Lesson Learned

A cool autumn wind blew through the parking lot, rustling the pile of multicolored leaves that had gathered by the curb. The lot was nearly empty except for a few cars pulled together, music playing through the open doors. A small group of studs and femmes mingled around the vehicles discussing the argument happening in front of them. It wasn't often such a spectacle was viewed in a public setting. Sloan had to admit the scene seemed cut out of a low budget movie. She looked around at the disgusted looks in the mixed crowd. Some were snickering at Sloan's attempt to save face as her girlfriend delivered her angry monologue.

Rhea was a few feet from Sloan expressing her displeasure of the entire situation. She had brought her whole crew of chicks on her mission of intrigue and all of them directed smug looks towards Sloan. Rhea stood with her arms crossed her breasts and a wide stance that Sloan found very erotic. Instead of relaying this thought that would likely piss her off more, Sloan mutely nodded to the accusations Rhea hurled at her. Sloan knew she fucked up. With her hands deep in her pockets, she tried looking pitiful to gain some empathy. It didn't work. Rhea shook her head at the forlorn expression and stared beyond Sloan toward the cars sitting at the traffic light. The bright florescent streetlights illuminated Rhea's smooth skin and a gust of wind ruffled her braids. Rhea looked so much more beautiful to Sloan than she was already.

"As long as you know you fucked up." Rhea's eyes were hard. "I'm through fussing. I'll talk to you on Monday."

Sloan panicked. Today was Wednesday. "Monday?"

Rhea gave her a bored look. "Yes, Monday."

"Okay."

"Okay."

Sloan walked away watching Rhea from the corner of her eye. Rhea's legs attacked the pavement; her steps were determined to lengthen the distance between them. She continued to stand there as Rhea slid in the car with her entourage and drove off without a backwards glance. Today was Wednesday. Sloan turned to her own band of misfits and tried to keep the worry out of her eyes. Yes, she was just punked in public by her woman but it could be worse. Kayla exhaled acrid smoke from her cigar and shook her head at Sloan.

"Damn Sloan. Maybe you should have answered the phone."

"Shut the fuck up, Kayla."

#

Thursday morning arrived roughly, mixed with a headache. Four days of not seeing or talking to Rhea was unbelievable. For the past few months, they had constant contact either on the phone or in person. It had been a restless night of one phrase that echoed in Sloan's head. Should she call her? Sloan stumbled into the bathroom to scrub last night's remnants of weed and beer from her mouth. The thought occurred to Sloan that Rhea could be testing her. After fucking up this bad, she didn't want to add to her sentence. But then again, she didn't want to irritate Rhea any further. Sloan called her in a moment of weakness. Rhea finally answered after the tenth voicemail pleading for her to pick up the phone.

"I'm really angry with you right now. I just don't think I can see you for a few days." Rhea had said.

"Monday is more than a few days. That's four days." Sloan answered with a feeble attempt at charm.

"Well, that's how angry I feel, Sloan. Don't you think I have that right? All you had to do was answer the fucking phone." She wasn't impressed.

"I know, Baby." was all Sloan said.

"I know, Baby." Rhea mocked. "That's all you have said to me. How about telling me why you didn't answer the phone."

Sloan was quiet. She didn't think it was a good idea telling Rhea that she just didn't feel like answering the phone.

"Once again, no answer. So what did you call me for, Sloan? What's the use of going over the same bullshit we said earlier?" Sloan's lack of an explanation further demoted her on Rhea's list of favorites. "I can just imagine you sitting there among all your little stud friends while I'm blowing up your phone. Did you laugh about it with them?"

"Of course not, Rhea." Sloan exclaimed.

"Oh, that question you can answer." She fumed.

Sloan shook her head. There was no talking her way out of this one. She listened to Rhea's monologue of how she had worried about her safety when Sloan didn't answer only to find out from her friend Cristal that Sloan was hanging with her stud, Kayla. What angered Rhea so much is that she had called all around the fucking world to find out if anyone had heard from Sloan. Now the whole fucking world knew that Sloan was deliberating disrespecting her. Sloan didn't want to mention that Rhea had brought the whole fucking world with her to the club.

"You know what, I told you I was done fussing about it. I'm trying to get a good night's sleep now that I know that the person who is supposedly in love with me is safe." Rhea didn't mind adding that last log to the fire. "I'm going to bed, Sloan. Wait for me to call you. I need some space."

