It was Ansley’s turn to host girl’s night out at her place. She and her girls tried to get together for an evening of fun, food and relaxation at least every other month. Her house was the neutral zone because Simeon and Lanae always found a reason to disagree on just about everything. The day the two of them agreed on something would be the day that Ansley accepted a White House nomination.
With Valentine’s Day approaching, she wanted to do something with the girls. With Davis out of town, she invited them for dinner on Sunday evening. In the past, they normally got together on a Friday or Saturday, but she wanted to leave her Valentine’s weekend open. Last year, she and Simeon did something together, but now that she was dating Davis, Ansley figured this would be a great way to still spend time with Simeon since she mentioned having a tough time with her man. It would not replace their Valentine’s Day tradition for the past few years, dinner and a movie, but she hoped that it would soften the sting of the truth once Ansley told Simeon she had plans.
She asked Simeon to come early so that they could discuss the incident. A week had passed since their awkward exchange at Tin Lizzy’s. Ansley was glad that Simeon agreed to come over and she hoped that they could resolve the tension and get back to way they were before.
There was a knock at the door.
Ansley rushed to answer it. She assumed it was Simeon since the doorman did not ring her before sending up a guest, which was normal protocol. She had given him permission to allow Simeon and Lanae to come up whenever they visited.
She looked through the peephole. Simeon was standing with her arms crossed and eyes downcast.
Ansley opened the door and greeted her. “Hello lovely. C’mon in. The wine is chilled, mimosas are strong, and I put your favorite goblet on the counter.”
“I brought red wine,” Simeon said as she entered the condo. She handed Ansley the bottle and walked toward the living room.
Her voice seemed void of emotion. Still, Ansley was glad to see her. “Thank you for coming.”
Ansley considered going in for a hug, but she feared that Sugar Shane Simeon would reemerge. Words will do just fine.
Simeon turned to face Ansley. Her hands crossed over her chest. “I’m sorry about pushing you. I shouldn’t have done that.”
Ansley walked pass Simeon and over to the kitchen. “No you shouldn’t have. I would be lying if I didn’t say I’m sorry I didn’t push back.” She smirked. “Care to tell me what the heck that was about?”
“That was just a bad day for me,” Simeon responded. “I’m really sorry.”
Ansley took her hand. “Let’s have a seat in the kitchen, and then you can give me a real answer instead of that crap you just tried.”
Once Simeon was seated at the kitchen table. Ansley opened the merlot that Simeon had brought over. As she poured them both a glass, Simeon unloaded.
“Monty… that’s the guy’s name. The one that stood me up? He had my head all scrambled. He hasn’t returned any of my calls or text, and finally, I know what’s been keeping him from me.”
Ansley handed Simeon her glass and sat across from her. “I don’t know what this has to do with you treating me the way you did, but go ahead—what’s his issue? Married?”
Simeon sipped and squished the wine around, allowing her palate to savor the flavor before speaking. “Him being married would be easier to digest.” Meeting Ansley’s gaze, she stated, “It’s him dating you that I’m having an issue with.”
Ansley choked on her wine as her tears filled with eyes. “Wait, what now?”
Simeon pressed her hands to her cheeks. “The man you’re dating is the same man I met at a conference in Chicago. He introduced himself as Monty. We went out for drinks… he and I did a lot of drinking…”
Ansley felt her heart beating fast. She held up her palms. “But the guy I’m seeing is Davis—not Monty—they aren’t the same people.” She hoped that Simeon would realize that she was mistaken.
“I’m not crazy, Ansley. Monty and Davis are the same man. I should know. He and I went back to my suite and had an intense night of lovemaking,” Simeon said. “When I woke up the next day, Monty was gone and I didn’t see him again until he showed up at Tin Lizzy’s the same day that you got laid off. I had hoped that he wanted to reconnect with me, but I guess after seeing you at the New Year’s Eve Party, he chose you over me.”
Ansley took a deep breath. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her shoulders tensed and she began to rub her temples. “Why did you wait until now to say something? If you knew it was the same guy. You could’ve said this at the restaurant instead of trying to knock me down.”
Simeon leaned back against the chair, setting her hands flat on the table. “I just realized who he was when I left the restaurant and saw him getting on the bus.”
Ansley was still having a hard time comprehending. None of this felt real and with Simeon’s unpredictable behavior, she just was not sure what to believe.
She began running her fingers through her hair. Ansley stood and walked over to the island in her kitchen. She nibbled on her bottom lip.
“Simeon—when was the last time you were with him?” Ansley questioned. Although she posed the question, she didn’t know if she was ready to know the answer.
Ansley saw how Simeon’s leg bounced underneath the table. She took a calming breath as she prepared to hear the answer.
“He came over a couple of weeks after the party, and stayed the night and even had breakfast with me the next day. I thought he was going to give us a chance, but instead he wanted you.”
