by Lowe, Ebony
“Damn bay this some deep shit”
Before I could respond, she came prancing her dirty self right up to us.
“Ugh, you need to go in the house and do some homework or something” She snarled at me.
“And you need to go stand on a corner somewhere and get paid to do what you do best…sleep with other peoples men” I snapped back.
“Uh you make me sick” she said as she pushed passed me.
“Well if that’s the case, I hope I make you sick enough to crawl somewhere and die” I replied
“Bay” Jeremiah yelled
“What it’s the truth” I exclaimed
“That’s your sister though”
“Yea don’t remind of my parents mistakes”
“Bay come here, seriously you gotta stop this.” He said as he hugged and kissed me.
My heart began to melt once again. I just loved being in his arms. I couldn’t wait til we turned 18. Our parents came to an agreement of course with our coaching, that if we were still together when we turned 18, then they would all help us get an apartment and pay the first three months’ rent and bills for us. Sweet deal right? One catch though…we both had to be in college and working and continue to go to church Sunday mornings and be active in our church. Not a bad deal at all.
Chapter Four
After a while, I noticed the truck was still parked down the street. I couldn’t see anyone in it. I wasn’t sure if they could see me either. J and I sat there and waited patiently for the truck to pull off. It was now 8:10 pm. J thought that maybe he was waiting on Kita to come back out. At 8:27, Auntie Lynn pulled into the driveway. I tapped J and told him something didn’t feel right, something bad was about to happen. He said whatever it was, he wasn’t going to leave me alone by myself so he text my mom and his mom and asked them both if he could spend the night. Since it was summer time and already late, my mom of course said yes and his mom agreed as long as it was ok with my mom. Oh don’t worry; we never get to sleep in the same room. When he spends the night he sleeps in Marcus’s room since he has bunk beds, and I sleep in his sister’s room when I spend the night at his house.
As I waved at my Auntie and best friend, I noticed the truck wasn’t there anymore. It had pulled up in the driveway right next to Auntie Lynn’s car.
“Oh hell no, that is so disgusting” I yelled.
“Shh, babe be quiet” J said as he grabbed me by the waist.
“My sister is sleeping with my uncle, my godfather, my best friend’s father and you want me to be quiet” I snapped
“Mariyah please, calm down. You don’t know for sure”
“It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out J.”
“Ok but calm down because Melanie is on her way over here”
“I have to tell her”
“Not now…wait til you know for sure because what if you’re wrong”
I hated keeping secrets from my best friend. The fact that I was close to having tears run down my face, and my best friend walking towards me, and me not being able to tell her what’s wrong, was not sitting well with me. I couldn’t lie to her, because it was all in my face that something was wrong and I knew she would grill the hell out of me until she got some answers. I was lost for words, hurt, and confused. I didn’t know what to do. I had begun to shake uncontrollably and J realized it and reached to hold my hand. He pulled me on his lap as he sat on the steps of my porch and hugged me so tight and whispered in my ear that it would all be alright. Right then at that very moment, I began to lose all control of my emotions. I was so angry, that I wanted to scream. I needed answers. I wanted to keep all this from Melanie because I knew that it would hurt her worse than it was hurting me, and once she found out…GOD only knows where our friendship would be.
“What’s up y’all” she said as she sat on my porch.
J tried his best to hide my face with his arms, and he did until my door opened and out came Kita.
“What y’all lil kids out here talking bout?” She said as she sat down with us.
I felt J’s grip around my waist tighten as I began to speak. He pulled me closer to him and my head rested on his shoulder and he whispered in my ear, “Bay now is not the right time for this, just wait, please baby wait.” I looked at him, deep into his eyes, and I knew he was right. When he saw that I was cool, he loosened his arms from my waist but I wouldn’t let him let me go. I looked up at him again and said “No, don’t let me go, hold me tight like you just did” and he did.
