Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
The next day at the bookstore, Emma was making her way through the inventory, snacking on a chocolate croissant from the coffee kiosk.
“You're getting flakes of pastry everywhere,” Zora observed from behind her.
“I know, I know, I'm always making a mess,” Emma droned cheerfully. “I promise I'll clean it up. I even brought the portable vacuum out from the office, because I knew I was going to make a mess with this pastry,” she smiled.
“I love that you can find a silver lining in just about anything,” Zora replied, shaking her head in amusement. “So, any word yet on that apartment?”
“No, not yet, but I don't know, the more that I think about it, I wonder if the property manager really wasn’t feeling me as a potential tenant.” Sadie’s scowl and deep umber eyes were imprinted on Emma’s mind.
“Oh, I don't know about all that, like you said yesterday, maybe she had something going on–you just never know with people what causes their mannerisms to be the way that they are, but I'm sure she would warm up to you if you moved in there.
“Do you feel like you're really serious about it though? Because again, remember, you don't have to go anywhere. I would be happy for you to stay. We could even switch around the third bedroom so that you're further away and maybe you won’t be subjected to certain… activities,” Zora paused to search for the right word, blushing as she said it.
“‘Activities’ is an understatement, bookie. Sometimes it sounds like you two are having a true WWE Smackdown up in there.” Emma’s lips twitched as she bit back a laugh.
“Oh my god, shut up,” Zora groaned. “That's not the case.”
“Yeah, okay, whatever. You act like I can’t recite some of the dirty shit you were saying to your man.”
Zora’s cheeks grew bright red, and she averted her eyes. “I–”
“What are you two over here gabbing about?” Granny strolled in from outside, the sunny weather was the perfect welcome to an early spring. “I wonder if peak bloom is going to be early this year.”
“You think so, Granny?” Emma's face brightened. Visiting the cherry blossoms had become one of their favorite shared traditions–they preferred to go first thing in the morning to beat the tourists. As much as she wanted to be more attuned to nature year round, Emma was terrified of critters and had been traumatized while picking apples one fall. Admiring from arm’s length was much more her speed.
“Maybe, assuming we don’t get one last cold front. We didn't have a very cold winter and we've had lots of sunshine and nice temperatures, so I think we might see some blossoms starting to open up in the next couple of weeks.” Granny Marion was a litmus test for so many things, but she'd been in DC long enough to have a feel for the weather and some of the big happenings around town.
“I am so ready for springtime to officially be here! We'll have to make sure that we plan to go down there once we figure out what day peak bloom is supposed to be.”
“Definitely, we have to uphold our tradition, although I may have some plans.”
“Plans? You gonna go on another trip with your friends?” Zora asked. Granny Marion had a squad of vintage singles that she liked to travel with. Most recently they came back from Fort Lauderdale. They had stayed at a hotel on the beach and enjoyed each other's company for an extended long weekend in the sunshine.
“We're trying to think of something. I don't know if it would happen that quickly, but you know I like to be a woman about town,” she said slyly.
“Okay Granny, I see you.” Emma pressed her index finger to Miss Marion’s, who giggled.
“You know, I just like to use this energy while I got it, because a certain someone still hasn't given me any great grandbabies.”
Zora's shoulders fell as she heaved out a breath, the hints of a smile playing at the corners of her lips. “Now Granny, we have been all up and through this.”
“I know, I know, and you found your person, and all I'm saying is that we already know that he's gettin’ them cheeks.” Marion shrugged. “Maybe you two should vary your positions more.”
“Granny,” Emma whispered, her eyes bugging as she dragged out the second syllable.
Zora's face turned a deep scarlet. “Not the cheeks…. Not the cheeks, Granny,” she started, her expression gagged as she tried to hold it together. “I don't even know what to say to that.”
“Well, if you're going to subject us to the sounds of your amorous behavior, then I suggest you narrate every once in a while. Paint the picture.” Granny gestured as if she were brandishing a paintbrush across a massive canvas.
