Nobody's Son by Zaria Garrison Page B

Then just when she thought things were back on track, they began to spiral out of control again. She’d noticed that he was always on edge and constantly taking phone calls that he didn’t want her to overhear. A few of the times she’d noticed that the person on the caller ID was Semaj’s cousin, Rip, and that worried her. Even though he claimed to be on the right side of the law since his shooting and subsequent hospital stay, Ellen remembered the Rip that used to rule the projects she grew up in with an iron fist and 9 mm gun. By that time, her parents had moved their family away from the projects and into a nice house in the suburbs, but Ellen had many friends and relatives who still resided there. They gave her information on the downward spiral the neighborhood was taking due to drugs, and she also knew who was responsible. Rip. Although he’d never gotten his own hands dirty, she knew he’d given the order that resulted in the shooting, stabbing, or beating of many of the residents of Sand Poole Manor.
    For years, she’d blamed him solely for the demise of her cousin, Gigi. Of course, the police said that Gigi had died from a heart attack in an abandoned apartment that had become a crack house, but Ellen was well aware that it was prolonged use of cocaine that damaged her twenty-three-year-old heart. Even before her death, it pained Ellen and Jenise as they watched the little girl they used to play dolls with grow into a crack zombie, selling her body for one more hit. If it had not been for Rip and others like him, who sold their people’s souls for a few dollars, Ellen was sure her cousin would still be alive.
    When Semaj had told her during their first month of dating that he wanted her to meet his cousin and best friend, Marion, she had no idea that it was the notorious Rip from Sand Poole Manor. He was almost unrecognizable after the weight loss, but he confirmed during their first meeting that he indeed was the legend. Since that time, Rip had always treated her with respect, and she’d almost begun to actually look at him as a different person. That was, until Semaj began acting erratically every time his phone rang and Rip was on the other end. It also wasn’t lost on her that when he’d disappeared and gone home to Andrus, S.C., Rip was the only person who seemed to know about it. In the past, their closeness had not bothered Ellen, but every time she prayed, the Spirit warned her that this was totally different. She knew what Rip was capable of, and it terrified her to think that Semaj now seemed to be his right-hand man.
    â€œEllen, who is this beautiful model you’ve brought with you today?” Cedric asked. He walked into the lobby area to greet them.
    â€œThis is my sister and matron of honor, Jenise Murphy.” She turned to her sister. “Jenise, this is the best chef in all of Atlanta, and my classmate from North Carolina A&T, Cedric Grier.”
    Jenise extended her hand to Cedric and warmly shook it. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Grier,” she said.
    â€œCall me Cedric, everyone does. Follow me, ladies.”
    He took them into a room that looked like a private dining room. The round table was set with a white tablecloth and an emerald green lace overlay. In the center of the table was an eighteen inch tall vase filled with green apples, water, and a floating candle on top. The place setting was white plate with gold trim that Ellen and Semaj had chosen as their china setting. Around the table were two chairs with a white covering and an emerald green sash tied around the back. Ellen’s mouth fell open, and she gasped with delight when she saw it.
    â€œThis is stunning!” Jenise said.
    â€œI know that you only hired me to do the food, Ellen, but this is my vision for your reception décor. What do you think?”
    Slowly, Ellen walked over to the table and traced her fingers along the silk tablecloth. Tears