“Are you sure?”
She nodded. Lisa took a deep breath as she knocked on the door. Her stomach churned. She recalled the last unannounced visit she’d made back in May after Chanelle had skipped curfew twice because she had been hanging out with Kyle. Lisa had sworn Kyle was a bad influence on her daughter and so much as said that to his mother, Stacie. Now she stood there less boldly and self-righteous than she had been before. It was at a different apartment complex then. This neighborhood wouldn’t have been a favorite pick of Lisa’s, but it was a step up.
“Oh, it’s you!” Stacie answered the door. She apparently had darkened her hair some because Lisa remembered it being more blondish the last time she’d seen her.
“Is Chanelle here?”
“Yes, but it’s my understanding that she doesn’t want to talk to you.”
“Stacie, I know we didn’t quite get off on the right foot before, but please let me in; I want to see my daughter.” Lisa was shameless in allowing her tears to fall.
If Stacie wanted to remind Lisa of all the smug things Lisa had said to her during her previous visit, her expression certainly didn’t show it. Stacie seemed to sympathize with every emotion Lisa was feeling without her having to say a word. “Come on in,” she said.
Unlike Stacie’s previous apartment, the front door to this one opened into the kitchen instead of the living room. Based on what she had seen before, Lisa expected to see a filthy kitchen with dishes piled up to the ceiling. It wasn’t spotless, but for a woman with five kids, one grandchild, and one pregnant live-in, it looked pretty good.
“You can have a seat. Chanelle’s upstairs. I’ll go get her.”
Lisa waited for at least twenty minutes before Stacie came back down the stairs. “I tried to get her to come down here, but she doesn’t want to.”
Lisa’s heart broke. “May I go up and talk to her?”
“You’re welcomed to try.”
She told Lisa which room she could find her daughter in. Lisa knocked on the door. “Chanelle, it’s me. I’d like to talk to you please.”
“Go away!”
Lisa tried the door. It was locked. “Baby, please open the door.” Lisa listened closely as she heard footsteps coming toward the door. When it opened, Kyle walked out. “You can go in.” He brushed past her.
Chanelle lay in the bed, her back toward Lisa, who sat on the edge and hovered over her. “I’m so sorry, baby. I understand if you hate me. Right now I hate myself. I want you to know that you don’t have to face this pregnancy alone.”
“I see Gericka can’t keep her mouth shut.”
“She’s worried about you, Chanelle.”
“Is that all she told you?”
“No. She also said that Justin raped you the night of my engagement party.”
Chanelle burst in tears. “I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t think you would believe me. I just wanted to talk to Gericka that night. I’m sorry I called you a bi—”
“Shh. . .it’s okay.” She held her daughter in her arms. “Baby, not only do I believe you, but I’m going to stand with you every step of the way. He’s not going to get away with this. We’ll see to it that he is punished for his crime.”
“I don’t want to press charges.”
“Why not? Justin deserves to be punished.”
“But Miss Olivia’s your friend.”
“That has nothing to do with it. You’re my daughter. Besides, Liv is a good person; she’ll understand. We’ll do whatever’s necessary to take care of you.”
“You’re not in this alone, sweetheart.” RJ’s deep voice penetrated the atmosphere. Startled by the sound of her father’s voice, Chanelle looked his way. “I’ve been waiting anxiously in the car, so I came in. I was with your mother when she got the call. I want you to know that we will both be there for you.”
“But, Mama, Miss Olivia—”
“I’m not worried about Olivia. I’m worried about you and I want you to come home.”
“I don’t know about that. Stacie said I could stay here as long as I need to.”
“You’re officially grown now, so I can’t make you come with me, but I want you to. Home is where you belong.”
It took some convincing, but Chanelle ultimately decided to go with Lisa. As they were headed out, both Kyle and Stacie hugged Chanelle. Lisa still wasn’t crazy about Kyle’s baggy pants or the cornrows he sported, but she was impressed by his compassion. “Take care, Shorty,” he said to Chanelle. “Call and let me know how you are, okay?”
