Chapter 10
Luke
“Okay, so along with the six statements, do you have anything else?” Skyla asked as she looked over the statements from everyone, including one from Nas.
“Yes, one more thing.” I reached into my pocket, pulling out a folded sheet of paper from the bank that I’d kept from Hollis. I didn’t want to make a big deal about the fact that I had an account with both of our names. It was opened when I got my first check from playing ball.
I wasn’t even aware that money went into the account monthly. That was Kay’s doing and I was happy she kept up with it.
I placed the piece of paper on the table, scooting it closer to Skyla as Hollis’s eyes moved with it before she peered over at me with a quizzical look.
“Oh wow, now this is the gold mine. A bank account created over ten years ago that’s been accumulating all this time is the Holy Mecca in cases like this, almost as high as names on deeds.
You two did good. I hate to admit this, but I was a little nervous.
I even had my migraine medicine on standby.
This should be all I need. Give me a couple days to a week.
It shouldn’t take me long at all to get you guys the keys to both the house and the cars and as well as the information on the trust fund. ”
I chuckled while Hollis sat back, quiet with an unreadable expression on her face.
“I’m a man of my word. I promised no stress.”
“Good. Now, Hollis, can you please explain the condo in the Millennium Towers in writing? Then that will be everything.”
When Hollis didn’t move, I grabbed her hand, bringing it to my mouth, getting her attention.
“Hershey, they need a written statement about your office in the towers,” I said, letting her know what was said since she was clearly still stuck on the secret bank account.
“Oh yes. My apologies.” She went for her phone, so I was sure she had something already typed up. Hollis was always steps ahead of the program.
“I forgot to send that over. I’m emailing it to you now,” she said.
Skyla beamed as her smile stretched wide. “Perfect. I’m telling you, couple goals. This might be the quickest process a couple or family has ever made for me.” Once I heard the printer, Hollis was scooting back to get up.
“Is that everything? I have to get to the office. I just got an emergency text from my boss,” she said, not waiting for a response.
“Oh yes. My next call will be with the keys. Take care.” We only made it to the elevator before Hollis spoke.
“A bank account that’s been getting deposits, Luke?”
“Don’t stress it. I forgot about it. Kay reminded me about it the other day.” I shrugged, hitting the button to go down.
“Why is it still open to get them though? That’s the question. I’m sure it wasn’t a distant memory back then.”
“Honestly, it was, especially since Kay had taken over the accounts. I thought she dissolved it once the divorce papers came and went, but I guess not. If it bothers you we ca—"
“No. It’s fine. I just… I never knew you opened an account for us.”
“It was the house fund, supposed to be a surprise once I reached the goal. I had plans to buy you the one you wanted back then. You remember the one behind Jimmy’s that connected the backyards?
You had plans for your endless parties having the best space for the dance floor.
I just tried to make that happen.” I snickered uncomfortably as we reached the parking lot.
Yeah and now you’re about to sell the other one.
“Luke, I—"
“No worries, you didn’t know and it never happened. Let me get you home so I can get to the field,” I said as I opened her door, helping her inside the truck before I rounded it, getting in.
“Can I get two hard tacos with beef, both no tomatoes, add sour cream. Two soft chicken tacos, add corn salsa with lime on the side, three steak chalupas with sour cream, and a big bag of chips and a large harissa chicken queso.”
“Luke, I want the loaded nachos too please,” Hollis whispered as she leaned over the middle console, ending up in my lap, reading the menu.
We pulled up to Taco Express after the game.
This had quickly become a routine with us, stopping at whatever late night food spot before we went home.
Tonight she picked tacos, so of course we ended up in the drive-thru.
I laughed as I repeated her request to make sure they heard her.
“Will that be all?”
I tilted my head to the side to look at Hollis who was still on me, reading.
“Hershey.”
“Oh, I guess so because I don’t see what I’m looking for.”
“She’s looking for your frozen strawberry margaritas. Do you still have them?”
“Yes, what size?”
“Large,” I said, answering for her.
“You can pull around for your total.” The man spoke through the muffled speaker once more before I rode around the mini curve with Hollis moving back to her seat.
“How did you know what I was looking for?”
