Miscegenist Sabishii

by Pepper Pace

  I bought a tan suede pants suit and matching cap. T insisted on me buying two pairs of shoes to match the outfit; one, a pair of matching suede ankle boots. The second; copper sling backs.

  The limo took us back to the hotel once again, and once again, a bath was waiting for us. We were getting frisky in the tub when the doorbell rang. T put on a robe.

  “That should be the masseuse. Dry off.” I got out of the tub no longer surprised at anything T planned. How can anyone ever top a weekend

  like this?! A table was set up for each of us and

  we received a complete massage. It was nice, but it had nothing on what T could do!

  Later, a stylist came up to do his hair and my make-up. Since I would be wearing one of my new wigs, she didn’t need to do my hair.

  I couldn’t hang anymore; I took T into another room and insisted he listen to me. “T I’m not comfortable with all you’re spending! You don’t

  have to do all this-”

  “Nikki, I would love to take credit for all of this, but it’s a trade out package.” A trade out is when we give our clients something they want and they give us something in return. “I negotiated this package as part of my bonus right in time for Sweetest Day. So all of this is free; the limos, hotel, romantic dinner for two and massage and stylist.” He gave me a crooked smile. “You ruined it, you know. I could have taken all of the credit.”

  I squirmed, embarrassed. He gave me a suddenly serious look.

  “Not many women would have a problem with spending my money.” He said plainly.

  I gave him a sincere look. “Those women aren’t planning on keeping you forever.” He kissed me.

  Later, during our romantic dinner, I got up and dug in my bag for T’s sweetest day present. I was so happy that I had spent the extra money on him.

  “Happy Sweetest Day, T-baby.” I sat on his lap kissing him.

  “What? You didn’t! When did you have time to do this?”

  “Back home.” He carefully unwrapped the gift, eyes widening when he caught sight of the watch.

  “Nikki…” he looked at me, impressed. “This is some serious bling.” He lifted the watch and looked at the underside. “Platinum! Nikki, you shouldn’t have!” I laughed and hugged him.

  “Look who’s talking!”

  Later at the club we lived on the dance floor. I saw pro sports players, rappers-- most of whom Tony had to tell me who they were. We even got our picture taken in front of one of those fake back drops that are supposed to look like you’re standing in a nuclear sunset, or on some pre-historic beach.

  On our last night at the hotel, T made love to me slowly, making it last hours. I knew that I would no longer prefer the swift, spastic sex of the first few weeks. We had passed a milestone.

  We’d gone to New York with a bag each and returned home looking like we’d been traveling around the world!

  Remember when I said that you don’t tell your girls too much about your man? Well, when I got home I TOLD!!

  TONY

  After the weekend in New York I was more convinced than ever before that I wanted to be with Nikki forever. But I felt like a man and woman should date at least 6 months before leaping into such an important decision. Still, I contemplated asking her if she wanted to live together.

  I prayed that dinner at the parent’s house would go well. I knew it would hurt Nikki’s feelings if she didn’t find a common ground with my mom. But, regardless, I’d made up my mind that I would not allow their relationship with each other affect me; affect us.

  Sunday Nikki was cool and collected as we drove to my folk’s house. She got her period and plus was drained from the hectic weekend. I knew all she really wanted to do was snuggle in bed.

  “I hope your mom’s not cooking anything…different. My stomach’s queasy.” Silently, I hoped she didn’t want to be funny and serve squid in ink sauce. Even I was squeamish about that.

  When we got to Bond hill I pointed out points of past interest, like where me and my buddies played basketball, the park where we used to get drunk and high, and she remembered the house her favorite cousin and my old friend used to live. I pulled up into the driveway of my parent’s brick two bedroom house. It was small but one of the nicer houses on the street.

  “Mom! We’re here!” I entered without knocking.

  “Toi?”

  “Yes, Mom. I am an only child, remember?”

  “Nikki? You here?”

  “Yes, Mrs. Yakamoto.” She poked her head out of the kitchen as we entered the living room. She flipped her hand for us to stay out of the kitchen.

  “Sit. I bring tea.”

  My dad ambled in from the family room where I’m sure he had been watching football.

  “Hi Nikki. Nice to see you again.”

  “Hi Mr. Yakamoto. How are you today?”

  He smiled at her. “Good, wishing for retirement.”

  Mom brought out tea and sat it in front of us. “You too young to retire.”

  “Tell it to my old bones,” he replied.

  “What’s for dinner?” I asked, not recognizing the smell.

  “Pot roast.” Dad and I stared at her.

  She just returned the look. “What? You not like pot roast? You always cry for American food, now you not want pot roast.” She winked at Nikki. “You like pot roast don’t you, with potatoes and carrots?”

  “I love pot roast, Mrs. Yamamoto.” Nikki smiled. Now what is my mom up to?

