Good Woman Blues (6 page)

“Squeeze all you want, sugar. It’s going to
be all right,” Craig replied quietly, his baritone voice made
deeper by paternal protectiveness.

“Yes, it will be.” Roz nodded in agreement.
“Now where’s my supper.

As they exchanged casual conversation, Erikka
watched her mother and stepfather. Soon they were laughing at one
of Craig’s funny stories. Roz’s smile at his jokes seemed easy and
genuine. Craig showed no telltale signs of disgust with his
marriage. Erikka wondered if she’d imagined that their marriage was
rocky or that her life had taken a temporary turn for the worse.
She went along for the ride and laughed with them, at least for the
moment. That was all she could promise. There would be hell to pay
in the next two days. Facing a judge, her creditors, and her boss,
Nadine. The price for past sins.

***

Roz uttered a curse word. They were in
standstill traffic for the fifth time. Getting downtown from the
clogged inter-state had taken twenty-five minutes. Once her mother
exited on Poydras Boulevard, their progress had only been slightly
better. Her mother wheeled the gray Mercedes- Benz like it was a
sports car, changing lanes when the cars ahead of her got too slow.
Roz was driving Erikka to her meeting with Nadine. With her license
suspended until the hearing Erikka felt helpless. Even so, she
savored being back in New Orleans. She took in a deep breath and
noticed every detail as they entered the French Quarter. She could
feel the city’s pulse through the cushioned luxury car ride, could
smell the soul of it through the cool, filtered air.

“Flowers, cayenne pepper, and just a hint of
unwashed sidewalk urinals. Ah, to be home again.” Erikka spread her
arms out as though to embrace the Crescent City.

“How did you put up with this for five
years?” Roz cut someone off, ignoring the obscene gestures and
honking that resulted.

‘Try concerts, the House of Blues, and
Hurricanes,” she answered.

Erikka pressed a button. The car window slid
down without a noise or hitch. Humidity sucked at the
air-conditioned interior of the car. Roz protested after a few
minutes and used her master control to raise the window again.

“Leave the Hurricanes alone for now. And as
for clubbing at all hours—”

“Yes, Mother dear. I know. My lifestyle is
what landed me in serious trouble,” Erikka said.

On a roll, Roz didn’t hear her. Or didn’t
want to. ‘Take the good and leave out the bad. You’ve got a career
most women, and a lot of men, come to think of it, would kill for.
I’m not saying don’t have fun. You work hard, and you should cut
loose every once in a while.”

“Yes, Mother. In moderation, like all the
strong Ro- chon women.”

“Exactly.” Roz gave a curt nod. She drove
into a small parking lot next to Erikka’s office.

“I’ll give it my best shot. Come back for me
in about two hours. If I’m not out here, wait in the lobby.” Erikka
said a silent prayer of thanks that her Acura would be ready in
three days.

“I’m sure Nadine wouldn’t think anything of
me coming in with you. After all—”

“No.”

“Fine,” Roz rejoined.

“You’ve been my rock. You got me through the
first week in that hospital. Did I thank you for calling me every
day and giving those nurses hell for being rude?”

“I don’t remember if you did,” Roz replied, a
note of grievance in her voice.

“I deserve a whipping then. Thank you, Mama,”
Erikka said softly.

Roz lifted a shoulder. “Being a royal bitch
to protect my baby is my job. I just want you and Jaci to have the
best. Not like what I went through.”

“I know, and we appreciate everything you’ve
done. But some things I have to handle alone.” Erikka embraced her
mother and let go. The tender moment passed quickly, as usual.

Roz cleared her throat. “Go in there and
reclaim your rightful place from that little skeezer. Heather,
Amber, or whatever the hell her name is.”

“Laurie,” Erikka said with a laugh.

“Whatever. I sized her up that day I came in
to pick up your paycheck. In my face pretending she was so
concerned. She just wanted dirt to use against you.”

“We’re all jockeying for a promotion. Laurie
isn’t the only one with ambition enough to climb over dead bodies
on her way to the top. Including me.” Erikka stared at the elegant
building that housed Lewis, Calder and Brinkhaus. The
nineteenth-century fa9ade had been restored with the help of the
New Orleans Historic Trust.

“Are you sure I should leave?” Roz’s arched
eyebrows pulled together.

“Very. Nadine will think I can’t go out
without a chaperone if she sees you.” Erikka put her shoulders back
and lifted her chin.

