What's His Is Mine (13 page)

I
was covering the Falcons game, sitting in the press box with all the other reporters. Every time I saw number 65 run down the field, I held in my excitement. I couldn't exactly scream,
Go baby,
but I wished I could. They were playing the Buccaneers and had just won. I wanted to hurry up and go say,
Good game
to DeCarious. As I was coming out of the press box, I saw Tim's wife, Mari. I went up to her and spoke. She looked very pretty and was speaking with two other beautiful women. They all had big designer-monogrammed bags.

“Hey, Cherise. I didn't know you covered the games, too! Wow, look at you,” Mari said.

“Yeah, let me hurry and get to the locker room. I'll see you later.”

I spotted DeCarious coming off the field. I could tell he wanted me to hug him or do something like couples would do, but I couldn't. I just said,
Good game
and told him I would be at his house after I got off work.

I was meeting DeCarious to go meet his family. I hadn't met anyone's family since college, and hadn't been that serious about anyone. I had had offers, but I said no. That to me was a very important step. He was everything I ever wanted. I tried to hold back a little. I don't know, I'd never fallen for someone so fast, so quick, in my life. It was scary. I didn't want to think too hard about it or overanalyze. Everything was going so well. I was just trying to make sure I didn't mess it up. I called Toni to get a pep talk.

“Ton—nee,” I sang.

“Why are you all happy this afternoon?”

“I'm about to go meet DeCarious's parents and daughter. And I am so confused and scared.”

“Why?”

“Because it is so soon. We've been dating what, six weeks?”

“Yeah, this is fast.”

“Can you believe it? Who would have seen all of this coming?”

“I don't know—this is fast. But stop being silly. This is happening because you deserve it. You are right.”

“But I'm still nervous a little bit.”

“Don't be nervous. You will be fine.”

“I know, Toni. He makes me so happy. Oh my God, I said it. I am so happy.”

“This is so wonderful. You are going to get your hyphenated name after all.” I thought about what Toni said and then told her she was silly and I would let her know how everything went.

 

 

It took me a while, but I finally found DeCarious's house. It was a big mansion and the next house was down the road. He greeted me at the door and gave me a kiss on my cheek and held my hand and led me inside his home. His mom was sitting on the sofa with his daughter. DeCarious said, “Mom, this is my girlfriend, Cherise.”

She stood up and said, “Nice to meet you, Cherise.”

“You look so familiar, like I've seen you before,” Mr. Joe said.

“Because she is on the news, Dad,” DeCarious said.

“You are? What channel?”

“Channel 7.”

“I love FOX 5, but since I know you now, I'm going to have to change my station.”

Then a woman entered the room. She was holding a precious little baby girl. DeCarious took the baby out of the woman's hands and then introduced his daughter, Malaysia, to me.

“Cherise, this is my daughter's mom, Adrienne.”

“Adrienne, this is my girlfriend, Cherise.” The woman looked a little shocked. We shook hands and I told her it was nice to meet her, but she just rolled her eyes and retreated upstairs.

I
t was loud and festive at the Georgia Dome. Everyone had their red, black, and white Falcon colors on. DeCarious invited me, Asia, and his parents to his game. This was a major step for us. Being at the game was wives' and girlfriends' territory. Every now and then jumpoffs get tickets, too, but if DeCarious had anyone he liked she would be sitting in section 117, row 3, seat 2, instead of me.

And I was happy to be here. My plan was working. One step at a time, I was reeling him back in. And I don't know why, but DeCarious looked extra sexy and powerful in his uniform. I dressed Asia up real pretty in cute jeans and she had her red, black, and white Falcons colors on like everyone in the stadium. We were playing the Buccaneers and we were winning. I hadn't realized how passionate Mr. Joe was about football. He was screaming at the plays and calls. It was the most I had ever heard him speak.

Mr. Joe stood up and said, “Get them down! Take them down, son,” every time DeCarious took down one of the Buccaneers players.

 

 

After the game was over, I had to show a special pass to get on the elevator and get into the family room. And with all the security they made us go through, there were still groupies galore in the room. They must have paid security to get down here without a pass. And I could tell they were groupies because of the hunger they had in their eyes. They looked so desperate and you could just tell they were on the prowl. Every time someone with a duffel bag walked through the doors, they tried to make eye contact and get their attention. Then I saw one groupie trying to make conversation with a player's parents, I guess with the hope that they could introduce her when the player came out of the locker room. They were disrespectful, but hey, every girl has to eat and get hers. They just better stay away from DeCarious or I'm going to kick someone's ass.

