Suds - Season 1, Episode 5

...a mini-soap opera that bubbles with Love & Drama

[Last time on Suds, Leilah’s left cheek was unfortunate enough to meet with granny’s right hook, compliments of a case of mistaken identity. And Aunt Lisa, who adopted all seven of her sister’s children found solace on her back stairwell. Meanwhile, I wonder what Shantel is up to.]
Leilah stepped out onto the porch. “I finished the laundry, but there’s a bag I was too tired to fold.”
Lisa smiled, blowing the smoke from the corner of her lips, “Don’t worry about it, I’ll have the kids take care of it.” She extended her arm toward the girl she practically raised since she herself was a teenager. Leilah slid into her Aunt Lisa’s embrace, perching next to her on the back stairs.
“Are you okay?” Aunt Lisa asked.
“Yeah,” Leilah lied.
“You know all that wasn’t meant for you, right?”
“Yeah,” she rested her head against her aunt’s shoulder, experiencing comfort in its smoggiest yet purest form.
~~~
Shantel craned her neck, searching for Darien in the sea of bodies that flooded the waiting area nearest their departure ramp. Its 9:15, where is he? She tapped her knee high, stiletto boots impatiently, and smoothed her trench coat. It was so thin, she practically froze when the Chicago wind blew, but the look on Darien’s face when he finally saw her would be worth all the cold in the artic. Maybe he’s already on the train, she thought, and in the same breath, she rushed toward the train with her large black suitcase strolling behind.

She handed her bag to the attendant, and climbed on board. Her eyes scanned each face on the car. He wasn’t there. Shantel sighed, pulling her ‘flat-ironed till it was bone straight’ hair off her neck.
“What’s up, Tel?” The voice she had been dreaming of said in a friendly tone.
She dropped her hair, hoping she hadn’t messed it up, “Hey Darien.”
“I thought you were riding back with your boy.”
Speculating about my whereabouts? Good, very good. Shantel smiled playfully, smoothing strands of hair into place. “Oh no, he’s not leaving until late, and I have to study… for Finance.” She pressed her lips together, raising her brows. “So, you want to sit together?”
“Uh,” Darien scratched his braids. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”
“Why?” Shantel grabbed his hand and pulled him toward two empty seats near the middle. “Is there a law that says we can’t enjoy each other’s company?” She untied her trench coat and slid it off.

Darien’s eyes traced down her neck to her low cut, fitted dress. He closed his eyes tightly. Shantel fought back a congratulatory smirk. This might be easier than I thought. She planted a hand on her hip, leaning slightly to enhance her curvy silhouette. Darien looked away. “I… uh… left all my stuff on the other car with my guy.”
“Okay, well just go grab your stuff and come back. I’ll hold your space.”
“Uh,” he rubbed his forehead. “Naw, I gotta go. I’ll see you later Shantel.” He rushed off before she could respond.

Shantel plopped down onto the seat, furious.
~~~

“Alright Ma, I gotta go,” Terrance said, hoping his mother would hold onto the guilt card instead of playing it as she so often did.
Mrs. Holt, inhaled and exhaled deeply. “Why couldn’t you just go to the University of Illinois? At least then I would see you more often, not just once every other month.”

Terrance looked at the short, pudgy woman sitting at the dining room table playing solitaire.
“This is what I do, you know.” She flipped over three cards. “This is all I do, play cards.”
“Ma,” Terrance groaned. “How many times we gotta have this conversation?”
“And when you do come home, it’s for one night.” She flipped over another three cards from the deck, matching a series of black and red before pulling from the deck again. “And less than half a day. Staying out all night with that lil girl. Can’t even spend your last night in town with your own mother.”
“Ma, please don’t do this.”
Still she continued on an on about her life as a widow, her only son abandoning her for some lil pop tart that didn’t have the decency to meet his mother, and even how her waning eye sight was attributed to his absence. Her poor eyes kept trying to find him even though he was long gone.

Terrance stretched out on the sofa less than three feet from his mother, tuning in an out of her rant. He knew he wouldn’t be able to leave until later… much later.
~~

Shantel had more than enough time to study since Darien avoiding her like cats avoided bath water. He even pretended to be sleeping when she walked through his car to get to the snack bar.

Shantel looked out of the window less than fifteen minutes away from the Carbondale stop, and out of options. Well, at least I didn’t break up with Terrance. She pulled her cell phone from her purse, sorting through numbers until she found the yellow cab. Maybe I can give Darien a ride back to the dorms in my cab. Her hand lingered on the call button before she snapped the phone shut with another scheme in mind. Darien probably parked his car at the train station, and if I accidentally forget to call a cab, he just might offer me a ride home.

[Stay tuned: No line, no wait for Episodes 6 & 7]