Chapter 10
“Don’t wake her up,” Erys grumbled. “You were up and down all night. Let her sleep.”
“Well, you gon’ have to do something, nigga. I’m not eating this shit. What the fuck is this?” Ernie asked, dipping his spoon in the bowl and watching the chunky liquid slide off of it. “How you eat this? Nigga, you know you not in the military no more? You don’t have to keep eating like this.”
“It’s oatmeal, Pops, it’s healthy,” Erys stated.
“Let me tell you something, muhfucka, I’m seventy-six almost seventy-seven, if you don’t kill me before them.
I’ve lived my damn life. Can a nigga get some bacon?
Some coffee. Something else besides this?
” Ernie complained, smelling the oatmeal.
“Yeah, I wouldn’t even eat this if you served it to me with some pussy.
Your mama didn’t teach you how to burn?”
“Again, my mother worked three jobs after she ran away from your cokehead ass,” Erys shot back.
“I wasn’t no damn cokehead. I occasionally had a snort or two to keep me up. Nigga wasn’t just pimpin’ and snorting. Get your fucking story straight,” Ernie fussed.
“What is all of this noise?” Remedy asked, eyes squinted, bed head due to her not having a bonnet and the t-shirt and shorts he gave her swallowing her up.
“That nigga over there is trying to kill me!” Ernie roared.
“Nobody is trying to kill him,” Erys’ protested. “He won’t eat the oatmeal.”
“He hates oatmeal. Everyone who is sane hates oatmeal,” Remedy replied.
“He is out his fuckin’ mind,” Erys grumbled.
“Like father like son,” Remedy grumbled back. “Don’t be talking about my friend like that. How are you going to give him something you won’t eat?”
She moved closer to Ernie and peeked into his bowl. Remedy’s face frowned up as she glared at him.
“Smell it,” Ernie prompted, holding the bowl up. “Nasty shit. Can a nigga get some bacon?”
“I know you didn’t put egg whites in the oatmeal,” Remedy fussed. “Who taught you how to cook?”
“Myself,” Erys proudly stated, now observing his own bowl and balancing his attention to Remedy in his clothes walking to the fridge like she owned the place.
“Unlearn it,” she replied, pulling out a host of things. Once she had what she needed, she spun on the balls of her feet to collect the three bowls of food and racked them out.
“I was eating that,” Erys gritted.
“No, you weren’t. You knew that shit was nasty too. I know it’s your house and all, but you’re in my way,” she sassed, barely looking up at him. His bare chest putting her at a pause.
Erys moved over to the table and sat down by his dad. “She always bossy like that?”
“She’s the boss,” Ernie stated. “Remedy has done everything for me since she moved in next door. I don’t know how to do shit without her. I was like that with your mama.”
“I don’t wanna hear how you had her on the street,” Erys stated.
“Your mama was never on the street, boy. She rode with me, yes. She helped me manage those hoes, yes. Can’t nobody tell you I didn’t love her.
I loved her how I knew how and if she needed to be loved any other way, I would have learned.
She didn’t give me the chance. That’s the story.
Whatever else she told you was bullshit.
I never hit her, I never pimped her. Niggas couldn’t even look at her crazy without coming up missing.
Miss me with all that what I did to your mama.
She wasn’t no fucking hoe, she was mine and I fucking loved her,” Ernie protested, slamming his hand on the table and then backed away.
“Boy, I swear you know how to piss me the fuck off.”
Ernie staggered to his feet and quickened out the kitchen. Remedy paused her whisking to give Erys a pointed look.
“Please don’t tell me you’re an asshole and slow,” Remedy said with a curl of her lip. “Get your big ass up and go after him.”
Erys stood and flashed her a weary look before turning it off. “What do I say to him?”
“Try not to speak, you ruin things when your mouth is open. Try listening,” Remedy sarcastically directed.
He took his command and walked into the living room where his father was staring out of the large panoramic window. “You got a boat?”
Erys smirked slightly. “Yeah. You wanna see it?”
“Why we still in here? Take me to see it,” Ernie said, excitement forming over his face as he started to fiddle with the locks to open the accordion sliding door.
“I got it,” Erys said, turning the locks and pushing the doors open, instantly the living room and the patio flowed as one space.
The pair stepped out into the morning breeze of Waynesville and both sighed. With guidance, Ernie followed his son down the even path to where the boat was housed. The side of the black boat read Cherie Amor. After helping him inside, the two sat in silence for a while before Ernie spoke.
“You’ve been here a while?” Ernie asked, flexing his clean jawline. Another sign that Remedy had taken great care of him. “You look all set up.”
“Been back and forth when time allowed. I built this for mama. The layout, the boat, all of it.”
“You been back and forth and didn’t even think about seeing me?” Ernie asked, allowing his son to hear the longing in his voice. Erys had to remember his father didn’t decline overnight. This was years upon years of him not taking care of himself, the loneliness – the darkness.
Erys knew the darkness all too well. “Honestly?”
“Ain’t no other way around it, Erys. I’m too old for the bullshit,” Ernie grunted. “Give it to me straight. You’re embarrassed of me.”
Erys leaned forward, looking back up the path to Remedy moving around the kitchen. Her words ringing in his ear “for once in your life give the man some fuckin’ respect”. He straightened his spine and looked at his father. He learned that conflict between men was resolved face to face.
“I was. From a little boy and now, as a grown man. But there’s so much of you in me, I’ve tried to bury.
I made sure I didn’t have kids with some random woman so my seed wouldn’t hate me too.
I guess the realization of how much I have hated you scared me.
I couldn’t imagine my little nigga looking at me with my face and my eyes and blood running through his veins and he couldn’t stand me. That’s on me.”
