“She won’t remember talking to me in two weeks. That’s part of her illness. Would you consider not catching me off guard? A text or email would give me time to prepare. We discussed this previously.”
“Do I need permission to call about your mother?”
Antoine ran his hands through his dreads and sighed. “You know that’s not the case.”
“Then what is?”
His lips parted to respond, but Nikki cut him off. “I don’t understand you, Joy, or your greedy father. Money is his priority. You all live on the other side of the world, enjoying your lives while me and Ryan are caring for Mom. Why should I call you, anyway? Next time you want to speak with Mom, call me.”
She hung up in his face. His mouth twisted, he sprung from the chair, pacing as he called back. Hanging up in his face was totally unacceptable. He paused, then disconnected the call. Why waste time? He’d pass this problem on to Joy. She knew how to deal with Nikki better than he did. And as for his father, he hadn’t spoken with him in months.
He tapped out a text message to Joy.
Just talked to Mom. Nikki hung up in my face. Call and handle her before I cuss her out!
Joy answered in less than a minute.
No! You’re better than that. I’ll call her .
Joy was right; he couldn’t do something that cold. He loved Nikki. It’s just that he’d had enough of her rude, disrespectful behavior. Yes, she and her husband cared for Mom, and he empathized with Nikki and Ryan and their two kids. But it wasn’t as bad as Nikki claimed. Mom had around the clock professional care during the week. That was one responsibility their father had promised to keep, along with mortgage-free homes for each of his children, including Derrick.
Antoine called Rashad to let him know he’d pick him up at 9:00 for breakfast. When Antoine pulled up at Big Brothers, Rashad was standing in front with a backpack on his shoulder wearing a pair of Air Jordans for the game. Antoine had cautioned him about wearing his Air Jordans only during basketball games. There was so much crime in certain areas of the inner city, Antoine often reminded Rashad to think first about safety. The teen rushed to the car and opened the door.
“What’s up?” Rashad fastened his seatbelt. “What happened to your G-Wagon?”
“I decided to start driving this one to the games. G-Wagon means too much attention.” He glanced at Rashad, patting the dashboard of the Jeep Cherokee SUV. “Dude, you don’t like this ride?”
Rashad scanned the car. “Uh, I like the G-Wagon better. But this beats riding my bike to my basketball game.” Rashad laughed.
“I agree. Where we going for breakfast?”
“McDonald’s is cool.”
With his eyes on the road, Antoine turned his nose up. “Yuck. You sure you want fast food?”
“Yep. It’s quick, and I’ve gotta be there on time.”
Antoine tapped his GPS for the nearest McDonald’s close to the school. Throughout their meal, Rashad chatted about school and about his new part-time job at a supermarket. They arrived at Oakland High School ten minutes earlier than Rashad’s expected arrival time. He jumped out the car and sprinted toward the building.
During the game, Antoine watched Rashad, the team’s point guard, dribble the ball across the court and leap high to make a shot. The boy gloated with pride. That shot reminded Antoine of his high school basketball games. Especially the night he made a three-point shot and helped his team win the championship. And education meant more than playing basketball to Antoine. He had plans for college. Funny thing was… Rashad’s first career choice wasn’t professional basketball either. His goal was to become an engineer, and Antoine encouraged him to maintain that mindset.
Chapter 16
ANTOINE
Saturday Evening
Antoine strolled into the Power of Words lounge to warm greetings from friends and acquaintances that made him feel at home. This was his night of leisure, a night to bring the house down with spoken word poetry.
He made his way over to Ellis, Sherrie and two other couples. After greeting Ellis with a fist bump, he hugged Sherrie and shook hands with everyone else at the table. “Hello, everybody.”
“You look well,” Sherrie smiled.
Antoine nodded. “I’m living. Working, enjoying life as much as possible.”
“Ant, you know Jared, and this is his wife Natalie. That’s Matthew, my co-worker and his wife Lucinda.”
“Nice meeting all of you and thank you for coming out. I wish you could’ve met my girl as well, but she couldn’t make it this time.” With everyone paired up, Antoine felt awkward without a date. “Maybe next time,” he said, rubbing his hands together.
