ignored her. “I do know that his patience is wearing thin.”
Angelica looked toward the car. The windows were tinted and she couldn’t see inside. All of a sudden, the back passenger window began to roll down, and there sat Santiago with a frown on his face, staring directly at Angelica. She walked down the few stairs from the porch and headed for the car, with Ari staring behind her. Ari shut the door hard, but no one turned around.
The driver escorted Angelica to the other side of the car, opened the door, and motioned for Angelica to get in. The car was soon in motion.
“What is this, Santiago? Why couldn’t you have called me?”
“You might not have answered, and what I came to say, I had to say it in person.”
“Well, talk.”
“You’re awful cocky for someone who got a lot of my money last night.”
“I don’t mean to be. It’s just that so much has happened since I’ve been in New York and I’m on edge. I really wanted this to be a fresh start.”
“Why don’t you let me help you with that fresh start? There’s a room ready for you at my house and you can call Club Platinum and give them your resignation.”
“I have a place to stay,” Angelica said, her voice shaking.
“You don’t belong there. That old neighborhood with its one-hundred-fifty-year-old houses, that’s not quite your style, that is, unless there’s somebody helping to make your accommodations more comfortable.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I’m talking about the doorman that lives in the house you came out of.”
“How do you know he’s a doorman? He could be a saxophone player.”
“My contacts tell me he’s a doorman for a fancy apartment building in Manhattan. Nothing gets by me.”
Angelica was quiet. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but Santiago’s knowing about Ari made her uncomfortable-like he was spying on her.
“Cat got your tongue?” Santiago asked. “Look, I’ve missed you, Princess.”
Angelica shuddered at the sound of the word
“I want you, Angelica. I want to make love to you. You were a valuable asset to me once.”
“I’ve put that life behind me, Santiago. Memories of prison have done that for me.”
Tension was in the air. The driver kept his eyes straight ahead as he drove from Queens to Harlem, Harlem to lower Manhattan, and then over the bridge into Brooklyn. There was total silence for the next fifteen minutes, as they glided through Brooklyn, except for the constant tapping of Santiago’s fingers.
“Niko, turn the car around and head for Queens. The lady is going to get her things, and then we’ll head into Long Island.”
“Santiago, I’m not going with you. I want to live a simple and uncomplicated life, and being with you will make that difficult.”
“Drive!” Santiago yelled at the driver.
Beads of sweat formed on Angelica’s face. She knew that Santiago was ruthless, but she had never heard him raise his voice. She sat back in her seat, afraid to move and unsure of the consequences if she chose to do something other than what he wanted.
A little music would have made the ride to Ari’s house more bearable, but the only thing she could hear was her heart beating. And she was glad for small favors.
They reached Ari’s house in record time. Santiago barked for Angelica to hurry and get her things without loitering. She wanted to run, but where would she go? It would not be fair to Ari with all that he had done for her to intrude on his generosity any longer.
Angelica found Ari sitting in the living room and watching TV. His eyes followed her as she strolled straight to her bedroom without a word, and then he went back to watching television as soon as she was out of sight.
She returned moments later with the straps of her Hobo flung over her shoulder, followed by the suitcases that had accompanied her to New York. She stopped where Ari sat and looked at him.
“Ari, I care about you. Today would have been the happiest day of my life, if…if,” she sighed, “Santiago had not shown up here.”
“Who is he? Why are you going with him?”
Ari was almost pleading for the truth. It made leaving harder than she’d anticipated because part of her wanted to be with this man.
“I’ll have to explain later, Ari. All I can say is that my past has come to haunt me, to make me pay for my sins.”
“Don’t bother. I’ve done all that I could do. In some ways, I wish I had never laid eyes on you. It’s plain to see how you can seep into a man’s soul without even trying, but I should’ve known it would be hell to pay, falling for you. Go on to your…your demon, your past…or whatever it is. Just don’t call me again. I’m through. I’m through with you, Angelica.” He raised his hands and shooed her away.
“Ari, I’m so sorry. Believe me when I say I want to stay. I…I want to stay with you, Ari. Believe me.”
A loud knock at the door startled them.
“Go, Angelica, and leave me alone.”
The tears flowed, and she turned and left without another word. Ari went to the front window and peeked out, in time to watch Angelica get into the car. A frown formed on his face; something was not right.
31
Weeks had passed since Margo had last seen Malik. She brushed her lips with her finger as a repressed memory of the day Malik kissed her ushered forth. It was an exciting moment that ignited sparks throughout her body-something she hadn’t felt in a long, long time.
Weeks had passed since she and Jefferson had slept in the same room as well, although they were still under the same roof. His mood was somber as he rummaged and piddled around the house in a deep funk, knocking things over and slinging a few choice words about what he’d do to Malik.
Margo wasn’t sure what it all meant. Part of her wanted to embrace her husband and heal the wound, close the rift that had already torn them apart. However, there was the other part of her that threatened war-a battle between good and evil where she would take what belonged to one and give to another, making her ready to taste and see if life was truly greener on the other side.
Margo jumped. She wasn’t sure how long Jefferson had been watching her. She hadn’t heard him come into her bedroom-their bedroom-and then she noticed that he was standing straight without the aid of his walker. Surprise registered on her face.
“Thinking about him?” Jefferson asked as he leaned against the door frame.
“When did you stop using your walker?” Margo asked, ignoring his question.
“Living under the same roof, but you don’t have any idea what’s been going on with me.”
Margo sat down on the cedar chest in front of the bed. “Jefferson, I remember a moment when I begged and pleaded for you to love me. You had my undivided attention. I would have done anything for you because I loved you that much. Remember? But you didn’t want me.”
“Why are we rehashing this, Margo? I’ve told you over and over again how much I love you. I’ve asked for forgiveness more times than I can count. You told me that you were going to be by my side through it all, and it was that acknowledgment that gave me the strength to survive that hellhole. I’ve paid the price, but I will never forgive myself for what I’ve done to you.”
“What are you going to do with the rest of your life? I can’t stand by and watch your daily pity parties, Jefferson. They’ve gotten old. It’s time to get up off your duff and do something with yourself.”
“So, is this about my not being able to provide for you or is it an attempt to find some excuse to leave me for someone else? It’s not enough that my wife won’t sleep with me…make love to me, but humiliate my manhood? Do you think Malik can provide for you better than me?” Margo didn’t answer. “Well, maybe you should be with him. Yeah, go be with him. I can’t do anything for you. I’m a broke, jobless ex-con.”