“Yo, you ok Chick?” Melanie asked “Don’t lie to me, I can see it all in your face, and you haven’t said one word since I came over here. What’s going on, do we need to take a walk?”
I felt his grip as I started to answer, “No everything is ok, I just got a lot on my mind that I will tell you about later, I promise”
That took so much out of me to say. I wanted to tell her right then, I wanted Kita to hear it all and I wanted her to deny it so that I could bust her.
“Y’all need to get a room or something. Get off my parents porch with this shit” Kita said.
Her voice made me cringe. It got my blood going, my adrenaline rushing and I was ready to let loose. J must have known it was coming once again because he quickly changed the subject to Melanie and asked her where Jacob was. “He should be pulling up any minute.” Melanie answered. I looked in his eyes and he already knew that it was going to happen tonight and he looked so worried.
“Aw hell, both of y’all lil hoes bout to be cuddled up on my parents porch” Kita said.
“Bitch who you calling a hoe” I snapped. That was it, I couldn’t take it anymore.
“Mariyah!” J said knowing what was coming. I looked at him and he was begging with his eyes not to take it there just yet. I wanted to listen to him, but she just kept asking for it.
“You the last person that need to be calling somebody a hoe. What were you doing getting out of Uncle Dre truck down the street?” I snapped as I walked in her face.
“Riyah!” J yelled.
I heard him but I wasn’t trying to hear him. This was the last straw. I looked at Melanie and she had the most puzzled look on her face. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt her. She was my real sister.
“What cat got yo tongue, now you ain’t got nothin to say?” I said in her face.
“Mariyah, come on lets go for a walk” J said trying to reason with me.
“Naw bro she good, let her talk” Melanie said calmly waiting for Kita to respond.
“Well…all eyes on you like you like. When you read the card from the flowers, why did you look across the street with a smile on your face?”
“Mariyah, come with me” J pleaded
“Why is it that every time you come in the house around this time, Uncle Dre pull up five minutes later?”
“That’s just a coincidence lil girl, gone now get out my face before I show you the right way to fuck yo man” Kita responded.
Before I realized it, I was on top of her punching her in the face. I was on a mission. I wasn’t stopping til I saw blood. Sister or no sister, there is a line that you don’t cross and she crossed it.
J and Melanie managed to pull me off of her, but by that time my parents were already outside. Melanie called Auntie Lynn and told her to get over here a.s.a.p. I looked up and saw both Auntie Lynn and Uncle Dre running this way. Before I realized it, I was charging off the porch toward Dre. He was not my uncle anymore and I refused to call him that.
“MARIYAH NO!” yelled J as he ran after me.
But it was too late; I met him in the street.
“You disgust me, how could you, how could you do this to our family. What is wrong with y’all? You’re not my uncle anymore I hate you and hope you both rot in hell.” I said as I spat on him. There was no need for him to speak or ask any questions because he already knew what I was talking about. He knew that I had seen them while they were parked down the street. There was no denying it. They were both caught up.
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“MARIYAH WHAT IS GOING ON WITH YOU? APOLOGIZE TO YOUR UNCLE RIGHT NOW!” Dad yelled as he grabbed my arm and snatched me out of J’s hands.
“No, she not the one that need to apologize” Melanie said with disgust in her eyes, as she stared her father down “Go head tell her, tell everybody what’s up. You better tell them or I will”
“Let’s take this in the house and get off this street.” Mama said with a confused look. “We don’t need the whole block knowing about our business.”
“No mama, that trifling ass bitch don’t deserve to step foot in our house.” I said staring at Kita
“That is enough from you young lady.” Dad warned but I paid him no attention
“How could you disgrace our family like this? You just don't care about nobody but yourself. I hate you and wish that you weren’t my sister. Mama and daddy work hard for us and this is the thanks they get. I hope you rot in hell. Karma is a bitch, and I pray that I’m there when she comes back for your ass cuz imma stand there and watch.” I said as I stood once again in Kita’s face.
