Chapter 17
October
Halloween
It was a little after four, and the stores were packed with last-minute shoppers trying to get candy to pass out for Halloween and the remnants of costumes for trick-or-treating or parties. I headed out of the grocery store with the items for tonight’s dinner.
I didn’t plan much, but I would throw a steak on the grill with Mexican street corn and a Caesar salad.
I was supposed to be with my baby, handing out candy tonight, but that wasn’t going to happen.
She had been excited for Auburn’s first Halloween because the last two, she had been too little to go trick-or-treating.
I went back and forth about what I had been planning for the last four days since Terence Wilson showed up. I had tried to talk myself out of doing it, but I knew in my heart that, although Autumn wouldn’t agree, it was for the best.
It was the only shot that I had of securing my family again. And hell yeah, they were my family. I didn’t give a damn about what anybody said or how little time had gone by. They were mine, and I was going to get them back.
Twelve minutes after leaving the grocery store, I pulled into the lot of Mac’s Fleet Trucking Company.
I had rolled up on that nigga’s house because he lived in the same house he’d lived in for the last ten years.
I visited his wife, Eniya, and told her what had gone down and how he was trying to get Autumn back.
I also told her that I wanted him to sign the papers to give up his parental rights, and she was too quick to tell me where I could find him and when.
Apparently, while he was sitting in Autumn’s face, his wife thought he was already on the road.
He had told her he’d gotten a DNA test, and the baby wasn’t his.
He swore Autumn was no longer in his life.
She told me that he was expected back this evening, and I wanted to be there when that nigga arrived.
I sat in my car and went through my social media for fifteen minutes before my sister called me.
“Aye, wassup, Kember.”
“That’s what I was hoping you would tell me. I talked to Polo, and he told me he visited you, and you all but kicked him out of your shop,” my sister stated.
“Did he tell you why?”
“He said that he came to visit to see about you and Kevin making up.”
“And there’s nothing I need to talk to Kevin about.”
“I know that, and you know that, but it was for Empiria’s sake.”
My jaw clenched. “I’m not trying to have that conversation, Kember.”
“Li’l bro, I know that it’s a difficult one for you to have, but that’s the only way that you’re going to be healed.
You need to confront your past in order to let some things go.
Your present and future will always be murky as long as that shadow is hanging over them.
If you do nothing else, let them both know how you truly feel. ”
“You don’t think that they do?”
“I’m not sure what they do and don’t know in the middle of an ass whupping.
It might help if you have another discussion that looks different after thirteen years.
You’ve grown and matured, and though you may still hurt and have unforgiveness and resentment, you’re not in the same place you were all those years ago. ”
I sighed. “I’ve got other things that are occupying my mind right now.”
“Yes. What’s this I hear about you’ve got another child? Who’s the girl?”
“Y’all will find that out in time. Right now, I need to get off this phone. I’ve got some business to handle,” I explained as my eyes narrowed, and my voice dropped.
“Don’t go getting into any trouble, October. I can hear the change in your tone, and it sounds extremely dangerous.”
“I’m good. You don’t need to worry about me,” I declared.
“Okay. I love you.”
“Love you too.”
“And O, just consider having a conversation with my twin.”
“Bye, Kember.” I hung up the phone without further discussion and opened an app. I pressed the buttons to start the app before I slid my phone into my pocket.
Reaching inside the glove compartment, I grabbed some papers and jumped out of my car before he could turn around and see me.
One of the workers at the truck stop was going over some paperwork with him as I slowly strode up to him. Both men turned around to see me at the same time. The man who had been going over the papers paused briefly and stared at me.
Wilson froze and looked at me before a smirk turned his lips up. “The hell you doin’ here?” he asked.
I shoved the papers at him. “You need to sign these.”
“I’m not signing shit. What’s this?” he asked, frowning at the papers.
“It’s an affidavit of parental rights relinquishment.”
“What?”
“It’s your opportunity to sign away rights to Auburn Summer.”
“Summer? I didn’t know that was her middle name.”
“Because you don’t give a shit about her. The only thing you care about is getting close to Autumn.”
“I’m not signing that. You’ve got me messed up, man.”
“You are going to sign it, and you’re not going to waste another minute doing it.”
“What the hell am I getting out of this? How much are you willing to pay me to walk away?”
“Pay you to walk away from your own damn kid? You ain’t ’bout shit.”
“Whatever. So, what’s it gonna be? I’m not taking anything less than ten figures.”
“Do you want to be in her life or not?”
“I’m not trying to pay for another jit. But damn, I won’t lie. Autumn’s pussy was sweet.”
The papers flew from my hand as I hit him in the mouth, not once but three times, until he fell to the ground. I dropped down, straddled him, and then I beat the shit out of him.
I heard feet running behind me, but I didn’t care as I continued pounding his face in. Hands tugged at me, and it took several seconds before I finally gave in to the pull. I jerked away from them, picked up the papers, and threw them down at him. “Sign the muthafuckin’ papers!” I demanded.
Wilson rolled onto his side and spat blood out.
“You okay?” one of the men asked Wilson.
“Fuck you,” Wilson replied in a hoarse voice.
I turned to the first man who had the clipboard. “Give him that damn pen and clipboard so that he can sign those papers.”
“Fuck you, October,” he grunted. “I want some money, and I’ll gladly sign those papers.”
“Sign the gahdamn papers, Terence, before nobody can keep me off your ass!” I kicked him in the side, and he curled up. I took the clipboard from the first man’s hand and grabbed the papers off the ground. Once I’d secured them to the clipboard, I tossed it onto his chest.
He coughed and spat out some blood before he snatched the clipboard off his chest. He sat up, signed the papers, and threw the clipboard on the ground.
I snatched it up, kicked him one final time, and turned away from him. Before I could walk away, he grumbled. “Fuck that ho and her bastard child!”
I turned back around and glanced at the two men. They waved their hand at him dismissively and shook their heads. I kicked him in the head and beat his ass again.
I headed back home, happy that I’d gotten the papers signed but sad that Autumn still wasn’t taking my calls or text messages.
Once I’d gotten home, I showered and changed into some sweats and a T-shirt. I grabbed two large bowls and filled them with the candy I’d bought earlier in the day and then headed out back to fire up my grill. The back door was opened, and I could see straight through to the front door.
I placed two seasoned steaks and two Mexican corns onto the grill and headed back inside to prepare my salad.
The doorbell rang while I was cutting my vegetables.
I walked to the front door to find SpongeBob, Daphne, Princess Tiana, Lola Bunny, and Bugs Bunny at my door.
I grabbed the first large bowl of candy.
“Trick-or-treat!” the kids called out in unison.
I grabbed large handfuls of candy and placed them in their buckets.
“What do you say?” A couple of mothers and a father stood in my yard at a distance, watching their kids.
“Thank you,” the kids called out.
“You’re welcome. Have fun.”
They turned to walk away, and I stood there a moment longer. I saw a heavyset woman pushing a stroller down the street in my direction. I rushed out onto my porch and stared with my heart racing. The closer she came, my shoulders dropped upon recognizing that it wasn’t Autumn and Auburn.
I stood there and watched as she walked up into my yard, and I realized she had a toddler with her dressed as one of the Power Rangers. I gave him a handful of candy and watched sorrowfully as they walked away.
Unwillingly, my head turned to the left, and I glanced at Autumn’s door.
The pumpkin that I’d made sat on the doorstep, sadly unlit and looking lonely.
I glanced down at the pumpkin she had made sitting on my porch, and I kicked the shit out of that pumpkin until it splattered all over the sidewalk, a mess, just like me.