“Maybe I should go find the virgin boy and thank him. Looks like he was doing me a favor, keeping me from getting with you. But good old persistent me. I just don’t know how to quit when I’m ahead. I just had to have you. And now look what else I may have gotten along with it—AIDS.”
“I don’t have AIDS! If you have it, you didn’t get it from me. Now put me down or I’ll scream,” Sahara said.
“Scream then. Don’t nobody care. That little weasel you were talking to earlier might come running back. I’ll just end up kicking his little tail and sending him home crying to his mama. Oh, wait—that’s right. He’s one of those Woods twins. Their mama is too busy keeping folks like me in business to even care about her snotty-nose brats.”
“Put her down!” Andre said to Junebug.
Junebug stopped and stepped over toward Andre, still holding Sahara in midair. “Excuse me, but are you talking to me?”
“I said put her down,” Andre said.
“And if I don’t, what are you going to do about it? Huh, VB? Huh, Virgin Boy? What you gonna do?”
Andre didn’t raise his voice. “Put… her … down.”
“I’ll tell you what,” Junebug said. “How about we have a prayer meeting? The three of us, right here, right now. You care so much about God. And this one here”—he flailed Sahara around in front of Andre—“she’s too busy giving folks deadly diseases. I’m sure she wants to pray to God for me right now. Don’t you, sugar?” He puckered up and pretended to try to kiss her.
“Man, why do you want to do something like this?” Andre said. “She’s a girl. You should be better than that. You’re trying to show how tough you are by picking on a girl?”
“Oh, oh, oh, listen to Mister Christian boy here. You want her? Huh? You want her?” Junebug said. “Then here!” He slung Sahara down hard to the ground.
Sahara cried out when she landed. Andre ran over and helped her up. “Are you all right?” he asked.
She wanted to cry, but she nodded as she brushed away tiny rocks and debris from her now-bruised body.
“Oh, she’s all right. She’s tough,” Junebug said. “I don’t know that we can say the same about you, though, Virgin Boy. You think you’re bad? You think you’re bad? Well, let’s see how bad you really are.” Junebug pulled out a gun.
“Hey, hey—come on, now. Put that thing away,” Andre said, backing up with his hands slightly elevated. “There’s no need for you to go there.”
“Oh, you’re not so tough now. Where’s all that mouth now? Where’s all that tough talk now? You’re singing another tune all of a sudden, now that I’ve introduced you to the equalizer.”
Sahara stepped over and stood next to Andre. “Leave us alone, Junebug! Nobody’s trying to hurt you. Go on. Leave us alone. This is private property, anyway.”
Junebug started making a smacking sound. “You know, I have a better idea. Since the two of you seem so dedicated to each other … so dedicated to God, why don’t you let me see the two of you kiss.”
“Junebug, go on now. This is not funny anymore,” Andre said.
“It was never funny for me. In fact, had you kept your nose out of what clearly wasn’t your business, Sahara and I would have handled our business just fine. But since you decided you wanted to step up and be a man, be some kind of a hero, then I think it’s time you know what it’s like to be a real man. It’s time you be initiated into the real men’s club. So I want you … and Miss Sahara here … to have sex. Oh, forgive me. I keep forgetting. Women like being romanced. I meant to say: I want you and Miss Sahara to make love.” He smiled at Sahara and bowed slightly. “Better?”
“That’s not going to happen,” Andre said.
Junebug started laughing. “Oh, that’s right. Because you’re going to keep your little virgin self until you can give your precious little stale gift to some woman called your wife. First of all, junior, you’re not going to find a woman who’s still a virgin to have an equal exchange of gifts. Trust me, there’s no woman out there, not these days, anyway, talking about keeping herself. Not like your fool self is talking about keeping yourself for her. That’s first off.” He flicked the gun at Andre. “So that means you may be bringing a special gift to your honeymoon, but you’re going to be coming to that party all by your lonesome. Secondly, I’m sure God could care less what you do behind closed doors. I heard that God invented sex. That’s what a preacher said one time. He said sex was God’s idea … that Satan is the one trying to hijack it and negatively stigmatize it.”
