Love Overpowers Everything

By Ingrid V. Hogan

A Christian romance story, this is the exciting tale of Thomas A. Jones, a CEO and president of a family-owned multimillionaire company, a handsome, educated bachelor who is well known by all as the most popular guy, and Charli A. Hines, a young beautiful valedictorian, well-educated Christian girl whose life is challenged by many trials and tribulations. Charli and Thomas fell in love from the moment they met at the ballroom dance. Due to their different lifestyles, family, and friends, they are faced with many obstacles to date, let alone being in love. In this book, she teaches him how God is love and he is the center of everything and in everyone, and he introduces her to the world. It is never too late to meet that special person that you were predestined to meet and fall in love.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Mar 31, 2016
• ISBN: 9781514405055

Ingrid V. Hogan

Ingrid Hogan is a loving, kind person who enjoys caring for others. She resides in Arizona with her husband of twenty-three years. She is a mother of three wonderful sons and a grandparent of seven, which includes five boys and two girls. She has three sisters. Her profession is as a social worker for over twenty years. She is a Christian who loves Jesus. Her inspiration to write came from her mother who introduced her to romance books at the age of fourteen. Her name was derived from her mother’s favorite romance movie star Ingrid Bergman. She enjoys spending her weekend with family or traveling in and out of the country. The main characters’ first names in the book were derived from her late father’s name Charlie Thomas. But she dropped the e on the name Charlie to make it a girl’s name. This is her first book.

Book preview

Chapter 1

The Ballroom Dance

Charli was fifteen years old when she had an opportunity to attend her first ballroom dance. Her parents had debated and contemplated all week long whether to allow her to attend. She felt in her heart that with the way things were going, the answer would be no. Then she would be the only teenager who would never get a chance to attend her fifteen-year-old ball. She had received numerous lessons on ballroom dancing and could not wait until she had a chance to practice with a tall, dark, and handsome guy. On this night, she dreamed of meeting the love of her life.

Charli was an only child of a university president and a superintendent of a high school. Her parents were Dr. Aubrey Hines and Mrs. Ethel Ann Hines. They had set high standards for Charli ever since she was born. The Hines family was very wealthy, so Charli had the best of both worlds. Anything she desired and wanted was given to her. She had the best of everything from her education, music, art, dance, traveling, etc. Charli’s mother had also taught her about love at an early age and the differences between a man and a woman’s body and desires. All questions were answered by her parents as they were her first teachers. Charli observed her parents’ love and affection for one another. Her dad spoke with her on occasions of love from a man’s perspective, and her mother taught her about love from God and from a women’s view.

So when the subject came up about her attending the ball, tension built up between her parents. Mom thought it was okay, for she knew she could be trusted. However, her dad felt differently. Charli was brought up in a family that took pride in the way they dressed, their friends, and the company they kept. Charli’s parents were important people in the community, and her dad would have it no other way than for their one and only daughter to be respected and treated like a lady while in public. Charli’s mom trusted her completely and knew she was mature enough to attend an event without a chaperone. Her dad, on the other hand, could only think about when he was fifteen years old and what boys thought about and wanted to do with a young innocent girl.

Charli’s parents were in love with one another, and they always showed affection with each other in Charli’s presence. They taught Charli of God and Jesus’s love from the Bible and what true love meant. They always reminded her of the Bible verse Love is patience. She was well aware of what love felt like or should feel and look like. She knew those words of love would never leave her mind. God is love, and His love endures forever. She believed that God is with us. His words stated that He would never leave us nor forsake us. God’s Word stated in Romans 8:9 that there is nothing nor anyone that could come between the love that God has for us.

Both of her parents had received their undergraduates and masters’ from the University of Virginia (UOV) with honors. Her dad was cum laude, and her mother was summa cum laude. Her dad had continued his studies and obtained a doctorate degree in science. He and Charli’s mom had met in college when Mrs. Hines was a sophomore and Dr. Hines was in his junior year. They had been in love ever since. There was no guessing what university Charli’s parents thought she should attend. That subject was still up for debate as she wanted to go far, far, away to grow.

Dr. Hines was six feet tall, dark brown in complexion, had broad shoulders, and was very handsome. His skin tone was of a medium-brown complexion with smooth baby skin. He was well groomed and always dressed to kill. He took pride in his looks and was voted as best dressed man in the Ebony magazine year of 2005. He spoke with a Southern accent. Charli’s dad was born and raised in Williamsburg, Virginia. He had come from a family of educators. His parents were born and raised in the Keys of Florida, but relocated to the Virginia area when he was just five years old. He had two sisters and one brother whom God called home early in life. His mother was a retired professor from the UOV, and his father was a medical doctor at the local St. Jude Medical Hospital.