Sloan stared at the phone. She found solace in a few blunts and finally passed out on the couch in front of the television. The fact that Rhea was angry shouldn't have surprised her. Sloan had yet to come up with a viable story as why she didn't answer the phone. Damn Kayla and Cristal. Rhea's sidekick was always offering advice on relationships when her own was less than perfect. Kayla stepped out on Cristal on a regular basis. The best way to greet the morning was with a fresh cup of coffee. Sloan would have a cup and figure out a way to get back into Rhea's good graces. By the time she was into her fourth cup, the caffeine kicked in and her mind shuffled through the obvious solutions. Flowers always brightened up a bad mood. Sloan was on her way to the computer to place an order when her cell phone rang. She ran to her bedroom and made a grab for it. It skidded across the nightstand to the floor and underneath the bed. Sloan cursed as she reached for the now offensive object.

"This Sloan."

"Sloan? Are you coming?" Her mother's shrill voice came in loud and clear.

"Huh? Coming to what, Ma?" Sloan tried to hide her irritation. She was hoping it was Rhea.

"To your brother's for Thanksgiving."

Sloan stood up abruptly. "Thanksgiving?"

"Did I wake you up?"

"No, Ma. I wasn't asleep. I'm coming." Sloan felt stupid. It was Thanksgiving. She wasn't going to see Rhea today anyway. Their relationship didn't involve visiting the in laws during the holidays just yet. Motivated with caffeine and renewed hope, Sloan jumped in the shower and prepared for a day of football, food, and family. She would be just fine. Rhea would call tomorrow. In the mean time, she would take solace in familial love.

Sloan arrived late and everyone was already sitting down to a huge country meal. She passed through the crowd of uncles, aunts, and cousins as she made her way to the kitchen for a plate. Since there wasn't enough room at the large dining room table, relatives perched wherever they could. Sloan hugged her mother who chided her for her tardiness and commented on weight that she was sure Sloan had lost. Ma rewarded her with a plate heaping with honey ham, turkey, cornbread dressing, collard greens, sweet potatoes with marshmallow topping, and green beans. Sloan scored a spot on the stairs and dug into the comfort food. Hunger satisfied, she mingled in with the family checking her phone about every thirty minutes for Rhea's call.

"I'm surprised you haven't worn the silver off that fancy phone." Sloan's brother, Eric, teased.

"Man, Eric. Why are you in my business?" She tried to play it off.

"Stop frontin'. You still stepping out with that chocolate cutie?" He smiled.

Bristling, Sloan said, "Yeah, so what?"

"So what? Did you fuck up?"

"What makes you think I fucked up? Maybe she fucked up." She was defensive.

"I bet she isn't checking her phone every half hour." Eric shot back.

How long had he been watching? Sloan moved to walk away. "Eric, leave me alone."

"Wait, wait. Let me give you some advice, Baby Sis." He stopped Sloan. "She wants to teach you a lesson."

"What are you talking about? She's just mad at me." Sloan looked at Eric and the second head he grew.

"Hear me out. Have you tapped it yet?" Eric asked.

"Are we really having this conversation?" She shook her head.

Her brother refused to be blown off. "Have you?"

"Yeah, so what?"

"Was it good?"

Sloan couldn't stop the grin. "Shit. Yeah, yeah it was. She had me so hot that afternoon, we lasted until morning."

"Well, there you go right there."

"What genius? Spit it out."

"Your Godiva bunny knows she can control you with sex. And she wants to make sure you know it." He hit me in the shoulder.

A light bulb clicked on, but she was still doubtful. "How do you know?"

"I fuck up too." Shrugging, he continued, "But when you do the make up nasty, you make sure she knows whose running that shit. She can control you with pussy. Give her that power. In the long run, you'll find that it is a small price to pay."

#

Later Sloan awoke from a turkey-induced coma, curled up on the couch with a massive pit bull sitting on her head. The slap of dominos against a wooden table beckoned and she pushed the furry animal off to join the table of shit talkers. The evening air crept up and family began to disperse. Sloan stood in the farewell line with her parents and brother, constantly aware of her silent phone. The parental unit exited soon after and Eric broke out a nice, fat sack of Mary Jane. He lit one end of a sweet smelling blunt, letting the smoke filter through his nose and mouth. It was almost ethereal to see the first exhalation of a fresh blunt.

Passing it to his sister, he asked, "She call yet?"

"No." Sloan answered stiffly. She didn't want to think about it.

"What did you do?"

Sloan hesitated. The whole situation still seemed a little silly to her. "Well, we got into it over something minor. I went out and didn't answer my phone when she called. She was worried."

