by Tanya South
“Are you sure you are ready to go in?” Detective Fitz asked Auntie.
“Yes. I need to see my baby.” She cried as Uncle Joseph embraced her. Uncle Joseph’s eyes were red.
I needed to see him with my own eyes. I still couldn’t believe it. I thought maybe it could be mistaken identity.
Mom asked that Mia, Lisa, and I to wait outside. But the three of us insisted to go in, as well. Mia became hysterical, crying again.
As Detective Fitz opened the door, Auntie and my uncle followed him and the rest of us followed behind them. The room was dove grey. There was a distinct smell in the room. There in the viewing room was what looked like a narrow table with a covered body. I stood behind with Lisa toward the back of the room. Lisa appeared too scared to stand close. The medical assistant stood next to Detective Fitz as she pulled the sheet off slowly. Auntie Lucy screamed loudly and fell over on top of Joe’s body.
“My baby… I’m so sorry, my Love… No…” Auntie sobbed as she ran her fingers through his hair. She touched his face, then rubbed his forehead. She noticed the hole on the side of his head.Uncle Joseph stood by and looked shocked.
Mia ran up next to them and screamed, too. “Junior, what am I going to do without you?”
She almost fainted. Dad grabbed a hold of her and walked her outside of the room. I mustered up the courage to slowly walk up to where Joe’s body was. I soon became nauseous and dizzy. As I stood there, my mind wandered off into the garden again.
The garden had been consumed with a thick fog. I walked slowly through it. I could hear the monster’s voice talking.
I didn’t understand what he was trying to tell me.
Then I heard, “Natasha, release him from his debt.”
I didn’t understand. “Release him from his debt?”
“Natasha, forgive him and free yourself,” He said again.“No. I can’t forgive him. I won’t forgive him. I will never forgive him,” I insisted. The thick fog turned into a black cloud. The garden was no more. It was dry and empty. Straightaway, I heard a bizarre noise that came from the monster. It was a disturbing and painful wail. I got a glimpse of him down on the ground, hopeless and sad.
“Why do you cry, when you are the one who caused me so much pain?” I asked coldly. But the monster didn’t stop crying.
“Your cries are empty to me. Am I to feel sorry for you now? I pray for God to judge you according to all of the anguish you caused me,” I said and walked away.
“Tasha… Tasha…” Mom kept tapping me on my shoulder. “Honey, we have to go.”
Auntie Lucy and the rest of us exited the room where Joe’s body lay. It had been surreal. On the ride back home, Mia and I sat all the way in the back. Mia whimpered softly on my shoulder. Everyone in the car remained silent.
By the time we arrived back at Auntie’s house, they seemed cried out. Once inside, I could hear the adults talking in the kitchen. Phone calls were being made. Lisa was so upset; she had excused herself. She needed time alone. Mia and I were the only two left sitting in the living room.
Then Mia whispered to me in despair, “Natasha, please don’t tell me that Junior was the cousin you told me about? The one you told me who hurt you?”
I stood silently as I looked right into her eyes. Tears welled up and slowly rolled down my cheeks.
“Oh no,” Mia said.
We both began crying as she leaned toward me to hug me.
“I’m so sorry,” Mia said.
“He was a monster,” I said softly.
“I guess I shouldn’t really be surprised.”
“Shouldn’t be surprised about what?” I asked, confused.
“When Joe found me, he’d taken me to go live with him. I had just turned eighteen around then. At that time, I was still living with my foster parents. But I was miserable there. I was just a paycheck for them.”
“So what are you saying?” I interrupted.
“My foster parents reported me missing because I just never came back home. The first night I left with him, I always suspected he might’ve spiked my drinks with something.”
“What makes you think that?”
“Well, I don’t think. I know. Because I don’t remember most of that night and I only had two drinks with him. And the following morning after just meeting him, I woke up in the same bed with him. At first, it made me scared, but he promised to provide a better life for me. I thought my life was meaningless anyway, so why not just give in to his proposition?” Mia explained. “What choice did I really have?”
