Two Tears in a Bucket (35 page)

“
Yeah. Lavon manages the office, I oversee the agents, and Melanie, even though she lives a million miles away, handles the marketing.”

“
Damn, that’s all right.”

“
You need to think about what it is you really enjoy doing, and see if you can make a career out of it. Real estate doesn’t even feel like work.”

“
Yeah, that’s how I feel when I write my songs.”

“
Then make being a songwriter your goal. Matter of fact, I’ll send you a journal so you can write down all the things you plan to accomplish when you get out. If you keep your ideas trapped inside your head, they’re just dreams. Think about when you have a dream at night. You know how hard it is to remember the entire dream the next day, let alone months from now. Well, it’s kinda the same thing, which is why you have to have goals and write them down. Then,” Simone raved, “once you mail me your songs, maybe Jordan can make a demo. I can take her to Stan and Fat Ed’s studio. I’m not moving too fast, am I?”

“
No! I’m loving your speed and your zest. You can be my partner.”

“
Okay, we’ll talk about that later. But now, I need to ask you something serious,” Simone said, shifting gears.

“
Ask me whatever you want. Is it about Rhonda?”

“
No.” Simone frowned. “It’s about the victim. The one who died.”

“
Oh,” Kevin said. His body slumped as he shifted uneasily in the plastic chair.

“
How often do you think about him?”

“
Every day. Literally every single day. It’s the first thing on my mind when I wake up and the last thing at night. That’s one of the reasons I’m so determined to be successful. I owe it to him, my mother, Jordan, and hell, probably you, too.”

“
You don’t owe it to me.”

“
Yes, I do. Had I been mature enough—hell, even man enough to handle the situation with Rhonda back then—things would’ve been different. Who knows? Maybe I wouldn’t even be in here. I could’ve been your husband. And,” Kevin added, “you damn sure wouldn’t have these cheap-ass rings.”

Simone snatched her hands away. “No, you not talkin’ ’bout my rings!” She laughed.

“
Yes, I am, too. See, if I was your husband, we’d be planning a cookout for tomorrow, or we’d be somewhere out of town.”

“
For Labor Day?”

“
Yeah…Damn, it is Labor Day,” Kevin said more so to himself. “Didn’t we break up on a holiday?”

“
Kevin, I don’t know. That was a million years ago.”

“
Naw, but think about it for a minute, seriously. It was during a holiday, because that’s the only time Rhonda came home. Just think about it for a second.”

“
Okay,” Simone said. “My father moved me on a weekend, I guess. Hold up. All this happened the weekend Melanie went away to school. Damn, it may have been Labor Day.”

“
Damn,” Kevin said, nodding his head. “It had to be Labor Day, which means we last talked sixteen years ago today.”

“
You mean we broke up sixteen years ago today.”

“
No, I mean we had a huge misunderstanding sixteen years ago today. I never broke up with you, and I didn’t cheat. You did,” Kevin said, looking at her rings.

“
Here you go, Kennard.” The guard approached and handed Kevin and Simone a piece of paper.

“
What’s this?” she asked, looking at the paper.

“
It’s your hall pass. It’s time to go.”

“
Dang…already?” Her disappointment was obvious. She was just starting to relax.

Kevin kissed Simone’s hands and pulled her to her feet. “You can stay with me if you want. We can celebrate our anniversary.”

“
The anniversary of our breakup?”

“
What I just tell you?” Kevin asked playfully. “You’re still mine.”

“
That’s not what my driver’s license says.” Simone smiled. “Sorry. Too bad I can’t stay.”

He mirrored her smile and raised a brow. “It’s for the best. I’d have to fight a million dudes off of you.”

“
Kevin, you’ll be forty years old in a few years. Hopefully, you’ve outgrown your fighting days.”

“
Oh, yeah, baby. I haven’t been in any trouble in over twelve years. I gotta keep my nose clean. Hey, listen. You gotta promise you won’t tell anybody what I’m about to tell you.”

