Crossroads

by Skyy

  “Denise Chambers,” a short woman standing in the doorway called.

  Denise took a deep breath and stood up. She walked toward the door.

  Someone tugged on her pants. “Good luck in there.”

  The chocolate beauty’s African accent intrigued Denise. Denise snuck another look at the girl before walking to the back.

  Denise wanted to die. She stood in a black floor-length evening gown that was worth more than everything she owned. She tried to focus on not tripping in the stiletto heels they put her in.

  Denise tried to stand tall. Her new agent told her the designer was a big deal and personally asked to see her. Deep down she hoped it would be as easy as the Jocku booking, but from the looks of the dresses, she knew she would be a hard sell.

  Two double doors opened. Melanie Guston walked in the room. Mariah had schooled Denise on the hot designer. From Mariah’s praise she expected a stunning beauty; instead, the woman looked more like Denise than any other person she’d met in the industry. Melanie’s hair was braided in three big corn rows to the back. Her blue-and-white Jordan’s matched her blue-and-white Jordan jogging suit.

  Denise tried not to stare as two women fitted the dress around her. She couldn’t believe the same woman in the jogging suits created the dress she had on.

  Melanie’s eyes shifted to Denise’s face. Melanie’s eyes widened. She put her hand up to her mouth.

  Denise suddenly felt nervous as the woman stared at her with a surprised look on her face.

  “Is everything OK?” Denise questioned. She got the funny feeling something was wrong.

  Melanie’s eyes were glossy. She blinked. Denise didn’t know what had happened. It seemed Melanie’s body was the room, but her mind was obviously somewhere else.

  Melanie turned away. She walked to her desk and sat down.

  “So you are Denise.” Melanie’s voice was light and airy.

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “And your last name is Chambers?” Melanie asked, looking down at a folder.

  “Yes.”

  Melanie glanced back at Denise. Her face was flushed. Denise didn’t know how to respond.

  “You have very stunning features, Denise. Good for print, but what about runway?”

  “I’ve never done runway.” Denise cringed at the thought of walking down a catwalk. “I honestly just started modeling. I was really a ball player.” Denise noticed Melanie staring at her again. “I’m sorry, but did you want me to turn another way or something?”

  Melanie snapped back to reality. “I’m sorry, you just ... you just are the spitting image of someone I know.”

  “Oh.” Denise responded. She hoped her face didn’t show the confusion she felt.

  Melanie closed the folder. She stood up and walked over to Denise. She began to circle the platform, evaluating every inch of Denise.

  “And do you want to do runway?”

  “Honestly?”

  Melanie’s right brow rose. “Yes.”

  “No.” Denise looked directly in Melanie’s eyes.

  Melanie stared back, her lips curved upward. She let out a chuckle. “Well, at least you are honest. You can go change now.”

  The two women helped Denise down off the pedestal. Denise flipped the shoes off before heading to change.

  Melanie watched as Denise walked away. She motioned to the two women. They exited the room, closing the door behind them.

  Denise came out of the dressing room feeling comfortable again.

  Melanie was sitting in her chair. She looked up at Denise and motioned for her to come and sit in a black chair next to her desk.

  Denise sat down. Her eyes met Melanie’s.

  “Your eyes ...” Melanie’s soft voice was almost a whisper. “Stunning. You get them from your mother.”

  “I don’t know if I got them from her or not. I never really paid attention.”

  “You weren’t close with your mother?” Melanie hung on to every word coming from Denise’s mouth.

  “No, we weren’t close at all.”

  Melanie’s eyes were glossy again. “A shame.”

  Denise felt her body tensing up. Nerves were getting the better of her.

  “Well, my mother wasn’t really around. I was raised by my grandmother.”

  “Oh, OK.” Melanie sighed.

  Denise felt a hint of sorrow in Melanie’s voice. “Well . . .”—Melanie stood up—“You are no model, Ms. Chambers.”

  Denise looked up around her. She looked at the door. “I wouldn’t say that. I’m just—”

  “No, I would.” Melanie lit a Slim cigarette. “You stumbled into this, but you do not want it. You don’t like the life of a model. I can tell.”

