“What in the world happened in there, Ang?” It was my turn to flog my arms.
“I cursed her ass out three shades of Sunday,” Angela hissed as she kept her eyes on the road.
I knew we both shared the same vehemence against our family’s archaic practices, but never had we disrespected anyone. The rims of Angela’s eyes were pink. She was about to cry.
“What’s going on here, Angela? What would make you curse at Aunt Jenny?”
“Because I want her to prepare my mother for what’s waiting for her if she tries to pull that marriage shit on me!” The first tear spilled. Less than a half a second later, the stream came.
“Ang, how long have you known you’re pregnant?” At this point, I was struggling to keep my food down. There were just too many surprises in one day.
“Long enough to get this over with. You’re the first to know. I have to tell everyone else now.”
~~~~~~~~~~
“Whatever it is you’re writing must be pretty important,” his voice held its usual gruff and heaviness.
My mouth collapsed as my eyes focused in on Stenton. I was squatting against the wall, staring up at his fierce visage. He was freshly showered and in a grey t-shirt and cargo shorts with a baseball cap turned to the back. Having less of his tattoos exposed and two large diamond studs pinned to his ears, Stenton resembled a rapper rather than a rocker today.
And his scent… God help me.
I must have been that engaged to not catch him coming.
“What do you mean?”
He gave me a one-sided grin. “You’re making that clicking sound with the back of your throat.”
Great.
I collapsed my face into my hands. The last thing I expected to happen, happened in that instant; I realized I could no longer deny my extreme attraction to this man. My life couldn’t get any more chaotic.
“Hey…hey,” he softly sounded off. “What’s going on with you? And why are you over here in the corner like you’re hiding from someone?”
I am! From you.
I brought my head up to meet his quizzical gaze. Confusion etched his face and I couldn’t say I didn’t know why. I was being awfully dramatic. Then he took me by the wrist, igniting fire in my core. He’d only touched my arm with his calloused hands and I was able to feel it all over.
“Let’s chat about it over a meal.” I managed to stand without giving away my weakened knees. Stupid body! “I know you’re starved. Your hungry ass always is.”
“I was waiting for Angela.” I sort of lied.
I was waiting on Angela. I’d assumed she was saying her final goodbyes to Alton…in the moral manner. I’d hoped. But the other truth was I was avoiding Stenton.
“She and Alton were in a heated conversation when I passed them. He knows I’m going to grab a bite. They’ll find us.”
“Mr. Rogers!” I heard someone call just beyond Stenton. “Mr. Rogers…”
Within seconds Jeffrey appeared and you could see the revelations—accurate or not—visibly running through his mind. “Oh,” was all he could say initially.
And initially I panicked, but then I remembered that I’d made it to the end of the summer and didn’t need to care. I was so stressed that getting kicked out wouldn’t have had the same effect as it would have earlier on.
“Ms. Barrett,” Jeffery greeted pointedly, I’d guessed indirectly asking for an explanation for me speaking with Stenton Rogers “after hours.” That explanation would never come. I was too preoccupied to care that I didn’t care.
“Jeffery?” Stenton called his attention from me. “You wanted me for…?”
“Oh…oh!” He chuckled, pushing up his frames. “I’ll be on vacation all next week and I know you’ll be done here when I return. I was hoping you could sign this jersey for my son, Christopher Peter.” Jeffrey held up a toddler size 76er’s jersey.