Gentrified

by Kirsten McCurran

  “I hear the townhouse is wonderful. The development has a lovely pool and gym. And there are three bedrooms. Plenty of room for a young family,” Diane said.

  “I haven’t been up to check it out yet, but I’m sure it’s lovely,” Jess agreed, thinking, It’s also probably twice what we paid for our house.

  “Oh, it is. It is.”

  Jess knew damn well her mother had not seen it.

  The family gathered around the dinner table. Jess hoped it would go smoothly and that they could avoid any touchy topics, but that was too much too hope for. They were only a few minutes in before the subject of the new house came up. At least her father tried to be positive about it.

  “How are the renovations coming?” Howard asked.

  “The kitchen is done, and we have a lot of the living room done. We haven’t really touched the upstairs yet, except to rip down wallpaper and paint Maddy’s room,” Kyle answered.

  “It’s pink!” the little girl announced.

  “Yes, it’s a very pretty pink,” Jess agreed. The modern woman in her bristled when her daughter declared she wanted a pink bedroom, but she didn’t think it was right to force her choices on her child. It was something Jess was particularly sensitive to.

  “You have to see it, Mom Mom.”

  “I’m sure it’s lovely, dear,” Diane answered.

  “It sounds like you’re making quick progress,” Howard said between bites.

  “We still have a long way to go. It doesn’t always feel that way,” Jess replied.

  “It’s a long term project, for sure. Part of it is just cash flow, of course. If we had endless funds we could hire a team of contractors and bust it right out, but you know…” Kyle explained.

  “We’ll get it all done. We want to do whatever work we can ourselves. Learning is part of the fun,” Jess said, mostly sincere.

  “Living in a construction zone must be terrible. It’s like the house is never clean,” Diane said.

  “We are managing fine. It takes some getting used to, but it’s really not so bad.”

  Jess forced a tight smile. Living in a torn up house was harder to get used to than she implied. The kitchen was virtually unusable for over a month, and every time she had to microwave chicken nuggets Jess felt like a terrible mother. The wallpaper had been ripped down in their bedroom and the walls were damaged and ugly. The upstairs bathroom was terrible, but she didn’t know when they would get to redoing that. Money wasn’t the only problem. With Kyle’s work schedule, he just was not around enough to get the work done. It was fun to learn how to do the home improvements, but Jess would have been just as happy to pay someone to just get everything done. But she would never let her mother know all of those frustrations. Jess was determined to put on the brave face.

  “The house is going to be awesome when we’re done, trust me,” Kyle said.

  “I saw the pictures of the kitchen. It’s beautiful,” Howard said.

  “Thanks, Dad,” Jess replied.

  “I hope no one saw those nice appliances going in there,” Diane snorted.

  “Mother! Really. The neighbors are not going to break in and steal our refrigerator.”

  “You never know. You probably have the nicest things on the block.”

  “Mom,” Jess warned. She was starting to lose her patience with her mother.

  “Let’s be honest, dear. It’s not like you’re living in the best area,” Howard chimed in.

  “You too, Dad? We do not live on some street of crack houses,” Jess protested.

  “Four more of the houses on our block have been sold. We’re getting some great new neighbors,” Kyle added.

  “It’s not just the new people. The people in our neighborhood are perfectly nice. They’re just like anyone else.”

  “Jess should know. She’s started making friends,” Kyle said, with a self-satisfied smile.

  “Really?” Diane commented, eyebrows raised.

  “I met one of her new friends today. His name is Winston and he lives across the street. Very friendly,” Kyle said.

  “He’s like a superhero,” Maddy chimed in.

  “I see,” Diane said.

  Jess could see the horror on her mother’s face as she imagined her lily white daughter and granddaughter with a black man from the ghetto. She was sure her mother pictured some dark hulk with gold chains and his pants hanging down. Jess clenched her fists and took a deep breath. She did not want to be snappish.