Mrs. Hines had inherited high cheekbones from her mother’s Spanish culture and long thick black hair from her dad, who was of Hawaiian and African American descent. She was voted beauty queen in every school that she attended. She had a very light complexion, beautiful full lips, light brown eyes with a green circle around the pupil. She was five feet ten inches tall and had the beautiful legs of a dancer. Charli’s mother was born and raised in San Jose, Costa Rica. Mrs. Hines’s father was a military man, and her mother a housewife. Her parents had three children. Their family had settled in the United States when she was ten years old. Charli’s maternal grandparents had passed away before she was born. She had one uncle and an aunt who relocated in San Jose, Costa Rica, when they were adults. She had not had an opportunity to meet them yet.

Dr. Hines was a fine, loving, strong man who loved his wife and daughter very much. He had taught Charli how to excel in all her classes. When she was a baby, he read college books to her. He loved challenging her as a child. In school, Charli would pass every test given to her. She was very intelligent at an early age. They were so proud of their daughter. It was her dad who helped her to advance in education and always encouraged her to study and be ahead of her peers. She took pride in being the best and winning every competition that came her way. Her dad placed her name in every math, science, English, and writing contests in the state of Virginia and in the surrounding state competitions. It did not help her make friends easily or have a lot of friends. Her dad taught her to always be the best and to strive for excellence. She had trophies, certificates, and ribbons all over her room to show her excellence in education. Charli was introduced to dance, music, and the arts and excel in those areas as well. It was her dad who continued to push the schools to test Charli prior to skipping her two grades. Her mom felt she needed to remain with her peers, but she was voted out by Charli and her dad. Mrs. Hines taught their daughter to seek God’s love in all she did and the importance of being a lady. She knew that once Charli received God’s wisdom, He would bless her to succeed in everything. Charli enjoyed spending quality time with her parents.

They gave her permission to attend the ball four hours prior to its beginning. Charli’s mother had purchased her a dress two weeks before. She had her eyes on this Vera Wang dress from Vogue magazine. Mrs. Hines helped her get dressed and chose the right accessories to make her look far better than any beauty queen in Glamour, Women Designing, or any other fashion magazine. The dress was a satin material with rose-colored flowers embedded into the print. It was a strapless thin line of chiffon material, which appeared to be flowing down her back. The lower portion of the dress had gathers of ruffles from the knee to her toes. She wore the dress as if Vera Wang had designed it especially for her. Charli accented the dress with a black and rose Louis Vuitton clutch bag. Her shoes were from a Gucci collection. It pleased her mother that her daughter had picked up some taste for design from her maternal grandmother who was a fashion designer for years in Paris, but had given it up from suffering with arthritis. Mrs. Hines thought Charli would follow her footsteps. Charli spoke of another dream that included traveling the world and trying to spread love from one continent to the next. She was from a wealthy family, and her heart went out to those who were less fortunate. She spoke of charity work all the time. She enjoyed volunteering at the shelters during the holidays.

She wore her hair down that night. Charli was five feet eleven inches tall, with long, thick, and lustrous black hair. She had long legs and the waist line of a dancer. Her skin was of a caramel color like her mother, and she had her mother’s high cheekbones. Her eyes were hazel brown with a green tint in the middle of her pupils. Charli spoke with a Southern accent from her dad’s family. Whenever she spoke among a crowd of people, they were drawn in because of her beauty and Southern accent. She would speak for hours and they would listen. Charli was very intelligent for her age, an honor student since first grade, and she had even skipped two grades. Her parents provided her the best education and were financially able to support her in all areas of her life and more.

When Charli was fully dressed, she stepped in front of the mirror for one last look. Her mother had placed a wall-to-wall and ceiling-to-ceiling mirror so she could view her gown and accessories from head to toe. And tonight was especially important to observe this special dress. The mirror was located in the hallway upstairs near her mother’s room. She looked at her mother and said, Am I ready?

Her mother responded, My darling queen, you are ready. She looked at her with a beautiful smile and said, Your chariot waits.

Charli walked down the stairs and met her dad. She thought she saw him wipe a tear from his eyes, but she dared not mention it. One thing Charli did not want to do was to upset her father tonight. He was very proud of her and saw her as his baby, but he was the first man to commend her on her beauty that night. He was glad that he had agreed to allow her to attend this ballroom dance. Charli’s dad accompanied the driver along with her best friend Shannon Dixon to the dance. He lectured them on being proper Christian young ladies that their parents had raised them to be. Charli wished her mom could have taken her to the dance, but her dad had insisted on taking them so he could remind them that they represented the Hines and Dixon families and to make them proud. He had agreed to drop them off with the limousine driver and accompany him back to pick them up. The family had a personal driver that would accompany the family occasionally, but tonight, he wanted to surprise his daughter. He had promised his wife that they would return home no later than 12:00 a.m. as he planned to arrive back at the dance at 11:30 p.m. to pick them up. Both girls said yes, sir a hundred times before leaving the vehicle. They laughed a long time once they entered the dance hall. The other teenagers standing in the entrance of the hall thought they had both gone mad when they rushed in the place laughing.

