Chapter 24 #2
“Oh my God. This is such a pleasant surprise!” Maui sat next to me and pushed me. “You knew she was talking when I texted you earlier, didn’t you?”
I laughed and nodded. “I did, but we wanted to surprise you. So, what did you want to talk to me about?”
I’d been thinking about that shit all day, so I didn’t want to waste any time getting to it. Her face turned completely red. That couldn’t have been a good thing. Fuck! I didn’t want to hear no more fucked up shit. She lowered her head, so I grabbed her by her chin. “Somebody fucking with you?”
“No. Can we talk in private?”
“I know what she has to tell you,” Treasure said. “You can say it here, Maui.”
My mama and Epic took seats, joining us for whatever bullshit Maui was about to reveal.
She glanced around the room and said, “Yesterday morning, Seven came to the office with my mama. He told me that he knew who the missing DNA was for. When I asked how he knew, he wouldn’t tell me at first. But then he said she was seen with Eric, one of the guys that was found dead.
I got Ali to check into it, because I didn’t want to come here with any misinformation.
He verified it today and turned that information in to the police. ”
I sat up and stared at her, waiting for her to continue. Apparently, it was someone we knew, and she knew that revelation would upset everyone. Treasure had her head down as Maui grabbed her hand. “Who was it?” I asked, getting extremely impatient and irritable.
“Vanessa.”
I frowned so hard blood vessels should have exploded in my face. “What the fuck you say?” I asked as I stood from the sofa. “Vanessa was in on this? They found her fucking DNA on Treasure?”
I was livid and at the point of no return. I went to the kitchen, looking for my keys. “Where are my fucking keys! I’m gon’ get to her ass before the police do. Fuck that! I’m gon’ kill that bitch!”
They had to have hidden my keys because I couldn’t find those muthafuckas. “Where the fuck are my keys!” I yelled.
Epic and Dad practically tackled me and dragged me back to the couch where Treasure was crying her eyes out. That softened me enough to calm me down, because all I could see was red. I closed my eyes and pulled her in my arms. “I’m so fucking sorry. Fuck!”
My adrenaline was pumping hard. I couldn’t hold Treasure too long, because I was squeezing her way too tight. I’d mess around and break her fucking arms. When I pulled away, I asked, “She shitted on you?”
“No. She gagged herself and vomited on me.” She took deep breaths. “She said that was how she felt when you denied your son.”
I ran my hand down my face. “She was just at this fucking house four days ago with Caleb. She gotta be a sick muthafucka to still show up here after that. I swear, y’all better keep me in this house until they lock her ass up, because one thang for certain and another thang for sho’, I’m gon’ find that bitch and send her ass to hell. ”
I glanced over at Maui to see her tears.
That made me even softer. I grabbed her hand and caressed it between my trembling ones.
Restraining myself had my entire body trembling.
I brought it to my lips and kissed it. “Thank you, Maui, for going the extra mile to confirm it. Have you heard if a warrant has been issued?”
“No, I haven’t, but I can find out. I haven’t spoken to Ali since right before you messaged me this morning.”
I nodded and turned my attention back to Treasure.
She was fiddling with her broken nails. My sister was always so put together, like Mama.
I had to get her back to normal. Before I could ask if she wanted me to take her to get them done, she said, “I was so scared. I didn’t know why they’d taken me.
I was just trying to get some sticks for my glue gun.
They caught up with me before I could even walk into Michaels.
I’d seen them before, but I didn’t know their names. ”
“How many of them were there?” I asked.
“Two had walked up on me and another one was driving the black SUV.”
“Do you remember what type of SUV? I’m asking because I want to be sure that everyone involved pays the cost,” I said.
“It was a Tahoe.”
I frowned. Adrian had a Tahoe, but I believed Eric was driving that shit around. I was glad I blew his fucking brains out, because he’d sworn he had nothing to do with it.
“One had a scar across his face, like he’d been cut.”
“That was Javian. Watchful Eyes took him out when we were still at the shack.”