“Oh, my goodness. Mia, you were his victim?” I said, stunned.
“I guess I never really saw it that way. He favored me the most out of all of the girls.”
“Girls? What other girls?”
“There were other girls. I think even younger than me at that time. He just explained that they worked for him. Although, he’d have me and the others take turns some nights, as to who would spend alone time with him,” Mia said casually.
“What!? I can’t believe it!”
“That went on for a while, but then I got pregnant and he changed. He told me that he loved me, and only me. I also grew to love him, over time.”
“So he wasn’t your boyfriend?”
“It kept me sane to call him my boyfriend. I felt a sense of stability believing that. But I know that Junior, deep down inside, loved me. I have to believe that because I’m carrying his baby.”
Auntie Lucy walked in right at the time she said those last three words, “carrying his baby.”
Auntie sat down next to Mia. She looked worried. “Mia, Sweetheart, tell me, what was your relationship with my son?”
“Mrs. Murphy, he was my boyfriend and we lived together,” Mia said.
“And the baby is my…?”
“Yes, my baby is your grandson.” Mia looked right into Auntie’s eyes.
Auntie wept. “You’re carrying my grandson?” Her voice quivered as she grabbed Mia closer to her and embraced her. “My Joe’s legacy lives on. Oh, Sweetheart. This is a gift.”
I cringed when I heard her say that. I’d grown to love Mia and her baby while in the center. But after knowing she was carrying Joe’s baby, I didn’t really know how to feel about it.
Detective Fitz informed my family earlier that he’d be in touch within the week with more information regarding a court date for the preliminary hearing. He didn’t get into more details with Auntie that night because of the difficult news she had just received.
I needed to keep my secret concealed from the rest of my family. I had no idea what Detective Fitz uncovered in his investigation. But I had to trust where God was leading me to.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
FREED BUTTERFLIES
JOHN 8:32
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
MANHATTAN, NEW YORK
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1987, 9:00 a.m. SESSION
“This is the time and place set for this preliminary examination in the case of the People of the state of New York versus Mr. Colin Lee Richards; case number H249721. The defendant is present. Would counsels please state your names and appearances for the record, please?”
This day had been distressful. As the counselors introduced themselves and the court addressed all to proceed, I noticed there were ten girls sitting in the courtroom, all of them holding each other’s hands. I wondered who they were. When they first walked into the courtroom and sat down, I saw all of their heads bowed as they whispered under their breaths. It looked like they had been praying.
“Call your first witness,” the court stated.
“Lucinda Watts, the witness herein, called by and on behalf of the People, was duly sworn and testifies as follows.”
“Please step over here, Miss, and raise your right hand. You do solemnly swear that the testimony you are to give before this court to be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help you God?”
“Yes.”
“Pleas
e take the stand and be seated. State your full name and spell your last name, please,” the court clerk said.
“Lucinda Watts. W-A-T-T-S.”
Lucinda had already been on the stand for about fifteen minutes. Clearly, she had been shaken up. The judge stopped the proceedings once to get her a tissue. All eyes were on her in the courtroom. Mia and I sat together with our hands clutched tightly. Then yet another question was asked and she answered.
“Well, yes, I was scared.”
“If you were scared, why didn’t you try to escape, or call the police?”
Lucinda began crying. “Well, because not only had they taken me, but they had my little sister, too. She’s only fifteen. They threatened if I ever went to the cops or didn’t do what they said, they would kill her and kill me, too.” She continued to explain. “My job was to recruit new girls. They were making a lot of money. I just did what they told me to do.”
“Who told you what to do?” the counselor asked.
“Kage and Junior.”
“When you say Kage, are you referring to the defendant, Mr. Colin Lee Richards?”
“Yes. Everyone called him Kage. I never knew that his real name was Colin.”