Chanelle nodded and Kyle looked like he wanted to hold her in his arms and never let her go.
“I love you and I’m here whenever you need me,” Stacie added.
“Thanks, Stacie. . .I love you, too.”
Under any other circumstances there might have been a twinge of jealousy as Lisa witnessed the obvious bond between her daughter and Kyle’s mother. But, feeling as if she, herself, had let Chanelle down, Lisa was thankful that Stacie had been there for her. Sure, Stacie was young, too young to have five children and be a grandmother in Lisa’s opinion, but there was obviously a warm-hearted side to her that Lisa hadn’t taken the time to understand.
Before walking out, Lisa turned to Stacie and said, “Thank you. . .” The woman she once deemed an unfit and neglectful mother had unselfishly opened her home and heart to Chanelle, and for that, Lisa had a new sense of admiration for her. “I’m sorry for the way I acted toward you.”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s squashed. As far as I’m concerned, it’s water under the bridge. Chanelle’s well-being is all that matters now.”
CHAPTER 27
Just Stuff
RJ and Lisa wanted to take Chanelle immediately down to the police station, but she wasn’t ready and wanted to go home. RJ drove separately and Lisa rode home with Chanelle in the used Honda Accord that she had bought herself with her graduation money. Chanelle was virtually silent during the ride and Lisa couldn’t help but blame herself for Chanelle’s rape since she had practically forced her daughter into Justin’s arms. It had been almost two months since Lisa had seen her daughter. She thought back to the night of the engagement party and how withdrawn Chanelle had been. Lisa wished she had asked more questions instead of buying Justin’s answer that Chanelle was tired. It sickened her to think about how charming he’d pretended to be, complimenting her that night, all the while knowing that he’d sexually assaulted her daughter. If she could get her hands around his neck. . .
Justin had hurt two of the people she loved dearly. Not only was she worried about Chanelle, but she was worried about Olivia as well. Lisa was going to have to be strong for the both of them. Justin had violated everyone’s trust, including his mother’s. Liv was going to be devastated by her son’s actions, and Lisa needed to do her best to remain strong because Olivia, and especially Chanelle, needed her to be.
When they got to the house, Chanelle asked to be alone and went straight to her room while RJ stayed downstairs to comfort Lisa. “Are you okay?”
“No,” she said honestly.
Pulling her into his chest and kissing her forehead, he whispered, “This is not your fault.”
“But I’m the one who—”
“Shh. . .I’m not going to let you do this to yourself.”
Lisa cried, securing herself in RJ’s arms for several moments until her cell phone rang. RJ got a peek at her caller ID. “Is that who I think it is?”
Lisa nodded.
“Under the circumstances, I don’t think you should talk to her.”
Lisa shrugged. “Sooner or later I will have to anyhow. I know this is going to kill her.” She took a deep breath before answering. “Hey, Liv.”
“Are you back in Columbus?”
“Yeah; I got back a few hours ago.”
“Have you heard from Chanelle?”
Lisa thought it was a little weird that Olivia would immediately ask about Chanelle and not ask about Callie or her trip. The last couple of weeks, Li
v had been obsessed with whether or not Lisa had spoken with her daughter. Lisa now wondered if Olivia knew more than she had been letting on. “Yes, I have heard from Chanelle. As a matter of fact, she’s home now. Why do you ask?”
“B-because. . .I’m concerned about her and you. You’re my best friend and Chanelle is like a daughter to me. I’ve been worried about her, too.”
Lisa felt a slight twinge of guilt about her suspicions. “I’m sorry, Liv. You’re right. I guess I’m on edge because Chanelle told me some very disturbing news.”
“What did she say?” Olivia spoke cautiously.
Lisa took a deep breath, hating that she had to break this news to her best friend. “She said that Justin raped her the night of the engagement party.”
“That’s all she said?”
“That’s all? Liv, that’s a whole heck of a lot.”
