The Deviant

by Tiana Laveen

  “All right.”

  “Okay, I’ll see you in a few.” They said their goodbyes and she disconnected the call.

  Once at her apartment, she shed her work attire and changed into a comfy white jogging suit and cozy socks, then fixed herself a cup of tea. Just as she sat down on her couch and grabbed the remote, her bell buzzed.

  Dad came in and took off his long trench coat, smiling. His beard had a bit more silver in it than usual. Perhaps he’d stopped dying it. His skin was flawless as usual.

  “Hi, Dad.”

  “Hey, baby.” He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek, then they sat next to each other in the living room.

  “I was going to take you to that new joint, that uh, shit.” He pressed his palm to his forehead and closed his eyes. “What’s the name of that place? Never mind. I heard it was good though. A Japanese spot. I know you like all that sushi and shit.” They both laughed.

  “Well, thank you for thinkin’ about me.” She drank some of her tea. “Do you want some? I can fix you a cup.”

  “You know I don’t drink no tea, baby.”

  “You sound like Mom.” She chuckled.

  “Yeah.” He smirked. “She and I were too much alike. That’s why we bumped heads. I’m fine. I don’t need anything. What’s wrong? I’m not used to you being upset like this.”

  “I took a call today and… and I heard a woman pleading for her life. Her ex-boyfriend killed her. Shot her. I heard the whole thing. She was begging him, Dad. Pleading for her life!”

  Dad gave her a big hug.

  “I’m sorry about that, Suri. I know that had to have been hard to hear. There’s some disturbed people in this city.”

  “I’ve heard muggings in process, people calling about finding a mutilated dead body. I’ve heard countless domestic violence cases in progress, even ones that involved weapons. I’ve heard attempted murders, animal abuse calls, all of it, but this one… this one got me. She sounded to be in her thirties, around my age. She was so scared, Dad. So, so scared. I made it worse on myself. I looked her up on social media. I saw people giving their condolences to her family. The news got out just that fast! I saw her face, looked into her eyes… I now can put a face with that voice, and when she was begging for help, Dad, there wasn’t shit I could do about it. I’m useless.”

  He hugged her tighter as she cried and cried. She had no idea how long they sat there. Time turned into just an idea. Nothing was concrete. In the process of it all, she fell asleep with her legs on Dad’s lap. When she woke up, she saw he’d covered her in a quilt and watched some daytime court show. On the coffee table sat a bowl of cereal and a glass of juice. Rubbing her eyes, she sat up.

  “So much for lunch. Sorry.”

  “I haven’t had Wheaties in years.” He snickered.

  She didn’t know how to tell him, or perhaps it was better left unsaid, but she was surprised he was still there. So many times as a child, she’d go to sleep during his visits and awaken to him being gone. It hurt. But this time, he remained. He turned his gaze to her and patted her leg, pain in his almond-shaped eyes.

  “I hate seeing you hurt, Suri. You’ve always been a strong, determined person. This is different. But it’s good. You need to just take some time out for yourself. It’ll get better. It was just shocking and upsetting is all.”

  She lay back and looked at the television. Cradling her arm under the pillow, she propped it up a bit.

  “I love you, Daddy.”

  “I love you too, Suri. More than I’ve shown you. Tryna do better.” He stroked his short, wavy beard as if in deep thought. “I want to see all my kids together, as adults, at least just once. It’s killin’ me. Damn.” He shook his head. “Bad choice of words. Sorry about that.”

  “It’s all right.” She sighed. “Well, like I told you last time you brought this up, I have no issues speaking with Shakira and Anthony. They’re the ones who have the problem with me, and I’m not about to jump through hoops to make it happen.”

  “I understand. I know I’ll eventually convince them. Their mother filled their head with’ so many lies, though.”

  They both drew quiet for a bit. Her phone buzzed, and she reached for it on the coffee table. It was a text message from King letting her know that his meeting went well and he’d see her later on. She smiled, then placed the phone back down.

  “What are you smilin’ about?” Dad asked, curious.

