Hidden Memories (15 page)

“That’s why we had such a hard time getting support from some of the committees,” said Alfreda Williams, a two-term legislative member of the Black Caucus.

“I suggest that we change the flag entirely. Nothing from the Confederacy. A new design altogether,” Sage proposed.

“I agree,” Cameron said.

“We can either legislate the new flag or hold a special election and ask voters to pick the flag they want. We give them two choices,” Lieutenant Governor Welch said.

“Excellent, excellent,” Bill Shapely said.

“We could probably get the House to pass on it if we let the voters decide on the design,” Sage said.

“Yes, that way they won’t lose as much politically,” Bill Shapely said.

“If that works, then I won’t have to give up control of the Public Safety Committee,” Cameron said.

Nodding in agreement, the lieutenant governor said, “We just got that with the last session.”

“I know, but I was going to trade off control of the Public Safety Committee for the flag. Now we need to come up with a new design that Georgians will accept.”

* * * * *

Butterflies were chasing her. They chased her through the thicket of trees, past the gazebo and around the rose bushes. Sage turned and saw more butterflies descending upon her. She started running faster and faster, then suddenly could no longer feel the ground beneath her feet. She kicked her legs and felt herself rising into the air, flying with the butterflies.

* * * * *

Sage flashed open her eyes and was relieved to realize that she was lying in her bed. She closed her eyes, but couldn’t go back to sleep. She got out of bed and went to the kitchen for a glass of water. Looking out the window, she noticed that Ava’s black Toyota Celica was missing from the driveway. She opened the garage to see if Ava had parked the car inside. Her stomach dived when she saw the empty spot next to her car.

“Where is she?” Sage wondered aloud.

She sprinted up the stairs and opened the door to Ava’s bedroom. There were signs of her hurry-scurry to get dressed: clothes and costume jewelry scattered on the bed and hanging out of drawers, and pairs of stockings and shoes lying on the carpet.

Ava had gone to a nightclub, Sage remembered, realizing that her sister went to clubs once or twice a week.

Grim news reports flashed in Sage’s mind: woman snatched from the ATM, girl disappeared from her home, woman’s unidentified body found in pond. Atlanta news stations were always reporting tragic news about women. Sage picked up the phone and dialed Ramion’s number.

“Ava’s not home,” she said, her tone frantic, when she heard Ramion’s sleepy voice.

“Where did she go?”

“She went to some club with Marika, but it’s after four. She should have been home by now.”

“Some clubs stay open until six.”

“On a weeknight?”

“Calm down, Sage. I’m sure she’s fine. They probably went to get something to eat.”

“What if the car broke down?”

“That’s what I say when you insist on going home at three in the morning.”

“Ramion, this is not the time to argue with me. I’m really worried that something’s happened to her.”

“Baby, nothing has happened to Ava. She’s probably on her way home.”

“I should put a phone in that car.”

“Do you want me to come over there?”

“No, that’s okay.”

“Don’t go out looking for her.”

“I won’t.”

Sage hung up the phone and went into the kitchen. She made a pot of espresso and poured herself a cup. After a half hour passed, she decided to call Drew because he knew the club scene. The phone rang fifteen times before he answered.

“Drew, sorry to wake you, but Ava’s not home yet,” she said in a rush, her voice cloaked in anxiety.

“That doesn’t mean anything,” he replied groggily. “Maybe she went home with a friend.”

“She should have called me.”

“I saw her at Club Escape. Some guy was buying her a drink.”

“When was that?” Sage asked; her eyes veered to the clock on the wall.

“About one thirty.”

“That was more than three hours ago.”

“She’s fine, Sage. She’s out there having a good time, enjoying her freedom.”

Sage heard a car pull into the driveway. “There she is now,” Sage said with relief. “It’s five o’clock. How is she going to go to work?”

“She’s young. She can do it,” Drew said before hanging up the phone.

