a good part of town. These White folks do this mess all the time,” Daddy spat. “Maybe I can have a word with him. You probably came off as gruff and got rude.” She huffed and swallowed her words. She wasn’t in the mood to argue with the man. Her body and mind were tired. “You can breathe hard all you want. You know it’s true. Got a mouth on you. Nehemiah used to say the same thing. He told me—”
“Daddy, don’t go bringing up Nehemiah. Why would you do something like that?” A surge of anger squeezed her, as if it were living on the outside, trying to get in and destroy her peace. Tonight was not the night for this shit. She wasn’t having it.
“I ain’t bring him up to upset you. He was my son-in-law. I liked him a great deal.”
“I know you did, and I loved him more than anyone could ever possibly understand. He’s dead now, been gone for almost five years, so why even go there?”
“So I’m not supposed to ever talk about him again? Lauren, you—”
“You brought him up not to discuss fond memories but to manipulate me, to try and get me to see your way of thinking. I’m not stupid, I know what you’re doing, Daddy, and so do you. Do you not remember the terrible depression I went through after his passing? Do you not recall me not eating, isolating myself, not talking, and barely able to hold my own head up for months?! It was the worst time of my life. I lost not only my husband and my lover, but my best friend! Stop throwin’ him in my face when you want to have a debate or drive a point home. I know more than anyone else what my husband thought of me, okay? And I don’t need you or anyone else to remind me, to try to tell me what my relationship was like. Nobody knows better than me and him!”
Her temper, seasoned to the bone, swelled inside her now. It was a body snatcher, and she was too far gone to turn back now.
“Girl, you need to settle yo’self down!”
“I was settled, Daddy. I am reacting to what you said. Cause and effect. It’s just that simple. I have asked you to please stop bringing his name up to try and school me on something. That’s not okay… I’m done talking about it. I mean it. That discussion is over. Look, back to the store. Tell Mama everything is fine, no need to worry. I have this under control and we’re getting it worked out.”
She was met with silence.
“What’s this boy’s name?”
“What boy?”
“The boy that trounced in there and put you out?”
“Aries Creed. Why?”
“Mmm hmmm… Any relation to Creed Construction?”
“Yes! He’s the guy’s son. How’d you know?”
“They’ve had their hands in just about everything. They worked on some buildings in that strip mall some years back. We had to vote on the zoning; well, give our opinion ’cause you know damn well they were going to do what they wanted to do regardless. I’ve heard of it. When your mama told me that he had a bunch of real estate, it didn’t click till you said that last name. How long has this Aries Creed been in the construction and real estate business? ’Cause see, that’s not how you handle folks.”
“Three weeks.” She chuckled. “Daddy, he doesn’t have much to do with this… just carrying out his father’s orders. I was mad, too, but really, this isn’t his fault. Benjamin died, like I told you, and this stuff was in his will. He wants him to settle these properties and there are a lot of them. Mine is just one of many.”
“But ya Mama said that this Aries Creed person coulda gave you the property, that Benjamin left it as his choice. I mean, tried to lease or sell it to you.”
“His father told him in writing what he wanted him to do with each of them, but it is ultimately his choice. Apparently, the building I am in needs a lot of TLC and I’ll be the first to admit, it’s a huge undertaking. He doesn’t wanna be bothered with it and doesn’t want to be a landlord, while I just don’t have the money to buy it outright. He wants this over with as soon as possible. He gave me an extension, which was generous considering he just wants to move on with his