“You keep saying that.” He pulled back from her grip and looked at her. “But are we really going to be alright? There is no man in the house and you don’t have a job. How we going to be all right? We don’t have anything. Nothing!” Elijah said.

  “First of all, lower your voice. Secondly, I can go back to working in the salon. I will just have to put school on hold for a minute. Virgil had an insurance policy and that should help out a bit until things calm down. And as far as a man being in the house, we don’t need a man in the house right now. You’re the man. You’re in charge.”

  “I’m sorry, Mom.” He paused. “I’m worried.”

  “And you shouldn’t be.” She pecked his forehead. “You focus on making Virgil and me proud.”

  “Virgil wanted me to go to medical school and become a surgeon.”

  Khadijah smiled as she thought about how much Virgil meant to him. Elijah sat next to Khadijah. This was the first time he’d slept with her since he was four years old. She took him in her arms and brushed his hair.

  “I love you, Mom.”

  Five minutes later, Elijah dozed in her arms.

  Chapter 3

  The next morning, Khadijah and Elijah sat at the kitchen table attempting to eat breakfast. She’d prepared oatmeal. Elijah loved oatmeal and he usually paired it with bananas and blueberries. Today, he just toyed with his food, staring sadly into the bowl. The doorbell rang. Khadijah stood and tightened the belt on her house robe before making her way to the door. She peered through the peephole to find Malik and Clarence—Virgil’s coworkers from the city sanitation department. Clarence was a tall, skinny man with copper-colored skin and deep wavy hair. Malik was a tall, muscular guy with coal-black skin. Both guys hugged Khadijah before she let them inside.

  “Just thought we’d drop by to check on you,” Malik said.

  “We’re doing as best as we can. Still trying to realize our new reality.”

  Clarence said, “There was no way we’re working when we found out what happened.”

  “Who told you?”

  Malik said, “My cousin Rochelle lives up the block. She called me last night in a panic yelling that my friend had been killed. She was so hysterical that I could barely understand what she was saying. I asked her what friend. And she said the tall good-looking guy from Alabama, and that’s when I knew she was talking about Virgil. First, I thought she was kidding and then she kept saying that they shouldn’t have killed him. I called Clarence to see if he’d heard anything.”

  Clarence began tearing up. He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed his eyes. “I knew something was wrong when Malik called me at night. Everybody knows I’m in bed by nine, but when I saw that it was Malik calling, I knew it was trouble. It broke me down, Miss Khadijah. I ain’t never felt no pain like that before. I don’t know how I’m going to live without Virgil,” Clarence said. “Virgil was my brother.” Clarence continued to dab his eyes.

  Elijah entered the room and dapped up with both men.

  “How you doing, Elijah? You know Virgil would want you to be the man of the house.”

  “His last words were to take care of mom, and that’s what I intend to do,” Elijah said as he pushed his chest out.

  Khadijah interjected, “Med school was always Virgil’s dream for Elijah. He’d wanted him to attend Morehouse School of Medicine.”

  Malik rubbed Elijah’s head. “I know. He’d always say his number one goal in life was to make sure Elijah didn’t end up on the back of the trash truck.”

  “Job doesn’t seem all that bad to me,” Elijah said.

  “Believe me, son, this is not what you want to do. You know, the best part of this job is also the worst. We go all over the city. We get to go into neighborhoods that I ain’t even know existed and collect trash for millionaires,” Malik said.

  “Wow.”

  “But it just reminds us of how much time we wasted and how much of a failure we are at this thing called Life. Son I don’t want to be collecting trash for millionaires. I’d much rather be a millionaire” Malik said.

  Khadijah frowned and interjected, “Look, I’m not going to let you guys beat yourself up. You are honorable black men.”

  “Too bad you don’t get paid for being honorable,” Clarence laughed. “Virgil was so proud of you, Elijah. As a matter of fact, the last thing he’d said to us was that he was going to get his son a new iPhone for being a Principal’s Scholar. He’d said you hadn’t missed a day of school or made less than an A for the last two years.”

  Elijah looked at Khadijah, “Is that true, Mom?”

  Khadijah averted her eyes away from him. “Yes, son. He wanted you to have the new iPhone.”

  “Is this the phone that everyone is talking about?” Elijah asked.

  “Who was talking about?” Malik said.

  “There is word going around the neighborhood that Dad was killed about a phone.”

  Khadijah swallowed hard, refusing to look at Elijah. “Yeah, it’s true.”

  “I’m sorry.” Clarence turned away as he realized Elijah may be thinking that he was the reason that his father was murdered.

  “It’s okay. He was bound to find out anyway.”

  “So it’s my fault that Dad was murdered,” Elijah said.

  “Don’t be ridiculous. It’s not your fault.” Malik frowned.

  “It’s the knucklehead that murdered Virg’s fault,” Clarence said.

  Khadijah took Elijah’s hand and stroked it.

  Malik removed a large manila envelope from his back pocket and passed it to Khadijah.

  Her eyebrows raised. “What is this?”

  “There is seven thousand dollars in there that me, Malik, and Virgil saved together. It’s our rainy day fund and Virgil’s part was five thousand dollars and me and Clarence donated a thousand apiece so the money is yours.”

