Author's Chapter Notes:
I am totally redoing this story to publish in the next few months!
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Chapter 1
Ezekiel Willoughby sat back in his overstuffed chair and glanced at the paperwork in front of him. He’d read over it several times, looked at the pictures that his lawyer had included in the packet, but he still couldn’t believe what was right before his eyes.
He was a grandfather of a nineteen year old boy whose name was Ezekiel Black. There was no mistake, and now looking at the pictures that were mirror images of his own son at that age, he found it mind boggling.
His son, Ezekiel Jr. had died several years ago in a car accident, and the senior Ezekiel was still dealing with the loss. Easy as his son liked to be called, had been his father’s heart. He had loved his son and had attempted to mold him into a carbon copy of himself, but it hadn’t worked. Easy had his own mind and resisted his father’s dominance. The more he tried to control Easy, the more his son rebelled.
The elder Ezekiel had attempted to reason with Easy and make him understand the proud family legacy he represented. After all, the Willoughby’s were well known throughout Virginia. Their family could be traced all the way back to the Revolutionary War. It was at the battle of Princeton that his ancestor, Alexander Willoughby, then a young man met up with Colonel John Cadwalader, who was his cousin and provided detailed information on the British works, cannons and force disposition. This information was relayed back to Washington, who put it to use on January 3, 1777 which led to victory at Princeton. It was with great pride that Willoughby now glanced at the painting of his ancestor, Alexander Willoughby conversing with Colonel Cadwalader who appeared to be listening intently to Alexander’s instructions while drawing the “Plan of Princeton” map that was a key element in the Continental Army’s victory. The map was now on display at the Library of Congress and Willoughby was filled with pride. Cadwalader may have created the map, but it was Alexander who provided the information and Ezekiel Willoughby had no problem reminding people of his family’s great contribution to the founding of this country.
All of the Willoughby’s since Alexander were great men. Some had been Senators, Congressmen, and Governors. President Benjamin Harrison, the twenty third President and Benjamin’s grandfather, William Henry Harrison, the ninth President of the United States were cousins to the Willoughby’s. Ezekiel Willoughby prided himself on being from a line a blue blood all American white males, and he felt that it was his job to continue that legacy.
He’d paved the way for his son to follow in his footsteps to become a lawyer, and then to enter into politics, but Easy resisted his manipulations and quickly stated that he was an artist and had no desire to become a lawyer. For Ezekiel Willoughby, being an artist was a hobby and not a vocation and told his son as much. After all, they had a family legacy to uphold. Easy ignored his wishes and aligned himself with a band of misfit degenerates including Avis Wells, a girl that the elder Ezekiel hadn’t approved of at all.
He wanted his son to attend The College of William and Mary, but Easy had opted to go to Virginia Commonwealth University instead. Ezekiel had allowed it, thinking that if he gave in to his son’s demand, that eventually he could convince him to transfer. Later he found out that Avis was the one who convinced his son to attend VCU because they had a superior Art School.
He’d done his due diligence on the girl and found Avis, (my god, who named their child after a car company?) lived in a trailer park in Chesterfield county with her aunt who was a hooker who was known to walk up and down Jefferson Davis Highway selling her body for a living. Avis parents were dead and the whore of an aunt was all the family she had. Though he never found any proof that Avis herself was prostituting, he still didn’t want her to have anything to do with his son. She was poor white trash, plain and simple and not worthy of the Willoughby name. While he wasn’t going to choose a wife for his son, he expected Easy to pick a woman with the bloodline and ambitions and money that his own family possessed.
He’d confronted Easy about his alliance with the girl, and his son hadn’t denied it. He had told his father that he was in love with Avis and that he was going to marry her. Back then Ezekiel had held the purse strings and used the power of the purse to his advantage. However even the threat of financial ruin hadn’t kept Easy from Avis.
Ezekiel remembered meeting the red head beauty, and could see why his son was smitten. Still, he didn’t approve of their relationship, and let them both know exactly how he felt. He hounded Avis and harassed her aunt. He threatened his son telling him that he’d have the aunt thrown in prison if he didn’t break up with Avis.
The two of them decided to run off together, and Ezekiel had lost contact with Easy for a while. He resisted the urge to drag his son back home, as he figured that Easy would come crawling back soon enough without his financial support, knowing that his son had never taken care of himself. He felt that it would only be a matter of time before Easy returned to his privileged life style with a new attitude, so he wasn’t worried. It took longer that he first estimated because it was a year later that Easy came home with this tail between his legs telling his father that Avis had left him.
Ezekiel remembered smirking in triumph, happy to have his only son back in the fold and glad that Avis Wells was out of the picture, which would allow the two of them to reconnect. Easy was no longer rebellious, and appeared to be contrite doing whatever his father suggested.
Two years had passed since Easy had died and now he learned that all of it had been an elaborate hoax. In reality, Avis had been sick and had given birth to Easy’s son. They had no money and therefore Easy had returned to his father acting contrite, which the elder Willoughby had fallen for the story hook, line and sinker. He now realized that if he hadn’t been so sure of himself and Easy, if he hadn’t been so arrogant, he’d have discovered the deception sooner. If only he’d hired an investigator to report back to him on what Easy had been up to when Easy first ran off, things would have turned out differently. He realized now that his son had known him well, played on his ego, told him what he wanted to hear; that he’d made a big mistake getting involved with that girl and wanted to be restored to his rightful place in the family. Ezekiel Willoughby never even considered that the whole thing was a complete lie.
Once his son had returned to his rightful place in the family and Easy agreed to attend William and Mary, Ezekiel had given him partial access to his inheritance. Now he discovered that Easy had sent money to Avis who lived in a home in Norfolk, Virginia, and provided for her and his son while attending William and Mary while the elder Willoughby had been none the wiser.
Only it wasn’t just any home Easy had sent Avis to. No, he’d sent Avis to Rosa Black, a woman that had been his son’s Black nanny when he was younger.
Rosa had been dismissed from his employ after Easy had turned thirteen, and he now reflected on how Easy had begged him not to let her go. He had ignored his son’s crying for Rosa and quickly chalked it up as him being weak and sentimental. He’d laughed in his face when Easy had pleaded with him, admitting that he loved Rosa like a mother. Ridiculous! Ezekiel had paid her a good severance and sent her on her way. He hadn’t liked the influence the Black woman had over his son, putting all sorts of radical notions in his head. While he had turned Easy’s care over to her when he was just an infant, he felt that at thirteen his son needed someone who would instill in Easy his own conservative Republican values.
