"Good afternoon Ashley. You look pretty today," June says when we both walk into the kitchen. I picked Ashley up from the airport yesterday. I honestly thought I was going to have to fly and get her. Her mother had been trying to come up with every excuse not to let her come.
"Thanks," Ashley says beaming from ear to ear. June and she stayed up all night talking and watching Disney Plus movies. June is so different with Ashley than she was with me. She even lets her call her grandma.
"So where are you two off to today?"
"Gabriel Stephens and his family are doing a small barbeque for his wife's brother. So they invited me to do security and also so Ashley can play with some kids her age while she is here." She nods as she sips her afternoon coffee.
"Ok. That sounds fun. Vilonia and I are going to the country club to play a little golf. I was hoping that Ashley and I could do something later. Maybe a movie at the theater and zoo tomorrow?"
"Yes! Please say yes daddy?" I laugh at her eagerness.
"Cool. No problem. I didn't have any set plans."
"Great. I will see you later." June walks out just as Holiday walks in.
"Daddy can we take Doc with us. I know she doesn't want to stay in this big house by herself." Last night I had to explain to Ashley about the new house that was given to me by my mother. She's never been here, and she had so many questions about the new house daddy lived in.
"I'm not sure about that. Some people may be scared of dogs, plus she won't be alone. We can take her to the park one day this week."
"Ok," Ashley says dropping to the floor to rub Doc's back as she eats her food.
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Before heading to Gabe's I make a quick stop. Ashley and I are both standing at the door waiting for the door to be opened. It's about one and her car is parked in the driveway so I was hoping to surpriser her with a visit.
The door swings open and Daphany is standing there in some dirty jeans and a dirty t-shirt. I smile looking over her - even dirty she's still sexy. "Hey, I stopped by to see if you wanted to go to a barbeque with me and Ashley.
Daphne's eyes flick down to Ashley before snapping back to me. She opens her mouth then quickly shuts it. "Hey, Ashley. You can come in but your dad has to stay here." She motions for Ashley to come in and because my daughter is so friendly follows Daphany into the house. When I'm about to step in Daphany holds up her hand halting my forward motions and then closes the door in my face. I stand there dumbfounded, and not knowing what to do. There is some patio furniture sitting to the right of me so I plop down and wait. She won't leave me out here forever will she.
Yes, she will leave me out here for an hour and thirty minutes to be exact. When the door finally opens Daphany is dressed in a floor-length floral maxi dress. Her hair is pulled up into a puff at the top of her head. She's smiling at whatever Ashley just said, but when her eyes met mine she frowns. Ouch.
"You look pretty," I say hoping it will soften the angry vibes I'm getting from her.
"Thanks, but don't think you're off the hook. I'm mad at you."
"Why?" She rolls her eyes at the question. I know why she's upset with me. I keep stopping by forcing myself into her life.
"Who's barbeque is this?"
"A friend of mine."
"Is he ok with you bringing me?"
"Yeah, why you say that?"
She looks back at Ashley, who's sitting in the back playing on her tablet not paying us any attention.
"You know because I'm black," she whispers. I look at her and burst out laughing.
"Hell no, he doesn't care that you are black."
"How do you know?"
"I'm not going to answer that. I'm just going to let you see." Her eyes search my face for an answer to what I'm not saying, but I'm not giving her anything more. She will see how her race will never be an issue in this family.
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We all jump out of the truck, the street is packed with cars lining both sides of the street. Daphany's eyes scan the neighborhood looking at all the houses. Her hoop earrings sparkle in the sunshine and I notice how young she looks with her hair pulled up differently. This is another look she should wear more often.
I ring the doorbell and a short light-skinned black guy answers the door. He's wearing an apron and has a pan of meat in his hand. I think this is Gabe's wife's brother Fabian. "What's up, bro?"
"I'm here for Gabe."
"Oh yeah come on in. Everyone is in the back. Food is almost done." Daphany's eyes flick to me. I'm sure she curious as to where we are at.
"Thanks."
