A Price to Pay for Everything

by Kameisha Jenkins

  The middle aged clerk paused as she opened a file on her desk and perused it.

  “Ooh, it looks like your boy screwed over the wrong girl. The girl named in the charges is the daughter of Earl Evans. He’s nobody to play with. Long, old money. He’s probably going to see the judge in about 4 hours or so.” The clerk was delivering information that Marc knew was otherwise confidential.

  He extended his hand in gratitude and exchanged a handshake and a fifty dollar bill. The clerk smiled a wide smile that revealed a sizeable gap.

  “You know, I might be able to push his case up a little earlier on the docket. Lemme’ see what I can do.” Marc smiled again.

  “I would really appreciate that, I don’t want him in here any longer than he has to be.” The clerk gave Marc a peculiar smirk and then turned her back to make a call. She quietly wondered if the men were among the many “DL” brothers that she and her friends chatted about. She was on the phone for a few minutes chatting with someone who appeared to have information about Reggie’s case. She returned to Marc, this time with a reluctant smile.

  “Well, it appears Mr. Pritchard’s case was expedited by special request of the state’s attorney. He has been charged and bail is set.”

  “Charged, with what?” Marc asked, in a decibel louder than he

  CHAPTER 19 originally intended.

  “Let’s just say, he pissed the wrong person off. It looks like

  it’s gonna be aggravated sexual assault and that’s a felony that

  usually carries mandatory jail time, depending on the age of the

  victim. And unfortunately, that’s the good news.”

  “Good news? What the hell could be worst than that?” “Well…the other thing is that his bail has been set at

  $1,000,000. That judge really had a hard on for him.” “This is bullshit! Reggie is not a rapist. He would never do

  something like that. This has to be a damned set up.”

  “Well, you might want to get him a good lawyer, because he’s

  definitely gonna need it.”

  “So, that means the amount to get him out is

  what…$100,000?”

  “Yep. That’s what it will cost for him to taste freedom again.” “Who do I need to see to pay the bail?” Marc asked the

  shocked clerk.

  “The cashier, I guess. But you wont find a bail bondsman who

  will put that much money up for a felony charge like this one…” A grimace formed across Marc’s face as he considered the

  implication of the clerk’s comment. He chose not to address her

  miscalculation.

  “They do accept wire transfers, don’t they?”

  “Yeah, they do. But, do you really want to put $100,000 of

  your dough on the line for a brother like this?” The clerk asked,

  puzzled by Marc’s resolve.

  “I am my brother’s keeper. Bullshit or not.” Marc returned

  with deadly seriousness.

  “I hear you. You’re a good friend. You married?” The clerk

  asked sheepishly.

  “I’m sane.” Marc asked with measured jest.

  “Well, if you in the market for a wife, I have a cousin your

  age. She’s got her own place and she does hair, so she got her own

  money too.” The clerk offered.

  “Really?” Marc asked as he walked out of the door and smiled

  at the possibility that the clerk could likely be related to the woman

  that turned his life upside down.

  Chapter 23 Reggie

  “Man can you believe this bullshit?” Reggie asked as he manhugged Marc in the lobby of the holding area where he was released twelve hours after his arrest.

  “Hell naw. What I want to know is what the fuck you were thinking fucking with an underage girl?” Marc asked with serious intention masked by humor.

  “Man, you know better. For real, brah, good lookin’ for gettin’ me out of this piec…that bail was crucial. I thought I was gonna’ be sittin’ for a minute. I owe you my life, man.” Reggie said as he fought the tears filled and stung his eyes.

  “Don’t mention it…ever.” Reggie felt a rush of warmth and appreciation for the friend that he called brother and realized that Marc was the only person he could count on with his life. He couldn’t wait to tell his boy how this whole mess came about. Reggie looked around suspiciously.

  “Eh brah, lets get some grub and we can rap where there ‘aint so many walls with ears.”

  Marc noted how just a few hours in jail had produced paranoia in Reggie’s otherwise light and carefree demeanor.

