A Second Helping

by Beverly Jenkins

  In the end, it didn’t matter. As soon as Riley turned back onto the interstate, he could see Chocolate in the mirror trying to climb out of the bed. The sight scared him so badly that he swerved and didn’t see the Louisiana Highway Patrol sitting on the side of the road until it was too late. He sideswiped the cruiser like a drunk driver at three in the morning. The roof’s light began to spin, the siren wailed, and Riley Curry’s Great American Adventure was done.

  Leo was in the back seat of his limo being driven to Henry Adams for his date with Marie Jefferson. He’d been thinking about her nonstop since their conversation yesterday and he felt happier than he had in years. He couldn’t put his finger on why, though. No amount of speculation had given him an answer. He was admittedly nervous; he hadn’t had an evening with a woman old enough to know Aretha Franklin from Gladys Knight since Bernadine left him. His ex had been on his mind too. The way Marie had politely encouraged her and July to butt out last night had shown him that the teacher was a woman of confidence. He doubted Bernadine would mind her own business, however, but he hoped Marie would give him the opportunity to show her who he was in his life now, as opposed to who he’d been when he and Bernadine split. And no, he no longer wanted Bernadine back, because coming to Henry Adams had offered him something he hadn’t expected. For a man who’d been bemoaning his life seemingly just the other day, he felt rejuvenated. Last night’s town meeting had surprised him. The sense of community, the common bonds the residents shared had touched him in a way that was also unexplainable. The little boy who’d invited everyone to church on Sunday and the other kid who’d given the announcement about the parade made him want to be a part of things too. After leaving town last night, he’d gone back to his hotel room and Googled Henry Adams on his laptop and the information the search engine turned up was astounding. The place was as historic as Williamsburg, but tied to the history of African Americans. He had no idea all-Black townships like Henry Adams had ever existed, let alone that he’d come across one alive and well in the twenty-first century. Its second chance at life was being funded and spearheaded by his ex-wife, and he envied her that benevolence because she was making a difference, not only in dollars but in commitment. Bernadine had always wanted children but during the early years of their marriage he’d keep putting her off because he thought himself too busy. By the time he realized it was too late to start a family, it really was.

  Now, according to the CNN reports, Bernadine was a foster parent to a teenage girl Leo had yet to meet. He wondered if Marie had any children. Having no answer, he turned his eyes to the scenery moving by his window.

  Moments later, they rolled past a hitchhiker holding a cardboard sign with the words Henry Adams written on it in big letters.

  “Jason! Stop!” he called out to the driver.

  Jason complied. “What’s the problem, sir?”

  “That guy we just passed is going to Henry Adams. Give him a ride.”

  “You sure?”

  “Yep. He might be one of the residents.”

  “Okay,” Jason replied skeptically and got out.

  A moment later, Jason pulled open Leo’s door and a Black man he didn’t remember seeing at the meeting last night stuck his head inside and said, “Sure appreciate this.”

  “You’re welcome. What’s your name?”

  “Otis. Otis Miller.”

  “You live in Henry Adams?”

  “No, sir, but I’m hoping to find some work there. Unemployed right now.”

  “You wanted by the law?”

  The man shook his head. “No sir.”

  “Take a seat up by my driver.”

  “Thanks a lot.”

  So Otis Miller aka Ray Chambers settled into the seat next to the driver and smiled to himself as the limo eased back onto the road and continued the journey to Henry Adams. So far, all the luck he’d needed to get to his daughter had fallen into place and the horizon looked bright. He’d ditched Anita’s BMW back in the parking lot of a bar in Topeka, then hitched a ride with a trucker named Randy who spent the long haul across the state boring Ray with the details of his home-based poodle-breeding business. While he talked, Ray nodded in the appropriate places and noted the miles and miles of fields lining the highway dotted here and there with weary-looking, pay-by-the-hour motels, more Wal-Marts and small strip malls.

  After Randy dropped him off at the closest exit to Henry Adams, he set out on foot. Now he was in a big black limo and he couldn’t think of a more appropriate way for a player to ride into town.

  CHAPTER 15

  Bernadine got up Friday morning and made a pledge to herself that she wouldn’t worry about that evening’s impending date with Malachi. With all the work waiting on her desk, she figured she’d have no problem keeping the vow.

  But when her workday began with a call from Malachi, it effectively shot her pledge to pieces.

  “Morning,” he said to her.

  “Morning,” she said with a soft voice and a smile. “How are you?”

  “Wanting to see you, but until that happens, called to give you a heads-up.”

  “On what?”

  “Man came into the Dog last night looking for a job, says he’s an unemployed autoworker. Seems honest enough, but I’m having Sheriff Dalton run a warrant check just to make sure he’s on the up-and-up. If he passes, think I’m going to offer him a job sweeping floors here.”

  “That’s nice. Maybe he can do double duty as the school custodian, until we hire someone.”

  “I’ll see if he’s interested. Can’t think why he wouldn’t be though. Says he’s looking for any work he can find.”

  “Is he local?”

  “No. Michigan.”

