Page 53 of Pride and Protest

She lunged like an NFL receiver toward her phone and successfully snatched it out of Maurice’s hand.

Deya shook her head. “You are so pressed for this man!”

It was Maurice who held her gaze the longest. If he wanted to say something about her near-crazed dive to get her phone, he kept it to himself. She looked down at the text. She was still breathing heavily.

Question number 8: Name 3 things you and I appear to have in common.

Her thumbs tapped rapidly.

Mistrust of shirts that snap

#mezcal

Love of cattle analogies

She saw the dots undulate.

You forgot sisters.

That was all she would get from the man. Would his sister be there? Of course she would. Would it be presumptuous to introduce herself? Liza was normally so sure of her next move. What if Dorsey had never mentioned her? Liza’s thoughts were interrupted by Maurice consulting her on how to seduce WIC.

“You should let him make the first move. Sisters are quick to emasculate a brother with their forwardness. You all remember Nora Dash, all ladylike and feminine? Men love that shit.”

Janae sprayed a cloud of sweet-smelling perfume and walked into it. “So we should all record ourselves having sex like Nora did?” Janae rolled her eyes. “We all know you watch that video she made daily, Maurice.”

“Is everyone gonna define her by that tape? Does that take away from the fact that she’s a real lady? Shit don’t sound sex-positive, Janae.” Maurice sucked his teeth. “Yes, she made that masterpiece andIchecked it out, wealldid. But she was always sweet and knew how to treat a man.”

“Damn shame about her.” Bev shook her head. “Just goes to show, you can’t buy breeding.

Liza was about to launch into a tirade about slut shaming when she heard a soft knock on the door.

Chicho opened the door, and Liza gasped. She looked wonderful in an elegant yellow gown that accentuated her curves.

“Chicho, you look so good, girl!”

“Whatever,” Chicho said darkly.

“What do you mean, ‘whatever’? Girl, this dress is so classy.”

“And then I see your outfit. This looks too plain.”

“Trust me, simple is always in style,” Liza said.

Chicho smiled at her feet. “You look... like, so freakin’ beautiful.”

Liza pressed the sides of her cream backless jumpsuit. The deep V in the front reached nearly to her navel and was generous to her average bosom.

“Girl, you ain’t seen nothing. Wait until you see Janae. She will make you sick.”

“Why do you always do that?” Chicho asked abruptly.

“What?”

“When someone calls you pretty, you deflect to your sister.”

“It’s ’cause she knows she ain’t,” Maurice shouted.

“Shut up, Reece!” She turned to Chicho. “I didn’t know I did that.”