Chapter One
CHAPTER ONE
Fight Tooth and Nail
R oman jerked his upper lip skyward with a push of his finger as he glared into the bathroom mirror, sizing up his reflection, his brows knitted. The black and white marble bathroom smelled of cleaning products used by his housekeeper who’d stopped by earlier that morning.
Look at this shit. That motherfucker.
His pink lower and upper gum right above the injured tooth had turned mulberry. It was tender, swollen, and a little sore, too. The tooth itself also ached when he gave it the slightest touch. Linkin Park’s, ‘The Emptiness Machine’ played through the surround speakers of his loft, but even the good music didn’t calm his nerves.
“It’s gettin’ worse.” he muttered.
Roman was a damn good-looking man, and he knew it. He was tall, fit. Raven black hair. Piercing light brown eyes with a hint of gold, emerald, and copper, just like his father’s. Some described them as cinnamon, or ‘Indian Summer’ in color. An unusual shade that garnered attention. Regardless of his physical magnetism, he didn’t mind getting dirty or breaking a sweat, but being busted up after a jailhouse brawl wasn’t his idea of a good time. Bruises and scars healed, but an injury to a mouth was a whole different matter. After all, he prided himself on his teeth. For as long as he could remember, and he wasn’t certain why, a nice smile meant a lot to him.
Perhaps it was because he saw early on that people trusted folks who had nice choppers. They appeared more trustworthy, he imagined, even when they were up to no damn good. Kind of like his daddy who was currently serving time in Louisiana for a series of assaults and fraud related crimes. Mama used to say people thought his father favored Elvis back when he was a teenager, and said that he and the dearly departed singer had the exact same smile.
Daddy had perfect teeth, despite all of his drinkin’ and druggin’. Was a real shame when he lost a couple of ’em bar fightin’ and never got that fixed.
He picked up his cellphone and dialed his dentist. Maybe this time he’d get lucky.
“Good mornin’. Pierre Dental Care,” the receptionist answered cheerfully. “How may I help you?”
“Good mornin’, Dottie. This is Dottie, right?”
“Yes it is. Who is calling?”
“This is Roman, baby. Roman Wilde.”
“Well, hey there, rock star!” He could hear the smile in her voice, and envisioned the middle-aged woman with the sparkling blue eyes blushing ever so slightly. Roman went in for cleanings every three months. A bit compulsive, but he saw it as a normal part of his hygiene routine. “How are you doing, honey?”
“Sweetheart, I could be better. I got tossed in a cave and ended up in a battle with a bear, and that son of a bitch dang near knocked my incisor out.” He chuckled.
“Oh, boy. Now I know you aren’t out here scrappin’ in these streets, Roman? You’re too big and grown for that sort of horsin’ around. You leave the bears alone, and stay out of their hollows.”
“Well, I think a man is never too grown to defend himself. Furthermore, that bear must’ve thought I ate his porridge with the way he came at me. It’s no matter either way, because now he’s been sent into an early hibernation on account of foolin’ around with me, and findin’ out.”
“Oh, dear. So he got the short end of the honey stick, huh?”
“Let’s just say that Papa Bear found out that I ain’t Goldilocks, but I sure know how to put a bastard to bed just right! I got a wicked right hook, and I gladly delivered them by the dozens. They weren’t served too hot or too cold, neither.” Dottie belted a big belly laugh that echoed through the line. “All jokes aside, the reason I’m calling is because I need to see my dentist as soon as possible. Today, if ya can.”
“What’s going on, Roman? I’ll check the schedule while you tell me so you know when to pop in.”
“Well, the whole bear and cave story isn’t exactly untrue. I got hit in the chin, jaw to be exact, and this bastard’s knuckle connected with the side of my mouth. It made my gums on that side swell up somethin’ awful and now the tooth hurts, like somethin’ is damaged.”
