to like her, so this would work in his favor. Ben thought he was better than John, so he felt that this would be a step up for her from what she had been dealing with before.
Celia was OK with being friendly with Ben; however, she still considered professionalism important. She did not want things to get weird at the job. At the advice of Rose, with whom she spoke on the phone often, she began to goout on dates secretly with men on the outside. None of these resulted in intimacy, as she was not ready for that just yet. Those feelings for John still lingered.
The New Year rang in with the beginning of a new decade. The year was 1970. A few months after the New Year, Chimera decided to celebrate their recent successes and their future outlook with a party at the Drake Hotel in the city. They shared the space with other patrons but had one section of the ballroom to themselves. They meant it to be a small affair for them and their guests. John did not bring Edina. Chimera was the one business activity that John had to himself, and he did not feel the need to share it with her. She brought him to her functions enough and made him put on fake smiles. He was real here, and he wanted to keep it that way. Jerome attended with Mariana. Ben came alone, and Bernie introduced Gina to the crew. Celia went alone and was ready to have a good time.
The place was filled with food, drink, and music. Celia, wore high heels and her tight black sparkly dress that fit her nicely in the right places, felt comfortable for the first time in a while. She finally had a decent bank account, and her apartment was secure without the assistance of a roommate. She missed Rose because the woman kept her company and they were like sisters, but her friend was already doing well at Juilliard. Celia had put Juilliard on hold. She had been upsetabout it at first, but she’d changed her mind because she was doing so well at Chimera. The apartment was quiet without Rose, so she had to get used to the quiet. She considered getting a pet to keep her company. She once told John that she liked cats, but John had discouraged her from getting one, as he did not trust or like them and they did not like him.
Celia decided to get up and dance, something she had not done in a public setting since her nights at the Playboy Club. The disc jockey was playing “Lay a Little Lovin’ on Me,” by Robin McNamara. She loved the song, and she asked anyone at the table if they wanted to join her. John did not, as he did not dance; none of them did so in public, to each other’s knowledge. He was content just watching her as he had before. He was too suave to be seen dancing. Jerome declined, as he was comfortable in his seat with his drink and food next to John and Mariana. Ben took her up on her offer, to everyone’s surprise. He got up and joined her. They danced together in the middle of the floor, and both appeared to enjoy themselves. Three more songs played before they stopped and went over to the open bar for drinks.
John and Jerome sat and watched Ben and Celia dance. Ben had a smile on his face, a strange expression for him. Ben always looked serious. He thought people would not take him seriously if he showed his teeth excessively. John stared at them hard, and so did Jerome. The two of them started a conversation at the table, as they both had unspoken feelings about what they were watching. It made John sick to his stomach and Jerome uneasy.
“Do you see that?” John asked Jerome.
“Yeah, I do. Can’t say that I like it either,” Jerome answered.
“What does he want with her? He doesn’t dance. That motherfucker doesn’t dance,” John said.
“I just don’t trust it. He’s like our brother and all, but I don’t trust him. I don’t think a white man has good intentions when he looks at our women,” Jerome said. “I can’t control her, but I can talk to her about him. It’s not right. There are too many brothers out there for her to go to the
Celia was OK with being friendly with Ben; however, she still considered professionalism important. She did not want things to get weird at the job. At the advice of Rose, with whom she spoke on the phone often, she began to goout on dates secretly with men on the outside. None of these resulted in intimacy, as she was not ready for that just yet. Those feelings for John still lingered.
The New Year rang in with the beginning of a new decade. The year was 1970. A few months after the New Year, Chimera decided to celebrate their recent successes and their future outlook with a party at the Drake Hotel in the city. They shared the space with other patrons but had one section of the ballroom to themselves. They meant it to be a small affair for them and their guests. John did not bring Edina. Chimera was the one business activity that John had to himself, and he did not feel the need to share it with her. She brought him to her functions enough and made him put on fake smiles. He was real here, and he wanted to keep it that way. Jerome attended with Mariana. Ben came alone, and Bernie introduced Gina to the crew. Celia went alone and was ready to have a good time.
The place was filled with food, drink, and music. Celia, wore high heels and her tight black sparkly dress that fit her nicely in the right places, felt comfortable for the first time in a while. She finally had a decent bank account, and her apartment was secure without the assistance of a roommate. She missed Rose because the woman kept her company and they were like sisters, but her friend was already doing well at Juilliard. Celia had put Juilliard on hold. She had been upsetabout it at first, but she’d changed her mind because she was doing so well at Chimera. The apartment was quiet without Rose, so she had to get used to the quiet. She considered getting a pet to keep her company. She once told John that she liked cats, but John had discouraged her from getting one, as he did not trust or like them and they did not like him.
Celia decided to get up and dance, something she had not done in a public setting since her nights at the Playboy Club. The disc jockey was playing “Lay a Little Lovin’ on Me,” by Robin McNamara. She loved the song, and she asked anyone at the table if they wanted to join her. John did not, as he did not dance; none of them did so in public, to each other’s knowledge. He was content just watching her as he had before. He was too suave to be seen dancing. Jerome declined, as he was comfortable in his seat with his drink and food next to John and Mariana. Ben took her up on her offer, to everyone’s surprise. He got up and joined her. They danced together in the middle of the floor, and both appeared to enjoy themselves. Three more songs played before they stopped and went over to the open bar for drinks.
John and Jerome sat and watched Ben and Celia dance. Ben had a smile on his face, a strange expression for him. Ben always looked serious. He thought people would not take him seriously if he showed his teeth excessively. John stared at them hard, and so did Jerome. The two of them started a conversation at the table, as they both had unspoken feelings about what they were watching. It made John sick to his stomach and Jerome uneasy.
“Do you see that?” John asked Jerome.
“Yeah, I do. Can’t say that I like it either,” Jerome answered.
“What does he want with her? He doesn’t dance. That motherfucker doesn’t dance,” John said.
“I just don’t trust it. He’s like our brother and all, but I don’t trust him. I don’t think a white man has good intentions when he looks at our women,” Jerome said. “I can’t control her, but I can talk to her about him. It’s not right. There are too many brothers out there for her to go to the
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