  “That was my boyfriend. He had an important meeting today and he was just giving me an update.”

  Her father nodded in understanding.

  “So, how long you two been seeing each other?” Dad picked up the remote and turned the channel.

  “Six months, almost seven.”

  “Oh, all right, all right. So it’s serious?”

  “Yes. He… he asked me to move in with him.”

  Dad gave a slight nod.

  “So, tell me about him. What’s his name? Where does he work?”

  “His name is King.” She sat up and yawned. “He’s an artist and works at a clothing store, but he’s transitioning to working for himself. He’s really good, too.”

  “A starvin’ artist, huh?” Dad chuckled. “I need you to get wit’ someone who can take care of you.”

  “How do you know he can’t?” She winked at her father. He shrugged.

  “I guess I just assumed. Usually artists don’t make much.”

  “They do if they get with a company for consistent work, or work for themselves and are successful. The days of broke artists is coming to an end, Dad. Things have changed. Technology has assisted, allowing them to sell their work globally and get more exposure. Not only that, most of the New York art community knows who he is and is familiar with his work. He’s already got a leg up.”

  “Oh? He’s just that good, huh? Well, that’s excellent. That’s what I like to hear.”

  “He’s got an art show coming up. If you want to come, you can. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind. Some celebrities will be there, too. It’s just that important.”

  “Cool, yeah. I’d like to meet him and see what skills he has. You know, I used to draw a little back in the day myself.”

  “Stick figures and tic-tac-toe games don’t count.”

  Dad burst out laughing and shook his head. Soon, he had to leave for work. He owned a small limousine company and liked to keep close tabs on his crew. She threw her arms around him and he returned the embrace.

  “I’m sorry about your day, Suri. I promise it’ll get better. I’m looking forward to meeting your boyfriend. Maybe next week I can take you out to lunch instead, okay?”

  “Yes, we can do that. Thank you so much for sitting with me. Talking with me. Being with me.”

  “You’re my daughter.” He tossed up his hands. “Why wouldn’t I?”

  “I don’t tell you that I love you enough, Dad. I do. Maybe I don’t tell you as a way to try and punish you, on some subconscious level. I don’t deal with things the way I should all the time.” She shrugged, feeling the sting of her eyes from hours of crying. “I think I’m stronger than everyone else, but today reminded me that I’m not. I’m scared to move in with my boyfriend due to my own insecurities.”

  “Why?”

  “Maybe he’ll see something in me he won’t like… and I’m in love with him, so I know it’ll hurt me if things end badly.” She sighed. “I’m afraid of going to work and getting another call like that, so now, I’m kind of frozen. I’m afraid that my staging business that I’m trying to get off the ground will fail. I hate this. I hate admitting it. I hate feeling it.”

  Dad cocked his head to the side and crossed his arms.

  “Fear is normal, Suri. You were always braver than me, your mother, and practically anyone else I know. But, it’s fine to admit when you’re scared. That’s life, baby.” he said. “I’m afraid of a lot of shit, too. I’m afraid of true commitment. Even at my old ass age. It’s not cool, I know that. I’ve hurt a lot of women, including
your mother. One day, when and if I am ever ready, although it might be too late, I can’t let fear stop me. If you love this man, make the choice that makes sense. You’re not a little kid anymore. You’re beautiful, talented. Resourceful.” She smiled warmly. “I’ve seen your work, Suri. You’re just as good as those people in Home and Garden. Hell, better! You’ve got a real knack for that stuff. Go for it! As far as your job and the bad calls, yeah, there’s going to be more, but I know you can handle it. Just give yourself time.”

  He drew her close one last time and kissed her forehead.

  “Thank you, Dad. I’ll call you tomorrow.” She opened the door to let him out. As he stood right outside the threshold and she started to close the door, he paused and turned back to face her.

