Chardonnay: A Novel (17 page)

“Stacey I will need to talk with you about something later. I will
begin with the grand children’s list tomorrow.”

It all seemed fishy to me so I walked up to my Aunt Marjorie and
took her to the side.

“Is there something I need to be told?” I asked.

“Uhm,” she looked uneasy.

“Baby you will have to discuss this with your mother.”

“My mother?
You know how difficult it is to talk to her.
Where’s Nana?”

“She’s at home resting honey—don’t bother her about this please.”

I knew my grandma was taking this all really bad. She had been
with my grandfather since she was twelve, baring fifteen of his seeds—beginning
at the age of fourteen-years-old after taking his hand in marriage, thirteen of
them still living. She had lost the love of her life without losing him. Not
like I had lost Myron.

I walked away from her without anything as to why she had such a
surprised look on her face when she looked at the piece of paper with my name
on it. I was almost sure it was money—money I needed for school at the very
least. With what I had done to Jase, SEM was no longer a choice.

*
 
*
 
*
 
*

Konstance
was making the final touches
and
changes to the annual summer party we
were throwing as I sat around her room made for a princess with her, feeding on
a warm bowel of caramel popcorn she made for me.
 
We had an annual summer party every year
since 1999. It was always the talk of the summer from its decked out appeal to
the hefty give-a-ways at the door. And who ever came had to have a welcomed
seal of approval invite. I wasn’t much up for one this year, but I also
believed we had to keep the tradition.

“Girl this is really good.” I said chewing on my first bite.

“Thank ACTS II.”

We laughed. She sipped on her cold sparkling glass of Ginger Ale
as I asked,

“So you hear from Fianna or Ka—”

“Uht—
girl please
! Don’t mention their
names. They are the last thing on my mind with the crap they tried to pull.”

“But Konnie you don’t feel the least bit
bad
?”

“For what?
Protecting my
fam
?
Hell no! Plus I didn’t cut her anyway.”

I slowly stopped gnawing on my popcorn and thought to myself that
I knew Fianna well enough to know she wouldn’t go away quietly about this.
Konstance could play the fool, but it was a matter of time.

“She
get
her invite to where this party
is going to be?”

“Yeah, only because I sent them out in May?”

“MAY!
Then that means—”

“Everybody is going to be at our extravaganza!”

“What?!
Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You know we send them out every year in May. Its fly—check this
out.”

Konstance motioned me over to her lap top that rested on her shell
cream desk top.

The apple lap top had her and Denim’s prom picture on its desk
top. She fingered the mouse pad and then hit a few spots on the screen.

“Why lah!
I sent this out to the VIP list and as well
the guest list for the new faces via attachment in the Blackberry, file load
iPod, Facebook, and to the less fortunate fax.” she laughed and then went on to
say, “A text will go out to everyone tonight to remind them it will be poppin’
off in two days.”

“Damn...I must be
less fortunate retarded
because I didn’t
get any of that.”

“Your VVIP, those folks don’t need invites...just themselves.”

“This should be interesting.”

“I can understand your concern...with the possibility of Myron
showing up.” she said with a raised and tastefully arched eyebrow. She ran her
hands through her silky new permed hair and went on to say,

“Oh Nay—what’s wrong?”

“Everything man. I jus’...I don’t know what to do. My momma
looking at me to correct her every mistake, I can’t confide in my daddy because
I want to look like his perfect little girl, and...
that
fucking Myron. I—hate him! I can’t get over him cheating on me and then dumping
me
. Do you know what I saw with my own two eyes?”

Konstance shook her head no and said,

“What?”

“Some chick in his room.
I—I couldn’t see her face but I
know it was a woman’s body.”

“When was this?” Konstance said heading towards her closet.

“The second night we were back from school.”

She continued to go through her rack of hangers quietly as if she
was in a department store hunting for new threads—her closet was that
ridiculous.

“Konnie.”

She came back out with a cream cardigan and plaid pink and cream
shorts, continuing to her white plantation shades to block out existing light
we didn’t need and
then
 
turned
on the radio.

“What are you thinking?” I asked.

She was only this quiet about hot off the press news when she was
thinking too deep on it.

“Well, I was thinking that it was probably just his mother. Or
maybe even Myra. You know how she be sneaking in his room all the time to read
you his little groupie letters.”

I laughed at the last probability. Myra was always my little spy.
Just up until she hit her teens and figured why flip the bill for free when you
can get something in return. I wasn’t so willing or desperate.

“Uhnt uhn.
Myra hasn’t done that for me in years. Plus I
know their heights and silhouettes. And you know how I do.” I said referring to
finding out
who
this chicken head was.

Konstance rolled her tongue around her mouth and crossed her arms.