  “Yeah, I am a little hungry. You down for some Ben’s Chili Bowl?”

  “Man, am I? Yo, I got to stop home and take a shower first. You mind spotting me for a cab?”

  “Sure. I’ll ride with you cause’ I got some shit to tell you too, dawg’.”

  The men took about twenty minutes to waive down a cab while standing in front of the police precinct and pre-paid for their ride to Reggie’s Silver Spring condo.

  Chapter 24 Natalie

  As the plane landed at Baltimore-Washington International Airport, Natalie cringed at the thought of her mother waiting for her and Eric at the baggage claim. She held her breath and smirked at Eric who had decided to arrive as close to drunk as the flight attendants would allow. He returned her smile with a throaty laugh.

  “What you lookin’ at over there? Shit, I might as well be in a good mood now because only God knows when I will be able to smile again once I see that witch.”

  “You shouldn’t talk about your mother like that. It might not even be that bad.”

  “Damn that. This is Rosemary Logan we’re talkin’ about. In fact, you need to go ahead and slide me some of those pills you been popping like tic tacs.”

  “Those are medically prescribed.”

  “Not twenty at a time Anna Nicole.”

  “Whatever. Just pull yourself together so we don’t get stopped at security.”

  “I hear you. Just don’t get mad at me if I aint’ fakin’ like I am some butch jock so that she can brag to her broke assed pastor who stay beggin’ for money. How come they had a building fund for twenty five years and no building? I’ll tell you why. Pastor Robin U. Fools.”

  “You think he’s going to be there?”

  “What? Not only will he be there, but momma will make sure that that fool eats before everyone else. It’s like she think he’s God or something. No disrespect J.C.” Eric said laughingly as he raised one hand to in the air.

  Natalie could only shake her head at her brother’s antics.

  “For real Eric, let’s just get through this for this weekend and we don’t have to worry about getting those guilt trip letters every month from momma about how she misses when we were young and used to spend all of the holidays together.”

  “Well, it’s a miracle that she even notices that we are gone with the litter of kids running around there. Has your sister ever heard of birth control? Hell, we might as well get her a website and start marketing if she is gonna keep breeding like this. I mean, seriously, five kids? I know I joke about a lot, but I am really annoyed that all she does is go to the damned club after she comes home from working at the hot assed dry cleaners all day. I don’t even think daddy is making her pay rent.”

  Natalie facial muscles attempted an optimistic smile. She knew for a fact that her father had wanted Angie to pay rent but her mother quickly dismissed the idea, forcing her father to take on a part-time job to make up for the excess bills created by an eight person household.

  “I know you’re right, but it’s not even her fault. Momma lets her do it, so why not?” Natalie rose to retrieve her carry-on bag from the overhead compartment.

  Eric remained sulking in his seat as he loathed the idea of seeing his famously dysfunctionamily again, even if it only happened once a year.

  CHAPTER 23 “Come on Eric, won’t do you any
good to delay this. The sooner it’s over, the sooner we are back on a plane and out of here.”

  Eric rose slowly and brushed the newly formed creases out of his Banana Republic oxford shirt and quickly placed his khaki fitted hat on his head. As he retrieved his carry-on bag, he noticed that people were hissing. He decided against perpetuating the over employed homosexual male diva attitude expected of him and gently apologized to those behind him.

  “Shit, if you were on your way to hell, you would take your time too.” He thought to himself as he walked gingerly behind his sister who he was sure shared his sense of impending doom.

  “Hey daddy!” Natalie squealed as she saw her father waiting patiently with his hands in his pockets at the baggage claim. Earl Logan embraced his daughter tightly and warmly as he had for the twenty four years that she lived on the east coast.

  “You look good. You must be making some money out in Texas. Got you looking good. That’s my girl.” Natalie blushed, a rare occurrence only her father could provoke.

  “I’m doing alright daddy.” Eric watched smiling as the two chatted when Earl looked up and saw him standing off to the side.