Charli walked around for two hours because there seemed to be no one there she wanted to fast dance with and especially not slow dance. It was approaching 10:00 p.m., and she was beginning to feel as though this was a waste of time. She went to the bathroom, and when she came out there, standing by the doorway was a light-brown very handsome, tall man. He wore his hair very long that it draped past his shoulders. It was shaped neatly around his face and ears. He was very well groomed. His mustache was a gold T design, and his skin was very smooth. One could tell that he used the best moisturizer to obtain skin like that. He seemed to take pride in the way he dressed as if he was on a dress rehearsal. He looked like a male model that had servants to care for him. His shoulders were broad, and his legs seemed to be longer than a tree. His upper torso was also long. His waist line seemed to be a perfect size and proportioned with his body. His eyes were green. She had never seen an African American man with green eyes. He was six feet five inches tall. His muscles peeked through his light-blue sleeved shirt. He accented a blue-and-rose-colored tie perfectly. His suit was tailor fit from Ralph Lauren, and his shoes were of dark brown leather from an Italian designer. He was dressed very neatly with class and style.

Thomas walked over to Charli and introduced himself and asked Charli to dance. He placed his hand in front of her and helped her up. Charli felt as though the room had become dark and everyone else in the place had disappeared. The lights seemed to have fallen on them. When she came to her feet, Charli thought she was going to faint. She felt him place his hand on her lower back for support. Then as she looked up at him, he gave her the biggest smile, and she returned the smile to assure him that she was fine and could stand.

As they began to dance, she noticed that their steps were in sync as if they had practiced for months. She could tell that he was much older and mature than any of the other boys in the room. He allowed her to catch up and grasp the steps when he changed the movement. She felt him to be a true gentleman. They danced for thirty minutes before either of them spoke. The dance seemed to flow so well that there really was no need to converse. Charli felt like she had fallen asleep and did not want to wake up from this dream.

After the fifth song ended, he asked her name. She replied, I am Charli.

He said, Hello, Charli, my name is Thomas, but my close friends call me T. Where did you get your name?

She replied, "My grandfather’s name was Charlie, and since my dad did not have a son, he named me Charli but left the e off the end so it would spell more female."

T. replied that he liked it because it was different. But so are you, Charli.

She looked up at him and replied, What do you, mean?

He asked her to come to the back room with him where it was quiet and they could talk. She looked at him and asked if he could be trusted in the back room, and he laughed. Of course, I can be. I am a true gentleman that will protect and take care of you, and you can trust that, stated T. She replied that his word was all she needed because Charli was taught in Sunday school and at home that a person’s word was his or her bond and to trust them until they had proven themselves to be distrustful. Charli seemed to trust T. right away. She could not explain it, but there was something about him that she liked so she went along with him.

When they entered the back room, he questioned her about her family, and he shared with her about his family. They talked about everything from A to Z as if they had been friends all her life. She spoke about her parents’ ancestors and how proud she was to have such wonderful parents. Her family was Christian and believed in love for mankind. She attended a Christian high school and has remained on the honor society since starting school. She talked about the love from her parents and how she has not suffered or wanted for anything since birth and always had everything she wanted and needed above measure. She shared with him that she planned to attend college and graduate in two and a half years.

He smiled at how she boasted about her plans. He could see that she was very determined, an organizer, very intelligent, and smart for her age. She reminded him of himself when he was her age. They had so much in common. He enjoyed hearing that drive to prove to the world that she was going to be heard and change the world for a better place. T. had been coming to these dances for years and had always thought that rich girls were such snobs, and when his friend asked him to attend tonight, he had almost refused. But as he sat and listened to Charli spoke with that Southern accent, he was happy he was there. His family was a part of the board that helped make the ballroom dances continue. Out of kindness to his father, he had attended tonight for support and to check on things.

Charli asked T. his age and he replied, Eighteen and a half. When he looked at her and began to ask her age, she jumped up and said, We need to check the time, my dad would be arriving back to the ball to pick up my friend and me in thirty minutes.

He stood up when she did and replied, It’s only ten thirty, we have at least another hour to get to know each other.

T. seem very persistent, but in a kind way. He was a very good listener and very interested in her. Charli thought him to be a very handsome young man. She turned to get a closer look into his beautiful green eyes when he reached down to kiss her. She did not pull away as she had wondered why it had taken him so long to try to kiss her. The kiss was very soft and pleasant and so, so, so good. Charli had not kissed a boy before, but she seemed to be doing a good job. T. did not pull away. Charli panicked and stopped the kiss instantly as she thought the dance was almost over. She knew her parents would not agree for her to attend any other events if she was not out front at the designated time. She was so mesmerized in the kiss that T. had experienced with her. He reached over and rubbed her hand and asked her what she was thinking about.