“Look, Junebug, I’m not going to let you disrespect my God like that,” Andre said.
“Boy, please! Where is your God now? Huh? You’re out here staring down the barrel of this gun”—he held it steady at Andre’s head—“and God ain’t studying you. Did you hear what I said? God ain’t thinking about you. Neither one of you. So, I’m going to do you both a favor. I’m going to play the angel and bless both of you. I’m going to help Virgin Boy here become a man today. And little Miss Sahara here, who says her AIDS test came back negative … says that she’s clean, shouldn’t mind smashing you at all, little homie.
“Now see what a great guy I truly am? The worst-case scenario, Christian boy, you can tell God that you didn’t have any choice but to have sex. Tell Him that I held a gun to your head and made you do it. You know, the way people usually say that the devil made them do it. Well, instead of blaming the devil, you can blame me. In fact, what I’m doing for you right now, you can say that an angel made you do it. Because in spite of how upset I am with this one here”—he flicked the gun toward Sahara—“I’m gonna tell you: you’re about to be in for a real treat, a real treat. She’s good now. Trust me, Sahara is good!” He took his two fingers, kissed them, and blew a kiss her way.
Junebug stepped a little closer to them. “Now, I want you to go over to that weeded natural area over there and start shedding clothes, so we can commence to getting some real action up in this place.” He smirked, winked, ticked his head, then grinned as he nodded.
Chapter 52
But I would not hearken unto Balaam; therefore he blessed you still: so I delivered you out of his hand.
—Joshua 24:10
Andre pulled Sahara close to him and stepped back from Junebug. He put his mouth up close to her ear.
“Now, that’s what I’m talking about,” Junebug said. “There you go, Virgin Boy. I knew you wanted her. Go on, boy. Enjoy yourself on me!”
Andre whispered softly in Sahara’s ear, “I’m going to jump him, and I want you to run as fast as you can toward the house. Get inside and lock all the doors. Then you call 9-1-1.”
Sahara looked out of the side of her eyes at Junebug. He’d lowered the gun to his side. She pretended to kiss Andre on his ear. “I’m not going to let you do something like this. He has a gun. He’ll shoot you.”
“That’s enough kissing on the ear,” Junebug hollered from where he stood. “Y’all are just stalling. Sahara, you’re the experienced one. You might need to show Virgin Boy there what to do next,” Junebug said. “Move over closer to the weeds like I told you. This ain’t no peep show for everybody to see.”
“Sahara, please don’t argue with me,” Andre whispered. “When I push you, I want you to take off running as fast as your legs will carry you.” Andre put his hands on her shoulders, turned her around quickly, and pushed. “Run!” he said; then he ran straight toward Junebug.
Sahara ran as fast as she could, glancing over her shoulder on occasion. So far, Andre appeared to be holding his own against Junebug. She ran even faster.
Sahara started yelling as she ran. Crystal and Aaron met her before she reached the back porch steps.
“What is it?” Aaron said. “Is it a snake?”
“No, it’s Junebug!” Sahara said, practically out of breath now.
“It’s a June bug?” Crystal asked with a quizzical look. “You’re running and yelling like that because of a little old June bug? A green beetle? A June bug like
those we used to tie a string around its hind leg and fly in circles like a toy plane?”
“No.” Sahara panted, doubled over now. “Junebug. Junebug! The guy who lives up the road. He has a gun. Andre is down there wrestling with him now.” She pointed to where they were. “We have to help him!” Sahara stood up straight.
Aaron took out running toward his brother.
“Aaron, come back here!” Crystal said. “Sahara told you he has a gun! Aaron!”
Sahara ran in the house, picked up the phone, and dialed for the police. Breathing hard, she then ran to the closet and took out Ma Ray’s shotgun. She reached up on the top shelf and took down the box of shells.
“Sahara, are you out of your mind? You don’t know how to use that thing,” Crystal said, her eyes wide. “You could hurt somebody, including yourself. You don’t know how to use a gun. The police will be here soon. Just wait until the police arrive.”
