Nadine Cross - Life Unknown

Chapter Two - A New Day

Chapter two

A New Day

And so she did.  Once back at work Nadine felt like her old self again.  She found herself ready able and willing to face each new day.  She was determined to live again.  Over the weekend she had made the necessary changes to her appearance and found it easier to look at herself in the mirror.  Sure she had lost thirty pounds, but that was a good thing as Nadine herself had noticed how overweight she had become during the last few months with Ty.  A trip to Jackie’s Famous Hair Salon had done the trick on her hair, face and nails.  A trip to Macy’s had done the trick for her clothing problem since she was now a size 6.  Nadine was never a high maintenance gal, but she needed to look as good as she was now starting to feel.  After all, as her sister Michelle always told her “the best revenge is to live well.”  Michelle ought to know, she left her husband some ten years before when she found him in their bed with another man and realized that her intuition was “dead on the money” about Stephan.  Sure he played the part of the manly man, but inside he was as soft as butter left on a hot stove.  Michelle was the embodiment of the “best revenge” game.  After she left her husband she drained his ass dry and then sued him for alimony.  Of course the judge had no alternative but to award her everything she wanted as Michelle had made Stephan all that he was today (well… except gay).  She put him through school and stuck by him and his dreams.  Put her dreams on hold in order that they could live out his.  This all cultivated into his thriving practice of which she now owned half.  “Live well.”

One afternoon while organizing her desk, Nadine came across the phone number of a blind date whom she had stood up many months before.  The date was set up through an old friend right after her break up with Ty and she just wasn’t ready to get back into the dating game just yet.  It was way too soon.  She had spent the best years of her life with Ty and was not accustomed to anything or anyone else.  She reneged on the date, upset the friend who set them up, but found peace in the fact that it was her choice and decision to make.  For the most part, it was Ty who had control over Nadine and her decisions as everything had to be governed by him.  As Nadine looked at the number she thought “this must be fate, this number just re-appearing after all these months.”  Hmmm she thought, “I wonder if I should call him.” 

The first call she made however, was to her sister Michelle in New York.  Michelle agreed that it was either fate or some kind of freaky “coinkydink”.  “You should call him” she said.  “What do you have to lose, certainly not your virginity.  But then again after being with only one man in 15 years you kind of become a virgin all over again to all other men!” her sister exclaimed.  “Ha ha very funny” Nadine replied sarcastically.  “This coming from a woman who did the bump and grind for ten years with a man who liked his deliveries through the back door!”  “Girl ya wrong and ya know ya wrong now!” Michelle screamed with laughter.  “Stop procrastinating and call the man.”

The next call Nadine made was to Malcolm.  She was so nervous and excited at the same time that her palms sweat as she dialed.  She hung up several times before completing the number, her heart racing.  The phone rang several times and then a recording came on.  “This is Malcolm Henderson.  I can’t get to you right now, but leave me a number and I’ll holla back.”  The smile that came over Nadine’s face had not been experienced in such a long time it almost frightened her.  She was actually blushing; her face hot and extremely red.  “Oh-my-God!  What a voice!”  This had to be the voice of the sexiest man in the entire universe…so deep and so freaking silky smooth.  She had fallen in love with Ty’s sexy voice but this was drop-your-drawers-drink-my-bath-water-come-hither-and-fuck-me sexy!!  There was no way Nadine could resist responding to the recording and leaving a message.  “This is Nadine.  I was given your number by Rasheed.  I don’t know if you remember me or not, but if you’re still interested, I’m still available.  Give me a call.”  “How lame” Nadine thought to herself.  He’s probably going to think I’m some dumb ass ho.  “I don’t know if you remember me or not.”  Ahhhh!!!

Much to Nadine’s surprise, half an hour later Mr. Malcolm Henderson returned her call.

No he did not think Nadine was a dumb ass ho.  He thought that she was just not ready to get back into the dating scene and that was cool with him.  He was actually pleasantly surprised she had called him.  He had been wondering for months what she would be like.  Malcolm and Nadine talked for what seemed hours about their personal lives and basically life itself.  Her move from New York, his life in the South, her soon to be ex-husband, his present baby momma, her work at the University, his work with the State.  Malcolm worked for the Department of Abused and Exploited Children run by the State.  Wow!  She thought.  “This brother must really be together if they trust him with the type of job he claims he has.”  He sounded intelligent enough.  He seemed self assured.  The rest remained to be seen. 

For the next few days they were inseparable by phone.  During those conversations they talked pretty much about everything and sometimes nothing.  Malcolm was 30 and Nadine was ten years his senior.  Usually Nadine was proud of her age as she looked not a day over 25!!  But this time she lied and told Malcolm she was 35.  She somehow felt intimidated and unsure of herself and did not want to scare the brother off even before she could find out if he was as good in bed as his voice and his attitude indicated.  Malcolm didn’t have a problem dating an older woman.  In fact, he complained about the younger women currently in his life that had some serious issues and needed to grow up.  He now felt that he needed to be with someone closer to his own age and definitely much more mature.  Or so he told Nadine.  During one of their numerous conversations, Nadine found out that Malcolm was not single, but still wanted to meet her and “get to know” her.  Malcolm, it seemed had a lot of “baby mama drama”, which should have been the first clue for Nadine to back away slowly.  But of course she didn’t.  Curiosity killed the cat.  During each conversation, Malcolm inquired about coming over to Nadine’s place but she was not going for it.  She felt she was not ready to meet this man unless it was on public turf.  She would much rather meet him outside her place, lessening the chance that he would do her harm if he should turn out to be some kind of sociopathic serial killer like the Son of Sam or Richard Ramirez.  Normally serial killers are white males aged 20-45, but Nadine was not taking any chances.