by M. T. Pope
“I know, I . . . I . . .” she stammered. Tears started to fall from her eyes. They were too late for me. “I never got a chance to apologize to you. Tell you I was sorry.”
I looked at her with pain and anger boiling up inside of me.
“I can see that this is hurting you by bring this subject up. I’ll leave it alone.”
“Thank you,” I replied. “Sorry is not going to bring him back.”
“I know,” she said as she lowered her head. “I wished things would have turned out better than it did that day.”
“Stop it,” I said with a gritty hush-toned voice. “You knew that you were unstable and yet you still didn’t take your meds. He didn’t even know you were unstable. Neither of us did. You brought this on yourself. He was good to you and you killed him. You took his life away. My life away.”
“You are right.” She solemnly nodded her head. “But what you don’t know is that your father was a womanizing whore. He cheated on me mercilessly. He pushed me.”
“He didn’t on cheat you. Your nagging ways drove him to seek comfort in the arms of other women. You know it was your fault he cheated. You nagged him into the arms of other women.” I knew all about my father’s so-called cheatings. He was stressed out from her and her unnerving displeasure with everything.
“Jasmine, you sound like you are in denial. I know the symptoms of instability. I knew that I would pass it on to you. I feared this. Have you ever gone to see somebody to help you out? Someone to talk to about your mental problems? You are as unstable as I was at your age. You don’t look like you are unstable but I know it’s lurking around in that head of yours. You can’t hide it for long before it gets the best of you.” She looked like she had pity for me on her face. I hated it.
“I’m nothing like you, you crazy bitch.” I leaned across the table and said it to her so no one would hear me. “Nah thing.”
“Ummhmm.” She laughed. “I bet.”
“Anyway.” I bypassed her laugh. “I’m not here to talk about any of that. I’m here to give you some good news. I didn’t want to tell you but I was talked into coming. Now I regret coming.”
“Good news!” She perked up in the chair, causing one of the attendants to look in our direction. She instantly calmed down. “They letting me out of here?” she asked with hope all over her face.
“Nah, bitch, as long as I’m alive you will be in this crazy coop. Believe that,” I said and then laughed. I was at all of her appeals for release and I performed so much in protest every time I thought they were going to release her.
She didn’t find it funny at all. I didn’t care. “No, I’m here to tell you that you are going to be a grandmother.”
“Me a grandmother?” She looked shocked.
“Yes, you.” I smiled proudly. I smiled because on the inside I knew that I was going to be a better mom then she ever was and I knew that my husband, Alex, wouldn’t need to step outside of our marriage because he would have all he needed in me.
“Nooooooooooooooooooooooo!” She hollered out and then fell out of her chair and onto the hard floor. “Don’t let her have it. Don’t let her continue this bad blood that runs through our veins. Don’t let her have that baby. She should be in here with me. Don’t let her leave. Don’t let her leaveeee.” The attendant quickly scrambled to get her together and sedated her with a needle in the arm.
She yelled and hollered so much that it caused the room to be flooded with staff and the entire facility to be put on lockdown.
I walked out of the facility with a smile on my face. I was happy to let her know about her grandchild. Her ass thought I was crazy like her. I walked across the parking lot with my head held high.
“I am very sane,” I said as I got in my car and looked at myself in the mirror. “I got this all in control.” I pulled off of the parking lot and drove toward my home.
It was kind of late when I got home, but when I did I wanted someone to talk to about my visit with her so I dialed Ashley’s cell phone number and went straight to voicemail. I figured she was with Troy and didn’t want to be disturbed or she was handling some business about her sister. Either way, I would meet up with her soon to give her the details.
Chapter 32
Troy
Family
Here I was on my way to check on Ma Dear. I had a lot on my mind as pertaining to the plans I had in place. Things were coming together nicely. I had Diana on lockdown and no one had a clue that it was me who was behind her disappearance. I would go and check on her almost every day to make sure that she was still functional, which was a task in itself. Taking care of another person was work especially when it wasn’t on a voluntary basis on their end. She was a fighter for sure. She didn’t make it easy for me to care for her; kicking, screaming, and going limp were all a part of her routine when I went to feed her, bathe her, or let her use the bathroom. But it would soon be worth it all.
I pulled into the facility and made my way into the building. I checked in and walked to the room where Ma Dear was being held. As soon as I walked in the room I received the shock of my life. She had another visitor. It was a family member I didn’t see too much.
“Well, well, well,” this nuisance of a person said to me as they shook their head at me. “I don’t get to see you much since you have your own life and career. You nearly fell off of the map. I was about to put out an APB on you so I could see what you look like.”
“I’ve been busy,” I said dryly. “Getting some things done in my life. Making me a priority. You should know all about that since you have moved halfway across the country like your other siblings and started doing your own things. Why are you here anyway?”
“Dear brother.” He laughed and placed his hand over his heart in a feminine manner. He was a queen like no other. He was in full drag but to average person you wouldn’t know that it was a he and not a she. He was very convincing. “Why must you come for me? I came in peace to see Ma Dear.”
