The Side Effects of You

by Anna Black

  She folded her evil arms and let out a breath, as if to say, “I can’t stand you, but I will behave this one time.”

  “Thank you, Ana.”

  I went to join Jayden and Angelica on the terrace. When Angelica learned he had a telescope, she wanted to see it. He got it out, and she spent twenty minutes babbling on about how amazing it was and then asked us if she could come back. Jayden and I smiled at each other, and he answered before I did.

  “Sure. Anytime you want.”

  “Can we go now? I’m, like, starving,” Ana grumbled, standing in the terrace doorway.

  Jayden smiled at me to assure me he wasn’t bothered by my annoying-ass preadult child. “Sure. Let me grab my jacket and keys,” he said. We all went back inside.

  We piled into Jayden’s car and headed downtown. Jayden, Angelica, and I talked and laughed as we went, but Ana just looked out the window. I hated that she was such a dark child. I hated that she wasn’t happy. I hated that she didn’t try to be happy.

  When Angelica saw the D&B sign, she didn’t hold in her excitement. “Mommy, no way!” she yelled.

  I nodded and smiled. “Yes, birthday girl, this is all for you. We can stay as long as you want, and you can play every game in the building if you want.”

  “Awesome,” she bellowed.

  “Dang, bring it down!” Ana barked.

  “Shut up, Ana. You’re always a drag,” Angelica snapped at her sister.

  “Yes, Ana. If you don’t want to go in, just stay in the car with your funky attitude,” I said.

  “Hey, you guys, it’s all good. Angelica is the big one-six, and this is for her, right?” Jayden said. I knew he was trying to be the peacemaker.

  “That’s right,” I chimed. “So we are going to have a good time.”

  “Even if no one else does, I know I am.” Angelica bounced in her seat.

  She was such a joy, always sweet, always positive. I think I’d have given up on life if it wasn’t for her. She had always been my cheerleader. I hoped and prayed that Ana would change. It seemed as if we exchanged pleasantries only when she was in pain or needed me for something.

  Jayden parked, and Angelica was the first one out of the truck. The two of them walked ahead. I could tell she liked him.

  “You don’t have to go in if you don’t want. There are a lot of other things you can do if you want. I’ll give you money,” I offered. There were restaurants all around, and if she wanted to sulk, she could do it alone.

  “I’m fine,” she said.

  “Then why are you messing with your sister, Ana?”

  “I was just joking, Mom.”

  “You were not.”

  “Okay. I wasn’t. But if this makes Angelica happy, I’m good. I will even play a few games with her. She’s a brat. She acts more like six than sixteen, but for Pete’s sake, I’ll be nice.”

  “Thank you. You don’t have to like me or Jayden. I didn’t expect you to, anyway, but let’s just show your sister a good time. She is sixteen and a good kid and smart. She goes the distance to do good, so for her—”

  “Damn, Mom. I said okay,” she snapped.

  I didn’t want to argue, and slapping her would just take things to an avenue I didn’t want to visit, so I let her tone, attitude, and manner go. “Fine.”

  I walked fast and caught up with Angelica and Jayden. Surprisingly, they were talking about astrology, something I knew absolutely nothing about, but Jayden was intelligent, so he matched wits with Angelica. That was something she needed, since she was so bright.

  I had only a GED, but I had worked my way up from a housekeeper to a GM. I wasn’t the brightest, but I got by. I didn’t know fancy words, but I could read enough to handle my business and my job.

  We walked inside and were escorted to a table.

  “Let’s do this,” Jayden said after we were seated and had taken off our jackets. He and Angelica headed off to play some games.

  Eating was the last thing on Angelica’s and Jayden’s mind, but Ana acted as if she was dying of starvation. After she agreed to order whatever she wanted, I rushed off to join my baby and Jayden.

  They played tons of games, and when Angelica finally said she was ready to eat, we made it back to our table. Our jackets were still there, but not Ana. Since she had eaten already, we didn’t bother to look for her. Angelica ordered what she wanted, but Jayden and I just looked at each other. I knew that look we shared. We were used to eating at fancy restaurants or cooking for each other, so the menu had us both frowning because we were not used to eating so much junk food. We finally decided on burgers.

