Love To Luv (15 page)

             
With that thought she got up and started to go through his belongings. She started with his closet. There were suits everywhere. Some with price tags still on them.
Then over to the nightstands.
Aretha found receipts of hotel stays, credit card statements, even the title to a car that she never seen. She found a lockbox under his bed but there was no key. She went to the jewelry box on the dresser. There she saw rings that he wore in concerts, bracelets, and a set of keys. Maybe one of these keys would open the lockbox.

             
She tried the key and it opened. There were pictures scattered in the box. There were several pictures that caught her eyes.
“What the hell?
”,
she yelled.

             
Dennis came running to the room.

DENNIS

Is everything ok in here?

ARETHA (Throwing the pictures back in the box and closing it)

Yeah. I was just going through Edgar’s things.

DENNIS (with a curious look on his face)

Oh ok.

ARETHA

I think that I need to have a yard sale. They are just too many things to give away.

DENNIS

Ok when do you want to have it? Are you going to have it here or in Meridian?

ARETHA

How about both places? Start here in New Orleans and whatever we don’t sell here have another one in Meridian.

DENNIS

Sounds like a winner.

Dennis asked Mattie to go with him to purchase some packing boxes. Aretha stayed at the condo to decide what would be sold and what she would keep. She went back to look at the pictures. She could not believe that she was betrayed beyond belief.

__________________

             
It was 11:46 A.M. when I decided that I would go down stairs to eat. I saw Jeremy sitting at a table with what looked like a cocktail. I did a b-line to him.

JACOB

Hey son.

JEREMY

Mr. Gibson, how are you?

JACOB

I am good. What’s up with you being by yourself? Where is everyone else?

JEREMY

They said that they were going shopping. I didn’t want to go. I have some things on my mind.

JACOB

Care to share?

JEREMY

Mr. Gibson can I be openly honest with you?

JACOB

Yeah sure.

The waiter came over and I ordered a glass of wine with fried green tomatoes, and a seafood platter.

JEREMY

I think that I am in love.

JACOB

Ian.

JEREMY (shocked)

Nnnoooo
.
Well yes. How did you know?

JACOB

C’mon now. Do you think that I am blind? I have been there before. The way you look at him, staying over to his house…

JEREMY

I stay at his house to get away from my mother.

JACOB

Sure, go ahead with you story.

JEREMY

I really care for him. I never thought that I could love a guy like this. His touch is so firm but yet sensitive, his kiss is indescribable, and the tightness of his…well I don’t want to get too detailed. I have had sex with females before and it was just that – sex.

JACOB

It sounds like you are in love.

JEREMY

Is that wrong? The Bible says that it is a sin.

JACOB

I have heard that before. I feel that maybe it is the act of two of the same sex being together but the love, true love, they share is not a sin.

JEREMY

I have never heard it put that way.

JACOB

Trust me. I have thought about all of this before.

JEREMY

What if I ask him to marry me?

JACOB

What is it with you kids wanting to get married?
First, Monique and Teddy now you and Ian.
Marriage is an important step. Trust, communication, and honesty
is
the key. Do you think that you can forsake temptations from other people?

JEREMY

Huh? You mean if someone make a pass at me can I resist it because I am married?

JACOB

Exactly.

JEREMY

Yeah. I love him. His family pretty much took me in while I am having issues at home. His mom
is so understanding
. So are you. Why aren’t in involved?

JACOB

Long story.

JEREMY

I appreciate you talking to me. I think I know what I am going to do.

JACOB

What is that?

JEREMY

I am going to ask him to marry me.

JACOB

What about your future? Didn’t you mention something about the military?

JEREMY

Yeah. I am still enlisting. I just want my mom to be more understanding.

JACOB

She will come around.

Jeremy got up and gave me a hug and a small kiss on my forehead. I thought that was strange because that would be the move of
a
older person to a younger student.

             
I finished off my drink and walked over to the bar. I decided that since I was alone I would sit at the bar to have a few drinks and go back to my room.

             
I received a text on my phone with directions to a house gathering from a business associate. I wasn’t doing anything else so I might as while enjoy New Orleans. Instead of driving I decided to walk. It was only several blocks from the hotel.

             
Making a left turn when I should have made a right led me to what I thought was a goldmine. I found myself lost on a series of
crunk
-looking streets. Pretty soon I realized I’d made a couple of wrong turns and was totally lost – in a not so great neighborhood covered in graffiti. It was late afternoon and I was getting frustrated as hell.

