An Inconvenient Friend

by Rhonda McKnight

  Mekhi nodded. Carrying a half empty bottle of Powerade, he moved from the refrigerator to the living room. Concern had etched deep folds into his face. I was relieved to have someone to tell all this stuff to.

  “I don’t know what to do. This has gotten way out of control. She’s has all these health issues, and she’s already back on the Ox. There’s no state medical for people who don’t have kids, so her real prescriptions and home health aide are costing me a small fortune.” I rubbed the creases on my forehead. “Paying to take care of her would be okay if she weren’t using, but she is, so it’s good money down the drain, and I can’t keep stealing from my job.”

  “Yeah, I was wondering where you was getting the drugs you was hooking June up with.”

  I raised an eyebrow.

  “Er’ybody know ’bout that. But ya’ moms, that’s on the low. Don’t nobody know ’bout Ms. Jacobs being strung out.”

  “And I don’t want nobody to know.” I pinned him with a firm look.

  “Shoot, I ain’t gonna tell nobody. You know that. That’s why you here.” Our eyes locked for a moment, and Mekhi moved to where I was sitting. He put his Powerade bottle down on the bar next to me.

  I dropped my eyes from his. I was here because I was desperate. I was here because I had no one else to call. I was here because other than that one time, Mekhi always came through for me. I suppressed the sound of the bars slamming in my memory, which was easy to do with the way Mekhi was making me feel. Silence continued to pass between us, and I raised my eyes and let them fall on his biceps and triceps and thigh muscles. It was getting hot up in this apartment, and it didn’t have anything to do with the temperature of the room. Mekhi was standing way too close.

  “I’ll take care of it for you.” He reached past me. CK One filled my nostrils, and I held my breath to stop its seductive assault. “I need a few days to get the right price, and then I might have to go up north and be my own courier.” Mekhi drew his hand back and slid a toothpick he’d picked up into his mouth. “She got enough pills to hold her over?”

  I let my breath go. I thought he was going to touch me. I shook my head. “She called me yesterday and asked for pills, but I can take care of it for a few days. How are you going to—what are you going to do?”

  Mekhi was thoughtful for a moment. He moved away from me to a large computer desk on the opposite wall and dropped his weight into the leather executive chair in front of it with a loud squish. I was glad he’d distanced himself. His cologne was messing with my senses.

  “I’ll get her onto something low dose. Try to wean her while you work that rehab angle.”

  “What if she takes more than one?” I asked.

  He shook his head. “She ain’t gonna have but one at time. Called spoon feeding that monkey. She’ll be dealing with me direct.”

  I nodded understanding. “That’s a lot of oversight, and she isn’t going to be cooperative. What’s it gonna cost me?”

  He shrugged. “Ain’t gonna cost you nothing.”

  I cast him a ‘don’t play with me, Negro’ look.

  “What you think I’m gonna ask you for some booty or something?” His dark eyes swept my body, and his lips slowly spread into a small smile. “Come on, Sam. You know me better than that. I likes my women to be willing, much more fun that way.”

  I wondered about that for a moment. Wondered about Mekhi’s woman or women. I found myself feeling jealous. I mean whoever she was, she was one lucky trick to have a man this fine.

  “What you doing for yourself to roll out that kind of money for a friend, Mekhi?” I swirled my hand around the apartment. “I mean, unless all this stuff is hot, you got about ten thousand sitting in this living room.”

  Mekhi leapt from his chair and once again closed the distance between us. “Everything in this apartment is paid for with the truth. My days of making dishonest money came to an end.”

  My mind went back to the suit he was wearing in the hospital. I assessed him now in his Sean John muscle shirt and designer jeans. “Oh yeah, so when did you stop boosting? Yesterday afternoon?”

  Mekhi placed a hand palm down on the surface of the bar to my right and bought his face within inches of mine. His eyes flashed with fire. “No. More like six years ago when I realized how much stealing had cost me.”

  I swallowed hard again. His minty breath and cologne had me trippin. My own breath was coming harder. “So.” I fought stuttering over my words. “If your money is so tight, why you still in the projects?”

