"It was all her idea," Kori quickly added. "I was forced, so I had to follow through."
"Let’s cut the crap," Cricket said, returning to her no nonsense style of handling everything.
Persha noticed that Cricket had her hair color replenished. Cricket sported a short curly afro, the color of burned brown sugar, and it fit her face perfectly. Her features were well-defined; thin narrow nose, high cheekbones and lips that looked naturally lined.
"Look, we know where you’re staying and it ain’t cool," Cricket said. "We’re your girls and ain’t no way in hell we gon’ sit here and let you go out like that. We’re not here to judge you, we just want to support you."
Persha’s eyes began to swell with tears. It was a feeling she struggled to fight. When she tried to reach for her drink, Cricket stopped her hand by grabbing hold of it.
"I don’t know how you’re staying with this man, or where his wife is, but I’ve seen too many crazy things go down in my life. And if anything ever happened to you, neither of us would be able to live with ourselves for not doing something."
"Yeah, she’s right. We love you Persha," Kori chimed in.
Before she could do anything, Cricket pulled out a large envelope.
"There’s fifteen-hundred dollars in here, enough for a down payment on an apartment. Lots of them are offering a month or two month’s free rent. You should have some pocket change left over to buy a few personal things you might need. We wanted to get this to you sooner, but we had to pull our resources together. You know how that is."
"And don’t even insult us by talking about paying it back. We also rented some cheesy furniture for you, but you can switch it out whenever you want. I figured three months would be enough time for that insurance crap to get resolved," Kori said. "I can’t stand how we pay them every doggone’ month then when we need help they can take us through all this red tape. And if they treat you like this and you work in insurance, I could just imagine what they’d do to us common folk," Kori added.
With tears streaming down her cheeks, Persha looked at her friends. "There’s no way I can take this money from y’all," she cried. Before they could even respond, she got up and dashed out of the restaurant.
Driving like a loose cannonball, Persha quickly dashed up Briar Park and headed toward Westpark. She was sure if they came after her, they would’ve thought she was driving back down Westheimer.
She couldn’t believe what they had done. Yeah, it was nice of them to pull that money together, but why didn’t they have faith in her man? He was making a way for them and she had to believe in him.
It didn’t take long for Persha to slow down. She realized she couldn’t get in the house until Clarke finished hanging out with his friends. She slowed down even more when she turned onto his street.
With loneliness slapping her hard, she didn’t know what to do, especially on a Friday evening with hours to burn. She was actually hungry. Maybe she should’ve eaten before she up and left the restaurant and wasted a perfectly good margarita.
Persha pulled into the parking lot near the Food Town off Beltway 8. She decided she’d go have a pedicure in hopes of killing some time.
Before going in, she pulled out her cell phone and dialed her mother’s number. After a few rings, she heard the familiar voice.
"Hello?" her mother answered.
"Ma?" Persha said.
"Hey sugarplum. How’er you doing?"
"Oh, I’ve been better. How about you?"
"Whew! Chile, I’m okay, just trying to keep up with your Aunt Pam. We just got that new buns of steel video and we just finished working out."
"I thought you sounded a little out of breath, but I didn’t want to say anything. I didn’t know what you were over there doing."
"Chile, you accusing your mama of ungodly actions?"
"No ma’am, I’m not. I was just unclear about why you were breathing all hard like that."
"Well, rest assured your mama is a virtuous woman. God be the glory. I may have sinned before, but I now know the ill of my ways and I’m proud to say I’m blessed and highly favored."
That’s why Persha avoided calling her mother as much as she had called her before the old woman found the Lord again.
"Ma, I was calling because I needed to talk. I’ve got some things going on right now."
"Have you been praying, going to church, paying your tithes?"
"Ma?"
"You answer me, Persha Janice Townsend!"
"That’s not the issue!" Persha screamed.
"Who are you raising your voice at? If you were living your life according to the good book, you wouldn’t be having any problems right now. Well, you might be having problems, but nothing the good Lord couldn’t see you through."
Persha started crying. "I didn’t call you for this," she mumbled.
