by Ivy Symone
She pushed thoughts of Bebe aside and surveyed her surroundings. She sat at a table in the visitation hall of the Charles Bass Correctional Complex awaiting her visit with an inmate. It had been some years since the last time she stepped foot in the place. A surprise letter came in the mail the other day requesting for her to visit. At first, she trashed it and gave it no more thought. But she was a true believer in redemption and felt it wasn’t fair to deny a person a chance to make amends. So, what the hell?
As she waited, she scanned the others waiting or those who had a visit already in progress. Some people seemed very excited, happy, and like it was a regular part of their weekend. Others seemed despondent as if they were dreading the visit. There were young women who had come dressed to impress within the dress code guidelines of course. Nola guessed they were there to see their prison husbands. She wasn’t trying to be judgmental, but personally, she couldn’t do it.
The door that separated the inmates from the visitation hall opened again, and a couple of guys in their identical denim prison-wear spilled out. One of them happened to be the person she was waiting for.
Unlike the others at the tables that stood up to happily greet their prisoner, Nola remained seated. He spotted her, and trying to remain cool, he slowly made his way over to her table.
Sitting down across from her, he offered her a friendly smile. “What’s up, Magnolia Michaels?”
“Hey,” she said dryly. Her arms were crossed over her chest and she was leaned back in her chair. She purposely gave off guarded vibes so that he understood not to misinterpret the reason for her showing up.
He admired the parts of her he could see and complimented her. “You still looking good.”
“Thanks.” Again, she was flat.
“So, how you been?”
“I’ve been good. How have you been?”
“You know…the best I can be. These lil years done kinda went by fast so I can’t complain.”
When he said those words, it almost triggered Nola and she had to refrain from jumping up and leaving. She just stared at him coldly.
Nervously, he asked, “What?”
“Nothing,” she dismissed. She asked, “What’chu wanna see me for?”
“I just wanted to…you know…see you. I hadn’t laid eyes on you in a while and wanted to see how you been.”
“Why?”
“Cause man…You know I’ll be getting out of here soon and I wanted to make sure we were good.”
“Why?” She continued to wear a scowl but remained calm.
“Cause Nola…I wanna make amends for everything in my life that I fucked up. I’ve turned over a new leaf and I just wanna make sure I’m good and I’m forgiven,” he explained.
“I forgave you already.”
He shook his head. “No, you haven’t. I know you haven’t, or you wouldn’t be up here all huffed up.”
“I just don’t know how to take you so I’m on guard.”
“I feel that,” he mumbled.
She uncrossed her arms and leaned forward. “When you say you’ll be getting out soon, what exactly are you saying?”
“I’m saying, I’ve done the minimum required of me and I went up for parole…They approved me.”
She was stunned. “They didn’t notify me.”
“I’m not sure why they didn’t, but if they did, would you be against it?”
Nola gave it some thought. No amount of prison time could replace the hurt and devastation she had to endure. And if she was honest with herself, she wasn’t even upset with him and the injustice he committed against her. He had done his time and now they both could move on completely.
“Nola, I just wanna say I’m sorry…Again. And if I could take everything back, I would. I wasn’t the best person to you…Shit, I didn’t realize what I had, and I took you for granted. You’re a beautiful person and didn’t deserve any—”
She interrupted him. “I know all that. Is that all you wanted to say to me in person?”
“Yeah, and I just wanted to see how you were doing. That’s it.”
“Like I said, I’m doing good.”
“I heard you got another lil boy now. How old is he?” he asked.
“He’ll be turning one this Wednesday,” she said.
“On the Fourth?” he asked, shocked.
She nodded, and a reluctant smile spread across her face. “God works in funny ways, huh?”
He smiled broadly. If she didn’t know any better, a gleam of wetness shone in the corner of his eyes. “He sho’ do. Man, I’m happy for you, Nola. What’s his name?”
