Touch of Smoke: Four20 Bae

5. Sariya

sariya

. . .

The spring Pop UpShop at the community center was one of the annual events to take place in the neighborhood where she’d grown up. They were used as fundraisers for the center, to make up for the money that didn’t funnel down to them through the city’s budget. There were two pop up shops each year—spring and Christmas. And two candy drives; one at the beginning of the school year and another one the first of the year, those funds were earmarked specifically for summer programming.

Sariya knew all this because after years of volunteering at the center, she’d been asked to be on their planning committee. She’d agreed because her childhood held too many memories of this place to not want other children to share in its benefits.

The gym was filled with vendor tables, the scents of different food and treats from some of them making her stomach growl. She had a list of all the vendors so she knew exactly who was here today but in a little while she’d walk around and personally chat with as many of them as she could.

For now, though, she stood just behind the table where a few other volunteers were welcoming guests and giving them handouts about the center’s yearly programming as well as a map of the vendors on display.

“Hey,” Donyell said after she’d made her way around the guests, stopped at the table. “Sorry, I’m late. I had to wait for a furniture delivery at the lounge before I could head over here. Is your stuff in the back? I need to put these bags and my purse down, then I’ll be all yours.”

It occurred to Sariya while she listened to her friend talk just how much she and Ro resembled each other. They shared that same deep mocha complexion, the same expressive eyes and their love of talking. She’d lost count of how many times Donyell would hold an entire conversation with her, without Sariya having to say a word. Ro had that way about him too. Sariya had seen it more in the last two weeks since they’d been spending a lot of time together.

Initially, most of the time had been in meetings with another rep at his bank where they began to roadmap what her plan for the wellness center would actually look like. But that soon morphed into just as much time spent having quiet dinners at his home and breakfast in bed on Saturday mornings. Those had quickly become her favorite part of the week.

“Hey, you listening to me?” Donyell said nudging Sariya’s shoulder.

“Oh, yeah. Yeah, take your stuff on back to the supply room. That’s where I have my stuff all the way in the back inside that gray tub,” she told her.

Donyell narrowed her eyes at her, then said, “Okay. I’ll be right back and when I return, I’ve got a bone to pick with you.”

Oh boy, Sariya thought when Donyell walked away.

“Hey, baby,” Ms. Christine said a few minutes later when she arrived. “I’ve got more of those flyers you wanted for the church Mother’s Day concert.”

“Great, thanks. I’ll just put them over here on the table and they’ll hand them out when guests come in,” Sariya said and took the stack of papers from Ms. Christine.

When she returned to where the woman was still standing, she asked, “Where’s Mr. Ralph?”

“Oh, he said he might come along later. He ate something spicy down at the lodge last night so his stomach’s not acting right,” Ms. Christine said with a wave of her hand.

“Well, I don’t envy him that,” Sariya replied.

“What do you need me to do?” Ms. Christine asked. “I’m here to help.”

Sariya gave her the assignment of making the initial check-in with the vendors to see if they had everything they needed. When Donyell returned, Sariya would have her go up and down the block, handing out flyers for the event to the shops that remained in the neighborhood. So many had closed in the past few years, they almost had more vacant buildings than they had ones occupied, which wasn’t a good look for the community overall. But the shops that remained were owned by people who’d been brought up in this neighborhood too, so they were happy to help support the community center and its activities.

But when Donyell came out, she looked like she was ready to fight, or at least pull somebody up about something. Sariya hated that she thought that somebody was her.

“Okay, I need you to step over here for a minute,” Donyell said, not waiting for Sariya to agree or disagree, because she’d already pulled her by the side of her sweatshirt.

“I swear Ms. Christine birthed the bossiest children in the universe,” she mumbled as she came to a stop near one of the exit doors.

The event had started an hour ago and guests were really starting to pour in so that now the place was a buzz of activity and conversation. They had used somebody’s phone to hook to the speakers and old Motown tunes played softly throughout the space.

“What’s on your mind, Donyell?” Sariya asked because she knew that if Donyell had something to say, it was better to let her get it off her chest as quickly as possible. Then she could go on about her business. “And stop pulling on my clothes. I feel like that’s a form of assault,” she joked, but still frowned.

“Oh, I ain’t assaulted you yet, little miss keeping secrets,” Donyell said. She propped her hands on her hips and tilted her head. Her hair was in six cornrows with the length going down to just above her waist. The style always looked cute on her, but Sariya couldn’t wear cornrows, whichever stylist she had do them would always make them too tight and she could not stand that pain.

“Secrets? What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about where you’ve been most nights in the past couple of weeks,” Donyell said.

“I’ve been where I always am, home, church, my mother’s or your mother’s. Your house the third Sunday of the month because that’s when you make rice pudding and you know I don’t know how to make it for myself,” she replied.

