Chapter 12
I felt like a whole new woman after the spa visit with Devin.
He had no idea how bad I needed a moment to just relax and have a carefree day. I hadn’t had a massage in so long. The hair and head massage was absolutely the best part. I ended up falling asleep as they catered to me. This was what pregnancy should feel like, not the constant stress I was enduring.
The most surprising thing about all of it was the package delivered to my door the day after. I wasn’t expecting anything, so I was curious about what it was. When I opened the box, there was nothing but stacks of twenties and a handwritten note.
Pay your people and keep your peace of mind,
Smoke D.
I could have shit myself seeing that. I’d immediately called him to thank him and protest such a gesture, but he wouldn’t have it. He told me if I didn’t accept it, he was going to walk in there and personally pay the staff and make a scene about it. Safe to say, I accepted his kindness, immediately thinking of how I would repay him.
A couple days had gone by, and I was still in a pretty decent mood. It had been quiet around here since Patrick finally got what he wanted. In the week that he made me close down the shop, I had been there every night to let him in. As soon as the sun went down, he was calling me. One night, he had some strange guy meet us there. He wouldn’t let me in the basement, but I could hear what sounded like construction going on down there. When I snuck in the next day, there was a door I didn’t even know existed behind the brick wall.
There was a huge padlock on it that looked brand new, and I didn’t have a key, so there was no way for me to get inside. I was afraid to ask what was behind the door, but I didn’t like not having access to a room in a building I paid for. Everything in me told me that was where he was storing everything. Patrick gave me strict instructions not to have them moved. He told me there would be peace as long as I followed his orders. While I tried not to be the skeptic, I knew it wouldn’t last.
“Knock, knock!”
I looked up from my computer to see Laurel standing at my door.
“You leaving soon?” she asked.
“Yeah, in a few. I’m just submitting an inventory order, and then I’ll be on my way.”
“You want me to wait around for you?” she asked, tapping away on her phone.
I shook my head. “No, I’m okay. I won’t be long.”
“Okay. Well, everybody is gone, so I’m gonna lock up out front. I know you like to leave out the back.”
“Thanks. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“See you.”
She left the office, and I refocused my attention. It was nearing six, and I was due for dinner with my family about six thirty, so I had to hurry up. It took me another ten minutes before I was done. Gathering my things, I shut off the lights and headed for the back entrance where my car was parked.
When I opened the door, I was met with a cloud of smoke that threw me into a coughing fit. When the smoke cleared, I came face to face with Patrick and another man I’d never met, holding a duffel bag. He pushed me aside and stepped into the building.
“Come open this basement.”
“Patrick, please. I don’t want to do this. Why can’t you just take what you already have here and leave? I have children. One of them being yours?—”
“Bitch, I don’t give a fuck about none of that shit. I don’t want this little bastard. I’ll take that shit from you just because I can.”
I slapped the shit out of him. “You will never take my child, you son of a bitch!”
The feeling of his hand coming across my face caused me to stumble back into the wall.
“That’s the game you wanna play, Romi?” he yelled, towering over me. “Putting your hands on me like I won’t hit back? You must really want to see the side of me that you won’t like. Keep your shit up. Get down the hall and open the fucking door. Just because you want to be a bitch about it, you can sit and wait until we’re done.”
He grabbed me by my hair and pulled me back down the hallway. When we got to the basement, he pushed me toward it. I was in tears as I fumbled with the keys to find the right one. Once I got it open, he motioned for me to go down ahead of them. I gripped the railing for dear life because I fully believed that he would push me down the stairs.
Patrick pulled a chair from the corner and placed it in front of me.
“Sit.”
I sat, clutching my bag against me. My face was still burning from that slap. I watched as they cleared off a table and began unpacking the duffel bag. Another brick of cocaine, a scale, and a ton of little baggies were all lined up assembly style. Storing drugs was one thing. But this… setting up shop in my place of business? I couldn’t have that.
I sat there in my head, trying to figure out how I was going to end this. This man was going to cost me everything.
Patrick looked over at me as they cut and weighed the cocaine.
“You might as well dry those tears up, baby.”
“Fuck you,” I mumbled.
He chuckled. “We could have been partners, Romi. I might have considered cutting you in if you played nice.”
“You think money would have made a difference? I don’t want to do this. I’ve worked too hard to maintain my business, and you are putting my very livelihood at risk. You’ve made it clear that you don’t want this baby, but I do, and I still have to take care of her and Korri?—”
“That’s not my problem.”
I looked at him in disbelief. My baby loved him. She adored him. She didn’t understand why she couldn’t see him anymore. I never asked him to do a thing for her other than treat her with respect, and he did. For him to say her care wasn’t his problem… that this baby wasn’t his problem… that shit hurt.
“Did you ever give a fuck about me, Patrick?” I asked. “All those dates, gifts, spending time together… it meant nothing to you? My daughter meant nothing to you? Is that what you’re telling me, because I can’t fathom being as close as we were, for you to just do this and say fuck me.”
He didn’t answer. I guess that was the only answer I needed.
My phone rang, and I looked to see that it was my sister. I pulled myself together so I could answer.
“Hello?” I said softly.
