Single Ladies (9 page)

Chapter 11

Ladies Night #2

After a round of drinks at the halo, Roni, and Karla, and Angie all headed to her house for the usual.

"Daphne is feeling better than I thought she would be after all she's been through lately, with her brother and everything," Angie said, spooning homemade salsa into a large bowl.

"Yeah.  I guess it's like that when a relative is already sick and you know it's only a matter of time."

"She sounded very peaceful to me, when I spoke to her today, too." Karla chimed in, as she opened a bag of tortilla chips.

"Well, she said she wanted to spend tonight alone, so I had to respect that.  Maybe she needs a little time to herself." Angie said.

"Yeah, but she don't need to be going back to work so soon."

"I disagree. I think if she sits around at home too long, she'll sink into a depression, whereas if she continues to live her life, as it is, then her routine wont be interrupted."

"Good point, Karla. I agree with that."  Angie nibbled on a chip.

Roni shrugged her round shoulders.

"So, what will it be tonight?  I have this movie called Max Payne and it-"

"Yeah, you just couldn't get around Mark Wahlberg for nothing could you?" Karla laughed.

Angie laughed too. "Hell no, not even if I tried."

"Why dont we have girl talk first, cuz I know I got a lot to put on the table tonight."

"Oh, Lord.  I can't wait", Karla rolled her eyes.  Angie did the same.

They all headed to the living room with chips, salsa, and ice cold Coronas.  Karla had lime flavored Dasani water.

"Okay, I'm going first, since I initiated this." Roni cleared her throat.  "You guys already know about the guy that I was talking to online.  You know, the open mic poet at the Wall Hole.  You also know that he's the guy I hired on my second shift.  Well, when I left to have a drink with him at the Halo, he asked me to recite one of my poems and I did."

Angie looked at her, impatiently, waiting on her to finish.

"Well?" Karla pressed.

"Well, I accidently recited the same damn poem that was on my profile.  The same poem that initially got him interested in me.  When I said the last couple of lines, you should have seen his face!  He looked like he'd experienced some kind of deja 'vu or some shit!" she laughed.  " I- I just don’t know what the hell I'm gonna do now!  I mean, I gotta see him tomorrow, because I work in the morning for a few hours.  I need to get some group reservations done and he comes in at three, so I'm going to see him.  I don't know, but I think he knows who I am.  See, I know I told ya'll before, but my picture on my profile is so far back that you can't even tell who I am.  You can just see that I'm a dark skinned BBW, but that poem is on my profile, and the last line in the poem, is my headline.  That's why when I said the last line of the poem, he looked like I struck a nerve.  I didn't even realize the shit until I got home and went online and looked at my profile.  Talk about putting your foot in your mouth!"

"O-kay. Sooooo is that a bad thing?  I mean, you do eventually want him to know who you are right?"

Roni paused and thought for a second. "Well, kinda sorta, but not really.  I mean, we work together, so I think it's going to be an odd situation."  She grabbed a handful of tortilla chips and put them on her paper plate, next to her vat of salsa.

"Absolutely right, it is.  A big problem. I told you, workplace romances never get anywhere."  Karla started.

"Oh, Karla, you can never be sure about that.  Every situation isn't the same." Angie said.  "I mean, he's broke, and that's a minus in my book, but it doesn't mean it can't work, just because she works with him. I mean, you guys don’t work the same shift, Roni, so it's not like you'll have to date him, sleep with him, and look in his face all day at work."

"I just don’t know yet." Roni said.

"You don’t have much of a choice now, because like you, I'm sure he knows who you are.  Pretty soon, he's going to say something, if you don’t," Angie said.

"Oh, you guys, not to get off the subject, but, I did bring some veggie egg rolls.  Angie that's what I put in your oven.  It's just on two fifty to keep them nice and warm.  So feel free." Karla said.

"O-gay", Angie said through her nose, in disgust.  Roni thought about the veggie egg rolls, then killed the wave of nausea that came over her, with a swig of her icy Corona.

Roni's cell phone rang.  It was Jarin Austin, the moocher. 

"Aw shit. Why is his mooching ass calling me?"  She flipped her phone open. "Hello?  Hey, Jarin.  Just chillin with my lady friends.  Oh, really?  Hmm. Is that right?" she giggled in a flirty tone.   " Well,  I guess I can for a minute.  Not too long, because I was kind of in the middle of something.  A half hour.  Okay, bye."

Angie and Karla were silent, looking at Roni when she hung up.

"So, the moocher strikes again, huh?  What does he want now? Money to buy groceries?" Karla laughed.

