The First Lady (14 page)

I was so messed up after I got the letter that I decided to get my shit together and go to a meeting. But on my way there, I ran into this guy named Flapjack. Now, I liked Flapjack a lot; not only was he a trick, but he was the best kinda trick—the kind that liked to smoke. Fortunately for me, I caught him at the right time because he’d just cashed his SSI check at the liquor store. Two minutes after our initial conversation, we were on our way to the dope boys. Ten minutes after that, I’d sent Aubrey to his friend’s house to spend the night, and Flapjack and I were alternating between fucking and smoking up his $800 Social Security check. Somewhere along the line, I passed out and didn’t wake up until a few minutes ago. I couldn’t remember when Flapjack left or when Aubrey came home.

“Ma.” Aubrey snapped me out of my thoughts with his fatherly tone. When had my baby’s voice started to sound so deep?

“Yeah, Aubrey?”

“You got company in the living room.”

“Company?” Instantly, fear jolted my body. It could be anyone sitting in my front room, but whoever it was, chances were, it wasn’t anyone I wanted to speak to. I scrambled to get my clothes on, trying to determine who it might be. Was it Flapjack back for some more? No, he’d spent all his money for the month. Was it the landlord looking for the rent? Nah, Aubrey wouldn’t have let him in the house. Perhaps it was CPS? Jesus Lord, the lady across the hall did threaten to call them. If she did, I was gonna kill that bitch.

“Who is it, Aubrey?” I was starting to sweat.

He was hesitant.

“Just tell me,” I demanded.

“It’s the bishop.”

“The bishop?”

What was he doing here? In all the years I’d been living here with Aubrey, he’d never just stopped by unannounced. And of all times for him to do it, why did it have to be now, when I was back on the pipe? Then it hit me. Tanisha! She probably had called him after I stood him up last week and convinced him to try again. That fucking little bitch. Why couldn’t she ever mind her own business? Thomas Kelly and I were not meant to be together, and she needed to just accept that shit.

I looked over at Aubrey, who was still standing in the doorway. “Tell him I’m ‘sleep, Aubrey.”

“I can’t. I already told him that you were awake.” Aubrey was sounding a little too pleased with my discomfort, and he was about to make me pop him in the mouth.

I had no choice but to face the bishop now. “Aw’ight, tell him I’ll be right there.”

Once my dress was on, I walked over and stared into the mirror attached to my dresser. What looked back at me was more frightening than I could have ever imagined. I still had the weave Niecy put in my hair, but now it was all over my head like a bird’s nest. My skin tone had become a couple of shades darker, and my skin was sagging so much, I looked like I’d lost about ten, fifteen pounds. I turned to the side and saw that my signature ass, which had attracted men from a distance, was a fraction of what it had been. There was no doubt in my mind that I’d officially fallen off.

Somehow, I had to keep it from Thomas Kelly. If he knew, he’d tell Tanisha and Dante, and they’d be up here from D.C. in a New York minute to lock me away in some drug program and take Aubrey away. I wasn’t having that. Aubrey was my son, not theirs. He was all I had left.

I turned back toward the mirror and reached for my makeup and a hairbrush. Five minutes later, I’d done what I could do. I didn’t look my best, but I looked better than I had. Maybe it would be enough to fool him.

I walked into the living room. Thomas Kelly was standing next to Aubrey, talking on his cell phone. He was probably talking to Tanisha and Dante, I thought, not that it mattered to me. At least I didn’t think it mattered until I saw what was on the floor next to Aubrey. By his feet was a suitcase and a small bin that held his Xbox and the games that go with it. That little piece of shit looked like he was moving out on me.

Shit, I shoulda pawned that Xbox when I had the chance,
I thought, grabbing the arm of the couch to support my body since my knees had become suddenly weak.

“Aubrey, what the hell is going on here?”

I’d just dropped Sister Lisa off at her house after our date at the Olive Garden when I got a panicked call from Marlene’s son, Aubrey, on my cell phone. He apologized for calling but said he didn’t know who else to call. It appeared his mother had been in bed for almost two days, and he couldn’t wake her. He also said he was sure she was using drugs again. I told him I’d be right there.