  He laughed and let the smile hang on his face for a few seconds. “Come on, Sammie. Don’t you remember, I promised I wasn’t leaving White Gardens without you?”

  My heart slammed into my chest like a bag of bricks. My cell phone rang, and I wanted to thank God for the reprieve because if we hadn’t had that interruption, I was going to kiss him so deeply that he was going to know I was worth waiting for. I leaned to the side for my bag, and he returned to an upright position to give me room. It was Angelina, and I was almost afraid to answer it. Especially if I were going to get cussed out. I clicked talk and said a cautious hello.

  “We still on for lunch?” Angelina’s voice had a lilt that was chipper. With a breath, I inhaled a bit of calm. She didn’t know.

  “I’m sorry,” I said. I watched Mekhi move across the room. He opened a laptop and pushed the power button. “I forgot. I’m on the other side of town, handling some business for my mother.”

  “Well, I was on my way out of the office, and I wanted to make sure you could still make it before I got in the car,” Angelina said. “By the way how is your mom?”

  “Much better,” I lied, turning slightly on the stool as if I could hide from Mekhi’s intent stare.

  Angelina definitely didn’t know about the Rae Burns thing. She sounded like she didn’t have a care in the world. “I know you’re tired from the weekend. I’m still worn out myself,” Angelina chuckled.

  “I think it’s more my mom than the weekend,” I said, wondering how I had escaped the technology of TIVO. “Angelina, let me call you back.”

  “Sure, sure. We’ll get together later this week, or at least see each other at Bible Study.”

  I confirmed that was cool, ended the call, and put the phone on vibrate.

  “Is that somebody looking for Samaria Jacobs or Rae Burns?” Mekhi asked, closing his laptop and giving me his full attention. I looked away. “Sammie, what you into?”

  “A smaller mess than it looks like, and I’m getting out of it.” I surprised myself that I’d said that because at that moment I meant it. “And speaking of messes.” I cleared my throat. “There’s something else—I need another favor.”

  “Whew, you needy today.” He smiled and chuckled like it was music to his ears.

  I rolled my eyes up. “Anyway. I was hoping you could help me with this woman at work.” I filled him in on what I knew about Nadine.

  “Sound like a nosy white girl to me.” He scruffed up his chin. “But I can have this dude I know snoop around for you.”

  “What’s that going to cost me?” I asked, thinking I already knew what he would say this time.

  Mekhi didn’t hesitate. Through a cocky smile he said, “You keep trying to pay for what I’m willing to give for free, and it’s gonna cost you. I might ask for a kiss.”

  I had been in this apartment with him too long. I gripped my purse; my palms were sweating around the straps, and my nerves were shot. “That sounds like more than I’m willing to pay.”

  Mekhi leaned closer. His irises danced mischievously. “You know, Sam, you might find out that a brother done got better at some things than he was when he was nineteen.”

  A large lump went down my throat. I cleared it and shook my head. “Stop messing with me,” I hissed. “Either tell me what I have to pay in cash, or let it go.”

  Mekhi laughed a throaty roar from deep in his belly. He took a few steps back. “No sweat, girl. I appreciate the fact that you here.” He took a few m
ore steps backward and collapsed on the bulky leather sofa. “We making progress.”

  “Don’t be so sure.” I wasn’t ready to crack my veneer. “I’ll have to see how you deliver on all these promises you made today.”

  Mekhi’s smile was all dimples and confidence. “One thing you gonna find out about me is I’m a man of my word.” He winked.

  I slid off the bar stool. “We’ll see about that, won’t we? Not like you haven’t left me flat before.”

  “C’mon, girl, you ain’t gotta remind me of what I did,” Mekhi said. “Not like I can forget.”

  “Well, you’ve got a chance to redeem yourself.” I cocked my head. “I’m going to go.”

  Mekhi nodded, gave me a hard once over with his sexy eyes, then smiled. “You sure ’bout that kiss?” I know I could see all thirty- two of his teeth.

