Ebony

Honest

Once the food was finished, the girls set the table and everyone washed their hands. Ivory sat in between Johanna and Safari. Lita sat across from her, next to Egypt and Tafari. Sedora sat on the other side of Tafari.

"I'll say grace", Lita spoke.

Everyone joined hands and bowed their heads.

"Father we thank you for the food we are about to receive. Lord we thank you for everything you do for us each and every day. Lord please bless not only this food, but everyone at this table. Even those of who who are not wanted. Father I ask that you forgive them for their sinful endeavors and bad intentions. In Jesus name we pray, amen", she finished.

Everyone said an awkward "Amen" and exchanged looks at each other. Ivory knew Lita was talking about her, but decided not to speak on it. She already had to speak with Safari about something.

They began to pass the dishes around and start conversations.

"So Ivory, you said you're a temp at a law office. For which law firm is that exactly? ", Lita inquired.

Ivory scooped some steamed green beans onto her plate while replying.

" Pierce and Pierce", she replied.

Safari looked up at her for a second, a nervous glance that Lita caught.

"Oh? Safari isn't Pierce and Pierce one of your sponsors at the charity event you do? ", Lita asked, already knowing the answer.

Everyone looked around, wondering what the relevance to that question was. Safari looked at Lita with a cold glare.

" Yes, they are actually", he responded.

Ivory looked back in forth between Lita and Safari confused as they continued to hold glares at each other.

"Ivory, you wouldn't know someone named Kiyanne would you? ", Lita asked.

Sedora looked over at Tafari as he quickly put his head down. Safari gave Lita a warning look as he picked at his food.

" Um, no I don't. Why do you ask? ", Ivory asked.

" Well, she used to work in the same building and she isn't that much older than you", Lita responded.

Safari began to tap his foot at the tension rose. Egypt and Johanna looked as lost as Ivory did.

"In fact, I do believe she goes to the same college as you. Well, went. She dropped out when she got married", Lita smiled before taking a sip of her tea.

Ivory nodded.

"Oh, marriage? That's nice", Ivory responded.

"Yeah, the relationship didn't last though. They got a divorce a year later. Too many complications and fidelity between them", Lita spoke before shooting her eyes to Safari.

"Yeah well everything happens for a reason ", Safari spoke up.

Ivory looked over at him before looking down at her food and beginning to eat.

The tension at the table slowly, but surely died down as the others engaged in light conversation. Ivory couldn't help but wonder what was going on and what the big secrets were.

After dinner, Lisa went to her room to go to sleep while the others cleaned up. Safari and Ivory stood at the sink doing dishes together.

"Is there something you want to tell me? ", Ivory asked in a low tone.

Safari glanced at her and shook his head.

" Like what? ", he replied.

Ivory set the plate on the drying rack and turned to him, beginning to become frustrated.

" How old are you? ", she asked curiously.

Here she was in Paris with a man she barely even knew. She still couldn't wrap her head around that.

Safari paused and cleared his throat.

" Why is that relevant? ", he asked

Ivory looked at him with scornful eyes.

" Because I need to know who I'm with. I'm in another country with a stranger. I barely know anything about you, but you know almost everything about me. Answering this one question won't hurt you ", she responded.

" 34"

Ivory stood there in shock. She'd dated older guys before, but 3-4 years had been the maximum. Fifteen was a new high for her.

She slowly nodded her head.

"Alright",she said, drying another plate.

"Is that a problem? ", he asked.

Ivory looked up at his hopeful eyes and shook her head.

" No"

"Good", he responded with a light kiss on her lips.

"Who's Kiyanne? ", she asked.

Safari sighed, knowing that she would have eventually asked about his ex wife.

" Just an ex. She's not important ", he responded.

"Are you sure that's all she is?", Ivory asked once more, giving him a chance to come clean about anything.

"Yeah", he stated before kissing her on the head.

Ivory could tell he wasn't being all the way truthful with her, but she decided not to push the subject. She would just have to investigate on her own.
************************************
Ivory laid back in the tub, finally relaxing after dealing with Lita all day. That woman could really drain all of the energy out of you with her childishness and pettiness.

Ivory closed her eyes and began to daydream, something she did very often. She tuned out the sound of someone entering the bathroom, assuming that it was probably Safari. She felt someone standing over her. Watching her as she lay there in the water, in all her glory.

"Are you just gonna stare or are you going to do something? ", she asked, opening her eyes.

Sure enough, Safari was standing over her, breathing heavily.

(Thought it was going to be someone else didn't you? Got eeeem)

" I wanna do so many things to you. You just don't even know", he replied, placing his hand where her water falls.

Ivory arched her back at his touch and looked at him through her eyelashes.

"If my family weren't here, I would have you bent over the balcony, for all of Paris to see", he said, rubbing her up and down.

He leaned in and gave her a passionate kiss on the lips.

"You're everything I've ever wanted and more Ivory", he said with a grin.

"And I'm never letting you go baby girl. That's a promise"