Ghetto Girls 6

by Anthony Whyte

  “She was a beautiful and kind woman…” the preacher started saying and the place was dead silent. The service got going with the preacher’s oration, and the introduction of Coco drew a loud, long applause. Dressed in black, she walked somberly to the platform.

  “I’d like to thank everyone of you for coming out,” she said. “And I know you didn’t have to because y’all are busy, but thank you,” she continued speaking and her statement drew applause. “My mother would appreciate this very much. Some of you knew her very well and others knew her better,” Coco said. Then Coco invited Kim up to the platform with her. “I’d like to sing a song and I want you to sing along with me and Kim, “ Coco said.

  “That’s my mother You got in Your arms oh Lord

  so please make me understand why you had to take her

  back so early, yeah she wasn’t always good but she was always there

  and I remain bias cuz her love was all I had

  sometimes late at night watching her hold on to her addiction.

  Pain feel when she was high but

  escape from a world you create she felt was unfair,

  she said back in the days they didn’t have AIDs

  nowadays they got diseases for all the seasons

  Are you to blame or are we doomed from the beginning

  this time another child born another life on the line

  That’s my mother you got in your arms oh Lord

  please make me understand why you had to take her

  back so early help me to speak clearly,

  hold her thoughts with me on earth so dearly

  That’s my mother you got in your arms oh Lord

  please help me understand clearly,

  speak my heart fairly keep love on my mind

  please remind me why I’m still here what am I doing here

  That’s my mother you in your arms oh Lord,

  please make me over-stand I wanna find answers to questions

  oh Lord why Lord tell me why I’m here floating with the stars.”

  There wasn’t a single dry eye in the funeral home by the time Coco was finished singing. The captive audience sang along with Coco and Kim. Long after the duo had stopped, the audience kept humming the song. After the service, most of the attendees were transported in limousine vans to the gravesite in Yonkers. It was Rachel Harvey’s final resting place.

  Darkness had set in when they arrived at the burial ground. Each person was given a rose and a lit candle in a holder carved with the same old photo of Rachel Harvey. This was Deedee’s idea and she made sure the picture was given back to Coco. Mourning with a black veil on her face, the teen walked to her mother’s grave and placed the photo inside. Coco sobbed loudly. Deedee hugged Coco as the teen shuddered in sadness and her tears flowed.

  In the chorus of Amazing Grace, Rachel Harvey’s coffin was closed. The candles lit the dark sky while the pastor prayed. Through the flickering lights held high, Rachel Harvey’s body was finally lowered into the darkness of the earth.

  “Ashes to ashes and dust to dust…” the preacher man ended his eulogy.

  In honor of Rachel Harvey, a huge feast was held at Sardi’s restaurant. All in attendance were provided transportation to the eatery. They all hugged Coco before getting back in the limousine vans and were transported. Sophia waited with Coco and Deedee. They were huddled together when Eric Ascot saw her. He finished shaking hands with some of his friends from the music world, walked over and nodded politely.

  “Are we ready to go, Deedee… Coco?”

  “There’s another person also present, Uncle E,” Deedee said, looking at Sophia.

  “Ah yes, Sophia are you coming along?” Eric casually asked.

  “I ah—”

  “Oh, I think you should come with us,” Deedee said, sounding excited and hopeful that there would be a renewal.

  Sophia was watching Eric’s reaction and seemed to have developed second thoughts as they walked to the limousine.

  “I’ve got a long day ahead of me,” she suddenly said. “You guys go along without me,” Sophia said.

  She wore a compassionate smile despite her choice. Eric wore a smirk of uneasiness during the limousine ride. The unhappy trip ended abruptly outside her apartment. Sophia gave Coco and Deedee a hug before staring pensively at a sour-faced Eric.

  “We’ll talk some more Dee,” she said, getting out. “Coco take care, honey,” Sophia continued and got out.

  Eric Ascot wore a sneer on his face all the way to the restaurant. They rode in ominous silence to the popular eatery, and arrived to see that most of the people were still there. The attendees, made up of mostly people who stood outside the building, were seated.

