by Ayo Campbell
“How’s Josie doing?”
“That boy has, what you call, work ethic,” Collie said. “He’ll be just fine on Saturday night, just trust you me.”
“I do,” Vanessa said. “But, speaking of Saturday night…”
“Yeah?”
“Well, it’s kind of special, and I want to look good.”
“Yeah.”
“So, well, I don’t know–”
“You wanna go shopping with me?”
“Yeah.”
“How cool is that!” the girl said. “We can go tomorrow morning. Mornings are the best time to shop; that’s when they put out their new stuff. We can have breakfast at the Cosmic Omelet, you’re buying, then I know these very hip places…”
The Cosmic Omelet was so divine that Vanessa stole a menu.
“Bootsy would never cook that stuff,” Collie said as they strolled down the Avenue.
“Bootsy works for me. So, where are we going?”
“We start with your top coat.”
“Top coat?”
“Foundations,” Collie said. “You gonna build something, you begin with a good foundation.”
Collie led Vanessa into a lingerie shop called Bla-Bla-Bra. The panties there started at eighty-dollars, but Collie knew the owner, and they were shown the returns.
“So?” Collie asked, “what kind of foundation are we building?”
“What?”
“You looking to show off, or are you looking to get laid?”
“Collie!”
“Miss Colleen,” the owner put in, “can be abrupt. I believe that she is asking if your lingerie will be for underpinning, or if it will be for show.”
“Um,” Vanessa said, blushing. “Can’t it be for both? I mean, not that I am expecting–”
“Absolutely,” the woman said. “And with your figure, well, I have this lovely satin demi-cup…”
It took two more stops for Collie to create three outfits. Vanessa felt like a school-girl on a shopping spree.
“Now,” Collie said as they were heading back to the diner. “I know this pawn shop that has the very best, primo bling.”
“No,” Vanessa said.
“Why not? That black outfit just screams for silver.”
It was one thing for Vanessa to shop for returned or damaged clothes. Those were things that sassy high school kids and entitled newlyweds did. But the pawn shops had the things that people needed to hock to survive. Those shops were full of the ghosts of dreams, and Vanessa wanted no part of that.
“Maybe I’m old fashioned,” she said. “But I think that jewelry should be given to a woman, even if from her mother or aunt, or someone. Jewelry ought to be a gift.”
“Okay,” Collie said, shrugging. “So, you wanna grab a hot dog before we go to work? I know the best stand. Your treat.”
Saturday night, Justin picked her up in a cab, as usual. He would always look into her eyes as she climbed in, but this night he actually looked at her. Vanessa stepped in, proud.
She wore black skin tight leggings, split along the front of each leg with criss-crossing lacing from her ankles to her belt. The leggings hugged her hips low. Her black satin tank-top hugged her form. It had scallops around her cleavage, and lacey straps that crossed in the back, wrapping her neck and making a halter. Her shoulders were draped in an open-weave, crochet shawl that had black beaded fringe.
“Hel-lo,” Justin said, as if he wanted to say something else.
Vanessa shut the door. And before the cab took off, she leaned in and kissed him, full, deep, and long. The cab had reached the Boulevard before she pulled away and sat, close to him.
“I want you to know,” she said, “that I do not think, or feel, that the other night was a one-nighter. I don’t know what your game is, and maybe I don’t want to know. But, I think that you should know, I been thinking about you.”
“So have I,” he said. “I mean, thinking about you.”
“In what way?”
“In the best way.”
She looked at him. He looked at her in that enigmatic way he had. The cab wove through the city.
“And so,” he said.
He looked down and fidgeted a moment. And then he reached into his pocket. He pulled out an oblong, satin box. He held it, almost hesitantly, and then handed it to her.
Vanessa shut her eyes and took a breath.
