by Edwina Fort
I miss him! And although I have to be strong and not cave in, there are no rules that say I can't do a little spying. Right? Right…
And so, a new hobby for me was born. For the next month and a half, I sat here on this stool and watched my husband. Butta and Lyon were both onboard and they fed me and oh my goodness, NuriYah was always bringing me a plate of some goodness, mac and cheese, fried chicken, sweet potatoes, greens, fried okra…
Even Lyon had gotten in on it. She wasn’t lying, he was a big kid. Once while I was here spying, I was completely enthralled by what I was seeing. Hitta was down there sitting at the table studying the Bible with Kaleb. They were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn’t even notice that the gym had all but emptied. And I was so engrossed in watching him that I didn’t hear or see Lyon come up next to me until he spoke, scaring the heck out of me.
“Boo!”
I cried out, clutching at my chest. “Dang it! Don’t do that! You’re going to give me a freaking heart attack!”
He was laughing at me so good he had to hold onto the wall to keep from tipping into his wife’s lavender bed.
“You shouldn’t be so jumpy…” he said around his laughter.
“And you shouldn’t be so dang on big!” I’m glad he found the fact that he’s scared ten years off my life funny. I didn’t find it funny at all. His big cat sat at the door with his mouth open in a way that made it look like he too was laughing at me.
What the world?!
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I made some protein patties and I come to offer you some. My wife said we should make sure we feed you every hour.” He held out a plate of what looked like smashed fried poop.
His statement made me laugh though. He made it sound as if I was the family pet. No wonder GinaYah was always offering me another snack and my fat self ate it every time. I eyeballed the plate he held.
“What is it?”
“Protein patties.”
I shrugged and reached in and grabbed one. I don’t know what was wrong with me. I felt hungry all the time. The baby was due next month, but I felt like I was fifteen months pregnant.
Surprisingly, Lyon’s little poop looking patties tasted good. Kind of taste like grainy pancakes.
“You must think I’m a fat pig,” I told him as I helped myself to another one of his snacks. He was popping them in his mouth whole, at least I was taking bites.
He shook his head. “Naw, you good. My wife out ate me with each of her pregnancies. It’s why she keeps feeding you. She remembers what it was like.”
Awww shucks… That brought a smile to my face. The more I got to know Lyon, the more I wondered how I could have been so afraid of him when I first met him. He was kind of goofy in a way. The hardest I laughed in a while was because of him. I’ll tell you guys what he did.
It was one day when the gym was empty except for him, Hitta, and a few of his men. They all stood in the ring watching as Lyon instructed Hitta on some fighting technique. He was yelling at him about something or another, but then behind his back, he gestured for me to slide the window open so that I could hear.
“How you gon’ get your wife back and you can’t land a proper blow?” I heard him yell.
Hitta growled and came at Lyon again, but the older man just moved to the side and shoved him to the floor like he was a little boy.
“Look at you, man. You must don’t really want your girl back. You been in here talking crap about doing this to make your wife proud of you. Look at you. You don’t want her back.”
“I do want her back...” Hitta growled jumping up from the floor breathing heavily, reminding me of a little brother that had enough of his older brother picking on him and was ready for vengeance. He was so mad it looked like fire was going to come from his nose. He let out a loud roar and charged Lyon again.
I put my hand over my mouth to stifle a scream when Lyon did a maneuver where he suddenly dipped to the side before grabbing Hitta and bringing him over his head to slam him hard to the ground. And as my poor husband lay there, probably wondering if any of his bones were broken, his teacher stood over him shaking his head.
“I guess you gon’ be single.”
“No, I’m not!” Hitta yelled up at him from where he still lay on his back.
“Why is that?”
“Because I’m going to get my wife back.”
Lyon put his hand to his ear. “What did you say? Your voice was so whiney it was hard to understand.”
“I’M GON’ GET MY WIFE BACK!” Hitta yelled louder than I ever heard him. He was so angry.
