Lookin' For Luv Read online

  At nine o’clock a fire engine drove by and woke him. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and grabbed the remote. He flicked on BET and caught the end of the 1-900-BLACK-LUV commercial they seemed to be playing all the time now. Seeing it reminded him of his own message recorded a few days earlier. His curiosity was aroused, and he dialed the line to see if he had received any responses.

  He nervously waited for the recording. “If you’re calling to retrieve your mail, press three.” As he felt the sweat build on his forehead, he pressed three. “Please enter your mailbox number.” Kevin punched in 2929 and waited. “You have five messages. If you would like to listen to your messages, please press one.” Taking a deep breath, Kevin pressed one.

  “Hi, Kevin, my name’s Paula, and I’m a twenty-six-year-old full-figured woman from Queens.” The voice was sultry and immediately captured Kevin’s attention. “I’m light-skinned and love both reggae and sports. I’m also an exceptional soul food cook.” This brought a broad smile to Kevin’s face as he looked down at the half-eaten turkey sandwich on the floor. “I have a real attraction for dark men. The blacker the better. So please give me a call. My beeper number is 555-1231. Sorry I can’t give you my home number, but my husband would kill us both.”

  Kevin threw the pen he had grabbed to copy down her number and pounded his fist into the arm of the recliner. Damn. She had my taste buds going. I could taste her fried chicken and macaroni and cheese. Shit. Why you gotta be married?

  “If you would like to save this message, press one; if you would like to delete this message, press two.” Kevin pressed two angrily. “Next message.”

  “Hey, baby, I’m Desire. I listened to your message and it really turned me on. How about the two of us getting together for a hot, steamy love session? Just in case you’re wondering, my breasts are a perfect thirty-six C and my ass is shaped like a ripe peach waiting to be eaten.” Kevin gulped hard when he heard her last comment. Snatching another pen from the table, he eagerly waited for her to get to her phone number. “Kevin, I really need a man like you to put out the fire building inside me. Please give me a call at 555-3—” Kevin waited for the last three digits of her phone number, but they never came. Her voice faded away as if she had placed her hand over the receiver, teasing him.

  “Oh, noooo. God, please don’t do this to me.” He swore, hitting three to replay her message, again with the same results. Kevin’s thoughts were lustful now, and his main purpose had become finding a sex partner. Anxiously he listened for the next message, hoping it would be someone as tempting as Desire, who actually left her number.

  “Hello, Kevin, my name is Sister Mary Pat, from the Gotta-be-Saved storefront church in Jamaica, Queens.” The pleasant voice sounded as if it belonged to an old woman. “I’ve been saved by our Lord, Jesus Christ. Have you? You seem like a nice young man from your message. But nice is not good enough. You need to find Jesus and forget about the lustful thoughts these women can bring about in you. Why don’t you come down to our church and be baptized? Both the Lord and I will be here waiting.”

  Kevin looked upward, astounded, as if God had known exactly what he was thinking after he’d heard Desire’s message.

  Sister, if I wanna find Jesus on the phone, I’ll call my Mama’s prayer line. He shook his head. How do people like her get on these lines, anyway? They need to do somethin’ about that.... He pressed two and hoped for a better message.

  “Ay, baby, what’s up?” a seductive voice purred. “My name is Champagne, and I’m nineteen. I’m an exotic dancer, and I’m looking for a man who won’t stress me about my job or the hours I keep. At the same time, I want someone to treat me with the respect I deserve. I heard your ad, which said that you have a good job and a nice body. Those are definite pluses, ’cause a high-maintenance woman needs a man who can take care of all her needs.”

  “Stupid gold-diggin’ bitch,” Kevin growled. He pushed two before the message was even over. Disgusted, he was about to hang up, when he heard a very sexy but nervous voice.

  “Hello, Alicia, my name’s Kevin. I mean Kevin, my name’s Alicia. Sorry about that. I guess I’m a little nervous. I was listening to your ad and something in it made me leave a message. You know the part where you say you’re not interested in playing games and want someone to keep it simple and down-to-earth? Well, I think that’s me. I’m not promising I’ll go out with you, but I’d love to talk. Give me a call. 555-6443.”

