“I’m going to go help you pack and bring your stuff back here.”
Liana shook her head. “No, Jenna, this is it. I’m tired of moving backwards.”
“Backwards. You’re talking real crazy now.”
“Nah, I was crazy for coming back to Albany. I’m packing my things, and I’m heading to the city.”
“City? Who do you know in the city?”
“I’m going to be all right.”
“What are you going to do for money?”
“I got a nice piece of change that Ron left me, remember? And I know it won’t take me long to get a job.”
Jenna started wringing her hands. “I don’t know, Liana. I think you should talk to Nana first.”
“Nana? I’m grown, Jenna. I don’t have to consult with Nana.”
“I didn’t mean it like that—”
“I’ll give you a call when I get to the city.” Liana headed toward the front door.
“Liana,” Jenna whispered as loud as she could. “This is a big mistake.”
“Tell Reese I’ll be up in a few days to check on her,” Liana said, as she walked out the front door.
***
Monday morning started like any other for Wayne and his father. When they pulled off from McDonalds, his father decided to ask him about the new client they had in Guilderland.
“So, what’s up with this guy, and how did he hear about us?” he asked with a piece of egg McMuffin flying out his mouth.
“He’s Miss Levinson’s son.”
“Grandma Dynamite? I didn’t know she had a son.”
“Neither did I. He showed up one day while I was doing her yard. Said he liked what he saw. So, I gave him a business card, and lo and behold, he called.”
“Guilderland, huh? A lot of police live around there,” Nevel said, placing emphasis on police.
“You don’t have anything to worry about, Dad.”
“You damn right. I’m not doing anything for them to put me back in jail. I learned my lesson. It took about twenty years, so I guess that makes me a slow learner, huh?”
Wayne shrugged.
“So, this guy’s a cop, huh?” Nevel said, tired of beating around the bush.
“Yeah,” Wayne nodded. “A detective, actually.”
“And you just happen to forget to tell me that.”
“I didn’t think it would make a difference. Like you said, you’re on the straight and narrow.”
Nevel finished the rest of his coffee. “Well, don’t expect me to be all friendly ‘n shit. I’m not too far removed from the criminal lifestyle. I still got some issues I’m working on.”
***
When they pulled up to the house, Nevel didn’t bother getting out.
“What up?” Wayne asked his father, as he started heading up to the front door.
“Nothing, go on ahead and let them know we’re here.”
“You hanging back to see if you know this guy?”
“Not at all, just go knock on the door,” Nevel said, sinking deep into the seat.
Wayne walked up to the front door and rang the bell. A white woman in her early thirties answered.
“You must be Wayne,” she said, extending her hand.
“Yes, and you must be Mrs. Harris.”
“Yes, Frank told me you already know what to do, correct?”
“Yes, we discussed what he wanted done over the phone. He’s not here? He told me he would be.”
“He was, but he stepped out for a moment. He’ll be back shortly.”
“Okay, my partner and I—” Wayne looked toward his truck, and noticed his father had put his cap on, and had sunk even deeper into the seat. “Uh… like I was saying, we should be done in about three hours.”
“Uh, okay,” Mrs. Harris said to Wayne, while she kept her eyes glued to Nevel’s suspicious behavior. “If you need anything, I’ll be right inside.”
“Thank you, Ma’am. Wayne walked back toward the truck and started unloading bags of mulch and grass seeds. “The coast is clear Mr. America’s Most Wanted,” he said to his father who was still sitting in the truck.
“I’m just waiting on you to hurry up and unload the stuff, so we can get started.”
“A little help would be nice.”
“No, no. I’m not trying to throw my back out again. The last time, I was out of commission for two months. Besides, your mother and me got plans tonight. I need to be in optimal condition when—”
“Dad! Dad! Way too much detail. I get the picture, unfortunately.”
