12. Talitha
Talitha
“Boy, am I glad that’s over!” I groused as Law led us into the building.
“Me as well. Unfortunately, it comes with the territory, so I’ve gotten used to it over the years.”
“Do they always ask questions like that? Like what does the African American versus African diaspora war have to do with autism?”
The media interviews lasted roughly fifteen minutes. I was under the assumption that Law would be interviewed about the cause or his contributions, and boy was I wrong.
Listening to their line of questioning had me fighting to keep from frowning up my face.
One of the reporters even asked him how he felt about the current status of the upcoming presidential election. Being his candid self, Law made a joke and skipped right over that question.
The only outlet to ask him anything of substance was Black Enterprise. They wanted to know if he was working on anything new and if he was, they wondered if he would give them the first formal announcement.
“Nothing at all,” he chuckled. “Prior to these events, my publicist sends out a list of topics that’s off limits.
So, since they can’t ask me about my personal life, they figure they could trap me up by asking things about foreign policies, meaningless wars, and the list goes on.”
“You have a publicist?”
“I do. I run several multimillion-dollar businesses on top of being a household name. A publicist is crucial in my line of work.”
“Learn something new everything.” I smirked.
“Like I said, it comes with the territory.”
“One thing that’s puzzling to me is… I’m standing right there on your arm and you made a purpose to introduce me, but no one asked who I was to you. Why is that?”
“Who and what you were to me was on the list of things I wouldn’t discuss with them.” He winked before pointing at the chair marked for me.
“Wasn’t that chivalrous of you,” I giggled.
Unfastening his suit jacket, Law draped it over the back of my chair and took his place beside me. “Something tells me you’re not quite ready for their line of questioning.”
“I am most definitely not. I don’t like intrusiveness and their job is to be intrusive.”
“You would want to get used to it.”
“Why is that?”
“When we open up the school, it’ll be your face plastered across the media. I’m letting you deal with all of that. I’m simply…”
“The name on the building,” I finished his statement for him. “Yeah, I know. That doesn’t mean I have to be in the forefront. It’s your school.”
“And your love child. You gotta explain to the people how all of this came about.”
“How about we table it and agree to disagree?”
“We can table it at your command,” he quipped.
Looking around the dimly lit room, I spotted a few familiar faces. Not anyone that I knew personally but I’ve seen them a time or two in the blogs.
Rich, successful people to be exact. To be in the room with those same people had me feeling a tad bit out of place. This wasn’t my type of environment.
I was nothing more than a small-town girl with big hopes and dreams. I was definitely planning on playing the background while Law handled his business. Outside of those faces, whoever was responsible for the set-up did an immaculate job.
The décor was black with the autism puzzle pieces splayed across the room. Behind the podium sat a white floor to ceiling banner with the autism logo and various company names on it. In bold black letters was “Joseph and Ava Pellayo Foundation for Autism”.
The tables had black running tablecloths with those same puzzle pieces.
In fact, our place cards were of the same pattern.
A live jazz band was on the side of the stage providing entertainment.
A few people were standing around the room chatting but for the most part everyone was in their seats.
They really went all out for this event and I loved that.
I was still looking around the room when I noticed Poppa trotting in our direction.
“You didn’t tell me Poppa would be here.”
“Of course, I’m here,” Poppa called out. “I’m pleasantly surprised to see you though,” he said to me, but his eyes were on Law.
Standing from the chair, I hugged Poppa’s neck. “Ya’ boy didn’t tell you?” I asked.
“Tell me what?”
“He brought me here to pimp me out.” I smirked and nudged Law in the side with my elbow.
“She been dragging that shit through the mud since I told her I was bringing her to get some investors for the tech school.”
“In that case, let me put my bid in right now!” Poppa joked.
Standing to shake hands with him, Law bleated, “Don’t get fucked up man.”
Poppa tossed his hands up in surrender. “I’on want no problems with the big guy,” he tittered.
Adding fuel to the fire, I tossed my arm around Poppa’s waist and laid my head on his shoulder. “Law likes to think he runs me, and he doesn’t. I’m yours for the night if you want.”
“Talitha,” Law gritted. “Cut it out.”
“Fine,” I drawled and rolled my eyes.
