Authors: Clever Black
“Forget you,” Koko snapped as she shoved her twin’s
shoulder.
“Y’all? I have to get over to the patio and set up,”
Jane said as she dropped the blunt and stomped on it to put out the
flame.
The four hopped onto a golf cart and rode back towards the patio—it
was the slowest ride ever. Walee was behind the wheel cruising as he
texted the female he’d met at Chic Fila, Kimi and Koko dreaming
about the boys they’d met and Jane Dow getting into her groove
in preparation of her upcoming performance.
Back on the patio, the entire family was out mingling. The grills
were going, a bar was set up and games of spades and dominoes were
going. When the Holland-Dawkins family had a gathering there was no
expense spared and the family entertained themselves to the fullest
extent.
Walee and company rolled up, all four wearing shades to hide their
low and red eye sockets as they disbursed amongst the family. Siloam
soon emerged and began helping Jane set up. She noticed her slow
movements and asked, “Jane, are you okay?”
“I’m fine, Siloam,” Jane replied as she helped her
three band mates set up the drums. “We going to California
today.”
“You’re real good with that song,” Siloam said,
knowing full well Jane was high, but her mood was good so all was
well. Siloam had seen this move before and each time, Jane was
magical. She decided not to engage her in a conversation about drugs
so as not to upset her and merely went about setting up the
equipment.
“You got the camera set up, Siloam?” Jane asked calmly.
“All is set. The editor says for us to record a great
performance and send it to him for review so he can do an expose` on
the band.”
“You think he’ll be the one to give us a shot at the big
time?”
“He says he knows people in the business, Jane. We do our best
and we give ourselves the best chance. It’s no guarantee, but
we have to at least do our part.”
“Not a problem.” Jane responded calmly as she picked up
her drumsticks.
About thirty minutes later, after Siloam had given her introduction,
the family grew quiet as Jane took her seat behind her drum set. The
sun had begun to set at that moment, coating the land with a
picturesque orange hue as cattle prodded along and birds took the
air. The adults in the family held onto their adult beverages while
younger members sat at patio tables in total silence awaiting the
performance.
Jane leaned over into her microphone, her head barely visible from
behind the white and chrome drum set. “This song is one the
coolest songs ever written to me,” she spoke softly. “I
umm, I wanna thank my mentor Siloam for puttin’ this event
together and it is a pure pleasure to play before you all today.”
“Show us what ya’ got!” Mendoza yelled aloud from
his seat on the opposite side of the patio.
“I sure will, mister,” Jane said as she nodded towards
her guitarist.
A melodic tune was soon gracing the family’s ears and everybody
recognized the melody right away. “No singing,” Jane said
as the fifteen year-old Caucasian guitarist played his solo.
Everybody was eyeing Jane. She had a presence behind her drum set
even before she began playing a single note. Siloam smiled proudly at
her protégé as the guitarist’s solo came to an
end.
At that moment, fifteen year-old Jane Dow, who was high as all out
doors, with a pair of shades covering her eyes and a red bandanna
tied around her head, pounded her drums as the sun began setting
behind her back. She leaned into her microphone and let her voice
rip. “
On a dark desert highway…cool wind in my
hair…warm smell of colitas…rising up through the air…up
ahead in the distance…I saw a shimmering light…my head
grew heavy and my sight grew dim…I had to stop for the
night…there she stood in the doorway…I heard the
mission bell…and I was thinkin’ to myself this could be
heaven or this could be hell…”
“Now this is music at its best,” Mendoza said lowly as he
wrapped an arm around Francine and smiled proudly.
The entire family was awestruck hearing Jane Dow sing. The youngster
had a soulful voice, and she’d chosen a perfect song for a
perfect day. Don Henley, the original singer of The Eagles’
song
Hotel California
would have to bow his head in
appreciation upon hearing this female cover his song in a voice all
to her own, yet in the same cadence as the original.
Siloam had set up a TV on the patio to record the footage and the
angle she’d given Jane Dow was nothing short of spectacular.
The camera was angled up to make Jane Dow and the band look larger
than life on the TV screen as their images glowed in the setting
sun’s light. Everything about this performance radiated
stardom, and young Jane was carrying the image Siloam was trying to
present with total perfection and grace as she sang the chorus with
her band and slid into the second verse as she pounded her drums.
