The Makeover (25 page)

In silence they
walked out of the building and up the street.

A few minutes
later, they were at a small café that had just opened at the corner of West
One-forty-sixth and Broadway.  “This okay?” Paulo asked.

“Of course,”
Phoenix said, still thinking about what happened in the elevator.  She
wanted to bring it up but she wanted him to bring it up more. 

Paulo led her
to a table and pulled out her chair.  “What don’t you like?”

Phoenix
shrugged.  “I can eat anything really and I am absolutely famished, Man.”

“A workout will
do that to you.  So, I’ll order, okay?”

“Sure, thanks.”

Phoenix looked
around at the small café, marveling at how much Harlem was changing.

The small
eatery was eclectic with its odd furniture and purple and gold décor. 
Funky artworks lined the walls and acid jazz blared in the background.  It
reminded Phoenix of a small poetry café she’d find somewhere in
Soho
or the Lower East Side, rather than in the center of
West Harlem.  She also found it strange that she and Paulo were the only
people of color in the entire establishment that was three quarters full.

Several minutes
later, Paulo returned with a tray filled with goodies.  He had ordered egg
white omelets filled with low-fat
asiago
cheese,
onions, peppers, mushrooms, and turkey breast; a seven-grain English muffin; a
turkey sausage patty, and a glass of fresh carrot-apple-spinach-banana juice.

Phoenix, who
was used to having coffee and an egg
McMuffin
or a
McGriddle
, wrinkled her nose.

“Just try it,
Hun.  It’s good.  I like good food just like everyone else.  You
can still enjoy eggs, muffins, sausages, bacon, even pancakes…but in the right
way.  Everything here is organic and the juice will definitely give you a
lot more energy than coffee.”

“Okay. 
Thanks for treating me, anyway.”  Phoenix buttered her English muffin and
piled her egg white omelet and sausage on it.  “Here goes,” she said
before taking a huge bite. 

It was
delicious.

“Word?” Phoenix
exclaimed, before taking another huge bite.  “Seriously?  This is
good, and it’s light.” 

“I remembered
in our conversation that you often stop at Mickey D’s to get your
McMuffins
so…”

“Yeah, and this
is the best egg sandwich I’ve had in a while.”  Phoenix took a gingerly
sip of the juice and found it strangely pleasant.  “Well, it ain’t
Kool
-aid, but it’s alright!”

Paulo patted
her hand.  “You’ll get used to it.  You can have orange juice
sometimes, but only organic OJ, and none of that stuff they sell you with all
that processed sugar added to it.”

“I feel
ya
,” Phoenix said, effectively plowing through her
breakfast sandwich.  “So, if I wanted to have, say, a pancake breakfast,
how do I make that healthy?”

“Do you often
have pancake breakfasts?” Paulo asked, taking another bite of his food.

“On the
weekends, since I am home and can relax.  I used to make big breakfasts,
especially when…” Phoenix looked away and put her sandwich down.

“Don’t do that,
Hun.  Don’t lose your appetite every time you think about or mention your
previous relationship.  Go on and eat your food.  I understand. You
used to make your ex, and maybe his son, big weekend breakfasts, right?”

“Yeah.” Phoenix
considered her food for a second and forced herself to take another bite. 
“So if I wanted to treat
myself
on the weekends, what would be the
better way?”

“First, use
only organic ingredients from now on.  The amount of hormones and
chemicals in our food today is what contributes to this country’s weight
issues, believe me.  So organic everything and I do mean everything. 
Use the whole wheat, organic pancake mix that you can find at any supermarket
nowadays.  Use sugar free syrup which is surprisingly good.  Instead
of pork or beef, stick to turkey sausage or bacon.  Use low-fat dairy,
also organic, in your foods.  Again, it’s not always that you have to
change
what
you eat.  We want to focus on
how
you eat
it.  It’s not about depriving you of the things you love, but finding ways
to make those things healthier.  You’d be surprised how much those small
changes make a difference.”

“I can see
that.  So what is your favorite food that you had to change?” Paulo
finished off her sandwich and sipped her healthy drink.