"Thought something had happened?"

"Yeah. She called a few of my friends. She told me I was selfish and inconsiderate."

Eric nodded. "She must really love you."

"Is that what that is? She loves me so much she doesn't want to talk to me until Monday."Sloan was doubtful.

"That's part of teaching you a lesson."

"How do you know so much? What makes you an expert?"

"I didn't say I was an expert. I've just been in your situation before. I have been dating women longer than you." He slapped a domino, scoring fifteen points. "You know you can't handle this!"

"Whatever." Sloan blamed her lack of concentration on Rhea. "What's all this teaching me a lesson shit? I'm not a child."

"What made you not answer the phone?" Eric asked.

"Shit, I'm practically at her beck and call. When she wants to go to the club, shopping, or hanging at her house, she runs the schedule. I wanted a few minutes to be me." She fumed.

"Did you tell her that?"

"No. She wouldn't have listened anyway."

"But you don't know that. Seems like your actions are a little childish, Baby Sis." Eric scored again off the bone Sloan had played.

Sloan accepted the invitation to stay the night. She refused to go home and pine for Rhea. Her dreams were scattered and fitful, causing hours of staring at the ceiling and thinking of Rhea. Friday morning arrived too quickly and Sloan took leave of her brother. She stopped home long enough to shower and was back in the streets within forty-five minutes. It occurred to Sloan that while she gained needed space, the cost was a little high. She hadn't expected Rhea's reaction. With no plans for the day, Sloan drove aimlessly until she passed a self-serve car wash. Sloan found overdue solace as she buffed a brilliant shine out of the chrome. She brushed and vacuumed every crevice of the interior until there wasn't a speck of dust or dirt. This was something Sloan could control. Kayla was waiting on Sloan's doorstep when she pulled up. She followed Sloan across the threshold, the daily gossip dripping from her lips. Sloan didn't care who else had a fucked up relationship.

Kayla finally got around to the most popular topic of the holiday. "Rhea call you yet?"

Sloan couldn't escape it. "Man, can we talk about something else?"

"Cristal did some shit like that to me when we first got together. Drove me nuts." Kayla rambled.

Sloan shook her head. The worse part about being a couple was the gossip with other couples. "Really?"

"Yep. Rhea pulling that same bullshit. Cristal wouldn't talk to me for a few days or answer my calls. All I heard was how much I had disrespected her." She shrugged. "Worst few days of my life."

Sloan was slightly interested. "Cristal did all that, huh?"

"Yeah, later she said she had to teach me a lesson. Soon as I got back in good, I tore that pussy up for holding out." Kayla nodded enthusiastically. "I suggest you do the same."

Sloan didn't mention it was advice she already received. "Is that so?"

"Yep." She stood and stretched. "How about we hit the club tonight?"

"I don't think so, Kayla."

"Aww come on. Cristal is still out of town at her parents."

Sloan laughed at the pitiful look. "I might as well. I have nothing else to do."

Much later as she moved through the crowd, Sloan regretted her decision. She and Rhea met at this club. Rhea was out with Cristal and Kayla that night, flirting with all the single studs. Sloan won the ensuing cockfight and walked away with Rhea's phone number. Their first kiss happened here too. Sloan stared at the dark corner she backed Rhea into that unforgettable evening. Then on a night not too long ago, the excitement of new love overtook them, begging for release. They barely made it to the backseat of Sloan's SUV before racing to Rhea's apartment. Sloan remembered the way Rhea teased her just right. She imagined Rhea's tongue sucking her earlobe. While ordering another beer, a slow grinding song played and she groaned. This song was included on the CD mixed especially for Rhea. So far, they played it every time they had sex.

Sloan could admit she was wrong in not answering the phone but Rhea was completely shutting her out. How was this going to fix anything? Communication was the only way they were going to solve the problem. Sloan suspected that Rhea had hatched this plan with Cristal's help. There was too much outside interference in their relationship. The more Sloan thought about it the angrier she became. Then it happened. Her phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hey Baby." Rhea's voice purred, smooth as cream. "You miss me?"

"Fuck yeah, I miss you. I need to see your ass. We need to talk." This might not have been the best tactic but Sloan couldn't help it.

"Sloan."

"Yeah, Baby." Sloan stiffly replied, still angry.

"Come get me. I'm on the patio."

Sloan was already on the move. Kayla had set her up. "You're here at this bar, on the patio?"

"Yes."

She stopped at the double doors and scanned the large crowd of women. "Where?"

"Find me." Rhea giggled.

