Chapter 6 #2
“Your momma’s gonna need you.”
“Why? Need me to do what?”
Celeste pointed toward my house where my mom was inside grieving the death of my Aunt Vivienne then said, “When people grieve and lose a lot, they forget how to love on those that are left.” Celeste placed her hand gently on my shoulder then continued.
“Protect her and make sure you take care of your baby sister. Don’t let them break her too. ”
"She asked questions, Ezekiel.” Seraphine said, breaking me from the vision I replayed of that night.
"Be more specific."
"About the picture in the shop, the emblem."
“And?”
“The town, and the Dubois’."
I didn’t say anything, I let Seraphine continue without interrupting so she could get to the meat and potatoes of what happened. Then, just as I expected she said what I was waiting to hear.
"She asked about her mother and how she was connected to us."
And there it was, the confirmation I’d been seeking.
She either didn’t know much or was here, seeking the truth that her father was once obsessed with.
I walked toward the altar then up to the gigantic cross that hung above it.
Staring at it, I thought about how this very cross carried the burden and weight of all the lies this town tried to bury using scripture within the word and all the stained-glass windows surrounding it that were strategically placed to make the ambiance look inviting while doing so.
It was tragic instead of inspiring the way the cross was meant to be when you thought about it in that way.
"Ezekiel..." My sister's voice interrupted my thoughts, "She's smart. Like very smart. Ion have no doubt that she’s going to figure some thangs out…"
"Oh, I know."
"No, I’m sayin’ she’s much smarter than you expect. Right now, she doesn’t know her elbow from her knee, but once she finds out…it’s not going to be good."
I looked back up at the cross, a symbol that many generations of people used to justify horrible things and a wealth of lies before asking, “Did she tell you her plan?”
Seraphine paused for a few seconds before she responded. "First stop, she's gonna to be visitin’ the church, to look through the old archives."
Hearing that she planned on coming to Saint Mercy every muscle throughout my body got tense. The church felt smaller, louder and the air got heavier.
“When?"
"My guess is very soon. Like today or tomorrow soon."
I rubbed my jaw as I listened intently. Most people took days and some took weeks to adjust to this town, but Noa came to town and hit the streets running. She planned to waste no time before she started snooping and digging up things that needed to stay buried.
Over the years, I studied her parents, especially Isaiah, who experienced a fate that he didn’t even deserve.
It was a shame that Noa had to be exactly like the both of them because I would hate for their fate to end up hers as well.
I could already feel that she was about to be a big problem depending on how deep she went and what all she uncovered.
"Did you tell her anything?"
"Nope."
“The truth Seraphine.”
“OKAY! Not too much."
When Seraphine said not too much that basically meant she told way too much. Before I could delve any deeper, another voice rang throughout the sanctuary interrupting our conversation thus cutting it short.
"Let me guess, you talkin’ bout that damn Sinclair girl?"
August Dubois, my father was standing at the rear entrance with perfect posture, a perfectly fitted tailored suit and holding a hard expression on his face; his perfect mask.
Everything about my father screamed expensive and the one thing you would never know was his true feelings because he didn’t show them well…
his game face was impeccable unless you knew him like I did.
I had the ability to see past it all just from looking in his eyes.
And when I looked into them all I saw was ancient danger and exhaustion mixed with a man filled with so much dishonesty and strife.
Immediately I ended the call with Seraphine without saying goodbye and just stared at him, wondering how much of our conversation he’d overheard. We locked eyes for a few seconds, neither one of us speaking and then the loud ringing of the church bells broke that silence.
One ring, two rings, then the third ring, the entire time August stood there with his hands behind his back, feet ground and chest poked out. It was his dominance stance, one that used to pump fear into my chest but not anymore.
"She movin’ too damn fast, son and ion like it one fuckin’ bit."
In true August fashion there was his evasiveness, no concern, just what was to be expected, not an ounce of empathy.
"She has a right to ask questions." I smirked giving him direct eye contact.
“Hmph.” August nodded in disgust. “Her momma and daddy’s problem was they wouldn’t leave well enough alone. And now here comes their child, carryin’ the same problem, like it’s a inherited disease.”
“Since when is curiosity a disease?” I knowingly pushed his limits. One thing about August, he didn’t like to be questioned.
