by Pepper Pace
“I’ve been wanting to do that all day,” she panted. I sat up on my elbow and watched her.
“Me too. Sorry I had to leave-”
“No, it’s cool. Sunday is your day with your parents. How was dinner?”
I glanced away. “Delicious. My mom made these crackers-”
“I mean did you tell them about me?”
“Oh.” I stood up and straightened my clothes. “Yeah. I told them.” I could sense her watching me even though I was preoccupied with re-zipping my pants.
“And?”
I had been trying to think of the right way to describe dinner on the drive over to Nikki’s place. I’d even contemplated lying…but that wasn’t a good way to start, what I hoped would be a long term relationship.
“She fainted.” I mumbled.
“What?”
I sighed. “My mom fainted. But...” I added when her eyes got big. “It could have been because Sumi announced she was a lesbian.”
“Who is Sumi?” Oh shit…maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned Sumi.
“That would be the blind date that my mom had set up for me.”
Nikki just sat quietly on the floor and I didn’t have the guts to open my mouth.
“I see that I have my work cut out for me,” she finally said with a determined glint in her eyes.
NIKKI
I ain’t going to lie. T’s mama fainting when she found out that her son was dating a black woman kinda pissed me off, but then I put things into perspective. For instance, she didn’t know me. It wasn’t personal…yet.
Now when I told my people about Tony, I started with my cousin Jay since T and Jay had grown up together. I remembered how Jay had warned me that T liked black girls with big asses and big titties---which happened to be two of my best attributes. And I remembered how I told Jay that there was no way anything was happening between us--not only because of the race thing, but T was also my boss!
And now look at us. And my cousin didn’t let me down. He broke down to my family how
cool Tony is, and other than the initial tentative “What the hell are you thinking?!” from my father, no one gave me a hard time. Well, actually my friend Tabby had the nerve to ask me if Asians have smaller penises.
Tony’s dick keeps me more than happy and I have no complaints in that department.
Anyway, I was taught to never give a girlfriend too much info about your man so I’ve never told anyone this, but Tony is the best in the bedroom. The first time we ever did it was after he beat up my ex. I didn’t even know Tony liked me like that. He came to my place to give me a massage and we ended up making out.
He asked me how I felt about dating a Japanese guy and I was honest. The Japanese part didn’t bother me--but I’m a big woman and I’ve always needed a big guy to make me feel secure. He picked me up like I was a rag doll. I could feel his steely muscles as he cradled me in his arms. Trust me, he said. And I have, every since.
That night I realized that I could say and do whatever I wanted in bed with Tony. More times than not it was hard and fast. I asked him once to spank me, never having experienced it before. He surprised me by not hemming and hawing. He never said “I can’t hit you, Nikki.” He just flipped me over, smacked my ass sharply until it stung deliciously and I climaxed just from his hand repeatedly striking my bare bottom.
Yeah, the sex is great, but beyond that Tony is just fun to be with. With him it’s not just dinner and a movie. We’ve been out dancing, listening to light Jazz, walking in the park. I don’t know how much longer we’re going to be able to work together without tipping everyone off to our relationship.
No, we’re not getting freaky at work. But it’s difficult to even look at him without it getting heated. And he constantly puts his hands on me whether it’s to graze my shoulders with his fingers when leaning over my chair, or to brush my hand when passing me new cases. The only thing…the only thing…is Tony’s Mama.
TONY
I called my Mom Monday from work. I know, I know, I know. Drama, guilt, whatever. But if your mom is affected so greatly about something that she has to faint, maybe it’s worth talking about.
“Mom? How are you feeling?”
“Oh…Geki-desu.” She sighed. I’m fine.
“I sent leftovers home with Sumi. Her poor parents. She never find husband, have children, if like other girls.”
“Actually it’s not uncommon for gays and lesbians to adopt.”
“Maybe. Times change. Hard to keep up,” she sighed. There was a quality to her voice that let me know she was genuine.
“Mom. How do you feel about Nikki and me?”
“Nikki? Who Nikki? Oh, your friend. Why should I care who you chose as friend? Have lesbian, have black friend, I don’t care.” I leaned back in my office chair.
“Nikki is more than my friend.”
“What? You married to this girl?”
“No-”
“K-ni-shinai-de!” She brushed me off with a never mind. “I put your father on phone. You speak to him.” Then she was gone.
Dad came on the line after a moment. We talked for a few. He never brought up the subject of
Nikki and neither did I.
“Tony. You’re quiet. What’s wrong?” Nikki asked me later at lunch. I smiled.
“I’m okay.” I briefly touched her hand on the table. I didn’t see any co-workers in the restaurant but you can never be too careful.
