Any Way the Wind Blows (14 page)

“Aunt Toukie, can you excuse Windsor and me for a moment? I want to help her put this gown on,” I said.

“Honey, I done seen Windsor naked many a time. She ain’t got nothing new even if she is knocked up,” Aunt Toukie said.

I figured it was no use arguing with her, so I let her help Windsor change while I went out into the living room to make sure everything was set. A few minutes later, I walked in with Windsor’s cousin Bobo, Aunt Toukie’s son, who broke out into song when he saw Windsor.

“Moving on up. To the East Side,” Bobo sang. Aunt Toukie had told me Bobo’s real name was Mouton and he had been like an older brother to Windsor. He was a tall, broad-shouldered man, with a plump face and the beginnings of a double chin. Bobo wore his head bald and had two gold earrings in each ear.

“Bobo, what are you doing here?” Windsor asked in a high-pitched voice that was almost like a scream.

“Had to come check out my cuz before she became a mommy. Cuz, you sho are living large up in here. If I was you, I’d set my ass up in bed all day and just have maids and butlers serving me caviar and shit,” Bobo said.

“Just as long as it ain’t no crack,” Aunt Toukie said.

Bobo looked at his mother with a cross-eyed look on his face and said, “Mama, you know I don’t mess with that shit no more.”

“I guess not. You done smoked up all the crack in Michigan,” Aunt Toukie said.

“You promised if I’d help you drive up here, you wouldn’t bring up my past,” Bobo said.

“I’m a mama, and I can break promises. Besides, I didn’t say nuthin’ to Windsor and Miss Yancey about how you spent a couple of weeks in the joint ’cause you didn’t pay your child support.”

“Bobo, you better take care of your kids,” Windsor said.

“I try, cuz, but the job market is tight in Detroit. Even with all the casinos, it’s still hard for a brotha.”

“Especially when you think the jobs gonna come to you. You think you big time ’cause you spent a couple of years at Wayne State. You still didn’t get your degree,” Aunt Toukie said.

“I’m going back,” Bobo said.

“You guys cut out your family mess,” Windsor said.

“Okay, let’s get to a few surprises we have for you,” Aunt Toukie said.

“What surprises?” Windsor asked.

“Hold on,” Aunt Toukie said as she went to the door and whispered, “Y’all come on in.”

A few moments later, in walked Windsor’s mother and father. They were dressed up nice. Her father was wearing a nice black wool suit with a white shirt and black tie. Windsor’s mother looked beautiful in a lime-green silk suit
and a kelly-green hat with different colored flowers covering it.

“Mama, Daddy. What are you doing here?” Windsor asked as I felt my own eyes filling with tears.

“We came to see our baby,” Windsor’s father said.

“But it was supposed to be next week,” Windsor said.

“You want us to go back?” Mrs. Adams joked.

“No, no. I mean, I’m just so shocked,” Windsor said.

“Well, we couldn’t miss this,” Mr. Adams said.

“Miss what?” Windsor asked. Suddenly the room became silent and no one answered. Mrs. Adams looked at her husband and then at her sister. Then she looked at me and smiled, and nodded at Bobo, who walked out of the room.

Windsor’s room suddenly felt small and warm with all the people in it. It felt like this when her sorors and prayer circle friends visited.

“What’s going on?” Windsor asked again. Still silence. Windsor looked around the room slowly, waiting for an answer, and then she looked at the door and in walked Bobo and a minister carrying a Bible.

“Reverend Winn! What are you doing here? Am I dreaming? Am I going to die? Did my doctor tell you something?” Windsor asked as she began shaking her head in disbelief.

“You better not die,” a deep voice said. Everyone looked toward the door, and Wardell walked in with a huge smile on his face, carrying a bouquet of ivory tulips. He was dressed in a black pin-striped suit and black silk tie. He looked handsome, and when Windsor saw him she started crying a river of tears.

“Wardell, what are you doing here? Somebody needs
to tell me what’s happening. What is Reverend Winn doing here? You know, he’s the one who baptized me,” Windsor said.

“Take it easy, Windsor,” Wardell said as he sat on the bed next to Windsor. “I have to ask you something very important.”

“Of course, you can ask me anything, Wardell.”

“Will you marry me?”

