Hot Boyz (26 page)

“And for you?” the young girl asked Mattie.

Mattie looked at Mason with a question mark.

He answered for her. “She’ll just have cranberry juice.” The girl gave an immense grin and hurried off to get their refreshments.

“You look really pretty, Mom. With your hair all done up like a crown.”

She smiled, patting the top of her head to make sure it was still in place.

A patron came over and asked Mason for his autograph. He obliged. Again, Mattie looked proud.

Before they could really peruse the menus, the main waitress came over to take their food orders.

“What can I get for you ma’am?” asked the nineteen-forties-looking waitress, removing the pencil from over her ear, poised with pad in hand.

“Uhh,” Mattie looked around the restaurant at the other patrons’ plates, even though she had the menu in her hand. “What’s good?” Mattie asked the waitress.

Mason interceded. “Mom, you like scrambled eggs and sausage, right?”

“I just had that this morning.” Mattie spoke as though it were so.

“How about a BLT sandwich?” he suggested, knowing she hadn’t eaten yet.

“Okay, I’ll have that. Oh, and some water please.”

“Your water is right here, Mom,” Mason said, pointing to her glass.

“More water?” asked the waitress. “No problem,” she said, winking at Mason. “And you, sir?”

“I’ll have the apple pancakes.”

“All right.” She took the menus. “Your drinks will be right up.”

“Thanks.”

Mattie smiled at her eldest son, looking upbeat and proud.

“So Mom, how are you feeling?”

She looked down into her purse, rummaging through it. “I feel fine. I think Claude took my drivers license though, so I had to take it back.”

Mason asked, “Claude took it? Where is it?”

“It’s in my purse,” she said. “Along with my jewelry he hid from me.”

The drinks girl placed their glasses down and then moved along to the next group of customers.

Mattie voluntarily handed her large black leather bag to Mason.

Mason looked inside, taking the license into his hand. “Mom, this is Claude’s license.”

Mattie looked puzzled. “Is that why he took it?”

He checked out the contents further. “And this is the strand of pearls I bought for Mercedes for our one-year anniversary.”

“Boy, please. I’ve had those ever since you were born.”

“Mom, that strand is worth a lot of money. I’ll make sure to put it in a safe place.” Mason placed it in his coat pocket. He looked around the room at the full house, and then back over at his mom who was folding a plain white napkin into two pieces, and then four, and then eight. “Mom, what do you think about not being able to drive? How does that make you feel?”

“I don’t think it was right of you all to take my Seville away. I have appointments. It’s like everyone tries to keep me in the house. Why are you all so against me?”

“Mom, I noticed that you were stopping at green lights and running stop signs. That’s not safe for you or for others.”

“The only time I do that is when you all are in the car. You all make me nervous.”

“Mom, do you know that an officer reported you after he gave you a ticket for running a red light? He was concerned about your safety. He asked that your license be suspended until you saw a doctor.”

“And the doctor said I was fine. You and Mercedes hired that guy to help take my car away.”

“We have your car stored away, Mom. Blame it on me if you’d like, but I think it’s best,” Mason told her, taking full responsibility.

“Well, maybe you just don’t know what’s best for me after all. Everyone thinks they know but they don’t. I can take care of myself. Jesse and I were doing just fine until he went away.”

“That’s why we’re taking care of you in his absence.”

Mattie gave a look. “You all taking care of me? I’m a prisoner.”

“I know it may seem that way but I want you to know that we do what we do because we care. And I can only imagine how difficult it must be for you to have your independence and freedoms monitored. I want you to continue living a dignified life. You’re a classy lady and you deserve to feel as though the things you do won’t change too much. But you’re still loved for who you are, Mom.”

Mattie replied with a glimmer of understanding, “I know that. But it seems that sometimes you all don’t understand me.”

“Please be patient with us as we adjust, just like you need to adjust.” Mason waited for a brief moment while she sipped her water and then he continued. “Mom, do you know that you have Alzheimer’s?”

She quickly put her glass down. “Watch your mouth, boy. Do not claim that upon me. I do not have that word.”

“Yes Mom, you do.”

