Perception

"Meet me under the pear tree at two, and I'll run away with you.", that is what he said. He told me our love was true. So, I waited under that tree. I arrived before two, and I waited until I heard the church bells ring. When I heard the bells, I dropped my head and let my tears flow. It was like my eyes had a levee, and the levee finally broke. After two hours of waiting under the tree, I intentionally dulled my senses. My gut was in knots, my mind was screaming that he wasn't coming, my eyes burned from holding back the tears; yet, I allowed hope to be the overlord of my instincts. But, when I heard the church bells, I knew my love had changed his mind and married his intended.

As I began the long journey back to my house, I decided that I would not torture myself by passing the church. My intentions were to walk an alternate route home; however, my feet had a mind of their own. I kept replaying Mikai's last words to me, and it wasn't until a church stewardess spoke to me that I realized that I was in the sanctuary of the church. "Miss, you've missed the ceremony, but there were some extra programs left. Here, take one." I snatched the program out of her hand and ran the rest of the way home. My mother was in the front yard weeding when I arrived home. She didn't even look up from her azaeleas as she yelled, "I'll be glad when you start behaving like a young lady. Young ladies do not rip and run around town all day and half of the evening unescorted. They walk with grace; they have escorts!" Usually, I would have engaged her where a two day argument would have taken place. Instead, without uttering a word, I ran up the front steps, through the front door, and down the basement stairs to my room where I slammed and locked my door. I collapsed onto the floor and cried myself to sleep.

When I awoke, I was still clutching the program. I rose from the floor, walked over to my bed, sat down, grabbed a wipe off my nightstand in order to wipe my eyes. From crying so much, my eyes were a little stuck together, so it appeared that I was looking through slits. I could see much better after I wiped my eyes. I looked down at the program, and to my surprise and despair I read, "A Celebration of the Life of Mikai Sterling III", instead of reading, "A Celebration of Love, or the Union between Mikai Sterling III and Emily Lotus Sharde". I always thought her middle name to be stupid, and no it was not jealousy. I honestly did not like Lotus as a name for a person and thought whoever gave her that name was trying too hard to be different. I think the flowers are beautiful, and their meaning in symbolism is awesome too, but as a name for a person it just doesn't work. I am definitely trying to deflect because I am not ready to wrap my mind around Mikai being dead. I mean how? I last saw him two days ago when he said to meet him under the pear tree at two, and that we would run away together; that was Friday afternoon. So between Friday afternoon and Saturday, the love of my life died, and his family was able to arrange his funeral and have it by Saturday at wait let's see, ok the program says the Eulogy was to be given starting at two. Most funerals last an hour or so which means his probably began at 1 p.m. Okay, his family is rich and influential, so lets say it began at 12 and ended at 3:30 p.m.. It was turning dark when I arrived at the church; I didn't look at my phone or watch, but it must have been close to 6. I don't know; something isn't right. I need answers! Well, his parents definitely will not speak to me. They think I'm trash. I remember our sophomore year when they came to Grayston U for friends and family week. Mikai invited me to dinner with them, and when I went to use the bathroom, his mother came with me so she could pretty much tell me I was just a fling and no to get too attached to her son because he was already promised to Emily. I'll never forget her exact words, "Lena" by the way my name is Nina so she started off being insulting. "Lena, has Mikai told you about Emily, his intended? His father and I along with the Shardes arranged their marriage when they were just eight years old. See Lena, Emily comes from a very prominent family and one day Mikai will be the head of the Sterling dynasty. To protect our son and our dynasty, we chose Emily for him. I can tell by the look on your face that you disagree with arranged marriages. Most people like you don't agree nor do they understand arranged marriages. The same was done for myself and his father. I didn't want him coming to this University; I told his father this place is too common for someone of Mikai's stature. However, my husband has always bent to every little one of Mikai's whims. He told me this place would be great for our son. A chance for him to mingle with common people and to be with as many common girls as he likes before he marries. So, Lena, you're not the first my son has fucked, nor will you be his last. He has told his father about all of his other conquests before you, and I'm sure we'll hear about many others after you." When this bitch finished her little speech, I just looked at her and said, "Mrs. Sterling, my name is Nina". I then turned away from her and walked out of the bathroom. I didn't bother telling her that I already knew about Emily and all the other girls he had been with. He told me all of this after our second date. He said he was telling me because he was in love with me and that he didn't want any secrets between us. He also told me that he didn't care if he lost his inheritance for not marrying Emily because he was going to marry me.