“Don’t be silly, of course I will. We’re already engaged, and you know that’s what I’ve always wanted.”

“Today? Will you marry me today?”

All of a sudden, Windsor’s face beamed like a row of track lighting. It finally dawned on her that we were all here for a wedding.
Her
wedding to Wardell. Until recently, planning a wedding, let alone attending one, was the last thing on my mind. But when Wardell called me and told me what he wanted to do, it sounded so romantic that I couldn’t resist helping him plan it.

Since I was so busy promoting my album, I wasn’t able to do much. But I had arranged for Windsor’s parents and Reverend Winn to fly in and stay at the Trump Hotel in a corner suite. I had even invited several of Windsor’s sorors and Sister Circle friends to join us after the brief ceremony.

After the minister had pronounced Windsor and Wardell husband and wife, Wardell cleared his throat and said he had something to say to Windsor. “Go ahead so we can eat and drink,” Aunt Toukie said.

Wardell got down on one knee and said, “Windsor, I promise you a love that will never let you down. I know I can be a jackass sometimes, but I’m not too old to change.
You make me feel young. Vital. Like I can live forever as long as I have you in my life.” I could see pearls of sweat on his forehead, but his voice was composed, graceful and steady like the professor he was. I looked at Windsor and her parents, who all had tears in their eyes, and then suddenly I felt tears well up in my eyes again. I was looking around for a handkerchief, and my eyes met Windsor’s and she gave me the biggest smile I had ever seen. For the first time in my life, I felt like I was part of a family. Even though I didn’t really know Mr. and Mrs. Adams, Wardell, Aunt Toukie and Bobo, I still felt like I belonged.

• • •

A
bout a half hour later, Wardell, Marlana and Dionne wheeled in a cart with the most beautiful wedding cake I’d ever seen. It was three-tiered, and on top of the cake there was a kissing bride and groom. At their feet was a tiny little brown baby in a cradle. Candles were placed all around the bottom tier, and the mellow light reflected off the smiling faces of Windsor’s family and friends, all standing around the cake looking happy and proud.

Marlana came over and whispered how happy she was that my record was doing so well, and I thanked her. Then she asked me if I was going to sing for Windsor and Wardell.

“I have a little something planned,” I said softly.

“Would you like me to join you?” she asked boldly. I thought about it for a few seconds and gently touched her hand and said, “I don’t do duets. I’m sure you understand.”

“Of course. I just thought since Windsor loves the both of us to death it would make her so happy,” Marlana said. I
noticed she was wearing a sheer black formfitting dress and you could see her unspectacular undergarments. I wanted to tell her show business was about having a touch of class, not about seeing how stank you could be. But I didn’t say anything, because Marlana seemed like the type who didn’t follow instructions well. When I had called to tell her about the wedding, I told her to dress casual and not like she was headed to the hookers’ ball.

“Trust me, Windsor can’t be any happier than she is now,” I said as I moved to talk to some of the other guests.

Wardell was pouring champagne for everyone and ginger ale for Windsor. Just as he handed me a glass, Windsor’s father stepped forward to make a toast: “Here’s to love and happiness. May Wardell and Windsor and that little one that’s coming share a beautiful life together.” We all clinked our glasses, and Windsor thanked her daddy for his kind words.

“One more little surprise for you, baby,” Wardell said as he sat next to Windsor on the bed.

“Another surprise? Are y’all trying to kill me for real?”

“Yancey is going to sing—just for us.”

I stepped forward and went from hostess to diva in a few seconds. I had to show Miss Marlana how a
real
diva took control. After I had sung a few bars of the Whitney Houston–Dolly Parton hit “I Will Always Love You,” everyone broke into applause, as my melodic tones filled the room. I was flowing, and just as I was going for my note I heard Aunt Toukie guzzle some champagne and then belch.

Then, just as I got to the chorus, Aunt Toukie also broke into song. We sounded like a cross between an opera diva
and two cats fighting in the alley. I tried to ignore the interruption and kept singing, but Aunt Toukie was not to be denied. Everyone looked at Aunt Toukie, but the screeching continued. Every time I would sing a little louder, Aunt Toukie got louder too. I assumed the champagne had taken over her voice
and
good sense. Finally, Mr. Adams and Bobo each took one of Aunt Toukie’s arms and dragged her out of the room. Just when I was hitting my final note, I heard the door shut.

