by Lady Lissa
“Why would I do that? Y’all might set me up by planting evidence or something,” I say.
“Why would we do that? And if you have nothing to hide, why not just give us permission?” asks the short, stubby cop.
“That’s okay. I will wait for your warrant,” I respond with a smile.
They trying to play me but that shit ain’t going to work.
“Do you want me to call your mom?” Lucy asks me.
I don’t even respond to her. I just roll my eyes at her bitch ass. Fucking traitor.
“Uh, I’ll call her anyway. Do you want me to give her your keys to your car so she can move it out my driveway?” she asks.
Again, I just look at her and don’t respond. If looks could kill, I would have shot her down with my eyes.
“Um excuse me officer. Can she move her car from where it is? She’s blocking me in and I need to get back to the hospital to check on my girl,” Onyx says.
“Yea sure. You can move your car to the open spot on the side, but if you try something, we will be placing you under arrest. Do you understand?” the short officer asks.
“I understand and I won’t try anything,” I say, pulling my keys from my pocket.
They escort me out the door and I get in my car, start it up and move my car to another spot in the driveway. I really wanna back out the driveway and make a run for it but I know since I changed my windshield, unless they have my license plate number on camera or a witness to identify me, they got nothing.
I’m not even worried about this shit at all. I park my car, get out and follow the officers to their cruiser after setting the alarm on my car. I get in the backseat, pull out my phone and call my mom. She answers on the first ring.
“Mandy, what is going on? Lucy just called and said the police picked you up at her house and they’re taking you downtown. Please don’t tell me the two of you were fighting again. We just had this discussion this morning,” she says.
“Mom, please just listen to me. This has nothing to do with me fighting with Lucy. They want to ask me some questions about the hit and run that happened the other night. Can you call a lawyer and y’all come meet me at the station? I don’t want to answer any questions without a lawyer present and can you ask dad to go pick my car up from Aunt Miranda’s house?” I ask.
“Okay, I’m already on my way and Quita is going to meet us there. I’ll see you soon. You know my nerves is bad as shit right now and I need to concentrate on my driving,” she says.
“Okay mom. Please be careful and calm down. It’s not that serious,” I tell her.
“Not that serious? You are calling me from the backseat of a police car! That is very serious and for you to think that it’s not, something is wrong with you. I will see you when I get there and don’t say shit without Quita present,” she says.
“Okay mom,” I say and we end the call.
I sit back in the seat because I am not going to worry about this shit. No one can identify me personally as being the driver who hit Starr. Unless they can do that, they can’t say I did it. People take me for a fool, but I am very smart. Believe that.
CHAPTER TEN
Luciana
When Onyx called and said he wanted to come over, I was super excited. I went and hopped in the shower, got myself smelling all good and I even dressed myself up. I need him to see how beautiful I am and how I will drop everything for him. I wasn’t sure what he was coming over here for, but I had a feeling it had something to do with Mandy.
He parks his car and I allow him entrance into my humble abode. As soon as he is inside my home, the first thing he asks is, “Have you seen Mandy?”
“Not since yesterday morning. Why?” I ask.
“Someone told me they saw her yesterday and her windshield was fucked up. Did you see her car with the windshield all cracked and shit?” he asks.
I want to tell him yes and point him to where the windshield is being stored, but I can’t get the words out my mouth.
“I can’t say that I have. When I saw her, her windshield was fine. The same way it was just now,” I lie.
“If something was wrong with her windshield, she must have been the one to hit Starr. Where could she have gotten her car fixed so fast?” he asks.
“I don’t know. How is Starr?” I ask.
I don’t really care about Starr at all. I just asked the question to change the subject. I don’t want to think about Mandy’s troubles right now. She’s my cousin, but what’s going on with her, doesn’t have shit to do with me. All I’m worried about at this moment is this handsome young man right here.
“She’s better. She finally woke up from all the medication the doctor had her on and they removed the tubes,” he says.
“Tubes? Was she really that bad?” I ask.
“Yea, she had a couple of cracked ribs and her lung collapsed. When they finally brought her into the ER that night, she was barely breathing so they had to rush her straight to surgery. We’re lucky she’s alive,” he says, looking relieved.
I’m looking at his worrisome face and I just roll my eyes. He cares so much about his precious Starr and I wish my cousin had killed her ass. I hate that she still has his attention even when he’s here with me. Instead of fighting my cousin, I should have gotten together with her so we could have taken care of Starr together.
Two heads are better than one so no doubt the two of us could have taken care of her ass. Then I’d have to kick my cousin’s ass because she would want Onyx and so would I. Damn! What is it about that man that makes women so crazy?
A car pulls into the driveway and I look outside to see who it is. My Uncle Rob is getting out of his friend Max’s truck. I was so busy talking to Onyx that I had totally forgotten that someone was coming to pick up Mandy’s car.
“I’ll be right back,” I tell Onyx.
“It’s cool. I need to get back to the hospital anyway. Thanks a lot for your help Lucy. You’re a pretty cool chick,” he says as he reaches to give me a hug.
