Chapter 11

 
Cleo allowed her to borrow her car to make it to the Parker Mills office. She was impressed by the building and the courtesy area. The secretary led her to a large conference room that seated ten people very comfortably. She was seated at the first chair by the head seat. When offered something to drink, she declined politely because her stomach was doing flips like a Sea World dolphin.
The three-piece dark brown rayon suit she had borrowed from Cleo was two sizes too big for her. But with a lot of pins, they'd gotten the size twelve suit down to look very professional on her. Cleo had swept her hair up into a fashionable bob and applied a light touch of makeup. The black patent leather heels were pretty weird to wear, but she managed. If she walked slowly, she actually looked like she knew what she was doing. Underneath the vest, she wore a white French cuffed blouse.
Yesterday had been her birthday and she celebrated it by sitting by Nanna's side. Again Cleo had come to the hospital to tag team with her on Nanna's vigil. She didn't trust anyone to stay beside Nanna other than Cleo and she was glad Cleo was there for her.
Focusing her thoughts, she concentrated on making her best presentation to Parker Mills. According to James, when he put it bluntly, Parker Mills was a serious ass, but he loved deals. He lived for them and he was an old high school buddy of Ethan Black. He had inherited the laundry business from his father and had taken over several cleaners in the Detroit and suburban areas. He did a lot of services for business, but was looking into privately held residential businesses to expand. She was very impressed with the information James had given her about the company. It would be an honor to meet the man in person and learn from him if he gave her the chance.
James warned her that Parker Mills could smell bullshit instantly and he didn't play when it came to money owed to him. If she stayed honest and truthful and stayed realistic, she had a chance.
When the doors to the conference opened, it came quite a surprise to see that Parker Mills was an African American male who looked no older than about twenty-nine. He walked like there was a stick up his ass and with the bi-focals and stiff three-piece dark grey Armani suit, he was definitely the stiff prick James had described. This was the first time she had met anyone of African American nature who possessed so much money, and she knew this would be an even bigger challenge than what she had thought it would be.
She could have handled it better if he was white and on top of that, he was very handsome if one looked past those awful glasses.
He regarded her nonchalantly as he closed the door and told his secretary not to bother him until he was done. That made her feel very important and she hoped this was going to go better than what she thought it would go. He approached the conference table, looking a little doubtful as he assessed her.
Nicole saw that he stood about six feet tall and bullock under the suit. She didn't know if it was fat or just muscle. But either way, the suit was definitely tailored rather nicely on him.
"Ms. Gray?" he seemed doubtful.
"Yes, Nicole Gray." She shook his hand.
He seemed off guard and his chocolate eyes squinted at her. "You look familiar."
"I'm often mistaken for my mother, Lynne Black."
This relaxed him immensely. "Yes, she sometimes comes with your uncle, Marvin Clark. You're almost a living image of her, but I must say there is something magnificent about you."
He offered her a seat and he followed suit, straightening up his clothes beside her.
"Mr. Mills, before we begin I want to say how much I appreciate you taking the time out for me on such short notice. A man such as you probably remains busy and I am very impressed by all you hold."
He nodded a thank you.
"That's why I want you to understand that I don't want to sell the Laundromat to you. I want to remain a partner."
He sat back, still listening intently, but showing absolutely no emotion.
"I won't be able to pay back the money my uncle has borrowed in such great access. But I will be able to work out some kind of deal with you that keeps Nanna's interest at the heart of the business."
"I've been trying to get my hands on this property for some time now and until your grandmother got sick, I couldn't get word or edgewise from that lady. Now with your uncle willing to sell, what makes you think I need to work out a deal with you?"
"Because, according to the agreement my grandmother has with my uncle, even though he has final control over the company, there is twenty percent still in her name and ten percent in mine. With I being my grandmother's guardian, that means I have thirty percent control over the sale of the company. I am aware my uncle owes you a great deal of money and I'm willing to give you that money back with interest and a percentage of the stock in the company if you work with me. If you don't work with me, I can hold up the sale of any of the business altogether and sue you and my uncle for any money owed to me that has already transacted." She laid out the original agreement from which Nanna initially signed over to Marvin. "I don't know what he told you or what documents he showed you to make you believe he owned the company. But until Nanna dies, he only has part control."
