The Banks Sisters (17 page)

Tallhya's eyes rolled back in her head, not in the praising God kind of way, but in a pissed the hell off to be out of bed this early in the morning when my life is a hot mess and ain't nothing God can do to fix it kind of way. She had been dragged up into Faith and Hope Ministry one time too many with the promise of grace and salvation and since nothing she prayed for ever happened she didn't see any point believing in this mess anymore. But here she sat bright and early in the front row with the unofficial Mayor of this sanctuary, the only person who could convince her to drag her butt up in here, Me-Ma Banks. As much as they tried to be supportive Me-Ma and Simone were sick to death of Tallhya's crying and carrying on like she had lost something precious when in their estimation the only thing she lost amounted to unnecessary dead weight.

“Thank you, Jesus! Can you all say, thank you, Jesus!” Pastor Cassius, resplendent in his loud-ass royal blue suit. He danced up and down the stage, shouting and praising like something right out of an old fashioned revival. His loyal flock was jumping up and down, shouting out thank you, Jesus like they had just won the Virginia State Lottery and not just another chance to line the pastor's fattening pockets. Simone sat on the opposite side of their grandmother, she also did not want to be there, but in her defense she had a stronger faith than any of her sisters. She knew that as suspicious as she was of Pastor Cassius she would gleam at least one take-away from the sermon even if the Reverend made her uncomfortable.

“Good Lord,” Ginger's heels click clacked down the aisle as she sashayed her way to the pew where her grandmother sat every single Sunday. Heads turned almost on cue, but like all the Banks girls, she just chalked it up to her exceptional good looks and massive sex appeal. Of course there had been a time not too long ago when Ginger used Sunday service to procure her lovers. She had a particular fondness for other people's mates, she preferred married men and men with money, preferably a lot of it. Ginger always joked that she could write the book on the perfect places to meet the down low brothers in the closeted community and church reigned consistently on the top of her list. Normally though, church and Ginger were not exactly on friendly terms and if it hadn't been for Pastor Street being fine as hell and straight at least on the surface she would have stayed her ass in her bed. Her friends had been whispering about the good pastor for a while so it made Ginger curious enough to find out if she could take the man of God for a spin. Plus she would never admit to it, but her tough act disintegrated when one of her sisters were hurt, so if being in church could make them feel better, then so be it, but don't blame her if she used it as an opportunity to get laid. She slipped in the pew next to her family and paid very close attention to the sermon.

While Cassius led his sermon Ginger spent that entire time imagining him naked and on his knees servicing her 'cause she was a real feminist and preferred to get hers first. Only thing that annoyed Ginger more than being in church was Bunny's absence, her entire focus revolved around her man Spoe. Now she appreciated that Spoe was a keeper who treated her sister like gold, but damn, the Negro could share the girl with her own sisters. Ginger hadn't seen or heard from Bunny since the day they went to the funeral place with Tallhya. Spoe called when they were on their way to eat and whatever it was he wanted Bunny to do must've been important because Bunny canceled all their plans and dropped them at the house like stepchildren. She was acting like she had to go and put out a fire and had not been seen or heard from since. You would think that with Tallhya in a state of crisis her older sister would have picked her head up off of her man's penis and shown up or at least called to check on her.

“Can you see if she's here yet?” Me-Ma craned her neck trying to look clear to the back of the church, many rows back and passed a lot of heads, many fitted with fancy hats that could cause a scene at the Kentucky Derby. Simone did a quick look back even though deep down she already knew that her mother would be a no show. She hadn't gotten excited about seeing her mom at church because she knew better than to get her hopes up. She did feel bad for Me-Ma though because no matter how many times Deidra disappointed her, she always kept her hopes up and was destined once again to be let down.

“She's not here,” she told her grandmother, again.

“This sure is wonderful,” Me-Ma smiled feeling so grateful to have three of her four granddaughters there. It was still early so she felt hopeful that Deidra was only running late and would arrive shortly. Her daughter had never been on time for anything.