Ansley slapped her hand to her forehead. “Oh my goodness, Simeon who cares who he wanted,” she yelled. She slammed her hands on the table. “He’s playing us both. I know him as Davis, who knows what other names he’s using or how many women are out there. Unbelievable.”
Simeon gave a half shrug. “I didn’t want to ruin things for you two, but I have to be honest.”
Ansley pinched the bridge of her nose. This was all just too daunting. She shook her head.
“Simeon… I don’t even know what to say. Wow… I mean… wow.” She didn’t want to believe what she had just heard. “This is a lot to take in all at once.”
An image of Simeon in bed with Davis materialized in her mind. Ansley dismissed the thought. She slumped down in the chair next to Simeon.
Simeon waved her hand. “Now you know the truth.”
“I wish I had never gone out with him. I can’t believe this—what a jerk.”
“I’m glad to hear you say that because now that you’re out of the picture I believe me and him could have a future.”
Ansley squinted her eyes and frowned.
Simeon stared straight in her face. “I can see that you’re concerned, but don’t worry about me. I know you may be thinking I’m weak or pathetic, but you don’t know my connection to him. I know how to handle a man like him. The type that may tweak the truth not to hurt you. I’m not sure why he lied about his name, but I know my feelings have not changed behind his behavior. He’s not your type anyway.”
Ansley guffawed. “I’m sorry, but you can’t be that desperate for love that you still want him after this?” Ansley inquired. Not hiding her growing irritation with Simeon’s nonchalant attitude, she said, “You deserve better, and I’ve seen you with better. This still doesn’t explain why you put your hands on me though.”
They sat in silence for a moment, the tension mounting between them.
“Let-it-go,” Simeon hissed.
The doorbell sounded.
“That’s Lanae,” Ansley announced. She walked over to let Lanae in while talking to Simeon over her shoulder. “We can finish this later.”
“Whatever,” Simeon uttered.
She rose to her feet and strode into the kitchen to pour herself a glass of wine before walking over near the windows.
Ansley unlocked the door and welcomed Lanae inside.
“Hey, sweetie,” she said while embracing her. “Come on in.”
“Hello, hello,” Lanae said. “It seems like it’s been a minute since I visited Chateau Ansley. I see you have some new art pieces. Very nice.” Lanae glanced at Simeon. “How are you, lady?”
“I’m fine,” she responded, but never bothered to turn around to face her.
Lanae looked at Ansley and then shrugged. “What’s her problem? Not that I’m surprised—forever shady.”
“Excuse me? What exactly are you trying to say?” Simeon said turning away from the window. “Ansley, you might want to get your friend before I do.” She glared at Lanae.
“Okay, why don’t you have a seat in the living room, Lanae and I’ll get you something to drink,” Ansley said, trying to diffuse the situation. “Simeon, you look like you could use a refill too. I didn’t think I would have to separate you two this early.”
Simeon rolled her eyes at Ansley and turned back toward the window.
Lanae and Simeon had a love hate relationship. It usually started just with one making a joke which the other didn’t receive well. Ansley tried to avoid confrontation with either of them because they could drag a disagreement into the ground, kill it, resuscitate it, and beat it some more.
“Not that anyone asked, but I have salad for starters and honey pecan chicken with grilled asparagus for the main dish.”
“That sounds delicious. Where’d you find the recipe for the chicken?” Lanae asked, while positioning her body to face the kitchen from where she sat in the living room.
Lanae and Simeon both tried to persuade her to buy cook books, but she had an addiction to finding recipes on Pinterest. This was her hobby. Along with taking photos of the food she cooked and posting it on Instagram. She was a proud foodie.
“And please tell me that we won’t be the first to try it ‘cause I did not bring my Zantac,” Simeon said. She walked away from the window long enough to feign a stomach ache. “Lanae, you remember when she tried to make sushi rolls? My tummy is still mad at me for that one.”
“You mean the shouldn’t-have-tried-it rolls? How could I forget? Girl, I barely made it home without having to stop a few times,” Lanae said with a chuckle. “It’s crazy to me—as much as you love to cook, you don’t have any cookbooks around here.”
“Right… all she has is that raggedy manila folder.” Simeon walked over to the counter and picked up the folder and grabbed a stack of recipes. “You almost have a full cookbook right here.”
Lanae got up and joined them in the kitchen. “Now see—that’s pitiful. I have to agree with Simeon. Why don’t you just get the real thing? I’m sure there’s one out there with half the recipes you have printed.”
“I have to get my daily fix, and I can’t do that with a book sitting at home on the shelf,” she told them.
“Okay, enough boring talk. What’s up with Davis?” Lanae asked.
Ansley glanced over at Simeon, who was waiting for a response. “Let me fix these salad plates for y’all, and then I’ll check on the chicken again. It should be about done.” She really did not want to discuss Davis, or at least not with Simeon being there.