"Damn it, Rhea. I'm not in the mood for games."

She sighed. "Turn to your right, Sloan. I'm sitting at the table."

Sloan didn't hang up until she saw Rhea, vaguely aware of Cristal and Kayla sitting at the table. "I need to talk to you. Come with me."

Rhea gave Sloan her hand. Sloan pulled her back through the club and out the front door. She was half way to her SUV before asking Rhea, "Did you drive?"

"No, I rode with Cristal. Could you slow down? I'm not running to keep up with you." She replied.

Sloan mumbled apologies and slowed down. She unlocked the passenger side but backed Rhea up against the door before helping her inside. Sloan kissed her and it felt like the first time she had ever felt Rhea's lips. Sloan grabbed her ass and grinded into her. Rhea's nails dug into her arms. She had missed this intimacy with Sloan. Rhea leaned into her, finding comfort in Sloan's embrace. However, when Sloan's fingers found the hem of her skirt, Rhea broke the kiss.

"Not here, Daddy. Let's go to my house."

That was at least forty-five minutes away. "Let's go to a hotel."

"Sloan." Rhea swatted her hand from her crotch. "I am not going to a hotel without extra clothes looking like a whore the next morning."

"Fuck." Sloan sighed. "Okay."

Rhea straightened her clothes and stepped up into the seat. She was reapplying tinted lip-gloss as Sloan slid in. There was something very erotic about that little cotton wand gliding across those full, sexy lips. Rhea was going to make her work. Sloan didn't want to work. She wanted to get to the making up part.

"I better text Cristal before she worries about us. You know, that is the responsible thing to do." Rhea's arrow struck home.

"Rhea, I apologize for worrying you the other night. I should have called you." Sloan said.

"Or you could have answered my calls." She replied. "You scared me, Sloan. All I could think was the worse because you always answer my calls."

Sloan didn't have a reply as she maneuvered through late night traffic. Her brother's words had haunted her all day. "I know it was pretty childish not to answer your calls."

"Why didn't you?" Rhea tone was hard as if that fact was still a little sensitive.

"I wanted a night out to myself. I wanted to be me just a little bit." She explained. "We're together almost 24-7 unless we're at work, or you're getting your nails done. Sometimes what I want to do gets lost in plans you make for us."

Rhea was quiet for a moment. "Don't you enjoy spending time with me?"

"Yes, I do. When we go to the movies, or to dinner, and sometimes shopping, I love all that. I just think there are occasions where we could hang out without each other." Sloan looked for cops out of the rearview mirror.

"Why didn't you just say something?" Rhea asked. "How about a little warning before you throw a temper tantrum?"

"You're right. I deserve that." Sloan shrugged. "I don't know. I didn't think you would take me telling you that too well."

"But how could you know what my reaction would be?"

"I didn't know. I assumed."

"See where that got you?" Rhea replied.

"I like being a couple and doing things together, Sloan. I see so many of our friends break up because they didn't have enough quality time. I don't want that to happen to us. And you know how people start talking about your relationship when it appears funny on the outside."

"It's none of their fucking business what we do, Rhea. This is our relationship and we are the only two people who can make it work." Sloan was vehement in her response. "Who gives a fuck what they think?"

Rhea reached for Sloan's hand in the darkness. "You're right. From now on, I will discuss all plans with you before I agree to anything. You have to promise to tell me when something else I do frustrates you."

"I promise I will." Sloan pulled into Rhea's apartment complex and checked the luminous clock on her dashboard. She made it in thirty minutes.

"You're lucky you didn't get a ticket." Rhea commented.

"I was driving the speed limit."

"The hell you say."

Rhea unlocked the door and rushed to the living room. Soft music soon floated through the air. Sloan followed the music to an empty room. "Rhea?"

"I'm grabbing you a beer, Daddy."

"You really don't have to, Baby." Alcohol was the last thing she was craving. Sloan sat on the couch and attempted to be patient.

When Rhea appeared, her brown eyes were soft as she offered Sloan a frosty bottle of beer. She watched Sloan deposit the bottle on the coffee table and pulled Rhea into her arms, kissing her softly. Rhea missed Sloan the past few days. Rhea leaned into Sloan accepting her apology. She wanted to make up for the wasted hours away from Sloan. Rhea had second thoughts about Cristal's sure-fire plan when Sloan stopped calling. Cristal assured her Sloan was only doing as instructed. Thanksgiving was lonely without hearing Sloan's voice. She sat through dinner debating whether she should make that call.