The Night Before Thirty (29 page)

She'd say, “You plant a seed and you watch it grow. It's a process. It doesn't happen overnight. It takes time and patience and nurturing care for that seed to grow up right. That is why I can't give you some money to go to the store just because you ask for it.”

EVERYBODY LAUGHED
quietly.

BUT SERIOUSLY, IF
any of you have had braces, you know that you go in for your initial visit, the doctor X-rays your mouth and then gives you an idea of how long he thinks it'll take to complete your procedure. He might say a year, two years, or three years. Then he'll say something like, “You'll be finished in no time.”

Well, that was what happened to me. My orthodontist told me that I would be finished with my braces in one year. That year stretched out to two because of unexpected complications with my teeth. My smile is beautiful now, but I had to go through hell and back to get it.

Cicely knew a lingual specialist who put braces on the back of your teeth, so when I first got those things on, I was so excited. I spent extra time in the mirror, with my mouth wide open, looking to see how they were positioned. Then I'd check my smile every day to see how much it had changed from the previous day. I accepted the pain that came with having the braces on because I knew they were working.

But as time went on, I had to go back and see that man every month. Every time I left his office, I'd leave in pain, pain that would linger on for two or three days. I didn't like having braces so much anymore. I'm a muncher—I love chips, crackers, nuts, anything that I can munch on. But after trying to munch and being met with excruciating pain, I had to alter some of my food choices. I was not happy about that.

Then, as the braces began to work, my smile was changing and not for the better, but for the worse. One day I went to the mirror and looked at my smile, and I swore I saw a horse staring back at me.

“STOP IT, LASHAWNDA
, you are killing me,” Tanya said. She was bent over in laughter. Everybody else was too.

NAH, SERIOUSLY
. I went through some changes. I was a grown-ass woman who had to meet the world every day. Some of the time, I wanted to skip work because I didn't want anybody peeping my new smile for the day. I actually became depressed. Several of Cicely's clients were manic-depressive—I tell you this, I became lower than any of them! At least I felt like I was. As my teeth were being altered by my braces, so was my personality.

I used to walk into the orthodontist's office in a good mood. Then he told me that I was going to have to live with my braces for one more year. I wasn't mentally prepared to hear that. I wanted my braces off, right then. I didn't think I could handle another year. I found myself dreading my appointments. When I sat in the chair, I was no longer
nice. I only wanted to know when the braces were coming off, and if the answer wasn't “Today,” then there wasn't anything further that we had to discuss. I'd leave frustrated and disappointed because they were never sure how many more months I had to go, plus there was a new pain from the adjustment of my braces that I had to settle into.

I felt ugly some days. I kept my time in front of the mirror to a minimum because I didn't want a reminder that I wasn't finished with my braces. I felt miserable other days. I was angry with my mother for not having the means to get me braces at an earlier age. I was mad at myself for getting them when I did. I was mad! I was just mad!

Then during the last few months of having my braces, I noticed that I talked to my orthodontist a little more. Every time I left the office, I'd get that feeling of dread, but it wasn't as strong as it was before. I started looking into the mirror and began smiling again. The reflection was beginning to look good again, better. Every day I lingered a little longer.

Before long, the orthodontist said, “We're removing your braces today.” I tell you what—I cried. I sat in that chair and cried tears of relief. I felt like I had journeyed through a desert and returned. Maybe other people are stronger, but the process of having braces was a struggle for me.

It wasn't until a few months later, when I was at the dry cleaners picking up some items and a handsome gentleman said to me, “You have a beautiful smile,” that I associated my journey of getting braces with my grandmother's saying—life is like planting a seed. Then I was able to relate other things in my life to it. Like me going from a grocery store employee to a skilled executive assistant. It took me years to learn and perfect my position.

See, you plant a seed in a ground, and it's buried away from you. You can't even see your seed anymore, but you know where it is, so you water it. Then one day you return and there is a little plant budding out of the ground. Nothing spectacular, but just enough to let you know that you're making progress. Then the seed changes—it is now a plant, and as the plant grows, you have to watch it closely, pick the weeds away from around it. Sometimes you might have to use a stick or something to support it because it's weak and might need a little help in its development. Then maybe one or two of the leaves might die, so you have to
cut them off. But the plant is still developing. One day, when you come back to the plant, you realize that it is fully mature and ripe and exactly what you hoped it to be.

So getting my braces helped me to appreciate the process of life. I have grown so much, and it hasn't happened overnight. I have been subjected to love, rejection, learning, failing, rejoicing, and crying, but all of those things have worked to shape who I am.

Like I said before, I am still working on figuring out exactly what that means I am, but there are definitely things about me I have come to like and appreciate.

“I'M NOT WHAT
I ought to be, but I'm not what I used to be! Now let the church say 'Amen'!” Lashawnda said, laughing at herself.

“Amen!” the women said in unison and giggled themselves up. Some yawned. Others stretched.

“Lashawnda, you do have a beautiful smile,” Alecia said.

They each made their way into their beds, where they reflected on the events of the day until one by one they dozed off into a deep slumber.

