A Good Man (30 page)

Now this is romantic, Sonya thought. And I’m nervous. Why am I nervous? I’m not reading a poem. I guess I’m just nervous for John. Lord, help his words touch Shani’s heart. Or at least help them thaw it out a little.

If that’s possible.

“Our first poet tonight is Gary,” Graham said. “His poem is called ‘You and Me.’ Gary?”

Gary walked in from the kitchen and sat on the stool. “It’s kind of short.” He cleared his throat and read:

“I’ll always stand beside you,

your strong hand in mine.

Whatever you want to do, baby,

I will always make the time.

Whatever you want to do, baby,

I will always make the time.

And if you’re ever scared,

I’ll hold you all night long.

Cuz, baby, when you’re with me,

Ain’t nothin’ gonna go wrong.

Cuz, baby, when you’re with me,

Ain’t nothin’ gonna ever go wrong.”

“Thank you, Gary,” Graham said. “You may return to the kitchen now.”

After Gary left, Kim turned to Sonya. “Not very flowery. ‘Mine’ and ‘time’ don’t rhyme.”

“It was close,” Sonya said. “You said it didn’t have to rhyme.”

“Well, if a poem tries to rhyme,” Kim said, “it should rhyme correctly. It didn’t move me at all.”

“It was from the heart. Kinda jazzy, bluesy. Direct. I liked it.”

“It lasted fifteen seconds,” Kim said. “He had days to write something that lasted fifteen seconds? A definite no from me.”

And we’re split again.

“Our second poet tonight is Tony,” Graham said. “His poem is called ‘Mon Coeur’ or ‘My Heart.’ Tony?”

Tony sauntered in, took the mike from the stand, and stood in front of the stool. “Mon Coeur.” He dropped to one knee and read:

“Amour de ma vie,

je t’aime de tout mon coeur.

A toi, pour toujours

parce que il a pour réchauffer le coeur.

Love of my life,

I love you with all my heart.

I am yours forever

because love warms the heart.”

“Thank you, Tony,” Graham said. “You may return to the kitchen now.”

After Tony left, Sonya turned to Kim. “Kind of simple, huh?” She smiled. “Though his voice could melt butter, right?”

Kim nodded.

“And he used the same word to make his rhyme.” I think.

“The man speaks French,” Kim said. “It doesn’t matter what he said or how he said it. That was so hot. A definite yes. It made me sweat.”

“But it only lasted fifteen seconds, too,” Sonya said.

“I don’t care,” Kim said. “That poem’s gonna echo in my head all night.”

We’re split again.

“Our third poet tonight is Justin,” Graham said. “His poem is called ‘Oooooh.’ I hope I said that right. Justin?”

Justin ran in and wrestled the microphone from the stand. “How ya doin’?” He clapped a few times until Sonya and Kim joined in.

“Girl, you are a beauty

A real classy cutie

It ain’t all about the booty

I ain’t throwin’ passes like

Doug Flutie

Ooty oooooh …

Ooty oooooh …

Girl, it is my duty

I ain’t proud or snooty

No one can call me fruity

Cuz you’re my sweet patootie

Ooty oooooh …

Ooty oooooh …”

Justin bowed and ran back to the kitchen.

“That was …” Sonya doubled over in laughter. “That was hilarious!”

Even Kim was giggling. “That man is a trip. Thumbs up.”

“I agree. Ooty oooooh …”

“Our fourth poet tonight is Aaron,” Graham said. “His poem is called ‘My Love.’ Aaron?”

Aaron strolled in, grabbed the microphone, and knelt on the floor a foot away from Sonya and Kim.

“My love,

you’re the only one I think of.

My dove,

with you I can rise above.

My dove, my dove, my dove,

with you and only you I can rise above.

My only love,

when push comes to shove,

I’m like a rose in a fisted glove,

and with you I can rise above.

I’m a rose, I’m a rose, I’m a rose,

and with you and only you I can rise above.”

Then Aaron took and kissed each of their hands before leaving.

Sonya wiped the back of her hand on the couch.

“Um, he did graduate college, didn’t he?” Kim asked.

“He played basketball for four years, but that’s no guarantee of a diploma,” Sonya said. “Um, wow. He had two days to do that?”

“Yeah, um … I didn’t feel it at all.” Kim looked at the back of her hand. “And the kiss was sloppy and wet.”

“Do ‘of’ and ‘love’ even rhyme?” Sonya asked.

“Only on greeting cards. You’re a dove? You ain’t white, Jazz.”

“He’s a rose? He is thorny.”

“And horny,” Kim said.

