Page 52 of Simply Complicated
Nikki is my next choice. I hope she’s available. I quickly place a text to her asking her if she’s able to pick me up from the disaster of disasters. She replies she’s on a date and can’t but she’ll send for an Uber to get me. I text her thanks and I make my way outside to wait for the Uber.
I wait outside for a few minutes when I feel his presence beside me. I don’t even bother to turn around. He wants me to be insignificant and unimportant amongst the most important people in his life, I can play that game. I can also take my ass home and have fun with my vibrator. At least I know he wouldn’t give me problems or be fake.
“Keisha,” Savior calls and I shake my head. “You ran away from me,” Savior grabs my elbow and joins me. “You’re my date, Keisha. I need to know where you are at all times.”
“I’m your date, but I’m not your girlfriend.” I reply through gritted teeth. “It’s okay, Savior. I understand you’re black lives matter in the sheets, but all lives matter in the streets.”
“And what the hell?” He steps in front of me. His eyes are serious and his mouth ticks with annoyance. He’s pissed. Good. He can join the club. “What is that about?”
“Your father has had plenty of mistresses but he came with your mother and he introduced her as his wife in front of everyone.” Tears threaten my eyes but I keep them at bay. “You introduced me as your date. Not girlfriend, but date.”
Savior runs a hand through his hair and looks around. He’s hoping no one is noticing our conversation. He’s also hoping I don’t become ghetto all up in this bitch. “I introduced you as my date because you are.”
“You introduced yourself to Jalen as my boyfriend and you made damn sure he understood it. You introduced yourself as my boyfriend to Andrea, and youespeciallymade sure she understood it. Now you’re telling me you’re introducing me as your date because it’s the proper thing to do?” My eyes burn with anger as a couple of tears fall down my cheeks. “Gee, why did you act one way around certain people but in another way, you want to be prim and proper?”
“Keisha, don’t do this, please.” His voice is low and is slightly begging. “I promise I wasn’t disrespecting you nor was I implying anything else.” He thumbs away my tears. I’m so pissed at him, but my body betrays me. I immediately become more attune to what is going on between us and what’s the real issue here. “Every time I came here, I always had a date with me. It was never a girlfriend and I think I was just so used to saying date, I just went with it.” He moves closer and kisses my forehead. “I will never disrespect you no matter who our audience is and where we are.”
“Okay,” I sniffle. I see my Uber has pulled up. “My ride is here. I need to go.”
“Keisha.” Savior’s grip tightens on my elbow. “I need you. If you leave, I’ll leave, too. I brought you here and I’ll leave with you.”
“You’re here with your family.” I charge back. “You need to be with them.”
Savior briefly looked up at the starry sky. “I’m not going back inside unless you’re coming with me.” His gaze met mine again. “And that’s final. You’re not leaving here thinking I’m a jerk.”
My jaw tightens with anger. “So, you rather have me stay here and think you’re a jerk?”
“I deserve that.” Savior wasn’t deterred and I don’t know if I want to fuck him or fight him. He holds out a hand. “I’ll do anything for you, gorgeous. I promise I’ll make it up to you.”
I stare down at Savior’s hand before I meet his gaze again. “We’ll see.” I take his hand. “We’ll see.”
~~~~~
The dinner was uneventful. I made conversation with Soul about his shoe line and we talked about our favorite colorways. Savior and Ocean spoke about football and who they’d hoped to win on Sunday. The other ladies, aside from Starr, just stayed cute and mute. It was clear they were there to look good and not participate.
Soul and Ocean are in competition on who is the most woke brother and it’s endearing. They actually give back to the community instead of posturing with a bunch of black kids and how it goes viral on social media. I found out Ocean is part of a community organization that tries to curb gang violence while Soul constantly employs black models for his fashion line.
It makes me wonder…if the men are so woke and involved, why is Thomas so against them having black girlfriends?
I excuse myself to go to the restroom to freshen up. When I exited my stall, I found Bailey fixing her hair in the mirror. She retouched her lipstick and gave her lips a small smack. She is truly a beautiful woman and I’m surprised she’s only here as a date, not as someone’s partner. She certainly fits the bill.
“Are you having fun?” I break the ice as I wash my hands.
Bailey stares at me through the mirror as if I suddenly grew a third head. “Fun?” The accent, which I knew was fake, is gone. Her voice is plain and unassuming.
I briefly question if I used the wrong word. “Are you having a good time tonight?” I rephrase.
Bailey puts her lipstick in the clutch. She turns towards me and I feel her sizing me up. “How do you know the Ellisons?”
“I don’t.” I dry my hands and place a tip in the attendant’s plate.
“You came here with Savior,” her voice is accusatory.
“I did.” I’m not sure where her questioning is going. What I do know is about I snatch that dusty-ass wig off her alabaster ass if she don’t quit.
Bailey puts a bigger tip into the attendant’s plate. Clearly, it’s a competition I didn’t realize I was a part of. She fixes her obvious wig one more time and turns to me. “Are you and Savior dating?”
I carefully choose the words next. “Savior and I are very close.”
