Fixin’ Tyrone (21 page)

“Mia,” he said. His hand went up, and he took a staggering step forward. For a brief moment Mia felt like she was in a zombie flick.

“Stop, Eric.” She held up one thin arm as if she could stop him with her delicate hand alone, but he did stop. Her heart was stuck in her throat. Her mouth was dry.
Crystal was right
. “You’re scaring me,” she managed.

As pitiful as he already looked, that statement distorted Eric’s features further.

“Mia, no. Don’t—don’t be afraid of me. I would never hurt you.”

His words did little to quell her fear. Mia still held the doorknob with moist fingers. “What are you doing here?” she asked.

“I came to give you this,” he said, reaching into his front pocket.

Mia knew he was reaching for a weapon. A dozen exit strategies ran through her mind, none of which were guaranteed, but he didn’t pull out a knife or a gun. Instead, Eric produced a jewelry box. Mia hoped he wasn’t going to do what it looked like, but he opened it, then dropped to his knees on her walkway. He lowered his head and held the box up for her as if it was a sacrifice.

Mia saw that there was a ring inside, a
big
ring at that, but she looked past the offering. Eric was crying again. His bald head bobbed up and down like a fishing float.

“Eric, get up.”

“M—Mia, I—I know I haven’t known you very, very long, but—”

“Eric.”

He looked up at her. His eyes were wet and bloodshot. “Please don’t leave me.”

Mia couldn’t have been more hurt if she watched a big guy with a club bash a bag full of kittens. She let go of the door and stepped down onto her sidewalk.

“
Whatchoo doing
?” Crystal breathed, but Mia ignored her.

She walked up to Eric and closed the jewelry box. From his knees he stared up at her. His mouth was open. His lower lip trembled.

“Mia, I want to marry you,” he said.

She shook her head and stood next to him. He was sweating. Mia wiped the top of his head with her small hand, and he turned towards her, burying his face in her robe.

“Eric, you don’t want to marry me,” she said, stroking him tenderly.

His whole body trembled, and he sobbed uncontrollably. His head was warm, and his breaths were hot. She felt the heat all the way to her belly.

“I—I duh—do,” he managed. “I do, Mia.”

“No, you don’t,” she said.

“
I don’t want to lose you.
”

“Eric, this isn’t you.”

“
I nuh—need you
.”

“Eric.”

He looked up to her. She put her hand on his cheek, and stroked his eyebrow with her thumb. “Eric, I don’t want to remember you like this,” she said.

“
Buh, but is, it’s not fair
,” he moaned. He buried his face in her stomach again.

“We’re not together anymore,” Mia said. “What we had was good, but it’s over now. You need to go home, Eric.”

He shook his head. “I can—can’t live without you.”

Mia bit her bottom lip and shook her head slowly. “Look at me, Eric.” He didn’t immediately respond. “Eric, look at me.”

“Mia, you don’t understand how bad I feel.”

“I do, Eric. I do.” She stroked his head again. “But it’s over. We’re not going to get married.” His didn’t react to that, so she said it again. “We’re no
t
getting back together. We had a good time together, Eric, but you shouldn’t have come here tonight. When I think about you, I want to remember the good things—how you treated me, the restaurants you took me to. I want to think about nights like the Ritz Carlton. I don’t want to have thi
s
memory in my head. All I have left is your memory, Eric. Don’t spoil that.”

That seemed to get through. His features melted from apologetic to embarrassed. He buried his face in her robe again, sniffled, and then said, “I’m sorry.”

“Eric, you were a strong black man,” Mia said. “You still are,” she corrected herself. “Now get up before Crystal calls the police.” She didn’t think it would work, but the pouting prince pulled his face from her stomach and looked up to her. Mia smiled down at him. “Get up,” she said and winked.

Eric slowly made it to his feet. Once upright, Mia had to crane her neck to look up at his face.

“Wow. I almost forgot how tall you are.”

He smiled and looked away nervously. He wiped his nose with the back of his hand. “I feel like a fool.”

Mia reached up and wiped a spot of moisture from his cheek. “I ain’t gon’ lie, bruh. You
do
kinda look like a fool.”

He chuckled. “Don’t sugarcoat it. Tell me
exactly
how you feel.”

“And you’re dirty, too,” Mia said. “I wasn’t gonna say anything, but if you insist . . .” She grinned. “You gonna be okay?”

“Yeah,” he said, and rubbed his eyes with a meaty paw. “I’m sorry, Mia. I shouldn’t have done that. I haven’t slept much since yesterday.”

Mia smiled. “Oh, you’re missing sleep, too?” She looked at an imaginary watch on her wrist.

Eric smiled too and then looked at the box in his hand. He quickly shoved it into his pocket.

“You must think I’m an idiot.”

Mia sighed. “No, Eric. I don’t think that.” She looked back to the house. Crystal stood in the doorway with a confused expression.

Eric looked up and saw her too
.
“
Oh, God.
This
is
bad.” He chuckled and then took a deep breath and straightened himself. “I’d better go.”

Mia nodded.

“What time is it?” he asked.

“It was two when I came out here.”

“Is today
Monday
?”

“How much have you had to drink?”

“Just a couple of pints . . . You—you never believed me about my twin brother, did you? Is that why you said no? He’s stationed in Afghanistan now. You can talk to him—on the phone. He’s got a webcam . . .”

“I did believe you,” Mia said. “I do believe you, but it’s not about that. You know that’s not our problem.”

He nodded. “Yeah.”

“You be careful,” Mia said and took a step away from him. Eric nodded, then turned and walked slowly to his BMW, which was parked on the curb. Mia waited until he was gone before she went back inside.

