18. Talitha
Talitha
Flipping the covers back, I stood from the bed, stretched, and tipped toed across the bedroom floor. Law had just given me a glimpse into his life, and I wanted to know more.
Sauntering across the heated bathroom floor, I snatched open the shower door and stepped in. “Shutting down on me already?”
Leaning down, Law placed a hard kissed to my lips. “No such thing.”
“Tell me more.” I begged.
“What you wanna know?”
“How did your father react to the way your mother was with your brother?”
“He tried to apologize for her actions. I was a grown ass man who had grown accustomed to her bullshit, so I didn’t let it phase me. I focused more on building my relationship with my brother.”
“Did you know infidelity had played a part in their marriage?”
“I had my assumptions; the shit was confirmed when Sincere came along. Prior to that, my father and I had been extremely close but that drove a wedge in between us.”
“Damn,” I drawled. “You weren’t lying when you said your life wasn’t perfect.”
“Absolutely not. I told you I understood why you were closed off.”
“I told you I was molested but the reason I dislike men with money is because the guy who took my innocence was the local basketball player that went pro. Ya’ know? The town’s hero.”
“Fuck that got to do with anything? The nigga still a sexual predator.”
“Oh, I know. But I come from a small ass town. He was the hero and I was the little girl who lied on him. My Mama didn’t make the situation better when she went around telling anybody who would listen that I was making it up. According to her, I had a vivid imagination.”
“They believed that shit?”
“Til this very day.” I huffed. “At five, my imagination was so wild that I somehow in my head convinced myself that this man touched me inappropriately.”
“That’s bullshit.”
“I know it. It happened and I have to live with it every single fucking day. Back to the money thing… He had money, still do in fact. Money kept them for pursuing the situation.
So, when Papa Joe and Gema realized that, they made him pay. Threatened to tell the league and ruin his career. They settled on an undisclosed amount, and I wasn’t made aware until Papa Joe passed.”
“How’d you find out?”
“It was in his will. Prior to him passing, he and Gema controlled the money. I received a lump sum payment when Papa Joe first passed and now I receive monthly payments.”
“For how long?”
“For the rest of his life. When the league deposits his retirement check, an allotment goes to me.”
“How many people know about this?”
“My Mama knows about this money. The rest of the siblings know about the money Papa Joe left me out of his retirement. He wanted me to take care of Gema, so I receive that.
When she passes, her money goes to me as well. They adopted me when I moved in with them, so I’ve always gotten a check from them.”
“So, you make a fuss about me having money, but you have your own. Might not be as much as I do but you ain’t lacking.”
“I make a fuss about you tossing money around for your convenience. It’s not the same, Harvey,” I stated.
Turning my back to him, I grab the towel I’d used earlier to wash off with and proceeded to shower.
I wasn’t mad at his declaration, but I’d shared as much as I was willing to share for the night.
We both had aired out a little bit of our dirty laundry and now I was spent. The only thing on my mind was finishing my shower and climbing back into bed. Not only was I tired but my body was aching from the illicit workout I received at the hands of the man standing behind me.
“Thank you for sharing that with me.”
“It’s you who I should be thanking for opening up to me,” I called over my shoulder.
* * *
“I’m guessing you had a good night last night?” Mrs. Jessie started up the minute I kicked my shoes off at the front door.
Instead of coming home last night, Baker had driven me home first thing this morning. When I made it to the house, Gema and Mrs. Jessie were both still sleeping.
I was pressed for time because a certain someone woke me up with his head buried between my thighs, so after washing my face and brushing my teeth again, I got dressed for work and left out.
Now that my workday had ended, I knew I was getting ready to be questioned by the two nosey ladies in the house.
“What you talking ‘bout Mrs. Jessie?”
“Honey, you don’t have to play coy with me. I saw you and that man hugged up outside this morning?”
I gagged. “Mrs. Jessie, I thought you were sleep.”
“Ummhmm… I bet you did. I was until I heard doors slamming outside. Imagine how surprised I was when I peeked out the blinds and saw you hugged up with the man you claim was just your boss.”
“He is just my boss,” I lied. Last night, Law had gone from being my boss to being the man responsible for bringing my body to new heights.
I hadn’t had sex in years and my God did he deliver. If the man kept delivering, my ass was going to end up going back on my word.
“Looks like more than just a boss to me. But your secret is safe over here.” She made the motion with her hands like she was locking something then tossed an imaginary key over her shoulder.
“Where is Gema?”
“She’s resting. We watched In The Heat of The Night earlier and after eating some kiwi, she fell right on to sleep.”
“Allergies Mrs. Jessie,” I groaned.
