To Love a Man (5 page)

As she entered the house and walked into her room, she tried to dismiss the anger that grew inside her. How dare he throw around those words as if they could place a spell on her? They had no effect on her now and all she wanted was to leave this place and not return. She went to the window and looked up to the moon, smiling at the sight of the fullness of it. She closed her eyes and prayed a silent prayer.

“Lord please help me. I feel so alone and lost I don't want to fall back into the rut I have been in please let me find the one I have been looking for. Amen.”

She smiled and looked up to the moon. Not knowing that across town the love of her life was staring at the exact same moon.

***

Ramón looked out the window and up to the full moon as the girl his sister hooked him up with continued to gush over him. He wanted to focus on anything but the gorgeous blue eyes on the dullest woman he had ever been out with. She agreed on everything he said and kept hinting that they would look so cute together on the cover of Vanity or some magazine he wasn’t paying attention. As she rubbed her freshly manicured fingers across his right arm he didn't understand why he wasn’t enjoying himself, why the feel of her soft hands on his skin didn’t leave him wanting more. His sister picked her out perfect for him.

She had long sexy legs soft ivory skin. Her body was lean and toned. She was the perfect shape from her tight little waist to her slender swanlike neck. She was beautiful so why wasn’t that enough for him anymore. Someone cleared their throat and he looked up and saw his teammate and best friend Aj and his wife Gia.

“Ramón fancy seeing you here thought you were in for the night?” Aj walked over to him with one hand in his pocket and the other wrapped around his wife’s waist.

“Hey Aj I thought so too when Brit said she was gonna hook me up I thought it would be next week or something not same day.”

Ramón looked at Gia.

“And Gia aren’t you looking beautiful tonight.”

Ramón stood and hugged her. Aj smiled.

“And who do we have here?”

Oh this is Sammy.”

“It’s Sandy!”

Ramón looked at her with his hands in front of him.

“I am so sorry.”

She mugged him as she placed her cell phone in her purse and stood.

“You know this is not what I expected when your sister told me I was going out with you. I couldn’t believe it I thought we would be going out to a party or hit up an awards ceremony but a lame ass dinner come on this is boring. Where are the cameras and interviews? If you ever need a date for something like that, call me. My girl just texted me about an after party for Bonez so I'm out. I still love you though.”

She got up and smiled at Gia then walked away. Aj looked at Ramón.

“What are you doing?”

“What?”

“She looked like your type and you just let her leave.”

He took the napkin from the table then threw it back down. “She was right this was boring” he said exhaling strongly then giving a deep sigh.

“Why did you bring her here anyways?”

Ramón sighed “I wanted a normal date whatever that is.”

“Yeah and you see how that went.”

Aj held out his hand to help Gia take a seat and waved the waiter to bring him one. As the waiter brought a seat over Ramón looked at him.

“Aj what’s wrong with me?” Ramón placed his hands over his head. Aj looked at him with his head cocked to the side.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean she was beautiful but that is it.”

“What’s going on here you love the beautiful ladies. They mean everything to you.”

“Yeah they use to. But now I want more than that.”

Gia sat strait up. “More like how?”

“I don't know.”

She smiled.

“Well I do…my brother went through it and so did Aj. You want more than just some trophy girl. More than some beauty on your arm and I think it’s about time.”

“What makes you think you know so much?”

Gia laughed. “Because I am the wife of a tall dark and sexy basketball player who on his last date before he met me said he was tired of the faceless nameless fake breasted women. He wanted a real woman and when he met me he knew I was it.”

“How?”

Aj took her hand.

“She wasn’t like anyone I had ever met. She wasn’t impressed with how talented I was or how much I was worth she was more interested in me who I was my favorite hobby stuff like that. When I realized how wonderful she was I had to keep her.”

“But how did you know?” Ramón asked with pleading eyes. He needed to know the secret he needed to know how to get his “One”.

“Well it started with our second date. I had told her that I was really into Anime which you know and instead of acting interested like the other girls she laughed at me. Called me a dork but still sat there and watched it with me. Then preceded to tell me how bad it was but she was honest and the next date she brought me video that I told her I had been wanting to see. She got me wanted to know me for who I was and she made me feel like I was the most important man in her life not because I was famous but because I was a man she was interested in knowing.”

Ramón looked at them wanting to find that kind of love in his life.

“How do I find that?”

“You gotta wait for it. She’s out there you just gotta find her.” He kissed Gia’s hand.

“And when you do you can never let it go.”

***

As Desiree walked into Mount Glory’s Baptist Church, she was over taken by the sheer beauty of the place. The outside of the church was surrounded by neatly trimmed trees and tall rose bushes stood around the side of this Spanish brick building. She walked inside threw the elegant redwood double door and smiled at the inside of the church.  As she left the main entrance smiled at beauty of the stained windows. She exhaled as she walked the pews with Zack and Charles.

“Hey guys I am going to go to the bathroom I will be right back ok?”

“Ok.”

Desiree walked to the bathroom and bumped into a cute little girl. The girl looked to be seven maybe eight. She had the cutest dimples and her dark brown hair was up in two lopsided pigtail plaits. She was a hazel-nut brown com
pletion with the most adorable hazel eyes.

