My Crowning Glory, page 1
Table of Contents
My Crowning Glory Chapter 1
My Crowning Glory Chapter 2
My Crowning Glory Chapter 3
My Crowning Glory Chapter 4
My Crowning Glory Chapter 5
My Crowning Glory Chapter 6
My Crowning Glory Chapter 7
My Crowning Glory Chapter 8
My Crowning Glory Chapter 9
My Crowning Glory Chapter 10
My Crowning Glory Chapter 11
My Crowning Glory Chapter 12
My Crowning Glory Chapter 13
My Crowning Glory Chapter 14
My Crowning Glory Chapter 15
Natural Sistahs Book and Author Info
Chapter 1
I slammed down so hard on the brake pedal I broke the thong on my flip-flops. My favorite flip-flops. It took me three summers to find those flip-flops and here I go breaking them running late for an interview. I can’t remember if I got them online or offline. Never mind. If I don’t get out of this car, I’ll be in the unemployment line.
My earrings match my necklace. Check. My deodorant held up through traffic. Check. Flip flops replaced with favorite black leather platform pumps. Check.
I’m not proud or ashamed that my Momma pulled strings to get this interview for the fellowship. Janie Collins happened to be my mother's sorority sister. I exited my car and managed the cutest fast walk to Ms. Collins office possible without falling. Everything I studied and worked for all my life led up to one meeting with a woman my mother knew from her sorority. In my mind, the first job I’d have would be the result of my stellar style, brilliant interview answers and charismatic interview skills. Not line sisters hook up, from my Momma.
When the last application for a fellowship interview was mailed off, my father suggested, I employ the revolutionary concept of using my parent’s connections. They respected my protests until the final form letter thanking me for my application arrived in the mail. Ten days later, I strolled into the Federal Health Foundation offices of Macon, Georgia, in need of a job.
The day I told my Dad about inspecting my tissue under the microscope, in fourth grade, he told me to start saving for medical school. In his mind people fascinated with germs, bacteria and viruses belonged in a doctor’s office with an "m" and a "d" behind their name. It took me three years in college to work up the courage to tell him the thought of being a doctor made my skin crawl faster than centipedes. My Dad jumped up and clicked his heels. When I found out how much money I’d saved in preparation for medical school under his keen financial eye, I wanted to jump up and kick my heels.
“Good morning.” I smiled as I whizzed through the double doors of the FHF building.
“Good morning, place your purse on the conveyor.” A tall fine brother waved me through the scanner and searched my belongings for “security reasons.” I enjoy being frisked as much as the next girl but I’m sure, Wilson, would be feeling some kinda way about me letting some tall baldhead rent a cop grope me for a cheap thrill.
“Thank you, ma’am. Do you know where you’re going?” The guard said.
“Janie Collins on the third floor.” I tried not to stare at his flawless skin.
“Elevators are around the corner. I’ll call to let her know you’re here.” He smiled.
“Thanks.” I flashed a smile and climbed onto the elevator with a good feeling about my interview.
No one wanted me to get this interview more than Wilson. Sometimes I wondered what I did to deserve such a supportive boyfriend. His curly hair, butterscotch skin and smooth baritone voice gave me countless reasons to carve time out for him every weekend. I believed we would have cute little light brown babies.
He hinted to wanting more from our romance than college sweetheart status. My parents liked his parents and his parents adored me. His mother and I already spent time together without him. Only thing sweeter than how our families interacted was the way he attended to my every need. A girl couldn’t dream of a better boyfriend than Wilson. If she did, it would only be Wilson with chiseled muscles and a few inches taller, because a man could never be too fine or too tall.
A giggle escaped as I rehearsed the answers to the standard interview questions Porsche and I practiced all weekend. I anticipated being questioned about everything from my five-year plan to my social media expertise. Porsche drilled me on all the fine points of interview etiquette so well I wondered if I should have received a shot of Novocain.
The receptionist waited behind a lobby desk. “May I help you young lady?”
