Free Ebony Angel by Deatri King-Bey

walk up the stairs, wave and enter the flat. A knock drew his attention.
    “What?” Richard asked as he lowered the window.
    “Trae done told us to leave you alone.” Meechie’s eyes shifted left, right, left, right. “But, I just wanna shake yo’ hand. I couldn’t stand dem Collins boys. Someone should of smoked ’em a long time ago.”
    “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
    Meechie held his hands up slightly and smiled, revealing severely decayed teeth. “That’s all right, Smoke. I’ll keep it on the low-low.” He moseyed back to his post. “I bet they won’t be stealing no mo’ cars.”
    Deep in thought, Richard drove to the new office location. Two and two kept adding up to five in his head. Why did Trae tell everyone that he worked for him? Why would Trae tell Meechie that Richard had smoked the Collins boys? It didn’t make sense for Trae to back off while he pursued Ebony. It didn’t make sense for Ebony to allow the likes of Trae around her child. None of this made sense.
    He pulled into the parking lot. Is this what I have to look forward to? Images of Ebony standing up for him against Trae flashed before him. Besides Nonno, he’d never felt anyone was on his side. Though they’d just met, he knew in his heart of hearts she’d always be in his corner, and he’d always be in hers. They may not be able to save the world, but they could save each other.
    Forcing himself to think rationally, Richard cleared his mind of the nonsense. There is no benefit for Trae in killing the Collins boys. Meechie must have mixed things up.
    * * *
     
    Ebony glared at the answering machine. Trae didn’t want her, so why was he calling harassing her? She loved it when he left town, because she had a few days of freedom.
    “Pick up the damn phone, Ebony. I know you’re there,” Trae’s voice boomed through the speaker.
    She snatched the cordless phone from its cradle. “And how do you know, Trae? Stop spying on me!” Man, how she wished she could be rid of Trae forever.
    “A key ingredient for spying is secrecy. Now what the hell you doin’ comin’ in at eight in the morning?”
    “You make me sick.” She lit a lavender tranquility candle and set it on the coffee table. Two chapters worth of index cards and a ton of research promised to fill the majority of her day. She inhaled deeply, counted to four, exhaled. “When and where I come and go isn’t your business. Aren’t you supposed to be in St. Louis?” It was clear he needed to play the protective role to save face, but there was only so much she would tolerate.
    “I am in St. Louis. So what’s going on with you and Smoke?”
    “Don’t start trouble, Trae.” Universal remote in hand, she turned the stereo channel to a smooth jazz station, wondering how many heads she’d have to braid to buy a surround sound system like Richard’s.
    “I’m not. I said I’d back off. I always keep my word, don’t I?”
    She kept her anger in check. He had given her Crystal and was a good father, she reminded herself. The reason he wanted the arrangement was to keep her from taking Crystal from him. And he was right. If not for the arrangement, she would have taken Crystal away long ago. She had to stop being angry with him for wanting to be a father. Dan changed. Trae will change. “Yes.”
    “I don’t want you hurt. His type goes slumming for sex. After he gets his fill, he’ll move on, and I’ll be left to pick up the pieces.”
    “Richard isn’t like that. All I’m asking is that you get to know him. I—”
    “Yes, he is! They all are!”
    “Don’t go projecting your feelings for your father onto Richard.” She covered her mouth. “I’m sorry, Trae. I didn’t mean…I crossed the line.” He was silent. “Please, Trae. I know it’s fast, but I love Richard. Give me a chance to be happy.” Still no reply. “We’ll talk when you come home.”
    “Ebony, wait.” His heavy sigh came over the line. “I know his type better