When TK and her mother returned on Sunday from Atlanta, Siri was so excited. She talked non-stop for hours telling them about the book deal and her new agent. Not much could spoil her good mood. They were sitting at the dining room table having a celebration dinner Siri had prepared, when the door bell sounded. Siri jumped up. “I’ll get it,” she sang out and left the room.
TK looked at her mother. “I don’t know what all the tension was about yesterday at Eric’s house, but I have a feeling it was about Siri.”
Kerri sighed. “Why do you think it was about Siri?
“Because Eric was upset, not Jason.” She sat forward at the table and folded her arms on top. “Whatever it is, do not tell Siri now. Let her have this happy moment in her life without it being spoiled by anything or anyone.”
“I’m not sure I can do that.”
“Yes Mother, you can. If I can put up with Sierra’s mother for the next eighteen years, we can certainly carry this burden for Siri for a little while. Call it selfishness or whatever, but I just don’t want to see my sister unhappy while I’m beside myself with joy.” She reached over and placed her hand on top of her mothers. “You understand—don’t you?”
“Understand what?” Siri asked as she re-entered the dining room with Carl in tow.
“I don’t understand why you would let the devil in the house on a Sunday?” TK smirked.
TeKaya, where are your manners?” Kerri scowled. “He is not the devil.” He’s the devil’s spawn, she thought but did not say. She smiled instead. “Hello Carl. Would you like some dinner?”
“No thank you, Mrs. Kendrick.” He looked at TeKaya who was shooting daggers at him. “I’m happy to see you are free and at home.”
Before TK could respond and a have a full blown argument ensue. Siri interrupted. “Um, Carl needs to talk to me about something, so we’re going to step out for a while.”
“Siri we just got home and I have so much to talk to you about,” TK exclaimed.
“That can wait until you get back. Go ahead,” Kerri suggested.
Siri frowned; not wanting to choose Carl over her sister, she looked at TK. “Are you sure? If you really want to talk, I’ll stay.”
TK looked from her mother to Siri then up at Carl, who was scowling at her. “No, Mother’s right. We can talk when you get back. You won’t be long will you?”
“No,” Siri replied smiling. “Not long at all.”
“Let’s go Siri,” Carl said as he quickly took her hand. She pulled her hand away and walked in the direction they came from.
Once they were outside on the porch, Carl walked towards his car. “Where would you like to go,” he asked as he pulled his keys out of his pocket.
Siri hesitated, then replied. “Let’s just walk around the neighborhood.”
He stopped and studied her. She had always been a beautiful woman, but today she looked radiant. A frown appeared on his face as the vision of Eric “Silk” Davies coming out of the house putting his shirt on came to mind. “It’s not exactly what I had in mind. I was thinking something a little more intimate.”
She stepped off the porch, took a few steps, and stopped in front of him. She took his hand and smiled. “You are and always have been a very handsome man. You know that?” She kissed his cheek. “Let walk and talk for a minute.”
The sigh was loud and clear—he didn’t want to have this conversation. But she pulled him forward and he reluctantly followed. “I’m not going to like this, am I?”
Putting her hand inside his arm, she walked beside him. “Probably not. But this conversation is long overdue.”
“Siri,” he closed his eyes and stopped.
She pulled him along, “Come on. You said you wanted to talk. So—we’re going to talk, openly and honestly.”
They began walking again, at first in silence, then Carl spoke. “I’ve totally lost you, haven’t I?”
She smiled up at him as they continued to walk. “I’ll always be your friend. This, is an improvement. A few weeks ago I could have cut your balls off, for making me think I was sexually inept,” she raised an eyebrow. “Now, it’s not important. I want to keep your friendship, even if only to make your mother mad.”
Her smile was contagious—it had always been so for him. He knew, the moment Siri had agreed to marry him, he was a blessed man. But like most people, he did not appreciate the blessing until it was gone. “Are you sleeping with Silk Davies?”
