Hoodwinked

by Desiree Granger

  “You try so hard to be a man’s man. Suppressing all that sensitivity and emotion. Bottling it up inside only to let it out in the most ignorant way. If I didn’t know any better, I would think you were secretly gay nigga-----.”

  I could hear the two start up as his sisters came to his defense, all while the sister helped me up to my feet. I held on to my daughter, feeling her pants were soaked from peeing on herself, and shirt sticky with slobs of saliva and tears. I needed to get her home, and out of these rank clothes. Face my family and answer to them as to why my brothers were arrested, and almost locked up for defending me. Salvage whatever relationship I had left with my boyfriend, and come to terms with having another parent to share my child with.

  But I know one thing. I walked down the hallway and right in the middle of the rowdy siblings, and angry baby’s father with my head held high. Daughter on my shoulder holding my neck, face swollen, blood seeping through my teeth, and an oncoming migraine. Letting them part as Delilah held the door open for me. As if on cue, they began to spew out their pathway of hate for me.

  “You lost all respect as a woman, as a mother Pia,” one of the sisters said. Most likely the oldest. “All respect is lost bitch. Won’t ever be welcomed in our family, and the ONLY reason we will ever deal with you is for that child alone---.”

  “Shut the fuck up Caroline. Just shut the fuck up,” Delilah snapped. “How big y'all must feel to attack someone who threw no hands, and said she wasn’t fighting back. Homer you must be so proud. I can’t wait to see how you plan on raising a black woman in this society. I hope you teach her how to stand up for herself against men like you because you are probably one of the worst examples of a black man. Think about it.”

  With that, I walked out the door, seeing Delilah wink at me for support.

  “Keep on talking,” Delilah could be heard saying to them. “Yall keep on. Right there where her daughter can hear it too so she knows. So she knows who came at her mama. Remember this day because I promise you, y'all will be the same ones to regret every word, every weak ass hit you threw at this woman while her child was present. You’ll regret it. All of you.”

  The door closed with Nevaeh sighing as she helped me down the stairs.

  “Why are you even bothering to help me?” I muttered without looking at her. Body aching so bad, I was afraid I would drop Violet any moment. “You don’t have to pity me. I know what I did was wrong, but----.”

  “My sisters, did the same thing to my husband some years ago….they went to the extreme to protect me, and my feelings because he made a mistake. All while putting a permanent strain on my relationship. Till this day, my husband makes sure to keep his respectable distance. I don’t blame him. Don’t even get me started on my brothers and male cousins...how they treated my husband. They make sure you know you will never be family. I’ve been keeping my distance for years...Since I moved out here.”

  I looked over at her as she smiled. Tucking a single loc behind her ear before gently patting the back of my daughter.

  “What you did...you did to protect your feelings and child. I understand that. Something they will never understand until they have kids of their own. Protect her energy and innocence by protecting your energy at all costs,” smiling as my daughter turned her head to look at her. “I’m Auntie Nay,” she gushed, tapping her nose. “You feel better now that Mommy is with you Violet?”

  Violet nodded, keeping a tight arm around my neck as I slowly smiled.

  “I’m Nevaeh Carter by the way. Middle child,” she spoke softly as she continued to rub Violet’s back. “I would love for her to meet my daughter. Less than a year apart I bet. Just us of course. I’m the best shot you got of having peace with this family anyway. You’re going to need an ally.”

  I glanced back at the door seeing they were staring through the screen as Delilah shoved the door open and walked out. Never in my short few years of knowing her have I seen her come close to tears but her eyes were bloodshot red, tongue shoved against her cheek in rage as she walked down the steps and towards Nevaeh, and I in a huddle.

  “Pia listen to me,” she spoke in a low voice. “I want you to go home. Lock all windows. Close all blinds. Make sure every sink is cut off---.”

  “I don’t want to hear your magic bullshit, and if he plans on breaking into my house. He doesn’t even know where I live or----.”

