Chapter 14
CHAPTER 14
MEKAYLA
“ Y ou comfortable, baby?”
“Yeah. Thanks.”
I was lying on Jacob’s couch, holding LaTee in my arms while he fixed us some ice cream. My nerves were frazzled. I didn’t care about what I saw. I just hated that LaTee had to be exposed to the shit. I slowly shook my head at the thought. I was gonna beat that bitch’s face in. She was fucking with the right ones today though. I thought Mercedes was bad. I felt sorry for Cassie. That woman literally hated her… her own flesh and blood. I didn’t understand that at all.
That shit triggered the fuck out of me, though. Mercedes and Keonshay had gotten into a couple of fights. Everything Mercedes did wasn’t to intentionally hurt us. She was the one that was hurting and didn’t know how to heal. I didn’t know what Shayla’s excuse was. She looked like she was dead on that floor. Jess was ruthless. I knew I liked her ass for a reason. I could have used somebody like her on my team back in the day. I was surprised at Cassie. She was kind of quiet in school, but she was the exact opposite now.
The doorbell rang as Jacob brought our ice cream to us in bowls. LaTee’s had sprinkles on it, and mine had chocolate syrup. I smiled at her as she tasted the first spoon. Although she was scared when shit popped off, she didn’t seem to be bothered now. I was grateful for that. When Jacob came back, he had his mother with him.
She smiled politely and sat next to LaTee. “Hi, Grandma Jen. I’m still thinking about something fabulous to call you.”
Mrs. Jenahra chuckled and hugged her. “Hey, sweetie. You okay?”
“Yes, ma’am. Are you?”
“Yes. I was just worried about you and your mom, along with our other guests. How long will y’all be out here?” Mrs. Jenahra asked, turning her attention to me.
“Until it starts to get dark.”
“Can I cook dinner for y’all?”
“No, ma’am. You have enough on your plate. There will be other times.”
She smiled at me and reached across LaTee for my hand. When I grabbed hers, she gave mine a squeeze. “I’m so sorry for what happened today. The Hendersons are loving people, but we aren’t pushovers. I’m too old for that sort of foolishness now. Tiffany almost is too. I’m pretty sure she’ll be soaking in Epsom Salt and rubbing down with Bengay tonight.”
She giggled as I smiled. After hugging LaTee, she stood, and I did too. I hugged her and she said, “I guess your welcome to the family was truly unforgettable.”
I gave her a one-sided smile. “Right.”
“I hope to see you again soon, baby.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
I sat back down to finish my ice cream. Jacob joined us with a huge bowl of ice cream, topped with sprinkles, chocolate syrup, and caramel. I slowly shook my head. “I’m glad we won’t be here when you have to pay for that.”
He stared at me, his lip twitching. When he finally bit the bottom one, I laughed. He was doing everything he could to hold in his laughter. “That’s okay. It’ll be worth it.”
I frowned and turned my lip up. “Daddy, can I taste yours?”
I couldn’t get over just how quickly she took to Jacob. Her calling him daddy frequently already had me in my feelings big time. Jacob’s words that he’d spoken when we got to the diner revisited me in this moment. He ended up having to back those words up quick as hell today. The way he rushed into the diner, found us, and shielded us from the drama, leaving himself open to whatever came, made the anger swirling inside of me take a break.
His mother and sister were both there, along with other members of his family, all of whom he’d known from birth, but LaTee and I were his first priorities… seemingly his only priorities. I didn’t see him check on anyone else while we were there.
When we got here, he’d made phone calls, but that was only after we were safe and comfortable. Mrs. Jen was right. I would never forget today. It marked the day that I chose to dive in completely. I looked over at Jacob and asked, “When would you like to meet my family?”
His eyebrows lifted. “For real? Whenever you want me to. I’m always available for you, baby.”
God! I wanted to hop his bones so bad right now. I nodded and finished my ice cream as LaTee did the same. “That was so good! Thank you!”
“You’re welcome, baby girl.”
I watched LaTee head to the kitchen with her bowl like she lived here, but I could see Jacob closing in the space between us in my peripheral. I turned to him and smiled. This man knew what it meant to love a woman. I still couldn’t believe he’d said it first. He slid his fingertips over my cheek, and just as he was about to lean in, the doorbell rang. He frowned then went to the door while I watched him.
I heard someone say, “Y’all ain’t doing shit since her daughter is here. Move out the way.”
