Project Queen

by Teresa D. Patterson

  “I have to see them.” Shae rushed off, ignoring the clipboard of paperwork the woman extended.

  Being placed in critical care couldn’t be good. When she got to the twins’ room, she tried to go to them, but a security guard wouldn’t let her pass. “What’s wrong? Why won’t you let me get by? My brothers are in there.”

  A formidable looking doctor appeared. He heard the hysterical young woman and came out to assist the security guard. It would only be a matter of time before backup arrived because he’d already called them. He would try to keep the situation from escalating into something nasty. However, if things got out of hand, he would step to the side. He wasn’t used to getting involved in brawls. The security guard, a stocky black woman who resembled a man looked as though she could handle herself anyway.

  “Miss, please calm down,” he said.

  “Calm down?” Shae turned her anger on him. “My brothers are in that room and this bull dog looking bitch won’t let me go to them. How the fuck I’m supposed to calm down?”

  “Miss, I’m the attending physician. I have some news, but you really have to try to control yourself,” he insisted.

  Shae crossed her hands over her chest and took a deep breath. She exhaled loudly. “What is it?” she asked more calmly. “Are they okay?”

  “I’m afraid that your brothers have been poisoned,” he replied.

  “Poisoned,” she exclaimed.

  “Traces of arsenic were found in their bloodstreams. They are extremely sick. It’s a miracle that they are still alive.” His eyes assessed her as if she was the lowest form of life on earth. “No one is allowed in that room except hospital personnel. No one,” he stressed. Both he and the security guard glared at her coldly.

  It suddenly dawned on her that they thought she was responsible.

  “Wait a minute, y’all think I did it?” Even though neither answered, their silence spoke volumes.

  As the news sank in, two police officers exited the elevator and headed in her direction. “Miss Byrts?” one of them asked. She nodded as fear gripped her. The involvement of cops could only mean trouble. “Ma’am, come this way,” he instructed. “We’ll need to ask you some questions.”

  “Questions? What’s going on?”

  “We’ll explain it momentarily. But for now, come with us.”

  “Am I being arrested? Did you call the cops on me?” she asked the doctor, who nodded smugly. “But I didn’t do nothing.” she stated, her voice rising with anger. She was worried about her brothers and now these police were all up in her face looking like they wanted to handcuff her. She wasn’t in the mood to be treated like Rodney King. Besides, she really hadn’t done anything. If she had to go to jail, it would be for a reason. She didn’t feel like talking to those racist pigs. She didn’t trust them and she knew how cops twisted your words and used them against you. She’d witnessed it time after time in the projects.

  The elevator doors opened again and Toby came through them. She felt a surge of relief. She needed him more than ever. She took a step toward him, but the female officer restrained her.

  “Stay where you are, ma’am,” she warned. Shae could see her hand go to the revolver strapped around her waist.

  “That’s my brother,” she told Trigger Finger. “He can tell you that I didn’t do it.” She turned to him. “Toby, they’re saying that Charles and Chris were poisoned, and they think I did it,” she said.

  “What?” Toby looked confused. “Somebody poisoned the twins? No way.”

  “Yes way,” the female officer retorted.

  Toby tossed her an annoyed look. He didn’t trust cops and the last thing he wanted to do was hold a conversation with them. However, he couldn’t just leave Shae to fend for herself.

  “If they got poisoned, Mama had to do it,” he finally said.

  “You think your mother is responsible?” the male cop questioned, scribbling on a yellow notepad. He was the calmer of the two. The female officer still hadn’t taken her hand off her gun. She stood on edge and tense.

  “Yeah,” Toby nodded. “It had to be her. Shae wouldn’t do nothing like that. Shae loves Chris and Charles,” he said. “Mama don’t.” Somehow he had to make the two suspicious cops believe him. His sister couldn’t go to jail for something she didn’t do. She’d believed in him when he’d been falsely accused. Now it was his turn to stand by her. But, how could he make two white, biased cops, obviously used to stereotyping blacks, believe him? His best bet was to appeal to their emotions. So, he continued to talk. “Mama don’t care about nothing or nobody,” he said. “And, she’s crazy,” he added. “Let me show y’all something. She did this to me when I was twelve-years-old.” He lifted up his shirt and turned around. He could hear gasps of astonishment from the female cop and the security guard. The male cop swore aloud.

