A Weekend Affair

by Noelle Vella

  Carl was the first to notice us. He was dressed in semicasual business attire appropriate for the occasion. He gave a nod of acknowledgment and mouthed the words, “One second.”

  I turned my attention to Shell. “Hmph. Looks like somebody is happy to see a certain someone,” I said, crossing my arms in front of me, a smirk on my face.

  “What? I . . . no . . . well . . .”

  “Flustered much?” I raised an eyebrow.

  Carl walked over to where we were standing. “Hello, ladies.” He addressed us both, but was looking directly at Shell.

  “Hey, Carl,” I said, not even sure he heard me.

  “Hi, Carl,” Shell said, looking smitten.

  Feeling like a third wheel, I excused myself to check out a booth selling African American, as well as African art. It was close enough that I could still hear and see the two of them. They were in deep conversation about the previous night’s, and apparently this morning’s, events. Next thing I knew, they were holding hands, and Carl, once again, had his tongue down Shell’s throat. They were so blatant, an older couple commented on it.

  “Young love is such a beautiful thing,” the woman remarked. “Are you two married?”

  Before Shell could speak, Carl responded, “Yes, we are, but not to each other.”

  I could have almost died. Shell looked mortified. And the looks on the older couple’s faces . . . Priceless!

  I focused my attention back on the artwork, still laughing to myself at what had transpired. I selected a small framed piece with a Sankofa symbol surrounding a Sankofa bird. The word Sankofa was derived from the Akan language from Ghana. It had been translated into several meanings, but the one I liked the most read, “We must go back and reclaim our past so we can move forward; so we understand why and how we can be who we are today.” Words to live by.

  As I was paying for the picture, I heard a deep voice behind me say, “Nice.”

  I turned around to see the towering hulk of a man that was Diego standing there, smiling down at me.

  I assumed he was referring to the picture, and said as much. “I think so too. That’s why I bought it.”

  He gave a light chuckle. “Yeah, that’s nice too.”

  Like Carl, he too was dressed in business attire, wearing brown slacks, brown loafers, and a cream-colored long sleeve shirt that had the sleeves rolled up. Just like last night at the club, he looked like he commanded attention. That was evident by the way several women were shamelessly leering at him. One even had the nerve to wink at him with me standing right there. Although we weren’t together, I was still surprised by her boldness. He ignored her. I’d never admit it out loud, but I was amused by that.

  “I thought you were going to come over to the booth,” he said, arms crossed in front of him. His piercing honey-colored eyes appeared to be studying me intently.

  “I was, as soon as I got some shopping done. Besides, it looked pretty busy over there. I was going to wait for the crowd to die down.”

  He took a quick glance at the booth, still bustling with customers.

  “I’m glad there’s a lot of interest. Sometimes, it’s hard to get people to listen.”

  “Tell me about it.” I reflected on how, as a doctor, I became discouraged when patients didn’t listen to me. “I promise I’ll check it out before I leave.”

  “I’m going to hold you to that,” he replied, as if demanding that I show up. “Am I still invited back to your place tonight?”

  “If you want,” I answered in a noncommittal tone.

  I didn’t need this man thinking I was desperate to see him again, because I wasn’t. Sure, the sex was, well, awesome, but my woman’s intuition was telling me that Diego was used to always getting what he wanted as far as the opposite sex was concerned. It was also telling me that he liked the chase, but once a woman stopped running, he lost interest. He was just about to comment when Shell and Carl walked up.

  “The organizers are calling for an early end to the festival today. There’s a big storm rolling in from a few miles away, and they don’t want any issues,” he remarked. “I told everyone to pack it up. Which means we’re done for today.” I noticed he had his arm around Shell’s shoulders. “If you ladies don’t have any other plans, I was thinking we could all go back to Hilton Head and have lunch.”

  “Actually, there’s a play I wanted to see tonight, and Shell had some lectures she wanted to attend,” I said.

  “But we could always go tomorrow, right?” she chimed in. Giving her a look that said “Seriously?” she quickly looked away from me.

  “Shell, can I speak with you for a moment?”

  Without waiting for her response, I moved away from Diego and Carl. She meekly complied. She knew me well enough to know that if she didn’t come with me, I would have said everything I wanted to say in front of Carl and Diego.

  “What the heck? You know we had plans for today.”

  “Yes,” she sighed, “but when Carl offered to take us to lunch back at their hotel, I just couldn’t say no.”

  “Seriously? It’s really easy. Try it with me now. No. Come on, your turn.”

  “Gabby, please,” she begged. “We can always go to the lectures and the play tomorrow.”

  “But, Shell, this was supposed to be our weekend. We didn’t come here to hook up with two random guys all weekend. As a matter of fact, we came here to get away from the men in our lives because of all the issues they were causing us. And let me remind you, Hilton Head is almost an hour away. That puts us even further from the beach house.”

  “I know, but I may never get this opportunity again. And I’ve always wanted to see the Omni from the inside. I swear, if you do this one thing for me, it’ll be just you and me for the rest of the weekend.”

