Just a mile out from home, Trent suddenly realized that he drove the whole forty-five minute commute from his office in silence. Being a self-proclaimed music connoisseur, he usually queued his “drive-time playlist” which was meticulously crafted to help him wind down after a long day of litigating. However, tonight, his mind was preoccupied with devising a master plan which involved bringing a lifelong dream to fruition.
The news he received hours earlier had put the fire under his feet. Working for one of the largest and most respected law firms in the Los Angeles area, he had acquired many associates in high places and had become one of the most respected attorneys in the area. Although he had only been at the firm for six years, he figured with all his accolades, connections, and 60-hour work weeks, he would be on the fast track to making partner. However, he learned today that it was not his time. It stung to hear the news but he wasn’t completely devastated. He felt it was a push into a new direction – finally stepping out on faith to open his own practice.
He had stayed at the office to work extra hours on an important case tonight, so it was pretty late by the time he reached home. As he walked into the house, his girlfriend, Morgan, with her modelesque physique, walked over and greeted him with a kiss before heading into the kitchen to pour two glasses of wine. “Hey babe. How was your day?” she asked as she walked toward the kitchen. Trent didn’t answer. As innocuous as Morgan intended her inquiry to be, for Trent, it was a loaded question.
After placing his briefcase on the kitchen counter, Trent walked up behind Morgan as she was pouring the wine and he pulled her hair to one side as he leaned over her shoulder to kiss her neck. Putting the wine bottle down, she grabbed the filled glasses then turned to face Trent and stood on the tip of her toes to reach his lips for another kiss before they both proceeded into the living room.
Trent walked over to the black leather loveseat and eased his tall, athletic body down onto the cushion with a long sigh and removed his necktie. Morgan could tell that something was bothering him, so she handed him one of the wine glasses and walked over behind his chair to give him a shoulder massage.
They had known each other since high school – Morgan was a cheerleader and prom queen and Trent was a star in track & field. They were friends and ran in the same circles but, during that time, Morgan was dating the most promising football star in high school, Brenton Thompson. Brenton and Morgan were basically inseparable, and their future together seemed to be filled with success and prosperity. After high school, Brenton played on a full football scholarship in college, with recruiters eyeing him heavily, even as a freshman. He was pretty much guaranteed a spot in the NFL when he met eligibility – but that time never came for him due to a career ending knee injury in his sophomore year. Brenton was devastated and ended up dropping out of college once his athletic scholarship was rescinded. After his star began to fade, so did his appeal to Morgan, apparently. They broke up shortly thereafter and that is when she started to take notice in Trent. Morgan and Trent made their relationship official while dating junior year, around the time Trent started his law school application process.
Morgan is from an affluent family with beneficial connections, some of which landed her a top executive position at a large Public Relations firm right out of graduate school. A social butterfly, she was invited to every swanky event in every part of California and attended as many as she could with her beau in tow — dressed to the nines, of course. Although Trent is naturally more of the strong silent type, he had mastered the art of becoming a chameleon when it came to business and socializing.
His family was nothing like Morgan’s; he was raised by a single mother and never communicated much with his father. Undergrad was afforded via a track scholarship and he paid off his law school student loans years ago. Internships and volunteer work earned him a positive reputation in the community and helped land him his first position after graduating amongst the top of his class. He was self-made, but made nonetheless, and Morgan was proud of the man she chose. Together, they were building an empire as an unstoppable power couple.
“What’s the matter, Trent?”, she asked in a concerned tone.
“I found out I didn’t make partner today,” Trent said while taking a deep exhale. “I know it typically takes longer than six years to earn that status at the firm, but I have dedicated so much time and resources to improve the firm’s ranking and I was certain that would put me at the top of the list.”
“Babe, we both know what you deserve and I understand your frustration, but you’ve got this. Dad told me this morning that he ran into Thompson from your firm a few days ago and he was going on about how stellar you are. Your time is coming; it’s just going to take a little more time, that’s all. You are a force to be reckoned with and they know it. Just be patient, sweetie,” Morgan offered as consolation.
Trent took a couple of swigs from his glass and placed his hands on top of Morgan’s as she continued to massage his shoulders. He loved her; she was good to him. However, his nerves unraveled as he tried to find a way to tell her that he was considering starting his own firm. Morgan was all about appearances and his tenure at a prominent law firm made them both look good. Giving that up to walk into uncharted territory would not sit well with her, and he knew it.
“Thank you, Love. What would I do without you?” he asked.
“Struggle!” Morgan said jokingly as she ended the massage and came around the chair to sit on Trent’s lap.
