Damaged (28 page)

“I’m glad y’all finally made it,” he said, dapping Rob up before hugging me again. “It’s so good to see y’all, man.”

Tep had picked up a little weight since the funeral, but I could tell from his plushed-out crib he was living the life down
here. He had tropical-colored paintings hanging from the walls and a strange-looking fish tank that stretched from the floor
to the ceiling. Three jellyfish glowed and floated up and down like bubbles in a lava lamp. I was mesmerized.

After Tep gave us a little tour, him and Rob disappeared for a few minutes. I knew they was talking about Nut and Smurf, but
again, I was glad they spared me the details. I wondered if Rob told him what Nut did to Peaches last night. Sick bastard
deserved whatever they was planning.

I tried to take my mind off of what they was doing and decided to look around the living room. There was a chef cooking something
delicious smelling in the stainless steel and dark wood kitchen. Tep had a picture of Chu made into a painting. I couldn’t
break away from his eyes until I heard Tep standing behind me.

“I miss him, too,” he said.

W
e talked and had drinks over broiled lobster, scallops, and asparagus out on Tep’s big patio. A view of a sea-blue bay stretched
from one house to the next. Tep was really doing good for himself. The chef had just placed some dessert on the table when
Tep dug in his pocket and slid a set of keys across the table.

“What’s this?” I asked, confused. “What these go to?”

“My brother had sent me pictures of the condo he bought when I was in jail. That boy was so proud of hisself. He wanted to
surprise you,” Tep said, leaning back in his chair. “It’s a one bedroom in Southeast, over there off of Stanton Road.”

“A condo?” I asked, smiling, not just cuz of what Chu bought, but cuz he had remembered that Stanton Road was near the neighborhood
I grew up.

“You can do whatever you want with it. Here’s the papers, cuz it’s already paid for. I pay the taxes on it. If you want to
sell it, that’s up to you,” Tep said. “He left this for you, too.”

He handed me a band of white gold on a necklace. The tears started falling before I could even blink them back.

“Chu was a great brother with a huge heart, Camille. I miss him like shit… and I know he wouldn’t want nothing else but for
you to be happy. That’s all he ever wanted. He always said you deserved it.”

I wiped the tears away and nodded. “I’m happy now.”

“Good,” Tep said. He passed me and Rob a glass of champagne. “Here, drink up. We got a lot to celebrate today.”

Rob and I both raised our glasses and smiled at each other.

And then Tep said, “Here’s to life, happiness, and to my nigga Smurf, for wanting muthafuckin’ payback.”

I knew just what Tep meant. Nut had to be dealt with for all the shit he put everybody through. He was the reason Smurf almost
died. Those North Carolina dudes came up there busting off for some shit Chu ain’t have nothing to do with. Nut had Chu and
Rob selling some bullshit to them dudes without them even knowing it. He basically stole money outta Smurf’s pocket when he
blackmailed Chu and Rob.

But that was just it: Nut was Lucifer all around. Peaches’ face popped in my head, then Almond Joy’s and Marcha’s. Shakira’s
and then Chu’s. I felt my eyes fill up with tears. “You think he might need my help?” I heard myself say. I knew I could help
set Nut up easily, if they wanted me to. I bet if I called Nut and told him to meet me somewhere, he would come if he thought
some pussy or some money was in it for him. He was just that dirty.

Tep looked at me so hard it seemed like he was looking through me. I could feel hair standing on the back of my arms. I glanced
over at Rob, who was staring at his dessert.

“Nah, Camille. Chu would never forgive me,” Tep said. “This life ain’t for you. You been through enough.”

I went back to playing with my dessert, cuz I knew he was right.

A
bout a week after Rob and I got back to D.C., Shakira and Peaches, who was feeling much better, though she was nowhere near
100 percent, was helping me unpack some of the stuff I decided to take with me to my condo. Her and Amir was staying with
me until they could get their own place. She had left everything behind, even her precious salon. I think she really had enough
of Nut this time.

Shakira had moved in with Kareem, cuz she ain’t want Nut coming around asking about Peaches. He would spazz out the minute
he realized she was lying.

I was hanging clothes in my closet when my cell phone rang. It was Rob.

“Hey, you,” I said.

“Hey, you home?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Turn to channel four real quick.”

I hesitated for a second and then grabbed the remote to flip the channel.

Nut’s face was on the screen. Peaches gasped behind me. I cut the volume up, but all I could hear the police say was they
was looking for leads on last night’s homicide.

“He dead, ain’t he?” Peaches asked. Shakira wrapped her arms around Peaches.

I turned to channel 7 to see if they had it on, but they didn’t.

“Rob, what happened?” I asked before sitting down on the bed.

“Karma, Camille.”

“Nut’s dead,” I said. The details, I ain’t even need for real. I exhaled a deep breath that I ain’t even know I was holding
in. A gentle peace fell over me. I looked at Shakira and then Amir and Peaches. I think we was all thinking the same thing.
Good.

1. Why does Mrs. Brinkley keep her thoughts to herself regarding what she feels she knows about Danica, Camille, and Mr. Big?
How does she live with what she thinks she knows?

2. The bond between Jayson and Camille evolves deeply over the years for many reasons. Why does Camille decide never to share
her dark secret with her foster brother? Should she have? Why or why not?

3. Camille and Danica seemed to be best friends when they lived with the Brinkleys. Should Camille have tried to reconnect
with Danica? Why or why not? Why does she not reach out to her?

4. Many physically and verbally abused women find it difficult to leave their abusers behind. What is it about Nut that keeps
so many women locked in his grasp despite it all?

5. What does Trina Boo mean when she calls Camille her
wife-in-law
?

6. Chu’s mother, Ms. Abani, was given the ultimatum of marrying into a polygamous family with Chu’s father. Although she decided
not to, many women today decide to continue in relationships fully aware that their partners are also involved with other
people. What do you think contributes to this growing trend? Will sharing partners ever subside, or is this a solution to
today’s new dating scene?

7. How does Almond Joy fill a void after Peaches leaves Nut? How does Joy’s disappearance affect Nut and the other women?

8. Was there a clear way out of Camille’s desperate situation? If so, what was it?

9. Do you see Rob and Camille ever having a romantic relationship?

10. Should Camille feel guilty about dating her first love’s best friend, if she does decide to pursue a relationship?

Kia DuPree, a former assistant editor at St. Martin’s Press, received the Fiction Honor Book Award from the Black Caucus of
the American Library Association for her debut, self-published novel,
Robbing Peter
, in 2005. Kia’s short story, “Lost One,” was recently included in number one
Essence
best-selling author Shannon Holmes’s anthology
Hood 2 Hood
, which was released in March 2008.

Kia holds a BA in mass media arts from Hampton University, as well as an MA in English from Old Dominion University. Kia currently
resides in Washington, D.C., with her husband and son.