Authors: AnDerecco
Love To Luv
Page
217
of
217
“Love to
Luv
”
AnDERECCO
First and foremost I thank my savior, Jesus Christ for His blessings in my life daily.
To W. G. Houston II – thank you for standing by me through it all. The ups and the downs we made it. Even the nights I had to listen to concerts of you know who …
lol
. I could never tell you how much you mean to me.
I am blessed to have the most wonderful and understanding family in the world, The Turners, The Bells, The Blanks, The
Lopers
and The Joneses. I thank you for your unconditional love. Much love to my school families: A. Hunter (believing in me & giving me a start at a new career – “you got a dollar?”), J. Baker (wonderful advice), D.
Battee
(who thought I was stuck up), S. Carter (my buddy), D. Purvis (I miss my rice
krispies
treat for my birthday), M. Bennett (my photographer), and P. Barnes (my neighbor). To E. Foster, K. Allison, M. Dodd – thank you for the talks.
My test reader…thanks for an open and honest opinion. To
Cordelia
W. & Marcus U. that helped me out on the student end of things.
Finally I want to thank all of you who buy my books and have taken the time to write and share your thoughts with me. It means so much to me and it’s one of the reasons that I get up every day and think what I can tell.
CONTACT ME:
Look for me on
FaceBook
, Twitter and
Goodreads
– AnDerecco.
Robert Frost once wrote, “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And
sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Waking up to a lonely bed for the past fourteen years has been really frustrating. Since my partner, Ellis Walker’s death, I, Jacob Gibson, have thrown myself into raising my daughter, Monique, my work with my foundation.
I started a foundation speaking to and mentoring teenagers and college students about life decisions. It was something that I always wanted to do, even before Monique was born.
We moved back to Mississippi to start a new life. It was an easy decision because I could not take being in Alabama and think about Ellis day in and day out.
I have not dated but I did find an interesting way to occupy some of my free time. I found this website that you can become pen pals with inmates. I met some interesting people but there are two that really caught my attention.
It was the beginning of Monique’s senior year in high school. She is very outgoing. Monique is in many organizations and clubs that keep her about as busy as me. She is just like me in so many ways. She has my reddish brown complexion but Ellis’ attitude about a lot of things. Monique never knew her birth mother because she died in child birth. Ellis and I raised her until he shot himself.
This morning I woke up at 5:13 am. I did my normal workout routine and then hopped in the shower. About 6:30 I decided that it was time to wake Monique up for school. As I entered her room I noticed that she was tucked tight under the covers as usual. I pulled the curtains back to let some light in. I walked over to her bed and gently pulled the covers back trying not to scare her. To my surprise she was not in the bed. I thought to myself, “
What the hell
?” I knocked on her bathroom door and there was no answer. I was really beginning to ponder. I walked down the hall to see if she was in the kitchen. As I entered the kitchen she was sneaking in the back door.
JACOB
Where have you been?
MONIQUE
I went for a walk to clear my mind about my senior year.
JACOB
Really?
What are you thinking about?
MONIQUE
Pop, I am scared. I will be leaving you to go to college. I will be on my own.
JACOB
Well why you don’t go to a local university or to my alma mater.
MONIQUE
I am not going to Alcorn. It is in the woods and nothing is around it. You have to drive thirty minutes to Vicksburg or Natchez. Almost forty-five minutes to an hour to Jackson. Pop, I need to be somewhere convenient.
JACOB
I have you to know that I had a great time at ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY!!! Not only do you make new friends but you make a new family. It may be away from other places but you can have fun on the reservation. Thank you very much.
MONIQUE (laughing)
Pop you kill me when you talk about Alcorn.
JACOB
Well you have always loved going to the games and other events there.
MONIQUE
I did. But I need to start something for myself.
JACOB
Well you do you. Are you picking Ian up for school?
Ian is Monique best friend. They have known each other since elementary school. Ian is 5’10” with paper sack brown skin. He and Monique hardly do anything without each other. He is a very well-mannered young man with a bright future ahead of him.
MONIQUE
Yeap
.
We are going to drive to Nashville this weekend to look at Fisk University.
JACOB
Ok. That is cool.
I trust Monique. She is dependable and knows that when there is a problem that she can’t handle that she can call on me.
Monique and Ian pull up at their high school. As they are walking to the building someone called out to Ian.
Ian stops and noticed that it is Jeremy. Ian told Monique to go on into the building and that he would be on.
Ian walked over to Jeremy.
