Holidaze (16 page)

Nigel seems to be warming up to her a bit more, but they are not completely back to being all good, or so it looks to me from a distance. I know Nigel’s dealing with a lot. Tonight’s football game is the first one where he’s actually going to sit on the bench and watch from the sidelines. Pissed doesn’t begin to explain his current feelings toward the administration, and from what I’m hearing from Rah, he still blames Mickey for most of the shit.

Rah and I aren’t back to normal either, but I have a little bit more sympathy for his ass than Nigel does for Mickey, and rightfully so. Rah has to go to Sandy’s arraignment today and I know when it comes down to it he’s not going to let the mother of his child stay in jail over charges he filed. He would expect the same loyalty from her, even if I doubt she’d be as generous.

“What’s up, lady? Where’s your head at this morning?” Jeremy asks. It’s lunchtime and everyone’s paired off or in a group except for me.

“In the clouds. What’s up with you?” I ask, looking up at him from where I’m sitting under a tree next to the library. It’s a great spot to sit and think when I don’t want to be bothered by anyone. I noticed him, Matt, Seth, and Chance heading to the parking lot to do whatever it is they do, but I was too caught up in my own world to acknowledge them with more than a nod. Seeing Jeremy in third period last semester was enough. But now that I have him and the rest of the Too Live Crew that Misty rolls with in debate class, school has been overwhelming, to say the least.

“Nothing much. We were going to get some Mexican food if you want to roll with us.” I haven’t been off campus for lunch in a while, and if Jeremy’s inviting me then he must be paying, too.

“What the hell. I haven’t worked in a couple of weeks and could use the treat,” I say, listening to my growling stomach second the motion.

“A little hungry?” Jeremy teases, reaching his hand out to help me up off the grass. “And cold.” It’s a nice day but still a bit chilly to be sitting outside. I didn’t notice how cold my hands were until he said something.

“You’re right,” I say, zipping my North Face jacket up and handing him my backpack. We walk toward the rest of his waiting crew, only to see Nellie has joined them. What fun this is going to be.

“Ah, baby, I didn’t know she was coming. Honest,” Jeremy says, instantly aware of the tense vibe. It’s sweet of him to be concerned about my comfort, but I think he’s more concerned about me going off at the mouth in the restaurant and embarrassing him. Whatever the case, I intend on keeping a cool head no matter how hot I may want to become.

“No worries. I’m a big girl and I can handle her.” I take Jeremy’s hand as we walk down the steep hill toward the back parking lot near the theater. I can’t wait until the next festival this spring. We haven’t returned to our regular schedule in drama class yet, but we do know what our next play is going to be. Mrs. Sinclair’s too wrapped up in the semester change, like most of the other teachers, to really care what we do this week. Thank God it’s Friday, because I know next week all of the teachers will be back on their game, and that means I will have to be on mine, too.

“What’s up with you, Jayd?” Chance says, choosing to give me the Obama fist bump instead of a hug. Wise choice.

“Nothing much. Hi, Nellie,” I say, trying to make nice. But her rude ass chooses to play deaf and that’s just fine with me. I wish she’d play invisible so we could have a diva-free lunch, but I doubt that’ll happen. Where is her clique anyway? I’m surprised she’s hanging with Chance and his friends. But I guess hanging with the rich potheads on campus is also good for her image.

“Last one to the restaurant pays for everyone’s drinks.” Matt’s got jokes. If this were my crew rolling, that wouldn’t even be funny. But with Jeremy and his friends, money’s something to be gambled at will.

“So how do you like your new schedule?” Jeremy asks, opening the passenger’s door and letting me in his classic ride. I miss rolling in the Mustang on a daily basis, but my mom’s car is cool. And nothing beats being able to take myself in and out of any situation. I wish I could master that art with my dreams.

“It is what it is,” I say when he joins me inside of the vehicle. He starts the car and we follow the caravan of students out of the crowded lot. “Different semester, same school.”

“I feel you on that one,” he says, catching up to Chance’s Nova, the leader of the pack. Matt, Seth, and Nigel each rev their engines, ready to race the two miles to the burrito spot. These boys have way too much time on their hands. “What do you think about the debate class?” I know that’s not his real question. What Jeremy wants to know is what do I think of Mr. Adewale. He already knows I think our new teacher is beautiful. But what he doesn’t know is that we have an ancestral connection that supersedes the typical teacher/student relationship.

“I think it’s interesting at the very least. We’ve got some characters in our class, that’s for sure.” With Misty and all of South Central as our classmates, I’m sure the debates will be hot topics every day. I just hope Mr. A can control it. But after the way he checked Del earlier this week, I think he’s got it down.

