Allen exited the bathroom and reached into his bag of toiletries for lotion. He removed a pair of shorts and t-shirt from his gym bag and began the process of moisturizing his skin. Once Allen was relaxed, he reached for the phone to return Charles call from earlier in the day. He dialed the number and after one ring, Charles picked up the call.
"Hello," Charles said softly due to the lateness of the hour.
"Yo, what's the haps dog? I got your message," Allen said in a relaxed
tone.
"Jones, man you will not believe what I am about to tell you bruh."
Charles said as he began to recall the excitement that he had earlier in
the day.
"I hope it's good news," Allen said dryly.
"Man it's the best news I have ever heard."
"What is it?" Allen said as Charles' excitement began to excite him.
"You sittin' down?" Charles asked.
"What is it fool?" Allen said as the two began to laugh.
"I'm going to be a father." Charles said.
"Man, that's deep dog. Are you ready for this?"
"I don't think I could ever be ready for it, but I know that I am going to
do my best to get as ready as I can."
"I'm happy for you man. I truly am happy for you."
"Thanks man. You were the first person I told. I wanted you to be the
first to know. Had it not been for you, I would have never taken the
chance on love that I took. Man this thing called love is some kind of
wonderful."
"What about your girl, how is she doing?" Allen asked.
"She is doing fine. I can't wait for you to meet her. She is just as
excited as I am. We started talking about names and places that we will
go and the things that we will do already."
"I can't say it enough. I am happy for you."
"Thanks man. You get some sleep and I'll talk with you later."
"Cool, but when I return, we have to celebrate."
"Sounds good. You take care out there in Toronto."
"I will, bye."
Allen hung up the phone and smiled at his boy's good news.
"My man is going to be a father. I'm going to be an uncle."
After talking to Charles, Allen decided to check the message that had
been calling him silently through the blinking light. Allen listened to a
message left by Charles that sounded very important. He then listened
to a message left by Cupid telling him that he had received a phone call
from the fellas and they wanted to get together to talk. Allen thought
pessimistically for a moment then thought of how much he had missed
his boys. He thought that it would be a good idea for them to get
together. He thought that enough time had elapsed since they had last
spoke. He thought about his exit from the group and it made him smile.
He smiled about the strength that love had given to him. It helped him
to see its importance in his life and stand up for it. Allen then listened to
a message from a sweet voice. One that he was sure he had heard
before.
The message was informing him of the delays in the case
regarding Mitchell. He listened to the unfortunate bad news that the
caller had to offer as well as the phone number that was left for him to
get back in touch, if there were any questions. Allen wrote the number
down, saved the message and smiled as he hung up the phone.
Excitement forced him to pick up the phone to call and get an update,
but the reality of it being 11pm back in California brought indecision to a
once sound decision. Allen laid across the bed and smiled as he thought
of the possibility of talking to Gwen. He hoped that all was well with her
because the tone of her voice was a little dejected. Still he thought about
the fact that she called and it brought forth a new hope. A hope that was
no longer killing him, but a hope that was guiding him in a new
direction. Allen searched for a comfortable position as he settled in for
his first night in Toronto. He smiled as the thought of Gwen danced in
his head like Fred Astaire in the movie Swing Time. Elegantly and swiftly
she drifted in and out of his head until he fell off to sleep.