Destination D (30 page)

Stormy Weather

P
am was back in Atlanta relaxing in her bedroom when she heard the door slam. “Dee, is that you?”

There was no answer.

“Dee?” Pam called out again. As she made her way into Dee's room, she found her friend crunched up in her chair with her face buried in her jacket, crying.

“Hey, Dee, what's going on?”

Dee could only shake her head back and forth. She waved for Pam to leave the room.

“Dee, I'm not leaving. You know that. What in the hell happened, girl?” Pam moved toward her to place her hand on her shoulders. Dee's crying turned into wailing.

“It's over, Pam. My life is a train wreck and it's over.”

“Can you tell me what is going on?”

“I've lost everybody I've ever cared about.” Dee groaned in despair. She broke down and sobbed uncontrollably.

“Dee, I'm so worried about you. What are you talking about?”

“I'm so lonely, I just can't explain it.”

“Well, I'm not leaving until you try.”

“I haven't shared this with you, but do you know the name Chris Dickerson?”

“As in Miami Chris Dickerson?

Dee nodded.

“So, what the hell does Chris have to do with…oh hell, no! Don't tell me that that son-of-a-bitch did something to you! I'll sue his ass for everything he has! Just say the word.”

“Pam, calm down. It's not like that.”

“Well, what in the hell is it then? Are you seeing Chris Dickerson or not?”

“Yes, I mean, no…I was.”

“How come you never told me about him?”

Dee shook her head. “I don't know. I just didn't get around to it.”

“So, what happened? What did he do to you to make you this upset?”

“It's not his fault. I knew what I was getting myself into when I started dating him.”

“Well, he's a fool if he let someone like you go.”

“Thanks, I appreciate that.”

“Well, it's true. Besides, those damn jocks think they are God's gift to women anyway. I can't imagine trying to get involved with someone like that. I say good riddance to bad rubbish!” Pam said leaning over to kiss Dee on the cheek. “He doesn't deserve you, Dee. Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?”

“No, I would really rather not.”

“Well, for the record, you need someone who is honest, and who is going to love you for who you are. Don't end up like me, okay?”

“What's that supposed to mean?” she asked, pulling a crumpled tissue from her pocket and blowing her nose.

Pam inhaled deeply, pausing before she spoke. “Listen, Greg was a liar and a thief. He didn't love me for who I was. And more importantly, he didn't love me enough to trust me and tell me what was really going on with him.” As Dee placed her arms around her shoulders, Pam looked up at her and formed a small smile. “Hey, it's been three years and I finally let a man hold and touch me.”

“Hold up! Wait a second. Who are you talking about?”

Pam smiled like a cat that just made off with the catch of the day. Dee slapped her knees. “Look at your face! What did you do this weekend?”

“I wasn't going to tell you since I've been trying to figure it out myself. But do you remember the guy that has been sending me—”

“The exotic flower guy?”

“Well, it was purely coincidental, but when I went out to Vegas by myself, it turned out that our rooms were right across from each other's.”

“No!”

“Yes!”

“You two didn't know that the other was going out there?”

“No, I hadn't even spoken with him since the day you were in my room when he called.”

“That was just last week.”

“Well, anyway, after thinking about my ordeal at SMS, I decided that I was going to take some time out for myself and…”

“That's when you flew to Vegas.”

“Yes, and one thing just lead to another and before I knew it…”

“You got your groove on!”

“Yeah, I guess, I did.”

Dee saw Pam blush for the first time in three years. “Finally!”

“Anyway, it all happened so fast.”

“Well, how was it?”

“It was good, Dee. I mean really, really good. I got a chance to clear my head, too. It's amazing what a good orgasm can make you do!”

Dee laughed. It felt good. When she looked at Pam she saw something that she hadn't seen in a while—a face free of lines and anger, and happy.

“Well, did that orgasm give you some clarity about anything else?”

Pam squinted until her forehead wrinkled. She let out a huge sigh. “I know where this is going. You mean, did I have a chance to think about Amanda, right?”

Dee nodded. “Yes.”

Pam got up from the chair and began pacing as if she was about to give final arguments to a jury.

Oh boy, what have I done now?
Dee thought as she started regretting the fact that she even mentioned Amanda's name.

“Yes, I gave her some thought.”

Dee's eyes widened. “Really?” And what did you decide?”

Pam stopped pacing and looked Dee square in the eyes. “Would you be offended if I didn't tell you?”

Dee was surprised at her answer. Since when did Pam ever care if she offended someone? “So, what if I am offended?” Dee chided.

“Well, all I can say is that I do have a plan, but I haven't fully worked it out. However, when I do, I'll let you know. Deal?”

Dee smiled and got up to embrace Pam. “Deal!” She hoped that whatever her plan was that it would end this incredulous feud between her and Amanda.