“Oh I am so sorry sweetie. Are you ok?”

The little girl looked up to her and smiled.

“Yes. I was just trying to get outside quickly.”

“Well I am sorry to hold you up.”

“I haven’t seen you around here before.”  She looked up to Desiree smiling a confused smile.

“Oh I am only here one day.”

She bent down to the girl.

“I seemed to have messed up your hair. I can fix it for you.”

The little girl touched her hair and looked away.

“It wasn’t you. My daddy tries. Usually my nana does my hair but today daddy wanted too.”

“Well if you want I can still fix it.”

“Really?”

“Yes no problem. And I can make it quick. By the way my name is Desiree but everyone calls me Desi.”

“Desi? I’m Madison. But they call me Maddie.”

Desiree removed her brush and comb from her bag then took out her pigtails.

“So how old are you?”

“Eight and a half.”

“Wow I have an Eight year old son.”

“Did you want him to be a girl?”

“I thought it would have been nice. But I love my son too.”

A minute later Madison looked in the mirror and smiled.

“Wow that was fast. It looks cute. Thank you.”

“How did you know how to do that if you only have a son?”

“I have a niece and I love putting her hair in pigtails she has pretty hair just like yours.”

Madison beamed.

“Well you better get outside you were in a hurry.

“Oh yeah. Thanks again.”

Madison ran out the bathroom and Desiree smiled as she walked into a stall. As she walked out the bathroom drying her hands, she looked around the church to where Charles and Zack were sitting. With the seats filling up fast, she walked to the pew behind Charles and Zack. As she did, she was face to face with an older woman.

“Excuse me is it ok if I sit here?”

“Oh of course. I haven’t seen you here before are you new?”

“Actually I am just visiting. I brought my son up here to see his dad and he invited me to church with them.”

“Well everyone is welcome in the house of God.”

“Thank you.”

Desiree grabbed a seat as the older woman smiled wider.

“I am Deaconess Norris.” The older woman took Desiree’s hand in hers.

“Desiree Holloway. My son up there is Zack and his Dad Charles Denton.”

“If you want to sit next to your husband.”

“Oh no we are not married…not anymore.”

“You’re divorced?” she looked at Desiree with saddened eyes. But Desiree smiled back at her.

“About 7 years and I am glad to say I am not looking back.”

“Oh I’m sorry.”

“Oh don't be it was a long time ago and I was upset at first but then I realized that it was worth it. I had to find myself again.”

“Well at least your baby is doing well with it.”

Desiree laughed.

“Well my son is most definitely not a baby. He is
eight and growing too soon and as for Charles well they haven’t been together in a long while.”

Desiree
angled her head and looked away from the older woman.

“What is it dear?”

“Nothing I just realized I don't know you and you don't know me and I am just running off at the mouth.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to pry.”

“I know. It just seems so easy talking to you. I am sorry though.”

“No need darling I am here to listen. My momma always used to tell me that I had one of those spirits where people could tell me their deepest darkest secrets and know I would never tell a soul.”

Desiree smiled. She could see how that was possible. There was something about that woman that made Desiree feel comfortable in her presence. She looked around the huge sanctuary.

“So this is a pretty big church.”

“One of the biggest here. Do you attend service where you’re from?”

“Yes every Sunday or so. I am actually the choir director. Well our church is kinda small so I guess you can say I am the choir.”

They both laughed.

“Well as long as you
are singing onto the Lord nothing else matters.”

“I agree. So mind if I ask where your family is?”

“Well my husband is up front sitting next to Pastor Ryder. He is actually giving the message today.” she beamed with pride.

“Oh how wonderful.”

“And our oldest daughter is right over there with her husband and son. My son should be here soon with his daughter after Sunday school they always share a donut and orange juice.”

As if on cue, a cute young girl came running up to Deaconess Norris.

“Nana we made it. Hi Desi.”

Desiree smiled and Rachael looked at her.

“You two know each other?”

“We met in the little girl’s room.”

“Yeah Desi did my hair. Daddy kinda messed it up we were rushing this morning.”

Madison sat next to Rachael and smiled at Desiree.

“Would you mind if my dad sat between us I always save him a seat?”

“No sweetie not at all.”

As the music began to play and the service and everyone stood. She stood with them and began to sway to the music. As she rocked back and forth she was bumped by a man saying “excuse me” moving between her and Madison. The first thing she noticed about the man was his height. He towered over her like she was a child and he was a big oak tree. As she strained to look up to him she inhaled his scent and immediately felt something stir within her. There was nothing sexier to her then a man who smelled good, and this man smelled oh so good. She couldn’t put her finger on what the smell was but she loved how the scent danced around her nostrils.

As she continued the journey upwards she noticed his firm stomach and nice broad shoulders that filled out his dark blue silk collared shirt nicely.  She took another breath
as she looked at his strong square jaw, sexy chin and exquisite mouth from his big plump suck-able lips to his big pearly whites. His eyes covered with a pair of Gucci sunglasses she moved to his neatly tapered hair. She lifted her head trying to ignore the feelings creeping up and down her body.

As he removed his sunglasses, she was overwhelmed at the sight of his eyes. They were soft and spilled out kindness he bent down to kiss his mom on her cheek. She turned him towards Desiree.