  “We have thirty-three guests here, reporting for your feast,” the maître d’ said.

  “Make sure they’re all fed well,” Eric smiled.

  “Whatever you say, Mr. Ascot.”

  Waiters carrying trays of fried chicken, fish, and steak, were busy serving the many guests. Drinks were served and all ate and drank heartily in celebration of Rachel Harvey’s life.

  “Life’s tough, but you gotta keep on living,” Mrs. Jones said, looking at both Coco and Deedee. “I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Kim’s mother, Mrs. Jones,” she said, reaching a hand out.

  “I’m Coco’s friend, Deedee,” Deedee said, shaking the woman’s hand. “Nice to meet you.”

  “You’re Eric Ascot’s niece. Nice to meet you too. I heard so much about you and your uncle that I feel like I know you. How’s—”

  “Mom, let’s go, the limo is waiting,” Kim said.

  “Well, good night Deedee. Coco, you take care baby-girl. Stop by when you can,” Mrs. Jones said.

  Coco nodded politely then the elderly woman left with Kim and Tina. Later all the attendees filed out and were transported to their various destinations. Many of them had never left the four squares of the projects, but in one evening had traveled all the way to Westchester County and downtown, all because of her mother’s death. Their bellies were full so they left and went back to the front of the building to talk about the event for the rest of the evening.

  Coco hugged Eric who was smoking a cigar with the owner. Then Coco and Deedee sat quietly on a balcony overlooking the city’s busy streets. Lights lit up the night sky and the girls both smoked cigarettes. Deedee fiddled with her cell phone while Coco stared straight ahead.

  21

  “Coco you just have to eat something, dear,” Deedee said. “Are you coming to Uncle E’s trial? It starts today.”

  Coco awoke and glanced around the place. She realized she had been dreaming and had overslept. It was a day that Coco wished would come. It was here, and she wasn’t sure if she was ready for it. She sheepishly watched Deedee’s naked ass running around trying to get dressed.

  It had been a tumultuous week for Coco, who had seen her mother buried, and was still reeling from the epic emotional saga. She had not been eating, and her best friend, Deedee, was constantly getting on her case about this. The grieving teen was down since her mother’s funeral, and wasn’t doing too much to get out of the sadness. She had spent the past couple of days sitting around reading magazines and watching Sanford and Son. Coco kept her headphones on and hardly spoke.

  Deedee tried to help her regain her zest for living, but to no avail. Coco remained sad and her melancholic outlook weighed on Deedee. She often tried to get Coco going by playing her songs or singing, and in general attempting to entertain the distraught teen. Nothing seemed to work. Coco remained despondent and moped around the apartment.

  Deedee wandered into the room, dressed and ready to go to Eric Ascot’s first day of trial. She glanced at Coco who was still lying in the bed.

  “So, are you gonna move today? If you are, we’ve got to get breakfast and then go to the courthouse,” Deedee said.

  “Damn, you’re in a rush, yo.”

  “Of course. I have to go and see what’s gonna happen to Uncle E,” Deedee said.<
br />
  “I mean ain’t nothing good going down, yo.”

  “Yeah, but I have to support my uncle.”

  “A’ight, already. Give a few minutes let me go and get dressed,” Coco said.

  “Okay, you got it Coco. Let’s go,” Deedee said.

  She sat on the bed, and lit a cigarette while Coco prepared to get dressed. Deedee picked up the same tattered photo of Rachel Harvey and stared at it for a beat. There was a great resemblance between Coco and her mother. Staring at the photo made Deedee sad and she put it away.

  A couple of minutes later, Coco was dressed and ready to go. They walked out of the apartment and out to the café on the corner. Both girls drank hot chocolates and later left for the courthouse. Sharing a cigarette, they walked to the car and Deedee drove downtown. After leaving the car in a parking lot, the girls walked toward the crowded courthouse.

