Growing Pains

by Dwayne S. Joseph

  “Mom?”

  Deahnna looked past the officer’s shoulders, down to see Brian approaching. “Brian,” she said, her tone sharp.

  The officers turned as Brian stood still.

  “Wh . . . what’s up, Mom?”

  “Are you Brian Moore?” Officer Cribbs asked as his partner looked on.

  Brian nodded. “Yeah.”

  “I’m Officer Cribbs. This is Officer Lomax. We’d like to ask you a couple of questions.”

  Brian looked at his mother, and, in that moment, Deahnna could see in his eyes that something had happened. She gave him a nod.

  Brian looked at Officer Cribbs. “OK.”

  Officer Cribbs turned back to Deahnna. “May we come inside?”

  Deahnna opened the door. “Come in.”

  Both officers followed Brian inside. Deahnna directed them to the living room, where everyone sat down: the two officers on the sofa, Brian on the loveseat, Deahnna on the loveseat’s arm beside her son.

  Officer Cribbs pulled out a notepad and looked at Brian. “Are you now just getting home?”

  Brian nodded. “Yeah.”

  “From where?”

  “My girlfriend’s place.”

  Deahnna looked down at her son, who kept his head low.

  “Your girlfriend’s name?”

  “Carla.”

  “Her last name?”

  “Quinones.”

  “And her address.”

  Brian gave it.

  “Were you there between eleven-thirty and twelve last night?”

  Brian nodded. “Yeah. I was there all night.”

  “Excuse me?” Deahnna said. “Her parents allowed this?”

  Brian looked up at his mother. “Her mother didn’t know. I snuck in.”

  “What? Brian, goddammit . . .”

  Officer Cribbs cleared his throat. “Brian, are you friends with Will Barber and Tyrel Gardner?”

  Deahnna stared hard at her son. If the cop mentioned Will or Tyrel’s name, that meant that there was trouble. She watched Brian closely as he let a few seconds go by before he said in a softer tone, “Yeah. They’re my . . . my best friends.”

  “Did you see them last night?”

  Brian intertwined his fingers. “I . . . I mean, we played the 360 for a while after school, and then I left to go and see Carla.”

  “What time was that?” Cribbs asked after scribbling down some notes.

  “I left Will’s place around five.”

  “And you stayed with Ms. Quinones all night?”

  Brian nodded, then shrugged. “Well, not then. I hung with her for a little and then left before her mom got home.”

  “And where did you go?”

  “I came home.”

  A chill came over Deahnna as she forced herself to not look down at Brian. She’d gotten home at fivethirty and had gone to bed at eleven-thirty. Brian had never come home. Too depressed over Jawan ignoring her, she’d never bother trying to call Brian to see where he was, and unlike any other time, she never bothered waiting up.

  Officer Cribbs looked at her. “Were you home around that time, Ms. Moore?”

  She nodded. “Yes.”

  “And you saw Brian come home.”

  “Yes. I did.”

  “And you never saw him leave?”

  She looked down at Brian who kept his sights on the floor. “No,” she said. “I didn’t.”

  Officer Cribbs nodded, scribbled in his pad, and then looked at Brian. “Brian, Will and Tyrel were both killed last night.”

  Brian looked up. “Wh . . . what?”

  Deahnna put her hand over her mouth. “My God,” she whispered.

  “It was a botched robbery attempt.”

  Brian shook his head. “No way,” he said, tears falling from his eyes. “You’re . . . you’re lying.”

  Officer Cribbs frowned. “I’m afraid not.”

  “They . . . they can’t be dead,” Brian said, his voice cracking. “Not my boys.”

  Deahnna leaned over and wrapped her arms around her son and held him tightly. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered, kissing him on the top of his head. She looked at Officer Cribbs. “Is my son in some sort of trouble, Officer?”

  “Not unless he knew about what his friends had planned. Did you know they were planning anything, Brian?”

  Brian shook his head. “N . . . no.”

