Veronica and Jessica declined. But Melanie said that she needed something. She stood and walked into the living room. Jazz followed. She grabbed her purse and began looking through it for something. “You’ve been quiet the last few days. I hope everything’s okay.”
“I’m doing okay, better. I’ve been getting out and seeing some of the local sights. I really like this area. I’m actually thinking of having a home here.”
“Really? That’s marvelous. I remember how your mother used to love to come here. She and I would sit out on the veranda in the evenings and talk for hours.”
“Where was I?”
“This was just a few years ago. I think you were probably on location at the time. This was right after you no longer needed my matchmaking services.”
“So that’s when you and mom became friends.”
Melanie nodded. “She was a special lady. When she visited she sang around the house all the time. It was like having a private concert.”
Jazz nodded. “I remember she used to do the same thing when I was growing up. We lived in this small apartment in New York when I was about eight or nine years old. This was right before I got the television series. I was doing commercials and a few modeling jobs, but nothing major. Mom was doing an off-Broadway musical, and she’d practice her songs at home. The neighbors would applaud like crazy when she sang. It was great. They loved her. You know, a few of them even wrote me when she died.”
“She was a very special lady,” Melanie said. Jazz nodded. “So, you’ve been busy, getting out. That’s good. I’m glad to hear it.”
“Yeah, a little bit. Also, my agent has been sending me scripts to read.”
“Wonderful. Anything look promising?”
“A few of them are pretty good. But I haven’t decided on anything,” she said.
She smiled. “You’ll find something. Jess told me that Frank stopped by a few days ago. I’m sorry I missed him.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t,” Jazz quipped dryly.
“You know he loves you very much.”
“His love isn’t exactly consistent. He loved my mother, too. That didn’t exactly work out for either of them, did it?”
“Jazz, you don’t know everything that went on between your parents. Nobody does. They made whatever decision they did for a reason.”
“You’re right.”
“So, where are you off to today?” Melanie asked.
“I’m headed to the old lighthouse. I saw online last night that there’s a lecture and walking tour today. It sounds really interesting. The guide is a retired engineer who’s lived here all his life. He’s apparently an expert when it comes to early Sag Harbor history. He gives the lecture and tour twice a month. The article said that it was a unique experience.”
“It is. Clayton Everett is the guide, and he’s awesome.”
“Yes, that’s him. You know him?”
“Yes. His lectures, or chats as he calls them, are truly fascinating. You’ll probably also meet his wife, Pearl. She’s a sweetheart.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
“One thing. You might consider introducing yourself to them after the lecture.”
“You think?”
Melanie nodded. “Definitely. Clayton and Pearl adored your mother. I’m sure they’d be pleased to meet you.”
“Okay, sure. So, what do you need me to pick up for you?”
“A gift,” Melanie said, handing her a store business card.
“Oh, okay, I can do that. What kind of gift, for whom?”
“It’s for Devon Hayes.”
“Devon?” Jazz remarked.
“Yes. It’s already wrapped and ready to be picked up.”
“How’s the search for his match going?”
“Not well. I’m afraid I’m having a difficult time. He’s being very patient, and I appreciate it.”
“Why are you having such a hard time?” Jazz asked.
“I want the best for him, and sometimes that takes a little extra time. I’ll phone the store and let them know that you’ll be in later. Thanks again for taking care of that for me. That’s one thing off my list. Okay, I’ll get back to work.” Melanie headed back to the office, then stopped and turned. “Oh, before I forget, I’ll be attending a party this evening at the Legends Golf Club. You’re more than welcome to come along. It starts early evening, around five o’clock, and goes to all hours of the night and into the early morning. I think you’ll enjoy it, and it might do you good to get out some more.”
“No, that’s okay. Thanks anyway.”
“Are you sure?” Melanie asked. Jazz nodded and smiled happily. “Okay, but if you change your mind about going just let me know,” Melanie said then headed back to the office.
