Birdman of Greenville Pt. 04

Birdman of Greenville Part 4

Alex finds a flock and a new mate.

PREAMBLE RAMBLE: Thank you for sticking with the story this long. This part is twice as long as the others. I promised 4 parts, so I wanted to keep it to 4 parts.

I have to admit, I was still writing this as I was posting the other parts. I did that to motivate me to finish. I have been writing this for more than a month. I did have a worry I wouldn't be able to finish it, as I had some bouts of illness. But here we are.

When I started writing this, I wanted to use 3rd person narrative. I thought it would only be 6-7,000 words. I apologize for any slips or mistakes.

If you read my other stories, You'll notice my protagonist usually smoke cigars. I highly recommend those smoked by Alex. They are some of my favorites.

I hope you enjoy the story.

***oooOOOooo***

Alex had an early check-in, so he went to his room for another nap. He was scheduled to meet Harper for lunch at the Route 74 Diner. It wasn't fancy, but they served great food. He had been there many times over the years. He had gotten a haircut and beard trim before he left Memphis. When he woke at eleven, he trimmed the morning shadow that had grown. He dressed business casual, or, as some of the guys at the motel called it, White Boy Ready: khakis, a white shirt, and a blue blazer.

He arrived a little before twelve and found Harper waiting in the foyer. They found a table. "I was surprised to hear from you, Alex. Not as surprised to find you not only quit, but left town." Harper said after they ordered. Very few people in Greenville needed menus at the 74. Most people had their favorites.

He responded without rancor, "What can I say, shit happens; it just happened to shit on me once too often. I'm sure everyone knows the story by now. You know how this business can be, cutthroat and kiss ass."

"Amen to that. No matter what, customers are always looking for the next big thing." Harper said in agreement. They spent the rest of lunch talking about business, and why Alex was there. Harper explained that 80% of his business was micro-marketing. Alex floated the idea of the two agencies partnering to expand their reach. He knew Harper's agency had a limited reach. Harper liked the idea.

Harper had been approached by several people from his old firm who wanted to join his firm. He just didn't have the business to take them on. They talked through lunch and went back to Harper's office.

The more they talked, the more they realized there could be some real synergy between the two agencies. Harper had focused on small- to medium-sized businesses that larger agencies ignored, the kind of companies Johnson Marketing dealt with. Alex let him know he would contact Bob Johnson to discuss what they had talked about.

They scheduled for Alex to come back tomorrow, after his attorney's appointment. By the time he left Harper's office, it was nearly four. He decided to go see his mother, instead of waiting for Saturday.

She had moved into one of the new over-55 communities off S. York in South Greenville. It didn't take long for him to get there. She expected him to show up on Saturday. He knocked on the door of the small cottage. This house suited her much better than the one they grew up in. The HOA took care of the yard and home maintenance. They had several maintenance men they could call on if anything broke. Most important to Alex was the fact she had no stairs to climb. A short time later, he heard her yelling that she was coming. She opened the door. She was wearing a housecoat. "Oh my God, Alex!" She stepped out and hugged him. 'It's so good to see you.' She pulled him into the house. 'I thought you weren't coming until Saturday?" She sputtered.

"I had some free time, so I thought I would see my favorite mother.' He caught her hesitation. "Is this a bad time?"

'Oh no, not at all. I wish I knew you were coming; I would have cooked something." She said, still not sounding totally believable.

He heard a noise coming from the bedroom. Alex raised an eyebrow at his Mother. She turned red. "Come on out, Edgar." She yelled towards the room.

A tall, thin man came ambling out of the bedroom. His shirt was out and half buttoned. He had the same look of embarrassment as Alex's mother. "Edgar?" Alex questioned.

"Yes, Edgar and I have been seeing each other for a while now. This is Edgar Cummings, Edgar, my wayward son, Alex. The two men quickly regarded each other for a brief moment. Edgar put out his hand. "It's good to finally meet you. Hilary has told me so much about you."

"I'm pretty sure most of it was lies and exaggerations. I wish I could say the same about you, but it seems my mother has been keeping secrets." He looked at his red-cheeked mother. "She's over 21, so she can do whatever she wants."

"Yes, I am. Have been going on forty-eight years now. Come on, sit down and tell me what's going on with you." Alex talked about his life in Memphis. He talked about the people he met and both of his jobs. His mother found it hard to believe he was working at a barbecue restaurant of all places.

"Believe it, if it paid more, I would stay there forever. The people are nice, the customers don't give you a hard time. I'm happy there. I found that there's more to life than making money. It might be one of the best jobs I've ever had." Alex answered, smiling.

Shaking her head in disbelief, "I can't wrap my head around everything that's happened. You leave your family and settle in Memphis of all places. And working at a barbecue restaurant. This can't last forever, Alex. When are you coming home?"

He let out an exasperated sigh. "Mom, I told you over and over again. I'm not coming back to Greenville. Memphis is my home now. I have a life there, one that's much better than the one I had here."

"But your family is here, Alex. Don't you miss them? You've been married for twenty years. Don't you want to fight for your marriage?"

His cheeks turned red in frustration. "Shouldn't you ask Tracy that? She was the one who cheated, not me. I was nothing but a faithful as well as a devoted husband. And before you mention the kids, they were just as bad. Do you know when I left, the only time Mallory tried to contact me was to ask for money. Steven didn't even do that.

Now she can be with her boyfriend. The kids can do whatever they want. They don't miss or need me. I'm not coming back."

"Then why are you here? Just to see me? Aren't you going to talk to Tracy?"

"That's the main reason I'm here. To discuss the divorce and figure out the best way to proceed. I'm also taking care of some business-related things. I'm working part-time at another marketing agency. I know I told you I would be by Saturday before I left. But I couldn't wait to see my favorite mother. If I knew you had company, I would have waited, or at least called ahead." Giving Edgar a sly look. "So how long have you two been seeing each other?" He put an emphasis on 'seeing'.

"We've been dating for four months. She looked at him with a smile. " We met at one of the dances at the clubhouse. He had his little harem, but I jumped to the front of the line."

Edgar rolled his eyes. "She always says that about having a harem. There are three women to every man. That's just the way it is after a certain age. Honestly, I've had my eye on Hillary for a while. Just never had the chance to chat her up." he returned her smile as he held her hand.

"Well, Mom, I'm glad to see you happy." They talked a little more before Alex left to have dinner, giving her the excuse that he was meeting some old coworkers. On the way back to the hotel, he stopped at Durty Bull Brewery. He ordered a pint of the Queeny's Kolsch and went out to the parking lot and got some tacos from the food truck.

While he was eating and drinking, he made some notes on his phone about the meeting with Harper. He saw some people he knew and spent time catching up. They had heard about his separation. They said he seemed happy with his new life. He went back to the hotel with a 4-pack of Queeny.

***oooOOOooo***

He slept late, waking up at nine the next morning to a text from DeeDee, wondering if he made it safely, and if he did, why he didn't call her. He smiled. He sent her a text saying he did and apologized for not contacting her. He let her know he would call tonight.

He had breakfast at the Pancake House. It was not as well known as the Route 74 Diner, but had just as good breakfast. He went to his Attorney's office. He had been able to reschedule the meeting for the morning, instead of the afternoon.

Debra Gibson was a short woman at five feet, three inches. Slightly chubby with dark brown hair. She had a serious as well as a professional demeanor about her. Sitting in her office, they went over his reason for divorce and what he wanted out of it, just to be done with the marriage. The meeting lasted an hour. He told her he was meeting with Tracy this evening. If anything changed in what he wanted, he would let her know. He signed a Power of Attorney for her to be able to handle the divorce without him having to be there.

He had some time before his second meeting with Harper. He went to the local park and pulled out an Alec Bradley, Black Market. Good cigars don't have to be expensive. He sat by the water, watching ducks swim by. Seeing them swim around. Occasionally ducking their heads into the water. Hearing them quack amongst each other reminded him of working at Elwood's. The ducks seemed to swim in harmony. Quacking at each other, but never in anger, it seemed.

He called Bob Johnson to discuss what had been talked about Yesterday as he drove to the meeting. He was happy and intrigued with what Alex had accomplished. Alex let him know they would have another meeting after he finished the phone call. He sent DeeDee a text, letting her know he missed her.

He walked into the offices of Greenville Innovative Communications. They had just moved into the new space. He was meeting Harper and his partner, Brandon Cooks. The meeting lasted three hours. They decided to have dinner together with the rest of the staff that worked in the office. They were going to meet at Almez.

On the way there, he called Tracy. "Hello, Alex."

"Hey, Tracy. Look, I have a business dinner that just popped up. If it's okay, can we meet tomorrow morning? Unless you have something planned."

"Why don't you come for dinner tomorrow? We can take our time to talk about what needs to be talked about." She offered.

"Normally I would say yes, but I promised Mom to have dinner with her, and I'm leaving for home afterward. I have to be at work Sunday morning. How about I bring some Chinese from Jade Garden for lunch?" He offered.

"Sure, that works. I'll make sure the kids are here." She said listlessly.

"Okay, I'll see you at noon." he hung up the phone. He caught Tracy's tone. He wondered what it was about. He thought that maybe she had come to realize the marriage was indeed over.

He met the rest of the employees of GIC at Almez, a local Nigerian restaurant. Harper had started with only 3 employees and now had ten people in the office and another five freelancers. It turned into more of a social dinner than business. Harper's new wife, Jordan, was there, along with several other wives and girlfriends. Alex found out it was more of a habit to get together several Friday evenings a month.

He enjoyed himself. The food was delicious and the company great. They told funny stories about clients and their unrealistic requests and demands. They talked about the impossible deadlines set by management as well as the changing landscape of marketing. When they finished dinner, they headed to a local bar near the restaurant. Almez only served wine. By the time he left, he had a bunch of new friends; he was full and afraid a strong wind would blow him over. He didn't get to the hotel until one in the morning.

Saturday morning was a little rough for him. It had been almost a year since he had drunk that much. He didn't bother with breakfast. He would have lunch with Tracy and the kids as well as dinner with his mother, and probably Edgar.

He lay in bed relaxing. It had been a while since he could rest like this. Even when he went in at noon, the complex was noisy and hard to sleep at times. He finally got up at ten to shower and get dressed. He packed up his suitcase. Check-out was at 11. He knew they wouldn't come looking to clean the room for a while. He ordered food to be able to pick it up at 11:30.

After picking up the food, he headed to his old home. Pulling up to the house he had lived in for the last 18 years, he walked up to the front door. For the first time, he rang the doorbell. Standing on the porch felt strange. It seemed like forever until the door opened. Mallory was standing there. They stood there, looking at each other, not knowing what to do. "Hello, Mal, it's good to see you."

"Is it really?" She rasped, stepping away from the door so Alex could enter.

"Believe it or not, it is good to see you. Your mom told you I was bringing lunch?"

They were walking to the dining room. "Yeah, she mentioned it. Steven left to go over to a friend's house."

Before he could respond, Tracy came from the back of the house. "Hey, Tracy." He said uncomfortably. He looked at her. She was still a beautiful woman. One of the most beautiful he had ever met. Love does that to you. She looked like she had lost a little weight, and her hair was different. He could see her appraising him. "You look good. New hairstyle?"

"Yes, I changed it a couple of months ago. The girls from work had a girls' weekend. You know, massage, nails, and hair. I figured I would do something different." She explained. "You look good. Have you lost weight? And you've grown a beard. It gives you a pirate look." She added.

"I think I have lost weight. I'm on my feet all day instead of sitting at a desk. I grew the beard, well, just because, I guess. I didn't have to look professional any longer. My barber styled it like this. I just went with it."

"Let me get some plates. Go ahead and sit down. I'll be right back." She ran into the kitchen, leaving him with Mallory.

"So, you bought a Mustang, a convertible no less. And you're working at a barbecue stand. Is this a mid-life crisis or something?" She asked sarcastically.

"It's something, and the crisis had nothing to do with my mid-life. It's between your mother and me. Things happen, and I'll leave it at that." He could see the anger in her face. He knew from the look in her eyes that he was the bad guy. He wasn't going to throw Tracy under the bus. She was the one who had to live with what she'd done. He wasn't going to be around much anyway.

