Guilty By Association

by Pat Simmons

  Deserted by Ruth and with Eva engrossed in some interesting factual data, he strolled to a shelf and randomly pulled out some books. Finally, he rejoined Eva at the table. Together they compared tidbits of enlightening information as they read.

  Mentally, Kidd wondered what dirt besides Samuel’s illegitimate children he could dig up. With the pride he held close to his heart, he refused to ask Parke. Whatever his mother knew, maybe this was a good time to find out.

  “How fast can you pack for Boston?”

  “Huh? What?” Eva blinked. “You’re serious?” She closed the book she was reading.

  “We can leave tonight.” He didn’t want to wait and a phone call wouldn’t cut it.

  “You can leave tonight. But if you’re inviting me to come, then the earliest I can go anywhere is Saturday morning—next week.”

  “I’ll take it.”

  Chapter Forty-One

  Boston, Massachusetts

  As Eva’s plane touched down, she glanced out the window, wondering if this would be the first of many trips to Kidd’s hometown—or her last. She loved him and he loved her. The question still remained, did he love Jesus enough to repent, be baptized, and accept all the gifts God had waiting for him?

  Just like her mother’s decision to take Eva’s father back after their divorce, Eva had to make a decision whether to continue a relationship with Kidd or break it off. Their sexual frustration could only be held at bay for so long. After all, theirs was a relationship between an unsaved and a saved partner. How long would it be before the road could lead to sexual realization?

  Eva took a deep breath and unbuckled her seat belt, as she prepared to depart the plane. Minutes later, she exited the concourse at Logan Airport. Her heart fluttered when she locked eyes with Kidd. In all of his “black-coffee-without-the-cream” handsomeness, she forgot her resolve. He was holding a large white sign as if he was a company chauffeur picking up a passenger.

  What was the man up to now? She smiled. Did she not drop him off at Lambert Airport the previous morning before she went to work? They hadn’t been away from each other for twenty-four hours.

  The closer she came toward him, she could make out the words: I’m looking for Eva Savoy, the woman I love.

  Eva prayed inwardly, God, please save Kidd soon, for himself and then for me. I’m moments away from lusting, so I’m going to repent now and pray for strength. In Jesus’ name. Amen. In the back of her mind, she heard whispers of “don’t settle, don’t compromise, don’t back down on your beliefs. Remember, his lack of salvation is a deal breaker.”

  Kidd didn’t wait for her to reach him. His strides were long until he was inches before her. He plucked her carry-on bag off her shoulder and lifted her off the ground. “Mmmm. I’ve missed you.” He snuggled her tightly to his chest.

  She giggled while basking in his attention. “Since yesterday?”

  “Every moment we’re apart.”

  Releasing her, Kidd squeezed her hand. As he guided her to the baggage claim area, he said, “They say a day is like a thousand years to God—and me too.”

  Impressed, Eva lifted a brow and chuckled. “Is that Bible reference 2 Peter 3:8?”

  “I don’t know. It’s in there somewhere.”

  Once at the carousel, they chatted and laughed while Eva watched her garment bag pass her by two times. Kidd had her so swallowed up in his “I miss you” hugs that she could barely get his attention.

  Finally, with her single piece of luggage in tow, he guided her to his vehicle. Exiting the airport, Eva admired the passing structures, homes, and businesses in a city noted as one of the original thirteen American colonies. She wondered what it would be like to live in a place with such daunting historical landmarks.

  She could feel Kidd’s eyes on her despite him driving. “You’re so beautiful. Thank you for coming.”

  She blushed. “Considering you paid too much for my airline ticket and the hotel that looks very nice online, you’re more than welcome.” Eva took a deep breath. “So what do we have planned?”

  Kidd appeared relaxed and peaceful, wearing a smirk across his beardless face. Which look did she prefer? It was a toss-up—the beard or his smooth skin. “Well, I wanted to play tourist and take you to No Name for lunch, then to Faneuil Hall, the aquarium in the North End, and then on to shopping downtown on the cobblestones … and—”

  She stopped him. “I don’t want to eat at a place where you can’t remember the name. Give me a tour of your life. Show me where you lived as a child, where you went to school, your hangouts. Show me how Kevin Jamieson went from a fifteen-pound bundle of joy to the handsome, full-of-attitude man you are today.”

