Mattie's Call (17 page)

“Hi. May I help you?” Langston asked, holding a game remote control. His eyes roamed the space behind Joshua as if he expected others to join him.

Staring at the younger version of himself, he paused.

“Lang, who's at the door?” a deep voice called out.

A string of excited voices blended in with a video game. Joshua peered into the living room and saw a group of young males tapping away at game controls, shouting, and egging on the leading players. He refocused his attention on Langston.

“I'm here to see Deborah. Is she here?”

“Dad, there's a man here to see Mom.”

Joshua inhaled. He couldn't turn back now, so he waited for his nemesis to reach the door.

“Hi, may I—”

Joshua glimpsed Ennis. His casual attire—sweats and an oversized hoodie—didn't suit him. Even dressed down, Ennis Calhoun's distinguished presence wasn't lost on him. He understood why Deborah's family had arranged their marriage. Still, he wasn't leaving without speaking his mind.

Ennis stared him up and down, unable to control the fury slowly overtaking him. He turned to Langston. “Let me chat with this old friend of ours. Get on back in there before Dallas beats you down in Fifa.”

“As if,” joked Langston. He gave Ennis their secret handshake and went back inside.

Ennis slammed the door and walked to the gazebo area. He paced, then turned to Joshua. “I know damned well you didn't darken my door with your presence. How did you get this address?” His voice was a growl.

Unaffected by Ennis's bravado, Joshua raised his voice. “I came to see my son.”

“You want to say that again?”

“The last time I was here I didn't get a chance to make arrangements with Deborah about seeing Langston.”

Ennis rubbed the back of his neck and blew out a string of short breaths to gain control. “The last time? What do you mean the last time? You've been here with my wife? Are you sleeping with Deborah?”

Joshua sneered and rankled Ennis's nerves with, “You should ask her what's going on.”

Ennis pushed Joshua's chest, knocking him back a few spaces. He advanced toward Joshua, his chin high, grinding his teeth. “Any man can father a child, but it takes a real man to be a daddy. What are you, father or daddy?” His raised his fist to punch Joshua's face but instead, grasped his chest. He fell forward on Joshua, his shortness of breath apparent.

Frightened, Joshua held onto Ennis as he hyperventilated. He managed to get him down on the ground. “Stay with me, Ennis. I'm getting Langston.”

Joshua ran to the door and beat it until Langston and his friends came out. Langston darted toward Ennis, Joshua close behind. He knelt to his dad and asked Joshua, “What happened?”

“Call nine-one-one, Langston!”

“No! He's having a panic attack. Help me get him inside. I know what to do.”

Joshua, Langston, and Dallas hoisted Ennis's body and carried him inside. The living room became a makeshift emergency room as Langston took off Ennis's hoodie.

“Belly breath, dad. Come on, Enny C, you can get through this.” The calmness with which he spoke to Ennis gave Joshua pause. No blood between them but so much love.

As he rubbed his father's arm, he said to Dallas, “Go to the upstairs bathroom and bring the bottle of Ativan.”

Dallas rushed upstairs, retrieved the bottle, and went to the kitchen for a glass of water.

“Concentrate on your breathing, Dad. In and out.”

Dallas uncapped the bottle, pouring two pills in Langston's hand. Langston sat Ennis up and dropped the meds in his mouth like a bird feeding her babies in a nest. Water fell down Ennis's side as he gulped hard. Langston wiped his face with his T-shirt sleeve. They all watched as his labored breathing settled.

“Tell me what you need now, Dad.”

Ennis shook his head and laid cold, steely eyes on Joshua. “Leave.”

“Dad, who is he?”

Ennis squeezed out the word once more. “Leave. Leave my family alone.”

All eyes pierced Joshua as he walked out of the condo.

•  •  •

At the Swainsboro exit, her calls came back to back. He answered, ready to endure her wrath.

“What were you thinking, Joshua?” she yelled.

“About my son.”

“I told you I would introduce you when the time was right! You knew what was going on with Ennis.”

“Don't you understand my position?”

She sighed. “I apologized for keeping you in the dark. Lang told me how he handled Ennis's panic attack. He loves that man so much. Are you that insensitive that you were willing to blurt out the truth? What would you do if someone told you Mr. Daniel wasn't your father? How would you take the news?” After the lengthy pause, she said, “Exactly.”

“Deborah, I came to see you and talk about arrangements. I meant—”

“Your intentions were loud and clear. I don't have a perfect marriage, and the last thing I need to do is make things worse.”

“At least let me—”

“Come near us again and I'll get a restraining order against you.”

 26

“G
igi, one more note like that and you'll be the CEO,” said Nanette.

Katisha sucked her teeth and chomped her turkey sandwich as they sat in the break room. She twirled her ponytail around her finger with her free hand and addressed Nanette. “Once the newness of the job wears off, she'll be sick of these customers just like we are.”

Nanette shook her head at Katisha's salty attitude. “You're being hateful, Katisha.”

“I'm not. You know how people are all gung-ho at first, then fall off the longer they work.”

“I've been out of work for a long time. Getting back into the swing of things has been good.”

Nanette needled Katisha more. “Don't you think it's commendable that at least three customers have taken the time to send personal notes to the store about Gigi's performance?”

