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I freeze. Glance back. Check to make sure her long, black eyelashes aren’t fluttering, catching me in the act. But she’s still sleeping. Her nose slightly flares. Her jaw slackens. A bit of drool slides down the side of her mouth.
Adorable.
By the time I tiptoe out of the room, my phone goes silent. I’m not dumb enough to think it will stay that way. It lights up again, revealing a picture of a woman with light brown skin, brown eyes and thin, arched eyebrows.
I pick up, mentally preparing myself for her scolding. “Hey, Tan… how’s the store?”
“Don’t ‘hey, Tan’ me.” Tanya, my best friend and co-owner of our salon Curl Me Chic, smacks her gum in my ear. “I’ve told you a million times, Logan. That white man doesn’t want you. Running after him and his daughter for one night, I understand. But you missed a whole day at the store and for what?”
“Tanya, Harry passed away.”
Silence descends on the line. I can imagine Tanya right now with her mouth hanging open, chewing gum smattering to the floor. “W-what?”
I migrate to the farthest corner of the house in case Reece wakes up and overhears. My arms wrap around my waist as I say, “This morning.”
“You’re kidding. Are you okay? How’s Reece?”
“Not good. She was crying all day. She just conked out a second ago.” I scuff my toes on the hardwood floor, staring at my shiny pink nail polish. “Harry was her entire world. You can imagine how she’s taking this.”
“Girl, she must be devastated.”
“She loved him very much.”
“You don’t have to tell me. I have never seen a man dote on his daughter the way that white man did on Reece.”
“Could you stop calling him that?” I hiss. “Especially on a day like this?”
“Well… he is a white man,” Tanya mumbles.
“I’m hanging up.”
“Fine.” Tanya sighs. “Are you staying at his house?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. Take as long as you need to get Reece situated. I’ll handle your appointments and spread the others between the girls. What will happen to Reece now? Is Lydia going to care for her?”
“No. Apparently Harry had a brother and he—” I hear a ping and pull the phone away from my cheek. “Tanya, can we talk later? I’m getting a call from Lydia now.”
“I’ll let you go. Tell Lydia I said hi.”
“I’ll see you later.” I hang up with my best friend and accept Lydia’s call.
“Logan,” her raspy voice sounds in my ear, “I’m sorry to bother you this late, but… is Benjamin there?”
“No. Did something happen after we left the hospital?”
“Well, I took him to the funeral home to make arrangements. Then I took him to meet Pastor Benson. We spoke for a bit at the church. Then I took him to get something to eat since it was after six and he said he hadn’t eaten before his flight.”
Is Lydia reading a grocery list or something? “Okay…”
“I left to use the bathroom. When I came back, he was gone.”
I tap my weave as I think. Exactly where would the American go? “He’s never been to Belize. It’s not like he has a ton of options. Did you give him the address of the house?”
“Yes, I did. Hopefully, he gets in. Please let me know if he does.” Lydia’s fretting so much even I’m getting anxious. “He looked so broken earlier. I have no idea what he’ll do.”
I stiffen. “You don’t think he’ll try to, like, jump off a bridge or anything?”