I have no problem walking into his embrace. As he wraps his arms around me, I notice how strong they are, how good they feel and how good he smells. Oh my God! This man is absolutely intoxicating. He pulls back, which I think is much too soon, and smiles at me. He follows me as I open the front door so we can head outside.
“Hey Uncle Rob,” I call out to my uncle before he gets in Mandy’s car.
He waves Max off and heads over to me and Onyx.
“Hey Lucy. What the hell happened here? Why did the police take Mandy to the police station?” my uncle asks.
“I’m gonna get going. It was nice seeing you again Mr. Brooks. Thanks again Lucy,” Onyx says before jumping in his car and backing out of the driveway.
I can’t help but stare at him until his car is completely out of my sight.
“Lucy! LUCY!” my uncle is yelling in my face. I had forgotten he was even here.
“W-w-w-what?” I ask, snapping out of my thoughts.
“Why was Mandy taken downtown by the police?”
“Oh, I think they want to question her about the hit and run,” I say.
“What hit and run?”
Has my uncle been in a coma the past few days or something? How does he not know the police had been searching for Mandy’s car since Starr got hit?
“The hit and run involving Onyx’s girlfriend,” I say.
“Why are they questioning Mandy about that?” he asks.
“Duh unc, haven’t you been watching the news? Mandy’s car matches the description of the car that hit that girl,” I explain.
“What the hell! Surely they don’t think my child had anything to do with that!” he says.
“Yea unc, I think they do. They wanted to take her car down to the forensic lab to look for evidence but she asked did they have a warrant,” I say.
“Good for her! Those stupid muthafuckas! Always picking on good people,” he says.
“Yea unc. That’s exactly what they’re doing. Messing with
a good person like Mandy,” I say.
“Well, let me get out of here so I can go see about my daughter. I’ll talk to you later,” my uncle says as he gets in Mandy’s car and drives off.
I wave at my uncle before going back in the house. I was about to call my mom when she walks in the door.
“Hey honey. I just saw your Uncle Rob leaving her driving Mandy’s car. What’s going on?” she asks.
“The police came and got Mandy to take her down to the police station,” I say.
“They arrested her? What for?” she asks with a shocked expression on her face.
“No mom, they didn’t arrest her. They just want to question her,” I say.
“Question her about what?” she asks.
“They want to question her about that hit and run,” I tell her.
“The hit and run? That one involving your classmate’s girlfriend?”
“Yea, that’s the one,” I answer.
“Oh my! I need to call your aunt,” she says.
“Auntie Monica is at the police station,” I tell her.
“I’m gonna call her,” she says.
“Well, I’m going upstairs.”
She doesn’t bother to answer me because she is already on the phone with Mandy’s mom. I just go to my room, plop down on my bed, put my radio on and just relax. Things couldn’t be going better if I planned it myself.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Onyx
I can’t wait to get back to the hospital to tell everyone the good news. The police finally have Mandy down there for questioning. I’m sure once they check her car, they will find Starr’s DNA and they will arrest her ass. I get to the hospital, park then race upstairs to deliver the good news.
When I walk in Starr’s hospital room, she’s sitting up, eating her dinner. Her mom, sister and dad are right there with her. My parents have already left and that’s fine. I will see them later when I go home. Now that Starr is feeling better and Mandy is in jail, I’m confident that everything will work out.
“Hey babe. Mr. Mark and Ms. Nina I have some very good news for you guys,” I say.
“What is it?”
They are all looking at me as if I’m here to deliver food to a starving family.
“The police have Mandy in custody,” I say, smiling.
“What do you mean? They arrested her?” Starr asks.
“Well, technically they took her down to the police station for questioning. I’m sure once they realize all the “coincidences”, they will see that she had to be the one who hit you. I believe that with all my heart,” I say.
“How do you know they picked her up?” Ms. Nina asks.
“I was there when the police came to get her,” I say.
“You were where Onyx?” Starr asks.
“I had gone over to her cousin, Lucy’s house to ask about her whereabouts. It just so happens while I was there, Mandy came over. I’m not going to lie to you guys. I lost it,” I say.
“What do you mean you lost it?” Mr. Mark asks.
“I lost it. When I saw her, I was filled with so much rage for what she did to Starr that I started choking her,” I say.
“Well alright Onyx. I’m glad you choked that bitch out. Did you kill her?” Maggie asks.
“No, I didn’t.”
“Damn! I wish you would have,” she says.
Maggie is a cold blooded muthafucka but I like her. If she had been there earlier, I probably would have killed Mandy. I don’t think Maggie would have stopped me the way Lucy did and if she hadn’t stopped me, I might have killed Mandy.
The look on Starr’s face is very different from her sister’s. It’s one of utter disbelief and total shock. I’m sure the last thing she expected the man she loves to say was that he was choking a chick. I wish I didn’t have to see that look on her face, but it isn’t my fault. I tried to stop myself from hurting Mandy, but I couldn’t help it. I wanted to kill her at that moment.
“Babe, I’m sorry and believe me, I wasn’t going to kill her. I was just so mad at her because I know what she did, but instead of owning up to it, she denied it. I’m sorry that I ever put my hands on her in that way, but when people hurt you, they hurt me.”
