Free Fridays (6 page)

“Honey, that's what we've discovered,” Beverly said.

Leela watched her grandmother closely. Her poise and elegant manner remained fully intact. When she told the story of the ultimate betrayal and heartbreak, she did so with a peaceful and relaxed tone. She'd always been the calm and laid-back type, but the story she told was enough to drive anyone over the edge. In that moment, Leela admired her grandmother even more.

“I wanted to whup that bitch's ass!” Linda said. “Then her half-senile mama over there crying every day, asking how did she go wrong. It's like they're all crazy!” Linda chimed in between sips.

“Wait. Rhonda had a drug problem. Why would he?” Leela asked. The question was rhetorical, and she barely realized she had verbalized it.

“Yes. She did. She ran off for a few years, but that stuff really had a hold on her,” Beverly said. “I never would've thought my husband was doing anything but helping over there. You know Sadie never married and she seemed okay about it. I didn't even mind your grandfather helping out. I figured that was doing the right thing. Everyone needs a man around the house.”

“Big Mama. Rhonda's kids spent so much time with us!” Leela added. She was stunned. She couldn't make sense of it no matter how hard she tried.

“Yeah. I remember that. I remember you and the church really banding around Miss Sadie,” said Linda.

“After fifty-two years of marriage,” Leela muttered. She shook her head slowly. “For all thirty-four of my years, I've never known another marriage like yours.”

“It's unbelievable to us all, Honey.” Beverly took Leela's hand.

But Linda remained defiant. “That goes to show you,” Linda said. “When all is said and done, ain't none of 'em loyal!”

•  •  •

SNAP!

SNAP!

“What the hell, Leela?!”

Riley snapped his fingers as if to pull Leela back to the present.

“Oh. Babe. I'm sorry.” Leela shook her head.

“You didn't hear me talking to you?”

“What did you say?”

Riley gave his wife a stern look.

“I know. The whole answer the question with a question thing,” Leela said.

“So how long do I have to come in and find my wife staring off into space? You act like it's the end of the world. I need you to get over it, dammit!”

Leela couldn't remember how long she'd been zoned out. If she didn't dream about that lunch with Big Mama and Linda, she thought about the video of Bill and his mistress. She felt like her mind was slowly slipping away.

It didn't help that Samantha carried on as if nothing in her life had changed, but now that her own husband's frustrations were growing, Leela knew she needed to do something and she needed to take action quickly.

W
hen Leela learned her best friend's divorce was final, she still couldn't wrap her mind around it. And while she'd heard and seen horror stories about life after divorce, Samantha's battle scars were very hard to find.

The bright-colored wrap dress that hugged Samantha's shapely, statuesque, size-13 figure made her stand out as she maneuvered her way through a throng of people near the bar. Samantha had always turned heads, so that was nothing new to Leela, but for a person who just officially ended a ten-year marriage, the girl looked bad!

“Hey, Boo!” Samantha approached the table, and breezed in like she didn't have a single care.

“Wow! You look fab!” Leela said.

“Don't sound so surprised. Get up and give me some love; act like you ain't seen me in nearly two whole weeks!” Samantha said.

Leela rose and fell into her friend's embrace. They were meeting for dinner at Pappadeaux off I-10. As they settled into their seats and took in the hustle and bustling sounds of the busy restaurant, Leela couldn't help but compare the two divorcees in her life.

For one, it looked like the move had ushered new life into her. Samantha had always been attractive, but she didn't believe in going the extra mile when it came to her appearance. Now, however, she looked different, and in a very good way. She was stunning in her outfit and new makeup.

But for her grandmother, who had for the very first time in her life, moved into her own one-bedroom apartment, divorce looked completely different. Big Mama rarely ventured out, and that forced Linda to set up a schedule to pull her out to lunch or out for shopping.

Big Mama was no longer connected to her church, and unless Linda or Leela insisted, she tried to remain holed up inside the apartment. The apartment stayed dark with the blinds and drapes closed night and day.

“Maybe she should go talk to somebody,” Leela suggested the last time she and her mother talked about Big Mama.