“Yeah, I think it should be very interesting. I’m just glad I get to sit next to you in two classes back to back,” he says, taking his right hand off of the leather steering wheel and placing it on my left thigh. I look up at Jeremy’s olive complexion and notice he’s sporting a five o’clock shadow. How sexy is that?

“Well, like I said, it should be interesting.” I reach up and stroke the stubble growing on his cheek. The roughness feels good against the back of my hand. Jeremy stops my hand in mid-stroke. He takes my hand with the one that was formerly keeping my thigh company and kisses my knuckles.

“I miss you, Jayd,” he confesses as we pull into the parking lot. Everyone’s rushing to get inside first, as if paying for six drinks will break any of these fools. Jeremy turns off the engine and sits back in his seat. I guess we know who the loser’s going to be.

“Did I go somewhere?”

“Yeah. Away from us. Why is that, by the way?”

“Jeremy, we’ve been through this. Besides, aren’t you concerned about losing this bet y’all have got going on?” I reach over to open my door, but not before Jeremy can turn my face toward his and plant a big kiss on me. I allow his lips to mesh with mine, matching him move for move. I don’t want to pull away but I feel like I should.

“Let’s go,” Nigel says, knocking on Jeremy’s window and interrupting our flow. I wish Nigel hadn’t seen us kissing because I know he’s going to give Rah a full report.

Once inside we all stare at the menu like we’ve never been here before. We each have our favorites and usually stick to the norm. Nellie and Chance order first with everyone else following suit. Jeremy orders last so all the drinks can be on his tab.

“At least he’s a man of his word,” Nigel whispers in my ear. “But he’s still not a nigga, if you get me.”

“Yeah, I get you loud and clear.” When will Nigel get over the fact that I’m kicking it with a white boy? “I hope you realize that you’re kicking it with white boys now, too.” He looks at me like I just called him a bitch. He needs to get used to it. When in Rome, do as the Romans. Isn’t that how the saying goes? I know this isn’t Europe, but Redondo Beach is still a foreign country to us and we need to survive, white friends included.

When we get back to campus we have less than one minute before the bell rings. Luckily most of us have drama class, which is on the west end of the large campus, near where we’re parked. If college campuses are any bigger than this property, I’m going to be one fit sistah by the time I graduate. Nellie and Jeremy are the only two who have to hike up the hill to their classes, but neither of them look too concerned about getting there on time. When Matt, Seth, and Nellie leave, Nigel says his good-byes, too.

“Hey, both of you are invited to my official pre–Super Bowl party tomorrow night,” Nigel says to Chance and Jeremy. I never need an invitation. “Come with your cash in hand. There’s a pool for each team.” What is it with boys, sports, and losing all of their money betting on them? I’m sure Rah’s in on this bet, too. I know Nigel’s torn between his loyalty for Rah and his new friendship with Jeremy. But when it comes down to it, Nigel’s my friend too, and I hope he remembers that before he goes blabbing to Rah about unnecessary shit.

“Hey, thanks, man,” Chance says, giving him the nod of approval.

“Thanks, man, but I’ve already got plans tomorrow night. Next time though,” Jeremy says. Plans? What kind of plans does he have on a Saturday night and with who?

“You want to hang out tonight, Lady J?” Jeremy asks with the sweetest look in his eyes.

“I’m sorry, but I already have plans.” They may be with my mom, but he doesn’t need the details.

“You sure have been busy lately. It’s turning me on,” he says, bending down and planting a kiss on me as the bell rings. “I’ll call you later.”

“Okay,” I say, smiling from our lip lock. I have half a mind to tell my mom I can’t make it this evening, but I can’t let her down. Besides, if I stay home it’s going to be to catch up on some much-needed sleep. Jeremy can wait until I’m back on my game.

When I get to my mom’s house she’s got clothes everywhere. It looks like a bebe tornado hit this place hard. I set my bags down and look for my mom amidst the destruction that is her bedroom.

“Mom, are you in here?” I ask, picking up skirts, dresses, and shoes off the floor and returning them to their place in the closet.

“Jayd, are you ready to do my hair? We’ve only got an hour before Karl gets here and I still have to do my nails.” My mom’s so nervous. I’ve never seen her like this before. “And get me a glass of wine, please. Oh, and don’t let me forget the bottle of cognac for his father, on the table.”

“Mom, calm down. It’s just a family dinner. It’s not like you’re going to a hater’s convention or something,” I say, trying to make my mom laugh, but she’s far from laughing.

