by Yoshe
“Hey, what’s up, young blood?” the officer said to Shamari. “How’s everything going over here?”
“Everything is fine, CO,” Shamari replied, giving the officer a suspicious look. “We’re good, man.”
The handsome officer looked at Brandi. “And how are you, miss?” he asked.
Brandi smiled at him. “I’m okay, Officer. I’m just here visiting my son,” she said, looking at his nametag. “Officer Daniels.”
When Brandi said that she was visiting her son, CO Daniels quickly extended his hand to her. Shamari sighed loudly and crossed his arms.
“Oh, wow!” Daniels exclaimed, ignoring Shamari’s nonverbal gestures. “This grown man right here is your son?” he asked, pointing at Shamari.
Brandi sighed too. “Yep, this is my baby,” she replied, with a faint smile on her face.
Daniels rubbed his chin and stared at Shamari. “Oh, okay, say no more! Your baby boy is in good hands.” He looked at Shamari. “By the way, what housing area are you in?” he asked.
Brandi rolled her eyes. She prayed that Shamari didn’t embarrass her on that visit floor. But her prayers weren’t answered. He gave Daniels a nasty look. “I’m in Five North, man. Why?” Shamari replied.
Once again, Daniels acted as if he didn’t notice Shamari’s callous attitude toward him. “Oh, yeah? That’s my old steady housing area right there. I’ll put the word out and tell the officers up there to look out for you, man.”
Shamari impatiently shifted his behind in the hard seat. “Look, man, you ain’t gotta do nothing for me! I don’t fu . . .” he began, looking at his mother before he cussed. “I mean, I don’t fool with too many of these cats in here anyway! And I damn sure don’t fu . . . I mean, fool with no po-lice!”
Now Brandi was getting pissed with her son’s ungratefulness. “Will you just shut the hell up, Shamari?” she said, scolding him and talking through clenched teeth. “Your attitude and your hard head is exactly why your ass is in the trouble that you’re in now!” Brandi looked at CO Daniels apologetically. “I want to apologize for my son’s ignorance. He’s always had this problem with authority,” she added, rolling her eyes at Shamari in the process. “My son really doesn’t belong here. I didn’t raise him like this,” she continued, feeling the need to explain herself to the officer. “Being in this . . . this shithole is nothing but a pit stop before death. And I don’t know what it’s going to take for him . . .” Brandi’s eyes began to get watery and she drifted off.
CO Daniels cleared his throat. “Oh, man. Okay, listen, I’m so sorry for interrupting you and your son, miss. It looks like you two need to have a serious talk. I’m gonna go back to do what I’m paid to do. Enjoy the rest of the visit,” he said, before quickly walking off.
As soon as Daniels left their table, Brandi went off on Shamari. “What the hell is wrong with you, Shamari?” she asked, while looking around the visit floor to see who was listening to her. “That officer was being nice to you and you acted like a complete jackass to him! You need somebody to look out for you while you’re in this place!”
Shamari looked his mother straight in the eye. “Like I said, Ma, I don’t need nothing from nobody, especially from no got damn po-lice!”
Brandi felt like slapping the taste out of Shamari’s mouth. In his display of defiance and stubbornness, he reminded her so much of his father, Maleek. Maleek had been dead since Shamari was five years old but it was amazing how their personalities were so similar.
“And what about you, Ma?” he whispered, holding out both hands. “You sitting here flirting with some po-lice nigga right in front of your own son! The only reason that that nigga came over here to do was to holler at you and here you go acting like you ain’t see what he was doing. Damn! You fell the fuck off!”
Brandi’s right eyebrow shot up. “Boy, what in the hell are you talking about and who are you talking to?” she whispered back. “First of all, I’m a grown-ass motherfucking woman and damn, the got damn man was just trying to be nice!”
Shamari huffed. “I done already told you and that lame-ass cop that I don’t need anybody looking out for me, especially some police nigga! I’m not going to tell you or him that shit again!”
