by E. N. Joy
“He also said,”—she read the paper—“bring a date. L-O-L. Laugh out loud.”
Drake laughed at his brother’s inside joke. The day Dawson invited Drake to the event, he had told him to bring a date, just in case some of the guys from the locker room were there and had overhead Drake the day he confessed to never having been with a woman. He didn’t want anybody getting any ideas about his brother.
“All right. Thanks, Delilah.” Drake took the note from her hand and headed back to his office. He stopped in his tracks and turned around and looked at Delilah.
She could feel his eyes on her. She turned around excitedly. “Yes, Mr. Trinity?” Could it be? she thought. Could it be that the moment she had been waiting for since she could remember was about to take place? She swallowed hard as Drake stood there thinking.
“Would you mind doing me a favor?”
Oh, God, yes! Delilah shouted in her head. Yes, I’ll go to your brother’s event with you.
“Sure, Mr. Trinity. What is it?” Delilah said calmly, as if her insides weren’t screaming out.
“Get Hannah Wells on the phone for me. Would ya?” On that note, Drake disappeared behind the door.
The tears formed in Delilah’s eyes so quickly that she was immediately blinded. How could he? she asked herself. What’s wrong with me? What’s wrong with me?
Delilah wiped her tears away as she began having a conversation with herself in her head. I thought for sure all those embarrassing stories I told that little tramp about Drake would turn her off. Especially the one that was meant to instill the possibility of him being gay. Delilah shook her head. Guess I was wrong. Looks like Barbie is still holding on by a strand of her blonde hair. She wants herself a black man whether he be single, straight or gay. Just like a white woman. All of a sudden, Delilah’s hurt turned to anger. Her anger then turned to thoughts of revenge.
“Oh, I’ll get Miss Thing on the phone for you,” Delilah said to herself as she picked up her desk phone. “I’m sure she’d love to go to your brother’s event with you.” After Delilah flipped through the Rolodex for Hannah’s contact information, she called Hannah and put her through to Drake. She then pulled out her cell phone, which Hannah had used that day at the office to call Elkan. She scrolled through her electronic phone book until she got to the number she had saved under “Her Husband.” She knew that number would come in handy someday. A wicked grin spread across her thin lips. “I hope you two have fun out on your little date. I just hope you guys don’t mind if her husband joins y’all.”
Hannah logged off her computer when she heard Elkan enter the house. She went downstairs to greet him. “Hey, honey,” she said with a kiss. “How was your day?”
“Excellent,” he replied, returning her affection. “Settled a big case today.”
“Umm, then let’s celebrate. Speaking of which, what are you doing tomorrow evening?”
“Oh, babe, something just came up. I got a phone call today and there’s an event I have to—”
“Darn,” Hannah whined before Elkan could even finish.
“Don’t be sad, baby. All that means is that it looks like we’re going to have to celebrate tonight.” Elkan lifted Hannah and carried her to their bedroom.
Just that quickly, as her husband loved up on her, she had forgotten all about her disappointment about him being busy tomorrow evening. Drake had called and invited both her and Elkan to the event at the gym. He thought it might be a good opportunity for them to come network and possibly pick up some new clients. New owners always meant the opportunity for new business.
Unbeknownst to Hannah, Drake had also invited Hannah for some selfish reasons of his own. He had been praying to God to deliver him from that spirit of lust he had been feeling for Hannah. He thought it might help to see her happily joined with her husband. If that didn’t work, though, he knew what he had to do; cut off his and Hannah’s relationship altogether. It brought in decent business, but he was willing to give up all of that if it meant not jeopardizing his walk . . . of course, a little part of him hoped that he didn’t have to.
The next day at work for Locksie was productive—until a semi-truck carrying deadly gas fumes turned over and the salon, as well as surrounding businesses, was forced to evacuate. There were four customers in the salon at the time. One was a woman under the hairdryer with a roller set, one was a girl utilizing the tanning bed, a gentleman waiting on a haircut, and a lady in Locksie’s chair getting her long hair blow-dried so that Locksie could flat-iron it.
