“Go on, and get ready Carol. We going out tonight,” he said. “Taking you out to eat.”
“Really?” Mama asked, shocked. Not bothering to hide her smile. “What happened with---.”
“Ain’t fooling with my sisters right now, they on that mess. So come on, just you and me. Ain’t got to be around family like that no way. Get on my damn nerves,” looking over at me holding Violet. “You coming Peanut?”
“Nope, Homer got her. He was just about to put her down for a nap,” Carol said with a wide grin as she got up to walk back inside. “My man taking me on a date! Oooo weee! What he tryna get into tonight?!”
“I’ma rub up on something before I fall asleep now!” He threw back, hearing her laugh as I cringed. Kenneth sat down on the steps as I held Violet close, rubbing her back. Neither of us talking at first until he let out a wad of spit.
“Yo aunties called me on the phone to complain about my wife again. She don’t let me do this, she won’t let me do that. Why she don’t wanna talk to nobody, like she too good? Soon as they start getting on her, I hang up, and shut down,” shaking his head. “All these years, seven kids, two grandbabies. They still got a problem with her, but what got me… Is when they started talking about that lil one right there,” pointing at me.
“Violet? They wouldn’t do that to my face.”
“Don’t even know the lil girl mama, and already starting up,” shaking his head.
“I don’t care if they talk about Pia,” I laughed. “I’ll be right there with them agreeing.”
Kenneth stared at me for a second, an expression I couldn’t read before he nodded. Moments like this, I couldn’t stand. It seemed like I would say something that would cause him to look at me as if I wasn’t his son in the first place, despite looking exactly like him. He treated me like I wasn’t of his blood, and before I could call him out on it, Carol walked out with her purse. Fully dressed with light makeup on, and earrings, she put her hand on her husband’s shoulder for him to turn around as he gawked. She wore regular clothes, but he treated her like it was lingerie.
“Been mine, and stay fine!” He let out as she laughed. “Ain’t neva stood a chance with you city girl.”
“Still don’t,” rolling her neck as she walked by. “Homer get her in the house before she catch’ a cold. I got some food in the fridge wrapped up if you want it. Everybody will probably be over later on tonight. Has Pia called? It’s almost three thirty.”
I reached for my phone with one hand, and peeked over Violet’s body to see the screen. No missed calls, no texts, nothing. Not from anybody.
“I haven’t heard from her.”
“Oh,” she let out, lower lip poked out as she looked at her husband. “That’s different.”
“Be afraid,” Kenneth said with a clap on my shoulder. “I’ma pray for you.”
“Stop scaring him,” she laughed as I started for the house, ready to be away from the two.
“When that girl wake up, you better have her mama on the phone!” Kenneth warned.
I heard what they were saying. I know I did, but the moment I put Violet to sleep in my old bed with the door closed, I went through my phone. Checking the messages from Pia, last sent. I checked my Facebook, and Instagram, and it was nothing. Last picture Pia ever posted was a picture of a dog with the caption, bring your pet to work day. That was last week sometime.
Maybe she knew, and didn’t care, but why wouldn’t she say something? Let me know something, anything?
“Hello?” Tucker answered as I plopped down on the couch in the living room.
“Where y'all at?”
“Ominaya and I are coming back from the store. Are you at your parent’s house? Have you heard from Pia?”
“I’m here at they house now. They went out for the rest of the evening, but I’m on baby duty,” looking out the screen door, seeing a black truck pull up. “Somebody just pulled up though.”
“We’re heading that way now. I think the rest are making their way over.”
“Aight,” I said with a smile, glad to have the attention shift back to this house, but the black SUV stayed on with the dark tinted windows shading my view. I got up, ready to check whoever it was that came until I saw Delilah step out of the passenger side with her locs hanging halfway down her back. She wore a long sleeve dress that reached her ankles, and showed her small baby bump.
