Sweet Heat

by Zuri Day

  “Thank you, Miss Liz.”

  “I said call me Liz, girl. There’s no need for formalities. As good as those beans taste, and with that Carter-catcher you’re packing? I have a feeling that soon we’ll be like family. Oh, and I brought you these. They’re my daughter’s. Hope they fit.”

  Naomi opened the plastic bag and saw a pair of flat sandals. Smiling, she pulled one out and examined it. “I think they’ll be fine and I think I’m going to need them.”

  “As someone who’s helped prepare more barbecues and parties than I can remember or count, let me tell you something. I know you will.”

  Liz left. Naomi returned to cooking. She tried to dismiss Liz’s compliments and family insinuations. Tried and failed. The longer she was around Marvin and his family, the more she adored them both. The night ended with fireworks, but not the kind that included barbecue sauce as Marvin had promised. Even though he’d cooked all day, Marvin joined his brothers and others to tear everything down. Naomi had to work at nine in the morning. But on the way home she whispered the words that had come to her mind with Marvin’s goodbye kiss.

  I love you.

  25

  The next day Naomi was still on a high from her time with the Carters. With her mind filled with so many great memories, the workday flew by. Even having to ignore a creditor’s harassing calls hadn’t bothered her. Marvin had called a couple times and sent a text, too. She’d texted back that she was at work and would call him later. But once off the clock and in her car, she dialed Kristy first. Her cousin had called several times yesterday, but Naomi hadn’t found out until much later. She hoped Kristy had had a good enough time with Gary that she wouldn’t be too mad.

  “Hey, Tee!”

  “Hey.”

  The lackluster greeting told Naomi that either Kristy hadn’t had a good time yesterday or she was in a bad mood today.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Doesn’t sound like nothing. Are you mad at me?”

  “Why didn’t you call me back?”

  “I’m sorry about that, Tee. You know I helped Marvin at the barbecue yesterday, right? I’d meant to put my phone in my pocket, but we started working literally the minute I got there and stayed so busy that I totally forgot about it until yesterday afternoon. When I finally got my phone and saw you’d called, the party was full-on crazy. I could barely hear myself think. So I thought to call you later, which I’m doing now.”

  No response.

  “Tee, you there?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Why didn’t you and Gary come by?”

  “We ended up not getting together.”

  “What?” Now, Naomi felt bad. The thought of her cousin home alone on a holiday when she’d had so much fun didn’t feel right at all. “What happened?”

  “I got sick.”

  “Again?”

  “What do you mean, again?”

  “Why are you snapping at me? You got sick that first night we ate at the Soul Spot, or don’t you remember? What was it this time? Cramps, a cold, what?”

  “It’s worse than that.”

  “Tee, what’s going on? You’re scaring me.” Naomi knew Kristy had a tendency to not practice safe sex, and didn’t get tested either. “I’m on my way home from work. Do I need to stop by?”

  “You can if you want to.”

  “I’m on my way.”

  Feeling urgency, Naomi weaved in and out of traffic and pushed the boundaries on a few yellow lights. She slowed down when she reached Kristy’s block, though. The kids treated the street as though it was their private playground. Sure enough, there was a bunch of boys who’d set up a makeshift ramp in a driveway and were skateboarding off it and flying through the air, about six feet, Naomi guessed, directly in front of her car. Had she been going forty instead of twenty, had she not known that kids always played in the streets . . .

  She whipped her car into an available space a few houses down, grabbed her purse and a bag from work, yanked open the door and started fussing before her sandal hit the pavement.

  “Boys! What are you doing playing in the street like that? You need to keep that on the sidewalk before you get hit!”

