Page 27 of Midlife Woes (Ex)

A familiar-looking face walked through the crowd of men and women, stopping every once in a while to speak to someone, but it was obvious he was heading for the VIP section because there was nowhere else to go in this direction.

I started to get that nervous feeling in my tummy, and I didn’t want to say anything because he was almost here even though he kept being stopped. The smile never left his face, though.

“I know him.”

“You do?”

“Yes, he’s that cop that came to my house.”

“Really? I think Clay did say his client had retired and became a cop or something like that. I hardly listen to him when he’s talking about his famous clients because when am I ever going to meet them?”

What was his name again? Something Kirkland, Kinky, what the hell? I was drawing a blank. “Good evening, ladies; wait, don’t I know you?” He squinted in the way people do when they’re trying to remember something.

“Jolene, right?”

“Yes, you came to my house about two months ago.” I noticed his eyes go to my finger, but he didn’t say anything.

“Do you ladies have everything you need?” I looked at the other two to answer, and Maeve nodded her head yes.

They introduced each other, and once he realized who her husband was, the two of them started chatting like old friends, but I wanted him gone so I could ask her for all the info. Not only that, but he kept looking at me every few minutes, and I needed to pee.

“Oh, this is my sister Sheila and our best friend Jolene. We’re celebrating her divorce.” Oh, good heavens, why?

“Oh really?” Did his smile just get wider?

JOLENE

Damon Kincaid. That was his name. He finally walked away to greet other guests, and I finally got my chance. “What the hell is big dick energy Sheila?”

“Money looks and a big fat dick. And he’s got them all. Whoo, child.”

A couple servers came over with trays of food, wings, mozzarella sticks, fried green tomatoes, fried okra, and a whole lot else that I couldn’t see into the baskets.

“Now, that man’s done sent everything on the menu to this table and he keeps looking over here. He knows I’m married and that Sheila is married. I wonder who all this is for?”

“How do you know he’s looking over here, Maeve?”

“You must’ve forgotten because your kids are grown, but I’ve got a three-sixty visual on this bitch. Come here a minute. I said come here.”

I was already feeling self-conscious in this getup and now she was making me stand. I walked over to her, and she beckoned with her finger for me to lean in closer. “There you go; I just wanted to give him a shot of that ass. Yup, he just swallowed his tongue. Sheila, we need a bathroom break.”

“I don’t need the bathroom.”

“Bitch, neither do I, but she needs to walk across this floor in those fuck me heels that make her ass pop. Get your ass up.”

I looked at Sheila with pleading eyes, which she ignored again. I’m gonna have to rethink this friendship. “You ain’t said nothing but a word, sis. Let’s go. Walk slow, Jo.”

“How do you walk when you know someone is looking at you?”

“Like Loretta Devine walking away from Gregory Hines in Waiting to Exhale.”

“Oh hell no, I can’t do that.” I know exactly what she’s talking about because Sheila made me watch that movie on repeat when she was in her killing phase earlier in my divorce.

“You two walk, one in front and one behind.”

“Fine!” I should’ve known the way Maeve said fine was not to be trusted. She waited until we were directly in his line of vision to decide she needed to ask Sheila something.

There I was, standing in the middle of that club, feeling like there was a spotlight on me, showing every pore in my face and feeling the heat from his gaze. Don’t look, Jolene, just don’t.

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