“Touché, C,” I reply. “Touché.”
I then turn to Kim, who wears all black. I can’t see what she’s wearing because, per usual, she’s sitting down. But her hair is pulled back into a ponytail, and she has on minimal makeup that includes, eyeliner, a dab of mascara and lip-gloss. In all honesty, Kim doesn’t need makeup; her skin is flawless and glows naturally.
“You really got one in the oven this time, Kim,” I tease. “Either that, or I gots to fight you for that radiant skin. You don’t need it anymore; you’re married already, I’m not.”
“Girl, please! You young. I saw you up on that stage working that body. You doing it right,” Kim replies, referring to the show she attended a couple of months ago.
I reach down to embrace her and she reciprocates.
“What you wearing? Smelling good as shit!” she asks.
“Cool Water. Girl, I’ve been wearing this for six years now,” I answer. “I want to try Sean John for women, but Azmir keeps this one supplied by the gallon, so I guess this is it for me.”
“I like that. I’m gonna have to get me some,” she says before something catches her attention.
I look over my shoulder to see the waitress has returned with a tray full of shots.
“Whoa!” Chanell cheers. “And another one,” she quotes a famous rap intro.
We all collect our glasses and raise them in the air. “What we toasting to, Chanell?” one of the girls shouts.
“To fine ass men, shaking they asses for my 25th!” Chanell screeches. “It’s a celebration, bitches!” She clanks her glass with Kim and we all follow suit. Then we down the first glass.
I honestly can’t recall the last time I’ve done shots. It had to have been with Michelle. But I don’t care. I’m lonely and happy to be out. I told myself before leaving the marina that I won’t think of Azmir’s absence while out tonight. I want to do and feel something different.
An alarm sounds. At that buzzard trill, the crowd goes up in yelps and shouts. I don’t know what to make of it until I see men and women, dressed in no more than swimwear marching into the main room. Chanell jumps and whistles her approval of what seems to be the start of the show. The strippers aren’t coordinated, but they get their start together. They quickly find subjects to grind against and start their money earning show with. I just hope they stay away from me. Man or woman, I’m not interested.
I search around the main hall and observe the character of the place. It isn’t exactly a hole in the wall, but it isn’t upscale either. The place is gray and smoky. I notice Drop It is definitely occupied by subscribers to the green leaf. I suddenly regret wearing this blazer. I hope I can get the stench out of it after tonight.
The strobe lights influences the first wave of buzz that I feel from the first round of shots I did. Then Chanell announces the second, to which I gulp down with ease. In my peripheral, I notice a group of women at a booth across the dance floor from us. After squinting my eyes through the haze, I’m able to identify Syn and a few of her cousins I saw in Vegas at Kid’s party. I tap Chanell and ask why Syn isn’t at the celebrant’s table.
“We got into it last week. Kid done fucked up again with some bitch ‘round the way and she mad that I ain’t snitch on him. She said we cool and shit, and that’s why she came, but you can see she over there not fucking with me. So, fuck her,” Chanell informs.
I can tell she’s more bothered by the fight than she’s letting on. I recall how at a previous engagement, she was on the outs with Kim for the same reason. It must be hard being Chanell. I guess she chose the team to bat for, which is easy considering she isn’t emotionally attached to anyone. I know who she’d side with if Azmir were to creep out on me.
That thought doesn’t bode well. We’re celibate, and he could be out right now relieving himself of that problem. Shut up, Rayna! I need to deflect that pessimism and quickly. It’s week four without sex with my Adonis of a mogul. I don’t need to let my cynicism persevere. I turn to Kim.
“You look cheerful,” I openly observe. She’s been so visibly stressed the last few times I’ve seen her.
Of course, considering your husband, of nearly two decades, cheating on you would do the trick. But I didn’t like the encumbered Kim. I like the one I can’t shut up even if I tried. Well, I’m in for a treat, because tonight Kim is in an extremely chatty mood.
She scoots her chair over to me and speaks directly in my ear, “I don’t know if Divine told you the latest. He don’t seem like the type that carry shit around, but Im’ma tell you myself. Petey was cheating on me with this young Mexican girl.”