Easy’s mother had died when he an infant of a brain aneurism unexpectedly. She was a good woman from a rich family and while they hadn’t really loved each other, they both agreed that the match was a good one for both of their families. Ezekiel had hired Rosa because she came with good references. She had done a good job with his son over the years, but when he’d overheard her telling then ten year old Easy about black history and the accomplishments of her race, he’d heard enough. It was at that time that he began to plan to get rid of her by the time Easy was thirteen.
Ezekiel didn’t feel that he was prejudiced against any race. No, he felt that black people had rights just like everyone else. However, he didn’t want his son to become a bleeding heart liberal giving away the farm just because Black people bemoaned their history of slavery and discrimination. It was bad enough that the boy chose painting as a profession! No, he knew back then that he had to get rid of Rosa! He hadn’t realized until now that she and Easy had still kept in touch.
Ezekiel hadn’t known that while Easy was at William and Mary, that his son had been biding his time until he reached the age where he’d have full access to his inheritance. His grades weren’t that good and he still painted and sold a few while at college. When he graduated, he refused to attend law school and Ezekiel had relented. There was no use forcing the boy if he really wasn’t interested. Besides, Easy could still get into politics later on because of the Willoughby name alone.
Easy had returned to Richmond with his Bachelor’s Degree in Arts and Sciences, and worked at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts while he painted on the side. Back then, Ezekiel Willoughby felt that he would just bide his time until he could win his son over to his way of thinking. Meanwhile, he would concentrate on finding his son the proper wife to help build his future.
Ezekiel didn’t know that Avis had been living with Rosa nor that Easy had been taking care of her without his knowledge. Now he realized why Easy was always too busy to date once he returned home. Back then he had no idea that his son’s weekend excursions to the Tidewater area was to see Avis and Rosa. He thought that he was going to the beach to have fun like other young people his age. After all, Easy appeared contrite, cooperative and submissive to his father’s demands until he reached his twenty fifth birthday, fulfilling the stipulations in his dead mother’s will and received his full inheritance from her estate. His son wasted no time at that point, running off and marrying Avis without his consent.
Not only had Easy pulled one over on him, Ezekiel had no idea that his son and Avis had asked Rosa to adopt their only child immediately after the baby was born back when Easy has first run away. By the time those two had married, his grandson had been adopted and named Ezekiel Black after that woman, and Easy and Avis lived at entirely different address Norfolk. Ezekiel Willoughby had no knowledge that his grandson even existed.
It now galled Ezekiel that his own flesh and blood had hidden away his grandchild, adopted him out so that he would have no legal rights to the boy if anything happened to Easy or Avis.
Ezekiel sighed to himself remembering how he’d harassed his son about him marrying Avis and how he’d kept after him to divorce her. He knew in his heart of hearts that if he’d known about his grandson, he would have done everything possible to legally snatch him from his parents.
That was the problem. His son had known all his underhanded tactics of control and by giving the boy to Rosa, naming him Ezekiel Black, thereby keeping the elder Ezekiel in the dark, little Ezekiel would grow up without his grandfather’s influence or knowledge of his existence.
Now as he looked at the file on Ezekiel Black, he realized that he’d brought everything down on himself. His son was dead due to an overzealous PI following him and Avis on the interstate. The PI that he’d hired to find something on Avis to throw up in his son’s face in hopes that he would leave her, had also died in the crash.
Ezekiel knew that he would have to live with the guilt for the rest of his life.
That had been two years ago. Ezekiel had been overcome with grief and regret at the loss of his only son. In an attempt to settle his son’s estate a year later, he’d been shocked to learn that Easy had left everything to Rosa Black and made her executor of his will. Ten million dollars he’d left to that woman! It was unbelievable.
Ezekiel decided to have her investigated and it was then that Easy’s elaborate plans had unfolded right before his eyes. He didn’t know how his son has pulled it off without him having a clue of what had really been going on. The final pieces of the puzzle fell into place when he discovered that Easy had gotten a law firm that was not associated with his family in any way, to handle things. The firm had recently sent him a copy of his son’s will which included a letter written in Easy’s own hand telling him about Ezekiel Black, his grandson.
The letter gave the date the baby had been born explaining Easy’s reasons for hiding him away. Easy’s letter reminded him that this grandson, Ezekiel Black was now his only living relative and that he was entitled to everything Ezekiel would have given Easy. The letter also reminded him that if he chose not to accept Ezekiel Black, that his son would be just fine without him. There was a copy of the birth certificate as well as copies of the adoption papers with Easy’s letter. It was a bitter pill to swallow for the elder Willoughby. Easy had planned for everything, even his own death if he passed before his son reached adulthood.
Now he stared at the pictures of his adult grandson, who was the spitting image of his father. Dirty blond hair and large green eyes stared back at him from the pictures obtained by the private investigator. He realized that Easy and Avis had somehow remained an active part of their son’s life growing up, and he’d been none the wiser.
Ezekiel wondered what they had told his grandson. Did the boy hate him? He knew that he’d always tried to control every aspect of Easy’s life, and now this was the result. He had a grandson that he knew nothing about and who knew nothing about him. Rosa Black was still alive and well living high off the hog off of his dead son’s money!
Ezekiel stood up running his hair through his salt and pepper locks as he came from behind his desk. He called his driver and told him to bring the car around. He was about to make a trip to Norfolk Virginia.
“Zeke!” Rosa yelled from the kitchen. “Get up boy! You’re going to be late!”
Zeke groaned as he rolled out of bed. “Ma, I’m up!”
“Yeah I bet,” she said sticking her head in the doorway of his bedroom.
“I am,” Zeke said smiling at her, rubbing his eyes. “I have a whole hour before I have to be to work!”
Zeke quickly got up and showered and dressed. He was now almost a foot taller than Mama Rosa’s five foot four inch frame. She was a small woman, with dark brown skin and big beautiful brown eyes. Her bottom lip stuck out a little from the top one, which always fascinated Zeke. When she was angry, it stuck out more, which always made him smile.
He didn’t want to cross Mama Rosa, so he quickly exited his bedroom after making his bed. He was still recovering from his wild weekend celebrating his graduation from high school and he yawned and tried to shake off the lingering sleepiness he felt. He’d been accepted into Hampton University on full scholarship and he couldn’t wait to begin the new chapter in his life, however for the summer he would be working at Walmart in the electronics department. He missed his parents, but because he hadn’t seen them every day, he was closer to Rosa. He knew that they were afraid that Easy’s father would find out about him before they were ready, but he never did. However their decisions had affected his relationship with them resulting in him feeling that they were more of an aunt and uncle instead of mother and father. Their deaths were painful, but not devastatingly so. It had been Mama Rosa he turned to for comfort.
