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Saturday
“You sure you want to do this?” Channing stuck the white rose behind Sonjay’s ear.
“Yes, for the hundredth time.” Sonjay slid her hands over her snug, white dress with spaghetti straps. “This is the best option for everyone.”
Channing sat on the wooden porch swing on Pastor Leto’s patio. “Once you do it, it’s no turning back.”
“I’m sick of having this conversation every time I turn around.” Sonjay snatched her bouquet off the patio table decorated with a white tablecloth and flowers for the ceremony. “People marry people for different reasons, Channing. It’s not always about love.”
“Is that the marriage you want?”
“Klein’s a good man.” Sonjay pushed the flower further into her pristine bob. “He’ll be a wonderful husband and father. Can we promise to never have this conversation again?”
Channing shrugged, swinging her legs. “You’re killing Dex.”
“He’ll get over it.” Sonjay sashayed to the sliding doors as Anderson walked out the house.
“My, aren’t you gorgeous?” Anderson kissed Sonjay’s cheek. “I wish you and Klein the best.”
Sonjay smiled, glancing at her sister. “Glad to see someone’s happy for me.” She went in the house.
“Man.” Anderson chuckled with his hands in the pockets of his coral blazer. “They need to fire the local weatherman.”
“What are you talking about?”
He sat beside her, snickering. “He said it was eighty-five degrees, but it’s cold as heck out here.”
“Funny.”
“Sonjay looked pissed.”
“If she wants to be a fool and wreck a bunch of lives that’s on her.”
“I feel horrible.” He sighed. “Klein’s going on and on about how happy he is and Sonjay doesn’t love him. It’s killing me not to tell him.”
“It’s their business.” Channing moved her spritzed bangs out her eyes. “I’m tired of worrying about it. Whatever happens, happens.”
“I like the sound of that.” He put his arm around her shoulders and kissed her. “We have our own love life to concentrate on. You look so beautiful.”
The casual, sky-blue lace dress made her feel like a princess.
He whispered against her cheek, “You’d make a gorgeous bride. You wanna get married one day?”
“To you?”
He grinned. “I’d be down, but I meant in general.”
“Course, I do.” She laid her head on his shoulder. “What little girl doesn’t dream of having the perfect wedding day?”
“I went by the church earlier and the street’s packed already for Presley’s celebration.”
“Was Khadija acting a fool?”
“No, it was nice. Everyone was marching peacefully and carrying signs with Presley’s picture. It was touching to see how so many people care. I interviewed Khadija for the story.”
She groaned. “Why?”
“You know why she’s so passionate about civil rights? When she was growing up she didn’t have a voice, so she swore she’d be the voice for others.”
“I wish she could do it more civilized.”
“Sometimes just making noise is what’s important. I didn’t agree with her methods either, but I understand her better now.”
“So, you’re a Khadija fan now?”
“She cares, Channing. Why don’t you try to see things from her perspective?”
Pastor Leto walked out, smiling with her bible tucked under her arm. “Are we ready for a wedding?”
“Been ready.” Klein popped out the sliding doors, holding Sonjay’s hand. “I want nothing more than to make this beautiful woman my wife.”
Channing peered at her sister who ignored her stare.
“Let’s do this then.” Anderson stood, helping Channing off the bench.
They followed Leto into her steel gazebo covered with a white canopy and lit by string lights.
“This is lovely.” Channing stood with Anderson beside the table set.
“It’s not grand, but I tried to capture the moment with the decorations.” Leto smiled. “Before we get started is there anything you need?”
“No,” Sonjay said. “Klein’s all I need.”
“I love you so much, baby.” He gave her a long kiss, grinning afterwards. “Sorry.” He wiped Sonjay’s glittery lavender lipstick from his mouth. “Hard to control myself around this beautiful woman.”
“Let’s take our places.” Leto gestured to Anderson and Channing.
Channing leapt beside her sister while Anderson stood with Klein.
“It’s not too late to get out of this,” Channing whispered.
“Shut up,” Sonjay whispered back before flashing a goofy smile at Leto. “We’re ready, Pastor.”
Leto raised the bible. “We gather here to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony. Klein Osgood, do you take—”
“Stop!” Dex climbed over Leto’s fence. “You can’t do this.”
Channing stood back, a gasp stuck in her throat.
“Dex?” Klein frowned. “Are you crazy? Get your ass out of here.” He covered his mouth. “Ooh, sorry Pastor.”
Dex grabbed Sonjay, his clothes twisted. “You can’t do this, Sonjay. I won’t let you.”
“Dex.”
“I can’t lose you.”
“What the hell?” Klein shoved Dex away from Sonjay. “What’s going on here?”
“Mr. Reinhardt,” Leto shrieked.
“Get out of here, Dex,” Sonjay said.
“No.” He swung his arms. “All the lies, the secrets, it ends today.” He turned to Klein. “Sonjay and I love each other and I’m not letting you have her.”
****
Zayden dragged the sack of empty beer bottles from Jimmy Lou’s garage and set it in the front yard.
