7. Rory
RORY
Afew weeks later, I popped up on my mother before heading into work.
On my way over, I stopped at her favorite bagel place by my house.
Her order had been the same since I was kid.
A sesame seed bagel toasted with whitefish.
It was the simple things that made my mother happy.
No matter how busy my schedule was, I would drop in to have breakfast with her at least once a month.
I also brought some money to cover her expenses for the month.
My mother had been an art sculptor. A terrible case of arthritis caused her to stop doing one of the things she loved most in this world.
She retired from teaching and wasn’t able to use her art to supplement her pension.
When I started practicing law, I always gave her money for extras.
She never asked but I felt like she never had to.
It had been the two of us for as long as I could remember.
My mother sacrificed a lot for me to be successful. This was my way of paying her back.
I rang her doorbell and was greeted with a warm smile when she opened the door.
The woman never seemed to age. Her hair was pulled into a messy bun on top of her head.
It left her youthful brown skin on full display.
Her bright brown eyes danced with excitement as she said, “There goes my baby. Good morning, beautiful.”
“Morning, Mama,” I said as I kissed her cheek.
She walked into the kitchen and I followed her.
The recent upgrades she made to my childhood home gave it a modern contemporary feel.
When she first mentioned she wanted to redecorate I didn’t hesitate to help her find a handyman and take care of the expenses.
It made me smile to know that I was able to do things for her.
I grabbed some plates out of the cabinet for our food. Then I made myself a cup of coffee from the freshly brew pot. We sat across from each other in the kitchen nook enjoying our breakfast.
“Do you remember when Ava and I talked about opening our own firm when we were in college?” I asked.
“I remember. Is that something you still want to do?”
“I met someone, and he got me thinking about it again. With all the success I’ve had at work, I kind of forgot about it.”
“I figured you must be seeing someone but I didn’t want to be overbearing. The last few times I’ve called, you rushed me off the phone,” she said.
“I don’t remember rushing you off the phone, but if you say so. I’m dating and I’m not sure how serious it could become. There’s nothing wrong with him, but his lifestyle gives me pause. He’s the president of a motorcycle club.”
My mother put her bagel down and wiped her hands. “Well, he must be special if you’re even considering entertaining him. Aside from what he may do for money, is he good to you?”
“Yes. He’s been a gentleman since we met. He’s really smart and attentive. I’ve been enjoying my time with him. The only thing is I’m worried about what would happen if anyone at my job found out about us.”
“You don’t love your job, so maybe it’s time to start your own firm.
I know you can’t stand the stuffy, corporate boys club.
I’m sure you have some savings, so what’s stopping you?
If you branch out on your own, you can take on the clients you want.
You can even do take on those pro-bono cases like you did when you started out,” she said.
I found myself nervously tracing the top of the coffee mug.
It sounded like an easy solution, but what if I failed?
What if I left my high-paying job to turnaround and ended up with no clients?
The thought of taking such a big leap of faith was scary.
I had my mortgage, and I didn’t want to downgrade my lifestyle.
These were all things I didn’t burden my mother with.
“Listen. I see the wheels turning in your head. Whatever you decide, I will support you. I don’t want you to worry about me either.
Mommas got some money stacked away for a rainy day.
Just remember your spirit will never be at peace if you don’t follow your heart’s desires,” she said as she smiled at me.
My mother and I finished eating and talked a little longer before I had to head to the office.
She gave me a lot to think about. Between my conversation with Aasim and today, I had some things to think about.
Aasim and I had been seeing each other for a few weeks now, and things were going well.
He was nothing like the man I initially judged him to be.
The more time I spent with him, the more I worried about my job.
I knew there would be a time when I would have to choose between the two.
When the time came for me to choose, I wanted to be fully prepared.
A couple of hours later, I was in my office checking my emails.
My mother’s words of encouragement meant the world to me.
Instead of driving myself crazy thinking about the “what ifs,” I decided to do some research.
I went online and searched for law firms owned by people that looked like me.
Maybe reading up on people that succeeded in what I wanted to do could give me some inspiration.
Something in me shifted when I met Aasim.
I always imagined that my dream of starting a firm would happen later in life.
Now, it felt like the time to do it was closer than I anticipated.
I was in the middle of my research when my phone dinged. I smiled when I saw a text from Aasim.
Aasim: How’s your day going, sweetheart?
Me: It’s going.
Aasim: Wanna do dinner at Chow?
Me: Oh my God, yes. I could really go for the crispy beef.
Aasim: You always wanna eat, man. Let’s meet at six.
Me: I can’t wait.
I put my cell down and worked for another hour.
After shutting down my computer, I packed up to head home.
I headed to the parking garage and hopped in my jeep.
My music blared through the speakers as I maneuvered through traffic.
Before I knew it, I was at the light at the corner of my block.
I pulled into the parking garage and parked my car in my designated spot.
A few minutes later, I walked into the tranquility of my condo.
I did a total renovation in this place before I moved in.
Every time I stepped inside, I was glad I did.
The sunlight that filled the room from the thirteen-foot windows sold me on this purchase.
My decor was minimal, which was perfect for me.
Pure white walls with cream furniture gave a clean, finished look.
The shelves built into the wall gave the place some character.
I went into my bedroom to change my clothes.
Chow wasn’t a fancy restaurant, so I could keep it cute and casual.
I grabbed a pair of light-blue jeans, a white silk blouse, and a pair of strappy platform heels.
After taking a quick shower, I got dressed.
There was a knock at my door just as I jumped into my jeans.
I hurried to the door to see who it was.
I smiled as I checked the peephole to see Aasim standing with his hands in his pockets. “Wow, what are you doing here?” I asked, after opening the door.
“I thought it would feel more like a date if I came to pick you up,” he replied. Aasim was good at surprising me. He always did the opposite of what I expected from him.
“What a surprise. I just need to put my shoes on, then we can go.”
Aasim stepped inside and took a seat on the couch. I walked to my bedroom, then put my shoes on. After a quick onceover in the mirror, I grabbed my bag then headed back to the living room.
Aasim stood up when he saw me. “You look amazing, sweetheart.”
He reached out his arms to pull me into an embrace. When Aasim nuzzled his nose into my neck, I almost told him to forget about the date. A slight moan escaped my lips at his touch.
“Let me stop before we don’t leave the house. I know how you get when I touch your spot,” he whispered in my ear.
I hated to tear away from him. Before I slept with him, I wanted to experience him outside of the bedroom.
The more time I spent with Aasim, the more I wanted to get to know him.
It was important for me not to let sex be all that we did.
While I enjoyed being with him, there was still a conflict of interest for us.
That was something I wasn’t quite ready to ignore.