Page 14 of Mr. Big Stuff

“You used to work on my audit and statistical analysis floor. Did you not like it?”

I knew he was only doing what any great leader would do which is try to stay in touch with his workforce and what could be improved upon, but I didn’t care to have an exit interview at over ten thousand feet in the air. I had been working on not being embarrassed by my fall of shame but I was caught up having to share it anyway.

“Yes, I did, Mr. Be—I mean, Khalil. Very much. It was just time for a change. KIB is a wonderful work environment. I want you to know that.”

“That’s great to hear, Tracey.”

“Thank you, Khalil,” I murmured over the rumble of the copter. He nodded and looked out the window over clumps of forest and acres of green grass. Based on the landscape, we were out of the city and closer to our destination. Either way, I was happy there were no more probing question into my disappearance from KIB. No one tells you how loud it is in a helicopter. Without the headsets, communicating would be near impossible and you’d risk losing your hearing.

The silence that followed the exchange had me all in my head. I felt like I appeared to be a loser amongst successful giants. Granted, Raymond’s success was at a smaller scale, he still had a major impact of the growth of the community and ultimately the world experience. Khalil Berry, well we all knew what he brought to the table and then there was me. The assistant to a great man that I was stupidly fucking.

“I’m happy she explored other opportunities, Khalil. She has been great on my team. She brings all the skills she earned with your company to my business. Tracey is an invaluable player. She’s downplaying her role by saying assistant.”

I looked at Raymond and wondered why he was saying all these things to Khalil. Khalil looked impressed as Raymond went on and on about what I’d been doing since I came on board.

“She sounds like a gem to your company, man.”

“Truly,” Raymond said into my eyes. The intensity of his appreciation reflected in his stare was so strong I had to look away to catch my breath.

“We’ll be landing in a moment, sir,” the pilot yelled into his mic.

“Good. My wife is going to jump me as soon as I step foot on the walkway. So give me a few to get her settled and then we can chat. The pilot will be back for you in a couple of hours. Cool?”

We nodded like this was a normal afternoon when it was anything but. I mean, let’s be for real for real. It wasn’t everyday one got to spend time with a billionaire that flew in copters to get to their country houses. Raymond didn’t let on whether he was impressed but I wondered if he felt anything about our excursion. I knew my questions would have to wait, however. He would want to know why I left KIB to become a secretarial assistant through a temporary agency.

Chapter8

Tracey

Khalil was right. The moment he hit the walkway leading to the door of his palatial country house, his beautiful chocolate skin wife with big hair that lay on her small shoulders, waddled out of the door and fell into his arms. The sheer size of her belly made me wonder if she would be delivering twins, but I reserved comment. I knew enough to know the question would be inappropriate.

Besides, all that mattered was the love he displayed for her. The energy they shared on air always fascinated me and made me sigh at the intimacy between them and now seeing them in living color, they were that much more beautiful in person. The way he kissed her face with supreme tenderness and care before then caressing her large belly, almost made me sigh out loud. Almost. But I was distinctly aware of Raymond’s large presence beside me with his questions lingering beneath the surface that I’d have to come face to face with eventually.

Moments later, we were following Khalil into the foyer of his large home. The warmth of the caramel painted walls, and cream crown molding, along with furniture in a mix of textures, in all shades of earth, were welcoming and soothing to my nerves. Khalil seemed to not notice or care how Raymond and I gawked around at what could only be described as the largest residential structure I’d ever been in that belonged to Black people, well to anyone. Once we picked our lips off the floor, Khalil made the introductions to his wife, Zola, who smiled brightly at us. Despite the urgency for which Khalil had come to be with his wife, her expression held a serenity I could only hope to experience when that pregnant.

“Nice to meet you both. I apologize for stealing him away from you earlier,” she said, cuddling up to the too pleased Khalil “But these contractions feel more real than play-play like in the past.”

“It’s quite alright, Mrs. Berry,” Raymond told her. “I can only imagine the anxiety of pregnancy.”

“You have children, man?” This was Khalil asking while leading us to a front room where we could get comfortable.

“Nah, not yet. Hopefully one day with the right woman.”

I refused to look up at him but felt the attention move to me anyway as we sat down next to each other.

“It’s a blessing to have a woman you love so much you want to have everything with. I pray you experience that,” Khalil said smoothly, looking between us.

“I do too.”

“Speaking of having everything with, I meant to show you what our daughter did while I wasn’t looking.”

Khalil had Zola show him what their two-year-old got into while Raymond and I were left to prepare for why we were there. We busied ourselves with pulling out the packets from the bag Raymond carried and setting up the laptop even though now we didn’t have the ability to project the presentation like we would have had previously.

“When were you gonna tell me you worked for KIB?”

“Hopefully never.”

His eyes searched mine for an explanation and when one couldn’t be found he asked me why.

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