Damsels in Distress (13 page)

Sniff, sniff. Ginger wiped the tears from her eyes. “I'm gonna break through the barrier.”

Celeste smiled. She was pleased. “That's what I'm talkin' about. Get out of that dam situation and go get your stuff, girl. Walk toward the light, Carol Ann. Walk toward the light.”

Ginger burst out laughing at Celeste's chosen line from the movie
Poltergeist.

* * *

On Saturday evening Portia and Celeste watched Ginger pace Celeste's living room as they all waited for Joseph to ring the doorbell.

“Ginger, you have on six-inch stilettos,” Portia said. “They're made for sitting pretty, not walking.”

Ginger couldn't stop pacing. “I know, I know. I'm so nervous. Celeste, I really thank you for allowing Joseph to pick me up here. I don't want him to know where I live yet.”

Celeste waved her hand at Ginger. “Girl, please. You act like we haven't done this before. Remember when I met Tony? For the first four months of our relationship, he thought I lived with Portia.” Celeste looked across the living room at Portia sitting on a divan. “Remember that, Portia?”

“I sure do. Tony called my apartment so many times looking for you he got on my nerves. Every twenty minutes, it was ring, ring, ring. ‘Is Celeste home?' Tony kept calling like he thought I was lying about your whereabouts. I don't care how much you deny it, Celeste. I think you were breaking Tony off a piece for him to sweat you like that.”

“What? Girl, please, Tony had to marry me before he got this candy.”

Ginger laughed at her. “Celeste, why do you always refer to your vajayjay as candy?”

“Because it's sweet,” Celeste boasted. “Whenever you hear Tony say to me, ‘Give me some sugar,' he ain't always talking about a kiss.”

The three ladies were laughing at Celeste's comment when Anthony walked in from the kitchen. In his hands was a glass of water and two tiny pink pills. Immediately the laughter stopped.

He looked at them. “Don't get quiet now. I know you're in here male bashing.”

Celeste, Ginger, and Portia were silent with mischievous grins on their faces.

Anthony approached Celeste. “It's time for your prenatal medicine, baby.”

Celeste took the glass and pills from Anthony's hand. She popped the pills in her mouth and chased them with three gulps of water. She gave Anthony the glass. “Thank you, babe.”

Anthony was about to leave the ladies alone when the doorbell rang. “I got it.” He set the glass on the cocktail table and went toward the door. He opened the door and welcomed Joseph into his home. “Hey, man, how are you doing? I'm Tony, Celeste's husband.”

Joseph stepped into the living room and shook Anthony's hand firmly. He recognized Anthony's face from church. “I'm Joseph Banks. It's nice to meet you.”

Anthony escorted Joseph farther into the living room and they both saw Ginger sitting on the sofa sandwiched in between Portia and Celeste. Anthony wondered when they had taken that position. Before Joseph rang the doorbell Portia was sitting on the divan near the window, Celeste was seated in a chair next to the fireplace, and Ginger was doing her best to wear a hole in the carpet in the middle of the living room. Now they look like sardines in a can.

“Good evening, ladies,” Joseph greeted them.

They all presented the same silly grin. “Good evening, Joseph,” they answered in unison.

Anthony chuckled. “Are y'all Charlie's Angels now?”

Joseph walked to Ginger and reached for her hand. She gently placed her hand in his and stood. He saw the mauve-colored knee-length fitted ribbed wrap dress she was wearing. “You're breathtaking. I've been waiting all day for the chance to see your face again.”

Ginger blushed. “My goodness. Thank you, Joseph.” Never in all of her life had a man told Ginger that he had been waiting to see her.

“Thank
you
for accepting my invitation to dinner. My heart is pleased. I am in awe just standing here in your presence. You excite my soul.”

Portia and Celeste were in awe of Ginger's beau. Anthony's eyebrows rose from Joseph's statement to Ginger and he had to admit that Joseph was smooth. Anthony would have to use that line on Celeste.
You excite my soul, Celeste,
Anthony imagined himself saying.

“Joseph, Ginger, why don't you sit for a while?” Celeste offered.

“Yeah, let's all sit and chat,” Portia added.

Joseph glanced at his wristwatch. “I'm sorry but we can't. Our reservations are in a half hour.” He turned to walk toward the front door with Ginger's hand in his. Joseph extended his free hand to Anthony. “Tony, it was a pleasure.”

Anthony accepted Joseph's handshake and said, “Likewise. Be careful with my girl. She means a lot to me.”

Joseph turned around and looked at Ginger's best friends. “Celeste, Portia, it was good seeing you again.”

