Page 2 of Without You
Goodness, he was handsome! His face was almost perfectly symmetrical, with dark umber skin and a long, narrow nose set in the middle of a face that at one time had been deemed “too pretty” for rap. His wavy black hair had started to gray, but he maintained its dark lustre with the diligent application of hair dye. And when he smiled, her heart clenched painfully.
She still remembered the first time she saw him on stage at a small venue where he’d performed with other up-and-coming acts. He wore an earring in each ear and a thick gold chain with a large medallion around his neck. He smiled at her, and she was putty in his palms from that moment on.
“You’re really going to do this?” Charisse asked.
“Yes. I’m really going to do this. Don’t make me move you.” He arched a thick brow.
She cursed him under her breath and stepped aside. Terrence opened the door to the wall oven. Inside sat a warming lasagna, ready for dinner when the kids arrived. He glanced over his shoulder at her and shook his head. “Look at how you treat me. You were going to let me leave and not give me any of this. I can’t believe you.”
One of the ways they bonded when they first started dating was over their love of food. They’d both enjoyed the adventure of trying new cuisines, especially as the dollars in his bank account expanded. She missed those days.
Terrence rummaged in the drawers and found a metal spatula.
Charisse snatched it away. “Please don’t. Let me handle this.”
“Are you going to fix me a plate?” he asked.
“Yes, but only because if I don’t, you’ll scoop out half the lasagna and there won’t be enough for me and the kids. Don’t forget, they’ve all inherited your hearty appetite.”
Well, the last two, anyway. Ennis was from a previous relationship, and Terrence adopted him after they got married.
She bumped him out of the way with her hip and proceeded to scoop the steaming pasta onto a plate. She added homemade garlic bread and wrapped the entire dish in foil. “There you go. Now, be gone with you.”
“Thank you.” Terrence took the plate right as his phone rang and he looked at the screen before answering. “Yo, what’s up?” He paced away from her. “I just dropped off the kids, and I should be at the airport in about half an hour.”
Charisse folded her arms and shook her head at the lie. With the airport at least an hour’s drive, the only way he’d make it there in half an hour was through time travel.
“Man, I’m not giving her no message for you.”
Charisse walked over and sent him a silent question with her eyes.
“It’s Bo,” he mouthed.
“Tell him I said hi,” she whispered.
He rolled his eyes. “She said to tell you hi.” Pause. “He said to tell you hi back and that he hopes you pampered yourself during your break from the kids.”
“Thank you, Bo. I enjoyed my weekend off, but of course I’m happy to have my babies back.” She spoke loud so that he could hear.
“Happy now?” Terrence asked his friend. There were a few seconds of silence, and then he said, “All right. I’ll holler when I land. We can set something up when I get there.” Pause. “A’ight. Peace.” He hung up the phone and took a deep breath. “My work is never done.”
“You’re a very important man. I take it he went up early for the pre-Grammy parties?”
“Yeah, he did.”
“Good luck tonight.”
“Thanks. But it’s an honor just to be nominated.”
“But even better to win,” they finished together and laughed.
Chelsea scampered over and hugged his waist. “Knock him dead, Daddy.”
“Thanks, princess. I needed that extra boost.” He gave her a squeeze, kissed her forehead, and then started out of the kitchen.
“Bye, boys!” he hollered.
Ennis and Junior came out of their rooms.