  “Eh boy, come and give your ole’ man some love.” Earl reached out to Eric as he spoke.

  Eric fought his natural defense to shy away from the open display of affection in public and embraced his father. He could not help that it felt foreign at first and then warming and comforting as it endured. It reminded him of the bond he had with his father years before he even thought about questioning his sexual identity.

  “I’m glad to see you, man.” Earl whispered in Eric’s ear as they embraced.

  The moment moved Eric as he felt a tear form in his eye, but quickly willed it not to fall. The three went to get the luggage and started heading towards the exit.

  “So where’s momma?” Natalie asked half heartedly.

  “Oh, you know she’s at home getting the house ready. You guys hungry?”

  “Starving. They only give out honey roasted peanuts and soda now. No more meals. Did momma cook?” Eric answered for himself and Natalie.

  “Probably. But I was thinkin’ we could head over to Florida Avenue Grill in northwest and grab a half smoke like we used to.”

  Eric and Natalie’s face brightened as they both recalled the family tradition that accompanied Saturday morning football games at Howard University. Rosemary was usually in some type of prayer meeting or missionary outing.

  “Hell yeah!” Natalie exclaimed and looked back at her brother who she was sure shared her thought that this trip may not be so bad after all.

  Chapter 25 Ilene

  Charles sat sipping his Blue Mountain coffee at the marble island of his kitchen. As he peered intently at the brown and black swirls of rock that were brilliantly polished, he toyed with the idea of informing Ilene that he had hired a private investigator and visited a divorce attorney since their return from St. Lucia. Slowly he began stashing away a few hundred dollars at a time in his own private account. A trick he learned from Ilene, undoubtedly.

  After learning of her most recent act of infidelity, Charles found it increasingly difficult to remain tight-lipped, despite his attorney’s pleas for him to do so. He was not coming directly home as he had for over twenty years and Ilene hadn’t even noticed. She was so tied up with her upcoming gala that she seemed oblivious to the fact that he had not once asked her to make love since they returned. Charles knew the truth. She had indeed been sleeping with someone else. But not just anyone else…his fraternity brother, Paul.

  Until now, he managed to keep his contempt at bay, hoping the affair would ultimately die out. He found it impossible to pretend that his marriage was not over. He dechatthat today he would tell Ilene that he was leaving. It was time for him to stop putting on a good show for everyone, just like Ilene would have it. His stomach began to churn with embarrassment and disgust as he wondered how many of his friends knew that his wife was a whore he tried to dress up in expensive clothes.

  As he rose from the island, he heard rustling upstairs. It was already noon on a Friday morning and Ilene had just gotten up. He couldn’t help the urge to roll his eyes as he heard her faint yawn. He walked to the front of the house to retrieve the morning paper that was laying near their door since 6 am. He walked slowly as if his footsteps were claiming every square foot of the house as his own. As he opened the door, the alarm beeped two short beeps, signaling that a door was open in the now newly fortified home. Ilene thought it was a necessary precaution considering the “changing demographic in the neighborhood.”

  He ignored Ilene’s repeated calls to him as he picked up the paper and returned to the center island where his coffee sat waiting. He opened it up and on the front page was the face of Paul Cummings. His eyes scanned the bi-line and forced his mouth open. “DISGRACED ATLANTA COUNCILMAN ACCUSED OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT WITH A MINOR AT LOCAL HOTEL.” Paul’s picture accompanied the full page article.

  Charles read the article with swift determination, anxious to find out why Ilene’s lover and his fraternity brother was being accused of something so appalling. The article stated that confirmed sources provided pictures and proof of the act and that Mr. Cummings refused to comment. He had released a single statement relinquishing his post as councilman and asking that the public respect the privacy of his family as they dealt with this “troubling personal matter.” Charles shook his head in disbelief as he saw pictures of a young man claiming to be one of Paul’s former lovers, who mysteriously came out of the woodwork when the story broke.

