Coming September 23rd... Chapter 1: Olympia This is not the way I imagined my Monday morning starting off. Usually, it began with my mom and me having a cup of tea and catching up on our weekend as if we didn’t talk daily. Instead, I was in the conference room at Champions of Hope, preparing for the very first time to fire an employee. In the five years I’ve been in business, I’ve never had an employee that lived to make my life a living hell as much as Sara Williamson did. She was fresh out of nursing school when I hired her on a recommendation from one of my trusted former colleagues, and the only reason she stayed around that long was that I really wanted to help her get to the next level in her career. But as the saying goes, you can’t help evr’ybody! I took a second to go over the notes I’ve memorized like my name, praying that I didn’t miss anything. Ensure that the employee is not surprised. They should already know they were performing below standard. Check. Sara has been called in regarding her performance several times. She failed to meet the minimum goals of the job. Be clear and concise. Check. I have an itemized list of Sara’s excessive absenteeism and her write-ups from breaking the code of conduct. Have a witness. Check. I have two. My mom, Athena Champion, our office manager, will take notes, and my right-hand girl, Kia, our HR Director. Make sure your actions are legal. Check. This was the first thing I did after deciding to fire Sara. My one-woman legal team was nothing to mess with. I guess I eventually needed to go through this as a CEO, but dammit, why did it have to be her. Be prepared for emotion but keep yours in check. Check. If she tried it, security would be escorting Ms. Sara back to her car before she can even think about causing a scene. Plus, today was not the day to mess with me. I was a few months away from my 35th birthday, and things weren’t coming together in life or my party like I needed them to. I was a walking billboard for Murphy’s Law. Every gotdamn thing was going wrong, and I couldn’t stay ahead of the disasters no matter how hard I tried. More than anything, I was pissed that Sara put me in this predicament when she has so many people rooting for her. What a waste. After a few minutes alone with my notes and lukewarm tea, my mom and Kia walked in with their notepads and serious faces. Sara did not want smoke with any of us today. We did not come to play. The security office sent me a text moments later to say that Sara was on her way up. We had just a minute or two to finalize the details before Sara made it to the 11th floor. Champions of Care is a staffing agency housed in a new, modern, twenty-eight-floor building on Peachtree Street in Atlanta. I signed a lease for this office space for ten years and am currently five years into it. This space sold me with its open concept reception area, one large conference room, one large communal work area, and two huddle/call rooms inside the collaborative space. This was the perfect space for me as I didn’t have more than three employees as permanent office staff, but I needed a home base where my staff nurses could come for training and meetings. The best part about this building was that it was within walking distance from my condo. Especially since I hated to drive. This eliminated that problem, plus I didn’t have to worry about parking. Win-win situation. Sara walked in looking wary, her body language already defensive before any of us had even uttered a word. “Umm, hey. I got an email from Kia about this meeting. What’s up?” “Have a seat, Sara. As you know, you were on a corrective action plan, and it ended yesterday.” Ensure that the employee is not surprised. They should already know they were performing below standard. She absolutely was not surprised by me mentioning her corrective action. I continued, “according to your plan, you were not to exceed two absences, in addition to following the code of conduct you signed for Champions of Care and The Abagail Center.” Be clear and concise. “I have Kia here as our HR Director and Mrs. Champion as our witness and notetaker. Feel free to stop me at any time if you have any questions.” Have a witness. “Olympia, you don’t need to drag this out. Are you firing me?” Homegirl was getting snippy. I would not let her take control of this meeting. Kia was to my left and made a sound to clear her throat as if she was offering me a reminder to stay on track. Mommy had yet to say a word. “Sara. I want to make sure you understand everything. Unfortunately, our contract with The Abagail Center as visiting staff nurses requires us to terminate any licensed nurse who breaks the code of ethics. You did that when you were caught leaving a dementia patient outside unattended to talk on the phone.” Make sure your actions are legal. “But she was right there. I could still see her. I didn’t even walk far.” Sara raised her voice, which caused Kia and my mom to stop writing and look at me. I was calm, though. “They are lying. I asked them for proof, and as of yesterday, they still haven’t shown me anything.” “I hear you. You have a right to request that information. I will be sure to send you what was sent to me. According to Abagail House, you were away from the patient for two minutes, and that is not acceptable. For that reason, we have to terminate you effective immediately.” Be prepared for emotion but keep yours in check. The rest of the meeting proceeded with Sara denying her role in her own demise, followed by some HR feedback from Kia. Unfortunately, we would not provide her with a positive reference for future employment, and it would go on her permanent record. Once the Sara shit show was over, we went out for an extended lunch and talked about everything except what just happened. Just as I expected, my birthday party was a hot topic, and my mom said that my sister Zafirah would be willing to help me out. At five o’clock on the dot, I started making my way home, wishing that I had someone waiting on me, not a permanent fixture, so to speak. Just someone who could help me get rid of the stressors that have me tense and anxiety-filled lately. I guess I could call up one of my ole’ trusty dudes to do the job, but I didn’t feel like a whole lot of talking, and none of them could be trusted to do the deed and leave. Oh well, I guess my dog, Mags, and I will have to take a nice, long walk followed by a nice glass of wine and some ratchet TV. But I was ok with that. Year thirty-five would bring me more excitement. I was putting that out into the universe and wishing it into existence. Chapter 2: Gavin Today was going to be a long Friday! My thoughts took the lead as I stepped off the elevator and headed to my office. As the newly installed President and CEO of Midtown West Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, I’ve taken this walk a total of thirty-two times. I couldn’t believe I was back in ATL. I got the call on my fortieth birthday back in July, and here we are two months later, with me getting along nicely in my dream job. I’m still amazed that I was offered the position without an MD behind my name and was proud to be the youngest person to ever hold it. But the board was adamant about selecting someone with modern, fresh ideas who wanted to focus on infrastructure, rebuilding the hospital brand, and improving the standard of care. My background and work experience highlighted those things excellently. It helps that Dr. Williamson is my Executive Vice President and was my prior boss when I was COO at another hospital. He’s an excellent mentor and assured me that I should soak up as much knowledge from him as I could before he retired. This was no easy feat or accomplishment, but I worked very hard to get here. Before heading to my private office, I decided to stop and take in the view before me. This was the newest wing of the hospital and featured windows so wide and clean that it looked like you could walk right outside from the twenty-second floor. I had to be sure to commend the Safety & Facilities department on the improvement. Most people thought I was unqualified and crazy when I concentrated on restructuring this department first. There was a reason for my madness. Appearance is critical in the healthcare field. If things looked good inside and out, the rest of the organization would fall into place or, at the very least, begin to take pride in their work, environment, and roles within the hospital organization. If nothing else, those who couldn’t or wouldn’t get with the program would find themselves looking for employment elsewhere. I’ve been tasked with changing the culture of this hospital, and I plan on succeeding at it. My executive assistant, Daniel, recently graduated from Mortonhouse University with his MBA but interning at the hospital since undergrad. He came to me from the neurology department because the original executive assistant decided that she disagreed with my hiring and turned in her retirement papers. It was the best decision for both of us. Daniel was efficient, professional, detailed, and he seemed to be able to read my mind. The best thing about Daniel is that even though I arrived every morning at 7 am, he was already here. Since we were both new in our roles, we were working upwards of twelve-hour days, but I planned on getting Daniel to cut back soon. I didn’t want him to burn out. “Mr. Upchurch, your tea is coming, we ran out of the chai tea bags, so I’ve just requested for more to be sent up. Your nine am meeting with the Chief of the ER department has been moved to Conference Room Seven instead of five; there was a connection issue with the Wi-Fi, and I have the IT department looking into it. I’ve updated all of the attendees, and breakfast should be set up by 8:45. Did you need anything else while you get settled?” This was why I was happy to see Robin’s hateful ass walk out the door. Didn’t I say he was efficient? I know he had career goals and aspirations more significant than being my assistant, and I already hated to see him go. Someone with his talent, skillset, and drive would go far, and I wouldn’t stop this black man from breaking the glass ceiling. Instead, I would do what I could to make sure he got there faster. “Thanks Daniel. Nothing else. I’ll see you in a few for our daily check-in. How are things coming along with the wedding planning?” He was engaged to his college sweetheart; they were currently planning a small, intimate wedding ceremony to save on time, money, and stress. Smart. “Going good. Drica is making a big deal about not having a DJ, so we are starting our own wedding playlist and will send it to all our guests, allowing them to add their choices. Since it will be the people closest to us and our very best friends, we know everyone will pick songs that will work for all the guests. Oh, and I talked to Drica, you can bring a plus one. She was happy to make that exception for you. Right after, she told me that my raggedy, ratchet cousin Jayson better leave his ‘estranged’ wife at home.” Cedrica, Daniel’s fearless fiancée, ran a tight ship. He walked back to his office while we both laughed at Drica banning Jayson’s wife from the wedding. Being an observer of their relationship made me think back on my marriage and divorce to Jesslyn. Jess and I met in fall 1999 as undergrads at The Central Florida University when I was starting my senior year, and she was a junior. I thought we would just have a quick relationship for my last year of school because my five-year plan was already written, proofread, and printed. It did not include any emotionally severe entanglements, and it damn sure didn’t include a whole wife. But being with Jesslyn caused me to rewrite everything I thought my life would be. When we met, she was really driven, but not so serious that she couldn’t have fun. And we had fun. All the time. Since we lived in Orlando, we visited Disney World more times than I could count, and that was before we had kids. Things just felt right between us. That feeling continued until Jess got pregnant. Or should I say we got pregnant; she didn’t get that way on her own. Early in our relationship, Jess mentioned that she’d gotten pregnant when she was seventeen but decided to terminate that pregnancy. She said it was the most heartbreaking experience she’d ever had in her life, and because of it, we were extra careful with protection. A cold, followed by her being prescribed antibiotics and ending with a night of us celebrating her promotion at work, led to all our careful planning being thrown out the window. Once we got the positive pregnancy results, we decided to get married. Our beautiful, curious daughter, Melodie, was born in May, a few weeks after graduation. Micah, or Mu, as we called him, followed four years later. Things started changing with Jess and me when we moved to Atlanta, and I was promoted to Chief Operations Officer of an extensive healthcare system. Suddenly, she turned into real housewives cast member, and I never saw it coming. After that, I always regretted moving her away from our family and support system because they kept her grounded. We were constantly fighting about her spending and some of the decisions she was making for the kids. It never got better, even though we both kept saying we were working on it. When the kids were ten and six, we separated. The divorce was finalized a year later. Jess decided to go back to Orlando to be close to her family and raise the kids there, so I followed her. But I could not pass up this opportunity when it presented itself; Chief Executive Officer at the top hospital in the area, I had to take it. The only thing that caused a second thought in my mind was how this move would affect my kids. They gave me their blessing and said they liked the idea of being able to visit Atlanta. I don't usually spend much time reminiscing, but the wedding talk had me traveling down memory lane. Thankfully, Jess and I were in a good place now as coparents, and I spoke to the kids almost daily. The only time we didn’t talk is if they were busy with friends or activities. As I was looking over my notes for the day, Daniel walked back in at the same time my office phone rang. That meant it was someone who had my direct extension if Daniel’s phone didn’t ring. “Let me take this, Daniel, come back in five?” He nodded at my request as he exited my office while working on his iPad. This guy was always working. “Upchurch.” I know it wasn’t as professional a greeting as it should have been, but it was barely 7am; this call was throwing me off schedule. “Gavin, did Mu call you yesterday?” She had a knack for these early morning calls. I just wished she would have skipped it today. “No, Jess, he didn’t. What’s up?” “Well, your son, Micah Upchurch, was in a fight at school yesterday, and he’s been suspended for two days, plus benched for the next two football games.” “What the hell happened?” I was concerned about the fight, but I also knew that Mu wouldn’t see the game suspension as punishment because he didn’t love football as much as he loved basketball. “He said a boy was teasing a smaller, quiet girl in class, and he warned him to stop; the boy didn’t stop, so he punched him.” “Well, I don’t see a problem there. Mu was defending her. We both would have encouraged him to do as such.” These schools did a horrible job with their zero policy infractions. There needed to be certain exceptions; someone standing up to a bully was one of them. “I’ll call him after my meeting since he’s home, then I will get the principal on the phone. Lonnie and I know each other from childhood, so I’ll see what I can do. But I will not make him apologize.” Mu did nothing wrong. It was my job as his father to assure him of that. We shouldn’t have him thinking it was wrong to defend someone being taken advantage of. Hell no. Not on my watch. “Please do that. He’s worried that you would be upset with him for being suspended from school. I told him that we would always be proud of him for making the right decision.” Jess was one hundred percent correct. I was happy that we were aligned and aimed to raise our children to be good human beings. “So, what else is up with you? When’s the next time you’re coming home?” Her tone switched to something more flirtatious. Oh shit, I knew I shouldn’t have fucked her before leaving Orlando to come to Atlanta. It was a bad decision all around. We promised that was the last time cause it wasn’t heading anywhere, and our kids didn’t need the confusion. “You know that I’m being honored by the black student union at our alma mater next month. I’ll get with Mel and Mu, we’ll plan something with my mom. She’s been chomping at the bit to see Mu. He’s been so busy, but luckily Mel stops by often since she drives now.” “I’ll be around as well. Just FYI.” She had the nerve to giggle after staying that. “Jess, you already know we said we would dead that situation.” I chose my next set of words carefully; my ex-wife has always been sensitive to rejection. Or what she determined was rejection. “Plus, the kids almost caught us, and we don’t want them having false expectations about us. Right?” Maybe if she felt like this was her idea, it would take the sting out of it. “Right! I was just mentioning that in case you wanted us to all hang out together. That’s it. You’re really feeling yourself today, huh, Gavin?” Her giggle turned into a full-blown, uncomfortable laugh. “I’m confident every day, Jess! But let me go, Daniel is waiting for me for our morning meeting. Tell Mu I’ll call him later.” I hung up after her soft goodbye, then informed Daniel that we could finally get the day started. And what a day it would be once he presented me with a list of tasks that seemed as if it would take a week to complete. In his usual fashion, Daniel quickly followed up with an incredibly detailed plan of action, then walked away to start executing. Damn, I’m really going to miss him when I must promote him. For now, I had shit to do, and first up was prepping for this meeting where I was gonna turn shit upside down and probably piss a few people off in the process. It’s a good thing I wasn’t hired to make friends. The Champ is Here is available for Preorder! Click here to order your copy.
