One good reason, p.11
One Good Reason, page 11
“Because you don’t want to know Talitha.”
“Clearly I do because I keep asking.”
“It means I’m keeping it in my arsenal for a later day.”
“Meaning…” she drawled.
“Meaning you will find out when the time is right.”
“Law,” she groaned.
“Change the subject, Talitha. You don’t wanna get into that with me. I promise, you don’t.”
“Fine.” Folding her arms across her chest, she pouted like a child.
The minute I let it slip that I was taking notes due to her piquing my interest and I now wanted to get to know her better, she would retreat fast and hard.
Talitha had a mystery to her and the more we talked, the more I wanted to know. On the outside, she appeared to be this confident woman who was sure of herself, but her eyes told a different story. Certain topics she purposely shied away from. Something in her life had traumatized her to the point where she was reserved and closed off. That was the part I wanted to know more about.
Like now, she was sitting across from me swirling the wine around her glass, looking like a lost child. Her hair was hanging down with big curls framing her slender face. Under the black sweatshirt, she wore a simple white t-shirt, denim jeans, and a pair of black and white Chanel sneakers. She frowned her face up anytime the topic of money came up where it concerned me but from where I was looking, it didn’t look like she was hurting for anything.
The black flap Chanel bag resting in the chair beside her cost at least ten grand. I knew because I’d purchased a few for Dahlia. There was definitely more to her than what she showed and if she kept pushing for an answer, I wouldn’t hesitate to give it to her.
“You like this one?” Talitha asked as she stepped out of the fitting room.
Leaning up from my slouched position in the chair, I placed my hand over the receiver and instructed her to do a full spin. Roaming my eyes up and down her body, I nodded in appreciation. The black sleeveless Tom Ford dress was backless with crisscross straps and had a plunging V-neck. She looked damn good in that dress and I tried to keep from ogling her body the way I was, but I couldn’t help it. Without giving away how much seeing her in it affected me, I adjusted my body and gave her a final nod of approval.
“My bad about that Adele. What did you say?”
“I asked if you had a good flight.”
“In fact, I did.”
“That’s great darling. What are you doing now?”
“Out shopping. I needed a tux for tomorrow night and my date needed a dress.”
“Oh okay,” she sang. “Well, I’ll let you get back to what you were doing. I don’t want to impede.”
Chuckling, I said, “Have a good one Adele.” After disconnecting the call, I slipped my phone in my jacket pocket and waited for Talitha to redress.
“Dress secured. Now I need a pair of shoes.”
Standing from the chair, I took the dress out of her hands and tossed it over my arm. “I know the perfect ones.”
After Talitha dropped her line of questioning earlier on the jet, the two of us shared a light lunch and talked. Before I knew it, we were landing at the airstrip in New York. Instead of going to the hotel, I had the driver bring us to Madison Avenue so we could do some shopping. I had planned for the two of us to have dinner in our suite so I needed to get this out of the way. On top of shopping for my suit, I had to drop it off to my tailor, so it was a win-win.
Making our way back over to where our personal shopper stood, I instructed Talitha to have a seat while I searched for the shoes I wanted to see her in tomorrow night. When I located them, I had the shopper bring over her size so I could see if they fit.
With the box in tow, she kneeled and helped Talitha into them.
Standing back, I watched her twirl her feet side to side before standing and strutting around the chair. “You like them?”
“I love them. I’ve been planning on purchasing them for a while, I just never got around to doing so.”
“Well, now you have them.” Turning to the shopper I let her know she could bag everything up since I was done shopping. While Talitha gushed over the shoes, I pulled my card out of my wallet and handed it off.
“I hardly want to take them off,” she gushed as she further admired the black padlock sandal.
“Unless you plan on spending the next couple of hours in them, I would suggest putting your sneakers back on.”
“Where are we headed next?”
“Tailor.” Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I texted the driver to let him know he could come around.
“Ahhh. I forgot. Did you see where Becca went? I need to give her my card so she can ring me up.”
“It’s taken care of.”
“Law, I could’ve bought my own stuff.”
“I’m sure you could have.”
“You didn’t…”
“It’s done and over with now,” I asserted.
Talitha’s brows hiked before she finally lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “Since you’re buying, maybe I should get some jewelry to go with the dress.”
“We can go once we get the bags.”
“I’m kidding, Lawton.”
Without taking my eyes off the phone, I told her, “I’m not.” I brought her here and had no intentions on letting her spend a dime of her money.
“What’s the plan for tonight?” she asked as she stepped into her shoes.
“Dinner at the hotel. I told you I didn’t plan for anything. I figured we would be exhausted from the travel. Why? You had something you wanted to do?”
“Nope,” she popped. “Dinner will be just fine.”
“Mr. Harvey,” Becca calling my name brought my attention up from my cell phone. “If you could sign right here, you guys will be set to go.”
Taking the receipt out of her hand, I signed it and handed it back to her. Grabbing the bags from the floor, I held onto them and escorted Talitha out of the door. The door to the truck was gaped open, waiting for us to enter. After bags were loaded, we were off to our next destination.
“You must come here often?”
