1. Alisha #2
Shante turned her head. I told myself she was just scared, hell I was too.
Sirens got louder. “Finally,” Malik mumbled.
Paramedics rushed in. “How far along is she?”
“She is carrying twins, she is six months!” Malik said.
“Any complications?” The paramedics asked.
“Not that I know of.” Malik answered.
“Are you the father?”
“Yes, now enough with all the damn questions. Just help her.” Malik yelled.
They worked on her while Malik hovered.
“Sir, give us space.”
“I’m good right here.” He let them know.
“Malik,” Grandma said.
He looked at her.
“Let them do their job.” She pleaded.
He stepped back barely and they lifted Shante up on the stretcher so they could put her in the ambulance and take her to the hospital.
“Where y’all taking her?” Malik asked.
They told him Beaumont.
“I’m coming.”
Deuce stepped up. “I’m coming too.”
Malik shook his head. “No.”
“That’s my sister and I’m going with her.”
“I’ll follow.” I let them know.
“Do what you gotta do.” Malik didn’t argue. He walked beside the stretcher as they took her out.
Grandma started crying. “My baby…”
I hugged her. “She gon’ be okay.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Don’t say that.” I let her know.
She looked at me. “You right.”
After the ambulance left, the room felt empty. Chairs flipped and candy everywhere. One of Kim’s bags still sitting there.
Auntie Keisha kicked it. “Crazy ass bitch.”
Grandma frowned. “Don’t kick that baby stuff.”
“She probably put something weird in there.” Keisha frowned.
“Keisha.” Grandma Lorraine snapped.
“I’m just saying.”
“Pick it up.” Grandma Lorraine instructed.
She sighed but grabbed it. I turned back to Deuce. “You should be explaining what just happened.”
“Explain what?” He asked with a dumbfounded look on his face.
I almost swung on him again. “Don’t play with me.”
“I ain’t do nothing.”
“She came in here talking about you and twins.”
“And?” He asked
“And?” I stepped closer. “Are you serious right now?”
“She's crazy.” Deuce replied.
“I know that, but why is she crazy about you?” He looked annoyed and that pissed me off more. “Don’t look at me like that.”
“I’m worried about my sister.”
“And I’m not?” I asked.
“I ain’t saying that.”
“You ain’t saying nothing.” I snapped.
“I don’t know what you want me to say.”
“The truth.” I let him know.
“I told you.”
“Did you sleep with her?” I asked, anticipating an answer.
His eyes locked on mine. “No.”
My head was all over the place. Kim was unstable. Maybe he entertained her a little. Niggas loved attention. “You swear?”
“Yes.” He answered.
“On Brittany?”
His face changed. “Why are you bringing her into it? Don’t do that.”
“Swear.” I asked again.
Before he could answer, the doors opened again. I thought it was more family, but then I saw the FBI jackets and my stomach dropped.
“What now?” Deuce yelled.
Agent Brown walked in and the room went quiet. “Deuce Carter.” Deuce didn’t move. “You’re under arrest.”
Everybody went crazy again. “For what? What’s going on?”
Grandma pushed forward. “For what?”
Agent Brown started listing charges but I didn’t hear none of it because my ears were ringing. A agent grabbed Deuce. I stepped forward. “Wait.”
“Ma’am, step back.” The agent warned.
“That’s my husband.”
“Alisha,” Deuce said.
“What?” I answered.
“Call my lawyer.”
“What is happening?” I asked confused.
“Just call him.” Deuce let me know. They turned him around, cuffing him.
Grandma yelled, “My grandson is not a criminal!” Then paused. “Well not like that!”
Somebody laughed, but I couldn't because my best friend was in the hospital and my husband was in handcuffs. “What are the charges?” I asked even though they already said it.
“His attorney can explain.”
“No, you come busting in a baby shower and arrest my husband. I have a right to know what’s going on!” I snapped.
“Alisha, stop,” Deuce said. I turned to look at him. “You should’ve been talking to me now, you wanna tell me to stop.” I snapped.
“Not here.” He said.
“When Deuce because I don’t know shit!” He didn’t answer and they started walking him out. “Say something.” I demanded.
“Call the lawyer.” He demanded.
“Forget the lawyer.”
“Alisha.” Deuce pleaded.
“No, Shante just got rushed to the hospital and now this? What is happening?” I asked.
“I’ll explain later.”
“Later?” I replied.
He looked back at me. “Take care of Brittany.” Like I didn’t already do that. I followed them outside and people were already recording.
“Put your phone down,” Auntie Keisha snapped.
“It’s public,” some girl said.
Keisha stepped up. “Not today.”
“Keisha!” Grandma called.
“I’m just talking.” Keisha replied.
“You never just talking.” Grandma Lorraine snapped.
They put Deuce in the SUV and he looked at me through the window. I couldn’t read him and then they pulled off just like that. My hands started shaking. Grandma came next to me. “Baby I need to get to the hospital.”
I turned to Keisha. “Can you take her?”
“Yeah.” She replied.
I had to get Brittany so I went back inside.
The party was over and people were whispering and cleaning up.
Today was just fucking embarrassing. How did a baby shower turn into all of this?
I asked myself. I found Brittany and was in the back playing with the other kids.
Thank God because she would have had a fit if she saw the F.B.I walking Deuce out in handcuffs.
“Mommy!” She ran to me.
“Are you ready to go?” I smiled trying to look and sound as normal as I could.
“Where Daddy?” She asked.
I swallowed hard because I hated having to lie to her. “He had to handle something.”
“When will he come back?” She asked.
“I don’t know.” I hugged her.
“Is Auntie Shante okay?”
“I hope so.”
On the way out, I saw Kim’s bag again. A blue blanket sticking out.
“ For me and Deuce’s twins.” I shook my head.
She's crazy, that's all it was, obsessed and delusional. But I knew one thing, I wasn’t ignoring her again. I was going to find out what the hell she meant! I mean yeah she might be delusional and crazy but I don’t think she would just make no shit up like that.
I got Brittany in the truck and my phone rang and it was Malik calling.
“What’s going on?” I answered.
“They keeping her.”
My heart dropped. “Why?”
“Blood pressure was high and they wanted to monitor her and the babies.”
“Is she awake?” I asked.
“Yeah she was when I was in there I came outside to get some air.” He responded.
I exhaled. “She can’t have no more stress.”
“I know and she ain’t gone have no more if I have anything to do with it .” He said.
“I’m sorry this was supposed to be a special day,” I said.
“That don’t matter right now.” Malik let me know.
“I know, I’m just saying if that crazy bitch wouldn’t have come in there on bullshit I wouldn’t have had to whoop her ass!” I explained.
“I’ll call you later.” Malik let me know before hanging up.
More calls came in from grandma Lorraine, cousins and unknown numbers.
Everybody wanted answers but I didn’t have none.
I silenced my phone and sat there in the driver’s seat thinking.
That morning I had been worried about decorations and now Shante was in the hospital and Deuce was locked up.
And Kim had said some shit I wasn’t ready to even think about.
I pulled the visor down and my hair was a mess and makeup smeared, and there was a scratch on my neck. “Unbelievable,” I mumbled.
I pulled out of the lot, still telling myself Kim had made it all up. I needed to believe that because even if a little bit of what she said was true I wasn’t ready for that at least not yet.