Ineffable by Sherrod Story

her off. That night in his father’s house had been more than enough. Unfortunately, he got to see the infamous Margot temper in action the very next day.
    He came over after work and found her laughing with Reiko.
    “Hello,” he grinned, kissing her cheek.
    “Reiko.”
    “Of course. I remember you. I’ve been wondering when our paths would cross again.”
    Reiko’s brows rose as she looked at Margot, who grinned. “Very nice,” she crooned. “So, Nori. I hear you’ve all but moved in.”
    He laughed. All of Margot’s friends were as audacious and bold as she was. “I have indeed. She doesn’t like my place, so here I am.”
    “What’s wrong with his place?”
    Margot shrugged. “Too much black and glass.”
    “And all of her tools are here,” Nori added.
    Reiko laughed. “Not just a pretty face then, I see. Wait a minute. Nori? Nori James. You’re the CEO of Ineffable, Margot’s new gig.”
    “Guilty. Why,” he laughed. “Have they been telling tales about me?”
    Reiko chuckled, and they both looked at Margot who immediately found something to fiddle with in her work basket. “I’ll never tell.”
    After that the women pretty much ignored him, so Nori, eyeing the Moscato they were drinking, got himself a beer, and sat down with his laptop.
    “You been in the street all day haven’t you?”
    Reiko laughed. “Hell yeah. I been havin’ a good ass day too.”
    Nori’s eyes widened when she pulled out huge wads of cash from several pockets, and her purse, and proceeded to count it.
    “Me and Steele ran these thirsty ass –”
    Margot cleared her throat abruptly, stopping whatever Reiko had planned to say next. Nori raised quizzical eyebrows, but she just frowned at him. Wisely he went back to email.
    Or he tried to. He couldn’t seem to look away as Reiko swiftly and efficiently separated 1s, 5s, 10s, 20s and a few 50s into neat piles.
    “That ho, Steele, she really cleaned up. But this $690 is respectable. I been gone about fo’ hours.” She separated the cash into two stacks, and his eyes widened when she folded and tucked each into one half of her bra.
    “Why so much cash?” he asked, and immediately knew he’d made a mistake.
    Reiko blinked, looking quite surprised, then she laughed. Shoving her feet into her sandals, she tossed the last of her drink to the head. “Well,” she said, rising and stretching. “I’m ‘bout to make that leap. See you later girl,” and without another word, she left.
    After the door closed Margot lit him up. “What the fuck are you doing?”
    Completely shocked, Nori didn’t know what to say. “I, I didn’t mean to scare her away. I didn’t mean anything –”
    “You don’t ask nobody no shit like that. You just met her. Is it okay for me to be in the room when you schmoozing on some business, then ask you in front of everybody how much money you gon’ make off the deal? Mind your business.”
    She stalked out of the room.
    He went to her bedroom. The door was almost shut, and he heard her say into the phone: “Girl, he didn’t mean nothing by it. He just ignorant.” Then she laughed.
    Good. She couldn’t be that pissed. He waited until she hung up then knocked.
    “Yeah.”
    He came in and sat down beside her. “I’m sorry about Reiko. Maybe if you explain things to me, I won’t be ignorant, and I won’t piss off your friends.”
    She gave him some serious side eye, then when he pouted, rolled her eyes and said, “You know Natty.”
    “Lani’s husband Jeremy’s younger brother. The producer.”
    “Yeah. Reiko is his muse. She’s a singer, and she’s working on his latest album with him, then he’s gonna produce hers. Her first. She was a backup singer back in the day. Very in demand too. But some years ago she had a family tragedy, and she had to give up the business, come home and run her family’s club.
    “Since then she’s expanded the family’s holdings. They own a Dunkin Donuts franchise downtown, several apartment