Loving You Through Our Differences

by Tucora Monique

  Not to say folks with tattoos can’t be professional, but the neck art warned me that a nine-to-five may not have been his first choice.

  “Why are you giving me a hard time? You know I can’t afford another ticket. That damn sign isn’t clear, and you’ve even agreed with me in the past about it,” I whined, hoping it would soften him up a little.

  “No, I don’t know shit.”

  “Uugh, who pissed in your Cheerios this morning?”

  “We had this conversation too many times this month to continue going through it so often. Do better, lady! Move your car, move your ass, or get a ticket.” And with that, he turned from me and forced the envelope under my windshield wiper.

  My eyebrows shot up, surprised at his actions. No matter how sexy this man was, I didn’t tolerate the rude shit. A menacing giggle escaped me as I thought of all the disrespectful words that would make homeboy go from standing six foot five to five foot six, but I decided to let him have this one. I was wrong, and he didn’t owe me shit, but his mannerisms today reminded me why I rarely asked much of people in the first place.

  Looking up into his grass-colored eyes, I had to say something in return. I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t.

  “I should curse you out for being rude to me, but I could tell you’re having a bad morning, and I’m not fond of making bad things worse.”

  “Do what you have to do, Ms. Brice.”

  “You’re an asshole, dude!”

  “And yours is out, so hurry up and get it covered. Don’t want the neighborhood to keep being entertained, Sparx.”

  Facing him, his expression had changed. There was now a smile spread across his ivory face and a frown covering mine. I lifted my middle finger, making sure to rotate it around in a circular motion for dramatic effect. The smile he wore never wavered, so I took it up a notch. Placing my middle finger in my mouth, I made sure to include sloppy sounds as I sucked then flipped him off again.

  “That was inconsiderate of me not to wet it before I told you where you needed to put it. And now that I’ve given you permission, you can go fuck yourself.”

  Billie

  Honk!

  Honk!

  “Get your ass out of the street! Before I add you to the pavement,” I yelled to the emo-dressed boy riding his skateboard into the intersection when I had the right of way. Irritation from work plus my ridiculous road rage made for a real bitch on wheels.

  Today was stressful and hectic. We’d assisted with three burials, which was out of the ordinary for a Monday. West Hall was packed and uncomfortable, and there was a large family visiting town for a reunion, and they wanted to visit their grandmother as a unit. It was draining, and even though the overtime would be lovely, I didn’t think I’d even get out of there.

  Once the menace to society made it safely on the opposite side of the street, he turned my way and threw up his middle finger with a smug grin on his baby face.

  “Back to you and your momma too, little asshole!” I yelled before continuing to my cousin’s home in Downtown Long Beach. Her grown ass decided to have a sleepover for her twenty-fifth birthday. I think it had a lot to do with her upcoming nuptials and how these turn ups would be few and far between in the coming months. I hated that she’d decided to have her celebration on a weekday, but considering I was off the next day, I wouldn’t complain, at least not to her face.

  Honestly, I hadn’t seen my divas in damn near a month, and I missed them. We had done a great job of having our time together ever since I’d gotten my act together, and I didn’t want to lose that connection by being too busy.

  People make time for what they want, no matter how much they have to rearrange their priorities.

  Once on her block, I turned my music down, damn near to mute, so that I could find a parking spot.

  I don’t know who came up with the theory, but I swear my eyes worked better when my ears weren’t occupied. Finding parking in Long Beach had always been hell and after my run-in with The Parking Piper this morning. I couldn’t afford another ticket. Noticing Jupiter’s fiancé, Latif’s truck was gone, I swooped into his spot and grabbed my duffel bag. I knew Tif would be talking shit once he got home, but I’d either move it or go home.

  “Queens!” I shouted, using my key to burst into Jupiter’s two-story townhouse. Her place was located on 3rd & Pine Ave, ten minutes from the beach, and that’s if you’re walking. Best believe there had been plenty of times Jupiter had us jogging to the beach at six in the morning for Wake it and Shake it, this really dope fitness class. I couldn’t blame her. If I lived this close to the beach, I’d take full advantage too.