She knew that the shabby Justin and the elegant Justin were somehow related, but she didn’t know how – or why. She knew that all that the shabby Justin wanted from her was a coffee refill and the occasional help with a crossword. But she had made love with the elegant Justin, the man who had a black credit card and didn’t care that her room was a close to a hovel.
And now that elegant Justin was – was what? Showing his appreciation?
“Open it,” he said.
“Justin, I can’t.”
“Vanessa,” he said, “you are too quick to judge.”
“Listen,” she began.
“Are you going to open the damned box or do I have to do it for you?”
With shaking hands, Vanessa opened it.
“I – what?”
“You were expecting diamonds?”
Vanessa pulled out three tickets to UniverSoul Circus at the Gardens.
“They pull in on a Monday,” Justin said with a smile. “These are for the first show. If you’re there early enough, you can watch them unload. It’s a trip.”
She laughed, asking, “Where did you get theses?”
“A friend of mine’s a promoter,” he replied.
She studied the tickets. If the lettering was any indication, they looked like good seats. Then she saw that the date was in July.”
“Justin?
“Bootsy loves the circus,” he said. “And Collie loves everything.”
“Oh, you.”
She didn’t kiss him. She didn’t hug him. She stared at the tickets a few moments, then she closed them back in the box, and put the box neatly in her purse.
“We’re here,” the cabby said.
She got looks as they were shown to her table. Their waitress, Juicy, nodded in approval, and was there with their usual drinks, plus a plate of hors-d’oeuvres. The opening act was a mellow band, playing soft and low ambience, led by the bass. The house lights were dim, and people were chatting.
“So,” Vanessa asked as they nibbled, “what made you think of me and the circus?”
“I don’t know,” he said, staring at her through his dark glasses. “I just did. Why, are you not a fan?”
“I don’t know, never been. But I have to confess that clowns creep me out.”
Justin laughed.
“But you know,” she added. “July is a long way away.”
“And you are wondering if you will still be in town.”
“Yeah.”
“You like Seattle that much?”
“It’s not just that,” she said. “I like it here too. Believe it or not, I like working at my mother’s place. There’s this wonderful feeling at the end of the day, doing the books and seeing that I earned a part of that. I’m not working for anyone – I’m working for me.”
“But?”
“But, back at Tula’s, well, Jasmine helped me; she helped me a lot. She groomed me; she taught me the business and helped me with school. I feel I owe her, and I guess that it was always understood that I’d stay with her. So, I’m kind of torn.”
“I would bet,” Justin said, “that Jasmine is the kind of woman who would be proud of her fledgling. And, I bet that she’d be happy to see you making it on your own.”
“You think?”
Justin nodded, then raised his glass.
“To Jasmine,” he said, winking beneath his glasses, “and her next protégé.”
“You make it sound like I’m staying here.”
“Well,” he said, sipping, “I could make things a little more interesting here.”
“Oh, how?”
“
Marry me.”
Vanessa broke into long, loud peals of laughter. More than a few people turned to look at the stylish woman and wondered what had so amused her. But even as they did, the band finished with a flourish that turned into a drum roll as the house dimmed to black. The drummer finished with a rim-shot, and a light came up on Kaitlin standing stage right.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” she said softly into her mic, “allow me to introduce a name that will soon need no introduction. Miss Kitty’s is very proud, very pleased, and very excited to introduce Kelly Fadden.”
The crowd broke into enthused, but expectant applauds. The spot narrowed and hit Kelly’s face. She started with a soft, torchy rendition of Fly Me to the Moon, acapella. It was as though the woman was seducing the first verse, loving every word with an incredible coloring. She crooned until she got to the line, “…in other words, darling, kiss me.”
Then she hung her head, as if she was finished. The audience held its breath for a beat, then two – and then the horns exploded as the lights flooded the stage as Kelly burst, “Fill my heart with song and let me sing forever more…”
And from that moment on, the petite, creamy, red-headed Irish wench captivated everyone with her smoky voice that could belt and swing. She and the band never let up, and never paused for applause, driving from one swing song to another, including Harlem is My Home, which the Celtic beauty made you believe. The girl sang for forty minutes straight, before she ended with a rendition of Blue Skies that started New Orleans style, and slowly mellowed into an homage to Willie Nelson’s version, complete with the final haunting harmonica.
