Hoodwinked

by Desiree Granger

  “I understand,” I said in a monotone voice, mind wandering towards Homer Skye.

  “If I had a chance to do this all over again, I would go about this completely different. The women in this family are fighters in every sense, and I’m a fighter too. So I’ll throw it as good as I got. I pulled a gun to one of them, and they left me alone ever since. Only talk shit when I’m not in the room, but at least they smile in my face now,” she laughed. “My daughters are the same, if not worse so please, set the tone. This is my advice to you as a woman on the outside of the Skye family.”

  “Is Violet… Is she okay?”

  “Homer got her sleeping at the house now. My husband said by the time she wakes up or next time she opens her eyes, she’s gonna know you’re not there, and start looking for you. Root done wore off so come on, and get her. It’s gonna be a get together at my house tonight so everyone will be there. Stay for the night if you want so you don’t have to take that drive back, but remember, set the tone Pia Milton…”

  It was all I needed to hear. Carol Skye did me a big favor by calling me earlier today. Now I stood in the rest area bathroom mirror, eyeing myself. I wore an off the shoulder black long sleeve maxi dress that hugged my body down to the ankles. My small black sneakers and black smart watch gave me a sleek look like I was on a mission.

  “A mission to be sexy,” I said into the mirror, turning to the side with a smile before scrunching my hair up just to let it fall loose. Someone had to look close to see I was crying halfway through the drive before finally finding my confidence.

  I felt good.

  Violet was safe, and despite being mad and pissed just thinking about the fact that this man stole my child? I was okay! Honestly!

  “How do I look?” I asked out loud before looking at the screen on my phone seeing Deandre turn into the screen with his red beard taking up the bottom half of the camera. Freckled face, and nose close up on the lens, he tilted his chin up like he was looking me over.

  “Baby you look good, where are you going?” He asked. “Are you in a bathroom?”

  “I am. Taking a solo trip to get my mind right,” I said, taking the phone. “Handle some things, and come back ready for a new start. I think I finally found my confidence, my true confidence about myself.”

  “You’ve always been confident babe, ever since I’ve known you,” he laughed. I smiled, walking out of the public restroom, and could see the sun had already set. Sky was illuminating a bright blue like the sun was just behind the clouds on the other side. “Let me see that dress again?”

  I laughed before holding the camera out to show him the dress, turning to the side before awkwardly pulling the phone back as people walked by, looking sideways at me.

  “You need to wear that for me when I get back on Sunday,” he said with a lick of his lips.

  “I really don’t need to wear anything,” I muttered, hearing him laugh.

  “Quit while you're ahead woman, you know I’ll whip this thing right on out---.”

  “Dre!” I laughed, quickly getting in the rental car. “Babe behave. I haven’t always been confident.”

  “You have though. You’re confident, you got a sexiness about you that not many women can carry. It’s never forced, you just are. You’re in a class all on your own Pia. You’re badass. When pushed to your limit, you don’t take no shit from anybody, and I love that about you. I love that you have a sweet personality. I think you tolerate too much, but I know you… I know when you get to that point, you’ll snap. Just wish you wouldn’t bottle everything up.”

  “I can’t help it,” I said, looking down at my lap before starting the car. “But you’re right. I do snap after a certain point.”

  “You know I spoke to your mother the other day. I’m still trying to get her to talk to you, but you know she’s stubborn, like you. She asked me when I was going to pop the question.”

  My eyes grew wide as I looked down at my phone, seeing he was all smiles before he held a small black box in his hand. I gasped, clasping my mouth with both hands.

  “Dre?” I cried with a trembling voice.

  “I’m not asking you now, not like this but when I get back home. I want you to know that I’m not going anywhere so answer me now so I don’t look like a fool---.”

  “Yes!” I cried. “I’ll be your wife---.”

  “And I’ll ask when Violet is with you if she will take me as her stepfather. I guess she wouldn’t know what that means, but I still want to do it the right way.”

