Totally engrossed in a movie, she looked up at the clock and realized Darius had been gone for over two hours now. It was after 6:00 in the evening. Now she was worried. What if his wife showed up before he came back? What will she think of this strange woman in her house?
Then she heard a car and the car door shut. A minute later, Darius came walking in through the side door. “Sorry I was gone so long, Rainy. The bank was packed. I brought pizza back; I hope you don’t mind. But there is enough for the kids, that way we don’t have to cook tonight.”
Happy he was back, she said, “I like pizza!” “That’s right. It was Samie who didn’t like it.”
“Yeah, she was picky about what she ate,” Rainy agreed. They both sat down at the kitchen table and began eating. “Two weeks is a long time. You sure your family won’t mind if I stay?”
“Rainy, you’re family too.”
“I know, but it’s different now.”
“Not to me, it’s not.”
She smiled at him. “Thanks.”
“You're welcome! And I mean that, Rainy. You’re like my kid sister. How old were you when Samie and I married?”
“About ten, I think.”
It was about an hour later when the front door swung open, and the two boys came treading through it. Tray dropped his backpack on the floor and kept walking. Darius got up and headed for the front door. From where Rainy was seated in the kitchen, all she could see was a silhouette of a woman in the front door. Darius put his arms around her and kissed her. They were speaking in low voices. But Rainy heard Darius ask, “Are you ready for this?”
“Yes,” the woman replied.
As Darius turned to walk back into the kitchen, he tripped over the backpack. “Tray, come out here.”
Tray walked out into the living room. His father only stared at him. The little boy went and picked up the backpack. Then he returned to his room with his brother. “Homework before games,” Darius yelled out.
“Okay, Daddy,” Tray yelled back.
Darius then started to move towards the kitchen. His wife was behind him, but Rainy could tell he was holding her hand. Rainy started to get nervous now the closer they came. Stopping in front of her, he said, “Rainy, I want you to meet my wife, Charlotte.” He then pulled his wife from behind him to stand next to him.
Rainy blinked a few times. It was as if her eyes weren’t in focus. The woman standing in front of her was a dead ringer of her sister. Her hair was short and black, not blonde and curly, but that was Samie’s face. Rainy was speechless. She could only gape at her with her mouth open.
“Rainy, are you alright, honey?” Said the woman. Her voice sounded like her mother’s and not Samie’s for some reason.
For the next few minutes, no one spoke a word, then the tears started to roll down Rainy’s face. “How could you let me think you were dead? How could you do that to me, Samie? Tell me!” Rainy yelled. The two boys came out of their room when they heard the noise.
Samantha moved in before her sister got any angrier and put her arms around her. Now that she had her in an embrace, she said, “It wasn’t my idea not to tell you. I wanted you and Quinn to both know. However, I was outvoted by the family. They felt the two of you would be better off not knowing.”
“Why?”
“I’m in the witness protection program. I witnessed a mob killing. No one is supposed to know where I am. But somehow, Darius ended up here for his cousin’s wedding, and then Mom found out. And yes, they all know and now you do also. And Rainy, it’s as if God brought you here. Don’t you see that? What are the odds of us seeing each other again?”
Rainy pulled away from her sister. “Quinn and I are both grown women. Why wouldn’t they tell us?”
“I think it’s because they know you wouldn’t stay away from us. Now that you know where we live, will you stay away?” Samantha tilted her head.
Rainy could only stare at her at first, then she said, “You know I won’t.” They both laughed. Darius gathered the two boys and left them alone so they could talk.
“So Kevin is Keyon?”
“Yes, and please don’t call him that. He gets angry at Mom when she slips up and does it.”
“Does he know that Mom is his grandmother?”
“Darius and I sat him down and told him the whole story.”
“And Tray?”
“He’s too busy getting into trouble to worry about such things.”
Rainy laughed and said, “I bet.”
“So that’s enough about me. What in the hell is going on with you? Here I think you're away at college, and you ran away with a biker gang.” Darius came in and got a box of the pizza for the boy’s to eat.
“Whoever told you I’m smart, Sam?”
“Come on, Rainy, you left college. What were you thinking?”
Rainy made a face. “First of all, don’t pull that big sister crap with me. Yes, I screwed up big time, but it would have never happened if Dad would have stopped his B.S. But he wanted me to give up my summer. Funny, he never asked Quinn to give her’s up.”
“I don’t think he wanted you to give up anything; he needed your help.”
“He could have asked Quinn.”
“He did. She told him no, and that’s the same thing you could have done. Not run off with a gang of bikers.”
“I did tell him no, but he wouldn’t leave me alone about that damn dance,” she said, staring at her older sister. “Where’s Darius at?”
“I don’t know. Maybe he went out back with the kids. Why?”
“I think he needs to take me back to jail. I’d rather be there than with the next Donavan Graystone.”
