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  “You better,” the woman replied.

  “She nasty,” their mother whispered in Spanish. “Now watch this.”

  “Hey, Ma. Hey, bro!” Julio shouted like he was outside. He came back in the kitchen wearing a tight, muscle-hugging shirt that advertised the fact that he worked out. He still had the towel wrapped around his waist and some brown sandals on his feet. “Ma, you cooked?”

  “Estuve haciendo arroz con pollo y frijoles por cuatro horas.” She told him she’d been cooking for four hours.

  “¿Por qué no llámarme?” Julio asked his mother why she hadn’t called him down to eat.

  “I did!” she shouted. She hated that her children’s Spanish wasn’t as great as hers, but she got was Julio was saying. “You were too busy entertaining that—”

  “Ma, don’t call her a name please.” Julio fixed his plate and put it in the microwave. “That’s the one I like.”

  Their mother turned her head to the side and raised her eyebrows. “What’s her name?”

  “I don’t know, but she’s the one I like. Them other two just occupy my time.”

  Mateo shook his head. He tried his best not to chuckle. His inner man told him that nothing he was seeing or hearing was funny.

  Julio’s plate finished warming up, and within seconds, he joined them at the table and dug into his food without saying grace.

  “We can’t praise God anymore?” their mother asked.

  “God, watch and pray. Amen,” Julio said and continued to eat.

  “See? What I tell you?” their mother complained. “He got that DHAD.”

  “It’s ADHD, Madre, and no, I don’t.” Julio defended himself. “The doctor said I got whatever it is that makes it hard for me to pay attention, and some obsessive-compulsive disorder—and I suffer anxiety from whatever it was that sprayed out of the bomb during that war.”

  Mateo watched as Julio finished his food, tossed the plate into the sink like a Frisbee, took the towel off from around his waist, and rushed upstairs.

  “Can you take him with you?” his mom complained. “I need a break.”

  “Yeah—but Ma, I stay in Heaven’s Inn now. And I work at Burgers & Fries.”

  “Yo, bruh, you gonna get me some more food?” Julio asked.

  Mateo was pleased to see that Julio was dressed more appropriately in a loose-fitting, short-sleeved shirt, a pair of baggy black jeans, and some off-brand black work boots.

  “We’ll go out, but I don’t have any money for food.”

  “I got money.” Julio pulled out a knot full of bills and a few cards bound in the middle of the wad.

  Mateo looked at his mom, and she nonverbally gave them permission to go.

  “Oh yeah, homes. What I tell you about being around mi madre’s casa?” Julio could be heard yelling as Mateo was closing the door.

  Mateo knew it was about to go down. He didn’t know that Julio and Turner had beef or that they’d thrown blows. He knew he needed to get outside and stop Julio from doing something crazy. Mateo got up and hugged his mother. He hated that he had to rush, but with Julio already out the door and Turner outside, he had to follow.

  Once he got outside, he saw Turner and Julio getting ready to go toe to toe. The fight was still unfair, as Julio was only four inches taller than Mateo, but not over six feet.

  “Mateo!” Turner barked. “You better get this runt out of my face before I do something.”

  “You just mad because I stomped your head in last week,” Julio bragged as he pushed Turner. Mateo was amazed that Turner took a few steps back. “And if you don’t step off my mama’s front lawn like I told you before, I’m gonna stomp your head again.”

  Mateo knew he had to get his brother out of the way. He didn’t know where all of Turner’s goons were, and he didn’t want to be taken by surprise. “Julio, bring your—” Mateo started the curse but thought better of it. He grabbed Julio’s arm and dragged him in the direction of the car. He watched as Turner and Julio exchanged one-finger good-byes.

  “You shoulda let me kick his butt,” Julio complained as Mateo tried to shove his much bigger brother in the car. “I needed the exercise.”

  “You need to stay out of trouble,” Mateo replied. “I can’t afford to bail you out of jail.”

