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Those had been good ti home from his job with the Gerard Lockhart Orchestra with a jovial, "Well, well, well, what have the Campbell brothers been up to today?" Memphis missed the smell of his father’s pipe in the front parlor Sometimes he’d walk in front of the tobacco shop on Lenox Avenue just to light the memory of it in his mind

"Watch out for Isaiah," hisin the front roo her of the playfulness he’d always loved about her Her eyes had a hollow look "Promise me" He’d promised Three days later, they’d buried her out in Woodlawn Ceo, and Meh to send for Meh, and there they stayed, in the back room at Octavia’s Isaiah was all that was left of those happier tiether, when you only had to walk through the door to hear so athappened to Isaiah, he wasn’t sure he could survive it

But all that was the past, and he wasn’t going to dwell there The night before with Theta had given him new hope She was somewhere out there in that city, and Meain

At the pharie put their order on, pressing two ha hiss of grease and heat He scooped the with a soda for Meot to work spooning the thick ice crea half down his chin

"Looks like I’m just in tirabbed Meenerous bite from it "Mr Ca a rent party We going Oh, and get us soood hooch"

Gabe handed him a thick wad of bills

"Not in front of Isaiah," Memphis whispered

"He doesn’t knoe’re talking about He’s enjoying that shake," Gabe said

"Don’t knohat?" Isaiah said

Memphis flashed Gabe a You see? look

Gabe pursed his lips and folded his aric ears over there?"

Isaiah grinned "No, but I do have powers"

"Isaiah," Memphis warned

"Oh, do you now? I see how it is," Gabe teased

"I bet I knoall the way around on his bar stool