Brandee Evans as Isla Mae (eye•luh•may)

June 29, 1967

DeVanté Laurent decided to go to a hole in the wall restaurant. He knows that those are the best kinds of restaurants in the deep south, especially in Mississippi. He stepped inside waiting to be seated for some reason. He didn't want to be rude and just sit down.

There were people dancing, drinking, and eating. Having a good time! It's a hole in the wall combined with a juke joint. The dancing was happening on the other side of the large room. It's looks run down on the outside, but on the inside it looks better.

"Boy, what yo ass doin'?" An older man who's missing teeth asked him. "You must not be from around these parts?"

"Nahh, I'm from further north." DeVanté chucked.

"Gon' up there and get you some food young man. You look like you need it." Another one who's just happen to be on the thicker side said drinking some moonshine.

DeVanté laughed and nodded in agreement. "I do. I am hungry."

"And BONEY!" The big one said.

"Gon' up there boy!" The fat one said.

DeVanté went to the counter. "Hello, I have never seen you here before." Isla said to him.

"I'm not from around here." DeVanté chuckled lowly while nodding his head.

"Oh, okay."

"You from here?" He asked Isla.

"Born and raised." She said in a deep country accent while grabbing a plate.

"I should've known." He replied with his hands in his pockets.

"What you want?" She asked him.

"Excuse me?" He asked her.

"What you want, mista?" Isla held up the platter.

"Oh, I'm sorry." He apologized. DeVanté thought she was being rude.

"It's fine mista. You ain't the first to do that." She replied.

"I would love some of that chicken." He pointed.

She put two thighs on his platter. "Is that enough?"

"That's too much. I just want one." He told her.

"I'm sorry. What else?" She asked him.

"Some greens, that macaroni... Ooooh, and son of that cornbread. Okra, green beans, cream corn, hush puppies, potato salad. Is that chicken fried steak?" DeVanté asked her.

"Mmhm." She nodded and had to switch trays.

"Good, I want some of that with gravy. Some dirty rice, deviled eggs, and a few biscuits to stop all them juices up." DeVanté told her.

"Damn, his boney ass sho' can eat!" The fat guy yelled.

"He eat like you Tommy!" The other one who resembles James Evans laughed. He hadn't spoke before.

DeVanté laughed at them. "How much will that be?"

"Twelve dollars and eighty-nine cents."

Damn, that's cheap! Those trays are full and it's that damn cheap!? DeVanté was surprised. He took a twenty dollar bill from his pocket and handed it to her. Isla put it in the flat box. She then reached into pickle jar filled with coins.

"Keep the change."

"And he's rich!" The one with the jail cell mouth spoke.

"Ooooh, what's that?" DeVanté asked Isla.

"Nutria pie." She smiled.

"What's Nutria?" DeVanté asked.

"Swamp rat." She told him. "Want some of that too?"

DeVanté shook his head. "No thank you. I'm afraid to ask what the rest is?"

"What for? Ain't nothin' to be 'fraid of. Nutria is good. It taste like chicken." She laughed.

"Really?" DeVanté asked her.

"Yes, mista." She laughed.

"That's what black people say about almost everything." He chuckled. "Alright, I'll have some, but put it on another plate, please?" He asked her, adding another five.

"Yes, suh. You already paid me." She said putting the other two plates on top of the guard.

DeVanté loves her deep southern accent. It's different than what he's use to. "I know, but that was a tip."

"What you wanna know?" Isla asked DeVanté.

"Huh?" DeVanté asked confused.

"You scared to ask. I say ask on mista." She chuckled.

"What's that?" He asked her, pointing to another pie.

"Pecan pie. You ain't ever had none?" She asked him.

"I have, like I said I was scared that it may have been something else. Bugs maybe." He chuckled. Isla looked at him with a straight face. "And that's not funny."

"We might eat a lot of things down south, but bugs ain't ever on our menu." She told him, not finding what he said funny.

"I'm sorry for what I said. I do have another question though." He told her waiting for a response, while Isla just waited on him to speak. "Sorry, what is your name?"

"Isla, mista." She replied.

"How old are you?" He asked her because he was only used to being called mister by kids.

"Twenty-one, why?" She asked him. She's not too much younger than he is. DeVanté is twenty-four.

"You could just call me DeVanté or De." He told her.

"I only known you for five minutes, mista." She replied.

"DeVanté." He corrected her. "And yeah, but I'm only used to being called that by kids."

"Just a form of respect here." She told him. "DeVanté you say?" She asked him.

"Yes, Isla. DeVanté is my name." He told her.

"Never heard of a name like that down here." She told him. "What you want to drink?"

"Sweet tea. Y'all have that, right?" He asked her.

"Sure, we do." She replied. "I'll get that to you. You could take a seat if you'd like."

