Secret Society

“Somewhere nice,” Michael said as he tossed my keys to Kelly, the first stylist.

“Here, you lock up tonight. We won’t be back in time to close,” he told Kelly.

I grabbed my black and white graffiti Louis Vuitton bag off the counter and followed Michael out the door. We got in his white-on-white S500 and sped off. We hit 676 and I put my seat back and fell asleep. When I woke up we were on 495 south headed to Maryland.

“The harbor?” I asked in amazement.

“Yeah, there’s a nice breakfast spot down here I’ve been wanting to take you.”

Michael maneuvered the Benz S-class into a parking spot. I checked my appearance in the mirror and we hopped out. It was nice outside for a November day. The sun was shining bright and the air was thin but crisp, creating a light, comfortable breeze. I had on a pair of low-rider straight-leg jeans that were smack tight. The black cashmere leg warmers on top of them fell right over the top of my black leather pointy-toe stiletto boots. I had on a black cashmere fitted hooded sweater that revealed a little of my stomach underneath a white fitted waist-length leather jacket by Kenneth Cole. I looked cute and casual, very much dressed for the occasion, fortunately.

“Two?” the hostess asked.

“Yes, nonsmoking, please,” Michael said.

“Right this way.”

We followed the hostess through a half-empty diner. She led us to a booth, handed us two menus, and told us our waitress would be with us shortly.

“This is a nice place,” I said as I examined the decor.

“Yeah, I used to come out here every Saturday when I lived out Silver Spring,” Michael said.

“You lived everywhere.”

“Well, when I get a contract that takes one or more years, I have no choice, right?”

Michael and I ate a delicious breakfast and enjoyed each other’s company. We walked along the harbor hand in hand and he told me all about the building he just finished in Pittsburgh. He made $75,000 off that job alone. His bank account had to be O’ed up. Anytime he was able to open me a salon in Northern Liberties, pay rent on Delaware Avenue, and afford month-long hotel stays every now and then, he was paid.

Michael and I spent the whole day in Baltimore. We did some shopping while we were at the harbor. I spent like $2,000 (of Michael’s money) in Victoria’s Secret buying up just about everything from their new collection. Then we drove to a movie theater on Eastern Boulevard to see Minority Report. After the movie, Michael took me to this restaurant called Cactus Willies. That had to be the best buffet spot I’ve ever been to. Michael dropped me off at my car at a quarter to ten. The salon was closed up. The cold dark streets were empty. I would have spent the night with him, but he was exhausted and just needed to be alone in his own house in his own bed. I respected that.

When I walked in the door, I noticed I had messages. I plopped down on my couch and pressed the button to listen.

“Hey, Selena, what’s up? It’s Mann. Give me a call, all right? Peace.”

My man is back now, I have no need for you, I thought.

The next message was from Tina. “Celess, girl, you have to call me! You won’t believe who I saw down here!”

I picked up the phone to call her. I hadn’t spoken to her in a while, anyway, and I needed to update her, especially about Tariq giving me that AIDS scare.

“Hi, Derrek, is Tina there?”

“Hey, Celess, honey, how’ve you been, darling?”

“Oh, just fine, thanks for asking. How about yourself? I heard the honeymoon was nice,” I said.

“It was magnificent, thanks. But hold on, here she is.”

“Hello,” Tina said.

“What’s up, girl?”

“What’s up?”

“I got your message.”

“Oh, Celess!” Tina said. “I saw James yesterday!”

“For real? Where?”

“Me and Derrek had floor seats to the Lakers versus the Rockets. Why was this nigga standing right near us while he was waiting to substitute some dude? He looked me right in the eye and gave a ice grill out this world. I just smiled. Derrek was like, what was that about? I was like, I used to tease the hell out of his nerd-ass in school.”

“For real,” I said. “So, he’s still pissed off, hahn?”

“Girl, pissed ain’t the word. If looks could kill, yall would be planning my funeral right now.”

“Well, I’m over that. I took your advice. I slowed down a lot. I just fuck with Michael right now and I strap up with him, especially after Tariq called me with the bullshit he called me with.”

“What bullshit did Tariq call you with?”

“This nigga got HIV, Tina.”

“What? Well, what about you, are you straight?”

“I’m cool,” I said.

“You went and got tested?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, when did he tell you this? I mean, why are you just now tellin’ me? I would’ve flew up there and went to the doctors with you,” Tina insisted.

“I know, but it’s cool. You were in Italy with Derrek. Plus I wasn’t about to have you worrying about me on ya honeymoon, you know?”

Tina exhaled. “That’s crazy,” she said. “That’s why I’m glad I’m out. I’m glad I’m done. That game will swallow you up.”

“No bullshit,” I agreed.

Tina quickly changed the subject. “So, the last time we spoke, you were debating whether or not you were going to go to Power House by yourself. Did you go?”

“Yeah. And I met this guy named Mann, a promoter.”

“You fucked him?” Tina butted in.

“Tina,” I whined, “I was lonely and I needed that G.”

“A measly G? The last I checked, you had a nigga buying you hair salons. What do you mean, you needed that G?”

“I still got my other needs. Tina, come on, don’t act like you don’t know. Shit, I need more than my bills paid. I need my image maintained, and Premarin and electrolysis never been cheap. What am I supposed to do, stop taking my hormones and grow a beard? I don’t think so.”

“Celess, but you gotta stop getting those needs met like that. You’re already pressing your luck with Michael.”

“How?”

“He doesn’t know you are a man, Celess, that’s how!”

“Just like Khalil, Drake, Jahuan, et cetera, et cetera, didn’t know you were a man!”

“Right! And I could have got my ass killed!”

“So you’re telling me that if you never found Derrek and never got married, you would have still got out the game?”

“I don’t know, Celess. It was Derrek who made me even think about the shit I was doing. So, honestly, probably not. If I never met Derrek I would not have even thought about getting out the game, but I did. And everything happens for a reason.”

“Well, my reason didn’t come to me yet. What am I supposed to do?”

“Celess, tell Michael. He’s a nice guy and he loves you. He might not mind. I have ideas about him, anyway. He might be gay or he might be bi. Just tell him,” Tina pleaded. “Before it’s too late.”

What Tina said about Michael weighed heavily on my mind for days. Every time I saw him I wanted to tell him. I didn’t know if it was all in my mind or not, but it did seem like Michael could have been gay. The way he dressed