“Yanis. It means a gift from God too; just like his brother’s name, Mikael.”
He looked at her with adoration. “You was always on that spiritual shit.”
“A little,” she replied.
“Is this baby with the same dude I heard you was with?”
Nola chuckled. “Heard I was with? Who told you that?”
“My mama an’nem. You know they still talk sometimes. Speaking of, how’s your mama?”
“She’s good. I gotta go see her. You know she was immobile and confined to the bed, but she recently had surgery. Hopefully, she’ll be back to her old self soon. My granny still taking care of her though.”
“They still live out there in Columbia?”
“Yup. You know they’re not going nowhere. They think Nashville is like New York. They’re terrified to leave little ol’ Columbia.”
Returning to his unanswered question, he said, “So it must be with dude then. Y’all serious?”
“It’s the same guy, but we’re not together like that. We just co-parent,” she said.
“Damn, dude got two with you. He must be special,” he teased.
Nola grinned. “He is, but we’re just friends.”
A silence fell between them. She began fiddling with the vending machine card flipping it over and over. He leaned back in his seat and took a look around the visitation area.
“I’m glad you came, Nola.”
She sighed. “Yeah…Is there anything you’d like me to get since I’m here, or are you expecting another visit?”
“Yeah, you can get me a drink and some chips.”
She hopped up from her seat to head to the vending machine area. She knew she was being ogled but chose to ignore it all. Trying her best, she had dressed as conservative as she possibly could for this visit, but hiding her figure completely was a lost cause.
After retrieving both of them a drink and bag of chips each, Nola made her way back to their table. She stopped in her tracks when she saw that he had been joined by another visitor. The look on his face as he stared back at her let her know that he knew he had been caught in a lie. He blatantly lied to her just a few minutes before. And on top of that, the person that had shown up made it even worse.
Nola continued on to the table and placed his drink and chips on the table. “Here you go. It was nice chatting with you. Hope you—”
“C’mon Nola, don’t trip like that. Sit down, please.”
“No,” she said.
“Don’t make a scene,” he pleaded.
“Please,” the girl at the table added.
Nola had to take a second to breathe and give it some thought. Why was she still angry? Life with him had been over years ago. She claimed to have forgiven him, yet, it didn’t reach all the way to the depths of her soul. She wanted to genuinely be over these two sitting at this table. How could she proclaim to have moved on with her life and state that she was happy if she was still harboring ill feelings toward these two?
Reluctantly, Nola sat down before the correctional officers thought there was a problem and want to intervene.
“Why didn’t you tell me she was showing up?” Nola asked.
“Because I knew you wouldn’t show up or you would leave,” he explained.
Assuming she was there for the same reason as he requested Nola to be there, Nola said to the girl, “I’ve forgiven you too. What more ca
n you say or want to say?”
“I just wanted to tell you face to face,” the girl said.
“There was no need. You told me then and I felt you were sorry. But…” her voice trailed off. A flash of BJ’s, Kennedi’s, Yanis’, and Mikael’s faces flashed in her mind. She smiled. There was no reason to be mad or have an attitude.
“You know what?” Nola said. “I’m good. I really am. I guess it’s just some other things that got me a little on edge and I’m not trying to really take it out on you two. I said I forgave you years ago, and if I really did then I shouldn’t feel any animosity in my heart. And I don’t…I’ve got four beautiful children in my life now and they have helped to heal any scars that came from what happened. I’m good.”
She stood up and left her drink and chips on the table. She looked at the girl and said, “You can have those.” She looked at the vending machine card and tossed that on the table. “Y’all can have what’s left on there too. May God bless the both of you. Take care.”
And with that, she walked up to the front to let the officer know she was ready to go.
~~~~~~~~~~
As soon as Kennedi heard the sound of Nola’s truck pull into the driveway next door, she jumped up from the sofa. To confirm that it was indeed Nola returning home, she peeked out of the window first.
