SinSatiable

by Shelia E. Bell

  Aisha and Tameria went to the Hard Rock Cafe on Beale Street for lunch. Afterwards the two friends walked up and down the famous street and did a little window shopping. Aisha confided in Tameria about her spark of interest in Chandler. He didn’t call often but when he did, she enjoyed their conversation. Chandler was an easy going kind of man, something Aisha liked. She didn’t want to feel pressured into anything with anyone. Admitting to Tameria, that she was attracted to him was a big step for her. Tameria reminded Aisha that she was young and beautiful with feelings and emotions and that there was nothing wrong with liking Chandler. Aisha swung her arms back and forth while they peeped inside some of the quaint shops lining the busy street. At the end of their stroll, they stopped off at A Schwab, the store that has simply everything imaginable, and purchased a bag of old fashioned soft peppermint candy sticks. Two hours after leaving, Tameria drove Aisha back to the studio in time for her afternoon dance class.

  ♦

  Elisa made her entrance into the dance studio and as usual, all eyes fell on her sleek cat-like moves. Dressed in fashionable flared black athletic pants, a bright yellow sports bra, and crisp white Saucony running shoes, she walked to the receptionist desk and, as if in slow motion, she approached the receptionist counter.

  Angie immediately greeted her. “Good afternoon Miss Santana.”

  “Hello Angie. Is Aisha here or has she already left for the afternoon?”

  “No, she’s still here. She’s in her office on the phone. As soon as I see her phone light go off, I’ll let her know you’re here. You can have a seat if you’d like.”

  “No, thanks. Just tell her I’ll be in the back in one of the classrooms. I might as well do a few stretches while I wait. That is all right isn’t it?”

  “Sure, I know she won’t mind. I’ll send her back there when she hangs up. Check Classroom 4. It should be empty.”

  ♦

  Aisha relaxed in her chair and listened to Chandler trying to convince her to spend some time with him. “Chandler, I don’t know if I can make it tonight. I’m beat and I still have errands to run after I leave the studio.”

  Chandler held on to the other end of the phone and exhaled. He hadn’t seen Aisha since their first and only dinner date three and a half weeks ago. But he was not going to give up on trying to persuade her to see him again. Her reserved demeanor only made him want her more. Whatever it took to get Aisha Carlisle he had resolved to do. He wasn’t used to women turning him down. Aisha was different too. She piqued the playa in him. On purpose he didn’t respond to her answer of no. Instead he remained silent and waited for her to say something.

  “Are you still there?” she asked.

  “Yes, of course. I was just thinking.” He used his special voice that was a mixture of sadness and sexiness.

  “Thinking about what?”

  “About how I can get you to share just a small fraction of your time with me. I’ll tell you what. Why don’t I come by the studio in say, an hour?”

  “I...”

  He cut her off before she could continue. “Stop right there. I won’t take no for an answer. I want to see you Aisha. Won’t you at least have dinner with me, nothing else? And I promise not to keep you out pass your bedtime. I’ll even run your errands for you while you rest,” he agreed.

  She found him particularly amusing. Whenever she talked to him, he always managed to make her laugh about something before they hung up. But she still reminded herself to tread lightly with Chandler. She didn’t want to get too involved too quickly. “Oh, okay. You’ve twisted my arm. I’ll see you in an hour.”

  “An hour it is.”

  Aisha barely had time to hang up the phone when Angie buzzed in. “Yes Angie?”

  “Gabby’s mother is here. She’s in classroom four doing stretches.”

  “Thanks. I’ll go find her.” Aisha glanced at the clock sitting on the window ledge. “Remember to lock up before you leave Angie. And have a good evening.”

  “Thanks. I’ll holler at you when I’m walking out.”

  Aisha proceeded down the hallway, anxious to find out what the mysterious Elisa Santana had to say. As she approached classroom four where Elisa was, Aisha stopped and watched her. Elisa moved with the delicate grace of a gazelle.

