Chestnut Brown And Cinnamon Happiness Read online

  They agreed they would be over at her parents in a little while. But, before they can go over her parents’ house they had to stop by the store and get snacks for the football game.

  Robert just stared at her knowing that she was avoiding him because he just met her father. All these years she never really got to know Robert. Roberto was more what Maria liked. Robert knew that if he said something it would just embarrass her. Normally, he watch the game with Loren and some of the his friends over at his house. It was a nice change to go to someone else’s house. He could tell that he was going to like Loren’s dad. He never felt so welcome in his life.

  “I am sorry. I totally forgot that I was coming over my parent’s house. Every year we would celebrate the start of the real football season together. I hope you are ok with coming to the house.”

  “My father and I use to do that too. When I married Maria I stop going over my father’s since I moved here.” He said to Loren then he turn to look at her. “Thank you. I been missing home and you brought it to me. This is what I needed this weekend.”

  “You are welcome.” She couldn’t wait until this day was over because she starting to feel a burning in her heart. Don’t be ridiculous she told herself.

  They went over Loren’s parents. Loren forgot that her mother loves football season because it was her perfect season to start her garden. While her father watched the game her mother was out in the garden planting. Loren rung the doorbell and her father came to the door. He looked like he was very happy to see Loren and Robert. Loren’s father scooped Robert up. She never seen her father like that with any of other guys that she dated. Loren went the kitchen with her mom to fix the men’s plate.

  “Do you want to know what I like about men watching sports? I like to see them get all work up and you could see a man’s emotions when he watches football especially football.” Loren’s mother said while turning around to look at her.

  “What emotion did you see in Thomas? What was it that you didn’t like about Thomas?”

  “I didn’t like that he spend more time in here with me than getting to know your father. I like him, but he doesn’t suit you, Robert been here for ten minutes and I can tell right off the back he is the one.” My mom gave me a knowing smile. Only she knew the truth she probably would kick him out.

  “We are just friends, mom. Just friends.” Loren said trying to convince her mother.

  Before Loren Crawford and her mother could say anything Robert comes in the kitchen and smiles at my mother and takes me to the den to watch the game with them. Loren sat on the sofa with Robert. He looks like he was at home. My father team was playing against Robert’s team. Normally the game would keep Loren’s interest, but not this time it was how well Robert got along with her father. During half time Loren’s father took her to the game room so we could be alone.

  “Loren, I like him. Out of all of your boyfriends he is a keeper.” My father said.

  “Daddy we aren’t together like that. We are just friends. He is married and I know his wife. I know what you going to say.”

  “Do you really? I bet he and his wife is getting a divorce. Robert is really into you baby girl.”

  “Yeah, he is getting a divorce. How do you know that?”

  “Because Robert told me while you were in the kitchen with your mother. I like him a lot just don’t do anything with him until his divorce is final. I see how you look at him and how he looks at you it just a matter of time.”

  Before she could say anything mom and Robert knocks on the door to tell Loren and her father that dinner was ready and should go ahead and start eating soon before the game came back on. They all followed Loren’s mother to the table. All of this is happening so fast. Mr. Crawford likes him and he likes my church that she goes to. He is still married, Loren.

  Loren and Robert ate and finished watching the game and they started to play spades. By the time we left my parents’ house it was nine o’clock. Loren can tell her father looks at him as the son he always wanted instead of her brother. Mr. Crawford invited Robert to their family fun holiday in five months from now. They arrived at Loren’s apartment at nine thirty. Loren went to open the door and she could feel his body heat behind her. She hurried and went to her room. What is wrong with me? The thought came upon Loren. The moment that she rush inside and ran to her room and a minute later she hears a knock on her door.

  “Loren, can I come in? Or can you come out?” Loren open the door.

  Loren waited for five seconds before she opened the door. She only cracked it. She looked at him and saw him and who he was. His eyes penetrated into the depths of her soul. She couldn’t help, but look at his lips. Loren’s hands started to itching. Then she turn and look down.

  “Are you mad at me? You didn’t saying anything in the car. Are you mad that I went over your father’s house? What is it?”

  “It’s not any of that. It’s just I am really getting to see how you are.”

  Before I could finished. “You don’t like who I am?” No, man you are my dream guy. Tall good looking and everything.

  “I love who you are.” Did she just say “love” what is wrong with me? “I mean I like who you are. I think that is the problem. My father likes you. You are like son he wishes he had instead of my brother. My mom likes you. What I am saying is let me cook sometimes for you instead of you cooking for me? I don’t to wake up one morning after you gone and hope for pancakes for the smell of pancakes.” She felt like I was talking in code.

  “It bothers you that I cook for you because you are afraid that one day the pancakes are going to go away.” He smile and started to laugh. “I make you deal sometimes you cook breakfast and I cook dinner or vise versa. Ok.”

  “I am serious what I am afraid of is for me to wake up and all this spoiling you doing for me is going to go way. I am not use to it.”

