“Record label.” I was having a hard time taking in what he was saying. “Benxi with three Grammy’s Benxi? What—how did you get her?”
“She likes my music. I write, produce—I do it all. I pitched her at the airport in Miami after a party Coco Records held last year.” Mekhi smiled. “Little did she know I followed her to the airport. I didn’t have no plane to catch. I paid nine hundred dollars for that ticket to Atlanta just to get those five minutes with her.” I nodded. I was impressed, but not surprised. Mekhi could sell shoes to somebody with no feet. “Anyway, she fell out with Coco about the direction her music was going. She wanted something different and called me.” Mekhi stroked his chin. “I was making good money selling my CDs underground, but not the kind of money I’m going to be making now. Airamas Productions is running with the big boys. My CDs are going to be in all the stores.”
“Airamas.” I didn’t like it. “Where did you get that?”
Mekhi chuckled. “I named it after this hot shortie I been digging.”
I raised an eyebrow and he laughed. “It’s Samaria spelled backward, girl.”
My heart thumped.
“I’ll tell you more about it when we get to the Ritz.”
I shook my head. “I don’t want to go to the Ritz, Khi. I’ve got a paid for bed right up the highway, so cancel the room and let’s go to my place.”
Mekhi was shocked, noticeably. “But the Jacuzzi.”
“I have one of those.” I winked, and then I got serious. “I’m not making any promises. I have a lot to think about, Mekhi. We’re friends right now.”
“That’s where we started a long time ago.” He nodded. “I’m a patient man. I been waiting for that kiss I almost got for eight years. A little more time ain’t gonna kill me. ”
I blinked against tears. He had been waiting for me for eight years. Maybe not alone all the time, but in his heart, he’d wanted me. The real me. That felt good. I smiled, slipped my hand into his, and we walked to his car. I couldn’t wait to hear more about Airamas Productions.
Chapter 38
“I told you that wretched woman was a low life.” Angelina thought the satisfaction in Carol’s voice was almost palatable, even over the telephone. “And to think she was using a phony name. I wonder what she was planning to steal from the church.”
Angelina reached across the bed to her nightstand and picked up the juice she’d let grow warm. Her head was pounding. The aspirin she’d taken an hour ago had done nothing to relieve the pain. This was why she’d stayed in all weekend. Avoided church even. She didn’t want to deal with “I told you so.”
“What do you think?”
“I’m really upset about Rae or Samaria. Whatever her name is. I don’t want to speculate or gossip about it. So if you don’t mind.”
“Oh, come on. Don’t go getting all holier-than-thou on me. You were wrong about her, and now it’s time to admit it,” Carol said. “I tried to tell you she was a hoochie.”
Angelina laughed bitterly. Not because anything was funny, but because Carol only knew half the story. She knew she was a fraud, and a thief, possibly a drug addict or dealer, but she had no idea how deep it all went.
Angelina heard her cell phone vibrate. She hoped it wasn’t another text message or plea from Greg because she was sick of him already. She picked up the phone and saw that it was a local DYFS phone number on the LCD screen.
“Carol, I have to go.” Angelina hung up without saying good-bye. Then she pushed talk on her cell. “Hello, Angelina Preston.”
“Hi, Angelina. This is Debbie Burgess, Katrice’s case manager. I called the office and was advised you were out on sick leave today, but you told me to keep you posted on Katrice.”
Unconsciously, she sat up. The pain in her head intensified with the jolt. “What’s wrong?”
“Her foster mother, Mrs. Henry, was in a car accident today. She’s in the hospital. She’ll probably be there for a few days. The husband is feeling overwhelmed about having to care for his own children, so I have to take Katrice into respite care.”
“No, don’t.” Angelina said the words so fast she wasn’t sure they’d come out of her mouth. When the caseworker didn’t respond on the other end, she repeated herself. “I ... I’ll take her. I don’t want her to have to adjust to a new home. She won’t understand that it’s temporary.”
“Okay ... if you’re sure?”
