If These Walls Could Talk

by Bettye Griffin

  Milo knew about all this, yet he’d gone ahead and booked a vacation on credit? She just couldn’t fathom it.

  She didn’t want to tell him how little she thought of his idea. He took everything so personally these days, and she didn’t feel like putting a damper on the day with yet another money argument. Instead she searched for an excuse. She couldn’t claim an issue with her job, he’d already avoided any complications by scheduling the trip for the latter part of the week.

  “We really shouldn’t take Zach out of school so early in the semester,” she said.

  “We won’t have to. I talked to Camille, and she said Zach can stay with them and go to school with Mitchell.”

  “Camille! Milo, she and Reuben are barely making it as it is. When she was here a couple of months ago she mentioned that couple who lived over by her, the ones who lost their house. She never would have brought them up if she wasn’t worried about foreclosure herself.”

  “Dawn, what do you think I am, some kind of insensitive oaf? Of course I wouldn’t ask Camille and Reuben to take in our son without offering them compensation.”

  “Oh.” She paused before asking curiously, “What’re you giving them?”

  “Never mind. It was a business deal between Camille and me.”

  “What about Reuben? Is it okay with him, too?”

  “Camille spoke for him. If I know her, she didn’t say a word to him and he’ll find out the day Zach shows up with his suitcase. You know, she’s really looking good these days since she lost all that weight, but if you ask me she’s become a real bitch. But how she treats her husband isn’t my concern. I don’t have to live with her. As long as Zach is taken care of, then I’m good to go.”

  Dawn wished he would tell her how much money he’d offered Camille to take care of Zach for four days, three of which he would spend in school. Milo’s keeping so mum about it suggested he’d paid through the nose. No doubt Camille needed the money, but they had to watch their pennies, too. Plus, she didn’t know how the Currys’ diet had been affected by Reuben’s job loss. For all she knew, Zach might be eating nothing but macaroni and cheese for three nights.

  That thought made her a little uneasy, but it was only for four days. They’d be back Saturday, and they’d take Zach out to dinner to help make up any dulling of his taste buds.

  In the meantime, she and Milo could truly enjoy their fifteenth anniversary. Plus they’d be helping out their friends the Currys.

  She began to feel better about the plan. Besides, she’d never been to New Orleans. . . .

  Chapter 40

  The Lees

  December 2004

  The streets of East Stroudsburg were deserted at 7:00 AM Christmas morning. Still, Veronica wished she could drive through the red lights she encountered so she could get home faster. She wanted to see how Norman had arranged the girls’ gifts around the tree. Lorinda and Simone routinely awoke early on Christmas morning in anticipation of what they would receive, and she hoped to be there to see their first reactions.

  This year there were no big-ticket items, no fancy electronics or expensive toys, just a lot of clothing and some inexpensive fun things. Their biggest surprise would come in an unexpected form.

  She unlocked the front door and stepped into the slightly rearranged living room, with a six-foot pine tree in one corner. Norman sat on the loveseat across from the tree, admiring his handiwork. He jumped up to greet her.

  “Merry Christmas,” they told each other before sharing a sensual kiss. “Ooh, Santa,” she said, reaching out to touch his erection through his scrub pants. “What have we here?”

  “Something you probably need to forget about, at least for the time being. The kids’ll be up any minute, and your parents, Valerie, and Essence will be here at 9:00.”

  For a moment Veronica regretted inviting her family over to have breakfast and to open gifts together. She wished she could have just a half hour alone with her husband, but she had to start mixing pancake batter. It was already past 7:30.

  “I want us to have breakfast first before anyone opens any gifts,” she cautioned as she whisked the eggs.

  “Come on, Vee. The girls are excited. It’s Christmas. Let them at least open something small. They’ll still have plenty left.”

  “Oh, all right.”

  Lorinda and Simone opened their gifts, each one accompanied by excited squeals. Essence, too, appeared happy—probably in part because her mother was there and she didn’t have to share her with the man of the moment.

  Veronica was proud of Valerie, who, after great initial resistance and the urging of their parents, agreed to allow Essence to stay with her grandparents in Mount Pocono. She had enrolled in school there and was thriving, with good grades and lots of new friends.

  It hadn’t been easy for Veronica to tell her sister the reason Essence had gotten into a fight, but she sensed, rightly so, that it would be her trump card in changing Valerie’s mind. Eventually Valerie admitted, albeit reluctantly, that the arrangement was a success. Mount Pocono represented a much better environment for Essence than Washington Heights, and their parents loved having their firstborn grandchild stay with them.

  Simone threw her arms around Norman. “I had a nice Christmas, Daddy.”

  “Me, too,” Lorinda said as Simone moved to thank Veronica.

  “Ah, but we have one more gift for you,” Veronica said, gesturing with her head to Norman.

  He went to the coat closet and pulled out a large package. “This is for our girls from Mommy and me,” he announced.

  Lorinda and Simone eagerly attacked the package, which turned out to be a navy and gold floral suitcase. They looked at their parents questioningly.

  “If they were grown, they’d be saying, ‘What the hell is this supposed to be’?” Valerie quipped from her seat. She’d been filled in ahead of time about the girls’ surprise.