"Oh, yeah." He nodded, grabbed two of his plates and say them at an empty table.

He went back to grab his other plate. "Here you are." Isla handed him some utensils.

"I would love some of that pecan pie." DeVanté added on and laid another five dollars in front of her.

"That's fine, mis- DeVanté, you already paid me enough." She told him.

"That was for the other food not for this." He replied.

"Okay, thanks." She told him.

Isla wondered what is was that DeVanté do for a living. The man is in a full blown suit. They don't get many people with suits, they wear regular clothes there. Even when the people there do come up on some money, they just buy new material so they or someone in their family could make them something new. She watches a lot of television and men in suits send a lot of messages. To her, DeVanté just screamed bad news.

"I'll be there to your table in five to ten." She told him.

"Thank you." He told her.

"Isla Mae!? What happened?" The guy from across the room at the juke joint portion of the place yelled.

"I's comin'!" She yelled back over to him. "Wait a minute, Amos!"

"It's been 'bout twenty!" He yelled back at her.

"I said a minute, Amos!" She told him.

Amos threw his hands at her.

"Isla Mae, would you mind bringing us some mo' of that moonshine?" Tommy asked her.

"I don't mind, sir." She replied. "As soon as I get back from over there."

She gathered up some bottles, and put them all in a crate. She carries the crate to the other side of the room where the bar was.

"It's 'bout time you made it." Amos told her. "Thank ya kindly, Isla Mae." He tipped his head forward with a smile.

"Next time you want something and you see I'm busy, come get it ya'self. You hear me Amos?" Isla told him.

"I hear you well, Isla Mae." He replied.

Isla walked away to the other side. She went to the back to wash her hands. She went to the ice box and grabbed the ice bucket. She chipped enough off to where it would chill his drink. Isla doesn't care what DeVanté does, she always want to treat guest, especially those who aren't from there with hospitality.

"Isla, you see that man out there?" Henry asked her.

"I do. And?" She asked him.

"He sh'oll is dressed nice. What do you think is it he do for a living?"

"Henry, I don't know and I don't care. That man ain't botherin' me none." She told him putting the ice bucket back.

"You think he a singer?" Henry asked her.

"Like The Temptations? Naww, I think he's bad news." She shook her head at him while filling the cup with some ice.

"You mean like drugs?"

"What else, Henry?" She asked him pouring the drink.

"Mmmm... I think he's a singer. What do you think his name is?" Henry questioned.

"DeVanté."

"DeVanté? Sounds fancy!" Henry nodded.

"Shhhh, hush us now! He'll hear you now Henry Lee." She replied.

"He sounds like a singer." He smiled while nodding his head.

"That boy has himself a nice speaking voice. Maybe so. What's the deal?" Isla asked her childhood friend.

"Maybe he could sign me. You know I got a good voice, Isla Mae." Henry told hers still washing dishes.

"You do." She said grabbing another jar of moonshine then walking to the front.

"What it is that you do, boy?" Chuck, who has jail cell teeth asked DeVanté.

"I'm a nurse, but I'm still studying to be a doctor." DeVanté asked.

"Hmm, are you now?" Tommy said surprised. "Boys, we got a nurse on our hands!"

"Ain't that somethin'!" Chuck said proudly as if he was the doctor.

"Here go y'all moonshine." Isla sat two jars down.

"Isla Mae, you know we need mo' than one bottle!" Fat Eddie told her with a chuckle.

"I know, suh. But I only got me two hands." She replied then sat DeVanté's drink down on the table. "Here you go, mista. Sorry for the hold up."

"DeVanté, Isla Mae. DeVanté." DeVanté corrected Isla.

"My mistake, DeVanté." She corrected herself.

"It's fine, Isla Mae." DeVanté smiled at her. She was about to walk back to where she was before, but DeVanté stopped her. "Why don't you uhh... grab another slice of pie and take a seat?"

"I am workin'." She told him. "But I will get you that pie." She replied.

"That pie was for you, Isla. It's on me." He told her.

"I'm sorry, but I don't see no pie on you. It'd be silly if there had been." She said looking at him.

"I'm sorry. It's on me just slang. It means I'll pay for you up north." DeVanté chuckled.

"Then why don't you just say that?" She laughed.

"I'm sorry." He apologized.

"You don't have to keep apologizing to me. Just talk normal." Isla laughed. "Then I'll understand what it is you mean."

"What do you say?" DeVanté asked her.

"I still say, I can't. I'm working. Besides, my meals are FREE." Isla replied.

DeVanté looked to the front. "Ain't nobody up there for you to serve. They all over there dancing."

Isla sighed, turning to Chuck. Chuck nodded at her, then she looked back at DeVanté. He held two fingers apart, referring to the amount of time he was asking.