  “Loren, you should get use to it. You are worth far beyond that. You are more then what you use to. If you asked me I think you deserve someone who would run you a hot bath and have breakfast for you at least twice a week. The truth is that you are my best friend and I am sad that I am getting a divorce, but I am happy that I can live. I miss the things I like. Goodnight Loren.” He told himself that he had sight before he said too much,

  “Goodnight, Robert.”

  He gives her a kiss on her forehead and hugs her goodnight. Although it was a kiss on the forehead it was enough for her to take another cold bath. After the bath she kept replaying things that he said. ‘You are worth far beyond that. You are more then what you are use to.’ She had a feeling that she will be taking more and more cold baths than hot while he is here.

  Chapter Four

  The week went by really fast for both Robert and Loren. To Robert this was his dream. They had the same friendship as before, but with late night talks. Because of all the things going on with Robert and Loren, they decided that they needed time away from the cooking classes. On Friday, Robert took Loren Salas dancing. He wanted to see how they would dance if they were out of the dance class. Robert all of sudden felt like this was a bad idea because all the men that passed them into the club all seem to be Loren’s type. He was basing on the guys he saw that she dated. He couldn’t believe all the men who wanted to dance with Loren. He understood why all the guys was interested in his date. His date? Loren looked beautiful in her sleeveless red dress that seems to cleave to every part of her body. It almost looked like that the piece of cloth was held by her breast. Her dress was just below her knees and he could see her legs down to the black shoes she was wearing.

  Loren had to stopped dancing and go to the restroom and when she came out and Robert was waiting right there, but also another man who saw her dancing. Before Loren knew it she was dancing with the finest Columbian man she ever saw in her life. Right when the man was turning Loren on the dance floor Robert grabbed Loren a
nd started to dancing with Loren. When the man looked like he was going to fight Robert he told the man “Ella es mi espousa.” (in Spanish means ‘she is my wife’). Loren didn’t understand a word Robert just said. She asked him what he said, but he never told her what it was that he said.

  They went to their favorite café after they went dancing. Loren asked Robert what he said to the man to make him leave. He told her that he told him that she was his wife. This was the first time Loren spoke Spanish. He told her how he knew how to speak before dating Maria. He told her that it was a good thing to because he really would have a problem with her family. After the café they both went to the apartment then went to their rooms. Loren went straight bed tried from dancing, but Robert stayed up and thought about what he told the man at the Salas’ Club. Could he really think about marrying someone again? He thought well into the night and he decided that he couldn’t remarry again. The one thing that he learn in church was in order for it would be ok him to remarry to someone is one for his wife to cheat on him with another man or for his wife to die. He knew when he met Loren it would be a challenge for them to be friends, but wasn’t going to cheat on his wife even if she wasn’t his wife anymore. That night he prayed. He asked God that if he was meant to be with Loren to find a way to let that happen. So that night he had a dream about waking up in the morning to the smell of coffee, When he gotten to the kitchen he saw Loren drinking a cup of coffee. She smiled at him and lead him to another bedroom. She turn on the light and saw two children in beds on opposite ends of the room. He saw one boy and one girl. The children looked like they were five years old. Then he woke up at five o’clock and he couldn’t go back to sleep.

  Saturday they met with a retailer about selling the house. The early part of the week Robert had to go back to the house to get his lab top and he decided he had to start cleaning. He had taken pictures of the property. He didn’t have to wait for Maria to sell the property because the house was paid for and his name. He started to put it on the market. Robert also made arrangement to start staying at a hotel starting Monday.

  Sunday, Robert went to church with Loren again. All the time at church Robert started thinking about the dream that he had. The more he thought about the dream the more he wanted to have a family. A real family. And again Loren’s father, Mr. Crawford invited him to the house to watch another game. But this time Mr. Crawford also had tickets to a play and said they had to go because he already bought the tickets. Loren thought it was clearly funny how their seats were no where near her mother and father’s seats. The play was very romantic and funny. Something inside of Robert was sadden because he had a feeling that Maria would have this wonderful life and he would not get his fairy tale ending.

  Half way during the play Loren came with the realization that Robert is going to leave after to day. He would be staying at a hotel. She started to feel bad and guessing that Robert came to the same conclusion because for the rest of the play he held her hand. Loren knew that she was getting older and she started to want to have family. She always image that she and who ever she married would go to things like that after they pick up the children up from her parents’ house. Before they went to the car Loren got out of the car. She knew that she knew that she couldn’t have him because it was wrong not only to God, but to Maria.

  They arrived back to Loren’s place there was a long silence between them. Loren told him that she was going to miss him making him breakfast and dinner. Loren have gotten overran with emotion before he could say anything to her Loren hugged him. He didn’t say anything and he held her as long as she wanted him to. He didn’t let go until she wanted him to. The combination of emotion and the stress of Robert moving Loren fell to asleep just hugging him. When Loren woke up she was in my bed all tuck in. The only thing she had on was her slip that she was wearing under her dress. Loren was at least glad she some kind of the clothes on.

