Charmed By A Steel City Hustler
Chapter 14 — Making Amends is Never Easy

Lois:

Adonis came to the guest house last night with a peace offering and wanted to mend fences. I looked at him as if he grew a set of breasts. An apology and some roses were not going to cut it. He even slept on the couch in the guest house to be near me. This morning I woke up to breakfast and he got an E for effort.

Adonis could not boil rice without setting a small fire. I did eat the runny eggs and half cooked bacon. He offered to take me to lunch as a make-up. I wasn't going to be a total bitch, so I accepted.

I did still have love for him. I just did not know what to do with it anymore. We had so many unresolved issues, and they were going to take a while to comb through everything.

I drove into work on a conference call with two first-year associates. They were complaining about Charnae, the legal aid who had taken over my duties. She was behind on filing depositions and never on time.

This was what I feared when I requested time off. Coming back to a pile of work that was left with explicit instructions on how to get done. Jonah and Harold were bickering back and forth while my mind was on Lola.

She shocked me by saying that Bash was taking her to Paris. He was just in my face talking that 'I care about you, let's come out with us' bullshit. He was a true player, and I am so glad that I ended it. I found it odd that he, and Adonis both came home with the same idea to make up. Had those two been talking?

"Alright, guys I am pulling into the garage now I will see you when I get upstairs," I said disconnecting the call while rolling my window down. I pinned in the code to the keypad and watched the gate rise. The garage was creepy just like any other one, dank and stank. I grabbed my briefcase and thermos cup and headed into the building.

The elevator ride was smooth and silent. I hated being on an elevator with a bunch of chatty Kathy's. The bell dinged, and I stepped off onto the tenth floor, and it was live. As I walked to my cubicle, I got that old feeling back. I loved being in the mix of merger deals. Nise was right that I was destined for more.

"Lois welcome back! Boy, we missed you around these parts. So, everything straight you ready to dive back in?"

I turned around to see Andrew my boss standing with a handful of papers.

"Um depends on if that large stack of files is for me or not."

Andrew looked at his hands and began to laugh. Ugh, he had the fakest laugh. He was the perfect example of white privilege. He came from money and got everything handed to him. I sized him up in his too tight suit and pointed hard bottom shoes.

Andrew's ass could possibly be a down low guy. Something about him gave off the vibe. He was married with two kids and never spoke on any of it. He didn't even have pictures plastered in his office. He either did not care for his family or was very private with his home life.

"No way Lo! Ha, these are for my secretary. I do want to apologize in advance though. The workload awaiting you may be even bigger than this. Charnae has not been keeping up to par with your speed and skills. I know you can rectify this all in no time. I gotta jet, let me know if you need anything."

Andrew gave my shoulder a quick squeeze and went on about his business. I continued to my desk and shook my head at the sight of it. Thank the lord no one sat in it while I was gone. Having to readjust my chair was the most tedious task out of my day. I sat down and turned my monitor on.

The dust pile-up was unacceptable. Opening my top drawer, I was happy again to see nothing had been touched. I may sound goofy but stealing office supplies and personal belongings is real out here. Does not matter if you work for a law firm or a call center. Some people think everything is up for grabs since they didn't pay for it.

"Lo hey girl! I am so glad to have you back. Whoo, this place is not the same without you."

I looked over my monitor to see Tia standing there in a too small pencil skirt. Her perky breasts were spilling out of the sheer white ruffled blouse as well. Tia was one of the few black females in this department I got along with. She reminded me so much of Nise, and that is probably why we got so close. Her cubical was next to mine. She began to spill the tea on office politics and gossip.

We worked all while talking and I loved that she could multi-task as I did. A lot of females in this department ran their mouths all day. Flirted with first-year graduates trying to bag a future husband. I was ahead of the game on that one. That was another reason why I didn't talk to a lot of my female co-workers.

They would try Adonis and have me showing out. Upon meeting her, I thought Tia was the typical black chick with an associate's degree looking to land a rich husband. Boy, was I wrong as ever.

Tia had a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and wanted to go into forensic science. She was working here for the experience and to help pay for her master's. She stated that the county morgue and other offices required her degree to be biology and chemistry based to work in their facilities.

The morning moved on, and I wanted to wring Charnae's neck. That linebacker built broad didn't do a gat damn thing! She literally just stamped dates to files that were never processed and mixed shit up. A skype ping came up on my screen, and it was Adonis. He stated that we had reservations at the Capitol for lunch.