  Denise shifted in her seat. Her Jocku jeans were slightly baggy with her tight-fitting black tee.

  “So I guess that’s your way of saying you’re not interested?”

  Denise felt incredibly comfortable next to the designer.

  “As a model, no.” Melanie walked away. “But there could be something more. You remind me a lot of myself, Denise, a butch woman in a career not normally suited for her.” Melanie picked up a brown envelope. “But somehow we are making it work.” Melanie walked back to Denise and handed her the envelope. “Be there.”

  Denise looked at Melanie with a curious look. “Wait, you are using me?”

  “Heavens, no, you are not a model.” Melanie laughed.

  Denise didn’t know if she was more embarrassed or angry.

  “Then what is this?”

  “An invitation. Just be there. Now, good-bye, Denise Chambers.” Melanie clapped her hands. Immediately the two fitters walked back into the room.

  Confused, Denise walked out the room, envelope in hand.

  Lena knocked on the brown door. Terrin didn’t have the sliding door she had, since her loft place didn’t take up a whole floor. Lena’s hands tingled like she had been sitting on them for hours. She shook them, hoping the sensation would ease.

  “I’m coming,” Terrin yelled.

  Lena froze. She almost hoped Terrin wasn’t home.

  Terrin opened the door, causing Lena’s eyes to widen at Terrin’s muscular arms in her wife-beater. Her stomach had a slight pot belly like a person who overate. Lena found her attractive.

  Terrin smiled. “Well, this is a pleasant surprise.”

  Lena blushed. “Well, I wanted to say thanks for everything from the other night. I was wondering if you, um, wanted to grab a bite to eat or something.” Lena lowered her eyes, trying to hide her embarrassment.

  Terrin’s face lit up. She quickly scanned Lena’s frame. She couldn’t believe how sexy Lena was. Lena’s hair hung down on her shoulders. “Are you asking me on a date?”

  Lena smirked. “I’m asking if you want to grab a bite to eat.”

  “Sure, I’d love to go on a date with you.” Terrin winked. “Let me put on some real clothes.” Terrin opened the door.

  Lena walked in. “I think you look OK,” Lena said as Terrin walked off. She knew the look well. Basketball shorts and a wife-beater was her favorite outfit on Denise.

  Terrin’s shorter frame didn’t compare to Denise’s, but it didn’t matter to Lena. There was something else pulling Lena to her.

  “Please don’t come out looking all fresh. I didn’t get dressed up.” Lena sat on the small brown sofa. She noticed the small DVD collection; they had similar tastes in movies.

  “Girl, whatever,” Terrin yelled from the back. “I just gotta keep up with you.”

  “I didn’t dress up.”

  “Yeah, even with your jeans and white tee, you look like you stepped out of a fashion magazine.” Terrin walked out, her basketball shorts replaced with a pair of Ed Hardy jeans with an Ed Hardy graphic tee covered with a diamond skull.

  “Wow, you dress fast.” Lena stood up.

  “I was actually getting ready to change and go to the club.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t—”

  “Lena, it’s
cool. It’s just the club. Same ole dykes I see all the time. Your offer is much more appealing.”

  Terrin’s smile sent chills down Lena’s spine.

  Lena walked closer to Terrin. “So, why don’t we just go where you were going.”

  Terrin paused. “You want to go to the gay club?”

  “Sure, why not? I’ve been to a gay club before.” Lena thought about her first gay club experience with Denise on New Year’s a year back, the first time they almost kissed.

  “Well, if you want to, let’s do it.”

  “Do I need to change?” Lena said, looking down at her fitted seven jeans and white Bebe shirt, what she considered her plain-Jane clothes.

  Terrin shook her head. “You look great.”

  The small club was packed with wall-to-wall lesbians. Lena held on to Terrin’s hand as they walked through the dimly lit nightspot. Club lights flickered and flashed on the small dance floor. The pool table was inhabited with a group of butch women watching two others playing an intense game. The customers were predominately black women, unlike the karaoke bar Terrin took her to before. Lil Wayne’s latest hit blared through the speakers as women bumped and grinded on the dance floor.