Mattie was not having it. “Boy, I have never gone to a doctor in my life other than to birth my sons. And I have never, ever been sick. But all of a sudden you all keep taking me to see these greedy doctors who look for things to find. I say if I don’t feel sick, why be paranoid and get checked up every second? God guides my life, not some money hungry doctor who labels me with a big word and you all buy into it. I’m not going to buy into it and I mean that.”

“But Mom, we have to be proactive just in case the diagnosis is correct. There’s this new trial medicine that might halt the progression of the disease right where it is so that you won’t get any worse.”

“No. I’m not anybody’s guinea pig. You all had better not give me that medicine. I mean it,” Mattie said adamantly.

Mason leaned in closer. “Mom, it can only help.”

“How do you know that if you say it’s new? It hasn’t even been proven yet.”

Mason looked impressed by her comments. “That makes sense, Mom. But it doesn’t get to the trial stage unless it’s been tested.”

“No. Now that’s that.”

After a while their food was brought to the table. Mattie took her knife and cut her sandwich instead of biting it. She poked each piece with her fork. Clanging silver was the only sound for about five minutes, and then Mason decided to take a walk down memory lane while his mom still had her ability to recall in tact.

“So, Mom. Tell me. What is your most wonderful memory of your childhood?”

Right away she had an answer. “Probably back when I was in high school. That agent spotted me at a basketball game and asked me to dance in the movie
Carmen”

“I remember you telling me about that.”

“I worked with Diahann Carroll, and Harry, ahh.”

“Belafonte.”

“Yes, and that other lady who killed herself.”

“Dorothy Dandridge.”

“Yes, she was so pretty. She looked like an angel. And Pearl Bailey, too.”

“I know your family must have been so proud of you,” Mason said, fully attentive.

“My brothers were but I think my sisters were jealous. One of them found a note this boy wrote me that I hid in my shoe and showed it to my mom. I got my butt beat but good.”

“He had a crush on you, huh?” Mason asked with a big smile.

“It was your dad and we were doing more than crushing back then.”

“Mom.” Mason looked like he wanted to blush for her.

“It’s true.”

“I see you remember a lot of good times from back then. I love hearing about your early years.”

“Yeah, those days make me smile.”

“You miss Dad?”

“Sometimes. I think he left to be with that lady around the corner. The one he had that baby with.”

Mason paused. “What lady?” The waitress cleared their empty plates and they resumed talking.

“The one whose daughter you became friends with. That was going on for a long time even before you were born.”

“What was?”

“Your dad and her. I was no fool, boy. He took good care of you and me, and then we had two more sons and he was a great father to them, too. I’m not sure I want him back. Maybe he should just stay gone.”

Mason decided to question her further. “So, Mom, you know about Cicely?”

“I know about Sissy, I thought that was her name.”

“Okay, Sissy. You know who she is? Is that why you pulled off the other day from in front of her house?”

“I know who she is and I know you brought her home that day. Don’t you do that again, letting her into our house after all this time.”

Mason stopped playing dumb. “I won’t, Mom. But have you ever wondered about her? She is my half sister.”

“Heck no. I could care less. And don’t you ever, ever betray me like that. She is not a part of this family and never will be.” Mattie started tapping her straw in and out of her glass of juice.

“Mom, her mother died back when Sissy graduated from college,” Mason said as if it would matter.

“So that means your dad is with one of the other women then.”

“What others?”

“I know about all of them. The tall, dark-skinned lady at the post office, the waitress, and I think there was even an Asian stewardess recently.”

“Are you sure?” Mason asked his mom as the waitress placed the bill on the table.

Mattie sat back, starting to look restless. “Oh, please. Your papa was a rolling stone and you know it, just like you. Where’s my purse? I’m going to pay the bill so I can go home and call him. He’s going to have to come home and come clean with me.”

Mason handed Mattie her bag and she unzipped it quickly, reaching into a tiny coin purse. Mattie pulled out a one-hundred-dollar bill. “Keep the change,” she said to the waitress as she walked up again.

“Mom, no, you keep that. I’ll pay for it,” he said to the lady, taking the bill back from her. “It’s my treat, Mom. Let’s go up to the counter and I’ll take care of it. This has been really special for me. Did you enjoy yourself?” They stood up and walked toward the exit.

