Abide with Me (14 page)

Nicole was used to this type of conversation from her mother. Over the years, their relationship changed like the weather. At times, they were a loving mother and daughter and then, with the speed of a tornado, a change, and they couldn’t stand each other.

After thirty minutes of a rapid tumble of breathless words, her mother asked Nicole if she was still trying to get pregnant.

“Mother, I told you I just signed this contract to do
Dreamgirls
,” Nicole said.

“
Dreamgirls
,
Dreamwomen
, or whatever. Is that damn play worth losing your marriage?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Jared and I are even happier now than the day we married,” Nicole said.

“Trust me when I tell you that ain’t always going to be the case.”

Just as Nicole was preparing to respond, she heard the call-waiting beep. “Hold on, Mother.”

“Hello,” Nicole said.

“Nicole. This is Peaches. I need your help,” Peaches said hurriedly.

This was the reprieve Nicole was praying for. “Hold on, Peaches.”

“Mother, I’ll call you back later. I’ve got an important call.”

“What’s more important than what I’m saying? Is it some show business mess?”

“Mother, I’ll call you later. Good-bye.”

Nicole clicked the phone back. “Peaches, I’m sorry. What’s the matter?”

“They trying to take my place,” Peaches said.

“What place?”

“My shop. This jackass who owns the place is trying to sell it. Ever since his father died, he just been snooping around here askin’ if the health department know I’m serving more than pies when I have my meals for my kids. When his daddy was alive, he’d come by and have dinner with us sometimes. But he dropped dead about six months ago and now his son’s basically saying he don’t care what his daddy promised us. What am I going to do?” Peaches asked.

“Calm down, Peaches. Everything will be just fine. Do you have a lawyer?”

“A lawyer. Not here in New York City. Raymond usually handles my legal problems,” Peaches said.

“Have you called him?”

“Naw, I hate bothering him, but, Nicole, they can’t stop me from cooking dinners for my kids,” Peaches said.

“Don’t worry, they won’t. Listen, I think Jared said something about Raymond taking some time off. If you’d like, I could give him a call and see what he says,” Nicole offered.

“Would you do that for me?”

Before Nicole could answer she again heard the call-waiting beep. She assumed it was her mother, who had probably thought of some other things Nicole was doing wrong, so she ignored the beeps. She was thankful Peaches had a real crisis.

“Peaches, don’t you worry one bit. I’ll call Raymond and I know he’ll help out. And if he can’t, Jared and I will find you somebody who can.”

“Are you sure? ’Cause if Enoch lost this place because of me, well I just couldn’t forgive myself. And my kids depend on me. I don’t want to go back to Jersey. And we can’t even think about finding another place in Harlem. I mean with the Gap and Disney moving up here, regular colored folks can’t find a place to do their own bizness,” Peaches said.

Nicole heard the call-waiting beep again. She ignored it.

“Don’t worry, I have the day off. When I get back from my breakfast date, I’ll call Raymond. Now you get back to making those wonderful cobblers and don’t worry,” Nicole said.

“Thank you, Miss Nicole. I already feel better,” Peaches said.

“Everything will be just fine,” Nicole assured.

“Thank you, sweetheart. If I ever, ever hear anybody saying you got the big head, I’ll stop them dead in their tracks,” Peaches said.

“Thanks, Peaches. I’m glad I’ve got a mother-friend like you.”

When Nicole hung up the phone, she picked it up immediately and heard the rapid beeps which told her she had messages. Nicole had figured as much, and knew her mother’s messages could be as
hurtful as live conversations. So she ignored the beeps and got ready for her breakfast with Yancey.

Yancey didn’t meet Nicole for breakfast. Yancey received the phone call she had been praying for. At 9:30
A.M.
, the producer for
The Rosie O’Donnell Show
called to explain to Yancey how they were a half hour before show time with one Dreamgirl missing. Nicole Springer. The producer asked was there any way Yancey could make it to Rockefeller Center to go on for the missing Dream?

“Of course I can,” Yancey said. “I’ve just done my makeup.”

“You’re a lifesaver, Miss Braxton,” the producer exclaimed.

“I’m just happy to help out. A true Dreamgirl is always prepared.”

Before grabbing her already packed bag, Yancey reached for the phone and hit speed dial number one. After a few rings, she listened to Nicole’s cheerful greeting. When she heard the beep, Yancey said, “Nicole, I hope everything is all right and I’ll see you at Wilson’s. I hope.” Yancey paused for a few seconds and then said, “Don’t worry if I’m running a little late.”

When Yancey entered her apartment late that evening, after her national television debut, the phone was ringing urgently. She dropped her bag and almost tripped over the coffee table as she raced to the phone.

“Hello.”

“Girl, you were fierce! Just fierce,” Ava said.

“Did you see me?”

“Of course I saw you,” Ava said.

“What time does
Rosie
come on down there? It’s live in New York.”