  Jupiter had worked her ass off from the moment she graduated from Washington Preparatory High School to be comfortable today. While the rest of us were running wild, partying, or getting into trouble, Ju was in the books. She now works for Space X as a chemist, and I couldn’t prouder.

  Dropping my black Nike bag on the living room couch, I knew from the lack of ruckus in the front room, El, Jamie, Josephine and whoever else she had coming hadn’t arrived yet.

  “Fav, I’m upstairs!” she screamed from upstairs.

  “Well, aren’t you cute?” Jupiter complimented as she glared at me through her vanity.

  “I am, aren’t I!” I selfishly responded with a toothless grin and a little shoulder roll. Looking past Jupiter, I appreciated my reflection in the mirror. Dressed in denim cut up Boyfriend jeans, a white tank top that read Books Over Boys and red Nine West pumps. I was serving cute and simple. I never got around to do anything else with my hair, so it was still in two neat French braids with a very rare, middlemist flower tucked behind my ear accompanying gold studs.

  “Your boss is going to kill you! What type of person gets fired for stealing flowers, BG!” She laughed.

  “Girl, please I’m not worried. Where are the rest of your guests? I mean, if you wanted to spend time with me alone, you didn’t have to promise me drinks and dicks, puddin’.”

  Hearing Jupiter’s Cal-King call my name, I threw my head back into the array of yellow and silver decorative pillows that sat across her headboard.

  “Funny, funny. Actually, Eleven called and said she’s on her way. Jamie and Josephine are finding a parking spot now, so they should be up—”

  Before she could tell the lie, I cut her off.

  “In two hours. Bitch, you know there is never anywhere to park on your street. But you always want to have a damn party. Your dude literally handles this parking shit every day, and he can’t hook us with some handicap stickers, permits, something, shit”

  “Well, you obviously found one without the hassle and just in time to tell me about your date with Sylvester before everyone else gets here.” She wiggled her eyebrows, reciting his name like it was something to get excited about. In the back of my mind, I knew better though. Come on now, his name was Sylvester.

  Sitting up on my elbows, I crossed my legs at the ankles and grilled Jupiter like Foster Farms Chicken.

  “Nope, because for one, I don’t want to curse you out on your birthday. I was raised better than that,”

  “By who?”

  “First off, don’t try and play my granddaddy like you weren’t raised on the same plantation. Secondly, when I do go off on you, I want your man present, so he can get his too. But I will tell you this, he came dressed in his Sunday’s best, pastel yellow, hat included. Looked just like Easter!” Before I could warn her to keep this goofy story to herself, she was already snickering.

  “I’m sorry, baby, but it’s funny. We didn’t think the way he dressed at church would be his going out clothes,” she said, causing a tear of laughter to roll down her face.

  “Yeah, I know it’s funny. Laugh, but always remember, payback is a bitch, and the bitch may just be on her period when she pulls up. I don’t know why you and your man insist on setting me up. Why can’t you two understand I’m okay with being single. It’s a choice. I like being able to come and go as I please without having
to check in with a man as if he’s my father. I enjoy being able to sleep with the covers wrapped around my body like I’m a burrito without being called stingy for not sharing. You already know I don’t like that hot ass cuddling shit. Chile, I want to continue to hop on any pipe that looks appetizing without thinking too hard about anything except if I can slide out before he notices. Soulmates become control freaks, and I’m not ready to be tamed.”

  “Great speech, and I hear everything you’re saying, and you almost got me, but then, I think of Latif Bravo. I can’t put it into words, but he makes breathing easier. When you find someone who truly loves you, what you call baggage become souvenirs; enjoying the third season of Seinfeld alone will be the last thing on your mind. If you recall, I had no interest in anything besides school. A man couldn’t do a damn thing for me exact drop money on my tuition. That was my mentality, but then came Latif. Just looking at him, I knew he was mine, and nobody could tell me different.”

