All That Drama (11 page)

“Oh okay, thanks,” Dennis said.

“Let me pick the next person,” I said. “That woman was a prude. I could tell that by her tight ass shoes.”

“You could tell all that by her shoes?” Dennis asked in disbelief.

“Sure, no woman that wore shoes like that could possibly know anything about getting down! Her feet would hurt too much to let it all hang out.”

We drove for a few more blocks before we came upon three guys walking in suits. Dennis pulled over close to the curb and I let down my window. In my best come-get-me voice, I said, “Hi, we’re new to Atlanta and wanted to know where the hot spots are.”

“Church,” was the joint response of all three of the guys nodding their heads in unison. They pointed to a building on the corner and asked us to come.

Dennis took one look at me as we pulled away from the curb and said, “You are going to die down here!” He was joking when he said it but I realized there were some major elements of truth in it. Although I believed in God, I was not a devoted Christian. I could not remember the last time that I got up in time to go to church or the last time that I considered church fun.

There was a time when I was a teenager when all we did was hang out at the church but those days were long gone. I had found myself stuck in a heavy Bible-toting Belt unsure of my future. It was going to take some major adjusting to.

Eventually, we found a club and had a good time. The music was more old school than hip-hop and the crowd seemed to prefer more line dancing than doing their own thing but I felt I could adjust in time.

Unfortunately for me, I drank too much and Dennis had to help me inside the house. Luckily, Mom was not waiting up. For better or worse, for sickness and in health, I had become a Georgia Peach.

I
had been working at my new job at White, Miller & Stevens for three months. It was not the job that I had accepted when I had agreed to move to Atlanta but so far, I was digging it. I had my own office, a secretary and so far the people were cool. They had me in orientation, which I thought was unusual since I had been working there for the past three months. However, this was the South and they tend to do things differently.

During orientation, I got to go around to meet the partners and learn a little bit about each of their practices. I had already done some minor projects for most of them. The firm was mostly white with a few black people splattered over the four floors. Usually, I stayed to myself and kept a low profile. I did not try to get to know most of the black faces any better. The only one that looked like she might be cool was Leah. She was Mr. Miller’s secretary but time would tell on that end. The rest of the black folks had their noses so far up the white man’s ass I had absolutely no time for them.

I just wanted to do a good job and go home without any unnecessary drama. I did not intend to exert too much energy in work relationships and since I was new at the firm and trying to prove myself, I really didn’t have the time for it.

The job I originally had accepted when I decided to move to Atlanta did not pan out. It was at a small black-owned law firm and those Negroes were tripping all the time, especially on payday. One of the partners would come around about noon and hand out checks. When it came time to give me mine, they practically threw it on my desk. I had a real problem with that! I saw them hand our checks to everyone else in the office but mine was delivered with attitude! I took it for about two weeks and told them I had to go. I called an old boss in Baltimore and asked for her help. She called an old friend of hers and I started work the next week with this new firm.

The money was good by Atlanta’s standards and the work was interesting. I began to make plans to move into my own house. I found one not too far from Mom’s that was for sale on a lease-to-own basis. Momma was not happy about me moving but since I was still going to be close she couldn’t complain too much. She was still going to watch the kids for me in the morning and pick them up after school, which was a big help.

I was on the phone trying to arrange for a mover when Leah stuck her head in my office.

“Ms. Morgan, I have some papers for you from Mr. Miller. He wanted me to bring them to you right away,” she said.

“You can dispense with that Ms. Morgan crap. I’m Marie; come on in,” I said. I took the papers from her and began to review them. It was a request to do some research on a wrongful death case he was working on. When I first had arrived, the most that they would allow me to do was real estate matters such as property and lien record searches. This was the first beefy assignment that I had gotten and I felt like I was moving up. Putting down the papers, I wanted to celebrate. Looking up at Leah, I said, “Do you want to have lunch sometime?”

“Uh, sure. Just let me know when,” she replied.

“Did I say something wrong. Why the hesitation?” I asked.

“Most of the paraprofessionals here don’t mix with the secretaries. I was just surprised, that’s all.”

“I’m not like them. How about today; do you have any plans?”

“Today is good but I have to go at 1:00.”