  Fifteen minutes later our order arrived, and we dug in.

  “After we’re done, Angelica, are you cool with your mom and me playing a little pool?” Jayden asked. “I mean, I know this night is your night, but your mom has never played, and I wanted to show her how.”

  “I’m good.” She nodded and chewed at the same time.

  “Great,” Jayden said. He smiled at me, and since we were done eating, we decided to take all the jackets over to the pool table area. Luckily, one table was available, and we snatched it up.

  “You want a drink?” he offered.

  “I thought you’d never ask. I’m so sorry about Ana. She is not a fan of mine.”

  “It’s okay. I’m cool. I mean, she’s never seen you with a man other than her dad, so it’s going to take some getting used to.”

  “I’d share that sentiment if she was eight, but she’s eighteen, and she still behaves like a baby. Let me rephrase that. When she wants to. Other times, she’s roaring that she is grown and is not a kid. I just want her to get her grown ass on. I mean, a job, school, or something. She is on the road to nowhere.”

  “No disrespect, Josie, and, baby, please don’t take this the wrong way, my love, but you’re part of the problem.”

  Confused, I looked at him like he was a stranger. “I’m sorry? Come again.”

  He let out a breath. “Ana only does what you allow her to do. You’re the adult, and if you let her continue to do nothing, she’ll do nothing.”

  At first, I was offended, but the truth always hurt. “Let’s just play.” I sighed.

  “Okay,” he said.

  He racked the balls, and soon after, a waitress came and took our drink orders. We had a couple of drinks, and I paid attention to the lesson he gave me. We were having a great time, until we heard a commotion.

  We looked to see what was going on, and I saw a security guy with Ana. She was cussing and fussing and yelling for him to release her. We quickly approached.

  “Ana, what’s going on?” I asked.

  She started speaking in Spanish to me, something she did when she wanted to lie her way out of something.

  The guard spoke over her. “Ma’am, she was in one of the rides, on top of a guy. We asked them to take it elsewhere, and she continued on, as if no one had asked her to take her activities to another place.”

  “What guy? Ana, what is he talking about?”

  Again, she tried to give her version in Spanish, and I knew she was lying. I was so embarrassed. When I saw Angelica’s face, her look of sadness and disappointment, I made a decision.

  I turned to the guard. “Do what you gotta do, sir. She’s not with me.” I rushed over to Angelica and didn’t watch the guard drag my eldest out the door.

  “Ma, I’m ready to go,” Angelica cried.

  I wrapped my arms around her. “Baby, it’s okay. Ana is gone. We don’t have to leave.”

  “No, Mama. I want to leave.”

  I looked at Jayden for help.

  “Hey, why don’t you come over and play pool with your mom and me? You do know how to play pool, don’t you?”

  She shook her head.

  “Well, tonight is your night to learn. It will be fun,” he said.

  I could tell Angelica was still upset, but she said okay. I mouthed the words thank you to Jay, and he winked and took Angelica by the hand. We went back to our table, a
nd he waved over the server.

  “Hey, listen, it’s my baby girl’s birthday, so we think she needs a special drink.” He looked at Angelica. “How do you take your shots? Dressed or undressed?” he joked.

  “Huh? I don’t even know what that means.” Angelica shrugged.

  Jayden feigned surprise. “What? Didn’t you turn twenty-six?”

  “No. I’m only sixteen.”

  “In that case, bring Princess Angelica a virgin piña colada,” he told the server. “Make sure it’s fancy. I mean birthday fancy. Umbrella, cherry, and all the works.”

  Angelica beamed. I was so happy that she—well, we—didn’t let Ana ruin our evening. When my baby’s first virgin drink came, I excused myself, saying I was heading to the bathroom. What I really did was look around for Ana. I found her outside, sitting on the ground.

  “I can’t believe you let them throw me out!” she cried.

  “Well, you shouldn’t have been acting like an ass, Ana. Look, I can’t do this with you anymore. You are just angry, and about what, I can’t understand, but you can’t keep putting your hatred on Angelica. I can take it, but now it’s time for me to look out for Angelica.” I reached in my pocket and gave her five twenties. “Get a cab back to the hotel and gather your things. It’s time for you to go.”

