by Tiana Laveen
“We’re on it!” Hakeem piped up.
“Great. So next we have to—” Everyone turned around when the door opened once again. This time three women stepped inside, all of them dressed as if they were going to a fancy Easter brunch. The entire scene of spotting Cassidy and racing over to greet her played out all over again like déjà vu. Twenty minutes later, the office was filled with preppy, professional looking Black people, one White guy, and a few Hispanics thrown in the mix, too. Cassidy ran about the place, accepting hugs, cards of condolences, flowers, a hot coffee from her assistant, and someone had brought in what appeared to be rather expensive French pastries.
As he sent out a few business texts from his phone, he felt her suddenly jerk him up by his arm and drag him into the main area where everyone was chatting amongst themselves, working, or in the breakroom.
“Everyone!” Cassidy announced, forcing heads to turn and voices to cease speaking. “I had already mentioned this to some of you, but this is my boyfriend, Tony Romano. I will only be home for a couple of days, so we really have to get through these meetings and wrap things up. I am going back to Florida to finish my grandmother’s affairs, then return after that. I am sorry that I’ve been away so long, but there’s a lot to be done.”
Many people nodded their heads in understanding. “Now, some of you may recall me speaking of changing some of the décor in here about seven or eight months ago. I dropped the ball on that, my apologies—it just wasn’t at the top of my priorities. I love the clean, elegant look of this place, but perhaps we can bring a pop of color in the artwork, too. I want each of you to weigh in if interested because this is your home away from home. So please tell me what you may like to see in here as far as our wall art is concerned.”
Cassidy went on with her spiel while Tony stood beside her, his hands jammed in the pockets of his jeans. He felt eyes boring into him, expressions morphing in a mixture of intrigue and confusion… and a couple of smiles, too. Cassidy turned back to him when she was finished speaking, bringing him out of his thoughts.
“I have back to back meetings today, baby. Please feel free to use my office as we discussed, to take care of any work you need to address. At lunch time, I will invite you into the boardroom to join us. It’s catered.”
“Cool, all right. I brought my things. I’ll just set up in there and hold down the fort.”
“Great.” She smiled wide, leaned in and kissed him. “Oh, and I have a wireless printer in my office. You can search for the connection on your cellphone; use the password I gave you and help yourself to the coffee in the breakroom, snacks, and any of my waters and teas in my office mini-refrigerator.” She kissed his lips once more, then winked and walked away.
The perfect combination of Southern grace, west coast panache, sass, and a teaspoon of quirkiness… Gotta love her…
He made his way back to her office and closed the door. It didn’t take long for the entire office to feel so… empty. Everyone had disappeared into the boardroom, leaving him to his own devices. Opening up her minifridge, he selected a chilled bottle of lime vitamin water and sat down. His laptop open, his sketch pad and pencil out, he combed through various business inquiries regarding contract work, his pricing, so on and so forth. He took out his cellphone and started to dial but thought better of it, so he placed it down. Soon after though, he picked it up again and made his call.
“Who is this?” said a husky voice.
“Hey, Orlando! It’s Tony. You forgot me that fast?!”
“Romano? Hey! Man, I didn’t recognize your number, and it’s not saved with your name on my phone because I had to revert to factory settings the other day. What’s up, man? We haven’t spoken in a few months. Hope everything is all right with you. You disappear on me sometimes.” The guy chuckled.
“Oh, I’m good. I just had some things going on that I needed to address. How have you been?” He swiveled back and forth in Cassidy’s chair, noticing the damn thing had a warmer, foot rest, and massage buttons.
“I’m doing good, man. Got a job at a nice restaurant down here. I’m a waiter. It doesn’t pay a whole lot but it’s better than nothin’, you feel me?”
“Hey, you gotta start somewhere, right? We did time; not everyone gives us a chance. That door that’s open to you now can lead to other opportunities. Take it. I know you wanted to be a chef, so there you go.”
“That’s exactly what I’m aiming for, man.”