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Athena Champion by Twyla B. Stone “Isaiah, are you ready?” Athena Champion was a lot of things, but late for anything was never one of them, timeliness was ingrained in her DNA. She’d been ready and waiting for twenty minutes for her husband to get himself together so that they could make their reservations for date night. Date night used to be a staple for The Champions after all three of their girls were good and grown. But recently, their family has experienced so many changes that date night fell to the bottom of their priorities. Isaiah was more bothered by this than Athena, so it was his idea to begin instituting Date Night 2.0 once a week no matter what. This was their first attempt, so it was ironic that he wasn’t ready by the scheduled departure time, although this was his idea. As she waited for her husband to come downstairs to head out for their destination, Athena began to think back on their 30+ years of togetherness. She thought about her first time seeing Isaiah Champion; she saw him months before she officially met him. Athena remembers dropping her neighbor off at a local, popular Atlanta barbershop. When she pulled up to Champ’s Barbershop, a tall, dark, handsome man walked out with a small kid, seemingly telling him something important. But what was awe-inspiring was the attention the kid was giving to this man. There was an underlying tone of respect and adulation that couldn’t be faked. It was earned and dished out to those who needed it the most. An official meeting happened two months later when that same man dropped the neighbor off after a haircut when Athena was on her way to class. Isaiah asked her out and Athena declined. Athena didn’t want anything standing between her and her medical degree. It would take Isaiah asking her four more times over the course of six months before she said yes. That was where it all began. More than thirty years later, he still managed to surprise her and be romantic. This date night was a clear indication that Isaiah made time for the things that he deems important. Along with his wife, four daughters, and a very popular business, he still maintained his toned physique. One of the things Isaiah and Athena did early on was workout together. They didn’t have the exact body they possessed from years ago, but they were holding up well for a couple of sixty plus year olds. Isaiah’s once sleek, defined body now included a shiny bald head, with a full beard displaying spots of gray hair, but it didn’t take away from his handsome features at all. If anything, his looks improved with maturity and he filled out a suit like no other. Athena was still extremely attracted to him and she hoped that her 5’6, lean frame was still attractive to him. He always offered compliments and he acted like a teenager whenever she wore jeans. It was for that specific reason that she put on her best pair tonight! If nothing else, ever since their first outing, Athena knew she would spend a lifetime dating Isaiah Champion. Tonight was just a continuation of her dreams coming true. After their date, when they returned to the comfort of the home that they built together, he reminded her that he was still very much attracted to her. Isaiah Champion by Donnia Marie "Woahhh! Don't go out there tryna get mom, pregnant daddy." Zafirah carries on with her shenanigans while I'm in pursuit of getting the final touches on my attire. "Troy, you see old man Champion over there? I expect to see you intact like this sixty-five-year-old man, you hear me?" A hearty bellow is heard from her background. It's her fiancé, Troy, the one who I've put in so much work into since he'd been sixteen years old. At the time, I felt indebted to be there for a kid with immense weight on his shoulders. Throughout our years of bonding, learning from one another, hating and loving one's ways, I realize he would later use my teachings, which would eventually affect my daughter and their unborn seed. "Isaiah, are you ready?" Athena calls out for me from downstairs. I rush to the mirror, scrutinizing the graying beard hanging from my chin. Three buttons remain unbuttoned from my collar shirt. My wife, Athena, loves that. It's the artwork on my left peck being emphasized from the strenuous work I put in the gym three times out the week. Being married for over thirty years wasn't as easy as I thought it would be when I stepped into this happily ever after, yet we adjusted. Ducking and dodging bullets we never set after, but four kids later, we're here. They've all moved out and tending to their own business. "Aight, daddy, I love you." Or at least three of them are out there minding their own. Zafirah, my mini-me hasn't quite gotten the memo. She's still lurking around, despite having her own family. "I love you too, baby girl. Be good over there." Instead of waiting to hear anything more, I grab the cellphone, ending the FaceTime call, and jog my way to the main floor. Bare shoulders, slender arms, and a tint of cinnamon cover her skin. She's beautiful, and I've yet to land my eyes on her face. Deeply I inhale from the back of her neck. "Thena." Stock still, she remains. Allowing me to set the tone for the evening I have planned out for us. She doesn't need to emit any words for me to understand that she's enthralled at this moment. And at my good old age, it doesn't take sex to romanticize a thing. It's all in the action, the thought, and remembering the things that matter to her the most. None the less she would get that too. "I know I'm a bit late, and I apologize. However, if you allow me to make up the time when we return…." "Mr. Champion, no need to explain a thing." I'm flabbergasted at the sultriness of her voice. And even more, entertained at the wedges she's sporting for the night. Athena can dress and outdo most but tonight is different. I'm taken back to the old days, with her cut-up black jeans, a few inches of cleavage hanging out, and those lips. My favorite, Grape Jelly. Without reservation, I devour them into the confines of my teeth, gently nibbling while scooping her into my arm, leaving her legs to wrap around my waist. We exit the doorway, she's locked in position, and the door does its automation work, securing itself as we walk away. Tonight she would have a great time, letting go of the stressors from the week. As long as she had me, Athena would be taken care of. I wanted to remind her that we were still solid though we've aged and experienced ups and downs. I appreciate her and worship the grounds she walks. Athena was and still is my DAY ONE. Or however, these kids call it these days. Want to read more about Athena, Isaiah, and their four daughters? We got you:
Available now for purchase: Book 1: The Heart of a Champion by Donnia Marie Book 2: The Rise of a Champ by Twyla B. Stone Preorder available on Amazon: Book 3: A True Champion by Donnia Marie Book 4: The Champ is Here by Twyla B. Stone
Hey, hey, hey!!!! So, I know I've been gone for a minute, but I promise I have been working behind the scenes. But I wanna thank y'all for continuing to rock with me, so I have a few goodies to offer!! #1 - Teaser Tuesday featuring the first two chapters from the upcoming Book #4 in The Champion Sisters Series - The Champ is Here! #2 - Book 2 in The Champion Sisters Series, The Rise of a Champ is FREE on Amazon!!! Yes, you read that right... FREE! Get your eBook copy now. Click here #3 - My second release, Weary No More, is also FREE on Amazon!!! That's two free books and two free chapters!!! Click here Again, I really want to thank you all for continuing to read and wait patiently for the next release. Without further ado... Chapter 1: Olympia (September 2018) This is not the way I imagined my Monday morning starting off. Usually, it began with my mom and me having a cup of tea and catching on our weekend as if we didn’t talk daily. Instead, I was in the conference room at Champions of Hope preparing to fire my first employee. In the five years I’ve been in business, I’ve never had an employee that lived to make my life a living hell as Sara Williamson did. She was fresh out of nursing school when I hired her on a recommendation from one of my trusted former colleagues, and the only reason why she stayed around that long was because I really wanted to help her get to the next level in her career. But as the saying goes… you can’t help evr’ybody! I took the chance to go over the notes I’ve memorized like my name over the last week since I decided to let Sara go. 1. Ensure that the employee is not surprised. He/She should already know they were performing below standard. Check. Sara has been called in regarding her performance several times. She failed to meet the minimum goals of the job. 2. Be clear and concise. Check. I have an itemized list of Sara’s excessive absenteeism and her write-ups from breaking the code of conduct. 3. Have a witness. Check. I have two. My mom, Athena Champion, who is our office manager and will take notes and my right-hand girl, Kia, who is our HR Director. 4. Make sure your actions are legal. Check. This was the first thing I did after deciding to fire her. My one-woman legal team was nothing to mess with. I guess I eventually needed to go through this as a CEO, but dammit, why did it have to be her. 5. Be prepared for emotion, but keep yours in check. Check. If she tried it, security would be escorting Ms. Sara back to her car before she can even think about causing a scene. Plus, today was not the day to mess with me. It was a few months away from my 35th birthday, and things weren’t coming together in life or for my party like I needed them to. I was a walking billboard for Murphy’s Law. Every gotdamn thing was going wrong, and I couldn’t stay ahead of the disasters no matter how hard I tried. So, more than anything, I was pissed that Sara put me in this predicament when she has so many people rooting for her. What a waste. After a few minutes alone with my notes and lukewarm tea, my mom and Kia walked in with their notepads and serious faces. Sara did not want smoke with any of us today. We did not come to play. Security sent me a text moments later to say that Sara was on her way up. We had just a minute or two to finalize the details before Sara made it to the 11th floor. Champions of Care is a staffing agency housed in a new, modern, twenty-eight floor building on Peachtree Street in Atlanta. I signed a lease for this office space for ten years and am currently five years into it. This space sold me with its open concept reception area, one large conference room, one large communal work area, and two huddle/call rooms inside the communal space. This was the perfect space for me as I didn’t have more than three employees as permanent office staff, but I needed a home base where my staff nurses could come for training and meetings. The best part about this building was that it was walking distance from my condo. Especially since I hated to drive. This eliminated that problem, plus having to find parking. Sara walked in looking wary, her body language already defensive before any of us had even uttered a word. “Umm, hey. I got an email from Kia about this meeting. What’s up?” “Have a seat, Sara. As you know, you were on a corrective action plan, and it ended yesterday.” Ensure that the employee is not surprised. He/She should already know they were performing below standard. Ok, she wasn’t surprised by me mentioning that. I continued, “according to your plan, you were not to exceed two absences, in addition to following the code of conduct you signed for Champions of Care and The Abagail Center.” Be clear and concise. “I have Kia here as our HR Director and Mrs. Champion as our witness and notetaker. Feel free to stop me at any time if you have any questions.” Have a witness. “Olympia, you don’t need to drag this out. Are you firing me?” Homegirl was getting snippy. I would not let her take control of this meeting. Kia was to the left of me and made a sound to clear her throat as if she was offering me a reminder to stay on track. Mommy had yet to say a word. “Sara. I want to make sure you understand everything. Unfortunately, our contract as staff nurses requires us to terminate any licensed nurse who breaks the code of ethics. You did that when you were caught leaving a dementia patient outside unattended to talk on the phone.” Make sure your actions are legal. “But she was right there. I didn’t even walk far.” Sara was raising her voice and that caused both Kia and my mom to stop writing and look at me. I was cool though. “They are lying. I asked them for proof, and as of yesterday, they still haven’t shown me anything.” “I hear you. You have a right to request that information. I will be sure to send you what they sent me. According to Abagail House, you being away from the patient for two minutes was not acceptable. And for that reason, we have to terminate you effective immediately.” Be prepared for emotion but keep yours in check. The rest of the meeting went on with Sara denying her role in her own demise, followed by some HR feedback from Kia. Unfortunately, we would not be able to provide her with a positive reference for future employment, and it would go on her permanent record. Once we got her out of the office, the three of us went out for a long lunch and talked about everything except what just happened. Just as I expected, my birthday party was a hot topic, and my mom said that my sister Zafirah would be willing to help me out. At five o’clock on the dot, I started making my way home, wishing that I had someone waiting on me, not a permanent fixture, so to speak. Just someone who could help me get rid of the stressors that have been having me tense and anxiety-filled lately. I guess I could call up one of my ole’ trusty dudes to do the job, but I didn’t feel like a whole of talking, and none of them could be trusted just to do the deed and leave. Oh well, I guess me and my dog Mags will have to take a nice, long walk followed by a nice glass of wine and some ratchet TV. But I was ok with that. Year thirty-five would bring me more excitement. I was putting that out into the universe and wishing it into existence. Chapter 2: Gavin (September 2018) Today was going to be a long Friday! My thoughts took the lead as I stepped off the elevator and headed to my office. As the newly installed President and CEO of Midtown West Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, I’ve taken this walk a total of thirty-two times. I couldn’t believe I was back in ATL. I got the call on my fortieth birthday back in July, and here we are two months later, and I am getting along nicely in my dream job. I’m still amazed that I was offered the position at only forty years old and without an MD behind my name. But the board was adamant about selecting someone who wanted to focus on infrastructure, rebuilding the hospital brand, and improving the standard of care. My background and work experience highlighted those things excellently. It helps that Dr. Williamson is my Executive Vice President and was my prior boss when I was COO at another hospital. He’s an excellent mentor and assured me that I should soak up as much knowledge from him as I could before he retired. This was no easy feat or accomplishment, but I worked very hard to get here. Before heading to my private office, I decided to stop and take in the view before me. This was the newest wing of the hospital and featured windows so wide and clean that it looked like you could walk right outside from the twenty-second floor. I had to be sure to commend the Safety & Facilities department on the improvement. Most people thought I was unqualified and crazy when I concentrated on restructuring this department first. There was a reason for my madness. Appearance is critical in the healthcare field. If things looked good inside and out, the rest of the organization would fall into place or at the very least, begin to take pride in their work, environment, and roles within the hospital organization. If nothing else, those who couldn’t or wouldn’t get with the program would find themselves looking for employment elsewhere. I’ve been tasked with changing the culture of this hospital, and I plan on succeeding at it. My executive assistant, Daniel, recently graduated from Mortonhouse University with his MBA but had been interning at the hospital since he was in undergrad. He came to me from the neurology department because the original EA that was assigned to me decided that she didn’t agree with my hiring and turned in her retirement papers. It was the best decision for both of us. Daniel was efficient, professional, detailed, and he seemed to be able to read my mind. The best thing about Daniel is that even though I arrived every morning at 7 am, Daniel was already here. Since we were both new in our roles, we were working upwards of twelve-hour days, but I planned on getting Daniel to cut back soon. I didn’t want him to burn out. “Mr. Upchurch, your tea is coming, we ran out of the chai tea bags, so I’ve just requested for more to be sent up. Your 9 am meeting with the Chief of the ER department has been moved to Conference Room Seven instead of five; there was a connection issue with the WiFi and I have the IT department looking into it. I’ve updated all of the attendees and breakfast should be set up by 8:45. Did you need anything else while you get settled?” This was why I was happy to see Robin’s hateful ass walk out the door. Didn’t I say he was efficient? I know he had career goals and aspirations bigger than being my assistant, and I was already hating to see him go. Someone with his talent, skillset, and drive would go far and I wouldn’t stop this black man from breaking the glass ceiling. Instead, I would do what I could to make sure he got there faster. “Thanks Daniel. Nothing else. I’ll see you in a few for our daily check-in. How are things coming along with the wedding planning?” He was recently engaged to his college sweetheart and they were planning a small, intimate, wedding ceremony to save on time, money, and stress. Smart. “Going good. Drica is making a big deal about us not having a DJ, so what we did was start a wedding playlist and send it to all our guests and let them add what they wanted to hear. Since it’s going to be the people closest to us and our very best friends, we know everyone will pick songs that will work for all the guests. Oh and I talked to Drica and you can definitely bring a plus one. She was happy to make that exception for you. Right after she told me that my raggedy, ratchet cousin Jayson better leave his “estranged” wife at home.” Cedrica is Daniel’s fearless fiancee and she ran a tight ship. He walked back to his office while we both laughed at Drica’s banning Jayson’s wife from the wedding. Being an observer to their relationship made me think back on my marriage and divorce to Jesslyn. Jess and I met in fall 1999 as undergrads at The Central Florida University when I was starting my senior year and she was a junior. I thought we would just have a quick relationship for my last year of school because my five-year plan was already written, proofread, and printed. It did not include any serious emotional attachments and it damn sure didn’t include a whole wife. But being with Jesslyn caused me rewrite everything I thought my life would be. When we met, she was really driven but not so serious that she couldn’t have fun. And we had fun. All the time. Since we lived in Orlando, we visited Disneyworld more times than I could count, and that was before we had kids. Things just felt right between us and that feeling continued until Jess got pregnant. Or should I say we got pregnant; she didn’t get that way on her own. Very early on in our relationship, Jess mentioned that she’d gotten pregnant when she was 17 and she decided to terminate that pregnancy. She said it was the most heartbreaking experience