Lean on Me (ARC)

by Pat Simmons

  Leaning back, Marcus folded his arms. “Go ahead. Start from the beginning and break it down to me how you’re a victim.”

  “I’m a black man who happened to be stopped by a Jennings police officer. ’Bout time the government called them out for their racist practices. Thousands of us poor, black residents who were jailed because we didn’t have the money to pay court fees for traffic tickets got a lot of money from a lawsuit.”

  Marcus whistled. He had followed the news after the Ferguson shooting and applauded the Justice Department for serving notice to almost one hundred municipalities surrounding Ferguson whose revenue was generated through fines and fees that targeted poor people in black communities.

  It came out in the news that when offenders couldn’t pay, they had to serve jail time or have their driver’s licenses suspended, which violated their constitutional protections. Marcus didn’t know the $4.7 million settlement had been reached. “That’s a lot of money. I hope you invest it wisely.”

  “Yep. I started a college fund for Little Victor and Vance.”

  Shocked, Marcus’s jaw dropped. His mouth started moving. Seconds later, words spilled out. “You what? Does Latrice know about this?”

  Sadness cast a shadow on Victor’s face. “We’re not together anymore, and she refuses to talk to me unless it has to do with the boys, even though this is about our sons.” His shoulders slumped as he dropped his head.

  Any other day, Marcus would have been Latrice’s cheerleader. Today, somehow, he was convicted to switch sides. He felt sorry for his former employee.

  Victor looked up again. “I’m going back to school in the fall and plan to work hard. Maybe I can open up my own business one day and help folks the way you and Demetrius do.”

  Marcus couldn’t believe what he was hearing. The language seemed foreign coming from Victor. But this was exactly what his company strived to do—make a difference in people’s lives.

  Victor stood and extended his hand. “I wanted to say thank you.”

  Grinning, Marcus accepted the shake, then wrapped the younger man in a bear hug. “I’m proud of you, man. If you need to talk, call me. Just don’t ask for your job back, because that’s still a no. I’ll invite you to the church where I began my salvation walk.”

  “I might check that out.”

  Watching Victor walk out the door a different man made Marcus exhale. “Lord, You made that change.”

  Chapter 24

  Life was good. Tabitha never thought she could say that as a caregiver, but it was true. In a short period of time, her growing relationship with the Lord had stabilized the chaos in her life. When she became frustrated, she prayed. On a bad day, she prayed. On the good days, she still prayed.

  Surprisingly, her life was blissful when she thought about Marcus. He always seemed to consider her needs before his. She hadn’t been sure if his plan for Aunt Tweet reading to the children would give her some breathing room, but it had.

  So now, twice weekly, she had a new routine: pick up her aunt from Bermuda Place and drive to Whittington Janitorial Services, where Marcus had dinner waiting for them. Aunt Tweet would bask in the children’s attention as she settled into the rocker the staff had provided for her comfort. Her presence meant story time, and the children didn’t seem to mind whether she turned pages in a book or not.

  Tabitha didn’t expect this kind of pampering, not as a caregiver and not when she could barely contain her anguish until she was behind closed doors. “So, how’s my girlfriend today?” Marcus teased. Once they were alone in the employee lounge, his eyes twinkled with mischief as he slid next to her at the table.

  There had been no official declaration of their status, but he had taken liberty of claiming her. She didn’t put up much protest, not because she didn’t have the energy, but because he had put so much energy into nurturing their relationship that she craved spending any time with him.

  “Girlfriend, huh?” Tabitha liked to hear him call her that. She shrugged as she opened her laptop to review some follow-up notes on doctors in her territory. “Who said I was your girlfriend?” she teased back in a sassy tone without looking his way.

  “I can’t fall in love if you’re not my girlfriend,” he said it in a playful manner.

  Love? Tabitha stopped breathing as she slowly turned to face him. The intensity of his stare verified he wasn’t kidding. Her heart fluttered. He loved her?

  “I love you, Tabitha, and it grows more each day,” he said almost in a whisper. “I want us to be an official couple.”

