Cutting it Close

by Olivia Gaines

  “We sure can, Cody,” Omari said, sounding like a television ad from the sixties.

  For some odd reason to Omari Cromwell, it felt good to do this. A better feeling took over when he looked at Chantal’s face. The anger was real as she sat there glowering at him. He smiled larger.

  I like her.

  Chapter 11 Making a Change...

  Leviticus Wilson stepped out on the front porch, enjoying the warm California sun shining on his face. Today was the first full day of his newly acquired freedom. Big Nasty, the now leader of the Arachnids, had sent over three young women to keep him company on his first night in a real bed. Truthfully, he wanted to spend the night in the bed instead of inside the women. Two of the ladies had manes of artificial hair while the third one constantly checked her cell phone.

  “Since you like that little black toy so much, why don’t you take it and go on home,” he told her.

  “It’s not a toy. It’s an iPhone,” she told him like a plus sized pouty child.

  She said it as if he knew what that was.

  Big Nasty had some sort of phone as well that he constantly checked as it blinked, binged and pinged. It was hard to have a conversation with the man because he constantly monitored the little black box that seemed to be permanently attached to his hand. After riding in the car with him for 15 minutes, Leviticus determined him unfit to lead the organization that he built from scratch three decades previously by the sweat of his brow. The Arachnids deserved someone who knew what they were doing. Big Nasty focused more on women and making babies. The man had more children than a Jackson Five family reunion, a point that he took pride in showing Leviticus as he made stops on several blocks in the neighborhood to point them out.

  “Those are a lot of children, Big Nasty,” Leviticus said to him.

  “Yeah, I was about to bring your daughter into the fold and take your grandboy under my wing,” he said with way too much pride.

  “How’d that work out for you?”

  “It didn’t. I left to handle som’ bizness...came back and she was gone. I asked her Mama where she went, and she didn’t know. I was going to persuade the old broke down bitch to tell me where they went, but she pulled out a shotgun on me. Out of respect to you, I didn’t kill her. I figured you’d bring your girl back to the family,” Big Nasty said.

  Leviticus had no desire to bring his daughter anywhere near that sorry excuse for a man. His hands opened then fisted at his sides as the temptation to slit the big idiot’s throat almost overwhelmed him. He didn’t like the man. The idea of his hands on Tae-Tay or spanking Douglas made him want to lash out. The anger management sessions at the prison had taught him to channel his rage. He was finding that more difficult to do with each passing minute.

  Across the street, he saw a small child, no older than six, carry a package to a waiting car. The kid was about the same age as his grandson. Is this what he planned for Douglas? In his day, kids were protected, allowed to run about and be a kid versus a drug mule for an asshole who thought women were his personal harem. Another problem he noticed on day one was the other idiots who walked around focused on tiny screens versus what was happening around them. Two weeks. I could take it all back over in two weeks. He would be back in charge, making life in Compton livable again.

  “Any word on my brother?”

  “He still has that crappy job as a postman over in Watts. No one bothers that bitch as he delivers his mail. We still look out for him to keep him safe,” Big Nasty said.

  “He was here checking on Cookie and my daughter while I was upstate?”

  “Nah,” Big Nasty said. “We never saw him come here.”

  “Interesting,” he said.

  “Yeah, I heard he’s retiring and moving,” Big Nasty said.

  “You know where?”

  “Ain’t my concern. All I know is that we no longer have to provide manpower to watch over a damned mailman. I have territory to expand,” he said with a tinge of anger.

  “Speaking of which, I have to find you something to do, Old Timer,” Big Nasty said with an upturned lip.

  “You have a job for me?” Leviticus asked in disbelief.

  “Yeah, we will find you something to do to keep a bit ‘o change in your pocket and the lights on,” he said with a big nasty snicker. Leviticus really did not like him at all. From his revolting rotten teeth that he’d covered with a gold grill to his dingy skin covered in faded spider tattoos, Leviticus despised everything about the lecherous Lothario. The man was covered in nasty. Big Nasty. The anger management sessions were failing Leviticus. Maybe if I channel my rage.

