A Weekend Affair (13 page)

“How?”

“Because if you hadn't, you would be scolding me right now.”

“I mean, you're grown, so you can do what you want.”

“Which is apparently what
you
did.”

She took a bite of her bacon, and then looked back up at me. “Yes, I did, and no, I don't regret it. I thought I would, but I don't. It was fun actually, and it was worth it.”

I couldn't believe it. The woman who was against one-night stands had participated in one. Then again, I'd done the same. So there we were, two peas in a pod. Of course, I needed to know if he was as good in bed as he looked.
Had
to know. Diego was fine as shit and being as tall as he was, I had to wonder if he was well equipped.

“So is he one of those brothers whose height and good looks makes up for the fact he has a little dick?” I asked.

“No, I must say, he is
very
well taken care of in the penis department. Took me a minute to adjust to the size.”

I grinned wide. It had been so long since she'd had some good dick. I knew it was crass, but I didn't understand her pain until my husband had started to drop the ball sexually in our marriage. It really sucked not to be getting good sex, but it sucked more when you had available dick, and they still couldn't satisfy you. So I would never be mad at her for taking the bull by the horns and riding that motherfucker until the hooves fell off.

We laughed and talked some more, then cleaned up the kitchen as we talked about the night before. Afterward, we took some time to pick out outfits for the day. She chose black tights that looked as if they had been painted on, a cute turquoise baby doll top with high-top sneakers of the same colors. I thought the simple attire looked absolutely gorgeous on her. Showed off her shape and brought out the youthful features she had.

I decided to be daring. I grabbed a pair denim shorts to go over my black leggings. I hadn't worn shorts in years, and I knew if Malik had seen me in them he would have a fit. But as I slid them over my thighs and hips, I couldn't help but enjoy the freedom this weekend had allotted me. I pulled on a fish tail button-down shirt. The fish tail just meant it was longer in the back than in the front. I had on black combat boots that came up to my knees.

I pulled my braids into a ponytail, then went to help Gabby style her locs. The woman had a lot of healthy hair, and I often wondered how she handled it when I wasn't around. Anytime she and I got together, she said she would breathe a sigh of relief that I could help her do her locs. Not that she couldn't, it was just that I knew an array of styles she could wear and often styled her hair in many of them.

Once we were all fancied up and ready to go, we headed out. I was glad it hadn't started to rain again. I really wanted to get out and enjoy the day. The drive to town wasn't really much of a drive at all. The streets were blocked off so you had to pay for parking and walk the rest of the way to whichever event you wanted to take in. There was a big DJ booth set up at the end of the street and a makeshift dance floor that already seemed to be crowded. Grills were going at every corner. Food trucks sat about. You could smell different kinds of food for miles. Arts and crafts were on display, as well as hand sewn clothing being sold by different African American designers. The weather didn't seem to be on anyone's mind.

“So, you plan on seeing Carl again before you leave?” Gabby asked me once we had parked the car.

We passed through the sea of people crowding the street. I looked up at the big banner advertising the twenty-fifth annual celebration for the black community in Savannah and the year's theme was “Dare to Dream; Create a Legacy.” Gabby had wanted to catch the play
Flyin' West.
As the day went on, she and I found ourselves in the thick of things. If you didn't know, Savannah had a rich African American history. Gabby and I were trying to keep cognizant of the time since at seven that evening we were supposed to head to the Savannah State University's Kennedy Fine Arts Building to see
Flyin' West
.

The play was set in Nicodemus, Kansas, in 1898, and depicts the story of courageous, black pioneer women, former slaves, and free women of color, who went west to build a new life for themselves. Gabby was all for women's empowerment and loved things that showed how we as black women overcame such a tumultuous time.

I wanted to catch the W. W. Law Lecture Series, named after Westley Wallace Law who was born in the 1920s and was one of the most prominent civil rights leaders in Savannah. So we started to walk toward the Savannah Civic Center. We had our whole day mapped out.

