A Second Helping (24 page)

I
n San Francisco, Lily was also wowed. She felt like a rock star riding around with Trent in the back of their Bernadine-provided limo. This would be their last night, and that made her a bit sad, but she was determined to enjoy every last inch of the wonderful experience. “I could get real used to living like this.”

Beside her, the formally dressed Trent drawled, “Until the bills start coming in.”

She elbowed him playfully. “Always the practical Trenton July. Whatever do I see in you?”

He grinned. “You tell me?”

She looked up into his handsome face and said from her heart, “I see goodness, and kindness, and a man I'd like to be with forever and ever, amen.”

He kissed her softly. “Flattery will get you everywhere.”

The car stopped and a few minutes later the door was opened. The driver helped her step out in her very expen
sive high-heeled sandals, and she gracefully adjusted her silk wrap and waited for Trent to join her.

Like everything else the Boss Lady had hooked up during their stay, the restaurant they entered was elegant. The sharp-dressed maître d' welcomed them warmly and asked for their names. After confirming their reservations in the open book resting on a raised gold stand, he gracefully picked up two folio-sized menus and led them back. The dining room was not large, but Lily could see and smell money in the way the white-draped tables were set and in the faces and clothing of the other diners she and Trent passed.

When they reached their table, Trent stepped in front of the maître d' to help Lily with her chair and he stepped back with a knowing smile on his brown face.

Dinner was fabulous, the view they had of the Bay memorable enough to take to the grave, but when Trent stood, got down on one knee, Lily's hands flew to her mouth and she started to cry.

“Aw Fontaine, stop crying. Let me say this. You know this is my bad knee.”

She grinned, wiped at her eyes, and nodded.

His stance had caught the attention of the other diners close by. They stopped eating and looked on with pleased interest.

“Will you marry me, Lily Flower?”

She nodded, then said through the emotions stacked up in her throat, “Yes.”

She stood and he took the ring from his pocket and slipped it onto her finger.

The diners broke into applause and cheers.

“Forever?” he asked her softly.

“Forever,” she replied with a whisper.

He pulled her back into his arms and then Lily really bawled.

 

Amari spent the weekend with Malachi.

“O.G. What does being a July mean to you?”

Mal thought about that. “Let's see. It means we try to carry ourselves with respect—something I didn't do when I was drinking.”

Amari took in his grandfather's solemn face.

“I didn't. I was a disgrace, and you need to know that.”

“Okay.”

“It also means being proud of the fact that we Julys have something many other families don't.”

“The history?”

“Bingo! Yep, the history. Of our family, this town. Most people these days can't even imagine what it feels like knowing you're walking down the same streets that your grandparents used. We see the same sunrise, travel down the same roads. Pretty special, I think.”

“I do too.”

“And, best of all, at least in my book. As Julys, we are the descendants of some of the baddest outlaws that ever robbed a train.”

Amari grinned. “How bad were they?”

“So bad that their baby sister had wanted posters.”

“Now, that's bad.”

“You got that right.”

Amari thought of something that made him uneasy. “They didn't kill a lot of people, did they?”

“No, not that I know, but they did steal a whole lot of gold.”

“What did they do with it?”

“Most of it they sent back to the First Tamar in the little town down on the Mexican border where they all grew up, to help feed people.”

“So that was good, right?”

“In their minds, yes. There was a lot of political stuff going on back then between the tribes and the government, and the Seminole scouts who worked with the U.S. Army, and in the end the tribe wound up with the short end of the stick, as usual, and the families were abandoned by the government.”

“Why didn't they get jobs?”

“No jobs to get. They'd originally been hired to help the cavalry hunt down the other Native tribes still fighting to keep their land. Government promised to take care of their families and children.”

“But they didn't?”

“Nope, so the July boys started robbing trains.”

“Then they were sort of like that Robin Hood guy on that old movie we saw last month at the rec.”

“In the world of Hollywood. Yeah.”

“That's cool.”

“So cool they all wound up doing time. Don't get it twisted now.”

“I won't, but it's still cool.”

Mal smiled around the sip he took from his can of cola.

Amari thought about the tale and asked, “Did any of the gold wind up here in Henry Adams?”

“Not sure, but there's an old legend that an outlaw friend, guy named Griffin Blake, did bury a sack of railroad gold out on the outskirts of town somewhere.”

