The Improbable Read online

  Table of Contents

  1. The Party

  2. Savior

  3. By Any Means

  4. Annoyances

  5. Headaches

  6. Difficult Tasks

  7. Get Over It

  8. White Flags

  9. Secrets and Scandals

  10. Mr. Brandy

  11. The Ball

  12. Self-Evaluation

  13. Knots and Odds

  14. The Train Yard

  15. Making Amends

  16. Admiration

  17. Not As Planned

  18. All Mine

  19. It’s a Man’s World

  20. Stay With Me

  21. Sky Full of Stars

  22. Conflicted

  23. Rifts

  24. The First Rainy Day

  25. Pain and Decisions

  26. Tips

  27. Almost

  28. No

  29. Kill Me, Kill Me

  30. Win Some, Lose Some

  31. Broken

  32. Haunted

  33. Love Lost?

  34. I Hate Me

  35. Progress

  36. Timmy’s Frustration

  37. The Announcement

  38. Life Goes On

  39. Gone Gone Gone

  40. Racing the Clock

  41. Just Like a Dream

  42. Make it Complete

  43. With a Smile

  EVA

  Control

  I have no control over my life

  If I broke the rules it’d cause great strife

  I do as they say and don’t ask any questions

  Terrible things they’ve done turned out to be blessings

  In my life, I have no control

  As if I have no mind, as if I have no soul

  When I met you is when things started to change

  You brought both the sunshine and the rain

  You caused me to both gain and lose control

  You alone awakened my mind and my soul

  1. The Party

  May 1950

  “We’re throwin’ a boat party honey!” My best friend Kathryn Jenkins exclaimed dramatically over the telephone in her sweet southern belle voice.

  I rolled my eyes at her histrionic tone but laughed, thankful to have a friend to cheer me up after a long day at work. I was just locking up at my father’s company, Ace Cigars, before I caught the call in my office. “Kathryn, it’s already a quarter ‘til eight, who in God’s name is gonna start comin’ out so late?”

  “The press honey, they’re already here; so are Rita, Sarah, and Yvonne. We’re waitin’ on you!” Her southern drawl squealed.

  My interest escalated when she mentioned the press. What would they think if I was missing from the rest of my friends? ‘Glitterati’ was the name numerous newspapers had established for my friends and I after always catching us out during nights on the town, events at Chicago’s Prestigious City Club, and after hearing how big our daddies’ wallets were. Oh honey, the press was always eating out of the palms of our hands!

  “I’m definitely up for it but what am I to do without a bathing suit baby doll? I can’t show up in my office clothes!” I stressed.

  “Oh Eva-Marie, don’t you know me better than that? Check your backseat when you get in the car and thank me later! But I’ve got to go, people are startin’ to show up. We depart at eight-thirty so get movin’!” Kathryn commanded.

  “Got it, see you then!” I told her excitedly.

  I bounded up the stairs to the office level where my daddy’s office was, careful not to break an ankle in my oxfords. Since he was in a late meeting I decided to leave him a note. If I didn’t tell him where I’d be and who I’d be with, he’d blow a fuse and send out a search party across the city! Even at nineteen years old, he still treated me like his little girl.

  Daddy,

  Headed out to join the girls for a

  Relaxing night on Eden Lake.

  Will be home for breakfast!

  Love,

  Eva-Marie

  If anyone knew how to throw a boss party, it was most definitely Kate! I pulled up to the private dock of Eden Lake to see the Jenkins’ two-level family boat decorated with a multitude of colorful, twinkling lights hanging from the balcony rails on both levels, excitement grew inside as I could already hear the band playing onboard.

  The swimsuit Kate had left in the backseat was a nice white halter one-piece that contrasted perfectly with my caramel-brown skin. She also left a pair of glittering silver sling back, peep-toe French heels, and about five long pearl necklaces for me to spice it up. Luckily, I had candy-apple-red lipstick sitting on my passenger seat and mascara in my purse to freshen up my makeup. I doubled two of the necklaces around my neck so that some hung shorter than the others. Pulling a black satin robe from the shopping bag, I slid it over my shoulders and made my way toward the dock. The sound of the shutters and the flashes of the cameras were there to greet me first. I smiled and waved politely but broke my composure and squealed with excitement when I met my friends.

