Saint And Sinners (51 page)

“John…Mothafuckin’ Travolta in Saturday Night Fever! Haaaaa! You look just like that
son of a bitch, man! I gotta get some pics of this shit!” Raphael’s eyes turned to
slits as he laughed, harder and harder, no doubt plotting the perfect blackmail ploys
in his shiny baldhead, which was well hidden under his Stevie Wonder braids wig. The
music went down quite a bit, and a slow song broke through, allowing Saint’s ears
and chest to get a much-needed break.

“Yeah…Yeah…get cha laugh on.” Saint smirked and rolled his eyes. “This was all Xenia’s
doing. I didn’t pick this shit out.” He pointed to the woman, who was still immersed
in the music, in her own world.

“But you love that movie!” she protested once she caught wind he was talking ill of
her. She threw him a mock offended look, as if it irked her that he took offense to
how the damn bell-bottom pants rode his crotch like a tic on a dog’s nuts. “Do you
know how hard it was to get a snow white polyester suit like the one in the movie,
with a size 32 waist for a man that is 6’3?! Nobody is built like you! And though
you have a tiny ass, it sits kinda high. Your butt is…”

“Okay, okay.” Saint put his hand up, hoping to stop this discussion at once. “You
don’t
need
to discuss
my
ass in front of my boy here, Xenia… That’s too much information, damn.”

Raphael lost it then. Saint felt his face heat with a blush he had no doubt would
rival rosacea.

“Well, it’s true! You’ve got really broad shoulders, a teeny waist, long legs…I had
to have it specially tailored.”

“I understand that baby, but this fuckin’ costume is…” He looked at her long and hard,
then decided to pull the woman close and kiss the top of her head. “Nothing, baby.
You did good. Thank you.”

She grinned back at him and turned away, catching Latrice waving at her from across
the way under one of the many rainbow strobe lights.

Both men watched Xenia saunter away, snapping her fingers dramatically to the beat
while her ass moved as if it were on supernova hydraulics.

“She look good, man,” Raphael said thoughtfully, peering intensely at the seesawing
globes.

“I otta punch you in the back of the damn head, man.” Saint smirked.

His friend laughed, threw up his hands and brandished a ‘surprised face’, as if he
didn’t know what the hell Saint could possibly be referring to.

“What?! I’m just admiring her costume, man.”

“Admire your
own
woman’s costume. I saw how you looked at Xenia’s ass… You don’t have any respect.”
Saint laughed lightly as he scanned the room.

“Look, I’m married not blind, man! Besides, if it weren’t for me, you would’ve never
landed her!” Raphael grinned.

“You’ve
got
to be kidding me.” Saint put his hands on his waist. “You didn’t have shit to do
with it…besides running my bill up at the hotel.”

“Like hell I didn’t! If it weren’t for me agreeing to go out of town with you, this
miracle would’ve never happened. I still can’t believe she agreed to marry your ass.
You must’ve made her do it under duress.”

“Fuck you, and you’ve lost your damn mind.” Saint smiled. “Leave it to you to try
’nd take credit.” Saint cracked up as he watched Raphael clip his Stevie Wonder sunglasses
a bit more securely to his shirt.

“That’s what I do, man,” Raphael joked. “Anyway, thanks for coming. I know you are
busy trying to get the company set up right ’nd everything.”

Saint nodded. “Yeah, things are progressing nicely though.”

“What’s up with Hassani?” Raphael crossed his arms, looking more serious.

“Man.” Saint glanced down at the floor, which was aglow with assorted light colors
reflected from the ceiling. “He’s not good. He’s been real quiet. I feel helpless
as hell. He doesn’t really want to talk. All he does is go to school, come home and
do his homework. He doesn’t want to go to that basketball camp you told me about,
either. He doesn’t want to go to karate with Dakarai; he doesn’t even want to play
with Isis. She started crying the other day because he closed his door in her face
when she came to his room. He never does stuff like that… He’s real protective of
her, you know?”

Raphael nodded. “Yeah man, I’m sorry. My son went through a stage like that, too.
You just kinda have to let it pass.”

“I’m worried about that boy though, man—Angel. The kid I told you about. He reminds
me of Bomb so damn much, when we were kids, you know?”

“Yeah…that’s wild. It’s kinda like if you and Bomb had had a love child, that little
bastard would’ve been it.”

