In Times of Trouble

by Yolonda Tonette Sanders

  “Girl, I’m open to any and all suggestions. Short of ordering a hit, I’m not sure what to do.”

  “A hit can be arranged if need be.” Olivia smiled mischievously, producing a chuckle from Lisa.

  “Listen to us talking crazy. This thing with Kyle really has me stressed out if I can start joking about killing folks.” Lisa ignored her work phone when it rang and seconds later the familiar number danced across her cell phone. “That’s Eric.” She sighed. He was calling about their plans that evening. Lisa had informed Chanelle about their expected guest yesterday after church. Though both her mother and daughter were okay with him coming, Lisa still had reservations because she’d never brought a guy home before. “I hate to do this at such short notice, but I’m going to cancel dinner tonight. I’m too stressed.”

  “Don’t do that; canceling your date will not solve this issue with Chanelle and Kyle, but I know something that will. You should speak with Kyle’s mother.”

  “And say what?”

  “Anything you want. Just be sure that when you leave, the ghetto chick understands that she better find some way to keep her son away from your daughter or else.”

  “I don’t know about that, Liv; it sounds too much like a threat.”

  “If no one else hears you threaten her, it didn’t happen.” She winked. “Seriously, either talk to her or allow this entire thing to keep eating away at you.”

  Lisa toyed with the idea in her head. “It’ll be like pulling teeth to get the number from Chanelle. I guess I could sneak and get it out of her cell phone. I’ll give his mom a call later this week.”

  “Forget about calling. You remember where he lives, don’t you?”

  Lisa nodded affirmatively. The night the police officer took her to get her car, he’d pointed out the house where Chanelle had been picked up. The picture of the Section-8 complex was branded in her mind like pornographic images on a computer’s hard drive.

  “Then go talk to her. And don’t wait until later this week. Do it as soon as you get off of work so you can get it over with. Shoot, girl, leave now.”

  “I can’t possibly go today. I need to get home because Eric’s coming over tonight; and leaving now is not an option. With Megan out of the office, I’m pretty much holding down the fort on my own.”

  “Yeah, and it’s really in danger of falling, right? That’s why we’ve been sitting here talking for an hour and the fort is still intact. Girl, it’s only three o’clock. You have plenty of time to go confront the chick and get home in time for dinner.”

  “What if she’s not home? Most people work during the day, you know?”

  “What if she is? You’ll never know until you knock on the door. What’s the real reason you’re hesitant to talk to her?”

  “I don’t know; I want to think more about what to say. I’m worried that interfering may escalate Chanelle’s interest in him.”

  “Not if you’re persuasive enough, it won’t. Girl, remember. . .Kyle’s ghetto mama doesn’t have anything on you. I really shouldn’t be calling her names when I don’t know her, but real mothers don’t allow their teenage sons to have parties where underage kids get drunk. Kids will be kids, but no matter what they do, we must look out for their best interests. Justin has not been perfect. The bottom line is that when he was in trouble, there was nothing Isaac and I didn’t do to help him. A mother will do anything to protect her child. Chanelle hangin’ with this thug is trouble. Now, do whatever you have to do to keep her safe.”

  • • •

  Olivia’s pep talk had encouraged Lisa quite a bit. Leaving work about a quarter after three, she took a deep breath and knocked on the screen door. The neighborhood was infested with trashy streets and boarded homes. The environment wasn’t completely foreign to Lisa. She and RJ used to venture into high-risk areas such as this in Baltimore during their evangelistic missions. Truth-be-told, this neighborhood seemed mild compared to some of their ministry spots. Still, how anyone could live under such conditions was a mystery. Lisa used to be sympathetic to these kinds of people until the night she was arrested and accused of being one of them.

  Still standing at the door, Lisa knocked harder this time. She hated coming over unannounced, but Liv was right—she had to nip this in the bud face-to-face. Considering the circumstances, the element of surprise was best.

  Suddenly the door opened, and to Lisa’s surprise, a young heavyset white woman with dusty blonde hair and several tattoos appeared, holding an infant baby girl on her hip. “Can I help you?” she asked suspiciously.

