Authors: Carl Weber
Lookin' For Luv (20 page)
“I know, son, I know.” Mama sighed, then became serious. “You and Alicia having problems, aren’t you, son?”
“Yeah, we broke up. I know I should have listened to you about her son lying, but when her ex-boyfriend called, I just lost it.” He watched Blue run into the bushes and return with a ball. “I really hurt her, Mama.”
“Sometimes we hurt the ones we love, Kevin.” Mama took the ball from Blue and tossed it. “Your daddy used to hurt me every day when he went out drinkin’. But I know he loved me, and you children too:’
“I know, Mama, but you had to see the look on her face when she slammed her door on me. It was as if all the love she had for me had turned to hatred.”
Blue came back, dropped the ball, and lay down at Mama’s feet. She stroked his fur.
“Alicia will get over it, son, and so will you. If there is one thing I’ve learned in my years on God’s green earth, it’s that time heals old wounds. She’s hurt now, Kevin. You have to give her a chance to be hurt.”
“Yeah, but, Mama, she won’t even return my phone calls.” Kevin knew there was wisdom in Mama’s advice, but he was still longing for Alicia.
“Kevin. Are you listenin’ to me? Leave that girl alone for a while. I promise you, son, when she’s ready to talk, she’s gonna let you know. Even if it’s just to curse your ass out”
“I’m sorry, Mama, but I can’t leave her alone. Not until she tells me to my face that she doesn’t love me.”
“Son.” She sighed sadly. “You’re a grown man and you’re capable of making your own decisions. But if you really love this girl, let her go.”
“No way, Mama. There is absolutely no way in the world I’m gonna let her go.” He wiped a tear. “If you could feel the emptiness I have inside right now, you wouldn’t even suggest that to me.”
As Mama hugged him, Kevin heard the phone ring. Jumping up, he ran inside to answer it Breathless, he ran into the kitchen to find his sister Whitney already holding the phone to her ear. When he realized the call was not for him, Kevin walked into the living room, where Antoine and Tyrone were talking to his sister Phyllis.
“Pack your bags, fellas. We’re leaving for New York in an hour.”
Back in New York, Kevin could hardly wait to see Alicia. He called her several times on the day after his return but could not get her to return his calls. In desperation he decided to go to her office, hoping to clear up their misunderstanding. He drove to Brooklyn as fast as traffic would allow, weaving among the cars and praying he would not be pulled over.
At first he planned on waiting outside until Alicia left her office. But as he stood staring at the building, he grew impatient. He decided to call from a pay phone and ask her to meet him at a nearby coffee shop.
“Hart, Jacobs, and Hill law offices. Can I help you?” the receptionist answered the call.
“Hi, this is Mr. James. I wanted to know if Ms. Alicia Meyers is in?” Kevin lied, hoping she would not recognize his voice from the other ten calls he had made earlier in the day.
“Yes, Ms. Meyers is in, but she’s on another line. Would you like me to put you on hold?”
“Ah, no, thank you, I’ll call back later.” He hung up the phone and looked up toward the fifth floor, where her office was.
Damn. All I want to do is talk to her. That’s not too much to ask for, is it?
Kevin leaned against his car for almost an hour, debating .. whether he should go up to Alicia’s office. He wanted her back, there was no question about that. But he was afraid that she would reject him, or, even worse, speak to him the way she did on Christmas Eve, when they broke up. He also couldn’t decide if he should tell her about Michael’s involvement. After all, he was just a kid, and Kevin should have known better than to listen to a kid.
Kevin looked over at the entrance to the building and watched a young couple embrace. His heart ached for the tenderness he had shared with Alicia. He couldn’t stand it anymore. It was absolutely necessary that he make her understand that their relationship was special and deserved another try. He walked across the street and entered the well-decorated law offices of Hart, Jacobs, and Hill.
