“Darn, Celeste, you may as well come on out and call Portia a whore.”
“Ginger, will I be lying if I did? I love Portia just as much as you do but we both know these married men pay her top dollar for booty. They’re not giving her twenty bucks here and there. Portia gets her rent paid, car note paid, jewelry, and furs for sex. Now you tell me, if she’s not a whore, what is she? I know Tony loves me. He tells me every day. And I’m positive David Hall is telling Latricia that he loves her, too.”
Ginger heard Celeste loud and clear. But Portia wasn’t cheating by herself. The married men she dealt with were more than willing to commit adultery. “Well, Celeste, you can’t fault only Portia. It takes two to tango.”
“I’m aware of that, Ginger. But women need to know that we cheapen ourselves when we sleep with married men. We accept the fact that we will always be second and never number one. Who wants to sneak, creep, and hide all the time? Only women with low self-esteem and no morals who don’t think they’re worth anything or that they deserve better. It’s rare that a man leaves his wife for a trick and if he does, he’ll do the same thing to the trick that he did to his wife. Yeah, it takes two to tango but a man could only dance around a chick if she allows him to.”
“What can I say, Celeste? You are right. Portia doesn’t care what the outcome will do to the wife. Finding out about a cheating spouse, man or woman, can be devastating and tragic. Look what happened to Richard’s wife. She died of a heart attack. I fault Portia for that. Our sister or not, she’s a woman and she should know better.”
For years Ginger and Celeste had driven down that road with Portia. Trying to get her to realize that she was wrong for carrying on with another woman’s husband was like talking to a brick wall.
“Portia is grown, Celeste. How many times have we confronted her about the way she’s living? If she wants to sleep with married men, she’ll do it. There’s nothing we can do about it no matter how much we preach.”
Celeste agreed. “You’re right. The only thing we can do is be at the hospital when they call us ’cause married women don’t play when chicks like Portia threaten their marriages. ”
“Well, since there’s nothing we can do about Portia, let’s change the subject.” Ginger was more than happy to change the subject to a happier one. “Guess what I got today.”
“What?” Celeste asked.
“Mr. Joseph Banks sent five dozen red roses to the school.”
“Well, I am not at all surprised. The man is serious and he’s coming correct. So, what are you gonna do about it?” Celeste hoped Ginger would let her guard down and stop running.
“Diane asked me that same question. The truth is I don’t know what I’m going to do. I don’t know the man, where he’s from or anything.”
“Ginger, you’re the one preventing that information from coming forth. Obviously, Joseph wants to share it with you but you won’t give him the time of day. Don’t block the blessing, girl.”
“But after all I’ve been through—”
“Stop it right there, Ginger. Do you hear yourself talking? You said, ‘after all I’ve been through.’ Understand what you’re saying. You’ve been through some mess but you survived it. You are no longer in that mess. You should’ve been at church when Associate Minister Gordon preached a sermon titled ‘Your Blessing Is on the Other Side of Through.’ You’re in a dam situation, Ginger.”
Ginger frowned. “A what situation?”
“A dam situation. You know what a dam is, don’t you? A dam is a body of water confined by a barrier. Ronald represented the barrier in your life. He blocked everything God wanted you to have. But Ronald is gone now. You’ve got to knock the barrier down and you do that by seeing yourself blessed, seeing yourself prosper, and seeing yourself taking back everything the devil stole from you. You know what happens when a hole is punched in a barrier? Water oozes through the hole. But when the barrier is knocked completely down, the dam gushes forth and saturates everything in its path. Going back to what Minister Gordon preached about. Your blessing, which is the dam, is on the other side of through, which is the barrier. Joseph Banks is in the dam. And so far, by getting rid of Ronald you’ve only punched a small hole in the barrier. According to Joseph’s card, only dinner and five dozen roses were able to ooze through that small hole. He said that couldn’t compare to what he’s prepared to bestow upon you. If Joseph is able to squeeze dinner and flowers through a small hole, can you imagine what he has on the other side of the barrier?”
