by Donald Welch
“So, what you thinking, Nettie?” Flynn asked without taking his eyes off Torch’s table.
“About Sky and Storm? Oh, they’re gonna be fine as soon as they realize that no matter what they do or say, at the end of the day they are still sisters, sharing the same blood. It’ll take some time, but I’m hopeful things are going to be fine,” Nettie said while fixing him a club soda with lemon.
Taking a sip of his drink, he asked, “What about DuBoy?”
“Can’t stand that chile!” she spat out. “He ain’t never been no good. Mamma wasn’t good either. Nor his daddy. So I guess he got it honest. Same thing with Torch. I’m surprised that boy ain’t dead yet with all the mess he’s been involved with.”
“I heard he had a few girls on the street now, too,” Flynn offered.
“Probably!” Nettie shook her head.
Looking at Cleet, she continued her rant. “And Cleet, with his ol’ dumb self, will do anything Torch says to. Just a show monkey. Once she gets settled I am going to have a talk with Storm.”
< TEN >
You Are Not Alone
Skylar and Sidney almost completed their ride home in silence until Sidney turned on the radio. It was set, as always, on the Quiet Storm station of WDAS-FM. The Michael Jackson classic “You Are Not Alone” played softly. Resting against the soft leather headrest of Sidney’s black-on-black BMW 750, Skylar closed her eyes and lightly smiled. Sensing her melancholy mood, Sidney tenderly took her hand in his own. The unexpected, comforting gesture seemed to relax her tense state.
“I was very proud of you tonight, baby, you know that?” he said softly.
“Really? Why?” Skylar asked in a whisper.
“Just the way you handled your sister and the whole situation. I know it wasn’t easy. Especially after seeing her with that dude DuBoy.”
“Don’t remind me,” she said. “I just couldn’t believe that someone could be so stupid as to hook back up with a jerk like that after all he had taken her through. She hasn’t been home a good forty-eight hours and who’s the first person she calls? DuBoy!” Skylar’s body grew more tense as she released her hand from Sidney’s calming grasp. His immediate reaction was to envelop it once more.
“How long were they together before she went in?” Sidney inquired.
“I don’t know. They were always off and on. Storm has so much to offer, you’d think that her choices in men would be better. But as long as I can remember she’s always gone for these no-good thugs.”
“Well, baby, you like who you like, right? I mean, evidently there is still some kind of spark left between the two of them. Especially the way they were carrying on in the booth tonight,” he said, starting to laugh. Skylar threw him a look.
“Disgusting, that’s what it was. Did you see how he was all over her?” Skylar sat up and folded her arms across her chest. “And there’s nothing funny about it, Sid!”
“I know, baby, I know.” He remained playful. He always knew how to make her smile. “But actually it was more your sister on the brotha man, than him on her.” Sidney saw that Skylar was not in a playful mood so he attempted to smooth things over.
“You’ve done your part, baby. Storm is going to have to step up to the plate and do what she needs to do to make things happen in her life,” he said.
“I’m proud of you, too, honey.” She leaned her head on his shoulder.
“Me? What did I do?” His facial expression indicated that he didn’t have a clue as to what she meant.
“Helping that young couple the way you did tonight. Baby, you made their night.” She reached up to kiss him on the cheek.
“Hey, hey, don’t start nothing you can’t finish,” he teased.
“Seriously, neither one of them will ever forget tonight,” Skylar said.
“He was the most qualified candidate I interviewed. Know what impressed me the most? He didn’t spend a whole lot of time trying to impress me with a bunch a bull. My man came in there, answered all my questions and concerns honestly, and convinced me that although he didn’t know everything, he was still eager to grow. That’s the kind of employee you want by your side, baby. You get someone who thinks they already know everything, I promise you there won’t be any growth.” Sidney’s voice took a serious tone. “I need to have someone I can mold into the kind of person I need to help me run my business. So if I need to take some time off, my clients won’t panic. This person needs to be an extension of who I am toward my clients. I believe that’s Mike.”
“You’re right, babe. Just from our brief meeting tonight I’d say you made the right choice,” Skylar said. “Not so sure I did.” She sighed heavily.
