Need A Little Taste Of Love

 Night time in the city...late summer night time in the city...It was a nice comfortable 80 degrees...People will still out and about walking...

I was at Josie's Playing the trumpet..I was playing with my new group, a cat named Duke Basie on the Saxophone,He was in town from Detroit.. Miles Curtis on the Drums, Pat Parker on Guitar , Pete Roy on Fender Rhodes and Charlie Vaseline on Bass..They were Philly guys... Meek Rollins had just used them on a session and heard that I was hiring guys and sent them my way...My man Meek.  He was presently in the studio with Reed Nelson, 88 and a new group of side men they had hired. Downtown Rob Brown and his quartet was on the road,so I was taking his dates..

The crowd was enjoying it and the drinks were flowing..

Yeah...I'm a sometimes working musician....My name is Donnie Ray Alexander....This is my side gig..Mostly,I'm a former New Orleans Homicide Detective, transplanted to Philadelphia PA. and working as an Investigator for a Law Firm...My new wife's law firm...

Today...my services in court weren't needed...So I slept late, got up ate the breakfast that my wife fixed for me and left in the oven to stay warm and then showered, shaved and dressed and was out and about..My wife, Attorney Olivia Bennett-Alexander was in court.... .

 Her niece and partner, Attorney ,Beverly West was around the office, leafing through briefs for her upcoming case and reading some documents that I had supplied her to assist her in her case.

 .Our office manager, Josie Boyd was busy answering phones...

 The three women in my life!!!

I took my trumpet and went to the high school , where a friend of a friend, Cock Robbins allowed me to practice in the gym... My good friend, Kerry "88" Moore, who played Keyboards when he wasn't teaching music at the school allowed me to practice in the music room...School hadn't started yet, so I was alone pretty much...

For a night in the middle of the week, Josie's was packed...Most of the people worked at Chris and Chess's shopping center across the street and the new one a few blocks away that they had just opened...Though some were there from other places...They were employed, they were happy and they had money to spend...Which was good for everybody involved...

After we performed our second set...I looked over at the bar and I saw my beautiful wife..Attorney Olivia Bennett-Alexander...

She had ordered herself a drink and she was sitting alone...Not even looking my way...I was finished ,so I walked over to her...

"Hmmmm, what's a fine young thing like you doing drinking alone?" I said in my fake playa voice...

She giggled like a school girl and rubbed my arm and replied...

"Waitin for a handsome young playa like you to buy a sistah a drink.." she said...

There was a group of girls sitting near her that gave her the side eye....Olivia smiled at them...

"He's my husband."

One laughed and went -"Ohh..I didn't think a woman as sophisticated looking as you would fall for that tired old player line he just used." she said...

The other two women laughed....

Olivia smiled and then said- "You should have heard the line he actually used when we first met" , to which all four women busted out laughing ,kind of at my expense...Olivia looked at me and then pulled my head to her and gave me the sweetest,longest kiss, which drew applause from the three women...

"That's Okay baby...It worked...You got me.." she said...

I stuck my tongue out at the women and they cracked up laughing.....

"Hey Watch that buddy...No Obscene gestures in this bar..." laughed Gus..The owner and head bartender at Josies...

"Hey Gus." I said.

"Hey Gus." laughed Olivia...

"Heyy Donnie Ray, Hi ya Liv...I know what you drink Donnie Ray, Liv you want a refill?" he asked.

 " Yeah Gus...I'll take a refill." she said.

I sat down next to her and put my arm around her...

''Rough Day in court today babes?" I asked.

"You just don't know..I'm soooo tired...This case should be wrapping up tomorrow..."she said..

"You know...If you don't have anything pressing...Why don't we take a short vacy...Maybe to the Hamptons."I asked.

She smiled..

"The Hamptons?  That would be nice...but tonight...I'd settle for you rubbing my feet when I get home..I need a little taste of love."she said and kissed me again...

"No problem babes...I'm always available for that taste of love you need." I said.

"Awww, you're so good to me...Just for that...I'll uh rub something of yours...Your choice!." She said and gave me the side eye...

"Hmmmm, I think I'll like this." I said and we both laughed and leaned over and began kissing each other again...