Brandi let out a sarcastic chuckle. “Oh! Is that right?” she replied, looking at Shamari like he had flipped his wig. “So you got this, huh? Well, if you got this, Shamari Wallace, then give me back my five thousand dollar retainer that I had to put out for that got damn lawyer of yours! And how about the commissary money that you’re always begging me for? Huh? And please, let’s not forget about the packages that I send you in the mail every other week!”
A dumb look came over Shamari’s face but he didn’t say one word.
“That’s what the hell I thought!” Brandi said, tightening her jaw. She shook her head and took a few seconds to compose herself. “As a matter of fact, I cannot be aggravated with you right now. I’m going home!”
Brandi stood up to walk off the visit floor but as she was about to do that, Daniels rushed back over to the table to ask her to sit back down. He then explained to her that the inmate was always the first to leave the visit area.
Brandi plopped back down in the chair. “I’m sorry about that but we have a serious problem here,” she replied angrily. “My son obviously doesn’t appreciate his mother coming to this filthy place to visit his unappreciative ass!”
Shamari sucked his teeth and waved his mother off. “Ma, c’mon, cut it out! You are bugging out right now!” he said. “A few minutes ago, I just told you that I appreciated you coming to see me and now you’re saying that I’m ungrateful? Wow!”
Brandi pointed a French manicured finger in Shamari’s peach fuzz face. “I was sixteen going on seventeen years old when I got pregnant with you, Shamari. I made all kinds of sacrifices trying to provide you with everything that you needed so that you wouldn’t be out in these streets trying to steal, cheat, or rob! I gave you the best so that you wouldn’t have to go through shit like this!”
Shamari had a smug expression on his face while some nearby visitors and fellow inmates stared at him. He sat there with his arms folded, acting like the child he was. And he did not bother to respond or even apologize to his mother. Instead, Shamari got up and stomped out of the visiting area without even saying good-bye to her.
Brandi took a deep breath, trying to hold back tears of frustration. She immediately left the visit floor, wondering where she had gone wrong while raising her child.
Daniels followed the upset Brandi back to the registration area and watched as she retrieved her personal items from the visitors’ lockers. After gathering her things, Brandi sat in one of the empty seats to wait for the visit bus to take her and other visitors back to the parking lot. When she looked up, Daniels was right there with a look of concern on his face.
Brandi shook her head. “I have to apologize again for his bratty behavior,” she said, forcing a smile. “Thank you, Mr. Daniels, for wanting to help my son.”
Daniels sat beside her. “Oh, it was no problem,” he replied. “And don’t worry, I’m still gonna look out for him so don’t get yourself too upset. He was just trying to prove to his mother and to me that he’s a fucking tough guy.” Brandi laughed a little. “But seriously, I’ve been doing this for a while so that attitude of his is nothing new to me.” He paused. “Oh, by the way, I’m Sean.”
Brandi giggled. “Oh, shoot, please forgive me. I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Brandi. Brandi Wallace.”
“Well, Brandi, I hope I’m not being too forward but I think that you’re a very beautiful woman. I hope you don’t mind me saying so.”
Brandi blushed. “Thanks, Sean. I appreciate the compliment. You’re a handsome guy.”
Sean smiled at her. “Thank you, sweetheart.”
Brandi rumbled through her bag to retrieve one of her business cards. When she found one, she placed it in his hand. Before she could say another word, she lined up at the door with the other vi
sitors to board the bus.
Brandi looked back at Sean and waved good-bye. Then she mouthed the words “call me.” He smiled back at her and gave her a head nod. When she looked back one more time, Sean was still standing there, watching her. He stood there until she was completely out of his sight.
Since she and Sean went their separate ways, Brandi dated men who didn’t quite measure up to what she really wanted. But in 2010, Brandi met someone she thought was special. She even endured an eleven-month relationship with the man and everything. She just couldn’t get into him. Out of fairness to the guy, she had to let him go.
Brandi turned up the radio in her truck. “Ascension” by Maxwell came blaring through her speakers. It was her and Sean’s favorite song.
