Forever Love (Arabesque) (5 page)

“What can I do for you, Mr. Washington?”

“First of all, you can call me Keith, please,” he requested. She nodded. “I’ll get right to the point. I’d like to facilitate an open dialogue with the mayor’s office as I have done with a number of other citywide community organizations.”

“That would be acceptable,” she said.

“Good. I’ll have my assistant contact you in the next few days,” he said, turning to leave.

She knew she should have just let him walk out, but she couldn’t. “You know the people of this city expected great things from the mayor and city council on all levels. Your father made a number of generous promises regarding housing, education and a comprehensive jobs plan initiative. Now three and a half years later he wants us to give him more time to ignore every one of his erroneous promises again. I don’t think so. Not this time.”

Keith stopped and turned back to her. “First of all, Ms. Duncan, you need to read not only transcripts of the mayor’s speeches, but also your own literature. OCC has backed Blake Washington both as city council member and mayor for the last ten years. And believe me when I say he does not make erroneous promises. You need to check your facts. Understand this, the mayor’s one and only concern is to help this city and further its economic growth.”

She nodded. “To play devil’s advocate, perhaps that can best be accomplished by a new mayor in the office.”

“You mean like Lester Jameson?” Keith asked.

“Hypothetically, yes. He has a reputation for helping the people.”

“If you say so. I’m sure you of all people would know best.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Everyone knows that Lester Jameson has OCC in his pocket, and your attempt to discredit the mayor is in fact—”

“Whoa, first of all, OCC is in no one’s pocket and secondly, we didn’t discredit anyone,” she quickly interrupted.

“At least the second part of that statement is true. You didn’t damage the mayor, but you did call into question the reputation of your organization.”

She opened her mouth, stunned by his audacity. Then she smiled knowingly. “You’re a sore loser. Get over it. You got beat down today. Live with it.”

Keith shook his head and looked around the small office. “Not necessarily. It was a rookie mistake and perhaps you need to know me better to understand the way I work. I’m very good at my job. By tomorrow morning the media will be questioning your organization, particularly centering on your very generous gift to us.”

“What gift? We didn’t give you any money,” she declared immediately, thinking he’d pulled some underhanded ruse with fake bank statements sent to the media.

“No, not money, the nice lady from Los Angeles.Big mistake.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she lied badly.

Keith saw it instantly. “Good, I’m glad to see it bothers you to lie. But the fact is, someone put ‘the people’ up to that shambles of a drive-by media assault this afternoon and—”

“What happened this afternoon was a fair political debate about issues, not a media assault,” she interrupted.

“Including your actor friend from L.A.?” he questioned.

Gia took a deep breath, then hesitated. “As I said earlier, I have no idea about that. She’s not an OCC volunteer.”

Keith smirked. “Of course she isn’t. I’d disavow her too if I were you, but a word to the wise, you might want to find out exactly who she is before casting stones. But I didn’t come here to talk about your volunteers, paid or otherwise.”

“We don’t have to pay people to disagree with the mayor. Perhaps you’re too far up in your ivory tower living in the lap of luxury to hear this, but news flash, Mr. Washington, people are suffering. They need jobs, affordable housing and education. Turning a blind eye to that and living in a privileged status isn’t gonna fly anymore. The mayor promised us relief. Where is it?”

The fire in her eyes sparkled. Keith smiled. “You are beautiful when you’re angry.”

“Don’t patronize me,” she said, hearing the familiar vibration of her cell phone’s message alert. She grabbed her purse and pulled it out, realizing she had never turned the ringer back on after she switched it to vibrate during the town hall meeting.

“Sorry, no, of course not,” he said, “I apologize if you took it that way. If you felt insulted or patronized, it was unintended. In other words, I was joking.”

“I don’t joke,” she said as she scrolled her caller ID, checking the last few missed calls.

“Yes, I can see that.”

“Getting back to your original point, I accept your proposal to open a dialogue, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to...” She stopped talking on seeing a missed call from Crestar Nursing and Rehab Center. “Mr. Washington, we’re gonna have to cut this short,” she said, standing. “Thank you for stopping by this evening. I look forward to meeting with you in the next few days.”