“Hey dear cousin of mine,” she greeted dryly, reaching in the back seat for her bags while Ben stepped out in mid conversation with his hair pulled back in small braids, holey ass jeans he looked like he ripped himself around the knees, and a red shirt that looked two sizes too small.
Bum nigga. Didn’t like him. Niggas acted like he was the coolest thing walking in South Carolina, but in turn he looked down on people out here like he was better than everybody. I couldn’t stand him.
“How thoughtful of you Homer, so kind of you to help,” Delilah said as I took the bags from her hand with a glare at Ben.
“Mann how you doing cousin? How’s fatherhood treating ya?” He asked in a friendly tone before pointing with a sarcastic laugh. “That’s right, we’on fuck with each other.”
“Ben,” Delilah cut in with a sharp tone. “Do not start.”
“I ain’t said nothing he wasn’t already thinking.”
“I don’t fuck with you so leave me alone or I’ma show you just how much I don’t fuck with you---.”
“You ain’t finna do shit but stare, and growl lil mutt monkey face ass nigguh---.”
“Both of y'all stop it!”
“He’s just mad because he ain’t the top dog out here when I come out. When the attention ain’t on Homer, he don’t know how to act. Can tell you was raised around pussy----.”
“I said stop it!” Delilah snapped with me seconds away from handling him. “I’m pregnant, and you’re stressing me out! Stop it! Homer, he’s right. You seek attention and validation like a bitch, and Ben just shut the fuck up. Not everybody need to hear your honest remarks---.”
“Why don’t y'all turn around and go somewhere else---.”
“I came to say hey to Aunt Carol, and for Ben to see Uncle Kenny---.”
“They not here,” dropping her bag on the ground before turning to walk off. Just in time to see my daughter tugging at her pullup by the screen door with small whines as she tried to open the door.
“Who is that?” Delilah asked from behind me. “Whose child is that?”
“My daughter,” I said, realizing this might be the straw to fuck everything up. Delilah had no idea which means Pia hasn’t spoken to her.
“Is Pia here?”
I ignored the question, and walked up to the door to open, seeing a teary eyed Violet.
“Mommy?” She called out to me before looking around, and tugging at her pullup. “Mommy?”
“You need to go potty?” I asked, but she tried looking out the screen door, knowing the root has officially worn off. I started to close the door when Delilah shoved her way in the house, eyes wide in panic as she looked around.
“Please tell me Pia is here or knows her daughter is here, and is okay with it? That y'all two worked it out---.”
“Why I gotta---?”
“Violet, where is Mommy? Where’s PeePee?” Delilah asked, bending down as Violet began to rub her eyes with tears coming down.
“Why you tryna make her cry!?” I snapped. “She’s not here!”
Violet let out the loudest scream as Delilah’s mouth dropped towards me, eyes wide as saucers while scooping Violet up.
“Are you SERIOUS?! Does Pia know she’s here?!”
“I was about to call her,” I stammered. “You just pulled up when I was…”
“HOMER?!”
“She ain’t called or texted me! She not checking for her!”
“Oh my God, and she’s gonna think I had something to do with it! I would NEVER TELL YOU TO KIDNAP A DAMN CHILD AND I BET YOUR SISTERS HELPED TOO. YOU TOO DUMB TO DO THIS ON YOUR OWN! Vio
let, Violet shhhh shhhh,” she cooed, trying to calm my daughter down who was looking around. “Has she been crying this entire time for her?!”
“No! You the one that brought all that to her! She ain’t cried till you showed up talking about her mama! Pia ain’t even checkin for her!”
“Because you put a f’n root on her,” she gritted through her teeth, looking at Violet’s mouth. “That’s why she was calling me all week, and I…”
“What’s going on? Ain’t that Pia’s lil girl?” Ben asked, walking into the house. “I didn’t know Pia was coming here.”
“She’s not!” Delilah yelled as she took her around the corner to the hallway bathroom. “Homer kidnapped his own child, making Violet lose all memory of her own mother! What type of sick shit are you on?!”
