Hood Ornaments

Dell’s mind was racing as the truck came to a stop in waterfront lot. He reached between his legs and grabbed the duffel bag before extending his hand out over the front seat for Mann to shake. The pair exchanged obligatories, and then Dell shifted to face Sticks who raised an eyebrow at him and replied through a chuckle, “Oh that’s how you do family?”

He got out of the truck and opened Dell’s door. Sticks took the duffel bag from him and embraced him while palming the back of his head like he did when he was still in grade school. Dell listened to Stick’s word as if they were instructions for his life,

“I know all of this was a bit much for you, but it had to be done.” Sticks took a step back and handed his nephew back his duffel bag. Dell took it and nodded.

Sticks then turned around, reached behind him and grabbed the handle of the truck door to open it.

“Rondell, we are blood. No matter what, you come first. Anything you need, just call.”

Before Dell could reply the door on the truck slammed shut and Man began the exit out of the waterfront. All Dell could think about was cardinals. Cardinals, although, hunters, were not deceptive birds. So despite his favorite colors of red and black, Sticks couldn’t be considered a cardinal. Maybe he was more like a Blue Jay.

Dell read Blue Jays are vicious even though they were beautiful. Okay, maybe he was thinking a little too hard because in his head he just referred to his uncle as beautiful. That’s weird.

All of this was weird.

But it had to make sense sooner than later. He looked over the river at the city’s skyline and sighed heavily oblivious to Tori standing behind him with until she spoke.

“Is the answer out there?” She asked sarcastically. Dell whipped around and saw her in her paint stained overalls, plaits tucked in a bun, her bushy brow raised up at him in question. Her full lips were either smirking or smiling.

He couldn’t tell.

He put the bag down and held his arms out to hug her. That’s when he noticed her lips were definitely smirking.

“So you’re not gonna give me a hug? I see how you are.” Dell said playfully even though his heart was breaking on the inside. Tori wrinkled her face up and punched his chest.

“Boy I ain’t never hug you a day in my life and just because you disappeared and I thought you were dead don’t mean I’ma hug you now.”

“Wait, you thought I was dead?” Why the fuck would you think that?” Dell sounded concerned.

“Everybody thought it. Tony, Malik…Shit, I mean no one knew how to contact you. No one seen Sticks either so…”

Dell nodded, “I understand. Next time, go ask my mother. She knew where I was.”

“There better not be a next time.” Tori said with disdain dripping off of her full lips. Dell just wanted to kiss them so badly. But instead he asked her an awkward question.

“Is that paint on your clothes?”

“Yeah, another reason I should be pissed at you. Tony and I had to paint Trudy’s basement all by ourselves.”

“Where’s Malik?” Dell asked and immediately wished he could take it back because he knew what was coming next.

“Where the fuck were you?!” Tori screamed at Dell as he looked back over the river. She whipped him around by his elbow to look at him,

“The answer isn’t out there Dell. Tell me why you were gone so long and why you couldn’t answer your phone!!!”

“Sticks is an asshole.” Dell replied.

“No shit. Tell me something I don’t know.” Tori snapped back.

Dell took a deep breath and took Tori’s hand, “I’m not working for him anymore.”

Tori jerked her hand away, “Bullshit!”

“No shit.” Dell replied.

“You can’t get out just like that,” Tori more questioned than stated.

“How do you know youngin? You been watchin gangsta movies again?” Dell tried to get the conversation back to being playful.

“Don’t belittle me Rondell.”

Jesus, she is pissed.

Dell sighed heavily and guided her by her elbow towards a bench so she would sit down. She did with her arms still crossed and face frowned up. It was Dell’s mission to make her smile, but in order to do that he had to lie to her. He kept telling himself he didn’t have any other choice and that it would be worth it in the end,

“I’m serious Tor.”

“I’m listening.”

Dell took a deep breath and began to tell his tale of Sticks taking him to see the connect. For his protection his Blackberry was confiscated. He told about what transpired and how that scared and disgusted him. Dell went on to fabricate a story about fighting some muscle who talked slick to him at the house causing him to slip and fall getting a concussion. Dell then explained to Tori that he confessed to his uncle how after seeing what he saw and experiencing what he experienced he knew he wasn’t cut out for this life and wanted out.

“And so that’s it?” Tori asked, “You’re out?”

“Well no,” Dell chuckled, “It was a long ride home. We almost mapped out my whole future in the truck,” He paused, took a deep breath and swallowed.

Hard.

“I’m going to college Tori…”

Tori’s eyes became wide with confusion. Unfortunately, Dell didn’t have a chance to clear things up for her because they were interrupted by Tony approaching them.

“Dag, look who it is! Houdini and shit!” Tony said approaching Dell with his hand out for the pair to exchange dap. He then leaned in to kiss Tori on the cheek, but she cowered away slightly.

Dell frowned.

Tony frowned.

Tori stood up and kissed Tony on his chin, “This my lunch?”

“Yeah you might wanna take it back to the house before the roll gets soggy. You were gone awhile.”

“You comin Dell?”

Dell looked down at Tori, “I dunno if...”

Tori interrupted, “Boy, c’mon. You can finish tellin me what you goin to school for.”

The trio walked back towards the neighborhood. Dell retold his tale to Tony during the walk. He was pretty sure Tony would retell Malik later. Tony asked questions, but Dell’s answers didn’t make Tori smile. Even when he told about how beautiful the house or the pool was. He figured the only way to get her to smile was to talk about his school plans, but he wanted to wait for when they were alone for that. But by the looks of how Tony and Tori held hands the whole walk home, he didn’t know when that would be.

As they walked down Tori’s block, she looked up at the sky. The sun was setting, so the sky was a brilliant tangerine color with streaks of violet cirrus clouds traced in lavender. Tori unconsciously let go of Tony’s hand, gasped, and the warmest smile filled her face.

There it was! Dell was happy even if he wasn’t the source of that radiant smile, at least she was smiling.

To him, that’s all that mattered.

“Hope.” Dell said just loud enough for Tori to hear.

Still beaming she turned to Dell and nodded.

Tony looked confused, sucked his teeth, and walked towards Trudy’s house still armed with their lunch turned supper.

It was gonna be one long ass summer.