  “Is this the home of Kyle Lewis? I need to speak with his mother.”

  “I’m Kyle’s mother. Who are you?”

  “You’re Kyle’s mother?” Lisa couldn’t believe that she’d heard the lady correctly. She looked too young to have a seventeen-year-old son.

  “That’s what I said; who are you?”

  “Um. . .I’m Lisa Hampton.”

  “Hampton as in Chanelle Hampton?”

  “Yes. I’m her mother.”

  “Oh, wow.” She smiled brightly, opening the screen door latch. “Please forgive my rudeness. Most people who come by here aren’t dressed as nicely as you are, so I didn’t know what to think. My first thought was that maybe you were a social worker or something. Anyhow, I’m sorry. Please, come in! Excuse the mess. We need to be out of here by the end of the month and, as you can see, I have tons of things to pack still.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” Lisa said politely, but the filthy carpet, cluttered boxes, and dusty furniture were enough to make anyone feel uneasy. The smell of smoked cigarettes didn’t help either.

  “I’m Stacie. It’s so nice to meet you.” She extended her hand and Lisa faked a smile to shake it. “Let me move some of these clothes out the way so you can sit down.” When Stacie set the baby on the floor so she could free her hands to make room on the couch, Lisa shuddered. The dingy carpet wasn’t fit for a cockroach—though she’d bet there was a cluster of them living there. “The least I can do is make you feel at home while you’re here.”

  Stacie could try all she wanted to make Lisa feel “at home,” but it wasn’t going to happen! As soon as Lisa’s bottom was introduced to the sofa, it screamed for relief from the uncomfortable springs. “I’m sorry for dropping by like this; I wanted to speak with you about Chanelle and Kyle.”

  “No—No!” Stacie said to the baby girl who began pulling more junk out of the boxes. “Excuse me for just a second. . .Jameela!” she yelled. “Come get Nia. I have company.”

  “Company” was a funny word for her to use. Lisa felt too uncomfortable in this pigsty to be considered as such.

  “Sorry to interrupt you like that. I should’ve known better than to think she would stay out of things.” A young, biracial girl came into the room and got the baby. She didn’t bother making eye contact or acknowledging Lisa, which further proved Olivia’s point that this woman was ghetto. A decent mother would raise her children to be respectful and to speak to adults, especially when in the comfort of their own home. “It’s such a pleasure to meet you. I’ve been telling Chanelle for months now that we should get together. She’s been such a positive influence on Kyle. I can tell she comes from a real good home.”

  That little liar told me she met Kyle a few weeks ago! Lisa thought to herself.

  “I love your daughter like she’s one of my own.”

  “Umhmm. . .Lately, Chanelle has been doing some things I don’t approve of.”

  “If you’re referring to the party, I’m so sorry she got caught up with that. I hope she didn’t get in too much trouble. I’d told Kyle he could have a few friends over. He grew up in this neighborhood, so it’s going to be hard for him leaving his friends and all. I didn’t think things would get out of control like they did.”

  “Since when does allowing your teenage son to have a party where there will be alcohol be considered keeping things under control? What parent would do such a thing?”

  “I di
dn’t allow Kyle to have alcohol,” she said defensively. “Like I said, I told him he could have a few friends over. I had no idea things would go as far as they did and I’m very sorry Chanelle was here.”

  Stacie’s sincerity didn’t dissuade Lisa’s anger. “And were you the one supervising this party?”

  “There was no one supervising the party because there wasn’t supposed to be a party. I was at work. I work third shift.”

  “So you were going to allow your teenage son to be alone with my teenage daughter while you were at work?”

  “Normally, I don’t work weekends, but since we’re getting ready to move, every penny counts. Kyle is usually very responsible. I leave him here all the time with the kids. This is the first and only time he’s disappointed me.”

  Lisa was unable to prevent curiosity from getting the best of her. “All of what kids? How many children do you have?”

  “Five; four boys and a girl. Kyle’s my oldest.”

  “You mean two girls?” Lisa was willing to bet there were at least four different baby daddies in the mix. Olivia was so right! This chick was beyond ghetto and definitely not the kind of person she wanted her daughter socializing with.