Tony cleared his throat and straightened his back. “Let me cut to the chase, Orlando. Something crazy is going on. I need your input on this.”
“I knew it. I mean, we don’t talk on a daily basis, but we talk often enough that I know how you roll now. Any time I don’t hear from you it means something is wrong. Now what happened? Who I gotta go and fuck up?”
Tony laughed and shook his head. “I don’t even know where to fucking start…” Tony went through the whole spiel about reconnecting with Cassidy. “…And then they walked out of the cemetery, leaving me there with a due date and a threat. My initial response was figuring out where the guy stays, going over to his house and blowin’ his brains out, but I can’t do that… not because I give one single fuck about his life, but I can’t risk going back to prison.”
“No, you can’t. Sounds like you have way too much to lose. Look, if Sly came down to Miami like the guy said he did, I bet my cousin knows him, the one I told you about. I never knew Sly, but a lotta people I know did so when you mentioned him in prison, I understood the circle you were around—even though that whole situation isn’t what landed you there. Anyway, I’m not involved with that shit anymore, as you know, but I know a lot of the players, man. Don’t do anything just yet. Let me see what I can find out. This mothafucka fuckin’ wit’ the wrong one.”
“Thanks, Orlando. I can’t let them mess with my woman… my family, man. I come from an Italian, Catholic family and protection is really big for us. I know it sounds cliché, but it’s true. I won’t be blackmailed, either. He’s using Sly as an excuse to extort money. I know if Sly was still alive, he’d never let this fucker do this to me.”
“Of course he’s tryna extort you, man! Business must be slow. He must’ve found out one of Sly’s old guys, that being you was back in town, and thought he had a cash cow. I know how this shit works. It ain’t nothin’ new, Tony.”
“But that was years ago! How’d he even know about me?”
“Because Sly had probably told him all about you. Guys like Sly sometimes do that… try to make other dealers climb to that level by talking about how great somebody else was. It’s a mind fuck game. Unfortunately, in this case, it was true, and this guy did some research on you, then had someone follow you probably the whole time you’ve been back in Belle Glade. Somebody spotted you, told him, and the rest is history. Bunch of fuckin’ roaches, man… always lookin’ for a come up off somebody else. Once he realized you were with, uh, Cassidy you said her name was, right?”
“Yeah.”
“He looked ya girl up too and figured he’d hit a lick! That bitch is rich! I mean, I ain’t callin’ her a bitch, you know what I mean… that’s probably how he was thinkin’. He knew no ex-con was going to be rolling in the dough; probably figured he could get a cool thousand or two off you and that would be it, but when he realized you were with her, then shiiiiiiiit, my nigga! He’d hit the motherload.” Tony rested his head in his palm and shook it. “More money, more problems, man.”
Tony glanced over at the left wall of Cassidy’s office where there hung a framed and autographed picture of the Notorious B.I.G. He ran his hands through his hair and leaned back in the chair.
“This is a fucking mess. I’ve got to get this guy off my back, Orlando… by any means necessary.”
“I’m going to help you as much as possible. This is bullshit. He didn’t tell you his name, but you know the car he drives and what he looks like. That’s not much to go on since you don’t have a picture, but I can try. He was one of Sly’s guys
so that’s at least a start.”
“Oh no, I’ve got more than that. I’ve got over ten blocked numbers he had his ass kissers call me from and his fucking license plate number, car make and model. He also wore a gold and diamond pinky ring with a big letter ‘B’ on it.”
“Okay, now we’re talkin’! Text me all of that and give me a couple of days. I should be able to find out somethin’.”
“Sounds good. Thanks, man.”
“You know it. You helped me out in prison; I can help you out now. Talk to you soon.” Tony ended the call and reflected on what Orlando had said.
