Two Tears in a Bucket (8 page)

Realizing that she couldn’t take off work forever, Simone mustered up enough energy to go back after a two-week absence. Not ready to return to the chaos of the street, Kevin took a detour from the drug strip, and spent his day in the mall with Beatrice.

“
Hold up, Ma.” The red-and-white sale sign dangling in the window of the jewelry store caught his eye. “I wanna go in here real quick,” he said, heading into the store.

Beatrice grinned suspiciously and elbowed Kevin in his side. “Oh, do you now…”

Kevin browsed through the store, studying each case one by one, until one particular sparkling gem caught his eye.

“
Can I help you, sir?” the saleswoman asked from behind the glass counter.

“
Yes.” Kevin pointed inside the case to an engagement ring. “Can I take a look at this one?”

“
Oh, you have magnificent taste. This is one of my favorites.” The clerk unlocked the case and reached inside. “It’s twenty-four-carat solid gold, and the diamond, I believe…” She checked the fine print on the tag. “Yes, it’s a carat. Is the occasion what I think it is?” she asked, passing the ring to Kevin.

“
Yeah,” Beatrice chimed in. “Is the occasion what we think it is?”

Kevin shrugged his shoulders as he studied the ring. “Well, I guess. I’m thinking about proposing.”

The clerk smiled. “Well, congratulations. Is this your son?” she asked Beatrice.

“
Yeah, he’s my baby. I have two.”

“
Well, he has excellent taste. A trait I assume he inherited from you.”

“
But of course, he did,” Beatrice said, proudly.

“
How much is it?” Kevin asked.

“
Well, we’re running a sale this week. Normally, this ring is twelve hundred dollars, but today, I believe it’s on sale for nine hundred ninety-nine. Would you like me to wrap it up for you?”

Out of the blue, déjà vu flooded Kevin’s thoughts. The image of the engagement ring he’d purchased for Rhonda nearly two years ago danced in his mind.

Damn
, Kevin thought. He could still picture the day Rhonda’s exquisiteness had sashayed into the arcade where he worked. It was as if she’d walked out of a Prince music video. Every head turned, watching the hot number in her gray wool mini, tight black sweater, and thigh-high leather boots. Her sexy attire and the strands of gray in her shoulder-length hair told Kevin she was definitely older. But what the hell was she doing in the arcade?

“
How you doing?” Kevin had greeted her, feeling a little intimidated. “You need help with anything?”

“
Yeah, actually, I do,” Rhonda said, leisurely surveying the games. “Can you teach me how to play this game?” she asked, pointing at the ‘Galaxy’ machine.

“
Yeah, I can do that.”

Kevin opened the door to the game, programmed ten credits of play, and proceeded to teach Rhonda the basics.

“
Shouldn’t you be behind me?” she asked, batting her lashes as she sat on a stool. Happy to oblige, Kevin smiled and slid behind her to assist with the control.

“
I got it now, handsome.” She smiled up at him, glancing over her shoulder. “But you don’t have to let my hand go.”

Kevin introduced Rhonda to every game in the arcade. A few days later, she introduced Kevin to her sexual willingness and know-how. To his astonishment, she was a year younger than him. Dress-Up was a game she used to get the attention of men—even if they were Kevin’s friends.

Kevin had never loved anyone the way he’d loved Rhonda. However, over and over again, he caught her in compromising situations. So, he proposed, hoping the ring and the commitment it symbolized would solve all their problems. But it didn’t. Frustrated with the unbalanced relationship, Kevin flushed the ring down the toilet and joined Rhonda in her games of deceit.

For every man Rhonda entertained, Kevin entertained three women. His harem grew, yet he never officially terminated his relationship with Rhonda. After she went away to school, she would ease back in town during the holidays and numerous breaks to reclaim her throne—Kevin’s heart. But he hadn’t talked to her since he’d come home from prison almost a year ago.

So why the fuck am I thinkin
’
bout Rhonda now?