I shook my head. “I don't think I can do that again. I just can't. I'm barely able to live with myself now. As good as he was in bed, I'm good on that. What about you? You thinking about getting some of Diego again?”

She smiled. “I did tell Diego he was invited if he wanted to come back.”

My eyes widened. “What?”

“Hey, don't judge me. It's been a minute. And besides, who says a woman can't enjoy a little responsible fun?”

“Errr . . . you.
You
told me that.”

“Do as I say, darn it, not as I do!” she said with a laugh.

I playfully shoved her. “You're so full of it.”

Shell and I walked around checking out the various booths that lined the streets. The temperature had warmed up nicely, despite the looming clouds. While it appeared to be the calm before the storm, the threat of rain didn't deter the throngs of revelers. Although the event was designed to celebrate the rich heritage of black Americans, people from all backgrounds partook in the numerous festivities. Good food, good drink, and good music all seemed to have a way of bringing people together.

Generally, I'm a very healthy person, but this was my weekend to indulge. I was dying for something sweet and came across a shop located on East River Street. Savannah's Candy Kitchen had just what I needed to fill my craving. I dragged Shell inside, much to her dismay.

“Gabby, why do I have to go in there with you? I'll probably gain ten pounds just
looking
at all that stuff,” she protested.

Sighing, I said, “Ma'am, if it makes you feel any better, you can wait outside.” I knew how sensitive she was about her weight.

She quickly bolted for the door, leaving me standing there with my mouth open. As I surveyed the shop, I noticed the wide assortment of confections; an assortment of pralines, taffies, turtles, baked goods, fudges, and numerous other sweets filled the place. I needed to pick something quickly before I went overboard. I settled on a quarter pound of maple walnut fudge, then made my way back to Shell.

She was at a booth that sold scented oils. I had a weakness for those; owned quite a few. I loved them because not only could they be used as body fragrances; they also could be used in oil warmers at home. I picked out a few for myself, as well as for Shell, paying the vendor.

“Damn, Gabby.”

“What?” I was taken aback by her reaction.

“You have to stop spending your money on me. You make me feel like a pauper because I can't really afford anything.”

My brow furrowed in confusion. “It's just a few bottles of scented oil. What's the big deal?”

“The big deal is I couldn't even afford to buy them for myself.”

While I understood why she felt the way she did as far as her money situation was concerned, what I couldn't understand was why, after we'd had been friends for so long, she would still have issues with me doing little things like this. Sometimes she was just too prideful. But I wasn't going to belabor the point.

“Fine, if that's how you feel, I won't buy you anything else.”

“Look, Gabby, I don't want you to think I'm ungrateful; it's just that I hate that I can't get the things I want. And I hate feeling like a charity case.”

I looked at her. “Shell, if that's how you really feel, then that's on you. But like I said, I won't buy you anything else.”

We walked in silence for a while. I didn't want to argue. I wanted to enjoy the festival, and the rest of my time on the island. Wasn't in the mood for pity parties or drama, and right now, Shell was being a real Debbie Downer. But when we came upon a particular booth, her mood instantly changed.

It was the booth for Electron Enterprises. It appeared to be fully staffed with employees performing health assessments. There was a sizable line of festivalgoers patiently waiting to receive the various services. At the booth, handing out pamphlets and chatting with participants, were Diego and Carl. I glanced at Shell, who was trying to hide the slight smile on her face. I could tell by her body language that although she felt guilty because of what she had done, she wasn't completely guilt-ridden.

Carl was the first to notice us. He was dressed in semicasual business attire appropriate for the occasion. He gave a nod of acknowledgment and mouthed the words, “One second.”

I turned my attention to Shell. “Hmph. Looks like somebody is happy to see a certain someone,” I said, crossing my arms in front of me, a smirk on my face.

“What? I . . . no . . . well . . .”

“Flustered much?” I raised an eyebrow.

Carl walked over to where we were standing. “Hello, ladies.” He addressed us both, but was looking directly at Shell.

“Hey, Carl,” I said, not even sure he heard me.

“Hi, Carl,” Shell said, looking smitten.

