Single Ladies (4 page)

His effeminate walk and soft voice was one that Roni had become accustomed to over the year that he'd been working there.

"Hel-looo", he sang.

"Hi, Ray!  This is our new second shift representative, Jonathan Parker, and Jonathan, this is our main night auditor, Ray."

They shook hands.  "Yeah, I don’t have a life anymore, outside of my husband and my two dogs, so you whenever you work second shift, you may as well count on seeing me, unless it's vacation time, or I'm down with the bird flu or something", he guffawed in a feminine, high pitched sound " It was a joke.  Bird flu!" His joke was corny, but his laugh was hilarious. Roni and Jonathan giggled, like two kids.

"Yes, Ray works six days a week, most of the time, but every other week, we force him to take a weekend off, and at that time, Dianne will be working."

Jonathan looked at his watch.  "So, do I clock out in the system, or do you have a time clock to punch out?"

"I have to wait on corporate to send your identification number for the system.  Until then, I will log you in and out on this sheet and have you initial it.   And if there's nothing else, you have a good night, and you will be working with Mario tomorrow night and the rest of the week.  It was a pleasure, Jonathan.  See you soon."

"Same here, Roni", he smiled, shaking her soft hand, and holding it a second too long.

Sitting at home, on her fluffy, khaki chaise, after a long, hot shower, Roni re-read the literature about her PCOS.  "So, maybe I'll never have children", she thought.

Her phone rang four times, before she realized it. 

"Hello?"

"Hey chica.  What's going on?" Angie chirped.

"Hey, Ang.  Nothin, just sittin here trying to unwind, I guess," she sipped her hot Chai tea.

"Oh, you know, the usual.  Just got back from dinner with Brandon.  He went home to grab a few things, but he's coming back to spend the night. Heaven knows I could use a few licks and sticks here and there!" she giggled like a teenager.

Roni didn't laugh. 

"What's wrong Roni?"

"Nothin", Roni lied in a monotone voice.

"I have been your friend for twenty two years and you can't sit there and lie to me like that.  Girl, what's wrong?"

Roni sighed.  "It's not really bad.  Ok, it's not good either, but it's not anything life threatening or anything really that bad", she started.

"M-hm", Angie edged her to go on.

"Well, I went for my examination results today and Dr. Fieldman says I have PCOS."

Angela breathed a sigh of relief. "So, lay off the pasta, soda, carbs, and eat a lean, fat free diet with more fruits and veggies, and get your big butt out the house more than just to work, go on blind dates, and hang with me and the girls!"

If Angie hadn't been who she was, Roni would have cursed her out.  "So, you know about weight and PCOS?"

"Girl, Aunt Lora battled it for years and that's all she used to talk about was how women with PCOS had to eat right, take these supplements and metformin and spironlac-something and that their symptoms could be mild as a few extra pounds to severe, with infertility and facial hair and all that crap.  I would say you were pretty mild, compared to her.  You remember Aunt Lora, I know.  She had that facial hair so bad, and she is light skinned, which made it more noticeable.  She never did have any kids, but she also went years wondering what was wrong with her and why it was so hard for her to lose weight and why her facial hair just kept getting worse.  Her and Uncle Mike ended up adopting, because she couldn't conceive."

"Yeah, I remember her," Roni said, envisioning the goatee that encircled Lora's mouth.  "I guess -  I mean, my cycle is pretty irregular, and I have always battled my weight, you know that.  But, I never tried to get pregnant, so I don't know if I can or not.  I just know that I had a few slip ups with Maurice, when I used to date him, and I never got pregnant.  And Maurice has three children.   As for the facial hair, I don’t have any of that, but, uh, then again, I do have Daphne to wax my upper lip every blue moon", she laughed.,

"And that's not out the ordinary.  Shit, girl, you are fine..  It's fine hair, so don't freak out about it.  Anyway, don’t let your doctor stick some diagnosis on you.  You can speak health into your body, or hex it with health problems, claiming illness.  Karla would tell you that.", Angie slapped her shapely thigh, as she laughed hysterically.

