In The Company of My Sistahs

by Angie Daniels

  The music slowed down and Clayton pulled me gently into the circle of his arms, and, hallelujah, he moved like a brotha who knew what he was doing. See, that’s what I’m talking about. He swayed from side to side, one-one-two, one-one-two, and I wrapped my arms around him and held on for the ride. Now that’s what I call nice. I just might have to give Clayton a little something, something.

  Chapter 21

  NADINE

  The party was held in a large multipurpose room in the main building. It was packed with guests and employees on duty, mostly the entertainment staff.

  She glanced around at the men and women dressed in almost nothing. One woman said she usually slept in the nude, so she came to the party wrapped in her bedsheet.

  Nadine watched Renee mimic moves she had seen on BET’s 106 & Park. She herself had two left feet and never had much rhythm. Renee, on the other hand, looked good out there in that flimsy little nightie. She looked good in everything she wore, with her small breasts and firm dancer legs. Unlike Nadine, who was top-heavy like her mother.

  Everyone was gyrating their hips, looking confident half-dressed. She felt awkward in her two-piece pajamas with pink polka dots. She wished she had brought something sexy, maybe something to show off her large breasts.

  She sat alone, sipping another rum and Coke, her drink of choice. Lisa was at the other end of the room, dancing with one of the entertainment coordinators, while Renee was gyrating hips with Clayton O’Neal. As she watched them, Nadine rolled her eyes. She guaranteed he’d end up in Renee’s bed tonight. Renee had it like that. She would scan the room, pick out the man she planned to spend the evening with, and within an hour, had him buying her a drink.

  She allowed her eyes to travel around the room and soon became entranced with a man she spotted at a table, sitting alone a couple of feet away. He was brown skinned with short jet-black curly hair and large brown eyes. She was stunned that he was sitting alone, what with all the women in the room. The man looked her way and their eyes locked. Damn, she had gotten caught staring. She was about to go over to the bar and talk to Sylvester, when the man held up a pack of gum and offered her a piece. She gave him a polite smile, then nodded.

  In one fluid motion, he rose from the chair. He wore burgundy pajama bottoms and his chiseled chest was bare except for the thick herringbone chain around his neck. She definitely liked what she saw.

  He held out a piece of gum and she accepted it with a thank you. Then he lowered into Lisa’s seat. “You know that was just an excuse to come over and ask you to dance.”

  “Was it?”

  “Yes, it was.”

  She waited. He waited.

  “Care to dance?” he asked politely.

  “I’d love to.”

  She followed him out onto the crowded dance floor. As she passed Lisa, she nudged her in the side. Her girl gave her a thumbs-up as Nadine moved to find an empty spot on the floor.

  He was an excellent dancer and she didn’t try to mimic his move, instead she just wiggled her hips to the beat of the music.

  The music slowed down and he pulled her closer. She rested her chin on his shoulder. He smelled of Burberry. She hated Burberry. Arthur used to wear that fragrance.

  The man pulled her closer. “I’m Darrius Thomas,” he whispered near her ear.

  “My name is Nadine Hill.”

  “Nice to meet you, Nadine.” He had a British accent that made her simple name sound sexy.

  Staring over her shoulder, she gazed at Renee dancing close with Clayton O’Neal. She was gyrating her hips so close they might as well been in a bed somewhere fucking.

  To her right, she spotted a woman who looked like she didn’t want to be here. Her head rested on her partner’s shoulder as she gazed over in Nadine’s direction.

  Nadine stared back.

  Her large eyes were the focal point of her face. It took a few moments before Nadine realized that it was the lady she had seen earlier at the bar. The mystery lady mouthed, “hello.”

  Nadine did the same, then she watched as the woman’s full lips curled into a warm smile that radiated through her body. Watching her, she felt something she didn’t feel at all with Darrius. It was a feeling she could get only from another woman. Nadine stepped back abruptly as if she had touched something hot.

  “Is something wrong?” he asked.

  “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

  Darrius looked puzzled, then pleased. “All right. Where are we going?”

  “Wherever you want to take me.”

  He took her hand and guided her through the crowd and out the room. They moved down the flight of stairs and outside the building, and didn’t stop until they reached the beach. When Nadine reached the sand, she kicked off her shoes and took off running. Darrius fell into step beside her. Far away from the building, she fell down on the sand, laughing, and he joined her. As soon as the laughing stopped, she pulled him against her and kissed him desperately, clawing at his clothes, wanting so badly to forget what she had been feeling only minutes ago.

  “Hey, let’s slow down.”

  “Why—you scared?” she challenged.

  He sniffed. “I ain’t scared of shit.”

  “All right, then shut up and go with the flow.”

  “Shit, you don’t have to tell me twice.” Darrius rose and lowered his pajama pants. As soon as he reached for his boxers, Nadine came to her senses. What the hell am I doing?

  She scrambled into a sitting position. “Look—I’m sorry. This is wrong.”

  Darrius looked confused. “What do you mean? I thought you were down for a little harmless sex.”

  “I changed my mind,” she said and suddenly felt bad for leading him on.

