It's All About The Moon When The Sun Ain't Shining (8 page)

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Authors: Ernest Hill

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“ âYeah, baby,' he says, âworking.' ”

“Then she looks at him like he lying.”

“ âAll this time?' ”

“Jesus try to play it off.”

“ âYeah, baby,' he say. âHad a pretty good day too. Met some folks down by the river. They was pretty nice people. But, boy, they was some hungry. ' ”

“ âDown by the river,' she say. âDown by the river. When you left here this morning you ain't said nothing 'bout going to no river. What you doing way down there?' ”

“ âI told you,' Jesus said. âWorking.' ”

“ âWorking.' ”

“ âYeah, baby.' ”

“ âAin't no work down by no river.' ”

“Then Jesus tried to explain hisself.”

“ âI told you,' he say. âI met some people down there. And they was hungry, so I fed 'em.' ”

“ âFed 'em!' ”

“ âYeah, baby. They was hungry, so I fed 'em. What's the problem?' ”

“Then she looked at him like she wanting to fight.”

“ âFed 'em what?' ”

“ âFish and bread,' he say.”

“ âFish and bread! What you feedin' them fish and bread for? We ain't got no goddamn bread in this house and sho' ain't got no goddamn fish. Where my fish?' ”

“ âDidn't bring you no fish,' he said.”

“Now she sho' 'nuff mad.”

“ âI know you lying,' she said.”

“Now Jesus backed up against the wall, 'cause he tired and want to sit down.”

“ âNaw, baby,' he say. âI sorry. But I ain't brought you no fish.' ”

“ âWhy not?' she pressed him.”

“ âI don't know,' he say. âI just forgot.' ”

“ âForgot!' she hollered like something crazy.”

“ âYeah, baby. I just forgot, that's all.' ”

“ âWell, I know one thang, mister. You better hop right on back down there and get me some fish. That's all I know.' ”

“ âYou want some fish. I'll go get you some fish.' ”

“ âI know that's right,' she say. âAnd another thang. I better not catch you walking on that goddamn water no mo' either. Slip down and break your neck if you want to. It's gon' be hell to pay 'round here. I mean it goddammit. Ain't nobody playing with you.' ”

I saw Daddy lay his head down on the sink and laugh.

“Jake,” I heard Reuben say. “You sho' is one crazy nigger.”

“You can say what you want to,” Jake said, “but I'm serious.... All that talk about thorns and thistles and having his side pierced and not saying a mumbling word is all fine and good. But you show me where Jesus put up with a woman and held his peace, and I'll join church tomorrow.”

“Son,” Reuben called to me.

“Yes, sir,” I said.

“If I was you,” he said. “I would move. Wouldn't want to be too close when that lightning bolt strike.”

Chapter Nine

F
or lunch, Daddy stayed at the diner with Jake and Reuben, and I met Omenita at the little diner on the opposite end of town. I had not seen or spoken to her since the day before and I was a little concerned about her frame of mind for I did not know if she was still angry about the events of the day before or if time had rendered things moot.

It was just before twelve when I parked Daddy's truck just west of the diner and I was still sitting behind the wheel waiting when I saw Omenita pull up in her Hyundai. She saw me and pulled next to me. I got out and held her door open for her. She was wearing her long leather coat, a pair of gloves, and a hat. I kissed her quickly and we hurried in out of the cold. It wasn't a fancy place nor was it large. Toward the front, just as you walked in, were tables with checkered red-and-white tablecloths. In the center of the room was the counter. On one end of the counter was the register and on the other end was the serving line for those who ordered the buffet. There were probably fifteen or twenty people sitting at the tables. Omenita and I looked about for a moment, then moved near the back and sat in one of the empty booths along the west wall next to the window. It was more secluded and a bit warmer since in was situated farther from the cold draft that blew in each time someone opened the front door.

I assisted her off with her coat, then removed my own. She slid in on one side and I slid in the other across from her, and no sooner were we seated than a hostess presented us with two menus and told us that someone would be with us in a few minutes. I had just opened the menu and began reading when Omenita interrupted me.

