Easier Said Than Done

by Nikki Woods

  I brushed Oreo crumbs from her chin. “No sucking your fingers, remember?” I clucked as perfectly as any non-mother hen, while gently pulling her finger from her mouth.

  “I’m thirsty, ‘ingston.” My heart melted into a syrupy, gooey substance and I bent down so my face was closer to hers. “I think I have some Kool-Aid. Or would you rather have a glass of milk?”

  “Got boo ooo-aid?”

  I shot a questioning glance at Sharneesha for interpretation. “Blue Kool-Aid,” she said.

  “No, blue Kool-Aid. I think it’s strawberry.”

  Teeka’s face fell with disappointment before her eyes brightened. She nodded, barrettes bouncing. “Okay.” Apparently strawberry Kool-Aid was better than no Kool-Aid.

  “Okay what, Teeka?” Sharneesha corrected, her voice unnecessarily harsh, and I looked at her. A frown creased her forehead, her eyes narrowed to slits and Teeka looked like she was going to cry. The air grew heavy and the music faded into the background.

  “It’s okay,” I said, instantly in motion. “I understood what she meant.”

  But Sharneesha ignored me. “Teeka, how do you ask for something?” Her words were punctuated with sharp movements of her head.

  “May I hab’ sum ooo-Aid, pease?”

  “That’s better,” Sharneesha said, her face softening. The cloud of awkwardness disappeared in a puff and things slid back to normal.

  “Hold that thought,” I said as Henry raised his hand ready to slap a card on the table. “Let me take care of my little buddy. And before I hear someone calling my name, allow me to make this clear—all y’all are grown and no longer company, so get your own damn drinks.” And away I stepped, snapping my fingers to R. Kelly’s “Fiesta” all the way to the kitchen.

  The party had shaped up nicely: Sharneesha, Jonetta, and Henry at the card table looked like three bookends from three different sets. Sharneesha was wearing a body-hugging, long-sleeved cat suit that must have been picked up in the Junior’s section and the gold tint she had added to the tips of her hair sparkled as brightly as the Christmas tree. Jonetta was clad in the same dark brown sweater with flicks of green, red, and orange and a light brown corduroy skirt she’d worn at the office. Her eyes still coated in blue. As fashionable as any model from a GQ magazine, Henry wore his Gucci sweater and Gucci jeans and black Prada shoes. Darryl was perched on the arm of the sofa. Squeezed up like pigs in a blanket on the couch were Bridgett, Beatrice, and two male friends, one slurping up Sharneesha’s curves as though he was in the middle of the Sahara desert and she was water. The other man was slumped so far down in the sofa cushions, I thought he’d fallen asleep. The coffee table overflowed with dirty paper plates and half-empty cups. Bridgett frowned at Darryl, but he didn’t get the message.

  I was still dancing as I stirred the Kool-Aid to the beat of Bruno Mars.

  “Get it girl!” Darryl hollered and readjusted himself on the arm of the couch where he was doing his best not to ruin the crease in the slacks or muss the cashmere sweater he may have to take back to the store the next day.

  “Yeah, you go, girl!” Henry echoed as he flipped through my CD case. “Hey, we need to put some real Hip-Hop on; maybe some Jay- Z or Tupac or something, get this party jumpin’.”

  Laughing, I tossed a few ice cubes into Teeka’s Sippy cup. “I ain’t even gotten started.

  Watch me work.” I executed a twirl, dip, squat move, laughing on the way up.

  Henry whistled. “Yeah, you workin’ it. All we need to do now is get you a stripper pole and put you to work for real.”

  Keela had curled herself around a bowl of popcorn in the overstuffed brown recliner that had been shoved into the corner to make room. “Don’t talk like that in front of the baby,” she said.

  But Teeka was in her own world as she followed me from the kitchen, slurping happily, a red ring forming around her mouth.

  “What do you say, Teeka?” Sharneesha pushed at Teeka’s arm. She faced me as I sat down at the table.

  “Thank you, ‘ingston.” This was delivered with a delightful blink of her precious brown eyes.

  “You’re very welcome, Teeka.”

