Alexa nodded emphatically. “Definitely a yes!”
“Great! I’ll inform Gregory and the board that it’s a go.”
“Mrs. H,” Alexa began, breathlessly. “I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything, Alexa. You have already demonstrated your capability, as well as your dedication to the company. You are very intelligent, sharp and understand the direction this company wants to head in the new millennium. We believe in rewarding and advancing those who excel in their positions.”
If Alexa didn’t know it would be considered unprofessional to give her boss a hug in such celebrated situations, she would have. Instead, she thanked her with a firm handshake. She exited with a smile as big as Christmas on her face.
As Alexa stepped onto the empty elevator Mrs. Holland’s words struck her. She considered it a blessing from God that she ended up working under her tutelage. Bettye Holland had started out as a part-time receptionist with the company and worked her way up to Executive Editor and Vice President.
It was Mrs. Holland who prompted her on how to conduct herself in business meetings with the predominantly white male board. When Alexa wanted to skip the company picnics and Christmas parties like many of the black employees who preferred more of an atmosphere that reflected their culture, Mrs. Holland discouraged her. She taught her how to network and when to do it. So Alexa took up golfing and any other activity that would place her side by side with the corporate bigshots. Over time, Alexa appreciated her attentiveness, especially now.
Once she got into her office, the first person she phoned was Teressa. She explained the new developments, ending with Mrs. Holland’s kind words.
Teressa shrieked. “Congratulations!”
“Thank you,” Alexa replied.
“Now how are you going to break the news to Darius?” Teressa added. “You’re married now and have to consider him.”
“I know,” Alex replied again. This time Darius’s name radiated through her head. How would he take her accepting a job that would take her away from him again? Would he be willing to forgo his business plans to move to New York? The excitement she felt moments before slowly melted into a pool of trepidation.
“I better go, Teressa. I have a lot of work to get to.”
“Do you have lunch plans?” Teressa quickly asked before Alexa could hang up.
“Yeah, I have some calls to make,” she hesitantly replied.
“Well, good luck to ya, girlfriend, whatever you decide.”
As she hung up the telephone, Alexa immediately felt like going home. She didn’t know what to do. Her head pounded like a bass drum and she felt a wave of nausea and prayed the feeling would go away.
What would Darius say? Would he be happy for her? Or, would he look at this, as another attempt of Marks-St. Claire to shape her future without him. The last thing she wanted was for him to put up another wall of defense. She didn’t want to lose him again. Yet at the same time, she didn’t want to lose such a wonderful opportunity that could change her career as well as her life—their lives. Closing her eyes, Alexa laid her head down on her desk. She was caught between a serious rock and a hard place and she had nowhere to run.
Chapter 17
Darius spotted Reg sitting in a booth by the window of the End Zone, their favorite sports bar and eatery. Whenever they wanted to kick it and watch a big game after work, they would swing by the place for a platter of “Da Bomb” hot wings, dinner fries and beer.
Because of their busy schedules, the two had been trying to catch a game together every chance they could get. On this particular night, Darius was rooting for the Detroit Pistons while Reg favored the New York Knicks.
“What’s up Midget,” he called out to the waitress as he entered the building.
“Hi, Darius,” the woman returned with a smile. Midget got her nickname from the regulars because of her petite size. Melina Fuentes or Midget, as she was known by the folks at the End Zone, was a fiery blend of African and Cuban ancestry. Her short stature didn’t fool those that knew her, especially Darius and Reg, who had experienced her hot-tempered impatience and somehow lived to tell about it.
Reg glanced up from his play sheet at the sound of Darius’s name. “What’s up, playa!” he shouted out from across the room.
Darius waved and shouted hello to several of the regulars before addressing Reg. He was glad that he took his casual gear with him to work. He changed into his Pistons gear before leaving the office to show support for his team. Reg, who hadn’t changed from his work clothing, wore a Knicks sweatshirt over his dress shirt.
“The Pistons, bro, and you know it!” Darius laughed, taking his seat. The two slapped each other’s hand.
“Yo, we will see about that!” Reg retorted, as he returned to his playing sheet.
Darius removed his own play sheet from his jacket pocket. He had highlighted every team he thought would eliminate its opposition. At the very end, he had Detroit coming out on top. So far, he wasn’t doing too badly.
“What y’all having, fellas?” Midget greeted them. “The usual?”
“You know it,” Reg replied.
She took their orders and returned with a pitcher of beer and two mugs.
“So, are you going to try and check out some games before the season ends?” Reg asked. “You know William can get us some seats a couple rows from center court.”
“Well, you know my company has center court seats as well,” Darius teased, trying not to be outdone.
“Yeah, right. Seriously, William says he can get a pair of tickets for the game on the first.”
“That won’t work,” Darius replied as he took a swig of his beer.
“What’s up?”
“I’m meeting Alexa in Kansas City.”
Reg shook his head with a laugh. “Man, you are more whipped than I thought.”
Darius immediately grew irritated by his friend’s reactions. He was getting tired of his outward disapproval of their reunion. “What’s up with that comment, bro?”
