The Jade Emperor

by Suzanne Jenkins

  “You’re no worse than the rest of us,” Augie said. “I walked out on Sandy this morning.”

  “You did? With Kate?”

  Augie nodded. Ken and Reggie had known about Kate from the beginning. Ken would let him talk; Reggie begged him to reconsider. He didn’t tell Ben because Ben was the one who would chastise him for being a selfish prick, and Augie didn’t want to hear the truth.

  “How’d Sandy take it?” Ken asked.

  “Surprisingly well.”

  “Now that’s scary,” Ken said. “Watch your back.”

  “I know it’s just a matter of time,” Augie replied. “I wonder if she called anyone yet.”

  “I wouldn’t know because I’m living with Mom! What a guy.”

  “Aw, you’ll pull it together, kiddo,” Augie said. “Terry on her period?”

  “Not exactly,” he said. “I had a complaint at work about smelling like brew.”

  “Oh, gotcha,” Augie said. “I think I remember this. I was distracted with the boy wonder there making eyes at our mother.”

  “No wonder we’re fucked up,” Ken said, laughing.

  “Poor Mom, she really did the best she could. I left pissed off at her, and now I need to apologize. I’m sure Sandy has already called her. This is going to get weird before it gets better.”

  “I doubt it’ll get better,” Ken said. “Sorry. I’m just trying to think logically.”

  “I know. Where’s Reggie when you need him?”

  “He’ll be here after lunch,” Belinda answered from behind the counter.

  “I don’t have anything else to do,” Ken said.

  “Me either,” Augie replied, turning to Belinda. “I guess we’ll hang around.”

  “Okay,” she said. “You can have this plate of pastries. They’re fresh, but they’ve been out a while.”

  Augie stood up to retrieve the plate.

  Her back turned, Belinda texted Reggie. Gird your loins. Your posse is here.

  After shopping at Walmart for everything needed for the new apartment, Steve and Lee checked out of the hotel and went to their new home.

  “I’d like to carry you over the threshold,” he said, arms stretched wide.

  “You crazy,” she said. “That for after we get married.”

  “I’ll do it then, too. This is our first home together,” Steve said. “Humor me.”

  Shrugging her shoulders, she stepped closer and he swooped her up into his arms.

  Giving in, Lee giggled. “Oh, Stevie, you make me laugh,” she said. “Baker never carry me over the threshold because he say it hurt his back.”

  Steve couldn’t help himself, but he burst out laughing in a rare display. “Lee, you weigh less then a bag of onions we bought last week. I can’t believe Baker said anything about you weighing too much.”

  “He did,” she said, giggling. “You ask Titan.”

  Setting her down in the middle of the new living room, Steve looked around. “Here we are. By the way, I guess we won’t hear from Titan this weekend if he’s in Chicago.”

  “Why we not hear from him?” Lee said. “I’ll call him right now.”

  Tempted to say not to bother Titan, Steve shut his mouth; she wouldn’t like it if he told her what to do. She dialed his house phone and the answering service picked up.

  “They tell him to call me,” she said. “They didn’t know he was in Chicago.”

  “It’s still early,” Steve said. “If he drove he won’t be there until later this afternoon.”

  Ignoring him, she called Titan’s cell phone.

  “It’s my mother,” Titan said, looking at the phone. “I’m not answering. I hate to lie, but this weekend I’m in Chicago.”

  “With our luck, they’ll drop by, so you’d better not lie. My phone has vibrated nonstop for the last three hours. Why is it that I’m suddenly indispensable?”

  “I hope everything is okay,” Titan said. “Maybe you’d better check your messages.”

  They were back at the car with a trunk load of food. Opening the door for her, Titan bent down and stole a kiss on her lips before she got inside, catching her off guard, and she started to laugh.

  “I had so much garlic for lunch today…”

  “As did I,” he said. “No worries. We smell the same.”

  After she closed the door, she got the phone out and saw ten missed calls and texts. “Oh, for heaven’s sake.”

  “Listen,” Titan said, getting in beside her.

