Chapter 6
Morning came with a knock at the door and Ernie’s low snores from the couch.
Remedy was up most of the night letting the tears fall from her eyes while envisioning what her life would be without Ernie next door.
What was she supposed to do with her time if every free moment wasn’t full of taking care of him?
Who was going to look at all that she was and wasn’t and still smile when she walked in a room?
It was heartbreaking but the reality of this was Ernie wasn’t her father.
Her father was in Cashmere Lakes living high on the hog and moving through his prestigious world like Remedy never existed.
Her father, her violator, her mother, and siblings, all living their lives with no regard for her.
That only forced her tears to fall more during the midnight hour she’d spent staring at him until she passed out.
Now her eyes were puffy and dry. She cried out her contacts and was forced to pull her out of date prison-issued prescription glasses out of her nightstand drawer and shuffle to the door.
She knew who was on the other side and didn’t give a damn how she looked because he didn’t give a damn about taking the only person she truly had in this world from her. She yanked it open, looked at him through her lenses and scoffed.
Erys really shouldn’t have been so handsome. Even brown skin, no tattoos she could see. Nothing but brawn on an athletically-built body and a prickish personality.
“He’s sleeping on the couch,” she muttered, skirting her eyes from him. “Is it time to snatch him up and lock him away?”
Erys swayed his head, taking her in the same way she’d done him moments before. It was the glasses on her face, her natural pout, and wild hair. She truly didn’t care about him or anything he had going on and that lent itself to be his driving force.
“They won’t be here ‘til one. Two things; I don’t know what to pack for him and this was on your door,” he replied, handing her the red notice from the county.
She snatched the property lien notice from his hand and cursed to herself. “Don’t be touching my shit.”
“My bad, apparently they’re handing these bitches out like candy. Pops got one too. So maybe him going away is a good thing,” Erys attempted to sell her a dream.
“For who exactly? Not him, nor me. The only one benefiting from this kidnapping is you. So you can go back to your frigid little life with your egg whites and shit,” she quipped.
“For him and you,” he said with a pointed glare. “You shouldn’t be running around with an old ass man. Get you some friends. A nigga or something.”
“Been there, done that, it’s all overrated. And please let your “concern” with me be none. When he gets up, I’ll walk him over,” Remedy said, attempting to close the door.
Erys placed his foot in the way, blocking her from shutting him out. “His stuff needs to be packed.”
“Oh, I must’ve missed the part where your rude ass said please and thank you,” Remedy grunted.
“Why am I saying thank you?” Erys quizzed thick brows furrowed.
“If you have to question why you should thank someone for looking after your daddy and letting you take him without a fight, you’re more of an asshole than I thought,” Remedy shot back with a roll of her swollen eyes.
Erys pulled in a deep breath, half frustrated and half intrigued. “While he’s still sleep and calm, would you mind helping me pack his shit?”
Remedy gave him a pointed look.
Erys groaned. “Please.”
“No,” she replied, trying to push the door closed.
“Got damn it, woman,” he grunted, clasping his hands together. “I’ve let you slap me. I’ve let you talk to me out the side of your fuckin’ neck-”
“Let me?” she laughed, just to spite him. “And I’m talking to you out my mouth. You’ll know when I get to talking out the side of my fuckin’ neck.”
Erys closed the space between them and glared down at her as if his size up close and personal was going to strike fear into her. That wasn’t the issue; she wasn’t afraid of him…attraction was another thing on her long list of never ever agains.
“You-” he stopped himself, pressing his lips together firmly before continuing. “I need your help. You’re the only one who knows what he likes, what he doesn’t. This shit is already fuckin’ hard. Could you not make it any more difficult for me?”
She shoved him backward. “First of all, stay out of my face, that won’t end well for you. Second of all, Franklin, this little help I’m extending isn’t for you, it’s for Ernie. Move out my way.”
Remedy pushed her feet into a pair of slides and stomped out across her creaky porch.
“Franklin?” Erys posed.
“Yeah, the turtle. You look just like him with your ugly ass,” she quipped, tramping across the yard. In the house, she went straight to his room. Ernie was never going to be without his suits. It was a staple and after all these years, they were still in mint condition.
“He’s not taking those,” Erys’ voice sounded off behind her.
Now free of Ernie, she could get loud with his increasingly annoying son.
“Now you demanded me over here to help you pack his shit. You aren’t going to dictate what I pack and what the fuck I don’t pack because you want to flex that you can make the big dick decisions.
Is that a military thing or some shit? Don’t answer that.
Leave me alone so I can make sure he’s comfortable. Where are you taking him?”
“Piedmont Assisted Living Home.”
Remedy spun around on the balls of her feet. “No the fuck you aren’t!”
“Excuse me?” he asked, as if her audacity had been a surprise.
“Did I stutter, Mr. Sergeant Nigga?” Remedy sounded off.
Erys’ face scrunched. “I was a Major.”
“Nigga, I don’t give a fuck. Fuck you and your rank.
You’re not taking him to Piedmont Assisted Living.
That’s the only place your little military salary could afford?
You want him to die, don’t you?” Remedy asked, brown skin tinting red, eyes narrowing, nostrils flaring and tears of anger pricking her eyes.
“They can’t be that bad.”
“They are,” she popped back.
“And you know that because?”
“Because I-” she groaned, stopping herself and spinning back toward the closet. “Don’t worry about it.”
Just that fast, she’d already formulated a plan to ensure Ernie was going to get the best care. She didn’t have anything else going on. Back to the closet, she finished pulling out the remainder of his suits. Then she moved to the drawers to pack his socks, t-shirts, and night clothes.
