SHARIECE
“Answer the damn phone.” I redialed Emjay’s number only to continue to be sent to voicemail, which aggravated the hell out of me. I stopped by his apartment first, but his car wasn’t in the parking lot of the complex. I racked my brain trying to figure out where he could be. I thought of a place. “Emjay might not be there, but I figure it is worth a try.”
I walked into Mockingbird Lounge and sure enough, there was Emjay, sitting idle at the bar. Other than a few patrons peppered throughout, the place wasn’t packed for a Friday night. I sat next to him as he nursed on a Heineken.
“So what the hell was that back at the house?” Shariece asked.
A thin, young white guy dressed from head to toenail in a black T-shirt and black low-waist jeans came to greet me. There wasn’t an inch of skin left that wasn’t covered in tattoos. He had short, dark-brown hair that was buzzed on the sides and combed over to one side and a well-trimmed beard.
“Hi. Can I get you something to drink?”
“Vodka cranberry with lime,” I said sternly.
“What is she doing? She looked ridiculous. Is she serious with that guy?”
“Whatever happened to you wanting Leandra to be happy?”
“I know him.”
“What do you mean you know him?”
The bartender came back with my vodka cranberry. I handed him my debit card. “Ma’am, would you like me to start a tab?”
“No, just this, thank you.”
He swiped my card and handed it back to me.
“I’ve seen him before. He plays basketball over at the Walker-Ford Center.”
“So what does that have to do with how you acted in front of Taj and Leandra?”
“Why didn’t you have my back? You both treated me like a child.”
“I’m sorry to tell you this, Emjay, but that’s exactly how you were acting.”
“What?”
“You embarrassed me with your behavior tonight.”
“I guess I know whose side you’re on.”
“You know what? You need to grow the fuck up. You’re not a kid anymore. I can’t believe the level of disrespect you showed Leandra and Taj tonight.”
“I never would have agreed to this dinner had I known how old dude was.”
I took a sip from my drink. “If you have such a stick up your ass about her seeing a younger man, how do you really feel about the two of us being together?”
“It’s not like that.”
“It’s exactly like that.”
“This is my mama we’re talking about. I mean, damn, picking up men on a dating site?”
“It’s no more dangerous than meeting someone at a bar, a party, a club or anywhere. And it shouldn’t matter that he’s a younger man. You’re the one who said age ain’t nothing but a number.”
“Did he tell you how old he is?”
Emjay failed to grasp my point. “I can’t do this.”
“What?”
“What are we doing? We fuck around once a week, but outside of sex, what is this, really? I’m your teacher, for God’s sake.”
“What are you saying?”
I reached inside my purse and left Warren a generous ten-dollar tip for serving me. “I think whatever this is; we need to reexamine our relationship.”
“Just like that?” Emjay asked.
“What do you want me to say, Emjay?”
“This is what you’ve always wanted, isn’t it? You never wanted to be with me. I’m just a fuck-toy for you. Am I the first student you’ve seduced?”
“Fuck you.”
“Me and who else?”
In a fit of rage, I threw my vodka cranberry in his face.
People at the bar turned their attention to the drama that had ensued. “Let me know when you decide to grow the hell up.”
I exited through the double-glass tinted doors to the parking lot. “Shariece, wait!” I kept walking until I felt Emjay tug my arm.
“I’m sorry. You know I didn’t mean that. It’s just a messed-up night.”
“I risked my job, my reputation, my friendship with Leandra, and all for what?” When I started for my car again, Emjay yanked at my arm.
“Let go of my arm.”
“Babe, come on, don’t leave; let’s talk about this.”
“I said let go of me.”
“Hey, the lady said let her go.” A deep, brawny voice reverberated out of nowhere. A heavy-set white man with a football player build, who was the size of a refrigerator, walked toward us. He had broad shoulders, huge arms with his chest puffed out. He looked like a villain out of a David Statham movie. “Is this boy bothering you, miss?”
“The fuck you callin’ a boy. Look, man, this is none of your business, so keep walkin’.”
“The lady can talk for herself.”
Emjay and the man stood head to head until their chests almost touched. Emjay wanted to prove that he was no punk even though he knew that the giant of a man would probably wipe the parking lot with him.
“Sir, thank you, but we’re fine. We were just talking, that’s all,” I said.
He looked at me and asked, “Are you sure you’re all right?”
“You heard the lady, big foot. Step the fuck off.”
The brute looked at Emjay wanting to fuck him up so bad, but he did what I asked and walked away. As he continued to beg me to hear him out, I got in my car and drove away. I was done. There was nothing else to say.