I ran past my mom and straight to my room. I didn’t want to hear any more of this crap. I was too done.
“Sir” J said to daddy
“Go ahead son, make sure she’s ok” Daddy replied giving J permission to come up to my room.
I could hear him coming up the stairs and I felt so much better knowing that he was there with me. He knocked on my door but I didn’t respond and I heard my door slowly open. I was in my bed, face in pillow, and full of tears. I heard him take off his shoes, and he climbed into my bed next to me and pulled me into his arms and kissed me so hard but yet so passionate and I cried in his arms. I cried even harder when I heard the arguing downstairs.
Chapter Five
“Somebody please tell me what’s going on?” Auntie Lynn said once they finally moved into my house.
“Mama, it’s very clear what’s going on you just need to open your eyes ma” Melanie cried.
“How long has this been going on Kita?” Mama asked
“A while” Kita replied with no remorse
“You’ve been sleeping my daughter man, come on now. You my brother, that’s your niece, what is your problem man” I heard Daddy yell.
I broke away from J and ran to the bathroom to vomit. I was so disgusted by all of this. I could only imagine how Auntie Lynn and Melanie were feeling. Funny, I haven’t heard Auntie Lynn’s voice in a while, which means she is holding it all in, which means when she finally lets it out…she is going to explode. I ran the cold water in my sink so that I could splash my face thinking it would wake me up from this horrible dream. I heard J on the phone telling someone what was going on. From the sound of it, he was talking to Jacob. I turned off the water and reached for a towel, as I looked on the floor I realized sharing a bathroom with Kita was the worst ever. I picked up the trail of garbage she left on our bathroom floor.
I charged out of my room, bolted down the stairs, ignored J when he asked me what was wrong, and I ran straight to Kita.
“You are something else” I screamed. Everything inside me wanted to punch her in the face once again. I glanced out of the side of my eye and saw Mama and J ready to grab me. I could hear Jacob’s voice behind me telling Bradley to go into Marcus’s room and play. I heard Melanie taking heavy breaths. My dad was pacing back and forth. Auntie Lynn was just standing there in shock, not saying a word and he, the low down dirty dog was trying to talk to Melanie because he knew that she and my mom were the only ones that could ever get through to Auntie Lynn.
“You dirty bitch, you left the evidence in our bathroom and I know it’s yours because it damn sure ain't mines!” I screamed!
I took a step back and stood next to Melanie and watched my mama remove the tissue from the test. She took one good look at it and put her hand over her mouth and began to cry and at that point she almost fainted in Jeremiah’s arms. My dad rushed to her side. My face turned cold, I grabbed Melanie’s hand and squeezed it so tight, and then I let it go. I looked at her with so much anger in my eyes and I saw my best friend in tears. That was it! She has caused us all enough heartache and pain and it’s time for her to pay. I nodded at Melanie, and it was like she was reading my mind because we both charged at Kita at the same time. We hit her so hard that she fell backwards with the chair. Melanie and I kept hitting her in her face. This time, I promised myself I would not stop until I saw her blood on my hands. Jacob and Jeremiah tried their bests to restrain us, but every time they picked us up and tossed us away from Kita, we managed to get right back to her.
“ENOUGH!” Auntie Lynn finally yelled. “That is enough, I have had it. Melanie, go get your brother and you and Jacob go on home.”
“But mama…” Melanie said.
“Don’t…just go…NOW!”
“Yes ma’am” Melanie said as Jacob grabbed her by the hand and led her to Marcus’s room.
“Deondre!” She said softly “You may get your things and get the hell outta my house.” She said finally breaking down in tears.
“Teri and Mark, I do apologize on my ex-husband’s behalf. And I pray that this does not mess up our relationship in the near future”
“Of course not” Mama replied in tears.
“Ms. Kita, I pray that GOD have mercy on your soul and I pray that I can one day forgive you for helping to ruin my family” Auntie Lynn said as she began to walk out of our house.
