Jason, Eric and a van of eight other men arrived at the school a little past nine Saturday morning. TK met them at the door and escorted them through the hallway. She introduced them to a few people along the way. She was so flustered by seeing Jason again she forgot a few names, but he corrected her blunder. If it was possible, he was more handsome in his jeans and t-shirt then the last time she had seen him. Since that night, he had awakened her every morning with a call and they fell asleep on the telephone together every night. She learned more about him in a week than most people would learn in a lifetime, and yet she still wanted to know more.
“This is quite an undertaking. How many volunteers did your sister get?” Jason asked.
“Not enough, but your friends will definitely help the outcome. My sister gave up having her room painted so the cafeteria could be done. That’s where you guys are going to help. Are you ready?”
“Point me to the paint and brush,” Eric smiled. Looking around it was clear that the building had been neglected. It felt good to be doing something to bring a school back to life.
Upon entering the cafeteria, a few people were standing on tables and ladders painting. There were buckets of paint and brushes near the door. A few long handles were leaning against the wall and a few rollers on the floor next to them. The huge room looked more like a penitentiary common area than a cafeteria for children. The few windows had bars on them and looked as if they had not been cleaned in years. This was definitely a place that needed a lot of TLC.
TK looked around but did not see Siri. She asked one of the workers and they pointed to the kitchen area, where it sounded as if a confrontation was in progress.
“We did not agree or discuss painting this area. Now it may have been your ex-husband that put you here, but you answer to me.”
“Roscoe what difference does it make where the paint goes. I gave up painting my room so we could do the kitchen. It does not make sense to paint the outside and not in here. The children eat out there but the cooks work in here. They need to be comfortable with their surroundings as well as the children.” Her back was to the door as all five feet three inches of her stood with a brush pointing at a man that stood at least six feet and a clear three hundred pounds.
“My name is Mr. Ford to you. I have had enough of your disrespect. Just know, Mrs. Austin, is well aware that you were the one that talked Carl into this and she is not pleased. I think it would behoove you to remember how persuasive she can be. You may be able to sway him; God only knows why, but me, huh, I know what you are.”
“Is there a problem here?” Jason asked with the authoritative voice that was natural to him.
The two turned and Siri dropped the brush she was about to swing at Roscoe. Her eyes widened and her lips separated apart, but not a sound came out. She turned away quickly, but not soon enough.
“Siri?” Eric called out as he stepped towards her.
“You know my sister Siri?” TK asked smiling.
Eric looked at TK, then at Jason then back to Siri. He wasn’t sure what he was reading in her eyes. Surprise was definitely one of the emotions, and he certainly understood why. But there was something else.
“Who in the hell are you?” Roscoe demanded.
Jason stepped forward, “I’m Jason Davies, manager of Silk Davies standing right there. We came to assist Siri with her painting project. And you are?”
“Oh,” Roscoe quickly changed his tune. “You’re Silk Davies, the singer. I didn’t recognize you.” He extended his hand grinning broadly. “Welcome, welcome to our little project here.” When Eric was slow in extending his hand, Roscoe turned and grabbed Jason’s. “We were having a little disagreement on the extent of the project. As you can see this is a huge undertaking.”
“What’s the problem Roscoe?” TK asked defiantly and ready to back her sister up.
Eric stepped closer to Siri who was still avoiding his eyes. He extended his hand, “Eric Davies, I’ve heard so much about you from your sister.”
Siri was still motionless. What in the hell was he doing here? What would Roscoe do if he found out about that night? Would she lose her job? Be humiliated all over again? Did he always look so good, so kissable? Her eyes traveled down the t-shirt that covered the defined muscles she knew were underneath. Then on to his slightly bow legs she remembered straddling her, that were now covered in jeans. Then back to the eyes that had completely captured her that night. “Hello,” she replied so low, she wasn’t sure he heard her.
Cashmere walked in, “Mr. Ford you better come see this, you too Siri.”
“What is it Ms. Wagstaff, can’t you see we are busy here?” Roscoe responded.
“I’m pretty sure you want to see this,” she replied.
