Ivy's Twisted Vine Redux by Latrivia Nelson (the beach read txt) 📗

“Good to see you again, Mr. Henderson,” a petite black woman in a sequence black dress said as she opened the door for him

“Thank you, Miriam. It’s good to be back.”

As he walked through the coat check, a woman took his sports coat and gave him a ticket. Opening another the door the main hall, he inhaled the familiar aroma of thick cigar and cigarette smoke mingling with many perfumes and natural feline odors that was a signature scent at the Black Tie. Home, he thought to himself while admiring a naked vixen dancing on top of the bar. He was surprised to find, however, that only two of the six men that were supposed to meet tonight were at their reserved table.

“I hope I’m not too late,” he said sitting down in the leather-secluded booth.

“Not at all. Nobody showed up.” Mattock said turning up his small shot of peppermint schnapps.

“Why not?”

“Well, John said that his wife wanted to spend a little quality time with him before he left for Panama. Robert is making up with his girlfriend from that last fight they had about him hanging out at the Black Tie. LeGarius was too tired to come out, and Frank said he still owed one of these girls three hundred dollars from last Saturday night,” Mattock said sympathetically.

Grey’s other friend, Mark, answered before he looked at his watch. “And I have to leave in about thirty minutes.”

“What about you Mattock,” Grey asked disappointed.

“Oh, I plan to stay for a little while but not too long. I’m suppose to meet Dana for a night cap.”

“A night cap?” Grey looked at Mark. “Is that what they’re calling it now.”

“Mattock reminds me of some old English professor,” Mark pulled at Mattock’s blue bow tie and laughed.

“Tell me about it. Damn, do you know anything at all about the Black experience?” Grey waived at a waitress. “You make me need a drink.”

“Well, quiet honestly, I’ve always been extremely comfortable with my blackness.” Mattock became annoyed. “I just don’t wear Fubu, eat fried chicken and drive a customized Cadillac like you would suggest.”

“You should try it,” Mark suggested hastily. “Your dick may grow.”

“Yeah, well you should try reading a book. You may develop more than one brain cell.” Mattock flipped Mark the bird.

While Grey listened to his friends make fun of each other, he became extremely depressed. Mattock was going to meet his lady friend, his four other friends refused to leave their lady friends and the only reason Mark wasn’t at home was because he didn’t have a lady friend but was probably going to hook up with someone from the Black Tie tonight.

As Grey took his drink from the waitress, he thought back over the evening and remembered Ivy leaving him at the table. It was a stupid move to push her away, but not just tonight. It was stupid to push her away so long ago. There was a time when she would have stayed and tolerated him until the end. It was all that she knew to do. She loved him that much then.

Looking down into the glass, Grey felt a great sorrow overwhelm him. He would never get her back now. The innocent young girl she used to be was gone and a remarkable yet mysterious woman had formed in her place. A woman who looked for love instead of letting it find her, who went to other men when the one she was with could not provide, who demanded love or loneliness. But Ivy was his creation. God had given him an angel, pure and pristine, but he was too blind to see it. It was the curse of man to search for something that he had already found. It was in his very nature to ignore the obvious for fear that the hidden would be clearer in its truths. .

“Are you alright?” Mattock asked concerned.

“I’m fine,” Grey said looking up. He finally realized that his silence was the loudest sound in the building. “Get out of here and go visit, Amber,” he said touching Mattock’s shoulder. “Don’t make her wait on you for our sake.”

“Are you sure that you’re okay,” Mark said choking on his drink.

“He’s just fine.” Mattock smiled at Grey proudly. “I think I will get out here. After all, these women don’t want me, because I don’t plan on spending one red cent on them.”

Grey laughed. “We are definitely sitting with the smartest man in the Black Tie tonight, gentlemen.”

“Well, they can have all of my money,” Mark said throwing a twenty-dollar bill at a woman as she walked past.

“Do you want a private dance, baby?” she asked stopping in her tracks to bend over and pick up the money.

“Yes, maim. I want everything you’re willing to allow me to pay for,” Mark said rubbing her leg. “And I do mean everything.”

“Well, come right this way,” she said offering her hand.

“Grey, Mattock, I’ll see ya’ll later,” Mark said taking his drink with him.

“He has no restraint,” Mattock said shaking his head. “Look, I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“Alright.” Grey said relieved that Mattock was leaving.

“You sure that you’ll be okay?”

“I’ll be fine. I’m just going to have a drink,” Grey said pushing Mattock. “Now, get out of here.”

Chapter Thirty-One:

Opportunity Knocks

Chapter 31

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS

“Welcome to the Black Tie,” Miriam said kissing the gentlemen as they entered the sexual sanctuary.

It was most amazing thing that Santo had ever laid eyes on in his entire life. It was an investor’s dream and a freak’s playhouse. The Black Tie. His mouth dropped to the ground as the woman took his coat and kissed him on the cheek. New customers always received special treatment, and they were recognizable by the Black Tie pin the doorkeeper placed on them. He had