They continued to walk until she was comfortable with her reply. “That’s a complicated question. It’s also not your business.” She rubbed his arm to ease the bruised feelings she was sure he was experiencing. They stopped and she looked up at him. “You gave up the right to ask questions like that when you divorced me.” He looked down at her and exhaled. “However, if you are asking as a friend,” they began walking again, “I will say we have been intimate, however, we aren’t any longer.”
His sigh of relief could be heard across the street. He even chuckled a little, “Whew. I had no idea how I was going to compete with Silk Davies.”
Stopping in front of him, she gathered his hands in hers and looked directly in his eyes. “There will be no repeat of you and I, Carl. The hurt cut too deep. I can forgive, but I will never forget what you and your mother took me through. I don’t think I will ever get over the public humiliation. The problem is I have to find a way to at least come to terms with it and get past what happened. My first step is forgiving you and telling you a secret.”
“Siri, I don’t want to know a secret unless it’s that you still love me,” he sighed.
She pulled him forward to start walking again. “Yes, you do. I want you to think about something. Promise me you will think before you answer.” He looked sideways at her. “Promise,” she said again.
There was something so calming, so delightful about her, there always had been. Damn, he was a fool. “Okay, I promise.”
“Alright, here’s the question. Right at this moment is your body tingling with sexual excitement?” She pointed a finger. “Now think about it. Do you have an irresistible urge to pull me over to the back of the house and have your way with me?”
“I’m always ready for you, you know that.”
“That’s not what I asked you. You’re playing the politician on me, and avoiding the question with nice words. Now, answer the question honestly or I’m not telling you my secret.”
He laughed. “You are too much,” he looked down at her and replied. “Okay, no, I’m not tingling with excitement. But you just gave me a one two punch here. With the, there will be no repeat. What do you expect?”
“I don’t expect anything. That’s just it, we settled for each other. Both of us should have waited until that person came along that makes time stand still when they are around and leave you wanting when they are not; that wasn’t us.”
“Is that what Silk does for you?” He stopped and she looked away. This time he pulled her along. “If that’s the case why are you walking away from him?”
“What make you think I’m the one walking away?”
“Because I saw the look in his eyes when he walked out the door and saw me. He was seeing me as his competition and I was seeing him the exact same way. Now, this time you think before you answer. I am asking you again. Why?”
She sighed long and deep. “Eric is a mega star. Everyone in the world wants a piece of him. I know that’s an exaggeration, but that’s what I feel. My being involved with him means dealing with the media and I just can’t do it again.”
Stopping he turned to her. It cut like a knife knowing he was responsible for her turning her back on something or someone that could make her happy. “Let’s walk back.” He took her hand and wrapped it around his arm. “I’ve never known you to be a coward, Siri. If Davies makes you happy and you are the person he wants in his life, don’t let anything stop you from going for it. I made the mistake of allowing my mother to come between us. Now, I have no one.”
“Well,” she smiled up at him, “that’s not exactly true.”
“What part?”
“The part where you said you have no one. You do have someone and I think it’s time for you two to give it a try.”
“You dump me one minute and trying to hook me up the next, this is rich,” he laughed.
“I know, I know. But it’s time. Aren’t you a little curious who I’m talking about?”
“No. I know who you are talking about.”
She looked at him surprised, “Then what’s stopping you from asking her out.”
“You, Siri. You were stopping me.”
“Well, that road block has been removed. So when are you going to ask her out?”
“Siri.”
“Carl.”
“Tell you what, I’ll ask Cashmere out if you promise not to close your mind to Davies. I want to see you happy. If it can’t be with me, then at least I’ll know you have a decent brother.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“Then I’ll think about Cashmere.” They smiled at each other and walked back to the house in silence.
♫
TeKaya was waiting on the porch when they returned. She watched as Carl kissed Siri’s cheek, got into his car and pulled away. How could she pick this man over Eric? Yes, Carl was tall, handsome, somewhat intelligent, but he was a momma’s boy. Eric was all those things, but he was his own man. Besides, Carl had hurt Siri, hurt her so deeply she lost her big sister for a year and she would never forgive him, or that mother of his, for what they had done to her. And as soon as Siri reached the porch, she was going to tell her just what she thought.
