Hoodwinked

by Desiree Granger

  Violet Primrose Milton. Born August 2nd. 1:05 AM. Under a full moon. Crazy natural birth in the middle of a thunderstorm. Rushing to the hospital, I gave birth to this little one right in the back seat of the car. She was ready to make herself known that night. On this day August 2nd, it's a day I will never forget. Happy birthday my Moon Child.

  Siren let out another dramatic gasp.

  “Ooooo y'all are not gonna believe who she’s dating! Oh!” She gushed in laughter. “She’s dating Deandre Phillips-----!”

  “You a gah damn lie! The nigga with the red hair? That Phillips?!” Michael let out. “Didn’t he play for the Hawks----!?”

  “So she got a baller….I ain’t mad at you girl. I love a black man with freckles,” Siren clicked with her tongue. “See if she can get me, and my man some tickets. I’m on his page now and….Well…” voice growing quiet as my body grew cold with each passing second.

  “And what?” I asked. Nose twitching hard. “And what?”

  “They’ve been together for some time...At least going back a year or two….Violet is on his page too. More on his page than hers….Maybe they’re friends...or been friends for a minute, and they just started dating. She’s cute Homer. I’m looking at a picture of this Pia girl with her boyfriend now. She’s really cute. How did you let that one get by?”

  “Nah, she ain’t. Send me a picture,” Michael called out. “Last time we saw her, she was a cookie away from a bypass. Lemme see---.”

  I put the phone down, and tried to breathe. Inhaling hard with my eyes closed before opening them as I stared at the house.

  “She got another man raising my daughter,” I said in a low voice.

  “Aye, somebody get to him before he do’ something stupid. Sitting outside Delilah’s house like that.”

  “We’re on the way,” Caroline stated. “She got more explaining to do like why is this man raising your child when you weren’t afforded the same opportunity. Bitch has more than some explaining to do.”

  “Yall don’t move until we all get there,” Trinity yelled out. “I’m getting in the car now!”

  “Husbannnd! I’ll be back!” Omni yelled. “Family emergency!”

  “Somebody gotta be there to keep the peace. Lemme get my shirt,” Michael said with a laugh.

  “I’m looking for my shoes,” Nevaeh said softly. “I think there’s a better way to handle this…”

  “Not when she had her brothers come at me! Not when my own family knew about it!” I yelled as I opened the car door to get out. “My face is fucked up because I found out I have a child! Little girl don’t know shit about me!”

  “That’s going to change. She’s about to meet the other side of her family. Don’t even worry about it,” Trinity stated as I closed the car door shut with a slam. Wanting to wake up the entire neighborhood. Letting every neighbor know it's about to be a problem. “Homer don’t go in yet.

  “We’re on the way.”

  Pia Milton

  “Are you listening?” I whispered softly in the dark room with the phone pressed against my ear. Early hours of the morning, Delilah’s house was quiet. I stayed in her bed still in my jeans, and shirt from last night. Couldn’t hardly sleep without thinking about the mess I caused. Violet was tucked quietly underneath my arm. Laid flat on her back as she lightly snored. Dried tears leaving crunchy trails along her cheeks, I started to slowly move until she moved. Turning on her side to follow my warmth.

  “Can you hear me?” I spoke again in a low voice. “I don’t want to wake Violet----.”

  “What’s going on? Your mother has been calling me nonstop about your brothers getting arrested or locked up? What happened? Where are you since you’re not home?”

  “I’m at Delilah’s house,” I spoke softly.

  “Okaaaay,” he let out slowly, waiting for further explanation.

  I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, feeling tears about to fall.

  “Deandre...I love you more than...More than I’ve loved any other man in my life. You have been more than the man I could ever need or want….I...I know I see a future with us, and I know my mom is secretly pressuring you to propose to me,” I laughed sadly, hearing silence on his end. He was tense. He didn’t know what was about to come next, but I decided to get it over with.

  No matter what. As long as I have my child, I will be okay.

  “Dre, I…. Violet’s father….” Lower lip trembling as I dragged my hand down my tired face. “I spoke with…. I saw him last night for the first time in years…”

  “What do you mean you saw him?” He pressed. “You told me he died in a car accident----.”

