Scarlett (6 page)

Scarlett looked at Sheila sideways. “What do you mean by that?”

“Nothing, I was just saying that I’ve given away a lot of nice things over the years, but you never let on that you wanted any of my things. You’ve even been with me when I dropped a lot of my things off.”

“Well, Sheila, you’re my best friend, and I would have thought if you wanted me to have your
nice
things that you’d give them to me or at least ask me if I wanted them before you gave them away.”

“I’m sorry you felt that way. Hearing you complain about your mama dressing you in Goodwill attire all the time, made me think that you didn’t want my clothes, because that’s exactly where they were headed.”

“I complained about
Gwen
buying me cheap, dingy looking clothes from Goodwill. She never picked out a nice shirt or pants or even nice shoes. She would pick out things from Goodwill that no one else would even think to buy, and you knew this.” Scarlett felt aggravated. “I would be crazy to ask you for your things, because if you wanted me to have them, you’d give it to me.”

Sheila got quiet, because she knew that she was right and that she’d struck a nerve. Scarlett’s face showed it. She wanted to curse Sheila out, but instead, she walked into the bathroom and popped two Xanax pills at once.
I’ll be damned if anybody is going to ruin the best feeling I’ve had since I could remember.

Scarlett walked back out to her desk and sat down. Sheila was already typing away as if she was busy.

“Did the men say what they wanted for lunch?” Scarlett asked.

“Don’t worry your pretty little head about it, Scarlett. I’ve ordered them pizza from Pizza Hut. The delivery guy should be bringing it soon.”

“Well, thank you, Sheila.”

“That’s the least I could do. Plus, I thought you weren’t coming in today either.”

“I didn’t tell you that.” Scarlett quickly said.

“I know, but it was getting close to lunch hour and you still hadn’t made it here, so what was I to think?” Sheila asked, just as Samantha walked into the office. Scarlett ignored Sheila’s comment.

“Hey ladies,” Samantha spoke.

“Hi Sam,” Scarlett said.

“Hey little sister,” Sheila said, not once looking up at her.

Samantha looked in Scarlett’s direction and had to catch her breath. “Scarlett, is that you?” She walked over. “Wow, you look absolutely beautiful. You’re looking like Rhianna now.”

“Rhianna, huh?” Sheila questioned. “Yeah, you do sorta look like her. You’re just a little darker skinned though.”

Samantha felt in Scarlett’s hair. The feeling, to Scarlett, was unlike anything she’d ever felt in her life. No one ever wanted to rub their fingers through her coarse hair. “Your hair is so black and pretty. It’s full of bo—” Sheila cut her off.

“Yes, it’s full of body, and all that good stuff. Yes, she is beautiful, and all that good stuff. Yes, she is wearing nice clothes, and all that good stuff. But don’t you see that we are busy? What the hell are you doing here, anyway?”

“I came here to see Daddy, Miss Scrooge, Miss Blow It, Miss Hater, Miss Wanna Be something you’re not.”

“Hey, hey, hey, ladies… calm down,” Scarlett butted in. Taking two pills at once had her feeling real relaxed. She loved that feeling way better than taking one pill at a time.

“I’m sorry, Scarlett, but it seems that my sister is a little jealous. She hates it when she’s not the only one getting attention, ya know. You betta watch her a—” Sheila interrupted her again.

“Daddy is in the shop. It might be in your best interest to go in there before you say something that you’ll regret.” Sheila mean eyed Samantha.

“Whatever sis, you don’t scare me and you never have.”

Greg walked into the office. “Is everything alright in here? I can hear my two daughter’s mouths over the loud machines that are running in the shop.”

“Yeah, it’s all good, Greg.” Scarlett replied.

Greg looked at Scarlett and smiled. He knew she had the potential to be a beautiful woman. “Scarlett, you look amazing.”

“That is what I’ve been trying to tell her, but your daughter keeps cutting me off,” Samantha stated.

“Thanks Greg,” she blushed.

“Sheila, are you picking fights with your sister?” Greg asked.

“No, Daddy. She just talks too much and we’re busy so she needs to leave.”

Greg shook his head. He knew that his daughters never got along with each other. For Samantha to be younger, she would fight Sheila in a heartbeat, because Sheila was the ‘I’m a lover, not a fighter,’ type.

