Thinking about friendship and how people you will meet one day can become your family. Family doesn't have to look like you, they just have to love you!
An excerpt from my novel, "Color Me Blind: A Divine Love Story."
Jasmine
looked over at Blake and couldn’t believe they were 21 already. Time was flying by so fast.
She said, “You’re old
now.”
He laughed, “Uh you were old
a month before I was.”
“I cannot be bothered with
petty details.”
They laughed as he pulled up
to the restaurant. Blake got out and
went to open Jasmine’s door.
He said, “You look very
pretty.”
She said, “I know,” and
laughed.
He pinched her nose and then
kissed it.
She said, “You’re not so
shabby yourself.”
“Did you expect anything
less,” he replied.
She lightly punched him in
his shoulder as they headed inside.
The hostess led them to a table in
the back. All their friends were there
waiting. Sitting at the table was Damon,
Lucy, Carmen and Ahmed. Since sophomore
year this had been their motley crew.
Lucy was a skinny little bean pole with a fresh pleasant face, shoulder
length straight black hair and eyes the same rich hue. Lucy was Vietnamese and had been Jasmine’s
roommate sophomore year. They hit it off
instantly.
Lucy introduced her to Carmen
because they worked together as waitresses at a local restaurant. Carmen was average height with an athletic
build though she did possess the curves common to her Mexican heritage. She had long dark brown hair that cascaded
down to her backside. Her brown eyes
sparkled as she greeted Blake and Jasmine with kisses on their cheeks.
Ahmed gave Blake a fist
pound and kissed Jasmine on the cheek.
Damon and Blake had met Ahmed on the basketball court. Ahmed was about five-eleven with gorgeous wavy
black hair. Since he was Middle Eastern
his skin was the color of ripe olives and his jet black eyes were pleasantly mysterious.
Their crew was a uniquely eclectic
one, but the love between them was as authentic as it could possibly be. They embraced their differences and never
took their ethnicities too seriously by always keeping the jokes about
stereotypes frequently flowing. Not
everyone they encountered could handle the realness of what they shared. As they were catching up Damon’s date
arrived.
She was a sista with bone
straight hair and curves for days, the way he liked them. Her cocoa skin was flawless. She looked around the table trying to figure
out how she would get along with this rainbow of people. She and Damon had only been hanging out for a
month, but she was already smitten with him like most women he
encountered.
He introduced her.
“Hey everyone, this is
Stacy. Stacy, this is everyone.”
He went through and
introduced each of his friends by name.
Stacy was nervous and wanted to make a good impression, but she was
starting to feel like she might not have anything in common with Damon if these
were his closest friends.
She smiled shyly and said,
“Nice to meet all of you.”
Just then the waiter came up and
made his way around the table taking orders.
Jasmine eyed Stacy suspiciously and then shared her glance with Carmen
and Lucy. They both lifted their water
glasses to try and camouflage their laughter.
Damon was a ladies man. He always had a new flavor every month. They didn’t waste their time getting to know
any of them and they didn’t even try to make them feel comfortable. They had gotten burned too many times getting
attached to a woman he brought around.
Their hearts couldn’t take the disappointment anymore.
Jasmine wanted to warn the
poor girl and tell her to run as fast as her long legs could take her away from
that man. She had yet to meet the woman
who could tame him.
Blake and Ahmed always had his back
and laid on the charm thick. They gave
every one of his women the benefit of the doubt that maybe they would be the
one to make the cut.
Blake asked Stacy, “So what is your
major?”
“I’m a poly-sci major.”
Jasmine asked, “Do you want to be a
lawyer or an actual politician?”
As if she was tired of the question
she answered a little exasperated.
“I’m going into politics. My family has had a politician in every
generation. This time it’s my turn.”
Carmen caught the hint of dissent in
her voice, “Sounds like following in the preplanned script isn’t what you’re
passionate about?”
Stacy consciously made her smile
reach her eyes, “Now why would you say that?
