Weavers

 A couple dozen pairs

of eyes keep painting

Mack and Red

with curious glances.

Some frank, some timid.

Shanise, the team leader

from the deconstruction crew

saunters over to their table.

Sits down on the bench and

slides up close to Mack.

Doffs her straw bonnet

and shakes loose a mane

of butterscotch and chocolate curls.

Mack notices that she has unbuttoned

the top two buttons on her overalls.

She fans what's now exposed,

the top of her breasts, with the bonnet. 

Notices Mack noticing. Smiles.

-Pretty hot, ain’t it?

Red watches the two of them, says

-Hi Shanise, care to join us?

- Don’t mind if I do.

Shanise takes one of the crab cakes

off Mack’s plate. Inspects it

for a moment then takes a slow

deliberate bite and puts the rest

back on Mack’s plate.

Picks a crumb off the corner

of her mouth and licks it

off the tip of a long, red-polished nail.

-mmm, I just love these crabcakes,

what do you think, Mack? tasty?

-Yeah, very nice. tasty, yeah.

Red cocks her head to one side

arches an eyebrow at Shanise.

Shanise says, -It’s siesta time,

why don’t you finish the tour

later, Red? Mack can do siesta

with me, my place is right around

the corner. Carol was asking about

you this morning, something about

last night was supposed to be date night?

She left the job site early…

-mmm. I don’t know, maybe.

I’ll check in on her. You don’t

mind Mack? Catch you later?

-uh, sure, catch you later.

Shanise gently squeezes his leg.

-Cool, honey, you can rest awhile

and then I’ll show you some

of my weavings, I’m a weaver.

Red says, Yes, she’s quite the

……. weaver. See you later.

Red leaves the cafe,

waves a back-handed good bye

without looking back.

-Shall we go? Would you like

to take a bath? I have a big

old fashioned clawfoot tub.

-What about the water?

-Oh don’t worry about that,

we’re gonna share it, right?

and then I’ll use it in my garden.

-Ok.