CHAPTER SIX

CHARLIE

 

“I’m so glad you called, Charlie,” Sugar says to me, as we sit in an upscale restaurant in Washington, DC. “The funny thing is, I was just about to change the number. I'm glad I didn't, because I would've missed your call."

When a waiter walks up to us, he takes Sugar’s order and then focuses on me. I didn't have a job and I only had 50 bucks to my name. So I had to be very careful about what I bought or spent. Everything on the menu was so expensive; and the only thing I could afford was a side salad.

“I’ll take a side salad, and a water with lemon please." I hand him the menu.

"Charlie, are you serious? We come to this beautiful restaurant and all you want is a salad?"

I lean in so that the waiter can’t hear my voice. "I'm going to be real with you, I can't afford to eat in here.”

He focuses on the waiter and says, "You can bring what she wanted but she’ll also have the biggest steak on your menu, and bring out your finest bottle of wine too."

“How would you like that steak cooked, ma’am?” he asks me.

I’m so stunned. In all of my life nobody has ever spent this kind of money on me before. “Well done please.”

"No problem," the waiter says. “I’ll be right back with your drinks.” He walks away.

"Charlie, I don't know what kind of queens you rolled with before, but when a real bitch invites you out to dinner she takes the tab. Remember that shit and it will help you decide properly before accepting an invitation.”

Feeling slightly stupid I say, "I appreciate it.”

“Say no more,” he smiles. “We’ll talk about business in a moment, but first what is your real relationship with Dixon?”

“What do you mean? He’s my best friend."

“He seems very overprotective for someone who supposed to be only a friend." He drinks his water.

“We are friends, but a little more than that," I say placing the curls behind my ear.

The waiter brings the wine back over and pours a little in Sugar’s glass. Sugar shakes the glass, sniffs it, sips it and nods, which causes the waiter to proceed to pour both of us glasses and I’m relieved. I need something to calm my nerves down.

When he leaves Sugar says, "Please tell me you're not sleeping with that toad! You’re much too beautiful for him."

I think about all the times he blackmailed me into giving him blowjobs. I think about how he looks at me sometimes when he catches me walking out of the room naked.

Although I’m not interested in Dixon sexually, in the back of my mind I know he looks at me that way. But, I can't tell anyone, partially because I'm loyal and also because the topic is so weird to think about that I get embarrassed.

"No, it's nothing like that. It’s kind of hard to explain. Let’s just say that he’s been there for me when nobody else has."

"Then let me be frank with you. He's going to bring you down before it's all said and done. I've come across a lot of queens in my lifetime, and he's by far the worst. Just be careful."

"I'm sure I'll be fine, but I appreciate your concern."

"Now let's get on to the subject at hand. As you know they call me the Pumping Queen. But to tell you the truth I'm tired of the business. And I’m looking for someone who already has a skill set so that I can pass on what I've learned."

"And you want that person to be me?" I place my hand over my chest.

That's why we're here, darling."

"But I don't know what to do.” I sip my wine, I think out of nervousness more than anything else. “I never even considered doing injections before. What if I hurt someone?"

“You’ll hurt many people. The procedure is not kind and it is very painful.”

“I don’t know, Sugar,” I say softly.

"You need the money?"

"Of course I do!”

"Then that's all we need to focus on, I’ll teach you the rest. But, let me clear something up, I don't want Dixie anywhere near my business. You may trust her but I don't. Do we have a clear understanding as far as she’s concerned?"

"We do,” I respond.

I’m just about to dig into my wine when my cell phone rings. When I look at the cell phone I see Dixon's telephone number. I don’t know what makes me answer but I do.

“Excuse me for a minute,” I say placing one finger up. “Hello.”

"Charlie, where are you?" He asks me. His voice sounds frantic.

But because I don't want him to know that I’m with Sugar, I change the subject. "Are you okay? You don't sound too good."

"That's why I’m calling you. I need you to come home, I'm having more chest pains."

Ever since I could remember Dixon always had chest pains. He was born with a heart murmur, and he was in and out of the hospital, and my greatest fear was that one-day one of his episodes would lead to death. Although it hasn't happened yet, it stays in the back of my mind.

"Oh my God! I'm on my way home now!”

When I end the call Sugar says, "Is everything okay?"

"I'm so sorry, Sugar, but I have to leave.” I sip all of my wine, stand up and grab my purse. “Something is wrong with Dixie.

I don't like the look that Sugar is giving me. It’s like he doesn't believe that Dixie is in real pain. Although Sugar is cool, Dixie has supported me throughout my ordeal with my father and I owe him my loyalty. I would never turn my back on him for anything or anyone.

“You do what you have to do, sweetheart,” he says. "Reach out to me when you can, and when you’re ready to do business."

 

****

 

I'm exhausted when I finally make it home. I park my beat down green Nissan Altima and ease out the car. Before I get inside I can hear Dixie's voice. He's talking on the phone and he doesn't sound the slightest bit sick to me.

"Bitch, I'm going to kill it when we go to Wiggles tomorrow night! There ain’t a chick in the world that will have anything on me this time."

Something comes over me at that moment, although I know that it is wrong to feel this way. Although it's possible to be sick and still hold a conversation, he seems a little too chipper for me.

So I turn around and walk back towards my car. Once inside, I call Sugar. "Sugar, I'm on my way back. Turns out it was a false alarm."

“I told you that bitch was faking.”