the hell up missy. And what am I going to do about my house?”
Sally laughs, looking around the luxurious washroom.
“Well you can hire somebody else. Temporarily ofcourse.”
Hearing the suggestion, the young bathing blonde laughs out loud, making Sally smirk. “And if they cook better than you-your outta’ job,” she grins.
Quick as a whip, hands on her hips, the young maid scoffs, rolling her eyes.
“Girl - what?”
“Bye wit’ all dat.”
“And who ya’ gon’ gossip with and tell all ya’ deepest darkest secrets too?”
“You forget, I knows where all the bodies are buried. So to speak. Cause’ I
buried them myself fo’ ya,” the young maid smiles.
Chuckling, Kelly splashes at the young woman, nearly missing Sally’s leather work shoes. Her only pair. “Lies missy. I bury my own bodies.”
“Lies would be just that,” Sally snides.
“You be too busy check’in ya makeup. Sit’in on tha proverbial bumper, ask’in me how long I’mma take.”
“Anyways, I can then work my magic. Ya’ know that mean bitch takes her pills in the morning and at night ?”
“Yeah, she’s always saying she gets uptight. Nerve medication she says,” Kelly remarks, intrigued.
“Well, I have a cousin who works at a pharmacy. We can lace those pills with enough arsenic to kill her ass,” Sally grins.
“Not at once ?” Kelly cuts in.
“Hell naw Kelly Anne. Slowly baby girl-slowly indeed.”
“I give that bitch a good two weeks. She gon’ be deader than week old road kill,” the maid chuckles, wondering what her best friend thinks.
Kelly smirks as she playfully snatches the sponge from Sally. The flapper washing, thinking for a few minutes. Looking up into an understanding face whom knows her best, she is convinced though silent.
This is murder and a good friend would never let another friend take such drastic actions.
But a woman has to do what a woman has to do.
After a while, Sally sits, watching and waiting for an answer.
Suddenly Kelly quickly glances at the crafty young woman. “I have an apothecary of my own. Your cousin-he a negro?”
Sally nods, bright eyed.
“Then hell naw. Thats another black life in danger.”
“I want no more blood on my damn hands woman. I’ll take care of the pills.”
“You catch my drift girl ?,” Kelly smarts back, serious.
Sally nods, happy, not really sure why she instantly touches the gold rosary around her neck. Thinking about her plan to kill another human being, the assistant is instantly ashamed. Gently, the young maid lets the religious trinket drop in between her cleavage. As if not wanting God to know of her plans.
Kelly continues to wash, looking into Sally’s overtly sensitive brown eyes. “How long have you known me?,” she asks.
“Bout’ seven years. Since I was fourteen,” Sally answers.
Kelly nods. “Off and on. Benjamin convinced me to hire you because of your good references and you have been like my loving shadow since then.”
“You are a good woman. I’m not trying to let you get corrupted,” the lady-of- the-house says softly.
The plan to have Sally take revenge suddenly turns Kelly’s stomach for some reason. She can not explain it. As if doing something that is beyond wrong. Her word is final.
“And as far as you being there in the midst of them damn devils. God only knows what can happen when I’m not got-damn around.”
Sally immediately stands to her feet, hands on her hips. “Kelly Anne-I’mma be fine!
“Hell naw you won’t,” the blond snaps back.
“Those damn brothers, they are known for raping colored woman and you prime pussy gal,” Kelly retorts.
Suddenly realizing what she has said as the flapper laughs to her friend. The maid is taken aback at her bosses choice of words.
“Sorry-been hang’in around Slick too damn much. But you know what I mean,” Kelly smiles.
Snatching the sponge from her employer, washing Kelly’s long delicate arms, sally grins. “Yeah ofcourse. Then what you got planned?”
“My plan was good till you cut it in half heffa.”
“You are going to work for them during the day. Night fall comes, you get your black ass out that house. Do you hear me Sally Mae ?,” Kelly says with a seriousness that sends a chill up Sally’s spine.
“Yes’em,” the maid nods.
Kelly and Sally are silent a few moments as the assistant gently washes her friend’s cares away. All except for one. Feeling sensitive fingers along her wet skin, as if a mother to a child, Kelly looks over.
She wonders what is on the young woman’s mind. Anytime the young diva is silent more than two minutes, Sally is cooking up something.
Finally the young woman does asks a question. One she has pondered.
“You made a comment, ‘good’.....you know -- ‘woman parts,” the young woman smirks. The vulgar word not to her liking.
Kelly laughs as a she watches Sally run more hot water.
“You can plot to kill, but have a problem saying pussy ?,” she laughs.
“Really Sally -- really?”
Sally turns to the bottle blonde grinning. A smile as pretty as sunshine after a rainy day. “I aint a hussy like ya’self,” the maid smirks.
“So said your bed springs last night when Benjamin came for a visit,” Kelly laughs.
Sally grins as she tests the tap to make sure it is not too hot.
“Thats different. That damn creole would be any woman’s weakness.
Thats how he was made. Blame God Kelly Anne,” the young woman laughs.
Sitting back down, thinking back to her long dead uncle, a man whom would have adored the creole, Sally looks off.
“Its been twelve years hun,” she says.
Thinking, the maid looks into the bubbled water, almost about to cry if not for Kelly’s wet comforting hands caressing her cheek.
“And God is taking way too long huh babe?,” the bathing beauty smiles.
Sally smiles weakly as a tear struggles free, down her cheek into the milky, white fragrant water.
“He must have forgot all my prayers. Probably got more important matters to tend to,” she smiles weakly.
Tenderly, Kelly wipes tears from her friend’s soft dimpled cheeks.
“Then a woman has to do what a woman has to do. Sometimes all a woman got is her gumption.”
“Sometimes that very forthright has to be