Hey y’all. Last snippet before I release Ineffable. In this piece Nori’s teasing Margot about her legendary temper, but she reveals all is not always what it seems… Enjoy. Lemme know what you think! – SS
“I confess I like watching you in action. It’s so much better than anything else I could come up with to entertain me.”
“Jackass. I have a tendency to let things build up, that’s all. Most things I let roll off my back. The problem is, these days triflin’ motherfuckers see not attacking as a sign of weakness. Then they feel confident coming back for more; they keep trying their luck, and there’s certain things you not gon’ try me on. That’s when they get the fireworks.”
“Certain things like what?”
She shrugged. “Like my body. That story about me cussing that movie star out in a restaurant happened because he wouldn’t take no for an answer. He was saying filthy things in my ear for hours. When he put his hand on my thigh, I had to give it to him. Ain’t no man gon’ decide when to get my pussy.
“Or my time. There was a society chick in New York who wanted me to make her some jewelry. Her husband was some big wig on Wall Street. He was also a controlling, condescending SOB who thought he could tell me how, when and what to create for her. So I told her I was sorry, but I would have to pass on the commission.”
“What happened?”
“He followed me out of the apartment talking shit, saying he was going to ruin my name and all this other shit. I laughed in his face and kept walking. Then he grabbed my arm. I asked him to release me. He didn’t, so I punched him in the face.”
“Did you have to go to court?”
“Yeah, but I won, and I got that bitch to pay for my legal fees plus some.”
“You lost the commission.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“No?”
“Uh-huh. She went behind his back and hired me anyway, at double our original budget. A picture of the necklace and earrings is on my web site. Shit turned out great. We still email. She’s a good customer. Every year she has me design something special for her. She divorced the asshole and remarried someone else much nicer and much richer. Said seeing me stand up to him is what gave her the courage to break away.
It was her testimony that helped me win my case. She told everyone that he grabbed me first, and relayed how badly he’d verbally abused me. I think she used the whole thing as part of her defense during the divorce proceedings.”
“Wow.”
“Yeah. But you didn’t hear all that, see. All you heard was, Margot’s in trouble again. Right?”
“Right.”
“These bitches never tell the whole story. They just tell whatever part of it suits their purpose, and the stories of me as an out of control, temperamental bitch sell better.”
“Does that make you angry?”
She shrugged again. “Not really. Who I am ain’t got shit to do with who the media portrays me to be. My friends and business partners know the truth. Strangers can think what they like.
“Besides,” she laughed softly. “It ain’t hurtin’ my business none. Tommy’s managed to spin these little contretemps into a feminist manifesto. I’m objecting to abuse, not inciting violence or having tantrums. I’m struggling to maintain my independence in the face of tyrants who want to stifle my creativity, and cheat me out of my well-deserved earnings and success, not simply dealing with rich pricks with more money than manners.”
“None of which is a lie,” Nori commented.
“No. That’s the wonderful thing about Tommy. My girl never lies. She just spins the truth to suit her purpose, and when it comes to one of her clients, a good chunk of whom are her friends, that purpose is always positive. I’m pretty even tempered usually, wouldn’t you say?”
He nodded.
“Right. I just can’t stomach assholes, and I won’t tolerate people trying to fuck me – literally or figuratively – then trying to crow about it and make a statement. I been down that road. I’m not letting anybody victimize me, and that’s that.”
He kissed her cheek lovingly. “Good. Since I became CEO for Ineffable I’ve had more time to notice how women are treated in business, and it’s not good. I’m proud of you for not taking any shit. Now, tell me another story about Margot Temper.”
So, as they shopped, she told him about a woman who stood her up twice for an appointment. When she called to set up the third, Margot told her no, thanks. The woman subsequently went on Facebook and told lies that Margot had stood her up, etc.
Margot responded via her blog, asking those in the general public who’d worked with her to write in if she’d ever been late for an appointment and not called. Dozens of people had responded praising not only her punctuality and professionalism but many who knew the woman had publically called out for being a habitual liar.
“Lesson there? Don’t lie on me. I’m honest and professional to a fault; you ain’t gon’ win.”
Then there was the man who tried to pick her up at the park while she was walking Bootsy, her terrier. She’d politely declined coffee, dinner, another walk in the park, and when he persisted, actually using his body to block her from walking away, she finally asked him was he stupid or just deaf?
That time he lost his temper first, kicking Bootsy who’d begun to growl, and Margot broke his nose in response. Then she instructed Bootsy to piss on him while he was down. The dog had obliged.
Nori burst out laughing. “You got your dog to piss on cue?”
She shrugged. “We were in the park for a reason…”
Sherrod Story - Here lies your book boyfriend...naked. 
Is this book dropping in January or nah? A sista needs ta know…
Yup! Should be out in a few days.