Hitta's Tea Maker 2

by Edwina Fort

  I didn’t know how to take this information. Stan was on the run. He’d killed two people. I mean, I knew he was sick, but murder?

  “We’ll only be gone for two weeks,” Hitta continued. “Carmen gon’ come to the house and babysit. And you know I got the twins on watch. Ain’t nobody getting past them. Come on, Teacup, this is supposed to be our time.”

  His hand came down to my stomach. “We getting ready to have a shawty. What we gon’ tell him or her about our wedding and honeymoon? That we let the fear of some f**k boy destroy it?!”

  His words made me laugh a bit. You would think that after being with him for a little while now I’d grown used to his frankness.

  “Tibet, huh?”

  He nodded. “To the mountains with all them plants and herbs you dreamed of checking out.”

  I have always wanted to go. And I guess technically, I didn’t have Stan to worry about. However, I did want to wait for Westly. I wanted to be there for him when he found out all this information. He was not going to take it well.

  But who knows when he was going to come back around? And this was my honeymoon, I didn’t want the memory of it smeared with thoughts of Stan. Last night we’d found out that we were going to be parents. I didn’t want to be the reason we fell off of this high. Leaning forward I gently kissed my husband’s lips.

  “Yeah, let’s do it! I’m ready…”

  Hitta

  I know a lot of y'all is out there wondering if I felt guilty about the lies I’d told Angel. My answer is no, but before you jump on me, allow me to explain. I want her to always remember our wedding lovingly. I want the thought of it to bring a smile to her face, no matter where she is or what she going through. That way, when she realized who and what she’d truly married, she could remember that, although I’m f**ked up. I'm the man that took her to a place she always wanted to go and made sure she lived out her dreams.

  I was telling the truth about waiting till we got back to Chicago to tell her about Stan, but when I saw that she was going to buck against going away for our honeymoon, I had to say something to put her heart at ease.

  Now, as for her mammy…

  Sh*t, I didn’t feel no need to break that news to her. As far as I’m concerned, she don’t never have to bear that burden. It ain’t like her mom was worth sh*t. She was doing Angel a favor by f**king dying anyway.

  Of course, my Teacup being super-sensitive, wouldn’t have seen it that way. She would have started crying and getting all depressed and sh*t. Hell naw, I’m not trying to have her feeling that way during our honeymoon. Maybe I’ll tell her when we get back to Chicago, but then again, maybe I won’t.

  Rome had always teased me about not being smooth like him with the ladies. But as we checked out of the Château, Angel and I was all smiles because of my little lie. Meanwhile, Mr. Smooth and Nak was arguing like crazy.

  Apparently, they’d stopped by to celebrate our wedding with us on the way to another mission their boss had sent them on. But after Rome found out his girl was pregnant, had called Judah and told him he had to send somebody else ‘cause he didn’t want to risk her getting hurt. Of course, Nak wasn’t feeling that sh*t and was letting him know just how much.

  I chuckled, shaking my head. She was wasting her time; once Rome got his mind set on something, it was a wrap. I’m sure they were going to have a very interesting trip back to Canada. But see, me, I didn’t have them kind of problems. My lady was happy.

  Our trip to China was a very pleasant one. In fact, Angel slept most of the way. She admitted that she hadn’t gotten much rest during the week we’d been apart.

  I’ll let y’all in on a little secret; I will never admit this sh*t to nobody else though. It makes me feel good that she need me in order to have a peaceful night’s sleep. I know that’s f**ked up, but it does. It lets me know that I’m not alone and that she feels this crazy pull between the two of us as well.

  I don’t mean to randomly switch topics on y’all like this, but it’s some sh*t y’all need to know about Angel that I’m about to find out during our honeymoon. You remember way back when I told y’all what it was like to watch her make her teas? I told y’all that it was something supernatural about it.

  Well, this trip will confirm my thoughts on that. My baby was a damn superhero. Let me tell you how I found this sh*t out.

