Lies of a Real Housewife

by Angela Stanton

  studio, and remix my song. How did things go south? I mean what happened?

  

  All hell broke loose when my brother, Lee, found out. He was deal-

  ing with a lot around this time. The death of our mother was still fresh. Everyday felt like she had just died the day before. Lee’s wife suddenly became ill. She was diagnosed with cancer. Then his only sibling and baby sister had

  been raped by Johnnie.

  What Johnnie did was the straw that broke the camel’s back. I tried

  consoling Lee all I could, but he was inconsolable.

  “This f#@%-pu**y-a**-ni**a raped my sister? My Sister! Oh I’m

  finna kill this bi**h-a** ni**a!” Lee shouted.

  Tears of anger streamed down his face. Lee held his 45 semi auto-

  matic in his hand. He carefully loaded each bullet. I stared in awe because I’d never seen my brother like this before. Mother always said, “The difference

  between my two children is night and day.”

  Lee was always quiet, humble, and mild mannered. I, on the other

  hand, seven years younger and always ready to get it poppin’. I mean I was rowdy. At that dreadful moment, it seemed as if my brother and I switched places. He was just as determined to kill Johnny as I was to kill Curtis. The

  police were already involved.

  I told Lee that if he killed this man then he would be the first suspect. My brother rose up like a giant and roared.

  “SO…? I DON’T GIVE A F#@%! I’M A MAN! I’M NOT A

  F#@%ING C-O-W-A-R-D!” My enraged brother shouted.

  Then he sprinted toward the door. In my mind I already knew where

  he was headed. Lee and I were very close. I had told him everything. He knew where Johnnie lived, and he knew exactly where Johnnie’s office was on Peachtree Street in downtown Atlanta. Diving across the living room floor, I wrapped both arms around his legs, tackling him. Then I begged him not to

  throw his life away. I told him to think of my niece, Mya, his only daughter.

  “If you go to prison, who’s gonna be here to protect her?” I asked.

  Finally my words grabbed him, and he heeded. He stopped. This

  giant of a man fell to the floor, and cried like a baby. I held him in my embrace. I was the closest touch he had to our mother. Together we cried and I promised that it would be okay. Just like our mother always told us, “There’s

  more than one way to skin a cat.”

  Looking back to that day, I still can’t for the life of me understand

  what Johnnie was thinking. My best guess, he assumed I needed him more than he needed me. He knew my story all too well, knew I didn’t have many choices in life. I guess he thought that he could just rape me. Then I would

  just let it go because I needed him on my team.

  But I wasn’t going for that. I couldn’t. I didn’t have any say so about

  what happened to me when I was five, but I was in control this time. Whether Johnnie understood it or not this was very personal for me, and he was in

  violation. I wasn’t about to let this ride. No! F#@% that!

  I was worried about a lot of things. I thought about the conversation I had with Fabo, and becoming a target. Remember, I’m from the streets and I know how people get down. Johnnie had a lot of young guys on his team basically sweating him or riding his coattail. They all wanted to make it. Rap was a way out of the hood for many people who had no other way out. Johnnie could make that happen for them, and I was sure that in return for that

  favor they wouldn’t have a problem with getting rid of me.

  The police weren’t willing to provide me any protection. My chil-

  dren and I didn’t have anything or anywhere to go. I started weighing my options, again looking at my children. I wanted to do what was best for them. Thirty thousand dollars seemed like a lot at the time, and it would be enough

  to drastically change me and my children’s lives.

  He had agreed to push my song, and make me the next hot artist, but I had already made up my mind. I didn’t want to work with Johnnie. I never even wanted to see him again. There was no way I was going to walk around everyday like nothing happened. I had to do that my entire life. Every family reunion, and graduation, I was good on that part of the game. I didn’t care who he was, and much less for what he had. I was sure I could have gotten more money from Johnnie in a civil suit after a criminal investigation, but the

  risk of becoming a target was too great.

  Not only was I a target, but Johnnie’s attorney had already threat-

  ened to have my parole violated for extortion if they ever heard anything about the rape again. This was another reason I had needed Phaedra’s guidance, but she had completely rid herself of me. Her lifestyle had changed from the old days of being a crook. She just refused to help me. She gave me all the direction in the world when we had illegal dealings, but the rules of the game had changed. I wasn’t privy to the rule book anymore. So I did what I had to do. What I thought was best for my children and myself, I went with that. I met Johnnie at the Fulton County Library, signed an agreement not to

  prosecute, and took the money.

  I used that money to make moves. After relocating my family to an-

  other home, I purchased a new vehicle, took my babies to the beach in Florida, and I also published my first book, ‘Life Beyond These Walls’, which I

  had written while I was in prison.

  Dr. Alveda King, a prolife activist, was instrumental in providing

  me with some much necessary help along the way. I had pretty much given up on my rap career after that incident. I was too apprehensive and didn’t want to do music anymore. Johnnie not only raped me, but he had also snatched

  my dream away from me.