  “Winston is a great guy. He was in the Marines, he’s going to school. He’s really great to Maddy when we see him. He’s nicer than Mr. Madsen ever has been,” Jess said, referring to a neighbor up the street, who she knew her mother hated.

  “But you have to admit it, Jessie. It is not the greatest area,” Howard said. He always resorted to Jessie when he wanted to condescend. She gritted her teeth. “Wasn’t the car broken into the first month you lived there? Your mother and I are not wrong to be concerned.”

  “But it’s also not as bad as you think, Howard,” Kyle defended. “There are pockets, and we’re in one of them. We have the alarm, too. I wouldn’t have the girls there if it wasn’t safe.”

  Jess hated it when her husband lumped her in with their daughter as the girls. She was not a girl. She felt like no one at that table took her seriously. They saw her as do-gooder Jessica, unrealistic about the world—someone who needed looking after. No one took into account that she managed a multi-million-dollar budget at her nonprofit.

  “It is a changing neighborhood, and it’s changing for the better. If we want things to get better, we have to do something, rather than just talking about it. Kyle and I are part of that,” Jess argued passionately.

  “I’m proud of the work you do, sweetheart,” Howard said.

  “It’s not just that, Dad. I want to live my life like it matters.”

  “Amen,” Kyle said.

  Jess shot him a look. She knew he agreed with her—mostly—but he just liked getting a little dig in.

  “Is anyone ready for dessert?” Diane asked, putting an end to the discussion.

  four

  “That went well,” Kyle said, as he navigated the car back into the city.

  “You could have been more helpful.” Jess was still annoyed, and a little drunk. The more her mother got on her nerves, the more wine she’d had.

  “Your parents are who they are. Nothing I say is going to change their mind. And I don’t want to say anything that’s going to make your mother like me less.”

  “You don’t need to worry about that,” she replied, and smiled.

  Jess glanced into the back seat and found Maddy dead to the world, her head hanging at an awkward angle. She always wondered how that could possibly be comfortable. If Jess let her head hang like that she’d have been sore for a week.

  Just thinking about it made her stretch in her seat. Her skirt rode up past her knees and she was about to smooth it back down when she noticed Kyle looking at her long legs. Jess decided to leave it as it was. They were so busy anymore it felt like some of the heat had left their marriage. The sex was still great. They just didn’t have it often enough.

  “I keep hoping she’ll come around,” Kyle said.

  “I wouldn’t hold your breath. Not going to happen, unless you make your fortune and buy a huge house in the suburbs.”

  “You’re good with what we’re doing, right?”

  “I’ll admit, it took some getting used to. After I thought about it, I was all for the idea. The reality has been a bit more challenging. But I’m happy Maddy isn’t going to grow up in a world where she’s surrounded by people just like her—the way I did.”

  “Yeah, she’s got great new friends, like Winston. Every four-year-old should have a big, black guy for a friend.”

  Jess squinted and stared at him. “Does it matter that he’s black?”

  “No, not really. Of course not. You know me better than that. Would I have even moved us down there if I was a racist? It was ju
st a little bit of a shock to see Maddy dragging that guy over to us.”

  “You’re being territorial.”

  “Nah. I don’t know. Maybe. I wish I was around more. I should have known you’re making friends with the neighbors, that’s all. I should be paying more attention.”

  She couldn’t argue with that, and teased, “Or maybe you’re a little jealous, seeing another man paying attention to us.”

  Kyle barked out a laugh. “Really? You’re going there.”

  “Mmmhmm. Looks that way to me.” Jess enjoyed teasing him, maybe too much.

  “I am not jealous that Maddy has a neighbor looking out for her.”

  “But…”

  “But what?”

  “You didn’t say anything about me.”

  “I’m not jealous about you either, okay. Although…”

  “Yes?” Jess turned in her seat and rubbed his arm. It was probably the wine, but this conversation was getting fun.

