Page 2 of The Friend Zone
Inside, his mother sat behind her desk flipping through papers. The open blinds to the left of the desk let in the sun’s rays and gave a view of the roadway alongside the property.
“Hey, Ma.”
“Hey, pumpkin,” his mother replied, looking at him over her glasses.
Dorothy Bradford had been calling him pumpkin since he was a kid and hadn’t stopped once, much to his chagrin. But how could he be mad at her? They were practically twins. Everyone said he looked like his mother because of their similar face shape, caramel-toned skin, and green eyes. Though while he was baldheaded, she kept her naturally curly hair trimmed in a short fade.
Without a doubt, the best decision he ever made for the foundation was relocating his parents from New York and giving her the executive director position. For years, she worked in sales for a high-end jewelry store, rising all the way to regional manager before retiring. During that time, she acquired the gift of persuasion through simply talking to people and getting to know them, a skill she used often in her role as executive director of his foundation. She worked well with the board of directors, and in the past two years her ability to talk donors out of millions was indispensable.
“Billie left early for a doctor’s appointment,” Dorothy continued, referring to their office manager. “But she placed correspondence on your desk that you should take a look at. One of the vendors from the kid’s carnival a couple of weeks ago wants to get on our approved vendors list. I think they’re fine, but I know you like to take a close look at that kind of thing because we’ll be attaching the foundation’s name to theirs. Let me know what you want to do. TheAJCalso did a really nice write up about us. They talked about the number of people our scholarship program has helped attend two and four-year colleges. I left a copy on your desk. You should frame it.”
TheAtlanta Journal Constitution, or theAJCas Atlantans called it, was the only major daily newspaper in metro Atlanta. “I’ll take a look when I go into my office.”
Dorothy stood and picked up her clutch. She wore a tailored green dress and a green and purple scarf fashionably tied around her neck. “I’m on my way to a meeting with a donor prospect. Are you coming by for dinner anytime this week? I thought moving here meant I’d see more of my son, but it seems I see you less than when I lived in New York.”
“Real subtle, Ma.”
His mother had no qualms about making him feel guilty for not spending more time with her and his father. He saw her every Monday when he stopped by the foundation and regularly dropped off Prince to spend time with them, but he was pretty sure even if he went over to their house every night, she would still complain about not seeing him enough.
She shrugged. “I’m just saying, we hardly see you.”
“How about I come by for Sunday dinner?”
“Perfect,” she said, eyes lighting up with excitement. “I’ll make your favorite. Short ribs and mac and cheese.”
He could already taste the tender meat and the smoky macaroni and cheese dish. “Could you make a tomato pie too? I haven’t eaten one in a long time.”
“I certainly can.” Dorothy looked very pleased with his request. She spoiled the men in the family with her delicious meals. “I’ll see you later,” she said, breezing by him out the door.
Omar made his way down the quiet hall to his own office located in the very back corner. Because he didn’t spend much time here, the room was small and sparsely furnished with a single desk, a file cabinet, and a couple of chairs. He crossed the carpeted floor and sank into his one splurge, a very nice, copper-colored leather chair from a master craftsman in North Carolina, worth every bit of the three thousand dollars he spent on it.
The foundation had received a number of awards throughout the years, and several of them hung on the wall, but the rest of the certificates and trophies were on full display in the entrance for visitors to see.
From in here, he observed volunteers watching his son and the other kids on the playground. The foundation provided after-school care for parents who couldn’t afford it, and in the summer, they offered daycare services and meals. There was plenty to keep the kids preoccupied during the day, including tutoring sessions, a game room, and outdoor activities. Beyond the playground was the baseball diamond, and a basketball court was visible from Billie’s office on the other side of the building.
Omar reviewed the correspondence right away and then read the glowing article, pleased the non-profit he started his first year in the league received such high praise.
When his phone beeped, he glanced at the screen.
Tracy: Hi
He grinned. He met Tracy a couple of months ago at Avery’s Juke Joint with friends. She was a model who hadn’t hit the big time yet, but last he heard from her she was in Miami on a shoot, exactly three weeks ago.
Omar: wyd?
Tracy: Nothing.
Omar: Got plans this weekend?
Tracy: Maybe.
He liked that she wasn’t easy. Being a bit of a challenge and teasing him made their interactions more exciting.
Omar: Got an invite to a new restaurant opening on Fri. But if ur busy…
Tracy: My schedule suddenly opened up.
He chuckled softly to himself.