When Ginger and Joseph exited the living room, Anthony shut the door behind them, then leaned his right shoulder against it and looked at Portia and Celeste still seated on the sofa. “That guy is all right with me. Did y'all hear the line he dropped on Ginger?”

Portia stood up. “Yeah, we heard it.” She looked at Celeste. “You ready?”

“Yep,” Celeste said, rising from the sofa. She started toward her bedroom. “Just let me get my purse.”

“Where are y'all going?” Anthony asked.

Celeste stopped walking and looked at him. “On Ginger's date.”

Anthony shook his head from side to side. He couldn't believe they still chaperoned each other's first dates. Celeste had told Anthony years ago they'd been doing it since high school. “When are y'all gonna let each other grow up?”

Portia grabbed her purse and cellular telephone from the cocktail table. “It won't be tonight. And you do know that Ginger and I weren't seated far from you and Celeste on your first date.”

Anthony jogged his memory. “I took Celeste on a horse and carriage ride downtown.”

“I know. Ginger and I were two carriages behind you.”

Celeste returned to the living room with her purse and keys. “We'll be at Bocce's,” she said to Anthony. “Call my cell phone if you need me.”

“Bocce's? Is that where Joseph is taking Ginger?”

“Yep,” Portia answered.

“But you need reservations,” he said.

Celeste placed the strap of her purse on her shoulder. “We have them.”

Anthony was on board. “Okay, well I'm going too. A brother can go for a nice, juicy steak.”

Five months later, on a Saturday morning, Ginger walked into A Million Starr's Beauty Salon. Starr, the owner of the salon, greeted Ginger. “Well, if it isn't Miss Ginger Brown.” She patted the back of the chair she was standing behind. “Come on and sit down. I'm ready for you.”

“Hey, Starr,” Ginger said as she made her way to the chair and sat down. “I've got a date tonight and you know I like to be sexy. So, hook me up.”

Starr covered Ginger's blouse with a vinyl cape. “Girl, I've been doing your hair every two weeks for the past three years. Can you name a time you left my chair when you weren't sexy?”

Ginger had to admit that each and every time she left Starr's chair she looked like a million dollars. Whether it took Starr four hours to braid Ginger's hair for a sew in, or a two-hour straw set, or if Ginger opted for a relaxer, press, and curl, Starr had special skills. “No, I can't say that I can but tonight I gotta be exceptionally sexy.”

Starr stood behind Ginger's chair and looked at her reflection in the vanity mirror. “Look at that glow. Joseph must be something special.”

A huge grin appeared on Ginger's face. Every time she sat in Starr's chair, she couldn't help herself from sharing how happy she was with Joseph. “He's a keeper.” Beauticians, barbers, and bartenders often served as a listening ear for when their clients needed to vent and Starr was no different.

In the past years it wasn't unusual for Starr to style Ginger's hair to hide bruises on the sides of her face and neck area. The first time Ginger arrived at the salon with a busted lip at the violent hands of Ronald, Starr was quick to pick up the telephone and call the police. Ginger had begged and pleaded with Starr to not involve the police. Two weeks later when Ginger sat in Starr's chair she couldn't hide the dark purple marks on the nape of her neck.

When Ginger confessed to Starr that she had finally taken her life back and had gotten Ronald out of it, Starr told Ginger that she was proud of her. She had given Ginger a complimentary wash and roller set.

“Good for you, Ginger. Just the mention of Joseph's name and you automatically show all thirty-two teeth. I love it. You got that pregnant woman's type of glow.”

Ginger chuckled. “Well, I can assure you that it ain't that. Joseph doesn't even come at me like that. We've been seeing each other for five months and he's been the perfect gentleman. We've talked about sex and he knows how I feel on the subject. Since Ronald has been gone, I've been keeping myself. I asked God to clean me up and I promised Him that I would go to my husband pure. And since Joseph insists that he's my husband he's willing to wait for me.”

“Wow. You don't find that kind of love often, Ginger. I hope you're cherishing it.”

Ginger smiled. “I definitely am.”

“Well, bring that glow on over to the sink.”

Ginger stood and followed Starr to the row of sinks and sat in a chair then leaned back. Starr turned on the water and waited for it to become the perfect lukewarm temperature. “So, how are Portia and Celeste?”

“Portia is Portia. She ain't ever gonna change. Still chasing other women's husbands.”

That bit of information stunned Starr. “No. Really?” She knew all about Portia's ex-boyfriend almost beating her to death for the cause of his wife's heart attack. “Is she still behaving badly?”