I was standing on the podium in front of wall to ceiling mirrors while the tailor pulled, tucked, and pinned my suit together. Talitha was sitting in a chair behind me with her ankles crossed, asking a million and one questions. The wine coupled with the champagne that she’d been served while at Tom Ford, and now the glass she was handed when we arrived at Forest Parlor had her chatty.
“I have a few business associates here. What drew you to that conclusion?”
“You have a personal tailor here.” She downed the contents of her glass and leaned to place it on the table sitting beside her.
“I like what I like. If you do good work, I’m loyal to your business. Ain’t that right, Forest?”
“That’s right, Mr. Harvey.”
“It must be fun to have money,” she muttered.
“This again.”
Tossing her hands up in mock surrender she smirked. “I’m joking.”
“Anything special you require for dinner tonight?”
“I’ll be fine with whatever you’re having.”
“Say less.”
“What made you get into tech?”
“Growing up, I was heavily into computers. I had a gift and used it to my advantage.”
“Gift of what?”
“I could hack into the most encrypted system there was. I ended up going to school for computers and when I finished, I knew I didn’t plan on working for anyone for the rest of my life. So, I started out writing and developing software.
Over the years, technology changed prompting me to try different avenues of tech. I saw what Steve Jobs was doing with Apple and decided I wanted to be on that level. Eventually. it led me to app creation. Now I create apps for other people.”
“Interesting,” she hummed.
“Which part?”
“All of it. I’ve never been a tech savvy person. I mean I know my way around computers, but to sit there and develop software doesn’t seem like something I would enjoy doing every day.”
“It’s not for everybody. I’m good with numbers and sequences so it was the best job for me. Now accounting would’ve bored the shit out of me.” I laughed.
“You look like the type to not wanna take orders from anybody.”
“I’ll let you boss me around,” I flirted and watched her fidget in her seat. “What made you go the route you did?”
“Kids are innocent and a lot of the situations they’re put in, they can’t help it. I wanted to give them a voice, help them navigate through the bullshit. The state sees a kid acting out and automatically label them as a problem child. Not realizing that they may be experiencing or have experienced some type of trauma.
Those are the kids I work with, that’s the reason I go so hard. I care about their future and outcome. I want to give them endless opportunities and show them that there is more to life than what they’ve been subjected to.”
“Gema did that for you?”
“That and so much more,” she acknowledged. “If it wasn’t for her and Papa Joe, I would have been lost.” The faraway look in her eyes had my heart aching with grief.
“They rescued you?”
“Changed my life,” she uttered. “The one person in my life designed to protect me failed at it. Had Papa Joe and Gema not stepped in, I would probably be in some type of asylum.”
“Thank God for Papa Joe and Gema,” I rejoiced.
“That’s why I’ll walk through fire for Gema. She fusses about me not living my life not realizing I owe her for everything that she’s done.”
“I’m sure she knows you’re thankful. I also don’t think she would be happy to hear that you feel like you owe her for rescuing you.”
“But I do!” she croaked as her eyes misted. When she turned her head to look off, I knew she was recoiling so I did what felt natural.
Calling out to her, I waited until her eyes met mine in the mirror and mouthed. “Thank you.”
If she asked what I was thanking her for, I would’ve told her for letting me in even if it was just a little bit. This was the second time today that she displayed that rawness that was drawing me in.
CHAPTER 10
Talitha
Itold Law I would meet him in the living room ten minutes ago and I was running late. And at no choice of my own. I had just gotten out of the shower when my phone chimed with a FaceTime call from my egg donor and her siblings. I’d spent the past few minutes arguing with them about fucking nothing.
“Willearl, I’m not refuting any of that. All I’m trying to get y’all to see is Gema is of sound mind and body. If she wanted to be in Warner Robins, she knows how to open up her mouth and say something. Where is this coming from anyway? The last time we talked, I thought we were in agreeance.”
“That was fo’ ya’ mama told us you got Mama up in Alanna and you ain’t even there.”
“Three nights… I’ll be gone for three fucking nights. I’m never away from her. This is the first time. I’m not out here on nothing personal. This is work for me!” I fussed as my tone elevated.
When Gema said my mama was fussing about me leaving her at home, I didn’t think too much of it. I figured if she had something to get off her chest, she would reach out to me. She waits just as good ‘til I get out of town to wanna start her shit. Now, she got all of them on my phone telling me how I shouldn’t have left Gema. And if I had to go out of town, I should’ve left her with them.
“You could’ve left her there while you went for work too, Tali,” Uncle Meat butted in. “Bad enough none of us know this lady you got staying at the house with her.”
“None of you have tried to get to know her either, have you?” I argued. “Mama was just there and ain’t sit down with Mrs. Jessie or nothing. Hell, as much as she calls Gema… you would think she would’ve got on the phone to talk to Mrs. Jessie.
And since we’re on the subject, I don’t see neither of you coming out of pocket to pay for this so honestly nothing y’all got to say fucking matters to me right now.”
“See!” my mama yelped and tossed her hands up. “I told y’all Tali think cause she pay for everything we ain’t got no say.”
