The Countdown to Thirty

by Nefertiti Faraj

  He walked over to me and bent down. I swallowed hard with nervousness as his hand skimmed my thigh while he searched around for the lever. There was a moment of awkwardness as he felt around until I heard a loud “Pop!”

  “Got it,” he said with a smirk of satisfaction on his face. He was very aware of what he was doing to me. God I hated that.

  I watched him as he gracefully stood then placed his dreads in a ponytail before heading back to the front of the car.

  “He’s cute girl,” My subconscious said distracting my mind from more important matters like figuring out what the hell was wrong with my car. “Oh shut up.” I said crossing my arms over my chest.

  After tinkering around with my car Kyle had me attempt to start the engine a few times with no luck.

  “Sounds like your battery is dead,” He called out. “Not a big deal, I’ll swing you by an auto store, you can buy a new one and I’ll put it in for you.”

  I released a sigh of relief that that was all it was, but I was also worried because I didn’t want to tell him I didn’t have the money for the battery, how humiliating. Instead I stalled and told him it was alright, my mother was going to come.

  “I can just take you, there’s a store close by.” He said dropping the hood back into place and coming around to my side of the car.

  He knelt down in between me and the car door. Taking a deep gulp as I swallowed my pride I faced Kyle, “Look, I can’t really afford a new battery right now so I’m just going to call my mother. I’m sure she won’t mind helping me out, thank you though for your all your help.”

  He paused for a moment, I knew it. He was probably thinking I was just another broke chick who couldn’t pay her way because she didn’t have her shit together when she knew she was too damned old not to have her shit together.

  “Batteries on me,” he replied before standing to his feet.

  “No you don’t have—“I said before he cut me off.

  “Batteries on me,” he insisted with more authority in his voice, “C’mon, my house is around the corner. We’ll take my truck.”

  I don’t know if it was what he said or the way he said it but my body reacted to his words instantaneously. As I grabbed my purse to follow him the little voice went off again in my head.

  Well I guess chivalry isn’t dead.

  Instead of silencing it this time, I allowed it to have its moment of expression since I agreed, I finally agreed.

  Sixteen

  Kaia

  “So this the gym where you met Mr. Lovely.” Sonya mentioned sarcastically.

  “Yep, this is it but he works at the other location on the weekends.”

  Sonya and I’d just walked into Galaxy Fit Zone ready to take on this Zumba class together. GFZ in my opinion was more of a “Global Gym”, like the one in the movie Dodge Ball with Ben Stiller but without all the craziness. It was nicely situated off the freeway in a huge two story building that included an upstairs track, indoor pool, four full sized classrooms, boxing ring, a jumbo movie theatre sized screen outlined with many slightly smaller screens and its own health and fitness version of Jamba Juice complete with cashiers and seating.

  I hadn’t exactly told Sonya that Malcolm and I were back on regular speaking terms, I knew she would disapprove. She had her money on Christian and for all she knew I hadn’t seen Malcolm since the night I made him tacos. However, I was willing to forgive and hadn’t totally given up on Malcolm yet. The day I got back from LA we met up at Serendipity’s for lunch where he apologized for everything. Eventually, we ended up going back to his place where I gave him some and I wasn’t mad about it.

  “Wow, it’s really….”

  “Big?” I said completing her sentence.

  She laughed, “Yes, very big, very high-tech. Look at those meatheads over there,” She said nudging her head towards a few men in the free-weight section. Their bodies were so muscularly built it made their heads look tiny. “I bet they live at the gym.”

  “Eeew, that’s gross.” I replied shaking my head. “Enough is enough already.” I added while we momentarily watched them try to best each other in weight lifting.

  After locking up our gym bags in the ladies room area we headed to room one with about fifty other women and began doing floor stretches before the instructor came in.

  “I’m so glad I’m here, I need a good workout.” Sonya stated

  “Me too, my stomach is starting to get a little pudgy.” I said breaking my stretch to give my stomach a little tug and shake.

