Chapter 11
A Dam Situation
Ginger walked in her front door and set two vases of roses she was carrying on the cocktail table. Since the day she beat Ronald with the rolling pin, Ginger entered her home through the front door. She went back to her car and retrieved the other two vases and brought them inside. After fluffing and sniffing the roses for what seemed like the hundredth time, Ginger pressed the play button on her answering machine. The first message was from Celeste.
“Ginger, gurrrrlllll, call me as sooooooon as you get in. You won’t believe what I found out today.” Beep.
“Hmm, sounds like you have some good, hot gossip, Celeste,” Ginger murmured.
“Ginger, I did something I hope you’ll forgive me for. That guy, Joseph, begged me for your work location. Please don’t be mad.” Beep.
“I know you can’t help yourself, Portia. You’re just a busybody,” Ginger said to the answering machine. She erased both messages and went to her bedroom and changed from her work clothes into a pair of palazzo pajamas. She was walking into the kitchen to see what she would make herself for dinner when the loud shrill of the telephone startled her. Ginger grabbed the receiver from the wall next to the refrigerator. “Hello?”
“Did you get my message?” Celeste rushed the words from her lips.
“Yes, Celeste, I got your message about ten seconds ago. I was gonna call you back but can a sista get in the door, sit down, and kick her heels up first?”
“Are you in the door yet?”
“Yes.”
“Are you sitting down?”
Ginger pulled a chair out from beneath the new marble kitchen table and sat down. “Yes.”
“Did you kick your heels up?”
“Yes, Celeste!” Ginger yelled into the receiver. “What is so urgent?”
“Do you remember Latricia Jenkins from high school?”
Ginger tried to imagine a face to go with the name. “Uh-uh.”
“Yes, you do. She’s the girl who used to pull the fire alarm just so that we could get out of class. Remember?”
“Oh, yeah,” Ginger said when her memory cooperated. “The chubby girl with the thick glasses. We were juniors then. Man, those were some good times.”
“Well, she ain’t chubby anymore and she lost those bifocals. Anyway, Latricia came into the bank today to cash a check.”
“How is she doing?” Ginger asked.
“She’s fine. She said she got married a year ago.”
“Good for her.”
“I don’t know how good it really is, Ginger,” Celeste said remembering the information she had found out earlier that day.
“What do you mean?”
“Latricia is married to a guy named David Hall and they live in the Chatham community.”
Ginger didn’t see how Celeste concluded that Latricia and her husband living in the Chatham area of the city couldn’t be good. Chatham was an excellent community. “Uh-huh. And?”
“Ginger, what did Portia say her current beau’s name was? And where did she say he lived?”
Ginger’s mouth fell open. She sat straight up in her chair. “Oh, my God. You think it’s the same David Hall?”
“I hope it’s not the same guy, Ginger. Do you remember where Portia said David worked?”
“She was bragging that he made a lot of money working for the Chicago Transit Authority. She was all excited that she found another sugar daddy to pay her rent.”
“That’s what I remembered too. And Latricia said her husband drove the trains for the Chicago Transit Authority,” Celeste confirmed.
Ginger’s mouth fell open again. “Celeste, no.”
“I’m telling you, Ginger, I was too outdone. You see how small this world is?”
“You really think it’s him?” Ginger asked.
“How many David Hall’s can there be living in the Chatham community and working for the Chicago Transit Authority?”
Ginger shook her head from side to side. “Humph, humph, humph,” she moaned. “Portia should be ashamed of herself. How did Latricia seem? Did she appear to be happy when she mentioned her husband?”
“She said she and David had their ups and downs. That’s no different from any other marriage. God knows Anthony and I certainly have taken our ride on the rollercoaster of love. Latricia looked healthy and pretty though. And she doesn’t have to work.”
“Humph, if I had a husband pulling a choo-choo, I wouldn’t be working either,” Ginger stated.
“Not only is Mr. David Hall supporting a wife who cashes thirty-five-hundred-dollar checks for play money, he’s also taking good care of Portia.” Celeste recalled the balance in Latricia and David’s bank account. “And judging from the amount of money they have in the bank, heck, David could support Latricia, Portia, and about four or five other women, if he wanted to. And, Ginger, you and I both know that our sista is a high-maintenance chick.”
Ginger was intrigued. “Well, how much money do they have?”
“You know I can’t tell you that but I will say this. David and Latricia ain’t hurtin’ at all, honey. They ain’t hurtin’ at allllllll.”
Ginger chuckled. “If I’m not mistaken, isn’t David the cosigner of Portia’s brand-new Escalade?”
“Cosigner and note payer.”