I snorted at her asking me to reveal a stamp on our map after getting cussed out before about doing it.
No, fool, the way you said that shit was wild as hell.
It was but I still dared not to tell her, hoping my silence would tell her.
While I paid for the food, then received it, Hollis was quiet until I began driving home.
“We truly have lived all around the city, huh?”
“Yup. It’s impossible not to see our memories wherever we go, especially not our late night food spots.
Our first date was there,” I said, thinking back to Jimmy letting me use the old school, trying to impress Hollis.
I was sixteen and had just gotten my license and pulled up to Lacy’s house to pick her up.
“It was! I remember you pulled out twenty dollars, talking some get whatever you want, Hershey, it’s on me. I looked at you like you were balling.”
“And then you told me it betta be on me.” That had us both laughing as I pulled into the garage.
“You damn right. You asked me out. I wasn’t paying for anything, Lacy taught me that.” I shook my head as I turned the key, killing the engine but keeping the music going.
“Oh my gosh, we were so young,” she said as she dazed out, staring at nothing before letting out a soft breath then going for her food while passing me my tacos and some sauce.
It was quiet, both of us getting into our food until another memory began playing over the speakers. It was as if the universe had her own agenda as the song from our wedding playlist began playing.
Out of habit I hummed it, pausing on her part since it was a duet. I was surprised when she actually sang her part, mouth full of food and all.
“Never will I walk alone again, not with you as my lover and best friend. Just us, only us till the end.”
“Just us, only us,” I said, adding my adlibs out loud as I stared at Hollis long and deep, hoping she was listening to more than the words.
We were ending the second week and I was convinced more now than ever that I’d never gotten over my wife.
We had reached week three of Hollis being at the house, and like clockwork, I walked out of my room to see Hollis at the island like every other morning since she moved in.
Today she had breakfast and her laptop in front of her.
I could tell she was working since the only thing on her screen was a document as she typed away.
And again, like each morning, she was on the phone.
This morning, I chose to do a quieter greeting since I figured she was working.
“Morning, Hershey.” She offered me a smile before she pulled the phone away from her face, hitting a button, then speaking.
“Good morning, I went and got food from Morningside. I put yours in the microwave after I got more groceries. I hope I got your order right.” I smiled at the gesture. We had been getting along.
“Thank you. Whatever you got is appreciated.” I hit the button on the microwave for a minute. That was all I could get out before her attention was back on the phone and she got up to head outside. That was when I caught the best view to start the morning.
Yeah, if it was yours.
Hollis had on some tiny shorts and ass for days, way more than back in the day and I was here for it.
I mean, yes, I noticed her body had changed with her filling out more in the thighs and titties, and my god, all that ass that was moving like the waves in the ocean with each strut she took on the deck.
My wife is fine as fuck.
As I took my first bite of the food, something clicked. She went outside like that? My feet were moving faster now, sliding the door open to hear her laughter as she spoke.
“No, I’m not doing that. I gave you something. No, correction, two somethings and both are worth gold to hold you over. Be patient while I take this time off for the next couple weeks to think of a natural approach. I’m close now.”
She laughed again as she turned to face me while her face bunched up then she mouthed, “is everything okay?” I nodded as she put her attention back on who I now knew was her boss.
“Look I have to go, and no you may not call me for anything.” She hung up then put her gaze back on me.
“It’s the food, ain’t it? I knew I should’ve done the eggs myself. Reheated eggs just don’t taste right.”
“No, that’s not the issue. The eggs are fine.”
“Then what is it?”
“You went out to the store and shit like that?” Hollis’s face fell as she kissed her teeth, walking past with me right on her ass, literally, and my dick immediately reacted.
“Luke, if you don’t get that shit off my ass I’ma chop it off and feed it to the fish for breakfast.”
I chuckled because I believed she would. We didn’t even have fish, but that didn’t stop me from finding the underlying cause of her being outside half naked.
“So I’ma take that as a yes, that you went out in public with my ass on display for the world to see.”
Hollis’s laugh was humorous as she retook her seat, eating her food while she ignored me.
I was a joke to her and wasn’t going for that shit. So I walked up behind her, placing both of my hands on the island, blocking her in as I leaned down to get close to her ear so she could hear me loud and clear.