“What kind of acquaintance?” she said to him. “A sex acquaintance?”
Vince hated to admit it. But it was the truth. “Yes.”
“One of many I’m sure.”
Vince hated to admit that too. But it was the truth. “Yes.”
Ricki should have felt repulsion towards him. He was everything she hated in a man. But then why was she still standing there? Why hadn’t she just walked on out on his trifling ass?
Upstairs, Cecily had dressed and was standing at the rail on the second-floor landing looking down at them. When Vince said she was just a sex acquaintance, her heart fell. He’d told her as much himself. He never pretended that she would ever be anything but an easy lay for him. But that wasn’t how she felt about it. And it broke her heart.
“What kind of man,” Ricki said, “would use women just for their bodies? How could you be that kind of man, Vince?”
Although she spoke the truth, it was a terrible thing to hear from her. He felt so exposed that it angered him. “Who do you think you’re talking to like that?” He had heat in his voice. “You ask me how can I be that kind of man as if I’m the lowest thing moving. Well what kind of man do you expect me to be, Rasheda? I’m not the only user. Every woman I’ve ever known has used me for what they can get out of me too. This shit isn’t one-sided. They know exactly what they’re getting from me. Just like you know exactly what you’re getting from me.”
Ricki frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean? I never asked your ass to help me!”
“I didn’t say you did.”
“Then what the fuck are you talking about? What am I getting from you that you didn’t voluntarily give to me? Because here’s your money right here,” she began reaching into her purse.
“That’s not what I meant, Ricki.”
“That’s what you said!” He could tell she was devastated. “I never asked you for one red dime,” she said as she grabbed a wad of that money and threw it in his face. “I only asked for a ride to Milton. That’s all I ever asked from you. And you have the nerve to claim I’m using you too? Fuck you!” she said so angrily that she thought her very soul trembled. It hurt just that much.
And then she opened that door again and hurried out of it.
But to the shock of Baines, who stood afar off, and even Cecily on the landing, Vince hurried out of that door and grabbed her before she could get across the porch. “Ricki, I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean it that way at all. I know you aren’t using me.”
Tears were in her eyes as she looked at him. “Then why did you say that to me?”
“I’m sorry,” he said, pulling her into his arms. “I didn’t mean it.”
But she fought against it, and pulled away from him. Tears were streaming down her beautiful, expressive face. “I can’t take any more heartaches. I can’t take it, Vince.”
“You won’t have to,” he said, pulling her back into his arms. “You won’t have to.”
But when she continued to fight against him, he broke down. “Please don’t go,” he begged.
And those three words had never been spoken by him to another human being ever before. It shocked even him.
Ricki was shocked too. She knew he was not the kind of man to beg anybody for anything. But he had begged her. She heard the emotion behind those words. She felt the agony it took for him to say those words. It might have been an act, but it worked. She needed it to work.
She fell into his arms and hugged him too.
They stood there for several minutes. Cecily, who had come downstairs, stood at the door staring at them. “How cute,” she said, breaking up their moment. Although, in truth, she wished to God it had been her he had begged.
Ricki pulled away from Vince, and they both looked at Cecily.
“You would give up all of this,” Cecily said as she swept her hand down her lithe body, “forthat? How is this person going to fit into your world? She has no culture. She has no background nor breeding. She’s young and you don’t even like’em young. All she has going for her is a pretty face and an okay body just like a million other girls in our circles. But at least they’re in our class. This witch looks like she just came up from the mud.”
Then Cecily attempted to look angry, although Ricki saw the pain behind that anger. “You can have him,” she said as she brushed past Ricki and then pushed her so hard it caused Ricki to stumble.
Before Vince could grab Cecily and make her apologize, Ricki took matters into her own hand. Because as soon as Cecily had pushed her and attempted to just walk away like she was pushing trash, Ricki pushed her right back. Only she pushed her so hard that Cecily lost her footing in her stiletto heels, stumbled sideways, and then fell on her butt. “Push me again, bitch!” Ricki yelled out over her.
It was Ricki that Vince had to pull away from Cecily.
Then Cecily reached out her hand to Vince, and Vince reluctantly pulled her back on her feet.
