Chapter 12
Lenox Mall was crammed full with last-minute shoppers. Christmas Eve was not the time to be shopping, but Cooley wanted a new outfit for the club that night. They decided to go to Lenox Mall, simply because it was the only mall that was mentioned in a few songs.
“Man, this place is cool,” Cooley said as they passed many of the high-name stores they would never see in Memphis. “Man, I love that hat.” Cooley pointed out a Burberry hat.
“Yeah, and I bet it cost a grip too,” Denise said as they entered the Burberry store.
“It don’t matter. I’m getting it.” Cooley grabbed the hat and headed to the cashier.
“Damn, dude, Mema didn’t leave you that much,” Denise said to her extravagant friend.
“Man, I am not using the money Mema gave me.” She pulled out a charge card. “I am using this no limit credit card that white girl Susan gave me to use for my trip.”
“Get the fuck out of here. That girl did not let you use her credit card. Isn’t she married?”
“Yeah. She’s married to this dick.” Cooley laughed. “Yeah, that bitch is married, but she can’t get enough of Cooley. So, while she is vacationing with her rich-ass husband in Paris, I am here using her credit card. She told me to buy whatever I wanted.”
“That is a trip, man. I bet this store doesn’t take it because it doesn’t have your name on it.”
“Take a better look.” Cooley handed Denise the card. It had Carla Wade written on it.
“Now, ain’t that some bullshit.”
“Yeah, I had her add me as an authorized user. She handed the card right over to me after I made her cum three times in a row.”
Cooley and Denise laughed. Denise had to give her friend props. She had women going crazy over her.
They headed out of the mall to the Cheesecake Factory, another place they had heard about in a song. It was more than they had ever imagined. Their mouths watered at the sight of all the various cheesecakes on display.
“Okay, so what the hell,” Cooley said as she studied the display. “I don’t know about you, bruh, but I am about to lose my damn mind.”
Denise smiled. “Oh my God,” She said as a waitress walked by with a large piece of chocolate cake. “I am breaking my training today.”
After forty-five minutes they were seated. The waitress handed them their menus, took their drink orders, and walked off.
Cooley looked at the menu. “Is this a menu or a text book?”
“I think I have died and gone to heaven,” Denise murmured while glancing through the lengthy pages in front of her, her eyes darting back and forth at the circus-like atmosphere around her. Crowds of people were lined up three deep at the bar drinking, laughing and talking. The mood was festive as the late shoppers rushed in for a taste of the restaurant’s legendary desserts.
All around them, booths were stuffed with people and packages. She was mesmerized as waiters sped by with plates and trays of food she had never seen before. A group at the table next to theirs let out a collective sigh as their waitress placed two platters of corn tamales in front of them. Curls of steam rose from the sweet corn cakes smothered in tomatoes, onions, and avocado. The shine in Denise’s eyes reflected the fullness of the moment. This was not a night they would soon forget.
Cooley sat transfixed. The women in the crowded restaurant were gorgeous. There was as much a feast for her eyes as there was for her stomach. There was every type woman imaginable in the place, from high-class to down-home. And all of them seemed right at home. She sat taking it all in.
Denise smacked her on her arm to get her attention. “Man, the menu. Read the menu.”
Cooley looked up to see the server waiting to take her order.
All Denise could do was laugh at her friend.
They were ravenous when their food came, but it was well worth the wait. This experience was a first for them both. The meal, the mall, the shops and the people were so different from Memphis. There had even been valet parking at the mall and at the restaurant. They didn’t know if any places in Memphis had valet parking. It was a lot to take in, but they both knew they liked it and decided to come back for dessert after they finished shopping.
“So, you get all the gifts you needed?” Cooley asked Denise, as she paid for both of their meals with the credit card that Susan had given her.
“Yeah, I want to go by this, um, jewelry store over in the plaza by Lenox. I want to get Lena something I saw online.”
“Cool.”
They made their way through the notorious Buckhead traffic to Phipps Plaza across the street. They joked about none of the stores being in Memphis.
“Tiffany’s? You’re buying her Tiffany’s?”
“Yeah, so?” Denise said, getting out of the car.
Cooley followed. She watched as Denise picked out the bracelet. “I can’t believe you got that girl that high ass bracelet!” Cooley said laughing. “Damn, dude. When did y’all start fucking?”
“Shut up. We’re not fucking. I just wanted to get her something really nice.”
“Yeah, okay,” Cooley said sarcastically.
“I’m serious. She’s done a lot for me. Damn, what she did for Mema was enough; the least I could do was spend four hundred dollars on her.”
“The bracelet cost four hundred dollars? Man, you are totally going to get some ass from her.” Cooley laughed. “You know her ass is going anyway.”
“No, she’s not,” Denise said, standing up from the table.
“Well, you’re right. She’s going just for your lanky ass. What a shame, ’cause I would love to tap that.” Cooley added.
Denise couldn’t believe what her friend was saying. “Whatever, man, you know she is in love with Brandon.”
“Yeah, and falling for your ass. Man don’t you pay attention to anything? The girl gets all hot and bothered whenever you’re working out in your room. I peeped that a long time ago.”
“No, she doesn’t.”
“Yes, dude, she does. Man, I’m telling you, if you want it, you can get it. She likes you, man, but I don’t think she has realized it yet.”
“Cooley, you think that every woman is going.”
“’Cause they are. Look at all the so-called straight women who throw themselves at me. All women are curious. It just takes the right one to bring it out of them.”
They got into the car and headed home. Denise thought about the things that Cooley said. She never noticed Lena looking at her before.
“Bruh, were you serious when you said that Lena be looking at me?” Denise asked.
Cooley burst out laughing. “See, I knew it. Man, you are sprung out on her ass as well, aren’t you?”