“I understand babe. I’m just shocked that you allowed her to take you there. I have never known you to be anyone but loving and caring. For her to take you out of your element like that is just sad. Please don’t let her do that to you again,” she says, reaching for my hand.
“I won’t. But you know how much I love you. When I saw her, knowing what she had done to you. I’m sorry,” I tell her.
I am not a violent man and I’m certainly not abusive towards females. And because of those two facts, I’m struggling with how I almost choked Mandy to death. If Lucy hadn’t been there, I would have killed that damn girl. But, I’m just going to concentrate on the fact that she’s in police custody and that by the time they finish questioning her, she will be under arrest.
I hope that when they sentence her ass, they lock her up and throw away the key.
“So how are you feeling?” I ask her.
“Just like that, you want us to forget that you just choked a girl and could have killed her?” Starr’s mom asks.
“Mom please. Onyx explained what happened and I believe him. How long have we been knowing him and his family? A long time and not once has he ever been violent with me or anyone else,” Starr says.
“She’s right mom. Onyx isn’t violent and frankly, I applaud what he did. I think if I see that heifer, I’ll most likely do the same thing,” Maggie says.
I look at Maggie and the first thing that pops into my mind is, that chick is gangsta. But where the hell has that side been all these years? I don’t think I’ve ever seen Maggie this hype before since we met.
“They’re right Nina. We know Onyx and he’s a wonderful and respectful young man. We have to keep in mind why he did what he did. He did it because of his love for Starr,” Mr. Mark says.
“And we’re just supposed to excuse that? What’s going to happen when Starr does something he doesn’t agree with? Are we going to have to worry about him putting his hands on her?” Ms. Nina asks. I can’t believe she is really taking things this far.
“I would never hurt Starr. I love her way too much for that. All I ever want to do is love and protect her,” I say.
For Starr’s mom to attack me and my character this way is incomprehensible. Sure I did something tonight that I’ve never done before, but that’s only because I was pushed. I should have never told them anything about my visit with Mandy. That was a mistake and I should have kept it to myself.
“Sure, you’re worried about protecting her now, but my daughter has a strong mind. What will happen when the two of you clash and butt heads?” Ms. Nina asks.
“Then we will discuss our issues and get over them. Mrs. Landry, where is this going? All of a sudden, you don’t trust me with Starr?” I ask.
“No! No, I don’t! Especially not after you just confessed to choking some girl. I think you should leave,” Starr’s mom says.
“Mom don’t you think you’re taking this thing a little too far? I mean, that girl hit Starr with her car. She deserved that shit and then some. He should have killed her,” Maggie says.
“Street or vigilante justice isn’t the answer. That’s what the police department and the courts are for. People can’t take matters into their own hands like this. What Onyx did was wrong,” Ms. Nina says.
“Well I think he deserves a pat on the back and an award,” Maggie says as she pats me on the back.
“I think he should leave,” Starr’s mom says again.
“What?” I ask, sure that she didn’t just say what I think she said.
“Nina, you are making too much of this,” Starr’s dad says.
“Mom, what are you doing? You can’t throw him out! I want him here,” Starr says with tears in her eyes.
“I can throw him out and I want him gone! This boy is no good for y
ou Starr!” she says.
“Then that’s my decision to make. You can’t control my life mom,” Starr cries as she grips my hand tightly.
“You are a minor and as long as you live under my roof, I will do what I think is best for you. Onyx isn’t good for you. He’s violent and he’s abusive; he admitted it. Am I supposed to just ignore what he said because you love him? What kind of parents would we be Mark if we did ignore what he said and something else happened to our baby? How would we live with ourselves knowing we didn’t do everything we could to protect her?” Starr’s mom says.
“Ms. Nina please, I would never hurt Starr. I love her more than anything. She’s my best friend,” I plead as tears start to fall from my own eyes.
Why is Starr’s mom doing this to us? Has she never liked me and was just keeping quiet because of how happy I made Starr? Why would she choose now, when Starr needs me the most, to behave this way?
“I need you to leave now. If you don’t leave, I’ll have you escorted out by security,” she says.
“MOM! Dad you can’t let her do this! I need him here!” Starr says as she holds on to my hand.
“Nina, can’t you see how much this is hurting them? Onyx would never hurt Starr and you know it,” Mr. Mark says.
“Mark if you can’t back me up, then you can leave right along with Onyx. I am not doing this to hurt anyone. I’m doing this to protect our daughter,” she says.
“You are so wrong mom,” Maggie says.
“Shut up Maggie! If I wanted your opinion, I would have asked for it!”
“And that right there is why we never get along. You never listen to us. You always want us to do what you say as if we aren’t supposed to have an opinion of our own. You are dead wrong for this, especially since he apologized. God don’t like ugly. You’ve always taught us that and right now, I don’t think he would approve of your behavior,” Maggie says.
“Mom, if you do this, I will never forgive you. I mean it,” Starr says.
“That’s a chance I’m going to have to take. Bye Onyx and don’t come back here,” Starr’s mom says.
“Okay fine, I’ll go. Starr, I love you. I’ll always love you. She can push me out of here but she will never stop me from loving you. Just remember that,” I say as I press my lips to hers.