she’d ever had in her life and because of it, we were extra careful with protection. A cold, followed by her being prescribed antibiotics, and ending with a night of us celebrating her promotion at work led to all of our careful planning being thrown out the window. Once we got the positive pregnancy results, we decided to get married. Our beautiful, curious, daughter Melodie was born in May 2002 and Micah, or Mu, as we called him, followed in June 2006. Things started changing with Jess and me when we moved to Atlanta and I was promoted to the COO position of a fairly large healthcare system. All of a sudden, she turned into one of the cast members of RHOA and I never saw it coming. After that, I always regretted moving her away from her family and our support system because they kept her grounded. We started constantly fighting about her spending and about some of the decisions she was making for the kids. It never got better even though we both kept saying we were working on it. In 2012 we split, the divorce was finalized in 2013. Jess decided to go back to Orlando to be close to her family and raise the kids there, so I followed her. But I could not pass up this opportunity. The only thing that caused a second thought in my mind was how this move would affect my kids. They gave me their blessing and said they liked the idea of being able to visit Atlanta. I don't usually spend much time reminiscing, but the wedding talk had me traveling down memory lane. Thankfully, Jess and I were in a good place now as coparents and I spoke to the kids almost daily, the only time we didn’t speak is if they were busy with friends or activities. As I was looking over my notes for the day, Daniel walked back in at the same time my office phone rang. That means it was someone who had my direct extension if Daniel’s phone didn’t ring. “Let me take this Daniel, come back in five?” He nodded at my request as he excited while working on his iPad. This guy was always working. “Upchurch.” I know it wasn’t as professional a greeting as it should have been, but it was barely 7am and it was throwing me off schedule. “Gavin, did Mu call you yesterday?” She had a knack for these early morning calls. I just wished she would have skipped it today. “No, Jess. I didn’t. What’s up?” “Well your son, Micah Upchurch, was in a fight at school yesterday and he’s been suspended for two days, plus benched for the next two football games.” “What the hell happened?” I was concerned about the fight, but I also knew that Mu wouldn’t see the game suspension as punishment because he didn’t love football as much as he loved basketball. “He said a boy was teasing a smaller, quiet girl in class and he warned him to stop; the boy didn’t stop, so he punched him.” “Well, I don’t see a problem there. He was defending her. We both would have encouraged him to do as such.” These schools did a horrible job with their zero policy infractions. Certain instances needed to happen. My soon standing up to a bully was one of them. “I’ll call him after my meeting since he’s home, then I will get the principal on the phone. Lonnie and I know each other from childhood, so I’ll see what I can do. But I will not make him apologize.” Mu did nothing wrong and I would ensure him of that. We wouldn’t have him thinking it was wrong to defend someone being taken advantage of. Hell no. Not on my watch. “Please do that. He’s worried that you would be upset with him for being suspended from school. I told him that we would always be proud of him for making the right decision.” Jess was one hundred percent correct. I was happy that we were aligned in that way and to raise our children to be good human beings effectively. “So, what else is up with you? When’s the next time you’re coming home?” Her tone switched to something more flirtatious. Oh shit, I knew I shouldn’t have fucked her before leaving Orlando to come to Atlanta. It was just a bad decision all around. We promised that was the last time cause it wasn’t heading anywhere and our kids didn’t need the confusion. “You know that I’m being honored by the BSU at our alma mater next month. I’ll get with Mel and Mu so we can plan something with my mom. She’s been chomping at the bit to see Mu. He’s been so busy, but luckily Mel stops by often since she drives now.” “I’ll be around as well. Just FYI.” She had the nerve to giggle after staying that. “Jess, you already know we said we would dead that situation.” I chose my next set of words carefully; my ex-wide has always been sensitive to rejection. Or what she determined was rejection. “Plus, the kids almost caught us, and we don’t want them having false expectations about us. Right?” Maybe if she felt like this was her idea, it would take the sting out of it. “Right! I was just mentioning that in case you wanted us to all hang out together. That’s it. You’re really feeling yourself today, huh Gavin?” Her giggle turned into a full-blown, uncomfortable laugh. “I’m confident every day, Jess! But let me go, Daniel is waiting for me for our morning meeting. Tell Mu I’ll call him later.” I hung up after her soft goodbye, then proceeded to inform Daniel that we could finally get the day started. And what a day it would be once he presented me with a list of tasks that seemed as if it would take a week to complete. In his usual fashion, Daniel quickly followed up with an incredibly detailed plan of action, then walked away to start executing. Damn, I’m really gonna miss him when I have to promote him. For now, I had shit to do, and first up was prepping for this meeting where I was gonna turn shit upside down and probably piss a few people off in the process. It’s a good thing I wasn’t hired to make friends. COMING SOON! Books #1 and #2 now available on Amazon. Two down and two more to go! We've heard from Zafirah (Book 1: The Heart of a Champion) and Mestari (Book 2: The Rise of a Champ), now we are ready for Ameka
(Book 3: A True Champion) and Olympia's story (Book 4: The Champ is Here). We wanted to offer a glimpse into their world as you patiently wait for the release of the last two books. Donnia and I are diligently writing and working to get it out to you soon! TEASER #1: Zafirah - THE HEART OF A CHAMPION (Available Now) CHAPTER 1 ZAFIRAH August 2017 A black and white framed photo of Muhammad Ali standing above his opponent was in plain view plastered on the wall as I walked through Champion’s Barbershop. Business was in full swing as the spicy smell of bay rum and mixed oils tickled my nose. J. Cole’s lyrics, “We ain’t picture perfect but we worth the picture still,” caught my attention as I bobbed to the beat. Along with the music, the sounds of clippers buzzing filled the room with men laughing and talking. As usual, when I did my weekly visits I ignored the distractions and went straight to the back into a private room where I would get on the laptop and oversee the back office tasks of the barbershop. My dad, Isaiah Champion, not only owned the shop but had a reputation as one of the best barbers in Atlanta. I wheeled the lone chair under the desk and cut the laptop on. The screen lit up when two knocks rang through. I gazed up to see the door opening slowly. Jet black hair with swirls of waves was the first sight. Immediately the thick eyebrows became visible with slanted eyes staring at me. Troy’s nose spread slightly as his perfect white teeth lit up the dark room. Somehow in the process of setting up, I forgot to cut the light on. His tall, muscular body slid in and he shut the door behind him. He leaned against the door resting the back of his head. No words escaped our mouths as we stared at one another. I finally sat down, crossed my legs one over the other, pushing back into my chair and took a deep breath while rolling my eyes. Troy was a guy that my dad took under his wing many years ago when I was about 16 years old. I remember coming home from school and Troy was in our living room with his dreads pulled up into a ponytail with a bun talking to my dad. He looked like one of those dope boys from the local neighborhoods that stayed into unsavory things. Though my family lived in a nice area in Decatur and my sisters and I went to private schools, I was really familiar with the hood/local areas since my friends and I partied frequently with neighboring friends. Plus I was a major fixture at my Dad’s barbershop. Somebody always knew somebody, which caused me to become fairly popular in many areas. Troy, however, was dealing drugs for years but thankfully avoided jail. My father always thought he was the voice of reason for many. Since he was born and raised in College Park, my dad had a heart for anyone in unfortunate situations. He wanted to give back to communities in and near his business, but Troy was his personal project and he was determined to keep him on track. Troy finally moved closer to me and posted against the desk, “Zafirah, what’s up? Clearly, everyone inside spoke to you but you brushed passed them without a word. What’s your problem?” “I am grown as hell, I don’t need you checking me,” I spoke with an attitude. Truth was, I wasn’t in the mood to really talk to anyone. I had so much on my mind with trying to open my boutique next door. A few days prior I went to the Fulton County Auction to bid on a property that was specifically zoned for community revitalization, and I was fortunate enough to win it. The only issue was what should have been a final bid of about $45,000 quickly doubled. I was only one of two women in attendance and the men present made sure to overbid when they noticed me, they were like animals. Every offer I went for they outbid it until the property price eventually reached $80,000. Being the saver that I am and with my online boutique doing well, I was able to come out my pocket to fund a majority of my storefront boutique, but I needed to leave some cash in reserve in case of an emergency. I knew I could go to my parents, but I hated to ask for help. A business loan would have worked but I had to take an emergency loan out a while back to help my close friend with her business, so I needed another way. He got even closer staring down at me, but this time his hands cupped my face, “Zee, you don’t scare me, girl. I can handle yo little ass.” Troy’s booming voice caused my body to shudder and the hairs on my neck reacted; I wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing. He quickly removed his hand as if he didn’t mean to be so close, but he stayed glued to me. Close enough that his gold curb chain necklace tickled my shoulder. As I let out a deep sigh, I shrugged. “Troy, I have a lot going on today. I’ll make sure to speak when I come out of here. Happy?” He shook his head with a smirk, rubbing his finger against his chin and contemplated his next move. His eyes scanned me from head to toe. But his vision remained affixed on my thighs for a while longer than he did any other part of my body. “Wanna do lunch and talk about it?” I pursed my lips, “How about a smoke session first, then lunch?” “Zee, you still smoke weed? We ain’t smoked together in years,” Troy’s eyes lit up. I stood from my chair and placed my hand to his hard pec, “No. But I can use it right about now. Haven’t been this stressed in a long time.” I turned on my heels when I felt his hand grab the back of my arm, I didn’t look back at him, but his vocals were loud and clear. “You should pull down your dress before walking out.” That’s when I felt his hands brush against the back of my thigh. I looked down and felt my navy dress being pulled down from the back. My dress had managed to rise from me moving and sitting, and thankfully he was here to adjust it to meet my knees. Without looking his way, I whispered, “Thanks, Troy. You always looking out.” ********* “Damn Zee, the square footage in this place is nice. Like, I know you plan on having your merchandise out but what about the extra rooms in the back?” “One will be strictly for alterations and my design space. I want all my equipment in one place and I need plenty of room to do it in. And the room across will be storage for excess merchandise because we won’t put everything on the sales floor. Not to mention the freeform layout of this place will create a stress-free shopping experience for my customers, and I plan to change the light fixtures for a more elegant feel.” I pranced around throwing my hands from one spot to another. I couldn’t contain my excitement. Sashaying near the front I showed her my plans on using the feng shui concept to reel people into my shop and how important it is to make the decompression zone, which is in the center when you first walk into the store, friendly for all buyers. That’s the first thing buyers see so I didn’t want it to look too expensive or too cheap. I was about creating a space that sold products that were affordable for the average woman. I was schooling my bestie Danielle because she was an up and coming designer as well and anything I learned during my journey, I’d always pass it along to her. “Did you know at least 90% of people who walk into a store veers to their right first? That’s why this area here, something I’d call my power wall, will contain hot items and my goal is to tell a story with every one of my pieces.” Danielle’s Terra-Cotta skin glistened from the sun beaming in, and her deep brown freckles sparkled. Her cute gap flashed as she smiled, shaking her head. Being besties since eleventh grade presented its own set of issues as we navigated from kids to adults, but we always remained friends despite our ups and downs. Since I knew her so well, I was willing to bet that she was thinking about how overly ambitious I was. She always said I’m not ever satisfied, but the truth is, I grind for what I want. Nothing wrong with me competing with myself, I mean why not? I stay in my lane and mind my business. “You inspire me, Zee. Like for real, I can’t wait to boss up like that.” I spun around quickly to eye her. “Dani, you been bossin’ up, don’t let what I’m doing make you think you aren’t doing enough. It took me years of saving and investing to get here. Your time is coming! Just keep up with the game plan we created, and your money will get there. You know I got you. Man, please, you doing better than a lot of these folks out there and all while raising your daughter. You the real MVP. If I don’t say it enough, I’m saying it now, I’m fucking proud of you bitch.” She fought back tears while squeezing her eyes shut. She was always so negative and hard on herself, but if I was around I would make sure to uplift her. “Thanks, Zee,” she sniffled. “You wanna know a secret?” I shouted. She shook her head side to side with a puzzled expression. “It seems like all my shit together and I thought I had all the money put away for this boutique, but I’m actually still a few thousand short.” “Oh my God, what are you gonna do?” She questioned with her fingers gripping her head. “You know I ain’t gon’ ask no one to borrow any money, so I will fund it myself. I make a few grand monthly through my online store sales anyways. But you know I’m big on saving and that was my goal when I thought I had enough money for this location. I put my deposit down and still have about 45-days to come up with the remainder, so that's more than enough time.” "How much are you short? I checked the property value and this place is worth at least $115K." I wanted to answer her truthfully, but again, I knew how funny she was and I knew she could be discouraging. “I told you already. A few grand. But I’m not worried, I’ll get it.” “Whatever. Your family got it and you have connections, so funding shouldn’t be an issue. But I'm not surprised, Zee. You let your ego and pride get in the way when you could easily get help.” “Yo, yo! What’s good?” Both Danielle and I shifted our focus on the throaty voice piercing our ears. There stood pretty boy Damon. His high yellow ass thought he was it too. Damon used to run the streets but now owned a few car washes and flipped residential properties. He never got his hands dirty but always had the money to do whatever. I lifted my head with a nod, but Danielle was cheesing. She claimed she didn’t like dude but from the way she bit her lip staring at him seductively, I begged to differ. He walked in and looked around. “This place gon’ be dope once you get your shop running. I overheard you mentioning being short. How much you need? I could front you.” “Front me?” My bones clattered at the mere thought of taking his money. “Dude, you know damn well I can get the money from my parents or sister, but I will not ask because I can get it myself.” At first, my attitude was on 100, but then I changed it up because I realized I was overreacting and that Damon didn’t really know me like that, but I also didn’t need him thinking I needed his help. My hands shot up as I explained, “My bad, Damon. I’m trippin’, but for real, I’m good. Thanks for offering.” “No hard feelings lil’ mama. Your pops been real good to everyone and I’m here if you ever need it, that’s all. Plus, you kinda owe me dinner after I saved you from losing more money than you already did at the auction.” Damn, he did help me out. While the men were doing their best to outbid me, Damon said something to the crew and the next thing I knew, they settled down and stopped bidding. I wasn’t sure how he did it, but he did. And I was thankful for that. “I appreciate it, I really do Damon. But I have a lot going on and dinner isn’t something I’m tryna do right now. It’s nice seeing you though.” I was trying to dismiss him, thankfully he understood and made his way out while looking back and smiling at me. I had an idea that this wouldn’t be his last time shooting his shot. Danielle and I continued our talk until my stomach rumbled. “Damn you hungry too?” Danielle asked and rubbed her stomach. Hungry was an understatement. I woke up around 5 am for my daily workout and after that I met with both of my younger sisters Ameka and Star, to figure out a marketing plan for my brand. They were the best for this since Ameka owned ARC Branding and Marketing Firm, and Star was the VP of Community & Customer Success. After our long and exhaustive meeting, I went straight to Champion’s Barbershop to handle everything administratively for the shop while the men handled the services. Well, we had one lady that cut hair too but other than that, all other seats belonged to male barbers. I pulled my phone out my fanny pack to check the time since the sun seemed to be setting. “I see why I’m starving, it’s already 7 pm. Let’s grab a bite up the street and then go our separate ways.” Upon walking out, I noticed my dad’s shop was still packed, which was crazy because they only had an hour left before closing. As I opened the car door to my all white Acura ILX, I heard a familiar, yet authoritative voice yell my name. “Don’t ignore me, little girl.” I knew then it was my big sister, Olympia. She quickly made it over to me and barely waved to Danielle as she pulled me to the side. “Yes, mother dearest,” I moped to Olympia. “Oh, girl, hush. I don’t want anything. I just had dinner with mom and stopped by to see daddy at the shop since it was on my way home. I saw you walking towards your car while I was getting ready to leave, so I came to get all up in your business. What’s going on with you?” I wrapped my hands around her waist and placed a kiss to her cheek. “I planned to call you tonight actually.” Then I pointed to the building standing next to my dad’s barbershop, “You see that place? I purchased it during a county auction and will own it outright for my storefront. I wanted to share that with you because if nothing else, you know what it’s like to build a business with a physical property.” “OMG, Firah! Can I see it? Why were you keeping it a secret?” “Damn right you can, and it wasn’t a secret, I just wanted to make sure everything worked out first.” “I see that little hanger-on over there