“Anisa Links, I have an appointment with Janie Collins.” I rocked back and forth.
“Have a seat, Ms. Links." The receptionist said.
I wanted to wipe the smug look at my four-inch platform pumps and trendy business suit from her face, but I knew office violence before I interviewed might hinder me from making a good impression. My phone occupied my time as I waited. I’d finished my fourth game of Fruit Ninja when I heard a door open.
“Anisa?” An older version of a woman I recognized from my mother’s college pictures stood inside the doorway of an office several feet away from the receptionist station.
I waved at her as all the confidence oozing from me seconds ago, disappeared. “Hi, Ms. Collins.”
“How is your mom?” Ms. Collins motioned toward a chair.
“She’s good, she sends her love.” My feet tapped out the rhythm to "Single Ladies."
“Good, so let’s get down to the good stuff.” Ms. Collins pulled out a legal pad. “There aren’t many candidates for this internship. I’ve looked at the applicants and interviewed the other two with the most potential earlier today. So you’ll have the benefit of knowing if I’m going with you or one of them by the end of this interview.”
The room felt smaller. No one mentioned anything about getting her decision today. Most fellowship decisions came via a letter where my tears of disappointment or happy dance happened in private. Maybe I wanted to wait it out a few days. Yeah, right. “Awesome.”
My lips moved and made words but don’t expect me to remember anything I said to Ms. Collins. My emotions teetered tottered between panic and excitement under the weight of the results of the interview.
# # #
Zoe’s cheekbones made supermodels jealous. Her skin made aestheticians drool. Height alone stopped her from being America’s Next Top Model or magazine vixen. Nothing and no one could tell me she wouldn’t have been splayed all over the hood of someone’s car as an ornament of seduction. Lucky for us, fifty-nine inches doesn’t look good on more than Twitter and Facebook photographs.
Ebonee sashayed behind Zoe looking like a million bucks despite being on a tighter budget than a politician is after a failed campaign. She wouldn’t win any model competitions but her height and build made every girl we knew in high school including Zoe, glow with jealousy. Lean legs and cinched waist without counting calories, doing crunches or driving by fitness centers. Enough to make any sane woman scream, good thing I’m too crazy to be jealous of her figure.
“A to the nisa!” Zoe air kissed and sat across from me. “So are we wallowing our sorrows or toasting to the champagne life?”
“Government employees don’t live the champagne life ... more like boxed wine comfort.” No longer able to hold it in, I grinned and squealed. “Ms. Collins says I should enjoy my fellowship with her department very much.”
Zoe and Ebonee jumped and down in their seats as if they won a sweepstakes. My heart skipped a beat as I watched the fourth amigo to our friend square approach our booth.
“Congratulations, Nisa.” She shooed me over in the booth. “I heard y’all at the front of the club. When do you start?”
“I won’t know all the details until I receive the letter from Ms. Collins. You guys don’t post anything on FB or Twitter because I haven’t told my parents or Wilson yet and I want it to be a surprise when I spring it on him.” Part of being almost best friends with my honey made telling my girls first, a problem. Hard to explain the bond of friends since elementary school to someone you fall in love with in college.
“Geesh, Anisa. That boy needs to grow some man parts. We’ve known you since before you were in love with Dwayne Wade. You still wear his jersey and he is booed up with that actress.” Zoe giggled.
“Don’t be catty, Z. Goodness. I love me some DWade because his game is tight. No other reason. He is a good father, too, but my man Wilson is no chump.” My arms crossed despite my protest. I haven’t crushed on Dwayne Wade since my first year of college.
“That crush is nothing compared to the obsession you still have with Shemar Moore, Zoe. My goodness, he is your phone screensaver, computer wallpaper and Facebook cover. We had to talk you down from photograph shopping yourself into a picture with him for your tumbler background.” Porsche laughed.
“Don’t hate. I’m the perfect height for Mr. Moore. And the rest of the package doesn’t even need mentioning. As soon as I run into him in Hotlanta ... his babies and heart are mine.” Zoe rolled her eyes and sipped from the drink the waiter sat in front of her when I wasn’t looking.
