Reservoirs

Vi was relieved that Haile had asked Earnestine, the station anchorperson, what she really wanted to know. However, all were distracted by the opening of the door, but felt safe knowing that security was outside. Both Haile and Vi looked at each other, saying nothing but wondering. If security were outside, why was the door being opened without announcement or prior warning? Surely, it was one of the television station’s bigwigs wanting to meet them and wish them well in their triumphant moment of truth. Naively, Haile briefly thought that it might be the stranger. But with all the twists and turns of the last few days, no one prepared Vi and Haile for who opened the door.

“What are you doing here? How did you know that we would be here? And how did you get past security?”

Looking directly at Earnestine, Haile warned, “Vi, maybe we shouldn’t go through with this!”

“You must believe me, Mr. Thompson, I didn’t know. My intentions have always been honorable.”

And then the intruder acknowledged to Haile, “All I want is a few words with you privately… and if you don’t give me any trouble, then you can return to your girlfriend. She looks like she needs all the support that she can get.”

In panic, Earnestine was pacing the floor, “Look, I could get fired!”

It was now close to the broadcast time as the stylishly dressed, uninvited guest sensually positioned herself in front of Haile. “If you owe me nothing else, then you owe me the dignity of not embarrassing my family… What do you want from me Haile? Please do not go public with this information. Let it be!”

Knowing that he might lose the verbal contest between them, Haile decided to keep quiet, let her have what he hoped would be her final say, and endure her present antics, hopefully for the last time.

Haile physically sheltered Vi while affirming, “Vi and I must tell the truth. The Munson community, both black and white, deserve to know what we’ve found out. We do forgive you.”

Earnestine’s assistant was frantically urging them to move forward. “We are not the lead story, but we need to be in place. Obviously, we’re the biggest story that Munson has had.”

Vi, Earnestine and her assistant were already outside the door, and Haile was about to exit with the intruder tauntingly in front of him. He had made sure that Vi was secure. Surely, all present, including Earnestine, were unsure what madness the intruder was capable of.

And where was all of the security that had escorted Haile and Vi to the station, and that had been obvious upon their entrance into the station? The same security that had not prevented the uninvited guest from entrance into the luxurious office where the broadcast party awaited instructions to move forward for their interview.

And then, the intruder wiped the tears from her eyes, tossed her hair, straightened the seam of her violet, form-fitting suit and positioned herself, strategically separating Haile from the others, except Vi who had cautiously moved back into the doorway to be closer to Haile.

As the entourage moved into the hallway, the intruder now sensed the suspicious reappearance of the crowd, consisting mainly of media and ample security. She lowered her voice, fearing that they might overhear her. She then regally turned around and struck Haile in his midsection.

Adaptation beginning with last paragraph of p. 273 and continues with passages in Chapter 24