Someone Like Me Read online

  “I’m glad you like it. The best part about it is that you are far enough away to have some space from everyone else, but you can still hear the music,” he says as we take a seat.

  I get a good whiff of the night air, allowing it to fill my lungs with happiness as the warmth of Michael’s hand rests nicely upon my shoulder.

  “What’s your favorite color, Mýa?”

  My eyebrow lifts as I look up at him. “Where did that come from?”

  “From wanting to know everything there is to know about you.”

  I look into his eyes, and I see oceans of tomorrows in our future. “Blue. My favorite color is blue. What about you?”

  “I’m more of a neutral color kind of man. Earth tones. But I think my favorite color is green.”

  “Why, because it’s the color of money?”

  “No, because that was the color of the water that I saw the first time I realized how much I loved photography. It was bluish-green, actually, but my camera picked up more of the green.”

  “That sounds beautiful.”

  “It was beautiful and a moment I will never forget.”

  “Jack always says that life is just seventy or eighty years made out of moments.”

  “I like that. Okay, I’ve got another question for you.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “What’s your favorite flower?” he asks as the smooth harmony filling the air relaxes me.

  “The orange lily. My mama brought them home one day. One of her patients gave them to her. I’ve been in love with them ever since.”

  “Nice. I’ve taken some photographs of that flower. I’ll give you a few.”

  “I’d like that.”

  “Last question.”

  “I feel like I’m in an interview.”

  “Consider this good practice for when you become a big jazz singer.”

  “That’ll be the day.”

  “It’ll happen.”

  I bring his hand up to my lips and place a kiss on it. “Okay, what’s your question?”

  “How many kids do you want? Or do you want kids at all?” he asks as his fingers touch the side of my cheek, causing me to nestle myself even closer to him.

  “I think I’d like to have kids one day. Two or three, but I also think I’d rather have a dog first.”

  “A dog?”

  “Yes. When I was little, I used to beg my mama for a dog, but she said we couldn’t afford it because dogs love spaghetti and meatballs, too.”

  “That’s funny,” he says with a chuckle.

  “You laugh, but she really did say that.”

  “I believe you, but it’s still funny.”

  “My mama had a good sense of humor,” I say as the band begins to play a slower instrumental version of “Heaven Knows” by Luther Vandross.

  Michael stands up and holds out his hand. “Dance with me?”

  “Okay.”

  I stand, drape my arms around his neck, and allow myself to fall into his rhythm. His skin is so warm I can feel it on my chin as I place my head on his shoulder.

  And he smells like…like a crisp summer night.

  “We need to stop having starry nights like this, Michael. I’m beginning to think you’re doing it intentionally.”

  He looks down at me. “Then you’d be right.”

  “Why? It seems like a lot of trouble.”

  “Getting my woman to fall in love with me is worth it in my book.”

  “So, that’s your plan? For me to fall in love with you?”

  “I want you to be where I am.”

  I stop moving altogether. “Are you saying that—”

  “That I’m crazy about you? That you’re sexy, beautiful, and highly talented? Yes, I’m saying that I’m falling in love with you.”

  I place my finger on his lips. “Then I’m where you want me to be, because I’m falling in love with you, too.”

  He pulls me so close I can feel his breath on my neck as we move with the music.

  “I’m glad we got that out of the way,” he says.

  Chapter Twenty-eight

  The phone rings and I almost hit the floor.

  “Good morning, Mýa. You okay?”

  “Yes. Yes. Sorry, I was trying to grab the phone before it stopped ringing. Good morning, Francine,” I say, recognizing her voice.

  “Are you ready for some good news?”

  I sit on the edge of my bed and rub my eyes. “Of course.”

  “The director loved you. Congratulations, you got the part!”

  “Are you serious?”

  “I wouldn’t be calling you at eight in the morning if I wasn’t. And since you were my discovery, I’m glad I get to be the one to do it.”

  “Right. I’m sorry, I’m just excited. Thank you so much, and please tell Ms. Lang I said thank you as well.”

  “I will. Come to the same place where we held auditions; we’ll be there until at least nine or ten tonight. We’ll get the paperwork done, discuss the pay, and get you a script. Rehearsals will start in two weeks. We run about three a week, and they’ll be pretty intense. When you come for rehearsals, you will need to be off-book. That means that you will need to know any songs you’re supposed to sing by heart. Will that be a problem? I know you have a full-time job.”

  “Not at all.”

  “Perfect. From here on out, the stage manager will be your point of contact. She’ll be able to help you with anything that you might need.” Francine takes a breath. “I know that sounded like a mouthful. I hope you got it all.”

  “I’m too excited not to. I feel like I’m hanging on your every word.”

  “I remember that feeling from when I got my first callback so many years ago. It’s good to hear that things haven’t changed that much since then. Congratulations again, Mýa. I’m looking forward to getting you in that red dress.”

  “Me, too.”

  I hang up the phone and practically hit the ceiling jumping for joy, causing my friend the spider to move a little in his web.

  “I got the part!” I yell at him.

