LITMIR.BIZ

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only been about five minutes late the Wednesday before last, when she had stayed after class to have dinner, but she didn’t want to risk being late after class anymore, and a Saturday gave them real time to spend together. Still, she hesitated.

      “Are you sure you’ll be okay with Andre tonight? You have little Sharon, as well, and she’s only twelve months.”

      “Yes, Michelle. We’ve had him overnight before. He’ll be fine with us. Go out for a change.”

      “I don’t know.”

      “It’s been over two years since your divorce, and you haven’t seen anyone. Don’t go from a wildflower to a weed. It’s okay to have a life.” Regina got close to her, ignoring her hesitation. “Is he cute?”

      Michelle couldn’t stop the smile that spread across her face. Regina gasped.

      “He is! Tell me.”

      “Well, actually, he’s a bit like Nigel. Not in looks, but in character. He’s always doing something nice, and he’s sweet and he’s talkative.”

      And he has no idea what a wild girl I used to be or how horrible my marriage was. Michelle thought those things, but she didn’t say them. It would have been admitting her flaws, and she didn’t want to say them out loud, not even to her supportive cousin-in-law. Oh, and he’s only dated casually. But we have that cleared up, I think.

      “And he’s as handsome as all get-out. It should be illegal to look as good as he does.”

      “Uh-huh. Sing it, sister. That never hurt,” Regina said and chuckled.

      “Oh, I don’t know.”

      “Yes, you do. You go on and have a good time. It’s been a while, so take it slowly, but it’s time to get out there again. Don’t wait until college is over and then until your career is off the ground and then until Andre is grown and then until whatever it is. It will never be finished until you’re finished. Nigel and I can watch Andre more, especially now that Sharon is here. And you watch Sharon for us more than enough. Let us do a little for you, too.”

      “You both do...so much for me. I don’t know how to thank you.”

      “You just did, and you always do. Now go on. Get made up and hit the town.”

      “It’s just dinner and a movie.”

      But Michelle smiled nevertheless. She was excited to go out with Rashad—for real.

      “Where are you going?”

      “I don’t know. He says I haven’t seen D.C. in the two years I’ve been here, and he wants me to see some of it. But we’re starting with the basics.”

      Michelle had washed her hands and was gathering up her purse.

      “I’m going to pop upstairs and see Andre before I go.”

      “Sure,” Regina said, shooing her toward the door. “But don’t take long.”

      “I won’t.”

      After checking on Andre, Michelle hopped in her car and went home to get ready for the evening. She didn’t have anything fancy, but it was only a movie, so something nice would do.

      She was ready when Rashad buzzed her doorbell at six.

      “Come in. The downstairs door is open, and I’m upstairs on the right.”

      In moments he appeared at her open door.

      “Is that safe—for the downstairs door to be unlocked?”

      “I don’t know, but it always has been.”

      “You should mention that to whoever manages the building.”

      “Actually, I have. No change.”

      “We’ll have to see about that.”

      Rashad had on a brightly colored shirt for a change, and he wore it with black slacks. He also had a heavy lamb’s wool cardigan over one arm and a bag in the other hand.

      “Is it cold out?”

      “Not yet, but it will be tonight and at the movie. I should have left this in the car, but I took it off on the way up.”

      Michelle grabbed her sweater and purse, but Rashad was still looking around. “Where’s Andre? I thought I would meet him. I brought him these.”

      He handed Michelle a bag of toys.

      “He’s at my cousin’s. You didn’t buy these, did you? Toys are expensive, and he has toys. You can’t buy his approval, you know.”

      “I know, but I thought I’d try.” Rashad chuckled. “Actually, most of these are my nephew’s. He’s too old for them now, so I thought I would pass them along. These are new.”

      Rashad pointed to games and learning programs that went with a computerized tablet.

      “Trying to get him hooked on the computer early, I see. We do have one.”

      “I know. Or I figured—you being a student. But these are his very own, and all the new programs are for his age-group.”

      “Rashad, you didn’t have to. This is too much.”

      “No, like I said, my nephew outgrew most of this. Here, this is for you.”

      He pulled a DVD from the bottom of the bag.

      “I didn’t know about flowers or chocolate.”

      Michelle took a serious step back. “Don’t tell me you didn’t know about chocolate,” she said, her eyes sparkling with humor.

      “Well, I guess I know now. But what kind? See. Too many options.”

      “Anything with nuts—peanuts, almonds, pecans.”

      Rashad laughed at the passion in her voice. Then she stepped back to him and took the DVD he was holding out. It was The Color Purple.

      “Aw. I love this movie. And I don’t have it.”

      “I’m glad. I thought you might like it. You think in color. Look at your place.”

      Michelle followed Rashad’s gaze to her living room. The furniture was worn but colorful, and her walls were full of art, what she could afford, which was her own and her son’s. It did make for a rather gaudy presentation. She laughed at the thought.

      “What?” Rashad asked.

      “It’s actually quite gaudy. I hadn’t noticed before.”

      “It’s not gaudy. It’s bright. And it fills in for what you don’t have or can’t afford right now.”

      “That it does. Thank you, Rashad, for the movie and the toys for Andre. You didn’t have to, really.”

      Michelle didn’t know how to truly express her thanks. It was all more than she could have imagined and just like Rashad, as she was coming to see.

      “I wanted to. Don’t give it another thought. Are you ready to go?”

      “Yes. Where are we off to?”

      “Have you been to Gallery Place, Chinatown, in northwest D.C.?”

      “I’ve driven through it a couple of times.”

      “Good. I thought we could go to Clyde’s for an early dinner—they have just about everything. And the movie theater there has fourteen cinemas, so there should be something that we like. Does that sound okay?”

      “It sounds great. Oh, can we find parking down there, or should we take the train in?”

      “Parking is a block over. If your shoes are comfortable, we’ll be fine.”

      “They are,” Michelle said. “Let’s go.” Then she paused. “Wait. Who’s driving?”

      “I

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