The Fight Within (31 page)

“Look, baby, a strong woman to me is one who knows what she is capable of and doesn’t let anyone or anything stop her, despite the obstacles. Strong women cry all the time. Why do tears equal weakness? In my opinion, a weak woman is the one that pretends to
not
care because she wants the people around her to think she has balls, be someone to look up to. That’s just pathetic to me.

“If we weren’t supposed to break down every now and again, we wouldn’t even be able to. We bleed, we cry, we laugh and we die…that’s life, take it or leave it. I don’t wanna woman like that…that’s fake. I prefer reality. I want to see you how you really are. You know why? Because the woman sittin’ in front of me is the best thing I’ve ever had. Can’t no one top you, baby.”

He must’ve hit her where it counted because his words had her embrace him in a sweet, warm hug and kiss his lips so gently, so delicately. After a few moments, she slumped back into her seat and stared off into the distance.

“You know what keeps me up at night?”

“Dreams of riding me?”

“No!” She laughed and shook her head. “I’m so afraid Asia is going to grow up and meet a jerk, marry him, and end up how I did.” The woman gripped her forehead as if trying to remember an answer for an exam. Her eyes closed and he wanted so badly to take her pain away, swallow it whole, and chase it with a glass of liquid love. “I’m afraid my son will end up
being
that jerk to some woman. I live in fear, sheer terror, all because I chose the wrong damn man!” She turned toward him once more, her eyes glassy as she beat her fist against her thigh, rocked a bit, no doubt fighting tears. Again, she closed her eyes hard and tight for a spell, shielding herself from him. But it was too late. He’d tasted her discomfort and its flavor was heart wrenching.

“Love is kind of like a matching game, you know, like the ones we’d play as kids,” he said.

That got her to give him her full attention.

“You’d have a stack of small cards, and there would be drawings of strawberries, footballs, things like that. You had to match them together, but you had to remember what was where, or the game would go on and on, and frustration would set in. I think finding the person you’re supposed to be with is kind of like that. You’re going to make some matches that don’t work, don’t add up, but then, you get the sunshine and the sunshine, and well, then the future looks bright. I can say you chose the
right
one this time. We match up perfectly…”

Reaching over, he pulled her to him, enveloping her in a warm hug, then laid the sweetest of kisses on her lips, and swiped her tears away with the side of his thumb. The wetness against his flesh awakened his senses, made him fall into a desperate need to protect and serve her. And he would, from that moment forward, even from himself.

“I’m not going
any
where, Treasure. You’re my sunshine, and I’m tired of being out in the rain…”

*

Erin’s martini reminded
Treasure of a tiny, rotund green man floating about in a posh swimming pool. The olive bobbed about, dancing like it was having the time of its little, fruity life. Treasure’s friend gleamed at her through hazel contact lenses under the dreamy blue restaurant lights. The woman’s long legs were covered in black leather pants, which she’d paired with white-tipped, spiky dark purple heels on her feet. Running her fingers over her pixie cut jet-black hair, she blew out her mango scented hookah smoke, a barely-there smirk on her peach-shaped face.

“You’ve been busy, baby,” the woman said coolly.

Treasure nodded, looked sheepishly away to stare into her half empty glass of red Moscato.

“So, as we’ve been talking all of these weeks and you’ve fed me information little by little, here is the rundown I have thus far: His name is Sean, he’s younger than you, he collects trash, he’s a college student, he is funny, fun, flirty, and can probably screw like a champ though the last point you’ve yet to confirm. It’s just a hunch based on the fact that you’re a phone sex slut.”

Treasure burst out laughing, almost falling out of her seat.

“Erin! Yeah, that’s pretty much the gist of it. You’d know more if you ever answered your phone!” Treasure chastised.

“I’ve been out of the country on business! You know you my boo-thang,” she chided, smiling from ear to ear.

After returning her smile, Treasure looked away into the crowd of people standing around, bobbing their heads to the sounds of Skream belting out, ‘Rollercoaster’.

“That about sums it up.”

“I wonder if Quincy knows him.”

“Why would your husband know him?” Treasure lifted a brow in bewilderment.

“Because he works with the sanitation department all the time when contract bids come up for new neighborhood zoning. Sometimes they have like town hall meetings, invite the workers and citizens in for their opinions.”

Treasure nodded in understanding. Quentin worked in neighborhood maintenance and street zoning for Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan. It made sense.

“From what you told me, he sounds like he’s cute as hell, too.” A naughty expression sleeked across her friend’s face, all knowing.

“Cute? Baby, the first time I saw him I couldn’t help but stare, regardless of being mad at his ass. He is tall and built like a goddamn college football linebacker. Muscles all over the damn place…dark hair, beautiful green eyes. When I say green, I mean
really
green, they just pull you in. His voice is kinda hoarse, like he smokes cigarettes, but he doesn’t. He’s unbelievable. Sexy as hell… If I could throw caution to the wind I would have ridden his face like a bronco weeks ago.”

Both women remained quiet for a second or two, then burst out laughing simultaneously.

