10. Talitha
Talitha
Itold Law I would meet him in the living room ten minutes ago and I was running late. And at no choice of my own. I had just gotten out of the shower when my phone chimed with a FaceTime call from my egg donor and her siblings. I’d spent the past few minutes arguing with them about fucking nothing.
“Willearl, I’m not refuting any of that. All I’m trying to get y’all to see is Gema is of sound mind and body. If she wanted to be in Warner Robins, she knows how to open up her mouth and say something. Where is this coming from anyway? The last time we talked, I thought we were in agreeance.”
“That was fo’ ya’ mama told us you got Mama up in Alanna and you ain’t even there.”
“Three nights… I’ll be gone for three fucking nights. I’m never away from her. This is the first time. I’m not out here on nothing personal. This is work for me!” I fussed as my tone elevated.
When Gema said my mama was fussing about me leaving her at home, I didn’t think too much of it. I figured if she had something to get off her chest, she would reach out to me. She waits just as good ‘til I get out of town to wanna start her shit.
Now, she got all of them on my phone telling me how I shouldn’t have left Gema. And if I had to go out of town, I should’ve left her with them.
“You could’ve left her there while you went for work too, Tali,” Uncle Meat butted in. “Bad enough none of us know this lady you got staying at the house with her.”
“None of you have tried to get to know her either, have you?” I argued. “Mama was just there and ain’t sit down with Mrs. Jessie or nothing. Hell, as much as she calls Gema… you would think she would’ve got on the phone to talk to Mrs. Jessie.
And since we’re on the subject, I don’t see neither of you coming out of pocket to pay for this so honestly nothing y’all got to say fucking matters to me right now.”
“See!” my mama yelped and tossed her hands up. “I told y’all Tali think cause she pay for everything we ain’t got no say.”
“No, you don’t!” I barked. “I pay for her housing, meds, co-pays, and whatever else she needs to live comfortably. I haven’t once asked for anything from y’all. The least y’all could fucking do is be appreciative. I stepped in to take care of y’all mama.”
Honestly, I felt like a broken record. I found myself saying the same shit over and over again. To the point where my head was starting to pound and I was two seconds from telling all of ‘em to go to fucking hell.
“Glad to know my Mama a burden on you. And if you feel so strongly ‘bout that then send her the hell home!” Louise snapped.
“I never said Gema was a fucking burden. And excuse my language but y’all ‘bout to piss me the fuck off. I been taking care of y’all mama all these years.
I have zero social life. Ain’t got a nigga or even a fucking prospect.
I do what I do for Gema cause when I needed somebody to do it for me, y’all sister was too busy with her head up Joe Lee ass. ”
“Now hold on there, Tali. You getting personal. We didn’t call you for all of that.”
“But y’all called to chastise me about a decision I made for Gema. A decision that I’m legally able to make. Y’all made it personal when y’all decided to attack me for leaving her with a hired nurse that Gema loves.”
“I don’t even know why we bother,” my mama spat. “Ain’t like she trying to be rational anyway.”
“Rational went out of the window the second y’all tried to insult my intelligence.”
“I keep trying with you Tali. Lord knows I do. But you done pushed me past my limit. I’mma get me a lawyer and we gon’ see how much talking you gon’ do then.”
“Jalitha, can you even afford a lawyer?”
“If I can’t, my man can!” she rasped.
“Well, tell your man bring his best. Cause when I’m done dragging y’all through the legal system, the muthafucka won’t be able to afford a piece of fucking gum.”
Hanging up the phone, I slammed it down on the bed and cradled my head in my hands.
I was tired of having this same conversation with them.
Tired. So very fucking tired. I wanted to just throw the towel in and take Gema back to Warner Robins.
I wanted to wash my hands clean from all of them and just disappear.
Maybe if I gave them what they wanted, they would leave me the fuck alone. I’d had a good day beginning with breakfast with Gema to traveling up here with Law.
Today was going well, I was laughing and smiling for once. And just when I felt like I could get through this weekend with some peace, Gema offspring’s had to go and fuck it up. Had me in this fancy ass hotel yelling at the top of my lungs.
I know Law had probably heard the entire conversation and now I was embarrassed and didn’t even wanna go out front to have dinner with him.
