Satin Nights

by Karen E. Quinones Miller

  “Tut, tut, tut. Just leave him be,” Mama Tee said, waving her hand dismissively. “Dis nancy man not be worth me time. Come on and we go.”

  “Well, you come and see me next time you come to 125th Street, auntie,” the book vendor said, gently patting her on the back. “You know I’ll treat you right.”

  “God bless ye, mon. Me back when me finish me books,” Mama Tee said as she started down the street.

  “Never did like no light-skin dandies,” Mama Tee said when they were almost half a block away. “Just like that damn Robert me Yvonne be spending time with. She be telling me he don’t live with her, but every time I be at her place he be there in he undershirt. Me own daughter tink me stupid.”

  “Well, Mama Tee, I don’t think that—”

  “Chile, hush you mouth. You girls always be lying for each other, and me done hear enough lies lately,” Mama Tee said, not bothering to turn and look at Regina. She stopped at another stand and picked up a pair of cowrie shell earrings. “Yvonne got dese already,” she said, putting them back down and moving on, with Regina still trailing behind.

  “You put your holes in your baby’s ear yet? Her be too young for you putting holes in she ear. She . . .”

  Her feet were hurting so bad by the time Regina finally dropped Mama Tee off that she took her shoes off, threw them in the backseat of the car, and drove herself home in her bare feet. Luckily, she got a parking spot right in front of her brownstone, so she wouldn’t have far to walk. In fact, she decided, she didn’t even have to put her shoes back on. The rough sidewalk was preferable to trying to squeeze back into her heels.

  She saw Tamika running the steps before she got out the car. “Walk me over to my house,” Tamika said. “David’s still over there by himself, and I’m just worried.”

  Regina groaned, looked at Tamika, then her shoes in the backseat, and groaned again. “Okay. But you have to give me a foot massage when we get back.”

  “Gina,” Tamika said as they walked the half block to her house, “do you think we’re handling this right? Give those guys the drugs back or just turn the matter over to the police?”

  Regina hesitated. “Well, like we said yesterday, getting the police involved would have involved Darren, and nobody wants him to get caught up in it. I don’t see how else we could handle it. Just give them the product back and let’s go on with our lives.”

  Tamika sighed. “David and I argued all night about it. It goes against everything he believes in, but then, he wasn’t raised around here like we were. He doesn’t know what people like these are capable of.” She opened her door with a key, and they walked in. “David,” she called out, “it’s me and Regina.”

  David appeared in the hallway. “Hey. What are you doing over here? I thought we agreed you were going to stay at Regina’s until I called and said everything was over with.”

  Tamika walked over and kissed him. “I know. I just had a funny feeling, so I got Regina to walk over with me. I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

  “I’m fine. I was just making myself a sandwich.”

  Tamika nuzzled up to his chest, and he obligingly put his arms around her in a hug. “Well,” Tamika said, “I promise to make you a great big dinner as soon as we’re allowed home. How’s that?”

  David stroked her hair. “Sounds good. How about you make—”

  Buzz.

  David, Tamika, and Regina all froze at the sound of the doorbell. It wasn’t until it rang a second time that David pushed Tamika away and walked toward the door. “Ya’ll get in the living room,” he told them over his shoulder.

  “Where’s the stuff?” Tamika ran down the hall after him. “Don’t let them in. Just give them the stuff through the door and let them leave.”

  David pushed her away. “Get in the living room,” he said roughly. “Now!”

  Tamika ran back down the hallway, grabbed Regina, and pulled her into the living room doorway.

  “What the hell’s going on?” Regina whispered. “David’s decided to flip the script?”

  Tamika shrugged, then put her finger to her lips, signaling Regina to be quiet so they could hear what was going on.

  “Yo, man. We don’t want no trouble, either. I came to your house all polite yesterday and me and your lady had a nice little convo, and I’m just following up on our agreement. Now you telling me you ain’t giving me my shit?” Regina heard a teenager’s voice say.

  “If you don’t want no trouble, there won’t be any trouble,” David answered. “I told you we don’t have your stuff, and if you come around here bothering my wife or son again, I’m going to handle this in a whole other way. You’re lucky we didn’t have the police waiting for you today.”