“So, when do I get to meet Mr. Wonderful?” Dee asked changing the subject.

“Funny you should ask, he's coming to town on Friday. Are you flying?”

“No, I'm off this whole weekend.”

“Great. Maybe you could bring a date.”

“I don't think so.” Dee looked at her evenly. She remembered the bet they had made about Sedrick.

It was like Pam had read her mind. “Hey, listen I may have been wrong about Sed.”

“What are you talking about? Wrong about what?”

“The bet we made, remember?”

“Oh yeah, what about it?” Dee pretended that she didn't remember. She could hear hesitancy in Pam's voice.

“Well, it's just that it appears that he has a girlfriend and it looks kind of serious.”

“Really? When did you find this out?”

“He introduced her to me on the day he came by to drive me to the airport when I was off to Vegas.

“Good for Sed. Who is she?”
That leaves me off the hook!
Dee thought happily to herself.

“Her name is Miranda. She's a resident at the hospital with him. She seems to be very smart and they seem happy.”

“I'm happy for him.”

“I know you are, but I wanted…”

“I know what you wanted, but it was just never meant to be. Besides, I love Sed like a family member. Look, worry about your own love life. It sounds like you've got your hands too full to be digging into mine,” Dee laughed.

“All right, I'll give you the details later about the dinner, but I'm going to remain hopeful about you and Sed. I want you to keep the thought in the back of your mind, just in case Miranda isn't THE ONE,” Pam said as she started to walk out the room.

“Whatever, Pam, geez.”

“Did the mail come while you were here?” Pam shouted from the hallway.

“Yes, it's on the kitchen table.”

Pam scooped up the mail that had accumulated over the weekend. Just as she was about to toss out what she thought was a piece of junk mail, she noticed that the return address was from Richmond and Lieberman, a law firm in New York.

“Hmmm…that's strange. Why would they be sending me a letter?” She ripped open the envelope and read the first paragraph. Her breathing became labored as she grabbed the back of the chair to brace herself.

Aborted Take Off

W
hen Amanda was about to turn into her driveway, she noticed an unfamiliar car parked next to the curb in front of her house. Cautiously, she pulled up next to it and was shocked to see who it was. She frantically pressed the button to lower her window some.

“Rickey, what are you doing here?”

“I had to see, you Amanda,” he said, cutting her off.

“Rickey, have you lost all of your senses? Showing up here like this?”

“Maybe,” he said, as he got out of the car and leaned in her passenger window.

“Well, maybe you have a death wish, because if Melvin sees you, he is going to kill you!”

Rickey laughed. “I'm not afraid of Melvin.”

“Well, you should be!”

Rickey shook his head and laughed. “Listen, it sounds like you've got a helluva lot more to lose than I do,” he said, eyeing her engagement ring as her fingers gripped the steering wheel.

Amanda took her hand off the wheel and pointed her finger in his face, speaking in a low tone. She looked around to see if anyone was watching her. “Rickey, I'm not going to discuss this with you out here.”

“Good. Then let's go in the house and talk.”

“In my house? You've got to be on something! I just told you…”

“I know you keep talking about Melvin, but I think you're using him as an excuse.”

“Really, now, and why would I do that?”

“Because you won't be able to control yourself if you're alone with me.”

“Rickey! Stop it!” Although she knew he was telling the truth, she still had a strong desire to slap him. Amanda tried to push the memories of their one-night stand out of her mind.

Rickey knew he had struck a chord and he intended to play it as long and as hard as he could. “Listen, since you won't let me in your house, will you at least pull over?”

Amanda's gray eyes were now seething. She didn't know if she was angrier with him for being so presumptuous, or herself for being so weak around him.

“Now, don't look at me like that,” Rickey teased.

“Rickey, you need to go home.”

“Just give me a minute. And pull the car over to the curb, will you?”

Amanda reluctantly pulled her car in front of his. He darted toward the side of her car and got in on the passenger side. Her heart was pounding in double-time. Why did her stomach still flutter when he was near her? Damn you, Rickey. Why now? Why did he come back in her life and complicate matters?

“Look at you; I'm making you nervous, aren't I?”

“Rickey, don't flatter yourself,” Amanda mumbled. “I already told you, I'm en—”

“I know, I know. Engaged to Melvin.”

Amanda nodded. “That's right.”

“But you said you loved me.”

Amanda shook her head. “I know I did Rickey, and I do, but it's a different kind of love,” she said, wishing she had never told him that.

“Different how?”

Amanda sighed heavily. “We will always have a bond because of Tracey. I know that's a huge part of it. And even though I still look at the old picture of us in my wallet just about every day, I know in my heart that my life is meant to be spent with Melvin.”