  Khadijah smiled before accepting the money. “Virgil ain’t never tell me nothing about no rainy day fund.”

  “It was his idea. Virg always said that he didn’t want to be caught without money if an emergency came up.”

  Khadijah smiled then thanked the men again. “Well, five thousand is enough. I don’t see why you’re donating a thousand of your own money.”

  “Khadijah, Virgil was…” He paused. “Virg is our brother. If you need the remaining money that we have, just let us know. Like I said, the money is for an emergency. We hope that this somehow helps.”

  “Thank you,” Khadijah said.

  “No need to thank us. The money is yours.”

  “Well, at least join Elijah and me for breakfast. It’s just oatmeal, but I can fry up some bacon if you want, “Khadijah said.

  “Malik doesn’t eat pork but I do.” Clarence smiled.

  “I’ll have some oatmeal,” Malik said.

  They sat and talked about Virgil and how things at work would never be the same without him. Clarence even suggested that he wanted to get moved to another department. He didn’t know if he could keep working in the sanitation department.

  “Virgil always talked about you guys,” Khadijah said. “You were special to him. He often said the best part of the job was that he got to work with you two.”

  “And we felt the same way about him,” Malik said as he sprinkled brown sugar on his oatmeal.

  “I just hope I don’t find out who did this to Virgil,” Malik said. “Khadijah, it’s been five years since I got out of prison and I’ve never thought about going back until now.”

  Elijah smiled. “That’s what I’m talking about!”

  Khadijah’s nostrils flared. “Boy, what are you talking about?

  “The person that did this needs to pay like Uncle Malik said.”

  Khadijah yanked Elijah’s arm. “Get them so you can go to prison? Is that what you wanna do? A geek like you won’t last in prison.”

  “A geek?” Clarence said as he laughed. “When I was in school, geeks were smart white kids.”

  “Right,” Khadijah said, “But Elijah and his friends are little black Nerds.”

  “Blerds,” Clarence said.

  “Blerds,” Khadijah laughed.

  “Not thug life but blerd life.”

  “But this ain’t right, Mom,” Elijah said.

  “Last night, you were talking about going to school, becoming a doctor, making Virgil proud.” She rolled her eyes. “Now you want to go and throw your life away, boy? You think I want you would do something stupid to destroy this family?”

  “This family?” Elijah narrowed his eyes. “There is not a family, Mom. It’s just you and me now.”

  “Boy, don’t you start with me,” Khadijah said as she stared at her son.

  Elijah lowered his head and avoided his mother’s eyes.

  Khadijah took hold of Elijah’s face and turned it toward her. “Do not be thinking you are going out there getting no revenge. Do you hear me, Elijah Romello Holiday?”

  Romello was Elijah’s middle name. Khadijah rarely used it, but when she did use it, Elijah knew that she meant business.

  Malik said, “Listen to your mama.”

  “Uncle Malik, you just said—”

  “Elijah, I’m a grown man.” He sighed. “The Virgil I knew wouldn’t want you doing anything stupid. He was so proud of you, man. He hardly ever hung out with us because he was always talking about going home to make sure you had done your homework. He recently told us that he could no longer help you and that your schoolwork was too complicated for him.”

  Elijah grinned, remembering how Virgil would help him with his math homework until it had become too difficult for even him. Then he’d watch YouTube videos to learn it, so he could help out Elijah.

  Malik said, “Look at me, Elijah.”

  Elijah looked at Malik.

  “Promise me you won’t try to get revenge.”

  “I promise.”

  “The last thing we need is you going out there getting yourself hurt.”

  Chapter 4

  The detectives introduced themselves as Larry Robinson and Mark Darnold. Robinson was a burly copper-toned man and Darnold had beautiful auburn skin with a prominent nose and large rose-colored lips. Khadijah led them into the small living room and directed them to the sofa. Khadijah sat opposite the detectives on the matching love seat. She offered them water, but they declined.

  Darnold bowed his head. “I want to start off by offering my condolences, Ma’am. I can imagine this must be a very difficult time for you and your family.”

  Khadijah glanced at his sparkling gold wedding band. “Mr. Darnold, do you still have your wife?”

  “Yes.”

  “So then you can’t really imagine what I’m going through?”

  “You’re right, I can’t.”

  She forced a smile “I need you to find the men that did this to my husband.”

  “Man or men?” Darnold asked, raising his eyebrow.

  “Why don’t you find out, Officer Darnold?’

  Darnold avoided Khadijah’s eyes. Elijah burst into the room and the detectives turned their attention to him.

  “Did you find the man that murdered dad?” Elijah asked.

  Robinson cleared his throat, revealing a toothy smile. “What’s your name, young man?”

  “Elijah,” he said as he plopped down on the arm of the love seat. “Did you find out who killed my father?”

  “We’re working on it,” Darnold said.

  Detective Robinson said, “It’s an ongoing investigation.”

  “He was killed over an iPhone,” Elijah said.

  Darnold said, “We can’t talk about specifics.”

  “I’m telling you. It was about a phone.”

