The Beauty of Summer (A Christian Romance Novel)

Chapter 4

Summer looked out over the city through her patio door. She lived alone, which she hoped would only be a temporary situation since moving from Atlanta two years ago. Her mother, Susan, still lived in Atlanta, in a four-bedroom house owned by her cousin, the same cousin who gave them shelter after their retreat from Brazil. Over the years since returning to the States, Susan eked out a living at various janitorial jobs, as her lack of education would not allow her to do much else. Nonetheless, she pushed Summer to do well in school, always impressing upon her that an education was the key to getting anywhere in America, unlike Brazil, where many women tended to rely on their husbands. Summer was denied the pleasures of daily TV watching, as Susan wanted her to focus on her studies. It was not a struggle, as Summer loved to read and would devour any printed material she could find. Even the myriad of boys who called on Summer during her high school years could not get far as long as Susan was guardian of the gates.

Summer's devotion to her studies earned her several scholarships, which enabled her to attend Clark Atlanta University with barely an out-of-pocket investment. Susan was proud to be able to send her daughter to a college that had produced the likes of Ralph Abernathy, James Weldon Johnson, and other African Americans who broke down barriers of racial segregation. She had intended to major in history and become a teacher. However, after she spent some time volunteering at the college radio station, a college boyfriend told her the five-foot-ten-inch well-spoken beauty would be a great media personality. She decided to major, and eventually earn a degree, in journalism and communications. During her sophomore year, she became the fill-in host of a drive-time jazz program, replacing the regular host whenever he was away.

Summer continued to volunteer at the public radio station after she graduated from Clark. Eventually, the station manager hired Summer to be the drive-time host of her jazz program. The program was appropriately named "Summertime," and the Porgy and Bess song became the theme of the show. Summer then used her newfound clout to get Susan hired as a production assistant, even though Susan had little experience in radio. Summer felt that the Lord was blessing her mother and her, and she was grateful to be in God's good graces.

However, several years later, the station began to lose funding, and cutbacks were necessary. Syndicated programming replaced Summer's program, and she was eventually fired due to a reduction in force. Susan retained her job at the station despite her inclination to quit in protest once Summer got fired. Summer urged her not to. She didn't want to see her mother return to wielding mops, buckets, brooms, and rags, and some days coming home too tired to eat.

It wasn't long before Summer’s absence from the station was felt, and fans and local media began to inquire what had happened to her. Once word spread about her termination, media companies began to court her with offers. The most promising came from a local entrepreneur and TV producer, Mark Battman, who had assembled a team to look into the feasibility of starting a video production firm in the West End of Richmond. The West End was a burgeoning area with many new corporations, museums, and restaurants, all potential clients for Battman’s new firm. Summer, with now over ten years' of radio experience, agreed to partner with Mark. Summer would lend credibility to Mark's firm and help him win clients in the greater Richmond area. With Mark's and Summer's experience, the newly created Visual Notions would win five clients even before the name plate was affixed to their rented suite in downtown Richmond.

Summer was heartbroken at having to leave her mother in Atlanta while she helped run this upstart firm in Richmond. It wasn't that she didn't have any other choices. But this was clearly the best one, an opportunity that was too good to pass up. She always planned to save enough money and buy a house, then send for her mother to come live with her in Richmond. She was still several thousand dollars away from attaining that goal. Maintaining the upscale life in Richmond proved to be very expensive. With her apartment, weekly maid service, expensive restaurant meals, and the high taxes of living single and childless, she spent almost three-quarters of her monthly income. She had $20,000 in savings, not nearly enough for a down payment on the type of home where she could ensure that her mother had her space, and she would have hers.

Summer was too upset to eat. She pulled off her dress, left it on the floor near the patio door, and headed to bed. On the way, she picked up her purse, pulled out her iPhone, and cradled it in her hand on her way to the bedroom. In case Xavier changed his mind about her, she did not want to miss his call.

* * *

Summer would fall asleep for an hour, wake up for an hour, and then fall asleep again for an hour, rinse, repeat, until she finally awoke at seven in the morning. She thought about staying home, so she didn't have to deal with Jada. But she needed to work to keep her mind off Xavier. She showered, dressed, and then headed out.

When she arrived at work at eight, Jada hadn't arrived yet, which was a small blessing. Summer could sequester herself in her office, shut the door, pull the blinds to the large window facing the corridor, and hopefully not have to deal with her all day. She could use this day to catch up on paperwork.

At 9 a.m., there was a gentle tap at her office door. Summer hoped it wasn't Jada. "Come in."

Mark Battman walked in, opening the door until it hit the door stop and bounced back an inch. He was about an inch shorter than Summer, thin, with a five o’clock shadow. His hair was cut short on the sides and jagged on top, making him look a lot younger than his forty-five years. To Summer, he resembled a younger, skinnier Brad Pitt. Summer found him quite attractive, and might have flirted with him a while back if he wasn’t married with kids.

