The Engagement

Part I

Baldwin entered the restaurant automatically seeking out her date. Since she purchased the clothes and the coat, she knows exactly what he’s wearing. She looks over the heads of the other patrons standing in line waiting to be seated. It’s still early yet. The restaurant is half empty, so it’s easy to see anyone sitting at a table in the front part of the room.

           She moves up to the podium. It’s her turn to give her name to the hostess. “Good evening. Baldwin, please. Would you happen to know if a gentleman about six feet, African-American, scruffy beard, dark complexion, has checked in for a table?”

           “What time would he have arrived?” The young lady asks.

           Baldwin pulls back the sleeve of her coat, peeks at her watch. It’s 6:15. “We have a 6:30 date. I’m a bit early.”

           The young lady looks down her list of names. “I’m sorry. Everyone that has checked in thus far are part of a party of three or more.”

           “Thank you. I’ll wait outside for him.”

           “You’re welcome.” Baldwin goes outside to stand in front of the restaurant to wait for her date as the next person in line moves up and provide a name to the hostess.

           Fifteen minutes later, Baldwin and her date enter the restaurant and wait to be seated. They sit directly next to the hostess podium so they can hear Baldwin’s name when it’s called.

           Claymont Proctor is Executive Director of Restaurant Services for Belle Plaine Hotel and Event Center in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. He’s in charge of the Belle Plain Restaurant and it’s catering services for the Event Center. He’s also head chef for the catering services.

It’s Friday, December 12, 2014. It’s an extremely busy time for Belle Plaine. He likes to walk through the establishment and ensure that things are up to par each night. He knows that too many dissatisfied customers can ruin a restaurant business. He’s served as the executive director for six years now. His success in growing the company’s business has been well received and rewarded.

           As he walks through the exclusive, fine dining restaurant inspecting it, he sees a familiar face out of the corner of his eyes. He moves over to the bar so that he can see her face better from a different angle. 

           It is her! His cousin has shown the family so many photos of the woman, it’s highly impossible not to recognize her. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been able to meet her yet during the family functions, because he’s always working. The gentleman sitting next to her, is a bit close. Or, is it due to the crowded waiting area?

           Clayton strikes up a conversation with his head bartender, all the while, secretly keeping an eye on the couple waiting to be seated. When a waitress escorts them to an area in the very back of the restaurant, away from the other patrons, Clayton cuts the conversation short with the bartender and casually walk in their direction.

           The gentleman sits with his back to the restaurant, even though they’re in a secluded spot. Baldwin can see out into the vast restaurant. A column in the center of the floor distorts her view. 

           Employees move about the restaurant briskly taking care of business. They’re used to Clayton’s presence on the floor. They think nothing of his observatory behavior. Little do they know his eyes are not on them.

           “Well, I’ll be damn!” Clayton thinks to himself. “I know Herrick doesn’t know about this.”

Curiosity gets the best of him. He gradually makes his way over to the stillroom, which is less than two feet from Baldwin’s table and five feet from the kitchen. In the stillroom, he picks up a cloth and pretends to wipe down the counter as he peeps at the couple from the doorway.

           The gentleman appears nervous. His eyes are troubled and mysterious. He forces a smile as Baldwin leads the conversation. He puts his hand on the table. Baldwin pats it lightly.

           He’s seen enough. Clayton walks anxiously through the kitchen, goes out the side door into the main hallway and heads for his office. Clayton is wearing a Euro-style classic long sleeve black chef coat with navy blue outlining the edges from top to bottom, with an inset front breast pocket and side slit pockets. He reaches into the right side pocket of his chef coat, pulls out his cell phone and search for Herrick Durham’s number.

            He enters his office, shuts the door and locks it. He presses dial, sits in his high back chair and waits for his cousin to answer.

           “Cousin! Liar. Liar. Pants on fire!” Herrick breaks out laughing at his joke.

           “Grow up man. That jokes not funny anymore. You’re what . . . thirty-eight years old? I’m thirty-nine. Let it go.” Clayton is insulted.

           “I’m sorry dude. You know that’s going to be the first thing you get when you call any of your family. I may be able to let it go, but they can’t. Face it, you were a pathological liar growing up.” Herrick responds.

           “You’re not going to be in such a joking mood when you hear what I have to tell you,” Clayton says.

           Herrick turns the music down in his car so he can hear Clayton better. “What is it? Is Aunt Dot ok?”

           “This has nothing to do with my mother. Yes, she’s good. What’s your fiancé’s name?” Clayton asks.

           “Baldwin. Why?” The smile is no longer on Herrick’s face.

           “She’s here. In my restaurant, in King of Prussia,” Clayton states.

