Worth Gold

21 | Lionel

It was decided that they'd continue the conversation in private so, after wrapping up the grocery shopping, Lionel drove Danielle home and helped her carry her groceries to her apartment.

While Danielle put the groceries away, Lionel made coffee for the two of them. They soon sat on the bed, for comfort, and while Lionel leaned against Danielle's headboard, she cuddled her pillow.

Lionel didn't rush Danielle into talking. He waited for her to find her comfort and she appreciated that.

"In case you were wonderin'," Danielle began. "L.A was beautiful. Antonio showed me a lot of beautiful things in that city and I felt... different," she smiled small. "For the first time, I wasn't worried 'bout money or whatever; I was new and happy and inspired and... that felt good."

"I bet you shopped up a storm," Lionel smiled.

Danielle giggled softly, nodding her head. "I got you some stuff too, by the way."

"For real?! Designer shit?!" Lionel's face lit up, earning a real laugh from Danielle.

"We'll get to that in a bit. Focus, Li'," she giggled.

"I'm sorry. A bitch ain't never been to Los Angeles so..."

Danielle's smile slowly faded as she went back to her story.

"We came back after all that and he went mute for a couple of days. My ass was worried sick about him and when he showed up to talk, I almost lost it with him cause..." Danielle sighed. "I was worried!"

"What's the problem with that?"

"I caught feelings, Lionel. I'm really into him now but I don't want to be. Now he wants me to meet his family and I ain't ready for all that-- neither is he."

Lionel pursed his lips as he thought of what to say. He had a lot of experience for a man his age. He'd seen it all and it wasn't the slightest bit easier since he was gay, so he had a lot of advice to give.

"First of all," he said. "I need you to explain the part where you said you don't want to be into the man."

Danielle shrugged, "I mean exactly that. I don't want to be into him; I don't want to be in love with him."

"Why not?"

"Because that was never the plan," Danielle frowned.

Lionel sighed, "Honey, you got involved with a filthy rich man who treated you good and you didn't expect to catch feelings?"

It sounded stupid, now that Danielle thought about it.

"What are you scared of?" Lionel asked. "Meeting his parents?"

"They won't like me," Danielle frowned.

"What's there not to like about you, Dani? Look at you!" Lionel smiled sincerely.

"I'm a stripper. With baggage and trust issues... Antonio won't like none of my history and his family won't even give me two minutes to get to know me as more than just a stripper. This whole thing, Lionel, it was doomed from the start. Antonio and me... we can't be more than what we already are."

Lionel frowned. "Babe, don't you think you're judging them all too soon? You ain't even give them a chance."

"I know how it goes, okay?"

"So you just gon' put Antonio in the same box as all the dicks you tried your luck with in the past, even though he's proven to be different by how he treats you?"

Danielle looked away from Lionel.

"Dani, some of the girls in that club go through the most to stay lookin' good. They're with men who treat them like animals-- beat them up or openly cheat-- just for money. You have Antonio, a real gentleman. Give him a chance."

"And what about his family?" Danielle asked.

"You wanna be with him. If all goes well and he wants to wife you, you won't be married to the whole family, just him. Fuck the family, focus on Antonio."

"But ultimately, his family--"

"His family will learn to accept you, okay? When they see that he loves you--"

"He never actually said he loves me."

"You can't tell me you don't feel it."

Danielle shook her head and looked down at her cup of coffee.

"Look, I'm not about to force you to do somethin' you don't wanna do. I'm just askin' you to think about it and if he reaches out, hear him out," Lionel rubbed Danielle's back.

"Lemme show you what I got you," Danielle got off her bed and went to get one of the shopping bags she'd set aside for Lionel.

She'd gotten him a navy blue silk shirt which had some Chinese art work on it, as well as a pair of velvet loafers. Lionel was in love and lost his mind when he realised that the items were all designer. He even wore the shirt for Danielle for a fashion show just to cheer her up as he vogued up and down his runway space.

Danielle was giggling and encouraging his madness. She regretted giving him a hard time in the past. Yes, he really was a bitch at the club with how much dancing and rehearsals he made them do, but he was a sweerheart otherwise and Danielle thanked him for that before he left.

She decided that she wanted to be lazy for the rest of the day so she got back on her bed and picked up her phone to do a bit of social media surfing while she decided what she'd have for lunch.

It must've been around 5pm when Danielle was getting some ingredients out for her solo dinner when she heard a knock on the door. She wasn't expecting anybody so she hesitated to get the door.

"Who is it?" She asked as she walked to the door.

No response, just another knock.

Danielle sighed and went to open the door. Thinking that maybe Lionel had forgotten something, she swung the door open with a smile but it slowly faded as she looked up at the man who'd been on her mind for days on end.

"I'm ready to talk," Antonio said.