“I’m sorry; I didn’t mean it that way. I just wondered if she said anything else. . .like has she gone to the police?”
“Not yet. RJ and I are hoping to take her later today. She doesn’t want to go right now.”
“Sounds to me like she may not be sure that it was rape. The party was nearly two months ago; if my son raped Chanelle, surely she would have said something before now. Does she have any proof of this accusation?”
“So you think Chanelle’s lying?”
“It’s possible. I mean, c’mon, Lisa, Chanelle hasn’t been an angel. This wouldn’t be the first time she lied to you.”
“True, Chanelle has lied before, but not to someone else’s detriment. She knows that Justin risks facing legal trouble and I can’t imagine that she would make this up. I don’t think she’s lying. I believe her.”
“Justin is a college football star and is destined for the pros after next year. Girls are literally falling all over him. He wouldn’t have to rape someone to have sex, so Chanelle’s story doesn’t add up to me.”
“What would she gain by lying on him? What would be her motive?”
“Jealousy. She’s mad because Justin broke up with her, so now she wants to ruin his career by falsely accusing him of rape.”
Lisa burned hot with anger toward her best friend, but she remained calm. “Liv, I understand you’re upset and I would be too if I were in your position. The fact is that I believe Chanelle and as soon as she’s ready, we’re going down to the police station. I know you love your son and no matter what he’s done, you shouldn’t stop loving him. The bottom line is we’re going to file a report and let the justice system determine Justin’s guilt or innocence.”
“I’m warning you. . .don’t go to the police with this dumb and unfounded accusation,” she said viciously.
“Are you threatening me?” RJ quickly snatched the phone from Lisa and hung it up. “What did you do that for?”
“I felt the conversation getting way out of line. Until we talk to the police you don’t need to have any further communication with her.”
RJ went upstairs and spoke with Chanelle alone. During which time Olivia had tried to call Lisa several times, but following RJ’s instructions, she didn’t answer. About an hour or so later, they were headed to the police station.
When they got there, RJ took the lead in speaking with the officers. Lisa was glad not to have to be the strong one; RJ was doing it for her. After finding out exactly where they needed to go to make the claim, Chanelle was taken into a room, accompanied by RJ and Lisa.
“Hi, Chanelle, I’m Detective Troy Evans. I’ll be the one investigating your case.” Lisa apparently watched too much television because she expected to see a somewhat heavyset, bald, white man eating a doughnut and drinking coffee. But Detective Evans was just the opposite. He was tall, dark and built with muscles like an action figure. He looked to be in his mid-to-late-thirties and spoke with a slight Southern twang. “I want you to take your time and tell me everything that happened the night you were raped. If it gets too hard for you to talk or you want to take a break, just let me know.”
Chanelle nodded.
Lisa’s heart ached as she listened to her daughter’s story.
“Miss Olivia was planning a surprise engagement party for my mom. The night before I spoke with Justin and he asked if I’d be willing to help him and his mother set up things for the party. I said ‘yes.’ Justin and I went out a lot, but we weren’t really dating. Anyhow, Miss Olivia told Mama that she and her husband were having a banquet, so when Justin picked me up, I told my mom that I was going to help with that. Miss Olivia had us running back and forth from their house to the hotel. I’d brought my clothes with me because I thought I would change at the hotel, but we finished much earlier than expected, so I went back to their house with him since we still had some time.” Tears began to well in Chanelle’s eyes as she recanted her story.
That day they had listened to music while hanging out in the huge entertainment room the Scotts had in their basement, which was decorated with a large theater-like television, a pool table, arcade machines and a ping pong table.
“You think you’re gonna go to more of my football games this year?” Justin had asked.
“Probably. You know Mama and Miss Olivia will be at your games all the time. I’m sure I’ll come with them.”
“I’m surprised you even agreed to go out with me. I didn’t think you liked me. You’ve only been to a few games before.”
