Copyright © 2013
We drove across the street and pulled into a small strip mall containing a hair salon, nail shop, cellular-phone store and a small café. Louis stayed in the car to make some business calls while I jumped out to get us some drinks.
“What do you want?” I asked.
“Just get me whatever you get,” He said, covering the cellphone with his hand.
I walked up to the café and looked at the sign hanging over the door. It read Café Karma and featured a coffee cup with a maroon and white ying/yang icon emblazoned on the front. I walked in and was instantly impressed with its décor. I liked the sophisticated color palette of rich browns, caramels, and glossy reds.
The furniture was modern and sleek but still comfortable and the swirled glass pendant lamps above the bar were funky and unique. Jill Scott crooned soulfully through the speakers and I was really feeling the whole neo-soul laid back vibe of the place. It made me want to sit down, and get comfortable while sipping on some calming beverages.
I noticed a few bohemian types lounging throughout the café tapping away on laptops or conversing intimately. The place smelled like fresh brewed coffee, that intoxicating aroma that reminded me of a mixture of baked bread, dark chocolate and Georgia mud fresh after a rain storm. I walked up to the all glass bar area which showcased scrumptious looking cookies, bagels and pastries.
The lady behind the counter had her back to me but stopped in her tracks when I approached. She turned around with her eyes closed and seemed to be sniffing the air. I did a quick underarm sniff to make sure I wasn’t stinking up the place. I had just come from the gym but I wasn’t ripe, so I wasn’t sure what she smelled. I was just glad it wasn’t me.
According to the badge she wore her name was Danni. She opened her eyes and smiled at me and I was immediately struck by how pretty she was. She had big light green eyes, a perky little nose and plump rosy lips.
I could tell by her full lips, golden tan complexion and wild mane of pitch black curls that she was mixed. And when she opened her mouth to talk I was surprised to hear a thick, melodious New Orleans accent. “Hey baby, what can I get for you?” She pronounced baby as bayyy-be and I couldn’t help but smile at her infectious way of talking.
“I’d like two large frozen lattes with a shot of caramel and whipped cream.”
“Sure thing,” She said, and got busy making my drinks. “You’re not from around here are you?”
“No, I’m from Chicago I just moved here a couple of months ago, I’m guessing that you aren’t from around here either.”
She shook her head in agreement. “You got that right”
I sat down on one of the bar stools and leaned forward to watch her. “Let me guess, you’re from New Orleans right?”
She laughed. “Girl, is my accent that thick?”
“Yeah it kinda is.”
“Well I came down here in 2005 with my mom running from hurricane Katrina like everybody else. We never went back home to New Orleans, it just wasn’t the same,” She said with a shrug of her shoulders.
“Wow that must have been traumatic. So how do you like Atlanta?” I’m not usually a chatty person but something about Danni put me at ease. She had such an easy manner that talking to her was like talking to an old girlfriend.
“It’s a different vibe and I definitely miss New Orleans but I like it here. Everybody has been really friendly. Me and my moms have always felt welcome here.”
She threw our drinks into the blender and I waited in silence so I wouldn’t have to talk over the noise of the machine. She poured the frozen concoction into tall plastic cups and covered them with whip creams. The drinks looked so good I licked my lips in anticipation.
“Ooh those look good.”
“They taste good too,” Danni laughed and handed them over to me. I paid her and she gave me my change. “So are you currently working?”
“No not yet, though I am looking.”
“Well, we are always looking for pretty faces around here and you are really friendly, so if you’re interested I can offer you a position.” She reached under the counter and produced an application.
This was the second time today that someone had complemented me on my looks. I never got complemented back home. In Chicago I was just chinky eyed Chyna. Growing up, the neighborhood kids would stretch their eyes to make them appear Asian whenever they saw me. Or talk to me in gibbedly-gook like I was actually Chinese. I got into a lot of fights over that shit. That harassment stopped however, when I hit high school and started filling out in all the right places. The boys looked past my exotic features but some of the girls still called me chink behind my back.
I was beginning to like Atlanta more and more each day. I took the application and decided to tell her about Derricks offer. “This seems like a really nice place to work but I just got an offer to sign on with a modeling agency so I don’t what my schedule will look like.”
“Oh, that’s fine baby you can come on part-time and we can work around your schedule. Juicy is real cool like that she knows people have lives outside of the café as long as you let her know in advance there shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Who is Juicy?”
“She’s the owner; she lets me do the hiring but likes to meet with new hires to feel them out. She’ll be in tomorrow so if you could come in and see her that’ll be great.”
“Okay, when’s a good time?”
“Come in around noon she’ll be able to see you then.”
I decided right then and there that I’d take the job. It was always good to have a backup plan in case the modeling thing didn’t work out. We shook hands and exchanged goodbyes and I made my way back to Louis’s car.
“What took you so long? I thought I was gonna have to come in there and get you,” Louis asked.
“I just got another job offer; I’m feeling really popular today,” I said.
“So are you going to take it?” I could tell that he would prefer that I work in the café than to model.
“Yeah I think so.”
“Well good.” He didn’t elaborate further just took the drink I handed him and sipped on it in contented silence.
Once we arrived back at the house I jumped in the shower to wash all the sweat and grime off of my body. As soon as I finished I wrapped a towel around myself and searched through my workout clothes for Derrick’s card. I found it and immediately called him up. After a couple of rings the voicemail picked up so I left him a detailed message and my contact information, I included my cell number, email, and home number so he would have no excuse of not being able to reach me. I smiled and laid back on my bed letting my body relax and my mind wander. Before I knew it I was fast asleep.
I woke up two hours later happy that I hadn’t experienced another disturbing dream. I hoped that maybe those two weeks of nightmares had just been some kind of weird phase that I went through; and now everything would go back to normal.
All thoughts of nightmares vanished from my mind when I noticed that I had a message on my cell phone. I snatched the phone up and dialed into voicemail. I was excited to hear Derricks voice giving me directions to his downtown office. He wanted me to meet him at nine a.m. tomorrow morning. He informed me to arrive fresh-faced and be prepared to take some photos.
I couldn’t believe my luck I had two potential jobs lined up both of which I was excited about. My meager savings were starting to look a little thin so these new opportunities were right on time. I threw open my closet door and began to rummage through it pulling out possible outfits for my meeting with Derrick. After what seemed like hours I finally settled on an outfit consisting of some of the more expensive items in my wardrobe. If I planned on being a model I had to look the part; I was just going to have to fake it until I made it.