Chapter 2
An hour after Brandi pulled off from Halsey Street, newlyweds Sean and Milan Daniels exited the door of their brownstone. They were walking down the stairs together when suddenly the affectionate Milan turned around and placed a soft kiss on her husband’s lips.
“Damn, baby,” she said, wiping her Bobbi Brown lip gloss from his mouth. “I’m gonna miss you this weekend! It’s messed up that they’re sending me on this last-minute business trip on your days off! We could have spent this entire weekend in bed together.”
Sean smiled at his wife of one year. “Yeah, me too, sweetheart,” he replied, as he made his way down the stairs with her luggage in tow. “By the way, what the hell do you have in this suitcase? You’re only going to Atlanta for the weekend, babe!”
Milan pressed the alarm to her Mercedes-Benz coupe and the trunk popped open. “I know, I know! But I couldn’t make up my mind about what I wanted to wear,” she said, pouting her full lips.
Sean shook his head at her and smiled. He threw the heavy suitcase into the back of the trunk.
Milan held out her arms. “Hey, hey, hey! Be careful with the bag, brother man!” she joked. “I gots all my good shit in there, man!”
Sean laughed and closed the trunk. “That’s my bad, beautiful,” he replied, giving her another kiss on the lips. “I know you have your own money and everything but do you mind if a brother adds to your riches, my queen?” Sean asked, pulling out his wallet.
Milan held out her hand. “Why, of course, you can, my king!”
Sean counted out five hundred-dollar bills for Milan and put them in her hand. She dug in her bag to retrieve her wallet. She put the money away and wrapped her arms around Sean’s broad shoulders.
“I love you so much, Mr. Daniels,” she whispered. “Now you better be a good boy until mama gets home. Once I come back from my trip and walk through that front door, you can be bad all over again.”
They shared yet another intimate kiss. Sean grabbed Milan’s plump derriere and squeezed tightly. She giggled and playfully slapped his hands away.
“Stop playing, nasty!” said Milan. “You must want me to miss my flight.”
Sean stepped back. “Nah, babe, I don’t want you to do that. As much as I wouldn’t mind having some more of that good stuff, you have to go and take care of business.”
Milan sighed. “Yeah, I do.” She kissed Sean again, got into the driver’s seat of her car, and started it up. “I will call you as soon as I’m about to board the plane. I love you, babe.”
“I love you too, sweetheart. See you Monday.”
Sean stood by the curb and watched Milan pull off. When she made a left turn at the corner of their block, he walked back into his house.
Minutes after Milan’s departure, Sean put on some tunes and began tidying up the sprawling brownstone. As he dusted, swept, mopped, and polished furniture, he sang along with the song, while grinding his torso to the beat.
Sean laughed at his horrible attempt at singing. He could recall a time when something as simple as laughter was something that he wasn’t able to do. But thanks to Milan, his entire life had changed.
He recalled the first time that they met.
Sean first laid eyes on the stunning Milan Garrett at a cocktail mixer in the summer of 2010. A close friend of his was having the event in the spacious backyard of his Dix Hills home. Sean spotted Milan sashaying across the yard in a white flowing maxi dress that clung to every curve. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. He thought that Milan was a knockout, with her small waist and wide hips; not to mention she had one of the most inviting smiles that he had ever seen. Sean knew that he had to meet her. He quickly made his way through the crowd of people and over to Milan, who was chatting it up with a small group of women.
“Um, excuse me, ladies,” Sean said to the other women. “I hate to interrupt y’all but I couldn’t help but notice this beautiful woman right here,” he said, taking Milan’s hand into his. “I just had to come over here and introduce myself.”
The women applauded and laughed at Sean’s chivalrous gesture. They walked away to tend to some other activities at the mixer while Milan just stood there, looking at the charismatic Sean with an apprehensive look on her face.
“How you doing, sweetheart?” he greeted her. “I’m sorry to be so forward but you are irresistible. What’s your name?”
Milan still seemed a little skeptical but she smiled at him anyway. “The name’s Milan Garrett. And yours?”
