Vision Ch. 02

We're looking at her in stunned surprise.

"Why not?" I ask.

She gives me a look but answers anyway.

"A friend of mine from high school, head of our senior class could not get funding from them because she chose not to attend an HBSCU. She couldn't even get assistance from the good Christian churchgoing people at her church. You know who gave her money? The Daughters of the Confederacy. It should never have been be about where you go, but that you go. United Negro college fund has since changed their stance but that they ever had such a policy in place is ridiculous. So that's a definitive no."

"You don't forgive and forget?" I ask.

"On matters of principal, no."

"I respect that, but times have changed Lou. Are you sure you won't change your mind?" Asks Matt.

"Quite sure. Rare is the charity that I donate to as they all have more than a little bit of crap with them. Again, it's a matter of personal principle. Eddie finished school and went all the way and then some. She's a doctor now, a damned good one too. But she struggled to get there. Every little bit would have helped."

"What about United Way," I ask?

She looks at me again and frowns a little. "No, I don't give money to them either. Specifically, I had an aunt who divorced her abusive husband, when she put him out she had three children to raise and a house to pay for. She appealed to United Way for help because even her church turned her away with bullshit about being obedient and dutiful to her husband and praying. Well the United Way told her she did not meet their standards of poverty to qualify for assistance.

My aunt didn't fare as well as Eddie. She'd gotten a newspaper route to bring in extra cash and it worked like a charm for a while. Until one morning at 4:30 am she was carjacked, robbed, stabbed and left for dead under a wooden crate behind a defunct grocery store. It took a week or so to find her body.

That same year there was a helluva scandal involving the man who was running the United Way, he'd run off to Bermuda with a million or so in funds with his secretary no less, the usual cliché. There's nothing so confusing to a child, as having a cousin calling you to ask everyone in your house if you've seen her mother because she's been missing 3 days, having a whole neighborhood wondering and searching and asking questions. So as far as United Way goes, that's a 'hell no'."

Matt and I both sigh and nod.

"I also don't give to the Salvation Army, not even change at Christmastime when they're out there ringing their little bells everywhere you go. The McDonalds Heiress when she died a few years back she left them the largest donation ever to a charity I think something like 1.5 billion dollars.

Do you think they fed and housed the poor? No they wasted that money building centers to teach people how to eat. Not feeding people, just teaching them how to eat. Learning to eat is probably kind of hard if you have no food and nowhere to live.

All these starving and homeless people and you seriously can't manage the funds any better than that? Then just the other year I read that the Salvation Army accused a bank, of mismanaging its assets. Please. "

She snorts cynically. "You may as well just drive down a street and throw money out the window for all that."

Matt shakes his head. "Lou I know your dirty little secret, how sweet you really are. I'm going to keep working on you."

She shrugs.

"Go for it. Nothing beats a win, but a try right? There are some charities I support, just not those. Besides, true charity begins at home. But I know how it is around here, it's like high-school forever, cliquish as hell and favoritism is highly rampant, so, I'll try to help you out a bit. I'll bake, blow up balloons, whatever, but not the cash."

"I mean to take you up on that," I say.

There's that puzzled amusement on her face again as she looks at me and says 'ok'.

"I'm pretty sure she was speaking of helping me," says Matt scowling slightly.

"Whatever, you two," she says, shrugging on her jacket. "Just say when."

----

The powers that be decide to combine the various charity campaign drives with the annual barbecue. Half the parking lot has been converted into a sort of fun fair, with games and small rides and a dunking booth, slip and slide for the kids, the works.

True to her word Lou shows up, her tiny Fiat full of balloons and loaded down with about 10 dozen or so miniature cupcakes.

She's looking more like the girl I met, laid-back and fun in jeans and a t-shirt. Her unruly auburn hair is more curl than bush today.

We help her unload and she begins distributing them evenly between me and Matt who looks slightly miffed.

"Come on Lou, we go back. Help me out. I need a little edge here. Give me an extra dozen or so? He's been poaching on my customers already. Times are hard and people are cheap and choosy and loathe giving to multiple charities. And these fools set my shop up right beside the only single man for a hundred miles. Shit, he ain't that good-looking."

She glances briefly and then turns and looks at me intently.