Parker looked over the papers and then buzzed his secretary to bring him the Gray Laundromat file. In a few moments, a folder was brought to them and he looked through until he found a document similar to the one she had laid out to him. Looking down at the control, there were changes and the signatures were false, except for Marvin's and the lawyers.
This man did not look pleased as he closed the file and gave her a long hard look. "So in order to get my hands on the company, you want me to have Marvin sign over his part tomorrow to me, and then you will keep your part and pay back the money owed to me?"
"Yes. In addition to sweeten this deal, I will give you the land next to the Laundromat, which I think will make a nice strip mall. If you survey the area, a small grocery and hardware/supply store is much needed in the area. With Nanna's reputation, I am positive the neighborhood will support your improvements."
"What is being done with the property now?"
"Collecting dust. Due to Nanna's stroke after she bought the property, she was not well enough to expand on the extension like she wanted. But I can share the plans with you if you'd like or you can sell it to anyone you wish. But I will keep my part in it."
"If I don't go with your deal, of course there's years of litigation involved."
She leaned in close to him. "Mr. Mills, I assure you I can handle the business. I plan to make major changes and working with you, I'm sure we can make a very good profit without my uncle involved."
"Does family mean nothing to you?"
"Not when the family doesn't look out for the well being of my grandmother and takes all she has sweated blood and tears for and throws it away on anything and everything except what is important. I take that serious; Mr. Mills and I will do anything to make sure my grandmother's business stays with me. This is how she wants it."
"I do understand your point, but you leave me in a very difficult position with Mr. Clark," he noted. "I will think on it."
"I was hoping for an answer today since you will be meeting with Mr. Clark tomorrow."
"I can't give you a decision now, but I will take heed on all you have said and give you an answer day after tomorrow. On your way out, you may pick up the copy of your document from the receptionist." He stood up. "Good day, Ms. Gray."
When she returned to the hospital, Cleo was a little disappointed to know there was no definite decision. "I have a little good news of my own," Cleo said, bubbling with excitement as they walked down to the cafeteria while the orderlies gave Nanna a sponge bath. "What?"
"He asked about you today. When I was coming out, he asked how you were doing."
"I really don't care-"
Cleo cut her off. "That's a lie. The way he sounded, I know the two of you really hit it off. He really likes you, Nicole."
"That's not the point, Cleo. Even if I did like him, I wouldn't go back with him."
"He told me you two had some kind of argument and that you weren't talking to him."
Suspiciously, she questioned, "Is he trying to enlist your aid in getting to me?"
Cleo shook her head. "No, but I think you're making a big mistake and you're being the biggest bigot in the world."
"Bigot?" Obviously Ethan had not told her the whole story and Cleo was coming to her own conclusions. "This has nothing to do with his color."
"Is it his age, because thirty-three is not that old."
"It's as old as my mother."
"No one told your mother to go spreading her legs open at thirteen. Come on, Nicole, you've got to have a better reason than those for being mad at him. The man is working himself into exhaustion and I think it's just because of you. You're mature, he's mature, and I think you'd make a really good couple. He really cares for you, Nicole."
"I don't think you understand the situation, Cleo."
"I understand he's a sweet guy and that's something you need. I understand he'd take really good care of you. I've seen him when you were sick, how good he takes care of you, and I understand if you give him a chance, he could mean a lot to you. What more is there to understand? This doesn't have anything to do with your mom anymore."
"He told you about that?"
"He mentioned due to some ties he had with your mom in the past, it could affect your relationship today."
Nicole huffed. "Just like him to come out smelling like roses, Cleo. Men are so deceitful."
"I don't really care what happened with your mother and him and neither should you. He wants to be with you and that's all that counts. Nicole, I think you should give him a chance. I think he can bring a lot to the table regarding pleasing you. He looks like he could pack something big for you."
Nicole flushed, getting her meaning. "You mean having sex?"
"Yes! I wouldn't mind giving him a ride myself if he wasn't so dedicated to you."
