When All Hell Breaks Loose (18 page)

“Do you like this girl?”

“Yeah, I dig her. I dig her on the for real.”

“What about Stephanie?”

“She’s useless right now. Nobody wants to hire a woman that’s nine months pregnant. Even when she wasn’t pregnant, she couldn’t hold a job. They fired her from Wal-Mart three months ago for being late all the damn time.” My cousin looks up at the golden-orange-colored sky. “Greg man, I don’t know. I love Stephanie, because she’s seen me through some seriously hard times, but living with Dad, ’Retha, and her kids has closed in on me. There’s never any peace and quiet, I’m always running errands to get diapers and milk, and I can’t tell you the last time I was able to sit and watch a game without being interrupted because some cartoon or women’s show was on. I’m playing the role of father and husband to women that I shouldn’t have to do that for. I mean, Aretha is my sister, so I don’t mind, but Stephanie has become a burden of sorts. But I owe it to her to stay around.”

“Has Unc said anything to you about moving out of the house?”

“Aw man, you know my dad. He ain’t going to say much because he don’t mind me being there, but I can see it in his eyes when he looks at me. I feel like I’m not a real man because I’m still living under his roof.”

“So, what do you plan to do?”

“I was thinking, and this is what I came up with. After Stephanie has the baby, I will adopt it so the kid will have a father figure. I’ll break up with her and pay child support. It’s the least I could do. I just don’t want to see another kid grow up fatherless.”

“Bennie, that’s stupid,” I say as I fiddle with my car keys. “Tawanna may not tolerate something like that. You paying on a kid that’s not even yours? Think about it.”

“I know, but I don’t want to just throw Steph out. She needs a roof over her head for her and the kid.”

“Look, she found you when she was pregnant by another man, so what makes you think she can’t find some other brother to take care of her? I’m not saying that there isn’t anything you can do for her, but tying yourself down to another man’s responsibility isn’t the answer. Especially when you have a perfectly good woman, who will work and help you get on your feet. You and Tawanna can start your own family. Don’t let Stephanie put all of her burden on you when she’s not even willing to get up and make it to work on time. It would be different if she pulled her own weight, but from what you’re telling me the only thing she’s pulling is you. I climb into my car and start the engine. “Just think about what you’re saying, but ultimately, you are going to have to follow what sounds best to you.”

B.J. looks unsatisfied with my advice. He’s never been too good with decision making or with women. He’s probably making this situation harder on himself than it has to be. He usually does.

“Well, I’ll think about it.” He stands back away from the car and grips me one more time. “Hey, thanks cuz. I’ll be hollerin’ atcha.” B.J. retreats into the house. I pull out of the driveway and head over to Adrian’s.

My cousin, Bennie Junior, has always had women problems, ever since I can remember. He’s never had a steady, decent girlfriend,
someone he could depend on. The women he’s dated in the past have always caused him problems, and he always leaves a totally together woman for a woman who lies, cheats, and has kids she doesn’t take care of. When he first graduated and got a nice-paying job at a roofing company, he moved out and got his own place. Everything in his apartment was new. Brand, spanking new! Then, he started shacking with this sister he met at a car wash. I only met her once, but the vibes she gave off were trouble. I don’t know all the details behind what exactly happened, but I do know she ran all five of B.J.’s credit cards up, wrecked his car twice, and came to his job one time too many trying to fight him. The fifth time she came was the charm that got him fired. Ever since then, B.J. has been living with Unc.

Pops says it’s because Bennie Junior meets his women on the streets. I don’t know about that. I would have to beg to differ, because I’ve met some tight women on occasion when hanging out with B.J., but they were too old to bring home.

I think Bennie Junior just has bad luck. When he met Stephanie she was thin as a toothpick. She was cut, though. Fine as all get-out. Bennie fell in love with her immediately. Even after she played on him and got pregnant by some nigga she couldn’t get out of her system. I still think she’s secretly seeing the father of her baby. I think this because not too long ago, B.J. came home and Stephanie was taking a shower in the middle of the day. She claimed she was hot and sweaty, but B.J. said the air was on inside the house and she didn’t have any reason to be outside. I didn’t say anything about my suspicions then, because Bennie never listens to me half the time and I didn’t want to waste my breath. Now that he’s found a working woman who can care for him the way Adrian cares for me, I think he needs to move to higher ground from Stephanie.

