The Interpreter

Part 2 of 2

He stroked his left pec and ogled her from the mirror.

"You're jealous."

"Tuh."

He wagged his finger at her.

"I see how you get uncomfortable when other women touch me in front of you. You are feeling territorial over me, and it is conflicting with your rigid need to control my interactions."

She chewed on her lip.

He grabbed on his dick.

"Your name is on this, eh?" he teased.

She walked away from him and picked up her computer tablet from a desk.

"Get dressed. We need to leave in ten minutes."

He padded over to her and curled his body around her back.

"You are really upset about this?"

"You are dismissive and I find it disrespectful."

"This is just a difference in cultural expectations. Nothing more. Leave it be."

"Nigga, women are staring at your dick while we are discussing an important book that could have revolutionary implications to other world leaders. If I am feeding you sections that you should cover for each interview and your balls are out and getting other women hot and bothered, I think you should follow my directions and put on clothes."

"Okay... okay... damn... I'll put on clothes. Uptight woman."

She shoved him away.

"See. That's what I'm talking about. Dismissive. I'm an uptight woman for asking you to show me some respect and a little professionalism."

"I don't have time for this shit."

He stomped over to one side of his bed and began putting on his boxer briefs and traditional black tunic and trousers. He grumbled in Wakandan, cursing her out as he moved.

"Come back in here!" he shouted

The staff returned, and he made a big scene about her being embarrassed by his nudity and that from now on he would get dressed, alone, and they would have to wait in another room until she was done talking to him to attend to his needs. Two people sucked their teeth and cut eyes at her. Ayo snapped her fingers at them and shut that shit down.

Destiny's chest became tight with tension.

"I'll be down in the car," she snapped.

Grabbing her purse and clutching her tablet, she walked out with her dignity crushed.

###

The Good Morning America segment was a disaster. Instead of T'Challa being alone to banter and talk up his father's book, the show invited a political expert from Niganda to challenge Wakanda's rebranding as a global expert on peaceful negotiations on climate change, immigration, and border issues. T'Challa looked so regal in his black clothing, and he handled the Nigandan plant with political finesse, but he went in on American democracy, moving the conversation away from positive world peace, to asserting the right to challenge American imperialism under the guise of democracy.

It didn't get any better over on CNN where he roasted Anderson Cooper, neoliberalism, and cannibalistic American politics. Destiny tried to reason with him through her earpiece and hidden mic, but the Prince went in and would not let up. He became a pit bull and made Anderson Cooper sweat. That white man wilted under T'Challa's grilling, and no amount of pleading from her made him quit.