Funeral services for Bruce and Natalie Lawrence were a small family affair. Nobody from Natalie’s family bothered to show up. Her parents, a deeply religious couple, had disowned her years ago because of the life of drugs and prostitution she had chosen for herself. They were, however, very concerned about Brandy. The doctor thought that in her still very unstable condition, attending her parents’ funeral might be too much for her. So, the attendees were Me’shelle and Travis, along with her aunts, Miranda and Juanita.
There were two other guests who came late to the funeral: Detectives Kirkland and Richards. The sight of them made Travis’s blood run cold. They sat in the back of the church and waited until Pastor Franks completed his eulogy, then waited outside for Me’shelle.
“Ms. Lawrence,” Detective Kirkland said. “I’m really sorry to have to bother you at a time like this. I’ve left several messages for you, but you haven’t returned my calls.”
“I’ve been staying with my aunts these last few days,” Me’shelle said tearfully to the detectives as her aunts gathered around to support her.
“Young man,” Juanita began. “I don’t mean you any disrespect, and I know you got a job to do, but as you can imagine-”
“Maybe he can’t,” Miranda interrupted with much attitude.
“Miranda,” Juanita said quickly, cutting her eyes at her sister. “Detective Kirkland, these last few days have been very hard on my niece and our family.”
“I understand that, but I really do need for her to come in and talk with us.”
“And I’m quite sure that she will, but today, young man, I’ll thank you to show our family some respect and allow us to bury our dead in peace,” Juanita said and walked away. The family followed her lead and went straight to the limousine. Travis fought the urge to give him the finger. Pastor Franks did, however, wave a chastising finger at the detectives as he joined the family in the limousine.
After the funeral, Travis kept his word to Freeze and brought Me’shelle to Cuisine for dinner. Although Freeze had mentioned it, Travis was surprised at how much the atmosphere had changed since the last time he was there. Freeze had moved quickly and returned to supper club to its former stature as a place of fine dining and intimate atmosphere.
“Travis Burns. I have a reservation for two.”
“Good evening, Mr. Burns. Welcome back to Cuisine,” the hostess said. “If you and your guest will please follow me, I have an excellent table waiting for you.” She grabbed two menus. Travis and Me’shelle followed the hostess to their table and found a waitress waiting.
“Good evening, Mr. Burns. Welcome back to Cuisine,” the waitress said. “We’re glad to have you dining with us again,” she said as she held the chair for Me’shelle. “My name is Bianca, and I will be your sever this evening. Would you like something from the bar?”
Travis looked at Me’shelle. “Just some wine, maybe.”
“Would you like to see our wine list?” she asked Me’shelle.
“Yes, thank you.”
“I’ll be back with our wine list. But before I go, let me just mention that today’s special is grilled Tilapia with a white wine sauce.” The waitress departed.
“Well, Mr. Burns, I take it you’ve been here quite a bit,” Me’shelle said as she looked over the menu.
“Yes. Do you remember me mentioning a friend of mine named Freeze?”
“The very dangerous one. I remember.”
“He runs this place. But it’s changed a lot since I was last here.”
“How so?”
“That reception, for starters. You didn’t need reservations before. And it was never this crowded so early in the day. It’s a more upscale atmosphere now,” Travis explained as their waitress returned with the wine list, accompanied by another server carrying a bottle of champagne and a bucket of ice.
“Dom Perignon, 1982, compliments of the management,” the server said as she prepared to pour. “Mr. Burns, Freeze asked me to tell you and your guest to enjoy your meal. He will join you once you’ve finished,” the waitress said after she handed Me’shelle the wine list. “Take your time. Look over both the menu and the wine list, and I’ll be back to take your order.”
Travis and Me’shelle enjoyed their meal, and as promised, Freeze joined them afterwards for cocktails and conversation. Travis looked up and couldn’t believe what he saw coming toward him: Freeze wearing a suit.
“This must be Me’shelle,” Freeze said and extended his hand.
“And you must be Freeze,” Me’shelle said, accepting it. From that point, the three laughed and talked for the remainder of the evening. At first, Me’shelle was a little apprehensive about Freeze because Travis had told her that he was a dangerous man. But as the evening wore on and the drinks flowed and the conversation turned to this and that, Freeze made Me’shelle feel as comfortable as if they were old friends.
By the time Travis and Me’shelle left Cuisine, she was just a little drunk, and feeling kind of horny. As soon as they got in the door of Me’shelle’s apartment, she stripped Travis down and led him into the bedroom and made love to him. Afterwards, she lay in his arms and they talked.
And then Me’shelle dropped it.
“I’m gonna go and talk to those detectives tomorrow,” Me’shelle said and placed her head on Travis’s chest.
“Have fun.”
“Will you come with me? You know, for moral support.”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t like cops.”
“You don’t have to talk to them. Just come down there and keep me company,” Me’shelle said, running her hand over his chest.
“No.”
“You don’t even have to go in. Just take me down there.”
“No. I told you I don’t like cops, so I don’t go around them.”
“Not even for me?” Me’shelle asked and looked into his eyes.
“Not for you, Me’shelle, not for anybody. I don’t mess with cops.”
Me’shelle rolled over and grabbed her pillow. She was hurt by his refusal. She didn’t think that she had made an unreasonable request. Just be with her.
While Me’shelle drifted off to sleep, Travis lay still and quiet. He knew that he couldn’t go anywhere near Detective Kirkland. There was no way he was going to take the chance that he might have been recognized. He watched her as she slept and thought about what Freeze had said to him. She’s gonna feel betrayed when she finds out. Let me give you some advice: be real with her about who you really are and what you really do.
When Me’shelle awoke the next morning and reached out for Travis, he was no longer in bed with her. She sat up and looked around. “Good morning, Me’shelle,” Travis said. He was dressed and sitting in the chair next to the bed.
“Good morning. You’re up early,” Me’shelle said, glancing at the clock.
“There’s something that I have to tell you.”
“I don’t think I like the way this is going already,” Me’shelle said and covered herself with the sheet. “What do you want to tell me?”
“I want to tell you why I can’t go to the police with you.”
“Well, don’t leave me in suspense.”
Travis stood up and began to pace. “I can’t go with you because I can’t take the chance that that detective really did recognize me from somewhere.”
“Where would he recognize you from?”
He stopped and faced Me’shelle. “I robbed the grocery store where I met you.”
“What?”
“I robbed-”
“No, Travis, I heard what you said. I just can’t believe what I’m hearing. You robbed a grocery store?”
“Yes. And a lot of other places.”
“You’re kidding, right? I mean, this is all a joke, right, because this can’t be happening to me. I can’t be in love with a crook,” she said as tears began to roll down her cheeks.
“I’m not kidding, Me’shelle.”
“How long have you been doing this?”
“Two years.”
“Two years, Travis? My God. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“It’s not the kind of thing that I just up and tell everybody.”
“So, why are you telling me now?”
“Because I love you, Me’shelle, and I can’t live with this lie any longer. I know it hurt you for me to say that I wasn’t gonna go to the cops with you. Now you know why I can’t go.”
There was silence in the room. Me’shelle sat up on the bed and stared at Travis. To him, it felt like eternity.
“Say something, Me’shelle.”
“I buried my brother and his wife yesterday. They were killed for the criminal things they were doing. My niece is in shock, raped, because of the criminal shit that her parents were doing!” Me’shelle said through her tears. “Now you stand there and tell me that you’re a criminal too. Get out, Travis. I never want to see you again.”