45. Four
Four
Igot out of the shower, dried off, put on lotion, then threw on a pair of ball shorts. After I put on my bracelet, I tossed my towel in the basket by the door and walked out of the room. I planned to cook breakfast, spend time with my family, then make some moves.
“We need to talk,” Cori said. I turned to see her sitting on the floor, near the end of the bed. I hadn’t noticed her because the lights were off. The track lights on the floor provided enough light that the room wasn’t completely dark. “I didn’t forget.”
“I didn’t think you would,” I replied. I leaned against the wall and crossed my arms.
The back of her head rested against the foot of the bed, and a ghost of a smile pulled at her lips. She was so damn pretty. “You hoped I would, though,” she laughed softly.
“Yeah,” I answered. “You want to do it here or in the kitchen while I cook?”
“Here.” She patted the floor next to her.
I pushed off the wall, then sat down next to her on the floor.
Cori put her hand out, palm up, and I gave her my hand.
She interlaced our fingers, then rested them on her thigh.
She took a deep breath then slowly released it.
She turned to look at me, and I noticed her eyes were filled with tears.
“Have you noticed I don’t have any friends? ”
“Yeah,” I answered with a nod.
“You ever wonder why?”
“Yeah.”
“I had one, a few years ago. We met while I was in college. We were total opposites. She was outgoing, liked to be around people, looking for her next come up because she swore she was meant to be a stay-at-home wife to a millionaire. She was only going to college so her daddy wouldn’t cut her off, but now that I think about it.
I feel like he already had. She worked at a bar, was always hustling a new man, or at least trying to.
” She turned back to look at the ceiling.
“Anyway, I told her that I got the grant and she was excited for me. Said she wanted to celebrate me and begged me to come to her job and have some drinks. I’d done it a few times, nothing crazy though.
Hell, I didn’t even drink; I only ever had water.
” She used her free hand to wipe her tears.
“Anyway, because of some scheduling conflicts, it took us a few weeks to get together. We finally did, and like any other time, it was just me at her place at the bar, her working and coming to check on me every once in a while. It was never anything to rave home about, but it wasn’t a bad experience either.
The last time I saw her, she um…” she stopped talking and took another deep breath.
“She insisted I drink my water before I left. I didn’t even think twice about it.
Just downed the little bit of water then left.
I was good until I got to my car, then I was damn near on my head.
I was hot, stomach in knots, throwing up.
She popped up out of nowhere; I didn’t think twice about it.
She said I left my purse or something like that; I don’t completely remember.
Anyway, she saw I wasn’t feeling well and insisted on taking me home.
I was too gone to really object, plus I felt like shit. ”
“She didn’t take you home?” I asked, and Cori shook her head.
“Nope,” she laughed softly. “She took me to her boss's house, one I’d never seen before. She said his house was closer; we could crash there for the night. Again I felt like shit, could barely stay awake. She helped me into the house and I laid on the couch. I remember her talking; I don’t even remember what she was saying.
Just her talking, then the door opened.” Her hand started to shake.
“You don’t have to say anything else.”
“Yes, I do,” Cori replied. “You need to know because it’s not fair that you don’t. You need to know if this is what you want to deal with. If you can handle it.”
I would handle any and everything when it came to her and Judah. Nothing she could tell me would have me walking away from them. “Cori-“
“I remember asking her if she drugged me, and she said yes. There was no remorse in her eyes or voice. The next thing I remember is four sets of footsteps entering the room. I didn’t see everyone’s face, but I remember their shoes.
I remember the sound of their walk when they came into the room.
I remember the feel of dread that sank into my heart.
I was too weak to fight, to stop what was going to happen to me, but damn if I didn’t want to try.
To keep some part of me intact. I’d gone through enough, lost enough, enough was taken from me.
I was starting to be happy. And this was happening.
I couldn’t wrap my mind around why it was happening to me. I think I fought. I swear I do.”
“That wasn’t your fault,” I told her. “The shit with Robert, our childhood and that night. That wasn’t your fault.”
“You can't tell me it’s not and expect me to believe it.” She turned her face back to me and searched my eyes. “That’s not realistic.”