Paulo leaned
back and scratched his chin.  “Uh, lasagna, I would say.  My wife
used to make this, like, five-layer lasagna.  My goodness, it had maybe
three different cheeses, two types of sausage, ground beef, onions, peppers,
and sometimes she’d throw in pepperoni for added flavor!  Man, I would sit
there, with her garlic
breadsticks
, and eat about
half the pan all by myself.  But when I started working on weight loss, I
had to make a change.  I mean, I was about thirty and had high blood
pressure and was already experiencing high blood sugar.  I was exhausted
all the time and was getting these headaches often.  I kept ignoring my
weight.  But God, He knew how to really get my attention.  One day, I
noticed changes in the romance department between my wife and I.  We may
have had many,
many
challenges, but we never lacked in that area. 
That’s when I drew the line!”

Phoenix
giggled.  “You didn’t care about the blood pressure, just the intimacy?”

Paulo chuckled
as he shrugged.  “We all have our priorities, right?  I’m
Brazilian!  We are lovers, what can I say?  Weeks would go by and my
wife and I would lack the energy to enjoy each other.  I would go to my
job, come home to her, and eat in front of the television.  We didn’t go
out, and we didn’t enjoy ourselves as a couple when we were staying in, if you
get my drift.  So I started to pray about
that,
in addition to
other issues,
and the Lord began to show me that our unhealthy habits
were robbing us of even the joys of marriage.  Our weight was causing a
low libido in us.   The Lord began to teach me how to handle food
differently, and then I started to help my wife.  We started exercising
slowly, but surely.”

“So how did her
cooking change?” Phoenix leaned forward.

“In so many
ways.  For example, when she tried to make her famous lasagna, I would
suggest that she use turkey sausage or ground turkey, but not both. 
Instead of the two types of meat, she substituted one with mushrooms or
sometimes ground soy or veggie patties.  You couldn’t even tell much of a
difference with the right seasoning!  I would get her to use less cheese
and definitely low-fat, organic brands.  She started using a low-sodium
tomato sauce and the whole wheat noodles.  We would eat less lasagna and
add a side salad and whole grain
breadsticks
. 
Doing things like that doesn’t deprive you of what you love, but allows you to
make it healthier.”

Phoenix
digested his words as she finished the juice, which had become tastier with
each sip.  Checking herself, she realized that she was not only full, but
she had thoroughly enjoyed the healthy version of one of her favorite
meals.  She made a note to head to Fairway Supermarket that evening, where
she was sure to find a variety of healthy and organic foods.

As if reading
her mind, Paulo pulled out a thick envelop from the thin backpack he’d been
carrying.  “In here is a guide I’ve designed to help you change your
eating habits.  I can’t be there to order your every meal, like I did this
morning, so you have to pray and be diligent to follow the plan, okay?” 

He waited until
Phoenix nodded before opening the makeshift booklet and flipping through
it.  “As you can see, I have created a shopping list for you, based on our
discussions about your eating and cooking habits.  I have also added a
list of things you can look for to eat when you’re socializing in different
types of restaurants.  Please avoid fast food.  You said you’re often
there because of your busy schedule while doing field work.  But please
understand, it’s just as quick to pick up a turkey sandwich with baked chips as
it is to pick up a Big Mac and fries.  Both are just as fast, convenient,
and cost-effective.  You don’t have to eat a bowl of salad on the
street.  You can put a salad on a sandwich and keep it moving.”

“I never
thought of that,” Phoenix sighed.

“Because you
didn’t want to, Phoenix.    A grilled chicken Caesar salad wrap
is just as convenient, so don’t give yourself that excuse.  If you have to
have a burger, have one, but get a turkey burger on a wheat bun with the
appropriate fixings.  Try sweet potato fries which provide fiber.  If
you can’t, pick up baked chips instead of the regular fries.  Like I said,
you can do it if you try.  ” 

After they went
through Paulo’s food plan, Phoenix had a fresh outlook.

And then it
happened.

Phoenix heard
his voice before her eyes swung up to meet his.

There Cedric
was, standing there with the Asian slut…woman, ordering a meal at the
counter.  He was looking fresh and crisp in a new suit.  The girl was
clinging to him like a wet towel.  Phoenix’s eyes raked up and down the
petite woman’s body that was wearing a skirt that barely skimmed her upper
thighs, a sequined wife beater, and five-inch heeled sandals.

