Wednesday at Noon

by Teneka Woods

Tora took her plate and drink over to the living room sofa and sat down. She browsed the list of her recorded TV shows and settled on Real Housewives of Atlanta.

  She and Nate chatted a few more minutes, and as soon as the call ended she wished she was at his apartment, curled up next to him on the sofa.

  Mink’s sharp hiss took her attention away from the television screen to see the cat violently paw at Silk’s face. Silk was only trying to claim his territory across Tora’s lap when Mink pushed him away. The exchange made Tora laugh.

  It was the first time Mink had ever been so protective of her.

  FORTY-THREE

  Nate pulled into the driveway next to Jamal’s car and parked. The garage door was up, but he still walked around to the front door and rang the bell. It had been a while since he hung out with his boys, and he decided to stop by Jamal’s place for a visit.

  Jamal answered the door wearing gray sweatpants and an old faded Sam Houston State University T-shirt that was no doubt from his college days and when he was about twenty pounds lighter. For years Nate had tried convincing his friend to meet him in the gym, but whereas Nate was gung ho about health and working out his body, Jamal would rather work out his mind. Which was why Nate wasn’t surprised to see a book in Jamal’s hand, his thumb as a place holder between the pages at the midway point.

  “What’s up, man?” Jamal said, and they leaned in for the ceremonial brotherly hug.

  “What’s up with you?” Nate followed him inside.

  “Chillin’,” Jamal said. “Just chillin’.”

  Nate sat on the couch behind the ottoman littered with books and journals. The TV was on a sports channel, but the volume was low. Nate said, “It’s a beautiful day outside. I thought you, Kev, and Chauncey would’ve been out and about somewhere.”

  “Naw, man. I haven’t even talked to those fools today.” He tossed the book on the ottoman and picked up the television remote. “Chauncey had us meet him at this place Thursday night—someplace on 1960—called Whiskey River.”

  “Was it live?”

  “Kevin liked it, but it wasn’t my type of spot at all. The crowd was too young and not black enough.”

  Nate chuckled. “You know how Chauncey is… as long as there are women in the building he’s in heaven.”

  “As usual, he left us early with a new chick on his arm.” Jamal shook his head. “I can’t do it, man. I can’t be laying up with a new chick every other week.”

  “Hey… that’s a dream for a lot of guys.”

  “Anyway…” Jamal said. “I’m surprised you’re out today and not somewhere training somebody.”

  “Naw, not today. And Tora had to work…. I didn’t wanna stay in the apartment all day.”

  “Tora? Is that the same girl from—”

  “Bombshells? Yeah.”

  “Oh. So y’all are still hanging out?”

  “She’s my lady.”

  Jamal looked at him. “For real?”

  “Yep.”

  “You just couldn’t resist, huh?” Jamal laughed.

  “Couldn’t resist.”

  “Whatever happened with her man though?”

  “He wasn’t her man. That was some crazy dude she met who wouldn’t leave her alone.”

  “I admit I’m kind of jealous.”

  Nate laughed.

  “She got any sisters?”

  “Naw. She’s the only child.”

  “Damn.”

  Nate laughed again.

  “I’m hopeful I’ll meet my queen before the end of the year. I definitely don’t wanna be thirty-four and still single. I thought I would have a couple little Jamals running around here by now.”

  “Yeah, I always felt like you would be the first one to get married out of all of us.”

  “Wouldn’t it be some shit if Chauncey is the one?”

  “Wouldn’t it? And the chick will probably propose to his ass.”

  “Exactly,” Jamal said. “It’s crazy.”

  Nate remained at Jamal’s house long enough to watch Denzel Washington whoop everyone’s ass in The Equalizer. He left when the time neared that Tora would be getting off work in order to be home when she made it there.

  FORTY-FOUR

  “Geez, babe… what’d you do? Put on the whole bottle?”

  “What?” Nate said, settling into the driver’s seat and buckling his seat belt.

  “Your cologne,” Tora said.

  “I did only two squirts as I always do. Why?”

  “It smells like you did way more than just two.”