She chuckled and said, “You ain’t really that tumid about this
situation are you?”

I looked at her and couldn’t believe what I was hearing. She
adjusted her words by saying, “I—I’m sorry. You know I would go with you on
this but...girl you lettin’ him play you like a TMX Elmo on Christmas morning.”

What could I say? Had I gone that far? The answer was yes. I was
making too much out of this whole thing and giving Myron too much damn credit
on my heart. He would not have me that gone. I paced over to Konstance’s window
and wrapped my arms around my waist. She walked up behind me and placed her
hands on my shoulders.

“You alright cuz?”

“Yelpers.”
I stated with no enthusiasm.

“Hey, I’m a go and have Maria press this for me for Friday night.”

“Alright.”

She winked her eye and left out the room. I lay in the bed that
sat across from hers. Both of the beds were queen sized. Staring up at the
ceiling, I thought about what Konstance had said. And even though the girl had
made sense for once, I still had a nagging feeling to check Myron’s silly hoe
out. I hadn’t spoken with him in a month and I wanted to readjust the distance
barrier since we both were home from college. Myron was home officially until
his first NFL kick off season. And then
I
 
pondered
if I should just hold on to
him for just that reason. But even if I did throw in the towel along with my
panties, would he want me? I laughed at the thought of even giving him a second
chance. I picked Konstance’s Betty Boop telephone
off
 
the
hook and decided to see where my
little venture would take me. The phone rung twice and then I got a hello from
Myron.

“Hey.” I said giving him time to fix his words.

“What it do?
You calling
me?”

“Yeah.
I would of thought of other responses from
you.”

He chuckled and said,

“You miss me? What about my boy?”

“What boy...we cool? When have you ever asked about him?”

The phone went dead for a minute. I was surprised by the long
pause and when I said his name to make sure he hadn’t hung up, Myron said,

“Chardonnay, I’m surprised to be hearing from you.”

“And?”
“
I
just been
calling you forever. Didn’t
think you would call—that’s all...I miss you. I lo—”

“Look, I called to check in on things and make sure we weren’t
still trippin’ on each other.”

He sighed and tisked.

“SO?”
I yelled.

“It’s whatever. I ain’t got to see you. But I want you to know—”

“Look why you worried about me?”

“I—I don’t know.”

“Bye Myron.”

“Bye.” he huffed into the phone and then hung up. I was on to my
next move. I had called his mother’s cell...he carried that with him when he
was out with some chick and other females didn’t have his number. I found that
out the hard way. The boy had so many tricks up his sleeve, literally, that it
didn’t make any sense. So I started my spying. I called his cellphone and then
put in his code to check his messages. Twenty new messages and none saved. I
laughed. I went through each one carefully not to delete.
 
And then there were the usual groupie
messages. Two in particular I was interested in most. The female sounded too
young to be talking to boys, but she had that grown up scent to her. She spoke
of their few time encounters and that she believed that she was in love. I grew
sick...to hear some girl talk about a dude you were so used to being yours...claiming
him as hers. It sounded too real. It sounded too invested. It sounded like he
had been feeding this girl—whoever she was lines.
But why?
Myron never lied about how he got down to any of the females I’ve had one
chance encounters with. I could hear Konstance coming up the stairs and I
pushed the replay button and quickly took down the girl’s number the phone
system said she was calling from. I just had to know.

15

Eyes
Wide Shut

Morning
dawned and the birds were singing like Al Green in his
Let’s Get It On
days. Konstance was already up and down stairs blasting loud music. It was
obvious she had the house to herself. Aunt Karmen and Uncle Bryant went back
out of town for their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary in sunny South Beach
before Pal pal could be buried in the ground. I rattled my mind to peel my body
up off of the bed.
 
I maneuvered my feet
to the chill wood panels of the floor and shuffled them to the bedroom door.
The sound of Fergie became daunting clearing the wax of my ears like a
menstrual nightmare. I found my way to the bathroom to let go of the urine just
waiting to be released like an over flowing dam. The pressure in my pelvic area
was relentless. I flushed the toilet stool and turned on the faucet letting the
luke
warm water run over my face. I could hear
Konstance laughing and talking as if she was holding a conversation on the
phone. Then as quick as her laughter begin it ended. I walked on out the bath
room and crept my way down the stairs leading to the foyer. My ears zoned in on
her phone conversation and I could guess the exact person she was fuming with
that could make her cry as quickly as they could make her laugh.

 
“So...so what are you
sayin’?...
Oh so now I’m a little girl. What about all the
times I let you in when you felt you had nowhere else to go? Or better yet when
your love wasn’t good enough I refaced it for you
?...
Tsk!
If that’s what you think, you think you got it good...you think that—...NO! Let
me talk! Oh so you can talk about her like that while defending her when it’s
beneficial to you? Fuck you! Hell naw—don’t come!” Konstance turned to see me
standing behind her at the floor of the stairs. She clicked off the phone and
walked towards me.