I can’t wait to become a public servant.”
Jasmine sipped her water and said,
“Well, you definitely have the makings of a politician. You turned on that charm extra sugary sweet
in the blink of an eye. I still have to
agree with Carmen you don’t seem that excited.
Life’s too short not to do what you love.”
Smile still in place Stacy asked,
“And what exactly do you know about my life, sista? You just met me so
don’t go there.”
Jasmine’s eyebrow shot up as she
slowly set her water down. Blake knew
that she was about to go in hard on Stacy.
So did Ahmed and Damon. Lucy and
Carmen sat back to enjoy the show.
Damon was quick, “Uh Stacy, don’t
mind my girls. They always go for the
jugular the first time out trying to see if you’ve got what it takes to stick
around. They don’t mean any harm.”
Lucy said, “Yeah, it took me a
minute to get used to it, but they’re harmless.
Well Carmen is but Jasmine, well that’s another story.”
Everyone but Jasmine and Stacy released
a tension filled laughed. Their eyes
were locked on each other.
“If I had known I was going to be interrogated
I would have brought my lawyer along,” Stacy said sarcastically.
“Honey if you can’t handle this
table then politics is probably not the smartest decision you’ve ever made. We represent just about every voting group,”
Jasmine retorted.
Damon, smooth as ever, laid a
soft kiss on Stacy’s ruby red lips before she could respond.
Ahmed always the peacekeeper said,
“Quick Blake, say something oppressive and redirect the palpable tension.”
Blake said, “I oppressed yo mama
last night!”
Carmen said, “White people
just can’t quite pull off yo mama!”
Damon replied with a
straight face, “Carmen, half of me is offended.”
Lucy said, “Just don’t let
your black half offend the waiter by not tipping him!”
Blake said, “Luce make sure
you calculate the tip so Damon and Jasmine don’t have any excuses.”
“Uh, that’s Chinese people,”
Lucy smirked.
“Wait you’re not Chinese,”
Ahmed asked.
Lucy threw her napkin at him
and responded, “Nope, the people across the street from your uncle’s gas
station are Chinese.”
Damon said, “Oh you mean the
one’s next to your cousin’s nail shop?”
Jasmine redirected and said,
“Carmen I’m looking at the dessert menu and I don’t see anything on here with
beans. Sorry maybe next time.”
Carmen gave Jasmine the
finger.
She said, “It’s okay I
checked with the waiter and they’re out of hot sauce so we’ll both have to tough
it out.”
Damon gasped, “Now my other
half if offended! But Jasmine always
brings us a bottle of hot sauce in her purse.
Ain’t that right Jazzy?”
“Actually it’s the hot sauce
packets from various fast food joints,” Jasmine said. “I’m all out though because Blake used them
all trying to support Black History Month.”
Lucy asked, “Now Damon what
are you going to put on your chicken?”
“I didn’t order chicken,”
Damon lied.
There was a collective smirk
and then all of them fell out laughing.
When they composed themselves they each pulled out a dollar bill and
handed it to Damon.
Damon exclaimed, “Here’s my
tip!”
They laughed again. It was a game they played frequently. Whoever made them break their flow and laugh
got a dollar from each of them. They loved
to freak out new people to the group with it.
Stacy stared for a moment slightly thrown
off. She wanted to be offended but she
had to admire the quick wit and word play.
She could tell this was something they did often. Before she could decide how to respond two
waiters came out with their food and began distributing it.
When all the plates were settled
Stacy was about to dig in when Jasmine said, “Okay y’all, wait, we gotta bless
the food.”
Stacy caught herself as they all
prepared to bow their heads. She
wondered if they were going to pray to Jesus, Allah, Buddha or the Virgin Mary. She had no idea what to expect so she quickly
said her own silent blessing. She knew
the rest of her night would be very interesting...
If you want to read the rest of this story visit www.melindamichelle21.com. The book is also available in Ebook on Kindle and Nook.
