bodyguards to have his limo brought around to the front of the building. “Why’d you get with that? Yuh coulda come ta me, yuh knew that.”
“No!” she roared back at him, realizing everyone in the station was either watching or listening. “No I couldn’t come to yuh, ‘cause you’re the problem!”
“Not here, and not now,” Ozzy warned, taking her elbow as he led her down the steps of the station house. “We’ll discuss this in the car.”
When her bare thighs touched the cool black leather, it was like an electric shock. Now energized, she began pummeling Ozzy with all her strength. “Yuh wanna know why I got with him? You closed our checking account! I couldn’t even buy diapers or milk for Reina!”
Instead of letting his guards pull her off him, Ozzy took the blows. Even as her strength waned, she bit and clawed at his arms as he tried to hug her. “I’m so sorry, I’m sorry I made you suffer,” Ozzy murmured, realizing he hadn’t acted like a man. When they’d exchanged wedding vows he’d promised to love and cherish her until death parted them. Instead their home became party central, and he’d nagged her about getting with the program. He’d let fame go to his head, and his wife and baby daughter ended up paying the price.
They rode in silence for a long while, until she dared to speak again. She had to explain, she had to let him know. “H-he offered us a place to stay-”
“I don’t wanna hear about him. He had yuh arrested over some bullshit.”
Her voice sounded weary and far too old for her years when she spoke. “An NBA championship ring isn’t bullshit. And no, I didn’t steal it.”
“I know you didn’t. You’re mah muse. You’re mah good girl.”
With a bawled fist, she dared him to say that again. “I’m not your ‘girl’. I’m your wife, and you shit all on me. I had my own dreams before I married you, but you begged me to give them up just so you could live yours. So you can go to hell. I’m gonna get Reina and I’m gonna get back on my own two feet.”
“You’re not taking Reina.”
“I am, and you know why? Because you’re still the same selfish little bastard who only cares about how many CD’s you’re selling and how many of yuh fans are yelling out yuh name. You didn’t have time for me, so you sure won’t have time to take care of a toddler.”
“You’re not going anywhere with Reina.”
“Oh yes I am. You’re gonna be the one to put her in my arms. Because you know . . . you know how much it’ll kill me not to have my baby.” When her voice broke, so did his heart.
“We need to work together on this. For Reina’s sake.”
Just like back then, she needed to face her fears. And it was time to shake loose the memories of her past. Time to come clean.
15
During the Thanksgiving holiday Reina went to visit her dad, and his “Tantie” Eustace, so Harlow accepted Kyle’s offer to visit his place and to meet his older sister, Willa. After driving for what seemed like an hour, they traveled outside of Raleigh to a suburban enclave full of stately homes amid acres and acres of land. Kyle drove through a large, medieval rot iron gate onto to a circular driveway paved with light brick, and he pulled right up to the double paned front entrance. A worker sprinted out of house, opening Harlow’s door just as the car stopped. The worker nodded in greeting, and though his skin was as brown as hers, when Kyle said his name she realized he was from some other part of the world.
“Excuse me, what’s your name again?” Harlow asked, smiling when she noticed a woman standing in the doorway with her arms folded over her chest. The woman didn’t smile back.
“Kapono, Miss,” the man answered. He was older, maybe sixty, and slightly built.
“Please don’t call me that. My name’s Harlow.” She gave him a brighter smile so that her correction didn’t sound like a reprimand. He met her eyes, but just as quickly he
“No!” she roared back at him, realizing everyone in the station was either watching or listening. “No I couldn’t come to yuh, ‘cause you’re the problem!”
“Not here, and not now,” Ozzy warned, taking her elbow as he led her down the steps of the station house. “We’ll discuss this in the car.”
When her bare thighs touched the cool black leather, it was like an electric shock. Now energized, she began pummeling Ozzy with all her strength. “Yuh wanna know why I got with him? You closed our checking account! I couldn’t even buy diapers or milk for Reina!”
Instead of letting his guards pull her off him, Ozzy took the blows. Even as her strength waned, she bit and clawed at his arms as he tried to hug her. “I’m so sorry, I’m sorry I made you suffer,” Ozzy murmured, realizing he hadn’t acted like a man. When they’d exchanged wedding vows he’d promised to love and cherish her until death parted them. Instead their home became party central, and he’d nagged her about getting with the program. He’d let fame go to his head, and his wife and baby daughter ended up paying the price.
They rode in silence for a long while, until she dared to speak again. She had to explain, she had to let him know. “H-he offered us a place to stay-”
“I don’t wanna hear about him. He had yuh arrested over some bullshit.”
Her voice sounded weary and far too old for her years when she spoke. “An NBA championship ring isn’t bullshit. And no, I didn’t steal it.”
“I know you didn’t. You’re mah muse. You’re mah good girl.”
With a bawled fist, she dared him to say that again. “I’m not your ‘girl’. I’m your wife, and you shit all on me. I had my own dreams before I married you, but you begged me to give them up just so you could live yours. So you can go to hell. I’m gonna get Reina and I’m gonna get back on my own two feet.”
“You’re not taking Reina.”
“I am, and you know why? Because you’re still the same selfish little bastard who only cares about how many CD’s you’re selling and how many of yuh fans are yelling out yuh name. You didn’t have time for me, so you sure won’t have time to take care of a toddler.”
“You’re not going anywhere with Reina.”
“Oh yes I am. You’re gonna be the one to put her in my arms. Because you know . . . you know how much it’ll kill me not to have my baby.” When her voice broke, so did his heart.
“We need to work together on this. For Reina’s sake.”
Just like back then, she needed to face her fears. And it was time to shake loose the memories of her past. Time to come clean.
15
During the Thanksgiving holiday Reina went to visit her dad, and his “Tantie” Eustace, so Harlow accepted Kyle’s offer to visit his place and to meet his older sister, Willa. After driving for what seemed like an hour, they traveled outside of Raleigh to a suburban enclave full of stately homes amid acres and acres of land. Kyle drove through a large, medieval rot iron gate onto to a circular driveway paved with light brick, and he pulled right up to the double paned front entrance. A worker sprinted out of house, opening Harlow’s door just as the car stopped. The worker nodded in greeting, and though his skin was as brown as hers, when Kyle said his name she realized he was from some other part of the world.
“Excuse me, what’s your name again?” Harlow asked, smiling when she noticed a woman standing in the doorway with her arms folded over her chest. The woman didn’t smile back.
“Kapono, Miss,” the man answered. He was older, maybe sixty, and slightly built.
“Please don’t call me that. My name’s Harlow.” She gave him a brighter smile so that her correction didn’t sound like a reprimand. He met her eyes, but just as quickly he
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