“Anyway, Daddy, I’ll let the hater do her work since I’m such a distraction.” Samantha rolled her eyes at Sheila and Sheila rolled hers back. She turned her back to Sheila and stood in Greg’s face.

“Daddy, can I get six hundred dollars?” she asked.

Sheila smacked her lips.

“Baby girl, what do you need six hundred dollars for?”

“I want an iPad. It’s a touch screen computer small enough for me to carry in my purse. Plus, it’ll be great for doing school work on the go.”

“You always want something for nothing, don’t you?” Sheila chimed in, still not taking her eyes off her computer screen.

“Alright Sheila,” Greg said. “Yes, baby, you can get it.” He looked over at Sheila. “If you asked for money for things that were going to be beneficial in your life, then you wouldn’t get a hard time either, but all you want money for is to go shopping, as if you don’t already have a huge closet full of things.”

“That’s why I work now, Daddy, so I can buy my own things without having to ask you for it.”

“And you’re doing a great job, honey. I don’t know what I’d do without you or Scarlett,” Greg admitted with a grin.

Scarlett?
Sheila thought.
She don’t do near as much shit as I do.
She knew not to say that out loud, because Scarlett would have been on her ass like white on rice. Plus, Scarlett did do just as much work as Sheila, just on a different level.

“Thanks, Daddy,” Samantha said with a smile as Greg handed her his credit card. She kissed him on the lips and walked out of the office. “See you later, Scarlett.”

“Okay Sam, and be careful.”

Sheila still acted as if she didn’t even hear their conversation. She just kept working.

Lunch arrived, and instead of Sheila letting Scarlett take the food out into the shop as she normally did, she insisted that she take it out to them herself. Scarlett didn’t think much of it, because she was always moving around the shop, whether she was talking to the men about ordering parts, picking up parts, taking payments, making sure the area was clean, and ordering or picking up lunch for everyone. She rarely sat in her seat for an hour straight. Sheila’s work consisted of her sitting in her seat all day if she wanted to, and entering or updating information on the computer. She would even ask Scarlett to get her certain folders out of the cabinets that sat closer to her than Scarlett. For the most part, she treated Scarlett like a do-girl, but Scarlett didn’t mind. She liked her job, and the pay that came along with it was way better than the pay at McDonald’s.

After lunch, Scarlett was standing to the counter taking a payment from a client as Sheila walked back inside the office from outside the shop. She sat down behind the desk and watched Scarlett from behind. She hated that Scarlett had stepped her game up and was looking good for a change. It was sad, but she wanted to be the only good-looking person walking around the place since her mom was gone. She knew that it would be over now, because Scarlett was really feeling her new look and she would never go back to looking the way she used to.

Finally, about two hours before the workday ended, Sheila decided she’d talk to Scarlett about her date with Jay. She’d been so jealous hearted and hateful the whole day after seeing Scarlett in this new light, that she didn’t even want to talk with her.

“Hey Scarlett, I know we’ve been a little busy today, but I wanted to tell you that Jay and I had a wonderful time last night.”

“Well, that’s good.” Scarlett nonchalantly stated.

“He took me out to Myabi’s and we had a ball drinking and eating.”

“I’m glad to hear that, Sheila.”

“I could tell that he wanted to take things to another level from the tongue kissing we were doing, but I figured that I should wait. I didn’t want to seem too easy.” She laughed. “What do you think?”

I think you should have given him some, then he wouldn’t have been trying to get between my legs.
Scarlett thought.

“I’m glad you waited. If you’re special to him like he says you are, then he’ll wait for you to give him some of your goodies.” They laughed just as Jay walked into the office. This was the first time he’d seen Scarlett’s new look.

“Hey baby,” he said walking over to Sheila. He looked over in Scarlett’s direction. “What’s up Sc… Scarlett?” he stuttered.

“Hey Jay, what’s up with you?” She turned her head so he could see the body in her hair.

Damn, you’re looking good
, he thought. “Your hair looks nice.”

“Thanks, Jay.”

Sheila cleared her throat. She hated the attention Scarlett was getting. Jay immediately looked back at Sheila, trying not to pay that much attention to a good-looking Scarlett. “So you wanna do something tonight?”

“Sure, why not. It depends on what this something is, though.”

“You’ll like it.” he stated.