  “Open the bag and you’ll find out what it’s all about,” Norman instructed.

  Lorinda took over, unzipping the suitcase. Simone grabbed the paper inside. “‘This is the suitcase that Lorinda and Simone Lee will carry with them when they go to Disney World in three weeks,’ ” she read. Lorinda let out a playful yelp, and Simone quickly joined in. The girls ran to Veronica and Norman, practically knocking them over with bear hugs.

  “You’re welcome, my little princesses,” Norman said.

  “Yes, you are,” Veronica echoed. Because of their upcoming Florida vacation, she and Norman had exchanged modest gifts; a nightgown and matching peignoir for her, a hip-length leather jacket for him. She’d just earned time and a half for working a holiday shift, and Norman would go in at noon and work until 4:00 to cover part of a coworker’s shift. He’d be back in time for dinner.

  She glanced first at the colorful torn paper that littered the living room, then at her watch. “Norman, will you collect all the wrapping paper? I’ve got to get the turkey in the oven.”

  “Help me out, girls,” he said. “Let’s get this mess cleaned up quick so I can lay down for an hour or so before I have to leave for work. I’ve been up since 6:00.” He punctuated the request with a yawn.

  He showed up in the kitchen while Veronica stood washing the bird at the sink. “I’d say they were surprised, wouldn’t you?” he asked.

  “I certainly would. And I echo Simone’s sentiment. It’s a nice Christmas. But I’m sure it’s not easy for you, being around all these females.”

  “Hey, before we got married you warned me that girls run in your family, so I wasn’t surprised when our two both turned out to be females. At least I’ve got your father to keep me company.” He paused. “I’m real glad he’s okay, Vee.”

  “Me, too. He had all of us scared to death when he had his heart attack. But he’s doing well, thank God. And how about my little sister? I can’t remember the last time I saw her when she wasn’t either looking for a man or trying to hold on to one.” She noticed a knowing look come over his face, like he knew something sh
e didn’t. “What?” she demanded.

  “I’m not supposed to tell you.”

  “You’re keeping a secret from me? From me, your wife?” She put the turkey down in the sink and wiped her hands on a paper towel. Playfully she lunged at him, wrapping her hands around his neck and pretending to squeeze. “You aren’t allowed to have any secrets I don’t know about, Norman Ellis Lee.”

  He clutched his throat and spoke in a raspy-sounding Donald Duck voice. “All right, all right. I’ll tell you.” When she let her hands fall to her sides he said, “I know that Valerie has been seeing someone, and I know who it is.”

  “You do? Well, don’t just stand there, Norman.” Veronica suddenly frowned. “Wait a minute. How would you know who Valerie is seeing? Don’t tell me the rumors have gotten all the way back to our old block!” Their friend Duane London would have passed on whatever he might have heard to Norman, with caution not to tell her, especially if it was something unpleasant.

  But wait a minute. If it was some unsavory bit of news, why was Norman grinning?

  “Okay, what’s the scoop?”

  He turned around to make sure no one had entered the kitchen. “She’s been spending time with Duane.”

  Her lower lip dropped. “Duane? Our Duane?”

  “That’s the one. But Vee, don’t say anything to her. She might become self-conscious if she knows you know.”

  “I won’t say a word. Now you go get some rest. You’ve barely got time to lay down for forty minutes.” She sent him on his way with a kiss.

  While cleaning, seasoning, and stuffing the turkey, Veronica allowed herself to daydream about the possibilities of their longtime friend dating her sister. Like Valerie, Duane had never been married, but he was quite a ladies’ man. Maybe the two of them would find something in each other that had eluded them elsewhere.

  Veronica was very much aware of the plight of many black women who looked without much success for suitable husbands. She always considered herself fortunate to have met Norman when she did. They started work at Presbyterian on the same day and went through orientation together. The group contained other black men, but she’d found out from the word exercises they’d done in class that they were barely literate. She was no snob and knew she was just a nurse and not a research scientist, but she couldn’t picture herself married to someone who disposed of hazardous waste or who transported patients on gurneys down to the hospital’s X-ray department.

  She and Norman began dating after orientation, and after a few months she brought him to meet her family. Valerie had scoffed, saying that Norman wasn’t handsome and that in ten years he’d probably weigh four hundred pounds. But Norman scored high marks with her parents, both of whom said he appeared to be a fine man.

  It was true that Norman’s prominent jawline prevented him from being conventionally handsome; and it was also true that even when they dated Norman was never thin, but she’d had the last laugh. Norman had been a wonderful husband to her and father to Lorinda and Simone. The weight gain Valerie predicted had never materialized. Norman more than satisfied her in bed. And he always led their family down the right path. Veronica had all these happy years with Norman, while Valerie was still trying to catch the eye of the cover model-types who only wanted to get her into bed.

  She put the turkey in the oven, marveling at the convenience of having an oven at a comfortable level. It beat having to bend over while carrying a twentypound bird.

