One good reason, p.23
One Good Reason, page 23
“Come on, Mama. We need to get back to the house.”
“I ain’t going nowhere with you and this fool,” Gema spat and turned to walk away. When my mama reached out to grab her hand, I slapped it down.
“Put ya’ hands on her again and I’mma mop the floor with you.”
“Ma’am, unfortunately, she has to be released in her care.”
“I read the fucking paper. Give me a minute to get her shit!” I yelled.
Pushing past everyone, I walked down the hall to Gema room. She was seated on the side of the bed with her arms folded.
Kneeling on the ground in front of her, I grabbed her hand. “Gema, I don’t like this shit no more than you do but baby you gotta go.”
“I don’t got to go nowhere,” she protested.
“You do. If you don’t, I could go to jail, and you’ll still end up with her.”
“That girl… that girl,” she drawled.
“I know, Gema. I carry the same sentiments. And believe me, if it wasn’t for the sheriff standing right there, I would’ve made good on my threat.”
“Tell ‘em Tali. Tell ‘em what Joe Lee did. Maybe that’ll change their mind.”
Looking away from her, I shook my head as tears fell rapidly down my face. “We both know they won’t,” I blubbered.
“They might Tali.”
“No Gema, they won’t.”
“I don’t know why that child hates you so much, but the Lord don’t bless no vindictive soul.”
“She hates me because of what Joe Lee did to me. Gema I was five and she acts like I asked for it.”
Dropping my head in her lap, I sobbed. It was bad enough that I had to deal with my mama on account of Gema. But to have to look my abuser in the face was part of the fucking reason I was fucked up in the head.
My therapist had even suggested cutting my family off so I didn’t have to see him, but that shit was easier said than done. I never wanted to alienate Gema from her kids regardless of how fucked up they were. I didn’t believe her when she told me I would never heal until I cut all of them off but now, I knew the shit was true.
My mama knew exactly what she was doing. Her plan all alone had been to strip me of the one thing that kept me going, Gema. The minute they got her down there permanently, I wouldn’t be able to talk to her. Hell, I would be lucky enough to get an update on how she was doing. And I think that’s what was hurting me the most. I knew she was going to cut my access off. That shit was going to cripple me and I couldn’t function without Gema. How the fuck was I supposed to move around like she didn’t exist?
“Hush up now, Tali.” Gema ran her hand through my hair. “Clear yo’ face up before we go back out there. Don’t you dare sit there and let Litha see you accept defeat. That’s what she wants. If I gotta go with her until you can get this settled, then I’ll do that, but don’t you dare give her the satisfaction.”
“Gema, she’s taking you from me.”
“She ain’t taking shit. I got a phone and I know how to use it.”
“It won’t be the same.”
“It won’t but I also know it’s temporary.”
I could tell this was her way of trying to be strong for me. Gema knew just like I did that once she made it back to Warner Robins, shit was going to get real. But I understood her having to put on a brave face because only one of us could fall apart.
“Everything you need is in the box at the bank. You come get that and take it down to your attorney. Them discharge papers you got from the hospital; you take them too. Litha can’t prove I was abused so they gon’ realize she was grasping for straws. You understand me, Tali.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
After calming down, I packed enough of Gema’s stuff that she would need to be comfortable away from home. Before taking her back to the front, I ran upstairs and grabbed my favorite blanket off the foot of my bed and gave it to her. My number was already programmed on speed dial, and she knew how to use it. All I could do was hope they ain’t take the phone from her.
Gema wasn’t docile so if they thought she was going to go quietly they had another thing coming. My girl ain’t play the radio ‘bout me so I knew she was gon’ give they ass hell. We didn’t come out of her room until we were good and fucking ready. I refused to let Joe Lee help her to the car so I made sure to walk down the driveway. The closer we got to the car, the more that familiar feeling of something happening crept back up. I peeped around and saw the sheriff was standing to close to us for me to make a run for it.
