“Are you a fan of the leather bracelet watches?” Zedd asked me.
“I’ve never seen them before. I like them though.”
“They suit you. I think you’ve found your signature piece.”
“What?”
“I like bracelets. So bracelets are my signature pieces. I’ve had them specially made from all over the world. Everyone needs a signature piece.”
We ended up getting me two wide leather bracelet watches. My total was a little over a thousand dollars. We got back into the town car and started back toward the hotel.
“Do you have any other scheduled events this week or the next?”
“No,” I said.
A few minutes later we pulled up to the hotel. I sat there waiting on the driver to open the door for me.
“You did better than I expected today.”
“Ok.”
“I will email you an itinerary for the next two weeks.”
I nodded as the door opened for me. I picked up my bag from the jewelers and got out the car. I noticed several people staring at me as I walked toward the elevator. As I stood in front of the mirrored doors, I saw people staring as they walked past. Some just stopped right there in the middle of a step to get a peek. I realized very quickly they liked what they saw. This was all new to me and it made me feel uncomfortable. I’d had girls who didn’t know me gawk at me before, but not like this. Men and women both stared now.
The next two weeks were brutal. My itinerary was crammed full of things I’d never experienced before. I spent my days with Zedd and Paulo, Zedd’s driver. We went to auctions, museums, and a handful of exhibits. Zedd quizzed me constantly on the appointments and events we attended. I spent my nights explaining everything I had done to Calvin. I had breakfast and lunch with Zedd and dinner with Calvin. I started going to bed at 10:00 p.m. sharp. Zedd had us on a tight schedule and he despised tardiness. I was on time every morning.
Moly had sent me a brand new wardrobe. He had each and every item numbered for each outfit. Even the socks had numbers on them. Day 1 had the number 1 penned on them; Day 2, etc. By the fourth week, I had finally gotten into the swing of things. Zedd and I had become almost friends, I would say. I started noticing little things about him. Zedd would lower his eyes when he spoke with women. His face became very relaxed and it carried a soothing effect to the women. They would seem to mimic his mood and embrace his affection. I noticed whenever he received a chirp notification from his phone, he would sigh. And then he wouldn’t say a word for a long time after that. I could tell whoever it was bothered him and he would have to collect his thoughts after he saw the name on the screen or read text message. I’d never seen him wear the same suit, socks, tie or belt twice. Zedd never ran his fingers through his hair. And I did this constantly out of habit. I tried to stop because Zedd never said anything about it, but he would stare at me whenever I did it.
On the thirtieth day with Zedd, he told me I would have the next day and the weekend to do whatever I wanted. Paulo pulled into an apartment complex building after breakfast. I sat there waiting for the door to open for Zedd, then for me.
“I think it’s time you get your place,” Zedd told me.
“I have a house.”
“I mean a place of your very own away from the reservation.”
I looked out the window at all the buildings wedged tight together. I looked at the front sign, and it read The Nolo. The building looked new and polished. I knew what Zedd was getting at. I needed to start my own life; whatever that was, and I needed to lay down some concrete roots. Even though I had my own house on the Res, it was on the Res; and Res life was not for me anymore.
“Mr. Samson, you can’t live in a hotel forever.”
“I know that and I understand. I’ll take it.”
“Don’t you want to see it?”
I shook my head and after a minute or so, Paulo drove away. We rode in silence to the next appointment. We pulled into a parking lot and just like clockwork, Zedd’s door opened first and then mine. As we walked around the corner, I saw the sign, The Confectional. Calvin’s girlfriend worked here and he had praised their cheesecakes.
As soon as we walked in, my eyes went straight to the glass display. There were hundreds of these cupcake-sized cheesecakes and cheesecake truffles. There were over a dozen different flavors: Key Lime White Chocolate, Caramel, Kahlua, White Chocolate, Lemon White, Mexican Chocolate, Mochaccino, Peanut Butter & Chocolate, Quadruple Chocolate, Raspberry White Chocolate, Seattle’s New York Style, Triple Berry, and even a Sugar-Free Seattle’s New York Style Cheesecake. The truffles currently came in two flavors: Cookies & Mint Chocolate and Raspberry White Chocolate.
I noticed Zedd went for the truffles without even giving the cheesecake a second glance. There was a pretty, dark-skinned woman behind the counter. She wore her hair pulled back into a ponytail, and she moved like she was on an assembly line.
“Mr. Samson, this is Emeli; Calvin’s fiancée.”
I looked at the well put together woman and I could see her with Calvin. Calvin was extremely well polished and I imagined they complimented each other.
“It’s very nice to meet you,” I nodded.
She wore gloves and I knew she probably wouldn’t want to take her gloves off to shake my hand.
“Calvin speaks very fondly of you, Mr. Samson,” she said.
“You as well.”
“And what will make you repent your sins today?” she asked me with a smile.
“I think I will have the Key Lime White Chocolate and the Seattle’s New York style Cheesecake please.”
Emeli nodded and prepared my order.
“Emeli, please add a Columbian Hot Cocoa to his order.”