"Hey, You two get a room!" joked Gus...

The three women busted out laughing...Gus did too...Olivia and I ignored them and kept kissing..

"They're so cute, they must be newlyweds."said one woman...

"Well...I see you must have been in the front of your class...They are newlyweds...Got married on New Years day." said Gus...

"Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww" said the three women.

II-

We had both finished our drinks and I tossed a couple of dollars on the counter ,when a familar face walked over to us...It was Judge Juanita Corley...She had just served as a judge over one of our cases about a month ago...A case I was certain we were going to lose, but that we wound up winning anyway...It involved my ex-finance's divorce from her jive ass semi-employed football playing husband and his attempt to make her pay child support for a surogate baby that was not conceived with her eggs...She certainly looked different ...Out of court...She had on a tight red dress that hugged every curve and she did have curves...My goodness..The woman's curves had curves...When she wore her judges robes..You could barely tell...

Olivia and I both were certainly surprised to see her and in Josies of all places..She just didn't seem like the type that would hang out at Josies...I got the impression that she was snobbish and high siddity as my peeps in New Orleans might say...But perhaps I was wrong...She certainly seemed down to earth tonight..Drinking, laughing and flirting with an admiring gentleman or two...Who no doubt had no idea who she was.

"Judge Corley...How are you?" said Olivia..Who had up until that last case had a pretty tempestuous relationship with the judge...

"It's Juanita baby...We aren't in court...I am so glad I ran into the both of you...I -I..Hey look, could we go somewhere...a booth or something and talk privately?" she said.

Olivia looked at me...I spotted a booth...

"Okay...there's one over there." I said and the three of us walked over to the booth...

A pretty waitress came over to us as though we were new customers....Since I felt we were going to be here awhile...I ordered drinks for the three of us and some barbecued hot wings...

"I got everything Judge, don't worry about it." I said.

She smiled sweetly at me....

"Olivia...I'm asking you for this favor because whether you knew this or not...I have always respected you and your niece as attorneys....You're both great attorneys....Sometimes I've been a little hard on you two, because you've used your feminine wiles to sway thirsty and horny men both in the jury and on the bench, which I thought was beneath the both of you, but you've both been very successful and you seem to know your business,and that's what I need a smart and tenacious attorney like you." said Juanita Corley...

"You want me to represent you?  You're a judge!" said Olivia..

"An Attorney who represents themselves has what Mrs. Alexander....?" she asked.

''A fool for a client."said Olivia.

"Right." she said.

''What is this about?" asked Olivia.

"I might have to file a paternity suit against a fellow attorney." said Juanita...

" A paternity suit?" I asked.

"Yes...what I'm about to tell you is the strictest of confidence..It doesn't go past this booth okay?"she said.

"Okay"..we both said in unison..

"I'm pregnant! and it's Herbert Drinkwater's baby....The Attorney who worked with you on that surrogate case." she said.

What started out as a pretty routine night in the middle of the week now turned into something else...I could have fainted...Olivia's mouth dropped and her eyes got as large as saucers...

"WHAT?? Come again??" said Olivia...

"Yes...I'm pregnant!!!...About six weeks and Herbert Drinkwater is the father...we uh kind of got together during the last week of your trial...I know I shouldn't have and I hope this doesn't have to become a public trial...I'm hoping he's an honorable man....In case you're wondering...It didn't influence the outcome of your trial at all..I still did my job and followed the letter of the law..." she said..

I munched on a chicken wing...Olivia downed three drinks...I looked at her with surprise..

"Herbert Drinkwater?? The Attorney that worked with Bev and I on our last big case?"said Olivia, still trying to take in that shock..

"I know...I know this is a shock...Me and Herbert Drinkwater...but he was kind of cute and charming and honey...I'll say it...He worked me like a job in the bed...I'm sure you know how that feels girl, when a man makes you see stars and hears fireworks...." she said, then she paused and blushed a bit..

"Yes lord girl." said Olivia...forgetting that I was sitting right there...I was all at once flattered to know that I was doing a good job.

I wanted to laugh so bad...We had thought that the judge had changed a bit during the last week of the trial..Smiling, complimentary, humming, singing...Olivia had whispered to me...