“Hey, I’m glad you waited up for me. Have I told you how happy I am for you and Jason? The more I get to see him around you the more I like him. You glow when he’s around and I can’t think of anything in the world more wonderful than seeing my baby sister happy.”
Damn, sometimes Siri really did get on her nerves. How was she going to fuss after that? “I’m scared Siri,” she confessed.
“What?” Siri looked concerned.
“Siri, Jason is so worldly, so mature, so sure of who he is and what he wants.”
“He sounds just like you,” Siri smiled.
“No, she shook her head. “I’m so much younger than he is and when we made love my inexperience showed.”
Surprised, but not allowing it to show, Siri sat down on the step next to her sister. “That was a big step for you. You want to talk about it?”
TK braced her hands behind her and began talking. “It was the most incredible experience of my life. I can still feel his hands on my body, the feel of his breath on my neck, his lips on mine.” She closed her eyes and did not see Siri smile. “I could have stayed in his bed for the rest of my life and been happy. But we are not going to have the traditional ‘happy ever after’. We are going to be together, I have no doubt about that. But we are going to have drama for the rest of our lives from Latoya.”
“You know what I know for a fact?”
Looking over at her sister she shook her head, “No, what?”
Siri smiled. When they were little TK would answer just like that to her questions. “I know that true love, not the manufactured kind, or a forced love like Carl and I had, but true love will conquer all. What you and Jason have is a once in a lifetime love. Both of you recognized it as soon as you met and you refused to ignore it. That is awesome and brave.”
“Siri, Jason paid Latoya 1.5 million dollars plus a multi-million dollar home to have me in his life. What do I have to give in return to equal that?”
“Love.” No one said anything for a few minutes. “And of course a killer body, big booty, gorgeous eyes, and a wonderful, exceptional personality.”
The two laughed like little girls. “I don’t have a big booty, you do.”
“Well, you got something he likes, giving up that kind of dough.”
TK sobered. “I don’t know if I’m worth it.”
Siri put her arms around her sister’s shoulders and pulled her close. “You are worth that and a whole lot more. Now, tell me about the wedding.”
A huge smile replaced the somber look as TK began to tell her big sister about her plans.
Near the window in the living room, Kerri sat listening as her two daughters talked. They never realized that’s how she always knew what was going on with them—the couch in the living room near the front porch. That’s where they always sat to talk, just like tonight. The conversation eased her concerns about TeKaya, but Siri was another story altogether. She said a silent prayer that Eric would handle the situation with that woman in Atlanta so that it would not hurt her child. Siri would not survive another blow like the last one.
♫
Monday had finally arrived. It was hard to believe it had only been three days since she received the call from Maxine Long about her book. Those few days were like a whirlwind—the call, making love to Eric, Atlanta, meeting Kiki, the talk with Carl. It was as if the Lord was clearing out old baggage to make a way for something better. At least that’s the way Siri chose to look at it.
Walking into the school, she decided to go to Cashmere’s class before her own. It was important to her to let her friend know it was okay for her to go out with Carl. She knew, Cashmere would feel uncomfortable seeing him because he was her ex and would not want to upset her. But it was the complete opposite. She wanted Carl happy and she was certain Cashmere was the woman that could turn his life upside down, if he allowed her to.
“Hey,” she said while tapping lightly on the door to the classroom across the hall.
“Siri. How was your weekend?” Cashmere asked as she put reports on the children’s desks.
“Hectic, but I did receive a call from Crimson Publishing. They want my book.”
Cashmere turned with a surprise look. “Oh Siri, that is wonderful! Congratulations! You must be so excited,” she said all in breath while giving her friend a hug.
“I am. I have a meeting this evening with the senior editor. And Saturday I met with and hired an agent.”
“Oh my God, that sounds wonderful. Your mother must be beaming.” She stopped and frowned. “How’s TK? I saw the news. What happened?”
Siri sat her tote bag on a desk. “Baby mama drama. But she handled it, came home and is planning a small wedding for this Saturday.”
