“Are you done with your little speech?” Mrs. Reynolds snapped rolling her eyes behind her glasses and letting out a frustrated breath.
“Excuse me?” I asked sitting up in my seat. This bitch’s attitude was the worse and I wasn’t sure how much longer I could deal with it before I slapped the shit out of her! The only thing that had been stopping me was knowing that if I touched her. I was no doubt going to jail and Social Services wouldn’t hesitate to snatch my daughters. For those reasons, I kept telling myself that I had to remain calm.
“Listen, I am going to be totally honest with you.” She started. “I have no sympathy or respect for women like you. You allow these men that you barely know to come into home around your children and then things like this occur. When you lay down and bring a child/children into this world your life is no longer about you, Ms. Chambers. That means every decision that you make affects your children but obviously you weren’t thinking about your children when you allowed Mr. Wade into your home. All you were thinking about was how kind, nice, and respectful he seemed to be.”
“Hold up, that’s not fair. You have no right to sit up here and act as if I am some man-hungry female who puts a man before my children! You don’t know me! I am a damn good mother to my children. I didn’t bring this man into my home overnight. I’d known him for months.” I checked her bougie ass! “How was I supposed to know that he was a pedophile?”
“While you had been knowing him for months did you ever visit him in South Boston? Ya know…get to know his family…learn a little bit about his background.” She stared at me and waited for my answer.
“No but…”
“Exactly because had you taken the time to visit him and gotten to know a little bit about his background besides the fact that he was nice, kind and respectful Reggie. Maybe his sister could’ve told you that he’d spent four years in prison a while back for molesting her daughter!” She opened her briefcase and placed her pad and pen back inside. Then she stood with her briefcase in hand. “You’ll be hearing from me soon. Sometime during the week.” With that she strutted off down the hallway her heels making a loud clicking noise against the tile floor with every step that she took.
The news about Reggie molesting his own niece hit me like a ton of bricks! I sat there for several minutes after she’d left replaying everything over in my head. “Lord what have I done? What kind of monster did I let into my home?” I asked aloud. “Please don’t let them take my babies away. I realize that I made a huge mistake by allowing that man into my home but I don’t know what I’d do if I lost my girls.” I sat praying and holding on to Lola. I lifted her up and kissed her cheek. “Mama didn’t mean for this to happen, Lola. I swear, I didn’t. You know that don’t you? I would never do anything to hurt you or your sister.” She stared at me as if she was trying to understand what I was saying. “I promise you that nothing like this will ever happen again. I will never leave you or Laila alone with another man unless it’s your daddy.”
At the mention of Tre, I realized that he should be arriving soon if he hadn’t already. I gathered Lola in my arms and made my way out of the waiting area. We went down the hall to the main waiting area where Nisey was waiting with Laila. I looked around but there was no sign of Tre.
“Tre hasn’t made it yet.” Nisey informed me obviously knowing who I was looking for.
“Oh okay…I’m ready.” I told her. “I still have to go by the police station.”
She stood placing Laila on her hip. “Is everything okay with Lola-Bug?” She asked reaching out and playing with Lola’s hand.
“Yeah, she’s fine. The doctor said that there was no sign of penetration. That’s a relief. I can only imagine what that sick…” My voice cracked and I couldn’t continue.
Nisey wrapped her free arm around me. “Shhh…don’t cry Lala. Everything is going to be alright.” She did her best to comfort me. “I hope they put his sick ass beneath the prison! I also hope that a group of guys fuck him in his ass until his sorry no good ass croaks over!”
“Nisey, I am so scared.” I wiped my eyes with trembling fingers and looked up at her. “I spoke with a social worker while I was back there. She had a real nasty ass attitude and from the way she was talking, I think she’s going to try and take my babies. She acted like I meant for this to happen. She said that I should’ve taken more time to get to know Reggie before letting him into my home.”
“Damn you had known him for a minute before y’all hooked up!” Nisey snapped smacking her lips and rolling her eyes. “How long did she want you to wait?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “I wish that I had checked him out a little bit more now. She said that Reggie had been in prison before for molesting his niece.”
“What?” Nisey all but yelled. “What the hell? Ol’ nasty motherfucka! Uh-uhh!”
I shook my head and let out a sigh. “Nisey what have I done?”
“You didn’t do anything! You can’t blame yourself for the fact that he is trifling as hell going around touching babies. You and I both know that you are a good mother to your babies and I don’t give a damn what that social workers says. I don’t know too many people who go out and dig up a person’s entire history before they start dating them.”
“Nah but…”
“There is no but. This isn’t your fault.’’ She told me in a stern voice looking me in my eyes and then grabbing a hold of my hand. “Now come on so that we can swing by the police station and then get these babies home. It’s been a long crazy day.”
We left the hospital and went to the police station. At the police station, I gave them a full statement about what had happened earlier.
