The Playa Chronicles (4 page)

“So you creep.” More of a statement than a question.

“Just keep it on the
downlow
. Nobody is supposed to know.”

“I thought it was ’cause he didn’t pay you
no
attention?”

Yvette looked at me. Kinda cold-like. “Your point is? Look, every woman needs attention. You can define attention in a lot of ways.”

“You’re a dangerous woman, Yvette.”

“You’ll never know just how much and in how many ways. But it’s all good. I can assure you of that.”

“So you creep because you need attention,” I said suggestively, but with a chastising finger. More to stay in character than anything else.

“Don’t sound so judgmental. You out here creeping too. If you weren’t, you wouldn’t be here with me.” With a finger to emphasize her point.

“I’m here for lunch. I usually get hungry this time of day.”

“Come on, Rick. You got freak written all over you.”

“What makes you say that?” Was I that transparent to her?

“Trade secret. But I knew you were a freak the minute Victor introduced me to you that day. So I know you ain’t gonna sit there and tell me you ain’t never
creeped
on your girl.”

“No, I ain’t gonna say that. But things change.” More of a hope than a statement.

“See there, you ain’t
no
better than I am. We’re probably more alike than you might think.”

“Well, so far we do share the same enthusiasm for Penne
Rustica
.”

“Tell me something, Rick.”

“What’s that?”

“Does it bother you that I’m creeping on my man?”

“No. Why should it bother me? That’s between you and your man.”

“That ain’t what I’m askin’ you. Do you think less of me ’cause I creep?”

“It ain’t for me to judge you. I’m out here too,
remember
.” We sat in silence while Tony returned with our meal, which he served in silence and faded away.

“You know what I’m saying. If a woman creeps around, y’all think she’s
a ho
or something. But if a man creeps he’s a playa.”

“That’s because our peer system is different.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I mean, when you’re a man you get big props if you got a lot of women. Brothers give you dap and call you
playa
. But when a woman got a lot of men—
uhm
,
uhm
,
uhm
.” I took a deep breath and shook my head to emphasize my point. “Women talk about her bad—call
her a
ho, call her a slut. Talk about her worse than we ever would.”

“Why is that?” Yvette asked.

“You tell me. You’re the girlie here.”

“See a woman, well, most women, gotta have a reason to cheat. When your man ain’t treating you right or he’s cheating on you, or he just isn’t satisfying you like you need to be satisfied, that’s what sends a woman out there. Men send women out there creeping. But y’all will lay down with any old thing that opens her legs.”

“I’d like to think we’re a bit more selective than that. The problem is there are so many that are willing to open their legs.”

“A woman—I mean a real woman—could be handling her business, taking good care of her man. He
don’t
care. He’ll mess around on her first chance he gets. Why is that?”

“’Cause women don’t care either,” I said flatly.
 

“What you mean, we don’t care?”

“If I ask you a question, will you answer it honestly?”

“It depends on the question, but yeah, I’ll answer you.”

“I told you I got somebody.” I paused.

“Yeah, and?” Yvette leaned forward, pressing me for the question.

“But you’re still thinking about it, aren’t you?”

“What you talkin’ ’bout, Rick?”

“You know what I’m talkin’ about. You’re thinking about gettin’ wit me, right? I mean, that is why you invited me to lunch.”

“I’m here for lunch. I usually get hungry about this time.”

“Thought you said you would answer honestly?”

“No, I didn’t. I said it depends on the question. But yeah, I’m still thinking about it,” Yvette said reluctantly. “
I been
thinking about gettin’ wit you since I saw you.”

“See my point now? You don’t care. You’re more than willing to
dis
my girl. But you’d be upset with some other woman, or should I say any old thing,
who
did the same thing to you.”

“Yes,” she said between mouthfuls. I waited until she was finished chewing.

“But you’re still out here, trying to get your freak on.” Yvette didn’t answer me. She took another mouthful. I couldn’t blame her, the food was good. Yvette rolled her eyes at me. But it was more sexual, than with attitude. She had pretty eyes and she knew it. I had to laugh, because she was a bigger flirt than I was. She knew how to seduce a man, with just her eyes. I knew I could get Yvette. I could flip the script right now.

“Yes, I am. Just like you,” Yvette said defiantly. Like she was taunting me with her sexuality.

“Is that right?” I said in character. I knew where she was going and I was doing my best not to go there with her. And she wasn’t making it easy for me.

“So what you trying to say? That we ain’t
no
better than y’all?” Yvette asked.

“That’s exactly what I’m saying. Men only do what women let them do.”

Yvette simply stared at me, unsure of what to say. “Maybe I should just call for the check.”

“You haven’t finished your Penne
Rustica
. What’s your rush?”

“I’m only kidding. You can’t get rid of me that easy. So we aren’t any better than y’all, huh? I can’t agree with that.”

“Why not?”

“Because it ain’t like all that.”

“You gonna sit there and tell me that women don’t want it just as much as we do?”

“More. Especially when you find one that gives it to you just like you want it, as often as you want it, for as long as you can stand it. Oooh
child,
makes you weak for it. Makes you think of it all the time.”

“Y’all do the same thing to us. Great sex is hard to come by.”

“You have personal knowledge of this, or you just taking your boy’s word for it?”

“A little. Mostly what I read.”

“Yeah, right. You’re a freak and you know it, Rick. Why you tryin’ to play me. Admit it. That’s why you’re here. You know you want me.”

