“You alwayshandlingbusiness,” an older woman’s voice snapped through the line. “But you better not be handling it at the expense of your soul.”
Soul?
I lowered my fork and kept my eyes down, but I was listening as Nyce exhaled a breath and asked, “How you feeling, Ma?”
“Some days are better than others,” the woman replied, sounding tired.
“You keeping up with your meds?” Nyce asked quietly. “You’re not giving them people a hard time, right?”
“What’s it to you? You know, I couldn’t go on the last shopping outing. Social security dwindling down.”
“I told you not to worry about money. That’s whatI’mhere for.”
“And I told you I don’t want your damn dirty money. You think I don’t know what kind of life you lead, Nyles?” she continued. “You think that don’t weigh on me? You just like your damn mama. Just refuse to get help.”
Nyles? What kind of name is that?I smirked and continued eating quietly.
Nyce’s teeth were clenched when he finally responded. “I’mnothinglike my mother. You hear me?”
The woman continued, “It ain’t too late to get right with God, baby.”
There was a long silence before Nyce answered, “Ma, get some rest. I’ll see you soon.”
“I pray for you every night.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“Maybe one day, you’ll pray for yourself.”
Click.
Silence followed, and he stayed in it longer than I expected. Then, just as quickly as he’d left, he was back, tension written all over him as his eyes met mine.
“Enjoying your breakfast?”
“You should listen to her,” I said.
His eyes darkened, and for a second, I saw the crack. I saw the man under the armor. Nyce didn’t say anything. He justexhaled, sharply and slowly. Then he said, “When you’re done, you’ll be escorted back to your room.”
And just like that, he turned and walked away. His shoulders stiffened, and he glanced back at me for a split second before disappearing. I could feel the shift in the air. I’d heard something I shouldn’t have, and he knew it; his eyes lingered with a warning.
