Melanie kissed her cheek and squeezed her once again.
“English, I know what kind of woman you are. You like to be in control. I wouldn’t say you give a damn about controlling other people, but as far as your life is concerned, yeah, you want to run that, and run it well. I admire how you set goals and meet them. You’re the lady that’s calm and always has the answers. I call you about so many things, and if you don’t know, you always help me find out. I ain’t never have somebody stalk me like this, so I’m not going to even pretend I know what you’re going through. Hell, even when I was a dancer and the occasional crazy guy would try to do some weird shit, it never got to this level. You’re my girl, and I wish you would’ve told me. I know I already said that, but… I could’ve been there for you is all, just like you’ve been there for me.”
The two just sat there hugging one another tight. They were two different women. Totally different lives, backgrounds and interests. What drew them together was their strength. Melanie’s buzzer rang. They both got to their feet, then Melanie made her way over to the camera.
“It’s Legend. He borrowed some video game equipment from me. Damn, he got here fast.” She laughed as she pushed the button. English returned to the couch and plopped down. “Come on up.” Moments later, English was staring at a doppelgänger for Roman Reigns, only with freckles, 365 natural jet black waves, and piercing light hazel eyes.
“You look like Roman Reigns.” She blurted out her thoughts.
“People tell him that all the time, but he doesn’t see it,” Melanie said with a laugh. “I think he does, too.”
Sporting motorcycle gloves, he went to place a cardboard box he was carrying down on the floor by the door, and stared at her.
“Why are you looking at English like that?!”
“She’s cute. Why else?!”
“That’s Axel’s girlfriend, the one you’ve been helping behind the scenes, so don’t do no disrespectful shit and try to hit on her.” Melanie pushed him, but he barely budged. “He’s a damn pervert, English. Watch out.”
“This is my first time seeing her,” the big man said, and then, he burst out laughing so hard, he turned red in the face. English mustered a smile amid her confusion.
“What’s so funny?” she asked with a smile.
Legend grabbed his phone from his pocket, keeping his eye on her as he dialed someone, putting them on speakerphone.
“AXEL!”
“What?” she heard her boyfriend reply on the other end.
“Maaaan! You ain’t tell me English was a lil’ chocolate drop!” Now he was laughing hysterically, almost toppling over. English grimaced, though the man’s laugh was actually quite funny within itself. “You’ve crossed over again to the dark side. Does yo’ racist, Skeletor, Crypt Keeper, White Walker lookin’ ass daddy know about this shit?!” he teased. “I remember old man Tommy told me to turn my jungle music off, called me a nigger lovin’ wigger, then offered me a beer. You cussed his ass out. Good times, man!”
“Legend, I’m busy. Do you actually want something, asshole?”
“You just can’t leave the sistas alone, huh? I keep catching you with ’em, man! You’re out of control, but at least you have good taste. English over here at my sister’s spot lookin’ like a snack.” The man winked at her, and she scowled.
“I know she’s there, and sadly I see she had to meet you today, too.”
“You should have told me, man. This is good shit.”
“I didn’t realize I had to run my datin’ life past you first. Are you the interracial courting police? You’re mixed your damn self. You’re not even Black. You’re half White and half Puerto Rican, so why you feel the need to—”
“Man, I done told you a million times that Puerto Rican is not a race. I get so damn tired of tellin’ people this.” Legend’s brows rutted. “And besides, I have a little African in me, on my father’s side. My half-brother, Sutani, you remember him, he took one of those DNA ancestry tests. He has like seven percent African, so that means I probably do, too.”
“A lot of Puerto Ricans have African blood, Axel.” Melanie called out from the kitchen. “Even those of us who look White—it doesn’t mean we are. Our father calls himself White, but his great-grandmother was Sudanese.”
“Legend, thank you for the ancestry lesson, and for letting me know you approve of my Black girlfriend… like I give a shit what you think. If I find out you were flirting with her, I’m gonna rip your tongue out of your mouth. I gotta go. You know I’m working. Make sure you’re on time tomorrow. You were fourteen minutes late yesterday.”
“Is this the part where you call me Toby, and tell me Toby is a good name?”