  I rubbed my hand across my forehead, then down the rest of my face. Shell was giving me a headache. I felt like she was playing on my sensitivities, knowing that I would feel sorry for her because of her home situation. Unfortunately, it was working. I hated that sometimes, I was too much of a softy.

  “I don’t think this is a good idea at all, for a number of reasons. Least of which is you and Carl are both married. Nothing good can come of this. But you’re grown. Besides, I don’t want them thinking I’m a buzz kill. We’ll go, but after tonight, it’s bye-bye Carl and Diego—are we clear?”

  She flashed the widest grin I had ever seen her give. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” She gave me a big hug. “Tonight’s it. I promise.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” I replied, backing up a bit. “Don’t make any promises, just stick to your word.”

  Promises meant nothing to me without action behind them. I had had too many promises made to me broken in the past to believe in them anymore. And for some reason, I felt this was going to be another one.

  We walked back over to Diego and Carl. That’s when I felt it; the first few drops signifying that the heavens were about to open up. With all the sinning that I assumed was about to happen, I had to wonder if the rain would be like the flood in Noah’s ark.

  “Everything okay?” Carl asked.

  “Yes. Let’s go,” Shell quickly answered. Carl took her hand and interlocked her fingers with his, taking her to the place where he and Diego had parked their vehicle. They were in an area designated for vendors, which was a lot closer than where we were parked.

  “Where are you parked?” Diego asked.

  “About half a mile away, in the municipal parking lot.”

  “Hop in,” Carl said. “We’ll drop you off, and you can follow us from there.”

  I was somewhat upset with Shell, and I felt inclined to walk back by myself, but it was no longer drizzling. The rain had started to come down in sheets. All four of us quickly entered the vehicle. Once we had located our Dodge Journey, I deactivated the alarm and unlocked it before getting out. I was prepared to drive by myself until I saw Diego hop out and run to the passenger side of the vehicle. We both climbed inside, a little damp, but no worse for
the wear.

  “I thought you were going to ride with them,” I said nonchalantly.

  “I can leave if you want me to,” he teased, laughing.

  I laughed with him. “No, you can stay,” I replied noncommittally.

  “Why do you seem so angry?” he questioned.

  “I’m not so much angry as I am disappointed.” I followed Carl out of the lot.

  “Then why are you disappointed?” From the corner of my eye, I noticed Diego was looking at me.

  “Because this was supposed to be a girls-only weekend, and it hasn’t worked out that way at all. And because I’m afraid Shell’s in over her head, way over her head. I don’t know what she was thinking getting involved with a married man.”

  “Maybe she wasn’t trying to think. Maybe she was just trying to feel something instead; something good. From what I hear, her home life is not the best,” he countered.

  Diego was probably right, and while I felt for Shell, I didn’t think messing around with a married man was the best way to deal with her domestic non-bliss.

  “I just don’t see this ending well, especially for Shell.”

  “I don’t see the problem.”

  I couldn’t believe he had just said that.

  “What part of they are both married are you not getting?”

  “Well, if it’s not bothering them, why is it bothering you?”

  “Because Shell’s not thinking with a clear head, so I have to.”

  “For someone who’s her friend, you sure are acting like her mother.”

  I shrugged. “Even though I’m only thirteen years older than her, she sometimes sees me as a mother figure. I guess I ran with it.”

  “You’re not her mother, and she’s a grown woman. You’re not responsible for her, nor are you responsible for her actions. If there’s any fallout, although I’m not saying there will be, it will be on Shell and Carl.”

  I knew Diego was absolutely right, but I was still having a hard time dealing with it. If I really thought about it, I was angry. Angry with Shell for allowing herself to get caught up with a married man; angry with Carl for taking advantage of her vulnerabilities; and angry with myself for not nipping it in the bud before it really began, like I really could, though. Shell was going to carry on with this cockamamie plan no matter what I said.

  “Are you angry with me?” Diego asked after a few minutes of silence.

  I eyed him for a split second, my main focus on the road ahead. Traffic on the highway had slowed considerably because of the rain.

  “No, I’m not mad at you. You were right. I need to take a step back, let them handle it, and let the chips fall where they may. But don’t let it go to your head,” I quipped.

  “Which one?” he asked, a mischievous glint in his eye.

  I shook my head and laughed. “Neither.”

  People were pulling off to the side of the road. One thing I realized living in the South was that many of the people were afraid to drive in inclement weather. Being a Northerner, it didn’t bother me one bit. Although I slowed my pace because of the traffic in front of me, I kept on going. I wanted to get to our destination as soon as possible.

  “Diego?”

  “Yes?”

  “Can I ask you a question?” Even though I tried to let it go, I was still concerned about Shell.

  “Ask me anything.”

  I’d have to remember later on that he said that.

  “We touched on this a bit last night, but you never gave me a straight answer. What made Carl approach Shell? Bottom line is I don’t want her to get hurt.”

  Diego took his eyes off of the road to look at me.

  “I’m not going to get into particulars, but like Shell, Carl has his own domestic issues. But believe me, if I thought he was out of line in any way, or was going to do something to put Shell in harm’s way, I’d check him myself.”

  I felt a bit better after Diego said that, but not by much. I still had a nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach that even after tonight, this would be far from over.