is still in your circle, I’m not sure why you still rock with her.” O rolled her neck in disgust. Olympia never cared for Danielle and she didn’t sugarcoat it. I guess that’s why she didn’t verbally speak to her. Instead of responding, I just smirked as we walked into the building. Olympia raved and touched everything from the walls, flooring, fixtures, and anything in between. “Zafirah Champion, you are amazing. This place is beautiful, and it’s not even furnished yet. And I know once you add your magic touch, it will only enhance it. Plus, I love the idea of you being next door to Daddy. Let me find out y’all tryna take over the block!” I pushed away to respond, “you mean ‘My Daddy.’” I was such a daddy’s girl that I always claimed him as mine. O snickered while squeezing and rocking me back and forth. I wasn’t the most sentimental, but a hug from O was always welcome. I looked at her oversized golden-yellow sweater that fell nicely over her grey leggings that flaunted her curvaceous hips. She was thicker with way more boobs, hips, and ass than me but she carried it very well. My sister was stacked. No wonder cuddling with her was always a favorite for me at one point. I loved my sister dearly. “Is there anything I can do to make the process easier for you? I know you been saving your money, but sometimes unexpected expenses arise.” I knew she would be able to tell if I was lying, so I moved out of her reach and pretended to be looking at paint samples on the other side of the room. I genuinely contemplated her offer, but the way I’m set up, I wouldn’t take it. I wanted to do this all on my own. I’d keep that in the back of my mind if I wasn’t able to come up with the money in enough time. “O, I would let you know if I needed help.” Her hands dropped to her hips as she leaned into a stance, “Zafirah, no you wouldn’t. Stop lying. But just know, if you need any money, advice, or anything, I am here. Big sis got your back. And remember, I’m not a hanger-on.” I buried my face into her shoulder, and once again put all my emotions into this hug with her, “That’s why I fuck with you. Ooh, I love you, O!” The Heart of a Champion by Donnia Marie is available now! Purchase here. TEASER #2: Mestari - THE RISE OF A CHAMP (Available Now) Chapter 1: Mestari "Dammit!" I knew no one could hear me as I was in the car alone, but I felt the need to voice my frustration even if only to myself. Once again I forgot to arrange for Karter to be picked up from daycare. Usually, my sister and bestie by default, Ameka, as on Karter pickup duty, but she informed me weeks ago that she had an important meeting and wouldn't be able to do it today. I knew my other sisters were out of the question as their schedule didn't allow for any last minute add ons like this. Sheesh, what was the purpose of having three older sisters and both my parents if they couldn't help out in an emergency? Times like this really made me feel the effects of being a single mom, even if it was out of my control as to why I was in this situation. Thinking about Kareem's absence over the last five years automatically made my mind go to Kabir. He did tell me to call him if I ever needed anything, and he was sort of like Karter's Godfather. I mean, this does qualify as an emergency since there was no way I would make it clear across town in enough time to get to Karter before the childcare center closed and it was near Kabir's house. When the call connected, his deep voice filled the space of my car. "Hey Kabe, it's me Star. Sorry to call you at the last minute, but is there any way possible you could pick up Karter from daycare? It's 5:40 and he has to be picked up by 6:00 and there's no way I will make it to that side of town in time." I got everything out in one breath and hoped that he was able to understand and pick up on the urgency in my voice. "Mestari, slow down! It's not a problem. I'm actually just sitting home playing 2K, so I can pick him up and bring him to my house and you can get him from here. Am I still on the authorized pick up list?" Today I couldn't be annoyed at his refusal to call me Star. I was too thankful to call him out on it. "Oh my gosh, thank you so much Kabe. That sounds like a plan and yes, you're still on the list. Right after daycare he has to have a snack of apples and peanut butter, so if you have to buy it, I will reimburse you when I get there. Thanks again Kabir, I will see you in about 45-minutes." The sigh of relief I breathed was just as powerful as Kabe's voice was in my car a few moments ago. Since that crisis was averted, I really needed to think long and hard about why I keep dropping the ball on such important things. Lately, my mind has been all over the place. I didn’t want to think about the why right now, so instead I focused on the details of Karter’s upcoming party. Fortunately, I was blessed enough to still live at home; so my parents agreed that they would take care of all of the cleaning and prep work and my older sister Zafirah would disown me if I let anyone else come in to decorate. I just need to send her the party theme. Karter has been obsessed with ‘Baby Shark’ and all those dumb ass YouTube videos with 8 million remixes of the same song. As a matter of fact, while I am getting the details to Zafirah, I need to ask her if Troy knows someone who can DJ, that way we can have a mixture of music and avoid the risk of someone committing suicide from Baby Shark overload. Time has simultaneously flown by and gone so slow all at the same time to the point that I can’t believe I’ve been Karter’s mom for almost five years. I know every parent thinks their child is the greatest, but seriously, The Creator looked out when he decided to bless me with Karter. He was such a quiet and observant baby that sometimes I secretly thought he may have had some developmental issues because he barely made a peep. But in hindsight, I think God knew I needed peace during that time due to everything I was dealing with from getting pregnant while in college to accepting that I wouldn’t have Kareem. My parents surprisingly took the news well that their youngest daughter would be the first to make them grandparents. In all actuality, my two older sisters took it the hardest and honestly, I still struggle with not disappointing them. Olympia, the oldest of our brood, is ten years my senior, but she’s always been a role model and someone I trusted. I can still remember the look on her face when Kareem and I sat my entire family down and told them that we were expecting. As I sat in the stop and go Atlanta traffic, memories of that day came flooding back as if it was yesterday. “Expecting what?” Olympia said with so much disgust in her voice. I knew she understood what we were saying, but it was almost as if she wanted to humiliate us. “Expecting a baby, Olympia. What did you think we meant, a puppy?” I wanted to slap the shit out of her, but I settled for a serious side eye. “Wow, so you go to college on a full academic scholarship, yet you obviously weren’t smart enough to know how to use birth control? You had so many options... pills, shots, condoms, the list goes on. You already know all of this Star, we’ve always talked to you about making smart choices. And Kareem Carter, what did your mom say? You know how hard she works to make sure you have everything you need. Why would you guys do this to us?” She barely took a breath during her rant and that’s when I knew. She really was hurt and disappointed. “OK, Olympia. That’s enough,” that came from my dad as he tried to steer the conversation away from her rant. “I know it’s not ideal, but it’s already happening and we just need to be prepared and help out Kareem and Star as best as we can.” “Thanks, Mr. Champ. I swear to you that Star is not and will not do this alone. You have my word.” Kareem said that with so much conviction. So much for his word. I was back in my car sitting in traffic as that thought both pissed me off and warmed me because I know Kareem wouldn’t say anything that wasn’t the truth. Unfortunately, that was a promise he couldn’t keep and my dad advising the family to support us was much more necessary than any of us could have prepared for. About seven months after that conversation on a dreary Saturday evening, I gave birth to a healthy, beautiful, 7lb.,6oz, baby boy - Karter Kareem Champion. Ameka held one leg, while my mom held the other and Olympia and Zafirah filled in wherever they were needed. I would not have been able to do anything over these last five years without the best support system a girl could ask for. I was even more thankful to Kabir for keeping his word and being there whenever Karter or I needed him. A thought came to my mind as I got closer to his house. I would invite him to take part in the planning of Karter’s 5th birthday party as a way of thanks! I’ll ask him once I get to his house in a few minutes. Kabe lived in a beautiful subdivision in Sandy Springs that was walking distance from a shopping center that had every store imaginable. He sent me a text with the gate code, which I was thankful for because I can never remember it, and once I pulled in I was able to park directly in front of his townhome. I grabbed the apples, bananas, and peanut butter that I stopped to get just in case Kabe didn’t have a chance to get any from the store. I thought I could hear Karter laughing boisterously once I stepped out of the car but believed it must have been my imagination since he is normally very quiet. Honestly, I didn’t think he was even capable of getting that loud. Before I could make it to the door, the blinds opened and a very smiley Karter peeked out and was telling Kabir, "Mommy! KB, mommy is here. Open da door for her.” The Rise of a Champ by Twyla B. Stone is Available Now! Purchase here! TEASER # 3: Ameka - A TRUE CHAMPION (Coming Soon) AMEKA March2018 I planted my feet in front of my floor to ceiling office window and peered at the towering skyscrapers neighboring our building. The joys of being on the 38th floor and around a bunch of stores and restaurants was always a dream of mine. That’s why I made sure my company, ARC Marketing & Branding Firm, was in a location that was up and coming. “Eh ehem,” a voice growled. I looked back and noticed my little sister, Mestari, strutting in my direction wearing a form-fitting dress with her curly honey blond hair sitting on her shoulders. “Hey Star!” I shouted. But my words were barely out when she squeezed me in a tight embrace, placing a kiss to my cheek. I pulled back with my brow raised, trying to figure out why she was so hyped early in the morning. The fact that she’s VP of People & Customer Success at my firm, I’d expect her to be the last one with so much energy, she always had to be ‘on’ so I was happy to get a hug from her. For the past few weeks, her workload had been heavier since our client list was increasing, which reminded me, we needed to hire a few more team members. “I missed you. You have been gone for a whole week. But Karter misses you the most.” I squeezed her back, “Aww, I miss you too, but you know I miss my nephew more.” Star rolled her eyes and sucked her teeth. She made her way to my desk and sat in my chair. “How was your leadership meeting? Found you a man?” I laughed throwing my hands into my chest. “Girl, I don’t have time for dating in my life. Do you see the growth of our company?” “Our company?” “Yeah sis, I mean I own this company, but I consider you a major part of the success of the business. I couldn’t have done this by myself.” I moved away from the window and shut the door to keep people from eavesdropping. “Even though we’re sisters and tell each other everything, you worked hard as hell to earn your position. I wouldn’t have anyone else in your spot. I trust your insight. But I am concerned about you, sis! What’s going on?” Star’s chest heaved up and down in exaggeration. She seemed so annoyed lately and her focus was all over the place. Her head dropped to the enormous semicircular stoned table. “Come on Meka not today.” Abruptly her coral pumps clicked against the hard surface flooring as she rose up. “We’ll talk about it later, right now we have other hurdles to conquer.” Dancing around her problem would be her route out today, but there was no way I would let her leave work without explaining. “What hurdles, Star?” I leaned my butt onto the desk and watched her pace the office. “Atlanta Vultures Basketball team.” She signaled with her dainty fingers. “We have our official meeting in two hours. Thinking about the enormity of the project is stressing me out a little.” “Star, why didn’t you say something sooner? What can I do to help?” I was shocked that she didn’t talk to me about it. “Actually, you can join me at the upcoming Vultures game. That’ll help.” A True Champion by Donnia Marie Coming Soon! Text DONNIA to 345345 to join her list to receive updates and information on new releases. TEASER #4: Olympia - THE CHAMP IS HERE (Coming Soon) Chapter 1: Olympia This is not the way I imagined my Monday morning starting off. Usually, it began with my mom and I having a cup of tea and catching on our weekend as if we didn’t talk daily. Instead, I was in the conference room at Champions of Hope preparing to fire my first employee. In the five years I’ve been in business, I’ve never had an employee that lived to make my life a living hell like Sara Williamson did. She was fresh out of nursing school when I hired her on a recommendation from one of my trusted former colleagues, and the only reason why she stayed around that long was because I really wanted to help her get to the next level in her career. But as the saying goes… you can’t help evr’ybody! I took the chance to go over the notes I’ve memorized like my name over the last week since I decided to let Sara go. Ensure that the employee is not surprised. He/She should already know they were performing below standard. Check. Sara has been called in regarding her performance several times. She failed to meet the minimum goals of the job. Be clear and concise. Check. I have an itemized list of her excessive absenteeism and her write ups from breaking the code of conduct. Have a witness. Check. I have two. My mom, Athena Champion, who is our office manager and will take notes and my right-hand girl, Kia, who is our HR Director. Make sure your actions are legal. Check. This was the first thing I did after deciding to fire her. My one-woman legal team was nothing to mess with. I guess I eventually needed to go through this as a CEO, but dammit, why did it have to be her . Be prepared for emotion, but keep yours in check. Check. If she tried it, security would be escorting Ms. Sara back to her car before she can even think about causing a scene. Plus, today was not the day to mess with me. It was a few months away from my 35th birthday and things weren’t coming together in life or for my party like I needed them to. I was a walking billboard for Murphy’s Law. Every gotdamn thing was going wrong and I couldn’t stay ahead of the disasters no matter how hard I tried. So, more than anything, I was pissed that Sara put me in this predicament when she has so many people rooting for her. What a waste. After a few minutes alone with my notes and lukewarm tea, my mom and Kia walked in with their notepads and serious faces. Sara did not want smoke with any of us today. We did not come to play. Security sent me a text moments later to say that Sara was on her way up. We had just a minute or two to finalize the details before Sara made it to the 11th floor. Champions of Care is a staffing agency housed in a new, modern, twenty-eight floor building on Peachtree Street in Atlanta. I signed a lease for this office space for ten years and am currently five years into it. The space sold me with its open concept reception area, one large conference room, one large communal work area and two huddle/call rooms inside the communal space. This was the perfect space for me as I didn’t have more than three employees as permanent office staff, but I needed a home base where my staff nurses could come for trainings and meetings. The best part about this building was that it was walking distance from my condo. Especially since I hated to drive. This eliminated that problem, plus having to find parking. Sara walked in looking wary and her body language was already defensive before any of us had even uttered a word. “Umm, hey. I got an email from Kia about this meeting. What’s up?” “Have a seat, Sara. As you know, you were on a corrective action plan, and it ended yesterday.” Ensure that the employee is not surprised . He/She should already know they were performing below standard. Ok, she wasn’t surprised by me bringing that up. I proceeded, “According to your plan, you were not to exceed two additional absences, in addition to following the code of conduct you signed on off for Champions of Care and The Abagail Center.” Be clear and concise. “I have Kia here as our HR Director, and Mrs. Champion as our witness and notetaker . Feel free to stop me at any time if you have any questions.” Have a witness. “Olympia, you don’t need to drag this out. Are you firing me?” Homegirl was getting snippy. I would not let her take control of this meeting. Kia was to the left of me and made a sound to clear her throat as if she was offering me a reminder to stay on track. Mommy had yet to say a word. “Sara. I want to make sure you understand everything. Unfortunately, our contract as staff nurses requires us to terminate any licensed nurse who breaks the code of ethics. You did that when you were caught leaving a dementia patient outside unattended to talk on the phone.” Make sure your actions are legal. “But she was right there. I didn’t even walk far.” Sara was raising her voice and that caused both Kia and my mom to stop writing and look at me. I was cool though. “They are lying. I asked them for proof and they still haven’t shown me anything.” “I hear you. You have a right to request that information. I will be sure to send you what they sent me. According to Abagail house, you being away from the patient for two minutes was not acceptable. And for that reason, we have to terminate you effective immediately.” Be prepared for emotion, but keep yours in check. The rest of the meeting went on with Sara denying her role in her own demise, as well as some HR feedback from Kia. Unfortunately, we would not be able to provide her with a positive reference for future employment and it would go on her permanent record. Once we got her out of the office, the three of us went out for a long lunch and talked about everything except what just happened. Just as I expected, my birthday party was the hot topic and my mom said that my sister Zafirah would be willing to help me out. At five o’ clock on the dot, I started making my way home, wishing that I had someone waiting on me, not a permanent fixture, so to speak. Just someone who could help me get rid of the stressors that have been having me tense and anxiety filled lately. I guess I could call up one of my ole’ trusty dudes to do the job, but I didn’t feel like a whole of talking, and none of them could be trusted to just do the deed and leave. Oh well, I guess me and my dog, Mags, will have to take a nice, long, walk followed by a nice glass of wine and some ratchet TV. But I was ok with that. Year thirty-five would bring me more excitement. I was putting that out into the universe and wishing it into existence. The Champ is Here by Twyla B. Stone is Coming Soon! Text TWYLA to 345345 to join the list to receive updates and information on new releases. The Rise of a Champ and Weary No More are FREE from 11/2
- 11/4. Yes, you read that correctly!!!!! FREE! !! Get your copies now... and don't forget to leave a review! Click on the title to get yours. Thank you!!!!! Twyla I decided to write a little short check-in where we see what Mestari and Kabir have been up to... Enjoy!
