Page 46 of Pride and Protest
“None other than Christopher De Berg, senator for Virginia!” Colin continued on with no encouragement. “He is giving me so much insight into the political world in DC, important movers and shakers... donors.” Colin let the last word hang. The airchilled a few degrees, and Colin laughed to fill in the silence. “Hey, but let’s not talk shop.”
“I think David and I were just leaving, actually.” Dorsey’s tone indicated that this was not a suggestion.
David looked surprised. “Yes. Yes, we have another appointment, I’m afraid.”
“Oh, stay for dinner.” Colin invited them as if it were his house. He pulled a sliver of meat from the plate of cold oxtail. Liza stopped herself from calling itDorsey’soxtail. “I’m sure Bev has baked her famous buttermilk pie.”
Bev unwrapped the package of store-bought buttermilk pie and stealthily threw it into the oven.
“We couldn’t possibly,” Dorsey said. He glanced at Liza and held her gaze forjusta beat too long to go unnoticed. He broke his gaze and gathered his jacket to leave. He was out of the house before Bev could say goodbye.
Bev huffed. “That man. I’m sorry he’s so damn rude. It pisses me off that a man as nice as David comes with a sack of sad baggage like that!” Bev looked over to Liza. “And what wasthatlook for?”
“What look?” Liza asked. She wasn’t used to her mother paying close attention to her.
“He gave you some kind of look before he left, like you were gum on the bottom of his shoe. I’m going to have to ask David to stop bringing that man by. All of that hair... He don’t look professional. Looks like he’s in a rock band or something.”
“Ma,” Janae said. “That’s too far. Dorsey is—”
“What? What is he? Standing over there pacing a hole in my carpet, doesn’t speak to anyone, tells Granny to call him Mr. Fitzgerald, doesn’t even stop to greet Colin, and snarls at Liza on his way out.”
“Thank you, Ma, but I’m fine,” Liza assured her.
“Now, Ms. Bev, you should be so lucky that a man like that would even come here. It shows his good-naturedness right there. I mean, look around. He must have been horrified—no offense.”
“None taken,” Liza said sarcastically.
“How many of us can say we know a billionaire? Senator De Berg says half of politics is knowing who to ask for money.”
Liza mimed wrapping a rope around her neck, and Bev elbowed her sharply.
“So will you be staying over?” Granny asked too sweetly.
“Oh no, of course not. I can’t be seen in these conditions for long.”
Liza sucked her teeth and moved toward her room. She could never handle Colin for too long.
“Liza, girl...” He let his voice trail, and it sounded practiced. “You have really grown into yourself, haven’t you? Can I talk to you a bit?”
Liza stopped in her tracks and plopped on the couch. Hewasa council member in Alexandria and could probably help her more with the proposal for Netherfield since WIC suggested she expand what she wrote.
“Sure,” Liza said. Chicho sat down next to her without Liza having to beg.
Colin sat beside her and placed his hand on her knee. “Christopher is giving me all kinds of tips for political life. He really is a beacon in the Democratic Party,” Colin said excitedly.
Chicho nodded. “Voted number two in the Power Broker Index.”
“Yes!” Colin answered in surprise. “Yes. So, he says the first thing you have to do is find yourself a wife and then immediatelypop out a few kids. He says that people absolutely don’t vote for single men. There’s a creep factor.”
“I can imagine,” was all Liza said, nudging Chicho. But Chicho’s face was serious, and she nodded slowly. She was going too far with her politeness. Colin continued for exactly thirty-seven minutes, imparting to Liza and Chicho the proper next steps for any political hopeful. At the thirty-eighth minute, Liza spoke up. “Well, Colin, we must pick this lovely conversation up later. I have some blogs to write.”
“Yes, I’ve seen some of them. Can I watch your process?” Colin’s eyes roved over her.
“I’m sorry, I don’t really like to have people around while I’m creating.”
“Colin, are you coming to church with me tomorrow?” Bev asked. Colin was Bev’s fake trophy child, and she would spend the weekend taking him around all her church-lady events and fawning over his accomplishments. Her actual kids all allowed it because it gave them the weekend off from Bev’s inspecting eye. Job searches, boyfriend questions, grade inquiries—all gone. Colin’s green eyes and fancy education were here, and his shining corona kept the heat off Bev’s kids and all the ways they were failing her. It seemed like a fair trade to the Bennett siblings.
DESPITE APPEARANCES