The reception area was large and the walls were covered with expensive-looking paintings of horses. All the furniture and desks were made from a heavy, dark brown wood, shellacked until it shone like a mirror. He gave the receptionist a friendly smile.
“Good morning. Can I speak to Alicia Meyers, please?”
“Sure. Let me ring her desk. And your name is, sir?”
“Mr. Brown, Kevin Brown.” He tried to sound as professional as possible, waiting patiently as the receptionist dialed Alicia’s extension.
“Hi, Alicia, this is Janice from the front desk. I have a Mr. Kevin Brown here to see you.” She was silent as she listened to Alicia’s response. “Okay, Alicia. I understand.”
Looking at Kevin, the receptionist gave a phony smile. She delivered her message without changing her expression.
“Ms. Meyers said she’s unavailable, and that she would appreciate it if you would no longer call or come by her home or place of business.”
Kevin stepped back. “She actually said that?”
“Well, her choice of words were a bit stronger, but I think I expressed her thoughts.”
She picked up a pen and started to work on something on her desk, fully expecting Kevin to leave. His plans were a little different. He got closer to the woman’s desk and gave the woman a command.
“I don’t believe this. Call her back. Tell her I’m not leaving until we talk!”
The receptionist’s demeanor remained calm. “Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to leave, otherwise I’m going to call security”
“I don’t care if you call the president. I’m not moving a damn step until Alicia comes out here.”
Kevin walked over to a chair and sat down, crossing his arms defiantly. After several minutes he came back to his senses and realized how stupid he must look.
I need to take my black ass home,
he thought, standing up to leave. As he headed for the door, two white men in uniform approached.
he thought, standing up to leave. As he headed for the door, two white men in uniform approached.
“You’re going to have to leave, sir,” the larger security guard said politely as Kevin stepped toward the elevator.
“Yeah, no drug deals going down here, bro!” The other guard laughed, spinning his nightstick. He muttered his racist insult quietly since there were witnesses in the reception area.
“What did you say?” Kevin spun to face the men in anger.
“He didn’t say anything, sir. We’d just appreciate it if you’d leave.” The polite guard tried to hold his partner in check.
“I said you better get your black ass on that elevator bofore I crack open that coconut you call a head.” He gripped his nightstick threateningly as Kevin took a step closer.
“Come on, John, we don’t need no problems. Let the guy go,” the bigger guard pleaded.
Kevin looked around and noticed that the commotion was beginning to attract a crowd. People were standing in their office doorways, probably hoping to witness a fight. Then to the left of the crowd he saw Alicia standing with her hand over her mouth. She was wearing a conservative navy-blue pinstripe suit, and Kevin was mesmerized for a moment. Was it possible she was even more beautiful than before?
“Sir, would you please leave?” The big guard was barely holding back his partner.
Kevin paid no attention as he took two steps closer to Alicia.
“Alicia, honey, we need to talk,” he begged. The entire office turned to look at Alicia as if she were the cause of all the commotion.
“Kevin, I don’t have anything to say to you.” Her face was flushed and upset as she felt the stares of her coworkers. “How could you embarrass me like this?” She turned and walked back toward her office.
“Let go of me, Harvey. I’m going to teach him a little respect for our uniform.” The smaller guard pointed his nightstick at Kevin as his partner held him back.
Kevin snatched the nightstick out of the guard’s hand. He gripped the nightstick hard, looking dead into the eye of the now-terrified guard. Then he threw the nightstick to the ground. A wicked smile came to his face as he savored the fear that had paralyzed the bigoted guard.
The receptionist sat stunned at her desk. As Kevin stepped onto the elevator, he said to her, “Tell Alicia we need to talk, and that I’ll be back.”
18
KEVIN AND DENISE
It had been five days since the turmoil at Alicia’s office. Kevin, Antoine, and Tyrone were lifting weights in the school gym when two men dressed in cheap suits walked into the gym. Maurice and Miles, head of school security, followed them.
“Mr. Brown, these two men would like to have a word with you,” the principal said, clearly annoyed.