“Karter, let’s go! We still have to stop and pick up KJ, and Mari wants to FaceTime with you two before you get to the Trunk or Treat.” This Halloween has been a major pain in my ass, but all my boys insisted that we do it, to the point that they were bursting with excitement. “Kabe was going to meet us once he finished up at work, but I grabbed the black mask and put it over my eyes and curly head of hair. I looked in the mirror and had to admit that I looked damn good as Elastigirl, AKA Mrs. Parr, AKA Mrs. Incedible. Yeah, our family would be rocking the hell outta Halloween this year. The boys fought over who would be Dash and who would be Jack-Jack, so instead, our family just has two Dash’s. So typical of who we are. “I’m ready. Do you have my gloves?” Before I could answer Karter, the front door opened and in walked Kabir in his Mr. Incredible costume with KJ sticking close by as Dash number two. “Karter, they’re on the table. Kabe, what are you doing here? I was about to pick up KJ, and we were going to meet you at the rec center.” “I figured lil Dash over there was probably driving you crazy trying to make sure that everything was perfect before leaving the house.” He walked to the kitchen to grab the desserts I made to sell, then gathered both the boys before heading back to the front door. “Alright, family… Let’s roll! We got a contest to win. Mestari, is this all of the food?” I couldn’t stop smiling at him, turned me all the way on that he anticipated Karter and his moods. Lately, he’d turn into somewhat of a perfectionist, but we just continued to reassure him that he could calm down a bit. We weren’t worried yet, but if this behavior continued, we would definitely have to talk about some options to get it under control. Karter just needed to focus on being a kid. KJ, on the other hand, was just here, living, being a kid. His energy was so contagious, and he was quite the comedian. Janelle had concerns that he wasn’t serious enough about the right things, and that he played too much! The strange thing is that although both boys favored Kareem in looks, they started displaying Kabir’s character and temperament. “Alright, boys. You heard him, let’s roll.” “Star? Can we take a selfie before we go? I want to send it to Mommy.” Each time KJ called me Star, I noticed that Kabe would slightly cringe because he was against him using such an informal name with me. I didn’t mind it. Karter called Janelle, J! The whole, what do we call, and what are we to each other conversation is an ongoing topic in this household, but we always figure out a solution that works best for us. “We sure can.” I set the timer on my phone, and we took a few crazy photos. After sending one to Janelle, we posted a few to our social media accounts. The car ride to the rec center was filled with ideas on how we need to act to stay in character, how we should keep our look up, and most importantly, how do we explain the Dash 1, and Dash 2, scenario. I tuned out while the boys talked, thinking about work, travel, my sisters, my parents, the boys, and Kabe. We haven’t had a lot of time to connect in the bedroom, and I was starting to be on edge because I was craving him something terrible. Maybe we could put the boys down early and make magic happen. I realized I was giggling to myself when Kabe interrupted my thoughts of doing nasty, nasty things to him. “What you over there laughing about?” His hand slid across the center console and started rubbing from my knee to the top of my thick thigh. I looked at his long, strong fingers, then at him before responding. “Nothing.” Glancing in the rearview mirror, I noticed the boys weren’t paying us any attention, so I amended my answer. “Actually, something. I was wondering if you’d let me take advantage of you after we put the boys down.” His grasp on my knee tightened as he tried to keep his eyes on the road. “You know you ain’t ever gotta ask. Shit. We can skip all of this, put them down now, and get right to it?” I hollered, so now Karter and KJ were suddenly interested in what we had to say. Kabe and I kept trading sexual promises back and forth the entire way to the center, but once we arrived, we got serious about our duties and once again winning this damn contest. Emery was the first person we saw, he looked absolutely exhausted, which made sense since this was his event in collaboration with another nonprofit. “Hey, Star and Kabe. Y’all right on time. Can you find Ameka and see where she wants you to park, then you can get started with setting up your desserts at the concession stand. I appreciate you donating Star, cause I know you could charge a grip for your food. By the way, y’all look dope, but also silly as hell. I know this had to be the boys’ idea.” “And you know them so well, my dude. I’ma holler at you after we get set up, though.” Kabe grabbed my hand, and I had to ask him for it back so that we could work and actually look like we were helping out. I think my promises of doing unsavory things to him got him off track. The rest of the event went on without a hitch. To no one’s surprise, we won the costume contest, which kept Karter and KJ bragging to anyone who would listen. We had to teach them a lesson in humility. It wasn’t well received. After the excitement died down and we put them in bed, I straightened up the kitchen from the few things I left out from making the desserts. I thought Kabe would come and shut the house down, but I didn’t see or hear a peep out of him. Once I made my way to the third level where our suite was, I found our bedroom dark, except for some orange, pumpkin-shaped lights strategically placed throughout the room, providing a soft glow. There was some jazzy, neo-soul music playing in the background, and when I walked into the bathroom, there were candles and a nice, hot bath waiting for me. “Get in while I lock up and check on the boys. I’ll be right back.” His definition of be right back gave me enough time to bathe, moisturize, and put on my second costume of the day. I forgot all about having this teeny, tiny Vultures Jersey with the name Future Mrs. Chestnut, and the number one on the back. I finished the look off with thigh-high athletic socks and my hair in its wild curly state. Just how Kabir liked it. “What do we have here? Where’d you get that from?” He was quickly walking up to me and was on me in no time. “Do you really care where I got it from?” The last word was a moan because Kabe had his mouth on my neck using his teeth to stake his claim. Every single body part his lips touched would instantly heat up; he had me anxious thinking and waiting to see what part he would go to next. Next thing I know, his lips were on my inner thigh, he was making a noise as if he was completely satisfied with what he was seeing, smelling, touching, tasting, and hearing. All of his senses working overdrive to get us both to the next level. Before I could get fully settled on the bed, Kabe pushed my legs back and went deep diving into my treasure cove. Gotdammit. Even though he’d done this countless times, each time felt like a new experience. I wasn’t sure how that was possible, but I was thankful for it. “Kabe,” I whimpered, “this wasn’t supposed to go this wayyyyyyy.” The whimpers turned into an all out cry as I crested while holding him in place, grabbing onto his curly head of hair for dear life. After I was able to feel my toes and regain the use of my brain, I was finally able to prove to Kabe that I, too, could make him lose it. When he had enough, he backed up, showing me my favorite part of him. It was swollen, dark, girthy, hard, and smooth as fuck. And it just did some things to me that still made me blush at the most inopportune times. As I sat back, just staring at him holding himself, he finally spoke. “You want my trunk or a treat?” That immediately broke the spell, and had me for the second time today, bursting out in laughter at something he said. Secretly, I wondered what was the difference between trunk or treat? Before I could ask, he made an executive decision. “Trunk first, then treat.” It didn’t take long for him to embed himself deep inside me and have me thanking all my lucky stars that we were finally able to connect in this way. His strokes were slow and deep, and precisely what I needed. Kabe continued, not changing positions, not saying much, just using his body to communicate with me. We were both breathing heavily on top of the groans, moans, and sobs of joy that escaped our mouths. My climax hit first, with Kabir following close behind. Neither of us wanted to move, so we didn’t, we just laid there with him still nestled inside. This moment was everything I missed about us. A short period later, before sleep overtook us, I was finally able to figure out what the treat was. Kabir walked into the room with a huge Halloween basket displaying my favorite things. Lipstick, spices, makeup, recipe books, and so much more. To show him how thankful I was for my treat, I spent the rest of the night applying lipstick to my favorite body part of his and letting him decide which one he liked better. Our Trunk or Treat was so successful we decided to make it a yearly tradition no matter what. Click here to read Mestari and Kabir's full story! Kori
1. October “So, why are you so hard on yourself, Kori? You’ve made progress since you’ve started seeing me, and you are well on your way to meeting your goals. This is cause for you to be proud, not to keep beating up on yourself.” Of course, Dr. Dupree would try to make what she thinks I’ve done a big deal. That’s her job as my therapist. She’s not experiencing things the same way that I am. “Dr. Dupree, let’s get real… getting an underpaying job as a Concierge at a Senior Living Community is not a reason to throw a party. This is a far cry from my norm and the life I previously had. Honestly, I’m sad and ashamed that this is what I have to take just to keep a roof over my head. I’m so damn exhausted.” I paused before releasing a deep sigh. “No, weary is more like it!” She was the only person I could be transparent with at this point. I was still having a tough time accepting my current situation and the decisions that led me here. “This just isn’t something I see as a win, but more of a necessity. You know there is a difference, right? Not that I’m ungrateful, I’m just not satisfied with the turn of events over the last twenty months.” And yes, I've counted every single day. This was supposed to be a quick phase that passed by so fast I shouldn’t have noticed that I was in a life slump. Instead, one thing just kept piling on top of the other, and here we are creeping up on two years. “Shit, if you wanna get even more real, these sessions with you will have to end , because I can no longer afford to keep seeing you.” “Let’s concentrate on what I’ve asked you. You keep trying to put the cart before the horse. And you've only been seeing me for a few months, but I have noticed a change." She looked me directly in the eye, giving off positive and confident energy that used to be like a second skin to me. I missed it. “Kori, are you using the journal? If you are consistent, it will help you remain present and keep things in perspective. We’ve already acknowledged this process would not be easy, but you promised to put in the work.” Dr. Dupree put her notepad down and laid her clasped hands on her lap. “Kori?” Oh, was she really waiting for a response? Just as I was about to answer her question, a soft chime sounded indicating the end of our session. Saved by the chime. “We can extend the session, I don’t have anyone else scheduled.” I believe she instinctively knew that I would decline her offer, just as I’ve done in past sessions. The look I gave her confirmed that wouldn’t be happening. “Ok, but I want to remind you of something before you go, Kori. Keep in mind that I am trained to discern certain nuances and in doing so, I notice that you need to see your role in your level of happiness and recognize that, while some people in your life may influence you negatively, blame is a destructive force and cannot be part of healthy choices. Marvin….” “Stop right there, Dr. Dupree. I asked you not to mention his name, and with that, I’m gonna go. But I heard you. Loud and clear. Have a great rest of the day, and I’ll see you next week.” She was pissing me off now. “I understand that it upsets you to talk about Marvin, Kori. Believe me, I am not trying to agitate you. Before you go, just do me one favor? I don’t want you leaving angry or out of sorts. We’re going to take a few minutes to perform a meditative exercise to help you channel your thoughts and have you begin to think about a positive future. Then you can go.” She was pleading with me with her eyes, so I decided to concede. At this point, what’s the worst that could happen? Dr. Dupree made sure I was comfortable before she started walking me through the steps of clearing my mind and relaxing my body. I’m not gonna lie, I felt the stress melt off my body almost immediately as I followed her prompts. The exercise wasn’t a magic fix, but it did help to ease my irritation from her bring up ‘he who shall not be named.’ Once we were done, I made my next appointment and prepared to leave her office. My purse and coat were hanging on the rack, and I could barely get both my arms in before I was walking out of the front door into the brisk, chilly day. My new job left an email while I was in my session for me to come and complete my new hire documentation and watch a few orientation videos. I glanced down at my outfit and decided that my navy blue, slightly dressy lounge outfit, leopard print pumps, and trench coat I was wearing would have to work for my unofficial first day. This day was not turning out as I wanted it to, but I was going to try my best to use the tools that Dr. Dupree had given me to ensure I wouldn’t go over the edge. The weather was unseasonably cold for early October, but I appreciated it. The ‘redefined retirement community’ where I’d be working was in the Cotswold section of Charlotte, about a thirty-minute car ride from my house in Highland Creek. Thinking about my house brought me a bit of happiness since that was one of the things I was able to hold on to while losing everything else in my life. Just that fast, I was sad again as one of my hands found its way to my now empty abdomen, wondering what could have been if things were different. Now was not the time for self-pity. I had a job to get to, and if it’s one thing that I’ll always carry no matter what, it’s my work ethic. As I pulled up, I put it in my mind that I would be the best damn former six-figure earner, former entrepreneur, former influencer, and current concierge that this company had ever seen. Period. Pre-sale for eBook now available for only $0.99! Get your copy! It's my birthday month and all I want is some honest book reviews! Beyond the perks of what reviews do for an author's visibility on Amazon and other websites, reviews are a way for readers to speak directly to the author while letting others know their honest thoughts on a book.
