Chapter 6
The sewing machine’s quiet whir stopped when Remy reached the end of the seam. She cut the connecting threads, but instead of beginning a new one as time dictated, she allowed herself to lose focus as she dipped into a daydream filled with images of Jace.
Smiling, she remembered Pandora’s party and the fun she’d had with him. A full-throated laugh erupted when she thought about how he’d delivered his invitation by making up words to James Brown’s song. Crazy man. It’s been four days. Wonder why I haven’t heard from him?
The intercom buzzed, yanking her back to the present. “Yes, Alicia?”
“Remy, Pandora Paige is on line one.”
“Really?” She couldn’t believe Pandora was on the phone and so soon after the party. Right after the gala, Remy had carried a flicker of hope. But she’d since doused that hope so the disappointment would be less sharp if the call hadn’t come. “Hello, Pandora?”
“Remy, how are you?” Pandora asked. Not giving Remy a chance to respond, she continued. “I ran into a mutual acquaintance yesterday. Mrs. Price?”
“Oh, you know Mrs. Price? She’s one of my best clients.”
“Yes, she said you’re the best, too. But now, on to what I want. New summer clothes. All new outfits. I’m going to be touring a lot this summer and I want things cool and comfy, yet snazzy. When can I come in?"
Remy swiveled her chair toward the computer, and gathering the partially sewn garment in her lap, she scooted over and pulled up her calendar. “I’m booked up through the third week in May. Prom time, you know? What about some time the following week?”
Remy’s demeanor was one of calm professionalism, but inside, she was so excited she could barely talk as she and Pandora settled on a date and ended the call. The excitement of designing for one of her favorite authors was intoxicating, yet a bit frightening. Her thoughts ran amok. What if she couldn’t come up with designs for Pandora? What if she could only come up with uninspired crap? What if she came up with great designs and Pandora thought they were uninspired crap?
After a few seconds of stressing, Remy realized there was no point in worrying about that, right now, and allowed her excitement to return.
Before Remy could turn away from the computer, Alicia was in the room hammering her with questions. “What did she say? Is she coming in? Does she want you to design some things?”
“Ooh yeah. She’s coming in the last of May. She wants an entire summer line! Hot damn!”
“Ca-ching…ca-ching!”
Through her laughter, Remy shook her head and said, “No girl, she seems like a really nice person. And you know, sometimes, it’s not all about the money, Alicia.”
“Yeah, right. Ca-ching!”
Still smiling, Remy flicked her wrist and checked the time. “I have got to get back to Mrs. Berry’s dress. She has a fitting this afternoon and I’m nowhere near finished. Gotta keep those Panthers’ wives happy.”
“You got that right.” Alicia paused, a picture of Remy’s schedule forming in her head. “You’re having lunch with Dani today, right?”
“Yeah, so I can’t even work through lunch.” Remy swiveled away from Alicia, and frowning at the iridescent fabric in her lap, she said, “Oh well, duty calls.”
Sitting at the machine, Remy took a deep breath, summoning the power within her. The quiet whir of the specially built machine turned into a thundering roar as she pushed it to its limits. Her fingers moved at a speed that defied human logic: pinning, unpinning, matching seams, cutting and hand stitching. Until nine minutes later, she had a frothy, pink concoction of a cocktail dress in her hands, ready for its afternoon fitting.
Remy moved to Mrs. Berry’s body double, holding the dress high so it wouldn’t touch the floor. The garment hung on the double like a second skin, flaring and hugging in all the right places. She knelt next to her creation to check for any obvious fit problems.
“Finished?” Alicia, coming through the door, stopped short when she spotted the dress, one hand flying to her mouth. “Oh my God, it’s beautiful.”
Remy smoothed a few pesky folds before she responded. “Looks good, doesn’t it, even if I do say so myself?"
“It looks great! You do good work.” Alicia fingered the gossamer-like fabric, running the soft, delicate material through loving fingers. With a touch of awe in her voice, she asked, “This was a special order, right?”
Alicia released the fabric as Remy nodded and answered, “Yeah, she needs it today. She and her husband are going to some semi-formal function this weekend, but she’s leaving town tonight. So, it’s got to be done today.”
“I can’t get over the fact that humans really believe that crap about our special manufacturing capacity. I mean like…what kind of connections or equipment would we have to have in order to go from design to a finished product in a couple of days?” Alicia shook her head, laughing. “The need for speed brings in the big bucks. Super speed, that is. Ca-ching!”