  She didn’t want him to leave. Loren got in the hot water and soak like she was washing all my problems away. Loren woke up at least hour and half early. But when she came in the kitchen Robert was in the kitchen making breakfast.

  “Loren, just sit down the coffee was almost done brewing. I knew that you would try something like trying to get out the apartment before I woke up so I set the alarm for six o’clock. I figure that you would be leaving a quarter to seven.”

  “Well, it was nice for to be here. You are my best friend and I got used to you. Although I like my space you like one of pictures on the wall, not replaceable. I thought it would be easier if I just left before you wake up.”

  “Loren, you act like I am going away for good. I am still here. And how can I leave? All my friends are here. Take this, watch the coffee is hot.”

  “After the house is sold aren’t you going back home? You told me that you really never wanted to move here anyway. This was more of Maria’s dream. You are going to be free man. Why would you stay? I wouldn’t stay. I would go home to where family is.”

  “Loren, I have a life here. Yes, it isn’t the one I always dream of, but it was the one I came to love. I used to love writing for the local paper back home. I just loved the action. Now, I am older now I want to have a life and children. I want a woman who wants those things. I would feel guilty doing it back home.”

  “Loren sometimes life throws you in places that you thought that you never go to and how you deal with what life give you depends on your character. I know you don’t think I hear you. I see you. I could go home tomorrow and start over again, but my best friend wouldn’t be there. You wouldn’t be there. I do care about you. I want to see you settle with a family and the kind of life you wanted. Not because I want you out of my hair because I want to see you happy. Now no more of this, promise me and eat your breakfast.”

  “I promise.”

  They ate breakfast together even though it wasn’t Robert’s breakfast time. Loren threw herself into my work when she arrived at her job. All the things she put off for tomorrow she did it that day. She was trying not to go home. She didn’t want to go back to an empty home, but she had to. But she guess she had to get back to be a lone. She thought it would be great because she would be moving into my house in a month. She would miss him having dinner ready for her. This is the first day. She guess that she should just get it over with it.

  Normally, Loren would get home at six o’clock, but to day she got home at seven thirty. She just stood at the door for a while. Hoping by waiting a little longer she would wake up from the reality of Robert moved out. Before she could reach the door the door opened to a very mad Robert. He is looking very concerned. He opened his mouth to say something, but she couldn’t help herself she had to give him a hug. She just held him so tight that his body stopped moving. After hugging him she looked directly into his eyes.

  “You are here. I really thought that you was settle in. I thought you were just lying to me this morning about continuing to be my friend.”

  “Did you really think I would stop cooking for you just because I left the apartment? I wanted to talk to you about some things anyway. I got to the hotel and I couldn’t write. I couldn’t think. I know you like your own space, but can I….”

  “What can you move in here? Is that what you going to say? I would love to have you as roommate, but….” She started to say when she remember that she move out of her apartment in a month.

  “But what?”

  “I am moving out this apartment in a month. I moving into my first home.”

  “Oh, Loren I get it you don’t want me moving in your first house. I see.” He started to walk to the door, but she stopped him.

  “I just don’t want you to get attach to this apartment when I am moving into my own house. I am hungry. Did you cooked?” Loren said with a smile.

  “Yes, I cooked. Why don’t you changed out of the worked clothes. I will set the table. Ok.”

  “Ok. You can s
tay here and you can move with me to my new the house”

  Chapter Five

  Loren laughed at herself for getting use to Robert. She couldn’t how easy it was to. Today is moving day, Robert and Loren already sold his old his house. Because she helped him she got ten percent of what he sold his house for. Loren remembered how excited she was to own her own house that she started to pack a week in advance. And she was glad because it was less stressful. The last couple days have been stressful and long. She had to work twelve and fourteen hour days that week. There was days that she would be the only person in the office. On days when she was the only person in the office Robert would bring her something that he cooked.

  Maria writes to her sometimes and she was glad that she is moving into a comfortable home. She said that Loren could stay with her when she has to go to London. She also said that some of the treatment she is using it making it better. Her restaurant is a great success. She had her cousin who is also a chief coming to take over for her.

  Loren was given the key to the house a week earlier and she made a couple for Robert. The more she pack that previous week the less the boxes were. Loren kept thinking it was my imagination until the movers came to pick up the furniture and she only had about ten boxes.

  “Robert this can’t be right.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “The boxes, it should be more boxes. It is only ten boxes.”

  “Don’t remember we only packed that many. Don’t worry about and let get our stuff moved and if anything is missing we will call the police. Ok.”

  “Ok. I guess I shouldn’t worry unless I have to.” I said really thinking I going to hurt somebody if they touch my stuff.

  When the last of the furniture was packed up Robert gave the men who was moving the stuff some coffee and some donuts. The men seem happy because none of them had gotten anything to eat. As he was handing the men their breakfast she could she he as a father being the father who makes cupcakes for his children. Just the idea of that made Loren smile then made her want to cry. When finally have children she wouldn’t be no where around because he would probably marry someone who was perfect or maybe another Maria.