Richard wanted to know what Trae had done, but didn’t ask. Other ground needed covering. “I love Ebony and Crystal. I’ll do right by them, and won’t interfere with your relationship. We can do this.”
“Those are my girls. I’d die for them.”
“Let’s be honest. I know you love them, but you have chosen a life of drugs and death over them. They’re number one in my life.”
Trae spun around. “They’re my heart. They’re number one!”
Richard countered Trae’s hostility with calm. “Why are you still in the game? Why do you continue to put them in harm’s way?” But his concerns now included Trae and Skeet. He wanted them to choose life over death; wanted them to see his way was exciting, fulfilling and challenging. He laughed at himself for falling into the same trap as Ebony.
Sobering reality washed over him.
You can’t save someone who refuses to be saved.
He had said it a million times to Ebony; he needed to heed his own words.
He knew Trae was forever battling his feelings for Ebony. Richard respected him for being man enough to step aside and allow her to be free. If circumstances were reversed, he knew he couldn’t do it. That was what separated him from Trae. He would never give Ebony up.
“I protect them!”
“From danger you put them in. I’ve learned the game. How long before one of your rivals goes after them?”
“Shit.” He hit at the couch as he passed.
“I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know. We need to get this out in the open. You thought I was a safe white boy you could manipulate.”
“Thought is right.” Trae released a nervous laugh. “You’re as bad as me.” He blew out an exasperated breath. “I’ll never forgive myself for hurting Ebony. You make her happy and can keep her safe.”
“She needs all of us, Trae,” he said to encourage him to choose life.
“Humph, I can’t believe I’m letting someone marry Ebony. Have you bought the ring?”
“I think she wants to pick it out herself. Can you stay with Crystal a few hours tomorrow?”
“I’ll do you one better. I was supposed to go to St. Louis. Instead, I’ll take my baby girl to see her granny down in Florida. We’ll be back in three days.”
“Your mother?”
“Yeah. Her birthday’s Friday. She’s been clean for years, Smoke. And don’t worry, Crystal will call her Auntie.”
“I’m sorry, but I’m wondering why you hate your father when your mother didn’t seem much better.”
“She tried to raise me for ten years before her drug addiction took over; he never claimed me. That is, until he needed money. She wouldn’t win any prizes, but she tried.”
Richard shook his head, puzzled. “You know, Trae, I just don’t get it. I know what you do for a living. It doesn’t seem to match who you are as a person. Yeah, you’re rough around the edges, but I know
you
. This isn’t computing.”
“What? Because I’m a drug dealer, I can’t love my child, my family? How can I thump heads one minute and take Crystal to the movies the next? This is a business. Not everyone has the stomach for it. Hell, think of me as a soldier.”
“It’s not the same.”
“What do you think they do with their M-16 rifles and tanks? I’m no longer in the infantry. I’ve worked my way up. I’m the commander-in-chief. I don’t have to pull the trigger anymore.”
“It’s different.”
“Why, because the blood on their hands is legal and the blood on mine is illegal? Blood is blood. Death is death. The only difference is I don’t stand on some platform pretending my shit don’t stink. I’m in this for the money.”
“There are other ways for you to make money.”
“And I will someday. That someday will come when Trae is ready. Not when Ebony or Smoke is ready.”
Richard could see there was no breaking through to Trae. “Okay. I’ll back off.”
“I need to make flight arrangements.” An awkward silence stood between them. Trae broke the silence, saying, “I’m not gonna lie and say I’m all for this marriage, but I know this is how it has to be. Keep Ebony happy and we’ll be cool.”
“Then we’ll always be cool.”
* * *
Ebony’s eyes shifted from Jessica to Dan. “You’re not actually leaving me with her, are you? How could you desert me in my hour of need?”
Dan pushed away from the dining room table. “Genevieve expected me an hour ago. You women are running me ragged,” he teased as he walked across the living room to the coat rack. “Don’t listen to Jessica. Smoke’s already saved me over two hundred grand. You better keep him.”