“You’d think after the beating Richard put on Portia for giving his wife a heart attack, she would be done with married men.”
“Humph, Portia didn’t even flinch when she found out that Richard’s wife had died.”
“You’re right,” Ginger stated. “She didn’t even accept any fault in it at all. No remorse or regret. Portia moved on to the next married man.”
Celeste exhaled. “It’s like she has no conscience. I don’t know why she can’t find her own man.”
“Because it’s a game to her, Celeste. Portia doesn’t wanna be in a committed relationship. She claims she doesn’t want to be smothered. She knows that a married man will go home to his wife at night and that’s just fine with her. Portia’s motto has always been, ‘You don’t have to love and live with a man for him to take care of you’.”
“Well, you know what, Ginger? One of these wives will eventually catch up with Portia and beat the crap out of her much worse than the hurtin’ Richard put on her. These women aren’t playing when it comes to their husbands. David has a great job and the CTA has excellent benefits. Latricia doesn’t have to work. You think she’s just gonna let Portia take her husband from her? And did I mention that Latricia and David own four chicken shacks? She ain’t letting that man go.”
“But that’s the thing, Celeste. Portia doesn’t want David like that. She’s not trying to take these men away from their wives. She’s in these relationships for the security the men give her.”
“That doesn’t make it right, Ginger.”
“Oh no, don’t get me wrong. I’m not making excuses for her trifling behind. What Portia is doing is totally wrong as two left feet and I’ll be the first to say that. I’m just telling you how she thinks. She doesn’t want a ring from these men, only money.”
That bit of information didn’t settle well with Celeste. She didn’t care what Ginger was talking about. Celeste loved her husband and she took her marriage seriously. And, yes, Portia was her very best friend but Celeste meant what she said in Ginger’s living room, months ago, when the three of them had argued. Celeste told Portia that she couldn’t trust her around Anthony. The words were said in anger but Celeste meant them wholeheartedly. It was all about the money as far as Portia was concerned and she didn’t care whose husband was supplying it. Celeste couldn’t say that even though she and Portia were as close as sisters, Portia would never make a play for Anthony. “Be that as it may, these wives won’t understand that. If they see a woman trespassing on their territory, all heck will break loose.”
Ginger sensed hostility in Celeste’s voice. “Why are you so upset? This is Latricia’s problem.”
“A chick like Portia is every married woman’s problem. In the bank earlier today, Latricia was happy and she seemed fulfilled. She gave me the impression that she was content in her marriage but I know the real deal.” Celeste placed herself in Latricia’s shoes. What if Anthony was paying for another woman’s rent, car note, hair, and nails on the down low? It would destroy Celeste if she found out that Anthony was rolling in between bed sheets with someone else. “I’m upset because I’m a wife and I don’t know what I’d do if I found out Tony was knocking boots with a Jezebel and paying for it.”
“Darn, Celeste, you may as well come on out and call Portia a whore.”
“Ginger, will I be lying if I did? I love Portia just as much as you do but we both know these married men pay her top dollar for booty. They’re not giving her twenty bucks here and there. Portia gets her rent paid, car note paid, jewelry, and furs for sex. Now you tell me, if she’s not a whore, what is she? I know Tony loves me. He tells me every day. And I’m positive David Hall is telling Latricia that he loves her, too.”
Ginger heard Celeste loud and clear. But Portia wasn’t cheating by herself. The married men she dealt with were more than willing to commit adultery. “Well, Celeste, you can’t fault only Portia. It takes two to tango.”
“I’m aware of that, Ginger. But women need to know that we cheapen ourselves when we sleep with married men. We accept the fact that we will always be second and never number one. Who wants to sneak, creep, and hide all the time? Only women with low self-esteem and no morals who don’t think they’re worth anything or that they deserve better. It’s rare that a man leaves his wife for a trick and if he does, he’ll do the same thing to the trick that he did to his wife. Yeah, it takes two to tango but a man could only dance around a chick if she allows him to.”
“What can I say, Celeste? You are right. Portia doesn’t care what the outcome will do to the wife. Finding out about a cheating spouse, man or woman, can be devastating and tragic. Look what happened to Richard’s wife. She died of a heart attack. I fault Portia for that. Our sister or not, she’s a woman and she should know better.”
For years Ginger and Celeste had driven down that road with Portia. Trying to get her to realize that she was wrong for carrying on with another woman’s husband was like talking to a brick wall.
“Portia is grown, Celeste. How many times have we confronted her about the way she’s living? If she wants to sleep with married men, she’ll do it. There’s nothing we can do about it no matter how much we preach.”