“Are you okay?” he asked. “You seem...”

“I’m fine, thank you. I just have to be someplace right now. I’d appreciate it if you’d have your assistant contact the office for an appointment next time. Good night.” She held her hand out to shake.

He took her hand gently and felt a slight tremor. She quickly released his hand and walked to the door.

Keith nodded. “Good night.” He left.

Gia hurried back to her desk, grabbed her cell phone and called the nursing home. An attendant at the nurse’s station answered. “Hello, my name is Gia Duncan. I just got a message about my grandmother, Ms. Julia Banks,” she said anxiously.

“Yes, Ms. Duncan, I called you earlier. Your grandmother’s sleeping right now. There was an accident earlier and we’re instructed to call a contact person if there’s an incident. Ms. Banks stumbled and fell a few hours ago. She was attended to by our staff physician and then was taken to the emergency ward for precautionary treatment.”

Gia’s heart fell. “Did she have another stroke?”

“I can’t say. The doctors had several tests done, including X-rays. They didn’t find any broken or fractured bones. However, she did suffer a slight wrist sprain. It’s wrapped and she’s wearing a sling. She was returned to her room and is resting quietly.”

Gia’s heart quickened and beat like a snare drum. “Thank you. I’ll be right there,” she said, then ended the call and began gathering her things. She hurried out of her office, seeing that Bonnie and Danny were the only ones left in the front office. They had their coats on and were obviously leaving when she approached.

“Perfect timing, we were just on our way out,” Bonnie said. “Oh, my God, I still can’t believe Keith Washington just showed up like that. Can you believe it?”

“He was obviously sizing us up,” Danny said suspiciously. “What did you two talk about?” he asked, expecting an answer.

Gia looked at Bonnie, ignoring Danny’s comment. “I have to go.”

“Everything okay?” Bonnie asked.

“I don’t know yet. The nursing home called. There was an incident. I’m on my way there now. I’ll call you in the morning,” Gia said as she turned the lights off and followed Danny and Bonnie out the front door. Everyone disbursed to their separate cars. Gia hurried to her car and quickly drove off.

Keith, a few blocks away, slowed at a traffic light and then stopped at the intersection. Traffic was relatively light for this time of night. He hit the button on the steering wheel to turn on his music. Seconds later the mellow vocals of an old Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terell song played. He smiled and then chuckled to himself, remembering his mother and father performing the same selection at a family barbecue a few months earlier.

He glanced up in the rearview mirror, because he saw the brightness of two headlights rapidly coming up behind him. The car quickly veered to the right, pulling up beside him, and then stopped short. He glanced over to see Gia behind the wheel. She looked anxious, tapping her hands on the steering wheel and intently focused on the traffic light. He frowned. He knew her anxious behavior had something to do with the phone message she’d gotten. She’d been acting nervous since she glanced at her cell phone.

A few seconds later the light changed and she quickly turned the corner and sped off. Keith looked straight ahead and then at the corner Gia had just turned. He knew following her wasn’t a good idea. It was intrusive and he knew it would look bad if she found out, but he also knew he didn’t have much choice. He needed to know her deal. Curiously, he followed.

She didn’t break any traffic laws, but she certainly bent a few as she drove with definite intent. He lost her briefly a couple of times, and then he saw her as she quickly turned a corner a block ahead. He turned to follow, but then her car was nowhere in sight. He slowly drove down the narrow cobblestone street, then stopped, seeing a well-lit sign on the corner. It read Crestar Medical Center.

He turned in, driving up the path, then caught a quick glimpse of her car driving around the side of the building. There was another sign, the Crestar Nursing and Rehab Center. He continued up a secluded driveway, then stopped upon seeing Gia get out of her car and hurry into the main building.

He parked and followed her inside.

