The Night Before Thirty

by Tajuana Butler

  “Well, Elise's plane has already landed. She should be coming this way any minute now,” Jessica said.

  “What about our luggage? Shouldn't we go ahead and try to get it?” Catara questioned.

  Jessica became nervous. She knew that the moment that they left, Elise would walk up. But she didn't want to upset the contest winners. The ladies had every right to be concerned about their luggage, but the timing was important. “Let's just wait a few more minutes,” she suggested. “I'm sure your luggage will be okay.”

  “I don't know about that,” Tanya said.

  “Why don't Tanya and I walk to baggage claim, and when Elise gets here, the two of you can meet us there and then we'll all go together to meet Louisa and the other lady. What's her name?” Catara said.

  “Lashawnda,” Jessica replied, biting her bottom lip. “Well, okay. But please don't move once you find your luggage. If I lose you, I'll lose my job.”

  “Oh, we'll be fine,” Tanya said over her shoulder as she and Catara left to go to baggage claim.

  “And we'll be down there when you get there with Elise,” Catara assured her.

  “Yeah, relax,” Tanya said, tickled at how nervous Jessica was. It was cute. Most of the women in her hood weren't so quick to let their emotions show, no matter how nervous they were.

  She and Catara moved through the airport together like two young girls. They were both giddy and talked like old friends.

  “I can't wait to get on that boat and get my party on. It is long overdue. I just hope all the other women who won aren't skinny like you,” Catara said.

  “What did you say?” Tanya asked, offended. She was hoping to give Catara a chance to clean up her words before she went off on her.

  “I don't mean it facetiously. I'm just a little self-conscious about my weight.”

  “I don't know why. Skinny girls are not in style. They like 'em thick in my hood.”

  “Well, I need to hang out in your hood, because where I stay, thin is in,” Catara replied. “I know everybody is going to be staring at me. But if I'm not the only big girl, it'll take some of the pressure off.”

  Tanya didn't know how to respond, so she changed the subject. “I'm not getting to my massage quick enough. After the year I've had, I could use one every day for the next year.”

  “Well, I've been so busy at work that I haven't had a pedicure or manicure in months,” Catara said.

  “Wait a minute, wait a minute, girlfriend, you gotta find time for the two I-cures.”

  “I know, but I haven't.”

  “I thought I needed this, but maybe you need this trip more than me,” Tanya said.

  They laughed.

  By the time they found their luggage and made their way to the front of baggage claim, Jessica and Elise were approaching. The two women smiled when they saw her.

  “What took you so long?” Tanya joked.

  “I'm so sorry, but there was a mother and two kids on the plane and they didn't have seats together. Two of them were on the same row as I was, close to the front, and one of the seats was in the back of the plane, on the last row. I couldn't let them be separated like that.”

  “So you gave up your seat,” Catara said.

  “Yeah, which meant that I was one of the last people off the plane, and it was a full flight.”

  “That was nice of you,” Catara said.

  “Oh, by the way, this is Catara Edwards and Tanya Charles,” Jessica said, pointing to each. “And, of course, this is Elise Ross.”

  The women shook hands.

  “How was your flight otherwise?” Jessica asked.

  “It was fine. Not bad at all,” Elise said.

  “Elise carried her luggage on the flight, so we can go ahead on over to meet Louisa and Lashawnda.”

  Jessica touched Elise on the hand. “Lashawnda Davis, the other winner, is already here. The final winner, Alecia Parker, should get here in the next fifteen minutes. She's coming in all the way from Los Angeles.”

  The women walked into the bar where Louisa and Lashawnda were sitting down talking and sharing a basket of chips and salsa. Jessica introduced everyone. Then they all sat down and placed their orders with the waitress.

  “So you're Catara,” Louisa said.

  “Yeah?” Catara shook her head, unsure of what Louisa was getting at. “Girl, out of all the letters we received, yours was the best. We had to make you a winner.”

  Catara laughed a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank you!” she responded.

  Louisa looked around. “Everybody else's letters were great, but, Catara, yours left such an impression I couldn't wait to meet you.”