           “That’s nothing new. Her job is always meeting with people in restaurants. She’s a lawyer, remember? Working for a big time law firm.” Herrick shoots back, proudly.

            “Well get this. If she’s working, why is she here with another man, in the back in the dark, in secrecy, playing touchy feely with their hands all over each other?”

           “If you’re lying to me, I’ll cut your throat!” Herrick’s angry now.

           “I kid you not. I’m your cousin. We’re like brothers. I would never lie to you about this.”

           “You know I work in Delaware, right outside of New Castle. I just got onto 95. Do what you can do to stall them. Get their order wrong. Hold the order up or something. Just don’t let them leave until I get there. You know this 95 traffic moving north into Philly then over to 76 west into KOP during rush hour is a monster. It’s worse on Fridays.”

           “I got you. Don’t worry. I’ve been through a divorce. If you can avoid making a terrible mistake, I’m all for it.”

Part II

Baldwin St. James is an only child. When she was born in 1979, Ivey Graham gave the child the father’s last name. Even though they were poor, the name sounded important and regal. Raised in North Philadelphia on West Susquehanna Avenue, Ivey worked two jobs to send Baldwin to catholic school to ensure she received the best education.

She didn’t want her daughter stuck in North Philadelphia with no future. Nor did she want her trapped with a child and no means to get out of the ghetto. She wanted better for her daughter. She often went without essentials so that her daughter could have a good life growing up.

           Ivey’s persistence and dedication paid off. Baldwin won a four year academic scholarship to Lewistown University in upstate Pennsylvania. The campus, located in Carbondale is twenty-five minutes or fifteen miles northeast of Scranton.

           A psychology major, Baldwin’s intention was to return to graduate school a year later an earn a master’s in social work. The summer of her senior year, she interned at a law firm under the mentorship of a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner.

The internship shed light on a world that she never knew existed. The law firm utilizes psychiatric nurses to counsel and guide clients through divorces, child custody cases and those elderly who’s family want to admit them to institutions and gain legal access of their estates.

Considering her intern a success, Baldwin had different goals in mind when she returned to Lewistown for her last year. After graduating, she applied to any position at a law firm which she felt qualified to do.

Finally obtaining a job as a Human Resources Specialist at a law firm in Voorhees, New Jersey, she ultimately worked during the day and put herself through law school by night.

She worked for the firm until the day she passed her bar exam, which was September 2006. Since her focus was business law and contracting, she was hired as part of the business law team for Potter, Rhawn, & Sagamore located at Tenth and Arch Streets in Philadelphia.

 Herrick Durham comes from a family of engineers. His great-grandfather was an electrical engineer. His grandfather and father are mechanical engineers. So, it was understood that he would also become an engineer. His father and mother guided him toward the field starting with middle school.

Herrick didn’t even have a choice in the electives he chose in high school. His parents wouldn’t approve of his curriculum if it didn’t include enough math and science courses. Consequently, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Bradford College in Allentown, Pennsylvania where his mother is the Assistant Dean for the School of Arts and Humanities.

Herrick and his younger sister, Molena grew up in a modest household in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania. The children were privileged and wanted for nothing in life. The day Herrick graduated college in 1999, a job as an entry level Chemical Analyst awaited him at North Mankato Chemical Manufacturing in New Castle, Delaware. This was compliments of his grandfather and father. Fifteen years later, he’s Director for the Food Processing Division, at thirty-eight years old.

Baldwin attended a black tie affair at the luxurious Grand Fairview Hotel Centre on the Parkway in Center City with her girlfriend Bendix Whitmore in July 2011. The affair was an annual event to raise awareness and funds for the Chronic Disease Foundation for Children. The foundation sponsors research and award grants to institutions that seek innovative treatment and procedures for children with chronic lung and pulmonary diseases.

Herrick attended the affair as well with his sister Molena. An accounting major, she specializes in fundraising for academic medical centers with research departments.

The entertainment segment of the evening included a live band and dancing. Herrick’s table was two tables away from Baldwin’s. He noticed her right away. Not because she wasn’t dancing, but, because she was the most beautiful woman in the room. Until now, one steady mate had never occurred to him. He envisioned waking up next to the gorgeous creature every day.

He made his way over to Baldwin’s table and introduced himself. “Excuse me, may I sit here for a second.”

“That’s someone’s seat,” Baldwin replies politely.

“I promise I’ll move in a few minutes. My name is Herrick. Herrick Durham. I’m pleased to meet you.”

“What?” Baldwin replies. She’s caught off guard by the boldness of the intruder.

“Would you like to dance?” Herrick inquires.

Baldwin laughs. “Why didn’t you just ask in the first place? No. Thank you.”

 Herrick is offended. His blind arrogance and pride wounded, it never occurred to him that the woman may reject him. He’s not used to anyone saying ‘no’ to him.   

