Loving Contrasts - Chapter 13.2

Chandler received a text from Inaya the very next day. It read: If you’re still interested and available, please join me for dinner @ my place this Friday @ 7pm.

“Is this some cruel belated April Fool’s joke?” He frowned down at the message. “She has to know that I’m still interested and available with all the songs I’m still dedicating to her on a regular basis.” Rather than let disturbing thoughts crawl up in his soul, nest, and reproduce, he called to make sure that she knew what his relationship status was.

“Well, hello there, tall drink of water,” Inaya said, flirting as soon as she came on the line.

Chandler smiled and relaxed in his sturdy wooden deck chair. “Hello back, sexual chocolate.”

She burst out laughing. “I see somebody’s been watching Coming to America lately.”

He chuckled. “Yep! That same somebody is calling to say that I’m still very interested in you and still very available for you.”

“Well, alllll-righty then.”

“Been looking at Ace Ventura much?” He laughed, tickled by her animated response. He loved how much more opened and relaxed she seemed.

“Guilty as charged. So I’ll see you on Friday at 7 o’clock then?”

“Absolutely!” Chandler replied, counting down the days already. For now he would enjoy the sound of her sweet voice again. “So I’m dying to know, what changed your mind about us?”

“You’re living to know, not dying,” Inaya amended.

“I stand corrected,” he replied, remembering how she was a stickler for positive confessions. “I’m living to know, what changed your mind about us?”

“Atta boy!” She chuckled. “As for what changed my mind, you, Mr. Gray Suit and Miss Dirty Redhead from the restaurant.”

“Okay, now you really have to expound upon that.”

“Well, for one thing, I realized how foolish it was to toss away the chance to have a happy and healthy relationship with a man that is as kind, considerate, and honest as you. Men like you are rare in any color and I didn’t want to miss this opportunity. Secondly, I realized that if I continued to hold your race against you, I would be acting just as ignorant as those people at the restaurant.”

“Nothing about you is ignorant.”

“True, which is why I spent the last few weeks researching the pros and cons of interracial dating. I studied the success rates and loving testimonials of interracial couples all over the world, many of whom got married and remained together for life. The talk I had with my sister helped, too. Kali helped me come to terms with the fact that it’s unfair to let my bad experience with one white man sour me from all white men, particularly one as gorgeous as you.”

“I am rather gorgeous.” Chandler grinned, appreciating that compliment and all that she’d done to reach her positive decision.

“Yes, and with a big ego, too.” She laughed. “I just hope I’ll be able to handle all your groupies. That Blair chick was waving her freak flag high in the air.”

“I’ll handle any groupies and ex-girlfriends that might try to come between us, so you can rest easy about that, princess,” he said in a serious tone.

Inaya moaned. “There you go, being sweet again.”

“No one is as sweet as you, brown sugar,” he flirted, becoming lighthearted again.

They continued to talk and laugh together for a whole hour. When Chandler finally hung up the phone, he prepared for bed humming love songs, which was something he never did.

“Tonight I’ll be the best you’ve ever had. I don’t wanna brag, but I’ll be…the best you’ve ever had,” he sang, quoting a line from a popular John Legend tune.

Wow! She got me singing love songs, too? I really must be in love, Chandler thought, chuckling as he drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

© 2014 by Suprina Frazier

Photo Credit:

http://redvinesandredwine.blogspot.com/2012/03/letting-my-freak-flag-fly.html

Video Credit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXvy8ZeCs5M

Loving Contrasts - Chapter 13.1

April

Chandler didn’t see or hear from Inaya again until April 1^st. It was almost a full month since their last date and he was starting to believe that she’d given up on them. He received no calls, texts, or visits. She hadn’t even overseen his CASA training. A male social worker named Mel Aspen had done that. Any further information she had concerning the program was routed to his email.

If it wasn’t for the fact that Chandler needed to observe a case hearing today, he probably wouldn’t be seeing or hearing from Inaya now. After all, the ball was still in her court and she hadn’t dribbled or even attempted to make one shot. How was that for his nearly non-existent ego now?

Chandler almost didn’t recognize Inaya today. It looked like her in the melon-colored tie-front business suit, but it sure didn’t sound like her. Gone was the shy, soft-spoken woman who blushed at the slightest compliment and became even more introverted when offended. In her place was a firecat with flaming brown eyes and a booming voice that needed no microphone to be heard clear across the courtroom as she fiercely spoke on behalf of the three children whose case she was assigned to.

