Chestnut Brown And Cinnamon Happiness Read online

Robert finished washing the dishes and he was really tempted to go over Jason’s house and wanted to know why she wouldn’t talk to him first. He reminds himself that she was a single beautiful woman with needs. The needs he thought to himself was something he wanted to see. Although they been friends for four years Loren as always went to Jason for real problems. He knew by her going to him that maybe he needs to slow down. Jason was also his friend and on days that Loren decided in years pass not so share her life with him, he discover that Jason was his friend too.

  He could have easily asked Jason that first night for him to stay there. He could have asked any of his friends could he stay at their houses. He had keys to their houses. There was a moment before he knock on her door he thought to himself could stay at Marcus’s house. All his friends were out of town except for Jason at the time, but they were coming back Monday. So why did he stay so long at Loren’s apartment and now at her house? Was it the fact that was hurting after Maria told him that she didn’t want him anymore? He was still willing to stay there with her. Was it because that he started to hurt after year of his marriage? He was always hoping it would get better. In some areas it got better especially in the bedroom.

  He thought about his marriage and how he thought having a child would solve their problems. Something inside of him gave a sigh of relief. He knew that child couldn’t solve their problems. He was also saddened because he could have gone into the arms of his child for comfort. He did wanted a child two years of their marriage and when it didn’t happen he gave up the idea of having a child until now. What was it that he saw in Loren and see possibilities?

  He knew that he needed to talk to Jason himself to help him figure was going on with him. He knew what he needed right now some ice cream. He was so glad he wasn’t the type that drunk because he would have gotten drunk for the last month or so. He needed to dive into some coffee ice cream with some Oreos mix into together on top of a hot brownie with chocolate and whip cream.

  He fixed the desert and sat in front of the TV and watches some natural channel. They were talking about some mating habits. The combination slid down his throat with all it yummy goodness. Although the ice cream sundae helped he couldn’t stay still. He decided he needed to work off the ice cream. It had taken years for him to have the kind of body that he wanted and he wasn’t going to give up on it because he is going through a dilemma. He looked at the clock on the wall and it said four o’clock in the morning. He knew that he would needed to sleep, but right now he needed to exercise. He packed a bag with some extra clothes in it and left to go to the gym.

  Loren arrived back at the house around eight o’clock, but she was up around four-thirty in the morning. She arrived to silence and thought maybe he went to buy breakfast, by ten o’clock when he didn’t come back. She went into his bedroom. She notices that his gym bag was missing. She went into room to go back to sleep. She tried best as she could to, but with no sense of accomplishment. She had to clean.

  She kept thinking about all the things that her and Jason talked about. She knew that this trip to London was a good thing for all the reason Jason mention. Their friendship seem like friendship from the outside looking in, but from the inside looking out there was something more going on there. Loren knew herself and she didn’t just go on kissing the first man she sees. She knew the real reason for the kiss was because she had feelings. He gave her butterflies that ran up and down her body like small kisses. The kind of kisses that she slept in for. Jason helped her see that seeing his father might be too far, but since she had already agreed she had to go.

  She wondered to herself if he looked like his father or his mother. Are they the kind of people who would be cool with her son living with her as her roommate? One question that was bothering her more than any that she asked herself that morning was his parents ok when he gets a divorce for him to date or remarry a black woman. She knew that he dated a couple in high school and a little in college, but was it cool with his father.

  Robert arrived at Jason’s house around eight o-five. Jason had been used to talking to them one after each. Every time Loren would have a problem then Robert would have a problem. Jason knew the most of the problem that Robert had stem from him talking with Loren. Robert wouldn’t ever admit it, but he wishes that Loren could come to him. Jason opened after hearing a knock on the door. He could tell that just went to the gym, but he couldn’t smell it on him. For the first time Jason was starting to understand what Loren was talking about when she said that he smell good after dancing. He didn’t smell like a man who needed to take a bath. He smelled like baby lotion. He thought to himself if he smelled sweeter he would have seriously question his sexuality.

  “Let, me guess what you are going to talk about? Is it the fact that Loren came over here?” Jason said already knowing.

  “Yes and no. I am scared of Loren meeting my father.” Robert said.

  “Why is that?”

  “I am afraid that he will like her.”

  “What?! I thought you were going to say because she was black or something to that fact.” Jason said very surprise.

  “Jason, I am very surprised that I came all vanilla because before he married my mother all he liked was black women. The same goes for my mother. She would have poster of the latest black movie actors. So I guess I was made to like black women. You have to understand my father like really dark women. He would always comment the blacker the berry the sweeter the juice.”

  “Really? That’s funny man. Why are you worried that your father would like Loren then? I would think it would be a good thing. Isn’t it?”

  “No, the real problem once he meets her he is going to like her like I like her. Well, not like her. Loren is a very beautiful person not just on the inside, but on the outside too. I am trying to still stay faithful with my wife about to be ex, but still. It is hard to wake up in the morning and see her after just getting up. Her skin kind of glows as she greets you good morning. I know you have seen it.”