“Melanie, question—what if you can’t find anyone for Devon? What happens then?” Jazz asked.
“I have a feeling Devon is going to be very happy very soon. The perfect woman is waiting for him—she just doesn’t quite know it yet. But she will. Don’t forget to give my best to Clayton and Pearl.”
“I will,” Jazz said. She headed to the front door, thinking about what Melanie said. She hadn’t yet found anyone for Devon. That meant he was still available. The idea made her smile. But the problem was he wasn’t here, and if he was he was probably still furious with her. She thought about Savannah’s words of encouragement. What did she have to lose?
Jazz drove Vincent’s car into town. Everything about it seemed different. The tourist season had obviously begun in earnest. Already the once-sleepy town she had grown to love was bombarded with tourists. There were cars parked everywhere. People lined the streets, laughing and talking for whatever reason suited them. She recognized a few famous faces. And then there were the wannabe famous and the no-hope-of-being-famous faces. All were giddy at being in celebrated Sag Harbor.
Jazz continued to the Chamber of Commerce windmill on Main Street near the Long Wharf. The tour group was beginning to assemble. She parked and walked over, joining in inconspicuously. Some of the sightseers introduced themselves, while others kept mostly to themselves. Jazz fell into the latter group. It was heavily overcast but not rainy, so she didn’t wear her wide-brimmed hat and dark sunglasses. Instead, she wore a baseball cap and tinted wire frames.
She stayed as far away from the rest of the group as she could. When they went on the walking portion of the lecture, she hung to the rear and lagged at the very end. A few people looked at her and then took a second look, but she was certain no one really recognized her. With her dark hair, cap and glasses, she was the total opposite of how she appeared on screen and stage.
Clayton Everett mingled through the crowd, talking and laughing with some of the assembled. Soon he gathered everyone together, and they boarded a small tour bus. She sat in the back. He started by introducing himself and his wife, Pearl. He spoke briefly about himself and his background, and then began the tour. It lasted almost two hours. The small group walked the streets of Sag Harbor as Clayton described what might have been seen during its earlier days. He pointed out sights of interest, and they ended the tour at the old church.
Jazz really enjoyed the lecture. Actually, it was more like a friendly chat. Clayton was joyous and lively. He had quips and told jokes interspersed with the very serious.
She lingered at the back of the small one-room church as a crowd of sightseers and other tourists laughed and talked with Clayton Everett up front. Melanie was right. Clayton and Pearl were wonderful. The tour was delightful, and the history was truly enlightening.
She glanced up and looked around the small closed-in area in awe. This was a remarkable building. The history that filled it was heartwarming. She couldn’t even imagine what it must have been like to arrive here after such a long, tortuous journey and be hidden beneath the pews in the dark for as long as it took the slave hunters to go away. The frozen winters must have been agonizing and brutal, and the hot, airless summers insufferable.
Jazz wondered h
ow anyone survived. But they did, and they also thrived to start new lives. Through devastation, death and loss, they kept going. Torn away from family, and hunted, they traveled hundreds of miles on the Underground Railroad to finally come to this place. They hid and kept their faith that in the end they would honor their family and ancestors by surviving.
She thought about her own family’s losses. Her mother was the center of her world. She taught her everything about life and the business. When her own career soared, she made sure to hold tight to her daughter’s hand and pull her up right alongside. Then, when her career was overshadowed by her daughter’s, she cheered and supported from the wings. They were each other’s biggest fans. When she died, a part of Jazz died, too.
Then, when Brian died, she was completely lost. It was just like what Devon said—for the first time in her life, she stood alone. But instead of honoring their memory and surviving, she ran and hid. Just like the escaped slaves of yesteryear. And just like them, she needed to emerge free and take her life back. They did it. She would, too. Finding her strength, she took a deep breath, trying to release and wash away the hurtful past. She needed to honor her family and herself.
