Chapter 25
“Taking charge”
Johnnie calmed down considerably by the time she reached the offices of Glenn and Webster. However, she still had some residual anger from the way she was treated at Sears. As she rode the St. Charles streetcar to the central business district, she thought of her introduction to whoredom, the selling of her womanhood and self-respect, and the constant innuendoes from men. The problem with Robert Simmons this morning particularly came to mind. She knew she definitely had a way with men, but it wasn’t until the streetcar passed through the Garden District, the city’s uptown area with all of its fancy old mansions, that she made up her mind to take Martin Winters up on his offer of a “later date.”
As usual, she could feel people staring at her, and the yellow sundress she was wearing didn’t deter any of the men from gawking. With her head held high, she walked straight to Cynthia Lamar’s desk. She was on the phone. Johnnie stood in front of her with an angry look on her face. Cynthia looked at her and rolled her eyes. Johnnie put her hands on her hips and patted her foot. She was in no mood to be subservient; not after what just happened to her, not after that kind of humiliation. A few seconds later, Cynthia hung up the phone.
“What can I do for you, Ms. Wise?”
I see you remembered my name. That’s a good start, you little tramp. “I need to see Martin right now,” Johnnie said gruffly.
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No.”
“Have a seat and he’ll get to you when he can.”
“No,” Johnnie said in the same brusque tone. “I will not have a seat. You tell him I’m here right now.”
“Now, just a minute.”
“Look, Cynthia,” she said, raising her voice an octave. “I don’t care nothin’ about you screwin’ a married man.” She knew the comment would get a rise out of Cynthia. “As far as I’m concerned, that’s y’all’s business. I’m here to discuss my stock portfolio. Now, either you tell him I’m here or I will.”
Stunned by Johnnie’s brash manner and her knowledge of the ongoing affair with Martin, Cynthia went into his office. Johnnie followed her and closed the door. Martin sat at his desk, going over some papers when they entered.
Without looking up, Martin said, “Cindy, I thought I told you I didn’t want to be disturbed.”
“You did, but she started yelling about us having an affair and only God knows who heard her.”
Martin looked up and saw Johnnie standing right behind Cynthia with her hands on her hips. She looked like she was enraged about something.
Confused, Cynthia asked, “Why would you tell her about us, Martin?”
“He didn’t tell me anything,” Johnnie said in a sharp tone. “Now, leave us alone, please.”
“What the hell is going on, Johnnie?” Martin demanded.
“Johnnie, is it?” Cynthia asked, suspecting something was going on between them.
“Cindy, why don’t you wait outside,” Martin said calmly.
“No! What the hell is going on between you two?”
“Nothing,” Martin said, raising his voice.
Johnnie couldn’t resist the urge to say, “Not yet, but trust me little girl, something is going to happen. Isn’t that right, Martin?”
“Are you fucking her?” Cynthia asked. “Is that why she’s being so bold?”
“Cindy, let’s discuss this later,” Martin said.
“No!” Cynthia said, full of rage. “We’ll discuss it right fucking now!”
“No, we won’t!” Martin said with equal force. “Now, get back to your desk!”
“Yeah, get back to your desk, Cynthia,” Johnnie jabbed. “We business people have things to discuss.”
Cynthia was about to say something but Martin cut her off. “Cindy, I mean it,” he said, softening his tone. “I’ll discuss this with you later. This is a client and you’re behaving very unprofessionally. Please, return to your desk.”
“Yeah, Cindy, he means it.” Johnnie laughed.
Still frustrated, Cynthia turned around and looked at Johnnie, who was smiling from ear to ear. “Bitch,” she said under her breath as she walked past.
“Ya mama!” Johnnie said loudly.
When Cynthia closed the door, Martin said, “What in the hell do you think you’re doing barging into my office, making wild accusations? Just who in the hell do you think you are?”
“Oh, shut up and sit down, Martin,” Johnnie said, full of confidence.
She had effectively gotten rid of Cynthia, and now she felt like she was in the driver’s seat. After all, Martin propositioned her. As long as he wanted sex, she knew she was in charge. Martin stared at her for a couple of seconds and decided to play along, at least until he got a piece. He sat down and gestured for her to do the same. She did.
“Now, do you mind telling me why you’re being so acrimonious?”
“Went to college, huh?”
Martin laughed a little. “Seriously though, Johnnie. What’s happened? Did you and Earl have a fight?”
“No. This has nothing to do with Earl.”
“Then what’s this all about?”
Johnnie reached into her purse and took out the four hundred dollars. She threw it on the table. “I want you to buy me more stock in Sears.”
After telling him about the incident at Sears and making plans to see Martin when she moved into her new home, she prepared to leave the office. She could feel his eyes on her ass, so she turned around to see if he was looking. He was. When she looked into his eyes, she saw the same look that Earl had that Christmas Eve when he took her for the first time. She knew then that Martin Winters would do whatever she wanted.
As she walked past Cynthia’s desk, she said, “You can have him now.”