A Love So Deep (30 page)

Rita took the roses William held out to her. She held them like they were contaminated.

“I’ll put the roses in water,” Angie piped in.

Rita looked in William’s eyes and attempted a smile. She looked at Angie who was like a helium balloon—so full at their meeting. A few weeks ago, William was begging for money; today he was passing out expensive roses as if they were as easy to come by as penny candy. William wasn’t going to get away with this, and it was obvious Angie needed her lessons on wisdom if she was depending on the likes of William Long to be her knight-in-shining-armor.

Rita pitied Angie, who didn’t have a clue what was going on, and to think she could see right through this sham. This was William’s play, orchestrated and directed by William Long with Angie a pawn in the game. William used Angie to bring them together, but as far as Rita was concerned, he had another thing coming because she was no bofu the fool.

A
ngie
watched tension mount as the night wore on. Rita lost her zeal, and Angie lost the benefit of Rita’s open heart. Eyes rocked and rolled while communication was reduced to a minimum. Angie wasn’t sure when the night soured, but when she recapped the evening, she was able to pinpoint the moment to William’s arrival. Her night was ruined.

Being polite, Rita ate two small chicken wings. William saved his healthy appetite for another day. The wonderful array of hors d’oeuvres that Angie took special care to prepare became cold on the serving tray. This could not be happening.

William jumped from his seat while Rita nursed the rest of her water. “Why don’t you and Angie continue with your session? I’m going to step out of the room and give you both some privacy.”

“You don’t have to leave, Mr. Long,” Rita said, enunciating each word. “I think I’d better be going.”

“Please don’t leave on my account.”

“Don’t trouble yourself. I’m not. I’m sorry I have to cut our time, Angie, but practice what I’ve given you so far, and I’ll call you.”

“Thanks, Rita. I really appreciate you taking out time from your busy day to see me. Look, since you took a cab, why don’t you let William take you home? Maybe, you can get to know each other.”

“That’s a good idea, Angie.” William smiled. “I would be more than happy to give your guest a lift home.”

Rita’s glass fell limp in her hand, spilling the remaining water onto the floor. The carpet absorbed it like a great big sponge, but left a spot in the shape of a gun. If she could have picked up that spot and turned it into a solid object, Rita would have blown William’s brains out.

“No thanks. I don’t want to be any trouble.”

“It’s no trouble at all, Ms. Long. It’s the least I can do.”

“Please,” Angie begged.

Rita sighed. “All right. If you insist.”

The mood in the room became even more somber, and Angie could not figure out why. Maybe if Rita and William had a chance to get to know each other on the ride home the ice would thaw.
It must be William’s dreads
, Angie thought.
That’s it. A classy lady like that is not used to being around a man with braids all over his head. Maybe William is intimidating. I probably shouldn’t have given her that history lesson about William’s and my life together. I won’t invite William next time…if there is a next time.

Rita and William walked to his Acura in silence. He opened the door for her, and she got in without a thank-you or a smile. This was going to be just what it was intended to be—a taxi ride. Rita looked straight ahead when William eased into his seat.

“You look stunning tonight.”

“Just drive the damn car.”

“There’s no need to get hostile,” William said in a calm, soothing voice.

“I apologize.”

“That’s better.”

“What did you expect to gain from this little meeting?” Rita inquired, ignoring William’s attempt at sarcasm. “Didn’t have the decency to tell your girlfriend why our last names are coincidently the same. You slay me.”

“You’re getting hostile again.”

“I’m serious, William. What do you want? I’ve already told you I have nothing else to give.”

“I want you in my life, Rita. I want us to be together. I’m a changed man…”

“Changed since when…changed how? Who do you think you’re talking to, some bimbo that thinks just because you look good, you’re all that? A few weeks ago, you were a beggar, and I gave you my last dime. And now, all of a sudden, life has changed for you. What about Angie who thinks that she has a relationship with a wonderful man? What about her?”

“Stop, Rita. Shouting doesn’t become you. Anyway, Angie is just a good friend.”

“How sad. You know she thinks you’re more than that. The flowers, the dinners and whatever else, what is she supposed to believe? She introduced her boyfriend to Rita Long tonight, but you knew that before you arrived at the door.”

“Angie is imagining things.”

“Things you’ve led her to believe. She told me about having to move to Oakland to get away from you and how you followed her here. It sounds like a familiar scenario.”