Rhonda’s and Simone’s images danced around in Kevin’s thoughts. Just when he believed it was impossible to have a serious relationship, Simone had proved him wrong and showed him how love really felt. So why couldn’t he buy the ring? And more importantly, was he really over Rhonda?

Kevin needed to talk to someone, someone other than his mother. He needed some fatherly advice.
Shit, maybe I should go to the nursing home and talk to Mr. Johnson.

“
Sir?” the saleswoman said. “Should I wrap this up for you?”

Kevin handed her the ring, suddenly feeling as if he’d been unfaithful to Simone.

Damn!
he screamed inside.
I gotta call Rhonda and let her know this shit is over.

Beatrice suspiciously watched the son she knew inside and out. She could tell he was battling demons, and it didn’t take a rocket scientist to know the devil’s name.

“
Hey,” she said, rubbing his back for support. “If you not ready, you not ready.”

“
Naw, it’s not that, Ma,” Kevin said.

“
Well, sir,” the saleswoman interjected in one final attempt to close the sale, “we do have a wonderful layaway plan.”

● ● ●

Simone sensed something was wrong when she walked through the doors of the law firm that morning. The place was a ghost town.
Dang. Everybody called out sick?

“
Hi, Simone. I need to speak with you. You mind joining me in the conference room?” Joan, Simone’s supervisor, said.

Uh-oh
, Simone thought as she followed her.

“
Is this about me being out sick?” Simone asked, noticing the file folder tucked underneath Joan’s arm as she sat at the cherry wood conference table.

“
I wish it was that simple, Simone. Does the place look a little deserted to you?”

“
Yeah, I noticed that when I walked in,” Simone replied. “The phones haven’t even rung. I thought it was a holiday that I didn’t know about.”

“
Unfortunately, the partners have decided to dissolve the company and go their separate ways.”

Joan placed Simone’s file on the conference table and peered down at the papers to avoid looking at her.

“
Each partner has written you a letter of recommendation. Although you’ve exhausted your leave, you’ll still receive a full paycheck next Friday, and…” Joan rambled on, babbling words of no interest to Simone.

Oh… my… God,
Simone screamed to herself.
I don’t have a job
.

● ● ●

Kevin wasn’t there when Simone arrived home in the early afternoon. With the weight of the world hovering over her, Simone undressed and climbed back in bed. When her cycle skipped another month, she’d accepted fate and realized that a baby was growing inside of her. Now, since she was unemployed, Kevin needed a job more than ever.

My last paycheck will cover the rent for August, but then what?
Simone thought.
Shit… I know Kevin’s really gonna be on the strip now.
Simone heard the apartment door close.

“
Hey,” Kevin said halfheartedly as he walked into the bedroom. “What you doing here so early?” Simone noticed his somber expression and figured his day had been as bad as hers. “You got sick at work?” he asked.

“
No. I lost my job. Why you look so sad?” Simone asked, quickly changing the subject.

“
You lost your job? Why, ’cause you were out sick?”

“
No, the company dissolved. I get my last check next Friday, so that’ll cover the rent for August. But after that, I don’t know what we gon’ do.”

“
Simone, don’t worry ’bout that, baby. I’ll take care of it.” Kevin plopped on the bed and dropped his head into his hands.

Simone crawled to the end of the bed where Kevin sat. Slowly, she rubbed her hands up his back, across his broad shoulders, and worked them down his muscular chest.

“
So,” she whispered, nibbling softly on his ear, “why you look like you lost your best friend?”

He squeezed her hands and kissed them, thankful that the jewelry store had layaway.

“
How’s that possible when my best friend’s right here?”

● ● ●

Kevin stood on the street corner peddling drugs, feeling burdened from all ends. This wasn’t how he wanted to provide for his family, but since Simone was unemployed, the fast money was a need not a want.

I better call a cab ’fore it gets too late,
Kevin thought as he headed into the building where James stayed with his girl so he could use their phone. The local cab companies refused to acknowledge requests from pay phones.