  “Ooh, where you get this car?” Julio played with the radio, listening to a little bit of every Mexican radio station on the AM and FM dials before he settled on the blues being played on 100.7 WRES.

  “You done?” Mateo asked as he started the car.

  “Yeah, man, I want to go to Burgers & Fries. Hurry up.”

  Mateo shook his head as he pulled off and left the apartment complex. He couldn’t believe that Julio was still hungry after eating a full plate of their mother’s Mexican cuisine, but then he remembered that Julio always had a voracious appetite and that he stayed so active, he most likely burned off any carbs as soon as he inhaled them. He thought about what his mother said about his brother and sister and felt guilty for not coming around, but he often hated how his mother constantly threw his past in his face. His mother was never too thrilled to learn that he was sleeping with “su tía.” Even though his uncle was his relative by marriage and technically, his wife wasn’t his aunt legally, his mother had always viewed the relationship as incestuous. Then when she found out that Mateo and “su tía” were into group sex and went to sex parties, his mother would have liked to have had a heart attack.

  However, Mateo hoped having Julio with him now would ease his mother’s burdens just a little. He vowed to make the best of being around his older brother.

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Teacher Word Day

  Amirah welcomed the smell of breakfast provided by Chick-Fil-A that filled the cafeteria. The spread featuring chicken biscuits, hash browns, chicken burritos, mixed fruit, muffins, and yogurt parfaits called out to Amirah’s stomach.

  The students were home for the teacher workday, and Amirah was amazed at how fast the school year was coming to an end. Xen’s grades were improving in all of his classes, and Howard was spending more time with the boy as promised. For his part, Xen was growing and maturing, staying away from classmates who would bring him trouble, and trying to befriend those who not only would challenge him academically but encourage him to walk in the Lord. It seemed as if Xen was determined to prove to everyone that he could do better and act better than his parents did the day they came to the school.

  This was what she enjoyed most about teaching—watching a student grow from troubled to greatness; participating in that change and doing what she felt and believed God called her to do; being an example of what a woman of God should be, or at least strive to be.

  One thing about Shiloh Christian Academy: they knew how to feed their teachers. Pastor and Mrs. Ingle believed in nourishing bodies, minds, and spirits, and Amirah knew they shared their view of the school being a reflection of the Body of Christ. It was good that the janitors, cafeteria workers, and other staff members were not left out of the festivities. They mingled and sang along to the worship songs that were blasted from the radio.

  Another thing she liked was that when Shiloh Christian Academy had teacher workdays, they tried to make them as fun and educational for the faculty as possible. The state mandated that the teachers took a minimum of fifteen continuing education credit hours for them to maintain their teaching licenses. Mrs. Ingle encourage her staff to work on many of the hours collectively, so that the group could bond. Amirah loved it, because all of the teachers got to let their hair down and be casual. Mrs. Ingle was Angela, but only a few teachers addressed her by her first name. Amirah appreciated it, because most of the administrators she’d run into felt that they were a few steps above her and would reprimand her more harshly than they would the students.

  The best part was that Shiloh Christian Academy didn’t just have the word Christian in its name or just pretend to be a faith-based organization. Pastor and Mrs. Ingle treated the school as a big part of their mini
stry. When Amirah worked for a public school system in the Charlotte metropolitan area, she remembered how she’d gotten in trouble for praying while on her break. The school system was horrible to its faculty, especially to the first-year teachers and those who were new to the Charlotte area. Shiloh Christian Academy hired teachers of different faiths, but they respected all teachers’ rights and desires to respect God and put Him first in their lives.

  In the background, Hezekiah Walker had finished encouraging everyone to give praise to God, and Donald Lawrence opened the training session by reminding everyone to encourage themselves. So when Tamela Mann’s “All to Thee” came on, Amirah was caught up in the spirit, as the song always brought her to praise and worship.

  “Girl, this song does it to me too.” Sarai stood behind her, getting her food.

  “I wasn’t closing my eyes and singing, was I?” Amirah looked around, almost embarrassed that she may have been holding up the line.

