In Times of Trouble

by Yolonda Tonette Sanders

  Chanelle seemed to hesitate at first, but then answered, “Yes.”

  “Are you sure? You don’t look like yourself.”

  “She’s tired,” Justin spoke up. “We both are. Mom had us running around all day to get stuff together for tonight.”

  Lisa could believe it. Justin had picked Chanelle up around nine this morning under the pretense of his parents needing help with the “banquet.” Lisa was tickled to death that her soon-to-be eighteen-year-old daughter had gotten out of bed on a Saturday morning before noon. Saturdays were pretty much the only day Chanelle slept in during the summer since she worked at the center during the week, and of course they had church on Sundays. Lisa was honored that Chanelle had drudged out of bed early to help get things together for her engagement party. Lisa took her daughter’s actions as a sign of support.

  “Honey, you do look exhausted. Mama’s car is still in the shop; she rode with Callie in my car. If you want, I’ll ask Eric if he’ll mind them riding back with us; then you can take my car and go home.”

  “Don’t worry about it, Miss Lisa. I can take her home,” Justin offered. “Matter of fact, I’m a little worn out myself because of football conditioning. You won’t mind if I sneak out a little early as well, will you?”

  “Not at all. You two are the youngest here. If you weren’t tired, you’re probably bored, huh, hanging out with all us old fogies?”

  “I don’t know about everyone else, but you and Mom are definitely no old fogies. You two are the most beautiful older women I’ve ever seen,” he said playfully.

  Lisa looked at Chanelle. “Isn’t he quite the charmer?”

  Chanelle grinned weakly.

  “Go on and get my baby out of here so I don’t have to argue with her too much about getting up and going to church tomorrow. I’ll let Liv know you’re going home,” she said to Justin.

  Lisa accidentally bumped into Eric while walking and scanning the room for Olivia. “Please watch where you’re going. . .my fiancée loves me and wouldn’t appreciate you mauling me over like that.”

  “What else wouldn’t she appreciate?” toyed Lisa.

  “If I did this. . .” Eric leaned over and gave Lisa a brief, stomach-tickling kiss. She hadn’t expected such a bold move from him, but she was definitely looking forward to more sparkling moments like this.

  “In case y’all didn’t know, this is the engagement party, not the honeymoon,” teased Olivia.

  “I was just looking for you,” said Lisa. “Justin and Chanelle left. He’s dropping her off and heading home since somebody worked them into exhaustion all day.”

  “Whatever!” Olivia playfully rolled her eyes. “Knowing Justin, he left because he thought he might have to help clean up.”

  “Lisa and I will stay and help,” Eric offered.

  “Nonsense; you two are the guests of honor. Plus, I’m not even staying. Isaac’s in charge of the clean-up crew. Check with him. He may have hired some people to take care of it.”

  It was after ten and most people had already started clearing out. Lisa’s mother and sister were among those saying their final good-byes before leaving.

  “Callie, call me if you have any trouble finding your way back to the house after you drop off Mama.”

  “I should be fine.”

  “This was a lovely party,” her mother said to Olivia.

  “It sure was,” echoed Lisa, surprised at how polite her mother was being. Olivia wasn’t exactly one of her top-ten most liked people. It wasn’t like Olivia had ever done anything to Hattie. Olivia had always treated her kindly and with respect. Lisa assumed her mother was just funny-acting. At times, Lisa probably didn’t make Hattie’s list, but no doubt RJ reigned at number one.

  “Thanks. I wanted to do something to show Lisa how much her friendship means to me.”

  “Well, we have to go,” Callie interrupted rather rudely. “I’ll see you at the house.”

  “I hope she doesn’t get lost,” Lisa said after they had walked away.

  “She should be fine. She managed to pick your mother up and make it here okay,” noted Olivia.

  “I know, but it was broad daylight then. It’s dark now.”

  “Honey, I’ll tell you what. Why don’t you hurry and catch them and just ride home with them. The party’s pretty much over now anyhow. I want to stick around and see if Isaac has enough hands,” Eric suggested.

