Angel Blues

By Mitchi

Terry struggles to balance her life in St. Louis as a divorced single mother with two jobs, church, and school. Blessed with loving, supportive family members, she tries to stand on her own two feet and maintain her independence. Her life becomes more complicated when forgotten events from her childhood resurface, and a facet of her being that has lain dormant for almost twenty-two years awakens to disrupt her life. The stability that she has worked so hard to maintain for her sons and herself is rocked, and her moral convictions are sorely tested as Terry comes to terms with her disturbing unnatural abilities. Haunted by memories of lost love, Terry perseveres through hardships, betrayal, self-sacrifice, and extreme danger as she fights to gain well-deserved peace, comfort, and security for herself and her children.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Dec 9, 2022
• ISBN: 9781667878720

Book preview

BK90073357.jpg

Angel Blues

©2022 Mitchi

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

print ISBN: 978-1-95525-518-9

ebook ISBN: 978-1-66787-872-0

Contents

Acknowledgments

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Three

References

About the Book

About the Author

Acknowledgments

Special thanks to my mum for being so supportive. Thanks very much to Ty, Jeff, and Vanessa for reading, critiquing, encouraging, and inspiring me from the very first chapter.

To my coworkers, Mary Sims, Ashley Jackson, and everybody else who read my rough drafts and gave me so much encouragement, I just can’t thank you enough!

Deidra Coleman, I can never ever thank you and House of Denderahs enough for your fierce encouragement, help, and dedication.

—Mitchi

Chapter One

Rapid-tuppin-tall-lit-paypah! Senate town, d-all-evader! the chant rang, echoed, and teased in the back of her mind. It droned, redundant, always in the background of her thoughts as she went through her daily routine.

It was waiting for her when she wakened to the radio alarm at 5:30 a.m. She heard it behind Sly Stone’s gravelly intonations

Rrraaaaaaaapid-tuppin-tall-lit-paypah!

Seeeeeeennnate-town! D-all-evader!

Stretching and groaning, she reached her long, slender arm out from under the covers and shut off the alarm. After a moment, she turned the radio back on, preferring the company of Sly’s soulful growl over the distracting, haunting chant that wouldn’t stop playing and replaying in her head.

What the hell is that? she wondered again, too busy with other thoughts to dwell on it much. She yawned and stretched again, then left Sly and that nagging, buzzing drone behind long enough to meditate, praising God for getting her over and through the last four years with most of her sanity intact and her morals uncompromised. She rolled out of bed and ambled down the hall to the bathroom, one hand high in the air in another stretch, other hand lazily scratching her butt.

Wonder I didn’t pee the bed, she thought, emptying her full bladder noisily after plopping down on the toilet, still scratching her ample shapely behind. Oooh! That feels so good! She didn’t know which felt better, the bladder relief or the scratching. She frowned as the chant made its annoying way into her conscious thoughts again, this time clearer:

Aaaaaaaawwwwwww shake it to the east!

Aaaaaaaawwwwwww shake it to the west!

Aaaaaaaawwwwwww shake it to the one that you-love-the-best!

Aaaaaaawwwwwwww rapid! Tuppin-tall-lit-paypah!

Senate-town! D-all-evader! Boy!

Those kids are gonna drive me nuts, she thought while brushing her teeth.

She thought, What kids? Then answered her own question aloud, The ones singing that stupid song!

She forgot the song while she showered and planned her morning: get dressed, get the kids up, treat them to breakfast at Waffle House ’cause it’s Friday (thank God!), and payday (thank God!), and the end of the month, and they’d made it through with all the utilities still on (thank God!), and the weather finally broke! It was actually unseasonably warm (thank God!). And she and the kids’ daddy and his other kids’ mama actually made it a whole two, almost three, weeks, with no drama! Thank God!

She toweled herself dry and wrapped the towel around her, securing it under her arms with a big plastic hair clip. The drone tried to make its way through her thoughts again, but the phone rang, chasing it back.

Cool, she thought, time for the kids to wake up anyway.

Hello? she said, just a little tentatively, worried that a call this early in the morning might be bad news.

Terry!

Hmm? Who is this?

You up?

Yeah … I know this ain’t—

This ’Licia!

Damn! It is her! Oh. Hey, now—

’Licia started off her tirade in a burst of angry words, a scene that Terry was all too familiar with by now. She wondered why she was fool enough to actually feel sorry for ’Licia, who always caused chaos and drama and wound up suffering the most for her own maliciousness.

Terry! Is Adrien over there with you? I wanna know what the hell y’all doin‘! I ain’t goin‘ for this bullshit! Y’all must think I’m stupid!