The stunt Liana pulled last night gave Wayne the energy to finish the job in a little under two hours. While he worked, he thought about how she had the nerve to pick up a bat and try to take his head off. He hoped and prayed that when he got home, she was long gone. He also hoped and prayed that she didn’t get on no Waiting to Exhale bullshit and try to burn his house down.
When he pulled up to his house that night, her truck wasn’t anywhere in sight, and his house wasn’t burned to the ground. When he walked in, it was eerie quiet. He didn’t have to go upstairs to know that she was gone for good. He opened the freezer, pulled out a box of Hot Pockets, and placed it in the microwave. No more home-cooked meals, and no more… He thought of how good it felt to release himself without having to wait for the far and in between wet dreams. His mind raced as he thought of all the women he’d brushed off, because of that stupid promise he made to Liana when they were teenagers.
I must have been out of my mind. “Tammy with the big whammy.” He smiled as Taz’s words echoed in his head. She practically begged me to fuck her. Wayne said to himself as he jumped up and grabbed his Hot Pocket out the microwave. “Tammy with the big whammy,” he said out loud, nodding.
CHAPTER 10
“Go on home, Liana,” Rasheem said to her as she rang up her last customer. “I’ll close up tonight.”
“You sure?”
“I’m positive. You have to wake up early tomorrow morning, and be on the road by five if you want to be in Albany by eight o’clock.”
Liana nodded as she took off her vest and headed to the back. It had been seven months since she moved from Albany to Jamaica, Queens. Finding an apartment was harder than she thought, and landing a decent paying job was damn near impossible. She finally broke down, listened to Elizabeth, and called Rasheem. He showed up at her closet-sized apartment the next morning, and moved her into a spacious, two bedroom apartment in Springfield Gardens. The following week, she was working the register at Indio’s new clothing store that Rasheem managed.
The day Rasheem showed up at her closet-sized apartment, she told him up front that she considered him a friend. And although he was as fine as he could be, and she’d already fantasized about making love to him every which way possible, a friend is what he will always be to her.
He couldn’t help but laugh and let her know that he would respect that. She had to define their relationship up front to keep herself in check. After the final breakup with Wayne, she decided to be by herself for a while so she could get the feeling of having to be with a man out of her system.
She grabbed her purse and coat and headed back toward the front of the store. Jenna gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, and was released from the hospital today. Liana knew if she didn’t show up to see her godson on time tomorrow, Jenna would never forgive her. Liana also knew she had to be there because Jenna’s parents still weren’t speaking to her. So, her, Elizabeth, and Reese were her family support.
“I’ll definitely be back by Tuesday,” she said to Rasheem.
“Don’t rush back, we got this,” he said referring to him and his assistant manager, JD.
For an instant, she thought about taking advantage of Rasheem’s kindness and spending the whole week in Albany. She missed hanging with her girls. Although Elizabeth drove down to the city every other weekend, most of her time was occupied with getting her some of Indio.
“Nah, I’ll definitely be back by Tuesday. I don’t want y
ou giving my job away to the next girl who walks up in here with a big booty.”
Rasheem laughed. “I’m not JD.”
“Hey,” JD said. “I’m not that shallow. She’s got to have big breasts to go with that big booty.”
“Let me go before I find out just how shallow you really are,” Liana said, waving him off as she walked out the store.
***
When Liana entered her apartment, the red light on her answering machine was blinking. She dropped her purse on the couch, and left a clothes trail to her bedroom. In just her bra and panties, she went to the bathroom and ran herself a hot bath. On her way to the fridge, she checked her messages.
“Liana,” Nana’s voice boomed. “I’m just calling to let you know that Mrs. Watkins stopped by again today, and told me to tell you, again, that it’s urgent you contact her.”
Liana’s stomach jumped at the mention of the District Attorney’s name. She reached inside her fridge for a Pepsi, but after hearing the message, she reached past the Pepsi, wrapped her hand around two Heinekens, and headed to the bathroom. She needed that hot bath more than ever. She stripped out of her bra and panties, and slowly stepped into the tub. The water was uncomfortably hot, but she welcomed the heat, hoping it would melt away the stress that had just avalanched on her.