  “Robert, I have. It is like the strangest thing. Most of the time I know after women I had been with in the past and even my late wife that they didn’t glowed like that. Do want to know what is funny that I never seen her hair mess up when she gets up in the morning.”

  “That is actually true. She always has her hair in a ponytail or pigtails. She never smells bad. She smell like candy or a sweet desert. Now that I am almost single I can say this. Sometimes I wished that I could just lick her skin just to see what it tastes like.”

  “You are not single yet. I think that her moving to London for a couple month would do you both good.” Jason said.

  “But with Maria? Jason, Loren and I kissed. To tell you I don’t know how I stopped, but if I didn’t it would have lead straight to the bedroom.”

  She knew where he was when he didn’t come home from dinner. Like she did with lunch she did the same for dinner fix his plate. Right when she puts the second plate on the table and she looks up and he is right there. She didn’t want explanation she wanted just to eat with him. He knew her by now and did not talk, but sat down to eat some food that she cooked. His stomach scream out a craving, but he was craving wasn’t food at that moment. She just went passed him and he couldn’t help himself to smell her all in. Normally before all this stuff started to happening Maria would cooked for him, but it would be the same. With Maria it was all just routine, but with Loren it felt like the beginning of a real life. His life. Within a week she already got him down enough that she knew how he works. He likes that.

  Loren knew that they are not going to talk about it. She told herself that it was ok. She was just scared of losing their friendship. Or maybe she was scared of losing her heart. She could tell that he finish working out because his hair was a little wavy. Tonight she caught him staring at her with something in his eyes. And again she had butterflies. The whole rest of the night was a blur the next thing sh
e knew she was in the bed saying her prayers. And she hadn’t prayed for years.

  In the morning she heard a soft tap on her door. For some reason she could speak and couldn’t move. He tapped the door again and when she didn’t answer he open her door. He moves and sit besides her and she opened her eyes when lightly touch her skin. His hands were warm and she could tell that he had some coffee in her hand.

  “Wake up, Lorie it time to wake up. Honey, I made you some coffee.” Before he knew it the words just came out of his mouth and he didn’t want to take them back.

  “Ok, ok I am up. The smell of coffee woke me up. I don’t remember if I packed or not.” She turn her head to look at her dresser and her was her pack bag. “Well, I am guessing I did. Give a couple of minutes. Thanks for the coffee that was really nice of you.”

  After he left her room and went to the kitchen and made himself a cup of coffee. He was still amazed that her skin was all a glow. Most time when a woman skin did that she was with child. He knew that she wasn’t with someone in over a eight months. In order for them to get there by breakfast he had to wake her up by three o’clock in the morning. They both went to bed around eight o’clock. By the time he finish his second cup she was ready. She hands him her cup again and he refilled it. He knew that coffee wasn’t going to be enough for the trip so he bought a bagel for each of them from a twenty- four hour doughnut shop. Because he knew that she would take at least thirty minutes he had the bagel ready almost down to the second with cream cheese on it.

  He handed her the bagel. She could tell that he warm the bagel up for her. It was her favorite type of bagel a raspberry. She finished both her coffee and her bagel before they reach the airport. It took the a couple minutes to check in and because there wasn’t many people traveling it didn’t take long to check in. They boarded the plane around four-fifteen. She was so glad that Robert gave her a bagel. It was a good thing that she had to go to London because she would have never updated her passport. The trip was long and she felt that she didn’t get a lot of sleep. When the plane finally touched down into Robert’s home town it was nine o’clock. They arrived at Robert’s home just thirty minutes later. By the time they were at the front door Loren’s stomach was saying the ugliest things to her like feel me. An older man answers the door he looks like he could be Robert’s brother.

  “You must be Loren.”

  “You are Robert’s brother? I was excepting his father. Has he gone some where?” Loren said really thinking this was his brother.

  “Loren, this is my father. Loren this is my father Clive Jonathan Martin.” Robert said.

  “Forgive me, I wasn’t saying that to be kind. You do look young enough to be Robert’s brother. Now I see where he gets his good looks from. Can we come in?” Loren said.

  “Loren come put your things right here for now. Come follow me to the dinning area. I can hear your stomach cursing out and begging for some food. I knew that you would be here at this time so I cooked breakfast.” He said while taking her arm.

  Robert followed behind them. She had told his father that he was good looking and he looks like him. She had never told him that she thought that he was good looking or anything like that. His heart pounds with the thought that she didn’t like him because he could cook, but she was attracted to him. Or maybe she was trying to empress his father. Women in his past had told him that his father was better looking than him. He smiled and sat down right next to her. He knew that his father knew what he was thinking.