I decided to call Stetson. Stetson and Mikai were best friends; they had been friends since pre-school. If anyone could give me answers, Stetson definitely could. He told me to meet him at the diner up the street from my house in a half hour. When I looked at myself in the bathroom mirror, I almost called him back to tell him to make it an hour. I looked a fright! My eyes and nose were swollen like I was having an allergic reaction to something. Since I cried myself to sleep, I didn't two twist my hair, so my afro was extremely matted, and I just looked tired. I thought to myself, "oh well, fuck it! Who in the hell do I need to impress? My love is gone!". I hopped in the shower threw on a gray sweatsuit, and my favorite trucker baseball cap. It's black and gray with a rooster and Kentucky Whisky logo on the front. As I stepped onto my front porch, my mother was pulling into the driveway. I lit my cigarette and started down the front steps. My mother opened the car door, "Nina, a young lady doesn't smoke in public and she definitely doesn't walk down the street smoking". I just looked at her as I started walking up the street towards the diner. My mother is from another place and time. She's from the South and swears she's a southern bell. My mother is the daughter of a sharecropper and grew up in a three bedroom shack complete with an outhouse, so I don't know where she gets these notions of southern gentility from.

When I arrived at the diner, Stetson was already sitting in a booth. It has been a while since I've seen Stetson; I forgot how good looking he is. Stetson is 6'4" with wavy hair that he keeps cut in a caesar. His caesar is so wavy that if you look at his hair too long, you'll get seasick! His complexion is Mahogany, and he has almond shaped eyes, and lips you could suck on for days. He's not bulky, or I guess I should say stocky, but he is muscular. Slender but muscular. I use to joke with Mikai all the time and tell him that he's lucky I didn't meet Stetson first. I also use to joke with Mikai and ask him was he sure his father didn't creep with Stetson's Mother cause he and Stetson looked enough alike to be brothers. Mikai would say that people have told them that all of their lives. Well you know, since they've been friends. When I reached the booth, Stetson stood up and hugged me, "Hey sweetie, how you holding up?". I pulled away and sat down across from him, "I'm not Stets; I don't understand what happened". One minute I'm supposed to meet him, so we could run away together and then I'm reading his funeral program. I mean what the fuck Stets; what happened?". Stetson looked around and then leaned in close, "Nevaeh" that's what Stetson has always called me once he learned my middle name was heaven spelled backward. "Nevaeh, you trust me right?". I told him he's never given me a reason not too. He told me that things aren't always as they seem and that in one year I am to go back to the same pear tree at two o'clock. "Why Stetson?", I asked. He looked at me and said, "The less you know Nevaeh the better. Just don't call anyone else to inquire about Mikai's death, and definitely stay away from his house and his people.". he asked me did I understand. I told him yes, but I really didn't. Before we parted he reminded me, "Two o'clock Nevaeh; pear tree, one year". I told him that I would not forget. He asked me did I want a ride home, but I told him no that I felt like walking. It was a nice, crisp fall day and I needed to try to clear my head. I left the diner and was walking towards the park and I was very aware of my surroundings. I felt and heard the leaves crunch under my feet, I also felt the cool air on my cheeks and the sun beaming on my scalp through my hat. The sky was a clear blue dotted with crisp white clouds. There was a smell of roasted cashews and burning leaves in the air. This walk would have been perfect except Mikai is not here walking with me. I was getting ready to light a cigarette when my cellphone began to ring. I didn't notice the telephone number, and I usually don't answer nuimbers I don't recognize. I don't know why I answered, and when I heard the voice on the other end, I was kicking myself for answering. It was Mrs. Sterling, Mikai's mother. She invited me over to their home; she said there was something she needed to tell me. I told her I already knew about Mikai's passing, so it wasn't necessary for me to come to her home But she insisted that I still come. I told her I would just to get her off the phone, but I had no intentions of going. I can't lie, my curiosity was sparked, but Stetsons's warning of staying away from Mikai's house and his people dampened that spark. I had made it to the park and was sitting on a bench staring out at the pond when I heard a car horn. I turned around and it was Mrs. Sterlings driver getting out of her Bentley. I recognized him from that time they came to the University; he was her driver back then and hadn't changed too much in four years. I've always had this sixth sense and whenever something was wrong, or I was in danger, my stomach would knot up. Well right now, it felt like my stomach was playing the game twister. He was walking towards me and I got up and ran. I ran all the way back to my house which is about one mile and a half. When I got home I went straight into my father's study. I told him that I was in danger and that I needed to go to our family in St. Thomas. My dad and I are extremely close. It's like we've always had this connection. Sometimes he'd know what was wrong with me without me saying a word. He picked up the phone and made my plane reservation, and then called my Aunt Tookie to let her know that I was on my way. My Aunt Tookie said that she'd been waiting on his call because she had a dream about me two weeks ago. We didn't tell my mother that my ticket was one way. We just told her I was going to visit Aunt Tookie for a while.

Now I'm on the plane on my way to St. Thomas. I really don't know what's going on. All I know is that the man I love is supposed to be dead, I think his family wants to harm me, and that in one year I need to be back in the states, under the pear tree at two o'clock.