“Jayd, the biggest hater a woman will have to deal with in life is the mother of the man she’s going to marry. It’s the oldest jealousy relationship in existence and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.” I can tell that from the way both Rah and Jeremy’s moms deal with me. They hate on me and I’m just a girlfriend. I can only imagine how they’d treat me if I married one of them fools.

“Well, in that case I think I’ll sit this dinner out. I have enough hating of my own to deal with. Besides, I still need to catch up on my sleep,” I say, yawning and stretching out on her bed. I managed to clear a spot for me to sit down among the designer clothes.

“Oh, baby, I’m sorry I didn’t ask how you are. I’ve been so wrapped up in my own mess, I didn’t consider you may be too tired to go with us. Have your friends starting acting right yet?” she asks, exiting her room, and I’m inclined to follow. She takes my hair bag out of the hall closet and walks into the dining room, ready for a quick press and curl.

“Nah. They’re all tripping.” I take out my tools and set up at the dining room table.

“You can still try the punch, you know. I made it for you anyway, just in case you needed it.” She walks over and opens the refrigerator, taking out a clear pitcher with a thick liquid inside.

“Thanks, Mom.” I plug in the miniature oven to warm up the hot combs. As soon as she leaves I’m going to pass out on the couch and not move until tomorrow afternoon, or at least I hope so.

“You’ll love the results. It’s like having a camcorder in your head. Try finding that at Best Buy,” my mom says, stirring the red brew. She cuts up some lemon and puts in a dab of honey, for luck I guess. “Almost there,” she says, tasting the punch with the wooden spoon. She then puts enough sugar in it for ten bags of Kool-Aid. “Perfect. Read up on it in my notes and you’ll see the benefits of being able to walk in your friends’ dreams. Now come on, I’ve got to get going. Karl will be here any minute.” We’ll see how this punch works at Nigel’s party tomorrow. If all goes well, I should be able to fix some of what they’ve broken.

B
y the time my mom left last night I was ready to pass out, and I did just that. I slept most of the day away too, only getting up to eat. When Rah picked me up a little while ago for Nigel’s party I was more than ready to get out of the house. I’m also anxious to try out my mom’s punch on the crew. It’ll have to wait until we get inside and chill out. Right now, the boys are too busy showing off their toys.

“Hey man, Santa was real good to me this year, you hear me?” Chance says, bumping his sound system and shaking the entire block. The new bling slides down his arm as he waves his hands up in the air like he’s at a T.I. concert. I wonder if that thing can still tell time with all of those diamonds in it.

“Yeah, I do. What kind of system you got in that joint, fool? And where’s the old one?”

“Ah, man, you know this is Kenwood, baby. And I gave the other one to my little cousin. We don’t mind hand-me-down gifts in my family, know what I’m saying?”

“I’m sure y’all don’t,” I say. I’m not a hater, but damn. How much extra money does one family need?

“Ah, Jayd, I told you I’ll hook you up. Just say when,” Chance says, putting his arms around my shoulders, instantly pissing both Rah and Nellie off. I’m glad Jeremy couldn’t make it; otherwise I’d be catching his hater rays, too. Feeling the heat, Nigel switches the subject back to sports and food, two of any dude’s favorite subjects.

“Come on, man. We can watch some college ball and get our grub on. I’m getting the munchies,” Nigel says, leading the way into his house. We walk up the stairs and into his large room, ready to settle in for the evening.

“I brought some punch,” I say, putting the container on the table while everyone gets comfortable. We all have issues with one another, but we’re trying to keep the peace, for now.

“Is it spiked?” Nigel asks, checking the punch out from afar.

“If it was, do you think I’d give it to your pregnant girlfriend?” I look at Mickey, who follows suit. I hope this works. I need to change a few things in all of our actions over the past couple of months. And since we’ve had such an effect on one another I need to get into everyone’s head tonight. I wish Misty were here, but she’ll have to get the trickle-down effects of this spell. I pour everyone a cup and prepare to walk in their dreams.

“Tastes like Kool-Aid,” Chance says, making him and Nigel laugh hard. I think it was mostly funny because they’re high.

“How would you know?” Mickey asks, throwing punches at the white boy in the room. I guess she’ll take cheap shots at Chance as a warm-up to roasting on Nellie for the rest of the evening, not that she needs warming up. Mickey’s got plenty of ammunition, and with Nellie’s new attitude and attire, I know Mickey’s just waiting for the right moment to dig into Nellie’s ass.

“Hey, we drink Kool-Aid at our house too,” Chance says a little defensively. Ever since he landed Nellie after jocking her for many months, he’s been a bit sensitive about being the token white boy in our crew. It’s not like he didn’t know what he was getting himself into when he started hanging out with us.