  Dinner went wonderful. Mom asked Nikki a lot of questions about herself; what she liked to do. And Nikki asked Mom questions about living in Japan and Japanese culture. The food was the best. There’s not anything like going to your parents for a good home cooked meal.

  After dinner Nikki insisted on helping Mom with the dishes so I was comfortable with following Dad to the family room to watch the rest of the game. I knew that if Mom would just make the effort she’d like Nikki, and vice versa.

  NIKKI

  Mrs. Y surprised me with how friendly she was. I knew Tony did not pick up on this, but I noticed her staring at me when she thought I wasn’t looking. I even thought I caught her smiling to herself.

  Lord forgive me, but I wondered if she hadn’t poisoned the food or something. Of course, that was crazy since we were all eating the same thing, including her.

  After dinner she wanted me to join Mr. Yakamoto and Tony in the family room. But I felt that if I was ever going to get to the bottom of the mystery of her sudden change in attitude, then I needed to be alone with her.

  I could say a lot about Tony’s mom, but one thing I couldn’t say is that she’s stupid. No sooner did the men leave the room did she turn to me and give me a hard look. It wasn’t rude, but it wasn’t nice either. If I were in a ring I would have put up my “dukes” up.

  “I see in your eyes how much you care for my son. I look in his eyes and I know he’s in love.”

  Strangely, Mrs. Yakamoto was no longer speaking in pigeon English.

  “I love your son in a way that I’ve never loved any other man.”

  “My husband is right. Toi has never brought a girl home before, but I know he has had many girlfriends.” She poured us each a glass of fruit juice.

  “I hoped that I could influence Toi to marry an Asian. I’ve always wanted a large family

  but…there were complications with Toi and I lost my uterus. Recently I began to worry that he wouldn’t settle down, period. And more than anything…” Mrs. Yakamoto’s eyes glistened as she looked away from me. “I want grandbabies. I want a daughter-in-law. I want holidays with a lot of laughter…like when I was a girl in Japan.” I looked down, heart aching in my chest at her honesty.

  “Mrs. Yakamoto, I love Tony…but we’ve only been together a month. I don’t know if…six months down the line we may feel differently.”

  “Nikki I don’t want you two to ever split up.”

  “Huh?” I asked stupidly.

  “You’re pregnant.”

  What
the…?! “Mrs. Yakamoto, I can assure you that I am not pregnant-”

  She waved my words away. “It’s too soon for you to know. But I see.”

  I crossed my arms self consciously. “I’m… a big woman but-”

  “No, no, no.” She made a motion with her spread fingers encircling her face. “It’s here-”

  “Mrs. Yakamoto I just got my period, I can’t be pregnant. I’m taking the pill.” She shrugged and put aluminum foil over the remains of the roast.

  “I’m never wrong Nikki. You are pregnant with my grandchild.” She turned back to me smiling. “And I want to be a major part of his or her life.”

  I shook my head. “If I was pregnant, of course you’d be important in…our child’s life.” It was seriously creeping me out to even be talking like this. She smiled.

  “You don’t understand.”

  “Okay,” I said warily.

  “I want to baby sit her, I want to teach her how to cook Japanese meals, and to do the tea ceremony, I want to put ribbons in her hair, and if he’s a boy I want to teach him to write Kanji. I want to take him to the market and brag on his first teeth, just the way my friends do. Nikki,” she sighed. “I want a grand baby and I want a daughter-in-law.”

  “Even a black one?” I asked a bit peevishly. She didn’t answer right away.

  “I see in my head what a family looks like in Japan. But this is not Japan. And my eyes have to see what’s in front of me.” I smiled slowly and then nodded.

  “I understand. I don’t think I’m pregnant…but if I were…” I stopped, thinking of exactly how I wanted to phrase my next statement. “A baby would be both Japanese and African American. Both cultures are important.” She smiled looking down at her hands.

  “You’re talking about Toi right now. I bet an African American mother who saw her African American son trying to be a white person would feel the way that I do and do the same things I have done.” I knew she was right. “But it wasn’t

  fair to him. Through you I can make it up to him.”

  “That’d be good.”

  She nodded. “Now we have good talk. You go to family room with Toi. Watch TV.” Back was the pigeon English. It had been a good talk. I started out the kitchen then turned back to her.

  “Do you think we can talk like this again?” She winked at me. “Any time you want.” I decided that this conversation was just going to be between us. I went to the family room beaming.

  Part III

  The world is filled, with pimps and hoes

  We'll just talk about those I knows

  The world is mine, can't you see

  I'm just trying to be all I can be

  -Biggie Smalls

  NIKKI

  I was scratching my head, staring at the document in my hand and sighing for about the thirtieth time inside of ten minutes. I’d interviewed Dr. Isadore Dura. She was a seventy-two year old woman. During our interview I got the pleasure of learning all about her life. She was the first black female surgeon at Good Saints Hospital. She delivered the first set of living triplets at the hospital and she was the founder of the League of Black Medical Professionals; LBMP.