“Man, we’ve been hearing about your spoken word poetry. We can’t wait to hear you speak. You planning to publish your work?” Matthew said.
Antoine reached into his bag for a few promo cards and passed them around the table. “I appreciate your support. I’ve published six poetry books with over forty poems, and I’m working on a nonfiction book.”
“That’s cool,” Matthew read the card. “What’s your book about?”
“It’s a self-help book about healing and survival.”
Matthew nodded. “Interesting. I’d like to read it after it’s published.”
“Awesome. Check my website from time to time for updates. Hey, I’m buying tonight — wine or your choice of drinks.” Antoine summoned the waitress, and everybody gave her their orders. “Oh, Ellis,” he said, “Rashad’s team killed it today. They beat the other team by fifteen points.”
“Aww, bro’, that’s cool,” Ellis said. “Text me his game schedule. I wanna go to his next game.”
Antoine’s phone vibrated in his jacket pocket. “Excuse me, I need to answer this.” He walked outside, hoping the call was from Jada. He pulled his phone out but didn’t recognize the number. He was going to ignore the call but changed his mind. Maybe she’s calling from a different number. Antoine put his Bluetooth on and hit redial. A familiar voice answered.
“Hello, sweetie pie. What are you doing?”
His brows furrowed. “You must have the wrong number.”
“You don’t know the voice of your baby’s mama? It’s Kiley,” the woman on the other end cackled with laughter.
He scanned the area to ensure no one could hear his conversation. Patrons walking by in groups and as couples meant the lounge was filling quickly. His session was coming up soon.
“Is this some kind of joke?” He placed his hand on his forehead. “You know we never had sex.”
“You sound irritated. This baby growing in my belly sure wasn’t black magic. Why don’t you come by so we can talk?”
“Look, I’m not in L.A. We’ll talk, and it’ll be a long one.”
“When will that be?”
“Expect my call one day this week. Okay? And don’t approach me at work; this situation is between me and you. I’m out.”
His heart raced as anger climbed higher than Mount Everest. This was not the time to discuss a pregnancy that he wasn’t responsible for, but he blamed himself for not meeting with Kiley after she’d told him about the positive pregnancy test. She’d obviously mixed up the guys she’d been dating, and he wasn’t one of them. The baby couldn’t be his. Avoidance would not result in a resolution, so he would deal with Kiley when he got back to LA.
Antoine closed his eyes for a moment of silent prayer, then walked back inside in time to hear his name announced. He drank a few sips of wine and decided not to let the “baby-mama-drama” affect his session. After a sprint to the stage, the applause generated a burst of energy. At the podium, he shaded his eyes with one hand and checked out the audience.
“All right, everybody in the house. What’s up? I’m Antoine Bailey. Welcome and thank you for being here.” He waved to a group who had taken seats at the table next to Ellis and Sherrie. “Wow! I see a lot of familiar faces in the audience. Poet’s Night Out holds a special place in my heart. My Spoken Word Poetry is provocative storytelling.
Its curative properties have healing powers that can be therapeutic, spiritual, and most of all…romantic.”
He licked his lips as his eyes journeyed around the room, captivating the attention of the audience, most of whom were women. He leaned toward the microphone and deepened his voice. “My poetry is sumptuous foretastes of romantic escapades.” Oohs and aahs echoed through the room.
“Can poetry heal being broke?” a young man said. Laughter filtered through the lounge.
Antoine grinned and pointed at the man. “Good question, my brother. In my opinion, if you add spirituality and positivity to romance, poetry can heal a broken heart and being broke. It’s your call. For those of you who don’t know me, I’m originally from the Bay area, but I’m currently in L.A. working for KTLM radio station, 101.3 FM.
Tonight, I present to you a poem that I wrote today, and I’m dedicating it to my lady, Jada. By the way, she’s not here tonight, but that’s okay.” A few chuckles from the crowd caused Antoine to laugh. “I’ll start with a song to get you in the groove. My poem is called “My Heartbeat, My Love.” He cued the DJ, and with closed eyes, arms raised, Antoine swayed back and forth to “Would You Mind” by Earth, Wind, and Fire while snapping his fingers. The audience clapped and many sang along with the recording. The music gradually faded in the background as his poetry enthralled the audience.