“What’d he say?” Crystal asked when she closed the door.

“He asked me to marry him,” Mia confided.

“
Ewww
. What’d you say?”

Mia gave her sister a dumb look. “I said
yes
, Crystal. Didn’t you see how happy he was?”

“You don’t have to get an attitude.”

“I’m sorry. I’m tired. I had a long day.”

“Can Sydney come over tomorrow when I get out of school?” Crystal asked.

“I guess so.”

“Did Tyrone grab yo booty today?” Crystal inquired.

The memory of it gave Mia a wicked smile. “He did,” she said. “He grabbed it, and rubbed it, and squeezed it . . .”

Her sister lit up. “
Bitch
! You liked it?”

“I must have,” Mia mused. “I’m the one who told him to do it.”

“
Uh, uhn!
” Crystal grabbed her arm. “Sit down. Tell me
everything
!”

“It’s too late,” Mia said. “We have to talk tomorrow.” She staggered off towards her room.

“Did y’all kiss?” Crystal called after her.

“A little,” Mia teased.

“
Ooh
, did y’all
do it
?”

“
No!”
Mia said adamantly. “I am not sleeping with
Tyrone
.” But even she didn’t believe that.

A NIGHT AT MILLE FLEURS

Miss Tenery walked into Mia’s office at 10:30 a.m. “Mr. Manitou would like to speak with you.”

Mia looked up from the papers on her desk. There were no lights flashing on her phone. “Did he say what extension he was at?”

“Oh, no. He’s here,” Miss Tenery said. “In
person
,” she clarified.

“Oh.” Mia sat up in her chair. “You sent him the CME stuff?”

“Yes, ma’am. I’m not sure what this is in regards to.”

Mia pursed her lips. “All right. Send him in.”

“Very well.” The secretary nodded and left the room

Mr. Manitou worked three floors up. It was odd that he would stop by Mia’s office. She didn’t owe him any reports. Even if she had missed a deadline, she didn’t think he would come down to chastise her personally.

The door swung open again, and the senior analyst strolled in as proud and handsome as ever. He wore a wheat-colored suit with a white shirt. His smile was warm and inviting. Mia stood to shake his hand.

“Mr. Manitou.”

“How are you, Mia?” He grabbed her hand and cupped his left hand over it. “It is very good to see you again.”

“Thank you,” Mia said and smiled. “You got the CME files last week?”

He let go and took a seat in an executive chair across from her desk.

“I have been out of the office, Mia. I saw your files this morning, but I have not looked at them yet. I am sure they will be in order. Your work is always exceptional.”

“Thanks,” Mia said. “Have you been out of town?”

“Yes.” Mr. Manitou grinned. “And thankfully it was not business this time. I went home to visit my family in South Africa.” He was in a good mood, which made Mia relax a little.

“Is it nice this time of year?” she asked.

His eyes rolled back in ecstasy. “Ah, Mia, it is a very beautiful place. I am from a city called Saldanha, just north of Cape Town. We have the most beautiful beach you’ve ever seen. The most pristine waters.”

“It sounds wonderful.”

“It is. Have you not been to Africa?”

“No,” Mia said. “It’s something I want to do, but it keeps getting put on the back burner. Like so many other things . . .”

“That is a shame,” he said. “You must remember that there is more to life than work, work, work. One day we will all die. You should do things you enjoy
now
, while you are young.”

“You’re right,” Mia said. “I wish I could just decide to go to Africa, then do it.”

“I would have invited you,” Mr. Manitou said, “but I did not want to offend. I certainly would not like to cause problems for you and your boyfriend.”

“Oh.”

“That is the reason I have come to your office, Mia.” He leaned forward in the chair. “I want you to know that what happened at our lunch last time was totally out of character for me. I feel the need to apologize once more—”

“You don’t have to apologize,” Mia said. “That was two weeks ago.”

“Yes, I understand. But during my time on vacation, I thought about you often.”

Mia raised an eyebrow.

“I cannot feel comfortable,” he went on, “until I’m sure you harbor no bad feelings towards me.”

Mia shook her head. “Mr. Manitou, trust me. I have no bad feelings towards you. I told you, I was flattered. You are an attractive and charming man. Any woman you’re interested in should consider herself lucky.”

“As with you, Mia,” the analyst said. “Your boyfriend is also a fortunate man, indeed.”

Mia knew she could have left it at that. All she had to do was agree that her boyfriend
was
lucky. Mr. Manitou never would have known differently. He would have continued his apology, left her office, and their work relationship would have gone on as usual. But she chose to divulge instead. And why not? She wasn’t going with Eric anymore, and even though she kissed Tyrone a couple weeks ago, that certainly didn’t make him her boyfriend.

As a matter of fact, Tyrone had been asking her out regularly since that fateful kiss, and she shot him down each time. He was free to see TC, but what happened after Six Flags was a fluke.

“He, um, he’s not my boyfriend anymore,” she said.

Mr. Manitou’s eyes grew wide. “What is this?”

“You heard me,” she said. “I broke up with my boyfriend. Two weeks ago. It was right after you asked me out, actually.”

“Ah.” He leaned back and crossed his legs. “I am very sorry to hear that,” he said, but he didn’t look very sorry at all.

“It’s okay,” Mia said. “It happens.”

“Yes, well I hope it was not a
bad
breakup,” he said. “I would hate to see you upset.”

This was all a game, and Mia knew the rules well. He didn’t care if she was upset or not. He wanted to know if she would go out with him or if a grieving period was required.

“It’s okay,” Mia said. “I only went out with him for a couple of months. It’s not like we were married.”