Brothers and Wives (23 page)

“Is that what you used to be? What you want to be?”

“I want to be your husband, Dani. That’s all I want.”

Scottie feels so stressed out that his shirt is sticking to his chest, making him feel uncomfortably hot. “May I get a cold drink, please?”

“You don’t have to ask. You know where the beer is.”

“Ha!” He laughs and walks to the kitchen. Dani follows him. “That’s what I’m talking about. I’m free to get a beer if I want, but I can’t do this or do that. You have a lot of rules, woman.”

“I’m sorry you feel that way, but I just think I’d feel better if I know what I’m getting myself into. I have to know and understand what makes me happy or comfortable.”

“And that’s the problem. Everything is about accommodating Dani Frazier.”

“W–what did you say?”

“Don’t get me wrong. I have been busting my ass to please you, Dani. I knew you were high-maintenance the first time I laid eyes on you. But a brother needs some sign of appreciation. Not that I’m bragging, but I didn’t get that engagement ring from no bubble gum machine.”

He opens the refrigerator, snatches a cold can of beer, pops the top, and takes a swig.

“You’re right about one thing. I do have rules. And my number one rule is for you to back off from LaNecia. You told me she’s the past. I want to believe you because of my insistence that Neil and I are over, too.”

“Mariah …”

She clears her throat.

“Excuse me. Dani, I promise you on my father’s grave, I am done, forever, with LaNecia. If I really loved her, why did I propose to you?”

Dani gives him a tiny dazed smile.

“Can I, um, you still have the ring?”

“C’mon, Danielle.” He takes her by the hand, and they return to her living room sofa. They sit down this time right next to each other. He reaches in his pocket, takes out the jewelry box, and retrieves the diamond and gold ring.

“Wow, it’s beautiful. Where’d you get it?”

“Not telling you.”

“How much it cost?”

“Ha!”

“May I put it on, please? I just want to see if it fits.”

“What?”

“Scottie, I’m Cinderella who’s looking for her glass slipper. You’re the prince and you have to slide that glass slipper on me to see if it perfectly fits.”

Scottie moans and stares deeply into Dani’s eyes.

“If the ring fits, sounds like I’m going to be your wife. Besides, I’ve always wanted to be a Mrs. Meadows.”

My family’s visit lasted
through the weekend, and it felt so good to spend time with them. But now the holiday is over. The marriage proposal is a done deal. I ask permission to get off work early on the Friday following Thanksgiving. I need to take care of some business with an issue that involves upgrading my high-speed Internet connection. I’m puttering around at home waiting for a service person to arrive from Comcast.

I begged Neil to pick up Brax early from day care for me and drop him off at my place since I am basically captive in the apartment from noon to five until the cable guy shows up. Earlier, when I first asked, Neil hesitated, then agreed, and now he’s here. It’s been months since he’s been with us in my spot. I feel a little nervous having him here, especially since my engagement, but I decide to play things off.

We’ve congregated in the living room. Brax is sandwiched between us on the couch. He’s giggling and yelping as he tinkers with his daddy’s Amazon Kindle. Brax gives Neil a sheepish look. He then lifts up the Kindle and sets it against Neil’s jaw, and tries to roll it up and down his cheeks.

“Ha-ha, he’s trying to say you need to shave, Neil. My baby’s going to be a fashion stylist.”

“The heck he is. Braxton’s going to do something good with his life. He’ll either be an architect, an engineer …”

“Or a mack daddy….”

“Dani, stop acting silly. Take it back. Don’t put that mess in my son’s head.”

“He’s my son, too.”

“Only fifty percent.”

I smirk and roll my eyes. “Then fifty percent of him might be an architect…. The other fifty of him just might be a clothes designer, or an electrician. You know he’s fascinated with turning lights on and off.”

“Yeah, he’s probably putting on the lights to see if you’ve made it home at night and are in your bed like you’re supposed to be.”

