Friday, December 25, 2009

JASMINE AND HER BAD ATTITUDE

“I got two tickets to go and watch the John Legend concert” Phillip told me.
“Cool, so you going with your co worker? “I asked him.

“No” he told me “I am going with you” he continued.

“Are you asking me to go with you or are you telling me to go with you?” I responded laughing.

“There are some things I don’t have to ask you to do and this is one of them.” He told me.

“You must be full of it”

“Whatever”

We had been on the phone for about two hours, I had just gotten off work and I was driving in traffic, as usual the cars were moving at snail’s pace but instead of fretting over the traffic I decided to call Phillip to pass time.

“My sister is visiting”

“Really, I didn’t know you have relatives that could come visit you, I have never heard anything about your family.” He told me. That’s quite true I really don’t talk about my family, I don’t like it and I always avoid topics about my siblings or anything. My father left my mother for another woman when I was eight and Jasmine was three years old, he left my mother with the mortgage and two kids. I never got over it, he never called me on my birthday, never showed up for school events and not even my High school or college graduation so eventually he kind of erased himself from my memory and my entire life, till present I don’t even know where he is or have any contact address, my uncle, his younger brother once tried to reach out to us when I turned thirteen, he happened to be visiting from New York but my mom was so cold to him, he didn’t even bother to try. My mom became a very bitter person, so many men tried to date her because she was really pretty and exotic but my mom developed a cold attitude towards people and gradually started hating men. She never encouraged me or Jasmine to have any boyfriends but as a teenager I was a freak, my hormones would jump at the sight of any cute guy around but I dared not tell my mom, my first crush was Jeremy Wilkins who was in my calculus class in my sophomore year in high school but he was in love with pretty Roberta Grigsby. She was a straight A student, on honor roll for the whole four years of high school, a cheerleader and Jeremy’s heart rob and most important fact, I hated her. I managed to survive High school without a boyfriend, I didn’t even go to my high school prom, my mother would not even hear of it. Stanley was the next best thing in my life when we were dating, my mother totally hated him for reasons best known to her and when our relationship ended she was happy. Danielle was the only known relative to Phillip, she is my maternal aunt’s daughter, my mom is her mother’s elder sister, we have been close since we were children.

“Oh really” I said feigning ignorance.

“Yes” he replied.
“ Oh well Jasmine is my younger sister and my only sibling you will get to meet her when you come by my house.” I told him.

“Oh that’s okay, where is she visiting from?” he asked. His sudden curiosity is making me wish I hadn’t told him my sister is around.

‘She is visiting from Atlanta.’ I informed him. I need to get off the phone as quickly as possible but how do I that and a quick idea comes into my head.

“Phil, I have an incoming call I hope you don’t mind if I called you back.” I told him spontaneously.

“Sure” he replied and I hung up. Good riddance.



Jasmine was at home laying on the couch reading a magazine when I walked in through the door. She didn’t seem to move when she saw me coming and said nothing, I looked at her for a quick minute wondering what was wrong.

“Hey Jasmine” I greeted her.

‘Hey Rosie” she responded.

‘Are you okay?” I asked.

“Sure”.

I went into my bedroom and kicked off my shoes. Its been a long day and also a long ride home with all that traffic. I am so hungry I could eat a whole house. I walked out of my room to go and see what Jasmine might have made for lunch or dinner, I walked to the kitchen and to my dismay there was nothing on the stove. I turned around to look at Jasmine who was still engrossed with the Ebony magazine with Jada Pinkett Smith’s face splashed on the cover.

“Jasmine” I called out. She looked up from her magazine.

”What did you make for lunch?” I asked her.

“I ordered pizza from Domino’s I left some for you, it’s in the fridge.” She responded.

“Are you kidding me, in this hard economic time you order pizza?” I said grimacing at the thought of ordering pizza when there are more than enough ingredients to cook food in the house.

“Is there something wrong with that?” she asked me sitting up on the sofa.

“Yes, a lot my dear, I have spaghetti, rice, minced meat, chicken and all that stuff in the fridge for you to cook and you order something from outside why didn’t you just …………..” I said and she cut me off. She stood up and picked up her magazine and walked towards me.

“Well I didn’t feel like cooking so get over it.” She responded rudely and went into the other room. I stared after her in amazement. I was about to pick up the phone and call my mom to report Jasmine’s rude behavior but I decided against it. My mom might end up supporting Jasmine and then I would look stupid. I went to my room and went to change into something more comfortable, the light was flashing on my phone, I had a missed call, it was Phillip. It went to voicemail and he had just left me a voicemail. I picked up my phone and dialed my voicemail.

“Hey Rosie, its me Phillip, I am five minutes away from your house, I decided to surprise you, I am bringing dinner over, I went to Orient Express to get some food and I got a bowl for your sister, right now I am at Safeway trying to buy some wine, I haven’t decided which one yet, call me back please to let me know if you have a preference okay, see you soon.”

Oh my goodness, please don’t tell me that Phillip is on his way to my house and my sister has probably thrown herself into one of her foul moods. I call him back but it goes straight to voice mail, I don’t feel like leaving him a message, I need to get dressed before he gets here because I am sure that Jasmine would not answer the doorbell if it is rung. I open my closet and pull out my purple sleeveless maxi dress from the hanger and pulled off my cream colored Anne Klein suit. Dressing up is something I do rather quickly; taking a shower is the opposite. I can spend a million years in the shower trying to soak, lather, scrub and rinse. Stanley always complained about how long I spent in the shower especially when he was spending the night at my house or if he came over to my house before I took a shower, I only do stuff like that in the luxury of my own bathroom and no one else’s . Just as I pulled my long jet black, Remy Yaky weave into a ponytail, the doorbell rang. I went to the door, I peeped through the eyehole, it was Phillip, I opened the door by turning the key on the knob, Jasmine came out of her room probably out of curiosity to see who was at the door which was rather surprising.

“hello” Phillip greeted as he kissed my forehead as he walked through the door.

“Hey” I responded and gave him a hug. Jasmine stood in the doorway with a frozen expression on her face. I didn’t tell her

I was seeing anyone and she was probably surprised to see Phillip.

“Hi” said Phillip as he loosened my grip on him and looked at my sister.

“Jasmine, meet my friend Phillip Bordeuax and Philip meet my sister Jasmine Jones” I said introducing both of them. Phillip walked toward Jasmine and extended his hand for a handshake, Jasmine had a dead expression on her face as she looked at him, she extended her hand and gave him a handshake as well.

“Nice to meet you” she managed to say politely.

“very nice to meet you Jasmine” Phillip replied.

“He brought us some food to eat, so lets have dinner” I announced bringing the packs out of the plastic bag. Jasmine did not move an inch but instead stood around there, I could not understand why she was behaving like that.