  Her light skin flashed a ruby red, and I think she was lost on her own blushing which made it more adorable.

  “He has a power over me that I don’t think he is even aware of, and that’s probably because it’s a reflection of how I feel. You don’t want to ‘check in’ with a man,” she repeated using her fingers to demonstrate air quotes as if what I’d said was trivial.

  “But once you find a mate that makes you feel safe and secure, trust me, it’ll become important to you that he knows your whereabouts. I was stuck in a bind too, but Latif had to remind me that once the degree is done, the property secured, and the career’s in place, who do I share all of that with? What about my legacy?” The question was rhetorical, but I still shrugged my shoulders.

  “Talking about wrapping your body in a blanket, girl. You better get wrapped up in flesh and muscles. Love doesn’t create barriers more than it makes you limitless. You are literally holding back with some of these men because you don’t want to learn their flaws, and you won’t even bother with them beyond the bedroom. It’s fair to say you may be playing yourself, Billie.”

  Ms. Jupiter was preaching now, but I still wouldn’t confirm her rebuttal.

  Standing from her bed, I went to the door. “I need a drink. Hurry your ass up with the face paint, and let’s get this party started! You told me to be here by six. I’m late, and you are still not ready. It’s not every day that my favorite person in the world turns twenty-one!”

  Before descending the stairs, I stopped. “On second, thought you’ve turned twenty-one for the last four years. Take your time, baby.”

  “Screw you!” I heard Ju shout behind me.

  Leiland

  Before making it to my door, I did a quick about-face, remembering I needed to check the mailbox. There’d be nothing except bills—more specifically, medical bills—but I was hoping one of those envelopes was courtesy of Microsoft. I’d submitted a proposal for my video graphics to be included in their future projects and was hoping to hear something, anything, soon.

  I noticed my neighbor’s screen door was partially open, so I tried to move fast.

  Ruthie was a Latina woman who had no qualms about letting her desires to get me in her bed known. Normally, I’d entertain her advances. In my opinion, she was harmless, but not today. Right as I inserted the key into the lock, I heard her moving around. Turning slowly in her direction, I mentally preparing myself for whatever vulgar outfit she’d decided on to today. I started at her feet and brought my eyes up to her face, and I smiled without warning. At sixty-seven, she had no shame dressed in a down-to-the-ground, canary-yellow robe that of course was sheer. She was bold and blunt, and I couldn’t fault her for that.

  “Hey, handsome.” She drawled out. “I haven’t been seeing much of you around here lately. For a second, I thought I was going to request a welfare check on you over there,” she cooed, giving me a wink.

  “No, Ms. Ruthie. That isn’t necessary. Just been busy working and focusing on my art. I’m trying to make some more money.”

  “I think I may have a job for you,” she offered, seductively kicking an undercover leg in my direction. I knew better than to mention my woes in the first place. I had said too much too fast.

  “Fuck this. I’m sure it’ll all still be here in the morning. I’ll see you later, Ms. Ruthie. You should go cover up. Someone might think you got something for sale over there,” I told her, deciding to get to my mail another time.

  “Boy, they don’t make enough to get me to sell this good stuff. But you know if it’s for you, I got coupons.”

  “Have a good night, Ms. Ruthie,” I said, going inside to get dressed.

  Forty minutes later, I received a text from my boy telling me to come outside. I slid my feet into a pair of royal-blue ’95 Nike Air Max and admired that cloudy sensation I felt under my feet. Doing a quick walk-through, I made sure everything was shut down before leaving. Not the least bit surprised, I saw Tif’s all-black Escalade pulling up.

  “What’s the deal?” I asked, sliding in the backseat. His brother Jordan nodded his head, acknowledging my presence but said no words; too busy texting.

  “What’s up, bruh? You talk to the insurance people? I know you were pissed earlier,” Latif inquired, looking at me in the rearview mirror.

  “Nah. It was pointless, but I’m going to figure something else out. I just want to have a few drinks and a good night right now.”

