by Emery, Lynn
“Speaking of fine, Lord have mercy,” Charice whispered then waved. “What’s up, Paul?”
Much to Savannah’s dismay, Paul strolled over to their table after paying for his food. As Charice chatted with him, flirting shamelessly, Savannah feigned a mild interest.
“So how is your business doing? I think it’s great you’re in the business of preventing waste contamination. That’s something that has become so important, particularly around here with all these refineries and chemical plants.” Charice leaned toward him.
“Not just that, we’re working on several ways to safely clean up contamination from the soil. We can’t eliminate our need for these products, but we can make sure we don’t poison ourselves with them.” Paul pulled up a chair to their table and sat down.
“That’s so true.” Clarice nodded emphatically. She beamed at him as Paul launched into an explanation of a new organism being tested to break down chemical spills.
Savannah’s lip curled in disgust at the way her friend was hanging on his every word. As the minutes passed, her annoyance grew. He seemed to be eating up the attention. Charice was being her most coquettish, inching closer and closer to Paul. Not that it mattered, of course. That was Charice’s business if she wanted to look like a high school sophomore in heat. Savannah fumed. She couldn’t help noticing the way his face seemed to light up when he talked about his work. His eyes were the most beautiful shade of brown she had ever seen in a man. They were perfectly framed by a set of black, shapely eyebrows that rose when he was amused. Some witticism Charice had uttered caused him to throw back his head in laughter. This startled her back to paying attention to what they were saying. Savannah drummed her fingers on the table top. When Charice giggled at a corny joke Paul told, it was the last straw.
“So it’s no wonder you’re supporting this new toxic waste dump in our backyards, you are counting on a fat sub-contract to clean up after them.” Savannah sat back with her arms folded.
“I’m not supporting anything just yet. My partner and I haven’t had a chance to read their reports carefully.” Paul’s smile froze on his face.
“I doubt we’ll be surprised that at the results,” Savannah said.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Well, they are paying you.”
“The university is paying for our study.”
“And the Trosclair family has contributed heavily to that school, they even endowed a chemistry chair,” Savannah said.
“Nobody buys my integrity. If I don’t think it’s a safe site, I’ll say so.” Paul stood abruptly, looking down at the top of Savannah’s head he seemed about to say more.
“Don’t let us hold you up. I mean, your food will get cold.” Savannah ignored the cutting glance from her friend.
“Goodbye, Charice. At least it was nice seeing you.” He strode off without waiting for a reply.
“Now just what was that ab—, oh, I see.” Charice smiled to herself.
“See what?” Savannah said evasively.
“Listen, girl friend, why didn’t you just say? I would never have come on so strong.” Charice shrugged.
“Oh please. Sure he’s good looking, and knows it. He one of those pretty boy types who like to keep several women dangling at a time.”
“Okay, okay. So you’re not interested. So it won’t bother you if we happen to get together, right?”
“No problem. If you don’t care that he tries to be a lover boy, well—” Savannah shrugged and picked at her shrimp salad.
“Uh-huh.” Charice stared at her friend for several moments.
“I mean it. Don’t give that look, now.”
“Okay, okay. Hey, I’ve got a great idea. Remember Sack Daddy’s? Honey, they have got a fantastic hump day party every Wednesday evening starting at six. What say we go?”
“Why? You better not be trying any of your tricks.” Savannah shook her finger at Charice. Since junior high, Charice had been a relentless matchmaker. Savannah could reel off the disastrous dates she’d had thanks to her.
“What are you talking about, child? I’m just saying, we could have ourselves a good time is all.” Charice shrugged, her face the picture of innocence. “Oh, lighten up. Every chance I get, I go on Wednesdays. It’s a great way to relax during the week. Come on.”
“All right, but—”
“No buts, just pick me when you finish at the shop,” Charice ordered.