“Maybe I do. Maybe I’m just here for lunch. Actually, Yvette, I don’t know why I’m here. Maybe you were right.” I flagged down Tony. “Check, please.” I paid the check without another word passing between us. Yvette tried to pay the check, but I wasn’t having it. I didn’t want her to have any get back. You know, I-took-you-to-lunch, you-owe-me type of thing. Coming here was a bad idea from the start.

Live test my ass.

All that could happen here was me getting weak for her and I knew it. The fact of the matter is
,
I do want her. If I’m ever gonna make things work between me and April, I simply can’t put myself in situations where I know it could happen. I got up and walked out of the place, with Yvette close behind. “The least you can do is walk me to my car,” she said. I should have ignored her and kept on walking. But I didn’t.

“Well, thank you for lunch,” Yvette said. “I enjoyed our conversation, right up until the point where you shut down on me. What was up with that?”

“It was just time for me to go, that’s all.” I lied.

“Seemed more to me like you were losing control of the situation. Like you was thinkin’ about doin’ some things.”

I didn’t answer.

“Well, whatever the case, I enjoyed myself and I know you did too. So, when can we get together again?” Yvette said as we arrived at her car. Coincidentally, my car was parked right behind hers.

“I don’t think that would be a good idea. At least not right now.” I don’t know why I had to go and throw that in. I wasn’t trying to get with her, and really didn’t need her thinking that there was any possibility that I would. There was still a part of me that wanted to get with her. And for what? I’m supposed to be
laying
off, not hiring. She couldn’t take April’s spot, couldn’t even come close. So why? I have to keep telling myself that I have nothing to prove. Especially to myself. Yvette unlocked the car and I opened the door for her.

“Thank you,” she said, and I started toward my car. “Nice car. I’ll see you around, Rick. I’ll call you sometime, just in case you change your mind.”

“Anything’s possible, but I doubt it,” I threw out, got in my car and drove away. I was proud of myself. Kinda. She set it out and I didn’t jump all over it. But I wanted to. And that was the problem.

On the way home from work later that evening, I got off the interstate and drove home slowly
,
trying to clear my head. I stopped at Kroger to pick up a couple of frozen
pizza’s
and some beer. I walked through the store, picked up what I came for, and headed for the register. I got in the so-called express line and waited, thinking what a joke it was calling it express. Then it happened, the customer at the register pulled out her checkbook and started writing. The lady in line ahead of me had only a box of precooked fried chicken. She let out a deep breath. I had been so preoccupied with my own issues that I failed to notice her, which was completely out of character for me, being the accomplished girl watcher that I am. She was wearing a black dress that she wore well. Hair cut in a sharp fade. She was a nice piece of business, with an ass that could stop traffic.

She looked over her shoulder and rolled her dark eyes at me. She shifted her weight to one leg and let out another deep breath. “This seems to happen to me every time I come here,” she said quietly. Her lips were full and extremely sensual.

“I know what you mean. The least she could do is
have
the check made out.”

“Then all she would have to do is fill in the amount,” she came back quickly.

“My name is Rick. And you are?”

“Vanessa Howard,” she replied with a smile as the cashier scanned her boxed chicken.

“You have a very pretty smile, Vanessa.”

“Thank you,” Vanessa said, grabbing her bag. “Nice meeting you.” And she walked out of the store.

Damn, Rick, is that the best you can do? You have a very pretty smile, Vanessa,
I thought, as the cashier scanned my items. I paid for my stuff quickly and rushed out of the store in an attempt to catch her.

When I got outside, I headed for my car and looked around for her as I walked. But there was no sign of her. After one last look around, I started for my car. While I was walking Vanessa pulled up alongside me and rolled down her window.

“Hello again.”
 

“Hey,” she replied.

“Check this out. I just bought some frozen pizza and you got some frozen fried chicken; it looks like we’re both planning a quiet evening at home in front of the TV. Why don’t we go somewhere and have something to eat. Have a drink or whatever.”

“Whatever, huh? No, I don’t think so. Thanks for the offer, but I really think the quiet evening in front of the TV is what I need tonight.”

“Maybe we can get together some other time.”

“Well, give me your number.”

“You got a pen?”

“You don’t carry a pen. I thought men always carried a pen. Just in case.”

“Just in case, huh?”

“You know, in case they met someone.”

“Yeah, well, I usually have a pen, but not necessarily for that reason,” I said with a very confident smile. She handed me a pen. I broke out one of my business cards and wrote my cell number on the back. I handed the card back to her.
 

She looked at it. “This ain’t one of your boy’s phone numbers or some voice mail number?”

“What you talking ’bout?”

“You aren’t married or living with somebody, are you?”

“No, that’s my number. No, I’m not married and I live alone.”

“Just checking. I know how tricky men get sometimes.”

“No tricks. I’m too old for games. Now if you’d caught me a few years ago, I might have some game for you. But now, I’m just me.”

“So can I get a rain check on the meal and the drink or whatever?”

“You sure can. All you have to do is call.”

“I’ll do that. Talk to you soon. Good night, Rick.”

“Have a nice, quiet evening,” I said, as Vanessa drove off. I got back in my car and went home. I drove home thinking about Vanessa. I had just got picked up at the grocery store. She probably won’t call.

On the way home one night, April barely said a word. I didn’t try too hard to get her to talk to me. I’ve known her long enough to know that she would let me know what was on her mind when she was ready. The look on her face dragged me back to my question. Why do I do it?