"Alright, but I don't want no pie. I need something to drink, then I need to help Henry Lee out in the kitchen. I'll be right back. You hold still." She told him, turning away.

"You from up north?" Tommy asked DeVanté.

"Yes, sir. Born in North Carolina but raised in Detroit." DeVanté nodded.

"Motown?" Chuck asked him. "That's where the stars live."

"I know." DeVanté nodded.

"Say, where did you get a name like DeVanté if you was born in the south?" Charlie asked DeVanté.

"My grandparents are Creole and they named me." DeVanté told them.

"Oh. That explains the eyes, huh?" Tommy asked.

"I guess..." DeVanté said unsure.

"I'm Chuck. That there is Tommy and-"

"I'm Charles, but everybody 'round here call me Charlie." Charlie's introduced.

"Nice to meet you all. I'm DeVanté Laurent." DeVanté stood back up to shake their hands.

"Nice to meet you too, young man." They replied.

Isla walked slowly into the kitchen to eavesdrop. She didn't get to hear the introducing of the men to each other, but she heard everything else. When Isla walked into the kitchen, she immediately went to Henry.

"Henry Lee, that man say he's a nurse from up north." She squealed. "He wanted me to have a slice of pie with him."

"You know what that means?" He asked Isla.

"What is it, Henry?" She asked him.

"He wants to take you out in a date. I'm a man and I KNOW, Isla Mae. Look at me and Billie Jean. We's fixin' to get married now. What you say?" Henry asked.

"I told him I ain't want a slice of pie, Henry." She replied.

"What? No! You sending him the wrong message, Isla." Henry chastised.

"Message? What message, Henry Lee?" Isla frowned.

"Think about this... You live in an old house with how many people?" He asked her, but didn't wait for an answer. "He could get you out of here. You say you always wanted to get out of  here and the men around here ain't no good. He's a doctor, so he's loaded!"

"You keep yo voice down, Henry Lee." Isla told him.

"Maybe he can help you and you could help your family and me..." Henry raised his eyebrows at his friend.

"He is a mighty handsome young man, Henry." She cheesed.

"Then go!" He pushed her.

"Wait, I told him I was getting me something to drink instead of some pie." She told Henry, pouring her some sweet tea.

"Okay." He nodded.

Josephine came in from cleaning the outhouse. Someone drunk did a number in there.

"Did y'all see that man in a suit?" Josephine asked them.

"We did and he's already taken, Josephine." Henry chuckled.

"Is that so?" Josephine asked him.

"Mmhm, he wants to take Miss Isla Mae on a date." Henry told her.

"Is that so?" Josephine asked while washing her hands.

"He ain't say all that now, Henry. The man just wants me to have a slice of pie with him is all." Isla chuckled.

"Well, go get him Isla!" Josephine cheesed.

"I'm going." Isla said to her.

"Put some ice in that cup, chile." Henry told her.

Josephine grabbed the ice from the ice box for Isla. She even chipped away some ice for her drink, then put it in her cup.

"Get him Miss Isla." Josephine pushed her friend.

"It's just a drink, then it's back to work." Isla told them, amused at them both, then walked out with her drink.

Josephine turned to Henry. "Let's hope Miss Isla don't play too hard to get."

"We men like a challenge and mystery to a woman, but you wouldn't know nothin' 'bout that, huh Josephine?" Henry cackled.

"Hard to get is just a quicker way to get left behind, Henry Lee." Josephine chuckled.

"If you say so." Henry said, continuing to wash dishes.

Josephine put the ice bucket back in the ice box, then grabbed a towel to dry the dishes.

"Isla Mae is a pretty girl. She just gotta stop being so mean." Josephine told Henry.

"She IS a little mean, Josephine." Henry chuckled. "Sometimes being mean is needed. You know how folks can get around here when a pretty girl ain't givin' it up."

"They do the same when you is givin' it up, they ask more. This is comin' from me, Henry Lee." Josephine replied.

Henry thought about that and realized that Josephine is right. Josephine, Isla, and Henry are all friends. They have other friends who's names are Leon, Frank, Henrietta (no relation to Henry), and theres May Eve.

May Eve went on to get married and out of that town, Leon and Frank are in the military, and Henrietta was raped and killed at the young age of seventeen. Some Klansmen did that to her one day while walking home from school. She lived in a different direction than the rest of the group. It was devastating.

Every since then, the townspeople have been making the men walk women home with some wind a weapon. Most times it's a shotgun. Henry wanted to go to the military, but his parents weren't having that. It wasn't like he was required to, but he still had to enlist like every other man. Isla Mae took a seat in front of DeVanté.

"Isla Mae?" Chuck called out.

"Yes suh?" She replied.

"The moonshine!" Tommy laughed.

"I'm sorry." She said getting up.

