“But you said—”
“Your daughter said I caught all of them in a compromising situation. You were too busy trying to make your daughter out as the victim again.”
“She is.”
“No, she isn’t. Corbin was sleeping with my daughter and Shannon was sleeping with Asha.”
Abigail stumbled back as she clutched her chest. Her breathing became labored, and she looked like she was about to hyperventilate.
“My daughter is not gay,” Abigail yelled.
“You can say what you want, but I know what I saw.”
“You sure you were seeing things clearly after the night you had last night?” she smiled wickedly.
I gazed at Meena who was watching everything unfold. I’d told her part of the story, but I hadn’t told her everything because I didn’t want her to know.
“I heard about you sleeping with an engaged man.”
“I didn’t sleep with him. Kegan came by to see Meena. Get your facts straight,” I snapped.
“Did you sleep with the other man that exited your cozy home?” she snarled, looking around at my home like it was beneath her.
“I sure did. Maybe if you parted your legs for someone and got you some good dick, you wouldn’t be so stuck up.”
“I have respect for myself—unlike you. Police officers, a scorned woman, damaged property, you have naked, and handcuffs. You had your own episodes of Cops, or would that be Cheaters? Either way, you are trifling. I guess the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree,” she condemned as she eyeballed Meena.
I traipsed over to Abigail and slapped the hell out of her. She gasped, grabbing her cheek in shock as she yelled, “Arrest this woman, Officer. She assaulted me.”
“I don’t know what you are talking about,” Damon feigned.
“She slapped me. You need to do your damn job and arrest her.”
Damon didn’t move. Abigail looked at everyone in the room saying, “I’ll have your badge. I have a room full of witness who saw what she did.”
It was clear no one was going to vouch for Abigail, and she saw this.
“Shannon, you see what happens when you get involved with people like this? They will assault you and lie on you to try to destroy your good character.”
“You deserved it.”
“Shannon!”
“You do what you do all the time, and that’s blame everybody for things you are weak in. I’m your gay daughter, and instead of confronting me about this, you decide to jump on Ms. Gordon.”
“I know you are covering for this boy. You don’t want him to go to jail, so you’ll say anything for that not to happen.”
“Mom, please. Stop with your dramatics. Why can’t you be like normal moms? I didn’t sleep with Corbin because I’m not into boys. He’s with Meena. I was with Asha because she’s my girlfriend,” Shannon make known.
“Girlfriend?” Abigail shouted.
“And Asha and Meena didn’t make me shoplift. It was my idea. Like you said, you know the vice president of the store. He’s been over for dinner with you, remember?” Shannon divulged, and Abigail shifted uneasily. “I stole the contraption because it was that easy. He trusted me in the store, which made it easy for me to rob him blind.”
“Why would you do that?” she asked.
“Why wouldn’t I? You teach me every day I can have anything I want by any means necessary. There’s never any repercussions because you always come to my rescue. That’s how you live your life. Are you mad because I admitted it, or are you mad because I stole from your lover?”
You could hear a pin drop as Abigail stood there speechless.
“Tell them, Mother. You’re busy standing here judging Ms. Gordon. Why don’t you tell everyone how my father left you because he caught you in bed with the vice president of Macys?”
I wanted to clap my hands and rag on this woman, but I couldn’t. As much as it would have given me pleasure, I wasn’t going to take Shannon’s moment away from her. This was something that needed to happen between them, and I was going to allow it to play out.
“I think it’s time for us to go.”
“As much as you pride yourself in being the best mother ever, you’re not. If anything, you are teaching me how to end up in jail, kill myself because I won’t be able to accept the fact I’m not perfect, or worse, turn out to be a whore like you.”
Abigail slapped Shannon across her face saying, “Don’t you ever speak to me like that again.”
“Truth hurts, don’t it, Mother? Well, here’s another truth for you. I’m moving in with my dad.”
With that, Shannon brushed past her mother and walked out of my home, leaving Abigail standing there emotionally fractured.
She looked at each one of us saying, “I guess you’re happy.”
“Abigail, I’m not ever happy to see another parent have issues with their child. Just because you can easily degrade people and their children, I’m not going to do that to you.”
Abigail stared at me before cautiously walking out my door and past Kegan. And he wasn’t alone.
Sonya
37
I knew regardless of the restraining order I put on Imani, she was going to show her face up in my house. She looked like she came for battle wearing a pair of sneakers, grey sweatpants, and a tee. Her hair was pulled back away from her face, and the only piece of jewelry she had on was the engagement ring Kegan gave to her.
“Asha, let’s go,” was all I heard when Imani pushed her way into my home.
“You know you aren’t supposed to be here,” I reminded her.
“I’m here to get my daughter,” she responded angrily.
“Did you forget about the restraining order I have on you?”
“Do you think I care about a piece of paper? I don’t care if the president was here himself; no one is going to keep me from my child.”
“Kegan is more than capable of getting Asha, and you know this,” I said, looking at him.
“No, I don’t. Not after the last time I saw you two together. Wouldn’t want you to fall into another lip-lock,” she said snidely.