“What comment?” Reg asked, not bothering to tone down his voice.
“Why do you keep coming down on Alexa?” Darius asked. “What has she done to you?”
“Bro, it’s more like what has she done to you?” Reg said with cynicism lining his voice. “I’m just looking out for you is all.”
“Well, thanks, but no thanks,” Darius interjected. “I can look out for myself. Besides, there is nothing to look out for.”
Reg snorted. “Are you sure?”
“What is that crack supposed to mean?” Darius asked, narrowing his eyes. He was trying hard not to knock Reggie’s head off, but his patience was wearing thin.
“I mean, I was the one who was there when you came back from Detroit and, man, you were tore up. You looked busted wearing them old jeans and shit, barely taking showers. You lost so much weight you looked like you had AIDS or something.”
“Screw you, man. I ain’t tryin’ to hear that.” He remembered clearly how he had stumbled around like a zombie for months thinking of nothing but the situation and how grateful he was when the clouds finally broke and the sunshine poured through. It was then that he realized that he could live with his past. Now that he was back with Alexa, he wanted to forget the past and concentrate on their future.
Reggie held up his hand and shook his head. “Nah, nah, you want to know why I feel the way I do. Like I was saying, I have never seen a man so strung out like you were over a female. Looking at you made me realize that I could wait a long time for Mrs. Right. You never told me more than the fact that you loved her and you didn’t understand why she didn’t accept your proposal, but that was enough for me. I care about you like a brother and I don’t want to see you hurt again.”
“It’s all different now.”
“Is it? How do you know if she won’t up and go away again without a glance back at your feelings? Are you that sure about your relationship.”
Darius nodded. “V
ery. I know what we have is strong, and from this point on if you can’t come correct with your comments, then don’t come at all,” he added in a firm tone.
Reggie held up his hands as if absolving himself from the situation. “Cool.”
Someone had turned up the volume on the 61-inch television as the players from both teams headed onto the court for tip-off. Midget arrived at that moment with a steam platter of hot wings and spicy fries. She laid the bill between the two of them. “Enjoy,” she cooed before strolling away.
Darius squared up with Reg, who appeared not to back down as well. He appreciated Reg for his insight and his faithfulness as a friend, but he didn’t want him to try to come between him and Alexa. He loved her and if Reg couldn’t accept that then too damn bad because one day soon he was going to make a decision that would change both of their lives.
Reg spoke up first as he dug into the wings. “Like I said, Knicks gonna whip that Piston ass!”
Chapter 18
“I’ll talk to you later,” Alexa called back to Tia Perez, her new executive editor of Radiance magazine.
It was a gray Wednesday afternoon and by now the word was out about Alexa’s promotion. It was getting hard to keep smiling at the steady stream of well-wishers, from board members to the mailroom clerk.
The place was still buzzing about the launch of the new magazine and Alexa’s promotion. She smiled as she recalled her mother’s excitement upon hearing the news.
“I’m so proud of you, daughter. That Mrs. Holland must truly think highly of you. I knew no matter what if you maintained your focus you could achieve anything because you are so bright and intelligent.”
Hearing such words of praise from her mother partially diminished her anxieties over taking the position. She held her chin high as she replayed her mother’s words in her head while rounding the corner to her department.
“Hi, Sharon,” she said as she entered her department. “Did I get any calls while I was out?”
Sharon smiled and nudged her head toward her office. “Maybe you should see for yourself.”
Not quite understanding what she meant, Alex cautiously approached her office. Seated in one of the chairs holding a bouquet of yellow roses was Sean.
Her mouth dropped. “Sean, what are you doing here?” After their last encounter she couldn’t believe that he would have the gall to come to her job.
Sean immediately stood up. “I came to apologize.” He handed her the flowers. “Here, these are for you. Yellow roses mean friendship. I hope that we can make amends, as friends of course.”
Alexa stared between the roses and Sean’s nervous smile and relinquished her anger. “You didn’t have to.”
“I know,” he interjected. “I deserved that slap.” He rubbed the spot where Alexa’s hand had landed more than a week ago, as if the stinging pain was still present. “What happened between us has really been on my mind, and I was hoping to get a chance to give you the explanation that you deserved.”
“Forget it, Sean,” she replied. “It’s not necessary.”
“Yes, it is,” he insisted. Alexa noticed how he took a couple steps towards her then stepped back as to not offend her again by invading her personal space. “Can we go someplace where we can talk?”
Her first response was to say no when she remembered Teressa’s words concerning her last encounter with Sean. Their meeting could bring closure to the whole situation. She could also do as Teressa suggested by dropping Darius’s name so that he’d know she was not spending her nights agonizing the loss of their relationship.
“Sure.” She placed the flowers in an empty vase that she found in her credenza and grabbed her things.
Alexa noticed Sharon’s eyebrow rise as they passed her desk. She didn’t want any office gossip floating around. “I’m going to a business lunch,” she informed her. “I’ll return in an hour.”
As if on a timer, the elevator doors opened with a spot for the two of them. Without a word, they stepped in and rode to the parking garage where Sean’s BMW was parked.
