Sweet in the Middle

by TaugJaye Crawford

  Eris accepted the shot of D’ÚSSE and Coke Vanilla chaser that Bucky handed her.

  “You right, too. It’s nothing for us to be getting bent out of shape over. We good. How was your trip to see my lil’ nephew? He’s getting so big, girl! I loved the pictures you posted the other day of y’all.”

  “Girl.”

  Eris threw her shot back, no chaser, to that shit. By the time they got through that story, they’d worked up an appetite. Bucky was dying for a pedicure, so they grabbed something light to hold them over, spent a couple hours at the nail shop, and were now grubbing down on some King Seafood Platters at Manda’s Crab.

  “Damn, bitch, you ‘bout put my eye out!” Bucky squealed when lemon juice squirted across the table.

  Eris was high as a kite after the blunt they faced before walking in, so she had the damn giggles.

  “My bad, girl. It wouldn’t come out! Hmm.”

  She reached across the table and wiped her friend’s face since Bucky’s hands were saturated in seafood sauce.

  It was the little things like this that confused Bucky. She knew Eris’ act was harmless. She’d always been a thoughtful and diehard friend. Way back when they were rocking pixie braids and walking the blocks in the hood.

  Shorty had a touch though.

  This douse of sincerity and benevolence that could trip anyone up.

  Maybe she’d been single after all this time because her soulmate was…a woman.

  And that was something that Bucky couldn’t fully give her, but it surely felt good to reap the benefits of their friendship.

  If only the men in 2019 were as invasive and compassionate versus dedicating their lives to being assholes.

  Like, when did it become “lame” to love your girl?

  These niggas were so busy living like Future, riding harder for their niggas and not their “bitch”, that the essence of romance was slowly dwindling down the damn drain.

  At this point, you were damned if you did and damned if you didn’t.

  “Thanks, boo.” Bucky’s tone was ambivalent, but she kept it together.

  “You’re welcome. I can’t believe we’re both graduating this spring.”

  “Girl, not until December for me. I gotta take this one class over. I fucked up on my final and knocked my C down to a D in my administrative course. I’m pissed ‘cause that class boring as fuck too.”

  Bucky was an RN moving up in the game to be an Administrator. She had a passion for running shit, and her sister owned a successful line of nursing homes. Three locations were in St. Louis, and one was in Kansas City.

  The position at the biggest and most successful building downtown was waiting on her.

  Shorty just needed that degree.

  “Don’t beat yourself up about it. You know you got this. Buckle down, focus, and ace this class, girl.”

  “I will. Dealing with Ronnie had my head all fucked up. I’m so glad that chapter is over,” she made reference to her ex.

  Before Eris could reply, her phone rang. She sanitized her hands, positioned it to sit up against her glass of water, and smiled when Emery’s gorgeous face popped up on the screen.

  “What up, boo?” Eri greeted.

  “What’s cracking, ma? I got your text. I just now got done with my appointment.”

  “Whew! Really? That took hellas.”

  “I know, right? She had me fitting her mama for a birthday dress; they celebrating her fiftieth birthday with this real big party so you know E. Binx gotta hook her up.”

  “Baby, somebody mama gon’ be looking like a million fucking smackers once she get some E. Binx threads on her, okay?”

  They shared a laugh.

  “Okuuuurt, bae? You betta’ tell ‘em! Long story short, the daughter’s dude proposed to her during the fitting. On some hum-bug shit. She got like, four sisters, and they all was there for the fitting. Home girl ain’t waste no time, bae. They had me drawing up sketches and all kinds of shit.”

  “Basically, a consultation.”

  “Right! Came up on some nice li’l coins today. And, yes, thanks for asking. You already know I want you to bring me a King Platter back to the crib.”

  Eris wiped the trail of sauce from her chin after biting into a juicy piece of crab meat.

  “You know I got you. I’mma order it right before we leave.”

  “‘Preciate it. Y’all having fun?”

  “Mmm hmm. Catching up and chilling and shit. What you about to get on?”

  “Girl, I’mma go have a few drinks with all the crazy ass ladies in the family and eat a li’l something at Bonefish Grill. It’s mixed reviews about this place on Yelp, so this should be interesting.”