I'm a little scruffy today as I haven't shaved, but I guess she likes what she sees, because she's slowly looking me up and down again, she blushes when she gets back to my face to find me smiling. I like looking at her too. With a shrug she breathes out.

"Hell, even you're staring. C'mon give me something to work with here? We go back some."

Cocking her head to the side she looks at him. "Some cheese to go with the whine, perhaps?"

"But you said . . ."

"I know what I said." She says sharply giving him a look of amused exasperation and shaking her head before handing him extra balloons and cupcakes.

"How's that?"

"That's all I need, just a fighting chance."

A woman and little boy come over. The kid hugs her legs. "Aunt Lou!"

Her face lights up. She sweeps him up hugging and kissing him, sitting him on her hip - lucky kid. An actual grin, I'd almost forgotten she had teeth. I've not seen that since England.

"This is my sister Lili and her little boy Jackson."

She's tall, her sister, 5'10 , slender. Her face too is all eyes and lips, very pretty; an elongated Lou, sans bush.

"Hey buddy! You ready to play?" She asks.

He nods, but he's spotted the cupcakes. "You made cupcakes Aunt Lou?" There's an accusation in there somewhere.

"I did, but they're for everyone, ok?"

He nods, but he's not taking the news well.

"He's a little spoiled. Aunt Lou is his personal baker and usually bakes for no one but him." She looks at her sister oddly.

We all laugh, but the kid is starting to look serious. There's something familiar about his large hazel eyes, which are getting darker and darker.

"Hey little man, here ya go. "

I hand him a cupcake.

"I know what it's like when you see something sweet you've gotta have it right?" I glance at Lou to find her watching me curiously.

"Thank You!" He gives me a huge grin. He's a cute kid.

"You come back if you need another."

"Later guys, we're gonna go make the rounds."

And off they go.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There's a commotion near the basketball hoops; a shooting contest. Of all people, there's her diminutive self, sinking shot after shot. David Jones is just about my height and he's shooting against her. From what I hear he was a point guard at UVA so he's pretty good. So far neither of them is missing.

"She's good, really good, " I say absently aloud.

"You have no idea," her sister says chuckling and shaking her head.

The nephew is excited, jumping up and down as little kids do. At one point he rushes in to hug his aunt and gets tangled in her legs. Laughing, she falls butt first but doesn't instinctively try to brace herself and mess up the arc of the shot, she falls back with one arm still poised scraping her opposite elbow, watching as the ball goes in. David stops a beat, looking at her expectantly.

She jumps up, kisses the nephew and keeps going. She's wearing odd shoes again, gold high-top sneakers with wings and an Adidas symbol on the back. The temperature has climbed, it's gotten very warm. Her face is shiny and a small patch of sweat has collected in the center of the back of her gray t-shirt.

David however, is drenched and keeps glancing at her, but she's still going, sinking shot after shot. He gets a look of extreme exasperation, which is his undoing, he misses.

The announcer says, "At $1 per shot that's $227 for United Way Charities, courtesy of Lou James and David Jones!"

Lili looks at her in surprise.

Lou shakes her head.

"Complete accident. I only started because Jackson wanted to play," she says breathlessly fanning herself.

"I wanna shoot too aunt Lou!"

"I know buddy, c'mon, here ya go." She hands him the basketball and leads him to the basket.

"Your arm's bleeding," says Lili.

She twists her arm around and looks at it and shrugs. "It doesn't hurt."

"You're bleeding and need a band-aid Lou," she says looking at her sister in annoyance.

"I sure as hell don't have one on me. Do you?" Says Lou shortly.

Unfazed, Lili responds, "I'll get one over at the blood drive and be right back."

I walk over with a clean napkin and some water. "Let me help you, it's the least I can do for a top contributor."

She lets me gently take her arm. I pour some water on the napkin and hold it to her elbow. She winces slightly but is otherwise still and quiet as I tend her. Folding the napkin a few times, I dab until there's no more blood.

"So you changed your mind about United Way?" I look at her.

"No, I simply adore my nephew. We were messing around when David came over and turned it into a competition. It's not in me to back down."

"I don't know, I think Matt's right, you're getting soft." I smile at her.

"I said I would help with anything but cash; balloons, baking, whatever. Let's just file this under whatever."

