Playing Hard To Get

“I wouldn’t lie to you,” Kiona added as they walked out of the yoga studio. “I don’t have a reason to. Now, don’t let a few bad dancers ruin your soul train line. Keep the party going.”

“What?” Troy laughed. “My soul train line?”

“It’s an old line my big sister used to say to me,” Kiona said. “The point is to enjoy yourself. The people who want to stop your line like it when you don’t seem to be having fun. You’ve worked hard and you should be having fun.”

“You’re right,” Troy agreed. “I should be having fun and I’m not going to let that…that hater ruin my good time.”

“Praise God!” Kiona said. “Now, come on and let’s dance!”

The two women chuckled and danced down Fifth Avenue like it was 1980 and Don Cornelius was about to ask them to unscramble VIRTUOUS WOMEN on the Soul Train board.

“For the Virtuous Women,” Troy shouted, doing an off-step bus stop behind Kiona.

“No,” Kiona started, “for the best leader the Virtuous Women has ever had!”

“That’s right, that’s right, that’s right!” Troy shimmied as Kiona danced circles around her.

“Get it, girl,” a random man said, coming up behind Troy and trying to dance with her. “That’s my kind of lady! Wooo-weee!”

Troy and Kiona screamed and ran down the street, laughing at the spectacle they’d caused the entire way. When they stopped and Troy gathered herself, she realized that they were standing in front of the Louis Vuitton store.

“What?” Kiona stopped too, noticing Troy’s gaze. She looked in the window at the purses and mannequins dressed in Vuitton.

“You know what,” Troy said, “I respect that you called me the best leader, but we both know I’m only decent, and the only reason I can be decent is because of your help.”

“Thank you,” Kiona said.

“I want to do something nice for you!”

“Nice?”

“Follow me.” Troy pulled a resistant Kiona into the Vuitton store and in minutes she’d replaced Kiona’s faux patent Surya with the real thing.

“Oh, I can’t accept this,” Kiona said once she realized Troy’s offer. “It’s much too expensive.”

“Nonsense—it’s a gift! It’s your new boyfriend,” Troy said. “You deserve it! I see how much you’ve done for the church. And I know what you’ve done for me.”

“I don’t do any of those things to get gifts or recognition,” Kiona said. “I do it because I love it. Because it’s what God called me to do.”

“And that’s exactly why you deserve this real bag—because you’re a real woman,” Troy said earnestly. “You’re so busy spoiling everyone else, it’s time you were spoiled.”

“Thank you, Troy,” Kiona said.

“I’m the one thanking you!”

Leaving Kiona to look through the other purses, Troy walked to the

cashier and handed the checkout woman her card before she’d mentioned the total.

“No need to box it,” Troy said casually. “I think we’re leaving the fake one here! And add a monogram wallet too…a wallet and a keychain.”

“Well—Ms…. Ms. Smith—” the woman tried.

“It’s Hall now, but that’s my old name on the card,” Troy rambled.

“Ms. Smith, your card was declined.”

“What?” Troy looked as if she had no idea what “declined” meant.