Body By Night

by Day, Zuri

  The twins had just finished helping D’Andra whip up an egg-white omelet when Mary came into the kitchen. She walked to the coffee pot and began preparations for her required three cups a day.

  “Where were you all night?”

  D’Andra hesitated. “Over at Night’s house.”

  She was not ashamed of sleeping with Night and wondered why she suddenly felt as if she were sixteen and had just been caught sneaking home on a school night. Cassandra often spent nights away from home but if D’Andra arrived with the morning sun on her face, it was because she’d had a date with Heavenly Haven.

  Mary sauntered over to the stove and helped herself to a crispy piece of turkey bacon. “This man giving you any money?”

  “I haven’t asked for any, Mama.”

  “Humph. Girl, you better learn how to get what you want from these men. They’re not always going to be there.”

  D’Andra took the English muffins out of the toaster, and began topping them with low-fat margarine and Pure Fruit grape jam.

  “Why can’t you just be happy for me, Mama? Night’s a good guy. Let’s just leave it at that.”

  “Who said I wasn’t happy? I’m glad you found somebody to spend time with. But I still can’t understand why a Black man would ask to be called Night, actually introduce himself with that name.”

  Mary took one of the English muffins D’Andra had fixed for the kids and took a large bite.

  “Mama, do you want an omelet?” Another day Mary’s antics would have bothered her but the smile Night had put on her face would probably last three days straight.

  “It does smell good.”

  D’Andra placed two more English muffins in the toaster and put the kids’ plates on the table. “Y’all want orange juice or milk?”

  A mixture of answers followed. D’Andra filled the “orders” while pondering how to break the news that their cook was moving out. She decided to wait until they were well into the breakfast, the kids’ chatter filling up an otherwise silent room.

  “Do you like that omelet, Mama?” she asked.

  “Uh-huh. Even though I know the yolks aren’t in here. But with the vegetables mixed in, I don’t miss them much.”

  “See, you can eat healthy and have it still taste good.”

  Mary simply grunted and took another bite. “You are slimming down, I can see that. But when you come off your diet, you better hope those pounds don’t creep back on you, and then some. That’s what always happens to me and why I don’t diet anymore.”

  “That’s just it; what I’m doing is not a diet, but a lifestyle change. Yes, I’ve been using some diet foods, but my long-term goal is to make eating healthy and exercising a way of life.”

  Cassandra came into the kitchen still dressed in pajamas even though it was close to noon. “Something smells good.”

  “You just get up, Mommy?” Antoine asked.

  “Mommy ain’t up yet,” Cassandra replied with a yawn. “But the smell of this food got me out of bed.”

  Cassandra took a plate out of the cabinets and put the remainder of the omelet and two strips of bacon on her plate. “Where’s the bread?”

  “There are some muffins in the refrigerator,” D’Andra answered.

  Cassandra sighed. “Why didn’t you fix enough for everybody?”

  “I fixed enough for everyone who was in here when I started cooking. And you’re welcome for the food.”

  The sound of Cassandra’s slippers sliding across the tiled kitchen floor was the only reply. The next sound was that of the upstairs bedroom door closing.

  The short but somewhat snippy exchange with her sister reminded D’Andra of what she wouldn’t miss. Unfortunately moments like those outweighed the lighter, good times. It gave her the push to break the news to Mary. Hoping for the best she got up from the table and began gathering the dishes.

  “I’ve been looking for a place,” she said casually as she stacked the dishes in the dishwasher.

  “A place for who?” Mary asked.

  “Me, Mama.”

  “Why do you want to move? What’s wrong with here?”

  D’Andra started the dishwasher then turned and leaned against it as she continued.

  “Mama, I’ve been sleeping on the couch for months. And while I love the kids, they are really cutting into my being able to get good sleep. But more than that, I’m just feeling the need for my own space. I found this cute little place over in—”

  “And just what am I supposed to do when you take half the rent with you? Did you stop and think of anybody but yourself? You know my disability payments stopped and I still have to help Cassandra with these kids. Did you stop and think about that?”

  This conversation was going exactly how D’Andra thought it might, but hoped it wouldn’t. She joined her mother at the table.

  “I did think about that, Mama. But that on-the-job injury happened more than a year ago. It’s more than healed now. It might do you good to get back out there, back in the workforce, to be productive. Plus, Cassandra gets child support; enough to cover my part of the rent and more. Cassandra could find a job if she really wanted one.”

  Mary put down her coffee cup and crossed her arms. “This is about your father isn’t it? This is about your being mad that I want to let the past stay in the past.”

  “I’ve been thinking of moving out for a while now,” D’Andra countered, not feeling it necessary to admit that the who’s-my-daddy fiasco did play a part in her desire to move quickly. “And since I’m dating,” she added, “I need more privacy.”

  “How come we’ve never seen this man you’re dating?” Cassandra asked as she entered the kitchen and walked over to the refrigerator. She wore a pastel, multi-colored halter top paired with light yellow jeans that fit her curvy figure like a glove and complemented her golden brown hair and bronze skin. She didn’t wait for the answer.