The crying grew worse, hearing Violet scream out for Pia as I sat down on the couch, mouth tight in anger. Chest throbbing with a nervous heart as my phone began to sweat in my hand with me trying to think.
Why hasn’t Pia called?
Why the fuck hasn’t she called or texted me yet? She had to know at this point! She had to know something was up!
“You stole yo own kid?” Ben asked with a low whistle as he slouched down on the other couch across from me. “I ain’t gon bother you none bruh. Any man that can do that without fear of how the mother will react got to be on some next level crazy. You may kill me in my sleep one of these days, and say you was sleep walking---.”
“Shut the fuck up!” I snapped as he threw his hands in the air in feigned surrender. Part of me wanted to scream at my own damn self to calm down because the more I stared at this phone, the more I wondered why she hasn’t called. The more panic was starting to set in as I looked at Ben.
Violet’s screams for Pia grew even louder, echoing throughout the house as he scratched his head.
“Pia ain’t called you?” He asked. “Asked about where her daughter is?”
“No, not even a text.”
“Shssssssst,” sucking air through the side of his teeth. “A silent woman is a mad woman. My mama always told me that, but if Piru get here first and find out you got that lil girl here without her mama? Matter of fact, lemme see where he at,” pulling out his phone as I heard tires crumble against dirt. I looked out the screen door seeing multiple cars pulling up with music blasting as I stood up.
“Is that Piru?” Ben asked, hearing.
“Nah, it's everybody else,” getting up. “When does he pull up?”
“Lemme see,” holding his phone out as it started to ring.
“Hello?” A deep voice came through as Ben held it out for me to speak first. I already had it out with her brothers before. There wasn’t going to be a second time, and not with my family who will jump in.
“Yeah, where you at? I’m out here in this country ass shit,” Ben said, standing up as car doors slammed shut in the yard.
“We coming in late tonight, early morning. I’m not trying to fight any traffic.”
“You talk to Pia?” He asked with me watching, and hanging on to every second of this conversation. Ben was fucking with me, thinking it was funny but something told me he wasn’t gonna outright snitch.
“No, I’m going to check on her when I get back, and see what the hell is wrong with her with all these calls.”
Ben, and I exchanged identical looks before he nodded.
“Aight man, I’ma let you go. Call me when you get on the road, and when you get here.”
“Aight.”
I wiped my face down as the cries grew louder with Delilah coming down the hallway with Violet in hand.
“Pia isn’t answering her phone,” she said. “I’m going to keep trying, but she’s not picking up.”
“Oh she know,” Ben said, putting his phone down. “She already know what’s up. Piru said she’s been calling him back to back. You know she don’t call them niggas for nothing unless she has to.”
“Hey hey! Cousin, what’s up man?!” Roderick laughed as he came up on the porch with the rest of the family behind him. “I heard you got a lil mini me? Where she at?”
The worst timing in the world was taking place right here in the house when all the cousins, friends of the family, and uncles, and aunts started to come back. Using my parents’ large yard as the meeting point, and parking lot. Everyone was hovering over a crying Violet, attempting to pass her around from one arm to the other. Trying to calm her down, and keep her from crying but the more she looked around, terrified of where she was, the more I began to feel regret.
I pulled out my phone found the courage to send Pia a message, hoping she would call me so I could ease my nerves.
Let me explain Pia. Call me. Please.
She’s okay, and safe.
Minutes went by with no response before I started to flood our message thread, and attempted to call her.
None of this would have happened if you would have just agreed to let me get her or came down with her.
She’s asking for you.
Please call me.
I’m sorry. I should have went about this a different way.
Pia?
Can you call so your daughter can see your face or hear your voice?
I GET IT! You can be mad!
Go ghost like I did on you, but this is still your daughter!
She’s crying for you! ANSWER THIS FUCKING PHONE!