  Sonya laughed, “It still looks flat though, maybe you just need to do some crunches.”

  “I need to do something. I bet I can’t even run a mile in under seven minutes anymore.”

  “You use to be able to do that? I’ve never been able to do that, I’m so not an athlete.” She responded.

  When the instructor walked in all the women in the class began to clap and cheer. From my little experience this told me he was one of the favorites. He was a good looking Hispanic man with a long black pony tail, nicely built calves and a killer white smile. He walked up on stage and hit a few buttons on the wall dimming the main lights and turning on the red and blue strobe lights. He took a moment to revel in his praises before he said anything.

  “Is he about to perform a concert?” Sonya asked leaning over to me.

  I continued clapping as I replied, “Girl I don’t know, this is crazy.”

  “He must be a real ladies man.” Sonya commented.

  When he opened up his mouth to speak Sonya and I looked at each other with raised eyebrows.

  He spoke in a Latin accent emphasized with a clearly gay tone, “Hey ladies welcome to Zumba! If this is your first time raise your hands, come on girls get them up! Get them up!” He said looking into the crowd.

  Sonya raised her hand along with a few other excited women.

  “Okay ladies my name is Tony and I’m going to get your heart rate pumping by working your legs, your thighs and your booty so you can look like me!” He exclaimed turning to the side to show off his plump behind.

  The whole class cracked up.

  He started the music and spoke into his headpiece, “And remember! Nobody’s allowed to walk out of my class or I’ll remember you next time and work you harder okay! Okay let’s get ready to Zumba!”

  The loud beat thumping music started and in no time everyone fell into Tony’s grove and began to move and shake body parts no matter how out of shape or uncoordinated they were. It didn’t matter, we were all women and it seemed like for once we weren’t competing with each other but instead supporting each other in our personal goals to lose weight or stay in shape.

  Twenty minutes in I looked over at Sonya and saw she was beginning to sweat like a pig, but she had moves though. Maybe I would have to convince to her to come out to a club with me one day.

  “Keep it up Sonya! Work it!” I said cheering her on as we held a squat position while rotating our butts and hips in a very sexy manner.

  “Oh I got this girl,” She said while dabbing sweat from her face and neck.

  Approximately thirty minutes later Zumba class came to an end and I wasn’t sorry to see it go. I still considered myself an athlete but my endurance just wasn’t what it used to be in high school or college. Still, I never stopped and according to the class schedule I burned about six hundred calories and some of this extra thickness from my thighs and butt.

  Sonya spoke while she attempted to catch her breath, “Let’s get our stuff…and get…a drink girl.” She said pointing towards the juicing station they’d named the Health Bar.

  We sat at the black circular tables and people watched while we took our wheatgrass shots, drank our health shakes and caught up on the latest.

  “So how are the jewelry pieces working out? When do I get to see them?” I asked after swallowing my shot whole.

  “Well,” she started, “I don’t want to brag on myself but they are quite exquisite. Shouldn’t it be a crime to be smart,
beautiful and talented?” She said unabashedly.

  “Triple threat, I’m not mad at you.”

  She smiled then proceeded in spilling more details about the wedding, “So according to my sister, Corinne is becoming more and more of a bridezilla every day. I’m just glad I don’t have to be there to witness it all. She’s changed the bridesmaid’s colors three times in less than two weeks.”

  “Ugh, I hope I’m not that picky when I get married.”

  “It’s not in your DNA Kaia. We’re talking about an over-the-top diva here. I can’t even imagine myself being that radical when I get – well if I even bother with getting married someday.” She corrected.

  “But can you believe she wants me to be her little brother’s date to the wedding?”

  “What’s wrong with that?”

  “Ugh, what’s wrong with that is that he just so happens to be the most condescending asshole in Vegas.” She confessed.

  “He can’t be that bad. It might be fun, a younger man. Besides it’s about time somebody got up there and cleaned your chimney right?” I said while I repeatedly raised my eyebrows in a suggestive manner.

