A New Life Ch. 06

Chapter Six: Being Alone

It took a couple of months for things to die down completely. The first week Henry filled my texts and calls, blaming me for his apparent 'demotion' as he put it, as he was taken off his regular patrol and put somewhere else.

Then after I blocked him, he started to come by unannounced, never as far as coming inside or approaching me, but I always saw his car driving by my workplace or by a house I was trying to sell. It would always roll by or stay parked until I noticed, then speed off.

Alexander often asked if I wanted him to take care of it, but I knew it would die down. Henry was just mad, and this was his way of venting.

Finally, it took me storming over to his house to get things settled.

I told him it was over, and no matter how much 'space' he was going to give me or 'attention' he wanted to get, I wasn't coming back to him.

It took a few more days to get through to him, but eventually, the stalking stopped. I hoped that he had found something new to fill his time. I hoped it wasn't someone else as I didn't want Henry to fool someone else with his pretense of being a nice guy and then turn on them the way he did with me.

The new cop on the stretch pulled me over just once when I was way above the speed limit. He gave me a warning and then apologized for what I went through with Henry. It seemed Henry had a reputation of going off on some of the younger officers.

"I am sorry, it's just this open road and my foot seems to want to...." I started to say as he gave me the warning.

"Set your GPS to give you a chirp once you go over the speed limit," the officer said, pointing at my GPS system. "It should slow you down."

"I didn't know it could do that," I said.

"Sure, may I show you?" the young officer said.

"Absolutely," I nodded.

The officer got in the passenger side and showed me how to set it up. Then he allowed me to speed off. Sure, enough, the loud chirp went off after going five miles per hour over the speed limit.

"Well, that's annoying," I said as he caught up to me as I parked.

"I set it to go off continuously until you go under," he smiled.

"And you're not going to tell me how to turn it back off?" I smiled.

"Nope, have a good day," he smiled back at me.

"Rascal!" I shouted back at him.

It had worked. The annoying chirp got me to drop my speed everywhere I went. It was slowly bringing me used to doing the speed limit. This was a bonus as paying for speeding tickets was becoming a chore.

Things were good for me; finally, there were no problems from Henry, and Debra and Jimmy's health problems were under control.

Mason had found a girlfriend, Debbie. He had brought her to see me a few weeks ago. She was lovely. The best thing about her was she kept him under wraps.

He hardly had an outburst the whole three days they were here. I couldn't hug her hard enough and thank her. She truly knew how to calm him down.

That was the thing about a good relationship. One always countered the other. I wondered if I would ever be in a relationship like that again.

"Should get it tinted," Alexander said one day as he drove with me to one of our new locations.

"I was thinking about it, since summer is coming," I replied.

"I know a guy, he's pretty good, and the price isn't bad," Alexander said.

"Absolutely," I nodded.

I loved my job. It had always been the one thing I could count on to be stable. Even when things went haywire, I knew how to fix it.

"You're kidding," I said as Alexander showed me the guy.

"Nope," Alexander said.

In the same strip mall was a small building with big signs that said tinting and other things.

"How did I not notice that?" I asked.

"You never needed it before," Alexander smiled.

I nodded and couldn't believe that I had wanted to get my car tinted for months and didn't notice the building right in front of my workplace.

I drove my car over and went inside.

"Was wondering when you would come in," a tall black man said.

"Me?" I smiled.

"No, the other white lady behind you," the man smiled.

"Funny," I smiled back at him.

"Andre," the man said, holding out his hand.

"Alison," I smiled back at him.

"So, full tint?" Andre asked.

"Yes, not too dark, I already get pulled over enough," I stated.

"That beauty is meant to be driven fast," Andre said as he came around the counter.

"I have the speeding tickets to attest to that," I smiled as we went outside.

Andre walked around my car. "Rims?"

"Uh, don't think so, just the tint," I said as I followed him.

"Black on black would look good," Andre said.

I thought about it and remembered another car like mine with full black rims and thought mine would look good that way.

