When Love is Unfinished. Nicole Cooke
company this side of the Potomac! Oh my God it’s her! She is absolutely gorgeous. Derrick thought. Pleased to meet you Derrick I’m Ashley but everyone calls me Ash, breaking Derrick out of trance. Oh the pleasure is all mine Ms. Ashley, please call me Ash, she replied with a smile that showed her left dimple. Well I hate to leave you guys but I have to sign in to a conference call, Ms. Richmond interrupted, Derrick if you need anything at all, Ashley is the go-to person, Ashley will you please show Derrick to his cubicle and the supply room so he can set up his desk with the necessary things he may need? Welcome again Derrick! Thanks Ms. Richmond Derrick replied while following Ashley out of the office. Oh, Lawd, please help me not get excited, I’m not wearing the right pants and my buddy is gonna wake up, Derrick prayed all the while checking Ashley’s amazing figure out. Derrick noticed her hips her legs and even her perfect pedicure, all of this from the back… Ummm, Ms. Ashley can I walk beside you because I really can’t hear what you’re saying, behind you… Plus I’m distracted. He mumbled. I’m sorry Derrick; of course you can, if I’m going too fast just stop me, okay? “Yes ma’am,” Derrick replied. “Okay Derrick we are gonna have a problem! How old are you, if you don’t mind me asking,” Ashley said with a little attitude. I’m thirty-two he replied with a grin, because he knew that the ma’am statement got under her skin. Well Mr. Derrick you are two years older than me, so please drop the misses and the ma’ams! All right Ash, my bad I was just being polite, that’s just how I was raised, will you find it in your heart to forgive me please? With his bottom lip poked out. “I’ll think about it Ashley grin and continue toward Derrick’s new cubicle, blushing all the way… Man that brother is fine! All six feet of him Ashley thought to herself…and it’s not often that you find a man that is dark brown with light brown eyes! And his teeth are so perfect. His bald head and goatee is such a turn on too. Ugh, get it together Ash before your girls start to beam and you’re not wearing a padded bra.
Derrick noticed her getting a little nervous so he chilled for a bit and let her go ahead and train him like she was supposed to. Derrick was a fast learner, he always was. Growing up in the projects in Prince Georges County, his mother did not pull any punches when it came to academics, she always told him just because you are in the projects don’t mean you have to stay here! Use your brain to get out and make something of yourself. Derrick was never a kid that liked to study and he really didn’t like school, part of it was because kids were so mean and cruel to him because he didn’t wear the latest designs or because he wore hand-me-downs from older cousins, he was an easy target to get cracked on. But he never worried his mom with that, all he wanted to do was draw and paint, and he was damn good at it too. His mom, Delores, was a nurse she had him at an early age but she was determined to give her baby boy every opportunity she never had growing up. Derrick often stayed with his grandma because his mom did home care for elderly patients, but when his grandma passed away in her sleep he was left to watch himself. Derrick had a best friend named Pete which stayed next door to him. Pete’s mom would often knock on his door to make sure that Derrick was okay when she knew that his mom Deloris was working late. Derrick did you eat dinner yet? Ms. Peaches would ask him, yes ma’am I ate a sandwich, I’m just sitting here drawing. A sandwich! Boy get over here and get you a plate! Ms. Peaches had two kids and a whole lot of boyfriends that kept her laced with money…drug money! Ms. Peaches I’m good honest I had a tuna fish sandwich my mom left for me Derrick protested because he didn’t want to be kept from his hobby. Okay Derrick you know if you need anything just knock on the door okay? “Yes ma’am,” he replied.
Around midnight he heard a crash and a boom that woke him out of his sleep, sirens and blue lights illuminated his room. He put his shirt on and ran to the front door. He peeked through the curtains to see what was going on, what he saw broke his heart, Ms. Peaches and one of her boyfriend’s being handcuffed and thrown into the back of a police car, and his best friend Pete and his sister being taken by child welfare services. That was last he saw of Pete, he vowed to make enough money to get him and his mom out of there, even if he has to paint or draw his way out.