"Summer, may I see you for a moment?" Mark said. Although he phrased his statement as a question, Summer could tell by his tone that he wasn’t asking.

"Okay." Summer dropped some papers she was holding and got up to follow Mark out the door. She was surprised when Mark turned left, rather than right, toward his office. She continued to follow Mark past the studio and into the empty general conference room. Mark motioned toward a chair, then closed the door. As Summer sat down, and before the door was completely closed, she could see Lenny Yates, the security guard, just outside the door.

The stark realization hit her at that moment. In less than five minutes, she would be out of a job. Jada had obviously told Mark about the dinner the night before and about Summer redecorating her face with a $200 bottle of Merlot. Jada had already stolen her man. Summer didn't think Jada would be as petty as to take her job, too.

Mark sat down two chairs away from Summer. He looked down at the table for a few seconds, collecting his thoughts, before he finally said, "Summer, Jada called me last night. Something about you assaulting her at dinner, and—"

"Mark, are you going to fire me?" Summer interrupted. "Because if so, get on with it. I don't need the foreplay before the screw."

Mark looked down at the table, unable to meet her eyes. "I'm sorry, Summer. You've been a great employee, but—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Summer was up and out the door, headed back to her office. Mark looked up and nodded to the security guard, who followed her.

Summer marched back into her office and grabbed her purse and jacket. They were the only personal items she regularly kept in her office. Lenny, the security guard, stood just outside the door.

"Miss Maldonado, what happened? Why'd you get fired?"

"Long story, Len," Summer said, leaving everything else in the office as it was and walking past him toward the elevator. She didn't bother to say anything to her fellow employees; this was embarrassing enough without having to answer all their questions. When she reached the elevator, she saw that Lenny was not far behind. "Don't worry, Len. I'm not going to steal any paper clips or burn the office down."

"I know, Miss Maldonado. But I gotta do my job."

"At least you have one." When the elevator door opened, Summer and Lenny boarded it. Just after she pressed the lobby button and before the door closed, she saw Mark standing in the foyer, watching her leave.

"He's such a coward," Summer whispered to herself, though loudly enough for Lenny to hear.

"Don't worry, Miss Maldonado. You'll be alright. Just hang in there."

"Thanks, Len."

When the elevator arrived at the lobby floor, and they had disembarked, Lenny turned to her, nodded downward and said, "I gotta get that access card from you."

Summer reached down at her waist and snapped the access card from her belt. She handed it to Lenny, then secured her purse on her shoulder and headed for the exit.

"Good luck, Miss Maldonado," Lenny said as Summer passed the security desk.

"Thanks, Len. Take care."

As she walked out to the parking lot and toward her car, Summer had never felt so defeated in her life. She lost her man, she lost her job, and now she had lost what little self-respect she had left. As she climbed into her car, she knew that Lenny's statement, "you're gonna be alright," was an overused cliché.

She was not going to be alright.

* * *

Summer was lying on the couch staring at the ceiling when she heard her phone ring. Thinking it night be Xavier, she scrambled off the couch and to the kitchen, where she had left her phone. Checking the caller ID, she saw the word: "Mãe." She was disappointed it wasn't Xavier, but she was always glad to hear from her mother, whom she spoke to at least twice a day.

She answered the call. "Olá, Mãe."

"Olá, dear. How are you?"

"I'm fine, Mãe."

"No, you're not."

Summer walked back to the couch, engaging the speakerphone. "What are you talking about?"

"You're not fine."

Summer wasn't sure if it was something in her voice that gave her away, or if her mother had developed some clairvoyant talent. "Why do you say that?"

"I called your job today to speak to you. They told me you no longer worked there. So, you either quit or you got fired, neither of which makes you fine."

"Why didn't you call me on my cell, Mãe?"

"I did. Earlier today. You didn't answer, so I called your job."

Summer remembered. Once she had arrived home, she paced the floor for an hour before lying on the couch. She dozed off for a couple of hours, and now it was well past two in the afternoon. She likely hadn't heard the phone ring while she was asleep.

Summer lay on the couch, holding the phone in her hand at arm's length from her lips. "I got fired."

"What happened? Why did they fire you?"

"I didn't ask the official reason. But the real reason was that I tossed a drink in the face of the president's assistant at dinner last night."

"Why did you do that?"

Summer sighed. She decided to tell her mother the whole story, knowing that Susan would interrogate her until she did. "X and I broke up last night. He invited me to this romantic Asian restaurant, just to break up with me. And he actually brought his new girlfriend with him, the president's assistant. I was so hurt, shocked, embarrassed, and betrayed. I didn't know what to do. I just snapped, and I went back into the restaurant and tossed drinks in X's face and hers. Then I left."