by Honey
“Well, you can let her live now because I think she’s kicked her habit for good.”
“Do you . . . nah . . . nah . . .” Jeremiah shook his head. “Nah, I’m not going to say it.”
“Say what, J? Go ahead. Say whatever you want to say.”
“I don’t want you to get your hopes up about Mink, only to have her disappoint you again. I ain’t trying to rain on your parade, but I want you to be realistic. You’ve been through this enough times to know that Mink needs hard-core in-patient treatment. She can’t stay clean on NA alone. She’s too far gone for that. It ain’t like she’s smoking marijuana or popping Ecstasy tablets now and then. Your girl is on heroin. That’s some powerful shit.”
“Yeah, I know. That’s why I’ve been trying to convince Mink to sign herself into a rehab center. I think a ninety-day program would change her life forever.”
“Why won’t she go?”
“She doesn’t think she needs to go. She’s never stayed clean this long before on the outside. The progress she’s made so far has given her hope.”
“I pray that she’ll stick with it this time around, but we’ll have to wait and see.” Jeremiah looked toward the front of the restaurant. “We’re going to have to finish this conversation later, JoJo. Senator Day and his entourage just walked in,” he said, standing. He buttoned his suit coat and smiled.
Josiah stood as well. The Bishop twins waited for Emmanuel Day, Georgia’s first African American United States senator, to reach their table. Staffers flanked him. They were about to have a very important lunch meeting that could give Josiah a much-needed boost in the polls. Jeremiah hoped that everything would go according to plan.
* * *
Senator Day had a great sense of humor. Everyone at the table was cracking up over a story that he’d just told about an out-of-control female who once stalked him while he was dating his wife-to-be, Jazz.
The server walked over and handed Josiah the check for everyone’s meals. He skimmed over the nearly four-digit bill before he removed his platinum Visa card from his wallet. He inserted it inside the slot on the brown leather folder, handed it to the server, and continued laughing at the senator’s story.
“Thanks for your support, Senator Day,” Jeremiah said after everyone had settled down. “My brother has done some great things in the city of Atlanta. The citizens need him to serve another term so he can finish what he’s started. With your endorsement and hefty financial contribution, he’ll be able to seal the deal in November. We sincerely appreciate your support.”
Senator Day smiled. “It’s the very—”
“I’m sorry, Mayor Bishop, but your card has been declined, sir,” a man who was the restaurant’s manager announced the moment he arrived at the table. “Do you have another form of payment?”
“Of course,” Josiah said, removing the card from the snooty man’s hand. He was so damn embarrassed. Without even looking up, he knew that all eyes at the table were trained on him. He pulled his Black American Express Card from his wallet and handed it to the man.
A side glance at Jeremiah proved to be the wrong damn move. The look on his face was lethal. They had just conducted a productive meeting over scrumptious food at Nova Bella’s, one of Atlanta’s finest upscale restaurants. They weren’t hanging out with their boys from Bankhead or Ridgewood. They were in the presence of political greatness. It was beyond embarrassing for the mayor of a major city to have his credit card declined, but it was even worse that it had happened in the company of Senator Day and his staff members. Josiah wanted to disappear into thin air. And he knew why Jeremiah was shooting him an ice grill. It had everything to do with his suspicions that Mink was somehow responsible for his present, shameful circumstances.
“I’m looking forward to meeting your wife, Senator,” Josiah finally said, trying to move past his humiliation. “I’m sure that she and my Mink will hit it off just fine.”
“I bet they will.”
Just then, the manager returned to the table with a smile on his face and handed Josiah his Black Card and the receipt for his party’s paid bill.
* * *
“I’m so sorry, JoJo. I was on a binge when I bought all of that crap with your card and sold it for the cash. It was because of me that your card was declined in front of a U.S. senator. I stole it and maxed it out. Oh God, I’m so sorry that I put you through that. Please forgive me,” Mink pleaded with a pitiful sob.
“It’s okay, baby.” Josiah wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. “I took care of everything. Don’t worry about it. I forgive you.”