“You look tense. I think I might need to come over and give you a massage.” She said in a seductive low voice. My mouth went dry. That’s one thing we’ve never done; me on the receiving end of a massage.
“I don’t know. Wu-tang may get jealous. I promised her that I would never let another woman rub on my back.”
“Well, me and Wu-tang have an agreement. She lets me rub on you and I promise to keep my eyes open for a nice Siberian Husky.” She sipped her tea then leaned back in her chair casually.
“Tony,” She said demurely. “Would you like to talk dirty to me?”
I licked my lips then smiled. I leaned back in my own chair then sipped my own tea absently as if we were having a casual conversation.
“Right now, baby, my cock is so hard; I could go back to the office and jerk off to the thought of you, just like I used to every night before we got together.” Her breath came in a rush.
“Better yet. I think I’ll keep it hard and walk in and out of your office letting you see what you do to me.” Nikki’s eyes fluttered, her breathing strained. She tapped her feet then crossed her gorgeous legs. I knew she was squeezing her pussy lips together.
“Your pussy’s wet, isn’t it?” I asked in a barely audible whisper. Nikki closed her eyes. I saw her hands grip the arms of her chair. Then she looked at me with hooded eyes.
“Yes.”
“We can’t have that…you walking around all day with a wet pussy. I guess I’ll have to get you back in the bathrooms, pull off those wet panties and lick every drop of you down my throat.”
“Oh! She groaned and I saw her shudder, her breath coming in quick spurts. Then it was like the movie; When Harry met Sally, but quieter. She had the quietest orgasm I’d ever seen because my baby is usually loud!
When she was finished, I was the one sweating. Demurely, she picked up her tea and sipped, giving me an innocent smile. I shifted in my seat.
“What’s the matter baby? You need me to stroke you off under the table?”
“Nikki,” I warned. “I’ll have to go home and change if you make me cum.”
“Who’re you telling? I’m sitting here in my own wet spot.”
Well, I couldn’t have my baby walking in the office with a tell-tale wet spot or me with a tell-tale erection. I made up some errand for us to run, took her back to my place, removed her panties, then I licked her pussy dry.
NIKKI
Sunday Tony went to his parents for diner again. I know that I shouldn’t be concerned but I can’t stop wondering who she is trying to set him up
with this time. I felt like bum rushing it…hey, that wasn’t a bad idea. I called up Tony on his cell while he was with his parents.
“Hello, Nikki? Everything okay?” His voice was anxious with concern.
“Yeah T-baby. Y’all eating yet?”
“No. Why?”
“T, I thought maybe your mom would get me better if she actually met me.”
“Maybe--Nikki…I do want you to meet my folks, but this is not the right time.”
“Humph.” I said disappointed.
“Baby, I’ll come over after dinner. Okay?”
“Okay.” I hung up stinging. T had never told me no before. It definitely smarted. Why play games? I mean, after all, I’m his woman. It felt to me like times when things would be going well in a relationship and then you met the friends or family and things got cold. Maybe they had said I was too fat, or too ghetto, I don’t know. But friends and family went a long way to influencing a relationship.
I made myself a drink. I couldn’t shake a creeping sadness.
TONY
Mom looked at me sideways. She had heard my one-sided conversation with Nikki. Broken English or not she knew what was going down. They were two powerful women. Nikki knew about mom, now mom was suspecting about Nikki.
When I got to Nikki’s place she was already in bed. An empty wine glass sat on her otherwise neat side table. I leaned over and kissed her.
“Hi baby. You’re in bed early.” She looked at me.
“How was dinner?”
“Good. I’m sorry about not inviting you. It’s just that-”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll meet them when I meet them.”
She turned back around and snuggled into her pillow. I sat on the bed and put my hand on her back.
“Nothing would make me happier than for you to meet my folks Nikki. But I know my mother. All she wants is for me to settle down with a nice Asian girl. It doesn’t matter what I want. It’s just that tradition is all she knows.”
Nikki didn’t move. With a sigh I stood up. “I’m a pretty big disappointment to my Mom. I’m not the son that followed the old ways. I don’t talk like her or appreciate the same things she does. I’m haku-jin. A westerner.”
“Didn’t they come to America for a better life?” She asked without turning around.
“Yes.” She rolled over and looked at me with sad eyes.
“Then they succeeded. Because you are living The American Dream. If they wanted you to be like them then maybe they should have stayed in Japan and raised you in a Japanese culture instead of raising you in an American one and expecting you to emulate a culture you weren’t even in.”
I couldn’t speak. It was so true…and so false. I had a lot of Japanese influences. We were involved in a lot of cultural activities and were part of a large Asian community from church to clubs. I knew a lot of beautiful Asian girls and have met Asian boys to befriend.
