“Pretty wonderful stories. You should be proud. You’re doing incredible things, Aaron. Thank you for letting my best friend be a part of it.”
Aaron’s and Rena’s proposal to the Tesano board had been approved for funding. Tesano employees were now eligible for emergency financial support for various and often unexpected personal crises.
“She’s a pretty cool girl,” Aaron said of his partner and then cringed. “Don’t tell her I gave her a compliment-she’d never let me live it down.”
Giselle laughed. “I promise.”
Aaron pointed toward the table. “Sure you don’t want to reschedule? This looks like a headache that won’t be going away anytime soon.”
“Oh, I’m almost done and Humphrey won’t need these books for another two days.”
Aaron appeared more intrigued at the sound of his brother’s name. It took his thoughts to the conversation he hoped to have with Giselle during lunch.
“What’s wrong?” She’d noticed his expression.
“Have you talked to Gabe yet?”
She stiffened noticeably. “Sure, I’ve talked to him,” her tone was intentionally flippant before she turned regretful. “How do you think I’m supposed to start this, Aaron?”
“Take him to meet your family.”
“That’s not funny, Aaron.”
“I didn’t intend it to be.”
Giselle left the table of books where she worked and moved to the row of windows on the other side of the room. “I know this is important, Aaron, but that won’t make it any easier.”
“I know, honey,” Aaron’s quiet tone was hauntingly reassuring, “but it has to happen if you plan on any kind of honest life together.”
“And what about my parents?” Her question seemed to razor through the air. “This isn’t just about me, Aaron. I can’t risk them being pulled into anything ugly and I don’t know what I’ll do if Gabriel turns out to be...the wrong man.”
“Everyday you wait, you make it harder for the both of you.”
Giselle turned, resting back on the tall windows. “How did you get so wise?”
Aaron laughed. “Don’t know how wise I am. Whatever I have of it comes from my dad.”
“Do you think your parents will approve of us?”
Some of Aaron’s ease, evaporated. “My dad would. My mother...well, as a mother, I suppose she’ll never be quite ready to see any of her little hatchlings fly off to a new nest.”
Giselle looked around the room they occupied. “No one here knows about me. We’re a pretty tight group here, but I can’t say for certain they wouldn’t spit in my face if they knew they’d been working, eating and sharing the same bathroom with a black woman all these years.”
“Times have changed a little. They might surprise you.”
“Wise and noble,” Giselle’s tone carried a higher regard. “Do you always see the best in people?”
“I try. I don’t always succeed.”
Giselle nodded as if she were trying to process the outlook and apply it to her own psyche. With a start, she pushed off the windows. My sweater and purse are just in the staff room. I’ll go grab them.”
Aaron watched Giselle go, then he took a turn around the spacious work area. The room carried walls and walls of shelving. Barely a free spot remained as the rows were cluttered with books coming loose from their spines, old maps and an endless supply of boxed microfilm and empty reels.
Aaron returned to the table where Giselle had been working and he picked up one of the books his brother had requested. Idly, he scanned the cover and then set it aside. To pass time, he scanned a few of the covers. He was frowning by the time he read the cover of the fourth book- The Inner Exploration of Female Reproduction. There was also Surgical Tools and Techniques, and Genetics Mastery by Dr. Orion P. Zaltz.
Aaron studied the sheets Giselle had been checking the books against. The pages comprised a list. He read a quarter of the way down and then dropped them to the endtable as if they burned his fingers.
“Humphrey...what the hell...?”
~57~
“Something smells wonderful,” Imani raved when Roman opened the door to Pitch’s loft.
“Thanks. It required hours of prep time and slow cooking,” he said.
Imani’s eyes narrowed in surprise. “Why didn’t you say you could cook when we had dinner at Candace’s?”
“Because I can’t. This feast is courtesy of my mother’s secretary.”
Imani’s laughter was uninhibited. “Did she cook it here?”
“Brought it with her to the office today for me to bring here and reheat.”
“Nice of her and of Pitch,” Imani gave a graceful wave. “Letting you borrow his apartment while he’s away with Candace for the weekend,” she smiled while observing the loft. “He certainly keeps a spotless home.”
Roman barked out a laugh. “Now that, I can take credit for. As part of Pitch Tesano’s unpaid housekeeping staff, I thank you.”
“Well you’ve done a great job.”
