queen on her own color ♡ JFK

p.14 jet

Since that experience at the White House, Christina was a changed woman. It was all she could think about. Day and night she found herself itching for more.

Her dreams had her waking up in the middle of the night feeling hot and incomplete.

Staying at home in New York with such bother felt restrictive. So after Jacinta's last act at the Cherry Pop, Chris left for Baltimore with her.

It was Pearl's first time hanging out at the Lolli Pop. It had a different theme to the Cherry; it was brighter, with softer colors that gave it a less mature character. What it lacked for in sophistication it made up in size. The seating area was larger, and so were the changing rooms, where she sat back to read with a Coke in her hand.

"Why are you reading Jet... and Ebony?" Paula's voice loomed over her shoulder as she took a peek at Pearl's reading material.

Paula was a Hispanic girl as far as Christina could guess from the girl's lovely accent. She didn't know which country she was from, but she reminded her a little of Anita from West Side Story.

Chris gazed at the considerable pile of magazines that Leo had passed on to her, which she brought with her to Baltimore to pass the time. He put special emphasis in one of the latest issues, which remarked her appearance at O'Nick's as a breakthrough in one of the pages.

"Why not? Negroes read Seventeen and there's not one of them in there," she replied.

"Sure... but it's not the same." Paula sat beside her, invested in the sudden discussion. "Seventeen is generalized material, but Ebony, Jet, Hue, Tan... they deal with colored-specific topics."

"Ain't that more reason to read them? I think we should be aware of their topics and issues."

"I suppose you're right. I yield." Paula seemed to agree with her logic and Christina was glad for it, more so when she changed the subject. "How are you liking your new place?"

"It's pretty much perfect. A place to be alone. That's all I really needed."

"I'm happy you're comfortable there," Jacinta chimed in the moment she came out from the office with a stack of papers between her hands. It was strange to see her in 'normal' clothes.

But she'd taken on the new role with grace. On her last act where she passed the torch to Pearl, there'd been no resentment or tears in her eyes. Jacinta didn't feel obsolete, just renewed, perhaps. Christina admired that and wished she could have the same attitude at that age.

"Yes, very much. Thanks again."

"No need." The moment Jacinta lifted her eyes from the papers and caught a good view at Christina, her face changed. "Paula, would you kindly see what Miklos wants?"

It was funny that Miklos, the manager of the Lolli Pop was just like Pop—a Greek version of him. Maybe that was why he hired him, the man didn't lack self-confidence.

Paula left in search of him, and Chris wondered if there actually was something that he wanted to tell Paula or if Jacinta had just made it up.

"So... who is he?" The woman asked, to which Pearl simply responded with a 'huh?'. "The stud that gave you those." One of her fingers pointed to Christina's neck. "I know I said I wouldn't pry, but a woman can only repress her curiosity so much."

Saucily, Jacinta approached her young friend and pulled a chair in front of her the other way around. Her arms hugged the back rest of the chair and she propped her chin on it.

Jacinta's curiosity gave Chris the push she'd been needing to finally put her queries to rest.

First, she chugged down a mouthful of Coca-Cola to give her enough of a sugar rush.