  Officer Cribbs looked at his partner, who gave a subtle shake of his head. Cribbs looked back to Deahnna. “No, Ms. Moore. We got Brian’s name after questioning people who knew Will and Tyrel. We were told about how close they were. We just wanted to come and talk to him. We’ll corroborate his alibi with Ms. Quinones.”

  “And then?”

  “And then if everything checks out, that will be it.”

  Deahnna nodded. “How did Will and Tyrel die?” she asked, rubbing Brian’s shoulders as he sobbed.

  “They were shot by the establishment’s owner, who was also shot.”

  “My God,” she whispered. “Did . . . did he or she die as well?”

  Officer Cribbs shook his head. “No. He took a bullet to his chest, but, fortunately for him, he survived. He’s in stable condition right now. We were actually able to question him, and he did confirm that he’d only been accosted by two people.”

  “So why did you come here?”

  “Just wanted to dot all of the Is and cross all of the Ts.”

  Deahnna nodded.

  Both officers stood up. “Thank you both for your time,” Cribbs said. “Brian, sorry about your friends. Lucky for you that you weren’t hanging with them last night.” Cribbs turned, looked at his silent partner, and gave a head motion toward the door.

  Deahnna kissed her son on his head again, left him on the loveseat, and escorted the officers to the door.

  “We’ll speak with Ms. Quinones,” Cribbs said, stepping out of the apartment. “But again, as long as their stories gel, we won’t be bothering your son again.”

  Deahnna gave the officer a half smile. “Thank you.”

  Cribbs turned to leave and then stopped and turned back around. He took a look toward Brian, and then looked at Deahnna. “Ms. Moore,” he said, his eyes serious, intense. “Your son is a very lucky young man,” he said. “I hope he understands that.”

  She looked at the officer, who looked back at her with an unflinching gaze. “I do,” she said.

  Officer Cribbs gave her a nod, and then turned and left.

  Deahnna closed the door, dropped her chin to her chest, and let out the breath she hadn’t yet exhaled. She shook her head, and then turned and went back to her son.

  Brian looked up at her, his eyes red as tears ran furiously. “I’m sorry, Mom,” he said, his voice barely audible. “I . . . I’m sorry.”

  Deahnna took him in her arms, and let him bury his head into her. She stroked the top of his head and cried her own tears. “Oh, Brian.”

  34

  Her son was lucky and he was about to become a father. Under normal circumstances, Deahnna would have flipped out. He was only seventeen. Didn’t he know better than to be out there having unprotected sex? He had so much promise ahead of him. Didn’t he realize how being a teenage parent would affect him, his life, his plans? Wasn’t he smarter that that? Hadn’t she raised him with more sense?

  Under normal circumstances, that would have been her reaction. Under normal circumstances, she would have said those things and a whole lot more.

  But the circumstances weren’t normal because he’d been lucky. So very, very lucky.

  Old Man Blackwell had survived. A man she’d known since she was a teenager herself. A man who’d been there for her as he had been for many others, offering an ear, advice, counsel, and sometimes money. He was known and respected by all, because he treated everyone as though they mattered.

  Deahnna still couldn’t believe that her son had a hand in his getting hurt. He hadn’t told her the details, and, honestly, she didn’t want to know them, but his lie
s to the police and his very sincere, tearful apology had been enough to let her know that not only did he know what was going on, but that he was a part of it, because she knew he would do as his friends had done, as much as she’d tried and failed to convince him not to in the past.

  But he was lucky. Sadly, Will and Tyrel were dead. Old Man Blackwell had survived. And now Brian was going to be a father.

  Deahnna watched Brian sleeping in his bed. After Officer Cribbs and his partner left, Brian shed what seemed to be an endless stream of tears as he apologized without specifics for what had happened, and then told her about the dilemma he and his girlfriend, Carla, faced. Again, under different circumstances, her reaction to the news would have been one that would have most likely pushed him away. But he was at home, sleeping in his bed, instead of in a pine box.

  Teenage father or not, his time hadn’t come yet. His destiny hadn’t been fulfilled.