“
Okay…”

“
There’s a chance I could be home by this time next year.”

“
But your mother said two years.”

“
I know. That’s what I told everybody. I’m just trying to surprise her, that’s all. You’re the only one who knows the truth. Damn,” Kevin said, “you’re the only one who knows a bunch of stuff. No one knows about my songs either.” Kevin smiled. “Hey, but remember, you can’t tell anyone. Not even Jordan.”

“
Speaking of Jordan,” Simone said as she looked around the room. “Her and your mother never came back.”

“
I guess she figured we had some things to discuss. Jordan gave me the number to the house. It’ll take a few days before I can call. You don’t mind that, do you?”

“
Please. Jordan will probably be waiting by the phone.”

“
I may want to talk to you, too, you know.” He shrugged. “Since you’re going to be my partner.”

“
We’ll see,” she said, initiating the hug. “But don’t forget to mail me your songs.”

“
I won’t. I hope things at home work out the way you want. Be careful,” he said as he watched Simone walk out of the visiting room and back into his heart.

● ● ●

Simone was in no rush to combat the rage she knew waited for her at home. Despite the hurtful things she’d discovered during her visit with Kevin, she’d really enjoyed herself. For the life of her, she couldn’t explain the peace she felt. Maybe it was their easy conversation. Other than Lavon, Simone didn’t have anybody to really talk to. Or could it be the excitement she felt for his music. Or maybe it was that her old wounds had been addressed. Whatever it was, she didn’t want the feeling to slip away.

Instead of rushing home, she scooped up Mae and Kayla. She even swung past Angela’s and made her hop in the truck, too.

Beatrice felt extremely guilty and expressed it over and over again during the two-hour ride back from the prison. Simone agreed to forgive her only if Beatrice could find it in her heart to forgive Angela. Though Beatrice wasn’t eager to accept the compromise, she agreed. She and Angela greeted each other like old girlfriends at a twenty-year class reunion. With the truck loaded, Simone treated everybody to dinner.

Andre’s cruiser wasn’t in the driveway when Simone and the girls finally made it home. Still, that didn’t mean squat. Andre and his cruiser were seldom there. Inside, everything appeared the same, but something about the air felt different to Simone, almost lighter.

Maybe it’s because I want it to feel this way,
she thought as she headed to the bedroom, not knowing what to expect. Flicking on the light, she saw everything was still in its usual place. The bed was unmade and the plasma television was still on, entertaining itself. She held her breath as she strolled over to Andre’s closet and pulled open the double doors.

“
He did it,” she whispered in shock as the empty closet stared back at her. “He did it. He moved.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Early 2006

“
What’s up, sexy?” Andre licked his lips, admiring Sanora as she strutted into the post office, tossing her hips and slinging her long, blonde, bone-straight weave. Her skintight jeans, four-inch boots, and the skin tight leather jacket made more for style than warmth had every man, old and young, catching whiplash. Strolling in behind her was her manager, or Ms. Fe-Fe, as she was known in her world.

“
Hey, Officer Friendly!” Sanora smiled and sashayed in Andre’s direction, batting her green eyes. Easing her hand across his back, she whispered, “You ready to handcuff me again?”

“
You liked that, huh?” Andre smiled.

“
Mmm-hmm. I thought you did, too. Let me find out I was too much for you.”

“
Please. The last few times, you did more moaning than I did. Hell, you should pay me.”

Sanora sucked her teeth. “Oh, there you go. But who did all the moaning that New Year’s Eve?”

“
You always bring that up but it don’t count. It was too many years ago, I was drunk as hell, and I haven’t moaned like that since.”

“
Yeah, whatever. It’s been a minute, though. My feelings are kinda hurt. How come you haven’t called me?”

“
I thought you were turning in all your G-strings to practice medicine.”

“
I got my master’s in nursing. I can start a small practice with that one day. But right now, I’m making too much money off of all these horny-ass men.”