Tears had begun to flow from Ginger’s eyes. Celeste was preaching. “But I don’t know who Joseph is, Celeste. My instincts tell me he is a wonderful man but I feel like God brought him into my life at the wrong time. I’m not prepared for Joseph.”
“That’s how God works, honey. And just so you know, He never does anything at the wrong time. When you least expect it, He will drop a bomb on you. And from what I can see Joseph Banks is da bomb. You claim you don’t know Joseph but you don’t know what else is in the dam either. And since when are the saints of God allowed the privilege to tell Him how and when to bless us or who to bless us with? My advice to you is to trust God and knock down that barrier and let Joseph and everything else come gushing at you. It’s time for you to live, Ginger. Don’t make the mistake of allowing fear to interfere with your future.” Celeste hoped Ginger picked up on the dynamic of the words she just spoke to her. “In Malachi, chapter three, God says that He’ll open a window and pour you out a blessing that you won’t have room enough to receive it. So, my sista, I’ll ask the question again. What are you gonna do?”
Sniff, sniff. Ginger wiped the tears from her eyes. “I’m gonna break through the barrier.”
Celeste smiled. She was pleased. “That’s what I’m talkin’ about. Get out of that dam situation and go get your stuff, girl. Walk toward the light, Carol Ann. Walk toward the light.”
Ginger burst out laughing at Celeste’s chosen line from the movie Poltergeist.
* * *
On Saturday evening Portia and Celeste watched Ginger pace Celeste’s living room as they all waited for Joseph to ring the doorbell.
“Ginger, you have on six-inch stilettos,” Portia said. “They’re made for sitting pretty, not walking.”
Ginger couldn’t stop pacing. “I know, I know. I’m so nervous. Celeste, I really thank you for allowing Joseph to pick me up here. I don’t want him to know where I live yet.”
Celeste waved her hand at Ginger. “Girl, please. You act like we haven’t done this before. Remember when I met Tony? For the first four months of our relationship, he thought I lived with Portia.” Celeste looked across the living room at Portia sitting on a divan. “Remember that, Portia?”
“I sure do. Tony called my apartment so many times looking for you he got on my nerves. Every twenty minutes, it was ring, ring, ring. ‘Is Celeste home?’ Tony kept calling like he thought I was lying about your whereabouts. I don’t care how much you deny it, Celeste. I think you were breaking Tony off a piece for him to sweat you like that.”
“What? Girl, please, Tony had to marry me before he got this candy.”
Ginger laughed at her. “Celeste, why do you always refer to your vajayjay as candy?”
“Because it’s sweet,” Celeste boasted. “Whenever you hear Tony say to me, ‘Give me some sugar,’ he ain’t always talking about a kiss.”
The three ladies were laughing at Celeste’s comment when Anthony walked in from the kitchen. In his hands was a glass of water and two tiny pink pills. Immediately the laughter stopped.
He looked at them. “Don’t get quiet now. I know you’re in here male bashing.”
Celeste, Ginger, and Portia were silent with mischievous grins on their faces.
Anthony approached Celeste. “It’s time for your prenatal medicine, baby.”
Celeste took the glass and pills from Anthony’s hand. She popped the pills in her mouth and chased them with three gulps of water. She gave Anthony the glass. �
��Thank you, babe.”
Anthony was about to leave the ladies alone when the doorbell rang. “I got it.” He set the glass on the cocktail table and went toward the door. He opened the door and welcomed Joseph into his home. “Hey, man, how are you doing? I’m Tony, Celeste’s husband.”
Joseph stepped into the living room and shook Anthony’s hand firmly. He recognized Anthony’s face from church. “I’m Joseph Banks. It’s nice to meet you.”
Anthony escorted Joseph farther into the living room and they both saw Ginger sitting on the sofa sandwiched in between Portia and Celeste. Anthony wondered when they had taken that position. Before Joseph rang the doorbell Portia was sitting on the divan near the window, Celeste was seated in a chair next to the fireplace, and Ginger was doing her best to wear a hole in the carpet in the middle of the living room. Now they look like sardines in a can.
“Good evening, ladies,” Joseph greeted them.
They all presented the same silly grin. “Good evening, Joseph,” they answered in unison.
