Happy New Year, Baby Read online

  HAPPY NEW YEAR, BABY

  By

  LYNN EMERY

  All names, characters, stories, and incidents featured in this novel are imaginary. They are not inspired by any individual person, incidents or events known or unknown to the author. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is coincidental. HAPPY NEW YEAR, BABY was originally published by Kensington Books in 1996. This is a reprint.

  Copyright Margaret Emery Hubbard

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  Chapter 1

  “And Merry Christmas to you,” the sales lady said in a weary monotone. She pushed a large bag across the counter.

  “I hear ya, girl.” Shani nodded her head in sympathy.

  The woman, with the name Loreen on a black plastic name tag pinned to her jacket, nodded back. “If I hafta listen to that darn ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ playin’ much longer, they gone take me outta here screamin’ like a banshee and ship me straight to the nearest psycho ward.”

  “Folks shoving and pushing, stepping on your feet to get at the last Ninja Ranger Possum. Or whatever the heck this thing is.” Shani held up the overpriced action toy that every child had to have this year. “Not to mention I haven’t gotten through half my list yet.”

  “Tell me ‘bout it. I’ll be glad when it’s over, child.” Loreen gave her a long-suffering smile before dropping a receipt in Shani’s hand and turning to the next in a long line of customers.

  Shani walked to the crowded parking lot. She stood trying to remember which row she’d parked on. After wandering around for ten minutes, she stumbled upon her car. Just getting through traffic away from the shopping mall proved to be an ordeal. By the time she got to her condo, merry did not even come close to describing her mood. All she wanted was to slip into her favorite oversized T-shirt, curl up in the recliner in front of the television, and numb out watching a bad movie. Just as the whistle blew signaling the water for her sugar-free, low-fat hot chocolate had reached the boiling point, the door bell chimed.

  “Great.” Shani stomped to her bedroom. She pulled on a pair of sweat pants. The triple chime sounded again. “Don’t push your luck!” she yelled.

  “What kinda greeting is that? What a frown!” Terrilyn bounced in with an armload of packages. “You look like a combination of Scrooge and the Grinch that Stole Christmas.”

  “I had one lousy day. First—”

  “As your best friend I must tell you, leave all that negativity behind. Take a deep breath and say, ‘It’s over and I can move on and up.’ Come on now.” Terrilyn put down everything she held and stood in front of Shani. “It’s over and …” She waved her hands like a conductor.

  “And as your best friend I must tell you that you’re really getting on my last nerve.” Shani spun around and headed back to her kitchen. “Hot chocolate?”

  “Honey, you could deal with the holiday blues if you gave Dr. Falsum’s techniques a chance.”

  “Terrilyn, don’t start with me today.” Shani held up a palm.

  “I know it’s tough getting over a relationship that lasted five years. Especially during this time of the year.” Terrilyn shrugged.

  “A year ago I was on top of the world. Then it rolled over me like an eighteen-wheeler. But I’m over it. And I didn’t need Dr. False either.” Shani put the black lacquer tray bearing two mugs on the coffee table.

  “That’s Dr. Falsum. Okay then, you’re fine. Right?”

  “Right.”

  “So what are you wearing?” Terrilyn took a sip from her mug. She looked down her nose at Shani with an air of expectation.

  “Wearing where?”

  “To the Ladies of Distinction Annual New Year’s Eve Ball, that’s where. Last year you had a good reason to stay home.”

  Shani sat back remembering that bleak night. Nothing tasted, smelled, or looked good to her at that time. Efforts by her friends and relatives to lift her spirits only seemed to send her deeper into depression. Her self-esteem had taken a nose dive. For years her sense of worth and attractiveness as a woman had depended on one man. And that one man had rejected her. Terrilyn, as usual, was the one person who said and did the right things. Maybe that’s why they had been best friends since high school. Terrilyn let her vent without offering opinions. She allowed Shani to spend the first half of the night talking through her anguish. By midnight they were sitting on Terrilyn’s living room floor, on their second bottle of champagne and howling with laughter about some of the things she most disliked about Robert.

  “I know it’s been said, but thank you for carrying me through that awful night. You were there for me.” Shani gave Terrilyn’s hand a squeeze.

  “Always, girlfriend.” Terrilyn squeezed her hand back. “Now don’t change the subject. Today is December ninth; you have less than a month to decide what fabulous outfit you’re going to wear. So when are we going shopping?”

  Shani took a deep breath. “I can’t face that Terrilyn. Robert is sure to be there with Claudia. No, I just can’t” She stared down.

  “Facing those two is one way to finally close the door on what happened. This is what you do: Get one hot dress, something in black or maybe red. Add one tall, good-looking man, and toss in some new attitude. Strut your stuff on in that place, and what have you got? A recipe for a good time, sugar.”

  “That’s not my style, Terrilyn. I’ll settle for a quiet celebration at the Blue Circle Social Club banquet and dance. Mrs. Chauvin invited me again this year.”

  “Girl pu-leeze! Ain’t nobody in that club under the age of sixty. Most of the single men can’t dance anymore. Shucks, most of ‘em need help walking.” Terrilyn wrinkled her nose.