Lyon turned to face me and winked, holding up his thumb. But just then, Hitta jumped to his feet and when Lyon turned around, he hit him with a right hook that would have shattered a normal man’s jaw. It took Lyon clean off his feet.
For just a moment, my husband stood there staring down at his teacher in complete shock. Even he could not believe what he did. Lyon sat up rubbing his jaw with a grin on his face.
“You sneaky bastard!”
Hitta laughed. “Naw, bro…What’s my name?!!!!” he yelled down at him, so full of adrenaline from what he’d done he could barely contain it. “Come on, man! A deal is a deal!”
Still sitting on his butt, Lyon chuckled, looking around as most of his men came closer to the ring, laughing in astonishment. They couldn’t believe Hitta had actually landed a blow that took the infamous warrior off his feet.
With a grin on his face, Lyon looked up and muttered something that nobody could hear. Hitta put his hand to his ear.
“What you say? I couldn’t hear you!”
“I said!” Lyon spoke louder. “That was a good one, Hard Hitta!” My husband was practically jumping up and down he was so geeked.
“But when I get up—” he continued, “you better not be standing here.” Then he jumped to his feet and without missing a beat, Hitta turned and jumped out of the ring. I had to hold my hand over my mouth so that they couldn’t hear me laughing. I didn’t know my husband could run so fast. Lyon chased him around the whole gym before Hitta slipped out the door.
Oh, y’all! I laughed so hard at that, NuriYah feared I was going to go into early labor. Anyway, over these last couple of weeks of spying on my husband, I got to know a side of him I had no clue existed. Every day, he brought his bible to the Lyon’s Den with him. And I don’t know if he’s doing it on purpose or what, but Lyon would talk to him at the table right under the window so that I could hear their conversation clearly. Hitta asked Lyon questions about things he’d read in the Scriptures the night before, which meant he was going home reading it on his own.
And Lyon or another very handsome older gentleman named Solomon would talk to him and Kaleb, teaching them the Way. Lyon told him the Scriptures were a sword that was more deadly than any sword made by the hands of man because it cut coming and going.
But speaking of swords, did you guys know that Hitta knew how to work a sword? I’m talking about the metal kind. Yeah, me either… But he did. Apparently, Lyon had started teaching him when he was only a boy. When his teacher asked him if he remembered how to wield one, he told him a little. Lyon told him to show him before handing him his sword and then he proceeded to wow the heck out of me because for a guy that remembers a little, it looked damn impressive to me. Lyon grabbed another sword and they spent the rest of the day training with them.
Can y’all believe that? Hmmmm… Amazing, right?
Anyway, seeing my husband reading his bible so faithfully inspired me to read mine. Even though he couldn’t see me, I wanted to go on this journey with him, so I asked Lyon what exactly he was reading in it. For a minute, he looked at me as if he didn’t understand my question.
“Is there a certain topic he’s studying?”
Understanding settled over his face. “Naw, little sista. He’s allowing the Teacher to guide him. He’s started from the beginning, Genesis 1:1.”
“The Teacher?” I asked.
He
nodded. “When you go home tonight, read John 14:26…Pray that your mind is opened to understand it. And then open your scriptures to the beginning and join your husband in his journey.”
I nodded before I dug in my purse for a piece of paper to write down the scripture he told me to read. Then I hugged NuriYah goodbye and took the train to the Tea Shop to get the bible Greatie had given me all those years ago. I felt excited to join my husband in this, even if he didn’t know that I was.
While I was at the shop, I took the time to catch up with my girls, Summer and Carmen. Since spending time at the Lyon’s Den talking plants with NuriYah, I’ve been inspired and have come to the shop a few times over the last month or so to trade out herbs and add new things from Nuri’s garden.
“Girl, you look like you’re ready to pop!” Carmen said as she rubbed my belly before putting her face next to it. “I can’t wait to spoil you, lil cuz.”
