The next morning Lula was back at the bonds office in her usual colorful and undersized attire, orthopedic boot on her foot, but she looked tired.
"Didn't expect to see you back this morning...what happened? "Connie exclaimed.
Lula thumped her way past the unopened box of doughnuts and moved to the coffee pot.
Connie's eyebrows went up but she remained quiet. Lula never turns down doughnuts.
Stephanie blew into the office and went straight for the doughnuts. She already had her travel mug in hand filled with coffee.
"What happened to your foot?"
Shoe heel broke.
Your ankle is what?...
"Broken and sprained."
Normally Lula would go into great detail describing the incident, the hospital and how much it hurt. Today she was being very closed mouth. Stephanie didn't push it.
Hey, how did the gourmet dinner go?" Connie asked.
"It was a alright."
"How is Reginald" Stephanie asked.
"Fine, I guess."
"You want to talk about it," Stephanie asked softly.
"No." Lula truly didn't want to talk about any of it.
Stephanie had been in that mood herself often enough she knew to back off. Turning to Connie Stephanie asked, "What do we have today?"
"You still have Earl Lewis..."
Lula erupted, "NO! Give that to Ranger."
Connie and Stephanie were shocked. Stephanie shot back, "Is there a reason we shouldn't look for him? I could use the money."
"Other than he carries a cannon in his pants, back of his pants...He's far beyond your, or my, ability. In fact, neither of us has any ability. Going after Lewis will get us killed or some innocent bystander. If you want him, fine, call Ranger and get someone who knows what they are doing to back you up. I don't want to come to your funeral, Girl Friend." With that Lula reversed course and thumped out the door.
"Whoa," Stephanie blew through her lips, "Something happened. How does she know about the gun?"
"Yo," came Ranger's typical answer to a call.
It was Rangeman Derek front desk, "Sir, there's a Reginald Graham here to see. He does not have an appointment."
"I'll be down. Ranger took the elevator down to the first floor and entered the lobby through a secure door, "Reggie, didn't expect to see you again so soon." Ranger stuck out his hand to shake and noticed Reggie's less than enthusiastic hand shake, different from yesterday's.
"Carlos, I'd like a few minutes of your time if possible."
Ranger turned to Derek at the desk, "Is Conference room 3 available?"
"Yes sir until 2 pm," Derek answered.
Ranger lead Reggie through the security door into a broad hall and into a intimate conference room furnished with a sofa and several comfortable chairs arranged around a small coffee table.
"Coffee, Reggie?"
"No thank you."
"How was your trip to the city with Lula?" Ranger suspected the lukewarm reception with Reggie had something to do with their luncheon together.
"It went very well up until she took off like a charging bull after some FTA named Earl Lewis. He pulled a .45 from his back and fired at her on the sidewalk of the East Village. By God's grace the bullet embedded in a mailbox and not several bystanders, Lula or me. "
Ranger had an idea where this conversation was going and remained quiet.
"You are some mentor, Carlos. You've got two untrained women with guns who will get themselves killed or some innocent bystander. Doesn't that bother you?"
"I'm not Lula's mentor and Steph rarely carries a gun," Ranger smirked.
"What? She's out there doing bond enforcement with nothing more than cute curls. Surely you've taught her hand to hand, self defense, or take down actions."
"Their takedown protocol seems to be either Lula falls on them or Steph rolls around with them until she can knee them in the groin."
"That isn't funny Carlos. It is amazing either hasn't been seriously hurt."
"Generally they go after low bond fugitives, but once in awhile they get in too deep and I have to use Rangeman resources to dig them out."
"What's it to you? Is she hurting your image? You don't want to be known as a lousy mentor that gets his students killed? Or is it something else-perhaps she is your sex toy? Your company must be losing money big time looking after those two; rocket launchers, exploding cars and buildings. A whore would be cheaper."
"I don't need to answer to you Reggie, my relationship with Stephanie is my own business. But for your information, she's emotionally tied up between me and a detective with TPD."
"Yeah, right Carlos. I saw the way you two looked at each in the bond office yesterday. The two of you were almost smoking. You allow the emotional ties between her and Mr. TPD to remain so you don't have to commit."
"It's complicated," Ranger deflected.
"The hell it is. You have't changed at all, Carlos. You are the same opportunist who refused to commit to a girl in school, but enjoyed swooping down and poaching someone else's girl just for fun. You are still the Don Juan. The money your company bleeds protecting her and giving her cars is your way of keeping her in your toy box. How do your accountants write that off? Better be careful Manoso before someone destroys your little blue eyed toy."
"What's it with you and Lula? "
Inside the bravado exterior is a very frightened woman/child who needs to feel good about herself and life. For the first 25 of her life she was a victim, abused as a child, no family, no love. She developed street smarts just to survive doing the only work she felt herself worthy, whoring. The Ramierez incident brought her face to face with death. Stephanie was partially to blame for the attack, but she also saved Lula. Now It's a life debt, Stephanie is Han Solo and Lula is Chewbacca, the difference is Chewbacca protects Han Solo. Lula can't protect herself let alone Stephanie and will likely get both of them killed."
Reggie got up and walked around, "Lula wants more, but is tied up with self doubt and saddled with a woman who apparently is equally emotionally paralyzed. I don't give a flying fig about Stephanie, but I want to see Lula move on, be happy and reach her potential as a confident, emotionally mature and self reliant woman."
"That's very humanitarian of you, Reggie."