Mallory stood there for a second, looking uncomfortable. Finally, "I'm going over Jennifer's. I'll let the adults have some freedom to talk or argue. Whatever the case might be. Save me some food," And she quickly left.

Tracy came back into the dining room with two plates and some silverware. She looked at Alex. "She said she would be leaving to give us some time to talk."

"I had a feeling the kids wouldn't be here or hang around. I know I'm not their favorite person right now, or maybe I never was." He said, sitting down across from Tracy.

"Their kids. They don't understand the consequences of their actions." She said before realizing that everything that happened since that fateful day was the consequence of her actions. "Shit." She flopped down in the chair.

"I guess they get that from me. We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for me and my actions." She said sorrowfully.

Alex was unloading the bags. "That's the past and can't be changed. We're here to talk about the future. I know you like their Sesame Chicken, so I got that and some egg rolls." They filled their plates and talked about what had been going on in their lives over the last several months.

"I'm surprised you ordered Chinese. I thought you might have gotten barbecue, unless you're tired of it."

Taking a bite of Beef Lo Mein, "I would be, but Elwood's sells more than just barbecue. They have burgers, fish, and some other seafood. They have a great breakfast. Plus, one of my coworkers invites me to her house and dinner a couple of times when I give her a ride home."

"A coworker?" Tracy inquires.

"Yes, She's only twenty-three. Nice young lady with a precious little girl. Her mom usually cooks." Alex explained.

"So, her mother is our age then, or older since her daughter is older than Mallory." She theorized.

Alex could tell she was hunting for information. "She's a year younger than you are. She's nice once I got past her suspicion. She wondered why this white man was giving her daughter a ride home."

"Oh, She's Black." It wasn't a question. Alex laughed to himself. The thought of Alex dating a Black woman would never cross Tracy's mind. "So, what are the people at your job like?"

"Pretty nice. There are a couple of people older than me. Most are in their twenties. Overall, it's nice. I hang out with the pit guys after my shift. We sit around smoking cigars, drinking beer, and talking shit. Even the customers are nice. I keep getting invited to Churches all the time. I like it overall, except I had an issue with the owner's daughter."

Tracy looked up at him from the small bowl of baked beans. "Problems, what kind of problems?"

"Well, she was always rude to me from the day I started. It finally came to a head a couple of weeks ago, and she fired me." He told her.

"Fired you? What did you do to get fired? That doesn't sound like you, Alex." Tracy asked. Sounding flabbergasted.

"No. It turned out I reminded her of her ex-husband. She was married to a White guy that cheated on her. It worked out in the end. I got a raise and promotion out of it." He said with a grin.

"Well, that's good for you."

Wiping his hands on a napkin, he figured now was a good time as any to get down to brass tacks. "Tracy, we need to talk about the divorce." He begin. He saw her stiffen momentarily.

She pushed her plate away. "Okay, sure."

"I left you most of our savings, and I took a third of the kid's college fund. I don't think either of them is going, especially Steven. I told my attorney that if they do decide to go, I'll pay two-thirds of the cost. If they go to a community college, I'll pay the whole cost. I'm only making $13.10 an hour, so I can't afford alimony. You were making a little less than I was when I was at my old job. And now you make much more. I don't want anything financially from you.' He stopped to see her reaction. She was staring at him emotionlessly.

'The house is almost paid for. You can refinance for a smaller payment or use the savings to help offset the cost. I'll sign over my share for you. How does that sound?" He asked.

"Yeah, it works for me." She said listlessly.

"Are you sure? I want to make sure you and the kids will be okay." He told her.

"That's just like you, Alex. Even after everything we've been through, you still want to make sure we're all okay. Alex, I know I said I'm sorry. And I am. I really truly am so sorry. Before you ask, I'm not just sorry for getting caught. I'm sorry for cheating on your period. I should have been in the position to get caught.' She hesitated briefly. Alex was convinced she was contrite.

I never set out to cheat. It wasn't something I was looking for. It just happened. No, that's wrong. That sounds like I was walking down the street and tripped and fell on a dick. It was something that had been building up for a while. We have a new supervisor at work, and she's a pain in the ass.

Then the things with Steven. I know you say I'm babying him. Looking back on it, I have been. You would say one thing, and I would say the opposite. He knew he could play us against each other. After you left, we had it out. I gave him three months to straighten up, or he's out of here. No, I don't know where he's going, but he won't be my problem. I took everything out of his room, except his phone. He has to show me his homework before he can eat dinner. I went as far as having his teachers text me if he has homework. He tried to test me a couple of times. The only time he ate was at school for a week. This weekend was the first time he's been out with friends. He's beginning to understand he was part of the problem that you left.

I didn't realize Mallory had become a mini-me. She treated you the way I had been treating you. I don't know when it started, but I had become disrespectful to you. I began to take you for granted. She followed my lead, unknown to me. I guess that's why they say hindsight is 20/20."

Interrupting her, "Does she know why I left?" Alex asked.

"Does she know I cheated? No. I did tell her I was most of the reason you left, but they also had something to do with it. I explained to them that you were tired of the way you were treating yourself. I told them you left so they could still live here. Steven, in Steven fashion, just shrugged his shoulders. Mallory has been asking questions. I think she's mad you haven't reached out to her."

Alex shook his head. "She texted me once to ask for money. That was four days after I left. I'm only a wallet to her." He said angrily.

Tracy looked sad. "We talked about that, believe me. Once I reamed her ass, she felt too embarrassed to call or text you."

"So, how did the affair start, and why in our bed?" Alex asked with a hint of bitterness.

Tracy appeared to ruminate on the question. "Like I said, it wasn't planned. It just happened over time. I had been frustrated with my job. I had actually thought of quitting. We were out at a bar one night. Most of the people from the office were there. A lot of them were complaining about Natalie, the new Supervisor. Irwin was sitting next to me on one side and Megan on the other. You remember her, don't you?' Alex nodded that he did. 'She left early, and Irwin and I kept talking. The bar was loud, so instead of yelling around the table, we talked between ourselves. At first it was just about work, no big deal. The next week, most of us met up again." Alex could remember those times Tracy went out after work on Fridays. He didn't think anything of it, even after she had gotten caught. He realized how love makes you blind to the obvious.

'Irwin and I would always sit together and talk. By the fourth time, it became more personal. The sixth time, I had a little too much to drink. He walked me out to my car, and he kissed me. I'm sorry, but I kissed him back. When I got into the car, I realized what I had done. I felt guilty about it. I swore it wouldn't happen again. Then it did.

We didn't have sex until two weeks after the first kiss. Instead of going to the bar, we went to a motel down the street."

"How long ago was this? I remember you going to the bar with coworkers. What made you decide to have sex in our bed?" He pushed.

"Is it really important now? It's not going to change anything." She asserted.

Alex tried to control his rising anger. Even though it had been nearly three months. Seeing her and hearing about it brought back the anger he had held in. "It is important; it's important for my peace of mind."

Tracy let out a long sigh. "Six months. Six months before you caught us. It was once a week on Fridays. Usually at his place. That was the second time we did it here."

"Why would you do it in our bed? Was it a way to make me more of a cockold? Did it heighten the thrill? When did you decide to cut me off? More importantly, when did you realize you didn't love me?" He bellowed with clenched hands. He took a deep breath. "I shouldn't yell. I asked for the answers, even though I knew they would hurt. When I walked into the house, I heard your cries of passion. I hadn't heard that from you in so long. And then I saw you with him. I was devastated. I shut down. I knew why you were treating me the way you had been for so long. I don't need to know anything else. What's done is done. You can't un-pop the balloon. I'll have my lawyer send over the papers for you to look at and give to an attorney to make sure everything is okay." He took a deep drink of soda.

Tracy sat there staring at him, not knowing what to say. Finally, quietly, she said, "I have to find an attorney. I am sorry I hurt you."

The conversation was pretty much over. He told Tracy that once he got settled, if the kids wanted, they could come visit.

After he left, he went to his favorite cigar store and picked up more for the drive back. He had some time before going to his mother's. He drove to the park, pulled out a Plasencia Alma del Fuego. As he smoked, he thought about the current state of his life. If he was honest with himself, the day he left home was the start of a new beginning. He was truly at peace. He had a job he liked. Friends he enjoyed being with, and they enjoyed being with him. The only worry he had was deciding where to move. He laughed to himself. He hadn't found a place because he liked where he lived. If his family and old friends knew he lived in a motel, they would have called you a liar. If it were in a better location, it would be perfect. He didn't have to worry about cutting the grass. Shoveling snow when it happened. All his utilities were included in the rent. What more could a man ask for?

Deep down, he knew he would have to move eventually. He would have to find out if his pay from Johnson's would cover any rent he had. He couldn't dip into his savings forever. At that moment, he decided there was nothing he could do about it. He started his car and drove to his mother's.

Dinner with his mother and Edgar was nice. His mother was a good cook, but she would never win any prizes. He learned more about Edgar. He retired from a machine shop fifteen years ago. He was going to move to Florida, but his kids and grandchildren all live in the area. Alex liked that his mother and Edgar seemed to get along very well. He was happy for her. She had been single since his father died twenty-some years ago of a heart attack.

The only downside of the night was when he told her he would be filing for divorce next month. "You're not even going to give her a chance, Alex?" His mother snapped.

"No, Mom, I'm not. She had a chance when she said I do. Do you know the affair was going on for six months? At least the physical part. She was emotionally cheating three months before that. What am I going to do? Give her a Mulligan? I think not. We agreed. Next month will be three months since I left, and after that, ninety days, I'll be a free man."

"You sound like you have someone waiting in the wings already? What haven't you told me, Alex?" She questioned.

"If you're asking if I've been unfaithful like Tracy, the answer is no. I have been out several times. The closest I got to cheating was a kiss on the cheek. Even though we're separated, I won't cheat until the papers have been signed." He replied. The dinner ended with Alex promising to visit again.

The drive home took eight hours and was uneventful. He was able to sleep for six hours before going to work.

***oooOOOooo***

Sunday, he was dragging even with a good sleep. He texted DeeDee that he was home and would call her after he got off work. The day was good with no surprises. He found out that while he was away, Alice and Keisha had been talking to desk clerks and leaving information for them. That day they got their first business card from a tourists. It was a group of five people. Alex felt that was a promising sign.

DeeDee wanted to know if he would stop by for dinner. He begged off for the first time, letting her know he needed to rest. He offered to take her to dinner Tuesday evening.

Getting up Monday at six was harder than he thought it would be. Marcella laughed at him when he appeared to doze off in the middle of making Tater Salad. He was glad to get home. Pulling up, he of course saw Herman and Agnes sitting out front.

"Well, if it isn't Mr. World Traveler." Herman greeted him. "You have a nice trip, Alex?" Agnes asked.

"I did. I think I got everything done that needed to be done. I might have to go back for business, maybe even the divorce. We'll see what the future holds." He said, taking a seat and pulling out a Camacho Surplus. He couldn't afford to smoke like he used to. They talked about what had been going on in the short time he had been gone. One surprising piece of news was Dolly.

"Ya know Dolly's working now," Agnes said

"Already? That was fast." Alex said happily.

"It's one of those dashing door things or something," Herman explained. "She got the kids into Daycare and started doing it Friday. She even does it on the weekends, only she takes the kids with her."

"Sounds like she's really motivated. That's good."

"Alex, I have to ask you. Why are you still here?" Herman inquired.

"What do you mean? My stuff is here." He said with a laugh.

"No, you know what I mean. You could live anywhere you want. A nice apartment, maybe even a house. But you're here. Why?" He pushed.

Alex thought for a minute. Why was he still here? As Herman said, he could live pretty much anywhere he wanted. His credit was good enough, and he had money for a down payment on a house. He could rent any apartment in the city.

He looked at Herman and Agnes. People he considered friends. They never asked anything of him. But they gave him so much more in return. "I like it here. I'm comfortable. I come home and sit with you two. I watch the kids playing. No one bothers me. Do you know how often I talked to my neighbors back in Greenville? I can't tell you. Besides a wave in passing, that's about it. Are you tired of me already?"

"Not at all, Alex. I enjoy our talks. I'm just wondering what's keeping you here. You and I both know it can't be forever." They talked a little more. Alex went inside when his food was delivered.

