Royce

by D. Hamilton-Reed

  Valerie watched him and saw his emotional struggle and she wiped tears. The man in the portrait was gone, he wasn’t sure and confident he had all the answers. His presence wasn’t bigger than life and radiant. He was like everyone else now, ordinary, unsure, in doubt about life and his purpose. She wiped at her tears, he’d been beaten. Royce hated seeing her constantly watching him and wiping tears and finally he’d had enough, “What is with you?” He asked angrily, “I’m not paying you to stand around and cry, so get yourself together or I won’t have you around,” he said angrily and Joy watched.

  She didn’t say anything, “I know sir, I will get better,” Valerie said straightening up, and in less than a week she was gone. He’d gone to Jameson that day, “I’m sick of seeing her moping around. What did she leave a boyfriend back in Spain? I don’t care what the problem is, her problem is not my problem. My problem is keeping Joy and my family safe and I’m paying you to do so and you’re paying her to be on your team and if she can’t cut it because she’s missing a boyfriend then I can’t risk my family for her bullshit Jameson. Get her straight or I don’t want to see her.” Jameson went straight to Valerie.

  “What the fuck Valerie, are you still crying?” She burst out then, “I know to you it’s a job, they’re not people!” She sobbed, “I can’t do it anymore…I can’t see him like this!” She sobbed and ran out the room. Jameson followed, “What do you mean I don’t see them as people?” He knew that was the furthest thing from the truth. He was obsessed and consumed with these people, especially Joy, he loved her deep in his soul, and Royce he admired, respected and loved him like a brother and he was so charismatic and easy to like and that’s why it was hard to imagine his father doing this to them. “You don’t care about them. They’re a case, just some writing on a white board…but to me,” she pointed at her chest, “I see him, I see what’s happened to him and I can’t take it! He was so happy, so alive and now…now…,” she burst into tears.

  Jameson looked at her, looked at her closely narrowing his eyes and he couldn’t believe he missed it, “No, no Valerie, when…when did you….” He knew he’d crossed the line in Jamaica when he looked into Joy’s eyes and felt a sudden urge to take her in his arms and hold her, hold her to his heart and he knew he’d do anything to protect her. “Does it matter?” She wailed and he looked at her and he was wondering maybe this is why they failed in Spain, both of them had crossed the line and became careless and almost cost them their lives and he wanted to know, “Yes, to me it does matter. How long have you been in love with him? I want to know how long I have missed it,” and Valerie looked at him, her eyes wet with tears. She didn’t want to tell him it was a portrait over a mantle that started it, that when she was placing bugs she went into the living room and looked up and saw the most beautiful radiant man she'd ever seen so she said, “A long time, every since we met up in Spain.” “Fuck, we are screwed,” and Valerie had no idea what he meant by that. “As soon as I can get Conrad over here you’re off the case,” he walked out and a week later Conrad was here.

  Most nights Jameson listened to them and after a few months of this he was horny as hell, I’ve got to find someone or I’ll go crazy. Cape Town was too far but then he looked closer at Naledi, at first he thought she was a teenager. She looked so young and she was short, tiny with breast of a pubescent girl, but after he found out she was twenty-four and a widow, her husband had been killed a couple years ago and that she couldn’t bear children he found himself looking at her differently. With her heart shaped face and dark eyes she was pretty enough he set his sights on her. He poured on the charm and now they were lovers.

  They adjusted and adapted and after a year into living here Lindsey came home and said, “Mom, Mr. Royce there is a boy I like and he likes me and we want to see if you’re okay with us dating,” and Royce almost fell to the floor, but Joy said, “I don’t know honey, who is this boy? I’d like to meet him, you’re only fifteen, but if we like the boy a few chaperoned dates wouldn’t be a problem,” and he could accept that. He knew Deon was dating, they’d met her; she was a nice South African girl who wore her hair in long thick braids. Conrad or Jameson took him to Cape Town on Friday or Saturday nights to see her, but he was seventeen and a boy. But not long after Lindsey set it up and now they were going to meet this boy’s parents.

