by Pace, Pepper
Bertha Mae pushed an envelope towards Vanessa. It had been sitting on the table all this time, right next to the fruit bowl, salt and pepper shaker and the afternoon mail. However this envelope couldn’t have been confused with the mail because it was a big manila type envelope with a metal clasp at top, which kept it closed.
Vanessa could see that it wasn’t new. She dropped back down into her chair and reached for it a few seconds after eyeing her grandmother. She opened the clasp and withdrew the contents. It contained a dog-eared copy of her mother’s life insurance policy. Her mother’s checkbook from 1978, a carbon copy of a bank statement that Vanessa couldn’t read because her eyes were so filled with tears. And finally there were the monthly statements from her grandmother’s own bank account, which tracked the interest rate on the insurance money. The top statement showed sixty-three thousand one hundred eighteen dollars and sixty-seven cents.
A fat teardrop plopped onto the document. Vanessa rubbed beneath her eyes, swiping away the unwanted tears.
“You can call the bank. The phone number is there.” Her grandmother said quietly.
“I don’t understand,” Vanessa said in a voice thick with tears. “I just don’t understand.”
“I know this hurts you Vanessa.”
When Vanessa looked at her grandmother she saw that her eyes were also shiny and yet her voice was firm and unyielding.
“It’s not my intent to hurt you. But I cannot in good conscious hand over sixty thousand dollars to you at this time. Not when you are acting so irresponsible-”
Vanessa’s eyes flashed at her hotly. “Irresponsible? I am drug free, I got good grades while in school. I don’t drink or hang out all night. And this summer I decided to spend it away from home and that makes me irresponsible?” she choked out.
“No, little girl!” her grandmother shot back. “What made you irresponsible is the moment you started lying because you thought I couldn’t do anything about it. You knew that you weren’t going to college for a long time before you decided to tell me. You thought you’d turn eighteen, take sixty-thousand dollars and blow it on God knows what. But I’m not going to let that happen-“
Vanessa snorted. “And then when I turn twenty-one you’ll decide that I am still irresponsible, right? And you’ll tell me to wait until I’m twenty-five. Do you think money can manipulate me?”
“Vanessa White!” Her grandmother snapped. “You can be as angry as you like but you will not disrespect me! I know that you’re a good girl and will be a smart and successful adult. One day when I’m sure that you will use the money constructively I will hand it over to you.”
Vanessa covered her face ready to break down into tears but instead she laughed mirthlessly.
“You really think that we’re talking about me wanting your money. It’s like a carrot that you’re going to try and dangle in front of me and I’m not going to take the bait!” She jumped up and rushed out of the room.
“Vanessa!” Her grandmother called.
Ignoring her, Vanessa rushed into her bedroom and began throwing her belongings into a duffle bag. And when that quickly filled up she began tossing her belongings onto the bed. She allowed the tears to flow freely, not actually realizing that she was crying in anger, disappointment and pain at the multiple knife wounds in her back.
“Vanessa,” Grandma said from the doorway. “I know you are hurting, baby girl. But please see that I am not doing this to punish you. There is five thousand dollars that I want you to have as … a birthday gift.”
Vanessa ignored her and rushed out of the bedroom and back to the kitchen where she picked up the telephone and dialed Scotty’s pager. She put in 9-1-1.
She returned to her bedroom and looked around, spotting a picture of her mother that was taped to her mirror. She quickly snatched it up and placed it between the pages of a book, which she quickly deposited to the bed. Her grandmother watched her moving frantically around the room.
The phone rang and Vanessa ran to answer it.
“Scotty!” She cried.
“Vanessa?”
She heard his voice and the tears that she’d tried so hard to hold at bay finally overtook her.
“Baby, what’s wrong!” He was yelling into the phone.
“Come and get me,” she managed to say between sobs. The little control that she’d shown mere moments before disappeared at the sound of Scotty’s voice and now all she could manage were gut wrenching sobs.
Scotty was at one of the pay phones in the University. He’d gotten all the paper work necessary for registration and was waiting in line to speak to one of the admittance secretaries. When he’d gotten Vanessa’s page and saw that it was 9-1-1 he’d walked right out of the registration office.
The sounds of her sobs over the phone sent chills into his bones. He tried to control his breathing in order to stop the panic from taking control of him.
“Vanessa, are you hurt?”
“Scotty, please just come and get me!” She wailed.
“Where are you?”
“At my grandmother’s!” Her voice edged on hysteria.
“I’m on my way!” he slammed the phone down and ran down the corridor.
Several people turned to watch the young man sprinting through the halls of the college campus, and not even one of the Deans thought to tell him not to run in the halls. One look told them that something terrible had happened—or was about to happen once he reached his destination.
Chapter Two
Vanessa was sitting on the front porch with her belongings beside her; stuffed into an old duffle bag or gathered into a blanket. She sat rocking, her mind racing with all that her grandmother had told her.
The tears that ran down her cheeks went unnoticed as Vanessa tried to wrap her mind around the fact that her aunt had stolen from her mother. But almost as bad was that her grandmother had seemed to blame her for not knowing.
