9. Lawton
Lawton
“Iguess you don’t have anything to say now,” I joked with Talitha.
When she said Gema ain’t play about her, I decided to fuck with her. Every time I said something out of the way, I got a good laugh out of watching her squirm.
Now she was sitting next to me staring out of the window. I don’t know what it was, but older women loved me, and her Gema was no different. She was really sitting there flirting and I was forcing myself not to laugh because I knew Talitha was probably embarrassed.
“You won’t expound on what you said so…” she trailed off.
“We can talk about it later. You packed warm clothes?”
“As warm as I could. When we get to there, I need to find a dress to wear.”
“That’s fine. I’ve gotta get a tux and get it altered so we can shop in between that appointment.”
“This gala… Is it something that happens yearly?”
“It is,” I confirmed.
“And it’s your friends way of raising money for autism.”
“Correct.”
“So, if your friend is having his annual gala to raise money, how do you expect us to secure investors for the tech school, Law?”
“Rich people have this thing that we do. Conjugate for a few events throughout the year, drinks are flowing, chatter is happening, money is being tossed around. You know… I donate to your cause; you pay it forward and donate to someone else’s.”
“Rich people,” she scoffed.
“Not overly pompous Talitha.” I chuckled. “The social circle I run in has afforded me the opportunity to rub elbows with some astute individuals. Those with so much money, they don’t know what to do with it.”
“And let me guess,” she countered. “You’re one of those people.”
“I may or may not be. I’m all for any cause that’s beneficial for bipoc people.”
“In other words, doing your civil duty as an African American man.”
“Precisely. It’s how white people have gotten by for all of these years.”
Crossing her legs, she frowned. “I don’t know. I guess because I don’t have unlimited funds,” she mocked.
“I’m a business owner before anything. When I first had the idea to open up my tech company, I didn’t necessarily need investors, but I had people on the sidelines willing to invest so I let them. And when my portfolio reached a certain limit, those same people were bought out.”
“What if they decided not to sale their shares?”
“That wasn’t an option. Because I didn’t need their money, it was understood per contract that once I reached a specific amount they would receive their investment plus a percentage, granting me sole ownership.”
“Yeah. I don’t desire to have that much money.” She tittered. “Sounds complicated.”
“Only if you make it. So, to answer your question, you would be surprised how many people would be willing to help you with funding.”
“You keep saying me as if this wouldn’t be your school.”
“My name may be on the building, but this my dear will be all yours. Once we get up and running, my hands are out of it.”
“That doesn’t work for me Lawton.” Her head shook vehemently. “I can’t possibly run a school and the youth center.”
“We would cross that barrier when the time comes. However, please be advised that I plan on presenting you with an opportunity that would have you stepping back from the youth center.”
“The more we talk about this the more I want to back out.” She pouted.
“But you won’t,” I confirmed.
“Let’s just get through this weekend and we will go from there.”
“Now that is an answer I’m willing to accept.”
The truck eventually rolled to a stop and when I peered out of the window, I realized we had arrived at the private airstrip. Unfastening my seatbelt, I grabbed my weekender bag off the floor and exited. Rounding the truck, I went to the door and held it open for Talitha.
Talitha took one look at the Falcon 900 series jet and mumbled something inaudible under her breath. It was clear this woman had an issue with my wealth and for the life of me, I couldn’t understand why.
I never threw my finances in anyone’s face. My father didn’t raise me that way. I also wouldn’t apologize for having worked my ass off to reach a certain socioeconomic status.
“You can head onboard and make yourself comfortable. Baker will handle the bags,” I let her know before shutting the door and walking off.
“Kennedy, what’s it looking like today?” I asked my pilot.
“Smooth ride, Dutch. We should arrive on schedule.”
“That’s what I like to hear.”
Once I made sure mine and Talitha bags were loaded safely, I boarded the plane and took my seat.
Talitha was busy talking with the flight attendant hired to assist us today so instead of trying to spark up a conversation, I pulled my laptop out of the bag, fastened my seatbelt, and waited for takeoff.
* * *
“Law.” Talitha tapped me on the arm.
“I’m sorry.” Pulling my headphones down I looked over at her. “Did you say something?”
Wringing her hands together, she looked down before peering back up at me sheepishly. “I wanted to apologize for earlier.”
“Exactly what are you apologizing for?” I bated.