“And I, I, will always love you,” I sang as I was hitting the homestretch.

“And I will always love you-uuu,” Aunt Toukie sang from behind the door as her cat-screaming-off-key voice echoed the chorus at the top of her lungs. She tried to hold the final note with me but I was not having it. I held the note for over fifteen seconds, when I suddenly heard coughing and choking.

When I finished the last pure note, everyone clapped and shouted, “Bravo! Bravo, diva! Encore!” Just as I was getting ready to take my bow, we heard a muffled “Thank you. Thank you everyone,” from behind the door.

I
went to Basil’s office to let him know face-to-face he couldn’t just treat me like a piece of bookstore trade. Not only was he not returning my calls, but when I went by his place, the doorman said he was not accepting guests.

I got to the office a little before 9
A.M.
, and as I passed a guy in the hall, I recognized a face I’d sworn I’d never forget. Suddenly, I realized how I knew Basil. About a year ago I had been in Tallahassee, Florida, for a rare out-of-town modeling assignment. After we finished the shoot, I went to a twenty-four-hour health club near the hotel called Run-N-Shot. I was surprised that such a small city would have a luxury twenty-four-hour health club, but Tallahassee is the state capital and a college town.

After a brief workout, I went into the steam room and saw these two men with hot-looking bodies sitting on the bottom level. They were busy talking and didn’t notice me. I couldn’t really see their faces, maybe because I was looking between their legs, even though they had towels covering the lower parts of their bodies. One of them stood up and
removed his towel, and I could see that he was bottom heavy, booty, dick and legs of life. It was as though he was inviting me to make a move when he looked in my direction and quickly wrapped the towel back around his body.

I thought, shit, nobody knows me here, and I might as well see what trouble I can get into. So I got up from the wet bench, moved toward the two of them and deliberately dropped my towel. I bent over slowly to pick it up, but before I brought my body back to a standing position, I looked at the one who had dropped his towel and said, “Is there anything I can do for you while I’m down here?”

“What did you say?” he demanded. I knew I should have used that as my cue to move on, but I am never one to back down to a macho man, so I repeated myself. The next thing I knew, I felt his large foot crashing into my face, and I fell back on the floor. The two men then raced from the steam room.

I figured he didn’t know how good I was, so I continued my steam. The night was young, and somebody else might walk in who could use my services. Moments later, a large white guy, fully dressed, entered the steam room with one of the guys and looked at him and said, “Is this the one?”

“Yeah, that’s the faggot mutherfucker,” he said.

“Come with me,” the white guy demanded.

“Come with you for what?” I asked.

“Sir. Either come with me or else I will lock your fruity ass up in this steam room until the police come,” he said. He looked at my accuser and said, “Sir, why don’t you get dressed. I’ll meet you up in the office so you can file a complaint.”

To make a sad story short, I ended up being harassed, threatened and forced to sign a form that I would never enter a Run-N-Shot anywhere in the country. Those country mutherfuckers actually called the police, who warned me that sodomy was against local law and it was strictly enforced.

Basil, who gave the name John Henderson, wasn’t around for the interrogation, but he told the manager and the policeman that I had made unwanted advances toward them. Nico Benson was the name and the face I couldn’t forget because he stared at me in the tiny office like he wanted to spit in my face. He was the one who had tried to leave a footprint on my face. The
Dukes of Hazzard
police took down my driver’s license number and offered it to Nico and Basil in case they decided to sue. They instructed me to make sure I had my ass on the first plane out of town the next morning or else.

Now that I’d figured out how I knew Basil, he’d better watch out. He didn’t know who he was messing with. That gym incident had been the most humiliating experience of my adult life.

Fuck love, it’s payback time.

I
was looking over some scouting reports when Kendra buzzed me. I’d told her I didn’t want to be disturbed, so I figured it was important.

“Yeah, Kendra,” I said.

“I have your father on the line. I haven’t told him you’re in the office. Would you like for me to take a message?”

“No, put him through,” I said as a huge smile crossed my face, and I laid the thick reports face-down on my desk. I picked up the phone and said, “I was thinking about you this morning. Whatsup, Pops?”