Chapter 2

The next morning I woke to unfamiliar surroundings and it took me a moment or two to get my bearings again. Afterward, I went to my bathroom and took a shower – it was glorious! I didn’t have to worry about the water pressure dropping, or the temp changing when someone flushed the toilets. I didn’t have to avoid the cockroaches trying to get a drink, or rush because Mom needed to use the bathroom too. All too soon, I had to get out of the shower and I got dressed and ready for the day. It was Saturday, so I didn’t have to worry about school for a couple of days. I wanted to get a bit adjusted to my surroundings and get a feel for the place before I jumped right into college life – one major life change at a time!

“Good morning! How did you sleep last night?” Denise asked as I rounded the corner into the kitchen.

“I slept wonderfully! I’m not used to such a nice bed. Mine at home is just an old worn-out twin bed, so having a large bed like that was like sleeping on a cloud!” I said. “Mmm, something smells delicious!”

“Well this is Saturday and on the weekends we like having a good hearty breakfast. Sometimes, during the week, it’s so rushed we don’t have time to eat a proper breakfast, so on the weekends, we indulge a bit. I hope you like pancakes and eggs and bacon?” she asked.

“Oh yes! I don’t get them very often but yes I love them!” I said, licking my lips already.

“Good, that’s a relief! I didn’t even think to ask if you had dietary rules ... if you were vegan or no gluten or something,” she said.

“Nope, I can eat just about anything. No restrictions,” I said.

“Okay, that’s good to know. How about allergies? Are you allergic to anything?” she asked.

“Only bees and wasps. But I have my Epi-pen for that. I keep it on the bathroom shelf unless I’m going out – in case you need to get it for me.” I said.

“Well we don’t get many bees around here – they stay mostly out in the country a bit more. But thanks for telling me,” Denise said.

I helped set the table and soon everything was ready. “Would you be a dear and knock on Brian’s door and tell him breakfast is ready?” she asked. I went down the hallway to his room and saw the door was opened just a crack. I knocked on the door softly in case he was still asleep or something but I got no answer. I carefully opened the door a bit more “Brian? Are you awake?” I asked. But there was no one in the room. I hadn’t seen his room in the grand tour so I took a moment to look around the room from the doorway. I had never seen a boys’ room since it was just Mom and me at home, and I found it exciting to see what one looked like.

I don’t know why, but I was drawn into the room ... as if my feet had a mind of their own. The next thing I knew I was inside the room looking at his dresser top, trailing my fingers over his bed as I walked around it to his closet. The door was open and for some reason, I took one of his shirts off the closet rod and was smelling his scent.

“Find anything you like?” a man’s voice said from behind me. I whirled around so fast I nearly fell. Brian had been in the shower and now stood there with a towel hung around his neck wearing only his boxers!

“I-I, Oh God, I’m so sorry! I just came in...” I stammered, dropping his shirt on the hardwood floor.

“It’s okay, don’t worry. I don’t get too many girls in my room except for Mom. It’s kinda nice having a female in here, actually. It spruces up the place!” he said with a grin.

I could have died of embarrassment. I looked down, afraid of what I might see, and then picked up his shirt because I couldn’t think of anything else to do. Meanwhile, he put on his jeans just so I wouldn’t be so nervous. I turned and was about to put his shirt back in his closet when he spoke again.

“Do you like that shirt?” he asked.

I looked at him, then at the shirt. “Yes it’s very nice,” I said, not sure what he was getting at.

“Okay, then that shirt it is. Hand it to me?” he said.

I handed him the shirt and instead of taking the other end of the coat hanger, he covered my hand with his own and pulled me closer to him.

“Tawnisha, we are a close and very casual family. We don’t go for the pretense of modesty and stuff around here. Mom walks out of the bathroom sometimes in her bra and panties, and you can see how relaxed I am. I hope you can get used to our ways. Mom comes from the hippie days in the ‘60s and I don’t think she really got completely over that whole ‘freedom’ thing. Now I know this was a shock to you at first, but I hope that you will get used to our low key approach. It’s nice having you here and we both want you to feel at ease. Okay?” he said.

“Okay...” I said. Then Brian pulled me to him wrapping his big strong arms around me.

“Good. I’m glad we got that settled,” he said as he held me close.

Me too! I thought as I snuggled into his deep, powerful chest. I could have stayed right there like that all day, but unfortunately, my new foster brother was hungry and I had to admit, breakfast smelled very good. So after an extended hug that made my head swim, we walked together towards the dining room and a real breakfast feast.