  She keyed in some numbers and the first voice mail began on speakerphone.

  “Kelly, hi, this is Sandy. We need to talk. I think we should have family council tomorrow. Please call me as soon as you can.”

  “Great,” she said. “What’s going on?”

  “Who’s next?” Titan asked.

  “My sister,” she said. “A text. Call me as soon as you can. Don’t take any calls until you talk to me first.”

  “Ugh,” Titan said. “You’d better call her.”

  “Are you sure you don’t mind?” Kelly asked, feeling rude.

  “No, this is my family now, too, either way,” he said, taking her hand and kissing it again.

  Kelly keyed in Karen’s number.

  “Are you sitting down?” Karen asked.

  “Yes, I’m in the car,” Kelly said, concerned. “What is it?”

  “Liz called early this morning and the story is that Augie left Sandy for another woman. Sandy wants to have family council tomorrow, but I don’t feel right about you doing it without Augie.”

  Stunned, Kelly was unable to speak for a moment. Everything was building up, her children finally coming unleashed, and she felt it was all her fault.

  “Are you there? I know you must be devastated.”

  “I don’t even know what to say. Sandy called Liz?”

  “Yes. Augie didn’t come home last night, and when he showed up this morning, he confessed everything and said he was leaving. He’s going to stay by the girl’s place for now.”

  Karen went on talking, criticizing Augie, calling him irresponsible and selfish, and suddenly Kelly couldn’t take anymore.

  “I’m hanging up,” she said.

  “Will you call me later?” Karen asked, realizing she’d crossed a boundary.

  “Yes, goodbye.”

  Taking deep breaths, Kelly did all she could to keep herself in control. Titan grabbed her hand and held on to her. “You heard, correct?” she asked.

  “No, but I gather it’s bad. Don’t tell me right now. See if Augie called you.”

  Looking down at her phone again, there was a text message from him earlier in the day. She didn’t read this out loud. Mom, I have to talk to you as soon as you can. I took the day off work. If you can, meet me at the coffee shop at one.

  Checking the time, it was ten to one. “Can you get me over to the coffee shop? He’s waiting for me.”

  “Of course,” he said, starting the car.

  They drove in silence, the heaviness of whatever she was going through palpable, transferring its pain to Titan, and they held on to each other’s hands as he drove, like friends.

  “I’ll drop you off on the corner and head home. Just text when you want me to come back.”

  “Titan, I’m over it. Come in with me. They’re getting used to you being around. It appears everyone is doing their own thing regardless of who it impacts. First my husband, now my son left his wife for another woman. I can have a companion.”

  “If you’re sure. I don’t want to intrude.”

  “You might as well get used to it,” she said. “Welcome to my family.”

  She sat and waited for him to open her door, more out of exhaustion than propriety. They didn’t hold hands walking up to the coffee shop. He held the door for her and through the lunch crowd, she saw three of her boys, Ken and Augie at a table in back and Reggie standing over them with a coffee pot.

  “You came,” Augie said, standing up to kiss her.

  He shook Titan’s hand l
ike it was as normal as could be for him to be accompanying his mother.

  They pulled out chairs while Kelly kissed her other two boys.

  “We have to talk,” Augie whispered.

  “Sandy called Liz, Liz called Karen, and Karen called me,” she said. “I know.”

  “Mother, I’m so sorry,” he said.

  “It sucks,” Ken said. “Our family is fucked up.”

  “Today, I agree with you,” she said. “But I still love you and want to protect you. Sandy wants to have a family council tomorrow. You have to be there. I can’t imagine what she wants to say, and I don’t want her to be divisive.”

  “I’ll be there,” Augie said. “I’m sure it won’t be anything bad. She probably wants to keep things just as they are.”

  “Me too,” Ken said. “I’ll be there.”

  “I might stay away for self-preservation,” Reggie said. “Unless you want me to referee.”

  “It would be nice if everyone was there. You know me. Mother tiger. I won’t let it get too ugly.”

  “So I guess we should try to ignore this?” Ken said, switching his finger between Titan and Kelly.

