Chapter 4 #2
“Did you have to work late?” Averi asks as she scoops the strawberry icing off her cupcake with her finger.
“Yes, baby,” I lie.
Dr. Morris is a great boss and he believes in work-life balance.
It’s rare that I ever have to stay late in the dental office.
The truth is too much for me to stomach.
I definitely will not share my true whereabouts with my baby.
She doesn’t need to know that people have the audacity to believe her nana caused the accident and took her own life.
That shit is heart wrenching enough for me and I can’t handle seeing my babies cry.
“We were okay though,” she says.
“Yeah. Miss Brown is nice,” Romi adds.
“She really is. We are going to take cupcakes for her and your class Friday.”
“What about my class?” Averi asks with a slight pout.
If I do for one, I have to do for the other. The only day that the equality rules don’t apply is on their birthdays, but even then, I cave and usually get the other one a little something to.
“I’ll ask Mrs. Waters, and if she says yes, we’ll get some for your class too,” I tell Averi and a huge smile spreads across her face.
Seeing her smile and Romi’s as they enjoy their cupcakes loosens the tightness in my chest that formed as soon as Miss Brown called. My babies are my world, my everything, and I never want to disappoint them.
Growing up, I never doubted my mother’s love and support and that feeling is the best. She worked hard to make sure I never wanted for anything but she played just as much.
We would spend days at the beach, have breakfast picnics in the living room, and spend Sundays on her sofa bingeing Lifetime movies and talking about everything and nothing. It was our time to enjoy each other.
When I had my own children, I knew I would love them just as fiercely as my mother loved me.
Her loving them too was just an added, amazing bonus.
Rush’s mother, Erleen, barely acknowledges them.
Her contempt for me prevents her from reaching out to her granddaughters.
In her mind, I abandoned her sorry ass son so she’s abandoning them.
However, because of my mom, they never missed out on a grandmother’s love, until now.
The ringing of my cell pulls me from my thoughts so I grab it out of my pocket. My face frowns when I see the name. It’s Rushmore’s cousin, Kita. The last time we even exchanged words was the day he had been sentenced five years ago. Against my best judgement, I answer.
“Hello.”
“Hey,” she responds, dry as hell.
“What’s up?” I ask, getting to the point since she isn’t.
“I’m calling about Rush. He needs his money and he told me to get at you,” she says and I laugh.
“His money? I don’t have a penny of his money,” I say, then put my phone on mute to talk to my babies.
“I’m gonna stand right there. Don’t move.
” I slide out of the booth and step away from our table, not far, just a few feet so they can’t hear my words.
Then I unmute and get back to Kita. When I unmute, I hear her talking.
“Adora, did you hear what the fuck I said?” She has the nerve to say with too much force.
“Did you hear what the fuck I said. I don’t have shit of his. Hell, I didn’t even know he had any damn money,” I snap back.
“You’ve always been a bitch,” she hisses.
“I’ll take that, pooh. Proudly,” I say and I hear her suck her teeth. “If that’s all, I need to go.”
“So you’re not going to give me the money for him?” she asks and I have to look at my phone to double check and make sure it is in fact still unmuted.
My words were clear as rain, but to be extra clear, I repeat them. “No, because I don’t have anything of his, definitely not money.” Before she can utter another word, I end the call, place my phone on vibrate, then step back to my babies.
“Miss Toussaint will be out in a few minutes. You can have a seat,” the receptionist says.
“Miss Toussaint?” I ask, confused and surprised. Toussaint is the lady who let me cry on her shoulder last week. “I’ve been dealing with a different agent, William Morris.”
“I know but Miss Toussaint took over the policy. She’ll be out momentarily,” the receptionist says, so I shrug then sit on the sofa to wait.
On Friday, William called and told me the investigation was complete and he needed me to come in today.
He would not tell me anything over the phone so I’ve been anxious as hell for the last five days.
Thankfully, my boss, Dr. Morris, has been super supportive through all of this and allowed me to take today off to come in.
As I wait, my phone rings and it’s another one of Rush’s annoying family members, his cousin Cherelle. His family runs deep and I swear he’s had all of them hitting my line about money every day, and every day, I tell them the same damn thing. I don’t have his money!