  My hands shake with excitement as I dial Michael’s home number.

  He’s probably just getting to sleep. The two of us literally stayed at the park until the sun came up.

  I smile as I let the phone ring a few moments longer. My thoughts linger on the way he held me last night. The way he said, “I’m falling in love with you.” The way my insides melted when he called me sexy. Truth be told, I was mad when the sun came up.

  He must be knocked out. Hanging up, I grab my purse off the nightstand and pull out his pager number.

  Ten minutes pass, and I start to worry, so I dial his cell phone and let it ring way longer than I should.

  I’ll try him again later.

  I stare up at the spider on my ceiling and whisper, “You’re the only one that knows.” Then I pick up the phone and call Jack at the restaurant.

  “Hey, kiddo. You got the part, didn’t you?”

  “I did. I have to go and sign the paperwork today. I’ll see if Michael can swing me by there before we go to meet his friends.”

  “Mary and I said you’d be calling early this morning. But you don’t sound too happy about this. What’s wrong?”

  “Actually, I’m thrilled, but I’m also worried. I’ve been trying to reach Michael to tell him, but he’s not answering his phone.”

  “Maybe he’s a hard sleeper.”

  “Maybe. I wouldn’t know, but I wish he’d answer.”

  “Glad to hear that you don’t know. That was a test.”

  “Jack, I need you to be serious.”

  “I am. Give Michael some time to sleep; he’ll call. Maybe he had to go deal with a client this morning.”

  “I hope that’s the case.” I know
Jack can hear the hesitation in my voice.

  “What aren’t you telling me?”

  “Michael told me that he’s falling in love with me.”

  “I knew it. What did you say?”

  “I told him the truth.”

  “Which was?”

  I bite my bottom lip while I weigh my words carefully. Admitting what I’m feeling inside for Michael isn’t easy for me, and yet, I know I have to say it out loud. I can’t allow fear to hold me back from love. “That I feel the same way,” I finally say.

  “Mary called that one. So, what’s the problem, kid?”

  “Maybe he realized that—hold on, someone is on my other line. It might be him.”

  “Okay, call me back after the breakfast rush—”

  I switch to the incoming call before Jack is done talking. “Michael?”

  “Yeah, it’s me.”

  “I’ve been trying to reach you.” I can hear something in his voice—something like tears. Did he find out about my past? “What’s wrong?” I ask as calmly as I can.

  “They lost the baby.”

  It’s the last thing I expected to hear. I sink onto my bed.

  “I’m so sorry, Michael. I want to be there with you. I’ll catch a cab or call Mary, but I promise I will be there as soon as I can. Where are you? At their house?”

  “I’m at the hospital.” He pauses, and my heart sinks. “I didn’t even get a chance to meet him, and now it’s too late. He’s gone. He’s gone, Mýa.”

  “You being there for David right now means so much to them, I’m sure. Which hospital?”

  “Emory. The one on Clifton.”

  “Okay, I’m calling Mary. I’ll see you soon.”

  Thankfully, when I call the restaurant, Mary picks up.

  “Mary, I need your help.”

  “Sure, honey, what do you need me to do?”

  “Michael’s friend, David, the one we were supposed to go see today—well, they lost the baby. Michael is with them at Emory, and I want to go and be with them, too.”

  “I’m so sorry to hear that. I’ll grab my keys and come right over.”

  “Thank you.”

  Everything seems to be spinning out of control as I rush around, trying to throw on the first clean pair of jeans I can find. Well, clean enough, anyway. Fifteen minutes later, Mary pulls up, so I grab my purse and rush out to meet her.

  “I feel so bad for Michael’s friends. Losing a child is the hardest, most gut-wrenching pain to get over. It’s like a wound that never quite heals. Even with time, you still feel its sting,” Mary says with great sadness in her voice as we hit the expressway.

  When I look at her, I see tears in the corners of her eyes. “Mary?”

  I see her jaw clench as her hands tighten around the steering wheel. “I’m sure Jack never told you that we lost our child.”

  My eyes lower and my heart reaches out to her. “No, I didn’t know that. I’m so sorry, Mary.”

  “It happened about six months after she was born. Jack and I had just celebrated our fifth anniversary. Her name was Violet because she had a birthmark on her foot that looked just like a flower. She was beautiful, and Jack—well, Jack was so proud. So proud to be a father. I never told him that I didn’t want kids, but I swear all I could do was love her when I laid eyes on that child.

  “She had light brown eyes and curly hair like Jack’s: jet-black and beautiful. When she smiled, your heart melted. I knew the moment Jack had that little girl in his arms that she would be spoiled rotten—rotten to the core. He bought that girl everything. Things she didn’t even need. Her room was filled with junk, everything from Atlanta Braves baseball caps to baby dolls. But I didn’t care. She was our baby girl. I still can’t believe Jack and I managed to create something so beautiful. I used to sing to her every night. I bet you didn’t know that I can sing.”

  I shake my head.

  “I can. Not like you, but I can hold a note, as Jack says. For a white man, he’s always loved music with soul. He said it was the same way he liked his woman.”

