After All (13 page)

“
I told you, he's gonna be
okay. He'll mope around with his mouth stuck out for a few days,
but that's all. Say, come in for a drink. I got some hot new
videos.”

Ike winked at him leering.

“
No thanks. You know I'm not
into that stuff.”

“
That's right, you into the
real thing. That's my boy.”Ike punched him on the arm
lightly.

“
Look here, you've had more
than a couple of drinks tonight. You should be turning in. I'll see
you later.”Anthony guided him to the kitchen door.

“
Sure, son. I'll call you
tomorrow.”Ike found the key and unlocked the door. Light from the
kitchen spilled out.”Anthony, I... Never mind. I'll call
you.”

“
Goodnight.”Anthony stood
for a few seconds at the closed door before getting in his car and
leaving.

The next two days were very hectic.
Anthony was swamped handling details and problems associated with
the three projects he was handling. He and Cedric spent as much
time riding around to each site as they did in the office. Finally,
things settled down somewhat and Anthony was able to spend a day on
paperwork.

“
Whew! I never thought I'd
say this but, I hope we don't get any more business.”Cedric set his
coffee mug down on Anthony's desk and slumped back in the
chair.

“
You're right,” Anthony
agreed.”Being overwhelmed with more than can you can handle is as
much as a disaster as having too little business. Which is why I
turned down three jobs in the last week.”

“
Bless you my brother. By
the way, I just hired three more temporary workers, one your uncle
recommended from that job training program. If things keep going
this well, we might keep them on.”Cedric smacked his lips after
taking a big sip of coffee.

“
Great. That was a very
smart idea. We get good workers and take young men off the
unemployment rolls.”Anthony motioned his secretary to come
in.

Rhonda, brisk and efficient, went
around his desk to stand beside him.”Just need you to sign these,
right. . here. And here. How are you today, Cedric?”

“
Tired but otherwise okay,
Rhonda. What about yourself?”

“
Fine.”Rhonda cleared her
throat and lifted an eyebrow at Cedric though she spoke to
Anthony.”While you were out Miss Toussaint called. She said she'll
call you at home later.”

“
Thanks for mentioning that
in front of Cedric, Rhonda,” Anthony grumbled shoving the papers to
her.

“
Thank you, boss.”Taking the
papers from Anthony, Rhonda turned her back to him to leave. She
winked at Cedric as she passed.

“
You and Michelle, huh?
Y'all got it goin' on again. Man, that's nice.”Cedric grinned at
him.

“
Don't give me that phony
surprised look. Shantae has probably told you how often we've been
out, where we went, and what we talked about.”

“
That's not so. I have no
idea what y'all talked about,” Cedric chortled.”Going good,
right?”

Anthony lifted a shoulder.”You could
put it that way.”Despite his lowered his eyes, the pleasure
brightening them was obvious.

“
Man, you're on the Love
Boat and we both know it. Quit trying to sound so cool,” Cedric
needled him.

“
Well, it has been a sweet
three weeks. It's the same but different. Know what I
mean?”

“
Yeah, you're both older so
now you've got grown up love. I hear you.”

“
Hope everything else keeps
going as well.”Anthony sat forward again, the placid expression
replaced by a slight frown.

“
Why shouldn't
it?”

“
Marcus got out last
week.”

“
Had to happen sometime,
unfortunately. So what's the boy wonder up to now?” Cedric
said.

“
I could be wrong, but I
think he really wants to change.”Anthony tapped his ink pen on the
desk top.”Uncle Ike doesn't buy it though.”

“
I'm not surprised. After
the crap he's gotten into, who would?”

“
Marcus has some serious
problems; I have to agree on that.”Anthony sighed.

“
Damn right. His daddy has
been bailing him out of trouble most of his life. Now he's an
ex-con. Face it, if it hadn't been for Mr. Ike, Marcus would have
been in jail long time ago,” Cedric said with brutal
frankness.

“
Could you let your only son
go to jail if you could stop it? No, you'd try to save him. In his
own rough way Uncle Ike did what he thought was right to turn
Marcus around.”Anthony rubbed his eyes.

“
Why are you always trying
making excuses for the little rat anyway? He's been treating you
like a dog for years.”

“
Marcus sticks his chest
out, but deep down he's hurting. Because of me partly. Uncle Ike
has always tried to push Marcus into achieving by comparing us. I
hate the way Uncle Ike rubs his nose in my successes,” Anthony
said.

“
Unlike a lot of young
brothers, Marcus had positive and opportunities. He didn't have to
go the way he did.”Cedric remained unyielding in his harsh
assessment.

“
Yeah. But even with all his
advantages, in a way Marcus had it tough, too.”

“
If you say so. I don't see
it though.”Cedric stood.”Well, let me get a move on. For the first
time in three weeks I don't think I'll be working late. I'm going
home, take a hot shower, then cruise on over to
Shantae's.”

“
Cedric in love with a
ready-made family woman. Who would have thought it,” Anthony teased
him.

“
Ah, man.”Cedric fiddled
with his sweater, eyes down.

“
You were one helluva ladies
man. Talk about seriously into the singles party scene.”

“
I grew up, too. Kicking
back with Shantae and Devonne, you know the family scene, is real
nice after a hard day out in the cold, cruel world.”Cedric smiled
sheepishly.

“
When y'all planning to jump
the broom?”Anthony enjoyed seeing him squirm.

“
We talked about it. But
we're in no hurry.”

“
You are hooked, my
brother.”Anthony crowed. He shook a finger at his
friend.

“
Okay, okay. Quit
cackling.”Cedric threw a pencil at Anthony's head.

“
No, man. For real, I'm
happy for y'all.”Anthony picked up the pencil from the
floor.

“
It can happen for you, too.
But--”Cedric shrugged.

