Love Notes with Yulanda Mason
Romance Short Stories
About The Author
Yulanda Mason
Originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Yulanda Mason is a single mother of 3 beautiful children. By the suggestion of a friend Yulanda was encouraged to write a short story which evolved into her first book, Suite 69, due to be released in February 2009. Currently she is writing in the romance section of thefabulouswoman.com called Love Notes, and also working on her second book, an urban tale titled The Streets and Brooklyn. She currently works for the federal government and resides in Maryland.
Enjoy Other Great Stories
by Yulanda Mason
TFW Love Notes
Main Page
Someone To Watch Over Me
Jewell
Heat
Whispers
by Yulanda Mason
TFW Love Notes
Main Page
Someone To Watch Over Me
Jewell
Heat
Whispers
Someone To Watch Over Me
by Yulanda Mason
Three times a week I strapped on my running shoes to jog in Central Park. At least once a week for the past five months he ran beside me. The first time I noticed him I had been running with a girlfriend of mine. We were in the middle of stretches when I felt that sensation you get when you're being watched. I was bent at the knees as I turned my head in his direction. He stood under a huge tree watching. He fit in easily with the rest of the runners. He wore gray sweats and had his earphones in his ears. He was attractive in an unassuming way. The strange thing is his watching didn't make me uncomfortable, he held his gaze and nodded his head at me. I nodded my head in return as I stood upright.
"Okay, you ready?" Jessica asked.
"Yeah, I'm good." I replied.
We started our jog around the park. I couldn't help but turn my head to see if he was still there. He was. Still watching.
"Have you seen him here before?" I questioned Jess.
"Seen who?" she asked.
"That man under the tree."
"What man?" she laughed.
"Never mind." I replied as we continued around the curve.
The next time I saw him was a few days later. I was alone and stopped for a water break. He was coming from the opposite direction. As he approached a hint of a smile formed on his face. He nodded again as he ran by. I found myself smiling as well. A week later I saw him as I was finishing up my run. He wiped sweat from his brow as I admired how well toned his body was. I continued my laps. After a month of exchanging glances we fell into a pattern of head nods and laps without speaking. I'd get to the park at my usual time, do my stretches and begin my run. At some point he'd show up beside me and we'd do a few miles together. Neither one of us spoke. It was a comfortable silence that I wasn't going to be the first to break. After all the hours I spent with my students I enjoyed the quiet. Running had become a huge stress reliever for me.
After the first month of our routine he finally spoke.
"What's your name?"
"Faith."
"Pretty."
"Yours?"
"Jeff."
"Nice."
That was all that was said that day. Two weeks later he asked me about my job. I told him I was a teacher and I couldn't help but babble on about my students. We ran three miles as I told him about the class clowns and how much I looked forward to seeing my students despite how overworked and underpaid I was. He took it all in with a smile and told me I was doing the best job in the world. I asked him what he did for a living. He said he was a counselor, that he helped people get where they needed to be. Said he'd been doing it for the last five years and that he loved it.
We continued being running mates for the next few months. I found myself looking forward to my runs, more so for the time I was able to spend with my company. The fact that he wasn't the most talkative man in the world didn't alarm me at all. It was something about the penetrating way he looked at me, almost like he could see into my soul that made my heart skip a beat.
Five months later I started my jog alone. It happened this way often. I knew Jeff would fall in place beside me eventually. Today would be different though. About a mile into my run a man jumped out from behind a set of bushes, dragging me back with him. He was yelling at me to give him money that I didn't have. Out of anger he began to strike me. I fought with him but he soon overpowered me. The last thing I remembered was seeing Jeff struggling with the man as I passed out. When I awoke I was in the hospital. I could see Jeff speaking to the doctor in my room. I passed out again.
After two days of being in the hospital I was discharged. I had a concussion and a few minor scrapes and scratches. I wanted to thank Jeff for saving me so I asked the doctor that I saw him speaking to for his information. I was sure that he had to give his full name since he was the one who called the ambulance. The doctor confirmed that Jeff was the person who brought me to the emergency room but I hadn't arrived in an ambulance. He said the only information he had given was his name, Jeffrey Evans. I decided I would Google him when I got home so I could thank him for his bravery.
After a family member picked me up from the hospital and made sure I was well situated at home, I jumped on my laptop. I was eager to find Jeff's information. What I found would take my breath away. I didn't believe what I was reading so I checked three different sources. They all confirmed the same thing. According to the newspaper articles Jeffrey Evans had been murdered in Central Park in August of 2004. He had apparently been shot by a mugger and died on the scene. There was a picture of Jeff that accompanied the story. It was taken when having dinner with a few friends shortly before he died.
