Miss Opportunity - Ch. 11.2

The next day Cami got up early and prepared to go job hunting for the first time since returning to Enfield. It was a good thing she’d bought professional looking clothes as well during her shopping spree.

Yet despite how well-groomed Cami was, the second those managers looked at her criminal history, they gave her…the look.

The look that said, ‘There is no way in the world I’m going to hire a felon at this company’.

That settles it! I’m lying on the next application, Cami decided as she drove back to the hotel in disappointment.

Although being deceptive on a job application could get her fired at some future date of discovery, she was willing to take that chance if it meant working for only a little while. Either that or she was going to have to start stripping.

Though Cami certainly had the skills for that type of occupation (thanks to her mother), she really didn’t want to do that. She didn’t want to make Little Man more ashamed of her than he already was.

Cami recalled only too vividly how ashamed she was to tell anyone at school what her mother did for a living. How she lied on career days about her mother being a housewife and instead focused on her military father, who ascended to sergeant major status before he retired.

No, Cami refused to heap any more shame upon her son. If she was going to get a job, she wanted it to be something that Little Man and even she could be proud to own up to.

Okay, I officially need a pick-me-up now, Cami mused, deciding to treat herself to a fancy lunch in order to starve off even more depression.

Yes, her funds were still low. And yes, this money would be better spent on gas for more job hunting or on more minutes for her cell phone since that was her contact number for employment calls. But right now Cami’s emotional well-being was at stake. She needed some kind of encouragement. Needed to be around some kind of luxury.

I might even find a rich man there, Cami mused, checking her makeup in the car’s overhead mirror while at a traffic light. She was oblivious to the fact that her mouth was probably going to run off any rich man that her looks attracted at the restaurant like it had on other occasions.

Cami sighed with relief when she entered the cool foyer area of the French restaurant she chose. The serene wall aquariums on either side of her were soothing to look at as she passed by. The classical music playing softly in the background tickled her ears even as the harmony of the instruments relaxed her soul.

Yes, a sista really needed this today, Cami mused, making her way to the elegantly dressed maitre d’ at the end of the long hall. As she walked, the heels of her blue pumps left delightful dents in the plush green carpet below. Even something as simple as that made her feel better.

Unfortunately for Cami, many rich men admired her beauty, but none of them took her bait. It was as if they could look at her and tell that she was on the take, that she was after something they had. Possibly everything they had.

Gold-digger seemed to be stamped on Cami’s forehead today. Which meant that desperation was starting to show up on her countenance, repelling men without her ever having to say a word. Not good. Not good at all.

Cami’s day grew worse when she spotted Delia, Royal, Bonz, and Aisha entering the restaurant soon after she was seated. Jealousy spiked in her soul when she saw the exclusive table they were shown to. Unlike Cami, they hadn’t been placed anywhere near the restroom area. Even their waiter was friendlier.

Now I ‘know’ that wasn’t Dee yesterday, Cami reasoned, noting how happy her cousin was as Delia laughed with her friends and share the occasional kiss with her handsome husband.

Royal cut his beautiful hair, she mused, noting the differences in him, too. Royal’s long curly locks were gone. They’d been replaced with a close haircut.

Cami had no idea that prayer and a repentant heart had canceled Delia’s crisis from yesterday. That Royal had cut his hair because of that crisis. That all was now well with the Seegers once again because of God and Him alone.

Maybe I can hit Dee up for a little bit more loot, Cami thought, waiting for the perfect opportunity to talk to her cousin alone. Now she was grateful for the table she had. She was even more grateful that she knew her cousin’s behavioral patterns.

Cami knew that Delia always visited the restroom of every restaurant she dined at least five to ten minutes before ordering. This was her cousin’s way of seeing just how sanitary each establishment really was. If the bathroom was filthy, Delia left without ordering a thing. If it was clean, she returned to her table, ordered, and ate with peace of mind.

Cami’s opportunity came when Delia excused herself to the restroom five minutes later. Fortunately, Aisha did not go with her, remaining at the table with the men. That was predictable, too. Aisha often connected better with males, although her female-to-female relationships were improving these days thanks to Alexis and Delia.

Cami quickly entered the green and white-themed restroom before Delia and used those moments alone to make sure no one else was in there. She didn’t want any witnesses around in case she had to resort to begging or shedding a few fake tears.

I just hope these tears are gonna change Dee’s mind about extending a little bit more help my way, Cami mused, right before the green bathroom door opened.

© 2008 by Suprina Frazier