The fire department wouldn’t allow the woman under the dryer to stay there until her hair was completely dry. They wouldn’t let Locksie flat-iron the other woman’s hair, which she had already blow-dried. Fortunately for the girl tanning, she was exiting the tanning bed when the fireman entered to evacuate them.
Locksie gave the woman under the dryer permission to leave with the rollers in her hair if she promised to return them the next morning. The hair of the woman in the chair was so straight from the combed blow-dryer that Locksie decided against a flat-iron anyway and was content with just a little sheen. All worked out well. Locksie even told the gentleman who had been waiting on a haircut that if he came back tomorrow for his cut, she’d give him fifty percent off. There were no displeased patrons. And Locksie was more than happy to be getting out of there early.
It wasn’t until Locksie got home that she realized that now she would be able to attend Dawson’s event at his job. She immediately raced to call him up on her cell phone to tell him the good news. Perhaps they could even stop and pick up a DVD afterwards.
Just as Locksie picked up the phone to dial Dawson’s number, she changed her mind about calling him. “Why don’t I just surprise him instead?”
Locksie hung up the phone and headed to the shower so that she could get cleaned up and dressed and head to Dawson’s job. Little did she know, the evening was about to be full of surprises.
Chapter 40
“I’m so glad you could make it,” Dawson said to Peni as they stood by the refreshment table in the gym, drinking one of the power drinks a sponsor had supplied for the grand re-opening.
“Who, me? Decline an invite from the most beautiful man in the world?” Peni flirted. “Not to mention the best . . .” She whispered the rest in his ear.
Dawson blushed at the sexy compliment. Just then he spotted Drake coming his way. “Wait here,” he told Peni. “I just spotted someone I know.”
Drake spotted Dawson at the same time. He put up his hand to wave and started heading toward Dawson and Peni, but then he heard his name being called. He turned back around and saw Hannah coming in the door behind him. Dawson watched the woman at the doorway flag down Drake as he turned around to go greet her.
“Oh, just a sec,” Dawson said as he turned back to face Peni. “Looks like his date just arrived.”
“Who?” Peni said as she began to scan the room.
“My brother.” Dawson turned and pointed as Drake and Hannah came walking in their direction.
“I was expecting your husband to show up,” Drake told Hannah as they walked, Hannah smiling at him the entire time.
“I know. I wanted him to come too.” Hannah had a disappointed tone. “But something came up at the last minute. Some event he had to go to. He felt bad. I told him not to, that Reggie was going to come with me.”
“Oh, yeah?” Drake said as he slowed his pace, looked back at the door and around the room. “Reggie’s coming?”
“Well, he said he would, but then something popped up on his schedule, too, so he can’t join me either.” There was that disappointed tone in her voice again. “Looks like all the men in my life keep standing me up.”
“Not to fret, my dear. You’ve got me.” Just as Drake said those words, he grabbed Hannah’s hand and they stood in front of Dawson and Peni.
“Well, introduce me to this lady with you,” Dawson said to his brother.
With Hannah’s hand still in his, Drake opened his mo
uth.
“Hannah!” Peni shouted out before Drake could speak a word.
“Peni!” Hannah replied after finally looking up and noticing that other people were in the room besides Drake. “I uh, uh, didn’t see you . . . recognize you,” Hannah stammered.
“I bet you didn’t.” An evil smirk was plastered on Peni’s face.
“You two know each other?” Dawson asked, looking from Peni to Hannah.
Just then, Hannah recognized Dawson as the gentleman who was in the car that day with Peni.
“My date asked you a question,” Peni said, looping her arm through Dawson’s, still with a wicked grin on her face. “Answer the man. How do we know each other?”
“Your date?” a voice erupted. “Your date?” Locksie looked to Dawson for an explanation as she approached the foursome.
“Locksie, baby,” Dawson said as his heart dropped to his knees.
“Dawson, what’s going on?” Locksie demanded to know, not paying attention to anyone but Dawson.
“Dawson,” Hannah mumbled. She knew there was something familiar about him. She had never met Dawson in person before, and the only picture of him she had seen was the one that Locksie had sitting at her station when he had hair and a goatee. She didn’t recognize him with his bald head and no facial hair.