“Hush up, chile. Bertha took Benadryl after she finished eating. Everything is alright.”
“The two of y’all are determined to send me to an early grave.”
“The way that man had his tongue stuck down ya’ throat, I would say he was the determined one.” She laughed before sauntering away.
I was going to have to text Law and tell him that he got me caught. Next time we would have to take extra precautions. Peeping in on Gema, I checked to make sure she was still sleep and after confirming that she was, I headed upstairs to change out of my clothes.
When I made it back downstairs, Mrs. Jessie was standing at the stove stirring something in a big pot.
“You staying again tonight?”
“Yeah. I promised Bertha, I would take her down to the Asian market in the morning. She wants to see if she can find this special type of egg roll wrappers. She wanna show me how she makes her famous egg rolls.”
“Oh, Lord.” I laughed. “My Mama will shit a brick if she finds out Bertha Mae done showed you the family recipe.”
Mrs. Jessie laughed. “Bertha said that exact same thing. Chile ain’t nobody studying yo’ mama or the rest of them damn siblings. I’m doing whatever I can to make sure Bertha stay happy.”
“A little tip. They have those same wraps at Kroger. Gema just like venturing into the city. She knew if she asked me I was going to say no.”
“I figured it was something like that. It’ll do her some good to get out of the house though. She needs it sometimes.”
“I know she does. That’s why I try to get her out for breakfast on the weekends.”
“She appreciates that.”
“You need anything from me? I’m sleepy and in dire need of a nap.”
“I would be sleepy too if I had stayed out all night.” Ms. Jessie laughed.
“Goodbye Mrs. Jessie.” I giggled. “I’ll be in the living room.
Walking out of the kitchen, I headed into the living room and grabbed the remote off the table. After scrolling through Netflix, I settled on Grey’s Anatomy. Snatching the throw off the back of the couch, I tossed it over me, got comfortable, and eventually drifted off to sleep.
* * *
“Un hunh, Gema. You gotta use egg wash to make sure they stayed closed.”
“Girl, I been making these longer than you been alive. You use a lil’ flour and water and they’ll seal right on up,” she disagreed.
Sitting my glass of wine on the island, I hopped up on the counter and watched Gema teach Mrs. Jessie how to make the famous Howard egg rolls.
When I was growing up, Gema babysat for this Asian couple in Warner Robins and they taught her how to make egg rolls. Over the year she perfected their recipe and with a few tweaks, made it her own.
After I got off work today, I stopped by Walmart and grabbed a few things to make sticky rice and pad Thai and had been in the kitchen with them since I got home.
“I always use egg wash,” I blurted.
“That’s why they come out bumpy. Them eggs be frying in that grease!” Gema teased.
“Girl, you playing. The last time I made ‘em, you said you loved em.”
“I say anything not to hurt your feelings.” She stuck her tongue out at me.
“That’s why your hair ugly!” I teased. Mrs. Jessie had washed and rolled Gema’s hair earlier and after taking her rollers out, she left the curls rolled up. She would comb ‘em out Sunday before church.
“You talking ‘bout somebody hair, you the one need to wash that greasy mess.”
Raking my hand through my ponytail I agreed, “You’re right I do.” I giggled.
“Tali somebody calling you,” Mrs. Jessie said and held my phone up.
Licking my bottom lip I smirked. “Hello,” I sang.
“I’m surprised you answered.”
“Don’t I always.”
“I guess. What are you doing? Got any plans for dinner?”
“Sitting here watching Gema make her famous egg rolls. And yeah, we’re having Asian cuisine.”
“That’s neat. Tell Gema and Mrs. Jessie I said good evening.”
“Ladies,” I called out. “Lawton said ‘good evening’.”
“Hey!” they sang in unison.
“I’m sure you heard them.” I laughed.
“I did.” Law chuckled. “I’ll let you get back to what you were doing. I was going to invite you out.”
“I mean…” I hesitated before urging, “you can come eat with us if you want. You do eat Thai food, don’t you?”
“I do. Ask Gema is it okay if I join y’all.”
“Gema, Law said ‘can he come for dinner?’.”
“The more the merrier,” she said, making me and Mrs. Jessie laugh.
“I guess that’s a yes.”
“Y’all need anything?”
“No. I stopped by Walmart.”
“Okay. I’ll be there in less than thirty minutes.”
“See you soon.” Hanging up the phone, I placed it down on the counter. When I looked, Mrs. Jessie was staring at me with a smirk on her face.
“Don’t start,” I retorted.
“I didn’t say a word.”
“Gema, Betty Jo and Willearl wanna come get you next week,” I said, changing the subject.
“Come get me for what?”