Mrs. Watkins was the DA that built the case against her father and convinced the jury to hand down a guilty verdict. Mrs. Watkins first contacted her when her father was scheduled to appear before his first Parole Board. It didn’t take much for her to convince Liana to write a letter to the Parole Board Commissioners begging them not to unleash her father on society. Every twenty-four months, for the past six years, Mrs. Watkins would contact her and have her update her letter to the Commissioners.
As Liana lay back in the tub, she closed her eyes and let the hot water and bath oil do their job. I can’t believe it’s been two years, already. Time was creeping up on her. She was twenty-seven, the same age as her mother when she was… murdered. She shook off the cold chill that ran down her spine and grabbed the half-empty Heineken bottle off the edge of the tub. She polished it off with a long sigh.
Twenty-minutes later, she caught herself falling into a deep sleep. She climbed out of the tub, nearly knocking over the two empty Heineken bottles. She walked into her bedroom, and caught a glimpse of the suitcase she packed during the week, and thanked God, because she was in no shape to pack tonight. She put on her nightclothes and curled up in her bed. As she drifted off to sleep, one question rolled around in her head. What will you do if the Board released your father?
***
Liana pulled up to the apartment on Theatre Row that Efran rented for Jenna. She got out and walked up a staircase she thought would never end. When she got to Jenna’s apartment on the third floor, she was panting like she just ran a marathon. She fanned herself before knocking on the door.
Reese opened the door, pulled her in, and hugged her tight.
Liana hugged her back. “It’s good to see you, too.”
Reese pulled back from her. “Damn, girl. I haven’t seen you in almost a year.”
“It’s only been seven months, Reese.”
“It seems longer than that.” Reese sized her up. “I see you're putting on some weight. Don’t tell me Rasheem put a seed up in you already.”
“It ain’t even like that. We’re just friends. I’m by myself for now.”
“I feel you, girl.” Reese slapped her five. After the shooting in front of the club seven months ago, Reese realized that it was only by the will of God that she was still alive. Dexter’s actions that night shifted her perspective on life and men. Life was too precious to squander it on men, who weren’t shit. Since then her life revolved around one thing: her daughter.
Reese guided her through the tiny apartment to the living room where Jenna was sitting on the couch with her feet propped up.
“Hey, girl,” Jenna said, holding her arms open for a hug.
Liana gave her a hug and a big kiss on the cheek. “Congratulations, mama, where’s my godson?”
“Oh God,” Jenna said. “Elizabeth just put him in his crib. He was screaming and carrying on all night.”
Liana’s head turned toward the back room when she heard little Efran Jr. crying. She walked into the room, and saw Elizabeth trying to rock him to sleep.
“Oh my God!” Liana said. “He’s so cute.” She reached out for him. Elizabeth was more than happy to dump him in her arms. Liana followed Elizabeth out into the living room while Efran Jr. kept screaming until Liana handed him to Jenna.
“He’s got a set of lungs on him,” Liana said, sitting next to Jenna. She watched as little Efran snuggled against Jenna’s breast and fell asleep.
“I’m so jealous right now,” Liana said.
“That’s because you haven’t had one yet,” Reese said.
“Humph, thank God I don’t have any, and it’s going to stay that way,” Elizabeth said.
“Stop playing,” Liana said. “You mean to tell me that we’re not going to see any little Indio’s running around?”
“Girl, please.” Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “I’m not putting my body through nine months of torture, getting all fat and nasty. Then I have to go through hours of labor. Then after I have the thing, I have to worry about stretch marks, and losing all the weight I packed on. No thank you.”
“Nah, ah,” Reese said. “I know she didn’t just refer to a baby as a thing.”
Elizabeth continued. “And you know once their big head stretches your coochie out of place no man’s going to want you.”
“Nah, ah, I know you didn’t take it there,” Liana said.
