Time Waits for No One

Chapter 4, Part 2 - It's Electric!

A long time after "in no time"

"And that's another one for Team Carter!"

In the golden hour, the group of four sat on the carpeted floor with a bunch of playing cards in the middle and a few candles in the area that would be their only light once the setting sun finished its performance. After actively waiting for the power to come back on for an hour or two, the group resigned that this was a big one, there would be no show and they would have to make their own fun. A wardrobe change (Latoya and Michael offered the siblings some more sweltering raw summer heat-appropriate shorts and tank tops) and a few rounds of spades later, they all found themselves on the floor, having a rousing time. Jacqueline was finding it much easier to be herself as the evening went on as the blackout had a bit of a leveling effect. It doesn't matter if you're in a small hand-me-down apartment in Harlem or a fancy penthouse in Midtown when the power is out and you're sweating on the floor and hit records can't replace an A/C unit.

"Dang, we're kinda killing y'all!" Jacqueline ribbed Michael and Latoya as she sat between them, updating the score on her little piece of paper. "I thought you said you played spades before!"

"We have!" Michael protested, a big smile across his face as he wiped his forehead with the back of his arm. "At least I have, I can't speak for my sister."

"Then how you keep reneging, man?" Jimmy said, cracking up. "You can't just throw spades out cuz you feel like it, Michael!"

"We grew up playing Gin, so I haven't played as much. I kinda want to play something else." Latoya suggested, clearly tired of losing.

"Giving up so soon, Miss Toya?" Jimmy poked, resting in his win.

"Oh, Jimmy, I never give up," Latoya replied, putting her cards down. "If anything, I'm givin' you the opportunity to quit while you're still ahead."

"Oh, that's what it is," Jimmy said, running his tongue along the inside of his cheek. An Aries through and through, he was competitive to the bone no matter what the game was, but especially with spades. He simply couldn't help it.

"Dinner's ready!" Gloria called out melodically from the kitchen. Thanks to the gas stove and oven, the gracious and kind housemaid was able to put them together some sustenance, albeit trying to improvise and move quickly so the house wouldn't become any more of a furnace than it already was.

"Saved by the bell, Jacksons," Jimmy said as the foursome rose from their seats and headed to the dining area, which was still lit generously enough thanks to a large window, with a view overlooking the water. Not wanting the fresh produce in the fridge go to waste as the unit slowly rose in temperature, Gloria had sauteed up some chicken breasts and set up something of a salad bar, with small serving bowls of leafy greens, cut tomatoes and cucumbers, homemade croutons, and a small variety of dressings, cheeses, and other toppings splayed along the table.

The raucous shit-talk from the card game dissolved quickly as the hungry young adults scooped up their custom salads, only speaking to thank the chef. Once sat at the table, Michael's older sister broke the silence, offering to pray over the meal for the group. Earlier, Jimmy and Jacqueline had considered braving the steps to try and head uptown to their homes and Latoya had been adamant that they hold tight in lieu of running out into the melee of a scattered and chaotic city. As prideful New York natives wanting to appear brave, they brushed her off at first but resigned that she was right. With the power out all through the city, all the boroughs would be rife territory for theft, larceny, and general disorder especially as night fell. If they were going to be hot in the house anyway, they may as well be in a building (and unit) that was secure and armed. So there the Carters were sharing dinner with a couple of international superstars in training until the most densely populated city in the nation got connected back to the electric grid. Once the food was thoroughly prayed over, Jimmy spoke up while forking through his heaping salad.