She said, I do not want this night to end. It seems like a dream and I don’t want to wake up.

He replied, We still have an hour to waste. She told T. that her dad had made plans to have the limousine pick her and Shannon up at 11:30 p.m. to fight the crowd.

Shannon walked in the back room and gave Charli a signal to make sure she was all right. Shannon was one of Charli’s best friends, and their parents made it perfectly clear that if one of them could not attend an event, then neither one of the girls could go. Shannon always made sure to keep up with the time. Charli said, Thanks, Shannon, but I am in good hands.

T. smiled and gazed at her as Shannon was exiting the back room. He said, Well, we better make the best of our timing. Come with me, I want to give you something. He held her hand and led her to a more private area. And soon the kiss began again. It was so passionate and deep that she barely had time to catch her breath. This kiss was nothing like earlier. He made sure to remind her that each time he touched her she would remember every moment. He thrust his tongue down her throat and danced with her tongue as if they were making love. She had begun to imagine him inside of her. She even thought for a second how fulfilling she would be right now if he were. She became very warm and bubbly inside. Then she felt something, a cool breeze coming from her inside down into her panties. She could not believe what had just happened.

She pushed him back and rushed out of the room and ran to the bathroom. On her way to the bathroom, she began thinking about all the romance books she had read and how handsome the guy always was. And T. was very handsome and fine. And this was why her body and her panties felt damp and then they were wet. Something cool and fulfilling had been released from her body. She had just had an orgasm from kissing. She said, Wow! T. had no idea what just happened, so he followed her to the bathroom and waited by the door until she came out.

Shannon saw Charli running past her so fast that she stopped dancing with a guy and ran behind T. She stopped at the door and asked him, What happened to my friend?

He said, Your friend is fine. T. had no idea that Charli had just had an orgasm from a kiss.

Charli felt so embarrassed that she refused to discuss it with anyone. She may tell her best friend, which was her mother, later. But right at that moment, she would keep it in her heart. Shannon called for Charli from each stall, but she refused to answer as she was ashamed. After contemplating the scene over and over in her mind, she began to smile. She finally answered, Shannon, all is well.

Shannon said, Okay, and to let you know that handsome guy is waiting for you by the door, so please don’t be too long. We have forty minutes left before Drill Sergeant Hines returns with our chariot.

Charli finally came out of the bathroom, freshened up, and walked out the door. She was very surprised to see T. standing at the door. She smiled, and before he could ask her anything, she said, I am fine. We have thirty-five minutes.

So come with me, he said. He promised not to make her run away again, so he just asked to talk. But he lied; as soon as he got Charli in a private area, the kiss began again and Charli could feel some of her clothing being removed by T. and herself. She could not believe what was happening, but she was enjoying every moment. She let out a small laugh, stopped, and smiled at him. She did not ask any questions or make any remarks.

When T. touched her panties, he stopped and replied, I just have two questions for you. What is your age please?

Charli responded that she was fifteen and a half. He was so mesmerized in her beauty that he did not stop or want to stop. But he repeated her age to himself. As he touched her below her belly button, he asked her, was she a virgin? She said, Yes.

Then he stopped completely and said, Charli, there is nothing I would want more than to make love to you right now. You are so beautiful and no doubt sexy and fine. But I like you enough to tell you that you will not feel good in the morning remembering that your first time was in a ballroom closet. My body is on fire and you are doing something to my mind and body that has not happened before. There is nothing I would rather do than to remove your panties and bring you to ecstasy, and it would not take me long to get you there.

She replied, No, it’s okay, I am on fire too and ready. You can feel my panties, they are so wet.

He replied, I know, I felt them already. Trust me, you will thank me in the morning. Plus, Charli, I think it is important for a young lady to remain a virgin until marriage. You see, I too was raised in a Christian home, and if I could help anyone or someone along the way, then I will. Ms. Hines, tonight I am helping you. Your first time should be with the one that loves you. Believe me, Charli, I hope and pray it is with me, but not tonight.

She began to speak, and he covered her mouth with his lips. The kiss was wet, soft, and nothing more than sexy. He helped her get dressed and kissed her softer than before. As soon as they were fully dressed and stepped out of the closet, Shannon walked into the room and replied, Okay, lovebirds, it is time to go. Our chariot awaits and your dad is standing by the door.

Charli thanked T. for a wonderful evening and asked him not to walk them to the door. T. replied, Now what kind of gentleman would I be if I did not escort you out?