“Give your sister a chance, babe. When I talked to her the last few times she called, I got a sense that she knew where she went wrong in her life. If prison taught her nothing else, it gave her time to think about her life and the choices she made,” Sidney said as he pulled into their driveway.
“I hope you’re right, baby, but I know Storm. I know her very well and I need to keep my eye on her,” she warned.
“Just don’t go looking for anything, Sky.” He looked at her while getting out of the car.
“I am,” she replied. He gave her a look. “I am,” she said louder. “I’m giving her a chance.”
Walking hand in hand up the driveway, he suddenly turned and, facing her, lightly stroked the tip of her nose with his index finger. “Yeah, but when will you give you two a chance?”
Looking up at Sidney, she paused as she gazed into the eyes of the man who brought her so much happiness. The man who made her feel like, no matter what, everything would be all right.
“I love you, Sidney Francis.” Tears of joy formed in her eyes.
He pulled her closer and whispered, “And I love you, Skylar Morrison.” He kissed her passionately, until she collapsed into the security of his embrace. They got lost in their lust and love, forgetting for a moment where they were. As a warm breeze brushed against their heated bodies, Sidney carefully pulled down each strap of her dress and Skylar’s fingers delicately unbuckled his pants. It was evident that she wanted him just as much as he wanted her—right there. Inching away from their deep kisses, Sidney used his tongue to paint light strokes of passion on Skylar’s neck. She tilted her head back ever so gently, the scent of his cologne intoxicating her with memories of their first meeting. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensual motions of his wet pink brush. The lovers’ moans of ecstasy joined with the melodic sounds of restless crickets echoing in the midnight air.
“Excuse me. Excuse me!” A loud voice startled both Sky and Sid. They turned to face the direction it was coming from. “I’m assuming you two are locked out?” It was their seventy-two-year-old neighbor, white-haired Mrs. Reed, walking her pit bull, Doug.
Flustered, Skylar immediately lifted up both straps of her dress while Sidney pulled his buttoned-down shirt out of his pants so it could fall over his embarrassing bulge.
“We’re fine, Mrs. Reed. Sidney seems to have misplaced our door keys.” Skylar tried to refrain from laughing as she made up this ridiculous story.
Pretending to search for them, Sidney joined in by adding, “They must be somewhere around here, honey.”
“Did you try looking in your front pants pocket, Sidney? Looks like something is in there,” Mrs. Reed suggested while she and Doug planted themselves in the street directly facing Sidney.
Locating the keys on the shelf by the front door, Sidney smiled and shook them in her direction.
“Got ’em, Mrs. Reed. Good night,” he said. Skylar quickly scooped them out of his hand and opened the door. Abandoning him at the entrance she darted up the stairs, leaving behind only the faint sound of her laughter. With one last farewell to his neighbor, Sidney flashed a nervous smile and waved good-bye.
He quickly closed the door, intending to follow Skylar upstairs, but shortly thereafter, he heard a knock at the door.
“Who is it?” he asked.
“
Mrs. Reed and Doug.”
What in the hell is wrong with this woman? he thought to himself. “Yes, Mrs. Reed?”
“Can you open the door for a minute? I got something I want to show you.”
She has something to show me? What the hell? Sidney didn’t know what to do.
“C’mon, baby, it’s cold out here,” Mrs. Reed whispered. Getting closer to the door and shaking his head, Sidney took a deep breath and slowly opened the door.
“You left your keys in the door.” She dangled them and handed them over. “You never know who might come in and surprise you one night. You got any protection?” She gazed into his eyes.
“Excuse me?” Sidney asked, confused.
“Protection, you know—like I have old Doug here.” She gently began to pet her dog and looked up at Sidney.
“Oh, that kind of protection.” Relief momentarily washed over him as he laughed. “No, no, there’s never any trouble around here. We’re fine, Mrs. Reed. And thanks again.”
“You sure you don’t have a big ol’ nightstick that you carry around with you?” Speaking softly and biting her bottom lip, she shifted her eyes downward.