“Yes, I did. I’m not trying to lose my man because my shit is stretched out like the I-95.”
“So, what are you trying to say? Efran is going to leave me?” Jenna asked.
“I’m just speaking for me,” Elizabeth said.
“But you’re making it sound like after you have a baby, men will no longer be interested in you.” Jenna’s face was reddening.
Elizabeth looked at Reese.
“Why you looking at me?”
Elizabeth rolled her eyes.
“Hold the fuck up,” Reese said, forgetting that she was a Born Again Christian. “What the fuck was that look about?”
“That’s enough!” Liana cut in. “We’re not going to let Elizabeth’s insecurities ruin this moment for us. Jenna’s a mother and we’re Godmothers.” She stroked little Efran’s head. “I’m surprised he didn’t wake up with all the hollering going on.”
“I was just speaking for me.” Elizabeth mumbled, having to get the last word in.
“Forget about you, for once,” Liana said. “And let’s focus on little man. We have the honor of spoiling him rotten. And I, for one, can’t wait.”
“Amen,” Reese said.
Liana stood up and brought her suitcase into the living room. “You’re not going to believe what I got Efran.” She pulled out a pair of brown and beige baby Timbs with a matching outfit.
“That’s so cute,” Jenna said.
“That’s creepy,” Elizabeth countered.
Liana cocked her head.
Elizabeth got on the defensive. “I’m just saying. Wayne came over earlier and he brought by the same exact Timbs.”
“That’s not creepy,” Liana said.
“And the same exact outfit.”
“Well, that just shows that he has good taste,” Liana said with an air of arrogance.
“Humph, hard to tell, with him hooking up with Tammy,” Reese said.
“Tammy? Tomboy Tammy?” Liana said surprised.
“Them muscles done softened up and fell in all the right places,” Reese said. “She’s still knocking dudes out, though.”
Liana shook her head. Wayne, you fucking bastard. Out of the blue, she started laughing. Her girls looked at her, waiting for her to share the joke, but she just kept laughing until Elizabeth and Reese starting laughing. They w
ere laughing, because they thought Liana had lost her mind. Liana was laughing to camouflage her pain.
“Okay, I missed it. What’s so funny?” Jenna said.
Liana started fanning herself. “I was just thinking how pathetic Wayne really is.”
“Ain’t he?” Elizabeth, Liana and Reese started laughing again.
Jenna looked at them and shook her head. Maybe they were sane and she was the crazy one. “I still don’t get it.” She said, genuinely lost. “What’s wrong with Tammy?”
“What do you mean what’s wrong with Tammy?” Reese snapped. “She’s bald for one.”
“She has a brush cut,” Jenna said.
“Because she can’t grow her hair,” Liana said, giving Reese a high-five.
Jenna chuckled. “Why don’t you just come out and say it, Liana? You’re jealous.”
“I know… you didn’t just take it there,” Liana said loud enough to cause little Efran to stir in his sleep.
“She’s not jealous,” Elizabeth spat. “She has nothing to be jealous about.”
“Oh yeah?” Jenna blinked surprised. “How about Tammy’s twenty-four and is co-owner of Step It Up women’s gym? Or how about the fact that she has a cardio-kickboxing video that’s selling faster than crack?”
“How you know about all that?” Liana asked.
“I watched her video.”
Elizabeth, Liana, and Reese looked at her like she’d just committed treason, and they were deciding her fate.
“What?” Jenna said. “Somebody gave it to me as a gift at the baby shower.”
“Just so you know,” Liana said, looking her dead in her eyes. “I can get any man I choose. I can snatch Wayne from her in my sleep. Like I was telling Reese when I first walked in, I don’t have a man right now, because I choose to be by myself.”
Reese nodded in agreement.
“I’m living my life, and thank God, Wayne is living his.”
They all glared at Jenna, daring her to challenge what Liana just said. Buckling under the pressure, Jenna nodded.
Liana wheeled her suitcase in the corner. “I’m going to leave this here until I get back.”
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