  Chapter 15

  Diego

  Torrential rains tore through Hilton Head. The once beautiful white sandy beaches had been turned to mulch as the rain soaked the place. I stared at the TV over the bar as the meteorologist said the rain wouldn’t let up until the next day. It was so dark and gloomy that it looked more like ten at night than five in the afternoon.

  We were sitting in HH Prime, the beachside dining establishment inside the Omni. On most days you could enjoy dinner while your sensory and olfactory systems enjoyed the sounds and smells of the ocean. The different shades of chocolate brought out the mocha-colored carpet on the floor. The murmurs of other patrons almost drowned out the sounds of the TV. Glasses clinked together as bartenders filled drink orders, which blended with the sounds of servers setting plates and bowls on tables.

  “So, we’re stuck here,” Gabby stated more than asked.

  I watched as she swirled her finger around in her water. Everything she did was like seduction. She tilted her head to the side and narrowed her gaze at the TV. Even though she was doing something akin to scowling, it was sexy. I was trying to sit and figure out exactly what was going on with me. I’d met the woman less than forty-eight hours ago, and I couldn’t figure her out. Normally, I’d have a woman dead to rights within the first few hours.

  “Looks like it,” I answered her.

  She sighed and shook her head. In my mind, I imagined her silently cursing her friend Shell for getting her stuck on rainy Hilton Head.

  “We’re stuck out here with no clothes and no toiletries,” she fussed.

  “There is a little gift shop around the corner that sells toiletries. There is also a shop right down the street. Maybe later, if the rain lets up even an inch, we can go there and get you something. If not, there is a laundry room. You can use my room to shower and relax until your clothes are done.”

  Gabby turned those sultry doelike eyes my way and smirked a bit. “You just have the answer to everything, don’t you?”

  I shrugged. “I like to be prepared for anything.”

  “Duly noted. Thanks for the offer,” she said, then turned back to the TV.

  I thumbed my nose. I guess what was puzzling me was the fact that she acted as if this morning hadn’t happened. It was like we were back to being strangers. She didn’t act as if the sex between us had been worth talking about, which was different. Anytime I’d had one-night stands before, all they could talk about was what we’d done. That was one of the reasons I started leaving before they could wake up or jetted no sooner than we were done.

  “I take it that means you’d rather not be here,” I commented.

  “What gave me away? The fact that I told you that on the way here?”

  I chuckled at her sarcasm. Carl and Shell had disappeared to the spa once they’d gotten here. Who knew what they had talked about and decided on their way over. All I knew was Carl didn’t seem to be letting the fact that he was hurt behind what Dali had done to him show. I knew my friend. Knew for a fact that behind this façade was the hurt that the woman he loved hadn’t loved him the way he’d thought.

  To be honest, I was a bit tickled at the whole thing. Not because I was happy about his pain, but because it had taken him this long to get what I’d been trying to tell him since the day he’d met Dali.

  “What’s so funny?” Gabby asked me.

  I pulled my vibrating phone from my hip . . . frowned when I saw Ricki calling me again. That was twice in one day. What in hell was wrong with her? I glanced up at Gabby.

  I shrugged. “Just thinking about something with Carl.”

  She quirked a brow. “Since my friend is with Carl, should I know why you’re laughing?”

  I thought about it for a minute. “I’m not sure.”

  “What does that mean?” she asked.

  I sent Ricki to voice mail, laid my phone on the bar, then took a sip of my Hennessey on ice.

  “I�
��m just surprised he picked her out of all the other women in the club.”

  Gabby cocked her head to the side, set her glass down slowly, and glowered at me. “And just what in blazes is that supposed to mean? Are you saying something is wrong with Shell?”

  I chuckled at her readiness to defend her friend. “When it comes to that ninja, yeah.”

  “What’s wrong with Shell? I know you’re not trying to say she’s ugly, because you’d be a cotton-picking liar.”

  I threw my head back and let out a throaty laugh. “Cotton-picking? Really? What the hell?”

  “Yes, I said cotton-picking. I happen not to use vulgarity to express myself if that’s okay with you. Now, what about Shell makes it so hard to believe Carl picked her, like he’s some almighty prize?”

  “She’s black.”

  Gabby jerked her head back like she had been slapped. She gave me that black woman glare that would send most men running for the hills.

  “Excuse me?” she retorted. “Say that again.”

  “She’s black. Carl doesn’t usually go for black women.”

  Gabby gave me a slow blink, then a blank stare. “But . . . Carl’s black. As a matter of fact, he’s black in race, ethnicity, and color. You mean to tell me a man as black as him doesn’t date black women?”

  “Carl hasn’t seen a black twat since one pushed him out.”

  “You’re kidding, right?”

  I turned my lips down and shook my head. “Nope.”

  “So his wife is not black?”

  “Not at all.”

  She looked to be genuinely offended. You would have thought I’d just told her Carl was a convicted murderer and rapist who just escaped from prison.

  “I don’t know what to say to that. I just don’t.”

  “Me either. Black men who don’t date black women confuse me too. Not to say that I have anything against it. I just don’t get going out of your way to date someone who doesn’t look like your mother.”