  Catara smiled, but she hated being the center of attention.

  “Congratulations on opening your gym. It's not every day that you meet a gymnast.”

  “Thank you,” Elise said. But I have to be honest. I didn't write my own letter. A guy friend of mine wrote it.”

  “Disqualify her,” Lashawnda teased.

  “Well, as long as we're playing true confessions, I can't disqualify you, Elise, or else I'd have to disqualify myself and my good friend Alecia. She's the fifth winner.”

  “I'm telling Melvin Green,” Tanya joked.

  Everyone laughed.

  “Alecia is my girl, but let me warn you ladies, she is a bit of a diva,” Louisa admitted.

  ALECIA WALKED TOWARD Jessica and Stan. By the way Alecia was eyeing them over her sunglasses, Jessica knew that she was their final winner.

  “Hi, you must be Alecia?”

  “No. I'm Ah-lee-cee -ah.”

  “Sorry, Alecia,” Jessica said, embarrassed that she had mispronounced the woman's name. “How was your flight?”

  “Horrible. Why would the show not fly me first-class? Especially coming from L.A. I tried to upgrade, but there were no seats available.”

  “I'm sorry to hear that,” Jessica replied.

  “I haven't eaten anything at all today. The food in coach is horrible. I am absolutely famished,” she complained, handing her carry-on to Stan.

  “So where is Louisa? Am I the first person to arrive?”

  “Actually, you're the last. Everybody else is with Ms. Montero. They're all in one of the restaurants getting acquainted. You'll be able to have a bite to eat there.”

  “Okay,” Alecia said.

  “By the way, I'm Jessica. I'll be assisting Louisa Montero and the rest of you ladies for the weekend.” She looked at Stan.

  “Stan, you can bring the car around, and I'll help you to start loading things up once I get Alecia settled.”

  “Okay. Will you need this?” he asked Alecia, pointing to her bag.

  “No, you can take it with you. But I do have another piece to pick up at baggage claim.”

  “Stan, you might as well walk with us, so you can take her luggage with you when you go to get the car,” Jessica said.

  “No problem,” Stan said.

  They picked up Alecia's luggage and gave it to Stan, and then the two women went to join the rest of the group.

  Alecia and Jessica walked up to the ladies, who were sitting around making small talk and waiting.

  “Excuse me, but I have our final addition to the group: Alecia”—she looked at Alecia for approval for pronouncing her name correctly, and Alecia nodded—“Jewel Parker.”

  Then she introduced everyone to Alecia one by one. When she got to Louisa, who stood up, she began, “And this is—”

  “Louisa Montero,” Alecia said, and walked over to her and hugged her.

  “Alecia, you made it! So how was your flight?” Louisa asked.

  “Let's not talk about it,” Alecia huffed.

  “Well, come and have a seat. We've just been munching. What do you want to drink?” Louisa asked.

  “Apple martini. Ooh, and I'd like some cocktail shrimp to start.”

  “Sure. Jessica, can you grab a waitress and give her Alecia's order?” she asked. “In the meantime, chips and dip are on the table.”

  “
Cool, because I'm starving. I haven't eaten all day,” Alecia said, as she took an empty seat next to Louisa.

  “Now that everyone is here and has been introduced, I'd like to welcome you all and say congratulations. This weekend is a special occasion, ladies. All of us are turning the big three-oh. I, for one, have resisted, but this weekend with the company of all of you, I plan to embrace thirty.”

  “Amen to that,” Lashawnda said, lifting her glass toward Louisa.

  “We've got a busy day ahead of us. I'm going to go down the itinerary, but first I'd like to do something that came to me last night.” She pulled out a small bag from her purse.

  “Inside this bag I have five questions. I'd like to have each of you draw a question and, as we spend the day together, I thought it would be nice to have each of you give as detailed an answer as possible.”

  Louisa shook the bag.

  “What I'd like is for each of you to keep your question to yourself. Think about your answer carefully, and then be prepared to share with the group.”