  So, we touched down in Shanghai, where our guide met us at the airport with a small security detail; they would be with us for the next two weeks. Of course, everything was planned to a T; Wayne would have it no other way. As soon as I told him me and Angel was coming here for our honeymoon, he got on his phone. No doubt he’s still on it making sure everything goes according to his plan.

  You know, over the last few years I’ve threatened to fire him many times because he’s a f**king control freak, but I’ll never do it. Wayne was a godsend; my life had gotten substantially easier when he came into it. I don’t know if it’s because of my speech impediment or my size, but people seemed to respond better to him than me.

  Our guide knew what food I ate and what I didn’t, so he took us to eat at a very nice restaurant that also served American food. Of course, my baby wanted to try something she’d never tried before while I just stuck with a burger and fries, can’t go wrong with that. We were in route to another airport where we were going to be chartering a plane to Tibet.

  Once we touched down in Tibet, I learned why the security detail was needed. Apparently, in this part of the world, they didn't see too many black people, especially none with my height and build. Folks wanted to touch Angel and me and take pictures with us, but our security didn’t allow it, making sure everyone gave us our space.

  We drove for about two hours until we reached our… Hell, I don't know what to call it. It wasn't quite a hotel, it was more of a small apartment that had been built into the side of a mountain. The low tables and round open windows facing the snow-capped mountains wasn’t quite my thing, but Angel loved it.

  She literally ran all over the apartment gushing over everything, pulling me to see this and that. I was worried that I was going to end up breaking some of this little ass furniture. This sh*t wasn’t made for brothas my size.

  Angel didn’t want to rest, she wanted to head right out to the herb bazaar. She was so excited she was literally jumping up and down.

  “You remind me of Jessie,” I teased her as we got dressed. Wayne had set it up for the guide to bring clothes for us. He told me in his broken English how hard it was to find clothes for a man my size and then I think he called me a giant in Tibetan, but I can’t prove it.

  “I’m so excited I can barely keep still! Here, help me put on my coat,” Angel said handing me the beautiful white woolen coat that I was sure cost me a small fortune.

  The guide had brought us some traditional Tibetan garb. I opted out of what he brought for me; imagine a player walking around looking goofy. However, I did decide to wear the big ugly brown coat with the matching hat, because I didn’t think the leather I brought from the Chi was gon’ stand up against the weather higher up in the mountains.

  Angel on the other hand, was all for wearing the traditional clothes, and I ain’t gon’ lie, she looked good in the sh*t. She had on a pair of white woolen pants and a matching long white tunic that fit her as if it had been made just for her. The outfit was brought together with a pair of white leather boots. The guide told us that Angel’s clothes had all been made by the best seamstress in all of Tibet. Again, Wayne at his finest.

  We found out that the only way to reach the village of this mysterious herb market, was by hot air balloon, helicopter, or by foot, which would be a three days journey. Can y’all guess which one Angel chose?

  If you guessed the hot air balloon, you would be right. But the thing is, she got all the way up there and found out that she was afraid of heights. She spent most of the journey up the mountain hiding inside of my coat, shaking and screeching like a little ass girl.

  When we finally
made it to the little village, I swear I felt like I’d stepped into some other realm or some sh*t. The clay houses were all multi-colored and looked like they belonged on a movie set. Even the people wore colorful clothes.

  The guide explained to us that this place was very rich. The farmers here worked their land during the spring and summer months and then traveled to Shanghai and Beijing for the fall and winter to trade and sell their goods. Just like Angel said, the herbs and plants they grew here were wanted all over the world.

  “I think the earth is so rich here because the air is pure in these mountains, plus, what wouldn’t grow well if its water came from the Himalayans?” Angel asked me as she excitedly stared ahead of her at the many booths of herbs and plants spread out before us.