They stepped back into the main cafeteria and were shocked to see the number of people standing there. “They heard Silk Davies was here to paint and they decided to help too.” Cashmere whispered then winked at Siri.
Siri looked around and smiled brightly, “I think we now have enough people to do the entire school. What do you think Roscoe?” She slapped him on the back then walked out to the crowd to begin taking names and passing out equipment. She was sure that someone upstairs was looking out for her. If she had stood in the room with Silk Davies for another minute, she would have lost her dignity—that, she was sure of. Even now, she could not concentrate on the names people were giving her, for the sense of him staring at her. She chanced it and looked up. Yep, he was staring at her.
Seeing Siri was busy, Cashmere began organizing which classrooms workers would go to. Soon they had at least two people in every classroom, several in the cafeteria and kitchen, and several in the auditorium. A few hours later, some men came in with spray guns to help speed the job along.
Because the number of helpers had increased so dramatically, Kerri’s lunch spread was not going to feed all of them. Jason gave one of the band members his card and instructed him to bring back whatever was needed to feed the volunteers. TK, Jason, Eric, and Kerri were all seated at the back of the cafeteria eating when Siri emerged from the kitchen. “Siri, come here, sit down, and have some lunch with us.” Kerri ordered. “That child is going to work herself to death trying to clean up this school.”
“You know how she is about the kids Mommy, don’t fuss,” TK pleaded.
Siri slowly made her way over. The last thing she wanted to do was be near the man whose presence affected her so deeply she could barely breathe. Eric who was sitting at the oblong table next to Kerri never took his eyes from Siri as she approached. She was more beautiful than he remembered. Something inside him stirred as she came closer. He had hoped that when he saw her again she would not have the same effect as she had that night. That hope faded when he saw the bluish gray paint on the tip of her nose and in her hair that was held up by a clamp. The gray midriff shirt and sweat pants that hung seductively low on her hips were stained as well. He swore there was nothing more exquisite than the woman standing before him.
Kerri reached into the cooler and pulled out a container. “Here I fixed your favorite salad, with grilled chicken, tangerine, green peppers, sweet peppers, raisins mixed with spinach and lettuce.” She sat the container on the table then reached down and pulled out a bottle of water.
“Thank you, Mommy,” she replied softly. She looked around and knew she could not sit at that table with Silk. “I’m not very hungry. I think I’ll go get started on my room.”
Kerri frowned. “Nonsense, girl. You’ve been here since seven. You didn’t eat breakfast and have been working since you got here. Of course you’re hungry and if you’re not sit down and eat anyway.” Kerri reached down into the cooler again, speaking her mind as she did. “If that ex-husband of yours was any kind of a real man, he would have paid someone to do this. Not sucker you into going out with him again. Where is he anyway? Some kind of councilman he turned out to be.” She finished just as she pulled out her famous strawberry shortcake.”
Normally Siri would have been fighting with TK over the dessert, but her nerves were too in tune with Silk. Noticing she was still standing and not fighting over the cake, which TK and Jason were now sharing, Kerri became concerned. She stopped fidgeting and looked up at her daughter who was busy trying not to look at the man sitting next to her. Kerri looked from Siri to Eric, who was not even attempting not to look at her daughter. “Siri, honey, are you okay?”
Smiling fictitiously she replied, “Yeah, Mommy, I’m fine. I just want to get things finished before people start leaving.” Avoiding the eyes she knew were watching her, she nervously picked up the bottle of water and the container. “I’ll eat this in my classroom.” She started to walk away then stopped and turned to the people at the table. “Thank you for coming to help with the school. I truly appreciate your help. I’ll make sure the children know who you are and what you did today.” She smiled bashfully and walked away quickly.
“Has that man been here bothering her today?”
“I haven’t seen him or his mother. You know they only come around if the news cameras are here,” TK replied.
“I certainly hope she is not going back into her shell again. I hate what that family did to her.” Kerri stated as she angrily began putting things away.
“What happened to her?” Jason asked, concerned with the conversation.
“Carl and Mable Austin happened,” Kerri replied angrily.
