“Yes, you’d better enjoy it now Jayne. They may sleep with you, but he isn’t about to take you home to meet his folks,” Brionna added as she twisted in the seat, looking for the waitress.
Jayne watched her face closely as she shared the next bit of information. “I met his parents last night. You will never guess who his father is…” She paused for affect. “Hirishito Yamaguchi! He owns Hirishito’s.” Rashunda commented how she loved the food there. Tamika was complementary on the sushi bar and wine selections. Brionna seemed to fill up with rage.
“Oh, aren’t you the lucky one?”
“Bri, is everything okay with you?” Jayne asked.
“Yes,” she said as she snapped at the waitress for being too slow. “I’m just saying, all of a sudden, you go all interracial, when there are good black men out there who work hard to provide for their families. Good black men who are looking for a good black woman.”
“They are so hard to find Bri. I know what you are saying and I agree, but this man makes me happy.” She looked at each of them. “I love him.”
“Yeah, but does he love you back Jayne?” Tamika wanted to know.
The internal smile that she woke up with now radiated through her pores. “He presented me to his parents as the woman he has chosen to share his life with.” The waitress returned with their orders. Brionna snapped at the server again. “I expect you to take 10% off the checks for your slowness.”
“Calm down Bri. What is going on with you?” Jayne was truly concerned now and wanted to understand what this was all about.
Brionna stabbed a piece of chicken in her salad with the fork. “Ain’t a damned thing wrong with me! I am just wondering what the hell is wrong with you! An Asian man, Jayne! Really? You sit here and rub it in our faces that his father is wealthy and he is a professor. Like what our men do isn’t good enough!”
For Jayne, this was entirely too much. Especially from a friend that she had supported unconditionally through years of bad relationships. It was one of those rare moments in her life when she truly wanted to curse a bitch out. She was going to, just in her nice nasty way.
“Surely, you must be joking Brionna! After years of parading homeboy after thug in front of us as your next project in the black man renaissance?”
“Black man renaissance, Jayne? Don’t make me start cussin’!” Brionna said as she picked up her iced tea, splashing the brown liquid on the table.
“Cuss all you want to, but it isn’t going to change shit. Not now, not tomorrow, or next year,” Jayne said as she pointed her finger at her. Rashunda and Tamika’s eyes got wide. “It is your choice of who shares your life Bri and we have been supportive. Don’t get mad at me because my man works behind a lectern and yours behind a garbage truck! You sat with us, talking shit and bragging about him going places on his job and moving up. Hell, he has nowhere else to go but up! If he went down, he would be working at the dump site.”
Tamika’s eyes were wide and Rashunda put her hand on Jayne’s arm, shaking her head at her as if to scold her. “Don’t try to scold me like I’m a child Rashunda! The man works in my grandmother’s neighborhood and has for the past five years. Everyone in the neighborhood knows him. If you want to scold anyone, you should be scolding her for not being honest. He’s going places my ass! He sure is! Around the next corner to pick up a load of someone’s trash! We don’t judge you! Why the hell are you judging me?”
Brionna reached for her purse to get up and leave, but Jayne was galloping at a full sprint and headed for home plate. “Sit your silly ass down!” Brionna jumped at the harshness of the tone that came from Jayne. “I am your friend and you are mine. You will either tell us what is bothering you or if you walk away, you can forget calling me with your sad ass apology for being such a witch. Now, what is this all about?”
Brionna, now in tears, held her head low. “Tyrone dumped me! He said I was trying to change who he was and that if I couldn’t accept him as he is, then he wanted nothing else to do with me.”
The circle of trust was reopened as Jayne, Tamika and Rashunda encircled their friend, showering her with consolations. Words of encouragement were issued as the four put their heads together to come up with a plan to help her win back Tyrone.
Chapter 27
Toshi arrived at Farmhaus Burger’s on Broad Street to meet the guys for lunch. The turning of his stomach and the unsettled nerves put him in an odd mood, which his friends immediately picked up on.