  “Girl, ain’t nobody thinking about that,” Sarai replied quickly, “but no, you weren’t holding up the line. It’s actually moving kind of fast.”

  Amirah and Sarai quickly got the rest of the items they wanted for their plates and then grabbed their seats closer to the front. Byron Cage’s “Broken but I’m Healed” came on, and she thought about Calvin Rice, her Career and Technical Education Curriculum Coordinator and one of her mentors. He’d come from the same school that she had taught at, and she remembered how he once told her that the song was a big part of his healing. She looked around for him in the midst of the other teachers and office staff, but she couldn’t find him. Normally, the department sat together so they could compare notes for their department meeting.

  Once the song was over, the projector was rolled into place and being set up for their continuing education course that would help them improve their teaching methods.

  After the teaching seminar was over, Amirah went to her classroom for a brief second to make sure the demo for the speech recognition program that she was teaching the students to use was working correctly. She was startled to see a man sitting at one of the student computers at the far end of the room.

  “Come in and close the door,” the voice commanded Amirah as she walked in from lunch. “Everyone doesn’t need to hear our conversation.”

  Turner turned around and flashed a smile. Amirah looked behind her and then up at the camera that was in the hallway.

  How did Turner get in here undetected? Amirah asked herself. What does he want, and what will I say when Mrs. Ingle finds out? She wondered as she looked outside to see who was walking past. There was not a teacher or a staff member to come to her rescue. She complied with the request and was about to have a seat.

  “Naw, don’t sit at your desk,” he continued as he typed at least fifty miles an hour. “Any attempt to hit the H and END key on any computer will give me a reason to make sure you are in need of help,” Turner threatened without looking up.

  Amirah had no choice but to take a seat near him. She wasn’t expecting anyone to be in the class after the seminar was over. Her plan was to come in, record some of the grades, and register for a few of the continuing education courses she would need to keep her teaching license current. She had canceled the tutoring she was going to do because she didn’t want to be unable to make her commitments. She only had to be at the school for another hour before she could go home for the day.

  Amirah’s first instinct was to run, but she didn’t want to risk the possibility of anyone else getting hurt. Her next was to face Turner head on and prepare for the worst. She tried to get her mind right and prepare to battle with Satan in her classroom, in the flesh.

  “Calm down. I’m not going to hurt you.” Turner seemed to close the gap between them. “I just want to talk to you for a little while.”

  “Talk about what?” Amirah demanded. “And why are you in my classroom?”

  “I’m just here to deliver a message.” Turner dug in his pocket and pulled out a card key to Heaven’s Inn motel. “I got a room there now. Paid it off for the whole month.”

  Amirah was confused at first as to why he was giving her a key to his room, but then it made sense. Mateo also stayed at Heaven’s Inn, and Hammer owned the motel. Turner was there to cause trouble.

  “I need a new place to hang out, and I think you should join me,” Turner suggested as he continued to work the keys on the keyboard in front of him.

  “I think you’re wasting your time,” Amirah suggested as she got smart with her captor.

  Turner moved closer to her. “What, are you too good to come hang with me?” Turner grew frustrated and suddenly grabbed Amirah’s arm and brought her close to him. “Don’t tell me you buy that goody-two-shoes act Mateo is putting on. He’s a thug just a like me. Anyway, he has something I want, and I need you to make sure he returns my property.”

  Amirah started to rebuff his statement. She grew irritated as she rubbed her arm, hoping he didn’t leave a mark. “So this is what you do?” Amirah asked. She had to admit, up close, Turner was a very attractive man. She also remembered they said Satan was beautiful beyond description when he was with God. The lavender and hemp oils he wore made for a masculine mix. “You scare and intimidate people to get them to do what you want?”

  “Do I scare you?” Turner moved to face Amirah.

  “Heck no!” Amirah replied sharply as she looked him in his eyes.

  “Good. I’m not here to scare you.” Turner turned away and continued typing. Amirah looked over his shoulder and could see a narrative being e-mailed through a Gmail account. “I’m here to warn you about your little boyfriend.”

