his hair again and stared at the house in the distance, giving Yonnie his back. "What would he ever do to seriously fuck up, man?"
"I don't know. Time will tell," Yonnie said in an amused tone. "Damn, man, you got it bad. You can't even lay for the opportunity, can you?" He shook his head in disbelief. "But, on this one, you're gonna have to. Can't rush it. Gotta bide your time."
"I know I did a lotta shit, man... but with this one, with Damali, I wasn't playing."
"That's why it cuts to the bone, and ain't no way to regen from a Neteru nick. Your ass is twisting, I can dig it. But that's also why you have to play this out like the best poker hand you've ever played in your life. You love her?" "Man, what kinda question is that?" Carlos stared up at the stars and then closed his eyes. "She acted like me blowing in there with a double sweep wasn't shit. I was carrying dead weight, too--you know how hard that shit is? Required accuracy, pinpoint timing... like he was the only one that ever did anything for her. I even saved his ass, and got Marlene out of the lab with him." Carlos swallowed hard as Yonnie's hand rested on his shoulder.
"She loves you, too, man. But you hurt her bad, and gotta let her heart knit back together. That's delicate surgery, after the changes you've
taken her through, and you know that. So be cool. Let this other brother be the place holder so she can step back, contemplate, start to see how honorable you are all over again... you hearing me? That's how he's seducing her--through honor."
"The thing that's fucking me up is he told me that shit. Straight up. Said he'd come at me with all of that."
"Like I said. He called you out. Was so confident that he could snag her, he told you to your face how he was gonna do it, and you're so messed up that you can't even step to his challenge." Yonnie shook his head and raked his fingers through his Afro. "Pitiful."
"How you step to some honor thing, man? Be serious. I don't even know where to begin. He fucking slapped my face and threw down the gauntlet, man."
"Ain't that how you got her? Think back."
They stood together, shoulder to shoulder for what seemed like a long time. Yonnie was more than a friend or a lieutenant, he was a brother. His insights were simplistic, yet profound. The quiet of the night helped to still his mind and allow memories to run through it unblocked by rage. Carlos shook his head.
"That's exactly what it was. I kept my hands off of her--even when I wanted her more than my next breath... and I did for her, just because... knew she deserved better than me. I told her without any lies what I was and what I wasn't, and she came to me with open arms." Carlos chuckled sadly and stared at his shoes. "I just loved her, man. I never seduced her. I don't even know how to."
"Well, then, you've gotta step up your game, but do it smooth, without demanding anything in return, because you love her. Seduce her with pure intent from that strong place inside you, man, so she can do a side-by-side comparison and think it's her choice. It is, but it's not--you follow? He's pulling her with the groundwork you laid. He just picked up the cards you left on the, table and is playing your hand right back atcha. Now, if that ain't some wicked-smooth shit, I don't know what it is."
Yonnie stepped in front of Carlos to make Carlos look at him. "It was your hand first. You know her better than he does. Have you asked her what she wants from you, lately? Have you tried to give her those things? Have you updated your knowledge of who she is now?"
When Carlos didn't answer, Yonnie pressed on. "The sister I saw out there calling down the elements of the universe, who made her motherseer get up and walk, ain't the D you knew from the old neighborhood, or that virgin Neteru who was half-scared of Hell. Shit, brother, you better step it up and respect that woman. That's why she ain't feelin' nothin' you gotta say--because did you hear what else Cain said to her" Right there in your face!"