a hold’s been placed against your account? You have a meal plan that I purchased for the whole semester and your tuition has also been paid. This doesn’t make sense.”
“That’s what I’m trying to tell you. Mommy, it was so embarrassing and humiliating. Asia paid for my lunch, but I was so friggin’ mad. And those people at the Business Office don’t have a caring soul in their bodies.”
“Now, don’t make rash judgments. There has to be some explanation.”
“You weren’t there, Mommy. They looked at me like I was some kind of welfare kid sponging off the government or some baby freshman complaining about nothing. I had to point my finger in that girl’s face and tell her my parents had paid my tuition and fees in cash and in full.”
“That doesn’t solve the problem, Afrika. And you know better than that.”
“I know, Mommy.”
“I hope you weren’t disrespectful, Afrika.”
“Mommy, I wasn’t,” Afrika said, her voice raised an octave higher than the moment before. “You would’ve been mad, too. All that lady did was shrug her shoulders. Pissed me the hell off. I wanted to knock her off the chair she was sitting in.”
“I do understand how you feel, baby, and believe me when I say that I’m going to get to the bottom of this. Don’t you worry. Do you need any money?”
“No, I have some money left from the allowance you gave me. I’m sorry, Mommy, for my outburst. I just went crazy because it seemed like no one wanted to help.”
“You have every right to be upset, baby. Mommy’s on the case. Don’t you worry about a thing. I’ll call you later.”
“Love you, Mommy.”
“Love you, too, Afrika.” Mimi shut the phone off and placed it in her purse.
When she looked up, John was sitting back with his arms crossed and a wicked smile on his face. A tender moment passed between the two. “I loved the way you handled the situation with your daughter.”
Mimi grinned. “Afrika is my heart. She’s a good girl, good student, and a hard worker. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for her. My child has had the best upbringing a parent could give.”
Mimi took the opportunity to swipe the top of her blouse with her index and middle fingers, a sign that she was a proud momma and knew it. “John, you’ve been asking what’s on my mind since I arrived at the restaurant.”
John sat up and leaned forward, giving Mimi his undivided attention. The waiter stopped by the table and poured refills of iced tea. Mimi took a sip and pursed her lips.
“My daughter called to tell me that her student card that allows her to eat in the dining hall and purchase various things across campus was declined when she tried to get some lunch. I don’t know what the problem is but I’m going to get to the bottom of it before this afternoon is over. However, I do have a sneaky suspicion about who may be behind this.”
“You really think someone is behind this? It couldn’t be some kind of fluke?” John asked with genuine concern in his voice.
“It’s not a fluke; it’s Victor Christianson.”
“Victor Christianson?” John asked, a puzzled look on his face.
“Yes, Victor.”
“What makes you think Victor is behind this? I remember him as one of those cocky niggas from the hood that thought he was better than the rest of us. I didn’t kick it with him too much. After I pledged Kappa Alpha Psi and he pledged Omega Psi Phi, our circle of friends shifted.
“Brenda, on the other hand, is totally different. I run into her every now and then at some social gathering. I never understood her attraction to Victor. He was a hood rat then, and he’s still a hood rat disguised in designer clothing. She deserves much better than Victor. I hear he screwed his way to the admission director’s position, and I don’t mean with Brenda. He’s been stepping out on her for years.”
Mimi’s eyebrows went up like radar beams as she pondered what John had said. She was going to make it her business to reschedule her lunch date with Brenda.
“John, I don’t mean to interrupt, and I don’t know why I’m telling you this, but Victor has been harassing me.”
“Harassing you, how?”
“He showed up at my house on Monday, threatened me, and… and put his hands on me. This was the first time I’d seen him since I left Durham all those years ago.”
“He did what? Did you call the