No argument there. “He wasn’t into this kind of challenge, was he?”

“And his chili gave me the shits this morning,” Kim whispered.

“You had diarrhea?”

“No, I had the shits,” Kim said. “I’ve been dropping the kids off the bus all day. And it came out looking like the way it went in. Sweet coming down, sour coming out.”

“Ew. That’s nasty.”

Graham smiled at them. “Are you ready for the last poet?”

Sonya nodded. Okay, John, turn it on.

“Our last poet tonight is Arthur,” Graham said. “His poem is called ‘Another Chance.’ Arthur?”

John walked directly to the stool and sat. He adjusted the microphone slightly before reading.

“You once told me sunrises were frowns

that became fiery mouths of praise.

I miss our sunrises.

You once told me sunsets were shouts

that faded to colorful whispers echoing into the night.

I miss our sunsets.

The days … the days …

they go by so slowly,

the nights … the nights …

they never seem to end.

I miss our days.

I miss our nights.

I miss our sunrises.

I miss our sunsets.

You were the soul of me,

the heart of me,

the good of me,

God’s gift for me.

God never let go of you, did He?

He always held your hand.

But now my hand is empty,

my days are empty,

my nights are empty,

my joy … empty …

until I stood on the beach … with you

and we watched a sunrise frown turn to praise …

and endless hallelujahs.”

Sonya felt tears forming behind her eyes. He wrote that with Sheila in mind, and there I was with him at the beach in the end. That was totally from the heart. Wow. Sunrise frowns and endless hallelujahs.

After John nodded once and left, Kim grabbed Sonya’s wrist. “What the hell was that about?”

More than I can ever explain to you, Kim. “Wow. That’s all I can say.”

Kim released Sonya’s wrist. “Wow? You get it?”

Sonya wiped a tear. “Yes, and you have to try to understand the feeling. I liked it. A lot.”

“You’re crying?”

“It moved me, Shani.” Sonya rubbed her chest. “It got me. Right here.”

“It didn’t do a thing for me,” Kim said. “Not a thing.”

“It had the most heart,” Sonya said. “Believe me.”

“Heart? I didn’t understand a single line, much less a stanza.”

Because you’ve never really known loss like John and I have. Sonya sighed. “So I guess that means we agree on Justin’s poem.”

“I guess so.” Kim laughed. “You and Jumbo. What a combination. Hey, they can send you two to Sea World, and he’ll be part of the whale show.”

“Hush.”

The Team trooped in and stood on the stage with Graham. “Ladies,” Graham said, “it’s now time for you to give our poets some feedback.”

“Gary,” Sonya said, “I liked the rhythm and the soul in your poem.”

“I didn’t,” Kim said. “I didn’t hear the rhythm, and it did nothing for my soul. It was way too short and full of lame rhymes. Saying something louder doesn’t make a poem more effective.”

Geez. Just say you don’t like it and leave it at that. “Tony, yours sounded nice, but only the French part.”

“I liked the whole thing, mon chere,” Kim said. “Every bit.”

“Arthur, you got me in the heart.” Sonya smiled at Kim. “Your poem will echo in my head long into the night.”

Kim scowled. “I still don’t know what all that was about, Arthur. You were way too vague. And it wasn’t very poetic. No rhyme or rhythm, you know? Sunrise frowns? What medication are you on? A definite thumbs-down.”

Yet Arthur is still smiling. He knew Kim wouldn’t like or “get” it, but he read it anyway. “Um, Aaron, it was … okay. Not very, um, creative.”

“I told you not to write a Hallmark card for me, Aaron, and you wrote one anyway. What’s up with that? Your rhymes were lamer than lame, and that kiss? What were you thinking?”

Hmm. I was hoping she’d say more. And now for my next date. “Justin, you are a trip. Ooty oooooh!”

“It was funny, Justin,” Kim said. “Ooty oooooh!”

Graham stepped to the microphone. “And the winner is …”

“The only one we both liked,” Sonya said. I hope John understands. “Justin.”

“All right!” Justin shouted. “Oh, I have to tell you that Artie helped me with some of the rhymes.”

Kim sat up straighter. “Artie helped you rhyme?”

“Yeah,” Justin said. “He has a huge vocabulary.”

“And that means that Justin and Jazz will go out on a date tomorrow night,” Graham said.

Darius counted down, the lights came up, the fire died down, and the stage disappeared within minutes.

“I don’t know about you,” Sonya said, “but I’m going back to the dining room.”

The rest of the Team followed her.

There were no leftovers.

Except for Aaron’s chili.