“You heard what I said,” Ginger answered.

When the water had gotten to the temperature comfortable enough for Ginger's head, Starr used the sprayer to wet it. “How's Celeste's baby coming along? Isn't she due to deliver soon?”

“She's got a couple more weeks to go. That baby can't come fast enough for me. I wish Celeste would drop that load today because she is evil as heck. Her hormones are all over the place.”

Starr lathered Ginger's hair with shampoo. “Really?”

“Celeste is driving everyone around her totally nuts. And poor Tony. I don't see how he maintains his own sanity. She yells at him for breathing, screams at him if he uses a certain brand of soap that upsets her stomach, and hollers at the top of her lungs if he makes the least bit of noise while she's napping. The poor man has to think that Celeste's pregnancy is more of a curse than a blessing.”

“Are you serious, Ginger? Is she that bad?” The times Celeste had come to the salon to get her hair done, Starr found her to be as pleasant as she had always been.

“Humph,” Ginger commented. “Bad ain't even the word, Starr. Celeste has lost her ever-loving mind. She's rude to the customers at the bank, and it has come to the point that Portia and I don't even want to be around her at all.”

Starr rinsed the shampoo from Ginger's hair then saturated it with conditioner. “Hopefully when Celeste delivers the baby she'll be her old self again.”

“I guess time will tell. Portia and I are hosting her baby shower next Saturday, Starr. Portia and I are late planning it but we hope the baby will hold off making its debut until after the shower. You should come.”

“Saturdays are my busiest days and you know I gotta make my money. But I'll be sure to send Miss Mean Girl a gift.” Starr combed the conditioner through Ginger's hair. “So, what are we doing to your hair today?”

“Whatever you want, Starr. I'm easy. Just make me look good for my man tonight.”

“Oh yeah, you're definitely smitten.” Starr chuckled.

* * *

It was near closing time when Joseph reached across the table and caressed Ginger's hand. “You look absolutely stunning tonight.” Joseph was always full of compliments and Ginger loved it.

They were seated in a booth at the Rainforest Café in downtown Chicago. The lights in the dining room were dim and candles were lit on all of the tables in the restaurant.

Starr had cut Ginger's hair in a short feather style. It was tapered at the neck. It gave Ginger a more seductive yet sleek look. She smiled. “Thank you. And you are exceptionally handsome.”

He looked at Ginger's half-eaten meal. “Did you enjoy your dinner?” On Ginger's plate was the remainder of chicken Alfredo with tomatoes and broccoli.

“It was delicious. Any type of pasta with Alfredo sauce is my favorite.” She saw that Joseph's plate was bare of any morsels. “I see you really liked your barbecue ribs.”

Joseph leaned back against the seat. “You're making me fat. You know I sit behind a camera every day. Some folks say the camera adds ten pounds.”

Ginger laughed out loud. “
I'm
making you fat? Who is the one always wanting to go out to eat?”

“You never turn down my invitations. I have yet to hear you say, ‘Joseph, instead of us going out to dinner, how about we stay in. I could make you a bologna sandwich.'”

Ginger laughed out loud. “First of all bologna is for suckas. And second, I ain't nobody's fool. If a man is willing to woo me, you best believe that I'm gonna take full advantage.” Being with Joseph was the closest Ginger had ever come to feeling as though she was in a meaningful relationship.

Ginger rubbed her hand across the back of her new haircut. “Besides this girl is getting used to being treated like a queen.”

For months Joseph had charmed Ginger. Because she had shared with him the troubled relationship she had with Ronald, Joseph was determined to make Ginger feel special, safe, and secure.

He cocked his head to the side and looked across the table at her. “Is that how I treat you, Ginger? Like a queen?”

“Yes.” Ginger paused for a moment. “Can I tell you something, Joseph?”

“You can always tell me anything. What's on your mind?”

“I just wanna say that—”

Ginger's words were interrupted when a gang of waiters and waitresses started to sing the happy birthday song to a man seated in a booth behind her. Ginger looked over her shoulder and smiled when the man had blown out candles on a small cake the gang had brought to his table.

“Aw, that's so nice,” Ginger mumbled.

“What were you going to say?” Joseph was very interested in what Ginger had started to say to him. He didn't want her to forget her thoughts.

Ginger connected her eyes with Joseph's. “I just wanted to say that these past five months have been wonderful for me.”

“For me as well,” Joseph admitted. “I love every moment that we spend together. You are a breath of fresh air.”