I quickly recognized the voice of his Uncle Storm. I took a deep breath, trying to remember not to take this nigga so seriously. When he walked into the room, LaTee was coming back to the couch to sit with me. Her head fell back as she stared up at him. “Wow. You are so tall! Are you a basketball player?”
“Naw. I’m just the boss of Big City Nome, baby. I’m Uncle Storm.”
“Storm? Really? One of my teddy bears is named Storm.”
“I can promise you, I ain’t nothing like a teddy bear.”
I bit my bottom lip. He could say that shit again. LaTee frowned slightly then said, “You must be the mean one my mama told me about.”
He frowned and stared at me as I tried to stifle my giggle. He stooped a bit and grabbed her hand. “Let me school you on something, lil bit. People call me mean because I say what I mean and mean what I say. I’m honest. If they don’t want the truth, even if it hurts their feelings, they better not ever be around me.”
“What do you mean?”
“Okay. Let me give you an example. Your mother is also Jacob’s therapist. She was late for his appointment one time.”
LaTee glanced over at me as I slowly shook my head. She gave her attention back to him. “I was here when she got here and told her when I opened the door that she was late. She got all defensive and got an attitude because I spoke my mind. Then she left early!”
LaTee giggled at his animated face as he talked. He glanced at me as he stood up straight. I stood as well and walked over to him. “I’m sorry for being salty with you.”
“It’s okay. I learned you aren’t all that playful, so I’ll let you slide this time. Bet not be a next time though.”
I stared up at him and when I saw the smirk, I knew it was one of those joking moments. I slowly shook my head and said, “There won’t be, Mister Henderson.”
“Mister Henderson?” He slid his hand over his mouth. “So Jasper gets Uncle Jasper, but I get Mister Henderson?”
“Well, Uncle Jasper called me his niece. You haven’t.”
He slowly shook his head. “I swear, you gon’ be like a thorn in my flesh, huh? You better be glad I look at Jacob like my own son. Otherwise, you wouldn’t get away with that shit. I have a feeling we gon’ be like Martin and Pam around here.”
I chuckled and hugged him around his waist. When he leaned over and kissed the top of my head, I got a little overwhelmed. Being around so many positive men was new to me. Every man I’d ever been around had abused me in some way. This was so different but a welcomed difference.
“Aww, Mama, he’s not so mean,” LaTee said.
“No, he’s not. I guess it was a misunderstanding.”
“Yeah, but don’t get too comfortable because that nigga have his moments,” Jacob said.
He pushed Jacob in the head and said, “I just wanted to come check on y’all. Those people’s days are coming to an end.” He glanced down at LaTee and said, “We don’t have to worry about Shayla no more. Y’all asses rowdy as hell. Shy and Sidney ain’t gon’ ever get a break fooling with y’all. They are talking to Tiff and your sister now.”
Shayla was dead. This was some crazy shit. Three people in their family were dead, one by suicide and two by murder, because of them trying to come for the Hendersons. After Jacob killed that woman’s brother, I would have been done with fucking with them. They were like the people in a fighting scene in a movie. Like, how many asses you need to see somebody whup before you started believing they ain’t to be fucked with?
“How’s Cassie?”
“Honestly, I think she’s relieved. After the whole wedding incident, I think she just wanted her gone. I been wanted her ass out of here ever since that first stunt she pulled when the girls snatched her wig off.”
“I can’t say that I blame her. I just didn’t know if she was feeling sensitive about it now. I’m surprised they didn’t arrest Aunt Tiff.”
“The rodeo queen of Texas? They didn’t lay a finger on her hotheaded ass. You ain’t shit compared to her.”
Jacob laughed sarcastically as I sat watching their interaction.
“Well, I’m not gon’ take up too much of your time. Pam over there simmering now.”
I rolled my eyes and chuckled as he turned to head out. Suddenly, he stopped and said, “And call me Uncle Mayor like everybody else around here. Jacob’s sprung ass ain’t letting you go nowhere. Welcome to the family.”
He gave LaTee a wink then headed out. Jacob closed the door behind him as my phone rang. When I saw my mama’s number, I silenced it. I would call her back when I was on my way home. She probably didn’t want much of anything anyway. Jacob sat next to me, and I leaned against him as LaTee smiled.
“So Mama, when are we moving?” LaTee asked.
I looked up at Jacob to see him staring down at me, as if saying it was my decision. Looking back at LaTee, I said, “I don’t know, baby. I have to fulfill the terms of my lease agreement. So maybe after that.”
