Memoirs of a Creole Crime Cartel

by Red Snapper

  “Of course Mother…I wouldn’t miss for the world.”

  Before another word was mentioned, Sonja quickly replied, “But Andrew…we have tickets for the philharmonic this evening…I’ve been waiting for months for this show, it’s the Pirates of Penzance…remember?”

  Everyone just stared at her as she stood there looking like a spoiled child having a temper tantrum. Then all eyes shifted to Andrew as everyone waited for his reply. He smiled as he answered, “Well…how long is the show running…can’t we reschedule?”

  Sonja looked at him with an evil expression as she just turned around and strolled toward the den. What happened next was something that I was not expecting as I was now watching my dad chasing behind this ungrateful female as he tried to pacify her. She was serious about making him choose whether to take her to the philharmonic instead of staying for my homecoming. I took a quick glance over at my Grandmother as I noticed she was now frowning at Sonja who was down the hall. She quickly began to stroll behind him as she tried to stop my Papa from chasing after her.

  She yelled out to him, “Andrew…wait…let me talk to her.” “You go back in there with my Granddaughter...I’ll handle this for you!”

  I looked at her and smiled as he began to make his way back into the living room with me. As soon as he came in, I immediately embraced him saying, “Papa… I need you to be here with me tonight…please be here for me Papa!”

  I remembered this vividly as I stared up at his face, waiting for him to say he would be with me. I needed him to say he wanted to spend time with his daughter, but the words that came out of his mouth was cold and distant, “Girl…you want me here now after you left out of my life for nine years…NOW YOU NEED ME…NOW YOU WANT ME?” “That’s awfully selfish of you Tangie!” “WHERE WERE YOU WHEN I NEEDED YOU?”

  After I heard this appalling and outrageous response coming from this man I called my Papa…I knew that my coming back here was a terrible and horrendous mistake. At that moment I think that’s when it dawned on me….at that moment I knew I was going to leave this ruthless and unscrupulous place that was supposed to be full of adoration, tenderness, and warmth. I knew I had to shake off this prison that I once called home. I knew that the love that was supposed to be here was not present here and I didn’t want any part of this shit. So I instantly found myself in the planning process once again. I found myself planning our escape as I looked at LaVette and nodded my head. She smiled as she nodded her head in acknowledgement of what I was suggesting. Although we had not actually discussed our plan, she agreed with whatever I wanted to do. So I stepped back from my Papa as I replied, “Oh Papa…I’m totally sorry and I apologize for being so rude to you…you’re right I was being extremely selfish.” “Maybe you and Sonja should make it to the show tonight.” “After you’re finished maybe you can join us later.”

  He looked at me with a serious expression on his face before he gave his reply. After a second of processing my words in his mind, he finally answered, “Look Tangie…I’ll be here before you know it…I just need to…!”

  I immediately interrupted him, “You’re fine Papa…I understand, after all…I’m home now…right?”

  He stared at me with a puzzled expression all over his face as he replied, “Okay…I’ll see you later.”

  He strolled down the hall and up the winding stairs toward the master bedroom as my Grandmother suddenly emerged from another room. She glanced at me and LaVette as she approached us. When she made it to us, she looked at me, than LaVette as she embraced us both saying, “Ladies…for what it’s worth…I’m glad you’re both home.”

  After she let us go, I looked over at LaVette as I motioned for her to come with me. I smiled at my Grandmother as we walked away, turning to go down the hall. As we began walking, I suddenly felt nauseated. I knew it had to do with me missing my period, which meant only one thing. I was pregnant. As we continued strolling down the hall, LaVette noticed that I wasn’t feeling well as she began to ask me a series of questions. I could tell by her questions that she had an idea what was going on, but wanted me to come clean.

  “Tangie…you don’t look so good, are you alright?”

  I glanced at her as I tried to respond, “Girl…I need to get to the bathroom!” Lucky for me, there was a bathroom at the end of the hall as we quickly rushed down to make it in. Just as I made it in the bathroom, I quickly got on my knees at the toilet bowl and began to vomit profusely. As I damn near had my head down in the bowl, I thought, “Damn…I know I’m fuckin’ pregnant!” “What are the odds of LaVette and I being pregnant by the same man?”