"Well, you were pretty good. I feel a little muscle on you. Maybe we should play sometime."

I'm still holding her arm as she stares at me curiously. But after a second or two she blinks slowly and nods.

"Maybe."

I'm sure she's completely unaware of it but she had that same look the night she grabbed me and kissed me.

Her sister returns looking at us both strangely.

Lou slowly turns to her. "You found a band aid?"

Lili holds out her hand and Lou takes it from her. I take it from Lou and put it on her elbow.

"Thanks again."

"You're quite welcome."

She turns to her sister and nephew. Flexing her arm gently.

"You have a boo boo Aunt Lou?" He asks with concern.

"Just a little one."

"Does it hurt?"

"A little bit, but it's ok."

"Mama can fix it. She can fix anything. You can have one of my Spider-man band-aids. Mommy will give you one, they work."

"I can? Well that's very nice of you." She picks him up and busses his cheek with kisses.

The three of them leave the festival swinging Jackson between them.

--

"I saw that look you gave him."

"What look?"

"That look."

"Did I? Well I didn't mean to."

"I can't say I blame you. He's a tall, good-looking, drink of water. He's got quite the ass on him too for a white guy. He looks familiar."

"You think everyone looks familiar Lil. He is sort of good-looking I guess." Who am I even kidding?

"He is, and he clearly likes you."

"Whatever. He'll go away soon enough once he figures out there's nothing to be had here. Besides, you know I don't do white men, they have enough in the world without the privilege of having me."

"Hmmm I dunno, white or not he's the first one you've looked at like a pork chop in a minute."

"I did not."

"I know you and I know that look. If I didn't know better, I'd think there was already something going on." My sister's uncannily and annoyingly psychic when it comes to my sex life. I'm not giving her the satisfaction, not today.

"Pshaw."

"Mmmhmmm. We shall see," says Lili looking smugly pleased.

Was I that bad? Those eyes and that dimple beside smiling white teeth and a spreading heat as he touched my arm are all I currently recall.

I will NOT have an affair with him. I will not sleep with him, no matter how attracted I am. I don't care if we've seen each other naked and he's had his hands all over me. No!! Not at work. No.

I need to regroup, preferably alone in my backyard, with a pitcher of micheladas and bowls of chips and guacamole for company. I have the vacation time and am overdue. Hell I may even put on my bathing suit and lie out, get my south of France on at home for a change.

My nephew pulls me back. "Aunt Lou?"

"Yes."

"Do you have more cupcakes at home?"

"No, but I can make more."

"Today?" My nephew is funny.

"Yes, today."

----

I've barely seen her since the company cookout. Her office door is always shut. She's avoiding me and I don't understand it as I could swear she was flirting with me as I held and tended her arm, but the few times I've managed to run into her since, she's been quietly polite.

Though I'm hard pressed to catch actual sight of her I do manage to see her on camera most days. There are cameras all over the place here, in all the common areas, nowhere to hide.

I'm trying to get her routine down and though I never see her go to the ladies room, she does indeed have a routine. Arriving every morning at exactly 7:30 am coffee in hand she shuts herself away for two hours of undisturbed work, before emerging at 9:30 to go to the break room vending machine, she buys two bags of mixed nuts, one with fruit and one without and mixes the two in one bag by carefully shaking them. She then proceeds to eat them one by one for 15 minutes or so while staring out the window, everyday with her and those nuts.

I even tried to ruffle her feathers in an effort to get her to engage with me, but she's stone-jawed and unflappable.

I was thinking about her when she pulled up to the stop light beside me in her little car. The sunroof is open and music is blaring. From my vantage point I can see her smooth thighs as her dress has fallen back. Man she's pretty. I'm still looking when the light changes and she takes off. I'm not a fan of fast driving but feel compelled to give chase. She's fast, but this truck has a V8 engine, she doesn't stand a chance and sure enough I enter the parking lot first.

While we don't have assigned spaces, everyone observes parking decorum most mornings and parks in the same spot. But today she quickly maneuvers her car around my truck surging ahead to park in my spot.

She's a swirl of yellow as she quickly exits her car. With pursed lips and raised brow, messenger bag and coffee held just so she looks at me and presses the key fob securing her car with a loud chirp leaving me gawking and perturbed as she enters the building. I grudgingly smile and resign myself to parking at the edge of the parking lot.

