Houston?”
“It’ll be two weeks on Sunday. But it already feels like home.”
“Aww, she’s adorable. Is this your daughter?” She was looking at Samantha’s pictures on the mantel over the fireplace.
“Yeah, that’s my baby,” I said while walking over to her. “And this must be your wife. She’s very beautiful! Your daughter looks just like her.”
“Thank you.” I picked up Carmen’s picture. “We met back in college when I was working at the campus radio station.”
“Janet told me that she passed away.” Terri put her hand on my shoulder. “How long has it been?”
“Two years.”
“You really loved her, didn’t you?”
“There are no words to express how much.” I put the picture back on the mantel. “What about you, have you ever been married?”
“Who, me—married? No. I haven’t even come close.”
“Is that by choice?”
“No, it’s by circumstance.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning most men aren’t interested in a committed relationship. They lie too much, they don’t have any goals, and they will lay up with any hoochie who’ll open her legs. Then theyhave the audacity to expect the woman to be loyal,” she said. “At this point in my life, I’d rather collect dust than problems.”
“But don’t you want to fall in love, have children, and live happily ever after?”
“Do you want the strong, independent woman answer, or the real deal?”
“I want to know what’s in your heart, not your head.”
“There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t hope for all those wonderful things. But wanting something badly comes with a price, and that’s the disappointment of knowing you can’t have it. Every little girl dreams of Prince Charming whisking her off on a white horse, but when you grow up you realize the prince has turned into a toad and the white castle is the basement at his mama’s house.” She took a deep breath and lowered her head. “I can’t even believe I’m telling you this; I don’t even know you.”
“Why does being comfortable with a man make you so uncomfortable?” I moved in closer and grasped her hand on the mantel. “Maybe you’re just afraid of letting someone get close.”
“What kind of romantic nonsense is that?” She laughed nervously.
“If it was nonsense, why are you trembling?”
Terri pulled away.
“I’ve been the only one doing all the revealing—you haven’t told me what it is that you want.”
“I want everything! A soul mate, a role model for my daughter, and a woman who can make a good pitcher of KoolAid.”
“Is that pink lemonade or the red kind?”
“I like mine mixed.”
We both laughed. It relaxed the mood temporarily, but we both knew where the conversation was going.
“Look, Julian, there are hundreds of women out there you could choose from. Why me?”
“I wasn’t looking to get involved, either. Just two weeks ago I was telling my best friend that I wasn’t interested in a serious relationship; then you came along and all of a sudden my attitude changed. Maybe it’s fate or just coincidence. All I know is ever since we met, I haven’t been able to get you off my mind.”
“Julian, I’ve been down this road before with men who talk about settling down. But after a couple of years, months, or even weeks, they’re ready to move on to something new or back to someone from their past.”
“I’m not expecting us to get married next week and start having babies. All I’m asking is that you leave the baggage from your previous relationships behind. It all starts with friendship and trust. Don’t you remember what I wrote on your card? If you need a friend, I’ll be there.”
“I also remember you offering your services if I needed a maintenance man,” Terri said. “If this is all about sex, I wish you would come right out and say it.”
“Terri, I’m not gonna lie and say that sex isn’t important. I have needs like any other man. But a relationship is also about being
“It’ll be two weeks on Sunday. But it already feels like home.”
“Aww, she’s adorable. Is this your daughter?” She was looking at Samantha’s pictures on the mantel over the fireplace.
“Yeah, that’s my baby,” I said while walking over to her. “And this must be your wife. She’s very beautiful! Your daughter looks just like her.”
“Thank you.” I picked up Carmen’s picture. “We met back in college when I was working at the campus radio station.”
“Janet told me that she passed away.” Terri put her hand on my shoulder. “How long has it been?”
“Two years.”
“You really loved her, didn’t you?”
“There are no words to express how much.” I put the picture back on the mantel. “What about you, have you ever been married?”
“Who, me—married? No. I haven’t even come close.”
“Is that by choice?”
“No, it’s by circumstance.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning most men aren’t interested in a committed relationship. They lie too much, they don’t have any goals, and they will lay up with any hoochie who’ll open her legs. Then theyhave the audacity to expect the woman to be loyal,” she said. “At this point in my life, I’d rather collect dust than problems.”
“But don’t you want to fall in love, have children, and live happily ever after?”
“Do you want the strong, independent woman answer, or the real deal?”
“I want to know what’s in your heart, not your head.”
“There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t hope for all those wonderful things. But wanting something badly comes with a price, and that’s the disappointment of knowing you can’t have it. Every little girl dreams of Prince Charming whisking her off on a white horse, but when you grow up you realize the prince has turned into a toad and the white castle is the basement at his mama’s house.” She took a deep breath and lowered her head. “I can’t even believe I’m telling you this; I don’t even know you.”
“Why does being comfortable with a man make you so uncomfortable?” I moved in closer and grasped her hand on the mantel. “Maybe you’re just afraid of letting someone get close.”
“What kind of romantic nonsense is that?” She laughed nervously.
“If it was nonsense, why are you trembling?”
Terri pulled away.
“I’ve been the only one doing all the revealing—you haven’t told me what it is that you want.”
“I want everything! A soul mate, a role model for my daughter, and a woman who can make a good pitcher of KoolAid.”
“Is that pink lemonade or the red kind?”
“I like mine mixed.”
We both laughed. It relaxed the mood temporarily, but we both knew where the conversation was going.
“Look, Julian, there are hundreds of women out there you could choose from. Why me?”
“I wasn’t looking to get involved, either. Just two weeks ago I was telling my best friend that I wasn’t interested in a serious relationship; then you came along and all of a sudden my attitude changed. Maybe it’s fate or just coincidence. All I know is ever since we met, I haven’t been able to get you off my mind.”
“Julian, I’ve been down this road before with men who talk about settling down. But after a couple of years, months, or even weeks, they’re ready to move on to something new or back to someone from their past.”
“I’m not expecting us to get married next week and start having babies. All I’m asking is that you leave the baggage from your previous relationships behind. It all starts with friendship and trust. Don’t you remember what I wrote on your card? If you need a friend, I’ll be there.”
“I also remember you offering your services if I needed a maintenance man,” Terri said. “If this is all about sex, I wish you would come right out and say it.”
“Terri, I’m not gonna lie and say that sex isn’t important. I have needs like any other man. But a relationship is also about being
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