“Is that Mommy?” Mikael asked trailing behind Kennedi.
“Yep,” Kennedi said. She hurried to her room to find some shoes to slip on.
As she was running out, she practically ran into her father almost knocking him over.
“Oops! Sorry Daddy!” She called over her shoulder as she continued to hurry.
“Kennedi!” Bebe bellowed.
The tone of his voice caused her to come to a stop before she reached the kitchen.
“Daddy,” Mikael spoke. “I wanna go with Kennedi too.”
“Wait,” Bebe objected in disbelief. “This is my weekend with y’all. Your mommy need her alone time. Why are y’all tryna get away from me?”
Mikael shot his older sister a look. Kennedi simply offered a shrug as her answer.
“Well Daddy,” Mikael said in his proper toddler voice, “we don’t like your company.”
Dinky snickered from the gathering room. He mocked Mikael, “Your company. I swear that boy trip me out.”
Offended, Bebe repeated Mikael’s choice of words, “My company? Who?”
There was no need for neither Kennedi nor Mikael to say anything because their answer came waltzing through the gathering room like she owned the place.
“Bebe, what we eating tonight?” Stefani asked.
It didn’t take Bebe long to put two and two together, and he completely understood. What had started as a week or two of needing a place to stay was now going over a month with Stefani. Some days she was okay but other days had him really considering fronting her a deposit, first, and last month’s rent for a new place of her own.
Kennedi rubbed over her wild mane of hair and said, “Besides, I wanna see when Nola can braid my hair.”
Bebe wasn’t about to argue with Kennedi this time. He simply said, “Make sure you don’t stay too late. Kael, are you staying over there or coming back?”
Mikael gave it some thought with his brows furrowed. “Uhm…I’ll get back to you on that, Daddy.”
Bebe chuckled. Mikael was beyond his three years of age. Nola sensed it when he was in his months. Someone suggested that they have Mikael tested because he was meeting milestones in his development faster than average. He spoke early, took interest in reading early, and could figure out most things that frustrated most babies. At three he was considered advanced and gifted and could read on a second-grade level already. He was good at absorbing information and able to later use it correctly. Sometimes Bebe worried about him because Mikael was surrounded by a bunch of crazy people and he didn’t want them stunting his development.
“Where are they going?” Stefani asked.
“Nola’s,” Bebe answered.
“Oh…She’s back.”
Bebe didn’t like how Stefani let that roll off her tongue. It sounded full of disdain.
“Is the other one going too?” Stefani asked as she took a seat on the sofa.
Bebe gave Kennedi and Mikael a nod to go ahead. Once they scurried out with Shadow eagerly following behind, he turned to Stefani. “What’s up with you? And what the fuck you mean ‘the other one?’ Stefani, I’m doing you a favor…Please don’t make me have to get ignorant on you.”
Stefani’s mouth dropped open in shock. “I didn’t mean anything by it. Dang, Bebe, lighten up.”
“No, you lighten up. Those my kids and this is their house. My children’s mother happens to live next door and that’s their house too. I’ll put yo ass out before I allow you to make them feel uncomfortable. And as for Nola, I don’t care how you feel about her, but in this house, we respect her. Don’t let me hear you making any comments about her in front of the kids with any hint of an attitude. Keep that shit to yourself.”
Dinky cleared his throat loud while pretending to be enthralled by his cellphone.
“Okay Bebe,” Stefani murmured. She asked with a serious face, “So what are we eating tonight?”
Hearing Bebe’s frustrated sigh caused Dinky to burst into laughter.
“Why don’t you cook something,” Bebe said sarcastically.
“Bebe, you know I don’t cook,” Stefani said extending her hand, “but I know how to go buy up some fast food. Give me some money and I’ll gladly go get it. What do you have a taste for?”
Honestly, fast food was getting old to him. He wondered what Nola had to eat. If he wasn’t so stubborn, he could go over and see for himself.