  I just nodded my head like I knew what the hell she was talking about, and I would continue to do so as she proceeded to pull me all over that joint, pointing out this plant, showing me this herb, slipping something between my lips asking me how I liked it. Luckily, after being with her for four months, I’d grown used to her doing that. Now, I just chewed and swallowed whatever she slipped in my mouth and just nodded while saying, ‘Mmmm’.

  She was so enthralled in what she was seeing that she didn’t notice the people who was now following us, watching her actions.

  “Why they following us?” I asked the guide, wondering if I was going to have to hurt one of these little people.

  Our security detail had stayed at the base of the mountain because the guide said this place was inhabited by peaceful people that never warred, whatever the f**k that mean.

  “The Tea Master lives in this village. The people believe another Tea Master may be in their presence,” he said gesturing to Angel.

  And sure enough, although Angel didn’t speak their language and they didn’t speak hers, they were somehow communicating with her. Now, this is where the story finna get a little strange.

  She’s going up to these different booths picking up herbs, sniffing them and tasting them. Whoever’s manning the booth is studying her selections. They can tell by her choices that she ain’t no rookie. They’ll pick up something and offer it to her, she’ll either take it and taste it, or shake her finger at them and pick up another plant or seed and hand it to them. They in return would digest her combination and then look at her as if she was some kind of mystique.

  I don’t know what kind of f**king exchange was taking place, but I was tripping out a little bit at that point, ‘cause Angel went into a zone or some sh*t. And I think I was like her test dummy. Without speaking she would lift something to my lips and as I chewed, she’d watch me, studying me in a way that made me feel as if she could see my deepest, darkest thoughts. But her head would gently move from side to side like she was listening to music that only she could hear.

  Now keep in mind, the whole time she doing this, the little people is studying her. At first, I thought these folks was watching her and following her because my baby looked ethereal in this environment. I don’t know if it was something different about the air up here or if we’d flown into another dimension or some sh*t, but her coffee-colored skin radiated as if it was a light within her shining out… I kid y’all not. It contrasted beautifully against the white garments she wore and the snowcapped mountains. She didn’t look real.

  After about forty-five minutes of this, a small girl no bigger than Jessie walked up to Angel and took her hand. As she spoke, our guide translated.

  “My great mother would like for you to join her for tea.” Angel smiled down at the child and nodded.

  Confused I looked at the guide, “What’s up?”

  “It is a great honor to be invited to the Tea Master’s home,” he said as he gestured for me to follow Angel and the little girl. I was going to pass, but it looked as if my wife really wanted to do this because she didn’t hesitate to follow the little stranger.

  She led us away from the common area onto a tiny pathway that crossed over a few hills and down a lane or two. Sh*t, the deeper we got into the mountains, the more uncertain I felt. We walked so long I was about to say f**k this and take Angel back to the plant market so that she could buy what she wanted and then we could get the f**k back to normal.

  I ain’t gon’ lie, the feeling up here had a brotha tripping. I felt like I was in Lord of the Rings in the land of the Hobbits or some sh*t.

  But just as I was reaching for Angel’s arm to stop her, the little girl pointed to a small hut up ahead. This house was different from the ones in the village; it was not made of the colorful clay the other homes had been made of. There were no fancy designs or uniquely shaped windows. It was just a little stone house with a few windows.

  Strangely enough, it felt homier than the ones in town. Maybe it was because there was a gentle puff of smoke coming from the chimney, or the small herb garden next to it that was surrounded by a patched together wooden fence. All the plants had turned brown and withered from the cold, but it still somehow gave off healing vibes, if y’all know what I mean.

  I know this all sounding crazy as hell but imagine how I felt being the one witnessing this sh*t. Angel, on the other hand, seemed to be right in her element. The whole way here, the little girl pointed to patches of ground, telling Angel what grew there in the summer while our guide translated her words to English for us. I could tell that all that talk about plants and herbs was exciting my wife.