“Just so you know, I plan on paying his property taxes and getting this house back in livable conditions,” Erys spoke.
Remedy said nothing, she was over talking to him.
Silence was what she gave him in response.
She had the bags propped up along with all of his supplies.
Without uttering another word to him, she walked out the house through the yard back to hers.
Packing a bag of her own, she looked at the time and nodded.
Erys had another thing coming to him if he thought she was going to let him take Ernie without a fight.
By the time she got out of the shower, Ernie was up and drifting around.
“Where you going, Rem?” he asked, spotting her bag.
“We are going on a little trip,” she said just as Erys walked into her house. “Nigga, this ain’t your fucking house. Go back outside and knock like one of your parents gave you some damn manners.”
“That’s his mama shit. Walking in without knocking. Got it intruding in his damn blood,” Ernie grumbled along with his stomach.
Remedy walked away into the kitchen to make him something to eat. She barely had food in her house due to spending most of her money to make sure he ate. Ernie followed her.
“There’s only orange juice and old take out in there. I checked. You ain’t been eating, Remedy,” Ernie lowly fussed.
Remedy couldn’t combat him on that fact. “I ate at the diner with you. I’m not hungry.”
She’d been conditioned to surviving off one meal a day.
“Well, dammit I am,” Ernie huffed, spotting his son. “How about you and Rem go get something to eat.”
“I’d rather starve,” Remedy replied.
“I like silence, I’ll pass on riding around pint-sized loud mouth,” Erys added.
“I’ll knock your teeth out, nigga, don’t talk to me,” Remedy grumbled.
Ernie huffed. “I don’t give a damn if y’all talk or blow smoke up each other’s asses. I’m hungry.”
“Alright, fine. Fine,” Remedy grunted, grabbing her keys and stomping to the door. “I’ll get you something to eat. Alone.”
“Don’t just stand there, nigga, go with her,” Ernie directed, shuffling back to the couch. “Hurry up.”
Remedy got into her small car and slammed the door. After a few turns of the key, the starter turned and the engine fired up. She rolled the windows down and blew out a long sigh. Erys opened the passenger door and folded his large body into the passenger seat.
“What part of alone did you not understand?”
“The part where that mean ass old man told me to go with you so here I am.”
“You just pick and choose what you want to listen to?” Remedy asked, as she threw the car into reverse and floored the gas. She slammed on brakes and pushed the gear into drive before taking off down the street to the nearest BGC’s.
“Your car is fucked up because you drive like this,” Erys muttered.
“You don’t have nothing to do on your phone? Please take talking to me off your list of things to do,” she fired back.
“Why is your mouth so-”
“Smart? Because I can fight. Anything else, Franklin?”
He rumbled in tense laughter. “Nah.”
“Good, silence from you would be great,” she countered, continuing to speed down the street.
Five minutes later, she pulled up at the drive-thru window and rambled off Ernie’s order.
Nothing for her, let alone asking Erys if he wanted anything, she got to the window, pulled out cash, paid and sped back off toward the house.
Remedy snatched the bag, whisked into the house and handed it over.
“Thank you,” Ernie said, taking the bag and looking through it. “Where’s yours?”
“I’m fine, Ernie.” Truth was her appetite was gone, replaced by the nerves of reality. She checked the time and hummed. They were going to be pulling up at any second.
“Where we going?” Ernie asked, biting into his chicken sandwich.
“Pop,” Erys called, walking into the house.
Remedy rolled her eyes.
“What, boy?” Ernie asked with a full mouth.
“I got some people here,” Erys started.
No bedside manner, no empathy. Just cold, and Remedy couldn’t stand it.
“We are going to go stay somewhere for a couple of nights,” Remedy spoke up. “Somewhere new.”
“Why? I like being where I am,” Ernie replied, looking at Remedy.
She nodded, trying to hold her emotions together. “I know you do. But remember what I said about trying new things? We all have to try something different. Erys can get your house together for Cherie and while all that’s happening, you can relax.”
“You coming?” Ernie asked, to make sure the story wasn’t changing.
“Yes, I am.”
“No, you’re not,” Erys stated.
Remedy fired back. “Yes, I am.”
“Girl, move around,” Erys grumbled, forcing her to pop up on her feet and close the space between them. “Back up.”
“No. You want him to go, I’m telling you I’m going.
Where he goes, I go. Where I go, he goes.
You’re not going to get him in that van without me.
You’re not going to get him not to act a fool without me.
I don’t like your ass, you don’t like me.
That’s fine, but this isn’t about either of us.
It’s about him, so shut the fuck up and go along with it.
For once in your life, give the man some fuckin’ respect,” Remedy spoke through gritted teeth.
Erys clenched his jaw, peering down at her and then looked at his father, who was eagerly awaiting the correct answer. Anything else would’ve set him off. “Fine. Fine. Yeah, Pops, she’s coming.”
“Figured you’d see it my way,” Remedy buzzed, turning to walk away, only for him to grab her by the arm. “Nigga-”
“Hear me, though. He stays. You don’t try to break him out and you don’t impede on his health,” he stated.
Remedy looked down at her arm in his hold and then at his face. “I think you might end up in the grave before he will.”
“You talk shit like someone is afraid of your little ass.”
Remedy scoffed, yanking away. “Keep playing with me, Franklin. Keep on.”
Erys let a smile ease over his face as she walked away. That was foreign and uncomfortable for him.
“Alright, Ernie. Let’s get ready to go,” Remedy spoke in a softer voice. “I brought you an outfit over so you can change. You got to look good for these ladies.”
“They got young hoes?” Ernie posed.
“Now, Ernie, you know there’s always some young hoes around.”