A McClendon Thanksgiving Page 4

  Faith’s eyes shined with anticipation as she followed the other woman’s lead to explore the place.

  The large second-floor unit had been recently renovated, but still combined vintage detail with modern amenities. Faith could see her reflection in the hardwood floors that flowed through to the kitchen. The huge space had enough room for a massive kitchen table and chairs next to a slender door. Curious as to where it led, Faith opened it to discover brand-new laundry appliances. Now, she wouldn’t have to worry about lugging her dirty clothes to the laundromat, or down to a dingy basement, with a coin dispenser that didn’t work half the time.

  “This place has a lot to offer,” Maria commented.

  Faith ran her hand over the intricate details of the door molding and looked up at the ceiling. “It sure does. I really, really like it,” she said, walking into a separate living room with a fireplace. “This room is huge for just me.”

  Maria pulled out her pen and started scribbling. “Do you think you want something smaller?”

  Faith chuckled. “No, I love it. It’s big but, hey, I think it will work fine.” The condo she lived in with Kevin was much larger, but didn’t have this kind of charm. Kevin probably would have said no while they were still outside, and Faith wouldn’t have ever gotten the chance to look at a place like this. He would have felt it was beneath them, not being high class enough.

  With a swift inhale, Faith pulled herself together, out of her pity party, since that was the past and today she was making her own decisions. She rushed down the short hallway. “I wanted to see how large the bedrooms were.”

  As she entered the space of the master bedroom, she was pleasantly surprised by the natural light that flooded the room. It had a huge walk-in closet, and she was grateful for the adjoining bathroom complete with a separate tub and shower. Satisfied about her amenities, she needed to check one more important detail, the other bedrooms. She wasn’t so much worried about the guest room because she rarely had company, but the room she would be using the most—where she would put her mannequins, sewing supplies and computer equipment—was very important.

  Her breath caught in her throat when she entered the bigger of the two and saw that it also had lots of natural light. She could tell that someone had taken the smaller closet and built shelving. The design of the space was perfect for her to store the bolts of fabric, sewing notions and small filing cabinet she kept that was filled with dress patterns. “This is absolutely perfect, Maria.”

  “I’m so glad you like it, Faith,” Maria said.

  “This is it,” Faith said, walking around the empty space, which also had hardwood floors and crown molding. She loved the location, neighborhood and convenience of being near some shops, the airport, her parents or her sister Jennifer.

  She pulled out her cell phone, walked into every room and snapped pictures so that she could come up with a decorating plan. This would be her place and she didn’t have to worry about anyone coming in to tell her where to put things or how the furniture should be situated.

  “Are you sure you don’t want to look at any other apartments?”

  “No, how soon can I move in?”

  “It should be available immediately, but I will check on that.”

  “I would like to see the building you have lined up for my boutique. Maybe we can get both these deals done today.” Faith didn’t want to lose any more time since she’d already wasted years fooling around with Kevin and his dream of multimillionaire status. It was her turn and she wasn’t going to let any grass grow under her feet.

  Maria shook Faith’s hand and they walked through the entire space together one more time, then left the building. Faith followed Maria to the next showing.

  An hour later, Faith was in her car, strumming the steering wheel with her fingers, humming to the music from the radio. She was satisfied with her choices for the new home and boutique, Made to Order by Faith. It was a wonderful storefront space with street-corner frontage in the heart of the Chicago Arts District. Just walking around the modern space—that had an industrial feel to it, with high ceilings, exposed brick—had given her so many ideas as to how she wanted her space to look. Faith immediately realized that she would need a commercial contractor for the renovations.

  She was on her way to meet Maria back at her office so that they could finalize the paperwork when the sudden announcement from her car’s Bluetooth feature announced Michael calling.

  “Hey, you,” she said, happy to be pulling into the parking lot of the realtor’s office.

  “How are things going today?”

  “Actually they’re fantastic.”

  “You sound enthusiastic,” Michael said.

  “Things are coming together for me, Michael.”

  “You deserve it, Faith. You deserve it,” Michael said in response.

  There was a slight pause before he spoke again. “I know you said that you were going to be busy the rest of the week, but I decided to take a chance to see if we could grab a quick bite to eat.”

  Faith smiled at his persistence. “Can I call you as soon as I’m done with this meeting?” She had done her running around for the day and didn’t see a problem with stopping to have lunch. She could get back to work after. This way, she could tell Michael all the details about today. She felt good being able to share with someone who genuinely cared about her life.

  “Of course you can. I’ll be waiting to hear from you,” he responded.

  Faith ended the call, got out of the car and went inside the realtor’s office to finish her business.

  Michael had promised himself that he wouldn’t call Faith, but as soon as he got up that morning, she was his first thought. He tried not to think about her—what she was doing, where she was—but his curiosity got the best of him, so he called.