“You need to leave,” I demanded.
“Not without my child.”
“Mom, chill,” Asha said.
“I heard what that other little girl said. You like eating carpets now?”
“Imani, come on. You don’t have to come at her like this,” Kegan interjected.
“The last time I checked, this was my daughter, not yours,” she snapped.
Asha looked so defeated. She dropped her head in shame as tears streamed down her cheeks. Seeing how Imani was talking to her made me realize I acted like this woman toward my own daughter. I know I embarrassed the hell out of Meena earlier. As parents, we don’t always know how to act. I was grateful for this moment because it helped me see that my approach wasn’t the best one. I was looking at a mirrored image of myself, and I didn’t like it, especially seeing the pain in Asha’s eyes.
“Get your ass up and come the hell on,” Imani hissed.
Asha stood with an attitude, and Imani jumped in her face.
“You got a problem?”
“No.”
“Then you better check that attitude of yours before I beat it out of you. You got me coming over this woman’s house over some bull when you know I can’t stand her ass.”
“The feeling is mutual,” I blurted.
Imani turned her antagonizing demeanor to me.
“You just mad I got your man.”
“Do you?” I disputed.
“Who is he with?” she retorted, throwing her hand up to show her ring.
“But is he going with you?” I asked.
“Oh, he’s going with me, all right.”
“Okay,” I said smirking. “I’m not going to go back and forth with you. You need to get out of my house and look at this as me allowing you to be a mother to your child and not having you arrested for violating your restraining order.”
�
��How’s your mother, by the way?” Putting her index finger on her chin, she looked up, saying, “Oh, that’s right, she’s dead.”
Her words really caught me off guard. I turned to look at Kegan wondering how this bitch knew anything about my mother. Had he been talking to her about my life? He looked stunned himself, like he didn’t know what was going on. My gut was saying he had nothing to do with this, but at the same time, this was the man I never thought would cheat on me with another woman. I then looked into my daughter’s pleading eyes which were telling me she wanted me to leave this alone. As mad as I was, I didn’t like acting this way around her. Crazy to think this after I whooped her ass. But this was different. I was allowing Imani to take me out of my character, which was easy for her to do since I couldn’t stand the ground she walked on.
So, I took a deep breath and smiled at my enemy saying, “Imani, please take your daughter home. She needs you,” I told her.
Ignoring me, she continued with, “What did she die from again? That’s right . . . That whore got AIDS.”
Those words caused the room to erupt in chaos. Meena came out of nowhere punching Imani, screaming. Imani didn’t see it coming, catching a fist to her right jaw, causing her to stumble. The force of Meena caused both of them to tumble to the floor with Meena falling on top of her. Imani began swinging, hitting my daughter in her face, and that’s when I got involved. I too began pounding on Imani for putting her hands on my daughter. I knew she was defending herself, but this was still my child. I wasn’t going to allow anybody to put their hands on her.
Kegan jerked me off of her by pulling me around my waist. I watched Corbin grab Meena the same way, trying to get her to the other side of the living room. As Imani got her footing to lunge for Meena, Damon restrained her. The coffee table was turned over. My lamp crashed to the floor, and Asha stood frozen, watching the madness unfold.
“Arrest her,” Imani shrieked, pointing to Meena.
Kegan looked at Damon before saying, “No one is getting arrested, Imani.”
“That little bitch put her hands on me.”
I attempted to charge Imani again for calling my daughter out of her name, but Kegan’s hold was too tight.
“Have you forgotten you are the one in the wrong here?” Kegan said as Imani’s face scrunched up. “You are violating your restraining order. If Meena is arrested, then you will be too.”
“I’ll gladly go to jail if it means she’s going too,” Imani said contemptuously.
“It’s called self-defense,” Kegan told her. “You forget you are trespassing on our property.”
Confusion blanketed Imani’s face as she asked, “Our property, Kegan?”
I caught what he said as well.
“I meant, their property,” he backpedaled.
Imani’s baffled expression turned to hurt. Now glaring at Kegan, she pushed Damon away from her and calmly said, “Asha, let’s go.” Asha did as she was told and rushed out the door. Imani leisurely walked to the door, never taking her scornful eyes off Kegan until she was out of my home. I wasn’t sure what that look was about, but knowing Imani, I knew this was just the beginning.
Sonya
38
All I could do was clean up the mess that was made in the struggle as I went over everything in my mind. The only sound being made was me sweeping up the shattered lamp. Kegan was kneeling with the dustpan as I pushed the pieces into it. Damon repositioned my table back to its original spot. Corbin and Meena returned to their place on the sofa, this time sitting apart from each other. Meena was hugging herself while Corbin was biting his nails. This was not how I pictured this evening going.
After Kegan went to the kitchen to dump the dustpan, he returned to the living room asking, “Sonya, do you think I can have a moment to speak to Meena privately?”
“If it’s okay with Meena, I don’t mind.”
We both looked at her waiting to see how she was going to respond.
“Can we talk, Meena?” Kegan asked.
She nodded, standing to her feet and walking over to him.
