Talk a Good Game (27 page)

I looked over at the clock. It was
six thirty. Kaleb wasn’t due home until around eight. I had planned
on dropping by the restaurant anyway, so I could do both. “Where
you at?” I was already heading to the bedroom to change.

“
I
’
m at the corner of Providence and
Texas.”

I slipped into a pair of skinny jeans and a blue
blouse and grabbed a pair of yellow pumps.

I knocked once at CJ’s door and
then opened it. He was sitting on the end of his bed playing his
video game. Midnight was on his bed and the room stunk like wet
dog. “I
’
m running over to the
restaurant.”

“
Okay.” He didn’t even bother to
look away from the video game. He spent so much time in front of
that television, one of these days I would have to bring him down
to the restaurant and put him to work.

Honey was whining and wanting to
go with me.”
No Honey. I’ll
be back.” I rubbed
his head then hurried out the house and climbed into my BMW, before
Kaleb decided to come home early.

I opened the sunroof. It was just one of those June
nights when the weather was just perfect.

I
spotted Frankie
’s
SUV as I pulled into the
abandoned gas station. As soon as he saw my car, he trotted over
and opened the door for me.

“
Hey you,” he said with that sexy
ass smile of his. I climbed out and gave him a hug.

“
C
’
mon, let me show you
around.”

My eyes swept the area. “Remember
when we were teenagers and after we got done with those teen center
parties we all hung out in this parking lot?”

He laughed. “You remember
that?”

I nodded. “Hell yeah! Them were
the days.”

This gas station used to be the
place to be. I remember all of us with a driver’s license, filling
up the parking lot. Music thumping, folks dancing, and acting a
fool. The only reason why the store manager didn’t complain was
because we were all inside buying up the stores, especially the
slushies. We were good for business. Every now and again, a fight
would pop off and the police would come and run us all off but for
the most part we just weren’t ready to go home and were hanging
out.

The place hadn’t been open in
years. The gas price still displayed one-ninety-eight a gallon.
Something we haven’t seen in years.

“
I
’
m planning to take this garage
and install a carwash. And then right on this side
we
’ll
have hand-washing and
detailing.”

“
You gonna sell gas?”

Frankie smirked. “Hell yeah and
run a convenience store just like back in the day.”

I nodded and visualized his dream,
while I walked around the lot. The windows were busted on the front
of the store and the inside was a janitorial mess, but it wasn’t
anything sweat and hard work couldn’t fix.

“
I think this will be a great
location.”

He looked down at me and grinned.
“Me too. I
’
m going to have the pumps
inspected for contamination but other than that I’m already sold on
this place.”

“
Why would they be
contaminated?”

“
Sometimes tanks leak underneath.
And that’s a bitch to clean up. Besides, the bank will never
approve the loan until it’s inspected.” He looked around and
grinned. “But this is my dream.”

“
It
’s
better to have some kinda dream
than none at all.” I looked around and smiled. “I remember when I
first told everyone I wanted to open a restaurant
downtown.”

“
I remember that. And I said there
was no way in hell folks are gonna come downtown for soul food. But
you proved us all wrong.”

“
Yes I did.”

Frankie gave me a fist bump and we stood there like
two fools staring at each other. I starting thinking about when we
were in high school. I had been so young and confused back then.
Now he was simply delicious and looked so good in blue jeans and a
fresh white t-shirt.

My cellphone rang, breaking the spell. I reached
inside my purse and look down at the screen.

“
Hey CJ.
What
’s
up?
”

“
Have you seen my men?”

It took me a second to figure out
what he was talking about. “
Your little army men?
”

“
Yes, my men.” He sounded
impatient.

“
Yeah you left them on the counter
so your dad stuck them in the drawer in the living
room.”

I could hear him moving through the house.

“
Where in the drawer?”

“
I don’t
know. He said he
was putting them in the living room.”

“
There not in here!” He sounded
frantic.

Oh my God! He was such a pussy.
“
I
don’t
know CJ. You
’ll
have to
text him.”

“
Why did he move them?” he
whined.

What
’s
the big
fucking deal about those men? “
I don’t
know.
Look, I’ll try and reach your dad for you.”

“
Okay.” He hung up, and probably
went back to looking for those men.

“
Is everything okay?” Frankie
asked.

I nodded. “Yeah, let me try
texting Kaleb. He moved his son’s
toys and
now he
’s
freaking out.”

He scratched his chin. “How old is
the boy?”

I rolled my eyes while I texted.
“Thirteen. He carries these little men around in his pocket and now
he can’t find them.” Frankie gave me this look and I held up a
hand. “Let me stop you before you even ask. I can’t even begin to
explain it.”

I hit Send then put my phone away.
“I better get over to the restaurant before Kaleb starts blowing up
my phone.”

There was that look again. I
decided to ignore it. “I think this place is great. What are you
planning on calling it?”

“
Frankie
’s
.”

I grinned. “Of course.”