Thankfully grandma hadn’t followed her outside. When Vanessa had dragged her belongings to the porch she’d left her parting shot; that one day she hoped she’d understand …
Vanessa cradled her head feeling lost, feeling manipulated, but worse feeling stupid. How could grandma let her go living with them knowing what Callista had done?! She should have told her then! How was it her fault that she’d shown love to people that were supposed to be her family? Grandma seemed to think that she should have just hated them because she was told to do so.
And what about Jalissa? She knew her cousin had no knowledge of her mother’s treachery but how much did she hide from Vanessa?
The screech of tires caused her head to jerk up. Scotty’s beamer was idling at the curb and he was out the car and rushing up the walkway. By the time she’d taken two steps to meet him he was already there holding her.
It scared and relieved Scotty when he saw Vanessa sitting on the stoop. When he’d left her hours earlier, she had been nervous yet anxious to visit her grandmother. And now she was a wreck. Locks of long hair had fallen from its ponytail and had plastered to her face and neck. Her face was so swollen from crying that he’d had to cup her face in his palms and examine her to make sure that someone hadn’t struck her.
“Vanessa what happened?” He asked insistently. She was gripping his hands tightly even while they still cupped her face.
“My grandmother said that there is no trust fund. She said … “ she hiccupped and nearly choked. “Aunt Callista stole money out of my mother’s savings account after my mom died!”
Vanessa pressed her face against his chest, gripping him and he held onto her tightly. He looked over her shoulder at her things strewn on the porch and then saw the brown face of a woman watching them from a front window.
Bertha Mae White.
He stroked her hair. “It’s okay baby,” he whispered.
Vanessa pulled back and looked at him with teary eyes. “She has sixty thousand dollars of a life insurance policy that she said she had planned to give to me on my eighteenth birthday but s
he said that I was too irresponsible.” Her eyes searched his. “Scotty-?”
He kissed her forehead and then hugged her. “It’s okay,” he repeated. “She doesn’t know you, honey. Get in the car.” He led her to the car and helped her in. “I’ll get your things. Is there anything that you want from inside?”
She stared at him as he gently shut the passenger door. “I don’t want anything else.” Her words were bitter.
Scotty hurried back up the walk only to see Vanessa’s grandmother standing on the porch. He picked up the duffle bag and slung it over his shoulder.
“Who are you?” The woman demanded, though her voice was stern she didn’t exactly sound mean. Instantly Scotty disliked her. She’d made his baby cry and that was something he couldn’t forgive.
Scotty pressed his lips together until they formed a firm line in his face.
“My name is Scott Tremont and I’m the man that is engaged to your granddaughter.”
Bertha Mae’s hand rose to her throat. “What did you say?”
So she hadn’t even noticed the diamond ring on Vanessa’s finger, didn’t know that her granddaughter was engaged, in love and didn’t need anything from her anymore.
He gathered the edge of the blanket, which held the remnants of Vanessa’s past; a stuffed bunny with one ear attached by black thread, some clothes and shoes and hair scrunches. He gathered her possessions and carried them to the car where he deposited them into the back seat.
He didn’t spare the woman even one last look.
“I need you to take me to Aunt Callista’s house.” Vanessa said in a voice that was so calm it caused Scotty to take his eyes from the road to look at her. Her face was still swollen but her tears had dried up.
“Do you want to do this now?”
She looked at him with parted lips, her brow gathered and although her expression was lost she nodded her head decisively.
“Oh yes, Scotty. I want to do this right now.”
Oh damn … he thought.
When they got to Winton Terrace, Scotty broke his rule not to leave the beamer parked there unattended.
He followed behind Vanessa as she headed for the apartment. This was her party. He would say nothing.
Vanessa rang the bell and Jalissa answered with a smile on her face. It fell away quickly at the sight of her cousin.
“Oh my God, girl … what happened?” Jalissa said taking in Vanessa’s messy hair and tear streaked face. Her eyes met Scotty’s blank expression while Vanessa stared past her swollen body and into the apartment. She brushed past her cousin not seeing her aunt in the living room. Sure enough the woman was in the kitchen where she sat talking on the telephone. Scotty didn’t follow, knew that he wouldn’t need to.
Callista Cornel was on the telephone when Vanessa entered the kitchen. She was gossiping as she usually did. Callista hadn’t seen her niece in nearly a week and when she walked into the kitchen the first thing Callista thought is that that white drug dealer she was always so hugged up with had finally kicked her ass.
Well Callista hoped that she wasn’t coming to her to cry about it-
And then Vanessa snatched the phone out of her hand and held it like a club while she stood over her, glaring.
What the-?
“I went to collect my trust money but it wasn’t there. You already knew that, right?”
Callista’s face dropped before she came to her feet defiantly.
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“Oh you dirty trifling bitch.” Vanessa said evenly.
She didn’t see the way Jalissa’s mouth fell open in surprise from where she was standing in the entrance to the kitchen.
Callista’s mouth opened and closed like a fish washed up on shore. Before she could speak Vanessa continued.
“I know what you did. God knows what you did and so does my mother.”
Callista’s face paled and she shook her head in denial although no words came from her mouth.
Jalissa’s voice from behind her was the only response she received.
