Body By Night

by Day, Zuri

  D’Andra headed straight to Night’s house as soon as work was over. She knew it was early but after making the decision to try and track Night down, the need to sleep had, for the moment, disappeared. Still, she stifled a yawn as she turned the corner. Right away she noticed that his silver Nissan Z350 was in the driveway but his GMC truck was gone. D’Andra didn’t know how to feel about that. Had he left early, or been out all night?

  She pulled up to the curb in front of his house and turned off the engine. Reaching for her cell phone, she dialed his number again. His message box was full. Even though she knew he wasn’t home, she got out anyway, walked to the front door and rang the bell. She tried to peek inside the window and found that just as Night had assured her as she lay sprawled half-naked on his couch, you couldn’t see in from the outside. She heaved a sigh, part relief, part frustration. She didn’t know whether what had happened to him was an accident or another woman, but something was definitely going on.

  She was almost to her house when she thought about Marc. It was only eight-thirty but she hoped he was at the gym. If not him, perhaps Mitzy or one of the other regulars she’d noticed since coming there would have seen him. She had just gotten out of the car when her phone rang. Thinking it was Night, she couldn’t pull her phone out fast enough, not even stopping to check the ID.

  “Hello?”

  “Girl, where you at; and what’s wrong with you? You sound out of breath.”

  “Oh, hey Mama. I’m all right; I had to dig the phone out of the bottom of my purse, and didn’t think I’d answer in time.”

  “Well, I was just checking on you; you’re usually home by now.”

  D’Andra smiled. She knew in her heart that her mother loved her, cared for her, but Mary didn’t show her emotions much. “I’m almost there; had some errands to run.”

  “At this time of the morning? Oh well, do me a favor and bring a gallon of milk home.”

  “Okay.”

  “And none of that two percent junk!”

  D’Andra hung up the phone without answering, so that when she brought in the jug of two percent milk she could act as if she hadn’t heard the warning. Her mother could clog up her arteries if she wanted to; but D’Andra wasn’t going to pay for it.

  “You’re here early.”

  D’Andra turned around to see the object of her search coming in the door behind her. “Hey, Marc.”

  “I see you’ve got the bug; once you start working out, you can’t get enough, can you?”

  “It does feel good,” D’Andra admitted. “But actually, I’m here because I was hoping to run into you. I’m looking for Night. Have you seen him?”

  Marc frowned slightly, shaking his head. “No, I haven’t.”

  “I’m not trying to get in his business,” D’Andra said, trying to keep her tone light. “But we were supposed to get together Saturday night and he didn’t show or call. His voice mail is full and I haven’t heard from him.”

  Marc’s frown deepened. “Hum; he didn’t return my call either and didn’t show to play basketball like we do most Sundays. Did you try him at home?”

  “I don’t have that number, but I went by there. His car is parked but his truck is gone.”

  Marc tried not to let his worry show. “He’ll turn up; he might be over to his mother’s. Sometimes he helps her out around the house. I’ll try and reach him over there later, and will tell him to call you.”

  “I appreciate that, Marc.” As an afterthought she gave him her cell number. “Just in case you hear anything,” she said before leaving the gym.

  D’Andra slept fitfully, and finally gave up the pretense a little after two o’clock. Her first thoughts were of Night, and within minutes of awakening, she reached for her phone. There was a message! Finally, she thought as she punched one to activate her voice mail.

  “Hey, Dee, it’s me…Nelly. I know you’re shocked to hear from me but please call me back. I know I…there’s something I want to…just call me, okay? Bye.”

  Chanelle—ever since her conversation with Connie, D’Andra had expected the call. One of the Fabulous Four was dead. That should have been enough for D’Andra to want to talk to Chanelle. But time hadn’t totally healed the wound of the way their friendship ended and D’Andra wasn’t sure if even death could bridge the acrimonious gap now between them. D’Andra admitted the lack of communication was strictly on her; she’d refused Chanelle’s calls repeatedly and was both grateful and saddened when they stopped coming. Now was her chance to reconnect with the friend who, until now, she’d refused to admit she missed so much. And in honor of Dominque’s memory, she’d call her. As soon as she solved the mystery of what happened to Night.