  Even in the dark of the night, she could see his frown. “You ain’t nothing but a dick tease.”

  Nadine swallowed the lump in her throat. She knew he was right. She had lured him out onto the beach, challenged him to prove his manhood, then, when he was ready to fuck, suddenly changed her mind. How else was he supposed to react? A man can’t be turned on and off like that. Their dicks just don’t work that way. “I said I’m sorry,” she snapped in frustration. “And I’m not going to say it again.”

  “Fuck you.” He pulled up his pants and stormed across the beach back toward the party.

  Nadine lowered her head and allowed the tears to flow.

  Chapter 22

  RENEE

  By the end of the third slow song the DJ decided to speed it up again. I was hot and sweating and was starting to feel like I was about to suffocate in the cramped space.

  “You want to go out and get some air?”

  Clayton smiled down at me. “Sure.”

  I latched onto his arm and followed him out into the hall.

  “Girl, you sho know how to party.”

  “Hey, I’ve got to do me.”

  He smirked. “I like it in you.”

  “So, when’s the season start?” While we were slow dancing, Clayton had told me he played for the Chiefs. I faked surprise.

  “Next month I report to camp.”

  “It must be an exciting career.”

  “It has its ups and downs. What do you do?” he inquired.

  “I’m an author.”

  “Are you published?”

  “Yeah, seven novels. Two Essence bestsellers.”

  He looked impressed. “What name do you write under?”

  “Caeramel.”

  “Caeramel. I can see that.”

  “When I was growing up my grandmother used to say, ‘that chile ain’t black, she’s caramel.’ And the name stuck. I just spell it c-a-e-ra-m-e-l, so that people will pronounce it correctly.”

  “I like that.” His smile was genuine.

  “Thanks.”

  We moved outside. There was a cool breeze coming from the direction of the ocean. We took a seat on a pair of chairs near the sand. I sat across from him, slipped off my shoes, and raised my feet and lowered them across his lap.
I didn’t waste any time asking him personal questions. “So tell me, are the rumors about ballplayers true?”

  He reached down and took my foot in his hands and gently massaged the balls of my foot. “Which rumors are those?”

  “Lots of parties, drugs, fucking.”

  He shook his head. “I wouldn’t know. I gave up the party scene three years ago. As for sex,” he paused and met my gaze, “I’ve been celibate since I gave my life to the Lord.”

  My mouth dropped. “You’re fucking kidding me, right?”

  He shook his head. “No. I’m not.”

  “So I guess offering you some no-strings-attached sex is a waste of time?”

  He looked stunned by my proposition before he said with a smile, “Basically.”

  “Damn, it’s always the fine ones. You sure you’re not gay?”

  Clayton chuckled. “No. I love women. Believe me, back in the day, I would have been all over you. I’m just waiting to meet the right woman. I believe sex and love should go hand in hand.”

  I snorted rudely. Clayton had a lot to learn. “Yeah, I used to think the same thing, but three husbands later, I’ve learned that love is a bunch of bullshit.”

  He frowned. “Has anyone ever told you, you cuss like a sailor?”

  “All the damn time. Oops! I’m sorry. Does it bother you?”

  “If I say yes will you stop?”

  “I’ll try.”

  “Good enough. So you’ve had three husbands?” He looked stunned.

  I chuckled. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to freak you out. I’m flaky, what can I say?”

  He shook his head like he thought my ass was crazy or something. Shit, I couldn’t get mad, because I am crazy.

  He started kneading the balls of my feet again and damn it felt good. That’s what I get for trying to look cute in a pair of heels.

  “I plan on getting married one time and one time only. That’s why I’m waiting to meet the right woman.”

  “Shit, I mean, shoot, with all of your money, you should have women falling at your feet.”

  He sighed. “Yeah, I do, and that’s the problem. There is no way for me to know if a woman is interested in me for me or for my money. It’s rare when I meet a woman like you who has no idea who I am.”

  I lowered my eyes to my lap so he couldn’t see the guilt lurking in the corners at my lie.

  “You’ve got pretty feet.”

  “That ain’t all that’s pretty.” I wiggled my eyebrows suggestively, causing Clayton to laugh. I joined in and laughed even harder.

  “Renee Moore, you are truly something else.”

  “Yeah, so I’ve been told.”

  Chapter 23

  NADINE

  Nadine went back to the party. Neither Renee nor Clayton were anywhere to be found. The first thing that came to mind was that Renee had taken him somewhere to fuck. Shit, she knew she shouldn’t jump to conclusions but she knew Renee too well. Renee was always talking about fucking, and lived for something new and exciting. She was probably somewhere out on the beach riding his fine ass. Renee could not care less if she had an audience. She would do it just about anywhere and lived for the moment.

  For once Nadine wished she could be like her, then maybe she could find a way to get through what she needed to do. She would be able to know once and for all if she preferred a woman’s touch over a man’s.

  After a quick glance around the room, she realized Lisa had also left. More than likely, she had retired for the night. Turning on her heels, Nadine decided she was tired and ready to call it a night. Besides, she didn’t want to run the risk of bumping into Darrius.