  “Are you sure? I’d hate to end our night so abruptly.”

  “It’s not abrupt. I’ll call you when I get home.”

  “Okay.” She gave him a quick peck. “Liv, I’ll talk to you later. Thanks, again!” she said, sprinting as fast as she could in her high heels, hoping she hadn’t missed them.

  CHAPTER 18

  So Dramatic

  Fortunately for Lisa, her mother and sister made a pit stop to the ladies room before heading out and she caught up with them in the lobby.

  “Hey, Eric may stay to help clean up, so I’m going to ride with you guys.”

  Lisa noticed the awkward expression her mother gave, but she didn’t comment on it.

  Once they got to the car, Callie handed over the keys to Lisa and sat in the back. The ride to her mother’s apartment was eerily silent. Lisa tried to spark up a conversation by making comments here and there, but neither her mother nor sister took the bait. After several failed attempts, Lisa finally said, “Mama, you haven’t been yourself lately. Is everything okay?”

  “Yes, I’m just a li’l tired.”

  “So, you really enjoyed the party?”

  “Of course, why wouldn’t I have?”

  “I don’t know. . .It’s no secret that you aren’t overly fond of Liv.” When Hattie first came to Columbus, she used to always refer to Olivia as Oleta. Though her mother was prone to mess up names every now and again, Lisa was certain that she did it with Olivia on purpose just to be ornery—very few people in the United States had not heard of Isaac and Olivia Scott.

  “I have my opinions about her. I don’t think she’s all that she’s cracked up to be, but I will still give credit where credit is due. Olivia and her husband did a wonderful job. It was nice of them to honor you and Eric.”

  Lisa witnessed her sister pucker her lips in the rearview mirror when their mother stated her opinion about Olivia. For some reason it really irked her that Callie seemed to adopt her mother’s feelings. Lisa tolerated her mother’s views, but Callie ought not dare utter one negative word about Olivia. Yeah, blood was supposed to be thicker than water, but exceptions were made. Even in the Bible, Jonathan’s loyalty was to his friend, David, rather than to his father, Saul.

  Lisa felt that her relationship with Olivia was very similar to that of Jonathan’s and David’s. Lisa used to always think that maybe she and Callie weren’t close because of the nine-year age difference between them, but Olivia was much closer to Callie’s age than hers. In fact, Olivia was eleven years older than Lisa, and yet they’d bonded like their hearts had been knitted together since birth. There wasn’t anything that the two women wouldn’t do to protect each other. Callie best keep her mouth shut about Liv or she’d find herself on the first available flight back to California.

  Lisa pulled into the parking space in front of her mother’s apartment door, but when her mother started to get out the car, Lisa clutched her arm. “Shut the door,” she ordered.

  “For what?”

  “I think I just saw someone in your apartment.”

  She shook her head. “Good night, Lisa.”

  “No, Mama, I’m serious. I could’ve sworn I saw some kind of shadow.”

  “Girl, go home and get some rest. Everything’s all right. I’ll talk to you later this week.”

  She tried to leave, but Lisa still held on to her. “I think we should call the police, just to be safe. I may be tired, but I’m not crazy. I know I saw a shadow.”

  “Lisa, she said everything’s fine. Just let her go,” Callie muttered.

  Something about the whole
scene didn’t feel right. Lisa found it quite peculiar that her mother, who had been concerned about crime rates in the city, wasn’t the least bit alarmed about the possibility of an intruder. She released her mother’s arm and said, “Good night.” She watched her mother closely. “I’ll be right back,” she said to Callie. When Hattie unlocked the front door, before she could shut it good, Lisa was standing in the entryway. To her left, posted on her mother’s couch like he belonged there, was someone who had become a stranger to her. He looked real comfortable dressed in a white T-shirt and boxer shorts with his feet planted on the coffee table, watching TV, and eating chips.