While in prison, Orlando had been targeted as a snitch. It wasn’t true but when that reputation hits you, it proved hard to escape. In some cases, it was a promised death sentence. Orlando had been part of a large drug ring, and he was one of the big dogs in that circle. After losing his freedom and the fall out that came from that, the truth of his life hit him hard. He lost so many of his homies, so many he cared for. So he decided to change his life around and went clean. No drug sales, no gun sales, no nothing. He put it all behind him. He could have easily gotten a lengthy sentence, but managed to cut a deal with the prosecution. It was assumed because he’d snitched, but that wasn’t it at all. He’d simply cooperated with the police, informing them where all of his guns and stash were, but he’d told no one about the source of his product and who he’d worked with. To him, that would have been dishonorable.
Bottom line, the man had once been wealthy, but that was all over now, a thing of the past.
Tony turned back to his laptop and began to work in Adobe Photoshop for a man who’d hired him to create a logo. His work got him so focused, it took a moment for him to raise his head to see who’d just cleared their throat. A light-complexioned Black woman stood in front of the desk, freckles about her cheeks and her sandy brown kinky hair arranged in a big, curly afro. She wore a bright lime green jumpsuit that hugged all of her curves and a pair of matching gold and green chunky heels. When had she come in?
“Hi… um, Cassidy is in a meeting. I can tell her that—”
“I know.” The woman stepped inside and closed the door behind her. “Hi, my name is Peaches, well, Patrice.” She smiled and took a seat. Tony sighed, flopped back in the chair and clasped his hands along his belly. “I’m—”
“I know who you are so no need for an introduction,” He said, cutting her off at the pass and returned his attention to the computer.
“Oh, I guess she told you what happened.”
He could see her twisted facial expression out of the corner of his eye, the woman adjusting herself in her seat.
“That’s between you and her. I have nothing to do with it and I really have nothing to say about it. I can’t add any value to the conversation.” He picked up his cellphone and posted another picture of a completed work to advertise on Instagram. The woman cleared her throat and crossed her legs.
“Well, you may not have anything to say, but I believe that I do. Cassidy is upset with me, not speaking to me. That’s not what I wanted. I really care about her. I was, and still am, concerned about this… choice, I guess you could say, that she has made,” The woman looked him up and down. “But I overstepped my boundaries, and for that, I apologize.”
“You’re overstepping your boundaries right now by even talking to me.” He kept toying with his phone, barely looking at her.
“I’m trying to apologize,” she snapped.
“No. You’re trying to rationalize. Two very different things. Regardless, all of these things you are saying to me, you can also say to her, Tangerine.”
“Tangerine? You’re childish as hell. See? I was right to be concerned.”
“I don’t know you; therefore, I don’t care what you think about me, Strawberry. I don’t care what you think about us together, either.” His gaze met hers. “You made a decision. You’re the one negatively affecting your friendship with someone you proclaimed to admire so that’s something you need to evaluate. This is a Patrice issue, not a Cassidy one. My advice, since you’re still sitting here, is to ask yourself why it bothers you that she and I are together so much? Not the reason you told yourself, but the real reason, and go from there, all right?”
“I know the reason, and I told Cassidy that.”
“You told Cassidy the surface reason. You didn’t dig deep enough to find out what is really driving this. You keep missing my point. If I were Black, you wouldn’t even be sitting here talking to me. And that’s just a fact. Look, Patrice, you obviously want to have this discussion with me, so let’s do it. First of all, I’m a critical thinker. I’m not an overly emotional person. I’m an artist, and I am good with numbers, too. I use the right and left side of my brain quite well so I can see through all the bullshit people place in front of me, especially the pile you just set down. I’ve been through so much in my life that it takes a lot for me to get scared away from my goals or to give up. You’re the least frightening thing I’ve dealt with in a long while, so trust me, I have no concerns about you.”
“Is Cassidy one of your new goals?” She smirked.
