Until My Heart Stops Beating (4 page)

              Rasheeda and Makeba looked toward the entrance of the office.

              “Thank you Marcella. I really appreciate it”

              “No problem. I’ll be sitting in the dining area when you’re done.”

              “Damn, what about me?”

              Marcella looked back over her shoulders. “Now you know I am not going to let you catch a bus this time of night. Stop acting up Rasheeda.”

              “I was just making sure, that’s all.”

              They guffawed. Marcella left as Rasheeda resumed counting Makeba’s bank.

              “So Makeba, it’s only us right now. You care to tell me who sent the flowers?”

              “I have no idea. Not one clue. You know if I knew I would tell you.”

              “I don’t know girl. I think you're keeping secrets.”

              “I swear I’m not. I have no idea where they came from.”

              “Whatever,” she replied in disbelief as she handed the cash sheet to Makeba to sign.

              Makeba watched as Rasheeda sealed her bag and dropped it in the safe.  Once they made sure the office door was locked they left the back of the house to find Marcella at the bar watching something on the Lifetime Movie Network. 

              “Well, I’m glad the damn bar is closed.”

              Marcella smiled. “Shut up, Rasheeda before you be catching a cab.”

              “Make me catch a cab and watch how fast I put you on the schedule for the next holiday.”

              “You wouldn’t dare!”

              “Try me Marcella.”

              Makeba laughed so hard tears were streaming down her face. 

              “What the hell you laughing at,” they yelled in unison.

              “At the both of you silly girls that's who.”

              “Let’s go,” said Marcella, rolling her eyes.

              Rasheeda reached for the light switch and noticed the flowers at the bar on top of the shelf next to the cash register.

              “Why aren’t you taking your flowers home, girl?”

              “Because I want to keep them here. You know how much I love flowers. I will enjoy looking at them while I’m working.”

              The girls eyed her suspiciously.

              “Yeah, she knows who sent them,” stated Marcella.

              “Hell yeah she do,” said Rasheeda.”

              Makeba sighed. “If I knew who sent them I would tell you.

              “That’s what your mouth keeps saying,” added Rasheeda as they helped her pull down the security gate. She locked it before walking up the concourse with Makeba and Marcella walking beside her.

              “I can’t wait to get home and take a hot shower,” said Makeba.

              “Me either girl,” added Marcella.

              “I’m telling you. A hot shower then straight to bed,” Rasheeda sighed.

              They left the terminal and caught the shuttle to the employee parking lot where Marcella’s car was parked. Once the shuttle reached their stop, they exited and began walking towards the car. Rasheeda and Marcella were engaged in conversation while Makeba’s mind was
trying to figure out who could have possibly sent those flowers. She prayed to God they weren’t from Melvin.

~*~

              The following day Makeba arrived at work as usual. As she approached the restaurant she observed a familiar face sitting in the far left corner working  on his laptop. Trying desperately to get a better look at him she passed his table, hoping he’d look up and give her more than a side profile. A prayer answered, glancing up at her with a smile as wide and as bright as the morning sun. Nervously returning his smile, she quickly averted her gaze as her heart raced. She continued her stride to the back of the restaurant so that she could punch in and begin her shift.

              Arriving at the time clock only to be met with smirks, crossed arms and inquisitive glances by Rasheeda and Marcella, Makeba shook her head and gently pushed them aside as she swiped her card. Immediately, she turned on her heels making her way to the lockers to put her things away. Not caring or acknowledging the fact that she was being followed, once in front of her locker she turned to face them.

              “What are you guys doing?”

              They chuckled. “Did you see him?” asked Marcella excitedly.

              “See who?”

              Rolling her eyes Rasheeda stood in front of Makeba blocking  her path. “Don’t act stupid. You know damn well who we're talking about. The vanilla ice cream sundae sitting in the corner.”

              Shrugging, she moved Rasheeda to the side, threw her belongings in the locker closing it shut and made her way to the bar. As she began her daily count she pretended to be frustrated as she bumped into her friend on every turn.

              “Don’t you guys have work to do?”

              Marcella leaned into her and whispered, “You think he sent the flowers?”

              As if she had solved one of the world’s greatest mysteries, Rasheeda leaned her head back, placed her hand under her chin and shook her head up and down. “It was him. It has to be. You receive a bouquet of flowers out of nowhere with no sign of who it’s from and then? Mr. GQ himself comes in here a day later. Yea right! There are no such things as coincidences. It’s him.”

              “It is not him, Rasheeda.”

              “How could you be so sure? I mean, you don’t find it odd that you received flowers from a secret admirer a day before this guy shows up. Look, we all can attest to the attraction he had for you the last time he was here. He made it his business to get as much of your attention as he could.”

              “Clearly you guys were seeing things,” she replied as she began filling up the beverage cooler.

              “Well, the way he keeps glancing over here is all the confirmation I need,” interjected Marcella.

              Frowning, she turned towards Rasheeda. “What?”

              Rasheeda was smiling as she stared in the corner where Declan was sitting.