2
Hey man how was your first day on your new job? Mike asked. Man Mike I think I’ma love it here, I’m setting up my cubicle and work station now, it’s really laid back and low key the staff here is cool and the manager Ms. Richmond is the best! Thanks for introducing her to me! Yes, Auntie Shirley is the best, Mike exclaimed, she’s my favorite aunt, she’s my mom’s oldest sister. Mike and Derrick meet in college and remained friends way after graduation. How can I ever repay you? I know! What are you doing to night? Met me at the ESPN zone tonight! Monday night football son! Raven versus the Redskins, Battle of the Beltway boyeee! Derrick beamed. All right that’s what’s up Dee I’ll meet you there around seven give me time to change and represent my team with my new Ravens Jersey! Man Mike y’all gonna get beat! All I know is you better not come down town with no redskin jersey or your§§ is gonna get beat…literally! Yeah whatever drinks on me tonight I’ll see you there, peace.
So Mr. Robertson how do you like it so far? Ms. Richmond asked. I can’t thank you enough for giving me this opportunity I promise you will not be disappointed! I hope not Derrick; you had excellent references, so I know this company will not be let down! I’m off now so I will see you tomorrow bright and early? Yes Ma’am you will, have a good evening!
Well Derrick it’s quitting time, is there anything else you need me to go over for you, any question? Ashley asked. Naw Ash I’m good thanks so much for making me feel welcome today I really appreciate it. Ah umm excuse me we wasn’t properly introduce I’m Judith I’m the receptionists here I just want to say welcome and if there’s anything you need feel free to ask me for help, okay sweetie? Ummm…oh okay Judith. “Oh please call me Judy everybody does! Okay Judy, thank you. Judy tried her best to walk away sexy but tripped over the Welcome mat with the company’s logo on it. Both Ashley and Derrick cracked up laughing, immediately Derrick was mesmerized by her giggle and that left dimple. “Ms. Ash you mind if I walked you to your car? No I don’t mind at all. Ashley notice that it was only three vehicles left in the parking lot her car, Jimmy the janitors’ truck and a familiar looking motorcycle. Hey wait a minute you cut me off this morning! That was you? Derrick said grinning. Hell yeah it was me, you could have gotten both of us hurt really bad. You need to be more careful Derrick and more responsible. Derrick couldn’t believe how she went from zero to ten in a matter of one second. And you need to stop being so uptight Ashley! I’m not been uptight it’s just that my… Oh never mind you really need to share to road man, life’s too short to be in a rush. I’ll see you tomorrow. Derrick didn’t understand what made her so upset and sad so quickly. He ran behind her and said I’m sorry Ash I didn’t mean to get you upset, I’ll try to be careful okay? Ashley just gave him a have smile and shut her car door a drove off.
Ash you wanna go downtown to the ESPN zone tonight Monday night football? Clarissa asked. I don’t know Rissa I have a headache and plus it’s supposed to rain tonight… Aw, come on Ash…you used to be a diehard Ravens fan when Malik was still here. Clarissa was Ashley’s best friend in the entire world, she seen Ashley at her best and her worst and vice versa. Ashley was there when Clarissa’s mom passed away from breast cancer, and Clarissa was there when the love of Ashley’s life Malik passed away, Ashley just wasn’t in the mood. Pleaseeee Ash! It’s October and they will be wearing pink for breast cancer awareness month and plus I bought you a pink Ray Lewis jersey and I got my husband Ray Rice jersey on! Okay, okay, Ashley said defeated and worn out I will meet you around six thirty because you know we have to find a parking spot! Yesss Ash! And I will bring your jersey!
3
Touchdown! Mannn the Ravens are killing the Redskins Mike yelled to Derrick over the loud noise. Yeah I have to give it to you, y’all defense is off the hook! Indeed it is my brother, indeed it is. “Whew now that’s what I’m talking about!” yelled Clarissa, who was starting to feel her drink. Derrick just so happened to look in that direction, and to his surprise he saw Ashley. Immediately his heart skipped a beat, there she was sitting there in her pink-and-white Jersey and gray jogging pants that hugged her hips just right. He was so into her he didn’t notice Mike talking about Clarissa… Derrick! Derrick! Snap out of it! Man, you see that how they gonna disrespect the jersey