  Chanelle’s was the only message. Despite her promise to the contrary, she dialed Night’s number again. His message box was still full. After a quick shower, D’Andra dressed and knocked on her mother’s bedroom door.

  “Mama, you want some lunch?”

  “What are you fixing?”

  D’Andra opened the door before answering. “Baked fish and rice, with a salad.”

  “No, that doesn’t sound good. Anymore of that nacho dip in there? I’ll take that with some Doritos.”

  “You’re going to have to get up and fix that artery-clogging meal on your own,” D’Andra countered with renewed resolve to not help her mother kill herself. She turned to leave.

  “What did you say to Cassandra?” Mary asked.

  “When?”

  “Over the weekend, I guess. You haven’t noticed the kids are gone?”

  “I just figured they were over to Jackie’s.”

  “They are, but that’s not the point. I’m wondering why she’s been gone for two days.”

  D’Andra sighed. “You’ll have to ask her, Mama.” And then, noticing the worry lines on her mother’s face, she added, “She’s a big girl, Mama. She’s probably over at her boyfriend’s house.”

  That brought a smile. “Ooh, Lord, I hope so. If she can get Anthony to put a ring on her finger, we’ll all be better off.”

  D’Andra refrained from suggesting it was probably Hollah, and not Anthony, who’d be putting whatever on her sister; probably some good loving right now, judging by how long she’d been gone.

  “What happened with that dude you met Saturday night? You didn’t say anything.”

  The last thing D’Andra wanted was Mary Smalls trying to shove her down the wedding aisle. Plus she didn’t want to hear the sarcasm that would surely follow her revelation that she’d been stood up.

  “It was all right,” she said, deciding on a noncommittal answer. “We’re just friends.”

  “You’re not getting any younger, girl; better try and get a baby out of someone with some money. That’ll take care of you for eighteen years at least.”

  D’Andra had no words to respond. Instead she simply closed the door and headed for the kitchen.

  A couple hours later, D’Andra began to worry in earnest. She’d gone by Night’s for their four o’clock workout and the place looked the same as it had that morning. Then she called Bally’s and while Marc had left for the day, Mitzy said that as far as she knew, Night hadn’t been in. D’Andra knew she should probably go to the gym and work out there since Night wasn’t around; but she was too keyed up to exercise. Instead, she decided to use the time and go to Santa Monica. Night had suggested a natural superfood supplement to replace the diet drink he said was filled with additives, preservatives and other ingredients that were actually doing D’Andra more harm than good. He said the product was a mix of Chinese herbs, fruits and vegetables, a total of seventy-one ingredients. D’Andra couldn’t imagine anything with that many ingredients, and green, tasting good, but she decided to give it a try. Seeing the results on both his and her body caused her to pretty much consider his word as gospel when it came to health.

  She turned up the volume and let The Wave’s contemporary jazz wash her troublesome thoughts away. After David Benoit covered Michael Jackson’s
“Human Nature” and Wayman Tisdale “threw it down,” the duo of Bryan Legend and Corinne Bailey borrowed a question from Roberta Flack and asked where was the love. That brought the thoughts she’d momentarily pushed aside back to the forefront. Where was the love? And where was Night?

  D’Andra was surprised and grateful to get a parking space right in front of Dragon Herbs, the store with the supplement Night had suggested. Within minutes she was in and out, although she vowed to come back, maybe with Elaine, and take a lazy look at all the supplements, herbs, lotions, tonics and potions within the store’s small and exotically decorated walls. She glanced to her right, aware that she was less than two blocks from the beach. For a moment she entertained a quick stroll down the path; water always seemed to soothe her and Lord knows her soul was troubled. But the beach would undoubtedly bring to the fore her last memories there, with Night and the kids. She decided against it and walked to her car instead.