  Shani shook a finger at her. “You dated Jesse Fairchild for almost a year. He’s a member and not that much older than us. Shame on you.”

  “Okay, okay. That wasn’t very nice of me. But we split up because that twenty-year difference was too much. We’re not even in our thirties yet …”

  Shani raised an eyebrow. “Only two years away, babe.”

  Terrilyn grimaced. “Don’t say it out loud. But like I was saying, we finally couldn’t agree on anything.”

  “I’m going to show my gratitude to people who’ve been a great help to the community center, not to find a husband.”

  “But New Year’s Eve is for celebrating a new day. A new beginning. To party until you drop.” Terrilyn jumped up and begin to move in time to music coming from the radio. “Ooo-wee, let’s par-tee!”

  “Sit your butt down, girl.” Shani laughed in spite of herself.

  “The best way to ring in the New Year is with a blast. Think about.” Terrilyn did a fancy step as the music ended. “Move on and up, like I said.”

  “Seriously, one thing you said is true. I’m not going to wallow in self-pity. Instead of acting like the whole world revolves around me and my troubles, I’m going to focus on others. Dozens of people walk through the doors of Mid-City Community Development every day that are a lot worse off than I am.” Shani got up to put away the now empty mugs.

  Shani’s thoughts turned to My’iesha Campbell. That young woman had seen more in her twent
y years than most see in a lifetime. Yet she and Shani had connected more than the other drug program participants. The feet that she had dropped out of sight filled Shani with dread. Terrilyn’s voice cut through her morbid musing.

  “Not work. Oh come on, Shani. You’ve been spending all your time down at the center as it is. Take time off at least for the holidays.”

  “Being executive director is not a nine-to-five thing, Terrilyn. We grew up in that part of town. You know how bad it was twenty years ago. Now that crack and cocaine have hit the streets, it’s a war zone. There are just so many needs.” Shani frowned.

  Terrilyn gave a shake of her shoulders. “Yeah, you can’t turn on the news without seeing bodies being carried away on stretchers. Horrible.”

  “Speaking of which, Mr. Carrington said there was going to be a story that might involve Mid-City. You know our board president, he keeps up with everything. It’s time for the five o’clock news now.” She turned off the radio with the remote and turned on the television.

  “Got some of those cup cakes with the cherry-flavored frosting in the middle?” Terrilyn wandered into the kitchen and opened a cabinet.

  “No. You got me hooked on those things and I gained five pounds in one week. Took me three months to lose it. You’ve got the metabolism of a hummingbird. How you stay a size eight is a mystery to me.” Shani called out

  “Got it from my mama. That woman had six kids, ate whatever she wanted, and only just started wearing a size twelve. Daddy still can’t keep his hands off her. Honey, it’s shocking how those old folks behave—”

  “Shh, this must be it” Shani turned up the volume.

  “The Joint Health and Welfare Committee of the legislature has begun hearings on the looming budget shortfall estimated by the Legislative Fiscal Office as over 359 million dollars. It is expected that there will be significant changes in the next session. The elections last month resulted in a record number of conservatives sweeping into office, defeating some career politicians. One of the most vocal is Eric Aucoin, the first black conservative to hold office in the Louisiana Senate since reconstruction.”

  “Look at that.” Terrilyn chewed on a cookie.

  “Can you believe it?” Shani glared at the picture that flashed. A row of legislators stood looking earnest for the cameras.

  “Yeah, girl. He’s got it goin’ on. My man is wearing the hell out of that custom-made suit. Umph, umph, umph.” Terrilyn snapped her fingers.

  “What? Who are you talking about?”

  “That fine brother they just showed.”

  Shani wrinkled her nose. “I didn’t see anything fine in that picture. Just a bunch of insensitive jerks.”

  “How could you miss Eric Aucoin? Every single woman in Baton Rouge has the hots for the brother.” Terrilyn giggled.

  “Take a cold shower. That brother, and I use the term loosely, is selling us out. He thinks programs like the ones we have at Mid-City are a waste of the taxpayers’ money.” Shani snorted in disgust. She made a point of not looking back at the picture. “I’ve read about him. He’s the token black conservative.”

  “The committee will meet tomorrow to consider those programs and agency budgets that will be reduced.” The news anchor, a thin man with iron gray hair, went on to another news item.

  Shani turned the sound back down. “Well I’ll be there for sure to give them all a few facts about how much money we save the taxpayers. For every kid we keep out of juvenile court or a kiddies’ jail with our Teach One, Reach One program, we save the taxpayers over forty thousand dollars. For every addict that stays off drugs by attending our Cocaine Anonymous group we save—”

  “Calm down. You better save that intensity for those committee members. But listen, you know how I feel about the center. If I have to, I’ll spend night and day with that mean old Senator Aucoin trying to convince him not to cut those programs.” Terrilyn wore a leer.

  “How kind of you.” Shani folded her arms and stared at her.

  “Hey, any sacrifice for you my friend. Now all we have to do is get his home address and phone number …”

  “Terrilyn, this is serious.”

  “You don’t think I’m serious about a man with his body? Did you see his chest? Whew!” Terrilyn pretended to fan herself.