“No, you don’t!” I barked. “I pay for her housing, meds, co-pays, and whatever else she needs to live comfortably. I haven’t once asked for anything from y’all. The least y’all could fucking do is be appreciative. I stepped in to take care of y’all mama.”
Honestly, I felt like a broken record. I found myself saying the same shit over and over again. To the point where my head was starting to pound and I was two seconds from telling all of ‘em to go to fucking hell.
“Glad to know my Mama a burden on you. And if you feel so strongly ‘bout that then send her the hell home!” Louise snapped.
“I never said Gema was a fucking burden. And excuse my language but y’all ‘bout to piss me the fuck off. I been taking care of y’all mama all these years. I have zero social life. Ain’t got a nigga or even a fucking prospect. I do what I do for Gema cause when I needed somebody to do it for me, y’all sister was too busy with her head up Joe Lee ass.”
“Now hold on there, Tali. You getting personal. We didn’t call you for all of that.”
“But y’all called to chastise me about a decision I made for Gema. A decision that I’m legally able to make. Y’all made it personal when y’all decided to attack me for leaving her with a hired nurse that Gema loves.”
“I don’t even know why we bother,” my mama spat. “Ain’t like she trying to be rational anyway.”
“Rational went out of the window the second y’all tried to insult my intelligence.”
“I keep trying with you Tali. Lord knows I do. But you done pushed me past my limit. I’mma get me a lawyer and we gon’ see how much talking you gon’ do then.”
“Jalitha, can you even afford a lawyer?”
“If I can’t, my man can!” she rasped.
“Well, tell your man bring his best. Cause when I’m done dragging y’all through the legal system, the muthafucka won’t be able to afford a piece of fucking gum.”
Hanging up the phone, I slammed it down on the bed and cradled my head in my hands. I was tired of having this same conversation with them. Tired. So very fucking tired. I wanted to just throw the towel in and take Gema back to Warner Robins. I wanted to wash my hands clean from all of them and just disappear.
Maybe if I gave them what they wanted, they would leave me the fuck alone. I’d had a good day beginning with breakfast with Gema to traveling up here with Law. Today was going well, I was laughing and smiling for once. And just when I felt like I could get through this weekend with some peace, Gema offspring’s had to go and fuck it up. Had me in this fancy ass hotel yelling at the top of my lungs.
I know Law had probably heard the entire conversation and now I was embarrassed and didn’t even wanna go out front to have dinner with him. If I had been back home, I would’ve made sure Gema was good, locked myself in the room, and cried myself to sleep. Now I was frustrated cause I couldn’t do that and probably wouldn’t be at ease until I got back to Atlanta.
The light taps on my door had me wanting to bury my head under the cover. I figured if I lay here quiet, he would assume I had fallen asleep. Nope. Law’s voice rasped from the other side of the door.
“Talitha, I know you’re in there. Hell, half of the Plaza just heard your conversation.”
“Go away Law,” I fretted.
“Can I come in?” he asked.
“No,” I whimpered. I didn’t want to be tended to. I wanted to continue lying here, licking my wounds.
“I’m coming in. I hope you’re decent.” Bombarding his way through the door, Law leaned against the door frame with his arms folded.
Glancing up at him briefly, I dropped my head in shame and whispered, “I told you to go away.” I didn’t need sympathy. I didn’t even need rescuing. I needed– no wanted to be left alone.
“You’re upset.”
“You think,” I scoffed.
“Wanna talk about it?”
I shook my head.
“That’s fine with me. But you need to eat.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“You ain’t ate shit but some cookies on the plane. I counted about five glasses of champagne today so either you come out of this room and eat, or I’ll be forced to feed your stubborn ass,” he avowed, making me laugh.
“Seriously Law. I’m not in the mood.”
“I know. You said you don’t want to talk. I’m not going to force the issue. I am, however, going to make sure you put something on your stomach so you won’t end up sick.”
I knew Law meant business, so after sitting there pouting for a few minutes, I finally tugged the white robe closed and tightened the belt around my waist. I was naked underneath it, and the last thing I needed was for my boss to get a peek at my body.
Law held his hand out for me to grab so he could assist me to my feet. Instead of taking it, I looked down at it briefly before brushing past him. I would eat because I knew it was the only way to get him to leave me alone, but I refused to talk. All it would take was him saying any little thing and I was going to end up in tears.
Making my way over to the table, I took a seat and tucked my right foot under my butt. When Law sat down across from me, his cologne wafted through the air and tickled my nose. Had I not been an emotional wreck, the scent of him would’ve drove me mad. Right now, it wasn’t drawing anything out of me.
Instead of looking up at him, I stared at the covered plates strategically placed in the middle of the table. I guess he knew I wasn’t planning on budging because he leaned over and removed the lid from my plate.
“Eat Talitha.”
“I told you I’m not hungry.”
“Eat it anyway,” he bleated in that raspy, gruff ass demanding voice.
I rolled my eyes and looked down to inspect what was on the plate. Cutting into the grilled fish, I forked a piece into my mouth. While I nibbled on my food, Law’s eyes never left my face. I could feel him staring a hole through me and still I refused to look at him. The way the table was positioned, I had a clear view of the window, so I decided to just stare out of it.