"Hell yeah!" Roni agreed.  " And don’t you tell Karla shit about my PCOS!  I don’t need her giving me a regimen of workouts and diet plans, and dropping off any of those nasty ass veggie egg rolls!"

They were both laughing to the point of tears, when Roni's line beeped.  Roni looked at the phone.  She was sure it was a guy who she'd given her number to on Surelove the previous week, because the number was unknown and nobody else would be calling her that late.  "Hey, Ang.  Lemme call you tomorrow. Love might be calling."

"Oh, boy." Angie rolled her eyes. "Talk to ya later, girlfriend."

She clicked over and whispered a sexy "Hello" into the receiver.

"Yeah, can I speakta uhh.  Val-Valerie?"

She almost forgot she'd given an alias.  "Um. This is Valerie.  Who am I speaking with?"

"This here is Billy.  But you can call me Buck.  Yeah, I'm the one who sent you that message a couple weeks ago."

His voice and loudness was a turn off, and she really wasn't feeling like conversation.  She removed the receiver from her ear and frowned in disgust. 

"Um, yeah okay.  I remember you Buck, but I was just about to get in bed.  I have a migraine and I took medicine, so if it's okay, I'll call you sometime tomorrow or later in the week, when I feel better."

"Oh, I was gone say, I'll cum ova dere and make you feel betta girl! Ha ha! Make you forget you got that damn migraine!"

Roni cleared her throat. "I don’t think so.  I'm just going to call it a nite.  Talk to you later." She hung up.  "Damn freaks!  That's what I get for giving my number out on that bullshit!"

She logged on to Surelove.com to block "Buck" from sending any future messages, and had a message from JP365. 

Hey Sweet Lady..Black queen.  I just wanted to let you know that I am so intrigued that I  would love to meet you.  Only if you are comfortable, though.  If you wish, please meet me at 454 West 49th. Downtown.  The club is known by everybody as The Wall Hole, but it has a sign on the building that says Dewey's.  I would be honored to have you come.   I am an open mic poet there.   Meet me, Saturday night, 7 pm.  I am the first act."

- Johnny

Chapter 5

Daphne

"I'm just not ready for people to know about us, Jas." she lied in her lover's arms, after they madelove all night. 

"It's okay for now, baby.  But I want to be proud of who I'm with. I got the best girl in the world, and I can't even show her off to anyone, because of fear of losing her."  Jasera Sanchez, looked into her lover's eyes. "I love you, Daphne", she whispered.

Daphne felt a warm sensation, more powerful that the one she experienced during the explosive climax they shared. " I love you too, Jas."

Jas raised Daphne's chin to look into her eyes. "Do you really, baby?"

"Of course I do. Why wouldn't I?"  Ever since Daphne laid eyes on her, Jas, had been a phenomenal influence in her life.  She showed Daphne how to do unique and popular hairstyles and gave her tips on how to expand her clientele.  She spent quality time with her, gave her the kind of orgasms that sent chills through her soul, and she loved her dearly.  "I-I'm just not ready to be out about my sexuality."

"Well, when are you going to be honest with yourself?" Jas asked firmly.

"I am honest, Jas!  I know how I feel about you and how I've always felt about other females.  That's not what I'm saying.  I'm just not ready to let it be known to my friends, clients, and people in the city who know me.  My family knows and has known since I was a teenager, but they didn't tell anyone.  They always thought it was bad enough that my brother Darnell, I mean, Denise is gay and so flamboyant about it.  I'm like the kind that's not obvious to most, so I -"

Jas interrupted with her deep, sultry voice, " So you figure it's okay to go around leading people on and having them fall in love with you and then tell them that you aren't ready to love them openly.  You wanna love me when nobody's watching, is that it?"