“Okay, yeah, you should definitely see someone. I’m still looking at the schedule here…”
“I actually called yesterday already and explained this, but Sarah said Dr. Keith won’t be in till next week, and I’d have to see Dr. Stapleton. Is that true? I know sometimes with her being new and all, she gets some information a little jumbled up.” That girl is so dumb she’d sell her car for gas money.
“Well, that’s true about Dr. Keith, Roman. Sarah was right. See, Dr. Keith is on vacation, Roman. Dr. Stapleton can take care of you just fine though, honey, and it looks like you’re in luck! I can get you in today.”
“I bet you can… that’s because nobody wants to see Dr. Stapleton.”
“Roman, that’s my boss you’re talkin’ about. That’s not a very nice thing to say.” The woman tried to sound serious, but he could tell she was holding back laughter.
“I’m not tryna be mean or nice, Dottie, just stating the facts. Last time I let him mess around in my mouth, he got handsy with the wrong tooth, and then tried to upsell me on a bunch of things that I didn’t need. I’m not no damn Post Malone. I don’t want any gold, diamonds, or four-leaf clovers on my teeth. Is my name ‘Rappin’ Roman’? The hell? I just really need to see Dr. Keith, Dottie. He knows what he’s doing. I don’t want to take any chances.”
“How long has your gum and tooth been like this, and do you notice any signs of an infection?”
“A day and a half ago. I iced my jaw and gargled with salt water, but it did no good. Naw, no infection. No pus, odor, or anything like that. I’m not in excruciating pain. It’s just a little loose and sore is all.”
“Well, I’d suggest taking some pain medication, and coming in to see Dr. Stapleton today just so he can take a look because—”
“Call Dr. Keith and tell him I’ll pay cash. Hell, I’ll pay double, too.”
“I’m so sorry, Roman, but Dr. Keith isn’t going to pack his bags early and leave Aruba all to come help you with your wiggly tooth, no matter how much money you offer.” She giggled. “You know that’s just silly. Especially when we have someone right here that can assist you.”
“I ’spose when you put it that way, it does sound like I’d be turned down, but I’m a desperate man. Can’t fault me for trying.” He sighed. “I’ll just go somewhere else then, until he gets back.”
“Roman, you’re being awfully stubborn. Just come on in here and let Dr. Stapleton have a look. Now what could that hurt?”
“I wouldn’t trust Stapleton to look both ways when crossing the street, let alone look at my teeth while I’m in this condition. He must be a member of Dr. Keith’s family. Some little brother, a friend of the family, or nephew, ’cause ain’t no way he should be in practice all willy nilly like this!”
“I’m going to hang up on you if you keep carrying on, Mr. Wilde.” She paused, then burst out laughing.
“Just tell me the truth… it’ll stay between you and me. It’ll be our little secret. He’s related to Dr. Keith somehow, ain’t he?”
There was a brief silence, a bit of chatter in the background from other people hee-hawing, and the elevator music they liked to play that grated his nerves. “…He’s his son-in-law.”
“I knew it! It’s charity work! Why would he keep that on the hush, huh? People are usually proud of family businesses. I must protect the public. I lied about keeping this quiet, Dottie. I’m going to put it on a billboard to warn the townsfolk.”
She chortled. “Now you cut it out and be nice. He didn’t say anything because Dr. Stapleton didn’t want anyone to believe his father-in-law was showing favoritism, or anything like that. A way for him to somewhat pull himself up by his own bootstraps, if you will, and not ride on Dr. Keith’s name. Anyway, you’ve made it more than clear that you don’t want to see him. If you change your mind about coming in, give us a call back, handsome.”
“That’ll never happen, but you enjoy the rest of your day.”
Roman ended the call and looked back in the mirror. He tilted his head to the far left, and rounded his lips with the tip of his finger, lifting the edge even higher to expose the full gumline. It was distended, and had a hint of purple now, too. He cursed to himself, then gently swished mouthwash around, doing what he could to keep septicity away. When he spit into the basin this time, he noticed a slight tinge of pink swirling within the blue liquid. “Fuck.”
