“Hey, Ivy over here,” one of her bridesmaids screamed as she walked pass the bar.
“Hey, girl,” Ivy said nearly exhausted from the crowd.
“Hey, we didn’t think that you were going to make it.”
“Well, there was a slight change in plans.”
“Either way, we’re glad that you’re here. “
“Where is Trina?” she asked sitting down on at the small black booth with the rest of her friends.
“Trina is on her way. It must have been a while since you got the chance to go out?” her friend said examining Ivy’s outfit.
Without further explanation of why she was so overly dressed, Ivy just looked up in agreement. “Yeah, it’s been a while.”
“Well, we are definitely going to give you a wonderful homecoming tonight,” her friend said wrapping her arm around Ivy. “Tonight, it’s about you!”
“Tell me about it,” Ivy said laughing as she took a shot of vodka.
***
On the other side of town, Grey pulled into the crowded lot of the Black Tie and looked at his watch. His friends had already taken their seats and were probably already watching the show. Taking the handful of twenty-dollar bills from his wallet and placing them in his glove compartment for fear of naked pickpockets, he sprayed his cologne and headed inside. He could hear the music coming from inside as he walked down the red carpet to the VIP line and showed his platinum card to the Bouncer.
“Good to see you again, Mr. Henderson,” a petite black woman in a sequence black dress said as she opened the door for him
“Thank you, Miriam. It’s good to be back.”
As he walked through the coat check, a woman took his sports coat and gave him a ticket. Opening another the door the main hall, he inhaled the familiar aroma of thick cigar and cigarette smoke mingling with many perfumes and natural feline odors that was a signature scent at the Black Tie. Home, he thought to himself while admiring a naked vixen dancing on top of the bar. He was surprised to find, however, that only two of the six men that were supposed to meet tonight were at their reserved table.
“I hope I’m not too late,” he said sitting down in the leather-secluded booth.
“Not at all. Nobody showed up.” Mattock said turning up his small shot of peppermint schnapps.
“Why not?”
“Well, John said that his wife wanted to spend a little quality time with him before he left for Panama. Robert is making up with his girlfriend from that last fight they had about him hanging out at the Black Tie. LeGarius was too tired to come out, and Frank said he still owed one of these girls three hundred dollars from last Saturday night,” Mattock said sympathetically.
Grey’s other friend, Mark, answered before he looked at his watch. “And I have to leave in about thirty minutes.”
“What about you Mattock,” Grey asked disappointed.
“Oh, I plan to stay for a little while but not too long. I’m suppose to meet Dana for a night cap.”
“A night cap?” Grey looked at Mark. “Is that what they’re calling it now.”
“Mattock reminds me of some old English professor,” Mark pulled at Mattock’s blue bow tie and laughed.
“Tell me about it. Damn, do you know anything at all about the Black experience?” Grey waived at a waitress. “You make me need a drink.”
“Well, quiet honestly, I’ve always been extremely comfortable with my blackness.” Mattock became annoyed. “I just don’t wear Fubu, eat fried chicken and drive a customized Cadillac like you would suggest.”
“You should try it,” Mark suggested hastily. “Your dick may grow.”
“Yeah, well you should try reading a book. You may develop more than one brain cell.” Mattock flipped Mark the bird.
While Grey listened to his friends make fun of each other, he became extremely depressed. Mattock was going to meet his lady friend, his four other friends refused to leave their lady friends and the only reason Mark wasn’t at home was because he didn’t have a lady friend but was probably going to hook up with someone from the Black Tie tonight.
As Grey took his drink from the waitress, he thought back over the evening and remembered Ivy leaving him at the table. It was a stupid move to push her away, but not just tonight. It was stupid to push her away so long ago. There was a time when she would have stayed and tolerated him until the end. It was all that she knew to do. She loved him that much then.
Looking down into the glass, Grey felt a great sorrow overwhelm him. He would never get her back now. The innocent young girl she used to be was gone and a remarkable yet mysterious woman had formed in her place. A woman who looked for love instead of letting it find her, who went to other men when the one she was with could not provide, who demanded love or loneliness. But Ivy was his creation. God had given him an angel, pure and pristine, but he was too blind to see it. It was the curse of man to search for something that he had already found. It was in his very nature to ignore the obvious for fear that the hidden would be clearer in its truths. .
“Are you alright?” Mattock asked concerned.
“I’m fine,” Grey said looking up. He finally realized that his silence was the loudest sound in the building. “Get out of here and go visit, Amber,” he said touching Mattock’s shoulder. “Don’t make her wait on you for our sake.”
“Are you sure that you’re okay,” Mark said choking on his drink.
“He’s just fine.” Mattock smiled at Grey proudly. “I think I will get out here. After all, these women don’t want me, because I don’t plan on spending one red cent on them.”
Grey laughed. “We are definitely sitting with the smartest man in the Black Tie tonight, gentlemen.”
“Well, they can have all of my money,” Mark said throwing a twenty-dollar bill at a woman as she walked past.
“Do you want a private dance, baby?” she asked stopping in her tracks to bend over and pick up the money.
