Freedom to Love

Coffee Break

"Maya", my aunt called near shouting. I knew deep down she was yelling because she had discovered that I had not attended the lunch with the potential client's sister today. Today like every year was the day I chose not to be bothered. In my hands I cradled a photo of my mother , who died fifteen years ago today. My aunt's foot steps drew closer, but I didn't care what she had to say right now. "I miss you momma." I whispered stroking the apple of her cheek. Her eyes a mirror version of my own staring back up at me. The door creaked open as if my aunt had hesitantly pushed it open. "Lil girl." She uttered in a controlled venomous tone. "Grown woman," I retorted. Her eyes turned to slits as crossed she the room, "I will not take any of your sass today." "I wont take any of yours either." She did this every year and it seemed as if she never learned.

It was moments like this I wish I had taken a dorm on campus instead. My eyes still lowered looking at the photograph in my hands I caught a glimpse of her Jimmy Choos as she came to stand in front of me. "Little girl, I do everything for my husband to accept you and ..... the least you can do is attend a simple lunch with the sister of a potential client." She said that as if I cared what her uptight pin nosed husband thought. Reginald was just mad that I didn't go to this lunch so him and Sophia from next door can discuss 'business'. I rolled my eyes, "sometimes I wish Lynn hadn't died so she could take your little rude ass to whoever the hell your father is." "If she hadn't died I wouldn't be stuck with your snakey behind." Don't get me wrong I love aunt Laurna, but when her husband had an issue she became someone else. So, I became someone else to combat that person.

She smirked knowing full well I had trumped her and wasn't in the mood for further combat. I moved closer to the edge of the bed placing my mother's picture back onto the night stand of my . "Reggie has dinner guests coming over darling, do something with those wild strands would you." She said in a chipper voice leaving the room. Pulling a strand of my curls I sighed looking at the time. I had to meet Diamond at ballet practice in a half hour. Blindly reaching behind me I searched the bed for my phone pulling it into my palm after locating it. Taking one final long sigh I got up from my spot of the last five hours grabbing my gym bag off the chair. Deciding which flats and scarf I wanted to wear I pulled them out of their cubby in my closet carrying them with me. As I lightly galloped down the staircase my phone began to vibrate as the chorus to Beyonce's 'Sorry' played. The name of my now ex, Andrew popped onto my screen.

"Men cheat sometimes little girl changing their ringtone wont make you feel any better." Aunt Laurna said coming down the stairs behind me. "Its a band aid for the wound never said it would make me feel better." I grumbled reaching the bottom step finally. She peered at me over the file she was reading through for one of her cases, "Drew comes from a good family and can take you places." "Yeah, to the doctor after he causes me to catch something," I quipped snatching my keys off the entry table. "Atleast he will have the money for it and get your water bottle little girl." I marched into the kitchen doing as she said before heading back to the foyer. " See ya later." Out the door I went before she could say anything more to me.

The moment I stepped outside onto the concrete walkway an involuntary hiss escaped my throat. I had forgotten my shoes were still in my hand. Dropping them to the ground immediately I stuck my feet into them. My car was a few paces away as I wrapped my scarf around my neck next. Unlocking my doors I opened the door jumping in. Sticking the keys into the ignition I turned the car on. The voice of my Jamaican baby daddy Alkaline began to blare through the speakers. Hitting the gate opener I sped through them before they could open with sense. The studio was only twenty minutes from the house.

So need to rush there especially seeing as I wasn't feeling it today. Stopping for a quick frappucino for Chunky and I. Once completing my purchase I got back on my way. My hand immediately reached for the volume button on the steering wheel as Alkaline's 'Ride on Me' began. As I pulled into the lot Chunky waited on me with a screw expression on her face. Chunky was a nickname since she was a kid on the account that until she was twelve she was a bit chubby. She would never live it down in my mind though, weight or no weight.

She walked up as I pulled into a spot. Rolling my window down with a smile she immediately pressed pause on the music. "How the hell do you hear anything over your music?" "I don't and I like it that way." I rolled back up my window before switching off the ignition. "I was calling you." She told me as I opened the door, "I cant wait to be driving again." "Then stop wrecking your s**t smart ass. Here you need caffeine". I handed her the chocolate mocha frapp. She glared at me before we both busted out into a fit of laughter. "I hate love you." "Right back at you."

I grabbed my things and locked the car. "Feeling any better," asked as she unwrapped her straw. "Not really, but its out my system." She peered at me before shoving the straw in and taking a sip of her drink. Walking slightly ahead of her I turned, "No need to worry about me. I have nothing to worry about-" My sentence got cut short on the account of me bumping into the world's most gorgeous specimen called man . Even the grimace across the plains of it couldn't apply a stitch of ugly to his perfect face. My own face was frozen in horror watching him look at the mess I had made of his clothing.

"s**t, I cant go to the office like this." He muttered pulling off his jacket. "Watch where you going." I hissed at him rolling my eyes. "Really?" He quizzed confused by my response. To be honest so was I, but to admit that would be wrong right now. "By the way the word is you're." He added. "I'll let my English teacher know I need after lecture tutoring. "Why are you being so rude,Maya" Diamond asked confused as she handed him some of her napkins. She always had napkins no matter where she went.

By the time Diamond had soaked up some of the liquid I was fuming. Another guy came strolling stopping right next to this fiasco. His brown eyes grew wide under his head of tossled hair. "Jamey we got to meet with the board in less than half hour and you're covered in..." He stepped closer. "...coffee?" He gave him a questioning look as he ran his hand through his messy do again. Jamey whose jaw had been tightened the entire moment relaxed. He grabbed another napkin from Chunky before turning to his companion. "This girl-" I broke off his sentence. "I have a damn name." He squinted in confusion. "Then what is it?" He paused waiting on my reply. "Maya." The brown haired guy looked as if he was going to have an anxiety attack. "Daniel, I bumped into Maya and her coffee spilled on my jacket." He was calm though even his jaw was still tight. He seemed to have a easy going nature about him. "Looks more like that untrained monkey bumped into you." Daniel fired back gripping his hair. "Our fathers are going to have a fit."

"Monkey?" The fury in Diamond's grey eyes burned with intensity. "Look you backwards ass pale piece of shit." She began to read him his rights as she stepped forward. "It was a mistake, sure she was a jerk about it, but it was a f*****g mistake." "Just like the mistake someone made allowing you niggas out your cages." Before I could even stop myself my right hook connected with his face. He stepped back shock before attempting to reach me. Jamey stepped in front of him pushing him back. "You touch them and they sue us and I cant have that on my first f*****g day as CEO." His words hissed. "I don't care we can buy their entire f*****g families and not break the bank." Daniel flared.

Looking down at the binder he grasped in his hand. The emblem upon it was for Grayson Global. "I apologize. Feel free to contact my office so that I can personally make this right." Jamey said handing Diamond a card. He smiled briefly as Daniel walked down the street to try and cool off. "It's always because of your f*****g side trips." Daniel was still yelling as they widened the distance between us and them. "I'm telling mom about this." She told me looking at the card. "And she will only sue James Mahoney for my mistake." I confirmed staring off at his figure in the distance.