Celeste agreed. “You’re right. The only thing we can do is be at the hospital when they call us ’cause married women don’t play when chicks like Portia threaten their marriages. ”
“Well, since there’s nothing we can do about Portia, let’s change the subject.” Ginger was more than happy to change the subject to a happier one. “Guess what I got today.”
“What?” Celeste asked.
“Mr. Joseph Banks sent five dozen red roses to the school.”
“Well, I am not at all surprised. The man is serious and he’s coming correct. So, what are you gonna do about it?” Celeste hoped Ginger would let her guard down and stop running.
“Diane asked me that same question. The truth is I don’t know what I’m going to do. I don’t know the man, where he’s from or anything.”
“Ginger, you’re the one preventing that information from coming forth. Obviously, Joseph wants to share it with you but you won’t give him the time of day. Don’t block the blessing, girl.”
“But after all I’ve been through—”
“Stop it right there, Ginger. Do you hear yourself talking? You said, ‘after all I’ve been through.’ Understand what you’re saying. You’ve been through some mess but you survived it. You are no longer in that mess. You should’ve been at church when Associate Minister Gordon preached a sermon titled ‘Your Blessing Is on the Other Side of Through.’ You’re in a dam situation, Ginger.”
Ginger frowned. “A what situation?”
“A dam situation. You know what a dam is, don’t you? A dam is a body of water confined by a barrier. Ronald represented the barrier in your life. He blocked everything God wanted you to have. But Ronald is gone now. You’ve got to knock the barrier down and you do that by seeing yourself blessed, seeing yourself prosper, and seeing yourself taking back everything the devil stole from you. You know what happens when a hole is punched in a barrier? Water oozes through the hole. But when the barrier is knocked completely down, the dam gushes forth and saturates everything in its path. Going back to what Minister Gordon preached about. Your blessing, which is the dam, is on the other side of through, which is the barrier. Joseph Banks is in the dam. And so far, by getting rid of Ronald you’ve only punched a small hole in the barrier. According to Joseph’s card, only dinner and five dozen roses were able to ooze through that small hole. He said that couldn’t compare to what he’s prepared to bestow upon you. If Joseph is able to squeeze dinner and flowers through a small hole, can you imagine what he has on the other side of the barrier?”
Tears had begun to flow from Ginger’s eyes. Celeste was preaching. “But I don’t know who Joseph is, Celeste. My instincts tell me he is a wonderful man but I feel like God brought him into my life at the wrong time. I’m not prepared for Joseph.”
“That’s how God works, honey. And just so you know, He never does anything at the wrong time. When you least expect it, He will drop a bomb on you. And from what I can see Joseph Banks is da bomb. You claim you don’t know Joseph but you don’t know what else is in the dam either. And since when are the saints of God allowed the privilege to tell Him how and when to bless us or who to bless us with? My advice to you is to trust God and knock down that barrier and let Joseph and everything else come gushing at you. It’s time for you to live, Ginger. Don’t make the mistake of allowing fear to interfere with your future.” Celeste hoped Ginger picked up on the dynamic of the words she just spoke to her. “In Malachi, chapter three, God says that He’ll open a window and pour you out a blessing that you won’t have room enough to receive it. So, my sista, I’ll ask the question again. What are you gonna do?”
Sniff, sniff. Ginger wiped the tears from her eyes. “I’m gonna break through the barrier.”
Celeste smiled. She was pleased. “That’s what I’m talkin’ about. Get out of that dam situation and go get your stuff, girl. Walk toward the light, Carol Ann. Walk toward the light.”
Ginger burst out laughing at Celeste’s chosen line from the movie Poltergeist.
* * *
On Saturday evening Portia and Celeste watched Ginger pace Celeste’s living room as they all waited for Joseph to ring the doorbell.
“Ginger, you have on six-inch stilettos,” Portia said. “They’re made for sitting pretty, not walking.”
Ginger couldn’t stop pacing. “I know, I know. I’m so nervous. Celeste, I really thank you for allowing Joseph to pick me up here. I don’t want him to know where I live yet.”
Celeste waved her hand at Ginger. “Girl, please. You act like we haven’t done this before. Remember when I met Tony? For the first four months of our relationship, he thought I lived with Portia.” Celeste looked across the living room at Portia sitting on a divan. “Remember that, Portia?”
“I sure do. Tony called my apartment so many times looking for you he got on my nerves. Every twenty minutes, it was ring, ring, ring. ‘Is Celeste home?’ Tony kept calling like he thought I was lying about your whereabouts. I don’t care how much you deny it, Celeste. I think you were breaking Tony off a piece for him to sweat you like that.”
“What? Girl, please, Tony had to marry me before he got this candy.”