“See, that says a lot about how you feel about us. How can you say that your life is meant to be spent with Melvin after what we shared?”

“Because I can feel it every time he looks at me. And I don't have to wonder if he's telling me the truth. But, with you, there will always be something standing between us. I don't know; maybe just too much time has passed. We've grown our separate ways and, well, Melvin and I have grown together.”

“But, Amanda, I can make up for that time. Let me prove it to you. What happened with us losing contact wasn't my fault.”

“I know it wasn't
all
of your fault.”

“Oh, so now you're going to make it sound like some of it was?”

“Listen, all I know is that for all of these years I raised our daughter without a father. You had a choice, Rickey.”

“What choice? Mama didn't allow me to have any. She made them for me. I told you that! That's how we lost contact, that's how I lost you…and Tracey.”

Amanda took in a deep breath. She was unprepared to tell Rickey this to his face. “Rickey, I've thought about this every hour since you and I first saw each other again.” Amanda paused. “I know that your mother was sabotaging your efforts, but you could have worked harder to find us and have a relationship with your daughter.”

Rickey grabbed her hand. His touch was making her so warm that she had to roll her window down further.

“Amanda, Let me make it up to you and Tracey. Tracey is willing to forgive me. Why can't you?”

“I do, I really do forgive you, Rickey. We were both so young. And young people do foolish things. But as much as I would like to, I can't go back in time. Too much has happened.”

“Yes, you can, baby. You did the other night when you let me make love to you. I want you back, Amanda. I love you and I want the three of us to be a real family.” He let go of her hands and cuddled her face. He kissed her with such intensity that she had chills. “Now, look at me and tell me again that you can't go back.”

“Rick—”

Before Amanda could finish saying his name, her panties became moist as Rickey pulled her toward him. He playfully sucked her bottom lip and penetrated her mouth with an erotic slip of his tongue. “I love you, Amanda,” he repeated as Amanda tried to catch her breath.

“Please stop. Rickey—no!” she said, trying to gain control. “You've got to stop this now, Rickey. I mean it!” she cried out, raising her hands at him.

Suddenly out of nowhere, a red pick-up truck spun in front of them. The slamming of the brakes made a loud screeching noise. Amanda nervously squirmed around in her seat and immediately started shoving Rickey toward the door. “Oh my God! Get out! Get out now! It's Melvin!”

“Damn, what's this dude got? Radar?”

Rickey barely stepped out of her car when he felt a sharp blow to the left side of his jaw. Melvin pulled his fist back to punch him again on the other side.

“Stop it! Melvin! Stop it,” Amanda screamed jumping from the car.

Rickey barely had time to react as he saw Amanda jump on Melvin's back, trying to prevent him from lunging at Rickey again.

“What the hell is he doing here?” Melvin yelled.

Rickey rubbed his jaw, moving it a little to make sure it wasn't broken. “Amanda, do you want to tell him or should I?”

“Tell me what?” Melvin looked at Amanda scornfully.

“Melvin—please, honey, I can explain!”

“Explain what? That you're still in love with this no-good nigga who abandoned you and Tracey for all of these years!” Melvin's words cut through Amanda's heart like a hot razor blade. Why would he say something like that to her? Melvin would never talk to her like that unless he had good reason.

“Hey, man, why don't you get your facts right before you start accusing somebody?” Rickey looked at him as if he wanted to take a few jabs at Melvin.

“I ain't accusin' somebody, I'm accusin' you, punk!”

“Punk?” Rickey said, loosening his tie and shrugging off his blazer.

“Rickey, PLEASE!” Amanda shouted.

“Naw, nigga, show me what you got. Gone take off that $2000 suit; we wouldn't want yo' pretty-boy ass to get dirty.”

“Melvin, just come on in the house. I'm warning both of you. I will call the police. The two of you are acting like juvenile delinquents!”

“Him, more so than me!” Rickey said pompously.

“Why, I'll take that silk tie and tie a noose around your over steroid sized neck!” Melvin said, trying to take another swing at him. As Rickey ducked, Amanda found herself right in the middle of them.

“Rickey, GO HOME, NOW!” she shouted, looking around, hoping none of her neighbors were looking out of their window. She grabbed Melvin by the hand. Finally, he paused when Rickey jumped in his car and sped away. Amanda hurried Melvin into the house.

“Here, take this,” she said, opening the freezer and handing him an ice pack for the bruise that was forming around his knuckles. Melvin flinched as it gradually numbed his sore hand.

“So why didn't you tell me that jackass was in town? Huh? Why you tryin' to hide him from me?”

“It's a long story, Melvin.”

“Well, spare me the details and give me the abbreviated version! As a matter of fact, why don't we start with the conversation you had on the phone with him this morning.”