Chapter 5

A
n hour and a half later, Gia paused just outside her grandmother’s door. She leaned back against the whitewashed wall and looked down the empty hallway. It was late and certainly most of the patients were already asleep. A dim light from the nurse’s station shone farther down the corridor. She raised her head to the ceiling and took a deep breath, then released it gradually as a tear slowly slid down the side of her face and down her neck. She was alone and right now she felt it.

Seeing her grandmother so helpless tore her apart. She was once so strong and now her body had betrayed her, but her eyes were still bright and alert. The once vibrant intellectual, who could argue and win any debate, was now rendered nearly speechless.

Gia closed her eyes in regret. Time had always been against her, but right now it was her enemy. She’d lost so many years not having her mother with her. There was no way she could face losing her grandmother, too. She missed so much for so long. She just wished she could have it all back. She turned, glancing back into the room. Her grandmother was sleeping peacefully, just as she had been for the past half hour. The small lamp was on and the room was set in a comfortable muted glow. Gia walked back into the bedroom and picked up her coat and purse, then paused at her grandmother’s bedside. It was time for her to head home.

As Gia walked out of the room she smiled, thinking about the last time she and her grandmother had been together. It was at her condo in the city. They were cooking and eating dinner and, as usual, arguing about politics, something they did often. Her grandmother had an insatiable appetite for political science, and she was her grandmother’s perfect match. She just wished they had had more time.

Gia grew up living with her paternal grandparents and father, between his many unsuccessful marriages. For years she’d been told the worst about her grandmother. It wasn’t until years later that she found out that she’d been lied to all along. After that she promised herself that she’d make it up to her grandmother.

This wasn’t the first time her grandmother had had medical problems, she thought as she continued walking down the empty corridor. The last time was right after grad school. Gia was working in a law office in Boston. Her grandmother had come to visit and then had a heart attack and was hospitalized a day later. The gut-wrenching sight of her grandmother so completely incapacitated tore her apart inside. At her grandmother’s insistence, no one except her doctor knew what had happened. Her grandmother returned to Philadelphia, and a few months later she followed. She’d been at her grandmother’s side ever since.

“Are you okay?” one of the nurses asked, looking up from the computer screen.

Gia turned and smiled. “Yes, I’m fine. Thank you for everything you’ve done for my grandmother. I really appreciate it,” she said.

“You’re very welcome and don’t worry. Your grandmother will be just fine in no time at all. Her physical therapy is doing really well and she’s almost one hundred percent with her speech.”

Gia nodded. “Thank you.”

“Would you like someone to escort you to your car?”

“No, that’s okay, I’ll be fine. You have a good night.”

The nurse nodded and went back to what she was doing on the computer. Gia continued down the corridor to the bank of elevators. She took the elevator down to the first floor and then walked toward the front lobby. As she got close to the main exit, she saw a man sitting in the waiting area. The closer she got to the exit, the more recognizable he was. She stopped a few feet away. She was too stunned to speak. All she could do was shake her head in disbelief. Then one word tumbled from her lips. “Keith.”

He looked up and then quickly stood. “Gia,” he said softly.

“What in the world are you doing here?” she asked, speaking very slowly. “And don’t tell me you just happened to be driving by.”

“This looks wrong. I know that. And I know you’re feeling exposed, but I don’t—”

“Exposed, ya think?” she quickly interrupted. “I can’t believe you. This, my personal life, is none of your business. It has nothing to do with you. How dare you—”

He hurried toward her. “Gia, please wait—”

“You followed me,” she stated, obviously appalled by his audacity. “I can’t believe this. Are you some kind of nutcase stalker or something?”

“No, no, I promise you, I’d never do anything like that ordinarily, but I was just—”

“What? What? What could you possibly say to me to make this look right? No. I don’t want to hear it. I don’t care what you were doing. You followed me here. That’s called stalking. There are laws against stalking another person in this city. I can’t believe—”

“Look,” he said sharply, instantly stopping her tirade. He looked around, as did she. They were the only ones in the lobby except for a young man wearing earbuds polishing the floor with a large humming machine on the other side of the large open space. He wasn’t paying any attention to them. “Just hear me out,” he said much more calmly.