“You up? I cooked.” she said trying to hold sanity in her hurt
tone.
  

“What were you and Denim arguing about?”

Konstance didn’t look at me.

“He...he
..
called
here calling you names.”

“For what?”

“Because you went showing your ass!
You the talk of their crew, girl.
Oh, and Myron called here
too.”

“Oh, not this shit again. I talked to him...” my words trailed off
remembering that I didn’t want to look weak in front of my girl. She smirked
and said,

“You just can’t help it huh?”

“Well, it wasn’t really that. I just, I have to know.”

She nodded her head.

“He says he’s worried about you. He didn’t like the idea of you
stripping and frankly I don’t either.”

“He
don’t
get a say so anyway! He broke
up with me! I just wish he would mind his own business.”

I sat down on the formal room sofa and huffed. Why did he think he
owned me? Maybe it was that brand thing we did last year. We got those tattoos
after we figured we were deep in love so why not. So as of yet, although we
were engaged by way of arrangement through our parents—I had been waiting on
him to ask me to officially marry him until the trip to Saint Louis. It’s easy
to be accustoming to a person being in your life.

Myron said he loved me, but I didn’t know that for sure. Yeah he
looked as pained as a dying man when I told him what I had done with Slim in
March, but I had never once heard Myron say to me, “I wish I was a better man
for you.” It was always “sorry” or “I fucked up”.

I didn’t believe he
wanted
to change and I almost couldn’t
blame him for his actions. All I’d ever known was him; all he ever knew was me.
Our actions could have been for a number of reasons. I had not once thought
about how this affected him because I had programed him as the ass hole in this
relationship. His parents had drilled me into his mind, they had taken his free
will as well and Myron was not excusing himself for his leave of absences in
our relationships. He had always told me to get over it. And truthfully I had
done that for so long. I looked past his other booty calls and one time I had
even given him the phone call when a female called on
my
cell for him.
It was just until recently I had gotten the courage to fight back and say
either you’re in this or you’re not. A knocked came at the door and by looking
at the glass door we could tell it was Zasmyth at the door. Zasmyth walked in
the front door with a worried look on her face, sitting her Coach purse on the
coffee table.

“Hey Zas, girl why you look so sad?”
Konstance
asked.

“Or scared for that matter?” I said.

“Y’all didn’t here yet?”

“What?” we all said.

“It’s all over the news. Shit I been trying to call y’all all
morning.” she said to Konstance.

“Well let’s go put all your things up in my room.” said Konstance.

Everyone went upstairs to Konstance room. As soon as we got in the
bedroom Zasmyth ran over to the plasma screen on the wall in Konstance room and
pressed the on button.

“What is it?” asked Konstance.

“Hold on.”

Zasmyth turned it on the Fox news that came on at noon and sat
down next to me on the bed. We watched the daily news and then a breaking news
flash came across the television. My impatience grew and I looked over at
Zasmyth and said,

“Can you just tell us?”

“Shh, listen!”

“Today police found the bodies of two young black
males
today in Swope Park around nine this morning. At press
time this morning the police didn’t have the names of the two men but now
detectives know that the two young males are that of Rason Green and Jalen
Kitmon,”
I stepped back for a moment and turned my head sideways.

Those were the same dudes that were hounding me at the striping
party I did for Zasmyth. I looked at her and she shook her head as the news
reporter continued,

“Detectives believe the two men were among a local drug ring. They
do believe that the motive was not related to drugs. The investigation is
ongoing. If you have information on this case or any other related information
please
contact
us at 816.555.7593.”

Zasmyth clicked off the television and stood up. She walked around
the room and swirled back around to Konstance and
I
.

“You do know what this means?” she asked us.

“What?” I asked.

“Yo, boy had them negros killed!”

I shook my head,

“No, Jase isn’t that kind of guy.”

“Well we know who’s on your mind, but I wasn’t talking about Jase.
I was talking about Slim.”

“It could be a coincidence. What’s Slim got to do with anything?”
I said defending his ground.

I wasn’t quite sure but I remembered what Slim told me about him
being hired to watch over me. I looked away from Zasmyth and said, “Zas, you
don’t know that for sure. And why would he kill them?”

“Girl, wake-up! You just don’t want to believe that. I’m sure he
did it because you were humiliated beyond belief.”

“You don’t know it’s true!” said Konstance.

“Alright.
Y’all be the dumb ducks quaking around
fo
’ these niggas. Nay, don’t say I didn’t tell you—but Myron
had Slim do that shit! They might be beefing about you—but they would do
anything for you.”