“So, girl, give up the info on the party. Did you have fun? Did you meet Pandora? Did Jace kiss you?” Dani asked, face aglow with excitement.
It was all Remy could do not to spray iced tea all over their table at Harper’s. “Hell no! He did not, and I repeat, did not kiss me! You crazy-ass heifer!”
“I’m just glad you’ve gone out with someone after all these years. You gotta have cobwebs up there.” Dani laughed, waving her hand as Remy opened her mouth. “Just tell me about the party, girl.”
Remy filled Dani in on the party as the lunchtime crowd occupied every table and booth in the place. Her mouth watered from the tantalizing smells wafting throughout as she talked.
The wait staff rushed to and fro, moving customers in and out, reducing the bevy of people waiting in the lobby. Usually, Remy and Dani tried to accommodate by eating and leaving in minimal time, not rushing yet not lingering, either. But, today, there was much to discuss.
Having given Dani every party-related morsel, Remy asked, “How was your seminar? Got any more knowledge in that big, fat head of yours?”
“Don’t be trying to change the subject. When is the next date?”
“We are not dating! Besides, I haven’t heard from him since then…just the flowers.” A sly grin crossed her face and a girlish giggle escaped her mouth.
“Flowers! What flowers? You didn’t tell me nothing ‘bout no flowers!” Heads at nearby tables swung their way as Dani’s voice rose in decibels and in pitch. The two glasses on their table shook, trying to keep themselves from shattering into a thousand flying pieces.
Remy laughed outright and then gave her the lowdown on Saturday’s family thing, including the flowers and everyone’s reaction to them, especially Kara’s.
The background noises had increased since they’d sat. The chatter was louder, the clinking of utensils touching plates was more pronounced, and the noises drifting from the kitchen were more easily heard. Still Dani leaned a little closer to Remy when she said, “Well, I hope you’re not gonna pay much attention to Kara. She’s got a serious bug up her ass about blue aurals.”
“Yeah, I’ve noticed that over the years.”
“Listen, Remy. I know you’re concerned about talking to Jace because he’s a blue guy. But I don’t care about that and I don’t think you should, either.”
Remy took a bite of her sandwich and covered her mouth before she spoke next. “Yeah…well. Anyway, that’s all that’s happened.”
“And you haven’t heard from him since then? Wonder what’s up with that?” Dani’s gaze wandered to the ceiling. “Maybe he decided he didn’t want to deal with your ambivalent ass. But let’s hope,” she said, looking at Remy, “he’s just a slow mover.”
“I don’t know. It’s not a big deal, really.” Remy tried to play it off, but she was kind of disappointed she hadn’t heard from him. Though, she would never have admitted it, even to herself. “So, back to my question about your big, fat head.”
“Yeah, I learned lots of stuff. But from now on, I think I’m gonna attend one day seminars. It’s really hard being around that many humans for four days straight. It takes too much energy, too much charisma. Trying to keep them from being anxious and nervous, it’s just too draining.” Dani shrugged dismissive shoulders.
“Well, as you know, I did that one time and I vowed…never again.”
Remy was finishing up the last of her fries when her cell phone sprang to life. She looked at the display after she’d pulled it from her pocketbook, but didn’t recognize the number. “Hello?”
When she heard that deep, smooth voice respond, the tingle racing through her body surprised her, even scared her.
“I’m sorry I haven’t called you, but my dad was hurt. He’s been in The Clinic for the past four days. I got your message, though, and I’m glad you liked the flowers.” He smiled, remembering how she’d stumbled through her message.
“Oh…I’m sorry to hear about your dad. Is he gonna be okay?”
“Yeah, he’s coming along. We brought him home today. So, how has everything been with you?”
She assured him she was fine, her face alight as she talked with him, her voice light and lilting.
Most aurals would have given Remy some privacy, but not Dani. Alert ears pointed right toward Remy’s cell phone.
“I’m leaving to start a book tour later this evening. I’m gonna be at Dynasty Books in Eastland Mall one day next week. I’d sure like to look up and see your lovely face while I’m there.” He paused, hoping for an affirmative response, but when none was forthcoming, he continued. “I’ll email you with my schedule. But if you can’t, I’d like for us to hook-up when I get back Saturday after next.”
Remy pictured his strong, handsome face, the way his locs moved as his head moved, the breadth of his shoulders, the length of his legs, and her brain froze as she faced this new dilemma. What to do? Moments later, the icy tendrils holding her brain prisoner let go, and she remembered she had a previous engagement that Saturday. Saved!