  A slew of smart remarks followed her up the steps. She shook her head and decided to ignore them, did a melodic knock on the door. They were just kids who’d obviously not been properly taught. She knew one of the little boys lived right across the street. Mama may have been looking out the window, ready to curse her out if she said too much, instead of teaching her son and his knucklehead friends about the benefits of safety first. A shard of guilt stabbed her conscience. Naomi had no idea how hard it was to raise a child. Some of her friends were single mothers, and Naomi had seen firsthand how difficult life was for them. Maybe there were lessons that hadn’t been taught and manners that slipped through the cracks. Who was she to judge? The only person she could control was herself, and one thing was for sure. Naomi wasn’t ready to have a child. If and when she allowed Marvin to shed the raincoats, she’d get back on the pill or take a shot. She glanced back as other kids joined the ones in the street. Maybe I’ll do both.

  What is taking Tee so long? Naomi knocked again and then pulled out her phone. She was just about to text Kristy when the door opened.

  “Auntie Leese! I didn’t expect to see you.” Naomi stepped in and hugged Kristy’s mom, Lisa. “Are you on vacation?”

  “Had to take care of some business at the DMV. Why are you so happy?”

  “Is happiness against the law around here?” Naomi crossed over to a table that held a bowl of candy. Unwrapping a piece, she turned around. “That was a joke, Auntie.”

  “Kristy’s upstairs.”

  Naomi started for the stairs, then stopped and turned. Still wrapped up in yesterday’s thrill and preoccupied with the boys she’d scolded and the mothers she’d judged, Naomi hadn’t paid much attention when Lisa opened the door. Now that she did, Naomi’s own mood shifted.

  “You alright, Auntie?”

  “Just tired. Go on up.”

  “Is Tee all right?”

  “Go ask her.”

  Naomi had barely knocked on Kristy’s bedroom door before it was yanked open. “It’s about time.”

  “No, you didn’t say that. I broke a couple laws to get here when I did.” She followed her cousin inside, watched as Kristy plopped on her bed against a slew of pillows.

  “I called your butt a half dozen times yesterday.”

  “You knew I was doing the barbecue. You should have just come over.”

  “I already told you! I was—”

  “Sick, I get it.” Naomi sat on the bed, too, noticed an extra-large soda on the nightstand along with cheese and crackers. “Do you feel better now?”

  “Kinda, but not really.”

  Naomi’s eyes narrowed as she studied her cousin. She’d been so caught up in the episode of her escapades that she hadn’t considered Kristy’s at all. “Since you weren’t feeling good, why’d you keep calling me?”

  “Maybe I wanted you to come over and play doctor.”

  Naomi laughed. “Those days are long gone. Funny you should mention that though, since for some reason parts of yesterday took me down memory lane. I thought about my exes, including Rodney. I think he’s the man who I played doctor with, probably the first one. And what was his friend’s name? The fat boy we called Red, who had all those freckles?”

  Naomi watched Kristy produce a hint of a smile. “Mike.”

  “Mike! Oh my God, remember how when we told him where babies came from he broke down crying!”

  Kristy laughed. “He didn’t want to believe his whole body had been pushed out of a hoohaw.”

  “I hope we didn’t traumatize that poor boy for life.”

  “He’s probably somewhere practicing gynecology.” She reached for her drink, mumbling something else before taking a sip.

  “What’d you say?” Naomi asked, still laughing as she felt her phone vibr
ating.

  “I said I could probably use him.”

  “Time for that pap, girl?” She pulled out her phone and checked the face. It was Marvin.

  “No. It’s time to confirm whether or not I’m really pregnant.”

  Phone call forgotten, Naomi couldn’t move. When she did it was to turn fully toward her cousin. “You’re not playing.”

  “No, this isn’t playing doctors, part two. I didn’t tell anybody, but I haven’t been feeling good for about a month. Threw up a few times, but it wasn’t every day. And sometimes it was more like a gag reflex than actually throwing up. So when it happened I always thought it was either a virus, the stomach flu, some digestive problem, or food poisoning.”

  Naomi’s phone vibrated again. “Hold on, cousin.” She answered the phone. “Hey, Marvin, I’m going to have to call you back.”

  She hung up without waiting for an answer, and put the phone away. “Sorry, Tee. Go on.”

