Chapter 24b. Johnnie
Instead of riding to Tee’s in one vehicle, Kendall suggested they arrive on their own since they all had different destinations after they left the diner.
Symphony was just unlocking the door when Kendall, Zoann, and Roxy pulled up, got out of their SUVs and headed inside.
The girl made a face at Kendall, barely nodded to Roxy, and beamed at Zoann, unaware that she wasn’t only playing with fire, but a raging inferno. Zoann would beat her into the ground and not lose sleep over it.
“Sit wherever,” Symphony announced, offering Kendall another glare. “I’ll come out to take your orders as soon as I can.”
Roxy smiled. “It’s fine, sugar. Get on to whatever you got to do. We’ll be here.”
“Just don’t take too long,” Kendall added, wondering at Roxy’s game.
“You can always call Tee and have him serve you,” Symphony sniped.
“I’m sure he won’t mind,” Zoann said. She walked to one of the few round tables in the place and sat, then hung her purse on the back of her chair. “Send him to us.”
“I was joking,” Symphony said. “I’d love to serve you, Zoann.”
Nodding to the table, Roxy took her own seat and placed her designer handbag in the chair next to her. “I haven’t seen Tee in a minute, baby. Send him out.”
Symphony laughed nervously. “As long as I can serve you. Everything’s so expensive nowadays, so I can use the big tip you like to leave.”
“Hmmmm,” Roxy hummed, giving no indication to her feelings.
“Be right back,” Symphony promised, turned, and bounced toward the kitchen.
Kendall hurried to the table and took her seat. “What are you planning, Roxy?” she asked gleefully.
“Not too sure, sugar,” Roxy admitted, much to Kendall’s disappointment. “I forgot my fucking broom.”
Kendall and Zoann laughed as Tee barreled from the kitchen.
“To what do I owe the pleasure of you lovely ladies visiting so early in the day?” he asked, throwing a dishtowel over his shoulder and smiling at each of them.
He was a mountain of a man with brown skin and light brown eyes. Kendall estimated he was at least 6’5 or 6’6. A pasted on smile replaced his normally taciturn expression.
“I got a question, sugar,” Roxanne started.
“I’m listening.”
“You have more waitresses on the schedule for today?”
He frowned, shifted his weight. Scratched his bald head and frowned a little more. “Besides Symphony, I only have Verna, since I had to cut back on my staff.”
Kendall drummed her fingers.
“Roxy didn’t ask you all that, Tee,” Zoann said with a titter.
Drawing in a deep breath, he looked at Kendall.
“This got anything to do with that video? Johnnie called Friday afternoon and asked about it. I didn’t know what to tell him I gave you a copy to bring to him.
He didn’t seem to know anything about that, so I said I’d get it together for him. He…he never came to pick it up.”
“We don’t involve ourselves in club business,” Zoann told him.
“But…” Confusion knitted his brow. “Kendall…I thought…didn’t you tell me you’d bring Johnnie the video?”
“A lot has happened since then,” Kendall said. “I forgot, but don’t worry, hun. If he really wanted it, he would’ve stopped in to pick it up.”
“Now that that’s settled, back to my question,” Roxy said. “Who else is on the schedule?”
“Symphony’s pulling a double today. She needs the money.”
“Know what the fuck else that bitch is going to need?” Roxy asked sweetly. “A fucking ambulance.”
“Uh…” Tee gulped. Once again, he looked at Kendall. “If it was about, uh, about, you know…”
“Do you fucking know, Tee?” Zoann demanded.
He snapped his mouth shut, then scratched his head again. “What did she do?”
“You know Bailey, don’t you?” Roxy asked, instead of answering his question. “My daughter?”
“Mortician’s wife,” Kendall put in.
“Our sister,” Zoann hissed, glaring at him.
Even if that bitch wasn’t their sister at the moment, and might never be again, they had her back and always would as long as she was Mortician’s wife. She’d turned her back on them, him. In this situation, however, that was neither here nor there.
“B-Bailey’s a lovely woman,” Tee pushed out.
“We think so,” Kendall said.
“I love that girl with all my fucking heart,” Roxy said.
Tee might not have heard her wistfulness but Kendall did. Apparently, so did Zoann, because she grabbed Roxy’s hand and squeezed.
“I’ll cut any bitch who tries to fuck with her,” Roxy continued, decked out in diamonds, soft leather pants, a cashmere turtleneck sweater, and croc-embossed riding boots. She sat on prestigious boards, had money to burn thanks to her marriage, and was a valued member of the community.
But she would cut a bitch. In a minute, which was one of the reasons Kendall loved her so much.
Zoann sighed and shook her head. “Guess who is trying to fuck with Roxy’s baby?”
Glancing over his shoulder, Tee swallowed, then shrugged. “I-I don’t know.”
“Take a wild guess, motherfucker,” Roxy snapped.
“Bailey hasn’t been here in days. I can’t see what Symphony could’ve done to her,” Tee blurted.