  “I wanna tell you that I appreciate you showing me kindness, baby, even when I didn’t deserve it. I wasn’t the best father, but I tried. That’s why I never kept you a secret when I found out your mother was pregnant with you. I’d made a mistake when I cheated on my wife. You were not a mistake though, and I never regretted you. You are the best part of me. All of my children. Y’all are a blessing. I used to always tell you to listen to what I say, not what I do. I know you hated that, but I knew what I was talking about. When it came to men and you dating, when it came to money, all of that. You took some of my advice, you left some behind, but regardless, I was always proud of you. You’ve got more strength in your baby finger than most people got in their whole damn body. Use fear to motivate you. It’s the best fuel of all.”

  “Well, looks like I better pull up to the gas station. I love you, Dad.”

  He blew her a kiss, and she blew one back. Then, she closed the door…

  Starting over was hard… but he had to.

  King had clocked out for the last time at Alpha. He’d trained a new manager, and now it was time to leave. For good. How strange, but he felt a bit sorry for Ricky. The man had apologized profusely, and despite all that had gone down, and him knowing certain aspects of his life that weren’t up for discussion, he finally conceded and let the shit go. He’d received a sizeable check for his two shirt designs, and cut himself loose. He had no desire to work with Lincoln ever again, and imagined their paths would never cross again, either. Ricky, however, had made it clear that he had other ventures he wished to discuss with him. King took that with a grain of salt.

  He stood now in his big warehouse studio, and looked at all the blank canvases. The show was in less than three weeks. How am I going to do this? There’s so much work to do if I start over. I have a new vision, though. Just do it… just keep working your ass off until you’ve finished.

  He turned on some music, grabbed his brushes and paints, and began working. Hours later he realized he hadn’t eaten or had anything to drink, and he sorely needed to piss. He decided to take a quick break. Splattered with paint, he crossed the street and bought a salad, juice, and cup of warm soup from the bodega. He returned to the restaurant on the first floor, drained the main vein, then headed back to the warehouse studio, turning more music on when he got there. He’d missed a few text messages coming in from several of his friends, including Shane, while he was painting. Jeremy confirmed he’d make it to his show, and he was happy to see he’d received new orders on his website, too. The money was rolling in, and it was all his. He’d earned every dime. Oh yeah, let me take care of that right quick.

  “Hey, Mãe.” He began to pace back and forth. “What are you up to?”

  “Just lying here watching television. How are you, honey?”

  “Working in the studio. A, remember I told you Suri does staging?”

  “Yes. I can’t wait to meet her.” He could hear the smile in his mother’s voice. She’d always wanted him to settle down.

  “Yeah, she’s excited to meet you, too. Look, you mentioned that they were revamping the hotel, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “I bet Suri could do it for a discounted rate. I mean, not the revamp, but staging in your lounge area, things like that. Hotels and restaurants are her specialty and like I told you, she and I are starting a company together for that. I take care of the art and any painting of walls, window frames, etcetera, and she does all the decorating. So, she’s trying to get this business off the ground and the more clients she gets, the better. Also, she’s been a little depressed lately because of what happened. Of course she’s acting like she’s okay now, but I know better. I told you about it.”

  “Yes, I remember. Poor dear. That was horrible, I feel for her. Certainly, certainly. I completely understand. I tell you what: I will ask, okay? It never hurts to ask.”

  “Thanks. She’s really good. I’ll send you pictures of some of her work.” They talked a bit longer, and when the call was over, he started painting again, his thoughts racing. Tere$▲jenee’s ‘Eroplane’ was the next song on his phone playlist. Time was a blur, and before he knew, he’d been going for over seven hours.

  It was four in the morning. He picked up his phone and noticed a text from Suri saying that she loved him, and was going to bed. He wrote back, though he was certain she was asleep. It didn’t matter. She’d see it when she woke up:

  I love you too. I draw pictures of you in my heart every day. You’re my love. My inspiration. My eyes. My soul. Sweet dreams.

  Suri adjusted the slit in her long red gown. The gallery in Brooklyn was packed. King had been taken away as soon as they stepped foot inside and she had no idea where he was. Her mother had promised to come by after work, and her father had said he’d also attend. King had sent them each a personal invitation, adamant that they all get together. Things had gotten so hectic that she couldn’t meet his family any sooner. This would simply have to do.