  “I thought you liked my cologne,” he said.

  “I do. It’s just really strong today,” she said.

  He put the SUV in Reverse and pulled out of the parking space. “This morning you accused me of using strange seasonings while I was cooking breakfast. What’s up with your nose right now, babe?”

  This made her laugh, and she pressed the button on her door to crack the window even though he had the A/C on. “Maybe this is a sign that I don’t need to be going to your mom’s house.”

  “Aww, c’mon,” he chuckled, and looked over at her. “I knew you were gonna say that.”

  “I could’ve stayed at the apartment while you went to have dinner with your family. I wouldn’t’ve minded it at all.”

  “T, I already told you. We have dinner at my mama’s house every Sunday. Every Sunday. Like… without question. It’s what we do. My brothers have their wives there with them, and since you’re my lady now, I want you there too.”

  She sighed and looked out of the window. “There’s no room for me at Mrs. Walker’s table.” She meant it in more ways than one, but didn’t bother voicing it.

  “That’s not true,” he said. “We’ll pull a chair from the rec room like we did last time. Besides, my sister and her kids’ father won’t be there today, so—”

  Tora switched the channel on the radio from 97.9 to 102.1. “Still, I’d rather stay home,” she said.

  He looked over at her. “You serious, babe?” He rested his hand on her thigh. “Don’t let my mom get to you, for real. And trust me when I say you’re not going through anything anybody else hasn’t gone through. It just takes her a while to warm up to people.”

  Tora sucked her teeth. “Who wants to deal with that type of snooty attitude though? I sure as hell don’t.”

  He chuckled. “I’m sorry, babe, but Pop told me she cooked pork steaks today. I can’t miss that.” He smiled at her and she rolled her eyes, but not without offering him a smile in return.

  “Good lord, I can smell it all the way out here,” Nate said as they approached his parents’ front door.

  “It does smell good,” Tora admitted. Nate unlocked the door with his key and stepped back to allow her to enter ahead of him.

  “I know Mama is gonna have something to say because we’re a little late,” Nate said.

  “And you better tell the truth, too. It had nothing to do with me.”

  He chuckled and patted her backside. “It’s ESPN’s fault.”

  His sisters-in-law, Sharday and Evelyn, were seated in the living room watching a movie, while his nephew, Evan, pushed a toy truck around the coffee table. Tora loved how Nate greeted his family with hugs and kisses every time he saw them.

  The ladies acknowledged her with a smile and friendly hello as they had done on the few other occasions she visited. Tora appreciated how they made her feel welcomed considering Mrs. Walker was their mother-in-law.

  Nate said, “Don’t tell me y’all ate dinner already.” He glanced at a nearby clock. “I know I’m not that late.”

  Evelyn laughed. “Actually, we just finished about five minutes before you walked in here. We came over a little early.”

  Sharday said, “And we all agreed this will be the Sunday we don’t wait for you to get here before we start eating. Everybody was too hungry.”

  “Ohh… it’s like that, huh?” Nate laughed, and shook his head.

  “Even Melody is done, and sh
e’s normally the last one at the table.”

  “Y’all are so wrong. I hope there’s something left for us.”

  “We decided to wait until you get here and eat before we made our to-go plates,” Sharday said. “It’s the least we could do.”

  “Well, I’m glad to know my family is considerate,” Nate said with an air of sarcasm.

  They laughed.

  He led Tora to the rec room so they could say their hellos to the rest of the Walker clan.

  “Where’s Mama?” Nate asked his dad after he greeted him and his brothers.

  Tora couldn’t get over how handsome all of them were. And to see them together, side-by-side, in a room was overload on a woman’s senses.

  “She went to the hospital to be with Sunny and Levi,” his father told him. “She’s getting released today. Vicki’s been gone for about an hour or so.”

  Nate nodded. “Are they coming back here?”

  “I’m not sure. I doubt it, son. I would think Sunny might want to go home and get some rest.”

  “You’re probably right,” Nate said.

  “They’re keeping the baby in the hospital though,” Gerald said.

