The smoke curling from the gun gave the tell-tale sign of a single shot. The deer fell over, hit by the single bullet. Gun aside, knife out, Kerri DuBois went to her kill. She made quick work of it and put it on the back of her truck. Her hunting buddy, Mark Wesley invited her out to hunt today with his new fiance. Kerri was majorly disappointed when Mark introduced her to his fiance. It seemed as if it came from west field.
    Mark and Kerri had been friends since freshmen year in high school. They went to the same college and now, she worked for him. He inheireted his father's marketing company and she worked as one of the executives. Kerri knew it was her long friendship with Mark that had gotten her so far up the company so fast. They've know each other for thirteen years.
    In all of those years, she thought that they would just make it official and give each other babies. It was weird. Mark had spent all of his spare time with Kerri. At work, work functions, lunch, and they even shared dinner. Sometimes going out, others they split between each other's places. They would stay up all night, talking on the phone after spending most of the night watching movies or just talking about work.
    A few weeks ago, Mark had went to New Orleans and stayed for a week. He and Kerri were on the phone the whole time. She loves Mark and was shocked when he came back and introduced Quentenia Alridge as his fiance, or Quen as she wanted to be called. Quen was very beautiful. Her skin was the color of smooth dark chocolate, eyes just as dark and deep. She wore her midnight black hair in a wavy bob that fell just below her chin. Her body was curvy, normal for a black woman from the South, and she was tall, really tall.
    Watching them walk hand in hand up to her now, Kerri saw that Quen reached Mark's chin, where compared to Mark, Kerri only reached the middle of his chest. Mark has always loved black women. His skin was a pale gold, his eyes more gold than hazel. Even his wavy hair matched his pale gold skin tone. He was handsome.
    In high school, he was tall and gangly, very awkward. He had filled in and was muscular and sexy now. The first time Kerri saw him, she though he was some shy nerd. The older guys were bullying him and had him cornered on the lockers. One had snatched his glasses and broke them in two while the others were jerking him around, hitting him and shit. Kerri saw red and barged her way to the redneck pricks. She pulled one by his arm and as he turned to her, she slammed her fist on his nose, breaking it. He screamed and she kneed him in the balls, sending him to her feet, howling in pain, rolling on the floor.
    Kerri turned to the other two as they rushed to her. She slipped between them and kicked one in the ass. They turned to her and she punched one in the eye and kicked the one she had kicked in the ass, in the gut. She kneed them in the balls for good measure, cursing them out as she did so. Since that day, Mark had no bullies and stuck by her side, through thick and thin.
    Mark grinned at Kerri. "Ker," he said, noting her prize. "You were always better at hunting than me. Good job."
    "I don't have the stomach, I'm afraid," Quen said, shuddering. "Now, if we were in ‘Nawlins, I'd show y'all a thing or two on how we catch our stuff in the swamps." She smiled and giggled slightly.
    Kerri smiled. She wanted to dislike Quen but she was so open and warm, and funny, that she couldn't. They got in Kerri's hunting truck and went back to Mark's place. Kerri gave him the deer, saying she didn't want it. She plead a headache and left, going to her small home. Once there, she took a shower and dressed in jeans and a long sleeved shirt. Thanksgiving was coming soon and the Texas temperatures were temperamental.
    Her phone rang just then. She looked at the screen and Mark's grinning face and his thumb's up flashed across the display. "Markie," she said in greeting.
    "Ker-bear," he responded. "What are you doing?"
    "Chilling," she answered, going into the kitchen. "What's up?"
    "I'm gonna need you to come back over here," Mark said, voice pleading. "This is a big deer and I need help with it."
    Kerri closed her eyes. She could never deny him anything. "Let me clean the truck and then I'll be over," she said.
    Mark smiled. She could hear it in his voice. "Thanks, Ker," he said.
 
    Mark met Kerri at the door. He smiled at her slow, leisure, sexy walk. His best friend was gorgeous. She wore her corkscrew curls long and down her back in a cascade of onyx. Her skin was even brown with undertones of honey, gold, and caramel. She was of medium height with a body like a goddess. He was surrounded by beautiful women and knew this must be what Hugh Hefner felt like.
    "Ker," he said, hugging her as she passed.
    Kerri slipped out of Mark's arms. Lately, his hugs and lingering kisses on her cheeks had been feeling too good. She avoided the occasional peck on the lips, not wanting to embarrass herself by giving him a real kiss. "Let's do this," she murmured. "Because I want venison for Thanksgiving."
    Mark grinned and held her hand, leading her to their station. Kerri got right down to it.