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  Amirah’s face lit up, and she shone brighter than the lights in the store. “She would have loved this one.” Amirah hugged Mateo and kissed him on the cheek.

  Mateo started to ask her a question about her mother but decided to let Amirah open up on her own terms. He noticed that she picked up another multi-colored kente head wrap, and she went back to the rack to see if she could find a matching kente.

  “My mother was really big on Afrocentrism.” Amirah picked up the dress she was looking for and laid it on top of the rack. She matched the two outfits and smiled. “It would surprise her that I became a believer.”

  “Your mom wasn’t saved?” The question disturbed Mateo. He always assumed that Amirah was one of those girls brought up in the church. At least that was how she carried herself.

  “No, my mother wasn’t saved.” Amirah exhaled as she picked up the garments and made her way to the counter. There was a sadness in her voice. “I don’t like to think about it. I mean, no one wants to picture their mother or their father burning in hell, but the truth is the truth. My mother was spiritual. She believed she had her own relationship with God and she didn’t need a relationship with Jesus or to get to know the Holy Spirit.”

  “Wow.” The revelation shocked Mateo.

  “I’m okay.” Amirah sounded relieved as she got to the counter. She paid for the garments and smiled at Dandy once their transaction was finished. “Nice meeting you.” She shook the woman’s hand again, took her bag, and left the store.

  “We finished the inventory on Sonic’s stuff. We are putting $735.08 on the card.” Dandy moved on to the next transaction.

  “Thank you,” Mateo replied when he took the card back from Dandy.

  That’s more than he thought he was getting, Mateo admitted to himself.

  “You sure he doesn’t have any more pieces?” Dandy asked as she started putting the clothes they’d brought in on hangers.

  “As far as I know he’s sure.”

  “If he finds more pieces, have him bring them to us.”

  “We will,” Mateo promised as he made his way to the car. Luisa and Julio were already in the backseat of the car, and Amirah was laughing with them. He was happy that Amirah liked his family, no matter how crazy they seemed to get.

  When Mateo opened the door, Karen Clark Sheard and Mary Mary let it be known that they weren’t ashamed of the gospel. It was at that moment that he remembered how close his mother was to their father’s sister and what a huge gospel fan she was. Growing up in their house, they listened to Spanish music, hymns, and gospel. As he listened closely, he could hear Luisa and Julio singing along as if they’d picked up on the tune instantly. He didn’t even know his brother and sister could sing.

  “Y’all got to sing this for Madre one day.” Mateo complimented them once he stepped in the car. “This was always one of her favorite songs.”

  “We will when you sing it with us,” Luisa insisted.

  “He up there acting like he don’t be singing sometimes.” Julio continued the embarrassment. “You can’t sing them Keith Sweat and Jodeci songs for Mom, but the old school gospel songs by Richard Smallwood and Andrae Crouch, you can throw down on them.”

  “I do not sing Keith Sweat. I like the songs, but I don’t sing them.”

  Julio started singing the lyrics to “I Want Her,” and Mateo shook his head and chuckled.

  “Don’t act like you don’t know this song,” Julio said.

  “I didn’t say that.” Mateo got back on the highway and headed back to Asheville. He looked over at Amirah and smiled as he noticed her smiling and getting into the book she was reading. He looked back and noticed Luisa and Julio were doing their own thing.

  Mateo would have to wait until they had some time alone and she was ready. The last thing he wanted to do was compromise what they were building by not being careful with a sensitive subject.

  Chapter Thirty-nine

  The Verdict

  Amirah couldn’t believe how well dinner with Mateo’s family was going.

  She was surprised that she enjoyed the meal of entomatadas, refried beans, and rice. Amirah had more fun watching as Mateo’s mother made the entomatadas from scratch. She showed Amirah how to boil the chicken breast that she seasoned with garlic and onion powder. Next, his mother put chopped onions, diced tomatoes, chicken bouillon powder, and chipotle pepper in a blender with a cup of water. The flavors were attacking her taste buds and made her yearn for the meal. Then they warmed the tomato sauce for a few minutes.