  “How in the world did he get here?”

  “Said he’s been hitchhiking across the country, but got here courtesy of your ex. Leo picked him up.”

  “Was Leo on his way to town?”

  “Yeah. He had dinner here with Marie last night.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “I didn’t stutter.”

  Bernadine sighed. “Lord. Okay. Thanks for letting me know, although Marie made it real clear she didn’t want my opinion.”

  “Then don’t give it.”

  “But he’s—”

  He cut her off gently. “Marie’s grown, Bernadine. She can handle herself. Unless of course you want Leo back in your life.”

  “No.”

  “Then let this be.”

  She didn’t respond.

  “Bernadine?”

  “I’m still here,” she said glumly.

  “I’ll let you know what Dalton turns up on Miller. You haven’t forgotten about our picnic tonight, have you?”

  “No.”

  “Then stop pouting.”

  “I’m not pouting.”

  “Sure you are. I can hear it in your voice.”

  She smiled. “You’re good for me, Malachi July.”

  “Been trying to tell you that since the first day we met. Glad you’re starting to figure that out.”

  “Modest too.”

  “I’m a July. What can I say.”

  “Are all the July men swellheaded?”

  “Yes, ma’am. Confidence is in our genes.”

  She laughed. “I have work in my genes and I need to get cracking.”

  “Okay. I’ll see you later.”

  “Counting on it.” And he ended the call.

  Bernadine sat at her desk smiling for quite some time. He was good for her, she decided, and turned her attention to her laptop.

  Preston and Amari hooked up after breakfast and sat on Preston’s porch to talk about the parade. Preston’s Internet search for other activities had turned up an interesting list that included everything from choir competitions to pet races.

  “Pet races?” Amari asked.

  “Yeah, people bring their pets and they race.”

  “That sounds fun.”

  “It does, but it wouldn’t be fair to race their dogs aga
inst bunnies though.”

  “Yeah, but we could have a separate race for dogs.”

  Before Preston could respond, Amari said, “Or we could have one of those dog obstacle course contests they have on Animal Planet.”

  “I don’t know about that. What would we have to do to have one of those?”

  Amari shrugged. “Let’s look it up.”

  Preston made a note.

  “You think Ms. Roni would like to be in charge of the choir competition?”

  Preston shrugged. “We could ask her. She’d probably know more about that kind of thing than us.”

  “Okay, write that on our list too.”

  “What else?”

  Amari thought back, “I saw a bike parade one time where all the kids decorated their bikes and rode down the street. I remember it because I didn’t have a bike.”

  “Been there.”

  “You want to have one for the little kids?”

  “Yeah.” And he put that on the list, as well.

  “So, what did your dad say about the Blue Angels?”

  “That they make their schedule years in advance.”

  “Oh.”

  “I know, but he said he’d see if maybe we could get on the schedule for next year or the one after that.”

  Amari was disappointed but glad that Preston had at least asked. “So, how’s it going between you two?”

  “Not bad. We’ve been watching DVDs, and he’s teaching me to play chess. I miss Mrs. Payne though. Six weeks is starting to be an eternity.”

  “What do you think of Mr. James?”

  “Too early to tell, but he seemed okay.”

  “Eli can go back where he came from.”

  “True dat. I wanted to smack him upside the head with a pot yesterday.”

  “I know. Appreciated the way Rocky called him out though.”

  “Tell me about it. He didn’t look happy at all.”

  “Like he was going to do something about it. He’s in Henry Adams. He’d better ask somebody.”

  Preston grinned and they went back to work.

  All Eli wanted to ask was how to get the heck out of Dodge. He’d been in town only two days but felt like he’d been hating the place for a lifetime. His dad had driven into town to do something at the school, but Eli had passed on accompanying him. Belatedly he realized that might not have been such a great decision because now he was stuck at the trailer with no way to leave.

  He’d also decided that he hated the other kids. They didn’t seem to mind being turned into forced labor yesterday at the diner, but he did and he’d let that Rocky and Malachi know. Apparently Amari and the rest were too scared to express themselves, but he wasn’t. Rocky tried to play him by giving him that lousy five dollars but she’d probably never had a kid toss her money back in her face because she didn’t say a word to him when he walked out. The adults needed to recognize that he was different from their little robotic foster kids and wasn’t going to play along with this crap. He was sixteen years old, from California, and he could think for himself.

  Out of nowhere, his mom’s smiling face floated across his mind’s eye and the pain in his heart swelled. He missed her so much. He thought back on the stuff they used to do together and how she’d laugh, then he was at the funeral again standing next to his father. Next Eli knew he was crying and the tears were streaming down his cheeks. He wiped them away angrily, and when he looked up, there stood Tamar.

  Without asking his permission, she took a seat on the step below him, and for a moment, the breeze rustling through the grasses was the only sound. Finally, quietly, she said to him, “You have to let go, Eli,”

  “Of what?” She was the last person he wanted to talk to.

  She seemed unaffected by the belligerence in his voice. “Your anger over whatever it is.”

  “What do you know about me?”