“Not wholly. Me too. I knew where you were. I knew how to get to you. Fear is something dangerous. It locks you into a dark hole and your heart seizes when you think about climbing out and seeing the light. It don’t matter who you make yourself be in life.
A nigga pimping bitches or a nigga snatching lives,” Ernie spoke, turning to his son like he saw him.
Erys flexed his jaw.
“I’m not all the way out my mind, Erys. I know what happens at Fort Wraith and I know only the most dangerous of men come out on the other side.
That’s not lost on me. What is, is the time we wasted being bulls and not father and son.
I live with that regret every day,” Ernie lamented, looking back toward the house.
“I’m sorry I never fought for a relationship with you. I’m sorry I never stepped up.”
“I don’t know. That Cadillac and those suits, I would’ve ran from you,” Erys shared with a soft laugh.
“Nigga, it’s called personality. Judging by this cold ass house, you could use some,” Ernie quipped. “That or some pussy.”
“I think you’ve had enough for both of us.”
“Nahhh, these hoes just giving it out. No money, no cars, groceries, bills paid, nothing. For free. You should get some while the getting is good,” Ernie stated, finding his son looking back at Remedy. “Unless free ain’t what you want.”
“Free ain’t what I want. And since we sharing truths and shit. How to be in relationship, how to love, how to express emotions – I don’t know how to do that and I’m not going to ruin someone because of my ignorance.”
Ernie pulled in a breath. “When you meet someone worth it, you change far before you notice you’re changing. The soul knows.”
“That’s how you felt with ma?”
“That’s how I feel about your mama. I just want a chance to tell her I’m sorry. Can you call her and tell her?” Ernie asked.
Erys knew that his father knew his mother was gone. There was no way around it. His mind nor his heart could handle that loss so it filled in the areas with his own delusions. Erys stood and got behind the helm of the boat.
“You want to take a quick spin around the lake before breakfast?” Erys posed, learning the art of redirection from Remedy.
Ernie relaxed in his seat. “Hell yeah.”
Erys nodded, untying the boat, lifting the anchor and pulling away from his dock with ease. The pair took two trips up and down the lake before returning. Ernie had a sheen of joy over himself and it unlocked another emotion within Erys – pride.
“You should bring Remedy out here,” Ernie nudged, as Erys helped him out.
“So she can throw me overboard? I’m cool.”
“She’s not going to throw you overboard. I think she likes you,” Ernie stated. “And I think you like her. I see it.”
“You don’t see shit but shadows, nigga,” Erys shot back.
Ernie looked at him and laughed. “You don’t know pussy from a hole in the ground.”
Erys’ face frowned. “What does that even mean?”
“You used to women jumping when you say jump and begging for your attention. Yes, Erys. Whatever you say, Erys. The one that challenges you at every turn is what you need.”
“You don’t know that,” Erys huffed, waving him off. “She cusses me out like it’s a second language.”
“And your black ass likes it. Because if you didn’t, neither one of us would be here. You forget I shot you out, boy? I know what you like ‘cause I like that shit too. She reminds me of your mama. Little spit fire,” Ernie said with a smirk.
“You know her story? What she’s keeping locked away?” Erys asked.
“Even if I could remember every detail, I wouldn’t tell you. That’s your kill, not mine. You need to study your prey. They didn’t teach you shit at Fort Wraith. Same shit, different scenario. That’s a good woman in there. One of one. Act like you the son of Sweet Lick Ernie.”
“I’m going to leave your ass out here talkin’ crazy. Come on, your bacon has got to be done now,” Erys said, guiding his father back up the path to the patio.
“She’s about to show you what a breakfast is. She cooks just like May,” Ernie said with a grunt. “You be nice to her, I might get a good dinner.”
Inside, Erys found a spread on the table. Fluffy waffles, fruit, eggs, and bacon.
“Damn,” Erys murmured, earning a nudge from his father.
“I told you. A good woman,” Ernie barely whispered back before striding to the table.
“You’re in a better mood,” Remedy expressed, watching Ernie sit down. “Must’ve been the boat ride.”
“Yeah, Erys said he’s taking you out later. Maybe in something other than that,” Ernie teased her with a wink.
“Lucky for your son, I don’t get on boats with people I don’t like,” Remedy fired back, focusing on washing the dishes.
“Who do you get on boats with?” Erys posed, taking a seat at the head of the kitchen table.
“Again, you’re in my business. Get up out of it,” Remedy smoothly fired back.
Ernie mouthed, “Told you.”
“You gonna sit down and eat?” Erys asked.
“I’m good, y’all eat,” Remedy said, dropping another pan into the sink.
“How do I know you’re not trying to kill me?” Erys taunted, making her eyes dart up to him.
“Because if I so choose to end your life, I’d want to look you in your eyes. Being that I don’t like looking at you, it’s the very least of your worries. Anything else, Franklin?”
Erys sat back in his seat and motioned her to the seat. “Yeah, sit down and eat. I already told you I’m not above force feeding you. I’d like not to exercise that skill.”
“Or the lack thereof?” Remedy quipped, needing the last word. She continued washing the last of the dishes before sitting down. “Happy?”
“Not even remotely,” Erys muttered into his glass of water. “Pops, bless the food so I know she’s not trying to get me up out of here.”
“Ernie, bless the food so I don’t have the urge of scooping his beady little eyes out,” Remedy snipped.
“You wouldn’t. You don’t have the heart.” Erys was finding joy in bothering her.
“Let me pray so you two can shut the fuck up,” Ernie huffed. “Dear lawd, amen.”
Remedy looked at him. “When’s the last time you prayed?”
“Couldn’t tell you but if I have to listen to this shit,” Ernie said, swinging his finger between the two. “I’m going to be locked in with God.”
Erys smirked.
“Don’t smirk at me, Franklin,” Remedy huffed. “I’ll snatch your lips off your face.”