             
I spotted a guy that was well-muscled
5’11”, 175 pounds,
with a burnt almond complexion tossing a football in the air and walking down the street. I heard the “DAAAMMMNNN!!!” coming out of my mouth before I even realized I was saying it.

             
I stop walking to watch him for a minute. Wearing only baggy black basketball shorts and black shoes, his white t-shirt tossed over one of his board shoulder. He walked with the strut of a man sure as shit of himself and his sensuality. By now I’d forgotten all about the dude whose house I was trying to find.

             
I came to myself and sprinted to him.

JACOB

Ah, hey man, excuse.

THE STRANGER

Somethin
’ I can do for you,
bruh
?

I thought to myself, “
Hell yes!
”

JACOB

Look I am trying to find Ellis Ave.

THE STRANGER

Yeah
maine
,
sho
. I’m headed
dat
way now.

JACOB

Cool. I am Jacob by the way.

THE STRANGER (puzzled as they started to walk)

Bet. Where are you from?
Since you can’t find Ellis Ave.

JACOB

I am from across the river, Mississippi.

THE STRANGER

Real?
I had a friend from there a few years ago.

JACOB

Oh ok. That’s what’s up.

THE STRANGER

I’m Joe.

JACOB

Where you ever in prison?

THE STRANGER

Yeah, how you know?

JACOB

Because we used to be pen-pals.

JOE

Hold up.

Joe stops in his steps. He placed the football under his arm and reached in his underway. I thought that he was grabbing his dick. I had to turn my head because my eyes where getting glazed.

             
He brings out his wallet and pulled out a picture. He held it up beside me. He yelled out my name, “
JACOB!!”

JACOB

Yeah it’s me.

JOE (grabbing and hugging me)

This is madding to see you down here. I thought about you since we talked on the phone the other night.

JACOB

True. I didn’t expect to see you.

JOE

Right.
I am headed to a party on Ellis Ave.

JACOB

Hell me too.

JOE

You know Manny?

JACOB

Yeah. We did a few workshops together. He is a business associate.

JOE

Cool. He throws some of the wildest man. They can get a
lil
adventurous.

After walking for almost fifteen minutes we arrived at Manny’s house. There were cars aligned along the street. I thought that this was going to be exciting.

             
Manny greeted us at the door. As usual there was the usual kiss on both cheeks. Manny was the type of guy that loved having gatherings. If you could think of an occasion, he was giving a party. There was a time when a mutual friend of ours broke her
leg,
Manny gave her a party for not breaking her newly reconstructed nose.

             
When we walked in, there were fine ass men everywhere. There were a few women standing in the kitchen. They were laughing and throwing back drinks.

             
Manny introduced me to a few of his friends at the party. One I was very surprised to see. It was Gerald, my ex. Gerald’s face lit up like stars in the sky when he saw me. I acknowledged him but pretended not to know him. Gerald was partly the reason why Ellis was shot and killed.

             
I quickly took Manny by his arm so that he could introduce me to other people. The doorbell rung and Manny went to answer it. It was a big breast woman with a narrow face. Manny gave her the usual greeting and told her, “
the
other dikes are in the kitchen.”
I could not help but laugh.

_______________

Gerald walked over to me with a refreshed drink in his hand.

GERALD

Here you go.

JACOB

Thanks. What is it?

GERALD

Crown and coke.
So how have you been?

JACOB

Doing
good
. I can’t complain, and you?

GERALD

Good. Better now that I see you. How long has it been, 15 years?

JACOB

Yes it has.

GERALD

Was that your old man that you came in with?

JACOB

No, just someone I knew from … ah…from Kentucky.

By this time Joe came over to where we were standing. I was so happy to see him. I didn’t want to be left alone with Gerald.

             
I had not thought about Gerald in so many years. It just reminds me of the affair, the lies, the deception, the killing.

             
I felt a hand squeezing my ass hard. I wanted to turn around but I knew that it had to be Joe. He was the only one beside me. I could not help but to smile on the inside. I asked Joe if he could go refresh my drink. He gave me a wink and grabbed my glass. I thought about the old saying, “If they
wink
, they will fuck.” I was not prepared to have sex with anyone tonight. I didn’t want to have sex with anyone.

             
Joe returned with my drink. I took a big gulp of it. It had an unusual taste.

JACOB

What is this?

JOE

Jack and water.