"Tell you what let me show you," Andre said.

I stood still and stared at my car as Andre went into the garage portion of his building. He came out rolling a tire with black rims.

"I got other designs, which you can pick from, just giving you an idea," Andre said as he held the tire near my car.

I liked it. I didn't just like it; I loved it. "You said other designs?" I asked.

"Yeah, come inside," Andre smiled.

Andre went over many designs and sizes, and I picked out the one I liked.

"Now, how about that speeding?" Andre smiled.

"Someone set me up with that annoying chirp sound," I shook my head as I thought about it.

Andre shook his head and made the sound. "Yes!" I shouted.

"Here, I got something for you," Andre said as he went to the back and brought out a box. "Radar detection, really small, easy to hide and always accurate, hear the low beep, a cop is around," he smiled.

"Are you trying to get a big sale out of me?" I smiled.

"Nope, this one is for free," Andre smiled back.

"Nothing's for free," I smiled.

"Just keep smiling and I will accept that as payment," Andre said.

I felt myself blushing. "Or you can do that, I accept that as well," Andre smiled.

Again, I couldn't stop myself from laughing. "Stop it," I said, shaking my head.

"That too," Andre smiled.

"Okay, enough," I said, coughing and straightening my face.

We stared at each other for a few seconds before I started smiling again.

"Stop!" I yelled at him.

"Didn't do anything that time," Andre said.

"You were thinking it," I said.

"Alison, if you knew what I was thinking you would slap me," Andre said.

I opened my mouth in shock. "Andre! I am old enough to be your mother!"

"Age is just a number," Andre nodded.

"So, that's how you get the big sales huh? Flirt with all the female customers?" I asked. I found myself leaning on the counter, staring at him.

"Flirting? Me? Never!" Andre said, shaking his head.

"You're doing it right now!" I said.

"Now?"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Definitely, flirting," I said.

"Okay, maybe a little," Andre smiled as he pushed the small box over to me. "But it's still free."

"A lot and I will take it," I nodded.

"I will let you know when the rims come in and do the tints and everything together," Andre said.

"Sounds good," I nodded. "Shall I leave my number?"

"No, I know where you work," Andre nodded.

"How?" I started to ask but then realized where I was and shook my head. "Don't answer that."

"I will come by when it's all here," Andre smiled.

"Bye Andre," I said as I turned to walk away.

"Hate that you're leaving but love looking at you when you go," Andre said.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing," Andre said as I walked out the door.

It was easy to install the radar detector, and it even came with a clamp to hide under the seat. "Now only if I knew how to turn the damn chirp off," I said as I sat in my car.

There was a knock on my window. I shook my head with a smile. "Looking for something else to sell me?"

Andre shook his head. "The right button," he said, pointing to my dashboard. I followed his directions and turned the chirp to just one chirp after I went over the speed limit.

"Thank you," I nodded.

"Anytime, now are you staying in my parking lot or you coming back inside for more talking?" Andre asked.

I shook my head and stared at him. "How old are you?" I asked.

"Turning forty, next month," Andre said.

"My two oldest sons are three years younger than you," I said, shaking my head.

"That's good to know, but what has that got to do with you in my parking lot?" Andre smiled.

"You're so bad," I said, turning my car on.

"I take it you're not coming back inside," Andre smiled as he stood up.

"No, I am not," I smiled back at him.

I had the same smile as I walked back into my office and sat down.

"Wow!" Kelly said as she looked over at me.

"What?" I replied.

"Alex, come here for a second," Kelly yelled.

Alexander, who was hardly ever in the office, walked over and looked over at me. "Well, that's new."

"What?" I asked.

"You're smiling," Kelly nodded.

"Glowing more like," Alexander said as the two stared at me.

"I smile," I said as I brushed my hair, it was windy outside.

"And brushing the hair," Alexander stated as he sat on Kelly's desk.

"She hardly ever brushes her hair, even on the windy days," Kelly said, shaking her head.

"It's very windy outside," I said.