Hell, even if he wasn’t, Gema’s ass was in no position to run either. Opening the back door, I waited for her to get in. Kneeling, I placed her purse in her lap and secured the seatbelt around her. “If that bitch makes one wrong move Gema, you call the police on her ass. Her or Joe Lee pedophile ass. You hear me?”
“I will Tali.”
“Good. Now give me a kiss so I can get these folks away from my house. The longer I look at my Mama, the more my trigger finger is itching and I ain’t’ trying to end up on the nightly news.”
Leaning up, I turned my head to the side so Gema could kiss me on the cheek. “I promise I’m coming for you Bertha Mae,” I avowed before rising and shutting the door.
I stood there and watched the sheriff pass Jalitha the stack of folded papers while she thanked him for assisting her today. Advancing on them, I got right in her face.
“You may have won this round, but bitch make no fucking mistakes. I’m coming for my grandmother and soon. You think that lil’ piece of paper did something. Just know I’mma make sure I ruin not only your life but that pedophile ass husband of yours. Papa Joe kept a lot of insurance. You must’ve forgotten that I hold the keys to everything.”
The way she gulped let me know my words had gotten to her. Drawing my arm back, I jumped like I was getting ready to sock her in the face. Her scary ass damn near fell on the ground.
“Scary ass bitch!” I spat and stepped around her. Lord knows I respected my elders, but Jalitha had pulled me out of character today. I would repent for calling her out of her name tonight when I said my prayers.
“Get the fuck out my driveway!” I yelled over my shoulder before going inside and slamming the door. When I rounded the corner into the living room, Mrs. Jessie was sitting on the couch rocking back and forth.
“Tali, I’m so sorry!”
“Mrs. Jessie, you do not have to apologize to me. I knew she was capable of pulling a stunt like this, I just didn’t think she would go to this length.”
“You know I would never put my hands on Bertha.”
“I know you wouldn’t, and I would never accuse you of doing so.” Plopping down on the couch, I sighed, “Mrs. Jessie, I’m so tired,” I admitted when my tears started flowing again.
“I know you are. Your mama so vindictive… it’s a wonder how she was able to prosper this far.”
“Umph,” I snorted.
The conversation I had with Law back in New York was roaming through my mind. I told him I was ready to send her back and the shit had unintentionally happened. I swore at that time I felt like it would be easier to do but the longer I sit here, the more I realized I was getting ready to ultimately fight for my fucking life. Before it was all over with, Gema would be back home with me and Mrs. Jessie.
CHAPTER 23
Lawton
Rushing through the door, I asked, “Where is she?”
When Mrs. Jessie called my phone earlier, I was upstate visiting with Preme. I hate that I wasn’t here when the shit went down. The whole ride back to the city, I felt helpless. I knew how much Tali loved Gema just like I knew how much Mrs. Jessie loved and cared for her. For Talitha’s mother to accuse them of abuse was absurd.
When Mrs. Jessie called me to tell me what had went down, she explained that at first she thought Talitha was okay, but she shortly realized that she wasn’t and figured she needed me.
“In there.” Mrs. Jessie tipped her head toward Gema’s bedroom.
“I got her,” I let her know. “You can go ahead and head home. Ain’t nothing we can do right now.”
“Take care of her for me, Law. She really needs you.”
“I got her,” I reassured and locked up after her when she left.
Sliding off my jacket, I pulled my phone out of the pocket and powered it off. On the way over here, I let Chari know I would be out of pocket for a while. I also had her reach out to Rossi to let him know not to expect Talitha in office for a few days. After kicking off my shoes, I walked into the room and found my baby wrapped up in Gema’s covers sleeping peacefully.
The way her face was puffy and her eyes was swollen, I knew she had cried herself to sleep. Gently pulling back the covers, I reached under her and hoisted her up from the bed. She stirred a little bit and without opening her eyes, her arms wrapped around my neck. She was fully dressed and hadn’t even come out of the shoes she wore to work.