***oooOOOooo***

Tuesday found four more hotel cards had come through the door. Mr. Elwood was tickled to death that it was working so quickly. The ladies up front began asking people how they heard about the restaurant if they weren't regulars. It was information they could use to better target their marketing. Even Ellie was happy about it.

That evening he stopped and picked up Chelle at work and took her home so he could take DeeDee to dinner. She insisted on something casual. So he took her to Brickhouse, which had a buffet. They talked about his trip back to Greenville. He had to correct her when she said back home. "I am home, DeeDee. This is my home now. I made it perfectly clear to Tracy and my mother. They weren't happy, but it is what it is."

As they were eating, she asked him about his current living arrangements. "Why haven't you moved, Alex? You didn't like any of those apartments I showed you?"

"You're the second person to ask me that this week.' He said, taking a bite of the shrimp. 'I really haven't given it much thought, to be honest." He explained.

"Maybe there's a reason for that." She said matter-of-factly.

"Oh really, what would that be?" He asked curiously

"It could be because you're not really ready to stay here. Living in the motel means you can leave anytime you want. I'm not saying you're going back to Tracy. It means you're not ready to settle down. Maybe you haven't found what you're looking for yet."

"I don't know how you can think that. I have a job, heck, I have two jobs. I'm really invested in seeing Elwood's grow. We're getting returns already on one part of the marketing plan. I'm working on a new project at Johnson's. But I understand what you're thinking. Maybe I'm too comfortable where I'm at. It's... He hesitated for a moment, thinking of the good times he's had at the Starlight. 'I have friends there. I knew my neighbors in Greenville. But I didn't know my neighbors. You know what I mean. A wave, hello or goodbye, that was about it. At the Starlight, we sit and talk about things. Or just sit and enjoy each other's company. We help each other out. We watch out for each other. I know what people think about a place like the Starlight. Before I knew about it, I would have thought the same thing. Except, they are like you and me. Only they fell on hard times and are making the best of a bad situation. They have the same issues as most areas. Except it makes the news more often."

DeeDee sat thinking about what he had said. She knew firsthand how people thought. Some people at the hospital questioned where she lived. Everyone has levels of acceptance. "I get it. After everything you've been through, you feel accepted at work and home. A lot of people would give their right hand for that. If you're happy, then I'm happy. Don't expect me to stay over until the divorce is final." She chuckled.

"My attorney is filing in a couple of weeks. I had to be out of the house for ninety days. And then another one hundred and twenty days after that, and it should be all over. Then I'm a free man." He smiled as he took a drink of Coke.

"So what are you going to do? Any big plans?" She asked.

"I haven't thought about it. Maybe take a trip somewhere. I don't know. Maybe find a beautiful woman, rent a nice hotel room, and break my celibate streak." He said as he raised his eyebrows and smiled at DeeDee.

They finished dinner, and when he took her home, he was rewarded with a little longer kiss on the lips.

***oooOOOooo***

He had gotten into a flow at Johnson's. He was in constant contact with the people at GIS and had found several accounts in the Memphis area.

At Elwood's, the marketing plan was working like gangbusters. After word had gotten out that Elwood's was really paying for the referrals, more desk clerks and even maids were passing out cards. They had an average of 15 cards a week coming in. Those 15 cards typically bought in parties of four to five each. One party was a busload of people. Mr. Elwood was tickled. They had to hire more staff, including another pit master that Butch knew.

Employees were being rewarded for posting pics of the restaurant. Several received bonuses of a hundred dollars a couple of times.

Not only that, Jose, who worked during the morning, recommended putting a pulled pork cheesesteak and wrap, as well as a breakfast wrap with pulled pork, eggs, and hash browns, on the menu. They turned out to be a hit. Marvin had learned how to make egg rolls. So now you had a choice of pulled pork, chicken, or brisket egg rolls with greens, and mac and cheese. In a short time, sales grew by 30%. Alice became Marketing Manager, Candy became another Assistant Manager, and Marcella was made Kitchen Manager. They hired three more people for the kitchen. A friend of Gladys from her church, Marcella's sister-in-law, and her niece. Ellie was able to convince her father to offer catering. They promoted Anika, who worked during the morning, to Catering Manager.

The major change in Alex's life was that he finally moved out of the Starlight Motel. In his relatively short time there, he had made many friends, and he had seen many more come and go. Andre had moved out. No one knew where.

Dolly had moved into an apartment when her Section 8 came through. She thanked Alex every day for the gift of the car. "Alex, I can never say thank you enough for the car. It has changed my life; it really has." She gushed as she and the kids were taking their last load of clothes to their new place.

"I'm just glad to help. Look at you, I hardly ever see you because you're always DoorDashing or doing Uber Eats. I haven't seen someone hustle so much in my life. I knew I made the right decision to help you out. I'm really proud of you. I have one more gift for you. Well, not just me. Herman, you want to tell her?" Alex asked. Several people were standing there to wish Dolly good luck in the future. Herman stepped up.

"Me, Agnes, Robert, Alex, and Kiki. Went to Allen's Furniture. They have a bunk bed and a single bed for the kids waiting for you. We hope the boys like the style we picked out." He said with pride about their gift. It had been Agnes' idea. Everyone could see how hard she worked to better her life. She didn't take the gift of the car for granted. She burst out in tears of gratitude and gave everyone a hug. The kids hugged them and they left for a better life. Alex made her promise to get regular maintenance on the car.

He moved into a two-bedroom apartment in a small complex. He didn't expect any guests, but wanted to be prepared just in case. It was a townhouse style in a block of four apartments, with three buildings. DeeDee approved of the area. She didn't approve of him going to the ReStore to buy furniture. She took him to the Ashley Outlet and Outlet Super Center stores. Yes, she picked out the living room set, as well as the dinette. She let him pick out the bedroom set. The second bedroom only had a full-size bed with a chest of drawers and a small desk with a filing cabinet. He was happy. He had new furniture for a little more than he would have paid at the ReStore for used furniture.

Leaving the Starlight was harder than he thought it would be. He had come to look forward to sitting with Herman and Agnes after work over the several months. Herman had become a dear friend and Agnes a mother figure. Herman, in his infinite wisdom, had been pushing him to move out. Two days before he moved, Herman took him out to dinner. They talked and laughed the whole night. The day he left, Agnes cried like a baby. He promised to visit often. He left Herman with a pack of Asylum 13 Medullas.

Alex's attorney was handling the divorce. It had been filed and was just waiting for the final decree.

***oooOOOooo***

It had been two months since he had been back to Greenville. The new program was rolling along at Johnson's. Bob was hinting that he wanted him to go full-time with him. Since he was basically starting over, the pay wasn't nearly as good as at his old job. It was still paying him enough to live comfortably. He was doing well at the current time. The only drawback was not having any days off. He was burning the candle at both ends. Elwood's was physically tiring, and Johnson's was mentally fatiguing.

He was still dating DeeDee. It was going very well. They still weren't physical, but came close a couple of times. It became a habit of having dinner at her house on Sunday.

Two weeks before the divorce would be final, Dee Dee talked to Alex over dinner. "Alex, you know I like you. I have to admit, I like you very much. But, that being said, I have a problem." They were sitting in what had become one of their favorite restaurants. They tried to get together at least twice a month, besides their Sunday dinners.

"What's that?" Alex wondered. Everything had been going well between them. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No, you didn't. Well, I know your divorce is going to be final soon. And while I've been looking forward to it.' She hesitated, unsure of how to voice her concerns. She took a drink of wine. 'You haven't dated anyone except me since you left Tracy. I know I've been making you wait until your divorce was final. I knew you were married. I dated you because you seemed to be a nice guy. I don't want you to think I was doing this to use you. I didn't want you to get the impression I was easy. Huh, what I'm trying to get out is I want you to date other women.' She could see he wanted to say something. 'I really do like you, Alex. But you have only dated Tracy and me in the last twenty years, you said. I don't want to be your rebound is what I'm trying to get out." She finally got to.

"Rebound? Is that what you consider this? Jesus, Dee Dee. I don't need to date other women to know how I feel about you. Just to let you know, besides high school, I've only dated four women, including you. I'm not going to go out and try different women to know I want you. If this is your way of saying you don't want to be with me, then say so!" He snapped. "Maybe I'm not the man you want me to be." He motioned to the waiter to ask for the check.

"I didn't say I didn't want to be with you. I said, I want you to be sure you want to be with me." She rebutted.

"What the hell have I been doing the last three months? If I'm not working or at home, I'm with you. Could I be somewhere else, or with someone else? Yes. I'm not afraid to ask a woman out. I decided you're the person I want to spend my time with. Or why would I wait this long to make love to you? I did it because you're worth waiting for. I think you're the one who needs to decide what she wants." He advised as the waitress came up with the check. He whipped out his credit card and asked for boxes for the remaining food.

"All I'm saying is I want you to be sure, Alex. About us."

"I don't know how much more I can do to prove I'm sure. Maybe we do need some time apart. To make sure we're BOTH sure about this relationship." He barked. The waitress, looking uncomfortable, took the check and left a bag for the boxes. Alex stood up to leave. Dee Dee followed behind him.

The ride to Dee Dee's house was quiet. Alex focused on the road in front of him, and Dee Dee looked out the window. Twenty minutes later, they pulled in front of her house. She opened the door to get out. Alex did likewise, to walk her to the door as became their custom. "Don't bother, I can walk myself to the door." She hissed. Alex closed the door, but still waited until she was in the house. As he drove off, he wondered what the fuck just happened.

***oooOOOooo***

Thursday, Bob asked if he was available for lunch. Alex let him know he was. He didn't think anything of it at first. They went to a nearby restaurant. Once they ordered, Bob broached the subject at hand. "Alex, everything is going like gangbusters. I'm wondering if you've given any thought to coming on full time? You must be tired working two jobs. You never have any time off. I can offer a nice bump in pay if you do. It also comes with full benefits." He offered.

It was something Alex had given some thought to lately. Not living at the Starlight, he found his social life had diminished greatly. He didn't know anyone at the new complex. Not even his next-door neighbors. He sat out back on the small patio to smoke. The place was quiet. He missed the noise of the Starlight. He hadn't had any time to visit Herman and Agnes, as he promised. He wasn't able to take Dee Dee out on weekends. Only during the week. Working for Bob would give him a more normal life.

He thought about Elwood's. Things were going great there. Business had increased by 37% since they started marketing the business. They had to add staff and promote people. It was to the point that Mr. Elwood basically sat in the dining room talking to customers or slept in the office. Most importantly, he enjoyed the people. The atmosphere was the total opposite of Johnson's.

"I have been thinking about it, to be honest. I never thought I would be in this position. Choosing between a job that pays well and I enjoy. And a job I enjoy that doesn't pay all that well. Any other time it would be a no-brainer. This is going to sound crazy, can you give me a week to think about it?" He requested.

"Sure, I can do that. I want you to be happy with whatever choice you make. There's no pressure." He said with a smile.

He saw the smile, but for some reason, felt uneasy. He knew he would have to make a choice one way or the other. Staying at Elwood's at his current pay was unsustainable. He would have to live off his savings. Not only did they discuss business matters, but also some personal things. Bob told Alex he had a sister-in-law coming to town and wanted to know if he was interested in going out to dinner with them, as she's single. Bob assumed Alex was single also.

Alex thought his life couldn't get more complicated. He told Bob he would be happy to escort his sister-in-law to dinner. Dee Dee wanted him to date other women; that's what he would do. He wasn't happy about it. He had to live his life for himself, and not other people. As much as he liked Dee Dee, he felt hurt that she didn't believe he was following his heart. Why would he spend so much time with her if he didn't like her? He was starting to really believe women are a totally different animal that no one can understand.

Before lunch ended, Bob told him there might be a need to travel to Greenville soon. Alex told him to just let him know when.

***oooOOOooo***

Walking into work Friday, he found the place busier than ever. He almost couldn't find a parking space. He walked past the pits to say hello to Butch and Junebug. He also found the new guy, Melvin, there.

"Look what the hell you started!" Butch yelled at him.

"What the heck did I do?" Alex asked in surprise.

"That stupid ass marketing shit. We've been working our asses off all week. I didn't come here to work hard."