“I bet,” I huffed and folded my arms against my chest. He turned his attention back toward Ma Dear and completely dismissed me.
I walked around the room to the other side of Ma Dear’s bed, to the unoccupied chair, and sat down. Ma Dear was still in and out of lucidness.
“Troy, Ma Dear keeps on mumbling obscenities and this man’s name. Who is James Parks?”
“I don’t know who that is. She has been in and out for the last few weeks, but you haven’t been here to know that though. Calling the facility to check on her progress is not the same as being here,” I scolded him.
“So you’ve been checking up on who comes and goes here?” He looked at me with displeasure.
“I am her next of kin and in charge of her state and estate. She is my business. I’m the only one here for her. Power of attorney, baby!” I answered. “So yes, I keeps tabs on everything and that includes you and the rest of my siblings’ interactions here.”
“For you to be the youngest you think you know everything and have everything under control. I could come back, swoop in, and take the reins of all of this and leave your ass on the sidewalk to cover up with the curb.” He snapped his finger in true feminine form.
“You can keep all of that and besides I have the paperwork. You would be wasting your breath and time. We both know you are not going to do any of that or you would have done it already. Nice try though.” I sat back smugly because I knew I had the upper hand.
No one knew about my siblings and I liked it that way. The life of an only child was a privileged one. You see I was the youngest of five children. I was the last one in the house and the only one left in Maryland to care for Ma Dear. She chose me to exact revenge for the family, mainly her, and I was all for it. I didn’t need any interruptions from the peanut gallery. They had their lives and moved far away. They had their resentments and reasons for leaving and I had my resentments and reasons for staying.
“Whatever.” He twisted his hand in the air to dismiss what I said but he knew I
spoke the truth. He was passing through and saving face. He couldn’t care less. He wasn’t on my mother’s list of favorites anyway. He was competition, but that was business for another time.
“When are you leaving?” I asked.
“Why?”
“Because I wanted to spend time with Ma Dear alone. Like I usually do.”
“I will be out of here shortly and on a plane back home to my man. He been blowing up my phone for me come on home anyway. I came here to make an appearance, see Ma Dear, and leave.”
“Cool.” I got up out of my chair and rounded the bed. “See you when you leaving.” I left through the door and went into the waiting room right outside the room to wait for him to leave.
It didn’t take long for him to make his way out of the room. “Bye.” He waved his hand without even really looking my way.
“Better to see you going than coming,” I shot back before he got on the elevator.
I went in to check on Ma Dear and to let her know that her plans were moving ahead swiftly. I was not sure if she fully understood what I said but she nodded her head when I told her.
I left the facility and decided to call and check in on Ashley and her whereabouts. As soon as I got to my car and sat in the driver’s seat I pulled out my cell phone to call her. I dialed her number and it went straight to voicemail. I did this several times with the same results. I took it as a sign that she was handling business and could not be contacted at the moment. I decided to go check on Diana real quick and then make my way home.
Chapter 33
Ashley
Kisses Down Low
I awoke to a feeling that I knew all too well.
“Mmmmmm,” I moaned involuntarily through my duct-taped mouth as I tried to get my eyes to focus. I felt cold and naked. I tried to move but I was restrained once again. As soon as my eyes could focus the sight before me made me pissy mad. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing and feeling. I squirmed and shifted in the bed I was in, trying to get loose, but it was useless.
I looked down at a totally naked Antoinette going to town with her tongue deep within me. She was trying her best to make me orgasm but I wasn’t having it. I couldn’t say that it wasn’t feeling good though. She was a beast with her tongue game. I was in for the fight of my life. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that she set all of this up. This bitch kidnapped my sister to get to me. Who did something like that? A desperate person that’s who. That shit was genius, too. I was glad that my sister would be okay, too. I had to find a way out of this shit.
“Hey, baby girl.” She looked up at me and smiled. My eyes said “fuck you.” But she didn’t care. I knew it. “You taste so good. I’m going to make that pussy cum a hundred times before I stop,” She said as she stuck two fingers in me and wiggled them around. I lifted my pelvis off of the bed in rejection. That didn’t deter her though; she pushed me back down and dived in with her tongue once again.
Her work down below sent shudders of ecstasy throughout my body. I wasn’t trying to enjoy it but I couldn’t help it. She was giving it to me.
“Oh shit, girl, you taste good. And you wet as hell. You wanted this didn’t you? I know you did. I can tell by the way you are squirming and twitching,” she gloated with my juices around her mouth.
“Mmmmmm.” I thrashed and tussled again in defiance. I was like a tied-up bull trying to get loose.
“Calm down, girl. I am working as fast as I can. We don’t have nothing but time.” She laughed.
I couldn’t believe this bitch had me tied up and licking my pussy. You would think that there wasn’t any free pussy around. She could get some from damn near anywhere especially in Baltimore. Pussy was prevalent. There were plenty of bitches who would let a bitch kiss them down low for a good nut and nothing in return.