“No offense, but spending the afternoon with thirty- and forty- something-year-old women is not my idea of fun.”
“So it had nothing to do with me, then, right?”
“No.”
“Good.” He leaned closer and kissed her. They’d kissed several times, but Chanelle wasn’t really overtaken by his kisses. Justin was cool and she liked him, but not really in that way. Secretly, her heart still longed for Kyle, but he was no longer interested in communicating with her. Justin was fun to hang out with and she didn’t know how to tell him that she didn’t like him in that way. With only a few more hours before the party started, she would suffer through his non-hormone charging kisses, but before they went out again, she was going to find some way to let him know that she just wasn’t interested in him romantically. He was a nice guy. Hopefully they could remain friends.
They were both laid back on the couch when Justin blurted, “Have you ever had sex?”
“No,” she answered uncomfortably.
“You and that Kyle dude that your mom hates never done it?”
“No.”
“Y’all never did anything?”
“We’ve kissed and stuff, but we never had sex.”
“What do you mean by ‘and stuff?’”
Chanelle shrugged her shoulders. “Just stuff.”
“Has he ever put his hand down here?” He made an attempt to touch her privates, but she blocked him.
“I think we should go back to the hotel and see if your mom needs us.”
“If she did, she would’ve called us by now. Besides, we’ve worked hard all day and so has she. She’s probably in one of the hotel rooms taking a nap. So what has stopped you from doing it?”
“I just didn’t want to.” Truth was, all those daggone scriptures her mother had inbred in her scared her into abstinence. Plus, though Chanelle enjoyed the kissing and touching she and Kyle had done, sex was serious business. She didn’t want to give her body to anyone unless they would be together forever. She and Kyle were too young to make that kind of commitment to each other. Kyle wasn’t a virgin, but the one thing Chanelle liked about him was that he respected her.
“Maybe you were waiting on me.” Justin began kissing her again. This time he took it a lot further, groping her breasts and rubbing that sensitive spot between her thighs.
Chanelle squeezed her legs together. “Stop it!” She tried shoving him off of her, but his football-chiseled body was much stronger than her petite one and he remained fixed.
“I’m not going to hurt you, just relax.”
“I don’t want to do this !”
> “Why not?”
Chanelle had planned to save her big lecture for another time, but she had to get it out now. “I just don’t like you that way!”
“You’re kidding, right?”
“No. I think you’re a really cool person and I enjoy hanging out with you, but I don’t like you enough to do this. You’re more like a brother to me.”
Justin laughed wickedly. “Thanks, but if it was meant for me to have a sister, God would have given me a biological one. Besides, if you were so interested in just being friends, why have you allowed me to stick my tongue in your mouth?”
“I don’t know. . .I guess I didn’t know how to tell you.” Chanelle was still pinned between him and the couch and she couldn’t get out from under him.
“I can stick my tongue other places if you’d like.”
“No, thank you!”
“You know what I think. . .” He began planting kisses on her neck and grinding on her. “I think you’re just scared your mom’s going to find out. I’m not going to tell anyone; it’ll be okay.”
“Get off of me!” She tried pushing him again, this time digging her nails into his shoulder.
He grabbed her fist so hard it hurt. “Don’t do that again or I’ll kill you.” There was something in his eyes that made Chanelle believe him.
“Justin, please. . .I don’t want to do this,” she pleaded as tears trickled from the corners of her eyes.
“Quit trying to pretend like you didn’t know what we were coming here to do. You’ve been leading me on for weeks now, wearing your hip huggers and tight shirts that show off your breasts. You’ve been trying to give it to me; now I want it.”
Chanelle tried to fight back, but ultimately gave up as Justin ripped her clothes from her body. She continued pleading with him not to do this. She even tried to negotiate a deal saying she would have sex with him another time, but he didn’t fall for it and against her desire, he forced her out of her clothes and spread her legs apart as he thrust himself into her repeatedly, panting and kissing her as though she enjoyed his actions.
In Times of Trouble Page 17