After washing his hands, he turned off the bathroom light and made his way into his enormous, open-spaced living room in his loft in downtown Houston. The walls showcased original brickwork, and the ribbed pillars had been placed there in the 1920s from when the entire building had been converted from a clothing and footwear warehouse, then to a country music studio and bar up until the 1960s.
He slipped off his light black robe, placing it on an ottoman. Now free to move about in only his baggy gray pajama pants, he slapped his bare feet on the glossy wooden floor to reach a small white marble side table. Picking up the remote, he turned the box on mute, then turned the music down, too. The massive television went from one end of the penthouse loft to the other, featuring a show about deep sea diving. His theater sized tube was one of his favorite purchases. The picture quality was so remarkable, it looked as if one could reach out and touch it, feel the sea, wet their fingertips, and smell the salty sea air.
He sat down on an enormous black leather couch with silver clawed feet, propped his legs up on the black and white cubed coffee table, and searched through Google on his phone, trying to find a dentist located less than thirty minutes away, with good ratings, that could see him on short notice. A few minutes later as he was giving up hope, his phone rang. His lips curled when he checked the caller ID.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” he answered with a chuckle. “What’s up, Tony?”
“Nothin’, soldier. I’m at the coffee shop takin’ care of a few things. Somebody said, ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day,’ and naturally, I thought of one of my best buddies. Hey, I heard you was down at my old stompin’ grounds a few weeks ago. Barley told me he saw you. I called you, but I didn’t leave no message.”
“Hmmm, I didn’t notice a missed call from you, or I would’ve called you back. Yeah, I was in Sunnyside. I needed to get my car worked on.”
“The street mechanics!” Tony chuckled. “You always look for a deal. I take it you found one?”
“Yes, sir! Gotta guy ’roundabout there who knows his way around a Ferrari 250 GTO. His name is Fred Artes. Older guy. He understood the needs of my Grand Tourer.”
“250 GTO? Well, shit. What did you need done?”
“A lil’ bodywork. Someone let their grocery cart hit my shit. I parked faaaar away from everyone, so I know that shit was on purpose. They wanted too much at the dealer and my usual place, so I figured I could save a few hundred dollars this way, and it worked out. You know I’m funny about my toys. My Ferrari is my new baby.”
“A classic. Must be doin’ well for yourself if you can afford a 250, man.”
“I can’t complain.” Roman ran his hand along the back of his neck. “What’s been up with you? Seems like forever since we last conversed.”
“We haven’t spoken in about two months, man. I’ve been in and outta town. Conferences, business classes, all kinds of shit. It’s worth it though. Gotta leave something behind for my kids, man. My shop is their ticket to good educations, and somethin’ to pass down. I was featured in the Roast magazine recently.”
“Congratulations!”
“Thank you.”
“I don’t know what the hell Roast magazine is, but it must be a big damn deal! Proud of you, man. Business must be goin’ good for you, too, I see.”
“I can’t complain!” They both laughed once again. Tony owned a popular coffee shop in Bunker Hill Village: ‘Mean Bean.’
“When am I gonna have a chance to drive this new ride of yours?”
“When pigs fly. Nobody gets to drive that baby.”
“Oh, but you’ll trust ’er in one of the worst hoods in all of Houston?! You’re brave enough to venture into Sunnyside, but won’t let me take her for a spin.”
“She was behind lock and key. I know how you drive, Tony. Like a bat outta hell.”
“I have a need for speed,” he jested. “Lucky, you left with your hubcaps still on your ride, messin’ around with Sunnyside.” Tony Caldwell gave a throaty laugh.
“Eh, you know me. The only thing that scares me is poverty and prison. And prison only because I wouldn’t be able to get any pussy.”