"No, actually he wants some of this good poonanny!  and I must admit that I kinda miss that little thing he does with his Excalibur.  Even if he is a moochin ass bastard.", Roni laughed.

"So, where doest thou go? To get dicked down by Excalibur?" Angie joked.

Roni looked embarrassed.  " Oh shutup, it’s just for about an hour.  I-I, well, I-okay, shit! I'm horny as hell! I haven't had any for a little minute and I need some like right now!"

Angie and Karla had fallen all over each other, laughing hysterically at Roni.

Karla fanned her with a magazine from Angie's end table.  "Hot mama!"

"I understand you, girlfriend.  Nasir just had to get my coochie a good fix the other night, so I know what you me-" she started, but realized she'd revealed one of her untold secrets.

"Nasir?  Don’t you mean Brandon?" Karla looked at her, with an elevated eyebrow.

"Yeaaaaah, who is Nasir, Angie?" Roni bucked her large eyes.

Angie chuckled.  "Okay, okay, it's a guy I met, who was working on my coworker's home."

"Wait a minute, let me get this straight! You- miss bougie, let a dirty, broke contractor hit it?" Karla slapped her leg, giggling.

"I know he's broke, but he's not dirty.  He is fine as wine, has a body, and a stroke technique out of this world!  Shit, he was doing push ups in this coochie!  I'm talking about he was hitting it from underneath me and all I had to do is just sit there and take it!  He was literally getting a workout on my body and making me go crazy the whole time!"

"Damn, I love the sound of that.  Girl, you making me wanna get out of here sooner." Roni was excited.

Karla just sat there, amazed, and also very curious about what sex even felt like.  She'd kissed men and had men to touch her body, but she never knew what it felt like to be with anyone.  She was a virgin by choice and made a decision to be careful who she gave her body to.

"Don’t that make you wet just listening, Karla?"  Roni playfully elbowed Karla.

Karla looked at the television and didn't say anything.

"What's wrong girl?  You act like you a virgin, sometime!  We never hear about your little hot stories."

"Yeah, Karla you are a little uptight, girl!" Angie laughed.

When Karla didn't laugh, they began to believe it was true.

"Karla, what's up?"

"Well, my best friends, I am a virgin."

Angie had an amused look on her face.  Roni was glad that her suspicion was confirmed.

"Why?" Angie asked, smothering a giggle.

"Well, I just never found the one that I want to give it to, that's why."

"Damn, girl, you don’t get horny or nothing?" Roni swallowed more of her Corona.

"Of course I do.  I mean, I'm just like any other woman.  I just- I don't know. I just want it to be right."

"Damn, I wished I could say that.  That's something to admire, cuz I hate that I gave my goods to some of these unworthy tackhead dudes," Roni said.

"I feel you on that!" Angie laughed. 

"Can we finish talking about Nasir, Angie.  I don’t wanna talk about my virginity."

"Okay, but you know we gotta get back on that one day." Angie laughed.

"Whatever", Karla laughed.

"Nasir is just somebody I am bangin when I feel neglected by Brandon and I don't wanna talk about him right now."

"Well, I tell ya'll what.  I don't wanna talk at all right now.  My coochie is flowing like Niagara Falls right now, so I will holla at y'all in about two hours," Roni grabbed her keys and playfully blew kisses at her friends.

"What you mean two hours, I thought you said an hour," Angie said.

"Well, I do wanna go home and shower before I come back.  Don't wanna be here smelling like sex.  The pheromones in the air might turn Karla on and make her run off and lose her virginity tonight." Roni giggled.

Karla threw one of the accent pillows from the sofa, at Roni. "Now you gonna tease me forever about this."

"Not forever.  Just 'til you get some!" she stuck her tongue out and ran out of the door.

"That girl is a mess, but we love her," Angie shook her head.

"Yeah. Gotta love her." Karla agreed.

"Well, we can skip girl talk for now.  Let's pop in that movie." Angie said.

"Cool", Karla was relieved.

Roni couldn't believe Jarin was actually in a hotel room.  She kept thinking of how he paid for it.  He might have swindled a free night out of the manager somehow, or had his mother to give him her debit card again.  However, it didn't matter.  All that mattered was that he was lying across the bed, naked, and ready for her.  His thick, erect nine inches showed all the anticipation he was feeling. 

She took off her shirt and lied it on the chair next to the bed.

"Damn, you look so sexy girl," he whispered as he slid her skirt up over her voluptuous hips and grabbed her round, plump ass.  She had on a pair of blue thongs and a matching bra. 

"Oh, I'm so turned on, baby," she purred.