  The one thing his father could do is cook. Robert’s father had be a chief for twenty years and now retired from the restaurant, but not from his kitchen. Mr. Martin gave Loren to start with stuff pancakes with whip cream and strawberries and served it with a chocolate crêpe. In Robert’s plate he gave him a stuff pancakes with strawberries and whip cream too, but he also add some turkey bacon, potatoes, and Spanish omelet. He pour both of them some orange juice and some imported coffee. The coffee tasted like sweet cream and caramel. Robert smiled even bigger when she look as if she couldn’t even eat this much food. Mr. Martin gave her some hash browns and a bowl of fruit.

  “I am not trying to be rude, but I don’t think I could eat all of this. Please don’t give me no more food.” Loren said looking sad.

  “Loren, forgive me I am feeding you like you are a much wider and bigger girl. Just promise you try a little of every thing. Will you?”

  “Ok, Mr. Martin.”

  This brings up memories when Robert was sixteen years old and he thought that the girl would be his one and true love. He brought her over to meet his parents. His father cooked so much food that the leftover that she brought home with her last her whole family two days to eat every thing and including the two cakes that he sent with her. They were together for two years and he thought that she was only with him for his dad’s cooking. When he turn eighteen he promise his self that he learn how to cook that any woman would fall in love with him at first bit.

  “Did Robert ever tell you about his first girlfriend? I was so happy for him that I fed the girl for two years.”

  “Christy, after tasting your food only went out with me because she could eat your cooking for free.”

  “No, Robert I am sure she cared for you.”

  “No she didn’t .”

  Both Robert and his father nod their head to agree to disagree. Loren offer to help clean the dishes, but his father object. He told Robert to show her to her room. Loren put all of her stuff in the overly done pink room and followed Robert to his room. She could tell it was a boy’s room because there were poster of the beautiful women. She started to noticed that all was black women and all darker than her. She thought her race might be a problem if she started to date Robert, but now she feared that she was just too bright for him. ‘The darker the berry the sweeter the juice’ and he like his juice sweet.

  “Wow, look at all the women in your room.”

  “What are you surprised that all of them are black?”

  “No, I am surprised that all of them are dark. Have you always like black women?”

  “Yes, I get it from my father. He brought me the posters. I wanted one of Robin Givings and Haley Berry, but my father thought they were too light for his taste.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes, really? To tell you the truth I am surprise I was born. It was kind of funny how my father met my mother. They both like black people, but my mother parents didn’t like the idea. So she asked the first guy she saw on a date to cover for the fact she was seeing her boyfriend and when he didn’t show. My mother and my father started to talk. Her boyfriend was my father’s best friend.”

  Loren smiled and wanted to give him a hug for sharing the information with her. Without saying anything else she went into the room and just sat on the bed. It is always easy to go away from something if its does not fit. She could feel her heart growing warmer. She knew that she was between a rock and hard place. She just wanted to hide.

  Robert knew she left and went to her room for a reason. He wanted to be her and really be her, but he wouldn’t until there was a better reason for his divorce than ‘I don’t like you any more’. He could tell that his father likes her. His father was normally a hard to please, but his father was. He was about to knock on her door then he stop. Why in the world would she want him? First off, he is married. Second, he thinks that he was her type. He puts his head on the door and wish that he could smell her in, but he leaves.

  Mr. Martin watches his son leave the door side of Loren. He knew that feeling, but he also knew that if wasn’t right it wouldn’t work. He knew something that Robert didn’t know about his wife that she was sick. He knew the treatment made him go where they live now, but that wasn’t the real reason. He wanted Maria to tell his son that she was sick, but never did. He knew that if his son knew that Loren wouldn’t be a issue like it is. He could see the ch
anges in him. He knew that Loren was a better fit for his son than who his son is married to. He saw his son go up to his old room and closes his door. Now was his chance to talk to Loren alone. He knocks on the doors and she opens it excepting it to be his son.

  “Oh, hi Mr. Martin can I help you with something?”

  “We need to talk. Now, if that’s ok. Come down stairs with me.” He said with a serious look on his face.

  “Ok.” She said as she followed him.

  Loren didn’t ask why she just followed that’s what he like about her. She didn’t need to ask why she knew. When they got to the back yard and sat down on the outside furniture they started to talk.

  “Have a seat. First off I wanted to say how much happier my son is around you. I like your personality. I think that you and my son would make a good looking couple. I like the fact that you don’t have any children. I like your age because you are young enough to still have children. How much do you make at your job?”

  “I make six figures sir around two hundred thousand a year. Sir.”

  “I even like the money you make, but do you want to know what I just don’t like?”

  “What sir? My color?”

  “No, trust me your color isn’t a factor. I like black women. I don’t like the timing of everything. Hear my words young lady if something happens sooner than it supposed too it will never work. All it would leave is two unhappy people or worst just one. I know that Maria is sick and she moved to London. Also know it is almost time for her to die.”

  “You knew about Maria. How long did you known?”

  “I knew a year after Maria married my son. I also knew that she told you. The real reason why she move down there is because she didn’t want me to tell my son.”

  “You still could have told him.”

  “It isn’t my place young lady. And it isn’t yours either. I am glad that for a little while you moving to London you and my son need to have time to think. How long are you going to be gone? Really?”