Sins of Thy Mother 4

by Niki Jilvontae

  When my plane landed at four that afternoon I was hyped and ready to do what had to be done. I was happy to see my dad was there at the gate, just like he said he would be. For a second I was taken aback by the 6’5”, peanut butter colored beast that stood there and waited with a mean mug on his face. He looked just like a muthafucka fresh out the pen on a murder charge with all his muscles and tattoos. Anybody else would have walked away, but I didn’t I just stood there and waited for him to catch my glance. When he did his smile lit up and warmed my heart from across the room. I ran into his arms like the lame people on the movies as soon as I saw that familiar smile and he picked me up to hug me like I was a precious jewel.

  “Aww Tisha, I love you and I’m so happy to finally hold you. Daddy sorry baby and I promise to make it up to you. He whispered in my ear as he held me and then put me down to grab my bags. I wiped away my tears and then grabbed his hand as he led me out of the airport. The entire ride the Spaghetti Warehouse downtown, I remained silent and just listened to my dad talk about how he looked for me, how he would help me, and how sorry he was. “Tisha I hope this can be a new beginning for us. I’m happy you called me and I would have been upset if you didn’t. You need somebody to ride with you through this and since your better half isn’t here, daddy will step in. I got you okay?” My daddy said as I cried and he reached over to wipe away my tear. “Okay dad. I love you and thank you.” I said as I smiled at him and let him wipe away my tears.

  After that we had a great dinner and just before we left my dad made a call to his goons to meet us in Breezy Point. I sat there at the table across from him and just stared at his face as I watched him switch from loving, professional like dad to straight up goon ass nigga in a matter of seconds. After my dad arranged for them to meet us we left the restaurant and headed straight to the bay.

  I explained to my dad that I wanted to go to my sister’s house to get all of the kid’s things, some of my sister’s important stuff, and to try and find out where she was. I said all of that but to my true reason for going back was to find my sister. I hadn’t even told Jerrod that, but I think my dad knew from the jump because he told me he already had his ear to the street. “I got word out that she is not to be fucked with and I’m sure that anyone who sees her will let me know.” My dad said and I felt a little better.

  My dad and I chatted all the way to Frayser and when we pulled down the street from Breezy Point my dad got a call from one of his goons. “Here I am coming upright behind y’all. Follow me.” My dad said as hung up the phone and drove in. The sun had just set in the early October Memphis sky when we pulled in and the air was warm with a cool undertone as it breezed through the open window and caressed my cheek. I looked up at the sky as my dad pulled right in front of the apartment and I said a silent prayer for anyone who may have hurt my sister because they would be dead before sun up. My dad looked over at me as I turned back around before he pulled two hand guns from under the seat.

  “You ready princess?” My dad asked me as he handed me one and I checked to make sure it was locked and loaded. “Yeah, I’m ready dad. Let’s get this over with. Make sure everybody knows that we only shoot if necessary. Me and you and one more can go in just have the others stay outside. I just wonna gather some information on my sister mainly, only hurt a bitch if I have to. Okay?” I asked my father as he nodded his head while he texted my instructions to his goons.

  After we received their confirmation my dad and I got out and the goon he talked to earlier whom they called Unc, jumped out with us. We all tucked away our heat as we walked up to the door and the junkies outside on the porch scattered. I stood back and put my ear to the window as my daddy banged on the door like a real G. I could hear people scatter in the living room as rap music played and the t.v. blasted loudly at the same time. I glanced at my dad and nodded that they were in there when he banged again.

  “I know you muthafuckas hear me knocking. OPEN THE GODDAMN DOOR!” My daddy yelled as Unc got impatient and kicked in the door. He kicked that bitch so hard it flew off the hinges and we rushed in before they even knew what had happened. I rushed right into the living room to the big black chair I knew Vito called his throne. Sure as shit stinks there his junky, frail ass was with some bitch between his legs as she sucked his tiny dick. Just to see him there as he enjoyed himself in my sister’s house while she was missing made me so furious. It made me so mad that I pulled out my strap and ran over there to slap his ass with it before he could even look up. I hit his ass so hard teeth flew out of his mouth and blood ran down the front of his dingy wife beater. His eyes snapped up to me just as the junky who had her face in his groin looked up at me with dope hazed eyes.

