Bases Loaded (15 page)

“This is really ironic.”

“What’s ironic?” I smirked. I knew I was setting myself up but I had to let her know I wasn’t afraid of her.

“Jack always wanted to try a
black girl and now he has.”

Huh
, okay bitch. “You know what they say. Once you go black. You leave your wife.” Boop! Take that bitch!

The bitch had to pause for station identification with that one. “You’re funny.”

That’s all you got? Was that supposed to be an insult? “Yes I am so many things.” I turned to her. No more mirror for me. I placed one hand on my hip.

Diana closed her clutch purse and turned to me. I don’t know why I thought she might hit me with it. I hope not. I don’t want to serve her a real Westside beatdown.

“You’re pretty feisty.” She was fake smiling at me. “So you have my Jack.”

“Seems that way.”
Your Jack? Bitch Please.

“So you’re not going to share?
”

“No, I’m not sharing Jack.”

“I was talking about you. Jack told me we could have a threesome if I asked you and you agreed.”

I know
Jack said that. Jack knows me well. I smiled then chuckled. “Jack set you up. He knows I love men he knows I would never have sex with a woman.”

“So is that a no?”

“That’s a never.” I frowned. “Just be thankful Jack gave you a little charity dick before the divorce was final.” Diana visibly was shocked that I knew about their tryst. Her mouth popped open. “Jack has assured me that he was done with his charity work and he would never fuck you again. Stop hitting on him, texting him, calling him, throwing your fake ass bobs in his face. Seriously, it’s sad and pathetic. Go fuck the pool boy like all the other washed up ex-wives.”

Diana’s eyes were screaming BLACK BITCH! But her body was like a statue. I felt my right eyebrow arch.
If you feeling froggy, jump! My theme music was playing in the background of my thoughts,
Up In Here
by
DMX
. Y’all gon’ make me lose my mind, up in HERE, up in here. Y’all gon’ make me go all out, up in here, up in here. One... two... meet me outside, meet me outside, meet me outside.

Baby bye.
I strolled right out the restroom leaving Diana standing there looking a hot ass mess. When I stepped into the hall Robert was coming around the corner.

“There you are.”

“Yeah, I’m here.”

“Jack sent me to get you.”

“Why?”

“Speech time.
” Robert grabbed my wrist and pulled me through a crowd of people that formed at the side of the bar. He ushered me up front right next to Sienna. Jack was standing on a little platform that was only big enough for about four people. I hadn’t noticed it before but I hadn’t spent too much time at the bar.

Robert stepped up on the little stage next to Jack. The music had stopped.

“Jack and I want to thank everybody for coming out and celebrating with us. Here at Unger & Lowe we appreciate every single employee’s contribution. We are a family that is always growing and expanding. Maryann how many babies have you had since you been here? I got godfather dibs on this one.” More than a few people chuckled at Robert’s comments. Maryann was standing by the bar currently pregnant by the looks of it. Robert had embarrassed her. She turned bright red.

Robert continued.
“Some of us have been here forever. If you haven’t been here that long you will see that I am the cool boss and Jack here is the tyrant.” Robert patted Jack on the back. There was a flurry of laughter that blanketed the room. Jack was smiling. “I’m the funny boss and Jack here is the boring boss. Nevertheless, we love what we do. If you work here you love what you do. This is what makes ULA work. We want all you guys and gals to know we truly value you. Our success is your success. Thank you sincerely.” There was a rapid outpouring of applause.