Charli said, The kind that does not want to face my father. T. walked Charli to the car and said, Good night. He liked her so much that he was not afraid of her dad. He wanted her to know that he planned on seeing her again very soon. He spoke to Charli’s dad and said good night to both girls, as they giggled while entering the limousine. Dr. Hines did not respond to T.’s greeting; he just followed the girls inside and thanked them for being prompt at eleven thirty.

When the limousine dropped Shannon off at home, Charli noticed another limousine across the street. She asked Shannon, Did your neighbor attend the ballroom dance, or did she have other plans?

Shannon replied, I have no clue.

When the limousine drove off, Charli looked back and noticed that the vehicle was trailing them home. It would take them thirty minutes to enter their home so that gave her dad an opportunity to quiz Charli. She informed him in a short answer by stating, We were well behaved as expected and we were treated with a lot of respect from the guys. Charli assured her dad that the guys knew whose child she was.

They knew better than to cross Dr. Hines’s daughter. They did not want to face you, Dad. Dr. Hines smiled and pulled his daughter closer to him. His baby had gone to her first ballroom dance, and even though he did not want her to attend, he was proud of her and she looked so beautiful tonight. He complimented her all the way home and even told her she had a glow about herself, and it pleased him a lot that she remained a lady tonight. Charli assured her dad that she would have it no other way.

When the limousine pulled up to the driveway, she and her dad got out. She went straight to her room before speaking to her mom. She yelled, Mom, can we talk tomorrow morning? I am very tired. She went to the window, and she could see the car and a person standing on the hood with a poster paper. The note stated in large print, "I need your digits." She was laughing so hard that she did not hear her mother entering the room. She closed the curtain, and the car drove away before her mother reached the window.

Her mother stated, Missy, what on earth is so funny?

She just smiled and stated, Mom, can we talk in the morning? I really want to take a shower and jump into bed. I promise to share all the wonderful things with you tomorrow.

Charli and her mom were very close. They shared a lot of special moments together, and Charli considered her mother her best friend. She had shared things with her mother that she had never shared with Shannon or anyone else. They were like sisters, but Charli knew who the adult was though they were very close. Charli’s mother was her first teacher when it came to communicating from the heart. She would tell her it was easier to tell and speak the truth than to lie. Her mother said, Okay, but I want details, young lady.

Charli said I love you and good night to both of her parents. Charli took a long cold shower and jumped into bed. She needed to rest after leaving the closet with T. She tossed and turned all night because she could not keep her mind off him. Mr. Thomas A. Jones.

His face and body appeared in her dreams that night, and she smiled each time she remembered what she almost did with him. She told herself she was ready. However, she was very happy he had talked her out of it. T. was a true gentleman, and her dad always stated that he was the last gentleman on earth and Mom had snatched him up. Wait until they meet Thomas. She got more and more excited about him because she could not believe they almost went all the way on the first date. Well, actually it was not a date but a ballroom dance, one that she would remember for the rest of her life. She liked T. a lot, and he said he liked her enough to want her to wait and he hoped it was with him when she made love for the first time. Charli could not sleep because the more she thought about him, the more heated she became, so she took another shower. He was right about her remembering this night.

T. had gone to those ballroom dances since he was in high school. He had been out of high school for four years. He had almost refused going to the ball when his friends and his parents asked him to go because he had always thought that rich girls were snobs, but as he sat and watched Charli for an hour prior to approaching her, he came to admire her. She had turned down every guy in the dance hall, and he could see her beauty from across the room. He wondered why she was so picky. He told his friend, Zion Dixon, I cannot believe you talked me into coming here again. Let’s go. Then he saw her get up and go to the restroom. She was tall, slim, and fine. Her waist line was small, and it looked like that dress was designed especially for her. She strolled across the floor like she was a runway model. He had to meet her and ask her some questions.

When T. saw Charli come out of the bathroom, he reached his hands out and introduced himself. There were several girls coming and going out of the restroom so she actually did not know if he was speaking to all of them or just her. So she continued to walk. When she reached her seat, he went behind her and placed his hand in front of her. He replied, May I have this dance? He enjoyed listening to her Southern accent; he was very happy he had decided to attend the ballroom dance that night.

At first, he did not have the courage to approach her, thinking she was like all the other rich girls. He refused to waste his time because he had enough on his plate running his family’s business: the Thomas Corporation. T. had worked very hard to be in the current position he was in. His grandpa and dad had drilled, trained, and talked his ears off since he was five years old about taking over the family business. He was now eighteen years old and had graduated from high school at fourteen. He went straight to college and graduated with honors in a business major at age sixteen. It did not take T. long to decide if he would be serious about the family business. His family was composed of millionaires and lived a very prestige lifestyle. Everyone in West Virginia knew the family-owned business and what they represented. The business went from the USA to Japan, China, and soon to enter the African market. This company had sold more computers and placed more electronics in homes across the world than any other company. They were larger than Microsoft.

