Paris & London (edited) by Lina Jay (uplifting book club books .txt) 📕

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     It was close to eight that night before London had stopped crying. She didn’t bother to turn on anything; not the lights, TV, radio….nothing! She was sitting in a pitch black apartment with a box of tissue. She was lying on her bed and was still dressed in her scrubs from earlier that day.

     Her parents and her sister tried to call her, but she wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone. London wished that she had an older brother or at least a convict cousin that could break every bone in Shawn’s body. Shawn even called her but she didn’t bother to answer the phone. How did this happen? Did she not make him happy? Was it because she was too fat—too skinny? Was her hair not long enough? Maybe it was too long?

     Her sister did say that she was a workaholic. Was it that? Did she spend too much time at work? Did she not give him enough of her time? Did he feel neglected? London was about to pick up the phone to call Shawn when her best friend, Ronnie, called her. “Hey, Londie,” her friend greeted her. “Hi,” London burst into tears. “Oh my God, Londie, what’s wrong?” Ronnie asked. Ronnie was only able to get half the story between London’s sobs. “I’m on my way!” Ronnie bolted out her door to make her way to her best friend.

     An hour later Ronnie and London were sitting on London’s bed eating ice cream and watching, Waiting to Exhale. “I’m so sorry, Londie, but he was a jerk anyway,” Ronnie told her as she pushed her ruby red glasses back up her caramel colored nose. “Can you please call my sister and tell her what’s going on. I don’t think I can do it!” London pleaded. “Sure,” Ronnie picked up London’s cell phone to call Paris.

“This better be important!” Paris snapped.

“Well, hello to you too, Paris,” Ronnie rolled her eyes.

“Ronnie? Oh, hell! Is it that time of month again? Let me guess…it’s ‘book club’ time….no, no….it’s ‘sit in the library and read a thousand page book until the library closes’ time?”

“Funny, but no. It’s ‘London just caught Shawn cheating on her’ time!” Ronnie snapped.

“What? You’re shitting me?”

“No, Paris, it happened earlier today.”

“Aww, where’s my boo-boo?”

“Sitting here crying.”

“And I bet you two are over there eating ice cream and watching some shit like Waiting to Exhale or Steel

Magnolias—something to make you two bitches cry even more!”

“And what do you suggest that we do, Paris?”

“Watch something like Set It Off ….hell, it’s Saturday night. Go to a club. Go shake a few nuts from a tree!”

“And what is that term supposed to mean?”

“It means go hit a club, met a random guy and ride his dick ‘til you feel better!”

“How is that going to solve anything?”

“I forgot who I was talking to—the bloomers committee. I’m done talking to your boring ass. Where’s my boo-boo?”

Ronnie put London on the phone.

“Hello,” London knew that if she cried her sister was going to scream at her. She fought back the tears. “Aww, boo-boo, are you okay?”

“No, how could he do this to me?”

“We are not going to worry about that or focus on him. Now that you are single, we have a lot to do. I’m taking you out tomorrow afternoon. So be ready, okay?”

“Yeah,” London said.

     London disconnected the call, fell back on the bed, and started crying again. Ronnie rubbed her arm to try to soothe her. “Maybe we should go to a club and shake a few nuts from a tree,” Ronnie told her.

“What?” London said between sobs. “You know…go to a club and let our hair down! You know…get loose.”

“Now you sound like Paris.”

“Maybe what we both need is a little of your sister in our lives. So, what do you say? You up for a night on the town?”

“I don’t know.”

“I mean, we don’t have to paint the town red, we can paint it purple or something!”

London let out a small laugh, “You are so crazy!”

“Crazy like a fox, come on….let’s get dressed.”

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     The next morning London woke up to Ronnie sleeping in her full-size bed next to her. Ronnie’s chin length black hair was all over the place. She was pretty without her glasses and London couldn’t fathom why the girl never opted to get contacts. She was happy to have a friend like Ronnie; someone who stuck by her side through good times and bad. London rolled over on her back and closed her eyes, but they flew back open when she heard a baritone singer and the sound of water from the shower hitting the tub floor.     

