Word of Honor, Book 2 (32 page)

Chapter Fifteen

…Three weeks later

A
ARON SET ANOTHER
empty box down upon his desk in his home. In the distance, he could hear Mia on her phone, probably speaking to her cousin, Trudy. She’d stated earlier that she needed to give her a call, a check in of sorts, and to catch up. Every now and again he’d hear her burst out laughing, and that sound warmed his soul and heart. The music she played came out smooth and mellow throughout the house speakers. He was getting accustomed to her eclectic tastes, and since he’d heard the song now a time or two before, he recognized it as one of her favorites – Musiq’s ‘Just Friends’.

He stood from his seat and peeked up the hall into the open area. There she was, a tiny swaying angel in the kitchen, her cell phone in one hand and a spatula in the other. The house smelled like warm cinnamon and soft, buttery bread. He crossed his ankles and arms and leaned his head upon the door, unable to break his smile or his gaze from her – from the way the woman moved, made him feel. Everywhere she went, she brought sunshine. His life had been so dark, he had no idea how bright the light of a new day really was until the first time her lips had touched his…

And then, as if some invisible entity came and tapped her damn shoulder, she paused and caught his eye. It seemed like they were a football field away from each other but they were close, so close, and no distance would keep them away from one another. He waved at her and she returned the gesture in kind before he made his way back inside of his office, closing the door.

Sitting down in the rich burgundy chair, he grabbed his phone and dialed. Clearing his throat, he waited as the damn thing rang a few times.

“Hello?”

“Hey… Marcus? Um, this is…”

“I know who it is.” The man’s voice cut through and sliced him off at the knee. “Hold on a sec. There are people around me.”

Aaron waited. A few moments later, Marcus returned, appearing to be in quieter surroundings.

“Marcus, I—”

“Aaron, why did you do what you did?”

“Do what?”

“I knew you had given me some money, okay? I figured it would be enough to take care of a few bills so I wasn’t goin’ to worry too much about it, regardless of me bein’ tired of handouts. But my job don’t pay a whole lot so I didn’t keep pushin’ the issue with you. But then, I get home and find out it ain’t three or four hundred dolluhs, it’s
thousands
!”

“Why is that a problem?”

“’Cause my wife wanted to know where I got the shit! I deposited that money in my bank account and I ain’t know she got some app or some shit on her phone where she can see the bank account balance. I taught her too many of my tech savvy secrets. Now she think I’m dealin’ drugs!”

Aaron burst out laughing.

“This shit ain’t funny, man.”

“Look.” He sighed as he leisurely rested in his chair. “Why don’t you just tell her the truth?”

“What? Man, I aint no drug dealer but yo ass must be smokin’ crack. Like I could say, ‘Oh baby, by the way, you know them fools ’round here that said I took Terrence’s phone and helped that white trash Nazi man get outta prison after he beat up Clarence and then he died? Well, guess what? It’s true! I been sellin’ out, baby, I’m a proud ass Uncle Tom, shuckin’ and jivin’ and that nice Aryan man been helpin’ me, gave me all this here money.’ Yeah! That’ll go over well, Aaron!”

Aaron burst out laughing once again. “I know it sounds bad, but I honestly think you should tell her. Besides, if you take me up on my offer, you’ll have to.”

“Offer? What offer?”

“I moved. I live in West Virginia now. It wasn’t safe for me there anymore, and based on what I heard and what you are confirming, it ain’t safe for you there, either.”

Marcus drew quieter.

“I know you may not want to leave Alabama, Marcus. I know you’ve got roots there, a wife and a daughter, but you said you were struggling and that your job didn’t pay much, but you can’t find anything else. You have a degree and can’t even use it. I don’t think you should have to look over your shoulder anymore.”

“What? You need a butler?” Marcus joked, though Aaron could hear a tinge of hostility in his tone still. He understood it, nevertheless.

“No, Marcus, I don’t need a motherfuckin’ butler. I need a friend. I need someone I can trust. I’ve moved my company here in West Virginia but still allow the employees I already have to stay where they are. Here is the thing: I need to hire some new people now though. I’m not rich, but I’m doing pretty damn well. I need an I.T. guy, someone to take care of my website, the computers, protect it from hacking, keep the accounts payables and receivables together via good, updated software…things like that.”

“There are plenty of I.T. specialists and computer techs in West Virginia, Aaron.”

“I don’t want
plenty
of I.T. techs, Marcus. I want
you
.”

The man drew quiet once again on the phone; this time, his heavy, slow breathing was audible.

“Aaron, I ain’t no charity case, okay? I think you tryna feel better for all the fucked up shit you’ve done. Go on somewhere else with that mess.”

“Oh, really? That’s what you think?”

“Yeah! That’s what I think. I’m a man, I can take care of my own damn family! I got a right mind to send you this money you gave me back, too. I already spent a bit of it, but I can pay you back over time.”

“I don’t want the money back.”

“I didn’t ask you… I’m tellin’ you. My life is all fucked ’cause of you. But I don’t blame you; it ain’t your fault. I’m just sayin’.”

“I know… I know…”

“And it’s fucked up ’cause of me, too. I got a criminal record now, tryna get something for nothin’ and tryna be accepted. I’m tired of doin’ what other people expect me to do all the time!”

“THEN STOP DOIN’ IT!”

“Then QUIT askin’ me, you rotten mothafucka!”

“I didn’t ask you for me, because I think I need to do good by you so I can get into Heaven, Marcus! You got this all wrong. I did it because I really do need an I.T. expert and I need someone I can trust and not only that – whether you like it or not, you’re my friend!”

“I ain’t your friend, man…” he said in almost a whisper.