“Hey, boo. You still at the shop? Mama wanted you to stop and grab some ice cream for dessert. Your child asked for sundaes again.”
“Yeah… I’m still here doing inventory.”
“You okay? You don’t sound good.”
“I’m just not feeling well. It’s been a long day, and I’m tired and my feet are swollen.”
She giggled. “My niecey pooh is giving you the business.”
“Yeah, she is. I think I’m just gonna go home when I leave.”
“Aww. Well, okay.”
“Nay?”
“Yeah?”
“Please tell Korri I’m sorry,” I said, sniffling.
“Ro, are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine. Just pregnancy hormones. I cry over everything.”
She giggled. “You do. Okay, sis. I’ll let Mom and Dad know you aren’t feeling well.”
“Thank you, Nay. I love you.”
“I love you more.”
We disconnected the call, and I placed the phone back in my pocket.
Patrick snickered. “You lie so well,” he commented.
“I learned from the best.”
He laughed. “It’s not my fault you were so easy to manipulate. I guess missing your dead baby daddy worked out in my favor.”
I wanted to punch him dead in his shit… spit on him. He made me want to be violent when I wasn’t a violent person. I’d given this man nothing but love, and he stayed around until he could finally get what he wanted from me, even if it meant he had to take it. I couldn’t pretend that my heart wasn’t hurting because I never expected to be here. Now it was looking like I wasn’t getting out of this spot any time soon.
Hours went by before they finally finished cutting, weighing, and bagging everything up. My body was sore from sitting in that chair so long. I was hungry. My bladder was about to burst, and I just wanted to leave.
Patrick moved the shelf and unlocked the secret door before putting everything inside. We left the basement then finally made our way out of the building. As I opened my car door, Patrick closed it. Yanking me around, he turned me to face him. He towered over me with dark angry eyes. I tried to look away from him, but he grabbed my face, holding it roughly between his fingers.
“If I come back to get my shit and it’s gone, you’ll be sorry, and I promise you that. You don’t want that, Romi. Understood?”
I nodded.
“Use your fucking words.”
“I understand.”
“Glad we’re on the same page.” He leaned in and placed a rough kiss to my lips. “Good night, baby.”
He mushed me as he stepped back. I fought back yet another set of tears as I climbed into my car. I was only able to hold it together until they pulled out of the parking lot. The minute I saw taillights, I broke down. My audible cries filled the car as I beat my fists against the steering wheel.
Something had to fucking give.
It took me an additional twenty minutes to calm down enough to be able to drive. When I pulled out of the parking lot, I knew I wasn’t going home. I needed to be somewhere where I felt loved because all I felt right now was hatred.
It was nearing eleven, and I knew my parents would be getting ready for bed, but I still made my way to their home. When I got there, the lights downstairs were off, but I could see the glow from their bedroom window. Climbing out of the car, I headed up the driveway, to the front steps, and let myself in.
I kicked off my shoes and took the stairs to the second floor. After covering the side of my face where Patrick had slapped me with my hair, I lightly tapped on my parents’ bedroom door before opening it.
“Hey, Mommy, Daddy,” I said, sticking my head in.
My mother looked up from her crossword book. “Hey, baby. What are you doing here?”
“I just really wanted to be near Korri tonight. I’m sorry I missed dinner.”
She smiled. “It’s okay, baby. You feeling better?”
“Yes, ma’am. I’m not gonna hold you. I just wanted to let you know I was here. I love you both. Good night.”
“Good night.”
Closing their door, I headed down the hall to my childhood bedroom. Gently, I pushed the door open. The room was slightly illuminated from the night-light because my baby was afraid of the dark. Korri was sound asleep, cuddled up with her big ass teddy bear. I tipped into the room and used the flashlight on my phone to find something to sleep in. I usually kept a few things here just in case we stayed over. Once I found a pair of shorts and a top, I went into the bathroom to relieve my bladder and take a shower.
The temperature was just right to soothe my aching joints. I stood under the water, wishing it could cleanse me of my troubles. Tears streamed down my face, only to be masked by the steady flow of water. I felt like this was exactly how I walked around in the world these days.
Troubled. Afraid. Defeated… all hidden behind a smile because I had to be strong. I was tired of being strong… just fucking tired.
With a heavy sigh, I grabbed the loofah and commenced to cleaning myself. Twenty minutes later, I was out. I brushed my teeth and pulled my hair into a ponytail before leaving the bathroom. Carefully, I climbed into bed with my baby. Snuggled under the covers, I stared lovingly at her. She was my entire world, my reason to go as hard as I did. She wasn’t planned, but she was my biggest blessing.
Leaning over, I kissed her forehead, causing her to stir slightly. Her eyes fluttered open, and she looked up at me.
“Mommy!”
She inched closer to me and wrapped her arms around me as much as she could.
“Hey, my pretty girl. I’m sorry I missed dinner with you.”
“It’s okay. Auntie Nay said you weren’t feeling well. Do you feel better now?”
“Yes. All I needed was my Korri Bear and her special hugs.”
She giggled as she rested her head on my chest. “I’m gonna give you all my best hugs.”
“Mommy really needs that. Come on. Let’s get some sleep.”
I kissed her forehead before closing my eyes. If only hugs could fix our problems.