“Vanessa, what’s going on?”
Vanessa never took her eyes from her aunt. “My mother had a savings account, money she had been saving for us to move out of Garden Hilltop and for me to use for college. Only thing is that after she died your mother withdrew that money-“
“You’re a goddamn lie!” Callista finally found her voice. “Who do you think you are come waltzing into my house-“
Jalissa moved forward, clutching her stomach although she didn’t realize that she was doing it.
“Vanessa? Why-?”
Vanessa looked at her cousin while gesturing with the telephone at Callista. She didn’t realize that the other party was getting an earful.
“After my mother died your mother went to the bank and cleaned out her account-“
“You shut your lying mouth!” Callista yelled. “You can’t just walk in here accusing me-“
“You stole from your own dead sister!” Vanessa interrupted with an angry scream. “I know you did it and you know you did it!”
Vanessa turned her attention back to her cousin. “My grandmother showed me a carbon copy of the bank statement and withdrawal slip. It was withdrawn the very same day that the police told us about my mom!”
Jalissa clutched her stomach and shook her head, her face open in silent denial.
“You know that I’m telling the truth Jalissa! You know she came up with some extra money after my mom died!”
Jalissa looked at her mother while still shaking her head. Callista pointed angrily at Vanessa.
“Your grandmother probably took that money!” Callista exclaimed.
“Mama …” Jalissa’s voice was low and her eyes were filled with pain. She looked at Vanessa and she shook her head in denial.
“My mother wouldn’t do that.”
Vanessa watched her cousin in surprise.
“Jalissa, you know that I’m telling the truth.”
Callista interrupted. “You’re a liar Vanessa and if your grandmother told you I did this than she’s a liar too! I never stole-“
“SHUT UP!” Vanessa flashed the woman a withering look before returning her attention back to Jalissa.
“Who do you think you’re talking to!” Callista continued loudly.
Vanessa stared at her cousin, “J, I’m not lying.”
Jalissa closed her eyes. “Vanessa you need to leave.”
Vanessa stared at her cousin in disbelief. “You can’t believe-“
Jalissa’s eyes opened. “That’s my mama …” she appealed.
“Get the fuck up out of my house Vanessa White!” Callista screamed.
Vanessa’s attention returned to the screaming woman. Blue and black sparks began to flash before her eyes as her rage at the woman began to intensify.
“My mother trusted you and you did her wrong. You did me wrong. For that I hope you burn in hell!” Vanessa threw the telephone at her aunt and stormed out of the kitchen. The phone struck Callista in the forehead and the woman clutched her face and wailed.
Jalissa felt the first streak of pain course through her back and across her swollen stomach when Vanessa rushed out of the kitchen and then out the apartment without giving her a second glance. Jalissa didn’t connect it to the labor pain that was so long over-due. She thought it was just the feeling of her soul being sucked from her body.
Scotty’s fingers moved gently over her skin. She had thought at first that she would want to be alone—maybe to cry some more, maybe to smash something. But when they had returned to his apartment Scotty had led her to the bedroom and insisted she lay down. She would have resisted but suddenly she felt so weary and once she had climbed into bed Scotty had followed her, holding her in his arms as she drifted into an exhaustive sleep.
The ringing of the telephone woke them both. Vanessa looked at it suspiciously and Scotty reached over and answered.
“Hello.” He listened quietly for a while. “Hold on.”
He covered the mouthpiece and looked at Vanessa.
“It’s Jalissa. She had the baby. She wants to talk to you.”
After a brief hesitation she accepted the telephone.
“Yes?”
“Vanessa, I had the baby.” Jalissa said tiredly. “He’s a boy. Seven pounds 2 ounces.” There was a pause where Jalissa waited for a response.
“That’s good.” Vanessa finally said.
After another long pause Jalissa spoke again.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry about everything,” she said softly.
Vanessa stiffened. “You believe me?”
“Vanessa …” the words trailed away.
“It’s okay,” Vanessa said quickly, the bitterness evident in her voice. “You’ve always stood back and just watched her do her dirt to me. Yes. I get that she’s your mother but when she treated me like shit back when I was a kid you never stepped up on my behalf. When she made me clean the kitchen and the bathroom or scrub the floors you just … left me to it.” Vanessa gripped the phone tightly.
“Why I’m surprised that you’d stand silently by once again is something I can’t fathom. Stupid I guess-“
“Vanessa, stop,” Jalissa cried. “You know how she is! She’s my mother but that doesn’t mean that she’s on my side. When I …” Jalissa sounded as if she was crying. “… She’s not on my side, okay?”
“Yeah.” Vanessa said without emotion. “I needed you back when we were kids. I don’t need people like you in my life anymore. Good luck with your baby.”
Vanessa handed the phone back to Scotty who hung it up.
She silently fell back into his arms and he held her, stroking her hair and kissing her forehead.
“Are you okay?” He asked.
She nodded. “I just feel like this is long over-due. I should have never come back here.”
“But then we wouldn’t have met again,” he said. “So don’t wish that.”
Vanessa smiled and looked up and kissed him. She was so grateful that he was in her life. Without him she would be utterly alone.