His Last Wife

Ernest released her and backed up to the door. He could see the water in Val’s eyes and reached out to cup her cheek.

“I will be back,” he said firmly. “When you know you need me, I’ll be back.”

“Just go,” Val repeated with all of the bite out of her tone.

Ernest nodded in defeat and removed his hand from Val’s cheek.

As he backed his arm away, Val noticed a symbol of some kind on his inner wrist. It was a big, black square with spikes that looked like daggers on the four corners.

Val grabbed his wrist and turned the palm up, facing her. She’d seen the symbol, but not on him.

“What’s this?” she asked.

“What? My tattoo?”

“I see it’s a tattoo. What is it?”

“If I tell you, can I stay?” Ernest joked and Val shot her eyes at him like bullets. “Okay, shit. Just playing.”

“What is it? Tell me.”

“It’s the fihankra. An adinkra symbol. I got it a few years before I left the league. Actually, a couple of the other players got it too,” Ernest explained and Val remembered when he’d mentioned that he used to play for the Falcons.

“Why? Why get this tattoo?”

Ernest looked at the tattoo with Val. “It means protection, security. Every time I look at it, it reminds me that I have to take care of my own—that includes me and everyone I love. No matter what. By any means necessary. Have you seen it before?”

“Yes,” Val said, remembering the symbol on some of the paperwork with Jamison’s will. “I have.”

“Where?”

“I don’t think that’s any of your business.” Val’s rigid composure returned. She dropped Ernest’s wrist and looked at the door.

“I’m going,” Ernest said. “You don’t have to say it again.”

He dropped his head low and turned to walk out, hoping Val would stop him and knowing she wouldn’t.

Val slammed the door behind Ernest and walked into the kitchen, ready to fight.

“Why would you let him in here?”

“Child, don’t start again. You won the fight. Can’t you see? You done drove him away.” Mama Fee was standing at the sink, with her hands in the cold water. She’d been waiting for Val to come for her. Underneath her breath, she mumbled, “Drive everyone away from you. That’s what you do.”

“No. This isn’t about me. This is about you letting him in here and you don’t even know him. He could’ve—”

“His name is Ernest and he been here twice. I know him plenty,” Mama Fee said, pulling the stopper out of the sink bottom and letting the water rush between her fingers as it headed down the drain.

Val came and stood beside her. Stuck her hip out and leaned into the counter.

“Oh. So you been spying on me now?” she asked, sounding less than flabbergasted by her mother’s actions.

“Can’t spy on what’s done out in the open. May be done at night, but not all of God’s creatures go to sleep with the sun.” Mama Fee looked at Val. “Besides, somebody got to keep an eye on this doorway. Too many things moving in and out, seen and unseen.”

Val remembered Jamison’s mother falling to her knees, dying in the stairwell right in front of her after their last fight.

“Well, I don’t need you keeping an eye on me or the door. I ain’t bring you here for that,” Val said. “Not that or Ernest.” Val reached into the draining sink and pulled out one of the teacups. “What were you doing, Mama Fee? You trying to put some kind of spell on him? Make him love me? You think he’s gonna love me?” she listed sarcastically.

“Can’t put a love spell on a man that’s already in love,” Mama Fee revealed knowingly.