Ansley tossed the salad and fixed three plates. She walked over to the table and placed one on the servers for each of them.
“Ain’t nobody thinking about that salad right now. This story must be juicy. I can read between the lines. Let me go get comfortable,” Lanae said walking back towards the living room grabbing her glass and the wine bottle. Simeon was not far behind.
“I’m curious to hear this too Lanae. Go ahead Ansley.”
Ansley looked over at Simeon as she sat up tall, eyeing her like a hawk studies its prey. She could see a slight glint in Simeon’s eyes too. It was clear that she was relishing this moment, hoping to get full disclosure. While Ansley had nothing to hide, she was not planning to say much because that was a conversation she wanted to have with Simeon alone.
Lanae threw a pillow in Ansley’s direction. “If you don’t come on with the goods I’m going to get very anxious and might have an accident with this red wine on this beige carpet,” she threatened, pretending to tip her glass.
“I know you won’t do that ‘cause then you’ll have to explain to Jacob why you had to pay to have my carpet cleaned. Or I guess you could roll up those sleeves and get to scrubbing. Either way, you’ll be cleaning up that wine stain.”
Simeon remained silent.
Lanae did not seem to notice, but Ansley knew that Simeon’s silence was deliberate, she was not wanting this moment to pass without Ansley divulging more information.
“Yeah, yeah… get to the deets on this evening with Davis.”
Ansley’s eyebrow rose. “Um… deets?”
“She’s talking details and you know it. Why you stallin’?”
She glanced in Simeon’s direction. She didn’t want to have this conversation, but Lanae was adamant and there seemed to be no way to avoid it. Besides, Simeon had plans to still pursue him anyway, so she may as well give her what she wanted.
“Okay fine. We met up at the café down the street. We talked, ate and listened to live music,” Ansley said. “We had a great time and then he walked me home.”
“Did he spend the night?” Simeon asked.
Lanae stared wide-eyed at Simeon for her bold question, and then looked back over to Ansley awaiting her answer.
Ansley pursed her lips. “No Simeon, he didn’t,” she responded. “He went home afterwards.”
Ansley tried not to wear her emotions on her face, but right now she was over Simeon’s passive aggressive behind. She took the chicken out of the oven, and removed the asparagus from her mini George Foreman grill. Ansley was not going to allow Simeon to disrupt this evening—not over a guy that she was no longer planning to date.
She and Simeon never had a problem when it came to men. They had different preferences in that department, but now there was Davis, and he was proving to be the catalyst for change in that area.
“Though you attempted to water down those details, it seems like you are really smitten with him,” Lanae stated. “Outside of today, the mention of his name would have you smiling all hard and blushing. Did you not enjoy the date?”
“I did have a good time,” Ansley was reluctant to admit. “And I do like him, I don’t think I realized just how much until he left for Chicago. I really miss him.”
Even though she was upset that he had deceived her, she was struggling with how her heart felt about him and Simeon. Though Simeon was acting out of character, she still cared about her, but her heart wanted to know what Davis and Ansley looked like in the long run.
“Davis is in Chicago?” Simeon asked, interrupting her thoughts. “For how long?”
“I took him to the airport this morning. He said he’d be gone through Thursday, but that he would be back in time—for Valentine’s Day,” Ansley responded.
“I haven’t met Davis, but don’t rush into anything. Take time and really get to know this man—”
Simeon cut Lanae off before she could finish. “Before you start this episode of Iyanla Fix My Life, can we please eat?” She rose, walked into the kitchen and grabbed a plate. Lanae shrugged and followed Simeon over to the table.
“Lanae, you might as well keep your advice to yourself. This girl here is a grown woman. She’ll do whatever she wants, regardless of what you say or how you feel. Ain’t that right, Ansley?”
Ansley sent a sharp glare in Simeon’s direction, but who was she kidding, she wanted to at least hear him out. Every story had two sides, and his story may have a different ending.
Ansley plastered on a fake smile. “Yes, let’s go ahead and fix our plates so Simeon can find a better use for her trap.”
Simeon smirked as if she had just won a battle, but Ansley was not even trying to escalate this conversation. “Get over it, already,” she uttered loud enough for Simeon to hear. Ansley could see Lanae tossing glances between the two, but she was not asking any questions. She knew Ansley would tell her everything later, just like she always did when she and Simeon had a disagreement.
Ansley could not believe she was being so catty. Simeon confessed that she slept with Davis and the man disappeared on her while she was sleeping—it’s not like they had a real relationship. It was a one-night stand.
She fixed her plate after Lanae, and joined them at the table. Ansley felt like she was in an old western as Simeon stared her down. This year was getting off to an interesting start, and by the hint of anger building behind Simeon’s eyes, it was only the beginning.