Chapter 20 Noni
NONI
“I’m not pressing charges. You saw the video. I provoked him. He could press charges on me as well. I hit him. This is stupid. It’s my fault. I just want this shit to be over with. He’s my boyfriend. We have the support of my family and his. Please, just drop it.”
I ended the call. This was the third call I’d gotten today of them trying to convince me to press charges on Red.
What the fuck? I glanced at my mama as I left her room.
She was here because of her menopause symptoms. When I saw the number the call was coming from, I asked her to excuse me because I had to answer.
These people were wearing me thin. It was like they had a vendetta out for Red.
That shit was unnecessary. There were plenty of people that deserved the attention they were sending his way.
As I paced in front of the door, Bali came out of Ashanni’s examination room.
She frowned at me, then asked, “They still calling you?”
“Yes. It’s fucking with my nerves because I feel like this shit has nothing to do with me. They are trying to get Red out of the rodeo circuit. I just feel that. He’s about to be big as fuck, because they sending too much smoke his way. His blessing has to be around the corner.”
She frowned. “Call Missus Taylor. Let her know that they are harassing you. Something ain’t right about that shit.”
I nodded then took a deep breath so I could calm down. When I opened the door to where my mama was, I said, “I’m sorry, Mama. That DA is on my last nerve.”
“It’s okay. Maybe you should call Missus Taylor.”
“I will. That’s what Bali just said.” I slid my hand down my face, then pushed my hair over my shoulder.
“Okay. So, you need estrogen cream and magnesium glycinate. The magnesium glycinate will help with your sleepless nights, your muscle and nerve function, and it supports cardiovascular health. The estrogen cream will help for when y’all wanna . . .”
I fake gagged, and she laughed. “I’m gonna give you a list of side-effects. Let me know if you feel any of these after applying it. We will try something else if it doesn’t work for you.”
“Thank you, baby. Your daddy is about to lose his mind. He need to feel big mama.”
I rolled my eyes. My mama had gotten more vocal during her menopause stage.
There was no way she would have said that to me years ago.
She had on a shirt that read, We Do Not Care, in red letters across the front.
Remy said he just stayed out of her way.
I was surprised Daddy hadn’t gotten hurt around there.
“Daddy hasn’t been giving you a hard time with this, has he?”
“No. He’s been somewhat understanding. He went and bought me a couple of fans .
. . one for my office and another for our bedroom.
I say somewhat understanding, because I can tell he wants to talk shit, but he’s been restraining himself.
The way I’m feeling, we’d be in that house fighting like two men. ”
I slowly shook my head. When I heard a ruckus, I pulled my gun from my fanny pack and peeked out of the door. My mom’s eyes had widened as she stood from her seat. Bali was running to the front with her weapon drawn. I quickly left the room and turned to my mama. “Stay in here!”
I slammed the door and ran to the front to see ICE agents trying to pass the receptionist area. Watchful Eyes entered the clinic with guns drawn just as Bali and I did. There were about six agents, but they were still outnumbered.
“I don’t know if you think since we’re in Texas that we are in agreement with this bullshit or not, but y’all ’bout to fuck around and find out,” Ali said.
There were at least ten of the Watchful Eyes crew here. Uncle Kenny came from the back with his hunting rifle pointed right at them and stepped in front of Bali and me. They all had their hands lifted in surrender. “We are here for Marcus Wingate.”
“This is a clinic. Why would Marcus Wingate be here? This ain’t no fucking residence. And who in the fuck is Marcus Wingate?” Bali asked.
“He lives here in Nome, and the last address on file is no good. There isn’t even a house there anymore. We have to search for him.”
“Not here you don’t.”
“We have the authority to search any facility!” one of them yelled.
Uncle Kenny smirked. “Go ahead and search then.”
He reminded me of Delroy Lindo telling that man to say the word nigga. Go ahead and say it then. I almost chuckled. I had to keep my game face on.
He continued. “If you bold enough to do what the fuck you think you authorized to do with at least fifteen guns pointed at you, go right ahead. We not laying down our rights as citizens and business owners around here. We will all go down protecting them if we have to. Nome will become a war grounds. Won’t be the first time. ”
The automatic doors opened, and Daddy Mayor walked in holding two guns like he was the fucking tomb raider.
“This a fucking dictatorship in Big City Nome. I run the fuck out of this town.” He placed the barrel of his gun to the head of one of the agents. “You wanna see how I work? Just call me Idi Amin, because I’m gon’ be the butcher of Nome. Y’all came with smoke, but I got the fire.”
“We’ll leave! But we will be back and will continue looking for Marcus Wingate.”
“Get the fuck on, before you can’t,” Seneca said and cocked his gun for effect.
Watchful Eyes stepped aside, allowing them a straight path to the door as Bali and I lowered our weapons.
My heart was beating fast as shit. I was scared, but I would go out protecting what was ours.
Watchful Eyes followed them out of the building.
I was just grateful that no one was sitting up front.
That shit could make people not want to come to us for care, especially the Black and brown population.
Daddy turned to us, and asked, “Y’all okay?”
Bali and I both nodded.
“Where’s your mama?”
“I made her stay in the examination room.”
A smirk appeared on his lips. “You should have let her out. All that fucking smoke she have for me could have been unleashed on their asses.”
I rolled my eyes and walked away to go check on her. When I turned the corner, I almost ran into her. Ashanni was right behind her.
“Where are y’all going? Ashanni, you’re pregnant.”
“It got quiet, so we were coming to check on y’all. I don’t like this shit,” my mama said. “My nerves are on edge. I probably would have killed one of those people.”