While the others were out by the pool, Sonya stayed behind to watch John nibbling on a drumstick.

“I really liked your poem,” Sonya said. “Thanks for putting me in it.”

“To be honest,” John said, “I didn’t start out with you in mind.”

“I know. And it doesn’t bother me. Really.”

“But then … there you were on the beach with me.” He smiled and put down his chicken bone. “I was saving the best for last.”

“Yeah. I felt that.”

He dabbed at his lips with a napkin. “I hope the hallelujah line didn’t embarrass you.”

“It didn’t. It’s good to know that you think about me.”

“I was only thinking of parts of you, though.”

“And those hallelujahs won’t be endless,” Sonya said, pushing away from the table. “There are these things called age and gravity.”

“I can always use my imagination.” He closed his eyes. “Mmm. Nice.”

“Stop.”

He opened his eyes. “I didn’t impress your sister enough to win the date, though.”

“You don’t have to win her heart.”

“I wasn’t trying to.” He stood. “Sometimes when you lose, Sonya, you win.”

Sonya watched him collect a few plates, including hers, and go into the kitchen.

Yeah, he’s winning by losing. My heart just beats faster around him, gets hotter, my hands get warmer … and I’m going out again without him by my side.

God, I don’t like irony. It’s too … ironic. This is so twisted. The man I want to be with the most is considered a loser on TV. You know that I could lose myself with him. I know that I could. I could get lost in those brown eyes of his. I’d just like to get lost with him somewhere, Lord, on a beach watching a sunset and listening to all those endless hallelujahs.

Sometimes when you lose, you win.

He’s winning, Lord.

She stood.

Oh, yeah. I was praying.

Amen.

Justin held the door for Sonya.

“Such a gentleman,” Sonya said, and Sonya got into the limo.

They had to do this four times.

For the cameras.

The lighting was wrong, the angle was wrong, the glare off the windshield was wrong, they could see the camera in the window, they couldn’t hear her, the third take they had a case of the giggles …

The fourth time, Sonya stayed put. “Let’s just go.” She tapped the driver’s glass, and he slid it open. “They didn’t tell us where we’re going.”

“To Milan Vineyards over in Topanga,” the driver said.

She shook her head. “I don’t drink.”

“Neither do I,” Justin said. “Much. But I don’t do wine at all.”

“Where can we go?” Sonya asked. “I want to have some fun.”

The driver turned his head. “There’s always Sea World.”

Kim would love it if we did that.

“Or the San Diego Zoo,” the driver said.

“I’ve never been to a zoo,” Sonya said.

“Might be crowded,” Justin said.

“Yeah,” Sonya said. “They’d send those stupid cameras to follow us around. I don’t want to draw attention to us.”

“Yeah.” Justin looked at his hands.

“Justin, I didn’t mean …” Sonya sighed. “It’s not a real date if there are cameras everywhere. My first date with Aaron taught me that. I want to be able to talk to you without someone else in my grill, you know?”

“I get you.”

“Why not go to the Safari Park instead?” the driver suggested. “You can get private tours there.”

“Justin? What do you think?”

“I never been on a safari,” Justin said.

“Let’s go on a safari, then.”

Larry tapped on the window, and Sonya rolled it down. “What’s the holdup?” he asked.

“We’re not going to the vineyard, Larry,” Sonya said. “We’re going to the Safari Park.”

Larry smiled. “I like that idea much better. I’ll, um, reroute the camera crews to your location.”

“Don’t go to any trouble,” Sonya said.

“I see,” Larry said. “Hmm. I’ll, um, I’ll just send them to the Los Angeles Zoo by mistake, then.”

Sonya squeezed his hand. “Thank you, Larry.”

Larry looked at the sky. “You have the right sunblock this time?”

Sonya nodded. “Right here in my fanny pack.”

“Have fun,” Larry said. “The, um, crew might catch up to you eventually, it might not.”

Sonya shrugged. “At least we’ll get away from them for a little while. Thanks again.” She closed the window. “Let’s get our safari on.”

“This is gonna be great,” Justin said.

And it was.

After learning how to ride an off-road Segway X2 two-wheeled personal transporter, and also learning that an off-road Segway X2 two-wheeled personal transporter could indeed support a man one hundred pounds over their supposed weight limit, Sonya and Justin took a slow, leisurely tour with their guide. They saw giraffes, rhinos, cape buffalo, ostriches, zebras, wild swine, antelope, cheetahs, lion cubs, elephants, and gazelles. A baby rhino calf took a liking to Justin just as the film crew finally arrived.