“Okay.”
She sat back on the couch and lay against me. It was like we were a family already. Jacob started flipping channels, looking for something to watch. My phone started ringing again. I pulled it from my pocket to see it was my mama again. I decided to answer this time. “Hello?”
“Hi, baby. Are you at home?”
“No, ma’am. I’m in Nome. Is everything okay?”
I could hear the tremble in her voice.
“I had to call the paramedics for your father. When I got to his house, he was on the floor grunting. He doesn’t look good, Mekayla.”
“Okay. We’re on our way. What hospital?”
“Saint Elizabeth.”
“Okay.”
After ending the call, Jacob stood and helped me from the couch. “Give me a few minutes, and I’ll go with y’all.”
Apparently, he could hear the conversation. LaTee stared at me, waiting to be filled in. “Grandpa Stacy is in the hospital.”
“I had a dream that he was walking up some stairs.”
“When?”
“Last night. I forgot about it until you said his name. He never stopped climbing stairs. He just disappeared.”
I frowned slightly. My baby was having a vision. God was showing her that my dad’s time was winding up. I closed my eyes and said a quick prayer, asking God for just a little more time. My prayer was somewhat selfish, because I wasn’t ready to let go. All I could think about was the time I didn’t get with him… the childhood I missed out on because he and Mercedes weren’t mentally ready to be parents.
I grabbed my purse and LaTee’s hand as I saw Jacob rejoining us. He gave me a slight smile and said, “Come on. We’ll go in my SUV.”
I followed him out to his garage, and he directed me to park my car inside. I did so as he helped LaTee into his vehicle. It felt like I was on autopilot. Because of my trauma history, I developed a habit of zoning out.
While I was sexually active at a young age, I mostly zoned out during the moment. It was a habit I developed when Jivoni’s dad violated me. Whenever something bothered me, I zoned out. I was happy I didn’t develop that specifically to cope with sex since that was where it originated. I wanted to believe that counseling had a lot to do with why that didn’t happen.
“Baby, you okay?”
I turned to see Jacob standing at my door. He’d opened it for me without me even noticing it. “Umm… yeah. Sorry.”
Before I could get out, he went to his haunches in front of me. His gaze pulled shit out of me that I’d planned to keep to myself without him saying a word.
“I’m just thinking of the childhood I missed out on. Now that Stacy is the father I always wanted him to be, God is taking him away. I should have been able to have fun as a kid, running through sprinklers, sliding on a Slip ’N Slide, playing keep away, or even hide and go seek. I didn’t get any of that. Keonshay was too busy being a mama, and I was too busy trying to act like the mama who didn’t know how to be one.”
I brought my hands to my face, and he gently pulled them away. “It’s okay to feel all of that. You don’t have to suppress it, baby.”
I nodded then glanced down at his knee. “It doesn’t hurt for you to be in that position?”
“A lil bit, but not as much as it used to,” he said as he stood.
“That’s good.”
He pulled me from my seat and hugged me then kissed my head. “Let’s get to the hospital.”
I nodded as a chill went through me. I had a feeling I was going to lose my father today. Accepting that was hard because of the seemingly wonderful person he’d become, but this only served as a reminder to cherish life and all that it had to offer. I needed to embrace Mercedes even more and thank God for the changes she’d made as well. I longed to have a positive relationship with her as a kid, and that longing didn’t go away as an adult. It was just reprioritized. LaTee took that number one spot.
Jacob helped me inside his SUV, and I could see LaTee staring at me from the back seat. I glanced at her and said, “I’m okay, baby. I just hate that Grandpa Stacy is sick.”
“I know. I just don’t like to see you sad. It makes me sad. I love you, Mama.”
“I love you too, sunshine.”
I closed my eyes for a moment as Jacob got inside. When he grabbed my hand, I opened them. He was definitely the man for me. He understood me in ways I couldn’t even explain. I could only attribute it to God’s faithfulness. He handpicked Jacob just for me. Although he was a couple of years younger, I felt like He created him with me in mind, knowing that I would need someone like him to continue this journey of life with.
I didn’t take that for granted, and I could only pray that I didn’t do something to make Jacob take that for granted either. Emotionally unstable Mekayla was toxic at best. That was still something I needed to get a handle on. Being that this emotion was bringing me back to my past and all the trauma I’d overcome, it made me weak and defensive at the same time. I lashed out at the people I loved the most. God, keep my mind and emotions in Your hands.