  She smiled. It had been a long time since she’d tucked her angel in. She said a silent prayer, thanking God for the opportunity to do that, and then closed his bedroom door softly. Later that day, she and Brian were going to go over to Carla’s to talk to both Carla and her mother. Deahnna could only imagine what Carla’s mother must be feeling or thinking with her little girl being pregnant. Unlike Deahnna, Carla’s mother had no other special circumstances to lessen the blow from the surprising news.

  Deahnna shook her head and went into the kitchen to put on some water to boil. Although she’d had one hell of a kick-start to her day, she still needed her morning cup of tea.

  As she turned the fire on beneath the kettle, her cell phone rang. She went to her room to grab her phone. Her mind occupied by the activities from the morning, she hadn’t given any thought about who could have been calling, so when she saw Jawan’s name on the screen, she paused.

  He was calling.

  Deahnna felt a hot flush come over her.

  He was calling.

  She whispered, “Thank you,” and then, after a deep breath and a slow exhale, she answered.

  35

  He’d promised both Grady and himself that he would stop being a fool. He loved her. He needed her. Needed to hear her, see her, feel her, hold her. He needed to be with her again, and forever, if she’d have him. He wanted to call when he’d first woken up, but that had been at five in the morning, since he’d been unable to sleep. She was all he could think about. All he could dream about. No more sitting on the beach with Janet Jackson. No more nightmares about his ex, Kim. It was all about Deahnna Moore. And an appropriate hour had finally and mercifully arrived for him to make his call.

  So he did.

  With a thumping heartbeat.

  “Hello?”

  He smiled. God, he loved the sound of her voice. Like honey. He said, “Hey.”

  She said, “Hi.”

  Silence interrupted them for a second or two before he asked, “How have you been?”

  “I . . . I’ve been . . .” Deahnna paused. “I’ve been miserable,” she said honestly.

  Jawan sucked his lips in. “So have I,” he said.

  “Jawan, I’m sorry.”

  “Shh,” he said, cutting her off. “Don’t apologize.”

  “But—”

  “No buts, Deahnna. We have some things to talk about, but an apology won’t be part of the conversation. It’s not needed or wanted. OK?”

  Deahnna was silent for a moment before she said, “OK.”

  “I’ve missed you, Deahnna.”

  “I’ve missed you too.”

  Jawan smiled, and pet his furry companion, who was sitting beside him on his couch. “Grady missed you too.”

  Deahnna laughed. “Tell Grady I’ve been worried about him.”

  “You should probably come and tell him that face-to-face. He might not believe it coming from me.”

  “Tell you what: why don’t you bring him here and I’ll tell him.”

  Jawan raised an eyebrow. “Bring him there?”

  “Yes.”

  “And what about Brian?”

  Deahnna frowned. “There’s a lot going on where Brian’s concerned. You being here is the least of his worries.”

  “Is he all right?”

  “He has some . . . growing pains he has to endure. Actually, I think it would be very good if you came by tomorrow to have a heart-to-heart with him, while I have my own with Grady.”

  “Tomorrow? I was hoping to see you today,” he said, slightly disappointed.

  “Brian and I have some things we have to deal with today. I’ll tell you all about them tomorrow. I promise.”

  “OK.”

  “I’m glad you called,” Deahnna said.

  Jawan tapped Grady lightly on the top of his head. Grady looked up at him and purred. “So am I,” he said, rubbing Grady’s ear. “So am I.”

  Epilogue

  8 months later

  Brian couldn’t believe it.

  He was a father.

  He held his son, Israel, in his arms, and couldn’t help it—he cried. His son. His little man.

  For eight months his emotions had gone from fear, to excitement, to nervous anticipation, and then back to fear, to excitement, to nervousness. He was going to be a father. Something he’d never had. What was he supposed to do? How was he supposed to be? What were the rules? For eight months the fear, the doubt, the uncertainty swirled in his mind. He took parenting preparation classes with Carla. He read books. He sought advice from his mom and from Carla’s mom, but nothing had helped to relieve the tension.

