Trickery & Envy (35 page)

Toni
looked at Vernon as if he disliked him as much as Vivian had begun to.

“I didn’t do this for you. We have a baby on the way
,” Toni said to him.

Toni
then lifted the collar to his brown leather jacket to shield his ears from the cold wind brushing against them.

“
Look, I’m here because I’m angry at what he did to my sister. I don’t think I’m going to have this opportunity again to tell her how sorry I am that it happened.”

“
It’s not just the rape she’s angry with you about,” Toni replied narrowing his eyes at Vernon.

Vernon
looked toward the ground. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what else to say.” He then looked at Toni. “I know the things I did was wrong. I never meant her any harm. I just felt like I was owed something and I took it out on my sister. Right now, I just want to hear it from her that she forgives me. I mean, we haven’t ever been super tight like some siblings, but I love my sister, man, that’s my blood. She probably doesn’t know this or the police would have been here by now, but I escaped from lockup just to let her know how sorry I am. I’m not even mad anymore about our father cutting me out the Will. I don’t care about going back to jail. I take full blame for my part, but I’m not going down for rape. I’d rather die.”

Vivian
had slid the gun back between her mattresses. She went for the phone on her nightstand to call the police. She noticed that she had a message waiting. She had not observed the blinking light earlier when they arrived home or when she stormed into her room minutes ago for her gun. She lifted the cordless on the nightstand and alerted the police to Vernon’s whereabouts. She then hung up the phone and hit the play button to retrieve her message.

“This is
Sergeant Gilbert Wiener calling from the 3rd district police station. This message is for Vivian Fowler. Ms. Fowler, we want to alert you that your brother, Vernon Fowler Jr., has escape from holding. We ask that you keep a look out for him, that he may be in your area. Please give us a call if you see or hear from him.”

“He lied!” Vivian yelled and quickly retrieved her gun from under the mattress
. She reentered the living room headed straight for the front door, which she yanked opened. “He lied! Toni, he lied!” she screamed pushing open the security door that was ajar with her foot.

Vernon saw the gun and turned to run.

“He escaped from jail, Toni!” and Vivian pulled the trigger.

The bullet hit
Vernon in the left leg causing it to buckle and him to fall to the ground.

Toni grab
bed the weapon and it discharged again. The bullet went through the palm of his hand. Vivian released the weapon after seeing blood run down Toni’s fingers. Toni ignoring the running of blood and pain to his hand bent over and picked up the gun with his left hand. He looked out at Vernon laying face down at the end of the walkway.

Vernon moved to a sitting position
grimacing from the pain and cupping his right leg in both hands. He gritted his teeth at the intensity of his pain. “Shit!” he said and began to rock, still gripping the wounded area of his leg that blood spewed from.

Vivian was visibly shaken
after accidently shooting Toni. Her hands were trembling. “I’m so sorry,” she said and then turned and hurried into the house for something to stop the bleeding.

A
police car that had been already in route to personally alert Vivian about her brother escaping and to cruise the area heard the shots in the distance. The officer on the passenger side exited the patrol car with his gun drawn before it came to a complete stop. He aimed it at the man on the ground rocking in pain.

“
It looks like we’re going to need a paramedic,” Officer Walker said over his shoulders to his partner, Officer Johnson, walking up.

Officer Johnson
used his radio to call for medical assistance.

Officer Walker then
looked out at Toni holding a gun down to his side and his hand that he clutched to reduce the bleeding. “Make it two ambulances,” he said glancing over at his partner again. “Are you alright sir?” he said to Toni.

Toni nod
ded.

Vivian
fast exited the house with a bath towel for Toni’s hand and Officer Johnson quickly drew his weapon and pointed it at her. “Hold it right there,” the officer said.

“It’s okay,” Toni said
and his face knotted from the pain in his hand. “She lives here.”

Officer Johnson
lowered his weapon then put it back into the holster and began moving toward Toni and Vivian.

Officer Walker looked down at Vernon.
“Name,” he said to him.

“Vernon Fowler
, Jr.”

“Are you injured anyw
here else?”

“
No just my leg. My sister shot me in the back of it,” he answered his face still contorted from the pain.

“Dispatch
, Officer Walker, we’re in control of the escapee, Vernon Fowler, Jr. He’ll be escorted to the county hospital. He took a bullet to the left leg.”

“Copy that.
”

“Ten-four,”
Officer Walker said.

It was
near midnight when Toni and Vivian left the hospital. Vivian refused any treatment though she was a nervous wreck when they arrived. Toni had surgery to repair his hand.

W
hile Toni was in surgery, Vivian was convinced that what he once said to her was true, he was made for her. “I am your baby, Toni” she uttered and felt he is always in the right place at the right time for her. He always seemed to be at her rescue. Her last thought as he came down the hall with a white bandage covering nearly his whole right hand was
how can I deny my love for him?

***

Three months later and it was April 1
st.
Vivian was counting down to her due date of April 16
th
. Peace and happiness had once again settled into her life. With Vernon locked up Vivian didn’t worry about any sudden visits or any physical or mental torture from him. She went about each day with a smile on her face.

Toni had never been happier in his life
, even though they had not been intimate again. With several pieces of his garments in her laundry basket, closet and drawers, you’d think he moved in without any objection from Vivian. She didn’t let more than one day go by before she would ask Toni if he was coming by and was going to stay the night. When he said yes, she would look forward to him later in the night coming out of her bathroom in his navy blue or black pajamas and climb into bed with her. She would wait patiently for him to reach over and turn off the light, then find her waiting cheek and plant a delicate kiss on it. She would then smile when he wrapped his arm around her shielding any and everything from her and their child. She never felt more at peace.