  “If we don't like our question, can we switch?” Elise asked.

  “No, unfortunately you're stuck with your question. I think this will allow for good discussion and help us to really bond this weekend.” Louisa smiled, seeming proud of her idea. Everyone else looked skeptical.

  “All right, ladies, come on over and draw your question,” Louisa requested.

  “What if we choose not to participate?” Tanya asked, as she pulled her question.

  “You have to participate,” Louisa replied.

  “What if we don't have an answer to the question?” Catara said after looking at hers.

  “I'm sure if you search deep enough, you'll come up with something.”

  The waitress came with Alecia's drink.

  “Okay, ladies, Jessica and Stan are going to load your luggage into the car while we go over the itinerary.”

  Louisa opened her notebook and began to relay every detail of their packed schedule.

  HE LADIES LOADED into the limousine and headed for their first destination, Bal Harbour Shops, where they were allotted $1,000 each to spend in any store of their choice on any items they chose.

  “This limo is off the hook!” Lashawnda commented.

  “Oh, I could get used to this,” Catara agreed.

  “Oh, me too,” Tanya said.

  Elise looked at the seats, the bar, and the lighting system, smiling the whole time. “This is nice,” she finally said.

  “Okay, listen up, everyone, we have two connecting suites at the Royal Palm Crowne Plaza Resort Hotel in South Beach. We're already checked in. Tonight, we're going to spend the evening slumber-party style.

  “That should be fun,” Elise said enthusiastically.

  “We don't get our own rooms?” Alecia asked.

  “With the connecting suites, we have four bedrooms with two double beds in each. Each person will have her own bed.”

  “But that means sharing a room with a stranger,” Alecia frowned.

  “Believe me, Alecia, you'll be just fine. We're going to stay up pretty late, and we have to be up early to catch the ship. It departs at eight and we have to be checked in by seven-thirty.”

  “So how do we choose who we'll be sharing with?” Tanya asked.

  “We'll figure it out tonight. Maybe we'll draw straws or something to work it out.”

  “I don't care who I share with as long as they don't snore. I can't sleep through loud snoring, although I have been known to snore myself,” Catara joked.

  “Well, I don't snore, and I sleep like a rock. I'll share with you,” Lashawnda said.

  “That's cool,” Catara replied.

  “Like I said, we'll figure it out. Now, once we get to the mall, you each have only two hours to spend a thousand dollars,” Louisa said.

  “Here are brochures for the different designer boutiques,” Jessica added, handing them out. “Peruse them so you'll have an idea of where you want to spend your time shopping.”

  “Oh, I already know where I'm going,” Alecia said.

  Jessica handed each lady a mall gift certificate. “You have to spend your money. What you don't use, you lose,” she said.

  “I don't know when I went shopping last,” Elise said. “I'm getting something for everybody back home.”

  Everybody stopped going through their brochures and looked at her like she was an alien.

  “Seriously, I just opened my own business this year and have been saving over the past few years, in case I have some down times. So, shopping is a luxury that I've had to forfeit for my business,” Elise explained.

  “Sorry, ladies, no gifts for other people,” Louisa interjected. “This is your birthday gift—all the money has to be spent on you.”

  “Doesn't your man give you money to go shopping?” Tanya asked as if it were some written law.

  “I'm single, and even if I had a boyfriend, I don't know if he'd always send me shopping.”

  “What good is a man to you if he can't take care of you?” Alecia asked.

  Elise felt like a foreigner in a strange land. These women saw men as ATMs. “I always thought a man should be loved and would love me in return; that relationships should be based on mutual respect and trust, not a monetary exchange. To me, relationships are two-way streets. He gives a little, and so do I. But my love can't be purchased because it's not for sale.”

  “In what world?” Lashawnda said, rolling her neck. She thought Elise was about the most naive woman she'd ever met. “The only twoway street I know is where you give your heart and get a hard way to go in return.”

  “Exactly—that's why all I give a man is time, when it's convenient for me, and heartless attention. In return, he gives me his credit card,” Alecia said proudly.

