by Derrick Jaxn
"Damn, bro. I didn't know you were into black women. I thought you said they were all--"
"P., chill with the jokes. She don't know you yet so she don't know you joking." I turned to Danielle, mercifully. "Babe. He's joking. I promise you, he's just teasing."
"No, no, no," Pete continued. "That's why you asked me to hook you up with my sister. By the way, does she still have the key to your house? I need to wash clothes but I don't want to bother you while you have company."
I laughed out of nerves.
"Superman," Danielle smiled. "I think your friend here is a little jealous of me." She grabbed my ass. "You wish this was your hand. Don't ya, Pee Wee?"
Pete's face straightened back. Danielle reached up and kissed my neck.
"It's just Pete. And no, for your information I do not wish that was my hand. How'd we get on this subject anyway?"
"Man, tell me what's up. You said something about gettin' put out of your misery."
"Oh, right. Man..." His face went back to the perturbed mien he had before. "I don't know, bro. I just don't know."
"Shonda?" I asked.
"Yeah,"
"I was going to tell you before but--"
"She said no, bro. I proposed and she said no..." he looked up at me. "Wait, you were going to tell me about what?"
"Man, I don't know how to tell you this but I'mma just go ahead and say it."
He motioned his hand in a forward circle. "Okay...?"
"Look, she only wanted you for his, money." Danielle blurted out.
She was crossing the line and getting a little too damned comfortable. I used to like when she finished my sentences. It used to be romantic.
She looked at me. "What? We've been out here too long already for you to just tell him that. I'm hungry, too. Shoot."
"Danielle, why don't you go wait for me in the car?"
She rolled her eyes and walked back like she could care less about Pete's feelings.
"My bad, P. Ain't mean it to come out like that."
"So that's it? I already knew she was with me for your money. Hell, I was in it for hers too. That was our thing. Two completely different people with so much in common. It was supposed to be forever, me and her." He kicked an empty soda can over to the dumpster.
I stood in awe. My face most likely looked more along the lines of perplexed, but it indeed was awe.
"I'm a good guy, Shawn. Don't you agree?" he said rhetorically. "I mean, I'm the same guy who goes to a restaurant and asks for water. Then I go to the soda machine and I actually get water. I'm the guy who drops food, and if I can't pick it up in thirty seconds or less, then I won't eat it. That's me. The good guy. So why is it that bad things happen to us, huh?"
I walked over to him and put my hand on his shoulder.
"Don't trip, man. It'll work itself out. These kinds of things do."
The whole time he was talking, I couldn't help but think to myself; Maybe he and Rashonda deserved each other after all.
Chapter 24
Hey Stranger
1 year later.
"Yes, sweetheart. I have the face mask," I said, zipping my suitcase.
"Okay, good. Make sure you put it on once you get there. Ebola is spreading like crazy in West Africa."
"But that's in Africa."
"And Africa has air, the same thing the disease is using to spread and the same thing your airplane is flying through. I'd feel a lot better if you'd just take a jet. At least that way you won't have everybody breathing on you."
"Nah, I'm good. It's not spread through the air. I think it's spread through bodily fluids, and besides, we can put that money towards the honeymoon or something."
I could feel her smiling through the phone. "Yeah, I guess. We might as well just take three honeymoons. I don't think two is going to be enough for what I'mma do to you."
"Don't get me all worked up and you know I can't see you for another ten hours."
She laughed. "All right then, Superman. Just hurry up and get back. I miss you."
"I miss you too. I'm done eating out for a while. Please cook tonight, doesn't matter what."
"Sure? Spaghetti's cool?" she asked sarcastically.
"Yes. Even spaghetti will do."
Hopefully she didn't take that literally.
Danielle went ahead and moved in a few weeks into her apartment search last year. Her mother damned near had a heart attack when she found out her precious baby girl was quitting her job to go shack up with the ex-boyfriend from college. And it was partly her fault. Enjoying that truth was just enough petty to last me a lifetime.
As for our relationship, I want to say we picked up where we left off, but we didn't. In our absence, we both had come a long way. Growing closer together while being away from each other. Proof that loving someone isn't always good for your relationship with them, especially when you don't know how to love. Time away can be spent learning how to, learning how it feels to lose it, and then if you're fortunate enough to get another chance like I did, holding onto it.