Samantha got to her feet and walked over to the sink and looked out the window. “It had been almost five years that I was on my own when Darius showed up here in Macon. I was a broken down mess for the first few years. But I made a life for myself. It was only me and the boys, but I had them and they were my greatest gift. I knew I could do this, and I did. There was no money. I worked as a waitress at a diner. I still do, in fact. But I built this life. And I fell in love with the people in this town. They’re great. Then Darius showed up and I fell apart. He wasn’t sure it was me at first. I played this game and stayed away from him, letting him think he had lost his mind, but it was me that was going crazy. I wanted him so badly, I was hurting. I missed all of you, but I knew I couldn’t have you back. But he was here. I could reach out and touch him. It was killing me. Then he got into trouble with the law because they thought he was trying to stalk Tray. It was one thing after the other, and all of it was bad. Then Kevin remembered him. Remembered his father. I don’t know how. He was only two years old when we left the city. Oh God, Darius was furious with me. He took both the boys and left. I gave up. I wanted to die. I went to bed and I never planned on waking up again. And I don’t think I would have if it wasn’t for my friends here. They pulled me out of that deep hole of depression and made me fight for my boys. So I went to New York and demanded my two sons back. And that was a mistake because Mom overheard talk about the woman that Darius was going to marry, Samantha’s look alike. Darius still had the boys when Mom showed up here. I was so mad at her. I wanted to choke her. And I have never been more happy to see someone. About a week later, Dad came. I knew I would never see them again because Dad wouldn’t let Mom come back. I cried until I had no more tears. If you think you hate Dad, Rainy, wait until you can’t have him,” Samantha said and turned around.
Rainy sat still looking down at her feet. She wouldn’t look up at her sister. Not after what she had just said to her. But she knew what she was saying because she’d missed her dad too. “I do know, Samie. I do. I know Dad had nothing to do with the bikers keeping me.”
“Did you ever try to get away from them?”
“Oh yes.” Then she told her the same story she’d told Darius.
Chapter 22
Home
Saying goodbye to Samantha and her family had Rainy in tears. Just
finding out her sister was still alive made Rainy want to stay with her now. Samantha embraced her and whispered in her ear, “I love you, Rainy. And no more biker gangs, okay?” Pulling back, Rainy nodded her head as she wiped her own tears away. Samantha was also having a battle with her own emotions. Darius had said his goodbyes before he left for work that morning. He had wanted to take Rainy home, but the court said no.
She had helped Samantha get the boys off to school. Going through life for over seven years thinking her sister was dead made her feel as if she was dreaming and would wake up any minute and find it was just a dream.
Returning to her father’s house wasn’t what she had in mind. The judge gave her one-year probation and two thousand hours of community service. Okay, she could understand why the judge felt she could have gotten away from The Screaming Bandits. But remanding her to her father’s custody really sucked. Because of her ankle, she could no longer dance. So how would she do her community service? Or would she do some other kind of work for her dad?
Because of the nasty weather, they would take her home in a car. Turning away from her sister, Rainy got into the backseat of the police cruiser. This is just great. I’m being delivered to my dad by the cops. Oh, God. Maybe in time I can write the judge and be able to get my own apartment. One day at a time, Rainy. Just take it slow, she told herself.
The two police officers that were escorting her to New York City weren’t saying too much to her. They were talking amongst themselves. Rainy didn’t care; she didn’t even know them. When they stopped for gas, the female officer would stay close to her. Rainy wondered why. It wasn’t like she had anywhere else she could go.
Trying her best not to think of The Screaming Bandits or Decker. How could he do that to her? Sell her like she was an object he was tired of. And she thought getting over Pedro was hard. But even Pedro. the low life he was, never hurt her as badly as Decker did. But get over him she would. She had too. At least she would have her mom to talk to when she got to their house.
Rainy knew as soon as they pulled into the city of New York. The city had a life of its own and like the saying goes, it never sleeps. It was early in the morning when they arrived. She wasn’t sure of exactly what the time was, but she thought it had to be around five in the morning. The two policeman decided that they wanted to have breakfast before they hand delivered her to her father. And just the thought of seeing him had her stomach in a knot. So when they asked her, she agreed to eat first. After all, he was already going to throttle her. She didn’t want him angrier than he already would be by being woken up earlier then normal. Later in the morning would be better, she was thinking.
The restaurant they decided on was near the dance studio and about two blocks from her grandparents brownstone. Having grown up in the neighborhood, it no longer felt like home. And living in Georgia where there was an ample amount of land around the houses made everything here seem so crowded.
She followed the two policemen into the restaurant. They didn’t seem to be watching her too closely now. They all three sat at a table and waited for the waitress to come over. “Bet you’re happy to be back,” said the male officer. Rainy nodded her head to agree. Even if it wasn’t true. She had to be happy she wasn’t still in jail. And that could have happened. Rainy had a funny feeling her brother-in-law had a little to do with that. Even if he told her it was out of his hands. There was no one else there to speak up for her. And it wasn’t as if the bikers were going to say she was innocent.
She ordered pancakes. It had been a long time that she’d had any. She ate slowly and listened to the two officers tease each other with their banter, finding the two of them amusing. Then it was time to go. The sky had started to lighten. She was getting more nervous by the second. Rainy didn’t realize she was shaking until she lifted her hand to open the backdoor of the police cruiser.
