After putting her suitcase into Cicely's car, Lashawnda walked upstairs to the bedroom, where Cicely was closing her suitcase.
“Your train leaves at eight, right?” Lashawnda asked. “Do you need a ride?”
“No. I've arranged for a car to pick me up.”
“Oh, okay. I'm gonna go ahead and take off. My mother wants me to help her clean the chitterlings.”
“Pew!” Cicely said, keeping things light.
“I know. But what would Thanksgiving at my momma's be like without the scent of chitterlings lingering through the apartment?”
Lashawnda looked Cicely over. She was dressed casually in jeans, a T-shirt, and sneakers. Even dressed down, she was as glamorous as the first day Lashawnda met her, only without the mystique. In fact, Cicely was now a bit of a disappointment to Lashawnda, as if she'd met her favorite movie star and found out that her personality wasn't really as great as had been projected by the media.
How did we ever get here? she wondered. She turned to walk out of the room.
“Hey, I don't even get a hug good-bye?” Cicely asked.
As Lashawnda turned around and caught Cicely's eyes, she felt guilty; she was betraying Cicely by having a change of heart about their relationship. She walked over to Cicely, and they slowly and carefully embraced.
“See you when I get back.” Cicely smiled.
“Have a good time with the folks,” Lashawnda replied. She waved good-bye and walked out.
ON HER DRIVE back through the neighborhood, Lashawnda noticed the increasing number of cars parked in driveways and at the edge of lawns. Her next-door neighbor had so many cars that they were lined up in front of her own lawn. She pulled Cicely's car into the garage and felt a wave of relief when the door came down behind her. Finally, some time alone.
Her mother had been disappointed that Lashawnda left earlier than planned, but she was having her own drama with her new live-in boyfriend, John. Lashawnda was glad to get away from there because the couple had argued all morning long, made up long enough for a civil dinner, and, by the time she was heading out, were at it again.
She stepped outside of the car, stretched, and then looked around. She was a long way from her mother's two-bedroom apartment, where there were broken-down cars in the lot. The grass was balding and there was bound to be a shouting match at any given moment between neighbors, Lashawnda's mother included. The homes in Alpharetta had garages and nicely manicured lawns. The neighbors were quiet and friendly.
Lashawnda wondered what her next place of residence would be like. She knew for sure that she could never go back to Bankhead, not as a resident, anyway. But she wouldn't be able to afford Alpharetta anytime soon.
She slid her key into the door and walked into the kitchen. The aroma of cooked food met her nose. She stopped and looked around through to the living room. Nobody was in there; however, jazz music was echoing through the house.
Lashawnda's first thought was to walk back out. Apparently Cicely had missed her train or decided to stay home alone herself. Lashawnda didn't want Cicely to know she'd come back early. She didn't want to disturb Cicely's moment of aloneness because she would have been disappointed if things were the other way around, if, after getting home first, she'd been ambushed by Cicely.
Where could she go? She surely didn't want to go back to her mother's. There was noplace. Think, Lashawnda, think! She scanned her brain for ideas. The only thing that came to mind was a motel, but where she was from, people only stayed in a motel when they were out of town or sneaking to get their freaks on.
Why not? I'm grown. I can afford it. It'll still allow me to be alone, and Cicely wouldn't have to know that I stopped by, she thought.
She turned to tiptoe back to the garage, when, in the silence between songs on the jazz CD, she heard the faint sound of a voice.
Cicely must be on the phone, she reasoned, but couldn't help but want to eavesdrop. Lashawnda turned back around and crept to the edge of the staircase. Cicely's voice was coming from their bedroom. From where she was standing, Lashawnda could see that the door was closed, and she heard a voice. However, she couldn't hear well enough to decipher words. So she took a deep breath, eyed the stairs, and before she could stop herself, her feet moved up the steps. She reached the top and rushed into the guest room across from the master bedroom. Standing just behind the entry, she peeped around to get in better listening range.
The music from the living room was distracting, but Lashawnda concentrated. Cicely was giggling.