“My heartbeat, my love, a sweet, sweet dove. Your beautiful skin, a waist so slim…” As he continued to speak, a stunning woman with long dark, silky hair, wearing a red low-cut top sauntered in and sat at a table up front. The moment he placed the woman as Fiona, he inhaled a deep breath and almost forgot to exhale. He straightened the collar of his jacket and continued his performance.
The woman he’d planned to marry ─ the woman who was supposed to birth his babies— focused on him for an hour. But her starry-eyed gaze did little except trigger a few droplets of sweat on his forehead. He pulled out a hanky and swiped the sweat away. Their past had moments of beauty, but her behavior toward the end of their relationship was more bizarre than a Picasso painting. Why is she here?
Antoine ended his session and pressed his hands together. “So again, I thank you for coming out tonight. Enjoy your evening and God bless you. Ciao!” A rousing applause polished his night; he saluted his audience and walked off the stage. He preferred to return to his friends’ table, but rudeness wasn’t his style. He strutted over to Fiona, and she arose and accepted his warm hug.
“Thanks for coming out.”
“I heard you’d be here tonight, and I was in the area.” She touched his hair. “I love the locks; they’re longer.
He dispensed a slight smile. “They’ve grown since you’ve last seen them. Why don’t you join me and my friends? Their table is over there.” He pointed in the direction of his friends and immediately noticed the disappointment on her face when she glanced at his friends engaged in social conversation. Exactly what I thought.
“No. Well, I-I…have another engagement.” She ran her fingers through her straight hair. “I had a craving for your poetry, and I must say…you’re still the master of coining words. How long will you be in town?”
“Not long. I’m flying back to L.A. tomorrow.”
She removed a business card from her wallet and handed it to him. “Call me sometimes. We’re not strangers. Maybe we can hook up for coffee or lunch when you come back.”
He stuffed her card in his shirt pocket and whispered in her ear, “I’ll keep that in the back of my mind. I have a girlfriend now.” He pecked her cheek. “Take care of yourself.”
A quick exit from that conversation was the best pathway out. He strolled over to his friends’ table. He’d tell Jada soon enough about his ex-girlfriend and the history of that relationship. What he didn’t desire was any part of Fiona’s reunion attempts — friendship or otherwise. No one or anything would be a hindrance in his relationship with Jada.
Chapter 17
JADA
Twelve thirty-seven, and not a hint of sleep. After hours of changing positions multiple times, Jada rolled over again and stared at the alarm clock, wishing a mystical hand would touch her fatigued body. She sat up and pushed her back against two pillows. How would she sit through Sunday service if she didn’t rest? Jada would have to start taking the Melatonin again if she continued having sleepless nights. Two issues whirled around in her mind —Aunt Dee and Antoine. What surprise had he planned for her? Where were they going this afternoon? And why, oh why, had she turned down a trip to San Francisco?
Jada tossed the layers of cover to the side and swung her feet to the floor. She wrapped the robe around her shoulders and went to check the hall thermostat. The house felt chilly for late spring. Celine must have cut the heater off again to save a few dollars on the gas bill. She turned on the heat before they all froze like icicles. A beam of light shone in the hall, and Jada followed it into the kitchen where Celine stood. A bonnet covered braids, and a thick pull-over sweater covered her pajama top.
“Hey, there,” Jada said.
Celine jumped; the knife she was holding fell to the floor. “Oh! You scared me. Why’re you up so late?” She rinsed the knife and stuck it in the Miracle Whip jar.
“Can’t sleep. I don’t have to ask why you’re up.” Jada leaned against the counter.
“Well, it’s not that I can’t sleep. I took a nap after I studied earlier, so now I’m not sleepy. I’ll read or watch TV and doze off in an hour or two.” Celine spread mayonnaise and mustard on French bread and added slices of tomato and turkey. “You want a sandwich?”