  “Hi loves!” I greeted them with a voice lost inside our group hug. “I missed you guys so much!” I stepped back to take a look at Kate, Rita, Sarah, and Yvonne. All of who had been in and out of town for the past few weeks on family vacations.

  “Oh we’ve missed you too doll!” Sarah pulled me into a hug, her long red curls brushing the side of my face.

  “You look fabulous honey!” Yvonne exclaimed. “Give us a twirl!”

  Flattered, I took a step back and whirled around for them to see a 360-degree view of my outfit.

  “Yes, she looks so hip.” Kate chimed in proudly. “Styled by yours truly,” she threw back the remains of her champagne.

  I eyed the drink with envy and was able to grab a drink from a black-and-white-suited server. “Yes, you did well my love.” I blew Kate a kiss before guzzling down my champagne that ended with a nice, satisfying and sizzling burn in the back of my throat. So refreshing. “So how was Paris, Pita-Rita?” I asked, popping an hors d’oeuvre into my mouth and grabbing another glass to drink.

  Rita’s face lit up. “Absolutely to die for! Mother is considering a seasonal home there, and my father…well of course he approves.” She smiled thankfully, taking a sip of her own drink.

  “Spoiled brat,” Sarah snorted sarcastically.

  “Aren’t we all?” Yvonne questioned with her eyebrows raised and a devious smile.

  “Well ladies I’ll drink to that!” I yelled and held my glass up for a collective toast. We all cheerfully clinked our cups together and swallowed the sweet champagne.

  “Shouldn’t we be getting along shortly?” Rita looked at Kathryn.

  “Yes, but Timmy and Chris are waitin’ on their friend,” she spotted her boyfriend Timmy and his best friend Chris, “who is late!” She grabbed Timmy by the ear and held him at her side.

  “Ah!” He groaned but didn’t dare object to the action. While at her side, he took advantage and gave her a quick peck to her hipbone, instantly softening her up. “Don’t have a cow now, Kate…wait for later.” He joked.

  Kate rolled her eyes, trying not to laugh.

  “Hello ladies, you all look lovely tonight.” Chris gushed over all of us as he went around the group with kisses to the backs of each of our hands.

  “Oh no sweet talk, she asked you a question darlin’.” I challenged with one hand on my hip and a shot of alcohol in the other.

  “He’ll be here, he’ll be here!” Timmy repeated, making it sound more like a plea. He placed one arm behind Kathryn’s knees and another behind her back and swooped her up; her curled blonde locks bouncing with the motion.

  I laughed uncontrollably at her alarmed expression, the alcohol really putting in wor
k on my brain.

  “Let’s go greet ‘em.” Timmy said before he carried a thrilled Kathryn back to the entrance.

  It wasn’t until I was out on the dance floor with everyone that I realized that aside from breakfast, all I’d eaten that day was a salad and a small sandwich – and I knew that the hangover was going to be absolute hell. However, I was in the moment; I had no care in the world as I downed drink after drink, shot after shot, taking flirtatious photos for the paparazzi, dancing with my best friends, and just being the normal nineteen-year-old that I was supposed to be!

  “Eva-Marie!” A voice called from behind me while I was on the main deck balcony getting myself some fresh air a few hours later.

  I whirled around a little too fast and stumbled to the side. Ray Jackson was making his way over to me, I was gripping the rail of the balcony before he came over and set me up right on my feet. “Heeyy Ray…” I slurred with a goofy, intoxicated smile on my face.

  “How have you been, dear?” He inquired, searching for answers on my drunken face. Idiot.

  “I’ve been good…ya know.” I answered with a statement that sounded more like a question.

