On the Come Up(78)

Dr. Cook is quiet at first. He sighs. “Hopefully much more than I’ve currently done. I’m sorry that we’ve failed you in any way, Brianna.”

Two words, three syllables: I’m sorry.

Does he know how far we’ve

Come without hearing, “I’m sorry?”

I blink before too many tears build up. “Thank you.”

“You’ve given me a lot to think and act on, Mrs. Jackson,” Dr. Cook says. “Please feel free to reach out to me at any time with any concerns either of you may have. It may take me a while to get back to you, but I will.”

“Because you currently don’t have a secretary, right?” Jay says. “I saw the opening on the school district’s website.”

“Ah, yes. I almost need a secretary to schedule time for me to interview secretaries,” he teases.

Jay reaches into her briefcase and takes out some papers. “I’m sure this is not the proper protocol for applying for a position, but I figured why not. Here is my résumé as well as my references. I have several years of secretarial experience.”

“Oh,” Dr. Cook says, clearly taken aback. But he accepts the papers and pulls out his glasses.

“Before you ask, the gap of unemployment is due to my past drug addiction,” Jay says. “However, I recently celebrated my eighth year of sobriety.”

“Wow. That’s commendable, Mrs. Jackson.”

Now Jay seems to be the one taken aback. “Really?”

“Yes,” he says. “It shows your determination. That’s a good character skill. I’m thirty years sober myself from alcoholism. Have to take it one day at a time. I can only imagine the type of willpower you must have. You should be proud of yourself.”

From the looks of it, Jay never thought of it like that. I haven’t either, honestly. I’m proud of her, but I always looked at it like she got off of drugs, and that was that. She used to say she went to rehab so she could fight her way back to me and Trey. Dr. Cook makes it seem like she fights to stay, too.

He tucks her résumé and references inside his jacket pocket and holds his hand out to her. “I’ll be in touch.”

Jay looks dazed as she shakes his hand.

By the time we leave the band room, everyone’s made their way outside. Aunt Gina, Aunt ’Chelle, Sonny, and Malik wait for us in the parking lot.

“Lord, if I get that job,” Jay mutters. “Benefits, Jesus. Benefits!”

There are jobs, and there are jobs with benefits. Big difference. Whenever somebody in my family gets a job, the first question is, “Does it have benefits?”

Jay immediately tells Aunt ’Chelle and Aunt Gina what just went down. They’re so happy that they suggest we go out to dinner for a precelebration, their treat. Nothing’s guaranteed, but I’m pretty sure they just wanna get my mom’s mind off all the other stuff.

I’m usually good with free food, but free food with my mom and her friends? I shake my head. “No thank you. I cannot go out to eat with you three.”

Sonny busts out laughing, ’cause he knows why. Malik doesn’t smirk or even look at me.

Jay sets her hand on her hip. “What’s wrong with going out with us?”

“What’s not wrong?” I say. “Y’all are the worst at restaurants.” First off, anything I order, Jay has to have some of it, too, and before I know it most of my food is gone. Secondly, Aunt Gina loves to send stuff back to the kitchen until it’s “right,” and I wouldn’t be surprised if they spit in our food. Third, my mom and my godmothers don’t know how to leave. Their butts will be sitting there laughing and talking until the restaurant closes. Especially if it’s one of those “bottomless drinks and appetizers” places.

“She’s right,” Sonny says. “Unless we have a table to ourselves, it’s a no from me, too.”

“Y’all hear this?” Jay asks the other two. “We carried these jokers, birthed them, and now they got the nerve to be ashamed of us.”

Aunt Gina kisses her teeth. “Mm-hmm. Bet they won’t be ashamed when we pay the bill.”

Sonny grins. “Now that’s a fact.”

Aunt ’Chelle laughs. “Whatever. You three can have your li’l table to yourselves.”

“Nah,” says Malik. “Count me out.”

He looks at me as he says it.

Malik kisses his mom’s cheek, says something about hanging out with Shana, and walks away from us.

But it feels like he’s walking away from me.





Twenty-Five


Ten days after I sent my text, Aunt Pooh finally responds to me.

Meet me at the Maple after school

I almost walk out of Long Fiction class when I see it. After that, I swear the day seems to drag. The moment the last bell rings at the end of the day, I head straight for the school bus. When Mr. Watson pulls up at Maple Grove to drop off Curtis, I get off, too.

We cross the parking lot together. I can almost feel every single rock I step on. These fake Timbs are wearing out. Jay was up and about when I left this morning, and I have yet to talk to her about Supreme, so I couldn’t wear the real ones. Hell, I still gotta break the news to Aunt Pooh.

“What you doing in the Maple?” Curtis asks. “You stalking me now, Princess?”