"That's okay. You stay put, Isla Mae. Henry will get it for us." Chuck told her. Chuck is also the owner of the place. He and his wife who's asleep upstairs. "Henry!?" He called out.

"Yes suh?" Henry said coming out of the back.

"Get me 'bout fo' mo' jars of that moonshine, will ya?" Chuck asked.

"Yes suh! Comin' right up!" Henry told him.

Isla Mae sipped on her drink, watching the people dance across the room. DeVanté tried the Nutria pie and didn't like it at all. To him, it didn't taste no damn chicken! He pushed it away and continued to eat the other food items on his plate.

"So, tell me about yourself." DeVanté said starting the conversation.

"Ain't got much to tell." Isla shrugged her shoulders.

"Were you born here?" DeVanté asked her.

"Yes. Born and raised. Can't you tell?" Isla chuckled.

Chuck watched them from afar. He knew how Isla was a a tough cookie and he liked that about her. Isla reminds Chuck if his wife. When a man works hard to get the woman, he usually works hard to keep her. Those are the type of women who don't allow others to run over them. Chuck wants what's best for Isla like he was her father.

"Sort of, but I couldn't be sure. I ain't wanna assume." DeVanté chuckled. "How many siblings do you have?"

"The lucky number twelve. I am the fourth child and the eldest girl." Isla replied.

"Damn, that's a lot. I ain't even know people still had that many kids." DeVanté joked.

"Tell that to my parents. They're on their unlucky thirteen." She chuckled. "Here it's common."

"Mmm." He nodded. "I'm the only child." DeVanté told her.

"Oh, how great it must feel to the an ONLY child." She laughed.

"I don't think so. It was lonely. It must be fun to have all those siblings. Never a dull day in the house, right?" DeVanté asked Isla.

"Yeah. There is always something going on. Fights included. Dullness is replaced with irritation 24/7." She smiled. "I don't get enough space to myself."

"I can't imagine that." DeVanté shook his head.

Isla just out of the blue started laughing. DeVanté laughed too, but didn't know exactly why he's laughing.

"What is it?" DeVanté asked her.

"It- it's just that here we are, two strangers wishing we were somewhat in each other's shoes." She laughed.

"Oh!" DeVanté gave a genuine laugh.

Henry came back with the jars, looking at Isla and DeVanté laugh. Henry cheesed so wide at the sight. He was paying so much attention to them that he ran into a table.

"Watch where ya goin', son!" Chuck told his son, Henry.

"Sorry, suh." Henry said now paying full attention to what he was doing.

When he made it to the table, his father whispered to him. "That's okay. We was watchin' 'em too." Chuck laughed.

"Could you imagine her with a nurse?" Henry smiled, sitting the jars down.

"Here? No, but I can see clearly now." Charles told Henry.

"Me too." Henry chuckled then made his way back to the kitchen. "Looks like Miss Isla Mae havin' a great time, Josephine."

"Really?" Josephine smiled wide then went to peak her head out of the doorway. "Oooh, shit!" She screamed. "She laughin' and everything!"

"I know." Henry told her.

"So what is your last name, DeVanté?" She was a bit awkward with conversation.

"Laurent. You?"

"Isla Mae Noelle." She told him.

"Is Mae a middle name or you got two first names?" DeVanté asked her.

"Both are my first. What you doin' in these sticks?" Isla asked DeVanté.

"I was looking for a meal. Also, because I'm looking to somewhere to live in Mississippi. I work at the doctor's office closest to here." He told her.

Isla gave in ha shocked expression. "YOU wanna move HERE?"

"Yeah." DeVanté nodded his head at her. "For work." He told her. "I won't be here for too long though. A year... Maybe two. Then I want to leave the country."

"The country? Mista, you got some big dreams. I mean, DeVanté." She corrected herself once again. "I don't wanna keep apologizing all night because I might keep slippin' up."

"I got that already." He smiled. "You got any dreams or aspirations?"

"I do. I wanna leave here. This small town don't have much and nor do my family." Isla told him. "Too many mouths to feed."

DeVanté leaned forward to speak. "There comes a time when the bird has to leave the nest to explore the world beyond."

"What happens if you can't afford to?" Isla asked.

"You find ways to do things you want. Learn from your childhood. I'm sure you snuck off to do things?" DeVanté asked her.

"I couldn't. I was like the second mother to my brother and sister. I am the oldest daughter." She explained to him.

"Never?" He questioned.

"Well... It wasn't all the time. Sometimes I would sneak off after school to hang with my friends, boyfriend, read, or stare outside the library but that ain't last too long. My folks caught on and it wasn't purdy." Isla sipped her drink.

"I bet it wasn't." DeVanté chuckled. "Outside the library you say?" He asked more seriously. "Why outside?"