Donyell narrowed her eyes. “Who is he?”

“Who is who?”

“The man who’s giving you some because you’ve also been glowing like a beacon when you strutted yourself into the sanctuary on Sunday morning.” Donyell pursed her lips knowingly as she waited for Sariya’s response.

In the past weeks Sariya had been existing in a bubble. At least that’s how she’d liked to think about the time she spent at Ro’s house. Nobody knew she was there because the only person who’d been to his house had been his parents. Donyell hadn’t even been there yet because he’d wanted to wait until he had a bit more furniture to have his first family function. Of course, she knew that he wasn’t sleeping on the streets, but Donyell was so busy running the lounge and taking care of her husband and her home, that she hadn’t given much thought to where Ro was sleeping.

“You act like I never get any,” Sariya replied. “And you’re also acting like you haven’t seen me in these past weeks when that’s not true either. Didn’t we have a whole lunch meeting Tuesday before last? When I told you about my business venture idea and asked you to help me with my business plan?”

“Yeah. Yeah,” Donyell said with a wave of her hand. “And come to think about it, you were looking different then too. So now I know it’s a guy. Who is he and when do I get to meet him?”

As if the heavens wanted to intervene and possibly give Sariya a minor heart attack, Ro picked that exact moment to arrive. She’d left him in his bed sleeping this morning. The sticky note she’d pressed to the top of his phone so he would see it as soon as he woke up simply said: No breakfast in bed this morning. ? It’s Pop Up Shop day. S.

“Mornin’ ladies,” he said and dropped an arm over Donyell’s shoulder. He kissed her on her forehead, then crossed to where Sariya stood.

She immediately took a step back and Ro frowned. He wore a brown sweatsuit and a fresh pair of pecan and white Nike Air Force 1’s.

“Hey, Ro,” Donyell said. She was about to say something else but then she looked from Ro to Sariya. “What’s going on here?”

“Nothing,” Sariya replied quickly.

Ro arched a brow. “Nothing?”

“Oh. My. Generations,” Donyell said and stepped closer to where Ro was now standing directly across from Sariya. “Wait a whole damn minute,” she continued, narrowing her eyes as this time she looked from Sariya to her brother, then back to Sariya again.

Sariya knew exactly how this looked, she knew because her stomach had plummeted and her cheeks were red hot. Ro took another step toward her, the look in his eyes daring her to move back again. And really, she didn’t want to move back, she wanted to run up out of this place and not stop until she was locked in her apartment.

She really had enjoyed that bubble she and Ro had been living in, but he’d made it perfectly clear that he wasn’t interested in a secret relationship. In reality, she wasn’t either. She’d grown up a lot in the years since their first encounter and a big part of what had worried her about them being together before, just didn’t matter now. Still, she would’ve liked to remain in their bubble just a little while longer. The more people who knew about them, the more opinions that would come flying their way and while Ro had a great ‘fuck you’ demeanor, Sariya’s still needed a little work.

“Good morning, Sariya,” he said when she, in fact, did not move away from him again.

She swallowed as he came even closer because she knew exactly what he was about to do. Since the night of Donyell’s party, they’d been greeting each other with a kiss. Ro didn’t plan for today to be any different.

“Good morning,” she hurriedly mumbled praying her words might throw off his intention.

That prayer clearly went unanswered because about three point five seconds after the words were spoken, Ro’s lips touched her lips.

“Oh. My. Generations,” Donyell said again and Sariya stiffened.

In all the time she’d known Donyell, she’d told her everything. Every secret surrounding her family, every crush, every insecurity, every dream, Donyell knew it and the same went for her where Donyell’s was concerned. But this one thing, the way she’d felt about Ro, had been Sariya’s secret alone. She’d never really known how Donyell would act if she knew that Sariya was pining away for her brother. Plus, Donyell gave every girl that Ro ever brought home a fit. Sariya had witnessed it and secretly cheered her friend on. Now, Sariya prayed she wouldn’t be on the receiving end of that treatment.

“It’s about damn time!” Donyell said, causing both Sariya and Ro to turn and look her way. “I thought you two were gonna go to the grave wanting each other, like some goofy star-crossed lovers in a book.” She laughed.

“What?” Sariya said.

Followed by Ro’s, “You’re not funny.”

“Oh, but I am,” Donyell continued through her chuckles. “You thought I didn’t notice you forgetting to knock and just barging into my room those times when she was there. But I saw your eyes immediately following her then, and whenever we were all together. Like you wanted to memorize her or something.”

“That’s enough,” he said. “What do you need me to do, Sariya? I’m free all day so I can hang out here.”

“Awww, ain’t that cute?” Donyell joked and Ro tossed her a glare before he tugged on one of her braids.