“You can go in my room. I don’t think you want to go into hers. Not until we change those sheets.”
The two of them disappeared, leaving me with Damon and his son. Damon was standing, still looking a little upset about everything.
“Damon, I’m sorry all of this happened,” I apologized.
“What did you do wrong?”
“I should have been here. Then none of this mess would have happened.”
“These kids know right from wrong. They thought they could get away with it and got caught. I still can’t believe my son had the audacity to do something like this,” he said giving his son a stern look. Corbin lowered his head and said nothing as someone knocked at the door.
My stomach fell because each time I opened my door tonight, chaos ensued, and I wasn’t in the mood to deal with any more drama. I didn’t want to answer. I didn’t know who it could be. What if that crazy ass Imani was returning? I swear I couldn’t deal with her. The person knocked again, and Damon looked at me to see if I was going to get it.
“Do you want me to answer it?” he asked.
Sighing, I said, “No, I’ll get it.”
Opening the door, I saw it was Corbin’s mom, Leann. I forgot I called her. I wasn’t sure if I was happy to see her or afraid it was going to be a repeat of how this night went so far.
“Damon, what are you doing here?” she asked when she saw him.
“I was called by Ms. Gordon.”
“Oh my goodness, is everything okay?” she asked frantically.
“He’s not hurt, if that’s what you’re wondering. Not yet anyway,” Damon said cutting his eye at his son.
“Please, tell me what’s going on.”
Damon took it upon himself to tell her everything, which I was grateful for because I was tired of talking about it. Leann look appalled as she gaped at her son with disappointment in her eyes.
“Corbin, honey, what were you thinking?” she asked.
“That’s just it. He wasn’t,” Damon said.
Clearing my throat, both parents turned to look at me as I struggled to tell them the one thing that wasn’t said tonight. I didn’t want to say anything but felt it was something they needed to know.
“I failed to tell you Corbin did not use protection.”
“Corbin, no,” his mother cried.
Damon went over to his son and snatched him up yelling, “How many times have I told you to strap it up.”
“Dad—”
“I’ve bought you enough condoms to last years, and you still too stupid enough to use them?”
“I’m sorry.”
“Your mother and I are not the ones you need to be apologizing to. You need to apologize to Ms. Gordon and her daughter.”
Damon let him go, and Corbin backed away from him. Corbin did as his father suggested and apologized to me. I nodded as Damon began to speak again.
“Turn around and face me, Corbin.”
His son did as he was told, looking deflated and afraid at the same time.
Pointing his finger, Damon said, “Do you think because your mother married John and you got some money in your life now, you can act a damn fool?”
“No, sir.”
“That’s what you’re showing us. Yes, you have a nicer house, nicer clothes, and a nicer car, but that doesn’t give you the right to become this arrogant, defiant person.”
Corbin dropped his head in shame.
“I didn’t raise you like this, and you know it.”
“Neither did I,” Leann added.
The scowl Damon gave her spoke a thousand words. With his forehead creased and eyes narrowed in anger, he looked at her with so much disdain that she nervously recoiled. She took that as her cue to be quiet.
Turning back to Corbin he said, “I’m going to deal with you when we get home. Now, apologize to Ms. Gordon again.”
“I’m sorry—” he started to murmu
r before Damon reprimanded him.
“Speak up, boy. Hold your head up and address her like a man.”
Corbin did as his father demanded and apologized, looking at me with the first signs of sincerity I’d seen from this young man.
“I accept your apology,” I said, not sure if I wanted to, but right now, Damon scared me, and I felt I had no choice but to accept.
“Now, go to the Jeep and wait for me.”
Corbin scurried past everyone, leaving the parents alone to talk. Once his son was out of earshot, Leann began to speak.
“Why are you not allowing me to take my son home?”
“What, so you can baby him and tell him it’s going to be okay?”
“Damon, you know I’m going to punish him for this.”
“How? By taking away his car and video games, Leann? That’s not punishment for that boy. Ever since you married John, you’ve spoiled him by giving him everything he wants. What is that teaching him?”
“He’s a good boy, Damon.”
“So, you think having unprotected sex with Ms. Gordon’s daughter is being a good boy?”
“Kids make mistakes,” she defended.
“He’s not a kid anymore. He’s a grown-ass man sleeping with an underage girl. And if you expect me to believe this is his first time doing this, you crazy.”
I thought the same thing but dared not put my two cents in.
“Damon, I’ve talked to him about being safe. You know I have because of what happened to us. We did the same thing they did, which is why we have Corbin in the first place.”
Damon shifted uneasily.
“You know I’m a good mother to him.”
“I know, Leann, but you need to pull back some. Corbin should be working and getting ready to go to college. Not sleeping around and partying like he’s been doing.”
“You’re right. I’ll do better with that. But please understand I’m not happy about this either. Nor am I placing blame. We all need to help our children and figure out where we go from here since the act has been done now.”
I nodded, agreeing with Leann and liking this woman even more. Honestly, I thought since she was rich, she would be acting like Abigail and pointing the finger at me.
Big Girls Drama Page 21