“Why are you standing there, don’t you want some?” I asked her.

“In this hard economic time you order Orient Express?” Jasmine said mimicking the statement I had made not too long ago about her eating out.

“I didn’t order it, he did?” I said pointing at Phillip defensively.

“Who is he anyway?” Jasmine asked looking disapprovingly at Phillip. She did not look like she liked him one bit.

“I just told you that he is my friend” I responded.

“Oh” Jasmine replied rolling her eyes at me. I knew she was going to have an attitude and I didn’t want Phillip to have a bad impression of her because she is a really cool person but she can be awkward as well. Phillip looked at her. I just can’t tell what he is thinking in his mind but he is probably coming up with some sort of impression about her, all of a sudden I try to calm the little tension building up in the room by trying to divert attention.

“Let’s eat” I said all of a sudden and I opened a pack of food.
“I am not hungry thank you” said Jasmine as she walked towards her room.

“Can you at least be nice?” I responded. She was beginning to sulk like a little child and have a bad attitude.

Phillip looked at me and shrugged his shoulders. It was not a good way to meet some potential in-law.

“I am really sorry about that, I absolutely apologize for her behavior,” I told him embarrassed.

“Its no problem, you are not responsible for her behavior.” she is an adult and has every right to decided what she wants to do, as for me, I am not offended by her behavior, lets sit don and savor a very good meal.” he told me.

Phillip had a way of reassuring me of something. I have a lot of confidence in him just as much as he has a lot of confidence in me. We sit down to eat.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

A NEW PLACE TO CALL HOME

I got on the Greyhound Bus after paying $25. It is a really big bus, relaxing and away from everything I know. I wish I could find my sister but I can’t I remember when everything was perfect until mother died and father was so heartbroken he walked away. He couldn’t cope. He lost his job because he grieved so much and could no longer concentrate. He could not take care of us like mother did. Mother was ill in the hospital for a long time. Mother was his best friend and companion and in this world no one would replace her in his life. After mom died nothing was the same anymore.

I had become a beauty overnight. I had become quite something to look at. I had the most beautiful and curvy body ever. I had developed into a young woman very quickly. I found a job as a dishwasher in a small restaurant which had a grill and bar. It was owned by a little lady called Cece. After Cece heard my pathetic story  decided to take me in. I lived in a room in Cece's house which in exchange I washed dishes and did many other house chores. For a girl my age I had too much on her plate. School was no longer my priority and Cece did not encourage me to go either. Cece had a son named James and a daughter named Janelle. James had a greet liking for me. It wasn't just a platonic liking, he was sexually attracted to me. I didn't care much for James, I was traumatized at the thought of not seeing her siblings. She watched James and Janelle yell at each other. It wasn't like that in my own home. Janelle was rather hot tempered. She was sixteen years old with a steady boyfriend who is a roadside mechanic.  Cece who is a single mother has no control over the choice her daughter has made. Janelle claims that she and her boyfriend Jamal are truly in love with each other.   I don’t understand what love is anymore, if the love between my parents ended when my mother died, then I have no reason to be dribbling in the love thing. Cece worked my butt off at her little restaurant but I also learned how to cook a lot of stuff. James came to help out in the evenings and also to chat with me. He was very friendly and a lot of ladies liked him but he had his eyes on me.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

STANLEY CALLS AND JASMINE VISITS

"Look Stanley how did you get my number and what makes you think I want to speak with you this evening?” I ask Stanley who is on the other end of the phone."


“Can you at least listen to what I have to say?” he pleaded.

“You said all you had to say and I have heard, you had to call up a conference to discuss breaking up with me and I have heard the case from all verdicts why can’t you just leave me alone.” I told Stanley.

“ Rose please listen to me………………’ he began and I hung up. Whatever is past needs to remain in the past where it belongs.



****************************************************************

I was on the web when my doorbell rang. I stood up and went to see who was at the door. I peeped through the hole and it was someone with big, curly hair, I could not see the face.

“Who is it?” I call out.

“It’s Jazzy Jasmine” replied the person on the other side of the door.

It’s my sister. I can’t believe it. I opened the door sure enough it is my younger sister Jasmine looking really good in a white top and a pair of navy blue distressed jeans.

“Hey darling” she began by hugging me, I hugged her warmly, I have missed her so much.

“Hey my dear, how have you been?” I asked her.

‘Great”

“How did you get here?” I asked.

“I took the BART from San Francisco and I ended up taking the taxi here.” She told me.

‘Why didn’t you tell me you were coming, I could have come to pick you up from the airport?” I asked her.

“I wanted to surprise you, so what’s for dinner, I am famished.” She asked me as she put her luggage in the living room.

“We could go out to eat dinner, I didn’t cook.” I told her.

“I need to take a shower first, is that okay” she asked me as she pulled her hand luggage into the bedroom.

“Sure, I will go and change.” I replied.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

PHILLIP FINALLY CALLS AND GUESS WHAT???????????????

The traffic from I680 to I580 was the worst today. Goodness. It was like bumper to bumper traffic. I got home at 6.48pm. I walked into my living room and kicked off my shoes. I threw my bag on the sofa and checked my messages on the answering machine, since I gave Phillip my number I have been checking my answering machine everyday and no call from him, but wait a minute now I am not so sure if I gave him my house number or my cell phone number. I checked the caller id on the phone, no strange or new number showed up; my sister Jasmine left me a message.

“Hey Rosie,its Jasmine, Holla, Momma misses you so much, I have been busy with work and all, call me , I miss you”

The only reason why Jasmine my younger sister would call me is because she wants money and for no other good reason.

I went to my bedroom to change into something more comfortable, there was some left over Chinese food in the fridge from Rachel’s birthday, Rachel is a coworker in the office who had just had a birthday at a posh Chinese Gourmet Restaurant. I went to put the bowl in the microwave after taking it out of the fridge just then I heard my phone vibrating. I went to pick it up from my purse, I looked at the number, I don’t recognize it but I pick the call anyway.

“Hello” I began and then there was a masculine voice on the other end.
“Hey, finally called you” the voice responded, it was Phillip. Praise the Lord.

“How are you doing?” I asked him.

“Great thanks, where are you?” he asked.

“I just got home right now from work, the traffic was really bad this evening on the 680” I told him.

“There was an accident that’s why, I passed it up, I was driving against traffic that’s how I knew.” He informed me.

“Oh that’s good to know” I replied not knowing what else to say.

“So what are you doing right now?” he asked me.

“Just chilling, what’s up?” I asked him why was he so nosy, well not in a bad way but I think he is rather inquisitive. I have never met any inquisitive guy. Stanley was just observant but maybe that’s why he is a fool.