“Carl is Siri’s ex-husband.” TK explained, “He divorced her because his mother Mable decided Siri was not the type of wife Carl needed to further his career in politics. The divorce was played out like a soap opera on the local news. Siri refused to comment on any of the accusations that were levied against her and Carl was too spineless to contradict anything that his mother said. The media reported her as having a questionable relationship with a minor and accused her of marrying Carl for his family’s money. She lost her teaching job at the high school and the respect of the community.”
“What happened with the minor?” Jason asked.
“The boy was seventeen years old and very taken with Siri.” Kerri replied. “Siri was tutoring the boy one evening when the boy made advances towards her. Well, Siri’s a fighter; at least she was before this. She whipped that boy’s behind good and sent him home to his parents. The boy went around school telling people he and Siri were getting it on. Mable refused to have her son’s name attached to such a scandal and ordered Carl to divorce her. The boy’s father discovered it was all a lie and convinced his son to tell the truth. But it was too late; the damage had been done. Siri lost her job, her husband, and her self-respect. The irony of it all is I believe Carl truly loved her, he just can’t stand up to his mother.”
“What’s really sad is Carl is the only man Siri has ever been with and he knows that to be the truth. I’m afraid if she goes back into that funk she was in before, she will never let another man into her life,” TK sighed. She looked up at Eric. “You know you really touched her the night of your concert.”
“Yes, you did.” Kerri added with a smile. “The next morning she was full of life and ready to take on whatever was to come. A few days later, she reapplied for a teaching position and she finished a novel she had begun last year. I was so happy to see her back to her old self again, until today.”
Jason looked at Eric, who was listening intently to the conversation. Eric looked up at his brother. There was no way he could know he touched her in more ways than the music. “I think I’ll go down to her room. What number is it?”
“Number 12, right next to the office so the principal can keep an eye on her,” TK replied very disgustedly.
Eric cleared the table, picked up a bucket of paint, a brush, and a roller and walked down the hallway.
♪
Appalled with her behavior Siri sat at her desk and ate in silence. I acted ungrateful to people that came to help the school. TK must be so angry with me for not spending time with her and Jason. How am I going to explain the way I behaved to my sister or her mother? “How do I fix this?”
“It’s really not that bad. A little TLC cures most of the ills of the world.” Eric’s six feet frame stood in the doorway with a bucket of paint in one hand and the roller in the other looking sexier than any person had a right to.
“Not all things,” she shyly replied. Embarrassed by his presence she looked down at her barely eaten salad. “Silk, I know I don’t have the right to ask, but please don’t mention that night to anyone, please.”
Concern with the tremor in her voice, he stepped into the room and closed the door. “My name is Eric. Silk is my stage name.” He sat the items in his hand down and sat at a desk directly in front of her. “I was never one to kiss and tell.”
The vicinity of his seat was a little too close for comfort. Siri stood and opened the door. “I’m not allowed to close my door when another person is in the room.” She stood by the door and looked around nervously.
The sexual tension was in the air as they stared silently at each other. The shock of seeing her again had not completely diminished for Eric as he fought the urge to kiss her as thoroughly as he had before.
“I think it’s important for you to know, I don’t sleep around with men.”
A devilish grin appeared on Eric’s face, “Do you sleep around with women?”
“No!” She swallowed, “I--what I meant to say was I don’t sleep around. You know like what happened between us.” She whispered while looking out the door to ensure privacy.
“Oh, so that was your first time?” he whispered back.
“No. Umm—yes,” She replied flustered as she stepped away from the door so the conversation would not be overheard. Standing directly in front of him now with her arms folded across her chest she whispered, “No, it wasn’t my first time with a man; it was my first time with a stranger.”
“You should try it again, you are pretty good at it,” he teased.
Sure, she had misunderstood what he said she frowned. “I can’t go around sleeping with strangers. My reputation is stained as it is.”
“Well you could just sleep around with me. I won’t tell anyone.”
Siri’s hands went to her hips and her eyebrows furrowed. “As enticing as that may be, I can’t do that. I don’t know you.”