"Can't get in, but I love books. On the television I see how they look and it's beautiful. They both as big here, but I bet they sure are beautiful." She chuckled.

"Damn, how come you can't get in?" DeVanté asked her.

"I don't work for the whites and you can't go in there unless it's for a white man or woman." Isla explained.

"We have plenty of them up north and you could look at all the books you want to look at. Y'all town is way behind. What about Dr. King?" DeVanté asked.

"Ain't much change around here. This the deep south, DeVanté." Isla reminded DeVanté. "Livin' up north must be wonderful. I know it is, the television even shows it." Her eyes twinkled.

"It's alright. Better than here though. No offense." He told her. "It's just that racism ain't as bad. Up there you can be out after dark and not many folks will bother you. We can walk after dark without having to worry 'bout no racist white folk. They wouldn't dare to come to my neighborhood. You know what I'm sayin'?" DeVanté chuckled.

"That's so beautiful, DeVanté, but I already knew that." She smiled with her hand resting on her cheek.

"It's a'ight." He said sitting back. "We still got some growin' to do."

"Well, in MY eyes THAT'S growth." Isla said drinking some more of her sweet tea.

"So... about this boyfriend, y'all still together?" DeVanté asked her.

Isla thought about it. "Nope, not really."

"Not really? What does that mean? What happened?" DeVanté asked, clearing his throat.

"He went to the army when we graduated from high school. Ain't heard from him since. No letter. No nothin'. It's been 'bout say... Five years now." Isla nodded.

"You still waiting?" DeVanté said now eating his pie. The rest of his food is done.

"Nope. Miss Isla Mae don't like to wait. It's been five years, why would I wait?" She asked DeVanté.

"You know, some people do that." DeVanté shrugged.

"Well, some people ain't me."

"What you like to read?" DeVanté asked her.

"Anything I could get my hands on. I love imagining what it is to not be down here. I can't live it, so I read it." She told him.

"That's beautiful, Isla Mae. But one day, imma have to take you somewhere outside of this town. This whole vicinity. Just for a little taste of the outside world. THEN you won't have to read it." He told her.

"I don't know you like that." She told him.

"That's why I'm talkin' to you right now, so we could get to know each other." He laughed.

"What you wanna know me for?" She asked him with her eyebrows up.

"I mean, you're a beautiful girl, Isla Mae." He told her. "I like the way you speak, your accent. Ain't nothin' I'm used to. I figured if I like that much about you, what else would I like? You know what I'm saying?"

Isla smiled, holding back a laugh. "Mmhm. I know what you sayin'." She nodded. "Where will you work?"

"I'm already working at the James D. Miller's Doctor's Office." DeVanté replied.

"That's bit too far of a walk. Where you stayin'?"

"I'm supposed to check into a motel tonight, but I'm supposed to be stayin' with my cousins. I can't get ahold of them though. I just arrived today." He told her.

"They live here?" She asked him.

"Yes." He nodded. "The number my parents gave me and address flew out the window."

"You can't remember it?" She asked him. "'Round here, we remember everything." She chuckled.

DeVanté shook his head. "Nope, not since I left Detroit. I had a hard time finding the town."

"Mm, you know this a small town, so everybody know everybody. What are the names?"

"DeGrate. My cousins name is Dalvin and Cedric Hailey."

Isla's eyes widened. "I know EXACTLY who you mean."

"Them ya cousin's?" Tommy asked from across the room.

DeVanté looked over to them. "Yes, sir." He nodded.

"Them boys ain't nothin' but trouble." Charles told him.

"Used to be trouble, when they were teens. They okay now." Isla told DeVanté. "They got a job."

"Can you show me where they are?" DeVanté asked them.

"You go down the road, turn left, right, and make another right on the dirt road." Chuck told him.

DeVanté just looked at him. "I'm going to have to be shown. There's a lot of dirt roads here."

"You gon' have to wait. Not tonight! It's late or early and it ain't too safe out there, DeVanté." Chuck told him. "I don't think you should be goin' into town at night either. You can stay here if you like? We got us a nice comfy couch Henry can sleep on. You can take his bed. how that sound?"

"I wouldn't want to take another man's bed." DeVanté told him.

"I insist. We don't need one of our own kind gettin' messed with." Chuck reassured him.

"Thank you, sir." DeVanté rapidly nodded his head. "I don't mind a bit."

"You best to be gettin' home Isla Mae. You and Josephine both." He told her.

"I know, but Billy Ray and James late again. We can't walk by ourselves, suh." Isla told him.

"I got a car, I can drive you both home." DeVanté suggested.

"Okay, but you try anything with these young ladies, we gon' get ya." Tommy told him.

"Henry!" Chuck called out to his son.

"Yes, sir?" Henry came out of the kitchen.

