Chapter 4

"Come on, Michael, it's a good story."

Tallulah sat, folding her arms. She was sitting in his tiny office, trying to make a case for her story idea.

"I'm not saying it isn't, but it can't go in this issue, T. I've already completed the layout, and Tony wrote the cover story. You can't write all the covers, T," Michael replied.

She was frowning. "I know, but I was hoping since it's so prevalent in the media, you'd let me squeeze it in? Please? Pretty please?"

Michael looked at her. "Sorry, next issue."

"Come on, Michael."

"Next issue," he said.

Tallulah went back to her desk. Her 1980s phone was ringing, and she picked it up. "Tallulah Brock."

Chloe's voice came through the phone line. "Hey, girl. Let's meet up tonight. I've been workin' like a Hebrew slave in this motherfucker, and I need a motherfuckin' night out with my girls!"

Tallulah smiled. "Okay. Z's place, 11 pm."

Chloe said, "Cool, I gotta go."

Tallulah clicked off the phone, then laughed. "That girl has issues," she said out loud.

She opened her laptop and quickly scanned her emails. She opened three more "Thank you, but no thank you" emails and deleted all 3. She checked the time: 10 pm.

"I'm headed out. Be sure to lock up," Michael said, walking out of his office.

"I'm right behind you," she said, quickly closing her laptop. She grabbed her bag and purse and followed Michael.

"Thank Zoe for the pie," he said, locking the door.

"Is that all?" she said slyly, playfully poking at him.

"What?" Michael said, turning a little red.

"Are you blushing?" she asked.

"Look, just tell her thank you," he said, not sounding amused. He then looked around. "Do you need a ride?"

"Naw, I like the walk. I got mace."

She hugged him and watched him walk away, then pulled out her cell phone and texted Zoe:

I'm headed your way

Zoe:

I've got wine!

Tallulah smiled and texted:

I'll need a big glass. Is Chloe coming?

Zoe:

Yep, she is already here, eating of course

Tallulah:

Of course

She looked up to see Michael getting in his car, then turned and made the short walk to Zoe's Soul Food Kitchen. When she arrived, she softly knocked on the door of the restaurant. She could hear laughing, then Chloe appeared, smiled at her through the door, and unlocked and opened it.

"Bout time your ass got here. Zoe makin' me hold the next bottle of wine till you got here!" Chloe said, grabbing her arm and pulling her inside.

Tallulah gave her a big hug. "Come on, girl. You know Zoe got us in the back."

Chloe turned and walked to the back of the restaurant, where Zoe had a table set up with ribs, collard greens, mac n cheese, cornbread, honey butter, and of course wine.

"You made it!" Zoe said, standing up and giving Tallulah a hug.

Tallulah looked at all the food on the table. "See, this is how you fatten us up, Zoe. Damn, girl, who you expecting?"

"Whatya mean?" Zoe said.

Tallulah laughed. "I mean all this food. There's enough to feed us, them, and then us again!"

Chloe sat down, handing Tallulah an empty wine glass. "Girl, stop complaining and dig in."

Chloe grabbed a rib and took a bite. "Mmmmm…I love your cooking, Zoe. I really do. These ribs are banging!"

"Pass me the wine," Tallulah said.

She poured herself a full glass, then set down the bottle and noticed both Zoe and Chloe staring at her.

"Uh oh…what's up?" Zoe said.

"What do you mean?" she said, taking a large sip of wine.

"I mean, what's with the full glass? What happened? You only drink like this when something's happened." Tallulah took another gulp of wine and set her glass on the table.

"I'm so tired of looking for a job. Every time I open my email, it's rejection, rejection, rejection." She took another drink of wine.

Chloe stopped eating. "You pregnant? Whose is it?"

Tallulah shot her a look of disapproval. "No, I'm not pregnant. What are you talking about? I'm serious, Chloe. You have a great job at a good firm. Zoe, you have your restaurant. I thought I'd be more established by now." She sank into the chair. "I'm tired of being rejected. One can only take so much." She finished her wine and poured another glass.

Chloe spoke first. "Bitch, you're a good writer. All these nos aren't rejection. It means something better is coming."

"Yeah? Well, it better come quick. My rent increased…again," she replied.

"How many publications did you contact?" Zoe ask.

"A lot. More than I want to admit," she replied.

The three friends sat in silence for a moment, then Tallulah looked at Zoe.

"I haven't told Michael yet that I'm looking for another job. I'm really hoping to freelance part-time. He's talkin' about omethi' back on how often he prints. Right now the paper comes out monthly, but he may go to every other month."

Chloe looked up. "See, bitch? No one reads magazines anymore. Everything is online…everything. Hey look, I'm a PR rep. I'm constantly on social media. I rarely pick up a paper or magazine." She shrugged her shoulders and continued to eat.

Tallulah sighed. "What I am going to do?"

"Everything will work out. We got you. You know you ain't gonna be homeless," Zoe said.

"I'm willing to write about whatever at this point." Tallulah sighed. "Michael basically turned down my pitch for the homeless shelter."