Zeke walked into the kitchen and inhaled the smell of bacon and eggs as his Mama Rosa fixed him a plate and sat it on the table in front of him.
Zeke had always known that he was adopted, and while others thought it a bit strange, the situation was completely normal to him.
He’d lived with his mother Avis and his Mama Rosa all his life until his parents married when he was seven. His father would drive down from Richmond several times during the week and on weekends to be with them. After his parents married, he still lived with Rosa, but would sometimes go to his parent’s apartment. Most of the time though, they came over to his Mama Rosa’s and stayed in the spare bedroom. They stayed more at Mama Rosa’s house than they did at their own apartment, which made him happy. Once his parent’s married, they explained the situation to him about his grandfather who was a lawyer and a Senator of great influence in Virginia and why they were trying to hide Zeke from him. His father told him that his grandfather was obsessed with controlling those he loved and that they had allowed Mama Rosa to adopt him to keep him from being taken away from them by his grandfather. It had all sounded very strange to Zeke, but he trusted his parents and Mama Rosa. He figured that his grandfather must be a bad man for them to go to the extremes that they had in order to keep him safe and happy.
When his parents were killed two years earlier when Zeke was barely sixteen and he’d learned the circumstances of his parent’s death, he knew that they had done the right thing. What kind of father would harass his son to leave his wife just because she had family members that weren’t respectable; and what kind of father would have his son followed and chased on a highway like a criminal leading to his death? No, Zeke wanted no parts of the man that was his grandfather.
His phone rang and he looked down to see that it was LaDonna, his girlfriend.
“Hey, babe,” he said smiling.
“Hey yourself,” She responded. “Coming to church tomorrow? I’m singing a solo.”
“Yeah, I’ll be there, but I’m on my way to work now,” he replied, eying Rosa’s disapproving stare.
“Get off that phone and eat your breakfast!” Rosa snapped.
“Gotta go,” he said quickly hanging up the phone.
“So what’s going on between you and LaDonna,” Rosa asked as he ate his eggs. “You two are as thick as thieves. You know her father is our minister and I don’t want no disgrace being brought on our family, so keep it in your pants, boy.”
“Mama!” Zeke groaned not wanting to hear the speech that was coming.
“I mean it. Now Ezekiel, I may be old, but I’m not stupid. You and LaDonna have been together all your lives. Is it serious?”
“We’re dating and we’re in love,” Zeke replied finishing his breakfast. “And you are not old.”
“You covering it up?” she asked glaring at him.
“Mama, we haven’t gone there, OK?” Zeke replied, his face red.
“Well good,” Rosa replied nodding. “I know you don’t like talking about these things with me, but I’m just concerned. You both have your whole lives ahead of you.”
“I know,” he agreed smirking at her. “But I’m going to Hampton and LaDonna’s going to Virginia State.”
“Well the Interstate highway is open 24-7 so if you want to see each other, you will. I’m just saying be careful,” Rosa sighed.
“I will. Stop worrying,” Zeke said kissing her cheek as he put the plate in the sink.
“Didn’t you tell me that sex was for married people,” he teased.
Rosa rolled her eyes. “Yeah, like you’d listen to me.”
“I listen,” Zeke replied walking out the door.
Ezekiel Willoughby sat back in the limousine going through the file once again. He stopped flipping through the photographs and held up a picture of his grandson standing beside a black girl with his arm around her. He glanced out the window as the limo sped down the highway towards Norfolk.
He’d learned that his grandson was involved with a black girl from the investigator, which he felt was totally unacceptable. He was sure that Rosa had something to do with the boy’s dating habits. Well he made up his mind to take care of that also! He’d been grieving for the last two years, unable to even clean out Easy’s room and clothes, but no more! He had a grandson and he would do everything possible to win him over.
It surprised him that Rosa hadn’t touched a dime of Easy’s money. The only thing he could figure was that she was saving it to give to the boy once he turned twenty one. Well at least she was honest and wasn’t money hungry.
He glanced back down at the folder. The report stated that his grandson called himself Zeke and that he’d graduated with honors and had a full scholarship to Hampton University, which was a historically black college or HBCU as they called them. Why was his white grandson going to a black college when he had ten million at his disposal? Well he was about to confront Rosa Black and find out for himself!
The girlfriend’s name he learned, was LaDonna Miller and she was the oldest of five children of Edna and Franklin Miller who was the pastor of The First African Baptist Church of Norfolk Virginia. Her mother was a teller at the Bank of Norfolk. They appeared to be a decent family, but he wanted better for his grandson.
Ezekiel knew that he had to be careful. He had no say so in Zeke’s life, Easy had seen to that! Zeke was nineteen now and had a mind of his own. Still he felt that there was a chance that Easy would listen to him if he handled the situation delicately.
Ezekiel sat back on the soft leather and closed his eyes. He would talk to Rosa and reason with her, make her think that he regretted his past behavior and wanted a relationship with his grandson. He was sure that he could win her over if he played his cards right.
LaDonna left the daycare where she worked for the summer and drove the ten minutes to the Walmart where Zeke worked. She only had an hour for lunch and she tried not to speed. The last thing she needed was a ticket.
She’d picked up two chicken Caesar salads for their lunch and quickly pulled into the Walmart parking lot.
She spotted him walking towards her after she’d parked.
“Hey,” she said as he climbed into her old Honda that she’d bought at the auction several weeks before with money she’d received in advance of her graduation.
“Hey yourself,” he said kissing her.
“I bought each of us a salad,” she said handing him the bag.
Zeke groaned. “I was hoping for some fried chicken.”
“This is better for you,” she said grinning. “Besides, I have to watch my weight.”
“What’s wrong with your weight?” Zeke asked popping the cover off of the salad.
“I’m not small, Zeke” she pouted handing him the salad dressing.
“I like your weight. It’s in all the right places,” he said as he tore into the salad.
“Thank you, but I’m a size eighteen. My goal is to be a fourteen by the time school starts,” LaDonna mumbled as she ate.
“Why?” Zeke said looking up. “I like your size.”
LaDonna continued eating her salad and didn’t reply. She knew that everyone was wondering what Zeke saw in her and sometimes she wondered the same thing. There were a lot of girls that wanted him.
He was tall and handsome with incredible green eyes. Their peers often teased Zeke and told him that he was a black boy in a white boy’s body. He looked white, but sounded black and many thought it was because he was raised in a black household, attended a black church and had mostly black friends. All the girls in high school both black and white thought that Zeke Black was hot, and she had no idea that he would ask her out and see her as more than a friend, but he did. Being the preacher’s overweight daughter, she didn’t get many dates and she was shocked when he’d admitted to her that he’d had a crush on her for years. Her senior year had been better than she’d dreamed of with Zeke being her boyfriend.
