Trickery & Envy (3 page)

About twenty minutes into her drive down
to her salon Vivian mumbled, “I’m sorry, but not today Mary,” referring to the Mary J. Blidge song that started to play on her car radio. “I do not feel like going down because someone’s not around,” and using one hand to steer the car opened her armrest console for a CD. She lifted one from the console closing it with her elbow.

Vivian glance
d at the CD trying to concentrate on the road. Sticking out of it was Toni’s business card. “Umm...coincidence or you just happen to slide your way into Smokey Robinson’s CD case? Are you trying to tell me something,” and Vivian smiled as she thought back to them meeting.

“Morning, ladies,” Vivian said after walking in
her salon and heading to her office.

“Good Morning,” her assistant Patricia Green and a few
clients responded. A couple of clients watched Vivian walk past them and to her office. Vivian just seemed to command attention when she entered a room. Confidence was in her stride.

Vivian
unlocked her office and after going inside closed the door behind her. After settling her things she turned on her computer. Not seeing any messages she hit the intercom button on her desk phone. “Patricia,” she said.

“I’ll be there in a second
,” Patricia responded.”

“You’ve got mail,” Vivian’s computer
told her just as Patricia walked up and tapped on her door.

“Come in Patricia."

It was Vivian’s routine to check in with her assistant once she got settled into her office. Today the only message she didn’t want to get from Patricia was that Tracie wasn’t going to make it in today. Not to say that she wasn’t sympathetic to people having emergencies and needing to take a day off here and there. Tracie went overboard with calling off two and three times a month. Though Vivian listened, she was not interested in the drama that seemed to trap itself in Tracie’s life. She had a business to run; clients that needed taking care of. This was not a profession where your clients could wait until the next day to be taken care of. So despite Tracie’s outstanding cutting and styling skills, she needed to get it together before she walks up to the shop one day and see a “Beautician Wanted” sign in the window.

Vivian
picked up her red coffee mug that was engraved with her initials from her desk. “Give me a minute,” she said to Patricia and headed to the small break area near the ladies restroom. As she poured coffee into her cup she heard what sounded like weeping in the restroom. She tilted her head some toward the soft sobs. Curious as to whom it was, she sat her mug down and walked a few feet over into the restroom where she listened further.

“Where am I going to get that kind of money from,” the weeper
muttered. “I gave you everything I had...even my tips. I don’t have any more money, Vernon.”

“I should have known,” Vivian mumbled and mov
ing her head from side to side.
She’s got some man in her life probably going upside her head. I guess my brother isn’t the only one named Vernon that’s crazy.

Tracie sniffled and then said,
“I need to get back to work. I have a client waiting and my boss is going to be in soon” and she disconnected her call and slid her cell phone into the pocket of the smock she had on. She then flushed the toilet as if she had used it and then came out of the stall.

Vivian
moved on into the restroom as if she hadn’t heard a thing walking pass Tracie toward one of the three stalls.

Tracie in an attempt to mask that she had been
weeping looked downward. “How are you doing today, Ms Fowler?” she said to her moving to the sink to wash her hands.

“I’m fine Tracie
,” Vivian responded as if she was irked by something, which she was, Tracie.

B
efore Tracie could say anything else Vivian closed the door to the stall with a little force. Whatever Tracie was going through she didn’t want to hear it.

Vivian
headed back to her office closing the door behind her. Patricia had taken a seat in the chair across from her desk. “I already have my answer,” Vivian said to her.

Patricia stood. “You know where I’ll be if you need me,” and she turn
ed and headed back to her client closing the door behind her.

“I may as well get these bills out of the way,”
Vivian mumbled and used a key on a black plastic curly ring she kept around her wrist at work to unlock a drawer in her desk. She removed her purse for her checkbook. “May as well pay the ones in my purse, too,” she stated removing a few bills from a side pocket. “You again,” she said after pulling Toni’s business card from between her bills. “You just seem to be peeking from every cranny. You must be trying to tell me something, Mr. Toni Gentry?” and for the first time paying attention to how his name was spelled.
I’ve never seen a man whose name is Toni spell it with an, I.

Vivian with an inquisitive expression
shook off her being puzzled. “So what would you like to say to me?” and she looked as if she was contemplating a call to him. She then hit the speaker button on her desk phone.

“Hello.”

“Hello, may I speak with Toni?”

“This is Toni.”

“Hi Toni, this is Vivian,” and she lifted the receiver for a more personal call. “We met a couple days ago in the parking lot of the One Stop Grocers. Is this a good time?”

Toni
grinned, glad she called. “Sure it is. Now I know you don’t think I forgot meeting you, do you? Ms. Vivian there’s no way I would have forgotten you. I’ve thought about you a few times. How’s your day going?”

Toni
had been about to enter through the revolving door to where he worked when he stepped aside to let a co-worker go through.

“It’s going good,” Vivian answered. “I had a few minutes before I dig into work and thought I’d give you a call.”

“I’m happy that you did. Unfortunately I can’t talk long on account of I just arrived at work. Is it possible we can meet this evening, maybe have dinner?”

Vivian not expecting an invitation to dinner
hesitated before she answered. “Actually, I’m not sure about this evening. I won’t know if my evening will be free until sometime after six. As a beautician you have to expect some clients are going to be late, or even cancel at the last minute.”

