Page 19 of Cove City, Volume II
I woke up bright and early to be at TSU before dawn.
The HBCU had become a memory for me.
Although Paige was a current student, dropping her off in her freshman year was the last time I had been there.
My eyes scanned the campus, noticing how much had changed.
What really caught my attention was the names on the campus apartments and dorms.
When I got out of the car, I headed toward the Dean’s Office.
A few students were wandering around, mostly athletes heading to an early practice.
Some I recognized from the Cove because they either went to school with Paige, or I knew their parents.
“Yo, Ms.
Best, what are you doing here?.
“I heard someone call out.
I turned to look and greeted him with a bright smile.
I remembered when his mother passed away.
He and his brothers were left with their father, who didn’t know what life was like outside of his wife.
He found himself lost in a bottle of course feelings.
He walked over to me, hugging me tightly with one arm while a basketball sat in the crook of the other.
Since I’ve known Xavier, he’s been holding a basketball in his hand.
I knew it was his way of finding happiness for himself and his brothers.
I continued until I reached the Dean’s Office.
I walked through the cold hall, greeting the staff who had just started their shift.
I knew the best thing to do was to get here early to beat his secretary, who would try stopping me before I had gotten to his door.
I didn’t even bother to knock as I walked into the office to see Clark sitting there looking over paperwork.
“Cecily didn’t I tell—.
“he paused when he saw me standing there.
“Best Harmon. The woman who never gives up.”
Normally, I would smile, but a man like Clark Mercier didn’t deserve a single grin. I moved closer toward his desk.
“I see you have changed a lot around here.”
“What do you mean. Toussaint State University, where there is an excellence of being black.”
“No, the excellence of being conniving,.
“I retorted.
A loud chuckle rumbled from his belly as his hand pointed toward the chair, directing me to sit.
“What do I owe the pleasure of this visit on this beautiful Mercier morning?”
I rolled my eyes because of the audacity of this man. He hadn’t changed at all. He was the same snake in the garden that he’d always been. Clark and James were both evil; it was just that James had gotten caught up while Clark had been able to mask it.
“I need a favor,.
“I told him.
The evil in him began to emerge as he narrowed in on me. He had been waiting for this moment, a moment when he could use me. If it weren’t for Pierre, this wouldn’t be happening, but my child came first.
Clark placed his elbows on the beautiful woodgrain desk as he intertwined his fingers. He fiddled with his gold pinky ring.
“This favor is what, because you know Best, you have a way of finding yourself in shit you’re not supposed to be in. So, what does this favor entail? Huh?”
I took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.
“I need information on a student who used to go here.”
He sat back as wrinkles formed in his forehead.
“Now you know that is information we cannot give—”
I slammed my hand on the table.
“Avery’s Hall? Laureaux’s Hall? The King’s apartments? How about the Quad being named after the Prince family? Don’t think that doesn’t go unnoticed. I wonder why they are named after corrupted families?”
He cleared his throat.
“Who is the person Best?”
Now I could smile.
“Tuesday Morning.”
He raised a brow.
“Ah, summa cum laude Tuesday?”
To hear that she had been summa cum laude made my heart smile. “Yes.”
“That’s easy, she’s from Florida, and the only reason I know is because that’s all she talked about. I will have Cecily give you her last known address, and Best,.
“he paused.
“Don’t bring your ass back here, otherwise Paige will be looking for a new university.”
I knew coming here was a risk. I didn’t bother to say another word to Clark because my next response would have gotten Paige to exit the campus along with me. I stopped by Cecily’s desk to get the address before leaving, because I was now on my way to Florida to get Tuesday. I knew this was my only option and all I had to give.
August 1990
Sexual Tension
Best,
I can respect your wishes and call you Best if that’s what you want. I’ve been sitting here for hours trying to figure out the right words to say to you. I had contemplated scrapping the letter and just coming to you. I wanted to stand before you and bare my soul. Do I have a child on the way? Yes. She wanted to get an abortion, but I refused. I had to promise the moon and the stars to get her to keep it. This situation would be much better if it were you.
As far as my father and what he has going on. I told you to back off. What is wrong with giving back to the community? You can’t save the drug epidemic, it's just too big. You take my father down and it will be another person who picks up where he left off. The drugs are the least of your worries. How about you check on Birdie? See, the problem is your nose is as wide as the sea. You’re sucking shit up but not sucking up the right things. I know what can fix that.
I prefer to cut the letter and talk to you in person. Let me remind you why we fell in love. Best, why are you doing this, huh? Is it that you want a forever because the option is yours.
When was the last time you made love? Was it with me? Is this a response to sexual tension? Instead of the back and forth, we should be making love every night. I miss kissing your perfectly crafted skin. I miss the way your thighs wrap around me. Sometimes I find myself getting lost in our love-making sessions. It is you who knew how to control my body. It is you that my love exploded for. The kisses on my neck and chest, I miss. However, you chose this. You pushed me away. You pushed me into someone else’s arms, now you're out for blood.
You can only hide behind these letters for so long. I mean what I said, despite your eagerness to take down the bad guy. I love you. I love you in the longest way ever. Best, unless we’re fucking under the moonlight, make this your last fucking letter.