  As I finally got up from dry heaving all of the remaining food particles from my stomach into the toilet, I flushed the toilet, walked over to the sink and turned on the water. After I washed my face and mouth, ensuring to get the entire amount of residue from around my lips, I looked into the mirror. As I looked at my reflection, I couldn’t help but notice LaVette’s reflection in the mirror staring at me. She gazed at me with an expression that revealed that she demanded that I come clean as she said, “Okay…who’s the Daddy?”

  I smiled as I wiped my mouth with paper towels, “What do you mean who is the Daddy?”

  She crossed her arms and began tapping her foot as she demanded an answer.

  “Tangie…we go back to far for you to play this with me…Who's the Daddy and how far long are you?”

  I lowered my head to the floor as I answered in a low tone, “It’s been about two months now and you know who the Daddy is!”

  She stared at me puzzled as she said, “Whatcha mean I know who…huh.”

  At that point, it hit her hard as she turned her back toward me. She just stood there for about a minute before she responded to my answer, than she shook her head in disgust as she said, “How can we both be pregnant by the same guy at the same time?” “What’s the odds of that shit happening?”

  As I threw the paper towels in the trashcan I walked over to her and placed my hand slowly on her shoulders as I said, “LaVette…I’m sorry.” “I would’ve told you about this sooner, but when you started talking to me about your affair with Roscoe and how he was doing you then he started fuckin’ with me…I just didn’t want you getting upset.”

  She quickly turned around and stared me straight in the eye, “So…are you keeping it?”

  I quickly responded, “Are you?”

  We both were now in a staring match as we were both baffled about being in such a dilemma.

  “Look LaVette…I’m not trying to be difficult but I’m not gonna give up my baby and I don’t expect you to do that either.” “I think we can work this out.” “We’re still friends to the end right?”

  She looked down as she answered, “Of course we are…I’d never allow a man or anything come between our friendship.” “You’ve got to remember girlfriend we’ve been through a hell of a lot together and I love you for that!” “Were inseparable…always remember that!”

  She sighed as she sat down on the chair in the corner, watching me as I stood there.

  “Tangie…I’ve been thinking and I’ve decided to keep this baby…I don’t know if I’ll ever be with another man again in such a matter, especially calling him MY man.” “I kind of like the girl on girl thing and this works for me…I’m cool with this…even if it IS Roscoe’s child.” “How’d you feel about us having kids by the same guy?”

  I pondered on that question for a minute then I answered her, “I don’t see it as a big problem.” “Unless one of us is trying to get him back…?”

  She quickly responded, “No Tangie…I told you…I’m not interested in a relationship with him or any other man right now!” “If you’re interested in being with him…I’m cool with you two hooking up…but I don’t want him to know about my baby!” “He doesn’t have to know about my child does he?”

  I just stared at her with a mystified expression on my face as I replied, “No…he doesn’t have to know about this …but why don’t you want him
to know about you having his child?”

  “Because I just don’t want him involved with me…you know…him calling me baby momma and shit like that.” “You two should be together and I know you have feelings for him…don’t you?”

  “I do have feelings for him, that’s why I want to get away from here.” “I really need to see him again and let him know how I really feel.”

  “So whatcha gonna do,” LaVette asked as stood up, strolled over toward me and embraced me. After holding on to me for several minutes than releasing me, we walked out of the bathroom. I looked over at her as I replied, “I’m gonna get back with him as soon as I can!” “I just need to do it at the right time which means I need to plan this shit out thoroughly.”

  LaVette smiled as she shook her head in the affirmative as we walked up toward the stairs. I thought, “I hope that he still wants me after what my Papa put him through.”