“You sure do ask a lot of questions.”

“I just want to know as much as I can about my mom and my past.”

“Well, now you know.”

“Yes, I guess I do. You know how you always told me to work my butt off and be somebody?”

Mattie looked frustrated. “Another question.”

“Well thanks, Mom.” He stood next to her at the cashier, handing his credit card to the cashier while Mattie took a handful of lollipops out of the bowl near the register. Once again, all eyes were on Mason. He smiled back at the gaping faces and asked his mom one more question. “Mom, where did you get that money?”

“Claude’s wallet. You need to keep an eye on him. Do you want a green one?” she asked, putting the rest of the suckers in her purse.

“Yes, Mom. Green is my favorite color.”

She remembered.

Mason asked Torino and Claude to meet him at Starbucks to hang out for a bit. Torino arrived first and then Mason pulled up in his new platinum Mercedes jeep that Titleist gave him. He and Torino sat at an outside table in the corner.

“That’s a nice one, man,” Torino said, admiring his brother’s ride.

“It was either that or an Escalade EXT, but you can’t go wrong with a Mercedes, I always say. It rides like I’m on air, man.” Mason sported a Wilt Chamberlain throwback jersey, Sean John jeans and blue Chuck Taylors.

“You bite hard, dude. I’m gonna have to roll that to the club one night this week.”

“No problem.”

Torino looked around at all of the people coming and going. “This place is like a Black Falcon Crest,” he said, looking around at the sights and sounds of Ladera.

“Hey, true life is stranger than fiction. We should write our own soap opera just based on our little community. Hey, what’s up with you and Sequoia, man?” Mason asked, leaning back in the dark green patio chair.

“Brother, Sequoia is one hell of a lady.”

“I won’t disagree with that. Even though she can be a little nosy. But I know she means well.”

“She sure helped me move along from Colette, I know that.”

“Hi Mason,” a woman said, strolling by, shaking what she was working with.

Torino said, “Man, you’ve got every damn opportunity out here. How have you stayed out of trouble all these many years?”

“No comment.”

“And you walk around by yourself. It’s not like you have bodyguards or an entourage everywhere you go.”

Mason explained. “You know I’m not down with all that fake shit. People like that just hang out trying to get in your business and in your pockets. I can take care of myself.”

“I don’t know if I could do it. I mean resist all that pussy thrown your way.”

“You’ve got enough on your hands just dealing with the women from the club. You’d better slow your roll, though. I hear Colette was acting pretty damn stupid up there the other night. Cicely told me. They say don’t mess with a woman’s mother, her money, or her man. You’d better watch yourself, bro.”

“Especially a crazy woman. I’m just glad I fired her. She’s acting like she’s fatal and shit.”

“Normally I wouldn’t recommend hiring another one so fast, but if anyone is cool it’s Sequoia,” Mason said.

“I know she got on your nerves. She’d always prompt Mercedes to do fidelity checks through the years, right?”

“Oh, she’s just looking out for her friend. I can’t say that I blame her,” Mason said like it was no biggie.

“Anyway, about moving on. Some people need the time in between women and some don’t. I don’t.”

“And you’re sure that baby’s not yours?”

“Positive”

“Okay now. Do the right thing if you have to,” Mason warned, sounding fatherly.

“I’d step up if I needed to.”

Mason noticed Claude walking up, headed for the front door.

“Hey, bro, what’s up? Come on over here and have a seat, man.” Mason shouted, pulling out a chair.

Claude greeted them both with handshakes. He had stubble on
his chin and looked a few pounds lighter. “Hey, I didn’t see the two of you sitting over here. I had to get some fresh air. That office is driving me crazy. Seems like no one can do anything without tugging on my jacket.”

“I know the feeling,” said Torino.

Mason added, “Both of you need to hire some better help. You shouldn’t have to work that hard at this level.”

Claude took a seat. “Just because you have all of those flunkies running all up behind you. You don’t even have to pick up a phone.”

“Yeah, but I sure as hell pick up a golf club and work my ass off in that way.”