“Oh my, happy news all the way around.”
“There’s more,” Siri smiled.
Cashmere sat on the desk behind her. “Let me guess, you and Carl are getting back together.”
“How would you feel about that?” Siri asked out of curiosity.
“If you were happy, then I would be happy for you.”
Siri looked at her sideways. “But, you—won’t be happy.”
“Of course I would be happy for you,” Cashmere replied, crushed by the insinuation.
“You would be happy for me even though you are in love with him?”
Cashmere stood, nervously looking for busy work. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”
Siri stopped her, pulled the papers out of her hand, and placed them on the desk. She looked directly into Cashmere’s eyes. “I’m not getting back with Carl. I’m not in love with him and he is not in love with me. Personally, I think you and Carl would make a great couple. In fact, I have it on pretty good authority; he is going to ask you out.” She saw the shocked look on Cashmere’s face. “When he does, I don’t want any of the nonsense about you not going out with him because he’s my ex-husband. Understand. I want you to go out with him and as soon as you get a chance, rock his world.” She picked up her tote bag and smiled at the still shocked Cashmere. “I have to get to class. Talk to you later.”
Cashmere stood in the doorway, with her mouth still open, when Siri looked back. She held her hand up and motioned for her to close her mouth. Cashmere did so quickly and looked up and down the hallway to make sure no one saw her expression. Siri laughed and walked into her room. Before she could place her tote bag on the desk, Roscoe, the butt hole of a principal she had to endure, was at her door. “Mrs. Austin would like to see you in my office, now.”
“Why, aren’t you kissing her butt enough?”
“You are trying my patience with that smart mouth of yours. Just one word from her and your behind is out of here.” He turned and walked out of the door. For a moment, it crossed Siri’s mind not to follow. Roscoe would have to grovel before queen bee—that was always amusing to see. Exhaling, she walked out of her classroom to the office. Inside sat the secretary, who was always pleasant, but never nice. It was rumored that Roscoe and his secretary were an item. But knowing how words or actions could be twisted into a world of untruths, Siri never engaged in those conversations. This morning, the woman looked uncomfortable, to say the least. “Good morning Siri,” she said and held her eyes for a moment then looked away.
“Good morning. Should I just go in?”
“I wouldn’t if I were you. But since you’ve been summoned I don’t think you have much of a choice.” “That bad, huh?”
“Ms. Austin,” Roscoe called out from the doorway, as he gave the woman a warning look.
Rolling her eyes, the secretary turned away.
Walking into the principal’s office was never a good experience as a child and in some cases worse as an adult working in the school system. The sun was shining through the large window, behind the conference table and chairs that were placed near the door. To the right bookshelves lined the wall, two chairs were positioned in front of the large cherry oak desk and behind it, in the principal’s chair sat the queen bee, Maybelline Austin. The secretary was right, she did not look pleased. “You wanted to see me?”
“Where are you manners Siri? It’s customary to say good morning. But you never understood simple courtesy.”
“Courtesy begets courtesy,” she replied but continued to stand near the door.
“Close the door!” Mable demanded with a slam of her fist on the desk.
“It’s customary to say please when you make a request of another person,” Siri replied and made no move to comply with her request.
Never turning her eyes from Siri, Mabel spoke to Roscoe. “Leave us Roscoe and close the door behind you.” Roscoe jumped up and did her bidding, leaving the two women in the room alone. “You continue to try my patience with your insolence, Siri. It’s amazing the audacity you display time and time again.”
“I realize you love to hear the sound of your own voice, but is this going to take very long. I have a class coming in soon.”
It was beyond her as to what her son saw in this woman, Mabel thought. There was no denying she was a beautiful woman, standing there dressed in a red pants suit, with a white blouse and the right accessories, but her lack of respect for authority annoyed her to no end. “It’s going to take as long as I want, that’s how long it’s going to be, if you value your job.” When Siri did not reply, “Do I have your attention now? I thought that would work. You need to explain to me why you were seen walking hand in hand with my son yesterday?”