The stage lights dimmed. The audience exploded. Everyone, even Justin, was on their feet. Kelly was beaming and sweaty when the lights came back on her. She thanked the audience, blew a kiss to Kaitlin, promised to be back, and admonished everyone to be kind to their waitresses.
“That girl,” Justin said, “got chops.”
“She does,” Vanessa said, shaking her head and looking at him. “So, I guess that you’re starting to understand.”
“I understand, and respect, hard work and commitment. She’s been practicing.”
“It’s the only way to Carnegie Hall.”
“When she gets there,” he said with a grin. “You and me – front row.”
“I bet,” Vanessa said, leaning close on her elbows, “that you could just do that. Circus. Carnegie Hall. What’s next, dinner at the White House?”
“Maybe in three years.”
They both laughed.
“So,” Vanessa said, “tell me about you, Mr. Justin Who-Nobody-Knows.”
“You ever take a creative writing class?”
“No. Why?”
“The first thing that they always teach is ‘show, don’t tell.’”
“So, you’d prefer to show me. Is this a ploy to get me home with you?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because,” he said, lowering his sunglasses and leaning in, “you are a beautiful woman, a marvelous lover, and you are committed and hard working. And so, I want to marry you.”
But before Vanessa could laugh, a bright light lit up Justin’s face.
Immediately, he flipped back his sunglasses, shaking his head. There was a commotion, and a woman was freaking out.
“Sir,” a towering black bouncer said, “have you given this woman permission to photograph you?”
“No,” Justin said.
“Give me back my phone!” a curly blonde squealed. “I was just taking a picture of my friend!”
She was reaching for the bouncer, but was held in check by another. The bouncer at the table nodded at Justin, then walked away, his counterpart dragging the blonde. The crowd murmured and chuckled.
“What was that?” Vanessa asked.
“I guess I have a photogenic face.”
That was when it hit Vanessa. Justin had more than just a pretty face. He had a black credit card, entrée, and circus tickets in Boston, a place where people loved the circus as much as they loved the Red Sox.
She suddenly felt so stupid. Wrapped up as she had been in the affairs of her mother, and the diner, and that loan shark, she hadn’t recognized that Mr. Justin, who-nobody-knew, was someone very much more. And, he had asked her to marry him.
“I guess that you do,” she said. “Excuse me; I need to find the ladies-room.”
Threading her way through the crowd, Vanessa wondered if people were looking at her because of her very chic clothes or as that woman who had been in the center of a scene. She told herself that it didn’t matter.
The rest rooms were at the far side of the bar, and as she emerged, she saw Kaitlin and the bartender talking. She strode up to them and slid onto a barstool.
“No big whoop,” Kaitlin said to the man. “We run out of Dewars-Blue, give him Glenlivet-twelve. He’ll bitch, but, hey.”
“You got it, boss. I just wanted to know that you knew.”
“And I know. And – hey, Vanessa,” Kaitlin said, turning to her. “How do you like my Kelly-girl?”
“She is,” Vanessa began, “the velvet-fog, in a size six.”
Both women laughed.
“That girl,” Vanessa said, “has a voice. But more, she has a most excellent producer and she has an out-of-sight arranger. They all are going to be storming, soon.”
“Yeah,” Kaitlin said. “Just wait till you hear her second set.”
“You got an ear, Kaitlin.”
“Thanks.”
“So, listen,” Vanessa began, half holding her breath “I would very much like to have a chat with you sometime.”
“About what?”
“Business. You see, Kaitlin, I have this diner–”
“Vanessa,” Kaitlin said. “I never talk business during business hours, too much liquor about.”