I laughed just as the bell dinged on the door. Looking up, I saw a handsome man in a very nice suit walk through it, my gaze went back to Carmen, but then my eyes flew up again.
“Westly!”
Oh my God! It was Westly, looking like the handsome man I remembered him to be before he got hooked on drugs! His cheeks were fuller and there were no more sores on his face and neck.
Thank you, Heavenly Father!
I haven’t seen him looking this healthy in years. Tears came to my eyes as I slowly approached him.
“Wha?!?!?” I was at a loss for words.
He opened his arms. “Hey, baby girl…”
Being careful of my stomach, I threw myself into his arms. For the first time in a long time, he didn’t stagger from my weight, although I was thirty plus pounds heavier than the last time we hugged.
Astonished, I stepped back to get a better view of him. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. “Look at you!”
He chuckled. “Look at you, when is the baby due?”
“In another three weeks…but wait! Enough about me! What happened to you?” He looked so good… and sober.
“I dried out.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful!” Not being able to help myself because my heart was full, I threw my arms around him again.
“I’m so proud of you!” My words were barely legible because I was crying like a baby. “How long has it been?”
He chuckled. “I haven’t touched anything since that night at the gym.”
I took his hand and led him over to the couch because a group of customers walked through the door. Over here, we would have a little privacy.
“What happened?” I asked as we sat.
He didn’t respond right away, he just shook his head a bit. "Let’s just say, your husband beat some sense into me and then put me in rehab.”
I clutched his arm. “Hitta did this?!”
He nodded. "Yeah, he did. I thought he was going to kill me that night. He beat me so bad I couldn't stand. When he raised his fist to drop the blow that I knew would kill me, I just started begging for my life. I told him I wanted to live. And he told me to prove it before dropping me off with broken ribs, a sprained ankle, and a fractured wrist to this expensive ass rehab. His parting words to me was that he’d paid a lot of money to know the minute I tried to leave the hospital before they released me and that he will be waiting for me on the outside to finish the job.”
“Wow! I’m sorry it was so—”
He shook his head cutting me off. “Naw, Angel, it was just what I needed. Without that added fear, and not being able to move, I would have never gone through with it. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Although it was a really nice facility, it still felt like a prison. My brother-in-law obviously didn’t spare any expense. If my ribs weren’t cracked and my foot wasn’t in a cast, I would have found a way out of there. But I physically couldn’t move.” He chuckled. “That joker did a number on me.”
Reaching over, he dried away my tears. “He saved my life by forcing me to stay still long enough to get over the hump.”
I nodded, but I couldn’t speak, because I was overcome with emotion. I was falling in love with my husband all over again, and he didn’t even know it. Westly and I talked until it was time for me to meet Jessie at her bus.
“Do you want to see Jessie?” I asked.
He grabbed my hand. “No, not yet. I want to be a hundred percent when I see her again.”
I squeezed his hand because his words frightened me. “Where are you going?”
Reaching up, he gently pushed my braid behind my ear. “Your husband’s generosity didn’t end with rehab and this suit. His assistant found a place for me in Virginia. It’s kind of like a halfway house for newly dried out addicts. I’ve signed up for a year.”
“Really?”
He nodded. “They have counselors and job training. It’s a safe environment to live until I get stronger, you know.”
I nodded. “Yeah! That sounds like an awesome idea.”
He leaned in and kissed my head. “I’m sorry for letting you down so many times.”
“You didn’t,” I muttered using my arm to wipe away some of the tears that were spilling from my eyes. Ugggh! I’m such a crybaby!
“You take care of yourself, baby girl.” He paused for a moment. “And tell your husband-- Tell him, I said thank you.” And then he was gone.
Oh, guys! It took me a minute to get myself together after that. I picked Jessie up from her bus and I boohooed the whole train ride back to Brooklyn’s. My poor cousin didn’t know what to do because my tears were bittersweet, sweet because my brother was finally clean. This had been a ten-year struggle and finally, he was on the road to recovery. And it was bitter because I had my husband to thank for it.