“I don’t need to explain anything. If you want to know something about your son, I suggest you ask him.” The pained look on her face took Siri a little off guard. “You did ask him.” she almost smiled. “Didn’t you? And he didn’t tell you what you wanted to hear. Good for Carl. Could it be your baby boy is cutting the apron strings and becoming his own man?”
“You have always poisoned his mind against me. There were no problems between my son and I before he took up with you. Then everything I said was responded to with Siri said this, or Siri thinks that. You turned his head with that little body of yours and those dirty sex games you played.” She stomped from behind the desk. “But I proved who had the power and I took him back from you. Don’t you think for one moment I will allow you back into our lives?”
“You are talking like a jealous other woman rather than Carl’s mother. There was only competition between you and I in your mind. I didn’t take your son, he grew up like all children do, Maybelline. They grow up, leave home, start to lead their own lives, but they never, never leave their mother. I didn’t poison Carl’s mind. We fell in love, or at least we thought we did. It’s a natural thing that happens between a man and a woman.” She took a step towards the woman and put her hands on her hips to keep from smacking the stupid little woman that was once her mother-in-law. “Let me make this clear—you are no prize. I feel for the next woman Carl has feelings for, not because of him, but because she will have to deal with you. I never thought I would see the day that a mother did not want to see her child happy. It’s all about you. What is it, exactly? Are you afraid your son will leave you alone with no one but yourself as company? That would scare me too.”
Mabel reached out and smacked Siri across the face. “How dare you speak to me in that manner? You think because your sister is whoring herself to that record producer you no longer have to be concerned about your job.”
After the initial sting of the contact wore off, Siri turned to walk away, but stopped and turned back to the woman. “I don’t’ want to be a part of your life. I’m a good educator, not even your slurs have convinced the school board otherwise. I’m tired of the threats. If you feel you can take this job away from me, give it your best shot.” Standing there, with her hands on her hips, she exhaled, attempting to calm her nerves. “If you ever say anything in private or public regarding my sister again, I will forget that my mother raised me to respect my elders and give you the butt whipping you deserve.” She turned and walked out of the door.
Outside the office door, several teachers had gathered, including Cashmere, who immediately went to her. “Siri,” she took her arm, “come with me.” She ushered her into the teacher’s lounge ladies’ room. Turning on the water, she wet a paper towel as Siri angrily paced the small area like a caged lion, needing to break free. Taking Siri’s arm, Cashmere led her to a chair in the corner and placed the cool towel on her forehead. She witnessed the tears flowing from Siri’s eyes, but never said a word. She retrieved another towel, wet it, and wiped the tears away. She then sat on the arm of the chair and held her friend’s hand.
A few minutes later, the secretary came in, sat on the other arm, and took the other hand. “Don’t you worry about that old bat. I have enough on her and Roscoe to cause them trouble for years to come. She’ll be so busy trying to clean up the mess, she won’t have time to get you fired.”
Siri and Cashmere, with surprised expressions, looked at the woman, who never said much to any of them. Cashmere spoke first. “Roscoe and Maybelline?”
The woman nodded her head, “Mmm hmm—for years.”
Cashmere and Siri looked at each other and burst out laughing. “Well, doesn’t that beat all,” Siri said as she sat up and took the cool towel off her face. “She condemns me for marrying her son, and the whole time she’s sleeping around with a married man.”
“Roscoe,” Cashmere questioned, still not able to believe what she had heard.
“That’s right. I have hotel rooms, dates, receipts, you name it. I’ve got it.” the woman acknowledged. “If she tries anything with you, don’t you worry I have your back.” The woman stood, “Now both of you need to get to class.” With that, the woman walked out of the door.
Siri took Cashmere’s hand. “Don’t allow Maybelline to keep you and Carl apart.”
Looking at her friend Cashmere asked, “Are you sure you’ll be okay with me seeing him?”
Siri reached out and hugged her. “I want him to be happy and yes, I’m very sure it’s okay.” The two smiled. “Let’s go tackle those lovable rug rats we call children.”