  *****

  Later that evening as many of the guests were now arriving for the swaray, my Grandmother was downstairs in the foyer welcoming everyone as they came into the mansion. She was looking extremely picturesque as she stood there in the receiving line greeting everyone from Doctors, Lawyers, Judges and State and local legislators, even the Governor showed up with his loyal ass kissers following him around like he was some Greek god. His administrative assistant was so far up his ass that if he turned left and she turned right she would break her fuckin’ neck.

  Most of the people who were attending were people I didn’t even know as I stood at the top of the stairs looking on. They had to be people that my Grandmother and my Dad knew because I was just clueless. I looked at LaVette and nodded my head as we began to go down the stairs toward the foyer. When we reached the bottom of the stairs my Grandmother immediately acknowledge us as she motioned for us join her in the receiving line. As soon as we got in place Grandmother said, “I’m glad you ladies decided to join me…after all this IS your homecoming.”

  I smiled as I replied, “Yes Big Momma…we’re sorry!”

  After most of the guests were received, we were instructed to enter into the grand ballroom, which was down the hall to the left. When we entered in, I couldn’t believe how different the place looked. Although I’d played in this room several times, as I grew up here, tonight for some odd reason the décor was extremely distinctive. This spectacular Grand Ballroom was lined with glided mirrors and sparkling 200-year-old French crystal chandeliers. Dad had always explained to me that this room was designed in the Versailles tradition with lovely Bay windows overlooking our massive garden facing the rear of the mansion. This 200 seat ballroom was also equipped with an adjoining Ballroom Salon which could easily seat an addition 50 seated guests but it is usually used for the food stations or a bar for bar during happy hour. When LaVette walked into the room, she was flabbergasted. She couldn’t believe the money that was spend on this place as she said, “Tangie…look at this place…it’s like we’re walking in the White House or some museum!”

  “Yeah …I can’t believe how much Big Momma must have spent having this place renovated.”

  Well, we continued in and mingled with the guest for a while before we started eating the fabulous cuisine. It was so good that I couldn’t stop eating. I know that people must have been watching me because I had at least three plates full of seafood and chicken on my place. I eat too much though because after about thirty minutes, I started to get really nauseated. That’s when my Grandmother must have noticed that something was out of the ordinary as she approached me.

  “Tangie…you look a little queasy…are you feeling well dear?”

  I looked at her as I was now holding my stomach and trying not to fall in front of the guest.

  “I feel a little nauseated…maybe I should go to my room.”

  She took me by the arm as we walked outside of the ballroom into the hallway. She looked me straight in the eye as she said calmly, “I’m just going to ask you this once and I expect you to answer me truthfully.” “How far along are you Tangie?”

  I looked into her mesmerizing eyes as I responded, “Between two or three months Big Momma.”

  She sighed as she replied, “I know this baby is NOT the product of that sheisty no good pimp you were hanging out with in Columbia is it?”

  I looked at her with the answer in my eyes as she sighed again.

  “Damn Tangie…how’d you let yourself get caught up like this?” “I can get you in the clinic immediately and solve this!”

  I immediately interrupted her before she could say another word, “NO…I mean no Big Momma.” “I’m not going to get rid of this child…I plan to have it and raise it with the father.”

  She looked at me with a no you ain’t expression on her face as she responded, “No the hell you ain’t…TANGIE listen to yourself?” “Think about what you’re saying?” “This family doesn’t need to have this kind of scandal hanging over its head and Andrew is definitely NOT going to let you marry that lowlife pimp so you better make a decision before he gets wind of this.”

  After she said that, I felt really bad as I ran to the bathroom down the hall. She followed me as I walked in and went straight to the toilet. After I finished throwing up my guts down the sewer, I slowly made my way toward the sink, turned on the water, and began to clean and rinse out my mouth. After I finished cleaning, I turned the faucet off as Big Momma handled me a towel and said, “Tangie…you’re a grown woman and I can’t make you get an abortion, but you must think about this thoroughly.” “Ask yourself…do you want to give up all of this for some lowlife pimp who probably doesn’t give a damn about you?” “I know one thing…your Papa if he finds out…he’ll go completely berserk unless you let me fix this and get you into that clinic quickly.” “Trust me baby…nobody has to know anything about this.” (Turning my face toward hers) “I MEAN NOBODY!”

