He took me to Gringo’s Cantina—a popular restaurant and lounge near the condo, which was in Pasadena. Lamar and I, usually in the company of Daniel and his ex-fiance, Karen, used to visit Gringo’s almost weekly.
Daniel asked to be seated in the bar and we were given a booth. Before Dan could open his mouth, I said, “I’ll have a naked lady.”
His brow furrowed. “You don’t want a margarita? You always ordered a frozen margarita when we came here.”
“I know, but I had a few naked ladies at my aborted lunch with Lamar this afternoon, so I don’t want to switch.”
He ordered a naked lady for me, a margarita on the rocks for himself and nachos for both of us. When the waiter left, he turned to me and took my hand in both of his. “Since Lamar is my client, I have to be careful what I say and do, but I think what Lamar did, sucks.”
“You’re sweet.” I leaned over and kissed his cheek.
When the drinks and nachos arrived, Daniel ordered fajitas. When he looked for me to order, I set the empty martini glass down. “I’m not that hungry, but I’ll have another naked lady.”
He arched his eyebrows. “Are you sure? You’re not very big and those are strong drinks on an empty stomach.”
“Please, I’ll have a bite of yours and some nachos.”
When the waiter left to place Dan’s order and get my drink, I asked, “I understand why you couldn’t tell me, but how long have you known about Lamar and this
other
woman?”
To my surprise and pleasure, Dan rested his arm around my shoulders. “Lamar came to see me to ask me to prepare this divorce petition on Monday, four days ago. That was the first I heard of her and I swear, I was every bit as shocked as you were.”
“What’s her name? What does she look like? Where did he meet her? What does she do?” I waved my hands across each other mimicking the football time out signal. “Never mind, I don’t even want to know.”
By the time the nachos arrived, I was ready for naked lady
número tres
. “I’ll have another.”
Daniel flashed a cross look, but acquiesced. “Bring the lady another…naked lady.”
I dabbled on the nachos and had a tiny bit of Dan’s fajitas, but I just didn’t have an appetite. However, after Dan told me how Lamar planned to take care of me by paying off the condo, giving me a cash settlement of a measly two hundred fifty thousand dollars and paltry alimony of two thousand dollars a month, I needed another naked lady. While naked lady
número cuatro
, was on its way, Daniel went on. “Lamar is doing a reasonably good job of compensating you for seven years of marriage and hopes you won’t get an attorney of your own. Nevertheless, as a friend, I advise you to seek competent counsel.”
I looked at him with my empty glass in my hand. “Can I have just one more? Please.”
“I know you don’t drink a lot, aren’t you getting the least little bit tipsy?”
By getting tipsy, if he meant seeing double and slurring my speech, I was there. “Yeah, a little, but you have to admit dis has been an extra-aordina-ary day in the life of Lila Patterso-on, soon to be Lila Landers again.”
He laughed. “All right, one more, but that’s it. At least you don’t have to drive home.”
I pursed my lips to the side. “Dat’s right. I have my white knight to drive me home and…tuck me…in.”
Daniel gazed at me and arched his eyebrows.
When naked lady
número de cinco
arrived, I blurted out, “Have you seen this bish?”
He nodded. “Lamar showed me a picture.”
I frowned. “And?”
“She’s young and pretty, but no prettier than you and at twenty-eight, you’re not exactly a has been.”
That made me feel good. I reached out and cupped his chin with my fingers and thumb. “Baby, do you still think I’m the best looking black woman, this side of heaven.”
“Lila, even though it’s been almost nine years since I said that, you have taken care of yourself, watched what you ate and have grown even more beautiful. I think Lamar is making the mistake of his life.”
My eyes teared up and I felt that pain you feel across the bridge of your nose when you try to fight off tears. “Then why?”
He shrugged and stuck his hands out, palms up. “Trying to recapture lost youth. Stupidity, I don’t know.”
Despite my near inebriation, when his hand landed high on my thigh, a pilot light ignited in my center.
“I don’t s’pose you know what dis home-wreaker does?”
Instead of answering me, he looked away and took a long sip of his margarita.
When he didn’t answer me, I prodded, “Do ya?”
His face revolved to me. “She’s a stripper. But he’s going to make her quit.”
I must have been a sight, the way my eyes expanded to the size of silver dollars and mouth formed a perfect circle.
“She’s going to UCLA. She’s studying pre-med.”
“I got ta see this. Whatz her name? Where duz she work?”
He scratched his head. “I’d rather not say.”
To make sure he knew how serious I was, I rotated part way toward him, took hold of his displaced hand and lifted it to the table. Holding his hand, our caramel and white fingers entwined, I stressed my wishes, “Well, as my friend, I’d
rather
you told me.”
Daniel took a deep breath. “Her name is Cybil, but she goes by Caviar. She performs at The Hot Spot!”
“Tank you. That wasn’t so hard wassit?”
He sighed. “I guess not.”
“When duz she work?”
Probably wondering if he said too much already, he pursed his lips. “Nights, six ‘til two.”
“Silly me, I guess she’d haf to work nights, if she goes ta school during the day. And I’ll bet, since this is Friday she’s working right now.”
He shrugged. “Probably.”
I nudged his arm with my elbow. “Could you let me out, pleeze?”
His brow furrowed. “Where are you going?”
My smile was as innocent as I could make it under the circumstances. “The ladeez room.”
He eased out and I slipped past him.
After freshening my appearance, I returned and grasped his hand. “C’mon.”
He jerked it away. “What?”
I grabbed his hand again. “We’re going zu The Hot Spot.”
He pulled it away, again. “I can’t Lamar might be there and he’d see us together.”
Seeming to sober up, I stomped my foot and crossed my arms. “Fine, I’ll catch a cab.” I retrieved the phone from my handbag and dialed information. “Yellow Cab, please.”
As the number began to ring, Daniel rose and after taking the phone from my fingers canceled the call. “I’ll take you, but we have to be careful. If Lamar is there we can’t let him see us.”
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Copyright © 2010 Dee Dawning
Cover art by Tara Michols
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