  At the worst possible time, a little boy rushed into the room and patted her arm, interrupting a pivotal moment between them that Tabitha would never forget. “Miss Tabby,” the child called out, “Aunt Tweet won’t let me play with my car.” He turned and pointed.

  Tabitha’s jaw dropped as she looked up and witnessed her aunt slip the child’s toy in her purse.

  She and Marcus stood at the same time. “I’ll handle it,” she advised, taking the child’s hand and going into the area where her aunt held court. Lowering her voice, she asked, “Do you have…” She paused and looked at the child.

  “Kenny.” His bottom lip trembled.

  “Do you have Kenny’s toy?”

  Indignant, Aunt Tweet straightened her shoulders and defiantly stated, “Nuh-uh.”

  Stealing? Lying? What’s next? “I saw you put Kenny’s toy car in your purse. Let’s give it back, okay?” She reached for the shoulder bag, but her aunt snatched it back until it became a tug-of-war. The more Tabitha pulled, the more her aunt strengthened her grip. To make matters worse, the children were watching them.

  Marcus tried to intervene. “Ah, ladies, please.”

  The commotion had gotten the attention of the childcare supervisor. Even the night security guard was on her heels.

  “Ma’am, please put the purse back on the table and step back,” the guard whose badge showed that his name was Edward ordered with his thumbs tucked into his belt.

  All this to recover a toy? Then again, Aunt Tweet wasn’t relinquishing that purse.

  “Edward, that won’t be necessary,” Marcus told him while helping Aunt Tweet to her feet. “Let’s go for a walk.” He guided her out of the play area, down a long corridor, all while she still clutched the purse. He turned back and mouthed to Tabitha, Now what?

  Kenny patted her leg again. “Miss Tabby, I want my toy.” He began to rub his eyes. The child was close to tears.

  “It’s okay, sweetie. I’ll get it back.” Hopefully. Although she was aware of the combative side of Alzheimer’s, Tabitha never thought her aunt would be so stubborn and hostile and in front of children. Her own eyes blurred with moisture as she hurried after Marcus and her aunt.

  Besides her parents, Aunt Tweet had been the most loving, caring person she knew. She had to keep reminding herself of the person that was inside, no matter what she saw on the outside.

  She wrapped her aunt in a hug, then kissed her cheek. “How are you feeling?”

  “Tired, I guess.”

  Tabitha nodded. “Let’s go home, but first I need to borrow something out of your purse.”

  Aunt Tweet frowned, but a few moments later, she handed it over. Accepting the purse, Tabitha turned her back and removed the toy. She exhaled as she handed the shoulder bag to her aunt. Discreetly, she gave Kenny’s car to Marcus. “Will you tell him we’re sorry and grab my things?”

  “Sure, babe.” As he began to walk away, he paused. “Oh, and don’t think I’m not waiting to hear you say you love me back.” He brushed a kiss against her cheek. She welcomed the feel of the velvety hairs of his ever-growing beard.

  “I need a hug to go with that,” Tabitha said. Marcus accommodated her request with a strong hug that was soothing before she reluctantly stepped out of his arms, so he could return Kenny’s car.

  The embarrassing turn o
f events had her emotions jumbled. A pity party descended on her while waiting for him to bring her purse and laptop. Hearing Marcus say he loved her would always be clouded with Aunt Tweet’s antics.

  Marcus reappeared. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, then walked them to her car.

  Once she was inside her car, Marcus leaned down until their eyes met through the driver’s side window. “Call me if you want to talk,” he whispered.

  She nodded sadly and drove away.

  * * *

  Marcus had a gut feeling she wouldn’t call him. His bright idea to keep Aunt Tweet occupied had backfired at the worst possible way and time. The vibes between them were right, so he’d been in a playful mood. He desired to flirt with Tabitha and coax her to flirt back. Saying he loved her had felt right. His ears itched to hear her surrender to her love for him.

  And she probably was on the verge. He would give anything to know what she was thinking. He had witnessed so many emotions cross her face—mainly the embarrassment from Aunt Tweet’s stubbornness. Marcus was resolved to give her space to process her aunt’s behavior and acknowledge what he had revealed tonight. After patting her hood, he stepped back.