Feeling like a third wheel, I excused myself to check out a booth selling African American, as well as African art. It was close enough that I could still hear and see the two of them. They were in deep conversation about the previous night's, and apparently this morning's, events. Next thing I knew, they were holding hands, and Carl, once again, had his tongue down Shell's throat. They were so blatant, an older couple commented on it.

“Young love is such a beautiful thing,” the woman remarked. “Are you two married?”

Before Shell could speak, Carl responded, “Yes, we are, but not to each other.”

I could have almost died. Shell looked mortified. And the looks on the older couple's faces . . . Priceless!

I focused my attention back on the artwork, still laughing to myself at what had transpired. I selected a small framed piece with a Sankofa symbol surrounding a Sankofa bird. The word
Sankofa
was derived from the Akan language from Ghana. It had been translated into several meanings, but the one I liked the most read, “We must go back and reclaim our past so we can move forward; so we understand why and how we can be who we are today.” Words to live by.

As I was paying for the picture, I heard a deep voice behind me say, “Nice.”

I turned around to see the towering hulk of a man that was Diego standing there, smiling down at me.

I assumed he was referring to the picture, and said as much. “I think so too. That's why I bought it.”

He gave a light chuckle. “Yeah, that's nice too.”

Like Carl, he too was dressed in business attire, wearing brown slacks, brown loafers, and a cream-colored long sleeve shirt that had the sleeves rolled up. Just like last night at the club, he looked like he commanded attention. That was evident by the way several women were shamelessly leering at him. One even had the nerve to wink at him with me standing right there. Although we weren't together, I was still surprised by her boldness. He ignored her. I'd never admit it out loud, but I was amused by that.

“I thought you were going to come over to the booth,” he said, arms crossed in front of him. His piercing honey-colored eyes appeared to be studying me intently.

“I was, as soon as I got some shopping done. Besides, it looked pretty busy over there. I was going to wait for the crowd to die down.”

He took a quick glance at the booth, still bustling with customers.

“I'm glad there's a lot of interest. Sometimes, it's hard to get people to listen.”

“Tell me about it.” I reflected on how, as a doctor, I became discouraged when patients didn't listen to me. “I promise I'll check it out before I leave.”

“I'm going to hold you to that,” he replied, as if demanding that I show up. “Am I still invited back to your place tonight?”

“If you want,” I answered in a noncommittal tone.

I didn't need this man thinking I was desperate to see him again, because I wasn't. Sure, the sex was, well, awesome, but my woman's intuition was telling me that Diego was used to always getting what he wanted as far as the opposite sex was concerned. It was also telling me that he liked the chase, but once a woman stopped running, he lost interest. He was just about to comment when Shell and Carl walked up.

“The organizers are calling for an early end to the festival today. There's a big storm rolling in from a few miles away, and they don't want any issues,” he remarked. “I told everyone to pack it up. Which means we're done for today.” I noticed he had his arm around Shell's shoulders. “If you ladies don't have any other plans, I was thinking we could all go back to Hilton Head and have lunch.”

“Actually, there's a play I wanted to see tonight, and Shell had some lectures she wanted to attend,” I said.

“But we could always go tomorrow, right?” she chimed in. Giving her a look that said “Seriously?” she quickly looked away from me.

“Shell, can I speak with you for a moment?”

Without waiting for her response, I moved away from Diego and Carl. She meekly complied. She knew me well enough to know that if she didn't come with me, I would have said everything I wanted to say in front of Carl and Diego.

“What the heck? You know we had plans for today.”

“Yes,” she sighed, “but when Carl offered to take us to lunch back at their hotel, I just couldn't say no.”

“Seriously? It's really easy. Try it with me now.
No
. Come on, your turn.”

“Gabby, please,” she begged. “We can always go to the lectures and the play tomorrow.”

“But, Shell, this was supposed to be our weekend. We didn't come here to hook up with two random guys all weekend. As a matter of fact, we came here to get away from the men in our lives because of all the issues they were causing us. And let me remind you, Hilton Head is almost an hour away. That puts us even further from the beach house.”

