Starting Up A New Relationship

Chapter 2

The beginning

Jae, preparing for his shift at the station, was unexpectedly paged for an urgent meeting in the captain’s office. Taking a deep breath, he composed himself outside the door before knocking and entering. Captain Tyler Westmore looked up from his desk, gesturing for Jae to take a seat.

“Lee, we’ve assigned you to New Orleans. The department has requested one of our special investigators, and you’re our best choice. Pack your belongings; you’re leaving this month.”

“Do I have any say in this?” Jae sarcastically asked, knowing the answer. Captain Westmore’s expression remained stern. “This isn’t a request, Jae. You’ll be relocating to New Orleans to work as a Special Agent for the FBI. It’s been a pleasure working with you, and I’m confident you’ll excel in this new role.” Jae smiled faintly, shook the captain’s hand, and headed to the station to pack his things.

New Orleans awaited him. He knew he’d need to find a place to live, so he decided to rent first before buying a house. As a single man in a new city, he wanted to be married before settling down. But for now, he stuck to renting.

The FBI personnel had contacted him.

“Hello?” he asked.

“Hello. This is Stephen Norton, your point of contact during your transition to New Orleans. You’re to report to work at 8:00 am sharp on June 15th. I’ll send you all the details, including temporary housing accommodations and your office location. I’ll also provide you with your new badge and badge number at your temporary address. I’ve booked your flight for June 8th, in two weeks. I look forward to working with you.”

“Thank you,” Jae said, hanging up his phone and starting to pack his belongings. Stephen quickly sent over the details, and Jae found out where he would be staying temporarily. He settled down and carefully read through the information. The temporary housing was in the city of New Orleans, not too far from his office.

Suddenly, his phone rang, and it was a blast from the past—it was Ken, his frat brother and best friend.

“Jae! What’s up, man?” Ken exclaimed.

“Nothing much. I just got some exciting news—I’m moving to New Orleans!” Jae replied.

“That’s great! I’m proud of you, man. But I have some good news of my own, and since you’re coming down here, this is the perfect time to share it,” Jae raised an eyebrow, curious about what Ken had to reveal.

“I’m getting married! I want you to be my best man,” Ken announced. Jae was speechless for a moment, processing the unexpected news.

“Ken, congratulations, man! I’m honored to be your best man,” Jae said, finally finding his voice.

“Alright, let me know when you arrive at the airport so I can pick you up. It’ll be just like old times, you know. Also, you can meet my sister,” Ken said.

“I can’t wait, Ken. Thanks for the offer. I’ll let you know as soon as I land,” Jae replied. As he hung up the phone, Jae felt a mix of excitement and anticipation for his new adventure in New Orleans.

❧

Yasmine’s Day.

Yasmine entered her office, placed her bag on the desk, and reviewed her schedule for the day. Then, she checked her phone and saw a message from the man she had matched with on a dating app.

“Hey, I noticed we matched. Let’s connect?” he wrote.

A smile spread across Yasmine’s face, and she quickly typed a response.

“Only if I know your name.”

The message arrived swiftly.

“It’s Tristen. How about yours?”

Yasmine smiled again and typed back.

“Yasmine.”

Throughout the day, Yasmine and Tristen engaged in light and engaging conversations, exchanging messages. They made plans to meet for dinner that night after work. Just as she was about to send him another message, her boss called her into the office. Yasmine sighed and walked over to her boss’s office.

After standing up, she waited for her boss to signal her to sit down. Kenya Zari Zabu, with immigrant African parents, commanded attention and had a reputation for being fair but firm. She had reached her prime as a lawyer, graduating at a young age and now only 39 years old. Kenya looked up from her paperwork, gave Yasmine a nod, and motioned for her to sit. Yasmine took her seat.

“Yasmine, I’m calling you in here because I want to congratulate you on your outstanding work,” Kenya began. “You’ve been diligent, responsible, and have managed the office smoothly when I’m away.” Kenya paused, allowing her words to sink in. “Therefore, I’m pleased to inform you that you’re being promoted to Senior Partner, effective immediately,” she concluded with a proud smile. Yasmine’s face lit up with joy, and she let out a sigh of relief.

“Thank you so much, Mrs. Zabu,” she exclaimed.

Kenya smiled warmly and laughed softly.

“Please, call me Kenya. Take the rest of the day off to celebrate. You deserve it,” she said.

Yasmine, still reeling from her conversation with Kenya, gathered her things at her office. As she packed, she couldn’t believe she had been promoted to Senior Partner. She knew she had earned it, but the reality felt surreal.

She made it home to get dressed for her date with Tristen. She chose a denim splice printed button-down shirt, a matching skirt, denim heels, and a Chanel bag. Taking one last look in the mirror, she adjusted her earrings and headed out with a confident smile.

At the restaurant, Tristen was immediately captivated by her demeanor. He rose from his chair and greeted her with a warm hug.

“You look stunning, Yasmine,” he said with a charming smile.

Yasmine lightly blushed. “Thank you so much,” she replied, taking her seat across from him. They spoke for hours after ordering their meals, their conversation flowing effortlessly from their careers to their favorite books. As the night unfolded, they discovered shared interests and learned more about each other.