“Sorry. I’m going to a play that day.”
“Well, I’ll give you a call when I get back and we can try for another day, okay?”
“Okay, I’ll talk to you then. Bye.” Hanging up the phone, she breathed a great sigh of relief and filled Dani in on the conversation.
“Could you have seemed any less interested? Which, by the way, was in direct contrast to the way you looked.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“Oh, girlfriend, your face was lit up and your voice was all light and bubbly and shit, though your ass wasn’t saying nothing."
“Was not!”
“Was, too! And we could have re-scheduled that play. It’s showing for two weeks. We could have gone anytime.” Dani sat back, giving Remy a hard stare.
“I am not gonna be re-scheduling my activities for some man,” Remy responded, waving her hand with scorn all up in her voice.
“Girl, you need to get over that attitude. I don’t understand you. I know you’ve had a few bad-man experiences since your husband died, but that was years ago. And not all men are gonna treat you like that broke-ass Verndon did. You should know that. Your husband was a great guy.”
“I’m not saying—”
“And I’m not through. So now here’s a good-looking man, who sends flowers—an indication he’s grateful and well-trained—who’s certainly financially secure, and here you are, acting like Jace has two heads or something. And you could have been more supportive about his dad.”
“Supportive? How? Like…you expect me to go sit by his dad’s bedside?”
“Well—”
“Oh girl, get real. I am not his woman.” Remy, with another hand wave, asked, “Ready to go?”
“Yeah, where’s that waiter?” Dani looked around, spotted him not far away, and signaled to him.
The waiter, who had been giving the two gorgeous woman scads of attention during their meal, couldn’t take his eyes off them as he approached the table.
With a mischievous smile, Remy decided now was the moment. And though Dani’s expression said she knew what was coming, Remy disappeared before Dani could say a word.
The waiter stopped dead in his tracks, his mouth wide open, his eyes huge, his shock apparent. Before he could make a sound, Remy was back, seated right where she’d been before. He jerked, shook his head, and proceeded on unsteady legs to their table. His hand trembled as he laid down the leather holders with their bills inside. Without uttering one flirtatious remark, he spun around and rushed from their table.
Laughter erupted from them, causing more heads to turn their way. It was so contagious that smiles appeared on nearby customers’ faces, though they couldn’t have had a clue what was so funny.
Dani, finally under control, shook her finger at Remy. “Girl, you better stop that shit. You’re gonna get in trouble one day.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Remy responded, giving short shrift to Dani’s concern as they put cash in the holders and left.
Although Dani had chastised Remy, neither woman was overly concerned about Remy’s actions. They both knew that within a couple of hours the waiter and any patrons who’d happened to witness Remy’s little act would convince themselves they had imagined it. The humans’ capacity for self-delusion was truly amazing.
Back in her workroom, Remy picked up line one while running a critical eye over Mrs. Berry’s dress.
“Hello Mrs. Price, how can I help you today?”
“No Remy, I think it’s how I can help you.”
“I’m sorry?” Remy asked, her face puckered.
“Is it true that you were at Pandora Paige’s party with that,” she paused as if the words pained her, “blue aural author, Jace Williams?”
Remy jerked the receiver from her ear and stared at it with blinking eyes before she repositioned it and croaked, “What?”
“Don’t ‘what’ me. I know you were with him. Pandora told me like it was nothing. I can’t understand why you would do such a thing given our history. The way they treated our forefathers…well, that’s neither here nor there. What do you have to say for yourself, young lady?”
Recovering from her initial shock, Remy’s backbone snapped back into place. “I don’t have to say anything. My personal life is none of your business. I-”
“Not my business,” Remy’s biggest client huffed. “Not my business. Well, I’ll tell you what is my business. And that’s your business. I’m warning you, Remy. If you see him again, I’ll withdraw my business from Urbane and you can be sure I’ll take several other clients with me.”
“Now just wait a minute—” Remy began, but she found herself speaking to a dial tone.
“Hello-o-o!” Jace yelled as he ran up the stairs at his parents’ house, the pounding of his feet announcing his progress much more loudly than his shout. He reached the bedroom and peered inside before entering. “How’s everybody?”
Jace’s dad lay in the king-sized bed, his attention riveted to some TV show. His mom, who seemed to have aged ten years in the last four days—her blue aura, less intense in color, had several new dips—sat in the wing back chair across the room, a book to her nose.