“One of the men in the room is Judah’s daddy?” I asked already knowing the answer. I nodded, then wiped my hand over my face. “And the friend? Where the fuck is she? Because I don’t typically touch women, but there are exceptions to every rule.”
“It wasn’t just four people who walked into the house, Uri,” she replied. “There were five. The last thing I remember before everything went black was Robert’s voice and his touch on my face.”
“What?” I looked at her. “Robert was there? In the house? He was there?”
“Yeah, and when I woke up the next day, alone in an empty house I laid on the floor and cried for what felt like hours. I laid there, alone, in so much pain and an empty feeling inside of me. He told me over and over again that I would never get away from him. That he would and could come and get me when he wanted to. I believed him as a kid because he proved it by killing my parents. I should’ve believed him as an adult, too.
Because as soon as I got an ounce of happiness, he came back to prove that he wasn’t far. ”
“Wait, Cori.” I let go of her hand and stood.
“Robert let them niggas…” I stopped talking and started pacing.
My head was spinning. I knew Robert was ruthless, knew he would do anything, and knew he was capable of all kinds of shit.
I knew firsthand, experienced it, but as fucked as it sounded, he didn’t let niggas touch Cori.
He was too obsessed with her even to fathom the idea of another nigga touching her.
“He let them…” I couldn’t get the word rape out.
“I don’t think so,” she said. I stopped pacing to see that she’d stood.
She nervously licked her lips, and her hand went to the bottom of her shirt.
“Umm, as I laid there crying, I wasn’t just crying at the thought of what happened to me.
My stomach burned, mentally and physically.
” She lifted her shirt, and my stomach dropped.
There on the left side of her stomach was my family crest.
“H-h-h-h-h-h-he bra-a-a-a-a-branded you?” I stared at the healed brand on her stomach. My hand shook as I touched it. Her stomach flinched as my fingers traced the lines. “C-c-c-c…” I stopped talking and just stared at the brand.
“Uri,” she said softly, and I looked up to see her tears falling freely from her eyes. “I don’t know for sure, but I think Judah is Robert’s son.” My hand fell away from her stomach. “I’m so sorry.”
I pulled her to me; she buried her face in my chest and cried.
The screams she’d been holding onto for years finally fell from her lips.
Tears from when she was a little girl to adulthood freely fell.
Her body shook from pain, anger, and hopelessness, all finally being felt.
I don’t know how long we stood there, but eventually we ended up back on the floor.
Her in my lap, asleep but still crying. Her tight grip on my arm never let up.
It was like she feared letting me go. But I wasn’t going anywhere.
I would be by her side for the rest of my life and beyond.
***
“What’s up, big man?” I said to Judah when I walked into the kitchen.
He sat at the island, a bowl of cereal in front of him and his iPad next to it.
He looked up at me and smiled. I searched his face, trying to see if I could see Robert anywhere in his features.
I didn’t; he still looked like Cori to me.
The only thing that wasn’t her was his eyes. They were a light brown color.
“Hey Four,” he replied after chewing his food. “You sleep good?”
“I did,” I chuckled. I got a bowl from the cabinet and poured a bowl of cereal.
“I was going to make you breakfast, but I guess I overslept.” I hadn’t been asleep; I was more so watching his mama sleep.
She finally stopped crying in her sleep after a few hours but didn’t let me go.
When she woke up a little bit ago, she went to the bathroom, closing and locking the door behind her.
I was going to give her a little space for now, but we weren’t done talking.
I wanted to know all the information about the niggas that came with Robert. “That’s on me; I got you tomorrow.”
“It’s alright,” he said, shrugging. “I’m good with cereal. And tomorrow you can't cook breakfast.”
“Why not?” I asked as I ate. “I thought you said my cooking wasn’t bad.”
“It’s not,” he laughed and shook his head. “But tomorrow I have to be at church early.”
“Why?” I asked. “What’s going on at church?”
“We are practicing for our next performance with Krude. Something with the Black Excellence group,” he answered with a shrug. “Krude is in charge of the children’s choir.”