What The Heart Desires Read Free Page B

night.” I extend my hand to shake his and hand him back the money.
    He reaches for my hand and raises it to his mouth and kiss it. “You’re interesting and you make me laugh. What’s your name?” He questions opening the door.
    “It’s Leila Brooks, and it was a pleasure meeting you.” He reaches into his inside pocket and pulls out a card, and hands it to me before standing outside and extending his manicured hand for me to take when I step out of the limo.
    My eyes drops on his cuff links the initial are E.H. “If you need anything call me.” I took his card without looking at it and shoved it into my purse. I walked down the dark stairs and through the turnstile and stood waiting for a train to Prospect Park.

Chapter 4
    I woke up in a strange place on Saturday morning; Tamika’s couch. She didn’t come home that night but she made it in that Sunday night just in time to get ready for work the next day. I didn’t hear from Troy except for a text telling me he was sorry. And he would have Rodney bring my clothes to Tamika’s house.
    I wondered how he knew I would be here, but it wasn’t a secret, she was my best friend and because I had no family in New York that was the most likely place I would be.
    When Tamika came home, she fell into the bed and I heard her rummaging around that Sunday night for food. She must have been busy and found someone she liked because she stayed with him all night.
    That Monday morning we rose early and I borrowed one of her jackets and tops. I had to wear my own skirt because Tamika had a little more hips than me but as small as I was I had a large ass and big breasts.
    To get to work by eight am, we had to leave before seven o’clock. We got off the subway and walked a half a block to the bank. We talked the entire time and before we realized it we were standing at the door in front of the bank. I pulled the handle and it didn’t open. Usually there is a guard standing there to open the door early in the morning but none came even when I rang the bell.
    “Don’t waste your time,” Tamika said dryly.
    “What do you mean,” I say, and she shoves a notice she pulled off the glass door.
    This Bank is closed by order of The United States Treasury .
    My worried gaze wanders to Tamika, “What does this mean?”
    “It means we are fucked and we are out of a job.” I rake my hands through my week old perm. All I can think about is that I won’t be able to go to the hair dresser and I will probably end up doing it myself and going bald or burn my face.
    “This can’t be happening. What are we going to do?” I question not expecting an answer.
    “We have to apply for a job. We can spend the day at Human Resources and some of the big and small banks in Manhattan. We may have to take what we can get.” Tamika paused and choked on here words. “We might have to take a teller’s job.”
    “With a degree in financing?” I asked.
    “I’m talking about myself. You at least have a Master’s degree. But that won’t guarantee you a job these days. Remember we are woman and we’re black.” I shut my eyes for a second and we’re standing in front of the bank as if we are in a tub full of cement.
    “The good news is that we’re living together and we can split everything, and the bad news is they are laying off everyone in banking even tellers. Especially tellers.”
    “All of this sounds like bad news to me.” We turn and walk in the direction of a coffee shop we had wanted to try but didn’t have time. We sit down at the nearest table and order a bagel and cream cheese, Tamika orders a croissant with butter, and two cups of strong coffee.
    When the coffee comes, we down it like it’s a drink of liquor, and we hold on to the ceramic cup like it’s life itself. We exhale at the same time.
    “The good news is that we are young and beautiful and have great bodies and we can...” Tamika paused as if what she had to say would sound better if she said it fast. “We can