“Good night, Mrs. Reed!” he said in a stern voice. “Tell Mister Reed I said hello.”
“Have a good night yourself, Sid,” a smiling Mrs. Reed seductively whispered back at him while loosening the belt around her floor-length house robe just enough for it to conveniently open and reveal that she was nude. Closing the door behind him, Sidney couldn’t believe what just happened. Turning the downstairs light off, he rushed upstairs to the woman who would soon be his wife.
< ELEVEN >
Sexual Healing
The noise from apartment 3A awakened Barbara Bowman from a sound sleep. Lying next to Jessie, her husband of thirty years, the sixty-seven-year-old woman lay quietly still, trying to decipher the noise. Sounds of furniture being turned over and heavy thumping dominated the air, and sudden vocal outbursts and screams could be heard. Sitting straight up in her bed, she reached for her glasses.
“Jessie, Jessie!” she called out in a whisper as she nudged him. “Wake up! Wake up!” Jessie stirred a little and moved over to the edge of the bed. Looking at him she wondered how this man could sleep with all of this going on: a repetitive banging followed by sounds of someone apparently being tortured. Grasping the collar of her nightgown, she grew more and more concerned that someone was in trouble in the apartment above her. Reaching for the lamp on her nightstand, she turned it on. Jessie was in a deep slumber and snoring even louder than before.
Barbara began dialing 911 when she heard a deafening crash. Putting the receiver on the bed she paused long enough to try to wake up Jessie again.
“Jessie, wake UP!” She began punching him on his side. After a few more stirs and grunts, Jessie half-opened his eyes and turned to her.
“Barbara, what the hell is wrong with you!?”
“Shut up! Listen—I believe somebody is being hurt upstairs in that boy’s apartment.”
“What goes on in that apartment ain’t none of our business, woman. Now I don’t want no trouble from that boy or anybody he knows, so lay your ass back down and go to sleep!” the irritated seventy-two-year-old said.
“You don’t think we should call the police?” she asked.
“No, I don’t think we should call anybody. Now go back to sleep! Damn!” He then lay back down, turning his back to her and yanking the covers around his neck. Reluctantly, a dissatisfied Barbara hung the phone up and cut off the light as she gingerly lay back down. After several moments of silence, she decided that Jessie was probably right. There wasn’t anyone in danger. But what was all that noise? Maybe that boy wasn’t home and somebody had broken into his place. She didn’t care that much for the street thug and wished he didn’t live above them, but she’d hate if a crime was being committed in his place and she did nothing about it. Suddenly, several loud screams of a woman, clearly in distress, filled the air.
“I knew it!” she said. Sitting up once again, she turned on the light and demanded that Jessie wake up. “See, I told you. Listen, Jessie. Listen!” she cried.
Jessie, fully awake by now, turned over to face her and listened intently. The screaming sounds continued, and then the thumping returned. Realizing that he now heard it himself, she pointed her finger at him and whispered, “Didn’t I tell you I heard something?”
“Shhh!” he hushed her as his ears pricked up, straining to hear more. The sounds continued, and a frightened, wide-eyed Barbara covered her mouth in fear.
“Told you!” she whispered. “Somebody is getting beat up in there!”
Realizing what was going on, Jessie frowned at Barbara. “Barbara, ain’t nothing getting beat up but some girl’s stuff.”
“What?”
“They making love, Barbara. The boy is just getting him a li’l late-night trim, that’s all.”
“You sound ridiculous, Jessie!” she spat out. “Don’t nobody sound like that when they making love!”
“Yeah they do, sweetie. You just don’t remember.” With that he started laughing. Annoyed, Barbara rolled her eyes at him before turning off the light and lying back down. Pulling the covers back to her side of the bed, she turned away from him and, without saying a word, closed her eyes. Jessie continued to chuckle as he moved closer to her and put his arm around her waist.
“Get away from me, man! And get dem cold-ass feet off me, Jessie!” she demanded. “And cut dem toenails of yours before I bleed to death.”
They both broke out into youthful laughter. She took his arm and returned it around her waist. “You ol’ fool. You make me sick!” she said, still laughing. “Go on to sleep!”
