Free No One in the World by E. Lynn Harris, RM Johnson Page A

don’t you try now?”
    â€œNo.”
    I looked away, up at the ceiling. “Okay, how much time do you have left?”
    Eric’s face brightened a little. “I’m out in two days.”
    â€œReally?” I said. “What are you going to do? Where are you going to go?”
    â€œDon’t know,” Eric said. “Halfway house, I guess.” He looked at me as if waiting for an invitation.
    I could not help but think what Sissy would say. She’d lose it. There was no question. I looked up at Eric and said, “Why don’t you stay with me?”

19
    E ric walked back into his cell as if in a daze.
    Blac was lying in his top bunk, deeply engrossed in his handheld videogame device. Eric stood in the middle of the cell. He didn’t say a word. Blac paused his game, swung his feet over the side of his bunk, and sat up.
    â€œWhat’s up?” Blac asked.
    â€œYou’d never guess what just happened to me.”
    â€œWe in prison, playa. Try me. The same thing might have happened to me yesterday.”
    â€œI just met my brother.”
    â€œYou ain’t got no brother.”
    â€œI do. I just never told you about him. We’re twins.”
    â€œNaw,” Blac said, jumping down from the bunk. “Naw! Two of you? I don’t believe it.”
    â€œI just bumped into him in the hallway.”
    â€œWell, I guess it’s cool you saw your brother, but it sucks that he’s a convict just like you.”
    â€œHe ain’t no convict. He’s a lawyer. And he’s rich. Dude’s name is Cobi Winslow. You know, the people that make the hair stuff.”
    â€œYou mean Winslow Pomade, in the little metal can?”
    â€œYeah, those Winslows.”
    â€œHell, naw! When I used to grow my hair, that’s all I’d use. Winslow Pomade, do-rag, brush it all day with the soft bristle brush, waves like crazy. That’s what’s up, yo. He’s paid like that?” Blac said, seeming not to believe the news.
    â€œThat’s what he told me.”
    â€œDamn, he gonna break you off with some money? Give you like a million dollars or something?”
    â€œI ain’t playing it like that. He’s already doing enough by letting me live with him for a while.”
    â€œHe’s gonna let you live at his crib?”
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œYou still ought to ask him for some money. And if you don’t want it, give it to me. I could always use some cash.”
    Eric laughed. Blac wasn’t smiling. “I’m serious.”
    â€œNo. Blac, why is it always about money with you? He’s on the outside, and he’s a lawyer. I told him about Jess, about her trying to take my daughter away. He’s gonna try to find her address for me and give it to me when he picks me up day after tomorrow. I ain’t messing that up by begging for money.”
    â€œOkay, man,” Blac sighed. “Your life is about to change.”
    â€œC’mon, yours is, too,” Eric said, slapping Blac on the shoulder. “We both getting out of here, and we gonna still be tight when we do.”

20
    A usten sat in the booth of a diner down the street from where she lived. In the seat across from her sat a very handsome man named Emmet. He was well built, looked younger than his forty-five years, and had a cute smile when he decided to show it.
    Emmet owned a successful construction business and always made a point of telling Austen how well he was doing. Since Emmet came to swap out Austen’s bathroom faucet last year, he had been trying to pull her into a relationship.
    Yes, she had slept with him a few times. The sex was good enough to keep her sexual needs met, but when he asked for more, to become exclusive, Austen dodged his advances.
    If she gave in, she knew he would one day ask her to move into his modest home, then one day, maybe even present her with a diamond engagement ring. If Austen were to accept,