  Lena was surprised by the look. It wasn’t like any club in Atlanta. People were dressed down, not that many tight skirts and club outfits she was used to seeing.

  “Are you all right?” Terrin looked at Lena with a concerned glare.

  “Why do you say that?”

  “’Cause you are cutting off my circulation.” Terrin laughed.

  Lena realized how tightly she was holding on to Terrin’s arm. She quickly let go.

  “I’m sorry. I don’t know what is wrong with me.”

  Terrin took Lena’s hands in hers, and their eyes met. “Don’t be nervous, I’d never let anything happen to you.”

  Terrin’s words soothed Lena. She felt her nerves calming down. Lena smiled as Terrin guided her through the club. They walked up to a table with three other women. The women looked at each other with confusion in their eyes.

  Terrin shook her head as they made it to the table.

  “What’s up, y’all? This is Lena. Lena, these are my friends Precious, Angel and Cat.”

  Lena shook hands with each woman. She could tell they were sizing her up. Angel and Precious were both femmes, and Cat was the only stud.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Deena,” Angel said in a nasty/ nice tone. She didn’t know what to think of Lena.

  “Nice to meet you too, but it’s Lena.” Lena sized Angel up first. She knew her type well ... cute and was probably used to being the cutest in the group. The emergence of Lena would not work well for her ego.

  Lena noticed a silver bracelet on Angel’s arm. “That is a nice bracelet. I love that.” Lena smiled.

  Angel’s face lit up. She loved compliments, especially from women who could take her in the beauty department. It meant they found something good about her.

  “Thanks, girl I”—Angel’s smiled dropped when she noticed the Tiffany silver hanging around Lena’s arm and neck. “I got it from this little store in New York, paid a grip for it. But it was worth it.” Angel pulled her hand back some.

  “Well, girl, that is nice.” Lena flashed her smile. She knew the silver probably came from a silver store out of the mall at the most.

  “We weren’t expecting Terrin to show up with anyone. This is a real surprise.” The chubby Precious took a sip of her Apple Smirnoff.

  “Chill, P,” Terrin said, pulling a chair out for Lena.

  “What? I think it’s great. She is a cutie,” Precious said to Terrin like Lena wasn’t sitting there.

  “I’m going to the bar. Y’all need anything?” Cat got out of her chair. She was the tallest of them. Her hair was cut in a short boy cut. Her clothes hung off her thin frame.

  Lena hated when women wore clothes too many sizes too big. Even with the huge shirt, she could tell Cat had big breasts. Her sports bra did nothing, causing her breasts to hang down. Lena knew she was in need of a serious makeover.

  “I’ll come with you.” Terrin put her arm on Lena’s back. “Do you want anything?”

  “Anything fruity would be nice,” Lena said, knowing the club didn’t have a full bar.

  The club’s crowd grew as the night went on. The DJ’s mix of hip-hop, top forty and a few tracks of rock kept the crowd on the floor.

  Terrin hung to Lena’s side, pushing her chair close enough to rest her arm on the back of Lena’s chair. Lena laughed at Terrin and her friends. She got along with them well. Even Angel warmed up to her.

  Lena could feel the buzz of her fourth drink. She bounced her head with Beyoncé’s “Get Me Bodied.”

  Terrin licked her lips and rubbed them together like she was L.L. Cool J.

  “Let’s dance.” Terrin stood up.

  “Oh, umm, I’m—”

  “Not taking no for an answer.” Terrin held her hand out.

  Lena couldn’t help but blush. She placed her hand in Terrin’s, and they walked to the crowded dance floor.

  Bodies pushed against each other as they moved to the beat. Lena popped her round butt right against Terrin’s pelvis. Terrin nodded in approval. Lena let the music take over her body, swaying and grinding to the beat.

  A tall, thick woman walked up in front of Lena and began to dance. Lena soon found herself in the middle of a six-person sandwich on the floor. She felt the woman’s breasts rubbing against hers as Terrin’s body grinded against her backside. Lena’s pussy began to throb as she glanced down at the woman’s cleavage.

