Opening the Door

by Michael Roberts

  After a second “I’m waiting for your promise. You know I will have to stay here all day if I don’t get it.”

  “What about your going to work? I don’t think Beverly would like the idea of you missing your time there because you think you have to baby sit me.”

  “Don’t care. You are what’s important. Accounts can wait. Do I need to call Beverly to tell her I’m not coming in?”

  She looked away like she does to hide her emotions and finally said “Okay, you win.”

  I slowly got my creaking body out of the chair and began to make myself presentable for the office. I wonder if I will be this sore when I am old and gray.

  After I told her that someone had broken into Ann’s place Beverly let me leave early. I went to U-Haul for boxes and strapping tape then headed home. True to her word Ann was still at my place and stretching to some Yoga video she had once tried to get me interested in.

  The plan, as I explained to Ann, was that we box up all her stuff she didn’t absolutely need and stack everything in one room at her place. Everything else was coming over to my place and we would find somewhere to store it until we moved.

  Ann was dubious. No one wants to lose their home. It is the one place you should be able to feel safe.

  But how could I feel all right over here, across the street, when all I would be able to do was worry about her?

  She was partially reassured when I told her that I found a place to buy and that this current situation should only be for a couple of weeks until the deal was done. We could plan to move around the first weekend of November. That would answer a lot of our problems. I hoped.

  We managed to box most of the stuff before I had to go to class. I verified that Rico and Phil were going to be here on time. I think I am beginning to annoy them a little, but they are good sports. Also I definitely owe them for this.

  By the time class was over and I got back the boys had brought everything that we needed over to my place. Ann had even put her things away, as much as possible. ‘Damn this duplex is crowded.’ Ann is not happy but she seems to accept that this is needed. On Saturday we are going to look at the places I’ve picked out to buy. I want her opinion on a couple of things. This will also help keep her mind off what’s going on, at least as much as possible.

  * * *

  Ann was scared. Pure and simple. All of this reminded her of things from her past that she was trying to get away from. She knew Sarah was doing everything she could to protect her, but also knew she had to protect herself. Ann realized she had to play down this fear as much as possible so Sarah didn’t freak out even more. It was strange to have someone who truly cared about her like Sarah did. But when she was being protective it could be a bit over whelming, not to mention more than a little scary. On the other hand, it was infinitely better to have Sarah on your side then against you.

  * * *

  When I got home from class Friday night I waited until Ann got off work. Maybe I am going slightly overboard looking out for her but I don’t know how to scale it back. The term ‘moderation’ is not in my vocabulary. Phil is working at the club with her tonight and Rico tomorrow so I am not worried about that. When she got in I told her I was ‘Just studying’. Of course she called “B.S.”. Of course she was right.

  On Saturday we met the realty lady Beverly recommended. She showed us the properties I wanted to buy. They were just North of Hilton Village in Newport News. The first one is a nice place I intend to rent out. The realtor assured me that the average rent for this type of house is at least $1,200 a month. That was like having the rent from two duplex units.

  The one I intend to live in is around the block on Elm Avenue. You can almost see the other place from here, almost. This one has two master bedrooms, each with a small private bath. There is also a smaller bedroom that I mentally dubbed ‘my office’ and huge den. A wide open floor plan with a really nice ‘eat in’ kitchen, complete with granite counter tops.

  There is even a bath in the hall for company to use. It has a small attached garage, the type most people usually use for junk storage or a spare car. There is also another extra-large detached two car garage on the back of the property. The kind of place the old folks liked to call a “car house”. That is an important feature to me. I have plans that need somewhere like that.

  I didn’t listen to the realtor as she went on about what a great deal these houses are. The housing industry was starting to recover from the latest stock recession but the upswing hasn’t reached here yet. Blah, blah, blah. Ann was walking around slowly. I gave her space to come to a decision.

  She indicated for me to follow her to one of the bedrooms so we could talk in privacy. I excused myself from the realtor and followed her.

  “What does she want for this house?” I could see her almost chewing on her lower lip.

  “That’s not the problem. I can afford this place as soon as the other units sell. I plan to buy the other one also and rent it out. I am going to keep this one to live in, if you think it’s a good place.”

  “Sarah, that’s really up to you.”

  “I know trailers, you know houses. I think it is good but it is important for you to like it too.”

  “Why?” Now her curiosity and suspicions are coming to the fore front.

  Time to broach the subject and see what she thinks.

  “I am going to give you the option of renting the other place, for the same amount you pay now. Or move in with me over here, and pay a little less plus not having to worry about utilities. It is up to you.” Holding my breath now, just waiting to see what she wants to do. I know what I want her to do but it is up to her entirely.

  “You’re serious?” Now she is looking blankly at me. Not sure what she is thinking. “Can you afford that? These places are not cheap.” Good, I can tell she’s accepting things. I know that at least one of my scenarios will be chosen. But which one? She is still playing around with stuff in her head.

  “What are you going to do with the garage attached to the house?”