"I don't think you came to work at all. Now it's catching up to you. Don't blame me." He said as he continued to walk into the back of the restaurant. He found Marcella, her sister-in-law Lupita, and another new Mexican lady. They introduced her as Margarita. He went to his station and found the dining room packed and a line out of the door.

He jumped in to start working. Marvin, Carla, Chelle, and a new guy, Gregg, were working as the breakfast crew was leaving. Everyone greeted each other. He noticed Chelle hadn't said anything to him. The day went by quickly since they were so busy.

At the end of the day, he offered Chelle a ride home. For the first time, she refused. "No, thank you, Alex. I'll take the bus."

"Why? You've been quiet to me all day. Did I do something to you?" He asked.

She gave him an angry look. "What did you do to my mom? She came home after your date, and she seemed mad. You must have done something."

Shaking his head. He said "I didn't do anything. Your mom said she didn't want to date me anymore. I don't know what she told you, but it wasn't my decision; it was hers."

"Why would she do that? She really likes you; I know she does. She hasn't been with a guy as much as you in years." She groaned.

"She told me that she wanted me to date other woman. She feels like she's a rebound after my marriage blew up. I told her it wasn't like that. But she wouldn't believe me. What could I do?"

Chelle blurted in disgust. "Huh, she can be so frustrating." She threw her hands up. "So what are you going to do?" Was her next question.

"I don't know. She doesn't want to be with me, and I'm not going to beg. I didn't beg my wife, and I'm not going to beg my girlfriend, well, ex-girlfriend, I guess." He didn't want to tell her about the date his other boss had set up. He did give her a ride home, but only dropped her off. He felt bad not being able to say hello to Charnae.

Saturday night after work, he got ready for his date. They were going to one of the better steakhouses in the city. He wore one of his better suits. He was tired. It had been a busy day at Elwood's. He found himself drinking energy drinks more often. He drove to the restaurant, meeting them there.

He made sure he was early, knowing it wasn't proper to keep the boss waiting. Bob, his wife, Tricia, whom he had met briefly before. They were accompanied by a blond women who was the same height as Tricia, except she looked 5 years younger and had bigger boobs. He shook Bob's hand and gave Tricia a peck on the cheek in greeting. "Alex, this is my sister, Rebecca. Rebecca, this is Alex," Tricia introduced them.

"Nice to meet you, Rebecca." They were walked to the table by the hostess. They made small talk as they ordered. He found out Rebecca preferred to be called Becka. She lived in Savannah, Georgia, and was visiting for a week as part of her vacation. He also found out she was a physics professor at Georgia Southern University. Alex laughed, "Do you know..."

"If you tell me a bad neutron or photon joke, I'm walking out." She said with a laugh.

"Oh, you hurt me.' He turned to Bob. "Bob, do you know what the duck said to the Physicist?' He looked at Alex strangely. "Quark," Which caused everyone to groan.

Becka looked at him. "That might be the worst science joke I've ever heard. And I've heard a lot over the years."

"I'm glad you're good in marketing; comedy is not in your future," Bob said. The rest of the night was very enjoyable. Alex found Becka not only pretty, but also funny. She never showed that she was the smartest person in the room. They ended the night with a promise to get together again before she left town.

***oooOOOooo***

Making a choice of working full time at Johnson's was weighing on his mind. It occurred to him that he was finding this decision harder than leaving his family. He normally would make a list of pros and cons as Ben Franklin did. He knew it would be a waste of time. The only advantage Elwood's had was that it was more fun to work at. Everything pointed to going full-time at Johnson's.

He was driving from work on Monday. On his way to the cigar lounge, he spotted a new Raisin' Canes going up. It gave him an epiphany. Instead of going to the cigar lounge, he went straight home. He pulled out his laptop and started doing some research. Before he realized it, it was 4 AM. He had to be at Elwood's by 7. He took a power nap followed by a quick shower. Energy drinks and the ideas floating in his head kept him going through the day.

He got home and continued doing research. He knew he was on to something, but he knew he needed the numbers to back it up. He fell asleep at his desk, waking up at midnight. He hadn't eaten since the day before, and his stomach was growling. He made a plate of livermush and eggs. After eating, he went back to sleep.

The next several days were busy at Johnson's. He was cramming five days' work into three. His days were long and tiring. He stopped for dinner before getting home. Sitting at his little dinette table, he finished his research and began to put his presentation together. He was confident in his numbers. He knew he was going against generations of self-doubt. He knew he would need people on his side.

***oooOOOooo***

Going into work Friday, he found the parking lot overflowing. It had become a recurring thing lately. Business didn't stop growing. Not only with referrals, but internet influencers were coming in left and right.

After saying hi to Melvin and Butch. He went inside to find Ellie working the front line. The dining room was packed with a line out the door. They were hiring people daily; it seemed that way over the last month. It was a grueling day. Non-stop from the time he started until it was time to go home.

He caught Ellie before he left. "Ms. Ellie, you have a minute?" He asked as they walked to the back.

"Sure, as long as I can sit down." She responded.

They went into the little office. "Thanks. Can I ask a question?' She nodded in the affirmative. 'Who made the first hot chicken?" He started.

"Everyone knows that, Prince's. Why do you ask that?"

"Then why is Dave's Hot Chicken so much larger than Prince's?" He pushed. That question caught Ellie off guard. "Better yet, why didn't Prince try to expand? They started the whole Hot Chicken thing, but someone else took advantage of it and sold it not even 10 years later for a billion dollars."

"Where are you going with this, Alex? I know we got something good going on here. Are you talking about franchising Elwood's? Who would want to do that?" She said apprehensively.

"Ms. Ellie, that's why Dave's sold for a billion, and Prince still only has locations in Nashville. Did you see the line today? Was that a fluke, or does it happen every day? Please, don't take this the wrong way. Black people become complacent, and white people are greedy. That's why there are only a couple of Prince's, Sylvia's, or Ben's Chili Bowl. Nashville Hot Chicken didn't become widely famous until Dave's."

"Yeah, but most franchise Barbecue restaurants go bust. Famous Dave's and Dickey's are all dying. The only successful one so far is Mission. This is a hard business." Alex interrupted her before she could go on.

"That's what I'm talking about. You're already giving reasons it won't work, instead of finding ways to make it work." Alex went on to explain how he felt it could work, slimming down the menu. How having breakfast helped margins by reducing waste, since they used the meats from the previous day. He went to show her the numbers. The cost of rebuilding versus building a whole new building. He showed her the menu he had developed based on Elwood's current menu.

He talked about why each restaurant chain failed, as well as why some flourished. The main reason is that Dickey's and Dave's franchises, while Mission didn't. That gave Mission complete control. "Look this over; I've been working on it for the last several days. I think it's a great opportunity for everyone involved."

"Why are you doing this? You have your marketing job. I still wonder why you're still working here, for God's sake." She asked.

"I'm doing this for me. I'm at the proverbial fork in the road. Bob is pushing me to go full time." She gave him a strange look.

"How can it be a hard choice? I know they pay you more and the work is easier. Why is it so hard to choose?"

"You think it would be. Four months ago, it wouldn't be a problem. With all that went on with my marriage, I found there are more important things in life than money. Sure, it makes life comfortable. I can buy all the cigars I want. You know what I have that I didn't have before? Friends. Going back to that little motel. Sitting with my neighbors. Watching kids play. Laughing with my coworkers about stupid stuff, teasing each other. Even working with you, this is one of the best places I've ever worked.' He said with a grin. 'I had to come up with something; there was no way I could afford to keep working here. So this is my solution." He explained.

"So how does us expanding affect you?"

"Well, not to toot my own horn. I want to be part of the new business. I can buy in. I'm not rich, no matter what everyone thinks. You'll see in the plan; we open another location on the other side of the city. We're already well known enough. This place can't handle much more business as it is. The third location should be at least 100 miles away. I suggest Nashville, St. Louis, maybe even Charlotte. That would be our proof of concept location.

After that, we have a choice of self-funding or taking outside money. Everything you need is in the paperwork. Take a look at it, and let me know what you think." Ellie had some questions before Alex left. He was confident in his proposal. He only hoped Ellie saw his vision. He knew once he had her on his side, they needed to convince Mr. Elwood.

***oooOOOooo***

Alex was surprised when he was pulled to the side by Ms. Ellie on Sunday. "Alex, what are you doing Monday night?" She asked.

"Well, I'm having dinner with the Governor. Besides that, nothing important. What's up?" He replied.

"Cancel your plans. We're having dinner tomorrow." She started.

"Are you asking me out for a date, Ms. Ellie? I'm flattered." Alex said, batting his eyes.

"Uh no, I'd rather date Butch before I would date you.' She replied with a snarky smile. 'I want to go over this proposal you wrote up. I like it, but I know it's going to be a lot of work. We need our T's crossed and I's dotted before we even think of taking this to my father. This isn't like the marketing plan we got him to approve. This will cost money and involve risk. A lot of each." She explained.

"How about we get together Tuesday? I have someone I would like to bring along. I just need to see if they are available." They agreed to meet Tuesday at a local restaurant.

Alex made the call he needed to make and was set for dinner on Tuesday. After work at Johnson's, he headed to Good Fortune, a highly rated Chinese restaurant. Alex was glad for the change of pace.

He was sitting with Jon Elmore when Ellie arrived. He had only seen her at work and was surprised at her appearance. It was no denial that she was an attractive woman. Even when they didn't get along, he could still see the woman she was. She was dressed in a white blouse that showed her full bust and a navy blue pencil skirt that made her legs look even longer. For the first time, she had on makeup that only accented her cheekbones and full lips. Alex was momentarily speechless.

He finally shook himself and made introductions. "Ellie, this is Jon Elmore. He's been a consultant for several restaurants that have expanded over the last 15 years. I thought he might be able to help us out." Alex had found Jon through the Johnson Agency. The dinner lasted for three hours. Even though Alex had done as much research as he could, both he and Ellie had many questions for Jon. They went over the pros and cons of expansion. They discussed why a company failed while others succeeded. They agreed to hire him as a consultant at a lower rate with a 1% ownership of the business outside of the original location, if they decided to move forward.

As they were leaving, Ellie asked Alex to hang back. "Alex, you keep saying we. I know this is your plan. What are you looking to get out of this?"

Instead of answering right away, Alex led her to a bar next to the restaurant. After ordering drinks. "What do I want? I want to see an Elwood's in every city. And I want to be part of that. Like I said before. The only way I can stay there is if I can make more money. It came to me that the only way to make more money is to make more business. I told you about Ben's Chili Bowl. Of all the people that know about it, why are they still only in DC? Prince's only has 3 locations, all in Nashville. Dave's started with a tent in the guy's backyard in Los Angeles of all places. In a year they had a brick-and-mortar. Two years later they took outside investment. Within five years they had 30 locations."

"Yeah, but..." She began.

"But it will kill a company, Ellie. Look at what you have going. Lines out the door four out of seven days a week. Let's say we open a location on the other side of town. How much would that hurt business? Sure, there will be some cannibalization. But we'll also get people who don't want to travel that far." He could see her thinking. People's first thought was always what if something went wrong instead of if it went right. It's just human nature.

They continued to talk and drink into the night, not realizing what time it was until the bartender called last call. Between what they had at the restaurant and now at the bar, they both were feeling pretty good. Alex knew he wasn't in any condition to drive and worried Ellie wasn't either. So he ordered an Uber to take them home.

***oooOOOooo ***

Alex's alarm went off at 7:30. He went to reach for it, but found his body next to something warm. One hand was cupped on something soft. He opened his eyes to see that he was face to face with Ellie. Her leg draped over his. He could feel his morning wood pressing against her stomach. He gasped, causing her to open her eyes. Seeing Alex, she screamed. "What are you doing in my bed?" She jumped up, revealing that she was still wearing her bra. She immediately grabbed the sheets to cover herself.

"What, you're in my bed." He looked around to make sure he was, in fact, in his bedroom. "Yeah, this is my apartment."

"What am I doing here?" She looked around, trying to get her bearings.

"I don't know; the last thing I remember is leaving the bar and ordering an Uber home," Alex said, confused.

"Did we?" Ellie asked cautiously, afraid of the answer.