“Yes, maim. I want everything you’re willing to allow me to pay for,” Mark said rubbing her leg. “And I do mean everything.”
“Well, come right this way,” she said offering her hand.
“Grey, Mattock, I’ll see ya’ll later,” Mark said taking his drink with him.
“He has no restraint,” Mattock said shaking his head. “Look, I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Alright.” Grey said relieved that Mattock was leaving.
“You sure that you’ll be okay?”
“I’ll be fine. I’m just going to have a drink,” Grey said pushing Mattock. “Now, get out of here.”
Chapter Thirty-One:
Opportunity Knocks
Chapter 31
OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS
“Welcome to the Black Tie,” Miriam said kissing the gentlemen as they entered the sexual sanctuary.
It was most amazing thing that Santo had ever laid eyes on in his entire life. It was an investor’s dream and a freak’s playhouse. The Black Tie. His mouth dropped to the ground as the woman took his coat and kissed him on the cheek. New customers always received special treatment, and they were recognizable by the Black Tie pin the doorkeeper placed on them. He had only made it through coat check when he discovered that there wasn’t a place like the Black Tie on the earth. Opening the door to the dark room filled with hanging crystal chandeliers, hundreds of scented candles, wine colored walls draped in velvet and so many scantily dressed and naked women he couldn’t’ begin to count.
The music blasted in Santo’s ears; the darkness made it hard to see; the smoke nearly chocked him; the perfume intoxicated him, and the women vexed him. Hitting his brother’s arm, his eyes were wide and wild with unspeakable thoughts. He was already fighting an erection and a curious desire to have sex in this exotic and erotic palace.
“This is unbelievable,” Santo screamed as a young topless blonde in a pair of black leather thongs and black leather stiletto boots escorted them to Nicola’s usual seat.
“Calm down, man. The night hasn’t e
ven begun. You’ve still got the midnight show and the kitty call.”
“What’s that?” he asked still watching the woman’s behind.
“What?”
“The kitty call?” He could barely hear himself over the music.
“You’ll see,” Nicola said smiling at a few of the women he knew better than the rest.
“I see why you won’t leave Memphis,” Santo screamed sitting down in Nicola’s booth.
“What would you gentlemen like to drink, tonight,” the waitress asked walking over as soon as they were seated.
“Jack and Coke,” Nicola said pulling out his platinum VIP card. “Charge it to my account.”
“Yes, sir. And for your cute twin?” she asked smiling deviously at Santo.
“I’ll have you,” Santo said slyly.
“And to drink,” she said leaning over the table so that he could examine her ample breast more closely.
“Scotch…on the rocks,” Santo made a quick sweep of the room.
As the waitress walked off, Nicola hit his brother on the back of the head, “Shop before you buy, Santo. If that excites you, then you’re probably going to have a heart attack before the night is over.”
“They get better?”
“That is a nickel. The dimes don’t come out for another half hour,” Nicola said as a group of women approached his booth. “Speaking of which, here comes some warm up girls.”
“Yeah, I need to warm up,” Santo said pulling his wallet out.
“What are you doing? Put that up. No money before service. Keep your wallet put up until you get exactly what you want. Make them work for it.” Nicola had played the game a million times, but tonight he was just a host to his horny brother. He had no desire to be toyed with or even fulfilled.
“Hey Nicola,” a red head in an overly exaggerated cheerleading skirt said as she sat on his lap. “We’ve missed you. Where have you been?” She rubbed threw his hair.
“Hey, Carmen. I’ve been busy,” he said shifting her off of his penis. “Ladies, this is of course my twin brother, Santo. He’s here from Miami. I thought you all could show him a good time while he is visiting our fair city. You know, give him a little real southern hospitality.”
“I love that there’s two of you,” another red head said sitting on Santo’s lap. “Can we have you both?” She giggled infectiously as she felt Santo’s erection.
“Oh, you know I don’t get down like that,” Nicola said trying to hide his sudden blush. “But I’m sure that Santo would be really obliged to have you all to himself.”
“Okay,” a third girl said rubbing in Santo’s hair. “Well, follow us, and we’ll get started,” she said looking at the red head that was on Nicola’s lap.
“Are you sure that you don’t want to come?” Carmen asked one last time as she shifted back over Nicola looking for some signs of excitement and finding none.
“I’m sure. Can’t you tell?” he said moving her once more.
“Okay,” she said bouncing down. “Who should we charge this little warm up to?”
“My platinum card will cover the fee. He’ll cover the extras,” Nicola said giving Santo his card. “Don’t loose this.” He looked at his brother sternly. “Keep your eyes on these lovely ladies at all times. Some of them have very sticky fingers.”
“Oh, I will,” Santo said pulling away from the girl biting on his ear.
“We’ll be back,” Carmen said looking at Nicola as she pulled on Santo.
“I’m sure,” Nicola said sipping on his Jack and Coke.