  “Meh, they food okay. Ain’t nothing to really brag about.”

  “Well, hot wings and fries it is. I ain’t gon’ hold you. I’mma grab a few more things from my house, and I’ll meet you at your place later.”

  “Alrighty.”

  Eris didn’t realize she had a slew of emails until their call ended. She blushed and shook her head when she saw the $2500 deposit Emery sent her.

  That woman was something special.

  Really.

  Eri *heart emoji*: Shit like that keeps your pussy in my mouth, love.

  E. Binx *heart emoji*: LMAO! You know I gotta look out for my baby. The way you eat this pussy is what keep them deposits rolling. Fye head deserves a reward. *wink face* *yummy face with the tongue*

  All them little freaky emoji’s had Eris beet red in the face, low-key pissing Bucky off.

  “Girl, get out that phone,” she “joked.”

  Eris looked up, realizing she’d been in another world for the last ten minutes.

  “My bad, girl. I sholl will get lost in this damn thing, too. I’m getting all kinds of cover request and deposits on top of that. My website ain’t even been up an hour.”

  Her PayPal notifications were off the chain. Eris was keeping her ringer off. She’d deal with that rush in the morning on her last off day.

  “That’s wassup. I’m hella full, but I’m straight not drunk no more. You wanna go grab another bottle?”

  Eris shook her head no while slurping on a piece of crawfish.

  “Bitch, I’m not fucking with you.”

  “Here you go! Bitch, you know we turns up whenever I’m in town. Quit playing and let’s go get this Hennessy.”

  Against her wishes, they were ducked off at one of their chill spots inside of Bucky’s rental, taking down a pint of baby-making formula. Eris had hit her limit three shots ago and couldn’t take another drink.

  Marques Houston’s “Naked” had the bass in this Cherokee going dumb.

  A bottle of water was up to Eris’ lips while Bucky sat in the driver’s seat gyrating her ass into the interior.

  “Friend, I need some dick, now!”

  Eris tried so hard not to roll her eyes. Bucky wasn’t slick at all, and she was about to get pissed off.

  “Why you change the song?”

  Eris’ eyes said, “BITCH, YOU KNOW WHY!” but of course, B was playing dumb.

  “Okay, drunk ass. You’ve had enough for the night.”

  “E, it’s only ten o’clock! I know it’s Monday and it ain’t really shit to do, but going home is the last thing on my mind.”

  “Go get you some dick then.”

  “So, be honest. Do you not like dick anymore?”

  “Of course, I do.”

  “So, do Emery let you still fuck niggas?”

  Eris threw her head back. B was really taking it there.

  “I don’t need her permission. I mean, I wouldn’t just turn around and cheat on her though. Woman or man, I take my relationships seriously. You right, though. That is something we haven’t talked about. These niggas ain’t worth more than the dick anyway. These forty-dollar ass bitches dun’ fucked the game up. Standards all kinds of low. Emery eats pussy better than every nigga that’s ever gone down on me anyway, and that’s facts.”

  “See, bitc
h! That’s the same shit I be saying about you! I get some fire ass head, don’t get me wrong, but, E, you a damn animal! That’s straight up facts!”

  She. Fucking. Took. It. There!

  “B—”

  “I’m just being honest. Sometimes I be daydreaming about that shit. Especially that night when you ate me out to Naked. I. Was. In. Heaven.”

  “You know this ain’t that, so stop while you’re ahead.”

  “Eris, pleeeeeeease?! Just one last time! I swear I won’t ever ask you again.”

  “B, take me home. I know you drunk and all, but you being mad disrespectful and inconsiderate right now.”

  The rain was pouring down hard outside.

  The thunder kept erupting in a sporadic blunder, and just as Paris predicted, this bitch started getting emotional with the snap of a finger.

  “Inconsiderate? What the hell do you mean by that, Eris? Keep it real with me ‘cause you ain’t never had no problem before. Yet, I’m inconsiderate and disrespectful? You been eating my pussy way before Emery popped up in the picture. Is that what it is?”