Ava opened the door and was surprised that she didn’t hear the chirp of the security alarm. She smelled the espresso brewing and realized that Sage was up.

“Ava, where have you been?” Sage demanded when Ava came rushing around the corner.

“I was hanging out!” she said, her words slipping out like blended ice.

“You had me worried.”

“About what? I can take care of myself.” Ava pulled off her shoes, placing them on the bottom of the stairs. She twirled around, gyrating her hips, dancing to the music in her head. “I was having fun. Big fun!”

“It’s dangerous out there so late at night.”

“Marika was with me. I saw Drew, and I met some new people.”

“So I was worried for nothing,” Sage said, sarcasm heavy in her tone.

“Chill out! We just went out to get something to eat.”

Noticing her sister’s saucer-wide eyes and high energy, Sage said, “Ava, I hope you’re not doing drugs!”

“Stop bothering me. I’m finally having some fun in my life.” Ava started up the stairs. “And don’t worry, I’ll make it to work.”

* * * * *

“How can I get Ramion back?” Edwinna asked. She was curled up in the corner of the high-backed sofa in her living room. The television and the radio were on, pop music and news competing for attention.

“Girl, you need to get Ramion off your mind and think about Medu,” said Savannah, Edwinna’s only girlfriend. They had become friends in boarding school, where they were the only black students in the all-girl school.

“Medu’s lame.”

“That’s not what you told me the first time you went to bed with him,” Savannah said, flipping her long black hair behind her shoulders. She was sitting on the floor, her long, thin legs crossed, leafing through the magazines beneath the coffee table.

“I didn’t say he couldn’t screw. That’s all he’s good for.”

“Winna, you’re cold, girl, and you’re crazy He’s gonna have big money. His paintings are becoming very popular.”

“So?”

“It’s all about the dollars, baby! You know Ramion can’t stack up against what Medu is going to make when his paintings hit big,” Savannah said, raising her grey eyes from the latest copy of
Ebony
magazine that was spread across her lap.

“It doesn’t matter. I want Ramion.” Edwinna leaned over to pick up her glass of wine from the side table. “And I just hate it that he’s engaged to her. She should have blown up in that explosion.”

“Edwinna!”

“I don’t care. I can’t stand that green-eyed bitch!” She crunched her face into a deep frown. “If it wasn’t for her, Ramion would still be with me.”

“But he’s not, girl. So get over it and move on.”

“It’s not that simple, Savvy,” she said. “Now help me figure out how to get him back.”

“Umh, umh, umh, you still love the brother.” Savannah got up and turned off the radio, then turned up the volume on the television so she could hear the news. “Well, do you still have a key to his place?”

“He never gave me one, but I had a key made when he was over here.”

Not surprised at her friend’s stealthy behavior, Savannah laughed. “You were scheming then.”

“So you think I should go over there one night, maybe one or two in the morning, when he’d be asleep?”

“Make sure she isn’t there.”

“I know that!”

“And just climb in the bed and show him what he’s been missing,” Savannah said, a wicked grin curling her thin lips.

Closing her eyes and recalling memories of a night with Ramion, Edwinna stomped her feet on the floor. “What I wouldn’t do to be in bed with him,” she said.

“Was he that damn good?”

“Girl, yes! Want to see?”

“What are you talking about?” Savannah asked.

“I taped us together one time.”

“He didn’t mind?”

“He didn’t know.”

“Ooh, girl, show me the tape!”

“But when I told him the camera was on, he made me turn it off. Just when we were getting to the good part,” Edwinna said.

“I still want to see it.”

“Okay, but let’s get back to your idea. You think I should sneak into his house and climb in bed with him?”

“Uh-huh, if you could arrange it so that she catches you in bed with him, then she’ll call off the wedding.”

“That would be so sweet.” Edwinna’s eyes glazed with hope.

