“I can imagine. Maybe you should…”
“Spend more time…I know, I know, but I’ve been working on the situation between assignments, but I must admit, it’s a slow process.”
“Wasn’t about to criticize, just thought maybe you should give Jason a call and see if he can…”
“Brian’s not his. In fact, he’s sort of the reason why we decided to go our separate ways.”
“Oh okay, it was like that.”
“I’m afraid so.”
“Shit happens.”
“Only when it’s being thrown your way,” Afeni added as she studied her drink.
“Weren’t you the one throwing it Afeni?”
She showed me a wise but confident smile before she said, “I was sort of hoping we’d drop this so that you could offer me another drink. But I guess you’re one of those guys who have been shitted on huh?”
“Last I checked, shit was biodegradable, so I’m all cleaned up now.
“Well put, so how long did your marriage last?”
“Long enough for me to get hurt.”
“I see, well you’re not going to believe this seeing how I’m the assumed bad guy here.”
“Facts are facts right,” I asked her before I ordered Afeni a Pink Lady and a shot of Gray Goose Vodka on the rocks for me.
“Good guess on the Pink Lady.”
“I thought it appropriate seeing how you’re wearing pink panties.”
“For once in my life, bending over and grabbing my ankles has finally paid off.” Afeni giggled before she tasted her drink. “Sweetie, even the facts can be manipulated to paint an entire different picture.”
“You should know.”
“And why is that?”
“Because you’re the one behind the lens.”
“That was insightful and risky, but true in the end.”
“I don’t know about the insightful part, but my moms once told me that a well taken photograph was a lot like a woman. Both can deceive, convince, and motivate all the same damn time.”
“Your mother must have wanted to be a photographer when she was a kid.”
“An astronaut until she discovered she had to have a perfect set of eyes.”
“Where was Lasik surgery when you needed it right? But to be perfectly honest with you Omari, at the end of my marriage, I was the one left with severe trust issues, and a bad case of low self-esteem. True, I wasn’t the victim nor was I the victor.” She said before she took a sip of her drink. “I fucked up, but I learned from my mistakes and became a better person for it. That’s what I would like to think anyway.”
Afeni may have looked to be in her early twenties, but I knew she had to be at least twenty years older than I was; however, she had an uncanny youthfulness about herself that sat me at ease. Her medium height frame came with a set of wide shapely thighs and a nice bubble of a behind to match them. Her short hairdo was neat while her small slightly slanted dark brown eyes told me that she was a born photographer. Her measured but rarely used female axioms were the byproduct of living and working in the Middle East for an extended period of time. The next to zero make up on her face, told the world that the color black was truly beautiful. This would explain why she caught me staring at her before I refocused my attention elsewhere.
“I’ll be damned,” she proclaimed.
“Excuse me.”
“You’re serious aren’t you?” She asked before turning to face me.
“I guess so. Okay, did I do or say something wrong?”
“Just a little tickled that you finally found me attractive.”
“What gave you that idea?”
“That silly look on your face.”
“What look?”
“Oh c’mon, admit it,” she gushed unassumingly before she giggled, “You assumed I was some old out of shape bag trying to get her groove on, right?”
“Didn’t actually think of those words, but…”
“I work out, and I eat right because I love being desired. I can’t believe it took you this long to appreciate it.”
“Honestly, I was already feeling you physically.”
“Could have surprised me,” Afeni giggled seductively.
Her provocative giggle felt like somebody trying to tickle your toes or something. I tried to put my shoes back on, but she kept taking them off with that sexy giggle of hers, and before I knew it, I found myself thinking about asking her out to dinner.
“I can’t believe you’re about to ask me out to dinner. You’re about to ask me out aren’t you?”
“You tell me, seem like you’re the one with all the physic powers.”
“Real funny, were you about ask me out to dinner?
“I thought about it, I mean is that such a bad thing? Besides, I know a great place that not only has great food, but it’s also extremely photogenic.”
All of sudden, Afeni appeared to be a little weary of my intentions.
“Trust me, you’re gonna love this place.”
“My trust is not so easily given Omari, but for some crazy reason, I sort of trust you…just a little mind you. Okay, my car or yours?”
Prior to Afeni and I leaving the recreational center, I made a few calls to set everything up before we ran into Zackary and Sarah on our way out. A short conversation followed before Sarah and Zackary went and joined Michael and his people. Afterward, Afeni and I decided to travel in her car and not on my motorcycle because it seemed like the right thing to do. A couple of minutes later we arrived at an old dilapidated factory building located on the edge of the city. The eighteenth century factory had a country style Brick face, and was about one-third the size of a modern day factory. Still, the old building had something those bastions of lean didn’t have, which was flavor. The once over grown weeds and trash that framed the old building had been removed before a professional landscaper started to work her botanical magic with all sorts of colorful flora, bushes, ponds, and a few pieces of modern art. Even Afeni was taken back by the extreme wedding; she immediately reached for her camera and took pictures while we were still in the car.