It’s high time my cousin got back on his feet and reclaimed his responsibility to himself and stop attracting all these brain-dead women. Hell, ain’t nothing to it but to do it, right?

A
drian is late meeting me. I decide to wait for her outside since the day is cool and clear. When she finally drives up, she’s all smiles. I get out of my car and we hug and kiss each other in the parking lot. The Caress soap she uses religiously is still fresh on her skin from this morning. She has several bags piled in her backseat and I help her take them into the apartment.

She immediately runs upstairs to her room and changes clothes. She comes down in a pair of off-white linen shorts and a tan smock shirt.

“How was your day?” she asks me.

“Tiresome. What about you?”

She sits on the floor and begins to remove the polish from her toenails. “Productive. Hanging out with your mom and Shreese was different, to say the least.” She laughs.

“What did y’all do?”

“Well, after we left the carpet place, your mom took us to this Afro-Caribbean art boutique in Addison.”

“Addison? Why in the hell did she take you all the way out to Addison?” I ask. Addison’s the far north section of Dallas, where the black faces are few and far between.

“She knew the owner and they had some nice pieces of work. She got us four statues from Kenya for the house.”

“Figures,” I say under my breath.

Adrian ignores my comment. “Then, we went to Lord and Taylor’s and bought Shreese some outfits.”

“Couldn’t you have gone to Wal-Mart or Target, where Shreese usually shops? I guess Louise is trying to buy your love the same way she tried to buy mine.”

“Your mother wanted to go someplace nice, so we went there instead. Louise isn’t trying to buy nothing from me. If anything, she’s going out of her way to make sure that we have a nice wedding.”

I shrugged. “What did Shreese have to say?”

“Nothing. As a matter of fact, Miss Thang got a pants suit and made an appointment with me for Tuesday. She’s going to get her hair cut shorter and styled.” Adrian looked up at me. I’m frowning big-time.

“So, Gregory, what is up with you and your mother? She can’t do nothing right where you are concerned. Ever since she’s come home you have been nothing but fickle with her. Why are you being so wishy-washy about your mother? One day you’re Son of the Year and the next it’s like you don’t know her.”

“I just have a small problem with her coming here and spending her money as if it’s going to make up for lost time. She’s trying to buy her way back into my life, and that can’t change what she did.”

Adrian stops painting her toenails. She stares at me with a look I’ve never seen on her face before, her lips pursed and her eyes plainly serious. “Don’t flatter yourself, Greg. Besides, what is wrong with being different or changing for the better? At least she’s trying to accept the fact that your life is your life.” Adrian is practically yelling at me. “Your mother has lived a different life, but does that make it wrong? I mean, sure, she left, but it’s not like she abandoned you. You still had a good life and you still are the son she always knew you
could be and not some disappointment! She wanted to sing, so she did. She left. So what?!!”

“Why are you so worried about it?”

“Because! All my life I’ve been different and I know what it’s like to want to follow a dream but not be able to because family try to make it seem like it’s a crime. I’ve always been the one nobody could adjust to. The tomboy. My parents! My sisters! Nobody could adjust! Your mother hasn’t done anything but come here and try to be supportive of this engagement and all you can think about is yourself and your fucking personal pity party!” Adrian jumps to her feet and stands over me. Tears are rushing over down her cheeks and onto my shirt. “Gregory, I suggest you get off this motherfucking high horse and quit tripping!!! I WOULD GIVE MY ONLY SOUL TO HAVE A MOTHER LIKE YOURS!!!!” Adrian runs upstairs and slams the door.

A small porcelain figurine falls from a shelf and onto the plush cream carpet. I sit on the couch stunned for a moment. I don’t know what has gotten into Adrian to make her go off like this. I run upstairs behind her and knock on the door. From the other side I can hear her crying.

“Adrian baby, I’m sorry.” I knock lightly one more time. “Look, I didn’t think you would be offended by all this. Open the door and talk to me.” She’s still crying on the other side. I turn the knob; the door won’t open. “Adrian baby, open up. I just want to hold you and talk about this.”