"You go with Nurse Laurent to take Josephine and Isla Mae home. If he does anything, you know what to do." Chuck pointed to his son.

"Yes suh, I do." Henry went to the back to get Josephine. "Josephine, that man out that said he'd take you and Isla Mae home. Come on."

"In that nice car I saw?" Josephine questioned.

"His car nice too?" Henry asked her.

"Yeah and it's big. Not like a station wagon. I ain't ever rode in nothin' that big before, Henry Lee." Josephine told him.

"And for you, that's says a lot. You done rode plenty of things in a car." Henry joked.

Josephine pushed him with a laugh. Josephine put the rest of the food up that was at the front. Wasn't much food left, people come to this place all the time to eat. It's the go to place around there. You can have a good meal AND a good time. Isla got out of her seat to take off her apron that she forgot to take off and put back. The moment Isla went to the back, Josephine grabbed her arms.

"Girl, how was he?" Josephine asked.

"He is a FINE young, man." Isla replied with a squeal.

Josephine squealed with her. "How old is he?"

"Oh, I ain't even get to ask that question..." Isla trailed off.

"You better!" Josephine told her and grabbed the apron and cup from her. "Me and Henry Lee will be out in a minute. Alright now, Isla Mae." She pushed Isla back out.

"Stop pushing me!" Isla said in a whisper yell, then went back out to the front. She walked straight up to DeVanté to grab his empty plates and cup. "We have to clean these before we go, DeVanté."

"That's fine." DeVanté replied.

Henry came out to the front and grabbed it from Isla. "I got that." He smiled that the two then walked back into the kitchen.

"Thank you, Henry Lee." Isla replied to Henry. "Uhh, what's yo age?"

"I'm twenty-four, Isla Mae." DeVanté replied.

"You got a woman?"

Isla is asking DeVanté questions she should've been asking. She usually would, so what happened this time?

"Nope, not anymore. I'm single. Ran off with my best friend." DeVanté chuckled.

"That's foul." Isla shook her head. "Friends like that, you ain't need no ways."

DeVanté has been hearing them say each other's names so much at the end of a sentence that he picked up that habit. Isla just stood there in front of DeVanté, looking around the room. DeVanté grabbed his blazer that he took off before eating, but didn't put it on because it was hot out there. He shouldn't have had it on on his way in, but he just left it on in the car due to all the wind blowing in through his car windows. Yeah, he could've let the windows up, but then he'd just get hot again.

Isla decided to speak again, but this is something she needed to know. "You got a woman?"

Isla is asking DeVanté questions she should've been asking. She usually would, so what happened this time?

"Nope, not anymore. I'm single. Ran off with my best friend." DeVanté chuckled.

"That's foul." Isla shook her head. "Friends like that, you ain't need no ways. Kids?"

"Nope. You got any?" He asked her.

"No way!" She laughed. "I got enough brothers and sisters to care for."

"Alright, see ya later, Chuck!" All of Chucks friends told him, fixing to leave.

"Alright, see ya!" Chuck waved.

When Tommy walked past DeVanté he patted his shoulder. "A doctor." He said impressed.

"Not yet, sir. I'm still studying to be one." DeVanté replied.

"Okay, doctor." Tommy laughed.

The guy's all walked out with their loaded guns and made their way home. They didn't live as far as the girls do from the place. The girls live a few miles away, Isla lives even further than Josephine. Chuck wouldn't allow his friends daughters to walk out in the dark alone.

"If yo Lula Mae and Harry Ray ask why you come home with a strange man, tell him I told you to and he no stranger." Chuck said patting Isla's shoulder.

"Will do, suh." Isla nodded.

After a few minutes more, Henry and Josephine came out. "We gon' go now or what?" Henry asked DeVanté.

"Yeah." DeVanté said rushing over to the door to hold it open.

The ladies walked out first, then Henry. "Well, thank you handsome fella!" Henry joked then patted DeVanté on the shoulder.

DeVanté doesn't know him all like that to be up on him, so he immediately felt uncomfortable. "I'm a bit uncomfortable." DeVanté chuckled, removing Henry's arm from around his shoulder.

"You take kindly to my friend, huh?" Henry asked DeVanté.

"I just met her." DeVanté replied.

"And?" Henry wanted him to continue.

"She's a fine young lady. She seems nice too. I would love to spend some time with her." DeVanté told him.

"Alrighty!" Henry jumped up and kicked his feet together.

"Why are you so happy about that?" DeVanté questioned.

Henry straighten up then cleared his throat. "No reason." He shrugged. "Actually, it's because she my friend."

"Girl, this is a nice car and he got lots of space Isla Mae." Josephine shook her friends arm as she held onto it.

"You so nasty, Josephine!" Isla said giggling.