Terry didn’t interrupt her. She stretched the phone cord as far as it could go so she could reach her dresser. She sat on her bed and lotioned her legs and feet while holding the phone on her shoulder with her head cocked to the side. She fished through a drawer, found a pair of pantyhose that weren’t snagged where they’d show, and managed to work them over her feet, legs, and hips without dropping the phone. She hurriedly readjusted the towel to cover her behind when she heard her sons padding down the hall toward the bathroom. One set of footsteps was heavier and rhythmic, the other a light scurrying shuffle. She heard five-year-old Alex’s delightful giggle as his older brother teased him with, Hurry up, bighead rascal, ’fore you pee on yourself!

Alex darted past her door, his face a quick smiling flash as he squeaked, Hi, Mommy!

She smiled back, waving at him. Still listening quietly to ’Licia’s tantrum, she smiled and winked at A. J., her twelve-year-old son. He leaned in the doorway looking just like his dad. She pointed to the phone and motioned with her lips, ’Licia, then shrugged her shoulders and shook her head slightly, her expression perplexed and amused with a tinge of pity thrown in.

A. J. curled his lip and shook his head, then went on to get himself ready for school.

As she tolerantly listened to ’Licia, she was distracted by the radio. Someone was requesting a song for the woman he’d loved and lost. The DJ crooned sympathetic words to the caller who told his sad tale about messin‘ up a good thang and wishing he had his wife and sons back and could you please send this one out to Terry?

Ohhhh shit! It’s Adrien on the radio! For me! Terry shot up off her bed, one hand gripping the phone, the other clamped over her mouth, afraid she’d yell out what she was thinking. She spun to stare at the radio, tangling herself in the phone cord with eyes wide open, eyebrows two high comical arches on her forehead. The Dells song The Love we had Stays on my Mind poured like soft, fragrant smoke from the radio.

Aww, damn! Terry thought. What the hell is he tryin‘ to do? She took a deep breath and, as calmly and quietly as she could, began to try and reason with ’Licia.

’Licia, hey now, listen for just a minute. He’s not here. He hasn’t been here. I haven’t talked to him since I picked up the boys at your house a few weeks ago. Somebody is bound to tell her about his ass on the radio! Probably tryin‘ to get her right now! Probably can’t wait!

Terry managed to get ’Licia to listen and convinced her that they could talk later if she wanted to, but right now she needed to get the boys to school and herself to work. Just as she hung up the phone, there was a knock on the front door. Recognizing the knock, Terry swore and flung herself back on the bed, arms raised high in frustration. Alex squealed and ran down the hall for the stairs at breakneck speed.

Daaadddyyy!

Alex! Be careful on the stairs! Alex! Terry jumped up and bolted for the hallway. She spotted the top landing just in time to see Alex miss the first step and pitch headfirst for what would have been a nasty fall if A. J. hadn’t been standing a few stairs down. He managed to grab Alex and scoop him into his arms, safe. Alex began to draw in a long, slow breath, eyes screwed tightly shut, mouth wide open for what was going to be a loud, high-pitched wail.

I got him, Mama. He’s all right. You wanna go on and let Dad in?

Terry’s legs felt like rubber. She was shaking, trying to catch her breath and recover from her fright. What would have happened if A. J. hadn’t been right there to catch Alex when he fell?

Alex, done taking in the long breath, let out an earsplitting wail. The knocking came again, louder, faster, persistent and accompanied by a frantic male voice shouting for Terry.

Terry yelled at the door, Wait a minute! then turned to A. J., who held Alex, rocking him and patting his back, muffling the loud wails against his chest. Baby … She hugged A. J. tight, Alex sobbing between them. He would have really hurt himself if it weren’t for you! She took just a moment longer to kiss A. J.’s face and stroke Alex’s hair before she descended the stairs to open the door for Adrien. Terry was so distracted after the phone call from ’Licia, the radio dedication from her ex-husband, his unexpected appearance on her doorstep, and then her son almost breaking his neck on the stairs, she forgot she was wrapped in a bath towel with nothing on beneath it but her last good pair of pantyhose. She barely had the door open before Adrien started yelling.

Terry, what the hell’s going on!? What’s wrong with Alex? Why’d you take so long to open the door? He stopped cold when he took in her appearance. Still not recovered from her fright over Alex, Terry just stared at him with unshed tears in her eyes. Her bottom lip was trembling, and she caught it between her teeth to stop it. When she took a deep breath to try to compose herself, her breasts rose and the towel shifted slightly. Adrien felt intense emotions wash over him. He wanted to take Terry in his arms and just hold her so, so tight against him. He wanted to protect her against everything, anything that might ever cause her anguish or fear. He loved her so deeply! He wished he could undo all the wrong he’d done to this woman in the past. If he could only convince her to give him another chance, he’d make up for all the pain and heartache he’d caused her and their sons. God, she looked so good wrapped in that towel, hair uncombed, all over her head and hanging just past her smooth shoulders. With the feelings of warmth and love came the feelings of guilt. Those guilty feelings always put him on the defensive and caused him to make an ass of himself with Terry. He swallowed and tried to salvage himself and the morning.

