After new year's ended, they spent some of their remaining free days around his apartment in each other's company. During the day, Alicia spent her time tutoring Cortes' sister, Ramona. He remembered the first day they interacted. They stuck strictly to the lesson. By day two, Ramona was warming up to Alicia.
Secretly, Rodney knew Alicia was pleased with this. She valued women companionship and with Maxine temporarily out of the picture, although Ramona was just 17, Rodney knew Alicia appreciated having a girl to talk to because he was a man.
On day three, he sat around the living room eating a bowl of fruit loops and listened to them chat on zoom.
"Alicia..." Ramona started. "How do...how do you tell the boy that you like how you feel?"
"You like someone?" Alicia asked.
"Yes, but I'm not sure if he likes me back cause of my glasses and braces, but he doesn't tease me like other kids. He's pretty popular. He's in my AP history class and he talks a lot, our teacher hates it. But he's still really smart. And well he's a little shorter than me, but I don't care. He's really funny. His name is Josiah," Ramona said.
"Aw, that's so sweet," Alicia replied.
Rodney set his bowl down and smirked.
"Just be honest and be yourself, okay? I'm sure everything will work out for you," Alicia said.
"But also double check if he likes you back. The last thing anyone wants to go through is rejection," Rodney said.
Ramona laughed, "Yeah, I feel you. But honestly, I'm tired of hiding my feelings for him. I want to confess, but I'm too afraid to."
"So, leave him a love note," Alicia said.
"A love note?" Ramona asked.
"Yeah, and leave it in his desk," Alicia suggested.
"I love that idea! Thank you, Alicia. Now that's January's here, I want to try and be with him by Valentine's day," Ramona chatted and Alicia laughed.
"You know," Ramona continued, "I know this is just tutoring, but I'm really happy my brother introduced us. I can't talk to him about stuff like this cause he's a guy, but now I have you. You're like a big sister to me."
Rodney smiled, rose and left the room, wanting to give them their privacy.
***
On Sunday, right before they both had to return to work the next day, they decided to go to brunch with Cortes and Michael. It was Rodney's idea and he hoped that by hanging out with more people, it would get rid of the absence Alicia felt without Maxine. The weather was in the thirties, but Alicia didn't mind. She decided she was going to wear a dress. As she got ready, Rodney helped her zip up the back. When he was putting on his shirt, she helped him with his cufflinks. After, he kissed her forehead.
When they were done getting ready, they stood in front of his mirror.
"You sure look pretty," he said.
"Thank you. I like that shirt your wearing," she said.
He smiled, watching her. He liked that she was staying over at his place. He liked that they helped each other get dressed, that they were going out to eat with friends, he liked that things felt real between them. Someday, he wished they could get their own apartment and do more of this.
The brunch spot was in Harlem, not too far away from them, so they walked. As they strolled down the street, they held hands, swinging their arms back and forth playfully. Alicia was wearing the necklace he had gifted her. Since that Christmas night, she never took it off.
When they got to the restaurant, they spotted Cortes and Michael holding down the fort at their table. A Chicken appetizer and a few empty glasses were littered around. They rose and greeted Rodney and Alicia when they joined them.
"Aye, aye, aye, she was the baddest, he was the realest!" Cortes said, pointing at them and Alicia laughed.
"I see you got started drinking," Rodney said.
"C'mon, it's the holidays," Cortes argued.
"Not anymore. It's already January. Get it together," Michael said.
His eyes flickered to Alicia with a raised eyebrow and picked up a chicken wing. As he devoured the wing, he continued to stare. It was getting on Alicia's nerves that she narrowed her eyes.
"What is it?" she asked.
"So your friend dumped you—" he started.
"Michael," Rodney said, annoyed.
"What?" he asked.
Alicia smiled, "Let him finish."
"I was just going to offer my condolences," Michael said.
"Thanks, though it kinda sucks that I have to hang out with you now," she said.
Rodney chuckled, placing an arm over her chair. Michael rolled his eyes.
"Oh, ha ha ha. Is that the best you got?"
"Yes, you infuriating insect," she said, sticking her tongue at him.
There was a hint of a smile on Michael's face, but he hid it with a chicken wing.
Their waiter came and they ordered food and drinks. When the waiter left, they dove into Christmas stories. As the drinks flowed, laughter and merriment filled their table. When they were done eating, they sat around the table deciding whether they should order desert or not. Cortes crossed his hands over the table and leaned in.
"So Rodney, what is it like to be the only person out of us boys that's cuffed?" Cortes asked.
"I've downloaded Tinder again," Michael spoke up.
"Yo, the spotlight is not on you right now, okay?" Cortes said. "Anyways, Rodney?"
Rodney turned to Alicia, regarding her silently. Alicia pretended to be looking over the menu.
"I have to change my pillow cases a lot because she drools," he said with a straight face.
"You said you didn't care about that," Alicia snapped.
Michael and Cortes laughed out loud as Rodney did his best not to join them.
"I do laundry once a day now. It's tough since laundry prices have gone up," he said. "Ah, life's not easy in this economy."
"You're the one with the sweat problem," Alicia said.
"Cap. I don't sweat that much. It's only when we..." he trailed off.