“If I wasn’t sure if you still cared about me, now I know. Dammit, Neil, when will you accept the fact that I am not your freaking daughter? I had your child, but I’m not one of your kids, and you need to stop trying to run my life.”

“You hate that I do that, huh?”

“Very much. About as much as I hate brussels sprouts.”

“I’ll make sure and fix brussels sprouts for dinner next time you invite yourself over to our house to eat.”

“Ha! I don’t need to roll up in your crib to eat. I can cook.”

“Heating up a frozen microwave dinner isn’t cooking, Dani.”

“Fuck you, Neil. I’m sick of you dissing me every time I turn around.” Hot water springs in my eyes but I quickly wipe my tears. Thank God he’s busy kissing Brax on the top
of his head. I wouldn’t want Neil to see me cry. In the past, I could get away with coming to him and discussing certain problems that bothered me. But now? My problems won’t be Neil’s problem anymore.

“I’m just saying … it’s time you learned to do certain things you’ve gotten away with in the past.” He pauses. “Y’all set a date yet?”

“What? Absolutely not. I’m still getting used to the fact that I won’t be single for much longer.”

“It’s never too late to change your mind, ya know.”

“Of course you’d say that, Neil.” He can’t look me in my eyes. I can tell he’s thinking, maybe even harboring regrets. And this is the part I hate the most. I am trying my damnedest to move on. Gosh I am. But Neil makes it hard for me whenever he wears his emotions on his sleeve. Sure he may act gruff and unconcerned, but I know this man so well. No new guy can erase that. Especially since I was so deeply in love with Neil that it hurt me to pieces. I used to sniff my sheets and pillowcases every time he left my bed. I wanted to savor his scent, just inhale his presence; it was my way of filling the void he left every time he went back to his wife. I know it’s wrong. But it’s part of my history, and the pleasures I shared with Neil aren’t anything I’m soon to forget, even though I doubt I can ever admit these feelings to my soon-to-be hubby.

“He can barely take care of himself. Have you seen him wash a load of clothes?”

“I know. He mixes whites with dark colors. Crazy. But I handle his laundry now.”

“That’s a shame. A real man should at least know how to read labels on his clothes before he decides to pop the question.”

“I doubt that being an expert at washing clothes makes anyone ready for marriage. You know that, Neil. You’re being silly.”

“I don’t care what you say. My brother has no business getting married.”

“Were you one hundred percent ready when you wed what’s-her-face?” I smile.

“That’s cold, Dani. But I’ll be honest. No one is ever really ready to get married.”

“Thanks for admitting that, Neil.”

“You just gotta go for it. That’s especially true for a man. He can date a dozen women who he really cares for, but he won’t commit. Then one will come along at the right time, and he’ll jump up and marry her. No reasonable explanation whatsoever. And his exes will be pissed wondering why he didn’t shape up and ask her when he had the chance.”

“Men are weird.”

“Then why are you marrying my brother?”

“Scottie’s been good to me.”

“I was, too.”

“It’s funny how men have selective retention when it comes to certain topics. You thought you were good to me, but you really weren’t one hundred percent good.”

“No, but I was close.”

“Not close enough, obviously. What time is it? I’m getting a headache talking about this. Bottom line, it doesn’t matter how much you pout, like it or not, Mr. Meadows, one day I’ll be your sister-in-law.” I throw back my head and laugh. Brax looks shocked, then he joins me and starts giggling. I place my fingers under his arms and tickle him. He fights me and rolls back on his daddy’s lap, kicking and screaming.

“Does he deserve you, Dani? Did you know one of his favorite computer passwords is ‘yssup’? Pussy spelled backward.”

“How did you know his password?”

“Because Scottie was stupid enough to go around and brag about something like that. Does that tell you anything? He’s good for what he’s good for. That’s all I’m saying.”

“Well, thank you for giving me your blessing in your own strange and totally selfish way, Neil. I’ll take what I can get at this point.”

Fate is an amazing thing.

