Authors: Toye Lawson Brown
Tags: #Literature & Fiction, #United States, #African American, #Romance, #Multicultural, #Women's Fiction
Desmond refused and leaned over her checking her eyes with a bright light. “Get a plate of food,” he said to his wife. Cleaning her finger with alcohol, the small lancet pierced her skin letting a single drop of blood stain the test strip before sticking it inside the glucometer. He waited for the meter to beep before saying, “Her blood sugar is coming up. She may not need to go to the ER if she will eat something.”
She pushed his hand away and won the fight to sit up on her own. The room spinning prevented her from getting to her feet. “I want to go to home.” Her words slurred as her body slumped forward.
“Nicole, you are in Cleveland for my wedding tomorrow. I will take you to my house so you can rest,” Patty said.
Nicole kept her head low avoiding the eyes staring at her. “I remember where I am now. I ate a granola bar earlier; I guess that wasn’t enough.”
Patty laughed. “We’re in an Italian restaurant and you’ll be full of carbs in a few minutes. I’ll sit with you while you eat.”
“Patty, I ruined your dinner party. Will you be able to forgive me?”
“Honey, it’s my fault. I should have made sure you ate earlier. You had that long drive from Columbus and we spent hours at the church. Can you forgive me for neglecting you?”
Patty hugged her almost smothering her. “Patty, I can’t breathe. Please, go to your guests. I will be okay. Once I get myself together I will join you.”
Patty turned to her brother-in-law. “Desmond, will she be okay alone?”
Desmond placed a tray that had a generous helping of lasagna, salad, a glass of tea, and dinner rolls in front of her. “She will be okay as long as she eats as much of this food as possible. I will check her blood levels later to see how she is doing.”
Nicole’s shaky hand placed the tip of the fork in the lasagna to break off a small piece and put in her mouth. “See, I’m eating. Go to your guests. I promise I will be okay.” She went for a second fork-full of lasagna. She was starving, and the food was delicious.
“Well, all right, but I will be back in a few minutes to check on you.”
“I’m feeling better already,” she said giving a timid smile.
“Okay. We’ll leave you alone to get your senses back, but call me if you need me.”
Nicole crossed her heart feeling silly. “I will.”
Nicole finished half of the lasagna, all of the salad and drank half of the tea. She didn’t eat the bread after downing the pasta filled with three meats and gooey cheese. Moving the tray aside, she got up from the small couch to get to the mirror behind the door. Her legs felt weak, but she managed to stand and walk without falling.
Fixing her dress the embarrassment of facing a room full of strangers who’d seen her at her worst did not fancy her. She faithfully took her insulin and ate right to avoid having these types of episodes. This one was a mistake—she’d been working all night and didn’t have time for a full breakfast before hitting the highway.
The door opened as she fingered loose strands of hair on her head. “Nicole?” A deep male voice called out.
She stepped from behind the door. “I’m right here.”
“Do you remember me? I’m Walker,” he said closing the door. “I wanted to check on how you were doing?”
“Yes, I remember you. I don’t lose my memory when I pass out from not eating.”
“Does that happen often? I mean I’m no doctor like Desmond, but diabetics should eat a lot right?”
“You’re half right. We’re required to eat healthy and not gorge ourselves on certain foods. I usually do eat throughout the day, but getting Patty’s gown finished and rushing to make sure I packed everything for the wedding, I forgot to eat a meal last night. I pretty much snacked until I fell asleep at the sewing machine.”
Walker leaned against the front of the desk crossing his feet. “Well, I see I will have to keep an eye on you tomorrow. We don’t want a repeat of this. I didn’t know what was wrong with you. When I saw you fall, I thought you had slipped on some ice or something.”
“You saw me fall outside?” Nicole forced her eyes to look at the man who’d saved her from freezing to death in the snow. His long legs stretched out in front of him appeared thick and muscular through the dark chocolate corduroy pants. The brown and caramel cashmere sweater covered a broad chest and shoulders to taper to a slim waist and thin hips. She didn’t see a wedding ring or any jewelry other than a watch.
“Yes, I was outside when you took your tumble. How are you feeling?” He asked standing straight.