“Girl, ain't nothing wrong with her but a broken heart. You know how many times I've been divorced?” Linda asked.

Leela knew it was a rhetorical question, but still. Her mother's lighthearted approach to everything sometimes rubbed her the wrong way.

“Ma. You might hold the Guinness World Record for the number of divorces for any one woman, but you've gotta remember, Big Mama was married to the same man for fifty-two years!”

That shut her mother up—temporarily.

“I may have to downsize my lifestyle, but that's okay. Thank God we didn't have any kids,” Samantha said with a small whistle and a wide-eyed grin.

Her comment brought Leela's attention back to their table. Leela couldn't get over how quickly and seamlessly her friend seemed to be moving on.

Their first appetizer arrived and they dug in. Leela had ordered as she waited on Samantha to arrive.

Once the waiter walked away, Samantha leaned in. “I had a date the other night and I have to admit, it felt kind of strange.”

“Oh, I can imagine. You were married for a long time,” Leela
said. “I'll bet it was odd to be out with another man, after being with Bill for so long. Did it make you realize you do miss him a little?” Leela bit into a Shrimp Brochette.

The bewilderment on Samantha's face gave Leela pause.

“Oh…I'm sorry, I didn't mean to go on talking about what must've been a real emotional event for you,” Leela quickly added.

Samantha drew her eyebrows together. “Umm. It was nothing like that. I was just wondering whether it was socially acceptable these days to go down on a man on the first date.”

Samantha's comment was met with a blank stare. Leela was speechless. She wasn't sure how to even respond.

After a long and awkward stretch of silence, Samantha shrugged and bit into a shrimp. The waiter had returned at the perfect time.

“Oh. You and Riley doing okay?” Samantha asked after the waiter left the table with their drink orders.

“Of course; why do you ask?” Leela didn't know Samantha was already dating, and obviously having sex. She welcomed the subject change because she didn't want to sound like the prude she felt like.

“Oh. No reason. I'm just glad that after all you've been through between Big Mama and me, that you guys are still doing good.” Samantha's eyes followed Leela's. “What's the matter?”

Leela frowned. “I could've sworn I just saw Natasha.” Samantha whipped her head in both directions. Her eyes searched the room, but she didn't see anyone who looked like Natasha.

“Natasha, as in…”

“Yes. That Natasha,” Leela said. “Natasha stalker-bitch Robinson! You know what, I can't be sure of anything anymore. It probably wasn't even her.” Leela took a sip. “Now, what were you saying?”

Natasha was Riley's ex. It didn't end well, and Leela only got peace after the woman picked up and moved because she couldn't get over the fact that Riley had moved on.

Samantha scanned the room again before she spoke. She was looking for Natasha too, but suddenly, her eyes connected with a handsome man who didn't flinch or attempt to look away when her gaze stopped on him. As a matter-of-fact, his stare overpowered hers, until she finally looked away.

“I was just saying that with all that's going on, me and Bill and Big Mama, I wanted to make sure you and Riley are doing okay.”

Leela found the comment kind of strange, but she didn't want to talk about her marriage. She wanted to know what life was like for Samantha now that she was living life as a single woman.

“Soooo, people go all the way on a first date now?” Leela asked sheepishly.

Samantha cracked up with laughter.

“Girl, I'm sure I've broken every dating rule in the book over the last few weeks. The guy was fine as all get-out. He was packing, and I wanted some.” Samantha shrugged. “So, I got some. Oh. I almost forgot to tell you! Next March, I'm going on the Tom Joyner Cruise,” Samantha squealed.

With her eyebrow raised, Leela put down the warm bread she was about to bite into. “What?”

“Yup! You heard me. I screwed the guy; I hardly remember his name. I felt so free, so liberated, I was like, why stop there with a one-night stand. I guess it was the thrill of doing something so taboo for me, so I figured, why not do something completely uncharacteristic. I know, we've joked about it for years, but I finally said, what the hell, why not go on the cruise? I no longer have to answer to a warden anymore, so what the hell?” Samantha shrugged. “Who knows, I may even have another one-night stand while I'm on the ship!”