  “Just for a few months,” Kelly said, squirming. “Out of respect for Titan’s wife.”

  “Oh, gotcha,” Ken said.

  The men murmured their condolences again. “Are you guys okay with us?” Titan asked.

  “Hey, you won’t get an argument from me. I’m the last person to judge,” Augie said. “I’m sorry I freaked out Wednesday night. I wasn’t in my right mind.”

  “I think it’s nice our mother has someone who cares about her,” Reggie said. “You do care, do you not? I mean, we are assuming you’re together because you like each other.”

  “Reggie, you’ve been in school too long,” Ken said, and they all laughed.

  “What’s everyone doing tonight?” Kelly asked.

  “I’ve been summoned to Alice’s, so don’t expect me home,” Ken answered.

  “I’m going to ask Sandy if I can come by and see the kids after school,” Augie said.

  “I have a date with Belinda,” Reggie said. “We might stop by Alice’s house.”

  Titan helped Kelly put her coat on. “We should start early tomorrow,” she said. “Around four. Then we can eat.”

  “What are we having?” Ken asked.

  “I’m not sure yet,” she said, winking. “But we have a trunk full of food from Eastern Market, so it should be good. I’ll see you then.”

  She kissed them in reverse order and left the coffee shop with Titan’s hand on the back of her neck. “When the old man finds out about this, I have a feeling blood is gonna be shed,” Ken said, watching them leave the building.

  “Our secret didn’t last long,” Titan said, concerned.

  “My boys won’t say a word,” Kelly said. “The three of them have enough of their own boogeymen to focus too much on us.”

  “I’m looking forward to getting to know my siblings,” Titan said. “Or my stepchildren.”

  “Don’t get carried away, Titan. This might be the rebound for both of us. I think it’s important that we don’t rush anything.”

  “I’m crushed,” he said. “You can ask my mother. I didn’t play around.”

  Looking at him carefully, Kelly thought about the impact of what he said meant for her.

  “Why are you interested in me?”

  “You must know by now that my standard answers always start with sarcasm, but I’ll try to abstain,” he said.

  “It must be hereditary. I really want to know,” Kelly replied.

  “The night I came to your house late, my first thought when you opened the door was that you were beautiful. So that was the initial attraction, and as you know, for a man, that’s key.”

  Unable to hold it in, Kelly laughed, but just for a second. “I’m embarrassed,” she said. “But continue.”

  “A bunch of things came together next. You allowed my mother to intrude, and I knew it must have driven everyone crazy. We don’t have to pretend she’s something she’s not. Allowing me to stay at your house so your children could get to know me even impressed Lee.

  “You’re kind, smart, funny, and interesting.”

  “Wow, you make me sound wonderful!” she said, smiling.

  They’d arrived at Kelly’s house. Pulling into the driveway, Titan put the car in park. “Now you tell me. Why are you interested in me?”

  “I had an immediate attraction once you let me know you were interested. I was ready to accept you as my stepson. I even referred to you that way. The first night you were here, something clicked between us. I thought we’d be good friends.”

  “I felt it, too,” he said. “Maybe I initiated it by getting too close.”

  “You were a little bold, but that’s okay. I was ready for bold. After my marriage, I was definitely ready.”

  “I guess things have been tough for you and Steve,” he said. “I’m not surprised after the bombs we dropped on you.”

  “I can’t blame Lee,” Kelly replied. “Steve has always been miserable, but I know it’s because he loved her and not me. I’m happy for Steve. He’s making important changes in his life. It’ll be good for our children, too.”

  “What’s next?”

  “We’ll take it moment by moment. This might not last,” she said.

  “Wow, how depressing,” Titan said.

  “If someone more appropriate comes along, the age thing might end up being a factor. It would be sad.”

  “The age thing, as you call it, is not a thing. I’m interested in you, Kelly Dailey.”

  “How’d you know…”

  “I asked Ken,” he said, sheepish. “My mother calls you Kelly Boyd. Men, except for Steve she refers to by their last names. Ted Baker was Baker. Women always have two names, a first and a last. How Steve ended up with Stevie is a mystery only my mother can solve.”