  Again, not my thing. But the fact that it was thrilling the cowboy sh*t out of her, was enough for me. It was making me happy to make her happy…

  Hmmm…

  That’s how I know this girl was meant to be mine. I ain’t lying to y’all, I can’t remember ever feeling that way for another woman. Hell, I can’t remember ever having one that I wanted to be around like this. Look at playa, up in the f**king Himalayans mountains about to have tea with the hobbit queen, but because I was doing this sh*t with Angel, I was satisfied as a mutha f**ka.

  I shook my head; this girl done came and changed the game on a nigga. But I ain’t gon’ get into that right now. I wanted to finish telling y’all how wild this trip up this mountain got. And trust me when I tell y’all this next sh*t I’m getting ready to tell y’all finna blow yo’ minds, because it damn sho’ blew mine.

  So, as we were walking up to the house, a small Asian woman with sun-kissed brown skin that was withered with age and long white hair stepped out on the porch. She looked up at us and smiled before she continued on to the little garden. As she opened the wooden gate, she gestured for us to follow her inside.

  Although a lot of the things in her garden had died back from the frost, surprisingly, there still were a few signs of life with a peek of green, a flash of red, or a streak of orange that would catch the eye here and there. The wall that separated her little house from her garden was covered in vines that were a healthy green. Kinda felt like her little house was giving them what they needed to be sustained against the winter winds. This somehow made the garden feel cozier.

  She eased down on a little stool and gestured for Angel to sit on the ground next to her leg. My wife didn’t hesitate to join her, sitting right against her leg as if they knew each other.

  By this time, I’m really trippin’. I turned to look at the guide, but he too is taking it all in amazed. I nodded my head in a way to ask him what was up with his look.

  “The Tea Master is a very powerful soul. But rarely does she interact with anyone that is not her relative. She was an old woman when my grandfather was only a child,” he said so that only I could hear him. “There is not one from the village who can say they’ve ever spoken to her. Her children and their children, yes, even the little one who led us here, but never her.”

  The Tea Master spoke to Angel, palming her face and holding it up so that she could see her better. But since she spoke in a language neither Angel nor I understood, our guide translated for us.

  “Come, sister, let me see you better.” She turned Angel’s head to the left and then to the right.
“My Great Mother told me you would come one day.”

  Now it was Angel’s turn to frown. “Greatie?” she asked.

  The guide translated for the Tea Master, who gently shook her head. “I don’t know her by that name. My grandmother before me and her grandmother before her always called her Tabitha.”

  Excitedly Angel nodded her head, now clutching the woman’s hands. “Yes, that’s my Greatie. She’s my grandmother too!”

  The Tea Master nodded. “Yes, I can tell. You are the spitting image of her."

  “Wait… did you just say y’all have the same grandmother?” For the first time, the Tea Master’s eyes lifted to me. I didn’t mean for my question to come across as indignantly as it did, but I was f**king buggin’ out.

  My girl had gotten up here in this strange mountain air and lost her damn mind. The people up here did have darker skin than some of the folks in the mainland, but they were clearly Asian. There was no mistaking that.

  The older woman spoke and the guide translated. “Why does the slayer find this hard to believe?”

  I lifted an eyebrow. "Say what?”

  “She wants to know why you find it hard to believe that she and your woman share an ancestor.” The guide said.

  I threw up my hands. “Let’s just say, I can get over the fact that she’s Asian and Angel is African-American. How the hell do either of them know what their great, great…” I can’t even remember how many greats the Tea Master said, “grandmother looks like?”

  Angel grinned at me then and it freaked me out a little more. “Because I’ve seen her and talked to her.” The guide translated Angel’s words for the Tea Master.

  “And so have I,” she responded.

  I chuckled, shaking my head a bit. “Yeah…okay! Baby, won’t you go ahead and finish up your meeting with your long-lost cousin here so that we can get back to reality.”

  Wow! If I didn’t know no better, I would think I was being punked. This was some next-level kind of sh*t.