Saved and SAINTified (48 page)

Pam tossed him a look as if he’d confessed to stealing money from her purse. “How long you been off of it?”

“Off of it is right as it’s like a drug. For half of my life. I stopped in my early twenties.”

“So that’s when everything went downhill for ya, huh? I bet if you ate some of my honey ham, hog maws, smothered porkchops, maple bacon or chittlins, you’d change your damn mind.”

“Chitterlings? Naw, I’ll pass. I never liked those.” He grinned. “And I’m sure all the rest of those dishes are delicious,” he patted her hand patronizingly, “but I don’t want any.”

Eyes dancing with humor, she stabbed her potato salad with her fork, looking up at him intermittently as he sipped his tea.

“Well, Mama Pam.” Saint yawned, trying to bring the conversation full circle. “I’m going to head upstairs and go to sleep.” He slowly pulled away from the table, placed his mug in the sink and proceeded to make his way out the kitchen.

“I’mma check on tha boys before I go,” she stated as she stood and helped herself to some of
Xenia’s famous lemonade.

“Oh, don’t worry about that. I plan to look in on them right after I get up there.”

“No.” She waved him off as she took a big gulp of the lemonade and belched. “I wanna see ’em for myself. I ain’t seen my grandbabies in almost two whole days ’cause Xenia got ’em in every activity under the sun lately. She take Hassani to that karate class. She take Dakarai to all these different playdates. What’s a three year old need all them playdates for?! And why do you have a bodyguard with her all the time? I had no idea her career had blown up like that. My baby done got Wendy Williams famous!” She grinned from ear to ear.

Saint resolved to get out of this pronto. “Ah, yes. Well, I understand wanting to peek in on the boys then. I’ll see you later.”

Suppressing his annoyance, he double backed and kissed her on her forehead before heading upstairs. He checked in on the boys, who were sound asleep, Dakarai seeming to be in a deep dream. He then knocked softly on Beset’s door. Hearing her murmur, he entered. A few moments later, he came out holding an electric drill and Phillips head screwdriver. He gently closed the door back and entered his own bedroom. Xenia was barely visible under the layers of cream comforters, duvets and matching sheets.

He set the tools on the floor, removed his clothing and headed into the bathroom to shower. Various thoughts raced through his mind. He came out of the bathroom soaking wet, naked and aroused. He stood at the foot of the bed, slowly drying himself as he looked at her.

I won’t bother her tonight. My baby is exhausted,
he conceded though his throbbing dick was sorely disappointed.

He donned a pair of teal boxers he’d pulled from the four drawer chifforobe, got into the bed, and pulled
Xenia to him in a spooning embrace. She sighed and pressed her body against his.  The light, floral scent of her skin, the peppermint oil permeating through the fibers of her black silk scarf and the way her small diamond earrings sparkled in the dim room filled him with love and wonder. He gently kissed the back of her neck, and enjoyed the warmth of her soft body against his as he joined her in slumber.

****

Pam took the last gulp of lemonade and placed the glass in the sink.

She got that recipe from me. Damn I declare it to her, but she makes it better than I do. She must’ve tweaked the recipe.

Gathering her robe and pulling it tighter at the chest and neck, she slowly negotiated the winding staircase. She cleared her throat and paused at the last step, feeling winded by the time she reached the top.

They need a damn escalator
, elevator, a boat with a levee, a shootin’ canyon—somethin’ up in this bitch! Got me breathin’ like I done ran a damn marathon or stole somethin’. This don’t make no goddamn sense ... like eighty damn steps to get to the second floor. It ain’t like they leadin’ up to heaven! What is the damn purpose?

She continued to complain in her mind as she huffed and puffed past Saint and
Xenia’s bedroom, down to Hassani’s. Quietly, she opened the door to look upon her beloved eldest grandson, smiling with admiration and affection.

He is so handsome.

“Goodnight, baby,” she whispered, giving him a soft peck on the cheek.

She then made her way down to Dakarai’s room.

Dakarai is gonna be the strong, silent type. What a beautiful little boy, handsome like his daddy. Xenia sure is blessed to have these children.

She kissed him on his neck. He was turned in such an awkward way, it was the only skin she could get to without rousing him.

After exiting Dakarai’s room, Pam retraced her steps in the hall to leave and go back to the guesthouse but then she paused and eye-balled Beset’s closed guestroom door.

They done brought this ol’
crusty saran wrapped lookin’ mothafucka up in this house. If they needed help, why didn’t they ask me?! I thought I earned that right. I’m a good grandmamma. Hurt my feelins with that mess right there...

She drew closer to the door and placed her ear up against it.

She must be asleep. I wonder what she got in there? Always sneakin’ around and grinnin’, acting all nice ’nd shit. Ain’t nobody that goddamn sweet.

Carefully, Pam surrounded the brassy knob with her palm and slowly turned it, hoping the door was unlocked.

Eureka.

Smiling with satisfaction, she peered inside of the dark, smoky interior. That smile soon faded.

What in the flyin’ fuck?!

In the corner of the room appeared to be a black smoldering bowl. Pam’s eyes darted, trying to see through the incense and candle haze. She stepped inside through a maze of stacked, printed papers.

Smells like burnt licorice in here. What the hell is goin’ on? This old lady is probably into some damn voodoo. ’Prolly got a Church’s Chicken bone necklace around her neck, right this second. Conjurin’ up zombies ’nd shit.  I hope she conjure up a dead fashion designer to help her with her damn clothes, that’s fuh damn sure!

Her eyes focused on the old woman’s worn leather-bound Koran, neatly placed in the middle of a small oak desk.

Pam tiptoed over to it, shooting the sleeping woman a look before she opened a small bag next to the Koran. Out billowed a fine watery mist—warm, almost hot to the touch—causing her face to become instantly damp.

