“ ‘Be careful what you pray for’? Are you serious?!” The congregation looked, and turned to look at Cheryl as she rustled out of the rickety pew.
“I’ve already converted, agreed to give up sex, and now I have to watch what I pray for? FUCK YOU!”
It seemed like all of Banda’s women were getting out of pocket. First Maria showed up to his mother’s house unannounced and claiming to be pregnant. Then Peaches, whose real name he couldn’t remember to save his life, quit her job and started working his nerves, full-time. No one even knew where Cheryl had been for the past two weeks.
He stood on Linda’s balcony cooling down and thinking things through. What had he done to any of these women? Hadn’t he given them exactly what they wanted? He blew fake smoke into the cool night air and tried to remember their first encounters.
“…but my friends call me Peaches.” Serena leaned across her desk in an attempt to give Banda a better look at how she got her nickname. When the handsome stranger’s light green eyes didn’t dip in curiosity, she sat back and tried to sexily cross her legs. Banda, in an attempt to put her out of her misery and noticing her beat-up shoes, smiled his pretty smile. “What size shoe do you wear, Peaches?”
Serena looked a little surprised by the question, then embarrassed as she uncrossed her legs and tucked her feet back underneath her desk.
“Oh…uh…seven and a half. Sometimes seven. Depends on the shoe. What size shoe do you wear?” she tried seductively.
Banda examined the very slim, very expensive leather shoes on his feet. “I think these are a thirteen, baby. But to be honest, I tend to just try shoes on until I find a pair I like. I never look for a particular number.” He let these words wash over her then said, “What time is your lunch break, cutie?” Serena held up her index finger.
“Cool”, he looked at his watched, “I’ll be back in an hour”. Serena grinned at Banda’s back.
Maria noticed Banda as soon as he entered her store but she pretended to be engulfed in her customer’s needs. She guided the older gentleman around the store while Banda followed, covertly. Maria left who she was helping in an aisle to make a decision, tossing an “I’ll be upfront if you need me” over her shoulder and heading for the register. Banda snatched her into one of the aisles before she could make it there.
“But where will you be if I need you?” He whispered into the back of her head and kissed her neck.
“Baby stop! I have customers,” she half giggled, half whispered. Banda pretended to sulk and Maria touched his face. “What are you doing here?” She glanced around the store for anyone that might require her immediate attention.
“I fucked up”, he said helplessly putting both hands in his pockets. “My sister’s birthday is today and I didn’t get her anything. I need your expertise.”
“Is that it? We just got this slammin’ pair of Louboutins in today: black snakeskin, and a clutch to match. I’ll hook you up. You know what size she wears?” Banda smile his pretty smile.
“Seven and a half…sometimes seven.”
Banda left the balcony and sat down on Linda’s sofa none-the-wiser. He’d bought Peaches an expensive pair of shoes and a matching handbag on the day they met—what did she have to complain about? Well, Maria had bought that stuff, but she didn’t know that and Maria thought it was for his sister, so what was her problem? He sat across from Linda’s television and stared at the blank screen. His mind wandered to how skillfully Cheryl’s body moved when he’d first seen her in a club. He also remembered how he’d set out to make that body his.
She was the most attractive of her four friends, and that was saying a lot. They had been popping bottles and denying dances all night, and Banda didn’t intend to be one of the herbs standing up against the wall, defeated. He made his selection based on practicality. Since each of the women was gorgeous, he looked for signs of personality among them. The one doing the splits in her dress was needy—clearly dissatisfied with the standard attention awarded for staying fit and dressing well. Banda knew there was a time and place for a girl like that. Now wasn’t the time.
“Need some help with those?” Banda smiled his smile at the friend trying to balance four shots in her tiny, well-manicured hands. Cheryl, frowning at first then smiling at the beauty of the man, nodded yes and carefully passed Banda two of the shot glasses.
“I’m Banda”, he said without looking at her.
“Cheryl”, she said involuntarily staring at him. “And thank you.”
“No trouble. Is it your birthday, Cheryl? You ladies seem to be having a hell of a night.”
“I don’t think so. This isn’t exactly the way I would celebrate if it were my birthday. It’s my girl Linda’s birthday”, she nodded at the girl in the dress doing the splits and they both chuckled.
Linda hoisted herself up and sauntered over to the friends.
“Happy birthday, Linda”, Banda smiled and handed her a shot then immediately turned his attention to Cheryl. “Here’s my card. It was pleasure meeting you”, he said softly into Cheryl’s ear. “You girls don’t let her forget to call me.”
“We won’t”, they sang and Banda left the club.
“You coming to bed or you gonna sit staring at that blank screen all night?” Linda was wearing Banda’s dress shirt.
“Take that off. When’s the last time you talked to Cheryl?”
“What?”
“Nevermind.”
They were good girls. Before they knew him, they were good girls. Maria was reliable and selfless. Peaches was so brand new you could still smell the plastic on her. And Cheryl…if he was to settle down with any of them, it would be Cheryl. Beautiful, articulate…
Banda walked onto the street in front of Linda’s apartment. Linda followed, stopping in the doorway.
“Where are you going? Where are your shoes?”
“Cheryl.”
“What’s wrong with you? Why do you keep talking about Cheryl?”
Cheryl was walking on the sidewalk passed Banda, humming and still wearing her church hat. She turned in time to see the car screeching around the corner.
“Banda!” Linda screams.
He stares. “Maria.”
“Peaches?!” Her car accelerates.
Posted on January 27, 2011
0