Authors: Zuri Day
Lovin' Blue (16 page)
31
“Why couldn't I reach you all weekend?” Michael walked over and turned down his stereo.
“Oh, no, you didn't,” Eden retorted as she looked out and beheld a beautiful, if hot, August day. “Not admonishment from the brother who was MIA for a week before letting his family know he'd flown the country coop.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, that was then, this is now. I tried to reach you all day Sunday and yesterday, too.” Michael paused. “Couldn't reach Jansen either.”
Silence.
“Are you and Jansen dating?”
Pause. “Yes.”
Why do I feel like I'm talking to a parent instead of a sibling?
Why do I feel like I'm talking to a parent instead of a sibling?
“C'mon, weed,” Michael said with a sigh. “Then again, on second thought, you know what? You're a grown-ass woman. You're no longer the little sister who needs protection from the bullies on her way home from school.”
“Are you saying Jansen is a bully?”
“When it comes to J-Dog, I don't think it matters what I'm saying.”
“Not as long as he keeps treating me the way he has, as a perfect gentleman.”
“He'd better, 'cause I know where he lives. But, then, you probably do, too. . . .”
“Yeah, just like Bridgett probably knows her way around your house.”
“You got me there.”
“I know I do. I grew up with you, remember? She's probably there right now. So don't start none, won't be none, big bro.”
“Ha!” Michael lay back on his couch and pulled a barely clad Bridgett down with him. “What are y'all doing for Labor Day weekend?”
“We're invited to a party at Jansen's partner's house.”
“
El hombre
Alberto.”
El hombre
Alberto.”
“You know him?”
“Met him once at a party. He seems like a cool dude.”
“What are you doing?”
“Bridgett wants to barbecue over here, have a pool party. Cleaning the water regularly but still haven't been in it more than half a dozen times. We were going to invite you and Jansen over and a few more friends.”
“Oh, dang, that sounds fun. Well, we can always party hop. I think Alberto's party is during the day. So if you could plan yours more toward evening, that would be cool. And I'd finally get to meet the woman with the track record on your heart.”
“All right, then. We'll work something out.”
They ended the call, and Eden walked to her laptop on the dining room table. She clicked on the Facebook icon, entered her e-mail address, and waited for the page to load.
Oh, my goodness. Renee responded to my request and sent me a message!
She was just about to click on it when the phone rang.
Oh, my goodness. Renee responded to my request and sent me a message!
She was just about to click on it when the phone rang.
“Ms. Anderson?” a deep voice with a slight accent asked.
Eden's heart leaped. “Dr. Kostopoulos?”
Alex chuckled. “You'll want to call me Alex, or Dr. K. Pronouncing those four syllables repeatedly throughout the course of your day may become wearing after a bit.”
“Through the course of my . . . wait? Are you calling to give me some very good news?” Eden couldn't contain her excitement. She jumped up from the table and then paced the living room and back.
“Yes, Eden. We are very pleased to have put together what we hope is a winning job offer. Can you come to the center today?”
“Absolutely.”
“Good. Does three o'clock work for you?”
“Yes, Dr. KostopouâI mean, Alex. Dr. K. Three sounds perfect.”
“I look forward to seeing you then.”
At 4:15 PM, Eden bounced out of the Zen Den with a glide in her stride and pep in her step. The 60K-a-year plus-benefits offer was twenty thousand more than she thought she'd receive and more money than was advertised. Dr. K had explained to her that because of her qualifications and diverse skill set, he'd gotten the board to combine two positions into one in order to offer a higher salary. As center director, Eden would oversee staff and operations and head up marketing as well. She'd signed a one-year contract and would be on a probationary period for ninety days, during which time either side could terminate the agreement, no questions asked. She reached her car, donned her earpiece, and retrieved her phone. Jansen had called, which did not surprise her. A picture of the gun in the middle of his top desk drawer floated into her mind. She closed her eyes against it.
What am I going to do?
Eden didn't know the answer to that question. But as she clicked on the link to redial his number, she knew one thing: not seeing him tonight was not an option.
What am I going to do?
Eden didn't know the answer to that question. But as she clicked on the link to redial his number, she knew one thing: not seeing him tonight was not an option.
