Take a look at the stories inside It Happened One Homecoming. . .
Story One — It’s Time For Us
She is . . .
Shauna Carter is a fashion designer getting ready to launch her signature line of fashion, but before she puts on her fashion show, she has to celebrate her classmate’s second chance at happily ever after. She didn’t expect to run – chest first—into the groomsman who she was quietly crushing on when she was an undergraduate at Johnson C. Smith University, a HBCU in Charlotte, North Carolina.
He is. . .
Michael “Mike” Broussard has one regret in life and that’s letting Shauna Carter get away. Sure, he was a notorious playboy in college, but that was only because he knew he couldn’t be the partner that Shauna deserved. But times have changed and he’s ready to show her that now is the time for them to make that move to be together.
Shauna Carter wasn’t a fan of-weddings, but when her college friend Clinton Harrington invited her to his second shot at matrimony, she had to go. For one, she knew it was going to be an epic party and a chance to reconnect with other classmates who she hadn’t seen since their last reunion five years ago. The class of 1999 was a historic bunch and though they didn’t keep in constant contact. But when it came to big milestones, they showed up and showed out. And since Shauna was launching a line of haute couture fashion, going to a wedding gave her the chance to be the billboard for her brand. Cameras would be everywhere and her gold halter dress with a high low hem and hand sewn bead work around the bodice and neckline made a huge statement. She didn’t just look good, she was stunning. All she could hope for was that the right people with good taste would love her outfit and want her to take their money.
Pulling into the Crystal Room’s parking lot, Shauna smiled when she spotted her classmate, Gregory Hoffman walking toward the entrance.
“Greg,” she called out after getting out of the car.
He turned around and smiled at her. They had been friends since they met in the introduction to computer science class during their sophomore year. Greg had sat beside her and proceeded to copy her notes. She crossed over to him. “Where’s your much better half?”
“Our little girl was feeling under the weather today, so she had to stay home. But I couldn’t miss my boy’s big day.”
“Right,” she said. “I can’t believe Clinton is doing it again.”
Greg nodded. “Once is enough for me. If something ever happens with me and Kayla, I’m returning to my college ways.”
“You know you don’t have the same knees you had back then. You might want to make your marriage work. Because it’s hard out here in these streets.”
“That’s the plan,” he said then gave her a questioning look. “But you’re still single? How, Shaun?”
“We’re not going there. Don’t be that married guy,” she said.
“What do you mean?”
“Thinking the whole world needs to be married to find happiness and joy. Granted, you and Kayla make it look easy and y’all are couples’ goals. But I have other things going on. Look at me, you know who made this dress?”
Greg tilted his head to the side and nodded. “You did this? All right now.”
She spun around. “Sure did. And I’m having a real woman fashion show, so tell Kayla to call me. She has to be in the show.”
“Oh yeah,” he said. “She was saying that she followed you on Instagram and you had some really nice clothes over there.”
“This is my year to make my mark on couture fashion,” she said. “It would’ve been nice if Clinton’s future wife had allowed me to design her wedding dress, but she wasn’t feeling it. I don’t think she likes me,” Shauna said as they walked into the venue.
“Why, because you used to mess with her man or something.”
“Umm, no. Big Boy and I have always been friends. And for the record, he’s never been my type. Y’all football dudes were mean.”
“I resent that. Our team wasn’t that good and y’all didn’t have any sympathy or empathy for us.” Greg snapped his fingers. “Especially that damned Lily.”
Shauna started laughing. Their friend, Lily Graham, had been the sports editor of the student newspaper and she didn’t hesitate to call out the football team after every loss. And they lost a lot. Shauna had been surprised that Greg and Lily became friends, then she found out the Lily had been helping some of the football players with their research papers to make up for her columns. But when the quarterback–who was known for his interceptions–needed help, Lily took his whole work study check to rewrite his paper.
“Where’s her mean ass anyway?” Greg asked with a laugh.
“Last week she in Lagos. This week, who knows. After her divorce, she sold her house and started traveling the world to write. It’s worked out for her because she stays on the New York Times bestseller’s list.”
Greg shook his head. “That sounds like something she would do. Can’t say that I was surprised she cut old boy loose.”
Shauna laughed sardonically. He had no idea how desperately Lily wanted her marriage to work but there was only so much she could take. It all came crashing down when her ex told her that she needed to get a real job. He could’ve said anything else but that. Writing was Lily’s calling. When she’d gotten a seven-figure deal to write a mystery series, it came at the right time, the moment she’d signed those divorce papers. That loser wouldn’t get a dime from her.
Shauna always thought Dominic Thomas and Lily didn’t fit, but she hated how hurt her friend had been over him. Not that anyone else knew. And Lily would kill her if she shared that story.
“You know the best love stories were made on our campus,” Greg said with a smile.
“Yeah, if you were lucky. We all can’t be you and Kayla.”