''Somebody is rocking her world.."

Who would have guessed it was Herbert Drinkwater..a brilliant attorney in his own right,but nobody's idea of a ladies man.

''So you want me to draw up papers for a paternity suit and have him served huh?" said Olivia.

"Yes...as quietly as possible...and hopefully we can settle out of court..."she said.

"Your relationship is over mam?" I asked.

"I haven't been able to get a hold of him in about five weeks...he hasn't returned my calls or texts or emails and it appears now the phone in his office has been disconnected...Find him..."she said.

"I'll do my best." I said.

"Does he know that you are uh...with child?" asked Olivia..

"No, he doesn't...That's why I need you to at least find him first...But I-I-I'm prepared to sue him for paternity if he's not willing to deal....He was screwing me everyday, six ways to Sunday during that trial and a few weeks after...All I had to do was text him and he'd come running and we were off to a hotel room...I couldn't get my clothes off fast enough....But now!! Now..He's just cut things off...I'm not some young trollip whose emotions he can just play with...He's going to at least be responsible for the child we just made."she said.

III-

 Beverly and Nelson walked over to our booth just then...

''Heyy Auntay, D.R....Oh and, and Judge Corley.." said Beverly, astonished to see us eating chicken and drinking with Judge Juanita Corley...

"Hello mam" said Nelson.

She looked at Beverly and smiled...

"Hi Baby....Is this your fella? He was with the public defenders office....I haven't seen you around."she said.

Nelson answered..

"I'm in Private Practice now Mam....I work for Robert Foxworth and Associates.." he said.

Upon the mention of Robert Foxworth, the judges eyes got dreamy...I think she forgot that we were all sitting there..

''Robert Foxworth...Now there was a man who knew a woman's body and knew what to do with it..Lawd today that man could move me..." she said...Then she caught herself and blushed like crazy.....

Olivia and Beverly were embarrassed for her..They both held their heads down...

I chuckled...Nelson seemed generally puzzled...

I motioned for them to sit down...

 

"Nelson, have some of these good wings brother." I said and passed him some hot wings....''Want a brew? It's on me...What are you drinkin little Robin?" I said to Beverly..

Olivia looked at Judge Corley....

"Can I tell my niece??...She's going to be assisting me" asked Olivia...

"Uh yes..but uh tell her privately..." she said giving Nelson the side eye...

"Of course." said Olivia...

Beverly looked at her aunt who raised her hand up as a caution...

We continued to eat and drink...

''Well,I'm going to excuse myself for the night...Thank you soo much for your attention to this matter Mrs. Bennett-Alexander..." said Juanita Corley...

"Livy...My friends call me Livy." said Olivia...

"We aren't friends Mrs. Bennett-Alexander...You're my attorney at the moment...Perhaps after this is resolved." she said..."Good night...Good meeting you again Mr. Alexander...Beverly...Mr. East." she said and she got up and quietly left...

Nelson excused himself to go to the men's room...

''Auntay...D.R. What's up?" asked Beverly.

"She's our client..We are drawing up papers for a paternity suit."said Olivia..

"Paternity Suit?? Who's pregnant?" asked Beverly...

"She is!! And you'l never guess who the father is!! Herbert Drinkwater.." I said.

"WHAT?????? That explains a lot...All the humming and singing...He was puttin it to her..." said Beverly...

''Who was puttin it to who?"asked Nelson returning...

"Nobody....Come on sugar let's go..."said Beverly...

"You going to his spot tonight?" asked Olivia...

"Yes Auntay, So you can shout to your heart's content." laughed Beverly.... Olivia was a pretty loud lover , especially when she was near climax..

Olivia laughed -

''Smarty...I'll bet Nelson's neighbors know when you're spending the night too." she joked...

They both laughed that conspiratorial laugh they shared...Nelson just shook his head...I laughed..

I paid the bill...

Olivia put her arm in my arm....

"Forget about rubbing my feet.....I still need a little taste of love" said Olivia...

"Your wish is my command babes." I said as we walked into the Philadelphia night and headed towards our cars..

(TO BE CONTINUED-)