  “No, I said what I meant. I know how many children I have.”

  “What about the baby?”

  “Who, Nia? That’s my granddaughter.”

  Lisa was sure her expression gave away her shock. “Chanelle has never told me much about Kyle, and now I understand why. I strongly disapprove of her dating anyone with children. My daughter has a lot going for her and I don’t want her taking on adult responsibilities that she’s not able to handle.”

  “I understand your concern, but Kyle doesn’t have any kids. Nia is Jameela’s daughter.”

  Lisa fought hard to keep her jaw from dropping to the floor. “You mean that little girl who came down the stairs?”

  “Forgive me if I seem rude, but what does my daughter’s child have to do with the party last weekend?”

  Just then the front door opened. “Hey, what’s u—” A young, slender, bi-racial boy came in dribbling a basketball. His sentence was left dangling once he looked at Lisa.

  “Kyle, where have you been? You got out of school an hour ago and I told you to come straight home.”

  Lisa eyed him up and down. His pants rested well below his hips and she could clearly see that he was wearing white boxer shorts. His cornrows peeked from underneath his doo-rag. What in the world did Chanelle see in him?

  “My bad. . .I stopped over Stick’s for a minute to shoot some hoops.”

  Stacie sucked her teeth. “Do you know Lisa, Chanelle’s mother?”

  “Um. . .hi!” He avoided any real eye contact.

  “Hello,” Lisa forced herself to say.

  “Uh. . .Stacie, I forgot my bag at Stick’s. I’ll be back in a few.”

  “Okay, but don’t stay gone too long. We need your help around here.”

  “Ahiight.” He scooted out the door just as fast as he’d come in.

  “Do all of your kids call you by your first name?” Lisa asked in disbelief.

  “Yeah, why?”

  “Let me get to the point of why I’m here.”

  The words “please do” seemed to be painted all over Stacie’s expression.

  “I’m sure your son is a very decent young man. . .It’ll be best for him to stay away from Chanelle. She starts college in the fall and needs to focus more on preparing for school and less on boys. She doesn’t need to be entangled in any relationship right now.”

  “Why don’t you just come out and say what’s really on your mind?”

  “Truth is. . . .Chanelle already has a boyfriend. As a matter of fact, she’s dating Justin Scott, the starting running back for Ohio State.” She couldn’t blame that lie on Olivia’s advice. She’d blurted it out all on her own. She’d pray and ask Jesus to forgive her in a minute. Right now the lie seemed a necessary evil.

  “It’s funny that you don’t mind her dating this Justin dude, but she can’t date Kyle. You know. . .I’ve been trying to be cool and all because you’re Chanelle’s mom, but I get what you’re saying. You don’t think Kyle is good enough for Chanelle, do you?”

  “No, that’s not what I’m saying at all!” That was an even bigger lie than the first one she had told! “It’s just that Chanelle’s behavior has gotten progressively worse recently, and her coming home drunk was the final straw.” Somehow the tables had turned and Lisa found herself on the defensive.

  “Let’s get one thing straight,” Stacie said with more swerve in her neck than Lisa had ever seen from a white girl. Finding herself even uneasier, she fiddled with her necklace. “My son did not make Chanelle get drunk.”

  “I’m not saying he did. All I’m trying to say is that—”

  “I heard you loud and clear. No need to explain yourself again. I’ll tell Kyle that he needs to stay away from Chanelle. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a lot of stuff to do yet, and I’d greatly appreciate it if you’d get up out of here.” Her eyes glared with fire and Lisa could tell that she’d practiced great restraint not to swear at her.

  “Stacie, wait—”

  “Good-bye!”

  Without further hesitation, Lisa got up and walked out. Her mission to permanently remove Kyle from Chanelle’s life had been accomplished, but she felt horrible. W.W.O.D.—what would Olivia do right now? Lisa wondered if she should go back in and apologize. Liv would most likely tell Lisa to “shake it off” and keep moving. Despite the nudging guilt of having hurt Stacie’s feelings, Lisa did exactly that. Besides, she didn’t have time for drama. She had a guest coming for dinner.