  Small voice in my head was nagging the moment he said stepfather, but I ignored it as I leaned back in the seat with the widest grin.

  “I cannot believe I’m about to do this again,” I laughed, thinking about my first sham of an engagement that thankfully didn’t make it to the big day.

  “Your first was an asshole, everybody knows that,” looking away from the camera as he nodded. “Baby I gotta go. I’ll call you tomorrow morning when I wake up.”

  “Are we engaged Dre? Are we basically---.”

  “We are,” he laughed as I screamed. “Go do whatever it is you need to do. Find yourself or handle business. Both of us can start fresh, and use this weekend to get our shit together. When we see each other Sunday, we got a wedding to start planning, family to tell, and a new life to prepare for. Love you baby.”

  “Love you more,” I squealed, hearing him laugh as we hung up. First person I wanted to tell so badly was Delilah because was essentially going to be my maid of honor, but then I remembered. She was probably in on my daughter being taken in the first place. I took my time getting out here, and instead of taking my DO NOT DISTURB off my phone, I put Pandora on, and smiled the rest of the way. Following the GPS just in the outskirts of Charleston, South Carolina.

  I thought, maybe. Just maybe! I could be in a good mood the entire way, but just a few minutes from the address, I allowed messages and notifications to flow through as I eyed the series of messages from Homer basically attempting to go off on me for not responding to his calls or texts.

  “The NERVE!” I laughed out loud, sitting up on the seat. “The NERVE! Me not answer your calls!? You put some, some… Spell! Some tree branch or dirt on my child!? You think?! You think I’m!?” Hand to my chest as I stopped at the red light talking to myself. “I’m going to call you!? Huh!? I’ll come see you! I’ll do you one better and come see you Homer Skye! That’s what I’ll do! HA!”

  I flipped my hair back from my shoulder and glanced at the car beside me. The driver looking at me with a crooked confused expression. Probably thought I was talking to myself, and not on the phone. Flipping my hair back, I faced forward and kept going. Redlight or not. I continued forward until I came up on the back streets, passing house after house ranging in size, and noticed the row of cars. The throbbing beat of music in the nearby distance until I saw lights, smelled smoke, and alcohol.

  There it is… My daughter was held up in a house with all of this going on, and I know I smelled more than cigarettes or charcoal smoke. The more I realized what she was surrounded by, the more I felt my nerves take a back seat, and my anger step forward. Parking further down gave me the chance to slowly walk up along the curb of the street, passing car after car. Seeing young girls locked with boys, while little boys came running past, laughing after one another in a chase. I pulled my dress down, stomach sucked in as I walked forward towards the house, hips swaying with each step, eyeing everyone in pure disgust. Never would have my daughter around people like this, and the closer I got to the house, the older the faces got as women twice my age looked me up, and down. The men praised me.

  “Who is she?” One muttered. “She ain’t no kin to nobody---.”

  No the fuck I’m not.

  “Ooohhh my lawd, somebody get a look at this one. Who she belong to?!” An older man yelled as I stopped at the porch step, seeing the single light above and noticed a woman sitting on a rocking chair with a plate in her lap. Small beady eyes, and a short stature, she looked
at me with her brows coming in before smiling.

  “Pia?” She asked, getting up with a laugh.

  “Where’s your son?” I asked politely, recognizing her accent. The only one that didn’t talk backwards like they had a mouth full of ice they were crunching on. She was so shocked that it was me in the first place, that she couldn’t speak so I asked again. “Homer Skye? Is he here?”

  “That’s that lil girl mama?”

  “Yeah you can tell she used to be a fat girl,” another let out as I swallowed whatever I was about to say in that moment. My anger was reserved for one person only. The rest didn’t matter.

  Carol smiled while nudging towards the house for me to follow.

  “HOMER?! PIA IS HERE TO GET VIOLET!”

  I followed her inside the small home, stepping over ankles, and feet lining up with the TV as the older men watching a game all watched me. I spotted Homer with a tilt of my head, seeing he was in the kitchen eating, but I couldn’t ignore the smell of alcohol and weed in the house.