  “I…uh…haven’t heard from you since dinner with your parents.” He chuckled nervously. Poor guy. My parents thought it’d be a good idea for me to meet a ‘fine, established young black man’; little did I know that they had a snob like Ray in mind. I don’t know where Ray thought it was going, but I didn’t want my parents dictating who I dated like they did everything else in my life! Heated anger welled up inside of me and I’m sure Ray could read it on my face.

  “Well…Ray,” I sneered, “I have no interest in dating men that my parents pick out for me. I’m nineteen years old and I work under them, live under their roof, and follow their rules and I’ll be damned if I let them control who I date. If I were interested, I’d call. Goodnight Ray.” I said firmly, eyeing him.

  “Uh, sorry. Goodnight Eva-Marie.” He nodded curtly, spun on his heel and made his way back into the party.

  Once he was out of view, I caught sight of one of the most attractive men I’d seen in my years. He was a white man but I didn’t care much. He was paused, in the process of lighting a cigar when he looked up and caught my gaze – probably wondering why a negro girl was sitting there staring him down. I couldn’t help it! It was as if he was a single flame in the midst of endless darkness – I had no choice but to look. He stood tall and slender yet muscular, he had a nice summer glow to his skin, sleek dark brown hair, perfect lips, a chiseled jawline with slight facial hair, and striking blue eyes against dark brown eyebrows, staring just as hard as I was.

  Embarrassed by my going crazy on Ray’s behind and feeling emotional from my thoughts, I gasped and placed two fingers over my lips before leaving the scene for the upper level balcony. I hated drinking to the point of no return; life’s disappointments would always surface in my brain after too many drinks. I hadn’t noticed that I’d actually been stomping my way up the stairs and letting tears run down my face. Why was I even mad in the first place? Oh yeah!

  “Where are you going Eva-Marie? Talk to this man, Eva-Marie. We know what’s best for you, Eva-Marie.” I mocked my parents’ voices as I stumbled across the empty upper level. “What about me?” I whined and wiped my face as I kept walking. “What about what I go through, what I want for myself? Don’t I have a say in my life?” I sniffed and began walking toward the diving board at the back of the boat. “But nobody cares about that…not even my family.” I breathed and walked out a little further onto the diving board. “Can’t let anybody know Eva-Marie…”

  I peered down at the blackness of a lake and slid the robe off my shoulders, letting it flutter down into the lake. Black on black. A midnight swim sounded great. The water would be heavenly warm and it’d feel nice to let the water wash over me. Embrace me. The shore was close enough so I didn’t see the big fuss in swimming back to the dock – the party was reaching a resolution phase anyways, I was ready to go. I wobbled a bit before stabilizing my balance again and jumping – or was I falling – into the lake.

  As I’d predicted, the water that had been warmed by the day’s sun took me in with welcoming arms. I blinked in the darkness, unsure of which way was up or down. I didn’t panic, nor did I try to swim. I was just there floating in the darkness. In the darkness where I didn’t have to keep any secrets or live a double-life, where I wasn’t under my parents’ dictatorship, or following any rules. I liked the darkness, but I still couldn’t tell which way was up or which way was down. I couldn’t tell which way was right or which way was wrong.

  DAVID

  The Wolf

  Struts resilient and reigns the world around

  Cold-hearted and single-minded ‘til the moon comes to astound

  A flare of hope in the midst of dusk, the moon it does gleam bright

  The wolf forever stops to adore the enamoring light of the night

  Vulnerable to it’s beauty, paralyzed by its power, this is the wolf’s only weakness

  It wants to be so close to the moon it howls out all of its secrets

  The moon stands to be the only one that can cause the wolf to cry

  It howls out, ‘I’ll be with you my love and the odds we will defy!’

  2. Savior

  After just getting out of an all-male, police-training academy, she was the first woman to completely dominate my attention. Though there were women in the party who attempted, she defeated them all without even trying.