  Several raised scars crisscrossed half his back. His mother had whipped him with a wire clothes hanger. The horrid marks were a permanent reminder of what the cruel woman was capable of doing.

  The two officers gave each other long looks, clearly affected by what the saw. The female officer sighed loudly and finally let go of her gun. She visibly relaxed and turned to the children with compassion in her eyes.

  “Put your shirt down, son,” she told Toby. “Come this way, please. We’ll still have to question you both. It’s procedure,” she said quietly. Shae and Toby followed them to an empty room. Shae grabbed Toby’s hand and gave him a brief hug.

  “You didn’t have to do that,” she said. She knew how painful it had to be for him. For years, they’d kept their secrets hidden. She’d told Larry and now Toby had told someone. “Thank you.”

  “It’s gonna be okay,” he promised. “Mama won’t be able to hurt us no more.” His eyes misted. “I just can’t believe she did that to Charles and Chris, though.”

  “Don’t worry, she’ll be punished to the fullest extent of the law,” the female officer said with conviction. “Come on in and have a seat. You kids want anything? A soda? Some potato chips? I’d be happy to go to the vending machine,” she offered.

  “No thanks.” Shae’s stomach was tied in knots. She doubted she’d be able to keep anything down.

  “No ma’am.” Toby declined as well. He didn’t have an appetite. He just wanted his little brothers to live. He felt so guilty for not being around to protect them. He’d been too busy out in the streets dealing drugs. In a sense, he was no better than his mother. He’d been helping to kill his own people with a different kind of poison.

  Hours later, after being questioned, they were allowed to leave. They wouldn’t be permitted to visit the twins until some issues were cleared up. The attending physician agreed to talk to them, but only after the officers assured him that they were in the clear of any wrongdoing.

  He updated them on their status. “Charles remains in critical condition, but Chris has upgraded to stable,” he said. “We’ll continue to monitor them around the clock.” The doctor cleared his throat, fidgeting with a stethoscope hanging around his neck. “Earlier, I was just doing my job,” he explained. Shae just rolled her eyes and walked off. When she encountered the security guard, the bitch had the audacity to look ashamed. Shae understood the white physician jumping to conclusions, but one of her own kind? Now that she couldn’t understand.

  Shae felt drained and wanted nothing more than to go to sleep. Back in the waiting room, she discovered that Dana had left. That figured. The slimy motherfucker didn’t even care enough to hang around to see if her brothers had survived.

  Wise for his age, Toby sized up the situation. He wasn’t just street-smart: he knew things. He knew more about Dana then he was willing to tell. Of course, a big time drug dealer would dip the minute he saw cops. He’d probably been packing heat, too, and didn’t want to go down on a gun charge. He hated the fact that Shae had gotten mixed up with that foul ass nigga.

  “I’ll take you home,” he told her. “I got my dawg John’s car.”

  “You don�
�t even have a driver’s license,” she reminded him.

  “Don’t mean I can’t drive. I been putting the pedal to the metal since I was twelve,” he shocked her by saying. “Come on.” She had no choice, so she followed him outside.

  She felt unreal, like a mannequin. How could their mama do something so cruel? She knew that the woman had some issues, but to actually try to kill her own children? She needed to be put away.

  Suddenly, it came to her as she got in the car. “She must have poisoned Ma Violet, too,” she whispered to Toby. He stared at her then nodded slowly.

  “She had to,” he stated. As he spoke the words, he knew them to be true. He remembered how she’d reacted on the night Ma Violet had died. He thought she’d behaved strangely and now he knew why. Something else, equally important jumped out at him. “How did you get those bruises around your throat?” Toby’s question jerked her mind back to the present.

  “I-”

  “He did it, didn’t he?” he stated rather than asked. She didn’t answer. “I didn’t know exactly who Dana was, but now I know. That’s Diamond Dog. Shae, you got ya self in a lot of trouble. He’ll kill a nigga in a heartbeat. He’s known for beating bitches down and stumping holes in niggas.”