  “He’s alive….and well.”

  I closed my eyes shut. Squeezing tight to fight back the tears, hearing nothing but his breathing on the phone as I tried to keep my cries to a minimum.

  “Why did you lie about something as serious as another fucking parent Pia? As long as I’ve known you? Why would you lie on life like that in general, but her dad? Did he say something to you? Did----.”

  “He didn’t know about Violet until last night. I had my reasons for-----.”

  “So you lied to him too?” Dre asked before releasing a shaky breath.

  “Listen, I----.”

  “Nah,” he laughed. “Fuck no----.”

  The phone clicked, ending the call. Before I could even call him back, he was already ringing just that fast.

  “Dre----.”

  “What was the reason?” He questioned. Clearly upset. “You had me thinking there is no other man in this little girl’s life, that I was the only man she----.”

  “You are the only man she knows!”

  “Obviously not! You deprived a man the right to fatherhood, lied to me as your man! Lied to your family, and you lied to your own child! So, nah! What’s the reason Pia? You’re not a known liar, and you’re not with the games so there had to be a good reason. Got to be. Is he abusive?”

  “I don’t know,” I cried. “I don’t even know him.”

  “You know him enough to sleep and have a child with him. Had to be-----.”

  “Dre please…” I pleaded softly before hearing a loud thump downstairs. Delilah was screaming as a commotion erupted below. “It’s a long story…. I….”

  The sounds of glass breaking with multiple screams kept drawing my attention as I slowly got up from the bed. Looking at the blinds seeing sunlight was trying to burst through the cracks underneath each layer.

  “Pia? Where are you? Delilah’s house? What’s going on?”

  “I have to go---.”

  “What the hell you mean you have to go? Pia? Pi----!”

  I hung up the phone, anxious to see what was going on until I heard that same name...That same God awful name that brought back the sound of Violet crying, being born….The night in the hotel room where I was on my back crying out---.

  “HOMER?!” Delilah screamed. “GET OUT! ALL OF YALL GET THE FUCK OUT! NONE OF THIS IS GOING TO SOLVE ANYTHING!”

  I started to run towards the bathroom thinking I could hide as I heard the footsteps on the stairs. Only to rush back to the bed, wanting to grab my child. Not wake her, not scare her but I needed to----.”

  “GET OUT!” Delilah shrieked.

  “SO WHERE THE FUCK IS SHE SINCE YOU KNOW SO MUCH?!” A woman’s voice screamed out. “WHERE IS SHE?! HIDING KIDS?! THAT’S WHAT WE DOING NOW?! How is it that you and Francesca didn’t say a word?! As our blood family! As cousins! Your loyalty should lie with me!”

  I stood in the room not knowing what to do, how to move until I rushed to the front door. Careful not to wake Violet up. Like the fool I am, I crept out of the bedroom. Realizing I couldn’t let all of this fall on Delilah. Her boyfriend wasn’t here to defend her or even put a stop to this.

  Ben!

  Oh my God, Ben! Rushing back into the room, I grabbed my phone. Fingers struggling to swipe the screen fast enough to call her boyfriend. My brother’s best friend who she blames me for even introducing th
e two of them together. Like, okay? It’s my fault you found eternal happiness, and everlasting love, blame little ol’ me.

  “What up Pia?” Ben answered with yawn. “What the fuck going on round here? Piru going off. Yall Mama calling me like I stole some shit---.”

  “You need to get over here, are you in Atlanta yet?” I asked quickly, hearing Delilah scream from downstairs.

  “Nah, I just crossed the state line not too long ago, what’s going on? What’s happening?” He asked.

  “Delilah is----.”

  “GET OUT!” She screamed from downstairs, knowing Ben heard it from the phone.

  “Her family is here,” I whispered in a strained voice, hearing him groan.

  “Say no more. I’m booking,” he stated before hanging up. Remembering she was pregnant, and still defending me. Standing her ground. I should be able to do the same thing.

  Yeah, okay! I lied! I lied!