We all file in one after the other. Fabian closes the door motioning with a finger the route we should take. When we walk down the hall into the kitchen we head out the glass door with Fabian following behind.
The backyard is packed with both black and white people standing around talking. A few kids are playing in the bounce house they have back here. No one is in the pool, probably because even though it's spring and like eighty-five degrees, the weather here is very unpredictable and at any moment snow could start falling.
Ashley pulls on my hand pointing at the bounce house. I nod letting go of her hand and watch her run over to be with the other kids, not at all showing any signs of shyness.
"Who are all these people?" Daphany leans over and whispers.
"This is Gabe," I point at the blond head man who has his hands wrapped around the black woman's waist. She has very long braids that hang to her butt and it looks like she may be trying to escape his pawing hands. "The guy right there and his wife's barbeque. I think it's one of her brother's birthdays."
"Oh."
"What's up Stone. Long time, no see." David, Gabe's younger brother says. We are about the same height so he's looking down at Daphany smiling brightly. "Who is this beautiful woman you have with you?"
"This is Daphany Moore."
"Awe yes. Daphany Moore with Edward and Edward Law. I knew you looked familiar. You are one of Bradford's friends. He has a picture of you and him at his home. Several pictures."
She smiles and nods. "Yes. That's me."
"I thought you were with Brad, but he kept insisting that you two were just best friends. I didn't believe him; I thought he was trying to hide you from us." She laughs. "I'm David Stephens by the way. And might I add - single." Daphany burst out laughing and I pull her closer to me.
"David go find someone else's woman to annoy."
He holds up his hand in surrender. "I'm just saying. It takes a lot of man to handle such a beautiful woman." He walks off but not before winking at Daphany.
I pull Daphany over to where Gabe is still standing now holding his wife's hand. When we get closer his eyes finally land on us. "What's up Stone. Glad you could make it." He reaches out his hand and I take it. "Baby this is my good friend Stone and his....?" His words trail off.
"This is Daphany Moore my..."
"Friend. It's nice to me you."
Gabe smiles at me already knowing that I have never brought anyone around so she has to be more than a friend. "Ok. This is my wife Ember." Daphany and her give their greeting.
"Here take him. I'm about to go smoke these kids are getting on my damn nerves. Every time we have something more and more kids attend." The woman Gabe has referred to as Kita's eyes land on me. "I'm taking it that the little brown head screaming child is yours?" My eyes flick over to where Ashley is. She's running around holding Gabe's daughter's hand while another little boy chases them.
"Yes."
"So you are responsible for the extra screaming I'm endearing."
"Yes, I'm.."
She holds up her hands. "Don't apologize. She can't out scream, Fabian's worrisome bunch." She sighs. "I'll be back. I know I'm not going to be able to get some quiet time by the pool today." She walks off in the direction of the house. When I look over to Gabe and Ember they look unfazed by her words like this is an everyday occurrence.
"Baby, why don't you introduce Daphany to everyone. I need to talk to Stone for a minute." She nods and motions for Daphany to go with her. Daphany like Ashley walks off leaving me like she has known these people all their life.
"Any word on Savannah?"
"We got one hit. She used her credit card at a gas station in Benton. We reversed engineered her route to the gas station and found the hotel she had been staying in. She hasn't been there since but we did review the camera feed at the hotel and saw she had a guest."
"Who her mother?"
"No her father. He went in and stayed for an hour. This was about two weeks ago. So we've been monitoring his bank accounts closer. We did find that he has an offshore account that money has been transferred from going into another offshore account. We are assuming that's maybe where Savannah is getting the extra money since she's not withdrawn from her account. We have not figured who's name is on the account but hopefully, in the next few days we can get that name."
"Good. I'm ready for this to be over with. Don't forget your promise."
"I have not forgotten and I've told everyone else your wishes."
"Thanks."
My eyes scan the party and I notice someone is missing. "Where is Michael?"
Gabe's face balls up in a frown. "I haven't filled you in on that bit of information, but Michael and I have not spoken in almost a year. His wife's here." he points over at Lori. "You remember Lori don't you?"
