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“Yes, dear. I must get off the phone now.”
“No! Wait!” Luna protested.
“But I must,” Chi-Chi said.
“OK, but you will meet me at my house at six tonight. Understood?”
“Yes. I will see you later.” Chi-Chi clicked off the phone and returned to her houseguests. She was in a state of disbelief. Jennine had nailed her brother.Literally, as the saying goes.
Chi-Chi fought fervently to keep her cool. How could her brother, a guest of hers, bring a strange woman into her house? Strange. Yes, in two too many ways. Regardless of the culture, most men are the same.They cannot help themselves. It has to do with hormones.Chi-Chi tried to reconcile her brother’s behavior. She maintained a modicum of civility and offered Jennine coffee. Chi-Chi didn’t know how to move this situation along and out the door. She was dealing with Jennine. Jennine had no external radar. She was swirling in her own man-crazy tornado, displacing everything that came into her path. Again, Chi-Chi reminded herself that Jennine was not a bad person. She just had this over-the-top thing about men. Any man. Any age. Any height, weight, history, culture. She was her own stereotype. But as Luna would say, “As long as she is happy and not hurting anyone, better to have a happy crazy person than an angry crazy one.” Some consolation.
Finally, Chi-Chi had to step in. First deal with Jennine. Chi-Chi approached her in the kitchen. “Excuse me, Jennine. My brother and I must leave for church in thirty minutes. If you don’t mind, we need some time to get ready.”
Jennine might be a nymphomaniac, but she wasn’t dense. “Of course, sugar. I’ll get out of your way. Abeo? Thank you for a dazzling evening.” She blew him a kiss and addressed Chi-Chi. “See you ’round campus! Ta-ta.” She twirled her silk caftan and slithered out the door.
Abeo looked like he had just come out of a drug-induced coma and flopped on the sofa. Chi-Chi decided to accept it as something her brother engaged in. It wasn’t her problem, as long as Jennine didn’t become a fixture in her house. That’s when she decided to ask, “Abeo. How long will you be in town?”
“Sister, why do you ask?” he answered in a zombielike tone.
“Because you keep surprising me, and I would like to know how much longer I can anticipate disturbing behavior from my brother?” Chi-Chi folded her arms, waiting for an answer.
“I will be here two more days. Unless that is an issue for you?” he replied sheepishly.
“So you will be leaving on Tuesday?” Chi-Chi wanted it to be abundantly clear.
“That is correct, dear sister. Please accept my most sincere apologies for the discomfort I have brought upon you.”
“You have no idea.” Chi-Chi blew out a big burst of air. “That woman will never leave me alone now. Every day it will be, ‘How is your brother? Will he be coming back soon? Has he asked about me?’ It will be painful.”
“Oh, dear sister. Again, my most heartfelt apologies.”
“Tell me. How did you manage all of this? Or should I say, how didshemanage all of this?” Chi-Chi folded her arms again, waiting for an answer.
“She plied me with alcohol.” Abeo shook his head.
“You hardly drink.”
“That is the problem.” He kept shaking his head. “The champagne was delicious and she kept refilling my glass. Before I knew it, I was getting tipsy. I did not want to drive. She offered.”
“And then she didn’t leave!” Chi-Chi was beside herself.
“Do not worry. Nothing happened.”
“I find that hard to believe.” Chi-Chi was standing over him now.
“It is the truth, dear sister. I passed out.”
“Thank goodness for small favors. Although that might mean she will want to take another shot at you.”
Now it was Chi-Chi’s turn to shake her head.
“Do you really think so?” Abeo tried to play innocent.
“I know so.” Chi-Chi sighed.
“I do not plan to come back for several months. Maybe she will forget.” Abeo attempted a smile.
“I doubt it,” Chi-Chi replied. “Come on. You need to go to church.” Chi-Chi hauled Abeo off the sofa and shoved him toward her guest room. “And please replace the sheets before you leave on Tuesday.”