“See. He’s a keeper.” She stuck her tongue out at Jessica, then moved to the living room couch. “Bye, Dan.”
Dan nodded on his way out the door.
Jessica made herself comfortable on the recliner. “As long as Smoke’s making him money, Dan wouldn’t care if he’s a serial killer. I’m looking out for your best interest…”
Unable to fathom why Jessica never accepted Richard, Ebony studied her best friend carefully. At first she thought Jessica was jealous or angry Richard had taken so much of the time they used to spend together. Then she thought Jessica was upset because they were moving so fast. Now she didn’t know what to think.
A picture of Trae holding Crystal was on the large-screen television next to a picture of Richard teaching Crystal chess. She had expected Trae to be the one to give her the most grief about Richard.
“Are you listening to me, Ebony?”
She tucked her long legs beneath her and leaned her body against the arm of the couch. “Smoke’s a good man. I don’t understand why you can’t see it. Why can’t you be happy for me?” Over the course of the weeks since they’d met, she had joined the others in calling Richard Smoke, and he loved it. Especially when she called out “Smoke” when they made love.
“I want to be happy for you.” The recliner squeaked softly as Jessica leaned forward. “I finally know what you want out of life. Smoke can’t provide it.”
The sincere sorrow in Jessica’s voice confused Ebony even more. “But he can. I’m in love with him. Truly in love.”
She held her chubby hands out to Ebony. “Listen to me.” She took Ebony’s hands into hers and trained her big brown eyes on Ebony. “Do you honestly think Trae would allow anyone to walk in off the street and take his woman?”
Ebony pulled away. “I’m not
his
woman. Haven’t been for about eight years now. Besides, that has nothing to do with Smoke.”
Jessica yanked her scrunchie off, allowing her black microbraids to drape around her shoulders. “I don’t want to see you hurt.” She stretched the scrunchie a few times, then rolled it onto her arm. “I don’t want you hurt.”
“Please, Jessica, tell me why you feel this way.” Thoroughly frustrated, Ebony lifted her hands to the heavens. Numerous gold bracelets fell down her arm. Though inexpensive, her jewelry was the one luxury she lightly indulged in. “Give me something, anything, to work with.” She watched her friend fidget nervously with the scrunchie. “You are working my last nerve, woman. What the heck is wrong with you and Smoke?”
Jessica threw her hands up. “Okay, okay, but let me say my piece. I have a few questions for you. They’re just food for thought: How many legit people does Trae allow to get close to him?”
Ebony continued building her defensive shields. Over the past two months, they had become quite extensive.
“What are the chances of Trae stepping to the side for a complete stranger who happens to be a
legit white guy
to take
his woman
?” She pointed a perfectly manicured nail at Ebony. “Deny it all you want. You know Trae considers you his.”
Ebony straightened her cream blouse and rearranged her bronze flouncey skirt to cover her bare feet. In actuality, she wasn’t sure what to think about Trae. Most of the time he acted as if he didn’t care about her relationship with Richard; other times, he acted like a jealous lover. In the end, she figured it didn’t matter. What Trae considered his and what was reality were two totally different things in this case. “I assume you are getting to the point.”
“I know you like to believe Trae would never deceive you, but you need to face facts. Smoke works for him. He’s been helping him launder money.”
“No, he isn’t!”
She sucked air through her teeth. “Come on, Ebony. You know damn well Trae don’t trust nobody but you and Skeet, and he’s iffy about Dan. Now you gonna tell me he all of a sudden decided to trust some strange white guy—who wants
his
woman—to dabble in his finances, make acquaintances with his drug connections?” She rotated her thick neck. “Give me a break. He would have had Smoke dropped on that first night, and you know it.”
Ebony picked at the arm of the sofa. She didn’t have a comeback for Jessica. Ignoring what she didn’t know, she focused on what she did know. Richard and Trae had somehow become friends, and she was grateful. With Richard’s help, she may be able to convince Trae and Skeet to leave the drug life. It felt so good to finally have someone to fight alongside her instead of against her. “I have no idea why Trae accepted Smoke.” She hunched her shoulders. “Maybe God answered my prayers.”
