She sat up and touched his knee cutting him off. “Joe, I thought you and Michele were having dinner at her house. Did you do something stupid to piss her off…again?”
With mock shock, he grabbed his chest and plopped into the chair next to the couch.
“Pearl, that was just plain harsh.”
She twisted her lips. “Is that a yes?”
He shrugged. “Something like that.”
She rolled her eyes.
“She started talking about that commitment shit again. We’ve only been kicking it for, like, what, four months and she wants to be, like, the only one I see. I told her she could be my number one, why can’t she be satisfied with that?”
“Gee, Joe, I’m just as stumped as you are,” Pearl said sarcastically.
“See that, Jake, Pearl understands. Why can’t all women be like your girl, man?”
Jake held his forehead and shook his head.
“I’m going to make a sandwich, you guys want something?”
“Yeah man, we want you to leave.”
Joe laughed his comment off and went in the kitchen.
“You know I’m really starting not to like that guy.”
“Now, now, sweetie, he’s your friend and he ain’t about the right.” She patted his leg. “Besides, you know we have to love the special people.”
“You know, I don’t even need a roommate. I was just trying help him out,” he continued as if she hadn’t spoken.
“Mmm, how long as he been here?”
“Too damn long.” He wrapped his arms around his chest and slammed back on the couch. Then a slow grin came to his face and he leaned toward her. “I can throw him out, make him find somewhere to go and we can pick up where we left off.”
“It’s pouring down raining, Jake.” She chuckled. “Besides, you know he’ll just come right back.”
“Uggh!” He slammed back again, frustrated.
“Come on, we can go to my house.”
“You just said it’s raining.”
“You said that like we’re walking. We’re driving to my house.”
He sucked his teeth. “I shouldn’t have to leave my own house.”
She shrugged. “That’s a down side to having a roommate.”
“You guys don’t have that problem.”
“We used to, in the beginning.”
His tone moved swiftly from frustration to anger. “This is my house. If I want to make out with my woman on my couch, then I should be able to do that. He knew we’d be here and he came back anyway. I never do that shit to him, but he always does it to us.” His anger grew the more he spoke.
She nodded. “Yeah, I know.”
The memories of the few times that were the most embarrassing came flooding back to her. The time he’d caught them in the kitchen on the day he found out about her. Last month when they were in the shower together he caught her just as she stepped out. Just last week when they were playing strip poker in Jake’s bedroom he walked in without knocking, catching her half naked again, claiming to be looking for a belt to borrow.
She sighed. “It does seem to happen a lot. Maybe it’s time you said something to him about it.”
“Mmm, hmm, let me say something to him right now and then we can go to your house.”
“Real quick?”
He gave her a quick smile. “Yeah, baby, real quick. I’ll talk to him about the whole thing later.” He kissed her forehead and hopped over the back of the couch.
“While he’s packing his shit,” he mumbled, pushing the kitchen door open.
“What’s up, man? You changed your mind?” He bit into his sandwich.
Saying nothing, Jake walked in, slapped him hard on the back of his head and walked back out.
“Hey!”
***
At Pearl’s house, Opal and Debbie were in the living room drinking with Roy.
“So, this is it for me, huh?”
“Oh, don’t say it like that.” Opal sat next to him, tucking one leg under the other. “You knew the rules coming in.”
“I know, I know, all fun and no strings.” He leaned back on the couch and put his hand on her leg with a chuckle. “I gotta tell you ladies, you guys are going to be a hard act to follow. How do you expect me to be happy with just one female when I’ve had the two of you for so long?”
Opal shrugged. “Don’t know, Roy. Guess your going to have to find you a Jedi knight.”
“A Jedi knight?”
Debbie chuckled. “Yeah, that’s what we call a woman who’s so good in bed that she can still control your mind and body even when she's not there.”
“Oh. So I guess you guys are Jedi’s then?”
“What do you think?”
He looked between the two of them and laughed. “Yeah, ok.” He finished his drink in one gulp and refilled his glass. “Damn, guys, I’m going to miss you. When can I come back?”
Debbie shrugged. “I can‘t make you any promises, Roy. I don’t know if you’ll be able to come back. I like Rakim. He’s turning out to be better than I gave him credit for. He’s a smart ass, but I can live with that.” She chuckled.
He sighed. “And you? How’s your boy treating you?”
She smiled. “I like him. He’s very sweet and he’s no punk.”
He nodded and took another long drink from his glass. “So how come neither of you wanted to keep me?”
“Oh, come on. When we met you last year at that wedding Debbie was in you were trying to get with both of us. You never set out to be anybody’s man. You were going for the threesome and you got it.”
“That’s right, so don’t pout.” Debbie mixed another drink for herself.
He chuckled. “Actually, when we met I was just talking shit, but then you guys put me in a put up or shut up position. Shit, I’ve been just winging it ever since.” He finished his drink in one gulp and poured another. “Just waiting around hoping to get invitation call.”
“We can still be friends, Roy. Don’t act like you’re never going to see us again.”
“Ok, ok, I get it. It’s over. I need another drink.” He emptied his glass in one loud gulp and snatched the bottle of the table. “Damn, it’s gone already? I’ll get the other bottle of Bombay I brought.”