Chandler suppressed a moan at her alluring contrasts. I do believe that I’m looking at a modern day Wonder Woman. And oh yes, she is definitely someone worth waiting for. He couldn’t wait to see what she would do and say next. If he had social workers like her back when he was a child, he wouldn’t have been moved around so much.

Chandler continued to watch in awe as Inaya provided positive school report cards, personal comments from teachers about the equally positive changes in the children’s behavior, and clothing receipts with corresponding pictures of the now well-dressed children. The whole time she sang the high praises of the children’s grandmother. It almost brought tears to his eyes. Some people in the courtroom were actually crying.

By the end of Inaya’s heartwarming disclosure, the judge decided to allow the three siblings to remain in the home of their loving grandmother versus returning them to the home of their promiscuous young mother. Although their mother tested negative for drugs recently, she still hadn’t found a job after six months of counseling and was living with yet another boyfriend.

“I agree with you, Ms. Seabrook, that although the mother’s new boyfriend has a good job and is willing to allow the children to live in his stable home with their mother, there is no guarantee that this relationship will last any longer than the others had. The fact that she didn’t bother to show up today is an added strike against her. Therefore, the children will remain with their grandmother until the mother has proven that she can maintain a stable, drug-free environment for her children through her own efforts and not those of another,” Judge Levy concluded.

There were many happy faces at the end of that meeting. The grandmother was overjoyed and couldn’t seem to stop hugging Inaya, who beamed with joy. Chandler had never seen her happier or so in her element. He waited patiently on the sidelines with his mentor as she shook hands with the judge and then hugged several colleagues, who’d come to support and watch her in action today.

“Inaya’s one of the best,” Mel said from beside him. “We all hope to be like her when we grow up.”

Looks like you’re hoping for more than that, Chandler thought, seeing the stars in his mentor’s eyes. Though he didn’t like that his mentor had a crush on Inaya, he understood it. She was an amazing woman that any man would be honored to have.

“I agree. She’s definitely one to emulate,” Chandler said aloud. “Excuse me while I go and personally congratulate her.” Unlike Mel, he would not be content to just admire Inaya from a distance. He was too aggressive for the sidelines of life and yet wise enough to know when to fall back. Now was the time for aggression.    

“Congratulations, Ms. Seabrook. That was quite a convincing presentation you made back there. Very inspirational, too. You should have been a lawyer,” Chandler said, standing directly behind her.

Inaya heard that familiar baritone voice and froze. She had no idea Chandler was here. She’d been so caught up in her presentation that she hadn’t noticed anyone but the judge with whom she needed to present her case. Now heat traveled in a wavy pattern down her body like a rollercoaster ride she took on a church field trip as a child. She felt exhilarated then. She felt even more exhilarated now.

Inaya slowly turned to face the owner of that deep voice. “Thanks, Mr. Edenfield, your words mean a lot to me.” Even though she spoke professionally to him, she couldn’t control her racing heartbeat or suppress the joy of seeing him again. The ebony blazer, triple-pleated taupe trousers, sky-blue dress shirt and matching silk tie he wore had her hormones jumping and every cell in her body stimulated.    

“Do they?” Chandler looked intently at her.

“Yes.” She hooded her eyes to hide the fiery attraction that she’d seen mirrored in his own.

“It’s still there for me, too, princess,” Chandler leaned down to whisper in her right ear.

Inaya shuddered at his delicious nearness. At his sexy boldness.

Chandler made another bold move by pulling her to the side to speak more privately. “I have so many more words to say to you, Inaya. If you’ll only give me the chance.” 

Inaya blushed. “I’ve been thinking a lot about that and you should be hearing from me soon. Real soon,” she promised in a whisper.

“I look forward to it.” Chandler smiled.

“So do I.” Inaya suppressed a wide grin as she walked back over to her waiting colleagues.

© 2014 by Suprina Frazier

Photo Credit:

http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/BattleOfTheAges/news/?a=101774

Loving Contrasts - Chapter 12.2

Chandler couldn’t help but notice how extra quiet Inaya was as he drove her home. Without asking, he already knew that she was still upset about those incidents at the restaurant, especially after she shared what happened on her way to the ladies room. Though he wanted to dive right in and talk about it, he quickly learned that that wasn’t always the best way to deal with her. Even though she was one of the strongest women he knew, she could be very delicate about certain things. Things such as God, her family, and interracial romance.