*****
Wednesday came and Savannah was beginning to regret this idea of going to what sounded like a pick up juke joint. After a thorough search of her closet, Savannah chose an outfit she thought was conservative enough to discourage any unwanted attention at the lounge. The wrap around denim skirt was mid-calf length, the red knit blouse fitting, but not clingy. Watching Charice bounce down the front steps of her cottage styled house, she shook her head.
“Try not to be too shy.” Savannah looked up and down at her friend’s outfit.
“I may be a little, let’s just say full-figured, but I’m in shape.” Charice turned full circle to display all profiles. The white knit tank top was revealing with a deep v-neck. This combined with white shorts to make her look anything but dumpy.
“You look great.” Savannah laughed, putting the car in gear.
“You look like you’re on your way to the church picnic.” Charice plucked at the hem of Savannah’s skirt.
“Don’t start with me.
“Thus started the familiar sisterly bickering about how Savannah should loosen up, with Savannah fighting it all the way. Walking into the lounge, they took a seat at a table far away from the bar.
“Nobody can see us way over here, girl,” Charice complained.
“Will you sit down, please? Look at the men perched on the bar stools. Do I want them within easy reach?”
“Hey, those are some pretty nice guys. All right, so they are— okay. All right, all right, they’re so-so?“Charice responded to Savannah’s scowling looks of skepticism with each comment.They both began to laugh. They waitress took their orders. Soon she returned with their drinks. Setting the frosted mugs in the table, she poured out a light beer for Charice. Then she served up a dark brown liquid from an old fashioned soft drink bottle for Savannah.
“Savannah, root beer?” Charice crowed.
“I’m the designated driver, remember?”
To their delight, a four man Zydeco band had set up and begun to play the blues sung in Creole French. Savannah merely tapped her feet to the music while Charice swayed back and forth snapping her fingers. It wasn’t long before Charice was on the dance floor with a neatly dressed man who had been sitting with a group of friends at a nearby table. Savannah’s attempt to remain unnoticed failed. She had turned down two requests to dance before the song ended.
“Whew, he’s pretty good. Why you sitting here like Lady Madonna, your hands in your lap? Get up and move to the groove, sugar.” Charice fanned herself with the cocktail napkin.
“I’m enjoying myself just fine, thank you. Oh no,” Savannah sneered.As the crowded dance floor cleared, she could see Paul across the room laughing with group of people. A gorgeous woman dressed in a revealing sun dress jockeyed to get close to him whenever possible. It was obvious she wanted his undivided attention.
“Honey, you can hang it up if Kay gets her claws in him.”
“Who cares? She’s welcome to him.” Savannah took a swig of her root beer, sitting the mug down very hard.
“Uh-huh.” Charice retorted.
“The way you carried on the other day, you ought to be upset. Thought you were interested,” Savannah snapped.
“I was admiring him, sure. But the way electricity was crackling between you two, that’s something different from a little flirting.”
“What you saw was him getting on my last nerve, that’s the only crackling noise you heard.”
“Uh-huh.” Charice signal to the waitress.
“Now why did you wave to that lizard?” Savanna
h spoke through clenched teeth. Paul, having spotted them, responded to the gesture instead of the waitress.
“I was trying to order another beer, honest.” Charice protested even though the look on Savannah’s face said she didn’t believe her.
“So, we meet again. How are you ladies this evening?” Paul sat down.
“Hello.” Savannah looked elsewhere, her voice cool.
“Fancy meeting you here.” Charice smiled as if surprised to see him.
“You see me here most Wednesdays since I came to town, you know that,” Paul blurted out before he noticed her signal a warning.
“Oh, really.” Savannah cut her eyes at Charice who refused to look at her.
“Can’t sit still to this tune, my favorite.” With that, Charice jumped up. Moving to the fast beat, she grabbed her recent partner’s hand pulling him with her on to the dance floor.
Several moments of strained silence stretched between them as Savannah feigned interest in the couples stepping so gracefully to the band’s lively tune.