As the evening drew to a close, they paid for dinner and walked out of the restaurant arm in arm. The weather was perfect—not too hot, not too cold—a fitting end to their date. Tristen was unlike the typical stereotype of a white man who dates black women solely for bragging rights. He was different—an absolute gentleman, an FBI agent, while she was a criminal defense attorney. Their jobs were almost in the same field.

“I had a great time. We should do this again,” Yasmine said, hoping he felt the same way.

“I would love to go out with you again, Mrs. Young,” Tristen replied, smiling at her.

Yasmine smiled back, feeling a flutter of excitement in her heart.

❧

Nyla’s Come Up!

I knew my brother and Keisha wedding was pretty much close it was in the next few months and I was still was living with my brother. Then soon Keisha after their honeymoon, she’ll be living there as well. This meant I needed to find a place soon. I knew living with my parent were not an option, because my father and I don’t get alone. Yasmine was an option but she lives in a fancy area in a high-rise apartment in the city, and the rent there was ridiculously expensive. Which means I needed to find me a place called home. I knew I didn’t want to buy a house, at least not right now so renting was my best option. I started looking at apartments in quieter neighborhoods that were still accessible to the city. Then I saw one in downtown. It was in the heart of New Orleans. The apartment was finished and also had two bedrooms and one bathroom. With a community pool and hot tub. The living room and kitchen was spacious. Then I checked the rent which to my surprise was in my price range. I called the apartment complex to schedule a tour and ask about the deposit. When I called, a woman answered.

“Welcome Hill Heights Apartments, this is Megan. How can I help you today?” She said politely.

“Hello. I’m Nyla James. “I’m interested in one of your two-bedroom apartments.”

Megan listened patiently and then responded.

“Great to hear, Nyla! Okay. Here’s a few questions, I need to ask and also I’ll go over some information about our complex. Okay?”

“Okay.” I said back.

“Great. My name is Megan Ball. I’m the property manager here,” she continued. “Are you looking to move in immediately or do you have a specific date in mind? I thought about it. I knew Ken and Keisha were getting married soon and I needed to be out before then, but it’s not like they were asking me to move. I’m sure Ken, would have found every excuse for me not to move, because he was my older adopted brother; but I needed to move.

“I’m looking to move in by the end of this week.”

“Great. I am looking through my records and there’s a two bedroom villa available. It’s fully furnished and decorated. The deposit for this apartment is $350 and the rent is $850. Cats and dogs are free however they can only weigh up to 25 pounds. Also utilities are included in your rent, except for electricity, which is billed separately.” Megan explained to me in detailed. Without a second thought , I responded, “That sounds perfect. I don't have any pets, so that works for me.”

“Great so what I would like to do is set up a time for you to come in and sign the paperwork and also to take a tour of the villa. I am checking my calendar and I do have an opening…actually for today at 2:45pm.” I smiled to myself and said,

“I’ll be there in 20 minutes.” I said excitedly but discreetly.

“Okay. See you in a bit.” Megan said politely.

I gathered all my important documents that’ll need to finalize the lease. I grabbed my purse walked out the door to my bent up 2011 Honda civic, I definitely needed a new car, but one step at a time. I needed a place to stay and this took precedence over getting a new car. As I was driving to the apartment complex, my phone started ringing. I glanced at the screen and saw it was Yasmin calling.

“Girl. Where you been at?” I said.

“Girl……” Yasmine said.

“I have so much to tell you,” Yasmin continued.

“Well then tell me, boo, what’s going on.”

“Okay. Remember that guy I met on AmourConnect, well me and him had a date and when I tell you, he is finnne. As she emphasized her point. He’s a federal agent, girl. We been talking for at least a week now. We had went out last night to the new rooftop restaurant downtown and it was amazing.”

“Okay now, baby, you got yourself a man. Okayy.” Yasmine laughed. “But I have something else to tell you, I made senior partner.” She continued. Nyla squeaked. “Now you know we have to celebrate. Plus I want to meet this man of yours.” Yasmine chuckled. “Girl. You know you going to meet him. So what you up too?”

“Well I found me a new apartment downtown. I’m on my way to tour the apartment and sign the lease.”

“You’re finally moving out of Ken’s house. He probably going to give you that big brother speech on why you needed to stay.” “Girl I think he’s making up for how dad treats me, but Ken and Keisha are about to get married and I need my own place.” Yasmine nodded her head. “I know you do. But anyways did you have any success on AmourConnect too? Asked Yasmine. As Nyla set in that afternoon traffic going to downtown, New Orleans. “No. That’s my last time taking dating advice from you.” Yasmine burst into laughter. “Girl, what happened?” Nyla laughed as well because the situation was ridiculous. “Well the first date was good until he started to get all controlling, telling me he going to tell me what to wear and tell me what I’m going to order our next day, chile I ended that date so quick and blocked him on the app. Then the second guy he was just cheap. Talking about I owe him $50.16 and his portion was only $32. So I threw him the money and left.” Yasmine couldn't stop laughing. “Girl. Yes, indeed. I wouldn’t have paid him a daggone dime. Girl I’m sorry you had to go through that.” Yasmine said with empathy. “Girl. I’m going to chill on dating. Because I’m not trying to deal with another Marcus situation. I know it’s been two years but I'm just not ready to get in another relationship.” Yasmine sighed. “I knew how bad he hurt you. Don’t worry girl, we have your back and we love you.” Nyla smiled. “I know. But I’m at this place now. I’ll talk to you later. Love you. Bye.” “Bye.” Yasmine said back.