“A goal is something you haven’t obtained.” He stared coldly at her. “That bridge is crossed, but unfortunately, there appears to be a peach-flavored troll beneath it. Anyway, this isn’t about me, actually. It’s about you.” He pointed at her. “As a person you decide how you interpret the world, how you believe things should go, what they should look like, feel like, be like. You didn’t make me, you didn’t make us, so you can’t break anything over here, either. You don’t have that power. Therefore, you can’t tell her how to move, how to think and who to love, either.” Just then his email pinged, letting him know he’d received a payment. “Have you thought about seeing a therapist?”
She rolled her eyes. “You seem like you’re self-justifying, Tony. I’m just trying to talk to you, adult to adult. Instead, you want to throw petty insults and twist things around. Typical of people like you. Always tryna get one over. Here’s the bottom line.” She leaned forward and narrowed her eyes. “She’s my friend. Cassidy is like a sister to me. I have—”
“True friends want their friends to be happy, Patrice. They care about their feelings. They are truthful with them, but try to be sensitive when delivering the message. You didn’t even be still long enough to give it more time, watch a bit longer, see if I was the White brainless caveman you must believe me to be. Nope. You felt threatened and jumped without looking. No parachute for you. Too bad, so sad.”
The woman sighed and got to her feet. “You’re a real piece of work. If she stays with you, she’s a damn fool.”
“No, you thought you were going to come in here and play me, get one over, maybe get me to trust you and then wreak havoc, but I beat you to the punch. I know you’re type. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have business to attend to. I just sold a very expensive painting and need to check my PayPal account then send out my customary ‘thank you’ card, because see, I’m a gentleman as well as a professional.”
“That’s good.” She chuckled dryly and rolled her eyes. “You’re a loser, too. Add that to your list. I don’t have time for this.”
“That’s the most intelligent thing I’ve heard you say during this entire ten-minute conversation. After all, time is money, but more importantly, time is cherished, a prized commodity in my life, and I don’t like to waste it, Patrice… Especially with closed minded people who could never survive one day in my shoes, let alone, a lifetime. Cassidy stepped in my same footsteps; she knows where I’m from, how I think and what I’m about. That woman is my rib, my heart, my soul…” He tapped on his chest. “My thoughts and beliefs are out of your realm; you proved that by the horrible things you said to Cassidy on the phone. What we’ve got is beyond your limited comprehension. Cassidy and I have a big league connection. You’re working from a pee wee softball approach. Stay in your lane. Better yet, get comfortable on the sidelines. You’re dismissed…”
…Later that n
ight
“Yeah, I mean, I like it. This is… wow!” he said, stunned.
Tony slung his black Nike duffle bag over his shoulder as Cassidy disabled her alarm system. Her home on Shadow Hill Way in Beverly Hills blew him away. The place reminded him of something he’d only see on television, perhaps in a home decorating magazine for the elite. The modern house had to be worth at least twenty million with its open plan design featuring a large pool and fire pit in the back. In the foyer area, crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, the walls made of gray stone and slate. He looked around in wonder. The place smelled so clean and new, reminding him of her office setup as well with the clear pieces paired with white furniture and touches of gray and silver.
“Make yourself comfortable, baby. Have a seat.” She pointed to an L- shaped white couch and an oval glass coffee table on which sat a white wooden bowl full of green apples. He hazarded a guess they were fake. “The kitchen is right over here. Get anything you wish. I have, let’s see…” She removed her watch and earrings and set them on the kitchen island. “Wine, imported beers, flavored waters… There might be some soda in the pantry, but it’s mostly diet. In the refrigerator you’ll find some cheese but not much else because I haven’t been here, obviously, so the maid cleared most of the items out. There’s a bunch of finger foods in the freezer though, as well as a few snacks in the pantry.”
He dropped his bag, walked up to her, grabbed her in his arms and kissed her with all that he had.
“You’ve done real well for yourself, baby. This is nice… you deserve all of this and more. You worked hard for it.”
She blushed and her lips curled in a smile.
“It would’ve been better if I could have worked hard right beside you all of these years, like we’d planned… but I understand that everything happens for a reason.” She brought her lips to his and delivered a sensual kiss.