"I don't think so. I still have my underwear on. Unless I put them back on afterwards." He said with trepidation.

"Oh, God." Ellie moaned with her head in her hands. "I don't think we did anything. I still have my bra and panties on. Wait, where are my clothes?" She asked, looking around the bedroom.

Alex looked and didn't see any. "Let me check downstairs." He got out of bed, still in his underwear, to look for Ellie's clothes. She couldn't help but notice Alex's tight butt. She had only seen him at work. He usually wore old clothes, and most of them were baggy. She was impressed with the way he looked in his suit last night. He seemed like a totally different person. He spoke with confidence and conviction. He wasn't muscle-bound but seemed fit. For a man his age, he was in great shape, unlike her ex-husband had been. She felt a tingle she hadn't felt since she and her husband got divorced. It had been several years since she had been with a man. She shook the idea from her head. It would cause too much conflict working together. Even for a one-night fling.

He came back into the bedroom with her skirt and blouse. She couldn't help noticing that he was peeking out of his underwear and started laughing.

"What's so funny? I found your clothes." He said.

"You're showing." She said, pointing at his penis sticking out.

His morning wood was in full effect. "What do you expect? I wake up next to a pretty lady in my bed, half naked. You should take that as a compliment."

"Oh, I take that as a big compliment. Pun intended." She laughed. Alex's cheeks turned red.

"I have to use the bathroom and get dressed for work. We need to go get our cars from the restaurant parking lot." Which he did.

30 minutes later, they were in an Uber headed to get their cars. The ride was mostly quiet. "Nothing happened, so no one needs to know anything, okay?" Ellie stated.

"Not like I'm going to go bragging about it."

"Excuse me?" Ellie asked indignantly. "I would like you to know a lot of men would love to sleep with me."

"That's not what I meant. Of course, you're a beautiful woman. A man would have to be blind not to see that. But it would make things difficult at work, if we, you know." He left the rest unsaid. Alex caught a smirk on the driver's face when they got out of the car.

***oooOOOooo ***

Later that week, he received a call from Tracy. He hadn't heard from her in a while. "Hello." He answered. All he could hear was crying on the phone. "Tracy, Tracy, is everything all right?" He yelled into the phone, afraid something had happened to someone.

"No, nothing is all right." She said between sobs. "The divorce is final. I got the papers today. I hope you're happy; you got what you wanted." She finished hatefully.

With everything that had been going on, he had completely forgotten about the divorce. Mournfully, he said, "No, Tracy. This isn't what I wanted. I wanted a faithful wife. Kids that respected and appreciated me. This is the last thing I ever wanted."

"Then why didn't you fight for us? You just gave up on us. I know I made a mistake. I'm sorry; I would have done anything to make it right."

"Why should I have to fight? The fight was over when we said our vows in front of God and man. I fought every day I went to work and paid the bills. I did the best I could, and my best wasn't good enough. Maybe this will give you a chance to find someone better. Goodbye, Tracy." He hung up. He knew it wouldn't be the last time he talked to her. They still had children together. Maybe, one day he would be able to repair his relationship with them.

He asked if he could leave early, telling them he got some bad news. He drove to the Starlight. It had been a while since he had been there. He felt bad about not visiting as promised. Pulling into the lot, he was surprised and glad to see Herman and Agnes sitting in their chairs in front of their room.

"Well, as I live and breathe. Ain't you a sight for sore eyes." Herman said, giving him a quick handshake. Agnes hugged him and almost wouldn't let him go. "What brings you around these parts?' Herman asked.

"Can't a guy stop and see the best friends he ever had? I'm sorry it took so long. I'm still working seven days a week. I took off today to celebrate." He elucidated.

"What are you celebrating, honey? Agnes asked.

"I'm officially a single man. My divorce was final today." He said with a joy he truly didn't feel. Agnes hugged him. She knew he wasn't truly happy about it. They sat and talked for quite a while. Alex ordered dinner to be delivered. He treated Herman to one of his good cigars, much to Agnes consternation. When they asked about 'the lady he was dating,' he explained they were taking a break.

He talked about his possible plans for Elwood's; Herman became intrigued. "So you want to franchise Elwood's? How can you guarantee quality and service over different locations in other cities? Wasn't that the reason Dickey's went out of business?" Alex looked at him like he had two heads. "Don't look at me like that. I'm not just good-looking; I'm also smart."

"Alex, don't let him fool you. Our nephew made millions off of stocks. As a matter of fact, he lives in Greenville. Darnedest thing. He won $25,000 on a scratcher and turned it into a fortune. He even started investment clubs at his job. He's a Vice President now. Got Herman reading Fortune and Forbes magazines like he's a Black Warren Buffett." Alex just shook his head at both of them.

Herman asked him more questions about what he planned for Elwood's. They talked for another while about just that. Before he left, he promised not to be gone for so long. Herman said, "Let me know what's going on. If you need some investment, I might be able to help you out." Alex thanked him, taking his offer with a grain of salt.

***oooOOOooo***

Now that he was divorced, he thought about DeeDee. There was no denying he missed her. He missed the time he spent with her. He was surprised by how much he missed Charnae. He decided she had made her decision not to be with him. He used the excuse that he needed to date other women to make sure she was who he wanted. He did admit to himself that the thought of making love to her was something he had looked forward to.

He went into Elwood's Friday for his usual shift. Chelle, Marvin, Gregg, and Carla were working today. Five people could barely keep up on the busiest days. They could have used two more people, but there wasn't enough room. They had six people working the front, with one dedicated to pick-up and delivery orders. He was still getting cursed at by Butch most mornings.

Halfway through service, Ellie asked him to come into the office. It was the first time they had seen each other since that morning they woke up next to each other. "Have you talked to that Elmore guy lately?" She asked.

"No, I thought we might meet again to decide if we want to move forward. Oh, I might have access to funding if it's needed." He told her.

She raised an eyebrow. "Funding, who from?"

"My old neighbor's nephew is a millionaire who invests in stocks. He thinks he might be able to convince him to invest in Elwood's. You never really talked about how you feel about all of this."

She didn't hesitate. "I would like to move forward if possible. I looked at your proposal and did some more research. I think we can make this work." They ended up talking about it for nearly two hours. They decided not to franchise, so they could have more control over the quality of the product. They would concentrate on slow but steady growth. One thing she decided was to use previously vacant restaurants that would save on renovation costs and keep the flavor of the original Elwood's.

Before they left for the day. "I think we need to talk about Tuesday." Ellie broached.

"You mean the meetings, or..." Alex answered.

"The or, Alex. I woke up nearly naked next to you. We can't let that happen again." She clarified.

"I agree. I can't see us being in that position again. That's the most I've drunk since I've been in Memphis."

"Good, we agree. Office romances don't work. Go ahead and call Elmore. I want to make a detailed plan for our first location. Give me an idea of what you bring to the table as far as investment goes and what you want out of this." She concluded.

"I'll write up my offer and set a meeting with Elmore. Any day good for you." They agreed to set another meeting later in the week. Alex left with a parting shot, "I'm kind of disappointed that you didn't take advantage of all this sexiness." Ellie shook her head as he left.

Things moved quickly after that. Alex gave his two-week notice at Johnson's. Bob was disappointed to see him go. Alex agreed to work for another month to help the transition with two other employees. When he asked about his future plans, Alex told him about his plans for Elwood's. Bob seemed intrigued and asked for more information, as well as whether he was looking for investors. Alex told him that he would keep him in the loop.

Alex talked to Herman about putting him in touch with his nephew. Alex was shocked when Herman asked him how much he was looking for. "We don't have the exact figures. We're looking at the old Mexican on Central Ave. We have a couple of contractors looking at it to give us an idea of cost. Most likely anywhere from $500,000 to $750,000, all in to open up."

"What kind of revenues are you anticipating?" He went on to ask very in-depth questions. Alex had answers for some, but not all. He was surprised at Herman's knowledge of finances.

Agnes laughed. "All he's been doing lately is researching the restaurant business," Herman told him he could come up with $100,000 and convince his nephew for another $100,000. They could discuss ownership share when they are ready.

Alex found himself busier than ever. He was still working at Johnson's. He was still employed by Elwood's, but Ellie had him working on the project, as they called it. Ellie, Jon Elmore, and he would meet twice a week. At one meeting, he brought Herman and Agnes to introduce them and discuss financing. Ellie was just as surprised as Alex had been when he told her they were old neighbors.

***oooOOOooo***

It had been three weeks since his divorce had been finalized. Most people at Elwood's knew about it. Chelle had asked him a couple of times if he was going to call her mother. He always told her it was up to DeeDee to call him. That she was the one who broke up with him. She seemed disappointed with his response.

He hadn't dated since going out with Bob Johnson's sister-in-law. He had been able to spend more time with Herman and Agnes. His phone rang one day as he was driving, scouting alternative locations. It was Delores. "You really weren't going to call me?" She started immediately.

"You're the one who broke up with me, DeeDee. I told you how I felt. I figured you didn't feel the same way." He returned.

"I explained why. I wanted you to be sure about us."

"And I explained I was. But you had this crazy notion that I needed to date other women. What would have happened if I met someone I liked? Then what? I'm too old to keep fighting for someone's love. I don't get you women, I really don't. You always want more and more, when a man is doing everything he can. I wasn't going to beg you, Delores." He asserted.

"I didn't ask you to beg. I wanted you to be sure." She insisted.

"God.' He started and let out a deep breath. 'I told you I liked you. I spent all my time with you. How much more proof did you need? You know, maybe I wasn't the one who wasn't sure. Maybe I'm not the man you want to be with. I have to go, DeeDee. Call me when you decide what you want." He disconnected the call before she could say anything.

"Women." He said to no one in particular. He was seriously starting to wonder if they all had mental illness. Tracy, Delores, Ellie- all seemed to have serious issues, he thought. He wondered how hard it would be to find a new stable relationship at 40. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and relit his cigar.

***oooOOOooo***

They had completed the proposal to present to Mr. Elwood. Mr. Elwood knew something was up; he wasn't sure what it was. When Ellie asked him for some time on Wednesday, which was the slowest day, he knew he would soon find out.

He walked out of the office to see Ellie and Alex sitting with some papers on the table in the corner. "What's this all about?" He asked as he sat down.

"Dad, we have a proposition for you. Give us a chance to get everything out before you ask questions." Ellie instructed.

They had decided to let Ellie talk, and Alex add anything that was needed. It took 30 minutes to do the presentation. Of all the things Elwood thought it would be, this wasn't one of them. "So, you want to make Elwood's like McDonald's or something?" Was his first question.

"Heck no, we want to make Elwood's like Elwood's, just in different cities," Alex answered. "You have something special here. It's grown to be more than a barbecue restaurant. You sell breakfast, which others don't. You have a diverse and affordable menu. It's perfect for expansion." Alex declared.

"I make enough money without all this hassle of running another restaurant. This place will support Ellie when I'm gone." He defended.

"Dad, this is more than about me. That's what's wrong with our people. We become complacent." She went on to give examples of Prince's and Ben's Chili Bowl that Alex had with her. She talked about how Dave's Hot Chicken grew when Prince's didn't. He still seemed hesitant.

They pulled out the trump card. "How about this? Let us use the Elwood's name. We'll pay a fee for the name. Another fee for using your recipes. It won't cost you a cent. If it doesn't work, it won't affect you at all." Ellie explained.

They talked for another hour with Mr. Elwood telling them he would give them an answer next week. It was the best they could hope for; at least he didn't say no.

"Ellie, can I treat you to dinner to celebrate?" Alex offered before he left.

"Celebrate? He hasn't said yes yet." She cautioned.

Alex countered, "I've seen that look before. He's going to say yes, trust me." He asked if she wanted him to pick her up or if she would meet him at the restaurant. "I'll take my car. That way I know I'll end up in my own bed in the morning." She laughed.

He was walking to his car when his phone rang. It was Delores again. "Hello"

"Alex, it's DeeDee. I guess you know that if you haven't taken me out of your contact list."

He laughed. "Why would I do that? What's going on?"

"Well, I'm wondering if you would like to have dinner with us Sunday. Charnae has been asking about you." She offered.