“You wouldn’t want to dance.” Paul’s statement indicated he already knew the answer.
“No, thanks.” Savannah began to feel a bit guilty at being so cool.
“So, Charice tells me you’re a lawyer. What area?”
“It was corporate law, but nothing right now.”
“The law firm you left is very big. It has some of the biggest clients in this state. You must have graduated top of your class.”
“I did okay. When did learn all this?” Savannah looked at him; his full lips glistened from the drink he had just taken. She forced her attention away from them.
“Charice ran into me at the grocery store the other day.”
“And the conversation turned to me somehow,” Savannah interrupted.
“Wait a minute; we were just having small talk. Charice was telling me about how long you two had been friends; one thing led to another.”
“I see.”
“How y’all getting along?” Charice surprised them as she plopped down in a chair.
“Wonderful. Paul was telling me how you filled him in on my life story.” Savannah raised an eyebrow at her.
“Oh, you mean the other day.” Charice took a drink, oblivious to her friend’s disapproving tone, her attention still on the man she’d been dancing with. “I’m trying to recruit him to come to my class to talk about being a black engineer. I told him I was going to ask you about coming, too. Give the girls a sense that they could be a lawyer like you.” Almost before she finished speaking, she was back on the floor with him.
“Oh.” Savannah gave Paul a mildly apologetic smile.
“I was surprised to find that Charice has started a mentor program. She’s got at least six troubled kids hooked up with African-American professionals. Too bad, I won’t be here long enough to take part.”
“She’s always been like that, can’t stand to see others in need without doing something about it. Why don’t you want to at least try it for while?”
“Those kids deserve a commitment. You do more harm by not being in it for the long haul. They’ve had enough experience with broken relationships. No, I may be gone in another three weeks. Besides, between helping mama with pop since he suffered a stroke and coaching peewee football back home takes up so much of my time. I wouldn’t even be able to make the one hour drive over here once a week to visit.”
“How awful. I hope he’s okay.” Savannah softened even more at the thought of Paul dividing his time between a business, giving to children who needed him, and his parents.
“Actually he’s doing pretty good. Since being sick keeps him from working so much now, he’s been coming out watch me coach. His doctor says it’s good therapy. And those boys need all the positive attention they can get from men.”
As they talked about the needs of African-American children for role models and hope for the future, Savannah found herself drawn to this handsome man with a social conscience. She couldn’t help but respect his sincerity. It was no act that he really cared about children. His eyes lit up as he described some of the boys he’d come to know as a volunteer coach for inner city kids in Lafayette. Once again, she noticed the strong jaw line. His skin, the color of milk chocolate, was smooth. She wondered if it felt as good as it looked. Watching his mouth as he talked, her suspicions of him began to melt away.
Paul may have been talking about social issues, but he did not fail to appreciate the shape of her full mouth, made even more luscious by the deep red lipstick she wore that matched her knit blouse. Rewarded with a radiant smile as he told the first story of his working with the boys in the football league, he kept them coming. Captivated by her, he listened intently as she spoke with fervor about saving children from the dangers of the street. His heart skipped at seeing a stray lock of her hair fall forward, the way her lovely hands smoothed it back in place. The split in her wrap around skirt had parted to reveal a shapely, brown thigh. He was more than slightly disappointed when she noticed, and pulled it closed again.
“Say, y’all been sitting here all this time without dancing once. Come on.” Charice took each by the hand, dragging them on the dance floor. Savannah tried to resist, but Charice made such a scene the crowd began to egg her on.“I think it would be better to give in.” Paul had not been unwilling. In fact, Charice had let go of his arm when she realized he got up eagerly.