  “Talk about superficial. It’s what’s in here that counts.” Shani patted her chest. “Obviously he’s got no heart for the very people who need help the most.”

  “Well, maybe you’re jumping to conclusions. All I’m saying is I’d be willing to let the man explain himself. Over dinner preferably.” Terrilyn grinned.

  “Oh he’ll explain himself when I get through with him. The committee meets at two in the afternoon. I’ll have time to get some work done, attend a staff meeting at nine o’clock, and have a quick lunch.” Shani wore a wicked half smile. “I’ve got his budget cuts all right.”

  ***

  The wide hall outside the committee rooms in the basement of the state capitol was jam-packed with people. Shani nodded to several social workers she knew. A perfect swirl of red hair stood out above several dozen heads. Shani wove her way through the mob toward that hairstyle. Soon she heard the distinctive laugh that confirmed the identity of the owner. Paulette Gauthier was considered one of the best substance abuse counselors in the state. She was one of two contract group therapists employed by Mid-City for their drug treatment program.

  “Hello, Paulette.” Shani gave her a peck on the cheek.

  “Hey now. Here comes the cavalry.” Paulette put an arm around Shani’s shoulders and pulled her close. “Shani, this is Susan Taylor and Joanne Lanier. They work with me at Save Our Streets.”

  “Hello. Well, what do you think?” Shani nodded toward a knot of men dressed in suits. “The Select Committee on Responsibility sent their big guns. They must be jumping for joy now that most of the candidates they endorsed have been elected.”

  “A bunch of men and women born with all the advantages who think they’re morally superior to poor people.” Paulette stopped smiling. “Look at Ed Parmalee grinning like a Cheshire cat. He’s the ring leader, though he keeps a low profile.”

  “Who are they exactly?” Susan gazed at the distinguished man with a receding hairline and expensive suit.

  “According to them they’re just a group of concerned private citizens who want good government. They organized three years ago,” Shani said. “Ed Parmalee helped them raise over 600,000 dollars from corporate sponsors to pay a consulting firm to study state government. The report just came out two months ago.”

  “Talk about sending shock waves,” Paulette broke in. “They made dozens of recommendations that include major cuts in staff and funding, especially at the Department of Health and Hospitals. Surprise, surprise.”

  “Staunch conservatives who think government has gotten way too big. They’ve been pushing for some of these changes for years. Ed Parmalee has been made it his personal crusade,” Shani added.

  “And now they’ve put their money to work with ads on television outlining why their recommendation should be implemented.” Joanne took up the explanation.

  “Yeah, and put up money to back their candidates.”

  Paulette shook her head. “With the latest round of scandals involving legislators and top state agency officials, the voters listened.”

  “We’re voters, too. So are the people who live in Easy Town and the Bottoms. They’re hard working men and women who are due representation just like the folks who live in Sutton Place Estates.” Shani spoke with fervor.

  “Power to the people!” Paulette grinned at her. “Didn’t I say the cavalry was here? Shani Moore, you go girl. We’re going to make sure you get a chance to speak.”

  “You both should speak.” Susan glanced around and got affirmative nods from the crowd around them.

  Shani swallowed hard. She did not want the ponderous responsibility of being a spokesperson. “I, uh, just came to say a few words about programs at Mid-City t
hey want to cut…”

  “Don’t be modest. What you have to say applies to us, all of us.” Paulette swept a hand around indicating the others. “Save Our Streets has been working to take back poor neighborhoods in south Baton Rouge from the crack dealers and gangs. Grants we’ve gotten to give kids an alternative are on the line. This is life and death, literally.”

  “I know.” Shani glanced toward the committee room where decisions that could change lives would take place.

  “Look, they’re opening the doors.” Joanne gestured to the Senate aides who had pulled open the double doors.

  “I’ll meet you in there.” Shani did not follow the press of those trying to get in. “Be right back.”

  The thought of facing such a multitude hit her now that it was only minutes away. She had a strong urge to check her hair and the fit of her clothes. Going in the opposite direction of everyone was like swimming against a strong tide. When someone bumped into her, she dropped her portfolio. White sheets with her notes showered to the floor spilling around the hall.

  “Excuse me,” Shani said dodging another woman at the last minute. “Great, just great,” she muttered as she bent to retrieve the papers from under several large feet. Without warning she ran headlong into a large object.

  Seeing the charcoal gray fabric of a suit, she stepped back. Her nose was only an inch from a broad chest. “Excuse me.”

  “Here, let me help,” a rich baritone voice said. “These must be yours, too.”

  He turned his back to her. In two long strides, he went several feet away to retrieve three sheets she had missed. Shani blinked at the muscular arms that reached down to pick them up. His shoulders rippled beneath the fine fabric. Brown hair in soft waves covered the back of his head and curled over the collar of the dove gray shirt. She drew a sharp breath when he faced her wearing a dazzling smile. Handsome did not begin to describe the chiseled features of his face. The word exquisite floated into her mind even as she examined the full lips and hazel eyes framed by dark eyebrows. But there was something familiar about him. No, I’d remember having met him before. Shani realized with a start that he stood holding out the papers to her, waiting patiently.