  “Last week my period didn’t come and you know I’m like clockwork. I still didn’t want to believe it. But yesterday I was really sick. Really throwing up. Couldn’t keep anything on my stomach. Mom heard me tell Gary not to come by, that I wasn’t going to go anywhere. She asked me what was wrong. I told her. She asked if I was pregnant and honestly, that thought never crossed my mind. She went to a picnic somewhere and came home with a pregnancy test. It showed positive. I didn’t believe it. So this morning I went out and got another one. Same thing. So now . . . I’m pretty sure this is morning sickness and Gary is about to be a daddy.”

  “Oh my goodness, Kristy. Y’all just started dating! Does he know?”

  “Not yet. I want to get an official result before telling him.”

  “How do you feel? Are you ready for kids?”

  Kristy looked over. Naomi watched a myriad of emotions play across her face. “Doesn’t matter whether I’m ready for a kid, because one is obviously ready for me.”

  Naomi’s phone rang for the third time in as many minutes. “Man, if that’s Marvin again . . .”

  “Go ahead and answer it. I have to use the bathroom anyway.”

  “Hey, Marvin,” Naomi answered, concern filling her eyes as she watched Kristy lumber off the bed and head down the hall. During that time Marvin was talking but she hadn’t heard a word.

  She pressed the speaker button. “I’m sorry, Marvin. What did you say?”

  “I asked if you were on your way.”

  “On my way where?”

  A pause and then, “Have you checked your messages?”

  “Not lately, why?”

  “Because Sean called an emergency meeting.”

  “For what?”

  “Listen to your messages, Naomi. I’ll see you when you get here. Oh, and it’s not at the convention center. We’re at Gower Studios on Sunset. I’ll text the address.”

  “That’s okay. I’ll GPS it from online.”

  Frowning, Naomi quickly checked her phone log, then pressed the voicemail icon and put the phone to her ear. She had seven new messages. Five were from the number she’d seen at work but hadn’t recognized, the one she assumed was a forgotten creditor. Turns out that number was to a phone in the show producer’s office.

  New message.

  “Uh, hello, Naomi. This is Sean Owens, one of the producers for Food Truck Bucks. Could you give me a call when you get this message? I have a quick question. Thanks.”

  New message.

  “Hello, Naomi, this is Tracy Boyd with Food Truck Bucks. We really need to talk to you, so if you can call as soon as you get this message, we’d really appreciate it.”

  New message.

  Kristy returned to the room “Who’s that?” she asked.

  Naomi stood, held up a finger and continued to listen.

  “Naomi, Tracy again. Listen, sorry to bother you but we have a time-sensitive issue to discuss with you and are trying to schedule a time to meet. Please call back.”

  Naomi placed the phone in her purse and secured its strap over her shoulder. “That was the producers from the show. They called earlier from a number I didn’t recognize. I thought it was a bill collector and didn’t check messages.”

  “What do they want?”

  “I don’t know, but it must involve all the contestants because Marvin is already down there. I hate to leave you like this . . .”

  Kristy walked over to give her a hug. “Go on and handle your business, cousin. I’ll be alright.”

  “If you want me to, I can come back.”

  “Wait until after my appointment with an ob-gyn. If their results match the other two sticks, I’ll really need you then.”

  Naomi left her cousin’s house, heading toward downtown LA. She couldn’t imagine what was so important that they’d called a meeting the day after a holiday and four days before the last challenge. She speculated, but couldn’t think of a positive reason. So she turned on the music and did what Nana would have suggested had she been in the car.

  Relax, child. Don’t raise your pressure.

  26

  Unless they lived in Hollywood, Los Angeles natives rarely went there. Naomi hadn’t been down there in years. Even though her mind was preoccupied with why they were meeting, she drove down Sunset and couldn’t help but notice how much Hollywood had changed. Much like those whose dreams lived or died here, the place had gotten another facelift, and this time it looked as though the city had gone all out. Imperfections were shielded with shiny glass and bright neon. Gower Street was much more subdued, the streets almost devoid of human life. She turned into what appeared to be an entrance and up to a manned gate. She introduced herself, told the guard why she was there, and soon was given a pass and directed to a specific building on the huge production lot. Naomi couldn’t understand why, but the closer she got to the building he’d indicated, the more nervous she became.