  Stuffing his hands in his pants pockets, he swallowed his disappointment. This wasn’t how he envisioned the night going when he’d professed his love. Of course, it wasn’t the most ideal situation, but he had to work with what time they had without Aunt Tweet in range.

  He stayed rooted in place as her blue Taurus disappeared from the parking lot and exited on I-170, heading home.

  “What’s going on in that beautiful head of yours?” he said as if Tabitha could hear him as he spun around and headed back into the building to do damage control.

  * * *

  The next morning, Marcus checked his phone for texts and voicemails—not one word from her. Sitting on the edge of his bed, he dropped his head in his hands. He wanted to call her, hear her voice, but she hadn’t reached out to him.

  “Lord, please don’t let what happened last night be a setback for our relationship.” It wasn’t his imagination that her face had lit up when he’d told her he loved her.

  He had nothing but adoration for Aunt Tweet, but at that precise moment, he was frustrated at her timing. Marcus wanted to send Aunt Tweet to her room as punishment. Now, he understood firsthand what Tabitha endured constantly when he wasn’t around. His poor baby.

  Feeling helpless, Marcus slid to the floor to pray after giving thanks for everything in his life.

  He didn’t know how long he stayed on his knees, but when he said, “Amen,” he hoped for a word from the Lord. God was silent, so he picked up his Bible. Maybe God would speak to him through His Word, so he flipped through the pages until he stopped in Romans 12. He scanned the chapter, looking for a message. He paused at verse fifteen: “Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.” He mediated on the meaning, then closed his Bible. He was hurting, because Tabitha was hurting, and when she was happy, Marcus happy. Without realizing this verse existed, he was already committed to enacting it. “I’ll have to keep praying until we can get into a happy place again together.”

  Praying for her was easy. Waiting for the fruit of his petitions was torture. Marcus went through the motions of getting ready for work, but once he dressed, he couldn’t stand not talking to Tabitha. He called and got her voicemail, so he texted her.

  I know there are a lot of things you might want to forget about last night. I hope my love for you isn’t one of them. He hit Send and waited for her reply. After a few minutes, he left for work.

  Demetrius was finishing up a call when Marcus strolled through the door. They exchanged waves before he settled behind his desk and checked his phone for missed calls or a text from Tabitha. Again, nothing.

  Regroup and focus. Pushing his personal life aside, Marcus used all his mental energy to concentrate on his business.

  “Hey, man, did you hear about the fight in the day care last night?” his brother asked after ending his conversation on the phone. Before Marcus could turn to face his brother, Demetrius was howling with amusement. He gasped for air as he laughed uncontrollably.

  “Not funny, man.” Marcus rubbed his lips in annoyance.

  “B-but it is.” Demetrius tee-heed. “An old woman and a young boy fighting over a toy. It doesn’t get any better than that.”

  “Unfortunately, it does. It happened to be at the exact moment I told Tabitha I loved her. The tug-of-war interrupted us, big-time.”

  Demetrius put clamp on his amusement. “Ooh.” He frowned and snapped to serious mode. “So you told her you loved her. Aww, man. That is not good. How’s she doing this morning?”

  “She hasn’t returned my text.” Marcus scratched his beard and exhaled.

  Demetrius was quiet with a pensive expression. “Maybe that was a sign it isn’t meant—”

  Holding up his hand, Marcus cut his brother off. He didn’t want to hear that. “It’s a sign that my love for Tabitha is worth fighting for. Nothing and nobody is going to get in the way of that,” he said with finality.

  Chapter 25

  The next morning, Tabitha stared at her reflection in her bathroom mirror. There wasn’t enough primer, concealer, or foundation to mask the puffiness under her eyes. She had cried herself to sleep last night after the fiasco at Marcus’s company. She thought Marcus might recall his love after witnessing the proof that a romantic relationship with her had too many uncertainties because of Aunt Tweet’s condition. He called and texted, but honestly, she was still too embarrassed to talk to him.

