completely understood what he was talking about and held his gaze as he trudged on,
"I had the best moments of my life with her, and somewhere, sometime in our laughter, I must have told her I loved her. I'm here to tell her I was not playing a role, whenever I said that. I was being me, Percy Theodosiou, the doctor.
"I want her to understand that I cannot take back what I did, and I might never fathom the pain I caused her, or the humiliation. I want her to know that, I am truly sorry from the bottom of my heart. But I don't want that grief to be the only feeling that I hold there. My heart'll have to make space for the ever growing love I have for her. A feeling I cannot just store and box away. I-"
Eddie Griffin interrupted, "Dude can I write that shit down? Real deep!" He was trying to keep the comedic aspect of the show but the audience told him to shush, which stunned the top-billing comedian. They hadn't even laughed. They were all looking at Percy, whose earnest, gentle eyes and unsure voice betrayed his tall, muscular frame.
"I love you Tanya and I want you to know that if you feel the same love for me, after all I've done, I have two plane tickets waiting to take us to Athens, Greece ... a place I know you're familiar with from your teachings. Where it all began for the Greek gods. But forget about Greek gods. A place where two human beings can come together, love each other and start a new life. Start a family."
Percy bit his lip as he watched for Tanya's reaction. She held her hand up to her mouth and a few tears rolled down her cheek.
Some women in the audience were sobbing too, and they didn't know why. One husband nudged his wife, "He ain't talking to you boo. Plus, you have me..." The woman looked at her potbellied hubby and sobbed even more. Percy sure as hell wasn't talking to her. But still... this was so unbelievable and sweet. She was now living vicariously through this lucky Tanya bitch.
Percy lowered the mike from his mouth and Eddie Griffin walked up to him and said softly, "Anything else you need to say to your girl?" Percy nodded. He did have something else to say. Something to ask.
"Tanya Whitford, will you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?" This is it , he thought. If she says no, the stage should do its best to collapse and take me down.
Tanya was now walking up to the stage, wiping away tears. The audience was anxious. She hadn't yet said yes.
When she got to the bottom of the stage, she held out her hand and Percy pulled her up.
They both stood face to face and Tanya nodded slowly. Then faster. Then she whispered a jubilant, "Yes."
Percy dropped the mike and took her into his arms, lifting her up and holding her tightly. Tanya then slid down his body deftly and their mouths met in a kiss of atomic proportions.
The audience stood up and cheered for the longest, loudest time.
Outside The Apollo two passer-bys heard the cheers and the woman said to the man, "Wow! You gotta get us tickets to Eddie Griffin next time!"
If only they knew who and what the cheers were really for.
Inside, on the stage, a man and a woman were able to ask for forgiveness and be forgiven, love and be loved right back.
That was the true test of any relationship.
Human or Greek god.
---
3 YEARS LATER
Allure Bar, Times Square, New York
Donyelle poured the patron another shot and handed it to him. He winked back at her. She sighed.
Ever since moving to the heart of New York she found that she could not go anywhere without being propositioned or winked at. Harlem had pushy guys, but this area had over-confident, cocky white guys with a point to prove.
She had moved here when she had attained a scholarship to study at New York Arts Academy. Something she had been working on for a long time. Only Morris knew
"I had the best moments of my life with her, and somewhere, sometime in our laughter, I must have told her I loved her. I'm here to tell her I was not playing a role, whenever I said that. I was being me, Percy Theodosiou, the doctor.
"I want her to understand that I cannot take back what I did, and I might never fathom the pain I caused her, or the humiliation. I want her to know that, I am truly sorry from the bottom of my heart. But I don't want that grief to be the only feeling that I hold there. My heart'll have to make space for the ever growing love I have for her. A feeling I cannot just store and box away. I-"
Eddie Griffin interrupted, "Dude can I write that shit down? Real deep!" He was trying to keep the comedic aspect of the show but the audience told him to shush, which stunned the top-billing comedian. They hadn't even laughed. They were all looking at Percy, whose earnest, gentle eyes and unsure voice betrayed his tall, muscular frame.
"I love you Tanya and I want you to know that if you feel the same love for me, after all I've done, I have two plane tickets waiting to take us to Athens, Greece ... a place I know you're familiar with from your teachings. Where it all began for the Greek gods. But forget about Greek gods. A place where two human beings can come together, love each other and start a new life. Start a family."
Percy bit his lip as he watched for Tanya's reaction. She held her hand up to her mouth and a few tears rolled down her cheek.
Some women in the audience were sobbing too, and they didn't know why. One husband nudged his wife, "He ain't talking to you boo. Plus, you have me..." The woman looked at her potbellied hubby and sobbed even more. Percy sure as hell wasn't talking to her. But still... this was so unbelievable and sweet. She was now living vicariously through this lucky Tanya bitch.
Percy lowered the mike from his mouth and Eddie Griffin walked up to him and said softly, "Anything else you need to say to your girl?" Percy nodded. He did have something else to say. Something to ask.
"Tanya Whitford, will you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?" This is it , he thought. If she says no, the stage should do its best to collapse and take me down.
Tanya was now walking up to the stage, wiping away tears. The audience was anxious. She hadn't yet said yes.
When she got to the bottom of the stage, she held out her hand and Percy pulled her up.
They both stood face to face and Tanya nodded slowly. Then faster. Then she whispered a jubilant, "Yes."
Percy dropped the mike and took her into his arms, lifting her up and holding her tightly. Tanya then slid down his body deftly and their mouths met in a kiss of atomic proportions.
The audience stood up and cheered for the longest, loudest time.
Outside The Apollo two passer-bys heard the cheers and the woman said to the man, "Wow! You gotta get us tickets to Eddie Griffin next time!"
If only they knew who and what the cheers were really for.
Inside, on the stage, a man and a woman were able to ask for forgiveness and be forgiven, love and be loved right back.
That was the true test of any relationship.
Human or Greek god.
---
3 YEARS LATER
Allure Bar, Times Square, New York
Donyelle poured the patron another shot and handed it to him. He winked back at her. She sighed.
Ever since moving to the heart of New York she found that she could not go anywhere without being propositioned or winked at. Harlem had pushy guys, but this area had over-confident, cocky white guys with a point to prove.
She had moved here when she had attained a scholarship to study at New York Arts Academy. Something she had been working on for a long time. Only Morris knew
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