Author's Chapter Notes:
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Likes
* anyone who loves his or her mother
* sentimental and family keepsakes
* gourmet food
* shopping trips
* history, especially family genealogy
* any demonstration of affection such as flowers
* a birthday card on the right date
* the company of other people
* a calm working atmosphere
* physical contact
*
The two decided on a restaurant that neither has ever been to and one that they both would agree on. Especially the fact that Adena knew that she wouldn't see anyone that she knew. She kept her phone off and still wasn't ready to see anyone. She almost regretted seeing Taye last night and making him upset because she didn't know who he would tell. But also, there was a chance that him seeing her that night, in whatever state, will stifle all of his phone calls and maybe he wouldn't worry as much and wouldn't spread anything else.
But as of now, that wasn't on her mind as she sat there in the restaurant called Olivia's and laughed over a shrimp appetizer. She was having a lot of fun with Craig and she considered him a close friend even after knowing him for only a few days.
"Doesn't she though?"Craig asked her as they both laughed
Adena shook her head as she laughed,"I'm not gonna say anything. That is so rude!"she said, not wanting to look. Craig made a comment about a very "big boned" woman, he said that the man looked like Buddha and they have been laughing about it for awhile now.
"Oh come on loosen up"Craig said,"Maybe you need more wine"
Adena laughed as she shook her head,her red Pinot Grigio was pretty full, but very good. She probably drank more this weekend than ever in her life! "I'm good thanks"she said just as their food arrived. "Thank you"she said to the waiter as he set down the chicken Parmesan in front of her. They were quiet for a few minutes as they ate and she looked at his plate full of crab legs,"Do you approve?"
"Approve of what?"he asked her
"The food here. I hear that cooks are very hard critics"
"Oh, yeah they are alright"
"You should apply here"Adena mentioned,"I saw a hiring sign"
"Yeah me too"Craig said
"So...."
"So what?"Craig asked her with a laugh
"Well....are you going to apply?"
"Nope"he said and then added,"I'm very picky for one. They are only looking for waiters and hosts...and I wanna work someplace more upscale"
"Well you cant afford to be picky"Adena said and then quickly shut up.She remembered saying the exact same words to Taye months ago. He was picky about work but not very picky about women....stop thinking about it....she tried to tell herself
"I know that"Craig said,"But I'd rather start out as a cook...besides I'm a little rusty. I need to start cooking more and stop ordering Chinese. Cooking is a passion and it has to be perfect"
Adena nodded,"Is cooking your only passion?"she asked him
"Music too"Craig said after he thought about it a little,"That's basically it...."he said,"What are yours?"he asked her
"Art...of any kind. And...."then she stopped
"Come on, there's gotta be something else"Craig said
Adena sighed,"Well the other used to be having a family...kids...."she said sadly
"You can still have that Adena. But you may have to wait longer you know? Start your life over, have some fun first. I mean your only 23...you got a lot of time"he said
"Yeah....but I wanted to have my first child by 24"she said,"Just like my mom had me....and that's not gonna happen unless I give birth in the next 6 days"
"Hey you never know. Maybe having one at 34 will be better for you"he said,"Speaking of, have you decided about your birthday?"
Adena rolled her eyes playfully,"My birthday has not been on my mind at all"
"Why not?"he asked her
"Because its going to be way different than last year"she said. Then she decided to be honest with him,"Last year...Taye and I were still engaged,he was still into me, he had a great job and he just showered me with gifts"she laughed,"And when I mean gifts, I don't mean just material things. He actually cleaned the apartment,cooked dinner, ordered this big dessert, ran a bath for me...."she sighed,"I'm not looking forward to it because...I'm not going to have any of that..."she said. It was funny how things could change in a year. And what was worse was that they didn't even make it to their 1st anniversary. She felt ashamed and downed most of the wine.
Craig frowned,"Hey slow down now"he said as he watched her take the wine down like it was a shot. "I'm sorry I know its difficult-"
"Its more than that....you know what I want for my birthday this year?"she asked him
"What?"
"To not have one...I just want that day to be skipped over or something. And if it has to come...somehow its got to be so good that I can forget what happened last year, not just temporarily....forever.But no one can give me that"
Craig frowned. "You never know"he said. He wished with all his might that he could make her birthday special. Then in an instant it wasn't just a wish, it became a mission.
*
Cancerian humor provides some of the best comedy in the world of entertainment, because it is always based on an accurate observation of human nature.
*
"Wait...she said what?"Kim asked. Taye called her and made a huge diatribe about his encounter with Adena. But it seemed unreal because it didn't seem like her.
"She said that it was none of my business where she was but she said that I should know that hes way cuter than I am! Shes staying with some guy that I don't even know, do you know how worried that makes me!?"he said
Missy snickered. She made Kim put the phone on speaker so she could hear. Adena was right though, Craig was way cuter than Taye. "Now you know how it feels"
"What?"Taye asked
Kim glared at her,"Missy! I told you to be quiet, to not say a word,that's the only way this could work"she hissed
"Well sorry I cant. Do you know how many times Adena has come to us? There have been plenty of times when she was worried about you when you were out with your whore. Now its her turn"Missy said matter of factly
Taye sighed,"I know I deserve it Missy. But I'm trying. I'm still seeing Dr. Osbourne....what I did was wrong I know....but she barely knows the guy. She doesn't have any guy friends!"
"You have been seeing Dr. Osbourne?"Kim asked, impressed that Taye was still seeking help
"Yeah....I...I need help,its like I don't know who I am anymore"
"Oh please"Missy said as she got up and went into the kitchen,she didn't know how much more she could take of this.