  Her adrenaline raced to its peak as she whispered under her breath, “Dad?” She glared toward the couch where the villain sat.

  He stood up with a weak smile. “Hi, Skeeter.”

  “Don’t you dare Skeeter me! You have some nerve showing your face around here. Get in the car and go back to Baltimore, now!” she shouted.

  Callie ran from Lisa’s car and grabbed her gently. “Come on, let’s go.”

  Lisa jerked away. “I’m not going anywhere until he does.” She glared at her father.

  “I’m afraid that’s not going to happen, Skeeter.”

  “My name is Lisa! Lisa, Lisa, Lisa!” She ranted like a small child with a tantrum.

  “Baby, I think it’ll be best if you go home and get some rest. We’ll talk about all of this later,” her mother suggested.

  “Let’s go,” Callie repeated.

  “Mama, I’m sorry if my attitude or whatever made you want to move out. I know you’re scared of being on your own, but you don’t have to live with this man. Come on, you can come back home with me.”

  “Lisa, I want to try and work things out with your father.”

  “What is it going to take, Mama? Will he have to kill you before you finally understand that he doesn’t mean you any good?”

  “Skee—I mean, Lisa,” her father interjected, “I understand why you feel this way, but you have to believe me. . .I’ve changed.”

  “Oh puh-leeze! I’d be a freakin’ millionaire if I had a penny for every time I’ve heard you say that.”

  “I know. . .but I mean it this time.”

  “C’mon, Mama, you can’t be buying this, can you? The man hospitalized you!”

  “Can we take this inside, please?” her mother requested, obviously embarrassed by the attention Lisa’s drama was drawing. Her neighbor had turned on outside lights and was peeking out the window.

  “No! I’m not going in there, not with him inside.” She turned around and stormed to her car. Callie was saying something to her parents and Lisa impatiently waited all of thirty seconds or less for her sister to join her before barreling down on the horn.

  “You need to quit acting so dramatic,” Callie scorned once Lisa sped away.

  “Whatever! I don’t see why you’re not as concerned about Mama’s safety as I am.”

  “I am concerned about her safety. That doesn’t stop me from loving my father. When he was here for Chanelle’s graduation, he confided a lot in me. I believe he’s changed and so does Mama. If she wants to give him another chance then she has the right to do so.”

  “Please don’t tell me you’re really buying this ‘I’ve changed’ routine. You are, aren’t you? Unbelievable!” She looked at her sister with disgust and pressed the pedal down even further.

  CHAPTER 19

  Temporary Insanity

  “Hey, Lisa, how quickly can you get here?” one of her cousins had called and asked.

  “I don’t know. Why, what’s up?”

  “Can you just come quickly, please?” Her cousin’s voice was saturated with fear.

  “What’s going on? You’re scaring me.”

  “It’s Aunt Hattie. . .she’s in the hospital.”

  “What happened?”

  “We really don’t know, but she’s bleeding internally. She has several cracked ribs, a broken collarbone, a fractured wrist, and the left side of her face is completely swollen. She can’t even see out of her left eye.”

  “Did Daddy do this?” Lisa yelled.

  “That’s what we suspect, but she hasn’t said one way or the other. One of the neighbors heard them arguing and called the police. By the time they got there your dad was gone so they’ve put a warrant out for him.”

  “I’m on my way. . .” Lisa hung up the phone.

  That was the last of many calls she’d gotten about her father’s physical abuse. That night was the first time her mother admitted that she had had enough and agreed to move to Columbus with Lisa and Chanelle. Perhaps it was being hospitalized that had been the last straw. Whatever it had been, Lisa had been so proud of her mother for gathering up the courage to finally leave him. Now, just a year later, her mother was welcoming that monster back into her life! And Callie’s stupid behind was in support of their reunion.