“Me-Ma, she's not coming,” Simone wanted to be realistic and tried to soothe her grandmother's disappointment early. Plus she did not want to spend the entire service checking for her mother whom she figured was laid up somewhere with her latest looser because that was her mother's type.

“She said that she would be bringing this new fellow, Lenny.”

“There is always a new ‘fellow' or two,” Tallhya who had been listening chimed in. Her head and neck going every which way.

“I don't see how you can have anything to do with her Me-Ma. She stole your money and ran out. She's not gonna show up 'til that money is gone.” Now whether she was right or wrong, Simone's tone didn't sit any better with her grandmother and since she didn't have children yet she couldn't understand how she felt. For Me-Ma, it was like the saying goes “a mother's love is a mother's love.”

“Don't you talk like that about your mother! That is my daughter. My chile you're talking bad about.” Me-Ma's voice raised and so be it because she didn't come from this hiding behind your hand whispering generation. She put her stuff right out there and didn't ever care what anyone had to say. If they weren't paying her bills they did not get a vote and that included her grandkids. “Just like I love all of you, I love Deidra. You all with your money, money, money ways don't realize that's not how God intended it. You can't put money over people.” Even the choir lowered their voices out of respect for Mrs. Banks preaching. It was Sunday and she sure as hell was giving a sermon. Pastor Cassius must have thought so too because he waved his hand commanding the choir to stop singing, “Precious Lord” mid note.

“Mrs. Banks, you are the elder, me and most of the folks in here want you to have your say. Too often we hush up what the people who have come before us have to say when they're the ones who can teach us the most lessons. We act as if we have invented loud music, short skirts and falling in love with the wrong people. Fellow church members and visitors you need to listen to your elders. Now Mrs. Banks, would you do us the honor of coming up here to share your message with us?” Me-Ma looked around silent. Then she stood up, ascended the stage and took the mic like that was her job.

“I was telling my granddaughters that I don't understand this generation one bit. If you don't know then you will be shocked to learn that when you put anything before God, you will suffer. I'm talking all those fancy Lenny shoes and bags and the stuff you have to spend your money to get.” Well, Mrs. Banks was working herself up into quite a frothy lather and she had that Amen corner going. “You need to listen to what I am saying because God loves you.” People stood up and starting shouting back in agreement. The reactions really got Me-Ma shouting and pointing her fingers. She had worked her whole life to build a strong relationship with the Lord so she knew what she was talking about and she wanted these people to get it.

“God loves you more than you know. Do you get that?” Well, people kept shouting back agreeing with her. “So you cannot put anything before God and you cannot put anything before your family.” Me-Ma took a deep breath sucking in air to expand her lungs before she continued. “Especially those who have strayed from the Lord 'cause those are the ones you need to stay on your knees praying the most for because that is what God would want. When you love someone who has lost their way you never ever give up on them. You nev—” she clutched her hand to her chest. Mrs. Banks's mouth dropped open as her head started to sway back.

“Me-Ma!” Simone's voice raised over the stunned silence as her grandmother collapsed onto stage. Pastor Cassius Street rushed over to her first. The congregation, many who were present when the last pastor died, sat there in stunned silence not believing their bad luck to witness yet another heart attack. Simone, Ginger, and Tallhya raced to the stage as their grandmother took her last breath.

“Ms. Banks, so nice to see you back to work. We all thought you left with the money,” Gray McPearson, a forty-five-year-old workaholic balding manager snidely remarked as she came through the door. His tone couldn't have been more opposite from the desperate married man hoping to get laid when Simone first interviewed with him. He motioned to her to follow him.

The customers in the bank moved about unaffected by the bank robbery that now was classified as yesterday's news.

“Mr. McPearson, I need to talk to you about my job.” She started as he flipped through the paperwork on his desk intentionally ignoring her.