  Regina and Tamika stepped out in the hallway just in time to see a teenager pull a gun and push David back against the vestibule wall.

  “Gina! Quick! Call the police,” Tamika said before running toward the front door.

  “We’re lucky, huh? Motherfucker, you’ll be lucky if I don’t blow your fucking brains out,” the teenager snarled. The voice was different from that of the other teen and twice as frightening. “I was trying to be nice, but hand over my shit before your fucking luck runs out.”

  Regina pulled her cell phone from her pocket and frantically dialed 911.

  “Leave him alone. I’ll get you your stuff,” Tamika shouted when she reached the men. She tried to pull the teenager’s arm away from David, but another teenager grabbed her.

  “Get your hands off her,” David roared. He tried to get past the teen with the gun, but the boy pushed the gun against his jugular and cocked the trigger.

  “Man, ain’t nobody trying to hurt the lady,” the teenager holding Tamika said. “We ain’t come here to hurt nobody. We just want our shit.”

  “Miss, get a police car out to 219 West 119th Street. Quick. There’s a man with a gun and he’s holding people hostage.” Regina snapped her cell phone shut and walked into the hallway.

  “Listen, the police are on the way, but we can settle this real quick,” she said in as even a voice as she could manage. “David, just tell me where these young men’s stuff is and let me give it to them and then they’ll be on their way.” She looked at the teenager holding Tamika. “Right?” Regina asked.

  The teen nodded. “That’s all we wanted. I said it before: we didn’t come up here for any kind of shit.”

  “David,” Regina said calmly, “where’s their stuff?”

  David looked at her from the corner of his eye, since he was unable to move his head because of the gun pressed against his throat. “We don’t have it. I flushed it all down the toilet.”

  “Oh God no,” Tamika said before her knees began to buckle. The teenager holding her struggled to keep her on her feet.

  “Jerry, man. Let me put a cap in this motherfucker’s ass,” the teen with the gun said.

  “No!” said the now recovered Tamika. “You shoot him, and you’ll all wind up in jail. My husband works for the District Attorney’s Office.”

  “And if you shoot him, you’ll be bringing the heat down on you like you don’t even know what,” Regina added quickly.

  “Just tell me how much the stuff is worth, and we’ll pay you for it,” Tamika pleaded with the one named Jerry. “We don’t want any more trouble.”

  “Hell no,” David croaked.

  “Shut the fuck up,” the teen with the gun said.

  “Lady, give us a thou, and we’ll call it even,” Jerry said angrily. “But hurry up.”

  “I don’t have that much in the house,” Tamika said frantically. “But I can write you a check.”

  “Miss, you really think we’re stupid?” Jerry said with disgust. “Come on, y’all, let’s get outta here.”

  The teenager holding the gun against David’s throat glared at him angrily, then uncocked the trigger. He pulled the gun away from David’s throat, then slammed it against the side of David’s head, knocking him to his knees.

  “Da
vid!” Tamika cried out. She struggled out of Jerry’s loosened grip and ran over to her husband, who was trying to stand up. Regina tried to help, but David groggily pushed her away.

  “Miss, you know we came to you right when we first came to you,” Jerry said as he stood over Tamika and David. “It’s not our fault this shit went down like this, but I’m going to tell you it ain’t over yet. Not by a long shot.”

  With that, he walked out the door, followed by the other teenager.

  chapter twelve

  How do I look, Aunt Gina?” Renee said as she entered the living room, where Regina was flipping through a magazine. “Liz’s coming to pick me up for the movies.”

  Regina looked her niece up and down. Baggy jeans, ball cap, and basketball jersey. Her usual uniform. “You look fine, sweetie,” she said with a little laugh.

  “What’s so funny?”

  Regina stood up and gave her niece a hug. “You, silly. You wear the same type of thing every day, and every day you ask me how you look. I just find it kind of funny is all.”

  Renee smirked, then gave her aunt a kiss on the cheek. “Whatever.”

  “Whatever yourself.” Regina straightened Renee’s ball cap. “So how are you doing?”