  She choked on her shake so hard tears began to form around her lower eyelids. While raising her arms above her head in an attempt to cease her coughing she caused a slight scene. The cashier even came from around the counter to check on her but I told her she’d be fine.

  When she came to she replied, “I don’t think so. I’ve known Bobby’s ass for too long, it’d be like babysitting for free, not interested.” She said rejecting the mere thought of it while dabbing the tears from her eyes with a napkin.

  Then as if she just realized what I had asked, “Clean my chimney? Where the hell did you get that one from?” She questioned as we both erupted into laughter, “I think you’ve been hanging around me too long.”

  “I’m just saying…you’re missing out.”

  We talked about another ten minutes then headed back to the ladies room, showered and changed into a fresh pair of clothes. On the way out I took Sonya upstairs so she could see the indoor track at her request.

  That’s when I saw Malcolm.

  He was off in the distance on the other side of the track. Apparently he was in the middle of a personal training session with a young twenty something year old Filipino girl who seemed to be laughing more at his jokes and extra touchy feely approach then concentrating on her squats to help shape her square ass.

  “Is that Malcolm over there?” Sonya asked incredulously.

  I was embarrassed because not only was that Malcolm over there but anyone with eyes could tell this was no ordinary training session. And now, after all the hoopla I’ve been hearing from Sonya and Christian I looked like a fool.

  “Yes, that’s him,” I grimaced not even attempting to hold back my dislike of his blatant frisky behavior.

  He didn’t see us spying on him since we’d briefly taken cover behind an elliptical machine under the auspices of reading the instructions. Besides there was no way he could have with the flagrant way he was flirting. Since when did person trainers dab the sweat from your neck and breasts? Was that included with the membership or was it on the house? A part of me wanted to break her neck, then his.

  “C’mon let’s go say hi,” Sonya instigated while ushering me forward.

  Two days after our lunch I had to admit to myself that he’d quickly began to revert back to his old ways. Not only had he failed to return two of my phone calls but he pushed our dinner plans from this weekend to next weekend because “something came up”. After watching him with Ms. Philippines and her tacky blond highlights I now wondered who came up?

  “Look at him Kaia, this is ridiculous,” Sonya whispered to me as we got closer, “She’s not even cute.”

  “I know, I know. I’m just going to say hi and see what he says. It’s nothing though believe me. She’s not even his type,” I rebutted praying that what I was trying to convince Sonya of was the truth. But it was apparent she wasn’t buying it. Even though she had shorter legs than me she was walking fast enough, weaving in and out of the exercise equipment, to be ahead of me by a foot or two.

  As we inched closer with every footstep my head began to warm. I knew he wouldn’t want me interrupting him or sneaking up on him while he was doing business. I was just about to grab Sonya’s arm and stop this pursuit when Malcolm took a moment to look up and caught my gaze. His face went stone cold and his eyes bucked open in shock. I didn’t know what to do so I just threw my hand up in a friendly waving gesture but he turned his back and focused his attention on the girl. He went about his business as if he didn’t see me at all.

  “Oh hell no, did he just diss you?” Sonya asked unbelieving.

  “Maybe he didn’t see me. C’mon.” I said with my pride now on the line as I took the lead and approached Malcolm desperate to prove he wouldn’t do this to me.

  I approached him from behind with Sonya by my side for support. I lightly tapped him on the shoulder but he hesitated for a moment before turning around.

  “Hey, how’s it going?” He asked with a great lack of enthusiasm in his voice. He wore a look of annoyance and inconvenience in his face like I was bothering him oh so much by saying hi.

  “It’s going good. Sonya and I just got done with the Zumba class. I was just showing her the track. You remember Sonya right?”

  “Yea, somewhat,” he said rudely.

  “I didn’t know you were working at this location again on the weekends.”

  “Look I’m kind of in the middle of work right now you –

  “Malcolm who’s this?” Ms. Philippines asked as she spoke with confidence in her tone and abandoned her squats as she stood and took her position next to his side. It was way too close for comfort in my opinion.