“And who is Junior?” the counselor asked.
“Junior was the big boss. He gave all of the orders.”
“Okay, go on.”
“The night I convinced Natasha to come with me, she thought I was a patient at the hospital, too. But I was only there to find more girls for them. Natasha was perfect. Junior was picky as to what kind of girls he wanted.”
“What did he do with the girls?”
“Kage would drug them to the point where they just went along with what they wanted. Each girl was sold to different johns. You know, customers.”
The questioning began getting more intense. Lucinda proceeded to answer the next question.
“Yes. Kage and Junior never allowed any girl to be let go, ever. The morning we left Natasha behind had been the first time Junior saw her. She was the new girl at that time. We just reported back to him every day with the money and amount of customers she serviced. But Junior tended to stop in on jobs. So that day, when he first saw Natasha, he freaked out. He said he knew her and wanted to let her go. I didn’t understand why at first. And when I questioned Junior about it, he hit me. So we left her, and when Kage found out about it he was livid. Kage said that Junior messed up because she’s a witness and all could go wrong. He worried their business could be ruined.”
“What happened after that?” the counselor asked.
“A few weeks after that, things got really bad between Junior and Kage. They started screaming at each other. Kage insisted that we find Natasha and bring her back. Kage wanted to get rid of her.”
“When you say get rid of her, what do you mean by that?”
“I mean, Kage wanted her dead. He considered her a liability. Junior wasn’t having it. He told Kage that he hurt Natasha when she was little.”
“Did he say how he’d hurt her?” the counselor asked.
“Yes. Junior said he sexually abused Natasha.”
Loud gasps sounded in the courtroom. I couldn’t believe what I had just heard. Mom and Dad’s face turned white. It was as if they’d seen a ghost.
Auntie Lucy yelled, “Liar! How dare you lie about my son? He’s not even here to defend himself.”
“Order in this court!” the judge said as he beat the gavel against his bench. “Ma’am, one more outburst from you and I will have you removed from my courtroom.”
Mom started to cry softly while Dad held her.
“Proceed,” the judge ordered.
“You may continue, Ms. Watts,” the counselor stated.
“Junior said that he abused Natasha for years. He didn’t want any more pain inflicted on her. Kage got really angry. That’s when all of a sudden, Kage pulled out his gun and shot him right in the head.” Lucinda broke down sobbing.
There was another outburst in the courtroom.
“Lucinda, I’m here for you, Honey!” a woman yelled as she ran toward Lucinda.
“Oh, Mom.” Lucinda cried as she hugged her mother.
Next to them stood a young girl who resembled Lucinda, it was her fifteen-year-old sister.
“Order!” the judge said.
Then the ten girls who were sitting toward the back of the courtroom, who were praying earlier, all walked over to Lucinda, and they hugged each other as a group. The ten girls began praying out loud, “The Lord is my shepherd…” They continued praying on. “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.”
Everyone had been amazed, including the judge himself. Kage had an evil grin on his face. While the girls hugged Lucinda, a few of them began talking to her.
“We forgive you.”
Another said, “It’s not your fault.”
Then another girl said, “We are all the same. We are sisters.
“Yes, we are here for you,” another girl said.
Lucinda just sobbed.
At that very second, my head grew heavy. My eyes became blurred. I felt really lightheaded. Wooziness overcame me. I stepped into the breathtaking garden. It had been the same one where I had heard God’s voice. Over by a beautiful, pink-blossomed tree, I saw thirteen cocoons. Little by little and one by one, each cocoon started to break open. The shells were slowly falling off each majestic, colorful butterfly. Each butterfly had its own unique blend of colors. I was in awe. I watched each one break free. But I noticed that out of the thirteen cocoons, only twelve of them broke free. I’d never seen anything like this, but the twelve butterflies just hovered over the one that hadn’t yet opened. Then I saw the monster bent down, weeping. He wailed, and whimpered. His tears became a small stream along the ground where the beautiful flowers stood. I could hear him mumbling. I couldn’t make out what he was saying. His words were muffled. The twelve butterflies then surrounded the monster. I didn’t understand what was happening. The sun brightened up even more. The clouds were like beautiful decorations in the sky. I looked over ahead of me and could see several bright yellow sunflowers. They were everywhere. The light shined on the monster from the sky.