  “Junk storage I guess. Unless you have a better plan. I am going to try and rent the garage out back to someone we both know and love.” She did one of those raised eyebrow type of nonverbal questions. I told her my idea and I could feel it clinching the deal.

  “Which bedroom do I get?”

  We went back to the kitchen to talk terms with the realtor. It helps that I would be able to authorize a fund transfer and not worry about getting a bank loan. I also made the realtor a side offer that if she could have the owners of the two houses reduce their asking price for a combined total of $10,000 I would pay her an extra bonus of $1,000 on the side. I could see a shark like gleam in her eyes.

  I like dealing with Beverly’s friends. We seem to understand each other so well.

  I gave Mr. Wendell’s name as my realty lawyer. They knew each other, no surprise there. Next I simply needed to contact him about my request for having the stand alone garage and area immediately surrounding it zoned as commercial. I wanted it legally separated from the house. Ann didn’t need to know about this part.

  Saturday night’s class was over early so I went to the club where Ann was working. When Rico is at the door there is never any problem for me to get in. There was a new guy with him though who acted a little miffed that I would just walk up there to by-pass the line and not show ID. I know that’s his job and can’t hold it against him. So I waited while Rico explained that I was his sister and here to see one of the dancers.

  The new guy was slightly mollified but didn’t say anything. I know he wasn’t pleased. I must be mellowing in my outlooks on life. Not so long ago I would have been happy over his discomfort, but now it didn’t matter to me.

  I walked over to him and stuck out my hand. “Hey guy, my name is Sarah. Sorry if I caused you any problem. I guess I am used to knowing everybody who works here and took thi
ngs for granted.”

  He was surprised but returned the handshake with a firm touch. He introduced himself as “Roland”. His hands displayed the callouses of someone who does a lot of daily physical work. Definitely not an office employee. The muscles in his arms are not the type you get from a gym, but from lifting and moving heavy things all day. All together not a bad package, not a bad package at all.

  “That’s not a problem. I’m glad to meet you, I just wish your brother had warned me to expect you is all.”

  “Warned you? Don’t tell me I’m that intimidating.”

  He grinned. Nice teeth.

  “I need to go see Ann for a few. See you guys on the way out.” I have way too much on my plate to think about adding another guy to the mix right now. But if I did then this is someone who has potential.

  Ann was finishing a set so I stayed in the back of the room to watch. The way she works here is much different than at the ‘private parties’ that her company books for her. She also wears more clothing.

  Suddenly I saw them. Jeffrey and Allen were sitting with a bunch of other service guys at a table near the front. They were laughing, making cat calls and waving dollar bills at the girls on stage. Especially at one girl in particular. Bastards.

  I was concentrating on them so much that I didn’t even feel Roland come up beside me until he asked if anything was wrong.

  “Why would anything be wrong?”

  “Because you look like you are going to start a fight.”

  “The thought of beating some people senseless with a chair did cross my mind. But Rico and Ann are working here so I have to behave.”

  “I’ll bet you don’t always behave do you?” Damn, even his voice sounds good. “Why those guys?”

  I explained that we had been dating them for a couple of weeks before Ann told them what she did for a living. After that they didn’t want anything else to do with us.

  “I guess we weren’t good enough for them then. Seems like Ann is good enough for them now.” I could hear my voice starting to tremble.

  “Rico said you were a little hard-core. Seems he was right. Why don’t you go back and see the dancers, it might make Ann feel better having you back there with her.”

  Not only is he good looking but has some common sense as well.

  When I got in the back room Ann was holding a bottle of water and staring into a mirror. I made sure she knew I was there before I talked to her. “Hey sis, how’s it going?”

  “You saw them out there so you know how it’s going.” Venom dripping from her every word.

  “I thought maybe we could invite them home. Castrate them. Then send out for some Chinese. Unless you have a better idea?”

  “Sarah, you have no idea how tired I am of all this shit. Do you think I like having strange men groping me while trying to stick money in my garter? Just so they can try to cop a cheap feel while they are doing it?”

  “Why do you do it?” This is something I had never asked her before.

  “Money mostly. Also when I am dancing and really letting loose is the only time I feel I am totally free and in complete control of my body. I get like that sometimes when I am working out too, but mostly when I am dancing.”

  She turned to look at me. “Stupid hunh?”

  “No, it’s not.” I can hear the noise coming from the other room and all of the cat calls and music. “For me the only time I am in complete control is when I am working some kind of an angle or a scheme. That is the only time I don’t feel stupid or weak.”

  I hadn’t realized where I was going when I started talking but the words kept flowing. “All my life people have looked down on me as nothing more than TPT. Do you know what that is?” She silently shook her head. “Trailer Park Trash, mostly they have been right. Now I own things and am getting some more, including an education. I have a job I like and not one where people are rude to me because they want someone to look down on. But most importantly I have people like you and Rico with me.”

  She’s was silent. “Someday I will tell you about everything I have done. But not today. Right now my question is this. Do you want to get out of here now, or after I kill those assholes?”

