MAD BLACK WOMAN

ICEBREAKER

When Élan returns home, later that night, he is greeted with the sight of his wife in their bedroom, primping in her vanity and wearing black latex.

Her purse is beside her as she searches for her dark lipstick, puckers her lips, applies. She pats her finger waves down with precision and turns to the side.

Nanti turns again and faces him in those pants that are so skin tight they look wet and a little tank top with skinny straps, brown skin glowing and literally sparkling before him, "how was the rest of your day?" She says.

He doesn't even hear her. He can't. "Where are you going looking like that?" He's not that angry, he's primarily curious and maybe a bit possessive.

"I'm going with my friends. Is there an issue?" She's daring him to challenge her.

"Please don't wear that,"

"Why not?"

"Everyone will stare at you and think things they shouldn't think because you're a married woman."

She laughs. "My ride is outside, don't wait up."

He wonders how she leaves so quickly and soundlessly in such tall heels.

He doesn't sleep at all, just keeps checking the clock awaiting her return.

It's two in the morning when he hears the door unlock and she's in their room again, looking just as radiant as she did when she left. She toes off her shoes and shimmies out of her bottoms and looks at him.

"What're you doing?" She asks.

"I was sleeping." He lies.

"Your bed is the couch, Élan. Only faithful husbands sleep with their wives."

"What the hell? You've been gone all night!"

"And I'm back now. So get your ass up and go to the couch."

She slides under the covers where he once lay, "close the door on your way out."

Therapy was inevitable. And also Élan's idea. He's up and ready way before she is, eating a bagel and drinking orange juice.

He's been sleeping on the couch for a month and a half and it seems like all he does with Nanti is fantasize about her in his dreams, how she used to be; how she used to feel yet all they do in reality is argue. He avoids Faye in the workroom and has been weary of his boss ever since her surprise arrival. Nanti avoids physical interaction with him outside of pushing him out of her path.

He walks into their- her bedroom to wake her up again because it's only thirty minutes before the session and it's already a ten minute drive.

"Nan, get up." He grabs her ankle underneath the sheets and she groans.

"Nooooo." She mumbles and he yanks the covers off of her.

"Shower and get dressed, Nan. We can't be late."

She throws a pillow at him which he catches with ease.
____________________________________

Nanti doesn't like the therapist at all.

Not only are her questions way too personal, her eyes linger on Élan a little longer than she would find decent.

She herself is the queen of subtlety so she can appreciate the finesse of this therapist, her discreet gulps, pretending as if she's looking at her husband's wedding ring, or gazing slightly over his head. The small lift of her mouth whenever her husband speaks. Nanti is observant. And she is aware that Élan is so attractive that it makes people uncomfortable. But so is she. And the bitch should respect that.

Élan's rambling about there being a lack of communication and intimacy and this therapist is holding on to his every word like it's the Da Vinci Code.

"Nanti doesn't sleep with me anymore," he doesn't say it in an accusatory tone but it sure as hell feels like it.

"Really?"

Élan realizes how misleading that might sound, "As in we don't sleep in the same bed anymore. In fact, I sleep on the couch."

"Why is there such a lack of affection from you, Miss Nanti?" She sure hopes that isn't disdain in Doctor Whomever's face because she doesn't feel like boxing a ho.

"What Élan failed to express is that he cheated on me. With a woman from his job."

There is silence.

Élan sighs as if she's being dramatic which angers Nanti.

"You were acting this way before I cheated. In fact, you were worse. You were angry and upset with me all the time for no reason. The wedding ring sits on the dresser and you even told me you wish we didn't get married. That statement alone made me feel like shit."

"Yeah, well."

"And then you don't even explain!"

Nanti stares at Élan, "I was watching you excel while I was depressed. Everything was going right for you. I wanted us to have a child or something so I could feel useful."

"You were depressed?" He has all of the empathy in his voice.

"I had two miscarriages." She confesses. Tears come tumbling out of her eyes.

Élan can feel his heart sink to his stomach.

"And I didn't want to tell you because everything was amazing and then that would make me the bitch with the bad news. The negative Nancy... a failure."

He grabs her then, cradles her and strokes her short hair.

"I'm so sorry," he whispers.

She allows herself to be held. He peppers kisses onto her face and holds her tight as if she might shatter if he let her go.