  Seconds after finding the building, then the room, and opening the door, the nerves made sense. Sean, Tracy, a production assistant, and a couple other people, were seated around a round conference table. Marvin was there, too, the only contestant in the room. No one was smiling. The palpable tension stopped her better than a wall could do.

  “Come on in, Naomi. Have a seat.”

  “Sorry I didn’t get your message. When I didn’t recognize the caller, I thought it was a solicitor or scam.” She looked over at Marvin. “Hi.”

  “Hi.”

  Hi. No smile. No Juicy. Not good.

  “What is this about?”

  Sean and Tracy looked at each other. Tracy placed her arms on the table and leaned forward. “First of all, guys, thanks for coming. I know it was an inconvenience, especially since we didn’t care to elaborate the reason for meeting over the phone. Even in person it will be rather uncomfortable because an accusation has been levied against the two of you and this meeting was called to try and get to the bottom of what’s going on.”

  “Accusations about what?” Marvin asked.

  “By whom?” Naomi demanded.

  Sean sat up. “Okay, let’s stay calm here.”

  “I am calm,” Marvin said, from the same laid-back position he was in when Naomi entered the room.

  “You okay, Naomi?” Sean asked.

  “I don’t know yet. It depends on what you tell me.”

  Tracy laced her fingers together, rested her hands on the table. “Someone or ones believe that there is some type of collusion going on between the two of you, either to gain an advantage or to help the other out so that at least one of you goes as far as you can.”

  Naomi sat back in the chair, crossed her arms, and looked out of the window. Marvin didn’t move. A couple producers shifted in their seats. The silence screamed.

  “Do either of you want to comment on the allegation?”

  “Who said it?” Marvin asked.

  “We’d rather not say at this time.”

  “That’s not fair. They’ve identified us and had enough nerve to go to you with whatever story they told you.
It’s only right that we know who our accusers are.”

  “In this part of the process,” Sean began, “we’re just trying to get your side of the story. If this turns into something more, something serious that could lead to your being put off the show, then the names of the accusing party would come into play.”

  “It was probably Jeremy,” Naomi said. “That I was saved from elimination last week drove him crazy. I thought the boy was going to combust right there. Either him or . . .”

  Naomi felt Marvin nudge her with his foot. “Never mind.”

  The room fell quiet again.

  After what felt like an eternity but was less than a few seconds, Sean continued. “Are you two dating? Let’s start there.”

  “Is there a rule that says we can’t date?” Naomi asked. “Because there were a lot of pages to the document we had to sign, but I don’t remember seeing anything about relationships in there.”

  “To answer your question, Naomi, while it is discouraged, there are no clear rules that forbid two contestants from becoming romantically involved. However, it is against the rules for two contestants to form a team, if you will, in order to improve the other’s chance of winning.”

  “Or to share information that would somehow give either of you an advantage,” Sean added.

  “The only advantage Marvin and I have is that we can cook,” Naomi said, clearly defensive. “We’re not colluding, sharing, cheating, none of that. And even if we did share something, say a recipe or cooking technique or whatever, how would that help us in a challenge? We’re either cooking with a team—where we’re all sharing—or we’re making our own dish at our individual stations. Alone. Where it is against the rules to go over and help somebody else?” She sat back and shook her head. “This is stupid.”

  Tracy leveled a stare at Naomi. “So you’re admitting that the two of you have shared recipes and cooking techniques?”

  “No! I’m not admitting that. Those were examples.”

  “Marvin is a trained, professional cook, while your experience is that of a home cook. And you have done very well in this competition, Naomi. It would be understandable if you have asked Marvin for advice or he offered to help you out because, as he said, the two of you get along so well.”