He’d told me he was not going to change for me, but look, he was changing, and I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t just walk back up to him and say let’s try and work this out again, because I really want you to be in our lives. We’d gone through too much for that. So now, I had to be satisfied with spying on him from NuriYah’s greenhouse, at least that’s what I thought at the time.
But then, something happened; the miracles didn’t stop. Two weeks later, I took Jessie and Lyric with me to the Lyon’s Den. I figured they could hang out with Gina, who seemed to be pretty good with children while I did my spying.
I got my little area all set up and settled in with a nice fruit smoothie that Butta handed to me when I walked in. I’ve been timing my arrival till right before my husband comes. Today, he wasn’t dressed for a workout, which meant it was going to be one of his study days. I was just getting out my bible because I planned on studying right along with him when I heard--
“Unc, it’s you!”
I nearly wasted the smoothie as I struggled to right myself after the sound of Jessie’s loud voice downstairs in the gym nearly sent me toppling off my little stool.
Chapter 27
Show Me Warrior
Your Word is Love, But You Push Me Away, and Won’t Say Why
You Show Me Your Exterior; I Need To See Your Interior
I Need To Be Absolutely Clear With Ya If We Are To Ever Stand A Chance
It’s The Last Dance; Don’t You See?
Show Me The Warrior You’re Born To Be…
Jill Scott
Angel
“Oh no! Oh no!” I cried when I saw her and Lyric run across the gym toward Hitta.
His head jerked up when he heard her voice. When he saw her racing toward him, he jumped up from his chair and ran toward her. She leaped in his arms and he nearly crushed her; he was so happy to see her.
“Jess! What you doing here?”
I couldn’t hear what she said to him, but my heart nearly stopped when she pointed up toward the window. I dipped back just in time for him to miss me before hurrying out the greenhouse to find Butta in the kitchen.
“Oh my God! You have to help me! He knows! He knows!” I was freaking out.
“Chile, calm down before you go into labor! Who knows w
hat?” She asked, drying her hands on her dishtowel before hurrying to me, clearly worried.
“Hitta! Jessie and Lyric went downstairs!”
“Oh yeah, sorry about that! I meant to warn you that Lyric loves being down there with the warriors. She’s like my Ty, it makes sense that she would want to take Jessie down there and show off a bit.”
“Butta!” I cried, clutching her arms.
Her eyes widened in amused horror. “What! I said I was sorry!”
“Sorry?! What am I supposed to do now? He’s probably on his way up here!” Her gaze settled on something behind me and my heart sank as the hairs on the back of my neck stood.
“He’s behind me, isn’t he?” I whispered.
She slowly nodded, the sympathetic grin still on her face. “Hey, Willie! How is everything?”
I pressed my lips together, too afraid to turn around. I just wanted the floor to open up and swallow me.
“Real good, Mrs. Nuri. How things with you?” I closed my eyes as that deep voice washed over me. Goodness, I think I missed that baritone the most.
NuriYah nodded her head. “Everything is good. Thank you so much for asking. You are a real sweetheart.”
And then came that awkward silence. I just stood there still clutching Butta’s arms, staring into her face. Her gaze came to mine and I could see that she was fighting to hold on to her laughter.
“Ummm, I take it you know Angel?”
Hitta chuckled. “Yeah, I know her… How you doing, Teacup?”
I inhaled as Butta and my eyes connected one more time. Still trying to hold on to her laughter, she leaned a little closer.
“I just want to thank you. Having you around has made these days a little easier for me. I’ve rediscovered my passion for growing things. And it was because of you. Now be a big girl and turn around and greet your man.”
Dear God, give me the strength. I turned with a smile on my face. “Good! I’m good…How are you?”
He didn’t speak right away. He just stood there letting his eyes rake over me. Feeling self-conscious, I lifted my hand to check and make sure I didn’t have a braid that had decided to go rogue or anything, but NuriYah, who still stood behind me grabbed my hand, preventing it.