  “Look, I wasn’t tryna take it there with you, B, but since you insist.” Eris turned in her seat so that they were face-to-face. “Don’t you think I know that? Don’t you think I know that I used to enjoy it, too? You were the one who ‘checked me’ about us going down that road, and I agreed to stop it. My feelings was getting involved too, no matter what I said. My feelings have always been involved; since I was thirteen, so let’s stop playing like you didn’t know that.”

  Guilt struck Bucky like the white lightening that decorated the black, velvet sky.

  “You said you was cool with us doing our thing, E. Don’t turn this around on me.”

  “Bucky, make up your mind. Either you with it or you ain’t. That’s what I’m talking about being inconsiderate. You can’t be indecisive with my feelings. It’s deeper than you getting your pussy ate, but you ain’t tryna hear that. You only kissed me when you were drunk enough; you never showed me love back. It shouldn’t take a bottle to turn your feelings on for me and then cut ‘em off once you get sober. You’re over sexualizing what it’s like to like women, and if I gave you that impression, then I’m sorry.”

  “So, this is about me not eating yo’ pussy? You knew I wasn’t gonna do that shit, so now all of a sudden, you feel some type of way?”

  It’s like the shit was going in once ear and out the other. Bucky was hearing what she wanted to, so this conversation was over.

  “At the end of the day, B, I’m in a relationship, and you ain’t respecting that boundary. The very boundary that we already decided on—months ago! Back during Thanksgiving break when things were going too far, remember? How many times am I gonna have to say it? You were only in it for the enjoyment, and I respected that. So respect me. That shouldn’t even have to be said. You’re my best friend.”

  “EXACTLY! I’M YO’ FUCKING BEST FRIEND AND YOU PUTTING THAT BITCH BEFORE ME! WHEN I FINALLY GET AROUND TO ACCEPTING WHAT WE COULD’VE HAD WHILE WE DO OUR OWN THING, YOU WANNA PULL THIS SHIT! YOU DON’T EVEN WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW YOU GAY YET, BUT I’M THE BAD GUY FOR TRYNA GIVE YOU WHAT YOU WANT?!”

  “BUCKY—”

  “JUST FUCK IT!”

  Eris screamed at the top of her lungs when B swung the door open and started walking down the middle of the street.

  No coat.

  No hat.

  No nothing.

  The bitch was so drunk that she didn’t even realize that her shoes were off.

  They were in the middle of Pagedale, so like hell she’d go screaming after her and have all the crackheads come from out of hiding.

  Eris climbed over to the driver’s seat and put the truck in gear. She drove up the street to where Bucky was at and cut her off before hopping out.

  “Bucky, get in the damn car! You doing too damn much and you gon’ have Pneumonia in the ass! It’s too cold out here for this shit, it’s fucking storming, and it’s still the middle of the fucking winter!”

  “Fuck you, Eris!”

  Eris grabbed her crazy ass by the elbow and tried to drag her back to the car. Bucky was tore the fuck up. The rain opened her pores and the fragrance of brown liquor engulfed the atmosphere. They both were too damn drunk for this shit.

  “Get yo’ hands off me, Eris, before I knock yo’ ass out! I see what it is now! MOVE!”

  Bucky tried to jerk away, but that backfired and they both fell into a puddle of muddy water.

  “Trick, you outta fucking pocket! Drunk or not, you got me fucked up, and now I’m finna whoop yo’ ass! Look at us out here fighting in the rain like some fucking crackheads!”

  “Bitch, fuck—arrrrrrggggh!”

  The shit just started pouring out of Bucky’s mouth like water.

  Shots, a pint of Henny, a pint of D’ÚSSE, and a monster margarita back at Manda’s Krab?

  She was fucked up!

  Eris was so damn mad, she had to get up and walk away from this bitch for a few minutes. B showed her ass tonight and this shit was not cool.

  Shorty didn’t want to, but she looked around in the luggage bag Bucky had in the trunk, found a towel and a few washcloths, and got this bitch cleaned up. She’d passed out by the time Eris got her in the backseat.

  Man, she was pissed!

  But leaving Bucky wasn’t an answer.

  “Wassup, boo? You ain’t go off the deep end and let yo’ best friend get in yo’ head did you—Er Bear, why are you so wet and muddy?”