  “I can hear Jack saying something like that,” I say, happy to see a smile form on her face, even if it was only there for a second.

  “When the doctors told us about her heart condition, we couldn’t believe it. We almost spent our life’s savings trying to find a doctor that could do something to save our child. Jack was even willing to sell the restaurant, but I wouldn’t let him. When the reality hit us both that there was nothing we could do, I’d never seen Jack cry so hard. The death of our Violet almost ended our marriage.”

  I glance over at her in shock.

  “It’s true. We didn’t speak to each other for days after we buried our Violet. We grieved so much apart that we forgot how important it was for us to grieve together. While I miss her to this very day, I’m glad Jack and I found our way back to each other before it was too late.”

  “I am, too,” I say as she dabs her eyes.

  “I’m glad you want to be there for Michael. When someone you love hurts, you hurt, too. Michael is going to need you.”

  “I can’t imagine not being there for him. David and his wife are the only family Michael has. They mean so much to him.”

  “Well, now Michael has Jack and me, too.”

  I reach over and squeeze her hand.

  “I was supposed to go and pick up the script and the paperwork later today. I’m not sure how they are going to feel about me not showing up.”

  “Call them when you get a moment and ask if I can go and pick up whatever it is that you were supposed to get. I’m sure once you explain the situation, they will understand. When does rehearsal start?”

  “In two weeks. They will be held in the evenings.”

  “That’s good. We’ll have to talk Jack into letting you work the breakfast shift once the rehearsals start.”

  “Yeah, I’m sure I’m still going to need to work. I can’t imagine the pay will be enough not to,” I say as we pull into the hospital’s parking lot and Mary navigates to the front entrance to drop me off. “I’ll call Francine from Michael’s cell phone if he has it. I’ll let you know what they say about you coming by to pick up everything.”

  “Okay. Hug Michael for us, and if that couple needs anything, you let them know that we would be happy to help.”

  “I will,” I say, jumping out of the car and then quickly making my way inside.

  My heart breaks the moment I catch sight of Michael sitting in the waiting room. His eyes are red, and he still has on the clothes he wore last night. He stands up as I approach him and wraps his arms around me.

  “I won’t ask how you’re holding up,” I say as we separate, and I take his hand in mine.

  “I look that bad, huh?”

  “You look like a concerned friend,” I say, giving his hand a gentle squeeze.

  “Thanks, I appreciate that.”

  “Do you feel like talking?” He slowly nods, so I ask, “What happened?”

  “The unthinkable.”

  I wipe away the tear that falls down the side of his cheek.

  “Michelle had just finished feeding the baby, and when she went to stand up and put him back in his crib, she started hemorrhaging so bad that her legs gave way and she dropped the baby. They say…they say that the baby died instantly. Michelle is still fighting for her own life.”

  I wrap him in my arms and hold him as tight as I can.

  “What if David loses them both?”

  “We’ll be here for him, no matter what happens.”

  “I love you,” he says as he rests his head on my shoulder. “Thank you for coming.”

  “I love you, too.”

  I watch people come in and out of the waiting room as Michael and I sit and wait. When I glance up at the clock, I see that it’s almost three.

&
nbsp; “Do you want some coffee?” I ask Michael as I stand up to stretch.

  “I could use a cup.”

  “Okay, I’ll go find us some and I’ll see if they have anything for you to eat. I’m sure you haven’t eaten anything since yesterday.”

  “Thank you. I’m starving.”

  As I head down the hallway, I spot a pay phone and call Francine.

  “Don’t tell me you’ve changed your mind,” she says the moment she answers the phone and hears it’s me on the other end of the line.

  “No, it’s nothing like that,” I say, pausing for a second to clear my throat. “I’m not going to be able to come by this evening and was wondering if I could have a dear friend of mine come by instead. I’m at the hospital with my boyfriend.”

  “Is everything okay?”

  “We’re supporting a friend of his that just lost his son and his wife is not doing so well.”

  “I’m so sorry to hear that. I’ll let the stage manager know that someone will be coming by on your behalf.”

  “Thank you. It will either be Mary or Jack who shows up; they are like my parents.”

  “Sounds good. The stage manager will be on the lookout for either one of them.”

  “Thanks, Francine. I really appreciate it.”

  “No problem.”

  After hanging up, I quickly call Jack, and then go look for coffee and food.

  Walking back into the waiting room with a cup of coffee and a turkey sandwich that I got out of a vending machine, I see Michael speaking with a man that I assume is David. I search both of their faces, relaxing only when I see a slight smile on Michael’s face as he hugs David.

  Both men stand as I approach and ask, “How is she?”

  “She’s still in the ICU, but the doctors think the worst is over,” Michael says with a glance at David, who nods his head in agreement.

  I hand Michael his coffee and sandwich, but he turns and puts both down on a chair behind him.

  “You must be Michael’s Mýa.” David says. “I hate that I finally get to meet you under these circumstances.”

  “I’m so sorry for your loss. If there is anything I can do, please let me know.”