“Since I damn well said it was! Hell, it’s bad for your health when it can get you a permanent resting plot back in the cemetery!” He spat.
I stared at him not breaking eye contact, barley blinking, which was my way of challenging him.
He was like a old ass dog, dogs hated for you to give them direct eye contact.
It was challenging to them and August was no different.
He was pissed standing in the church pulpit, but he didn’t care and it didn’t matter he was in the house of the Lord.
“This shouldn’t be a surprise. What exactly did you expect?"
"For her mother to have warned her damn ass. And if she did, it’s gone suck to be her. She’s probably just like that damn mammy of hers… well, more like her dad. Her mammy ran but her dad tried to stand his ground, and you see how that worked out fah him."
His response irritated me and made me slightly go into protection mode because I was more than familiar with how that worked out for her dad. Hell, I was a part of his demise.
"What happened with her parents ain’t got nothing to do with her. She wasn’t even born yet."
"Watch your tone, son." His loud voice bellowed through the sanctuary. "How dare you challenge me standin’ at MY altar. Keep on!”
It always never ceased to amaze me how he loved to shout that the church was his…but he didn’t work hard to attain it. It was taken from its rightful owner…a family that barely existed and the ones left either knew and couldn’t say shit or didn’t have a clue.
“You worried ain’t you?"
“I ain’t worried bout a damn thing. I run this gotdamn town and can put a permanent stop to any foolishness if I choose too.”
"Is that a threat?"
“Not at all! But this is,” my father bellowed, “you better hope she don’t stumble upon them Whitmore files. Cause if she does…”
“If she does what?”
"Just prepare yourself cause we all gonna have damn problems."
“We all or just some of us.”
“Son, don’t you fuckin’ test me. WE…all of us and yo ass at the top of the list. Them Whitmore’s kept records of everything damn thing and everyone. Far as I see it, all of that needs to stay dead like they are. Getting rid of that raggedy bloodline just ain’t enough.”
Senator Whitmore’s recent death apparently brought immense relief in some ways, and now Noa’s threat to uncovering what should stay buried has brought him a great deal of stress. She’d only been to town for a little over twenty-four hours and already she was turning the city inside out.
He turned and walked away leaving me alone in my thoughts.
I stood there for a few more minutes then headed to my office.
Once inside, I immediately shut the door then went straight to my desk and unlocked and opened the bottom drawer.
I grabbed the old manila folder labeled: SINCLAIR and stared at it before opening it.
Over the years I kept up with Noa’s life and never missed a beat on what she had going on.
And I’d studied the information daily for decades.
Looking through the folder that held years of secrets and history along with years of protection, I pulled out a picture of Isaiah that was taken a few months before he died.
He was smiling and looked very happy, totally unaware of the wrath that was looming.
Then I picked up a picture of my mom, my Aunt Vivienne, Celeste and Isaiah.
Next, I picked up the newspaper article that was about my aunt’s death.
The first thing my eyes zeroed in on was my Uncle Bishop Dubois’ name circled on the article.
It should’ve included a few more Dubois names but of course another lie and a heap of secrets.
I couldn’t too much concern myself with the past, I was more worried about the future and what all Noa would discover and how soon it would take. The problem was her next move could just ruin the lives of many people just as it ruined her dad’s.
As I sat staring at a picture of Celeste that was taken back when she worked at Saint Mercy there was a quick knock on my office door then it opened before I could even tell whoever it was to come in.
When I saw that it was Solomon, I instantly became irritated.
He walked in full of confidence, no permission, no greeting, nothing but arrogance.
It happened so fast I didn’t have time to put the file away. Of course, he looked down and saw it, and it wasn’t the first time that he’d walked in on me going through it.
“Damn bro, you do know that shit not healthy right…Over twenty years and you still on this shit?”
“Why are you here?”
“For one, I work here.”
“Why are you in my office?”
“You should’ve seen the look on her face when she saw me, bro.”
Hearing that he saw her and that he was close enough for Noa to see him bothered me to my core. My whole disposition changed, as I stuffed the file back in the drawer then locked it.
“What’d you say to her?” I asked, my jaw twitched as I fought the urge to say more.