"Still smiling too," Alexander added.

"Enough," I said, putting the brush down.

"She's trying to be serious with a smile on her face," Kelly said. "Who is he?"

"No one," I said, shaking my head.

"I have known you for years and never seen that smile on your face, except when Mason didn't have to go to jail for hitting that guy," Alexander said. "Spill it."

I sighed and shook my head. "It's nothing, it was just funny," I shrugged.

"It?" Kelly asked.

"Andre and I had a little back and forth talk and it was funny, I haven't laughed like that in a while," I shrugged.

"Andre, huh?" Alexander nodded.

"Isn't he the tint guy?" Kelly asked.

"Well, he does more than tints," I added.

"Like making you laugh," Alexander smiled.

"Yes, I mean he was funny," I said. "It's what he does to make sales."

"Didn't make me laugh," Kelly said.

"Me either," Alexander said.

I started smiling again as I remembered more of the conversation. "It looks good on you," Alexander said as he walked back to his office.

"Real good," Kelly smiled.

For the rest of the day, I had a smile on my face.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Henry made you laugh," Sabrina said as I met her for lunch later.

"He made me laugh, not smile," I added. "I can't stop."

"I can see that," Sabrina smiled. "What did he say?"

"It wasn't what he said, it's how he said it, and the looks and the smile, and oh, he so good at flirting, but not pushing it over to the creepy side," I said, shaking my head.

"Like?" Sabrina asked.

"He said if I knew what he was thinking I would slap him," I said.

"Wow," Sabrina blushed. "That's a lot of things and nothing."

"Exactly!" I smiled. "Then he said this thing about hating to see me go and loving to watch me leave or something like that?"

"Your ass," another lady at the other table said. "He meant he was staring at your ass."

I almost spilt my drink. I had never heard it put like that. "Sorry, just overheard your conversation, but that's what he meant."

"Thank you," Sabrina nodded.

We both started talking more quietly after that, but to say I was flustered was a small word for how I felt.

I walked back into Andre's place and saw a young woman at the counter.

I waited in line as Andre took payment, then wished her a good day, no flirting, no pickup line, nothing.

As the lady left and Andre looked up at me, he smiled. "No," he said.

"No, what?" I asked as I walked toward the counter.

"You can't have my number," Andre said.

I was floored again. A smile broke my face, and I had sat in my car for a good twenty minutes thinking about all the things I went through in the past year to make myself feel aggravated.

I took a deep breath and straightened my face.

"Oh no, we are going to be serious now," Andre said as he followed suit and took a deep breath. "Yes ma'am, how can I help you today?"

I busted into laughter. "Stop!" I said, shaking my head. "You're so bad at that."

"I don't know what you mean ma'am, how can I assist you today?" Andre said, still holding a straight face.

"Andre! Stop it," I said as I stared at him. "I am older than you and I say stop."

Andre shrugged and smiled. "The customer is always right," he smiled.

"I came to ask you something and I want a serious answer," I said.

"Back to serious, okay," Andre said as he put his serious face back on.

"Were you checking out my ass?" I asked.

"Yes," Andre answered. "Well, which time exactly?"

"There's been more than one time?" I asked, stunned.

"Well, you do work right there," Andre said as he motioned out the window on the left. Outside I could see my office.

"You've been stalking me?" I laughed.

"Stalking, admiring, whichever," Andre shrugged.

"Kelly's much more attractive and she's closer to your age," I said, but deep down, I found it alluring that such a handsome young man was admiring me.

"Honest?" Andre asked.

"Totally," I nodded.

"You're much more attractive than she is, plus," Andre said as he leaned forward over the counter and stared behind me. "She doesn't have that," he said.

"Andre!" I said, pushing him back behind the counter and staring behind me. We were the only ones in the small building.

"You told me to be honest," Andre shrugged.

"How old am I?" I asked.

"Don't care," Andre shrugged.

"Fifty-two," I replied.

"Nope, still don't care," Andre shrugged again.