  Obviously I wanted to grant her a loan. She would not have submitted the request for a refinance of her home if she had not needed it. But I just couldn’t see myself doing it; especially after looking at this appraisal sheet.

  I picked up the phone with another sigh and pressed an all-too familiar button.

  “What’s up, sweetness?” Oh, I wish Tony wouldn’t do that! What if I’d had him on speaker phone? People were already giving us odd looks. The cat was pretty much out of the bag without him taking away all doubt.

  “T, I need you to look over the Dura approval. This one stinks to high heaven.” I heard him grumble.

  “I’ll be right there.”

  He was rapping on my door less than sixty seconds later. He came inside, closing the door behind. “What’s up, babe?”

  I handed him the folder and he sat in the chair on the other side of my desk, examining the document. “And?” He shrugged.

  “T, this lady has received three re-fi’s in five years-”

  He snorted. “So she’s bad at money management-”

  “Look at the value of the property!” I said excitedly. I saw him take a long soothing breath as if he was annoyed. He continued to study the document, finally peeking at me over the top of his wire rimmed glasses.

  “Do you see how the value of the house keeps going up? At the first re-fi it was two hundred forty-five thousand. Now, five years later it’s three hundred thousand…but none of the other properties in the area have gone up in value like that. This is predatory, T!”

  He frowned. “Shhh.” He was right, I was getting overly excited and I calmed down. “Nikki, you aren’t a real estate agent any longer so why are you even looking at any of this? The company hired reputable appraisers that know their jobs.” He slid the paper back across the desk towards me, looking cool and controlled as if he was talking to one of the companies tax attorneys. My mouth was hanging open in complete surprise. I had expected him to share my outrage, and here he was acting like I was out of line!

  I snapped my mouth shut and gave him a calm look to match his as I smoothed my palms over the document. “Ok. Well I’m not going to approve this.”

  Tony took off his glasses and placed them in the breast pocket of his very expensive suit. “Nikki, why are you tripping?”

  “I don’t think I am.” I put the document back in the folder. “If anyone is ‘tripping’ then it’s you.”

  He frowned again. “I’m going to have to pay for this when we get home, aren’t I?”

  “You’re the one who can’t separate work from home or you wouldn’t be calling me ‘sweetie’, and ‘babe’ here at the office…so don’t expect me

  to do so.” I gave him a chilly look.

  He paused. “Fair enough.” He came to his feet slowly and despite the fact that I was so pissed that I was livid, I still felt a spark at how incredibly sexy he was.

  He held out his hand. “The file.” I wanted to throw it at him but that would have been childish. “Why are you making this so brand new? Nikki, the job description hasn’t changed.”

  I cocked my head to the side in disbelief and jumped to my feet. “You know what? I turn a blind eye when it’s some young vacant-headed trust fund baby. But not an old lady that has moved to the top of her field and now can’t afford to live!” His eyes rose to the ceiling and I could have sworn that he was counting to three. “Toi Yakamoto, I know you aren’t standing there like you are aggravated at me!”

  His dark, almond shaped eyes, moved from where he was watching the ceiling to meet mine. His face was turning dark. How did he have the right to be mad because I was speaking the truth?

  “Nikkita DaNeen Mason, don’t get it twisted. Mrs. Dura has over fifty thousand dollars worth of credit card bills—and they are not to the local grocery store so that she can buy food to eat! That lady owes Macy’s, Speigels, Saks, Parisians and about ten others! She’s acquired this debt in the short time since her last re-fi. When you turn down this loan, how is she supposed to pay those bills?! Don’t think that old lady is not every bit as sharp as she was thirty years ago! She knows the deal. She’ll re-fi and will not outlive this mortgage. Then her Estate will pay it off. Who does that hurt, Nikki? It’s what she wants!”

  I narrowed my eyes at him; hurt that he didn’t see that just because a person needed a loan didn’t mean that we needed to exploit them and their hardship. “And what if she doesn’t understand that her house isn’t really valued at three hundred thousand dollars? It’s probably not even valued at two fifty! What if she doesn’t know that she will be paying damn near a hundred thousand more than the value of the thing?! You do not see that as wrong, T?!”

  He shook his head and tapped the folder against his palm. “Whatever.” Then he turned to leave.

  Whatever?! Without thinking I picked up my ink
pen and hurled it at him. It bounded off the back of his head and he froze, back stiff.

  Oh my god…what the fuck? What was I doing?! I had never thrown anything at anybody in my life. It was just that his controlled manner was pissing me off.