“Yeah, that’s one way to look at it.” Saint searched the area for Xenia, but the thickening
crowd had swallowed the gorgeous woman. After a few moments, he finally spotted a
bit of her surrounded by grinning faces. “He needs help, man,” Saint murmured close
to Raphael’s ear.

“Who? Hassani?”

“No, well, yeah, but that’s not who I’m talking about. Angel does, the boy I told
you about. He has a chip on his shoulder. He’s a very angry person, but when I touched
him, I could feel he was supposed to be in Hassani’s life. I hate to admit this… I
hate it, I guess, it’s a pride thing, I don’t know.” He swallowed and looked back
down at the ground. “…But, he can do something for Hassani that I can’t. My son trusts
him, man. Angel is ignoring him in school now because of me. He is terrified of me.”

“Can you blame him?! You’re a powerful Angel Child.” Raphael crossed his arms. “Shiiiiit!
If I didn’t know you well, I’d be scared of your ass,
too
!”

Saint grinned and ran his hand over the vest of his three-piece disco suit.

“I’m serious, man.” He looked back up, peering as if the sun were in his eyes. “He
got something special. It’s like he was born to be Hassani’s guardian…kinda the same
way Bomb was for me. Yeah, Bomb was a bad influence sometimes because he didn’t always
do the shit he should have been, but I know in my heart if it weren’t for Bomb in
my life at that time, I’d be dead or in prison. Hassani needs someone closer to his
age to help him…similar to what I had. My dad tried to scare Bomb away too…but it
was different. Bomb isn’t an Angel Child, but he was assigned to me nevertheless.”

Raphael nodded as he looked into the distance. “Makes sense, man. Look, try to take
a load off tonight. Try not to think about it. I threw this party so everyone could
have some fun, unwind.”

“Oh, I plan to. Great job, man. It looks like a rocket ship came and shit the 1970s
all over this mothafucka. I know you paid a mint to rent this place though.”

“Don’t matter, business has been gooood!” Raphael gave Saint a high-five. “Anyway,
it will work itself out. In the meantime, let’s get something to drink.” He pointed
to the fully stocked bar across the way.

“You don’t have to ask me twice.” Saint chuckled as they disappeared into the crowd.
Earth, Wind and Fire burst out with, “September.” Raphael paused and did a spin. The
colorful beads in his wig clanked together, triggering a bout of laughter in Saint.
“You are a disgrace to the Wonder legacy. You know that, right?” The man began to
move his head back and forth just like Stevie Wonder. Saint shook his head. “You a
nut, man.”

“…You got tha widow’s peak and everything. You really
do
look like Travolta from the movie, man!” Raphael cried, twisting the knife in the
wound. Saint rolled his eyes and stepped closer to the bar.

“Xenia did my hair. She used like a whole fucking can of hair gel and hairspray. This
shit is hard as a rock!” He reached up and gingerly patted the top of his head. “I’d
be surprised it is didn’t break into tiny pieces like glass later on.”

Raphael burst out laughing. “She did good! It’s like a bouffant of sorts…wow. You
already had the sideburns. Only difference is, your eyes ain’t blue…but I’m sure if
someone pisses you off tonight, that could be arranged.” He smirked.

“Blue means I’m chill… I will have to show you the color wheel later on.”

Raphael shook his head and laughed.

“Hey man,” Saint said to the bartender. “Let me get a glass of red wine, doesn’t matter
what type…nothing too cheap though. This is for my fly ass Foxy Brown standing over
there taking pictures with people… and a draft beer for me.” He cleared his throat.
The bartender grabbed a bottle of merlot and poured.

“Where are Jagger and Lawrence and their wives? I told you to invite them,” Raphael
said.

“Xenia told them about the party. Jagger and Traci will be here soon. Lawrence and
Donna can’t find a babysitter, so I’m not sure if he will find one in time or not.
She offered our nanny, but Donna didn’t want to impose.”

Raphael nodded in understanding.

“Oh, and I did speak to Lawrence about Hassani’s eyes changing colors.”

“You did? What he say?”

“Basically, some of us are early developers. It’s like getting puberty early, is all.
Nothing can be done about it; he just needs to be aware of it and watch it.”

“That’s tough, man.” Raphael shook his head, a look of sympathy on his face.

“Yeah…anyway, congrats by the way on the new store.” Saint raised his beer in a toast,
then took a sip.

