Accept Me As I Am

Chapter 3

It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon and the girls Christy, Gia and Gabrielle were out doing some shopping. After the hectic week they'd had, they needed anything that came in the form of relaxation and no work talk. Shanelle however was at home with an upset stomach.

"Hey, do you guys think Shanelle would like these shoes?" Gabrielle asked, as she looked at a cute pair of cheetah print booties.

Christy and Gia looked over at Gabrielle as they held their own pair of shoes in their hands.

"Those are too cute. If she doesn't I know I do," Gia replied, eyeing the shoes like they were candy.

"Well I'm buying them for her birthday, which is coming up real soon. So when our day comes around, I'll let you pick you some out."

"I'm holding you to that, missy," Gia said, as she pointed a stiletto at Gabrielle with a grin.

"I know you will. You have a mind like an elephant, I swear," Gabrielle replied, as she picked out the right size for Shanelle and took them and two other pair to the counter to pay for them.

Christy and Gia finished up their shoe shopping and went to pay for their own purchases. Once they were done they decided to head over to Sherry's Bistro before they did anymore shopping. It was a place they held their business meetings every so often. They loved the food and atmosphere of the place, so why not? As soon as they made it to the restaurant and walked inside, they spotted Roderick and a woman that clearly wasn't Shanelle eating lunch.

"Are y'all seeing the same thing I'm seeing?" Gia asked frowning.

"Who the hell does he think he is?" Christy asked, with a fierce frown on her face that rivaled that of Gia's.

Gabrielle didn't say anything she just started walking over to where the woman and Roderick were sitting followed closely by Gia and Christy. Whether Roderick noticed or not, he just kept gobbling down food.

When the ladies made it to the table, they got a real good look at the woman and it pissed them off to no end to see Roderick sitting with another woman like it were the most natural thing in the world.

"What in the hell do you think you're doing?" Christy asked.
"Does Shanelle know you're here with this bitch? How many females do you have running around town while yours is at home sick?" Gabrielle demanded to know.

Roderick didn't say anything he just grabbed a napkin and cleaned his mouth before he turned to the girls with the calmest look on his face and replied, "Well hello, ladies. It's a pleasure to see you again."

"To hell with pleasantries, Roderick. We want to know why the hell you're sitting here with this woman when yours is at home sick waiting for you."

The woman went to say something but saw the look on Gia's face and decided to let Roderick explain what was going on. She wanted to know exactly what kind of man she'd been around for the past year.

"Ladies, I would like for you to meet my boss, Samantha Tate. Mrs. Tate, these ladies are acquaintances of my girlfriend Shanelle. Say hello, ladies," Roderick said with a sly grin on his face.

Not wanting to take Roderick's word for it, Christy turned to the woman, "Who are you, seriously? This man lies so good he could sell condoms to a priest."

Samantha cleared her throat. "I'm exactly who he says I am," she replied before she turned to Roderick. "Mr. Sharpe, I didn't take you for a cheater. I've known you for a long while now and have never heard of you having a girlfriend. If I recall correctly, you informed me at a company function you were single and looking, did you not?"