Nothing In This World (BWWM) ✅

Chapter Twenty Seven

There was a thin line between black and white in this town. Lance had to find out from what Charlene learned through the gossip where the white folks lived. He knew it would be beneficial if he found people more like him to get along with. Not that he didn't like Charles's neighborhood. He just didn't like the stares and grimaces that came his way often.

"You looking for something, boy!" Lance quickly fixed his overalls when a white man in a collar shirt and slacks walked across the street to him. His mustache aligned with his frown and his thick eyebrows were curved inward.

"Just looking at the nice homes in the area. My wife and I are planning on moving here. It's closer to the job," he lied. "Any recommendations?"

The man chuckled as if he was laughing at Lance. "You wanna move round here with them niggers ten feet away. They're multiplying like flies, son. We all getting out of here. Not coming in."

"Oh, I understand. My mind is still made though. The wife and I don't mind a few black folks every now and then." They had a bit of a stare off before the man cracked a smile and Lance mocked him. "So... any recommendations."

"There's a for sale sign right around the block. They've been trying to get rid of it but only blacks is buying. You might run into some luck." He turned back around to enter his home and slammed the door behind him.

Lance continued his walk through the neighborhood before finally pulling out a piece of paper that Joanne, his boss's daughter, gave him. It had her address written on it and he's been meaning to go there for a while now. Her house wasn't that long of a walk across Vanport but it was well worth it if he was going to accept her offer properly.

When he arrived at his destination, he knocked a few times and she was the first person to answer the door. Her blonde hair styled with soft curls and her pink dress fitted her body well. Lance looked into her eyes he she batted her lashes at him softly.

"I thought you'd never show. I gave you my address days ago. Come in!" She opened the door wider and he stepped inside while taking off his hat. "Want coffee? Water? I made muffins!"

"Ah, no thanks. I just wanted to stop by and tell you that I'm excited to attend the banquette with you." Joanne's blue eyes widened as she put her hand over her mouth. When Lance thought she was just going to scream in joy, he got bombarded with a hug instead. "Yay!" He cheered nervously while trying to push her off in the most subtle of ways. "Okay. Okay."

Joanne fixed her hair and dress while going over to sit her muffins on the kitchen table and the sink afterwards. "I forgot you had a wife of yours. She okay with you taking another woman to a banquette where we have to talk and dance?"

"Yeah, I think."

"Some wife," she rolled her eyes.

Lance fiddled with his hat. "She's very understanding. She knows that I have things to do outside of us, you know?"

"No. I've never been in love. Never had a boyfriend, a fiancé... husband. None of that. Pure. I'm still learning. But I do know that I wouldn't have my husband-"

Lance cleared his throat. She turned away from the sink to see him picking up one of her muffins. "Think I change my mind. They smell so good."

"Take one back to her. How ever many you want. Daddy hates blueberries." Joanne giggled as she turned off the tap water and went to grab her a muffin. "Sit down and eat one with me before you go. You looked as if you were ready to walk out of here the moment you walked in."

Lance knew he couldn't stay long. He told Charlene he was only coming to accept her invite then head straight home. She was already hiding her feelings about this and he didn't want to give her any reasons to get angry.

"No thank you. I really should go. I have to go home and I have errands to run. It's a busy day." Joanne smiled then softly placed a piece of muffin on her tongue. Lance gulped as her eyes looked up at him in the process. "So is there a certain color I should wear?"

"You can come in naked for all we care. As long as you donate to the cause." She dropped her muffin on a napkin and dusted her fingers off before wiping them on her dress. "Let me write down the address." She bent down without bending her knees, bottom in the air, trying to get a slip of paper from a drawer in the kitchen. 'Grocery List' printed at the top of each sheet. "It also has the date and time so you can't be late."

He quickly grabbed the paper and his two muffins before scrambling out the house. Heart beating and palms sweating. The outside of the muffin wrappers were wet instantly. Philip knew he couldn't feed these to anyone so he threw them in a ditch while jogging home and not looking back.