“I can’t hear you moan. I want to hear the pleasure. I’m going to untie your mouth but if you start acting up I will get my licks while you are unconscious again,” she said as she got up off of the bed and walked over to the top of the bed. “Are you going to be a good girl?” she asked.
I nodded my head yes.
She removed the tape from my mouth and the first thing I did was take in a gulp of fresh air. Breathing through the nose was cool but the mouth was a lot easier.
“What the fuck am I doing here, Antoinette?” I said as she walked away and my breath returned to a regular pace.
“You know what I said. I said I loved you and I wanted you back. But you wanted to play games so I had to make the choice for you,” she said as she looked at me from the end of the bed.
“So you kidnapped my sister to get some tied-up pussy for a few days?” I looked at her with anger. “Who does that type of shit?”
She laughed before she spoke, “Ashley, I don’t know where the hell your sister is at. I used the information to get you where I wanted you and ta-da, here you are tied up with your legs gapped open. All you had to do was say yes and all of this shit could have been avoided. I can’t believe you were trading me in for a meat stick. What’s wrong with my tongue?”
“Are you fucking kidding me? You don’t know where my sister is and here I am tied the fuck up so you could use me as your sex slave. Really? Bitch, you are fucking loony tunes crazy. Your ass is not going to get away with this. You’re a fool to think otherwise.” I was seething with anger. Here it was my sister was missing and this bitch had added me to the list. What kind of shit was this? I could only imagine what my parents were going to be thinking when they found out that I was now missing too. They were going to have to put my mother in a psych ward for sure now.
“Oh, baby, I’m going to get away with this for sure. No one knows where you are. I chucked your cell phone in the water where you left your car. No fingerprints. I used stolen plates on a truck to get you here in case the area was being watched. The phone I used was a replica that I bought off of someone. You were a fool to use your phone number on the fliers to find your sister. But you didn’t know any better though. I lucked up with that one. And so here we are now. All you had to do was give us another chance and it wouldn’t have to be like this.”
“Bitch, you are absolutely crazy to think that I will ever be happy with you.”
“Oh, happy is not needed. I’m about to move us out of the state and to our new home. Far, far away from here. We are going to be together even if it is by force. Pretty soon you will get used to it and broken down to where I want you to be. It’s inevitable.”
“They are going to come looking for me. They will never stop looking. My family loves me. They will go broke trying to find me. I feel sorry for you because you have to stoop down to this level to get someone to be with you. What kind of a poor excuse of a woman are you?” I taunted her with every word that I spoke. I wanted her to see that I would never voluntarily or involuntarily love her. She was delusional.
She walked over to a dresser that was in the corner of the room and opened the top drawer. She fumbled for a few minutes before I heard something make a clicking sound. She turned back around and faced me.
“Ashley, this will speak loudly for me. See if I can’t have you then no one will. I will kill you and myself. Easily,” she said as she aimed the gun with a silencer attached to it at my head.
I didn’t flinch nor did my eyes wander. I had been here before. But would it end the way it had before? Only time would tell.
“Then I guess that is the way that it’s going to be,” I said, unmoved.
She squeezed the trigger and fired.
Chapter 34
Alex
Not Again
I was startled out of my sleep by the ring of my phone. I threw my legs over the side of the bed before I reached for the phone. I picked up, looked at it. It was my brother Li’l Shawn.
“Hey. Wassup?” I asked in anticipation of some news about my missing sister Diana. My stomach started to flutter in anticipation. Good news or bad news; that’s what I wondered, feared.
“Man,
you better get over here and now. I have no time to explain. Get here,” he said in an almost hushed voice.
“Okay.” I immediately hung up the phone and searched the room for something to put on. I quickly washed my face and made my way into the living room where Wallace was laid out on my sofa.
“Yo, Wallace.” I shook him gently so that I wouldn’t scare him out of his sleep. That wasn’t a good feeling at all.
He woke up in an instant and asked, “Everything okay?”
“I don’t know, man. My little brother called me to go over my parents’ house. It sounded urgent. You rolling with me or are you going to chill right here until I make it back?”
“Nah, man. I’m with you,” he said and then he proceeded to put his clothes on. He made a quick trip to the bathroom before he followed me out of my house and to my car.
I pulled off quickly so that I could get to my destination with haste. My mind was all over the place. I didn’t know what to expect right now.
I arrived at my parents’ house in fifteen minutes on a regular twenty-five-minute drive. Wallace looked at me in fear as I drove with reckless abandon on the highway. I was on a mission, but I should have taken my time because an accident wouldn’t help the situation, good or bad. I almost hopped out of my car as I got out and walked around to my front entrance. Wallace wasn’t too far behind me as I opened the front door to the house and walked in.
I headed straight for the living room as most of our family interaction was held there. As soon as I entered the room everyone’s attention was focused on me. My mother, who looked a hot mess, hopped up and ran over to hug me around my neck. I looked on as my father was obviously shook up as well. My brother Shawn had the look of death on his face. That sinking feeling of despair and dismay covered the face of Jasmine, who was also in attendance. My grandmother looked like she wanted to pass out as well.