  “Homer?! Nigga you did that! Gah damn!”

  I stepped into the kitchen, seeing Homer in the corner by the back door, shirtless as always wearing jeans, and bare feet looking like claws. In the middle of holding up a spoon to his mouth with a plate in his hand, he immediately began to explain himself at the sight of me.

  “Pia, listen to me. Before you---.”

  “Before I what?” I asked, looking around the small kitchen before walking to the sink to wash my hands. My heart was racing so bad, with a trembling hand, I grabbed the handle of a cast iron skillet.

  “Pia? PIA!?” He screeched as I yanked it out of the sink, and before he could get to the door to pull open, I ran up on him and side swiped the side of his head with a clonk! Homer fell back against the small glass breakfast table, causing everything to collapse on top of him with his plate of food being the last thing to hit the floor. Everyone in the house reacted with people rushing towards the kitchen, hearing the loud crash and thud of a body hitting the floor.

  “Homer?!”

  My chest was heaving when I dropped the skillet. Trembling while looking around full of rage and adrenaline. I could hardly think or see when I reached back in the sink, hand going through numerous plates, glasses, and bowls before grabbing a small knife, and walking the hell out. Just in case I had to fight my way out of this house with my child, I was ready.

  “She done knocked this nigga the fuck out!” Someone yelled, but I was already out of the kitchen, not caring if he was dead or alive when I saw Delilah walk out of the hallway with my daughter sleeping on her shoulder.

  “I had nothing to do with this,” she mouthed, looking sincere. “I promise you. I gave her something to calm her down, and put her to sleep.”

  “Did she eat?” I asked, pulling her pajama top down, but she rushed me forward. I started for the door, stepping over the same feet and ankles. Delilah kept close behind me as she reached to open the screen door to let me out first.

  “Boi wake up! Wake up! Yo baby mama knocked yo ass out cold for a second! H--hold on! Homer?!”

  I was down the steps, refusing to look back. Only forward as people parted like the sea for me to walk by. Even his sisters who stood on the side said nothing until I heard Homer’s voice.

  “Pia?!” He croaked. “PIA?!”

  I looked back seeing Homer stumble out of the house with his mother behind him, trying to keep him steady. He attempted to stagger down the steps only to fall flat on his face on the ground, hearing everyone in the front yard go Oooooo!

  “Homer?!” One of his sisters cried as she, and a few others rushed to his aide.

  “Whatever that nigga had to drink, I’on want none of that. Don’t put that bullshit in my drank!” Someone yelled from the side of the porch. “I ain’t sipping it!”

  “EVER IN YOUR LIFE HOMER! DON’T YOU EVER IN YOUR FUCKING MISERABLE LIFE DO THAT TO MY CHILD AGAIN!” I cried before looking at his sisters. “ALL OF YOU!”

  His mother practically stepped over her own son and came rushing up towards me with a hand against my back.

  “Keep moving,” she whispered. “Don’t let them see you cry, just keep going.”

  “Ma?! Let her go!” Trinity yelled. “MA?! MOVE! LEMME----!”

  “Let you what?!” I yelled back, turning around before looking at Delilah. “Hold her---.”

  “Pia do not make a fool of yourself----.”

  “Just go, you’ve done enough----. TRINITY?!” Carol screamed as her daughter ran up from behind her while I shoved my daughter towards Delilah, expecting her to take her when Trinity moved her mother to the side, and attempted to run up on me when I held the knife up. Arm shaking, mouth quivering, eyes full of gushing tears. She stopped by the grace of this fucking knife ready to lodge into her throat, and held her hands up while the rest of the family moved back.