“Brian, honey, didn’t you tell me the other day that you had some errands and things you wanted to do today?” Denise asked him as we ate breakfast.

“Yeah, I have a few things to do today. Why, do you need something?” he asked.

“No, but I thought it might be nice if Tawnisha went along with you, You could show her around and maybe even swing by the college so she could get a look around. I know the college is probably closed for the weekend, but she could at least see it. And you could point out what buildings she might be using. Plus she’d get a look around town as well,” she said.

“That’s a good idea. What about it Sis? Wanna hang out and I could show you some of the sights? he grinned broadly.

A chance to be alone with this gorgeous hunk of man? Was he kidding! I thought. Then trying to calm down and be more level-headed, I said, “Sure I’d like that very much.” I may have been able to pull the cool and collected act to them, but inside, my heart was racing and I could feel a tingling in my pussy that I had never felt before.

So after breakfast was done and the table cleared and dishes were put in the dishwasher (I had never seen a dishwasher except on TV before now!), Brian and I got ready to head out to see the area. I could hardly contain my excitement and I know it had to have shown if not to Denise, then at least to Brian. He had this knowing smirk on his face whenever I looked his way; as if he knew what I was thinking and why my heart kept flip-flopping when he was near me.

When we were ready to go we headed out to show me my new home for the next four years. Our first destination would be the college so he could show me how to get there from the house.

“Now my way to work takes me right past the college so I will be able to take you to and from there depending on when your classes are. Hopefully, your class schedule and my work will match up pretty close and that will save you on bus and cab fare,” he said.

“I hope so too,” I replied.

“This is a pretty nice area, the people here are friendly and we don’t have much in the way of crime or trouble. Everyone here works and it’s an upscale kind of neighborhood so we don’t get a lot of gang violence. I’ve never been to Detroit, but I hear about how it is there and if reports are even half accurate you’ll find Grandview Heights a lot different than you are used to,” he explained.

“It is a lot different. A lot cleaner and nicer in appearance, that’s for sure. My neighborhood has trash all over, broken down cars and busted windows, it seems like every other building is abandoned these days and there are all kinds of thugs walking the streets. This place looks like a tourist destination someplace! It’s clean and bright and no one looks like they want to rob you in the next minute! I can’t walk down my street even in the daylight without worrying who’s behind me. Here I wouldn’t worry about walking around at all,” I said.

“Yeah, this place is one of the safer neighborhoods in Columbus. Don’t get me wrong, Columbus has its bad neighborhoods too, but they aren’t anywhere near here. They are well south of where we are and the trouble stays down there. You won’t need to go into that area for anything, I don’t think. We have shopping malls, tons of places to eat, and all sorts of things to do on the weekends. I don’t think I’ve had to go into the bad part of town in the last three or four years unless it’s to pick up a truck that needs to be worked on. And even then, if they are driveable, they usually bring them to us. If they aren’t, we have them towed to us!” he said.

About then, we were approaching the college. “Okay here is your school. It’s a good-sized campus and I believe the Business Administration classes are held in the Deleware Building if I remember right. I had a girlfriend that was taking classes in that hall and I remember the Business Administration classes were held there. Of course, that was a few years ago and they may have moved them. Once you get your class assignment I can help you figure it out. I remember most of the building names,” he said.

“A ... girlfriend?” I asked. I had keyed into that word and wanted to know more!

“No, it wasn’t like that. She was a girl who was a friend. We hung out and went to a few dorm parties and such. We hooked up once after a football game, but there was nothing really romantic between us,” he said.

A wave of relief went through me at this news. “So, Brian, do you ... um ... do you have anyone?”

“You mean do I have a girlfriend? No, I don’t. Not at the moment, at least. Why do you ask?” he said.

“Oh, nothing. I was just wondering,” I said, looking down at my hands in my lap.

Just a few seconds later he pulled into one of the campus building’s parking lots. Since it was Saturday and school had officially opened yet, the parking lot and adjacent buildings were all vacant. We were all alone there.

“W-what are you doing, Brian?” I said. This move made me very nervous. Where I’m from a move like this only meant one thing. Here I was, alone in a car with a white guy who was bigger, older, and stronger than me. I was a long way from home with no idea where the local police station was even if I could get to it. Not a comforting situation for a young black girl from Detroit!