As he started to reminisce about Charli, he knew she was different. Charli was very young but had attended the finest schools. She was introduced to the arts, music, and dance. She had excelled in all three areas. She spoke with confidence and had experienced a lot in her life. He let his mind go back to the closet and that first kiss. Why in the world did she run away to the bathroom? Why did she let him undress her? She was hot, sexy, and so sweet. That smile of hers blew him away. There was no doubt she was ready, but he liked her a lot and he wanted her in his life not just for a one-night stand. He had to shake his head and ask himself, where was all this coming from? Was he in love? Is this what love felt like? He needed a strong drink. T. had known girls from all walks of life; college girls, models, beauty queens, and the richest girls around the world, but none of them made him feel like Charli did.

He enjoyed seeing her smile and her willingness to try so hard to be a lady. She was a very good listener. Yes, she thought he was handsome, but it did not go to her head. Well, she did not act that way. She was proud of her family and had a lot of love and respect for her parents. He could not wait to see her again. That’s why he trailed her home to get her number, which he did not get from her. He decided at that moment that it did not matter what her daddy said; he planned to see her again. He went to the floral shop and ordered fifteen long-stemmed red roses and sent them to her house the next day. He didn’t have her number, but he knew her address. He laughed when he followed her home and found a poster to ask her for her digits. He had to laugh at himself when she looked out the window and stated what and he replied again loudly, The digits. He saw the window go down and laughter coming from the room. He Googled her last name and obtained the telephone number to their home. The next day, he planned to wait two hours after the flowers arrive and give her a call. He had found the phone number to her parents’ house as he stayed up all night researching it.

When Charli woke up the next morning, her parents were sitting at the breakfast table looking at fifteen long-stemmed red roses. Charli said, Mom, you got roses on a Saturday morning? Dad is truly trying to get brownie points.

Mom replied, Nope, they are not for me.

Charli asked, Dad, were they for you? Who would send you flowers? Mom, did you get them for Dad?

Nope, they are not from either one of us.

Who are they for? said Charli. Mom passed Charli the card from the flowers. Oh my goodness, it states my name. Well, Dad, thanks for the flowers.

No, they are not from me or your mother.

Charli read the card and started laughing because the card stated, I need the digits. Ha-ha, oh my, my.

Well, young lady, who are they from? said her parents in unison.

The card says they were sent by Thomas A. Jones.

Her dad yelled, Who did you say, the Thomas A. Jones III that is the owner of the Thomas Corporation?

I am not familiar with them.

"Of course you are not because you don’t read the Ebony, Enterprise, or Essence, and any Electronic magazines."

Yes, I do.

Well, let me show you something, young lady.

T.’s picture and face was on all the magazines, and it listed him as the youngest bachelor to be CEO and president of a multimillionaire company. The article stated that he was the sole heir to his grandfather’s estate, Thomas A. Jones Senior. Charli replied, So what, is that a crime?

Dr. Hines shouted, There are other reasons, young lady, and you are not to ever see him again! This man is eighteen and a half, and you are only fifteen years.

Well, Dad, you are three years older than Mom so what is the difference? It’s not like I am going to marry the guy tonight.

Go to your room and don’t come out until you learn to be respectful to your father.

Mom, I just don’t understand what’s the big deal? He seems to be a nice guy that I just like. We danced and talked and that’s all. He is a true gentleman and very respectable and courteous to all around him.

Charli, when you go upstairs, think about this. Why would a young man almost nineteen years old be at a teen ballroom dance?

But we usually talk about things, not just you telling me to go to my room. What’s this about? It is not fair. You always treat me with fairness and respect so I can know how to treat others. I am asking you to help me understand this reason for asking me to turn my back on a nice guy I just met. I like him Dad a lot too.

Dr. Hines looked at Charli, turned his finger toward the stairs, and replied, Walk, young lady. Charli’s mom looked at her and replied, We will talk later. Let me speak with your dad in private, honey. I love you.

When Charli went upstairs, she could hear her parents talking about T. as if he was a drug dealer. What was going on, and why could she not speak with him or get to know him for herself? It all sounded like a challenge to Charli, and she wanted to get to know him the way she had planned to. She and T. had made a connection, and it was nice. He made her flow come down with a kiss. How in the world did that happen? Well, she would look into that later because she probably should erase that from her mind until she turned thirty. She didn’t care about his money; she had her own money, and she planned to see him again.

The phone rang, and it was T. She said, Hello.

He replied, May I speak to Dr. Hines?

T., this is me. You should be glad that I answered the phone. Thanks for the flowers, and you wouldn’t want to talk to my dad. When he saw the flowers and heard your name, he freaked out and told me I could not see you again and to never speak with you either. What exactly does your family do?

