couples.
Darius led Alexa away from their friends, preferring to concentrate only on each other. Alexa moved sensually to the beat while Darius watched in a trance.
With a playful glint in her eyes, Alexa broke the spell by whipping around so that her back was to him. She rested her head against his broad chest and he wrapped her body in his embrace. He snuggled his face into the crook of her neck and kissed her smooth skin, making her tingle.
Their playfulness so reminded her of the dance shared at Maya and Bryant’s wedding reception. It took a few minutes before Alexa realized that she was not at the reception but at the Benefit Ball and under the watchful eyes of some very important people. Without hesitation, she pulled away from Darius and turned around with a glance about the room. She silently prayed that no one was watching her and one of the board members carrying on like some wild teenagers. To her relief, the others around them were too into their own dancing to even notice them. With a sigh of relief, she stepped back into Darius’s arms, but kept her tempestuous moves to a
minimum.
Just as she grew relaxed enough to dance again, the music faded and the melody of a familiar song began to play. Alexa’s heart began to race for she immediately recognized the song as the one which Darius sang to her at the reception.
“Come on, baby,” Darius urged, as he pulled her against his chest. “I got some words for you, girl.”
Before she knew it, Darius was singing to her again. She searched his eyes only to see the love he had for her and her alone, making her heart sing.
When the song ended, they walked back to their table hand-in-hand.
“I think I’ll go to the restroom,” Alexa announced. She needed to refresh herself from their heated dance.
Crystal excused herself along with Alexa, to escape to the ladies’ room. To their surprise, the restroom wasn’t crowded, which was unheard of when black women were in the house. Usually women would be lined up outside the door and the inside would be a haze of perfumes and hairspray.
Alexa stood before the mirror dabbing away the perspiration on her brow, while Crystal touched up her makeup.
“Alexa, I know that we’ve just met a couple hours ago, but I think you are good people.”
“Thanks, Crystal. You’re pretty nice, too, and that’s not something I can say to a lot of women that I’ve just met.”
Crystal turned from the mirror to face Alexa. “What you and Darius have is a good thing. I’ve known Darius as long as I’ve known Reggie, and I have never witnessed the connection that he has with you with any other woman he’s dated.”
Alexa was at a loss for words. She had no idea that they were wearing their admiration for each other on their sleeves for all to see.
Crystal continued. “Out there, I saw two people who complement one another, who need each other. After you told me about you all’s past, things just made sense to me. I’m not one to get all in somebody’s business—I just want you to know what you have.”
Alexa wasn’t sure what brought Crystal to say those words, but she agreed with her fully. Since his proposal, she had begun to wonder what it would be like to be married to Darius. The thought alone sounded so enticing that she sometimes couldn’t think straight.