Silver Currents of Change

Chapter 31

Zarah was home watching a TV show in the living room of the apartment she shared with her best friend. She knew she had to tell Yvette something, since she would soon be spending entire weeks at the penthouse with Harvey, but she wasn't sure what to say. Fidgeting with her hair to keep from biting her nails, she finally decided to begin her confession by saying something she knew her friend would be glad to hear. So, she told Yvette she had finally stopped seeing Carter, for good.

After several shouts of "Whopeee!" from Yvette's side of the couch, Zarah told her she'd met a new guy at work, and, over the last few months, they had gotten "close." When Yvette asked how close, she told her she was going to be staying with him during the week, and maybe weekends. Yvette was so thrilled to hear she'd stopped seeing Carter Vincent, it took a minute for her to digest what she'd said about her new man.

It was several seconds later when her roommate asked the expected question. "When can I meet him? The new guy, when are you going to introduce us?" 

"Soon," Zarah said. "I'll introduce y'all once I feel surer about where the relationship is headed."

"You ought to be sure now," her roommate said. "You work with him, and now you're getting ready to live with him too. You should already be sure enough to introduce him to your friends. Does Marcus know him?"

"Marcus is done with his internship, but he does know the guy. He just doesn't know I'm seeing him."

Yvette had a puzzled look on her face. "Okay. Then when? When will you introduce him to me? Your best friend?"

"Soon. But not right now, okay? It's just that things are a little complicated. And I'm just not ready yet."

"What? Is he married? Oh, Z. Tell me he's not married."

"If he were, would I be staying with him during the week?"

Yvette had a suspicious-looking smirk on her face. "I don't know. Men seem to lose all their brain cells when they get a whiff of a high-yella, red-bone thang like you." 

Zarah picked up a throw pillow and threw it at her roommate.

After catching the pillow, Yvette said, "For all I know, he could have a wife and ten kids at home in the burbs and a love nest downtown with you sittin' up in it."

She picked up and threw another pillow, which hit the target's head. "Well he doesn't. And I'd never do that anyway."

"I know. I'm just saying, why all the mystery and drama?"

"It's just me," she said. "I think ... he could be the one, and I don't want to move too fast. Okay?"

"Oh. So, you're thinking he might be a keeper, huh?"

"Maybe, but I don't know for sure. I don't want to move too fast, you know. I don't want to mess anything up."

"Then go head girl! Take your time and find out."

Zarah remembered something else she'd been meaning to tell Yvette. "Oh, and I'm interviewing Sean Carlos Davis next week for TrueSouth and The Mississippi Herald. You know, Richard Davis' younger brother? The newly retired NFL player? Pleasant Valley's new sheriff? He asked me out, I told him I was taken, then I told him I had a friend I wanted him to meet. So, you think you might be free for lunch next Saturday?"

After shouting yes, Yvette threw a final pillow that knocked Zarah off the couch, and they were both crying tears while laughing. Yvette was glad her friend had finally met a guy she could plan a future with, and Zarah was happy because, a whole month ago when she found out about the possible interview, Yvette had begged her to introduce her to Sean Carlos.