  Finally I got a smile out of her.

  “I got one more set then we can leave. Rico gave me a ride up here. Can I catch a ride back with you?” Then she adjusted her outfit and went back onstage to dance with the music, but now I know she is dancing for herself and not for anyone else.

  When she was done and had her things together we went out front to say good-bye to Rico. Roland was out there also so I made small talk with him. Damn he’s cute. They both had smug grins on their faces. They simply said to be safe and drive slowly on the way home. We wondered why.

  We had driven one block when we saw Jeffrey’s car pulled over on the side of the road. One of Hampton’s finest appeared to be giving him a field sobriety test. I knew in my bones he was going to fail. Must be my feminine intuition.

  We were smiling as we went slowly cruising past.

  Ann said “Somebody deserves something special baked for him.”

  “They both do.”

  When I saw Sally at school I made it a point to smile and talk to her. I think she is embarrassed about how things ended between us. Good, she should be.

  I wanted to say something about the boys, but first things first.

  “Hey girl. How’s Crystal doing?” It never hurts to ask a mom about her baby.

  “She’s fine but I think she misses you guys.”

  “I miss her too. She’s a cute baby.” Nothing there but the truth.

  “How you been holding up?”

  Our small talk went like that for a while. Finally I worked the conversation to where I wanted it.

  “I saw Jeffrey and Allen pulled over for a DUI the other night.”

  “God yes! The CO is furious. This will probably cost them their next promotion.”

  “Glad to hear it.”

  She just stared at me.

  “Did they tell you what they were doing just before it happened?”

  “I guess having a few drinks at a friend’s house and watching a game.”

  “Not exactly. There was a bunch of them at the club where Ann was dancing. They sat up front waving dollar bills at her and yelling out rude remarks. I overheard them bragging how they had both ‘Hit that thing.’” I could see her eyes get wider. “I am here to tell you right now that neither one of them ever got that close to either one of us.”

  “I’m sorry.” Hearing that from her was a surprise.

  “It’s cool. You weren’t the one doing it.”

  “I know but I am sorry for the way we reacted to her being a dancer. Sometimes I get caught up in things and …well. There’s just no excuse.”

  Damn, this was not what I had expected.

  “We’re cool girl. Class is getting ready to start in a couple. Give my regards to Ben and Crystal for me.”

  “Why not do it yourself? Our last cook out of the season is this Saturday and we would love to have both of you come by for it. I know Crystal would like to see you too.”

  “Are those two going to be there?”

  “They are never coming in my house again.”

  “We’ll be there.”

  The next Saturday Ann insisted on baking something to bring over. Its strange living in a house that always smells like something freshly baked. Usually I am the ‘Take Out Queen’. This is one of my supposedly bad habits that Ann is trying to break me of. Today she made some kind of crusty/flakey pastry things with icing that tasted as good as they smelled. For some unknown reason whenever she bakes something now she hides it. It is like her concoctions are on lock down in a maximum security prison.

  She simply doesn’t trust me around anything sweet. Maybe she has a point.

  Ben, and
Sally holding Crystal, met us at the door when we got there. All three of them were happy to see us, especially the baby. Sally said she had been cranky all day but when I reached out to hold her she smiled. Even Ann can’t get that response from her.

  Everyone had a good time with the usual burgers and dogs. After all what else do you have for a cook out? We had to leave way too soon, but school and work wait for no one. I hated giving the baby back to her parents. I think we’re definitely bonding. I repeated again that if they needed a sitter sometime that I would be glad to step up. Things like that are appreciated by parents. Even the best mothers need a break sometimes.

  Sunday started pretty good. A bunch of Ann’s friends decided to get together at Gosnolds Park for a wiener roast and a flag football game. I was going to make egg salad but Ann said that maybe some chips would do instead. There was lots of beer and laughing. It’s funny how they always seem to go together.

  Rico, Roland and Phil were all on the same football team so it was easy to see who we were cheering for. The weather was turning chilly so they kept their shirts on. My suggestion of having the guys strip down to just shorts and have their bodies glistening with scented oil was not well received by the guys. However I could tell that some of the women were beginning to think about it. Especially after a few beers. Maybe more than a few actually.

  That’s when I saw her.

  The same blond bitch who was hitting on my man last Christmas. I could feel my face harden. The others could tell something was wrong.

  Marie wanted to know what was going on.

  Ann tried to steer me away from the blond but I wasn’t going to walk away this time. I slid off the jean jacket I was wearing and flexed my arms. This was unfinished business that was long overdue. Several of the other women had been told what happened and were giving her evil glances. Blondie had about two inches and maybe twenty pounds on me, mostly boobs. But I was willing to bet her last fight had consisted of being pushed down on the playground in the second grade.

  Marie didn’t have a clue what was wrong but was trying to hold me back.

  I remember thinking that Rico definitely had a keeper here. When she asked what was going on I didn’t trust myself to answer. I said to Ann “Tell her.”