Hot Boyz (40 page)

Claude reflected in his own head. Pausing to think back. And then he continued. “No, it doesn’t. But love is love. And I fell in love with Venus. It just happened. I hear what you’re saying, and I deserve that. But I’m begging you, think about those who you’d leave behind. Be here so that you can raise that child. Don’t do this to yourself, Colette. I’m begging you, please don’t hurt yourself. That baby needs its mother.”

Claude’s eyes started to well up with tears. At the very moment that he removed his hand to wipe his eyes, Colette unexpectedly grabbed him. She burst into tears. Claude hugged her, patting her on the back as she dropped the knife, bawling in his arms. Torino, looking stunned and shocked, bent down to pick up the knife. He tucked it into his pants pocket.

Claude’s eyes were red. He separated himself from Colette and looked her dead in the eyes. She continued to cry. “You’re already dying inside, just like me. I have to let go, and so do you. If you don’t, you’ll die inside anyway. Colette, I know you don’t want to die. Like me, you just want the pain to stop.”

Colette nodded in agreement as she sniffled. She touched Claude’s arm and backed away, using her long sweater sleeve to wipe her face with her wrist. She wiped her eyes. She wiped her cheeks. She wiped her eyes again.

Claude told her, “And it will stop, eventually. I promise.”

Colette shifted her vision to Torino and shook her head at him. “Good-bye, Torino. Enjoy your new life.”

“Good-bye Colette,” he responded without missing a beat.

She took a couple of steps and then stopped again. “I just need to know one thing from you. Did you love me?”

“Yes. And I always will. And I am sorry that you’re hurting.” Torino spoke with an exhausted tone to his words. He took a step toward her and reached out his arms.

Colette backed away. “Sure you are.” She glared at Claude and then back at her ex. “You need to be more like your brothers. Because one thing is for sure… you played on me and you’ll play on her too, Tito.” Colette looked right through him and then turned to walk away. She headed for the side gate, head hung low, and left. Claude and Torino stood at Torino’s front door as the gate closed, amazed.

Claude spoke first. “Bro, that was a trip. I would never have predicted that.”

Torino exhaled. He went over to the dog run and reached over the fence to pet Kailua. “Calm down, boy.” The dog jumped up, wagging his tail and licking Torino’s arm. “I guess your little brother could have handled that a little bit better, huh, Claude?”

“Man, she’s just crying out for attention.”

“Well, she got that.”

“There’s nothing like the look of the fear of losing in someone’s eyes.”

Torino still looked nervously toward the house. “I say we go on inside.”

“I’m right behind you.” Claude turned to look back toward Torino’s porch and then looked up toward the sky.
Thank you Lord
, he said to himself while pursing his lips. He headed back toward the front house and stepped inside after Torino. Before he closed the door shut, he wiped his eye again and then looked around the corner just to make sure that the desperate woman who had confronted his brother was not coming back. He locked the door securely and returned to his family.

Rashaad stopped Torino as he walked into the kitchen. “What were you two doing to Kailua? Teasing him with the ball?”

“Something like that,” Torino replied, turning off the oven as he opened it.

Rashaad looked serious. He spoke quietly. “Colette is pretty hurt, huh?” he asked toward his uncle’s back.

Torino turned immediately. His shock was evident. “Ahh, yes, she is. You checked on Kailua, huh?”

“I did.”

Torino hesitated, searching for words. “Thanks, Rashaad. I appreciate that. You’re quite a young man.”

They resumed their chef duties, taking the baking dishes from the oven and preparing to serve the family dinner.

Mercedes, Sequoia, Star, and Mattie sat at the dining room table in every other chair, making room for the men. They looked toward the closed kitchen door.

“Where’s Fatima?” Mattie asked out of the blue.

“She’s not here, Mamma,” Mercedes replied, then leaning in toward Sequoia. “It’s a good thing Claude and Cameron didn’t hear that.”

“For sure,” said Sequoia, blowing air though her lips.

“You made that cake?” Mercedes asked Sequoia, changing the subject. “That looks good. Coming up in here making what white girls make.”

“That’s not a white girl dish. You’re trippin’. There’s so much soul up in that cake it’s not even funny.”

Mercedes teased her. “I’ll bet Torino made it.”

“No, but he bakes my cake,” Sequoia whispered, leaning into Mercedes.

“Uh, huh, I know he does.” Mercedes raised her eyebrows.