Mink pulled back to look into her husband’s eyes. The love and compassion she saw in his orbs made her feel terrible. She would never know why such a wonderful man like Josiah cared so deeply for her when all she ever did was hurt him. Mink knew she didn’t deserve him, but he was committed to her even though she was a straight-up junkie.
No, she hadn’t used in two weeks, but she was fighting cravings like crazy every day. Thank God for Lena, her faithful sponsor. Her no-nonsense attitude and strict guidance were the only reasons why Mink hadn’t headed to her supplier early this morning to score a hit. She had dialed his number as soon as she dropped off the girls at school. Duke, Mink’s loyal dealer, went on a bragging pitch telling her about the new shipment he’d just gotten in overnight. He said the shit was the purest anyone in the A could get their hands on. The mere thought of getting high again gave Mink the shakes. She wanted to escape reality and float away to her heroin fantasyland so bad that she ran a couple of red lights trying to make it to the spot. But Lena called while she was en route. It was like she knew that Mink was up to no good, so she insisted that she meet her at IHOP for breakfast. And she wouldn’t take no for an answer.
Mink rested her cheek against Josiah’s chest as he continued holding her in his arms. She was glad that she had stayed clean one more day, but she didn’t know how much longer she would be able to handle the strong temptation on the outside without methadone. Her demons were on the prowl. Josiah was right. She did need to go and check herself into a rehab center, but she didn’t want to. Mink couldn’t stand to be separated from her girls. They were her children, and she didn’t want anyone else to take care of them. She would continue going to NA meetings Monday through Saturday each week and attend her father-in-law’s church every Sunday. Mink was determined to stay away from heroin by any means outside of rehab.
* * *
“Hello, everybody. My name is Mink, and I’m an addict.”
“Hi, Mink,” most of the other members of her NA group responded.
“What’s up, Mink?”
“Welcome!”
Mink smiled, and it took Josiah’s breath away. She looked gorgeous in a pair of faded jeans and a pink T-shirt.
She held up the orange plastic key in her hand. “Thirty days,” she said softly as tears pooled in her eyes. She allowed them to fall freely down her cheeks.
Everyone in the room hopped to their feet and celebrated her accomplishment with a round of applause. Josiah joined them from his location in the very back of the room. He was so damn proud of Mink. He knew that it hadn’t been easy for her to stay drug free over the past thirty days, but she had made it by the grace of God. And he had been with her every step of the way, doing whatever he could to help. He’d witnessed the tears, mood swings, and restlessness. They’d endured nights when he’d held her in his arms while her body shook with cravings, and she screamed and cursed through it. But she didn’t throw in the towel, and Josiah was grateful.
“It was not easy,” Mink continued. “But I made it with the help of Lena, the world’s greatest sponsor, my husband, and God. I have a long road ahead of me, but I know I can do it one day at a time. I’m going to keep coming back because this program works as long as I work it.”
Mink took her seat to more hand claps and cheers. Josiah slipped out of the back door and headed to his SUV. He wouldn’t have missed Mink’s big day for anything
in the world. She had asked him to come, but she’d insisted that he play it safe and dress down in plain clothes and a baseball cap and arrive late. She believed it was best that he drive himself and sit in the very back of the room. It wasn’t anyone’s business who she was married to. Lena knew that Mink was the city’s first lady because honesty was a requirement in the relationship between an addict and her sponsor. And confidentiality was also important. That’s why Josiah wasn’t worried about anyone else in the group finding out anything more about Mink than what they already knew.
He pulled out of the church’s parking lot and headed for Mink’s favorite Midtown boutique. He wanted to buy her something special to wear tonight for their celebration dinner date. Gypsie had planned every detail of their evening down to the appetizers at Masai’s on Peachtree, his and Mink’s favorite supper club. She’d even arranged for the girls to spend the night with Jeremiah at his bachelor pad in Buckhead. A sworn ladies’ man for life, Uncle J was a sucker for his nieces. In his eyes, Gem and Treasure could do no wrong. So tonight, they would be able to eat junk food, play video games, and watch movies until they fell asleep. That was Jeremiah’s style. Whatever the girls wanted, they would have.