  “Fifteen pounds?” His laugh was hearty. “I said I wanted to, but my mother can’t wait to see you. She’s first on the tourist attraction list. She likes you and hasn’t stopped talking about you since that open house. It’s never ‘how are you doing, or how is the house shaping up?’ Your name seems to dominate our conversations, and I ain’t complaining one bit.”

  Eva smiled. Sandra was a sweetheart who loved her sons. How could Kidd remain spiritually defiant around such a praying woman like her? It made Eva wonder how instrumental she could be in leading him to Christ, short of cooking and serving the Bible on a plate for him to chew on it.

  “Sandra’s a jewel, Kidd.”

  “She is. That’s why I became so angry growing up that my father could mess her over like that. Ma and I spent most of yesterday just talking about things. I asked her questions about Samuel that I didn’t want to know before. Since you and I visited the library, I’ve had a hunger to know my roots. That was a startling revelation for my mother.”

  “Did you get answers?”

  He shrugged. “Some. She didn’t hold anything back and told me what she knew. All I know is that it’s time for completion, if I can get it. I’m hoping you’ll stick by me as I battle with my demons. Baby, just hang with me. Boston will be memorable, I promise you.”

  “Are you sure you want me to learn your deep, dark secrets right now? I mean, it’s kind of personal. Don’t you want to digest the news first?”

  Reaching over, Kidd took her hand and squeezed it gently. “You’re so interwoven in my heart, I can’t untangle you. I want you to find out about Kidd Jamieson’s past at the same time I do. That’s just how important you are to me. Got it?”

  “Got it.” Eva mockingly shivered, as if she was afraid to disagree.

  Kidd barked out a laugh. “Stop with the fearful expression. You know I would never hurt you, woman.”

  “Humph. What about when you pulled your caveman stunt on me a couple of weeks ago?”

  “I was protecting you from me. I know my feelings toward you, and I know my body. I don’t lose control unless it’s in anger or passion. Trust me. I had to get you out of my house.”

  At least, he does have restraint. She thanked the Lord for that. They laughed together.

  “I’ll give you this minitour, starting from my childhood home in Mattapan. Unfortunately, now we call it ‘Murderpan’. We’ve lost so many of our teenagers here.” He pointed out some streets and bypassed others. “Here’s Dudley, Washington, Forest Hill …”

  Kidd continued driving until it appeared they were close to their destination. He turned on Northfolk Street, then Elizabeth, until finally, Kidd slowed on Astoria.

  Eva swallowed hard. It wasn’t a street where she would send her children out to play. So far, she had seen blocks and blocks of overbearing buildings. Two- and three-story residences—some brick, most with siding—all with small front yards, lined the streets.

  A few questionable characters loitered out front, watching as Kidd’s vehicle cruised by. Eva glanced to make sure her door was locked. Some seemed to recognize him and nodded; he waved. The mantra “only the strong survive” crossed her mind. Kidd was that—strong and tough—and, thankfully, he had survived.

  “That’s it there.” Kidd pointed. “The white building. We lived on
the second floor.” He lingered in front of his childhood home and sighed. Then, nodding as if he was saying good-bye, he drove off.

  “That’s Almont Park where I played basketball and softball,” he said, cruising by.

  As his tour continued, their surroundings changed dramatically. They passed Roslindale and then on to Hyde Park.

  “About three years ago, I moved my mother to where she lives today. Ace still lives there too—for now.”

  Eva listened hard, trying to hear what Kidd wasn’t saying about his past.

  He turned on Grantley Avenue. The block was lined with condominiums. Large bay windows highlighted the property; the sporadic landscaping gave the complex a touch of flair. Steep stairs led to the front door, evidence of energetic and able-bodied homeowners.

  “Wow. These are nice. Talk about going from rags to riches.”

  “Not really.” Kidd chuckled. “They’re nice, but I can take you to some parts in Milton, which isn’t far from here, or to Back Bay, and you’ll see some properties that will triple your wow.”