  “Cool. Come on inside with me and have a drink to toast my freedom,” Leviticus said as he walked to the front door. The old screen door had seen better days, and the coils creaked when Leviticus led Big Nasty into the webbing of the soon-to-be new Arachnid leader.

  Big Nasty walked into the small home where Tae-Tay had grown up. The same tattered rug where Douglas had lain and watched television from the floor was going to serve as the sponge to soak up the big man’s blood. The blade slit his throat so fast, he barely had time to grab his throat before exsanguinating onto the ratty rug. He’d walked in the house whole.

  Big Nasty left the house in pieces.

  Tae-Tay sat straight up in bed, sweat rolling between her breasts as shallow breaths caused her body to shake. The fine hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as the dark of the bedroom seemed to swallow her whole. Douglas. The bed covers were thrown aside as anxious legs swung from the side of the bed to stagger the sleepy body across the hall. The overhead light would wake the child. Instead, she crept stealthily to the side of his bed and turned on the lamp. Douglas’s little body lay in the bed, the covers askew while his superhero underwear became the hero of the nightmare he was currently starring in. The little dog lay at his side, licking at his face and trying to wake Douglas from the intense nightmare.

  “Douglas, sweetie, you’re having a nightmare,” she whispered into his ear.

  The small body twisted and turned as he whimpered softly. Salty tears rolled from the corners of his eyes. “Mommy!” he called out.

  “I’m here, baby. Mommy’s here,” she said as she cradled him close to her chest, rocking him back and forth, humming gently.

  She looked up to see Thurston standing in the doorway. Tae-Tay didn’t need to ask him anything. It only took one look for him to walk in the room, check the closets, and look under the boy’s bed to satisfy his wife. As a good measure, he went downstairs to check the locks on the doors and double check the alarm system. By the time he returned, Douglas was back in his bed, sleeping soundly. His wife, not so much.

  “Tay,” he whispered.

  “Just hold me,” she responded gently.

  Thurston slid into the bed and gathered his wife in his arms. “I’m here, baby. I have you. You are safe, Tae-Tay,” he said softly. Her warm body fit into the spoon rest of his legs perfectly as he held her close.

  She did feel safe.

  Being in Thurston’s arms made her feel safe.

  Chapter 12 Everybody Needs Help...

  Chantal sat behind her desk on Friday morning, gazing at the wall. Camping. I didn’t ask to go damned camping. I am not pooping in a hole against some damned tree using three twigs and two leaves to wipe my ass. Maybe if I send him to military school next week, I can avoid the whole thing.

  “Ms. Mooreland, your son is on line three,” Rebecca her assistant said through the intercom.

  “Thank you,” she responded. She pressed the light to hear an overexcited Cody on the line. “Wait, slow down, say that again...”

  “Ma! I was online looking at camping gear and all the cool stuff we’re going to need for next weekend. Mr. Omari said last night he was going to send you a list. Did you get the list, Ma? Did you get it?”

  “I got it,” she said dully.

  “Awesome! Can we go tomorrow to buy the stuff? I have a few dollars saved if you want to stop by the bank aft
er school so I can pay my share on the equipment,” he said.

  “What? I’m sorry, I must have misunderstood you. Did you say you wanted to stop by the bank and get some of your money to help pay for some of the stuff?” She looked over her shoulder and at the door to see if someone was coming in to tell her it was a joke. Cody never wanted to spend any of his money on anything.

  “Yeah. Mr. Omari said a man should be able to pay for his own stuff or something like that,” he said. “So, can we go tomorrow?”

  “Sure,” she said.

  “Great!” he said in the line. “And Ma? Thanks.”

  Cody hung up the phone and Chantal sat at her desk, holding the receiver and blinking furiously, trying to understand what had just happened. She could not remember the last thing her child thanked her for, let alone him being excited about anything in his life. Chantal didn’t like it.

