Carl Weber Presents Full Figured 6: Plus Size Divas Page 11

  “Nope, and I still have so much to do in preparation. This year flew by and I think I say that every year.”

  “Do you prepare a big, traditional meal?”

  “No, but I always have a huge food drive at Last Chance, and a luncheon for my staff and clients. On Thanksgiving Day, I volunteer at one of the local homeless shelters, helping to feed the hungry.”

  “How noble,” he said, looking at me oddly for just a second and then it faded just as quickly.

  “It fulfills me. What about you? What are your plans?”

  “I usually go home to the Windy City for a few days. Visit family and friends, eat myself to death, and try to relax for a few days.”

  “Chicago, huh?”

  “Yep.”

  “Sounds like fun.”

  “It is. I look forward to it each year, especially since I moved down South.”

  “What are you trying to say? You don’t like the South?” I kidded.

  “I’m not saying that. I love y’all to death. Strangers speak on the streets, people wave when I drive by, and the civil rights history is rich with living legends. So, don’t put words in my mouth,” he kidded, winking at me.

  “Don’t forget the wonderful weather and the beautiful women,” I said.

  “The verdict is still out on that, the weather. Sometimes I want to feel the winter like I used to feel ‘the hawk.’ Plus, I miss steppin’ on a Friday or Saturday night and listening to R. Kelly. Chicago has all that and much more.”

  “And Atlanta has The Real Housewives of Atlanta and Love & Hip Hop.”

  “How could I forget that?” he asked.

  “And outside the city limits, we can’t forget Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.”

  Lance and I chuckled together and it felt good. Felt right. I was relaxed and no defenses were up. I could be myself around him.

  “Are you a genuine Georgia peach?”

  “Proud and true,” I said, reclining on the sofa, kicking off my heels.

  “I didn’t know they still existed. Everyone in Atlanta is a transplant from up North or the West Coast.”

  “Oh, we are very real. You are looking at one, sir.”

  “That I am. There’s nothing like a Georgia peach. All sweet, ripe, and juicy. Nothing beats that first taste when the rich juices drip down your chin.”

  For a few seconds, I wasn’t sure if he was talking about peaches or something sexual.

  I cleared my throat and looked away.

  “I have an aunt who makes the best peach cobbler,” he shared.

  “Really?”

  “Maybe you can try a slice one day soon. The crust is crisp and flaky and the peaches are just so.”

  I grinned. “I’d like that.”

  “Listen to me.” He laughed. “Having flashbacks over food.”

  “Don’t stop on my account. I enjoy hearing you talk.”

  “Well, I’ve kept you long enough. Let’s blow this joint. May I walk you to your car?”

  “Of course. Just like a Southern gentleman. See, you are picking up some Southern traits.”

  “Lady, that was already in me. I treat my woman right,” he said, staring into my eyes. I looked away, afraid of what he might see staring back.

  “I thought you said you didn’t have a girlfriend.”

  “I don’t at the present time, but I have my eye on a woman who I think is beautiful, sexy, and a joy to be around.”

  “Do you now?”

  “I do, but I’m not sure if she’s into me,” Lance said, walking behind me. “I’m still trying to feel her out.”

  “For some reason, I think she is.”

  I turned off the lights and locked up. Lance and I took our time walking to the parking area, not ready to part ways. We were content to enjoy the chill air, the stillness on the block, and each other’s company. When we got to my car, Lance took the keys, and unlocked and opened my door. I eased into the driver’s seat.

  “Good night, Ms. Erika.”

  “Good night, Mr. Lance.”

  “We have to continue this conversation very soon.”

  “I would like that.”

  “Then, it’s a date.”

  “Yes. Soon. A date.”

  I backed out of my spot with Lance watching me. As I glanced in the rearview mirror, he waved and smiled.

  I was smitten.

  We Give Thanks

  Chapter 31

  The next few days went by in a complete flurry. The holidays are always bustling in the beauty industry. Clients want to look their best before a holiday and it all starts with the hair. Ask any woman. So, we always had frantic customers trying to get their hair hooked up before the family gathering or trip out of town.

  Last Chance was buried in canned goods of every imaginable kind and size, much to Revered Hill’s pleasure and delight. The ladies and I also each contributed beautiful gift baskets, which contained hair products and pampering items such as nail polish, lotions, makeup, et cetera. We even made a contest out of it, to see who had the best basket, and the customers participated by placing their vote in a fish bowl that sat on the counter. We were going to announce the winning basket the day before Thanksgiving, the day of our luncheon. We would only be open until noon and then we would sit down to our feast. I always provided the ham and turkey and the ladies brought the side items.

  I hadn’t seen Lance since our interesting encounter and it was a bit disappointing, that is until the UPS man came around 11:30 A.M. with a lovely display of fall flowers, in lively hues of reds, oranges, and yellows.

  “Happy Thanksgiving,” I shouted as the driver hurriedly walked out.

  “Somebody has an admirer,” Nobia announced, trying to read the attached card over my shoulder.

  “Who are they from?” Loretta asked, walking to my side, carrying a white-and-black casserole dish that she had warmed up in the microwave. We had started to set up our Thanksgiving luncheon and the delicious aromas were making my mouth water.