  “You sexy as hell, mama.” The woman licked her red plump lips.

  Lena smiled.

  The woman pulled Lena closer, their pelvises grinding against each other.

  Terrin watched as Lena rubbed her hands up the woman’s thick thighs. Other woman watched the sexy show Lena and the women were putting on.

  The woman gently grabbed Lena’s hair, causing Lena’s head to fall back into Terrin’s chest. The woman kissed Lena on her neck.

  Lena grinded her butt against Terrin in a sexy, circular motion, and Terrin pulled Lena closer to her. The woman followed suit, coming closer to the two. Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” began to play. Women coupled up, grinding as though they were in the privacy of their own homes.

  Lena and Terrin stared at each other as they gyrated to the beat. Lena felt her panties getting moist as she stared into Terrin’s big brown eyes. Without hesitation, Lena pressed her lips against Terrin’s. In that moment, nothing else mattered. There was no floor full of people.

  Terrin’s tongue massaged Lena’s; it seemed like they were the only two in the room. Terrin’s hands roamed up and down Lena’s back, her index finger grazing the nape of Lena’s neck, sending shivers down Lena’s body.

  Their focus broke as a woman bumped into them. Lena looked at Terrin, whose eyes fixated on Lena as though she wanted to take her right there.

  “I’m sorry.” Lena lowered her head.

  Terrin’s index finger pushed Lena’s chin back up. “Don’t apologize. Never apologize for doing that. Feel free to do it anytime you want.”

  Terrin’s intensity was a pleasant change from her usual silly nature. Lena felt her internal fire burning.

  “Terrin, how long did you want to stay here?”

  “Ready when you are.”

  “In that’s case, let’s go.”

  27

  “Shit!” Mariah jumped as she turned the lights on in her apartment. Denise sat on the couch staring in her direction. “You scared the shit out of me.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Why are you sitting in the dark?” Mariah dropped her briefcase on the floor and stepped out of her Louboutin heels. They were the only shoes she wouldn’t kick off.

  “I was just thinking.” Denise stared into space.

  Mariah sat on the couch next to her.

  “Thinking about what?”

  “My life.”

 
Mariah’s eyes slightly slanted. She pushed her red hair back behind her ears. “What about it?”

  Denise glanced over at Mariah. She turned to her and placed her hands on Mariah’s leg. “Mariah, I really appreciate all that you have done for me ...”

  “But?” Mariah slowly pushed Denise’s hands away, her face covered with concern.

  “Don’t be like that.” Denise put her hands over Mariah’s. “It’s not what you think.”

  “I think you are trying to let me down gently. Is that not right?”

  Denise smirked. “No, it’s not. I don’t want to leave you alone. I just ... Mariah this whole modeling thing really isn’t for me.”

  Denise stood up.

  Mariah watched as Denise paced the floor. Mariah sighed. She sat back on the couch.

  “Is that it?”

  Denise paused. “Yeah. I sat in that go-see and I looked at the faces of the women who actually love and want it. I knew then it wasn’t for me.”

  “Denise, I was just trying to find you a job.”

  “Yeah, and I appreciate all that you have done. A normal woman would be in heaven. But it’s just not me.”

  Mariah rested her elbow on the back of the couch and put her head in her hand. “So, what do you want to do, Denise?”

  Denise plopped back down on the couch. “I have no idea.”

  “Well.” Mariah sat back up. “You have your contract with Jocku that you need to complete. But, besides that, you have enough money to take the time to figure out what you want. You can stay here as long as you want.”

  “Thanks, but that’s another thing. It’s not my style to live off someone else.”

  “Denise ...”

  “But I also know that money I have won’t go very far in this city,” Denise said, looking into Mariah’s eyes. “So I think that we should come up with some kind of rent thing.”

  Mariah laughed. “Denise, my apartment is paid for. I own this place. I don’t rent.”

  “Oh. I guess that makes sense.” Denise lowered her head. “OK, well, how about I pay some other bill. Maybe the cable or put in on utilities.”