“Thanks, man. Business is picking up again. The recession almost kicked my ass but
things are starting to look up. I got that pink diamond and green emerald necklace
for Xenia now, too.”

“Good. I need a purple one, too. Amethyst.”

“What?! Why do you always do this to me, huh? I ask you,” Raphael’s brows bunched
as he jammed his hand out before him, as if doing a reenactment for some show. “I
say, ‘Saint, is that all you need?’, and you say, ‘Yeah man, I’m straight.’ And then
this
happens! Why didn’t you tell me that at the time you ordered the first one?! I could
have ordered the jewels all at the same time. It costs me more money when you do this.
I should charge your ass extra!”

“Fine, I’ll just take my business elsewhere!” Saint raised his nose high in the air,
as if he were dignified. He was met with a playful punch about the shoulder. Cracking
a grin, he looked out into the crowd once more, admiring his wife from a distance.

Everybody loves Xenia. She’s mine though…she’s fucking mine. My cum is still marinating
in her pussy… Mmmm….

He slicked his tongue over his bottom lip as he remembered flashes of their lovemaking
earlier that evening. He wasn’t sure why his thoughts went in that direction, but
his heart started to beat a bit faster, taking control. Then, before he knew it, it
became painfully clear. Some man was close to her, all up on her, dancing in the woman’s
personal space…

The man’s velvety dark skin glistened as he exposed a mouthful of snow-white teeth.
He beamed down at Xenia’s chest, and she seemed none the wiser when the guy slicked
his long, slimy tongue across his upper lip in lustful appreciation of the Goddess
before him. Thelma and Louise jiggled and bounced, glitter shimmering all along their
deep caramel flesh. The whole ordeal seemed to unfold in slow motion and the fucker
was getting a hearty eyeful. A few moments later, Raphael was holding his beer and
wearing a look of utter surprise on his face.

“Oh man…look, Saint, just chill.” He knew the deal. Raphael didn’t want him to cause
a scene. “I don’t know
who
that is, could be anybody, but let me take care of it. It’s my party; I can ask him
to leave if it goes too far. He must be a friend of a friend. Just cool out. Besides,
he probably doesn’t even know she’s married.”

“How the fuck could he
not
know?” Saint glared at his buddy in disbelief. “Look at that big ass rock I put on
her finger!” He pointed across the way, not expecting Raphael to really take notice,
but he had a damn point to make. “Anyone who knows who she is
knows
she is married, Raphael. She’s been on radio and syndicated television, and is about
to start a new radio program. She’s a celebrity, for God’s sake. Why do you think
half the people in this damn room are trying to talk to her and take photos with her?!
He knows who the fuck she is, including the fact that she is taken. People stay in
our
business more than they stay in their own shit!”

“Look!” Raphael grabbed his arm, putting some ‘umph’ in his grip. The man tried to
reel him in and put a stopper in this volcano within him that was vibrating, shaking
and rolling harder and faster than the music blaring throughout the place. “He’s just
admiring, okay? He didn’t touch her. Besides, give Xenia some credit.”

“Credit for
what
? She’s distracted… She doesn’t even see he is there.” He pointed over at her, refusing
to even blink. “She is taking photos with people and he is all in her damn grill.
I can tell she’s not even paying attention to that man.” Then…he saw it. The bold
fucker in the powder blue suit jacket wrapped his arm tightly around Xenia’s waist,
causing her to shift a bit in confusion and glare up at the guy. From her expression,
it was clear she had been taken aback by his gumption.

“Oh, fuck no! Fuck
that
shit!” Huffing, Saint marched over like the leader of a marching band, his arms swinging
like George Jefferson’s and a scowl on his face as his damn nose twitched.

“Saaaaiiint! Noooo!” Raphael screamed out, his plea drowned by the music.

Saint didn’t care—he may as well have been shot out a damn circus canyon. He moved
so fast, the alabaster white bell bottoms flapped around his legs like breeze blown
curtains.

He pressed up against the guy, his chest firmly into his with no fucks given and no
frills to give a shit about, then glared the bastard in the eye. “What you doin’,
man?” Saint sneered, getting impossibly closer, so close, their noses practically
touched. All the fucker did was smile even wider, as if some great anecdote had been
articulated.

“I’m trying to take a picture with this
fine
, little honey right here!” He gleamed, proud of himself and his words.