Once the applause died down Jack took a step forward.
It was his turn. He looked like a sexy tall James Bond. Oh my. That’s my man up there. “I second almost everything that my partner said. Tyrant, boring, that’s a bit of an aggravation. MaryAnn can vouch for me.” The room laughed. “We started this company with little to nothing and with your hard work and dedication we are becoming a leading force in the Chicago advertisement community. This party is for you. Keep up the good work. You guys are the most professional, fresh, innovative and creative people in the Chicago advertisement world. That is the truth, I know it and you know it. We are pioneers in this advertisement game. My girlfriend Kari always plays this song by Drake that goes, ‘Started from the bottom, now we’re here. Started from the bottom now my whole team is fucking here.” Ohhhh! Jack just cussed in front of all these people. “People we are here, so enjoy… Wait before you get back to the party.” Robert stepped down from the stage leaving Jack up there alone. “I want everybody to meet my girlfriend Kari.”

All eyes were on me. “Come up here.” Jack waved me up and Robert took my hand and helped me step up on the platform.
I’m not shy but damn. I’m one of the only six, seven black people here. They know who I am. I graciously went up and stood by Jack. I looked out and smiled. I looked up at Jack and realized he was not standing up. What the fuck? He was down on one knee. Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god! Panic attack. Calm down girl. Oh my shaky ass knees. Do not fall out your Louboutins. My eyes bugged out my head. I blinked twice but Jack was still down on one knee.

“Kari Fenderson, will you marry me.” Jack was smiling up at me
with all his bright white teeth. He had his hand extended. I took his hand.”

It was so
quiet. “Yes, I will marry you.” My voice was working. Thank you Lord. I did some weird ass bouncy hop. Who am I?

Jack produced an engagement ring with his othe
r hand. I never even saw where it came from. He just pushed it onto my ring finger which was a little difficult because I was shaking. I looked around and people where applauding. Women were gushing. Some guys were whistling. Jack was back up on his feet and his tongue went in my mouth. He was holding my arms. I felt light headed. He was really tonguing my hard and good. So good I forgot there was a room full of people watching. My pussy was wet and hot. The ring was heavy. How is that even possible? Jack pulled away from me but I wanted more.

Robert hopped back on the stage. “Hey you guys get a room.” There was more laughter. “Congratulations to Jack and Kari.” The entire room said congratulations in unison. On cue the music blasted through the speakers,
Party Rock
by
LMFAO
.

Jack leaned in and whispered in my ear. “I love
you baby.” A few tears ran down my cheeks.

Oh my god! I’m engaged. I’m getting married. I love Jack. I’m getting married. Jack and I stepped down for the platform and we were greeted with hugs, kisses, handshakes and congratulations.

It was easy to ignore Diana’s envious glares with this big ass rock on my finger. My rock was bigger than Dwayne Johnson. It was hu-gon-gous. Diana could smell what I was cooking. I’m cooking carets.

CHAPTER 8

KARI

Life had changed for me. This was the first time in my life that I was engaged to get married. It made me feel different. It was like I was about to join a special club. Although I hadn’t done anything special I felt proud of myself.
My life was going uphill.

I needed a boost in my self-esteem after Mason. No matter how I appeared on the outside it hurt to know that he would always pick Tess over me.
It hurt to see trucks driving around Bolingcreek with Rizza Construction stenciled in them. I’m not sure I even learned anything from the time I spent with Mason. It was just nice to have a normal, happy life. I like order. I like things to be in there place. I love for things to be alphabetized. Being with Mason was chaos not order. It was a blazing fire instead of calming waters and now it is in my rearview.

I’m glad
Mason has no way to contact me. I’m glad none of his kids are playing baseball this season. Karen told me Mason had tried to get her to tell him some information on me. She refused to tell him. I’m grateful she didn’t cave. Mason can be very persuasive.

Karen knows I’m engaged. She’s happy for me. She
even bought me an engagement gift, a pair of shoes. She met Jack but Jack is not aware of the fact that she is Mason’s sister. It never came up. I introduced her as my friend because she is my friend. It helped that her last name is Palazzo and Mason’s is Rizza but I wasn’t really being deceitful. If Jack asks questions then I will be honest but if he doesn’t. He just doesn’t.