"Yes."
"Well, Michael was upset that I had black children, and was bringing them around family and friends."
"You have to be shitten me. Seriously?"
"Seriously. He's apologized but I'm not sure if I can trust him to be around my family. We still have to be cordial at work, but I don't talk to him about anything outside of work."
"Understandable. I'm sure in time things might change." Gabe nods. I know like me family is everything to him. Even though June and I don't get along you better not talk shit to her. And she knows I will be there for her, always if she needs me. "I'm going to walk around do a perimeter check."
"Ok," Gabe says walking off in the direction of his father who is standing on the side of Fabian. He's holding his own pan of meat and I'm sure since Gabe's father thinks he is the barbeque king they are talking about who's meat is better. I laugh to myself before heading off to check out the house.
When I make it back the music is blaring and like every black barbeque I have ever been to, and I have been to a few, they are now all up doing the cupid shuffle. Daphany is holding Ashley's hand helping my no rhythm having daughter get her footing together. It's cute and makes me happy to see them getting along, but I knew they would.
Daphany looks up finding me watching them motioning for me to join in. I point at myself making sure it's me that she wants to join. When she nods I walk over in my faded Levi's jeans and cowboy boots, jumping right in. I surprise her when I know the dance. Like I said I've been to a few barbeques. She laughs when I keep up with everyone even swaying my hips a little.
"Food is ready," Fabian announces turning down the music slightly. Everyone walks over quickly grabbing plates and forming a line. Few people are standing behind the table already serving food.
"Can you show us to the bathroom? I want to wash our hands," Daphany says holding up Ashley's hands showing me all the dirt that has already accumulated.
"Ummm.. not sure." I point to Gabe's son who just rushed past us. "Ashley ask him to point it out. I'm going to grab us a few chairs before they are all gone."
"Ok, daddy," Ashley says running off in the direction Bash goes.
"Are you having fun?" I ask Daphany before she can walk off.
"Yes...I am."
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It's after seven when we leave. I've just dropped off Ashley at the house so she can get cleaned up to go to the movies with June. Now I'm taking Daphany home. Her head is back and I can tell that she is tired.
"How long have you and Gabe been friends?"
"Ummm we meet in middle school, but we didn't become close until eleven grade. He had a problem with a few guys trying to extort money from him."
"Extorting money from him...why?"
"Gabe had a little gambling ring going on. He was making good money, but if the school found out he could have been expelled. So he came to me because he knew my affiliation with some of my uncle's men. He also knew I could find out what was the best way to handle the situation. So we handled it." Her head snaps to me.
"You handled it. What do you mean...did you kill them?" I smile at her expression.
"No. I told my uncle, and he had some of his associates gather them all up. All we did was took them to our warehouse and scared the shit out of all of them."
"So they left him alone?"
"Hell yeah."
"And y'all didn't kill them?" I smile slyly but I don't respond because we didn't kill them but we did hurt them severely. My uncle was so impressed with how Gabe handled the situation, how cold and detached he was that he recruited him into the business. Gabe handled a few contracts until he graduated from college.
"So are his kids with his wife? I'm asking because I heard them call her mom, but they look white."
"Yes, all three were all birthed by his wife."
"Wow, that's amazing." She smiles. "I got Ember's number so she can do my hair. She told me she just opened her a shop not too far away from her brother-in-law David's real estate business."
"How are you thinking of getting it, because if I get a vote...I like it down."
"Glad you don't get a vote," She says laughing. "But I'm not sure how I want it."
When we pull up to her house I don't get out. She looks surprised when she opens the door and I don't open mine. "You're not coming in?"
"Not tonight. I have Ashley. If I come in I won't be able to leave. Hell if I get out of this truck it will be over, so I'm practicing willpower." She smiles and nods. I want to lean in and kiss her, but I'm not that strong.
"Well, I had fun. Thanks for inviting me."
"Thanks for joining us. Ashley had a great time."
"She's a great kid." She jumps down out of my truck. "See you later Cole." She shuts the door and I watch her walk into the house.