“That’s cool; I hate going early. It makes the day go by longer. Meet you at the elevator at 1:00. You pick the spot, okay? I’m still new here and I don’t know the good places to eat yet.”

“Ok, see you at 1:00. Oh, do you have a message for Mr. Miller?” she said, all business again.

“Just tell him that I will jump right on it. He should have my research by the end of the week barring any unforeseen circumstances.”

Leah left and I resumed making calls for a mover. I wanted to move over the weekend. The phone rang before I could complete my dial. Miffed, I answered with attitude.

“Marie Morgan, can I help you?”

“It’s me, baby,” David said. His voice sent tingles down my spine to every part of my body. I snapped my knees shut to keep in the heat. Immediately my tone softened and my body relaxed.

“Hey, sunshine,” I said ’cause he was truly a ray of light in my life. We had been talking almost daily since my move. I missed him with ever fiber of my being and I was horny as hell.

“I just called to hear your voice,” he said.

“Guess what?” Before I could allow him the opportunity to offer a guess, I rambled, “I got my own place. I am moving this weekend.” I was excited beyond words.

“That’s great, baby; any room for me?” I thought he was joking so I quickly replied, “Anywhere I am you’re welcome to come!”

“I’m serious, all jokes aside,” he said.

“I never joke about your moving to Atlanta,” I said, suddenly very serious.

“I want to come but we have to lay out a few ground rules. This is not a commitment. I just need somewhere to stay while I find me a job. I don’t want there to be any misunderstandings.”

Whoa
, I thought. I had to think about what he was really saying. He wanted to come to Atlanta and live off me since I knew he didn’t have any money. Next, until he found a job, this arrangement could be indefinite and once he did, he might just go off with someone else. I don’t fucking think so. By agreeing to this arrangement, I would get the short end of the stick. Plus, if his search took too long, I would be supporting a grown man. I loved him but I was not a fucking fool.

“I really can’t talk to you about this now. I will call you when I get home,” I said, stalling.

“I need an answer now,” he demanded.

I spoke from my head and not my heated pussy. “Well then, I cannot agree to your terms. I have to think about my mother and my children. I can’t allow a man to move into my house unless he is committed to us,” I whispered.

“Thanks anyway,” he said and hung up the phone. My heart froze. I wanted to take back the words just to hear his voice on the phone again. I was so tired of the sorrow that hung over every day at my mother’s house and in my own heart when I thought about the people I left behind and the uncertainty of the future.

Over lunch, I broke my own cardinal rule and discussed this with Leah. I have always made it a rule to never ever air my personal business with my coworkers but that day I made an exception.

I met Leah at the elevator and we walked to Mick’s Bar & Grill. It was a mid-sized restaurant that I had passed several times before, not bothering to go in. Most of the time, I worked through lunch anyway. We got a seat and looked at the menu.

“How long have you been working for the firm?” I asked, trying to break the ice.

“Too damn long, if you know what I mean,” she said with a smile. “I have been going to school on the side and I almost had your position before you slipped in.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to block nobody, especially a sister!” I was upset about that and figured she had every right to be mad at me.

“Don’t worry about it; it’s cool. When I saw the assignments that they were giving you, I realized I was not ready anyway. I will get my chance so don’t sweat it.”

“Are you sure?” I asked. Not that I was going to quit or anything, I just wanted to know if I had the enemy in my camp or not.

“I’m positive. I’m glad that they gave it to someone with a good head on her shoulders instead of the other assholes that they have been hiring since I’ve been there. This will make my fifth year. The only black people they hire are Uncle Toms. You can’t even talk to them; they are so full of themselves and can’t be trusted,” she exclaimed.

I could not help but laugh ’cause I felt the same vibe from them. I could not relate to any of the other black people that I had met since I had joined the firm other than Leah.

“Are you married?” I asked once lunch was served. The inquiry slipped from my lips before I considered that the question might have been too personal. “Hey, I’m sorry, I wasn’t trying to dip in your business, I just feel like I have known you for a minute and it would be okay,” I said feeling embarrassed.

“Don’t sweat it. I feel like I have known you, too. And to answer your question, not yet but I’m hopeful. I am dating this wonderful guy that my girlfriend hooked me up with,” she gushed, glowing with excitement.

