Bobbie was sitting at the kitchen table on her cell phone when Ethan came in from work.
She and her husband exchanged waves and then she went back to what appeared to be a somewhat one-sided conversation to whoever was on the other end of the line with Bobbie doing the listening and whoever she was speaking with doing all the talking.
That in itself was unusual. Bobbie normally inserted herself and her opinions into every discussion. And by the look on her face, Ethan couldn't tell if she was intensely inserted in the conversation or in shock. He tried to decide which it was and stared at her, but she was without expression, so it could be anything from awe to disgust.
Ethan grinned -- In over 20 years of marriage, he could count on one hand the number of time Bobbie was this quiet during a call. She normally would be waving her arms as she spoke and gesturing to someone who couldn't appreciate any of it because they couldn't see her. Ethan often said that he wasn't sure if Bobbie was truly Irish or Italian!
In reality, she was both -- dark hair, light eyes, pale skin -- a tight little body she kept firm with years of running and yoga -- she looked good for a woman in her mid-forties -- well, closer to fifty, but a fact that Bobbie denied more vigorously with each passing year. Even with the start of a few gray hairs, she had the body of a woman half her age and Ethan thanked his lucky stars to have found someone who took such good care of herself.
Ethan changed out of his work clothes into shorts and a T-shirt and was heading down to the basement to work out before dinner when he passed Bobbie sitting quietly at the kitchen table staring at her now dormant phone.
"Hey, babe...." He said.
Bobbie looked up at him and said, "We need to talk".
Ethan saw the look of concern in her eyes and figured he better put the workout on hold. He sat across from her and waited. No man EVER liked hearing the 'We need to talk' line for any reason and held his breath waiting for her to start the discussion.
Bobbie is a public school teacher -- having taught world history to middle school students for the last 13 years. She knew how to hold the interest of prepubescent youngsters whose brain was muddled by years of video games, cell phones and hormones that were firing in different directions. She knew the value of timing her words -- and she was an artist with it.
And they had been married long enough for Ethan to know not to interrupt. This was a bit of a dance...he sighed and waited.
Bobbie closed her eyes and looked up at the ceiling and then said, "That was Danielle".
Ethan nodded...Danielle was their niece. Bobbie's sister and brother in law's daughter -- a cute little redhead, senior in college majoring in Communications. She was a spunky fireball, and no one really knew where the red hair came from but it was the brunt of jokes from the time she was born until she reached puberty.
Once she became a teenager and the braces came off, she went from tomboy to a raving beauty...5'2, barely 100 pounds -- cheerleader, gymnast, straight A student. She was the apple of everyone's eye and accomplished at anything she put her mind to. Her curly red hair down to the middle of her back, she was poised and perfect in every way.
Bob and Marion had their hands full keeping the boys from knocking down their door trying to date her and Bob often joked that he went gray early because of his precocious daughter and her suitors.
In reality, she was every parents 'dream -- serious, hardworking, respectful and loved by friends and family alike. Danielle wasn't a saint -- she was known to drink a little and smoke a little pot in college, but she never embarrassed the family or did anything to damage her wholesome reputation.
So, when the subject of Danielle came up, Ethan's immediate thought was a car accident or injury. He took a deep breath and waited for Bobbie to finish her thought process.
"So, our dear niece, Danielle called to ask a favor." She said, with just a little over the top dramatic pause.
Ethan squinted his eyes as he looked at his wife -- he hated drama of any kind in his life and this was absolutely unnecessary, but he knew if he told her to just come out with it, it would cause a fight, so he swallowed and waited.
"Turns out, Danielle has a boyfriend... Actually, more than a boyfriend...they've been living together for almost a year in an apartment off campus. She wants to bring him home for the summer to meet the family and would like our help in breaking the news to her parents."
Ethan exploded.
"For Christ's sake, Bobbie -- why didn't you just say that? What's with all the drama? So, our darling niece is growing up and has a boyfriend....! It's not the end of the world! I'm sure Bob and Marion knew this day was coming. It's not like she's a teenager anymore!"
Bobbie waited -- gave Ethan a smirk and then dropped the bombshell she was holding like a grenade.
