Page 6 of Throw Away the Key
“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 certainsomeonestill 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 ina 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 theprocess. 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.