“Myron? Now you’ve really lost it!”

“Yeah...like he lost it with you.” she said glaring at me.

I didn’t have a comeback for that one, in fact I wanted to know if
it was true or not.

“Even if he did, he saved y’all from God knows what.” said
Konstance.

“Whatever. At least I got
they
mon-nay!”
she boosted. Zasmyth licked her fingers and counted out some money.

“Where all that money
come
from?”
Konstance asked walking over to Zasmyth.

“Are we going to still have this party?” Zasmyth asked ignoring
Konstance.

“Well, everybody knows we were having it. I say we keep the party
going.” said Konstance. Zasmyth threw the money at me and pulled out some more
bills and spread them out with her two hands as she hissed a laugh through her
teeth.

“What did you do exactly to get this money?” said Konstance.

“Girl
don’t
start. You know how I make a
living!”

“Thanks anyway Zas.” I said in a melancholy drag. Konstance shook
her head at me.

“Sad. You are sad Zas!” Konstance began.

“I can’t believe you,
Nay
. You ain’t
nothing but
a sank
hoe!”

“Hold up bitch!
 
Who you
calling
a stank
hoe!” said Zasmyth.

“I’m talking to Nay about you. Denim was wrong about you, but he
was sho right about Zasmyth nasty ass. “

“Hold on y’all. Stop, we girls!
Y’all seen
what happen to Destiny’s Child. They went from being D3 to just plain and
simple Beyonce.” I said seriocomically. My effort to calm things down was
useless, they were already in battle.

“Naw, she needs to stop tainting your head. A real friend wouldn’t
drag their girl in the mud.” said Konstance.

Zasmyth kicked off her shoes and took her ear rings off.

“So, I’m the only hoe in this room now?!” said Zasmyth with a
crept keeper laugh.

Konstance rolled her eyes and said,

“Only hoe I see at the moment.”

“Alright bitch, I done had er’nough of you! You acting all high
and migh’ti now like yaur shit don’t stink.
Now, mi only
trying to help Nay.
I don’t see ya doing a damn thing to help her
situ-way-shun. A real friend wouldn’t look from the side line and add more
gasoline ta da fire.” I sat listening, as words flew over my head. There was so
much confusion that I didn’t bother to ask.

“Look we can argue about this all day, but the fact is I would
rather have a banging party. Let’s not forget I’m grown and I have chosen my
own path.” I said.

“Whatever.” Konstance said as she walked out the room.

“Look, I’m sorry.
Mi
 
just
want to help you.” said Zasmyth
walking over to me.

“Forget about it. Let’s just plan this party.” Even though
Konstance was upset, she still managed to help with the cooking.

I handled decorations, called for a disk jockey, and security.
Zasmyth handled the RSVP’s. Little did we know, we were soon on our way the
having the biggest talked about party of the
year.

*
 
*
 
*
 
*

In my frame
of mind, three in the morning was meant to be an hour of sleep. Especially
after all the hard work that was put into putting a party together that somehow
ended up looking like a wedding reception made for a king and queen. We stepped
back and looked at the transformation Konstance had a local designing team do
on Denim’s mother’s formal dance hall in her home. Mrs. Denise Byer’s estate
was one to be envied. With fifteen acres of nothing but lush land, a pool house
with a Montego Bay inspired thousand feet long pool that had lights to light up
at night inside it’s midnight blue waters, a volley ball net with sand imported
from Fiji island, and a house so big Shaq would feel at home. Our party was
definitely going to be jumping.

But for me, three in the morning didn’t give much room for sleep
after hard work. I reached over for my cell phone that sat in my small clutch
bag and didn’t think to look at the number until after I said,

“Hello?”

“Good morning Chardonnay.” Jase let out with a refreshed sigh.

“Um, it’s still night in many other countries, as well as my body.”

He chuckled so sexy, which told me that my hormones weren’t ever
asleep,

“Well, sorry to wake you. I was uh, going over your resume...you’re
a damn good student.” he said with impression in his vocals.

“Thank you,” I sat up to hear more of what he had to say.

“Any one with your grades and credentials deserves a shot, and I
wouldn’t want to miss out on a talent like you. How about we meet at my office
tomorrow morning at six o’ clock?”

I laughed.

“You mean, today at six o’ clock since your offices are closed on
a Saturday?”

“You know what I mean.”

A long pause.

“I miss you.” he let out going from business to personal.

I twisted my neck to get out a knot in it and looked up at the
ceiling.

“Jase, why didn’t you tell me?”

“I would rather tell you the reason tomorrow, please. I’ve been up
all night looking over assistant and intern resumes, model comp cards...please
let me explain myself to you when I have a clear mind.”