Gwen arrived home ready to unwind after working late hours at the firm and battling Friday night traffic and rain. She walked slowly through the streetlight lit living room to turn on the crystal lamp that had been given to her by a co-worker for her recent promotion to partner. Gwen removed her shouldered briefcase and set it next to the blue leather love seat, which welcomed the bright yellow and blue quilt that Mrs. Davis had given to her last Christmas.
She walked cautiously
through the seemingly empty home until she had inspected every room
for its safety. Upon entering her bedroom she noticed a sheet of legal
size paper lying on her pillow. She read the letter as she changed into
one of her many satin gowns from Victoria's Secret.
"Girl it's about time you went away for a weekend," Gwen said aloud
as she finished with the note Jes left.
Gwen walked down the hardwood-floored hallway to the kitchen to get
a glass of wine and a lite snack before checking messages and returning
CJ's call from the earlier afternoon. Gwen reached the dimly lit living
room and located the remote control for the CD player. While she
listened to the sultry sound of George Duke, she pulled the drapes shut
to gain privacy and dialed CJ's number. CJ answered on the first ring.
"Damn girl you must be on the phone," Gwen said in a playful tone.
"Why do you say that?"
"Cause you picked up on the first ring."
"No I didn't, my phone didn't ring. I was picking it up to call you."
"What a coincidence," Gwen said as she giggled.
"Well what's up since you called me?" CJ said.
"Oh nothing I was returning your call from this afternoon."
"Girl I was just calling you to see what you were doing tonight."
"Not a thing. You are more than welcome to join me doing nothing if
you like. I'll be sitting here listening to music and I'm about to light the
fire place."
"Good 'cause it is going to be a cold night tonight. Do you need me to
bring anything over?"
"Just yourself and that sense of humor you have," Gwen instructed as
she got up from the loveseat to place a log into the fireplace.
"I'm on my way."
"Oh," Gwen called out, "Jes is gone for the weekend so if you want we
can just veg out all weekend and pamper ourselves."
"That would be nice," CJ said sarcastically,
"but don't forget that you
are the lawyer and I'm the retail assistant and that means I have a retail
assistants budget."
"Girl, don't worry about that. I'll take care of my little sis."
"That means a lot more than you know," CJ said somberly.
"Get her safe girl. I'll be waiting."
"You gon' be waiting a long time," CJ said sarcastically.
"Why?"
"Cause I have no idea where I'm going. I know that I live close to you,
but I have no clue of how close I am."
"Oh, just walk two blocks up to 254 Sycamore and ring the bell."
"See you in about twenty minutes."