  “I haven’t been a Dailey in a long time,” she said. “I’d stay Boyd for the kids, but I doubt they care.” She looked out the window at the forlorn landscape; even the mums were shot. “I guess we’d better get this food inside.”

  Working together, they unloaded Titan’s car. “Thank you for helping. I’m used to doing this myself,” Kelly said. “It’s amazing how much easier it is with another pair of hands.

  “On Friday, my routine is to clean the house while drinking wine alone and talking to my sister on the phone with the TV on in the background.”

  “Is that what you were doing the night I arrived unannounced?”

  “It was,” Kelly said. “It seems like a million years ago.”

  “It’s only been a couple of weeks,” he said. “In that time, I’ve turned everyone’s life upside down and lost my wife in the process. Karma’s a bitch.”

  “Do you feel like you’re being punished?” she asked, saddened.

  “Not really, that was a stupid thing to say,” Titan replied.

  “I don’t think it’s stupid. Do not be deceived. God will not be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. I guess I’m going to hell.”

  Titan burst out laughing. “See! It is my fault.”

  “I’m taking it out of context, of course,” she said. “You didn’t intentionally set out to hurt anyone. You were only looking for answers. The scripture goes on to say Let us not be weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. It’s one of my favorite Bible verses, but it obviously is not working for me.”

  The end of her marriage was a faith killer for Kelly. She didn’t say more to Titan, not sure of where his faith was. If he had a little left after Jean dying, she didn’t want to destroy it. It was too late for her, however. After all her effort and now she realized, sacrifice, when Steve walked out on her, he took what little faith she had left along with him.

  “Your season just isn’t up yet. Don’t give up,” he said, reaching for her.

  Suddenly exhausted, she was relieved when he said he’d contact his mother to let her k
now his change of plans. Hopefully, he’d go to visit her for a while. Maybe if she suggested it…

  “You should visit your mother,” she said. “I’ll do my thing and get ready for family council tomorrow. It’ll give me a chance to get caught up with my sister.”

  “I was hoping we could take advantage of Ken not being here,” he said.

  “I see! Maybe we need a chaperone,” Kelly replied, determined more than ever not to take advantage of anything. “No, you go ahead and visit. We’ll catch up later this evening.”

  Reluctantly, Titan agreed and called his mother.

  “I’m going to go over there now and help Steve put furniture from Walmart together. My mother isn’t happy about it,” he said, chuckling. “I’ll see you later, then.”

  Waving goodbye as he pulled out of the driveway, Kelly felt a sense of relief at being alone. What had happened that day with Titan was too much, too soon. Full of regret, she had to pull back, slow it down. She thought of Karen, longing to share with her. It was too early to drink, so she’d make coffee, conscious that she was making choices. Karen would be at work, but hopefully she could talk.

  “I’m sorry about earlier,” Karen said right away. “You know I love Augie. I was just upset that he might be making a mistake.”

  “I know you do,” Kelly said. “I’m still processing this.”

  “What did you do today?”

  Kelly told her about Titan and their morning at the Eastern Market and the meeting at the coffee shop.

  “You went to the market with Titan?” Karen asked, with the note in her voice that put Kelly on guard.

  “There’s that tone again. I went to the market with Titan. Karen, what is it? I hope you aren’t going to take exception to everything I do and everything that my kids do. Because right now, that’s the way it feels.”

  “It’s just weird! You open your house up to a stranger, and next thing he’s going to be your companion? It doesn’t feel right, that’s all.”

  “Why doesn’t it feel right? Be specific. Is it his age? Whose son he is?” Kelly asked, and then was certain she was onto something. “Or is it something else?”

  Physically shaking again, Kelly wondered how many times she could subject her body to adrenaline rushes due to the stress of what was happening in her family. The few arguments she and Karen had had over the years were difficult to overcome, once resulting in their estrangement for over a year. She’d slipped and told Karen she’d gotten pregnant with Alice on purpose, and although at first Karen had seemed accepting, in truth she couldn’t fathom it.