Page 13 of Heart of a Savage
“What is it?”
“Good morning to you too,” Jalea said in a sass.
“I have a busy morning, Jalea. What do you want?”
“I need you to pick MJ up from school today.”
“You know I can’t do that. What will you be doing that you can’t go get my son?”
“Since you’re not trying to help my sister, I have to help her find somewhere to lay her head. They had to sleep in her van last night, Si.”
My anger was starting to rise again after trying to keep calm. It was way too early for people to be pissing me off.
“Jalea... if my son is not picked up at 3:05 p.m., I’m going to personally stop whatever I’m doing to come to wherever you are and knock ya head between dumb and common sense.”
“You are the worst human being on the planet. I don’t even know why or how I deal with you. It’s called co-parenting. If I can’t pick him up, then that’s what you’re there for! My sister needs me, too, Messiah.”
“Again, when the clock strikes 3:05 p.m., and my son has not been picked up, I’m going to personally see to it that you will be catching the fucking bus from now on.”
“Fuck you, Si!” She hung up.
I shook my head, placed the phone back on the receiver, grabbed my coffee, and then left my office to head to the meeting. When I walked inside the conference room, Papi, Mo, Mike, and three other people I didn’t recognize sat at the grandiose table. There was a breakfast buffet against the far left of the room, and I headed toward it. I didn’t realize how hungry I was until the smell hit my senses.
“Good morning, son,” my father greeted first.
“Good morning, Papi. Brothers…” I nodded to them.
“’Sup, bro,” Mo replied.
I placed my toast in the toaster and turned toward them.
“Messiah, this is Corina Evans, Houston Little, and Ester Lumas. They are the realtors at Crawford Realty,” my father introduced. I looked at Corina as she shifted in her seat uncomfortably.
“Nice to meet you all. Messiah Crawford.” I walked over to them, shaking their hands. “Papi, you can start. I’m listening,” I urged, going back to the buffet table to fix my food.
“Okay. As you all know, Oliver is no longer with us. While I was grooming him to take over as CEO at the company, his unfortunate demise has now set us back. Since I don’t feel like grooming yet another person to take his position, I will ask each of you to tell me why you would be a good candidate to run the company.”
Houston spoke up first as I sat down at the other end of the table. He explained how he’d sold over ten thousand homes and never fumbled a sale. Ester said the same thing, except she’d only sold around six thousand homes. Corina sat up in her chair, once again, shifting uncomfortably.
“Do you have to use the restroom?” I asked her.
“N-no, sir. It’s my knees. I fell on them pretty hard yesterday.”
“Mm. Continue.”
“Well, while I’ve been in real estate for only four years, I have sold over twenty-five thousand low-income homes and over five hundred multimillion-dollar homes in the city. My ability to sell my clients their dream home is why I feel that the position as CEO should go to me.
“I used to shadow Oliver, so I’m much more hands-on than my other colleagues. I know what will sell, and what will not. Not to take away what they have done for the company, but I can assure you that I’m much more fluent in this field than they are. My résumé and numbers speak for themselves—even with their time in the company.”
I stared at her, trying to figure out what it was about her that was rubbing me the wrong way. She seemed genuine. The fact that she’d only been in real estate for four years and sold almost thirty thousand homes was impressive. However, something just didn’t seem right with her.
“Being a CEO is a huge position to fill. What sets you apart from Ester and Houston, aside from how many houses you’ve sold?” Papi questioned. I could tell the others weren’t too happy about what she’d said.
“I have the degrees and the aptitude to make executive decisions. And again, I know what will sell at a certain price and what won’t. I have been watching everyone closely. Out of the four years I’ve known them, I’ve made more deals than Houston and Ester put together. I’m not trying to shade you, Huey and Ester, but let’s be honest… Do you or Ester feel as if you could oversee twenty-five employees, set strategic directions, and make critical financial decisions?”
“Are you insinuating that we’re incompetent?” Ester asked, appalled.
“No. I’m just saying, as Oliver’s right hand, I feel as if I have more of an upper hand here.”