But it was me that rejected it. I engulfed the hip-hop world and that wouldn’t allow me to be untrue to what was in my heart. So honestly, it’s not just my Mom that guilts me. I have enough guilt of my own for rejecting my race.
I fidgeted and Nikki finally lay back on her pillow. “I guess…I’ll go home.” I kissed her cheek and she didn’t move. “See you at work.” I went home and slept alone in my bed for the first time in weeks.
NIKKI
I’ve allowed myself to get too close to Tony too fast. Not knowing how this is going to end up, I’ve decided to move back a bit. It hurts to even
think about it, but I’ve been devastated by a relationship before and it wasn’t nearly as deep and meaningful as this one. I missed him so much after he left my apartment, that I barely slept a wink. The next day at work Tony was in conference for most of the day.
I had lunch with some of my co-workers, my thoughts on him completely.
“Nikki? Earth to Nikki?” Lisa called. The other ladies laughed.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Lisa. What were you saying?” And it had been like that all morning. I had a client whose name I couldn’t remember and in
the span of 15 minutes I called her Mrs. Banner, Mrs. Bennett, and Mrs. Benson.
There was a knock at my door later and Tony came into my office, shutting the door after him.
“Hey,” he said tentatively.
“Hey.”
“Sorry, I haven’t been able to see you today until now. It’s been a big mess. All of middle managements been stuck in meetings.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“What’re you doing tonight?” Quickly, I tried to think of something to say. “Can you come to my place for dinner?” He added. “I’m making a completely Japanese meal---and I’ve invited my parents. It’s time for them to accept who I am---or not. But, if they don’t I can’t make it my problem.”
I just burst out crying. I had no idea that I would be so relieved. Tony hurried to me and took me in his arms.
“Nikki, baby, don’t cry! Shh. I’m sorry, baby.” He rocked me soothingly.
“No, I’m sorry T-baby. I thought…she was going to make you take a second look at me.”
He kissed my tears. “I’ve already taken a second and third look at you. And I love you-”
“Oh! Excuse me…I didn’t--” We both turned to the door. Lisa was standing in the doorway looking like she’d seen a ghost. Tony and I quickly moved away from each other. But it was too late. She’s seen him kissing me. And she had to have heard him say that he loved me. Tony loved me…
Lisa quickly hurried out, shutting the door behind her. Tony and I looked at each other. The cat was out of the bag, and with him being my supervisor, it was not going to make it pretty.
I couldn’t do much about what Lisa had seen; and besides, I was having dinner with Tony’s parents! And he had confessed to loving me! I decided to “arrive” at Tony’s instead of lounging around as if it was my place. Besides, it was going to take him some time to complete dinner and I wanted to take that time to make myself presentable.
Finding something conservative in my closet wasn’t easy, but I settled on brown slacks, ox blood loafers and a tan button down blouse with three-quarter length wing sleeves. I had a lot of hair to choose from but I decided on a tight bun at the back my neck and simple silver studs in my ears.
I toned down my makeup and when it was all said and done, I looked in the mirror and hated everything I saw. I took out the hair and pulled off the clothes and kicked off the loafers. I put on a long rust colored swing out skirt that hugged my hips snuggly then flared at my knees, taupe stockings and gold and rust heels. The blouse I chose was a pale chemise with demure cleavage that complimented the rust of the skirt. Over this went the rust colored jacket that ran over my hips and hugged them nicely when buttoned, though I chose to wear it loose.
To finish the ensemble I put on amber dangling earrings and matching necklace. The hair that looked best with the outfit was a two toned fall that flowed past my shoulders into layers of ringlets. By the time I’d gotten re-dressed I was running a bit behind. It looked like I’d truly be making an entrance.
TONY
Dinner was at eight so that meant I didn’t have much time to shop and prepare the meal. I was going to do sushi, which meant I had to run to the fish market for sushi quality fish. I knew Nikki would like some tempura veggies, and to round it off would be an entrée of eel and tea rice. I wasn’t worried about serving eel to Nikki. My baby was down for new experiences. My Mom loved a good soup, so I decided on a quick egg drop. I put some soothing jazz on the sound system and drank warmed Saki.
I found myself actually looking forward to gathering all my favorite people in the world in one room. I showered quickly and changed into black slacks and a cream sweater with the sleeves pushed up to my elbows. The doorbell rang.
Anxiously I answered it. I was hoping it would be Nikki first but it was Mom and Dad. I hugged and kissed them.
“Come on in.”
“Mmm.” Mom said, handing me her jacket,
“Smell good.”
“I’m going to the restroom.” Dad said. “Get me a glass of ice water, son.”
Mom followed me into the kitchen. “I set table.”