Did the affair start here orwhile they were in Europe? Considering Ralph’s sheepishexpression, the dalliance more than likely started before the boatleft shore.
Celeste got so angry herbody trembled with it. Ralph hadn’t left her at the altar overher transgressions. He’d played her false, made her wallow inguilt for years, while he played house in Paris.
Ralph started to fidget andshe smiled. He might’ve settled down he hadn’t lost hismarbles. He’d witnessed enough of her run-ins to know neitherof them would get off on a technicality. Sure, she’d cheatedon him, but he’d transgressed as well.
Celestepushed away from the door at the same time Beatrice turned in herdirection, her arms drifting to her sides.
“And all this time Ithought we were old friends,” Celeste emphasized ‘old’,striking out at Beatrice’s Achilles heel. The other womanroutinely lied about her age, dialing back the time like the hand ona watch even though she’d strolled around the block a time ortwo and was a headliner long before Celeste and Ralph were out ofknee socks.
A smarter cookie than shefirst assumed, Beatrice’s eyes narrowed. “Acquaintancesat best,” she corrected.
“Yet close enough togain my confidence and walk away with my fiancé. I will admityou were a way better actress. But we’re not on stage and I’mnot going to hold any punches.”
Beatrice planted her chin inthe air. “No one can walk away with what was already gone,”she muttered.
“Nothey can’t. SoI want to thank you.”
Incredulous, the other womanblinked. “W-what for?”
“For saving me fromthe biggest mistake of my life. Admittedly, I’m angry as hellright now and my foot is itching to stick it up your behinds. Butseeing both of you and how neither of you have changed, I feel mightyblessed. Ralph’s still a pushover and you’re stilltrying to be the center of the show, surrounding yourself with fakefriends who stroke your shallow ego.”
Beatrice said nothing. Justopened and closing her mouth like a fish out of water. Not waitingfor Beatrice to gather her bearings, Celeste barreled forward.
“Neitherof you are worth it. The past is better left in the past. It’sjust too bad that this meeting hadn’t come sooner.”Celeste turned to Ralph and smiled. The past was melting from hershoulders like slush in eighty degree weather. “I could havedevoted less time believing I wasn’t good enough for you.”
Celestewaited for a comeback, half expected one, and found herself illprepared for the uncomfortable silence that took hold of everyone’stongues.
Done with the lot of themand desperately needing a drink, Celeste turned around and left.
“I’llsee your fifty and raise you another fifty.”
Throwingtwo bills on the table, Shane eyed the man across from him. Therewere only three of them still in the game, the other two recentlybowing out. As the third player contemplated his luck, a man whomthe others had called Willie, started teasing him.
“Ahcome on, Russ. Either you got it or you don’t.” Williegrinned at the bald-headed fellow deliberating over his cards. Finding the other man unmoved, Willie turned his attention to makingsmall talk, “Any of you going to see the revival of that playMulattonext week?
“Iheard it’s been sold out for weeks,” Grissom, a numberrunner from the Bronx, replied.
“Aplay?” The man to Shane’s left snorted. “Countme out. I’m a hoofer. If it doesn’t have any music in it,it’s square and I’m not there.”
Severalamensdrifted around the table.
“Butthis isn’t any ordinary play,” Willie countered. “Thisone’s written and produced by Langston Hughes himself. And getthis, the entire cast is colored.”
“All colored?” Russ asked, looking up from his hand.
“Keep your head onyour cards.” Willie admonished the other man before turningback to his captivated audience.
“Yep,the cast is one hundred percent colored. My old lady said it’sabout this colored boy whose daddy’s white and his mother’sblack,” looking over to Shane, he eyed him briefly beforecontinuing, “and he doesn’t know whether to pass or staywhere he’s at.”
“Ihad a cousin who passed.” Russ spoke upagain. “She married some college professor over on Long Island.I haven’t seen that girl in ten years. Every now and then shesends her momma, my Auntie May, a few dollars every now and then.”
Willie shot Shane a look,but he ignored him. No sad sap story was going to keep him frompursuing Celeste. Heck, not even a mobster’s warning had donethe trick.
Plus, the circumstances werecompletely different. If one of them was going to sacrifice his orher family and friends, it would be him because Celeste’sbeautiful brown skin would prevent her from being anything other thancolored.
Shanefrowned. When had he started thinking of Celeste on permanent terms?
“Havemercy, who’s the lark in lavender?” Grissom nodded towardthe door and the entire group swung around.
Several lewd remarks swirledaround the table as the men commented on the beauty of the womanhovering on the threshold. Shane grew tense, his body filling withhot jealousy.
“Thatthere is Celeste Newsome,” the man on Shane’s leftdrawled, returning his attention to his cards. As he looked up, alleyes were on him. The entire table waited silently for him to divulgewhat he knew about the dame, including Shane.
“She’sbeautiful, but that apple has worms.”
Shane slid his hands underthe table to keep from slamming his fist in the other man’sjaw.
“Icall bullshit, Benny!” Willie challenged. “A dame likethat’s refined, cultured. And you,” he paused to look theother man up and down, “you’re far from it.”
“She used to dance thelocal circuit.”
“She’s a hoochiecoochie dancer?” Russ whispered as if just saying it would makehim burn in hell.
“No!She’s a fellow hoofer,” Benny confirmed. “One ofthe best. Of course, that’s when she’s sober and notchasing every trouser leg in Harlem.”
“Isay it’s the other way around.” Willie glanced at Celesteagain. “Showgirls always have men panting after them, buyingthem flowers, boxes of French chocolates and expensive bottles ofparfume.”
“And jockeying toescort them to the theater or gallery openings or taking them forlong walks in the park,” Russ added.
“What do you knowabout gallery openings?” Willie asked.
With asheepish expression, Russ retreated to the cards in his hand. “Notmuch, but I’ve read about them in the EveningPost.”
Bennyshrugged. “Either way, she’s trouble.”
“Aren’t theyall?” Willie countered.
“You sound like you’reinterested.”
“Nah,”Willie shook his head. “Give