“Did you enjoy the tour?”
Jazz turned, startled by a woman’s soft-spoken voice. She smiled, seeing Pearl Everett standing beside her. “Yes, I did, definitely. It was wonderful. You and your husband are amazing.”
“Why, thank you. That’s so sweet. We need to have you around here all the time, but don’t tell Clayton that. It’ll just go to his head.” She chuckled. Jazz smiled at her humor. “So, are you a summer tourist or just up sightseeing for the day?”
“Actually, I’m staying with a friend for a few weeks.”
Pearl nodded. “Sag Harbor was uniquely historical, and being located along Long Island’s East End makes it the perfect retreat. Sometimes we all just need a little space to spread our wings or just tuck back and lick our wounds.” Jazz realized Pearl understood more than she said.
“Historically it was first a port of entry, then a whaling town, then a factory community and finally the popular tourist retreat we know now. We have everything—beaches, sailing, boutiques, museums, galleries—but along with the newer activities, there’s its remarkable history.”
“I had no idea that free African-Americans lived and prospered here before and during the American Revolution and the Civil War. The fact that they built this place and even used it as part of the Underground Railroad is astonishing.”
Pearl looked around and smiled. “Indeed it is. If these walls could only speak, we would be honored with tremendous tales of struggle, endurance, heartache, pain and, yes, even triumph. The many lives that have walked through these doors over a century have been, and are still, a testament to the human spirit. My husband does his best to tell these stories, their stories, using the information we have.”
Jazz nodded, swept up in her words. “I can see that.”
“This church is the oldest in Sag Harbor. It still stands on the original site. Of course this building has just been thoroughly restored, and we’re extremely proud of the work. It’s listed in the official registry as a national landmark, and its historical significance and reverence is fully noted. This place was the beginning of so many lives.”
“It was built in 1839, correct?” Jazz asked.
“Yes, by members of the First Presbyterian Church. It was also known as the Old Whaler’s Church. The church roster and manifest list the builders under ‘Colored.’ This was a large Quaker community, and the very first pastor was an abolitionist. As I mentioned earlier during the tour, the church and others aided escaping slaves. They hid in area homes and also right here beneath the floor.”
“Did most stay when the danger passed?”
“Some were smuggled to Canada in ships. Others traveled west, looking for a new start. And then others stayed and started a new life right here.”
“A new life. That sounds encouraging.”
“You know, you look just like—” Pearl began but Jazz cut her off.
“Mrs. Everett, I’m Jazelle Richardson. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Please call me Pearl. I thought that’s who you were, but you look so different. You darkened your hair and let it grow longer.” Jazz instinctively reached up and touched her hair. “It looks perfect on you. I’m so glad you came to visit us today. Oh, Clayton is going to be thrilled.”
“Thrilled about what?” Clayton said, walking over to where the two women stood talking. Jazz turned and smiled. “Hi, I noticed you earlier. You know, you look just like—”
“Clayton, this is Jazelle Richardson,” Pearl said proudly.
He chuckled and smiled wide. “Well, now, I’ll be. It’s good to meet you. Who would have guessed that we’d have a movie star taking the tour today?”
“It’s good to meet you, Mr. Everett. The tour and lecture were wonderful. You are an amazing storyteller. You should be onstage.”
“Oh no, that’s all he needs to hear,” Pearl joked. “They’re be no peace living with him now that you’ve said that.” They all laughed.
“I just wanted to say that you are amazing. I really enjoyed your talk. It was fun, encouraging and very inspirational. I’m not sure if that was your intent, but that’s what I got,” Jazz said.
“Then you got exactly what you needed,” Pearl said.
“It seems everyone gets something different,” Clayton added. “We’re just delighted you came.”
“You mentioned that you’re staying with a friend,” Pearl said.
“Yes, I’m staying with Melanie Harte. As a matter of fact, she suggested that I introduce myself to you.”
