SULTRY LOVE: EPISODE 11

One thing that a man has to avoid is ego. An ego can tear your life upside down. When success reaches our doorstep or things start to go our way, we must remember that we started from humble beginnings; even if being born into a rich family or position of power. Being egotistical is toxic, it causes nothing but resistance and friction. Loyalty is based on trust! How can you trust someone with a narcissistic ego? If a person lets their accomplishments go to their head, they can lose sight of what made them great without all of the accolades. A person can be without a cent in their name, but their heart can be bountiful. If you strip every physical possession from yourself, who are you afterward?

With that note, Randy, Lee, and Kevin are at a public park playing flag football with a group of children.

Randy approaches Kevin from a distance. “Hey.”

“What’s up?” Kevin asked.

“What’s Lee up to now?”

“He’s part of this big brother camp,” Kevin replied.

“Lee, a big brother? There has to be some diabolical scheme.”

“He wouldn’t be himself if there wasn’t. However, her attention seems to be focused on someone else.” Kevin nods in the direction of a woman wearing a navy blue fitness suit. She smiles and waves at Randy.

“When will it end?” Randy asked.

“Where will it begin?” Kevin retorted.

“In the gutter, you inglorious bastard.”

“You should thank Yvonne for the makeover.”

“I already am.”

“So what’s the problem?” Kevin inquired.

“I’m juggling two women, that is the problem.”

“Why not a third?”

“This is serious, I need to slow down. What I’m doing is wrong.”

“And I’m not denying it. I’m just saying jugglers tend to juggle more than two balls-” Kevin smiles as he adds to his statement. “If you only had more.”

“I’m fine with two thank you. You’re like the worst friend ever! You’re supposed to be steering me in the right direction, NOT driving me off course.”

“Women outnumber us, they almost dare you to play the game of numbers-” The woman in the blue fitness suit bites down on her bottom lip while looking at Randy. “Think about it this way, you’ll be satisfying an urge and at the same time, humiliating Lee.”

“Did you forget the part that it’s still wrong?”

“No, what’s wrong is how they BOTH treated you before.”

“Why am I listening to you anyway? You’re still single.” Randy nods with disbelief.

“Because when they’re spiritually and emotionally scarred, guess who’ll be on the rebound?” Kevin smiled after his spoken word.

“Who?” Randy replied.

“Me,” Kevin answered.

“You’re an ass.”

“The very words were spoken to me by my great Aunt, God rest her soul. You can’t deny it, I’m a lethal rider, you don’t want to mess with me.” Kevin sang while dancing.

“See-ya, and thanks for nothing,” Randy said with snarky intent while departing.

“Don’t mention it.”

When guilt sets in, it could be like fighting a heavyweight championship. You begin to chastise your own-self, long before karma comes full circle. We hide from everything and everyone else, but we cannot hide from ourselves. Guilt is like a bad odor, people can smell it on you and the will to wash it away quickly approaches; all the while a person feels trapped inside their misfortunes or wrongdoings. The more you do wrong, the worse you feel (if you are human) and the threat of losing what you have is scary; the idea of someone you care about being hurt by discovering how you wronged them.

Inside a retail store, Tina places clothes on top of Randy’s lap while he’s sitting near a dressing room. “You should try these…I know they usually pick out your outfits before the shoots, but they’ll love you in these trust me.”

Randy doesn’t respond.

“What’s wrong?” Tina asked.

“I’ve changed. I just feel like I’ve become vainer. Things were more simple way back when.”

“How so?”

“I get approached based solely on how I look, not who I am.”

“Your appearance is the first thing people see. Think about all the social media accounts; most of us are followed based on how we look. However, the task at hand is keeping them! That is done by distributing great content,” Tina said.

“If you say so.”

Tina kisses Randy. “I know so-” She stands and walks toward a mirror near the dressing rooms. “Look, watch me strut! Maybe this will cheer you up.” Tina begins to walk like a duck.

“If you walk like that on stage, your job will be the one that’s up.”

Randy chuckles but notices his vision slowly altering and within the next instance, and Yvonne replaces her. His head lowers as he pulls his hair back with displeasure.

In the hotel room that the couple rented, Randy is leaning back against the bed-frame as he thinks to himself. His hands are behind his head as Tina is cuddled beside his chest. Randy looks toward our direction and lifts his eyebrows up and down.

“Alright viewers, readers, patrons….YES, I’m talking to YOU! Drastic measures but ensue for me to rid myself of the sins I’ve committed. After careful consideration, there is only one woman that I should be with. The one that helped develop me into the confident man I am now. Now, if I could only think of an appropriate plan of action to rid myself of this current predicament.”

Randy roars and extends his arms…

Tina awakens with a scream and Randy covers his mouth. She looks around while he stretches.

“Damn, my muscles are tense.”

“What’s wrong? With you in particular?”

“It was just a yawn that came out wrong.”

“Like that ever happens.”

“Well, it happened today.”

She pushes him, exits the bed, and enters the bathroom. “Hey, you know of any good restaurants we haven’t tried yet?” Randy asked.

At a restaurant that is occupied by well-dressed individuals, Randy is seen smacking his lips while shoving food into his mouth. Tina is sitting across from him. He’s eating a club sandwich.

“You can slow down, the food is not going anywhere. You’re embarrassing me!” Tina said with a frown.

“I know but this is so good-” Randy gags as if he’s about to throw-up.

“Oh my God, are you-” Tina interjected.

“Oh wait, false alarm,” Randy said with a smile.

From within the cafe where our protagonists all commune, Yvette and Hilda are sitting at a table browsing through magazines.

“It’s odd seeing Randy in this magazine,” Yvette replied.

“And he doesn’t look too bad,” Hilda replied.

“While we’re on that subject, guess who just walked in?” Yvette stated.

Tina enters the cafe stealthily. “What’s with all the bobbing and weaving?” Hilda asked.

Sweetie, are you alright? Yvette inquired.

“You won’t believe these past few hours,” Tina said.

“Try us,” Hilda replied.

“Randy has been acting weird lately, like he’s distracted or something.”

“That’s because he wants that booty, and it ain’t yours honey. Shiver me timbers!” Yvette retorted.

“For the first time, you’re number two on the list,” Hilda said while smiling at Yvette. “Can I get an amen?” They give each other dap. “Amen sista.”

“Mock me if you will, but this is serious,” Tina said.

“So you don’t know?” Hilda asked.

“Well I do, NOW! So they’re together and you knew all this time. Why didn’t you tell me?” Tina asked.

“We didn’t know where to begin,” Hilda answered.

“Well it’s easy; your boyfriend is cheating on you,” Tina replied.

“Wow, you’re right it’s easier than I thought,” Hilda said with a smile.

“No one told you to go back with him,” Yvette said.

“Bye,” Tina replied.

“Give us the 411,” Yvette stated.

“How ‘bout 911, if you don’t shut it!” Tina heads toward the door.

“Never mind.” Yvette fondles with her smoothie.

EPISODE 12 NOW AVAILABLE