I looked at my clock, and it was near noon. I had been working so hard that time was flying by. I looked at the pile of paperwork, and more than half was done. Tons of emails still pending and new forms to file. I shook my head and logged off my computer and spoke to Tia as I got up out of my chair.

"Girl I'm going to lunch with my husband. What are your lunch plans?"

"Wish they were with my husband. Instead, I got a booty call down at the Hyatt with Toni from the mailroom."

I started laughing at her response and knew that she was serious.

"Tia! Toni? Naw girl he ain't making more than twenty-five thousand a year."

"Lo it's just a casual thing and nothing else. Girl that man had me pinned in all kinds of freaky positions two weeks ago. Hoo lawd, I'm getting a fever just thinking about it."

Tia fanned herself at the memories, and I slapped her shoulder. I had missed out on a lot. We both headed towards the elevator and ran into the Pinkerton twins, Dewayne and Darius. They were second-year associates and fine as hell. They were professional black men that had goals and motivation to match it. The elevator dinged and all four of us got on.

"How are you beautiful ladies doing today?"

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Dewayne asked giving us each the once over. I saw a smile spread across Tia's face.

"Good."

We said in unison and looked at each other laughing.

"You two rehearse that? Just kidding you ladies have lunch plans for today."

I went to speak, and Tia beat me to it.

"Lois is meeting her husband, but I am free."

That little slut. Tia is something else but I ain't mad at her.

"What a shame. Adonis is a lucky man, and I hope he realizes that."

Darius finally said opening his mouth. His eyes had been on me the entire time. We all walked to the main entrance, and Adonis was standing by a car waiting for me. I told Tia I would see her later and went to join my man. Adonis held the door open for me. He kissed my cheek just before I bent down to get in.

***

"How is your salad honey?"

"It's good, the chicken breast is very moist. How is your steak?"

I asked Adonis with a mouth full of food. I had my hand over it so as not to spit food everywhere. The drive to the restaurant was silent. Adonis just held my hand and hummed to himself the whole time.

He had ulterior motives for bringing me here. I was going to move back into the house this week. Watching Adonis sweat and not be able to compel me was so entertaining. Adonis placed his silverware down on the table and reached over for my left hand.

"Lois, I miss you and the way we used to be. I understand that we have been going through a rough patch. What relationship doesn't have its flaws. I want to fix this, and I think I know how."

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Adonis was glowing, and that usually meant he had some grand idea. His ideas often were work-based and did lead to great outcomes. This was the type of stuff that made me angry with him.

Adonis invited me to lunch for some huge announcement that had nothing to do with me. He didn't truly understand why I moved out of our home and was so distant. He didn't know that my heart was split between him and Bash. I tried to speak, but he cut me off.

"I think we should do couples therapy for expecting parents."

I began choking on the spring mix and chicken currently swirling around in my mouth. What the hell had gotten into him. I felt life being sucked from my body at his statement.

"Lois, honey here drink some water."

I took the glass and swallowed down a few gulps. Adonis never ceased to amaze me. I cleared my throat and finally could breathe normally.

"Adonis, I am in agreeance with therapy. Every couple could benefit from it at some period in their relationship. Why would it be for expectant parents?"

"Lois, you have been unsatisfied with me sexually lately, and I know that may be a big reason why you are upset. I have not been very romantic or doting to you."

Oh, my fucking god! This fool thinks I am upset about sex. If he only knew that I have been sexing like a rabbit in heat these past few months.

"I have been getting treatments for some medical issues, and the side effect was my less than satisfactory erections. I didn't want to worry you which is why I never mentioned it before. I do want us to grow our family together, and I think this is the time."

I was taken aback by his admission of health issues mainly. Adonis was suffering from pain in silence and kept it to himself. I felt like shit now turning to the next man. I wanted to know what his condition was and how severe. A conversation for when we were back in the privacy of our own home.

"Since we are being open with one another. I want to go to law school. I have been thinking hard about it the past few weeks."

Adonis had a brilliant poker face, but I saw his left eye twitch. I did not give him the response he wanted. Tough shit I was not going to be his well-behaved eye candy anymore.

"I always knew that you would seek to spread your wings, Lois. I just thought our family would be established first. I guess we have a lot to talk about in therapy then, don't we?"

I just nodded my head and placed another forkful of food into my mouth. I was not popping out any rug rats anytime soon for his flaccid ass! He was trying, and I would give him credit for that. Therapy could help us, although I was never going to divulge my affair with Bash. That would destroy my world, and everyone close to me.