  “I already put a small bag of charged crystals in her pocket,” Nevaeh whispered as I turned over to look at Nevaeh fully with my daughter in my arms. They both looked back at the house before looking at each other.

  “That’s cute, but not nearly enough.” Delilah retorted only to stare at me with her cat-like eyes. “Do as I say until I come over----.”

  “What is----.”

  “Just!” She flipped in a tight voice before growing quiet with her tone. “Just do it Pia. They are about to lay a fucking trick on you to get to Violet. I know it. Protect your daughter, and do as I say until I can get back up.”

  I looked at Nevaeh who folded her lips inward with a worried expression. Delilah bent down to level with Violet as she chucked her chin.

  “Protect Mommy tittuh,” she whispered towards my child before turning back. “Hurry up, and go.”

  Nevaeh looked at me with a sheepish stare.

  “I can ride with you if you want. My husband can pick me up or I can ride back with Delilah,” she suggested as I started for my car. Not waiting to respond to the obvious answer as she followed behind me.

  It was time to answer to my side of the family now.

  …

  “What are you saying to me right now?” My mother asked as I sat on the couch facing my family. Face swollen worse than before. I could hardly look up, feeling the thick dark lump surrounding my eyes. Violet was asleep in her room, thankfully after a long night and even longer morning. I was face to face with my family ranging from my grandmother on my father’s side who scowled. Lower lip pressed high against the top in a snarl as she sat in the chair holding her purse close to her stomach. My brothers who continued to pace after having told the most dramatic story of how they met Homer Skye at the movies.

  My mother stood in front of me, looking down with her arms folded, and my boyfriend Deandre Phillips, tallest one in the room was in the kitchen trying to calm himself down. Lanky athletic frame having to duck every few minutes to make sure he didn’t hit the ceiling, glared at me with a shake of his head. My father, Howard Milton, who was quiet natured like me sat down by his mother, and just stared. No expression whatsoever. Round body carrying his weight the way I did, the way Violet was starting to, he blinked hard behind his glasses before looking away.

  “Did he do this to you, in front of your child?” My mother asked in a low voice.

  “Does it matter if he did it at all?” Piru retorted.

  “He didn’t lay a hand on me----.”

  “Tuh!” Dre laughed from the kitchen before slamming a cabinet shut. “Already defending him!”

  “I’m not defending anybody! I’m telling the truth! He didn’t lay a hand on me!”

  “He tried to last night at the movies,” Percy snitched, pushing his glasses up as he looked at our mother. “That’s why Piru, and I was fighting. He was trying to get to her and Violet. I don’t trust him around her or Violet----.”

  “So what? You just fell and bumped your head? Is that it? Hmmm?” My mom asked sarcastically, seeing the tears in her eyes. “The most disappointing child by far, Pia! BY FAR!”

  “Go ahead and say it!” I shouted angrily. “I’m your mistake baby! Everyone can’t be like precious Piru and Percy! Your precious boys! I’m the one you regret because I look like your husband who you hate so much! I know! You’ve been telling me and everyone else this my entire life!”

  “Well, then it shouldn’t hurt to hear it again!” She snapped. “How do you have the blueprints of my mistakes, and know what not to do and STILL MAKE THE EXACT SAME MISTAKE I DID!? Yes! I spent your entire life wi
shing you took after me! Looked like me in every way instead of your father! My only daughter and you come out like him, but make my mistakes! Same exact mistakes! I wanted you to be beyond perfect! Beyond me, and what I could ever be! You should be married! You should already have a family! A well put together family with children under a wedding band!”

  “I had my daughter the same way you had Piru----.”

  “No ma’am!” She laughed. “I told Piru’s father exactly what was happening every step of the way! He knew! My husband knew! I would NEVER! Lie on another life like that! Piru knew the moment he was born who his real father was! When you become a mother!? The moment you become a mother! Everything and I mean everything you do is for the sake of your children! You understand?! Your children come into this world innocent! They didn’t ask to be here, but you do your best to make sure they are loved, protected, and sheltered from harm!”

