Hood Ornaments

“Where is she? Where are we going?”

“That’s two questions Dell. But lucky for you, I’ll let it slide since they both have the same answer.”

Dell glared and Sticks answered with a nod, “Chicago.”

It was surreal how quickly Dell packed

It seemed like Sticks waited until he drove half way there before stopping at a rest stop. Dell, honestly, didn’t think about eating because his mind was occupied tryin to come up with best case/worst case scenarios about what the hell was happening with Tori. He would sacrifice eating until he found out.

That was until he noticed this particular rest stop had a Popeye’s. He sighed and chuckled to himself as Sticks parked.

“I had to get you to eat somehow.” He remarked as he opened the door. Dell followed behind him. He was a little amazed but more annoyed at the fact Sticks knew him so well. That, or he knew Dell was still a little frightened of him. But scared or not, apparently Tori wasn’t okay. All that mattered to Dell is that he could help change that situation as quickly as possible.

Dell ordered two meals for himself which came with two drinks. Sticks raised an eyebrow at him as they walked back to the truck.

“We ain’t stoppin anymore until we get where we goin.”

“That’s why I bought the extra meal.”

“I’m talkin bought the extra soda.”

Dell shrugged, “its strawberry.”

“Make sure you finish one of them cups, in case you gotta piss.”

Dell frowned. Sticks didn’t acknowledge it. They got into the truck and ate in silence for a while. Finally, Sticks wiped his hands and began to explain the precursor to the Tori situation:

Dell could not ask questions until Sticks was finished

Dell had to go along with the plan.

He also, as usual, had to keep his mouth shut.

“But not before telling me what the fuck went wrong at the funeral home?”

Dell’s insides were shaking, but he had learned how to stop it from reverberating to the outside. He didn’t know how to answer him, so he decided to tell the truth.

“I was gonna do it all wrong. Leek was pissed. He...”

“…did what he had to do”

“Have you talked to him?”

The look Sticks gave Dell would have been comical if that was his intention. Dell read it as one of disgust.

“In the wind until further notice. But we have to stay focused right now. The future of my Goddaughter depends on it.”

Little by little, Sticks divulged what was going on now, and what they were going to do next. When Dell found out Tori was arrested and being held in Chicago, he almost got sick. The thoughts of Tori going through a trial, having to relive the rape, and sitting a cell in Chicago until they extradited her back to the city was almost too much for him to handle. Dell was so enraged he wanted to go the morgue with an axe and destroy what was left of those bodies.

“I’m not second guessing you, but couldn’t she plead temporary insanity because of…”

“The rape? No police report. No proof.”

“She’s got us?”

Sticks laughed hard, “She had y’all. Tony’s dead. Leek killed him and you don’t need to bring any attention to yourself at all. You dropped your classes, right?”

Dell nodded.

“Good.”

Sticks, very methodically, began to speak this plan into existence. Dell, of course, listened intently without verbally interrupting. There were times when the expressions on his face would ask questions, and they were acknowledged with affirmative nods or the dismissive waves of a hand.

At times, Sticks would actually crack a joke or make a sarcastic comment. And Dell was surprised when he noticed himself laughing. Then the embarrassment set in, and his laughter ceased almost with a snap. It was at that point, Sticks reached over and rubbed his nephew’s shoulder.

“It is okay. There is a time to cry, and a time to laugh.”

“Did you just quote…?”

“…Ecclesiastes three four, I sure did. Why does everyone look so shocked when I quote scripture? You do remember Rev. Luke? Your father? My brother? And besides all that, boy, didn’t Luke ever preach about how even the devil knows the Bible?”

He chuckled but didn’t wait for Dell to respond, “I don’t care what I may have done, thought about doin, or wished I did. The Most High probably, no scratch that, I know he didn’t approve of what I have done; but I ain’t no devil. You can trust and believe that.”

“So you believe in God?”

“Not in the traditional sense no.” I am more of a metaphysical type of cat. Spiritual.”

Dell’s face was contorted with confusion.

“Okay, lemme put it like this. Christianity is based on fear. There is this mystical being called God who sits in a paradise called heaven giving man all of these cryptic rules and harsh punishments when you break these rules. Why would I worship something like that?”

Dead silence.

“Now Jesus? Jesus I can roll wit. All that man did was preach about Love and unity and sacrifice. He healed folk. Fed the poor. Unconditionally Loved people. Sinners or not.”

“But I thought Jesus is God?”

“Nowhere in the Bible does it say those three words. But then again, the Bible was written by man. Man is fallible.”

“So if man is fallible, could they have just forgotten to put those three words in there?”

“Hmmm. If you were condemning me to hell, I’d say you sound like Luke right now.”

There was a long silence in the truck for a while. Dell’s mind was racing about so many things. He was filled with guilt, fear, and doubt. He wanted to pray for Tori, but after that conversation with his uncle, he was now wondering if all of his prayers fell on deaf ears.

“You aiight Nephew?”

“I was just thinkin. So after everything you just said versus everything Pop says, prayin and plannin basically contradict themselves. Because what is meant to happen is gonna happen? I want to pray for Tori…”

“Then do it. There is nothing wrong with sending Love and positive energy into the Universe. It needs more energies like Trudy, Tori, Jasmine, you.”

“Me?”

“You’re a good kid Nephew. A little misguided sometimes, but when you put your mind to something, it gets done. Your love and compassion for others is amazing. In hindsight, I should have done more for you. Been there to send you in the right direction. Not that Luke hasn’t been there, but all that fire and brimstone shit would make anybody run and rebel.”

“Unc, you have done a lot for me…”

“Yeah now it looks that way. But I fucked up your life first.”

“Because you wanted to save it and Tori’s too. That’s Love.”

Again there was a long moment of silence.

“Are you gonna finish telling me what we’re gonna do?” Dell asked with a slight chuckle.

Sticks chuckled, “Oh, so you don’t want to call it a plan now huh?”

It is uncanny how he can read my mind.

With that, Dell listened intently to the rest of what his uncle had to say. It left him in shock.

“That is such a huge sacrifice.”

“But it’s necessary. And it will work.