  “Nooo!” Royce heard Joy cry out in the bathroom, “What happened baby?” “My blow dryer just went out on me, I’ll never get my hair straight now.” “Just wear it curly.” “I know I have no choice now, but you know how I like to wear my hair.” “I know baby,” he said kissing her cheek, he thought her hair looked great either way. He was dressing and put on his pants, “Oh my god, look at this.” Joy looked over at him and he was holding his pants out in front of him with room to spare. “Oh my god, you lost a lot of weight.” “I know I had no idea.”

  Joy went to him, neither did she, it had been so gradual. He wasn’t trying to lose weight, it just happened. He was so worried about protecting the family that he really didn’t have an appetite half the time. He hadn’t worn a suit in a long time either, he usually wore jeans, his squared toed boots and a shirt he didn’t tuck in, but now his suits didn't fit, and they were custom suits made to fit him perfectly, but now they hung on him. This was turning out to be a disaster, they wanted to look their best meeting this boy’s parents, but now they had to make due and try and pull it together.

  Royce strapped on his gun, “Ugh, that thing really Royce?” “Yes, I never forget why we’re here,” she rolled her eyes and shook her head, “Okay, okay,” and he never would. You never know what might happen or when. Spain taught him that, you could be sitting on the beach reading a paper and out of nowhere shots could be fired. Joy looked very nice though. She had on light blue slender pants with a matching tunic that fit her perfectly and around her neck she wore a blue and yellow silk scarf fastened with a broach of blue stones and her hair was soft, curly and beautiful, just gorgeous, he thought. He’d tried to pull his suit together but he knew it really didn’t look good, it was too big. He’d chosen his favorite grey, it matched Joy’s blue and brought out his eyes. Maybe they’d see that and not the ill fit.

  Jameson insisted on driving and Joy sat in the back seat with Lindsey who was all smiles and ready for them to meet this boy. They drove into Cape Town to a very beautiful neighborhood, the houses large and well lit and they pulled up to a house with a wall and gate that looked almost like theirs. Who’s he hiding from? Royce thought. The gate opened and Jameson drove up to the well lit front door and the door opened before they could knock. “Come in, come in welcome, I am Sayeed Abdullah, come in.”

  Joy and Royce didn’t see Mr. Abdullah purse his lips as they walked in. “Come sit and we shall talk,” and he led them to a sitting area that seemed to be purposely set up for this occasion. There were six dining room chairs in the middle of the room, three on one side and three on the other directly across from each other and in the center was a coffee table with a tray of coffee and little sandwiches. Joy noticed the boy, he had dark wavy hair, a dimple and he was all smiles, and he was dressed like he’d just come from school, khaki pants, blue blazer and light blue shirt and Mr. Abdullah was dressed like an Arab sheik, long white thobe, red and white checked ghutra on his head with a black rope holding it down. He was a big man and he had the dimple. Mrs. Abdullah came out, and she looked like an Arab woman covered from head to toe, they took their places. The Abdullah’s on one side and the three of them on the other, Mrs. Abdullah started pouring coffee and Lindsey and the boy were smiling at each other.

  “So we are here because our children are wanting to set up dates,” Mr. Abdullah opened up, “Tell me Amar why do you want to go out with their daughter?” Mrs. Abdullah handed them a cup of coffee and they smiled and accepted.

  Amar smiled bright, “Father and Lindsey’s parents I want to take your daughter out because she is a very special person. She is smart, we share the same interest in school and I
would love to take her out outside of school, chaperoned of course,” Joy smiled at him and so did Royce. “And Lindsey tell us why you want to go on dates with my son Amar?” Mr. Abdullah asked and he smiled at her and Lindsey was all smiles.

  “Yes Mr. and Mrs. Abdullah and mother and Mr. Royce, I would like to go out on dates with Amar because we have gotten to know each other the past school term and we share a lot of the same interest and I would like to see Amar outside of school to spend more time with him, and of course chaperoned,” and Amar just beamed, “I would also like that, to spend more time with Lindsey,” he chimed in.

  “Okay we have heard your request and why, now let us adults discuss it further,” Mr. Abdullah said, “Amar find Khan and take Lindsey to the garden,” he looked at Royce and Joy, “Khan is my man attendant, he will chaperone them as we speak.” They nodded and Joy thought this was going well, it was clear the kids liked each other. She wasn’t sure about the Arab Muslim thing though. To her Muslims were like Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, and the black Muslim community in Philadelphia, it was strictly religious and it was a way of life offered to a disenfranchised people to show them another way to live, but after 911 she didn’t know what to think, but they weren’t talking marriage just dating and she could go for that.