  “Oh like you did me?” I laughed with a shake of my head. “Like with me----.”

  “I did what I thought was best, as a mother. You obviously don’t understand that.”

  “Do you really want a man like that?! Who beats on women to be in Violet’s life, Mother?!” Percy asked incredulously. “Who gives a fuck what he wants!”

  “It doesn’t matter! There are ways to prevent him from being near Violet or Pia but he should have known! Everyone should have known including your daughter! You have Dre raising this child as his own, having him believe he’s the only father she will ever know! ARE YOU SERIOUS RIGHT NOW PIA?!”

  I remained quiet. Waiting for everyone to calm down before she spoke again.

  “It’s already embarrassing enough to have to explain to everyone where a fucking child came from----.”

  “As dark as she is,” Grandma Milton muttered as I cut my swollen eyes her way. It took everything in me not to say something but the look my father gave me was enough to keep me quiet.

  “Now that this man appeared out of nowhere after, what? After WHAT?! A car accident!? Shooting!? What other lies have you been telling people!?! Moved out of the country!? In the military!? War?! WHAT ELSE!” She shrieked with her hands in the air. “Embarrassing! My entire family is looked at as a joke! My siblings look at me as a joke!”

  “How do we explain the father coming into her life? Surely he’s going to want her last name changed, and try and take custody of Violet,” Grandma said as she looked to her son.

  “That’s not going to happen----.”

  “Everyone already has so many questions about Violet as it is, and now this piece of low life ghetto trash and his ghetto trash family appear!”

  “I don’t want any parts of this,” Grandmother suddenly decided as she slowly stood up with the help of my dad. “No parts. Washing my hands clean of this. Don’t bring that child around my house anymore. I’m not going through this again. First, my son raising a child that isn’t his, and now this. NOW THIS!” She coughed. “Don’t bring that little girl around my family, my,” pointing at herself. “Family anymore.”

  My mouth dropped while my mother gathered her things. My father who never said a word, hardly stood up for himself just followed behind.

  “Dad?” I pleaded, wishing for once he would stick up for me, for himself. Against his wife, and mother but he was a pushover. Always siding with them before his own children, and it showed when he kept on walking. Ignoring me completely. As he had always done.

  “I want nothing to do with this either. You’re on your own Pia,” my mother said, refusing to look at me. “You felt like you could handle this lie on your own, then continue to do so as the truth comes out.”

  The moment I heard that door slam shut to my apartment and the sound of my grandmother fussing at my mother, blaming everything on her for how I turned out, I sat back in the chair. Dre walked my family out, probably discussing when he was going to move forward with his life. I listened to the quiet lullaby trickle out of my daughter’s room until it slowly creaked open seeing Nevaeh walk out like an island Goddess with her beautiful hair hanging freely. Head hung low, clearing her throat awkwardly before coming to sit down on the plush dark brown couch across from me.

  Neither of us speaking at first as she picked at her nails. Locs falling down her face, she looked up at me.

  “Can’t believe I’m saying this, but your family may be worse than mine,” she said as we locked eyes before we both laughed at the irony just as the door locks could be heard clicking in place. I stood up ready for round three for the day before seeing Dre duck into the apartment with his things. Suitcase, and duffle bag strapped on his shoulder. His face said it all. Dark brown eyes hardened at the sight of me, jaw clenched with anger, pink lips tightly bound together but he dropped his stuff off and closed the door behind him with a lock. Even with a little bit of sun hitting his light complexion, he still looked like he’d been tanning for years when he walked into the main area to put his keys on the table. With a single sigh, he looked at me.

  “I thought you would----.”

  “Leave?” Cutting me off as Nevaeh quietly removed herself, and slipped into the kitchen like she was suddenly looking for her phone. “I should. For you to lie about something like that, there’s no telling what else you’re lying about Pia---.”

  “I----.”

