“What do you mean, side piece?”
“I mean, I wasn’t good enough to marry and move into your great big mansion, so I’m not good enough for you to fly in on your fancy jet in the middle of the day to fulfill whatever you’re trying to fulfill. I will not be your woman on the side.”
“I understand your distrust, but I would never make you a woman on the side, Clara. You have always deserved more and I promise to show you more. You just have to give me another chance.” There was silence on the other end, so I continued, “You don’t have to answer me tonight, just know I’m going to do whatever it takes to get you back.”
“Good night,” she said hanging up the phone before I could reply. Between Tammy’s display earlier and Clara’s ambivalence, I knew I had to speed up this divorce. I was ready to move into the next phase of my life.
Chapter 9
John
Invisible Lines
I coordinated with a local Atlanta flower delivery company to deliver forty fresh roses to Clara’s home every day at 10:06 a.m. That time was sentimental. It was precisely the time I first laid eyes on her in the registration line at Wellmington. Before the deliveries would arrive each morning, I called her just to say, “Today is the beginning of the rest of our lives.”
I hung up the phone immediately after staying those words for the first three days, but on day four she caught me. “John, don’t hang up,” she said, upon hearing my voice.
“How are you, Clara?” I asked.
“I’m doing really well. How about you?” she asked and I could almost hear the beam in her tone.
“Good, now that I’m talking to you,” I replied, giving her my full attention. We went on to talk for a few minutes and she agreed to finally let me come see her again.
“When do you plan to come back to Atlanta?” she asked.
“I can be there today, if you want me there.”
“Just whenever you’re headed this way. No need to make a special trip,” she said.
“Okay, I will talk to you soon, love,” I said before hanging up the phone.
By noon, I was knocking on her front door. A beautiful aura surrounded Clara, when she opened the door. She stood in the midst of the assortment of colorful roses wearing a fitted coral dress and matching sandals. Her smile was glowing, which caused me to smile. I liked seeing her in such a good mood. I planned to make her smile like this every day for the rest of her life.
“I’m glad you kept the flowers,” I said, making note of the colorful array of roses scattered about her setting room. Even though the room was filled with lovely sentiments, it still wasn’t enough. She deserved a dozen for each moment of the day.
Clara looked around the room in shared amazement. “John, you didn’t have to send me so many flowers. I almost don’t have any space for them. There are so many flowers in here, I could start a flower shop.”
“A thousand dozen wouldn’t be enough for you. Besides, I see a little space where a few more could go,” I said, pointing to an empty space on a table in the corner of the room.
She laughed. “Well, I’m not going to have any place to sit if you keep sending me flowers.”
“That just means I’ll have to get you a bigger house to hold them all,” I said jokingly.
“There is not a thing wrong with my house, Mister.”
I looked around at her timeless furniture. Some items I was s
ure she had since the seventies, others held memories of the decades passed by. There was a picture of her parents on the wall and a large framed photo of Dr. Martin Luther King adorning the wall’s center.
“You’re right, your home is lovely… just like you.”
“Thanks,” she said as she blushed. “I’ve been living in this old place since Destiny was born. I never really thought about leaving.”
“Mind if I sit down?”
She nodded and I took comfort in the Victorian chaise close to the front door. It was then that I took in fully what she’d just said. She never really thought about leaving her home, which held memories that were near and dear to her heart. She had the courage to be still, when I was sure she could have done a million other things with her life. Her home was small and simple, yet extremely elegant. Every square foot held meaning that complimented her as a woman. A woman I admired from where I sat.
An overwhelming urge came over me, even stronger than I had the last time I was in her house. I wanted to wrap my arms around her and never let go. But I stayed seated, lest I upset her again.