“Okay, y’all, be cool. We’re supposed to be celebrating our boy getting the motion back in his shoulder,” I say. I don’t want the party to take a turn for the worse before I have a chance to see if this stuff works. We need to get our drink on and fast. I don’t know how much longer we can all stay in a room together and keep the peace.

“And just being alive, nigga. On the real,” Nigel says solemnly. Mickey gulps down her share, ready for seconds, but there are none. My mom made enough for everyone to get their fair share, plus some. I know Mickey feels guilty about Nigel’s arm and wants to make it right, but she just doesn’t know how. Nigel has barely spoken a word to her since she got here and she looks uncomfortable.

“Now I’ll drink to that,” Rah says, raising his glass to Nigel’s. We all follow suit and finish the first round. Nigel takes the remote from the nightstand next to the futon where he’s sitting and turns the music up. Nigel must be in quite a mood to play Sade all night. She’s my uncle Bryan’s favorite songstress and I love her, too. It’s also the perfect music to help lay us all out.

“I used to have a copy of this CD but I think one of my brothers stole it,” Mickey says, passing the freshly rolled blunt Nigel just gave her and officially starting the rotation. I hope smoking won’t affect the punch.

“I hate it when that happens,” I say. I’m probably the only other person in the room who can relate to what Mickey goes through on a daily basis, living in a house full of family. Everyone else in this room is either an only child—which I am from my mother—or has only one sibling to deal with. But being raised with my mother’s brothers has not allowed me to ever truly feel like the only one.

“I love being the only child. I gets all of the attention,” Chance says, putting his hands behind his head like he’s big daddy. The long, embroidered sleeve of his new Sean Jean shirt slides back again, revealing his new diamond-encrusted watch.

“Damn, nigga, that’s a lot of ice,” Nigel says, peeping the shiny platinum timepiece from across the room. Nellie smiles at the sight of someone envying her man. She’s turned into quite a trick.

“Yeah. It was a good holiday. I’m not complaining,” he says, smiling big like he hit the jackpot this year. I’m glad one of us did. As soon as this punch settles in I can see what everyone else truly wants from Santa, even if he is hella late this year. But I guess it’s better late than never.

“Man, what’s in that blunt? I feel like passing out, and we didn’t even get our munch on yet,” Rah says, stretching out on the futon he and I are sitting on. We haven’t seen each other since last weekend and we haven’t talked about our plans for Valentine’s Day, or Mickey and Nigel’s issues, since then either. The only conversation we’ve had has been about the mundane daily shit. I wonder if Mickey even knows about Nigel possibly being transferred out of South Bay High if his shoulder doesn’t heal? Probably not, since Nigel’s barely speaking to her. He hasn’t looked her in the eye since she’s been here and she’s feeling the neglect.

“Some of your shit, fool. What else?” The secret ingredient isn’t wrapped up in that cigar paper but they don’t need to know that. I casually take over hosting duties since Nigel and Rah look unable to help anyone out. Just as well. They need to relax and let it take over. The sooner I can get in their heads the quicker I can begin to unravel this hell we’ve created.

“More punch?” I ask, topping off everyone’s cup except my own. The spirit book says I, as the seer, shouldn’t have any. The more everyone else takes the deeper their dreams will be. I want to make sure everyone gets their fair share so we can get down to the root of our problems and solve them before Misty and Esmeralda completely destroy my crew.

Before I even finish pouring the second round Chance is knocked out and Rah isn’t far behind.

“Man, I can see why Sade named this track ‘Punch Drunk’,” Nigel says, almost slurring his words he’s so relaxed. “It makes you feel straight.” I look at Mickey staring at Nigel and wonder what she’s thinking. As I focus on her eyes, they begin to give in to their sleepiness and she and Nigel both fall into a quick slumber. Nellie’s the only one who’s resisting the urge to chill, but she can only hold out for so much longer. I focus on the rhythmic tones of the saxophone playing in the background, intent on Nellie falling asleep. I glance over at Rah, sleeping next to me. I can’t wait to get in his head, but Chance is the first to invite me in.

“His mother’s father was a black man and she had a rough time. I guess she thinks baby Chase will have a better chance at living a good life with someone else,”
the woman says, holding an infant Chance in her arms for the couple to see.

“Chance, that’s his name. Chase is so common,”
Chance’s adopted mother says, holding her arms out, ready to receive her son. The father, on the other hand, doesn’t look so sure he’s ready to accept the new arrival.