It was into Nicola’s fifth drink that he realized that Grey was across the room in his own booth visibly drunk and staring off into space. Nicola sat there for a moment watching Grey. The sight was comforting and yet disappointing. He wanted so much more for Ivy than that…than him. At most Grey was over his head with Ivy. He didn’t know how to treat a real woman. He didn’t even know how to treat himself. Anger start to rise in the bottom of his stomach, but he was forced to suppress it when he thought of his sons. Maybe Grey wasn’t so bad. After all, he had allowed him to maintain contact with the most important people in his life. He could hear what Brooks would have said in the back of his mind. “What if the shoe was on the other foot, and you were Grey? How many times would you have let Grey see his sons before you skipped town with your family and never looked back?” Nicola’s answer was simple. Grey would have never seen the boys or Ivy again. Yep, he thought as he belched. Grey wasn’t so bad at all.
“We’ve got to come back here before I leave,” Santo said sitting down in the booth.
“You’re finally back, huh?” Nicola hit Santo on the back. “Did you have fun?”
“Too much. Has the show started?”
“You’ve got about ten minutes,” Nicola said looking down at his watch.
“Good, I didn’t want to miss anything.” Santo wiggled around in his seat like a happy child.
Just as Nicola was settling in to watch the kitty call with his brother, out the corner of his eye, he saw Grey stand up and fall down knocking down bottles of beer on the grown. Nicola stood stunned, watching a few waitresses run over to aid him. He wanted to turn around at ignore him, but something would not let him.
“I’ll be back,” Nicola said to Santo excusing himself quietly.
As Nicola walked up to Grey, their eyes met and a shock of discomfort struck through both of them causing them to hesitate in their steps. But Nicola continued. Taking a deep breath he stopped in front of Grey and smiled.
“How you doing tonight, Grey,” he asked observing Grey up close now and absolutely sure that he didn’t need to drive home.
“I’m doing pretty good.” Grey’s words were slurred and lightly coated with a hint of venom. “I’m having a great pre-bachelor party.” He stumbled a little as he began to walk.
“Well, are you headed home?”
“Yeah. It’s getting late, and it’s nothing that we haven’t seen here, right?” He hit Nicola’s arm.
“You’re going home to Ivy like this?” Grey’s state concerned Nicola more now.
“No. I’m going home to an empty house like this. Ivy is out having a grand ole time without me.” Grey mumbled untranslatable words under his breath. “What happened to her, to the woman that she used to be? Huh? Do you know, because I don’t know what the hell we’ve created?” He looked confused at Nicola begging for some understanding.
“I don’t know who she used to be,” Nicola said seeing sadness in Grey that made it hard for him to hate him.
“I knew her. She used to need me,” Grey said wiping his mouth, sulking in his drunken pity. “She used to hang on to my every word. But not anymore.” He shook his head furiously and smacked his lips. “You took everything from me, Agooostooo.”
“You have her back now, Grey. You won.” Nicola said sitting beside him.
“No, Nicola. You won. Don’t you see? You have the children. So, you’ll always have ties to the mother. And she’ll always have ties to you.” Grey sat up disoriented, vision blurred, words slurred. “Nope. I don’t have my Ivy anymore. I’ve got your Ivy, and I’m not sure that I even want her anymore…one week from the wedding.”
“You’re just drunk. Tomorrow, you’ll feel better and,” Nicola sighed. “It’ll all be better.”
“Where are my keys?” Grey asked hitting his pants pockets as he stood up, wobbling from side to side. “I’m going to go on and get out of here.”
“You don’t look like you need to be driving.” Nicola instantly recognized the inebriated state that Grey was in from his own many late nights at the Black Tie.
“Look, damn it. I’m fine,” Grey said spinning around and falling to the ground in a drunken haze. Hitting his head on the table, he touched his head and leaned against the booth.
“Is he alright?” an on looker asked curiously.
“He’s fine,” Nicola said picking him up. “He’s just had a little too much to drink.”
This was a moment
of truth for Nicola. If he wanted Ivy and his children all to himself without the competition, he could allow this man to stumble to his car and in the morning put his black suit in the cleaners for what was promising to be a very emotional social event. But if he wanted to truly see Ivy happy, he would either call a cab or take Grey home himself, insuring his safety for another day.
Putting Grey’s arm around his shoulder, Nicola helped Grey up and decided that selfishness had its paybacks and selflessness had its rewards. It was time to give her up. It was time to let the bitterness go and move on for real this time. Setting Grey at a booth closer to the door, he left for a moment and went back to his brother.
“Hey Santo,” he said pulling out his keys.
“Yeah,” Santo said barely taking his eyes off of the catwalk. “You gotta love these girls.”
“Look, I’ve got to cut out of here for a moment. You don’t mind, do you?”
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“A guy I know needs some help getting home.”
“Sure.” Santo hesitated. “Are you sure, you aren’t leaving with a woman?” A sly smile crossed his face. “Getting a little kitty before the kitty call?”
“Positive.” Nicola laughed. “Do you remember how to get home?”
“Yeah. It’s basically a straight shot, right? I got Mt. Moriah to I-240 and that will lead me downtown.”
“Yeah. Just call me on my cell, if you get lost or too drunk.”
“Oh, you know I’ve never been a heavy drinker. Besides, I don’t want to miss one minute of this.”
Ivy's Twisted Vine Redux Page 42