“That’s wise. So, I was hoping that, perhaps, after the show–”
“After the show, I am taking Kelly to a very nice prime-rib dinner. But,” she said, fishing through her purse and pulling out a card. “Here’s my private number.”
Vanessa took the card as if it were precious.
“I should be back by Wednesday.”
“Wednesday?”
“I’m taking Kelly to Delmonico’s – in the City. Then she’ll be playing the Vanguard, Sunday and Tuesday. I’ll be hanging out.”
“Oh. Okay. Have a good time.”
“Kelly is going to storm that town,” Kaitlin said, grinning from ear to ear.
“She is,” Vanessa said, nodding.
“So, anyway, may I ask what the nature of our mutual business might be?”
“It can wait.”
“Okay.”
“Miss,” the bartender said, sliding her a drink. “This is from a gentleman.”
“My gentleman?” Vanessa asked.
“No, Miss.”
“My,” Kaitlin said. “You’re popular. Anyway, sweetie, I gotta play the room. Call me.”
“I will.”
Kaitlin slipped away. Vanessa looked to the bartender who nodded his head toward the end of the bar. Vanessa looked. Her blood slushed to ice. It was Jake.
Chapter 8
“Mike,” she said to the bartender. “I thought that this party was exclusive.”
“It is,” Mike replied. “The gentleman was in the Back Room. He’s just leaving.”
“Mike, you are a gentleman. That snake is not.”
“I just serve drinks, ma’am.”
“And you do it so well.”
Vanessa walked away from the drink, but she felt Jake’s eyes on her all the way back to her table. Justin looked concerned.
“So, listen,” he began as she sat. “I saw that–”
“It’s okay,” she said, grinning and holding up her hands. “You have a pretty face. And, you have secrets. That’s okay. Everybody’s got some secrets. It’s all cool. So, anyway…”
She moved her chair so that she was sitting beside him. She wanted to ta
lk close, and she wanted Jake to see that she was with someone; that for the moment, she had protection. And, she took some pride and satisfaction in the way people looked at them.
“I talked to Kaitlin,” she said. “She’s all into her Kelly-girl, right now. They’re going to the City tonight, and she’s hanging and grooming the girl. But – she’ll be back on Wednesday, and we can talk then. So, I guess that we did it.”
“You did it,” Justin said. “Remember, I’m just your pretty face.”
“Yeah, you are.”
And with that, she leaned in close, and kissed him, quietly, softly, and tenderly on the lips. He met her with the same sort of tenderness, and when they parted, he smiled a different sort of smile, the sort that a man had when he realized that there was something different in the kiss.
“You know,” she said, drawing him closer. “It’s almost like I know two different men in the same package. There’s Justin the diner-fly; quiet, comfortable, reliable and…and observant.”
“Observant?”
“Yeah. He sees things. He notices things. I bet that he was the one who fixed the bell over the door.”
Justin shrugged.
“Then,” Vanessa said, snuggling just a little, “there’s this guy; the one who seems to come from another world, a mysterious world.”
“Naw,” he said, grinning a small grin. “This guy isn’t from Krypton or any place like that. He’s just another schmo who is happy to have been charmed by a pretty lady. And, he would do most anything to stay in her good graces.”
“And he will,” she added, “as long as he doesn’t dare ask me to marry him again.”
“Okay, he won’t. Not tonight at least.”
“And, in the morning?”
He hesitated, and in that hesitation Vanessa saw one eyebrow twitch, and in that twitch she saw a small crack in his façade.
“I don’t know,” he said. “Should I call you, or just roll over?”
Vanessa laughed long and loud, mostly because she was tickled, but also to let Jake know that she was unfazed, and enjoying her evening. But, looking about, Jake was nowhere. She relaxed. From the bar, Mike winked at her.
“You watch too many old romance movies,” she said.
“Too much, and not enough,” Justin said. “I can’t remember if it was Rock Hudson or Carey Grant who said that.”