  Feeling both anger at the pain and embarrassment that Paul caused his family, and an ethereal sense of revenge for his unscrupulous decision to sleep with Ilene, Charles removed his glasses to rub his eyes that were now burning with tears. Though they were fraternity brothers, he had never taken the time to meet his wife or kids. Now, he would probably see their faces plastered all over the papers in disgrace. He heard Ilene’s Daniel Green slippers slapping against the marble foyer and quickly dried his eyes before she entered.

  “Chuck, didn’t you hear me calling you? You scared me half to death. I was about to call the police.”

  Charles’ emotions quickly turned ice cold at the sound of Ilene’s voice.

  “Were you?” His response was without emotion or concern, but matter of fact and formal.

  Ilene instinctively sensed his disconnect.

  “Is everything okay? You barely said two words last night at dinner and this morning you slept on the couch in the family room.”

  “Oh, you noticed.” Again, Charles commented with no emotion.

  “I’m sorry, am I missing something here?” Charles felt his anger begin to erupt as Ilene retreated to her ignorant role.

  Charles’ anger erupted.

  “Are you fucking serious Ilene? How long did you think you could get away with your shit before I would find out? Despite what you think, I am not your bitch boy and right now I can’t stand the fucking sight of you.”

  Ilene’s eyes instantly filled with fear as Charles screamed in her face. She knew better than to ask him what he was talking about.

  “But Chuck, can’t we just talk about…”

  “Fuck that. I’ve been talking to your whoring ass for years. You made me look like a fool in front of my colleagues and friends, and I am done with your ass! Now you can find another jackass to take care of you.”

  Tears raced from Ilene’s eyes as she managed to process why Charles was so enraged. Her moment of fear had finally arrived, despite her careful efforts to keep her affairs inconspicuous. She struggled to keep herself from begging Charles to stay.

  “Please Charles!” Ilene’s voice cracked involuntarily.

  “What are you gonna say now Ilene? Are you going to deny that you’ve been fucking this fag for years? Don’t you even care about the fact that he has a family or did that slip your mind while you had his dick in your mouth…”

  SLAP. Overcome by impulse, Ilene struck Charles across
the face for his last comment.

  “How dare you speak to me that way…”

  Before Ilene had the opportunity to complete her statement, Charles grabbed her by the neck and forcefully jerked it so that she was only millimeters from his face.

  “Listen to me carefully, you little cunt. You fucking disgust me and if you ever touch me again, I WILL hurt you.”

  The velocity with which he spoke frightened Ilene beyond words. The words sounded foreign coming from Charles’ lips and Ilene found herself shaking her head from side to side as she were trying to awake from a nightmare.

  As Charles released his muscular hand from Ilene’s wildly pulsing neck, he exerted enough force to send Ilene hurling to the hardwood floor. She peered up at him, grasping her neck and tears flooding her eyes, she summoned the strength to speak.

  “Are you going to leave me Charles?” Charles stood angry with nostrils flaring and suddenly looked down forlornly at Ilene.

  “No, I am not leaving Ilene.” Charles responded calmly.

  With that, Ilene exhaled and crawled on her hands and knees to where Charles stood.

  “Oh God, Charles thank you. I promise I will make this up to you. I am so sorry for hurting you. It was so stupid. I swear to God I will make this up to you.”

  Charles exhaled loudly and covered his face with his hands as Ilene cowered at his feet, still weeping. He reached down and grabbed Ilene’s wet hands and pulled Ilene so that she was standing on her feet. She looked reluctantly into Charles’ eyes and burst into tears. She was relieved that Charles had not left her, though she for years found the marriage worthless. Charles pondered the irony of the moment as he listened to her sobs. He organized his feelings so that he could articulate them. He watched Ilene’s chest rise and fall she anxiously waited for him to speak.

  “Ilene, I meant what I just said…”

  “I know, and I give you my word that I will never be that stupid again or hurt you like this. Our marriage means the world to me…”