  “And how do you know that?”

  “Because his friends told me that he’d bought me a new phone for making Principal’s Scholar.

  “Is that right?” Darnold said.

  “Yeah, there a path behind Miss Connie’s house that he takes when he gets off the city bus.”

  “Have you spoken to Miss Connie?” Khadijah asked. “Her name is Connie McClure.”

  “Can’t really speak on it because the investigation is ongoing,” Detective Robinson said. His eyes were genuine. “I hope you understand.”

  “I do.”

  “So your husband bought an iPhone when he got off from from his job on Friday?”

  “Yes. We had discussed it. He bought it for my son for making Principal’s Scholar.”

  “Congratulations,” Darnold said. “My daughter made Principal’s Scholar.”

  “I’ve made it every year since I was in the first grade,” Elijah said.

  “Bashful huh,” The detective said.

  “Kill the sarcasm,” Elijah said.

  “Elijah.” Khadijah raised her eyebrows. “We don’t talk to adults like that, especially adults in authority.”

  “I was being sarcastic,” Robinson said.

  Detective Darnold cracked his knuckles. “Do you have any idea where he bought the iPhone? Did he use a credit card?”

  Khadijah shrugged. “I have no idea, but I’m sure he didn’t use a credit card. A check card perhaps but Virgil didn’t believe in credit, he could have used a debit card but we had separate accounts, so you have to gain access to his account. Khadijah said, then she dialed Malik’s number.

  “Malik, it’s Khadijah. Do you know where Virgil purchased the cellphone?”

  Khadijah nodded as she continued her conversation with Malik as the detectives studied her face.

  Khadijah ended the call. “He said he didn’t know for sure, but he thinks that he picked it up from the check-cashing center on Jackie Robinson Blvd.”

  “So you don’t know the name of the place where he was going to cash the check?”

  “I think it’s called Jewel’s Check Cashing.”

  “Does Jewel’s sell iPhones?”

  “I suppose,” Khadijah said.

  “This was very helpful, Mrs. Holiday,” Robinson said.

  “Now, find out who did this,” Elijah said.

  Darnold stared into Elijah’s eyes. “We will.”

  “You better find them, or I will find them myself.”

  Khadijah cut her eyes at Elijah, not knowing what to make of his new bravado attitude. She had never heard him talk like that before.

  Elijah lowered his head and stormed out of the room.

  Khadijah said, “It’s been hard for him. My husband was the only positive male role model he’s ever had in his life, except my father who died two years ago.”

  “Virgil must have been a special man. The community has said a lot of great things about him,” Detective Darnold said.

  “He was everything to us.” Her eyes met Detective Darnold’s “Which is why I said earlier, you can’t even imagine what we’ve been going through.”

  The detectives stood.

  Elijah entered the room again. “Go find my dad’s killer. You got to at least give us that.”

  Khadijah embraced Elijah.

  The detectives nodded before exiting the house. When the detectives were gone Khadijah turned to Elijah. “Now you keep acting like you gonna try to get some revenge. I’m warning you Elijah, go out there and do something stupid, and I’m gonna fuck you up. You hear me boy?”

  Chapter 5

  Brandon, Elijah, and Daniel sat on the steps of the porch sharing a bag of Rap Snacks: Cardi B Cheddar Bar-B-Que chips.

  “Bruh, everybody was asking about you today in school,” Daniel said as he shoved a handful of chips into his mouth.

  “What did you tell them?” Elijah asked.

  “Told them you had a family emergency,” Daniel said.

  Elijah was glad his friends hadn’t disclosed the real reason for his absence. He knew that a lot of the kids at the school thought of his neighborhood as the hood. He remembered once when they were in the seventh grade, they were on field trip and the bus detoured into Westgate. A girl named Jarricka Davis pointed to a few of the boarded-up homes that were on Elijah’s street and said, “Look at those boarded-up houses. They must be crack houses. I’d rather be homeless than live in a roach-infested neighborhood like this.”

  “How do you know that its roach infested?” a girl named Valarie asked.

  “Because it looks roach infested. I wouldn’t be surprised if there weren’t rats in these homes either.”

  Elijah shriveled into his seat. Nobody knew exactly where he lived and he liked it that way. He didn’t want people to know he lived in the hood or that he received free lunch.

  “So who asked about me?” Elijah asked.

  “Miss Scott, the English teacher. And Coach Harper asked me about you.”

  “Coach Harper has been begging me to join the wrestling team. Since I’m short and stocky, he said I would make a good wrestler, people always just assume because I’m stocky I either play football or wrestle. Its annoying I never hear anyone ask Brandon if he plays basketball.”

  “Bruh, It happens at least once a week,”Brandon said. It mostly comes from white people,” Brandon was tall skinny kid his skin was a deep chocolate color. He wore a short fro with a taper.

  “I ou being a good wrestler,”Daniel said.

  “And you strong as hell,” Brandon said.

  “Maybe. Virgil wanted me to give it a shot next year.”

  “You should do it this year,” Brandon said. “I mean, I think it will get your mind off all the things that are going on.”

  “That’s the last thing on my mind right now,” Elijah said.

  There was a silence.