Her eyes met his as he straightened to a height of over six-feet and maybe three inches. Walker’s facial features were dynamic. A perfectly straight nose, prominent cheekbones, and lips too full to belong to a man, curved at the corners just right when he smiled. A mass of dark, almost black, locks whispered lightly over his brows and curled down the nape of his neck. His eyes were the color of her navy-blue dress and stared back at her waiting for an answer. He was a handsome man with a baritone voice. A man she dared not flirt with so soon after making a decision to join the world of the living. If she didn’t want people asking questions, she had to remain a fly on the wall and not get close to anyone at this wedding.
“I’m better now that I’ve eaten. I was fixing myself up to join the party although I’m embarrassed.”
“Shoot, don’t be embarrassed for having a condition you can’t control. Be embarrassed if you fell out because you were drunk. Why were you outside anyhow?”
It was moments such as this that she wished she hadn’t cut her hair to make bangs. She would be able to hide behind the long shags had she not gone chic when bangs became the
must-have
style. “I wasn’t feeling well and thought the cold air would stimulate me a little. I don’t know how to thank you, Walker. As cold as it is outside, it wouldn’t have taken long for me to freeze to death.”
“No need to thank me. If I wasn’t outside trying to cool my head, I would not have seen you fall.”
Nicole rolled the sleeve of her dress down to cover her arm and noticed his demeanor was off from earlier in the day. “Well, lucky for me you were outside. Walker, is there anything wrong? You seem a little upset.”
His eyes traveled over her with undisguised interests. Nicole felt her cheeks grow warm under the soft light of the small office. He shook his head. “Nah, nothing is wrong really.”
“What does that mean? I’m a good listener if you want to talk,” she said sitting on the couch and crossing her leg over the other to put on her boot.
Walker watched her zip the first boot up her leg encased in black tights. “I kinda got dumped tonight. I find it funny how she waited to do it tonight of all nights.”
“That’s sad. She could have waited until after the wedding to do it.”
He ran his fingers through his hair messing the untamed locks. “I don’t think her intention was to dump me tonight. She accidently sent me a text message meant for her ex-husband. Once I got to the bar, I got an earful of what I didn’t want to hear.”
She zipped the other boot and smoothed the hem of her dress over her thighs. She wasn’t sure what to say to a man that’d been dumped. A woman would cry over a glass of wine and a photo of the love she lost. But men were an odd species when it came to expressing their feelings and responded differently when dumped. “Well, is there any way to repair your relationship with her?”
“I can’t compete with the father of her kids. But, it’s cool. We haven’t been going out that long. Quite honestly, I didn’t count on the relationship going anywhere.”
“Then think of it as not having to deliver the breakup news to her. You won’t have to deal with her emotions this way.”
He smiled for the first time since confronting Mary Ellen and Gary. “I didn’t think of it that way. If you don’t have a date for the wedding, maybe we can hang out? I will be able to keep an eye on you tomorrow.”
Nicole noticed the dimples in his cheeks. Those sexy dimples stirred her insides as she said, “I don’t have a date for the wedding since I don’t know anyone but Patty and Jeremy in Cleveland. But, you don’t have to babysit me.”
“You know me now, and I hardly see you as a baby.” He walked over and sat next to her on the couch. “You don’t have to join those people in the dining room if you aren’t feeling up to it. I can take you to your hotel.”
“I would love to go to the hotel and sleep for a few hours. I haven’t had a diabetic spell in a while, and I forgot how tired I am after recovering from one. But, I’m here for Patty and I can’t let her down on her day.”
The door opened after three quick knocks. Patty entered with Jeremy following behind her. “You’re sitting up,” she said happily squeezing between Nicole and Walker on the couch. “I wanted to check on you but Walker beat me here. And look, the plate is almost clean. Are you feeling better now that you have eaten?”
“I’m doing a lot better. I can’t thank Walker enough; he’s being a saint to keep me company.”
Patty squeezed Walker’s hand. “Walker is sweet that way. He is a sweet, sensitive guy with a big heart. Did he tell you he owns an auto repair shop? He’s getting ready to open another one soon.”
Nicole read what Patty was doing. She’d made the mistake of blabbing how she loved to pair people together and how she was searching for the right mate for her soon to be, brother-in-law. “Actually, we were just getting to know each other when you came in.”
Walker scooted over on the couch so Patty could sit comfortably. “Patty, is everyone gone? Nicole is tired and should go to the hotel to rest for tomorrow. She has another long day ahead of her.”
Patty held Nicole’s hand. “By all means you should rest. I’ll get my purse and drive you to the hotel since your car is parked at my house.”