“I don’t know if this relationship will work, Chandler,” Inaya said, removing her seatbelt as he parked in front of her townhouse.

He exhaled a frustrated breath. Though not unexpected considering what happened today, this was the last thing he wanted to hear. Although he was twenty-nine years old, he suddenly felt very raw and vulnerable, like he had when he was ten and on his way to his fourth foster home. Would things turn out as well with Inaya like they had the day he walked into the Edenfields’ home? He hoped so.

“Why not, princess? Is it the interracial thing again?” His knuckles became whiter as he tightly clenched the black and white leather steering wheel in front of him.

“Yes. I know our cultural differences shouldn’t matter to me, but they do. It really bothered me how people reacted to us today at the movies and especially at the restaurant. I have enough bad vegetables in my stew without adding all that to the pot,” Inaya replied.

Chandler turned the radio off, not in the mood to hear the very thing that usually soothed him. The very thing that he kept playing in his home and car on the regular. Right now he needed to hear and be heard without distraction.

“Inaya, you can’t be ruled by the opinions of others,” he said, repeating what his adopted parents told him and his siblings for years concerning how they should respond to people’s reactions to their diverse family.

She nodded. “I know what you’re saying is right, but I’m just not there yet. I’m sorry, Chandler, but I guess this means goodbye.” She clasped her yellow banana-shaped bag with one hand and opened the passenger door with the other.

“Inaya, wait!” Chandler said urgently as desperation took over. “Please wait.” His voice softened to a low whisper as he reached for her left arm.

At that exact moment of touch, in the solitude of the dark car with no outsiders to stare or disapprove, the intensity of their attraction was allowed to flow freely. That flow produced a strong current that washed over them like a mighty flood.

Chandler moaned from the impact.

Inaya shuddered and moaned. She slowly turned back around to face him. From the glare of the street light she could see matching desire swimming around in his eyes. She knew what was about to happen next and felt powerless to stop it. She didn’t want to stop it.

As if pulled by a magnet, their lips promptly found each other. The kiss was deep…long…succulent…and not nearly enough to satisfy.

“Don’t do this to us, princess. There’s something special between us. Something greater than our differences. Something that needs to be explored,” Chandler pleaded when the kiss finally came to an end. 

Inaya moaned again. “You don’t pull any punches, do you?” She tingled from just the sound of his voice. It was full of liquid desire and raw need. She never heard it sound so sexy…well, since the night he whispered in her ear as she went over the edge.

“Why should I, when something this important is at stake? Look, you know how badly I want you and I believe you want me, too. So why don’t you take some time to settle this interracial issue in your heart once and for all before you call it completely quits? Then when you’re ready, give me a call. Or better yet, come see me. You know my schedule, all my phone numbers, and my address.”

“I don’t want to hold up your life with my hang-ups. You’re too good of a man to be on anybody’s waiting list for any length of time.” Although Inaya said the right things, the thought of him seeing someone else sent unexpected pain through her stomach.

“Let me decide if you’re worth waiting for, okay?” Chandler insisted.

“Okay.” Inaya smiled. His words sent a warm, comforting sensation down her spine. The pain in her belly instantly subsided.

“In the meantime, can I have an until-next-time kiss?” Chandler boldly asked. “A brotha needs something to tide him over until he hears from you again. But first let me add a little theme music to the occasion.” He pressed play on an R & B mixed CD of slow jams.

Inaya chuckled at his easy wit. He sure knew how to keep a girl smiling. She honored his request by giving him a whopper of a kiss that left him panting for more.

“Patience, Lord, patience.” Chandler licked his lips as he opened the driver’s door and prepared to walk her to her front door. “Talk to you soon, princess,” he said, planting a departing kiss on her forehead after he made sure she had her house key and could get inside her home. 

Inaya nodded. She closed the door amazed by how sure he was of them, almost as sure as he was that God loved sinners and enjoyed forgiving sin. She wasn’t sure of either and that’s what bothered her the most.

Yes, I definitely need some time to think things over.

© 2014 by Suprina Frazier

Photo Credit:

http://imgfave.com/collection/89840/Quotes-tips-and-so-relatble