  “I appreciate your concern.” I walked to the door. “And your help.”

  Mekhi flew off the sofa. He beat me to the door in record time. Both our hands were on the knob. His brick hard body brushed against me as he turned it. My resolve was melting like an ice cream cone in the hot sun. “I’m glad you came to me. Glad to know you trust me some.”

  I didn’t move. I was afraid to. Mekhi used his free hand to sweep my hair from over my ear and whispered, “I still love you, Sammie.”

  I looked at him over my shoulder. My eyes fell on his lips. He licked them, and I turned my head. “You don’t even know me anymore.”

  Mekhi hesitated for a moment, like he was considering my words. Then he chuckled. “Girl, what you talking ’bout? You ain’t changed.” His laugh came harder. “’Cept your name. Rae Burns.”

  I countered his playfulness by throwing an elbow in his gut, then I stepped through the door. It didn’t close behind me, so I knew he was watching me as I made my way down the hall. I could still feel the heat of Mekhi’s gaze clinging to my body as I approached my car. I looked up and found that he was indeed at his window. I climbed in the vehicle, turned on the engine, and threw my head back on the head rest. I’d come that close to letting Mekhi touch me. And it wasn’t just because he was fine, and he was offering to bail me out of my mess. Mekhi had said he loved me. He’d been the only man in my life to ever tell me that. I needed to hear those words because my world was unraveling, or at least it felt like it might at any moment. Was he being honest? The voice inside my heart said he was, but I couldn’t escape the memory in my head.

  Slam! The bars opened and closed all day. I was glad they were closing behind me this time. I had a visitor. I had no idea who. My mom, one of my cousins, or Mekhi. I was praying it was him. He was the only person I wanted to see, but when I entered the main visiting room I saw my cousin, June, sitting at one of the small tables.

  “Where’s Khi?” I asked, sliding onto the bench across from him.

  June scanned me from head to toe. “Girl, you look a mess.”

  “June, Khi. What’s going on? Why hasn’t he been here? Is he locked up?”

  June hesitated for a moment and said, “Ain’t nobody seen Mekhi. I talked to Wang today, and he told me his brother was in Florida.”

  I slammed my palms on the table. Caught the eye of a grumpy guard and recomposed myself. “Wang said he scared or something. His mother got him hiding out until this thing is over.”

  “Until it’s over. I got a public lawyer, June. I need Mekhi to get up here and get me a decent lawyer.”

  June sat back and crossed his arms over his chest. “Look, I’m the messenger. Ya’ moms asked me to let you know what was going on. Mekhi is gone. You need to try to work this out yourself.”

  I shook my head. I had worked it out for myself, or rather I’d gotten lucky. The county was piloting a new pre-trial intervention program for first offenders under age twenty-one. I was perfect for it. All I had to do was keep my nose clean for five years, and I wouldn’t have to go to jail. I wouldn’t even have a record. I’d done that for all these years, but I continued to hold the contempt I felt for Mekhi in my heart.

  “I still love you, Sammie.” I could still feel his warm breath on my neck. I fought hard to not hear those words, to not feel his heat, to not want them both. I didn’t want my lifeline to be Mekhi, but just like he’d been the raft I needed to survive the last time, he’d somehow become it again. I started the engine and prayed this time, he wouldn’t let me drown.

  Chapter 33

  Angelina pushed herself. Her muscles strained under the pressure of the incline on her Stairmaster. Sweat trickled down her face and back. She looked at the calorie counter and for all she’d done, she’d only burned about two hundred fifty. She became disgusted with the entire workout. It was so much like everything else in her life. Like her marriage. She was putting in a ton of work, exerting a bunch of energy and getting nowhere. She pushed the button and let the machine come to a stop. There was no point in continuing to put off the inevitable. There was a decision to make. Did she continue to pray and wait for Greg to come around, or did she leave him?