After the game we had a beautiful dinner at Nakatos, this hibachi-style Japanese restaurant. There was me, Asia, DeCarious, Miss Anne, Mr. Joe, and even Rock and his girlfriend, Shaundra. Asia didn't like the high flames and noise, but we all had a good time.

I told DeCarious what a great game he'd had and he said thanks and I thought we were all happy, but then when we got back home DeCarious invited some woman over and introduced her to me as his girlfriend. What the hell is really going on?

So here I am, thinking I'm making progress with DeCarious and we are a few steps away from being a couple and a family again, and he has the audacity to bring a chick home—what the hell? She spoke to me and I spoke back to her, but as soon as she turned her back, I wanted to kick my foot in her ass. I couldn't show how upset I was, so I left and went upstairs until they left.

I thought Miss Anne was my friend. I went to church with that bitch, and she knew about a
real
girlfriend, and didn't tell me. I said aloud to Miss Anne, “I didn't know DeCarious had a girlfriend.”

“Me neither. I honestly thought you two were getting back together, because you've been spending so much time here. But anyway, she seems like a nice woman. And she is on the news on Channel 7,” Miss Anne said.

“Oh, that's nice.”

“Yeah, that's what DeCarious needs—a nice girl.”

I knew I had to take action immediately. I didn't know what I should do. This slow and steady was not going to work. Tonight I was going to take matters into my own hands. I would have to turn up my pace on getting DeCarious back.

 

 

I was waiting for DeCarious to come home. He showed his girlfriend, now I had something to show him. I had it all planned out. I was going to walk out of the shower with my towel on. I then was going to knock on DeCarious's door, drop my towel, and show him all the sex tricks I knew. He was not going to be able to resist me. He was going to forget about whatever her name was, and life would be great.

Seducing DeCarious into obedience would have worked. I know it would have, but I didn't get a chance because he never came home. I even texted him first thing this morning to tell him we had an early flight, so he could see us before we left. But he didn't call or text back. This was mind-boggling and crazy. I couldn't believe I missed the fact that this dummy had someone. I hate DeCarious's sucker-for-love ass. I just wanted to get on my flight and go home. I needed to just go home, find a babysitter, and go to work every day, because it didn't look like I was going to get DeCarious back. I didn't know what my next step was going to be. I needed some rest so I could come up with a plan B.

 

 

At the airport it took forever to get through security. I was lucky enough to make the machine go off, even though I had my shoes off, belt off, and everything out of my pockets.

Asia and I arrived at gate A 27 with just forty-five minutes to spare. It was crowded and there was nowhere to sit. I was surprised they weren't boarding yet. I walked around, trying to find a seat when I heard that my flight was going to be delayed.
Great,
I thought.

E
lena was dropping me off at the airport. It was bittersweet. I wanted to go home, but I wanted to stay and do more in LA. I'd lived so much life in such a short amount of time, and wanted to stay, but I couldn't.

As Elena pulled up to the terminal, we both began to tear up.

“I can't believe you are leaving. I'm going to miss you. I feel like we've known each other for years. I don't know what I am going to do without you,” Elena said.

“Girl, I'll be back. I need to check on my sister, make sure everything is okay with her and my nephews. And she doesn't charge me any rent, so I can definitely come back with enough money to get our apartment and buy a car.”

“You promise? You think you can come back by January?”

“I'm going to try,” I said as I exited the car and retrieved my bag from the backseat of the car.

“Thank your brother Enrique for me, for this ticket. I'm so glad I'm not taking the damn bus back home.”

“He thanks you. He gets buddy passes all the time. He needed that hundred dollars for his cell phone bill.”

“Well, still tell him I'm so thankful.” I laughed. I gave Elena another quick hug and then said good-bye again.

The airport was empty. I got through security with ease and went to my gate and waited for my flight. The gate agent began calling sections to board the plane. My ticket was standby so I had to wait for everyone to be seated. When she called my name I walked up and asked her if she called my name.

“Yes, Zakiya Lee, we have one seat open. Give me a moment—step to the side, please, and I'll check you in,” she said. I stepped over to the side and waited as she multitasked, tearing the tickets of all the other passengers and typing into her computer.