  Heating the tortillas was even more of a challenge for Amirah, as she didn’t usually fry the food she cooked. His mother was patient every step of the way. Folding the shredded chicken into the tortillas and then arranging them on the plate made Amirah feel like an artist.

  She loved the final results. Mateo, Julio, and Luisa did too, as they voiced their approval and patted their stomachs. The food went down well with Jumex mango juice.

  At the table, Amirah told Mateo’s family more about herself. It seemed that every time Amirah opened her mouth to speak, Mateo’s mother grinned. Amirah thought it was safe to say that she had his mother’s approval.

  His mother told a few embarrassing stories about Mateo and Julio growing up, and then she talked briefly about Mateo’s father. According to her, his father had been murdered chasing another man’s wife. Amirah noticed that Mateo, Julio, and Luisa were uncomfortable as their mother talked about their father’s philandering ways.

  After their mother finished, Luisa changed the subject by talking about her favorite topic—her. Amirah admired the fact that the sixteen-year-old was rather feisty and very outgoing, the opposite of Amirah when she was Luisa’s age.

  As the two women conversed, Amirah was happy that she actually got along with Luisa. She understood being young, going out seeing the world, and the temptations that Luisa was finding along with it: Trying to please one’s mother; saying no to boys and meaning it. Amirah hoped that she would be able to sit down with Luisa and talk to her about some of the trials and temptations she was facing. Maybe hearing solutions from a woman closer to her age would do the trick.

  As always, Julio acted a fool. The stories about serving in Iraq and Afghanistan were surprisingly filled with humor. Julio made bullets flying over his head while looking for mines and staying in barracks seem like the place to be.

  A part of Amirah wondered if Julio was really hiding the pain from war in his smiles. She knew from another teacher she worked with that all the killing and crying was enough to make anyone have a mental breakdown. Julio was very blunt about suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. To hear him tell it, the bigger struggle was to laugh to keep from crying.

  After dinner and a dessert of crème caramel, Amirah tried to help their mother with the dishes. She scooted her away and encouraged her to enjoy her time being a guest in her home.

  Mateo and Amirah stayed for a little while longer after watching a Mexican soap opera, then Mateo drove Amirah home.

  “Your family is nice,” Amirah complimented as they pulled up to her apartment. The ride had been nice and quiet, with contemporary R&B music playing in the background.

  “Thanks.” Mateo smiled as he turned off the ignition and unlocked the doors.

  Mateo walked around and opened Amirah’s door and helped her out of the car. They walked hand in hand until they reached Amirah’s apartment.

  Mateo started to walk away, but Amirah tugged at his hand, inviting him in. He happily accepted.

  “This is my small piece of the world.” Amirah showed off her flat with pride.

  She saw how Mateo walked around and was in awe, especially at the paintings and other fine collectibles. “This is bigger than my place.”

  She watched as Mateo took off his shoes and let his covered feet touch the plush carpet. Amirah noticed that Mateo seemed to enjoy the slight descent of each cushioned step. “Lavender, right?” he asked when he walked around and admired her soft couch and loveseat.


  “Mom always said it soothes the spirit.” Amirah surprised herself by bringing up her mother.

  Mateo turned around to face her. “Your mother was right.”

  Amirah watched as Mateo sat down for a minute and then hopped up and walked toward her mantle, which held small, African tribal figurines. “Mom was a big collector,” she explained. “She was particularly fond of the Ashanti tribe in Ghana. We almost got to go one year, but something came up with one of her businesses.”

  “You mother was a businesswoman?” Mateo encouraged as he smiled at her and then picked up another figurine and looked at it. The miniature warrior intrigued him, and Mateo touched the tip of its spear to see how sharp it was.

  “Yes.” Amirah let out a light chuckle. She got a kick out of watching him rearrange the figurines on the mantle like he was playing with action figures. “What are you doing, playing chess?”