“No, that would be you,” she said.
Lashawnda tried to steady her body to keep the slightest movement to a minimum.
“Oh, I know I'm sexy. If I wasn't, you wouldn't have invited me to your room,” the other voice purred.
Lashawnda's mouth dropped.
“You want to know what I like?” Cicely asked.
“What's that?”
“To feel your soft lips against my skin.”
“Oh really?” the other voice chuckled.
“Really,” Cicely responded. “Can I get more of that feeling?”
“It would be my pleasure,” the voice responded.
Lashawnda pulled herself away from the door and fell against the wall. Her eyes widened and her arms went limp.
Her instinct was right. It was time to move on. Cicely had actually beaten her to the punch—she'd already brought another woman into their bed. That bitch! Lashawnda thought. She's worse than any of the men from my past. At least with them, I knew they were dogs.
She started to leave, but caught herself. I've got to confront this. Lashawnda moved toward their bedroom. She didn't rush, nor did she hesitate; she just moved naturally toward the room that had been partially hers for half a year. Just as casually as she'd open that door any other day, she turned the doorknob and walked inside.
Candles were lit throughout, casting shadows of light on the walls, while cigarette smoke and Cicely's perfume heavily scented the room. She was lying on her back on top of their nice duvet cover as a beautiful woman with long hair and a beautiful lean backside lay draped on top of Cicely, cupping one of her breasts with one hand and playfully licking the other. Cicely's eyes were closed, an expression of pleasure on her face. She didn't even notice that Lashawnda had walked in.
Wait a minute, Lashawnda thought. Isn't that … She couldn't hold it in. “Marissa?” she said aloud, surprise in her voice.
Marissa, one of Cicely's patients, looked behind her and saw Lashawnda standing beside the bed. She didn't even try to cover herself, just looked Lashawnda directly in the eye and smirked deceitfully.
Cicely jumped up. She turned pale. “Lashawnda?” she questioned, as if to make sure Lashawnda was actually standing there.
“What are you doing here?” Cicely's face filled with guilt. She reached for her gown and fumbled to put it over her head.
“The last time I checked, this was where I lived.”
“Calm down,” Cicely said.
“Believe me, I am calm. I'm not even mad. How are you doing, Marissa?”
Marissa's mouth moved, but nothing came out.
“Listen, Cicely. I'm going to go to the bathroom and get that nice bubble bath and salt scrub you got for me. Then I'm going to leave. You two can get back to whatever you were doing.”
Cicely stood up off the bed, but she didn't move. Lashawnda went into the bathroom, picked up her bath products, and came back out. She planted a smile of disbelief on her face as she looked at Marissa sitting and Cicely standing, both looking dumbfounded.
Before she walked out of the door she stopped and said, “By the way, watch yourself, Marissa, this one lays it on thick. Three years will fly by before you know what hit you.”
Marissa rolled her eyes and folded her arms.
Lashawnda looked at Cicely one more time. Cicely no longer looked like the in control, together power figure Lashawnda looked up to. The sight of her there with Marissa was disgusting. Lashawnda couldn't digest the two
of them any longer, so she quickly turned away and shot out the door.
She grabbed the rail at the top of the stairs and sat down on the top step. She had to catch her breath, accept the reality of what she'd just witnessed. Lashawnda stared down the steps. She knew that when she walked down them, her life would never be the same. She was struck with fear. How would she ever be able to trust again?
She heard movement from inside the room, so she hopped up and headed down. She didn't know whether to laugh or to cry. She thought about how absurd Cicely looked when she knew she was busted and laughed all the way down the steps. She laughed hard and loud. She knew Cicely heard, she wanted her to hear so she'd know just how big a joke Lashawnda thought she was.
Once she was safe in Cicely's car, Lashawnda sighed, relieved to be out of that house. She acknowledged that she did care about Cicely and that she was pissed off about the episode she'd just encountered. But beneath the feelings of hurt, betrayal, and fear of what her next move would be, she felt a hint of relief. Now she didn't have to make a decision regarding Cicely. It had been made for her. Despite how out of control things seemed, she was going to make it through this, just like she'd made it through every other unfulfilling relationship she had fallen into.
