Free Healing Inc. by Deneice Tarbox

that Nita had rushed to the hospital to check on the girl who was in labor.  She had not been able to complete payroll, which had to be in before close of business.  Fortunately, it was one of the few jobs they shared.  Evy jumped on it immediately, completing it just under the wire.  Nita had called during that time to inform her that the girl’s parents couldn’t be reached, leaving her as the only one who could remain with the terrified girl until a relative could take over.  Evy offered to relieve her but Nita reminded her that she had to tutor Tyler tonight. 
     
    “Oh, shoot! Tyler!”  Using the office phone, she called him to let him know she was running late and gave him the option to reschedule.  Showing no interest in cancelling, Tyler asked her to meet him at his office again as they had done the previous Friday.  Evy readily agreed as she felt it had worked out well enough. 
     
    As she left Healing Inc. heading toward his office, she reflected on the last Friday evening they had spent together.  During that time they had become more acquainted.  The session had started off with them going over the course work.  Evy had noticed how stressed he was and prompted him to relax to one of her favorite songs, U Will Know by Black Men United.  Tyler had poked fun at her, claiming she was neither young nor a black male.  In actuality, he was happy for the opportunity to discover something else about her.  She showed him how she stretches and moves about while reflecting on the words of the song, but prompted him to let the song move him in any way that came to him.  She was surprised when he started dancing to it, not to mention a bit disturbed from liking the way he moved. 
     
    After study time ended they had talked.  They were excited to find out that they both enjoyed a good run in the morning.  Tyler had feigned fear when Evy exposed her martial arts background to him and cringed when he found out how early she rose to get a complete workout in every day.  She easily guessed that he used weights as his bulging muscles were a testament of it.
     
    Eventually, he had asked her why that song was one of her favorites.  She told him about her childhood dreams of being a singer, how it hadn’t work out and that she had refocused her energy to become the happy being that she was today.   He had then confided in her about his childhood and how he stayed with the Wilsons while his mother ran around wild.  He went on to mention his ex-wife in New York and the daughter they had together.  Evy had been fascinated by the way his eyes lit up when describing his daughter. 
     
    Somehow during the course of their conversation, she had gone behind him as he sat in his office chair and started idly massaging him.  She hadn’t realized what she was doing until he looked up at her with pure lust in his eyes.  As usual, she had found an excuse to end the session and get as far away from him as possible.
     
    She drove into the garage of the tall building that housed his office and parked.  Just as she did so, a loud growl escaped from her stomach.
     
     “Ah man!  I can’t believe I forgot to eat today!” 
     
    She sat there for a moment, wondering if the tuna salad she had left in the work refrigerator would cause problems for her on Monday.  Her nose scrunched up in memory of a similar incident in which her abandoned egg salad sandwich had resulted in a near quarantine of the office kitchen a few summers ago.  The staff had been on the verge of stringing her up until she offered to take everyone out to lunch on her dime.  She briefly contemplated heading out to grab something but her thoughts were interrupted by her cell phone.
     
    “Yes, it’s me,” she answered, recognizing Tyler’s number.
     
    “Hi me,” Tyler started.  “Where are you?”
     
    “Uh, I’m actually sitting in the garage of your building.”
     
    “Well come on up.  I’ve been waiting.  The cleaning crew wants