“Oh, so you do know?” Zoann smirked and looked at Kendall. “Did you hear that, cousin?”
“I certainly did, cousin,” Kendall said, folding her arms. “As an attorney, I can assure you ignorance is no excuse for breaking the law.”
“Symphony broke the law?” Tee gulped. “Did she steal from Bailey?”
“She tried her fucking best to steal dick that didn’t belong to her,” Kendall said.
“What…?” Tee widened his eyes, then looked at each of them. “Is this about Mortician?”
“Ding, ding, ding,” Zoann chimed.
“I don’t know…what Mortician does in his own time isn’t my business or yours. I don’t want trouble. Lunch crowd will start trickling in in about fifteen minutes and I haven’t even began cutting my fries with this foolishness.”
Zoann got to her feet and glided to the door, then locked it. “Call Verna or whatever the fuck her name is. That bitch back there? Won’t be fit to work for the next fucking year.”
Tee glared at them. “Mortician does what the fuck he wants to with his dick. If he’s not satisfied at home and needs relief in a young piece of pussy, you don’t have shit to say. Now, unlock my fucking door before things get ugly.”
“Kendall, baby, go find a fucking broom. Zoann, call ‘911’. Ask for EMTs and police. That bitch is leaving in an ambulance—”
“And we’re leaving in the back of a cruiser,” Kendall said coldly, stalking toward the kitchen to search for the broom.
Symphony walked out of the supply closet, carrying unopened napkins. She sat them next to a dozen condiment bottles filled with ketchup and mustard, then turned and faced Kendall. “You aren’t allowed back here, so leave.”
Kendall smiled. “Where’s the broom?” she asked.
“I’m telling Tee.”
“He knows I’m back here. Where’s the fucking broom?”
Huffing, Symphony stomped out of sight, returning within moments carrying the broom. She held it out to Kendall. “Here.”
Holding onto her temper by a thread, Kendall snatched the broom. “Come on,” she ordered, not waiting to see if she’d follow, just expecting her to do so.
In the dining room, Tee was still standing at the table, near Roxy. His mistake.
Anticipation stirring in her belly, Kendall leaned the broom against the table, then took her seat.
“What’s going on?” Symphony asked.
“I have a question, Symphony,” Roxy said.
“I’m not sure if I have the answer,” Symphony sniffed. “Or if I will answer if I can.”
Pursing her lips, Roxy nodded. “Do you enjoy working here?”
Symphony rolled her eyes. “Kendall already threatened my job because of Mortician. This is tired. We’re consenting adults. If I want him, you have nothing to say. You especially can’t police my pussy. My mama never did it.”
“It fucking shows,” Roxy said.
Symphony gasped. “You don’t know my history.”
“I don’t have to know your fucking history and I don’t want to know that motherfucker. You’re not my fucking priority. Bailey is. Mortician is. Fuck you.”
“Mortician is a grown man. If he wants to fuck me, you can’t do a fucking thing about it. If Bailey appreciated him, he wouldn’t have considered fucking me.”
Kendall agreed, but she’d cut out her own fucking tongue before she admitted that to Symphony.
“If Bailey’s your priority,” Symphony bit out, “talk to that stupid bitch and leave me the fuck alone.”
Kendall was convinced that Roxy had been a prized fighter in a former life. She struck so fucking fast, no one had a chance to even comment before she was on her feet, snatching Symphony’s dreadlocks and punching her in her fucking mouth.
“Wait, wait, Roxy,” Zoann said, getting to her feet and rushing around just as Roxy punched Symphony again. “Take care of Tee. I’ll beat this bitch.”
“I’ll help,” Kendall volunteered.
“Help!” Symphony screamed, darting between Roxy and Tee, heading toward the door. “Call ‘911’.
Kendall planted herself in Symphony’s path. “Stay the fuck away from Mortician. You get to keep your job this time, but I fucking swear if you don’t back off from him, your life will be hell.”
Zoann tapped Symphony’s shoulder. “It will also be prematurely interrupted. Do not fuck with a vulnerable man.”
Her single punch sent Symphony flying. She landed with a thud near the table where they’d been sitting, grunted, and went limp, knocked out.
“Fuck,” Zoann complained, shaking her hand. “That fucking hurts.”
“As for you, motherfucker,” Roxy said, grabbing the broom and swinging it, cracking Tee across his back, “put some respect on my daughter’s marriage.”
Tee stumbled back, raising his hand to block another blow. The broomstick hit his hand, and he howled.
“If I fucking find out you encouraged Mortician to fuck over my baby girl, I’m beating his ass and yours,” she fumed, hitting his ass.
“I’m sorry!” he yelled, turning and running, but not before she whacked his side and his arm. He made it through the swinging doors.
Although Roxy chased him, he hurriedly locked her out.
“I’ll talk to Symphony,” he called, his voice traveling through the order window, though he didn’t show himself.