don’t want any trouble, and there won’t be any if you move out of my way.”
“Listen here.”
“Kiki,” Desiree said. “Leave Angel alone. She just got hired on today. She’s not bothering you.”
“Well, ain’t she kinda old to be dancing?” Kiki asked.
“Not by the sound of the crowd out there,” Desiree said as she eyed Angelica. “Instead of you running your mouth, you should be getting ready to go on.”
The ladies dispersed, and Angelica went to Desiree. “Thank you.”
“No problem.” Desiree shuffled off and Angelica went to her station to regroup. She had to go on two more times, after which her first night would be over. It would be nice to share her excitement with someone. At that moment, she thought of Margo.
Margo probably hated her for the way she breezed in and then breezed out of her life. It certainly wasn’t the way to rekindle a friendship, but it was probably for the best.
Angelica completed her next two sets and breathed a sigh of relief. She looked at her watch. It was one in the morning.
It was getting expensive riding a cab back and forth from Queens to Manhattan, but hopefully it wouldn’t be long before she could find a place of her own that was closer to work. Angelica sat back in the cab and closed her eyes. She let the day pass in front of her.
Sleep was what she needed, and Angelica was grateful that Ari would be asleep when she arrived at his house. She was going to take a shower and head straight for the bed. Angelica paid the cab driver, skipped up the three steps to the porch and headed inside the house.
The house was dark. Angelica stumbled forward without turning the lights on in order to get to her room. Before she made it to the bedroom doorway, the dining room light was switched on, making Angelica jump and cover her mouth. Ari was standing near the other entrance to the dining room, looking at her with disdain.
“Ari!”
“Angelica. Where have you been? I’ve called you several times, and you have not called me back.”
Angelica wanted to brush Ari off, but something in his tone changed her mind. “What is it, Ari? Sorry about the phone calls, but I was working and had to turn it off.”
Ari looked thoughtfully at Angelica. “Something happened at the condo today.”
“Yeah, I remember you mentioned something was going on, and…uh, yeah, all the police cars outside.”
“Did you stop to wonder why the cops were there?” Ari asked.
“Look, Ari. I’m sorry for not calling. I found a job, and I was trying to make sure I had everything I needed to get started. I know it’s not always about me, but today it was.”
Ari seemed to appreciate her answer. Then he blurted it out. “Donna was found dead in her apartment.”
Angelica was not sure she heard Ari correctly. “Donna who?” “Donna Barnes Reardon. You were probably the last person to see her.”
“Donna? NO!” Angelica’s hands flew to her face. “She was alive when I left last night, Ari. You saw us come in. The only thing I did was pack my bags and leave.” Angelica found a seat at the dining room table and rested her hand on her head. “No. Why? How?”
“Those are the questions the police are asking. What happened with you and Donna yesterday that you needed to leave in such a hurry?”
Angelica looked up into Ari’s eyes. “What are you trying to say…that I did it? I wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
“You do have a sordid past.”
“If I had something to hide, I would not have shared those few tidbits of my life with you. Donna asked me to leave, and I did as she asked.”
“I don’t know how she died,” Ari said absently. “Privileged information. I guess we’ll have to wait for the morning news. So, tell me about your new job.”
“It’s not important. Just a job.”
“A job that keeps you out until the wee hours of the morning?”
“I’m going to bed, Ari. I’ll see you whenever.”
“You’ve got until the end of the week to find someplace else to live,” Ari said and left the room. Angelica watched him disappear-her mouth wide open.
22
Jefferson watched Margo as she went about her day, stuffed in her blue jeans and pink linen shirt. Three days had passed since he arrived home, and he and Margo had yet to make love to each other. Margo had said all the right things, even looked into his eyes when she said she wanted him and their marriage, but each time Jefferson attempted to reach out to her, to hold her, she would pull away. Jefferson had hurt her terribly and he probably didn’t deserve this second chance. However, he was grateful to the Almighty for intervening on his behalf, and he was going to do whatever it took to gain Margo’s trust so that they could resume their life together.
Margo moved effortlessly through the house, picking up pieces of paper and straightening pillows. Jefferson caught her smile when she looked in his direction, he offering one in return. Something hit him as he watched the graceful movement of Margo’s body, still lean and hourglass perfect after four kids and a thirty-year marriage. He recalled Malik’s demeanor when they were at lunch and he talked about Margo in an affectionate way-it ate at him.
“Why don’t you stop and sit next to me for a while?” Jefferson asked sweetly. “You’ve been at it all morning.”
“I guess I’m at a point where I can stop. I want to get this done before I have to show a house this afternoon.”
Jefferson patted the place on the couch next to him. “Take a break, Margo. The house looks nice. Whatever you don’t get done, I’ll take care of it.”
Margo walked slowly to the couch and sat down. She turned sideways until her thigh was completely on the couch, bending her knee and sitting on her lower leg. Jefferson placed his arm along the back of the couch, resisting the urge to embrace his wife.
“What is it, Margo? What is it you’re afraid of?”
“Afraid of? What do you mean?”
“You seemed to look forward to my coming home, but now that I’m here, you are as far away from me as we were when I was in prison.”
Margo reached and tugged at the edge of Jefferson’s sweater, knotting the end of a thread that was threatening to unravel. She moved her hand from the sweater to the back of his hand, brushing it with her own and finally squeezing his fingers tight. Jefferson looked deep into Margo’s eyes, searching for the answer he sought and praying that rejection wasn’t on the way.
“It’s going to take some time. Five years has taken a toll on me, but I waited because I wanted to.”
“Do you love me, Margo?”
She continued to hold his fingers and hesitated before answering. “Yes,” came the lone word.
Jefferson swallowed hard. “I’ll take whatever you can give me now.”
“Just give me time,” Margo repeated. “I thought it would be easy…that we could go on with our lives, pick up where we left off. Not so.”
“I had lunch with Malik yesterday,” Jefferson said.
Margo flinched, and Jefferson noticed. “How did you get there?” Margo asked.
“I drove the Mercedes while you were out showing houses. My legs are getting better all the time.”
Margo withdrew her hand. “That’s good, Jefferson. God is so good.”
“Malik told me that Angelica is out of prison. He said that you forgave her.”
“I did, but something is not right with that woman. I want to trust her, but she gives me every reason not to. I was willing to help her get a job and be her friend again, but she up and disappeared to God knows where without