Gabriel fumbled for the remote on the nightstand, and once he had it in hand, lowered the volume. “Hey, boy, you about ready to leave for your tour?”
“Yeah, just about. Got a few more things to do at home, but I’m leaving in a couple of hours.” Jace looked toward the closed window. A string of dust motes danced in a strip of late evening sunlight. The Island’s shoreline was beautiful. The sea seemed rougher this evening, the waves crashing onto the shore a little more aggressively than usual. “So, Mom, how you doing?”
“I’m good.” She rose and gave him a hug. “Now that you’re here, I’m going down to get dinner started.”
“Juliette, could you get me a Coke before you head down?” Gabriel’s voice was a croak, barely audible above the TV. Dr. Perry had told them the ventilator caused the hoarseness and that his voice would return to normal over the next couple of days.
“Sure, Gab—"
“That’s okay, Mom. I’ll get it.” Jace approached the closet where the mini fridge sat.
Juliette turned as she reached the door. “Jace, are you going to eat before you leave?"
“No, I got something at home.” He pulled two Cokes from the fridge and handed one to his dad.
“Young man, it’s…I have something to eat at home,” his mom said, smiling. She pointed a wagging finger his way before turning to leave the room.
Laughing, Jace said, “I know…I know.”
Juliette had been a grammar teacher before she’d retired. The course taught Auralites to speak English correctly, so they’d fit in when they left The Island. Correcting his speech seemed to be her favorite pastime. Though he’d told her many times African-American humans don’t actually talk that way, she never believed him.
Jace, twisting a loc around his finger, sat in the chair she’d vacated. But for the sound of the TV, the room was enveloped in silence. He wanted so badly to ask his dad why he’d been drinking, but Jace was unsure how Gabriel would react and he didn’t want to upset his dad, perhaps delaying his recovery.
Jace felt Gabriel’s eyes on him, but he continued to gaze steadfastly at the TV, scared to engage in any conversation, scared he would ask the inevitable question if they started to talk at all. He vacillated: should he ask, should he not? He hazarded a glance at the bed, but now his dad’s gaze was glued to the TV. Jace needed to know why. He needed to know about the future, if this was a one-time thing or if it would be a recurring thing. He needed to know how it was going to affect his mom, how it would affect him. And he needed to know now.
“Um, Dad.” Jace faltered and shook his head when Gabriel looked his way, not able to voice even one question. Their eyes met for a second, but broke apart as if repelled like the opposing ends of two magnets.
A few minutes later, Jace tried again. “Dad,” he mumbled, looking down at the suddenly interesting pattern in the carpet, the carpet he had seen a thousand times before. “Why were you drinking?” Jace sat there while his question went unanswered. He sat there while he examined every loop in that carpet, until finally, he felt compelled to look at his dad.
Gabriel’s eyes fastened on his son’s, tears gathering in the corners. He shook his head, and then, he lied. “I don’t know…just some things on my mind.”
“What kinda things? Things you couldn’t talk about with one of us? I don’t understand, Dad. Please help me understand.”
The pain in his son’s voice pierced Gabriel’s heart, a heart already filled with doubt, a heart already hurting. The tears fell from his eyes, leaving little wet spots on the satin material of the pillow. “I’m sorry, it was just a slip. It won’t happen again.”
Jace fought back his own tears. Not just because he was hurt, but because he suspected he hadn’t heard the truth. And since he felt his dad had lied, he was almost certain he’d drink again. Silence, once again, lay between them.
A while later, when Jace got up to leave, both men acted as if all was right in their worlds. Jace leaned over the bed, gave Gabriel a hug, and bade him goodbye. He entered the kitchen and was almost tempted by the aromas to stay. Jace sat at the table and watched his mom work. He would have asked to help, but she never allowed that.
“So, did you and your father have a nice visit?” she asked, her voice nonchalant, though her shoulders were tensed.
“He wouldn’t tell me what’s really going on. He said it was a slip…a one-time thing.” His locs swayed a bit as he shook his head. “But, I don’t believe that.”
Well, I believe him. If that’s what he says, then that’s what it is.”
“Mom, that doesn’t make any sense. After more than thirty years of sobriety he’s just gonna start drinking for no reason?” Jace was incredulous and it was evident in his tone.
“Going to."
“What?”
“It’s going to…not, gonna…you said…gonna.”