  In too short of a period of time, Omari Cromwell had gained power in her and her son’s life through a bad haircut, showing up in a suit, and coming over for dinner. Well, he did feed them dinner last week. Shut up, Logic. For thirteen years, she had worked to make sure Cody’s natural father didn’t hurt her son, and now this man waltzes in, and all he has to do is not show up and it’s over. The security she’d tried to build for Cody and herself was a tossup all because of this damned man.

  Omari Cromwell did not make her feel safe.

  Saturday

  Thurston swung by the barbershop on Saturday morning, not because he needed another haircut, but to be nosey about Omari’s Thursday night dinner. It had been a while since his cousin had seriously dated anyone. Each time it appeared the relationship was becoming close, Omari would break it off for some reason.

  “Hey,” Thurston said as he walked in the door. “Good morning, everybody.”

  Belly Bob spoke first, “It ain’t yo’ haircut day, so you must be coming to try and get some information outta him about that dinner the other night. He is locked up tighter than a virgin before vespers.”

  “I have no idea what that means,” Thurston said.

  “It means you ain’t getting nothing outta that one,” Belly Bob reiterated.

  “He has been smiling a lot, though,” Mr. Johnny chimed in.

  “I think he got him some kissin’,” Belly Bob piped in. “Maybe some rubbing, too, so his pants felt all tight.”

  “I think this conversation is over,” Omari said tersely.

  Thurston’s forehead furrowed. “Oh, so formal. You like her, don’t you?”

  “I think he likes them both. He got himself a ready-made little family there, a knuckle head child and everything,” Dirty Red added.

  Omari ignored them. He gave Thurston a What do you need? look.

  “I stopped by to bring the invitation to Lawrence’s wedding,” Thurston said with a smile.

  “Aunt Beatrice already mailed me one. I got it last week,” Omari said.

  “Hold up. Who’s getting married?” Mr. Johnny asked.

  “My brother Lawrence is getting married next month,” Thurston told the men.

  Belly Bob rose slowly, his small hands caressing his huge stomach. He cocked his head to the side, the salt and pepper afro looking like a metal scouring pad. He asked the question the other men wanted to know.

  “Your brother? Ain’t that the retarded one?”

  “My brother is not retarded, plus that is an inappropriate thing to say. He is special needs,” Thurston corrected Bob.

  “Who marrying his retarded, special needs plant-carrying ass?” Bob asked.

  “Your blind wife’s sister,” Thurston told him.

  “Oh, the Congressman got jokes,” Belly Bob grumbled.

  “Well, your blind wife has a sense of humor, too,” Thurston told him.

  “Don’t be talking about my wife, man. The glasses are thick cause of an eye condition! She ain’t blind,” Belly Bob said with his lip poked out.

  “And my brother isn’t retarded,” Thurston told him.

  Omari stood in wonderment, his hands held up. “Why are you fighting with Bob?”

  “Why is Bob always in everybody’s business? He wants to dish it out but he can’t take it,” Thurston said loudly.

  “So you got you a little something from the hood and you think you tough now?” Belly Bob grumbled.

  “I don’t need to be tough. You keep messing with me and I am going to have your wife’s eyes fixed with some Lasik...,” Thurston said. “Then she can see what you really look like!”

  “That’s cold, man. That’s just cold,” cross-eyed Kross Eye said.

  “Come on over here, Thurston,” Omari said as he dragged his cousin to the kitchen. Thurston’s eyes were bright as he entered the space. Omari was truly one of his most favorite people on the planet, but he was stubborn.

  “So, what’s the plan?” Thurston asked, all full of smiles.

  “What do you mean what’s the plan?” Omari responded.

  “What’s the plan?” Thurston asked again.

  Omari ran his hand across his bald head. The gesture was his tell and also the reason he was bald. He rubbed all his hair away. He sighed deeply, not really wanting to share but technically, Thurston was his best friend. He trusted his judgment.

  “Dinner was cool. She is a bit of a smart ass, but I like it. I like the kid, too, but you were right, he has never been camping, and you know those kids. They can spot a neophyte from a mile away. They will also be able to see that I am not his dad and that I haven’t spent any real time with the boy,” Omari confessed. “So you were right about that bit, too.”

