“I guess I’ll wait for them to get here.”
“That’s not what I mean, and you know it.”
“I’ll go see a lawyer tomorrow. Damn, I hate to lose my house.”
“Why you gotta lose your house?”
“I’m not going back there as long as he’s there. I know he can’t pay the mortgage. I can’t put him out. The house is in both our names, so he’s got just as much right to be there as I do. And I’ll be damned if I’ma keep paying the mortgage for him to live there for free.”
“You may have to until the divorce is final, and you can sell it and split the money.”
“What money? We don’t have any equity in that house. All the money I poured into that house is down the drain.”
I wanted to put a positive spin on the situation, but there was none. CJ was going to come out of this, the big loser. There was no way Manny was going to do the right thing and let her have the house that she brought with her credit and her money. He wouldn’t sign the divorce papers, he would drag this out as long as he could. He would force the matter into court; drag white folk into their business for no reason at all. “It’ll all work out.” Only time would tell.
The first officer on the scene took one look at CJ and called in to have a car dispatched to CJ’s house to pick up Manny. The paramedics arrived shortly after and attended to CJ’s wounds. While the paramedics did their thing, I talked to the cop. He noticed the bump on my head and wanted to know what my involvement was in this situation. I knew where he was headed with this.
I told him that I was her business partner and I left it at that. It raised an eyebrow, but I didn’t care. He recommended that CJ take out a restraining order and we talked a little about the states stalking laws. Once the paramedics finished with CJ, the cop took her statement. While CJ talked to the cop, the paramedics took a look at my bump and gave me a cold pack. Once he was finished with CJ, the cop left, but returned shortly thereafter to update us on the situation. “When the officers got to your house to take your husband into custody, he had been drinking and resisted arrest.”
“How long can you hold him?” CJ asked, and looked at me.
“Until he makes bail. Not very encouraging. I know it sounds bad that a man can do what he’s done to you and be out within the hour, but that’s the law.”
As soon as the cop left, CJ looked at me. “Chris, I need a big-time favor from you. I’ll understand if you say no.”
“What’s that?”
“Two favors, really. First, can you ride with me to the house to get some of my stuff? It’s not gonna take Manny long to make bail. And I really don’t want to see him.”
“No problem, let’s go. What’s the second one?”
“Can I stay here with you for a while? I just don’t want to be alone for a while.”
“I understand and it’s no problem, CJ. You stay as long as you want to. As long as you need to.” That was a no-brainer. I smiled and kissed her on the forehead, and she smiled back. We got in her car and drove to her house to get her stuff. CJ drove quietly for most of the way. At one point, she cried quietly for a while. I felt her pain. She pulled it together by the time we got to her house. I told her to go ahead and get her stuff. “I’ll wait out here.”
Once she got her things, we came back to my house. I carried her things into spare bedroom and I left her alone. The passage of a few hours and a cold pack had taken some of the swelling out of CJ’s face, and she began to look like her old self. Beautiful.
I went to my room and laid down on my bed. I gave some thought to the situation I found myself in. I smiled at my good fortune. I was now living with the woman that I’d been in love with for years. This time I would do everything in my power not to let her slip through my fingers again. Let her know exactly how I felt about her.
But not now.
Now wasn’t the time. The last thing she needed now was for me to bum-rush her. She needed time to heal, both physically and emotionally. I closed my eyes. There was a knock at the door.
“Come in.”
“I know I’ve asked a lot of you tonight, but could I sleep—and I mean sleep—in here with you?”
“Of course you can,” I said, and moved over on the bed.
“Thank you. I just don’t wanna be alone tonight.” CJ laid down on the bed. I put my arm around her and CJ laid her head on my chest. We fell asleep in each other’s arms.
Chapter Twenty-eight
Tavarus
Wow!
What a night. I can’t remember a time when I felt this good. Hard Bop’s opening night was a big success. The audience loved us and more importantly, Mr. Olberman, the club’s owner, was there for the third set. I saw him talking to Dexter after the set, and judging from the look on his face, I knew that Olberman was saying something that he wanted to hear. Once they were finished talking, Dexter came to the table where we were doing our drinking. “Great news, man,” Dexter said and sat down. “Beginning Tuesday night, Hard Bop will be appearing here through the end of the month.”