"At least I'm concerned about someone besides myself. What are you concerned about, Carlos? Your sex life or your government contracts?"
"My contracts?" Ranger believed those were top secret and shared their existence only with those very close to him.
"Hell, yes. When you turned me down for FBI, I heard where your skills went. Rangeman is a nice cover for your mercenary team. I've got my own 'top secret' government sources."
Ranger just stared at Reggie. His eyes didn't move, his breathing regular. Reggie wasn't going to play the stare down game, he was darn good at it himself.
"Just for your information, I'm going to do my best to get Lula away from working for Vincent Plum and helping Stephanie. Be prepared to commit more resources to save your toy."
With that Reggie turned and left the conference room and left Rangeman.
Lula could walk no farther than the coffee shop in the next block. She ordered a coffee, black, no cream, no sugar and took a table away from the window. She propped her aching foot onto an empty chair and began to think. She tried last night but she just kept tossing and turning.
How could she have been so reckless going after Earl Lewis? Once again she didn't think, just flew off. Reggie was so mad at her. Did she ruin that relationship like she had others? She had gotten the idea she and Tank could or should get married and began planning the wedding without his knowledge...yeah, she flew off again.
Did she lack discipline? She didn't think so, she supported herself on the meager salary from Vinnie and an occasional payment from Stephanie. There was no way she'd go back to whoring and would never deal drugs. Her night school class was interesting but she couldn't see it would lead to anything soon. She didn't have the money to waste on junk classes.
If she didn't lack discipline, what did she lack? Respect and especially self respect. Yesterday she saw how a woman is treated in the world. It was a lot different than some ho or a former ho. She was respected because the company she was with, Reggie the gentleman. He respected her and projected it to others. She was respected for her demur, controlled presence and the ability to carry on an intelligent conversation. People saw a respectable black woman and not a ho in bright spandex clothes parading around as if she was trying to hustle up business.
There were two types of respect, the one earned thru intimidation and fear like low life pimps and drug lords. And there was respect from goodness and light. She wanted the light.
Reggie walked into the bail bonds office.
"Talullah out with Stephanie?"
"No, Stephanie is out alone. Lula was here briefly this morning and then walked out. She's upset about something. I've never seen her like that."
"Any idea where she has gone?"
"Her car is still here, she must be in the neighborhood. Only place I can think to spend a couple of hours is the coffee shop down in the next block."
Lula's head was down and didn't see Reggie enter the shop. He ordered coffee and then approached Lula, "Mind if I sit down?"
"You want to sit with me?"
Reggie smiled and sat, "Yes, dear, I do." He sat and asked, "How is your ankle?"
"Right now it throbs, but it will mend."
You taking the pain meds?
"Just Tylenol. I don't do narcotics. I'd go for a margarita, but I'd probably break my other ankle."
He sipped his coffee, "Aren't you working today?"
"I don't really work, I just hang around."
"From the scowl on your face I'd say you've been doing some serious thinking."
How can I not? Yesterday went from one extreme to the other. I was a woman treated with respect and the next moment I'm running down the street wearing the lovely dress you bought me, chasing after some low life and looking down the barrel of a .45. You were right, Reggie, I'm not trained for that and I don't want to get trained. I can't go back on the streets. I'm a pathetic old ho. I have nothing, I am nothing."
"No, Tallulah you are something, something amazing. I believe you can grow and shine. I want to help you become the woman you glimpsed yesterday."
"To live in the light?"
Reggie tipped his head, "Yes, Tallulah, you can live in the light, if you want."
"Why are you interested in me? Am I your good deed for the month?"
"Tallulah, I was smitten with you in the mall's food court. I've come to truly care for you and it might be bleeding into love.
"Love is foreign to me. My mama tried to love when when she wasn't strung out. After that, nothing. Once I thought I loved someone but I realized it was something else. I was in love with the image he projected and his...manliness. I guess it was...lust. To him we were just friends...with benefits."
Love is complicated Lula. It is the desire and will to share one's life, good/bad, warts and all, and to accept the good/bad, warts and all in another and make something better together. Hearts and flowers is but one small aspect of love. It takes time to develop. Time I'd like to spend with you.
Lula felt herself blushing again. In all her years she does not remember blushing as much as she has since she met Reggie. He seems to be able to see inside her allowing her true feelings to emerge.
Reggie continued, "I understand you devotion to Stephanie, but it is time to think about Tallulah and her needs and wants."
"What can I do?"
"I'd like you to meet my mother. Just talk with her, she knows what you are going through, she's been there herself and has helped many other girls move on with their lives."
Lula nodded, "That might be OK.'
"If she's home, we can go today. It's only to Newark. But before we go, I'd like you to start wearing glasses, at least when you drive. Your safety means everything to me."
Lula couldn't remember anyone every saying that to her. "I have glasses but they make me, well, they are very flamboyant and I'm not feeling flamboyant much lately. Maybe you could help me find something more...lady-like."
He smiled. "Tallulah you are flamboyant without the wild clothes and colored hair. You don't need those. As for the glasses, it would be my pleasure."
"I've been thinking about my gun. Reggie I'm afraid without it."
I know, I know. I'd rather you didn't carry but don't want you in jail for possession of a stolen or unregistered weapon. Maybe we can get you something legal and I'll work with you as well as get you into gun safety classes. You don't have any felonies do you?"
"No, my arrests are for street work. One thing for sure though, I'll need those glasses to see the targets," she said giggling.
"Paper targets, Tallulah, paper targets."