  “So...what’s the plan?” Thurston asked impatiently for hopefully the last time.

  “We are going up to the lake next weekend,” Omari said through gritted teeth.

  “All of you... at the lake...sharing one tent?”

  “Nooooo,” he said in irritation. “I am asking going to take Taylah and Simel with us, you know... so they feel comfortable.”

  “That is a great idea! Bringing your sister and her son to the lake.”

  “I think it will be good to make Chantal—that’s the boy’s mom—feel comfortable to have another lady there. She can share a tent with Taylah, the boys can share a tent...,” his voice trailed off.

  “Do you think I’m making a good decision?”

  “I think you are,” Thurston said and paused for a minute. “Lawrence is getting married, man.”

  “That doesn’t mean I need to as well,” Omari said.

  “There is no such thing as a coincidence,” Thurston told him.

  “Stop it with that shit. Just because I can’t have kids doesn’t mean I want to adopt every random one that walks through the door. Your logic is astounding.”

  “Did you know there are five barbershops on this street?” Thurston asked again.

  “Oh, shut up,” Omari said walking away.

  It irritated Omari that everyone could see something he could not. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to see. He just couldn’t. Children were not in his life plan and he couldn’t see marrying a woman and not being able to give her the one thing she wanted. A whole family.

  It wasn’t a subject he felt safe to discuss.

  Chapter 13 Talk to Me...

  “Tay, you seem out of sorts. Is everything okay?” Thurston asked.

  “No,” she sighed. “It’s not. My daddy is out of prison and living in our old house. I think I got rid of everything that connects me to you, but he is resourceful. He is also mean as hell. Thurston, you don’t know what a bad guy is. My daddy is evil.”

  “He’s been gone for a long time,” Thurston told her. “So much has changed as well as things in his organization. The last thing he’s going to be worried about is you. He has to figure out how to survive in a world he created that is not the same as he left it. He’s also on the West Coast.”

  “So was his brother who walked up to our front door, knocked, and dropped off a shitting little puppy,” she told him.

  Thurston mo
ved closer to his wife and pulled her into an embrace. The past week had been one that went entirely too fast. It was already Sunday. No time had been put aside for them to be alone this week. More than anything, he wanted to get her mind off her family.

  “My beautiful wife, we have not had any time this week at all to ourselves, to be newlyweds,” he said nibbling on her ear. “And other things.”

  She twirled a strand of hair on her finger as she leaned her head to the side, giving him access to that sweet spot on her neck he liked to kiss. “You oughtta stop,” she said as she leaned back into his strength. The firmness of his thighs pressed against her buttocks.

  “I’m just getting started,” he whispered in her ear.

  “Daddy?”

  “Hmm,” he said. “You are calling me Daddy now?”

  Tae-Tay froze, “I didn’t call you Daddy.”

  “I called you,” Douglas said from the doorway. “Are you and Mommy going to play your wrestling game again? Mommy makes funny noises when you play that game.”

  Thurston jumped back from his wife, almost tripping over his feet. “I thought you locked the door,” he said through gritted teeth to Tae-Tay.

  “I thought you locked it,” she said as she went towards Douglas. “Sweetie, you are supposed to be in bed.”

  “Daddy forgot to tuck me in. Me and Spiderman were waiting for our bedtime story,” Douglas said. The cute little ball of nonsense was sitting at his feet like she was actually waiting for a story as well.

  “Okay, son, I will be right there,” Thurston said. He looked at Tae-Tay with wide eyes looking down at the front of his pants. “Daddy needs just a minute. Go ahead and climb in. I will be right there.”

  “Okay, Daddy. Come on, Spiderman,” Douglas said as the puppy barked and followed behind her master.

  Thurston looked at his wife and burst into laughter. “You hold that feeling and I will be right back. Tonight will be a short story because you and I have things to discuss.”

  “No, you just want to wrestle with me, Mr. Cromwell,” she said with her tongue sticking between her teeth.