“Yes, Angie and I were lovers once. We’ve hooked up again, but it isn’t serious. Where do I take you?”

“Drop me at The Water Hole. I can get home from there.”

“Don’t do this, Rita. I’m not some bum off the street. You and I were husband and wife.”

“Right, we
were
husband and wife.”

“Where is your old man? He should be escorting you around.”

“Not that it’s any of your business, but my rental was on a flat when I walked out of the apartment this evening. I didn’t want to be late getting to Angie’s so I took a cab. And for the record, my old man’s name is Graham, and we’re in love. There’s no room to rekindle old fire…old flames. No room.”

“You’re making a mistake, Rita.”

“No, I’ve learned from my mistake.”

It became painfully quiet. Rita seemed agitated and shifted from side to side trying to get comfortable. William watched her from the corner of his eye, using his dreads as a shield. Although William had an agenda, he had fallen in love with his ex-wife all over again. He couldn’t shake the feeling.

Yes, he wanted Rita. It was more than infatuation, more than her good looks. It was the woman—the woman he knew twenty years ago who had matured into the woman who sat next to him now. William began to breathe heavily. The thought of her with someone else made him cringe. He wanted Rita, and he’d do whatever it took to make her his woman again.

“Take me to Watergate instead,” Rita sighed, not sure why she was letting William take her home.

William drove on until he saw Emeryville to the right and Watergate to his left. The freeway was lighter now that commuter traffic had died down. After a series of lefts and rights, Rita motioned with her hand and William pulled to the curb of an Extended Stay motel and turned off the ignition.

“Thank you for the ride.”

“The pleasure was all mine.” William hesitated, then continued. “You gonna invite me up?”

Rita casually turned toward William and pursed her lips. “No, and that’s my final answer.”

“Nightcap? Coffee?”

Rita turned her head and opened the car door before William could make it around to her side. He rushed, but she was already standing on the sidewalk poised to walk away. William hurriedly placed a kiss on her cheek and watched her walk away without looking back.

“I will have her,” he muttered under his breath.

Rita went into her furnished apartment and walked to the window overlooking the parking lot. William was still standing where she left him, lost in thoughts she would not help him to realize. She watched him with eagle eyes, vowing not to fall prey to one of his hidden land mines.

He still looked good, even better than he did the day they got married, but she was in love with a wonderful man who had not in the least bit misrepresented himself. He loved her and she loved him. She was truly happy for the first time in her life.

But something weighed heavily on her mind. She needed to tell Graham about William. And while she was afraid of what Graham might say, she was doubly afraid of the consequences if she kept silent. She backed away from the window and walked over to where the phone lay on the bed. She needed to speak to her baby, but she wasn’t ready to reveal all. Not yet. She would pray about it.

A
week
turned into two. Their contract was extended by a month as Rita and Midnight Express entertained packed-out houses at The Water Hole each night. They had energized the community of bar-hopping, foot-stomping, cigarette-smoking, fun-and-jazz-loving folks that came out faithfully to groove with their favorite nightclub act. It was rumored record producers had filtered in and out of the club in the last couple of weeks. But one thing was for sure, this sometimes damp and sweaty edifice filled with fun-loving folks was the place to be.

In the shadow of the crowd, with an unsuspecting Angie at his side, William lurked while he kept a watchful eye on the woman he vowed to make his again. And Rita kept him at bay, belting out song after song of love to her man, leaving no doubt on anyone’s mind about the state of her heart and to whom it belonged. She was fed up with William’s relentless pursuit, calling her day and night, begging for forgiveness, and vowing to love her from now until eternity. She had his phone number blocked, but he managed to elude that by placing a call from the manager’s office. Rita had to fix things soon before the problem became unmanageable and her business became public knowledge—an advertisement on a highway marquee, high in the sky for everyone to see.

Graham sat mesmerized by the beautiful, chocolate diva who had captured his heart and sung love songs to him. It made him hot around the collar. Sweat poured down his neck like sizzling candles whose flames travel up the length of the wick, creating a cavity of molten wax, and spilling its overflow down its own sides. Graham noticed Rita made other men hot, too, but they would not have the luxury of wooing her late into the night and the next morning.

“Do you mind if I intrude on your thoughts?”

“Hey, Charlie. Have a seat.”

“She’s beautiful…and a helluva set of windpipes.”

Graham turned his eyes from the stage and looked at Charlie. “How could I be so lucky?”