Daphne pushed the mauve and silver comforter off her slender frame and angrily sprung from the king sized bed.  "You know what? You are so insensitive!  Just because you've always had a basketball in your hands, wore boy clothes, kept a short haircut, and everybody just knew who you were going to turn out to be, just means one thing. It has been easier for you! People have always known about you, so you had it easy.  If I told people,  they would have to get used to it and it would take a while and then I don’t know how they are going to-"

"See, that's your problem Marjorie!  Oh excuse me, little miss perfect, I-gotta-keep-up-my-fake-image Daphne!  Don’t tell me I had it easy cuz you dont know the half!  I didn't have anything easy.  I still get the stares when I walk out my front door, in my car, and everywhere I go in public!  Some asshole is watching me, knowing I'm a woman, but thinking, "that's a dyke".    I know what it's like to have doors shut in my face, not only because I'm a Black and Latino woman, but because I'm a lesbian.   Think about how my  mother took it when I was growing up , a lesbian and not the little girl she thought would blossom into the woman who would marry a man and live happily ever after.  Think about how my father thought of me, growing up and telling him I never wanted to have kids!  My father took pride in his grandchildren and I never gave him any before he died.   So, don’t talk about easy, because if that's the case, it's you who got it easy.  You have always been beautiful. Pull out your first grade pictures .  The ones where you wore the pigtails, the pretty little earrings, and the dress with the tights and ruffle socks.  And you probably felt just like the little girl you born.  My parents dressed me like that, but I would run off to the bathroom and put on my brother's tee shirts and jeans or just sit and cry.  I never knew how to sit with my legs crossed and act like a lady. That shit aint me!    I never felt like the woman I have grown to be.   When I got my period, I was traumatized.  I have always felt different.  Always.  I have always felt like a guy trapped in a female body. And you think life is ea-sy?" her voice broke into a guttural wail.

Daphne sat next to Jas and rubbed her arms.  Tears formed in Jas' eyes, but never fell onto her slightly adrogenous face. 

"I just want to let the world know that not only am I a lesbian, but that I'm the happiest lesbian; with the most beautiful creation that heaven could've sent.  I want the world to know about us, Daphne."   When Jas looked into Daphne's eyes, she could see not only beauty, but years of worry, depression, and agony.

Daphne struggled with her own worry, depression and agony, too.  "Jas, just as much as you've had it hard, I'm having it the same way now.  I am the total opposite of you, but it doesn't mean that I don’t have feelings and I don’t worry about things.  It's not that I'm ashamed of us, you, or my lifestyle.  I just don’t want to hurt my career with the ignorance of other people, and I don’t want people judging me."

"Daph, if some of your clients walk away because you're a lesbian, you don’t need them coming to your salon anyway.  If your friends judge you, then they aren't your friends."

Daphne's long black hair shifted as she nodded in agreement with Jas.  " I know.  I'm just not ready yet.  Just trust me.  I will come out soon, just give me time to wrap my head around things. It's nothing to do with you, Jas.  Please trust me.  I love you."

"I hope you do, Daphne, because to be truthfully honest, I have never been with a woman who was in the closet.  I've never had to watch my hands or be afraid to kiss my woman just because her friends were around.  Just think about what I said."

"I will", Daphne whispered quietly as she planted a seductive kiss on Jas' full lips.  It was the prelude to another lovemaking session.  Daphne couldn’t get enough of the way Jas handled her feminine body.   She thought of the first time they made love.  They were on a warm pink sand beach in Bermuda, watching an orange sun set over sparkling turquoise waters.  Her domineering sexual energy amplified Daphne's sexual submission.  As Jas placed her hands underneath the small of her back, Daphne moaned and raised her hips to meet the tongue that was on a slow journey from the surface of the silky skin on her belly to the sunset between her honey gold thighs. Everytime was just like the first time.

The only person in the salon the next morning, was Monay, one of Daphne's stylists. She had a client at seven in the morning.

"Girl, you know you be early, tryna get that money."

"Yeah, but it's taking a toll on me.  I aint getting enough rest, and the hubby kids are complaining that they don’t see me enough."

"Oh, so you know you betta get on it, sista.  Handle your family business", Daphne smiled.

"I know."

Daphne organized her Vigorol products and stocked her area with shampoos and conditioners.  "Did you take care of that bulk order of the short n' sassy texturizing glaze?"