  “I can’t remember how I found the pieces,” Mateo said as he continued to move the pieces around.

  “That’s okay,” Amirah confirmed. “I was saying that my mother owned several businesses here and in Liberia. In Liberia, she was a private investor in a few farms and fruit stands. She went a few times a year. I didn’t go with her, because she wanted me focused on my studies here and to explore Liberia and the other countries in Africa when I got older.

  “In America, my mother owned a few daycares and rental properties in Winston-Salem, and she hosted several programs for women who were interested in taking on jobs as teachers. We stayed in the projects because my mother never liked to advertise her wealth, and she liked to be closer to the women she mentored.”

  “Is that why you became a teacher?” Mateo asked.

  “Yes and no,” Amirah answered. “I wasn’t fond of the toddlers and pre-kindergarten students, but as I got older, I was a bad girl who was attracted to bad boys.”

  “Oh, really?” Mateo challenged. He sat down, and Amirah made her way to the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator and grabbed a pitcher of strawberry Arnold Palmer, which was half strawberry lemonade, half ice tea, and placed it on the counter. Amirah grabbed two tall glasses from the cupboard and filled each glass half full with the drink. She put the pitcher back in the fridge and then picked up the glasses and gave one to Mateo. She took a sip from the other.

  “I liked them bad,” Amirah continued, talking about the boys. “I liked the ones that could fight, but I didn’t mind a drug dealer every now and then. My mother warned me about those kind of men, and thankfully, I finally listened.

  “As I got older and was a student at A&T, I found that I had a passion for working with teenagers. I thought it was interesting being at the cusp of adulthood. Hence, the reason I teach high school.”

  Immediately she felt guilty. Amirah hadn’t meant to boast. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean any harm or any comparison of your place to mine. I realize you may not have had the same opportunities.”

  Mateo walked to Amirah, and then he got behind her and wrapped his arms around her. “I’m not harmed.” Mateo held her tight. “I’m proud of you, ma. You’re doing this thing by yourself and still holding your own. You give me something to aspire to.”

  Amirah’s guilt gave way as she looked at her apartment. While she always considered her retreat a humbling place, she could see how it appeared that she had more in someone else’s eyes.

  “And you will get there.” Amirah felt comfortable in his embrace. Everything about being in Mateo’s arms felt right, and she leaned her head in for a kiss.

  She meant for a peck, but as their tongues intertwined, Amirah got more than she bargained for. And she surprised herself by being just as aggressive as he was.

  As Mateo and Amirah continued breathing into each other’s souls, Amirah’s mind sped off into a thought of being the future Mrs. Valdez. She felt a desire to be able to share with a daughter or daughter-in-law how to make some of her own favorite dishes. She could see the children she wanted to have with him. Their little boys and girls learning to play soccer and excelling in academics, and growing into fine, respectable men and women. Mateo coming home from work while the children learned from the best teacher in the world.

  Amirah felt him, and she felt herself slowly merging her world with his. She was so lost in her kiss and her dreams that she didn’t realize that she and Mateo were undressing and that they were dangerously close to how God created Adam and Eve.

  Looking at his bare chest, Amirah quickly backed away. Putting her hand to her face, Amirah felt embarrassed that she led Mateo on and took things too far. He was exposed and she was almost there, and she felt guilty.

  “I’m sorry, Mateo,” Amirah apologized through tears as she quickly looked away.

  She couldn’t believe she had let a kiss lead her to a moment where her head fell off her shoulders. This carnal, inner woman that she kept at bay was about to make her break her vow to God to stay pure until marriage.

  “It’s okay.” Mateo rushed to put on his clothes. She could tell that he was embarrassed enough for both of them.

  Amirah apologized a few more times as Mateo dressed in silence. A few moments later, Mateo was out the door, and she was sitting at the edge of her bed, praying to God and repenting for entertaining lust and for tempting Mateo.

