Sweet Like Chocolate

Eight

Greene

On the phone the following day, I was surprised to see Nicole walking in on time. She wore a dazzling silver pencil skirt, a gray tank top and a shoulder pad blazer to cover it.

She stopped by the front desk and had chit chat with Bret. I nervously loosened my tie at my desk, and turned to the computer.

A few moments went by, and soon she came around the corner. She had her keys ready to unlock her door to her office. She strolled in and turned the lights on. She went through her routine as any other normal day. Just without acknowledging me.

What was I thinking? I played stupid yesterday. I should have just been up front with the woman. She deserved the answer straight up. I just wish it was that easy.

I waited for her to get settled before I stepped across the hall to pay her a visit. I politely knocked at the open door. She looked up at me. Her face was emotionless. I awkwardly stood there, not sure what to say.

"Good morning. May I help you, Mister Greene?"

"May I talk to you in my office?"

She crossed her arms. "If it has nothing to do with the business here at NAOF, then no, sir." She still had a hint of anger, of course.

I swallowed and nodded. "Okay. Never mind, then."

"Okay. Bye." She looked down at her papers.

I sighed and went back across the hall.

Morton

I couldn't help but notice the jealous stares I got everytime I came to work.

I couldn't help but let that shit get to me a little. It was getting damned ridiculous, profoundly unprofessional. The bitches didn't even bother hiding it anymore. "That bitch just thinks she's so cute," one of the women in the office mumbled under her breath as she ate lunch with a group of co-workers.

The snickers stabbed me in the heart, because I knew that they were talking about me. But shit, I kept eating my sandwich and reading my book to keep me from knocking their teeth out.

They were just mad that I was getting the attention from the boss. Fuck, they could have him. I got up and went downstairs.

Greene

If anyone could give me some help here, hopefully Spike could give me some good advice. I payed him a visit on the other side of the office in his department. "What's up, Ed?"

"She's upset with me."

"Do you know why?"

"It was a little disagreement. It left her heated. I've tried talking to her, but she's not listening."

"Hm." He wiped his hands on his cloth. "Well, I won't lie to you. Black women can be very stubborn." He explained. "You can't just expect to say the sorry word and they'll come running back to you. You gotta try harder than that, sir."

Morton

"You need to let him talk to ya, girl."

"Why?"

"Because even despite him having those types of views towards us, you can change him. You can show him that there's more to us than watermelon and fried chicken."

I sighed.

"Right? He hasn't disrespected you as a person, has he?"

"No, but... "

"Then you be the change. He really likes you, Cherry. Let him like you. Obviously he doesn't see the skin color as a big enough problem to not take you out to eat."