When he turned
from the counter, Cedric’s eyes scanned the place before finally landing on
hers. 

“Of course he
would
have
to show up here,” Phoenix breathed, feeling the tasty food
flip and twist into a churning ball of acid that threatened to rebel against
her.  She clutched her stomach.

“Are you
alright, Hun?” Paulo’s eyes were wide as he followed her gaze to the counter.

“No, I’m not
alright, Paulo.  I think I ought to go before I do something I’ll regret,”
Phoenix said, pushing back so hard on the chair that the sound of wood scraping
tile ricocheted around the room.

Paulo grabbed
her hand and tugged.  “Phoenix, why run?  You’ve got to face him
sooner or later.  I can’t force you to stay, but I don’t think you should
run from him like this.  If he is not ashamed, why should you be?”

While Paulo’s
words made sense, how could she get him to understand that she didn’t give a
rat’s crack about all that?  All she knew was that the man who had broken
her heart was gallivanting around organic cafes in a new suit, next to the
skinny Asian chick, with whom he had cheated on her in her own apartment. 
More importantly, the girl looked like she was fresh off a movie set while she
was rocking an outfit that made her look like the butch gym teacher she’d had
in high school.

No, she had to
go.

“Phoenix? 
Please.  Sit and finish talking to me,” Paulo murmured, tugging on her
hand.  “Sit, Baby.”

It was that
word, spoken in Paulo’s velvet, lilting voice, that melted the ice that had
formed all over her skin and had doused the fires raging through her
heart.  It was Paulo’s voice calling her that name that caused Phoenix to
trust his judgment and sit down with a newfound resolve.

Cedric grabbed
the tray of food and walked his tramp…woman, over to a table only inches from
where Phoenix and Paulo sat.  Phoenix didn’t want to, but her eyes
followed them like a CIA tracking device. 

“Phoenix, look
at me, please.”

Phoenix
continued to stare at the couple, trying to imagine how much blood would get on
her new tee shirt if she plunged a fork into the girl’s neck.

“Baby?”

Phoenix gasped
as the word again penetrated her mind and settled the violent waves in her
stomach.  She blinked and forced her face to meet Paulo’s.

His eyes were kind
but the line his lips were set into was firm.  “Stop.  Stop looking
at them.  Focus on yourself and what we’re accomplishing here.”

“Yes,
okay.  Focus.  Got it.”

“As I was
saying, I’ve also added about twenty healthier recipes for popular foods you said
you often enjoy, everything from pizza to fried chicken…”

And Phoenix
fought hard to sit in that chair and keep her eyes glued to the pages Paulo was
dead-set on going through with her.  It didn’t matter that she couldn’t
hear a word.   As long as her ex and his whore…woman felt ignored.

And it was
working, too, until it wasn’t.

“Wow.  I
ain’t think I’d see you here, in a healthy joint like this.  And with a
dude, too? Let me find out…” Cedric chuckled as he eased up to their
table.  “Wait, we’re not in Burger King, are we?” he mocked as he made a
huge production of looking right to left.

Paulo clutched
the upper part of Phoenix’s thigh and squeezed, just as her hand landed on the
knife.

“Drop it,”
Paulo mouthed.

With a plop, Phoenix’s
hand released the handle of the knife.  A heavy sigh escaped her lips as
the vision of pitching it into Cedric’s heart faded away.

“How you doing,
my man?” Cedric said, raising his fist to give Paulo a “pound.”  “I’m
Cedric.  I used to be engaged to this girl right here, but I guess you
figured out, it ain’t work out.  That’s my new lady,
Shia
,
over there.” Cedric pointed and waved to his girlfriend, blowing her a
kiss. 
Shia
blew one back before she smirked at
Phoenix and sent her a chilly three-finger wave.

Paulo squeezed
Phoenix’s thigh even harder, holding her eyes.

“And you are?”
Cedric asked, still holding his fist in the air, waiting for reciprocation.

“Oh, sorry,
Man.  I’m Paulo.”  Paulo quickly removed his hand from Phoenix to
give Cedric his “pound.”

“And how do you
know my ex, here?” Cedric sneered, giving Phoenix a quick once-over before
effectively dismissing her with his eyes.

Phoenix’s eyes
flashed as she shouted, “That is none of your fu—”