Don't Even Go There

by Brenda Hampton

  The following week, I was hired to work as a secretary for Steven’s friend, Josh. He was an older white guy, and he seemed pretty pleasant. The office environment was quite different than the one I was used to, and there were definitely less people. Probably a total of ten people in the whole building, but that was fine by me. My salary increased by $500, and even though it wasn’t much, I was pleased that I didn’t have to take a pay cut. I only had to work from Monday through Thursday, too, giving me a three-day weekend that I promised myself I would enjoy.

  Steven liked my hours too, and with Fridays off, that gave us time to hook up in the morning. I was starting to get comfortable at his house, and we were always so very careful. He kept in contact with Liz throughout the day, making sure that she was at work, where she was supposed to be. And while she was, I was at her house preparing lunch for her husband and screwing his brains out. I was surprised that I hadn’t gotten sick of Steven yet, nor did he seem to be tired of me.

  When the weekend arrived, I knew I’d be lonely because Steven said that he would be away on business, and we wouldn’t be able to hook up until the following week. Liz was still scheduled to go out of town in a few weeks, but her trip wasn’t coming soon enough for me. Instead of doing nothing, I went over to Lance’s apartment to see if he wanted to go out and do something. He insisted that he wasn’t feeling well. He let me come into his apartment, but he went back to the couch to cuddle with a body pillow.

  “Do you want me to make you some chicken noodle soup?” I said, teasing him.

  He pulled the blanket over his head and coughed. “No. And you’d better get out of here before you get sick. If you happen to leave, though, please bring me some orange juice. I don’t have nothing to drink, and my throat is a little dry.”

  “I have some at my apartment. I’ll go get it for you.”

  Lance coughed again and I went over to my apartment to get the orange juice. The container was pretty full, so I poured a tall glass for me, and left it in my refrigerator. I carried the carton across the hall to him, but I noticed that his door was open. I knew I had closed it, but as soon as I heard a woman’s voice coming from his apartment, I went inside.

  “Why do you lie so much, Lance?” The woman took off her shoe and threw it at him. “I am so done with you. Do not call me anymore.”

  Lance was sitting up on the couch, and he tossed her shoe back at her. “Okay, whatever. I promise that I won’t call you anymore, so leave, please.”

  The woman looked at me. “Who are you? If you’re another one of his girlfriends, or if you’re considering becoming one, please don’t waste your time. He’s a scumbag.”

  She didn’t have to tell me. I already knew that, and that was the main reason why I had not pursued a relationship with him. I held up the carton of orange juice. “I’m just his neighbor. He asked me for some orange juice and I’m bringing it to him.”

  She looked me up and down, then took off her other shoe and threw that one at Lance too. He ducked, ordering her to leave before he called the police. She called him a jerk, and left his apartment without her shoes. Now, I wouldn’t have ever left my shoes. She was tripping. I closed Lance’s door and locked it.

  “Wow,” I said. “So, you got a psycho woman on your hands, huh?”

  “You know how y’all women do it. I’ve told her time and time again that it ain’t that serious, but she ain’t trying to hear it.”

  “And I’d bet you any amount of money that you weren’t saying that when you were in between her legs.”

  Lance chuckled, seriously thinking the shit was funny. Some men just had no shame in their game, and nice guy or not, there wasn’t a chance in hell that I would ever date Lance. Men of his caliber came in all different shapes, forms, and fashions. They didn’t have to be the finest thing you’d ever seen, nor the wealthiest. It was just the thing to do, and nine times out of ten, a woman could easily find herself caught up.

  “Listen,” Lance said. “Let’s go somewhere and get something to eat. I’m hungry as hell, and there ain’t no need for me to be sitting up in here, making myself feel more miserable by lying on this couch.”

  “Let’s go,” I said. “But I’m driving. You look like you’re about to pass out. Maybe some fresh air is what you need.”