“Um, I,” Sariah stuttered, then cleared her throat. “Can you make sure all the signs have been brought out of the storage room and put out front? I saw one when I came in but I’m pretty sure we have two more that we usually put on each corner.”

“Got it,” he said, then leaned in to give her another quick kiss.

He stuck his tongue out at Donyell as he passed her and she swatted him in the back. An exchange Sariya had seen many times before growing up. Usually, it only made her long for a blood sibling. Today it made her feel like a complete jerk. There was no question that Donyell and Ro were close. It was no wonder Donyell had known exactly when her brother started noticing Sariya. Using that same logic, it would stand to reason that the secret she thought she’d been keeping from Donyell, wasn’t much of a secret at all.

“You know I’m pissed with you right?” Donyell said when they were alone.

Sariya dropped her head back and groaned. “How was I supposed to tell you I wanted to jump your brother’s bones? You would’ve cringed,” she said and looked at Donyell again. “Then you would’ve gotten angry and tried to beat my ass.” Donyell always had more mouth than Sariya and she hated the thought of messing up her face. Whereas Sariya had very little tolerance for mouthing off. She was a hit now, ask questions later kind of girl.

“Who? Me?” Donyell feigned innocence with a shake of her head and wave of her hand. “Girl, please. You know I didn’t want any of those other dirty ass girls with my brother, but you, I knew you were cool. So, the two of you together was always fine by me. It would make you like my real, real sister, cause we’re already close like sisters anyway.”

Sariya released a sigh of relief. “Really? How did you know I liked him?”

“You remember that weekend when he was home from college and he went out with his friends?” she asked. “And you stayed over my house so we could have a movie night. You didn’t pay attention to not one of those movies that you picked out. All you kept doing was watching that front door, waiting for Ro to bring his goofy self home. Then, when he did come home, we were already upstairs in bed. But you got out of bed and when I heard you and asked what was wrong, you said you had to pee. But when you got out into the hallway, you didn’t turn right to go to the bathroom, you went left toward Ro’s room.”

Embarrassed as if all of that had just happened, Sariya covered her face with her hands. She shook her head and groaned again, before letting her hands drop down to her sides. Ro was twenty-two then and she was fifteen. He was a senior in college and she was sophomore in high school. While way back in the day women were getting married at sixteen, to men who were whatever age, today’s society didn’t abide by those rules. So, there was no way Ralph Simmons was going to be okay with his grown son looking at a high school girl. And, Sariya’s mother, well, she hated boys and men alike, age didn’t really matter since she believed they were all trash. All of them except Sariya’s uncle of course, which was a different story entirely.

“I forgot the floor squeaked right outside his door,” she said. “Remember all those times he was in high school and was trying to sneak into the house after curfew? That floor always got him caught.”

“And we used to laugh and laugh because he never remembered to step around that one floorboard,” Donyell said.

Sariya recalled laughing on the outside but wanting to figure out a way to warn him against making the same mistake at the same time. She’d loved Ro for a very long time. “I thought he looked at me differently that night. The moment he snatched open his door and I was caught standing there. I’d really just gone out into the hall to get a glimpse of him again. When he opened that door, he hadn’t been wearing his shirt and I swear I almost fainted right there.”

“What?” Donyell cackled. “Girl, I would’ve died laughing if he had to carry your unconscious butt back into my room.”

Sariya rolled her eyes. “You know what? Ro, was right, you’re not funny.”

“Okay, okay. I’m sorry. I’m just really happy for the two of you,” she said. “And I’m really mad that you didn’t think you could trust me.”

“I know. I’m sorry. I just, all this is hard for me, you know.”

Donyell came closer and wrapped an arm around Sariya’s shoulder. “Yeah, I know. You don’t trust people or relationships easily because your mother doesn’t and she talks bad about everybody and everything. You know I know all about it,” Donyell said. “But listen, you’re an adult now and if you and Ro want to be together, it’s nobody’s business but yours. Whoever doesn’t like it can kick rocks.”

It wasthat thought which was still playing in Sariya’s mind three hours later when the last few vendors were packing up their things to leave. She was so tired, her feet hurt and she was hungry. She’d had a bowl of chili from her mother’s food table and two chunks of bread to go with it a while ago. And she’d visited the Sweet Tooth table multiple times to snag the most delicious brownies. She was chewing a bite of her third brownie when Donyell came over with her purse and bags.

“Okay, I’m gonna head out,” she told Sariya and then stared down at the brownie in her hand. “Is that an edible?”

Sariya stopped chewing. “A what?”

“An edible? You know, like with marijuana.”

Sariya did know what she was referring to but she hadn’t even considered that each time she made a return visit to the table. Now, she swallowed the piece that was in her mouth like it was a stone and stared down at what was left. “I don’t think so,” she replied.