Moments later I hear her unlock the door. I open it and she’s standing nearby. Her eyes are tearful and her lips quiver. I grab her and hold on to her. She lets her emotions loose in my arms and cries some more. I lead her over to the bed and lay her down. “I’m going to make you some hot tea.” I flip the lamp off in her room.

As I walk towards the door, I step over the clothes Adrian wore out today. A small piece of paper is dangling from her pants pocket. I think about her being late, and curiosity sets in. I want to know what’s on the ripped piece of paper. It has that call-me-sometime-when-yo’-nigga-ain’t-home look to it. It looks like it was torn off a receipt or something. I kneel down and pick the clothes up from the
floor. The paper falls from the pocket and lands quietly on the carpet. I pick it up and look at it quickly before setting it on Adrian’s dresser. Shreese’s number is scribbled on the top and below that is the name Carla Perrone, with flight information listed. Looks like she’s coming to town soon.

I’ve heard Adrian talk about this person on a few occasions. They’re best friends who fell out some years ago. As a matter of fact, when I first met her, she talked about Carla a lot and even whipped out pictures, but it’s been a while since her name has come up, and I really haven’t cared to ask. Women fall out with each other all the time, friends one day, enemies the next lifetime. So I gather that they’re friends again. I do know Carla did some hair shows for Adrian and that she was a big help in getting clients when Adrian first started doing hair. My mind is set at ease as I put the paper in Adrian’s purse. Adrian has been doing way too much and she needs a break. I put the clothes on the chair in her room and go downstairs to make the tea.

By the time I bring it to her, Adrian is sleeping. She looks like an angel as I sit next to her. I leave her undisturbed and go back to the living room.

When Adrian wakes up and comes downstairs. I’m lying on the couch watching a college football game. She comes over and lies on top of me.

“Greg, I’m sorry,” she says as she nestles into my chest.

I place my hand on her back to comfort her. “Baby, it’s okay. I should be the one apologizing for tripping about Louise.”

“My mother could take some serious lessons from yours, that’s for sure.” She sniffs. “It’s just always been so much pressure on me to be Little Miss Prissy like my sisters. Your mother is just so … 
free
that I couldn’t help but get angry when you copped an attitude about her. You have it good and you’re not realizing it.”

“Hey, let’s concentrate on us,” I say as I kiss the top of her head. “Our parents have lived their lives and nothing they’ve done or said should keep us from living ours.”

Adrian strokes me, relaxing me all over. “You’re right,” she whispers. “You’re absolutely right.”

Louise has called me every day since she’s come to town. Sometimes she just calls to say hello; other times she’s updating me on something new she’s done for the wedding. She and Adrian have spent a lot of time together, but I still sense that Louise is apprehensive when around her. Considering Adrian is not her daughter, I can see why, but I pick up on a different vibe. It’s as if Louise doesn’t want to get to really know her. I try not to dwell on it because I promised Adrian I wouldn’t bring up our parents anymore. I’m still worried about her. She’s taken more time to herself lately. I’m cool with it because if there are some things she needs to get straightened out with herself, then I will give her all the room she needs. I love her and I believe giving her the space will only benefit our relationship in the long run.

Today is the last day for our interns to be around before they return to school full-time again. They actually left in September, but we invited them back for an appreciation reception. It’s a Data Tech tradition. The reception is at a local restaurant out on Walnut Hill, on the north side of town.

When I get there, all the interns are seated at a table with Phil, Eric, Simone, and other Data Tech employees. It feels good not wearing the normal suit and tie around my coworkers. I was quick to throw on some Levi’s and one of my ETSU alumni sweatshirts. I invited Jamal and Adrian out, but Jamal is the only one who has shown up so far. Adrian said she would be here, but there’s no sign of her yet. Tim comes in minutes after I do and sits next to me.

“What’s up, my man?” he says.

“Nothing but the rent, bro. What’s up with you?”

“Same stuff. Women on me like white on rice.”

“So who’s the lucky lady this week, Tim?” Jamal asks.

Tim looks at us and smirks. “Yolanda Mulligan, owner and CEO of Landa’s Delectables.”