Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 88290 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88290 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
They had both been scared and were so brave.
“It’s okay, love,” I soothed my daughter, rubbing circles on her back.
“Jory,” someone called, and I saw Mrs. Ridgeway, Helen, on her porch. “Honey, what’s goin’ on?”
I liked her. She and her husband had moved from Birmingham, Alabama, for his job. She was a homemaker, and they had four girls, ages four through eight. He was some kind of logistics manager, but in my opinion, she easily had the harder job.
“The girls just had a stupid run-in with the people staying at the Garber house.”
“Oh dear, I wish I’d noticed. We were in the back having a barbecue.”
“Us too.”
“Hold on,” she said and disappeared back into her Queen Anne, the same style of house that ours was, though hers was quite a bit bigger.
Hannah, breathing better, straightened up and leaned into my side. When I put my arm around her, she shoved her face into my chest, needing the closeness.
“He could have killed Seymour,” I said, clutching him tighter with my free arm.
“I know, which is why I got super lippy with him so he forgot about the dog.”
“What did he say to you at the end there?” I asked her.
“Just that I better watch out,” she replied absently. “I’m not scared of him. I was worried for Kanti and for Seymour, and trying to sound brave so he’d go away. But I texted George while I was sitting there, and he saw the video, so I’m sure he’s going to have a word with that guy at some point, probably in a place and at a time he’d never expect.”
I scowled at my daughter. “That’s naughty, you know.”
“Please,” Kanti said, returning to us. “That woman with her words and the security guards for listening to her—it’s twenty-twenty-three, they need to do better.”
I couldn’t argue with that.
“Hey, I need you to come with us and have some food and––”
“Here, girls,” Mrs. Ridgeway said as she arrived. She had two cold cans of Sprite with straws in them and an extra bottle of water for Kanti so she could rinse and spit a couple of times before she drank the soda. It was very kind. “I didn’t know you all were in trouble out here or I would have called the police.”
“Thank you,” Kanti said, her bottom lip quivering.
“Oh, sweetheart,” Mrs. Ridgeway said, leaning in to give her a hug. “I’m sure your mama will take care of all of this when she gets home. She’ll rain some thunder and lightnin’ down on those ignorant folks, just you watch.”
I was in total agreement.
When Kanti arrived home with me and Hannah, Sam was happy to see her but was surprised that she lingered near him until he gave her a hug. He watched her put Seymour down before she trailed inside after Hannah to have leftovers. He enjoyed seeing the Yorkie run over to greet Dobby, who gave a little howl of happiness at seeing his friend.
“Why?” Sam asked, rounding on me.
“There’s a video. Go inside and have Hannah show it to you, but be gentle and don’t yell in front of the girls.”
“Don’t yell?”
“Just—you’ll see. But Kanti already puked, and Hannah could barely breathe after.”
He inhaled deeply and left me.
“What’s going on?” Dane asked when I sat back down across from him, beside his wife.
“We had stupid drama.”
“Which was?”
So I explained everything to them.
“It’s so insane everywhere,” Aja told me. “The other day, a woman, new to our building, questioned Gentry about being in the lobby.”
“Oh for fuck’s sake,” I groaned.
“Fortunately for her,” she said, “Bernard, the guard at the security desk, immediately set her straight and went on to explain that first, racial bigotry was against the building rules and he would be reporting her to management. And second, Gentry lived in the penthouse.”
“That’s in the bylaws of your building? The racial bigotry?”
“Yes,” Aja replied, chuckling. “The president of the tenants’ association made sure that it was on the ballot during the last election, and it unanimously passed.”
I turned to my brother. “Do you happen to be the president of the tenants’ association?”
“I am,” he said drolly.
Of course he was. “Will she and her family be asked to leave?”
“Gentry recommended that she be given another chance, and I sent out an email to everyone to let them know that it was my son who spoke to offer her grace.”
“I bet she won’t even ride the elevator anymore.”
“It’s a very tall building,” Dane reminded me, “so she’ll have to. But I suspect she will wear a hat.”
“Though her name and apartment number were mentioned in the email,” Aja let me know.
“It’s an upscale building. No one will egg her door or anything,” Dane informed his wife and me. “But we must hold people accountable for their actions or they will think it’s okay to act in a vile and disgusting manner to their fellow human beings.”