“Oh Lord Jesus!” Pam yelled, dropping the black velvet bag, then tripping on the floor as she attempted to get the hell out of there. 

“Shit! Lord have mercy! Oh, Father in heaven!” she struggled. Panic had taken full effect. “Alpha and Omega! Lord baby Jesus on the main line I’m tellin’ you what I want!!! I’ve fallen! Help me Lord Jesus!”

She rubbed harshly at her face, trying in vain to get whatever that shit was off of her skin.

“Somethin’ was in the damn bag. Please don’t let it uh been nerve gas!”

Fright struck within her. With a mouth full of carpet, she struggled clumsily to get to her feet. Just then, the door swung wide open. The crack she’d slid in was now no more. She stood there and stared at it.

Ain’t nobody out there! Lord Jesus!!! It just opened by itself! No weapon formed against me shall prosper! Amazing Grace, how sweet tha sound!

She hesitated, weighing her options as she looked back over her shoulder at Beset was now snoring loudly. Then, as she psyched herself up, she gathered enough gumption to bolt out as swiftly as her body could cart her away.

Pam huffed and puffed down the steps, her breasts almost giving her black eyes as they bounced wildly with her. Just in time, she stopped herself from tripping again, this time when she gripped the winding railing. She slid around the foyer and dashed through the kitchen, succeeding in falling again and becoming certain she’d discover a nasty bruise on her hip in a day or two. Dashing to the sliding doors, she left the house, out of breath and screaming obscenities. Her heart pounded and adrenaline rushed through her.

“Damn weed! I knew Mervin sold me some bad shit. This the second time it’s happened. Got me having illusions and hallucinations ’nd shit! Damn you, Mervin! I ain’t neva buyin’ from you again and I don’t care that you tha cheapest and the best. I got a prescription. I’ll find someone else! Goddamn!” She worked a piece of chewy neckbone meat out the corner of her mouth with the tip of her tongue and kept on running with all of her might. Finally, she arrived covered in sweat and missing half of her curlers and her left slipper.

She swung the guest house door open, slammed and locked it shut—just in case it wasn’t the weed after all...

****

Saint sat up in the bed, shaking violently. Xenia opened her eyes and looked over her shoulder at him. He could see the gleam of her smile in the darkness, which only made things worse.

“You’ve been crackin’ up for the past five minutes, rocking the bed. What’s so funny?” She rubbed her eye and yawned.

“Oh, nothing baby. I just had a dream and it was so funny, I accidentally woke up. Let’s go on back to sleep,” he offered as he hugged her close, visions of Pam screaming and racing through the backyard still vivid in his mind.

I opened the door for you so you could get out,
dear-mother-in-law. Stop snooping around. Sweet dreams...

“Now, are you sure?” Saint clutched his cellphone tight to his ear as he made his way through J.F.K. airport.

“
Saint, don’t call me again.” Jagger huffed on the other end.

“I know I’m getting on your nerves, but I can’t help it! I don’t reall
y want to be here. All I can think about is Xenia staying back at the house, all alone.”

“Look, you
told me that your father gave you some great advice once, that timing is everything, and right now is not the time for you to be worried. He’s right. Besides, Xenia said you being back in New York is really important at the moment. Everything is cool! Lawrence and I have this covered. His wife is still out of town visiting family, so he has more time to help. Please, just take care of your business.”

“
Jagger.” Saint paused and rubbed his chest as he stood outside the airport, waving down the next parked taxi. “I know you’re tired of me saying it, but I have to. Please man,
please
watch her like a hawk! She knows she isn’t to go to work, or leave the house without you. That was our deal. Xenia is stubborn though; she’ll try to break you down, too ... and she’s blocked.”

Saint
toyed with the idea once more, of blurting the truth to Jagger as to why Xenia was currently unreadable. Instead, he relied on the one time she was able to block him for a plausible explanation.

Jagger
laughed huskily. “Now, that’s a first. A civilian knowing how to block. Impressive.”

“Actually, you can look the shit up online. Most people don’t believe in any of this, so they’d never have any use for such information. She found out how from one of my books I had lying around when I was trying to figure all this shit out
, and she mastered it. I know my wife well. She is sneaky.” He laughed weakly.

“No problem. If I get a sense she is up to something, now that you’ve alerted me of the situation, I’ll get to the bottom of it. So far, she’s been very honest but yeah, I did notice she is blocking.”

And I tell yet another lie to protect the ones I love. I hate this shit!

“Okay, well, thank you.”

“Stop thanking me; it’s no problem. It’s not like I have a wife to get home to or anything...”

L
oneliness laced Jagger’s voice, even though he tried to mask it with a half-hearted laugh.

I will have to do something about this when I return. It’s time for
Jagger to start dating again. He needs a mate, badly.

****

“Pops!” Saint called out as he banged on his father’s brownstone door. After a while, the door slowly swung open, revealing the older man wearing a placid smile and glasses.

“Hi
, son.” He stepped aside, letting Saint in. “Where’s your key?”

“In the bottom of my luggage
,” Saint replied with a laugh and walked inside, the familiar scent of recently burned incense stinging his nostrils. “Don’t ask me why. I packed in a hurry, not even thinking.” Saint set his bag down and slumped in one of the living room reclining chairs. It was autumn, and the house now had a noticeable chill.

“You really didn’t have to come
,” his father stated, sitting across from him.

“Yes I did.”
Saint closed his eyes for a moment and rubbed his wrinkled forehead. “I could feel you. Now that ... now that I know we are the
same
, you’re more transparent. You’ve stopped blocking ... I can feel you now.”

His father nodded. “There was no sense in it anymore. I take it Beset is still doing well with the whole family dynamic?”
His father crossed his legs and ran his hands up and down the arms of his chair.