  “I’m pretty sure he was checking you out in the park, so maybe I should be jealous.” Kyle gave her a sideways look.

  Jess hoped it was dark enough in the car that he couldn’t see her crimson cheeks. She hated how easily she blushed. Kyle was crazy. Winston had never said or done anything remotely inappropriate. She’d never so much as caught him checking out her butt. Winston was nothing but a friend. But perhaps a healthy dose of jealousy would get Kyle’s attention.

  “Do you really think so?” she asked.

  “Yeah, I do. When a guy has a hot wife he knows what it’s like when other guys are checking her out.”

  “So I’m hot now?”

  “You’ve always been hot, Jess. Don’t be coy. You know it.”

  “I’m not ugly, but I swear, I don’t think about being hot. I’m just a mom, and someone’s wife.”

  “So when men pay attention to you, you never notice?”

  Jess smiled playfully. “I didn’t say that.”

  “But you haven’t noticed Winston checking you out?”

  “Nope. Sorry.”

  “Trust me, hon. Guys like that don’t just strike up friendships with beautiful women. Even if he never does anything, trust me, he’s thought about it.”

  “You’re really being silly now.”

  “Come on. That dude has pictured you naked, Jess.”

  “Kyle!”

  Jess was a very deep crimson now. Her husband was insane. Winston was not sitting around picturing her naked—was he? No, he couldn’t be. But if he did, well, it would be flattering. Winston was a very attractive man—she might even go as far as sexy—and she was sure he didn’t have trouble getting women. It didn’t seem likely he would be thinking about his neighbor with the skinned knee, who always had a kid in tow. That was hardly a sexy image.

  “I think the lady doth protest too much,” Kyle chuckled. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you had a crush on him.”

  “Now you’ve really gone cuckoo. I don’t think about other men that way.”

  “Never?”

  “Nope. Never.” It was mostly the truth. Jess had her actor crushes, just like everyone else. If Ryan Gosling knocked on the door, she’d invite him in for coffee. “It sounds to me like maybe you’re the one who’s giving this too much thought.”

  “Why would I want the neighbor to be hot for my wife?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe you’re into that sort of thing. Some guys get off on knowing other men want their wives.”

  “Don’t get me wrong. I’m proud of you, Jess. It feels good to know that other men check you out. If Winston wants you, that’s pretty hot—the wanting part, I mean.”

  “Of course. I wasn’t suggesting you wanted something to happen…”

  “Nooo…”

  “Of course not, Kyle.”

  An awkward silence filled the car. Jess’s head was a jumble of odd thoughts. She stared at Kyle, wanting to read his mind. What was he really thinking about? She also realized that all this talk of being sexy and wanted had her turned on. She half-turned in the seat and got as close to Kyle as the seatbelt would allow. Her loose skirt was even higher on her thigh now, and it did not escape Kyle’s notice.

  “Sooo, since you understand your fellow men so well, what lustful thoughts do you accuse Winston of having about me?”

  “We’re playing this game?” Kyle sounded mildly surprised.

  “If I’m going to be prepared for all these lusting men then I’d better understand them, don’t you think, honey?”

  “Yeah, okay,” he replied skeptically. “Like I said, I’m sure he’s pictured you naked. I would have, if I were him.”

  “Does that make you jealous?”

  “No, because I expect it.”

  “What else?”

  Kyle thought for a moment. No doubt he was trying to decide how far to push it. While she was not prudish, this was not a game Jess normally would have started. It could easily go sideways. Jess herself didn’t know how far she wanted to push it. This was new territory for her, but the thinking of it had her tingling everywhere.

  “I bet he’s thought about what you look like during sex,” he finally answered.

  “What do you mean by that?” Jess pushed.

  Kyle glanced over, saw the smile on her pretty lips, and replied, “I’m sure he’s pictured his big cock sliding between those lips.”