  There was ample parking, so Kidd claimed a spot closest to his mom’s place. When he came around to help Eva, he stole a kiss. Then grabbing her hand, he led her toward a corner unit.

  His mother was standing in the doorway, waiting patiently. Sandra easily looked to be in her late thirties instead of flirting with her fifties. She was dressed in tan Capri pants, a white blouse, bare-footed with dark toenail polish, and curls that rested on her shoulders.

  Sandra clapped with enthusiasm and smiled as though Eva was headlining a show. Climbing the long flight of stairs, Kidd grinned proudly.

  “I sure don’t get smiles like that when I come home,” he whispered, placing a kiss in his girlfriend’s hair.

  Eva bumped him as she held on to the railing. “Jealous?” She laughed.

  Once they reached the landing, Sandra wrapped Eva in the same kind of soothing hug she had given her in Kidd’s backyard a while ago. Her eyes danced with excitement. “Eva, you’re more beautiful than before.”

  “Thank you,” she responded gracefully.

  Taking over, Sandra guided Eva into a spacious living room. Immaculate mahogany wood floors covered the first level, along with the stairs that led to the second level. A pencil-sketched portrait of two boys caught her eye. “A Mother’s Love,” was the caption beneath it. Maybe one day, I’ll understand, Eva considered.

  The living room’s décor revealed that Kidd’s mother had an eye for color combinations. Eva reclined in an overstuffed chair with Kidd, who seemed attached at her hip. Sandra left the room and returned a few minutes later carrying a tray filled with bottled waters, iced teas, and snacks. After she placed it on a glass-top coffee table, the charming woman sat on the sofa and beckoned them to come and join her.

  Anticipating what she was up to, Kidd huffed and rolled his eyes as if he was annoyed. Eva grinned and pinched him. Then dutifully, she sat between the mother and son. The show began with a stack of photo albums that rested on a nearby table. Sandra took the album on top and, in reverence, opened it. Again, Kidd groaned as his mother recited the details of her two sons’ antics as toddlers.

  “Hey, Ma, do you remember how much I weighed as a baby?” Kidd asked, after the third album.

  Eva lifted a brow in a teasing gesture, while he twisted one of her curls around his finger.

  Sandra paused. “Hmmm. Yeah, you were a big one.”

  Eva snickered.

  “I’d say you were a little more than eight pounds, which was hefty baby weight back then.”

  They were laughing when Ace opened the door; his muscular body filled the doorframe. A basketball was tucked under his arm. Eva watched him enter the room. Today he looked younger than his twenty-six years. When she met him in St. Louis, he reminded her of a teenager instead of a grown man.

  “Hey, ya’ll. Eva, it’s good to see you again.” With a lazy walk, Ace headed straight to the couch. Looking as though he was going to greet Eva with a hug or kiss, Kidd stood and intercepted.

  “Ace, shower first. You know I don’t play that on my furniture. Whew!” Sandra scrunched up her nose.

  “And after you freshen up, don’t even think about touching my woman,” Kidd said, in a threatening voice. He towered over his brother and warned, “A simple hello will do from afar.”

  Ace grunted. “Chill, bro. She knows I’m the better-looking one.”

  Kidd threw a punch, but Ace ducked as if it was a ritual stunt between them. When their mother chuckled at their antics, it confirmed to Eva that the brothers were simply horsing around.

  “Is he staying out of trouble, Ma, really?” Kidd asked, after Ace disappeared up the staircase.

  Sandra folded her hands and sighed. “He has a probation officer who is on him about getting a job or enrolling in a training program. That could keep him out of jail. Cameron has stuck by him too.”

  Kidd didn’t comment, so Sandra steered the conversation back to the snapshots. After an exhausting few hours of storytelling, he announced they were going sightseeing.

  Their first stop was to fulfill his promise to take her downtown shopping, but there they purchased nothing. Not too far away, Kidd circled Boylston Street a few times to get a parking space near Filene’s Basement.

  There was no window-shopping this time. The result was three bags of bargains. Eva searched through racks of clothing to find styles she hadn’t seen at home. Thrift store shopping with her mother had paid off. She could spot a bargain when she saw one. She even found some items for Kidd’s house.