“If it was anything like last night, then I’m sure I will,” she beamed.

Scarlett rolled her eyes, but only Jay noticed it.

“Oh uh, Scarlett… Greg wanted you to come in the shop. He wanted to holla at you about your car.”

Scarlett was happy to get up and leave them alone with each other. She walked out into the shop.

Stanley smiled from ear to ear. “Boy, Scarlett you’re hot!”

Scarlett blushed. She’d never been referred to as hot. Even Lenny, the oldest guy of them all, seemed to be taken by Scarlett’s new look.

“Thanks, Stanley, I appreciate that.” She walked over by Greg.

He smiled at her with his handsome face. “You are absolutely stunning. I’m glad you finally see how beautiful you can be.”

“Thanks, Greg. I know, and I feel great with my new look.” She smiled at him.

“Your car is finished.”

“Is it really finished? I’ve been missing my ride like crazy,” she laughed.

“Well, you can take her home with you today. We’ve already been test driving her and she drives like a brand new whip.”

“Wonderful,” she said.

Greg winked at her. “Can I call you later tonight?”

“Yes, please do.” She was ready for whatever with her new attitude and look.

“Are you sure? I don’t want you to think I’m pressuring you because I fixed your car for free. I would just like to spend some time with a lovely young lady like you.”

Scarlett looked up at him. “Greg, I’d love for you to call me. I believe this experience will be an exciting adventure and I honestly need something exciting in my boring life.”

“You won’t be disappointed,” he promised.

Why do I already know this?
She asked herself.

Chapter Seven

Scarlett dashed out of her house, in a hurry to meet Greg. He wanted to her to meet him at a hotel in Statesboro, which was about an hour away. Anton walked out of the door behind her. Samantha was parked on the side of the road, waiting for him.

Scarlett got inside her car and let the window down. “Aye Ant, where you heading to?”

Anton leaned down in Scarlett’s window to talk. “Wow, Sis, you look like new money.” He smiled and admired her new look. “I almost didn’t know who you were. You’re looking very nice this evening.”

“Thanks Ant,” Scarlett blushed from his compliment.

“Oh, you wanted to know where I’m going?”

“Yeah, lil bro.”

“I’m going to some bourgeois house party my baby’s classmates are having.”

“Your baby, huh?” Scarlett laughed. “I see it’s getting serious.”

Anton showed his pretty white teeth. “Yeah, sis, you can say that. I’m feeling shawty a lot.”

“I still wonder how the hell y’all managed to hook up.”

“It was one day when Sheila came over here looking for you. You weren’t home, so she went inside the house and talked to Mama for a little while. Well, Samantha was in the car waiting on her, so I walked out to holla at her. She gave me her number and we’ve been talking ever since.” Scarlett heard him, but she was confused.

“What day was that, Ant?”

“I don’t know, Sis. It wasn’t that long ago. Right before your motor blew in your car. As a matter of fact, I didn’t tell you because Sheila said that you knew she was stopping by to pick up something.”

“Oh yeah, now I think I remember. Have you seen Gwen?”

“No, I haven’t seen her all day. She’s probably around the corner in the projects getting high, who knows.”

“Yeah, you’re right. Go have yourself some fun and tell Sam I said hey.”

She let up her window and watched Anton get in the car with Samantha. He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.
How sweet,
Scarlett thought. She felt that all Anton needed was a little guidance and he’d be all right. She smiled, but her thoughts went back to Sheila coming over. She didn’t want to say anything around Anton, but she could never remember a time Sheila needed something from her, and it was even stranger that Sheila never mentioned stopping by her house while she was gone.
I’ll ask her about that later.

__________

Anton and Samantha were heading over to Samantha’s home girl’s house. She wanted to stop by the package shop first and grab a bottle of Tequila. Since one of Anton’s homeboys was working that evening in his uncle’s liquor store, he decided to go by there. He would definitely hook him up without proof of I.D.

“So, what’s this chick’s name?” he asked.

“Who? My friend?”

“Yeah, who is she?”

“She’s not really a friend, but someone I grew up with.”

“Okay,” Anton said.

“See, most of my friends are uppity, bourgeois, and are snobs. They think I’m just like them, because we all grew up in the same neighborhood, but I actually hate the way that they act. I only go around them to get a good laugh at the crazy shit they do for attention.” She laughed.