The trip to the club was short , and fortunately Megan was able to get away with only a little small talk with Erica. She didn't want to get too deep with personal information, for fear that Tanishas friend might think something was wrong. It worked for the most part until Erica turned the conversation to Rodrick.
" Girl I don't get why you won't just hook up with Rodrick. I know that if that Chocolate Hercules looked at me like how he looks at you I would let him do anything he wants." Erica said as she pulled into the parking lot of the Lucky Sevens Club.
Meg knew it was true. Rodrick is a very desirable man, the handsome , broad shoulders , and well sculpted type of man that most women flock to. Only knowing what Tanishas memories tell her about the man was enough to make Megans new body tingle, but Tanishas memories also warn that Rodrick was a playa and really only interested in one thing. " Erica!" Megan said in a scolding tone, " We both know he's a playa. Ain't no good gonna come from trying to hook up with him." she said as she stepped out of the car.
As Erica locked up the little Ford coupe, she said " I know that Nisha. All I'm sayin is if you looking to have a little fun an he lookin to have some fun... why not have some fun together?"
Meg stared at Erica giving her an accusatory smile, and finally responded. " You so baaadddd Erica. Behave yourself." before giggling as she and her friend approached the bouncer at the door.
The bouncer, who looked more like a well dressed professional wrestler , saw the girls and said " Nisha...Erica...where you ladies been. I haven't seen you in weeks." as he gave each of them a hug.
Erica responded for the both of them, saving Megan the trouble of trying to pluck the bouncers name from Tanishas memories. " Ronnie, you know we are some busy ladies. How are you? How are Sharona and the baby? "
" We're all good Erica. Thanks for asking. You ladies should drop by and see Sharona sometime. She would be grateful to have a conversation with someone older than two. Sometimes I think she is gonna go crazy not having an adult around while I am working." Ronnie replied.
" I bet , " Erica says as Ronnie removes the red velvet rope from across the entrance. " I know I would too!" she finishes with a laugh.
Megan just smiles politly and states " Being a stay at home mom is a full time job in itself!" attempting to add to the conversation.
Erica just stares at Megan as if she had grown a second head. " How would you know Nisha? You ain't got any kids."
Megan couldn't keep the shock off her face as she realized she had accidently given out a piece of information about her old life and not her new one. Quickly recovering she responded with, " I got a little taste of it on my last trip to Zambia. Ife, the leader of the tribe I stayed with , had me watch the children of the village for a couple of days while the other women took care of the chores. I'll tell you that was enough to make me want to pull my hair out." she finished laughing.
" I bet it did. I would love to hear more stories about Africa one day when you have time. Everybody talks about going back to the Motherland, but you are the only one I know who actually did Nisha. " Ronnie said as he waved Megan and Erica through.
" I'll do that Ronnie, " Megan answered as she followed Erica through the door. Once inside Megan was experiencing culture shock as she looked around. She knew some people who frequented this club, old high school friends, and had even been invited here by a few of them. She heard plenty of stories from them about this place, but this is the first time she had ever been here. It would not have been a good idea to come here in her old body, even if she was with friends. She had been ingrained by her friends and family to stay out of this part of town.
As far as niceness, the club was clean, and lit properly. Some areas had good lighting , and others had dim corners for personal conversations. Everyone here was well dressed, and clean looking, and Black. It only confirmed what she had been told growing up. This is no place for a White girl.But now, Megan smiled as she realized, she is no longer a White girl... she was as Black as everyone here, and was proud of it. It was as if Megan had truly found her people.
Megans could feel all of the predatory looks her body recieved as she had unconsciously began to dance a slow rythem to the booming bass and hard rap that was coming from the stage, something she would never do in her old life. She didn't even like rap. But now it was almost as if it spoke to her soul. At first she thought that everyone there knew she wasn't who she said she was, that she was as White girl pretending to be Black, but smiled brightly when she realized that they were only giving appreciative looks to the finest Sistah in da' club.
With that thought , all of Megans inhibitions were thrown out the window as she followed Erica to the bar. Just as she placed an order for a Blue Valium, she felt a presence behind her and heard a deep masculine voice tell the bartender, " Put all her drinks on my tab. Her money is no good here."
Megan quickly turned around to protest, but stopped when she saw the man she had already seen a couple of times in Tanishas memories. It was the elusive Rodrick, and he looked better than Tanisha thought he did.
" How you doin Nisha. I was hoping you would come out tonight." He said before adding. " When are you finally going to let me take you out?"
" When you going to stop tyin ta play games and be straight with me?" Megan quickly responded, having already gone through all of Tanishas memories about the man. It was a good thing she had, because Tanisha apparently loved to play word games with the man while keeping him at arms distance. It was some kind of power struggle the two played with each other to figure out who would be the dominant one in any possble relationship.
" Oh come on Tanisha. I can't be any more straight with you than I am right now. I am payin for all of your drinks tonight, and I've asked you out. You and I could be THE power couple around these parts, and I am tired of playing games with you. I want to be with you , I know you want to be with me, so why don't we go someplace and figure it out?" He said almost , but not quite , pleadingly.
As the bartender handed Megan her drink she thought about what Rodrick said. It looked like the real Tanisha had already broken the man and now Megan was going to reap the rewards of her hard work. Taking as large drink of her cocktail Megan smiled and said " You know what? ..." pausing to make Rodrick sweat a little, " ... Pay our tab, and let me tell Erica I'm gone. We can go back to my place and talk.
" Aightt! " He said as he perked up, and kissed her. " See you outside Nisha."
With that Megan set out to try to find her friend, finally coming across her sitting with a few other women, one of which Meg recognized from high school.
" Hey Shamikah? " Megan said trying to get the girls attention.
" Whats up Nisha?" Shamikah asked.
" You went to Portside didn't ya?" Meg asked already knowing she did. She had fond memories of Shamikah during that time.
" Yeah I did. Why?" Shamikah asked.
" Do you remember a girl named Megan Johns?" Meg asked , curious about what Shamikah remembered about her. It had been nearly ten years since the two had seen each other.
" Yeah I do. She was aight, for a racist cracka. How come? " Shamikah asked.
" Oh I was just wondering. " Meg replied surprised that her friend thought she was a racist. " She had sent me a job application, and it stated she went to Portside. I was just doing a little background check."
" From what I remember she was a hard worker, but she is White, and raised by Whites. I don't believe she ever meant to be racist but she was, you know like all White people are.Generally a good person, but I don't think she knew what she was applying for if she asked you for a job. She wouldn't be caught dead in this side of town." Shamikah added.
Megan thought about it for a moment and realised Shamikah was right. Megan had spent less than ten hours as a Black woman, and that was all it took for her to see how racist she actually was... even without meaning to be.
" Thanks Shamikah. I will keep that in mind." Megan said as she turned her attention to Erica.
" Hey Erica...." Meg said as she got her friends attention, " I'm gone. Don't wait for me."
" What already! We just got here!" Erica said in shock. " Why?"
" I decided to take a friends advice." Meg replied with a wink before redirecting her attention to Rodrick as he waited for her by the door. Erica followed Megans gaze, and the answer was apparent.
" Good for you girl! Have fun. I'll call you tomorrow." Erica replied with a huge smile.
" Not too early though! " Megan laughed and Erica agreed joining in.
" Yeah not too early! Haha!"
Megan gave Erica a hug and then waved bye to the rest of the group before leaving and going up to Rodrick and lacing her arm around his as they left the club.
