Chapter 1 #2
“What’s your opinion on that? I guess to me, I’d do everything I could before I passed up my own children. Not saying you aren’t deserving, but your dad would never hand Deontay his legacy.”
“That’s exactly what I was thinking. I don’t think Deontay would really bust a move if I agreed to take it over, but you know how people get when money is involved.”
“This is true. Are you planning to speak with your dad about this?”
“I am. I wanted to talk to you then I’ll bring it up to him when he calls. I didn’t plan to decide until I ran it past both of you.”
“I’m glad you did that. You’re your own man, but me and your dad are still here to guide you. You’ll never be too old for that,” she explained.
By now, I was starting to feel the effect of the tea. I was high as shit, but still felt good and energized.
“Momma, what you put in that tea?”
“A bunch of stems. It’s good ,right?” She laughed.
“It is. Did your husband call you yet?”
“He did. He calls as soon as they turn the phone on in the morning. Then countless times throughout the day. Sometimes, I feel like we talk so much it doesn’t even feel like he’s in jail. Feels more like a long-distance relationship.”
“You been okay, Ma? How you feelin’?” I questioned curiously.
Since my dad’s been away, a small part of my mother had been locked up with him.
It took a while before she was able to go about her daily life and be perfectly fine.
Every now and again I’d have to remind myself that my mother was experiencing a deep loss.
It was like grieving a person who was still breathing.
They could talk on the phone all day, but she couldn’t be the one to pick up the phone and call him.
She’d long stopped visiting my dad at the prison.
It wasn’t my mother’s idea, but it was for the best. She’d leave the prison after each visit more devastated than before.
My dad felt like it was setting her back and I agreed.
Six years into his sentence, my dad had my mother served with divorce papers.
She was so heartbroken that she ended up being hospitalized for malnutrition.
Once she was back home, she refused to sign the papers.
My dad told me on multiple occasions that it wasn’t fair for them to stay married.
He was serving a thirty-year sentence and wanted my mother to be free to move on.
Aside from sending money and making sure she was safe, there was nothing more he could offer the marriage.
My parents came to the agreement that my mother would be the one to initiate the divorce if that day ever came.
I knew it would never happen though. The love between them ran too deep for her to ever pull the plug.
I saw both sides, so I minded my business and let them do what made them happy. The situation was unfortunate, but my dad was a real one and I was always ten toes down when it came to him.
“I’m okay, sweetie. Just gets lonely around here sometimes. When your father was home, he always gave me a reason to complain.” She laughed.
The laugh she let out was filled with more sadness than anything. All she had to hold onto were old memories and it truly wasn’t fair.
“There were always clothes on the floor or something out of place. Now, there is no one here to clean behind. You’ve left long ago and so has your father. I miss what my life once was, but I’m grateful for what it is now. Things could be worse.”
“It’s gon’ be cool, Momma. I don’t know how, but we gon’ bring him home soon. I can feel it.”
“I’ve been holding on to the possibility of that since the day he went in. My faith is starting to dissipate and I’m wondering if I’ve been in over my head this whole time. It’s coming up on fourteen years and nothing has changed but the date.”
“What you sayin’, Momma? You breakin’ it off with Pops?”
“I don’t know what I’m saying, son. I feel like this one minute, then the next I feel something completely different.
I’m only venting. Please don’t go telling that man I’m divorcing him.
I don’t need him going through any more than he already is, especially if it’s a false alarm.
But anyway, I’ve been meaning to tell you I ran into Mia a little while ago.
She moved back to Gwendal a few months back. ”
Mia was my first love and ex-girlfriend.
We were together for years and I swore she was my forever.
That all changed two years ago when she decided to move across the country to pursue her modeling career.
Mia tried convincing me to follow her to New York, in hopes that it would give me a leg up in my own career, but it didn’t work out that way.
We tried the long-distance thing for a while, but it became tiring and inconsistent.
As straining as it was for me to hop on flights every weekend, I was willing to do it because I loved Mia.
One weekend, when I went to visit her, she asked me to get a pair of heels from her closet.
The heels just so happened to be in the same box as an ultrasound picture and a stack of papers.
It didn’t take me long to realize Mia had gotten an abortion.
She swore up and down the baby was mine, but that was something I’d never know the truth about.
When I asked why she got the procedure done, I got the answer I expected.
We were long distance and both focused on our careers.
That all was true, but for my seed I would’ve made some shit shake.
Since then, I had no desire to continue our relationship. Especially when I still felt like Mia was lying.
“Oh yeah? That’s what’s up. What she want with you?”
“Nothing much. She asked if she could come over and talk one day soon. Not that she needs to explain anything to me, but I don’t mind. We won’t make it a habit for her to come over, but I’m okay if she needs to get something off her chest,” my mother admitted.
“Well, that’s between y’all. I wish her well though. What’s up with the food though? What all you cook?” I questioned, intentionally changing the subject.
After listing everything she made, my mother made our plates and packed me a to-go plate.
Lynn Scott had always been a good cook. With me being high as a kite, I knew this plate wouldn’t stand a chance.
Since I had no other plans for the day, I watched a few episodes of Martin with my mother before I took all her trash out and made sure her alarm system was set.
The only reason I left was because I no longer had any equipment here.
I’d been meaning to get a small soundboard over here, that way I could stay over when she wanted me to.
The task kept slipping my mind, but I’d be sure to do that when I got home.
Before I was fully backed out of my mother’s driveway, Uncle Dennis was calling my phone. I wasn’t in the mood to talk about business, and for the first time in a while, I wanted to chill out and create with no interruptions.
“Shane? Do you have a minute?” he asked when I answered.
“I have a few. What’s up?”
“So, I know you haven’t given me an answer yet, but one of my loyal clients just made an appointment for Monday evening. Do you mind coming along with me to see the process? Home visits are a little different and I just want you to come along.”
Going down my mental rolodex for Monday, I came up empty and agreed to go. There was no harm in watching, and that appointment may help me with my decision.
“Ok. I can do that.”
“Okay, meet me at the office at six and we can roll together. Thank you for this, nephew. I really appreciate it.”
“No problem, Unc. I’ll see you later,” I said before ending the call.
Letting out a deep sigh, I turned my music up and drove the rest of the way home. This shit wasn’t about to stress me or ruin my weekend.