  “Can you watch the kids for a couple hours, Dee? I’ve got an errand to run.”

  “D’Andra’s moving out.” Mary intoned the words like a funeral dirge.

  “Why? Where are you going? Are you moving in with the man you met?”

  D’Andra couldn’t gauge whether Cassandra’s incredulity was because she was moving or because Cassandra thought her overweight sister might land a provider before she did.

  “I found an apartment in Culver City,” D’Andra replied. “I didn’t expect it to go through so soon but since it did, I’m going to move out right away. So, no, I can’t watch the kids. I’ve got to pack my stuff and don’t worry; I’m not taking any of my furniture, just my clothes and personal items. Oh, and the computer.”

  “Well, Dee, the kids can help you. Since this is the last time I’ll be able to ask you, please help me out.”

  “You going out with Anthony?” Mary asked with obvious pride. She had her eyes set on having this professional ball player for a son-in-law and often fantasized about the house she’d live in with them and the kids, or the condo he’d buy her.

  “No, I have to drive to Santa Monica and meet a prospective employer.”

  “On a Sunday?”

  The truth was, Cassandra didn’t know how much longer she’d be in Anthony’s life. She’d heard it through the grapevine that he’d been cheating on her for months with at least two other women. Her rapper boyfriend Hollah had hollah’d at someone else, a Latina and Black drop-dead gorgeous model he’d met on his debut rap video. Cassandra hadn’t been without a boyfriend since she was fifteen, and was already wondering about the availability of the man she was getting ready to meet.

  Cassandra shrugged. “He’s a businessman looking for a personal assistant. He asked if I could see him today and I said yes. So can you watch them? Mama, will you help? I’ll leave some money for pizza and movies; they’ll practically watch themselves.”

  “Oh, all right. Go on, girl. And remember you said a couple of hours.”

  “Thanks DeeDee!” Cassandra placed a half-empty glass of orange juice on the table
and ran out the door.

  “I don’t want you to move,” Mary said. “I’m not ready to go back to work and I can’t take care of San’s kids. Why don’t you wait a couple months, until she and Anthony get together? Then we’ll probably move anyway, into a bigger house.”

  “Because I’ve already paid a deposit and the first month’s rent. And I want to move.”

  “Well when you run into trouble and can’t pay your rent, don’t think you’re going to be able to come back here. If you move out, it’s for good!”

  With that, Mary heaved herself from the kitchen table, went to her room and closed the door.

  So much for you helping to watch the kids, D’Andra thought as she walked into the living room where Kayla and Tonia were watching cartoons.

  “Where’s Antoine?”

  “Outside.”

  “Y’all get your shoes on, you’re coming with me.”

  Two hours later, D’Andra returned home with a supply of cardboard packing boxes and other packing supplies. She worked steadily for two more hours and was surprised that even though she wasn’t taking any big items, she still had a great deal to pack: books, DVDs, CDs, toiletries, and all the other odds and ends that one accumulates over time. She planned to pack her clothes tomorrow. They would be the last thing she picked up.

  Sitting down to finally eat a salad and take a break, D’Andra had just reached for the remote when her phone rang.

  “I am so pissed,” Night said as soon as she said hello.

  “What’s the matter?”

  “Brad! He just called me with some lame excuse about a delay on closing escrow and the deal going through. I told him if there were any problems to let me know before now. I planned to have the contractors start working next week!”

  D’Andra had never heard Night this angry. Her first instinct was to comfort him, her second to keep him from losing his dream.

  “I’m sorry, Night. But stay positive; everything will work out.”

  The sound of her soothing voice brought immediate solace. Night took a deep breath and tried to calm down.

  “I’m watching my nieces and nephew right now, but why don’t you come over? You can tell me all about what Brad said while you help me pack.”

  “Pack? Where are you going?”

  “I’m moving, remember?”

  “Of course, I just didn’t think it would happen so soon.”

  “So…are you going to come by?”

  “What’s your address?”

  “You told me to dress casual; I hope I’m okay.” Cassandra settled into the large black leather chair in a well-appointed corner of the plush hotel lobby.

  “You’re a very attractive woman,” the businessman replied. “I hope you don’t mind my saying so.”

  Cassandra smiled coyly, happy she was having an effect on this handsome, brown-eyed blonde. She’d taken his full measure in an instant: about six feet tall, athletic, strong legs, expensive clothing and no wedding ring. Memories of Anthony were already starting to fade from her head.

  After ordering tea from a roving waitress, her potential employer got down to business. He spoke of his company and described in detail the type of work he’d require from an assistant.

  “Do you think you can handle this type of position? I admit, it can get demanding at times.”

  Cassandra shifted in her seat, deftly exposing cleavage as she leaned forward. “Listen, I’ve got three kids. There’s no job that gets more demanding than that.”

  The man could not hide his surprise, nor the quick once over he gave Cassandra’s small, tight frame.

  Cassandra’s laugh was throaty and real. “You can’t believe I’m a mother? Well I am. And I take very good care of…my babies.” She reached for her tea glass and teased the straw with her tongue. Halfway through the businessman’s explanation she decided she would put her cards on the table and leave no doubt just what types of duties she was willing to perform.