“No thanks. Food will keep me up longer, and if you don’t stop eating so late, your hips are gonna spread wider than the Hoover Dam.” Jada giggled.
“Not hardly. Running around that E.R. for twelve hours keeps me slim.”
Jada slipped her arms inside her robe. “About the meeting with Aunt Dee, you think she’ll be upset with us?”
“Yeah, she’ll be bummed after we mention the eviction. We’ve got to think smart, though. Get her full of sausage, eggs and grits, then she might calm down.” Celine placed the meat and mayonnaise in the refrigerator.
Jada lifted her hand. “You do the talking since she seems to listen to you.” Aunt Dee was crazy about Celine. Jada knew her aunt loved all her nieces, but there was something about Celine that apparently made her the favorite out of the three. Jada believed Celine’s commitment to the church was part of the reason she and Aunt Dee were close.
“I’ll be ready. We don’t have a new location, but we’ve made progress and that’s what counts. I wanna know why they’re evicting us when we’ve never missed a payment.” Celine placed her food and a glass of cranberry juice on the table. “I’m still figuring out the scoop on the owner.”
“What progress? That property management company is getting over on us. We deserve more time to find another location and notify our clients.” Jada smacked her lips. “In all those files Momma kept, I didn’t see anything on the owner.”
“Don’t get discouraged. We’ve got a little time left, and God can do the impossible. Some company called R and B Real Estate responded to my email today. I sent my information and yours.”
“Okay. I’ll keep an eye out for it.”
“Did you talk to Antoine today?”
“Last night before he left for a poetry session. I didn’t mention this to Aunt Dee, but Antoine might be at church tomorrow. He was checking for early flights while we talked. Jada opened the refrigerator and retrieved a bottled water.
“All right now. I was wondering why you hadn’t brought him to church. You know Aunt Dee got to meet him. And I met him only one time.”
“You know how that is. I didn’t want to bring him around family right away. And he’s at work Monday through Friday at 5:00 a.m. We do a lot of texting and phone talk, then get together on the weekends.”
“Girl, that’s the reason you should’ve gone with him. You could be up there enjoying time with your man in the Bay
Area. Why’d you turn down a free trip, anyway?
“Yeah, Yeah. That was the plan. He was excited about me seeing Oakland and meeting his friends and family.” Jada pushed the water bottle to her mouth and swigged. She hated to let him down at the last minute, but she wasn’t ready for that. “What if Darius offered you an out of town trip after only three months of dating?”
Celine sat at the table. “Simple. If it was free, that would’ve been a yes.”
Jada sat down and pressed her hand against her face. “I just hope I don’t wake up one morning and find out this is a dream.”
“You’re not dreaming. Relax and enjoy the ride. You two are okay, right?” Celine bit into the sandwich and wiped her mouth.
“For sure. Antoine is magnetic. Thinking about how we didn’t get along at work is hilarious.” Jada laughed. “Well, now it is. Our relationship jumped off fast, but I’m not sure about out-of-town trips yet.”
“I bet I know why.” Celine squeezed Jada’s arm and smiled.
“What do you mean?”
“Why you didn’t go with him. You’re not ready for sex ‘til that ring is on your finger. Am I right?” A wide smile spread across Celine’s face.
Unable to believe what she’d heard, Jada turned to Celine and stared hard. The best she could do was press her lips together and say nothing. My sister is asking about my sex life?
“Aha, that’s the reason,” Celine laughed. “I’ve been in that pit hole before.”
Jada picked up the water bottle and gulped the rest of it while considering how to answer Celine’s question. She and Antoine hadn’t slept together, and she appreciated his understanding her desire to wait.
“Well, is it?” Celine asked with a gleam in her eyes.
“Yeah…I mean no. Or close… Ugh, girl, that’s too much for me to think about. I’m going back to bed.” She leaped from the chair and dashed to the bedroom. How can I ever tell Celine that my rose was snipped by my first boyfriend in college? She sprawled across the foot of the bed, turned on her side and closed her eyes. Fifteen minutes later, she heard a knock; Celine peeked in.
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