  Chapter 14 – Tangie

  August 1988

  Homecoming Swaray at Laurie Mansion

  Olathe, Kansas

  After dinner, the party was just getting started as my Papa and his girlfriend finally arrived from their night at the philharmonic. Although I despise the extreme existence of that bitch my Dad calls his girlfriend, I had to admit she was looking extremely gorgeous in her satin three-layered black to grey Ombré Fringe Dress with spaghetti straps, side zip. I also loved her black wrap up stilettos with knot details in front with 4 1/2 inch heels, which gave her legs that sexy definition. Her hair was flawless as she sauntered into the grand ballroom alongside my Papa. She greeted many of the guests but when she greeted my Grandmother, I noticed something that seemed strange. When she embraced my Grandmother, she held her as my Grandmother squeezed he left ass cheek. Then Sonja addressed her as Lady Mistress. When she did that, my Papa was chatting with another couple so he didn’t see what was going. Sonja glanced over to my direction and smiled as she was still embraced with my Grandmother. When my Grandmother noticed that I was observing their little intimate moment, she gave me a look that I will never forget. Her expression was demented, which in my mind told me I should have minded my own business as she turned around kissing Sonja on the cheek and releasing her. This was so surreal I could feel the goose bumps forming on my skin as I turned away from her direction to walk toward the banquet tables.

  As I tried to walk away, my Papa called out to me. I stopped in my tracks as he slowly began to move toward me. As I waited for him to come to me, it seemed like an eternity as his footsteps echoed in my mind each time he took a step. When he finally made it to me, he grabbed my arm and said, “Baby, how’s it going?” “Are you alright?”

  “Yes Papa…everything is fine.”

  “You sure you’re alright…you don’t seem to be in high spirits.”

  I stared at my Papa as I thought, “Should I tell him the truth or should I just wait?”

  I turned to him and replied, “I’m fine Papa…I’m just a little tired.” “I’m glad you’re here.”

  Just as I was about to spe
ak again, one of his henchman strolled up to him and whispered something in his ear. Whatever it was, it excited my Papa as he turned to me and said, “Baby…I need to go handle some very important business… I’ll have to give you a rain check?” “I promise to make it up to you okay baby?”

  When he said that, it devastated me, because for the first time in my life, I felt that I could come to grips with my dilemma and discuss something of importance with my Dad but before I could do that he’s ushered off on one of his many business ventures, which always happens with him. I just dropped my head as he kissed me on my left cheek and then walked down the hall toward his private office. At that very moment, I felt alone and unwanted as I tried to keep my composure and my strength. I couldn’t help but wonder why he wanted me here? It was then that I began to plot my plan. I couldn’t believe what I was thinking as I plotted out my timeline to get back to Roscoe…can you believe that? Of all people, I expected to understand me I never in my wildest dreams would’ve believed that he was the one truth person that really cared about me. LaVette was my genuine friend, but I needed more…I needed the love that only a man could provide me. I wasn’t really feeling the party after he ran out on me, so I thought I’d go into the den for a while before I made my way back in the swaray. I strolled slowly toward the den and I noticed that the double doors were closed which was odd. I walked up to the doors and put my right hand on the doorknob ensuring it wasn’t locked. As I slowly turned the doorknob, I heard voices in the rear part of the room. At first I didn’t want to enter in so as I was about to go back out the door, I turned around to close the door behind me but when I heard my name mentioned, I immediately stopped in my tracks and thought, “Hey…they’re talking about me…who’s in here talking about me?” I immediately stepped back into the den and slowly made my way back toward the conversation. The room was extremely spacious so whoever was in the room was around the corner sitting on the couch could not immediately see if anyone approaching in the room. I crept up closer into the den around the library collection and hid between the shelves as I noticed two women on the couch exchanging intense dialogue, which sounded like they were arguing about something. I just stood in the shadows, watching and listening as they continued going at each other.