She gave Zedd a wink and returned to the counter finishing our orders.
We sat at a small table against the wall. People gawked at us as usual. I’d heard it all before. She thought I was Zedd’s play toy, and others thought I was an apprentice. The stares and the whispers didn’t bother me anymore. A couple of weeks back, a woman asked Zedd if I was his son. She said we moved like mirror images of each other. I thought that to be a compliment. I was proud for people to think I was Zedd’s son. I would have been honored to have a great man like him to look up to.
Emeli brought our order to the table. I noticed she squeezed Zedd’s hand before she walked away. I peeled the fancy paper from around the Key Lime White Chocolate and took a small bite. My taste buds went crazy at once. Zedd laughed at me and pushed one of the small cups of cocoa over. I took a sip; it complemented the flavor perfectly.
“How long has it been now?” Zedd asked me.
I looked at him and knew what he meant at once. “Almost a year and a half.”
“How do you cope?”
“I try not to think about it. It’s always been a disaster, so it doesn’t matter.”
“That’s not true,” Zedd told me with a look of almost pity, but he didn’t let it get that far. He ate a truffle and sipped on his cocoa.
“Do you have someone?” I asked him.
“Yes.”
“Are you in love with her?” I asked him.
“No. But I have responsibilities. I have love toward her and respect her.”
“It’s good to have someone.”
“No, that’s not true either.”
“Why do say that?”
“Because if it’s not love, it can almost be unbearable,” he admitted.
“Elle loved me for the wrong reasons. I was her safety net.”
“I can’t think of any woman that would be worthy enough for your love,” Zedd gave me a small smile and then it was gone.
“I doubt I’ll ever find the one for me.”
“You will.”
“How will I know?” I asked.
“When your heart and your dick jump at the same time.”
My eyes bucked wide open. He laughed and I soon joined him. People were staring now, but they laughed with us, not knowing of Zedd
’s dirty mouth.
Chapter 7
I made it to the Res late that Wednesday night. I didn’t take the ferry because I decided to drive those hours so I could think. I had been communicating through text messages and emails mostly. It was easier for me that way. Mom and Loon had been in charge of everything. The only person I’ve been talking to on a regular was Patty. I couldn’t resist her. She was so excited with her boutique and the money she was bringing in. She found a new shipping company who would ship her any and everything. I must say, I did have a hand in it, but Judge owed me a favor. He begged me to come back and work with him. I told him maybe one day, but not right now.
When I pulled into the drive, there was a light on inside. I walked in and found Sheen on the couch.
“Hey,” he greeted me dryly.
“Hey, man,” I greeted him back. He looked as though he had been through it. I figured he and Cera must be on the outs again. Sheen stayed here a lot when they were into it.
“Everything alright?” I asked.
“I should be asking you that question,” Sheen looked me over and I saw his expression change.
“Did you go and get preppy on me?”
“Yeah, something like that.”
“Are you trying to wash away the Res from you?”
“No, but there is something better out there for me.”
“I respect that, man. Well, I’ll get out of your hair,” Sheen stood.
“No, stay.”
“I have to admit to you…your couch and I have become really good friends.”
“I know she’s helped me through a lot as well. Use her as much as you need.”
I went to shower and then got into bed. While I was laying there looking up at the moonlit ceiling, I couldn’t help but think of Elle. This bed reminded me of her so much. I made the decision to get rid of the fucking thing tomorrow.
The next morning I woke before dawn and Sheen was gone. I went for a run on the beach. I had started morning runs in the city. Zedd told me to find something to clear my head. I didn’t have anything I could do but listen to music and then Calvin suggested working out. I don’t like the whole gym scene, so I decided running could be a good way to find release. Calvin said I didn’t need the exercise, but the routine may help. I started, and I did like the routine.
When I got back in from my run, I called Patty.
“Hello?” she answered sleepily.
“Little girl.”
“You’re home! What time is it?” she smiled through the phone. I could hear it in her voice.
“I need a new bed; pronto.”
“What kind do you want?” she yawned.
“A big one.”
“Alright, I’ll see what I can do about that.”
“Thanks.”
“What are little sisters for?”
I hung up the phone and the front door swung open. Mom gave me a quick glance and went straight to the fridge with a casserole of some sort. She didn’t say a word to me, just started doing her kitchen thing. I went up and gave her a bear hug from behind. She patted my arms and dabbed at her eyes.
I showered, ate and then headed out to the market to see what was going on. Loon had told me they had started working on Thursdays because the business was in such high demand. When I arrived I was impressed; everything was running like a well-oiled machine. The guys looked great, and the crowd was huge. A few regulars recognized me. Sheen and Kanoke were working the line, but Loon was nowhere to be found.
I went to the RV in the back and found Loon sitting at the table with a pile of papers in front of him.
“Hey, I need you to sign off on a few things.”
“Alright,” I replied. He pushed over papers with little green tabs all over them. The tabs all said sign here. I signed away. Loon was the money man; and if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have this small fortune.
“What’s up?”
“I just saved you fifty thousand a year.”
“Thanks, buddy.”