♫
If the morning started bad, the evening was a paradox. Maxine Long was efficient, energetic, pleasant and to Siri’s surprise, a Caucasian woman. Speaking to her and the fact that she was married to Kiki’s father, led Siri to think she was a sister, but she was wrong. The great thing about it was, it didn’t matter. The three women sat at the plush TJ’s restaurant at the Jefferson Hotel and discussed what some would consider a very lucrative deal for a first timer. Apparently Kiki and Maxine had discussed everything from the book’s release date, the distribution, book signings and the media blast that would “put the book on the map” in Kiki’s words. That’s where Siri had to speak out. “Ladies, I’m not sure I can do that.”
“She’s concerned about the bad press from her divorce,” Kiki explained to Max while still reading the papers on the table. “After talking with her for hours, I believe she could handle the press, if questions were asked.”
Max waived the statement off. “I’m not worried about that. It’s public knowledge—history. We are dealing with the future. As long as there are no surprises lurking in the wood works, we’re going to be fine.”
“Well,” Siri nervously spoke. “There is a situation that developed over the weekend.”
“Oh, the thing with your sister and Jason Davies?” Maxine asked.
Siri nodded, surprise just how far the news traveled—Maxine was from New York.
“Wow, she knocked the hell out of the girl. Did you see the pictures?” Kiki asked Max.
Max nodded while pulling the fork from her mouth. “Girl, did I. Brought back memories.”
Kiki laughed. “Yeah, I remember Mother smacking the crap out of you when she found out about you and Daddy. That was funny.”
Siri tensed for a moment, until Max looked up with amusement in her eyes. The past was just that between these two, and the family seemed to have come to terms with whatever went down. She relaxed again. “So you two don’t think it will be an issue?”
“No,” Kiki replied. “Hell it might help to have Jason Davies and that fine brother of his, Silk, oh my God, Davies come by a book signing or two.”
“Can we do that without your father knowing? He’s kind of jealous of Silk Davies. He say’s I spend too much time listening to his music.”
“You’re kidding?” Kiki laughed.
Siri sat and listened to the women talk about Eric. That was the reason why they could not be together. There were women all over the world having conversations about Silk Davies and how he made them feel. The problem was, they really had no idea what that man was capable of doing with his hands, his tongue, his lips…Shaking the thoughts from her mind, she sat forward. “I don’t think that’s going to happen ladies. I’d like to do this on my own. I don’t want my success to be based on my sister’s new family.”
“I understand, but let’s not completely close that door,” Max stated. “I’m getting hot just thinking about him.” She took a moment. “Let’s move on. This book is going to take the literary industry by storm.”
“I agree. I’m just not sure of the most beneficial way to market it,” Kiki said.
“It’s a romance novel,” Siri stated, but noticed the shocked expressions on her dinner mates faces. “I wrote this as therapy, to keep my mind sane while I was going through my divorce.”
Max and Kiki looked at each other. “She doesn’t have a clue,” Kiki commented. “Shall I enlighten her or would you like the honor?” she asked Max.
“Oh please, allow me.” Max put down her fork, as did Kiki, and turned her total attention to Siri. “What we have here is a how to manual that is told in a story. You have taken a romance story and turned it into an entertaining manual on how to deal with a bad relationship, find yourself, and in the process find the meaning of true love. You have it all, a good man, just not the right man, a conniving mother-in-law that means well for her son, and to top it all off, a once in a life time love. Reading this book for some women will change their lives. What we have is not your ordinary romance novel.” She stopped and looked at Kiki. “That’s the pitch.” The two looked at each other and smiled as if they had discovered gold. “That’s the pitch.”
“This is not your ordinary romance novel,” I like that, Kiki said as she tried it out. “I like it a lot.”
By the time Siri made it home, she had a signed deal, a few suggestions for re-writes prior to it going for editorial review and a signing bonus check. Yes, the day started out rough, but it ended with Siri closing her eyes, allowing Eric’s image to invade her mind and the memory of his touch to ease her into a sensuous sleep.