Chapter 4

Joshua met his longtime best friend, Eddie Barnes, for lunch. He and Eddie made it a point to get together for lunch at least once a week, to discuss business and catch up on whatever was happening in their personal lives. They alternated who picked the dining spot; this week it was Joshua’s turn, and he selected The Fox Sports Grill in Atlantic Station—though he was almost certain Eddie was going to have a problem with his choice.

Atlantic Station was a popular live-work-play district in the Midtown section of Atlanta, with an abundance of upscale shopping and good restaurants. The establishment, true to its name, was a hot spot for watching prime sporting events: located in a cavernous space, the restaurant featured banks of plasma televisions and giant projection screens, an enormous bar, better-than-average food, and a wide selection of strong drinks.

 At eleven-thirty, the lunchtime rush was kicking into high bear. A diverse crowd clad in suits and business casual clothing were gathering around the tables, and throngs of women laden with holiday shopping bags from stores such as Banana Republic and Dillard’s were bellying up to the bar and ordering cocktails.

Sitting across from Joshua at a corner booth, Eddie looked around, and then glanced at the menu. “Man, I don’t know. This joint is outta my price range, dawg.”

“I knew you were going to say that. I think it’s reasonably priced.”

Although they had been best friends since middle school, they looked nothing alike. Joshua was tall and broad; Eddie stood maybe five-four and was skinny as a drink of water, as Joshua’s mom liked to say. Joshua was clean-shaven and kept his hair cropped close to the scalp; Eddie had a dark mustache and a completely bald dome, giving him the appearance of a younger Montel Williams.

“The agreement was ten bucks or less, man,” Eddie said, surveying the menu with a scowl. “You’re outta order. Means I get to pick the next three spots.”

Since high school, Eddie had been running a jack-of-all-trades, computer consulting business. He built computers from spare parts, fixed them, designed software, built web sites, probably hacked into web sites . . . he’d mastered virtually everything involving the machines. He was so good that when some of Atlanta’s most prominent firms needed a consultant to give advice on their networks, security systems, or whatever, they called Eddie and paid exorbitant rates for his counsel.

Joshua estimated that, by now, Eddie was probably a millionaire. Not just because he ran a successful business, but mostly because he was the most tight-fisted person Joshua had ever met in his life.

Eddie drove the same Honda Civic he’d bought his senior year in high school, fourteen years ago. The car probably had a half million miles on the odometer, but Eddie kept up the maintenance religiously, and the car hadn’t failed him yet. He rarely bought new clothes: Joshua was certain that the navy-blue hoodie and jeans Eddie was wearing that day came from the same pile of clothing he’d used to wear in high school.

The only thing Eddie splurged on was electronic gadgets. He was a big-time gear head. He used his Blackberry so frequently that it might as well have been surgically fused to his body.

As much of a cheapskate that Eddie had always been, Joshua never expected him to get married, but a decade ago, Eddie wed Ariel—a beautiful woman who shared his frugal ways. They had a two-year-old son and lived in a cozy Victorian in Candler Park.

“This place isn’t that expensive,” Joshua said. “Besides, I hear the food is good. I’m going to order a burger.”

“You’re going to pay nine dollars for a hamburger? Damn, dawg. I could buy four or five burgers at The Varsity for ten bucks.”

“Come on, man. You earn enough to buy a meal here.”

“It’s not what you earn, it’s what you save,” Eddie said, his characteristic response whenever Joshua criticized his ultra-thrifty ways. “If you’re a paycheck away from being homeless, you ain’t financially independent, dawg. How many brothers and sisters in ATL pushing these new, leased luxury cars and wearing designer clothes could live off their savings for ten years if they lost their jobs or businesses?”

“I guess you’re going to tell me,” Joshua said, used to the lecture.

“Bet you could count ‘em on one hand.” Eddie wriggled his fingers for emphasis. “Financial independence is being able to tell your boss to kiss your ass, walk out the door, and live a normal life for years without getting a check from anybody.”

“As cheap as you are, you could probably live two lifetimes on the money you’ve socked away.”

“Hey, that would be all right.” Eddie grinned, bobbed his head. “But I get to choose the next three lunch spots, seriously.”

“Fine. So long as you don’t have me waiting in line at a local soup kitchen.”

