Miss Lola.

Chapter 12.

He seemed either ashamed of his family or worried about my reaction.

"Well, a lot of black families opened funeral homes back then and there is no shame in that." I sat the picture down in it's usual spot on the table. "I'm ready to go now."

Of course, we rode in his Jag.

"What about your parents? How'd they earn their bread?" Hollis asked, continuing our conversation.

"They were school teachers and my grandmother was a domestic who worked exclusively for Judge Holmes."

"He was a good man." Hollis mused.

"Did you know him?" I asked.

"Yes, through my parents. Not many people know this but the Judge was very active in the Civil Rights movement and headed a lot of committees which helped minorities."

"Well, okay. Good for Judge Holmes." I was thinking about the many ways the Judge had helped my fast in the tail grandmother and the fact that my  Uncle Leroy looked just like him.

"Are your parents still living?" Hollis asked.

"Yes, what about yours?" I asked him.

"They're retired and currently living in  Florida. My brothers run the business now."

"How many brothers do you have?" I asked.

"Two and I'm the oldest and also the most level headed one which is why my parents left the house to me." Hollis explained. "And you? How many siblings?"

"I have an older brother but he moved to California ten years ago. Why'd your parents leave you the house?"

"They were worried that my brothers would sale it in the end and Richard probably would have. He thinks the house is too expensive to keep up. But I love it."

"Well, it is kind of big for one person to be rattling around in there. Do you get lonely now that your son's in college?"

"Not really, I'm too busy to think about being lonely but now that I've met you loneliness shouldn't be a problem anymore."

I just had to open my big mouth and ask, "Well, what if you and I don't work out? Then what?"

Hollis brows knotted together, and this time when he glanced at me it was a look of concern.

"Why are you saying that? I thought that you liked me and that we were going somewhere with this relationship. I'm not trying to play games, Lola. Hell, I'm too old for all of that."

"I do like you Hollis, it's just been a long time since I've met a man like you. You're such a gentleman and so far you've treated me real good.

It's just that I've been through so much with men, I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm not ready to trust another man with my heart."

He didn't seem happy with what I'd just said but it was my truth and I've never been one to hold back when it came to three things; My kids, my money and my heart. In that order.

"If you want to take it slow, then we can take it slow. I don't have a problem with that. I just don't want to lose you." He said.

"Yes, let's try taking it slow and see where things will go from there." I agreed because deep down inside, I realized that I didn't want to lose him either. It was just that things were moving way too fast and I was afraid of getting hurt...again.

Hollis nodded, then his brows knotted again as if something I'd just said was troubling him.

"Wait a minute, how slow is slow? What are your specifications on that?"

Specifications? It sounded like he was talking about a car or something.

"Just, certain things that we can do and certain things that we can't do at least until after 3 months have passed."

"Things like what?" A concerned Hollis asked.

"Well, Hollis. I have a 3 month rule about sex. You ain't getting none until after 3 months."

His head whipped around, " Girl, you're kidding me. Right?"

"This ain't no joke, homeboy. I don't jokes about this body and I'm not in the habit of handing it out like candy either."

Hollis sniggered.

"Oh, is that how it's gone be?" He asked with a sly grin which made me frown at him suspiciously.

"Yes. And don't be thinking that you can sweet talk me into it either, Hollis. I'm serious."

"Sweet talk is for suckers." He scoffed which made me laugh despite myself.

Slowing the car, Hollis pulled into the parking lot of a place called "Bob's Barbecue" and we just sat in the Jag for a short while.

"So, no sex for 3 months huh?" Hollis had turned his head and was looking at me with a sexy squint exactly like Denzel Washington's and I wondered if this man seriously appreciated how handsome he was or his effect on me.

I'm a sucker for well maintained skin on a man and his looked unusually hydrated for a man his age and a rich, milk chocolate color and he had what

we call "good" hair and silky eyelashes and the longer I stared into his amber colored eyes the more I felt my resolve slipping and folding my arms over my chest I said sternly.

"I mean it, Hollis."

Shaking his head, he chuckled to himself and said, "You're something else, Lola. Do you know that?"

"So, I've been told." I said primly which made him crack a dimple exposing smile.

"Look, I'm not going to try to get you into bed until you're ready which will be a lot less than 3 months."

He looked so smug and so sure of himself that I started to get a little worried.

After dinner which was decent, except the macaroni and cheese was a little dry and they could have used less mayo in the potato salad, and let's keep it real, the tea was sweet enough to cause someone to go into a diabetic coma.

Hollis drove me back to his house where I slipped inside of my Mercedes and lowered the driver's side window just as he bent down to peer inside the car at me.

"What are you doing Saturday? I'd like to take you someplace special." He said.

"We've already been on three dates already. What happened to taking it slow?" I was only half joking.

Hollis made a face and groaned, "This is going to be kind of rough. Are you really gonna hold me to that three month rule thing?"

"I'm a woman of my word, Mr. Williams. So, yes."

Published 12/21/21
10/24/21.
Edited 12/1/21.
Edited 8/16/23.