Ginger laughed at her. “Celeste, why do you always refer to your vajayjay as candy?”
“Because it’s sweet,” Celeste boasted. “Whenever you hear Tony say to me, ‘Give me some sugar,’ he ain’t always talking about a kiss.”
The three ladies were laughing at Celeste’s comment when Anthony walked in from the kitchen. In his hands was a glass of water and two tiny pink pills. Immediately the laughter stopped.
He looked at them. “Don’t get quiet now. I know you’re in here male bashing.”
Celeste, Ginger, and Portia were silent with mischievous grins on their faces.
Anthony approached Celeste. “It’s time for your prenatal medicine, baby.”
Celeste took the glass and pills from Anthony’s hand. She popped the pills in her mouth and chased them with three gulps of water. She gave Anthony the glass. “Thank you, babe.”
Anthony was about to leave the ladies alone when the doorbell rang. “I got it.” He set the glass on the cocktail table and went toward the door. He opened the door and welcomed Joseph into his home. “Hey, man, how are you doing? I’m Tony, Celeste’s husband.”
Joseph stepped into the living room and shook Anthony’s hand firmly. He recognized Anthony’s face from church. “I’m Joseph Banks. It’s nice to meet you.”
Anthony escorted Joseph farther into the living room and they both saw Ginger sitting on the sofa sandwiched in between Portia and Celeste. Anthony wondered when they had taken that position. Before Joseph rang the doorbell Portia was sitting on the divan near the window, Celeste was seated in a chair next to the fireplace, and Ginger was doing her best to wear a hole in the carpet in the middle of the living room. Now they look like sardines in a can.
“Good evening, ladies,” Joseph greeted them.
They all presented the same silly grin. “Good evening, Joseph,” they answered in unison.
Anthony chuckled. “Are y’all Charlie’s Angels now?”
Joseph walked to Ginger and reached for her hand. She gently placed her hand in his and stood. He saw the mauve-colored knee-length fitted ribbed wrap dress she was wearing. “You’re breathtaking. I’ve been waiting all day for the chance to see your face again.”
Ginger blushed. “My goodness. Thank you, Joseph.” Never in all of her life had a man told Ginger that he had been waiting to see her.
“Thank you for accepting my invitation to dinner. My heart is pleased. I am in awe just standing here in your presence. You excite my soul.”
Portia and Celeste were in awe of Ginger’s beau. Anthony’s eyebrows rose from Joseph’s statement to Ginger and he had to admit that Joseph was smooth. Anthony would have to use that line on Celeste. You excite my soul, Celeste, Anthony imagined himself saying.
“Joseph, Ginger, why don’t you sit for a while?” Celeste offered.
“Yeah, let’s all sit and chat,” Portia added.
Joseph glanced at his wristwatch. “I’m sorry but we can’t. Our reservations are in a half hour.” He turned to walk toward the front door with Ginger’s hand in his. Joseph extended his free hand to Anthony. “Tony, it was a pleasure.”
Anthony accepted Joseph’s handshake and said, “Likewise. Be careful with my girl. She means a lot to me.”
Joseph turned around and looked at Ginger’s best friends. “Celeste, Portia, it was good seeing you again.”
When Ginger and Joseph exited the living room, Anthony shut the door behind them, then leaned his right shoulder against it and looked at Portia and Celeste still seated on the sofa. “That guy is all right with me. Did y’all hear the line he dropped on Ginger?”
Portia stood up. “Yeah, we heard it.” She looked at Celeste. “You ready?”
“Yep,” Celeste said, rising from the sofa. She started toward her bedroom. “Just let me get my purse.”
“Where are y’all going?” Anthony asked.
Celeste stopped walking and looked at him. “On Ginger’s date.”
Anthony shook his head from side to side. He couldn’t believe they still chaperoned each other’s first dates. Celeste had told Anthony years ago they’d been doing it since high school. “When are y’all gonna let each other grow up?”
Portia grabbed her purse and cellular telephone from the cocktail table. “It won’t be tonight. And you do know that Ginger and I weren’t seated far from you and Celeste on your first date.”
Anthony jogged his memory. “I took Celeste on a horse and carriage ride downtown.”
“I know. Ginger and I were two carriages behind you.”
Celeste returned to the living room with her purse and keys. “We’ll be at Bocce’s,” she said to Anthony. “Call my cell phone if you need me.”
“Bocce’s? Is that where Joseph is taking Ginger?”
“Yep,” Portia answered.
“But you need reservations,” he said.
Celeste placed the strap of her purse on her shoulder. “We have them.”
Anthony was on board. “Okay, well I’m going too. A brother can go for a nice, juicy steak.”