She’d known him all him all her life. He was different, a white boy who was raised by Ms. Rosa Black, a member of her church. She knew that his parents had given him up to Ms. Rosa when he was a baby but remained active in Zeke’s life, even living with her for a while. LaDonna thought that the whole situation was strange, but still Zeke didn’t seem adversely affected by the odd family dynamics he was a part of.
“What’s on your mind,” Zeke asked her and she looked over at him finishing off his salad.
“Us,” LaDonna admitted. “We’ll be off to school soon and I was thinking…uh we’ve been together as a couple for almost two years now. Maybe we can go to Virginia Beach together for a weekend. I’ve visited the doctor and I’m thinking about getting on the pill. I got the prescription, I just haven’t filled it yet.”
She didn’t look him in the face as she spoke and busied herself by putting their empty salad containers back in the bag.
She heard him sigh and glanced over at him. “Don’t you want to do it?”
Zeke pulled her close. “Yeah, you know I do, but I don’t want you doing it because you’re afraid you’ll lose me.”
“That’s not it.”
“Then what is it?”
LaDonna was embarrassed. Being with Zeke made her think of sex all the time. They’d kissed and touched each other some, but she wanted more. Why didn’t he?
“I’m ready to do it, Zeke. I want to do it, don’t you?” She asked. “Is it me? I mean…do you find me attractive like that? You don’t seem to be that interested in sex.”
Zeke laughed kissing her. “Too bad you can’t see me every morning in my shower. I think about sex…with you all the time. I just don’t want to rush you and once we start we won’t be able to stop. We’ll want it all the time.”
“What’s wrong with that,” LaDonna asked confused. “I think about it all the time now anyway.”
“We’ll be away, you in Petersburg and I’ll be in Hampton.” He reasoned. “It’ll be hard enough but once we have sex it’ll be worse.”
“I’ve got to ask you, Zeke, are you still a virgin?”
“Yeah,” he said grinning at her.
“Me too,” she said touching his face.
He kissed her. “OK, let’s plan to getaway. We can go the week before we both ship out to our respective schools, how’s that? We can spend some time together before we go our separate ways.”
“What will your Mama say,” LaDonna asked worried.
“Don’t worry about me. What about Reverend Miller? It’s your father that will have the bigger problem.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll talk to Mama,” LaDonna replied. “She knows I’ve been considering birth control.”
Zeke looked at his watch. “Lunch time is over. I gotta go.” He kissed her again. “I’ll call you later.”
“OK” LaDonna sighed as she started the car.
She watched him walk back into the Walmart and then pulled off. She was excited about the prospect of spending a weekend with Zeke and them finally consummating their relationship.
She pulled into the parking lot of the daycare and was surprised to see a long black limousine parked there.
As she cut the car off, the door of the limo opened and an older white man with mixed gray hair got out. He was tall and well dressed in an expensive looking suit. He looked around as if displeased by his surroundings.
She got out of her car and was surprised when he called her name.
“Miss Miller, may I have a word with you,” he asked walking towards her.
“I really have to get back to work,” LaDonna said putting her purse on her shoulder.
“It won’t take long,” Ezekiel said approaching her. “My name is Willoughby. What I have to say will be over within a few minutes. I’ve already talked to your supervisor Mrs. Green and she told me that you were out to lunch. I’ve already secured permission to speak to you so you don’t have to worry about being late. I promised Mrs. Green not to keep you.”
“What is this about,” LaDonna asked looking up at him.
She watched as his eyes roamed over her in a dismissive fashion. He then cleared his throat and straightened his tie. He then pulled a wad of cash from his pocket and peeled off two hundred dollar bills and waved them in her face.
“For your time,” he said coolly. “Now if we can talk in my limousine, I’d appreciate it.”
“I don’t want your money,” LaDonna said staring at the money he was holding and then back up at his face. Who was this man and what did he want with her? She wrinkled her nose distastefully at the cash and shook her head.
“What do you want with me,” she asked folding her arms across her ample chest. “State your business. I don’t want to sit in your car.”
“Very well,” he said putting the money back in his pocket. “I understand that you’ve been accepted to Virginia State University. How are you going to pay for it? It’s my understanding that there are four other siblings behind you and your family is poor as church mice.” He appeared to chuckle at his own pun and LaDonna narrowed her eyes.
“Well don’t you worry about that,” LaDonna snapped, embarrassed by his words that were filled with contempt. “I don’t know who you are-”
“You don’t,” Ezekiel asked interrupting her and bringing his face closer to hers.
“No I don’t. How I get through college is my business not yours sir,” she snapped angrily. “I’m not for sale if that’s why you’re offering me money. I’m not that type of girl.”
“I’m not trying to buy you,” Ezekiel said straightening his stance. “However I would advise you to back up from the table and decline some desserts in the future if you would ever consider becoming a working girl. You’ve never had a boyfriend before and I can see why.”
LaDonna felt as if she’d been slapped. “How dare you! I have a boyfriend and I don’t have to sell my body to get money. You sir, are an asshole.”
Ezekiel chuckled. “A boyfriend? You mean Ezekiel Black?”
LaDonna was surprised. “How did you know?”
“You’d be surprised at what I know,” Ezekiel replied. “Which is why I have a proposition for you. I will pay for your four years at State free of charge if you agree to my terms.”
“Terms?”
“Yes, and before you turn me down, I want you to know that I also know that your parents are in deep debt. I could make things hard for them…and for you.” He said staring at her with cold eyes. “Your church doesn’t have but a few hundred members and they can’t help you either. Your father has several loans including one on the house you’re living in. They are a little late on their on the mortgage…and I could make matters worse for them if I wanted to.”
“Why? Why would you do that?” LaDonna asked wondering if this man was some sort of loan shark her father had gotten mixed up with. “What do you want from me?”
“It’s simple,” Ezekiel replied coolly. “I will pay off your parent’s debt and pay your tuition. All you have to do is break up with Ezekiel Black and never speak to him again.”
LaDonna was stunned by his request and stared at the man in disbelief.
“Do you know Ezekiel?” she managed to ask, as her throat was suddenly dry.
As she said the words and looked up at him, she stared into his cold green eyes that were filled with anger and contempt. She stepped back suddenly finding it hard to breathe.
“You…you look like Ezekiel…a little,” she gasped surprised.
“I should,” Ezekiel replied smugly. “He’s my grandson.”
Chapter 2
LaDonna’s thoughts were in a whirlwind. What was she to do? That horrible grandfather of Zeke’s had threatened her as well as her family. Zeke had never spoken of his grandfather before and now she could understand why.