"That's understandable Taye"Kim said
"I just...I want closure if its really going to end. I don't want her moving in with some DJ. She doesn't even go to clubs"he said, not knowing if he should believe what Missy said. But Adena packed up in a drunken rage so he didn't know what to believe. "I wanna see her for her birthday...I wanna apologize..."
Kim nodded,"I know Taye. I haven't seen her since she left...I would really like to speak with her as well...but we cant do anything until shes ready"
"I know....but will she?"Taye asked. It broke her heart when he asked that. His voice sounded so small, like a child who lost his puppy and wondered if it was coming back.
"I don't know Taye. I don't know"Kim said sadly.
*
On the whole, typical Capricorns pursue the following leisure interests: music, listening or playing
*
After they ate, Craig decided to take her to an art gallery nearby Olivia's. He was glad when her face lit up as she explained why she liked a specific piece or artist or why she didn't. He learned a lot from her that day and he admired how much she knew. He didn't know art was like that.
The gallery closed and they walked out, it was dark now and the rush hour traffic wasn't moving as many cars,cabs,buses and trucks honked. There were light flurries too. "Its freezing"she said as she closed her jacket.
"Bundle up,you aren't getting sick again"he said as they walked, then he stopped in front of a cafe as a band played jazz and r&b music. "Wanna warm up in there?"he asked her
She nodded,"Sure"she said
They ordered two hot chocolates and sat at the counter and looked at the band. There was a male and female lead singer, bass player, drum player, keyboard player, electric guitar player, trombone and trumpet player. "They're pretty good"he said over the music
Adena nodded,"Who are they?"she asked
"I have no idea"he said with a laugh. She smiled and they listened to the lyrics the male sang:
Girl I know that things aren't going right
But don't you think it deserves a fight
A love like ours don't happen everyday
And we're losing it right as we speak
And if we don't wake up, it's a memory
A time gone past, a love that sailed away
But we're not making love no more
We're not even trying to change
Tell me how it slips away
Does it ever stay the same
We don't even talk no more
We've ran out of words to say
Tell me it don't have to change
Won't it ever stay the same
Adena frowned as she listened to the song,she then shook her head,"What?"Craig asked
"I don't like this song"she said as she frowned and then sipped on her hot chocolate
"Why not? I mean the man wants to make up and start things over again"
"Oh yeah I know....but not all men are like that"she said cynically. Unfortunately, she was in a bad mood for awhile. Until the female singer sang a particular song:
He left no time to regret
Kept his dick wet
With his same old safe bet
Me and my head high
And my tears dry
Get on without my guy
You went back to what you knew
So far removed from all that we went through
And I tread a troubled track
My odds are stacked
I'll go back to black
We only said good-bye with words
I died a hundred times
You go back to her
And I go back to black
"You like it?"Craig asked in surprise as she nodded her head. She nodded and he smiled,"Well get up"he said
"No!"she said
"Why not? Everyone else is doing it"he said as he motioned to the others dancing
"If they jumped off a bridge would you too?"
"Who said anything about bridges?"he asked and they both laughed,"Just dance with me come on"he said. She got up reluctantly but soon she was having fun as the band played a song called "Whoa". But she couldn't help but think about how much fun she was having and when it would have to end....
*
Sometimes, Capricorn longs to let go a little and to allow themselves to join in on the fun -- let their toes tap in time with the music.
*
The two had a great time and after they met the band,they were called A Touch of Jazz. They got a free mixed cd and gave them flyers for their next show.
"I wanna see them again,they were good"she said as they walked out
"Yeah they were. Did you wanna go to Fever tonight? Cuz I gotta head over there and start setting up"he said. She nodded.
A few hours later, the club was in full swing and packed. But Adena had the best seat in the house with Craig and free drinks. She wouldn't mind coming to the club as much as Missy did (which was almost every day) if she had this treatment.
"HEY DENA!"she heard someone yell to her. Speak of the devil- Missy."COME 'ERE! I NEEDA TALK TO YA!"
"I'LL BE BACK"Adena said to Craig and he nodded,she left the booth and walked up to her,"YEAH?"
Missy pulled her toward the bathroom and then sat her down,"Taye's worried about you"
"So?"
"Did you really say that you were staying with someone cuter than he was?"Missy asked with a laugh. Adena nodded,she remembered that much. "You go, he deserves it"
"Thanks...but what did you really wanna say?"
"I wanted to ask how serious this shit was with you and DJ boy"
"Its not"Adena said
"Hmmmm....ok....well are you ever gonna hang out with your friends anymore? Or are you gonna drop everyone?"
"Shut up"Adena said,"Wanna hang in the booth?"she asked her.Missy was all for it,especially since there were free drinks.
"So...how do you know Adena?"Craig asked her. Missy seemed so different from Adena. She was more outgoing and not as mature as Adena and her tight lime green outfit basically showed him everything he needed to see.
"We met in college, we had an art class together. I dropped out though but we have been cool ever since"she said to him. She watched as he programmed some songs into the system and sat down and drank some beer,"Why do you play this techno shit?"she asked him
"Its the rules I guess"Craig said,then he had an idea,she was perfect! "Oh I have to ask you a favor"
"What?"she asked
"Well your her best friend...I need help with planning her a surprise party for her birthday"he said to her
*
Capricorns Dislike:
* surprises
*
Chapter End Notes:
Songs featured in this chapter are:
"We're Not Making Love No More" by Dru Hill
"Back To Black" by Amy Winehouse