shindig.”
“Sit down,” Margo whispered to Jefferson. “Let’s have dinner peacefully.”
“I asked him to join us,” Angelica interjected. “He was already here, and I didn’t see any reason why he shouldn’t celebrate with us tonight-the more, the merrier. I will admit, though, that I’m not one of Malik’s favorite people.”
“Come on, Angelica,” Malik said. “We’re a little like oil and vinegar-we’re always going to have our differences.”
“No need to move. We’ll sit right here,” Jefferson said with little enthusiasm. Jefferson did not remove his eyes from those of his former friend. Malik looked away and picked up the menu.
“Everything squared away at the house?” Edward asked sincerely. “Did you get the window fixed?”
“They put the front window in this morning and we have some drywall work yet to be done,” Margo said, trying to lighten the conversation and purposely averting her eyes so she wouldn’t have to look at Malik.
“I think everyone should get something to drink to lighten the mood,” Angelica interjected. “I want to make a toast-to new beginnings and new loves.”
Malik shook his finger. “I’d like to drink to that.” Margo and Jefferson looked at him strangely.
Angelica picked up her glass from the table, took her index finger and swirled the concoction around. Licking her finger, she took a sip. “Umh, umh, umh. This Jamaican Cowboy is so good. Uhm. The rum and Schnapps in this thing is going to do me in. I’m going to make a toast to myself. May life be greater than it was before, and may true love find me and cover me like a tidal wave because I’m long overdue.”
“So, what are you celebrating?” Jefferson asked Malik, ignoring Angelica’s toast since he and Margo hadn’t had the opportunity to order anything yet.
“Look who’s talking? Try turning back a few chapters of your life. But since you’ve asked the question, why don’t you ask Margo?”
Liquid gushed from Angelica’s nostrils like fireworks. The intensity of Malik’s counter-question caught her by surprise, and the drink she was consuming chose to take another route than the one it should have taken. Her eyes bulged when Margo stood up and began to give Malik a piece of her mind.
Margo stood and faced Malik. “I have seven words for you. I don’t know what you’re talking about. Whatever you’re celebrating couldn’t be what I’m celebrating because I’m celebrating new life and new love with my husband. That shouldn’t be a foreign language to you because you’ve heard it before. I don’t know what your purpose for being here is or your intentions, but let’s get one thing clear, Malik: I, Margo Myles, have dedicated my life to my husband, Jefferson Myles, for the rest of my days, through the good and bad times, through the storm and the rain, and whatever else may come.” Margo sat down.
Jefferson clapped while the others looked on.
“Good speech, very good speech, Margo.” Malik took a sip of his Beringer. He put the glass down and stared directly at Jefferson. “Maybe you’re not aware, Mr. Myles, but only a few days ago, your wife came to me crying. She told me that she saw you and Angelica entering a hotel.”
Jefferson’s hands transformed into two large fists. He hit the table, but Margo made an attempt to quiet him.
“Umh, looks like I’m getting out of Fayetteville in time,” Angelica said with a feigned look of fright on her face.
“And Margo told me she was through with you. Begged me to make love to her.”
“Oh my God!” Angelica hollered, covering her face with her hands. “Malik, this is a celebration. You can air your dirty laundry with Jefferson another time. Right here and right now, it’s about me, not you.”
“Shut up, Angelica.”
“You wait a minute,” Edward said, jumping into the conversation. “My sister was kind enough to extend the invitation for you to sit down with us, so the least you can do is be courteous and considerate.”
“Man, I’m not mad at you.” Malik threw his hands up. “This jailbird doesn’t deserve this wonderful woman sitting next to him.”
Jefferson jumped up from the table and reached for Malik. Edward pushed him back and looked at Malik. “I’m telling you for the last time, shut the hell up or it’s time for you to leave. Jefferson and Margo are happily married, and what they do is none of your business. Margo has already told you that she is committed to her marriage. So chill out, brother. Jefferson, it’s all right. He’s not going to do anything else.” Jefferson sat down.
A huge scowl crossed Malik’s face. He looked like an angry monkey in a coconut tree. He was no longer the attractive man that made Angelica and even Margo swoon. Sure, he still had the handsome good looks, impeccable pects, but his attitude had soured to an all-time low, and Margo felt she had been the cause of it.
“Jefferson and I are going to leave,” Margo said. “Didn’t mean to spoil your party, Angelica.”
Before they were able to get up, Malik stood up. “So, you don’t care that your wife was with me?” he began.
“If you say another word,” Jefferson said while rising to his feet, “you’re going to be eating peanut shells.”
Out of nowhere, the manager of the restaurant appeared at their table. “Excuse me please, but other patrons are complaining about the noise at this table. Please keep it down. Thank you.” And he walked away.
“Come on, Jefferson,” Margo said as she pulled on his arm. “We don’t need this. Malik is an angry black man.”
“Oh, that’s not what you said when I was making love to you. By the way, did you know that Angelica seduced Jefferson when she was still married to Hamilton? He tried to convince me that he ignored her advances, but he committed to the act anyway. And when he finished, he put his shirt and tie back on and came running home to you.”
No one knew who threw the first punch. All the hee-hawing came to a screeching halt as Jefferson, Malik, and Edward became a huge tumbleweed rolling on the floor in the middle of the aisle, trading punches with each other after first knocking everything off the table. Everyone in the restaurant was up on their feet and gathered around, some shouting,
“Get up, Jefferson,” Margo screamed, trying to pull him from the pile. Angelica was at her side, trying to pull Edward from the fracas.
“I want you all out of here, now,” shouted the manager, “before I call the cops.”
The roadhouse girls began their chant, kicking their heels from side to side and singing their country line-dance song. Soon the whole restaurant chimed in as if it were the entertainment for the evening.
With a swollen face, Jefferson was the first to unravel from the pile on the floor and stand with Margo tugging at him to get up. Next was Edward, dusting dirty peanut shells from his suit. Malik sat up and both Jefferson and Edward punched him simultaneously-one in the chest and the other up-side his head until Malik slumped back to the floor.
“You all ruined my party,” Angelica said as Jefferson and Margo moved away from the chaos and exited the restaurant.
“We’ve had enough for today, baby sister. It’s time you headed back to New York or wherever it is you’re planning to go.”
“Edward, all I wanted to do was celebrate my new life.”
“Angelica, you’ve already had your celebration. You will no longer be harmed by Santiago. Be grateful that you don’t have to look over your shoulder every minute of the day in constant fear that…that evil man might get you. If you hadn’t gotten out of his house, who knows what might have become of you. Sometimes, I…I want to throw my hands up and…”
“And what, Edward? Throw me to the dogs?”
“I’m sorry, Sis, nothing like that. Sometimes I get so tired of fighting your battles-battles that you create. I love you, Sis, but I want you in your new life to think not only of yourself but of others also-the awkward and sometimes crazy positions you put them in and the consequences of your actions. I’m sure your friend Ari would not be in the place he’s in now, if you hadn’t helped put him there.”
A veiled mask covered Angelica’s face.
“Please don’t pout, Angelica. Someone should have sat you down a long time ago and had this talk with you.”
“I’m a grown woman…”
“A grown woman who’s made a mess of her life, but with my help, is going to straighten it out. We’ll go back to