"Ethan, he's black." she said softly.
The weight of her words hit Ethan in the gut immediately and he felt his breath leave him like a deflated balloon. He tried not to let the emotion of it show, but Bobbie saw his expression, saw him go pale. All the bravado in the world wouldn't save him now.
Ethan didn't speak for a few minutes as he tried to come up with the right words that wouldn't sound racist or too old or out of touch with the real world...a flood of thoughts entered his mind --
God, what would Bob and Marion say? What about the rest of the family? Ethan and Bobbie were the most liberal minded members of the family -- Bob would clearly blow a gasket -- he was as racist as the day was long and Marion, for her part, tried to change the subject when he would go on a rant about how the world was going to hell in a handbasket due to all the interbreeding and crime in the cities and government handouts to minorities. He was absolutely the poster boy for racism and hatred.
And, what was Danielle thinking? Was this retribution or rebellion against her parents because of some discipline she received as a child? Of all the boys who tried to date her growing up, none of them were Black or Indian or Asian -- Hell, she didn't date anyone who wasn't the same religion or political affiliation as her or her parents. They were strict Irish Catholics who never got in trouble, always paid their bills and never colored out of the lines.
That last thought crept into Ethan's mind and burned into him. "Never colored outside the lines". The image that popped into his brain in that last second shamed and haunted him for days afterwards -- He imagined his sweet little niece naked, riding some dark black cock, her little breasts bobbing up and down as she impaled herself on the boyfriend's dick...her pale slender body writhing as he stretched her out.
Ethan felt his face burning -- he had NEVER thought of his lovely niece in a sexual way -- not the entire time she grew up around him. He felt her heart racing.
God... Bob might have a heart attack over this. He thought about his brother and sister-in-law and how they used to brag about Danielle and what a perfect daughter she was. This was NOT going to sit well.
Finally, Ethan spoke.
"So, okay -- not the best news...but it's not the end of the world. What do you know? Did you ask about him, how they met, how long have they been dating?"
Bobbie nodded her head -- she said, "His name is Scott, they met in their junior year and dated for several months before getting an apartment together last September. He's evidently also a senior and Danielle did mention that she was dating someone to her parents, but not that they were living together and certainly not that he was black. I guess they assumed he was white because of his name, and she didn't offer any more details."
Ethan nodded -- He only knew a few black guys and none of them was named Scott. He asked Bobbie if she knew anything else.
Bobbie loved that she was "in the know" and only too happy to spill the beans to her husband.
"Yes, he's evidently British or Jamaican or something...I heard him in the background, and he had a definite accent. I couldn't quite place it, so I asked Danielle about it...she said he's both Jamaican but went to a school in England growing up, so I'm not sure what that makes him, but she said he's average height, slender, very quiet and hard working. She said he's studying bio-engineering and is also a straight A student."
She went on. "I felt I needed to ask what he looked like in more detail, so I did. I hope that didn't make me come off racist, but God, you know if he's dark or has dreadlocks, Bob is going to have a fit. Danielle said he was fairly dark -- like dark chocolate but no dreadlocks, so I guess that's a plus. She did say again that he was very quiet and reserved but in amazing shape. He runs and bikes and does Pilates and even some yoga!"
The image of little pale Danielle with this guy popped back into Ethan's brain and he shook his head, trying to dismiss it to no avail. He decided to change the subject.
"So, what was the favor? Just to tell Bob and Marion that she's dating a black guy? I don't think that's our place, Bobbie. She needs to tell them herself."
Bobbie nodded and said that's what she told Danielle too.
She said that Danielle asked, "Are you guys headed up to the cabin to get it ready for Independence Day? Would it be okay for Scott and I and maybe a couple of other friends to come up for a week or two to help you get ready? You could meet Scott and then when my mom and dad come up for the 4th, you'll already know him. Now that school is finished for the semester, we have a lot of time on our hands. We could help get everything ready for the party and you could get an honest feel for who Scott is. I hope you see that he's as amazing as I say he is."
Ethan shook his head. This guy would have to be the American Gandi for Bob and Marion to accept him. No one was going to be good enough for their daughter, especially a black guy!