  Elisa signaled for Aisha to join her as she entered the room. Aisha moved in behind her, grabbed the rail and began to sway to the sound of the music being pumped in through the surround sound speakers. The two of them moved simultaneously away from the rail and started their individual dance moves. Elisa gyrated her hips in a circular rhythm, taking steps back, forward and to the side. Her arms took on moves of their own as she glided across the floor. Aisha was oblivious to Elisa as she became lost in the music herself. Aisha’s body moved along the dance floor and her fingers snapped to the beat of the song. The two of them continued their free style dancing until the song ended.

  “You’re good, Elisa.”

  “Thank you. That means a lot coming from a professional like yourself.”

  “When the truth is the truth tell it, is what I always say.” She proceeded to walk over to the towel cabinet and grabbed a couple of towels, tossing one to Elisa.

  “Thanks,” Elisa wiped the beads of sweat from her brow. “Do you want to talk in here?”

  “Angie will be leaving in a few minutes so I’d prefer to go up front. I’m expecting a friend to drop by in about an hour and that way I can hear him when he sounds the buzzer.”

  “No problem.” They proceeded to the front of the dance studio and Aisha led her into the break room.”

  “Would you like some coffee, soda, water?”

  “Water will do just fine unless you have a PowerAde or something.”

  “Sure, PowerAde it is.” Aisha opened the door to the refrigerator and pulled out two ice cold PowerAdes. “Hope you like strawberry.”

  “Love it. Thanks.” Elisa responded and reached for the beverage. After taking a couple of gulps, Elisa started talking. “First of all, let me start by telling you that I think I have a solution to your problem. That is if you’ll listen with an open mind.”

  Red flags went off in Aisha’s head when Elisa advised her to listen with an open mind. Must be something illegal or too far-fetched. “Sure, let’s hear it.”

  “You know that I’m a dancer. I just haven’t told you all there is to know because until now it hasn’t been necessary.”

  Aisha nodded her head up and down in slow motion, unsure as to what this had to do with her financial woes.

  “I work for a privately run association.

  “What kind of privately run association,” Aisha’s eyebrows furrowed together. She was curious as to what Elisa meant.

  “I’m employed at The Lynx Association. You have heard of it, haven’t you?”

  Another red flag.

  “Yes, I’ve heard of it, but I don’t know what it entails. I only know it’s supposed to be some sort of upscale country club.”

  “Basically you’re right.”

  “You don’t have another job?”

  “Nope, The Lynx is it. I have clients there who pay me a hefty salary to do private dancing. Plus the Lynx pays me a base salary of $1,000 a week.”

  “The Lynx?” Aisha looked puzzled.

  “Yes, The Lynx.”

  “And did you say one thousand dollars a week?”

  Aisha spoke in an exasperated voice saying, “That’s simply unbelievable.”

  “Believe me, it’s true. Some weeks I bring in as much as $3,500 to $5,000. That’s chump change considering the money these men have and they’re not stingy with it either. Especially when they’re getting what they want out of the deal.”

  “And exactly what are they getting for their money, Elisa? This sounds like something that calls for more than shaking your booty.”

  “If you want it to be more than that, then I’m sure these gentlemen won’t turn you down, but as for me, I’m strictly a private dancer. Whatever they want me to
do during the time they’re paying me, then I do it.”

  “I see. What does that include Elisa?” Aisha was hesitant about asking her, afraid of what her answer would be.

  “I know what you’re hinting at. And the answer is I draw the line when it comes to certain things and other things I don’t divulge to anyone. But I will say this much, if they want me to take off my clothes, I do it. If they want me to drop it like it’s hot, I do it. If they want me to put it in their face, then I put it in their face. I’m making a living and a doggone good living for me and Gabby, don’t you think?”

  “I can’t deny that. But why are you telling me this? How can what you do help my situation? Do you think one of these gentlemen will invest in the studio or do they own a bank or what?”