  “Why? What’s wrong?”

  “She’s still not eating very much, so… they want to keep an eye on her.”

  Nate reached for Tora’s hand. “We’re gonna go ahead and eat. Evelyn told me y’all decided not to wait for me today.”

  All three of them blushed with guilt.

  Gerald said, “You know if your mother was here she would’ve made us wait for you, so we took it upon ourselves to make an executive decision in her absence. The food was getting cold, son.”

  “I’m telling Mama!” he said, and Tora joined in on the laughter.

  She and Nate had the dining room to themselves. In the center of the table was the mouth-watering Sunday meal: smothered pork steaks, garlic mashed potatoes, cabbage, corn on the cob, and a basket of dinner rolls. Tora was surprised to see neither of the apple pies had been sliced.

  “I can’t believe your mom cooks like this every week. No offense, babe, but she seems like the type that couldn’t be bothered with getting her nails dirty.”

  Nate gave her a sideways look.

  She laughed and kissed his cheek.

  “I’m not gonna let you continue talking about my mama like that,” he said.

  “You know it’s true,” she smiled.

  While they ate Tora stared out of the floor-to-ceiling windows, which lent a glorious view of the front yard and all the Italian Cypress trees. A squirrel hopped over to the window, its head jutting left and right, trying to peek inside. Tora giggled when it stood on its hind legs.

  “You ever wonder why squirrels are so mechanical in their movements?”

  “What?” Nate said. He was busy dipping his dinner roll in his mashed potatoes.

  “Why they move like robots?”

  “Naw, babe. I can’t say I’ve ever really thought about it. Only you would wonder about something like that.”

  Tora scraped the thick layer of gravy off her meat portion. “I’m glad Mrs. Walker isn’t here to see me do this,” she said. Her voice lowered a notch. “I don’t care for the gravy.”

  “What?” Nate studied her.

  “It’s too thick.”

  “That’s that forty-weight gravy, girl! What’re you talking about? It’s the best!”

  She scrunched her nose and giggled. “It’s not for me.”

  “You trippin’.”

  “If you say so.”

  “I forget you’re from up north. Y’all don’t know how to eat.”

  “Please,” she rolled her eyes. “We’re not about to start this ‘the north versus the south’ bullshit.”

  “You better stop cussing at my mama’s table.”

  “Shit… you’re right,” she laughed.

  Nate leaned over to give her a kiss. Tora forced him to linger as she tugged playfully at his mouth, sucking pork steak grease from his bottom lip.

  “Damn. Y’all need to get a room.”

  They pulled away from each other and looked up to see Levi standing on the opposite side of the table.

  “Hi,” Tora said, and returned to her food, grateful it was just him who’d caught them tongue kissing at the family table instead of Nate’s father, or worse, Mrs. Walker herself.

  Levi held an empty plate in one hand as he lifted the tops on the serving dishes with the other. “I’m trying to see what Mama got for us today.”

  Nate watched him, chewing slowly on the piece of bread he’d just placed in his mouth. “I thought you were at the hospital with Sunny. Isn’t she coming home today?” he said.

  “She is,” Levi said. He placed two pork steaks on the plate, followed by a huge heap of potatoes.

  Tora was waiting for her chance at a second helping of the mashed potatoes. They were so smooth and buttery and downright good.

  “So, why you not at the hospital with her?” Nate said.

  “She made cabbage, too? Hell yeah. I love cabbage, and it’s been a while since she cooked some.” Levi set down his plate and, with a serving spoon, adjusted the meat and potatoes on his plate to make room for cabbage. He piled on a serving big enough for three people. Licking a finger, and returning the top over the bowl of cabbage—of which he left the serving spoon inside—he said, “I came to get me a hot plate.”

  Tora watched Nate watching him. Levi picked up his plate and moved on to the dish of corn. He shook his head and returned the top, deciding on two dinner rolls instead.

  “My sister’s coming home from the hospital today after having your baby, and all you’re worried about is getting a hot meal? Dude, are you serious right now?”