  “Just like that? You’re throwing your kid out on the streets?” she yelled at the top of her lungs, causing a scene. She was known for that. When people started to stop and stare, I had to finish it before security came out.

  “You’re not a kid, Ana!” I yelled back. “You are a thorn in my side. You are a manipulator, a freeloader, and a hell-raiser. I don’t want you around my baby girl, so be gone by the time I get home.”

  I walked away, and she called out to me, but I kept walking. It broke my heart to let my firstborn go, but it wasn’t working out. I made a pit stop at the bathroom, and when I got back to the table, Jayden and Angelica were laughing and joking.

  When Angelica went to take her turn at the pool table, Jayden looked at me, leaned over, and asked, “How do you feel?”

  “Huh?”

  “Josie, I know you went outside. A mother can’t just not go and check on her young.”

  “I did, and I let go.”

  “How do you feel, baby?”

  “Relieved, numb, scared. I feel a lot of things. This is the first step. Sticking to it is where I know I’m going to struggle.”

  He pulled me close and kissed the side of my head. “It’s going to be all right.”

  I agreed. “I know.”

  “Mr. Jayden, your shot,” Angelica called.

  He looked over at her. “It is? I think you pulled a fast one on me. Why are you winning?”

  “I’m a quick study,” Angelica boasted. “And it’s basically geometry.” She was my star child, and she needed to be Ana free just as much as I did.

  Jayden and Angelica shot a little more pool. Then we left and headed back to Jayden’s. Once we got there, he agreed to follow us home. I was afraid Ana would still be there and there would be more drama. I knew he would help me to be strong. I needed him to help me stick to my guns.

  We got back to the hotel, and for the first time, Jayden went into my quarters. I hated that I had chosen this time to be the first time. My place was a mess. Hurricane Ana had made sure she left her mark. She had totally destroyed our place and had broken every breakable item we owned.

  “Angelica, go to the front and tell Ashley to give you a key to a vacant room on the first floor, and you go there now.”

  “But, Mama . . .”

  “Go now!” I yelled.

  “Yes, ma’am,” she said and hurried out.

  “Why?” I cried. “She . . . she is . . . she is . . .” Jayden held me while I sobbed.

  “Shhh. Come on, baby. Let’s get a room and tackle this tomorrow.”

  “Why does she live to make me miserable?”

  “Come on, Josie. Tomorrow, baby. We are not going to do this tonight. Not tonight. We are just going to focus on the smile on Angelica’s face. That is the only memory we’re going to hold on to for tonight.”

  I didn’t want to let it go. I wanted to wallow, but what would be the point?

  “Let me get Angelica some bedclothes,” I said. It was a Saturday night, and I thanked God there was no school the next day. I grabbed her some pajamas, her favorite bear, and her toothbrush. I went to the front, found out the room she had gone to, and got myself and Jayden a room across the hall.

  I tapped on Angelica’s door, and she opened up for me.

  “Hey, sweetie pie,” I said as I step in the room and closed the door.

  “Hey, Mom.”

  “I got your pj’s and Oscar.” Oscar was her bear.

  “Thanks.” She sniffled.

  “Baby, don’t cry.”

  “Why is Ana so angry? Why does she hate us so much? Why would she do that to our home?” she cried.

  I held my baby and rocked her in my arms. “I don’t know, baby. I just think she misses your papa so much, and she doesn’t know how to handle him being away.”

  “Doesn’t she get it? He’s in prison. He misbehaved, so he had to be put away.”

  “She knows, but she has trouble dealing with it, Angelica. Deep down, she loves us, but she is just so angry.”

  “She doesn’t love me.”

  “She does, Angelica.”

  “She doesn’t. When you’re away, she treats me really bad. She says that Papa is not my father, because I’m a wimp. And she hits me.”

  I was floored. “She hits you, Angelica? When? Where? When?” I said in a panic.

  My baby lifted her shirt. She had bruises on her stomach and back.

  “Ana did this to you?” I was close to hyperventilating.

