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Raheim inquired.
    â€œHe does.”
    â€œAnd he knows I’ve never starred in a film before?”
    â€œHe does.”
    â€œAnd he still wants to take a chance on me?”
    â€œHe does.”
    â€œWow.” He exhaled. After having the door locked and bolted so long, it felt so jood to have this opportunity come his way.
    And Troy knew it. “You want some time to pinch yourself?”
    They laughed.
    â€œYou don’t have to audition or take a screen test. I sent him a copy of A Raisin in the Sun , and he and the other producers loved you in it.”
    It was his off-off-Broadway debut. During the show’s two-month run last year, he stepped out of the shadows as the understudy and into the role of Walter Lee Younger for two weeks when the star was bedridden with pneumonia. And, as luck would have it, one of those performances was filmed for a PBS special on Lorraine Hansberry. Troy coaxed the documentarians into releasing some of the footage so it could be edited and used as part of Raheim’s résumé. That paid off in a big way.
    â€œCool. When do they want an answer?”
    â€œAs soon as possible.”
    â€œLike yesterday?”
    â€œYup. But we’re gonna take until Monday afternoon. You haven’t had this type of offer before, so you deserve to enjoy this feeling.”
    â€œThanks. I will.” He grinned.
    â€œYou’re so pleased you haven’t asked about the salary.”
    â€œOh. How much?”
    â€œThree seventy-five.”
    Raheim was surprised it was that much; the film would be an indie from Fine Line. He hadn’t seen a six-figure check in a loooong time. “That’ll be a nice payday.”
    â€œIndeed. But the payday wasn’t nice enough for many of those they approached, probably because of the kind of role it is and the risks involved in taking it.”
    Yeah. Like being branded with a scarlet letter for playing a homo? Like having one’s so-called masculinity questioned? Like not being considered for “manly” roles, be they in romantic comedies or action adventures, in the future?
    He brushed all that off. “They shoulda took the role because of the risks.”
    â€œIndeed. But their loss is your gain. This is your chance to prove that you always had it—and still do.”
    â€œProve to who?”
    â€œTo yourself.” Troy raised his glass.
    He followed. They clinked. They sipped their water.
    Troy glared at him. “Just don’t ditch me when William Morris, CAA, and ICM come calling when the movie hits big, okay?”
    After all he’d put Troy through (he’d told him “fuck you” and hung up on him more than once) and all the time Troy’d spent helping to repair his reputation and his career, the brother believed in him and stuck by him, so there’s no way that would happen. “You know I won’t,” he promised. He smiled at the script, then frowned. “But . . .”
    Troy shook his head; he was used to the doubt. “Yes?”
    â€œWhat if I’m no jood? I mean, I ain’t never done something this heavy before.”
    â€œAre you kidding? You were born to play this part. As Addison advised Eve in All About Eve : ‘You’ll give the performance of your life.’”

Chapter 5
    A t 4 P.M. , the second-floor doorbell rang. Destiny raced to answer it. She slowly pulled back the curtain covering one of the rectangular windows that framed the door, peeking outside.
    â€œ Gran’ma, gran’ma!” she squealed with utter delight upon seeing her grandmother’s smiling face pressed up to the window.
    As soon as Mitchell unlocked the door and there was enough space, Destiny jumped into her grandmother’s arms.
    â€œHey there, Precious! How is my Sweetie Pie doing today?”
    â€œI’m jood. How you?”
    â€œI’m jood er now that I have you in my arms.”
    Destiny giggled.
    As always, they