“Nothing really, I was just going to go the Karaoke Place and I was wondering if you wanted to come” he told me. Like seriously this dude must really think I have nothing else to do. I actually want to go but on a week night, I have work tomorrow, I don’t want to go work and start snoring on my desk. In this tight recession I would do more than anything to keep my job.

“The karaoke place on a weeknight?” I asked my thought out loud.

“I always do something on a weeknight, its fun” he replied.

“What about work in the morning?” I asked him

“So if I asked you to go with me to dinner you would think about work in the morning and not your stomach for the evening” he asked. I blushed. Was he trying to hint at something like for real ask me out to dinner?

“Dinner is different” I replied defensively.

“It could still be considered hanging out on a weeknight” he told me and I laughed.

‘Okay, I agree with you”

“So what’s the deal?”

“The deal about what?”

“What I asked you about dinner or the Karaoke place which one do you want to go to?” he asked me.

“What is this about if I may ask?” I asked trying to play dumb. I always like to play dumb with men. Danielle thinks it’s a bad idea because according to her she thinks it backfires and the man would think you are not interested in him or that you are as dumb as you sound.

“I am asking you to spend an evening with me, we should hang out, I think you are fun to hang out with.” he told me. Am I really fun to hang out with?

“I will think about it and call you back.” I told him.

“ Okay what about Friday night, so you don’t have to think about work on Saturday morning, I hope you don’t work weekends?”

“No I don’t, Friday night is fine” I replied. I can’t pass up on this offer. I haven’t had a date in over a year. Goodness.

“Okay, Friday it is, let’s meet at TGI Friday” he told me.

“Oh nice place for a Friday” I replied.

After agreeing on Friday we had a long conversation, I checked the timer on my phone, we talked for an hour forty eight minutes and thirty three seconds. Whew. Step one is complete now its time for step two.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

925.................................................

I don’t want to say that this is fate but must I keep running into Phillip everywhere I go, and even if I had to run into him somewhere why does it have to be at my job. I was walking into one of the offices when I saw a familiar figure coming to my direction, I hadn’t seen him since the last time I saw him at the ATM machine and that was probably why he showed up at my job.


“Hey” he said as he walked confidently towards me.

“Hi” I replied nervously butterflies were fluttering around my stomach. Well now I can’t be too sure of that or maybe its hunger pangs. I look at the giant clock in the hallway, its almost 2.30pm.

“What are you up to?” he asked, I was about to ask if he was blind, if he couldn’t see that work was actually what I was up to.

“Nothing really, just work, it’s a busy day today, and what are you doing here.” I asked him.

“I er………………….” He began and hesitated for a second, I could tell he was about to tell a lie and then I looked into his eyes and he started laughing.

“What’s funny?” I asked him.

“Well I came to see you. “he responded.

“Not a great time if must say” I replied. I was about to scream Hallelujah on the inside, Phillip Bordeaux came to see me. I have just won love lotto. Are you kidding me.

“I understand, I actually just dropped someone off here and I decided to step in to see you, I remember you told me you work here.” He told me. I looked at him. I remember telling him I work at Kirkland Guild but not this branch, he must have tracked me down somehow but at least he found me.

“Oh okay” I reply trying to keep my composure, he looked into my eyes.

“Can I get your number so I could give you a call like maybe later, so we could talk.

Of course darling the only reason you would call me is to talk. Definitely I would give you my number before one of the chief admins passes by.

“Alright, its 925……………………………………”

Sunday, October 4, 2009

THE GREAT ESCAPE

I went into my room and pulled out my little brown knapsack I had gotten from the dollar store. I looked around the room to see if there was anything I would need to take from this house. I don’t have so many clothes and I don’t need old clothes, I picked up my small Bible, and other essentials like my toothbrush, I took a bar of soap from Channel’s closet, I would be far gone by the time she would realize the soap is missing. I took a grey sweater, two shirts and two pairs of jeans and stuffed them in my knapsack. I grabbed the trash can near the door and put the knapsack there and covered it with grocery bags. It would make me look like I was taking trash outside. Lastly I opened the mattress and removed the Ziploc bag of money which included coins and the likes. I stuffed it in the trash can. It was time to leave. I took a long look at the room for the last time and recounted the memories, nights I spent crying in my little bed doing homework. The times I sat in the chair by the window watching Chanelle, Ashley and Lauren get picked up to go out on lunch dates and dinner dates while I sit in the house either sleeping, watching TV or doing house chores. I would not even miss my school with all those silly teenagers. I looked at the time. It was time to go. I walked down the stairs with the trash can in my hand. Miss Mattie gave me a surprise look from across the couch.


“What are you still doing here, I thought you would be in the store by now?” she asked me.

“I had to put the clothes away, I am on my way” I replied. She nodded her head and I walked by with the trash can. I walked into the garage and opened the door leading to the side door outside, I put the trash on the recycle box and grabbed my knapsack and the money in the Ziploc. Escape is finally here, I briskly walked away from the house and from my old life.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

BREAKING THE CAMEL'S BACK

Three hours later, I was driving towards his house; I see his friend’s car parked outside. Joe was his best friend, they grew up together, and they are literally brothers. I parked right behind Joe’s Nissan maxima and I went up the stairs. He must have more company than Joe because I heard a lot of laughing in the background; I paused to listen to whose voices I could pick out, his room mate Patrick was not there because his car was not even parked outside. I heard a female voice, I think it might be Joe’s girlfriend Keisha, Yes it was Keisha and then some other female was in the room. He must have company, I listened closely to the voice, it was Betty, what was she doing here? I put my head close to the door to listen, I made sure there was no one looking especially his nosy neighbors and then I leaned closer.


“She called the office today and she just made a fool of herself.” Betty said.

“ I don’t know why she keeps calling the office, why can’t you just answer the phone for once and tell her what’s going on with you” Betty continued. She probably knows so much about our relationship.

“You need to tell her” Joe said. Joe was in this too.

“Joe, I know you like Rose a lot but, I am confused, she is just all over the place right now” Stanley him.

“The only reason she is all over the place is because you are not telling her anything, why are you avoiding her anyway, she is a really nice lady and she loves you very much?” Joe asked him. I was trying to imagine the look on Stanley’s face. Who was he dating or what was he not telling me at all?

“She is beginning to get on my nerves with commitment” Stanley replied. So that’s why he has been acting like that, the other night at dinner some lady walked by with her child and I told him that someday we would have a cute child like that together and he kind of squirmed at that statement, I don’t know why but I thought it was mean, I also hinted at the fact that I wanted to know where the relationship was going after that day everything fell apart. What did Stanley think I wanted him for, why did he think I stood by him, it was because I loved him and I wanted to be with him.

Nicholas at my job had dropped flowers on my table and invited me for numerous dinners and I gave him a negative response and here I was hanging in through thick and thin with this man.