Halfway through that bottle, Jake and Pearl came in.
Hi guys. What’s up?”
Opal and Debbie leaned over the back of the couch.
“Hey, little sister. Hi Jake. What’s up with you guys?”
Debbie raised her glass to them, giggling.
“Well, you guys look like you’re having a good time.”
“We’re having a blast, Jake.”
They sat back down giggling uncontrollably.
“You guys carry on with your little party, Jake and I will be upstairs having our own party.”
“That’s 'good-bye party', Pearl. Get it right, this ain’t no celebration,” Roy said with a slurring of his words.
Uh, ok. Thanks Roy.” She pulled Jake pass them.
"Goodbye party?" he whispered following her.
"Don't ask."
“Okay. Well, who’s that guy they’re getting drunk with?”
“Trust me, you don’t want to know,” she said pulling him up the stairs.
“So, how about one last time, before you guys kick me to the curb?” His words began to slur more. "You know, a one for the road kind of thing.
“Are you crazy?”
Debbie shook her head vigorously, giggling. “No way, Roy. You’re cancelled. Now come on, it’s getting late, so you should be going.”
She stood up, but he snatched her back down.
“Hey!”
“Come on. One more time.”
“No, Roy, it’s time to go. We told you, this threesome thing was cool until we found somebody permanent.”
“Come on, Roy, she’s right. We haven’t even called you in almost two months. Look,” Opal gulped down the rest of her drink. “I'll tell you what. If it doesn’
t work out, we'll give you a call.”
“Yeah, I wouldn’t have a problem doing that, but not if you keep acting the way you're acting.”
“What if I don’t want to leave?”
“You don’t have a choice.”
Debbie shook her head and touched his knee. “Roy, you’re loosing more cool points by the minute. Now come on, it really is getting late. Let’s go.” She patted his knee and pulled him to his feet.
“I said I don’t want to go,” his voice was angry and forced as yanked his arm away and grabbed her arm roughly.
“Roy! What are you doing? Get the fuck off her!” Opal pulled at his arms.
He turned and back slapped her to the couch, watching her fall to the floor.
“Roy, what the hell are you doing?” Debbie yelled struggling against him.
He turned his attention back to Debbie. Grabbing her other arm he threw her roughly to the other end of the couch and jumped on top of her.
“Roy! Stop it!”
“Come on, my little Latin lover. I’ll do that thing that you like,” he slurred in her ear, leaving wet droplets behind.
Opal jumped on to his back, beating him on his head and shoulders.
He held Debbie down by her neck and palmed Opal’s face, shoving her hard over the coffee table again.
“Chica! Oh God!” she choked out.
“Don’t worry, Goddess Opal, you’re next,” he said, his voice dripping with ice. He turned his attention back to Debbie. “So, where were we?” A sinister grin split his face as he grabbed her breast roughly.
“Roy, don’t do this.” She pushed against the arm that was crushing her throat.
He let out a quick sigh. “I don’t see the problem here. Why are you fighting me? It’s not like we haven’t done this countless times before.” He released her neck to use both hands as he roughly grabbed and pinched her breasts.
She swallowed hard, fear and pain slowed her words. “Roy, listen to me, please. If you stop now we can chalk this up to you being drunk and having a moment and we can still have some kind of friendship in the morning, but if you don’t--”
“If I don’t, what? Huh? You and Opal will jump me?”
His harsh laugh sent a chill down her back.
“You damn right!” Opal said behind him and slapped him with all her might on the back of his head with a frying pan.
He fell on top of Debbie, bleeding heavily and out cold.
“Shit! Push him off, Deb, don’t let him bleed on the damn couch.”
Opal yanked while she pushed, and Roy hit the floor with a heavy thud.
“Don't let him bleed on the couch? The couch? It’s ok for him to bleed all over me, but not the damn couch?”
“Hey, we can wash you, we can even wash the carpet, but the couch, well, that would be a little more difficult.”
They stared at him for a few minutes.
“You think he’s dead?”
“Shit, I don’t know. Are you ok?”
“Me? I’m fine, just a little shook up. What about you? He slapped you over the coffee table.” She turned Opal’s face left to right.
“I’m fine, I’m fine. My lip is just busted.” She licked her lips. “I can taste the blood.”
“I think you’re going to bruise too.”
“Naa, I’ll be fine.”
“What the hell got into him?”
“Don’t know? Maybe the thought of losing such good pussy drove him crazy.” Opal started giggling uncontrollably.
“How can you be joking at a time like this? This fool just slapped you around and tried to rape me--bastard.” She kicked him hard in the side.
She shrugged. “If I don’t laugh, I’ll cry.”
Debbie sighed. “What are we going to do with him?”
“Well, we’ve got to get him out of here, I know that. He’s making an ugly stain on the carpet.”
“It’s good thing Pearl is upstairs doing something better than listening to us.”
“Oh shit, I forgot Pearl was here. We really got to get him out of here, now. We don’t have a clue when she’s gonna send Jake home, and I don't want to have to explain this to either of them. Grab his feet.”