I thought back to one of the few conversations we had. He told me he was a counselor.
He told me that he helped people get where they needed to be...
And as it turned out... he was my guardian angel.
copyright Yulanda Mason 2009
by Yulanda Mason
Three times a week I strapped on my running shoes to jog in Central Park. At least once a week for the past five months he ran beside me. The first time I noticed him I had been running with a girlfriend of mine. We were in the middle of stretches when I felt that sensation you get when you're being watched. I was bent at the knees as I turned my head in his direction. He stood under a huge tree watching. He fit in easily with the rest of the runners. He wore gray sweats and had his earphones in his ears. He was attractive in an unassuming way. The strange thing is his watching didn't make me uncomfortable, he held his gaze and nodded his head at me. I nodded my head in return as I stood upright.
"Okay, you ready?" Jessica asked.
"Yeah, I'm good." I replied.
We started our jog around the park. I couldn't help but turn my head to see if he was still there. He was. Still watching.
"Have you seen him here before?" I questioned Jess.
"Seen who?" she asked.
"That man under the tree."
"What man?" she laughed.
"Never mind." I replied as we continued around the curve.
The next time I saw him was a few days later. I was alone and stopped for a water break. He was coming from the opposite direction. As he approached a hint of a smile formed on his face. He nodded again as he ran by. I found myself smiling as well. A week later I saw him as I was finishing up my run. He wiped sweat from his brow as I admired how well toned his body was. I continued my laps. After a month of exchanging glances we fell into a pattern of head nods and laps without speaking. I'd get to the park at my usual time, do my stretches and begin my run. At some point he'd show up beside me and we'd do a few miles together. Neither one of us spoke. It was a comfortable silence that I wasn't going to be the first to break. After all the hours I spent with my students I enjoyed the quiet. Running had become a huge stress reliever for me.
After the first month of our routine he finally spoke.
"What's your name?"
"Faith."
"Pretty."
"Yours?"
"Jeff."
"Nice."
That was all that was said that day. Two weeks later he asked me about my job. I told him I was a teacher and I couldn't help but babble on about my students. We ran three miles as I told him about the class clowns and how much I looked forward to seeing my students despite how overworked and underpaid I was. He took it all in with a smile and told me I was doing the best job in the world. I asked him what he did for a living. He said he was a counselor, that he helped people get where they needed to be. Said he'd been doing it for the last five years and that he loved it.
We continued being running mates for the next few months. I found myself looking forward to my runs, more so for the time I was able to spend with my company. The fact that he wasn't the most talkative man in the world didn't alarm me at all. It was something about the penetrating way he looked at me, almost like he could see into my soul that made my heart skip a beat.
Five months later I started my jog alone. It happened this way often. I knew Jeff would fall in place beside me eventually. Today would be different though. About a mile into my run a man jumped out from behind a set of bushes, dragging me back with him. He was yelling at me to give him money that I didn't have. Out of anger he began to strike me. I fought with him but he soon overpowered me. The last thing I remembered was seeing Jeff struggling with the man as I passed out. When I awoke I was in the hospital. I could see Jeff speaking to the doctor in my room. I passed out again.
After two days of being in the hospital I was discharged. I had a concussion and a few minor scrapes and scratches. I wanted to thank Jeff for saving me so I asked the doctor that I saw him speaking to for his information. I was sure that he had to give his full name since he was the one who called the ambulance. The doctor confirmed that Jeff was the person who brought me to the emergency room but I hadn't arrived in an ambulance. He said the only information he had given was his name, Jeffrey Evans. I decided I would Google him when I got home so I could thank him for his bravery.
After a family member picked me up from the hospital and made sure I was well situated at home, I jumped on my laptop. I was eager to find Jeff's information. What I found would take my breath away. I didn't believe what I was reading so I checked three different sources. They all confirmed the same thing. According to the newspaper articles Jeffrey Evans had been murdered in Central Park in August of 2004. He had apparently been shot by a mugger and died on the scene. There was a picture of Jeff that accompanied the story. It was taken when having dinner with a few friends shortly before he died.
I thought back to one of the few conversations we had. He told me he was a counselor.
He told me that he helped people get where they needed to be...
And as it turned out... he was my guardian angel.
copyright Yulanda Mason 2009