The Night Before by David Fulmer Page B

wasn’t for her. And his dope.” She sighed. “Anyway, we ain’t goin’ back. You heard that old bitch.” She shook her head. “He wouldn’t ever stand up to her. But he cared for Malikah. He sure did. When he could.”
    They were quiet for a few moments. Joe said, “So do you still…?”
    â€œHave the drug problem? I’ll always have that. I’m an addict.” She raised her chin. “But I’m clean eleven months now. And I’m staying that way.” She gazed down at her sleeping child again. “I have to.”
    She fixed him with a speculative eye and said, “What about you? What are you doing out tonight? Y’all Jewish?”
    â€œWe’re not anything,” Joe said. “I, uh… she…” He paused to collect himself. “Something really amazing happened to me in the last couple weeks,” he said.” I got some money I wasn’t expecting. Not a lot, but not a little, either. And so I wanted to surprise them with it. My wife and the kids. For Christmas. For once.”
    â€œWhat’s her name?”
    â€œMariel.” It sounded odd to his ear, as if he was talking about a stranger. “Anyway, I went out and bought presents for the kids and I found something that she wanted a long time ago. Back when we were first married.”
    â€œWhat kind of something?”
    He patted his pockets until he located the zebrawood box, then opened it and drew out the jewel on its thin chain. “It’s called an Epiphany Star.”
    Nicole studied the multi-colored gems. “It’s pretty. Looks old.”
    â€œItis.”
    â€œCost you a lot, huh?”
    â€œIt wasn’t—” He paused. She was regarding him wisely. “Okay, so you bought it for her,” she said.
    â€œAnd I carried it home. With the bank statement, showing the money we had now. I was going to make this big surprise.” He entertained the strange notion that Nicole knew what was coming. “And when I got to the house, I found her with another man.”
    Nicole stopped and stared. “Uh-oh. What other man?”
    â€œOur next-door neighbor.”
    â€œWere they… “
    â€œOh, yes,” Joe said. “In your bed?”
    â€œIn the dining room.”
    â€œThe
dining room?
    Joe nodded. “Over the table.” He chased the image with a shake of his head. “Well, damn. What’d you do?”
    â€œI left. Wandered half the night. Ran into Reverend Callum. And ended up here.”
    Malikah sighed in her sleep. Nicole smiled down at her in a kindly absent way. “That’s some story,” she said. “Christmas Eve, too.” She regarded him thoughtfully for a moment. “So what are you gonna do now?”
    Joe slumped against the back of the pew. “I have no idea.”
    â€œYour kids gonna be waiting for you.”
    He said, “Yeah. I know.”
    Nicole’s voice dropped another notch. “I missed last Christmas with her, ‘cause I was so sick,” she said. “I ain’t ever going to let that happen again.” She raised her eyes from her sleeping child to gaze at him. “You shouldn’t ever do that. Not if you can help it.”
    He left them in the chapel and stepped into the office. Reverend Callum had relaxed in his old chair, his eyes closed and hands folded across his middle, at peace as he listened to the music from the radio.
    Joe said, “Reverend?”
    â€œI’m sorry I went to barking like that,” the reverend murmured. “I don’t know you. You’re a good man, far as I can tell.”
    â€œNot good enough,” Joe said.
    â€œWell, who can’t say that?” Callum opened his eyes and tilted his head to the chapel. “What about those two now?”
    Joe said, “I’m going to take them home with me. To my house.”
    â€œThat be all right with your