by Rachel Rae
"How could they what?"
I turned around quickly to see Sebastian's mother standing on the stone walkway with her hands on her hips.
"Mama Wallace." I said putting my hand over my chest, "You scared me."
"How could they do what??" she asked walking towards me now with one hand on her hip.
I had to think quickly, "How could they put me out like that when all I was saying to them that Jared was ready."
I was quick on my toes but like earlier I had a feeling, she didn't believe for one second what I was saying but she played it off well.
"So are my boys coming or not?" she questioned me.
"Ugh yeah, I mean yes, they were just speaking about something in private."
"In private?" she asked moving her neck backward sticking up her left eyebrow.
"Yeah, they said they would be out soon," I said grabbing the inside of her arm cuffing it.
"Did they now?" she asked.
"Yes, so there is no need to worry," I said walking beside her with our arms cuffed. I tried my best to change the subject which I was sure would not last long.
After the pictures there seemed so much tension in the air that I couldn't breathe. I don't think Sebastian knew I was in the room and I was certain that Mama Wallace didn't know what I heard or so I thought. As I drunk a tall glass of Gin and Tonic at the island bar I looked out the corner of my eye to see Sebastian, Mike, and Mama Wallace speaking very quietly to each other all looking over at me at separate times. After about 3 minutes into my glass Sebastian dismissed the kids with his brother to go to Mama Wallace's house, when they shut the door behind them Sebastian walked into the kitchen. He was silent at first reaching into the counter grabbing a glass that resembled mine. I took another small sip from my glass and looked at him.
"How much did you hear?" he asked bluntly.
"About what Sebastian?"
"You know damn well what I'm talking about Mary!!" he said raising his voice.
"You have never raised your voice to me and you aren't about to start it now, I said I don't know what you’re talking about!" I yelled taking a large gulp from my drink.
"I'm only going to ask you one more time, how much did you hear?"
"Are you threatening me, Sebastian?? Is that what I hearing you do? You have three kids and I'm not one of them!" I said standing up with my glass in hand. Before I knew it I was stumbling backward falling over the bar stools that stood beside the kitchen island, the taste of blood filled my mouth.
"Don't you ever answer my question with a question do you understand me? Now answer me got damn it!"
At that moment everything was blurry and my mind was so jumbled I couldn't even blink right, I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand stood up and spit of my side tooth. I stayed quiet but looked straight at him not really knowing what to do next. I spotted the glass that fell out my hand when he punched me in the mouth and slowly walked to it then picked it up.
I walked past him to the sink and started to rise it out when I heard him walk up behind me fast, "Don't turn yo got damn back on me!" he yelled.
I knew what was coming next so I gripped the glass turned around and smashed it on the side of his face, I reacted so fast I don't think he knew it was coming.
"You fucking bitch!!!" he said holding his face where I hit him.
"I'm the wrong bitch and I guarantee you gone learn that shit today!" I said reaching into the sink grabbing more dishes throwing them at him. He tried to duck and dodge all the plates and glasses that was flying his way, with blood streaming down his face he started to growl and charge at me like a linebacker. I felt stuck as he ran towards me, I ran out of dishes and I knew he was about to try and knock my ass smooth out.
With my back toward the sink, the only thing I could think about doing was to pray, "My God please!" I yelled with my right hand falling into the sink. Sebastian ran right up to me punching me in my eye with his left hand and in the stomach with his right.
"You gone learn to respect me as your husband!!" he said through clenched teeth.
With every word he spoke he punched me, "And the next time I ask you a question you give me an answer!"
The last punch was so hard he knocked me back to the sink, with my left eye swollen shut, cuts and bruises I stood straight up and tilted my head backward.
"You's a coward busta ass bitch," I whispered with my back towards him.
"What did you say to me?" he said out of breath.
I didn't repeat myself, instead, I laughed out loud reached my hand inside the sink and grabbed the black cast iron skillet.
"You still haven't learned shit!"
Before I knew it I heard him coming at me again and I figured now was my chance, I turned around just in time to smack the shit out of him with the skillet dead in the face. He stumbled back some but came right back and I smacked his ass again this time not stopping until he fell on the floor.
Still gripping the now bloody skillet I kicked his foot but he didn't move, I placed it on the counter and walked back to the house phone taking it out its charger then dialed 911.
"911 do you need police ambulance or a fire truck?"
"All of the above because I'm about the set this bitch on fire," I said before sitting the phone down.
I heard the operator ask me where I was calling from as I was walking away towards the garage. I knew that would be here in no time so I sped up my pace, I grabbed two of the four gas cans that were there and started to pour it any and everywhere all the way to the front door.
"They might get here but they ass won't be able to get in this bitch!" I yelled.
I opened the front door when I realized I didn't have a lighter or matches, quickly I walked back into the house to the kitchen where Sebastian still laid. I had to fumble through two drawers before I finally found a box of matches, running back to the door I could hear faintly hear them coming. I lit one match and let it go the bright yellow red and orange flames found all the gasoline I poured around the house and began to do its job. I was standing only a few feet from the door watching the flames move when the fire department police and ambulance showed up. I didn't make a move until I heard a loud yell coming from inside, I took a couple of steps back when I saw him stand and run full speed out the door through the fire. I started to run but he caught me picking me up off the ground and slamming me down hard like we were in some type of wrestling ring.
