After getting dressed, I save my shoes for last so that I can kneel down beside the bed and put my ring away like I always do. I slip the ring into a box and place that box in a shoe box and put my shoes on. I then walk over to Ari and kiss her lips and her belly before leaving.
Following my arrival at work I try to stay out of contact with people, I'm in a hurry and a bad mood. Viv is the first person I see.
"Good morning Mr. Ely." She said with a welcoming smile.
"Viv." I coldly reply as I hurry to my office with my head down.
I see Zach on my way. "Hey buddy, come to talk to me." I say to him trying not to yell.
"Yeah dude I'll be there in a sec" he replied without even looking my way.
"No man, now!" I say as if I were his parent and he was acting up in public.
"Dude what's up?" He looks puzzled.
"Shut the door. Why the hell did you give Viv my number? You want me to cheat on Ari don't you? I'm not you dog! I'm not like that anymore. It's nothing there so stop trying to push it" I'm speaking forcefully in a whisper at this point.
"Whoa man. She asked for you number for something job related, didn't want my help because she says you think I'm an idiot. I agreed that I'm an idiot so I told her if she had any questions then she should ask you."
"But you said it yourself that she wants me."
"And you said it yourself that you don't want her so I didn't think it was a problem."
"I mean yeah it's not but a little heads up would be nice." I say feeling kind of dumb and clearly seeming guilty. "Look dog it ain't even a big deal. I have to go anyway and meet up with Quick."
"Yeah sure." He says with the same puzzled face he came in with.
I hurry out the door and again, Viv.
"Lunch today?" She asks.
"Can't." I reply while still looking away and walking fast.
"Hey Zach, Lance is acting strange today." Viv says.
"I know, what the hell did you tell the guy last night?" Zach replies jokingly
"Nothing, I asked him a question about work and told him I would like it if we spent more time together."
"Well I don't know, maybe he's gay." Zach says before leaving.
Walking to the restaurant I can't help but feel a little weird. Why did I go off like that? I did tell Zach there was nothing there but I went crazy. Ok so I'm attracted to her, I'm not a blind man that's not a crime.
I walk into the restaurant to the private table arranged for the meeting and not to my surprise Quick isn't there yet but it's fine because it's still early. So I order two waters as I always do when meeting with a client as I patiently wait.
About five minutes after the waitress set the water on the table, Quick walks in. I stand up to greet him like any other client.
"Nigga sit yo ass down I ain't cha women!" He said laughing as he sat down.
I let out a sigh of annoyance and sit down, "Good morning Mr. Ellis, we should talk about..."
"Come on dog stop calling me Mr. Ellis, you know my name, it's Quick."
"My apologies Quick."
"Man drop the preppy boy shit, we ain't at the office."
"You're not seeing an act of any kind."
"Ok, let's just talk business right now but I know that nigga gon jump right outta you one of these days." He said smirking as he had a drink of water.
"Well until then, you'll get this guy. Things are looking good for you. The witness they have isn't credible at all, they probably won't even let him take the stand. The evidence is minimal at best..."
"You think I did it don't you?"
"That's not important to me."
"I did." He said studying my reaction.
My heart drops to my stomach. I always thought that he did do it but hearing him actually say it just took me to a different place. I'm angry, I'm afraid, I don't know what to say so I just sit there.
"I knew I could tell you dog. I needed to get that off my chest but you gotta understand little dude was in a war zone.
It was an accident man."
"Well Mr. Ellis, um, we will still do just fine, like I said there isn't evidence on you." I say nervously. "I do need to go, so if that is all, I will be on my way." He must see me sweating.
"Yeah do that." He says looking through my soul.
Usually when I get home on Fridays I like to just sit back and relax but tonight I can't. He shot that kid in the middle of the streets and left.
"Baby are you alright? You've been sitting here since we ate two hours ago." Ari came to me downstairs in our living room.
I must look like a man who's seen a ghost. "He did it." I say softly looking right through Ari who was standing directly in front of me.
"What Lance I couldn't hear you."
"He did it, Ellis, he shot the kid."
"Yeah you already told me you think that."
"No. I know. He told me, today."
"THAT PIECE IF SH...oh I hope he dies in prison." She becomes excited before catching herself.
"He won't." I say with the same blank stare.
"What?! You just have to tell them right? You have to, you're going to tell them aren't you?"
"I can't do that." I say with a tear falling down my face.
"What do you mean? You're just not going to tell that boys parents?"
"Then I'll tell them!"
"You don't get it. There's attorney/client privilege, he can tell me anything and I can't share it or I can be disbarred."
"But Lan..."
"ARIA I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING!" I scream as I get irritated.
She just looks at me as if she were looking at a stranger then turns and walks toward the stairs. As she begins to walk up the stairs she looks back and says, "What if that kid were your son?"
My head goes down.
No comments:
Post a Comment