I may not have gotten Neil, but I got the next best thing. And now I’m prepared to deal with everything that goes along with the preparation of officially being declared Mrs. Prescott Meadows.

The next week, I go to my job as an executive administrative assistant at a pharmaceutical company in West Houston. I hold out my hand and smile at my coworkers. They gape, scream, hop out of their swivel chairs, and jump up and down with me in a circle.

Then I ask Summer to cancel whatever she has going on and meet me for lunch and shopping. She says okay and I pick her up, and we drive on the north side to Willowbrook Mall. This mall is so substantial, it houses
two
Macy’s: One for women, and another one just for men and furniture.

Summer and I park and begin a casual trek through the mall. Christmas is only a few weeks away; the flickering holiday lights, giant wreaths, and stringed decorations give the mall an enchanted and magical atmosphere. As we walk around admiring the scenery, I am nearly bursting inside
with news about my engagement, but I decide to hold it in. Summer’s been traveling out of state lately, and I am dying to see the expression on her face when I share the good news.

Today she is wearing an off-white cashmere sleeveless sweater and light brown slacks with four-inch pumps. She’s clutching the handle of a spiffy-looking Dooney & Bourke leather tote with a croc print, a bag so huge it’s nearly half her size.

“Christmas must have come early for you.” I tease her, admiring her fancy new outfit and sophisticated bag.

“Oh, girl, my honey Andre got me these things. And yep, you’re right, they’re an early Christmas present, with more on the way. I feel so lucky.” She sighs contentedly. I feel like I should let her enjoy her moment.

But when we pass by a Waldenbooks, I grab Summer by the hand and drag her inside. I head straight for the videos and DVDs section. When I find what I’m searching for, I screech “Yeah” and snatch up a copy of one of my favorite films.

“I’s getting married,” is the line I steal from
The Color Purple
to break the news to Summer. I wave the DVD at her, then my hand, and flash my engagement ring.

“Oh, fuck! Oh, shit!” she screams. I laugh and hug her, and we rock back and forth on our heels for five minutes. “I can’t believe you held it in so long and didn’t tell me.”

“I wanted to share this moment with you in person, not on the phone.”

“Well, thanks. I appreciate that.”

“You’re in the wedding. I know that much.”

“I’d be honored, Dani. I’ve never been in a wedding before.”

“That makes two of us.”

We hug again, then browse a couple of jewelry stores to ogle other engagement rings and wedding bands. We simply enjoy ourselves on a chilly but pleasant December afternoon, talking about men and dreaming about the future.

“What about you?” I ask. “How are things with you and Andre?”

Andre and Summer have been dating for about six months. His eyes are wide and deep-set; his skin is golden brown like a delicious honey bun.

“You know what, girl. I hate to say this and knock on all kinds of wood, but our sex life is getting better and better. And that’s strange, because at one point, it seemed to dwindle. I even got bored. It was routine and sucked, no pun intended.”

“What changed things?”

“I went out with another guy. Nothing serious. He’s my homeboy for real, and I don’t care for him in a romantic way, but when I decided to be honest with Andre and let him know my plans, girl, he straightened his ass up big-time. He called more, wanted to spend the night with me. And that’s when the freaky stuff really got started.”

“Oh, do tell.”

“Well, we’re very much into oral. Our lovemaking is three steps: foreplay, raw fucking, and pillow talk. When we stick to that, and throw in a little bit of surprises here and there, Andre always comes over on time.”

“Mmm. Scottie and I have a pretty active sex life, too. It’s funny. We usually do it after we’ve eaten and my baby loves to grub. I like to tease him that he has so much cholesterol in his body, if you suck his dick you’d swear you were eating an omelet.”

“Yeah, right, you wish you
could
eat an omelet.”

“Oh Scottie’s body is delicious. Especially after he’s
showered and shaved. His skin is so smooth it feels like velvet. I love our sex life. But I want to be like you and Andre. I want something to happen that gets his attention.”