  “Honey, they own banks, car dealerships, sports teams, radio stations, you name it and I betcha there’s someone there who owns it. They’re doctors, lawyers, executives too.”

  “I hear you. But I still don’t understand what all this has to do with me.”

  “Here’s how you play into the deal. A couple of weeks ago one of the girls had to leave town because of illness in her family. One of her parents is really sick. She won’t be coming back for a few months, if she comes back at all.”

  “No, Elisa, I know where you’re going with this. I could never do such a thing as strip. That’s what this adds up to. I’m a Christian and you know it. I can’t do it. I appreciate the fact that you’re concerned about me and the dance studio, but.”

  Elisa stood up and cut her off by showing the palm of her hand. “Aisha, I’m not going to sit here and beg you or try to convince you to do something that goes against your beliefs. So suit yourself. But I’m telling you. The Lynx Association is a classy, discreet and well respected organization. It’s exclusive and it’s not some sleazy strip joint. You’ve got it all wrong. I tell you what. Before you make up your mind, why don’t you be my guest tomorrow night?”

  “I, I, don’t know about that Elisa. I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

  “I’m not asking you to do anything but come and have a glass of wine or a diet soda if you prefer,” she said jokingly. “You can check out the atmosphere and meet a couple of the other ladies who work there. Come on, I promise no one will get out of line or make you uncomfortable. And if you find out that it’s something you wouldn’t feel right about doing, then so be it. You just up and leave. No harm done.” Elisa raised her eyebrows and placed one hand on her waist.

  Aisha thought about it a few seconds and then answered, “Let me think about it but I already know that my answer is still going to be no.” The buzzer on the front door sounded. “That must be my friend and I’m not even close to being ready.”

  “Go, scoot. We can talk later. I’ll go out the back entrance.”

  “That’s not necessary, really.”

  “No, it’s all right. My car is parked out back anyway. I’ll call you tomorrow and let you know what time I’m picking you up.” Elisa smiled and rushed toward the back door, leaving Aisha with a dumbfounded look plastered across her face. She waved both hands in the air in frustration then turned to go and unlock the door. She spotted Chandler on the other side with a sexy grin on his handsome face.

  Chandler marveled in the fact that he’d convinced Aisha to have dinner with him. She appeared to be intelligent but naïve at the same time, something he considered a challenge and a win-win for him.

  Over the years, especially since his heart had been crushed, he’d become cold, hard and callous when it came to women. There was no way he was going to let another woman get as close to him as he had allowed his ex-fiancée Tracye to get. At times, he could swear that he felt the remnants of heartbreak that she’d left stamped indelibly on his heart. After the initial shock of seeing her naked body underneath one of his friends, he turned and walked out of the apartment they had shared for over two years. Each time she called and pleaded for his forgiveness, he attacked her with the most derogatory words he could think of. He just couldn’t forgive her infidelity. He did a 360 after that and changed from being kind, thoughtful, loving Chandler to a misogynistic brute full of unleashed anger. Despite his angry actions towards her, Tracye had refused to back off and continued to beg him to take her back. Several weeks after their breakup, Chandler gave in to her persistence and agreed to meet her at the apartment. Using his key, he walked in and saw her standing near the living room door. Chandler didn’t bother to say one word. He briskly walked over to her, yanked her shoulder length hair so hard that it snapped her neck back. He gritted his teeth and forced his hands between her thighs. Tracye tried to break free from his grasp but the hold he had on her was too powerful. He smothered her screams with brutal kisses while pushing her down hard on the cold tile floor. Using his knees to pin her legs down, he violated her over and over again. Chandler was surprised at how much rage he had but at this point he couldn’t stop, refused to stop. He wanted to hurt her like she had hurt him. After he finished his assault, he stood up over her, straightened his clothes then spit in her face before walking out the door.