As they rolled up to the front of her father’s house, Rainy’s heart was racing. The female officer was the first one out and opened the car door for her. The only thing Rainy had with her were the clothes she wore. And she was hoping she still had clothes here that she could wear. Rainy slid out of the car and followed both the officers to the front door. She knew her father was up because lights were on inside the house. The female officer knocked on the door. As they waited, Rainy wondered how much time she could get for running. But she wouldn’t. She wanted this part of her life over with. That way she could start fresh.
The door swung open and her father stared back at them. Rainy almost gasped when she saw him. He was dressed in a T-shirt and jean shorts, and she knew he had just gotten up. But Donavan never dressed like this. His hair was disheveled and he wore a full beard. He was not only a fastidious man, but a meticulous one as well. Not only was he an immaculate dresser, but his house was always spotless and in order. “We have brought your daughter. These are her papers.” The female officer handed him her file. “She has to report to her probation officer on Friday at 2:00. All that information is in the folder.”
He signed a paper the male officer handed him. “Alright, thanks for bringing her home,” said Donavan and stepped aside for Rainy to enter. The two officers walked back to their car.
As soon as Rainy entered the house, the smell hit her nostrils full force. It smelled fishy, and the house was a mess. There were boxes on the counter between the dining room and the kitchen. Pizza and Chinese take out. The floors were dusty and needed a good mopping. And the furniture could have used a dust cloth. This was not the way her father kept his house.
Donavan pushed past her and never spoke to her. Not a hello, goodbye, or how are you. Nothing. Now she felt displaced and already knew her mother had left him. She had a feeling she was the cause of it. And that made her feel awful and not too sure of what she could do.
She walked into the kitchen, and there were three bags of trash sitting next to the trash can. Rainy thought about what day of the week it was. Tuesday. Trash pick up day. She would haul it to the curb.
She heard her father coming down the stairs and was hoping he would say something to her. He was dressed in a yellow polo shirt and jeans, and he walked straight to the door and left without speaking to her. Not one damn word. Okay, she knew he was angry with her, but she needed him to let her know what to do about her community service.
She went upstairs, hoping to find some of her old clothes. Sick of this outfit, she went into her brother’s old room. That’s where she’d been sleeping before she left here. But to her surprise, there were no clothes in the closet. In fact, the closet was bare. And so was the dresser.
Leaving the room, she found the source of the awful odor. It was the turtle tank. It was so dirty, Rainy didn’t know if Ted, her mother’s turtle, was even in the tank. Okay, this she could fix, and she did. Moving through the house, Rainy cleaned as she went.
Afterwards, she hauled the three bags of trash to the curb, and then went and took a shower. Coming out of the shower, she saw the clock and it was seven o’clock. Her father should have been home. Hungry, she went to the kitchen and looked in the refrigerator. The only thing she found to cook were eggs. So that’s what she cooked. Two eggs for herself. She sat at the table and looked around. Not bad, she thought. The house was livable once more. After she ate, she went to bed. That way her father wouldn’t have to avoid her.
***
Donavan knew what Rainy had been doing all day when he opened the door. All he could smell was clean. And the entire house was tidy. The trash had been taken out and that damn turtle tank was clean. He had never let his house go this way, but he just didn’t care anymore. He knew they would have to talk, only he didn’t know what would he say. Yes, he knew he had to give her some way to work off her time. But he was still so angry with her. How could she just throw her life away like it didn’t mean anything to her? And what about her family? For the last half a year they didn’t know if she was alive or dead. “Oh, for God’s sake, I forgot to call Jessie’s parents,” he said out loud, looking
up at the ceiling and letting out a long breath.
He went up to his room, not sure what room she was in, but he would sleep better tonight knowing she was under this roof. And not god knows where.
***
Rainy was up early. And she was standing on a step stool looking through the cabinets when Donavan walked in. “What are you doing?” he asked.
“Seeing if there is anything to eat.”
“Get down!” It was an order, she knew. So she climbed down. He pulled out his wallet and took out his credit card and laid it down on the counter. “Go shopping and buy what you need for the week.”
“How will I get the food home?”
“Call a cab, Rainy, that’s how!” He said to her like she was just plain stupid. Rainy looked down, biting her lip so she wouldn’t say something she knew she would regret.
After she shopped, she came home and cooked a big pot of beef stew. It was something she had not had in a long time. Donavan came in and saw the pot of stew. “Why did you cook this much food? It’s more then we both could eat in a week. From now on, only cook for yourself. I’ll get my own food!” He snapped.
Rainy already knew that no matter what she did, he was going to find fault with it. All she wanted to do was curse him out. But instead, she said in a soft voice, “I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking.”
“I already knew that!” He huffed and walked away.
She’d waited for him to get home to eat, but now she felt sick to her stomach. Putting the pot of stew in the refrigerator, she went to bed. After all, she didn’t want him to see her cry. And right now she wished she was still in Georgia. Because the bikers, even as bad as they were, loved her cooking.
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