I’m sorry, Terry. I’m sorry … what’s wrong? What happened to Alex?

A. J. carried Alex downstairs and handed him over to his father.

Hi, Dad.

Hey, son. Adrien stood with one arm around A. J.’s shoulders. His other arm held Alex, whose crying had subsided already to soft snuffles.

What’s wrong, little man? Huh? Talk to Daddy now. What’s wrong with you?

A. J. made me bite my tongue! Alex sobbed.

Oh, Alex! Terry sighed. Don’t you know A. J. saved you from falling down the stairs and breaking your neck? That would have been a whole lot worse than biting your tongue. Together, Adrien and Terry soothed Alex and made him give A. J. a big hug. A. J. hugged his little brother and took him back upstairs to finish getting ready for school. Terry finally realized she wasn’t appropriately dressed for company and actually blushed. She told Adrien to have a seat, she’d be right back. She ran upstairs to get a bathrobe on, hoping that Adrien wasn’t looking up the towel as she ran up. She hurried back down to tell him ’Licia had called looking for him and thought he’d spent the night with her. She also told him that she’d heard him on the radio while she was on the phone with ‘Licia. He told her that he had made the call to the radio station from the phone booth at the gas station down the street.

You’ve been on my mind all night. You’re always on my mind, baby, he told her.

That was really sweet of you, but, Adrien, what are you thinking? You know that somebody’s going to tell her about it, then she’ll be showin‘ up ready to fight, and I don’t feel like goin‘ through all this with her. I’ve got the kids to think about, Adrien.

She ain’t gon‘ bother you. She knows you can whup her ass, Terry.

Adrien, she called here this morning cussin‘ and yellin‘ at me. You don’t call that botherin‘ me?

I mean, she ain’t gon‘ try to put her hands on you, fight you, nothing like that. Besides, do you think for one minute that I would let anybody mess with you? Terry …

She sat quietly. No point trying to reason with Adrien. She knew he wasn’t going to listen to her concerns about ’Licia. Right now, Terry was watching the time. She needed to get moving if she was going to treat the boys to Waffle House before school.

Terry …

She sighed and shifted in her chair. She wished Adrien wasn’t so damned good-looking! Maybe then it wouldn’t affect her the way it did when he said her name that way. Maybe then he wouldn’t have been so attractive to other women and would have been faithful in their marriage. Who knows? she thought.

Terry, I want us to get over the past. I want to make everything up to you. All the wrong I ever did. I want to be what I should have been for you in the first place. I know I did you wrong, but I never stopped loving you. You can’t tell me you don’t still love me. I know you still do. He moved from where he sat to kneel in front of her and take her hands in his. He stared into her eyes, and she stared back, still thinking about the time and knowing that if she didn’t handle this carefully, they’d be in one hell of an argument in a minute.

Adrien … umm … can we talk about this later? I mean, I gotta get the boys to school. You and I both gotta go to work. You could … why don’t you come with us to Waffle House? I know the boys would like that a lot. I promised them we’d go. If we don’t leave in a few minutes, they won’t be able to go ’cause it’ll make them late for school.

Satisfied, Adrien smiled and got up. Terry let him kiss her softly on the lips and he left, promising to meet her in forty minutes or so at Waffle House. She closed the door with a sigh of relief, then groaned as she realized that he’d left without saying goodbye to the boys. A. J. wouldn’t really care, but Alex would probably have a fit! She didn’t dare tell them that their daddy was going to meet them at Waffle House because he might not show up. Once again, her morning was saved by her eldest child. Hearing his father leave, A. J. opened his bedroom window and held his brother up so he could call out and wave to Adrien.

Terry stood in A. J.’s bedroom door and watched them together. A. J.? she called softly.

Yes, Mama? he answered, putting his brother down and reminding him to tie his shoes.

She just looked at him for a moment, then told him, I don’t know what I’d do without you. You’re so grown up to be twelve years old. Just … don’t grow up too fast, okay? I love you so much.

A. J.’s face dimpled in a wide grin. I love you too, Mama. Don’t go gettin‘ all soupy on me, ’kay?

Um-kay. She smiled back and turned to go finish dressing.

Adrien did not show up at Waffle House. That was fine with Terry. She enjoyed these times with her sons. Between her job at the unemployment office, her part-time job, cosmetology school, and the various other home-based things she did to earn money to care for herself and her boys, quality time with them was more scarce than she liked. Terry had become good at finding special opportunities to bond with her sons. With her schedule as hectic as it was, she’d decided to throw out the rule books that instructed parents to have strict bedtimes and make children sleep in their own beds. Many weekends, they went to the drive-in and ate junk food. Alex always fell asleep after the first movie. That gave her and A. J. time to talk and spend time together. She went to school two hours later than she could have every Saturday morning so that she and the boys could watch cartoons in their pajamas and eat cereal, sometimes from the box. On Wednesdays, she took an extended lunch and alternated visiting the boys’ classrooms. Friday evenings, she didn’t go to class. That was reserved for A. J.’s basketball or football games. If he didn’t have a game, they’d go bowling or skating before they went to the drive-in. She’d missed A. J.’s last two games because Alex had been sick and had to be kept in. She knew he had a new basketball coach that he really liked, and she hadn’t met him yet.