• • •
Exhausted from their marathon sexual escapade in apartment 3A, DuBoy and Storm collapsed onto the sweat-soaked mattress. Both out of breath and panting like they had just run a sixty-yard dash, they lay next to each other, staring up at the ceiling in a postclimax haze. After a few minutes, DuBoy said, “Dayum girl, that shit was sick fo’ sho. You a bad bitch, you know that?” he laughed.
“You didn’t do so bad yourself,” she told him as she reached over and grabbed a towel to dry herself off. “I just wanted you to get a little of what you’ve been missing for the last three years,” Storm playfully added.
“Well, you brought back a nigga’s memory with that shit. Damn! Whew!” he said, grabbing hold of the same towel. “And your body is sick girl. You ain’t lost nothing while you was on lock!” he stated. Knowing that he still desired her the way he did before brought a tear to Storm’s eyes. She had to admit she worried about that shit, worried that DuBoy might have found another bitch to take her place. She knew he hadn’t just been sitting around waiting for her while he was out here, but her purpose was not only to claim what was rightfully hers when she got out, but to make his ass forget any bitch he might’ve laid with while she was gone.
“Shorti, I swear before God, ain’t nobody ever put it on me like that!” he assured her. “Hell, I’m scared to look around my crib at the shit we done caused in here.” They both laughed. “And the way you was screaming ma’—I’m surprised one of my neighbors didn’t call the fuckin’ cops. Especially that old nosy bitch downstairs. She ought to have that old man of hers touch her up every once in a while and she’d be aight.”
“Shut up! You weren’t that quiet either, you know,” Storm said, and laughed. “All those sounds wasn’t coming just from me.”
“Yo, I ain’t even gonna front. Man, you had me hollering like a li’l bitch!” DuBoy jumped up and sprinted across the floor toward the bathroom. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room, Storm marveled at DuBoy’s muscular physique. Body fat don’t have a home on this brotha’s body. Forget a six pack, he’s rocking an eight.
Lying there in the quiet, Storm thought about what had gone on earlier at the club. She knew bringing DuBoy to Legends was going to fuck with Skylar, but that wasn’t really her intent. Sky didn’t lik
e DuBoy and she didn’t need to. He was her man, not Sky’s. Besides, she didn’t like being told what to do, how to live, or who her friends should be. Just because she needed Skylar’s temporary assistance didn’t mean that her sister owned her. Hell no. I’ve always been my own woman. And that is not going to change just because I’m on Skylar’s payroll.
Besides, DuBoy was one of the few who readily talked to her while she was down, accepting collect calls weekly. Especially the last few months. He had even come up to see her once. So she owed him some special time. When she asked him to accompany her tonight, he reminded her that not only did her sister not like him, she had made it known that he was not welcome in her club.
“You are my guest, so you can go in with me!” Storm told him. She didn’t expect to encounter such a gracious Skylar. Her sister’s giving Storm the position of assistant house manager had come as a total shock. She thought that, if anything, she’d be offered a waitress or bar back job. She almost felt bad about her plan.
On his way back to the bed, DuBoy turned on the bedroom light. Immediately, Storm grabbed a pillow to shield her eyes from the light.
“Dayum! You see this shit?” he said to Storm, looking around at the mess they’d caused. Taking the pillow away from her face, Storm got a look at what he was talking about.
“Wow! Looks like a tsunami done hit this bitch!” she remarked, standing up to meet DuBoy in front of the bed.
“You know I love you, right?” he said softly, brushing the loose strands of hair away from her face as their naked bodies touched.
She nodded her head and grabbed hold of him like her very existence depended upon it. Tears softly trickled from her eyes, falling on the muscular slope of his chest.
“What up, Boo?” he asked as tenderly as he could. “You crying and shit.”
“I’ve just missed you so much, baby. I … I’ve been so lonely.” She buried her face under his neck.
“Yo, ain’t no need to be feeling like that. I ain’t going nowhere,” he assured her. “It’s just me and you, girl.” Wiping her tearstained face, Storm wanted to believe him, but she knew deep down how DuBoy could be.