He stopped at the car door. "Are you asking me to dinner for Charnae, or for you? That's kind of lame to use a 5-year-old like that, no matter how cute she is."

She let out a deep breath. "I'm asking for... me, okay. I've missed you, okay. Don't make this harder than it has to be. If you moved on, let me know now."

"Sunday at the usual time, then?"

"Yes, the usual time."

"Okay, I'll see you then, DeeDee." He could tell she wanted to talk, but he told her he would call tomorrow.

He met Ellie at Sterling's. It was another upscale restaurant. He saw Ellie sitting at the bar. As he was walking towards her, he noticed she was wearing stiletto heels. She wore a blue skirt with a slit that showed off her stockinged thighs, with a yellow sheer blouse.

"Did I tell you that you clean up pretty good?" He told her in greeting.

"So do you, by the way." They were led to their table. They ordered drinks and appetizers. For the first time, they talked about their personal lives. Her, growing up in Memphis. Hanging out with her father at the restaurant.

"Did you know that you wanted to work there all your life?" Alex asked.

"Yep, my sisters had no interest in it. They never came in, even to eat, unless they were treating their friends. The only time I didn't work here was when I went to college. I wanted to go to Memphis, but my Dad wanted me to go to an HBCU, so I went to Tennessee State. I majored in business."

Alex asked, "If it's not too sensitive, how did you meet your ex-husband?"

Taking a sip of her Cosmo, she said, "No, I'm over it. I met him two years after I graduated from college. I was set up on a blind date by my oldest sister. I found out my family was afraid I would never get married. I didn't date much in college. I wasn't as girly as my sisters. Alfreda, my sister who is the next to me in age, thought I was gay." She saw the look on Alex's face. "No, I'm not gay." She went on to talk about their marriage. They found out he was sterile, so no kids. He worked at a small software company in the city.

I found out he was cheating when he got a text on his phone while he was in the shower. They had been texting and meeting for months. It was some woman at his job. When I confronted him, he admitted it and said he wanted a divorce."

Alex hadn't said anything while she talked. "I know how that feels. It hurts, deep down."

"Yeah, it did. I stayed at work trying to alleviate the pain. I was there from opening to closing. I know I wasn't the nicest person around then. The divorce became ugly when he tried to get a piece of the business. It was solely in my father's name. I haven't seen him since the divorce was final."

Dinner had come, and they ate and talked. They learned about each other that night more than all the months they worked together. Alex found that once she let her guard down, she was a really nice person.

"There's a dance club down the street. Wanna try it out?" Alex offered.

"Sure, I haven't been dancing in ages." Alex paid and offered his arm as they walked out of the restaurant.

The club had a live band playing; it was moderately crowded, being a Wednesday night. They found a table, and Alex went to the bar to get their drinks. The band was good and played danceable music.

They had been there for several hours. Neither of them was worried about the time. Alex didn't have to be at work. Ellie worked the late shift. They danced to mostly fast songs. Alex was an okay dancer, but Ellie was on another level. Around 12:30, after dancing to two fast songs, a slow song started to play. Ellie started to walk off the dance floor when Alex pulled her to him. Surprised, she molded her body to his. With her heels, they were the same height. They didn't talk as they swayed to the music. The band was playing, I'd rather go blind, by Etta James. Alex held her close. He could smell her perfume, Jasmine. He held one of her hands and had his other on the small of her back, just above the swell of her plump butt. Even with the music, the club seemed extremely quiet. As if the band was playing for them alone.

The band transitioned to "Nobody Knows When You're Down and Out" by Alberta Hunter. Ellie leaned her head on Alex's shoulder. They continued to dance in silence. Alex was surprised when Ellie started murmuring the song. At the last refrain of the song, Alex looked at Ellie and saw tears in her eyes.

Alex held her tightly, even though the music had stopped. Ellie pulled herself together and started walking to the table. Alex went to buy her another drink when he got back to the table. "Are you okay?"

Wiping the tears from her eyes. "Yeah, that song reminded me of what was going on after my divorce. It felt like I was all alone. I didn't have many friends I could talk to. Hell, I didn't have any friends to talk to. My sisters weren't any help. My sister, Tina, pretty much blamed me for him cheating. So, I had to deal with it all by myself." She said, taking a sip of her drink.

Alex chuckled. He saw anger flash on Ellie's face. "I'm not laughing at you. I'm laughing at us. We're two sides of the same coin. We've both been through so much and dealt with the same shit, only in different ways." Ellie laughed at that. They talked about their shared experiences for another half hour before heading home for the night.

***oooOOOooo***

Sunday, Alex found himself walking up the walkway to DeeDee's house for dinner. He had been there nearly a dozen times. For some reason, he felt nervous. He wondered if this would be the start, well, restart of the relationship, or an end.

Before he could knock on the door, it opened. "Hey, Mr. Alex!" Charnae screamed as she jumped into his arms.

"Hey, Lil Bit." He responded, hugging the little girl.

"I missed you, Mr. Alex. Where you been?"

"I've been working a lot." He explained.

That wasn't good enough for her. "You always worked a lot. But you always came by for dinner. And you haven't taken MomMom out on a date in a while. Don't you like her anymore?" She said with a pout.

"Charnae, leave Mr. Alex alone," Chelle said as she came down the stairs. DeeDee poked her head out of the kitchen.

"Hey. Alex." She said, sounding slightly uneasy. Unsure of how Alex felt.

"MomMom, look, it's Mr. Alex," Charnae said cheerfully.

"I see that, honey," DeeDee said.

He stood looking at her uncomfortably. In the short time, she hadn't changed, of course. Her hair was braided differently. She was wearing a flowered sundress and house shoes. "Hey, DeeDee, you're looking lovely as usual." He said as he put down Charnae. The tension in the room seemed to lessen.

DeeDee had made what had become Alex's favorite. Stuffed pork chops with cheesy broccoli and baked potato. It was also the first meal Alex had ever eaten at her house.

Conversation between Alex and DeeDee was stilted at first. Charnae, as any five-year-old would, rambled on innocently about what had gone on since she last saw Alex. Little by little, they caught up with each other.

Alex was surprised when Chelle asked, "So, you and Ellie have been spending a lot of time together lately. What's up with that?"

"Ellie. Isn't she the woman who fired you?" DeeDee asked.

"Yeah, but they seem real cozy lately," Chelle said tersely.

"We're working on a project together. I'm surprised no one knows about it, as much and as fast as gossip spreads around there. We want to expand Elwood's. That's why we're together so much."

"Expand? You mean make it bigger?" Chelle asked.

"No, we want to open new locations. We've been working on a proposal to present to Mr. Elwood. Ellie, me, and a consultant. We're not dating or anything, so get that out of your head." He explained.

DeeDee, who hadn't said anything, asked, "Why are you helping her with the business?"

Alex put his fork down and started to explain. "It was my idea. I had to make a choice between keeping working at Elwood's or going full-time at Johnson's. I felt like I was getting back on the hamster wheel at Johnson's. And I couldn't afford to keep working at Elwood's at the same pay. So I figured this would be the best option. To grow Elwood's and become a partner in the business. I had to convince her first. Now we're just waiting for Mr. Elwood to decide what he wants to do."

"So you're going to be an owner, huh? That's the big time." DeeDee said, sounding a little apprehensive.

Alex chuckled, "It's not a done deal by far. I'll only be a minority owner. If Mr. Elwood says no, I'm screwed. I already quit my job at Johnson's."

"You quit? How could you do that without knowing it will work out?" She said in disbelief.

"I told you before, when I committed to something. I go all in." He told her, taking a drink of sweet tea. DeeDee's cheeks darkened. Getting the double meaning of what he said. "If it doesn't work, I'll have to find some other way to make a living. I'm sure I could always go back to Johnson's if it came to that."

They talked some more about the possible future with Elwood's. After a dessert of Peach Cobbler, Chelle took Charnae to get ready for bed. But not before she made Mr. Alex promise to come back again. DeeDee and Alex sat in the living room.

"Thank you for dinner. I missed your cooking."

"It's my pleasure."

"So, what made you call me now. My divorce was final nearly a month ago. It doesn't have anything to do with what Chelle said about Ellie and me, did it?"

"Tonight was the first time I heard about you and Ellie. I figured you weren't going to call me. Well, she never told me you were seeing someone, but she did say if I wanted to be with you, I better get my head out of my ass. Especially since I was the one who broke up with you. You really weren't going to call me?"

Looking her in the eye. "I don't beg for someone's love, DeeDee. I didn't do it for Tracy. I'm sorry, I wasn't going to do it for you. As much as I like you, it's not in me to do that." There was a rumble of thunder in the distance.

"I figured that when you didn't call me. Half my friends said I was stupid. The other half said stand by my guns. Of course, most of those women are single.' She leaned back, looking at the ceiling. There was a thunderclap quickly followed by a flash of lightning. 'I was scared, Alex. I haven't felt this way about a man in such a long time; I was worried something would go wrong."

"So you decided to self-sabotage the relationship.' It was a statement more than a question. 'I will never understand women. You want a man to be honest, he tells you how he feels, and you don't believe him. I thought we had a good relationship. I thought you enjoyed our times together.' He looked over his shoulder at the stairs to see if anyone was there. 'Was it the sex thing? Was that what had you worried? Did you think I wouldn't measure up?"

DeeDee turned towards him quickly. "Wha... no, it wasn't that. I mean the measure up part. I haven't been with a man in a long time, Alex. Yes, it was a huge step for me. I don't jump into bed with just anyone. I know you never pushed me about it.' She stopped for a moment to gather her thoughts.

I wanted to; I did. Some nights after a date, I would have to get my vibrator out. I know I was falling for you, falling hard. No one had ever treated me the way you have. The way you treat Chelle and especially Charnae was special. Most men ignore them, like they are something they have to deal with to get to me. Charnae has never been taken with someone like she is with you.' Alex was quiet, letting her explain herself. The storm outside seemed to be building in intensity. 'My biggest fear, to be honest. We come from two different worlds. You're a corporate guy who wears suits every day. You go to lunches and dinners with CEO'S and other bigwigs. Me, I'm a glorified janitor who cleans surgical equipment. I don't know if I would even know how to act around those types of people." She finished morosely.

Alex let the silence hang in the air. Interrupted occasionally by thunder and flashes of lightning. There was a boom of thunder, immediately followed by a flash that shook the house.

"Are you done or are you finished?' DeeDee looked at him and chuckled. 'Shakespeare wrote in Julius Caesar, 'Do not presume too much upon my love'. I only remember that because we did the play in high school. You presumed a lot when it came to us, DeeDee. First off, what makes you think I wanted to have sex with you... Yeck'. She slapped his arm. 'I never once thought of having sex with you. I wanted to make love to you, very badly. The more I got to know you, the more I wanted you. There were times I wanted to jump into the Mississippi to cool down after a date. When I said you're one of the most beautiful woman I ever met, it wasn't only just the way you look. It's who you are as a person. The way your neighbors were happy to see you dating. I was threatened several times to treat you right. Some joking, some very serious.' Her eyes widened at that. Sex was never my goal. I genuinely enjoyed our times together. I felt relaxed around you. I could be myself. Not worry about what I was saying or doing.

And as far as us living in two different worlds, that's bullshit. Pardon my language. Most of those CEO's you talk about are regular people. A vast majority came from middle-class backgrounds. It's not the men that are the issue at dinners or social functions. It's the wives who put on airs, like they are manor-born. They met their husband when they worked as a waitress or in a coffee shop. Very few of them were born into money. I'm going to tell you a secret: we laugh at them half the time and ignore them the other half. Most are there for decoration. It's the ones who know how to talk to people as equals that help their husbands' business the most.

I don't know if you thought I was someone special. When we met, I was working at Elwood's. Just like Chelle.' The storm seemed to be moving on. The thunder was in the distance, the space between thunder and lightning lengthening. Even the rain seemed to be lessening.

It hurt when you said you didn't want to be with me. I felt like the reason you were giving was just an excuse not to see me anymore. As I said, I wasn't going to beg."

"I didn't want you to beg. I... I was scared. I wanted you to be sure. I know you said you were. I was afraid of how I was feeling about you. Now, I'm afraid you'll think I want to be with you because you're going to be a business owner."