  “I’m fine.”

  “You sure?” Regina sat back down on the couch and patted the cushion next to her.

  “What do you mean?” Renee asked after she sat next to Regina.

  “Well, I know it’s been hard on you lately. It has to be.” Regina put her arm around Renee. “With the way your mother’s been acting about your sexuality.”

  “Yeah. Well . . .” Renee’s eyes lowered to the floor, and she paused before continuing a few seconds later. “Well, it’s not like I didn’t know she was going to take it hard, but I just didn’t figure how hard. But it’s partly my fault. I was chickenshit for not telling her outright instead of letting her find out by listening in on the phone.” Renee shrugged. “But then, I was chickenshit in the way I told you, too. I’m not handling it well, so I don’t know why I should expect anyone else to handle it well.”

  Regina raised her eyebrow. “You’re not handling your sexuality well? You’re uncomfortable with it?”

  Renee shook her head. “No, no. I mean, I’m not handling coming out of the closet well because I don’t want to hurt the people I love. Like you and Mom.”

  Regina sighed. “Well, I’m not hurt. I was surprised, of course, but not hurt. And I really do believe your mom is going to come around. She just needs some time.”

  “She hangs up on me every time I call, you know.”

  Regina kissed Renee on the forehead. “She’s been doing the same to me. But like I said, she’s going to need some time.”

  Renee sighed, then put her head on her aunt’s shoulder for a moment before looking up at the clock on the wall. “Wow! Talking about time, look at the clock. It’s almost six. Liz better hurry up, or we’re going to miss the movies.”

  “Six? Oh damn!” Regina jumped up from the couch and hurried over to the stairway. “Camille, will you come on?” she called out. “Aunt Puddin’s going to be here in a minute, and you’re not even dressed yet. Why don’t you just let me help you pick something out?”

  “I’m a big girl, Mommy. I can pick out my clothes,” Camille called back down. “I’m five years old now.”

  Buzzzzz.

  “Oh shoot, that must be Puddin’,” Regina grumbled, and went to answer the door. “Camille, will you come on so I can see what you’re wearing?”

  “Hi, Miss Regina,” Liz said brightly as Regina opened the door.

  “Come on in,” Regina said, stepping aside so the girl could come inside. In contrast to Renee’s jersey and baggy jeans, Liz—a tall thin girl with shoulder-length hair—wore a tight black miniskirt and a bright blue polyester button-down blouse. Her makeup was lightly but expertly done: baby-pink lipstick, with just a hint of blush that accentuated her mahogany complexion. Well, Regina thought, I guess I know who plays the boy and who plays the girlie girl in this relationship.

  She watched as the two girls gave each other a quick innocuous embrace, and breathed an inward sigh of relief that they left it at that. Ray-Ray may have been eighteen and able to do what she wanted with whomever she wanted, but Regina wasn’t sure she was ready to see her niece kissing a woman. Or even holding hands with one, for that matter.

  “Mommy, I’m ready,” Camille said as she slowly trudged down the steps wearing a pink party dress and white tights with black patent-leather shoes. A little dressed up to just be going to Yvonne’s for dinner, but Regina decided to let it slide. After all, she thought, this was the first time that Camille had been allowed to dress herself.

  “You look wonderful, baby,” she said, opening her arms so that Camille could rush in. But surprisingly, the young girl walked to her almost in a daze. “Mommy, I’m not feeling so good.”

  “Oh my God, you’re boiling hot, baby,” Regina said after she hugged her, then felt her forehead. “Do you have chills or anything?”

  “No, but my head hurts. Right here and here.” Camille pointed to her forehead and the left side of her head.

  “Oh, baby. I guess you’ve got an ear infection again.” Regina kissed her on the cheek. “I’ve still got some penicillin from last time, and let me give you some Tylenol and get you to bed. We’ll get you to the doctor in the morning. I’ll call Yvonne and tell her we won’t be able to make it tonight. I can’t leave my sick baby here all by herself, can I?”

  Liz cleared her throat. “Um, Miss Regina, if you want, Renee and I can sit with her while you go out. I heard the DMX movie we were going to see isn’t all that, anyway.”

