Colorado in January, snow everywhere and I’m not fond of snow. It’s really pretty and all, but it’s so cold. We hardly get snow in Atlanta. The whole city shuts down. I figured it would be really cold so I wore jeans, silk long johns, a cashmere sweater and a Marc Jacobs mink bomber. It’s warm and soft. I also brought a Pashmina to keep my head warm. Jill and I came out here to pick up a wedding gown for a client, and it’s been real, but I’m ready to blow this joint.
We own a concierge company. We as in my best friend Jillian Matisse and I. We do everything from grocery shopping to flying to Colorado to pick up wedding gowns, but it’ll cost ya. You know what concierges do? Well, we do more. I don’t like flying a lot but Hilly, my client, insisted that I come and get the gown from her grandmother. I’m planning her wedding so she didn’t trust anyone else to pick it up. She had to buy me a first-class ticket because I won’t fly coach ever since I worked for the airline a few years ago. I got a weird vibe from Hilly’s grams though. She wasn’t very excited about the wedding. Hilly is wearing her grandmother’s vintage Chanel wedding gown. We have to get some restorations and alterations done. Hilly’s getting married in two weeks so I’m pressed, but my real problem is Bryan, my so-called boyfriend.
I know I don’t smell smoke up in this taxi. I turned to look at my dark chocolate–colored friend to discover she was lighting up, looking as if she was about to experience great pleasure. She almost dropped it when I elbowed her in the side, causing her to jump and choke on the smoke.
“Can’t you do that later? I don’t need my hair or this gown smelling like smoke. Anyway I thought you were quitting,” I bitched.
Jillian cut her brown eyes at me and slowly put the cigarette away.
“I was, but girl, did you see that house?” she said, all off subject.
“Yeah, I saw it, but that’s no excuse. It was all right.”
“That’s what I need. I wish we had gotten a tour so Ari could design one like that for us,” she said, referring to her architect husband.
“Don’t you think your house is big enough? I like your house better anyway. Ari did an exceptional job designing it. Hilly’s grams’ house looked like a big old cold plantation house.”
Jillian’s husband, Ari, is one of the most sought-after architects in Atlanta. He designed my home and my mother’s.
“Yeah, my baby did a great job. I’ve always loved those old houses. Hell, it might be an old slave plantation. Her grams was pretty light, bright and almost white, wasn’t she?”
“Yeah, she looked white to me but Hilly could be half and half. Hilly never mentioned that she was mixed, and I never asked.”
“Uh-huh, well whatever the color, Hilly grew up like a princess, didn’t she? I should have known from her expensive-assed taste. I’ve seen rich black folk but whoa, that’s old, old money. She did tell me in so many words that she was privileged—well, no she didn’t. She just said she was born rich. She said she came from money.” Jill rolled her eyes. She and Hilly can’t seem to get along. I shook my head.
“Grams was a little aloof. Did you notice that, Ky?”
“Yeah, I got that. She didn’t seem to be interested at all. She won’t even be at the wedding because she’s going on a cruise. Ain’t that some shit?”
“Yeah, that’s pretty fucked up. Grams is all she’s got, isn’t she?”
“Yep, and that’s pretty rude,” I said.
“Why couldn’t she come get her own dress?”
“She probably didn’t want to see the old bitty. She wasn’t too friendly,” I said.
The taxi stopped in front of check-in at the Colorado Springs airport.
“Twenty-five dollars please.”
The taxi driver came around and opened the door. I grabbed my overnight bag and got out. I handed him thirty dollars.
“Keep the change.”
“Thanks, ma’am.”
“You’re welcome.”
Jill was damn near in the airport. I had so much stuff in my purse I couldn’t find my itinerary.
“Damn, it’s cold out here, and this bag is heavy as hell. I would check it but I don’t like waiting for baggage.”
Loud rap music blazed from a tricked-out Expedition. Two caramel-flavored brothers sat in the back and a chocolate brother was driving with a sister in the front passenger seat. As the two brothers in the back climbed out of the SUV, Bling Bling’s latest single blasted. Jillian got so excited. I don’t know what she sees in those rappers. Most of the time I couldn’t understand what they were saying. Jillian started reciting the rhyme and swaying her hips.
“Oh, that’s my baby. Girl, if I wasn’t married… I love this song.”
The young brothers were smiling and bobbing their heads as they passed by.
“That’s hot, ain’t it?” one of the young men said to Jill as she continued moving her hips to the music.
“Yes! That’s the hot shit right there,” she said, smiling at me all hard, bopping her way into the airport entrance.
“If you weren’t married? Please, how do you go from marrying Ari to a rapper?”
“Very easily. Bling Bling is more than just a rapper. He’s a mogul in the industry. It takes smarts to blow up like that. He has class, and he’s fucking beautiful as hell. Anyway, I wouldn’t leave Ari for nobody—that’s my baby’s daddy,” Jillian said, smiling the way she does when she talks about Ari.
“Shiiid, girl, that nigga might hit it and split it. I wouldn’t be happy about that,” Jill said.
“Yeah, I know what you mean. I can’t deal with that. I need something real. I can’t imagine Bling Bling in a relationship. He rhymes about sex and drugs and sex and drug dealing…oh yeah, let’s not forget pimping and thugging,” I said.
“I think he may be different, Ky. You remember when we watched that interview on Video News?”
“Umm-hmmm.”
“You even said he was sexy.”
“Yeah, I said he was sexy but I didn’t say I would trust him with the panties.”
“No, but you did say he sounded sincere. You also said you saw something in his eyes.” We headed toward the gate to catch our plane.
“Jill, there was something in my eyes. We were fucked up, remember? Seani and Joel were there smoking blunts and we were drinking Seani’s expensive wine.”
“Yeah, we were fucked up that night. You were open to him too. You have to admit, he is fine.”
“Yes, Jillian, he is fine as hell, with his chocolate self.”
“I bet he tastes as good as he looks, yum,” Jill said, running her tongue across the gap in her front teeth. I laughed. Jill kept me laughing. Her confidence is something I’ve always admired. She never gets embarrassed or shy.
“Damn, married lady. I wish I did have a husband instead of the shit I have to put up with every day. I’m ready to get on with my life. I’m getting sick of Bryan. It’s been three years. No ring, no quality time. I wonder if he’ll be the same with the next woman or if it’s just me.” I couldn’t believe I just said that out loud. Hell, I’m the fool.
“What’s that all about, Ky? You went from fine-ass Bling Bling to Bryan’s wrong ass. What’s up?”
“I’m not going home tonight. Let’s stay the night in Cincinnati since we have to connect there.” I looked desperate as I pleaded with my best friend to stay over.
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