“Yes, Ms. Banks,” he began.

“It's Simone. Please call me Simone,” she took a deep breath trying to get comfortable being back in this place where she almost lost her life.

“Yes, we do need to talk about your job Ms. Banks,” he said coldly. “See, because your first official day on the job coincided with the first robbery this bank has experienced in over six years, I'm feeling a little suspicious of your timing. You undestand why I may be a little suspicious of eveerything, right?” Simone actually felt shocked that he cut so quickly to the point. It was one thing to want to fuck the new black girl because after all she does have multiple degrees from a second tier university, but when she's suspected of being involved in a bank robbery, well, that just takes things to completely different level.

“I told Detective Dugan everything he needed to know. I could have died in here and you actually think I'm a part of that crime? Are you accusing me of taking part in the bank robbery? Is this because I'm Black Mr. McPearson?” She paused, “Because I am almost positive that if I was a white woman, that thought wouldn't have even crossed your mind.” She stared at him just waiting for this motherfucker to break some law.

“No, that's not what I'm saying,” he started to back peddle his ass away from the lawsuit hovering around them.

“Nothing like that has ever happened to me and I wasn't sure that I would come back to this job. And yes, I knew that it might make me look guilty, but I'm not sure that standing there handing money to the next person holding a gun to my head is the kind of job security that I need.” The last thing she wanted was to be classified as a typical ghetto Black girl.

“Well, all our feelings aside, are you planning to return to your job at the bank or not?” Mr. McPearson asked deciding to drop the accusations and just let the authorities handle it.

“Yes, I am, but I can't come back tomorrow as planned. I know that the bank offered me a week off, but there's been a tragedy in my family and I need to take another week.”

“Another week? I can give you until Monday.” He offered not so generously.

“Fine.” She stood up and walked out of the door and was fighting to keep it together as she bumped right into Jackie, the assistant manager.

“You all right?” Jackie held Simone by the arm, leading her away from the offices.

“Not sure you want to be seen with the co-conspirator to the robbery,” Simone warned her as they made their way outside. “But I have been better. A whole lot better,” she admitted to Jackie, the admission also came as the first she made out loud to herself. Since Me-Ma passed she'd been so busy taking care of everybody else and making the funeral arrangements.

“Honey, all you need for them to be suspicious of you is some extra melanin. That's why even though I been here a lot longer than the last three managers I ain't never going to make it past assistant.”

“I'm just so tired.” Simone's voice matched her emotions, which made Jackie put an arm around her to offer comfort.

“I know sweetheart. But I promise it's gonna be okay. Just trust in God.”

“He thinks he can insult me by basically accusing me of being a thief? That's bullshit,” Simone lowered her voice she still heard her father's words in her ear and did not want to be seen cursing in public.

“Look, those men may have known someone, but it wasn't from the tellers because we all know that the best day to take this place down is a Friday. That's when we get the money to cash the Government payroll checks and with the two largest state buildings located a few blocks away that's a whole lot of money. Hell if they were smart they would have waited until Thursday night at six after the armored truck drops off the money. Honey, right now I'm just glad we survived. How are you holding up sugar?” Jackie asked placing her hand on Simon's shoulder.

Simone stared at Jackie and contemplated whether or not to be honest about how she was really doing. Jackie had been nice to her from the day they met and she seemed like a good woman. The way Jackie carried herself reminded her of the nice older ladies from church. Right now Simone really needed someone to be nice to her and so far Jackie had been the only one to ask of her well being.

“To be honest Jackie, I'm a shit!” The word had already bounced out of Simone's mouth before she noticed and too late to stop it, but he was the last person she felt like dealing with today. Detective Dugan stepped out of an unmarked police car and was headed straight toward them. Both women would have had to be blind not to notice him. Plus he had a strong hard body and biceps straining to get out of that shirt that made it hard to look away, too.

“Damn!” Jackie salivated as the detective joined them. “I'm gonna be late from my break.”