"As nasty as I wanna be." Josephine laughed. "I'm serious. Enough room for yo legs to be up and everything." She laughed.

Isla shook her head at her friend. DeVanté opened the doors for them. Josephine and Henry got in the back. Isla Mae was about to do the same.

"Girl, what you doin'? Sit up front." Josephine pushed her friend out if the back.

"She's right. You could sit up front with me. I don't bite. I promise, Isla Mae." DeVanté told Isla.

Isla Mae went to the front and took a seat. There's enough room up front for three maybe four people. They could have all day in the front. DeVanté started his car up and pulled off.

"What are your dreams other than leaving here? What do you wanna do for a livin'?" He asked her.

"I wanted be a teacher abroad." Isla replied.

"Yes, Miss Isla Mae here is smaaaart!" Josephine butted in.

DeVanté chuckled at Josephine putting emphasis on her word. "Why aren't you?" DeVanté asked.

"We's po'. I told you that we got too many mouths to feed." Isla told him. "Many people here don't make it out. They die here. I think dying where you were born is sad when ain't nothin' there."

"How come you didn't get financial aid?" DeVanté asked. "They passed the law around the time you probably graduated, especially if you played a sport."

"I played sports but not for school. I just got good grades. We don't really do that here. That's for the white kids. Not enough funding." She told DeVanté.

"Well, all you need are your grades- you know, school records, income and a few other things I'm sure you got." DeVanté told her.

"I have never heard of financial aid. They don't talk about it here." Henry told DeVanté.

"I could help you out with a few thing, but others you have to do on your own. Like your social security. I can't do that." DeVanté told her. "All you have to do is sent for the information. I could do that too."

"Would you?" Isla asked with her hands laced together. "That's would be nice."

"For sure." He nodded. "That's how I got to go to college. My family helped, but I'm getting partial financial aid."

"That's good to hear, man." Henry patted his shoulder. "Stop the car!" Henry shouted, slightly scaring DeVanté.

"There they go!" Isla Mae perked up at the sight of she and Josephine's brothers. DeVanté pulled over.

"Is that Joel?" Josephine asked Isla Mae.

"I think so, Josephine!" Isla Mae cheesed then got out of the car. "JoJo!" He jumped up to hug him.

"Who is that?" DeVanté asked.

"Her oldest brother. He came back early from the army." Henry got out the car. "JoJo, my man!" He gave him a hug once he let go of his sister.

"My goodness! I can't believe you back and EARLY!" Isla Mae squealed and hugged him again.

"I know." Joel smiled. "I surprised everyone like I had planned."

"That's what took us so long. We was spendin' time with him and lost track of time, Isla Mae." Billy Ray said to his sister.

"Well, I'm glad y'all are fine." Isla replied.

"Who car is this?" James asked his sister, Josephine.

"That's DeVanté. He keen on little Miss Isla Mae." Josephine laughed, grabbing her friends arm.

DeVanté stepped out of the car. "I'm DeVanté." He shook their hands.

"Billy Ray."

"JoJo, man."

"J.J." James shook his hand.

"Who you? I ain't never seen you 'round these parts?" Billy Ray asked DeVanté.

"I arrived today- Well, yesterday morning is why." DeVanté responded.

"How you know my sister then?" Joel asked.

"I just met her today." DeVanté replied.

"Is that so?" Joel asked him.

"That's is so. I heard it ain't safe out here around this time, so why don't we hop in my ride? I'm sorry, do y'all want a ride?" DeVanté questioned.

"I wouldn't mind." James replied to DeVanté. Billy and Joel elbowed him. "What? Y'all must wanna walk? We gon' take that ride you offered to us."

DeVanté walked back to his car and got inside. The rest followed. DeVanté opened the door for Isla to get in, but Billy Ray got in first. He then helped his sister inside. The rest got in the back. DeVanté went around to the driver's side and got in, sitting beside Joel. He pulled off.

"Tell me where I need to go." DeVanté instructed them.

"Turn on right on the next dirt road to see." James told him.

"How old you is?" Joel asked DeVanté.

"Who me?" DeVanté asked.

"Don't play dumb with me. I know everybody else in this here car. How old you is?" Joel asked.

"I'm twenty-four." DeVanté replied.

"Same age is me." Joel nodded.

DeVanté made that turn and drive down that lane to Josephine and James house all while receiving the third degree from Joel and Billy Ray. Joel asked him the same questions Isla did before, which DeVanté respectfully replied. After all, he still is a stranger.

"Thanks!" James said getting out of the car.

"Thanks, DeVanté!" Josephine and James ran to their house door and went inside.

"You really from Detroit?" Billy Ray asked.

"Yes. That's the place I call home." DeVanté nodded.

"That must be nice livin' up north." Billy said excitedly.