By the time I got to the apartment, he explained that Marlene was still in bed, but now she was awake. He proved his allegations about her drug use by handing me her stem. I sighed deeply, shaking my head. Even with evidence in my hand, it was hard for me to believe.

How the heck could she have gone back to this stuff? I asked myself. She was doing so well.

When I got over the initial shock of Marlene being back on drugs, I told Aubrey to pack his bags because I was sending him down to D.C. to live with his sister. That young man must have really been through a lot because he hurried off to his room to pack a bag without an argument. Not long after, he returned with his bag and a message that his mother was getting dressed and would be right out.

As I stood next to Aubrey, waiting for Marlene to get dressed, my mind wandered to my own problems and the events of the past twenty-four hours. James’s plan to stop the rumors about Monique and me had worked like a charm. It didn’t take the members of the scholarship committee long to spread the word that I had been spotted holding Sister Lisa Mae Jones’s hand. I’d gotten two calls about that on my way over to Marlene’s. Now my only dilemma was that every member of the church would believe that Lisa Mae Jones was my new girlfriend. I should have realized from the start that taking her out in public would become much more complicated than a simple diversion tactic, but I was desperate to prevent the rumors about me and Monique, so I’d accepted James’s plan without truly considering it. Now, unless I wanted even more chaos from the members of my church, I had to at least try to make it work with Lisa for the time being. From the way she kept smiling and reaching after we’d left the restaurant, I was sure Lisa was happy about the turn of events.

Once again, it appeared my wife had gotten her way, even after her death. I just didn’t understand why, with all the women in the church, she wanted me to be with Lisa. Not that I had a problem with Lisa. She was very attractive, social in groups, and she seemed to be very organized. However, all she wanted to talk about was how she could improve the church and help my career. Not once did we ever talk about us as a man and a woman dating. When we’d left the Olive Garden, I asked her if she wanted to take a ride to Long Beach. By then, I realized I would have to at least attempt a relationship with this woman, and I actually thought a walk on the beach would be romantic. But would you believe she said no, that she much preferred to go back to the church so we could go over my schedule for the rest of the month? I wanted to tell her that I had a secretary for that and this was a date, not a job interview, but I didn’t have the heart to do that.

I liked my women a little more spontaneous than Lisa Mae appeared to be, and my deceased wife knew it. Most people weren’t aware of it, but my wife had kept things very interesting in our marriage when she was alive. One time when we were in the Bahamas, she … well, that’s another story. But the point was, I didn’t see that in Lisa. Granted, maybe I didn’t know her well enough yet, but I guess that was why I was so interested in Monique. She was easy to get to know and was very spontaneous.

Monique—I didn’t even want to think about how she was going to feel once she found out about Lisa and me. I’d had such a good time with her the night before, until Trustee Forrest and Evelyn walked into the restaurant and spoiled it. If they hadn’t showed up, things would be so different now. I would have gone over to her house that night, helped her pick out the right kind of dresses to be around these church folks. That was all but a dream now, although I did owe her an explanation.

As I waited for Marlene to get dressed, I unclipped my cell phone from my belt and dialed Monique’s number.

“Hello.” I liked the sound of her voice. It reminded me of Marlene’s when we were kids, sweet and energized.

“Hello, Sister Monique. It’s Bishop Wilson.”

“Hey, Bishop.” Her voice was now high-pitched and excited. “I was hoping you would call before I left town.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Leave town? Are you going somewhere?”

“Yes,” she sighed. “I’m going to Mississippi to look after my mother for a few weeks. She’s having a hip replacement in a couple of days, and I’m going down to help. I thought I told you that last night.”

“No, you didn’t. I think I would remember something like that.” I was worried that she had already heard something about Lisa Mae and me but I quickly dismissed that thought. If she had heard, she wouldn’t sound so happy to get my call. “Are you sure you’re going out of town because of your sister and nothing else?”

“Well, to be honest, with me gone, that rumor about us will die down faster and give you some peace.” Now she sounded a little sad, but her words were so unselfish. “I’m not trying to get you in trouble, Bishop.”

“Trust me, Sister Monique, I know you’re not trying to hurt me or get me in trouble. And about that rumor … I wanted to talk to you about something that happened today. Something important.” I hesitated, and before I could open my mouth again, she’d cut me off.