  The businessman hardened as he watched Cassandra’s tongue dart around the straw. He struggled to keep focus.

  “So what if your work runs into the evening? Is your, uh, husband okay with handling the children until you get home?”

  “I’m very single,” Cassandra replied with the perfect mix of purr and professionalism. “But don’t worry; I have a reliable sitter and a network of helpers. My work will be my very first priority.”

  “When can you start?”

  “Would a week from tomorrow be okay? I want to take the time to make sure everything is in place with my family, so I can give you my undivided attention.”

  In reality she knew it would probably take her that long to convince her cousin Jackie—who swore she wasn’t taking one more kid into her daycare center—to take not one more, but three.

  “I was hoping you could start sooner, but I like your confidence and your drive. I think you’d be perfect for what I need.”

  They talked several moments more, Cassandra getting the pertinent information she needed: address, work hours and of course salary and benefits. After that they stood. The interview was over.

  “I’m looking forward to working with you, Cassandra.”

  Cassandra shook the businessman’s outstretched hand. “Brad, I can’t wait to get started.”

  25

  By Monday afternoon, D’Andra had checked several items off her to do list. She’d picked up her apartment keys and made two trips to her new home: one with an SUV full of boxes and the second with her car full of clothes. Night made her promise to leave him the heavier boxes but she already felt guilty about taking a personal day. She wanted to get done as much as possible. Now she was once again in her car, headed to the store for cleaning supplies and a few groceries before returning to her new home in time for the one piece of furniture she was determined to get delivered ASAP…a king-sized bed.

  As she navigated the mid-day traffic, she ruminated on the events of the past twenty-four hours. Night had been an invaluable help when he came over, and the children took to him right away, especially Antoine. After Night showed the little tyke a couple kick-boxing moves, Night was his hero. Cassandra had come home all excited about a new job, something D’Andra believed was the direct result of her prayers. While she’d refused to feel guilty about moving, and had even gone so far as to pay half the rent for the upcoming month, she only wished the best for her family and didn’t want them to suffer in any way. So when Cassandra came home with a job announcement it was like passing go and collecting two hundred dollars. Cassandra’s news had made D’Andra that much more excited about her new abode.

  Her sister’s reaction to Night had been interesting. D’Andra was sure Cassandra was unaware—at least she hoped she was—of how her body language and demeanor had changed as soon as Night came out of the bathroom, where he’d been when she first walked through the door.

  “You’re Night?” she’d asked, when D’Andra introduced him. She looked at him as if he were a chocolate bar with nuts.

  “That’s right. Nice to meet you.”

  “D’Andra said you were a personal trainer but, wow. You’re really…in great shape.”

  Cassandra tossed her shoulder-length curls away from her face. “Maybe I need to start working out. Are you taking any new customers?”

  Night walked over and put his arms around D’Andra, hugging her to him tightly. “No, I’ve got my hands f ull right now,” he said, planting a kiss on the top of D’Andra’s head for emphasis. “But I have a friend who works at Bally’s. He’s looking for clientele. If you’d like I can refer you.”

  D’Andra could not have loved Night more than she did in that moment. The sister who’d never been considered a catch, the one dubbed least likely to get a man, much less keep one, had an obvious prize by her side. D’Andra was sure her sister was happy for her, even if she didn’t say it. Shortly after that conversation, Cassandra had scooped up her kids and within five minutes was back out the door.

  Mary was a different story. D
’Andra had knocked on her door as soon as Night arrived and told her mother there was someone she wanted her to meet.

  “Who?” Mary asked, after a long pause.

  “My friend Night.”

  “I’ll be out there in a minute; I’m asleep.”

  She never came out of her room.

  D’Andra’s thoughts were interrupted as her cell phone rang again. She tried to read the caller ID but traffic was thick and she decided to just answer it.

  “Hello.”

  “D’Andra?”

  “Yes?”

  “This is Orlando, Orlando Dobbs.”

  For an inexplicable reason, D’Andra’s heartbeat quickened. Even with the DNA results, there was a small part of her that wanted him to be her father, if for no other reason than to know who that man was.

  “Hey, how are you doing?”

  “We’re fine, fine. But me and Sylvia have been thinking about you and wondering how you’re doing. It was a brave thing for you to come all this way and then to get disappointed like that…it’s a lot.”

  “I’m okay, good actually.”

  “Did you talk to Mary when you got back home?”

  “Yes, but she still won’t tell me anything. She even accused you of lying to me until I told her about the test results.” D’Andra thought about her mother’s odd behavior the day before when she refused to come out of her room and meet Night. “I think she’s angry with me for contacting you.”

  There was a brief silence on the other end. “Don’t judge your mother too harshly,” Orlando said when he spoke once again. “Your mama went through some things back in the day, some things that are hard to talk about.”

  “Like what?”

  Another pause. “It’s not my place for me to share your mother’s business. In time, she may feel strong enough to tell you herself. But know this. Your mother loves you. I can tell you that from the few years I was with her.”