  Amar offered Lindsey his arm and they left with Khan behind them chattering away as they walked through the open back doors. Joy liked him and she took a sip of her coffee.

  Mr. Abdullah looked at them, he scanned them. Royce and Joy could see him checking them out, a smile on his face and then he spoke. “Let me say first of all I am a very wealthy man. I come from a very wealthy family and the reason I am here is to bring more wealth to my family, and I know being here means my son will be exposed to things that are not of the Arab way,” he shrugged, “It is okay, I can accept that, but as far as when it comes to girls this is not okay. We don’t date in my world; that is a waste of time. We build net worth by marrying the right kinds of people, wealthy people, very wealthy people. I can buy everything on this block if I choose too, tear it down and rebuild it again and still have wealth; that is the kind of money I have. I will not beat around the horse as you say, our children will not date. I will not sanction it,” he said all this with a twinkle in his eye and a little smile on his face.

  Mr. Abdullah had sized them up when they walked through the door. They were not the right kind of people. Lindsey was too dark and her mother although pretty was too dark too and her hair although beautiful to look at spoke volumes of her blackness and the man wasn’t even her father. He wasn’t much, although his suit was expensively cut it was ill fitting and he wondered who he borrowed it from. He could buy these people ten times over. They were not worthy of his son and their daughter was surely not worthy of his son’s interest.

  Royce and Joy sat there stunned for a moment at his smiling attack. It was Joy who caught herself first, “Well Mr. Abdullah if you feel that way then I couldn’t agree more…”

  “So you speak for the household Mrs. Harrington,” he looked at Royce with that twinkle and little smile as he said harsh things and challenged his manhood, like he was bemused with this little game. Royce didn’t like being fucked with and this man was fucking with him, “She’s doing fine. Where I come from it doesn’t matter who says what needs to be said as long as it’s said,” he said looking squarely at Mr. Abdullah his blue eyes cold ice now.

  “Well then I think we have an understanding, thank you for your time,” Mr. Abdullah stood smiling and they stood but not smiling and neither offered to shake hands now. He clapped his hands and another servant came out, “Gather the children they are in the garden with Khan.” Joy was fuming, he had insulted them, insulted them like he was doing no more than taking out the trash, all the while smiling like he was their best friend.

  The kids came in happy, Lindsey still holding on to Amar’s arm. They saw them at the door and walked towards them. “Was it worked out father?” Amar asked eagerly when they reached them. “No son, we could not come to an agreement.” “But why not, what is the problem, we can fix it?” He implored, his euphoria gone now. “Ask your father? See if he will tell you the truth,” Joy said, “Lindsey let’s go,” she said. “Oh I will tell him the truth Mrs. Harrington. The truth is son this girl isn’t worthy of you,” and Joy, Lindsey and Amar’s mouths dropped, they were stunned. Royce was beyond angry, he took Lindsey’s arm, “No that is not the truth Lindsey, you are worthy of Amar and Amar is worthy of you but his father is not worth the spit on the bottom of my shoes,” he opened the door and walked out with Lindsey and Joy right behind him furious.

  Jameson seemed surprised to see them so soon, “How did it go?” He asked but he could see it didn’t go well. Lindsey was teary eyed and Joy and Royce were upset and angry. He started the car and drove from the house.

  “Father what did you say to them? Why can’t I go out with her?” Amar pleaded, he thought it was alright, his father said he could date anyone at the school except the black South Africans, “New money, they might not have it in a year and besides who wants to deal with the people who took from the people who took from them?” He’d told him, his father didn’t want to say and they’re black, and that he didn’t want his son dating the people who’d been almost next to slaves not too long ago. “Amar the girl is what…, I don’t know who her father is, it surely is not the man who showed up here tonight!” “But she goes to the same school! You said I could go out with any girl at my school as long as she wasn’t a black South African and she is not father. She is from Spain, she is not South African!” He emphasized in case his father thought that.