  “And what?!” I mouthed silently with a shake of my arms trying to swing at the air. Talking to myself in the hallway above the stairs. “You’re a piece of shit man, and maybe I didn’t want that around my daughter or my life! Sex was trash! Beyond trash! I did most of the work! So what?! WHAT?!” I jerked, faking like I was really fighting someone when I only faced the empty staircase. Delilah was able to stand her ground so I needed to be strong, and stand up against these girls as well.

  I lied!

  I LIED! Okay?! GET OVER IT!

  “Delilah, you stooped to a whole new low,” one voice laughed as I spotted a shadow stretch up against the front door. “When everyone finds out what you did, and why----.”

  “Hold on now,” another male voice came through. It wasn’t Homer’s voice, but the country bumpkin accent was all the same. “This ain’t the way to go about it. I don’ told y'all about this.”

  “The simple fact that it doesn’t change anything,” Delilah stated dryly. “You still don’t know the child, and now you probably won’t ever if you scared her half to death----.”

  “Let’s go y'all,” the woman’s voice said, calling out to her sisters as the shadow drew closer until I saw a slim dark skin woman standing by the door. Gripping the knob before turning back.

  “This isn’t over. Far from it. Once we find out where she lives----.”

  “THEN WHAT?!” Delilah screamed. “THEN WHAT?! TELL ME HOW YOU’RE GOING TO MAKE IT WORSE CAROLINE?! That’s y'all problem now! Yall don’t think!”

  “NO! YOU COULD HAVE EASILY OPENED YOUR MOUTH AND SAID SOMETHING! TWO YEARS!”

  I heard a small sneeze from the back bedroom, knowing Violet was slowly starting to wake up as the woman by the door glanced up.

  Her eyes met mine. Purse, keys, everything in her hand dropped as she kicked her shoes off.

  “SHE’S UPSTAIRS! HOMER! She’s HERE!” She shrieked with a point. “TRINITY!?”

  It felt like the attack of a tribe gunning straight for me. Only thing missing was the warrior’s cry.

  “I don’t want to fight!” I screamed. Hands in the air. “I’m not trying to fight! We can talk, but I don’t want to fight! Please!? My daughter is here!”

  “CAROLINE?! DON’T BE STUPID! CAROLINE!?” Delilah screamed out as the two girls that went by Caroline, and Trinity came rushing up the stairs. I felt like the weakest woman in the world trying to state my plea, hands up in the air in surrender before Caroline was the first to reach for me. Right up against my face yelling. Threatening me with questions and demands about Violet, and why I lied until one got entirely too close. Foreheads, bodies pressed against mine as spit sprayed from both until I pushed back.

  “I did what I thought was right at the time! Your brother is an asshole who told me to take care of it should I end up pregnant! SO I DID! If he wasn’t interested at the possibility of me being pregnant, what makes me think he would be interested in me having his child?!”

  “Wait a minute!” Another sister yelled. “WAIT A MINUTE! Trinity!? Caroline!? This isn’t the right way to go about it! Michael grab them----!”

  I felt my body violently get pulled down the steps. Hitting the edge of the hardwood as fists, without questions, began to fly. I’m trying my hardest to flail and cover myself for defense, but the feel of feet, shoes, and more hands pulling, and piling over me clouded my view. Sisters were fighting to get other sisters off of me.

  “Stop it! Caroline stop it!

  Between the screams, the sound of Homer shouting, and my daughter. Something heavy, and quick snapped against my head like somebody was attempting to step over me. Only to accidentally hit the side of my head, briefly knocking me out cold. The last thing I saw was a thick boot moving over me with Homer looking back at me as he stepped over my body before heading for the stairs.

  …

  “Don’t go near that child!”

  “This shit is crazy! We gotta call the ambulance or sum! She’s knocked out! Yall done killed this woman!”

  “She’s not dead!” A snotty voice let out as I winced with the sharp pain. Struggling to open my eyes, I could hear the voices. All talking at once, but my child. My daughter…

  “That’s the fucking problem with you Caroline! Yall are gonna regret this! All of y'all are gonna regret this! This isn’t the way to get into the child’s life! By attacking the mom! You can come for me because you already know I can and will BEAT YOUR ASS!” Delilah clapped. “BUT YOU NOT STUPID! I am the one that told her to hide the child! NOT HER!”