Jace rolled his eyes in exasperation. He couldn’t believe she was giving him shit about his grammar, not now. “Okay, but there’s got to be more to this than he’s saying right now.”
“No, there’s not, and I don’t want to hear another word about it.”
Jace recognized the stubborn glint in her eyes and decided to leave it alone for the time being. He could see self-denial was her new best friend. Sitting for a few minutes more, Jace kept her company while she finished dinner and they talked of inconsequential things. He watched as she prepared two plates and placed them on an oversized TV tray before climbing the stairs, her posture erect and apparently, her belief in her husband held tight. Jace’s belief in the same man was shaken and he shook his head before summoning his powers and leaving for home.
The next day, her mind full of Mrs. Price’s threat, Remy fingered her mail as pregnant, grey clouds sat outside her office window. She’d always known that Mrs. Price was no friend of blue Auralites. The woman made no secret of that. But Remy couldn’t believe she’d actually threatened Urbane if Remy kept seeing Jace. She shook her head with a wry smile. Well, since I’m not seeing him, her threat is useless.
She turned on her desk lamp and opened the envelope she held without looking at the return address. Her jaw fell with each word. Disbelieving, she reread it, her gaze scurrying across the page.
Dropping the letter, she snatched up the phone and stabbed the buttons that would connect her to her quarry. “Mr. Hill,” she snapped when he answered. “This is Remy Renee and I’ve received a letter informing me that my loan has been denied. Tell me that’s an error.”
“Uh…Ms. Renee, I…um.” Mr. Hill stumbled through several more meaningless words before uttering the ones Remy didn’t want to hear. “I’m afraid it has been denied.”
Speechless, Remy saw all her dreams dissipate. All of the hours she’d spent designing each garment, from the initial lines to every button to every hemline; all the sketches she’d made of her expanded workspace; all the time she’d spent daydreaming, planning, executing. All of that was wasted without the loan.
Her shoulders slumped as she blinked back tears. “Denied? But you just told me it had been approved.”
“Yes, ma’am, it had. I don’t know what happened. It—”
“You don’t know what happened!” Remy shot from her chair like a space shuttle rocketing from its launch pad, incensed at his words, incensed at his timidity, incensed at the cowardice he displayed in sending her a letter instead of calling her like he had when all was good. “Well, you better find out what happened. And you better know by the time I get there.”
A few minutes later, Remy stood in front of Mr. Hill’s desk. The bank was a small one on Sharon Road in Charlotte, not far at all from Urbane. Owned by Auralites—the majority of those blue with a smattering of purple thrown in for good measure—the bank serviced its kind. It couldn’t avoid the odd human customer, but it had been founded by aurals for aurals. Her hands on her hips, her purple aura glowing, Remy stared down at Mr. Hill’s blue one.
“Ms. Renee!” he exclaimed, jumping from his chair. “I…um…it’s…um.”
Remy waved him back down as she sat. “You know yet why my loan was denied?”
He bit his lip as he removed papers from a manila file. “It seems your credit isn’t up to par.”
“My credit’s excellent. What are you talking about?” Remy looked at the papers he offered, following his finger as he pointed to the culprit. “This isn’t correct. I’ve never opened an account there…or there…or there, either.”
“You must have. They’re right here in black and white, and they’ve all been closed due to nonpayment.”
“I’m telling you, I’ve never charged—”
“William, do you have…oh, excuse me, I didn’t realize you had a customer.”
Remy looked up to find Kara’s mom, Mrs. Hewitt, standing in Mr. Hill’s doorway.
“Oh, hello, Remy. Here to close on your loan?”
“I wish. There seems to be some errors on my credit report.”
Mrs. Hewitt listened as Remy pointed out the problems. As the loan manager at the bank and as Kara’s mom, she knew about Remy’s plans. Rubbing Remy’s hand, she said, “I’ll look into it and get back with you. Don’t worry about it. We’ll have you launching your line right on schedule.”
Back at her desk, Remy wiped imaginary sweat from her forehead. Though she trusted Mrs. Hewitt to correct the bank’s error, she still wondered how her credit had gotten messed up. I shoulda got a copy of that credit report for my file. As her gaze fell on the letter from the bank, she realized she could access it online. For free, too.
Her report popped up and as she read it, her eyes bucked. There were no additional creditors; there were no non-payments.
But before Remy could process the differences, she had two cancellations. Both from purple aurals; both from friends of Mrs. Price.
