Free A Weekend Affair by Noelle Vella Page B

herself, you know.”
    â€œI completely agree,” he said, putting up his hands as if in surrender. “If I had a sister, I would want her to be just as careful. It’s just New York knows New York.”
    I knew there was a reason I liked him, besides the obvious.
    â€œReally, now? Do tell,” I said as I leaned back in the seat, making myself comfortable.
    â€œI’m originally from the Bronx. Southside. Now I live in downtown Brooklyn.”
    â€œ I’m from Brooklyn,” I said, pride in my voice.
    â€œWhy did you leave New York?”
    â€œThe weather,” I remarked.
    â€œSo you wimped out, huh?” he quipped, with a wink.
    â€œWhatever,” I said, snickering.
    I grew up in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, a place I termed “The Little West Indies” because of the diverse people that lived there: Barbadians, Jamaicans, Trinidadians, Haitians, Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, and, of course, black Americans. A few white people, Asians, and Indians lived in the neighborhood as well. I was usually good at placing accents, but Diego’s confused me a bit.
    â€œWhere are your parents from, because, for the life of me, I cannot figure out your accent.”
    He smiled. “My father is Afro-Cuban, and my mother is Puerto Rican. I spent a lot of time in both places growing up.”
    â€œThat explains it. I like your accent though.”
    â€œI like yours too.”
    I gave him a quizzical look. “Diego, I don’t have an accent.”
    â€œI know,” he kidded.
    I shook my head.
    Diego and I talked on and on and discovered we both liked sports. You couldn’t be a true New Yorker without liking some type of sport. For baseball, we both like the New York Mets; football, the New York Giants; and for hockey, I liked the New York Rangers, while he liked the New Jersey Devils. Diego was a tried-and-true New York Knicks fan. Since the New Jersey Nets became the Brooklyn Nets, my loyalty was split between the two teams.
    The conversation had been so good that neither one of us realized that we had been outside talking for a good forty-five minutes until I checked the time on my phone.
    â€œWow, we’ve been gone for a long time. You think Shell and Carl are okay in there?”
    â€œI think they are doing just fine without us around,” Diego remarked. “Honestly, I came outside to check on you, but I also felt like a third wheel in there.”
    I already knew Shell’s motivation for her actions, but I had no idea what drove Carl to do what he did. I figured who better to ask for some insight than his good friend.
    â€œDiego, I’m curious. Why did Carl push up on Shell? I mean, with him being married and all.”
    â€œWhy did Shell allow him to push up on her? She’s married too,” he countered.
    â€œTouché. It’s just, I know why Shell is acting the way she is, and I don’t want her to get caught up in something that she may not be able to get out of.”
    â€œIt appears both our friends have their reasons for their actions. All I will say is they’re two consenting adults. Whatever happens, they will have to deal with it. Right now, I’m more concerned with the woman sitting next to me. I feel like dancing. Think you can keep up?” he asked with a sly grin.
    It had been so long since I had danced with someone. I hoped that I hadn’t forgotten how, but he didn’t need to know that. “Can you?” I shot back, smiling.
    â€œWe’ll see,” he replied, as we started to exit the car.
    I attempted to take off Diego’s jacket, but he stopped me. “Hold on to it,” he said. “You may need it later.”
    I smiled at his chivalry. After I stepped out of the car, I handed the keys back to him, allowing him to lock up and reset the alarm. As we walked the few steps back to the club and he opened the door for me, I thought about how the night had already taken