OUISA MONTERO HANDED the list of winners of the Night Before Thirty contest to Melvin Green.
“How did y'all ever narrow the list down to five?” he asked on the air.
“Believe me, it wasn't easy,” she replied. “It's going to be a while before I can read another letter. I'm burnt out.”
“That means you're really going to need this birthday getaway,” Melvin Green said. Then he announced, “All right, ladies, grab your suitcases and sunscreen and be prepared to meet Louisa Montero in sunny South Beach if your name is called.”
CATARA CLOSED THE door of the dressing room, where her client was trying on clothes. With dresses draped over one arm, she adjusted the volume on her Walkman to make sure she wouldn't miss even one of the names called.
She braced herself for the verdict. She just knew she was going to hear her name. There was no way she couldn't win. She was already packed. If she didn't win, she didn't know what she would do with herself. She had to win because it was the only plan she had for celebrating her birthday.
ALECIA LAY IN bed, half asleep, half awake. Louisa had told her that the winners would be announced Monday morning, so she had set her clock radio the previous night to make sure she tuned in.
Even though she knew she had won, she found herself sitting up in bed, wide-eyed. She was excited in anticipation of hearing her name called on the radio. So what—she wouldn't become a famous actress. Hearing her name on the radio would be her fifteen minutes of fame.
TANYA, ALONG WITH three of her coworkers, gathered in the break room and closed the door. Armed with coffee and bagels, the women crowded around a lone portable radio, waiting to see whether Tanya would be flying away for her dream vacation or if they would have to take her out for the usual birthday dinner.
Tanya sat in front of the radio with her eyes tightly shut. Winning this trip meant more to her than she would have ever let on to them. She needed to win this trip as badly as she needed to breathe.
ALLEN SAT IN front of his computer screen, on pins and needles. He could barely concentrate on the flyer he was working on. Once they began talking about the birthday contest, he had to stop working altogether.
With Hattie's help, he'd written a letter to enter Elise in the contest. He wanted to do something special for her. It was a bit drastic, but Allen couldn't garner the courage to let her know that his feelings for her were growing. He was certain that if she could win the contest, knowing that he entered her in it, she would allow him to get closer to her. Maybe in her excitement, she'd do what he couldn't and let him know she cared for him.
LASHAWNDA DRAGGED HERSELF into the office. Cicely had called her on her cell phone earlier that morning, begging her to come in, not only to work but also to return her car. Lashawnda decided that working for Cicely was still a steady paycheck even though she and Cicely were no longer a couple; she really needed the income. She'd endured worse circumstances.
When she sat at her desk, she instinctively turned on the radio. She looked down and found in front of her a small, nicely wrapped box with a card that read: Please forgive me—Cicely.
Lashawnda stared at the box in disbelief. She picked it up and put it in the palm of her hand. It was a small box. Jewelry, she thought. Unsure if she would even accept the gift, Lashawnda pulled the string on the bow.
MELVIN GREEN READ the first name: “Our first winner is a California girl, Alicia Jewel Parker from Los Angeles.”
“It's Ah-lee-cee -ah, you cornball, Ah-lee-cee -ah!” she yelled at the radio, emphasizing the e in the pronunciation. Alecia fell back in her bed. She was perturbed. “I never did like him!” she huffed.
MELVIN GREEN MOVED to the next name. “All right, our next winner is from the Midwest—Louisville, Kentucky, home of the Kentucky Derby. Congratulations, Ms. Elise Ross.”
Allen was so excited that he nearly fell out of his seat. He picked up the phone to tell Elise that she had won, and then decided a phone call wouldn't be effective enough. He put the receiver down and looked at the computer. He was supposed to be working. I'm not getting anything done here anyway, he thought, jumping up, grabbing his coat and keys, and rushing out the door to tell Elise the good news. Telling her she'd just won a vacation for her birthday would put him one step closer to winning her heart.