It took them a while to drag his body outside. They pushed and pulled his limp body into the back seat of the car out front and were exhausted with their efforts when they were done. Opal picked up a tee shirt from the floor and wrapped his head in it.
“What are you doing?”
“I don't want him bleeding all over my seats, too. It's bad enough we'll be up all night cleaning up that spot off the living room floor and the trail he just left on the carpet coming out the door.”
Debbie looked behind her at the smeared line leading from the house to the car and sighed.
Debbie slammed the back door and opened the front door to get in, but the back door bounced back open. She turned and slammed the door again and it bounced back open...again.
Opal honked the horn. “What are you doing, Deb? Close the damn door. Let's go!”
She made a face at her and closed the front door. Grabbing the handle she pushed on the back door, felt a resistance and pulled it open slowly, peeking around it. Her eyes grew wide and a shocked breath escaped her as she brought her hand to her mouth.
“Uh-oh.”
Opal huffed and crawled over the passenger seat to peer out the window.
“What?”
Her eyes darted between her and the back seat. “Umm, I slammed his foot in the door. We didn't push both legs in good enough. The right one was sticking out.”
Opal peered into the backseat then burst into an uncontrollable laughter.
“Opal! This is not funny.”
She laughed harder.
“Will you at least help me get him all the way in the car?”
Trying to stifle her laughter, with giggles slipping here and there, she walked around the car to her, wedged Roy's banged up foot against the small triangle window near the back door, then slammed the door shut. She bowed and gave Debbie a brilliant smile before walking back to the driver's side, snickering.
Debbie sighed. “Whatever.” She got back in the car and looked in the backseat then to Opal and shook her head.
“So where are we taking him?”
“Shit, I don’t know,” she said with a chuckle. “I just aimed for the closest car.”
“Well, I don’t know either, Chica!” She looked in the back seat again. “Do you think he’s dead?”
“Didn’t you check?”
“When the hell did I check? When we were dragging him? Just check the man, Chica!”
She stared at her, holding the steering wheel.
“What? What now?” Debbie snapped.
She smiled. “You’re a mean ass drunk, you know that?”
“You’re still cracking jokes? You’re a crazy ass drunk,” she said with chuckle.
“Just check him.”
Opal sucked her teeth and leaned between the seats. “Well, he’s still bleeding on my damn seats, I know that much.” She sat back in the driver’s seat. “That’s a good sign, isn't it? It means he's still alive, right? You can’t bleed if you’re dead. Hmm, maybe I should crack him again.” The laughter she was holding back began to spill over.
“You really are crazy. Just drive.” She leaned her head back and closed her eyes.
Opal laughed harder and took off for the highway. She turned on the radio and bobbed her head to the music. After a while she passed a sign she recognized and turned down the music.
“Hey, I've got an idea.”
“Why does that scare me?”
She chuckled. "Let's take him to Oliver's.”
She looked at her, confused. “The winery?”
“Yup.”
She continued to look confused. "Do I have to ask?"
She smiled. "Well, I just figured that after such a bad night when he finally gets up he's definitely gonna to need a drink. So, what better place to leave him?"
&n
bsp; Debbie blinked blankly at her for a few minutes before they both burst into fits of laughter and turned to follow the exit signs to Oliver's Winery.
Chapter 13
The next morning Pearl bounced out of the house in the early morning light while Opal and Debbie dragged themselves to work. Sitting at the front desk, Opal leaned on the desk, flipping through the appointment book, grateful it was Friday.
“Ok, ladies!” She walked to her station and sat heavily in her chair. “Sean, you know Jalisa is coming in with her two little girls. They’ve got that function at her husband’s job tonight and Janet will be here when she gets off work, too.”
“Girl, you look like hell. Are you all right?”
“Stick to the business at hand, Sean,” she snapped.
He held his hands up. “Ok, ok. Far be it for me to be in your business, girl. Just making sure things are ok with you.”
“Sorry, Sean, nothing personal. I’m just tired. We were up late last night, umm, cleaning.”
He looked at Debbie, who nodded, looking just as bad, then back to her.
“Mmm hmm, so being tired gave you that busted lip and that bruise on your cheek that you’re trying to cover with make up that you never wear?”
Her hand went to her cheek.
“Sean, she said stay out of it,” Angel said, spinning in her chair.
“Ok, ok. I’m just saying…”
“He’s saying, we don’t want to get in your business, girl, but if you need us, we’re here,” Krystal said.
“Thanks guys, but it’s not what you’re thinking. It’s nothing, really. Now, where were we?”
After finishing the appointments with her crew, she went back to the desk to check her make up.
“Bastard. I hope he drowned in a puddle.”
Just as she finished applying more lipstick and foundation to cover her bruises, the phone rang and Friday, the second busiest day of her work week, began. It went by quickly with the phone ringing, appointments, and walk-ins coming and going and her running here and there, helping where she could. Opal and Debbie left at five o’clock and sat half asleep on the couch when Pearl came through the door.
“You guys look like death warmed over.”
“Yeah, well, we had a rough night,” Debbie said.
“Rough? Huh, when I last saw you guys you were feeling no pain.” She chuckled and sat in the chair.
The Yin Yang Effect Page 15