  She would have called in sick if she wasn’t still in her trial period. Somehow, she made it through the motions of getting dressed, eating, and getting out the door with Aunt Tweet dressed to perfection. After dropping her off at Bermuda Place, Tabitha remembered she didn’t have enough Porital samples, for osteoporosis, for today’s appointments. She detoured to the office first with the intention of checking out samples, then getting back in her car ASAP.

  “Sorry,” she mumbled after almost knocking Ava Elise out of the way.

  “Whoa, you must be in a rush.” Her friend chuckled. “Hey, I like those sunglasses.”

  “Thanks.” She didn’t remove them. The cool cucumber cream she’d applied to reduce the puffiness should produce results by the time she met with the first doctor.

  Resting her hand on Tabitha’s arm, her friend wouldn’t let her continue. “Are you all right? Is everything okay with your aunt?”

  The dam broke before Tabitha could answer. Tears poured from her eyes without prompting. Ava Elise nudged Tabitha out the door to the courtyard. Once outside, her friend gave her a hug. “I thought you might need that.”

  That’s exactly what she wanted and got last night from Marcus. Tabitha nodded and rummaged through her purse for tissues to blow her nose. “I did.”

  Removing Tabitha’s sunglasses, Ava Elise inspected her face. “Whoa. Please tell me you have allergies. There are over-the-counter and prescription meds for that.”

  “Not anymore. I grew out of them.” She hiccupped. “Sorry. I’m having an emotional day.”

  “I see that.” They sat on a stone bench. “Did Aunt Tweet wander off again?”

  “No.” Tabitha’s shoulders slumped.

  Her friend exhaled. “Whew. So what’s wrong?”

  “Marcus told me he’s in love with me.” She blinked and a tear fell.

  Ava Elise chuckled. “Honey, that’s a good thing. I’ve heard of crying tears of joy, but…”

  “The moment”—Tabitha closed her eyes—“was almost perfect.” She mustered an uneasy smile. “The way he said it was so sweet.” Then she explained how the night went downhill after that and how she’d left the warehouse in shame. “I’d never guessed my aunt would be so defiant—and in front of children. How embarrassing.” She sighed. “Marcus has
texted and called me, but I don’t know how to pick up the pieces after last night. I’m afraid he’s going to say I’m not worth it.”

  “He knows about her condition. I’m sure he doesn’t blame you or her. What any woman wants is the love of a good man—you have it, but you didn’t tell Marcus you loved him back?” Ava Elise paused. “I know you do. A good man is hard to find and he deserves to hear it from you.” She stood, and Tabitha followed. “Separate your personal life from your livelihood and call that man. I’m sure he’s worried about you.”

  Once back inside the building, they went separate ways.

  Idle in construction traffic on I-70, she took her friend’s advice and called Marcus. He answered right away.

  “Baby, are you okay?”

  “Yes,” she whispered. “I’m sorry it’s taken me overnight to say it, but I love you too.”

  “You’re telling me now, and that’s all that matters to me.”

  Tabitha’s heart fluttered, but she had to address last night’s scene. “I’m also sorry about Aunt Tweet’s behavior.” It still didn’t seem real. Tabitha wished it had been a bad dream. She sighed.

  “I get it. She can’t help herself,” he reassured her.

  “I know that, and I can’t help her from being the person she is now. It’s heartbreaking. I’m suffering, too, silently, along with my aunt. I’m tired mentally, emotionally, physically… Sometimes, like last night, I want to run and hide under a rock. If I vent my frustration to my sisters, they may think I don’t want Aunt Tweet, and that’s not the case. I love her!”

  “Hey, hey, I know you do and you’re a great caregiver—you are. And I’m here for you to vent. I love you, and as far as hiding under a rock, I heard a Scripture about that but don’t know where it is.”

  Me either. She really couldn’t think straight. “Was little Kenny all right?”

  “Yep. As soon as he got his toy back, everything was forgotten.” He chuckled.

  She sniffed. “Good, but I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to bring her back there.”