“Well, we’re glad you did.”
“She said you knew my mother.”
“Yelena was a good woman. She adored you,” Pearl said.
Clayton nodded. “She talked about you all the time. She was so proud of your success.” Pearl nodded in agreement. “She is certainly missed.”
“Thank you,” Jazz said quietly.
“So, how about I take you two lovely ladies out for a late lunch? I’m starved, and there’s a wonderful café right down the street,” Clayton said.
“Good idea. You’ll join us, won’t you?” Pearl asked Jazz.
“Maybe another time. I have a few things to take care of still. But it was really nice meeting you both. You’re truly inspiring.”
“Thank you. It was a pleasure meeting you, too,” Pearl said. Then, when Jazz left, Pearl turned to Clayton. “That was a wonderful surprise, wasn’t it? I had no idea Jazelle Richardson was staying with Melanie all this time. I wonder if she met Devon. They live right down the road from each other. You know, they would make a really nice couple, don’t you think?” Clayton didn’t respond. Pearl looked at him suspiciously. “What? You know something I don’t?” She smiled hopefully. “What is it?”
“I need to make a phone call first,” he said.
Devon’s days and nights seemed longer than usual. He traveled and stayed in the city taking care of business, but the pleasure of work wasn’t the single-focused distraction he expected. He posed for photographs, did interviews and went on location. It was business as usual; that was what he told himself. Believing it was another thing altogether.
Ultimately he stayed away longer than he expected. But he needed the break. Traveling and keeping busy had always worked in the past when he was overly focused on something. Granted, he had never been this focused on a woman like Jazz before. That was probably why his strategy didn’t work. The longer he was apart from her, the more he thought about her. She was in his dreams. He thought about her constantly. He heard her music, saw her photographs and smelled her perfume. At one point, while at a boy’s club in Philadelphia, he even thought that he’d seen her in the crowd.
He followed a woman to the other side of the building, thinking it was Jazz. Of course, it wasn’t her, but that didn’t matter. It only served to confirm what he already knew. Jazz was
in his system. And no amount of time or length of separation was going to end what he was feeling. His grandfather was right: Melanie had found his heart’s choice.
He walked into his agent’s building and took the elevator up to the management team’s floors. As soon as he stepped out of the elevator, heads turned. He was used to it. People always stared. Reed’s personal assistant met him midway and escorted him to Reed’s corner office. Reed was on the phone and waved for him to sit. Devon walked to the large window instead.
He looked out at the vast, unending landscape that was New York City. From Reed’s lofty office, looking down was like looking over a monopoly game board. Tiny cars and boxlike buildings surrounded them on every side. He thought about what his grandfather used to always say in warning: Don’t let your stature rise above who you really are. The trip up the ladder is a lot easier than the trip down.
“Devon, thanks for stopping by,” Reed said, walking over to stand at the window beside him. Devon turned. They shook hands and bumped shoulders in greeting.
“No problem. What’s the word?”
“Did my assistant offer you something to eat or drink?”
“Yes, I’m fine. So, what’s happening?”
Reed took a deep breath and sighed. “I’m not going to lie to you, Devon. They’re holding all the cards. Nothing looks good right now. The negotiations are slowing down again.”
Devon shook his head. He had been afraid of this. “What happened?”
“Apparently, someone had a brainstorm. Craig Anthony out of Florida A&M happened. He’s had an awesome junior year, and, barring any unforeseen circumstances, it looks like he’ll be an easy win for the Heisman in December. I think they’re dragging their feet because they want to pick him up in a trade.”
“What?” Devon’s heart lurched. The word “trade” had a way of sending chills down any football player’s spine.
“Devon, he’s young. He’s twenty-one years old, and he can run the length of a field in less than—”
“Yeah, yeah, I heard. I know all that. What exactly are they saying?”
“They want you, but they want him, too. They know they can’t offer both of you deep contracts. Since he’s the future…”
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