  Lance and I went to Houlihan’s in the West End. The restaurant was very cozy and had a dim setting. Lit candles were placed on the tables, and they were covered with crisp white tablecloths. Several ceiling fans hung over our heads, giving me a slight chill that I in no way minded, only because I was in the mood for my favorite stuffed mushrooms and couldn’t wait to dive into them. We were seated by a huge glass picture window and could see outside to the hundreds of people walking down the busy streets. Many cars drove by; mainly expensive ones, as we were in an upscale neighborhood.

  “All I want is some baked chicken,” Lance said, rubbing his forehead.

  “Do you want some aspirin? You should have taken some before you left.”

  “If you have some in your purse, please hand them over.”

  I dug into my purse, then gave Lance two aspirin. He popped them in his mouth, then sipped from the glass of water on the table. After the waiter took our orders, Lance seemed to perk up.

  “So, are you liking your new job?” he asked.

  “It’s okay. It may take some time for me to get used to.”

  “That was nice of your sugar daddy to look out for you. I guess that’s what they do.”

  “Steven is not my sugar daddy. He is a good friend who I enjoy being with.”

  “I hear you. But didn’t you tell me that he paid your rent and car payment this month?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then he’s your sugar daddy.”

  “No, he is not. If that’s the case, then you got plenty of sugar mamas. How many times have you told me someone gave you something, and didn’t you show me a card and teddy bear one of your women gave you for Valentine’s Day?”

  Lance laughed. “That is not the same thing and you know it. And you are only assuming that I got all of these women. I may have a few, but nowhere near what you think.”

  “Lance, please. Last week alone, I think I bumped into at least three or four different women, coming and leaving your apartment.”

  “And?”

  “And that’s pretty pathetic. How many women do you need?”

  “I only need one, but I haven’t found the right one yet. As for the women you see, you should never be on the outside looking in. Your eyes may deceive you.”

  “And how is that? I know what I see going on, and you, my dear, are definitely a player.”

  “I couldn’t handle all of those women if I tried. As a matter of fact, I am dating two women who I thought were satisfied with the open relationship we have. The woman you saw tonight was one of those women, but she’s canceled for throwing her shoes at me.”

  “Then, what about all of those other women?”

  “Those women are my clients.”

  My brows went up in curiosity. “Clients? Are you a pimp or something?”

  Lance laughed. “No. I’m a private counselor, who is paid by the state. I counsel women about their relationships, and try to help them make better lives for themselves and their families. I’ve been doing it for the past five years. I didn’t want to tell you because I didn’t want you to think that’s why I was befriending you. Yes, I think you have some issues, but you mentioned that you’d been in counseling. I hope it’s helping.”

  I was shocked, but wasn’t sure if I could believe Lance. “Don’t play with me,” I said. “Why haven’t you said this to me before?”

  “I just told you, and I couldn’t think of a better time. Besides, my job is very confidential. When you’re accusing me of being a pimp and calling me a playboy, that really isn’t the case.”

  “But you do have more than one woman, don’t you?”

  He defensively held his hands in the air. “Well, I’ll be damned. Shoot me
. Most single men do have more than one woman, and that’s why they call themselves single. Some married men have more than one woman, but we definitely don’t want to go there. You, of all people, know how that is.”

  “I sure do, and that’s why I don’t trust men. Y’all are some devious and conniving creatures. I don’t believe that there are any faithful men left on this planet.”

  “We’re out there, but women like you aren’t interested in finding us. You already have your mind made up that faithful men don’t exist, so a search for one, in your book, is useless. The first day you meet a guy, you’re already telling yourself that he ain’t shit and he’s going to wind up breaking your heart and he’s just like all the others. But he very well may not be.

  “You gotta give some of these brothers a chance to show you what they’re working with, and if you’re not feeling him, then step. You’ll never find the kind of man you need in your life, especially if you continue to waste your time on a married man. Time is just passing you by, Chase, and I’m serious when I say to you that one day you’re going to regret not seeing things for what they truly could be.”

