2
Denise stood in front of the tall skyscraper. She finally knew what Dorothy felt like when she opened her door to find out she wasn't in Kansas anymore. Denise felt like the country mouse in the big city. Whenever she'd traveled before, it was with a group of teammates. This time she was alone and completely clueless. She was amazed she made it out of JFK, triple amazed that she reached her destination without getting lost.
Denise took a deep breath and walked through the large glass doors. She had never been in such an elegantly designed building. The marble floors were so clean, they gave off a shimmer. Denise walked over to the information desk behind which was seated an older gray-haired woman.
“How may I help you?”
“Umm, I'm looking for the Miller-Lewis Agency.”
The woman gave Denise an awkward glare. “My goodness, where are you from? Texas? Mississippi? I haven't heard an accent that deep in my life. You gotta be Southern.”
Denise smiled. She wasn't sure if it was a compliment or an insult. “I'm from Memphis, actually.”
“Oh, Memphis. Ever been to Graceland?” The woman's bright aqua eyes popped open.
“No, I haven't. Well, I've passed by it a million times, just never took the tour.”
“Oh.” The woman's excitement level disappeared. “Oh well, I'm sure it's nice. You want the twenty-seventh floor.”
“Thank you.”
The woman smiled again. “You have to love that Southern hospitality. No one ever says thank you anymore. You are welcome.”
Denise smiled and walked off. Denise dropped her duffle bag on the elevator floor. She watched as the lights ticked off the numbers of each floor. She suddenly felt nervous. Her heart began to race. Denise studied her reflection on the mirrored walls. Strands of her hair were flying from her ponytail. She removed the holder and smoothed her long hair before tightening it again.
The elevator door opened right into the agency. Denise stood frozen in her spot. She was expecting to walk through a door; that way she, could take a moment to exhale.
“Are you coming in?” the receptionist behind the glass desk in front of the opened elevator doors asked while giving Denise an awkward look.
“Yes, I am,” Denise said as she got off just as the doors were closing. She walked up to the desk.
The blonde was attractive, and she knew it. If her clothes weren't expensive, then she really knew how to bargain-shop. Her hair was cut perfectly in a Victoria Beckham signature bob. The receptionist was busy applying her lipstick. She looked at herself in a small desk mirror then looked up at Denise.
“Well, who are you here to see?”
“Mariah Murphey. I'm Denise Chambers.”
“Have a seat.” The receptionist pressed a few numbers on her multi-line phone.
Denise walked over to the chic waiting area complete with two white suede oversized chairs and matching couch. There was a white shaggy throw rug underneath the glass coffee table. Sitting on top was one single purple orchid plant and the newest copies of
Sports Illustrated
,
ESPN
,
Vogue
,
Vanity Fair,
and
RollingStone
. Denise felt out of place sitting in the chair in her Freedom University sweat pants and T-shirt.
“Denise?”
Denise looked up to see Mariah walking toward her. Her red hair pulled back into a tight up-do. Denise wondered if Mariah ever took her hair down. Denise smiled; it was good to see a familiar face.
Mariah, always in an elegant pantsuit with the same up do, began scouting Denise when she was a freshman. Denise always thought she would go with a black sports agent if the time came; however, Mariah won her over with her bigger than-life personality and her focus on business. While other agents were trying to tempt her with big dreams, Mariah kept it real.
Denise stood up and shook Mariah's hand. She noticed the vacant expression on Mariah's usually cheery face. Something seemed a little off, but Denise couldn't place it.
“Let's go back to my office.”
Denise followed Mariah down a long corridor. She glanced into other agents' offices, each showcasing some of their triumphs with pictures of their clients on the walls. Denise walked into the office. She looked around. Denise expected an open glass room like the ones she'd seen on TV. Instead Mariah's office was filled with various shades of brown with hints of red in a few places.
Mariah sat down at her desk. Denise sat in the chair in front of the desk. Denise didn't know what to make of Mariah's expression, which was very straight. She was used to a big smile.
“Denise, there really isn't an easy way to say what I have to say, so I'm just going to let it out.”
“Um, sure. What's up?”
“We have a problem. I've been working my ass off to try to correct it butâ” Mariah pulled out a few sheets of paper. She slid them over to Denise.
Denise's heart dropped at the print out of
Commercial Appeal
,
Memphis Flyer
, and
Freedom Daily
newspaper articles, each about her injury caused by her bi-polar ex-girlfriend Rhonda.
“Why didn't you let me know about this?”
“I don't know. It all happened so quickly. I was just so focused on getting better and getting here. Why? What's the problem?”
“The problem is that your doctors have stated that you will need physical therapy for a few months.”
“Yeah, just for physical conditioning reasons, and it's during off season. What's going on, Mariah?
Mariah gave Denise a grave look. “Denise, the Liberty no longer wants to pick you up.”
The words hit Denise like a ton of bricks. Her hands began to shake. “But, what ... why can't I just play for them and show them that I'm OK?”