Sean placed a kiss on her baby soft hand. “My name is Sean Daniels. It is a pleasure to meet you. You have to excuse a brother but I have to get straight to the point. Do you have a man here or is that problem at home? Are you married? Any children?”
Milan shook her head and laughed. “Boy, slow down!” she said. “First off, I don’t have a child! And I don’t have much time for a relationship because I’m focusing on my career right now.”
“Ah, damn,” Sean said, letting go of her hand.
Milan looked confused. “What does that ‘damn’ mean?”
“That damn means what do I say to you now? You just said that you don’t have time for a relationship and I was looking forward to you being my lady one day. You’re definitely the one.”
The flattered Milan wrapped her arm around Sean’s muscled bicep. When she did that, she paused. “Wow,” she said, while feeling him up in the process. “You have some really nice arms on you, buddy! Maybe I need to reconsider that relationship thing, huh?”
Sean laughed. “So you’re just going to stand here and molest me, huh? Right here? In front of everybody?” he asked.
Milan gave him a flirtatious look. “I can molest you in private, if you’d like.”
Sean licked his lips. “Now I wouldn’t mind that at all!”
From that day on, Sean was head over heels in love. Not only was Milan young and gorgeous; she was an ambitious, college-educated woman. Her marketing assistant position for Universal Music Group definitely added to her go-getter appeal. And just like him, Milan was extremely close to her family. These great attributes made Sean fall deeper in love with her.
So after dating each other for a year, Sean made a life-changing decision. He realized that he didn’t want to just date Milan anymore. He asked her father for his daughter’s hand in marriage and even consulted with her mother as to what kind of engagement ring he should purchase for her. He finally proposed to Milan during an intimate family dinner in September of 2011.
Instead of having a grandiose wedding with hundreds of guests and a massive bridal party, Sean and Milan got married in a private ceremony on the beaches of St. Lucia. The two of them shared a very touching moment with each other, with Sean pushing all of the tragic events that occurred in the previous years out of his mind. With Milan came a breath of fresh air and Sean embraced the much-needed change. And for the last year, he was happier with her than what he had ever imagined he could be with any other woman.
After Sean finished cleaning the upstairs of the house, he walked downstairs to the large family room. When he stepped into the dark room, he hesitantly clicked the light switch to the on position. It was funny but every time Sean stepped into that room, there was a creepy, haunting feeling. Somet
hing in that room reminded him of what a complete mess his life had been a few years earlier.
It seemed like it was only yesterday when Sean, a thirty-three-year-old bachelor at the time, found himself caught up in a deadly love triangle with Yadira Cruz, a coworker/friend, and his lovely paramour, a woman named Brandi Wallace.
At the time, Brandi was a sexy thirty-six-year-old single mother. Sean met her when she came to the Rikers Island facility to visit her inmate son. And his coworker, Yadira, was an exotic-looking, curvaceous, half-black, half-Latina mami, who oozed pure sexiness.
When Sean first started his career with the Department of Corrections, he found himself being extremely attracted to Yadira. He initially wanted to have sex with her. But after he tried to come on to her, she straight out told him that she was in a committed relationship with her daughter’s father. The disappointed Sean had no other choice but to respect that. So instead of hopping in the sack with each other, they became platonic friends.
As for Brandi, when Sean saw her walk through the door of the facility visiting room, he was immediately taken aback by her attractiveness and classy demeanor. Just from looking at Brandi, Sean knew that she was a different type of visitor from any of the females who visited inmates at Rikers Island. She had the look of a professional career woman; the business suit that she wore to the visit said it all. And judging from the serious look on her face, he knew that she was nothing to be played with.
While it wasn’t proper protocol for a correction officer to talk to anyone coming to visit an inmate, Sean found the urge to holler at Brandi overpowering. He was ready to break all of the rules for the caramel-skinned beauty. Fortunately for Sean, it wasn’t as hard as he thought it would be to get with her. Brandi definitely entertained the attention. She caught a little flack from her jailed offspring because of it but that didn’t stop her.