This journey has been wonderful and I appreciate everyone who has taken the time out to purchase, borrow, lend, and read The Rise of a Champ, it means the world to me. And for those who have reached out and connected with me, I see y'all and your feedback and kind words are beyond encouraging!! What I need now is for all of those who have read (or who will read) is to provide a review. It can just be a few words with your thoughts, all of it helps. You can leave a review on both Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. ***So... I started this story some years ago. It was the first and only story I've ever written before completing and publishing The Rise of a Champ! I'm not sure if I'll ever finish it, but I wanted to give you all an opportunity to read it and provide feedback.***
Prologue How in the hell did I end up in this mess of a situation? I realize that lying here and staring at the wall is not going to give me an answer, so I just let my mind wander. The last time I actually thought about my life, I was a happily married wife and mother of wonderful seven-year-old twin boys. They say there is a difference between living and existing; well I’ve always thought I was living until that fateful day that I bumped into the man that changed it all and had an epiphany that all this time I merely just existed. Now that I think about it, all of the signs were there to tell me to walk away, but I just couldn’t, it was something so engaging about him that I couldn’t walk away. But in all honesty, I was so curious, more like itching to find out what it was like not to be the responsible, monogamous, happily married mother of two. When I look back on how much things have changed in such a short period of time, I begin to question and gauge my true happiness. As far back as I can remember it was always my goal to “grow up” and never become one of those women who immerse themselves into their husbands and families and that’s exactly what I was doing when things just...changed. As I continue to get my thoughts together and in order so that I can actually process and accept that I’ve changed and that I’m no longer the same woman I was one year ago, I can’t stop thinking about how I should feel guilty, but I don’t. And all because an employee asked me one day, “So, what hobbies and activities do you have outside of being a wife and mother?” That one question held so much weight and caused me to rethink every decision that I’ve made in my life up to that point. She didn’t mean any harm when she asked but that question has caused me more damage inside than it helped her with her class assignment. Not only could I not come up with an answer, but I couldn’t think of anything else but that one question from that point on. It hit me like a ton of bricks that all of my “hobbies and activities” centered on me being a wife and mother. To me, that’s just sad when you think about it. To have your whole existence revolve around the lives of others is absolutely dreadful. Since I was driving myself crazy trying to find out “what my activities and hobbies were outside of marriage and motherhood,” I decided that from that day forward, I would make a conscious effort to have me time and rediscover what I actually enjoyed about life. Don’t get me wrong, I love my husband and children unconditionally, but outside of loving them, I truly felt unfulfilled in life. Well, I guess I got myself into this situation, or more like a fiasco, so I have no choice but to get myself out. I snap back to reality and realize since there is no time like the present, I better handle my business. I take my time peeling back the ultra-comfortable covers, slip my feet into my slippers, and walk around to the other side of the bed. I could just stand here forever and watch him sleep. It literally brings tears to my eyes to have to wake him, but I have to be a big girl and like Nike said: Just Do It. I gently tap him on the shoulder and watch him slightly stir. When that doesn’t work, I rub his “spot” right between his ear and shoulder blade and just like I thought, that causes his eyes to flutter and the smile that spreads on his face when he looks at me, just causes to melt on the inside. Once he sees my tears he asks, “What’s wrong?” Whoever thought that two words could so be the start of something so damaging. I tell him to meet me in the kitchen because we “have to talk.” Just like a typical man, hearing those three words instantly changes his mood. As he walks to the table he realizes that this conversation will be a lot heavier than he intended, so he asks “Could I at least make a cup of coffee first?” I respond in the sweetest voice I can muster “Sure, would you mind making me a cup as well?” He looks at me as if I just asked him to birth ten children for me. His response is not what I expected. “When have I ever, ever had a problem doing anything for you?” I wish he wouldn’t talk and smile at me like that. This is just making what I have to do that much harder. Once the coffee is brewed and the smell filled the room with its bitter, chocolaty aroma, it helps me relax a bit, but not too much because I have to keep my mind on the task at hand. When he finally joins me at the table, his voice is strong and sure, but his eyes tell another story when he asks me what’s on my mind. I wrap my cold hands around the hot coffee mug, hoping the warmth from the cup not only heats my cold hands but the coldness I feel in my entire body. I am dreading the outcome of telling this man something that I know will change both of our lives forever, but I know it’s now or never. My eyes meet his as I stutter. “Well, I guess there is no easy way to say this, but I’ve been holding this in and I feel like now is the right time to tell you.” “Time to tell me what Zan?” he says in his overly husky morning voice. My top lip slightly curls into a smile, as I notice that even though I am about to drop a bomb on him, he still calls me by my nickname. I take my time staring around the room before I speak, “Just promise me that before you react, you’ll listen to everything I have to say.” “Zan, you’re scaring me! But OK, I promise. Just please tell me what’s going on.” The minute I raised my eyes to meet his, he must see it! The change I’ve experienced. And I even think I see a sign of defeat in those beautiful eyes that I have grown to love. But I finally take a deep breath and start telling him what I don’t want to, but what I must. One Year Earlier Chapter 1: Zander “Good Morning Carmeltown!!!! Today it’s another beautiful day outside. So if you can, take some time out and enjoy the City of Sweets.” Every morning I awaken to the same greeting from our friendly meteorologist telling me what I can expect when I finally opened my eyes and the blinds. I’m a light sleeper whose internal alarm clock has never steered me wrong. Since Steve “The Weather” Simms has already warned me of the beautiful day waiting to greet me, I decided that I should follow suit and snap on my beautiful attitude to match. Before I fully rise out of bed, I turned on my side to kiss my husband on his back as a signal for him to rise and shine. Since he’s the opposite of me and not at all a morning person, I have to plan my “hubby wake-up attack” wisely to ensure that however I decide to wake him, it doesn’t interfere with his duties to go to war with temperamental teenagers as their high school principal. On a scale of 1-10, I would say that my marriage is a solid 6 ½ on most days and an eight on the really good days. The day I decided to marry Mr. Nathaniel Timothy Monroe wasn’t some fairy-tale that all girls wish would happen, instead it was more like an “OK we’ve been together and shacking long enough so we might as well make it official.” It just so happened that not too long after we said our “I do’s” I discovered I was pregnant. If it wasn’t for my annual check-up I would have ended up on that show “I Didn’t Know I Was Pregnant” because during my appointment I found out that not only was I expecting twins, but that I was 22 weeks, more than halfway into my pregnancy with no symptoms at all. My husband and I were more shocked than excited, and if I’m being totally honest, I definitely didn’t want to have kids so soon after our wedding, or even at all for that matter. So 13 weeks later I gave birth to two of the most beautiful baby boys that I’ve ever laid my eyes on. Not only were they healthy, but they were the splitting image of my husband, I just felt like I was the vessel to carry his children, because they had none of my features. And almost exactly six years later they are still lighting up our lives. Speaking of my husband, I need to get back to my wifely duties and make sure that he’s not late for work. To make this task easier, I lean over again and whisper in his ear “Nate, Nate, Nate!” That does a little something, so I follow up with check rub. As my hands cross his stubbly cheek, I take the time to admire how handsome he is. Even though he’s sleeping my eyes start at his head and take in his wavy, low and sharp haircut. He has what most folks call “good hair.” I chuckle even thinking about how silly that sounds. Then my eyes roam over his smooth brown skin that is the perfect shade of brown. When we first met, I used to call him “café au lait” because his shade is that of coffee with milk added. The only thing I can’t see on his face is his eyes, those eyes that are so hazel they pierce right through you. That was the first thing that attracted me to him because it was like he knew that his eyes were so beautiful, so he always looked people in the eye and never wavered. That showed his strength. Now my husband’s Achilles heel is his lips, he always jokes that he has more lips than face. I told him not to worry because that just means that he hasn’t grown into them yet. I love his lips, to me, that adds to his non-traditional handsomeness. At 33 years young, as he likes to say, he’s of average height; around 5’11, still in good shape with his thin build, but has a wardrobe that would put most men to shame. Nate loved clothes, suits, jeans, designer threads, ties, it didn’t matter; if it was clothes he was into it. He was the type of man that could wear a suit to work Monday-Friday and throw on some jeans and timberlands on the weekend and he looked good in it all. Well now that Nate is beginning to wake up, I take that as my cue to begin my morning ritual. As I step out of bed I hear Nate grumble and complain about how it’s still so early. I remind him that it’s 5:45 am and he needs to be out the door by 6:40 am, and since it’s going to be a beautiful day he should focus on that instead. “That’s the real reason I married you,” Nate said. After I laughed, I asked, “Oh, so you mean my timeless beauty and wonderful skills in the sack had nothing to do with it?” “Well I kind of forgot about that, but seriously Zander, you just really put things into perspective without all the bells and whistles. So good morning and thanks for making sure I start my day off right.” Now that the husband is up and at it, it’s time for me to wake my little princes. As much as I couldn’t imagine myself being a mother in the past, I couldn’t imagine having any other kids chosen for me. Since they are identical twins, I work very hard on giving each of them their own identity. My pet peeve is when someone calls them “twin,” which I think bothers me more than it bothers them. The oldest by 7 ½ minutes is Nathaniel Jr. who just prefers to be called J.R and our youngest is Cam who would probably much rather prefer being called Cameron Josiah instead of his nickname. J.R is all boy- sports, dirt, and hyperactive as hell. He requires a busy schedule and it tires me out just thinking about it. Cam is sort of reserved, but for a child of six he is very sharp and attentive. A lot of times I think Cam has been here once or twice. They both play basketball and take swim lessons in the fall/winter and soccer in the spring/summer. Recently J.R has expressed interest in playing football, but I am absolutely against it and of course Nate thinks it’s the best thing since sliced bread. As much as I am against J.R playing football, I am for Cam wanting to take dance lessons and of course I can’t even mention the words son and dance in the same sentence without my husband having a conniption. It’s not like he wants to be a ballerina, in his words “Mom, have you seen how many hits kids get for dancing on YouTube?” I guess he has a point. This is an ongoing battle in the Monroe household. Stayed tuned to see who won. My boys are really close and protective of each other, but my husband likes to say we each have our own son. Although they mirror my husband in appearance, Cam is really close to his Mom, we definitely have an unexplainable bond that I am sure my husband will concur that this same bond exists between him and J.R. To my surprise when I walk in the boys’ room they are both awake and preparing for the morning. This day is going to be better than I thought. Just a few weeks ago on their birthday, I think the party in my head was far better than their actual birthday party because that’s the day my boys decided that they were big enough to dress themselves. I still have to get their clothes ready, even if it is a uniform, and make sure they properly brush their teeth and wash their faces, but for 6-yr. olds they’ve really made me proud with their independence. While everyone is getting ready, I go downstairs and double check to make sure that everything is in order for my work day. As the proprietor/operator of Little Feet Child Care Center, an in home day care, my days are full and anything but monotonous. Along with me, I have a staff of two, my good friend Mindy comes in at 7:00am and we have a work-study student from my husband’s school that comes in at 2:00pm every day. We are currently at capacity with six children under the age of five and three school age kids who come in for before and after school care. Nate and Mindy have been trying to persuade me to expand the business from an in home daycare to a full service child care center since I have a waiting list about a half mile long, but I am really happy with the business and can’t imagine taking on that task and still being a full-time mom and wife. The doors to Little Feet, which is housed in my full basement, is open every Monday-Friday at 6:45 am and since it’s almost that time, I make one last dash around the house to make sure everything is in order, then I yell to Nate that he has 15 minutes, and finally my last stop is in the boys’ room to make sure they are still being the big boy’s they so desperately want the credit for. As I am walking back downstairs, I stop and look at myself in the full-length mirror in our hallway and the person staring back at me just reminds me how much I need to go on a diet. In my standard work uniform of khakis and a Little Feet polo shirt, my pants are bunching at the waist because of my recent weight gain in that area. For me to be a woman only 5’2, I could stand to lose a few from my 151-pound frame. It seems that most of the weight has definitely gone to my hips and butt, which Nate doesn’t seem to mind, but I am at the point that if I gain two more pounds I will be fat. This just reminds me that I have to find time to use that gym membership that’s about to expire in a few months. It’s a good thing I’ve always done a good job of keeping my deep, dark skin looking baby soft and smooth. If it’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s to see people with dark skin looking dry and ashy. It doesn’t take much to have a little skin care. I also have to remember that I have a hair appointment today with Jinnah, my wonderful hairstylist who knows that I don’t have a lot of time to fuss with my hair, so she makes sure that my full head of hair is always Clair Huxtable bouncy and behaving. She’s been trying to convince me to try something new, like color or haircut, but I keep reminding her that my standard wash and curl has not failed me to this point, so I have no reason to change it up. Walking away from the mirror I tell myself, “Zander Corrine Monroe, you have got to make time for the gym, and before your upcoming 31st birthday.” Now it’s time for me to snap back to reality and unlock the doors. Before I do so, I make the last call to the men of the house, “Monroe men, downstairs NOW!” Sometimes being the only one with estrogen in this house can be a task. But I wouldn’t trade my family in for the world. The minute I make my announcement, I hear feet start to run down the steps; I just light up as I look at the men in my life are all looking as handsome as ever. *************************************** This is as good a time as any to use this membership that I purchased months ago and have never used. When I am not working with Mindy, I am in a constant state of sighing with my other best friend, Vonne, also known as the woman who has had more abortions than Mindy has children and has the nerve not to use profanity because she says that “a true lady never lets garbage leave their mouths.” But it’s OK to single-handedly keep Planned Parenthood in business. It’s all her fault that I keep looking at the clock in my car hoping and wishing that I can convince time to stand still so that I won’t have to go inside the gym. I purposely get there a few minutes earlier than Vonne so I can have time to scope out the place, take a tour and find out which classes I will realistically attend. As soon as I walk in, the receptionist greets me and asks if I need assistance with anything and I tell her that although I am already a member, I’ve never actually used my membership and will need a tour. A tour guide comes over in the standard gym uniform and begins his well-rehearsed spiel pointing out all of the