  In the few days that I’d been in town, I had seen her face before in the papers…but not once, not one time at all had I expected to be so taken back by her beauty in person. She resembled a China doll with flawlessly smooth, brown skin that directly contrasted with her jet-black hair and an absolutely round face with perfectly pouted lips that were colored red. She had beautiful dark brown eyes – damn near black. They gave the impression that they were deep enough for you to catch just a glimpse of the flames of passion that filled her soul. They were enthralling and quite honestly, made her look somewhat Asian…or Indian. Hell, I didn’t know, all I knew was that she was a sight for sore eyes!

  It was apparent I’d scared her off after she caught me intently observing her dispute with another gentleman. Who was that? A voice in the back of my head was shouting his wishes of the man not being her boyfriend. I knew I frightened her because after catching sight of me, she ran away! A woman ran away from me! What had I done wrong? I’d only been looking at her! Did she think I was ugly or did she just have an aversion to white men? Something about her was just overwhelmingly intriguing, so I followed close behind her, hoping to get a second shot at approaching her – and part of me wanting to know why she ran away.

  I didn’t follow her up to the second level of the boat, in fear of being too obvious. Instead, I listened in from the first level balcony that wound around the back of the boat. I could hear her arguing, but with who? As far as I could tell no one else was outside the party. I prayed to the heavens hoping the catch to her beauty wasn’t the fact that she was a maniac!

  Leaning my head against the wall and closing my eyes, I continued to listen. But she had gone silent. My eyes opened at the sound of some steady creaking on the extended plank above me. Once I saw a black robe drop down into the darkness, I knew she was on the diving board. Now, I had seen how many drinks she’d had and I knew that if she made it into the water she wasn’t going to make it out. Only a few moments later, I witnessed the flash of her white swimsuit plunging toward the darkness of the water. Shit, I was right – the broad was crazy.

  I cursed and ran my hands through my hair, and without another thought, dove in after her. Thankfully the water was warm but extremely dark, especially with the lights of the boat slowly getting further and further away. It was a few moments before I spotted her white swimsuit slowly sinking toward disappearance, and it didn’t look as if she was trying to save herself. Panic ignited inside of me, quickening my heart rate as I swam towa
rd her. Was she dead? Not on my watch! I grabbed her by the waist and pulled her close as we ascended to the surface. I searched around frantically for the dock, extremely grateful to see that it wasn’t too far.

  When we got back to the shore, I threw her unconscious body over my shoulder and ran up to the gravel road, anxious to get her as far away from the water as possible. I laid her down and immediately started breathing air into her lungs and pumping her chest. Oh, why did this woman have to be so stupid! I repeated the process vigorously, visible progress coming with each time. Miraculously, she began coughing up water and turned on her stomach, gasping for air. I watched as she scrambled to the side of the road on her hands and knees and threw up, getting rid of the water and alcohol in her system.

  I slowly rose to my feet, not sure of what else to do with myself. I had the girl, now what was my plan? This hadn’t exactly been the way I wanted to approach her; I just didn’t want her to die. That was smooth enough, right? She collapsed onto her side; I winced when she audibly landed the back of her head on a rock behind her. She curled up into a ball, sobbing.

  “What just happened? Did someone push you?” I asked with my hands on my hips, not sure of what else to say. I wasn’t good with consoling anyone.

  She rolled over and propped herself up. I could tell she was very drunk, judging by the time it took for her beautiful, dark brown eyes to focus on me. They were opened wide and cautious. “Who are you?” She asked me in a hushed but hoarse voice.

  I held up my hands in a surrendering gesture, though she was testing my patience I had to remember she was drunk. “I’m only here to help you. Now I need to know if someone pushed you or if –”

  “I want to go home.” She breathed in between sobs.

  I saw her reach for her nonexistent robe to cover herself once she realized she was donning only a swimsuit and heels. Her body was heavenly with slight curves and my Lord was I enjoying the view! I punished the dog in my head and ran my hands through my hair. I couldn’t understand why she was afraid. I had just saved her life and we were only out there because of her! I grew angry at her acting like I hadn’t just saved her ass.