Upon hearing a familiar voice speak Dawson’s name, Locksie turned her head. “Hannah?” She looked to Drake and shook her head. “Oh, my God. I can’t believe this. Hannah, you are supposed to be my friend and yet here you are on a double date with my boyfriend and his ho.”
“Wait, Locksie. It’s not what you think. I’m here with Drake only.” Hannah looped her arm through Drake’s in an effort to show Locksie that she had nothing to do with whatever was going on between Dawson and Peni. She was just about to further explain how she came about attending the event with Drake, until a baritone voice boomed from behind her.
“So, you are, are you?” Elkan chimed in. “You’re here with Drake? Drake only?” Elkan looked to Hannah with menacing eyes. “I thought you were going to some business function with Reggie tonight.”
“Elkan, honey.” Hannah loosed her arm from Drake’s. “Let me explain.”
“Yeah, I think a whole lot of explaining needs to be done,” Locksie stated, her lip trembling while her heart ached. She was trying hard to keep on a game face. “I now know, Hannah, why you lied to me a few months back about going somewhere with Reggie and then I see you and Drake at the Hilton. Heck, you were probably waiting on the other half of your double date to show up.”
“The Hilton?” Elkan said, grabbing Hannah’s arm.
“And I’m the ho?” Peni spat.
“Peni, what are you doing here?” Elkan had just noticed her.
“Peni!” Locksie stated. “The Peni?”
“Well, my date was about to introduce his brother and his date to me until—” Peni attempted to answer.
“See, Locksie—introduce,” Hannah reasoned. “Did you hear that? She said Dawson was about to introduce us. I have never even been in the presence of these two before except for that day at the babysitter’s house when they were together in his car . . .”
“What?” Locksie yelled, becoming even more angry. “And you didn’t tell me?”
“I didn’t realize—” Hannah tried to explain.
“Hey, honey muffin,” Reggie called out as he walked up. “What’s going on over here? All eyes are on you guys, so I couldn’t help but spot you.”
“Reggie,” Hannah said in relief. Now he could explain to Elkan how he was actually supposed to be there with her and how he had been at the Hilton but had to leave. But before he could explain, not even noticing Elkan, he extended his hand to Drake.
“Drake, my man,” Reggie stated. “It’s good to see you again. You been taking care of my girl here?” He pointed to Hannah.
“Yeah, he’s been taking care of her all right,” Elkan snapped. He turned to Reggie. “So, you’ve known about the affair too?”
Locksie chimed in. “Looks like everybody knew about our mate’s affairs but us.”
Elkan wasn’t interested in Locksie’s misery-loves-company antics. He turned to her. “You’re just as bad. You see my woman at a hotel with another man that you know is not her husband . . . What kind of friend allows another friend to make such a mistake?”
“Whoa, hold up, hey!” Reggie said, holding up his hands. “I feel like Larry from Three’s Company and I’ve walked in at the end of a bad episode.” Reggie chuckled, trying to ease the tension in the atmosphere.
“Dawson, is everything all right here?” the new owner of the gym suddenly appeared. The group kept getting louder and louder, so he felt the need to intervene. “Are you and Peni okay?” The owner had taken the time to come into the gym often and get to know the employees. The day he met Dawson, he just happened to be training Peni, so the owner had remembered her from that day.
“So, how long have you been screwing Peni here?” Locksie spat, poking Dawson in the chest with her index finger.
“That’s no way for a Christian to act,” Dawson replied. “Is it, Drake?”
“Who is a non-Christian to tell a Christian how they should act? You ain’t read the rule book,” Locksie spat back.
“There ain’t no rule book,” was Dawson’s comeback.
“There is so. It’s called a Bible, fool!” Locksie poked him again.
“Come on now, Locksie.” Drake tried to calm her by gently taking hold of her arm. “The last thing I want to see is my sister in Christ lose her religion.”
Locksie snatched away from Drake. “Sister in Christ my foot! You runnin’ around with a married woman.”