perks and advantages of being a member of Fitness Unlimited. Once we arrive at the class schedule I perk up because I know in my heart of hearts that I’ll never be a StairMaster or elliptical girl, and if I ever want to shed those extra pounds I better do it in somebody’s class. Mr. Tour Guide points out the Zumba, ab and cardio classes, then he stops and says, “Not many people have been interested so far, but we just started a pole dance class here since that’s the new rave at fitness centers in the area.” I say, “WOW, well that sounds interesting but I think Zumba is more my speed.” As soon as Mr. Tour Guide finishes I see Vonne sashaying her way in the door looking more like she’s ready to walk down Hollywood Blvd instead of exercise. I chuckle to myself and watch as she walks past a group of men, how their tongues appear to be hanging from the mouths like a pack of dogs and the irony of the situation makes me laugh out loud. As soon as I get ready to call out to Vonne someone steps behind me and asks “Now that you are finished laughing at our establishment, is there something I can help you with?” My smile quickly disappears as I take my time turning around ready to give this stranger a piece of my mind for interrupting the comedy show going on in my head. The first thing I realize is that this man is probably not used to any woman telling him how she feels unless it’s to compliment how great he is, but I ignore how handsome he is for a moment and ask him “Didn’t your mother teach you that when you assume, you make an a.....” He didn’t even let me finish one of my favorite quotes before he started apologizing. “I’m sorry, you’re right! It’s just that I love working here and I’m easily offended if I think someone isn’t happy with the services we provide. I’m Dame Thompson, a personal trainer here at Fitness Unlimited, and you are?” I hesitate for a second, asking myself do I really want to introduce myself. After all, I didn’t come here for a personal trainer or to make friends. I am just here to drop some of this extra weight! After much consideration, I decided that I don’t want to be rude even though being social is not one of my best traits. “I’m Zander, nice to meet you. Well, I better get going. I’m on a schedule and my workout partner has just arrived. So again, nice to meet you.” Vonne scopes me out talking to Mr. Thompson and walks over and looks past me to ask “And who might that be Zannie? Because he is clearly still looking this way, although I can’t determine if he’s checking you or me out. Maybe he’s checking out us both! He might be of those men interested in more than one flavor at a time if you get my drift.” “Vonne, I really don’t care who he’s checking out, we need to go review the calendar so we can decide what classes we’re going to be taking. Remember the task at hand; you promised to be my workout partner so don’t go getting distracted by a piece of meat.” “Dang Zannie, you take the fun out of everything! Geez, no wonder why your husband never wants to do anything, because you are a bore! Let’s go check out this calendar and make a workout schedule.” We both agree that Zumba is the best route, and since it’s held three days per week from 7:15 pm - 8:30 pm we decide that we would dedicate ourselves to attending classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays and make the Monday night classes optional. For the first time since I decided to start exercising, I am really excited about my choice to start getting healthy. Hopefully, this will help Nate and me in other departments as well. We still have about fifteen more minutes until the start of tonight’s class so Vonne and I decide to walk to the Whole Foods grocery store to get some water before we enter into the world of Zumba. As we walk into the store I am looking in my purse for my discount card and Vonne is on her phone not paying me any attention when suddenly I walk slam into what I think is a brick wall. The next thing I notice is a hand reaching out to help me up off the ground and then I hear Vonne asking me if I’m OK. “Well besides being embarrassed, I’m fine.” I look up to apologize to the stranger who is helping me up and stare into a pair of eyes that look very familiar and I notice that it’s no other than Mr. Dame Thompson, personal trainer, himself. “I’m so sorry Mr. Thompson. I guess I should be more careful and pay attention to what’s in front of me and not what’s under me.” He smiles the most perfect smile ever and says in a voice that kind of sounds like he’s flirting, “I couldn’t have said that better myself Zander. Please call me Dame, and it’s no problem, are you sure you’re OK?” Before I could even respond, Vonne is sticking her hand out introducing herself, “Hi, I’m Vonne, Zander’s best friend. You are.....Dame, was it?” “Nice to meet you Vonne, I’ve already introduced myself to Zander to let her know that I am a personal trainer at the gym, so if you guys are interested in my services, please let me know. And Zander, I owe you a special discount since I knocked you down. I feel horrible for that, so please let me offer you a week of free training sessions to make up for it.” He has the most sincere, apologetic look on his face, I almost feel guilty for having to decline his services. “You don’t have to do that, I actually feel it was my fault for not paying attention. Plus my schedule is already quite full, so besides the classes that Vonne and I have committed to, I don’t really have the extra time. But I really appreciate you offering.” Vonne finally decides to intervene and put her two cents in, “Zannie, you can just take the time that we would be in Zumba classes to have some personal training sessions, It’s OK, I can take the classes by myself for a week.” If looks could kill, my laser beams would have gone straight to Vonne’s brain and killed her on sight! Luckily I didn’t have to embarrass myself further by continuing to decline, because Dame interjected and said, “Well I definitely don’t want to take you away from your other duties, but just know that the offer stands and anytime you’re ready just let me know. I practically live at the gym so I’m always around.” And with that, he walked away. As I am attempting to finish my shopping, Vonne is constantly asking me why I turned down free training sessions. I continually remind her that I didn’t agree to work out with a personal trainer, I agreed to work out with her in Zumba classes twice a week and that’s what we’re going to do, now end of story. After working out as hard as I’ve worked since giving birth, I decided that Zumba classes were the right choice and that the instructor is definitely what I needed. She was encouraging, but not an enabler, if she said harder it was because she knew you could give it more. That workout was really good and Vonne and I both are looking forward to class on Thursday night. When Vonne and I step aside to discuss what we thought about the class while packing up our bags, we overhear two young video looking chicks discussing Mr. Personal Trainer himself. The shorter one is the most smitten with him, she’s going on and on about how he makes it a point to go out of his way to speak to her every time she walks in. While Miss Legs seconds what her friend says adding that she would definitely give him some and still pay him for his training sessions if she needed. She heard that all women under thirty come to this gym just for Mr. Thompson himself, and that one time two girls were even fighting over him. Shorty then says that she’s glad that they finally got pole dancing classes because she could finally learn something other than these boring Zumba moves that nobody but the old ladies enjoy. I immediately give Vonne a look that says two things: Who is she calling old, and just like I thought, Mr. Thompson is indeed a player that I should stay far away from. Just like I thought Vonne understood exactly what I was saying without speaking and couldn’t help herself but to comment on what my look was telling her. As we’re walking out Vonne says, “Just because they are gossiping doesn’t make it true. You of all people should know not to believe what someone says. They probably have no idea what they are talking about. The man is a personal trainer and he has to be friendly to drum up business, so the fact that he is as fine as wine, just adds to his pitch.” “Vonne, why are you making a case for this man? You don’t even know him and I am married in case you’ve forgotten.” She turns and gives me a look, “I am not advocating for you to be involved with this man, I want you to have friends besides Mindy, Tori and I and to have fun. You have no life outside of Nate and the boys and you don’t know any males outside of them and if Dame is offering you free personal training sessions, take them. If anything, it’ll help you with getting closer to your weight loss goal and become more appealing to your husband. You know I am not into breaking up homes, so that’s not why I’m pushing. I want you to enjoy your life, Zannie. You are still young and I don’t want you to regret turning into an old maid way before your time, that’s all. Goodnight, call me when you get home to let me know you got in safely.” With that, I watch her walk to her car and begin to head to mine while her words ring in my head like a song that I can’t stand “I don’t want you to regret turning into an old maid way before your time.” I wish that Vonne wasn’t right so much. She always has to call me out when I least expect it. This was supposed to be a night of exercising, nothing more nothing less and instead it turned into a night of calling me out on my somewhat pitiful existence as only a wife and mother. Well I can’t let Vonne get me down, not when I know that although my husband and children are a large part of my life, I am happy being where I am, and those boys love me so that’s all that matters. When I get home, I am shocked to find that my husband and boys are all up waiting for me to tell them how my first day at the gym was. “I didn’t expect you guys to be interested, but it went well. Auntie Vonne and I decided to do the Zumba classes twice a week.” Cam being the observant one is the first one to speak. “Mommy, don’t you already have the Zumba game for the Kinect, why can’t you just play it with us at home instead of leaving us to go to the gym?” My husband gives a look as if he actually agrees with the miniature version of himself. “Well Cam, Mommy has the right to get out and have fun with her friends, just like you do. It’ll only be twice a week, so I think we can manage without her for a few hours. Like tonight, we all worked together and made dinner without mommy having to do anything for us. Go to the kitchen and see for yourself Mommy!” Nate never does anything like this on his own too often, but it’s probably because he never has to since I always make dinner. It reminded me of how good of a cook he is, and I start thinking that maybe this gym idea was the right decision so I can teach these men that I am not a maid and they can learn to do some things on their own. When I walk to the kitchen, I immediately smell my favorite meal. “Awwwww, Nate! You made my favorite.” I open the lids to reveal a beautiful skillet of smoked Italian turkey sausages with onions and red, yellow and green peppers. Another pan is surprisingly filled with brown rice instead our normal white rice. “I figured since you were serious about this weight loss thing, we should all eat a little healthier,” says Nate. “That’s so thoughtful of you, I really appreciate your support on this. I know it’s going to take some getting used to me not being home for a few hours, but it’s only twice a week and I promise not to miss any family events.” He doesn’t respond to my promise, instead, he calls the boys and tells them it’s bedtime, but not before they walk to the kitchen to give me my goodnight smooches. I swear no matter how many kisses I get from them, they all just make me fall in love all over again. I can’t believe the impact that two such little beings can have on your life, but I would do anything for J.R. and Cam. “Mom, I’m almost getting too big for kisses, so we may need a secret handshake or something.” Of course that comes from Mr. Man himself, J.R. “J.R, how about kisses at home and a secret handshake everywhere else?” He thinks before agreeing, “that sounds like a plan!” After I finish eating and make my way upstairs to get a shower, I stop in to speak to Nate to ask how his day went and how he really feels about me going to the gym. “How was your day? I can see that the teenagers let you make it home to your family so it must have been a good one.” “My day was fine, nothing too exciting, just preparing for the upcoming proficiency tests, so you know that can be kind of stressful.” Before I speak again, I give him a look to see if I can tell what he’s thinking by looking into those mesmerizing eyes. He asks with a chuckle, “Why are you looking at me like that?” “Because I want to know how you really feel about me going to the gym? You didn’t seem too happy about it a few minutes ago, but you were all for it when I talked with you about it.” Chapter 2: Nate I give my wife a long look before speaking, I want to be honest with her, but I also want to get my point across without hurting her feelings. “It’s not that I’m not happy Zander, I know your reasons for wanting to be healthy but you made it seem as if something is wrong with you. If I wanted a skinny woman, I would have married one. You are fine just the way you are and I don’t want you thinking I’m not attracted to you or that I’m unhappy with your appearance. I’m a realist, I understand that most women don’t walk around looking like a model every day, all day. You have a full schedule with the boys and with the daycare, so I know that you’re a hard working woman, which is another reason why I married you. But I know you have to do certain things to make you happy that I don’t understand, so that’s why I support you.” As soon as I finish saying my piece Zander tries to process it without jumping to conclusions. On most days she is really understanding and knows how to agree to disagree, but I know how adamant she was about losing weight so I figure it’s a losing battle, but that doesn’t stop me from being slightly selfish and wanting to keep my wife as she is all to myself. I trusted Zander, but I didn't trust the men she'd be sweating around at the gym. One of Zander's annoying traits was that she didn't know or care about her effect on other men. She's had a body that women were paying top dollar for and I knew first hand what that body could do. Additionally, she was beautiful without even trying and she had no idea how attractive that was to real men. “Nate, I’ve never said I wanted to be skinny, I want to be healthy and you should want me to healthy too. I know you love me, but it’s like you don’t desire anymore, the only time you show interest in me is if you think I’m ovulating and can get pregnant.” Ding, ding, ding! Now we are getting to the bottom of this. She still doesn’t want to budge on having another baby when I’ve been ready since the twins were three. Most women would love that their husband is interested and excited about expanding the family, but all Zander wants to do is think about her body at a time like this. “Zander, we both have busy careers, the boys, and plus I have the basketball team, outside of that it’s hard to have this passionate romance that you so desire. Be realistic, you are acting as if we don’t have a sex life at all.” Her eyes seem as if they are ready to drop a few tears as she says, “Nate, I am being realistic, a realistic wife who knows that she won’t be having a baby anytime soon and that she will be going to the gym twice a week and that if her husband knows what’s best he better start supporting her the same way that she supports him even if it’s something they both don’t necessarily agree on. Now I am getting in the shower, so good night because I have a feeling that since I’m not ovulating you’ll be sleeping when I get out.” She can be so stubborn at times. Whereas most men complain that they have a woman who “talks back” too much, my wife will shut down in a second if something isn’t going her way. I wish she would understand that I don’t want to fight, but I do want to be honest with her about my feelings. We are not getting any younger so I don’t know why she doesn’t want more kids, to at least try for a mini version of herself. She is always complaining that it’s too much testosterone in the house and she needs some company, so I took that as a cue to expand. I wasn’t even thinking about have more kids until she said that. I know a lot of her resistance has to do with her not even wanting any kids at all; the fact that Cam and J.R. were definitely a surprise threw her in a tailspin. But she has far exceeded my expectations of being a great mother. At first, I’m not going to lie, I was a little worried about how she would respond to motherhood because she wasn’t always the most responsible, reliable person but she’s always had a heart of gold. But the minute they arrived, she transformed into super mom. Aside from my Stepmom, whom I call Mom, offering to help out here and there, Zander was pretty much on her own with not one, but two babies. Another part of Zander’s hesitation comes from her growing up in a house as the oldest of eight children where her parents constantly struggled to care for them. Even though her family is so large, aside from birthdays, funerals and holidays, Zander pretty much has no communication with them. She insists that when she left home, she did it so she wouldn’t have to look back and that she would never put that type of strain on her own family. Having twins on her first pregnancy really spooked her