  Somehow, that confession didn’t surprise her at all. “How do you know so much about him?” she asked.

  “Don’t worry ‘bout that. I just know. That’s what’s important. Stay away from that nigga. He’s bad news. Trust me. Stay away from him.” Her brother’s voice held a trace of fear. She took a closer look at him.

  “You ain’t telling me everything. Why not?”

  “Sometimes, it’s best not to know,” he replied.

  He started the car and drove away from the hospital. About fifteen minutes later, he stopped at the curb in front of their place. “Get some stuff together. No telling what Mama might do. I don’t trust her. We can stay at a hotel until we find out that she’s locked up.” He took control and for once Shae was glad that she didn’t have to. The day had taken its toll on her. She hurried inside.

  Grabbing a large Doonie and Burke carry bag, she threw some of her and Toby’s clothes and personal items in it and went back outside. Her heart constricted with fear when she witnessed Toby being confronted by Mrs. Byrts.

  “I get pulled off my job ‘bout this shit,” she yelled. “I’m supposed to be responsible for poisoning my own babies? What kinda shit is that?” she asked. “They tell me that y’all told them it was me. What made you say some shit like that?”

  “It was you,” Toby spat. “You did it.” His eyes blazed. “And you killed Ma Violet too,” he accused.

  “You bastard,” Mrs. Byrts yelled. “I will hurt you and snatch ya lying tongue out ya mouth.”

  “Watch out,” Shae screamed as Mrs. Byrts lunged for him. He didn’t move fast enough and she caught him in a bear hug. She squeezed until he couldn’t breathe.

  “Shae-” he wheezed.

  Anxiety overcame her. She knew that her mother would kill him if she didn’t do something. Because of his asthma, his lungs were already weak. With their mother holding him, she could cut off his breathing altogether.

  “Let him go,” she yelled, grabbing the garden hose that lay in the front yard. She went into action. She folded it for thickness and swung as hard as she could.

  When the hose cut into her back and arms, Mrs. Byrts loosened her hold on Toby. Shae hit her again and again until she released him completely. Toby escaped and ran to the car. For a moment, Shae thought he would leave her to fend for herself. Instead, he grabbed something from under the seat.

  “Don’t move, Mama, or I’ll shoot,” he yelled and aimed a 357 Magnum at her. Mrs. Byrts ambled toward him. “I said don’t move,” he screamed. His eyes widened with shock as his mother kept coming.

  He remembered all of the beatings he’d suffered at her hands. She’d always made him feel so weak, small and afraid. So insignificant.

  “You gonna shoot me like you shot that dope fiend? Well, you better make sure I’m dead,” she snarled.

  “Mama, please don’t make me do it,” he begged. He had his trembling finger on the trigger. He couldn’t do it. Not him. Hadn’t she always told him exactly what he was? She’d drilled it in his head for years as she’d pummeled his body with her fists. She stomped it into his memory and kicked it into his brain. He was a nothing, a no account, an idiot, a punk, chicken-hearted, worthless, pitiful, and sorry. The list seemed endless. He wondered how a mother could hate her own child so much. What had he done to deserve that kind of treatment? What had any of them done?

  Vivian ran away because of their mama. Shae thought some abusive drug dealer could save her. And Charles and Chris. He almost cried when he thought about his little brothers lying in a hospital bed. They were so helpless, just six-years-old. They couldn’t protect themselves. Why would she poison them, try to get rid of them like they were rats? And Ma Violet… That did it. He felt something inside of him snap.

  “I ought to bust a cap in ya ass for what you did to Ma Violet and the twins,” he said.

  Shae stood frozen to the spot. She sensed the depth of Toby’s anger and knew without a doubt that he was mad enough to do just about anything. She couldn’t let it happen. As much as she despised her mother, she didn’t want her death on Toby’s hands. He’d never be able to carry around that type of guilt.

  “Toby, don’t do it,” she yelled. “Run.”