“Hey, baby . . . I got the job!”
“That's great, little garden.” Jansen's answer was quiet, his mood subdued.
“Jansen, what's wrong?”
Silence and then, “Got some bad news today.”
“Want to share?”
“Not really.” One second passed, and another, then several more. “Friend of mine died today.”
Eden closed her eyes, once again trying to block out bad stuff. An ironic reminder that closing one's eyes to evil didn't make it go away. “I'm so sorry, Jansen.”
Jansen snorted.
Eden fought not to take his reaction personally. “Someone you worked with?” Her voice was soft, nurturing.
“Used to. Back in Chicago.”
Eden searched for words to say. Couldn't find any. “I'm sorry,” she repeated finally.
“It's life, Eden. Shit happens. People die. It's fucked up.”
Eden dared not comment on that one. What could she say? Instead she asked, “Do you want me to come over?”
“Not sure that's a good idea. I know you don't like to deal with the negative, and I'm not feeling too positive right now.”
“Okay.”
Jansen tsked again. “Later.”
Eden sat for several moments, staring at the phone and into a situation that was impossible. Jansen McKnight was the man she loved, and this was his lifeâcrime, death, navigating the bowels of hell every single day. The illusion, as Ariel would call it. The part of human existence with which Eden would prefer as little interaction as possible.
Eden started her car, headed toward Lincoln Boulevard and into the Whole Foods parking lot. She purchased beer, brown rice, and, for the first time in four years, a piece of farm-raised salmon. Then she got back in her car and headed toward Gardena.
When she reached her destination, she got out of the car quickly before she could change her mind. Part of her had wanted to go home and bask in the peace of her feng-shui environment. But Jansen wasn't just her lover, he was her friend. Eden wasn't the kind of woman who'd leave a friend hanging. She didn't know what kind of reception she'd get: anger, passiveness, rejection? At the very least, she'd prepare dinner and then leave. Jansen loved to eat, and she doubted he'd done so since hearing the news.
That's it. I'll just cook the food and leave.
That's it. I'll just cook the food and leave.
She rang the doorbell and then waited for what felt like an eternity. She rang again, and after another couple minutes, turned to leave.
The door opened. “Eden.”
She turned around, looked deeply into Jansen's eyes. He looked into hers. She took a tentative step toward him, and then another, until she stood before him. He took a deep breath and wrapped her in his arms, squeezing her tightly. She dropped the bag and hugged him back, rubbing her hands across his taut back and stiff shoulders. Jansen took another deep breath and stepped aside so she could enter. Eden didn't leave until morning.
32
Eden looked down at her white shorts with resignation. They were ruined. Why had she thought it would be okay to wear such a color to an event with kids? Clearly, inexperience was written all over her choice, and now so was barbecue sauce, grass stains, and mud from Alberto Jr.'s midthigh hug. Eden guessed there had been twenty adults and double that number of children in and out of Alberto and Delphia Gonzalez's home in the two hours she and Jansen had been there. The backyard was crowded with plastic pools, card tables, and a bounce house. She hadn't known family life could be this much fun.
“Are you sure you have to leave?” Delphia asked, walking like a pregnant woman even though, at three months, she was barely showing. “We're doing old-school later on, complete with a
Soul Train
line!”
Soul Train
line!”
“Sounds wonderful, Delphia, but I promised my brother we'd come over. If not for that, you'd probably have to kick me out. I've had a great time.”
“Well, don't be a stranger. And you don't have to wait for knucklehead”âshe cocked her head toward Jansenâ“to issue the invitation. We girls have to stick together, and I'll give up the goods on that homey.”
Eden eased closer. “Do tell.”
Delphia leaned in. “You've got yourself a good one,” she whispered. “In all the time he and my husband have been friends and he's come over, you're the first woman he's brought along.”
“She's a hot tamale,” Alberto was saying to Jansen on the other side of the yard. “No wonder you've been skipping to my loo, looking all goo-goo-eyed and shit.”
“Man, why are you lying on a brother?” Jansen asked, laughing, looking over at the person who'd put the smile back on his face following the tragic loss of his former comrade. Later in the week he'd fly to Chicago and pay his condolences. But today he smiled.