  P was now alarmed.

  The look on his Er Bear’s face was nasty, and he was ready to whoop some ass now.

  “Can you meet me at my house? I can’t carry this drunk ass bitch alone.”

  “Who, Em?”

  “No! Fucking Bucky!”

  She tried her hardest not to let the tears fall. Eris attempted to swallow her cries, but the lump in her throat mixed with her anger pushed her over the fucking edge.

  “Oh my God. I’m on my way. What the fuck this bitch dun’ did now?”

  *SITM*

  Her boo was right.

  The food at Bonefish was trash.

  By the time Emery and her family got done with the manager, all they had to pay for was their drinks.

  The Cheesecake Factory wasn’t the best place to relocate either, but it was close. Their entrees were also horrible, but at least they knew what they were walking into with this spot.

  On the upper hand, they had good drinks, their appetizers hit, and the cheesecake was to fucking die for.

  It felt good getting out with her family.

  The shit warmed her heart to see the Donatellas’ rocking her jogging suits, in-season jumpers, jackets, and boots.

  They all looked and smelled like money.

  Granny Donatella sat at the head of the table, cute as ever rocking a gold headwrap to match her slides and D&G cashmere poncho.

  Ms. Janet sat next to the queen in a cute, red velour, fitted jogger set with brown cowgirl boots. Her honey-blonde bob was styled/cut to perfection.

  Louis, Gucci, and Birkin bags were all at their sides.

  It wasn’t about the designer.

  It was the fact that the Donatellas had a round table full of boss ass Black women who were getting it.

  Granny Donatella had eight girls and made all of their clothes by hand. Owned a seamstress shop in a predominately white area back in the 50’s and taught her girls everything she knew.

  Her shop now had a cleaners attached to it that the oldest daughter, Ester, managed. There were five total in the city that sister Doris helped out with.

  Em’s mommy used to be a Securities Compliance Examiner full-time, almost bringing in 200k a year. She was part-time now while also helping her baby out.

  Ruth was a broker for a few real estate companies.

  Dorothy owned a foster home.

  The baby sister, Judith, and her twin, Jolie, had doctoral dean positions at both HBCUs in town.

  Auntie Sarah owned
a bakery and a chocolate shop.

  Their offspring knew all the ins and outs of their businesses while also specializing in their own areas of expertise.

  Black excellence at its finest.

  The Donatella family had bragging rights, so of course they were gonna treat themselves.

  Emery’s cousin, Summer, was getting married in 2020; that was their main reason for their meet up. Now, Em had two weddings scheduled in her books.

  They talked colors, possible locations, dress styles; the whole nine yards.

  Even when Em wasn’t working, she was still in that damn bag.

  Laughter filled the air, they took shots, passed appetizers back and forth, spoke on money and family investments, uplifted each other, spilled tea—typical but upscale woman banter.

  When the waiter interrupted their conversation to let Emery know that she had a secret admirer at the bar, everyone’s focus reverted to her.

  “Don’t you got a new boo, cousin?” Summer questioned while sipping on her third martini.

  “I do. She’s out chilling with her best friend, so I know she’s not here.”

  “Shiiiiiiit, Ia’ go see who it is! What he look like, Sam?”

  Their geeky-looking waiter with taped glasses straightened out his tie before responding. He was actually kind of cute in his own little way.

  “With the dreads, I mean, the locs.”

  “I’m not interested,” Emery added.

  “Bitch, that’s Harlem!”

  Her body froze solid. Em just knew her cousin was lying. She just fucking knew it. Was this some kind of bad joke? Was the devil tryna fuck with her, ooooooooor…

  “It’s time to go,” Janet expressed with a contorted face.

  Mama might’ve been forty-seven, but for her baby, her manicured hands would come out of retirement and form into fists any day.

  That light skinned devil had her fucking nerve, but what Harlem didn’t know was that Emery had a restraining order done on this bitch. It should’ve been in force by now, so maybe that was the reason for her pop-up. She hated to be a sissy ass, call the police, type-bitch, but Harlem was vile.

  She moved reckless like she ain’t have shit to lose. Things could go from zero to one hundred in a matter of seconds.