  There was a media frenzy. It seemed like all the news outlets and curious bystanders came out to see the trial. Cameras went off and photo bugs ran to different points of entrance trying to catch any sightings of celebrities going into the courthouse. Coco and Deedee walked inside the heavily secured place.

  They were thoroughly searched and allowed to enter. Coco and Deedee walked inside the courtroom and immediately spotted Sophia. She was sitting with the prosecutors. Coco and Deedee sat behind Eric Ascot and his attorney Max Roose. There were several assistants at the table talking with Max Roose. Eric turned and acknowledged his niece and Coco.

  The trial was just getting on the way, and the prosecutor addressed the judge. She was good-looking, organized, and appeared meticulous. The prosecutor presented the opening arguments in the case against Eric Ascot.

  “At the end of this trial, you will see that this man, Eric Ascot, is responsible for taking the lives of three people including an officer of the city police force. He has, through a ring of organized terror, brought mayhem into the lives of many people, and deprived justice from being served by attempting to cover up his illegal and ruthless acts,” she said.

  “Wow, she’s really making Uncle Eric out to be an evil villain,” Deedee said.

  All eyes were on Eric Ascot, who sat nattily dressed in a dark suit and blue shirt. He seemed out of place amongst the legal minds. When the prosecutor was finished, his attorney, Max Roose, wearing his usual pinstripe suit, got up and spoke to the court.

  “This is another conspiracy chump-up by the prosecutor to hook us into believing that a musician—and a very successful one at that—has gone out of his way to rain terror on the city and to commit murder. And I will prove beyond the shadow of any reasonable doubt that he is innocent of all charges, and should be allowed to go back to doing what he does best—making music, and providing entertainment for us to enjoy…”

  Eric stared straight ahead and seemed to be unfazed by the direct line the prosecutor had taken. Referring to him as a murderer several times in her opening statement, she was trying to annoy him from the beginning. Eric sighed and quietly shook his head. His mind went back to the time when he first became involved with the crime he was being accused of.

  He had been out of town and received a call from the police about his niece being raped. Eric remembered rushing back to the city and immediately going to the hospital where he saw his niece being questioned by investigators. Lying in the hospital bed, her lips were badly bruised, and she had cuts and scrapes on her face. He was angered and wanted revenge on the person who had done this horrible crime, immediately. Eric wasn’t about to wait for the police, who had let him down after his brother was murdered. He had walked into that hospital with revenge on his mind.

  “It will get better. It’s going to take some time. You’ll have to come back for a follow-up, or you may see your family doctor. Call this phone number for the results of your HIV tests. Your uncle is here.” The last words sent a chill through Deedee.

  “My uncle is here?” Deedee echoed and took the card with the phone number.

  Her mind lingered. How was she gonna face him, she wondered. He was gonna be so mad at her. Deedee felt ashamed and instinctively covered her body with the hospital robe. This was not enough. She glanced around the room. It seemed everyone was staring at her, or talking about her. They all knew. She could see it in their eyes, even though they were all in the hallway, and she had a screen around the stretcher.

  “Nurse, where are my clothes?”

  “Oh, I’m sorry. Here you are. Your uncle brought these,” the nurse said, handing Deedee fresh clothing. They were her gears, but somehow it didn’t feel right putting them on.

  “Thanks,” Deedee said. She sat on the stretcher, and a younger woman in a dark suit approached. Here we go again, thought Deedee.

  “Hi, I’m Maxine Singleton and I am a rape survivor counselor,” the woman said. Her stare made Deedee uneasy. “Here’s my card,” the woman continued. “Feel free to call me. I know you’ve had an awful and scary experience. I can provide the help that you need. All you need to do is call the number on the card and I will call to check on you periodically. But you should call me whenever you need someone to talk to, and I’ll try to help,” the counselor concluded.

  Deedee took the card and stared past the fast-talking counselor.

  “May I leave now?” she asked.

  “I think the police have some more questions. I’ll stay with you if you don’t mind.”

  As if on cue, a policeman and a woman came around the screen. Deedee’s uneasiness returned. She lay back on the stretcher and crossed her legs.