  Jess feigned shock. She did not believe that for a minute, but it was fun to think about. And just how would Winston picture such a thing? How did he even know a good girl like Jess did that? Was she on her knees, like the first time they met? Did he just take out his big, black cock and she just opened her mouth—just like that? Jess couldn’t help picturing it, and the image made her shudder. Her hand dropped to Kyle’s thigh. She looked into the backseat to make sure Maddy was still dead to the world, but she had no worries there. When that girl fell asleep in the car, nothing could wake her. She would need to be carried into the house.

  “That’s so dirty,” she cooed. Jess made a show of licking her pink-painted lips and added, “You think he’d want to do that to me?”

  “What man wouldn’t?”

  “Do you think he’d make me do it?”

  “What?” Kyle sounded confused.

  “You know some guys are forceful. What if I couldn’t take it? Do you think Winston would just shove his big, black cock in my mouth?”

  “Uh, I, uh, guess…”

  Jess could tell he had no idea how to answer that, and she could hardly believe the words came out of her mouth. She blamed the wine. But now that her train of thought was on that track, she couldn’t get off of it. She felt guilty, because she knew he would never do that, but she imagined Winston holding the back of her head and feeding his prick into her mouth. She bought right into the stereotype that he must be big because he was a large, fit African American. She slid her hand to the inside of her husband’s thigh and found that he was thinking about it as well. Not only that, but it seemed like the fantasy game had him just as turned on as she was. His shaft lay full and hard down this pant leg.

  “Kyle, is this turning you on too?” she asked innocently.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Jess.”

  Kyle tried to close his legs, but she squeezed him through his pants and he groaned. She rubbed his cock and felt him tense. Jess reached for his belt buckle. They were no strangers to role play in the bedroom, but they had never gone down this road before. Usually, they fantasized about some kind of public sex—with the risk of getting caught—or the occasional threesome. She knew her silly husband would have loved to bring another woman into bed. Jess humored him without giving it any serious thought. But the former was very real. When they’d first met, Jess and Kyle had made a game of fucking in strange spots—the riskier the better. They’d come within a hair’s breadth of getting caught more than once.

  “It’s okay, honey. I’m turned on too.”

  “But Jess…”

  Jess had his pants open and r
eached in to tug his prick free. Kyle was so hard it was difficult to do without hurting him. When he was free, she stroked his long, warm shaft in her hand. It wasn’t like she had been with a lot of men—she could count her lovers on one hand, with fingers to spare—but it seemed to Jess that her husband had a wonderful cock. He fit perfectly in her hand, and when he was inside her he hit all the right places. She knew he was about seven inches, because she had insisted on measuring it one drunken night. Jess felt she had perfected her cock sucking skills on Kyle, because now she could take him to the back of her throat without gagging. She unclicked her seatbelt so she could come closer, ignoring the chime that insisted she click the seatbelt closed again.

  “It’s okay, honey. It’s just a game,” Jess insisted, lowering her head into the small gap between his body and the steering wheel. There was a buzz as he eased the seat back to give her more room. She softly kissed his head and licked down the shaft, enjoying his musky flavor.

  Jess remembered the first time a boy wanted her to give head. She thought he was crazy, and she only agreed to do it after he had tried several times. It had taken a lot of Boone’s Farm and begging, but Jess gave in and put it in her mouth. She’d discovered immediately that it wasn’t so bad at all. It didn’t really taste like anything, and she liked the way her boyfriend moaned when she did it. She was taken by surprise when he came, but she just instinctively swallowed it—even that part wasn’t so bad. Jess didn’t understand why some of her friends hated it so much.

  “Jess…” Kyle moaned.

  “What else, honey? What else do you think he’s thought about me?”

  Kyle made a confused, strangled noise. It was like he’d forgotten all about the fantasy game once her lips touched his cock. He fumbled for an answer. “He probably wants to take you doggie. He probably wants to see your ass, babe. You’ve got a really nice ass.”