“Crystal, if you’ve ever prayed, you need to pray right now. Pray that God helps me, because the police may not get here in time to help Andre! Pray, Crystal, pray. Pray like you’ve never prayed before. I need you to pray!”
Sahara also prayed. She prayed that she wouldn’t hear June-bug’s gun go off before help arrived. She prayed that if she was forced to use this gun, that God would help her not to accidentally hurt Andre, or herself, for that matter. She prayed that God would deliver them from this unfolding nightmare.
Sahara heard a car drive up. “Somebody’s here!” Sahara said to Crystal. “Go tell them what’s going on. Hurry, Crystal! Hurry!” She continued to try to figure out how to load the shotgun.
Ma Ray rushed in. “Give me that thing!” Ma Ray yelled at Sahara as she practically snatched the shotgun out of Sahara’s hand. “What do you call yourself doing?” Ma Ray took the shells and began to quickly load the shotgun as she spoke.
“I was trying to help Andre,” Sahara said. “Junebug is out back! He has a gun. Junebug has lost his mind. Andre is wrestling with him now. But we have to hurry, Ma Ray! Andre is running out of time,” Sahara said. “You have to hurry!”
Ma Ray started running toward the back door, the butt of the twelve-gauge shotgun securely tucked underneath her armpit. Sahara was right there alongside her every step of the way. When they were close enough, Sahara saw Junebug standing over Andre (who was now lying on the ground on his back), pointing the gun at his chest. Aaron stood helplessly, left only to watch. Sahara couldn’t hear what Junebug was saying, but she could tell he was close to pulling the trigger by the agitation on his face.
“Andre!” Sahara yelled out. “Junebug!”
Junebug turned around and pointed the gun in their direction.
Ma Ray raised her shotgun and pulled back the hammer. Sahara was certain Junebug heard the metallic click.
“If you don’t put that thing down,” Ma Ray said in a voice Sahara had never heard her use before, “I promise you, you may not have met Jesus in your personal life as yet, but I will make sure you get a personal introduction from me, to speak with Jesus on this day, if you don’t put that gun down right… now! Whether in your body or out, I cannot say—but one way or the other—you’ll get to have a conversation with the Lord on this day!”
Junebug quickly directed his gun at Ma Ray. “Ma Ray, you need to put that shotgun down,” Junebug said. “Wasn’t nobody gonna hurt nobody. So lower that thing and go on now.” He nodded his head at Ma Ray’s gun.
“You put yours down,” Ma Ray said. “I’m not playing with you, Junebug! Now, I know your mama. She’s a good woman, your mama is. Please don’t do this to her. Your mama raised you better than this, Junebug. You know she did. You’ve gone and allowed Satan to mess with your mind. So just lay that gun down, real careful and real slow like, onto the ground right there, and we’ll be all right. ‘Cause I’m going to be honest with you at this point. You know, I’m an old woman. And we old people have our occasional bouts of uncontrollable shakes. Now … I don’t want to start shaking, and we end up with an accident around here. I don’t want to hurt anybody, and you of all people know this. You hear what I’m saying, Junebug? I don’t want anyone to get hurt. So put your gun down, and we’ll all be okay.”
Junebug hesitated a minute before stretching his arms out to show Ma Ray that she didn’t have to worry about him doing anything stupid. He slowly lowered his gun down to his side.
Just then, sirens were heard blaring. Tootsie had stayed in the front yard. She could now be seen frantically directing the police toward the backyard.
The police came with guns drawn and arrested Junebug without incident.
“You also might want to check him out for all of these robberies that have been taking place around here,” Sahara said. “He was just bragging to me about some things he stole from my grandmother. I’m sure she’s not the only person he’s stolen from.”
“Will do,” one of the policemen said. “We’ve had Mr. Cornelius Sparks here under surveillance for quite some time now, quite some time. Drugs, number one on our list. Theft, number two.”
The police took Junebug away in handcuffs. Tootsie was sitting on the back porch steps, rocking back and forth as she hummed a song.
Andre walked over to her. “Grandma,” Andre said, “are you all right?”