  CHAPTER 10

  A Step Further

  Lisa called and updated Liv immediately upon leaving Stacie’s house, disclosing everything except that their children were now supposedly dating. Despite the twinge of guilt she had previously felt, by the time Lisa got home she was feeling much better. It was a little shy of five when she walked in and found a note from her mother on the dry-erase board: Went to pay on my furniture. Chanelle’s with me. We’ll be back well before your minister friend gets here. Love, Mama.

  Lisa quickly jumped in the shower before preparing dinner. She began getting more excited about this evening and now appreciated Eric’s insistence. At thirty-eight, it was ludicrous that she had been sneaking around with him like they were engaged in some type of forbidden affair. It was about time things were out and in the open.

  Her mother and daughter got home around six. Chanelle came in and kissed her on the cheek and then ran upstairs to finish her homework. About an hour later, the ringing doorbell announced Eric’s arrival. It was as if Eric was peeking through the kitchen window and waited until the oven timer went off because he and the homemade lasagna were in sync; and the freshly made salad was crisp and ready. Lisa hurried to greet him, yelling to her mother and daughter to come down.

  “Mmm. . .something smells good. . .” he said, stepping into the house and gently kissing her cheek, stirring up a surprise tingling sensation within her.

  “I brought something.” He handed her a plastic grocery bag. “Since you’re providing dinner, I figured the least I could do was bring dessert.”

  “Thank you. I was so focused on the meal that I didn’t even think about anything sweet.” She opened the bag and saw a red velvet cake and a box of peanut brittle. “Um. . .thanks.”

  “What’s wrong?” He obviously noticed her hesitation.

  “I can eat the cake, but FYI, I’m allergic to peanuts. If I eat the peanut brittle, I’ll get a serious case of hives that’ll send me into a tailspin.”

  “Oh gosh, I’m so sorry!”

  “There’s nothing for you to be sorry about. You didn’t know. Besides, I’m sure my mother and daughter will eat it.”

  “Eat what?” Her mother strolled into the living room. Lisa explained the situation while she reached out to shake Eric’s hand.

  “Mama, this is my friend, Eric; Eri
c meet my mother, Hattie Davis.”

  “Hi, Minister, nice to meet you.”

  “Please. . .call me Eric. Nice to meet you as well.”

  “Mama, is Chanelle on her way down?”

  “When I poked my head in her room to make sure she’d heard you, she was on her cell phone. She should be down in a minute.”

  Technically still on punishment, Chanelle was only supposed to use her cell phone for emergency calls, but Lisa had stopped giving her grief about it. Within seconds of her mother speaking, Chanelle descended into the living room.

  “Hi, Chanelle.” Eric smiled and extended his hand. “I’ve seen you at church many times, but I don’t think we’ve ever been formally introduced. I’m—”

  “I know who you are,” she said rudely, smacking her lips and trudging into the kitchen.

  Had Chanelle waited to see the fierce look her mother gave her, she probably would’ve dropped dead from its intensity. Even Lisa’s mother seemed surprised by Chanelle’s reaction. Lisa turned to Eric to apologize, but without her even saying a word, he said, “It’s okay. Give her time to warm up to me.”

  Unfortunately, Chanelle remained cold and distant during dinner. Lisa wondered if perhaps Chanelle wasn’t as receptive of her relationship with Eric as she had thought. Even still, Lisa could not take the brash responses, unnecessary sighing, and eye rolling any longer. “Chanelle, may I have a word with you in the living room?”

  “For what? Am I embarrassing you?”

  “Yes, you are.”

  “Good. Now you know how it feels. At least I’m not gonna go to his mama behind your back and tell lies about you. I just spoke to Kyle. Stacie told him everything you said.”

  Lisa burned with anger. “First of all, I don’t care what her children call her, but when you’re in my presence, you will put a ‘miss’ in front of her name.”

  Chanelle rolled her eyes. “You’re so old-fashioned.”

  “Yeah, well, you ought to be thankful for that; otherwise you could end up pregnant and with a baby like Kyle’s sister.”