“Yes you are, and you like me, and you hate that you do. You wanted to hate me, but you found out we had a lot in common. We both have a strong work ethic, we both made bad decisions that landed us in trouble, we both have daughters, and we both want to run our own shit and be in control of our lives.”

A brief silence ensued.

“What you doin’ in West Virginia of all places, man?” Marcus asked, his voice drawling.

“…Away from it all, starting over. I’m here with my woman. I want a chapter one… beginning all over again. I wanted… I wanted to extend the opportunity to you, too, to start fresh.”

Seconds passed, though it felt like an eternity as silence stirred between the two.

“So… uh, what’s West Virginia like, man?”

“Well.” He crossed his ankles and looked straight ahead at the closed door while Musiq continued to serenade him. “It depends on where you’re at, just like a lot of places, but it’s quiet here, peaceful. Lot’s of fishin’.” He turned his attention towards his window. “You’re only like four to five hours away from New York if you wanted to drive over for a weekend trip. We got nice stores and good schools, too… I like it. I’ve had a place here for years; just decided ’cause of all that’s happened, it was time to call it home.”

“Fishin’, huh? Like what do you catch over there?”

“I got two boats, man.” Aaron grinned into the phone.

“Two?!”

“Yeah, a 25 ft. pilot sports one named Delta and my little, beat up one that does the job, too. I catch walleye, carp, muskellunge, bluegill, and channel catfish, too.”

“What type of bait you use, man?”

Aaron began to feel like he was in the midst of some silly inquisition, but it suited him just fine for this was one of his most favorite topics.

“Simple night crawlers… nothin’ fancy. You fish too I take it?”

“Yeah…”

“So, maybe we can fish together one morning….”

“I.T. job, huh?”

“Yeah. You could do what you love. I’ll let you have the weekends off ’cept for emergencies. Like I said, I’m no billionaire, but I do well for myself. I have a need, you have a need…it’s simple.”

“To tell you the truth, Aaron, I’ve been wanting to move for years.” He sighed heavily, as if getting the confession off his back helped him unload crippling weight. “It’s my wife. She don’t want to, and…I…”

“I understand, Marcus. I know what it’s like to love someone and they want you to do or not do somethin’, but it’s a struggle for you.”

Marcus laughed lightly. “Yeah, I remember that… I suppose you do. How is she by the way? You two still together?”

“Yes, gettin’ hitched soon.”

“Ohhhh man, that’s what up! Congratulations, Aaron.”

“Thank you.” He smiled into the phone. “Besides my daughter, she’s the best thing that ever happened to me. I’d love for you and your family to be able to attend the wedding.”

“Well, maybe we will.”

“I think my fiancée needs some friends. Maybe they could become friends; she doesn’t know anyone up here.”

“You know what? Not tryna be funny but I don’t think my wife has any white women as friends, Aaron. If by chance a snowball in Hell didn’t melt and she agreed to let me check out this opportunity, as you call it, your wife would be her first!” He chuckled.

“No, she wouldn’t…”

“Huh? Yeah she would.”

“Marcus, Mia, my fiancée, isn’t white…”

A long, cold silence swarmed in the conversation and apparently rendered Marcus’ tongue frozen solid…unable to move or utter a word.

“Mexican?”

“
Nada.
”

“Chinese?”

“
Wu.
”

“
Wu
? Is that ‘No’ in Chinese?!”

“Yeah.”

“Yeah she’s Chinese or yeah that’s what it is?”

“Yeah, that’s what it is.”

“Is she Japanese?”

“No, she’s not Asian at all, Marcus.”

“Laotian?”

“No, and that’s
still
Asian…”

“Taiwanese? Wait, more importantly how the hell do you know these other languages?! Ain’t you supposed to only care about English and Pig Latin?” he joked.

“No, that would have been foolhardy. I would not call myself fluent in anything but English, but I know just enough.”

“What? You’re confusing me.”

“Look, it’s like this. I know many basic words of many languages. I know key phrases, greetings, things like that. I felt it was important for me to know what my enemies are saying, because I believed a race war was approaching. Your opponent needs to be able to be understood.”

“You crazy as fuck, man! Is she Vietnamese? No wait, that’s still Asian…”

“Yes, Vietnam is in southeast Asia.”

“Oh, I know! She’s Dominican or Cuban, ain’t she? You got hold to some Latin fire!”

“
Ninguno de los.
”

“
Ninguno de los
?! That means no some kinda way, but I just don’t want to believe this! I just can’t! Man, you been…you been dippin’ yo’ swastika in some brown suga and perpetratin’ the fraud?!”

At this, Aaron burst out laughing once again.

“…She can’t be, man,” Marcus stated, in apparent complete shock. “She
can’t
be black!” He cracked up laughing so hard, the sound echoed through the phone. “You mean to tell me while yo’ white power ass was up at Holman stompin’ around wit’ combat boots calling people nigger ’nd shit, and all that time yo’ old lady was black?! You got me fucked up, man!”

“It’s a long story, Marcus, it’s complicated, but yes, that’s what I mean to tell you!”

At this, they both laughed so hard he was not sure he’d recover. His stomach cramped as he overdosed on Marcus’ amusement. The man began to cough, as if his lungs were giving out on him.

“I need some water!” the man screamed between harsh coughing spells. “Oh my God! Ain’t
that
some shit! Man, if this wasn’t so fuckin’ funny I’d be pissed as hell! Okay, I need the back story, man. I need you to explain how the hell something like this happened.”

“Are you going to ask your wife if you can take a job in West Virginia?”

“I might.”

“Might ain’t good enough. Just promise you’ll ask.”

“…Alright. I promise. I’ll at least ask.”

“Okay, here is what happened. One day I was called into Dr. Owens’ office…”