“
But what?”

“
Michelle and your Uncle
Ike. What's going to happen this holiday season? I mean, you always
have Thanksgiving dinner over at his house. You and your mama go
over there for Christmas then to your grandmother's. May be best to
keep the family stuff separate for now.”

“
Damn, you're right. I
hadn't thought about it. But we've got plenty of time to work out
where and how we spend the holidays.”Anthony shook off the
beginning anxiety.

“
Don't wait too long to talk
it over with her. Say, y'all coming to the Halloween
party?”

“
You bet.”Anthony
nodded.

“
I'm going as Blacula and
Shantae is going as a black widow spider.”

Anthony smiled. “I'm going as
Frankenstein and Michelle is going to be the bride of
Frankenstein.”

“
Uh-huh. The woman has got
you to the altar already. Hoo--wee!”Cedric howled with laughter
even as he ducked flying pencils.

***

“
So what are you going to
tell Dosu?” Laree stuck the straw in her mouth to suck some of her
soft drink.

“
And when are you going to
tell him,” Shantae chimed in. Both stared at Michelle.

The three women had finally collapsed
at a small restaurant to recuperate after three hours of intense
shopping. Bags of all sizes and shapes had been piled in the fourth
chair at the tiny wrought iron table at which they sat. After
ordering diet sodas and a large order of nachos, they grateful
rested three pairs of very tired feet.

“
This evening.”Michelle
avoided their gazes.

“
You should have told him
three weeks ago, Chelle,” Laree chided her for the umpteenth
time.

“
He's been really, really
busy and we have only talked a couple of three times on the phone.
That isn't something you tell somebody over the phone.”Michelle
recognized the lame rationalization even as the words came
out.

“
You could have asked him to
come over so y'all could talk.”Laree was relentless.

“
I needed time to figure out
how I was going to break it to him, all right?” Michelle muttered
defensively.

“
I know what she means,
girl. It was like that when I broke up with Tyrone.”Shantae scooped
up cheese on a chip.

“
Shantae pu-leeze! You
showed that poor man the door so fast he was at his house across
town before he knew what had happened,” Laree said, cocking an
eyebrow at her.

“
Honey, when I finally found
a mighty good man I didn't want to waste anymore of my
time.”Shantae snapped her fingers twice.

“
Besides, that was
different. Tyrone was--”Michelle groped for a gentle way to
describe him since Shantae had dated him for three
years.

“
A low down, woman chasing,
blood sucking parasite,” Shantae jumped in to finish the sentence
for her.

“
Uh, right. But Dosu has
been so sweet to me. He's kind, gentle, and considerate--” Michelle
took a deep breath.

“
And wealthy, don't forget
he has big bucks.”Laree shook her head vigorously.

“
Will you stop?” Shantae
poked her friend on the arm.

“
He’s a wonderful man. And
he hasn't changed in the two years we've known each other or the
year we've know each other. I know he hoped we could get into
something deep but. . .”Michelle winced at the thought of hurting
him.

“
But he's not Anthony. It's
like that song my grandmother loves to sing, `It don't mean a thing
if it ain't got that swing'.”Laree rocked from side to
side.

“
Girl, Miss Hannah is
something else,” Shantae giggled.

“
I dread this
conversation.”Michelle took a sip from the soft drink in front of
her. Sitting back, she rubbed her temples.

Despite their attempts, her friends
could not lift her spirits with jokes or silly antics. By the time
her doorbell rang at six o'clock, the slight tension in her
forehead had become a thudding pain. For two hours she had paced
and rehearsed what she would say. Now her mind was blank with
anxiety. Standing at the door, she took a deep breath before
opening it. Dosu, handsome in a dark brown cashmere sweater and
brown pants, smiled. Michelle forced a smile though she wanted to
cry.

“
Hello, Michelle.”Dosu
embraced her once the door was closed.”How have you
been?”

“
Good, pretty good. Would
you like something? A cold drink or something hot. I could make us
some tea. Or coffee. Whatever you prefer.”Michelle started for the
kitchen.

“
Yes, coffee I think. It is
quite cold out this evening.”

“
Oh, I have some cake my
aunt made for me. Or maybe you'd like some cookies?”

“
No, thank you. Maybe we
will have dinner tonight,” Dosu called from the living
room.

“
Oh, dinner. Coffee should
be ready soon.”Michelle stood uncertainly trying to decide where to
sit. She decided to sit next to him on the sofa but not too
close.

“
You seem a little on
edge.”Dosu extended an arm across the back of the sofa.”Is
everything all right?”

“
Yeah, well no, I mean--
fine, things are fine. I'll see if the coffee is ready.”Michelle
darted into the kitchen. Cursing the pot for taking so long to
drip, she stood drumming her fingers on the counter.

“
You have something to tell
me.”

“
What?”Michelle jumped at
the sound of his voice right over her shoulder. She turned to find
his eyes, soft with affection, searching her face. I owe him the
truth.

“
Come, let's sit down.” Dosu
took her arm and lead her out of the kitchen. “Now, my Michelle,
tell me what I think I already know.”

“
Anthony and I... have been
seeing each other for the past few weeks.”

“
You still love him,
yes?”

“
I don't know if it's
leftover puppy love, infatuation, or what. I honestly don't
know.”Michelle twisted her hands in her lap.

“
But it must be something
very special or else you would not be so disturbed. Look at me.
From the moment I saw you two together I knew that this thing
between you was not resolved. Now, I have a confession. I have not
been too busy to call or visit, Michelle.”Dosu patted her
hand.

“
I don't understand. You
mean you didn't really go out of town and buy a lot of new
merchandise?”

“
No, that was true. But I
have could have seen you before now. To tell you the truth, I
thought you needed space.”