He keeps calm. He can understand the woman’s reluctance. After all, there is a room full of pretty, cute, beautiful and gorgeous women. Why did he choose her?

He sits in the seat next to her, moves in close. Then he leans in and says, “If you don’t marry me, I’m going to spread a rumor about you.”

Baldwin couldn’t help but break out in laughter at the man’s silliness. She plays along with his game. “A rumor about what? What if I get the jump on you and tell the people at this table that you’re wearing my underwear? They don’t know me or you.”

It’s Herrick’s turn to laugh. “Dance with me and we can both avoid spreading rumors and lies.”

Baldwin looks at the man clearly for the first time. Even though he’s seated, she’s able to take in his physical appearance completely.

He’s approximately five feet nine inches, with an X shape body type. This means that his shoulders and hips are relatively the same size, with a neat waist. Judging by the way his pants are clinging snugly to his thighs, the widest part of his body is his thighs.

The close cut haircut, well-groomed beard and neatly trimmed mustache never go unattended for more than a day. She looks down at his hands. He gets his nails manicured. His white teeth are bright and he smells good. She likes what she sees.

The music stops and people return to their tables. Herrick looks up at the individuals coming closer to Baldwin’s table. He stands up, prepares to leave. “The next dance please?”

She smiles at him. “Yes, Herrick. I promise. My name is Baldwin. Baldwin St. James.”

Herrick and Baldwin became a couple after that night. They became engaged on November 25, 2013. A wedding date is set for June 2015.

Part III

Herrick pulls into the parking lot of the restaurant as if he’s a professional race car driver. He turns off the ignition, gets out of the car, pulls on his coat and walk twenty feet to the restaurant.

           At the podium, he asks the hostess to notify Clayton Proctor immediately. He’s expecting him. It’s rather urgent. The hostess calls to the back and within five minutes, Clayton appears.

           “Glad you made it safely. Come with me,” Clayton says.

           Herrick follows his cousin to the back of the restaurant and into the kitchen. From the kitchen, they ease into the small space of the stillroom. Clayton uses his body to shield Herrick as the man watches his fiancé in action. The man’s left hand is flat on the table and Baldwin’s right hand is covering his. They’re laughing about something.

           Herrick has had enough. He quietly walks up to the table. “Hello Baldwin. How are you? So, is this work?”

           Startled, Baldwin does a double take. “Herrick. What’re you doing here?”

           “I’m going to ask you one more time. Is this work?”

           “Of course it is! Why would you ask such a thing?” She’s embarrassed.

           His anger showing, Herrick places his hand under her right arm, pulls her up from the table and drags her away, through the kitchen and down the hall to Clayton’s office, as he leads the way.  

           “Don’t go anywhere Mr. Rainier. I’ll be right back,” Baldwin calls to the man.

           “The hell you will!” Herrick says angrily.

           “Now do you believe me?” Clayton shouts.

           Baldwin looks at Clayton. “You two know each other?”

           “Yes. He’s my first cousin. Thanks to him I caught you red handed!” Herrick admits.

           “Red handed? Get real Herrick! I am not fooling around on you! I’m interviewing Mr. Rainier for the big case I’ve been assigned to. He’s a crucial part of the case. You know I’m trying to make partner!”

           “Why are you in this restaurant all loving up on him then if he’s a witness? Clayton saw you in the act. I just saw you. . . “

           “I don’t know what you think you saw. And, Clayton is a liar. It’s my job to comfort the man. Make him feel at ease so that he’ll be ready to testify. I placed my hand on his to ease his fears. I told you I was going to work at the office. That changed. He would not meet me downtown. He changed his mind at the last minute and asked to meet in a different place. The firm is paying for the dinner and they paid for the clothes. We have to make him look presentable.”

           Herrick looks at Clayton then back at Baldwin. “So you weren’t hugging up on him like Clayton said?”

           Baldwin glares at Clayton. “No! Clayton is a bold face liar who needs to stay out of other people’s business!”

           “Who are you going to believe Herrick, Baldwin or Me?” I didn’t have to call you. I could have let it go and you walk down the aisle and let her make a fool out of you.”

           “I’ll settle this right now.” Herrick goes back to the table where they left Rainier Wyoming. The man is gone. There is no sign that he was ever at the table. He checked the men’s room. He’s not in there.

           Back in Clayton’s office, Herrick is fuming. “Your guy left. If he’s so crucial to your case, why did he leave? Why would the law firm pay for his clothes and his meal to have him skip out on them? I want your things out of my house tonight Baldwin! Give me the ring, now!”

           Baldwin is speechless! She looks down at the French-cut, $3,000 diamond engagement ring. Tears roll down her face as she slowly slide the ring off her finger.