Black Temptation

Chapter 17

"I know you're famished, do you want to go to Georgia's for a quick bite to eat?" Harry asks, looking friendly at me.

I try to gather my brain and think quietly to myself as he continues to drive nearer to the city.

"I actually have another place in mind."

***

Her light flickers on as we pull into the driveway. That small burnt yellow cottage house, all occupied by that one little person.

"What's her name again?"

"Ms.Tote."

"And why are we here?"

I stare at him through now naked eyes.

"Ooh, question city. C'mon, don't you see the light? She's waiting on us."

Harry exists the vehicle and eventually, I do as well. I take his helping hand, the pleased look contrary to the one from earlier today's rejection.

We walk closer to the door and I sense Harry shaking frantically underneath his skin.

"Calm down. It's not like you're about to get molested by some sumo wrestlers."

Yeah, but I wish I could. Before I hit her door, I remember I have a key and reach for it when I detect the little pitter patter of feet on her squeaky hardwood.

"I am calm. I just don't know her, that's all."

"Well, she's something alright." I laugh quietly to myself.

The door opens with dramatic force, welcoming our eyes to a elderly lady in an lilac apron with her hair tied in a braid that hangs off her shoulder.

"Well, luk at wut tha fairy of moon shine brought dear Tippy Tote, please come in."

Harry follows my lead as we enter into what seems an invisible cloud of sweet and tangy smells. Some italian and greek with the american twist she always put in. I turn to her and bend down, giving her a decent hug. She smells of food and spearmint/eucalyptus.

"And who may dis be?" She asks.

I uplift from her and look at Harry.

"Ms.Tote, this is Harry."

She wastes no time in grabbing his hands. Closing her eyes, she squeezes his hands together tightly before releasing him.

"It's alway nice tuh see June with...boys." She smiles. "Not saying she was gay, or dat she don't like bananas," I stare her, silently asking for her to stop talking, "she loves fruit, gym, lip balm. She loves fruit smoothies. But don't like things goin' down her throat. Well..I mean, I don't know wut she does in tha dark-"

"Ms. Tote!"

She sucks in her lips and shrugs.

"I mean, Harry, she's a well rounded gurl with...firm beliefs," she says as she cups the air. The most non-innuendo innuendo ever. I stare at her smirks, "Come sit, dinner is ready."

Harry and I stare at each other for a moment before following her into the dinning room. We sit face to face, Ms. Tote going into the kitchen to grab a bowl full of something.

"Y'all can go on 'head and dig into tha food already out."

The table, which holds a white knitted, rectangular table cloth in the middle, also holds fried chicken, mashed potatoes, peas, corn, cherry pie, apple pie, rice, meatballs, and pasta. A turkey lays still in the middle and I cannot choose which one to dig into first.

Seems like Harry doesn't need a minute as he voluntarily digs into to each and every one, stopping momentarily to look at me and smirk.

I begin my escapade when Ms.Tote comes from the kitchen carrying drinks in one hand and a bowl in the other.

"You got it?" I ask cautiously.

"Oh, yes baby. Eat."

She puts the items down and asks us what we would like to drink. We both opt for a water and avoid commenting on our little synchronized reply.

Before I know it, Harry is digging into the pies, filling his plate with more than enough for when he goes hibernating. Ms. Tote just smiles at him as she walks toward him with a bowl of what I now know is stuffing.

"Need stiffen', son?" She asks in a thick Alabama accent.

"No ma'am, I'm fine." He smiles as he digs back into his plate.

"You aint gotta tell me twice." She whispers under her breath but not low enough that she didn't want him to hear. He stops and checks his laughing before continuing.

"You got some muscles on dem

bones, boy. What do you eat?"

Harry swallows,

"Protein shakes."

"Po-Pro-Protein shakes? Mah god, yer killing yer self slowly. You need tuh come back her mo' often so I can feed you correctly. Yer momma don't come around?"

His expression abruptly changes, he stares, aimlessly playing with his food.

"Oh Tippy.. I'm sorry, that's none of mah business."

"No, it's fine." He says.

Ms.Tote finally fulfills my need for stuffing and sets the bowl down. She goes to grab some excess plates, taking them into the kitchen.

"Well since you know where I live, you can bring ol' june and come around anytime you'd lak. Build up dat muscle, Lord knows June need some."

I stop my fork midway, my mouth growling in disappointment.

"What does that mean?"

"Oh come on June. We all know you eat. And yes, you'se curvy and got them tig ol bitties. But you need some fat. Fat in tha right places. Dem babies love fat. Something to lay on, get cozy, suckle."

Suckle? She thinks nothing of the statement and comes back into the dinning room to grab more plates and cups.

"What babies?" I ask.

She stops in her movement and eyes us both as if I'm supposed to already know what she means. My eyes grow wide and I drop my fork onto my plate.

"Oh, no. Ms. Tote No! No!No!No!No! Eww! No! Why? No!"

She walks into the kitchen with a pouty face.

"Well, you know-"

"Ms.Tote, we're not dating."

Harry is finally attentive. Eyes wide and tongue out, awaiting the sweet spices on his frozen fork.

"Well," She slams the plate down onto the counter. "Slap me sideways, wut was I supposed tuh thank? He was in yer house, baby, and you neva have nobody in yer house. I would thank the person that gets those privileges has tuh be mighty special. Now, I know yer 19 but 50 years ago, you'd be popping out babies like sandwiches at a delicatessen."

Haha...wait what?

"Ugh He..j-just, it happened and ugh. Harry."

I glare at him, but he is stunned looking at us both.

"I just can't get over the fact she said tig ol bitties."