Zoe poured the last of the wine into her glass. "The homeless shelter?"

Tallulah nodded her head. "Am I the only one who noticed the new shelter was never built? Remember all the talk about a new building and an anonymous donor? Now nothing…crickets."

Chloe chimed in, "Girl, I can't even walk into my office without someone asking me for money. The other day, a lady sent her little girl up to me. How a bitch say no to a little kid?"

"I had an idea to write a story about the people who use and depend on the shelter. You know, talk with them, get their side of why they're homeless. Really, aren't we all a paycheck away from being homeless?" Tallulah asked.

"Hell no!" Chloe cried. "See, now you trippin'. I ain't ever gonna be homeless."

"You should volunteer at the shelter, T. It may give you some perspective. I started taking food to Marigold. They could really use the help. Besides, it's research," Zoe said.

"You're right," Tallulah said, pouring another glass of wine. "I should. No, I will."

"Well, let me tell you about my motherfuckin' day!" Chloe said.

"Oh, here we go," said Zoe.

"Let me start by saying I'm a professional Black woman. I keeps it moving, little time for games or bullshit, especially at the job."

"Why do we need a disclaimer for the story, Chloe?" Zoe asked.

"I'm just sayin'," Chloe said. "So they hired this new chick, right? Brenda, Tina...whatever the

fuck her name is. She all skinny, blonde, blue-eyed. But that's not the issue. I don't let the white girls at the job get me trippin', right? I know how good I am. My clients love me. So anyway, I

have to give a report to the team about upcoming stuff, junkets, press conference,

releases...whatever, right?" Zoe and Tallulah nodded. "So after the meeting, this bitch gonna come into my office and tell me I'm very articulate and speak very well."

"What?" Tallulah said.

"Yes, bitch. This bitch said I speak very well. So I said, 'Come again? What do you mean I speak very well?'"

"What did she say?" Zoe asked.

"Oh, you know I had to check a bitch. She was like, 'Oh, I mean in front of such a large group, you sounded so professional.' I went right in to check a bitch mode. I said, 'I'm not sure what you're trying to say, but I'm always professional with my colleagues and clients. That's why I'm the lead consultant.' Then she got all flustered, tryin' to backtrack. She was like, 'I'm sorry if I offended you.' I told that bitch she couldn't offend to get the fuck out of my office." She paused a moment. "Okay, well I didn't say that last part, but you get a bitch's point. I said that shit with my look."

"Wow. You know she scared now, right?" Zoe said.

"I don't give a fuck. That's some dumb shit to say. What, we aren't supposed to talk good? We ain't edumacated or some shit like that?" Chloe said.

"It's how we, as Black women, are portrayed in the media and stuff. We're always supposed to be angry, on welfare, strung out, a bunch of bad ass kids, no job, no nigga," Tallulah said.

"Well, that's bullshit," Chloe said. She grabbed her purse and pulled out a blunt. "But we are going to smoke this." She slid the blunt across her nose and inhaled. "Now, this is some good shit. It'll help calm my nerves. I wanted to tell that bitch that contrary to popular belief, Black women are smart, educated, strong, and some of us even have a good grasp of the motherfucking English language. I can't stand that stupid shit."

Tallulah laughed. "Did she ask to touch your hair, too?"

Chloe laughed. "I wish a bitch would!"

Zoe jumped up. "Let me get some incense. I don't want this place smelling like weed."

Chloe looked at Tallulah. "You know, I can put my feelers out there and see what's available. You know my very rich, sexy client, Stanley Roberts, owns a publishing house," Chloe said, lighting the blunt.

She took a deep inhale and blew out the smoke. Tallulah watched as it danced in the air.

"Really, Chloe? That would be great. You know I would never ask."

Chloe inhaled again and blew out the smoke, then passed the blunt to Tallulah, who took it and inhaled, held in the smoke for a few moments, then blew it out.

"Bitch, I know. You my girl. I'll always help you. Besides, this'll give me a reason to call him."

"I told you to wait until I got some incense!" Zoe shouted as she walked towards them.

Tallulah passed the blunt to her. She took the blunt and inhaled.

"These are the best Friday nights. No club, no niggas – just us," Tallulah said.

Zoe nodded her head and passed the blunt to Chloe, then lit the incense.

They sat in silence for a while, smoking the blunt and sipping wine. Jazz music played softly in the background.

"Hey, why don't you come with me Sunday to the shelter? I'm dropping off food and helping out with breakfast. You gotta come early like 7:30am," Zoe said

"Okay," said Tallulah. "I didn't know you dropped off food there."

Zoe nodded her head as she looked around at the smoke dancing over their heads. "I just started. This'll be my 3rd trip. I didn't want to throw food away." "How come you didn't ask me to go?" Chloe said.

"Because you, bitch, are not getting up on Sunday morning to go give food to the needy," Zoe said

"A bitch might," Chloe said.

Tallulah and Zoe looked at Chloe, and then they all started laughing.