“I asked the same question myself. My buddy, Graham…damn, you’ve had the best of the best. Every now and then I ask myself why Rita is with you instead of me. You know I loved her from afar, I guess I was afraid of a woman like that…you know…smart, elegant, classy.”

“Well, my good friend, as long as you recognize that she’s my woman now, we’re all right.”

“There’s no mistake about that.”

They laughed.

“Charlie, who’s that guy over in the far corner—the one with the dreadlocks? You know everybody that frequents this place. He’s been in here every night. It might be my imagination, but he seems to be watching Rita like she’s some kind of Hollywood actress that he’s fallen in love with—almost to the point of stalking.”

Charlie looked in the far corner and spotted William. He had noticed him, too, but had not given it much thought until now.

“Don’t know,” Charlie lied. “The crowd gets newer and newer all the time. I’m sure he’s an adoring fan like everyone else in here.”

“Yeah, I’m sure you’re right. Speaking of women, where’s your apron string, Miss Shelly?”

“She’s not my woman. Look, I’ve got an idea. Why don’t you and Rita meet Mary and I for brunch tomorrow?”

“Are you crazy? Those two would have each other for lunch.”

“Nothing like a cat fight to highlight the day. In fact, that would turn me on.”

“Rita is too classy to act a fool. Besides, she’s doing all the entertaining she’s going to do now. Look at my woman.”

“And now, I’m going to slow it down and sing a tune by Jill Scott for everyone who’s in love like I am. The tune is entitled ‘He Loves Me
.
’” Rita pulled the mike back and blew a seductive kiss Graham’s way. Graham puckered his lips and kissed her back.

“You love me especially different every time. You keep me on my feet. Happily excited by your cologne, your hands, your smile, your intelligence.”

Graham and Charlie sat with their eyes glued on Rita.
She looked like ripened watermelon ready to be devoured as she stood tall in her floor-length, strawberry-red chenille dress
, Graham thought. And the way she could take the words to a song and roll them over her tongue and mix it with love and throw it out in slow motion to all who would receive it caused Graham to squirm in his seat.

Halfway through Rita’s song, Charlie risked a glance in William’s direction. Finding him still in place, Charlie thought William’s demeanor strange—a look of obsession written on his face that extended beyond mere fascination. William’s eyes were stoic and steady, observing Rita’s every movement. He wasn’t caught up or moved by Rita’s words that planted love tattoos on lover’s hearts, and he stood in one place and didn’t move an inch unless he was reaching for his drink that sat on a table close by.

For the umpteenth time that evening, the crowd roared and clapped as Midnight Express ended yet another set. Ten minutes later, Rita emerged exhausted, but she forced a smile as she reached Graham’s table.

“Hey, baby, Charlie…”

“You were fantastic,” Charlie said, as he rushed to be the first to speak. “You know you were singing to me.”

Rita ignored his last comment and placed a kiss on Graham’s lips. She turned to Charlie.” Thanks.”

“I don’t have to tell you how good you are, baby. You already know. Look, Charlie wants to know if you and I would like to join him and Mary Ross for brunch tomorrow.”

“The Mary Ross…from your church? The Mary Ross that hates my guts, Mary Ross?”

“We don’t have to. I already told Charlie…”

“No, no, uhh, wait a minute. Let me think…”

“I thought it might be nice to, maybe get…”

“Since Charlie suggested it, we’ll go but only under one condition.”

“What’s that?”

“You put a gag in her mouth.”

The trio laughed.

“So…Charlie…” Rita smirked, unblinking as she peered into Charlie’s eyes. “So…is she your new girl? Is
Ms
. Holy and Righteous your new girl?”

Charlie grinned, excited by Rita’s attention. “Maybe.”

“Well, I can’t wait,” Rita returned, turning her head slightly and giving Graham an eye roll that caused him to chuckle.

Charlie blushed and turned abruptly away from Rita’s stares only to find himself in the clutches of William’s frozen gaze as he stood staring in their direction. Charlie jerked his head away once more, then pulled a toothpick from his pocket and put it in his mouth.

“Look, I’m going to the bar and get a drink. Mary gets out of church at one o’clock. Let’s say two at Scott’s Seafood on the Square.”

“Sounds good to me,” Graham hollered at Charlie’s back, then softer, to Rita. “Glad to have you to myself for a minute.”

“Me, too.”

“I love you, Rita Long.”

“I love you, too, Graham Peters.”