Chapter 36


    "You all be careful going home." Mr. Mercer warmly greeted as he hugged two women that attended his


    church before sending them on their way out the front door.


    Once he shut the door, the man turned to see Deacon Hawthorne taking a collection of pots and pans


    into the kitchen. Without even looking around at the empty living room, Charles followed the deacon


    and noticed him cing the heavy pots in the refrigerator.


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    "You don''t have to do that, Brother." Charles smiled while going over and dipping dirty dishes into the


    already filled sink.


    "Well, if it doesn''t get done now, then it never will." Hawthorne modestly replied before shutting the


    refrigerator door.


    Chles carried on in his washing duty as if his longtime friend was not even there beside him at all. He


    scrubbed and scoured one dirty dish after another, even the ones that were already virtually spotless to


    begin with."Boy, that sure was some good macaroni and cheese Sister Rozell brought over."


    Hawthorne gailymented from out of nowhere.Sparking back to life, Charles chuckled without


    taking his eyes off the dishes he was cleaning, "Yes, sir, it was sure was."There rested a tidal wave of


    silence in the kitchen. It was so epassing that even Charles himself could feel the weight of it


    bearing upon him. Page 287"Charles, why don''t you stop that for now?" Hawthorne implored. "You can


    do thatter."Gradually, Charles took his hands out of the warm, soapy water and began to dry them off


    with a rag that was lying on the counter to his right.With his hands sped together, the deacon keenly


    asked, "When do you think the police will ever find out what made that man kill Isaac?"Charles


    continued on drying his hands while taking unsettling nces back and forth from the deacon to the


    wet towel he was using."Brother," Charles reacted in a low tone, "there isn''t a degree of investigating


    the police can do that will bring my boy back. I got folks all over telling me to sue this person and that


    person for millions and millions of dors. Everyone wants to riot for my child, thinking that''s the right


    thing to do. Believing that will bring Isaac back. They''re only doing it for themselves because they''re


    already mad at the world. They''re searching for an outlet; something to fight for. Not one of them even


    knew my boy.""Well," Hawthorne sighed, "at least he''s in peace now. That''s all that matters."Charles


    slowly ced the wet towel back onto the counter before turning to a window and looking out at the


    dull, grey sky."What about Lyte and Isaiah, Pastor? How can anyone exin to that little boy what


    happened to his father when he grows up? It''s just a doggone shame." Hawthorne pitifully


    frowned.Charles pulled himself away from the window and simply answered, "I guess we''ll have to wait


    and see, Lord willing."Deacon Hawthorne reached out and hugged Charles, patting him on the back


    saying, "Are you gonna be alright, Brother?" Page 288"I''m just fine." Charles grimaced from the other


    side of Hawthorne. "You tell ra that her marble cake was darn good, as always.""I sure will, Pastor."


    The deacon said as he walked into the living room and put on his coat. "Now, if you need anything, just


    call us. ra and I are gonna be home for the rest of the day."With a humble grin, Charles said, "I think


    I''ll be just fine. You be careful out there." He added before opening the front door.Charles watched with


    bated breath as the deacon carried on out to his maroon Cadic before closing the door. Inside the


    house was a sudden, ustrophobic silence; not even the usual leaky faucet in the kitchen could be


    heard dripping.With a pair of heavy, sluggish legs, the man began a solemn tour of his own home.


    Above the firece sat Isaac''s picture that was ced next to his mother''s. Gently, Charles positioned


    his son''s frame to where it sat perfectly straight.From the mantle he dragged on into his bedroom,


    dropped down to his knees and folded his hands together. But instead of closing his eyes, he kept them


    open and rotated his head slightly to the right to where all he could see was his closet door that was


    slightly ajar.There was a prayer in the back of his throat waiting for the perfect opportunity to escape. It


    was just sitting and festering, like a dead animal on a searing hot day, not wanting to budge a single


    inch.The man allowed only his thoughts to do all of his speaking for him. He was angry at himself for


    not taking his own son more seriously, but rather than explode into a vicious, house-wrecking tirade like


    he desired, he caged it all inside. The rage, the tears and even the prayer to God were locked up


    securely while his hands remained tightly clutched the longer he gazed endlessly on at the closet. Page


    289After five whole minutes of kneeling, Charles got to his feet and resumed his tour. As he exited his


    bedroom, the man captured a glimpse of the living room and the couch and recliner where both he and


    Isaac would sit every Sunday afternoon during football season. How the living room woulde alive


    with the uproars of men whooping and hollering back and forth over who had the better team, The


    Browns or The Raiders.Once the celebrated image melted away, Charles just happened to turn to his


    immediate left to find himself standing right in front of Isaac''s bedroom. The man carefully shoved open


    the door to find the bed unmade, as usual. Along the walls were posters of O.J. Simpson and Bruce


    Lee. Charles made his way inside and began to make the bed from top to bottom. As he fluffed the


    pillows, Charles couldn''t help but to look over to the other side of the bed to notice Isaac''s record


    collection lying next to the wall. Out of all the albums that were disyed, the man managed to catch


    sight of Marvin Gaye''s, I Want You, and the album cover''s artwork. For a brief moment, Charles


    squinted and cracked and very subtle grin before heid the pillows down onto the bed.Before he could


    even turn away, he nced over at the nightstand to see a framed picture of Isaac, Lyte and Isaiah


    that was ced next to themp.With pouty lips, Charles picked up the frame and longingly stared at


    the three happy people. He affectionately recalled how proud he was of Isaac when he told him that he


    and Lyte were getting married. How much Isaiah resembled his father; from the smile all the way to


    the hairstyle was like watching Isaac grow up all over again.Without giving another nce, Charles


    ced the picture back down onto the nightstand and began for the doorway. As carefully as he could,


    Charles shut the door behind him before standing perfectly still inside the hallway. By the position of the


    shadows he could sense that nightfall was drawing nigh. Much to his chagrin, twilight would arrive...in


    only a few hours'' time.


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