CHAPTER FIFTEEN

What she missed most about her backyard wasn’t her beloved garden, nor the solitude. Not even the beautifulness and vastness of it. But what she missed most about her backyard was the way the wind swept across her face with that always faint smell of jasmine in the air that made her feel alive. For decades she lived in that backyard, cultivating it, making it her own. But now, sitting on the patio with Roz, Trina, Gemma and Grace, the matriarchs of the family, she felt at home again.

They were enjoying sips of mint julep iced tea mixed with all kinds of family gossip as the nightfall descended across the massive backyard of waterfalls, gardens, and koi ponds, and with the backdrop of the highest level of security they’d ever seen in Jericho. From every corner of the yard, one of Mick’s men were present. Not close enough to hear their conversations, but close enough to stop any possible threat. That was the only unsettling part for Jenay.

“What’s unsettling about it?” Roz asked her.

“Because we’re in Jericho. We aren’t used to all of these men with rifles roaming around like from a Godfather movie. And for how long will they be here since nobody knows who we’re even looking for. We won’t be back to normal until they catch whoever spearheaded all of this, but that could take months.”

The other ladies looked at each other and smiled. “Yeah, you’re green,” Trina said.

Jenay was surprised by that delineation. “ Me ? Green ?”

“That bastard they’re looking for is the mastermind, Jenay. Not the spearhead,” Roz pointed out. “You spearhead a luncheon or a Mary Kay party. In the mob world, our world,” she added, looking at all of the other ladies, “those bastards are masterminds.”

Jenay smiled. “Oh,” she said, and they all laughed.

“You’ll never know how happy we are that the unthinkable didn’t happen,” Grace said to Jenay. “It’s such a miracle, a blessing to have you back with us again.”

“Thanks, Grace, you’re so sweet. I’m glad to be back,” Jenay replied. “I didn’t realize I had caused so much pain.”

“You didn’t cause shit,” said Roz. “That bastard that shot you caused all our pain. And Mick? Oh man. He was a basket case.”

“Mick?”Jenay smiled.“Really?”

“They all were,” Roz pointed out, “but Mick was coming up here to Jericho on a weekly basis after you died. Or whatever you did,” she added to laughter. “But he was a basket case girl. He flat out told me one night that he was worried sick about his brother. Now coming from Tommy or Sal or even Reno, that just sounds normal to y’all. But coming from Mick? Especially when he said it while we were doing what we do? That was huge. That was huge.”

But Jenay was confused. She knew Roz was steep in the mob world, given that she was married to the boss of all bosses Mick the Tick, but her language sometimes left a lot to be desired. “What do you mean you guys were doing what you do?”

Trina, Grace, and Gemma smiled. Roz looked at Jenay as if she’d lost a few brain cells. “You don’t know what that means?”

“What does it mean?”

“Girl bye!”

“I’m serious, Roz. What does it mean?”

“Sex, Jenay,” said Trina point blank. “They were having sex. That’s what she means by doing what they do. Because that’s what they do. All the time,” she added.

“Damn right we do it all the time,” said Roz. “Because Mick has to have it day in and day out and if I’m not the one giving it to him then all those bitches and hoes out here will.”

“I thought Reno was too much,” said Trina. “But damn, Roz. Day in and day out?”

“I thought Tommy was too much,” said Grace.

“I thought Sal was too much,” said Gemma. “But day in and day out? You must hate it.”

“Hate it?” Roz looked at Gemma as if she had to be kidding. “I didn’t say that ,” she added, and they all laughed.

Then Roz looked at Jenay as Jenay leaned her head back and momentarily closed her eyes. “What about you, girl?”

Jenay opened her eyes and looked at Roz. “What about me?”

“Do you realize you haven’t had any in months ?”

“Roz!”

Roz looked at Gemma. “What?”

“She was in a coma.”

“And?” Trina said.

Grace and Gemma looked at each other and started laughing. “Roz and Trina are those old school gangsters, Gem,” Grace said jokingly. “Coma? Big deal! You better back it up here and get some. They don’t play!”

They all laughed at that.

Then Jenay’s look turned more introspective. And she looked at Roz. “I’m worried about him too,” she said. And they all understood. Her death had taken the life out of Big Daddy, the man they all always depended on to be there for them. It had been jarring to see.