“Whatever, man.” Eddie laughed.

The waitress stopped by their table. Joshua ordered the chop house burger, and a Coke. Eddie asked for chips and salsa—one of the least expensive items on the menu—and a glass of water.

After the waitress departed, Eddie said, “So what’s been happening, dawg? How’s Rachel?”

Joshua felt his gut clench. “She’s okay. We’re gearing up for the holidays, you know?”

“What was that look for?”

“What look?” Joshua made his facial expression as blank as possible.

“When I said her name, you looked like you were in pain—like I’d punched you in the belly or something.”

Joshua couldn’t fool Eddie. They had been friends for too long. Eddie had probably read him as easily as he read the programming code that he loved to study.

“I don’t know how to put this,” Joshua said. “But do you ever get the feeling that you never truly know someone?”

“All the time. Ariel shocks the hell outta me with something at least once a week.” Eddie grinned with evident satisfaction. “Welcome to married life—finally.”

In a recent discussion about marriage, Joshua had told Eddie that he didn’t understand why people claimed that marriage was such hard work, that his own marriage to Rachel was pain-free, a joy. Eddie had told Joshua to wait until the honeymoon was over.

“I know, you think I’ve been living in some wedded-bliss dream world for the past six months—and maybe I have,” Joshua said. “But I think this is something different.”

“What do you mean?”

Joshua pushed up his glasses on the bridge of his nose. “You can’t tell anyone what I’m going to tell you, Eddie. This stays between me and you.”

“ ‘Course, dawg.”

“I think Rachel’s got some secrets. About her past. Stuff she’s never told me about and doesn’t want to tell me about.”

“Don’t we all?” Eddie shrugged. “Damn, I thought you were gonna say something serious.”

“This is serious to me. It all started when she had a nightmare last night. She was fighting some guy in her dream. When I asked her about it this morning, she said she didn’t remember any of it, had no idea who she might’ve been struggling with.”

“Maybe she doesn’t. Do you always remember your dreams? I sure don’t.”

“I know but . . .” Joshua sighed. “I thought she was lying, that’s all.”

“She could’ve been. She might not have wanted to talk about it, ‘cause it would dredge up bad memories.”

“I guess so.”

“All I know is, everyone has secrets, some of ‘em good, some of ‘em bad,” Eddie said. “You haven’t told Rachel everything about yourself, right?”

“I’ve told her the most important stuff about me.”

“All of it?” Eddie’s gaze was keen. “Every deep, dark secret?”

“I don’t have any deep, dark secrets.”

“Maybe you don’t. But some folks do, dawg. Some people have been through some rough shit in their lives—shit they don’t want to tell anyone, including a spouse. You’ve gotta respect that.”

“You think I’m overreacting?”

“Nah, I think you’re just starting to learn what being married is all about. You can’t sweat every little detail about your wife. She’s not gonna be perfect, just like you aren’t perfect. But you’ve gotta love her anyway for who she is, overall.”

“Makes a lot of sense,” Joshua said. “I guess I’ll let it go.”

“Rachel’s a great woman. You two have a good thing going. You’ll hit a rough patch every now and then, like most married folk do . . . but there’s no sense in rocking the boat without having a damn good reason.”

“Let’s hope I never have a reason, then,” Joshua said.

“Nah, man,” Eddie said sagely, shaking his head. “You’re gonna have a reason one day, trust me. But you better hope that when you have one, that boat doesn’t sink.”

* * *

After lunch, Joshua was walking through the underground parking garage, going back to his car, when he remembered his promise to Rachel to call the restaurant group to whom he had submitted the proposal last week.

Matter of fact, call them this morning. Between eleven and one would be a good time, I think. I have a good feeling about it.

It was half past twelve. Joshua climbed inside his Ford Explorer, pulled up the company’s number on his Blackberry and called them.

Fifteen minutes later, he hung up. Dazed.

They had hired him to do the corporate identity package. Their deal with another design firm had fallen through that same morning, and they had been wading through a slew of proposals and been on the verge of contacting a different designer—when Joshua had called. Joshua’s timing couldn’t have been better, they said. He must’ve been psychic, to know exactly when to call. It was downright uncanny.

Sure is, Joshua thought, marveling over his wonderful, mysterious wife. Uncanny.