“Good point. Go get ’em, girl.” Roz brushed
the lapels of Erikka’s pearl gray jacket and flashed an encouraging
smile. “You look like a million bucks.”

“Really?” Erikka glanced at herself in the
mirror. Roz had helped her apply a layer of makeup especially
designed to hide scars.

“Perfection,” Roz said, with vigor.

After briefly pressing her cheek to her
mother’s, Erikka got out of the car. She smoothed her skirt and
made sure her white blouse was straight as she walked. By the time
she pushed through the glass double doors Erikka was on. She beamed
at the receptionist. Showtime.

At six o’clock that evening Erikka sat across
from her two best friends at Deanie’s. The popular restaurant was
in Metairie, a small city that bumped up against New Orleans,
thanks to urban sprawl. Karin dug into the platter of onion rings
they’d ordered. Hope licked the salt around the rim of her glass
then sipped. The frozen margarita looked inviting. Erikka swallowed
with her as though tasting the tangy sweet drink.

“So what the hell do people do in
Leroyville?” Hope said.

“Don’t slip and say that in front of my Aunt
Darlene. She kinda got pissed about my joke.” Erikka forced herself
not to watch her take another taste.

Hope drank a third of the margarita and
smiled. “I’m adjusted after a rough day in the corporate coal
mines. Now why is your aunt so touchy?”

“I don’t know. Maybe because she likes living
in Loreauville.” Erikka drank more strong iced tea. A poor
substitute that didn’t quench her thirst. Maybe a daiquiri wouldn’t
be so bad.

“Hard to believe.” Hope picked up an onion
ring and took a small bite.

“People do actually enjoy living in places
other than New Orleans, Hope.” Erikka shook her head. Her friends
were typical natives. They didn’t think much of the quality of life
anywhere else in the state.

Karin shrugged. “I could go for a little
country atmosphere.”

“Please. I got fifty phone calls the first
week you were at your grandmother’s house in Mississippi. ‘Girl,
Granny is driving me crazy cleaning up every two minutes. There is
nothing to do out here in Podunkville.’ ” Erikka did her version of
Karin’s whine while pretending to hold a telephone.

“I didn’t know when I was well-off. Dedric
did a lot better in school.” Karin’s face took on the strained look
she got whenever she talked about her seven-year-old son.

“I was divorced and bored. You’re right.
Running away isn’t the answer.” Karin heaved a sigh.

Hope waved a hand. “Waitress. Another one of
these and one for my friend.” She nodded to Karin’s glass.

“I thought we were supposed to be helping
lift Erikka’s spirits?” Erikka stared at them.

“Sorry. Bring a diet cola for me,” Karin said
to the waitress.

“On a brighter note you can go back to your
job.” Hope broke off when the waitress arrived and put the drinks
on the table.

“Our meeting should have been to bring me up
to speed so I could go to work Monday. Instead, Nadine insisted I
take my time and get more ‘rest away from the hectic pace.’ She was
vague about when she expected me back. Laurie is taking most of my
projects for now.” Erikka thought of her colleague and frowned.
Laurie’s warm smile had given Erikka a chill.

“That’s a good thing. She wants you in full
form once you get back. Right, Hope?” Karin gave the other woman a
keen look.

“Stop kicking Hope under the table. She
probably doesn’t get it anyway.” Erikka gazed at the way Hope
seemed more into her second margarita and a man sitting at the
bar.

“What?” Hope blinked at them and proved
Erikka’s point. “Oh, girl, like I said, you’ve got a great future
with Lewis and what’s-their-names.”

“Thanks. Don’t let me interrupt your groove.
Hi, Robert.” Erikka nodded to the man. He smiled and lifted his mug
of beer.

“Introduce us,” Hope said immediately.

“Sure, except he’s not available.” Erikka
munched on an onion ring.

“Please don’t give me a tired lecture about
married men. I’ve read all those articles in Today’s Black Woman.
I’m not afraid of commitment, and I don’t have low self-esteem.”
Hope continued to stare at Robert

“He’s not married.” Erikka watched Hope watch
Robert.

“Then you’re dating him. Just say so, and
I’ll turn off my powerful man-eating vibe.” Hope swept a section of
the long braids she wore over one shoulder.

“No, I’m not going out with him. He’s dating
my friend. Gerald," Erikka said.