  “Well, I'm with Elise. I think relationships should be about an emotional tie between two people,” Louisa said.

  “But as hard as they try …” Tanya began. “Wait a minute; they don't try, because they are incapable of making a true emotional connection. That's why you have to get out of him what you can, when you can, before he meets someone younger and prettier who does a better job of stroking his ego.”

  “And his dick,” Lashawnda added.

  “Maybe in some cases, with shallow men. But a real man doesn't operate like that,” Elise insisted.

  “Do they exist?” Louisa questioned.

  “I think so,” Elise responded with conviction.

  “Well, maybe in Kentucky, but I have yet to run into one in New York,” Catara said.

  “Or L.A.,” Alecia agreed.

  “Or Chicago,” Tanya backed her up.

  “And definitely not Atlanta,” Lashawnda added.

  “That's why you have to get everything you can from them because they really don't give a shit about you or their wives,” Alecia said.

  “Okay. So maybe some—and I emphasize some —men can be foul, but I believe that if we fall into their game of 'if you give me this, then I'll give you that,' we lose our power as women,” Elise said.

  “No, we gain power,” Alecia said defensively.

  “I agree, Alecia,” Tanya said.

  “Yeah, I feel pretty powerful when a man buys me a new car or spends obscene amounts of money on me,” said Alecia, “especially when I don't have deep feelings for him.”

  “But what about when you do?” Catara asked.

  “Then it's even better, because eventually he's going to break my heart or move on, and by then I will have sucked his pockets dry,” Alecia said.

  “Did you even stop to think that maybe that's why he moves on, because he can no longer afford you?” Jessica timidly offered.

  “No!” Alecia said with bitterness in her voice. “He moves on because he's a hunter, looking for new prey to devour. But, you see, I am empowered because he might leave with a piece of my heart, but I'm left with a piece of his income.”

  “But is that true power?” Elise said. “I don't think so—you still aren't getti
ng what you want out of it, because deep down women want the same thing, men's hearts. Your playing that kind of game perpetrates a cycle.”

  “What kind of cycle?” Louisa asked. She was surprised that Elise had such a strong opinion.

  “The kind that forces women to act out of their nature and become just as manipulative and heartless as men supposedly are toward us,” Elise said.

  “Do we have a choice?” Tanya asked. “This is a dog-eat-dog world. We have to do what we have to do in order to survive.”

  “Preach on,” Lashawnda agreed.

  “As long as we operate outside of our loving and caring nature, men will forever control us,” Elise said.

  “You have a good argument, but I don't see sincere loving and caring flying in the new millennium,” Catara said.

  “Well, I've broken the cycle, and even though I don't have a man buying me all the latest name-brand fashions, I feel good about who I am, what I stand for, and the goals I am achieving. I am a person who stands alone. When a real man comes along, and I know he will, I will be able to say that I didn't compromise my womanhood just to outdo a man in a relationship. Life is just too short to get caught up in those kinds of games,” Elise said.

  “I hear you,” Catara replied.

  “When it's all said and done, I want to leave a legacy that my children and their children can be proud of. No disrespect to either of you, Alecia or Tanya, but manipulating a man for his money doesn't qualify for a legacy in my book,” Elise added.

  “No, she didn't,” Tanya said rolling her eyes.

  “You are just a clueless plain Jane from Kentucky, what do you know about anything anyway?” Alecia boldly asked.

  Louisa shook her head; she knew how cruel Alecia could be if she in any way felt threatened.

  “Yeah, it might seem that way to you, but I know more than you think,” Elise said, defending herself. “As a matter of fact, Louisa, if it's okay with you, I'd like to answer the question that I drew.”

  “Okay, that's cool. Whatever—as long as it'll calm things down a bit.”

  LISE PULLED THE slip of paper out of her pocket. “My question is 'What am I most proud of?' Let me see, where do I start?” Elise said.

  I USED TO be a pretty well-known gymnast, back when I was in college. I actually made the U.S. Rhythmic Gymnastics Olympic team.