How does she say some of this shit with a straight face? A fucking legend. Emma hid her face in her hands, cackling hysterically, a tear running down her cheek. “You never cease to amaze me, Ms. Marion. You are truly the elixir of life in human form. You give me life every single day, Granny.” She swiped at the corner of her eye with her knuckle.
“Well, we have to keep it interesting, my darling.”
“Anyway,” Zora's embarrassment was still apparent on her cheeks. “I was just wanting to ask you if you were really serious about giving up your rotation, or have you thought more about that?”
“Nuh-uh… don’t think we don’t see you changing the subject,” Emma teased, wagging her finger. “But yeah, it feels like the right time to switch things up. I feel like I'm too old to keep dealing with these dudes. You know, at my big age…”
“You’re not even nearing forty yet, so what big age?” Zora shook her head in confusion.
“I'm not forty, but I feel like I’ve matured. I mean, in part, I was keeping my rotation because I didn't want to catch feelings for somebody who wasn't actually ready. But if we’re being honest, I wasn’t ready either. The rotation was just a distraction. I was still healing, that’s all.”
“Bad breakups will do that to you,” Zora nodded. “I’m glad you are finally in a place to admit that.”
More than five years had passed since Emma’s last relationship. She’d fallen hard only to be ghosted and then ultimately dumped via text. Dani, Emma’s first love, had been scared away by her own feelings, believing that their mere presence meant that she had to commit to something that she wasn’t ready for. But Emma had no intention of rushing the process. Dani never gave Emma the chance to show that she was willing to wait.
After the breakup, Emma kept the shards of her heart compartmentalized for a long time, refusing to offer more than a delicate corner of her heart to any one person. Her rotation was built as a form of self-preservation, but she veered from dating women to avoid doing to one of them what Dani had done to her. Thank god for therapy.
Emma fiddled with her inventory tablet. “Timing is everything. In DC, it feels like it works against single women–we're trying to date people who want to stay single until they're, you know, silver and sexy. The last woman I even attempted to talk to was in her forties talkin’ bout ‘let’s be friends with benefits,’” she sighed. “I don’t have the energy for that anymore. I want to be all in. I'm not opposed to a silver and sexy person, but at the same time, like, I'm a pretty young thang. Surely somebody wants to wife me up.”
“Undoubtedly, my dear,” Granny responded, her ruby lips curving in approval. “Someone will snatch you up when it's right. There's no need to force it.”
“Exactly. But I also don't need to waste my time with things that aren't serving me anymore. And so that's why the guys are gone. They were decent guys, but I didn’t feel strongly enough to consider anything beyond casual dating.”
“Okay, I hear you,” Zora squeezed her shoulder. “Well, maybe at some point you will tell us what it is that you're looking for. We might know some people to introduce you to.”
Emma pressed her lips out to the side. The last few months–perhaps as Zora’s relationship grew stronger–Emma had become aware of a longing that lingered even when she was in the company of one of her dates. The dates were perfectly fine–they simply weren’t remarkable. Emma wanted extraordinary.
“Yeah, but no rush. For now, I'm going to nest a little bit once I have my new place and enjoy the fact that I'm living on my own and experiencing the luxury of not having to share the remote control or people accusing me of snoring,” she glared at Zora.
Zora smirked, “Listen, I'm only telling you the truth. We gotta get you a special pillow or something.”
“Come on, I only snore when I'm really, really tired and it's never that bad!”
Zora bit her lip and turned to look at her grandmother, who held up her hands and took a step back. “I didn't say nary a word. Grown folks' business is grown folks’ business and I’mma mind mine. I'll be over there with my favorite young man, getting some coffee, if you need me.” Granny sashayed towards the coffee kiosk to greet Brian.
“I'm telling you, your snoring is not just an occasional thing. Reid and I have heard you through the walls…”
“Well, if you can hear snoring through the walls, imagine all the things that I hear and consider minding your business?” Emma quirked an eyebrow at her best friend. The silence was loud.
“Oop!” Zora raised a church finger and saw herself back over to her office, while Emma continued to finish with the inventory.
“I do not snore all the time,” she muttered to herself.