Sequoia continued to whisper. “And just for the record, I’m glad you and Mason were able to work things out.”

Mercedes replied, “Thanks.” She then looked toward the kitchen yelling, “Come on, my brothers. Where’s the grub?” She hit the table with her flat hand.

One by one, with Mason leading, the men walked into the dining room, each holding a platter in each hand. Torino followed
Mason and Cameron was followed by Torino. Claude, bringing in the other desserts, followed Rashaad.

Mercedes basked in the sight, smell, and variety of the spread. “Now this is what I’m talking about. Real women being served by their men. I’m in heaven.” She rubbed her hands together.

“We’re not gonna feed your greedy butts. We just cooked the food,” Torino vexed.

“It smells delicious,” Sequoia said, inhaling the soulful aroma of the garlic string beans.

Surrounding the twenty-two-pound smoked turkey were plates of beef ribs, fried chicken, and pork chops. Also yams, sage dressing, potato salad, mustard greens, black-eyed peas, and cranberry sauce were placed on one end, and corn bread and the store-bought sour cream cherry pie were placed next to Sequoia’s pineapple upside-down cake at the other end.

“My goodness, guys. You went all out,” said Mercedes.

“I’m impressed,” Sequoia remarked.

Star asked her father, “Daddy, you sure you guys made all of this?”

“Yes, Star. Didn’t know your daddy had it in him, did you?” Mason took his seat.

“No. Other than your super pancake skills,” Star joked with her dad. “I thought Mom and Grammy were the only cooks in this house.”

Mason told his daughter, “I got it from both of them.”

“Please, we know Torino was the head chef today,” Mercedes said.

“And I helped,” said Cameron.

“Sure you did, baby,” said Mattie to her grandson.

Mason looked to all of the males. “We all did it.”

“Let’s just say grace and dig in,” Mercedes said, rubbing her belly.

Mattie bowed her head and began to pray. “Heavenly Father, we do give Thee thanks for all of your abundant blessings. Please bless this food we are about to receive for the nourishment of our bodies. Bless the magnificent cooks and caterers, I mean helpers. May the goodness of their labor grow and blossom inside of us. And
may this family continue to grow in health and happiness forever and ever, amen.”

“Amen,” everyone said in unison.

“Now let’s eat,” said Mercedes.

An empty seat remained next to Claude for Venus.

Conversation was silenced while plates were passed and drinks were flowing, meat was sliced, butter was spread, and hot sauce was dabbed. Within thirty minutes, only the men remained at the table, still grabbing spoonfuls and slices of seconds and thirds.

Mercedes yelled from the sofa, “I thought the cook’s appetite shrunk due to inhaling the food while cooking.”

Mason replied, “No that’s just because you all taste test your way into fullness. I knew better than that.” Mason looked at his brothers. “This food is good, my brotha’s.”

“Ummh, huh,” Torino hummed in agreement, biting his way into a fourth rib. “Oh my goodness,” he said. “I forgot.” He wiped his fingertips with his lap napkin.

“What, is something still in the oven?” Mercedes asked.

He replied, “No. Hold up. Ladies, back to the table for a second.”

“Oh, Lord,” Mattie said with her eyes half closed, resting on one end of the sofa.

“Come here just for a minute,” Torino requested. He took a swig of spiked eggnog and glanced around the table for a minute. “Where are your glasses, everyone?”

“Mine’s empty,” said Mason, looking around for something.

“Then fill them up.” Torino whisked his hands in circular motion for them to hurry up.

“Here, Dad. Pour yourself some water or something before he has a stroke,” Star said, passing around the pitcher.

Mason took the pitcher and poured.

“You have a post-dinner toast or something?” asked Mercedes.

“Hold up now,” Torino said, looking around the table to make sure everyone had a glass in hand. “Mom, come on over here, please,” he begged Mattie, noticing she was still attached to the sofa. “I’d just like to say that I love you all, each and every one of you. Mom, you are the backbone of this family. We are so blessed
to have you here, keeping an eye on us in Dad’s absence. But I know he’s looking down from heaven, tripping off us yet guiding us, too.” Mattie finally got up from the sofa and slowly walked over beside him.