“Fine, explain. What are you doing here?” Gia said hastily.

“I wasn’t stalking you. I was concerned. You ended our conversation so abruptly back at the office and then you drove past me like the world was about to end. At first I just wanted to make sure you were okay. Then when you didn’t immediately come back out, I thought I’d wait here for you.”

“You’ve been waiting here all this time for me,” she said.

“Yes.” He nodded.

She looked at him, feeling foolish. She had overreacted. She looked away. “Okay, fine, you were concerned. You still shouldn’t have followed me. This is very private.”

“Yes, you’re right and I understand that. I should never have invaded your privacy like this. I’m truly sorry. But as I said, I was concerned. Is it your grandmother you’re here visiting?”

Gia nodded and began walking toward the huge windows surrounding the lobby area. “Yes, she had a stroke.”

He nodded. “I heard. Is she going to be okay?”

She nodded wordlessly. Saying the words was still too difficult. She felt emotions welling up inside her. She swallowed hard, trying to hold back the tears that always threatened whenever she was here. “She was getting better, but then this evening she had a fall.”

“I’m sorry.” He walked over and stood behind her, but kept enough distance not to make her nervous. “How is she?”

“She’ll be fine. No broken bones.”

“Good,” he said, then looked around the empty lobby. “I’ve heard of this facility. It’s very well respected. I understand they do exceptional work here.”

She looked up, seeing his reflection in the darkened glass. He turned, looking right at her. Piercing dark eyes met tearful ones. “Are you okay?” he asked softly.

She nodded. “Yes, I’m fine. I’m just going to sit a moment.”

He nodded. “Then I guess I should go. Good night.”

“Good night,” she said.

He didn’t move. He just stood staring at her reflection. Then a few seconds passed. “Good night,” he said again, then started walking away. A few feet away he paused and looked back at her. “Have you eaten yet?” he asked.

She turned to him. “No, not really, just a couple bites of cold pizza, that’s all,” she said.

He walked back over casually. “I know a great place—good food, wonderful service, quiet and it’s not too far from here. I was gonna stop by and grab something to eat on the way home,” he said. “Would you like to join me?”

“No, thanks, that’s probably not a good idea.”

“Are you sure?” he asked, moving closer. “How about this? We go to the restaurant in separate cars. We sit at two different tables with no direct contact. We can even pass notes between our waitresses.”

She laughed at the image of his silly suggestion. “Thanks, I think I needed that right now, but as for your very generous and very odd invitation, not a good idea,” she repeated. “Thanks anyway.”

He nodded. “Okay, if you’re sure. Good night.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek tenderly. As he leaned back she opened her mouth and in an instant their lips almost touched. It was sweet and innocent.

Then she initiated something that shouldn’t have happened. She reached up, grabbed his jacket and held tight. A split-second’s pause evaporated. She kissed him, releasing more passion than even she had imagined. The instant their lips touched, there was no control, only need and desire. Keith’s tongue slipped into her mouth and she opened for him, giving as much as she received.

Her heart fluttered uncontrollably as she moaned deep in her throat, yearning for still more. This kiss was everything she had imagined and more. Her body simmered as she drowned in the sensual feel of being held in his arms. She felt everything all at once, including the fact that this had to stop. When the kissed ended, she collapsed against him and he stood strong, holding her in his powerful embrace. Neither said a word. She stepped back and looked away. He then turned and left in silence as if it had never happened.

She stood watching him walk out of the building, get into his car and then drive out of the parking lot. She waited a few minutes, thinking about what had just happened. Justifying it was easy. She was distraught and he was there. Then she went to where he’d been sitting earlier and sat down. She wasn’t sure what to make of seeing him again. Following her was definitely not cool, but then he had stayed this late and waited for her out of concern. She took a deep breath, touched her lips and released the breath slowly. Keith Washington was definitely different than what she had expected.