Jack and I decid
ed on a date for our upcoming nuptials. We planned to get married Saturday November ninth. It would be cold that time of year but Jack didn’t want to be engaged for a long time. I didn’t either. My life is back on track. I want my life to stay that way. Because if my train jumps off the track, pick it up, pick it up, pick it up. BACK! I’m not going backwards. I’m going forward.

It was Sunday so I was getting my
lively dose of gospel off the radio. Jack could not understand my taste in music. I don’t understand why it’s strange to know all the words to
Another One Bites The Dust
. He would roll his eyes anytime I blasted Justin Bieber and Rick James. Yeah I’m in love with Mary Jane but apparently Jack was not. His loss.

Jack
would just stare at me when I was singing my heart out. Jack loves to watch. He watches me sing. He watches me cook. He watches me dance. He watches me bathe.  He watches me masturbate. He watches me shave my pussy. The weird thing is I don’t even mind. I have stopped comparing him to Mason and I have just accepted him for the man he is. Amen.

My favorite gospel song came on the radio. It was the original version of Jesus
Can Work It Out. Why the hell did Mason pop into my head? That problem that I had, I just couldn’t seem to solve. Yeah that problem was Mason and I guess Jesus did work it out for me.

Jack had taken the kids to the movies so I had the house all to myself. Jack wanted to put my house on the market but the economy was so bad I’m not sure anyone would buy it. He wanted to go look at houses but I wasn’t sure
about that either. I mean I thought that we should take one thing at a time. Get married first. Find a house second. Get pregnant third.

If it was up to Jack’s multi-tasking ass
, I would be pregnant at the wedding and we would leave the reception to close on a house.

Jack was a man of his word. If he said something he meant it. He made shit happen. I loved that about him. If this was Mason I would be staring at the engagement ring wondering if we were really going to get married.
Mason took care of his company and his kids, everything else was secondary. Jack didn’t fake the funk. He took the funk by the balls and offered him a job.

Time was washing the memory of Mason from my memory but I would be lying if I said he was
completely gone. Well he was gone in the literal sense. Secretly, sometimes when I was home alone in the bathtub I would daydream that he was eating my pussy, sucking my clit, biting my nipples or sticking his tongue in my ass. I’m glad I never ran into Mason on the street right after the breakup. I might have crumbled but I’m strong now. If I saw him today I could threw up the peace sign and tell him to keep it moving.

The internal dilemma
is this; would somebody tell my body to get over Mason? My mind is over him. My heart is over him but sometimes my body reminisces on the past. I want to make it stop. Cheating on Jack is not an option. I would never hurt him again.  

It’s only June but preparing for a wedding is stressful. I have four months left to get it all together. Jack is not any help at all. He said whatever I want is what he wants. What the fuck does that mean? He’s the one with the expensive taste. He’s the one with the rich friends. Sure I can step up my game but it would be easier if he give me some input. All my constant whining
has led us to interviewing wedding planners.

I have most of the stuff together but
it’s a few details that need to be worked out. Jack did agree with me when I told him I didn’t want a Vera Wang dress. I know her dresses are what’s up but everybody and their sisters, mothers, cousin does a Vera Wang wedding dress. I wouldn’t be true to myself if I wore one. I want some obscure young Chicago based designer. I like artsy, unique and chic but not necessarily pricey. Plus I’m not wearing white. Pink is my favorite color. Everybody knows that. So pink dress it is.

Toya i
s going to be my maid of honor. I am only going to have four bridesmaids, my brother’s wife, Sienna, Stacy my friend from high school and Mary my friend from a previous job. Robert’s was obviously Jack’s best man. His groomsmen were going to be his brother, my brother and two of his college buddies. One of his buddies was some black guy that was in the NBA. They went to college together. I didn’t follow basketball like that so I didn’t know who the guy was until I Googled him. He plays for the Indiana Pacers so I wouldn’t have known him anyway. I didn’t even know Jack had any real black friends besides my brother. Jack was always a surprise.