  “I’m not done,” he stated. Rubbing the small light reddish-brown beard that never grew past a fade. Sprinkle of sandy brown freckles around his cheeks, his low cut brown hair only looked red when he stood in the sun for too long. “Did he put his hands on you?”

  “No,” I said, seeing Nevaeh was now watching me closely from the kitchen. “He never touched me, not from what I could remember----.”

  “Remember?”

  “I blacked out,” I said as he threw his hands in the air. “I don’t think it was from anyone purposely hitting----.” Fumbling on my words, already knowing I sound crazy. I remember the blow to my head, I just don’t remember it being a fist or who it came from for that matter. “I was caught up with his sisters, and it just turned into this massive fight----.”

  “What does he want with Violet?” He pressed as Nevaeh’s brows came together in confusion. “Does he want to be a part of her life or---.”

  “I believe so,” I said.

  Dre nodded his head before sitting down with a rub of his jaw. Like he was trying to make life-changing decisions all at once. Only to suddenly stand up to move towards the kitchen.

  “Come here so we can ice your face. Should bring the swelling down a little,” he said as my face began to burn, trying not to cry on the spot. Dre looked back at me with a shake of his head.

  “Yeah, I’m not going no damn where. Right here with you. Liar and all, I’m right here with you, and Violet. For now.”

  I wanted to say something, but thought better of it as I wiped my swollen face while Nevaeh cleared her throat, drawing attention to herself.

  “I’m Nevaeh,” extending her hand out. “Violet’s aunt on her dad’s side. He’s my brother,” she said in a soft tone as Dre looked at her as an afterthought. “I was there when everything happened. My sisters were the ones that attacked Pia. Not Homer. He’s not that kind of man to do anything like that.”

  “My name is Dre,” shaking her hand back as I sighed in relief. “If Homer wants to see about Violet or form a relationship with her, he needs to come through me first. Not Pia, but me. From this point on,” he stated as Nevaeh’s eyes nearly popped out of her head before looking at me. “His family made it clear she’s not welcomed so to prevent another incident from happening, tell him or anyone else in that family to bring it directly to me next time. I’ve been in Violet’s life since before she was born, and will be here long after. So let him know where I stand, and we can take it from there,” he threatened with a stern voice before walking out of the kitchen.

  Nevaeh and I exchanged looks before she spoke up.

  “If those two men meet each other-----.”

  “I know,” cutting her off. “I already
know.”

  Delilah Skye

  “Nigga is you crazy?”

  Michael pressed as I sat back on the couch, drained from this morning. My house was full of thick tension in the air that I couldn’t let out even if I opened a window. This was something that settled deep into the walls. Homer’s brother Michael Skye stood before me in his flashy button-up shirt with jeans, and gold-rimmed glasses. Nothing like the tall, statuesque handsome older brother Homer Skye. No, Michael was short. Average height at best with large eyes, and a country drawl with a hood twist to it. The Rich Homie Quan of South Carolina. Had more common sense than most in this family, and that’s why he, and I got along so well. Michael wasn’t with the dumb shit his family seemed to be on.

  “Why did you set all of this up? Hiding babies Delilah? That’s what we doing?” He hissed as we both glanced at the front screen door. Seeing his siblings outside in the yard talking to my better half Benjamin Moore. Didn’t even give him a chance to come in the house to hear my side of the story, the moment my boyfriend pulled up, they swarmed him.

  “You know like I know,” looking back at my cousin. “That Homer is meant to be with that girl---.”

  “Nigga I’m the one that told you that!” He snapped, sitting down beside me on the couch as we spoke in a low tone. “I told you I saw our ancestors sitting around her that day on the yard, tryna get my attention so Homer could come over. Nigga, I’m the one that told you that whole raggedy-ass motel room was lit when they was fucking. Don’t act all spiritual on me, I’m the one that knew from the start, but a baby? My nigga, a baby?”

  I didn’t say anything, just stared at my nails, jaw slowly rotating in thought.