“Babe, you know I am the top attorney at the firm and my network is broad — I’ve been thinking about stepping out on my own. Why wait to become a partner when I can start my own firm?”, Trent said, with confidence, even though he knew Morgan was going to push back.
Morgan’s countenance turned sour as she quickly stood from Trent’s lap and went to sit on the couch across from him.
“Honey, don’t let this disappointment cause you to act out of frustration. You are already settled in at Thompson & Madison and that is quite an accomplishment. Everyone knows you must be the best to earn your place with them. Please just be patient and I am certain that you will make partner next go around,” she said in a stern, yet loving tone.
Not in the mood to argue, Trent silently got up and walked into the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator and retrieved the Chinese food Morgan ordered earlier and proceeded to the microwave to warm it up. As the time on the microwave counted down, he began to wonder if his relationship with Morgan would survive when he went forward with his ambitions. She was an amazing woman, but he knew that she would not support him on his solo venture, and that was important to him.
Trying to break the tension, Morgan came into the kitchen and leaned her body on his back while placing her long arms around his waist.
“Anyway, babe, don’t forget about my sorority picnic tomorrow,” she said in a seemingly dismissive tone. “I’ve already selected our outfits. They’re in the closet ready to go. We’re going to look so good, babe, and it’s going to be fun. It’ll take your mind off everything.”
“Sounds good. Want some?” he asked as he sat at the kitchen table with his container of food.
“It’s all yours, love. I’m going to bed. I would love for you to join me.”, Morgan said while sashaying towards the stairway.
“I’ll be joining you in a little while, baby. Don’t fall asleep on me.”, he said, trying to hide his disappointment. Truth was, he was not in the mood to be near her at the moment. Their relationship had become more about looking good to everyone else and socializing than actually connecting mentally and emotionally. The spark was gone, but he fought with all he had to hold on to the love they still have for one another.
After finishing his meal, he sat at the kitchen table for about an hour and a half reviewing case files until his eyes began to get heavy. He made his way upstairs and as he walked down the corridor to the bedroom, he could see that Morgan had already fallen asleep. He crept into the bathroom to allow her to keep her peace. As he showered, he reminisced on the good times they had shared. Morgan was vivacious and attentive, but there was just something missing from their connection. He had always felt that way, but they had so much fun together that he just let it slide.
After donning a t-shirt and boxers, he crept under the mauve silk sheets next to his Love, who was sleeping like a baby. He turned on his side to watch her sleep. She was beautiful with her caramel-colored skin and big curly hair. More than that, she had stuck by him through a lot of trials and tribulations and used her family’s connections to help his mother with a job when she had an issue with a former employer years ago. That meant a lot to him. However, recently, he had begun yearning for something deeper. For someone who could satisfy his need for a mental and emotional connection. He wondered if he could ever live without Morgan, even though he yearned for something more spiritual.
He turned onto his back and stared up at the ceiling at a ray of light shining through the window blinds. Millions of thoughts ran through his head, mostly about his future and how he wanted it to look. He and Morgan had been together for over a decade and he had not made up his mind about marrying her. Funny thing is, she had not made a big deal out of it either. Their friends are all engaged or married at this point, but Trent and Morgan are still on cruise control. They are living a great life together while prospering professionally. The two of them founded a non-profit organization which assists low-income families with housing resources and have been acknowledged by numerous local organizations for their philanthropic efforts. On paper, they looked like the perfect couple. However, Trent was beginning to grow uncertain about his relationship with Morgan. Her onus was building their social image and accumulating wealth. That was all good in Trent’s book while he was trying to make a name for himself in the L. A. area, but now that he is established, he yearns for real, deep, spiritual-level love. Morgan would not be able to give him that. Of that he was certain.
Turning on his other side with his back against Morgan, his thoughts began to dissolve as his eyes got heavy. After a few minutes, he was off to sleep.
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A live band was playing the most lovely, soulful music as well-dressed couples sat cozily at tables around the crowded room. Beautiful single ladies were on a mission tonight, gallivanting around the dimly lit room vying for the attention of any handsome man who would glance their way. There was a plethora of wealthy men in the building this evening, most of them accompanied by significant others; nonetheless, the ladies on the prowl were going in for the kill in the most scandalous way.
You would think there were only two people in the place, though, the way he was staring at her. He wasn’t focusing on her in order to stay out of trouble; Trent was sincerely enamored with the woman sitting next to him. Anyone who had ever been in love could see how deep his love ran for his brown skinned queen. He could feel it flow through his body as fluidly as his own blood. She was beautiful in his eyes. Her dark skin was like coffee with a splash of cream and her full lips were alluring. The physical attraction was there without question. However, what appealed to him even more was her spirit; her essence pulled on him like a magnet. Her soul was like the missing puzzle piece he had been searching all over for, and now that he had found his Love, he finally felt complete.