Amari's eyes widened. “Aw man, really?”

“I said legend.”

“Anybody ever look for it?”

“Every kid who ever grew up here. Some adults too,” he said, chuckling.

“Wow. Wait until I tell Preston.”

Mal enjoyed Amari's abundant enthusiasm and planned to savor every minute the boy was in his life. “Have I ever officially welcomed you to the family?”

“No, not officially, no.”

“Then let's do it now. Hold on a minute.”

He went into his room and came out with a bottle of medicinal alcohol and some gauze pads.

Amari looked quizzically at the items, then warily upon seeing Malachi pull out his pocket knife. He watched him clean the long shiny edge with a bit of the alcohol and the gauze. After which Malachi pricked his finger with the tip of the knife. A tiny bit of blood rose to the surface of his weathered skin.

Mal looked up and said softly, “Give me your finger.”

Amari swallowed but complied. His finger was gently pricked. When the small drop of blood appeared, Mal placed his finger against it and said, “My blood is yours and yours is mine. Forever.”

Amari nodded. Now, it was official. He was a full July and it felt good.

 

When Lily returned home Sunday night around eight, the first person she wanted to show her ring to was Devon. He'd spent the weekend with the Garlands but she'd hired Crystal to bring him home Sunday evening, put him to sleep in his own bed, and watch over him until Lily got back.

“Did you have a good time?” Crystal asked as she gathered up the homework she'd been doing while watching TV.

“Yes we did. Is Devon asleep?”

“I don't think so. He was reading the Bible. I told him to come and get me when he was ready, so I could tuck him in, but he hasn't yet.”

“Okay. Here's your money.”

A pleased Crystal stuck the crisp twenty into the back pocket of her black jeans. Lily gave her a kiss on the cheek, and Crystal left for home.

Upstairs, Lily found Devon just putting away his Bible and when he glanced up and saw her standing in the doorway, his little face brightened. “Ms. Lily!”

He ran and jumped into her arms, and she hugged him like he was one of the most precious things in her life because he was. “I missed you, boo.”

“I missed you too,” he said, giving her a big kiss on the cheek. “Did you and Mr. Trent have a good time?”

“Yes we did.”

He was wearing Batman pajamas and he smelled fresh from showering. She walked them over to his bed and sat
on the edge with him in her lap. She asked, “Did you talk to Davis today on the computer?”

“Yep. He said he may not be able to come see us because of his work.”

“Well, that's pretty disappointing news, huh?”

“Yeah.”

“Maybe we can fly out and see him instead? What do you think?”

“I think that's good.”

“Me too. So let me talk to him later on and we'll see if we can't make that come true.”

He nodded.

She asked, “Did you have church this morning?”

“Yep and there were a lot of people. Some man there wanted to know if he could be my manager and put me on television. What's a manager?”

“In this case probably somebody who thinks he's going to make a whole lot of money. Did one of the adults talk to the man?”

“Ms. Roni. She told him to beat it.”

Lily chuckled. “Good for her.” Devon's fame was growing. She and the others knew that the leeches would probably be coming out from under their rocks, but the folks of Henry Adams were prepared to beat back all comers.

Devon continued their conversation by asking questions about her trip, what she had done and seen. After answering, she said, “Something very special happened too, and I want you to be the first to know.”

“Even before Davis?”

“Even before Davis,” she said, her heart full. “Lift up, let me get my purse.”

He scrambled out of her lap and she retrieved her purse from the top of his dresser where she'd placed it upon entering his room. She'd taken the ring off before coming into the house to keep the sharp-eyed Miss Crystal from peeping her surprise. Now, with the curious Devon by her side, she took the blue velvet box out and opened it. The ring blazed in the light.

“Ooo. That's pretty.”

She slipped it on her finger and they both admired it silently for a few moments until Devon asked, “Where'd you get it?”

“Mr. Trent gave it to me.”

“Is it for your birthday?”

“Nope. It's an engagement ring, and that means he asked me to marry him, and I said yes.”

His eyes grew big. “For real!”

The prominent Mississippi accent made her laugh. “Yeah, baby, for real.”

“When?”

“Around Thanksgiving. What do you think about that?”

“Sweet.”