“I’m positive. Is she at daycare?”
“Yes,” Debbie said. In that one word, Angelina recognized joy in the woman’s voice. She was probably relieved she didn’t have to find a respite home.
“Call and let them know I’ll be picking her up. It’ll give me a few hours to rest a little.”
“Will do,” Debbie replied. “And Angelina, thanks. That’s one less child I have to worry about tonight. Feel better.”
They said their good-byes and Angelina lay back on the pillow. She felt guilty. Her first thought was the case worker wouldn’t want the work involved in moving Katrice, and here the woman was concerned about the child. Like she should be. Maybe there was hope for the agency after all.
She closed her eyelids and whispered a prayer to shake the headache. If she weren’t emotionally together, she wanted to at least be physically ready for her new houseguest. She pulled the comforter around herself, turned the television and her cell phone off. She’d sleep a few hours without the intrusion of text messages from Greg. She’d also sleep a few hours without seeing Rae’s face plastered all over the television news. She hoped she’d sleep a few hours without imagining them together in bed.
“Ms. Angelina!” Katrice ran to her, smiling and arms opened. She latched onto Angelina’s leg and squeezed like she was holding on to a tree during a twister.
“Hi, baby.” Angelina reached down and picked her up. The daycare teacher handed her a jacket and bid them both a goodnight.
Angelina fastened Katrice in the staff car seat and climbed in the front of the SUV. Although her headache was only slightly less intense, she was feeling better just having the ray of sunshine that was Katrice’s spirit in her presence. Katrice would fill her home with giggles. Katrice would fill her time. Katrice would help her to not feel sorry for herself. She needed Katrice more than Katrice needed her.
“I hungry,” Katrice announced.
“Okay, we’re going to get pizza.”
“Yeah! Pizza! Pizza!” Katrice’s screams echoed in the space between them. She began to sing the word pizza in a song.
Angelina pulled the car out of the driveway and reached for her cell phone. Felesia was back in the country and joining them for dinner, but she’d told Angelina she couldn’t walk out of her office a second before necessary because of a huge mess at one of the plants, so Angelina was to call her when they were fairly close to the restaurant.
Angelina dialed and waited until she heard the line stop ringing. Felesia spoke before she could say hello. “Girl, I’m sorry. Got a last minute call from my boss. You know he’s in the Dominican working through our manufacturing problems. I have to hang around in case he needs some information from the files.”
“That’s fine.” Angelina maneuvered the vehicle though traffic. Stop by the house if you feel like it later. I’m sure we’ll be up.
“Greg still calling?” Felesia’s disgust was apparent in the rapid fire with which the words came out.
“No, he hasn’t since this morning. I’m sure he’s trying to let me cool off.”
“Yeah,” Felesia said. “Take your time. Do what’s best for you, and uh, I hate to bring this up, but you might need to get an STD test. You never know what that woman might have been into with this drug thing. And you know how stupid men are about condoms.”
Angelina nodded. That hadn’t occurred to her. But of course, Felesia was right.
“I don’t mean to add to the stress. Just loving you, okay?”
“Okay, thanks.”
“We’ll talk later.”
They ended t
he call. Some of the stress Katrice’s smile had taken away had returned. Angelina hadn’t even thought about the possibility of disease. She was really, really going to let Greg have it the next time she talked to him. Men. Always thinking with the wrong head. He could have picked up more from that tramp than he’d planned on getting and given it to her.
She and Katrice entered the house a little after 7:00 P.M. They’d had to stop at the mall because Angelina realized she didn’t have anything for the child to sleep in or wear tomorrow. They hit the Disney Store and The Children’s Place, and Angelina shopped until she’d purchased the girl an entire new wardrobe. She even bought some toys and movies. The more she spent on Katrice, the smaller the hole in her heart became. At least until she re-entered her home, then memories of Greg and his betrayal came rushing back.
“TV,” Katrice pointed to the flat screen in the family room.
