It got worse for Tommy. Tommy had just gone up the front stairs and back to his office. Bea and Mary hadn’t left the party room yet. They stayed to talk it out, to strategize. Bill and Henry Lee went back to the meat room. They sipped bourbon and were quietly at work when Marie came in. She had her kitchen dress on but had not buttoned it yet so her white bra and white panties showed. She stood before them not concerned that they could see her underclothes. She was visibly pissed.
“You better control that damn wife of yours.” Her hands were in her dress pockets and she was holding the dress open. “That bitch called my house. Good thing my husband ain’t around. I erased the message. How the hell she get my number?”
“Why don’t you close that dress?” Henry Lee said gently.
“Don’t want whitey to see my coochie? Here whitey.” She took her hands from her pockets and pulled down her panties, stood with her legs spread and her privates fully out there. “Not enough?” She bent over and pulled the panties off, threw them at Bill who stopped them from hitting his face. “Go on and get a good smell.”
Bill picked them up and tossed them to Henry Lee.
“What’s the matter whitey? Don’t want no colored coochie? Finest there is.”
“That’s enough,” Henry Lee said. He started for Marie, but she put her hands up and told him to stay away. “Plenty here for everyone,” Marie said. She turned around, leaned over, lifted the dress. “Pick your pleasure, white boy.”
Bill told Henry Lee he’d come back in a bit and headed out of the meat room, but Marie grabbed his arm and tried to rub his hand on her bare privates. Bill wrestled his hand free and noted she looked crazed as he stepped all the way out.
He wasn’t but a few steps down the hall when he heard a scuffle then a loud slap then the dull thud of a punch followed by a crash. He turned immediately and went back. Marie was sitting on the floor. She was holding her eye and sniveling. Her dress was open and her bared privates stared up at Bill. He noted that she was bald down there.
“Get your black ass up,” said Henry Lee. Then, “You want her, take her,” he said to Bill.
“My name’s been-it and I ain’t in it,” Bill said. He turned around and walked out again. “Be back in twenty,” he said before he was gone.
Bill went upstairs to hang out with Mary and see what she needed done. He no longer needed to ask. He surveyed the scene and assessed the situation. Baked potatoes were in, prime rib was out, steam table on the line was set up, the inserts in place, the water filled to the correct level and steam already coming out. He had enough fries, fried shrimp, pickerel and onion rings. The steaks in the reach-in were plenty to start with. He made note of how much meat he’d have to bring up.
With Mary again, he stirred the Bordelaise sauce. Then he filled a steam table pan with yellow rice.
“They screwing down there?” Mary asked.
“They fighting,” said Bill. “Big time.”
“That why you up here?”
“Couldn’t stand to be without you.”
“Get them potatoes out. Carry over that rib. Put the round in the walk-in. Then give me a kiss, tell me how much you want me and make sure you take it easy on Tommy tonight. His mouth is hurting him and all he wants is some peace and quiet.”
“Yes, ma’am,” said Bill.
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