  Nate’s got a point, Tora thought, raising the corn cob to her mouth.

  Levi paused to look squarely at Nate. His forehead crinkled. “Yeah. What’s the problem?”

  “The problem is you’re supposed to be there to help her. To give her a safe ride home. Y’know… what a man is supposed to do for his woman. Oh, but I forget… you’re only concerned about yourself.”

  “What?” Levi said.

  “You heard me,” Nate said.

  Levi spread his arms wide, the plate still in his left hand. “Dude, what’s your issue with me?”

  “After everything my sister does for you? All the shit you put her through? You can’t be there when she needs you most?”

  “You don’t know what the fuck I do with my wife, okay?”

  “I know a lot more than you think, homeboy.”

  Tora put a hand on Nate’s thigh, willing him to let his brother-in-law be.

  “Motherfucker, if you got some shit you wanna get off your chest, why don’t you just say it?”

  Nate put down his fork. “My sister busts her ass every day to take care of you and this is the thanks she gets? Stressing over how she’s gonna save your ass after you gambled her money away…”

  “Nate—” Tora pleaded, but he pushed back from the table and slowly got up, heading towards the other side.

  “What goes on in my household ain’t your fucking business, son.”

  “If it wasn’t for my sister, you wouldn’t even have a home.” Nate raised his arm, reaching for Levi’s plate.

  Tora was looking right at them, but she still didn’t see it coming.

  Levi shoved Nate and Nate swung his fist.

  Tora screamed.

  In a second, Nate was on his back atop the table, the dishes skidding towards Tora.

  “Stop! You guys… stop!” She jumped up from her seat and hurried around the table to intervene, but thought better of it as Levi’s heavy fists punctured the air in front of her face.

  With the agility of a martial artist Nate was back on his feet, charging at Levi, and the two of them slammed into Mrs. Walker’s curio cabinet, glass shattering behind Levi’s back.

  Tora ran out of the dining room to get help just as Sharday and Evelyn were rushing in to investigate the commotion.


  “Oh my god! What’s going on?” Evelyn said.

  It was like the sound of rumbling thunder as the two men tussled around the dining room, pummeling each other. Flesh and gristle and bone.

  Sharday tried pulling them apart, but was quickly knocked into the wall with an elbow to her nose.

  Tora couldn’t believe her eyes as Nate and Levi fought like two strangers, their punches violent with deep-seated hate. She didn’t notice Little Evan until it was too late as she rushed from the dining room again in search of Nate’s father and brothers. She scooped the screaming kid up from the floor and hugged him tight, apologizing as she held him close to her chest.

  The raucous brought Mr. Walker, Bryan, and Geo from the rec room just as she turned the corner off the main hall.

  “It’s Nate and Levi,” she said. “They’re back there fighting!” And the three of them headed for the front of the house.

  “I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you,” Tora bounced Evan a little and rubbed his tiny back.

  “Let me have him,” Evelyn said, coming up the hallway.

  Bryanna and Melody came out of the playroom, and Evelyn ushered them back inside and closed the door behind her and her screaming son. Tora hoped the kid was okay and left once more for the dining room.

  Mr. Walker and Bryan held Levi in restraint, while Geo held on to Nate. Like two angry rams they bucked, trying to get at each other one more time. Levi yelled and cussed, angry spit flying from his mouth as Nate cussed and yelled right back at him.

  Tora was stunned by the whole scene. The food and shattered glass on the floor, the damaged antique China cabinet, the giant hole in the wall. But what bothered her most was seeing Sharday standing in the corner with tears in her eyes as she held her nose, blood dripping down the front of her mint green T-shirt.

  FORTY-FIVE

  Nate closed his right eye and gritted his teeth against the sting as Tora applied alcohol to sterilize the deepest laceration on his face, the one that had his left eye swollen shut. The cut on the corner of his mouth wasn’t as gruesome, but his bottom lip was plump, too.

  She blew a gentle breath across his eye to lessen the sting.

  “I hope this shit doesn’t leave a ugly-ass scar,” he said.