How cruel was fate to send someone to take away the only man she’d ever loved? Her Zeke! He was hers, even though this grandfather of his had deemed her unworthy of his grandson. Could she let him go? Could she sacrifice her happiness to save her family?
LaDonna had felt as if she was suffocating in his presence as he looked down at her. She had seen it before, the dismissive looks of men who deemed her not worth their time. Then there was the prejudice she saw in his eyes, the racist bastard. What would her father say? Pray for those who despitefully use you. Well, she knew that Willoughby needed prayer, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it at the moment.
Her father had always told her that in situations like these she would need some time to pray and meditate and seek God’s direction. She was glad it was Friday and that she got off in a couple of hours.
She’d gotten rid of Willoughby by asking him to give her time to think about his offer. She didn’t want the old bastard going off halfcocked. He seemed pleased with her response, empowered by her obvious fear and had left her his card, warning her not to say anything to Ezekiel or that all bets would be off.
She finished her shift and drove to the church, glad that she had a key since she was the youth musician. It was now four in the afternoon and no one was there, and she sighed in relief.
She quickly entered the church and headed to the sanctuary where she fell on her knees in prayer. After thirty minutes of quiet with her mind racing, she finally began to pray telling the LORD of her day and asking what she should do. Once she finished, she lay there prostrate at the altar and her planned tryst with Zeke came to mind. Shame washed over her but she pushed it back.
“I want him,” she admitted to God out loud. Her father had told her that God wasn’t surprised by anything and that she could always tell him what she wanted Him to know. Would God be angry because she wanted sex outside the bonds of marriage? Now that the grandfather had shown up, was this the end of her and Zeke? She lay there another ten minutes and then felt the urge to get up and leave. She felt better after she stood up and looked around the sanctuary.
“I know you want me to wait,” she whispered aloud. “But I don’t want to. Why have you given me these strong feelings and desires? Now that man wants me to leave him alone entirely. I guess it’s a sign of sorts that maybe Zeke has some unfinished business to attend to first. I leave it in your hands.”
Satisfied, she left the church, locking the door and headed to her car.
Ezekiel Willoughby smirked as he watched LaDonna Miller enter the church. No other cars were there and he couldn’t figure what she was up to. Praying perhaps? He laughed at the thought. Prayer wasn’t going to help her in the least. Such a silly little girl.
He instructed his driver to leave and they headed to Rosa Black’s home. He knew that Zeke was still at work and wouldn’t get off for a few more hours. His PI had been very thorough. Just the thought of his flesh and blood prostrating himself by working at a Walmart angered him.
The limo pulled up in front of the modest home that he felt his son had bought for Rosa. He got out the limo and looked around. It was a mostly black neighborhood…working class. What the hell had Easy been thinking about bringing his grandson down here? He shook his head. He couldn’t understand why Zeke was working at Walmart of all places. He didn’t have to work at all. None of it made sense to him. Ezekiel wanted answers and he was about to get them now.
He instructed the driver to wait and walked up to the front door and knocked hard.
Rosa opened the door and he was taken aback a bit that she didn’t seem at all surprised to see him.
“If you’re looking for Zeke he’s at work Mr. Willoughby,” she remarked dryly.
“I came to see you Rosa,” he replied straightening his stance and his tie. “We need to talk.”
“Oh really?” she asked dryly, still blocking the doorway.
“Yes, we do. I want to talk about Easy and why he gave away his own flesh and blood to you to raise,” Ezekiel replied angrily.
“You gave me Easy to raise didn’t you,” Rosa snapped back. “Easy did the same thing you did accept he made it legal. I’m his son’s legal mother now.”
Ezekiel wasn’t expecting that response and stared at her speechless.
“Come in and say what’s on your mind,” Rosa said opening the door wider. “Ain’t no use turning you away. Knowing you, you’ll hound me until you get to say your peace anyway.”
Ezekiel followed her into the house looking around. Pictures were everywhere. There were pictures of his son and Rosa when Easy was a young boy. When had she taken them? Christmas pictures, there were several pictures of Easy at church. When did Easy attend any services?
Ezekiel had stopped following Rosa to look at the wall filled with pictures of his son Easy, Avis and then Zeke. The wall told a story, a story that he wasn’t a part of. It started with just Easy and Rosa at his home in Richmond from the time he was a baby until Rosa had been fired. Then there were pictures of Easy and Avis, pregnant with Zeke. Also there were pictures of the three of them; Easy and Avis holding baby Zeke with Rosa standing behind them as they sat for the photographer. They had taken professional pictures together!
He turned to find Rosa watching him and tried to control his rage.
“How dare you! How dare you have pictures of MY SON as if you’re his mother! HOW DARE YOU!”
Rosa laughed. “How dare I? You left him with me, Senator while you were away for weeks at a time trying to run the country and the good old Commonwealth of Virginia, remember? Life went on as you pursued prestige, power and money. Your son was in good hands.”
Anger coursed through Ezekiel as he turned back to the wall, drawn to the sight before him against his will. He didn’t have any pictures like these of him and his son. He glared at a picture of a young Zeke sitting on Santa’s lap, when he was no more than three years old. He moved down further to the end where pictures of Zeke’s high school graduation was with Rosa’s arm proudly around him and Zeke grinning happily at the camera. He could tell Zeke from Easy because Zeke had a heart shaped face while Easy had a square jaw. Other than that the two appeared identical.
He stepped back from the wall and tried to keep his face impassive, but he was cut to the core. He glared at Rosa, shaking with rage. His son was dead and now he had nothing! Nothing!
“How could Easy do this to me? I am his father,” he hissed angrily.
“How could Easy do this to YOU?” Rosa asked crossing her arms. “How could you do to Easy what you did to HIM? You placed that baby in my arms when he was three months old! You gave me full charge of him! How could I not help but love and nurture him? You were gone all the time!”
“You turned my son against me!” Ezekiel accused. “I trusted you and you turned him against me!”
“I did not!” Rosa replied. “I told him that you were away on important business! I never said a mean word against you even after you fired me!”
Ezekiel glanced back at the wall and waved his hand at it. “And what about all this? Do you gloat every day knowing that you stole my son from me and now my grandson?”
“I did not steal him. YOU GAVE HIM TO ME... AND THEN YOU FIRED ME,” Rosa yelled. She wiped the tears in her eyes and glared up at him. “I loved him like my own son, but that didn’t matter to YOU! It was just a job as far as you were concerned, but it was never that way between me and Easy. You don’t even know how he got that nick name do you?”
Ezekiel stared at her dumbfounded, unable to remember where the name Easy came from.