  “Not much, really. Other than that you’re mad as hell about something, and it’s trying to eat you up inside.”

  “Why do you care?”

  “Because you’re one of mine, now.”

  “You’re not my mom!” he snapped bitterly. “And you never will be.”

  She looked up at him. “I know, so how about you tell me about her.”

  Eli went back into his mind and the hurt got worse. “She was funny and smart. She played catch with me, rode bikes with me, helped me with my homework, even though she was as bad at math as I was.” The memory evoked a small smile even as he dragged his palms over his wet eyes.

  “How long has she been gone?”

  “Two years this September.”

  “That’s not a very long time for a grieving son. You loved her a lot.”

  He nodded. “I miss her so much. So much.”

  “She misses you too, I’m sure.”

  “Do you think the dead can see us?”

  “Some people say yes, others, no. Me, I’m in the first group.”

  He went quiet for a moment.

  She asked, “So, let’s say I’m right. What do you think your mom sees when she sees you now?”

  “A pretty messed-up kid.”

  “Maybe, but I’m a real big believer in things happening for a reason, and I think you and your dad were sent here by God, the Spirit, maybe even your mom.”

  “Why?”

  “To heal, find happiness again, start a new life. In my world love never dies, and even after death we are watched over and guided.”

  Eli looked out over the plains and wondered if what she was telling him was true.

  “Eli, I’m not asking you to believe what I believe, but think about it when you get a chance. In the meantime, I’m making pancakes. You want some?”

  As if a veil had been lifted, Eli saw the kindness in the piercing black eyes, something he’d never noticed before, so he nodded slowly. “Yeah.”

  “Then come on. You’re going to have to help with the dishes when we’re done, though.”

  “You don’t have a dishwasher?”

  “Don’t need one. I have you all.”

  That truth garnered a smile and a shake of his head but he stood up and followed.

  Back at the Power Plant, Bernadine ended a phone call and sat back in her chair. She’d just touched base with the Illinois mortuary holding Nikki’s body to see if contact had been made with her family. The woman on the phone assured her that it had, but apparently no one in Nikki’s family wanted to take on the expense or the task of a funeral, so a disappointed Bernadine gave the mortuary permission to bury Nikki at her expense. Because Crystal had no interest in attending a service, there would be none. The mortuary told Bernadine to pick out a headstone from their Web site and they’d order it upon receipt of her check. She sighed. No one, not even a crack addict, deserved such an ignominious end. The thought occurred to her then that maybe she could have Nikki’s remains interred in a cemetery near town. That would at least make Bernadine feel better. She’d find a pastor to say a few words, and if Crys didn’t want to go, Bernadine would stand at the graveside alone. Feeling the rightness in that, she picked up the phone, made a few more calls, and this time when she was done, she felt better.

  Lily walked in and upon seeing Bernadine’s sad face, asked, “You okay?”

  “Yeah, I am.” She gave Lily an update on what she’d been told about Nikki’s family, and the decision she’d made in response.

  “You did the right thing.”

  “I think so too.”

  “You’re good at the heart stuff, you know.”

  “Am I?”

  “Yep. Take the trip you’re giving me and Trent to San Francisco, for example.”

  “He told you about that, did he?”

  “Yes, he did.” Lily walked over and kissed her on the cheek. “You’re the bomb.”

  Bernadine grinned. “Got to keep you satisfied. Can’t have you moving away looking for another job.”

  “Don’t worry. With perks like these, you’ll have to pry me out of here.”

/>   “Good to know. So when are you leaving?”

  They discussed the dates they’d picked out, and that Lily’s son Davis would be coming to visit for a week in July.

  “Can’t wait to meet him,” Bernadine replied happily.

  “I’d asked Devon earlier in the week if there was something special he wanted to do and he told me this morning he wanted to meet his big brother. Just talked to Davis, and he’s tickled to death.”

  “Does he need a plane ticket?”

  “No, Bernadine. He’s making good money designing software. He can pay his own way.”

  “Just asking.”

  Lily chuckled. “You’re something.”

  They were interrupted by the entrance of Sheriff Dalton.

  Bernadine looked at the serious set of his weathered features and asked, “What’s happened?”

  “Riley and Cletus were apprehended by the Louisiana Highway Patrol.”

  “Finally.”

  “Yeah. They had that Texas lady’s hog with them too.”

  “The one in the wedding video?”

  He nodded. “Prosecutor will start extradition procedures soon as she can. They have to make arrangement to haul the hogs back too.”

  “Lord,” Bernadine whispered. “Is the woman in the video going to press charges, you think?”

  He shrugged. “Not sure. I was told she’d been contacted.”

  “Have you told Genevieve?”

  “Stopped there first. She just smiled.” He smiled as well. “Also, did a check on the new man, Otis Miller. He came back clean. Told Malachi.”

  Bernadine was glad to hear that. “Good.”

  “Gotta head back. Wanted you all to know about Riley. You ladies have a nice day.” He touched his hat and exited.

  ‘Well,” Lily said. “Good news.”