I looked up at Violet who was squirming to get out of my uncle’s hold when I looked out the screen door seeing more cars pulling up.
Shit! Pia answer this damn phone!
Motherly Advice
Pia Milton
“Hello?” I answered in the parking lot of my daughter’s school on the verge of having a heart attack. I never felt my body almost give out and go into overdrive until they told me my daughter was never checked in this morning. I barely made it to my car when I received a phone call from a South Carolina number I knew wasn’t Homer, but immediately answered it.
“Pia? Is this Pia Milton?” A woman’s voice answered. There was a trace of someone from up north, but her drawl wasn’t mistaken, she lived in the south, and probably for a while.
“This is she,” looking around the car as I tried to keep from crying. “Who is this? Wh---?”
“I’m Homer’s mother Carol Skye, and we have your daughter,” she said as my body turned into mush in the seat. I kneeled over on the wheel, and tried not to cry on this phone like a whimp but I couldn’t help it.
“Ohh my God!” I cried. “I just… I was just in the school a few minutes ago, and they told me she never…” I sniffed, pulling myself together. “Oh my God.”
“She’s been here since last night. I thought Homer would have told you, but I see he didn’t have the courage to call you so I got your number from his phone, and wanted to ease your worries. You did a beautiful job raising her. Very polite baby girl, we were out there snapping string beans on the porch and she was just going along with it, talking and talking like we’ve been best friends for years. Very well spoken for her age. I’m really amazed at that. My husband and her were sitting there talking about colors, and how she doesn’t like blue because everyone likes blue.”
“That’s her,” I cried with a laugh. “She can be a nightmare sometimes, but that’s my coco bean. What’s your address, I’m coming to get---.”
“Hold on now, lemme talk to you first,” she cut in. “Now… I don’t like what you did. Holding this girl to yourself without telling anyone. Unforgivable, but you’re young and we all make mistakes so although I don’t understand it? I’m not going to question it. What’s done is done. I want you to know, and hear it from me? They put a root on your child.”
“A what?” I flipped. “What is---.”
“Lord,” she sighed tiredly. “Kenneth turn here, don’t park there. It’s no shade… A root,” focusing back on me. “They put something on your daughter that would make her forget about you, and only focus on Homer, and everyone else she’s familiar with. Him,
and his sisters did that. It won’t last by the end of today---.”
“Is it painful? Did they hurt---.”
“This is something they put on her without having to see her. The only person it hurts is you, the mother. I would know because my husband’s sisters did the same thing to me with Homer. I say that to say this… Listen to me, and listen good. This family… Kenneth I’m coming! Damn! Let me talk to the girl first!” She suddenly snapped. “The fuck?!”
I wiped around my eyes, and sat up, hearing the New York clearly come out of her in that moment.
“My husband is so damn annoying sometimes. Look, you need to know this family will drive you crazy. I have seven kids, and two grandbabies and I’m still not accepted. I’ve been through everything you can think of with my husband’s sisters, and I see now? You’re about to go through the same with Homer’s sisters.”
“I’m not trying to be with Homer or---.”
“It doesn’t matter. If they sense you’re weak, or too strong, they will eat you alive. You hear me? They tried knocking me down, and I’m not going to lie? They got me a few times to leave, but my husband finally put his foot down. Now these fat bitches just talk under they breath, and occasionally try, and play nice but I’m not buying it. You? You’re already a target simply for hiding this baby, and it's out of wedlock… It ain’t something they should look down on because half these girls popping kids out with no man of their own, but it is what it is. When you come up here, you need to make your first impression your best impression so it's your last, and only impression, you understand? If my husband thought kidnapping my child would get him a slap on the wrist or a screaming match? He got another thing coming, I would straight up kill him. When you get up here Pia? I don’t know who you are or what you’re like, but leave all that crying shit at the door, hold your chin up high. Handle your business, grab your daughter, and be out. Set the tone for how you want to be treated from this point on. You hear?”
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