I'm regretting not bringing my lunch and having to come out in the heat. This weather is all over the place, 90 degrees is predicted today with 80% humidity. On the upside though the heat does make the ladies bloom.

Case in point: she is wearing a filmy deep yellow sundress and high-heeled sandals, a nice switch from all the suits.

That hair is somewhat subdued. Tied back Greek goddess style with a silvery leather ribbon. She strides along quickly, remarkable given how high those shoes are.

Deciding to have a little fun, I rev the engine and pull up on her abruptly. Juvenile, but it shakes the cool off her. She stops and flexes her hands outward; her left eyebrow rises above her shades. That raised eyebrow again, reprimand, challenge, amusement and provocation.

I should leave it alone but the sway of that dress is compelling. I quickly park and catch up as she goes up the stairs to the door, which I grab and open as she swipes her access badge. She smells spicy and sweet.

We wait for the elevator. I glance down at the back of her, perfectly round, pert. What I wouldn't give to have her bent over my desk just so with that dress of hers hitched somewhere around her waist. What exactly is going on under there anyway?

Remembering those blue bikini panties of hers, I shift uncomfortably on the verge of a major hard-on. My boxers are chafing just enough to help it along if I'm not careful and as I've just gotten back from lunch there's no time to jerk off. I follow her onto the elevator and others follow.

Glancing at me she takes a step farther left and slides off her shades. Without looking she addresses me.

"You should really mind how you drive in the parking lot."

Given her antics this morning I find it laughable but ok, I'll play along.

"Maybe I wanted your full attention."

She turns her head sharply and looks at me. I hold her gaze. That's right little girl; I'm bold like that. Keep looking at me. I'll lift that dress and have you here and now. Between the sudden mini heat wave and scenes from England on a perpetual loop in my head I'm feeling more aggressive by the minute. I was raised a gentleman, pride myself on it, but I'll be damned if she's not under my skin. This polite dance we're doing is getting tired. I stare her down and eventually she drops her gaze. We get off the elevator finally on the 15th floor and I follow her off watching that dress sway as she walks quickly ahead of me and turns down a hall.

My ass barely hits the chair when I'm called to yet another impromptu meeting. The last guy left this place in dire straits. Though I'm starting to wonder how much of it was really his fault. Communications around here are a shambles. Sigh.

I head off to the 18th floor. Ineffectual efforts at camaraderie aside, this office is rather cold, even for a fortune 500 company, there are way too many socially awkward people. I miss summers on the oilrig; backbreaking and dangerous, but fun and friendly.

But that life wasn't what Pops wanted for us. This is what he wanted and I'm ok with that and have made my peace with corporate life, but this place has a tad more plantation mentality than most. There've been several excellent people of color in various positions who hit the reinforced ceiling and just had to move on when they didn't get the recognition they deserved.

But there's a party tonight at a local bar for Matt who's just been promoted. I've come to like him. I'll have to stop by and say a personal congratulation. I want the scoop on her and suspect he has it. As I come to his office I spot Lou and June from HR hanging out around his desk chatting and listening to music. He's entertaining the ladies, doing a little dance on one leg; they seem to be having a good time.

"What's going on in here? Too many of us in one place they'll send a search party."

Matt and June laugh as Lou gives me a strange look.

"Hey, just a little pre-party before the main party."

"I hear you, but you are hoggin' all the women."

"Hell, I'm married man, not dead. I'm just being social."

June goes, "Please, I'm married too. Lou on the other hand is free. I think?" She cocks her head at Lou who says nothing and keeps a straight face.

"You ladies look good. Mr. Money here must have quite a skill set to have both of you in here giggling like little girls.

In a deep and affected southern drawl Matt boastfully replies, "Oh, I gots mad skills! I managed to get Lou in a dress and out after work on a Friday night!"

She shakes her head and laughs, pushing off her perch. "I've got work to do, later people."

I chitchat for a bit with June and Matt. After a minute or so I specifically steer the conversation to football and it has the desired effect as June throws up her hands.

"That's it. I'm out. See you guys in a few hours."

We talk sports a bit. I won the March Madness pool based on Lou's picks in England and he's still grousing about it. He lost an outside bet to her as well. She doesn't participate in the office pools.