“You guys have been together for a while now and you have given her every reason to feel that way.” Joe replied.

“ I have given her no such reason she needs to quit daydreaming” Stanley replied. My heart broke into two, tears started to drop down my cheeks.

“That’s so cruel” Keisha replied

“There is nothing cruel about it, he doesn’t want her anymore let her go” Betty replied.

“What is wrong with you, I thought you liked her” Joe asked Betty.

“I don’t really like her right now, she keeps calling and leaving messages” Betty said.

“Their relationship is none of your business” Keisha told her.

“Well watch your mouth and put your mouth where your man is” Betty said.

“Excuse me” Keisha began. Joe cut them off.

“Stop this nonsense, Rose is not here and you are getting on at each other because of Rose. I wish she was here to hear you listen to this nonsense.” Joe said. I couldn’t take it anymore, I opened the door.

“I have heard your nonsense” I said amid my tears, everyone in the room looked at me.

SWEET ESCAPE

I did not hear the last of it when I got home. I served detention, that was a forbidden word in Miss Mattie’s house. She did not even want to hear it.


“You fought at school, like those ghetto people are you crazy, we are church people and I believe the Lord you just gave the devil the chance in your life” she told me.

I looked at her, she is one of those churchgoers who just go to church and be a statistic in the church offering, if I was God I don’t think I would want to listen to her prayer, she is full of crap. Church people indeed.

“She attacked me first, Miss Mattie” I tried to explain defensively.

“When you get hit, you turn the other cheek” Miss Mattie responded hitting me with her whip. Turn the other cheek, it is not that easy.

Chanelle, her oldest daughter told her about the incident, and I skipped dinner that night and also got twelve strokes of her skinny little whip. My butt hurt so bad I was too scared to sit down. Luckily for me I had to do the dishes so I didn’t have to sit immediately, I dreaded washing those greasy pots and pans but I had no choice. Chanelle had cooked dinner and burnt most of it. She could not cook anything right, the last time she made fried rice they were as good as soggy. Her culinary skills just suck, period. Ashley her younger sister is so much better, we are the same age but she is one freak I know. She has a secret boyfriend who whistles to her from outside and she goes up the stairs like she forgot something only to come back through the front door. She usually leaves the house through her bedroom window, there is a ladder placed by her window since her window is on the side of the house within the fence. Her mom has never suspected anything on any occasion but I hope she really does get caught one day, I would be so glad because she has been terrorizing me of recent and I definitely do not like that.


When I was fifteen, I ran away. I plotted my way of escape very carefully. I had started packing up my stuff little by little, when I mean stuff its most of the scrap I had in their house. One day Miss Mattie called me.

“Gina” she hollered.

“Yes, Miss Mattie” I answered running before she called me the second time.

“I need you to go to the store for me”

“Yes Miss Mattie” I responded. She handed me a grocery list, I read it, she needed some Milk, eggs and butter. She gave me a fifty dollar bill. Sweet. Part of my transport money to get on the Greyhound bus. This woman has just made my escape a little bit sweeter and so much better.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

CASE OF THE EX

It is Saturday and I have to be at a party with my cousin Danielle. There is this lady at her job that is throwing her thirtieth birthday party in grand style. I went to Macy’s yesterday to buy a nice outfit, it is a black Anne Klein dress and I am wearing these nice Jessica Simpson high heeled shoes. Danielle is in the other room trying to struggle into her outfit. Her boyfriend is going to pick us up.


“I hope this dress is not too tight” she asks me.

“You look like a hooker” I respond. She is wearing this funny looking black and white striped backless dress.

“That’s mean” Danielle responded giving me the look.

“Really” I replied laughing, “But you asked, that outfit is ridiculous”

“Okay, I have to change into something else then.



Half an hour later we were on the road. Danielle’s boyfriend Douglas came to pick us up in his Nissan Maxima. We got there about an hour later and the party was in full swing. There were tons of young ladies and young men. Everyone was chatting, eating, drinking or dancing. Douglas was Danielle on the dance floor, I had to engage myself in something, I refused to dance with the young man who had asked me to dance telling him I had a slight headache. He was not persistent, that was one of the things I liked about him. I decided to get something to eat, I didn’t know half the people in this place and when Danielle was talking about the party she made it seem that some of our friends would be there. I walked past the dance floor and went to the buffet table, I was just going to get some grilled fish when someone tapped me on my shoulder, I turned around and I got the greatest shock of my life, it was my ex boyfriend Stanley. I hadn’t seen Stanley since we broke up. He looked really good in his white tuxedo, he had a clean shave.

“Hey stranger” he greeted.

“Hello” I responded.

“What are you doing here?” he asked me.

“What are you doing here” I asked him too. What kind of dumb question was that? We are both at a party what else do people do at parties.

“I am here for my friend’s party” he told me.

“I came here with Danielle” I told him and just then Danielle appeared. She had a smirk on her face as soon as she saw him. He smiled at her. Danielle never hid her feelings. She didn’t like him especially after the way he treated me. Danielle stood up for me.

Stanley and I dated for two years, all of a sudden, he started acting weird, when I called him, it would go straight to voice mail, I can’t remember how many messages I left for him but he never called me back, I called him at the office, no response, even his co workers Betty MacMillan started becoming really rude the last time I called the office she answered.

“Hi Betty,” I began

“Hi” she replied, usually she sounded very unfriendly but today it was either she was having a bad day or I was irritating her.

“Can I speak with Stanley please?” I asked her.

“He is not here at the moment, he went for a meeting and he would be busy for the rest of the day.” She informed me rather spitefully.

“Did he ask you to inform me of this when I call?” I asked her because I didn’t ask her for those details, he was probably talking crap about me at the office.

“I just thought I should let you know” she responded

“Thanks” I replied and then I hung up the phone.

Monday, September 21, 2009

GINA'S YOUTH

I met Mr. Benson one night while I was hawking my goods on the street for anyone who cared to pay, then I was still going home with men who paid me crap compared to Mr. Benson, he pulled over to the curb and offered me a ride, ever since that day a year ago my life changed a whole lot. I could afford to wear decent clothes in the day time. I am not ashamed of what I do. I do it to survive, my mom died when I was eight, she had a heart condition and it was unlikely that she would live past my eight birthday, my father walked away from the house and I never saw him again. I don’t think I would know what he looks like right now if I walked down the street. I have two siblings. An older sister and a younger brother, we were all taken into foster care because none of our relatives wanted to care for us. I hated that and so I swore that when I got out of the foster care system I would be on my own and make it in life. I don’t know what happened to my sister and I never saw her again. I lived with Miss Mattie, a widow in her mid forties and my story became worse than Cinderella’s. She had three lazy children all girls, I did most of the housework. I was actually treated like an outcast more than a foster child. She shopped for me at the Thrift Store and bought me some old clothes. I dressed good on the days the Social worker came around, she made me wear one of her daughter’s clothes. I was in a pitiful state. She was being paid money to take care of me instead she spent the money on herself and her evil daughters. I once tried to tell on her when the Social worker came, Miss Jeryln was a very nice, petite young woman. Even though I looked well, she could tell something was wrong. One day Miss Mattie paid one of the neighbors to take me to see the Social worker in her office, I had those kind of visits once in a month. Miss Jeryln bought me some Chinese food, I hadn’t eaten that in a while. She watched me eat with so much relish.