  “I SWEAR I WILL DO ANYTHING TO PROTECT MY DAUGHTER! WHATEVER IT TAKES! TRY ME!” I screamed, looking her in the eyes as she raised her chin up slowly. “ALL OF YOU HAD NO RIGHT! NO FUCKING RIGHT DOING WHAT YOU DID TO MY DAUGHTER! PARTAKING IN KIDNAPPING HER! YOU STOLE MY CHILD AND TOOK HER ACROSS STATE LINES WITHOUT TELLING ME! I HAD TO GO TO HER SCHOOL! TRUSTING HOMER WOULD DROP HER OFF ONLY TO HEAR THEM SAY SHE WAS NEVER BROUGHT IN! Do you…. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT’S THAT’S LIKE TO HEAR?! MY HEART! My fucking heart!” I cried as Trinity’s eyes began to swell with lingering tears that would probably never fall. I didn’t want them to. “You-you put whatever! Magic! Bullshit! Spell!” I spat. “Whatever to make her forget about me, and that’s…” I choked in a teary release. “You can hate me, fight me all you want for lying about Violet, but leave her out of my mistake! You take that out on me, not her! SO FIGHT ME! COME AT ME! ANY OF YOU!” I yelled towards the entire family that watched, and waited. I could hear the muttering talks of calling an ambulance because Homer wasn’t waking up, and slowly but surely, common sense was attempting to seep in.

  “Pia?” Delilah called calmly behind me as she grabbed my arm. “Pia? Come on. You need to calm down.”

  “Somebody call the police,” I heard another voice say. “Homer ain’t waking up---.”

  I could see Carol’s eyes grow wide, looking back at her son before looking at me, mouthing leave. Now. Maybe out of anger for what I did or protection for what could possibly happen if I stayed. I dropped my arm from Trinity’s neck, and turned around with Delilah walking close behind me.

  “And I dare any one of you Skye fucks come and follow or show up at my house,” Delilah threatened. “She made her point. Leave her child alone. That goes for you Caroline Carpetmuncher Skye! Anybody come at her, they coming at me! Anybody coming at me already know who the fuck they gotta answer to, and you know Vivian Skye’s drunk ass will get to work on that tainted soul!”

  “That’s right baby girl!” Delilah’s mom yelled out with her slur, raising her drink in the air. “I don’t know what’s going on, and don’t care! Leave my babies alone before I get to work on that asssssss!” She sang before laughing. “What the hell is happening right now? Everyone’s so quiet. I have a date tonight I need to get ready for.”

  “Somebody call an ambulance!” Carol yelled as Delilah moved me forward.

  “Go, hurry up and move Pia. Don’t look back. Drop the knife, and go before my mama get on my damn nerves.”

  “I didn’t mean to---.”

  “Doesn’t matter, just keep moving,” she said as we walked along the curb.

  …

  “She won’t know you’re here, and probably won’t care,” Delilah spoke as we walked quietly up the creaking stairs of the old Victorian style home. I could hear jazz playing from one bedroom, seeing a bright red light underneath shine across the dark hallway. Violet was still asleep in my arms when we disappeared into another dark bedroom until Delilah flicked the lights on. I looked around in awe at the decorations from scarves that swooped down from the ceiling with a ray of bright colors to posters that decorated the wall like an imaginative t
eenage girl. I looked back at Delilah who dropped my things down along with hers before she nodded.

  “It’s my old room, yes. Nobody will bother you here because people are afraid to come in here,” she said in a dull tone.

  “You were a child once? I can’t believe it,” I said, looking around the dresser at her brush, and comb. Bracelets, and dolls to nail polish, and old makeup. The mirror attached to it had a black sheet over it, and I started to reach for it when she stopped me.

  “Never have a mirror facing your bed or in your bedroom,” she said. “It will give people a peek into your life, and make it easier for them to put something bad on you. Either take it away or keep it covered at all times. I never got around to taking it apart, and my mom would have killed me if I did so, I covered it. Only unveil it when you’re ready for reflection, and judgement.”

  “You were so young,” I said, eyeing the small hair bows and barrettes scattered on the dresser. “Almost like she never touched this room ever again since you left.”

  “I moved to New Jersey in my teens to stay with my father, and came here during the summer.”