"Yep. It should be delivered this afternoon.  Oh, and the Illusions hair magazine emailed everyone...something about featuring you and Nivari's work in their September edition.  You haven't said anything about it, I was just wondering if you paid it any attention."

"Yeah, I got it.  Girl, I have just been having so much on my plate lately, I haven't been that excited about it.  Besides, not to sound bigheaded but my work has been featured in so many hair mags, I'm cool on Illusions, you dig?"

"Yeah, I guess if I was ballin outta control like you, I would!" she laughed.

"You so silly girl."

Daphne's cell phone rang.  "You complete me", by Keyshia Cole, was the ringtone.

Monay looked up and smiled . "Oooooh,  we in love Daphne?"

Daphne playfully waved her off. "Hello?"

It was Jas. 

"Yeah, I know.  Are you coming tonight?  Spaghetti... yeah, me too. Alright, eight o clock.  Talk to you later."

"So, who is the new love?  Or am I being nosey?" Monay reclined in the evergreen colored chair, that sat next to the peach chaise that floated on a small evergreen, peach, and grey rug. 

"You are being nosey!" Daphne laughed .

"Yeah, cuz don’t think nobody has been seeing you and K'hari Modasi flirting back and forth."

"Girl! I just be playing with that man!  Maybe I should stop before he takes me seriously, cuz Lord knows I wouldn't have him!" Daphne said matter-of-factly.

"Damn. As fine as he is, you are either one blind ass or one crazy ass sista!" Monay snorted, pushing her glasses up over the pelican hump in her nose. 

"Yeah, a lot of them that come in here is fine, but I dont want none of em."  Daphne said before she thought.  Monay gave her a funny look, but didn't say anything.

Her cell phone rang again.  This time it was her transgendered brother, Denise.

"Neecey, what's going on?"

His voice was very weak.  "M-my nurse dialed your number for me.  U still comin to see me?."

There was a painful silence as a lump grew in Daphne's throat.

"N-Neecey, of course I am."

" I know I'm gon beat this shit, Daphne.  I been sick for almost twenty years, they cant t-tell me it's over for me.  This is my third opport-unis-tic disease, though" he forced his words out.

"Neecey, I'm coming home.  I'm gonna catch a flight out there tomorrow.  I gotta see you."

Denise laughed. "My lil sis always been there to take care of me.  I luv you, Marjorie Daphne." he teased.

"Luv you too, Darnell Elliot the 3rd." she retorted.

"Damn, you alm-almost made me c-come to the ATL and k-kick your ass!" he tried to laugh but started coughing profusely.

Hearing her brother being so ill made her fight back the tears in her voice.  "Babe you need to get some rest."

"I am.  You don’t worry about me so m-much."

"I'm not.  I' know you a soldier.  I'm just going to get out there tomorrow.  I'll be there, you can bet that.  I Love you. See you soon."

Monay had been watching an emotional Daphne.  "Everything alright?"

"Yeah.  My brother's in the hospital. He sounds so weak.  Not like himself, ya know? I mean- he's been in and out the hospital so many times, and even put in a hospice once, cuz they thought it was the end, but he bounced back.  He just- he just don’t sound right this time, you know what I mean?"

"Yeah, I feel you.  You are talking about the one up there on that picture right?"

Daphne looked up at the photo of a healthy, flamboyant Denise, and giggled. "Yeah, that's him."

" Damn, don't take this the wrong way, but he makes a beautiful woman. But, I know the feeling.  My cousin, Robert, the one they call Romeo, he's sick too.  His lover died a year and a half ago and he just went down hill from there.    I know what you're going through.  If you ever need me for anything, you let me know."

Daphne looked at her and they exchanged a "knowing" look and empathetic expression that only friends or family of people with AIDS could recognize.  It was like belonging to a club or knowing a secret.  You just knew that look when you saw it. 

"Thanks Nay." 

"Oh, here comes your seven o'clock.  Call me to the front in about twenty minutes, cuz I got Loreci coming in to get a sew-in.  I'm gonna go back here and sort the order that came in a couple days ago."

"Okay", Monay nodded, then greeted her client.