  “You guys are so nosey.” I laughed. I reached for the card, and I was pretty sure I already knew who it was from. It read:

  Sorry I couldn’t say good-bye before I left for Chicago, but I had to leave earlier than expected. Thinking of you and your beautiful smile, GA peach. Truly, Lance.

  I think I blushed as I attempted to turn away so no one could witness it.

  “It’s from Lance,” I whispered tenderly.

  “He has excellent taste, those are nice and expensive,” Carla said. “My kind of man.”

  “How romantic,” Destiny said, bending down to take a sniff of the bouquet. “Hmmm, they smell good. This was sweet of him.”

  “The flowers are lovely. We can use them as our centerpiece,” I said, carefully picking them up and placing them on the table with the burnt orange tablecloth that was set up in the center of the room.

  I think I walked on clouds for the remainder of the day—at least it felt that way. I was on cloud nine.

  Around lunchtime, just as we began to sit down and feast on the various goodies everyone had brought in, including my turkey from HoneyBaked Ham, another delivery arrived.

  “Erika Kane, sign here please,” another delivery person said as he handed me his handheld computer to scribble my signature. I did and he hurriedly left with Thanksgiving greetings to everyone.

  “What is it?”Nobia asked. “Damn, two deliveries in one day. You have that man sprung already.”

  “Give me a few minutes to open it and we’ll find out.”

  When I finally managed to open the medium-sized white box with the red bow, inside was a pie. A peach cobbler to be exact, with an attached note card.

  Sweets for the sweet. Thought you might like this. It’s not my aunt’s peach cobbler, but it’s a close second. Enjoy and I can’t wait to see you again. Best, Lance.

  If I was on cloud nine before, I was now on cloud eighteen. Two times the joy.

  After our main meal, I bit into the first slice of pie after I had shared with every
one. All I could think about was how sweet, ripe, and juicy it was. It simply melted in my mouth. It reminded me of something else that I hoped Lance would experience soon.

  Reconciliation

  Chapter 32

  I was seated in the break room checking e-mails on my iPhone when Erika strolled in to grab bottled water out of the refrigerator. It was a few days after Thanksgiving and we were slowly returning to our normal routines. I couldn’t believe Christmas was around the corner and it was time for me to get my lists ready for my current sponsors. There was no shame in my game. My motto: you have to pay to play.

  My previous nightmares, with Erika being the big, bad boogey woman, had finally ceased. Thank God. I still hadn’t made heads or tails of why she had invaded my night dreams to begin with, but at least it was over. I was in church Sunday, after a long absence, and it was as if the preacher was speaking directly to my soul. He spoke of forgiveness and moving forward. For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. His sermon made me think of Erika’s and my situation. I realized I had to offer forgiveness even if it was solely for the purpose of moving on with my life. Grudges and bitterness were toxins that corroded the spirit and blocked blessings from coming your way.

  Life was looking up; in fact, in another year I could picture myself with my own salon and a line of hair products. I had learned to never underestimate the power of networking with the right people, the connected ones, and Atlanta had its share. So, I decided I had to let go of negativity so that I received the right energy in my life and the right blessings.

  If you looked at it in black and white, my ex, Brian, made his decision years ago and I had to live with that. Evidently he saw something in Erika that was pleasing. I don’t know for sure if she seduced him, but if she did, he didn’t have to take the bait and I also realized Erika had to take responsibility for her actions, too. However, that was on her. She had to reconcile that guilt, if there was any.

  Brian didn’t ask me to marry him; he asked Erika. He dropped down on one knee, offered up an engagement ring, and proposed to her. Not me. I needed to lick my salty wounds and move on, like I should have years ago. However, a deep jealousy and resentment stood in my way.

  The bullshit that happened between our parents, it was just that, between our parents. Erika and I couldn’t control what two consenting adults did, no matter how wrong or hurtful it was, no better than we could control the sun’s rotation. All the horrible things and thoughts I had said and felt about Erika, I was ashamed about now.

  Evidently, I didn’t know Brian as well as I thought I did. I never in a million years thought he would betray me, our love, and marry Erika, so how could I say he could not have committed suicide? When it came down to it, I wasn’t sure what he would do. After all, the investigation, the police report, and coroner’s report said he killed himself. It was time for me to pull up my big-girl panties and practice kindness and forgiveness.

  “Hey, girl,” I said.

  Erika looked startled that I was speaking to her. Usually I ignored her.

  “Hey, Carla.”

  “I love your hair that way. It looks good on you.”

  “Thanks. You know me, always switching it up.” She kind of chuckled, walking toward the exit. Today she was wearing a short jet-black bob as opposed to the long hair she usually sported.

  “Do you have a minute?” I asked, searching her face for an answer.

  “Sure,” she said hesitantly. I could see the uncertainty in her eyes and body language. Erika walked over and sat at the small table, in front of me.

  I put away my phone and for a few seconds the only sounds were my frantic heartbeat and the clock that hung on the far wall. We were alone. “I wanted to say that I’m happy for you and Lance. Since he has come into your life, you are glowing.”