“Because it's deeper than that, with the past issues of lesbians harassing teammates, and worse, they don't want the woman who is coming into the team with lesbian drama on her record.”
Denise could feel her dreams slipping from under her. “So that's it? Is there no other team?”
“I'm so sorry, Denise, but at this time, no. There have been some offers for you to try out next year after a lot of this has died down.”
Tears began to flow from Denise's eyes. “This can't be happening. What am I supposed to do? Where am I supposed to go? I don't have anything. This really can't be happening to me.” Denise's hands were shaking, her heart was beating fast. She could feel the walls closing in on her. She tried to take a deep breath but found it hard to breathe.
Mariah noticed Denise's expression. She rose out of her chair and rushed over to Denise.
“Denise, are you all right? Do you need a doctor?”
“No, I ... need ... a ... career.” Denise couldn't control the tears, which flowed like the Mississippi.
“Denise, I'm so sorry. I don't want you to think of this as an end. It's only one year, then you can play. I'm not giving up on you. I'm going to help you in any way I can. You aren't the first person this has happened to. You can play, just not this year.”
“This can't really be happening. What am I supposed to do? Where am I supposed to go?”
Mariah's heart was breaking as she watched Denise fall apart in front of her. She had watched some of the most arrogant women and men come in and out of her office over the years. The one who really deserved to make it had lost everything.
“You are already booked in the hotel for a week. Go there and just relax. If you need more time, don't worry about it. I promised you I would take care of you, and I'm a woman of my word. Just relax, think about what you want to do. Consider staying in New York, or maybe moving somewhere else. Whatever you need, I'm here for you. I'm only a phone call away. I can have a driver downstairs to take you to the room.” Mariah placed Denise's hand in hers. “Denise, I'm going to make something work for you. I give you my word.”
Denise wanly glanced at Mariah, her eyes red, tear ducts full. She couldn't speak. She slowly nodded her head. Denise stood up and walked out of the office, passing by all the offices she had planned on seeing over and over. She glanced at the receptionist, who was too engrossed in a phone call about a pair of shoes to see her walking out of the office. The elevator doors closed, Denise watched the numbers going down, her happy and anxious feelings replaced with feelings of disparity, agony, and confusion. She was lost.
3
The Charlotte airport was massive. Unlike the Atlanta airport, and its train that speeds you to your next terminal, the Charlotte airport was made for walking. Lena looked down at her next gate, GATE D. She looked up at her current gate, GATE A. Just her luck. Lena started on her cross-airport trek, watching handicapped and overweight people enjoying the handicap carts that would take them swiftly to their next locations. Lena thought about playing the pregnancy card, but changed her mind; she could use the walk.
After an hour, a large slice of cheese pizza and two bottled waters, Lena's last plane began to board. She felt someone looking at her. Out of her peripheral she noticed a familiar face. She turned around to see a woman from her last flight.
Lena immediately realized what feeling she got from the woman. She had to be gay. The short red-bone's style reminded her of the first time she met Cooley. The woman's baggy jeans, oversized Nike shirt and blue and white Jordan's were the first giveaway. Lena studied her masculine walk. She had a blue and white fitted cap pulled down with her hair pulled back in a ponytail. Lena's mind was so fixated on Denise that she didn't pay attention to the woman on the first flight.
The stud smiled at Lena. Lena returned a smile.
“Now boarding our First Class, A Plus and Business Class passengers,” the male gate agent said over the microphone.
Lena headed to the door, and the stud followed, ending up right behind her. Lena could feel the stud's eyes on her, and made sure not to turn around.
Lena sat down on the second row and let the window shade up. She smiled. In a few hours she would be in Denise's arms.
The attractive stud walked on the plane, and Lena's eyes met hers. The stud looked at her ticket then glanced at Lena.
“You were on my last flight, right?” The stud flashed a smile.
Lena noticed her white teeth. “Yeah, I think so.” Lena felt herself getting nervous. Did the stud think that she was interested because of their small exchange at the gate? Lena turned her head toward the window as the stud put her book bag in the overhead compartment and sat down and buckled her seat belt. Lena closed her eyes, hoping the stud would think she was 'sleep.
“My name is Terrin.” The stud reached her hand out.
Lena looked at Terrin; she noticed her almond-shaped eyes, hazel with a hint of emerald, slightly slanted on the edges, and very alluring.
“I'm Lena.” Lena shook Terrin's hand, very soft but strong, just like Denise's hands.
“So is New York your final destination, Ms. Lena?”
“Yes, actually, it is.” Lena smiled.
“Business or pleasure?”
“Pleasure, definitely pleasure.”
“Ahh, must be nice. Business for me; however, I have a feeling this flight might be a bit pleasurable.”
Terrin and Lena looked at each other at the same time, their eyes connected.
The flight attendant stood at their seats with a big smile on her face.
