Any Way the Wind Blows - E. Lynn Harris [27]
“Windsor, is that you?” I asked.
“Yes, this is Windsor. Who am I speaking with? Wait, I know this voice. Basil, how are you doing?” She sounded like the same old Windsor, optimistic and concerned about anyone she came in contact with.
“I’m fine. How are you?”
“I’m blessed and highly favored, even though I’m a little bit under the weather,” Windsor said.
“What’s wrong?”
“Got a little case of high blood pressure and then you add in I’m going to have a baby, well, the doctor has me on complete bed rest for a while, but my baby and me are going to be just fine,” Windsor said.
“So when’s the big day?”
“Which one?” Windsor asked.
“When’s your baby due?” I asked, suddenly thinking about Rosa and wondering how her pregnancy was coming along. Damn, I didn’t need to be thinking about Rosa and her problems with Yancey and her song worrying the crap out of me.
“At the end of June or the first part of July,” Windsor said. She didn’t sound like she was seriously ill.
“I didn’t know you and Yancey were still roommates,” I said, forcing myself to sound unbothered and friendly.
“Well, not exactly. I’ve been house-sitting for Yancey,” Windsor said.
“That’s why I’m calling. I just heard her song on the radio. Doug Banks and Dee-Dee said it’s zooming up the charts.”
“Yeah, it’s doing great!”
“Do you know how I can get in contact with Yancey? I want to congratulate her,” I said, wondering if Windsor could detect the desperation in my voice.
“That’s so sweet of you. You can reach her right here. Does she have your number?” Windsor asked.
“Tell her it’s the same,” I said.
“I think maybe you should give it to me again. Yancey asked me to throw out a lot of stuff when she went to Los Angeles,” Windsor said.
“So she’s been hanging out in Los Angeles,” I said. Now I knew why I hadn’t run into Yancey or heard from her since our aborted wedding.
“Yeah, she’s been doing great out there. So give me the numbers, and I’ll make sure she gets them.”
“Thanks, Windsor,” I said as I gave her my home, cell and office numbers.
When I got to work, I sent Kendra over to Tower Records to get a copy of Yancey’s CD. I thought about going and purchasing it myself, but I had several contracts I needed to review by noon.
Kendra returned all excited, telling me about how much she liked the song and how Yancey B had a huge display in the record store.
“When did you first hear the song?”
“While I was listening to it at Tower, I realized this was the song one of my girlfriends had been talking about,” Kendra said.
“So the song’s pretty popular? I’m going to pop it in and check it out. Hold my calls.”
I slid the CD into my stereo and gazed at the cover. Yancey looked damn good sporting a gold halter top and skintight pants and serving much attitude. I hit the Play button, and Yancey’s voice filled my office:
“You said I was your lady
As sweet as candy baby, and I fell for you
But then one day I come home
To find you’re not alone
This can’t be true … it can’t be true
You were in the arms of another man
That was more than I could stand
I had to let you go.”
I was relieved after the first verse, because I realized it was just a song. Yancey couldn’t be talking about our relationship, since she never even caught me looking cross-eyed at another man. A long time ago, I’d been caught in an awkward position with a dude, and I’d learned a lesson. I continued to listen.
“I can see your love goes
Any way the wind blows
Even though I know I have to
I don’t want to be without you
I can see your love flows
Any way the wind blows
It’s such a dangerous breeze
You want him and not me”
I was falling into the groove of the song when I heard someone knock on my door. I got up from my chair and hit the Pause button on the CD player and said, “Come on in.”
“’Sup, buddy,” Nico said as he walked into my office. He was one of the best-dressed dudes I knew. Nico had on an off-white French-cuffed