  Thoughts raced through Kevin’s mind as he scribbled down the number. She sounded so sincere and straightforward that he was instantly attracted. He was getting tired of the many fast-talking, dishonest people he had met since moving north. Alicia’s message had made her sound ideal, and now he was eager to meet her. He grabbed the phone to dial, but then had a quick flash of reality.

  Damn, what if she’s real ugly? Or what if she’s real fine and thinks I’m ugly? What if ... Kevin stared at the phone. What if I don’t call and she’s the girl of my dreams? Picking up the phone, he dialed the number.

  “Hello, may I speak to Alicia please?”

  “This is she,” a sweet, almost poetic female voice answered.

  “Hi, Alicia, this is Kevin.”

  “Kevin?” she sounded confused.

  “From 1-900-BLACK-LUV.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry. How are you?” Her voice tensed.

  “A little nervous, to be honest.”

  “I know the feeling. I can’t stop my foot from shaking.”

  Kevin smiled when he heard that. He liked that she was being honest. No games.

  The line was quiet as both of them tried to think of something to say.

  “I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been on a blind date. I have no idea what I’m supposed to say or do,” Kevin finally admitted.

  “Neither do I.” She laughed.

  “Look. Why don’t we make up our own rules as we go along?” he suggested.

  “Sure,” she answered, “maybe that way we can get to know each other first.”

  “Okay, rule number one. You have go to dinner with me Friday night. No commitment, no expectations. Just two friends trying to enjoy each other’s company.”

  “I like the idea of no expectations, Kevin, but is this a date, or what?”

  “Why don’t we decide that at the end of the night?”

  “Okay,” Alicia answered. “Rule number two. I get to pick the restaurant.”

  “Aw’ight, but just remember, I’m a teacher, not a banker.” Both of them laughed.

  “Call me later in the week, Kevin, and we’ll make the plans.

  “No problem, Alicia. Good night.”

  “Good night.”

  Kevin hung up the phone with a huge grin on his face. This girl definitely had promise.

  Kevin and Tyrone walked into Mama Dee’s soul food restaurant at 8:30 Friday night, both dressed to impress. Searching the bar for a woman in a red dress, both men smiled when they realized that Alicia was not there yet. It had been four days since Kevin’s phone call with her, and he was extremely nervous about their first date. He checked his watch and realized he was a half hour early, not fifteen minutes, as he had planned. Placing his arm around Tyrone’s shoulder, he steered him to the bar.

  “Yo, Ty, I ‘preciate you comin’ out here with me tonight, bro.” He ordered two beers as he patted Tyrone’s shoulder.

  “No problem, Kev. I still can’t believe you’re goin’ through with this shit.”

  “That’s the same thing Antoine said.”

  “Don’t worry, Kev. Even if she’s a dawg, an’ I got twenty says she is, I’m here for ya.” Tyrone laughed as he downed his beer and motioned to the bartender for a refill.

  “I bet you do, Ty. But this sistah Alicia seemed aw‘ight on the phone. I’m just gonna play it cool and keep it real. Besides, I’m lookin’ forward to having dinner with a nice female.”

  “I hear that, Kev. But what you gonna do if she’s a female gorilla?” Kevin laughed at his friend’s joke, bu
t inside he prayed that the joke wouldn’t be on him.

  Kevin couldn’t help but notice that Tyrone had already downed his second beer. “Tyrone, man, aren’t you drinking those a bit fast?”

  “Come on, Kev, this is pisswater beer. It ain’t like it’s Old E or somethin’.” As he said it, the bartender had already placed a third in front of him. Tyrone turned toward the door and almost choked on his drink. “Damn! Didn’t you say she’d be wearing a red dress?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, brotha, I think she’s here, and she ain’t no dawg either. Homegirl is fine as frog hair.” He gestured toward the entrance.

  Trying to look casual, Kevin glanced at the woman. “Whaa! She is fine, isn’t she? Damn, look at those legs.”

  “Yeah, an’ baby got back too. Damn, Kev, you done fucked around and hit Lotto.”