“H
er mind is Tiffany-twisted…she got the Mercedes
Benz…she got a lot of pretty, pretty boys…that she
calls friends…how they dance in the courtyard…sweet
summer sweat…some dance to remember…some dance to
forget…”
Naomi was nearly in tears watching such a graceful performance; one
laced with soul and had her reflecting on all that had transpired in
her life. Tiva sat cuddling Malaysia as Junior sat beside her,
bouncing Malara on his leg rocking her to sleep.
Mary, Martha, Regina and Twiggy were reflecting on Ghost Town as they
listened to Jane’s performance. Loretta and Sandy Duncan loved
rock and roll music. They were more Lynrd Skynrd, but they’d
all heard mother and daughter jamming on some Saturday mornings to
this song.
Bay saw nothing but the game in Jane Dow as she sat beside AquaNina
reflecting on the hit against Carmella.
The image Siloam had given Jane Dow would become her signature. Her
forte, although unknowingly, would become that of singing
portentously to gangsters who were either living, or had lived the
words in many of the songs she often chose to sing.
“
Welcome to the Hotel California…such a lovely
place…(such a lovely place)such a lovely face…they
living it up at the Hotel California…what a nice surprise(what
nice surprise)bring your alibis…”
Sweat poured off Jane while she sung, approaching the song’s
crescendo as she pounded her drums in harmony with the guitarist as
he played the song out to its conclusion. The entire family stood up
and clapped and cheered in appreciation as Jane eased from behind her
drums and requested a bite to eat. It was fair to say that on this
day, the entire family down in Ponca City had come to support Siloam
and her vision for The Jane Dow Band.
*******
“You on highway sixty?” Regina asked excitedly as she
walked through Ponderosa towards the front doors with Tak at her side
shortly after Jane’s performance. “Okay. After you cross
over the lake and pass the produce stand take the first left. Follow
that road to the end and make another left and it’s on the
left. You gone see a bunch of cows before you get to the main gate.”
“I’ll be there, shortly,” the voice on the other
end said before disconnecting.
“You sure about this, Dimples?” Takoda asked, unsure
about his wife’s intentions.
“No. But it’s worth a shot.” Dimples sighed as she
ran her hands through her hair. “God I hope this works.”
A few minutes later, Regina’s guest arrived, pulling up to the
front of Ponderosa in a black 2002 Ford Explorer. She and Tak greeted
him and stood and talked for a while, the three discussing how they
would make their appearance.
The family was all out on the back patio enjoying the night when
Dimples and company emerged. Martha was shuffling dominoes and had to
do a double take when she saw the man walking behind Dimples and Tak.
She stood up and placed her hands on her hips and said, “Who in
the hell invited this bum to Oklahoma?”
Family members looked and wondered who the man was standing with
Dimples.
Mary was over talking to Francine when she eyed the man. Her mouth
dropped open and she screamed aloud as she hopped up from her seat
and ran down the patio stairs and turned around with a face full of
tears.
Naomi ran and hugged Mary gently. “Mary? What’s going
on?” she asked.
“It’s Reynard,” Mary said through her tears.
“Ne`Ne`s daddy.”
Naomi looked back over to the patio at the tall, muscular,
bald-headed man with a grey beard and could see her nieces in his
features. Forty-six year-old Reynard Jacobs greeted the family with
kind handshakes and a warm smile on his face.
Dimples had found her father with the help of The Lost Orphan
Committee. He was living in Itta Bena, Mississippi and was the head
coach of the Mississippi Valley State football team where famed NFL
wide receiver Jerry Rice once attended. When he and Dimples talked
over the phone he told her he had one daughter, who was married and
was married himself, but separated at the time.
Martha hated Reynard on sight. She let her position be known by
telling him to his face that he wasn’t welcomed.
“I understand your animosity,” Reynard responded gently,
“but it is Mary’s decision as to whether I should stay or
leave, and even then, my daughter has welcomed me.”
Martha wiggled her finger in Reynard’s face in protest. “My
niece doesn’t live on this land. We do—and we got every
right to throw you out on your ass. You got some nerve, Reynard!”
