Searching for Anika

Chapter 1

Whew! Finally! I'm back home, I thought to myself, as I walked through the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. Being back home in Atlanta meant everything to me. This is where it all started. From me graduating undergrad at SCAD to signing my deal and even falling in love with my college sweetheart, Xola. I knew she had been waiting for me to come back home since I left to go on a world tour with Nu Dawn 7 months ago. This was like, my third world tour I've done since signing on to be D. Cuzz's official DJ 5 years ago. Ever since then, my career has been like a rocket. Just taking off. I'm glad to be back home, though.

    As I approached the gates, I could see my baby leaning up against the passenger side of her new, midnight blue Chevy Impala. It was her birthday gift, last year, since I was in Tokyo at the time and couldn't make it back to the states, to spend time with her. So, I figured she could use a new car. Xola was scrolling through her phone and didn't notice me walking through the double doors. Then, she finally put her phone in her back pocket and looked up just in time. Once she saw me, she started screaming and jumping up and down. She was super excited. Like I was Beyoncé or something.

    "BABY! OH MY GOD! I missed you so much!", she said as she ran up to me and hugged me tight. I dropped all my bags and welcomed her embrace. Damn, I thought to myself. She smelled like honey and vanilla. I closed my eyes, at the thought of remembering one of her favorite body washes she used. I missed that smell, just as much as I missed her. We pulled back from hugging each other and she gave me a big ol' juicy kiss.

    "I missed you, too, baby," I said, as we both started to pick up my bags and suitcases. Xola helped me load everything into her car. As we drove off, we began to catch up. With me telling her about the tour, everything I saw and experienced and all of the many souvenirs I got for her, from every country I visited. It felt so good to be back home and even better, with my baby.

    Xola and I made it back to our condo safely. We decided to order some lunch and then, we made intense, passionate love. It's been 7 months since we've been able to hold, touch and kiss one another. So, I had to make sure that I and my new friend, Mr. Dicksy, put it down forreal. We had been cuddling afterwards, still catching up and had the TV on but we weren't really watching it. Just in our own little world or whatever.

    Then, a commercial came on that instantly distracted me. There was a black woman, who looked as if she could be in her mid 40's to early 50's, rocking a short salt and pepper colored bob and a white pantsuit. She was advertising her business as a private investigator. In the commercial, she stated that she had a 98% success rate at finding long, lost family members and has even investigated cheaters in marriages and relationships. Her name was Diane Colley. At the end of the commercial, she had her name, number, social media pages and website displayed with her slogan, "Find who really matters to you today!"

    I reached over to my nightstand, by my side of the bed and grabbed my phone. I opened up The Gram and searched for Diane Colley's page. Once I got to her page, I saw the website link and began to read the reviews. Hannah C. said, "Diane helped me find my twin sister! We were separated at birth and adopted into two different families. I always knew I had a twin sister because my adoptive mother told me when I was 10 years old. I made a promise to myself that once I got older, I was going to find my sister and I'm so glad I did. We have the most amazing relationship and are still getting to know each other til this day. Thanks, Diane! You're the bomb dot com!"

Michael K. said, "I was married to my high school girlfriend for 20 years. We had three kids together and I thought she was happy, just as much as I was. But it started to feel as if something was missing. We wouldn't be intimate with each other anymore and sometimes, I would try to kiss her and she would just shoo me away, like I was a gnat or something. She used to love my random kisses but, like I said... it felt like something was missing. I hired Diane to find out the truth and boy, did she! My wife had been cheating on me with the next door neighbor for an entire year! How did it miss me? I mean, I had no idea. But I guess that comes with the territory of being married since we were 17, along with three kids. Hell, we were just kids ourselves! But, in the end, I decided to choose myself. I officially divorced my wife and I've been a single dad for 5 months now. I'm still adjusting to my new normal but I'm glad that I don't have that looming, negative feeling anymore. If there's any beautiful, single ladies in Atlanta that wants to date, holla at me! Shout out to Diane! She's the truth!"

Ok, I'm not gon lie. I laughed at that last review. Because not you trying to get your swerve on, on this lady's professional website. I just shook my head and kept reading the reviews. From what it sounded like, Diane Colley just might be the real deal. The black feminine version of John Walsh. Xola had just walked back into the room, drinking a bottle of water. I had to ask my baby for her opinion.

"Hey baby. I just saw this commercial about a P.I. here in Atlanta. Her name is Diane Colley. I've been reading her reviews and it seems like she's the truth. What do you think about me hiring her to help me find my mom?"

Xola stopped drinking her water bottle and closed it. Then, she turned to me and said, "You know what? I'm glad that commercial came on because it's actually something I've been meaning to mention to you for a while now. I think it would be good for you to hire her. Maybe get some closure and have all the questions you've had about your mom answered. I fully support it, babe."

This is why I love this girl. From day one, she's been the best support system there could ever be, outside of my adoptive mother, Elaine. God, I miss her. She passed away from breast cancer 2 years ago, when Xola and I were living in L.A. I know she would have supported me in this, too.

"I tell you what... I'm going to call Diane Colley in the morning. I don't have anything but time anyways, since I'm not going on tour again until next summer, with BK Kidd."

Xola turned and looked at me, sideways.

"What baby?"

"Who the hell is BK Kidd?"

"Some new rapper from Brooklyn. D. Cuzz's manager, Woody, linked us up while I was on tour with Nu Dawn. You remember when D. Cuzz got locked up for not paying his probation officer that one year?"

Xola started to nod her head. "Oh yeah, I remember when that shit went down. Nobody didn't know if D. Cuzz was gon ever get released. Why wasn't that man paying his probation officer? He has money. Or had money. What a shame and a waste of talent because he was good!", exclaimed Xola, as she shook her head and got back into bed with me.

I sighed, reminiscing on the day when we were at Summer Jam in Orlando, Florida, about two years ago. D. Cuzz literally got the handcuffs put on him, right before he went on stage.

"I don't know, baby. But anyways, BK Kidd is Woody's new artist now. He's not going on tour until next summer and from the schedule that Woody sent me, it's only going to be 2 months I'm away. Maybe longer, if he can add some more dates. But until then..."

Xola got closer to me and we cuddled together. Shortly after that, Xola fell asleep. I whispered in her ear, "Good night, gorgeous. I love you and appreciate you." Xola moaned, as if she was annoyed. She always hated whenever I did that because when she falls asleep, she doesn't like to be disturbed. But she said it back.

"I love you, too.", and fell right back asleep.