  All Kevin could do was smile.

  “Tell you what. Why don’t you go home and I’ll be Kevin?” Tyrone laughed, half serious.

  Kevin took a second look at the woman’s pretty face, the color of cocoa, which complemented the near-perfect picture.

  “Not in this lifetime, bro. Besides, she’s expecting Superman, not Clark Kent. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got business to take care of.” He straightened his collar and stood up.

  “Yo, Kev, I’m gonna chill here for a while just in case. You never know. She could be a chickenhead in disguise.”

  “Aw’ight, this should cover the tab until I’m ready to leave.” Kevin reached into his pocket and pulled out a twenty-dollar bill. He handed the money to Tyrone and winked.

  “Yo, thanks, man.” Tyrone took the twenty. “And good luck.”

  Kevin approached the woman, who was talking with a waitress. He cleared his throat as he approached them. “Excuse me.”

  The waitress turned to face Kevin. Giving him a quick head-to-toe look, she smiled at him approvingly. “Yes, can I help you?”

  “I wanted to ask the young lady if her name was Alicia.” Kevin smiled as he noticed she was even more attractive up close.

  “Yes, I’m Alicia. Are you Kevin?” She tried to appear calm, but she was busy praying that this fine man was her date for the evening.

  “Yes, I’m Kevin.” He extended his hand. “It’s a real pleasure to meet you, Alicia.”

  “No, the pleasure’s all mine.” She blushed. “I hope you don’t mind me saying this, but I really wasn’t expecting someone so handsome.” The waitress chimed in with an “mmm-hmm.”

  Now it was Kevin’s turn to blush, and it wasn’t easy for him to stop.

  “We’ll take that table now,” Alicia told the waitress as she . and Kevin finally took their eyes off each other.

  As the waitress led them to a table in the back, Alicia let Kevin lead. Damn, he’s got a nice butt. She thought as she smiled to herself.

  They were seated at a small round table in the comer, and Kevin ordered a beer. Alicia ordered a glass of white wine, and they sat and smiled at each other until Alicia finally broke their contented silence.

  “Did you have a hard time finding this place?”

  “No, your directions were great. How’d you find this place anyway? My mother would love it.”

  “It is nice, isn’t it? I work across the street as a legal secretary, so sometimes I come here for lunch. I wanted our first date to be in a familiar surrounding.”

  “Hmm, that makes sense.” He nodded. “Is that also why you didn’t want me to pick you up at home?”

  “Sort of, but the main reason is I didn’t think it was proper for you to meet my son until I get to know you. He’s a very bright and impressionable kid, and I don’t think I should bring every Tom, Dick, and Harry home to meet him. No offense.”

  “None taken. I’m a teacher, remember. I always want what’s best for the kids.”

  He meant that, but he couldn’t help thinking about himself too. He wondered if he could handle a relationship with a single mother. And he already knew he would have some explaining to do to Mama, who had her own opinions about unwed mothers. She would say he deserved to have his own children, not some other man’s.

  “You’re really sweet, Kevin. Why don’t you tell me a little about yourself?” Alicia gently touched his hand.

  This is the part of a date I always hate. He smiled nervously but thought this woman was definitely worth the effort, so he began. “Hmmm. Let’s see. My full name is Kevin Brown, and I’m the oldest of three. I’m from Hopewell, Virginia. I graduated from Virginia State University.” He paused for a second and looked in her eyes. “I feel like I’m at a job interview. Why don’t you just ask me some questions? I’m sure there’s something you wanna know.” He hoped she didn’t sense his discomfort.

  “Okay, Kevin. I really didn’t mean to stress you.” She smiled. “Why don’t I start?”

  Nodding, Kevin sat back in his chair and relaxed as Alicia began to speak.

  “As you already know, I have a little boy. His name is Michael, and he’s seven years old. And yes, I had him when I was seventeen.” She looked a little worried as she revealed the news.

  “That’s none of my business,” he answered honestly, not trying to judge her.

  “It could be your business if you plan on seeing me again. So I just wanted you to know that I’m no tramp. I was with Michael’s father for eight years and would still be with him now if he didn’t beat me so bad.”