  “Hey, who is this bitch Vito?” The girl yelled through slurred speech as I reached out and grabbed a handful of her matted braids. As I grabbed her Vito grabbed his mouth and then jumped up out the chair with the shit. He jumped up with the intentions of kicking my ass like I heard he did my sister on occasion, but what he didn’t know was that my daddy didn’t play that shit. “Tisha bitch I’ll kill you.” He yelled when he was in the full upright position and my daddy hit him with a Friday uppercut and slumped his bitch ass right back in the chair.

  That one punch from my dad’s massive, ring covered hand opened up Vito’s chin on contact and I instantly saw bone and white meat pop out as he cried like a bitch. I turned my attention from Vito back to his hoe for a second as he continued to cry, and I drug that bitch to the door as I slapped her across the face occasionally. “Hoe stay the fuck out my sister house.” I said as she yelled and I finally recognized her voice from the phone.

  That made me go even harder on the bitch so I drug her out on the porch and then threw her face down on the ground. The impact of her body on the concrete made a loud thud and I let her hair go when her face hit the ground but didn’t bounce back up. “Oh shit, somebody just beat Mika. AHHHHH she slammed that hoe. Aye, they in there fucking them folks up.” Some boys on the next porch yelled as my daddy’s goons formed a human wall around the door to block their view inside.

  After I kicked the bitch up her ass once, I ran back inside and found my father with his now gloved hands around Vito’s throat as he choked the life out of him. His grip was so tight around his neck I could see every vein in Vito’s face as he gasped for air and his eyes popped out of his head. “Daddy, daddy please let him go. I need to find out where my sister is. Daddy please let him go.” I yelled to my father as he shook his head no and Unc drug another bloody nigga into the front room.

  “Aye Big Folk. Let him go maine or we ain’t gonna find the girl.” Unc yelled at my daddy as he suddenly looked up with tears in his eyes.

  “He already told me he beat her then shot her up with dope and left her in a stolen car with guns and pills. This bitch made ass nigga called 12 too and turned her in. Like a lil vindictive ass girl he set her up. Didn’t you pussy? Mad cause you wasn’t man enough to love her right and get her away from the bullshit. Let me kill this nigga Tisha. I’ll go back to jail for you and anybody that you love.” My daddy said as he continued to choke Vito and I watched his face turn blue.

  Part of me wanted to tell him to do it and kill Vito’s evil ass. However, I couldn’t take the thought of losing my dad again so I begged him to let Vito go. “Please daddy. Let him go. Don’t leave me again.” I said with tears in my eyes as my daddy looked up into my eyes and released Vito’s throat.

  As soon as he did I ran over and grabbed my dad’s arm as Vito lie, lifeless on the ground. I kicked him in the stomach and he squirmed so I knew he was still alive. After that my dad drug me to the door before we all jumped into our cars. As soon as the door closed to the truck me and my dad were in gun shots rang out from the upstairs window in Terricka’s apartment. That was the last thing I heard before a hail of bullets erupted and my dad dumped out of the window as he backed up out of the parking spot. We pulled out of the parking lot going 80 miles per hour with my daddy’s goons blasting right behin
d us.

  My heart raced like a hamster on crack who had just got a new wheel as we sped towards the expressway and the police sped past us in the opposite direction. Right before we got on the on-ramp my dad stopped so that he could check to make sure we weren’t hit. After that he called his boys as he cut on his police scanner and heard they had a description of the cars. We disappeared after that as we sped on to I-40 straight to Arlington.