“Look, we wanted a son that would look like us. We don’t necessarily want everyone knowing we adopted a child. Won’t his other side start to show?”
At least he’s honest about his issues with black people, which is more than I can say for a lot of people I meet.

“No, not necessarily. I didn’t know the mother was half black when I met her. She just looks like an average young white lady. I mean, can you tell this baby has any black blood?”
They look down at the tiny infant swaddled in a blue blanket and their eyes melt at the precious sight.

“All I see is the perfect Christmas gift. Tom, write the lady a check. We’re taking our son home.”
Wow. I wonder if Chance knows this is his true Christmas story? Does he even know he’s adopted, let alone part black? That would explain a lot, but damn, I didn’t ask to see all of this. I thought I was just supposed to see what they were wishing about, not shit they’ve been through and may not even remember.

“Oh, you can’t control that, Jayd. Just relax and go with the flow. Whatever’s there for you to see, you will observe. Don’t worry about anything else,”
my mom says, quickly checking in and out. I know she’s still recovering from her night of drunken bliss with Karl and his family. I’m glad they had a good time without me.
“Remember, you asked how to help your friends and this is the answer. It may not be what you expected, but it is what you asked for. Good night.”

“Later, Mom,”
I think back. Rah is still out cold and not making a sound, which means I can’t get into his head yet. I can’t seem to penetrate Nigel’s dreams either. Maybe he didn’t drink enough of my mother’s concoction. I turn my attention to Nellie, who’s not giving it up, either, even though she’s now asleep, too.

“Remember, you have to be invited in when they start talking in their sleep,”
my mom says. And these three aren’t saying a word. Mickey’s the only one left. I hear her uttering something and that’s all I need to jump in her head.

“I’m Nickey Shantae, your goddaughter. You don’t recognize me?”
the little girl in Mickey’s dream asks me. There’s a glow around her head that reminds me of being in my mother’s womb. Mickey’s daughter is a caul child? I wonder if Mickey is conscious of just how special this child really is. The little girl looks dead at me and I can see her clearly now. Unlike in Chance’s dream, I’m not witnessing what happened in the past but rather I’m an active participant in this vision from the future.

“Hello. Earth to Jayd,”
Nickey Shantae says to me, but I’m still stuck on the fact that this child is talking to me through her mother’s dream.
“Look, all I want for Christmas, my birthday, and any other holiday is for my mama and daddy to be together—end of story. And as my godmother you’re supposed to make that happen.”
Even if she weren’t the spitting image of Mickey, I can tell it’s her child by the way she talks. I’m definitely going to have to get myself together so I can be a steady influence in this child’s life, because she’s going to need it.

“Nickey, your birthday is not a holiday. And I’m not sure I can make that happen.”
Mostly because at this point no one knows for sure who her daddy is. But she doesn’t need to know all of that.

“Why not? Because my mama’s not sure my daddy’s the real daddy?”
I guess she can hear everything that’s going on from the womb, just like I could. We caul kids really need to come together and form our own crew. We can have international chapters and all.
“Jayd, I wasn’t born yesterday and neither were you. Our destinies were decided ages ago and mine doesn’t stop here, you feel me?”
She hasn’t been born at all, but who am I to tell her that?

“How old are you?”
I ask the mini boss bitch. She’s cute, but if she keeps rolling her neck at me, I’m going to check her, dream or not.

“Eight going on eighty,”
she says, like that’s her real age. I’m sure by the time she’s really eight she’ll have heard that very thing time and time again.

“You sure are demanding for an eight year old.”

“Wait until you meet me at sixteen. My mom’s going to send me to live with you for a while. But that’s another story. The point of this little visit is for you to make sure that my mama and the man we are choosing to be my daddy stay together, you got it? I’ve got little brothers and sisters depending on this working out.”

“Well, when you put it like that,”
I say, smiling at the mini Mickey. She is a cutie. Besides, I know she’s really speaking on her mother’s behalf. It is, after all, Mickey’s dream. And I think I’ve had all I can take from her mind for one night.

I can understand Mickey’s child coming to me on behalf of her parents, but how is knowing Chance is adopted and part black going to help me get my friends back together again? And how am I supposed to keep all of this to myself? Since no one else is inviting me in and the drink is now wearing off I think I’ll catch some sleep with my friends. Lord knows I need it after what I just saw.

Last night’s pre–Super Bowl party had all of us hung over today, some more than others. I’m still recovering from the dream sharing. By the time I woke up yesterday morning, Rah, Nigel, and I were the only ones left. If it weren’t for Nigel’s begging me to braid him up today I would still be in my cozy spot on my mother’s couch. Instead, I’m out so early on a Sunday morning.