“I am not sure what is going on with me guys, but I think I need all three of you to go with me to the jewelry store.”
Phở wanted to know why and a wide eyed Toshi answered. “I need you guys to make sure that I don’t buy everything up in that motherf…..”
“Whoa,” Raheem said, cutting Toshi off. They were more surprised by his use of language, since he rarely if ever, cursed. “Is it that serious?”
Toshi’s head hung low. “The flame burned hot and it burned true. It even burned blue. I am so in trouble. Man, she had to make me move off of her.”
Raheem laughed. “Were you squashing her, or just didn’t want to let go?”
Toshi, almost ashamed admitted. “No, I just wanted her to hold me.”
Laughter went around the table for their friend, who still had not raised his head. “I am thinking about going to the bank on Monday to get a loan.”
Felix piped up. “How big of a ring are you planning to buy her, four carats?”
“No and what… make her a target? Have you seen her hands? Jayne is a small woman. What would she do with four carats?” He paused for a brief second to collect his thoughts. “I want to buy her a house with a painting studio,” Toshi said softly without barely believing he was uttering the words.
He looked up at his friends. His face riddled with confusion. “What is wrong with me? I feel all funny inside, guys.”
Raheem answered somberly. “You, my friend, are in love.”
His eyebrows shot up, his forehead crinkled, and his nose snorted contempt for Raheem’s words. “Is that what this is? This feeling that has been hovering over me all morning?”
His friends bobbed their heads as if the Dali Lama had just spoken an absolute truth. Felix asked, “You are serious about buying her a house?”
“Yes. I want to fill her and the house with beautiful Blasian babies.” He dropped his head again. “Does this feeling ease off any?”
Felix added, “no. It only intensifies especially when you find out your wife is pregnant and you are going to be a father.” Everyone at the table looked at Felix who was smiling and handing out cigars from his backpack. The mood was high and festive as the group celebrated Felix’s great news. The mood got even brighter as Toshi shared the comic books, showing off the collaboration with his beautiful Jayne.
The light mood was still surrounding him when Jayne arrived at five, to work on the next steps. He greeted her at the door with a light kiss. “How was your day?”
“It was odd, but good,” she told him as she made her way to the office.
“Pretty much the same here,” he said as he watched her remove a few more copies of the comics from her bag. “I have been thinking about the future.”
Jayne turned, without any expression on her face and looked at him. Asking, but not asking.
“Even after the Anime Expo in July, there are other cons, more costumes, and we have a minimum order on the comics, right? So we have to buy at least 5,000 copies of each?”
Still uncertain of where he was going with this. “Yes, not to mention the following editions.”
“We need more space Jayne. We need to start looking for a house.” He handed her a red marker and took a seat at the desk. “With maybe a second building or a third floor or something.”
“Uhmmm, okay,” she said, accepting the marker and getting to work.
“I will call an agent on Monday,” he told her as he opened the first page of the first edition. “Starting in the upper left quadrant, panel by pan
el. Let’s review.”
That was it. Wait. That was it? Jayne tried hard to focus, but did he just say he was going to buy a house for them? For the business? For himself? Toshi said nothing more as the next four hours sped by. The review of the comics were complete. Jayne’s neck was tight and she felt like she wanted to run away.
“I am really sore and stiff,” she told him as she packed up her belongings.
“Start the shower and I will join you in a minute.” His focus was still on the third edition. “I think this cover should be orange, instead of this red.”
She chuckled a bit. “I’m heading home Toshi. Yes, I think a tangerine color would make it pop more.”
“Give me a minute to pack a bag and I’ll be ready to go as well.”
“Toshi, you….” She started but wasn’t sure what to say to him. “I’m not sure….ahhh, I….”
He set down the markers and took both of her hands into his. “Jayne, I don’t care where we sleep as long as I wake up next to you.”