Josiah gunned his engine and sped toward Sophistications Boutique. He was sure that there was a sexy red dress somewhere inside with Mink’s name on it. They always had whatever he needed to dress his wife for any occasion. Timia, the owner of the swanky shop, knew Mink’s style and size. She would help him find the perfect cocktail dress in red and all of the accessories to set it off. Tonight was going to be a special night, and Josiah was looking forward to every minute of it.
Chapter Five
Just pick up the phone, Mink! Pick it up and call Lena! her conscience screamed. She closed her eyes tightly and shook her head frantically. There were too many voices inside her head, yanking her back and forth in a mental tug-of-war. Mink was confused and scared. The craving was too powerful. She wanted a quick fix more than she wanted to take her next breath. But she loved the new feeling of being drug free. She could think clearly and face herself in the mirror without guilt. And Josiah and the girls were so happy with her changes. How could she snatch their peace away from them? They didn’t deserve that.
“Nooo!” she shouted above the evil voice inside her head and the sound of a baby crying pitifully, threatening to pull her under.
Just one last hit, Mink.... That’s all you need, girl. It’ll take the edge off. You’ll be back home in time to get dressed for your hot date with the hubs. Thirty days is a looong time. You deserve a little taste. Go ahead and reward yourself. Miiink, you want it! You need it. You know you do, girl. Miiiiiiink! Miiiiiiink! Miiiiiiink!
Mink unfolded her body from the fetal position on the floor inside the shower and crawled out of the bathroom. The heavy flow of tears that fell nonstop from her eyes blurred her vision. Beads of sweat covered her entire body. Perspiration saturated her hair and scalp. She was completely wet, although she’d never turned on the shower. And the loud wails of the invisible baby filled her ears. She made it to the nightstand where her cell phone sat connected to its charger. She reached up and grabbed it. Mink was in trouble, and she needed help. She licked her lips as she stared at the keypad. Her hand was shaking uncontrollably. She battled seconds of coldness followed by hot flashes alternately. She couldn’t remember Lena’s number or even the one digit she’d assigned to her on her speed dial because her brain was so damn scrambled.
Mink clamped her eyes shut and took long, deep breaths. She released them slowly like she’d been taught to do in her first admission to rehab. Meditation and visualization were effective, and both mental exercises had worked like a charm over the past thirty days. A clear vision of Josiah and the girls appeared in her mind’s eye. It was so vivid that she felt like she could reach out and touch them. Mink smiled, and she felt her body beginning to relax. Memories of her first date with Josiah floated through her psyche. Then she saw glimpses of their wedding, the day each girl was born, and the night Josiah was elected mayor. Those were precious moments, and they gave her peace. Mink lowered her body from her knees onto her bottom as she continued reminiscing on happy times. Each memory gave her a reason to resist the temptation of going back to heroin and remain clean.
When her heartbeat returned to normal, and she felt like she could breathe normally again, she opened her eyes. Looking around her bedroom, she once again took in the lovely gifts that Josiah had surprised her with. The dress, sexy undergarments, and shoes had cost him a grip. He was such a romantic, and he loved her unconditionally. The scent of the red roses in the beautiful crystal vase on top of the dresser was heavenly. It wafted in the air, and Mink was just grateful that she could enjoy it. There had been times when she couldn’t even smell the foul odor coming from her body after going days without bathing while she binged on dope out on the streets. But today, she was alert and aware of everything around her. She had a good life with lots of people in it who loved her. She could stay clean another day by embracing her circumstances one day at a time.
* * *
Josiah hopped out of the limo the moment it rolled to a stop in front of the house. He’d spoken to Mink earlier, reminding her that he would pick her up at seven o’clock sharp. No doubt she was dressed and ready for a night out on the town because she’d told him how excited she was. And she’d gone on and on about how pretty she was going to look in her hot new dress.