  Sonya and I looked at each other with what had to be the same thought then shifted our attention to Malcolm to see what he had to say.

  “Kaia this is Nessa, Nessa Kaia. I train her to.” He said.

  Did he just diminish our last two years together and simplify what we had down to a personal training session!

  “Oh,” she said, “Well nice meeting you Kia.”

  “It’s Kaia.” I said with grit teeth and rage in my heart.

  She laughed me off, “Malcolm can we get back to work. I’m thinking I want to work on my core now.”

  “Yea sure, sure. Nice seeing you again Kaia. If you want to schedule another session you can make the appointment with the front desk.” He suggested trying to shoo me along like I was just some random bitch! I couldn’t believe it.

  “C’mon girl,” Sonya said ushering me away now just like she ushered me in. I felt devastated, shit humiliated as we turned to walk away. I felt like all eyes were on me and everyone knew just how badly he’d treated me.

  “Nessa you may want to finish up with those squats.” Sonya made sure to mention loud enough for several people to hear, “You’re looking a little Sponge Bobby back there girl. You know square ass, dimples.”

  I didn’t even turn around to see Nessa’s reaction. I just heard her mumbling something in anger at Malcolm with a word that sounded like duck and another one that sounded like itch in reference to Sonya’s comment.

  As we walked towards the stairs I began to feel light headed again like I was going to pass out. He did that. He just disrespected and humiliated me like I was nothing. Sonya spewed obscenities under her breath calling him and Nessa all sorts of names like bald headed bastard to Sponge Bob Square Ass from the time we walked away to the time we got home and cracked open yet another much needed bottle of chardonnay.

  “Why the hell do I even bother?” I asked myself followed by the ‘You know he’s fucking her right’ question.

  Just the thought of him laid up in bed with her or any other woman was enough to infuriate me and make my mind race with insecure thoughts of is she prettier than me, does she ride him better and when he wasn’t with me the infamous is he with her right now question.

/>   Later that night while in a chardonnay induced coma my phone began ringing off-the-hook. I was surprised to hear it. I was absolutely positive it was a wrong number and because I was in what you would call a drunken stupor, I silenced it without looking at the caller ID. I lay my head back down and began to doze off into dreamland when the phone began ringing off the hook again. This time I grabbed the phone answered it swiftly.

  “Hello?” I griped in an annoyed tone that should have told whoever was calling that I wasn’t happy being bothered at twelve-thirty in the morning.

  “Can we talk?” A male voice asked.

  “I guess I was still sleepy because the voice didn’t resonate in my mind. I pulled the phone away from my ear and looked at the caller ID only to see that it was Malcolm. While Sonya was trying her best to keep my spirits up after the gym incident earlier I’d ignored two of his texts and one phone call – which didn’t even come until nearly four hours after I left the gym.

  “What do you want?”

  “I’ve been trying to talk to you. Why haven’t you answered any of my text?”

  He was angry and his voice demanded answers. Suddenly I felt like a little girl being questioned by her father about not turning in her schoolwork on time or making her bed before she left for the day. He caught me off guard and I just used the first excuse that came to mind.

  “I’ve been busy, sorry,” I said while sitting up in bed. I wasn’t sorry though. All the signs were clear, as Sonya mentored earlier. He’s been nothing but a liar and a cheat during our entire relationship.

  “Busy doing what? You dealing with somebody else already?”

  I tisk’d in disbelief. Wasn’t that classic behavior of a cheating bastard, to accuse the other person of being low-down and filthy because they couldn’t keep their dick in the pants? Then I remembered my kiss with Christian, shit.

  “No, it’s not like that. I didn’t like what I saw at the gym today Malcolm, you and that girl. It looked like there was more than just training going on.”

  He cackled, “You’re too smart to be stupid so why don’t you stop making stupid accusations like that. How is there going to be more going on when I’m in the middle of a gym full of people. I’m coming over we need to talk about this. I’ll be there in fifteen.”