              Annoyed, she turned her attention back to the task at hand, stocking up her bar. “Go away guys! I have work to do and so do you Marcella. You have a damn line of people that need to be rung up.”

Whatever!” Marcella scurried off to the register to take care of her customers.

              Makeba glared at Rasheeda. Getting the hint Rasheeda followed behind Marcella but not before alerting her friend that a certain gentlemen was approaching the bar. Not bothering to look over her shoulders she shooed her friend away.

“Good morning.”

              Glancing over her shoulders she said, “Good morning.”

              She continued to busy herself hoping he’d get the hint and go away but he didn’t. Instead, he pulled out a bar chair and took a seat. Frowning, she glared at him knowing darn well he didn’t forget what time the bar opened. According to her watch there was twenty minutes remaining on the clock before she could serve her first drink.

              “Beautiful flowers.”

              “Yes they are.” She was trying really hard not to sound annoyed as she continued with her work.

              “So how has business been since my last visit”

That was it. He had to go. It was bad enough that she was feeling nervous in his presence but he kept on trying to engage her in conversation she did not want. The bar was closed and she refused to make any exceptions today. Annoyance was evident as she swung around to face him.

              “Sir, the bar is closed and I cannot have you sitting here until we open. Can you please be kind enough to sit at one of the tables? The server will be glad to assist you if you need a non alcoholic beverage or perhaps something to chew on.”

              Throwing up his hands in surrender, he pushed the stool back with his feet and stood up. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you. I was merely trying to make conversation is all.”

              She shrugged. “Why?”

              “Because you were in my dreams,” he stated as he walked away.

              As if frozen in time, she stood there speechless. Where had she heard that phrase before? Finally it came to her. She hadn’t heard it, she read it. Immediately, she snatched the card from the flowers and read the contents again. “Because you were in my dreams.” Sighing, she hung her head low, embarrassed by her behavior.
Rasheeda was right all along He had sent the flowers.

              Glancing over at him as he gathered up his things preparing to leave, she knew an apology was in order. “Excuse me!”

              He turned around with furrowed eyebrows putting his anger on display. “Yes.”

              Hurrying from behind the bar, she crossed the restaurant closing the gap between them. “You sent the flowers?”

              “Yes,” he replied walking around her to leave.

              “I apologize. I didn’t mean-“

              “No worries Makeba.” He continued to walk towards the exit with his briefcase in his hand.

              From the corner of her eye she observed the disapproving expression on their faces. Rasheeda waved her hand telling her to go after him. She did as she was told not because she wanted to but because she knew she was wrong and needed to make amends. Quickly, she ran up the concourse happy that he wasn’t too far away. Again she tried to remember his name but couldn’t. It was ironic that he recalled hers without a second thought.

              “Excuse me sir!”

              He turned looking over his shoulders. Seeing that it was her, he stopped and waited for her to catch up to him. Without saying a word he watched as she sashayed her hips up the concourse in her black sailor pants, matching vest and white dress shirt.

              “I am really sorry. I don’t know what came over me. Please come back and let me make it up to you.”

              “It’s fine Makeba.” He resumed walking.

              “No it’s not,”’ she replied as she ran in front of him blocking his path.

              Taking a deep breath he looked deep into her eyes. “There’s only one way you can make it up to me.”

Raising her eyebrows she asked, “How?”

              “Go out with me.”

              Of all the nerve. Holding her head to the side while folding her arms over her chest, she glared at him. “I don’t even know you.”

              “That’s is precisely why I’m asking you out.”

              Her nostrils flared as her temper rose. “Mr. whatever your name is, have a good day.” She walked away heading back to the store.

              “Declan.”

              Waving her hand in the air, she kept walking until she reached her destination. Makeba returned to her station furious, even more so when she saw Declan entering the restaurant heading to the bar area. Her first thought was to tell him there was a few more minutes left before she could serve him but after glancing at her watch that idea went out the window. In fact, she was a few minutes late opening the bar.

              Sighing, she laid a beverage napkin down in front of him. “What can I get for you?”

              He chuckled as he glanced at her. ‘I already made my desire clear.”

              “And what was that?” This time she did not hide her attitude.

              “C’mon, go out with me.”

              Leaning in closer, she lowered her elbows down on the bar and eyed him. “You think because you sent me some flowers I owe you a something in return?”

              “Not at all. It’s apparently clear that it will take a lot more than flowers to win you over.”

              “You damn right it will. Now what can I get for you.”

              “For now I’ll take a Corona with a twist of lime.”

              “One Corona coming up,” she snapped.

              Makeba grabbed a bottle of Corona from the beverage cooler, popped off the top, squeezed a sliced lime stuffing it inside the bottle and sat it on top of his napkin in front of him.”

              “Thank you.”

              Rolling her eyes, she approached the register and printed him an open check without giving him the courtesy of a response.

              “Can I ask you a question?”

              “Yes.” She was hoping she was not going to regret her answer.

              “Have you ever dated outside your race.’

              Regretting it already,” she thought.
“No.”

              “That’s it isn’t it?”

              “What?”

              “It’s because I’m white.”

              Offended by his accusations, she glared at him. “That is not it at all.”