“Yep, and Anisa is gonna dump Wilson when we go see the Falcons play the Heat.” Ebonee guffawed.
“The Hawks?” I blinked in confusion.
“I said it right.” Ebonee sniggled.
“Speaking of Hotlanta, I won some tickets to the World Natural Hair Show and we should all go as part of an extended celebration for our girl becoming a distinguished fellow
“Yeah, it didn’t hurt that the head chick in charge and her mother were line sisters in the pumpkin and teal.” Zoe sniggled.
“My mother being a member of Sis Phi Sis may have helped me get the interview but I secured the position. Thank you!” I fought the urge to pop my friend in the back of the head and clinked glasses. “The show sounds like fun, Porsche. I’d love to go.”
“Well, when one celebrates we all celebrate. I will find a sitter and we’ll ride out early next Saturday morning. Who knows D. Wade and Shemar may be in town as celebrity guests they’ve had all kinds of stars at their events.” Ebonee said.
“It’s a date. I won’t be able to go to the movies with you guys, Friday. I can’t leave Wilson unattended the entire weekend or I’ll hear about it all week.” Reading menus to avoid eye contact is one of my best avoidance techniques in restaurants.
“Don't make any sense for a grown man to be that needy.” Zoe clucked her tongue.
“You say needy, I say attentive. Call it what you want, his ringtone for me is ‘ain’t no chick like the one I got’ and I intend to keep it that way.” A wave of my hand brought the server to our table and cut off Zoe’s reply. She came off sharp sometimes but I believed she was still hurt from Derrick breaking her heart senior year of high school, a month after her brother died.
# # #
Three years into the relationship and Wilson continued to open doors for me. Two of my friends' boyfriends stopped pulling out chairs and opening car doors when they passed the one-year anniversary mark, especially if they sampled the “cookie.” Add Wilson’s resemblance to Terrence Howard and you can imagine the smile on my face when I’m in his presence.
“So, what is with the million watt smile?” Wilson pulled my chair out for me. “You’ve kept me in suspense all week. Did you get the internship?”
The waiter approached the table. “Good evening, folks. Welcome to the Bistro. I’d be happy to take your drink orders.”
Wilson cleared his throat. “I’ll have a Merlot and she’ll have a cabernet.”
The urge to roll my eyes almost overtook me but I stopped it just shy of the rim of my eye. “Thank you but I’d prefer a Pinot Noir.”
“Wait, should we hold off and order champagne to celebrate?” Wilson signaled for the server to wait.
“That won’t be necessary.” The server left the table as I shook my head. “Thank you for moving our movie date up to Friday.”
“You’re enjoying this torture, aren’t you? Is that what I have to look forward to in our marriage? You drawing out news to tease and titillate me into frenzy.” Wilson leaned across the table.
“Stop that, Wilson. Of course, not. I just wanted to wait until we were alone. This restaurant is no place to tell you something as personal and life changing as landing my dream job on my climb the ladder of success.” Happiness spread through my body as Wilson’s eyes brightened.
“You got the job. You GOT THE JOB! My baby interning at the FHF.” Wilson smiled.
“My mother’s line sister is the program director for my fellowship, which is the only reason I even know, it isn’t public knowledge, yet. It isn’t an internship because I’m getting paid, traveling with her to do presentations and other stuff most people in internships don’t do.” My smile matched his smile.
“I knew you’d get it, and not because of your mom’s line sister. You’re the smartest, prettiest, woman I know. That is why I fell in love with you.” His lips felt like butter as they touched the top of my hand.
“The girls are taking me to the World Natural Hair show in Atlanta this weekend to celebrate. That is why we need to move our movie date to Friday. They said they would if I get the fellowship, since Porsche won a four person VIP ticket pack.” The piece of bread I attempted to chew caught in my throat.