Treasure nodded. “They all took turns with me, saying it felt good to fuck a legend . . . and that I felt mythical. That I should have been the one named Mythic. After they tied me up, they all took turns throwing shit on me. A couple of them actually squatted and shit on me right there.”
She began crying, her body quaking as she shrank into the fetal position next to me.
“Vanessa showed up the morning before you found me. It seemed they all knew her and respected her like she was the mastermind.” Treasure sat straight up.
“I remember her saying something about a man named Adrian. Didn’t you used to run for him? ”
“Yeah. What the fuck she say?”
Treasure’s eyes looked to be searching the floor, but I knew she was thinking hard, quickly trying to piece together the things she heard.
She started frowning and her face was getting extremely red, like she was about to burst. I pulled her into my arms. “Baby girl, it’s okay.
We can talk about this later. I know it’s hard for you. ”
“No! I have to get it all out! She was dating Adrian. When she saw you were dating Maui, she felt that was why you didn’t want to claim your kid.
She knew who Maui was before she had the baby.
She switched out her medication. She gave her ACE inhibitors or Xanax or something to cause her to go into premature labor.
She was working in the pharmacy when the prescriptions came in from Bali.
She caused y’all to lose your . . . oh, God . . . Oooooohh.”
My eyes were wide as Treasure started hyperventilating.
My dad came and held on to Treasure, helping her breathe so I could turn to Maui.
Her face was so red. My actions had caused us to lose our baby?
That couldn’t be right. Maui’s blood pressure was still high.
If I remembered correctly, ACE inhibitors were blood pressure pills.
It had to be Xanax pills that she gave her.
Or maybe Maui’s stress level was so high that it wasn’t working.
I reached out to pull Maui to me, and she held her hand up, halting me.
“She killed our baby?” Maui said in a questioning manner.
I knew she was just trying to make sense of it all.
When she finally did, she fell apart. I pulled her in my arms, doing my best to console her.
My bullshit had put her through so much trauma.
Honestly, I didn’t know if she would be able to get over this blow, and the thought of that had caused tears to fall from my eyes as well.
After how hard I fought for her, I could still potentially lose her.
She pushed away from me and got up from the couch, running to the bathroom. I ran right behind her but didn’t catch up with her before she slammed the door. I rested my head on the door, then started banging on it with my fists. “Maui! Fuck! Please baby. I need you! Maui!”
I bit my bottom lip so hard I could taste the blood.
This shit was all the way fucked up. I didn’t know how we would even verify she’d done that shit.
There was no reason Treasure would make that up.
Vanessa had to say that shit. She was Maui’s nurse after she lost the baby.
I had no clue she worked at a fucking pharmacy too. What the fuck!
I dropped to the floor outside of the bathroom as I continued to bang on the door. Resting my head on it again, I said, “Maui, please, baby. Don’t leave me.”
When I felt arms around me, I nearly jumped out of my skin.
Treasure was on her knees next to me. Mama was watching us from Dad’s arms, crying her eyes out.
I sat and Treasure sat next to me, curling up like a cat next to me.
After a few more moments, Maui opened the door.
I didn’t have the energy to even stand. She looked down at Treasure and me, then sat on the floor next to us.
She curled up next to me on the opposite side.
“I’m not leaving you, Mythic. I just needed time alone.
I needed to convince myself that this wasn’t your fault.
We all make fucked up decisions at times.
She fucked up when she came after you. By that time, you were already in your son’s life.
She’s a miserable bitch. If I could get to her, I would.
Indigo Joan Semien definitely paid the ultimate price for both our actions.
Once she’s caught, this will all be over. ”
I closed my eyes and wrapped my arm around her, thanking God for giving me a woman so pure, understanding, and logical. After taking a deep breath, I turned to Treasure. “We have to get off this floor.”
She nodded. Once we were all standing, Epic helped Treasure back to her spot on the couch. The room was completely quiet now. I had to assume Treasure was done talking for the day, and as excited as I was to hear her voice earlier, I was now grateful for the reprieve.