  I laid low in Arlington at my dad’s house for that following week as I kept my eyes on the news and found out three niggas had gotten killed at the shootout and Vito was one of those niggas. I was relieved when I found out the police had no leads and believed the attack was drug related. That was enough to turn my focus from that and back to the mission I came for and that was the kids and my sister. That Monday, one week after I had been there I found out my sister was in jail on a $50,000 bond. I called around all day until I found a bails bond man who would take the 10% cash I had on me to get her out of jail. When I finally found one I was relieved to find out that he could get her released as early as the following morning. That was perfect since I was going to pick up the kids that afternoon and our flight didn’t leave until the next day. That would give us all time to catch up before the kids and I went away.

  In my mind the plan was perfect so as soon as my dad got home from his landscaping job, in which he owned the company, he and I headed to Just In Time Bonding and I paid the $5,000 necessary to get my sister out. I also had to sign a pink slip on the most expensive piece of book printing equipment I had in my office as collateral, which I would lose if she didn’t go to court. I didn’t care though I was just ready to get everything over with and get home for good. I didn’t think twice as I signed the paper and the man told me she would be out the next day. I gave him my number after he told me he would go see her in the next hour and asked him if he would tell her to call me. He agreed and I left there happy, but still a little apprehensive of everything going as planned. I felt better though once we pulled up at the CPS office and I walked in to see four smiling little faces. I kissed and hugged my nieces and nephews as they told me how happy they were to see me.

  “See I told y’all Te Te was coming and everything would be alright.” Rodney Jr. said to his siblings before he turned around and gave me a big smile and hugged me tight.

  “I love you Te Te and I knew you would come back for us. Can we go home now?” Rodney whispered in my ear as tears fell from my eyes. I kissed his little tear streaked cheeks before I stood back up and whisked Talaya up in my arms before I kissed Ryan and Tania on their heads. “Yes, tomorrow morning we go home!” I said as they all cheered and my dad helped me get them all out and into the car.

  Once in the car I told my dad to take us to the Robinson’s before the kids began to ask a million questions. I explained to them who my dad was and why we had to go to the Robinson’s first. None of them seemed interested in waiting for any reason, especially not a dinner and I couldn’t tell them we weren’t leaving right away because I wanted them to say goodbye to Terricka. I just tried to encourage them to forgive her and say goodbye IF we saw her before we left. “I know how you babies feel; believe me I do. But you will regret it I you don’t say bye because she’s still your mother my loves. I will protect you though so don’t worry. So if we see her while we’re at grandma and grandpa’s house for this big dinner, be sure to tell her you love her.” I said as I looked at them in the rearview mirror and they all shook their heads to say okay.

  Just then my phone rang and I looked at the ID to see a number I didn’t know. I answered it and to my surprise I heard Terricka’s low and raspy, but sweet and sober voice. “Hey little sister, my savior. Thank you for doing this.” Terricka said as I felt tears well up in my eyes and I glanced in the mirror at the kids. I debated whether or not I should let them know it was her on the phone and after a few minutes I decided not to. I didn’t want to upset them unless it was necessary and it would only be necessary if she showed up at the house the next day. So to shield their little hearts I played like she was a friend of mine on the phone.

  “Oh you’re welcome doll, but how are you doing? It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you. I’m still here in Memphis and will be at home with the Robinsons’ until late tomorrow afternoon. I hope to see you. Love ya girl.” I said as I wiped away the tears that fell from my eyes and pretended I was okay. Terricka got quiet for a second after I spoke and almost made me think she had hung up until I heard her sniffle on the other end.

  “Oh my kids must be in the car. You don’t want them to know it’s me huh, and that I’m in jail? Well, I guess that’s best sister. Let them know I love them though and I’m gonna get better for them. I love you too sister.” Terricka said as I heard her cry between her words.

  I almost couldn’t control my emotions as I listened to the hurt and desire to change in my sister but lack of motivation to do so. I wanted to reach out and help her like I had done so many times before, but I felt it was a lost cause. I had done that too many times and every time I extended my hand to help she smacked that muthafucka away. It was only so much I could take, especially when I felt that I was doing more harm than good. That’s why I felt it was time for that tough love my mama used to talk about because nothing else had worked so far. “You tell them yourself tomorrow when you come to the house. Be there forreal though because this is the last chance to see me…us.” I whispered into the phone.

