CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED and NINETY
(part four)
“I’m just saying…” the woman in front of her gave her a sour look and turned around.
“There he is,” a woman from a silent line of grocery shoppers two people over said. “Look at the grin on his face.”
“Mmm-hmm, I told you so,” the woman in line behind her said. “Screwing some young thing, right here.”
The shoppers heads nodded like bobble-head dolls. Tanesha groaned. Jeraine took in her face and the awkward silence. He set three containers of ice cream, whipped cream, and chocolate syrup in the cart.
“What’s going on?” he leaned in to say in her ear.
“The good folks of this Safeway would like to know if you were screwing some sweet young thing,” Tanesha said.
“When?”
“Just now,” she said.
“In the ice cream aisle?” Jeraine looked from face to face. No one would meet his eye. “Just now?”
He laughed and they stepped closer to the check out. A few minutes passed.
“Well?” the elderly man in her line asked. “Were you, son?”
“Hello Mr. Stone,” Jeraine said. “I didn’t see you there. How are you?”
“He’s fine,” the woman behind him said. “Answer the question.”
The people around them stared at Jeraine. Tanesha gave them each an evil look.
“What’s the question?” Jeraine asked.
“Were you screwing some young thing just now?” the young woman from the line next to them sneered.
“No,” Jeraine said. “I was getting ice cream.”
“Uh huh,” the woman in front of them looked him up and down before turning around in a huff.
“Why were you grinning?” Tanesha asked.
“Because I don’t know anything. I had to ask Mrs. Jennings…” He pointed to the ancient woman three lines over. She waved. “She helped me pick out something for the kids and showed me where to get chocolate syrup and whipped cream. I haven’t been in a grocery store since I was a kid. Miss T’s teased me about just that the whole time we’ve been here. She thinks it’s funny.”
“Satisfied?” Tanesha glared at the people around them.
“I’m not,” a woman from the line to her left spoke up for the first time. “I used to babysit Miss T for Yvonne and Rodney. Tanesha, you probably don’t remember me but I’m Tawnie Johnson.”
“Vaguely,” Tanesha nodded.
“And she’s right,” Mrs. Johnson said. “I didn’t help when Miss T needed it, and I knew she needed it, so I have no right to say anything. But…”
“That’s not going to stop you,” Tanesha said.
“No it is not,” Mrs. Johnson said. “I want to know if you’re going to cheat and break her heart again.”
Jeraine looked at the old woman. He took in Tanesha’s sour look and the staring people around him. Putting his hands on his hips, he looked down at the floor. Tanesha slipped her hand onto his elbow.
“We knew this would happen,” Tanesha said in a low voice.
He looked at her then back around at the other people.
“The truth…” he started.
“Yeah, that would be nice for a change,” the woman in front of them said.
Denver Cereal continues tomorrow…