“Mink, I’m home, baby. It’s time to go.” Josiah headed up the stairs.
The master suite’s door was cracked, and a soft love ballad was flowing from the Bose system inside. It was just like Mink to try to slip in a quickie before they left, but it would have to wait because their reservation was at eight, and the downtown ATL traffic was insane on any given Friday night. Time wasn’t on their side. Josiah pushed the door open all the way and was surprised to see the red cocktail dress and undergarments spread out on the bed exactly the way he had left them that afternoon. Even the roses were still in place on the dresser, which was unusual. Mink always moved the flowers to the nightstand on her side of her bed so she could enjoy their fragrance throughout the night.
Something was off. Josiah’s instincts told him so as he walked farther into the room. He checked the bathroom, but Mink was nowhere to be found. He dreaded it, but he felt the need to check the safe where they kept their more expensive pieces of jewelry. One glance inside nearly caused him to punch the wall. One of the limited edition watches from his collection was missing, and so was a platinum and diamond bracelet that he had bought Mink for her birthday a few years back. He didn’t care about the gold coins that he collected for the girls, but he wanted his Rolex back.
Josiah plopped down on the bed, totally defeated. He was furious, shocked, and sad. A few hours ago, Mink had picked up her thirty-day key from NA. Why the hell would she throw it all away? Josiah couldn’t wrap his mind around it. He didn’t understand why he, Gem, and Treasure weren’t motivation enough to keep Mink off the needle. They loved her more than anything. So why couldn’t she love them more than she loved heroin?
The tears that crept up on Josiah heightened his anger. Real men weren’t supposed to cry. He had promised himself that he wasn’t going to shed another damn tear over Mink and her drug foolishness ever again, but his heart was aching. He’d seriously thought she was on her way this time. The disappointment was the heaviest he’d ever felt. He didn’t know what to do. Once again, heroin had taken over. No, he and the girls were back at the familiar place that he hated.
* * *
Josiah hung up the phone with Mink’s mother. The call had been a complete waste of time. Mrs. Sinclair had told him that there was nothing that she and the major could do to help him with Mink. They did, however, offer to come and get the girls and keep them in Maryland. Josiah was totally against that. He wanted to raise his daughters, and he was willing to do it alone if he had to. Mink had been missing in action for a week now. No one had hear
d a word from her. A select group of officers from the Atlanta Police Department had been searching for her on the low, but the public had not been asked to assist them. As Josiah’s chief of staff, Jeremiah had insisted that the search for Mink be kept top secret. The news that the mayor’s wife was MIA would cause major problems for his career and his reelection campaign.
“What did Mink’s parents say, JoJo?”
He released a frustrated breath. “They said there’s nothing they can do. Oh, but they volunteered to come and take Gem and Treasure back to Maryland with them. They must be crazy as hell. I would never uproot the girls and ship them off, especially not in the middle of the school year. I’m their daddy, and I’ll take care of them, even if I have to suspend my campaign.”
“Oh, hell nah! You ain’t about to do that. You’ve worked too damn hard to get where you are. Since Senator Day’s endorsement, your numbers are up in the polls, and your appearance at the skating rink last week pulled in some young adult voters that we’ve been trying to reach.”
“But my girls come first, J. They’re more important than my reelection. They’ve lost their mother to drugs. Why should they lose their father also to his career? I can’t do that to them. If I can’t work out some arrangement with Mama and Miss Gladys that’ll maintain Gem and Treasure’s normal routine, I’ll have to drop out of the race.”
“I’ve already worked things out for you,” Jeremiah announced, placing his hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Rev has to attend the spring ministerial conference in Detroit next week. Then he’ll be in revival in Akron the following week. Of course, Mama is going with him, so she won’t be available for a while. But I spoke to Miss Gladys, and she’s agreed to come Monday through Friday and even stay later than usual until Gypsie can make it here.”
“Gypsie?”
“Yeah. You know she’s single with no crumb snatchers of her own. She doesn’t have any family in Georgia, and she’s not one of those club chicks.”