Carrying her bridal style of out of the room, I held onto her as I walked us upstairs to her bedroom. “Talitha.” I nudged her. “I need you to sit on the side of the bed for me.”
When she nodded against my chest, I placed her down. Kneeling, I pulled off her shoes before rising and unfastening her pants. She lifted her hips just enough for me to be able to undress her. After I got them down her legs, I reached for the sweater and pulled it over her head, leaving her in her underwear and a spaghetti strapped cami.
Pulling back her covers, I patted the bed. “Lay back for me.”
Laying back, she shifted in the bed and rolled over placing her back to me. I pulled the covers back up over her and closed the blinds in her room. “Where is your phone?”
“I don’t know,” she mumbled hoarsely.
Walking out of the room, I descended the stairs and looked around the living room for her purse. Coming up empty handed, I swiped her car keys off the table and went outside to see if she had left it in the car. After unlocking the car door, I located her purse and phone sitting on the passenger seat. I grabbed everything and went back inside.
Instead of turning her phone off, I plugged it up on the nightstand beside the bed. “Have you eaten?”
“I’m not hungry.”
“You gotta eat, baby.”
The room got quiet for a moment and the next sound that boomed through the room was loud wails emitting from Talitha’s mouth. “Please don’t cry,” I begged. Rounding the bed, I slipped in beside her and grabbed her. Sitting back on my knees, I cradled her to my chest.
“She lied on Mrs. Jessie. She’s never even raised a hand at Gema. My Mama hates me so much that she would make up lies.”
“I know baby,” I sighed and rubbed her back. “We gone get everything worked out.”
“I hate her, Law. I’ve never hated anyone in my life cause Papa Joe told me God wouldn’t let me in Heaven with hate in my heart. But I hate her. I hate her cause she took Joe Lee word over mine when I told her he touched my private parts. I hate her cause she hates me. He wanted to leave her and she blamed me for it. I didn’t do anything.”
“Ssssshhhh. I know you didn’t.”
I don’t know if Talitha realized that she had let it slip that her mama’s husband was the one who touched her. I mean, I had my suspicions, but I wasn’t the type to put something on anyone without proof. Now that she’s verbalized it, I wholeheartedly believed he did that shit. All the more reason for me to get that muthafucka knocked off when we got Gema back in her care.
“Gema didn’t wanna go. She only gave in because I told her I would go to jail. I should’ve fought harder with them,” she sobbed. “Stupid bitch showed up with the sheriff cause her ass scary as fuck. And I know the rest of ‘em knew about it. I just talked to Betty Jo this morning. Her snaggle mouth ass didn’t say anything about it.” She sniffled. “When I take her to court, I’m taking all of them. I got enough proof to bury all they asses. I held off for Gema’s sake. Now. I just don’t give a fuck.”
“I know you don’t and that’s fine. You gotta do what you gotta do to get her back here.”
“And I’m going to do it by burying them. She tried to use that bruise on Gema’s back as a sign. Bitch had taken pictures of that shit and showed it to the judge. Had their stupid asses really investigated, they would’ve known what the cause was and that it wasn’t that serious.”
“Talking about the bruise from when she slipped?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s horrible.” I shook my head. I was here the night that shit happened. Gema slipped trying to reach for her bath towel. She was old and feeble, so Mrs. Jessie nor Talitha let her bath alone. Even with the built in railing in the shower they never took a chance. We took Bertha to WellStar, and she was cleared. They told us what to give her for the pain and that was it.
“She was being spiteful, but I got something for that ass… believe me.”
The whole time she spoke, she went through a range of emotions, at first, she was hysterical, now she was fighting mad. I couldn’t do shit but sit here and let her get all this shit off her chest. First thing in the morning, I was going to reach out to my attorney to see what could be done to reverse what her mama had did.
Eventually Talitha stopped venting and it wasn’t too long before she had fallen asleep in my arms. I held onto her as long as I could. When my stomach started growling, I laid her down and headed downstairs to find something for us to eat.