Vivian bit down on her lower lip concealing the lie she just told. She knew there was nothing to keep her from having dinner this evening with Toni but herself. Vivian rarely
styled any of her client’s hair. They were all taken care of by her stylists, except for one in particular.

“I see. Well, can I call you this evening?”

Vivian beamed. “Sure. I’d like that,” she said.

There was a brief pause
. “I take it that you plan to spend the night at your salon.”

Vivian
looked a bit baffled by his statement. “What do you mean?”

“
My caller ID suggests you may be calling from your shop. It’s displaying Simply Beautiful. Great name by the way.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t know why I assumed you had my
home or cell number.” Vivian spoke her number to Toni. “I guess I’ll talk to you this evening.”

“I’m looking forward to it. You enjoy your day lovely lady.”

“Likewise,” Vivian said and blushing girlishly then disconnected the call. “That was cute...spending the night at my salon,” she said and then plucked a pen from a cup on her desk to write a check when there was a tap on her door.

“Who is it?”

“Ms. Fowler, do you have a minute.”

Vivian eyes shot upwards and her mouth
dropped some.

“Come in Tracie,” Vivian said trying not to sound annoyed about whatever Tracie was going to tell her.

Tracie walked in with a perturbed expression and looked right at Vivian. “Ms. Fowler, I know you’ve warned me about leaving. I just received a call from my babysitter. My daughter is sick. I need to leave. Patricia is going to finish up my client and the two coming later.”

Vivian
displayed a blank look.
I guess problems with your boyfriend have gotten old. Now you’re going to create stories about your child being sick, if you don’t get out my face.

Tracie didn’t know what to make of Vivian
’s stoic look. “I know what you’re thinking there’s always something going on with me. I am sorry but my daughter is sick.”

Girl, the only
truth you just spoke is that you have a daughter.

Vivian
remained silent.

The silent treatment Tracie was receiving begun to
bother her because her daughter was really sick. The school she attends had called shortly after she disconnected her call from her boyfriend. Her pleading look and the urgency in her voice changed. “I have to leave,” she rigidly stated then turned to do just that gripping the strap of her dark blue purse that hung from her right shoulder.

“Tracie,”
Vivian calmly called out to her.

Tracie sto
pped and turned to look at her boss and the cutting expression on her face.

“You have one more story at your disposal
. After that, you will be doing hair the old fashion way; in your kitchen.”

Tracie just look
ed at Vivian a few seconds,
then you have to do what you have to do
and she continued on her way.

“You can try me if you want to,” Vivian warned her in a tone she knew Tracie
would hear her.

* * *

Toni and his co-worker, Barbara Rivers, walked into the small kitchen of the clinical research department. They worked at Chicago University Hospital. As they approached the counter the coffee stains and food drippings immediately grabbed their attention. Barbara just frowned at the stains while Toni took it more serious.

“
Barbara I’m telling you, you’re going to get enough of using those cups,” he warned her, referring to a ceramic cup she removed from a few turned upside down on a paper towel.

Barbara
and Toni had been friends a little over five years. They were at a party and introduced by a mutual friend. Barbara was the receptionist for the research department and known for the comedic side of her.

“
I told you they don’t clean up in here like they should.  I have seen roaches roaming. I can’t count the times I went for a cup only to find lipstick around the edge. That’s why I keep my mug in my desk and wash it out myself.”

“You’re absolutely right,”
Barbara said and looking at the rim of the cup she picked up. “If I didn’t know any better I’d think the Joker used this cup. Look at this,” she said at the red lipstick imprint on it and she placed the cup in the sink. She then reached for a small foam coffee cup from the small stack on the counter. “So did you get the call you were waiting for?” Barbara lifted the red handle to dispense coffee in her cup then glanced over at Toni as it slowly poured from the machine.

Toni released the beam he had been concealing since talking to Vivian.

“Actually I did. She called me as I was entering the building.”

“I knew it,”
Barbara said beaming. “I knew I saw something dancing in your eyes. I hope it works out for you.” She then got serious and said, “One question, are you going to tell her?”

“
We just met, what would be the point,” Toni replied.

Barbara
glanced over at him. “How many times have you heard the phrase looks are deceiving? In your case, it would be an undeniable fact. Crap, this machine is about to run out of coffee. I don’t think I’m going to get a full cup.”

Toni
turned and reached into the drawer he was leaning against for a bag of coffee and handed it to Barbara. “I’m going to take it slow, see where it goes. You see what happen the last couple times I met someone and was honest upfront. I just feel some things are better left unknown until a more appropriate time.” Toni then grinned. “Barbara I was blushing up a storm,” he said. “I thought about her nearly the whole weekend, and if she would call.”

Barbara
pushed the start button on the coffee machine then tossed the empty coffee bag into the garbage. “Why didn’t you call her?” she asked and glanced over at him.

Toni
’s face was now a bit frowned. He wasn’t ignoring Barbara, it’s just his attention was drawn back to how nasty the kitchen was. “I swear this place is repulsive at times. Look at this. Would you look at this?” He lifted the coffee creamer container near the neck with two fingers, again proving his point that the kitchen is always nasty. “How could you not know you had jelly on your fingers when you picked this up?  I guess it would have been too much for whoever did this to wipe their hands first.”

Toni sat the cream back down and pull
ed some paper towels from a holder attached to the wall. He wet it then began wiping the strawberry jelly away from the cream container.

Barbara
leaned back against the counter. “Now answer the question,” she said looking to her side at Toni. “Why didn’t you call her?”