Flawbulous

“I haven’t had a man warm my bed in a very long time.
Frankly, I’m not sure if I’m ready to go there again.”

It was a Christmas of firsts. It was the first Christmas Kina had in her new town house, the first Christmas Kina didn’t spend with her cousins Lawson and Reginell, due to their sibling rivalry, and the first Christmas Kina shared with Elvin and Kenny.

After the presents had been opened and the football game had been watched on television, Kina, Elvin, and Kenny gathered around the table for dinner.

“Kina Anne, you sho’ know you can do some cooking!” extolled Elvin, sucking his fingers. “That was one fine meal there!”

“If you like my Christmas dinner, you ought to come back next week for New Year’s,” boasted Kina. “I make a mean pot of collards.”

“Is that an invitation?” Elvin winked at her.

Kina winked back. “If you want it to be.”

“I’d love to come back that night.” Elvin swallowed hard. “Truth be told, I’d love to come back every night.”

Kina froze, not sure how to respond to that. “Um, Kenny, why don’t you run downstairs and take the clothes out the dryer for me?”

Kenny chuckled. “Real subtle, Ma. Is that your way of getting rid of me?”

“Boy, I don’t need an excuse! If I want you to go . . .” Kina dropped the act. “Yeah, it’s my way of getting rid of you, so would you be a good boy and take the hint?”

Kenny slid his chair back. “Let me know when the coast is clear.”

Kina waited until Kenny was gone before laying into Elvin. “Now, what’s this about coming back every night?”

“I think it’s something we should consider.”

“Moving in together?”

“Yeah. Why not? I think you could use a man around here, and I want to get to know my grandson and be in his life. I want to be in your life too.”

“Elvin . . .” Kina was still blown away by the proposal. “We’re not even a couple! All we’ve done is go out a few times and share a few kisses. Sure, I’ve known you for fifteen years, but the reality is that we don’t know each all that well. Do you really think living together would be a good idea?”

“I recognize that we haven’t been around each other that long, but, Kina, I don’t think I’ve been imagining what’s happening between us.”

“No, you haven’t,” she admitted.

“Granted, a lot of people like to take their time and muddle through this and that, but I’ll be sixty in four years. I ain’t got time to waste that way. I follow my gut, and my gut tells me that this is right.”

“I follow the Holy Spirit, and He hasn’t said anything like that to me. The Bible is very clear about sexual immortality and the marriage bed being undefiled. I couldn’t blatantly go against the Lord’s Word like that. Elvin, I enjoy having you around, but living together? As a Christian, I can’t sanction shacking and fornication.”

“I don’t mind crashing on the couch for as long as it takes for you to get comfortable having me in your bed.”

“Who knows how long that could be? It could take years,” mused Kina. “I haven’t had a man warm my bed in a very long time. Frankly, I’m not sure if I’m ready to go there again.”

“It could be that you’re not ready because you haven’t opened your heart up to the possibility of finding love again.” He clasped Kina’s hand. “I know you’re scared, and I know you’ve been hurt. Most of it has been at the hands of my own son, but don’t let fear keep you from giving us a chance. This feels right to me. You can’t tell me you don’t feel it too.”

“The main thing I’m feeling presently is mass confusion.”

“Kina, we were two lonely people who found each other against all odds. Where’s the confusion in that?”

Kina concluded that there was none. “So if we did this, and by no means am I saying we are, would I be your roommate or your landlord or—”

Elvin cut her off. “You’d be my lady.”

“As in we’d be a couple?” she asked for clarity.

“Of course. This would be one step toward building our future together.”

“How long have you been thinking about this?”

“Not that long. But coming over and spending time with you and Namon has shown me what I’ve been missing in my life since my wife died. I want that back. I want my life to have purpose again. I miss having somebody to come home to and a woman to take care of.”

“What about Brenda? What about E’Bell? You’re his father. Being with you romantically wouldn’t be right.”

“Says who? Kina, your husband is dead. So is my wife. How can our being together hurt either one of them?”

“I’m sure a lot of the members of your family wouldn’t approve of us having a relationship.”

“What does that matter? They don’t have a heaven or hell to put me in or take me out of!”

“How would we even begin to explain this to Kenny?”

“That boy of yours is smarter than you think. He’s not blind. He knows what’s been going on around here.”

“Then he knows more than I do, because I had no clue,” voiced Kina. She was still hesitant. “This all feels so rushed. You showed up out of the blue a few weeks ago, we’ve had a couple of dinners, and now you’re talking about moving in. What’s the big hurry?”

“There’s no hurry, but why wait, baby? Why wait on love and happiness, huh?”

“Love?” repeated Kina.

“Yeah,” replied Elvin. “We’re both old enough to know what we want.” He tilted her chin up and captured her in his gaze. “And I know who I want. That’s you, Kina. I don’t know if you’ve noticed or not, but I’ve been falling for you since the first time I came over.”

While her ex-girlfriend Joan had professed her love for Kina, no man had even hinted at being in love with her since she met E’Bell in high school. Kina felt a declaration of that magnitude at least deserved her consideration and attention.

Kina was flattered. “I’m sorry for not being more eloquent and gracious with all this. Truly, I’m at a loss for words.”

“You only need one word—yes. Say yes, Kina. We both know that time ain’t promised to nobody. Let’s make the best of it and go for happiness while we can.”

“What if it doesn’t work out?”

“What if it does?” asked Elvin. “If we’re honest with each other, I can’t make you any more guarantees about the future than you can make me, but I’m willing to try. I’m willing to find out what’s out there for us. Imagine waking up together, trips, late nights in front of the fireplace, spending holidays with one another. It can be a New Year and a new start for the three of us. All I need is for you to say yes.”

“You make it sound so easy . . . and wonderful.”

“Because it is. You only have to reach out and grab it.” He pulled Kina into a loving embrace. “So what’s it gonna be, Kina?”