Thursday, November 12, 2009

Promise In the Dark...

Jazz was in a funk. She was angry. She was frustrated. She was confused. Ever since the encounter with Mason left her hanging, she hadn't been her normal self. It had been years since another person, a man, had this type of affect on her. All of the emotions she was feeling just left her uneasy about the simple things in life. She couldn't eat. Her job performance wasn't up to par. She tried to drink her feelings away, but, for some reason, unbeknownst to her, she couldn't shake the thought of Mason. She even talked about the encounter with her closest girlfriend Dee, who offered the best advice she could. Girl, just get over it. You'll never see him again. If he wanted to know more about you than he would not have left you hanging. Jazz reluctantly agreed with Dee, trying to convince herself that she was right. But, deep down, Jazz knew there was more. She just didn't know what.

There were times in Jazz's life that she was pretty much a loner. Eating alone, going out alone, living alone. However, recently Jazz had been hanging around her closest girlfriends quite often. She did this to keep her mind from wandering, thinking about Mason. Her mother always told her that when you've got something on your mind that you just can't shake, your good girlfriends are the perfect antidote. They keep you laughing, smiling, fed, and there's always liquor involved. Jazz had six close girlfriends, one living in Georgia.

It was Halloween night and Jazz, Dee, Kelly, and Shannon decided to go out. None of them were particularly interested in dressing for the occasion, however, they thought it would be fun to watch everyone else in their costumes. They headed to an area of downtown called Middle Peak. Middle Peak is an area that catered to the upper-middle class yuppies. They went to this area because it was always live, fun, and cheap. They saw all kinds of costumes down there. A couple dressed as matching robots made out of boxes, a man with a shirt that said "sperm bank" with an arrow pointing to his penis. Fred and Wilma were out, as well as Barney and Betty. The most odd but welcoming thing about this area was the crowd control. Everyone came out in peace, to have a good time. They were even supplied with Port-a-Pottys. That's something you'd never get in the hood.

After the girls found a parking spot, they made their way through the crowd to a lounge bar called Jonathan Roberts, or JR's. It was a small lounge with over-priced drinks, a mixed crowd of young and old hood rats with jobs fronting like they have money, chics out looking for their next sugar daddy, and people just there to observe. Jazz was there just to have fun with her girlfriends and have a couple of drinks. She wasn't too big on dancing so she had a few drinks and just sat and observed the crowd. There were a couple of young girls in there who had one too many drinks and were oblivious to the show they created. Jazz instantly felt like an old lady after seeing these two girls. She wanted to snatch them by their fake hair and scold them like their mother, telling them to behave like ladies and to put some clothes on because that dimply ass that was hanging out for the world to see was not cute. But, Jazz just kept her thoughts to herself, shaking her head, drinking the last of her apple tuaca bomb.

Jazz was bobbing her head to the song blaring on the speakers, "Before I Let Go," when she turned her head in the direction of the front door...she sat frozen, her heart skipping three beats. Mason walked in with two other tall men. He was smiling his beautiful, brilliant smile, walking with a stride that was made only for him. His bald head reflected in the dull light of the bar, enhancing his good looks he must have inherited from his Father. Mason was gorgeous, inviting, sinful. Jazz immediately felt a shot from her spine to her pink kitty, sitting up to ride it out. Mason had no clue she was there, but he would soon find out.

Mason stood at the bar ordering drinks for him and his friends. Jazz got up from the couch she was sitting on, adjusted her clothes, and made her way to the bar herself. Before she left she asked the girls what they wanted from the bar to save them a trip. The bar was a little crowded, but Jazz found a spot a few chairs down from Mason. After she ordered her drinks, she waited a minute or two, then turned to walk away when she felt a hand around her arm. She turned around and it was Mason. She hesitated, took a deep breath. Mason, how are you, she said. Mason flashed that amazing smile of his and asked her the same, each one of them looking into the others eyes as if to say, I miss you, I want you. Mason took Jazz's free hand into his, squeezed...holding on.

Jazz melted instantly. She couldn't even hide it. This incredible man finally stepped back into her world, something she'd been waiting for...impatiently. She knew, at that moment, she'll never let him go. She hardly knew this man, but something in the back of her mind, she knew he was her soul mate, she knew he was supposed to belong to her. Temperature's rising, and Jazz found it very hard to keep her composure. They stood there admiring each other, unaware of their surroundings. They knew there was something between them, something genuine, something real. They both placed their glasses on the bar, still hand in hand, and walked out of the bar into the night. The darkness was theirs, they owned it...Jazz and Mason. Until next time....