You've been cerved.

Tamra

Andersen held up Tamra's phone again. "How about this guy? He's Black - her preference, not mine!" Andersen said quickly to an uninterested female customer who had just approached the register.

The customer, also a Black woman, looked up from her own phone, "Sorry, what?"

"She's into Black guys," Andersen spoke without thinking. He paused, jerking his thumb at Tamra. "Like, she's not into white guys...like me..." He trailed off and coughed uncomfortably.

The bewildered customer looked at Tamra, who smiled sweetly from her perch on the counter beside the register.

"It's true. I prefer to date Black men," Tamra said.

"All right..." The customer, her expression unreadable, glanced first at Tamra and then at Andersen as she slowly put her phone away.

"No, er, exceptions?" Andersen blushed and pulled at his collar.

"Not yet," Tamra grinned.

Subtly inserting herself between Tamra and Andersen, the customer whispered nervously to Tamra, "Are you all right, dear? Do I need to call someone?"

Andersen swallowed, "I'm not...I'm fine with her...preference... Me too. I love Black guys. Really, love....them. Black men. So, er, sexy?" He backed away from the women.

"Oh, um...good for you," The Black woman looked relieved. She patted Tamra's knee.

Tamra looked longingly at her phone, clutched tightly in Andersen's fist. I'm never filming when I should be..Tamra thought.

"My brother actually had a kid with her sister, so, you see, we have Black people in our family even," Andersen waved at Tamra.

"Can I have my phone back?" Tamra asked Andersen.

"We're very pro, um, diversity...my sister's married to an, um, diverse person...a person of, er, color..." Andersen did not seem to be able to stop.

"Hm," the customer put a protective hand back on Tamra's knee.

Sensing things may have gone too far, Tamra covered the customer's hand with her own. "Don't worry, he's just stupid, not dangerous. Next thing you know he'll tell us he's not sexist cuz he has a sister."

Andersen's face was bright red. "Well, I'm not. Sexist, that is. 'Course not, equality for everyone." With his free hand, he made a fist.

Tamra snorted involuntarily. "Seriously?"

"You're okay then, honey?" The customer asked Tamra, anxiously peering into Tamra's face.

"Yes, I'm fine. I promise," Tamra patted the woman's shoulder.

"Then...Ladies' ware, please?" The customer asked Tamra in a carefully neutral tone.

"Back there to the left - behind the baby stuff," Tamra jerked her thumb in the proper direction.

"Thank you," the customer said to Tamra, before hurrying away without looking back.

Tamra grinned at Andersen. "You're so pretty, Andersen..."

Andersen groaned as he watched the customer disappear amongst the shelves. "Jesus, that was more painful than when I lost my leg. It's like I couldn't stop the words!" He held his hands over his mouth, his breath fogging the screen of Tamra's phone.

Tamra sighed, "Just wait till I tell Darius..."

Andersen shot her a panicked look at the mention of his nephew. "Please don't! He'll send me a podcast! Then quiz me! And I'll fail it! Again!"