There were times when Terry was exhausted. She knew she was dependent on caffeine, as were many of her classmates and coworkers. She didn’t worry about it though. It was getting her through, and she’d worry about it later, after she’d graduated and passed her state board exams. Right now, she counted her blessings, reminding herself that this crazy schedule was temporary. Just a few months more.

Her kids were wonderful. No one could ask for a better son than A. J., and Alex, energetic and mischievous as he was, couldn’t be sweeter. She had family members that she could trust to look after her sons when she had school: two loving, encouraging aunts and her elder sibling, Tahji.

She was going to have to disappoint Tahji tonight. Tahji wanted Terry to go clubbing and watch the Satin Dolls’ Revue tonight.

"I’m the featured artist tonight, and, girl, I can’t wait for you to see me in those dresses! Oh, Terry! Honey, you just outdid yourself this time! And I just want all my friends to meet my baby sister! They all want to see who it is that designed these badass costumes!"

Terry hadn’t promised. She’d said she’d let Tahji and their friends know, but after missing two of A. J.’s games, she felt she just had to make this one. And by the time the game was over and they went and played pinball or air-hockey, Terry knew she’d be way too tired to go out partying. Besides, she had class from eleven to four tomorrow and then two dance classes to instruct.

Rrrrapid-tuppin-tah-lit-pay-pah!

Senate-town! De-all-evader!

Alex, don’t spill your milk, baby. Be careful. A. J., you get enough to eat?

Rapid tuppin tah lit paypah! Swish-chuff swish-chuff swish-chuff swish Senate-town de-all-evader! Chuff-swish chuff-swish swish, swish, swish Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-haaaaaa! Yew-wout! Chick-a-lits! Ha-ha-ha-ha-haaaaaaaaaaa!

Um. Terry hadn’t meant to let the soft grunt escape her. She sipped her coffee, dabbed her lips with her napkin, and picked up the check for their breakfast. She got the money together from her purse, checked her watch, and waited for Alex to finish his waffles. They still had plenty of time, in spite of the morning’s delays. A. J. spoke to her quietly.

Mom, what’s wrong? Are you upset ’cause … nobody else showed up?

No. No, baby, I just got a lot on my mind. Nothing’s wrong.

What is it? I heard what Daddy said. Are you thinkin‘ about that?

No … but later on, I want to know what you think. I’m not making any plans to go in that direction. Right now I just need to concentrate on getting through school and keeping up with the dance classes and my jobs and you guys. I just need for you to know that no matter what happens between me and your father, we both love you, and he’s your daddy whether he’s my husband anymore or not. We don’t always get along, but that doesn’t make him a bad person any more than it makes me a bad person. Does that make any sense to you, baby?

A. J. stopped chewing his straw long enough to nod at his mother and say that yes, it made sense. But what doesn’t make sense is why he acts the way he does if he loves us so much.

Grown people aren’t perfect, baby, just because they’re grown. But we’ll talk more, later. Little ears, you know? she said, winking and nodding her head toward Alex, who was slowing down his chewing and coloring to listen to his mother and brother.

A. J. handed Alex his napkin and reminded him to wipe his mouth. Come on, bighead. You gonna make us late!

Alex giggled. No, I’m not! I’m ready to go! You bighead! The boys continued to tease and play all the way to school, both of them in a good mood. Alex had completely recovered from his bitten tongue.

Terry got to work early enough to start a pot of coffee for herself and her coworkers. Feel like I’ve already had a full day, she thought to herself. She settled down to go over the files she had on her desk, trying to concentrate to block out the nagging drone with its added accompaniment:

Swish-chuff! Swish-chuff! Swish-chuff! Swish-swish-swish-swish. Swish-ch-chuff-swish-ch-chuff-swish-ch-chuff-swish-ch-chuff-swish-ch-chuff-swish-chu-rapid-tuppin’tah-lit-pay-pah! Panting. Senate-town-de-all-evader!