  The only thing I wanted to do now was share my story with young

  women. I had experienced and survived just about every hurt known to the human being. I got on the telephone that day and called all over the city until I found a program for young women that would give me an opportunity to

  volunteer my services.

  When I first met Dr. Alveda King, the niece of slain civil rights

  leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., she was counseling at a pregnancy crisis center for teen girls. I shared my life story with her, and she was completely

  blown away.

  Dr. King’s mission is to fight everyday for the lives of children. She

  looked at me as child, a child that needed to be born again. She promised me the first day I met her that she was going to help me get my life on track, and she did. She immediately began my healing process by allowing me to help the young women in her center. I never knew that my life story could prove to be so rewarding. The day I visited with Dr. King in her office, changed the focus of my whole existence.

  Chapter Eleven

  Ultimate Betrayal

  “Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes

  the fear of the Almighty.” Job 6:14(NIV)

  Prior to this book, and over the last few years, my life had been a

  constant struggle. Becoming one with me, myself, while forgiving I, proved to be a much harder task than I thought it would ever be. The process of reconciliation wore on me, and it almost took me out. Trying to suppress all of my bad memories was actually harder than remembering them. Dr. King kept her promise. She remained very active in my life. Helping me see past the pain, Dr. King gave me a newfound love for the misguided and mistreated children throughout the world. She singlehandedly guided me to

  a safer place.

  My first book signing for the book, ‘Life Beyond These Walls’, was

  at the Martin Luther King center in Atlanta, GA. I chose that title because I knew that you could be locked behind mental walls in your mind, not just walls made of concrete. I felt so honored. Dr. King made one call and it was

  done. She put me on a pedestal. She showed me th
at I had worth.

  Ms. Lorna Murphy showed up in addition to other parole officers I

  had over the course of my three years, Tammy Boone and Amy Roberts. My old boss from GDOT, Princess showed up and her boss, Rachel Brown, did as well. All of these people came out, and they showed their support. My cousin, Angie, and other people who not only believed in me, but knew I deserved a second chance, came out. I could never thank them enough. These were the people who truly helped me. Their belief in me along with my faith equaled

  success.

  Of course Phaedra never showed her face. I was disappointed, but

  not at all surprised. In fact, the last time I spoke with Phaedra was when Johnny raped me in June of 2008. I often wondered about Phaedra, and how her life turned out. Every time that I would think of her, my brain would quickly remind me that she had gone on with her life. And I had to do the same thing. Phaedra wanted to leave the dirty deeds of our past in the past. That was understandable to me. I wouldn’t wish what I’d been through on

  my worst enemy.

  Sharing my story as a preventative method to keep young women

  from making the same mistakes was a proven success. It took me almost

  thirty-two years to realize that I was not a mistake, and that my life had true meaning. It had value. After almost thirty-two years, I found my purpose. There were countless counseling sessions, and being taught to think after the thought, I finally found peace within. I was now able to live my life as a normal adult. I was finally able to love my children, love my life, and not resent anything at all about life. Ever! This was my life now. I felt that I had finally

  put all the negativity of my past behind me.

  Then I caught the first episode of ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’ on

  the Bravo Television Network. The episode I saw aired on November 28, 2010. It was always my presumption that Phaedra had moved on with her life, distancing herself from her criminal enterprise. I assumed she was now on the straight and narrow. So I was in a total state of shock when I learned that she married Apollo. Apollo was my criminal partner, our criminal partner. As I watched the show, I was about to die. I mean massive heart attack pains ran

  through my left arm.

  I knew damn well that I didn’t just see Everett driving them to and

  from the hospital in Savannah, Georgia when she had the baby. Oh, and please don’t let me forget how Everett had everybody featured in the show from the federal halfway house, when the Rolls Royce picked him up for Phaedra and Apollo’s wedding. Hold up! Wait a minute…!

  “Bi**h you sent a Rolls Royce to pick this man up from the halfway

  house when my children and I lived in a shelter? What the hell?” I found

  myself shouting at the television set.

  Then I started wondering about my relationship with Phaedra after I was busted. Do you know how many times I called this broad? How many times I had reached out to her? No really. I don’t beg, and I don’t run behind anybody, but she should have reached out to me. Why was the entire gang there except me? I know for a fact that I had earned my stripes! Was this real,

  man? I mean was this sh** actually happening?

  

  Phaedra had not moved on with her life at all. She was still involved

  with these people which meant she only distanced herself from me. But why only me…? After doing more research, I learned that while Everett Tripodis was in the halfway house, and before he got released from Federal prison, he worked as a paralegal for her law firm. Wait a minute! Now let me get this sh** straight. I’m sorry mama King for cursing, but please just give me this

  moment.

  Okay, so Phaedra was a slick bi**h. I knew this because she taught

  me how to be smooth. Phaedra married Apollo so he couldn’t testify against her, and of course, she masterminded getting his life on track upon his release from prison. She gave Everett, Apollo’s street brother, and our partner in crime, a job as a paralegal working for her law firm. She did nothing for my children, or me, but I had sacrificed and lost everything. Didn’t I fit into this

  equation anywhere? What about me? Why didn’t she help me?