“You do realize you said that out loud right?”
“I know exactly what I said,” he told her as he pulled her into his arms. The kiss was intended to ignite her flame but instead, acted as an accelerant. Jayne felt like a hussy as she pulled him into the bedroom, yanking down his pants while tugging at her own. One leg was still on as she climbed on top of him and guided him inside. She raised and lowered her hips as if she was setting a horse into a canter, pulling at him while setting an even rhythm. He called her name as he ripped open her blouse. His lips and tongue kissing, licking, and suckling at her skin. Toshi didn’t even bother to remove her bra but pushed it above her breasts instead as he took one of the creamy mounds into his mouth. The pace intensified as she came upon her release. “Toshi!” She cried out, throwing her head back, bucking her hips furiously, and howling as if the moon was changing. She found her release, but he flipped her to her back as he began to work on his own.
Gentle words of encouragement were whispered into her ear as he plunged deep inside her. Whispering her name and telling her how good she felt surrounding him. Her hands felt like magic under his shirt as delicate fingers ran over his skin, sinking in. “Oh, Oh, Oh!” She cried out. “I’m ready again Toshi!” This caused him to thrust harder. Each movement had meaning and purpose as he brought them both to climax. They collapsed together in the bed, holding each other in a mass of tangled clothing, sweaty bodies and wrinkled bedding.
“Toshi, you make me feel so good, but this is scaring me a bit. I feel like a wanton woman.”
As much as he hated to admit it. “It’s scaring me a bit too Jayne.” He pulled her into his arms, kissing her on her nose. “I am so in love with you that I am willing to tackle any and every thing that comes our way.”
“I think I can live with that,” she said with her voice full of laughter.
“But it also means living with me.” The words came forth in a soft caress as his hands rubbed at her back.
“One step at a time okay? You have yet to meet my family,” she told him as a gentle reminder that they were not ready to set up shop.
“As long as we stand together, I think we will be okay.”
Those words were easier said than held. Toshi hadn’t met Grandma Pearl or Grandpa Joe. Those two characters could test the patience of Job.
Chapter 28
It was a crazy week, filled with hesitation, trepidation, and knots in her stomach. Saturday afternoon, Toshi was coming to meet her folks. The one thing that kept humming in her mind…does he love me enough to deal with those two? Although her body craved his touch, she managed to keep her clothes on the two times in the week she had seen him. By Friday, she was ready to go to his office, lock the door, and mount him on his desk, but she stood firm.
Saturday morning arrived and she was in a tizzy. Toshi made an attempt to hold her until her nerves settled. “No! She will smell you on me, start praying and lock herself in the damned closet!”
“What?” he said in disbelief.
“My grandmother is a bible thumping head case,” she said out loud before the flood gate of tears opened.
Toshi held her head as the tears flowed freely. “I never talk about my family because it is just too…..” She cried louder, only this time she pulled away and flung herself onto the couch.
“Do you think either of them will ask if I am performing Asian sex tricks on you?” he asked with arched brows.
Jayne looked up at him with a weak smile, but Toshi continued, “Well, isn’t that what my mother asked about you? Seriously Jayne, we handle it together. Family is not going to change. We learn to accept each person as they are and for who they are. You love them regardless and continue to live your life. There is nothing more a person can do.”
Those words calmed her as she cleaned her face and climbed into the passenger seat of his car. Ready or not, here they come. Toshi was about to meet Grandpa Joe and Grandma Pearl. Jayne stared out the window as she entered her own prayer closet.
Joseph and Pearlie Carter lived in a four bedroom craftsman style home on a small dead end street off of Walton Way. The yard was immaculate with blooming flowers year round and comfortable rockers which adorned the front porch. Because it was the last house on the dead end street, Joseph had cleared the adjoining lot years ago to cut down on snakes and varmints, but to also make a play area for his four children. Over the years, the cleared lot had served as a baseball diamond, a football field, and an open field for Summer cookouts and parties.