When I finally came to they were about to shut the door to the ambulance until…
"Ma'am we have to hurry!" I heard one of the paramedics say.
"That's my family! You wait! Let me see if she's okay!" the voice said.
I raised my head slightly and looked at the door with my good eye to see Mama Wallace standing there with a look so piercing she could have scared a ghost back into its body.
"We'll see you at the hospital." she said lowly then disappearing into the darkness while the paramedic closed the door.
Chapter THIRTEEN
SEBASHTIAN:
"What the hell were you thinking!?!?" I heard my mother say in a soft-spoken yet forceful voice. I didn't respond though, I just lay there looking at the off-white walls thinking about what I was going to do next. What I did was so far out of my character I was just as confused as anyone else. Mary had pressed a button in me that now I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to bounce back from. Anytime anything happened I always had my mother or brother to count on now I know it was just me alone.
I don't know how much Mary had heard between me and my twin but I needed to find out and soon, she had barked up the wrong tree and whatever she thought she was about to do I had to shut that shit down and fast.
"You hear me speaking to you boy?! What the hell were you thinking?" I heard her ask again now grabbing his face. "You had a clean slate, all you had to do was live and this is what you do?"
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
"You alright bro?" I heard Mike say walking in with my kids.
"Yeah I'm
good," I said grunting sitting upright in the hospital bed.
"Daddy? What happened to you? Who did this to you?" my 11-year-old Sidney asked walking up to me gently rubbing one of the knots on my head.
"No, he is not alright! And I'll tell you who did that!! That damn Mary, that's who did that to your father!! She wasn't no better than your sorry ass mother!!"
"Mike get your mama out of here now!! Don't listen to anything she's saying kids do you all understand!?! Mama get the hell out now!!"
"We gone finish this!" my mom said snatching her purse off of one of the chairs in the room.
"Ma' just let him have some time alone please," Mike begged.
"Shut up!" she said walking out the door while Mike held it open.
"I'm going to talk to her, take all the time you need.
I nodded my head upward then turned my attention back to my kids.
"Sophie... SJ... It's alright, come to daddy." I said sticking out my free hand motioning them towards me.
SJ ran up to me jumping on the bed than sitting by my feet while Sophie (the youngest) was still a bit hesitant standing by the door.
"It's okay Sophie." Sidney said picking her up carrying her to my bed, "It's just daddy."
"Daddy's hurt." she cried.
"Daddy's alright," I said while my oldest placed her in my awaiting arm, Sidney sat right by SJ then looked at me. I took a deep breath looked at my children then kissed Sophie on the cheek.
"Y’all know I love every single one of y'all right?"
SJ and Sidney shook their heads in agreeance as I continued to speak, "I've done some bad things in my life and I take full responsibility for it but what I want ya’ll to know is whatever happens to me whenever it has never been about anything you all have EVER done, understand?"
"Yes, sir." They all responded.
"SJ you are the man of the house now, take care of your sisters and don't ever be like me be better than me you hear me son?" I said with a slight whisper.
"Yes sir." he said shaking his head, I know he didn't fully understand but I knew what I was saying will echo in his mind for the rest of his life.
"Sidney."
"Huh?" she asked still staring off into space, "Take your sister and brother out of here I need to speak to you, SJ sit down on the couch out there and don't let Sophie move one time."
I watched as Sidney lead them out the room silently then made sure they were sitting close the door then walked back to my bed.
"You know I'm not stupid don't you dad?"
"Sidney you've never been stupid even when you were 2. My baby." I said brushing her soft curls away from her eyes. "I don't want you to say a word just listen ok?"
"Okay." she said looking off.
"I'm not a great person, there have been some things in my life I wish I could take back but we live and we learn but what I need you to do is this..."
I grabbed my wallet from off of the nightstand beside my hospital bed then handed it to my daughter.
"All the information you will ever need is right there in that wallet my cards, bank account information and most importantly that picture," I said opening it up pointing at the wallet size portrait.
"Daddy?? Why are you telling me all this?" she asked closing the wallet now looking at me.
"Sid, did you look at that picture? I mean really look at it?"
"Yes sir," she said opening it again looking at the picture then back at me.
"There are only a few people you can trust on that, your grandmother is not one of them."
"Daddy?"
"Just listen to me okay? Regardless of what happened between Mary and me know that she has your best interest at heart always have since you were little. If you need any answers to the questions you may have ask her."
"But why can't I just ask you? Daddy what's going on?" she asked crying.
"Wipe those tears, you a Wallace and we don't show that shit you hear me?"
"Yes, sir."
"You have to be strong now and I know that's a lot to put on you at your age but remember what I've always taught you, tap into you who you are, and you are me.... Your mama... You're a fucking Wallace and don't you ever forget it."