“Bless is making spaghetti,” he told her and sat down on the end of the sofa.
Stefani hopped up in her little red romper that barely covered her ass cheeks. “Well, let me know when she gets here.”
He shook his head. “Man, where did I go wrong?”
“Tryna be captain save-a-hoe. You can’t save ‘em all, Bebe. Let them fall on they ass sometimes,” Dinky replied.
“Man, I’ve been tryna save Stefani for years. Our son is eleven now!”
“And eleven years too long, pimp. If her ass ain’t tryna do better on her own by now…Shiid, I don’t know what to tell you, cuzzo.”
“I only do it because of BJ,” Bebe admitted. “But the shit is getting old.”
“Look though, she knows you do half the stuff you do cause of y’all son. She takes advantage of that shit too. How long she plan to be here anyway? That ain’t fucking up your time with the hoes?”
“Nigga, what hoes? Believe it or not, I don’t get down like that anymore.”
Dinky smirked. “Oh, so that was just a phase?”
“Something like that.”
“What’s up with you and ol girl you been talking to?” Dinky asked.
“Keyma? We just talking. Mostly about Ya’s birthday party.”
“Is that why she be with you all the time?”
“Nah, not just that. It’s business and friendship; that’s all.”
“And you and Nola? Where things at with y’all?” Dinky inquired.
Bebe had to give that one more thought. He missed her terribly and had no idea where their relationship was going. They hadn’t had any personal contact since that night they argued. If there was any texting it was primarily about the kids. He still kept an eye on her from afar; watched who came and went from her house. He even probed Kennedi for information just to keep tabs on what Nola was doing.
“I don’t know,” he answered honestly. Hell, he didn’t even know how she was going to feel about the party he was throwing for Yanis. When he mentioned it to her a couple of weeks before, she didn’t really give her opinion on the matter.
A text message alert sounded. Bebe grabbed up his phone from the coffee table. It was a picture text from Keyma.
What do you think?
He opened the message to
see a few decoration pieces and party favors she had put together. Since Yanis’ birthday was on such a patriotic day, Keyma came up with a Marvel comics theme because of the colors. He liked the idea and gave her the go ahead.
Bebe smiled. What she put together looked good as hell. He knew it was going to be nice. He replied: That’s dope as fuck!
She sent back a few various emojis.
Bebe: Will you be bringing your kids? They’ll be older kids there. You’re not just the party planner but you’re personally invited
Keyma: Oh wow thanks
Bebe closed out her thread and went to Nola’s. You never said anything about Ya’s birthday. I’m having him a party here in the backyards
Nola: That’s cool. What time?
Bebe: His party is at 3, but we’re celebrating the fourth too
Nola: Okay…I’m taking the kids that morning to go see my mama and granny. Marshawn will be coming in town that day so he’ll be here
Bebe: That’s cool. I was wondering if he was coming
Nola: Of course. You know he comes every year
Bebe quickly sent her the pictures that Keyma had sent him. What do you think?
Nola: Oh so you’re throwing a party party. What do you want from me?
Bebe: You don’t got shit to say? You’re not gonna say you disapprove
Nola: It’s nice. He likes Iron Man and Thor. He’ll love it. Whatever you need me to do I’ll do my part
There was something off about her responses. He was used to Nola opposing everything and having her say. Now she was being tolerant, and it felt phony. He didn’t like it. He missed his hellraising Magnolia Michaels.
Keyma: You still there?
Bebe: Yeah I was showing my baby mama what you put together. She likes them
Keyma: That’s great. Will I get to meet her Wednesday?
Bebe: Yeah
Dinky cleared his throat with uneasiness as if he was waiting for the perfect pause in Bebe’s texting activities. He asked, “So what’s up with you and Nephia now?”
Absently, Bebe responded, “She’s family.”
“You’ve been saying that for three years now, and y’all’ve always said y’all ain’t shit but friends; but you sure you ain’t never hit that?”