It’s unbelievable that Rush has really convinced them that after five years, I have some of his money. The little two grand he had when he was sentenced is long gone. One thousand was put on his books, and the other, I used for our daughters. That money was depleted in less than two months.
After staring at the screen for a minute, I decide not to answer Cherelle and send her to voicemail. Seconds later, she sends a text.
Cherelle: It’s Cherelle. Call me it’s important.
I just shake my head as I read it but that’s it.
I don’t bother to respond. It’s Wednesday and the girls have a scheduled video visit with him.
The one on Sunday and Tuesday were cancelled by the facility and they asked about the visit this morning when I dropped them off.
Inevitably, he and I will talk and I will most definitely check him about this money shit.
“Miss Toussaint will see you now,” the receptionist says and I stand.
I walk toward the door to the offices and she buzzes me in.
When she does, I open the door and Miss Toussaint is standing in the hall.
She has that same warm smile on her face and it instantly relieves my anxiousness.
I only pray her news is as pleasant as she is.
Honestly, I won’t be able to handle anything bad.
“Happy hump day,” she says with an outstretched arm.
“I hope it is,” I respond as I shake her hand.
“I think it will be. Follow me. My office is at the end,” she says.
When she turns and walks down the hall, I follow. We enter a huge office, twice the size of William’s. Her card did say senior agent. I guess senior means big ass office.
“We can sit at my desk or here,” she says while waving her hand toward the elegant sitting area. There’s a laptop and coffee mug on the table. It’s obvious she prefers here so I choose it.
“Here is fine,” I say.
We both sit on the sofa and she speaks first. “I’m sure you’re surprised to see me and not William,” she begins and I nod. “After you left last week, I inquired about you. I found out he was handling your loved one’s policy.”
“My mother,” I correct her.
“Yes, your mother. My sincerest condolences to you and your family. Losing a loved one is never easy and the aftermath is no better. This is why we pride ourselves on not adding stress. Now, we are bound by rules, policy, and procedures, so we have guidelines and requirements.”
“I understand that but he was adamant that my mom would actually do something like…” I begin but my words crack. It’s so hard to say that shit out loud.
“I’m aware. That’s why I took over the policy and got with the investigators.
The police report says accident. The medical report and death certificate say cardiac arrest. There’s nothing concrete or official that counters that.
Beliefs, assumptions, and guesses aren’t official.
We are going to pay out the policy,” she says.
It feels like a thousand pounds are lifted off me and my eyes tear up instantly. It was an accident. My mother would never do that to me and my girls. He was wrong as hell.
“Oh God! Thank you so much. I knew it. I just knew it,” I say as I wipe my tears. She grabs the tissue box on the table and passes it to me. I remove two tissues and blot my eyes and cheeks. “Thank you.”
“Of course. We have to do what’s right,” she says.
She reaches under the laptop and removes a manila folder.
She opens it and hands me a piece of paper.
“We offer different payment options. You can choose the lump sum, regular payments over a specified period, or we offer asset accounts, where you can write checks against the funds. Which do you prefer?”
“The lump sum. My mom clearly wanted me and my girls to have it all.”
“Just so we are clear, you would still get it all with the other options,” she says.
“I’m aware. No offense, besides you, I’m over this place and would be good if I never have to come here again.”
“I understand,” she says with a smile. While pointing toward the paper, she adds, “Initial here by lump sum then sign at the bottom.” She grabs a pen and gives it to me. I initial and sign then she signs it. “You will have to come one more time to pick up your certified check.”
“I can do that. How long does it take?”
“Typically, two to three business days. Since it’s late afternoon, I’ll say Monday, but you’ll get an email when it’s available for pick up.”
“Perfect. Thank you so much again, for everything.”
“Of course. We sistas have to stick together.”
“I know that’s right. Can I hug you?”
“Of course,” she says and we embrace.
I’m truly grateful to her for everything. Comforting me the other day and taking over this policy and vindicating my mom means so much to me. I will always be grateful to her for both.
Feeling light, relieved, and less stressed than I have in weeks, I leave her office in a great mood. Since it’s only one and the girls aren’t out of school until three-thirty, I decide to stop by and surprise Kandi. I need to let her know the good news.