  “Now go back upstairs, finish watching your cartoons. And don’t spill your juice, do you hear me? You can’t pay for nothing around here.” Sharneesha sent Teeka toward the stairs with a pop on the butt.

  “Yes, Mommy.”

  Henry slammed down an ace of spades, winning the book and the game. “We are the champions,” he sang, cabbage patching in his seat.

  Sharneesha threw her cards on the table. “Puhleeze, that was nothing but luck.”

  “Don’t hate,” Henry said and I high-fived him, almost knocking over my eggnog.

  “This has been too much fun, but I think it’s time for us to get out of your hair.” An odd mixture of hiccups and giggles popped from Darryl’s mouth. “Get it? Get out of your hair?”

  Jonetta stood and stretched, her mouth twitching with laughter. “Don’t quit your day job." She reached for her purse. “I think that’s going to do it for me, too.”

  Bridgett, Beatrice, Vincent, and Leroy followed and Sharneesha pushed back her chair. “ I’m gonna go check on Teeka.”

  Henry waited until he could no longer hear Sharneesha’s footsteps on the stairs before angling his elbow in Darryl’s side.

  Darryl said, “Now Kingston, you know I don’t mean to get into your business, ‘cause I don’t want to be accused of being a busy-body.”

  “Ask her, already.”

  Darryl cleared his throat again. “How long have you known Sharneesha?”

  “We just started getting to know each other. Why?”

  “Well,” the word was drawn out through tightly clamped lips, “people have been kind of talking.”

  “Wait a minute.” Keela moved from the recliner to plop down in the chair that Sharneesha had vacated.

  “Like?” I said, rolling my hand in small circles. “This must be pretty good dirt if it’s taking you this long to get it out.”

  “Never mind, I’ll tell her.” Henry waved a dismissive hand at his partner and leaned in close, one hand splayed on the table. His diamond pinkie ring winked at me. “I have it on very good authority,” he said slowly, “that the police have been asking questions about her. Plain clothes policeman. Drugs were mentioned.” His voice lowered to a whisper as if the juiciest tidbit of gossip was about to be bestowed. “Plus, she doesn’t even own the place. She’s a renter.”

  Keela sucked in her breath and a hand flew to her chest. “She doesn’t look like a drug addict or a renter.”

  I looked at Keela and shook my head, not knowing whose ridiculous comment to address first.

  “If what you say is true, why wasn’t this brought up at an association meeting? As many rules and regulations as they have in our handbook, I’m sure there’s something against criminal activity,” I said, looking at Keela, “and renting.”

  Henry snapped his fingers. “I can’t know everything, Kingston. I’m telling you what we heard. Watch your back," he said as he stood up.

  Henry and Darryl brushed air kisses against our cheeks and wished us a Merry Christmas. Keela and I looked at each other as I locked the door behind them.

  “What do you think?” she asked.

  “I don’t know what to think.” I walked to the living room and started picking up dirty paper plates. Keela brought a garbage bag from the kitchen and we began loading it up.

  “She doesn’t seem like she’s into drugs.”

  I shrugged. “You never know about people. I think that’s been demonstrated in the past couple of days.”

  “Still, I don’t get that impression from her.” We cleaned in silence, giving the rumors just enough time to take root before Keela said, “She’s taking a mighty long time up there.”

  “Don’t be silly.” I laughed and carried the stuffed garbage bag downstairs and sat it in the garage. Then the rumor bloomed, maybe I didn’t know enough about Sharneesha to invite he
r and her daughter to move half way across the world with me.

  I wiped my hands on my jeans. “I had intended to talk to both of you, actually, but now..."

  Keela looked up from wiping the coffee table. “About?”

  “I’m about 90 percent sure that I’m going to Jamaica,” I paused. “Well, maybe 98.5 percent. I don’t think I could live with myself if I didn’t. And if I do go, I plan on leaving pretty quickly, maybe before the end of the year, depending on how soon I can get things wrapped up here. So, what I was thinking is that maybe you and Sharneesha could . . .”

  “Sharneesha could what?” Sharneesha asked as she walked into the kitchen. She looked at Keela, then me.

  “Is Teeka okay?” I asked, hanging the dishrag over the faucet.

  “She’s fast asleep on your bed.”