  People milled about as a quartet played, dressed in their suits and frocks. Servers drifted to and fro with elegant appetizers and assorted alcoholic beverages. She’d let her friend, a professional stylist, pick out her ensemble and do her makeup. She did her own hair, an updo adorned with a small diamond and ruby flower.

  “Hello, you must be Suri!” A woman wearing silver and white gown approached, an elegant shawl draped over one shoulder.

  “You have to be King’s mother! I can see the resemblance.” The woman laughed and nodded, then pulled her into a hug.

  “King has told me so much about you. He pointed you out as he walked past me and apologizes for not introducing us, but as you can imagine, he’s being pulled in a million directions tonight.”

  “I definitely noticed. I’m so glad I get to meet you in person finally, and thank you so much for showing my portfolio to your supervisor.” The two conversed until King’s stepfather and brother, Lucas, came and shook her hand, welcoming her as well. King had such a nice family, so sweet and polite. But then, she spotted a man wearing the hell out of a black tux, pumping one fist in the air and holding a bottle of water in the other.

  “THAT’S! MY! SON! A fuckin’ amazing artist! I’m King’s father! Don’t let anyone tell ya different!” Pockets of laughter erupted, while other faces registered complete shock.

  She immediately noticed a look of concern that morphed into nothing short of hatred stretch across King’s mother’s face.

  “That’s Brian. King’s sperm donor. Obnoxious man.” She sucked her teeth. “Excuse me, Suri. I need to ask him to be quiet.”

  Suri nodded, dancing on the border of confusion and amusement as the woman marched over to the tall guy who looked surprised that she’d approached him. She watched with King’s stepfather and his brother while the pair talked. Brian nodded his head a couple of times, then became animated and visibly annoyed. It didn’t look very nice.

  “Excuse me, Suri. I better join my wife. Brian can be a handful.” He chuckled, not a bit amazed or out of sorts about the situation.

  “And now, there’s only two of us,” Lucas stated. “This happens all the time. King’s dad is, uh, different, I guess you could say.”

  “King told me his father is quite passionate. St
ill, it’s nice to see that he has so much love from everyone, even if the personalities don’t always mesh well together.” The man nodded in agreement, and began talking to her about the hotel business. Come to find out, he was a wealth of information and she truly enjoyed the conversation. Lucas seemed really sweet, and a bit shy, too. Neither of them brought up Tomas. She was relieved, because she wasn’t certain if she’d be able to bite her tongue. Moments later, her father arrived, then her mother. They gathered around her and it wasn’t long before they were shaking hands with King’s mother and stepfather. Brian had apparently stepped outside to smoke.

  “It’s so nice to meet you.” Greetings were exchanged, with Suri forced to be host and greeter. She looked about, wondering where the hell King was, and then she saw him in the distance, talking to a beautiful actress she recognized from many movies. A tinge of jealousy swelled within her, and then, she brushed it off, laughing at herself. She turned to her mother.

  “Mom, you look amazing!”

  “I do, don’t I?” Mom quipped, making her laugh. The woman was dressed in a black satin gown with a bit of cleavage. She’d paired it with a fake diamond necklace that definitely looked real.

  Dad looked dashing in a black business suit. Nothing fancy, but the man looked good in almost anything. They all chatted away, and then, the room grew quieter as several of the canvases were released from their white cloth coverings. One after the other, the unveiling seemed to leave everyone with hitched breaths. This was the reason why King had been so busy and stressed out. She realized at that moment, she’d never seen any of these pieces in his apartment or the warehouse. These must be new… Oh my goodness.

  People began to oooh and ahhh. Breathtaking. Astounding. Beautiful.

  Another sheet was removed from the wall, revealing in bright red lights the words, ‘The Deviant Artist.’ She blinked several times as the room erupted in applause. King approached the crowd, donning a dark red shirt and black pants, an ensemble completed with a red scarf wrapped around his head and shoulders. He looks so much like an artist.