Joseph Jr. was a police officer with three large male children, who were all in law enforcement. Sydney was a computer whiz with two tech savvy children. One who worked for Google and the other for Microsoft. Sydney complained that they never came home often enough. Frank was a civil service employee who had recently retired, with three children. One who was an attorney, the second a crack head, and the third left hitchhiking for parts unknown six years ago and had not been heard from since. The youngest of the brood was Lillie, whom Grandpa Joe always thought was a delicate flower. It befuddled Jayne within an inch of her sanity why everyone chose to show up today.
The street in front of the house was filled with cars and the front porch looked like it does on Thanksgiving Day. It was filled with family. Jayne nearly stopped breathing, but was able to get out the words which truly epitomized how she felt. “Frack, frack, frackety, frack, frack, frackerstein!”
“Jayne, what’s wrong?” Toshi asked, now getting really nervous.
She turned in the seat, eyes full of tears. “Let’s just keep driving Toshi. We can run away and never look back. We can create our own little private oasis and never have to see any of these people again.”
Toshi pulled his Mazda into an empty space and turned the car off. Taking her hands into his. “Are you ready to move with me Jayne?” A weak smile formed through the tears. “Jayne, I need you to move with me. Can we move forward together Jayne?”
Sobs were choked back and she tried to smile. “Fuck you Toshi!” He erupted into laughter.
“Jayne, it is just your family. Either they will like me or hate me, but it will not change how we feel about each other.”
“Okay, okay. I can do this,” she told him as he wiped away her tears.
“Jayne. Am I the first guy you ever brought to meet your folks?”
“Yes. You are the only person I have ever brought home.”
A gigantic grin formed as he started moving with his hands in the air to some imaginary music in his head. “Toshi what are you doing?”
“You love yourself some Toshi.” He started rolling his fist like John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever.
Her eyes rolled upward. “I am having a panic attack, cursing like a sailor and you are celebrating whatever victory you think this is…..” Her voice trailed off.
“Jayne, I am celebrating the simple reality that you love me.”
“You are right. I do.”
He put his hand on the door handle. “Well come
on Baby! Let’s present the man who won your heart to your family.”
“Just like that, Toshi?”
“Exactly like that,” he told her as he made his way around the car and opened the door for her. “And later…” He whispered in her ear all the things he planned to do to her later in bed, which made Jayne turn around and reach for the car door. He grabbed her hand pulling her towards the house, and hand in hand they approached the house. Everything had a price and she was ready to pay the cost for happiness with this man.
As they approached the front porch, her Uncles, Sydney and Frank were seated in the rockers, arguing the points between a laptop and a tablet. The argument was stopped only long enough to shake Toshi’s hand and pose the question to him, “What do you have, Son?”
Toshi leaned in to the two gentlemen. “I have a two in one combo in a Lenovo Idea Pad, with a 15 inch monitor with a touchscreen. I have the best of both worlds.” This answer seemed to please them both, who now decided to argue on the best touchscreen computers.
Jean, Uncle Frank’s daughter, exiting the front door with a cup of coffee in her hand greeted them both. “Hey Doc! Hiya Jayne!” She then joined her father on the porch. Jean processed their paperwork to set up their company as well as details of their partnership. She gave her younger cousin a hug and patted Toshi on the shoulder. Uncle Sydney sat up in the rocker. “Did you call him Doc?” This prompted Jean to tell the two men all about Jayne and Toshi’s business venture, leaving them room to escape.
In the living room, in front of the flat screen where Grandpa Joe spent many of his days, sat three large men with police haircuts, police officer stares and anger oozing from their pores. Jayne introduced them all to Toshi, who looked up at the six foot tall men that towered over him by several inches. Pride filled her heart as a five foot eight inch Toshi stood his ground, accepting firm hand shakes, making eye contact, and committing each name to memory.
The Cost To Play (Slivers of Love) Page 15
