instrument and instructed his body to behave. “I told you before, we don’t like her. Go back to sleep,” he said sternly before opening the door. Oddly enough, the sight of his visitor made his body become dormant immediately. It was Aneesah Shabazz, wearing a red coat and a big smile. Before he could figure out how he was supposed to react, Aneesah walked right past him into the foyer, saying, “Happy New Year,” while she did so. She removed her coat and held it out to Donnie, who was just staring at her while she made herself at home.
“Happy New Year, doggies. Don’t get up on my account,” she said dryly. Jordan and Pippen never moved from their places on the hearth, merely thumping their tails wearily in acknowledgement. Aneesah, meanwhile, had sat down on the couch and was holding out a cake tin to Donnie.
“Here you go. These are some tea cakes my mother made. I was going to tell you I baked them but you know what a lie that would be!” Aneesah laughed uproariously at the thought; she was known for her dislike of cooking in any way, shape or form. As Donnie still hadn’t said a word, Aneesah snapped her fingers a couple of times to get his attention. “You know, you might want to offer me some coffee or tea or something. It’s customary when you have a visitor, especially on a holiday,” she said pointedly.
Donnie finally rallied enough to accept the tin and sit down in one of die large leather club chairs that flanked the sofa. “Sorry. My mind was elsewhere, I guess. Happy New Year to you, too. You look wonderful, by the way,” he added. And she really did, in a slim-fitting pair of gray slacks with a crisp white shirt topped by a black merino jersey V-neck sweater. Her short coif was perfect as always—what could be seen of it under her jaunty red beret—and her smooth brown face was devoid of makeup, also as always, her deeply set long-lashed eyes sparkled with intelligence.
“I wish I could say the same to you, Donnie, but you look kinda bad. You look like you haven’t had a good night’s sleep in a while. And you look like your housekeeper is on vacation,” she said pointedly as she looked at the newspapers, gym shoes and other clutter around the large living room.
Donnie sprawled out in the chair and nodded absently. “Yeah, Mrs. Montez is away for the holidays. I wanted her to know how much I missed her while she was gone, so I haven’t picked up anything,” he said absently. “And no, I didn’t sleep too well last night, now that you mention it.”
Aneesah stopped smiling and looked contrite. “I’m not to blame for that, am I? That’s one of the reasons I stopped by, to make sure you and I are okay. We’ve been close for so long, I don’t want anything to happen to our friendship. Even though we’re not destined for marriage,” she said quietly.
Donnie blew out a loud, dramatic breath before answering. “If I said I was pining away for you, dying for the love of you, would it make any difference? Would you change your mind?” he asked with hope in his voice.
It was Aneesah’s turn to sigh. “No, Donnie, it wouldn’t make a bit of difference. You and I had a lot of fun when we were younger. You were one of the best boyfriends I’ve ever had, no question about it. But I’m not ready to get married. You might think you’re ready, but I’m not so sure about that,” she said firmly. “And I know for a fact that we don’t have the deep, passionate, abiding love you need to make a marriage work. We like each other, we even love each other like brother and sister, but we’re not ‘in love.’ You need to be really deeply in love for a marriage to be about anything and you of all people know that. Look at your brothers and your sister, for example. They all married for love, real true love, and look how happy they are.” She shook her head in exasperation. “And where is that tea, friend? I want one of those tea cakes.”
Donnie didn’t respond for a
“Happy New Year, doggies. Don’t get up on my account,” she said dryly. Jordan and Pippen never moved from their places on the hearth, merely thumping their tails wearily in acknowledgement. Aneesah, meanwhile, had sat down on the couch and was holding out a cake tin to Donnie.
“Here you go. These are some tea cakes my mother made. I was going to tell you I baked them but you know what a lie that would be!” Aneesah laughed uproariously at the thought; she was known for her dislike of cooking in any way, shape or form. As Donnie still hadn’t said a word, Aneesah snapped her fingers a couple of times to get his attention. “You know, you might want to offer me some coffee or tea or something. It’s customary when you have a visitor, especially on a holiday,” she said pointedly.
Donnie finally rallied enough to accept the tin and sit down in one of die large leather club chairs that flanked the sofa. “Sorry. My mind was elsewhere, I guess. Happy New Year to you, too. You look wonderful, by the way,” he added. And she really did, in a slim-fitting pair of gray slacks with a crisp white shirt topped by a black merino jersey V-neck sweater. Her short coif was perfect as always—what could be seen of it under her jaunty red beret—and her smooth brown face was devoid of makeup, also as always, her deeply set long-lashed eyes sparkled with intelligence.
“I wish I could say the same to you, Donnie, but you look kinda bad. You look like you haven’t had a good night’s sleep in a while. And you look like your housekeeper is on vacation,” she said pointedly as she looked at the newspapers, gym shoes and other clutter around the large living room.
Donnie sprawled out in the chair and nodded absently. “Yeah, Mrs. Montez is away for the holidays. I wanted her to know how much I missed her while she was gone, so I haven’t picked up anything,” he said absently. “And no, I didn’t sleep too well last night, now that you mention it.”
Aneesah stopped smiling and looked contrite. “I’m not to blame for that, am I? That’s one of the reasons I stopped by, to make sure you and I are okay. We’ve been close for so long, I don’t want anything to happen to our friendship. Even though we’re not destined for marriage,” she said quietly.
Donnie blew out a loud, dramatic breath before answering. “If I said I was pining away for you, dying for the love of you, would it make any difference? Would you change your mind?” he asked with hope in his voice.
It was Aneesah’s turn to sigh. “No, Donnie, it wouldn’t make a bit of difference. You and I had a lot of fun when we were younger. You were one of the best boyfriends I’ve ever had, no question about it. But I’m not ready to get married. You might think you’re ready, but I’m not so sure about that,” she said firmly. “And I know for a fact that we don’t have the deep, passionate, abiding love you need to make a marriage work. We like each other, we even love each other like brother and sister, but we’re not ‘in love.’ You need to be really deeply in love for a marriage to be about anything and you of all people know that. Look at your brothers and your sister, for example. They all married for love, real true love, and look how happy they are.” She shook her head in exasperation. “And where is that tea, friend? I want one of those tea cakes.”
Donnie didn’t respond for a
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