  “Maybe that day will come, or maybe not. Believe it or not, I’m content with the way things are in my life. For now, I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

  Lance and I continued our discussion, and after the advice he’d given me, I wholeheartedly believed he was a counselor. A lot of what he’d said made sense, but he just didn’t realize that everybody’s situation was different. Some women had never been burned by a man, then there were others who kept getting burned over and over. At some point, when Plan A didn’t work, you always had to consider Plan B. My Plan B was to set love aside for a while and use men for the only thing I needed from them. That, of course, was sex.

  The waiter brought our food to the table. Lance’s baked chicken looked so good that I reached my fork across the table and poked into his chicken to get a piece. I put it into my mouth, and closed my eyes because it tasted so good. “Mmmm,” I said, opening my eyes to tell him how good the chicken was. Instead, my eyes were glued to the black BMW that I saw pass by the window. I swore it was Steven’s car, but even from a distance, I could tell the woman on the passenger’s side was not Liz. Besides, I knew Steven’s vehicle like I knew the back of my hand, and I was positive that was it. I quickly wiped my mouth with a napkin.

  “I’ll be right back,” I said to Lance.

  “Where are you going?”

  I couldn’t even answer, as I was moving so quickly to see what was up. Traffic was moving at a slow pace, and when I got outside, I saw the BMW pull over to the curb. When the door opened on the passenger’s side, I saw her silver, strapped, high-heeled shoes and darker-skinned legs step out of the car. When she came out, she looked about my age, but was much thicker than I was. Steven got out looking spectacular as ever, suited up in a dark green suit. I stayed far enough back where he couldn’t see me, and as I watched them cut across the street to go to an exquisite restaurant, I wasn’t quite sure about their connection. It was revealed to me when I noticed him take her hand and escort her to a table. He pulled the chair back for her, and after she took a seat, he took one too. I could see them chatting through the tall glass windows, and I wasn’t quite sure how to handle this. By all means, he wasn’t my man, and we did have an understanding. Thing was, though, he’d lied to me about being out of town. Why lie? That’s what I didn’t understand. It made me feel as if I were being made a fool of, and made him look like he was full of shit. I wasn’t even bothered by the fact that I was his homegirl, and that he had never taken me to dinner. If I wanted dinner, I could have gotten it at any given time. Just like the credit card he had given me. If I wanted more, I could have gotten it. All I asked was for Steven to not lie to me about his personal relationships, and there he was, lying his ass off about being out of town. I wasn’t his wife, but an explanation was needed.

  I wasn’t dressed to impress, but the white linen sundress I wore did look decent. I had on silver flat sandals, and I at least had sense enough to brush up my makeup before I’d left. I entered the restaurant, telling the waiter that my guests were already waiting for me. Steven and the woman sat at a square table, with four chairs around it. The table was covered with a crisp white tablecloth, and had a candle in the middle of it. His pearly whites were in full effect, as the woman was saying something to him. I couldn’t hear what it was, but when I got closer, he was just beginning to speak. I interrupted.

  “I thought that was you,” I said, standing next to him. “I thought you were going out of town this weekend.”

  Just by the look in his eyes, I knew that this woman was not a friend. He sat up straight, softly rubbing the trimmed hair on his chin. “I had a change of plans, so I didn’t go. I will, however, give you a ring later.”

  Now, he didn’t think I would just walk away and say okay, did he? I reached out my hand to the woman and introduced myself.

  “Hi. My name is Chase Jenkins. I’m mistress number one, and who are you? Mistress number two?” I looked at Steven, pointing to myself. “Am I one or two, I can’t remember.”

  He just sat there, looking at me like I was crazy.

  “Come on now, Steven, quit playing. I figured that since you were screwing me at least three or four times a week, I’d be considered your number one. But by the look on her face, I’m not really sure. Help a sista out and please clarify some things for me. Please.”

