Chapter 13
“What’s the matter?”
“Listen , Johnnie, I’ve gotta go. My wife is expecting me home early tonight. I hadn’t planned on staying this long. I just wanted to drop off this check and ask you how you felt about getting your own place.”
Johnnie was quiet for a moment. She thought about what Earl had said about having her own place. She bowed her head and frowned.
Seeing the disenchantment in her eyes, Earl said, “What’s the matter?”
“Do you even care, Earl?” she asked, looking into his eyes.
“Of course I do, Johnnie. That’s why I want you to have your own place.”
“My own place, Earl?”
“Yes, your own place.”
“Right, Earl.”
“What’s the matter, Johnnie, really? I don’t understand what this is all about. I said I would get you your own place, and I will.”
“How can it be my own place, Earl, when you’re the one who owns it?”
Now he understood. “What exactly are you worried about, Johnnie? Me leaving you? Is that it?”
“You act like I shouldn’t be worried, Earl. Look at you now. You come over, throw money in my face, have your way with me, and then you’re out the door. And I shouldn’t be worried? What if I do move out? Then when you’ve had enough of me, what do I do then? Move back home with my mama? You know what, Earl, I really don’t think I can do this. I mean, it’s a big risk. You say you love me, but you’re married. You can change your mind anytime you feel like it. And if you do, where does that leave me? Out on the streets?”
“Johnnie, I wouldn’t do that to you. I do love you, but who do you think is paying for all of the stuff I promised you? The check you have is from them. The clothes and jewelry I buy you is paid for with their money. What do you expect me to do? Buy you a house or something?”
Johnnie just looked at him and raised her eyebrows.
“So, you want me to buy you a house, is that it?
“Why not, Earl? What if your wife finds out about us? What she gon’ do, say it’s all right? You just said it’s her money. She find out about this, and won’t neither one of us have a place to stay.”
“Dresses and jewelry is one thing, Johnnie. Houses are expensive. How am I supposed to get the money without her finding out about it?”
“You smart, Earl. Figure it out. You got six months before your promotion, right? Get a little at a time.” She paused for a moment. “What about your stock in the company? And don’t say you don’t have none. Ain’t no way you gon’ bring me a check for four thousand dollars and you don’t have no stock in the company.”
Earl grinned.
“So, you do have stock in the company, huh? How much did you make? I bet it was a lot more than what I made.”
“Johnnie, do you expect me to buy you a house with my own money?”
“If you love me, you will. I cain’t believe you’re so greedy. You have all that money, plus you get a salary and a check from the company. You already live in a mansion. Look at where I live. See, Earl, this is why I want my own place. You say you love me, but you’re unwilling to part with what’s yours. What do you make as a junior executive?”
Earl was quiet.
“What do you do with all that money? Save it? I bet you have more than enough to get me a house, don’t you?”
“Johnnie, if I buy you a house, it would wipe me out. I’d have to start all over again.”
“So what, Earl? Are you going to leave your rich white wife for a sixteen-year-old black girl who doesn’t have anything but the clothes on her back? And you have the nerve to ask me what I’m worried about? I’ll tell you what. Let’s just forget the whole thing,” she said, turning away from him.
“Okay, okay. I’ll get you the house.”
“I don’t want no run-down shack either, Earl. I want a nice place.”
“Listen, I gotta go now, okay?”
“Okay. Bye, Earl.”
“Don’t be that way. I said I would do it for you, and I will, okay?
“We’ll see.”
Earl started for the door, then he turned around and asked, “Do you want me to reinvest your dividend check for you?”
“Why? So you can buy me a house with my own money? No thank you.”
“Okay. Whatever you do, don’t spend the money. Buy some more stocks in the company while you can.”
“How do I do that?”
“I’ll call my broker at Glenn and Webster. He’s a good friend. I’ll let him know you’re coming. He’ll take care of you. His name is Martin Winters. Now, I really gotta go, Johnnie.”
After seeing Earl walk out the door, Johnnie wondered why he even bothered with his wife. He didn’t love her. What is the point? She promised herself she would only marry for love, and when she did, it would be someone like Lucas Matthews. For her, there wasn’t enough money in the world to marry someone for it.