Baby

17. Harlem

HARLEM

MAKING AMENDS – NEXT DAY

“Stay right here in the car while I go chat with her.”

“Does she know that I’m coming?” Hollis asked nervously.

“Yeah. I’m not blindsiding her. You don’t do that to the people you care about. After I took you home last night, I drove back to her place to check on her. You left her pretty shaken up, and I didn’t like that shit. While I sat and talked with her, I told her what was gonna happen.

“She wasn’t happy about it, and it took a lot of convincing, but she finally agreed to hear you out.

The only thing that gave her any measure of comfort was knowing that I know you, and you weren’t a random stranger that she couldn’t find again.

On the other hand, that was the same shit that pissed her off.

She couldn’t believe someone I knew would do something like that. ”

Hollis dragged his hand over his head and looked into my eyes. I could see the remorse there, but it had to be more than a look to make things right again.

“Man, I screwed that up big time.”

“What the fuck were you thinking?”

“I wasn’t, H-Town. I was just desperate, man.”

“You gotta stop with the excuses, kid. Man up,” I commanded before I climbed out of the truck and headed toward her shop.

I had parked in front of her shop instead of mine. I rapped lightly on the door, and she came to open it within seconds.

“Hey, baby.” She greeted me, peering out the door.

I closed and locked it behind me before pulling her into my arms. The blinds on the windows and the door were still closed, so I gripped her ass and squeezed it.

“How’s my favorite girl doing this morning?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t get much sleep.”

“Why not?”

“I tossed and turned about this all night long.”

“Listen. We don’t have to do this if you’re uncomfortable with it. I never want to put you in a situation that creates discomfort for you.”

“No. I want to hear what he has to say for himself. I need to hear him.” She pulled free from my embrace and crossed her arms over her body.

I lifted an eyebrow in doubt. “You sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

“I thought long and hard about this after I spoke with you last night.”

“What are you thinking, Harlem?”

I told her my plan to get Hollis working for me and possibly doing some things for her.

“I don’t know. That doesn’t sound like a good idea to me. I mean, I can’t trust him, I’m not comfortable around him, and what if things get hard for him again? Will he turn on me?”

“He’s not like that.”

“You know that, but I don’t. I don’t know this kid. Why are you even doing this?”

“Because nobody believed in me after I fucked up, except for my granddad. If it hadn’t been for him, I would’ve been locked up or worse, despite my family’s money and connections, because I was heading down a bad road.

This kid just needs someone to believe in him.

You told me how it felt when no one would take a chance on you and hire you after you got fired. ”

“Yeah, that was a rough time.”

“Well, he’s facing those same impossibilities, only worse because he’s a Black male.”

“I had to believe in myself and take a chance by opening my online bakery. He’s got to do the same thing. That’s what opened doors for me, my belief in myself and my faith.”

“Yeah, but the difference is, your parents believed in you enough to give you a place to stay during that time. They also invested money in your equipment and materials to get you started once you took the first step. This kid ain’t got that.

His mom is dead, and his dad is working his ass off just to keep a roof over their heads.

The last thing he can afford is to feed another mouth.

So, Hollis has to be responsible for his choices. ”

“As he should be.”

“Then just hear him out, please?”

“Fine. I will,” she replied reluctantly, pouting.

“Can I have a kiss? I mean, just in case he pisses you off more, and I get put on your shit list later. Not that I won’t beat that ass if he does, but you know.”

She giggled and shook her head. “Yes, babe. You can have a kiss. You don’t even have to go through all that.”

I pulled her to me again. “Gimme some sugar, girl.”

She laughed and dropped her head back.

“Oh, you wanna play?” I asked, leaning forward and nipping the base of her neck.

She moaned and jerked her hips forward. I grinded against her.

“That feels so good, Harlem.”

“How about this?” I asked, pushing my arousal against her.

“You’d better stop before your mentee gets tired of waiting in the truck.”

“I ain’t giving a shit about his dumbass right now,” I muttered, licking down the column of her neck. “Stupid shit he pulled, his ass deserves to sit in a hot vehicle for a few hours.”

She giggled. “What about my employees?”

“Their asses got keys?”

“No.”

“Then what you worried for? They can sit their asses out there and wait too.”

She laughed again as I squeezed her ass and then pulled back.

“Behave, Harlem. I’m not going to be able to focus on the conversation now that you’ve got me all hot and bothered.”

“Good. Be thinking about how you’re gonna reward me for coming through like Superman.”

“Ohhh. S on your chest and all that?”

“Yeah, dulzura. You’re my kryptonite.” I smacked her on the ass and reluctantly let her go.

“Go get that boy and bring him in here before I put something on you,” she teased.

“Please, dulzura. Put it on me,” I pleaded.

She laughed, smacked my chest, and then pushed me away. “Go get him.”

“That li’l nigga ’bout to owe me big time for this,” I retorted, turning back to unlock the door.

Hollis wasn’t even in the truck anymore. He stood outside of it, nervously pacing, rubbing his hands together, and appearing to talk to himself.

“Aye, come on in here.”

He looked up at me with wide eyes, bobbed his head, and then inhaled deeply and exhaled. If I wasn’t mistaken, I swore he looked scared. That shit didn’t make any sense.

“How you gon’ be up here looking like you afraid after you scared the shit out of her ass?”

“Because, depending on how this shakes out between us depends on how things go with you and me. You my last resort, H-Town.”

I could see the sincerity in his eyes, and I felt him. I wasn’t about to let him see me break, though, because his ass needed some toughness; he needed to man up to all the situations in his life that he had created.

“Come on.” I opened the door again and stepped inside. I closed and locked the door once more before I turned to my girl and saw the uncertainty and hesitation in her eyes.