  That’s when she saw her, less than ten feet away, walking a dog. She acted before she had time to think; otherwise, she never would have done it.

  “Aren’t you one of Night’s clients?” she asked boldly, stepping in the woman’s path as she awaited an answer.

  Jazz tossed her hair to the side as she cocked her head. She knew what love struck looked like, and it was staring at her. It didn’t surprise her and was part of why she’d never be totally comfortable with Night’s decidedly female clientele. But she’d endure it because the man was worth it and she’d make damn sure that they all knew he was not available; and she figured she’d start with the cow in front of her.

  “Client?” she asked with a laugh. “I am much more than his client.”

  D’Andra managed to absorb the punch without flinching. But inside, her heart dropped. “Have you seen him?”

  When Jazz simply stared at her, D’Andra continued. “I’ve been worried about him. He missed our appointment today and Marc hasn’t seen him at the gym. I’m just wondering if he’s okay.”

  Jazz kept her cool as she digested this news. She’d blown his phone up all weekend, filling up his voice mail. But that Marc hadn’t seen him was a red flag. Still, she wasn’t going to pass up this opportunity to shore up her boundaries where Night was concerned.

  “I can assure you, Night’s fine. He’s been, uh, busy, if you know what I mean; sometimes he’s simply insatiable! Your appointment probably slipped his mind. But what’s your name? I’ll pass along a message to call you.”

  Without another word, D’Andra turned and walked to her car. She managed to put in the keys, start the engine and pull away before the dam burst. Her worse fear had been realized; Night had stood her up for another woman, and from what it looked like, had been in this woman’s arms all weekend.

  What was it about her that made men betray her; throw her away like a paper bag? She’d wanted to believe Night was different; that he meant those things he said to her. She’d been thrilled to know he loved her big curves, and that he was determined to help her be her best self. But it had all been an illusion. Why? What did he have to gain from hurting her? She hadn’t asked him into her life; he’d offered his help and almost begged for their relationship to go to another level. He’d invited her out to the movies. Why would he do all that with someone like…D’Andra realized she didn’t even know the woman’s name. It didn’t matter. Night knew it, and what’s more, Night knew they had a date Saturday night but it looked like he passed up her supersized company for a french fry snack. She was just revving up for an ugly cry when her cell phone rang.

  “D’Andra…it’s Nelly.”

  “Hey, Chanelle.”

  A gut-wrenching sob sprang up from D’Andra’s soul before she could censor it. The sound of Chanelle’s voice confirmed just how much she’d missed her best friend, the first one she would have called six months ago, the one she spoke to almost every day for twenty years…before catching her with Charles. But hearing her voice, thinking about Dominque, running into Night’s woman, it was all too much. Sobs were the only conversation for several minutes.

  “I know…it’s crazy, Dee,” Chanelle said, believing D’Andra’s tears were for their lost friend. “I just saw her last month. She was over at Miss Ann’s and they called me to come over. We had a good time; talking, laughing, reminiscing about old times. She was still too skinny but other than that she looked good!”

  D’Andra hadn’t seen Dominque for over a year, when D’Andra was seeing Charles and Dominque started dating Papa Stone, a notorious ex-gang member and known drug dealer. Everybody had tried to get her to leave him, especially after he’d supplied her with an endless supply of drugs washed down with the finest champagnes. She’d justified using them because even though they were being sold illegally, they were legal drugs: Vicodin, OxyContin and other painkillers. Dominque would alter these with amphetamines, which she’d use to wake up after a night of partying. Her once placid demeanor turned erratic and after her family and friends, including Chanelle and D’Andra, staged an intervention, Dominque had broken off contact.

  “Where’s her boyfriend?”

  “He’s MIA; the police are looking for him now. They found her body down by Griffith Park, Dee. She’d been dead at least a week. But there were no scars or signs of struggle; that’s why they don’t know whether or not it was accidental.”

  “Nobody should die like that.”