“
Agent Perkins, you look like you need to call my office and schedule your appointment.” Felicia finally spoke.

“
I ain’t been scheduling no appointment.”

“
Yeah, Fe, he’s one of my special clients.”

“
So what’s been up? I’m surprise y’all have time to come to the post office.” Andre said as he waited in line to turn in his change-of-address card.

“
I’m in here with her,” Sanora said. “She getting a money order to mail to her boo-boo.”

“
Damn, girl,” Felicia mumbled as she laid her envelopes on the counter and fished inside her purse. “Just tell all my muthafuckin’ business.”

Andre glanced at the envelope and did a double take. “Get the fuck outta here.”

“
What?” Felicia asked as she searched inside her purse.

“
Kevin Kennard?” he read out loud. “You know Kevin Kennard?”

“
Do she know Kevin Kennard?
Please
,” Sanora said.

“
That’s her future husband. She's waiting for his ass to get outta jail so she can divorce her husband and marry him.”

Andre chuckled.

“
What the fuck is so funny?” Felicia asked with a hint of an attitude.

“
Don’t bet money on it.”

“
Don’t bet money on what?”

“
My ex-wife gon’ get him before you do.”

“
What the fuck you talkin’ ’bout, Perkins?”

“
You heard me. Kevin Kennard. Hazel-eyed, light skin, been locked up for ’bout fifteen, sixteen years for murder?”

“
Yep,” Sanora confirmed, “that’s him.”

“
He destroyed my marriage.”

“
What you mean, he destroyed your marriage?”

“
You see I’m getting ready to turn in this change-of
address card.”

“
And?”

“
He and my ex-wife got a daughter together. A few months ago, they all recently reunited like one big happy family.”

“
What! Your wife is Jordan’s mother?” Sanora questioned. “Damn, Felicia was the one who took Jordan to see Kevin for the first time a few months ago.”

“
What?” Andre chuckled. “Well, Simone took Jordan and his mother again the very next day. But keep your money. He’s in good hands. My ex owns Woodard Realty. She’ll take real good care of him.”

“
Next,” the postal clerk called.

“
Good thing I saw that envelope, huh? I may need you to hook me up with some part-time security jobs at the club, too.” Andre said as he proceeded to the counter.

“
Hey, hold up, Perkins,” Sanora said. “What’s your new address? Maybe I’ll stop by and give you a lil’ housewarming gift.”

● ● ●

The minute the weekend rolled around, Felicia was in her car heading to the prison.
That’s why his ass hasn’t been calling me,
Felicia thought as she walked inside the visiting center.
You back with your baby mama? The bitch that kept your daughter away all these years…

“
Kennard, six-seven-two-nine-nine-two,” Felicia recited before the guard had a chance to ask.

This bitch magically pops up after I’ve been coming to this muthafucka on a regular for umpteen years. Driving your mother up and down the fuckin’ road,
she thought as she took a seat, waiting for the guards to yell Kevin’s name.

The minutes ticked away. Felicia glanced at the clock. She’d been waiting for over an hour.
What the fuck is taking him so long
?

“
Excuse me,” she said, approaching the guard’s desk. “Y’all don’ called everybody but Kennard. Is he coming down? I ain’t waited this long since he first got locked up.”

“
Oh, yeah,” the guard said, scribbling in the logbook. He didn’t even bother to look up. “Someone just called down for Kennard. He has another visit coming, so he can’t accept yours. He said he’ll call you.”

“
He’ll call me?” Felicia frowned.

“
That’s what he said.” The guard finally looked up, but the glare he offered Felicia wasn’t friendly. He held his hand out for her badge. She slid it across the counter the same way he’d given it to her and marched from the prison, allowing her anger to erupt into a ball of tears.

“
I don’t believe this muthafucka,” she cried, slamming her car door shut. She searched her purse for her cell phone.
I’ve been coming up to this bitch forever,
she thought as she dialed Beatrice’s number.