“Hollis, this is Ms. Tegan Ingram, owner and operator of Baby Got Buns. Tegan, this is my mentee, Hollis Grove.”

I left out the statement that she was my woman because he already knew that. Besides, this morning, I was on some professional shit, and I wanted to treat it that way so that he would respect it as such.

He stepped forward, and I watched her for any signs of flinching, hesitation, or any discomfort. The moment that I saw it, I was gonna call this shit off and pull him out of here. My baby stepped forward and took his extended hand.

“Hello, Hollis. I would say that it’s a pleasure to meet you, but under the circumstances, I’m not so sure.”

“Uhm, yes, ma’am. I can respect that. First, I wanted to thank you for taking the time out to let me come and apologize. H-Town, uhm, Harlem, thank you for setting this up.”

Tegan gave a brief nod, indicating that he should continue.

“There is no excuse for my behavior yesterday evening. That’s not me . . . Well, that’s not the way I would normally roll. I’ve got a baby on the way, and I haven’t been able to find a job.”

“So, you thought trying to what, . . . rob, bully, or harass me would get that money for you?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he muttered.

“You thought I’d go for it because I was the new business owner.”

“And because I can tell you ain’t from around here.”

“Aye, I’ma let you two sit and talk it out. I’ll be sitting at that table over there,” I stated, interrupting their conversation and pointing to a table in the far corner.

“Okay,” Tegan replied.

I got caught up in my phone, checking emails and handling business while they talked. I kept my ear lightly tuned into the conversation, and I looked up every now and then to check their body language for any signs of discomfort.

Hollis explained his situation. “I mean, there’s no excuse for what I did, Miss Tegan. I wish I could turn back the hands of time and not do it. Thank you for not calling the cops on me.”

“What makes you think I won’t file a restraining order for harassment?”

I glanced up, and Hollis held his hands out, palms up, and shrugged.

“I mean, you could. I wouldn’t even blame you or be mad.

There would be nobody I could be mad at but me.

I fuc—messed up. I’m hoping that you won’t though.

I just found myself feeling desperate because my baby will be born in a couple of months, and I have no income, no prospects, and I’m feeling hopeless.

“I’ve been thinking about my actions a lot since last night, and I want to know if I can volunteer to do odd jobs around here. I mean, I’ll mop floors, take out the trash, and I’ll even clean the toilets if you just take a chance on me,” Hollis pleaded.

“Why? Why would you want to volunteer when you clearly said that you need money?” There was a tightness in Tegan’s voice, as if she didn’t believe him and wanted to see if he was just saying anything to get on her good side.

“I want to rebuild my credibility with Harlem and with you. I want to prove that I have a good work ethic, and I want to build a solid reputation in the community, so people see me in a positive light.”

“And why should I take a chance on you?” Baby asked.

Hollis sighed before he responded. “Because you’re the only one who can make the difference between me just being another statistic, or me being a success—a young Black man who learns his value, his worth, and knows that everyone doesn’t see him as just another punk ass—I mean, kid.”

“No. You were the only one who could make that difference. But why do you think I can?” she demanded.

“Miss Tegan, anyone can give me a job, but you’re the one I disrespected, humiliated, and terrorized. If you can see me differently, then anyone can, and it will make me feel better about myself . . . seeing myself through your eyes in a positive light.”

“First, you need to learn to see yourself differently. Once you see yourself as a positive, peaceful person, deserving of the best of everything, then you will put that energy back into the atmosphere and attract it back. You have to be the person you want others to see you as.”

“I know, Miss Tegan, but I also know that getting you to see me differently is half the battle.”

She sighed and nodded. I glanced up from my phone as they sat in silence for a while. They appeared to be in a stare-off, and neither one of them were backing down.

Just when I started to put my phone away, Baby sighed. “Okay, I’ll give you a chance.”

“Thank you, Miss Tegan. I promise that you won’t regret it. I’ll work my as—butt off to prove to you that I’m worth the risk.”

“You’d better,” she replied, standing. “Because if you mess this up, the last thing you’ll have to worry about is my boyfriend over there. I’ll be ready for you the next time,” she warned with a serious expression.

He grinned broadly at her, extended his hand, and then became surprised when she grabbed him and hugged him.

I listened as they set up times for him to come and work with her, before he turned to face me. I stood. “A’ight, man. I’ma hold you to everything you promised her,” I expressed to Hollis.

“I know, H-Town. I don’t take that lightly.”

“A’ight. Get on over there to the shop. JC is waiting for you.”

“Thanks again, Miss Tegan, H-Town.”

We both nodded and watched him run across the street.

“Thank you, Baby. He really is a good kid,” I declared.

“I can tell. He’s just got some things to work through.” She paused, still staring out the window. When she inhaled, I knew something important was coming. She wagged her finger and declared, “But I’m not lying. If he fucks up, I’m fucking him up.”

“Ohhh, shit! My sweet, sugar girl just came hard as hell,” I replied, cupping my hand against my mouth and chuckling.

When she crossed her arms over her chest and turned her lips down, I knew she was serious.

“Seriously, Baby, I got you, and I won’t let him let you down. I’ll always have your back.”

I pulled her into my arms again, and I kissed her sweetly and slowly.

“I love you, girl. You’re definitely a keeper.” My heart swelled at what she’d just done for someone she didn’t have to give a second chance.

“I know,” she replied. She smiled up at me sweetly before we kissed again.

“I’ma make it up to you tonight after work.”

“I’ll hold you to it, H-Town,” she teased.

I laughed, kissed her again, swatted her ass, and then left to head across the street to get my day started. I felt like the sun was shining down on me. Everything was right in my world, and I couldn’t be more thankful for my community.

It meant the world to me for Hollis to have this shot, but it meant even more for my girl to feel safe and protected.