Lily almost fell over laughing. When she recovered she hugged him. “So this means you and Amari are going to be brothers. Is that okay?”

Devon, his eyes still big with surprise, nodded. “Yeah.”

They spent a few more minutes talking about the future
and then she tucked him in. She kissed his brow. “Thanks for coming into my life, Devon.”

“You're welcome. Can me and Amari have a little brother?”

Lily began to cough violently.

He leaned up and slapped her on the back a couple of times. “Are you okay, Ms. Lily?”

After a few more coughs, she nodded. “Yeah. How about we talk about that later?”

He nodded and leaned back again. “I'm real happy, Ms. Lily.”

“Me too, boo. Now you get to sleep. School in the morning.”

“Okay.”

They shared a final hug. Lily kissed him on the cheek, and after turning off his bedside Batman lamp, she slipped out.

 

Across the street, Amari was in his bed dressed in his pajamas and playing a video game when Trent broke the news about his engagement to Lily. Amari immediately jumped to his feet and began dancing on the mattress with joy. He made so much noise in fact that Malachi, who'd been hanging with Amari while Trent was in San Francisco, came upstairs to see what was going on.

“He's going to marry Ms. Lily!” Amari screamed excitedly when he saw Mal standing in the doorway.

“About time,” Mal pointed out.

Trent gave him a look.

Mal took the hint. “Congrats, but guess I'll mosey on back downstairs.”

Trent chuckled, “You do that.”

A grinning Mal, glad to finally be able to call the Fabulous Fontaine daughter-in-law, left them alone to continue sharing Trent's happy news.

 

Back in the forties and fifties, there was a popular African-American singing group called the Inkspots. As those familiar with the group know, the lead singer performed with a ring on his finger that sported a rock the size of Georgia, and when he sang he'd flutter his fingers so everyone could see the big stone. One of their most popular tunes was “If I Didn't Care.”

Lily remembered seeing their act on the old
Ed Sullivan Show
, so when she walked into work on Monday, she approached Bernadine's desk, fluttered her hand with the engagement ring beneath the Boss Lady's nose, and crooned, “If I didn't care…”

Bernadine's mouth dropped and she clamped a hand onto Lily's wrist. “He proposed?”

“Yes! And on one knee in the middle of that fancy restaurant!”

A happy Bernadine jumped to her feet and hugged her across the desk, “Congratulations! Oh, that is so wonderful. Let me see!”

They studied the beautiful princess-cut sparkler.

“Isn't it gorgeous?”

“Yes.” And because Bernadine was an expert on such things she knew the ring had cost Trent a pretty penny. She also knew he could easily afford it on the residual payments he received for the mechanical devices he'd patented
in his twenties, but as far as she knew, he'd never spent any of his wealth on anything that didn't apply to Amari or auto parts. “So, when's the big day?”

“Thanksgiving weekend at the Dog.”

“I like that.”

Lily looked at the woman she loved like a sister. “Thanks so much for the weekend. It was magical.”

“I guess so if you come back engaged. Is he in his office?”

“Nope, had a meeting this morning over in Franklin. He'll be back this afternoon.”

“I want to tell him he did good.”

Lily looked down at her engagement ring. “Yes, he did.”

 

Preston had a problem. There was tons of work left to do for the parade and he was tired of being the one responsible for doing it all. He and Amari were tight, but he felt like he was being played. Every time he turned around Amari was giving him something else to do. For example, somebody had to do something with all the checks sent in by the choirs. He and Amari hadn't realized they'd need a bank account to deposit them in and Amari wouldn't tell his dad or Ms. Bernadine about it so they could get one. He just kept telling Preston to take care of it but didn't seem to understand that he couldn't without bringing one of the adults into the picture, which Amari kept insisting they didn't need. It was stupid when you thought about it, but Amari wanted to run the show without oversight. Doing all the work, making calls, and writing stuff down was leaving him little time to read or text Leah Clark. They'd become pretty good friends since the day she apologized to him at
the school opening, and he found he liked her a lot because they spoke the same language—science. She knew stuff girls like Crystal had never even heard of. He was hoping her family did move to town so she could start school with them in the fall. It would be awesome to be able to discuss stuff face to face. She wasn't sure they were going to move, though. Her parents were under some kind of money strain and no decisions had been made concerning their future, at least none that she knew about.