The building was dark and reeked of urine from the thugs and addicts pissing in the hallways. Vague sounds of life escaped from behind a few of the apartment doors as Kevin headed up the steps. Turning to embark on the last flight that led to Felicia’s apartment, Kevin ran into two Jamaicans sitting on the steps, filling Top paper with marijuana. The larger of the two glared at Kevin through fiendish eyes and stood, his six-four frame towering over Kevin.

“
You just the muthafucka I been wanting to see. You need to pick another spot to sell your shit, pretty boy. I’m taking that corner over.”

“
Look, man,” Kevin said, “I ain’t lookin’ for no trouble. Ain’t nobody stop
-
pin’ you from doin’ your thing, man.”

“
What, muthafucka?” The huge Jamaican took a few steps forward, backing Kevin into a corner.

After lighting the freshly-rolled joint, his pint-sized partner stood, tossing the match to the floor. That’s when Kevin reached under his sweatshirt and pulled out his gun.

“
I tell you what. I’m not gon’ be too many more of your muthafuckas,” Kevin said, backing the two Jamaicans up.

“
Hold up, man,” the shorter one finally said, easing his hands in the air. The fiery-red tip of the joint shone in the darkness.

A door slammed. A figure lurked at the top of the steps where Kevin had been trying to go.

“
Steve! Toby!”

Kevin recognized Mike’s voice; an older Jamaican who’d lived on the strip for years.

“
What the hell is going on?” Concern overpowered his voice as he hurried down the steps.

“
Mike, man, these your muthafuckin’ peoples?” Kevin asked with his gun still drawn.

“
Yeah, Kevin! They my nephews.” Mike trotted down the steps, his eyes bouncing from Kevin to Steve and Toby. “What the fuck is goin’ on?”

“
Man, you better talk to your fuckin’ nephews ’bout who they approach in these dark-ass hallways.”

“
What!” Mike screamed as he directed his attention to his nephews. “You was ’pose to be smokin’ your joint and coming upstairs wit’ me to get some head from Felicia! What the fuck happened? Do you not know who this man is? Huh?” Mike said, upset.

“
This,” he continued, pointing his finger at Kevin, “is Kevin Kennard!”

Steve and Toby looked Kevin up and down as he stood ready to terminate their tomorrows with a simple pull of the trigger.

“
Man, he’s one you want on your side,” Mike further informed his nephews. “Kevin, this was a misunderstanding. Toby and Steve just came here two weeks ago. They don’t know the ways of these streets.”

“
Hey, man.” Steve, the smaller one, offered his hand to Kevin. “My apologies.”

Kevin tucked the gun back in his waistband and shook Steve’s hand. Toby hesitantly followed suit.

“
Yeah, man,” Toby said. “If my uncle say you cool, then you cool.”

● ● ●

For two weeks, Kevin worked the strip like never before. Finally, he’d made enough money to cover the rent and the utility bills for the next two months.

This should hold us over till we find jobs,
he thought as his burdens slowly began to lift. He couldn’t wait to get home and tell Simone everything was going to be all right.

“
Freeze, nigga!”

Kevin recognized the familiar sound of a Tec-9 semiautomatic machine gun locking forward, chambering a bullet.

“
Yeah, muthafucka,” the assailant said as he reached around and snatched Kevin’s gun from his waistband. “We’ve been watching your ass make that money! Now give that shit up!” The assailant stuck the semiautomatic into Kevin’s spine. “And, nigga, if you so much as flinch, I’ma blow your brains out and still take your fuckin’ money.”

A million different forms of retaliation ran through Kevin’s head as he eased his hands into his pocket and handed over the rent money.
We’ve been watching you,
kept replaying in his head, but he didn’t recognize the voice.

“
Count to a hundred, nigga, ’fore you turn around. You turn around ’fore then, and you gon’ catch one of these bullets.”

● ● ●

September’s rent was due in a week, and Simone had no idea where it was coming from. She tried calling her father, but his solution wasn’t the remedy she had in mind.