As usual Joseph was blowing Ginger's mind with his compliments. His words were the complete opposite of “You're pathetic,” or “You disgust me,” or “I'm sick of you,” which had been spoken in her ears for years.

“You talk so good,” she said dreamily.

“I mean what I say and I say what I mean. You're easy to love, Ginger. And I do love you. Very much.”

Ginger was stunned at what Joseph had just said. No man had ever uttered those three words to her. There were a few times in the past five months when Ginger felt that Joseph was on the verge of saying them but he never did. It never crossed Ginger's mind that she was worthy of receiving a man's love. For so long the enemy had convinced Ginger that she was useless and incapable of being treated the way a woman should. The three words were overwhelming and Ginger's emotions crept up on her. She placed her face in her hands and cried.

Ginger's reaction wasn't what Joseph had expected. He imagined Ginger shouting out and throwing her arms around his neck when he revealed his true feelings for her. He rose from his seat and joined Ginger on her side of the booth. He put his arms around her shoulder. “Hey, hey, hey. Why the tears? Was it something I said?” he asked half jokingly.

Ginger wiped her eyes and looked at him. The way she behaved must have proved to Joseph that she was the biggest nutcase on the earth. “I'm so sorry, Joseph. I'm behaving like a total idiot.”

“The last thing I want to do is see you cry.”

“It's just that what you and I have is foreign to me. And I love you too, Joseph. I really do. But coming from an abusive relationship causes me to always doubt your feelings. I feel like my life is a maze of emotions and I can't seem to find my way out. Do you understand what I'm saying to you?”

“Of course I do. I understand that you've never been loved by a man. Is that a fair statement?”

More tears fell onto Ginger's cheeks. “It's an absolutely fair statement. And it's sad because, having not been loved before, I don't know how to receive it from you.”

It wasn't until that moment, when Joseph sat next to Ginger, and heard those words, that he fully understood how deeply she was scorned. “What did that creep do to you?”

He understood why Ginger never wanted him to walk directly behind her. Often times Ronald would strike Ginger from behind when she wasn't expecting it. Ginger made sure that Joseph was ahead of her at all times.

“Ronald was the devil. He was evil,” she said. “I'm so glad that I had the courage to press charges against him for what he did to me. He won't be getting out of prison anytime soon.”

Joseph was angry at Ronald for placing Ginger in that state of mind. He wanted to pay Ronald a visit and show him what it felt like to be punched, kicked, and battered. He took Ginger's hand inside his. “I have a mother and three sisters. And I wouldn't think twice about killing a man if he put his hands on any of them. My father raised me the old-school way. He taught me to be a man. A man who protects his woman, his family. It's my duty, Ginger, to love you like you deserved to be loved.”

Ginger looked into Joseph's eyes. “I wish I could've met your father. It sounds like he was a great man.”

“He was. May God rest his soul. My mother and sisters were the apples of his eye. And that's what you are to me, Ginger. My apple.”

Ginger smiled so much that evening her cheekbones were becoming sore. It felt so wonderful to be in the presence of a man who truly cherished her. At that moment Ginger knew that Joseph had been sent from God. And she was no longer going to allow the enemy to keep her from accepting her blessing. Ronald was in her past and Ginger was going to leave him there. From that moment on Ginger would embrace her future. She was open and ready to receive Joseph and all of the love he had to offer her. She wrapped her arms around Joseph's neck and kissed him.

The manager of the restaurant approached their table. “Evening, folks.”

Joseph struggled with himself to pull his lips away from Ginger's. “Evening.”

“The restaurant is closing in fifteen minutes.” He saw Ginger's plate was half full and pointed to it. “Would you like a takeout container for that?”

“Yes. And a slice of your key lime pie to go, please.” Ginger was in a good mood. She felt dessert was in order.

The manager smiled. “You got it.” He walked away.

Ginger yawned then laid her head on Joseph's shoulder.

“You're not tired, are you?”

Ginger looked at her wristwatch. “It's nearly midnight. I had an early start this morning.”

“But the night is still young.” He wasn't ready to part from Ginger's company.

The waiter was back at their table with Ginger's dessert and a small Styrofoam container. He set them both on the table along with the bill. “Thanks for choosing the Rainforest Café to dine this evening. Please don't make this visit your last.”

“Everything was wonderful,” Ginger said.

* * *

Thirty minutes after Joseph had paid their dinner bill he and Ginger were walking, arm in arm, along the Magnificent Mile in downtown Chicago. They window-shopped and looked at all of the latest fashions in the showcase windows of Macy's, Saks Fifth Avenue, Lord & Taylor, and the many other stores that donned overdressed mannequins.