Removing my arm, I sat back down and sipped from the glass of water while Poppa pulled Law off to the side to talk. Whatever he said to him had Law laughing. Briefly, he glanced over at me and winked before turning back to Poppa.
The mistress of the ceremony eventually took the stage and introduced herself as she instructed everyone toward the program that sat in front of us.
Law and Poppa made their way back to the table and took their seats before a projector was lowered and the lights turned off. From there, the night was underway.
* * *
In the middle of the ceremony, we paused so dinner could be served.
It was during that time that everyone donated whatever money they were planning to give toward the foundation.
Law wanted me at his side when he wrote his check and, in the beginning, I put up the biggest fuss but relented after Poppa told me it would help our cause.
Standing beside him at the donation table, Law wrote out a check for two hundred-fifty thousand dollars and after signing his name, he handed it to me and instructed me to drop it into the locked donation box.
After we were back in our seats, Law tipped his head to a fat, bald-headed white man. “You see that guy over there?”
“Who is he?”
“He’s the twins pediatrician.”
“Oh wow,” I mumbled and watched him for a few seconds. During the opening presentation they played a documentary about the twins life on the spectrum.
According to what I saw, Joseph and his wife gave birth to two healthy baby girls. It wasn’t until after they had to get vaccinated for kindergarten did they start displaying signs of autism.
The family wholeheartedly believed the vaccines were responsible for it and with no research or evidence back then to prove it, ultimately, they couldn’t do anything about it.
I also learned that the reason for their foundation was so they could continue research in hopes of finding a cure. They spoke briefly about the twins doctor and credited him for being over the research and cited him for a few clinical trials that he’d done.
“Do you believe the vaccines caused their autism? I asked him.
“I can’t say whether I believe it or not. My friend believes it, and all that matters is I’m present and donate to the cause.”
Turning to him, I propped my elbow on the table and cradled my head in my hand. “I’m asking because for a few years it’s been talks of parents not vaccinating their kids for the same reason.
We don’t know what the drug companies put in these vaccines but that also doesn’t mean I’m not going to get my kids vaccinated.”
“And I’m more so on the side of doing what you feel is best for you. I’m all for personal choice.”
“Would you vaccinate your kids?”
“I don’t have kids to vaccinate,” he chuckled.
“If you did Lawton… Would you want them to get vaccinated?”
“I can’t answer because I don’t have kids, nor do I plan on having any.”
“You don’t want kids?”
“I don’t,” he affirmed.
“Wow.” Swiping my tongue along my teeth, I turned my head away from him.
“Let me guess… You do?”
“Do I desire to have kids? I wouldn’t say it’s on my to-do list. Like, I don’t need them to feel fulfilled but, I mean, that could change in the future. The way you said it was like it’s a hard pass for you.”
“That’s because it is,” he avowed.
“Oh,” I gulped. “If you don’t mind me asking… Why is that?”
“I wanted them at one point. Over the years that desire dissipated. Now, I can’t picture my life with any.”
“Well, only you know.”
My biggest fear with having a child of my own is fucking the child up like my egg donor had done me.
Along with being scared that something happens to said kid in my presence or absence, and I’m not able to protect them.
It boils down to me not wanting to have a child out of obligation and resent said child.
Do I think Jalitha resents me? Absolutely. I mean, what other reason would she have to hate me. And I know hate is such a strong word but the woman who gave me life hates my guts.
It’s evident in every conversation that we have; the way she looks at me, hell, even in the way she disregards me.
I was five years old when I was removed out of her care. At five, my mother chose a man who had no blood relation to her over me. She absolutely hates me. That’s my reasoning for being on the fence with having a kid.
Law saying he doesn’t desire them any longer makes me wonder if that’s the reason his ex-left.
“I’m secure in my decision,” Law crowed.
I was about to get in his business and start asking questions about is ex when we were interrupted.
“Lawton, man, thank you for being here and for providing your yearly contribution.”
“Ah man, you know it’s no issue, Joseph.”
“Me and Ava really appreciate that.”
“Joseph, this is Talitha Howard. Talitha, Joseph Pellayo.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Howard.” He held his hand out.
“Miss,” I corrected and grabbed his hand.
“My apologies.” He bowed his head. “I see we have some catching up to do, Law.”
“Months ago,” he alleged and waved off Joseph who simply nodded. “Talitha is the new director at the youth center.”
“Is that so?”