“No, Patty. Please don’t fuss over me. I will wait and leave when you’re ready to go.”
Walker got up rubbing his hands down the front of his pants. “Everyone who is directly tied to this dinner party stay put! I will take Nicole to the hotel, geez.”
“It’s settled,” Patty said getting to her feet. “Walker will take care of Nicole until I return to the hotel tonight. Your purse is in the other room, Nicole; I’ll get it.”
“I’ll go with you. I want to find the ladies room,” Nicole said skirting out of the room.
*****
Jeremy stepped in front of the door blocking his brother from leaving. “What are you doing, Walker? Did you forget you have a girlfriend?”
“Not anymore.”
“What?”
“Yeah, see, Mary Ellen dumped me this evening. She is moving to Dallas with Gary and the kids.”
Jeremy’s head tilted to the side to look at his brother. “Say what? She is doing what?”
“She and Gary are getting remarried and moving back to Dallas to live happily ever after. So, I don’t have a girlfriend anymore. What I want to know is why you have a problem with me spending time with Nicole? She is Patty’s friend.”
“Who says I have a problem with that? I’m fine with you getting to know Nicole.”
Walker clicked his tongue. “Like hell you are. Look, Jeremy; I know you introduced me to Mary Ellen; she made her choice and it wasn’t me.”
“All right—I accept that but, give yourself space to heal before jumping into another relationship.”
“I’m not jumping into anything. I like talking to Nicole and wouldn’t mind getting to know her better. Seriously, I couldn’t start anything with her since she lives in Columbus, but I wouldn’t mind hang out with her while she is here for the wedding.”
“Walker, she is not the girl for you if you get my drift.”
“Are you saying I’m not good enough for her? Is she bitchy, snotty or supper rich like you?”
“Please, bro. She’s not the kind of woman you are used to hanging around. She is the quiet type; a bit withdrawn if you ask me.”
His throaty laugh filled the room. “I’m not trying to bring her to the wild side. I just want to talk to her. I find her interesting.”
“How is that? You’ve talked all of an hour? I see that look in your eye, man. Don’t mess with this woman’s head because you’re curious.”
“I’m not curious because she’s black. I have dated women of different nationalities including African-Americans. She looked so vulnerable lying on the floor. She could use a good man to look after her while she is in our company.”
“And you are appointing yourself to hold that position?”
His mind wandered to Nicole’s face. Those luscious pouty lips he wanted to taste. Her fair-skinned color reminded him of peeled blanched almonds. When he held her body in his arms, the roundness of her buttocks felt tight and firm. Daydreaming about Nicole already had Mary Ellen fading to a distant memory.
“I’ll hold the position until she departs Cleveland,” he said pushing his brother aside to leave the office.
*****
Nichole washed and dried her hands tossing the paper towel in the wastebasket. Going to the large mirror, she applied fresh lip gloss to her lips. Viewing her appearance in the mirror, she noticed the shallow bags forming under her eyes. She was tired and needed sleep to regroup for the long day of wedding festivities Patty had planned for tomorrow.
Patty was a friend she talked to on the phone occasionally and spent time with whenever she visited Columbus on business. However, she would not refer to her as a best friend. Nicole was caught off-guard when Patty asked her to design the dresses for the wedding party since she couldn’t find any dresses in bridal stores that matched her wedding gown.
Nicole didn’t see a way to refuse with the wedding less than a year away and agreed to make those dresses. With the help of her colleagues and the offer of a hefty compensation for their help, she managed to create a formal dress that all ten bridesmaids agreed on.
Patty’s wedding dress was the most problematic with the hours of hand-stitching of pearls on delicate lace. She personally handled making the wedding gown ensuring the details were done correctly and to Patty’s satisfaction. The last pearl stitched in the dress happened at 5:30am and two hours before her scheduled trip to Cleveland.
It was no wonder she passed out from hunger. For the past seven months, she’d been burning the candle at both ends. She returned to her job as a computer technician for AeroFusion Technologies full-time. Nicole was forced to close her boutique and lay off her staff, due to slow sales and an over-saturated market of new-breed designers. Keeping up with the fast-paced changing fashion world was too much for her to pursue without any revenue generating from the boutique. She had no choice but to surrender her targeting age group consisting of the over twenty-one and under thirty-five, to the successful fashion entrepreneurs.