  “You really wanna, Liz?” Renee asked in surprise. “I mean, I sure don’t mind.”

  “I don’t, either. Let’s do your aunt a favor,” Liz said with a huge smile.

  Uh-huh, Regina thought. She’s trying to ingratiate herself with the family. Just like any other boyfriend. I mean, girlfriend. “No, that’s okay,” she said out loud. “I’ll just call Yvonne and say that I won’t be able to make it. She’ll understand.”

  “No, she won’t, Aunt Gina,” Renee said adamantly. “Aunt Yvonne’s been calling you all day to make sure you’d be there tonight. And you said yourself that Aunt Puddin’ was coming over in a minute.”

  “Ray-Ray, thanks, but I can’t—”

  “Mommy, please can’t Ray-Ray and Liz stay with me?” Camille tugged on Regina’s arm.

  “Well, I don’t know . . .”

  “Please, Mommy?” Camille started whining. “I like it when Ray-Ray babysits me.”

  “Well, Camille, I don’t know.” Regina tried to stall to get some time to think. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Renee and Liz to be in the house alone, but it really was that she didn’t want to leave Renee and Liz in the house by themselves. She didn’t think that they would do anything in front of Camille, but, well . . .

  Oh God, she was acting just as homophobic as Brenda, she thought, catching herself. Of course, they wouldn’t do anything in front of Camille. If Ray-Ray was here with a boy, Regina would trust her to be levelheaded. She just didn’t like the idea of Ray-Ray and Liz sitting on the couch holding hands—or even kissing after they got Camille to sleep. Oh God, she really was acting like a homophobe.

  Buzzz.

  “That must be Puddin’,” Regina said, looking at the door. “Okay, if you girls really swear you don’t mind, I’d be very grateful if you can watch Camille for me. Chances are she’s going to go right to sleep after I give her some medicine.”

  “And if she doesn’t, we can read her a story,” Renee said gleefully. “I just bought her a new book, African Princess, by Joyce Hansen. We’ll just keep her company until she nods off.”

  Buzzz.

  Regina picked Camille up in her arms and started carrying her up the stairs. “Okay, let your Aunt Puddin’ in and tell her I’ll be right down. And thanks again, girls.”

  “I hope Mama Tee did th
e cooking. You know that damn Yvonne can’t cook for shit,” Puddin’ grumbled as she and Regina climbed the stairs from the subway station. “I don’t know what made her think she should be cooking dinner. And I don’t know why you insisted we should go, like I don’t have something better to do on a Saturday night.”

  Regina pulled the scarf from her neck and wrapped it around her head in order to stop it from mussing her newly permed hair, cursing the fact that the car wouldn’t start and they had to take the subway. It was only five blocks from the subway to Yvonne’s apartment, but her feet were already hurting. The shoes she wore were made for pushing down on an accelerator, not pounding the pavement. Especially after spending the whole subway ride standing up, since they couldn’t get seats on the train.

  “Well,” she said, “I’m pretty sure she just wants to prove how domesticated Robert is. She’s determined to have us like him, you know.”

  “Yeah, well, whatever,” Puddin’ grumbled. “Like I said, I just hope that Mama Tee did the cooking. I don’t blame Tamika and David for not coming.”

  “Yeah, well, I wish that was the reason they didn’t come.” Regina sighed. “I’m really worried about what’s going to happen. And David hasn’t gone to work since all this crap happened last week.”

  “Yeah, and I can’t believe all this shit that’s went down,” Puddin’ said, and shook her head.

  Regina shivered. “Yeah, now, that was some scary shit. I don’t know why the hell he couldn’t have just given them their shit. That’s all they wanted. Now who the hell knows how this shit’s going to end up? They probably would have shot David on the spot if Tamika didn’t lie and say he worked for the D.A.’s Office.” She sighed again. “I just hope those thugs decide to call it a loss and that’ll be the end of it.”

  “Yeah, well, I wouldn’t bet on it,” Puddin’ grunted.

  Regina squinted her eyes as she looked up the block. “Oh my God, Puddin’, am I seeing things, or is that some guy streaking down the street butt naked?”