“Awww, man, knowin’ you, you’d sweet talk all of them female correctional officers and end up having to take ten paternity tests after your first month there. Not even the old lunch ladies would be safe.” They both burst out laughing again, just like old times.
Tony and Roman had met in bootcamp and became fast friends. Both enjoyed car shows, martial arts, and being outdoors. They also connected due to being rebels in their families as youths, and enjoyed a similar sense of humor, as well as getting into bits of trouble. They’d remained close all of these years, and no matter how much time passed between their chats, they always managed to pick up exactly where they left off without missing a beat.
“Say, we need to get together soon,” Roman offered as he plopped down onto his loveseat. “Let me know what your schedule looks like in the next few days. I can even swing by the shop one day if that’s more convenient. I have a few errands I could take care of out that way anyway. Like some dry cleanin’.”
“Next few days? I’ve got to catch a flight bright ’nd early in the morning to meet a new vendor, and I’ll be gone again right after that for my wife’s family reunion. I won’t have much free time for at least a few weeks, man.”
“Well, we can always try and get together when—”
“Hey, you know what? I know this is short notice, but if you’re not too busy right now, you can swing by. What about in the next hour or two? I’ll be here.”
Roman glanced down at his watch. “Okay, yeah… I can do that. I’ll grab my dry cleaning and some packages for the post office.”
“Alright, yeah! Come on down to the coffee shop and let’s chop it up, man. I can’t wait to see you.”
“Bet. See ya in a bit.”
Roman made quick work of trimming up his sideburns, getting showered, then dressing to the sounds of Chris Stapleton’s, ‘What Are You Listening To’. When he was done, he brushed his dark tresses away from his face. Wearing a long sleeved navy-blue button-down shirt paired with dark navy jeans and a pair of Lucchese crocodile cowboy boots, he was ready to see Tony, then find himself a dental ER spot that had fairly decent patient ratings. He left his home, tossed his bag of dry cleaning in the back of his truck, one of many of his vehicles, then sparked the ol’ white F-150 up and headed out. CeeLo Green’s, ‘Fool For You’ played loud, prompting him to slap his steering wheel as he maneuvered down the street, then headed to I-10. The twenty-minute ride landed him parked across the street from his friend’s brew shop.
Roman waited for a clearing, then jogged across the street to the quaint white structure with a neon picture of a cup of coffee, with muscles and a scowl for a face. The ‘Mean Bean’ sign glowed in bright orange letters. Roman walked in the door and all eyes were on him. In a flash, Tony appeared, dark shades on the man’s short, faded hair, and a clipboard and pen in his hand.
“Roman!” They slapped hands and hugged one another as the delicious, strong aroma of various coffees seduced him, and the chatter of patrons made the place feel homey. They talked for a bit, then Tony asked him to make himself comfortable. He made his way into a chair in a far corner by a window, and waited as Tony grabbed him a complimentary espresso and a cinnamon Danish. His friend set the items down on the table, then sat across from him.
Tony was a tall, broad-shouldered man with rich ebony skin. The whites of his eyes always popped, pure like snow.
“It’s good to see you,” he said, his smile wide and sincere. “You should come by the house sometime. I just realized, man, you ain’t seen my girls, and son, since we bought the house.”
Roman took a sip of the drink and nodded. One, because Tony was right, and secondly, because that bean juice was oh, so good.
“You’re right. I’ve been derelict in my duties.” Roman picked up the soft, oversized cinnamon roll, the icing dripping off the sides, and fell in love. He opened his mouth, took a bite, then groaned.
“What’s wrong? Is it stale? They better not be stale. I just got those from—”
“No!” Roman spit the piece of sweet dough into a napkin as discreetly as he could, then pushed it aside. “It wasn’t stale.” He managed to finish his sentence after the pain subsided. “Man, it’s a long story, but I got thrown into the county jail the other night.”
“You still throwin’ dice in alleys, and robbin’ mothafuckas blind?! I thought you turned a new leaf?”
