again. She would miss her, but kept that a secret. Now she wanted her mother. Eric had assumed the role of her father, and now that he was contemplating marrying Sophia, well, maybe she would have a mother again.
Deedee toweled herself and put on her robe. Sophia rose from the bed so that Deedee could lie down. Deedee brushed her damp hair and fell asleep.
Sophia rejoined Eric downstairs. He had downed two more beers and was working fast on the third.
“Hey, big guy, don’t drink yourself silly. Save me some.” Sophia said.
“That silliness is not a bad idea. As for the beer, there’s plenty in the fridge.” Eric answered.
“Thanks. Please don’t kill me with kindness,” Sophia said.
“Listen, my niece was ...”
“I know. Raped. It is a very, very bad thing. We’ve got to be supportive and try to get something positive...”
“Something positive out of being raped?” Eric asked.
“Out of this evil try to find the good. Maybe you can overwhelm her with good—and goods.”
“Like?”
“Like a shopping spree, getting clothes. Like sending her flowers. And more shopping. The idea here is to try to help her to forget. I have friends who will be able to provide counseling and other support services. In time this horrible experience may be put to the back of her mind.”
“Is that possible?” Eric asked. His eyes widened with the knowledge Sophia had just imparted.
“Yes. You won’t be able to take it all away. But, hey, it certainly won’t hurt to try,” said Sophia between sips of the newly opened brew.
“Sophia, that shit really hurts me. I don’t know...”
“Yeah, I understand. What did the police—?”
“Later for them assholes. They have never helped me. Never!”
Sophia saw anger in Eric. The furrow in his brow became pronounced as he stared at a picture of him and, Dennis, his older brother. She knew where it all stemmed from. Eric’s brother had been murdered not long before Sophia met Eric, so she was with him when he learned the truth about his brother’s death. Something in Eric changed after that, and Sophia knew not to press the issue with him.
Men wearing hoods had tried to mug his older brother, he was told. Dennis fired at them with his .38 Smith and Wesson, but one attacker got behind him and shot him dead. Eric knew Dennis had gone to an address given to him by ‘Xtrigaphan,’ the hot rap group he wanted to sign. Dennis had taken $10,000 in cash with him to lure the group to sign. Eric knew his brother dabbled in cocaine, but also knew Dennis wasn’t dealing. He knew that the cash was a signing bonus. The police weren’t interested in Eric’s version of his brother’s murder. Since then, his hatred of the police bordered on obsession. Sophia decided to try another approach.
“Well, have you spoken to Deedee, to find out what happened?”
“No.”
“Do you know what happened?”
“Not entirely, except that she was raped and the car was stolen.”
“By whom? Where?” Sophia queried.
“Look, the cops told me what happened. They called me and told me they found her badly beaten. Told me that she had been sexually assaulted.”
“So you haven’t spoken to Deedee about any of this?”
“I told you. No,” said Eric. He was annoyed now.
Sophia Lawrence, with her lawyer’s mind, suspended the questioning when she saw Eric’s resentment. She tilted the beer upwards, looking at his reflection through the beer bottle. His face appeared contorted, and he looked fat with anger.
Eric Ascot turned his back. He was rehashing his brother’s death.
“I didn’t want to include the cops,” he said, turning to face her. “Not after the way they treated my brother. They treated him like he was some unknown, drug dealing nigga. Now I’m gonna handle this shit the way it should be handled.”
He turned away. Then he stopped. The pain showed on his face.
“Soph, whatever it takes to make her better. Please don’t spare the cost. Get her the best. That’s my niece laid up there.” Sophia nodded.
FOUR
Nearly ten years ago Deedee entered Eric’s life. She was close to her sixth birthday. Her father, Dennis Ascot was the older brother of Eric. He was found mortally wounded, a bullet-hole to the back of his head. All the money and contracts were stolen from his attaché case. Sophia knew that the police treated the incident as a drug deal that went bad. The investigation went as far as tailing Eric around town and keeping steady watch on his apartment. Eric Ascot tried as best to clear his brother’s name but to no avail. Within six months, the investigation was officially closed despite Eric’s persistent protesting.
After that Eric Ascot became Deedee’s guardian, and then achieved sole rights to guardianship when her mother became preoccupied with crack. When Sophia met them, Eric and his niece seemed happy with each other. It was, “My uncle this and my uncle that.” Eric enjoyed the adoration of his niece, and Deedee seemed determined at first to keep her uncle all to herself.
She kept close tabs on Sophia, but Sophia’s plan was foolproof: Take Deedee shopping as often as possible. Keep her happy and win her over without trying to be her mother. She knew how much Eric cared for Deedee. Now she understood the pain that would haunt him since his niece had been assaulted. Sophia walked over and hugged Eric.
“She’s sleeping. She’s tough. She’ll be alright.”
“Yeah, I hope so, Sophia,” Eric said. He held her hand for a while then pulled her near. They kissed briefly and she watched as the pain eased away from his face, the scowl now replaced by the semblance of a smile. However, thoughts of his niece still wore heavily on his mind.
Deedee was in bed, staring into a wall of nothingness. She wasn’t sure if she was dreaming, but remembered the Mercedes sitting at the end of the driveway.
Such a pretty car, she thinks. So black that it glows. The noise of the car alarm prompts her to get the keys and deactivate it. She gets in it. Maybe, I should move it closer. Or maybe I could take it around the block just one time. It won’t hurt. But she has to go downtown. Maybe check out some spots, meet up with some friends—Coco and her crew. They’ll love the ride. Everyone is happy; everything is fine. Her uncle won’t be back until the following day. He’ll never know. Pick up some cigarettes, and no drinking while driving. Her guide drank some, actually a lot. “Hey chill with the bottle, chill.” Coco and Da Crew perform. They’re fabulous, graceful, exciting. Drinking at the club stops make her sloppy. She’s trying to make it back to the car, with or without