because we weren’t prepared, but we did it. I really don’t like fighting with Zander, so times like this I look back on the day we had our nuptials and even though it’s been seven years I still remember like it was yesterday, “Do you take Zander Corinne Stephenson as your wife?” And I couldn’t get out my “yes” fast enough. I know Zander would like for me to be romantic and attentive, but that’s just not me and the fact is that Mrs. Monroe married a man who was raised by a single father until I was a teenager when my dad met my stepmom, so there wasn’t a lot of emotional support going on in the household with me, my dad and brother. My dad did an awesome job raising Johan and I when our mom walked away when I was only five and Johan was two. The sad thing is that in all those years she never once visited, called or wrote. She could walk up to me right now and I probably wouldn’t even recognize her. So I think my mom walking away from us has a lot to do with me pushing Zander to have more kids. If I let Johan tell it, he’ll try to get all in my psyche and evaluate what I’m subconsciously putting in the universe, so even though we are super close, I choose to leave him out of this discussion. I hear Zander finishing up in the shower and decide that I’m not going to let her go to bed angry at me and I want to show her that I do love her so I turn off the TV and turn on our favorite music station and wait for her to join me. Just to make sure that nothing is ruined I even make sure that I have a condom handy to make Zander happy. I still can’t live down the fact that I have to wear a condom as a married man because my wife not only refuses to get pregnant, but she also refuses to get on any type of birth control. But I am not going to let that ruin our evening. Since I know she was working hard at the gym, I decide to get her favorite oil ready and give her a foot massage. When she walks out the bathroom she asks, “What’s all this for?” I can still sense a slight attitude in her voice, but I look past that. “Just come lay down and let me rub your feet, I know they have to be killing you from standing all day then going to the gym.” “Look Nate, I’m tired and we both have a long day tomorrow. So let’s just not talk about today anymore and call it a night.” There she goes shutting down again, but I will not let her win this argument, we will kiss and make up by any means necessary. “Z, don’t be so mean! Just get in the bed and relax. I haven’t asked you for anything, I just want to be a man who can give his wife a foot massage after a long day.” I hated to raise my voice, but sometimes you have to talk to Zander that way or else she’ll talk you right out of an idea. Her friends jokingly call her the fun stealer. Even though she doesn’t mean it, she’s the type of woman that would ruin a surprise then look at everyone else and wonder why no one told her it was supposed to be a surprise. I chuckle when I think about this and she catches me and wonders why I’m laughing. I just tell her because as difficult as she is, I still love her and wouldn’t trade her for the world. She takes that as her cue to just surrender and let me have my way. One point Nate, zero for Z! Since she sleeps on the right side of the bed, I climb in on the opposite end and take her small left foot in my hand and set it in my lap while I lube my hands with some of her good smelling oil. “So, tell me how the class was.” “I don’t want to talk about that Nate, I went with Vonne, so you know it turned into the ‘Vonne show’ in there. I was just happy that the class size was small and the teacher was knowledgeable and nice. The End!” “Well, now that we got that out of the way, Cam came home with a permission slip to attend a hip-hop dance class on Saturday’s. I was surprised that he handed it to me. Even though I’ve never voiced my opinion aloud to him, I know he’s pretty aware that I don’t completely accept him wanting to attend dance classes. When I asked him why he gave it to me, he said just as proud as he could, ‘You always tell me not to listen to what other people do and how they live, live and do what makes you happy. I really don’t understand it, but I know dancing makes me happy.’ When he said that, I just knew that we, or should I say I, can’t hold him back. I already signed the slip so we’ll have to discuss the logistics of getting him to practice later.” When I go to reach for her other foot, she leans in to kiss me and if I ever forgot how sweet and soft her lips were, she reminded me in an instant all that I didn’t want to miss. I look into her eyes and she has a look in them that says, I can’t believe I married such a fine man! At least that’s what I think I see. Before I can ask her she whispers, “I know that took a lot for you to do that for Cam, and I know that you are a man’s man and you just want your boys into sports, but you just did your son the ultimate favor by not making him feel like an outcast because he wants to dance. Since you stepped out on a limb for Cam, I figure we can go ahead and let J.R. try football, but Nate, I’m not sure if I’ll feel comfortable watching the games at first, so we will have to figure out another way for me to show my support for him during the games.” Two points Nate, one point Z! Since I am up by one, I take the opportunity to ease in for another one of her sweet kisses. As we prepare to separate I slide my hands up her nightgown and just as I guessed, she is completely nude underneath. That gets me excited instantly and I have a hard time getting my body to slow down at a pace where my mind is as my dick pokes through my boxers. The minute my hands touches her body, my wife lets out the sweetest purr I have ever heard. I guess I’m not moving fast enough for her because she throws me back on the bed and begins to pull at my boxers. My Z has never been the shy type in the bedroom and she goes for what she wants. I try to convince her to slow down and take it easy and let us enjoy one another. As I am switching positions and turning over her naked body so that she is lying on her stomach, I get some more of her oil and begin to rub her shoulders and back. When I get down to her butt and hips, I can’t imagine why she would want to lose any weight. Zander has an awesome body in my opinion and yes she has gained a little weight, but what person our age hasn’t? As I am rubbing my palms into her smooth dark skin I feel like I am becoming one with her and at this very moment, I am so happy and so in love with my wife. She turns around on her back and opens her legs and I fit into her center like a missing puzzle piece. “Damn, I love you Z!” I had to let her know that she is perfect just the way she is. Me telling her that I loved her turned her on even more, and I could feel her slickness as my manhood rubbed against her center. Instead of plunging myself into her like I wanted to, I took the time to pay special attention to her breasts. She always complains that she is a member of the itty bitty titty committee, but more than a mouthful is too much for me! She is thick in all the right places for me. Her moaning gets louder, and I get more turned on and can’t take it anymore so I reach for the condom and she stops me. I’m shocked by her willingness not to use a condom, but I don’t want her to change her mind so I take my manhood and rub it against her opening and she is so slick and wet that it makes me shudder. This woman just does something to me, so I plunge into her and the sound that escapes from her sends me to a point of no return. I am pumping in and out and the more I pump the wetter she becomes. Her pussy must have been shaped to fit my dick because she is wrapped around my pole like a glove. As I feel myself building up for the grand finale, she can sense it and decides to back away from me and turn on her stomach. I know when she does this it means one thing! “Oh, so you want it rough tonight, huh?” Without waiting for her answer I take my hand and slap it so hard across her ass I know my neighbors could probably hear. As soon as remove my hand, her ass is still jiggling. Seeing how much she loves it I do it again, then after the second time I reenter my wife, and my woman is so wet that her juices are dripping down her legs. I already know that I won’t be able to hold out much longer so I make sure that every stroke that I give her is so good I would have bet my life that she thought it couldn’t get better. She is now screaming and begging me not to stop and right when I feel myself about to let loose inside of her, her box begins to contract around my pole and she starts to utter indescribable words as I try my best to last thirty more seconds. Not being able to hold off any longer I give one last pump and release the most guttural groan possible as I let all my little Monroe’s go inside of my wife’s love cave. “Damn woman, did I tell you how much I love you!” She smirks as she replies one of our favorite lines, “You don’t love me, you just love my doggie style! It gets you every time.” Chapter 3: Dame The minute I walked in the bar I saw my boys surrounded by a group of ladies and then I remembered, this is the exact reason why I drive myself anytime we go out because I never know what these niggas will get into once the bar closes down. They are into some wild things and most times I just live vicariously through them and their stories… tonight would be no different. When I finally approached the group, I fist bumped Jus, Arick, and Shawn then grabbed a seat so that I could order a drink. Jus is the first one to break away from all of the flirting going on to actually show me some attention. But since I know the one thing that Jus loves more than women is money, I’m sure his motive for doing so will become clear real quick. “What’s up, bro? So how are the profits at the gym since you’ve added those pole dancing classes?” I chuckled because I could write a book on Jus’ moves, if nothing else, he’s consistent. “Jus, we literally just added the classes, give the marketing team some time to put their plan to work. We should see an increase in membership enrollment soon. Look, you made a sound investment in the gym, and I appreciate you being my silent partner, but I told you that you won’t start seeing a return on your investment right away. Let’s use tonight to talk about anything other than work or business. What’s up with these chicks at the table? I thought we were coming here to watch the game?” “I’m shocked you can talk about anything other than the gym since you practically live there. When is the last time you’ve been to your condo? You've been avoiding that place since you and Meena broke up.” Jus asked me while glancing at the chick licking her ruby red lips. She was calling out to him like a siren. “I’ll be right back Dame, let me go to the bar to grab some more beer, you want something?” The whole time he was looking at ole girl and not paying me any attention. I could have been choking on peanuts and he wouldn’t have noticed. “Nah nigga, go head and start planning your future. I know how you feel about women who wear red lipstick.” He gave me a look that had me almost burst out in laughter and she had no idea what she was getting into with Jus, he was intense as hell. He looked like the cat that caught the canary. While the guys were occupied, my mind thought back to everything I have on the line with the gym and my plans to expand Fitness Unlimited nationally. My vision of starting a chain of fitness centers and gyms started as a joke, but once I stopped laughing, I pulled Jus in as he is a financial genius and I trust him with my life. So if I continue to stick to the plan that he’s outlined for me, our second location will be set to open up in Charlotte in four months. Aside from the gym, I started thinking about the short, thick chick that joined today. She said she was married, but there was a certain sadness about her. I was raised by a single mom, along with an older sister, so if nothing else, they taught me how to be in tune with women without using words. It was both a gift and a curse. She had a unique name that escapes me at the moment, but I’m pretty sure she didn’t realize how alluring she was. Too bad she’s off limits, women who were taken were not my speed at all. Not that I have any time to explore anything with a woman at this time anyway. After Meena gave me the boot for not proposing to her, I decided to chill on all romantic relationships as a whole. My tunnel vision is in full effect and was focused solely on building my brand. The downside is that I still had to deal with Meena because her Marketing Firm that she co-owned with Jus’ sister, Justine, handled all of the marketing campaigns for the gym. At least she was smart enough to let Justine take the lead for my business, if nothing else, Meena is an astute businesswoman. Arick approached me looking bored and over his fun flirting. His moral compass was on shaky ground sometimes because he had a certain image to maintain as the owner of the hottest nightclub in the city, and I’m sure his wife wouldn’t appreciate him acting like an unattached man in public. June and Arick have been married for five years, and the only day I’ve ever seen him wear a ring was the day of his wedding when I stood as one of his groomsmen. I don't think that Arick ever fucked other chicks, but that didn't stop him from having them think that there was a chance. “Sup dude, you just gone sit over here looking like you never gone see pussy ever again? Holla at one of these chicks, they definitely are down. You know Shawn's lovestruck ass ain't gone do nothing with them.” “A, I'm not worried about no pussy right now. Pussy equals trouble. And leave Shawn alone. He's not ready to go all in with Justine yet. At least he knows and ain't stringing her along and leaving her home alone all the time while he's out in the streets.” I know that that was a low blow, but Arick should not the one offering anyone relationship advice. “Dame, that was kind of a low blow. June understands the industry I'm in and she's well taken care of my nigga.” I can see I hit a sore spot with him, so I'm gonna leave it alone… for now. “If that's what you have to tell yourself Arick, then you are in way more trouble than you realize. Junie is like a sister to me and I don't wanna see her hurt.” “Yo Dame, you sure are being judgemental for a nigga that didn't have a good reason not to marry his girl. Especially since she stuck by your ass when you were still trying to figure your shit out. So how about you worry about your own relationship before treading into mine!” “A’ight Arick, you made your point. You've been drinking, so let's end this convo before we say something we can't take back. My bad man, I just want you and Junie to be happy and it's not my business on how you define happiness. Now, in other news, has Justine reached out to you to plan the fundraiser at your club?” I can't believe I'm asking this after I just told Jus no in regards to talking about work or business. As Arick and I were talking fundraiser details, Shawn and Jus joined us. The minute we got settled the waitress brought us wings and more beer to the table. “Hi Professor Johnson. Enjoy your food and let me know if you need anything else!” She was looking at Shawn like she was in love. “Thanks Natalie, see you in class.” No matter where we hung out, Shawn was always running into his students. He hated it, but he loved being a Computer Science Professor and shaping young, black minds at one of the best HBCUs in the country. “Shawn, I don't know how you do it. I would be knee deep in all that pussy every damn day if all my students looked like that. Hell, they're legal.” Of course that's was Arick. Thinking the sun shined and set to pussy. “Man, I'm not thinking about those girls. My job is to give them the tools to compete with these white, privileged kids out here. That's hard enough to do without thinking about getting in their pants. Plus, I need my women fully grown, like those new women who showed up at Dame's gym today. What's the deal, did you talk to them?” Shawn thinks he's slick. He always tries to talk about other women so no one will bring up the fact that he's secretly head over heels in love with Justine. Hell, we all knew. Everyone except Justine knew. Even Jus gave him the go ahead to shoot his shot. But his careful, calculated ass is always talking about it's not a good time. “I spoke to them briefly. They both have had memberships for a while, but are just getting around to using them. Y'all know I like to personally give tours to new members to get their honest feedback before they find out I'm the owner. So I just showed them around and that was that.” The way that Shawn was smiling at me made me think that he believes there's more to the story. “So you weren't tryna holler at the short one? You were spending extra time with her. I'm surprised because her friend seemed much more your type. Tall, bougie, and bad.” Shawn was laying it on a little thick here. I'd be wrong if I just started talking about Justine to throw his nerdy ass off balance. “Shawn, you were there for all of five minutes, so how could you possibly determine all of that? Either way you're reading too much into the entire situation. The short one is married and I'm not interested in the tall one or any woman for that matter. I'm married to my business plan right now.” Hopefully we can move on now. “That's what I'm talking bout Dame. Make that money, don't let the money make you!” That was from mister money himself, Jus. We shot the breeze for another hour or so then all went our separate ways before agreeing to meet up again on Saturday at Arick's club. But for some reason, I was bothered that I couldn't remember shorty's name. |
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