  He sucked his teeth and his cold eyes looked like they were shooting daggers at me. “You want clarification. I’ll give you clarification. Chase, meet my daughter, Britney. Britney, this is a woman who has lost her motherfucking mind.” He stood up, and all I could think was, Oh, shit! I had really messed up, and my heart had already dropped to my stomach. My face was cracked all over the floor, but it was too late to try to pick it up. Steven excused himself from his daughter, telling her that he’d be right back. I really didn’t want to follow him, but what else was I supposed to do? Plan B wasn’t coming quick enough for me, and I wished it would hurry up.

  Steven stepped outside of the restaurant, waiting for me to come down the steps.

  “You fucked up,” he said with his hands in his pockets. “Damn, you fucked up.”

  I quickly tried reverse psychology. “No, you fucked up. You told me that you were going out of town. What was I supposed to think? Besides, you and Liz don’t even have any children. Since when did you have a daughter?”

  “Not that it’s any of your business, but I had her before I met Liz. I can’t believe you just did what you did, and you’d better hope like hell that I can clear this mess up.”

  “And if not, is it going to be the end of the world for me? I don’t think so. Now, I apologize for what just happened, but don’t—”

  Steven started to walk away from me. “Damn you, Chase. And to hell with your apology.”

  He jogged up the steps and went back into the restaurant. I stood for a moment, thinking that maybe, just maybe, I’d overreacted. Thinking about what I’d done, I quickly made my way back to the restaurant where Lance was. I plopped down in the chair, and looked at the almost empty plate in front of me. Lance was forking up the last of my mushrooms.

  “You did not lie. Those stuffed mushrooms were too good. I didn’t know if you were coming back, and the way you broke out of here, I suspected not. I’m sure you’re going to tell me what happened, and by the look on your face, I can tell it wasn’t good.”

  “Let’s just say that you were right about some things you said tonight and I was wrong. It’s wrong to assume anything, and doing so will mess you up every time.”

  “I’m glad you recognize that. Now, tell me what happened.”

  I told Lance what happened, and he was shaking his head with every word that left my mouth. I asked him to comment, but he wouldn’t. We left the restaurant arm in arm. I laid my head on his shoulder, and Lance jokingly patted the side of my head.

  “You’ll be okay, baby, t
rust me.”

  Normally, I wouldn’t even trip, but I never liked making a complete fool of myself. This time, I’d gone overboard, and it wasn’t like me to trip off any man who was willing to play by my rules like Steven had.

  Chapter 11

  Okay. There is a time in a woman’s life when she has to realize that she may have been wrong about some things. During my time, unfortunately, I had to stoop to an all-time low and kiss a little ass. I didn’t want to, but since this was such a rare occasion, why not? Steven hadn’t called me all week, and as I spoke to his voice mail, I tried to sound as pathetic, and as convincing as I could.

  “I so apologize for the other night. I truly don’t know what got into me. I hope you were able to work everything out with your daughter, and if you were, I’d love to hear from you. Call me.”

  There, I did it. I apologized, again, and if that wasn’t good enough, I figured I could always try something else.

  At the end of the week, I still hadn’t heard from Steven. And you know what I said before about kissing a little ass? No, scratch that shit. No man’s ass was worth kissing, and if he couldn’t accept my apology, to hell with him. He was the one who said he could handle this, and, being a risk taker, didn’t he prepare himself for something like this happening? Well, he should have, and if he didn’t, that was a dumb move on his part.

  I needed a break from all that had been going on, and when all else had failed, my Plan B was to take a trip, paying for it with the credit card that was burning hot in my pocket. Veronica and I had talked about taking a vacation, and since I didn’t have to work on Fridays, she and I cut out early Friday morning to go on our cruise. By two o’clock, our plane had arrived at the airport in Miami, and a taxi driver took us to the port. Cruise ships were lined up for days, and since Veronica had never been on a cruise, she was overly excited.