  Check this out right. For those of you that feel like she doesn’t owe

  me anything. I really could care less how you feel or what you think, but for the sake of argument let’s consider this for a moment. When she was the ringleader, we had made an agreement, an unwritten contract. The verbal agreement was, if I ever got caught, Phaedra would represent me.

  Phaedra Parks didn’t do that! Nor did she even try! Phaedra Parks,

  an attorney who studied law, could truly care less. She knew what was going to happen to me if I ever got caught. Once I was nabbed by the law, she sat back and did nothing. It was one of my hardest lessons in life. There was no

  honor amongst thieves.

  Then I started thinking again, like I always do! I began to play the

  course of our relationship through my mind over and over again. Things started to finally make sense to me after that. I remembered when I first arrived in Clayton County Jail, when I was pregnant and Phaedra ignored all my calls. I remembered the conversation with Attorney Freeman. That was the only reason she showed up. I believe he forced her to because he didn’t want to be

  involved, so she had no choice.

  I remembered my Federal trial when she said it was a conflict of

  interest. I remembered Everett’s lawyer telling Judge Evans that I was the mastermind. I was the fall guy for the entire operation. Phaedra was never ever my friend, and she had a plan for me the moment she met me. Once it dawned on me how I had been played, I cried helplessly. I hadn’t cried that much since the death of my mother. She even went to my mother’s funeral,

  and stood over her dead body.

  Phaedra stole my moment. That was my moment. I was supposed

  to be there standing over my mother. Not Phaedra, damn it! As I continued to watch the show week after week, I realized that Phaedra never ever had a care in the world for my children or for me. She used me, and she had used my life as a stepping-stone for her own personal greed and gain. She’s such

  a greedy bi**h!

  Every time the show aired, I was sure to tune in so I could listen

  closely to her opening statement “I’m the ultimate southern belle. I always get what I want!” This was Phaedra’s whole demeanor. She believed that everyone and everything served only beneath her. This all opened my eyes and led me to my realization. That was exactly how she viewed me. I was beneath her. I was a dummy, and an ignorant fool that would never realize what hit

  me. You got me good Phaedra, just like Curtis had gotten my mother!

  The more I watched the show, the angrier I became, and the more

  counseling I needed. I was about to check myself into a mental hospital when I watched the episode of her giving birth to her baby. I couldn’t help it. I started having flashbacks, and going to that dark place. I vividly remembered the day I gave birth to my baby, handcuffed to a bed. Phaedra had her family there with all the cameras and the producers of the show there to support her. I had nothing and no one there to support me. This just wasn’t fair! Not on

  any level!

  The episode when the forgotten member of Destiny’s child strolled

  into Phaedra’s office crying about how she had been to jail, and just wanted to get her life together. Phaedra actually had the audacity to cry. Are you serious right now Phaedra? Then she said she had the golden touch, and promised that young lady she would assist her in getting her life together. Oh my God!

  That was just too much for me to handle.

  Then there was the episode when she left her baby for the first time

  to return to work and she cried. How about you walk a day in my shoes, and let’s see how many tears you shed? My newborn baby was taken from me

  moments after she was born, and where were you then Ms. Phaedra Parks?


  Ms. King had to console me! Lord, help me, PLEASE! My battle

  wasn’t over… It was years later, and I was still fighting for my life. I had been framed like Roger Rabbit! That was one of my favorite movies as a kid. I watched it over and over, but never once did I imagine that it would happen to me. It was taking everything in my power to keep me from popping up on Phaedra’s doorstep. No lie, especially when I thought of her standing in my spot disrespecting my mother’s remains. In my mind, it was as if she had walked straight up to the casket, and spat right in my mother’s face. When I thought about everything I had lost, everything she had taken from me. That was my breaking point. I couldn’t take it! I had to pull myself together and

  write it out.

  

  Phaedra, I knew you would be reading this book along with millions

  of other people throughout the world. I want all of you to know that this was not done out of vengeance, but solely based on justice. Justice, the thing that

  America was founded on, and God said vengeance is His. Enough said.

  

  Phaedra was a genius at creating illusions. She masterminded the

  perfect crime against the Federal Government, and everybody involved served time in prison, except her. No, she never put a gun to my head. She never made me do anything. I accepted my faults and I paid my debt to society, but what about how she used me, and destroyed my life? At the time of our campaign of crimes, she was a sworn officer of the law. She had taken an

  oath to uphold a certain standard.

  She knew exactly what would happen if I were to ever get caught. Phaedra Parks just didn’t care. She had me working during my pregnancies without regards to my children’s well being or mine. Phaedra never cared or considered how they would end up. Why would she help everyone rebuild his or her life, but not reach out to help me? My life had been destroyed, and she

  played a major role in the destruction.

  I called her when my children and I were living in the homeless