If I had been back home, I would’ve made sure Gema was good, locked myself in the room, and cried myself to sleep. Now I was frustrated cause I couldn’t do that and probably wouldn’t be at ease until I got back to Atlanta.
The light taps on my door had me wanting to bury my head under the cover. I figured if I lay here quiet, he would assume I had fallen asleep. Nope. Law’s voice rasped from the other side of the door.
“Talitha, I know you’re in there. Hell, half of the Plaza just heard your conversation.”
“Go away Law,” I fretted.
“Can I come in?” he asked.
“No,” I whimpered. I didn’t want to be tended to. I wanted to continue lying here, licking my wounds.
“I’m coming in. I hope you’re decent.” Bombarding his way through the door, Law leaned against the door frame with his arms folded.
Glancing up at him briefly, I dropped my head in shame and whispered, “I told you to go away.” I didn’t need sympathy. I didn’t even need rescuing. I needed– no wanted to be left alone.
“You’re upset.”
“You think,” I scoffed.
“Wanna talk about it?”
I shook my head.
“That’s fine with me. But you need to eat.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“You ain’t ate shit but some cookies on the plane. I counted about five glasses of champagne today so either you come out of this room and eat, or I’ll be forced to feed your stubborn ass,” he avowed, making me laugh.
“Seriously Law. I’m not in the mood.”
“I know. You said you don’t want to talk. I’m not going to force the issue. I am, however, going to make sure you put something on your stomach so you won’t end up sick.”
I knew Law meant business, so after sitting there pouting for a few minutes, I finally tugged the white robe closed and tightened the belt around my waist. I was naked underneath it, and the last thing I needed was for my boss to get a peek at my body.
Law held his hand out for me to grab so he could assist me to my feet.
Instead of taking it, I looked down at it briefly before brushing past him.
I would eat because I knew it was the only way to get him to leave me alone, but I refused to talk.
All it would take was him saying any little thing and I was going to end up in tears.
Making my way over to the table, I took a seat and tucked my right foot under my butt.
When Law sat down across from me, his cologne wafted through the air and tickled my nose.
Had I not been an emotional wreck, the scent of him would’ve drove me mad.
Right now, it wasn’t drawing anything out of me.
Instead of looking up at him, I stared at the covered plates strategically placed in the middle of the table. I guess he knew I wasn’t planning on budging because he leaned over and removed the lid from my plate.
“Eat Talitha.”
“I told you I’m not hungry.”
“Eat it anyway,” he bleated in that raspy, gruff ass demanding voice.
I rolled my eyes and looked down to inspect what was on the plate. Cutting into the grilled fish, I forked a piece into my mouth. While I nibbled on my food, Law’s eyes never left my face.
I could feel him staring a hole through me and still I refused to look at him. The way the table was positioned, I had a clear view of the window, so I decided to just stare out of it.
I knew he was eating because every so often I would hear his utensils on the glass plate.
The air around us was thick and uncomfortable.
I felt like my throat was constricting with every second that passed.
I couldn’t quite wrap my head around the conversation that I’d just had with Gema’s children.
I knew what my mama’s issue was with me but the other ones I couldn’t figure it out. I had never done anything to any of them, and yet, every chance they got to team up against me, they did.
It felt like I swallowed a rock when I swallowed the piece of fish that I had been holding in my mouth. So much so that I dropped my fork and clutched my neck, my eyes closed as I sucked in several deep breaths.
I was trying to keep myself from having a panic attack and as it stood, my efforts were futile. Law must’ve realized something was wrong because before I could move, he was out of his chair and at my side.
“Talitha.” His hand wrapped around my wrist as he repeated my name several times.
Grabbing his elbow, I sucked in as much air as my lungs could hold. When I pushed the air back out, a wail spewed out of my mouth. My chest heaved up and down as tears rushed down my face. I felt like I was dying, hell, death would probably be better than living in this fucking nightmare.
The more I cried, the more my vision blurred.
Arms wrapped around my waist before my body was hoisted in the air.
When I realized I was being carried bridal style out of the living room, I laid my head on his chest and let go of everything that I was holding in.
At some point, Law had sat down with me still attached to him.
“Ssshhhh,” he cooed as he rocked us back and forth. “It’s going to be okay.”
The urge to protest was at the tip of my tongue but I was just so hurt. I don’t know how long we stayed locked in that position but at some point my tears had dried up. Numbness had set in and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it.