“Where would you like to go?” he asked as he disarmed the vehicle and opened her door.
She shrugged her shoulders. “It doesn’t matter to me,” she casually replied as she slipped inside.
Sean decided on a nearby café that wasn’t quite as busy during the noon hour. The place was quiet. Most of the patrons were senior citizens out on their daily lunch excursion. They immediately found a secluded booth and placed their orders.
“So what’s up?” she asked after the waitress departed.
“I thought about what you said and had to agree. The way I left things was wrong. I was a jerk for treating you the way I did and I am sorry.”
“Hmm,” she snorted. “That’s putting it a little mildly.”
An uneasy laugh escaped him. “I don’t know what to say other than I wasn’t ready for marriage.”
“Then why did you ask me to marry you?” she charged. “I didn’t twist your arm. Why did you have to go there with me?”
“Because it seemed like the right thing to do. We both were settled in our careers. We got the chance to do everything we wanted to do like travel and buy things we wanted. We lived comfortably. It seemed like the natural order of things.”
It had never occurred to her that men planned their lives in the same manner as women. She assumed they simply went with the flow of things. If they were dating then they continued to date until they were either handed an ultimatum or another woman came along.
Sean continued. “You and I had been dating for a while. You were intelligent, sexy and fun to be around. I loved you for who you were, but while you had it going on in every imaginable way, I was still empty inside.”
Alexa nodded. “I understand, because after I got past all of the glitter and glamour of having a wedding, I realized the same thing. There was something missing for me, too. Something that marrying you could not cure.”
Sean leaned forward; his face lit up like a Christmas tree from her own confession. “Did you feel it? Did you feel that way, too, Alexa?”
She nodded. “It took me a while to see that I loved you, too, but I wasn’t in love with you because my heart belonged to someone else. It always had.”
Sean’s mouth dropped opened. “What?” Apparently those were not the words he expected to hear.
Alexa immediately noticed his surprise and quickly cleared any misunderstanding. “Don’t worry, it wasn’t when you and I were together. It was way before us.” She proceeded to unfold her history with Darius.
“Do you still love him?”
Alexa smiled with a look of love in her eyes that told Sean all he needed to know.
He reached inside his jacket pocket and pulled out a slip of paper and handed it to her. Alexa noticed that it was a signed blank check payable to her.
“What is this for?”
“My half of the cost for the wedding. It’s the least I can do.”
She placed the check on the table and pushed it back to him. “I don’t need it.” She smiled with nothing but Darius in mind. “I have everything I need.”
Darius reread the card attached to the tiny pitchfork tucked in the stem of roses. Give me another chance. Love, Sean. He took a deep breath to maintain his composure. Who was this Sean and why in the hell was he sending flowers to his wife?
That old sinking feeling dared to reenter the pit of his stomach, but he was determined not to go there. He wasn’t about to go through that personal hell again. An old saying that his mother used to say came to mind. “If you’re catching hell, don’t hold it. If you’re going through hell, don’t stop!” As far as he was concerned, hell wasn’t his destination in their relationship.
He claimed the nearest chair and leaned back, waiting for Alexa’s return. Reg’s words came to mind and he fought to keep them at bay. He didn’t want to doubt her love for him or the new relationship that they had built.
Darius decided a walk was what he needed to clear
his mind. He remembered passing a Coke machine in the lobby on his way upstairs. Maybe he could get one and chill before broaching the subject. He was about to leave the office when he heard Alexa returning.
“Did I get any calls?” he heard her asked the receptionist.
“You got something,” the woman replied, nudging her head towards the door of Alexa’s office.
“Oh, really? What now?” Alexa asked, somewhat irritated by all of the surprises over the course of a few days.
At that moment, Darius stepped around the corner. “Me.”
Alexa’s eyes immediately lit up, and a smile spread easily across her face. “Darry!” she gasped and ran into his arms. Her eyes watered up as she pressed her face against his chest.
Darius wrapped her up protectively in his embrace. “Hey, lady,” he murmured against her hair. He caught the surprised expression on the secretary’s face and briefly wondered if her look had anything to do with the roses on Alexa’s desk.
Alexa pulled back, taking both of his hands into her own. “You tricked me. I thought I wouldn’t see you for weeks.”
Darius shrugged, staring into her face and momentarily forgot the roses because of her beautiful smile. “I managed to pull some strings here and there.”
“How long are you going to be here?” she asked, cuddling back into his embrace.
“Only for two days. So, can you take the rest of the day off?”
She smiled slyly. “I’ll see what I can do.” So as not to be rude, she quickly introduced him to Sharon before leading him into her office. Once inside, she closed the door and fell against him smothering him with kisses.
“Whoa now,” he teased as he took a seat in the chair, pulling her down on his lap.
“I’m sorry, I just missed you, baby,” she replied with a soft sigh.
“Seems like you’re not the only one full of apologies,” he retorted, pointing to the bouquet of flowers.
Alexa rolled her eyes. “It’s not what you think,” she began. “I got those from an ex-fiancé.”
“Your ex-fiancé?” he exclaimed, dropping his arms from around her waist. “I don’t get it, Alex.”