Terry managed to get most of the files off her desk before her lunch break, mainly because she was very good at what she’d been hired to do but also because she kept to herself and didn’t desk-hop to gossip or take smoke breaks. She was friendly and well-liked by all her coworkers, except one. Patricia Snodgrass couldn’t stand Terry. Though she was a beautiful woman herself, she envied Terry’s looks, personality, and strength. Before she’d met Terry, Patricia had met Terry’s husband. Adrien and Terry had been separated then, but not yet divorced. She had fallen head over heels for Adrien and was determined to be his next wife. They’d dated for a while, and she got to know Adrien’s dark, moody side. She also learned that he was not interested in anything more with her than partying and sex. When Adrien got drunk (which was every time they went out), he started talking about Terry. How much he loved her. How other bitches couldn’t hold a candle to her. What a good cook she was. What a good mother she was. How fine she was. How she’d kept her shape after having his baby. How she used to treat him like a king. How other muh-fuhkahs used to look at her and just wish he’d turn his back long enough for them to try and get with her. How good she was in bed. That pissed Patricia off more than anything, because every man she’d been with before told her that she was the best they’d ever had! She prided herself on being uninhibited and creative in bed and couldn’t imagine what the hell Terry did that she couldn’t do better.

Before Terry was hired to work in the office, she had been laid off her factory job and had to apply for unemployment. Patricia couldn’t believe it when the woman she’d been watching fill out paperwork while sweetly turning down hits and requests for dates and her phone number turned out to be Terry Daniels. She had to reluctantly admit to herself that Terry was a strikingly beautiful woman—tall, smooth tawny amber skin, thick glossy hair she was wearing tied back with a white ribbon. Terry seemed soft-spoken but friendly. The clerk who interviewed Terry for her unemployment claim was obviously charmed by her. He kept smiling, and more than twice, he was laughing at something clever or cute that she’d said. Terry was dressed as if she had job hunting in mind—navy blue suit, white blouse, and high-heeled spectator pumps. How the hell, Patricia wondered, can anybody be so damn happy when they just got laid off their job? She knew for a fact that Adrien wasn’t giving Terry any money. Another thing that Adrien half cried, half bragged about: Terry didn’t sweat him for shit!

She so muh-fuhkin‘ in’apendent! he slurred. She don’t ast nobody for nuttin‘. Niggahs be try’na pay her rent and shit. She tell ’em naw! Can you bel’ee dat shit? She take care my sons. Man, she work, and she got hustles. She sew, she teach ballet, she do hair, and on and on about that damned Terry!

Patricia had pulled strings and finagled until she got Terry’s file on her desk. She had been asking around and knew that Terry had to be struggling to make ends meet with just her part-time job. She needed her check. She went to the waiting area and summoned Terry to her desk. She tried her best not to stare at Terry’s friendly, perfectly made-up face. She took Terry’s packet of forms and statements, indicating where she’d applied for work and what the responses from potential employers had been. She dragged it out as long as she could, asking Terry question after question about her job searches.

You actually went to each and every one of these places? she asked with doubt in her voice.

Yes, I did. Terry smiled, irritating Patricia further. Of course, Terry had picked up the bad vibe. She had no idea what the problem was. Nobody else had treated her like this! Terry had dealt with jealous, bitchy women before, though, and knew how she had to deal with this one.

And none of them would hire you? voice dripping with condescension.

No, not yet, Terry replied without a hint of guile, playing Patricia like a violin all along. Terry already suspected what was coming. This heifer is not going to give me my check! Terry had thought frantically, keeping her smile on her composed face. What am I going to do? I’ve got my mortgage, lights, gas, phone, and water bills all due! Past due! Help me, Jesus! I’m not going to come unglued and beg this woman for my money! I’m going to have to go home and call all the utilities and the mortgage company to get extensions—oh, wait, I do have my bonds, but it takes almost two weeks for those to clear. I shouldn’t have spent all that money to get my car fixed until I got my unemployment check. Lord Jesus, I know you are going to take care of me! You always do.

Terry stopped her panicked inner turmoil, calming herself with silent prayer and faith. As she predicted, Patricia managed to come up with some petty reason to hold up Terry’s check. Terry looked directly at Patricia’s face the entire time. Patricia found it hard to keep her eyes on Terry’s because she knew she was wrong. Her bubble burst when Terry took the denial of her check so calmly and gracefully, never taking her eyes off Patricia’s. Okay, tell me again what I did wrong and how to fix it?

You need some kind of verification that these statements are from the actual places you applied for. Anybody can write statements like these on the forms that we give you.

So, Terry countered, should I have them type something up on company letterhead?

Yeah, yeah, something like that.

Or have phone numbers you can call to verify my interviews?

No, I don’t have time to make all those phone calls.

Okay, Terry rose, giving Patricia a dazzling smile and letting her eyes bore deeply into hers. I understand. Thank you.

Patricia almost exploded with frustration. She wanted to see Terry squirm, get upset, even cry over the denial of her check! She’d never met anybody so cool and gracious in Terry’s situation. Before Terry got three steps from the desk, Patricia involuntarily blurted, "You act like you don’t even need this money!"