“It comes on at three
P.M.
, and I just happened to be flipping the
channels and I heard them say something about the Dreams. And I was so proud of you that I was in tears,” Ava said.

“I’m so glad you saw it. I didn’t call you because I didn’t know if my plan was going to work,” Yancey said as she kicked off one of her boots.

“How did you pull it off?”

“I was invited to Nicole and Jared’s with a guy I just met who Nicole thinks I’m getting ready to marry. Nicole will believe anything. And I guess I was at the right place at the right time. I mean how else can you explain that I got that call instead of Nicole or Jared? I guess I just got some angels working overtime for me. They know it should be me playing Dena Jones and not Nicole Springer. Her time has come and gone and she’s the only one who doesn’t know it.”

“It was probably Mama,” Ava said.

“What about Mama?”

“Your angel,” Ava said softly.

“You’re probably right, but I don’t care if it’s coming from above or below. I mean today was just wonderful. Rosie and all the people on her staff were so wonderful.”

“So what are you going to do to celebrate?”

“I’m going to take a bath. Drink me a glass of wine or something. And then I’m just going to wait for the phone to ring.”

“The phone to ring? What do you mean?”

“From agents, from producers. From anybody who saw me today and can help my road to superstardom move just a little bit faster.”

“And it will, darling. It will.”

In the days that followed the NAACP press conference, Raymond’s spirits changed like a summer thunderstorm. One moment he was feeling sorry for himself and the next minute he wanted to kick some butt and take names. Initially he wanted to withdraw his name from nomination, telling himself he didn’t need this grief. If
his
people didn’t want him on the bench, then he didn’t want to represent them. Raymond convinced himself he would be happy practicing law and teaching. He wanted to call his father and ask him for advice. But then he thought about how proud his father was about the nomination. Raymond hated to disappoint him, so he didn’t tell him or his mother about the group’s stance. Trent and Jared were supportive and had encouraged him not to back down. So he had to fight. For his family, his friends, and his dreams.

It was Wednesday, and Raymond was meeting with Lisa, who had been very supportive in the aftermath of the NAACP’s decision. They were mapping out a game plan at an Italian restaurant located in the
Monaco Hotel. After the waitress poured some olive oil in a blue and white saucer, Lisa gave her a “please don’t hover over us … we’ve got serious business” look. The waitress smiled and said, “Just let me know when you’re ready to order.”

Lisa returned her businesslike smile and went right to work. “So you know one of these guys who’s opposing you?”

“I don’t really know him. He was involved in a case I handled,” Raymond said.

“What’s the information?”

“I don’t know if it’s important or if it will help,” Raymond said.

“Let me decide,” Lisa said as she dipped a piece of sourdough bread into the olive oil. Raymond nodded and began to tell Lisa about Barry Menton. After reviewing the videotape of the press conference, Raymond had recognized the middle-aged black man with the salt-and-pepper Afro. Raymond had met Barry while defending a young man who had filed a lawsuit against his employer for sexual harassment.

Raymond’s client, Steven Heggs, had worked first for Menton as a personal trainer and then was offered a job as his executive assistant at a large software firm. Steven was a recent graduate of Howard University and had moved to the Seattle area hoping to land a sales engineer position with a software design company. Once he started working for Menton, Steven was told his job would require him to travel with Menton.

On one of these trips, Steven discovered there was no hotel reservation for him. It had been mysteriously canceled, so he had to share a room with his boss. The story goes that during the night Menton’s feet became entangled with Steven’s and the next thing Steven knew, his married boss had his lips on a part of Steven’s body where they shouldn’t have been. Raymond, forever the gentleman, wouldn’t say
dick
or
penis
, just saying “you know” when trying to explain to Lisa where Barry’s lips were.

The advances didn’t stop when Steven pushed Menton away and told him he was totally heterosexual. It got worse, and with each of Steven’s refusals, Menton seemed more determined.

“So are you saying this man is a closet homosexual or, since he’s married, bisexual?” Lisa asked.

“He denied that and the charges as well, but he settled out of court for a midrange six-figure sum. Menton convinced the higher-ups at his company that this wouldn’t be good for business. We were going to haul a lot of them in for depositions. And my feeling is that my client was truthful on all accounts.”

“But how important is this guy, and do you think he’s trying to get back at you?”

“I don’t know. I’m not even certain we should use this or bring it up. I just told you in case we determine they are opposing me because of my sexuality,” Raymond said.

“It’s good to have that information. We’ll see if he shows up at the meeting when we talk with the leaders,” Lisa said.

“So they agreed to a meeting?”

“Yes, with me and possibly the senator. I don’t think it’s necessary for you to be there,” Lisa said. The waitress returned and Lisa ordered for her and Raymond.

After they finished their meal of lasagna and Caesar salad, Lisa suddenly appeared nervous. She searched the restaurant as if looking for someone and then started twisting the ends of her hair. When Raymond asked if everything was okay, Lisa pulled out a black leather binder from her briefcase and studied a white piece of paper that was sticking out.