“So how are things at the house?“ she asked me.

“Good” I replied with food in my mouth.

“Does she treat you very well?” she asked me.

“Yes”

“Are you sure?”

I looked at her, how did she know I was not well treated, I don’t even know what to tell her right now. She looked me in the eye and asked me the same question again. I looked away from her. She stood up and walked around the table. She finally pulled the chair beside me and sat down.

“Gina, I like you a lot and this is my job, if you are not happy, tell me I will make a report and have you moved to a different home” she told me.

“No ma’am, I don’t want to move to a different home” I told her with tears running down my cheeks.

“Do you like it over there where you live?” she asked me.

“Yes” I replied quietly.



Sometimes I look back and I wish I had spilled the beans and told on Miss Mattie. I should have told on how she made me wash dishes till midnight, how I had to do homework when everyone else was asleep and was barely awake in the morning. On weekends, I cleaned the house all by myself with little or no help from the girls who were always getting ready to go for one pool party or another, they chatted endlessly to my dismay. When I was fourteen I had decided that school was not for me. Most of the girls in my class made fun of my clothes and there was this one girl who was always looking for ways to humiliate me. One day she found it. It was during lunch at school where she walked over to me and pulled my $3.99 ponytail from the discount rack at the Beauty supply off my head. She held it out.

“Ewwwwwwwwwww, what is this?” she asked and her friends laughed.

I was too embarrassed to speak.

“Even if you don’t have any hair on your head, this is not to proper thing to wear, it looks like my cat’s tail and when was the last time you got a perm, your hair sure does look nappy?” she said. I took a look at Natalie. She was Miss Thing at school, a tall girl with braces which I would gladly knock off her mouth. She had two cute brothers, Ken and Henry. I took a long look at the ponytail she was holding up like it disgusted her.

“If that looks like your cat’s tail, you surely must have an ugly cat” I responded and I was surprised that I had actually said something in my self defense for once.
Everyone laughed. No one expected me to talk back to Natalie, not the Gina they knew. Natalie was angry, her facial expression changed on the double. She slapped me to everyone’s horror. Okay we are about to take this outside. I grabbed her hair and pulled her braids, I grabbed a handful out. She screamed pathetically. We threw punches at each other, one of her friends Tina tried to come and separate her, I don’t know if it was Natalie or I who punched her in the eye because she screamed in agony and fell down. It took two boys to separate us and then I saw the Principal walk into the dining hall, the uproar must have attracted him from his office. Half an hour later we were serving detention in Detention room.

Friday, September 18, 2009

PHILLIP

I haven’t stopped thinking of Phillip Bordeaux since I first met him. I also need to find out more about him. Danielle and I had a great lunch that day and I told her about him.


“Well do what you need to do; I am so looking forward to your wedding.” She told me and I looked at her in amazement.

“Why must you always think about marriage, he doesn’t even know anything about me other than my name?”

“Well, I think if someone is going on a journey, one needs to know where they are going?” If he is not going to have a relationship with you, why do you want to waste your time and your emotions on something that is not likely to move forward.”

I think she has a point but she is not going about it the right way. You can’t just tell a man that if there are no marriage plans he can’t be with you and sometimes I have witnessed situations where a woman thinks she has found the right man and realizes that the man does not feel the same way about her so in this situation what do you want her to do.

“Danielle, every man cannot be like your boyfriend.”

“Well then I must have the best boyfriend in the whole wide world”

Not necessarily, I think I am just lucky to have someone like him”

“Yeah yeah” I replied rolling my eyes.

Phillip Bordeaux has been in my thoughts even in my dreams. Goodness. I am falling in love with a stranger. Today is my lucky day. Guess who I ran into at the ATM machine. I had just pulled up in front of the bank. The bank had closed. It was past seven o’clock in the evening. I had to deposit a check into my account; I sat in my car and signed the back of the check. I came out of the car and walked towards the ATM terminal. I had just put the envelope into the machine when I heard a car pull up. I turned to see who it was, I saw it was a man but I didn’t see him clearly. I quickly braced myself, took the receipt and my card out of the machine. I was walking towards my parked car when I heard my name in a familiar voice.

“Rose of Sharon” the man called out and I looked. My heart skipped a beat. It was Phillip.

“Hi, Mr. Bordeaux” I responded standing still. He looked good this evening, he looked like he was either going to the tennis court or coming from it. I couldn’t help but stare at his long legs. He was looking really good.

“Phillip” he corrected me as he walked towards me.

“Oh, my bad, how are you doing this evening?” I asked

‘Definitely doing fine. I just got back from playing tennis with my colleague at work,” he told me staring at me. I almost shivered. I was wearing a white long sleeved blouse which had a collar and a short skirt, the first two buttons of my blouse were open so he must have been getting a proper glimpse of my two naughty girls popping out of my half cup bra.

“Oh, I just got off from work” I told him.

“Where do you work?” he asked me.

“Kirkland Guild’ I replied

“Medical?”

“Clerical” and I laughed, I am sure he expected me to be a nurse of some sort sorry to disappoint him, I am not even wearing scrubs.

“Interesting”

“Where do you work?”

“Benson Equipment”

“Nice.”

“I used to work for Gerald & Thompson Labs and then I got laid off so now I work for Benson Equipment.”

“Pretty good” I replied not knowing what else to say. “Anyway it was nice seeing you after last week.” I told him.

“Nice seeing you too, did you ever get to find Daniel?” he asked.

“No, he didn’t show up.” I told him.I can't believe that he still remembers Daniel my ficititious character. He must have seen me with Danielle and I am not ready to talk too much today.

“Anyway have a good evening”

“You too”

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

BEDROOM SECRETS

I have never seen a woman call her son so many times in a day. She can never replace me as his wife. I am completely loved by my husband Dimabo Pepple. I raised him from scratch and not even then sixty five year old woman would tear us apart. Dimabo and I have come a long way. I met him in college. He was my heart rob and I meant totally everything to him and I still do, we have two beautiful twin daughters together, Priscilla and Vanessa who are both eleven years old. We got married at twenty three and had our girls at twenty five. We have not had any children after them. It was a decision we chose to make. Mrs. Pepple Snr had a problem with that after the twins turned six.