  He had just finished a maternity photo shoot for a young couple who wanted to take pictures before their baby boy was born. That type of photography had become increasingly popular over the past couple of years. Even though Michael wasn’t an expert at maternity photography, he loved taking pictures, so he’d researched the subject, found a few techniques and been successful with the process. So he was happy to be able to offer a package for expecting families and was always filled with pride when his clients gushed over the images. He had done awesome work with some of the most loving couples he’d ever come across.

  The Rodriguezes were a couple referred by a previous client who had come to him earlier in their pregnancy, but Michael suggested they come back when the mother was at least thirty weeks along. Even though every pregnancy was different, in his experience, when the mother was that far along, her belly was much rounder, perfect for picture taking.

  While Michael waited for Faith to call him back, he decided to work on the photos from that shoot. He had already backed up the images on an external hard drive, never taking a chance of leaving them in the camera. But he needed to cull the shoot, down to the best images, and give them some Photoshop love so they would sparkle when he presented them to the couple. The process took time, but he was always proud of the final product.

  As Michael sorted through them, there were so many good photos he decided that he would give the couple fifty instead of twenty-five. This way he had a good variety of shots to show them.

  The photos had turned out great and his favorites were of the light glistening over Evelyn Rodriguez’s distended belly with her husband, Raul, standing behind her, caressing her shoulders. The photo evoked love and tenderness, which Michael liked because everybody needed both from somebody. He had to admit Evelyn Rodriguez glowed in the snug-fitting fuchsia top that showed her baby bump nicely. The camera seemed to love her.

  Once the fifty photos were chosen, his next task was to put the sparkle and shine on them. He bumped up the vibrancy and added a vignette to the photo he took up close, with their wedding rings on Evelyn’s bel
ly.

  As he worked with that particular photo, Michael started to imagine what Faith would look like carrying their child. He imagined she would be beautiful, her face glowing just as Evelyn’s did. The image came out of nowhere, but, then, he had never stopped believing in his heart that she would belong to him one day—that they belonged together, even though for a time she’d belonged to another man.

  Faith patted the steering wheel to the beat of the song playing on the car radio. If she had to put into words her feelings at the moment, they would be triumphant, excited and free. She couldn’t wait to give Michael all the details of her adventurous day.

  She had signed on the dotted lines for the lease of both her apartment and the boutique. Now, the real work began.

  The music had gotten so good to her that she twisted the knob, increasing the volume just as soulful crooner Marvin Gaye hit his famous high notes on the R & B classic “Got to Give It Up”. Turning the corner onto the main street where Michael’s studio was located, Faith eased into a parking spot, stepped out of the vehicle and looked up at the sign on the building that said Momentous Occasions. Smiling, she went inside.

  Faith waited in the reception area and immediately saw Michael coming toward her. When he approached, he quickly pulled her into his arms, lifting her off her feet. Faith wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed him tightly before being set down.

  “You look excited. I take it everything went well,” Michael said.

  Faith observed the large, spacious reception area that had an upscale feel to it, with its high ceilings, track lighting and gleaming, mahogany-colored wooden table. An array of magazines from Modern Bride to Good Housekeeping were fanned out on either side of a vibrant floral centerpiece ensconced in a beautiful crystal vase. Three elegant wingback chairs in misty-blue upholstery, with silver-accenting nail trim going down the arms and legs that matched the color of the coffee table rested against the wall. A large flat-screen television hung on the opposite wall and was running a portfolio slide show of Michael’s work. The company logo, boldly displayed on the wall behind the chairs in the seating area, read Momentous Occasions…Capturing Your Special Moments…The Story of Your Life.

  Faith grabbed Michael by the hand, threading their fingers together. “Michael, this is such a warm and inviting place. It gives me a real welcomed feeling. I’d love to have my photo taken here,” Faith commented as she scanned the space.

  “Thanks, Faith, that means a lot to me, coming from you,” Michael said, standing next to her, clasping her fingers.

  “You must be proud of yourself,” Faith said. He wasn’t an investment banker, like Kevin, who made money by getting other people to invest in something. No, he did this all on his own, using his talent for taking pictures. After she had the thought, she dismissed it because there was no need to compare Michael to Kevin.

  “Ah,” she said before giving him a kiss on the cheek. “I’m so proud of you,” Faith said, their hands still connected. She moved slowly, continuing to take everything in, from the semicircular reception desk that had a very high-end look, to the matching table and chairs in the seating area.

  “I didn’t get a chance to ask what you’ve been up to because I was so busy apologizing for how I’d treated you.”

  Michael gently pulled her to his side. “I thought we weren’t going to talk about that anymore,” he whispered, moving closer, sending a shiver down her spine.

  Her heartbeat increased at the feel of his breath caressing her face as he spoke. Clearing her throat so that she wouldn’t lose her train of thought, she asked, “What else are you doing with your photography?”

  Michael led her over to the chairs in the reception area and they sat down. “Well, my plate is rather full with teaching at the community college, mentoring photography students, along with shooting weddings, graduations and everything in between.”