  She stepped off the machine, used a towel to wipe her perspiration, and exited the home gym. She needed to talk to Felesia. She picked up the phone, hoping she could get Felesia before she started work. Caracas was only forty minutes behind Eastern Standard Time, and Felesia might still be in her hotel room. She knew her friend wasn’t a breakfast eater.

  The phone rang a few times and went to voice mail. Angelina didn’t want to leave a message about the real reason she was calling because that would be too depressing for anyone to receive on the other end. She pretended she was calling to follow-up on the message Felesia had left her the other day about the change in her flight home. “Hey, Fee. I wanted to let you know that I received your message. Just call me when you get home. I miss you, girl. Can’t wait to see you.” Angelina smiled and ended the call.

  The phone rang as soon as she placed it on the base. She was hoping it was Felesia calling her back, but she had a feeling it was the one other person who would call her at this hour. God help her, the one person on the earth she was not in the mood to speak to; her mother. She entered the kitchen, picked up the extension, and said hello.

  The chatter began about some stuff Angelina did not care about. “I ran into one of your classmates at church. You’re going to get an invitation to your high school reunion,” her mother said. “Won’t that be nice?”

  She moved past the fact that her mother hadn’t greeted her. Hadn’t asked her how she was doing.

  “You get to come and show everybody how successful you are.”

  Angelina shrugged off the depression that was invading her soul. Just moments before the phone rang, she had been deciding if she were going to submit to what would be the biggest failure of her adult life—a failed marriage—so she wasn’t feeling like a success. She tuned her mother out and continued to think about where she was in her life.

  People had harder decisions to make. People were choosing between life and death things like chemo and radiation. The president was deciding if we went to war or continued to negotiate with our foreign enemies. Being an adult was tough, and decisions were hard. Greg and she simply weren’t on the same page. She was not going to sacrifice having children because he was prideful or he was scared. That was the problem with him being backslidden. When the tough choices had to be made, that really needed to be thought about from a spiritual perspective, Greg checked out on her. Maybe it was time for her to check out on him.

  “Angelina, did you hear what I said about your reunion?” Her mother raised her voice.

  “Yes, you said I was getting an invitation.”

  “I said that when you first answered the phone. I told you they’re holding it at The Breakers in Spring Lake. It’s going to be fancy.”

  Angelina washed her hands and started the coffeemaker. Still listening to her mother’s chatter, she went back through the front of the house, turned off the alarm, and stepped outside for the morning papers. When she stepped back in, Greg was descending the s
tairs. She met him at the bottom, and he kissed her on the lips. “Tell your mother good morning,” he whispered and removed the Wall Street Journal from her hand.

  “Is that Greg?” her mother asked.

  “What other man would it be at this hour, Mom?” Angelina shook her head.

  “Let me let you talk to your husband. You know I told you not to be on the phone when you’re husband is around.”

  Angelina nodded. “Yes, you did, Mom, but you called me, remember?”

  “I remember. I’m not senile. Call me later. I have to tell you about my neighbor. She got a collagen injection in her lips and she looks like a cartoon character.”

  Angelina laughed, promised her mother she’d call later, and pushed the OFF button.

  When she entered the kitchen she found Greg pouring coffee into a mug. He took a seat in front of his breakfast bowl, and Angelina dutifully poured cereal and milk in. “Do you want an egg?”

  He looked up from his paper. “No, this is fine.”

  “You’d be better off with some protein in the morning.”

  “I’d be better off if I could lose this five pounds around my gut,” he responded. “You spend an hour on that Stairmaster every day. I’ve gotta keep the younger men away from my wife.”

  Angelina poured a cup of coffee and took a seat across from him. She supposed he was trying to flatter her. She wanted to tell him that the only reason she’d be looking at a younger man, or any man, was because he could or would get her pregnant, but she snapped open the Roswell Weekly and began to peruse the pages while she waited for her coffee to cool. She was flipping through it so quickly that she almost missed the story; a write up about the health fair and a picture of her and Rae. She smiled and stretched the paper across the table to Greg. “Honey, look.”

  Greg took a few seconds to pull himself from the financials, grunted a bit, and accepted the paper. “What is—” he started.