"I know you are," he turned her around to face him, as he sat on the bed.  He pulled her down on top of his hardness.  She felt him through her panties and her pussy went from wet to extra slippery.  She slid her panties to the side and his dick slipped inside of her pink, creamy hole. 

She cried out as he wrapped his arms around her back and rocked her back and foward on his vice.  He pulled her breasts up, until they spilled over the top of her bra.  He sucked on her nipples while digging deeper inside of her, from underneath.  She climaxed quickly, screaming, and jerking wildly.  He lied her on her back and pounded away inside of her.  He pulled out and came all over the satiny chocolate skin on her stomach. 

After showering at the hotel, she got dressed to leave.  She kept wondering when he would hit her with a question about money or a free night at her hotel, but suprisingly, he didn't.  She got all the way to her car, when her cell phone rang.  It was Jarin.  He was calling from the hotel room.

"Hey, I know I should have just asked while you were in here, but I'm a little low on cash until next week, and I getting this hotel room kinda set me back, too.  You got any on you?   I just need like-"

She didn't let him finish his sob story.  "Honestly, Jarin, I don't.  Sorry."  She felt good turning him down.  For once, she got something from him and didn't give him a damn thing, and it felt good.

The movie was over, and Karla was curled up in the oversized chair, with a blanket, asleep.  Angie was still up, sipping on her third Corona with lime, when Roni came back.    They resumed their girl talk until they fell asleep.

Chapter 12

Roni

It was ten minutes before the start of Johnny's shift, and Roni was doing everything to keep the jitters away.  "Just act normal." she kept whispering to herself.

When he walked through the door, he smiled and greeted everyone, including Roni.  The smile he directed at her was penetrating.  He looked as though he knew her best kept secret. Under serious pressure, she managed to keep her composure. 

"Hello, Jonathan." she smiled.

He started to count down the drawer and communicate with the desk clerk that he was relieving. 

"Hey, if you need me for anything, I'll be in my office.  I am here until about five." she said as she went back to her office.

"Okay, Roni. Thanks." he said.

While he was busy with his front desk checklist, and handling the guests who were coming in, she decided to take a quick look at her messages on Surelove.   She had two.  One from a guy named Romeo64 and one from JP365.  Her heart leapt.

She skipped the one from Romeo64 and read the one JP365 left.

" Well, Blackqueen, I regret we didn't meet the other night, at the Wall Hole.  I hope everything is alright with you.  I would have really loved to just be in your presence.    Please let me know if we can meet somewhere soon. You pick the time and place.  Hope to hear from you soon!"  - Johnny

She grinned.  Maybe he doesn't know who I am!  She thought. 

"Hey, Roni?" he called as he walked back toward her office.

She abruptly logged off the website. "Uh-yea-yeah?"

"I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I was wondering if the Hausmen groups are coming in this week still?

"As far as I know, six of them cancelled, but that still leaves like ten rooms with two guests in each, so we still have a group coming for two days."

"Oh okay." he turned to walk away.  "Hey, you look really nice today. I love that color on you."

She looked down at her cotton candy pink shirt.  She wasn't dressed in uniform, because she was working back in her office.  "Oh, thank you, Johnny."

"My pleasure." he smiled, as he walked back to the desk.

Roni heard Mona's voice approaching her office. 

"Hey, Mack-a-RONI!" she laughed.

"Hey Mona.  Girl, I thought you were off today."

"I was, but I came in to help housekeeping.  That inspection starts after Hausmen leaves, and we can't have things all tore up here." 

"That's for sure.  Well, I'm gonna take off.  I just finished everything  I needed to catch up on."

"K.  I'm leaving too, now.  See you tomorrow."

Roni walked past Johnny, who was taking a reservation.  She stood and waited for him to get done. 

He hung up the phone, smiling. "Yes, Roni?"

"I just wanted to tell you again, how much I enjoyed your performance the other night."

"Oh, thanks.  That's just the beginning.  I am performing again, but I already gave you the details." he teased.

She looked confused. "N-no, you told me about it, but you didn't say exactly when."

"Are you sure?  I could've sworn I told you it's the Saturday after next at seven.  At the Hole again." he smirked devilishly.

She felt the jitters come back.  "No, you didn’t, but hey, now I know! Thank you."

"So, you leaving?"

"Yeah, I gotta run.  I'm done with what I came to do, finally."

"Will I talk to you later?" he looked into her eyes.

"Uh-"

"You have my number.  Remember?"

"Yeah, I do, but-"

"I'm a night owl.  Keep me company tonight.  Call me. Please." he blinked his eyes playfully.