Terry had to summon all her strength to keep her tears from rising. Again she looked the woman in her eyes and smiled. Of course I do, she said, shrugging, but I’ll get by. I’ll do everything you said, and I’ll see you next week. I really appreciate your time. Jesus! Please don’t let me start crying before I get to my car and off the parking lot!

She forced herself to walk at a normal pace, still smiling and politely nodding and giving a soft hi! to people who spoke to her. Almost to her car, she forgot all about crying as she mentally counted money she could come up with quickly: two perms to do tonight, two dance classes to do tomorrow. She had enough money to pay A. J.’s registration fees for his basketball season. She hated to ask, but knew that Tahji and her aunts would be glad to help her. Why, oh why did her brakes have to go bad last week while Uncle Johnny was out of town?

She realized that the person calling, Miss! S’cuse me! Miss! was talking to her. She’d turned and saw one of the employees from the building she’d just left hurrying toward her. Oh, now what!? she’d wondered.

The suited man smiled and apologized, I’m sorry, I know you’re probably busy, but … he’d started.

Terry had graced him with a smile and a sweet hello, though the last thing she’d felt like was being bothered with this guy who, though black, bore a strong resemblance to Bert from Sesame Street. All he needed were the saddle oxfords!

Did something go wrong in there? I noticed that you left without your check.

Well, the lady who had my file said my paperwork wasn’t in order. I needed proof that my statements were actually written by the companies I said I’d been to. I don’t want to bother you with it though. I just have to get the statements on letterhead next time, I guess. Maybe even get them notarized or something. What do you think? She’d tilted her head to the side, her saucy dimple winking and teasing as she smiled and waited for him to answer. Before he could answer, she’d asked his name and said, Mine’s Terry Daniels.

Terry Daniels, would you have dinner with me tonight?

No, but I’d love to treat you to coffee if you have time right now. You’re awfully nice to care that I didn’t get my check. Is that what you stopped me for?

There was a coffee shop less than a block up the street. Terry felt the walk would do her good and said so, adding that she understood if he didn’t have time. He was all too happy to walk with her and told her he had plenty of time before he had to be back at his desk. By the time they’d had coffee and muffins, which he insisted on paying for, Terry was glad that her aunts had taught her to be polite to everybody, no matter how annoying they may seem. This man was going to go back to the unemployment office and get her check for her. It turned out that he, Charles Mason, was the office director. She’d told him how grateful she was, choosing to keep to herself her certainty that Miss Patricia Snodgrass had withheld her check for no reason but petty jealousy. No need to get the woman in trouble—not yet anyway. Terry apologized that she still had to decline a dinner date. She explained about her busy schedule and asked if she could maybe call him at his office next week for coffee again. He was thrilled that she was going to talk to him again at all and told her yes.

Some weeks later, Terry had enrolled in cosmetology school. She was able to get a grant to pay for her tuition but had to spend money to buy her own supplies. By the time she’d paid her bills, bought groceries, paid to have her sons’ teeth cleaned, and bought all her school supplies, she was nearly broke again. On the way to get her unemployment check, she stopped at the post office to pick up her schoolbooks, which had been shipped COD. Figuring that she’d have quite a while to wait, she took her books in with her to write her name in them and get a look at what she was going to be studying. She’d actually got engrossed in one of the books and was startled when she heard her name called rather sharply. She rose and looked around. There was Patricia, waiting for her.

You must be really into that book. I called you three times.

Terry smiled. I was! Sorry about that. She’d followed Patricia to her desk and handed her paperwork over. To Patricia’s annoyance, Terry had letterhead statements with phone numbers and signatures for every place she’d applied for jobs. Some had even made copies of her applications and stapled them to the letterhead. All of them gave reasons why Terry wasn’t hired: hiring freeze, applicant overqualified, will consider applicant next month. Patricia didn’t bother to read them all. She already knew that Terry’s file was tight. She also knew that somehow, Terry had gotten around her the day she tried to hold up her check. She’d come back from her lunch break to find Terry’s file and check missing from her desk. When she found it in the pile to be filed, she opened the folder and found a director’s signature approving release of the check. How the hell did she do that! She never found out, and she hated Terry all the more.

That day, she held the envelope with Terry’s check toward her. When Terry reached for it, she pulled it back. What’s that? she asked, nodding at Terry’s pile of books.

Textbooks. Terry looked at Patricia inquiringly and thought, Aw hell, here we go!

Patricia slowly put Terry’s check back in the file folder and shook her head. You don’t get unemployment checks if you’re going to school, she’d said smugly, ’cause how can you be looking for a job if you’re going to school? And you already know that you have to be actively seeking employment to get unemployment. If she thought she was going to see Terry sweat, she was disappointed again.

With her usual cool, Terry sighed and stood up, gathered her books, and smiled. Well, okay then, I guess I won’t get to see you anymore. It was really nice to meet you though.