“I DID!” People jerked their heads at them. “I told you about my grandfather years ago… He’s behind this.”
Tony’s face grew ashen. “Yeah. Mr. Wilde Senior. So what happened?”
“This guy in the cell with me decided to try somethin’. I’m sure he was paid to do it. ’Caused me some trouble and aggravation. He slugged me right in my face, and I had to fuck his ass up, simple as that.” He shrugged. “He’d already got one good shot in, ’cause I was asleep and not on my P’s and Q’s. My tooth is all fucked up now.”
“Why in the hell are you sitting here? Go to the damn dentist!” Tony snatched what was left of the dessert and put a fresh napkin over it.
“I tried. My dentist is outta town, man. You know I don’t trust just anyone with my grill. Ouch!” A sharp pain radiated in his mouth.
“Go to my sister, then. She ain’t far from here.”
“Your sister?”
“Yes, Genesis. She’s a dental hygienist. You never met her I don’t think, but I’ve talked about her over the years.”
“Yeah, I remember that name. She used to answer the phone when I called you years ago on your parent’s landline, every now and again. She’s a hygienist?”
“Yes. Good place. I go there all the time. Albertson Dental Center. Her boss is Dr. David Albertson. He and his staff take care of my whole family.” Before he could respond, Tony snatched his phone out of his jacket pocket and dialed someone.
“Hey, it’s me, Genesis. Sorry to bother you, but are y’all busy today? Schedule-wise?… Not for me, I have a friend that needs…Yeah, I know, but see, my friend needs to see a dentist today, like right now… Mmm hmmm… his dentist is out of town though, and he doesn’t trust people with his teeth… Okay.” He looked up at Roman. “She’s going to the front of the office to ask Heidi about the schedule today.”
Roman nodded and tried to look as non-pathetic as possible.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m here… I think so… It definitely hurts…” Tony paused and looked into Roman’s eyes once again. “Is it still swollen or anything like that?”
“Yeah, a little bit,” he said. “I think it’s fractured,” he managed to muster, trying to block airflow from his mouth as much as possible.
“Okay, yeah… I’m sure he has dental insurance, Genesis…”
“Anthem dental insurance. PPO Platinum,” Roman offered.
“He said Aetna, I mean, Anthem. PPO Platinum he said… Okay… I’ll tell him…” Tony kept talking for a bit to his sister as Roman fought the urge to grunt when each wave of agony rolled through his entire skull and squeezed.
He felt his phone vibrate in his pants pocket, but didn’t bother to look at who was calling or texting. If it wasn’t God or the tooth fairy, he didn’t give a damn. Instead, he closed his eyes and pretended he was on a beach somewhere.
“…Got it. Thanks!… Get yo’ ass out of here,” Tony joked then jumped to his feet. Roman’s eyes fluttered as he came back into the here and now. “Genesis said the dentist can probably squeeze you in today, buddy, but you have to go right now. She’s doin’ me a favor. I just sent the office address to your phone. You best get a move on.”
Roman stood, grabbed his coffee, then tossed his free hand around his friend, offering a weak hug.
“Thanks. I appreciate you pulling some strings for me, man.”
“You’d do the same for me.”
“Let me tell… let me tell you something though…” Roman swallowed, pushing through the pure anguish of it all. “If they mess up my mouth, I’m blaming you.” He pointed a shaking finger in his friend’s direction.
“I’m sure you will, but you don’t have much of a choice now, do you? Gummy Jim. Shoulda kept yo’ ass out of jail, or slept with one eye open. We’ll reschedule our visit, okay? Soon as I get back in town, we’ll discuss it. I’d love for you to come by for dinner. It wasn’t all in vain though. At least I got to see you for a few minutes.”
“Yeah… I missed you, bro. It was nice seeing your face. We’ll reschedule.” Roman patted his friend’s shoulder, then headed out the door…