“I used to sing to him when he was sick. I’d sing the Commodores, ‘Easy like Sunday morning.’ And he liked it. He used to say to me from time to time, Mama Rosa, I’m Easy…Easy like Sunday morning’ and it stuck.”
“Nonsense. Easy is just a nickname for the first part of Ezekiel.” Willoughby said turning back to the wall.
Rosa laughed which only irritated him further. How dare she laugh at his misery?
“What did you do with all the money that my son left you in his will? Why is my grandson working at a Walmart when he has ten million dollars at his disposal? Why do you have him here in this hovel? It may be good enough for you, but it’s not good enough for my family. The least you could have done is buy a decent home after Easy left you his money.”
Rosa laughed again. “Easy loved it here when he came down to be with Avis. You know they ran away from you and came here to live with me, don’t you? They lived with me until Easy decided to return to you and claim his inheritance.”
“He lied to me! He told me that Avis left him and that’s why he came home. He went to William and Mary like I’d asked him and all the time he was plotting to take my money,” He looked around the house in distain. “He funneled his money here to YOU! Then as soon as he came into his full inheritance, he ran off with that red head harlot and married her and gave you his own flesh and blood to adopt.”
“First of all, Avis was not a harlot” Rosa insisted. “She was a good girl. My pastor married her and Easy and then they got their own place and left Zeke with me. Second, that money was his from his Mama. It was never yours, Willoughby. You just controlled it until he turned twenty five. Easy and Avis loved their son, but they were afraid of you.”
“What was there to be afraid of?” Ezekiel snapped angrily. “I loved my son! I gave him everything-”
“Accept yourself and the freedom for him to make his own choices,” Rosa pointed out, interrupting him. “You were suffocating him! He loved Avis and you should have accepted her. So what if her aunt was a prostitute. She took Avis in and helped her have a better life than she had. She helped put her though school. Avis had never had a boyfriend before Easy. Did you know that? She was afraid of sex and intimacy, after having been exposed to so much cruelty and decadence as a child. She didn’t want her aunt’s life.”
Ezekiel cleared his throat. “You expect me to believe that….that girl was a virgin? He rolled his eyes “Please!”
“Easy loved her; and she loved him. She got pregnant with Zeke and I helped them all I could. It was Easy’s own decision to return to you. God gave you another opportunity to win back your son and you messed that up! It’s your own fault that you don’t have Easy or Zeke in your life.”
“God?” Ezekiel scoffed. “There is no God.” Her words stung and he turned away from her back to the wall.
Rosa shook her head and looked at him sadly. “You don’t get it do you?”
“Look, I want access to my grandson. What lies have you told him to turn him against me?” Willoughby insisted. He wanted to knock the pictures of the wall and smash them to bits.
“I haven’t told him anything about you,” Rosa said glaring at him. “Everything he knows your own son told him when he turned thirteen. Easy told me that he’d explained everything in a letter he left with his lawyer that you were to receive when Zeke turned nineteen if he wasn’t living. You see even though you messed up with Easy, he wanted to still give you a chance to make amends by telling you about your grandson.”
“Make amends? For what? For loving him, raising him, sending him to the best schools? Wanting the best for him?” Ezekiel ranted. “How did he repay me? By betrayal, that’s how!”
“You wanted him to be YOU. He didn’t want to be you, OK?” Rosa said pointing a finger in his face.
“You don’t know a damn thing!” Ezekiel snapped, glancing back at the wall again, which was like a testament of his failures with his son. “We had a legacy to uphold. He was a Willoughby which earned him certain privileges and well as some responsibility.” He leaned forward, glaring at Rosa. “Our family line goes back to the Revolutionary War. My ancestors fought alongside General Washington and helped to establish this country! Willoughby’s have been shaping this nation from its beginning!”
“And you think that the country will fall apart if a Willoughby’s not in office somewhere?” Rosa asked sarcastically.
“You don’t know anything!” Ezekiel snapped turning back to the wall, unable to help himself.
“I know you’re a miserable old goat who needs to control everything you touch thereby killing it. I know that.” Rosa snapped back at him.
“You’re going to pay for that nasty remark,” he said moving closer to Rosa, wanting to strike out at something or someone to feel better.
“You can’t come in my house and threaten me!” Rosa said moving closer to him. “I’m not afraid of you Ezekiel Willoughby. You had better be afraid of me!”
“Oh really, why is that?” He sneered angrily.
“Because everything you want, I have. You have your money and your big houses and your minions doing your bidding, but you never had Easy, and you’ll never have Zeke unless you change your sinful and evil ways,” Rosa said with her hands on her hips.
“We’ll see about that!” Ezekiel growled.
He then turned and walked out the door slamming it behind him.
LaDonna sat in her father’s library and told him everything that had happened. He didn’t interrupt her and for that she was glad. When she had finished, she looked up at him, his expression grim. She’d told him about going to the church to pray, but not about her desire for Zeke.
“So the chickens have finally come home to roost” her father remarked dryly.
“What do you mean, Papa? Do you know Mr. Willoughby?” LaDonna asked surprised.
“Nah, I don’t know him personally, but I know of him from what his son has told me. You see Dee, I married Zeke’s parents. Zeke’s grandfather is an overbearing man who tried to control every aspect of his son’s life. Now he’s moved on to Zeke…or at least he’s going to try to move on that way.”
“What can I do? I mean he threatened to ruin me and all of us if I don’t leave Zeke!”
LaDonna wrung her hands in her lap. “He wants me to breakup with Zeke!”
“Did you say anything to Zeke about this?” her father asked.
“No of course not!” she moaned. “I can’t. He threatened me if I say anything.”
“LaDonna, you can’t give in to that man’s threats. You keep telling me that you’re a woman now, so act like it! I can take care of myself. You have a partial scholarship at State and student loans, so you’re set for this year. Don’t touch that man’s offer of free money. Don’t sell yourself short. You may have to work hard to put yourself through college, but at least you’ll be your own person and not beholden to anybody least of all that man Willoughby! Do you understand me?”
“Yes Papa,” she sniffed looking at her father with tears in her eyes.
“Now if you don’t want to be with Zeke, then leave him alone, but that’s your decision not Willoughby’s, understand?”
“Yes, Papa,” she said nodding.
“Don’t every cow tow to anybody, girl. Be your own woman. It may be painful, but you’ll be glad that you remained your own woman in the end, and that’s what counts. Look that man in the eye and tell him where to go! Now let’s pray that God will give you strength to stand.”
LaDonna nodded and took her father’s hands. His voice comforted her as he began to pray. She thought about Zeke and the weekend she was to plan for the two of them. Obviously now she couldn’t talk to her father about that. She had to talk to Zeke, tell him what was going on. Her father finished the prayer and hugged her. Tears ran from her eyes and she had to admit that she did feel better.