"Well, baby somebody needs to tell you. If you ain’t living right, of course you’re gonna have lots of problems. I don’t approve of the way you young women allow men to abuse and misuse your temple. Get right with God and you’ll be just fine."
"Ma’, can’t you ever just listen to what I have to say without referring to scripture?"
"Persha, I’m a child of God and what I’m telling you is that this is my way of listening. I don’t know exactly what you’re going through, but my advice will still be the same. Read first Corinthians Chapter 10 Verse 13. Baby, that states that the God given way is the only way to get out of any predicament you find yourself in."
"Okay, Ma’, I guess I need to go then."
"Persha?"
"Yes, Ma?"
"Let’s pray before you go. I want you to promise me you’ll drop to your knees more and take all of your problems to the good Lord!"
"Actually, Ma’, I need to run. I, ah, I think we’re breaking up. I can hardly hear you!" She screamed.
"Persha!"
Before her mother could get the rest of her words out, Persha hit the ‘end’ button on her cell phone and sat in the parking lot and cried. Persha knew she had to do something and she had to do it fast.
~ Clarke
At about 11:45 P.M. Clarke glanced down at his watch and knew for sure he was deep in hot water. But he had had such a good time. He certainly didn’t want to be the first one to speak up and say he was ready to go. In the back of his mind he kept thinking about Persha and where she must be waiting for him.
But when the music started and the spotlight began darting around the crowded club, he took his Bud Light bottle to his lips and started rocking to the music.
When the first girl came out, his adrenaline really started pumping. He couldn’t tell what the others were doing, but he couldn’t wait to see some ass.
Clarke and his buddies were at Treasures, a gentleman’s club located off Little York and Hempstead highway. It was quite a distance from his house, but again, he wasn’t concerned with being close to home. He knew Persha would wait for as long as it took.
"You know you can go behind the wall and get serviced," his buddy leaned over and whispered in his ear.
"Yeah, but not with her I’ll bet!" Clarke said as he watched as the woman started stroking herself and moving proactively to the music.
He looked toward the stage and saw a couple of women dancing around a pole. One wore spiked heels and a sheer tank top with a matching garter strapped around one of her thick thighs. When she jumped up then slid down into a magnificent split, Clarke was in awe. A group of men threw bills onto the stage. She swiveled onto her back and spread her legs, revealing her pink flesh. Soon, the dancer leaned back on her elbows and elevated her hips into the air. She began gyrating her hips to the music.
On the other side of the stage another dancer worked for a small crowd posted in front of her. The dancer bent over and spread her thighs.
Normally he didn’t care for these types of places because it was like being teased, but this was where Antwone and his other buddies wanted to go, so he tagged along.
More than two hours since he last thought of Persha and her well-being, he and his buddies walked out of the club. Clarke and Antwone lagged behind the others.
"Where they heading off to?" Clarke asked, motioning toward the other men.
"I think out to Heartbreakers," Antwone answered.
"Shit! That’s way out there in Galveston, off 45 ain’t it?"
"I think so," Antwone said as he smiled toward the other guys as they pulled out of the parking lot.
"So whassup with you? What’re you about to get into tonight?" He stood looking at Clarke.
"Aw dawg, a brotha just trying to make it back to the house, that’s all. Why? You got something else in mind? Where’s wifey anyhow?"
"She went to her sister’s for the weekend. I’m supposed to be working on that little carriage house in the back, but hell, I figured since I got ‘till Monday, I’ll get to it when I get to it. You know how that is."
Clarke wondered what was really on Antwone’s mind. At one o’clock in the morning they were standing in a parking lot talking about his to-do list. He wanted him to get to the point and quit sidestepping the real issue.
"Who wanted to come to this place anyway?" Antwone suddenly asked.
Clarke shrugged his shoulders and leaned against his car then stood up. He didn’t want to get comfortable. "You know me; I don’t need this to get off. I thought it was you or one of the others."
"Nah, it wasn’t me."
"So, man, what are you about to do?" Clarke asked irritated.
"I don’t know, probably head to the house. You wanna come by and get a brew?"
"Yeah, man. Let’s do this!"