  Shortly after his retaliation against Tracye, Chandler packed up his bags, left Montgomery and moved to Memphis. Not once had he regretted his attack on Tracye, someone he once loved. When he applied for the position as a police officer with the Memphis Police Department, he found that he enjoyed his job more than he had anticipated. There were times when he thought of how he got his revenge on Tracye and in a weird way, he believed his ability to rape and assault her without feeling remorse was actually a good trait because on the streets of Memphis there was no time to feel anything for anyone who was breaking the law. As for Aisha, he was drawn to her shyness and naiveté. He planned on using her attributes to reel her in just where he wanted her to be. And getting her to have dinner with him was his first conquest in breaking her down.

  Chandler took her to a quaint little Italian bistro in South Memphis. They dined on shrimp primavera and sipped on white Zinfandel. Though Aisha was not a drinker per se, she would indulge in a glass of wine on special occasions. Dining with Chandler was on that list. Chandler used his playa expertise to make her feel at ease by talking about things that interested her, such as her love of dancing. The sparkle in her eyes told him that she liked him. His self esteem was slowly returning. Maybe Aisha Carlisle could help him regain a small bit of trust in women again - just maybe.

  Aisha listened to Chandler talk about his love of dancing. It was good to hear someone who shared her passion of dance. Tameria was right. It felt good to be out with someone of the opposite sex. The conversation, the ambiance of the romantic setting of the restaurant, wine, good food, all of it made her feel exceptionally special. The last time she found herself sitting across the table from a man was when she attended the Mayor’s Charity Ball. For a moment, she was able to forget her troubles and enjoy the moment. The glass of wine helped to ease her tension along with Chandler’s soothing personality.

  On the way home, the two of them continued chatting. In between conversation, they listened to the radio. Arriving at her apartment, Aisha invited Chandler to come in for a cup of coffee and a slice of mother’s homemade butter pound cake.

  Aisha took the time to express her gratitude. “Thanks for dinner Chandler and for running my errands too,” she laughed.

  “No problem. I told you, I’d do anything to see you and spend some time with you.” Chandler took a bite of the cake and leaned back.

  She rested her head against the plush thickness of the sofa and sighed.

  “What is it?” he asked.

  “Oh, I’m just tired and I have a lot on my mind, that’s all.”

  “Anything you want to talk about?

  She wished it was that easy. Talk about your problems and they’ll go away. Ha, what a laugh. She thought to herself. “No, I’ll be fine. And I hate to end the evening so early, but I really am ready to call it a night. I have another long day tomorrow.”“

  “So this is
how you treat the fellas, huh. Get them to feed you, run your errands, hold conversation with you then you throw them out.” He teased her.

  “I thought that’s what men liked,” she teased back.

  “I guess some of us do. But before I leave, may I use your bathroom?”

  “Of course, it’s down the hall and to the left.”

  “Thanks, I’ll be right back.”

  ♦

  What’s he doing in there? He’s been in there an awfully long time. Just when she decided to call his name, he came down the hall. She smelled the aroma of the incense sticks she had in the bathroom for those not so pleasant bathroom stops. She giggled slightly as she thought about what he must have done in the bathroom.

  “You okay?” she asked him.

  “Sure, I’m fine. But I think I made a mess in your bathroom.”

  “What do you mean?” she looked confused.

  “I better show you. Come here for a minute.” She hesitated before getting up.

  “I’m sure it’s nothing that can’t be fixed.”

  “I hope you’re right. But you still better take a look.” She ambled down the hallway to the bathroom. She stopped at the doorway and gasped.

  “Oh my God,” she said and placed both hands over her mouth in total surprise.

  “Chandler I don’t believe this.” The tub was filled with bubbles and the scent of jasmine incense wafted through her nostrils. “Thank you soooo much.”

  “No problem. I’d do anything to see that look you have on your face again and again. He grabbed her hand. “Come on so you can lock the door behind me. Then I expect you to go and relax in your bubble bath.”

  She walked him to the door. He looked down on her radiant beauty and wanted her.

  “Chandler, thanks for everything,” she responded.

  “I’ll call you tomorrow, if that’s all right with you.”

  “I’d like that.”