He took her hand and motioned for her to sit at the desk next to him. “I beg to differ,” he said as she sat in the chair. “I think you and I know each other better than some married couples.”
Blushing, Siri lowered her head. “About that night--”
“Yes about that night of seduction,” he interrupted her. “You left something behind.”
“I did, what?”
“Your panties.”
Siri sprung from the seat and gasped.
“Will you relax?” Eric laughed. “It’s not that serious. No one will ever know Siri. You have my word on that.”
With tears appearing in her eyes Siri whispered, “You don’t understand. I just went through a really, really bad period in my life. If something like this gets out about me it would be catastrophic. I’m just beginning to get my life back in order. I could lose my job, and the little respect I’ve managed to earn back. Please, I beg you, please don’t tell anyone.”
Eric stood and embraced her. The fear in her eyes annoyed him. “Siri, I will never tell a soul about that night.” He kissed the side of her head and held her protectively in his arms as her tears captured his heart. “Look at me Siri.”
Slowly she raised her head until their eyes met. He wiped the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs. “That night was very memorable for me. I hope it was the same for you. I certainly don’t want you to stress over it.”
Mesmerized by his eyes and his voice, Siri wasn’t sure which was causing the serenity within her, but whichever it was, she was grateful for it. “The memory of that night soothes me to sleep at night and awakens me refreshed each morning. I never thought I would have to explain it to my family.”
Touched by her words he smiled. “I hope you will explain it to me one day. But not now. We have a room to paint and you have people to thank. Where shall we start?”
Realizing she was still standing in his arms, Siri slowly pulled away. “My room isn’t going to be painted. I compromised and did the kitchen instead.”
“I have never volunteered to do manual labor with these hands. Are you turning down my offer?”
Touched by his confession Siri smiled. “Thank you for the offer, but my boss will have a cow or two if this room is painted.”
“He looks as if he could have two cows.” Siri smiled so brightly at his comment, Eric was certain somewhere on earth the sun was rising. Thinking to himself, I would love to see her smile like that every day. “I’m sure he would look and feel a lot better if he had at least one cow, so what do you say we help him along.”
“Hmm, you are asking me to do something that will tick my boss off. Let me think about that for a moment.” She acted as if she was contemplating. “Works for me,” she declared. “Let’s start with the back wall.”
Smiling contently, “The back wall it is,” Eric replied.
The local radio station was on as the two worked silently. The deejay announced, “We have a request from a volunteer over at the elementary school on the north side of Richmond. It seems they have a paint party going on over there and I wasn’t invited. My feelings aren’t hurt, just bruised a little. Especially since Silk Davies is there. That’s right folks the one and only Mr. get them sticky and wet is in town working to help our community. Way to go Silk, and just to show you how much love we have for you here in the capitol city, the next hour we will give a little of the old and new from you. To my loyal listeners, let Silk Davies be an example to all of us. It‘s the little things that make the biggest difference. Enjoy the smooth sounds of Silk Davies, The Little Things.”
“That’s an interesting nickname you have,” Siri commented as she painted the low area and he did the high.
“Yeah, they tell me it is well earned,” he replied reaching over her head with the roller.
“I can testify to that,” she said while looking up at him.
He looked down and all the attraction he was trying to hold in began seeping out. Her black eyes reflected the mutual understanding of the moment. They may agree not to speak on the night they met, but both were deeply affected. She stood slowly as if something unspoken commanded her. A drop of blue paint from the roller landed on the tip of her nose. Reaching out he touched the spot. The sensation that surged through him was stronger than he had ever experienced. “If you keep looking at me like that, I am going to kiss you and we will relive that night right here in this room.”
“Hey did you guys here the announcement on the radio?” TK asked from the doorway.
The two did not answer for a moment, which seemed to be missed by TK who was now standing by the radio turning the volume up. Jason on the other hand noticed a little more. His brother was zoned in on Siri as if she was the only woman on earth. To keep her distracted and quench the urge to hold her close, Jason turned to TK with his hand stretched out, “Dance with me TeKaya.”
“I would love to,” she smiled sensuously.