“Congratulations,” I said.

“What about you?”

“Separated, two kids and waiting on those blessed papers of freedom. Do you have kids?”

“Not yet. I plan on it if this relationship works out.”

We ate our meal and talked about trivial matters until it was almost time to go. I needed a second opinion real bad to my nagging problems and I just belted out my dilemma before I chickened out.

“Leah, can I talk to you in confidence?”

“Sure, Marie,” she responded.

“I’ve got a situation going on in my life and I want an unbiased opinion to make sure that I am handling it correctly.”

“Shoot.”

“Okay, I left a man in Baltimore that I care about. He wants to move to Atlanta to see if he can make it here. He wants to live with me but on a no-strings-attached basis. He just needs a place to stay until he establishes himself. Would you go for that?” When I said it out loud it sounded totally ridiculous and I wished that I could’ve taken back my dilemma but it was too late.

“Oh hell no. So you will have to foot the bills while he ‘finds himself’? I hope you told that man to forget it!” she shouted.

“I did. But I thought about how much I missed him and I started second-guessing myself. Thank you!” I said as I paid the check and we prepared to leave.

“You are welcome and if you ever have any doubts again, think of it this way. You already have three dependents; do you really need a fourth?”

“Three?” I asked confused.

“Yeah, you got to depend on you, don’t ya?” she answered with a smile.

“I knew I liked you when I first met you but now I know why,” I told Leah, shaking my head. We walked back to the building chatting away like old friends. Talking with Leah, I knew I had done the right thing but I still wanted to run it past Sammie. Leah was nice and all that, but she was younger than I was. On the other hand, even though I didn’t know Sammie that well, she was older than me and was a lot more experienced. I wanted to hear her input.

Back at my desk, I searched through my bags for the phone number that she had given me when we went out to Fat Tuesday’s. It was her home number so I called to leave a message. In my heart, I was comfortable with my decision, but I was having a hard time convincing my heart about David. But I wanted all the support that I could garner on that end. Getting neither answering machine nor Sammie’s voice, I hung up the phone.

Sammie called before I could hang up the phone good. “Hey, girl,” she said.

“Damn. I thought I was leaving a message on your home phone. Are you off today?” I asked.

“I have my home phone transferred to my cell phone and I constantly check my messages,” she replied.

“Are you that important?” I asked, laughing.

“Only in my own eyes,” she said, sharing the laughter. “So what have you been up to? I haven’t heard from you in a minute.”

“Girl, the same old, same old. I am in the process of moving. I need to give you my new number.”

“All right then. Where are you moving? Don’t tell me I won’t be able to catch the train with you anymore. That would truly upset my day!” she said.

“No, I will still be catching the same train ’cause I still have to drop the kids off at Mom’s. Look, I am having man troubles and I wanted to bounce it off you. Are you available for drinks one night this week?

“I will have to get back to you. I’m on lockdown right now. But I will get back with you.”

“Surely you jest,” I said, getting mad at the thought of a man placing a woman on lockdown.

“I can’t go into any details at the moment but things are tight around my home front. My husband ain’t dealing too tough with my mother and she is taking her frustration out on me. Jessie and I need to be finding our own place to live with a quickness!”

“Will you be able to talk at home or should I try to catch you on the train?”

“Catch me on the train. I get off at 5:00,” she said and hung up the phone. Since I started the new job, I had been working overtime and getting off closer to 6:00 instead of 5:00, so I rarely got the chance to ride home with Sammie. Although we still caught the train together in the morning, our conversations were limited because of the early morning crowd.

I piddled through the rest of my work that was on my desk and even started to work on the project that Mr. Miller had sent me. That was the type of work I liked, something with meat to it. The client’s husband was employed at a local landfill. He was making repairs on a tree grinder and signaled to his coworker to turn the machine off as he climbed in to make repairs. The coworker, who had a history of showing up on the job drunk, turned the machine on instead and it killed our client’s husband. She was suing the county and stood to make a killing. The county was trying to say that he was negligent by climbing into the grinder but my research was proving there was no other way to make the repairs once the problem was isolated.