Page 116 of Pride and Protest
“I didn’t know he would be there!” Liza defended herself.
“I hope Bev didn’t get inside your head, child. Running after a man so uppity and stiff.”
“Granny, he is the kindest man I’ve ever known.”
“He’s certainly the richest,” Maurice offered.
“Shut up, Maurice,” all the women said in unison.
Bev and Granny wanted to hear the story of rescuing LeDeya all over again.
Every time they got to the part of LeDeya sending WIC the money, Bev rolled her eyes dramatically.
“If I’ve taught you girls anything, it’s never, ever, ever hand a man yourownmoney. What on earth was this child thinking?”Thiswas the lesson Bev wanted her girls to remember? Don’t hand over money? Not “Don’t fall for a liar”? “Don’t betray your family’s trust”?
LeDeya’s sheepish look gave way to curiosity. “Does Dorsey love you too?”
Sorry I misunderstood our relationship. It won’t happen again.Liza was about to say she didn’t know, but Janae cut her off.
“Actions speak louder than words. He gave me a hundred K to move around, no questions asked. He met us at the tarmac and looked at Liza like she was Audrey Hepburn. If I were judging, I would say yes.”
“No, Janae. Words mean something.” Liza shook her head. “He came close one time, and I”—Liza took a small breath in—“I had the wrong idea of him.”
“Well, he’s gotten over that.” Janae handed Liza her phone. “I don’t know what you did, but that man lost his damned mind.”
“What?” There was nothing amiss on her sister’s Instagram account.
“Scroll,” Janae instructed. She did, and she saw an ad:
“Hey DC, it’s Dorsey Fitzgerald. You may remember me from this meme.” A video popped out of their Netherfield Must Go meme. “Or this one.” He pointed to the gala image of them dancing. “Because of Liza Bennett, this area will have onehundred and seventy-five new, state-of-the-art affordable units. I think we can show her a little appreciation. Meet me at sunset on the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge at Anacostia Park.”
Liza’s phone buzzed and beeped.
“He bought, like, all the damn ad space for this region on Instagram,” Deya told her. “He’s everywhere.”
Liza’s phone buzzed, rang, dinged, and chirped. Gigi had shared an article of an interview with Dorsey from theWashington Post:
DC City Council Approves Six-Story Affordable Housing Unit in Merrytown Neighborhood in Public/Private Partnership with Pemberley Development
Liza had to get to the park tonight.
A hard knock on the door startled Liza out of her mirror stare. Janae had done her hair in the most intricate box braids she’d ever had. The baby hair was immaculate. LeDeya had polished and plucked and powdered her face until she looked... well, beautiful. She wore a cream maxi dress in gauzy woven chiffon. The ruffled short sleeves swept into a plunging V-neckline and a matching V-back. When she moved, the cascading maxi skirt showed off cinnamon brown thighs through a high front slit.
Janae clucked her tongue. “No one could say no to you tonight, Liza.” When she stepped out of her room, the silence told her everything. When even Bev didn’t criticize her for too much or too little of something, she counted herself lucky. She had now seen Dorsey’s Instagram ad seventeen times, and it was trending in DC, Maryland, Virginia, New York, and Philadelphia.
In the Lyft, her palms itched, and her heart pushed againsther chest like it wanted out. What on earth was he thinking? He must be nervous himself. Now that she knew him, she knew crowds exhausted him.
The ride was quick, but since the entire family piled up in one car to save money, Janae insisted on bringing her battery-operated steamer to straighten out the folds in Liza’s dress. Her sister fussed behind her until Liza slapped her hand away. LeDeya shoved a fist-sized puff into her face, and silicate power momentarily clouded Liza’s vision.
“For the shine,” she said, absently chewing gum and adding gloss to Liza’s lips. “You look good, sis.”
Maurice massaged her shoulders like a corner man in a boxing match. “Sis, the local news is out here. Don’t do that thing with your face in the pictures. The RBF is real.”
The white bridge overlooking the Anacostia River was positively teeming with people. Liza wondered how she would ever find Dorsey. So many people stopped to take photos with her. She was getting dizzy, whirling around and smiling.
Bev took Liza’s hand. For a moment, with her eyes misting over, it looked like her mother was about to say something beautiful.
“You better get pregnant. Fast.” Bev wiped a tear from her cheek. This was (Liza knew) the best she could expect.