  “Good. Let her sleep. Both of you guys come sit down.” I twisted my hands together. “I was thinking it might be a great opportunity for both of you to come to Jamaica with me. I’m definitely going to need people to help me with the estate, we have a place to stay, it’s perfect.”

  “Move to Jamaica?” they said together.

  I looked at the confusion on both of their faces and decided to try easing in a different way. “What’s keeping you here? Sharneesha, you don’t have a job and in two days, they’re going to set your stuff out on the curb, and Keela, you’re about to have a baby so you’re not going to be working for a while. I thought this would be a way we could help each other. It’s a big step, I know, but Sharneesha you were saying how you wanted to move to a place where you’ve never been before, where there’s warmer weather all year long. How you wanted to be in a culturally diverse neighborhood so Teeka can be exposed to different kinds of people. And how you want a job where you are helping someone—so you can use your education to make a difference.” I almost quoted verbatim.

  “Yeah, but I thought we were just dreaming. You know talking about in a perfect world and all that shit. I never thought it would really happen.”

  “Maybe it could be a perfect world or at least a perfect solution to the situation you’re in.”

  “Yeah, but move to Jamaica?” Keela repeated.

  “Why not?” Neither one answered so I kept going. “I could see if you had a job, but you don’t. Even if you come for a few months and don’t like it, but don’t just shoot down the idea without thinking about it.”

  “Maybe it’s the hormones talking or the holiday spirit, but I’m really touched that you would be so concerned about me that you would want me to come with you to Jamaica.” Tears welled up in her eyes. “I feel a bout coming on.” She paused. “It’s a big step and I need a little bit of time to think it over. I’m not ruling it out. I just need time.” She seemed to be getting more upset so I backed down.

  “Trust me, I went through the same thing myself so I understand. Just thought I’d put it out there, see what you all thought.” I tried to hold in my disappointment. Keela and Sharneesha were not as excited as I thought they would be, but I did understand. I was in the same place not two days ago.

  I held out a hand to each of them, which they grabbed gratefully. “Take your time, think about it and let me know. I want the best for both of you and if there is anything I can do to help, I will.”

  Now everyone’s eyes brightened with emotion. “Not many people would go out of their way like this for someone else. I’m not used to being able to lean on anybody. It makes me wish we’d gotten to know each other sooner.”

  “We can’t live this life on our own,” I said.

  “You’re right about that.” Sharneesha stood and stretched, a guttural sound escaping. “I need to get Teeka home. Can’t party like I used to and I’m sure you want to get some sleep, too.”She smiled, then leaned down to hug me before running up the stairs.

  “Wanna crash here?” I asked when Sharneesha was out of earshot.

  “Nah, I think I’ll go home.”

  “Okay.” The word came out elongated, as I paused, reaching for more time. “Keela, you know my asking you to come to Jamaica was for purely selfish reasons. I don’t know how I am going to survive without my best friend.”

  Before she could answer, Sharneesha came downstairs carrying a still-sleeping Teeka. “ Can you grab her coat for me?”

  I picked up the purple Barbie doll fleece jacket and held it open so that Sharneesha could maneuver Teeka into it without waking her up.

  “I’ll walk out with you.” Keela grabbed her purse.

  Just as I was about to open the door, the bell rang.

  “Are you expecting anybody?” Keela asked and reached for the door.

  “Don’t open it,” I whispered and pulled both of them back toward the stairs. I jumped as the person rang the bell again and then, started knocking on the door.

  “Most burglars and rapists I know don’t ring the bell,” Keela said, with a slight smile.

  That made sense. “Well at least, ask who it is.”

  But before she could open her mouth, a voice with bass warm enough to melt even the coldest of souls, slid through three inches of solid wood. At the same time, my heart soared and my blood boiled.

  Damon.

  Chapter 27

  Thirty minutes later, standing with a fist planted on each hip and my foot tapping a tribal rhythm on the hardwood floor, I said, “Dammit, Damon, where do you get off just showing up like this? It’s two o’clock in the morning.”