“ So what’s up with you having more kids?” she asked as we prepared thanksgiving dinner in the kitchen. I hate revealing information about the private conversations I have with Dimabo in the bedroom. If she wanted that kind of information, she could get it from her son and not me. I did not respond. I knew that it would make her mad but I really didn’t care.

“ I believe that I just asked you a question” she repeated with some anger in her tone as I predicted.

“ Oh am sorry I was not really paying attention, what did you say?” I asked her. I could tell that she knew I was lying but I did not care. Mrs Pepple Snr really does get on my nerves sometimes. She thinks that she can just boss anyone around.

“When am I having my next grandchild?” she repeated slowly and firmly.

“I don’t know” I replied.

“What do you mean by you don’t know, are you impotent or something?” she asked me. I angrily dropped the spoon I was using to mix the food into the sink beside me,

‘I refuse to answer that question” I told her.

“Well for the last couple of years, I have only had Priscilla and Vanessa as my grand daughter but I need other grandkids” she said realizing that she had made me really angry.

“Well they are your grandkids and please let us leave it at that” I told her.

‘Are you on contraception?” she asked me. I could tell she was grinning on the inside.

“Mrs. Pepple, please, let’s leave that out”

“I am a woman just like you, I am just asking”

“That’s the private aspect of my life” I retorted

“Nothing about you is private; you are my son’s wife.”

“I am married to your son, he is my husband and I am his wife and our life together is our business.” I retorted again, the tone in my voice was beginning to get unfriendly. How can this old woman start asking me about my sexual life, it’s none of her business?

“ You will be surprised the things I know about your so called private life” Mrs. Pepple Snr replied. I looked at her for a split second, what did she mean by that? Was Dimabo telling our bedroom secrets to his mom?

“Excuse me, what do you mean by the things you know?”

“ I know a lot of stuff my dear, if I told you ,you would be very surprised.” She responded confidently. I was fuming inside.

“So what did he tell you, that our sex is good , that I ……” and I got cut short by Mrs. Pepple

“Don’t try to tell me stuff that I already know, its not a very good idea.” She told me grinning wickedly. I couldn’t take it anymore. I walked out of the kitchen and as I walked away I heard her burst into laughter.

Thomas was sitting in the family room reading the newspaper. I I walked up to him.

“Hey” he said as he took his head up from the paper.

“We need to talk” I told him.

“What’s going on?” he said and put the newspaper down, he did not like the sound of my voice.

‘What did you tell your mother about our sex life?” I asked him. He knew I was upset.

“What do you mean by that kind of statement?” he asked me sternly.

“I mean, what did you tell her about the sex we have upstairs and everywhere else in this building?”

“Nadine, are you out of your mind, what kind of outrageous statement is that?”

“ I am not out of my mind, your mom just told me that you told her about our sex life and I don’t think that is very necessary and that’s our private life.”

“Nadine, what kind of ridiculous talk is this, why would I tell my mom about our sex life and why are you talking to me like that?” Dimabo was getting very upset, I never talk to him like that, we argue like civilized people but at the rate at which I am going I believe that this shouting match is not going to stop anytime soon.

“Thomas, I should be asking you that question?”

“I told her nothing”

“How would you feel if I called your best friend and told him about our sex life?”

“I told you I never told her anything”

“So you are telling me right now that she is lying?”

“Most definitely, where is she?” he asked me standing up.

“In the kitchen” I responded and just then his mother came out smiling.

“Mom, what is the meaning of what you said?” Thomas asked his mom, he had become very angry and the look on his face made his mom burst into laughter. Thomas stared at her wondering what in the world was so funny about his question that warranted her laughter.

“Your wife is too gullible for my liking” she remarked still laughing and I glared at her. What did she mean by that statement? All of a sudden I looked stupid, she was probably joking and I took it too seriously.

“What is this about mom?” he asked.

“I told her that I know your bedroom secrets” his mom told him winking mischievously at him and smiling.

“She said you told her our bedroom secrets” I told him.

Thomas looked at both of us in disgust and went upstairs.

For a week, Thomas did not speak to me. All because of his mom. That was the worst thanksgiving week ever.

Monday, September 14, 2009

ROSEOFSHARON & PHILLIP

Finally a thought comes into my head and I stand up to go and over to his table.


“Hi” I begin and he looks at me. I don’t know what is running through his mind but his facial expression does not really change much.

“Hi, my name is Rose of Sharon, I am supposed to meet someone here called Daniel” I tell him.
“Are you Daniel?” I ask him.
The man looks at me, he has a clean cut face. I am loving this. I take a closer look at his Blackberry. It is a Blackberry Curve, the Javelin the newest one. This is amazing.

“My name is not Daniel, I am afraid I am not the one you are looking for.” He replied politely.

“Oh I am really sorry to bother you, my company sent me here to meet with this person and I don’t know who the person is unfortunately, I have been waiting for an hour and if Daniel is not here within the next ten minutes, I would take my leave.” I tell him.

“It’s alright, and what did you say your name was again?” he asked me, I almost blushed, everyone who hears my name of the first time always asks me to repeat it again. Since elementary school, I have been teased to have the longest name which has three words, like saying Lily of the Valley or President of America or United States of America.

“Rose of Sharon” I replied.

“That’s your name like for real” he asked me. I smile, he grins, my heart has just skipped three beats and I wonder why I am not on the floor yet, he has a great smile. He is a very handsome man, I must say.

“Yes, Rose of Sharon Jones” I reply.

“Very unique name, very nice” he tells me.

“And what is your name?” I ask him. After carrying a friendly conversation for a minute I think I have a right to know his name since he knows mine already.

“Daniel Williams” he replied.

“Your name is Daniel?” I asked. I was about to pass out, are you kidding me, so I just freaking made up a crappy story and now his name is Daniel. All of a sudden I am hoping and praying that my cousin Danielle doesn’t walk into the restaurant because she is going to come over here and holla and ruin my little plot with her big mouth.

“No, I was just messing with you.” He laughed realizing the look on my face. “ My name is Phillip Bordeaux” he told me.

I shake my head, a French last name, I like his first name, Phillip.

“Nice to meet you Phillip,” I tell him.

“You are welcome” he replies. I move away from his table and I change my spot to the far end of the restaurant. My phone begins to vibrate again and I sure with no doubt that Danielle is the one sending me this message.