“They’re cops, man. Miles would have never come out of his office if they weren’t cops,” Tyrone whispered to Kevin. He had seen men like these in the school before.
Kevin gave Tyrone a quick nod to show that he understood, though he had no idea what the police would need to speak to him for. As he placed his weights back on the rack, he prayed they didn’t have bad news about Mama or his sisters.
“How can I help you gentlemen?” Kevin asked, wiping his face with a towel.
“Mr. Brown, we’re with the police. Maybe we should discuss this in private. It’s a personal matter.” The tall black officer pointed to the door.
“No, we can talk right here. These guys are like brothers to me. I don’t know what this is about, but I don’t have anything to hide.” He tried to sound confident but was actually quite nervous.
“Well, suit yourself,” the smaller white cop responded. Reaching into his coat pocket, he handed Kevin a folded document. “Mr. Kevin Brown, you are being served with an order of protection: This order of protection states that you are not to go within five hundred feet of Alicia Meyers or her son, Michael Hill; you are not to go within five hundred feet of her home or place of business, you are not to call, write, or use electronic means to contact her. Do you understand what has just been explained to you?”
Kevin was in shock. He couldn’t believe what was happening to him. He clenched his jaw to stop himself from exploding in anger. Alicia had actually gone so far as to get an order of protection against him, and the pain was unbearable.
“He understands, officer. He won’t go by there.” Antoine spoke for him, seeing that his friend was too distraught even to give the officer an answer.
“It’s very important that he understand this, sir. Otherwise he can be arrested under the stalking laws of New York State,” the black cop warned them.
“He’s not going to go by there. I’m going to make it my business to make sure he don’t,” Tyrone guaranteed, in disbelief himself.
Miles led the two officers out of the gym as Antoine handed Kevin a towel to wipe his eyes. Suddenly he became aware that Maurice had not left with the other men.
“Well, Mr. Brown, I hope you realize that you made a fool not only of yourself, but of the school too.”
“Look, Maurice, give the kid a break. You don’t even know what the hell’s going on,” Antoine said in defense of his friend.
“I don’t have to know, Mr. Smith. Just the fact that some woman would take out an order of protection against him makes me think he could be dangerous. I’m going to have Miles keep a closer eye on you, Mr. Brown. A man like you might get out of control around the students.”
“Wait a minute, Dr. Johnson. If you think I would hurt one of the boys, you’re crazy!” Kevin insisted. “This is all one big misunderstanding, and all I have to do is make one call and straighten this whole thing out. Give me your cell phone, Tyrone”
“I hope you’re not planning on calling that young lady, Mr. Brown. That is, unless you plan on going to jail.” Maurice shook his head at the young man’s stupidity.
Kevin rifled through Tyrone’s gym bag, searching for his cell phone. He ignored the disapproving stares of his friends. Tyrone finally moved to stop him.
“He’s right, Kevin, you’ve got to let her go.”
“I don’t know if I can, Tyrone. I love her so much, it hurts.”
Tyrone gave him a sympathetic one-armed hug, and Kevin slumped down on the weight bench.
“Mr. Brown, I want you to understand something. If the police come by here again looking for you, you’d better start looking for a new job, because I’m going to fire you. I suggest you get a hold of yourself.” Maurice straightened out his suit jacket and walked out of the gym.
“Kevin, I don’t give a shit how you feel. Don’t you fucking call Alicia.” Antoine jabbed his finger in the air near Kevin’s face.
“I don’t care what those cops say. I need to talk to her and get this straight!” Kevin knocked over a chair in anger as Antoine shouted at him.
“Are you fucking listening to me? Don’t fucking call her!”
Tyrone stared at Antoine in disbelief. It was the first time Antoine had ever gone off. Usually Antoine was the one who remained calm and dignified in every situation. He realized that Antoine must feel very deeply about his friendship with Kevin to let his emotions escalate like this.
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