“Let’s take a bath first,” Angelina replied, reaching for the bag that included sleepwear. She hated the idea of putting pajamas on her without washing them first, but it was late, Katrice’s bedtime was around the corner, and she was worn out herself.
They ascended the stairs, and Angelina ran a tub of water while Katrice undressed.
“Where’s Mr. Greg?” Katrice asked, putting her clothes in the hamper that was in the corner of the bathroom. It always amazed and saddened Angelina how mature foster children could be. At three, Katrice knew to not leave her things on the floor. Neatness was expected from them when foster parents wouldn’t always demand it of their own children.
“Mr. Greg,” she paused, thinking of the best thing to tell her. “He’ll be working for a few days. I don’t think you’ll see him this time.”
The child seemed to understand. She climbed her small body over the side of the tub and slid down into the bubble bath Angelina had run with strawberry scented bath gel she’d picked up at one of the stores. Angelina let her play in the water until her heart was content. Then she dried her, moisturized her skin, and took the sleepy child into the guest bedroom. Two books later, Katrice fell off to sleep. Angelina held the girl for a long time before she laid her down. She thought about how alone in the world Katrice was. She had a drug addict for a mother, an unknown father, no grandparents, and a deceased sister. So sad. Angelina’s heart broke for her.
Then she considered the fact that the hospital drug bust story had its upside. It was a bigger scandal than the child death. The bigger, better story she’d been waiting to come along had finally broken. Angelina hated that it had to hit so close to home. “Be careful what you wish for,” she whispered, and Katrice stirred.
She stood, placed the girl in the bed and left the door open so the light from the hall would enter in case Katrice was afraid of the dark. She’d have to remember to get a night light tomorrow. Maybe she’d redecorate the entire room and make it fit for the princess who slept in it. So what if it were temporary, it was only money. Greg’s money. If he could spend it on his tramp, she could certainly spend it on Katrice. She descended the stairs and reached the bottom just as the doorbell rang.
She ignored it, surmising it had to be Greg, and if she didn’t answer, he would use his key. Change the locks; that was another thing she’d have to do tomorrow. When the door didn’t open and her cell phone rang showing Felesia’s number, she realized with great relief that it was her friend. She rushed to open the door.
“Hey, Mami.” Felesia reached for her neck and gave her a tight hug. She raised a small gold paper bag and jiggled it. “I got Godiva. We gonna chase those blues away.”
Angelina smiled.
“It looks like you broke the bank getting Katrice settled in.” They’d made cups of tea and settled on the sofa in the family room. Katrice’s new toys and movies were still in bags, but anyone could see it was going to feel like Christmas in the morning. “How long is she going to be here?”
Angelina took a sip from her mug. She deemed it too hot and placed it on the coaster in front of her. “A week, maybe more if her foster mother needs more time.”
Felesia nodded. “This is a first.”
“What?”
“You’ve never brought a child home before. You’ve been in this business a long time.”
“She’s special.”
“I gather that,” Felesia replied. She took a tentative sip from her mug. “Why is she special?”
Angelina took a deep breath and released it. “The truth?”
Felesia’s look said the words, “of course” without her having to open her mouth.
Angelina didn’t avoid her friend’s eyes when she said, “She reminds me of Danielle. In a good way. I want to treat her the way I’d want someone to treat my baby if she were motherless.”
Felesia nodded and continued to blow and sip. “You’re sure this is okay, right? I mean, the way you feel about her isn’t unhealthy?”
“I’m fine.” Angelina gave her friend a reassuring smile and patted her knee. “Besides, maybe I’ll keep her.”
Felesia’s eyes bugged and Angelina laughed. “Girl, I’m kidding. Right now anyway. All I know is she needed a place to go, and I need the distraction.” She slid down on the floor and pulled a bag open to remove a Barbie Dollhouse. “This is going to take some putting together.”
“I hate doing that stuff.” Felesia grimaced. “You want me to send my handyman over tomorrow? He’s good at working on houses.”