This man ran up, out of breath, in a business suit, with a briefcase and computer bag, and said, “They told me to tell you downstairs that I'm here.”

“Are you Mr. Turner?”

“Yes, I am,” the man said as he adjusted his travel bag on his shoulder and tried to catch his breath.

“You just made it, sir. Have a good flight,” she said as she printed and tore his boarding pass. Then the gate agent looked over at me and said, “Miss Lee, I'm not going to be able to get you on this one. I'm sorry. Let me see if we can get you on the next flight.”

“What time does that leave?” I asked, peering over the counter.

“In two hours.”

The last four flights to Philly had been booked and I was getting mad. I knew my ticket was standby, but I didn't know that meant stand by until all the people who paid for their tickets got on the flight and if there was an extra seat we would let you on. It was not like I really had somewhere to be, but I did want to get out of this crowded airport. The only good thing was that the agent was being really nice about everything. Every time I came up to the counter she was pleasant and didn't act like I was bothering her.

I walked back up to her to see how the next flight looked. She looked at the computer screen, shook her head, and said, “I feel sorry for you, sweetie. Let's see how we can get you out of here. There are no more flights leaving to go to Philadelphia for a couple of hours.” She then sighed and said, “Today these storms in the Midwest have just screwed everything up. How about this? I'm going to see if I at least can get you to the East Coast, and once you get there, it will be much easier to get to Philadelphia. You want to do that?”

I was becoming restless. I didn't care how she got me there. I just wanted to get home. “That's fine,” I said.

She concentrated, looking at the screen, and then said, “Honey, you are in luck. There are a lot of open seats going to Atlanta. Then you can connect to a flight going to Philly. The flight leaves in thirty minutes. Go down to gate D 10. I already checked you in. You don't have to wait—you can just board.” She printed my boarding pass and handed it to me.

I boarded my flight without any problems. There were plenty of seats. I didn't even have to sit next to anyone. I stretched my legs out, laid my head on the window, and slept the entire flight to Atlanta.

 

 

I arrived in Atlanta five hours later, only to I learn my flight to Philadelphia was delayed two hours. I wasn't complaining, but traveling by plane so far hadn't been that great, either. I went to the store and bought a few magazines and a bag of Gummi Bears and sat and waited. I was so bored. I wished I had music to listen to or a movie to watch. I just looked around at all the other angry passengers. I was nodding off until this cute little girl who was playing peekaboo with her mom ran over to me, touched my leg and wobbled, giggled at me, and then ran back over to her mom. She came over to me like three times, so finally I extended my arms out for her. She acted like she was going to come to me, and then she ran back over to her mother's lap again.

“She is so cute,” I said to her mother, who was dressed nice. She was real pretty and was splitting her attention between her daughter and her phone.

“Thank you,” her mother said, barely looking up at me.

“How old is she?

“She is eighteen months.”

“What's her name?”

“Malaysia. We call her Asia, though.”

The gate agent made an announcement: “Attention all passengers for flight 3301, nonstop Atlanta to Philadelphia. Your flight has been delayed until ten-thirty. You may go to the customer service counter located at gate A 3 to rebook on another flight. Thank you.”

“Oh no.... Damn it, you have to be kidding me. I'm tired of sitting in this airport.”

“Me too, damn it.”

“Well, I might as well go get her something to eat. Could you watch our stuff?”

“Sure.”

“Would you like anything?” the woman asked. I told her no and that I would keep an eye on her bags.

When she returned with her food she ate, and asked me if she could read my magazines. Her daughter kept playing with me.

“She likes you.”

“Yeah, kids always gravitate to me—I don't know why. I have two nephews.”

“So do you go to school down here?” she asked.

“No, I live in Philly, but I'm coming from California. It's a long story. I just can't wait to get home. I hope I can get my job back and just enroll in school.”

“So you don't have a job.”

“No, but I think I can get my job back.”

“Would you ever consider, like, being a live-in nanny?”

“No, I haven't.”

“Oh, because I work a lot and need someone to watch my daughter.”

“Like what hours? I'm trying to save money to go back to California. So yeah, I can watch her sometimes.”

I thought about her offer, took her number, and told her I would call her. I don't think I want to be a full-time nanny, though. I would probably get bored. Plus I needed a real job.