As if Nothing Happened
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by Monica Carter

Format: Paperback
ISBN: 0971843600
Publisher: RootSky Publishing
Pub. Date: August  2002

Tears made her eyes hot. But no one around her knew or could tell.
 

Joya stood tall and impressive in her classic suit. Her hair was pulled back into a neat updo, away from her face. Tiny pearl earrings were her only accessories. She gave the presentation on the status of overseas markets in a firm and commanding voice. A minute later, she was wrapping up, putting up the visual aids she had spent two weeks preparing. She could tell that her boss was pleased, her colleagues impressed.
 

'Ms. Dillon, that was a very well put together report,' Mr. Hill stood before her. His eyes were approving - as much for her work as for her body. She could tell.
Joya snapped the brief case shut.
 

'Thank you, Mr. Hill,' she smiled stiffly, struggling not to frown at the lust she saw in his eyes.
 

He didn't notice the chill.
 

'We're going to have to go to lunch or dinner one day and talk about what a wonderful job you are doing here,' he said.
 

She cleared her throat.
 

'Perhaps,' she said. What else could she say, that she didn't want to do that?
 

Relief coursed through her as a colleague approached and stole the boss's attention.

 

Joya stepped inside her house. The shoes came off. She took a deep breath. Ahhh. Felt so good to be off work.
The weekend loomed ahead. She wondered what she would do. It would be her first in a while not to have to work.
As she thought about the two days spread out before her, the phone rang. She peeked at the caller ID. It was Jennifer.
 

'Hello.'
 

'Hey, girl,' Jennifer's voice came through the receiver. 'I was calling to see if you wanted to go to dinner. Yvonne called and wants to do something.'
 

'Sure. Where do you want to meet?'
 

A few seconds later, she hung up. Joya took a quick shower and threw on a flattering skirt that danced around her ankles. She looked forward to a night out with her girlfriends.

 

Jennifer was the first to arrive at the restaurant. She was always prompt. That was something her father had drilled into her as a child - always be early, or at the very least, on time.
She smiled darkly as her mind settled briefly on the man who had raised her. He had been a harsh and exacting taskmaster when she was growing up. He seemed to favor her brother over her, something she resented powerfully as a child. There were so many times her father made her feel like she had to work twice as hard, just to earn his approval. Even today, she felt that way.
But she shook the thoughts from her mind.
 

Tonight, she would have fun.

 

'Hello!' Joya breezed in, a light whisk of perfume left in her wake. She hugged Jennifer, whom she hadn't seen all week.
 

'So, where is Von?' Joya asked. She answered her own question. 'Oh I'm sure she'll be about twenty minutes late.'
 

The two women shared a laugh. They knew their friend well.
 

Yvonne rushed into the room, several minutes into Joya and Jennifer's conversation. She ordered a glass of wine. Joya and Jennifer looked at each other. Jennifer laughed. 'Uh, Yvonne, you know how you get when you drink,' she said. 'You can't hold your alcohol and you know how you start to tell all your business.... so maybe you'd better get water instead.'
 

Yvonne smiled guiltily. She knew her friend was right. But she shook her head. 'Girl, I just want something to mellow me out and help me wind down, that's all,' she said. 'Besides, you two know all my business anyway!'
The three friends laughed. But it was true, the three were like sisters.
 

'One day, that alcohol is going to get you in real trouble,' Jennifer said. Yvonne rolled her eyes and took a sip from her glass. Before long, the three were talking about the latest events in their lives.
 

As the meal progressed, Jennifer felt a strong sense of love for the women who sat before her. She knew she could be harsh at times, and tactless even, but deep down, she did treasure the two women who had been there for more times than she could count. Of course she could throttle Yvonne sometimes because the woman could be so immature and made some bad decisions, but Jennifer knew at heart Yvonne was a good person. And Joya, well, there were never enough words to describe Joya. Joya had been there for Jennifer more times than she could even remember.