“I love you, baby girl,” her father said kissing her cheek. “Always seek God and he will guide you through this mess, OK?”
“OK, Papa” she said nodding.
Zeke walked out of the Walmart later that evening, glad that the day was over. It was a little after six and he was off on Sunday. He’d plan to go to church and listen to the solo LaDonna told him that she would sing. The sun was still bright and he put on his shades and headed though the parking lot.
He walked over to Mama Rosa’s minivan that he drove and decided to shower and call LaDonna to see if they could meet for dinner. He knew that she wouldn’t want to be out too late because of church. She had sounded distant when he’d called her on his break earlier and wondered what was wrong, but decided to wait to talk to her face to face.
He was surprised to see a black limousine parked several spaces from where he parked and he quickly unlocked the door of the van. The door of the limo opened and a tall man with mixed gray hair climbed out.
“Ezekiel!”
Zeke was surprised that the man knew his name and turned to face him.
“Yes, do I know you?” He asked, removing his shades.
“No but I’m about to rectify that,” the man said moving closer. “We need to talk.”
Ezekiel glanced at him and then stepped back stunned. The man had an uncanny resemblance to his father, except that he was older. That could only mean one thing.
“I see you recognize me,” the man said smugly and Zeke didn’t like his tone.
“Do I?” Zeke responded casually.
“Let’s not play games Ezekiel,” the man said narrowing his eyes as he looked him up and down.
“Very well, what do you want,” Zeke asked coolly.
“A moment of your time,” The man replied.
Zeke studied him a moment trying to remember everything his parents had told him about Ezekiel Willoughby.
“A moment, huh,” He responded. “Fine. Let’s go to dinner. I’m starved.”
His grandfather seemed generally surprised at his response and smiled at him.
“Of course. My treat. Where do you want to go,” he asked grinning at his perceived victory.
Zeke looked at him not being fooled a minute by his smile. “Let’s go to Red Lobster. It’s right down the street.”
“Fine.” Ezekiel Willoughby remarked. “Get in. I’ll take you home so that you can change out of that Walmart shirt!”
“No, I’ll drive,” Zeke insisted, getting in the van and rolling down the window. “Come on. I don’t need to change.”
He quickly started the van and pulled off leaving his grandfather standing by the limo staring after him. Zeke pulled out his cell and called Rosa.
“Mama Rosa, guess who showed up on my job,” He snickered.
“I don’t have to guess. Your grandfather has already came here to the house earlier,” she remarked sourly.
“We’re going to Red Lobster for dinner so that we can bond,” Zeke chuckled. “Why didn’t you call me?”
“I figured I’d wait to see if he would approach you. I didn’t want to upset you needlessly while you were working. Don’t take your grandfather lightly Zeke. He’s mean as a snake and I don’t trust that man as far as I can throw him and you know I can’t pick him up!”
“Don’t worry Mama,” Zeke replied. “We’re just talking. Didn’t you raise me right? I’m not falling for his money or whatever else he tries to offer me. “
“Just be careful, Zeke and call me back when you leave dinner, OK?”
“OK” Zeke agreed.
He pulled into the parking lot of Red Lobster and quickly texted LaDonna. She responded saying that she needed to talk to him and that it was very important.
He watched as the limo pulled into the lot and quickly texted her back saying that he was taking care of some family business and would call her later. He then put the phone on vibrate and returned it to his pocket. He walked into the restaurant and asked for a table for two.
Ezekiel Willoughby was surprised that his grandson was eager to go to dinner with him. Perhaps getting him under his wing wouldn’t be as hard as he had first imagined. He smiled to himself.
He walked into the Red Lobster, which wasn’t his type of restaurant, but he’d put up with it for his grandson. He looked around, trying not to show the distain he felt. He spotted Zeke talking to a waitress. He looked back and beckoned him to follow him as the waitress led him to a secluded table. Ezekiel Willoughby wished that Zeke had gone home and changed out of that ridiculous Walmart shirt. His grandson was a walking advertisement, and he found himself cringing at the sight.
He sat down ready to take control of the conversation, but Zeke was way ahead of him.
“So, Willoughby, what do I owe this pleasure of your visit,” he asked picking up the menu.
“I’m your grandfather. You will call me grandfather,” Ezekiel demanded.
Zeke stared at him as if he were stupid. “I don’t know you, sir. You have to earn the right to be called Grandfather. So until you do, you will be Willoughby or Mr. Willoughby whichever you prefer. However you do not have the privilege of being addressed as grandfather.”
Ezekiel stared at his grandson speechless. No one had ever spoken to him that way before and he wasn’t about to accept what Zeke was saying.
“Now see here, young man-”
“No, you listen,” Zeke responded, interrupting him, leaning forward. “I don’t know you. I know who you are and we may be blood relations, but I feel nothing for you. You can change that feeling to hate or love, that’s your choice.”
“I don’t know what Rosa told you-”
“Mama Rosa hasn’t turned me against you,” Zeke responded interrupting him once again.
“Your father-” Willoughby sputtered.
“Was scared to death of you, but I’m not,” Zeke responded.
“Easy had no reason to be afraid of me,” Willoughby insisted. “I loved him! He was my only son! I gave him everything-”
“Do you think that was what he wanted,” Zeke asked putting down the menu. “To be treated like a puppet in your hands?”
“Now see here-”
“The truth hurts, huh?” Zeke asked sipping his water. He set down the glass. “Look Willoughby, I don’t know what you expect from me. If you came down here to buy me, I’m not for sale. I have access to my father’s inheritance. If you came to try to manipulate me like you did my father, it won’t work. However if you want to get to know me, then maybe we can work something out.”
Willoughby stared at the young upstart. How had he turned the tables like that? He decided to take another approach.
“Why are you working at Walmart when your father has left you ten million dollars? Why are you going to that Negro college when you have better opportunities presented to you,” Ezekiel sputtered.
“The money was left to Rosa. Yes, I know it’s mine. She told me as much, but you see Willoughby,” he said pausing for effect. “Mama Rosa told me that she wanted me to learn to take care of myself and not have things handed to me. You see, if I allowed things to mean that much to me, to become my source, then someone could come and take things away from me.”
“That’s ridiculous!”
“You gave Papa everything and then when he didn’t do like you wanted, you snatched the money from him. He’d never worked a day in his life, depended totally on you and you used that to get him to do what you wanted. I’m not beholden to you that way and I never will be.”
“That’s not what happened,” Willoughby replied though he knew that there was some truth in what Zeke was saying.