'Is that why you want to be with me? I was hoping it's because of my overwhelming manliness and sexy good looks. If I thought you wanted to be with me for what I have, I wouldn't be sitting here right now. You need to decide what you want to do. I'm only going to say this one again: I like you. I would love to see where this goes. So, as they said in Ocean's Eleven, you're either in or you're out."

"From Shakespeare to Elliot Gould. Well, as the kids say. I'm down if you're down." She said with a smile.

***oooOOOooo***

Five days after meeting with Mr. Elwood, he asked them to sit down with him. "Ellie, you know I'm just a guy that makes barbecue. I'm not for all this talk about expanding. I really don't know about this.' Alex felt his chest tightening. He knew he would say yes; now he was ready to hear him say no. 'But I don't think I've ever told you, Ellie, I'm proud of you.' Ellie gasped. 'And most importantly, I trust you. I know you run this place. You just let me think I'm in charge. I'm happy with what I built. Now, it's your turn to take this to the next level. If you want to expand, however you want to do it, I trust you. You have my blessing." He said as he leaned back with a grin.

Alex and Ellie looked at each other. You could have knocked them over with a feather. Ellie wasn't the kind of person to be overly emotional. Today, at that moment, she jumped up and grabbed her father. "Oh Daddy, thank you so much. I really mean it. Thank you, thank you, thank you," as she rained kisses on his forehead.

Trying to unwrap himself from his youngest daughter, "Get off me, girl." Alex was shaking his head. "Thank you, sir, we won't let you down."

"Stop, you two. Jeez, almighty. You act like you already made your first million. Now the hard work starts; I hope you're ready."

***oooOOOooo***

Mr. Elwood's words about the hard work was just beginning were very prophetic. The first location they picked didn't work out. They found an old Friendly's that had been vacant for eight years. Once the lease was signed, the real work started. Jon Elmore was a lifesaver in many instances. Alex, not having a background in the restaurant business, was really a fish out of water. They leaned heavily on Elmore. They had a menu which gave them an advantage. They pared it down to make it more streamlined. There were other things Alex never would have thought of. An employee handbook and so many other things. They contracted a company that handled back office operations for restaurants. Each day brought a new challenge.

One challenge they didn't have was finances. Alex and Ellie were able to raise $250,000 between them. Alex would have 20% and Ellie held 50%. Bob Johnson and several others at his agency put up $175,000 for a 5% share. Herman and his nephew Reggie Baynard put up $250,000 for 12% with a $300,000 line of credit at 5% interest. Jon Elmore decided he wanted to be part of the operation moving forward. He would be COO with 3% with Ellie as the CEO/President, with Alex as the CMO. They had received interest from outside their circle; they decided to wait to accept any. Mr. Elwood would receive 5%. They left 15% for an ESOP.

Alex and DeeDee were seeing each other regularly. They were able to date at least twice a month, and he always had Sunday dinner. He started going to church with her whenever he could. He was never a religious person. He found that he was able to take something away after each service. Even though he was one of the few white people there, he was welcomed with open arms.

It was two weeks after they reunited that they became physical. She had taken him to a nice restaurant, nothing fancy. Memphis wasn't the food destination like other cities. It was just different levels of American cuisine. You came if you wanted barbecue and jazz music.

They were having a good time. She had told a story about a doctor and one of the janitorial staff getting caught in a supply room. "No one knew the doctor was gay until that happened."Conversation had returned to its old level quite quickly. They could talk about anything that was going on in their life. Alex talked about getting the new restaurant up and running. The trials and tribulations they were going through.

DeeDee had picked him up. When she went to drop him off, she parked the car. Instead of waiting for him to go inside, she got out with him. "Are you walking me to the door? I'm touched."

Looking shy, "No, I'm staying, if you want me to."

Alex had been ready for this night. He didn't expect it to be this night. "I would be a fool not to."

They walked into the house holding hands. Alex took off his jacket. He looked at DeeDee and saw the nervousness in her eyes. He reached for her, holding her gently; he kissed her lightly. They had kissed before. This was different. They weren't teenagers making love for the first time. As they kissed, DeeDee started to unbutton Alex's shirt. Alex reached for DeeDee's dress to pull it over her head. Their arms were crossed in their eagerness.

"Wait." DeeDee finally said. She stepped back. She kicked off her heels. Reached and pulled her dress over her head. Alex's eyes bugged in surprise. She was wearing a black shelf bra and thong panties. "Sweet Jesus, you are sexy." He gulped.

"I'm glad you like it." She grabbed and undid his belt. She could see that he was already erect. Pulling his pants down revealed his blue boxer that couldn't contain his penis. She was happy with what she saw. It was not too big and not too small. It had a little girth to it. While she was admiring his dick, he kicked off his shoes. He was in good shape for a man his age.

The lovemaking came fast and furious. Mutual oral orgasms on the living room sofa. He carried her up the stairs, much to her surprise, into his bedroom. This led to several rounds of lovemaking. Any fears either of them had were alleviated that night.

DeeDeee asked, panting, "Why did I make you wait so long? That was the best I've ever had."

"You're just saying that because it's the best you ever had," Alex joked. Earning a jab in the ribs. "I have to say, you're in the top two lovers I've ever had."

"Top two?" DeeDee returned, looking at him as she leaned on one arm.

"Yeah, top two, but you're definitely not in second place." He laughed.

"I hate you marketing guys; you always got a way with words. I think they call it bullshit."

They fell asleep in each other's arms. It was the most peaceful sleep Alex had in ages.

Alex awoke with a dream that many men had. He knew immediately what was happening. DeeDee had his cock in her mouth, working him towards an orgasm. "No, I don't want to cum."

"Oh, you're not going to cum yet." She released his cock and climbed on top. Cowgirl was one of the few positions they didn't use last night. Alex looked at DeeDee as she slowly rode him, grinding her hips back and forth. Her eyes were closed as she moaned, "This is some good dick."

"God, you're so beautiful." He massaged her full breast. He learned last night she loved to have her nipples played with and sucked. He pulled her down to suckle on a nipple.

"Oh damn, you're gonna make me nut on your cock." Alex loved when she talked dirty. It was so different than the church woman he knew her to be. She bounced up and down on his cock, causing him to moan.

"You're going to make me cum." He groaned.

"I'm going to make you beg to cum!" She started twerking on his cock. He felt like he was holding on for dear life. She started playing with his nipples. No one had ever done that to him before. His head was thrashing from side to side. Eventually, he did beg to cum.

Sex became a regular activity in their relationship after that night.

***oooOOOooo***

The Grand Opening of Elwood's second location was at hand. It seemed half of City Council and the Mayor's office were there. They had a week for a soft opening. So far, everything and everyone worked as they planned. Junebug had come to train the Pitmasters. Candy was the General Manager. Kiesha was running the OG location along with Alice, Anika, and Ruby. Marcella's sister-in-law, Lupita, transferred to become the Kitchen Manager.

The new staff had been training for a month with the experienced crew. It had been hectic, as they were still super busy. Having twice as many people as needed did cause some confusion at times. The OG location was now running with a staff of nearly 45 people. They had hired the same number for the new location.

Business had been brisk, considering no advertising had been done. Alex had been contacted by several influencers asking to collaborate, meaning they wanted to get paid for a review. With the reputation the OG Elwood's had built, they didn't need it.

Everyone had gathered: Mr. Elwood, Agnes and Herman, their nephew Reggie and his wife, Joann. Robert Johnson, Walter Wiggins, Linda Marks, and several others who invested from Johnson's. And many local politicians. They even had the Central High School band playing. Alex had done a great job in marketing.

Ellie was going over last-minute items with Candy and Junebug; Alex and Jon were discussing some marketing events they had to deal with and glad-handing politicians. Alex could feel the tension. Not just in the crew but in everyone with a stake. They planned for an 11 am opening, even though they had been serving breakfast all week.

At ten minutes to eleven, the band started playing. The Mayor made a speech about the growing economy of Memphis, yadda yadda yadda. They had a ribbon-cutting, and the doors were opened. The first fifty people were able to eat for free. Ellie did interviews with several TV stations. They had a local R&B radio station playing in the parking lot. It was a madhouse in its finest sense. The day was a total success.

***oooOOOooo***

SEVEN YEARS LATER: "I wish Herman could be here to see this." Reggie said to Alex. They were standing in front of a newly renovated Friendly's building. The two men looked at the gathered crowd. By now, grand openings were old hat to both of them. There was no high school band this time. Though, they did have a radio station on hand.

"I remember when he called me about your first location. Everything I knew about the restaurant business said run away. But he convinced me it wasn't an investment in a restaurant; it was in you. I didn't have to meet you after the way Aunty Agnes talked about you. Don't get a big head, but this is the best investment I've ever made, outside of marrying Joann, of course." Reggie said.

"Those two got me through some tough times. When I landed in Memphis, if you told me I would be here right now, I would have to call you either crazy or a liar." Alex said.

"Do you mean standing in front of our thirty-seventh location here in Columbus, Ohio, running one of the fastest-growing barbecue chains in America, or married to the founder's daughter?"

"At the time, marrying Ellie would have been the longest shot of them all." He said with a laugh. 'You know I wasn't her favorite person when we met. Between you and me, I think she just married me for my 20% of the company." He said with a laugh.

Alex and Ellie's romance was one for the record books. He had been dating DeeDee steadily. As far as Alex knew, everything was great in the relationship. They still had Sunday dinner. Alex had even cooked for DeeDee as well as Charnae and Chelle once in a while.

He was over at her house so often that he had gotten to know her neighbors. After a year, Charnae was asking if he was going to be her Pop Pop. He had helped Chelle get several scholarships to be able to go to veterinary school. He had given marriage some thought, even though he never talked to DeeDee about it.

Between his personal relationship and business activities, he was on top of the world, until he wasn't. DeeDee had begged off a date or two over a month's time. Then once she said she wasn't having Sunday dinner because they were visiting relatives. She had valid reasons, so Alex never suspected that anything was amiss.

They were having Sunday dinner after church. It had been a good service, meaning the Pastor didn't preach too long. It was a chilly, rainy day. Charnae was holding court, talking about her new classmates. Suddenly, as only an innocent child could say it. "Mr. Alex, I'm going to have a new Pop Pop, so you don't have to worry about marrying my Mom Mom." Alex nearly dropped his fork. Delores choked on her drink.

He put his knife and fork down. He wiped his hands on his napkin as he looked at Delores. She didn't seem to want to clarify Charnae's statement. "That's good to hear, Lil Bit. Who's going to be your new Pop Pop?" Alex asked.

"Mr. James, that's Mom Mom's new friend. He's real nice. He takes us to the movies and 'musment park. He's a doctor at the hospital MomMom works at." She said sweetly, not knowing she was breaking Alex's heart.

"I'm glad you're happy, Lil' Bit. I hope he loves your MomMom the way she needs to be loved. And that he never cheats on her. Because no one wants to be cheated on. Isn't that right, Delores?" Alex said, trying to hide the bitterness he was feeling.

"Alex, let me explain." She started.

"No, there's no need to explain. I hope you're happy, Delores. I think it's better if I leave now." He rose from the table. He gave Charnae a hug for the last time. He was walking to the door when Delores caught up to him.

"Alex, let me explain, please." She pleaded as she reached for him.

Alex shook off her hand. "Delores, there's nothing to explain. You know the old saying, drunks and children always tell the truth. I know we're not married. So, I can't call it infidelity. But when you're in a committed relationship, it's still cheating. At least I thought it was a committed relationship. I might have missed it in one of Pastor White's sermons. I guess you decided to move up. I hope you're happy. I just wonder what the congregation is going to think when you walk in with a new man next week?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to happen."

Alex stopped suddenly. "Wow, where did I hear that phrase before? Oh yeah, my cheating wife. Maybe you two can start a cheating sluts club." Before she could respond, he was out the door. That was the last time he saw her.

He drove away, pissed. He didn't know why he was madder about this betrayal than when his marriage blew up. Maybe it was because of the type of woman Delores portrayed herself to be. She appeared to be so down to earth. She went to church every Sunday. She was loving and caring until the very end. He swore never to get involved with another woman long-term again.