“Don’t mention it. You look good. This new look fits you so much better than the other. You must introduce me to your tailor,” Loon praised.
“He’s a weird little guy,” I admitted.
“Most of them are.”
I signed all of the papers that Loon sat in front me. Loon began telling me about all the guys. He said he had to hire four new guys for backup. They were working five days a week now. The guys were all dog-tired, but everyone was pulling their weight. He said Sheen was having a hard time at home and that he would probably have to find another place for a while.
“Hire more guys; this time just for fishing purposes only so the guys can rest. And as for Sheen, he can move into my house and can stay as long as he needs. How are you and Mom doing with everything else?”
“We’re doing alright. Your mom is having a hard time; but I think that’s mostly because of you not being here. But she understands you’re doing what you have to do. She may not like it, but she understands.”
“And you?”
“I get it, man. I pulled away so many years ago, and I haven’t looked back since. I will never forget where I come from, but I want more out of life.”
“I don’t want more; I need more.”
Loon nodded.
I talked to each and every guy on the crew. Everyone said they were happy if tired. I told them changes were coming and they would see the difference by next weekend. After Loon and I straightened everything out, I went back out to the grounds and helped the guys out a bit. I fell right back into the routine like I hadn’t missed a day or a beat. It was nice hanging out with the crew again.
Sheen, Kanoke, and I headed back to the Res on the ferry. Patty called and said my new bed was being delivered this afternoon. I wanted to be there and make sure they took the old one with them and dumped it somewhere. On the ferry ride back, Sheen was talking a mile a minute, but Kanoke was quiet. I looked back at Kanoke in the review mirror and he looked mad as fuck. I knew not to bother him when he was like this. Kanoke was the type of person who would let you in when he got ready.
We made it back just in time. About five minutes later, the delivery truck showed up. They took the old bed down and removed it from the house. Once the bed was out of room, it felt empty. I grabbed the broom and swept before they brought in the new bed. Kanoke came in my room and leaned against the dresser. I looked over at him, and he was staring at the floor where the bed was.
“What’s up, man?” I asked while I swept up the last of the dust onto the dustpan.
“You tell me?”
“Tell you what?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know what’s going on with you anymore.”
I glared over at him as one of the delivery guys came in with the legs to the bed and another with the rails. They started putting the bed pieces together and I moved out the way.
I went and stood by Kanoke. “What are you talking about?”
He shrugged and we just stood there watching the men. They left to get more pieces to the bed.
“Why are you getting rid of your bed?”
“It’s time,” I told him, a little annoyed.
“Dude, he doesn’t want to sleep on all of Elle’s cum stains,” Sheen yelled from the front room. I laughed, but Kanoke didn’t grin or chuckle.
“What’s up?” I asked again.
“I don’t know. New ride, clothes, haircut, you disappearing for a month. I don’t know, man.”
“You got a problem with me making a few changes?” I asked.
“A few? Man, I don’t even recognize you anymore.”
“Man, stop,” Sheen yelled from the front room.
“I’m just saying your little cushioned life has really changed you.”
The men came back with more railings and Kanoke fell silent again. I left the bedroom and went into the front with Sheen. I sat in one of the chairs and stared at the TV Sheen was watching. Kanoke came in the room, sat in the other armchair, and stared at me.<
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After a few beats, I couldn’t stand it anymore. “What the fuck!” I yelled.
Kanoke just kept looking at me. I could tell something was cooking inside of him, but I was at my boiling point too.
“You think you’re better than us?” Kanoke asked.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” I asked him.
“You left us. You left us here to fucking rot, and I thought we were friends, Lil Samson!” Kanoke yelled out.
“Man go on somewhere with this bullshit. We’ve been friends since we were shitting in our diapers.” I told him annoyed.
“We’re not friends. We’re fucking family, bitch.” He told me.
“Oh so now I’m a bitch?” I asked him.
“You’re acting like one,” Kanoke said.
“So who am I supposed to be?” I asked him, since he was the only one talking.
“You fucker! You’re supposed to be you!”
“Who in the fuck gave you the right to tell me who I should be?” I asked him.
“You’ve changed and I don’t even know you anymore.” Kanoke told me.
“So, me trying to better myself, and me trying to get more out of life than just this…” I turned around in the small room as a gesture. “This makes me a bad person?”
“No, it makes you a sellout,” Kanoke said.
I couldn’t do anything but stare at him. One of my best friends, a guy that I considered family, was standing here talking to me like this. I walked toward the front door and then turned back to face them.
“I was testing the fucking waters for us. I want a better life and more for all of us. I’m the leader of this fucking pack. I step first, then you step,” I walked out the door. I knew Sheen didn’t disagree with everything Kanoke was saying because he stayed silent through the entire conversation. And that hurt me that they thought that about me.
I went to the delivery men and told them I was leaving and that I needed to sign whatever they needed me to sign. Mom came from next door and called out to me as I walked away from the delivery truck. I kept going, not turning back to face her. All I could think about was clearing my head fully. I needed to get a run in.
The Enclave of Jyme (G Street Chronicles Presents) Page 9