Page 10 of Love’s Decree

“I’ve asked myself that more than once. The system is very corrupt, and one lone attorney won’t change it. I know there’s more than one way to honor my uncle. My contract only allows for a few hours of pro-bono work. That’s part of the problem. I don’t give back to the community the way I’d like.”

“It’s not something you have to figure out tonight. I just want you to think about that and us. If you weren’t worried about your career, what would stop you from being with me?” I asked.

“Drugs and guns. How long do you plan on dabbling in that? It’s a moral thing for me. What’s your end game? In my career, I’ve seen many men at the peak of their game that didn’t know when to fall back. I’m sure you’re not looking to have that be your story?”

“Not at all. If all goes well, I’ll be out in a year. I’m going to step down as the president of the club to focus on the community center. I can’t do both, so I decided a while ago to honor my promise to Mr. Jacob. I love my brothers, and they’ll still be my brothers, but that community center is how we keep the kids from being a product of their environment like me.”

Rory seemed satisfied with my response, as she turned around to face the water again. I wrapped my arm back around her waist and placed kisses on the side of her neck. A soft moan escaped her lips and made my dick harden. I had to stop kissing her before I laid her on my bike and fucked her. Tonight wasn’t about us getting sexual; it was about us coming to an understanding of what we wanted.

I could sense she was still unsure. That wouldn’t stop me from pursuing her. Rory would be mine. It was just a matter of time. I wanted her to want me as much as I wanted her.

7

RORY

Afew weeks later, I popped up on my mother before heading into work. On my way over, I stopped at her favorite bagel place by my house. Her order had been the same since I was kid. A sesame seed bagel toasted with whitefish. It was the simple things that made my mother happy. No matter how busy my schedule was, I would drop in to have breakfast with her at least once a month. I also brought some money to cover her expenses for the month.

My mother had been an art sculptor. A terrible case of arthritis caused her to stop doing one of the things she loved most in this world. She retired from teaching and wasn’t able to use her art to supplement her pension. When I started practicing law, I always gave her money for extras. She never asked but I felt like she never had to. It had been the two of us for as long as I could remember. My mother sacrificed a lot for me to be successful. This was my way of paying her back.

I rang her doorbell and was greeted with a warm smile when she opened the door. The woman never seemed to age. Her hair was pulled into a messy bun on top of her head. It left her youthful brown skin on full display. Her bright brown eyes danced with excitement as she said, “There goes my baby. Good morning, beautiful.”

“Morning, Mama,” I said as I kissed her cheek.

She walked into the kitchen and I followed her. The recent upgrades she made to my childhood home gave it a modern contemporary feel. When she first mentioned she wanted to redecorate I didn’t hesitate to help her find a handyman and take care of the expenses. It made me smile to know that I was able to do things for her.

I grabbed some plates out of the cabinet for our food. Then I made myself a cup of coffee from the freshly brew pot. We sat across from each other in the kitchen nook enjoying our breakfast.

“Do you remember when Ava and I talked about opening our own firm when we were in college?” I asked.

“I remember. Is that something you still want to do?”

“I met someone, and he got me thinking about it again. With all the success I’ve had at work, I kind of forgot about it.”

“I figured you must be seeing someone but I didn’t want to be overbearing. The last few times I’ve called, you rushed me off the phone,” she said.

“I don’t remember rushing you off the phone, but if you say so. I’m dating and I’m not sure how serious it could become. There’s nothing wrong with him, but his lifestyle gives me pause. He’s the president of a motorcycle club.”

My mother put her bagel down and wiped her hands. “Well, he must be special if you’re even considering entertaining him. Aside from what he may do for money, is he good to you?”

“Yes. He’s been a gentleman since we met. He’s really smart and attentive. I’ve been enjoying my time with him. The only thing is I’m worried about what would happen if anyone at my job found out about us.”

“You don’t love your job, so maybe it’s time to start your own firm. I know you can’t stand the stuffy, corporate boys club. I’m sure you have some savings, so what’s stopping you? If you branch out on your own, you can take on the clients you want. You can even do take on those pro-bono cases like you did when you started out,” she said.

I found myself nervously tracing the top of the coffee mug. It sounded like an easy solution, but what if I failed? What if I left my high-paying job to turnaround and ended up with no clients? The thought of taking such a big leap of faith was scary. I had my mortgage, and I didn’t want to downgrade my lifestyle. These were all things I didn’t burden my mother with.

“Listen. I see the wheels turning in your head. Whatever you decide, I will support you. I don’t want you to worry about me either. Mommas got some money stacked away for a rainy day. Just remember your spirit will never be at peace if you don’t follow your heart’s desires,” she said as she smiled at me.

My mother and I finished eating and talked a little longer before I had to head to the office. She gave me a lot to think about. Between my conversation with Aasim and today, I had some things to think about. Aasim and I had been seeing each other for a few weeks now, and things were going well. He was nothing like the man I initially judged him to be. The more time I spent with him, the more I worried about my job. I knew there would be a time when I would have to choose between the two. When the time came for me to choose, I wanted to be fully prepared.

A couple of hours later, I was in my office checking my emails. My mother’s words of encouragement meant the world to me. Instead of driving myself crazy thinking about the “what ifs,” I decided to do some research. I went online and searched for law firms owned by people that looked like me. Maybe reading up on people that succeeded in what I wanted to do could give me some inspiration. Something in me shifted when I met Aasim. I always imagined that my dream of starting a firm would happen later in life. Now, it felt like the time to do it was closer than I anticipated. I was in the middle of my research when my phone dinged. I smiled when I saw a text from Aasim.

Aasim: How’s your day going, sweetheart?

Me: It’s going.

Aasim: Wanna do dinner at Chow?

Me: Oh my God, yes. I could really go for the crispy beef.