She was easily the strongest of the group. But even though they had been through so much, Jennifer sometimes got the feeling that Joya was holding back from them. It was like she went all out to do for her friends, but Jennifer felt that sometimes Joya didn't let anyone be there for her. And in the nine years she had known Joya, since freshman year, and in the eight years they had known Yvonne, the three had never become distant. Even though, Jennifer had to admit, guiltily, there had been plenty of times when her friends should have kicked her aside because of her mouth. But they hadn't. She wondered what she would do without them.

 

As she got ready to go to bed that night, Joya thought back to the fun she had had with her old friends. They laughed so easily. She felt closer to them than she did to her own family. But in the dark of night, the feelings she had been having lately came back. The tears threatened again, just as they had at work.
The pools of water never flowed from her eyes. All day she had felt the pressure, the hot sting, but she had refused to let them fall, so no one knew. But that wasn't surprising. No one had ever been able to tell that there was an ache in her heart. And now would be no different. She had always been the strong one.
 

Joya went to church, cleaned and hung around the house all weekend. She enjoyed the solitude. She started on a new book she had been intending to read for months. She was engrossed in it when the doorbell rang mid-afternoon Sunday.
 

'Who could that be?' she wondered as she folded the page in the book and lay it on the floor. She slipped on her shoes and walked to the door. She looked through the peep hole. It was Mattie Mohjoe.
 

'Hi, Mrs. Mohjoe,' she said when she opened the door. The woman held a plate covered with aluminum foil.
Her neighbor didn't wait for an invitation, but pushed her way into the house.

'Hi, child,' she said, squeezing past Joya. 'I just fixed some stick-to-your ribs food. I figured you could use some.'
 

Mattie Mohjoe cast a sidelong glance at Joya.

'It's a shame that a young woman like you is living alone up in here,' she said. She wrinkled her nose at the spotless stove. 'No family to cook for. No babies. No husband. No nothing. It's just a crying shame.'
Joya finally found her voice. 'Mrs. Mohjoe, it was nice of you to bring the food by, but really, I'm fine.'
 

The woman acted like she didn't hear Joya. Instead, she pulled open the refrigerator. She eyed the low-fat milk and yogurt, shaking her head. 'You don't even have any food in here.'
Joya sighed, exasperated. Mattie Mohjoe lived next door and always barged in. If it wasn't to bring some greens and cornbread, it was to introduce her to some 'fine young man.' Joya shook her head, but she couldn't get angry at the well-meaning woman.
 

'Mrs. Mohjoe, thanks,' she said, gently guiding the woman to the door by the arm.
Mrs. Mohjoe's bright red, green and blue flowered dress swished back and forth as it stretched over her backside, the material riding up in the rear. The gold plating was rubbing off her large, round earrings. As Joya pushed her toward the door, Mrs. Mohjoe started up on her favorite subject.

'Sweetie pie, my nephew is coming home next weekend, and I just know he'd love to meet you,' she said, smiling widely. 'Why don't you come over to the house Saturday?'
 

Joya shook her head. Mrs. Mohjoe never listened to her. 'Mrs. Mohjoe, I don't need you to fix me up with anyone.'
They were at the door now. Mrs. Mohjoe put her hands on her hips. She didn't understand these young women. 'You need a man. A nice, warm body to come home to,' she said, going down the steps. 'It's not right. It's just not right for a nice, pretty little thing like you to be in this big, old house by yourself.'
Mattie Mohjoe fanned herself.

'Lordy mercy!' she said. 'I'm just a burning up. I'm going through my change of life, honey child, and I do declare, it feels just like what I suspect Hell is going to be like for those sinners out there! Girl, you better get you a man while you young, 'cause I'm telling you, when you get to be my age, you are not going to want one. Panting all over you, messing up your hair...'
 

As Joya closed the door behind her nosy neighbor, she had to admit to herself that she was hungry. She curiously delved into the still-warm plate Mrs. Mohjoe had left. The macaroni and cheese and candied yams were just what she needed.
She grabbed a fork out the drawer and picked up the plate, eating as she went back to her book. She curled her leg underneath her hips, balancing her plate on one thigh and her book in the other hand.