Cousin, I am so sorry, I should be there in 5 mins, I had to pick up something from the store real quick

Good. Knowing his name will help my plan fall into place. Phillip Bordeaux, Rose of Sharon Jones has got her eye on you and this won’t be the last time you will see me. I turned to look at him and I see a lady in a black skirt suit walk up to his table, he stands up and pulls the chair out for her to sit in. I can’t believe my eyes. Is that his girlfriend, co worker, lover or wife? He had no ring on. Anyway, I have a battle to fight and that sister over there is not going to win this one.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

INTRODUCING: DONEISHA SIMS ANDERSON

 I was sitting in my parents 7 bedroom house. I have lived here all my life running though each and every room, swimming in the Olympic size swimming pool in the backyard and having all my teenage pool parties out there. Laying out on the lawn and reading thousands of books that now fill up those carton boxes in the garage while eating an apple and sipping from my glass of champagne are my memories of this house. This used to be my paradise until i went to college in Massachussetts. I got into Harvard University.I was the only one in my graduating class to get accepted into Harvard. Princeton rejected me and so did Stanford, who cares, i had gotten into the best of the best even though my dad would have preferred i went to Princeton, his Alma Mater. I also got admitted into Columbia University and UCLA but my parents sent me straight to Harvard. I cried but it yielded nothing. I was going to miss the luxury of my home and everything I ever had I was also going to miss my two best friends, but thanks to cell phones. I have always been closed minded about meeting new people and that is the kind of mentality that I have always had. My parents are social elites. They scrutinized my friends. I met my husband in Law school. Richard Anderson, a tall handsome man. He had just graduated with his MBA in Economics. He worked in New York. We had a long distance relationship for a year and then he moved to Virgina where he found another job with a different company. His old job was rather hectic and he was also thinking of settling down. We flew to my home in California for Thanksgiving. My parents freaked out. He was not their kind of son inlaw. He was not from the perfect home, he didn't go to the perfect schools. Richard's parents were divorced, their marriage ended when he was fifteen leaving him and his sister Patrice to deal with their constant feud afterwards. Richard attended Ohio State University which was not my parents ideal school as well.
" I can't believe that after all the money and education your father and I have given you, you went below your class to pick up some reject from somewhere" my mom said scolding me in her bedroom which was on the west wing of the house.
"Mom, i am in love with this guy, at least out of everthing he has been through, he has made something out of his life" i told her almost in tears.
"You are beginning to sound like a mediocre" my mom replied. Mediocrity and mundanity are my mom's wort enemies.
"Mom why are you doing this to me, he is the only one who is genuinely interested in me" i tld my mom.
"Really, how are you so sure about that?" she asked me with a smirk on her face which i don't like at all.
"Mom, seriously, i don't wish to have this conversation anymore." I told her.
"No, Neisha we are going to have this conversation, you are the only child in this family and your future matters to us, we are going to leave our estate to you and you cannot just bring some kid with unidentifiable parents to my house and talk about having a future with him and by the way what happened to Phillip?" my mom asked.
"I am not interesed in Phillip" i replied flatly.
Throughout our stay in the house, my mother had a strange and rather cold and distant behavior not only towards me but especially to my boyfriend.
"Your mom does not like me" he told me as we rode to the mall in my father's car.
"She is like that with people she does not know" I told him.
"I have stayed in their house for more than three days but she doesn't seem to want to brak the ice" he said.
"don't worry, she'll come out of her little shell" i told him, he looked at me and i smiled trying to cheer him up. He smiled back but it was not genuine, he had this rather uneasy look. My mom is a tough nut to crack, he had breakfast on the second day with my dad and I have no idea what they talked about, I don't even know if he told my mother anything.

Friday, September 11, 2009

INTRODUCING:NADINE YOUNG-PEPPLE

  If you think your mother-in-law is crazy or evil, wait till you meet mine. I don't think i have the typical mother in law who is bound to give you a headache everyday, complaining about the things you do and don't do, I have the kind of mother in law that absolutely hates my guts, she can't even stand the ground that i walk on.She hates me with a serious passion and I don't know how I have been able to stay married to her son for these many years without losing my sanity. Mrs Pepple Snr is hust one of those women who needs a life. Her husband passed away when Dimabo my husband was in college, apart from his mother who dotes on him worse than a little baby, Dimabo also has a younger sister called Ibiso also known as Janice. Ibiso and I have had our ups and downs,especially since she is tied to her mother's apron strings; she tends to behave like her mother once in a while. Ibiso got married a year after her brother and I got married. She married a Colonel and got a divorce from him about five years later after two kids, Alexis and Andrew. She became an embittered woman and moved to a different state.
Mrs Pepple Snr does not like me especially because I am not from their tribe. My father is British and my mother is Black which makes me a half breed. Mrs Pepple wanted her son to marry her best friend's daughter Henrietta who back then was about to go to Medical school. I had just graduated with a degree in Biochemistry and Molecular biology and i went straight to Pharmacy school. Dimabo and I decided to have a small wedding. We decided to have a memorable wedding with about two hundred and fifty guests and have a small wedding cruise but his mother had other plans.
"No way, a wedding cruise, is this Titanic about to happen again?" she asked out loud as Dimabo told her of our proposed wedding plans. She started to speak to him in their language which i had absolutely no idea of. Dimabo gave his mom the ugliest look I have ever seen.
"Why don't you every agree with anything we plan Mama, i am getting tired of this madness, everything always has to go your way or no way." he shouted, he was frustrated with his mother's behavior.
" What madness? You must be mad. You are a very stupid boy.Well over my dead body would I let you marry this Mami water" she responded. Mami Water, is that what she called me, Dimabo once told me that it means Mermaid, did she just call me that.i am laughing out loud, in my mind.
" I am not interested in marrying Henrietta mom if that is what you are trying to persuade me to do. Mama i can't understand you, why do you always have to impose your own ideas on me, i mean Nadine is a lovely lady, why are you making things so difficult?"
"Nadine is white trailer trash as far as i am concerned" she said flatly looking at me straight in the eyes.If the human mind was transparent she would see me holding a dagger about to pierce her sharp mouth, that woman spits venom when she talks, i can't remember the last time i had a civil conversation with her becuase she ends up yelling. If i didn't love Dimabo so much, i would have walked out of the house this instant.
"Mama!!!!!!!!!!!!" Dimabo shouted.
"My son, i want what is best for you, i want you to have a lovely wedding with this your lady here so i will give you my own take, i want you to have the wedding on a golf course, i know so many people that will attend the wedding........................" Dimabo was pissed off.
"You don't seem to understand what we are talking about here, that's too many people and we are spending so much money on just a ceremony and after party on a golf course, i know you want to invite those friends of yours and they will bring more people, i want to keep it strictly two hundred and fifty people." Dimabo explained.
"It's you wedding, are you not proud to have found someone to marry" his mother asked sneeringly at him. he stole a quick glance at me. I said nothing. Dimabo had reassured me of his love and support.We finally had our way having a wedding cruise. We had four hundred guests instead.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

