| Saturday, October 29, 2005 |
| CHAPTER 9
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Paula woke up at 12:10 PM on Saturday morning. She stretched before she sat up. She was dreading the task that she had to do. She pushed that task to the back of her mind. She went into the bathroom. She washed her face and brushed her teeth. Then she got dressed. She put on a pair of jeans and a polo shirt. She stared at the answering machine for a few minutes. The thing was old; at least 2 years old. It was big and bulky. Her parents had given it to her after they had purchased a new one. The flashing light kept chastising her. "You know you need to call him!" It blinked the same line over and over, with a "Lord, have mercy child," in between the blinks.
Paula stopped thinking about the answering machine. She had to make up her mind. Was she going to call Rick? Was she not going to call Rick? She decided not to, instead she grabbed her purse and keys after she put on her shoes. She headed out the door.
Paula got into her car and drove over to Kourtnee's apartment. Paula hoped that Kourtnee would be up. Paula couldn't remember exactly which apartment number Kourtnee had gone into. It was either 5, 6, or 7. Paula would have to knock on each door until she found the right one.
Paula rang the doorbell for apartment number 5. A guy answered the door after a few seconds. Paula knew the answer to this question, but she asked it anyway, "Does Kourtnee live here?" The guy looked at her as if she was speaking a foreign language. He asked, "Who is that?" Paula responded, "About my height, dark-skinned, with long black hair." the guy grunted, "Check number 7, I think." he slammed the door before Paula could say anything. Paula went to apartment number 7 and hoped for the best.
Kourtnee heard the doorbell ring. "Who was ringing her doorbell?" she stood up and grabbed her robe that was draped over her cedar chest and put it on. The purple robe matched her purple silk pajamas, just as most of her silk pajamas had a robe to match it.
She was slow getting to the door because she was half asleep. The person at the door rang the doorbell two more times. Kourtnee thought, "Either walk away or wait till I get there."
Kourtnee finally made it to the door. After she opened it, she saw Paula staring her in the face.
Kourtnee frowned, "What are you doing here?"
Paula shrugged, "Don't know. I didn't want to be at home. Can I come in?"
Kourtnee looked at this girl standing in her door, uninviting and wanting into Kourtnee’s sacred world.
Paula huffed, "Are you gonna let me in or not?"
Kourtnee opened the door and stepped aside. "Come on." Paula walked in the apartment and looked around.
Kourtnee adjusted the belt on her robe. "You can have a seat. You can watch TV if you want to. I need to freshen up. I'll be back in a few minutes."
Kourtnee left the room as Paula sat down on the couch. Paula picked up the remote for the television. The television looked as if it was brand new. It had to be 19 or 20 inches. It paled in comparison to her 12 inch black and white TV. The furniture in the living room matched the carpet perfectly. What college student has a professionally decorated apartment? It had to be professionally decorated; the painting matched the living room set and the flowers that accented the room went with the living room color scheme.
Paula surmised that Kourtnee must have been from a rich family. Why had she acted such a fool about a few dollars? Most rich kids liked to throw their money around. But, there was nothing flashy about Kourtnee.
Paula brushed her thoughts aside. She had to figure out what to do about Rick. He was probably worried about her. He was probably out looking for her. She hadn't talked to him since 4:00 on Friday. She did miss him. Paula laid her head on the back of the couch. Before long, she was asleep.
Kourtnee walked into the living room. Paula’s head was lying on the back of the couch. Her mouth was slightly opened. She was asleep. Kourtnee made a face and snickered.
Kourtnee walked to the linen closet. She got a blanket from the closet. She walked back into the living room and covered the uninvited sleeping guest up with the blanket.
Paula had been sleeping for an hour. Kourtnee had smiled at the sleeping girl several times. She looked so peaceful and innocent. Everyone looks peaceful and innocent when they are sleeping.
Kourtnee thought to herself, "How dare you come over to someone's house, uninvited and then just go to sleep on their couch?" Kourtnee smiled again as she read Chemistry book. She was trying to get ahead in her classes as she had learned from the girl now sleeping on her couch. Kourtnee had completed a couple of chapters in her Business Statistics course. She was trying to tackle Chemistry at this point. That was a hard undertaking.
It was 3:39 PM when Paula finally woke up. When she opened her eyes, she looked around. She could tell that she wasn't in her own room. She turned her head and saw Kourtnee. Paula stared at the dark skinned girl, groggily, trying to focus on who she was. Kourtnee smiled, "I didn't think you were ever going to wake up." Paula rubbed her eyes, "I was tired. How long have I been asleep?" Kourtnee looked at the clock, "For three hours or so." Paula jumped up quickly, "Rick is gonna have a fit!! Can I use your phone?" Kourtnee nodded and pointed to the phone. Paula moved quickly to the phone and dialed Rick's number.
Treshon answered the phone, "Blessed be the name of the Lord. Are you saved?" Paula rolled her eyes, "Treshon, is Rick there?" Treshon sucked his teeth, "Well, if it isn't the prodigal daughter. So, were you out sowing your wild oats last night or something other heathenistic act?" Paula huffed, "NEGRO, if you don't put Rick on the phone, and NOW, You are gonna see a mad daughter. Put Rick on the phone, NOW!!"