  Damn, she was embarrassed. Why in the world had she tried to do something that she knew there was no way she was going to follow through on? She had made such a fool of herself. While she walked toward the room, the incident played over and over in her mind. He had everything a woman could want in a man, but it wasn’t enough. She hadn’t felt the least bit aroused.

  By the time she stepped into their building, Nadine had convinced herself that Darrius had been the wrong man for the job. Next time she would be ready.

  Chapter 24

  KAYLA

  It was late, well after three o’clock in the morning, when Kayla heard Renee’s key in the door. She had obviously had a good time.

  Kayla pulled the covers over her head so that Renee would think she was sleep. She just wasn’t in the mood to hear how many men she had met, and how much fun they’d all had while she had sat in the room, feeling sorry for herself.

  Renee tiptoed across the room, grabbed something out of her bag, and disappeared into the bathroom. She was humming some doggone song, which meant she was in a good mood.

  Dang, life wasn’t fair. No, it isn’t, she thought as the events of the previous day came rushing back.

  Leroy.

  His call never came and it was her fault.

  Did you really think someone that looked like you could keep someone that looked like him?

  It was her fault because in the two years they’d been together she had gained an excessive amount of weight.

  You dummy. How did you expect to keep a man if you allowed yourself to look like a whale.

  Leroy had asked her to start watching her carbs, but she didn’t listen. It had been his way of warning her that if she didn’t change he was going to leave. Only she had chosen not to listen, and look what had happened.

  Part of her wondered if this point in their relationship had just been a matter of time. He had promised numerous times to end his marriage, yet something always prevented their relationship from moving to the next level. Whenever he planned to take her away for the weekend, something always came up, canceling their trip. Getting a commitment had been an impossible feat, to say the least. Now she knew why.

  Countless times, Leroy told her he loved her. Last month, Kayla had asked him when he was going to buy her a ring. Caught completely off guard he stuttered for a moment, then promised to get her one as soon as he asked his wife for a divorce. He went on to explain that if he spent the amount of money that he planned to spend on her diamond, his wife would know. At first she understood. But now, after today’s incident, that was no longer good enough. She needed something to prove his love, if that was even possible at this point.

  What pissed her off the most was that he played with her emotions. Made her think he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. That he was going to buy a big house for her and her girls. She had been all set to quit her job and become a traditional wife, cooking, cleaning, and catering to her man. There wasn’t anything she wouldn’t have done for him, yet this was the thanks she got.

  She spent twenty-three months listening to him complaining and whining like a big baby about his wife. “Darlene this” and “Darlene that.” Like a fool, she comforted him, then allowed him to take her to bed, where he made love to her, then left before they even had a chance to snuggle. Asking her to pray with him after every time they made love was his way of making her feel guilty and preventing her from questioning his hasty departure only minutes after each of their escapades. And she fell for it every time.

  They never used protection. She told him she was on birth control, when all along she had lied. She hoped and prayed that he would bury his seed in her, and that she would find herself pregnant with his child. Only it never happened. And now she knew that it had been an act of God. Dang, she was such a fool.

  Yet even though she knew all these things, regardless of how often he had played her, she still wanted him any way she could have him.

  Chapter 25

  RENEE

  The Holiday Inn was coming alive and I was in the room, hiding from Everton. I don’t know what I was smoking yesterday for me to even think that brotha was all that.

  The phone had started ringing just before eight o’clock. Kayla answered it and I told her to tell that no-dick mothafucka I was sleep. Damn, he couldn’t even wait until his shift had started, which wasn�
��t until ten.

  Only minutes after Kayla left for breakfast, with a promise to bring me back a plate, the phone started ringing again. Knowing Kayla, she probably went up to the desk and told Everton to call me. She would do some shit like that just to get back at me for talking stuff about her and the reverend last night. I just let the phone ring. And it rang and rang every five minutes for an hour until I knocked the damn thing off the hook. I then took a long warm shower and dressed in a pink one-piece swimsuit. I moved out onto the balcony and sipped a bottle of water. I watched the first of the beachgoers test the water and stake claim to their area of the sand. After a few minutes, I decided to read a mystery novel and tried to take my mind off of food, but it was useless.

  Where the hell was Kayla? She was obviously trying to be funny. I slammed the book shut.

  Enough.

  Here I am, acting like I have something to be ashamed of. I’m not the one with the little dick. Damn, I wish my girl Danielle could have made the trip but she was going through some shit with her man. They call us the hoettes when we’re together. Bitches just be hating. If she was here, I wouldn’t even bother hiding. I would have walked right passed Everton with jokes about him being a member of the itty-bitty-dick committee. Instead, I was on my own to face him and get past the mistake I had made last night.

  I slipped on a white cover-up, grabbed my room key, and headed to the dining area.

  Lisa, Kayla, and Nadine were all sitting there, eating and laughing. As soon as they spotted me coming, they grew quiet.

  “Renee, where have you been?” Lisa said in a mock Jamaican accent.

  “Y’all bitches know where I was.” I rolled my eyes. “Kayla, thanks for the plate,” I murmured as I moved past the table to the buffet. I heard them laughing and held my head high and kept moving. Bitches always be hating.