  His fury almost blinded him. Shae’s words penetrated the dark cloud in his mind. He shook his head to clear it, dropped the gun and sprinted off. Shae had already made it safely down the street. Seeing some people sitting outside, they stopped and asked if they could use their phone.

  “What happened?” A woman with a tooth missing up front asked. Shae couldn’t explain and Toby just shook his head still numb with shock. “Po’ children seem traumatized.”

  “Did somebody get shot?” someone else asked.

  “I dunno. Jus’ hand me the cordless,” the woman said.

  Shae dialed 911 with trembling fingers. She could barely get the words out as she gave an account of what had taken place. The dispatcher on the other end of the phone informed her that officers would be on the scene as soon as possible. She was very sympathetic and spoke in calming tones. It helped Shae hold it together at a time when she wanted to fall apart.

  Shae and Toby returned to the scene to find what resembled a swat team outside their apartment. They watched on the sidelines as policemen tried to apprehend their mother. It took five of them to restrain her.

  Apparently, Mrs. Byrts had decided that she wasn’t going to be taken down easily. She’d fight until the last ounce of strength left her body. It appeared that she had the strength of Samson as she battled with the officers.

  One of the deputies finally got fed up with the struggle and let her have it with his blackjack. As if on cue, the other four followed suit. They went to work on her with their clubs. Even though years of hatred had built up in their hearts, Shae and Toby couldn’t help feeling sorry for their mother. She had given birth to them and at one point in their lives had shown them love.

  Toby ran past the blockade. “That’s my mama. Don’t do her like that,” he yelled. Two policemen grabbed him and held him back. “Man, let me go. They gonna kill her. That’s my mama.” Shae ran to Toby and pulled him out of the officers’ grip.

  “Stop, Toby. Remember what she did,” she reminded him. “She killed Ma Violet and almost killed Charles and Chris.”

  “I know,” he finally said. “But they ain’t got to beat her like that.” He sobbed. “She still our mama.”

  Finally, the big woman lay still. The officers handcuffed her and shoved her into the back seat of a patrol car. Her head fell back against the seat. It was plain to see that she’d been beaten unconscious. Blood from an open wound dripped down the side of her face. No one cared as they got into their cars and pulled away. The deputy that had to transport her, gazed at her, spit on the gro
und with disgust, and closed the door. Then, he too, got in his car and sped off.

  “How could she do it, Shae? How?” Toby asked. “Was it our fault?” He put his hands up to his face. He tried to be a man and not cry in front of the crowd that had gathered. For some reason them looking on like vultures made him mad. Nosey ass neighbors were always up in their business. He felt like giving them the middle finger. He could tell by the looks in their eyes that they felt sorry for them. Well, he didn’t need their pity. Where the hell had they been all those years when he’d gotten his ass stomped? They all had turned a deaf ear to the abuse. Nobody had tried to help then. Now they wanted to stand around and look on like they cared. They could kiss his ass.

  “So what do we do now?” he asked. “We don’t know where Daddy is, or if he’s even alive. Now, we don’t have a mama. What do we do?” he repeated.

  “Don’t worry, Toby. You still have me. I’ll take care of everything.” She put her arms around her little brother. For the first time in her life, she felt an intense love for him. It had been there all along, but it had taken this tragedy to bring it forth. She vowed to herself that no one else would hurt her or her family again. They’d been through enough.

  Toby hugged her so hard that she could barely breathe. She felt a fierce need to protect him at all cost. She’d make sure he wouldn’t suffer anymore. None of them would.

  After everything died down and the crowd dispersed, they went inside. Toby and Shae were too emotionally drained to think about going somewhere else that night. They decided to stay at the apartment until other arrangements could be made. Mrs. Byrts could no longer get to them since she’d been arrested.

  Shae thought about Larry and wondered if he’d already left for college. At a time like this, she really could use a friend. But, it would be unfair of her to burden him with her problems. Larry worrying about her would make it hard for him to concentrate on his studies. Knowing Larry, he might even decide not to leave because she needed him. She wouldn’t mess up his future. She’d just have to handle everything herself.