“Naw, man, it’s not like that,” Denise said, looking out the window.
Cooley continued to press her for information. “Man, whatever. Who are you talking to, boo boo the fool? I know you like her. I don’t blame you; the girl is fine as hell.”
“Yeah, she is pretty sexy.”
“Dude, I knew it!” Cooley hit Denise. “You want you some of Lena.”
Denise gave up. “Okay, okay, yes, I have a crush on her. Man, the girl is perfect for me, except she’s all straight and shit.”
“Curious,” Cooley added.
“No, straight. She ain’t going anywhere. Hell, Brandon is totally going pro, and she is going to marry him and have all his black-ass babies.”
“That don’t mean you can’t have a little too. Come on, man, if she was to ask you to hit it, tell me you wouldn’t.”
“I wouldn’t. I value her friendship—”
Cooley cut her off. “Fuck that, man. I would fuck that girl so good, she would be like, ‘Brandon who?’”
They both laughed.
“Man, I admit, I would love to make love to her. It’s funny ’cause I haven’t liked a girl since Crystal. Why I always got to fall for the ones I can’t fucking have?”
“It’s not that you can’t have it. It’s just that you fall for women who should just be fucking partners and that’s it.”
Denise knew Cooley was talking about Crystal. “Man, she told me she was gay.”
“Gay for you, Denise. You need to be like me—. Fuck those straight, curious types and roll out. You never try to make them into wifey.”
“Dude, you fuck straight, gay, bisexual, and curious and any other orientation that comes along the same way. You never make any of them wifey.”
They both laughed.
“You’re right, and you see I don’t have those love problems like you have. Hit it and quit it, that’s my motto.”
“No, you have problems, like girls trying to kick your ass in front of the Student Center.”
“Ha, ha, ha! Yeah, okay, I’ll give you that one. You know sometimes I think about finding a bitch to settle down with.”
“A bitch to settle down with. Why are there so many things wrong with that statement?” Denise laughed.
“Okay, I feel ya, but listen, these women don’t want me for nothing, but some of my so-called killa cap. They don’t try to know me, they just want some of Cooley.”
“In their defense, it’s not like you let them get to know anything but that.”
“Yeah, if that’s what you want to say. You know my dad used to have a different girl at the house every weekend. I asked him one time why there was a different girl each time. He told me to keep him satisfied. Maybe I am just like my dad. Maybe one woman could never truly satisfy me.” Cooley looked out the window. Her dad had died a few years ago and left her enough money to live on.
“I hear you, man, but you know you don’t have to be like your dad. You can try to get to know a girl. How about the next time you look at a girl, you try to meet her brain before you meet her pussy?”
“Maybe I will, but it will be when we get back to Memphis ’cause I’m trying to meet as many pussies this holiday as I can.” They laughed as they headed into the house to get ready for the club. “And, Dee, I have a proposition for you as well.”
“Yeah what?” Denise said, carrying her bags into the house.
“I want you to open your eyes to someone new as well. Stop punishing all the women for the fuckup of your ex. Open your heart back up to find love again. Or at least get some ass, bruh.”
“Maybe I will. I just don’t think this is the time for all that.”
They headed into the house.
Denise realized that she was blocking all the women out, but that’s how she wanted it for now.
Lena was furious. “Brandon, I can’t believe you. I can’t believe you at all!” she yelled into the phone.
“Baby, I am sorry, but I can’t come. There are agents and scouts for days. I am trying to make connections for us, you know.” Brandon was frustrated by the hour-long conversation they had been having.
“You always use that as your excuse. You talk about the agents and scouts. Well, I know where they are, there are plenty of groupie bitches being thrown your way as well!”
“Lena, calm down please. I am sorry, but it just is better that I stay here. I promise I will make it up to you.”
“Brandon, the only reason I am even here is because I wanted to spend Christmas with you. I could have gone somewhere else, you know.”
“I know, baby, and I apologize again. But I really don’t want you to trip about this. I promise the only reason I am here is for the scouts.”
“Well, I hope those scouts make you have a great Christmas!” Lena slammed the phone down. She couldn’t believe that Brandon wasn’t joining her for Christmas. As she threw the phone across the room, she heard her mother calling her name.
Lena walked down the stairs of her family’s East Hampton house. Her mother and father were standing in the living room.
“Yes, Mother?” Lena answered.
“Baby, what are you wearing to the club for brunch?” her mother asked as she placed a gold ornament on the large Christmas tree.
“I don’t know, Mom. I really don’t feel like going. Brandon isn’t going to make it for Christmas.”
“Well, why not, honey?” her father asked her. “If it’s money, I can send him a ticket.”
“No, he’s staying in Miami. They won the tournament, so he wants to stay to talk to some agents and shi—stuff.” She caught herself before swearing in front of her parents.
“Well, that was a smart idea.”
“Daddy, how can you say that? He should be here with me!”
“No, pumpkin, he should be working to make sure that in the future he is able to bring you and your family to great destinations for Christmas.”
“Your father’s right, honey. It is best that he does what he has to do. You never know, he may go pro sooner than you think.”
Lena knew that her parents were right, but she didn’t want to admit it yet.
“Okay, okay, fine. I understand what you all are saying, but I still wish he was here with me. I could have gone on to Atlanta to be with my friends if I would have known that.”
“Well, baby, why don’t you? We can live without having you for Christmas Day. If you want to be with your friends, you can go. Just call and get a ticket.”
Lena’s eyes lit up. The idea of joining Denise in Atlanta had been on her mind for a while. She actually realized that Brandon not coming was a blessing in disguise.
“Thank you, Mother.” She kissed her mother then kissed her father. She ran upstairs to make the arrangements.