“Claude, thanks for everything. Especially for having my back like you just did.” The ladies gave each other question-marked looks. “And Mason. You’ve held me up like no one else. Even when I’d ask you for a loan and you’d tell me to leave you a-loan, you believed in me and financed me unconditionally for years, bro. You didn’t have to. I appreciate you for having my back when I needed it. But I don’t need it anymore. I worked out a deal with a company who wants to produce Lady Di, the female rapper from the club, so I’ll be managing her. And I took out a loan to pay you off for Cicley’s share of the club. I’m going to run it and make it even more of a success.”

“Congratulations,” said Mercedes.

“Where’s the check?” Sequoia asked, looking pleased.

“It’s coming, baby. And as Claude knows, I made an offer on the property on Halm Avenue, around the corner. I’ll be in my own home within the next forty-five days.”

Mason remarked, “Damn, bro, you’re just full of good news. Have you been approved yet?”

“Like I said, within the next forty-five days.” Torino repeated for his brother’s benefit.

“Forty-five days, okay.” Mason made note of the date on his watch and laughed.

“Anyway. And finally, Mercedes. I’ve watched you support and nurture and love my brother for almost twenty years. Mason, you and Claude have known real love. In a way I’ve envied that feeling, always feeling like a misfit for not having a family. But I hope that will change soon.” He looked at Sequoia and so did everyone else.

“Sequoia. You have changed my life. You make me feel good about myself. You are on my mind from the moment I wake until the moment I go to bed at night. I even dream about you. I look at Star and Rashaad and Cameron, and it makes me want to know the feeling of having and raising my own kids, an extension of me who can enjoy this family’s love, and their grandma’s love.”

Mattie chimed in, “You gonna finally have some kids, boy?”

“I hope to soon, Mom. Sequoia, I’d like to ask you if you would make my life complete by agreeing to be my wife. Sequoia, will you marry me?”

Sequoia’s eyes almost projected right out of her head. She stood still, appearing stunned and surprised.

She looked around at Torino’s family and they gasped, looking back at her as if they could take their next breath if she would only answer.

“Torino, I’m shocked. I had no idea,” was Sequoia’s only reply.

With sweat starting to build up under his armpits, Torino reached into his right pants pocket. The first thing he felt was Colette’s knife. It was the wrong pocket. He felt everyone’s waiting glances as he dug deep into his other pocket and pulled out a black satin pouch. He turned it upside down, and into his unsteady hand fell a yellow gold, pear-shaped diamond solitaire. He put it between his thumb and forefinger, turned to face her and asked again.

“Sequoia, will you marry me?”

Sequoia was rarely tongue-tied. She put down her glass and faced him, looking up at his wide eyes. “Yes, Torino, I will marry you.”

His hand steadied as he put it on her ring finger, sliding it down. It fit perfectly, radiating its glow from the light of the fancy chandelier above.

“Dang, bro. You sure know how to make a toast,” Mason said. “Here’s to the happy couple.” Mason held up his glass and everyone clanged them in unison. Torino kissed Sequoia on her cheek while she still stared at her rock. Everyone else took a swallow. All except Mercedes, who hugged Sequoia, admiring her new diamond.

“That is perfect with your long fingers and brown skin tone, girl,” Mercedes said, turning Sequoia’s hand from left to right for a better look.

Sequoia’s eyes stayed fixed on her ring. “It is beautiful. I’ve always wanted a solitaire like this.”

Mercedes looked to Torino and asked, “You didn’t know which style she wanted?”

“No, I just guessed. It just looked like her.” Torino said, looking proud of himself.

Mercedes whispered toward Sequoia, “So I guess you did meet a man in a club after all, and not in church, huh?”

“I guess so,” Sequoia replied.

“Well, Sequoia Wilson, welcome to the family,” said Mason, coming over to hug her. He gave his brother a high-five.

Claude grabbed Torino’s hand and gave him a fisted handshake. He then took hold of him with strength, pulling him close to his chest, patting him on the back and saying, “Congratulations, Tito, my brotha. Way to go.”

Torino replied, “Thanks, man. She’s the one. No more breaking hearts, dude.”

“There’s nothing like the love of a good woman,” Claude told his little brother. They both smiled.

Rashaad and Cameron lined up to hug Sequoia. “Congratulations, new Auntie,” Cameron said.

“Thanks so much. And it looks like I’ll have some handsome nephews, too.” Sequoia received a straight on hug from Rashaad, squeezing his upper body into her chest. “Uuhph, that was a nice strong hug, Rashaad. You’re getting so strong.”