  “My name is Officer Brown. I’m from the District Attorney’s office,” the woman said.

  She was dressed in a blue suit with black shoes. She looked more like a lawyer than a cop. She even smelled like one. Her perfumed hand was highlighting every word.

  “How’re you feeling Deedee?” The male officer asked.

  Deedee mumbled something inaudibly. Everyone peered at her when she cleared her throat. “Can you tell me what happened?”

  “We know it’s a very difficult thing for you to do, but please, you have to try and help us catch the men who did this to you.”

  Deedee was close to tears. The query made her go back to the ordeal, which she sought to escape. It assaulted her mind, and started an ache in her stomach that rose to her throat. She cried uncontrollably.

  Her uncle, standing just outside the screen, dashed in and grabbed Deedee. She sobbed into his chest. He held her close, reluctant to let go. But Officer Brown interrupted.

  “We need to find out what happened, sir. Who are you?”

  Eric kept hugging his niece. He ignored the officer’s presence and focused all his attention on his niece.

  “Uncle, uncle, I’m sorry,” Deedee cried. “I’m so sorry,” she said, and the tears continued to flow.

  “It’ll be alright,” Eric said.

  He held Deedee, hoping she believed him. He wasn’t sure, but the phrase seemed to fit. He loved his niece. Eric had raised her since she was six years old, when her father, his brother and partner, was killed.

  “Are you the uncle?” Officer Brown asked. “I have a question about—”

  “What’s your question?” Eric asked, interrupting her.

  “Did you loan your niece the car tonight?”

  There was a long pause. Eric smelled the stench of the hospital and it brought back a rush of memories about his brother’s death. The police had rejected Eric’s argument that the killing took place during a robbery. His brother’s death had been labeled a drug-related incident. There was no trial. The police didn’t care enough to pursue it.

  Eric had done some research on his own, paying an informer to do the research he needed done, then took the information to the police. He was certain they would find and prosecute his brother’s killers. But the authorities saw no reason to reopen the case, and Eric couldn’t produce the informant. As far as the record went, Dennis was just another dead drug dealer. Eric knew this was wrong. This was a dishonor to his broth
er’s memory, and Eric felt cheated. Fuck these cops, he thought.

  “I am not answering any questions until I speak to my lawyer,” he said.

  “Listen,” the officer said. “We’re asking real simple questions here. Your niece was raped and beaten up, according to this report. I know you’re very angry, but we’d like to catch the bastards who did this sick thing. So it would be very nice if you would just cooperate.”

  “We don’t have to do shit! Matter of fact, we’re not gonna do shit, because you guys have never done anything to help me,” Eric said.

  He turned to his niece who was staring at him, bewildered by what she had just witnessed. My uncle never gets angry, she thought.

  “Let’s go, baby,” Eric said, grabbing Deedee by her arm and stomping past the surprised counselor.

  “We’re trying to conduct an investigation. A carjacking and rape. You can’t let the scum who did this get away,” the officer pleaded.

  Eric wasn’t listening. He rushed out the doorway, into the hallway and out of the hospital, dragging Deedee along. They hurried to the parking lot. He quickly found the green Range Rover and helped Deedee into the passenger seat.

  Eric Ascot drove, paying close attention to the morning traffic. He tapped his thumbs frantically on the steering column. Deedee heard him breathe loudly through his nostrils, but neither said anything to the other. Her usually talkative uncle had secluded himself in the quiet of his thoughts. He didn’t even look at her. Maybe he was ashamed of her. She shuddered and looked away.

  Sitting in the courtroom Eric Ascot remained poker-faced throughout the prosecutor’s arguments, depicting him as a murderous imbecile. All he wanted to do was to get even with the culprits involved in the abduction and rape of his niece. Eric glanced back at Deedee and Coco, and he was satisfied that she had recovered. Nothing but the best for her was what he sought, and sometimes obstacles got in the way. Eric realized that the court scene was just another obstruction. He could hear the prosecutor tearing into his name, disavowing his fame as a musician, and didn’t even flinch.