Part 24 (1/2)

”Well, near-death experiences do have the benefit of spiritual insight,” I said in my most reverent church voice.

She fell out laughing. ”Now I've got Kas.h.i.+ cereal on my keyboard. Stop it. Seriously, go. One day soon you'll be married and looking for all these deep Bible notes you once wrote.”

Married? Me? It sounded strange, but the way things were going with Adrian and I, it could happen. We were closer than ever. ”Whatever, girl. We'll talk soon. Are you still coming this weekend?” I held my breath, hoping Ryan had agreed to come, too.

”I'll be there.”

I knew better than to respond. ”Okay. I'm praying for you two.”

Her voice flattened. ”Good. That makes one of us.”

Before I could say more, she hung up. I stared at the phone, deciding whether or not to call back. A knock at the door decided for me.

Trevor bounded in the door like a puppy fresh off the leash. ”Is Adrian here?”

I shook my head. ”I think he's coming for lunch. Want to leave him a message?”

He paced around the coffee table, his leather jacket pulled back over his shoulders. ”Nope. No message. I just wanted to tell him something...” His face clouded. ”I guess I can just tell you-”

Uh-oh. I looked around, thankful the door was still open. Easier for him to leave by. ”Maybe you shouldn't tell me anything. I'm sure Adrian will be here soon.”

Besides, I really wanted to sneak in some more time with the Lord before Adrian showed up. As intense as things had been between us lately, I had to be double prayed up when he came around.

Before he could say another word, Jericho appeared in the doorway, smiling first, then frowning when he saw Trevor. I nodded. ”It's fine. Come on in. Shouldn't you be at school?”

He clapped hands with Trevor, but didn't verbally acknowledge him. ”I signed myself out. I need to talk to you.”

Take a number. ”Okay. You hungry? There's hummus and whole wheat bread. Minestrone soup in the pot.” Didn't you have to be eighteen to sign out? One more thing I'd have to tell Roch.e.l.le to check on.

He frowned again. ”Aunt Dane, I'm glad you didn't die or anything, but all this weird food is messing with me.”

”Try it. Hummus is all that.” Trevor gave a quick nod of approval.

Jericho shrugged. ”Okay,” he said, then started for the kitchen.

I turned back to Trevor. ”Hummus? What do you know about it?” Sure he'd done that tofu jag when we dated, but Trevor was a takeout junkie just like me.

”Since I've been helping Adrian out, me, him and Joshua go over to Garden of Eden for lunch every now and then. Hummus and tabouli. Falafel, too. I love it.” His face lit up like a red dis...o...b..lb from the seventies.

Hilarity wasn't Trevor's usual motif. Something had really happened to him. Something with Dahlia, perhaps? If so, I'd do best not to be in the middle of it. A few feet away, Jericho clicked on the Cartoon Network.

”Not bad,” he said, spooning a mouthful of minestrone. ”Even that who-moo stuff is pretty good.”

I smiled, not bothering to correct him. The boy had more to be concerned about than the acceptable p.r.o.nunciation of chickpea paste. Shemika was showing...and Roch.e.l.le was showing out. She'd visited often during my hospital stay, but the pregnancy and the situation with Jordan had definitely taken a toll on her-and on our relations.h.i.+p. Things just weren't the same. Not to mention her lumbering boyfriend, who always seemed to end up sandwiched between us when we did try and talk. I'd accepted that things might not ever be the same.

”Don't get too comfortable, Jericho. We'll talk, but you're going back to school.”

He rolled his eyes. ”But-”

Trevor held up a hand in a surprising turn. ”Don't talk back to your aunt, man. Eat your food.”

That was a switch. Usually Trev would have found something like that funny.

”I can drop him back at school if you want. I know you're not driving yet.”

”I've driven a little, but I'd rather not fight the lunch traffic.” With only one main strip through town with all the fast food joints, the noon rush could be a real nightmare.

”No problem.”

”Thanks, Trevor. I do appreciate that. Let me just talk to this kid and then I'll-”

He dropped his gaze. ”Can he wait? I really need to share something with you.”

I sighed. No way out. At least Jericho was here, in case things got ugly. ”Okay.” I dropped onto the sofa. He remained standing. ”Shoot.”

”I just wanted to let you know...I've found the Lord.”

I rolled my eyes. ”I never knew He was lost.”

Trevor wagged a finger at me, laughing. ”I knew you would be like this. I knew it. But you know what?” He paused as if I'd answer. I didn't. ”It's okay...because He loves me.”

The glee of a child on his father's lap radiated from Trevor's face. My jaw tightened. How dare he throw this in my face? Was I supposed to believe that he found G.o.d just like that?

I did it for you.

Well, anything was possible, I guess. If it wasn't possible, n.o.body had bothered to tell Trev. He looked downright giddy. And this from a man who used to practice his sneer in the mirror. ”Girl, I know that not too long ago I was sweet-talking you. Truth be told, I was scheming on getting with you even after marrying Dahlia-”

I gasped.

He laughed. ”See what I'm saying? I was a dog. Wretched.”

Was? How was I supposed to believe he was anything else now? I'd heard all this before. Sure, change was possible, but this brothah would have to show me something-walk it out, just like I did. Then, I'd give him some props.

”I know you'll be watching me. And you should. But the cool thing is, G.o.d sees me as good right now! I don't know why people sit up in church all miserable and hateful. This is good stuff! The hustler I was wishes I could sell it.”

He stared up at the station, where Jericho had paused the TV on a man with a booming voice and big hair boasting Jesus coffee mugs and Jerusalem rocks for a specified donation.

”Well,” he said, ”I guess folks have already beat me to the selling part, but I'm going to sell it anyway by telling folks. People been telling this thing all wrong. Even you, Dane.”

My neck thrust forward. Me? When did I tell him anything?

He nodded as if answering my mental question. ”Yes, you. Before we broke up, you were going to church and you always tried to put the heavy on me-stop drinking, stop smoking and stop acting a fool. But I was just doing all that to drown out being messed up. I mean everybody knows they're messed up. You left out the best part-the switcheroo.”

”I didn't really understand things then myself. I was just echoing what I'd been told by others.” Sort of like you're doing now. ”What's this switcherwho business?” Was that the cousin of who-moos?