"What you see in my sister? That girl is as ugly as they come." Joel asked DeVanté.

Isla didn't even say anything as she stared out he window. She knew what joel was doing.

"That's not nice. I don't think so. I think she's a fine young lady." DeVanté frowned.

"You betta!" Joel told him. "I just said that to see what YOU was gon' say."

Billy Ray and Henry were in the back laughing with their arms rest on the backrest if the front row seats.

"What made you wanna be a doctor?" Joel asked DeVanté.

"My parents wanted me to for so long that I began to like the idea of it. I love it now." DeVanté chuckled underneath his breath.

"What's funny?" Joel asked.

"Nahhh, I'm just- you know." DeVanté shrugged.

"I's messin' with you!" Joel said laughing. "What made you come to this shitty town?"

DeVanté glanced at Joel for a split second, then back at the road. "My cousins told me that there was a job opening here, so I decided to come. I haven't seen them in years though."

"You ya folks?" Henry asked DeVanté.

"Dalvin, K-Ci,-"

"The Hailey's!?" Joel asked him.

DeVanté laughed. "Yeah, man. The Hailey's are my people."

"Oh, wow!" Billy Ray shook his head.

"My conehead brother here is dating yo cousin, Vera." Joel told him.

"Little Vera?" DeVanté asked. "I miss them." DeVanté smiled.

"Lil Vera ain't so lil no mo'." Billy Ray dapped up Henry and they laughed. "She done filled out and I done feeled up."

He wasn't loud, so DeVanté didn't hear them. They're also are sitting back in their seats.

"Yeah, they cool. Me and K-Ci are cool and Dalvin used to just follow us around to do what we do." Joel chuckled. "Those was the days."

"You know what's funny?" Henry asked.

"What?" Everyone in the car asked.

"Dalvin used to be keen on little Miss Isla Mae and now DeVanté is too. I guess that family know good looks when they see it!" Henry said clapping his hands and laughing. "They 'bout the same age."

"Knock it off, now Henry Lee." Isla turned to him.

"I's sorry, Isla Mae, but say it ain't true." Henry asked her.

"It ain't true." She looked at him.

"A'ight, that's enough, Henry Lee." Billy told him.

"You make a left on the next dirt road." Joel pointed ahead of them.

"I got you. Then what was it Isla Mae?" DeVanté asked her.

"Yeah, then what was it?" Joel asked his little sister.

"Another time, DeVanté." Isla said ignoring her brother completely.

She didn't want to upset Joel. Joel can be a little off. Who could blame him? He see all kinds of things in the military.

"I came all the way from Vietnam to see you and you ignore me?" Joel asked. "It's a simple question, youngin'."

"Cool it, Joel." Isla told him.

"I will." Joel rolled his eyes.

DeVanté finally made that left turn on the dirt road. DeVanté wanted to know too before going any further with ANYTHING. He didn't want someone his cousin was with. That's not how he was raised. DeVanté drove down the dirt road silently as the others spoke. All except Isla Mae, she silently looked out the window feeling the slight breeze. When DeVanté made a complete stop, they all thanked him.

"Isla Mae?" DeVanté called out getting out of his car.

She walked back to him. Joel was going to stand there and watch, but Billy pulled him into the house.

"Yeah?"

"Did you- did you and my cousin have somethin' going on?" DeVanté questioned.

"No way. He ain't my type." She shook her head. "Mista, what do you get of to askin' me a question like that?"

"It's a simple question. Then what was it with Dalvin?" DeVanté asked.

She looked around then back to DeVanté. "Alright. Yo cousin is just like the others wanting to get into my pants. I kindly told him no, when he ain't get the picture, I angrily told him no." She shrugged. "He a low down dirty dog, no offense."

"Oh, okay." DeVanté nodded.

"Is that all?" Isla questioned.

"Yeah, that all I needed to know." DeVanté smiled.

Isla turned and went on about her way.

"Look at that car!" One of her younger siblings yelled and DeVanté heard.

DeVanté chuckled then got back into his car. DeVanté couldn't just take her word for it. That's a question for his cousin. Henry is now sitting in the front. Henry heard the conversation between the two form inside the car.

"DeVanté?"

"Yeah?" DeVanté glanced at Henry.

"That's just jive talk, man. They ain't have shit goin' on. Dalvin was keen on her, but she ain't like him 'cause the reputation he got with the ladies. That's all." Henry's shrugged.

"Okay." DeVanté nodded. He's still has to ask his cousin. "You know your pops is putting you on the couch?" DeVanté asked.

Henry's sighed. "Ahhh, you must be stayin' over? I'm only on the couch when we got out of town folks."

"Yup!" DeVanté laughed. "I'm sorry, but don't you worry. I'll be out tomorrow to stay with my cousin, just until I get myself a place." DeVanté told him.