“You actually waited to tell me first. Wow! That is big for you babe. Those chicks know everything before I do. At least I’ll be able to say I knew this first, I’m flattered. Do your parents know yet?” Wilson sipped his wine.
“I haven’t spoken with my mom, so I don’t know what her line sister told her. They may. It’s not a competition. Telling you now is what matters for us, right?” Zoe’s words bounced around my mind.
Wilson laughed. “I sound silly, I know. Just these marriage articles and books say marriages last for a lifetime when the couple is each other’s best friends. I want for us. I want to be your best friend so one day, I can marry you.”
“Oh,” the bread in my mouth became drier. “Let’s focus on the friendship on our terms. Being best friends doesn’t mean dibs on new information or any other silly rules. Relax and I’m sure everything will float into place.”
“True. You’re so good for me. I love you ‘Nisa.”
“Once this semester ends and the fellowship begins I’ll have to plan my schedule better,” My eyes filled with love. “You’re special to me, the best guy friend I’ve ever had for sure. That won’t ever change.”
“I hear you. Just trying to be the hip-hop in your left thigh, trying to become the neo soul in your right.” Wilson tried to give me bedroom eyes and a sexy eyebrow lift.
My eyebrows lifted in shock. “You’ve got to stop watching Love Jones, you’re no Lorenzo Tate and I’m not trying to be Nia Long. Let’s just be us and see where love takes us. On our wedding night, you may be the jazz in my left thigh trying to become the r &b in my right. I love all four kinds of music.”
Chapter 2
My head bobbed to the bass of one of my old school jams “Dilemma” by Nelly as Ebonee whipped her boyfriend’s late model custom cherry red Acura RDX into the line of cars looking for a parking space outside the WORLD NATURAL HAIR SHOW. Cars from as far as Virginia and Tennessee inched forward in front of us. Hair styled in everything from twists, locs, curly fros, mohawks and curly ringlets filled the cars or bobbed toward the event facility on the sidewalks. As the car stopped, I fingered the ends in my relaxed shoulder blade length tresses.
“Girl, did you see that chicks afro? Her hair is hot. I mean, I wouldn’t give up my weaves for all the lip gloss in Miami but I’d look good in some natural wigs. Let’s go.” Ebonee laughed as she turned off the ignition. She checked her makeup in the mirror of the visor over the driver seat.
“All I know is I’ll be happy when the AnisaFest ends so I can have my front seat back.” Zoe stuck her tongue out at me.
“Maybe we shouldn’t have come. I feel like we’re spying on them.” I watched several women with natural hair walk past the SUV.
“Are you serious? Them. Who is them? We’re not visiting a foreign country it’s a hair show. Get out of the car.” Porsche shook her head and laughed.
“I’ve seen a few YouTube videos and blogs. They are serious about their hair. I don’t want to be disrespectful.” Butterflies flitted around my stomach.
“Get out of the car, the show is gonna be fun. You’ll see.” Ebonee winked at herself in the mirror.
A smile crossed my lips. Nothing wrong with attending a trade show. Those same bloggers and You Tubers talked about how much fun and great swag they picked up at the WNHS. Earrings, tee shirts, make up, all things I could use even if I didn’t wear my hair natural."
“C’mon, let’s start with a workshop first, then we’ll go into the show. I’m sure you’ll see it is fine.” Porsche motioned for me to scoot out of my seat.
“She spoiled." Ebonee laughed. "Ain’t nobody opening your door, Wilson is in Macon.”
I rolled my eyes. Sometime my girls could be a bit much.
The car alarm sounded. We followed Porsche as she followed the signs to the will call desk. Ebonee whispered with Zoe a few feet from me as I watched Porsche claim our wristbands. They looked different from everyone else.
“Why aren’t they the same color as everyone else?” I held my wrist out for her.
“I won the whole weekend package including the fashion show and some VIP party. Which I didn’t come dressed for and some package from some workshop.” Porsche shrugged. “Looks like we’re gonna have to hit the mall for some outfits for this evening.