“Homecoming is coming up, you never know what could happen on the hallowed grounds of JCSU,” he said.
“I hope I get some orders for my new line other than that, I have no expectations,” Shauna said as she patted her thick auburn hair.
Greg shrugged as they made their way inside. The ushers handed them purple and white programs then pointed them toward a pair of empty seats.
Shauna sat down and studied the names on the program. One stood out, Michael Broussard.
She nudged Greg and showed him his former teammate’s name. “Michael Broussard is in the wedding and you’re not?”
“Damn, I have seen Mike B in years. I think he moved to Raleigh and got into cybersecurity after he left IBM.”
Shauna nodded, thinking back to junior year of college when Lily and Asia King, swore Michael had a crush on her. But he was so quiet, and she never paid it any attention.
So, why was she thinking about it now? Damn you, Greg for talking all that love story shit.
* * *
Michael Broussard waited for his moment to walk down the aisle and wondered why he’d agreed to this groomsman shit in the first place. Because Clint asked. So, what he’d broken up with the woman he’d thought was going to be Mrs. Broussard two weeks ago and she was supposed to be his plus one for the wedding. He was fine. Today was about Clint’s second chance at love. Mike smiled and fell in line with the other groomsmen. Leave it to Clint to have the brothers of Omega stroll in as if they were still stomping the yard at Johnson C. Smith University, the historically Black college where he met his brothers and some other lifelong friends.
But unlike his parents, who had attended JCSU in the 1970s, he graduated without a wife or even a steady girlfriend. Things were different in the 1990s, people were focused on careers and futures that didn’t include marriages, at least in his experience. When he told that to his parents, his mother called bullshit. Truth was, he never had the guts to go after the one who got away. And –was that Shauna Carter? Michael almost tripped but he corrected his step and smiled a little brighter. Who knew she would be here looking like a whole damn snack wrapped in gold?
As the groomsmen made it to the alter and then the bridesmaids, representing the pretty girls with twenty pearls made their way down the aisle. When he’d arrived in Charlotte for practice and met the bridesmaids he’d been open to a little wedding fling. Mike knew how weddings affected women and he wasn’t going to turn down wedding booty. Glancing at the woman he would be escorting down the aisle, he realized that she was pretty, but she was no Shauna Carter. And they hadn’t connected enough for him to even think she’d give him a dance, let alone a blowjob.
Moments later, Destiny Samuels walked down the aisle in her ivory gown, glowing as a bride should. Mike was happy for his friend, for putting his heart on the line for a second time and finding love again. That was Mike’s fatal flaw, allowing . . .No, he wasn’t going to think about that today. He wanted to send good vibes to his friend and his new wife. He wanted nothing but happiness for Clint and Destiny—for the rest of their lives.
The ceremony was quicker than he’d expected. It took fifteen minutes for Clint and Destiny to be pronounced husband and wife.
He and the bridesmaids danced down the aisle to the tune of Candy Rain by Soul For Real. How ironic, that was the song playing the night he’d seen Shauna at the pool party.
JCSU had just lost homecoming. And it was an embarrassing lost, 55-7 against Shaw University. The last place Mike wanted to be was at a party. The defense and the offense let the Bulls down, but a loss wasn’t going to stop the homecoming celebration. Alumni had returned to the campus with top shelf liquor, food that tasted better than anything the cafeteria had to offer. That energy lit the campus like a Roman candle. Most of the offensive line had headed off campus to a party, but Mike let Clint talk him into going to the school’s pool party.
“I know you saw School Daze, bitches going to be in here half naked with low self-esteem who want to make us feel better with our dick in their mouth,” he said before they headed for the pool.
“And you wonder why you can’t find a woman,” he chastised.
“I’m looking for a good time, not a lifetime. You should follow my lead.”
Mike shook his head. “You’re going to be seventy and single, I’m good with that.” Checking himself out in the mirror, his bruise from the violent hit he’d laid on the opposing quarterback didn’t look that bad. Still, he grabbed a white tank top to hide the purple mark. “Let’s go,” he said.
The girls taking the entry fee waved them in. And Mike was glad. His blue speedos didn’t leave room for a wallet. As soon as they approached the pool, Candy Rain started blasting and every girl in the room jumped up and started dancing as if those brothers were singing just to them. And there she was. Shauna Carter in a black and white bathing suit. The way her suit clung to her curves as she moved to the beat of the song entranced him. He wanted to take her in his arms and sing off key in her ear. He’d wanted her since the day she walked into the computer lab chewing gum and dancing to whatever she was listening to on her Sony Discman. Her moves tonight were even more impressive.
Wait, her friend, the girl from New York was pointing at him. Now the whole trio was looking at him. Mike glanced down at his swim trunks and yep, he was giving her an erect salute. Mike headed for the door, feeling as if he was a middle school kid just learning that this stuff was natural.