“I’m going to enjoy showing that picture off,” she said before taking another.
“Glad you like it, but this place is a long way off from being done.”
“So what am I looking at?”
“Past or present?”
“I know it’s an old factory building, but what will it be after the renovations are complete?”
“Part museum, part restaurant, and part botanical garden,” I got out of the car and opened the door for Afeni.
She stepped out of her car with wide eyes as she studied every detail of the factory. “This place is beautiful, you don’t own this do you?”
“Part owner at the moment, the other individual is a client. However it was all her idea, I just made it happen whenever I had time. Honestly, we’re about two and a half years behind schedule because my everyday work sort of keeps me tied up, while her busy schedule isn’t something that she can ignore at the moment. But one day, and I mean one day, we’re going to finish this place off.”
Afeni nodded in agreement, “So this is like a dream project?”
“A dream project that almost took flight, but yes, you hit it right on the head Afeni.”
“I see, well, I can’t wait to see the inside, can we go inside, please.”
“Thought you’d never ask.”
I lead Afeni to the side entrance, and once inside, the factory’s work floor with its numerous skylights, and old machinery immediately told its story as Afeni and I passed over dusty wooden floors that didn’t creek as we walked over them.
“I swear to God the lighting in this place is a photographer’s dreams come true,” Afeni gasped as she took everything in. “Oh shit, you’re a photographer aren’t you?”
Exposed, I allowed a subtle smile to creep across my face before I came clean. “Rookie status only,” I said as I took a seat atop of some sort of press machine. “Back in the d
ay, I wanted to be one of those hard nose war photographers until I realized the only thing that they had to protect themselves was their wits and a damn camera. As you see, I gave that idea up, but I still had love for the profession.”
“No doubt,” Afeni said before she joined me atop of press. “So, do you have enough heart to show me your work, or are you still in the closet?”
“The closet and I are getting along just find, but I guess I can show you a few things.”
“What period?”
“I knew you were gonna ask me that, which is why you’re going to get this lame ass answer.”
“Thanks for the warning, lay it on me.”
“My everyday life is guarded and well paid for, which means…”
“Everything else is fair game,” she said with a look of fascination on her face.
“That isn’t going to happen, but yeah, I can show you a few things,” I said before Derrick suddenly appeared at the side door.
“Wha up Omari,” he said before he raised two bags in the air.
I was sure that the first bag contained a bucket of KFC because I bribed him into picking it up; the other bag was something of a mystery.
“White and dark meat right,” I asked him before I glanced over at Afeni for her approval.
Surprised, she nodded her head in agreement before she crossed her legs all lady-like.
“No doubt, and I even got it in crunchy and non crunchy,” Derrick said as he approached us.
“That’ll do,” Afeni added before she pinched me on my side.
“So what’s in the second bag?”
“This bag?”
“Yeah, that bag.”
“Freshly squeezed orange juice, a bottle of absolute Vodka and of course some scented candles,” he said with a proud smile.
“I’m feeling the scented candles,” Afeni giggled as she stared up at one of the sunlight’s.
“Scented candles huh? Tell my sister thanks for the vodka, and I promise I’ll keep my word on that situation we talked about.”
Derrick allowed a broad smile to form across his face before he laid the bags down and headed toward the door. However before Afeni and I could dig into the two bags, Derrick surprised us both by reentering the factory with a mini boom box.
“Your sister said you would probably need the CD player if you two plan on staying here awhile.” He said after he laid radio down in front of us and left.
I was staring down at the boom box wondering what was going to play if I switched on the CD player when Afeni started the CD. To my surprise, Barefoot’s Serengeti lazily poured out of the boom box.
“Your sister has great taste in music.”
“A born drama queen. Look, this was a last minute thing, and…”
“Don’t have problem with the Yard Bird, what about you?”
“I would prefer my own, but this will do in a pinch.” I responded before we started to eat.
Afeni and I consumed most of the KFC and half of the Vodka as we discussed various topics that ranged from Ralph Ellison’s Journey Through Blackness, to the mismanaging of the AIDS money that the Ugandan government received from the international community. The conversation was deep and pointed, but entertaining enough to keep me interested in Afeni’s thought process.
“I don’t know where you’re going with this, but I’ve never been to prison, so I don’t know shit about prison sex aw’ight,” I laughed out before I got up to stretch.
Afeni eyeballed my body briefly and said, “I read about this stuff on BET.com the other day, and it blew my mind. I mean, what in the hell is a woman to do if she finds herself loving such a man?”
“Don’t know and can’t say that I wanna know to be honest with you Afeni.”
Afeni heard everything I said, but decided to study me a little closer before saying another word.
“I’ve never been to prison. Yeah, I was in the Army for awhile but never prison.”
“I’ve seen enough of our Army to last me a life time while I was in the Middle East, so we don’t hafta go there.” She remarked candidly before she to stood up to stretch.
“Not to change the subject or anything, but you don’t think I’m gay do you?” I asked off handily.