We have our own electronics business, and we sell computer products and programs for the world to the highest buyer.

That sounds legit, so what is the big deal?

Maybe I should come by and talk to him.

T. listened, and Charli stated, I don’t know what the big ideal is. But are you too up for a challenge? Because I sure am.

You are funny and crazy.

Before I hang up—or should I give my dad the phone?—why don’t I give you my private number. It is in my bedroom, so next time, call this number, 230-555-9878. Hey, T., Here is my dad now. I am not proud of starting to lie to my parents, so here is my dad. Dad, the phone is for you. It is… it is Mr. Thomas A. Jones III.

Dr. Hines said, Hello.

Hi, sir, this is Thomas A. Jones III. I would like to have your approval to come by to see Charli and meet you and your wife.

It will not be a good idea, son, now or ever. I would appreciate it if you would not call this house again. Dr. Hines then proceeded to place the receiver on the hook.

T. said, The nerve of that man to disrespect me and hang up the phone in my face. This is far from being over. I have handled tougher men than him.

Charli knew it was going to be a long night and so she could not wait until Monday to go back to class. She usually enjoyed her weekends with her parents, but they were keeping something from her that she did not like and she wanted answered. Charli decided to conduct some research and Google the Thomas Corporation and learn some new things about T. His family were multimillionaires, and he was sole heir to his grandfather’s estate. His grandfather’s name was also Thomas A. Jones. Charli thought that his dad’s name was probably Thomas also. T. had traveled the world and been involved in the business since he was fifteen years old. He was smart, bright, and very intelligent. He was one of the most handsome guys in the world, according to the magazine Who’s Who and other magazines. He was on the cover of Time, Ebony, Essence, Enterprise, Veranda, and Architecture Design. Vogue had conducted a cover story on him, listing him as best-dressed businessman for 2012–2013. He knew two other languages, Italian and Japanese, as these countries were their largest consumers. The article stated that he was the youngest businessman in the world, and he was on a fast pace of keeping the family no. 1. He had graduated top of his high school class and went straight to college. He was a graduate from Yale University with honors in three years. He was the only child of Esther and Thomas A. Jones II. They had received their undergraduate from the University of Virginia.

Charli said, Maybe that was it, they knew his parents from long ago. Because from everything else she had read about this family and T., there was nothing else. But sometimes families have secrets that no one but the family knew. Charli wanted to know, so she planned to start her own investigation. She would ask her mother later.

Dinner in the Hines home was never quiet, but tonight, no one was talking, laughing, nor smiling. A negative vibe had entered their home, and Charli did not like it. They all ate in silence after Dr. Hines blessed the food. When dinner was almost over, Charli asked her parents if she could speak.

They looked at her and replied in unison, Yes, you may.

She began to cry and apologized for causing negativity into their home. She replied that she should not have gone to the ballroom dance if she knew tonight that her parents would be so angry at one another and with her at dinner. The Hines family always had good communication with one another, and they were very close and loved one another.

But tonight we are sitting here as if we are strangers in a foreign land. Dad, Mom, talk to me, remarked Charli. If you do not want me to see T., then fine, I won’t, but please do not shut me out. We are a loving family and have always been able to talk about everything. You taught me to be respectable and to love. I am growing up now and you taught me to make my own decisions, but this is hurting me now. Please talk to me.

Dr. and Mrs. Hines looked at one another and then at Charli. Dr. Hines stated, "You are right, Charli, we have taught you a lot in your life and have helped you grow up so fast. You are a very respectable and caring young lady. We cannot shelter you any longer, but we need to allow you to grow at the pace we helped you reach. You matured at an early age. We love you, and we want what is best for you. We will continue to allow you to grow on your own. And respect us in the process.

Charli, you are our only child whom we are well pleased. So if we decide to continue to protect you, it’s because we love you dearly. We have always wanted and still want the best for your life. Please bear with us, Charli, as we work through this as this is new to all of us. You have grown up so fast, a senior in high school at fifteen. Yes, we are proud of you. Then we hope you are off to college and make more decisions in your life. We pray that you continue placing your goals first and always follow your heart. You have accomplished so much in such a short time. We are happy for you and celebrate with you as your parents. Dr. Hines became silent and looked at his wife. He turned the conversation from Charli to his wife.

He looked into her eyes and stated, We love you, Charli. He spoke to his wife in a calm voice as he looked deep into her eyes. Honey, I am so sorry that I was not open with you.

Mrs. Hines looked at her husband with love in her eyes. They both forgot that Charli was in the room and continued speaking with each other. Dr. Hines stood up and grabbed his wife’s hand. He began kissing her passionately and caressing her back. He looked into her eyes and stated, Forgive me for my angry outbursts. I love you and never meant to hurt you or Charli with my words. You are my life and I love you dearly. Charli could see that her parents needed to be alone, so she excused herself and went upstairs.