IAN
What is going on man?
JEREMY
Nothing just irritated with my mom. She is riding me about going into the Army.
IAN
You have always talked about going into the Army since I have known you. What is she saying?
JEREMY
Man, she is talking about the wars that are going on. Things like she don’t want anything to happen to me. I told her that I could get hurt or killed right here.
IAN
I can understand that she is concerned about you. Your unit may not be called in. You are going active duty not the National Guard. Ms. Nicole just wants you to be here with her and your sisters.
JEREMY
It is nerve wrecking. My oldest sister went into the military and nothing was said to her.
IAN
Look at it this way, you have five sisters. You are the only boy. Of course she doesn’t want anything to happen to you.
JEREMY
Are you my friend or her ambassador?
IAN (Laughing and push Jeremy in the side)
Shut the hell up.
Jeremy and Ian began to walk towards the auditorium to find Monique. The auditorium is where all students report to on the first day to get their new schedule.
Monique was standing in line to get her schedule when an attractive tall, muscular guy bumped into her. She turns around and noticed that it was someone that she never saw in prior years. They both say excuse me at the same time. Monique was thinking about the guy as she turned back around. The guy must have thought about something because he tapped Monique on her shoulder. Monique turned around with a smile on her face.
MONIQUE
Yes?
TEDDY
I hate to bother you but this is my first year here. I am a little nervous. I didn’t mean to bump you. How long have you been here?
Monique thought to herself, “
Damn he is trying to make small talk.
”
MONIQUE
I have been here all four years for my high school experience. Where did you move from?
TEDDY
My dad and I moved here from Colorado. It is really different but I am enjoying it thus far.
MONIQUE
Great.
Monique is the next person to get her schedule. As she receives it she begins to walk off. Teddy got his schedule and yells out, “Hey”. Monique turns around and notices that it was the guy from the line again.
TEDDY
I hate to bug you but do you think that you can help me with my schedule?
MONIQUE
Yeah sure let me see it.
Teddy passed her his schedule and Monique scanned it over. There was something that caught her attention. She saw a few teachers that taught exceptional education tutorial. She was trying not to show her emotions on her face. She looked at the top of his schedule to get his name.
MONIQUE
Ok Theodore.
TEDDY
Please call me Teddy. Theodore is my dad.
MONIQUE (smiling)
Ok Teddy. Majority of your classes are on the 600 wing of the school. You would go down that hall and take the first left. The teacher’s names are on the door.
TEDDY
Thanks. By the way I didn’t catch your name.
MONIQUE
Maybe because I didn’t throw it, but my name is Monique.
TEDDY
I see that you have a smart mouth but that is cool. I will change that. I mean nice to meet you.
Monique flirted with him with the toss of her hair and the smiles that she kept flashing him. She thought about the statement that Teddy made about changing her smart mouth.
Monique looked at her watch and thought about Ian. She told Teddy that she hoped to see him around campus.
Ian and Jeremy spotted Monique. They compared their schedules. Happy that they had a few classes together, handshakes and hugs were exchanged.
IAN
This looks like it’s going to an exciting year.
While Monique was at school I decided that I would get some things done around the house. Just as I was about to return a call about a speaking engagement my phone rings. It was my Aunt Aretha. Aunt Aretha is a woman that does not take anything off of anyone. She will speak her mind even when she is not asked.
JACOB
Hello.
AUNT ARETHA
Hey Papadopoulos, how are you?
Only Aunt Aretha would call me that.
JACOB
I am good Auntie. How are you?
AUNT ARETHA
I am good baby.
Just got back from Maui.
I had a lovely time.
JACOB
You stay on the go but I am glad that you did. Who went with you?
AUNT ARETHA
Now you know that I am a single traveler. I can’t take sand to the beach honey.
JACOB
Ok Auntie. Well what is your next adventure?
AUNT ARETHA
I don’t have anything planned right now. I think that I am going to take a few weeks to rest. How is everything else?
JACOB
I feel you there. I need to do that but I can’t. I have several speaking engagements coming up for my foundation. Work is going good. Monique is good.
AUNT ARETHA
I am glad to hear that. She started her first day as a senior today right?
JACOB
Yes ma’am. She told me that she was a little nervous. I don’t even think that she has picked out a college yet.
AUNT ARETHA
Well that baby better get it together soon.
JACOB
Auntie I have enjoyed talking for this short time but I have got to returns some calls.
AUNT ARETHA
Ok Papadopoulos. You take it easy. I love you.