I walked on down to the lobby to wait for my driver. I had been in Houston for the past week at a writer's conference, connecting with other up-and-coming authors, bloggers, and poets. Giving them the advice no one gave me when I was trying to make it.
Yes, as a black writer you'll only be expected to write about gangs, sex, or church. Otherwise you're doing it wrong.
No, most people don't read books anymore. Most people also don't change their sheets twice a week. That doesn't mean bedding production should cease and neither should you as a writer stop writing.
Yes, until you become successful, everyone will have suggestions on what to change in order to become successful. But the ability to speak doesn't come with a responsibility to be accurate or credible, and you have to keep that in mind.
Some young, others old; all looking for help to keep reading alive when in reality it never died. It's just hard to recognize beyond the popularity of a bite-sized quotable. If the STOP sign had a sentence, most people would crash. Someone caught on to that age-old concept and created social media, and that pretty much changed everything.
My driver finally came. He wasn't late; I was just ready to go. But something about him looked unmistakably familiar.
"Ronnie?" I said, thinking aloud.
He paused a bit as he was opening the trunk to put in my luggage and looked up. When I got a clear look at his face, it was confirmed. That was definitely Ronnie.
"Oh..um. Hey, what's up?" he said nervously.
I went over and forced a handshake. I could tell he didn't want to do it, and normally I wouldn't. But this was an exception. Hadn't seen the guy since we fell out back in college and here he was. My driver.
"Man, it's been a while!" I said, grinning from ear to ear like I'd just reunited with a long-lost cousin at a Fourth of July barbeque. "How you been, dude?"
A look of shame was still on his face. "I been good. You know, just doing my thing or whatever. Decent job, and that's more than what some people can say, right?"
I nodded in agreement.
"How long you been driving? I don't know why, but I never would've expected you to be one. Didn't even know we had that as a major."
"Nah, I mean I majored in architecture. But this is my pop's business. I'm just kinda working my way up. Decided I'd take over for 'im one day and get a feel for it here as a driver."
"Right, I remember you telling me about that. Guess you changed your mind about chasing your dreams n' stuff. Or maybe your dreams changed?" Awkward silence moseyed back in between us. "Either way, that's good, man. Glad to see you doing well and healthy," I said as I handed him my luggage.
I wasn't the type to throw shade on anybody's career, whether it was a temporary job or unfortunate circumstances, but I'd be damned if that wasn't karma. Still thinking back to the conversations we had about him and his dad. It seems like he never got the courage to stand up to him and let him know he had other aspirations.
I can only imagine how that conversation went when he got the assignment to come and pick me up. If he was even allowed to know who he was picking up.
But I had no reason to kick him while he was down. Or kick him at all. I was enjoying my blessings and didn't want to ruin it by being petty. I put in my earphones on the way there, even with no music playing. Figured it might help lessen the tension.
We arrived at the airport. I shook his hand, for tipping purposes only, then got on to checking my bags.
It was still early, about an hour left before I was to board my flight. I stopped by a coffee shop to read the news a.k.a. scrolling on my tablet. It was much better that way, clicking from website to website instead of fumbling around with one big origami-like piece of paper.
Only problem was trying to decipher the news and extract what really happened. It's like when something goes down and you want to get the scoop but the only person who was there was someone you know you can't trust.
I split my three sugars and two creamers into my dark roast coffee-- decoding the propaganda of the news to get up on the latest happenings.
I peeked over my article to see a little kid running around, terrorizing people who were trying to catch a last-minute nap or listening to music to pass time before their flights. He was unplugging their laptops, snatching their pillows, and everything.
I got a kick out of it because he reminded me of myself when I was that age. Dark-skinned, scrawny, had a head that he'd yet to grow into, too much energy to contain, but still with the innocence of your average five-year-old.
Difference is, Momma would've been halfway to the county jail for how hard she would've snatched me up. Her whoopings came from a place of love, but I always wonder if there was ever a slight frustration in having to be the one to do it all. You know, because Dad still hadn't come back from the store, and every time I acted out, she was reminded that the responsibility of raising a boy into a man was designed for two.