“It’s okay, Martha,” Mary said, trembling as she
climbed the stairs with a face full of tears.
Reynard smiled and walked over to Mary and extended his hand. “Mary,
it’s so good to see you.”
“We lost one,” Mary cried.
“I know. Regina told me all about it.”
“This wouldn’t have happened had you been there!”
Mary screamed, as the family stood by in silence. “You show up
almost thirty years later and all you have to say is it’s good
to see me?”
“What else can I say? What could I say?” Reynard asked
through heartfelt conviction.
“You could apologize for running out on ya’ family ya’
bum!” Mendoza yelled aloud.
Mendoza’s outburst had basically set the tone for Reynard’s
visit. None of the family liked him because they all knew his story.
He’d lied and denied his offspring. Everybody on the Holland
ranch was all about family, and what Reynard had done didn’t
set with well with no one—even if what he’d done had
transpired years ago.
“Don’t you go takin’ what I said personal, now,”
Mendoza added. “It was just an observation.”
Ignoring Mendoza’s remark, Reynard grew nearer to Mary and
said, “I’m sorry about what happened to Rene. Mary, I was
a young, scared boy three decades ago, but I’ve learned how to
be a man. Whatever way you feel, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for
everything I ever did.”
“She would still be alive if you hadn’t denied us! You
forced us away! Forced us to a place that took my child away from
me!”
“She was my child, too, Mary. Don’t you think my heart
feels pain?”
“You never knew her!” Mary yelled as she charged at
Reynard and began swinging at his face.
Reynard reached out and grabbed Mary and all hell broke loose. Dawk
was the first to pounce on him and Martha quickly followed. Reynard
was a big man, 6’3” and a solid two-hundred and thirty
pounds. All the muscle and strength he possessed couldn’t ward
off two members of the Holland family, however; a few tables were
knocked over and the family scrambled to break up the melee.
“Don’t hurt my daddy, Dawk!” Dimples yelled.
“Please don’t hurt him!” she cried.
Mary assisted Tak, Twiggy and Siloam, pulling Dawk and Martha off
Reynard and separating the three.
“Regina what were you thinking inviting this man to our home?”
Mary yelled through her tears.
“Momma, I just, I just wanted you to see him. You two have to
talk.”
“We were fine the way we were, Regina!” Mary screamed.
“Bringing this man here has opened wounds in me that’d
healed years ago! Years ago and I can’t stand it! I can’t
stand the sight of this man!”
“It’s not his fault Rene died, momma.”
“Yes it is! You don’t understand!” Mary cried as
she pointed towards Reynard. “This man is a liar! He started
out lyin’! And it cost you and I to lose some one we both
loved! Accept him if you want to! I can’t and I refuse! I want
him gone from here!” Mary ended as she ran into the home.
“Daddy, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” Dimples
remarked as she handed her father a napkin.
Doss walked over and stood before Reynard and said, “Regina, if
you want to see this man, do so over to your own home. Your mother
isn’t ready to have any dealings with him,” he ended as
he eyed Reynard coldly and walked off.
Dimples was embarrassed. She’d hoped and believed that
reuniting her mother and father would be a good thing, but her dream
had been shattered. She understood her mother’s pain, but she
wanted to know and love her father and her sister. She apologized to
the family and escorted Reynard to his car.
“I tried, Regina,” Reynard said sadly. “I did what
you asked, but it didn’t work, baby.”
“We still have each other, though. Right, daddy?” Regina
asked meekly as she wiped tears from her eyes.
“Right,” Reynard replied lovingly. “I’m going
back to my hotel. You wanna have breakfast in the morning so we can
talk?”
“I would like that, dad.” Dimples said as she leaned in
and hugged her father tightly.
A rapport would soon begin with Dimples and Reynard and it would
develop further over time. Mary, however, remained distant. She’d
apologized the following day for basically starting the melee, but
that was about as far as she went. She remained free and clear of
Dimples and Reynard’s relationship, only speaking politely to
him on occasion whenever he called the guest house to speak with
Dimples, who’d met her sister down in Texas in the month of
July and seemed happy having found her father after nearly thirty
years.