  Faith always believed that Michael would do great things one day with his camera since he always had one with him, no matter where he went. If there was a special occasion or a Kodak moment, he would try his best to capture it.

  Michael laid his hand on her thigh. “You didn’t tell me what happened with your meeting this morning.”

  “I’ll tell you over lunch. Did you still want to go out somewhere?”

  “I hope you don’t mind, but I ordered in and it should be delivered any moment now. I knew you were strapped for time, so I ordered a couple of simple Chinese dishes from this great little restaurant about a mile away,” Michael said, standing.

  Faith rose from her chair, smoothing out any wrinkles in her jacket and pants. “No, I don’t mind. Do you want to show me the rest of the studio while we’re waiting for the delivery?”

  “After you.” He stepped back and gestured for her to go ahead of him.

  Michael placed his right hand in the small of her back, they moved down the hall, stopping along the way to view all the samples of Michael’s work that lined the walls of the studio. The photographs were fully finished, beautifully matted and framed in gold, silver or wooden frames. The presentation was lovely and it only made Faith more proud of her friend.

  The studio featured three camera areas in which to photograph, with an assortment of backgrounds, props and lights. Everything in the studio was high tech, as it was in the viewing room, which had more samples of Michael’s work hanging on the walls, a computer and two chairs.

  Faith couldn’t help but think Michael had accomplished exactly what he set out to do. Sitting down in the viewing room, she grabbed his hand, urging him to take a seat.

  Before she could say anything, the doorbell chimed, alerting them that there was someone in the building.

  After Michael greeted the delivery guy, paid for the food and let the guy out, he came back to get Faith. “Come on, let’s go back into the break room and eat. I know you’re starving by now.”

  Faith stood up and for a slight moment she was glad that he’d interrupted her, because she didn’t know why she was getting so emotional around him. Maybe it was because she felt so guilty for mistreating him or for the way she’d received him the first night. She didn’t know what it was, but she did know that Michael was her friend and she didn’t want to do anything else to jeopardize that relationship.

  She followed him to a room, at the end of the hall and around the corner that had a nice-sized round table, a sink with running water, ample counter space and a microwave. It looked like a regular kitchen without the stove, for there was a small fridge at the end of the counter.

  Michael placed the bags on the table and walked over to the sink, reaching into the cabinet above. He pulled down two plates and glanced over his shoulder at Faith, who was opening and closing the cabinet drawers.

  “I’ve got this, Faith. You go on and have a seat,” Michael said, pulling two bottles of water from the mini refrigerator.

  Once they served themselves a moderate helping of shrimp with garlic sauce, pork lo mein, sweet and sour chicken, fried rice and pork-infused egg rolls, they said grace.

  Faith cut into an egg roll, plopped it into her mouth, and with her eyes closed, she immediately heard herself moan. “This is so good,” she said, sampling another piece of the golden-brown, seasoned pork-cabbage-and-shrimp-infused roll.

  “You were getting ready to say something to me before we got interrupted,” Michael said.

  “Yes. I was just thinking how you’ve accomplished the things you set out to do and how your success is evident and inspiring to me.”

  “That’s really sweet. Hard work pays off, though sometimes it doesn’t seem that way.”

  “Well, I hope I can do it.” More than anything else in this world, Faith wanted to be a successful designer and boutique owner.

  “At least it’s not too late to do it, since you’re already taking the steps in the right direction to make things happen. Just keep going.”
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  Even though she had no intention of quitting, it was great to hear words of encouragement from Michael. He’d always been supportive—it was his nature.

  “This really is good, but the next time we have a meal, I’m going to cook it for you.”

  Michael’s eyes widened in surprise. “You can cook?”

  Faith pointed her fork at him. “Don’t get funny.”

  “No, I’m serious. I thought you and your ex only went to fancy restaurants.”

  “I enjoyed cooking and eating at home, more than going out.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes, and whenever he was away on business, I cooked for myself all the time.” Faith hated going to those restaurants, eating what her mother would call bird food. She liked rich, hearty meals that she could prepare herself.

  “Well, I accept your invitation. Does this mean that you found a place?”

  “Yes, and we will celebrate together after I move in and get things in order.”

  “Let me know when you get ready to move. I’ll come and help you,” Michael offered.

  “Oh, that’s so sweet of you, but I’m just going to hire a company to do it for me,” she said.

  Faith glanced at her watch. “Oh my goodness, I need to get going.” She picked up her napkin and patted the corners of her mouth before standing. “Lunch was great and I hate to eat and run, but I need to be somewhere.”

  “No problem. I’m sure you spent more time than you really had, but I’m glad you did.” Michael dabbed his mouth with the napkin, stood and rounded the table, then reached for her.

  Faith went willingly into his arms. She could feel her nipples tighten while a needy ache between her legs took her by surprise. She would have to find out what was happening because she’d never felt this way before and she’d hugged Michael more times than she could count. She shook off the shock and cleared her throat before stepping back. “I’ll call you later, then.”