right."
Jefferson and Odelia stayed together, wideeyed, nervous, and under extremely platonic circumstances, practically joined at the hip, each halfafraid to let the other go to the bathroom alone. Every errand that needed to be run was done in partnership, because who knew what could befall one of them if he or she even went to the store independently? The trip to the courthouse to file for a marriage li
cense was viewed as a dangerous mission.
Both parents had called that first night, their voices distraught. Jefferson's mother had broken down and openly wept. Any libido Jefferson and Odelia had was killed. Her Father's voice was strained and punctuated with long, disappointed silences, but word that a truce had been activated, slowly, let Odelia and Jefferson breathe.
"You think it's all right if we sleep together on your couch?" JefFerson asked, still jumpy, after she hung up the telephone.
"As long as we don't get into anything, I think we might be all right," she said, sounding unsure.
"Tell you what," he offered. "How about if I sleep in the chair, you take the couch, but at least that way, we can both stay in the same room?"
"Yo, manyou getting married and you wanna bring your fiancee to the bachelor party? Have you lost your mind?" His best friend laughed hard.
Jefferson steadied himself as he held his cell phone close to his ear. "Man, listen, it's complicated. I can't go into it right now."
"She's still at your apartment? Or you still over at hers? Ever since you dropped the rock on a sister, you've been in prison. All the campus parties, you been there with her . . . And dude, for real, like, this might be your last hoorah as a free man."
"Hugh, you're supposed to be my best man. The one who's gonna keep me straight until I"
"That's what I'm trying to do, partner. A few hours away won't hurt none."
Jefferson watched Odelia as she buzzed around the kitchen in his tiny apartment.
A sense of claustrophobia had him in its grip. Two weeks of being together, Finding ways to entertain themselves without kissing too much or laying a hand on each other, was driving him nuts. "My Folks are coming in later tonight For everything. I can't be going out, getting tore up, plus that goes against everything Minister said, and"
"C'mon, man. We'll have you back at a decent hour. You know me, right?"
"Yeah, I know you. That's what I'm worried about."
"But ain't it bad luck to be with or see the bride the night before the wedding?"
Jefferson paused. His homeboy did have a point. "Yeah. . . ,"
"Well, how about if we take a brother out For a Few, and deliver you to the Motel 6 where your people will be, and then you can hang out with your uncles till it's time to put on your cap and gown over your suit. Then, you lose the robes, I pin on your boutonniere, and we roll over to the church so you can get hitchedthen we all eat, party . . . everything will be copasetic."
"That might be able to work," Jefferson said. "But I gotta talk to 'Delia about that, First."
"Awww, maaaan. Do you hear yourself? What did the girl do, works roots on your ass, or something?"
Odelia looked up From the stove and met Jefferson's eyes.
"That ain't Funny, brother. Don't even joke like that."
It was the first real argument they'd had since the day they met. She couldn't fathom how men could be so stupid! Carlah had been right. Maybe it was better that she got away from Jefferson for a few hours to connect with her girls, to do what she had to do, namely, get her hair beat, feet did, nails did, and spend quality female time without a male appendage.
Carlah was waiting for her on the front steps of her apartment building holding a FedEx box when Jefferson dropped her off. The sly smile on her best girlfriend's Face made Odelia smile, despite her Foul mood.
"Yo, my sister, my sisteryou finally broke free!" Carlah laughed and rushed up to Odelia to hug her the moment Jefferson's car pulled away. "Dayum. I know the brother put a rock on your
Jefferson and Odelia stayed together, wideeyed, nervous, and under extremely platonic circumstances, practically joined at the hip, each halfafraid to let the other go to the bathroom alone. Every errand that needed to be run was done in partnership, because who knew what could befall one of them if he or she even went to the store independently? The trip to the courthouse to file for a marriage li
cense was viewed as a dangerous mission.
Both parents had called that first night, their voices distraught. Jefferson's mother had broken down and openly wept. Any libido Jefferson and Odelia had was killed. Her Father's voice was strained and punctuated with long, disappointed silences, but word that a truce had been activated, slowly, let Odelia and Jefferson breathe.
"You think it's all right if we sleep together on your couch?" JefFerson asked, still jumpy, after she hung up the telephone.
"As long as we don't get into anything, I think we might be all right," she said, sounding unsure.
"Tell you what," he offered. "How about if I sleep in the chair, you take the couch, but at least that way, we can both stay in the same room?"
"Yo, manyou getting married and you wanna bring your fiancee to the bachelor party? Have you lost your mind?" His best friend laughed hard.
Jefferson steadied himself as he held his cell phone close to his ear. "Man, listen, it's complicated. I can't go into it right now."
"She's still at your apartment? Or you still over at hers? Ever since you dropped the rock on a sister, you've been in prison. All the campus parties, you been there with her . . . And dude, for real, like, this might be your last hoorah as a free man."
"Hugh, you're supposed to be my best man. The one who's gonna keep me straight until I"
"That's what I'm trying to do, partner. A few hours away won't hurt none."
Jefferson watched Odelia as she buzzed around the kitchen in his tiny apartment.
A sense of claustrophobia had him in its grip. Two weeks of being together, Finding ways to entertain themselves without kissing too much or laying a hand on each other, was driving him nuts. "My Folks are coming in later tonight For everything. I can't be going out, getting tore up, plus that goes against everything Minister said, and"
"C'mon, man. We'll have you back at a decent hour. You know me, right?"
"Yeah, I know you. That's what I'm worried about."
"But ain't it bad luck to be with or see the bride the night before the wedding?"
Jefferson paused. His homeboy did have a point. "Yeah. . . ,"
"Well, how about if we take a brother out For a Few, and deliver you to the Motel 6 where your people will be, and then you can hang out with your uncles till it's time to put on your cap and gown over your suit. Then, you lose the robes, I pin on your boutonniere, and we roll over to the church so you can get hitchedthen we all eat, party . . . everything will be copasetic."
"That might be able to work," Jefferson said. "But I gotta talk to 'Delia about that, First."
"Awww, maaaan. Do you hear yourself? What did the girl do, works roots on your ass, or something?"
Odelia looked up From the stove and met Jefferson's eyes.
"That ain't Funny, brother. Don't even joke like that."
It was the first real argument they'd had since the day they met. She couldn't fathom how men could be so stupid! Carlah had been right. Maybe it was better that she got away from Jefferson for a few hours to connect with her girls, to do what she had to do, namely, get her hair beat, feet did, nails did, and spend quality female time without a male appendage.
Carlah was waiting for her on the front steps of her apartment building holding a FedEx box when Jefferson dropped her off. The sly smile on her best girlfriend's Face made Odelia smile, despite her Foul mood.
"Yo, my sister, my sisteryou finally broke free!" Carlah laughed and rushed up to Odelia to hug her the moment Jefferson's car pulled away. "Dayum. I know the brother put a rock on your
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