  Lisa refused to say another word to her sister during the remaining ride from her mother’s house to hers. As a matter of fact, she didn’t want to speak with anyone and willfully ignored both Olivia’s and Eric’s phone calls. Lisa had developed a migraine so intense that she took two of the strongest over-the-counter meds that she could find and went straight to bed. The odds of her drifting off to sleep were not in her favor because she tossed and turned like a ship in the middle of a raging sea, her mind refusing to be at peace.

  “Mama?” Chanelle crept up to her bedside and called out to her softly.

  “What?” she moaned.

  “Can I use your car and go over to Gericka’s?”

  “No, Chanelle. It’s too late for you to be going over anyone’s house.”

  “Then will you let me go get her and bring her back over here?”

  “No. . .”

  “Mama, please. . .”

  “No! Besides, you’re not supposed to be driving my car anyhow.”

  “You offered to let me drive it from the hotel.”

  “I was making an exception because you didn’t seem to feel good. You hanging out with Gericka is not an emergency. She’s more than welcome to stay over another night.”

  “But Ma—”

  “I said no and that’s it. End of discussion! Now leave me alone,” she barked.

  Chanelle sighed and turned to walk out of the room, mumbling something under her breath.

  It took a few seconds for her daughter’s response to register, but once it became clear Lisa shot up. Her seventeen-year-old daughter had just called her a “B.” Lisa could only assume that it was temporary insanity that would’ve made her daughter believe she could say something like that and live. Before Chanelle could make it to the doorway, Lisa jumped out of bed like a jackrabbit and, within seconds, had Chanelle and her micro braids pinned to the floor.

  “Get off of me!” Chanelle struggled to break free.

  Lord have mercy. . .Lisa thought as she realized her hands grappled her daughter’s neck. The light from the hall poured into the room and Lisa expected to see a look of remorse on her daughter’s face, but instead Chanelle glared at her as if to say, “Yeah, I said it and I’m not taking it back.” The teenager began fighting like a pit bull that had been trained to attack and Lisa accepted the challenge. Blow for blow, thump for thump, mother and daughter went at each other with full force.

  “Stop it!” Callie yelled, turning on Lisa’s bedroom light and pulling them apart just as Lisa detached a handful of braids from her daughter’s scalp.

  The light magnified the horrid scene. Chanelle stared at her mother with hatred. Her pajamas were torn and blood seeped from her busted lip. Besides a few minor scratches, Lisa was physically unscathed, but emotionally she was bleeding for dear life. Who was this child standing before her? How did this Jerry Springer-type drama unfold in her house?

  “What is going on with you two?”

  Chanelle was first to speak. “Look what she did to me!” she yelled. “I’m callin’ the police.”

  “You better make sure they take you
with them because if they leave you here, they’ll be coming back for your body!”

  “Whatever. You don’t scare me. If the police come I bet you’ll be the one leaving. I won’t be eighteen for a few more weeks, so technically, I am still a minor. You can go to jail for this.”

  “Once you got bold enough to call me out of my name, you took the risk of a grown woman and I beat you as such.”

  Tit for tat, they exchanged verbal attacks and threats. Lisa reached to get another hold on Chanelle, but Callie blocked her efforts. “I’m not putting up with your smart mouth. Get out now!” she ordered.

  “Lisa, think about what you’re saying,” her sister urged.

  “I know full well what I’m saying. If she’s grown enough to talk to me like that, then she’s grown enough to be on the streets.”

  “Fine with me. I can’t stand living with you anyway!” Chanelle spewed and stormed off.

  “I understand you’re mad, but—” Callie attempted to speak.

  “Earlier you bragged on minding your own business, so do it now!” Lisa finally released the fistful of hair and plopped down on her bed.

  “Where is Chanelle going to go?”

  “I don’t know and I don’t care. If you’re so worried about her, then you can go with her.”

  Callie shook her head disappointedly and walked out.

  Minutes later Chanelle walked back in Lisa’s room, fully dressed and carrying a duffel bag. “My money is in the bank and I don’t have any cash on me. Since you want me out so bad tonight you can at least give me some money to catch a cab.”