“Probably corporate plants.”

“Still, that means she's doing a good job regardless of who's watching.”

“Whatever.”

Katisha popped the top off a Tupperware container of fresh, sliced peaches. Her hair and nail colors this week, burgundy and fuchsia, were tamer than the last rainbow. She grabbed a few peaches with her super-long nails and wolfed them down.

“Slow down. We have time before we get back to the floor.”

“Nanette, I'm eating so I can smoke before I go back.” She wiped peach juice from her mouth with a napkin.

“You smoke?” asked Gabrielle. She didn't mean the question to sound so judgmental. Her face flushed as Katisha's lips turned upward.

“Yes.”
Katisha's terse response drew air from the room.

Gabrielle backpedaled. “I didn't mean to offend you. I'd never seen you smoke, that's all.”

“I guess you'll be the smoking police, too. What with all your
exemplary
qualities.”

“Katisha, what's up with you today?” Nanette asked.

Katisha abandoned her uneaten food, yanked her purse from the coat hanger, and poured Kool-Aid from a Styrofoam cup into the sink. She stalked out of the room.

Nanette and Gabrielle stared at each other. Seconds passed and they giggled at her antics.

“She's doing the most today.”

“Gigi, don't pay her any attention. Some days she can be semi-nice, other days it's like she spent the night in a hornet's nest. She's so rude.”

“Why does she still have a job?”

“She knows the system well enough not to go off the deep end. She works the points system to her advantage, and she does adequate work. Nothing above and beyond, though.”

“That must be tiring.”

“Wait 'til she gets back from smoking. She has no idea you all are working in Women's Clothing together.”

“Oh no. Who told you that?”

“I overheard Bertha telling Herb she could learn a lot from you.”

“I'm not in the mood for this today. I can't influence anyone.”

“I sure hope you'll rub off on her.” Nanette scanned the room and leaned in to Gabrielle. “Gigi, she's on probation and doesn't know it. Three more incidents and she's out.” Nanette made a cutting gesture across her throat. “You're attractive and a customer magnet. I don't know what it is about you, but customers are drawn to you. They tell you their business, take your advice.”

“I follow the general customer service rule. Smile and be personable.”

“When was the last time you saw Katisha smile?”

“Never.”

“That's what I'm talking about. All the coaching and talk-withs haven't worked. I tried to be a fly on the wall and listen to Herb when he was talking about her, but he lowered his voice when I was near. There's a reason they've kept her this long. I don't know what it is.”

Gabrielle shook off the notion of mentoring Katisha. “All I can do is try to help her. She may be too far gone.”

“Hey, nothing beats a failure but a try.”

“Say that again.”

“Nothing beats a failure but a try.” Nanette wadded up her Burger King bag and tossed it in the trash, basketball court swish style.

“My mother used to say that phrase all the time.”

“Used to?”

“Yes. She died a few months ago.”

“I'm sorry to hear that, Gigi. Had she been sick?”

Gabrielle rarely discussed Mattie's disappearance. For all the conflict they'd experienced, she missed her mother, ached for her. She'd give anything to hear Mattie laugh, to spit out a piece of advice or wisdom, to put her in check.

“Do you remember the woman who disappeared from the nursing home?”

“The Mattie's Call woman?”

Gabrielle nodded. “That was my mother.”

Nanette took Gabrielle's hands and caressed them. “I'm so sorry.” Fury crossed her face. “I would have sued that nursing home for every dime.”

“We're looking into it. We're trying to get adjusted to not having her anymore.”

“A lot of people here were talking about the incident. I read her obituary and my heart went out to you all. I didn't realize you were one of her three children.”

“If I could see her one more time. I have so many things to say to her. If your mother is still alive, Nanette, cherish her. You only get one.”

“I know and I do. You don't have to tell me twice. There is no woman in the world like Mrs. Alva Jean Coles.”

They didn't hear Katisha walk in. “I hate to break up the love party, but we need to get back to the floor.”

The three of them headed to the floor and were stopped by Herb. “Katisha and Gabrielle, may I speak with you?”

Nanette gave Gabrielle a sheepish grin and headed toward electronics.

“Katisha, you will be working with Gabrielle in Women's for the duration of your shift.”

“No hell I won't!”

“Katisha!” Herb and Gabrielle said in unison.

“I've warned you about your tone, Katisha,” Herb chided.

She rocked back on her heels. “Before lunch, I was almost done restocking the frozen meats. Why would you make me go to another department now?”

“Last time I checked, I was your boss. Also, you need to be cross-trained.”

Katisha put her hands on her hips. “That's way too much people involvement!”

“You need to have a variety of skills if you want to keep the job, Katisha. Gabrielle is good with customers and could teach you valuable pointers.”

“Oh, so somebody here less than two months can teach me how to do my job?”

“Coaching, write-up, or suspension if you don't go. Take your pick,” said Herb.

Katisha's lips tightened in an angry line. She rolled her eyes and made a beeline to Women's. Herb and Gabrielle followed her.

Gabrielle ran her finger through her hair. “Are you sure you want to do this, Herb?”

“It needs to be done. She has a short time to turn things around or else…”

Stifling her desire to pry, Gabrielle interrupted him with, “I'll work with her. Nothing beats a failure but a try.”

 27