Anthony chuckled. “Are y’all Charlie’s Angels now?”
Joseph walked to Ginger and reached for her hand. She gently placed her hand in his and stood. He saw the mauve-colored knee-length fitted ribbed wrap dress she was wearing. “You’re breathtaking. I’ve been waiting all day for the chance to see your face again.”
Ginger blushed. “My goodness. Thank you, Joseph.” Never in all of her life had a man told Ginger that he had been waiting to see her.
“Thank you for accepting my invitation to dinner. My heart is pleased. I am in awe just standing here in your presence. You excite my soul.”
Portia and Celeste were in awe of Ginger’s beau. Anthony’s eyebrows rose from Joseph’s statement to Ginger and he had to admit that Joseph was smooth. Anthony would have to use that line on Celeste. You excite my soul, Celeste, Anthony imagined himself saying.
“Joseph, Ginger, why don’t you sit for a while?” Celeste offered.
“Yeah, let’s all sit and chat,” Portia added.
Joseph glanced at his wristwatch. “I’m sorry but we can’t. Our reservations are in a half hour.” He turned to walk toward the front door with Ginger’s hand in his. Joseph extended his free hand to Anthony. “Tony, it was a pleasure.”
Anthony accepted Joseph’s handshake and said, “Likewise. Be careful with my girl. She means a lot to me.”
Joseph turned around and looked at Ginger’s best friends. “Celeste, Portia, it was good seeing you again.”
When Ginger and Joseph exited the living room, Anthony shut the door behind them, then leaned his right shoulder against it and looked at Portia and Celeste still seated on the sofa. “That guy is all right with me. Did y’all hear the line he dropped on Ginger?”
Portia stood up. “Yeah, we heard it.” She looked at Celeste. “You ready?”
“Yep,” Celeste said, rising from the sofa. She started toward her bedroom. “Just let me get my purse.”
“Where are y’all going?” Anthony asked.
Celeste stopped walking and looked at him. “On Ginger’s date.”
Anthony shook his head from side to side. He couldn’t believe they still chaperoned each other’s first dates. Celeste had told Anthony years ago they’d been doing it since high school. “When are y’all gonna let each other grow up?”
Portia grabbed her purse and cellular telephone from the cocktail table. “It won’t be tonight. And you do know that Ginger and I weren’t seated far from you and Celeste on your first date.”
Anthony jogged his memory. “I took Celeste on a horse and carriage ride downtown.”
“I know. Ginger and I were two carriages behind you.”
Celeste returned to the living room with her purse and keys. “We’ll be at Bocce’s,” she said to Anthony. “Call my cell phone if you need me.”
“Bocce’s? Is that where Joseph is taking Ginger?”
“Yep,” Portia answered.
“But you need reservations,” he said.
Celeste placed the strap of her purse on her shoulder. “We have them.”
Anthony was on board. “Okay, well I’m going too. A brother can go for a nice, juicy steak.”
Chapter 12
Oh, Taste and See
Five months later, on a Saturday morning, Ginger walked into A Million Starr’s Beauty Salon. Starr, the owner of the salon, greeted Ginger. “Well, if it isn’t Miss Ginger Brown.” She patted the back of the chair she was standing behind. “Come on and sit down. I’m ready for you.”
“Hey, Starr,” Ginger said as she made her way to the chair and sat down. “I’ve got a date tonight and you know I like to be sexy. So, hook me up.”
Starr covered Ginger’s blouse with a vinyl cape. “Girl, I’ve been doing your hair every two weeks for the past three years. Can you name a time you left my chair when you weren’t sexy?”
Ginger had to admit that each and every time she left Starr’s chair she looked like a million dollars. Whether it took Starr four hours to braid Ginger’s hair for a sew in, or a two-hour straw set, or if Ginger opted for a relaxer, press, and curl, Starr had special skills. “No, I can’t say that I can but tonight I gotta be exceptionally sexy.”
Starr stood behind Ginger’s chair and looked at her reflection in the vanity mirror. “Look at that glow. Joseph must be something special.”