Tilly and Morris sprung up in the rocking chairs on the porch while Jimmy Lou dug underneath the hood of his Mustang.
“What the hell is that?” Tilly asked.
“Empty bottles.” Zayden held up one. “We’re gonna throw Molotov cocktails at the Mills’ restaurant.”
Jimmy Lou yanked his head from the car. “What did you say?”
Tilly drank from his can of beer, laughing. “What you been smoking today, son?”
“Yeah.” Morris scratched over the hawk tattoo on his upper arm. “I’d sure like to have some.”
“I ain’t wasted.” Zayden spun the bottle. “We have to do this for Nate or else he died for nothing.”
“Hold up.” Tilly lifted his finger, scowling as if something stunk. “Have you lost the little mind you got left? We ain’t burning down someone’s restaurant.”
“Our homie is dead. If it weren’t for the Mills family, he’d still be here.”
“No, if Nate hadn’t been driving while drunk he’d still be here,” Tilly said. “Man, this is crazy. I ain’t doing this shit.”
“When did you get to be such a pussy?”
“You better watch your mouth, Zayden.” Tilly leaned forward.
“Nate’s supposed to be your boy.”
“That’s right.” Tilly stood. “Nate and I’ve been tight since the third grade when you used to make fun of him, remember? You didn’t give a damn about him until high school when he became a star football player and you wanted to ride on his coattails because you thought he was going to the pros.”
Zayden held his breath.
Tilly’s lips twisted. “Like a fool, I went along with the stuff you did but this goes too far. Arson, Zayden? You just got out of jail for the hundredth time.”
“I promised Nate I’d always be there for him and my word is bond unlike yours.”
“I loved Nate.” Tilly’s lips shook. “I knew him better than you ever could and let me tell you something, he’d been depressed ever since he lost out on the NFL. That’s why he drank so much. None of this will bring him back and Nate wouldn’t want us to do this, anyway.”
“What’s wrong with you, man?” Zayden turned his palms to Tilly. “Where’s your loyalty?”
“My loyalty is to my baby girl. I got a two-year-old daughter and baby mama to think about, Zayden. You only worry about yourself.” He sat, waving dismissively. “Fuck that. We ain’t in high school anymore. Grow up.”
“Get your bitch ass out of here then.”
Tilly jumped up and Morris grabbed him. “You gonna make me?”
“Fellas.” Jimmy Lou ran up. “Stop, all right? We’re friends and we all loved Nate. He was my cousin, remember?”
“I loved Nate like a brother.” Tilly pulled away from Morris. “But I ain’t going to prison for nobody.”
“Chill,” Zayden said. “We won’t get caught and no one will know it’s us.”
“I’ll know.” Tilly yanked on his wife beater. “I ain’t doing this and if that means you guys don’t want me around then so be it.” He hopped off the porch and walked past Zayden, mean mugging him. “I’m out.”
“Tilly, wait.”
“I’m out, Jimmy Lou.” He got into his black Corvette and yelled out the window, “You guys are stupid if you do this.”
“Yeah, get the fuck on.” Zayden threw a bottle at his car as Tilly backed out the driveway. “And don’t come back.”
“Zayden.” Morris sighed.
Tilly sped through the dusty road.
“Tilly’s right,” Morris mumbled. “The Mills didn’t do nothing to nobody. We can’t burn down their restaurant. They worked hard for that.”
Zayden spit in the grass. “Since when do you care about some niggers? Nate didn’t deserve the way he was treated.”
Jimmy Lou wiped oil on his jeans.
“Come on, guys.” Zayden stomped his foot. “We’ll do it tonight. Heard the restaurant won’t be open because of Khadija’s ceremony for the girl. No one will see us. All we do is throw the cocktails, and that’s it.”
“Nah, man,” Morris said. “There’s a difference between tearing up signs and arson. I loved Nate, but I can’t be going to jail again over this shit.”
“Just following Tilly, huh? He owns you?”
Morris scowled. “No one owns me.”
“We have to send a message.”
“Then you’ll be doing that without me.” Morris looked at Jimmy Lou, shrugging. “I’m not setting someone’s restaurant on fire.”
“I can’t believe I’m hearing this shit.” Zayden held his head. “What has happened to you two?”
“You act like nothing fazes you,” Morris said. “Like you got no heart and compassion. It’s not your responsibility to look after Nate. He was a grown man. He drove drunk and hit that little girl.”
Zayden slapped his thighs, looking at the sky. “Am I losing my mind here?”
Morris walked off the steps. “This is your battle not mine.”
“Fine.” Zayden grinned. “Fuck you and fuck Tilly. I brought your ass over here but you can walk your ass on home.”
Morris shrugged, heading to the road. “Fine.”
“Don’t come back either, pussy!” Zayden kicked the bottles and turned to Jimmy Lou. “With friends like those who needs enemies? Fuck them, all right? We’re winning this battle.”
Jimmy Lou’s beard shined with sweat. “Battle?”
“It’s a battle for Nate’s honor.” Zayden swatted Jimmy Lou’s cheek. “We can’t stop until it’s over.”