“Well, it’s been a minute since you went and visited. They trying to spend some time with you.”
“Ummhmm. And which one of ‘em I’m staying with? Cause if I gotta stay with Litha, I ain’t going.”
“I think Willearl said you gon’ stay with him and Bonnie.”
“Well, in that case I reckon I’ll go.”
“How long you wanna stay?”
“Five days. On the fifth day, they can bring me ret on back.”
“That’s it?” Mrs. Jessie asked.
“That is all,” she swore. “They lucky I’m even going.” She huffed.
“I figured you would say no.”
“I know you and Jessie be needing a break. I’on mind going for you to get one.”
“I’on need no break, Gema.”
“Me either, Bertha,” Mrs. Jessie let her now.
“Well ya’ gon’ get one. Good thing Jessie done did my hair. Litha swears she know what she be doing. Last time she got the darn comb stuck in my head,” Gema fussed.
Tossing my head back, I laughed so hard. “Lady… you are too funny.”
“Hell, Louise had to come help her out.”
“You gon’ go see her when you get there.”
“No.” Her head shook vehemently. “She wanna see me, she better come over Willearl’s. I’m not ‘bout to be running all over town.”
“I know that’s right!” Mrs. Jessie drawled.
Hopping down off the counter, I took the stuff I needed to make my pad Thai out of the fridge. Law said he would be here in thirty minutes and I wanted to at least have the food halfway done.
Gema egg rolls and the sticky rice was done but the man had a huge appetite. That wasn’t enough for him to get full.
Law had shown up right on time as predicted. To keep him company while I finished my food, Gema had whipped out the old picture book.
The two of them was sitting at the island talking shit about me like I wasn’t standing right there. Mrs. Jessie had long retired to her room after telling me to let her know when the food was done so she could come out and get Gema situated.
“I remember when Joe pulled that toof right there. Miss Thang had a fit cause it was in the front. She ain’t want them chirren down at that schoolhouse to be picking at her.”
“Talitha, you were cute right here.” Law held up the picture Gema was referring too. I took it in second grade. Gema had combed my hair up in two pigtails and I had a gaping hole right in the front.
Before I left for school that day, she told me I better smile in those pics. Out of all the pictures she could have shown him, she showed him the ugliest one.
“What day was this one?” Turning around, I leaned over to get a good look at the picture before turning back around. Jalitha had taken that picture of me the day after my fifth birthday.
It was the day of my actual party. I wasn’t smiling in that picture. In fact, had anyone really paid attention to me that day, they would have been able to sense that something was wrong.
Neither Gema nor I uttered a word. I could feel Law staring at my back. Without even turning around, I mumbled loud enough for him to hear. “Day after my fifth birthday.”
“Oh,” he muttered when he realized why me nor Gema had said anything.
“Was this college or high school?” he asked, moving along to the next picture.
“High school. That’s the day Joe bought her that loud ass Mustang.”
“You drove a Mustang?”
“Papa Joe had a thing for cars. I grew up wanting a ‘75 Cobra.”
“Joe paid a grip for that car to get restored. He had bought it the prior year and spent the whole time harassing them folks down at the shop. It had to be perfect for his Tali.”
“Don’t be jealous, Gema,” I toyed.
“You still got it?”
“Yep. It doesn’t run anymore but it’s back at home.”
“What’s wrong with it?”
“Chile blew the damn motor out. Running up and down that highway to school. I tried to get her to put it down and buy something else to put miles on, but she was hardheaded.”
“It was a keepsake, Gema. Papa Joe poured so much love into that car, I didn’t want to replace it.”
“Well then, why you ain’t got it fixed?” she countered.
“I don’t know.” I shrugged. A few years ago, I thought about getting it fixed so I could put it back on the road but with Papa Joe no longer being alive, the drive to fix it up just wasn’t there anymore. So, I let it sit.
“I keep telling that ole stubborn chile she better do something fo’ Jalitha sell it right under her nose.”
“That’ll be the day I whoop yo’ daughters’ ass,” I based, garnering a deep laugh out of Law.
After he stopped laughing, he said, “Gema right. You probably need to get somebody to haul it up here. Even if you don’t get it fixed… don’t leave it sitting down there.”
“I’ll think about it. Can you get Gema set up at the table while I go get Mrs. Jessie?”
“I can. Come on Gema.” Law stood and offered her a hand. Instead of taking it, she looped her arm through his and held onto him.
Once I finished what I was doing, I turned off the burner and plated the food. Calling out for Mrs. Jessie, I let her know she could come eat. Mrs. Jessie and I worked in sync to take the plates into the dining room and as soon as we were seated, Gema blessed the food.