“Ummmmm…dating? Maybe not. I—” I was cut off by the ever strepitous Rhonda.
“Everybody wants to know do you have a boyfriend, sleeping with somebody’s man, gay…what? You be so quiet that we don’t know much about you. Now we see your sharp place that can fit a hundred elephants and...well, inquiring minds wanna know!” Rhonda’s eyes were big and almost scary. I looked around the oversized rectangular island to see all eyes searing me, including LaWanda’s!
Really?
I was not about to sit there and talk to virtual strangers about my personal life. Wasn’t it enough that I invited them over? They wanted me to draw blood, too! I don’t think so!
“I do have a…friend, yes. I’m sorry, I’m a little reserved and don’t mean to be standoffish. I’ve always been a private person.” I supplied the softest smile that I could employ.
“Well, is it serious?” Sheila, the schoolteacher who was just as quiet in these groups as I had been, had the nerve to ask me. How dare she! I didn’t probe into her personal affairs? This led me to wonder if they’d discussed me previously in my absence.
“What’s he do? Does he make good money like you?” Ronda blurted out.
“Or is he intimidated by all of this?” Lisa gestured with her hands referring to the lush apartment. “Because you know they can’t handle it when we make more than them! Humpf!”
“Yeah!” a few of the women agreed, not giving me a minute to think.
“Woooo,” I verbally sighed to make them aware of my uncomfortable state. “Errrr…yes, I believe it’s serious. He has his own career and has no need to be intimidated by my measly salary,” I spoke slowly trying desperately not to offend anyone, yet let down my guard a quarter of an inch to dispel their opinion of my quietness.
Thankfully LaWanda caught the hint and said, “Guys, that’s enough. I feel like we’re interrogating Rayna and we shouldn’t. She’s our sister in Christ. She invited us in to fellowship and if we want to be invited back we should show a little class and not badger her.” With an added wink she said, “Let’s give Rayna a round of applause for this awesome place and delicious spread!” LaWanda sounded as if she had led the charge of troops. They all fell in line and clapped. I thought it was unnecessary and quivered on the inside at the attention.
I just want to shower and sink into bed calling this a wrap!
Minutes later, after everyone had taken as much food as they could pile into the containers I thought to buy, we were in the foyer discussing who would host next week. No one quickly volunteered, but LaWanda, and reluctantly.
“Ladies, if no one offers up their place we’ll be forced to meet at the church losing the intimacies of a home setting. So far four people have hosted and last I checked there were more than four people in this group.” LaWanda scolded in her cool and non-offensive way.
I quietly handed out parting gifts, the book The Power of a Praying Woman by Stormie Omartian. I had read it a few weeks back and thought it would be nice to share with the group. I tied a pink ribbon around the book and stuck a pen beneath the bow giving it a classy spin. The women ooooh’ed and ahhhhh’ed affirming my efforts.
“We can do it again here next week,” Tanya suggested in jest…or was it?
Just in case it wasn’t I spoke up, “Sorry, next week wouldn’t work well here. I’m having work done.” This was slightly true just not in that timeframe. Next week the lighting was being re-wired but that was on Monday.
“Come on, guys!” LaWanda implored.
“Oh, alright! We can do it at my place,” Rhonda sulked. I sighed in relief. “It ain’t near as fancy as this one level mansion and I have cats, but if we need a place we can do it there. And don’t think Im’ma have food and gifts like we had tonight because I can’t afford all of this!”