  “He beat you?” Kevin tried not to sound too shocked.

  Alicia knew she was revealing a lot of information for a first date, but she had decided that if she met a man who couldn’t handle her past, she wanted to know right away. She wasn’t about to waste time. She looked Kevin directly in the eye. “Yes, Trevor used to beat me.”

  “You did call the police and have him arrested, didn’t you? Any man low enough to hit a woman needs to be in jail.”

  “No, I didn’t call right away. Not until he put me in the hospital and the police visited my bedside. I know you probably think I’m a fool, Kevin, but the story is more complicated than you think”

  Kevin folded his hands and sat back in his chair, wondering what excuse she would come up with for the lowlife. He waited silently for her to continue her story.

  “You see, my problems started long before Trevor. They started with my father, Kevin. As long as I can remember, my father has been an alcoholic, and when Dad drinks, he becomes violent. Unfortunately for Mom, over the years he started drinking every day. So when I started dating Trevor”—she took a deep breath—“he was doing the same thing I saw growing up. For me it was normal for a man to hit a woman. I thought he honestly loved me. Then, as the years went by and the beatings got worse, I tried to leave. That’s when he put me in the hospital.”

  A tear slid down Alicia’s cheek, and Kevin leaned forward to touch her hand gently as she continued.

  “Thank God for my social worker at the hospital. She got Michael and me into a shelter, then an apartment of our own.”

  “So what happened to that guy Trevor?” Kevin asked with sympathy. He wished he knew so that he could beat the hell out of him. He had no patience for men like that.

  “I heard he was living in Brooklyn, but I haven’t seen him because of a restraining order.” She wiped away a few tears as she regained her composure and realized she had just poured her heart out to a man she hardly knew. She hadn’t expected to cry in front of him.

  “I’m sorry, Kevin. I hope this isn’t freaking you out. Sometimes I get a little emotional. I just felt comfortable with you, but now I’m afraid I went too far.”

  Before Kevin could even respond, the waitress approached the table. She eyed him with suspicion as Alicia quickly wiped away her tears.

  “Is everything all right?” the waitress snapped as she placed their drinks on the table.

  Kevin sneered at the nosy woman as Alicia nodded and gave a weak smile.

  “Would you like to order?” she asked.

  Realizing that they hadn’t even lo
oked at the menu, Alicia and Kevin quickly scanned the choices. Alicia ordered a fish dinner with french fries and corn bread. Kevin, unable to make up his mind between pork chops or chicken, finally decided on the combination dinner with collard greens and macaroni and cheese. The waitress left, and Kevin gave Alicia an understanding smile before speaking.

  “I know how it is to have an alcoholic father. My dad died of cirrhosis of the liver five years ago.”

  “Oh, my God, Kevin, I’m so sorry,” she mumbled, her eyes full of tears once again.

  “Hey! Hey! Don’t cry again. It’s aw’ight. My dad was never there for me. I played basketball all my life and he never came to one damn game. I don’t want you to feel sorry for me. I just want you to know I understand and I want to be your friend.”

  This man is too good to be true. Alicia reached across the table and gently held Kevin’s hand. She picked up her glass with her free hand and looked into his eyes.

  “Here’s to friendship and possibly more.”

  “And possibly more!” Kevin repeated as he raised his own glass.

  They laughed and joked like old friends for hours, never realizing that the entire restaurant staff was waiting for them to leave. Suddenly the waitress was at their table.

  “Look. You two seem to be getting along real good. Why don’t y’all go down to the Kew Motor Inn and get a room so the rest of us can go home?”

  Embarrassed, Alicia surveyed the room, only to find the whole staff staring at them. Kevin quickly paid the bill and made sure the waitress saw him leave a twenty-dollar tip. “Sorry about the inconvenience.” He grabbed Alicia’s hand softly as he led the way out the door.

  They walked to Alicia’s car holding each other closely. He had his arm around her shoulders, and she was pressed against him with her arms wrapped around his waist. At her car Alicia stepped back and looked into Kevin’s eyes.

  “Tonight was really special, Kevin. I have a good feeling about you.”