"I don't want any part of him. I've had a taste of it Cleo and it's not all it's cracked up to be."
Cleo's eyes went big as saucers. "You did it?"
Nicole confessed, so glad to be able to tell someone about it. "Yes, and it was horrible Cleo. There was so much pain."
"Pain?" Cleo looked confused. "Were you ready for him? Was there any foreplay? Did he touch you?"
If she were any lighter, she was positive her cheeks would be scarlet. "Yes, there was foreplay and before he did it, I was feeling very good."
"Maybe you were uptight and nervous."
Nicole was frustrated, not really knowing how to explain to her what happened. "I expected to be nervous on my first time, but until he hurt me like that, it was feeling nice."
Cleo almost choked on her coffee. "You're a virgin, Nicole?"
"It's no big thing. That has nothing to do with what happened."
"That has everything to do with it, Nicole. Did it hurt at first?"
"Like a hot knife. That's why I told him to take it out."
"You what? You didn't finish? How could you do that to him Nicole?"
"Do that to him? What about what he did to me? He hurt me."
"You probably didn't let him finish."
"I was bleeding all over the place."
Cleo drew Nicole in her arms for comfort. "That's because you're supposed to bleed. You would have been okay. I'm surprised he didn't kill you. Didn't anyone ever tell-" She stopped. "You poor thing. It's important you finish it with him, Nicole. Especially after everything you went through with Marvin and-"
Nicole drew away. "How did you know?"
"Ethan told me. I felt so bad when I knew Marvin did that."
"It only happened once." She sat down outside of Nanna's room. "He dragged me up there after Lynne left the night of the beating and said he'd make sure no man would want to touch me after he got through. I passed out at the first sign of pain and when I woke up, I was locked in the room, feeling like death warmed over me."
"You don't think you should speak to someone regarding what happened to you?"
Nicole shrugged. "I guess."
"I also think you should finish what you started with Ethan. It's the only way. You were a virgin and you'll be forever traumatized if you don't. Next time, just do it all the way."
"I'm never doing that again. Especially with him."
"You have to go and do it with him or you'll be scarred for life."
"I won't, Cleo. I can't. There's too much to think about right now." She was really getting frustrated. "You don't know the whole story behind it all and I really don't want to go into it. He used me."
"So what! Use him back. Use him to get over this fear of sex because if you don't, no matter what, all you'll think about is him. You'll never get him out of your system. Men use women for sex all the time. This is a new century girl; women can use men all we want and not feel an ounce of guilt."
"It's too complicated."
"Only if you make it, Nicole. He's there all alone in that beautiful house, just waiting for you to knock on the door at night. Don't let him speak or reason because when he does, he'll only make you nervous. Take control of the situation and use him. If it hurts, don't make him stop. Just tell him what feels right and what doesn't. Men like it when a woman lets them know how to make love to them."
"It sounds easy, but I know it's not."
"It's only as hard as you make it out to be. You can easily get to him. He's waiting for you. Once it's over with, all you have to do is get up and leave."
"Just leave?"
"Yes. Don't even tell him you're going. Wait until he's asleep and leave."
Nicole only stared into space, trying to find out where her courage would be just to show her face up in front of him.
"The perfect time would be tomorrow night. That's when I will be off both jobs and can come to the hospital while you're at his place," Cleo hinted.
Her stomach felt like her muscles were tying in knots at the thought of seeing him again. "I don't know if I can get over the fact that he used me, Cleo."
"That doesn't matter. You're going there to get what you want. That's what's wrong with women now. You let your personal feelings get in the way of enjoyment. You'll get no pleasure out of life if you allow that to happen, Nicole. Like I said, use him. Use him until you get tired."
Nicole blushed clear down to her toes as she stood up. "They should be done with Nanna by now, Cleo. I'll call you tomorrow if I need you."
"Call me early so I can bring everything you need here." She kissed her cheek and left.
Nicole sat by Nanna's side and thought hard about what she wanted to do. When the nurse came in, she questioned if there was a psychologist on duty for family care. The nurse nodded and gave her instructions to the room.
"I'll be here until nine to watch over her."
Nicole thanked her and left out in search of someone else to speak to.