INTRODUCING: GINA HAMPTON

The limousine pulled over to the curb and I stepped out. I look radiant in my short, black dress and my black pumps. I walked into the house.I live by myself into a two bedromm condominium downtown.
I opened my bedroom door, kicked off my shoes and sat on my bed. I opened my purse and brought out a wad of notes. My new Client Walter Benson is a rich man and pays me well for my services. He owns Benson Equipment and makes more than one million a year on income.He is the only one of my clients who picks me up in a limo. We had dinner at Ocean Shore Restuarant. It was a great meal and I expected more afterwards but he didn't need me tonight. He dismissed me early. I put the money on my dresser and went into the bathroom. I slowly take off my clothes and go into the shower. I need a bubble bath just to immerse and relax myself. I insert my naked body into the water and allow myself to soak into the warmth of the water which is think is refreshing. My mind goes back to what happened last week. I was at Walter's guest house sipping out of my glass of Margarita and vaguely paying attention to the news I was watching on the Flat Screen Plasma Tv. Walter was talking to one of his business partners on his Iphone.
"Ten million, that's a lot of money,but i guess i am up to the task, it is a very delicate project and i believe Patricia McGinnis is the best person to write the proposal" he said pacing around the room.
All of a sudden I begin to pay attention to what he was saying. This man even makes money in his sleep, i have to work hard to make this money. I have been his mistress for three months, now i need to become his wife. I don't even know if he is married or divorced. I know for sure that he has no family apart from his security men who follow him everywhere. I have other clients but he is the main one. Another one of my clients Doug Stiller is also a business tycoon and recently divorced his wife of ten years of marriage, he doesn't pay as much as Walter does but he is very caring. At one point he wanted to start dating me but i declined, I don't mix business with pleasure.


*******************************************************************************
It’s just past 7 in the morning and my alarm has just gone off. I have a couple of things to do today before I go to be with Mr Benson. I need a private investigator to follow him around, no not necessarily, I go everywhere with him enough to know what he is up to? I think i just need to start paying a little more attention to details.I need to start caring more, have more access into his life, know where he lives, cook for him apart from just laying on my back and get paid. I never asked him about his private life because all I have with him is the business of getting laid and getting paid. Does he have a wife? I wonder because if he does it is rather unfortunate.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

INTRODUCING :CASSANDRA FULLERTON PADMORE

I don't think there is anything as bad as waking up beside you to look at someone you have grown to hate within a few weeks. I am staring at the calendar on the wall beside my bed. It's my eighth wedding anniversary. Eight years has gone by so quickly i cannot believe it. I have dreaded this day so bad in the last three weeks. Three weeks ago, Lawrence and i began to grow apart. We have started living like "worse than room mates" in the house. He comes home after i am in bed and leaves before i wake up. The weekends are even worse, he goes off to play golf with his friends and when i cook he doesn't even eat, he either leaves it on the kitchen counter but soemtimes he is considerate enough to put it in the fridge. Lawrence is any woman's dream man. When we first got married, everything was like sugar and honey in the same tea. He was really caring and all. He played his part as a husband perfectly. We went on vacations twice a year, Valerie , our only child came three years later. She was the most adorable, little child at birth. My first pregnancy was much better than i expected, i was not nauseous like most of my friends who were always sick in the morning, all i did was sleep, i slept like a pampered little baby. Lawrence cooked for me. He also hired a young man called Timothy to clean the house once a week even when i told him not to do so. We always dined out on the weekends.
He threw me a very good surprise baby shower with my childhood best friend Monique also known as ZsaZsa. I call her Zsa Zsa because it is her favorite word for anything that does not make sense to her. The baby shower was awesome, there were over sixty guests and they all went home with little souvenirs. He was by my side when our daughter Valerie was born on the 18th day of May 2003 weighing 7lbs, she was 16 inches long. He held my hand all through Valerie's delivery which was like torture to him because he could not stand to see me in so much pain. Those were some memorable times in our marriage. We have had our ups and downs.
Our communication has actually broken down completely. We have so many Post it notes everywhere in the house because we don't even talk. Last week, he left me a Post It Note on the fridge.
"You need to figure out how to pick up Valerie from school"


I looked at the note in disgust, he usually picks Valerie up from from school, all of a sudden he is putting that responsiblity on me.
"On what days"

I wrote back and left the note on the screen of his HP laptop.

" Everyday"

He wrote back and left the note on my black Bible by my bedside. I am beginning to wonder why he wants me to pickher up from school everyday. I drop her off to school in the mornings and he is supposed to pick her up. What is going on? Yesterday, he wrote:

" I will be travelling tomorrow, its an official assignment and i will be gone for a week"

He is going on an official assignment on our wedding anniversary, what does he mean by that? Doesn't this marriage mean anything to him anymore? I don't want a divorce but these days we are living like strangers.

INTRODUCING ROSEOFSHARON JONES

I would be telling the greatest lie on earth if I say that David Beckham is cuter than the guy sitting in front of me at Mickky's Cafe. He is punching the keys of his blackberry and i am praying hard to God that he would at least look up and smile at me or something and anyway why would he smile at me. I may not look like a million dollars right now but i think i have set my sight on something that attracts my attention. I am sitting in my chair waiting for my cousin Danielle to show up. Danielle is always late for everything. She is my maternal cousin and i love her to death but she is always late. My phone started vibrating on the table. I steal another glance at him before looking at the caller id to see if the noise attracted his attention but he is apparently too busy to notice. I just got a text message from my cousin.

"Rose i think i am lost, i took the wrong exit and ended up on E Street and now i am back on the freeway again".

She might as well be lost because I am trying to figure out how to mingle with this dude and it is not going to be easy,handsome men are just one of the most difficult people especially the ones I have met. I pick up the phone and send her a text message.

"Oh, take your time and why are you texting while you are driving,its against State law. see you when you get here and puhleeezzzzzz don't text me back"

I hope that the text message would have an effect on her. I just don't want her to text me back. Danielle is two years younger than i am and is in a budding relationship with a fine young man, she really likes him, I don't want to say love because she has her eyes on some other dude. Finally the handsome stranger puts his phone away and picks up his briefcase, I am hoping that he is not leaving yet, but he is, oh my goodness, Why? He hasn't even noticed me yet. I am trying to look at his left hand, does he have a ring, is he committed to anyone yet? Oh my goodness. i can't see. Suddenly this tall,skinny waitress walks by and blocks my view,she is standing right in front of him, I visualise myself standing in front of him saying
"May I take your order?". This waitress has taken total obstruction of my view and she is about to kill my curiosity. She has his attention. He is the most handsome piece of work i have ever seen in my entire life. God must have worked overtime on this creature. Finally she moves away after taking his order, is he ordering something to eat,Oh my goodness. He is going to be here for a while. I hope he doesn't have any lunch date. I have to distract him so he could come over here. How am i going to do that? Think Sharon think!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!