  “She’s a grown woman Delilah! She’s capable of making decisions on her own! I was robbed a chance to see my child! I should have known about this little girl from the moment she found out she was pregnant! I don’t give a fuck what I said! How we ended it, or how I left her! WHEN A CHILD IS IN THE PICTURE! EVERYTHING!” Homer screamed. “EVERYTHING SHOULD BE ABOUT THAT CHILD! She’s innocent of all this fuck shit! YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO DO EVERYTHING WITH THE CHILD IN MIND INCLUDING TELLING THE MAN THAT HELPED CREATE HER! Not have no other nigga around her! All on his fucking page! Calling him Daddy and shit like I’m not right here! THE FUCK!?” He screamed, knocking a chair over. “I don’t give a fuck whose idea it was to begin with! She’s my child! My child! I helped make her! I was there that night!”

  I attempted to sit up, realizing I was on the couch, facing one of his sisters who held a quiet Violet against her shoulders. Looking at me with tears in her eyes. Locs were hanging down her face as she gently smoothed the back of my daughter.

  “I am so sorry,” she mouthed to me.

  I could barely sit up when she leaned in to keep me still, kneeling before me on the couch as I looked at the front of the house, seeing Delilah standing her ground against the opposition.

  “So what you wanna do now? Hmmm? You wanna beat her to death in front of her child? Okay! Boom!” She clapped. “NOW WHAT?! You wanna force yourself into Violet’s life?! Force her to know who the fuck you are by shouting, and carrying on?! AND THEN WHAT NIGGA?! YOU DON’T THINK! THE WORLD DON’T MOVE OR BOW TO YOU WHEN YOU WANT IT! OKAY?! SHE HELD VIOLET FROM YOU! MOVING THE FUCK FORWARD! WE’RE ALL HERE, SO NOW WHAT?!”

  “She needs her last name changed. I want to see her every chance I get. Every time I come to Atlanta, she better be with me, and then I want her to move to South Carolina. The FUCK you mean now what?!” Homer barked. “Like, that’s it?! Like, ain’t shit else to say or do! I want that nigga who is around her to get the fuck on! Don’t have no other nigga around my child unless I say so!”

  “YOUR CHILD!? Unless you say so?! Nigga you’ve been a daddy for two seconds! You are the other nigga!” Delilah laughed before the sound of furniture was being tossed with the two having to be separated.

  “Both of y'all stop! Just stop it!” Michael yelled. “Yall done showed out in front of this lil girl and her mama! I’on care how you feel, this wasn’t the way to go about it!”

  “How you taking Pia’s side?! I’m the victim!”

  “NO!” Delilah clapped. “You’re the bitch that’s crying because she did exactly
what you told her to do! You said, if you get pregnant, you got money. Handle that! Take care of it! WHY WOULD A WOMAN ON THIS EARTH LET YOU EVEN BE A FATHER WHEN YOU YOURSELF TOSSED THE IDEA! The way you tossed Pia aside!”

  “She was never my woman! She was some fat bitch in the club that was an easy fuck!” Homer clapped. “Yall making it seem like we were in a relationship! I don’t know her! Didn’t know her then, don’t wanna know her now but since we share a kid together?! You think all of that shit matters!? You think any of that matters!? You think I asked to have a baby with her! Think I asked for her to be the mother of my child!? NO! I ain’t pray for it, I ain’t ask for it! If I could take it back, I would! I would have never approached her ugly ass on the yard that day!”

  “You talking all this shit like yo bitch ass didn’t cry the entire time you had sex with her. I heard you had a religious experience with her, mama’s boy!”

  “Aye look! I ain’t say nothing that wasn’t already said!” Michael suddenly let out in surrender.

  “Hey,” the sister whispered towards my daughter, drawing my attention from Homer’s words as she got Violet to sit up. Looking at me with tears in her eyes before reaching out for me. She was scared. She didn’t know what was going on or what was happening. Why my face looked the way it did, but she was my sanity wrapped up in a hug as I clung to her.

  As long as I have Violet, I don’t care about anything else.

  “But now that we’re here!” Homer continued. “NOW THAT WE’RE HERE! I want to be a father! I don’t ever step out on my responsibilities! Don’t give a fuck what I said! My daughter is going to know who I am!”