“Can I get the two of you anything to drink?” The flight attendant smiled, while the passengers in coach struggled to get past her and to their seats. Lena had never sat in coach before, and she never planned to.
“Bottled water please,” Lena said.
Terrin asked for a Coke. She quickly focused her attention back on Lena.
“Pleasure, huh, let me guess, you are going to meet your woman?”
The corners of Lena's mouth quirked upward. “What makes you think it's a woman?”
The flight attendant handed them their drinks.
Terrin took a sip of her Coke. She smiled. “Are you saying it's not?” Terrin smirked.
“I'm not saying it is or isn't. I just wondered why you would assume it was a woman.”
Terrin sat up in her seat and leaned in toward Lena. “Let's just say it's my lesbian intuition.”
“Are you saying I look gay or something? Did your â
gay-dar
' go off on me?” Lena motioned her fingers like quotation marks. She heard her bestfriends, Carmen and Misha talk about their gay-dar in numerous conversations.
“My gay-dar.” Terrin laughed. “If that's what you want to call it. Or if could have been the fact that no straight woman would have been looking at me the way you were. Also, no straight woman would have smiled back when I winked at you. And ... no woman who isn't gay moans a woman's name in her sleep.”
Lena's jaw dropped. Her cheeks flushed red from embarrassment. “How didâ”
Terrin gave a sly grin. “I was sitting in front of you. Don't worry, Lena. Your secret is safe with me.” Terrin finished her small cup of Coke.
The flight attendants manned their posts as the plane began to coast. They began to go over all the safety rules and regulations. Lena pretended to listen while Terrin opened a copy of
Sports Illustrated
.
As soon as the flight attendants finished, Lena turned back to Terrin.
“So, let's say you didn't hear me. Would you have guessed I was gay off your other comments?”
“Not really. But I can't lie. I was surely hoping you were, when I changed my seat number to sit by you.” Terrin looked ahead with a grin on her face. Lena blushed.
“Look at you, little sneaky. What were you expecting, to put me into the mile-high club?”
Terrin laughed. “No, I was just hoping to have a great conversation while on the flight. Then when we landed, I was going to ask for your number so I could take you out in New York.”
“Oh, so you had it all figured out.”
“I had the long trek from our last terminal to come up with it.”
Lena blushed; Terrin was definitely charming. “Well, great conversation we can have. The rest, I'm not too sure about.”
“Well”âTerrin looked down at her watchâ“I have two hours to change your mind about that, just like I changed my seat.”
Their eyes locked on each other again. Lena's face felt warm. She twisted a few strands of her hair around her finger. She was openly flirting with a woman and it wasn't Denise.
“So why are you going to New York?” Lena asked.
Terrin frowned. “Conference. Very boring stuff, a bunch of nerds sitting around talking. Nothing like you going to meet your little love. So is it gonna be all romantic and cliché? Her holding a sign with your name on it, you run into her arms at the gate?”
Lena laughed; the Cancer in her loved the hopeless romantic aspect of Terrin's words. “No, she actually doesn't know I'm coming. It's complicated,” Lena said, thinking about the messy situation she created for herself.
They paused their conversation as the flight attendants performed their duties of alerting passengers of the various procedures and exit doors while the plane coasted to the runway. The plane finally took off. Lena watched as the lines on the runway passed by. The take-off was her favorite part of flying. She watched as the houses and land below began to look like hundreds of little boxes.
Terrin leaned closer to Lena. “Oh, you just gon' pop up on the chick. That's brave. What makes it complicated?”
“Trust me, you would need more than two hours.”
“OK. OK. Well, give me the
Reader's Digest
version,” Terrin said, looking at Lena.
Lena couldn't resist.
“Well, long story short, she was my college roommate that I cheated on my boyfriend/new husband with, but that doesn't really matter because he's cheated on me a million times. But I realized that I can't live without her, so I had to do what I had to do. You know what I'm saying?”
Terrin's eyes tightened, and her bottom lip fell slightly open. “Wow, I smell a Lifetime movie of the week. Guess he can't be too happy right now.”
Lena's mind drifted to Brandon. She knew he was probably furious. He might even be on another plane coming to kill her and Denise. “I don't know what he's thinking. I care, but I just couldn't do it anymore. I ... I love her.
Terrin gazed into Lena's brown eyes. “Do you think she feels the same way?”
“She does. Well, she did. I hope she still does.” Lena looked out the window. The thought never occurred to her that Denise might not feel the same way about her anymore. She had hurt Denise so much, she could only hope it wasn't too late.
“In that case I wish you nothing but good luck. I hope she takes you in her arms and gives you the best kiss you ever had.”
“Is that what you would do if you were in her shoes?” Lena gazed into Terrin's eyes.
“If it was me, I would forgive probably anything coming from a woman as beautiful as you.”
Lena and Terrin exchanged smiles. Lena looked back out the window. Terrin was attractive, and witty, but she couldn't hold a candle to the love of her life. Denise was it, and she knew it. She was on her way to meet her destiny.