Suds - Season 1, Episode 6

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

[Last time on Suds, Darien snuck up behind Shantel and… ditched her, LOL, but not to worry, our girl still has one more plan to win back her lost puppy love. And with Terrance detained by his lonely mother, Shantel might have more than enough time to… well see for yourself.]

Shantel looked out of the window. She was less than fifteen minutes away from the Carbondale stop, and out of options. Well, at least I didn’t break up with Terrance. Pulling her cell phone from her purse, she sorted through numbers until she found 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.

As faith would have it, Darien and Shantel unloaded their bags from the train at the same time. The late afternoon sun gave an illusion of warmth, but the cold breeze quickly countered. Shantel wrapped her arms around her body.

“Did you get any studying done,” he asked cordially with an effortlessly fine smile.
“I did,” she said. “When I pull that A+, you’re allowed to call me Einstein.” Darien’s laugh encouraged her to continue with the plan. As they walked away from the train, she came to an abrupt stop.

“Aww man,” she sighed, slapping her forehead. “I forgot to call a cab.” She watched as the only cab was taken by a group of girls.
“That’s messed up.”
Shantel bit her bottom lip, waiting for him to offer her a ride. She could see his car in her peripheral vision. It was parked in the furthest corner of the lot. “I can call my roommate,” she said pulling her phone from her purse and dialing Fandango. She listened to the movie line-up, and heard a few movies that she actually wanted to see. Shantel snapped the phone shut. “No answer,” she groaned.

Darien looked away, swinging his bag over his shoulder. Any day now, she thought, sarcastically. “Well, I’ll see you later.” Shantel walked over to the cab line on the curb. Darien silently watched her walk away.

~~~
“When are you leaving,” Lalique complained when Leilah changed the channel from a gruesome open heart surgery.
“Thank you,” Tyler shouted. “She always making us watch them nasty shows.”
‘Yeah,” Ty chimed in, “And we can’t ever watch our movie.”
“Shut up,” Lalique said, “It’s educational. Darn kids don’t know how to appreciate quality television.”

All seven of Sheila’s children sat in Aunt Lisa’s living room. Jack D. sat in the corner, whispering on Lalique’s cell phone. Tu Tu lay on the floor, coloring. Ty and Tyler were building Lego towers, ramming their toy cars into towers, and then giggling upon collapse. And the three eldest, sat on the couch.

“You got a man yet, Lei?” Xeniyah asked.
“Does it look like I have time for a man?” Leilah said yawning. “I’m here with ya’ll like every other weekend, and when I’m not here, I’m working. And when I do get a minute to myself, I plan on sleeping so I can check these bags,” she pointed at the dark area under her eyes, “goodbye.”

Lalique snatched the remote control out of Leilah’s hand. “You look dead. Take a nap before you get on the highway.” She flicked back to the surgery, instantly becoming engrossed in the stitching. “Zen, why you always asking somebody if they have a man? You act like the world revolves around dudes.”
Xeniyah rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest.
Leilah stood, “I’ll sleep when I get back to the dorm.” She slid on her shoes.

Leilah said goodbye to her siblings and her aunt, then climbed into her 1997 Pontiac Grand Am, mentally prepared for the five hour drive.
~~
Come on now, God. Darien prayed. I can’t take this girl home. Do you see her? Do you see what she is wearing? Darien walked across the lot to his car, dumping his bag in the trunk. Her roommate ain’t even there. The engine purred to life with a turn of his key. Man, God, you gon have to work this out.

Darien pulled up at the curve, got out and loaded Shantel’s suitcase into the trunk of his car.
“You don’t have to,” she said. “I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable about this.”
He opened the passenger door, gesturing for her get in. She smiled appreciatively.

They drove in silence most of the short ride back to the dorm unitl Shantel leaned back in the seat and sighed, “I miss this car.” The innocent sounding statement was filled with hidden innuendos. Darien prayed, Look God, I’m trying to be with you, but I ain’t ready to be taking no tests. Shantel rested her hand on his thigh. He jerked the car to a stop.
~~
Terrance drove down the highway, relieved that he was able to get on the road by 5 pm. If Shantel was still up, they could hang out for a while, especially since her roommate was rarely ever around.

Less than two hours into the drive, he noticed an old Grand Am with a blown tire pulled over on the side of the road. He slowed down enough to see the car had an SIUC parking decal on the back window. Better him than me, he thought picking up speed. Then he had another thought. What if it’s a her?

[Stay tuned: Bubbles, bubbles, toiling troubles]