“You talked to Miss Audrey?” she asked.

“I talked to her,” I said.

“About us?” she asked

“Un-hunh,” I said.

“What she say?”

“Didn't say nothing,” I said disdainfully.

“Must of said something,” she pressed me.

“I told you ... she didn't.”

A waiter came to our table and placed silverware and napkins before us.

“Ready to order?” he asked.

“What's good?” I asked.

“Well, lots of folks seem partial to the stew.”

“What kind of stew is it?” I asked.

“Beef tips,” he said.

I looked at Omenita.

It's nice and hot,” he said. “Warm your bones on a cold day like today.”

She nodded.

“Stew's fine,” I said.

“For both of you?”

I nodded again.

“Anything to drink?”

“You got lemonade?”

“We got lemonade,” he said.

“What about tea?”

“Got tea too,” he said. “Sweetened or unsweetened?”

“Sweetened tea for her. Lemonade for me.”

“Anything else?”

I shook my head.

“Alright then,” he said. “Two stews coming up.”

He left, and I saw an older couple come in and sit in the booth behind us, and before they were seated good, the waiter returned with our drinks, then quickly attended to them. I took a sip from my lemonade, then looked at Omenita.

“Did Miss Audrey say she gon' leave me alone?”

I nodded.

“Because you promised.”

“I know I promised,” I said.

“I ain't playing with you, Maurice. I can't take her no more.”

“I told you she's not going to bother you anymore,” I said.

“She said that?”

I nodded again.

“What else she say?”

“Didn't say anything.”

I saw her gazing at me, and I knew she did not believe me. But, there was something in her that wanted it to be true. I saw her look out the large bay window, then back at me.

“Wish you would tell me what she was talking about.”

“I'm going to,” I said, “if you give me a chance.”

“Alright,” she said. “You don't have to bite my head off.”

“Just like to have a nice lunch,” I said. “Talk about all that stuff later.”

“Fine!” she said.

I looked around to see if our food was ready. When I didn't see the waiter, I turned back toward Omenita. I could see that she was getting upset so I decided to change the conversation.

“Work going alright?” I asked.

“Kind of slow today,” she said. “Not many people out with the weather and all. Guess they all hugging the heater.”

“Well that's understandable,” I said.

“I must say, I'm kind of surprised to see you in town on such a cold day,” she said. “Seeing how you a warm weather man.”

“Helping Daddy out at the diner.”

“Washing dishes!” she said.

I nodded.

“Why?”

“Mr. Silas took sick. Just helping out 'til he's back on his feet.”

“And how long will that be?”

“Just for a few days,” I said.

“Maurice,” she said, “I swear. Sometimes I just don't understand you.”

I furrowed my brow and looked at her.

“What is it that you don't understand?”

“Oh, forget it.”

“No,” I said. “Tell me.”

“I just don't understand why you would disgrace yourself washing dishes, that's all.”

“Disgrace!” I said. “What's the disgrace?”

“Well if you don't know I'm not gon' tell you.”

“Now who's being snobbish?” I said.

“That's different and you know it,” she said. “I ain't looking down at nobody, I just don't want nobody looking down on us.”

“Because I'm helping my Daddy at the diner?”

“Forget it,” she said.

“No,” I said. “I won't.”

“You don't understand,” she said. “You just don't understand.”

“Well make me understand,” I said.

“How can I,” she asked, “when you won't listen?”

“Just open your mouth and tell me,” I said. “That's how.”

I looked at her but she remained quiet.

“What is it?” I asked.

She looked out of the window, took a deep breath, then looked back at me.

“Maurice,” she said, on the verge of tears, “I been catching hell all my life because of my mama and daddy. Now I'll be damn if I'm gon' spend the rest of my life catching hell because of you.”

“Because of me!”

“Because of you,” she said.

“I don't know what you're talking about,” I said.

“Maurice, you a college man. You ain't no goddamn dishwasher.”

