“Please tell me it wasn’t all bad.”
He sounded like he really wanted me to do that so I lookedat him and shared, “Momma had a man once.He was called Stretch.He called mesweetheart.He had broad shoulders, and even if they werefightin’,any time his eyes came to me, he made them sweet.I thought it was like asuperpower, himbein’ all kinds a’ mad at Momma, butbein’ able to hide that from me.He used to ask me to go tomy room, or if I was in my room, he’d come and close the door so I wouldn’t seeor hear themfightin’.It didn’t work.But it surewas nice.”
“Yes, that was nice,” Marcus replied like it was but itwasn’t.
The first part I knew was because at least Stretch hadtried.The second was because there was fighting to shield me from.
I looked to my martini.“When he left, he told me I couldcall him whenever I needed him.”
“That’s nice too,” Marcus said softly.
I looked to him.“He said it thenkindatook it back ’cause Momma got up in his shit right while he wassayin’ it.I remember it like it was yesterday and I wasten.But she wasscreamin’ andcarryin’on andshovin’ him and he had no claim to me.I knewhe wanted to try.I reckoned he liked me and he looked after me in his way whenthey were together, but he didn’t want her in his life.He was done with herand I didn’t blame him.She wasn’t nice to him.She wasn’t nice to anybody.Sheused him mostly to pay the cable bill and the electricity and whatever shecould get outta him.I think he did it at first ’cause she was real pretty andhe liked hercoochie.Then he did it so I’d havecable and light because he just liked me.But to be done with her, I knew heknew, even if he didn’t like it, he had to be done with me.So he left.And Inever saw him again.”
“That’s not nice,” Marcus rumbled, not appearing realthrilled at my story.
I shrugged, looked back to my martini, took in a deep breathand whispered my finish.
“Only man a’ hers I missed when he was gone.”
“That’s all you have that’s good?”he asked, not soundingreal thrilled at that possibility.
I drew in another breath, and as I let it out, I looked backat Marcus and shared the real good stuff.
“For a spell, my momma worked as a daily girl for a ladynamed Miss Annamae.When I call her a lady, I mean she was alady.Afine Southern woman who lived in a graceful mansion her beloved but sadlydeparted husband left to her after he died.A mansion he’d grown up in.So hadhis daddy and so on for a long while.He didn’t rock her world with this.Shegrew up in one herself, just a different one from a different fine Southernfamily.”
“You liked her,” Marcus noted, still watching me closely.
“She liked me,” I replied.
“I’m not thinking that’s a good response,” he muttered likehe wasn’t talking to me.
I let the stem of my glass go, turned more fully to him too,and reached out, putting my hand to his thigh.
When I did, I realized Marcus Sloan did not only take careof his grooming, he took care of other things too.The muscle beneath the finematerial was solid.
My.
I tore my thoughts from what my hand was encountering,somehow found the strength to leave it right where it was, and told him, “Sheliked me.And she was kind to me.She gave me a tin of cookies she bakedherself every Christmas my momma worked for her.And on my thirteenth birthday,she gave me an add-a-pearl necklace.”
“That’s very sweet,” Marcus murmured.
I nodded.“It was.”
“Did she add more pearls after your thirteenth?”he asked.
“She died three days after my birthday.”
“Christ,” he bit out low.
“And I hocked it for a bus ticket out of there when I wasnineteen after I caught my boyfriend in the act,sleepin’with my best friend who was my best friend only to get to my boyfriend.I wentdirect home and told my momma all about it.I barely got the story out beforeshe slapped me across the face and told me to get over it.Life was shit andthen you died so no purposewastin’ it bitchin’ aboutmenbein’ assholes when there wasn’t a being with apenis who wasn’t all asshole.And furthermore, I was a fool forhavin’ any friends.Women were backstabbers andman-stealers.They talked behind your back more than they said anything to yourface but when they saidsomethin’ straight to yourface, if it was sweet, you could guarantee it was a lie.”
“This isn’t something good, Daisy,” he informed me, notlooking happy.
“It’s all I got, Marcus,” I told him but I gave his thigh aquick squeeze.“And it sounds bad.But Miss Annamae knew.She might not haveknown exactly what wasgonnacut it but she knewsomethin’ would.And she knew I was a good girl.She knew Ilistened to her and she knew all the things she taught me I’d taken in.So sheknew I’d need that necklace one day.Now, I think shemightahoped that I’d wear it at my wedding to a wonderful man who’d help me fill myhouse with lots of babies.But I reckon she didn’t hold a lot of hope for thatand knew I’d need it for what I needed it for and she’d be happy I had it whenI needed it and that it was her who gave it to me.”
He kept hold of my gaze for a moment after I quit talkingthen he looked down at his drink and twisted it side to side in his fingers.
He looked reflective.
