The Only Exception

2

Jo

Walking through neighborhoods with William, we walked with our arms entangled together. We had reached the truck by now, and to say I was tired would be a understatement.

He opened my door for me. "There you go my love."

I climbed in and smiled. "Thank you." Noticing him grab his briefcase, I frowned slightly. "Don't tell me you have a business meeting William. You promised me that we would go talk."

"Don't do this right now Jo." He got annoyed easily these days. "You know that I have to work. I'll see you later on."

Rolling my eyes, once he stepped in to give me a kiss, I moved my head and it landed on my cheek. He grimaced. "Jo, seriously?"

"Just go William." I closed the back door when he stepped back.

Owen, my driver, turned my way as he questioned. "Home?"

"No, a coffee shop. I have to get something to stay awake, and then I have to go to the office." I mumbled.

"Why haven't you been going home here lately? Have you not been sleeping again?"

Sighing, I replied as he began driving. "You know my sleepless nights go in and out. These days they just happen to be in."

"How long has it been since you slept?"

"A few days. I'm just waiting to crash at this point."

"You know that's not good Jo, and what's up with him? Why he acting like that with you?"

"Probably cheating again." I answered nonchalantly.

Owen shook his head. "You need to let that man go. I know why you can't, but promise me that after you win this election you'll actually find your soulmate. He isn't it, Jo."

"I know Owen. I know, but as long as we don't have any hiccups with his actions, he can cheat all he wants." I mumbled back as we pulled up to the coffee shop. Opening my door, Owen did the same before I spoke to him. "I'll be a minute, Owen. Just park, I'll be back in 10 or so."

He nodded and closed his door again as I stepped out into the cool and brisk winter air. Adjusting my scarf and grabbing my laptop I walked into the shop. The bell chiming to life as I entered.

Walking up to the counter, the woman at the front looked up at me. Immediately, I recognized her face. She was the woman from the grocery store two days ago.

"Hi." She greeted me. "Again... Jo."

Smiling slightly at her corniness, I replied. "Hi... again, Letoya."

"I'm surprised you remembered my name." She commented more-so to herself before her volume lifted some. "What can I get you?"

"Can I get a grande Espresso Con Panna." I expressed as I glanced at the menu slightly. "No whip cream."

She made a face as she hit the icons on her screen. "See, you're sleep. The whips the best part. Hey, no offense, but you look exhausted."

"None taken..." I mumbled. "And I am pretty exhausted, but I have things to do today."

Letoya looked up at me. "Oh, you need a pick me up? You've ordered the wrong thing then." She looked back at the woman she was working with. "Mo, scratch that Espresso and make Ms. Jackson here a Hammerhead. Extra whip."

When she turned around, I raised a eyebrow. "I hate whip cream."

"Trust me, you'll love this." She flashed a smile my way and I realized that her teeth were absolutely perfect. This woman was breath taking and I couldn't help but notice it for the second time. "You sitting or do you have to go?"

"I'll sit... if you sit with me." I replied easily trying to see just how far she would allow me to take things.

She put her head down quickly as she nodded softly. I realized she was blushing. "O-Okay." I handed her a 100 dollar bill.

I stopped her when she was about to make change for me. "No, it's okay, keep the change."

"Your coffee is only 7 dollars."

"Keep the change." My voice came out more demanding as I took a sudden sense of authority. Letoya nodded softly with her head still down.

Walking away from the counter, I went and sat in a booth as I opened my computer and began pulling up files that I needed to look over.

My calendar was full around this time of the year and now that I was actually running for Senator, it only became more compact than before.

"Here you go." Letoya's voice brought me out of my thoughts as she sat the coffee in front of me quickly.

She didn't sit, nor did she move and finally I looked up at her. "Am I missing something or?"

"Try it." She pointed at the coffee mug sitting in front of me.

Picking the mug up, I tried the drink that she had ordered for me. Surprisingly, it was not nasty.

Nodding in approval I muttered. "Not bad." Smiling, she slid into the booth so that we were now face to face. I focused back on my computer screen as I spoke again. "I'm good with names and faces."

"Huh?" When I glanced up at her, I realized that she was puzzled and it was an adorable look, might I add.

"You said earlier that you were surprised that I had remembered your name, and now I am saying that I'm good at remembering names and faces."

"Oh... okay." She seemed to be at a battle with herself because for a moment she stared at me before asking. "Why'd you give me a 100 and tell me to keep the change?"

"Minimum wage isn't doing anything for you and I know that first hand. Plus you look young, how old are you?"

"20." She replied back.

"So you're in college?" I questioned even though I knew the answer already. My ears had heard Letoya when she was complaining on the phone to her friend about the tuition she had to pay.

"Yeah. Last year."

"What are you majoring in?"

"I'm a Business major, minoring in Psychology."

Nodding, I asked another question as I drunk from the drink in front of me. "So what does Letoya want to own when she graduates? It must be something if you're majoring in business."

"I want my own part of Cooperate. I don't want any bosses, I just want to have a hand in the Mans world. They don't like to see African Americans in power, and I will be one of those African Americans that stands in that prime light. The one that the white man envies."

When she spoke, I realized that she was really intelligent. Still, I couldn't quite give her that upper hand right now. "You know when you gain the world, you lose your soul."

For a moment, it was silent as she thought on exactly what I meant by that. We would work on that soon, that was on my to do list. She had to be quicker on her feet.

Finally, Letoya replied as I sipped the last of the coffee. "I'm not trying to gain the world though, I'm trying to get a hand inside of the world. It's not the same, right?"

Closing my laptop, I grabbed a napkin from the compartment it sat in on the table. Pulling a pen out of my purse, I wrote down something as I gathered my things.

When I put my laptop back in my bag, I placed it on my shoulder and slid the napkin her way as I stood up. "Next time, don't question yourself. Stay confident in your answers and don't let anyone else sway you from your opinion. Thanks for the coffee."

Walking out of the coffee shop, I immediately caught Owens eye. He rushed out of the truck to open my door for me and I thanked him as I slid into the backseat of the truck.

As he drove to my office, my face sat firm, a straight face edged permanently now that I was in my own world. This would be a long election, and I needed to make sure I was ready.