  I loved both my kids, but it was my duty to protect my young. I trembled. I couldn’t stop shaking. I was going to kill that evil bitch. I wrapped my arms around Angelica and held on tight.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked.

  She just sobbed.

  “Answer me,” I demanded.

  “She said she’d kill you if I told. She said she wasn’t afraid to go to jail.”

  I was dumbfounded. “Don’t worry. She can’t come back here, and she will never hurt you again. Don’t you worry about me. I got this. Ana can’t hurt either of us. Understand?”

  Angelica nodded.

  “Come on now. Change for bed.”

  She put on her nightclothes, and I stayed and held her until she fell asleep. Then I went to the front and told Ashley and our night guard, Stan, that if they spotted Ana, to dial the cops.

  When I went back to join Jayden, he was lying in bed, watching television. I updated him about all that Ana had done, and vowed that I was going to choke the life out of her the next time I saw her. After he let me rant and rave, he brought me to the logical thing to do, which was to press charges. He was a lawyer, so he knew the law.

  The next day, I took pictures of my baby’s bruises and the scene Ana had left behind in my place and called the authorities. Now Ana Marie Ramirez had a warrant out for her arrest, and I couldn’t care less.

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Andrea

  For some reason, I was feeling supergood. My day was going well, and I was relaxed. I had to be honest with myself, since I couldn’t be honest with anyone else. It was the dick. I used to be on edge, nervous, and anxious, but now I was calm, and I was singing loud enough for my clients to hear me, something I never did.

  My walk was different, my stride was in perfect sync with the tempo of my heart, and I was feeling like I could handle anything. Yes, anything other than Jeremiah walking in the front door. He hadn’t stepped foot in my salon since the grand opening, and that was over two years ago. But here he was.

  “Hey, you,” I said, trying to sound casual. I had a client in my chair, and I didn’t want to look like a deer in the headlights because my estranged husband had walked in.

  “
Hey, baby. Is this a bad time?”

  I looked at my client. “Um, I have, like, five people waiting, baby. What is it?” I tried to appear calm, but my heart was racing. So many things ran through my mind. Did he know about me and Quentin? Did he know I was just as foul as him?

  “Forgive me.” He paused and studied my client’s face. “Sister Chapman, right?” he asked. She was a member of our church, and to my complete surprise, Jeremiah knew her by name.

  “Yes, Pass-sa,” she sang out in her church drawl.

  “Can you please excuse me and First Lady? I have something that I have to discuss with her, and it’s urgent and can’t wait.”

  “Go ’head. I ain’t in no hurry,” she replied.

  I didn’t know what urgent business Jeremiah had to discuss with me, but I knew it had to be super serious for him to show up.

  “Mrs. Chapman,” I said, addressing her. We were at my salon, not in the sanctuary.

  “Yes, baby?”

  “Can you give me a few?”

  “Gon’, chile. I’m good. That no-good son of mine gon’ show up late picking me up, anyway.”

  I didn’t respond to her. I just headed toward my office. My nerves were on one hundred, because I thought the good pastor knew my secret.

  “Why are you here in the middle of the day?” I spat as soon as he shut the door.

  “We have a situation.”

  “We have a what?” I asked, leaning my head in his direction.

  “We have a situation, Ann. There are some false rumors going around, and some of the members are talking.”

  My heart sank. How did the church know about me and my affair with Q? “Look, Jeremiah, I . . . I—” I tried to say it, but he cut me off.

  “Andrea, this will pass. Whatever you hear, or whatever someone says about me behaving poorly or doing the unthinkable, just know it’s not true.”

  I blinked. I blinked again. “Come again?” I had to make sure he was putting the rumors and drama on himself. Hell, I had thought I was busted.

  “I am not messing around with any members of the congregation . . . male or female. There have been some rumors, and as my wife, you should know what’s going on.”

  Relieved that it wasn’t my dirt, I went from one hundred to zero. I knew he had already begun a relationship with his right-hand man, so I then became a little cocky. “Going on, Jeremiah? No. Tell me what’s going on. I need to know what the congregation is saying.... I mean, whenever you do foul things, it causes side effects, Jeremiah. So what are the people saying?” I thought he’d spill the rumors about him and Franklin, but that was not what he delivered.