“This does not add up. Smoke isn’t the answer. They set you up.”
“They wouldn’t do that to me! You’re wrong.” She inhaled deeply, trying to calm herself. The scent from the vanilla candle burning reminded her of Richard’s condo and his loving touch. He wouldn’t deceive her.
“He tried to buy a transit card with a fifty-dollar bill. What kind of literate idiot does that? They knew what time you take the train. I would have left his butt standing on the platform, but you,” she pointed at Ebony, “you would never leave anyone standing in the cold.”
Ebony tried to interrupt, but Jessica cut her off. “He parked on nails? Yeah, right. Any white man in his right mind would have called AAA immediately, not leave his sixty thousand dollar car behind.” She chuckled, resting her hands across her ample stomach. “He
lost
your number. His car was stolen. He
met
you at the hoagy shop. Too many coincidences. In the real world, Trae would have had him dropped because Smoke was either a suspected cop or trying to move in on
his woman
.”
“You’re wrong.” She set her feet on the floor and crossed her arms over her chest.
“Why? Because I’m not saying what you want to hear?” She walked into the kitchen.
Ebony followed Jessica. “Because your logic is seriously flawed. If I’m Trae’s woman—and I mean a capital
if
—why would he set me up with Smoke?”
“Trae’s been in love with you since you were shorties.” She took a glass out of the cabinet, pointing it at Ebony. “He knows he’s blown it with you.” She turned on the faucet, letting the water run cold. “He’s a control freak. You have custody of Crystal, but you consult him on all decisions about her. How many friends do you have outside of Trae’s circle?” Her brow raised. “And I’m including Smoke in that circle. Trae keeps an eye on you.
“How many years has the lower flat been empty, Ebony? I’ll tell you, since you and your mom moved in. And I’ll bet the condo under Smoke will remain empty as long as you’re there. Hell, he knows you’ll get married someday. Once you join the workforce, men will be beating down your doors. This way he is in control.” She filled her glass with water. “He has chosen your husband.”
Ebony’s stomach churned angrily. “He wouldn’t, they wouldn’t.” She sat at the kitchen table, searching for a logical reason behind Trae accepting Richard and vice-versa. Jessica was right. Forget that Richard was white. What man in Richard’s position would have accepted her lifestyle so easily?
“The hell he wouldn’t. I never could stand his manipulative butt.” She pulled out a chair and sat with Ebony. “Why do you think I stopped chasing after Skeet? Because what you kept telling me finally sunk in. I do deserve better. So do you. I don’t want you manipulated into marrying what you think is the perfect man. He’s Trae’s lackey.”
Jessica’s words computed perfectly in Ebony’s mind, but her heart rejected them. Richard’s love for her couldn’t be an act. And, yes, the deal she made with Trae worked out to his advantage, but he knew she would take Crystal and run, otherwise. She couldn’t hold his wanting to be a father against him. What she held against Trae was the selfishness of his love. His selfishness is what kept her and Crystal trapped in the drug world.
“He wouldn’t do this to me. I believe in Trae and Smoke.”
“Listen, honey,” Jessica said quietly as she set her glass on the table. “I know this is hard for you. Believe me when I say it hurts to tell you, but I’m your best friend. I’m looking from the outside in. I’m not blinded by love, loyalty or a Dudley Do Right mentality.”
“Maybe two plus two is actually five in this case.” Richard hadn’t said anything about the hundred grand Skeet and Trae had invested in his firm. She pushed thoughts of betrayal out of her mind. Richard was legit. He knew how she felt. He loved her. Jessica was just jealous.
“One more tidbit of food for thought: Why did Smoke take to his street name and your circumstances so easily?” She hunched her shoulders. “Rich, straight-laced white boy gets lost in the hood, then embraces it fully, no questions asked. I mean damn, Ebony, he knows more about Trae’s business than you do. And have you seen him lately? His walk has brotha written all over it.”