“I know, but I may never get this opportunity again. And I've always wanted to see the Omni from the inside. I swear, if you do this one thing for me, it'll be just you and me for the rest of the weekend.”

I rubbed my hand across my forehead, then down the rest of my face. Shell was giving me a headache. I felt like she was playing on my sensitivities, knowing that I would feel sorry for her because of her home situation. Unfortunately, it was working. I hated that sometimes, I was too much of a softy.

“I don't think this is a good idea at all, for a number of reasons. Least of which is you and Carl are both married. Nothing good can come of this. But you're grown. Besides, I don't want them thinking I'm a buzz kill. We'll go, but after tonight, it's bye-bye Carl and Diego—are we clear?”

She flashed the widest grin I had ever seen her give. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” She gave me a big hug. “Tonight's it. I promise.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I replied, backing up a bit. “Don't make any promises, just stick to your word.”

Promises meant nothing to me without action behind them. I had had too many promises made to me broken in the past to believe in them anymore. And for some reason, I felt this was going to be another one.

We walked back over to Diego and Carl. That's when I felt it; the first few drops signifying that the heavens were about to open up. With all the sinning that I assumed was about to happen, I had to wonder if the rain would be like the flood in Noah's ark.

“Everything okay?” Carl asked.

“Yes. Let's go,” Shell quickly answered. Carl took her hand and interlocked her fingers with his, taking her to the place where he and Diego had parked their vehicle. They were in an area designated for vendors, which was a lot closer than where we were parked.

“Where are you parked?” Diego asked.

“About half a mile away, in the municipal parking lot.”

“Hop in,” Carl said. “We'll drop you off, and you can follow us from there.”

I was somewhat upset with Shell, and I felt inclined to walk back by myself, but it was no longer drizzling. The rain had started to come down in sheets. All four of us quickly entered the vehicle. Once we had located our Dodge Journey, I deactivated the alarm and unlocked it before getting out. I was prepared to drive by myself until I saw Diego hop out and run to the passenger side of the vehicle. We both climbed inside, a little damp, but no worse for the wear.

“I thought you were going to ride with them,” I said nonchalantly.

“I can leave if you want me to,” he teased, laughing.

I laughed with him. “No, you can stay,” I replied noncommittally.

“Why do you seem so angry?” he questioned.

“I'm not so much angry as I am disappointed.” I followed Carl out of the lot.

“Then why are you disappointed?” From the corner of my eye, I noticed Diego was looking at me.

“Because this was supposed to be a girls-only weekend, and it hasn't worked out that way at all. And because I'm afraid Shell's in over her head,
way
over her head. I don't know what she was thinking getting involved with a married man.”

“Maybe she wasn't trying to think. Maybe she was just trying to feel something instead; something good. From what I hear, her home life is not the best,” he countered.

Diego was probably right, and while I felt for Shell, I didn't think messing around with a married man was the best way to deal with her domestic non-bliss.

“I just don't see this ending well, especially for Shell.”

“I don't see the problem.”

I couldn't believe he had just said that.

“What part of
they are both married
are you not getting?”

“Well, if it's not bothering them, why is it bothering you?”

“Because Shell's not thinking with a clear head, so I have to.”

“For someone who's her friend, you sure are acting like her mother.”

I shrugged. “Even though I'm only thirteen years older than her, she sometimes sees me as a mother figure. I guess I ran with it.”

“You're not her mother, and she's a grown woman. You're not responsible for her, nor are you responsible for her actions. If there's any fallout, although I'm not saying there will be, it will be on Shell and Carl.”

I knew Diego was absolutely right, but I was still having a hard time dealing with it. If I really thought about it, I
was
angry. Angry with Shell for allowing herself to get caught up with a married man; angry with Carl for taking advantage of her vulnerabilities; and angry with myself for not nipping it in the bud before it really began, like I really could, though. Shell was going to carry on with this cockamamie plan no matter what I said.