Savannah, realizing there was no way out, tried to convince herself that some part of her did not feel anticipation at the chance to be close to him. As if to further test her ability to withstand his magnetism, the band launched into a slow, sentimental ballad about the sweet agony of forbidden love. Savannah fought to steady her breathing as she felt the muscular arms enfold her. Turning her head in effort to resist burying her face in triangle of flesh revealed by the open collar of his shirt, instead she was further tempted by the smell of his cologne. She surrendered, closing her eyes, allowing him to tighten his hold. His warm embrace caused a wonderful mix of excitement and contentment to flow through her body. They seemed to hover on a beautiful cloud all alone where all her dreams of a strong, tender lover would come true. Being so near to him conjured up visions of his lips on hers, powerful yet tender hands caressing her body. Savannah felt a tiny shudder. At the closing strains of the baritone lead singer, she longed for an encore. While those around them applauded, they remained as if frozen in time, arms around each other. With a start, Savannah stepped back. Looking around in embarrassment, she was relieved the other couples seemed not to have noticed them lingering in each others’ embrace. But naturally, nothing escaped Charice.
“Nothing like the old songs to put you in the right mood,” she whispered in Savannah’s ear, a naughty smile on her face.
“Oh shut up!” Savannah hissed as she passed her on the way back to their seats.
Unable to shake the feeling that indeed she had made a spectacle of herself, she refused to dance again. Paul, sensing the return of her reserve toward him, made an effort to recapture the mood that had held them only moments before.
“Ooh-wee, it’s almost eleven. I told Mama I’d pick the kids up at ten o’clock.” Charice threw enough change down to pay for the last beer that had sat growing warm while she enjoyed dancing with the good-looking man at the next table.
“Yes, we’d better get going. You have class tomorrow.” Savannah was relieved.
“Listen, Rodney can take me home. You stay, have a good time. We’ll talk.” Charice started to leave, but she gasped sharply as Savannah jerked her back.
“Charice, you only just met the man. You shouldn’t ride with strangers; didn’t your mother teach you that?” Savannah spoke through clenched teeth. Now that the music was over, her defenses came back up. She had no intention of being left alone with Paul.
“I’ve known Rodney for a while, he manages that new big hardware store on— right, we’d better get going.” Charice, reading the expression on Savannah’s face, knew what she was suppos
ed to do.
“See you soon, for sure next Wednesday at least?” Paul spoke directly to Savannah, watching her expression closely.
“Sure, I mean maybe so. Bye.” Savannah read the invitation in his eyes, a now well-known cool tingle spreading over her.
“Wow, he left old Kay flat for you. She might as well have been the invisible woman. Go, girl.”
“Charice, you’ll pay for this.”
Thus they ended the evening much as it began. Though their voices were loud, there was never any real anger. Charice insisted that Savannah admit she had succumbed to Paul’s allure. Savannah insisted no such thing had happened. They only stopped when they were at Charice’s mother’s house to pick up the girls. Savannah helped her carry the two sleeping children inside. Already in their pajamas, they were taken straight to bed.
“Well, goodnight.” Savannah yawned.
“See you later. Savannah, don’t fight so hard to be alone.” Charice dropped the teasing tone to be serious. “Take it from me, it’s no fun.”
Savannah responded with a quick hug before leaving. That night as she dressed for bed, the ballad she had danced to with Paul still played inside her head. She cursed softly, chiding herself for being so easily caught up in what was sure to be a heartbreak. Yet, the music played on lulling her to sleep after a time.
*****
Paul stood outside the expensive suite of offices, his heart pounding. He thought that he had prepared himself for this moment but now knew differently. What would his grandmother say if she were living? Marguerite had been a proud woman who faced difficulty with a determination not to be defeated. She had supported herself and Paul’s father with a variety of back breaking jobs. When she married Henry Honorè, Paul’s father was two years old. Henry raised Charles with the same love and strict discipline he gave to the six other children they had. So much so, that Paul was shocked to learn that Henry was not his natural grandfather.
“Hello, I’m here for a meeting with Mr. Singleton. Paul Honorè.” He stood nervously while the blonde receptionist called to tell Singleton’s secretary that he was waiting.