What Patricia didn’t know was that Tahji had a close friend, Mickee, who worked with Patricia. Through Mickee, Tahji was able to get the lowdown on Patricia’s relationship with Adrien and had pulled Terry’s coat, letting her know why Patricia was dogging her out. Terry never told Adrien about it, nor did she tell Charles Mason.

She did, however, go to the coffee shop as soon as she left the unemployment office that day. She used the pay phone to call Charles Mason and ask if he was free to meet her for coffee. Of course, he wasted no time getting there. She’d chatted happily with him for a few minutes, expressing her excitement about going to school, then sighed and said, I wish it didn’t mean that we won’t be meeting for coffee anymore though.

He frowned. I thought you were taking evening classes.

I am.

Then won’t you still be picking up your checks every other week?

The clerk I had today said I don’t get any more.

His frown was deeper. What?

Because I’m in school. She said that since I’m in school and not seeking employment, I don’t get any more checks.

Oh, Terry! That’s a bunch of bull!

Terry sipped her coffee and shrugged. That’s what she told me, baby.

The baby just about did him in. Oh god, this woman was sweet, so sweet! And so beautiful! He’d do almost anything to have a woman like her for his own. He’d be so proud to have her on his arm, by his side, if she’d just let him take her out. His friends would never get over it to see him with someone like Terry. He couldn’t let anybody on his job know that he was meeting her for coffee regularly. As innocent as these meetings were, it was against office protocol for anybody to be fraternizing with the clients this way. He’d known it when he ran after her that day in the parking lot, but he so badly wanted a chance to get to know her, just to hear her speak, have a conversation with her and find out where she came from. He’d never been more impressed by any woman in his life. She’d tactfully and gently let him know that they’d not be more than coffee buddies. She told him that someone else had her heart, and she wouldn’t explain or elaborate any further. She was so friendly but rather guarded about her personal life.

Again, he got her check for her. He found it in the closed-case files where Patricia had put Terry’s folder. Frowning, he wondered if there was some personal issue between Patricia and Terry.

Two weeks later, Patricia was strolling through the waiting room of the unemployment office and saw Terry sitting with her nose again stuck in a book. "What are you doing here?" Patricia asked loudly.

I’m here to get my check. How are you? Smiling.

I thought you was in school! Frowning.

I am.

Then how you gettin‘ a check? Perplexed and frowning.

Different procedure when you’re in school but you still collect unemployment. Matter-of-factly, still smiling.

Who told you that?

One of your directors. I got a phone call from him asking me about some verification papers that came from my school, so … Terry told such a clever fib that Patricia would never be able to do enough research to find out how Terry had really got around her yet again. Much to her chagrin, Terry’s file was now being handled personally by a clerk who had a position superior to hers. She wouldn’t have a chance to mess with Terry about her money anymore. Her jealousy was amplified by the fact that Terry was going to school. She had found out from Terry’s files that Terry also had EMT certification and worked part-time as an ambulance attendant. She’d have preferred for Terry to be a lazy, trifling, unattractive welfare case. Then she’d have no reason to dislike her so much. The more often she encountered her, the more her fear increased that Adrien would never get over Terry. The last thing Patricia would have expected or wanted was for Terry to wind up with a position in the unemployment office.

Charles Mason had pulled strings and called in favors to get Terry an offer to fill in for a supervisor who would be off for open-heart surgery. At first, Terry declined the position because the hours would conflict with her schooling and her sons’ activities. She was going to accept a full-time night-shift position that had been offered to her by the hospital ambulance EMT department, but the employment office manager offered to let her work reduced hours. Six-hour workdays, instead of eight, and four hours every other Wednesday because of her part-time EMT position. After giving it some thought and talking it over with her aunts and Tahji, Terry accepted the position with the unemployment office.

Tahji was tickled to death that Terry was going to show up at the office, "not to pick up an unemployment check but to work, honey! And in a higher position than Miss Thang! Whoooo, chil’! That bitch is going to faint! I wish I could be there! Giiirrrrl! Make sure Mickee is with you when she finds out so he can tell me all about it!"

When Terry went for altar prayer in church the next Sunday, she thanked the Lord for blessing her and staying by her. She also asked forgiveness for feeling so "now take that!" toward Patricia Snodgrass.

Things were going so well that she’d been asked to consider staying even when the person she was standing in for came back to work. Terry had agreed to give it some thought but said it would likely be part-time because she’d be finishing school soon and was going to open a salon with Tahji.

Now she was at her desk, in her office, still not quite over the irony of the situation. She stretched, looked at her watch, and realized it was almost time for lunch.

Rapid-tuppin-tah-lit-pay-pah!

My friends are back, Terry muttered. She didn’t know what to do about the song that kept replaying over and over in her mind. She’d lost count of how many days she’d been hearing it.