I glanced down and noticed she had a gun. My eyebrows lifted as my daddy said, “I told them they should have let you loose.”
This nigga was talking about letting her loose like she was a caged animal. She frowned. “Keep talking. Bold ass nigga. I got a gun in my hand, and you still talking shit?”
My daddy frowned. “I got two guns. Why would I be scared of an amateur with a gun?”
“Ugh! Y’all kill that shit. You in our place of business. Daddy . . . bye.”
I gently pushed my mama back to her examination room as Ashanni chuckled at their theatrics. Normally, Mama would just roll her eyes or ignore his foolishness. It seemed she was rediscovering the part of herself that my dad had said was lying dormant.
When we got to the room, I asked, “Why are they even looking for Uncle Marcus? Have they even said?”
“They won’t say why. So since they won’t say why they need him, we pretend we don’t know who they’re talking about. They are so incompetent. They don’t even realize he’s Marcus Henderson now, not Wingate.”
“I’m so tired of all this bullshit. Is Mister Shyrón speaking to law enforcement about the situation they are putting citizens in?”
“Law enforcement is cooperating with their asses. ICE is not law enforcement, baby. They are Trump’s bullies .
. . the KKK . . . the proud boys . . . fucking, red-neck, trailer trash racists with their occasional coon or wetback.
I don’t typically believe in calling people those types of derogatory terms, but that’s exactly who the fuck those people are to me.
They aren’t enforcing shit but hatred. I hate where this country is headed.
It’s like slapping every civil rights activist in the face. ”
I nodded, choosing to steer the conversation in a different direction. She was getting worked up. I could see the beads of sweat popping up on her forehead.
“Well, in the meantime, you try to be as calm as possible. Go line dancing or smoke with Uncle Jasper.”
She chuckled and grabbed a face towel from her purse, then put it to her face and pat it dry. “Hell yeah. I could use a good blunt before I have to go back and deal with your daddy. That nigga be on my last good nerve.”
I chuckled. “Well, your prescriptions have been sent to the pharmacy. You need anything else?”
“Just a hug after I cool off.”
I gave her a smirk. I was glad she said after she cooled off, because I sure in the fuck didn’t want to hug her while she was wet with sweat.
“Well, I’m done. Are you gonna stay in here to cool off? I don’t have another appointment.”
“Can I?”
“Yeah. I need to call Red, so I’ll be back to check on you.”
“Thanks, baby.”
She rested her head against the wall and pulled a fan from her purse.
Although I hated my period, I wasn’t looking forward to all that shit she was going through.
I stepped out of the room and closed the door, then pulled my phone from my pocket.
I called Red, and my call went straight to voicemail.
He hadn’t heard anything from the board, but he had still been practicing.
Mrs. Taylor had made contact yesterday by email, and she left a voicemail for the president of the board .
. . or whatever they were called in the rodeo industry.
Red was on edge yesterday, hoping one of them would hear from them right away.
When there was radio silence, he started panicking a little bit.
I spent the night with him last night, doing my best to keep him calm.
I didn’t leave a message. Instead, I called back. When it went to voicemail again, I sent him a text. Hi, baby. I was just checking on you.
He responded immediately. I’m on the phone with Mrs. Taylor. I’ll call you back in a minute.
I could feel the heat around my ears. That was something that happened at times when I was nervous.
Could have sworn I was having hot flashes like my mama.
My mind was working overtime, hoping that their conversation was going well.
Jesus. When my phone rang and I saw the same number from the DA’s office, rage filled me.
“What in the fuck do y’all want? You’ve called me three times today already.”
I said that shit as soon as I answered the phone. They were on my last fucking nerve. Between them, ICE, and the board for the NFR, I didn’t know whether I was coming or going.
“I’m sorry, Miss Henderson. I was calling to get an email address to send documents for you to sign, saying you don’t want to press charges.”
“Send them to my attorney. Her name is Sidney Taylor. She will be filing harassment charges soon.”
“Umm . . . okay. I apologize for bothering you.”
I ended the call. I knew it wasn’t the lady on the phone’s fault. They sent her to take the heat they knew I would be sending their way. Those people could kiss my ass. Just as I was about to head back to where my mama was, my phone rang. When I saw Red’s name, I answered quickly.
“Hello?”
“Noni. Hey, baby.”
“Hey. What happened?”
“I’m back in, baby.”
“That’s great! I’m so happy. Those people been fucking with my nerves all day.”
“I have more news. Carter and I have been sought after for cameos in a movie about a bull rider.”
“What!” He laughed as I covered my mouth. “Red, for real? I knew something big was coming for these people to be after you so hard!”
“Yeah, baby. God is good. We taking you and Bali out tonight, if y’all free.”
“I am! I can’t wait to see you when I get off.”
“I can’t wait to see you either. I love you, Noni. Thank you for sticking by me, baby.”
“Thank you for sticking by me, too.”
“See you later.”
I ended the call and sat at the nurse’s station while they stared at me like I’d lost my mind. Once I got my emotions in check, I quickly stood and headed to my mama’s examination room to see her standing about to leave. I hugged her tightly as she chuckled.
“You okay, baby?” she asked after kissing my cheek.
“Yes. I’m more than okay. I’ll tell you the good news after I talk to Bali.”
She smiled. “Okay. Well, I’m going home. See y’all later?”
“Yes, ma’am. See you later.”
When she left, I went to my office and sat, allowing a few tears of joy to drop.
Things could have gotten really bad for Red because of my bullshit.
I was so happy that he was still reaping the rewards from his hard work.
I would be there for him as long as this life allowed me to be.
My doubts and negative thoughts about us were long gone.
I couldn’t wait for us to fulfill our destiny . . . together.