“Don’t get your hopes up too high,” Savannah said. “He might screw you and leave you, like most men.” She dipped a nacho in the hot salsa before munching on it. Changing subjects, she asked, “So are you really going to run for the state senate?”

“If I get him back, I won’t be bothered. If I don’t, you can be sure I’m going to run against his black ass. Show him and his little nobody girlfriend that they can’t mess with me.”

* * * * *

The sun filtered through the blinds in Ramion’s corner office on the fifteenth floor. There was a beautiful view of the western corner of downtown Atlanta, although Ramion rarely stopped long enough to look out the window at the tall buildings—the Omni, Georgia Congress Center and Peachtree Center reaching toward the sky. Thick law books filled floor-to-ceiling bookcases on two walls. Ramion’s undergraduate degree from Howard and his law degree from Harvard hung on a wall in gold frames that his mother had proudly chosen.

Ramion was so busy peering through a casebook looking for a precedent-setting case on search-and-seizure law for a client that he didn’t hear his father enter the office.

Raymond Sandidge quietly watched his son at work for several minutes before clearing his throat to get his attention. He admired his son’s intelligence and accomplishments, and he’d always known that Ramion would succeed. Ramion had always been a dreamer and achiever, and law, in particular, had always fascinated him. Raymond remembered watching the Perry Mason television show with Ramion. Most often Ramion would solve the mystery long before he did, although Raymond would never admit it. Today, however, he couldn’t stop himself from bragging about his son, especially to his new golfing buddies at the country club.

“Hey, son,” Raymond said quietly when Ramion didn’t seem to hear him.

Ramion jerked his head up. Surprise turned to pleasure when he saw his father standing there, looking dapper in green pants and a dark-green sweater. “Hi, Pops,” he said. “How are you?”

“I’m okay.”

“Hungry? How about a cookie?” Ramion offered, indicating a basket of cookies decorated to resemble a dozen flowers. “Sage sent them.”

Raymond glanced at the basket, noticing the word “Congratulations” scrawled on it. “Congratulations for what?”

“I won a case somewhat unexpectedly,” he said. Observing his father’s worried expression, he asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Walter’s in jail.”

“Uncle Walter? What’s he doing in jail?” Ramion asked, coming around his desk. “Sit down, Pops.”

With a loud sigh, Raymond dropped into a chair across from Ramion’s desk. “Hayley says he raped her.”

“What?”
Ramion exclaimed. He seldom saw his father’s brother but he’d attended his uncle’s wedding to Flora Bell Cook two years ago. She had three beautiful teenage daughters: Hayley, Ashley and Whitney. Sixteen-year-old Hayley was the oldest.

“What happened?”

“I don’t know, son. No one will tell me anything. I went down to the jail, but they won’t let me bail him out.”

Ramion pulled out a fresh legal pad from the center drawer of his desk. “Let me get some information before I call down there. When was he arrested?”

“Early this morning.”

“Who was the arresting officer?”

“I don’t know.” His father removed his brown fedora and placed it on the desk. Raymond never went anywhere without a hat.

“What is he charged with?”

“Sexual assault and resisting arrest.” Raymond scratched the top of his head.

Stunned, Ramion shook his head. He couldn’t imagine Uncle Walt defending himself, let alone raping someone. Ramion was very fond of his uncle, remembering the times Uncle Walt stayed with them when he was growing up. They’d stay up late, watching old movies. “I’m going to make some phone calls,” Ramion said. “Don’t worry, Pops, we’ll get him out.”

After calling the Fulton County Detention Center for his uncle’s booking number and the exact charges, Ramion called the district attorney’s office and spoke with the Kent Fitzpatrick, the assistant district attorney assigned to the case. Ramion learned that his uncle had been arraigned without bond, and convinced the assistant district attorney to agree to a ten-thousand-dollar bond. The man also promised to quickly process the paperwork. Ramion made one more call to a bonding company, then drove his father over to the jail where they waited until Walter was released.