Knowingly, he gazed at her. She had to pat her cheeks and fan her face to stay calm. This time, Rodney doubled over and laughed.
"Whoa! Whoa! I'm still in the room. Stop all this lovey dovey shit. I think I'm gonna be sick," Michael said.
"I'm not. I wish I was with someone," Cortes said.
"I'm sure you'll find someone someday," Alicia promised him.
***
The week came and went and then it was Saturday. Rodney was waiting for Alicia in the living room. Ten minutes later, she came out, dressed casually in jeans and a peach-colored blouse. He put his phone away and rose. She was pouting.
"You look fine," he said.
"I can't go out like this. It'll mean that I don't care—"
"If you think about it, he'll only be viewing you from the top up. So, you're fine. You look good—" his hands slid down her waist.
"I have to wear something else."
"Okay, fine, let's go to your apartment and get the rest of your clothes—"
"Fine, forget it," she said.
It took them two hours to get to the correctional facility upstate, but Rodney didn't noticed. They talked for a good amount of the time. He wasn't nervous about this visit until Alicia and him were admitted into the prison.
His arm tightened around her hand as they walked down the hall. Men were everywhere; their hungry eyes trailed up Alicia's body. Rodney eyed a few before snapping out of it.
Alicia was speaking to the guard.
"His name is Mr. Greene, Elijah Greene. We're scheduled to see him today," Alicia said.
"What's the relation?" the guard asked him.
"This is his son," Alicia gestured to Rodney.
"Okay, but it's going to be through the window. The telephone is on the left side," the guard explained to them, admitting them in.
When they got to the fourth section, Rodney's breathing stilled. He pulled an extra chair over for Alicia to sit and sat in the one that was already there.
Dark, large eyes met his gaze on the other side of the window. Elijah had curled lashes, a square face and a thick mustache; his frame was beefy and muscular. Prison had changed him from the young, lanky kid he was before. Rodney exhaled.
Elijah glanced over to Alicia, took in her appearance and then a twinkle appeared in his eyes. Rodney picked up the phone and Elijah followed his move.
"Dad," he said.
"It's been awhile," his father said.
Rodney took in his voice, the brooding feeling of it, and for a moment he was back home, living with his parents.
"Seven months to be exact. What's the occasion?" his father asked.
"No occasion. I just came to see you," Rodney said.
"Still working?"
"Mhmm," Rodney said.
"Still living with Derek?" he asked.
"Yes...I am."
He glanced at Alicia again, "Who's this?"
"My girl," Rodney said softly.
He handed the phone to Alicia and they switched seats. He watched as Alicia interacted with his father. At first, shyly, but the more Elijah spoke, the more they both began to smile at each other.
When Elijah smiled, he looked more like Rodney. Derek didn't have this trait. Whenever Derek smiled, it was too maniacal and disturbing.
When Alicia returned the phone, they switched seats again and his father hemmed. The twinkle was in his eye again and he paused to gaze at Alicia before speaking.
"She's very bright, Rodney," he said, "Where'd you meet her?"
"Through mutual friends..."
"Hold on to her."
"I will."
"I'm serious," his father said.
"Yes, sir."
"You're smart, with books and outside of it, but there's some things that a woman can show you that you can't even imagine. That was your mother."
"I don't want to talk about her—"
"Rodney, I loved her. I had two sons with her. Do you think I'm lying?"
Rodney blinked, studying his father's apologetic, shameful expression.
"Love...?" he echoed. " You loved her? But she's dead."
Alicia gripped his wrist to stop him from saying anymore. Elijah only nodded, taking the comment modestly, but Rodney didn't care. There was no way his father could call what he did to his mom love. Elijah decided to change the subject.
"How's Derek?" he asked.
"How do you think he is?" Rodney muttered.
"And you're okay with that?"
"With what?"
"Rodney, I know I fucked up, but...you need to move out of that apartment before it's too late. You need to distance yourself from Derek. You can't be complacent with where you are or you'll get caught up in the mix."
"When you got arrested, mom died and grandma kicked me out, who was there for me? Derek," Rodney said.
"Rodney, why did you come here to see me if you don't want to talk about this?"
"I didn't want to see you. I never do," Rodney said, grimacing at him.
"Look, I know you resent me for not being there for you, for ruining our family. I wish I can go back in time and do right by your mother, but—"
"You just told me to forget my brother. How do you expect me to believe you actually gave a shit about mom? She's dead because of your love. You introduced her to those drugs," he said.
Elijah squeezed the phone tightly and breathed. Rodney held his gaze with gritted teeth. He wanted this to be a wonderful moment. He didn't meant to bring Alicia here and for her to see all this. Why were there tears in his eyes?
"...So, what are going to do? Stay with Derek before you end up here or dead? Because that's what's going to happen whether you got a decent job or not. Let me tell you something about Derek, I love him. He was my first son and nothing's going to change that. I love him to death. But people like Derek, people who's always hanging around the corner and getting into the same shit, they never change," Elijah said.
Rodney hissed, slamming the phone down on the wooden table, and rose. A single tear had run down his cheek. He grabbed Alicia's elbow and stalked away from his dad.
Derek may have been a wildcard, but at least he had his back all these years while his father was stuck here.
And if there was one thing he was learning from Alicia, it was loyalty.