This one-off story follows on after 'The Temptations of Dee'.
Afternoon Tea
Dee parked her new Odyssey in the lot outside of the little diner. It was her third time back here but her first in eight months. She had already decided that it would probably be her last. Time had moved on and people had moved on with it. She knew that as much as anyone could. If she didn't see her this time then she would have to accept that the young woman had changed jobs. There would still be a chance that she might phone.
Except that she hadn't phoned and it had been almost a year and a half. A very eventful year and a half. Dee smiled to herself as she locked her vehicle and walked across to the diner, feeling the breeze on her arms and her calves. Short sleeves and a skirt had most definitely been the way to go. She was looking forward to her iced tea. If the diner hadn't been so out of her way she might have come here for them anyway. Well - perhaps not. This area was so, er, white. It seemed strange to be around so many white folks nowadays. Well, not so much white folks as white men.
Her phone buzzed and she smiled as she read the message.
"My calendar says we due to meet next week. What 's yo thinkin. S."
Shaka was very reliable. He also wasn't wasting any time. He was claiming what she had promised him - it would be her fifth and last child and it would be his. Her fingers flew on the screen.
"How about the Thursday? I'll line up a house-sitter. Fingers crossed."
"No rush babe. I'll be enjoying the process. S."
Dee giggled. She knew that she would enjoy it too. Somewhat masochistic of her some might say. Having just enjoyed two months feeling very much like a beached whale followed by six months as the personal body servant of a very demanding, but also utterly adorable, little tyrant.
That was why it felt so good to be out and about again. She had resumed work this week and it had felt so amazing to be back teaching - even if perhaps not for long. It was fortunate that Tubman High had such excellent child-care facilities and such a generous maternity leave policy. Fortunate but perhaps not surprising when you understood what that Taylor Foundation logo on the school signage really meant.
Through the last six months there had been three things that kept nagging at her mind. First, the desire to teach again. Second, her little arrangement with Shaka. Third, a desire to get back to this diner.
Of course she could just ask. Something like, "Excuse me but that attractive young server who worked here. The one who showed an interest in going Black. Could you pass me her details and forwarding address?" On second thoughts that was probably not an option.
It WAS nagging at her though. It had been an important moment. Her body-clock meant that this next child, Shaka's child, would certainly be her last. Then her role in the life-style would be a different one. An 'influencer', a 'facilitator', an 'enabler' or, to use the old term for all three, a teacher. The first person she had really had a chance to influence and enable was that shy young server. She could still remember how the girl had blushed when they'd caught her staring at them. How she'd taken Dee's number and her invitation to call if she wanted to act on the desires that all three of them knew she had.
Then - nothing. No phone call and on two later visits to the diner Dee hadn't seen the girl. It was a frustration and a real shame. A lovely girl like that shouldn't be wasting her time with white boys.
Dee entered the diner trying not to smirk to herself at that last thought. This lifestyle did give you thoughts that you'd never previously have imagined yourself having. What the heck - it also provided plenty of house-sitters and 'aunties' who helped look after the children.
The diner was reasonably busy. Dee saw a server operating but immediately felt disappointment. There were a couple of small tables free towards the rear. She took a seat at one and watched.
The server had noticed her and went to a door. She spoke through it and almost shrugged her shoulders. Then the door swung shut only to open thirty seconds later and reveal another server, her face just adopting the professional smile as she tied her apron. The servers were dressed alike - a white blouse over a knee-length black skirt with a white apron tied in front. Hooters or Twin Peeks this was not.
Dee smiled. She would know the girl anywhere. Everything about that evening and night were burned into her memory. The server reached into a pocket of her apron and pulled out a pad. Only then did she look up to take in Dee and suddenly her professional smile was gone if only for a moment. In that moment her face showed shock and surprise. It seemed she had recognised Dee too.
The girl took up position and gave a little clear of her throat. "Er, good afternoon, What can I get you?"
Was the girl choosing not to recognise her or didn't she trust her recognition? Dee hadn't come this far not to find out.
"It's good to see you again. You never gave me that phone-call."
The girl blushed and glanced across to make sure she wasn't being watched before saying, "I meant to but then it seemed kind of crazy you know and then when I thought maybe I should I thought it was too late..."
The words had rushed out of her and Dee suddenly realised, with a real sense of responsibility, that the girl had been desperately hoping to see her again too.
"Well," Dee glanced at the girl's name-card, "Helen. You go get me one of this place's delicious iced teas and a slider I can write out my number for you again. If you'd like it?"
Helen glanced across to make sure she wasn't being watched again and then she nodded.
The slider really was very good and that iced tea hit the spot like little else could on a hot day like that one. When Helen returned with the check Dee gave her the money plus a tip plus her number. She had also been thinking. She didn't want any more slips-ups or to have to rely on the girl having the courage to phone.
It had been over a year since Dee had enjoyed a night out. Emily had offered to look after the youngsters but up to now she hadn't quite felt like it. She had been in full-on mommy mood and she almost certainly soon would be again. Seeing the excitement and nervousness in young Helen's eyes had made her mind up for her.
"Are you working tomorrow Helen?"
"Only the lunch-time shift."
"That's good because I'm working the morning too. You'd be free for four o'clock?"
The girl's eyes were fixed on Dee. She wasn't checking to see if she was being watched anymore. All good signs.
"Where can we meet - I mean NOT here. Somewhere we can have a real talk. Without being spied on or overheard."
Now it was Helen's turn to write a note. She'd just completed it when she saw her boss waving an imperious hand at her. She gave a last smile before moving off back to the kitchens.
Cards on the Table
It wasn't the swankiest of joints but then Helen was probably not exactly rolling in spare cash. Its clientele was less family-orientated than the diner where she worked, rather more relaxed.
Dee had left the Odyssey at home and borrowed Emily's old clunker for the evening. She wasn't sure where the night might take her and this Nissan had several advantages for certain areas. It was a very reliable vehicle but definitely not the top of anyone's list to steal. The Taylor Foundation logo in the window made that pretty unlikely but why tempt fate with a new Odyssey!
In the back of her mind she'd been wondering whether Helen would show up but she was soon put straight on that score. Dee got there five minutes early but Helen was already waiting for her outside and waved when Dee walked up.