I pulled in the parking lot of the complex and I slowly got out the car and went into the front office. I was greeted by this pale woman with tanned skinned and bright green eyes that illuminated. She looked fairly young. Yet her long white, grayish hair made up for it. She was definitely older than how she looked. She walked up to me. Greeting me politely.

“Hello. May I help you?”

“Hello. My name is Nyla. I was the one acquiring about the apartment that was available?” I said politely.

“Oh. Right. I’m glad you made it. Let me get the key and we can head to the apartment so you can take a look at it,” Megan said with a warm smile. Megan walked back to her office where the apartment keys to the available units are kept. She grabbed the key to apartment 65. It was the furnished two bedroom apartment. She came back and smiled at me and motioned to follow her. I followed her outside the building into the parking lot where my car was parked. We walked straight into the apartment that I would soon be moving into. She unlocked the door and pushed it open, revealing a clean and spacious living room area, the kitchen was a decent size for a single person or single family. We checked two bedrooms were smaller than the living but it still had enough space for what I needed. The closet and bathroom was just as spacious as the bathroom. “There’s also a small balcony,” Megan pointed out, opening a sliding door that led to a cozy outdoor space. After Megan and I toured the apartment complex and she’s pointing out various amenities like the gym, pool, hot tub, and laundry room. I was already ready to move in. We walked back to her office and I set down across from her when she set in front of her computer.

“So what do you think? Do you think you’ll be interested in moving in here?” I smiled and nodded eagerly.

“Yes, I think I would love to move in here,”

“Great. So let me go over the deposit and rent details. Then I’ll get you to sign the lease details agreement and I’ll give you a set of keys,” Megan said, pulling out some paperwork from her drawer.”

“Okay.” I said.

“Your security deposit is $250 and the rent is based on your income level. With utilities included, it comes to about $900 a month.” She quickly got up and went to her file cabinet, retrieving a lease agreement. We went over the agreement in detail, making sure I understood all the terms and conditions. I thought about it for a minute and signed the agreement and handed it back to Megan. She smiled and handed me my set a keys after I paid my deposit.

“Welcome to the community! If you need car anything or have any questions, feel free to come by my office anytime.” Megan said warmly. I smiled and left the office proudly.

I went drove back home to pack my things but I knew I was going have to tell Ken about this move. My heart pounded as I thought about his reaction. I made it home just in time before he came home. He was a pilot and he been gone for about two days before he and Keyshia came back since she is a Flight Attendant and they both worked for the airline. Ken walked through the door with Keyshia, pullingw their luggage in.

“Hey guys. There’s the happy couple. How was work to Florida?” I asked.

“Well it was nice until I had to come back here.” Keisha chuckled softly as she plotted herself down on the couch. Ken smiled at her, then turned his attention to me.

“So what’s new lil sis.”

I smiled and I just knew eventually I would have to tell him. I took a silent deep breath and said a silent prayer, hop ing he won’t blow up.

“Actually I have some news.”

“What news?

“I found me an apartment.”

Ken smiled softly at me and raised an eyebrow.

“An apartment, huh?”

I nodded yes to his question.

Ken smiled and set down next to me.

“I’m proud of you lil sis. But I’m not happy that you’ll be moving out the house, because I like having you around and also I want to make sure you don’t go through what you went through when you was with that loser, Marcus.” Ken smiled at her. Then he continued.

“However, I know you need your own space, so I’m proud of you Ny. So when do you move anyway? Maybe Keisha and I can help you move.”

I smiled at him as I squealed.

“Actually I’m moving at the end of the week.”

Ken eyes widened in surprise but then he eventually he smiled and nodded.

“That’s soon huh, okay we’ll definitely help you get settled in,” he said warmly. I smiled excitedly and hugged him tightly.

“Thank you so much. You and Keisha is the best.”

Keisha smiled and walked over and gave me a tight hug. She has always been a great help to me. Always supporting me. She even offered to beat up Paris. Which I probably should’ve accepted her offer. But, y’know, I didn’t want to cause more drama. I hugged her back and smiled.

“Now just because you have an apartment now, doesn’t mean you can’t still visit. I mean I’m going to be your sister-in-law after all.” Keisha said jokingly.

“Of course I’ll visit you guys.” I said with a laugh. Then I walked to my room and started to packed my things for my new apartment. Ken and Keisha had always been supportive, and knowing they would help made this big step a little less nerve-wracking for me. I knew I was lucky to have them in my life. As I began putting my clothes into boxes, I couldn't help but reflect on how much things had changed over the past few months.