Zeke didn’t respond because the waitress came over to the table and he quickly placed his order. Willoughby didn’t know what to think about his grandson and after their orders had been placed, the waitress left them and they stared at each other a moment saying nothing.
“You seemed to have already made your mind up about me,” Willoughby said dryly.
“No, there’s room to change my mind or to confirm what I think about you, so which will it be?” Zeke asked grinning. “What do you want from me?”
“I want a relationship with my only living relative,” Willoughby insisted. “I want what’s best for you.”
“And you think you know what’s best for me because…” Zeke let his voice trail off and raised an eyebrow.
“I know that Negro college isn’t the best…that girl you’re screwing isn’t the best,” Willoughby began and was shocked when Zeke jumped to his feet.
“What’s your problem,” he asked surprised at the angry expression on Zeke’s face.
“You shut your mouth! There’s nothing wrong with Hampton University and there’s certainly nothing wrong with LaDonna. As for screwing her, I’m not and you will not use such terms and her name in the same sentence.”
“I’m just saying that you could do better,” Ezekiel replied coolly.
“First of all I’m doing what I want. Hampton is a good school. I plan on teaching. LaDonna is a good Christian girl, caring and kind.”
“You mean she’s a virgin,” Ezekiel replied dryly. “You want to be the first to plow through those thick thighs of hers, is that it? As for Hampton, I beg to differ with you. It’s a good school…for blacks.”
“You’re a racist,” Zeke said raising an eyebrow and shaking his head at his grandfather.
“It’s a Negro institution therefore it’s second class. Your girl may be pure, but you can do better,” Ezekiel insisted, ignoring his grandson’s comment.
“Listen to me old man,” Zeke responded through gritted teeth. “You know nothing about my wants or my needs. Your opinion doesn’t count with me.”
“You’ve been around those Negroes so long, that they’ve clouded your judgment. You even talk like them but that can be remedied with speech therapy. It’s disgraceful. How do you expect to be accepted into high society sounding like a Southern Negro? I can help you become the Willoughby you should be. I can open doors for you if you would just allow me to! Do you realize how many young people wish that they had a grandfather like me?”
Zeke laughed. “At what cost? My life? No thanks, old man,” he said as their dinner arrived. “I actually like my as you say, ‘negro dialect’. I don’t plan on changing my speech patterns to please you. I use proper English after all. Mama Rosa saw to that.”
“Yes, but you sound Black. You’re not black, boy. You’re a Willoughby, my heir!”
“Nope. I’m a Black, Rosa Black’s child,” he responded grinning.
Willoughby stared at Zeke as he heartily ate his seafood dinner. “No use wasting a perfectly good meal,” Zeke said looking up from his plate at his grandfather.
“That ten million you have is nothing. I’m worth much more than that! Everything I have can be yours if you would only allow me to give it to you,” Ezekiel replied.
“At what cost? My life? No thanks,” Zeke said between bites.
“It’s because of that girl, isn’t it?” Willoughby asked, throwing down his napkin.
“LaDonna? Leave her out of this!” Zeke said putting down his fork.
“She won’t stay with you. Women are fickle,” Willoughby pointed out.
Zeke shrugged his shoulders. “If she leaves me, then she was never mine to begin with.”
Willoughby stared at him his mouth agape as he watched Zeke continue to eat. Didn’t this boy care about anything? Yes! Rosa!
“Your precious Rosa has been milking your father for money for years. Did you know that? The only reason she took you in is because of the money your father came into.”
Zeke laughed. “Oh really? Well she can keep it. She gave me more than money could ever buy. She taught me independence. She steered me right and showed me how to live by faith passing her example on to me.” He finished off his food and pushed the plate back.
“Right now your mind is thinking of some way to snare me, some way to get me in your clutches. You can’t buy me. You can’t intimidate me, Willoughby. There is nothing you can take from me that will cause me to bend to your will. Mama Rosa and my parents saw to that and my training started at thirteen the same age of my own father when he had to learn firsthand how cruel life can be because you took Mama Rosa from him. Yes, they trained me on your ways and what you’d try to do and I must say that you didn’t disappoint. I don’t want anything you have, understand?”
Willoughby stared at the boy sitting across from him who was the spitting image of Easy, but was nothing like his son even when Easy rebelled against him. It was if he was playing a game that Zeke had already won. With Easy, it was tit for tat and there was always fear in his son’s eyes. However that wasn’t true with Zeke. He looked bored as if he knew every move he’d make before he made it. Willoughby was floored and tried to think of what to do.
“Just tell me what you want from me and be honest with yourself for once in your miserable life,” Zeke said leaning forward on the table.
Ezekiel stared at him a moment and didn’t say anything.
“What do you want from me?” Zeke asked again.
“I…I just want to get to know you…to be a part of your life.” Willoughby admitted, but to do so almost killed him. “You’re all I have left.”
“Good. You gave a truthful answer.” Zeke said wiping his mouth with the napkin.
“This is what we’ll do. I’ll quit my job at Walmart. I was going to do that anyway when school starts and I’ll come stay with you for the rest of the summer so that you can as you say, ‘get to know me.’ Of course I’ll return here from time to time to see Mama Rosa and LaDonna. In fact, let’s call this my new summer job. I’ll stay with you during the week, and come home on the weekends. What do you say?”
Willoughby stared at him totally speechless. He hadn’t had to blackmail or threaten Zeke to get him to come to Richmond, but he was going to do it on his own. Unbelieveable!
“What’s the catch,” he asked narrowing his eyes. “Why are you being so agreeable?”
“Catch? Does everything have to have a catch with you? Can’t someone do something because it’s the right thing to do,” Zeke asked grinning from ear to ear.
“Bah! Sentimental hogwash!” Willoughby exclaimed. “No one does something for nothing.”
“Ah, well then this is what I want. I want you to stop whatever manipulations you’re planning against Mama Rosa or anyone else that’s a part of my life in order to get your way. Stop it right now! I will come to Richmond and stay with you during the week so that we can get to know each other as you say. But that is a two way street. I will learn you, but you’ll also learn me. I’ll stay with you during the week, but you will not interfere in my life. I make my own decisions and if I chose to leave Richmond because you become too overbearing, you’ll accept it graciously.”
Willoughby stared at Zeke. Who did he think he was? He couldn’t tell him what to do! Yet he looked at Zeke and felt his heart leap as he saw Easy looking back at him. The boy looked so much like Easy that it was uncanny and unnerving, yet he didn’t act like his son at all. Zeke wasn’t afraid or intimidated by him.
“Fine” Willoughby said sighing. He had never dealt with anyone like Zeke before.
“It’s a deal.”