“You need to quit worrying about what everybody think,” I said.

“Forget it,” she snapped. “Wash all the goddamn dishes you want to. See if I care.”

“You need to lower your voice and watch your mouth,” I said. “I swear I don't know why you have to curse so much.”

“Hope this ain't the big news you had to tell me,” she said. “You got a goddamn job washing dishes.”

“Watch your mouth, Omenita,” I said. “I mean it!”

“Don't handle me, Maurice,” she said angrily. “You ain't my daddy, and I ain't no child, and you ain't gon' talk to me like that.”

The waiter brought our food and placed it on the table before us. Two large bowls of steaming hot stew and a large square of corn bread. I unrolled my silverware and placed the napkin across my lap. Omenita did the same. I looked at her, then at the waiter.

“Looks good,” I told him.

“Need anything else,” he said, “just let me know.”

“I appreciate it,” I said.

He left and I saw Omenita dip the edge of her spoon in the stew and lift a small portion of the pot liquor to her mouth.

“Well,” I said after she had tasted it.

“It's fantastic,” she said.

Suddenly, I laughed.

“What's so funny?” she asked.

“Nothing,” I said.

“Must be something,” she said, “or else you wouldn't be laughing.”

“Just reminded me of somebody, that's all.”

“Who?” she asked.

“Just a friend,” I said.

I dipped my spoon in the bowl, and when it was full, I lifted it to my mouth and I felt my body tingle as the warm stew slid across my tongue and down the back of my throat. The stew was good, but the warmth was even better. In the silence of the moment, I watched Omenita eating from the bowl. Her soft brown eyes danced in the light of the room. She saw me looking at her.

“Well,” she said, “you gon' tell me or not?”

“I got into law school,” I said.

“What!” she said, then dropped her spoon and stared at me.

“I applied a few months ago,” I said. “Just heard last week.”

“Law school!” she said. “I don't understand.”

“LSU,” I said. “I got back in, and get this, I was awarded a scholarship, which was surprising because they don't usually award scholarships for law school. But there's this new program aimed at keeping some of Louisiana's brightest young lawyers from leaving the state. I applied for one and won. It pays full tuition, plus a small stipend to cover my living expenses while I'm in school. The only catch is that I have to agree to practice law in Louisiana for at least three years after graduation. But, that's no big deal though, because this is where I planned to live anyway ...” I paused and looked at her and I saw her eyes had begun to water.

“Do you love me?” she asked.

I squinted and looked at her strangely. I thought the question odd. “Of course I do,” I said.

“Do you want to be with me?”

“More than anything in the world.”

“Then why are you doing this?”

“For us,” I said. “I'm doing this for us.”

“This ain't got nothing to do with us,” she said. “This all about that tack-head cousin of yours, and your obsession with getting him out the pen.”

“Let's talk about something else,” I said.

“I ain't gon' do it,” she said.

“Ain't gon' do what?” I asked.

“Let this happen,” she said.

“Let what happen?” I asked.

“You go off to school again while I sit around and wait my life away.”

“I don't want to talk about it anymore,” I said.

“We gon' talk about it,” she said.

“Keep your voice down,” I said.

“I mean it, Maurice. I ain't gon' wait no more. Either we gon' be together or we gon' be apart. But I ain't gon' be in one place while you in another one.”

“Omenita!” I said.

“No,” she said. “I ain't gon' do it. And I mean that. I swear, Maurice, all you think about is yourself.”

“Myself,” I said. “This is for us. Why can't you see that?”

“This ain't got nothing to do with us,” she said again.

“It has everything to do with us,” I said. “Everything.”

“Tell that lie to somebody else,” she said.

“Hold on,” I said. “Hold on now.”

“Hold on, my foot,” she said. I knew she wanted to say something else, but couldn't on account we were in a public place.

“I guess it would be asking too much for a little support,” I said.

“Support!” she shouted.

“Keep your voice down,” I said again.

“How dare you say that to me,” she said.