She shook her head. “I can’t take this,” Tootsie said with her hand over her heart. “I can’t take this.” She stood up and quickly pulled Andre into her, hugging him tightly. She was crying hard now. “Thank You, Lord! Thank You for keeping my grandson safe! Both of my grandsons. Thank You, Jesus!” She rocked Andre from side to side as she hugged him.
Tootsie continued to thank God as she sobbed and held on to Andre as though she was holding on for dear life.
Chapter 53
And the people said unto Joshua, The Lord our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey.
—Joshua 24:24
Ma Ray hung up the phone after speaking to the police. Tootsie, Andre, and Aaron were still at her house. Boaz and Ruth, as well as Lenora, Edmond, and their children, came over as soon as they heard what had transpired.
“Well,” Ma Ray said to the adults sitting in the living room, “they’re holding Junebug without bail. At least for now. It appears that Junebug, along with his merry little bandits, have been some busy little bees. They’ve officially now been linked with the break-ins that were taking place around here as well as nearby towns. Not counting those drugs he was peddling, even to the middle schools. I just don’t understand how the police can have known thugs under their surveillance for over a year and not do anything to take them off the streets. I just don’t get that.”
“They don’t want them to get off due to some technicality or a lack of or insufficient evidence,” Edmond said.
“I get that much,” Ma Ray said. “But they know these people are selling drugs in our communities, and they just watch them as they keep stacking up more stuff against them. Meanwhile, they’re putting innocent folks’ lives in jeopardy.” Ma Ray shook her head slowly. “That boy could have killed somebody today. I’m not going to say he wasn’t going to hurt anybody. All I know is that when I looked in his eyes, right before he realized my gun was bigger than his, I believe he was contemplating pulling that trigger.”
“Ma, you don’t know that for sure,” Lenora said, glancing over at Tootsie, who started to cry some more. “You can never know truthfully what another person is really thinking.”
“Think and say what you like,” Ma Ray said. She started out of the room. “I’m going to check on the kids. This has been a trying day for everybody. That’s for sure.” Ma Ray stopped at Tootsie, who was now leaning her head back with her eyes closed. “Tootsie, you all right?”
Tootsie opened her eyes, sat up, and slowly shook her head. “God is good. I’m just thanking God, right now, that all is well.” Her voice shook as she spoke. “I thank God for you, Ma Ray. Because had it not been for you and your quick thinking and action … I just don’t know.”
> Ma Ray leaned down and gave Tootsie a hug. She rubbed her back. “It’s going to be all right. Now, don’t you let this get to you, you hear? We don’t need you getting sick.” She released her. “Were you able to talk to Marva’s family when you called?”
“Yeah,” Tootsie said. “They say Marva appears to be coming along fine.”
Ma Ray patted Tootsie’s shoulder. “That’s good news. God is good.”
“All the time,” Tootsie said. “Will you tell Andre and Aaron that I’m ready to go?” Tootsie said as she struggled to stand to her feet. “I’m really tired, really tired.”
“Aaron can drive your car home for you,” Ma Ray said. “You don’t need to be trying to drive. Not now. Why, you’re shaking like a leaf on a windy day.”
Ma Ray walked into the den. Crystal and Aaron were sitting next to each other on the couch. Andre and Sahara were sitting in separate chairs near each other. Nia and Kyle were lying on the floor rug, coloring in their coloring books. No one was saying a word. The television wasn’t even on.
Ma Ray went and hugged Crystal, then Aaron. She walked over to Andre. He stood up, and she gave him a long hug. Sahara just sat there swinging one leg. Ma Ray leaned down and hugged her. Sahara grabbed Ma Ray and almost wouldn’t let go.
“Tootsie is ready to go home,” Ma Ray said to Andre and Aaron when she was finally able to get Sahara to release her. “I spoke with the police. They say Junebug will be there, at least for a little while. His bail is set so high, you can pretty much say he didn’t get bail. Don’t know where his folks will get that kind of money to get him out anytime soon. I feel for his mother, though, I really do.”
“I’m glad he can’t get out anytime soon,” Crystal said. “I can’t believe what happened today. I’ve never been through anything like this before in my life. And I hope I never experience anything like this ever again.”
Ray of Hope Page 24