Mike didn’t have a lot of regrets, but never exploring things with Shauna ranked up there with not buying Apple stock in the 1990s. Was today his chance to correct that mistake? It looked as if she was hanging with Greg, which was a good sign, that brother was so committed to his wife that a naked woman could hop on his lap, and he’d push her away. Mike wanted to make that kind of commitment to the right woman, and he’d thought he’d met her twice. However, he’d been wrong and decided that he had missed his opportunity in college. But look at opportunity knocking again.
* * *
Shauna yawned as she walked over to the bar with Greg. This was the part of weddings that she hated the most, the photos.
Yes, the couple want to put their memories in pictures and record the best moments of their lives, but damn it, she was hungry.
“What are you drinking, Shaun?” Greg asked.
“Something fruity. I’m not you and Lily, I don’t do that hard stuff.”
Greg laughed as he got a double scotch on the rocks and a pineapple vodka spritzer for Shauna.
“Where did you say Lily is?”
Shauna shrugged as she took a tentative sip of her drink. Oh, it was good. “She’s hard to keep up with. Out here living like she’s Carmen Sandiego.”
Greg drained his drink. “We should call her,” he said as he dug his phone out of his pocket and then ordered another drink.
“Don’t be surprised if she doesn’t answer,” Shauna said in between sips of her drink.
“Graham,” she heard Greg say. “Where are you? Me and Shauna at Clint’s wedding on our fifth drink. Let me put you on speaker.”
“I really hope y’all aren’t calling for help because I’m in Brazil,” Lily said. “Hey Shauna.”
“Hey girl. You don’t sit still at all do you?”
“Catch flights not feelings and I know you haven’t had five drinks,” Lily laughed. “Your lightweight ass would be on the floor.”
“She’s weak like that?” Greg questioned.
“Yes I am when it comes to five drinks,” Shauna said.
“Hey, I’m about to get on a boat, y’all have fun and I’ll see you guys at homecoming!”
And with that she was gone. Shauna laughed, wondering where in the hell Lily was going on a boat in Brazil. Shauna glanced at her gold watch and realized it had been an hour since the wedding ended. “How many pictures are they taking?” she whispered to Greg.
He shrugged. “Guess that means it’s time for another drink.”
“What the hell,” she said as they ordered another round. Two drinks later, which meant three for Shauna and five for Greg, it was time for the reception to start.
“I’m going to make sure you’re right up front to catch the bouquet,” Greg said, his words a little slurred. “Tonight, you’re going to find your husband.”
“Okay, Greg, you’re doing the most,” Shauna replied with a laugh.
They headed into the dining area and found their names on their assigned table. Shauna was happy that she would be sitting with someone she knew. Then their other table mates joined them. Two older couples and a pastor.
Shauna set her drink down as everyone started talking about how beautiful the wedding was and how lovely the bride was. She fought the urge to stand up and low key show off her dress because this wasn’t her party and the women at her table probably wouldn’t like her new line.
“Excuse me, where did you get that dress?” one of the women asked.
Shauna smiled. “I designed it.”
“You remind me of Diahann Carroll in that gold. Do you have a shop in the city?”
She shook her head, but reached into her purse and handed her new favorite person a business card. “This is my online boutique and I have all of my latest designs listed and you can join my mailing list for exclusive pop up shops.”
The woman took the card and smiled. “I don’t do a lot of online shopping, but I’m going to give this to my granddaughter.”
“Well, thank you.”
The woman turned to the other lady at the table. “Elizabeth, look at her dress. Now you could wear something like this to the gold and blue ball for homecoming.”
Greg smiled. “You all went to Smith?”
“Sure did,” the women said.
“We did too,” Greg said.
“Aww,” Elizabeth said. “All of us found love at JCSU.”
“Eh, no we didn’t,” Shauna said. “This is just my classmate.”
Elizabeth turned to the other woman. “Shirley, these young girls don’t know how to multitask anymore. You have to get the degree and the man. Two things can be true at the same time, you know.”
“Miss Elizabeth, they don’t make Smith men like they used to,” Shauna said.
Elizabeth laughed. “That’s why you must kiss a few frogs until you find your prince. Ain’t that right, Albert?”
He snorted then stroked Elizabeth’s hand. “You just weren’t paying attention. And I don’t want to hear about no damn frogs today.”
The preacher cleared his throat. “God’s time is always right on time. Look at Clinton, he finally got it right with my niece.”
“And didn’t they meet at JCSU as well?” Shirley said. “That place is so romantic.”
Shauna was about to roll her eyes when Greg hopped on the love train telling the older alumni how he met his wife at an intramural football game. Shauna needed another drink. Slowly rising from her seat, she felt good and not tipsy. Lightweight, ha! As she turned to head to the bar, she ran – literally—into Michael Broussard’s chest.
“Shauna? Shauna Carter?”
She looked into his chocolate brown eyes and smiled. “That’s me, Michael.”
Cheris Hodges 