ESSICA TURNED THE
volume way up on her jam box. It was four-thirty a.m., and the women had barely gotten two hours of sleep. Playing was a previously recorded tape that had been made by the radio show both to wish the ladies happy birthday and to make sure that they woke, be it annoyed or grumpy, on time to catch their boat. Blasting from the speaker was Stevie Wonder singing “Happy Birthday to You.”

Although no one actually got out of bed, Jessica knew the tape was working because she could hear stirring and groans of aggravation. She let the tape play through as she tried to beat the rush and get herself prepared for the day.

After the Stevie Wonder song ended, Melvin Green and the Morning Show Crew sang their dreadfully funny rendition of “Happy Birthday.” Hearing Melvin's voice alone got Lashawnda out of the bed. She bounced to the music while going through her bag to get her toothbrush and toothpaste.

By the time the song ended, everyone else was stirring with quiet smiles on their faces. The Morning Crew then yelled, “Happy birthday, Alecia, Catara, Elise, Lashawnda, and Tanya. Oh, and you too, Louisa, happy birthday, we can't wait until you get back!”

“As a reminder we have to be dressed by five a.m., ladies. Stan will be out front to pick us up. Breakfast will be served on the ship,” Louisa said.
Several celebrity voices came on back to back, wishing them happy birthday in their own special way: Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige, LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes, Babyface, Janet Jackson, and Dr. Dre. The ladies were ecstatic, and everyone took a moment from what they were doing to listen closely to each celebrity's greeting.

“Oh, I just love Dr. Dre,” Tanya said.

“LL is my man!” Catara added.“His lips get me every time.”

“Is he gonna be on the boat?” Lashawnda asked.

“Nah, girl. No celebrities, just us getting our relaxation on,” Louisa said.

“I didn't think so, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask,” Lashawnda replied.

Still on a high, the women continued to rush to be dressed on time. Then they gathered the things they wanted to take with them for the day.

“I'm so glad we took showers before we turned in, because we really would be late,” Elise said.

“Yep, and we need to get a move on it, ladies. We only have five minutes,” Jessica announced. She was standing by the door looking at her watch.

Downstairs Stan was waiting for them in front of the car. He grinned and opened the door of the limo for them.“Happy birthday, ladies,” he said.

“Thanks, Stan,” they replied in unison, cheering.

Inside the limo, he opened the window behind him.“We've got a forty-five minute ride to the Fort Lauderdale port, so sit back and relax. If you don't mind, I'd like to play something special for you to help you start your special day.”

“Sure,” Louisa said.

Stan adjusted his system then pulled out onto the street.

Out of the speakers came “My Girl” by the Temptations.

“Aahhh,” everybody gushed.

“Oh, I love that song. My daddy used to sing that to me all the time when I was a little girl,” Catara said.

“That's sweet. You are lucky. I bet that was nice,” Alecia said wistfully.“My dad wasn't around.”

“Thank you, Alecia. It was nice.” Catara smiled. It was good to see a human side of Alecia.

They got to the chorus and everyone sang in unison,
“I guess you say what can make me feel this way? My girl, my girl, my girl, talking 'bout my girl. My girl.”

They giggled and sang along to old-school songs that Stan had prepared for them, including Lionel Richie's “Three Times a Lady,” the Isley Brothers' “Who's That Lady?” and the Commodores' “Brick House.” By the time they got to the dock, they were pumped up and ready to begin their day at sea.

UPON BOARDING THE
ship, the ladies were greeted by the ship's photographer, who urged them to get together so he could snap first a group photo and then individuals of them. Inside, they took a seat in the waiting area while Louisa and Jessica took care of getting them registered. There were all kinds boarding the ship—couples, groups, large families, and people of all nationalities.

“Where are the black people?” Tanya asked.

“There are black people boarding,” Elise said.

“I know that, but when I thought about this cruise I imagined that everyone on board would be black.”

“I think I did too,” Lashawnda agreed.

“You're thinking about a theme cruise like what Tom Joyner has, where they sell the cruise to all of their listeners, most of whom are African American. No, this is your typical run-of-the-mill everyday cruise, a melting pot of people,” Alecia commented.

“This is a small ship. I cruised with my family to Nassau, Bahamas, and that ship was a colossal version of this one,” Catara said.

“They make them larger than
this
?” Lashawnda asked.

“Much larger.”

“You learn something new every day,” Lashawnda replied.

Once they were all checked in, they went upstairs for breakfast. Prepared for the passengers was a lavish buffet meal; the ladies joined the line and filled their plates, then found a table.

“I can't wait to get to that deck and fall asleep,” Alecia said.

“Me, too. Then I'm gonna spend the rest of the time at the casino at the blackjack table,” Tanya said.

“You ladies are party poopers. I'm going swimming and then I'm going to catch a show. Who's interested?” Elise asked.

“I am,” Jessica said.

“I'm gambling until lunch,” Lashawnda said.

“I'm there,” Catara replied.

“I'm with Alecia—I think I'm hitting the deck,” Louisa said.

After breakfast, the ladies split up. Alecia and Louisa rested by the pool, while Elise and Jessica swam. Tanya, Lashawnda, and Catara hit the casino. Eventually, everyone ended up in the casino, where Lashawnda was killing everyone at poker. She was on a roll, and the ladies were cheering her on.

“I feel lucky,” Lashawnda said, throwing down a few chips onto the table.“Give me two more cards.”