  Amirah prayed that she hadn’t pushed Mateo away by not giving herself away too soon, but she had to stay true to her vow and her promise to herself and God. And by repenting, she aimed to please Him.

  Chapter Forty

  The Sentence

  As the last student left her classroom, Amirah couldn’t wait to sit down. She’d been standing for most of the ninety-minute class block, showing the students how to use speech recognition to operate the spreadsheet program. Amirah felt like she was back at the call center she had worked at while in college, sitting and standing for long periods of time.

  Her grades were already in the computer. She decided to take the tests home that she had just given her students in the previous class period, so that she could look over them after her date with Mateo. He was on his way to the school, and she was excited. It been a week since their slip-up, and both felt it was best to meet in a public place. Even though they had been dating for almost four months, Amirah and Mateo knew the attraction was there, and when that moment happened, it needed to be within the blessing of God.

  Besides, they couldn’t get it on like Marvin Gaye if they were in her classroom.

  Amirah’s after-school duties required that she stand at the hallway and monitor the locker rooms on her hall to make sure to students weren’t doing anything obscene. The lovebirds knew the most they could do on her hall was hold hands and maybe share a hug. Amirah watched the students as they congregated at their lockers, getting ready to go home. She almost wished she was that age again, with no major responsibilities, just homework, soccer, and a part-time job at the local Burger King.

  Once the hallways were clear, she closed the door and went back to her desk. Sitting, she slouched in her chair and tilted her head back and exhaled. Amirah could finally relax for a minute.

  Thinking about Mateo still gave her shivers. She couldn’t believe that the peck on the lips almost led to sin. They’d gotten too close to each other. Hands weren’t where they needed to be, and neither were their minds.

  Amirah felt wrong for lusting after Mateo. As much as she would have wanted to say that she could avoid the temptation, she wasn’t convinced that she would be strong enough. She loved God, but she also loved Mateo’s touch. She felt guilty for not wanting it to end and wanting to feel it again, but she had made a vow not to have sex until marriage. She was thankful that Mateo respected her and God enough to help her keep it.

  Amirah got up to stretch, feeling good that she had a few seconds to relax. She walked to the other end of her classroom and closed the blinds. Once that was done, she turned off the printer and the projector, and she visually inspected the room to ensure that all the computers were turned off too.


  Completing her task, she walked back to her desk to grab her book bag and some books so that she could get ready to leave. Amirah felt someone pushing her up against the wall.

  “Miss me, baby?” Turner whispered in her ear.

  She hadn’t heard that voice in weeks. No, she didn’t miss him. Amirah gasped as she wondered how Turner had managed to sneak into her classroom again.

  As she struggled, she turned her head in the direction of the door adjoining her classroom and her neighbor’s classroom, and she found her answer. It was open. While checking to make sure everything else was done, she didn’t check the closet space she shared with the other business and marketing teacher. Turner had been in the closet the whole time.

  “How long you been here?” Amirah decided that if she was going to be harmed, she could at least get the answer to a question.

  “Long enough to know that I can give you passion better than Mateo can.” Turner turned Amirah around and reached in for a kiss.

  Amirah realized that Turner had been on her tail and observing her comings and goings in and out of the classroom. After the first run-in, Amirah quickly changed her routine and made sure she was extra cautious of her surroundings. She tried to keep Sarai or Howard in the know of where she was to be at all times. The resource officer promised to pay close attention to the cameras in the school to monitor the doors. With that, Amirah had everything taken care of—or so she thought. No recent signs of Turner and spending more and more time with Mateo had allowed her to drop her guard and what little bit of street sense she had.

  “Stop, Turner!” She tried to push him away, but she was unsuccessful. She started beating on his chest. “I said no!”

  “Don’t fight me, baby.” Turner tightened his grip on her. She could hear him unzipping his pants while moving his hand inside of her blouse. “I always wanted to make love to a teacher.”