Chelle did call him a couple of days later to apologize. He was headed to Durham to meet up with Ellie to scout their third location. Mr. Alex, I'm so sorry. I didn't know my Mom was messing with some guy at the hospital. I have no idea what she was thinking. She told me it just happened. How did a relationship just happen? Ugh, I'm so mad at her. After everything you did for me." She said sadly.

"It's not your fault, Chelle. She's a grown woman. If she didn't want to be with me, all she had to do was say something. That's what I'm disappointed in the most. Especially after the last time she broke up with me." Alex said, sounding disheartened. They talked a little more. Chelle was doing well in school. She was one of the older students in her class. Alex talked about the business. He let her know he was headed to Durham to scout out their third location with Ellie. They each promised to stay in touch.

***oooOOOooo***

The second location was doing record numbers. They were getting more traffic from downtown than the OG Elwood's. Catering was another factor. Being closer to businesses, the lunchtime catering was 75% more than they anticipated.

There had been a lot of discussion about where to have the third location. Between the three of them, Elmore, Ellie, and Alex. They wanted something within a five-hour drive of Memphis. A place they could build at least two other locations within an hour of each other. Other factors such as income, rent, etc. They finally chose the Durham area. He let Jon know he was headed out that way. Alice was doing a great job running the place and didn't need a babysitter. He also let Ellie know he was coming. She called him.

"What's going on? I thought you would be spending some time with DeeDee?" She asked.

"I thought so too. I found out she's spending time with some doctor at the hospital." He explained.

She told him that she was sorry to hear that. She would reserve him a room. The third location was opened eight months after that. The business was running smoothly. The Durham location was exceeding its projected numbers. They planned to open locations in Greensboro and Winston-Salem within the next year.

The beginning of the third year. Things started to change between Ellie and Alex. They were always friendly, but professional. There had been no other instances of waking up in the wrong bed. They never put themselves in that position. Ellie was focused on the business as much, if not more than Alex. She found running one restaurant compared to several was two vastly different animals. Mistakes were made. They had to fire the first General Manager of the Durham location. So Ellie had to be there until another was hired and trained. Keisha or Candy would come out once in a while to relieve her.

She and Alex were spending more time together. They decided to open both locations at the same time. So they searched for suitable vacant properties in Greensboro and Winston-Salem. They would hire three General Managers. Keisha would become a District Manager. It was easier for her to move, since she didn't have any kids. They decided to make Candy the District Manager in Memphis.

One day, they were having breakfast before heading out to scout locations with a local Realtor. Ellie suggested, "Alex, I was thinking. Why don't you give up your apartment for now and move in with me?"She saw the shocked look on his face. "No, don't get your hopes up. I mean, it's silly that you're paying rent for a place you're never at, or hardly there. We both spend most of our time on the road in hotels. I don't think it's going to change anytime soon. You can pay me a little rent to keep it above board. We both save a little money."

Alex thought about it as he ate. He really wasn't there that often since he broke up with Delores. He'd probably slept in his bed a week in the last month. It did make sense. "Yeah, I can do that. I'm surprised squatters haven't moved in. I'll let my landlord know. What kind of rent are you asking? I'm not going to have to sleep with the landlord, am I?" He chuckled.

"You wish. This is strictly a business deal," She smirked.

"It's always business. At least that's what they say in the movies." So, Alex moved into Ellie's house. Very rarely would they be there at the same time. They were usually on the road scouting locations or preparing for an opening. The two new openings went smoothly. Keisha had them running like a Swiss watch.

They were looking at either the Nashville metro area or the Orlando/Tampa corridor. Alex was home one day. He thought Ellie would be in Florida looking at the area. He had just taken a shower. Thinking he was home alone, he came out of the shower with the towel over his shoulder. He went to grab a soda out of the fridge when the front door opened. When Ellie walked through the door, he was standing there in all his glory.

"Oh God, she shrieked. 'Do you always walk around naked?" He couldn't help knowing she was staring at his johnson.

"Yeah, when I'm home alone. I thought you were in Florida." He said as he wrapped the towel around his waist.

"I came back early. I found three great places that will work. Are you going to stand there naked or are you going to get dressed?" She questioned.

"It's not like you haven't seen me naked before, Ellie. Or have you forgotten?"

"I didn't see you naked. You had on underwear." She replied. She did notice he was still in good shape. He had a little gray hair on his chest. She also noticed that his penis was thick, even though it was soft. It had been a long time since she had the real thing. She hadn't even dated since her divorce. She noticed he seemed very nonchalant about this.

"I had an epiphany, and I wanted to sit down with you and Jon. Plus, I needed some more clothes. What's slowing us down the most?" She asked.

"Finding Pit Masters mostly. You know as well as I do, you can't train them overnight. It's near as much an art as you can get in this business." They found they needed to hire men in their 30s or 40s, who had the patience it took to cook the meats correctly.

"Yep, we've had to hire five to get the three we need."

"Well, what have you come up with?"

"We poach the competition."

"The competition? What competition? Mission Barbecue?" Alex quizzed.

"Mission, old Dickey's, Famous Dave's, or any local Barbecue joint. We offer them $3 more an hour if they used to work at one of the chains. $5 if they are currently working at a local joint, or depending on their experience. We need to look for cities with at least three or four restaurants. Can you put some clothes on, please?"

"Is it hard to concentrate with all this sexiness in front of you?" He joked.

"Why are you like this? I'm trying to be serious." She barked.

"I'm just having a little fun. I hear what you're saying about the business. Let me throw on some clothes; I'll be right down." He turned to go upstairs, and somehow his towel slipped. He laughed as he went up the steps.

Ellie watched his tight butt walk up the stairs, and seeing his dick sway from behind caused a tingle she hadn't felt in a long time.

They met with Jon Elmore the next day. They all agreed that poaching pit masters was the way to go. They also decided on the Tampa/Orlando area for the next three restaurants. Followed by the Hampton Roads area and then the Washington/Baltimore area within the next two years. That would give them eleven locations three years after opening up Elwood's 2, even though they all wouldn't be open by then.

They planned a way to open more locations at a faster pace. They were far behind what Mission BBQ was doing. They spent the next two weeks planning for rapid growth. They received an invite from the Chamber of Commerce, as they received a Minority Business of the Year Award. Alex and Jon chuckled at that, as half of the ownership group were white.

Ellie asked Alex to escort her to the event, as most others were married. The event was held at one of the poshest hotels in the city. All the movers and shakers were there. Alex didn't know anyone there except his business partners. Ellie knew most of the people, if not personally, then by reputation. They had an enjoyable time. Ellie gave her speech, thanking her father for instilling her work ethic. She also thanked her partners for believing in her and, most importantly, Alex Keaton. It was his vision that got us on the road to success." He was sitting at the head table with her. When she got back to her seat, she leaned over and kissed him on the lips. They both felt a spark between them.

The rest of the night they were inseparable. Something happened with that kiss. They didn't say anything to each other in terms of affection or romantic feelings. There was no physical contact between them. They didn't even share any untoward looks. Alex did tell her that he was proud of her.

They drove home, talking about the event. Of course, people knew about their expansion into other markets. Some even wanted to get in on it.

When they got home, Alex opened the door to let Ellie in. Once inside, it seemed like a sexual explosion went off. She turned to him and kissed him as if her life depended on it. He returned it, just as hungrily. They were ripping their clothes off, tight there in the entryway. He was able to kick the door closed. The closest they got to the bedroom was the living room floor five feet from the front door.

They lay panting on the floor from the after effects of the most intense lovemaking either of them had in a very long time. "I thought you said we shouldn't do this?" Alex said.

"We? I think you spiked my drink." Ellie said. Lying her head on his chest.

"Is that the story you're going with?" Alex retorted. She had nothing to complain about after the second or third time that night. After that night, things changed between them.

They were getting ready for a meeting the next day. "I don't think we should drive in together." Ellie said as she was putting on her shoes.

Alex peeked his head out of the bathroom. "Why? We're going the same way, and people know we live together."

Ellie sighed, "Yeah but, things are different now. Or was I just a booty call to you?" She said, letting her insecurity come through.

Alex walked out of the bathroom and sat next to Ellie. He held her hand tenderly. "Did it seem like a booty call to you? I don't know where this is going. But I would like to ride it with you as far as it goes."

Wistfully, "I don't want this is affect our friendship or the business. We have something good going right now. Romance could ruin it."

"El, didn't we talk about looking at why something will go wrong instead of why it will work. If we want it to work, it will."

"Well, we don't need to announce it or anything. We'll just go on as usual, okay?" That's what they agreed.

Walking into the meeting, Jon was the first to notice.

"What?" Alex finally asked after seeing Jon with a silly grin. They were in the meeting with Reggie Baynard, Bob Johnson, Candy, Keisha, and four new people that had been added to the team.

Keisha and Alice looked at each other. They started laughing. "You two, really? When did this start?" Alice asked.

Ellie and Alex looked at each other. Ellie's cheeks darkened. That was confirmation enough. Not only did the romance ramp up, but so did the expansion plans. They went from four to five restaurant openings a year to nine.

***oooOOOooo***

Their relationship wasn't built on lust alone. They had gotten to know each other over the last several years. Living with each other helped. They both had the same cleaning habits, even dietary habits. Alex found Ellie to be, not only beautiful, but smart and caring. She had let that hard shell that Alex had first known done. She laughed and joked with employees. She asked about their families. She made sure they were doing well.

She wasn't perfect. Like most people she had her flaws, and so did Alex. For Alex, they were few and far between.

First they were worried about what people thought. That worry never materialized as most people were glad to see them both happy. They even got Mr. Elwood's blessing. "I knew there was a reason I hired you." He said with a grin.

They were good together. They found they complemented each others strengths and weaknesses. Alex still had some trust issues after the break up with DeeDee. This was Ellie's first relationship since her divorce. She had come to like and respect Alex. Most importantly, she was comfortable with him.

***oooOOOooo***

Mr. Elwood passed away four years after they opened the second location. He lived long enough to see four more locations open. They found him sitting in his office.

Herman passed six months after Elwood. They had finally moved out of the motel into a nice retirement community. After Herman passed, Agnes moved with her oldest son in Florida. She transferred her shares to her children.

Several people from the original Elwood's thrived. Keisha went from a Shift Manager to General Manager, to District Manager. eventually, to Vice President in charge of Management Training. Alice and Candy became Regional Managers. Lupita was promoted to Culinary Manager. She had family or had family who knew people in each new market. There was never an issue finding kitchen staff. Many become General Managers. Anika became Catering Manager for the whole chain. She developed not only the catering program, but a fundraising program that increased sales by 7% company wide. Butch retired after finally being able to cuss out Alex for "starting all this mess" and sharing a beer and cigar one last time behind the smokers.

Alex had been able to repair his relationship with his children. Steven began working for the company as an apprentice pit master at the Durham location. Mallory did go to college for two years and worked in the company business office in Memphis alongside Jon Elmore. Tracy had remarried to a nice guy. They still lived in Greenville in their old house.

Six months after they became a couple, they were out to dinner. They made a deal to keep business talk after hours to a minimum. Alex pulled out a ring box and laid it on the table. Ellie looked at the box, then looked at Alex. He continued to eat. She opened the box. Pulled out the ring and placed on her finger. After dinner, they went home and made passionate love.

They wanted to have a small, intimate affair. They ended up with a guest list of 300 people. Butch was Alex's best man. He wanted Herman, but he was in ill health. Keisha was Ellie's Maid of Honor. Mr. Elwood was able to walk her down the aisle.

They honeymooned in Belize for a week. When they came back, Alex headed to Cantonsville, MD, for the opening of their 18th restaurant. That would be followed by White Marsh, north of Baltimore, Silver Spring, and finally Annapolis in the DC metro area. Ellie was in Cherry Hill, NJ, for the opening of their 17th location. They also planned restaurants in King of Prussia, PA, Wilmington, DE and Trenton, NJ.

The only time they were apart was when they were at different openings. The company was at a point where they had people to handle the day-to-day operations. They were on target to open 10 stores a year. They had been approached several times by private equity firms. They were able to self-fund growth, so they always said no. They did use Reggie's line of credit once. They offered an ESOP, Employee Stock Option Program, which helped in hiring the best of the best. Their turnover was the lowest in their industry sector.

***oooOOOooo***