The lights in the room grew dimmer and a pink spotlight made its way around the room and finally upon the stage in front. Sitting there was a gorgeous woman with a head full of long, glorious dreadlocks pulled into an updo with a headwrap. Her attire was colorful and contrasted with her dark skin. The band began to play a slow, infectious tune and there was light applause throughout the room.
“Knowing love the way I do…”, the woman subtly grabbed the microphone and began to sing in a heavy, sensuous tone that sent a sonic vibration of love across the room. Trent looked over at his Love and she was sitting there with her eyes closed and a look of content on her face as she vibed to the performance. She let out a long, relaxing sigh and opened her eyes slowly, looking at Trent like he was a glass of ice water on a scorching hot day. He heard what her eyes were saying and leaned over for a kiss on her full, round lips.
Around the room, couples stood and held each other close as they slow danced to the soulful tune. Trent stood and helped his lady out of her chair before grabbing her hand and leading her alongside the other lovers for a dance. She was a bit shy about dancing with the crowd, but Trent tenderly pulled her in to his body to ease her fear. He wanted her to be certain that she was safe with him — that her heart, body, and soul would be handled with the utmost care and concern. Trent could sense her fragility and there was deep rooted pain hiding behind her eyes. She might have incurred some serious trauma on her journey to him, but she had finally reached her destination in love and Trent felt blessed to be the one who would help her heal and flourish.
The musical mage continued her performance under the pink spotlight and nearly sang the chandelier off the ceiling as Trent and his lady clung to one another. The singer’s emotional delivery resonated with the couple’s potent energy. For a moment, it seemed as if there were only three people in the room. Trent attentively stared at his lovely partner as they danced. Her eyes spoke many things that would never escape her lips. The way she held on to him, as if he were a lifesaver rescuing her from drowning in a turbulent oceanic storm, he knew she was depending on him to show her something different. She was trusting him to show her something genuine. Just as much as she needed him to save her, he yearned for the chance go deep for someone. Their needs aligned perfectly.
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The sound of glass shattering awakened Trent suddenly. As Trent lay under the silk sheets half awake, he could hear the shower running in the bathroom and the alluring scent of Morgan’s perfumed soap filled the air. Morgan is usually the late riser but this morning she was apparently raring to go.
The sun shined brightly through the window blinds causing Trent to squint as he slowly opened his eyes. As he looked around, he saw that Jupiter, their fluffy tailed black cat, had tipped over a glass on the dresser after jumping up to claw at one of Morgan’s makeup brushes that had rolled near the edge.
“Ding!” A text message chimed through loudly on Morgan’s phone which was sitting on the nightstand next to the bed. Then another. Glancing over at the digital clock next to the phone, Trent saw that it was barely eight. Curious to see who was double-texting so early on a Saturday morning, he peeped over at the phone. He figured it was one of Morgan’s sorority sisters starting early with the party hype for the picnic this afternoon. However, he saw a name he was not expecting – Brenton Thompson.
Despite being a little surprised that the high school sweethearts were still in touch, Trent trusted Morgan. He didn’t feel there was a need to violate her privacy by snooping in her phone, so he let it be.
He rested his head back onto the pillow and closed his eyes. He felt as if he had just returned from somewhere. The face of a beautiful stranger flashed through his mind and he felt a chill throughout his body at the reminiscence of her electric energy. The mystery lady had visited him yet again and her deep, hypnotizing eyes and red, luscious lips had become etched in his cerebral cortex. The chemistry between them is unprecedented during their Dreamland dalliances and her essence seems to carry over, giving him an oxytocin high first thing in the morning. Sometimes it made him feel awkward with Morgan lying next to him.
The sound of another text message dinging Morgan’s phone beamed Trent back to reality. He looked over to see who it was and this time it actually was one of her sorority sisters starting with the party hype. On that note, he got out of bed and walked into the bathroom, pulling back the glass shower door to greet his Love with a morning kiss. Startled, Morgan screamed and then laughed loudly before pulling Trent, fully clothed, into the shower with her. They playfully tussled for a few seconds before Morgan began removing Trent’s soaked clothing and they began carrying on as lovers do. However, this time, Trent couldn’t get the vision of his Dreamland lover out of his mind and his passion was intensified as she suddenly appeared in Morgan’s stead within the four walls of the steamy, hot shower.
Stop to Love 