  “And I got something to get it going.” Jordan rejoiced, holding up a canister filled with weed and a tobacco wrap in the opposite hand.

  “And you know damn well you can’t light that shit in here, dude. I don’t want that smell lingering for days in my truck.”

  “Why? Because Jupiter’s big-headed ass don’t like the smell? Her ass smokes too.”

  “You can roll up once I get to the house. We gotta turn back anyway, I left my damn wallet on the dresser.”

  Fifteen minutes later, we were pulling up to his and Jupiter’s townhouse.

  “I’m going to slap BG, always taking up the entire driveway.” He huffed before saying forget it and parking illegally in front of his house.

  How ironic.

  “You coming in?”

  “Yeah, I have to use the restroom.”

  Jordan called behind us, “I’m going to post up and smoke before we head back out. Y’all know I need my meds.”

  “Man, don’t smoke that shit in the front of my house. Go sit in the backyard or the garage,” Latif instructed, unlocking the front door of his place.

  My feet hadn’t fully settled themselves onto the hardwood floor before I laid my eyes on Sparx standing in the center of the room. My heartbeat doubled in pace, and my palms started to sweat. Similar to the feeling you get when on a rollercoaster and reach the peak and your stomach gets tight from the anticipation alone. With her red and black hair pulled back off her face, she looked sophisticated, and her chocolate skin looked painted on. The strange looking flower behind her left ear did nothing but enhance her looks. I noticed she favored keeping a flower in her hair, and I liked it.

  Momentarily, I stayed in the front of their home. My eyes scanned the entire room, then back to her. She was wearing a wine-colored pajama short set, similar to what the other girls had on in an array of different colors. The shorts she wore put her thick thighs on display as well as her pronounced hips, which had instantly become one of my favorite parts of her. I wanted to walk up on her, grip the back of her neck, and have her melt into my arms. Just looking at her, I knew one day for sure I would take over her entire body though. Today wasn’t it.

  Billie’s feet were covered in long, striped, multi-colored socks that stopped right above her knees. With her arms lifted she did a horrible job at demonstrating the action on the card she held, and I grinned inwardly at her willingness to be a little silly. I noticed Latif nudging my shoulder, grabbing my attention. I turned my body his way, but not my eyes. They were only for her at this moment.

  “Pretty, isn’t she,” he whispered with a
smile filling his voice. We’d run into each other quite a bit over the last month, and other than her name, I knew nothing else about Billie Grace.

  Finally answering his question, I lowly stated, “Indeed” before following his lead and going into the living room.

  “Are you even trying? Damn, this isn’t that hard, Jo. Now pay attention and watch me!” she shouted with her teeth clenched. Billie was serious as hell about this game, which made the whole scene funnier. Everyone was in a fit of laughter, except her. Now stone-faced and with ridged full lips turned up at the corners, I wondered if she knew that shit made her sexier. The small beauty mark in the center on her chin was an added bonus.

  Bottles of Hennessey and Black Stella Rose littered the long table placed in the middle of the room. I could smell weed in the air and saw the blunt packages on the floor beneath the table. There were definitely having a good time.

  Making our way further into the room, I watched as Latif went straight to his woman, lifting her from the couch and into his arms. Without hesitation, her legs wrapped around his waist and arms around his neck. She pulled him in for a kiss, and I looked away to offer as much privacy that could be afforded to two love birds making out in the middle of a room full of people.

  “Oh, hell no! We don’t want to see that mess. I thought you said ladies only, Jupiter. Unless this fool has some bud he’s dropping off, he has got to go! No offense, Latif!” a younger girl sitting on the floor Indian style yelled up with a grin on her face and a lollipop in the corner of her mouth. She was a cutie, and even with all the makeup on her face, I could tell she was younger than the rest of the women.

  “Girl, hush,” he said, softly mushing her in the back of her head. “I just dropped in for a minute to grab something from upstairs. We’re heading right back out, don’t worry, little bit.”

  All eyes fell on me at once like they’d only just noticed I had been standing there, but the pair that held the most importance burned.