She looked around, seeing the young man on the polishing machine still working hard. He was much closer than before. She assumed she was probably holding him up. It was late and it was time to leave. She grabbed her things and walked to her car. She got in and as soon as she inserted the key she heard her stomach growl. Not feeling like cooking when she got home, she decided to grab something on the way in. There was a little all-night diner not too far from where she lived. She went there sometimes after leaving the nursing home. The food was delicious and they were friendly and fast.

* * *

The parking lot of the small eatery was more crowded than Keith had expected. Usually he parked right in front, but tonight he had to park along the side. As soon as he walked in, he was greeted by a familiar face. “Hey, Keith, you’re early tonight,” the waitress said as she escorted him to his usual booth in the back.

“Hey, Gladys. Yeah, I guess I am.”

“Decided to take the night off, huh?” She added, “Well, good for you. You work too hard. You need an early night sometimes.”

“Nah, not quite, I’m gonna head back to the office later. So, why’s it so crowded in here tonight?” he asked as he slid into his booth.

“Some cheapo decide to call this his wedding reception. Twenty-five people came in unannounced three and a half hours ago and just had to sit together. We actually asked a few customers to move and give them the entire back area. Long story short, they’re noisy, belligerent and totally obnoxious to the other patrons. They ordered and ate just about everything on the menu and now they’re walking out without leaving me and Lois a single penny as a tip, and this after the idiot groom tried to hit on Lois the whole time. I don’t know if the bride knows it or not, but she is in for a rude awakening and one helluva cheap honeymoon.”

As she spoke, her voice got louder and louder. It would have been impossible for the last few stragglers from the wedding party not to have heard her disgruntled jabs. Keith shook his head. This was his favorite place to come. The food was excellent and the people were real.

“Well, I’m sure your good service will be well rewarded.”

“Yeah, well, not by them fools,” she said. Lois, the other waitress, laughed as she passed by, leaving a glass of water on his table in front of him.

“So, what’s tasty in the kitchen tonight?” Keith asked.

“Besides me, I’d go with the green beans, mashed potatoes, gravy and meat loaf or the collard greens, potato salad and grilled chicken. They’re both excellent and Twister stuck his foot in those collard greens, metaphorically of course.”

Keith chuckled. “Sounds good, I’ll go with the grilled chicken, potato salad and metaphoric collard greens.”

“You got it,” she said, nodding, then sashayed away. Keith shook his head. He’d been coming here for years, and since he seldom cooked, this was like his second home. He picked up his glass of water, took a sip and then pulled out his cell phone. Since leaving the nursing home, he’d gotten three messages. One from Megan and the other two were messages from his brothers, Jeremy and Drew. They both texted the same message—
Tomorrow!

An instant shiver shot down his back. He knew that word would come soon, and here it was. He didn’t need to email them back. He knew exactly what they were talking about. His great-aunt, Louise Marie Gates, was coming tomorrow. He shook his head miserably. On top of everything else, this was the last thing he needed. Just as he deleted the two emails, his cell phone rang. It was Drew. He answered. “Yeah, I just got your email.”

“Bro, I hate to have to do this to you, but...”

“Yeah, I know. I’m up,” Keith said, looking up and around the diner. He took a deep breath, realizing he had no idea how he was going to get out of this.

“She’s coming in tomorrow and she needs someone to pick her up. Coincidentally, Jeremy and I are both busy.”

“Doing what?” Keith asked.

“We’re picking up cigars for the office.”

Keith chuckled, understanding Drew’s not-so-subtle reminder. He’d lost the pull and now he had to step up. “Yeah, okay.”

“But you’re in luck. I hear it’s a short visit. Mom said she’s just here for Prudence and Michael’s benefit ball and then to visit an old friend, something about mediating a family drama.”

“Good, hopefully that’ll keep her busy. Is Colonel Wheeler coming with her?”

“I don’t know. Are you gonna stop by the house tonight?”

“No, I’m at the diner right now. I’m gonna head back to the office after this. I have a few things I need to take care of. I’ll go by the house tomorrow evening. In the meantime, I’ll think of something.”