  Erika displayed the first genuine smile since coming into the break room. “Thank you.”

  “He’s good for you.”

  “I think so,” she replied, visibly relaxing. “Since Lance has returned from Chicago, we have talked on the phone nearly every night, for hours. We have our very first date this weekend.”

  “Really? Are you excited?” I asked, genuinely curious.

  “Nervous is more like it.”

  I laughed in spite of myself. When Lance came around, Erika acted like a teenager with a serious crush. I was truly delighted for her; Erika really wasn’t that bad. She hired my crazy ass in spite of our differences. She realized I was in dire straits and now opportunity was coming my way because of connections I had made at Last Chance.

  “Listen, I just wanted to say . . .” I paused. “I’m not very good at this.”

  Erika remained silent.

  “All our drama in the past . . .”

  I assumed she finally figured out what I was trying to say without much success.

  “You don’t have to go there, Carla.”

  I held up my hand to stop further comments.

  “I know I’m not good at this, but I have to get it off my chest. What I’m trying to say is let’s let bygones be bygones. This is something I should have said years ago.”

  “I would like that. I feel the same.”

  “Erika, I’m sorry about how I’ve treated you over the years. Brian made his choice and I have to finally accept it.”

  “Apology accepted, girl.”

  Just like that, we had come to a truce and who knew where our friendship would go from there. Life was always full of surprises.

  At Last My Love Has Come Along

  Chapter 33

  Lance and I were seated at a table at one of my favorite restaurants, Fogo de Chao, in Buckhead on Piedmont Road. I loved this authentic Brazilian restaurant and the select choices of never-ending hearty meats roasted over an open pit. As we walked in, a beautiful bar was directly to the right and a large salad bar sat in the middle of the dining room. A large wine wall covered an entire section and Brazilian-style murals were featured on the walls. We had a semi-private corner, at a dark wood table covered with a white tablecloth and napkins.

  “Have I told you how beautiful you look this evening?” Lance asked as his eyes tenderly admired me.

  “Yes, but you can always tell me again.” I giggled.

  “Sure. You are simply breathtaking tonight, Ms. Kane. I can’t keep my eyes off you.”

  “I know.” And I did. I had on a stunning royal blue designer dress that hugged every curve and left very little to the imagination. It also complemented my deep brown complexion. I looked like a million dollars.

  “No one should ever say you are modest. You are too much, Erika, and there is never a dull moment with you.”

  “I know but you can handle it.” I laughed as I reached out to casually stroke his hand.

  “I’m sure I can,” he stated with confidence.

  He looked around as a large group was seated at a nearby table.

  “This is my first time here. It’s nice, thanks for suggesting it,” Lance said as he looked around appreciatively.

  “You are very welcome, Lance. I figured you for a meat-and-potatoes kind of man.”

  He nodded. “Can you believe we are finally on an actual date?”

  “Miracles do happen, but better late than never,” I cited.

  “With your schedule and mine, I was beginning to think it was almost impossible.”

  “We made it happen and here we are, enjoying each other’s company without any distractions.”

  “I hear you, princess. Hopefully, this is just the beginning of many more dinners and breakfasts.”

  “I like the sound of that,” I said, looking deep into his eyes and wondering what the future held for us.

  “I would ask you to tell me about yourself, but we have talked so much over the last couple of weeks that I feel like I know you already.”

  “Actually, mostly you talked and I listened.”
I shifted in my chair.

  “Are you trying to say I talk too much?” Lance laughed.

  “No, never.” I giggled, taking a sip of my drink and starting to dig into my gourmet salad before I got to the real meal of the evening.

  “Well, tell me about yourself,” Lance suggested. He was looking handsome in his tailored black slacks and black sweater. It hadn’t gone unnoticed by me that he favored black in his wardrobe, too.

  “What do you want to know?” I questioned. “Ask me anything.”

  Lance’s mood suddenly shifted. “Let’s get the topic of previous relationships out of the way. You mentioned you had been married three times before and you have to know I’ve heard nasty rumors.”

  I remained silent, listening.

  “In fact, one of my barbers, when he heard we were going out tonight, he joked that he hoped to see me alive next week.”

  “Ouch.”

  “I’m just being honest, I’m not trying to hurt you with what I’ve heard because some people have been brutal with their opinion. I want to get it all out in the open.”

  “I have been married three times and they did die. Does that scare you?”

  “I’m here aren’t I, Elizabeth Taylor? Next question.”

  With those words, I started laughing and probably didn’t quit for another three minutes. Every time I would stop, I would look at Lance and start all over again. I’m sure the people at the table near us thought I was crazy or on something. The seriousness of the situation was suddenly diminished with Lance making light of it.

  “Do you find it strange that I’ve been married three times and all three husbands passed?” I asked after finally getting my composure back. I took a sip of water and awaited his response.

  “No. Life and death happen, but I do find it telling that you found love not once, but three times in your lifetime. That’s very rare. Three men fell in love with you and I can understand why.”

  I thought about his comments. “No one has ever stated it that way before. I’m usually judged and deemed the big, bad Black Widow.”