  “Mateo.”

  “Did you have to call his name?”

  “Only if that would make you remember.”

  “Look, girl, don’t get smart.” Turner faced her again, and this time he had a fire in his eyes. It was as if the presence of evil surrounded her. She quickly said a small prayer from the Book of Isaiah, and her uneasiness faded away. “I don’t want you to get hurt messing with that little roach sucker.”

  “I’m not going to be hurt,” Amirah replied confidently. She got up and walked to the door. Within a matter of seconds, Turner was on her heels, but she didn’t care. He grabbed her arm, and she snatched away. She reached for the door, and Turner quickly shut it.

  “You think this a game?” Turner asked as he moved into her personal space.

  “No. I’m into card games, not board games.”

  Turner smirked, catching the double meaning. “So you’re going to be my spades partner now? You got a lot of mouth. I like that in my women.”

  “What about your men?” Amirah threw his business out there. Curiosity made her wonder what he’d say.

  “They serve their purpose.” Turner confessed to the rumors she’d heard about him. “I think you can do better than rollin’ around Asheville with a little thief.”

  “Who’s the thief?” Amirah confronted him. “If you gave something to someone and they turned around and sold it to Mateo, I don’t think that constitutes him being a thief.”

  “So you’re going to take his side?” Turner acted as if he were offended.

  “Are you going to body slam me like you did him?” Amirah responded back. “I never thought you’d be the kind of man who’d pick on someone half your size.”

  Turner rolled his eyes. Amirah had hit a soft spot. “Look, I hate to see you get hurt hangin’ around Mateo. That’s all I’m saying.”

  “I’m not worried about getting hurt. I serve a God who’s bigger and stronger than you. That’s all I’m saying.”

  Turner licked his lips and leaned in to kiss her. Amirah tried to push him away but found that she was no match for the giant. Turner leaned in and whispered in her ear. “It’s okay to admit that I’m the bigger man, the better man. I see the way you look at me. You want me.”

  Amirah was appalled. She was half-tempted to slap the man. She thought better of it when she reflected on how she
had witnessed Turner scoop Mateo up and body slam him into next week.

  “I want you to leave,” Amirah warned, “before I call the police.”

  Turner opened the door behind her, and Amirah stepped to the side. “I’m in room one twenty-four. At the end of the building. Tell him to come see me soon.” They stared at each other for a few moments before Turner ended the showdown with a smirk and left her classroom.

  As he was walking out, Sarai was walking in. Amirah watched as Sarai looked him up and down, and after a while, Sarai rushed to Amirah’s side. Amirah exhaled. She didn’t fear him, but she didn’t want him to hurt her either.

  She walked to her desk and pulled a bottle of purified water from her bottom desk drawer and took a sip.

  “Was that who I thought it was?” Sarai asked as she walked in. “And are you okay?”

  “I just want to finish my work so I can leave,” Amirah confirmed without answering the question. She took a few sips, and then she turned her computer on so she could record grades. “I got to get in touch with Mateo.”

  “Do we need to call the police?” Sarai asked as she pulled out her phone.

  “No, don’t call the police yet,” Amirah insisted. “I may have another plan that will work, but first, let me get in touch with Mateo. He needs to know that trouble just arrived on his doorstep.”

  Sarai looked at Amirah in disbelief, but she went along with her friend’s request—for now. Sarai gave Amirah a hug as she was leaving. “I’ve finished my training for the day. Let me get my stuff and I’ll come back and stay with you.”

  “Thanks.”

  Amirah watched as Sarai left the classroom. She looked at the clock. Thirty minutes later and she was ready to walk out the door.

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  Boxing with God

  Mateo watched as Sonic finished the rest of his food as he entertained a female guest. He had just rung up one of the last customers he’d served before the end of his shift. He was covering for one of the teenagers who’d called off work, and Mateo could always use the extra money. Wednesday was the day he normally had off from both the motel and Burgers & Fries.