TWELVE
That evening Deedee’s uncle picked her up from school. A beefy bodyguard who doubled as his driver accompanied him. Deedee climbed into the backseat where her uncle was busy putting away loads of papers. He appeared worn and there was a three-day growth of hair on his face. She knew he had been busy all day and night. Eric often worked for days without any rest developing music.
“Hey Dee, how’re you hon?” He greeted her with a kiss on the cheek.
“Hi Uncle E. How was your day?” Deedee asked returning the affection.
“Crazy, I spent all day laying down some tracks.”
“Were they the same ones you were working on last night?”
“Right, I did talk to you like late, after midnight, right?”
“Yes you did. I called because I couldn’t sleep.”
“You must be feeling a little tired then.”
“Somewhat, but I’ll be alright. How did the session come off?”
“It turned out to be more. See I didn’t want to be too fancy, that was part of the manager’s instructions. Nothing too fancy. I prepared some you know, generic R&B stuff. Then the group showed up and was feeling all the Hip Hop stuff. So I had to reset everything. That really took me out of it. Felt like I was doing everything except licking the stamp today.”
“Yeah, that really sounds like a lot on your plate, Uncle. I guess you had a full day.”
“Yeah, but right now, we’re gonna have a nice filet mignon at Tuscan Steak.”
“Hmm, sounds great. I like. That should revive you, huh Uncle.”
“Hope so, I hope so, Dee. How about you, how was your day, sweetheart?”
“I’m afraid no better than yours, Uncle E. I spent the day waiting for Coco to call but she hasn’t yet.”
“Why, what’s up with Coco?”
“Oh, I hope nothing, just that she wasn’t at school.”
“I thought she wanted to get into a good college?”
“Yeah, but I don’t know. Anyway, I picked up homework for her to do. She’s serious about school and I know it had to be really, really serious for her to miss school today.”
Deedee looked over at her uncle next to her. His eyes were shut. Deedee stopped speaking and leaned back closing her eyes also.
Later the two took their places inside the popular steak house.
Eric finished his meal, sipped a glass of beer and watched his niece giving him furtive glances while nursing her apple pie.
“How was your meal?” He asked.
Deedee smiled
“It was really good. I just couldn’t eat it all. Uncle are you and…” Deedee paused and looked at her uncle before continuing.
“What is the matter hon?”
“It’s just that I was thinking you should ah… take a vacation and maybe invite Sophia…” Deedee started and slowed as she saw the contortions of her uncle’s brows. “Like maybe you need time from your daily grind just to breathe and you may at the same time invite Sophia. Then you guys could spend… you know? Like a week, together communicating and maybe you can work things out. Uncle, please consider what I’m saying.”
“Dee, listen I don’t know how much of your attention you should give to this kind of adult mess. You just got to make sure everything goes right with your graduation from high school. Then you’ve got college. Graduating was what your father wanted for you to do. He wanted you to reach your potential, not be involved with things like Soph and me, that’s grown folks biz…”
“But Uncle I see her and I know…”
“Dee, remember when I used to take you to those karate lessons. Well this is what all that training was for, so you can be disciplined enough to forget all this negative around you and focus on your scholastic goals.”
“Yeah, but Uncle Sophia misses you too.”
Her uncle swallowed the rest of his beer as Deedee continued.
“You guys should try to work on it and not try to ignore each other’s existence. You bury yourself in music and Sophia’s trying to hide her tears from the world by sitting in front of her computer…”
“Dee,” Eric said raising his hand. “Look, I gave her the best jewelry from Harry Winston. I ordered her favorite car, the Porsche Boxter and had it delivered. I’ve sent flowers to her job and home on a regular. Since the whole thing went down, I’ve spent money buying so many trinkets for Sophia that…” Eric struggled for a moment. “C’mon for heavens sake, she doesn’t even wear her engagement ring anymore. Dee, love’s a two way street and for it to work, the other person got to meet you half way.”
“You’re right, Uncle E., maybe if I talk to her maybe if you offered her San Tropez for a week, maybe I could sort of feel her out…”
“Exactly not the thing I want you to do. She’s gonna assume that I’m using you to get at her. I want her to see that we’re all humans and anyone can make a mistake. I made my fair share, but that doesn’t mean I’m the scum of the earth. At the moment Sophia’s intelligence is telling her that’s just what I am.”