Kourtnee looked at Paula. Either she didn't like the person she was talking to on the phone or she was crazy. Paula caught Kourtnee looking at her. Paula covered the mouthpiece of the phone, "I can't stand this idiot."
Paula moved her hand from the receiver, "Hey, Rick." She paused, "I was hanging out with my home girl and I lost track of time. I just woke up." Paula was quiet for a few minutes. She dropped her head. She finally said, "Yea, whatever. I'll talk to you." Paula hung up the phone. She walked over to the couch and then sat down.
Paula laid her head on the back of the couch. Kourtnee walked over the couch from the kitchen table. "Are you okay?" Paula lifted her head up, "Girl, man troubles." Kourtnee nodded, "Was it the first guy or the second guy you talked to?"
Paula sat up fully; her back was straight and upright. "Girl please, ain't no way in the world that I would be involved with Treshon unless I was near death and a rat wasn't available. I can't stand his behind for nothing. Uhh, don't make me even think about him. UGH! I can't stand him."
Kourtnee made a face at Paula. "Okay, calm down. I just asked a question."
Paula smiled at Kourtnee, "I'm sorry. My boyfriend, Rick, is who I was talking about."
Kourtnee shrugged her shoulders. "If the first guy is as bad as you say he is, why does your boyfriend hang out with him?"
Paula sighed, "Treshon ain't that bad. He is just an overzealous preacher. Instead of trying to draw people with love, he usually tries to scare them with stories about hell. That boy doesn't know what love is. I hope he learns one day. He irks me to no end. He called me the prodigal daughter, and then he asked me had I been out sowing my wild oats. Once before he called me a heathenous viper. We just don't get along. Anyway, you got anything in the refrigerator to eat?"
Kourtnee looked at Paula. "Uhh, you can go check the refrigerator and see."
"How dare she ingratiate herself on me like that? She has got to be the rudest person ever, "Kourtnee's thoughts fumed.
Paula's head popped up from behind the refrigerator door, "Have you eaten yet?"
Kourtnee forehead wrinkled, "No, I haven't. Don't tell me that you are going to ask me to buy you another meal."
Paula closed the fridge door, "Did you just get testy with me?"
Kourtnee wasn't sure if she wanted to get into it with the heavier weighted girl, "Yes, I did. You asked me for money to get into the dance; you ate for free at Franklin's. You showed up here uninvited. To top it all off, you fell asleep on my couch. For you to be somebody that I don't know well, you have ingratiated yourself on me very well over the past two days."
Paula stopped dead in her tracks. Normally, she would have told Kourtnee off, but Kourtnee was right. Paula had been very rude the past day or so. Paula sat down in a chair at the table, "Girl, I am so sorry. I have been terribly rude. You would think I had no home training. You know what, I am gonna leave."
Kourtnee stood up, walked to the table, and sat down in a chair, "You don't have to leave. It's been fun having the company. Plus, I am kind of hungry. We can go get something to eat."
Paula looked at Kourtnee. Kourtnee did not have any meanness in her face. Kourtnee seemed like the nicest person in the world at that moment. There was calmness about her. Paula just stared at Kourtnee, not knowing what to think.
Kourtnee waved her hand in Paula's face, "Are you okay?"
Paula didn't say anything.
Kourtnee scratched the right side of her face, "Don't tell me that you have some kind of medical condition, too." Kourtnee smiled.
Paula snapped out of her stare and said, "Girl, please."
Kourtnee laughed loudly, "You say 'Girl please' a lot."
"Girl please, that's just what I say." Paula fanned her hand through the air with attitude after she twisted her lips and rolled her neck.
Kourtnee shook her head, "Where do you wanna go eat?"
Paula smacked her lips and worked her neck, "Girl, please. All this expensive stuff in here, you gotta have some pots and pans."
"Yea, it's some in a box in the cabinet." Kourtnee pointed to a cabinet in the kitchen."
Paula stood up and went to the cabinet that Kourtnee had pointed to.
"That's the wrong cabinet. The one to the left." Kourtnee didn't appreciate the comment Paula had made about the stuff in her apartment.
Paula looked in the next cabinet. There was an unopened box of pots and pans in the cabinet. "Why haven't you opened the box?"
Kourtnee rolled her eyes, "I don't know. I just haven't opened the box."
Paula lifted the box up on the cabinet. "Girl, I wish I had an apartment like this, with all this stuff in it. Girl, please. This would be the life." Paula opened the box, without even asking Kourtnee.
"Yes, you can open MY box," Kourtnee snapped.
Paula turned around and looked at Kourtnee. "Oops. Did you want to open the box? You are kind of possessive. Girl, please. Were you an only child?"
Kourtnee got upset at that moment. "No, I wasn't, if you must know. Have you always been this pushy?"
Paula laughed loudly, "Girl, you are a trip. I have always been pushy and bossy. I don't mean anything by it. I'm sorry, if it seems like I am being too pushy. Is it okay, if I cook something to eat?"
"Yes it is okay, thanks for asking," Kourtnee smiled.
"You are use to getting your way, I can see. This friendship is going to be interesting," Paula said as she clanked pots and pans in the kitchen. |
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