  Amar was like most people who grew up with different groups of people. When you see people for who they are and not for the color of their skin it’s hard to pretend color is the most important thing, it just isn’t. “What do you know of this girl? Nothing, you know nothing of her and you want to date her, bring her into our family!” His father said loudly. “I know I like her!” Amar shouted back at him. “Amar this conversation is over, you will not see this girl. End of conversation and that is final, is that clear?” “Yes papa,” Amar knew he had lost and he walked quietly to his room.

  On the ride home they told Lindsey the same thing, “You are not to see this boy Lindsey, I know he’s a friend of yours, but as far as going out…no uh uh, that will not happen,” Joy said still fuming, and she was even more pissed that he’d used her mother’s words against her, make sure he’s worthy Joy, and now Mr. Abdullah used those same words as his measuring stick to invalidate her daughter. “Okay mommy,” Lindsey said sadly, “But his father didn’t like me, is that it, is that why he said no?” And that pierced their hearts like a knife they all felt the sharp pain.

  Jameson was upset now and pursed his lips. Royce wanted to go back and punch Sayeed Abdullah in his fat face and Joy’s heart broke, “Oh come here baby, come here,” she took Lindsey in her arms, “No baby, it wasn’t you, how could he not like you he doesn’t even know you,” she said soothing Lindsey, “He’s a money grubbing…,” and Joy wanted to say asshole, “It’s about money honey and he thinks we don’t make as much as he does, that’s all, okay,” and Lindsey laid her head against her mother’s shoulder. And none of them knew a boy wanting to date a girl would be their undoing.

  And the following week at school Amar had a chaperone. His father sent a man dressed in a white thobe and ghutra to accompany him and to make sure he stayed away from Lindsey, and on the third day of this treatment he managed to get a note to Lindsey. He was coming down the hall throwing a wad of paper like a ball, just throwing it in the air and catching it, his friends watched him coming with his sheik behind him. They stood by the wall as he smiled at them, and then he said, “Incoming Lindsey,” and he tossed the wadded up paper at her, “Will you throw that away for me?” “Oh sure Amar, I’ll throw away your trash,” she teased sarcastically and he laughed, but she saw the glint in his eyes and so did her friends. He kept walking to class and whe
n he disappeared they gathered around her and she opened the paper. “I miss you, I miss you, I miss you…,” was written all over the paper and she melted and her friends sighed.

  No one but Lindsey and Amar knew how they really felt about each other. When she first came to the International School his group, all from different backgrounds and ethnicities was already intact and they welcomed her, like most groups at school they were diverse and they loved it. The school encouraged it saying, “Everyone brings something different to the table, it’s up to you to find out what it is and you can’t find out unless you talk to people.”

  Then one day Amar was going over his debate question. “I’m going to knock them dead I tell you,” he said of his argument and Lindsey who’d only been in the group a short time said, “Not with that argument you’re not,” and he looked at her. “Why not Ms. Lindsey?” He asked bemused, “Well first of all…,” and she told him what his argument lacked and as she spoke Amar looked at her, really looked at her and he saw her beautiful thick curly hair, her eyebrows framing her dark eyes and her lips with just the right amount of plumpness, and he wanted to kiss them, her kissable lips and then after that he paid more attention to her. The way she walked, her long shapely legs and he was smitten, and before long he was always sitting next to her and in the classes they shared he stared at her and before every debate he went to her.

  “Hey Lindsey what do you think of this?” Because she was right the first time he changed his tactic and won, and he was shocked and his father was so proud of him, and he kept winning after he talked it over with her and the next thing everyone knew they were a unit among the group and sometimes Amar would say, “I need to break away and speak with Lindsey it is important she help me with this,” and he and Lindsey would break away to themselves and sit next to each other, and the more they did that the closer they sat until Amar would sit sideways with his legs open and Lindsey would sit cross ways between them their bodies as close together as they could get and they’d eat lunch and study that way and to Amar he’d never met anyone like Lindsey. Her mind fascinated and intrigued him, he was amazed by her, and her beauty, her smooth brown skin, her lips and the depth and mystery in her dark eyes and he longed to see her and talk to her every day, and that was when he asked her about dating, “Lindsey would you consider going out with me some time, if your parents will allow it?” “Sure Amar, I’ll ask okay,” and he was happy, happy until the night her parents came over and his father ran them away.