I couldn't believe it. I was flirting back with him. I was even considering giving him my number.

"Here," Andre said. "That is my card, and that's my cell phone number on the back, if you want you can call or text me."

I took it and held it in my hand. "You're welcome," Andre said.

"For what?" I stared up at him.

"Don't know yet, but when the time comes, you will know," Andre said.

"So bad!" I said as I turned to walk away. "Stop it!" I yelled back without looking back at him.

"Can't help it, it keeps going side to side, side to side," Andre said.

I quickly sped up and closed the door behind me.

I had never felt like this, not with Benjamin, Henry, or others. I was breathing heavily, and my hands felt sweaty.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Mom!" Sheila said as she snapped her fingers in front of me.

"Sorry," I said, coming back to reality.

Sheila had come by the house to tell me about her new apartment. I remembered she was saying it was closer to her new job and the college, but after that, I blanked out.

"What were you thinking about?" Sheila asked.

"I can't tell you," I said as I got up and started making dinner.

"You told me about your ex-boyfriend that used you as a cum dumpster, you can tell me anything," Sheila said.

"I hate that description," I said, shaking my head.

"It fits," Sheila shrugged as she started to help me.

I told her about Andre, how he flirted with me, and how I felt about it.

"Back on the horse huh?" Sheila smiled.

"No, it's not like that," I shook my head.

I had planned on being single for a long time, and I intended to stick to it.

"Mom," Sheila said.

"He's too young and, well, he's very young," I said as I continued to make dinner.

"Mom!" Sheila said again.

"And he's not my type, I have never gone outside of my ethnicity, not saying I am racist, but," I said.

"Mom!" Sheila said.

"The age difference alone, but he is so funny, and the way he talks," I said.

"Mom!" Sheila said as she reached over and shook my hand.

"What?" I asked.

"You poured flour into the dish, when it's supposed to be salt, unless you're putting lasagna into that pan and not that one, you're messing it up and last time I checked ketchup isn't pasta sauce," Sheila said as she pointed out everything I had messed up.

"What the hell!" I said as I looked at everything.

"I'll order pizza," Sheila smiled. "You should call your boy toy!"

"He's not my boy toy!" I yelled back at her.

"Uh-huh," Sheila said. "Don't drink your wine, it's olive oil!"

I looked at the glass in my hand, and sure enough, the olive oil bottle was near to me, and the wine bottle was still in its place near the fridge.

"Call him!" Sheila smiled.

After, we had dinner and a few wines. I promised Sheila I would stop by her apartment tomorrow. I was left alone in the house, and for a while, I just stared at the card Andre had given me.

"Just a text," I shrugged. "Simple text."

'Hi,' I sent.

"There's it's done," I said as I felt better.

'About time, was wondering if you were going to give me the cold shoulder,' Andre sent back.

'How did you know it was me,' I replied.

'I don't give out my personal number to everyone,' Andre replied.

We went back and forth for most of the night. Finally, I called him. I had to know what about me he found interesting. Andre floored me by saying he found me alluring and attractive as well as mysterious. Plus, he had to comment on my chest and my ample ass.

"How about I take you out for lunch tomorrow?" Andre asked just before I was about to hang up for the night.

"How about we go to lunch together tomorrow and pay our own ways?" I asked.

"Sounds good," Andre replied.

I hung up, and my thoughts started to linger. Was I jumping from one bad relationship to another? Was I that desperate for a relationship?

'Smile, we are going to have fun,' Andre sent a text.

'Night!' I sent back with a smile.

I tried to get some sleep, but my mind lingered. I had heard everything about dating a black male and wondered if any of it was true.

Before I knew it, I was thinking of sex with Andre. He was much taller than both Henry and Benjamin. He had a much better physique as well. I imagined that large muscular arms around me, squeezing me.

Then it just happened. I reached for my newest toy and started using it, imagining it was Andre on top of me fucking me hard, fast and deep.

I brought myself to two orgasms before turning around and going to sleep.