"Daddy just say what you have to say. I'm not stupid. What’s about to happen? Is grandma after you like you and Uncle Mike did mama?"
"Excuse me?" I said shockingly.
"I know you told me to not say anything but can I be honest?"
"You can always be honest with me Sid," I said blinking in a confused mindset.
"Daddy, even with Mary being there it wasn't like I didn't hear you and mom’s conversations and it wasn't like I didn't see mom and Uncle Mike for years. You knew didn't you?"
“Sidney Michelle Wallace don't you ever question me!"
"I'm not questioning you Dad I'm asking you that's a difference!!!! Are you my dad or is Uncle Mike?"
That took me back for a second and I looked at her in disbelief, "Why would you ask me that? Huh? Why would you even fix your mouth to ask something so stupid?"
"I wouldn't ask you that if for once you would stop acting like I'm some dumb little girl and like I don't know anything, for a long time I've seen mom and Uncle Mike do things they should have never done together and the conversations mom had with me..." she trailed off. "She told me she loved him okay??? Is that what you wanted to hear??? She said that you knew that you weren't my father!!! Is that true??"
"When did she say that to you, Sidney?? Huh?? When?"
"It doesn't matter now... she's dead... She's been dead she wrote me a letter asked me to read it to Sophie and SJ when they got older so I know everything."
"You don't know everything, Sid. I'm trying to protect you just listen to me!"
"Protect me from what? The fact that you don't know that you were raising your brother's child or the fact that your wife my mother was a hoe and your mother is a killer?"
"You watch your fucking mouth!! Look I don't know what's about to happen to me and whatever happens know that you are the heir to everything that is under my name... Just talk to Mary okay?"
"I'm so mad at you, don't leave me okay... can you make that promise?"
"I can't make promises I know I won't be able to keep."
Just then my mother burst back into the room, cutting the conversation between me and Sidney short.
"Sidney I need to speak with your father!!!" she said slamming the door and putting her purse back down on the sofa.
Sidney looked back at me like she was trying to get me to give her some type of consent, which I did with just a head nod in the direction of the door.
"Remember everything I've ever told you, I love you and to answer your question yes it's true."
"So what do I do now?"
"You'll figure it out baby, I promise you. Tell Uncle Mike to take y'all downstairs to the cafeteria and get y'all some ice cream."
"I love you daddy." she said before opening up the door then walking out.
I watched as my mother pushed the couch towards the side of my bed then sit.
"We helped you get out of a situation and you go and put yourself in another one? Well after I clean this up no more, do you understand me?" She asked grabbing my face then letting go picking up her purse and attempting to walk out the door.
"I don't need you to do shit mama!" I yelled looking up at the ceiling.
"What did you say to me, Sebastian"?? She asked taking a couple of steps back towards me.
"You heard what I said, you want to blame me but had it not been for you me nor Mike would be in the bullshit we're in right fucking now!!! You fucked us up!!! You did!!! And had we..." I stopped took a breath and looked directly at the woman that gave birth to my brother and I then started speaking again letting the tears flow from my eyes down on my cheeks, "Had we not listened to anything you said our dad would still be here and not in the got damn freezer in your fucking garage!!!"
She put her hand on her chest and backed up, "Everything I did I di
d for you and your brother you ungrateful asshole!"
"No you did it for you and your selfishness and mark my fucking words mama, if anything and I do mean anything happens to go down I will expose you for the lying conniving no good bitch you are, I may get time but I will find peace knowing that your ass will be in a cell not too far from fucking mine!!!"
"What has gotten into you?? I've always protected you and done everything I could for you and your brother. Your father died so we could have a better life!!" she yelled at a whisper.
"You are sick! You killed my father!! I watched you, save your lies for Mike I've always known the truth remember??" I said to her matching her tone. "I watched you... I did... And I held that from Mike far too long, he needs to know why we're the way we are! Dad was a hard-working man that done everything he could for our family but that wasn't enough for you was it? That's why you were the way you were the way you were with Stacey because you saw something in her that was just like you!"
"How dare you, Sebastian?? How dare you??" She spoke with so much hurt if you were on the outside looking in you would have thought she knew nothing of what I was talking about.
"I don't need your help mama, from this point on I'm done with you. Get my brother." and when I talk to Mike and tell him what you've done all our lives to make us the way we are he'll be done with you too then who the hell will you have?? Huh?? Daddy and the freezer, that's it, and when I tell the cops what you did, they’ll give you the death penalty. I only pray that God has mercy on me and forgive me for everything I've done."
I watched as my mother put her purse back down on the chair and walk towards the hospital bed that I was handcuffed to then stop.
"Son, I keep telling you EVERYTHING I ever was done was for you and Mike... Everything... Not only have you just disrespected me but you have just sealed your fate, you are no longer my son but my enemy. I can't allow you to do whatever it is you are planning to do I need you to know that. Remember I have and always will be the bitch in charge, I loved you son."
Without hesitation, I watched as my mother took a pillow from the empty bed next to mine then walk slowly back in my direction.