Senate-town! D-all-evadah!

The voices weren’t always the same. The word pronunciations weren’t always the same. The volume and speed weren’t always the same. But the cadence was always the same.

Terry used her lunch break to go to the bank and deposit most of her check. She kept enough in cash to get through her weekend grocery shopping and her activities with her kids. She also planned to get some fabric to make some new dresses and skirts for work. She sat in her car long enough to listen to the Staple Singers on the radio before she went back in to work. Terry loved the Staple Singers and was crazy about this particular song Respect Yourself. She thought about buying some new records, then decided she’d better not spend the money. Tahji could make her some tapes of just about anything she wanted.

Oh shoot! I was supposed to call Tahji back! Terry was ready to turn off the radio anyway, because Mavis Staples was starting to chant, "Respect yourrrr-rapid-tuppin-tah-lit-pay-pah self!"

The afternoon went quickly. Terry took a moment to call Tahji and say that she couldn’t go partying tonight. Tahji started to wail, complain, and beg, "Awww, c’mon, Ter-ryyy! I really want you to gooo! It won’t make all that much difference if you miss just one more game! Or meet me after the gaaaammme! See, Ter-ryyy …"

Terry leaned back in her swivel chair, head thrown back, eyes rolled up at the ceiling, rocking her head back and forth in exasperation. She swiveled the chair from side to side with her feet, waiting for Tahji to finish whining at her. She mouthed the words, knowing exactly what Tahji was going to say until Tahji abruptly stopped whining and demanded in a low, indignant tone, Are you sittin‘ in that chair rockin‘ your head and rollin‘ your eyes and mockin‘ me?

Terry burst into hysterical laughter and croaked, Yes!

Tahji drew in a deep breath and breathed out, Well! in a huff. Terry was still laughing uncontrollably when Tahji huffed out, "I’ll just talk to you later then, Miss Thang!" and hung up on her. Terry got tissues from her desk drawer, wiped her eyes, and blew her nose. It felt so good to laugh! Tahji was such a hoot! Terry could laugh because she knew that Tahji wasn’t the least bit mad at her, even if disappointed that Terry wasn’t going out partying tonight.

She left her job at two fifteen. I may as well surprise the boys and pick them up from school, she decided. She had finished so many case files that she would be ahead of her workload when she came to work on Monday.

She collected her sons from their bus stop, and they went grocery shopping together. She was teaching A. J. money management and letting him tell her what he thought were better bargains. He was getting good at helping her get coupons and keep track of what they saved on groceries. On the last Friday of each month, she gave him whatever he saved her on the groceries along with his regular allowance. He also got a bonus added to his allowance if he’d saved more than half of it at the end of the month. Terry and A. J. were both pleased with the results. She was going to let him open his own bank account on his thirteenth birthday.

After grocery shopping, they went home and fixed a simple supper together. They talked about that week’s events at school and what homework A. J. had. Alex’s first grade class didn’t have homework yet, but A. J. gave Alex assignments to do while he was doing his own homework. A. J.’s patient tutoring had gotten Alex skipped to first grade from kindergarten and kept him ahead of the other students in his class.

When they’d had their supper, Terry told the boys they’d just stack the dishes in the sink for now because she didn’t want them to be late for A. J.’s game. While they did that, she poured a thermos of juice and made some peanut-butter cracker snacks and celery sticks for Alex. She added a bag of popcorn and a couple of apples. A. J. was telling Terry about his new coach, Mr. Bernard.

"Mom, he’s so cool! He calls us men! He can really, really shoot some hoop for an old dude!"

How old is he?

Aw, you know … thirties, or somethin‘ like that.

Terry giggled. "Oh! And just how old do you think I am? You think thirties is old? Don’t you know how close I am to thirty?" she teased.

Oh! No! I didn’t mean it like that, Mom! No! You’re not old at all!

The phone rang as they were getting ready to leave. A. J. answered it. It was his paternal grandfather. He talked happily to his grandparents a few moments, then Terry took the phone. She told them how good it was to talk to them, then invited them to come watch A. J. play ball. They were happy to be invited, said they’d be there, then asked if she’d let the boys come home with them after the game to spend the weekend. Terry said that she’d talk to the boys about it. If they didn’t have other plans, she’d bring their overnight stuff with them.

It was hard sometimes to let them go. Terry knew when she and Adrien divorced that she was going to have to share her sons with their other family. When they had first divorced, it had meant spending a lot of weekends and holidays without her kids. She did take advantage of the time alone, sewing, cleaning, or picking up an extra shift or two with one of the ambulance teams. They were always glad to have Terry along.

She didn’t do a lot of socializing. It was just easier not to. When Adrien knew that his sons weren’t at home with their mother, he worried jealously about what she may be doing and who she may be doing it with. He knew that she didn’t see anyone regularly because she didn’t