  “Are you getting hungry, babe?”

  Bargain hunting was hard work. Indicating that she was starving, they left. On their way to dinner, Kidd continued as a tour guide, advising Eva they were in South Boston. “We’re heading to Fish Pier where No Name Restaurant has some of the best seafood in Boston.”

  Eva welcomed the fast-paced feel of the East Coast and the kiss of the Atlantic Ocean. It was such a contrast to the Midwest. Nevertheless, Missouri was her home and she loved the “Show Me State.”

  Immediately, she laughed when they arrived at the eating establishment. “It’s really called No Name.”

  Finding a parking space wasn’t a small task. When the mission was accomplished, Kidd helped her out of the car. Instead of holding her hand, he wrapped his arm around her waist and guided her inside. The worn wide-plank hardwood floors and wood tables gave the place a casual ambience. Eva didn’t feel overdressed in her flirty, gypsy-styled, multicolored skirt and her minijacket over a plain white top.

  After they were seated, she couldn’t wait to scan the menu. Kidd made a few suggestions. None of them really seemed appealing at first, so their waiter offered the seafood platter. That way, she could sample a variety of selections.

  “Hmmm. How about the salad with the lobster meat?”

  Kidd arched his brow at Eva. “So you’re trying one of my recommendations after all,” he teased, then ordered glasses of water with lemon for them.

  Eva shrugged and glanced around. Kidd watched her every moment, which made her feel so cherished. She loved him and wanted them to live happily ever after, but God … Eva blinked when Kidd reached across the table and gathered her hands.

  “You know the saying, ‘home is where the heart is’?”

  She nodded.

  He brought her hands to his lips and kissed them. “Although Beantown is my home, until my ‘heart’ landed in Boston yesterday morning, I wasn’t home. You look pretty and smell good. You are my heart, and I love you.” He rubbed her hands at the same time he trapped her sandal-covered feet between his loafers under the table. “Thanks for letting me kidnap you for the weekend.”

  “I love you so,” she whispered, then looped her fingers through his. “You’re my heart, Kevin, and St. Louis isn’t the same without you.” Eva had to look away because the stare he was giving her was smothering. As if somehow cued, the waiter returned with their glasses of water.

  “So tell me wh
y this No Name nonsense is so special?”

  “It started as a simple diner for fishermen when they returned to shore. Soon the phrase caught on and the label ‘No Name’ stuck.” His expression was unsure. “If I’m not mistaken, it’s Boston’s oldest restaurant under the same ownership for almost one hundred years. Celebrities have been known to stop in …”

  Kidd was still explaining the tale when their food arrived. He gave a sincere blessing over their meal and offered thanks for Eva’s safe arrival. Her heart melted. Very few words were exchanged until almost every bit of seafood had been consumed.

  “That was delicious. Seafood will never taste the same.” Eva dabbed her mouth with a napkin. “I’m stuffed. I hope you don’t mind if I go back to the hotel and rest up for tomorrow,” she said, after he paid the bill and left a generous tip.

  Standing, Kidd stretched and reached for her hand. “Of course not.”

  “I heard the East Coast church services are long.”

  “You have no idea.”

  Chapter Forty-Two

  The next morning, Kidd called Eva from the lobby of the Hilton Hotel. “Good morning, Miss Savoy. Your chauffeur is waiting.” “I’ll be right down, Mr. Jamieson.”

  Two minutes and counting, the elevator doors opened. The gold trim and lights reflecting off of a mirrored background gave Eva a celestial glow and rendered Kidd speechless. His eyes swept from her stilettos, to her shimmery stocking-covered legs, to an all-white, two-piece suit. Suddenly white was his favorite color.

  Walking up to the elevator door, he stepped in and allowed the door to close.

  “What are you doing?” Eva teased. She had to know exactly what he was about to do. Sweeping her in his arms, he brushed his lips across hers before taking her garment bag and small carry-on.

  Eva let out a nervous giggle when the doors opened on the second floor. They both greeted a short woman with a wide church hat perched on her head as she entered the elevator. Kidd winked at Eva and then pushed the lobby button. When the doors opened again, he allowed the woman to exit first.