He shrugged. “Like you always say,
“It
’s
all about me.”

We laughed and then he took my
hand and got all serious. “So how are you doing?”

Didn’t he just ask me the same
thing two weeks ago? “I
’m doing good.
”

“
I mean really. You just don’t
seem yourself.”

“
What does that mean?” I didn’t
mean to get defensive but I did.

“
I mean
you
’
re usually really talkative,
laughing. I don’t know, you just seem different.”

I shrugged. “Maybe
it
’s
called maturity.”

“
Or it could be
stress.”

I blew out a breath. You never
could hide much from him. “Yeah, that
’s
true. I just
gotta lot going on right now.”

“
You
’ve
always been able to juggle a
lot of things but that man and his son they’re so needy. I thought
you didn’t like needy men?”

“
I don’t
and he isn’t.”
This was one conversation I just didn’t want to have. My phone
started vibrating in my purse. I didn’t even have to look down to
know who it was. “Look, I better get to the restaurant so I can go
home and help CJ find his men.” I tried to laugh it off like it was
a joke but Frankie barely broke a smile. “Let me know what you find
out about the gas tanks. Otherwise, I think you better snatch this
place up.” I moved over and gave him a quick hug then hurried off
to my car just as my phone started vibrating
again.

I waited until I had started the car to answer.

“
Where you at?” Kaleb
barked.

“
Heading to the
restaurant. What did you do with CJ
’s
men?”

He laughed. “Oh I have them in my
pocket.”

“
In your
pocket
? You told me you were putting them
in the drawer. That boy is practically in tears over those men!” I
didn’t mean to snap but I didn’t like the way he was
behaving.

“
Sorry. I was just playing with
him.” He had the nerve to sound defensive.

“
Then keep that
shit between the two of you! He’s calling all frantic over his men
while you
’
re at a basketball
game.”

“
How long you gonna be at the
restaurant?”

“
For a slit second then I’ll go
back to the house with CJ. You got him all upset.”

Kaleb blew out a long breath.
“I’ll call him.”

I ended the call and went to the restaurant. CJ and
his dad were both blowing up my phone, but I left it in the car and
went inside. It was definitely slow for a Wednesday night.

When I finally made it back to the house I noticed
the entire place was lit up with lights. Honey was on the porch
waiting for me. CJ had obviously let him out and forgot to bring
him back in.

“
CJ!” I called as I stepped inside
the house.

“
Yes
ma
’
am.”

I moved into the living room where he was sitting on
the couch rocking back and forth hugging the pillow to his chest.
Cartoons were on.

“
Why are all the lights
on?”

“
I
’
m sorry. I was looking for my
men.” He got up from the couch and started turning out lights. I
saw the dried tears on his face and the sad look on his
face.

“
Did you speak to your
dad?”

He nodded. “He says he has my
men.” His bottom lip quivered. Ugh! I was so tired of feeling sorry
for him.

“
He
’ll
be home I
’
m
sure in the next hour.”

“
An hour?” His eyes
widened.

“
How about some ice cream with
chocolate syrup?” I suggested.

He nodded. “Yeah, yeah, yeah!” I
knew he loved chocolate syrup. I just hid it at the back of the
closet because he liked to drink chocolate milk with a spoon and
all that damn slurping got on my last nerve.

I put the syrup on the counter
along with the ice cream and suddenly felt compelled to strike up a
conversation. “I hear you
’
re an honor roll
student.”

“
We
don’t
get mid-grades until next week.” He mumbled
without looking at me.

“
So do you think you made
it?”

He nodded. “Yes
ma
’
am. But math has been
tough.”

“
I
’
m sure you
’ll
do
fine. If you need some help just let me know.”

“
Okay,” he said in that annoying
babyfied voice. I left him eating ice cream in front of the
television and went upstairs to put on something comfortable. By
the time I was coming back down, Kaleb was coming through the front
door. CJ practically knocked me over.

“
Dad, where are my men?” he said
in a frenzy.

“
They
’
re
in my bag,
” Kaleb said like it was no big
deal.

“
W-why
’
d you move them?”
he
stuttered.

“
Quit whining like a fucking
baby!” It was clear he was now annoyed.

CJ stood there rocking side to
side. “I just wanted to know why you moved them.” I couldn’t
believe his little ass was demanding answers.

“
CJ, get your men and go to your
room!” Kaleb snapped and there was that crazed look again. I was
starting to think something was wrong with both of them.

I waited until he was up in his
room before I turned to Kaleb, completely puzzled by the entire
situation and said, “What
’s
up with him and those
men?”

Again he shrugged like it was no
big deal. “He
’s
had them since he was a little
kid and I can’t get him to part with them.”

“
So
they
’
re like his security
blanket.”

“
Yeah, pretty much. He carries
them around in his pocket all the time.”

I looked over at the staircase.
Something about this boy gave me this sick eerie feeling like there
was so much more to this story. I just couldn’t put my finger on
it.