“Ladies?” The detective nodded his head in greeting as he reached the two, but really he was focused on Simone.

“Officer, I need to clock back in. If you need to talk to me I'm in my office.” Jackie quickly excused herself and hurried back into the bank trying to beat the clock. Without a legitimate excuse Simone didn't have any reason to dart away.“ Detective Dugan,” Simone nodded taking out her car keys. As fine as he was though, she kept telling herself that she had way too much on her mind to be thinking about a man right now. But if her father Simon had still been alive and present he would have been the first one to notice how much alike the two men were, but his baby girl couldn't see it, not yet.

“Ms. Banks, I wondered when you would return to work?”

“Don't you mean if I was coming back to work?” With everything going on Simone felt particularly prickly and took offense that he would assume anything about her.

“My experience has taught me that most people who experience that kind of trauma in the work place aren't in a position to just quit their jobs. I'm not saying it's easy to go back in there, but you do what you have to do. So, not to be presumptuous, but are you coming back to the job?”

“Yes, but I needed to ask for more time off,” she sighed the full heaviness of losing her Me-Ma finally starting to hit. Out of nowhere tears begin to well up in her eyes and before she could get a handle on it they begin to overflow. Before he knew what was happening his chivalry took over and he had wrapped his arms around Simone in an attempt to comfort her. Something about this girl made the normal workaholic detective want to push the job aside and get to know her. He'd been on this force a good ten years and in his thirty-two years of his life he had yet to meet anyone like Ms. Simone Banks and that included the girls he came across at Norfolk State University where he graduated majoring in Criminal Justice.

Simone could not get control of her emotions. With everything that had happened the last few days, it was as if she had reached her breaking point and everything was spilling out of her. Detective Dugan stood there holding her in his arms without saying a word. In this moment even he felt like he was exactly where he was supposed to be; holding this beautiful, fragile woman in his arms. The familiar way the two of them stood their silently together caused a customer to smile as she exited the bank. She assumed they were in the middle of making up after an argument. She couldn't help, but reminisce of how she and her husband would kiss and make-up back in their younger days. The chuckling sound the woman made as she passed by embarrassed Simone who broke away from the detective. Being a private person this show of emotion was so out of character she didn't quite know how to recover after her breakdown.

“You all right?” he asked sensing her discomfort. In his line of work, he was used to handling women that were emotionally unstable, but what he wasn't used to was him feeling so attracted to a woman involved in one of his cases.

“It's my grandmother, she passed away two days ago and I just, I don't know I think I'm just—” Her attempt to blow it off failed miserably as Detective Dugan pulled her close again. This time Simone leaned into him letting herself go completely as she closed her eyes listening to his heartbeat. It felt so good if only for a moment to not have to be strong for anyone. The only other man she had ever been able to let herself go like this with was her father. As soon as she started thinking of her dad she completely lost it again as she began to sob while still engulfed in his strong arms.

When she had stopped crying, the detective placed his hands on either side of her cheeks. Even with mascara running down her face and bloodshot eyes, she was still the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. He found himself taking a step back trying to maintain a professional distance, predicated by the fact that Ms. Banks hadn't been officially cleared of the robbery. Years of investigating perps told him that the reasons she appeared suspect had more to do with six degrees of separation, none of it pointing to her guilt. This made him even more anxious to find whoever had helped to set this up because two dead cops meant somebody was going down for this crime and unless his instincts were way off, he needed to make sure that it wouldn't be her.

“You all right?”

“Yes, I'm fine. I'm sorry I put you in that predicament. Thank you so much, though. I have to go.” She darted away. He watched Ms. Banks as she got into a car. He made a mental note about the Dodge. Because it was a mighty step down from the Mercedes she had been driving the day after the incident when she came asking for her keys. She looked so out of place in that car which made him wonder what was really going on with this woman. The next thought surprised him. It was that he'd have to find a way to see Simone again, and soon.