She thanked God that she was able to speak out and help her parents. She was thankful that they had taught her about love and how she should love God first and love our neighbor as ourselves; that included praying for our enemies. She knew her parents loved her, and she wanted to please them and continue doing right before them and God. But she could not keep her mind off T. She replied, Oh my, those beautiful green eyes and that long pretty hair. She imagined her fingers rubbing through his curls and how she would love to braid it. She freshened up and lay across the bed with a book. She knew she would not speak with her parents again tonight as she always respected their privacy. She loved seeing them caress and be intimate with one another. They have never been ashamed to share love in front of her. She remembered her dad stating how beautiful her mother was and how he was blessed the day they met. He considered her the smartest woman in the world. For her also, he was the last gentleman that walked the earth.

Charli had fallen asleep while reading the book. She was awakened by her mother’s touch on the shoulder. Mrs. Hines had knocked several times and then entered the room. She respected her daughter a lot, and they were very close. They spoke about everything like sisters. Mrs. Hines asked, Charli, can we talk before you go to bed?

Charli replied, Sure, Mom. I really did not expect to see you until tomorrow.

Everything is great with me and your dad. He is fine. I took good care of him, and he is asleep right now. But don’t think that things are so great with him seeing you fall for this Thomas guy. She did not want her darling daughter to think she had forgotten about her.

But I am here on behalf of your father and me. So let me hear all about your night with Mr. Jones.

Well, Mom, what is so bad about T.?

There is nothing in your eyes. Charli, am I right? Do you really know him and are you in love already?

Mom, I don’t know him, but I would like to get to know him if I can with your blessing.

We are going to have to pray on that one. I know how overprotected your dad is over you, so we will see. And, Charli, I know what love looks like. You see, I too was young and in love with your dad at an early age, but trust me, it was not easy. We dealt with many trials and tribulations. Honey, love is patient. You have to know for sure this is what you want and can handle it all. Tell me about your ballroom dance. She asked her the same question: Are you in love, Charli?

Mom, how could you say that? We just met.

I know what love looks like and the way you and that boy looked at each other and had no fear from your dad. Your dad shared with me that you looked at him like you could not wait to see each other again. So get to talking, young lady.

The ballroom dance was one of the most memorable times I have had in a long time. We had so much fun. Charli looked at her mom and smiled so big. "The ballroom was set up so beautifully with different decorations. It included those huge balls of lights and flowers in every corner. The music was set to the right tone, and everyone seems happy except for me. I guess I was expecting too much when I arrived. I didn’t dance for two hours. I almost called Dad several times to come pick us up. There was no one there that I wanted to dance with. It was so boring. Shannon was having a good time, and she was the main reason I didn’t call our ride back. The boys were immature, and no one there interested me.

"After two hours of sitting, I rose and went to the bathroom. When I came out, there was this tall gentleman standing at the door, and he said, ‘Excuse me, may I have this dance?’ There were numerous girls coming and going to the bathroom, so I kept walking because I actually didn’t know he was talking to me. When I reached my chair, he walked up to me and said, ‘Excuse me, but I noticed you for the last hour and finally got the nerve to come and ask you to dance.’

When I finally looked up, I could not speak, and he placed his hand in mine and repeated the question. I thought I was dreaming because I could not speak for the first time in my life. The room became very dark, and the lights seemed to shine on him and me only.

Mrs. Hines looked at Charli, smiled, and said, Too many romance books.

"Yes, that is exactly what I was thinking to myself, where did this handsome guy come from. I finally stood up and allowed him to guide me to the dance floor. He was a good dancer. He taught me some new steps, and he allowed me to catch up before he would advance into them. We danced through five songs before speaking. We didn’t need to speak because it seems as though our bodies spoke for us. Mom, he was a true gentleman, and he danced with me as if we had been partners all our lives. After the fifth dance, he asked me if I was tired. He said we should have a seat as he didn’t want to keep me from the other guys or tire me out before they got a chance to dance with me.

I looked at him and just smiled. I almost laughed out loud. But I think he understood when I began to walk toward my seat. He was right behind me. Once we got to our seats, he asked me if I would mind going into the back room so we could speak more privately. I said yes, if he could be trusted. He replied that his parents raised a true gentleman. So we went in the back room. There was a lot of light, and he was a true gentleman. Mom, I need you to please have an open mind before I share the rest of the story.

I have one question, Charli. Are you still a virgin?

Mom, I am appalled that you think that your only beloved daughter would have sex at a ballroom dance with the first most handsome, fine, intelligent gentleman she met. Well, to answer your question, the answer is yes. I am.

Well, because you are right, he is handsome, and I do not want you to move too fast.

Mom, we did kiss though.

Mrs. Hines