I continued drifting into thought about whether or not I wanted to meet him. All that I needed him for and he wasn't there that Momma had to sacrifice for so she could come as close as possible to being in two places at once. Not sure if he deserved that privilege to be a part of what was essentially her finished product. It's like someone on your team who skips out on an entire season but is there when it's time to hold up a trophy.
"I know that's not who I think it is. Shawn?"
I came out of my stupor then turned around to see where the voice had come from.
"Look to your left....no, your other left," she said.
I recognized that voice.
"Jaz?!"
"That's me!" she yelled back.
I stared for a half second to make sure I wasn't deceiving myself, but there she was. My old friend, the one who'd known me better than anyone in college but had lost contact with since. Right there, in the flesh.
I dropped my tablet then met her for a hug.
"Man, how you been, Jaz?!"
I felt something poking my stomach and looked down to see what looked like a little baby bump.
She met my eyes and smiled, "I been good. And yeah, a few things have changed since last time we spoke."
Her voice still had the same soul with the east side of Atlanta's country accent dripping off every word.
"Well, congratulations to you. I thought maybe you just had a big breakfast," I joked.
"No, not quite. I'm a mommy now. Most people can't believe it and sometimes I can't either. It's cool though, I'm getting used to it. But enough about me, what's been up with you, Mr. Big Time?"
"Please, don't. I'm still just Shawn. Nothing special. I cannot get over seeing you here after all these years! How long has it been?"
"Going on six."
"Right. Time flies. I swear it feels just like yesterday we were trying out your mom's recipes that you remixed. Man, those things were good."
"You still remember those? I mean, I still cook but not as much. I got a maid now."
"And you calling me big time?"
"Oh, it's only because my fiancé plays for the Texans." She flashed her ring finger which had nothing short of a shiny golf ball attached to it. "He says he doesn't like me cooking and cleaning all the time while I'm pregnant. And that's cool too. But I'm actually pretty good at the domestic thing."
"That's what's up. So does that mean you live out here now?"
"Yeah, I moved about two years ago after I finally finished my degree at Perimeter in Atlanta. Just came back from down there, visiting my people."
"Well, don't fault me for saying this, but you look great. Glowing and everything. I'm so happy for you."
Honestly, I downplayed the hell out of that compliment. She didn't just look great, she looked phenomenal. Her hair was cut low on one side, and flowing down the other. And it actually looked real, but I was no expert. Even with her baby bump, I could see her body was still tight, curves included, popping nicely under her beige sundress.
She'd come up since the last time I saw her. Like a caterpillar who was just making its way out of the cocoon, except it was a sexy ass caterpillar before it ever went in.
She grinned, "I 'preciate that. And what's up wit'chu? Any kids?"
"Nah, not yet anyway. I'm recently engaged as well, though. Danielle is--"
"Oh, you're still with her? Damn. Y'all wasn't playin', huh?"
"I guess you can say that. We did split for a while before linking back up. But Danielle, she's good. We live out in Charlotte. No complaints."
"No complaints?" Her face screwed up in disappointment. "That's it?"
"Yeah...no complaints. Why you say it like that though? Something wrong?"
She looked at her phone, pausing to read something from it. "Shawn, I'm sorry but I gotta go. He's here to pick me up and I still gotta find out where this lil' boy done ran off to."
"Who? You got another child?"
She hesitated a moment before answering and her eyes shifted. "Umm...yeah, one more. But it was nice seeing you. Tell Danielle I said hello."
She looked over to where the little boy was running around earlier and screamed out, "S.J.!!! Come back here boy!"
She clenched her sundress away from her feet so she could speed walk and grabbed him. When she did, he looked at me, and a weird feeling made its way into my chest.
Something about his eyes. His nose even.
They were...just like mine. He must've thought so, too, because he didn't stop looking back at me after she walked him off. And I remember that distinct face he was making because it was the same one I made when Daddy told me to wait out on the porch for him. When he said he was coming back for me, but never did.
My heart was pounding and I immediately started doing the math. Jazmin and I had only had unprotected sex one time, which I suppose is plenty...and it was just about six years ago.
And then she moved away. But now she has a son, who's somewhere around the age of...
I pulled out my phone and texted Danielle.
Me: Baby, I'm gonna be in Houston a little longer than I thought. Flight just got canceled. Will talk later.[1:57p.m.]