“I can't believe it.” Leela's voice was kind of somber.

Wrinkling her nose, Samantha said, “Girrl, me either! Who
knew a one-night stand would be so thrilling! Can you believe I'm nearly forty and I had never had a one-night stand?”

“I'm not talking about that! I'm talking about the cruise!”

“Oh. That. Yeah, I'm real hyped about that too.”

The revelation left Leela feeling peculiar. She couldn't figure out why, but a small part of her felt envy when she thought about her best friend's new single status and all the fun and exciting things she was now able to do. She didn't envy the casual sex, but the thought of going on vacation alone or even with Samantha was quite enticing. It was also something she knew for sure her husband would never agree to.

Soon, two drinks were delivered to their table. Samantha didn't have to look up at the handsome stranger to know they were compliments of him and his equally gorgeous friend.

•  •  •

When Riley's cell phone rang, he didn't want to look at it, much less answer. He was tired of Bill and his woe-is-me attitude.

Each Friday, he tried to leave work a little early to have a few brews with his boy before he called it a night and went home. Most of those outings ended fine with Riley making it in well before midnight, but after last Friday, he started to wonder whether they should find something else to do.

“It's about time,” he said when the phone stopped ringing. But a few minutes later, the phone rang again.

“Aey, Dawg. Let's go to this new spot in Third Ward,” Bill said the second Riley answered.

“I don't know. I was thinking about sitting it out tonight, Playboy,” Riley said.

“Nah, Dawg! Nah. I'm telling you. You'll like this spot.”

Riley was reluctant, but Bill sounded so desperate. Riley knew
he was probably lonely considering he was divorced and his girlfriend had dumped him.

“C'mon, Man. This place is real chill, I'm telling you. The honeys be in the house, and they even got a live band tonight,” he said.

Riley found it hard to ignore the desperation in his boy's voice. He didn't like it, but he knew it was real. Long before the divorce was final, it seemed like Bill was focused on being out and seen as much as possible, and he wanted Riley at his side.

“All right, look. I'll roll, but I'm not trying to stay out too late,” Riley said.

Hours later, Riley was a little pissed when he pulled up at 3000 Blodgett Street in Houston's Third Ward. It was where he and Bill had agreed to meet.

The area, in Houston's historic part of town, was hit and miss, with a combination of lounges and dive bars. Some places were nice, and others were far less so.

Inside, the brisk air-conditioned breeze was a welcomed relief.

Riley walked up to the bar and ordered a beer. He looked around the small interior and took in the sleek ambiance. A DJ was perched near the front door behind a long table that held several large aluminum containers. A small line of people gathered near it, for the complimentary catfish and fries.

“Hey, Dawg, how long you been here?”

Picking up the green bottle, Riley extended it toward Bill and said, “I was about to leave after this if you hadn't showed up. This is my second.”

“Aw, Man. Well, I'm here now. Sorry about the wait; I was at my lawyer's office when we talked earlier.”

Bill was still in a battle trying to save his job. He had hired an attorney, and it looked like he might be successful, but it was taking time.

“The next round is on me,” he said to Riley.

“Cool. Bet that,” Riley said.

At first Riley felt bad that he was reluctant to hang out with his boy. They talked about the upcoming game Sunday night and ate some of the fish and fries. He finally felt like he needed to relax and enjoy his time out with his boy.

“Can we get another round?” Bill asked the female bartender.

Once their drinks were refreshed, Riley turned to look out at the growing crowd. Bill didn't exaggerate when he said the honeys would be out in force. The women outnumbered the men by at least five to one, and any real man could appreciate those odds.

Riley was settling in for a nice evening when the door opened and in walked Kelly. Riley looked over at Bill, then at his friend's former mistress, and suddenly it hit him that he'd been set up.

L
ater that night, Leela applied moisturizer to her arms and legs after a hot shower. She sat on her side of the bed while her husband went down to make sure the house was secure.