“Girl, stop acting like you’ve consumed poison,” Donyell laughed. “I told you Mike and I are creating a smoke room at the lounge. You’re gonna be the first one I drag back there.”

“Stop scaring her,” Ro said coming up to put his arm around Sariya’s shoulders. “It’s a regular brownie, bae. She would’ve had to have some signage letting customers know if it was infused with anything.”

That made sense and she probably would’ve thought of that herself if Donyell hadn’t been so cruel with her taunts.

“You always were the girl scout,” Donyell said. “Although you could cuss like a sailor and fought like Laila Ali, you were still the good girl of our duo.”

“Both of you better had been the good girls,” Ro warned.

“I’m leaving now,” Sariya’s mother said as she stepped up to where they were standing. One hand was on the rolling cart she pulled behind her and the other held a huge shopping bag that Sariya knew contained all the utensils, napkins and containers her mother had used today at her food table.

At forty-five years old, Kim Abbott still looked as young as her only daughter. She should since she’d had Sariya when she was fifteen. Curtis McKinney or the sperm donor as Kim often referred to him as, had been eighteen and had quickly told Kim she was on her own with the baby.

“Let me help you with that, Ms. Kim,” Ro said, immediately dropping his arm from around Sariya and going to grab the bag from her mother’s hand.

“Thanks,” she said tightly. “But I think I can manage.”

“Nah, I’m not gonna watch you struggle with all this. I’ll carry it out to your car,” Ro insisted.

“She said she don’t need your help,” a familiar male voice said and Sariya groaned inwardly.

Ro looked up to see Sariya’s uncle approaching them.

Lawrence Abbott was the same age as Ro and for a while the two of them had been good friends. Now, not so much.

“Good, you’re back,” Kim said and handed her brother the bag Ro had just been trying to help her with. “Sariya, will I see you for dinner tomorrow?”

Ro had suggested they head across the Bay bridge to one of the seafood restaurants and enjoy some pre-season crabs tomorrow after church. He didn’t look at her to see if she remembered their date or not. His gaze was locked with Uncle Larry’s.

“No,” she said. “I already have plans for tomorrow, but I’ll stop by one day this week.”

“How do you have plans when you’re unemployed?” Kim asked. “You should be saving every bit of the money in your savings to take care of your bills until you find another job.”

This was an old conversation, one Sariya definitely did not feel like having here of all places. “My bills are fine, Mama,” she said. “You don’t have to worry about me.”

“No,” Ro spoke up then. “You don’t have to worry about her.”

“What did you just say?” Uncle Larry asked, taking a step closer to where Ro stood.

Logistically, Ro was still standing to Sariya’s right. Donyell was standing to her left. Her mother was across from her and when Uncle Larry had approached, he’d stopped across from Donyell, but close enough to her mother so he could take the bag from her. Now, when he moved it had been in Ro’s direction and Donyell whispered, “Ahhh shit.”

Sariya might have whispered the same, but she was more concerned with getting in front of this situation before it quickly went downhill.

“I said she’s taken care of,” Ro answered, just as she stepped in front of him.

“What he means is that I’m fine, just like I told you I am,” she said, her heart hammering in her chest. “So, I’ll come by to see you one day this week, Mama.”

Kim stared at Sariya, disappointment, disapproval, or some combination of both in her lighter brown eyes. “Whatever you say,” Kim replied. “Call before you come.”

After that curt directive, Kim grabbed Larry’s arm and tugged him away. Donyell let out an exaggerated breath. Ro grabbed Sariya by the arm, spinning her around until she faced him. “Don’t you ever do that shit again,” he said tightly, his gaze furious as he stared down at her.

“Do what?” she asked and eased her arm out of his grasp. “Talk to my mother.”

His lips thinned. “No. Step in front of me and Larry, or any dude for that matter. I don’t need protection, Sariya.”

“I wasn’t protecting you,” she said realizing his ego had been bruised. “I just didn’t want something to pop off here unnecessarily.”

“Oh, it wouldn’t have been unnecessarily. Your uncle’s a bitch-ass and always has been. So, all you just did was prolong the inevitable,” he said.

“Y’all should be over that juvenile stuff by now,” Donyell said.

“I am over it,” Ro replied. “It’s Larry who’s still carrying the grudge and your mother who’s still defending him. But I’m not worried about any of that. I’m more concerned with you. So, I’m gonna say this one more time and I want you to get this through your stubborn ass skull—don’t get between us again.” He looked away from her then. “I’m going to make sure these other vendors get to their cars safely. Get your stuff so we can lock up and go.”

With that he walked away as defiantly as her mother and uncle had moments ago. When they were alone again, Donyell said. “See, don’t you wish that brownie was an edible right about now?”

When she only glared at Donyell, her friend who Sariya suspected had possibly consumed an edible or three of her own today, chuckled again.