“Okay Ms. Chambers, we appreciate your cooperation and I want you to know that I am truly sorry for what happened to your daughter. You have to be very careful about the people that you let come around your children.” Detective Ross, a short chubby man, told me. “The good news is that Mr. Wade refuses to press charges against you…”
“Press charges against me?” I jumped to my feet. “What the hell do you mean? He touched my baby! I had every right to do what I did to him! I should’ve done more!”
“Calm down Ms. Chambers. Take your seat.” He said calmly. I did as I was told but I was still fuming. “Now like I was saying. Mr. Wade refuses to press charges against you for assault, which he has every right to do even though he was in the wrong. He has admitted to touching your daughter and has been charged with the following and is being held with no bond as of right now but that could change once he goes in front of the judge on Monday.” He read off all of Reggie’s charges to me.
When he was done, I asked. “Is that all?” I was more than ready to get out of there and go home.
“Yes ma’am. I will call you if I need any further information from you.”
I didn’t reply. I got up and pushed my chair beneath the table that I had been sitting at and exited the room. I couldn’t believe that the law was so fucked up that a child molester had the option to press charges against me for defending my child!
Tre
When I arrived at Tyson’s crib, I threw the car in park and jumped out. I was so pissed that I couldn’t even remember the drive there! I ran up the steps, skipping a few on the way. When I reached the front door I didn’t bother ringing the doorbell. I banged on the door like a madman!
“Yo Tyson! Tyson its Tre open up yo!” I yelled as I continued to bang. I’d told him to be ready when I got there but he obviously hadn’t done like I’d asked because if he had his ass would’ve been standing by the road waiting!
The door opened and Ms. Jackie stood there wearing a scared/confused look on her face and her hair sticking straight up on top of her head. “Tre…what in the world is wrong with you banging and carrying on like that out here? I have neighbors, son.”
“Where is Tyson?” I asked ignoring the bullshit that had just come from her mouth. I didn’t give a flying fuck about her neighbors. They could all kiss my black ass a
nd so could she.
“He’s…”
Before she could respond, Tyson appeared in the doorway behind her. “Here I go bruh, you ready to ride?” The expression on his face resembled the one that I wore on mine. I’d briefed him on what had happened over the phone.
“Where are you going Tyson?” Ms. Jackie asked looking from him to me.
He brushed past her and walked out onto the porch fixing his shirt. “I’m going to ride with Tre somewhere. I’ll be back.”
I turned and started to walk down the steps. From behind me, I heard Ms. Jackie say. “Uh-uhh, I don’t know what kind of trouble he is mixed up in now but you aren’t going anywhere behind him and end up in a world of trouble! Whatever he’s gotten himself into let him handle it himself!”
I turned around and charged back up the steps. I was so sick of this bitch’s mouth! She’d picked the wrong day to come out of her face wrong. With the mood that I was in, I was liable to flip out and beat the life out of her ass and be ready to deal with Tyson next because frankly I didn’t give a fuck about anything or anybody. “Look if you don’t know what you are talking about then…”
“Chill Tre, man. I got this.” Tyson met me before I had a chance to reach Ms. Jackie.
“Uh-uhhh…I know you don’t call yourself running up on me!” Ms. Jackie raised her voice and started towards me. “Boy, I have been knowing your little ass since before you knew yourself! I wish you would get up in my face! I will slap the piss from you and tell your mammy I did it! That’s what’s wrong with y’all little young punks. You don’t have any damn respect but trust and believe me you are going to learn some today if you run up on me wrong. Let him go Tyson!”
“Ma, chill out! You’re wrong. You are popping off when you don’t even know what you are talking about. He ain’t even did shit. Something happened to his daughter and I am about to ride with him to check on her.” He explained to Ms. Jackie who was fuming mad. I watched as she eyed me with an evil mug on her face.
She rolled her eyes at me. “He still doesn’t have any right to be disrespectful.” She snapped.
“You started with me! Every damn time that I come here, you come out of your mouth wrong at me and I take it. In case you didn’t know respect goes two ways.” I let her know. “You had no idea why I’d come to get Tyson but you just assumed that I was in some kind of trouble. Even if I was I don’t need him to fight my battles. I am a grown ass man and I can handle myself. Just like Tyson is a grown ass man. I didn’t ask him to go with me. He volunteered to go, that was his decision.” She didn’t say anything she just stood there looking at me. She was probably feeling stupid for assuming some shit and not knowing what the hell she was talking about. Either way, I didn’t have time for this shit. I needed to get to Danville. I looked at Tyson. “What are you going to do? Are you riding with me or what?”
“Yeah man.” He turned his attention to Ms. Jackie. “Ma, I’ll be back later on.” He said leaning in and giving her a peck on her cheek.
I walked to the car and got inside. Tyson walked off the porch and hopped in on the other side. As we were backing out of the driveway, Ms. Jackie yelled. “Don’t bring your black ass back in my yard no more Tre!”
