to get a good look at her; he was sure that she was one of his exes from way back when. The woman had a booty on her then and she had one on her now. A smile crossed his face at a long ago memory.
It was ten minutes to twelve when the voice of the guide instructed Victor to turn right and then left, slowing down to turn into a complex that he had not heard of. Brand new condos lay beyond the sign that read Willows Bend. Although Victor didn’t see any willow trees, Dogwood trees lined the entry way of this isolated community, and beautiful Japanese maples dotted the front yards of each condo.
“You have reached your destination,” the voice of the navigator said. “Your route guidance has ended.”
Victor had committed the address to memory. When he identified Mimi’s residence, Victor drove slowly past it, turned around, and parked across the street in an unmarked space. Nerves griped his body, and he sat for a few minutes to get it under control. He looked in the mirror, brushed his sideburns, straightened his tie, and got out of the car.
He surveyed the surroundings and walked across the street. Hesitating a moment, he pulled himself together and walked the last few feet to Mimi’s door. He rang the doorbell and almost immediately the door flew open.
“Expecting someone?” Victor asked, a smile crossing his lifeless lips.
A gasp, then a hand over the heart. Mimi looked straight into the eyes of a face she had longed to forget.
“Are you going to invite me in?” Victor asked casually, sarcastically, dressing Mimi up and down with his eyes.
All of a sudden Mimi pushed the door, trying to close it before Victor could come all the way in. Luck wasn’t on her side. Victor wedged his foot between the door and the frame. Mimi continued to push, but clearly she wasn’t as strong as the man who barged his way into her residence.
“What do you want?”
“What do I want, Mimi? Why don’t you invite me to sit, and yes, I’d like something cold to drink. I’m on my lunch hour.”
Mimi stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at Victor who had already taken a seat. “No one invited you to lunch, so there’s no need for you to waste anymore of my time.”
“Slow down, Mimi. Let’s not be so hostile. I came by for a friendly visit.”
“How did you find me, Victor?”
“It wasn’t hard. I’m the Director of Admissions at NC Central. I’ll say, though, you’ve got a beautiful daughter…Afrika. I like that.”
“Don’t you go anywhere near my daughter. Do you hear me, Victor? You do and I’ll…”
“And you’ll do what? Run to Brenda and tell her that you gave it up to me? Time hasn’t changed you a bit. You’re still feisty as you ever were and you’ve still got that ‘oh help me Lawdy’ coke-bottle figure.”
Mimi’s finger shot in the air, getting in Victor’s face. “Shut up, Victor. Shut the hell up. You’re such a liar. Don’t you ever talk to me like that again. You have no right barging into my place. In fact, you’ve already worn out your welcome.”
“Mimi, you slay me. You know why I’m here, and I want an answer right here and right now.”
“An answer to what?”
“Oh, please, spare me the bull crap. I’m walking across campus calling out to my daughter, but another young lady turns around instead. Damn, she looked just like Asia but a little darker. Same height, about the same weight, hair in a ponytail. It was easy to be mistaken. But I had to ask myself, could this be my daughter? The moment she got closer, in my heart, I realized that she was mine. Right then, I had to find out who her mother was because you weren’t the only one.”
Slap! Slap!
Grabbing the side of his face, Victor jumped up from his seat. A cold chill enveloped the room, and Mimi moved back as she watched Victor’s face turn from light brown to blazing red. Victor gritted his teeth and scowled at Mimi. “I ought to beat the crap out ya now, but that would be too easy. Mark my words though, you’re gonna live to regret that little mistake.”
Mimi’s body stiffened as she continued to watch Victor, whose anger had completely contorted his face. She wasn’t sure if he would retaliate, but without a doubt this visit was over. “Please go, Victor,” Mimi whispered. “I’ll pretend this never happened.”