Hope froze in the act of pressing her lips
together seductively. Her mouth turned down as she lifted her
glass. “Damn. Another Classic Movie Channel weekend.”

“We are not going to talk about men.” Erikka
put in the preemptive strike.

“Or how to find them.” Hope scanned the
room.

“Or how to keep them,” Karin put in, with a
wistful sigh.

“How to keep them satisfied.” Erikka waved a
hand.

“How to get them to satisfy you.” Hope smiled
at a new tall, dark, and good-looking target.

“Or how to get rid of them.” Karin scowled as
though her ex-husband had just walked in.

“None of the above. I’m going to work on
me.”

Erikka thought about the platitudes she’d
heard in group therapy at the hospital. She sounded just as phony
as the other women who had mouthed them. As though three weeks
could change a lifetime of bad habits. Still she wanted to believe
in something, too. So, she’d grasped at the same straws. A replay
of her recent past popped into Erikka’s head.

“I’m going to be under construction for a
while,” Erikka added.

“Good for you, honey,” Hope said, dropping
her cynical big-city-girl act for a minute. “I’ve got a ton of
self- help books at home.”

“Hope, fifty percent of your personal library
is about how to get a man and the other half is erotica.” Karin
pursed her lips.

“By the way, don’t lose that book you
borrowed, Make Me Scream, Tyrone, is a classic.” Hope smirked when
Karin blushed.

“Shut up.” Karin glanced around with a guilty
look. “Girl, please. You’re twenty-eight years old with a child.
You can read dirty books if you want. Your mama won’t hear it from
me.”

“I couldn’t sleep for three nights after I
finished it.” Karin dabbed at her neck with a napkin. “Just
thinking about it makes me feel...”

“Hot,” Hope finished for her. “That singles
ministry at church didn’t cover what to do when you’re on fire at
two in the morning. Which is why I quit going.”

“We do talk about the challenges of being a
single Christian. And I was just curious when I borrowed that
novel. The people treat each other like objects. It’s terrible.”
“You’ve had it for six months,” Hope jabbed.

“Well, I wanted to explore the main male
character’s motivation.” Karin wore a demure expression.

Hope exchanged a glance with Erikka, and then
they burst into raucous laughter. “Motivation. Oh God, you’re
priceless,” she sputtered.

“Okay, make a scene.” Karin looked around
with an embarrassed smile as people stared.

“Girl, I gotta get me some of that
motivation. Have mercy.” Erikka slapped Hope on the shoulder.

“Stop! I can’t take much more.” Hope dabbed
at the comers of her eyes to preserve her mascara.

Karin glared at them. “I just wanted to gain
insight into ... Oh, never mind.”

“All right, Hope. Cut it out now.” Erikka
pressed a hand to her forehead to get control.

Her grin disappeared when she saw Vaughn
across the restaurant. He glanced around, saw no means of escape,
and plastered on a fake smile as he strode over. Hope stopped
laughing. Karin looked at Erikka with a worried expression.

“Hello, Erikka. You look great.” Vaughn bent
his tall frame forward and gave Erikka a peck on the forehead. He
nodded to Hope and Karin. “Ladies.”

“Hi.” Karin’s voice was chilly, but
polite.

“Whatever,” Hope muttered, and took a swig of
her drink.

Vaughn went on as though he’d been greeted
warmly. “Erikka, you look well. Listen, I was going to call, but
I’ve been—”

“Busy,” Erikka cut in.

“Exactly. Unbelievable the overtime I’ve been
putting in. I’ve had late meetings every night for weeks. Crazy.”
Vaughn lifted both hands in the air as though that explained
all.

“Sure.” Erikka pointed to a pretty and
obviously peeved young female glaring at his back. The woman wore a
body-hugging low-cut dress. “Your ‘late meeting’ is trying to get
your attention.”

Without batting an eye, Vaughn turned and
waved at her. “Right. So, you take care.”

“Great seeing you, too,” Erikka said, through
clenched teeth.

“Yeah, yeah. Bye.” Vaughn hurried off. After
what looked like a heated debate, the couple left the
restaurant.

When their waitress appeared Erikka pointed
to the tall glass Hope continued to drink from. “Bring me one of
those.”

“Cancel that order,” Karin cut in. She gazed
at Erikka. “Don’t do it."

Erikka drummed her fingers for ten seconds as
the waitress hovered. “I meant bring me another iced tea.”