  “I wanted to surprise you.” Damon raised his hands in a gesture of innocence, leaning in the recliner, his corduroy-clad legs propped up and crossed at the ankles as if he were at home in his living room, and not sitting in mine uninvited. He had graciously endured the kisses and questions from Keela, then the sexy looks from Sharneesha before I pushed both of them—and the still sleeping Teeka—out.

  Damon, however, insisted on walking Sharneesha to her house and Keela to her car. It was the right thing to do, but the gentlemanly gesture piled irritation on top of shock and anger.

  If Cocoa hadn’t needed to go outside and take care of her business, I might have locked the door and gone up to bed. But Cocoa did need to pee and I’d been forced to wait.

  Now, here he sat filling up my space with his overwhelming presence. I was on the verge of exploding.

  “Surprise me?” My fists clenched and I felt a neck swerve coming on.

  Damon flashed his signature playful grin. “Yeah, I thought I could be your Christmas present. Pretty good-looking package, eh? Wanna unwrap me?” He winked and opened his arms wide.

  I stood there looking at him in disbelief. This fool has lost his mind.

  “And while we’re talking about packages—you ain’t doing too bad yourself.”

  I crossed my arms in front of me as Damon’s eyes soaked me in. Chill bumps prickled every square inch of my body. The sexy, winter-white, Calvin Klein halter-top that I had thrown on earlier with a pair of skintight denims and high-heeled boots seemed like a good idea, but now I wasn’t so sure. I felt exposed.

  “Damon, it is two o’clock in the morning.” I stamped my foot for good measure, my finger shaking as erratically as my pulse. “Do you hear me? Who shows up on someone’s doorstep at such an ungodly hour without calling first? I’ll tell you who—a crazy person—that’s who!”

  One corner of his mouth twitched and a bushy eyebrow jumped as Damon struggled to keep a straight face. “So I take it you’re not happy to see me?”

  “Dammit, Damon, where do you get off sashaying in here, wearing my favorite cologne, charming my friends, and trying to take over my life?” I wailed, throwing my hands up and stalking over to the window. Staring outside was a lot less unsettling than looking at Damon.

  The snow had picked up momentum, looking close to becoming another winter storm. The sidewalk and parking lot were covered with at least three inches of fresh snow. “Trying to take over your life? Don’t you think that’s taking it a bit far?”

  “Take over my life,” I repeated. “Did yo
u ever even consider whether or not I wanted you here? I mean, I thought I had made myself clear on where I stood about us before I left Jamaica. And then here you go, showing up on my doorstep at two o’clock in the morning.” As I whirled to face him, I knew I was taking the drama to a whole ‘nother level. Most of my anxiety had nothing to do with Damon just showing up. It had nothing to do with him and everything to do with me.

  But Damon didn’t know that. His face constricted with regret as he sat up and folded his hands together. “I’m sorry Kingston, I didn’t mean to intrude. I thought you’d be happy to see me. I never meant to upset you.”

  The fortress that I had worked so hard to build up was destroyed in two seconds by the sorrow in Damon’s eyes. My shoulders started twitching and my eyes burned with tears. Before I could reel in my emotions, I broke down.

  “I am happy to see you. I just, I just . . .” I stammered. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” I went into the kitchen to grab a napkin, blew my nose loudly, then tossed it into the wastebasket.

  Damon walked up behind me. “Two points for Kingston Phillips,” he mimicked in his best impersonation of a basketball announcer.

  “It’s not funny.” Punching him lightly in the chest, I dissolved into more tears. “I think you make me crazy.”

  Damon watched me for a few more seconds—long enough for the tears to slow and my composure to return. “Come here.” He grabbed my hand.

  Following him back to the recliner, I crawled into his lap like a baby. “Mama Grace is gone and I gotta move to Jamaica and I found out Essence was sleeping with my boyfriend and ...”

  “It’s okay, sweetie. I’m here. Just let it all out.” And with each circle that he rubbed on my back, I did just that, releasing more and more until I felt like a mound of jelly.

  “Why do I always fall apart when you’re around?” I asked into his chest.

  Damon’s arms tightened around me. “Because you feel safe with me.”

  “But why is that when you’ve hurt me more than anybody else?”

  “I think you know that it’s not in my heart to intentionally hurt you—that I was only doing what I thought was best at the time. I hope you know that.”