I didn’t bother replying, instead I rolled up the window and turned up the radio. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Tyson remove the gun from his waist and slip it into my glove box. We’d gotten a few miles up the road when my phone started to ring. I picked it up and looked at the screen. It was Mina, for a split second I started not to answer but I pressed send anyways.
“Yeah…” I answered hoping that she didn’t say anything out of her mouth that would further piss me off.
“You were mad as hell when you left. I was calling to see if you were okay.” She explained.
I’d been at her place when Lala had called. The two of us were talking about our relationship or lack thereof. I really hadn’t been feeling her as much since the whole incident at Ms. Lizzie’s. I could tell by how insecurely that she’d reacted, she had a lot of shit going on. I didn’t have time to try and pacify her feelings and emotions. I wasn’t about to try and piece back together what the nigga before me had torn apart. I was with her and I showed that. Yet every time Lala or Kisha called my phone she seemed to get in her feelings. I’d explained to her time and time again that I had kids with both of them and that they were going to be a part of my life forever. She was going to have to accept that or move on.
“Nah, I’m not okay but I will be as soon as I make it to Danville.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” She asked. “What in the world did Lala call and tell you?”
“Look, I don’t really feel up to doing a whole lot of talking right now. I’m not trying to be mean but I am pissed right now and I don’t want to take it out on you so let me hit you back later.”
“Okay, Tre be careful and don’t go and get yourself in any trouble.” I didn’t reply, I just disconnected the call. I noticed that I had an unread text message. I opened it and saw that it was from Lala. It read: The doctor said that Lola is fine. There was no signs of penetration so that means that he only touched her. Thank God for that. I will call you when I leave the police station. I tossed my phone in the cup holder and pressed down harder on the accelerator.
Tyson reached over and turned down the radio. “Are you alright man?” He asked looking over at me. Before I could reply, he spoke again. “Don’t sweat that shit that moms was saying. You know how that goes. She be buggin’ sometimes but it comes from a good place though.” He pulled out a blunt from his pocket and pushed in the lighter.
“It is what it is to be real with you.” I answered looking straight ahead but to be honest I wasn’t even really paying attention to the road. At this point, it was by the grace of God that we hadn’t had an accident or been pulled over by the police because I was going way over the speed limit and passing everything on the road. “Right now that shit that your mama said is the furthest thing from my mind. All I am concerned about is getting to Danville and making sure that my baby is okay before I go looking for Reggie’s bitch ass!”
Tyson touched the lighter to the end of the blunt and inhaled before putting the lighter back. “I feel you man.” He said releasing smoke through his nose and mouth. He went into a coughing fit for a few seconds and then continued. “On some real shit though, how did this happen? I mean, was he staying there and snuck into the baby’s room or did she leave them there with him while she went to work? What the fuck happened?” He reached over and handed me the blunt. I took it from his hand and took a long pull inhaling the smoke into my lungs. I needed something to calm my nerves and relax me some.
“Man, she said that she left them with him so that she could run to the grocery store but she’d left her purse and when she came back to get it. She caught him touching Lola.” Visions of Reggie touching Lola flooded my mind and I nearly lost control of the wheel. I swerved into the next lane almost side swiping a truck but was able to get back in my lane in time to avoid it.
“Pull over and let me drive!” Tyson ordered. I could tell by the look on his face that I’d scared the shit out of him. “You ain’t in no shape to be driving.”
A few miles up the road, I pulled over and allowed him to drive. I slid into the passenger seat, turned the radio back up and reclined my seat. For the rest of the drive, I was quiet, in my own world consumed by my thoughts. From the way that I was lying back in my seat, I could see the sky. It was cloudy, the sky had turned a dark grey and it looked as if we were about to get some rain. The weather was like a reflection of my life at the moment, dark and cloudy and for some reason the rain hadn’t let up. It’d constantly been one thing after another. Whenever I felt like things were getting better something else would happen and it always involved either Lala or Kisha. I’d thought that not being with either of them would change that but obviously not because no matter what happened in their lives I was still involved.
My thoughts went to
Lala’s phone call. I thought back to how she’d said Reggie ended up alone with Lola. I couldn’t understand why she would leave our daughter in some other nigga’s care! Just because she was fuckin’ him didn’t make that nigga trustworthy enough to be babysitting my kids. I shook my head and ran my hands over my face before sitting my seat up. I prayed to God that I calmed down some before I made it to Danville because if not there was no telling what I might do to Lala or Reggie.
As soon as I saw the sign that read WELCOME TO DANVILLE, I turned down the radio, took out my cell and found Lala’s name in my contacts. I pressed her name on my touch screen, placed the phone to my ear and waited for her to answer. She answered after several rings, sounding tired and out of breath.
“Hey…sorry it took so long to answer. We are just getting back home.” She explained.
“I’m in Danville, on my way to your crib now.” I hung up because I really didn’t feel like hearing her voice. I reached in the console that was between the seats and took out my cigarettes. I lit one up and focused my attention on the road so I could give Tyson the directions to Lala’s house.
Side Chic 4 (Forever Ratchet) Page 2