Patricia for the last three months was living in bliss as well. Vivian
had met with her and turned over to her all but the deed to her salon. She had a separate checking account for Patricia to use at her discretion. She was so grateful for such a devoted and enthusiastic stylist, that she told Patricia that her booth in the salon was free. Vivian had even promised Patricia when she opens a second salon, she could run it. That really set Patricia on another path. She couldn’t stop hugging Vivian.

Vivian
a little tickled at how happy Patricia was and smiling said, ‘Girl, relax, you deserve it. You take care of business. I like that. Too, you need to calm down because there is another person standing between us. You’re going to squash my baby’ and they both laughed.

U
nfortunately, things had taken a turn for the worse for Jennifer. She had gone back into the hospital and was now in Hospice care. At one point she seemed to have gained her strength back and without the additional radiation treatments her doctor suggested. Charles had done everything he could at home to help Jennifer rest easy.

Though death was creeping upon Jennifer
it didn’t stop her today from propping herself up against pillows. She was going along with Charles and his crazy idea yesterday that they dress up for April Fool’s day as Ike and Tina Turner. Charles told Vivian and Toni of their plans and asked them if they would change their visiting time to coincide with his, which they agreed.

Toni
after Vivian had told him about Jennifer’s last request heard that Angela Bassett was in town shooting a movie. He somehow managed to get on the set. He literally begged Angela’s agent to let him speak with her. He explained Jennifer’s condition and convinced the agent that Angela’s mouth would gape in disbelief if she took one look at Jennifer. The agent responded with ‘yeah, I’ve heard that one before, but I’m sorry we are on a schedule.’ That’s when Toni removed a picture he had taken from Vivian photo album and showed it to the agent. Angela’s agent was flabbergasted by the resemblance. In the midst of her being surprised and to push her closer to saying yes, Toni suggested that pictures could be taken and used in a film if Angela Bassett ever played a role where she was dying of cancer. That concept must have had the agent wheels spinning.

Later
that day, Toni received a call from her. Angela agreed to make a trip to the facility Jennifer was in under the condition the visit was kept quiet. Toni assured Angela’s agent that the only people that would know are his girlfriend, who is Jennifer’s best friend and Jennifer’s husband, Charles.

***

Charles crept into Jennifer’s room already dressed as Ike Turner and with a bag in hand. Jennifer was propped against two pillows and had just dozed off when she heard him say, “Hey baby.”

A
weak Jennifer managed a smile and gave a limp point of the finger at her husband. “You stupid,” she slurred. “I guess...you brought me a...go-go outfit.”

“You guessed it,”
Charles said walking over to her bed. He then kissed Jennifer gently on the forehead and was a far cry from looking like Ike Turner. The wig he had on was too little for his head and a bit too curly. The white ruffled shirt and black pants looked more like an outfit for Prince.

Jennifer managed a smile
and said, “What did Ike...do...eat three cakes...before he came here” and they both laughed, which caused painful coughs from Jennifer.

Charles set the bag down on the bed near Jennifer’s leg and went for the glass of water on the table next to her bed.

Jennifer took in some water. “Thanks, Charles.”

Charles set the glass
back on the table then reached for the bag he brought with him. He removed a dazzling red top.

“You stupid,” Jennifer said again
tickled that her husband had actually brought her an outfit. “What I’m gon’...do with you, Ike,” tickling him.

Charles helped Jennifer into her outfit.

“Now I’m going to take some pictures of you and plaster them all over the internet my little Tina Turner” and he brought a bigger smile from Jennifer. She coughed again and when Charles went for the water she waved it off.

The door to Jennifer’s room opened and
Toni and Vivian walked in. Jennifer lazily raised her hand to them. “Hey y’all,” she said and offering them what she could manage, a pinch of a smile, but was glad her friends were there. “The gangs...all here, the gangs...all here,” she joked.

“
Yes the gangs all here and hey back at cha,” Vivian said walking or more like a slow wobble over to the bed. “Charles got you looking like a combination of Tina Turner and Angela Bassett, shame on you Charles.”

“He said
...he supposed to be...Ike. I,” Jennifer said and coughed. She caught her breathe then said, “I asked him...if he ate three cakes...before he came here.”

“Now what would you do if Angela Bassett actually showed up here?” Vivian said twisting her mouth
at her friend.

“Ha, ha
...the jokes on you...it’s April fool’s,” Jennifer said, and again a limped finger pointed at her friend.

“
Baby you did say you wanted to meet Angela didn’t you,” Charles said and giving a look as if he just remembered her request. “I hear she’s supposed to be in town. Let me go see if I can track her down for you” and he headed for the door.

“Y’all
...stupid,” Jennifer said and grinned some. “Y’all gon’ make me think...it’s my birthday...with y’all clowning.” Jennifer then adjusted her position to sitting more straight up after sliding a bit down into bed. “Vi, where Ike...going...he so...silly,” she said.

Toni just stood with
a slight smirk and his hands inside the pockets of his black jeans getting a kick out of their joking around.

Vivian placed her hands atop her pregnant
belly smiling at her friend.

“Again, I can’t thank you enough,”
Charles said to Angela and her agent standing outside the door. He then opened the door to Jennifer’s room.

Angela
with a smile on her face walked in first, with her agent and Charles trailing.

The
closer Angela got to Jennifer the more Jennifer looked shocked at her. Tears quickly fill her eyes and dripped from them. She only closed her mouth because she was about to drool down her chin. Jennifer’s eyes blinked repeatedly to make sure she was seeing, Angela Bassett.