  “Okay, I’ll be there. Thank you again for getting me out.” My sister replied really quickly before she hung up and left me dazed with the phone still in hand. I held in the tears that burned behind my eyes and smothered the hurt and fear in my heart as the kids began to sing to a song on the radio and my daddy joined in. I turned to face the window as I silently cried and my tears dripped down the glass like rain. In my heart I knew what would happen before it did, but I didn’t want to believe it was true. Instead I dried up my tears and found a thread of hope and strength to get through another night.

  I had a good night too at home with the Robinson’s and the kids as we enjoyed a nice dinner, I put the kids in the bath, and then we watched movies until we passed out. That night I fell asleep but I didn’t dream anything, instead I had a long peacefully slumber. I woke up the next morning anxious to see what the day would hold. I was down in the kitchen before my foster mother Tania was with breakfast already on. After we all ate at the table together and I had the kids dressed we went outside to play on the swing set. I sat on the swing and watched my sister’s kids laugh and play like I had never seen them do before. Every now and then I would pick up my phone to make sure that it was on. At two o’clock when it suddenly rang, I fumbled to find it and answer it before the person hung up.

  “Hello. Hello Terricka.” I yelled into the phone after I answered only to be met with silence and then the person hung up.

  I looked at the number with a 731 area code and wondered who that was that had called. The kids diverted my attention from that though when they ran over with leaves in their hands and began to attack me with them. I threw my phone down in my seat and jumped up to chase them and forget about my worries for a minute. We played like that for an hour as we rolled in the leaves and laughed. At close to four p.m., an hour and a half before our flight, I stood up with tears in my eyes because what I already knew had come true. There was no Terricka in sight and there probably never was going to be, because she never intended to come.

  “She played me just like Denise used to do people, and now I’m done. Sometimes to love is to let go.” I said to Tania as she met me on my way to the house. “What happened baby?” She yelled after me as I opened the kitchen door. “She did exactly what I knew she would ma and that’s okay. Get the kids together so y’all can take us to the airport because it’s time to go.” I said as Tania shook her head with a sad look on her face.

  I marched into the house and up to my old room as I redialed that mysterious number that had called me earlier. I let it
ring over and over again until the answering machine finally came on. When it finally did come on I froze in my tracks as I listened to the nasty recording Terricka had left just for me. I had to replay it a dozen times in order to understand everything she said through her slurred speech.

  “Hello you’ve reached Terricka and if this Tisha ole Bougie ass bitch bye. Okay you got me out so what I’m supposed to be your slave. You got the kids and that’s what you wanted so bitch go. Go y’all asses on back to California and leave me the fuck alone. YOU CAN’T SAVE ME TISHA CAUSE I DON’T WANT TO BE SAVED. STOP TRYING BITCH! Bye HOE and I hope you didn’t put yo house up cause I’m not going back to court. Hahaaaaaa!” Terricka said before the recording ended and I cut off all feelings for her.

  I cried for a second as I finished the packing then I wiped away my tears and went down stairs with bags in hand. I put on a brave face as we all loaded into the car and Tania grabbed me to hug me. “You did all you could do baby, now it’s time for your sister to help herself.” Tania said before she kissed me and we got into the car.

  I rode silently to the airport lost in my thoughts as my sister’s words rang in my ears. I still didn’t give up hope that one day she would change but I knew that time to change hadn’t come yet. I felt a sudden wave of hurt and sorrow take over me as we pulled in front of the airport and I realized that could be the last time I talked to my sister. I almost broke down at that thought, but I pulled myself together as soon as my phone rang.

  “Hello.” I said as I hopped out and my foster dad helped me with the bags. “Heyyy big sis, I’m backkkkk. Your boy out the hospital and everything. I’m at home now waiting on you. Soooo where ya at?” Sha said as I jumped up and down in happiness and told him I was on my way.

  After that I kissed my foster parent’s goodbye and boarded the plane with my four new babies right with me. Once I had them settled in the four seats in the row in front of me I snuggled deep down into my first class seat and put my forehead on the window as our plane went up into the air.