  “Miss Ann keeps blaming herself. Connie’s flying in on Friday. The wake is on Monday and the funeral Tuesday. Miss Ann wants us to help with the program and stuff. She said she doesn’t know if she can, you know, pick out the clothes and—”

  “I’ll be there,” D’Andra said. Whatever was needed, she’d give whatever she could. Connie and Dominque rounded out the Fabulous Four who’d won the contest back in fourth grade. They’d all admired Connie when she decided to move across the country to attend Howard University. They were even more impressed when several years after graduating she married her college sweetheart, now an attorney, and had twins, a boy and a girl. The last time they’d seen her was two years ago, when Chanelle and D’Andra had flown to DC to help celebrate Connie’s husband’s thirtieth birthday. That had happened not long after the intervention; Dominque had been the missing piece to the picture-perfect weekend.

  Chanelle’s voice broke. “Thank you, Dee. It will be so good to see you, I’ve got so much I want to say.”

  “This is about Dominque, Nelly, nothing else.”

  “This is about friends, D’Andra; and how quickly they can be taken away…forever.”

  “Where are we meeting on Friday?”

  “Over at Miss Ann’s.”

  Dominque’s mother still lived where her daughter had grown up. Re-entering that house would be like stepping back twenty years. But at one time Miss Ann had almost been like a second mother. She’d do it for her, and for Dominque. “See you then.”

  16

  “You need to go home, Night. Get some proper sleep. I’ll watch over your mama.” Robert added bass to his voice in an attempt at sounding stern.

  Night shook his head. “Can’t. Not until she opens her eyes.”

  His uncle placed a hand on Night’s shoulder, nodding understanding. The jaws of life couldn’t have pried him away from Jewel’s side after her heart attack last year. Even after the beats had stopped and the line had gone smooth on the EKG machine, he’d refused to believe she was gone. Even after all the tubes were removed and her skin began to cool, he still stayed there just in case. Just in case by some miracle she opened her eyes. But she hadn’t, and the agony of seeing her sister, Night’s mother, lying in the same hospital was almost too much to bear, brought back images too painful to remember. But this was his favorite nephew and he wasn’t going anywhere. He owed the boy that, and his mother that much more.

  “Go on home, son.” Now it was Carter Johnson’s turn to try and convince Night to get some much needed rest. “You don’t want to end up in a bed next to your mother, do you?”

&nbs
p; Night looked at his stepfather and managed a smile. This man had been a stalwart of strength since coming into Night and his mother’s life when Night was fourteen years old. He’d gladly given the man-of-the-house reins to Carter when he entered the picture, but right now, Night felt that he was the man his mother needed most. And he wasn’t leaving her side.

  “When she opens her eyes,” he said softly. He then grasped the hand of the woman he loved more than life itself and continued the one-way conversation he’d been having for seven straight days.

  17

  “Hey there woman; since when don’t you return phone calls?” There was more sass than bite to Elaine’s words, as she gave D’Andra a sisterly hug.

  “I meant to call you back yesterday, but when I thought to do it I knew you’d be sleeping. Thanks for the flowers, though. Even though it said Heavenly Haven, I know that was your doing. It was thoughtful and I appreciate it.”

  “That’s what friends are for.”

  D’Andra couldn’t help but think about the emphasis being placed on friendship these days. It had been healing for her to spend time with Connie and Chanelle. They made an unspoken pact to let bygones be bygones for the time they were together and for the brief days surrounding Dominque’s funeral; it almost felt like old times. D’Andra knew Chanelle still wanted to talk about what happened, but D’Andra wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the details. Still, she agreed to call her when her life calmed down. They’d left it at that, past the stalemate but not yet on the road to renewed friendship.

  D’Andra ran these facts down quickly to Elaine before asking what she’d missed during her days off.

  “Oh, this is a good one. The office is all abuzz about this guy who came in to check out our rehab unit. Half the women who saw him are already in love with him and the other half wished they’d seen him.”