“Not really, are you?”
“No, I’m just a regular guy who likes to have sex with women or maybe my right hand every now and then. For real, that’s as freaky as I get on my own.”
Afeni laughed at my declaration of straightness before she bit down onto her lower lip and said, “I guess that makes two of us.”
“What makes two of us?”
“Getting down with our right hand.”
“I see, well lemme ask you something Afeni.”
“Ask away Omari.”
“What’s your sexual status?”
Afeni allowed a confident smile to creep across her face, but didn’t answer my question.
“It’s okay for me to ask you that question right?” I asked after I took a seat in front of her.
“Yes, you can ask that question and I will answer it honestly.”
“Please tell me you’re not one of those Bravo channel, liberal gay chicks.”
“I’m bisexual if you must know Omari. Been that way for about three years now, and I’m sort of happy with it.”
“Damn, I’m sorry about that, but damn!”
“I’ve never heard a man respond that way before. Most men say stupid shit like; you think we can do a threesome? How about, hey Afeni, what’s the difference between a man and woman when it comes to eating pussy?”
I smirked at that silliness and said, “How absurd. But you know, even I have always wondered about…”
“There you go.”
“What? What? I was just going to say…”
“I know exactly what you’re about to say. Doesn’t matter Omari; I’m not going to let you destroy this wonderful evening by allowing you to finish that statement. You’re way too classy of a man to go there. So please don’t disappoint me by going any further.”
“I know when to shut up.”
“Good, because I like you, and yes, you’re an attractive, intelligent man. Did I mention that you were attractive, funny, and intelligent?”
Over the years, I’ve discovered that a lot of men needed to be told how great they were for some childish adolescent reason. I myself figured it was because of some self-esteem issues that extended from not getting enough attention when they where young. My mother and my father’s departed spirit raised me to see myself in a positive light, so I never suffered from this problem.
“I appreciate that Afeni, but I know how and what I am, do you?”
Afeni appeared peeved.
“Sorry, didn’t mean for it to sound that way, it’s just that…”
“You’re not the only person in the world that loves themselves regardless of their nontraditional quirks.”
I took a gulp of my drink and thought hard about what I would say next. Thirty seconds later, nothing but augmentable thoughts filled my mind, so I took another drink before I decided to just walk away.
“Let me get this straight. I was honest with you about my sexuality, and your response is to just walk away!”
I stopped in my tracks and turned around and snapped, “Sucking dick and sucking pussy is two different things as far as I’m concerned.”
“I agree with you whole heartily. But that’s where am I at Omari.”
“But that’s not where am at Afeni,” I said before I headed for the door.
“That’s understandable but I’m still a woman, so don’t do me this way.”
I wanted to keep walking, but a part of me cared enough to be civil with Afeni.
“Okay, what I just did was whack.”
“I agree.”
“I’m sorry about that, but I’m sort of new to the dating game. So I’m not that familiar with all the new rules. For example: is it okay for me to date a bisexual woman? And if I was to go this route, does this mak
e me gay by association?”
Afeni looked me right in the eyes as if she cared about what I was saying before she busted into laughter.
“Glad you can find humor in all this.”
“I’m not laughing at you Omari, I’m laughing with you. Besides, I can appreciate your honesty, but you can’t imagine how funny you look to me right now.”
“Don’t recall putting on my clown nose, but laughter fits you well.” I said before I took a seat.
“Welcome back.”
“Glad to be back.”
“Good, now be a gentleman and hold my hands,” Afeni said with outstretched hands.
Not sure where this was going, I reached out and gently grabbed her hands.
“The next time we argue, no matter what we mean to each other, we hold hands doing it okay.”
“Why?”
“It’ll help you stay focused.”
“I don’t have a problem with focusing.”
“Fine, it’ll help you to remember that you’re talking to a real person, and not some overblown stereotype that’s easy to attack.”
“Okay, I’ll remember this but seeing how I’m keeping it real with you, checked this out; I’ve read a few books about the intimacy that can be shared between two women, and it begs me to ask this question.”
“And what question is that?”
“How in the hell could a man even come close to fulfilling you sexually? I mean, how?”
Afeni allowed her slow moving eyes to focus on me as if I was a curious child before she said, “Crude as this may sound, whenever I decide to love a man Omari, I know and understand my body enough to get mines. So that’s never a problem for me.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I said after I freed my hands so I could pour Afeni another drink.
A few hours after Afeni dropped me off at my house. I found myself lying on my living room floor thinking about the circumstances that brought Afeni into my life. I must admit that discovering and discussing her dual sexuality in detail actually left me feeling comfortable enough with her to want to see her again. I told her this before she departed, and she agreed to see me again. That made me happy until I realized that Afeni represented a situation that I knew nothing about. With that being said, and understood, a huge unexplored part of me wanted Afeni, not just sexually, but emotionally. If I were a smart man, I would have rolled over onto my stomach and prayed to my God for guidance.
The Other Side of My Kitchen Page 14