“She was cool. Tell her I said hey.”
“I will. She did a sabbatical but she’s back now.”
“What’s that?” Peaches was always learning new shit whenever she hung with Nina Marcelle.
They spent the next hour or so planning a trip that would hopefully serve as a shortened version of a sabbatical since they both couldn’t afford to miss weeks away from getting to the money. After their table was cleared for dessert, Nina reached into her purse.
“I almost forgot.”
“What girl?”
“I have something for you!” she said excitedly, before pulling out a small black box tied with a teal green ribbon.
Peaches frowned. “What’s in it?”
“Open it and see!”
“No, thank you.” She didn’t want whatever it contained.
Nina’s face frowned. “What you mean no?”
“I know what that box is. Hell, I knew about the box before I even knew you existed.”
TheMarcellewatch was a very expensive piece. Whenever a man came through the strip club with one of those on, she knew she was going to have a good money-making night.
“Okay and?” Nina was confused.
Peaches folded her arms. “That’s not for me.”
“Yes, it is.” Nina slid the box across the table.
The steakhouse suddenly felt quieter as she slowly untied the ribbon before opening the lid. Inside rested a rose goldMarcelle & Co.timepiece. Diamond markers with the signature Mother-Of-Pearl face. Peaches knew that it cost more than anything she’d ever owned just by looking at how the diamonds danced when she held it up.
“Shit girl, why you get me this?” She couldn’t accept the watch, even though it was a gift, it was way too expensive.
She put the watch back in its place and shut the box and pushed it away from her. “I can’t wear this.”
“Yes, you can.”
Peaches lowered her head. “No one has never-”
Nina interjected, “You’ve shown up for me more times than you know.”
Peaches swallowed hard. “I don’t be doing nothing but getting you drunk and shit.”
“That’s not true, and on the few times that we did get lit, it was rightfully deserved! You’re my friend and I love you. Now put the damn watch on.”
The words lingered between them as she observed the watch.
Nobody had ever bought her a gift off the strength of them being appreciative of who she was as a person. Nina was a different girl and she was thankful for their friendship. Men bought gifts because they wanted pussy. She couldn’t be convinced otherwise. Customers tipped because they enjoyed the fantasy. Friends rarely thought of her first and she spent so much of her life pouring into everybody else and making sure folks were straight all the time that the gift took her by surprise.
“You trying to make me cry in public?”
Nina smiled. “Maybe.”
Peaches wrapped her arms around Nina and hugged her so tight without caring what it looked like to other people.
“I love you, girl.”