“Yeah… he sounds amazing.”

“Erin.” Treasure sighed as she plucked a salty peanut from a half folded napkin and popped it into her mouth. “This man just does something to me and…I love him. That’s a big deal for me; it’s been a process, that’s for sure.”

“I could see it in your face last week when you picked me up from the airport, Treasure. You are so in love with this man. You used to look like that when you and Jackson were first dating. I’d never seen you look at anyone that way before Jackson, or after, until now.”

She nodded in agreement. “It scares me a bit too, but I can’t stop, you know? We even got into a fight the other night, but he found a way to bring me right back into his crazy world. He’s just so real, sincere. Even when he says something fucked up, it’s like he is open to hearing another point of view,
my
point of view. Well, at least now he is, or maybe he always was, I don’t know. Regardless, I’ve never met anyone like him in my entire life, Erin. I’m weak for this fucker. I hate that.”

“You don’t hate it.” Erin took another leisure puff from her hookah. “You hate that you
don’t
hate it. He is your opposite, but you two mesh well together and you want him. It doesn’t make sense to you, but that’s the problem.” She paused to sip on her martini, then set it back down. “Women like you and me try to make stuff like this make sense. We are rational. We are similar; that’s why we understand each other so well and have been the best of friends since college. Time and busy schedules, family,” she waved her hand lazily in the air, “have caused us to have gaps in communication, but it doesn’t define our love for one another. We pick up right where we left off, simple as that. The bottom line is
this
. We forget that underneath all the bullshit, all we want is a man. We want a real, true blue guy to have our damn backs. We want companionship, someone we can depend on and sees us as equals. We want to feel loved and based on what you’ve shared with me, Treasure, it sounds like he fits the bill.”

Treasure nodded. “I know I’m not imagining this, you know? He really is what I think he is…but my mind keeps playing tricks on me.”

“No, your mind knows the deal, but your heart still wants protection so they’ve been having meetings behind your back.”

Treasure burst out laughing.

“I knew after your last dating disaster, I was finished trying to set you up with guys. I told Quincy that you’d meet the right man, but it would be when
you
were ready, and not because I pushed you out there. I see I was right.” Erin’s eyes hooded. “Look how beautiful you are tonight, you’re practically glowing. You look gorgeous in that dark green dress clinging to your curves just right…damn near radiant, and he hasn’t even given you the dick yet.”

They both burst out in obnoxious fits of cackling.

“I know, right?” Treasure’s laugh tapered as she swung her leg a bit faster, causing her gold and diamond anklet to sparkle as it caught the nearby bar area strobe lights. “Not that I don’t want it, you know, sex with him, but because of how I’m feeling about Sean, I’d get more attached if I go that route with him, Erin. I’ve been stringing this out. I told him it was because I have children and I have to be responsible. Well, that’s just part of it. The other half is that I know that he’s not one of those guys I can just screw and be okay afterward. I’d feel something…something deep, and that kinda worries me. I can have sex and not speak to a man ever again, but I can’t make love and just walk away… I just can’t.” She took a deep breath, exhaling just so as the smoke from Erin’s hookah embraced her in a misty circle.

“Treasure, this is your life and your timing. You don’t have to rush due to what other people think or say, or submit to the pressure. I get where you’re comin’ from. He’ll wait a bit if he’s the guy for you. How long has it been though?”

Treasure shot her nosy friend a tilted grin. “About four months I guess…”

“That long?! Oh shit! I take back what I said! You’ve been dating this joker for four months and haven’t fucked him? Treasure! Shame on you! How can you stand it? Girl, I’d be going crazy.”

“You act like I said ten years or something! That isn’t that long of a time. I mean, we wait longer to even do a closing on a house sometimes.” She shrugged.

“You better give that fine man some of that coochie, woman! You’ve lost your mind! You’ll scare him away at this point ’cause as soon as you open your legs, cobwebs and bats ’nd shit will be all over the place. He’ll wonder if it’s Halloween up in that mofo!”

“Shut up!” Treasure laughed. “Like I said, I want to. I’m working up to it, don’t worry. I can’t last much longer. The phone sex thing isn’t cuttin’ it anymore.”

“When you do get down to it, I want
full
details!” The woman counted off her fingers. “I want to know how many inches, because sometimes a camera can be deceiving. Don’t ask me how I know. Anyway, I need to know if he can last, how thick that shit is, can he eat pussy right, the whole damn nine!”

“Erin, you are nosy and nasty as hell!”

“And you wouldn’t have me any other way!”

They both burst out into more laughter as a remixed version of Beyonce’s timeless song, ‘Crazy in Love’ hit the DJ Booth sound system.

“Ohhhh girl! This classic is dedicated to YOU!” Erin took another puff from her hookah, set it down, and grabbed Treasure off her seat, practically dragging her away to the dance floor.

They moved together, dancing like two crazy teenagers as they screamed the lyrics, “Your love’s got me goin’ so crazy right now, so craaaazzzzy in loooove! Treasure’s in love, everybody! Woot Woot!”

‡