  Secretly, Veronica felt glad to be making dinner for only four extra people. She’d had more than her fair share of company the past year. Norman’s brother Charles and family, along with their sister Lucy, were all having dinner at Eddie and Michelle’s. They’d all asked if she and Norman planned to give a New Year’s Eve party, but she’d said no, this year they would be guests. She hadn’t lied. Denise and Lemuel King had invited them over to their place to see in the new year.

  Veronica didn’t harbor any strong feelings against her in-laws, but she was content to not see them very often.

  The Currys

  Camille awoke with an unusual feeling, a mix of satisfaction and apprehension.

  She closed her eyes to block out the strong morning sunlight that filtered in from between the open blinds. It looked like a nice crisp winter day.

  She closed her eyes, and suddenly she remembered the reason for her satisfaction. She and Reuben had had great sex last night . . . twice. Not the sex of people who loved each other but sex just for pure release, for no other reason than they both needed to get laid. They pounded against each other like strangers passing in the night, never to see each other again.

  She glanced over to the other side of the king-sized bed. Reuben had already gotten up. She wished she could lie here all day. Even covered by a quilt stuffed with simulated down fiber, she still felt a draft.

  The door to the bathroom opened, and Reuben emerged.

  She shivered under the covers. “Hey, Reuben, now that our builder is in trouble, can’t we sue him for giving us insufficient insulation or something? It’s freezing in here.”

  “Good morning to you, too.”

  She shrugged with next to no embarrassment. Hell, if he had a schedule as grueling as hers he would overlook the little niceties as well. Okay, so he worked two jobs and an extra five hours. She’d gladly change places with him if it meant she wouldn’t have to commute five days a week.

  “Actually, you should skip the ‘good morning’ and try ‘Merry Christmas,’” he said caustically.

  That got a reaction from her, in spite of her determination not to let him get to her. She made a gasping sound. How could she forget this was Christmas morning? No wonder she had awakened with such an apprehensive feeling. Bad enough that she and Reuben had been making withdrawals from their retirement fund all year, she’d paid for Mitchell and Shayla’s Christmas with credit cards. Reuben had been adamantly against that; he said they were in deep enough financial trouble without running up yet another bill. Camille didn’t like it, either, but they’d always had generous holiday celebrations with plenty of gifts, and she didn’t want them to go without. They ended up having a big fight, but lately they fought about everything, so it really didn’t matter.

  She’d spent nearly five hundred dollars on clothes and computer games, and already she was worrying about the bills that would arrive next month. That explained her uneasiness. The queasy feeling in her stomach was becoming routine; she walked around in a perpetual state of worry and dread. She felt like a deer trapped between a grizzly bear and a busy highway. They could probably sell their home at a decent profit, but then where would they live? Getting a cheaper house, like Denise King’s neighbors, wasn’t an option. No way would they qualify for a mortgage, not with Reuben’s work situation.

  And renting wasn’t feasible. Apartments had gotten so expensive; the monthly rent for a three-bedroom apartment wouldn’t be much less than their mortgage payment. What would be the point of moving? At least with a house they had something of value.

  She just prayed they’d be able to hang on to it until Reuben found a good job.

  The Youngs

  Dawn went back to the buffet and loaded her plate with shrimp. The hotel restaurant where they decided to eat served an impressive Christmas dinner. She hadn’t eaten this much since her trip to New Orleans in September.

  This marked their first Christmas with only the three of them, and the first time they’d eaten out on the holiday. She thought they might drive into the city to visit their families, but Milo had been against it. “We can have a perfectly nice holiday with just the three of us,” he’d said. “I’m tired of everybody in Brooklyn acting like we moved to Pluto. If you want we can drive in between Christmas and New Year’s and see everybody, but I think we ought to get used to the idea of you, me, and Zach against the world.”

  Dawn knew that relations between Camille and Reuben had deteriorated to the point where their Christmas would likely be tense and strained, but she envied Veroni
ca and Norman, who would enjoy a homey celebration with her parents, sister, and niece.

  It seemed like everything went well for Veronica, she thought with a touch of bitterness. Why did some people get to live charmed lives, while others struggled? Would she have to live out her life, die, and then come back as a different person before she got a chance to be one of the lucky ones?

  At least they had had a nice holiday. Milo had bought Zach the newly released version of his favorite computer game, and she’d bought him those new gym shoes he wanted, plus some boring necessities, like underwear and socks. She’d even bought Stormy some gourmet dog biscuits, which the canine loved.

  Milo surprised her with an earring and pendant set in black onyx and gold. She gave him a couple of shirts that she’d matched with snazzy tie-and-hanky sets.

  She’d paid for everything with proceeds from her Christmas club savings, and Milo paid for his purchases with his annual bonus. She knew they would have to either stop spending or pay cash for everything. They’d already maxed out two credit cards and were running up the balance on a third.

  That would be her New Year’s resolution, she vowed. No buying anything on credit unless absolutely necessary. If they tightened their belts they would win this battle of the budget.

  Something told her that 2005 would be their year.

  Chapter 41

  The Currys

  March 2005

  Camille stared at the number in disbelief. She suddenly found it hard to breathe, and blood rushed to her head. “Reuben, we owe the IRS eleven thousand dollars.”

  “What?”