     She sat up and gasped. “Ronnie? Ronnie?” she shook and poked her friend. “What?” Ronnie was still half asleep when she heard the voice. She quickly sat up and looked at her friend. “What’s that?” Ronnie was freaking out. “Question is, who is that?” London slowly got out of the bed and grabbed the bat that was in her bedroom closet.

     Ronnie grabbed her glasses off the nightstand and followed suit. When they got to the hallway, Ronnie bumped into London. “Back up a little, Ronnie,” she whispered. They tip toed until they were a few inches away from the bathroom door. As soon as the man walked out of the bathroom, the women screamed and his towel fell to the floor.

     “Lord Jesus have mercy,” Ronnie said when she saw the man in full view. “Ronnie!” London snapped at Ronnie as she held the bat straight out like it was a gun. “I’m sorry,” Ronnie apologized. The man smiled.

     “Who the hell are you?” London asked. “Vince, we met at Chester’s, remember? Oh, I guess you don’t! I told you to take it easy on that Grey Goose. I guess you regret it now, don’t you?” he teased. As he stood there wearing nothing but a smile, Ronnie watched as the drops of water slowly fell down his mocha colored muscular chest, down his six pack and to the sexiest belly button she’d ever seen.

     “How the hell did you get in my apartment?” London demanded. “You invited me in….you and your friend,” he smiled at Ronnie and made his chest flex up and down. “I don’t believe you!” London replied. “No? Okay, have you checked your wardrobe?” the man continued to tease Ronnie. London looked down and realized that she was wearing a man’s baby blue button down shirt.

      She quickly glanced at Ronnie who was sporting his tie around her neck. “Please put the bat down. I’m not going to hurt you,” Vince smirked. London lowered the bat, “I think I’m going to be sick.”

     “The bathroom’s free if you need it,” he stared at Ronnie but directed the statement at London. Vince kissed Ronnie. “Okay, okay. Break it up,” London pushed them apart and removed his tie from around Ronnie’s neck.

     “I want you to leave my apartment,” she handed him the tie. “No problem, can I get my shirt back?” he ask London. London went to her bedroom to change out of his shirt and into a long shirt of her own. When she returned, she saw Ronnie’s back up against the wall with her legs wrapped around Vince’s waist. She had her arms around his neck as he cupped her bare ass.

     The kiss was explicit enough for London to consider it rated X. “Ronnie!” London yelled at her best friend. “What the hell has gotten into you?” she asked her. Vince released his grip on Ronnie and grabbed the shirt that London was trying to give to him. “Oh, my um….my glasses,” Ronnie pointed to his head. Vince removed Ronnie’s glasses from his head and placed them on her face.

     “Okay Casanova, the bathroom’s that way but I’m pretty sure you know that!” London pushed him away from her best friend. Vince walked backwards to the bathroom taunting and teasing Ronnie as he licked his lips. Once he was in the bathroom London pulled her friend into the bedroom. “What the hell was that?” she asked Ronnie.

“I don’t know! The man is sexy!”

“Ronnie, get a hold of yourself. Do you even remember what happened last night?”

“All I remember was entering the club, ordering a few drinks, and then passing out face down on your bed.”

“I don’t remember anything after that first drink.” London confessed.

     Vince walked into the bedroom and London was more than impressed. He went from a towel model to a fortune 500 executive in no time flat.

“It was nice meeting you ladies. I would make you breakfast, but I have to get to church,” Vince said. He smiled at Ronnie, “Call me!”

“I’ll call you,” she giggled.

“You ladies have a blessed day.” He winked at Ronnie. As Vince was walking out the door London stood dumbfounded as she watched her best friend swoon over a man that she barely knew. How did they end up like this?

Publication Date: 09-16-2020

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