Lyla took another sip of wine and wiped her eyes. She's stopped crying awhile ago, but her eyes were still leaking a bit.
Sheena reached a hand over and put it on her leg. Lyle noticed the contrast between her friend's almond brown skin and the alabaster white of her own leg. "You all right, girl?" she asked.
Lyla pushed her blonde hair out of her face. "Yeah, I'm fine," she said. "This has been a big help. Really."
Sheena and Lyla had made short work of a bottle of wine and were making their way through a second. Two days, earlier, Lyla discovered her boyfriend had been cheating on her, and the fierce argument led to a breakup. Sheena was doing her best to cheer her friend up.
"What you need to do," she told Lyla, "is get right back up on that horse. Or, better yet, get someone hung like a horse right back up on you."
Lyla laughed and waved her hand dismissively.
"I'm serious," Sheena said. "Find yourself a man to make you forget whats-his-name for a night."
Lyla waved her hand again. "I don't even know where to look. I remember going through all the guys on those apps before. No thanks!"
"Widen your search," Sheena said. "You ever been with a brother? I'm serious. Come on over to our side."
Lyla laughed and felt herself blush. "I haven't," she said. "I mean, I'm not opposed to it. I just ... haven't."
"You don't know what you're missing," Sheena said. "Just because you look like Barbie doesn't mean you need to be with Ken. Give Kendall a try. Or better yet, Kendrick. A good Kendrick what make you forget all about that white boy."
Lyla laughed and finished her glass. "We'll see."
Both girls refilled their glasses and continued to discuss where Lyla could find a man. A short time later, they heard shuffling on the front porch.
Sheena looked up, surprised, then looked over at Lyla. "Oh," she said, a bit flustered. "What time is it? That must be Patrick."
Patrick was Sheena's fiancΓ©. Lyla wasn't sure where he was from--Nigeria, she thought. She knew he worked in an office but wasn't sure exactly what he did, just that the pay was good.
The front door opened, and Sheena called to him, "We're in here, babe. I didn't realize how late it had gotten."
Patrick came around the corner. He was tall, at least 6'4", and had dark skin, far darker than Sheena's. She often teased him about being lighter than him. He was wearing a green button-up shirt and slightly darker green tie. A professional looking bag was over his shoulder.
"Hi honey," Sheena said and bounced off the couch to give him a quick kiss, standing on tiptoe to reach him. "You remember Lyla."
Patrick had not stopped staring at Lyla since he came in, seeming to look deep into her eyes. She wasn't sure what all the intensity was about, but Lyla felt something funny in the pit of her stomach.