“Locksie, that’s not true!” Hannah shouted. “If you’d just let me explain . . .”
Elkan grabbed Hannah’s arm. “Well, you can explain to me at home. Let’s go.” His grip was tight. Hannah winced.
“Man, all that ain’t necessary,” Drake said as he reached for Hannah in an attempt to release her from Elkan. The next thing Drake knew, he was resting in darkness. He could have sworn he saw stars; he thought he might be on his way up to heaven. But after coming to and seeing punches being thrown, hair weave and earrings flying and the sounds of police sirens, he knew heaven could wait. There was still a whole mess on planet Earth that needed his attention.
Chapter 41
It had been a week since the outrageous incident at the gym. The work on Mary’s house had been completed, and Locksie was now living in it. After not getting home from the gym that night until after midnight, thankful that no one had been arrested or taken to jail, Locksie immediately began packing her things. As she packed, Dawson unpacked, begging and pleading with her to just hear him out.
“I just want to know one thing,” Locksie said to him. “Did you sleep with her?”
“Locksie, it’s not that easy—”
“Oh, trust me, Dawson. I know just how easy it is. I ain’t been saved all my life, remember?”
“Locks, that’s not what I mean.”
“Then just answer me. Did you sleep with Peni?” There was silence. Dawson lowered his head. “That’s all I needed to know.”
That night, Locksie, without allowing Dawson to explain anything else to her, loaded her car with all that could fit and moved into the house her aunt had willed to her. Two days later, Two Men and a Truck made sure the rest of her belongings were moved as well.
Dawson was suspended from work for a week after a hearing to determine whether he should lose his job altogether for being involved in the fight at the gym. Normally, Dawson wasn’t a violent person, but when he saw Elkan deliver such an explosive blow to Drake, he had to intervene with a power punch of his own. When Hannah saw her husband get hit, she immediately jumped on Dawson’s back. Angry at him or not, Locksie wasn’t about to stand there and let some other chick scratch up her man; she felt she was entitled to that privilege herself, so she began to pull at Hannah, trying to get her from around Dawson. Next
thing she knew, Hannah released Dawson, and both Locksie and Hannah went flinging into Peni. It was a mess.
Officers arrived at the scene and interviewed each party involved individually. After hearing what everybody had to say, the officers decided not to arrest anyone. They felt that if they did haul them off to jail, their superiors wouldn’t believe the story anyway. They further concluded that the judge would probably bust his gut laughing at the entire scenario. So, they were all given a warning and told to seek counseling . . . and if counseling didn’t work, to write a story about their lives; it was sure to be a bestseller.
It was the first Saturday Locksie had off in months, and she sat at the kitchen table sipping on a cup of coffee. She pictured her aunt Mary sitting across from her, sipping on a cup of her own, like they had done for years. Tears formed in Locksie’s eyes, but before they could fall, the doorbell rang.
Locksie wondered who could it be. She knew it wasn’t Dawson because the night at the gym, the officers had also suggested that the couples give each other some space—time to cool down—and if they got a single complaint about one person bothering another, there would be an immediate arrest; no questions asked. That threat had kept Dawson away from Locksie and from calling her on her job, where there were witnesses who could attest to his harassment. Getting her cell phone number changed had stopped his phone calls.
Locksie got to the door and looked out the peephole. She sighed, debating whether to open the door for the unexpected visitor. After a few more moments and now a knock, she decided to open the door.
“Hey . . .” Locksie said, for lack of a better greeting.
“Hey,” Hannah replied.
There was silence.
“Would you, uh, like to come in?” Locksie moved aside and gestured for Hannah to enter her home. Hannah nodded and proceeded.
Locksie closed and locked the door behind them. The two women just stood in silence; one not knowing what to say to the other. Hannah and Locksie hadn’t spoken since the night of the fight. Hannah had been too busy trying to save her marriage. By the time she finally did get around to calling Locksie, her cell phone number had been changed. She had thought about calling up at the salon or stopping by, but enough drama had already taken place at Dawson’s place of work. The last thing she wanted was to cause a scene at Locksie’s job and risk her livelihood too.