Clarke thought about calling Persha’s cell phone as he trailed behind Antwone in his car, but then he decided against it. Why call now? he reasoned. He’d just have to sit and listen to her bitch about his whereabouts.
Nearly three hours later, Clarke was taking every shortcut he could think of as he raced to beat the sunrise home. Many streetlights were blinking and he didn’t even want to think about where Persha might’ve been or where she had to spend the night while he was out having a blast.
When he did finally pull up into his driveway just at the crack of dawn, he was surprised to see her car in its normal spot down the street.
He walked up to Persha’s car and when he got close he noticed she was inside sleeping!
"Oh, shit," he said. Clarke glanced around in all directions to make sure none of his neighbors were watching, then he lightly tapped on her window.
Wiping slobber from her mouth, Persha jumped up and glared at him through eyes bloodshot red. She looked around as if to see just where she was, then turned the key to lower her window.
"Aw, Shorty, I’m so sorry. I’m sorry," he cried. "Come on, let’s get you inside real quick so you can shower and head out. It’s Saturday, so you know Kelsa might be home in a couple of hours. A brotha is so sorry, babe."
While he was apologizing, and he did feel bad when he found her sleeping in her vehicle, she had to know what a stupid move that was. What if someone had called the police? He didn’t live in the ghetto. People didn’t just fall asleep in their parked cars in his neighborhood. She might as well have been sleeping on a bench.
When it appeared she had gathered her barring and was aware of where she was, he held the door open for her to climb out.
"Why would you crash here in your car?" he asked, looking around nervously.
"You act like I had a choice!" she snapped, rushing to keep up with him as they walked toward the house.
"How could you just leave me out here like that? What if something had happened to me?"
"Persha, this is not the hood. I think these streets are safe."
"Oh, so that makes it okay?" She stopped walking.
Clarke rushed to her side, grabbed her arm and shoved her forward.
"Look, don’t start this bullshit out here." He nervously glanced around. "Ain’t no telling who’s watching. Let’s get inside and we’ll talk about this later."
"How are we going to talk about anything? I probably only have time to shower then I have to leave before your precious wife gets home."
At the door Clarke paused. He slowly turned and looked directly into her eyes.
"Do you want us to be together?" he huffed. Persha slowly nodded. "Well, I thought you said you had faith in me." He pointed at his chest, using his index finger to emphasize his words.
"I do," she mumbled.
"Then why are you suddenly questioning everything I say? You agreed to this, now you’ve decided this ain’t good enough for you?" He unlocked the door and they both stepped in.
The sun hadn’t completely made its appearance so it was still somewhat dark outside. When they walked in, Clarke reached for the light switch and dimmed the lights. He was still mad at Persha, but figured he didn’t have to make that big of a deal out of the situation. After all, he wasn’t there to meet her like he promised.
When satisfied he had turned the situation around enough to suit his needs, he looked at her and said, "If this ain’t working for you, I think you need to let a brotha know. You know I want us to be together, baby girl. But if you decide you want to step," he shrugged, "then I have to let you go."
"That’s not what I’m saying Clarke, you know I’m patient. And I don’t think you would really have me living here with you and your wife if you didn’t really care about me." She looked down. "I was just kind of disappointed that you didn’t spend some time with me last night. I really needed you."
Clarke nervously looked at his watch for the second time since they’d arrived inside. He glanced toward the kitchen and noticed the light above the stove was on.
"Say, why don’t you go shower, and ah, we could talk about this later. Kelsa’ll be here in a couple of hours, but we can go spend the day together somewhere else if that’s cool with you."
"You promise, Clarke?" Persha started smiling.
"Yeah, you’re right. I should’ve made time for you, but my boys and I went out last night. Then a brotha had a bit too much to drink, so I had to chill on Antwone’s couch ‘till I sobered up a bit."
"Clarke, Why didn’t you call me? You know I would’ve come to pick you up. See, that’s the kind of stuff that makes me upset. I haven’t met any of your friends, you talk about your father every once in a while, but not hardly enough to me. I know you guys fell out years ago, but I want to feel like I’m a part of your life."