A huge grin appeared on Ginger’s face. Every time she sat in Starr’s chair, she couldn’t help herself from sharing how happy she was with Joseph. “He’s a keeper.” Beauticians, barbers, and bartenders often served as a listening ear for when their clients needed to vent and Starr was no different.
In the past years it wasn’t unusual for Starr to style Ginger’s hair to hide bruises on the sides of her face and neck area. The first time Ginger arrived at the salon with a busted lip at the violent hands of Ronald, Starr was quick to pick up the telephone and call the police. Ginger had begged and pleaded with Starr to not involve the police. Two weeks later when Ginger sat in Starr’s chair she couldn’t hide the dark purple marks on the nape of her neck.
When Ginger confessed to Starr that she had finally taken her life back and had gotten Ronald out of it, Starr told Ginger that she was proud of her. She had given Ginger a complimentary wash and roller set.
“Good for you, Ginger. Just the mention of Joseph’s name and you automatically show all thirty-two teeth. I love it. You got that pregnant woman’s type of glow.”
Ginger chuckled. “Well, I can assure you that it ain’t that. Joseph doesn’t even come at me like that. We’ve been seeing each other for five months and he’s been the perfect gentleman. We’ve talked about sex and he knows how I feel on the subject. Since Ronald has been gone, I’ve been keeping myself. I asked God to clean me up and I promised Him that I would go to my husband pure. And since Joseph insists that he’s my husband he’s willing to wait for me.”
“Wow. You don’t find that kind of love often, Ginger. I hope you’re cherishing it.”
Ginger smiled. “I definitely am.”
“Well, bring that glow on over to the sink.”
Ginger stood and followed Starr to the row of sinks and sat in a chair then leaned back. Starr turned on the water and waited for it to become the perfect lukewarm temperature. “So, how are Portia and Celeste?”
“Portia is Portia. She ain’t ever gonna change. Still chasing other women’s husbands.”
That bit of information stunned Starr. “No. Really?” She knew all about Portia’s ex-boyfriend almost beating her to death for the cause of his wife’s heart attack. “Is she still behaving badly?”
“You heard what I said,” Ginger answered.
When the water had gotten to the temperature comfortable enough for Ginger’s head, Starr used the sprayer to wet it. “How’s Celeste’s baby coming along? Isn’t she due to deliver soon?”
“She’s got a couple more weeks to go. That baby can’t come fast enough for me. I wish Celeste would drop that load toda
y because she is evil as heck. Her hormones are all over the place.”
Starr lathered Ginger’s hair with shampoo. “Really?”
“Celeste is driving everyone around her totally nuts. And poor Tony. I don’t see how he maintains his own sanity. She yells at him for breathing, screams at him if he uses a certain brand of soap that upsets her stomach, and hollers at the top of her lungs if he makes the least bit of noise while she’s napping. The poor man has to think that Celeste’s pregnancy is more of a curse than a blessing.”
“Are you serious, Ginger? Is she that bad?” The times Celeste had come to the salon to get her hair done, Starr found her to be as pleasant as she had always been.
“Humph,” Ginger commented. “Bad ain’t even the word, Starr. Celeste has lost her ever-loving mind. She’s rude to the customers at the bank, and it has come to the point that Portia and I don’t even want to be around her at all.”
Starr rinsed the shampoo from Ginger’s hair then saturated it with conditioner. “Hopefully when Celeste delivers the baby she’ll be her old self again.”
“I guess time will tell. Portia and I are hosting her baby shower next Saturday, Starr. Portia and I are late planning it but we hope the baby will hold off making its debut until after the shower. You should come.”
“Saturdays are my busiest days and you know I gotta make my money. But I’ll be sure to send Miss Mean Girl a gift.” Starr combed the conditioner through Ginger’s hair. “So, what are we doing to your hair today?”
“Whatever you want, Starr. I’m easy. Just make me look good for my man tonight.”
“Oh yeah, you’re definitely smitten.” Starr chuckled.
* * *
It was near closing time when Joseph reached across the table and caressed Ginger’s hand. “You look absolutely stunning tonight.” Joseph was always full of compliments and Ginger loved it.
Damsels in Distress Page 14