Placing the roller against the wall, Eric extended his hand to Siri. Afraid to take it, but terrified not to, she joined him in a dance as his voice echoed in the room. Kerri stood in the doorway and admired what she witnessed. The room was filled with a sense of oneness, which only surfaces when there is love in the air. Leaning against the door Kerri wondered, now I know about Jason, but when and how did Eric happen? The thought pleased her, but concerned her as well. The last relationship her oldest daughter was in was public and it almost killed her, this one could be worse. Eric’s popularity was worldwide, not local. If this were to go badly it could destroy her.
“Doesn’t appear to be much work going on in here!” Mable Austin yelled to be heard over the music. “Siri I believe your behavior at the moment is in conflict of your contract. Would you mind turning that blasphemous music off?”
Siri walked towards the radio. “I’m rather enjoying that music and since this is a Saturday and not a school day, the contract you mentioned is not in affect Maybelline,” Kerri spoke as a mother protecting her cub.
“Regardless of what day it may be, her behavior reflects on the Board. If she wants to keep her job, it’s best that she remembers that.”
“I understand the contract Mrs. Austin. I don’t need to be reminded,” Siri replied.
“It appears you do. Oh just so you know, from this point on, any ideas or suggestions you have for this school will come directly to me, not Carl.”
“Hey I just checked out the cafeteria and some of the rooms. It really looks great. Siri this was a wonderful idea.” Carl commented enthusiastically as he walked in from the hallway. When nothing was said, he looked around the room at the sullen faces, and then looked to his mother.
“Excuse me,” Mable said as she left the room.
“Hello Mrs. Kendrick, TK, Siri.” He extended his hand to Jason who stood close to the door, “Carl Austin.”
Jason shook his hand, “Jason Davies.”
Carl walked over to where Eric stood and extended his hand. “Silk Davies, I’m a huge fan. Thank you for giving us a hand.”
Eric shook his hand and looked at Siri. “I’m here to help Siri and the children. Do you normally make it a habit to insult people who volunteer to help in the community?”
The smile on Carl’s face dropped and he looked at Siri and exhaled. “I don’t know what my mother said to offend you, but please accept my apology. We do appreciate anyone that steps forward to help with our schools. It’s clear that your participation brought others in the community forward to help as well. As hard as we may try, it’s difficult to get people to understand if they give, the community will prosper. Sometimes bringing in a celebrity encourages others to do what they can to help themselves. Thank you for coming forward.”
As much as he wanted to, Eric did not dislike the man that was once married to the woman he could not get off his mind. “You’re welcome. If we are planning on finishing this room, we better get back to painting.”
“Sure I’ll get out of your way.” He turned to Siri, “Umm, may I speak with you outside for a minute?”
Siri walked past her mother and kissed her cheek. “Go home Mommy, I’ll be fine,” then stepped outside the room.
“Will you guys be okay while I walk my mother out to her car?” TK asked.
“Sure, we’re straight,” Jason, replied with a smile as the women walked out. He walked over to the wall Eric was angrily painting. “I don’t like what I just saw. It’s as if she is surrounded by people who are openly disrespectful to her. The mother-in-law is at the forefront. We have to fix this Eric.”
It had been a year and a half since he had been inspired. Everything he wrote in that time was garbage to him, even if his team disagreed. Eric knew deep down it was not up to his standard. Fate was a bitter pill to take. Someone has had come along that touched him so deeply he was creating music in his sleep. The past few weeks, the vision of this woman and the music in his mind were one. He thought he would never see her again. Now she’s here with more baggage than the lost and found at LAX and just as exquisite as he remembered. There were women all over the world who wanted to be with him, give their lives to him, be at his beck in call. He could simply settle for one or two of them and be happy. But no, he had to have a woman with a reputation of a child molester, an ex-husband that clearly still has feelings for her and an ex-mother-in-law from hell. What he was about to say was clearly a sign that he had lost every ounce of good sense his mother had given him. “Find me a condo and studio in Richmond.” Disregarding the surprised look on his brother’s face, Eric continued painting. “Let’s finish this room.”