  But now, holding Israel in his arms for the first time, that anxiety, that trepidation, that doubt that he’d been riddled with was gone. Although the unknown still remained, the feeling of not knowing what to do or how to do it wasn’t there. Perhaps it was a little naive of him to think so, but standing with his five-pound, six-ounce, twenty-three-inch bundle with a full head of hair, in his arms, he felt nothing but calm. He was a father, and he was sure that he was going to be the best damn father he could be.

  Israel Eric Moore would never have to worry about ever having a life without his father there to guide and protect him. This Brian promised his son as he held him gently but tightly at the same time.

  “He’s precious, just like you were.”

  Brian looked up. His mother was standing in the doorway, watching him with a smile and tears of her own. Beside her was Mr. White. Well, Jawan, as he insisted on being called now that he was his stepfather.

  Brian looked at both of them and smiled. Life had changed dramatically in the eight months since everything had happened on that fateful night at Old Man Blackwell’s.

  Blackwell, who’d recovered completely, had decided to retire, and passed the business on to Rich, who would forever be a drug addict, but who also never had the desire to walk down the dark road again. Brian had never gotten to ask Blackwell why he’d let him go. He’d never had the nerve to go and see him. Maybe one day he would try to find him and get the answer. Maybe.

  He’d attended the funerals for both Will and Tyrel. That had been hard. He’d never imagined ever having to say a final good-bye to his best friends. For a few weeks, he struggled with feelings of guilt. The plan had never been his, nor had it been one he’d wanted to be part of, but he’d survived when they hadn’t. It was hard for him to not feel pangs of guilt for that. But eventually he overcame those feelings and moved on, thanks to the support and patience from his mother, Jawan, and Carla.

  Speaking of his mother and now stepfather.

  Three months after everything happened, they moved in together. Well, Brian and his mother moved in with Jawan. It was awkward for Brian at first. After all, Jawan was still his teacher, and he hadn’t forgotten how Jawan had lied to his face. But the ill and awkward feelings quickly disappeared as Brian watched the smile on his mother’s face grow wider with each passing day. Jawan loved his mother and didn’t hesitate to display his affection for her, something his mother deserved. He also didn’t hold back on the f
act that he cared for Brian and wanted nothing but the best for him. It was weird getting that attention from a man, since that was something he’d never received before, but with time, the weird feeling went away as it just became the norm. As a matter of fact, his life just felt as though Jawan had always been a part of it. So when they married at the courthouse two months after moving in together, it had been no big deal.

  Brian rocked his son gently, and accepted a kiss from his mother as she took Israel out of his arms, kissed, and “ooh’d” over him, and then went to Carla, who lay in the hospital bed with her mother sitting beside her, and gave them both kisses and hugs.

  “You did good, Brian,” Jawan said, giving him a one-armed hug.

  Brian smiled. “Yeah,” he said.

  “You did good with her, too,” Jawan said, his voice softer, his head motioning in Carla’s direction.

  Brian looked at Carla and smiled. They hadn’t gotten married as she’d wanted to before Israel was born, but not because he didn’t want to. Truth was, Brian wanted very much to make Carla his wife, as he’d fallen deeper in love with her as they went through the strains of pregnancy. She had his back and he would always remember and respect that. He’d always felt that she was special, but the more they grew together, the more he realized just how rare of a gem she was.

  He wanted to marry her, but hadn’t only because his mother, Jawan, and Carla’s mother persuaded them to wait. Marriage was an important step, and while no one doubted what they felt for one another, they just wanted them to wait at least until they graduated from high school.

  Brian had no problem with that, because he knew in his heart that he and Carla would be just fine, and that marriage would simply be a matter of time. They had a lot of challenges ahead of them. High school to graduate from. College to attend. A life to build. But Brian had no doubt they would conquer each and every obstacle in their path.

  He nodded as he watched Carla holding their son, while the grandmothers gushed. “Yeah,” he said proudly. “I did.”

  End

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