As my parents, J, and I stood there staring at Kita on our floor, so many thoughts ran through my head. I thought about stomping her face in, spitting on her, choking her until there was not a breath left in her body. How could you do this to our family? Your own godfather, how could you. How could you have no remorse for anything that you have done? How could you?
“Little girl”, daddy said interrupting my thoughts, “You have disgraced this family. We taught you better than this. I can't even stand to look at you or hear your voice. I hope you have a way to support yourself and that bastard child of yours because you are no longer welcomed here. Get your things and get the hell out of my house!”
“Now wait a minute, everyone just calm down please” mama cried “Marcus she is still our daughter and you know she has nothing and nowhere to go, you can't just throw her out. Think about this! We're all upset and angry, let’s all get a night’s sleep and discuss this in the morning.”
“No!” I yelled. “Mama how can you stand here and take her side like that. She slept with your brother, your best friend and your saying that it’s okay, just forgive her and let her stay here. Jeremiah take me to your house because as long as she is under this roof, I won't be!” I said as I grabbed Jeremiah’s hand and headed to the door.
“Now you wait a minute young lady, you will not leave this house! We are a family!” Mama yelled to me
“A family? Really? Mama since when does a family do this to one another? Huh? Since when does a family talk to their parents the way you allow her to talk to you? Since when does a family get pregnant by her uncle and not feel bad about it? Mama you constantly let her get away with murder and I'm supposed to just sit back and not say anything. Not this time mama. I love you and daddy to death, but I will not sit back and watch OUR FAMILY go down like this.” I cried
“Look, I know what she did may seem unforgiveable right now, but she is still our flesh and blood!”
“Yea well, she sure as hell didn't think about that when she was making her baby with our godfather, so why should I?”
Looking into mama's eyes, I knew this was hurting her as much as it was hurting us, but her heart wouldn't allow her to turn her back on her child even though her child turned her back on us.
“I've said all I had to say” Daddy said “I won't repeat myself”
And that was that. Mama slept on the couch that night. Jeremiah slept in the bed with me. Who would have thought so much drama would put such a strain on our family. Only God knows what we will wake up to. I have no idea where Kita went, but I do know s
he left our house. I finally saw her crying, but I don't know if it was because she knew she was out of our family and on her own, or if she actually felt bad for what she did. Honestly, I didn't care.
Chapter Six
“Baby can we please talk about this.” Deondre pleaded “Please don't turn your back on me, I need you. I'm nothing without you”
“You didn't think about that when you were making a baby with our goddaughter, now did you.” Auntie Lynn said.
“Baby please!”
“You can sleep in the guest room until you find your own place. I'll call the lawyer in the morning to draw up the divorce papers.”
“Divorce? No Lynnette, I'm not signing any divorce papers.”
“You’re not signing them? Well why not? It's very clear that you didn't give a damn about this marriage so why should I stay in it.”
“Mel, it was a mistake and I'm sorry. Tell me what to do to make this right.”
“Where you with her more than one time Deondre?”
He stood silent staring at her with tears in his eyes. He couldn't respond to the question she had asked because he knew it would hurt her more. Little did he know, he had just told her everything she needed to know without saying one word.
“One time is a mistake Dre! One time! You make that mistake and you never do it again. You learn from that mistake, you don't go back and continue to do it over and over again. This is our niece, our godchild. Did you not once stop and think about what this would do to our families? Did you even care? Which head did you think with? I cannot do this! I cannot stay in this marriage after infidelity, infidelity with one of our family members. I cannot forgive you for this. You have cut me deep Dre! Do you not see that? Do you even care?”
“What, Mel of course I care! If I didn't do you think I would be pleading and begging you not to leave me? I can't live without you and I won't! I'm not letting you go. I will do whatever it takes to make this work. Whatever you want me to do baby, I will do it PLEASE! Just tell me what to do. Please we can fix this, we can make it work, I know we can!”