She giggled. "Okay, I'll do that."

"Great. I can't wait." he grinned.

Mona pretended not to notice the flirting and walked toward the door.  "See you guys later."

"Oh, wait, I'll walk out with you." Roni called, still smiling at Johnny.

"Ooh wee, somebody like's the new guy." Mona poked Roni in the side.

"What?! Are you kidding?  That guy is just really cool and he's a poet over at-"

"Save it, girl! Anybody can see the chemistry flowing between you and him.  I can see it in both of your eyes.  I was born in the morning, but not yesterday." Mona took a pull on her cigarette.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah.  Well, you just get on home to your hubby before he get's worried."

"Girl, I been married to that man almost twenty seven years, he aint worried about nothing but dinner being ready." Mona laughed.  "See ya tomorrow, Roni."

"Later, Mona." she shook her head in amusement.

It was almost one a.m.  Roni was lying in bed, contemplating calling  Johnny.  She dialed the first six numbers of his phone number, but kept hanging up.  Was she ready to talk to him? What if he figured out she was the one on Surelove? What if he already knew?  Her brain was going a mile a minute.  Finally, she pressed redial and the seventh digit that completed his phone number.  It rang almost five times before he answered.

"Hello?"

"Johnny?"

"Yeah, Roni? Is this you?"

"Yes, it's Roni."

"I'm so glad you called.  I was just sitting here thinking about you."

Her heart started thumping.  "Oh?  What about me?" she inquired.

"Actually, about how well you run that hotel.  You get a lot of compliments from the guests and people actually wanna come back, all the time."

"Well, thank you.  So, tell me some things about you."

"Not much to tell.  I'm a Gemini, no children, never been married, only child, father split when i was young, so I was raised by my mother and stepfather.  I had a lot of friends, but I still grew up as a loner, always writing my thoughts and ended up taking a different road than most guys my age.  I was singing since the age of three.  Always singing at church or just anywhere I would go.  I graduated high school and went to college in Michigan, where I studied Psychology.  I have a Bachelor's degree in it.  I could do counseling, and I've been seriously considering it, but I'm also trying so hard to dedicate myself to the singing and writing.  So, what's your story?"

"Wow.  I thought there was nothing to tell.  You have a lot going on there, Mr. Parker." she laughed.  "I'll be thirty one years old, the ninth of September, so I’m a Virgo.    I have never been married and I don’t have kids.  I do have siblings, and I'm the middle child.  My mom raised us in the ghetto.  South Central L.A.  I moved out of the hood, when I left to go to college. If it wasn't for my best friend and her parents, I'd probably be somewhere doing nothing with my life.  I grew up seeing too much and having limited assets.  I thank God for the way my life turned out.  I went to college and got my master's degree in business, but I just have a love for the hospitality field, so I never sought a career in what I majored in.   I decided on moving here to be a general manager.  It has it's perks, because next year, I will own a hotel.  I have everything all worked out and planned out."

"Sounds like a plan.  We all gotta have one.  I'm really ready for some positive changes in my life.  I want to get out there in the industry and be heard.  I have faith that one day it's going to happen."

"I'm sure it will."

"So, are you even single?  and how long have you been, if you are?" he asked.

"Yes, and about a year.  I date and everything, but nothing serious has come my way.  I have kind of taken a backseat to all of it. Love will find me, when it wants me." she said quietly.

"Oh it wants you."  he whispered.

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear you.", she said.

"Oh, sorry. I was just saying that I've been single for almost two years.  I‘m the nice guy who always ends up getting dumped.  I'm ready for the real deal, now. "

"Oh okay.  Well, it sure sounds like you know what you want in life."

"Well, at thirty two, I better!" he laughed.

They were silent for awhile.  "Listen, I'm going to go now, it's late.  I need to get some rest ."

"Oh, that's no problem.  I enjoyed our little conversation.   Just one request, though."

"And what might that be?," she asked.

"Would you like to stop by my house and I'll make you dinner?  I would like to show you my studio, too.  Where I write my poems and songs."

Her heart stopped beating, or so she thought.  "I‘m not sure."

"I am a total gentleman, I promise.  What do you say?"

"Sure, that's cool, but it has to be around eight."

"Eight it is. I‘ll call you with the directions tomorrow evening." he said.

"Okay.  Goodnite, Johnny." she hung up.  The thought of being alone with Johnny felt weird, yet exciting.  She rolled over and went to sleep, without returning Karla's call, who had called twice.  She figured Angie may have told her about the PCOS, and maybe Karla wanted to give her friendly, sometimes helpful, but unwanted medical advice.