Читать книгу When Love is Unfinished - Nicole Cooke - Страница 6

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“I know he just didn’t cut me off. Man, I hate motorcyclists!” Ashley thought. “They think they own the road, he better chill because that Yamaha is no match for this Lexus! Omg! And He didn’t put his blinker on! He is really asking for it! Calm down, Ash, it’s too early to have road rage, just pull over at this 7-Eleven and get your gas and coffee and get to work safely!”

“Dag, I’m running late as usual, on my first day!” Derrick stated. “I’m sorry, Ms. Lady. I didn’t mean to cut you off, but I have to get this exit, with your cute self!”

“Ashley! So glad to see you! How was your weekend?” Ms. Richmond was Ashley’s boss. She was the best boss one could have. She was in her early fifties, but you wouldn’t know it. She was a diva in her own right, sophisticated and fly!

Ashley often says, “Ms. Richmond, I want to be like you when I grow up!”

“Oh, hey, Ms. Richmond, my weekend was okay, short but okay. Great I hope you got enough rest, we have a new hire and I need you to put on your charm and train him, I choose you because you are the best one here for the job, and my personal favorite but you didn’t hear that from me! Aw Ms. Richmond thank you. I wanna be like you when I grow up! Giggled Ashley.

“Ms. Richmond there’s a Derrick Robertson here to see you.” Please send him in Judy. Judy cut her eye at Ashley, from day one these two could not get along, Ashley returned the look. Now, now ladies let’s set a good example for the new hire! Yes ma’am, Judy answered all the while turning her nose up at Ashley. I don’t know why she be trying me Ms. Richardson, she won’t be satisfied until I knock a knot on her head. Sweetie don’t let her get you out of character. But what Ms. Richardson didn’t know was that it was Ashley’s character to bust a bit©h in the mouth when needed.

Ashley grew up in the heart of Baltimore City on the eastside of town; she was the youngest of three. Her dad was a hard worker at the local plant for foreign motors, and took pride in his family and their well-being. Mr. Charles Purnell didn’t play when it came to his family, he would often say, “Don’t play with my money, my family, and my cars!” It would sound funny, but he was serious as a pit bull with AIDS. Ashley was a daddy’s girl. She could get anything she wanted if it was in her dad’s power; however, she couldn’t get away with just any ole thing, especially not doing well in school. Ashley’s mom was a stay-at-home mom. Charles, being the country man that he was, didn’t believe in nobody else raising his children, so he refused to let Patricia work, didn’t matter if she did graduate third of her class from Morgan State University. Ashley’s older brother CJ and her older sister Chanel were the best-dressed kids on the block, and were often the target of bullying, so they thought. One time CJ had some trouble on the basketball court. Bankey, the neighborhood’s bad boy, wanted to crack slick. CJ wasn’t a fighter, but he was wasn’t no punk either. One particular day Bankey pushed CJ a little too far and got the beatdown of his life, and what made it worse, Ashley and Chanel jumped in when Bankey’s sister tried to help her brother out. Patricia was so upset. “Chuck we can’t have our children out here fighting like animals, somebody is gonna get hurt!” Somebody did get hurt! But it wasn’t our kids, he laugh. Chuck I’m serious! Okay, okay…you heard your mom no more fighting, Ashley that mean you too, ’cause you look like you’ll knock a knot on somebody’s head, I want you to behave like a nice little lady, but don’t let nobody punk you he whispered and grin at Ashley and she just smiled back. Yes, she was definitely a daddy’s girl!

Knock, knock, knock. Come in, welcome Mr. Robertson! Please Ms. Richmond, call me Derrick, he replied. Well Derrick allow me to introduce you to Ms. Ashley Purnell she will be training you, she’s the best of the best here so I know that you will be well informed on how our agency work and what make us the top leading graphic advertising 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.