Angelina chuckled and stood the dollhouse box upright. “I think I can handle it.”
“You want me to hang out over here a few days?” Felesia’s voice had taken on a serious tone.
“No. You’re busy at work. I’ll be fine. Trust me, a little one can be great company.”
“Let me know. I’ll get my gear and get in one of those overdone rooms upstairs.” They both laughed.
“Speaking of which, I think I’m going to redecorate Katrice’s room tomorrow while she’s at daycare.”
A cloud of concern spread over Felesia’s face again.
“I’m not going to change it into Cinderella’s castle or anything. I’m going to lighten up the colors and get rid of the Baroque. That room is so grown up. I want to make her comfortable. I’m surprised she didn’t have nightmares in there with all those tassels hanging down around her.
“I suppose the Knights of Arabia could be tough on a kid.”
Angelina laughed. “Plus it felt good to shop today. It anesthetized some pain. I needed the pain killer.”
“I’m so angry with that Greg. I can’t believe he would do this. And that woman. What a low down, sneaky thing to come up in the church like that. What did she have planned?”
“I don’t know.” Angelina pulled at the sides and popped open the box.
“You might need to get a restraining order. I mean, is she crazy?”
“I think she’s in jail.”
“She’s probably got men all over town. Somebody is going to bail her out. Watch your back.”
“Girl, if I see Rae ... I mean, Samaria, the only person that’s going to need help is her. I’ve got a New Jersey butt whuppin’ with her name all over it.”
“I know that’s right.” Felesia laughed. The two women fist bumped. “I wish we could whup that trick together.”
Angelina gasped. “You did not say trick?”
“Yes, I did, and I meant it. That’s what women like her are.”
Angelina shook her head. “I don’t know; I mean, what she did was bizarre, really over the top. I want to be angrier at her, but I can’t even think about her right now. I’m too mad at Greg. I’ve known Rae or Samaria for a less than two months. I’ve been married to Greg for almost fourteen years.”
“Aye, chica.” Felesia nodded. “I know what you mean. You know, I know. My ex still can’t keep his pants up.”
They sat there not speaking until they finished their tea. Felesia broke the silence. “I can almost hear those wheels turning in your head. What you thinking about doing?”
Angelina
fought to keep tears from coming to her eyes again. She swallowed and looked Felesia in the eyes. “I think I want a divorce.”
Felesia nodded. “It’s early yet. Maybe you guys can go do counseling. You never really did get over Danielle.”
Angelina snatched her head back. “What do you mean I never got over Danielle? You don’t get over losing a child.”
“I don’t mean you. I mean your marriage, Mami. As a couple. You guys didn’t get any help. You need to heal the damage to the marriage. You have to do that together.”
Angelina couldn’t imagine doing anything with Greg right now. Not counseling. Not talking. Not even looking at him. “I don’t know, Fee. It might be too late.”
“It’s never too late with Jesus,” Felesia said. “And He shows up in the nick of time to fix things that need fixing, right? If you guys didn’t need something supernatural, then you wouldn’t need God.”
Angelina nodded, absorbed the words, but didn’t respond.
“It’s a test, Mami. We all have them. Just try not to lean to your own understanding, okay?”
Angelina nodded, but she wasn’t sure if she even heard Felesia. Greg and Samaria in bed for six months. Greg was greedy. Not like he’d even stopped making love with her. How could he. How could he do that?
“Angelina,” Felesia’s voice broke through. “You hear me, chica. Don’t act hasty. You guys try counseling. I have a feeling Greg will be willing to do anything you want at this point.”
Maybe, she thought, but she also thought it was too late. Any effort he’d make to reconcile would be too little and too late for her. He’d gone too far this time, and she couldn’t see trusting him with her heart anymore.
Chapter 39
Greg stood in the foyer. He hung his head like the beat dog he was. The strong angle of the jaw that she’d always loved, always thought added to his masculinity, was now a part of the sorrowful frown that encapsulated this handsome face.
An Inconvenient Friend Page 20
