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I snorted. “She’s Lennox’s grandmother.” That’s as far as I’d go to explain myself.
Chino shifted weight in his legs, his stare game strong.
“Mr. Elliott.” It was the short dude with a sharp part on the left side of his head, orange hair slicked down on either side. He motioned toward the flowers. “Linda will take this gorgeous bouquet for you and prepare it for Pastor Williams,” He took the big ass arrangement I’d brought with me from a nearby table. “And I’ll take you to her suite.”
“Thanks,” I returned to smiley faces as he handed it over to the woman of Asian descent, who was equal to his height.
“Right this way.” He motioned for me to follow him.
I did as my attention went back to the stewing O.G. dragon. “You good with this?”
“Look, man.” He swiped his nose with a deep sniffle. “She a lil’…” He hesitated and I lost his eyes. “She may be in a fucked up mood.” When his attention rolled up to me again, out of nowhere, Chino snorted, “You still got it for that fuckin’ girl, man.”
He was clowning me, or trying to. I ain’t have time for that shit. “Respect, O.G.C.” I patted my chest while looking back down at my buzzing phone.
I followed after the escort, hoping Chino was cool with me leaving the conversation there. Shit was so complicated between all of us; I didn’t like giving energy to Chino or his mother, yet here I was.
When I was let into her suite, old school gospel filled the air. Pastor Williams was being assisted into a seat at the table in her small kitchenette area. What was striking was her preserved beauty and youthful body. No, Pastor Williams was not still a size eight, but she wasn’t shaped like a woman in her mid-seventies either. She’d put on a little weight over the years, and clearly had become frail, losing muscle tone.
“Her son just left,” the aide assisting her explained. “She got a little worked up. So, we just got freshened up while waiting on you to come in. Can I offer you anything?”
My eyes scanned the aide and the little guy who’d escorted me in. “No. I’m good. Thanks.”
The razor-sharp part guy gave a clean bow before turning to leave.
“I’m going to check in on a few things for her evening routine, and will be right back,” the aide offered before following the trail of her colleague. “If you need anything, the call button is located there and there.” She winked and pointed before closing the door.
I nodded while heading to the table. Once seated, I noticed Pastor Williams smiling at me. The structure of her face had descended from gravity brought on by age, but beauty just as present. Her dark pink lipstick was in place.
“I know why you’re here. The Lord as my witness, I was waiting on you to come.” Her words shocked the shit out of me.
“Oh, yeah?”
She nodded, pulling a bowl of grapes closer to herself. “That young man who just left here. He was talking about the young lady who used to go to my church.” Pastor Williams’ shaky hand lifted to her forehead just beneath her wig. Her nails were almost the same color as her lips. She was confused.
“Lennox?”
“Yeah.” She blinked. “Something like that.”
“Lennox.”
“Yeah. That’s it.” She rolled her eyes. “I can’t keep track of all the young folks I ministered to down the years. I had lots of sons and daughters in Christ. Heck, I even got some here. You know? That young man kept calling me ‘Ma.’ If I had a penny for all the…” She plucked a grape into her mouth and shook her head.
Pastor Williams didn’t know Chino today. More than that, Chino came here talking about Lennox?
“What did he say?”
“You know what he said!” she snapped, eyes hitting me hard. “Listen, if she’s in a marriage she ain’t happy with, she should go. Life ain’t like it was when I was a young girl. Women needed men for a living. A nice home, babies, a car, and stuff like that. He said I told her to marry him. He always talking about her. I ain’t…” She motioned to her head. “I ain’t sharp like I used to be. I’m getting old, got old people’s problems. When y’all young folks gonna start to take responsibility for ya’selves and make good, godly choices?”
She waited for an answer.
I was fucked up.
After a pause, I asked, “Do you remember me?”
“Stop asking me that, young man! Just stop!” She leaned into her balled fist, eyes closed over the table. “I’m sick of people asking me that. I’m old. Can’t I just have a little bit of peace?”
Ain’t this some shit?