“My flight doesn’t leave until seven tomorrow morning. Why don’t you come over here so we can talk? Maybe you could take a look at those dresses we discussed last night before I leave. What do you say?” I thought I detected a bit of something suggestive in her voice, and it made me hesitate for a moment. Perhaps I should be making plans to meet her in a public place so there would be no risk of improper behavior.

Before I could answer, Marlene walked into the room, so I rushed off the phone, making a quick decision about our meeting place. “Look, I have to go, Sister Monique, but I’ll try to stop by before you leave.” If I made it a brief meeting, there was no danger of anything happening. I had already made up my mind about giving this thing with Lisa Mae a shot, so I was not going to bend to any desires that Monique might stir up in me. Besides, once Monique heard what I had to tell her, she might be rushing me out of her house anyway. “I can’t stay long, but I really have something important to talk to you about.”

“I’ll be waiting.” Her voice sounded like she was singing.

“Aubrey, what the hell is going on here?” Marlene demanded.

I hung up my phone, then clipped it to my belt buckle as I stared at Marlene. The way she was wearing her makeup was almost scary, and I could see the track marks from her weave. The woman looked absolutely horrible, and there was no doubt in my mind that she was back on drugs.

“I asked you a question, Aubrey. You planning on going somewhere?” Her voice grew louder with every word.

Before Aubrey could answer, I stepped in front of him, answering his mother’s question. “He’s going with me, Marlene. I’m taking him down to D.C. so he can be with his sister and Dante. The boy shouldn’t have to live this way. He never asked for this.”

“You’re not taking my son any-fucking-where, Thomas Kelly.”

“Momma, I’m going,” Aubrey said sternly.

You could almost see the willpower draining from her when she heard his words. She shook her head, then flew into an angry tirade. “You’re not going anywhere, boy.” She stepped toward him with her arm raised high, and I took a step closer, making myself a barrier between them. If I hadn’t been there, I’m sure she would have hit him. And from the look in his eyes, he might have hit her back.

“Marlene, he’s going with me.” The bass in my voice told her I was not fooling around. She froze for a second, then stepped toward the coffee table to pick up the phone. She confused me momentarily because I thought she was going to hit me with it.

“You’re not taking him anywhere, and I want you out of my house right now. If he steps one foot out of this house with you, that’s kidnapping. And I’ll have your holy ass hauled off to jail.” She started to push some buttons on the phone.

It was time to be tough with her. No amount of gentle coaxing was going to bring this woman back from the depths to which she had sunk.

“Go ahead, Marlene, call them. As a matter of fact, ask for Captain Jacobs, watch commander for the 113th precinct. He’s a close personal friend. I’m sure he’ll be interested in what I found here.” I reached into my breast pocket and pulled out the stem that Aubrey had given to me when I first entered the apartment. “Go ahead, Marlene. Push the rest of the buttons and make your call.”

She stared at me with contempt. “That’s not mine. That could be anybody’s.”

I lowered my head, wishing she’d just admit to her problem so we could get her the help she needed. “Oh, really? Well, I’m pretty sure your probation officer will think it’s yours. Last I checked, stems were considered paraphernalia, and he can violate you for paraphernalia, can’t he? And we don’t even want to talk about a urine test, do we, Marlene?” She put down the phone, but her eyes were still burning mad.

“You need help, Marlene,” I told her. “Why don’t you come to my house so I can help you? God has a plan. You can get clean.”

“I don’t need any help, and I especially don’t need your type of help, Thomas Kelly, you two-faced bastard.” She took a step toward me like she was about to do something, then stopped, looking defeated. “You’re not taking my son. He loves me. Don’t you, Aubrey?” She turned toward Aubrey, searching his face for some type of alliance, but he stood his ground.

“Yeah, I love you, Ma, but I can’t sit here and watch you do this to yourself. I’m going to live with Tanisha and Dante.” I was proud of him, but I felt his pain too. I know it must have been difficult to stand up to his mother like that.

“Baby, they can’t do anything for you that I can’t do.” Her eyes were beginning to water as she approached him cautiously. “Don’t you want us to be together?”