“If I'm lying, I'm dying,” Alberto replied. “You better keep an eye on that, dog, 'cause if you mess up . . .” Alberto raised his brow and then his beer bottle.
“Yeah, whatever,” Jansen replied, clinking glass. “You handle your business, partner, and I'll handle mine.”
After what seemed like a zillion hugs and
hasta luegos,
Jansen and Eden left Hawthorne and headed for Baldwin Hills.
hasta luegos,
Jansen and Eden left Hawthorne and headed for Baldwin Hills.
“That was fun!” Eden exclaimed.
“That was crazy. That's my boy though. They're good peeps.”
“I really like Delphia.”
“Yeah, she's special.”
“And so are you. Her using vegetarian instead of traditional refried beans in the burritos, and no meat, was I'm sure your idea.”
“Couldn't have you going into seizures on me, girl. You get nauseous smelling meatâno telling how you'd react to lard hitting your system.”
“Ha! Thanks, baby. That could get ugly.”
“If you say so. Me, I've never met a pig I didn't like.”
Jansen pushed the volume button on his stereo and turned up Stevie Wonder's radio station, 102.3 KJLH. The deejays had been killing it all weekend, mixing today's hits with yesterday's favorites. TLC had gone creepin', and now Montell Jordan was explaining how we do it. Jansen and Eden bobbed and weaved in their seatsâmusic blasting, sun shining, love everywhere.
When the song ended, Jansen turned down the radio. “Little garden . . . do you want to have kids?”
Eden stopped in the middle of her cabbage patch. “What?”
“Babies, children,
niños
âdo you want them?”
niños
âdo you want them?”
Eden overlooked the abrupt change of subject and answered. “I always thought I'd have kids, but now . . .” She shrugged her shoulders.
“Now what?”
“I'm thirty-four, Jansen. If I had a kid today, I'd be fifty-two when the child turned eighteen.”
“And?”
“And? When I turned eighteen, Mama was in her forties.”
“You really think you're too old to have kids? Age is just a number, Eden.”
“Easy for you to say. Men can be seventy and still shoot a tadpole into an egg, no worries. You don't have to carry it nine months and deliver it through your vagina.”
“True, you're probably closer to the grave than you are the cradle.” Eden scowled, Jansen smirked. “But I don't think you're too old to be a mother.”
“Who asked you?” Eden huffed, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms for good measure.
Jansen simply smiled. He couldn't let too many days go by without getting under Eden's skin. As much as he cared for her, it just wouldn't be natural.
They arrived at Michael's to a nice but totally different atmosphere. Bypassing the front door for the back gate, Jansen and Eden walked in to see Michael and a few others in the pool, two couples playing Spades, and a tall, lean woman hovering over the grill. Jansen began peeling off clothes and within minutes was alongside Michael in the kidney-shaped pool. Eden walked up to the woman wearing a big smile, a short dress, apron, and heels.
“You must be Bridgett.”
“And you must be Eden.”
Eden stuck out her hand. Bridgett swatted it away and enveloped her in a hug. “Girl, we hug where I come from. My parents are Southern.”
Eden liked her already. “Nice to meet you.”
“You, too. You seem down-to-earth, and I like that. When it comes to men and their families, you never know what to expect. Michael thinks the world of you, sistah, so if we didn't like each other . . . there would be problems. 'Cause I love me some him, know what I'm sayin'? I'm not trying to go
nowhere.
”
nowhere.
”
“As long as you keep doing what you're doing, looks like you won't have to. I'm going to go change, get out of these dirty shorts. Then you can tell me what you need me to do.”
“All you need to do is enjoy yourself. Food's almost ready.”
Eden entered the house from the back door and walked through the kitchen. She passed bowls of green salad, spinach salad, green-bean salad, potato salad, macaroni salad, carrot salad, and yet another salad filled with avocado and corn.
No wonder she doesn't need my help. She has enough food here to feed . . . the Gonzalez family!
Eden climbed the stairs, changed into her swimsuit and cover-up, and joined the party heating up outside.
No wonder she doesn't need my help. She has enough food here to feed . . . the Gonzalez family!
Eden climbed the stairs, changed into her swimsuit and cover-up, and joined the party heating up outside.
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