Deja Vu

telling him. But it’s apparent he found out where you were.”

“With Ari…,” Angelica mumbled. She pulled herself together. “Thank you again, Agent Hopkins, for saving my life…for saving all of our lives. I don’t know how we can repay you.”

“Nothing to repay, Angelica. I was doing my job and I’d do it again.”

“Would you do me a favor?”

“If I can,” Agent Hopkins said.

“On the day I left the women’s prison, Sgt. Macy told me that she would see me again, and because I don’t plan to ever darken the doorway to that place, please tell Sgt. Macy for me that Angelica Barnes is never coming back. She gave me and the other girls in Dorm L a hard time. And, Agent Hopkins, she is not quite right-a lesbo who’s taking sexual liberties with women, those who want it and those who are forced against their will.”

Agent Hopkins pondered what Angelica said. “We may be taking a trip to the women’s prison sooner than you think. You may have repaid me by giving me what I need to take down corrupt workers in the system. Thanks again, Angelica.”

“Glad to be of service.”

55

Nausea floated through Margo’s body as the images of Jefferson and Angelica walking into the hotel she now approached herself came back to her. Knowing the whole story did not make her feel better because she now had to deal with the mistake she had made. She hated how Malik had reacted when she told him that she was staying with her husband. Now she knew it would be only a matter of time before Jefferson found out.

She grabbed her stomach as a terrible reality seized her mind. God, don’t let me be pregnant, she thought to herself as her nerves started to unravel. She was too old to have baby momma drama.

“Are you all right, Margo?” Angelica asked with concern on her face.

Margo looked up, and Jefferson, Edward, and Angelica were in front of her, staring her down. From somewhere, Jefferson grabbed a piece of paper and began fanning her.

“I’m all right.” Margo sat up straight. “I guess so much happened today that it all caught up with me.”

“Do you want me to take you home…I mean, the hotel? We no longer have police protection since they’ve killed Santiago.”

“No, Jefferson. I’ll be fine. If I can have some water or something else cold to drink.”

“Coming right up,” Angelica said as Jefferson sat next to Margo and held her in his arms.

“Water for the lady,” Edward said, handing a bottle to Margo. “Look, I want to thank you guys for sticking with us today. I know the relationship between our families has been rocky, but when it counted, you were there. We owe you a debt of gratitude. And I think my sister can finally get on with her life.”

Angelica smiled, walked to Edward and gave him a brotherly kiss on the cheek. “That was sweet, Edward, and I’d like to say I feel the same as my brother. Margo, you are the best, and if I ever get a friend like you again, I’m going to keep her for life. I want you to know that I do love you, and if you can find it in your heart to forgive me, I’d appreciate it so much.”

Margo smiled and nodded. She took a sip of water and sat the bottle down.

“Angelica is thinking about going back to New York,” Edward said, trying to ruffle the silence.

“So, you liked New York?” Margo asked quizzically.

“It’s not that I like New York so much, but I left someone there who is very special to me. I don’t know what I would have done if I didn’t have Ari on my side. He gave me hope and came to my rescue when I was trying to get away from Santiago. I put him through more changes, but he was my pillar of strength when I didn’t have it for myself. I’ll never forget how he gave me safe passage out of New York. He means the world.”

“He seems awfully special,” Margo said. “Sounds like you’ve found true love.”

“I believe I have, Margo. I believe I have.”

“Let’s see if we can’t get a bottle of wine to celebrate!” Jefferson said. “I don’t believe in taking a life, but seeing Santiago lying face down on the sidewalk made my heart glad. He was evil, and I can’t believe I allowed myself to get caught up in his scheme for the sake of the almighty dollar.”

“It’s your past now, baby,” Margo said. She went and put her arms around him and kissed him passionately. Visions of Malik tried to break through, but she held Jefferson tight to keep the ugly deed she’d done with Malik at bay.

“Uhh, time out, time out. It’s getting hot in here,” Angelica roared, making the time out sign she’d seen football players do on the field. “You may need to go on home.” Angelica winked at Margo and Jefferson.

Margo pulled away from Jefferson and wiped the corner of his mouth. “Hurry back, baby. Don’t let Edward keep you out too long.”

Surprise registered on Jefferson’s face. “I’m back, baby,” Margo said before Jefferson could utter a word. “Run along. Angelica and I have a little girl talk to do.”

Jefferson didn’t say a word but watched Margo with renewed interest. He followed Edward out of the hotel room, but not before glancing back at Margo with a curious frown on his face.

“What’s up with Jefferson?” Angelica asked.

“He can’t comprehend the new me. You see, it was a little difficult for me to consummate my marriage when Jefferson first came home. As much as I loved him, memories of all the things he had done and how he had treated me flooded back. I wanted to accept him without any reservations, but I found, Angelica, that the wound was open and hadn’t completely healed.”

“How was it that you forgave me so easily when I got out of jail?”

“Angelica, don’t kid yourself. It was not easy, and I’m not sure that I had forgiven you totally. It’s different when you live with someone and you see them every day and night. I made baby steps with you because I knew I wasn’t going to sleep with you and bear my soul to you.”

“Okay. I can accept that because I certainly didn’t deserve an ounce of your love.”

“But, as a Christian, I’m taught to love everyone, even my enemies. I didn’t hate you, Angelica, I hated the things you did and what you represented. I trusted you like a sister-I would have gone to the ends of the world for you. But you disappointed me greatly, for which I thought at one time there was no repentance. But I do love you.”

Tears flowed from Angelica’s eyes. She took her hands and wiped them from her face. Angelica stood and went and sat next to Margo and hugged her. “Thank you for the hug today, friend, I needed it,” Angelica said.

“I can’t breathe,” Margo said and began to laugh at herself. “Girl, you about squeezed the life out of me.”

“Margo, you’re the best friend I’ve ever had and I don’t want to lose you.”

“Sit up and look at me. Angelica, I’m not perfect.” Margo looked away and then back at Angelica. “I’ve done some things in my life I’m not so proud of, but I know that God forgives me. Now, if God, whom I can’t see, can forgive me, why can’t I forgive you, who I can see?”

“Profound, even though I know it came straight from the Bible. I remember my grandmother quoting a scripture close to that when she would always talk about faith and forgiveness.”

“I love you, too, Angelica.” She said it. That wasn’t hard, Margo thought. But she really meant it.

“Not to change the subject, but what happened with you and Malik tonight?”

“Let’s change the subject.”

“Malik fell in love with you, didn’t he? Don’t give me that strange look, Margo. The chemistry was there. You all had the chemicals burning out of the Bunsen burner.”

“Malik was there for me during the time Jefferson was in prison. He was like a brother to me-checking on his big sister. I realized it was much more than that right before Jefferson came home.

“I did everything to avoid him, Angelica, but he wouldn’t take no for an answer. And soon, I found myself thinking about him.” Margo looked straight into Angelica’s eyes. “I’m not sure why I’m telling you this, but I think I was feeling more for him than I cared to admit. But it wasn’t until a couple of days ago when I saw you and