Derrick and Babs exited Bloomingdales to the parking lot and headed toward Derrick's Mercedes. Before they could reach the car, two greasy unshaven White men blocked their path. After dating for six months, both Derrick and Babs could predict what was coming.
"Hey Bubba. Lookie here. This fine dressed Black man got hisself a White woman."
Barbara looked at the yellow teeth, grimy finger nails and unruly hair streaming out of the Budweiser baseball caps and knew they couldn't share an IQ of 100 between the two of them. She moved in front of Derrick trying to head off a confrontation.
"Listen guys. We aren't looking for any trouble, so why don't we just go our way, and you go yours?"
"How 'bout that Reggie? The big bad Black man lets his fat white woman speak for him. You could stand to lose a hundred pounds or so Sugar, but them tits sure are nice."
Babs could feel the heat from Derrick emanate from behind her as he moved closer to the two lowlifes . She turned, putting both hands on his chest to stop him and pleaded with him.
"Honey, don't do it. They aren't worth it."
Derrick handed her the two bags he was carrying, then turned his attention back to the two smiling rednecks.
Well Hell Bubba, looks like our Black brother here wants to dance a little. After scratching his jaw, Reggie took a huge sucker punch at Derrick, but Derrick was expecting it, ducked, and slammed his hard fist first into Reggie's stomach, and then to his chin, sending him to the ground, knocked out cold.
"Why you sum' bitch. Look what you did to my brother."
Bubba advanced on Derrick like a man possessed, throwing both fists wildly, with Derrick able to block the punches against his forearms easily. Then with a stiff jab, he stood Bubba up straight with a fist to the face, knocking out a tooth, and bloodying his nose.
He sent two lighting shots to his gut doubling him over, then with an uppercut, sent him sprawling back on the pavement, knocked out beside his brother. Brushing himself off, he looked over at Babs who stared back at him with an angry look on her face.
"You all right Babe?"
"I'm fine Derrick."
They entered his Mercedes, and the drove off in silence. After five minutes, Derrick finally said, "OK Babe, what's up? Why the silent treatment?"
"Dammit Derrick. I asked you not to confront those two. Maybe they WERE the slimiest most racist sons of bitches on earth, but you can't solve anything through violence. As long as we are together, we are going to have assholes put us down for loving outside our race, or because of my weight."
"I can't believe you Babs. You wanted me to just turn a deaf ear to those scumbags?"
"Yes Dammit. Yes I did. I love you more than anything Derrick, but if I am going to put you in a position where you need to fight for the rest of our lives, our relationship just isn't worth it."
"Fine. Fine. If I can't stand up for my beliefs and my lady, then maybe we SHOULD break up."
Babs looked out the side window and tears began to flow from her eyes. The last six months with Derrick had been the happiest of her life, and she didn't want it to end, but she didn't know if she was strong enough to go through life with all the racist comments, or God forbid, bringing children into the world who might be ridiculed because of their mixed race parents.
Derrick turned into the circular drive of the spacious Colonial that they now shared, and they entered the house in silence. Barbara dropped the bags in the bedroom, then headed toward the kitchen to prepare lunch.
Derrick changed into shorts and a t-shirt and headed down to the basement to work off some of the tension by lifting weights.
Both lunch and dinner were tense, with both eating little, and saying even less. After the table was cleared for the final time, Babs retired to the bedroom to read, and Derrick went to his Study to check his portfolio on the computer. He surveyed his investments. Three quarters of a million in stocks and bonds. A beautiful house. A beautiful woman. Everything he could have hoped for by age 33, but at that moment he was feeling miserable.
He stared at the screen in silence, then logged out and slowly rose and headed down the hall to the bedroom. He stared at the beautiful full bodied woman, dressed in her knee length nightgown and felt the love. Not one to find apologizing easy, he stalled at the bedroom entrance, but then entered, knowing that it had to be said.
He cleared his throat, causing Barbara to look up from her book.
"Honey. I've been thinking all day of what you said earlier, and although it kills me to let assholes get away with ugly remarks, I realize you are right, and I was wrong to fight with them. I will try to do better in the future."
Babs lay down the book and slowly rose from the bed and caressed Derrick's cheek.
"Thank you Honey. I know it hurts, and it's not easy to turn the other cheek, but if our relationship is going to grow, we will just have to accept the fact that even though our world is supposed to be civilized and accepting of differences, there are still racist morons out there who will want to cause us trouble. I love you more than anything Derrick, and want to spend the rest of my life with you, no matter what anyone says."
Derrick took his big sexy lover into his strong arms and joined their lips in a soft kiss. "I love you too Babe."
They joined lips once again, and Babs grabbed the workout shorts and pushed them down over Derrick's legs. Parting briefly, Derrick removed Bab's nightie while Babs removed his t-shirt and jock. Derrick went to one knee and placed a finger on each side of his lover's silk panties and pulled them down over her massive thighs and calves.