Amanda was stunned. “How did you know I was on the phone this morning?”

“Cause I came back to get my wallet and I overheard you talkin' to that jerk of a Daddy with the big bucks. So, now, are you gon' tell me what the hell is goin' on, or am I going to have to get it from him?”

Amanda sat down next to him and told him about their coincidental meeting at the airport, and the conversation they had about Tracey over dinner. She could hardly bring herself to meet his deep disapproving gaze.

“So you mean to tell me that you've waited all this time to tell me this?”

“Yes, because I knew you would react just like you did. And I was right, wasn't I?”

Melvin got up and pushed his chair back with such force that it fell over backwards on the floor. He slammed the ice pack on top of the table and the loud thud made Amanda jump. In all of the years she had known Melvin, she had never seen him filled with so much fury.

“Yeah, Amanda, you was right! You always are though, ain't you? You was right when you thought that cocky bastard was going to marry you when you got pregnant by him! And you was right when you decided to let him send only money to Tracey, for seventeen years! And you was right when you let him seduce you after seventeen years and worm his worthless way back into Tracey's life!”

“Melvin, I didn't let him se—”

“Who you think you dealin' with, Amanda? I didn't just wake up and meet you yesterday. You've been hung up on Rickey for as long as I've known you. Hell, you been carryin' that old ass picture of you and him in your wallet since the day I met you! Bet you didn't think I knew that did you? Damn, you even startin' to get his stench!” Melvin rudely wiped his nose with his hand to show his disgust with her.

Amanda's mouth hung open from shock. “How can you talk to me like that?”

“How can you tell that classless son-of-a-bitch you love him? How do you think that makes me feel, huh? You wearin' my ring, and tellin' him that you love him! You are so caught up in Rickey's past. Mr. Big Time Football Player. Mr. Suave. Mr. GQ. Mr. Daddy Big Bucks. He sends ya' checks here and there, and you're able to lead the kind of lifestyle you want to!” He waved his hands wildly in the air. “You're okay with a check from him because he can't give you nothin' else. Well, I tell you what, Amanda, you and Rickey do as you please! I just don't want to see Tracey hurt!”

“Melvin, what are you saying?”

“All I know is that right now I don't even want to look at you. I need some space,” he said as he walked to the door.

“Melvin?”

“I'll call you in a few days, and in the meantime, maybe you and Mr. Heisman Trophy can get together and work out a way not to ruin Tracey's life!” He stormed out of the house.

Amanda thought she was coming home to relax from her first day back at work, and just as she didn't think her evening could get any worse, the doorbell rang.

“Melvin?” she cried out, hoping he'd had a change of heart and came back to resolve their differences. “I'm so glad you came back!”

When she opened the door, she couldn't believe who was on the other side. She immediately flung the door, but Pam caught the handle of the door before it could close all the way.

“Amanda, please. We need to talk.”

“This is the worst time you could have shown up. I don't have anything to say to you. Please let go of my door and leave.”

“Okay, that's fair. I know my timing is not the best. I just saw Melvin speed out of here like a bat out of a hell, with a swollen hand that was the size of a football. I know it's none of my business, but—”

“No, it isn't! Just go away. Get out of my door before it ends up knocking you in the face, okay? I have nothing to say to you!”

“Okay, then don't say anything. Just let me talk. Will you PLEASE let me in?”

“NO!”

“All right, I promise I can say what I have to say in three minutes. I'm not leaving until you let me say what I came by to say. I can stay out here all day and wait. I've got plenty of time on my hands. So, it's up to you.”

Amanda did not want to create a scene in her neighborhood. She knew Pam well enough to know that she would not leave until she had her say. She reluctantly pulled the door open and waited for the second hand on her watch to hit number 12 so she could start the count. “You have three minutes. Start.”

Pam took a deep breath. “Amanda, I was so wrong to treat you the way I did.” She paused and looked at Amanda, but she had no reaction. “I had no right to make your work life a living hell. You see, I have been living in hell for quite some time now, and I guess subconsciously I wanted to take you there with me. I didn't realize, nor did I care about how unhappy I was making you and the other employees.”

She took another deep breath and looked at Amanda again, hoping she would give her some eye contact. “I am turning over a new leaf starting today, and I want to make amends. I know it cannot happen overnight, but I will work at it until I can make it right.”

“Are you through?”

“Yes,” Pam said exhaling.

“Good. Because there are about 30 seconds left, which gives me just enough time for you to get up out of my house and shut the door behind you!”

“I understand,” Pam said despairingly.

“I'm glad you do. Now, GET OUT and don't ever show up at my door step unannounced again!”

Pam started to walk back toward her car, but suddenly turned back to Amanda and whispered, “I'm so sorry. I hope that one day you can forgive me.”