“I have an issue surrounding men with money and if I came off too crass earlier, I apologize. Those are my personal issues and I shouldn’t have directed them at you.”
“Apology accepted.”
“We’re okay? You’re not rethinking bringing me along with you?”
“No. We all have our personal issues with something. I don’t hold onto anything. I tend to let people come around on their own time. I don’t pry or poke.”
“Thank you for that. It’s something I’ve dealt with in my past and when I think I’m over it, something happens to remind me that I’m not. Gema and I had a conversation this morning and it’s left me feeling conflicted. Still, that was no reason for me to take it out on you.”
“All is forgiven.” I winked. If I didn’t know any better, I would say she blushed. But Talitha was hard to read. Anytime we talked, I would feel like her firmness was cracking then she would say or do something that had me feeling like I was wrong.
“How much longer will we be in the air?”
Looking down at the time on my computer, I did some calculations. “Got about another two hours. Are you okay? Need anything?”
“I could use a glass of something.”
Nodding, I hit the overhead button for the flight attendant. “Yes sir, Mr. Harvey,” she asked and kneeled down in the aisle between the two seats.
“A shot of Bourbon for me and whatever for her.”
Talitha ordered a glass of wine with a snack. When the flight attendant walked away, she pulled the sweatshirt over her head. “What are you working on?”
“I was going through some quarterly reports.”
“For your company?”
“That amongst a few other things.”
“Does it ever get boring?” she queried.
“What?”
The flight attendant returning with our drinks put a temporary pause on the conversation. When she walked away, Talitha resumed. “That,” she clarified by pointing at the computer.
“I like money and in order for me to make money I have to do things like this. So, no it doesn’t.”
“Money isn’t everything you know.”
“Neither is being lonely. Yet you subject yourself to it quite often,” I quipped and tossed back the shot.
“Touché, Harvey.” She giggled.
“Ahhh… she laughs,” I teased. Flipping the laptop close, I placed it on the seat beside me. “What are some things you want to do while we’re here?”
“Ummm,” she pondered. “See the Hudson River, the Statue of Liberty, visit the nine eleven memorial…”
“In other words, be a tourist.” I smiled.
“Have I told you that you’re an ass?”
“A few times.”
“I googled and those were the main places people visited when vacationing here.”
“Is that all? You didn’t find anything else?”
“I did but I don’t want you to laugh at me.”
Laying my hand on my chest, I feigned insulted. “You really think that low of me?”
“You are so full of shit.” She rolled her eyes. “But no, seriously, Home Alone is one of my favorite movies and it’s always been a dream of mine to visit Rockefeller Center.”
“You really don’t get out much, do you?” I asked.
“I really don’t. I come from a small town in Georgia. Growing up, our definition of a vacation was going to the King Center in Atlanta or to the beach in Florida.”
“I was joking when I said you wanted to be a tourist, but you really do.” Swiping my tongue across my bottom lip, I nodded. “I’ll take you to Rockefeller Center.”
“See! You’re not that big of an ass.”
“You keep calling me an ass. I’m lowkey starting to get offended.”
“Don’t. It’s a term of endearment.” Her ass tossed her head back and laughed.
“Endearment my ass. First, I was rich and pompous, then an ass. I wonder how many more insults you plan on hurling my way before this trip ends.”
“Depends on how many of your friends you try to pimp me out to.”
“None. The majority of them are married, the other half live somewhat alternative lifestyles.”
“When you say alternative what do you mean?”
“They keep a plethora of women. Something tells me you’re not the type to share.”
“That something is right. I’ve been single for years. If I was to get in a relationship, he would most definitely have to be all about me.”
“Good to know.”
Peering at me over the rim of her glass, Talitha furrowed her brows. “You keep saying shit like that but won’t say what you mean.”
“Because you don’t want to know Talitha.”
“Clearly I do because I keep asking.”
“It means I’m keeping it in my arsenal for a later day.”
“Meaning…” she drawled.
“Meaning you will find out when the time is right.”
“Law,” she groaned.
“Change the subject, Talitha. You don’t wanna get into that with me. I promise, you don’t.”
“Fine.” Folding her arms across her chest, she pouted like a child.
The minute I let it slip that I was taking notes due to her piquing my interest and I now wanted to get to know her better, she would retreat fast and hard.
Talitha had a mystery to her and the more we talked, the more I wanted to know. On the outside, she appeared to be this confident woman who was sure of herself, but her eyes told a different story.