“Baby.” I nudged Talitha awake. “Sit up for me.” I knew she wouldn’t have much of an appetite so instead of ordering a full course meal, I settled on soup from Panera Bread.
Blowing on the spoon, I held it to her mouth. “Open up.”
Talitha rolled her eyes at me but opened her mouth so I could feed her. I know she wanted to fuss but she didn’t. She sat there with her arms folded and let me feed her until the bowl was empty. Grabbing the bottle of water from behind me, I opened and passed it to her so she could take a few sips. When she was done, I took the trash and placed it on her dresser.
“In the mood to shower?”
“Not really.” She shook her head and laid back down.
“That’s fine. You can get one in the morning.”
Going downstairs, I discarded the trash and hit the lights before making my way back upstairs. I had clothes at her house so after making sure she was good, I grabbed everything I needed and swaggered to the bathroom to shower.
When I made it back into the room, she was knocked out sleep. Getting in bed with her, I tugged her arm until she woke up long enough for me to pull her body on top of mine. I felt sorry for her, and I didn’t know what to say to make her feel better about the situation. Until I spoke with my lawyer, all I could do was be here for her. Everything else that we had going on would have to take a backseat until we could figure out our next steps.
“Nawl, Pop. She really ain’t doing too hot. I mean better than I expected, but I can barely keep her out of bed.” I explained.
Standing at the island in the kitchen, I sipped from the coffee mug while staring out the front window. Talitha and I had been held up in the house for the last forty-eight hours and outside of her getting out of bed to use the bathroom, I couldn’t get much out of her. My baby was hurting and knowing that there was nothing I could say or do to make her feel better had me really worried.
“Have you tried to reach out to her grandmother?”
“Yeah,” I sighed. “I called this morning. The phone going straight to voicemail, so they’ve either turned it off or blocked mine and Talitha’s number.”
“That shit ain’t right. You can’t just come uproot an elderly person like that.”
“I know. I thought about sending Drix and Preme out there to bring her back but I’m not trying to make it worse for her.”
“Yeah, that’ll be the wrong move. I’on know what to say Dutch. When you meeting with the lawyer?”
“She’s coming over today. Mrs. Jessie reached out to her and set-up the meeting since Talitha wasn’t feeling up to it.”
“That’s a start. I guess, hit me up when you find something out.”
“I will.”
“Is there anything you need me to do?”
“Nawl, Pop. Ain’t shit that can be done. I’mma reach out to Kovi and handle that for you. I haven’t forgotten, shit just got a little chaotic for the moment.”
“You good, Dutch. I know how shit works. Jrue being patient right now. As long as we can get the shit taken care of before the season starts, that’s all we’re concerned with.”
“Bet. I’ll hit you up later. I gotta call Drix and see where he is with my shit.”
“Aite Dutch.”
Hanging up the phone with Poppa, I dialed Drix. I put a call in to him and had him doing me a favor. The last time we spoke was over an hour ago when he let me know he was on the way.
“You good?” I asked when he picked up the phone.
“Yeah. Pulling up now.”
“Bet.” I hung up the phone and sat the mug down on the counter. Walking to the door, I unlocked it and pulled it opened. “This nigga,” I huffed when I saw Preme sliding out the passenger side of Drix truck. “Fuck you pick this nigga up at?” I asked when they were close enough to hear me.
“We were out handling business when you called,” Sincere shrugged. “Who house this is?” he asked and stepped around me to enter the door.
“My lady, nosey ass.” Shutting the door behind them, I led them to the living room. “You got my MacBook?” I asked Drix.
“Yeah. Chari said to call her when you get a free moment. I stopped by the school and chopped it up with Jose. I let him know I was gon’ be stepping in for y’all until shit on the home front get straightened out.”
“Thank you for that. Shits kind of been all over the place the last few days.”
“How is she doing?”
“Not good, Drix. She won’t come out the room for shit. I can barely get a few words out of her.”
“You still ain’t said who this her is,” Preme noted and sat down on the couch.