“WINNER NUMBER THREE is from the dirty South! Hotlanta to be exact. All you gotta do is hop down one state and begin to celebrate. Lashawnda Davis, congratulations! You're our next winner.”
Lashawnda had totally forgotten they would be announcing the winners today. She dropped the gift from Cicely—an ankle bracelet—and her jaw dropped as well. She'd won. She was actually going to be on a plane for the first time. She jumped up and quietly danced around her desk, so as not to disturb Cicely and her client. How would she make it through the rest of the workweek, knowing that come Friday she would be on her way to Florida?
“OUR NEXT WINNER is from my hometown. That's right, the Windy City of Chicago. Please believe I know this lady is going to be glad to get a break from the hawk. Put away your fur and pull out your bathing suit because, Tanya Charles, you're winner number four.”
Tanya became physically weak. She was glad that she was sitting down—had she been standing, her legs wouldn't have held her up. She'd never won anything before in her life. Her coworkers were jumping up around her and screaming, causing so much commotion that someone opened the door to the break room. The women froze, but it wasn't their boss, so they relaxed.
“Please hold it down,” the older lady said, frowning down her nose at them.
“Excuse us,” someone replied.
When she closed the door, everyone laughed and went back to a more toned-down celebration. Tanya smiled along with the ladies but inside she felt fear. She was scared. This trip meant her first step in the direction of becoming independent from Chris. When she returned, Chris would be back from Texas and nothing between them would ever be the same again.
CATARA HUNG THE dresses she'd been holding on the rack beside the dressing-room door. She didn't want anything in her hands. There was one more name left to be called, and she wasn't sure how she'd react, whether hers was called or not. She didn't want to be responsible for paying for damaged merchandise.
“One more name left. I know you ladies out there are anxious to see if you will be the last name on this list, so I'm going to help build the suspense. Can we get a drumroll please?” He pushed the button on his control board to get the effect.
“The final winner of the Night Before Thirty contest—a shopping spree, the Spa in South Beach, and a one-day cruise to the Grand Bahamas—is from the Big Apple! New York. Congratulations, Catara Edwards, you are our final winner.
Catara threw her arms in the air and let
out a loud “Yes!” She had known she would win.
Her client opened the door of the dressing room and peeped out. “Did you call me?” she asked.
Catara was so overjoyed that she began sharing her happiness.
“Can you believe it? I just won a trip over the radio. I'm so excited. I won. I really won.”
The lady looked at Catara and smiled. “I'm so happy for you,” she said. “But while you're celebrating, could I get this dress in an eight?”
“Oh, of course, no problem,” Catara said, dancing toward the showroom to get what her client requested.
LOUISA MONTERO ANNOUNCED the winners one more time.
“Alecia Jewel Parker, Elise Ross, Lashawnda Davis, Tanya Charles, and Catara Edwards, I will see you ladies this weekend for a thirtieth birthday celebration you won't soon forget.”
LECIA WALKED OUT of the front entrance of her high-rise building. It was four-thirty in the morning. The doorman followed behind her with her luggage. Parked out front was William's Town Car. Even though they hadn't verbally communicated since the incident in San Diego, Alecia still continued to take full advantage of the amenities that came with being his mistress, including the weekly maid service, laundry, and dry cleaning, and the use of the company car.
Tony, the driver, hopped out of the car when he saw her approaching.
“Good morning, Miss Parker,” he said.
“Good morning, Tony.” She figured that he was aware of the circumstances surrounding her and William, and felt a bit awkward.
He opened her door and she got in. Inside, on the seat, was a bouquet of roses and an envelope.
“Mr. Masterson asked me to make sure you received that,” Tony said as he pulled out and headed toward the airport.
Alecia turned her head away from the flowers and looked out the window. Early-morning rides to the airport were the only time L.A. seemed asleep, the only time that traffic was nonexistent, the only time she ever got a chance to notice the unique beauty of the city. What stood out to her most that day were the mountains surrounding her, majestically standing in the far distance.
The Night Before Thirty Page 12