“God, what do you want from me?” I wept and I wept. “I can’t forgive him. He hurt me really bad.”
Right at that moment, the twelve butterflies hovered over me. The last cocoon stood all alone. Slowly each of the butterflies began changing into the girls. I gasped. I realized who they were. They were the ten girls from the courtroom, the eleventh girl was Lucinda, and the twelfth girl was Mia.
They all looked so beautiful, so peaceful and happy.
“What does this mean?” I asked.
“Those girls share the same monster as you,” He said.
“They are Joe’s victims, too?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“Who is the girl in the last cocoon?”
“Natasha, the other butterfly is yet to be freed. The other butterfly is you,” God’s voice said.
“What?” I asked, still confused.
“Natasha, you have to forgive.”
I cried loudly. I could still hear the monster’s cries. I slowly walked over to it. Fear completely left my mind and spirit. I placed my hand on the monster’s head.
“I forgive you. Joe, I forgive you.”
I felt the heavy burden lift up out of my soul. Then steadily, the monster changed into a man. The man was Joe. His weeping stopped. I could hear a loud, crackling noise. It was the last cocoon. It started to break open. Swiftly, the butterfly swooped out of its shell. The butterfly had every single color of the rainbow on its wings. The colors looked just like the bed of roses I had seen in the garden before.
“Natasha, your garden is flourishing. This is just the beginning. Remember, you are like the tree of life.”
It was right at that very moment that I knew the truth. Truth is the key, not only to freedom, but to salvation. I had been freed from bondage; the bondage that
the devil took pleasure in keeping me in. I learned that because of what God did for us by sending His Son Jesus Christ, our sins have been forgiven.
I had been saved by grace through my faith. My faith had been the only thing I refused to give up. And so, it was my responsibility to forgive the one who trespassed against me. This truth has forever set me free.
EPILOGUE
ISAIAH 61:2–3
To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.
Present day…
The beautiful city of Miami reflected relaxation, vacations, and fun in the sun. It was a breath of fresh air to be here and spread the message of hope. My team and I were here for only a few days to pitch another opening of an additional facility here. We already had our first building established in Manhattan, New York, and our second facility in Los Angeles, California. The three of us anxiously sat in the waiting room until they called us in.
My name was called. “Mrs. McCarthy-Morgan”
“Yes,” I said as I stood up. “Hi, very nice to meet you, these are my partners, Ms. Lugo and Ms. Watts,” I introduced them as I shook her hand.
“Good morning, Ladies. Very nice to meet you,” the woman said. “Come on in.”
We walked into an auditorium filled with hundreds of people. We’d never presented to a large audience like this before. The presenter began talking.
“Good morning, everyone, our guests have finally arrived here today from New York City. I am proud to introduce the founder and owners of the Tree of Life Rescue Foundation. It is a nonprofit organization for the rescue and healing of all sexual-abuse and human-trafficking victims. The Tree of Life Rescue Foundation was founded in 2005. These women of faith and courage have dedicated their lives to facilitate the rescue and healing of girls, boys, women and men by sex slavery in the human-trafficking industry. It is also for those who have been sexually abused as children. They facilitate a wonderful staff, which provide inspiration and guidance with love. They also facilitate empowerment classes, therapeutic services, and a sanctuary that help ease them into the healing process. There are also educational classes and training for the warning signs and red flags of the predators in this industry. Most importantly, their foundation was founded on the principles of God’s love for us and the comfort that He also provides for all. Please welcome Mrs. Natasha McCarthy-Morgan and her wonderful team.”
