by Pope, M. T.
“Hi Ma, hi Dad.” My mother came over and hugged me first; then my dad came over.
“Hey, Shawn.” Wallace smiled and then shook his hand. “Long time no see.”
“Yes, it has been a long time. How is everything going?”
Wallace looked at me and then at my parents. “Well, we had quite an adventurous last couple of days.”
“Yeah, it’s been really eventful.” I smiled awkwardly.
“Is that the reason why both you and Ashley’s phone been off?” my father asked curiously.
“Well, I left my charger here at home. That is the reason why my phone is not on right now. Ashley’s phone, now that is a different story. I have no clue about that. She has been tripping lately.”
“So when was the last time you saw her?” He had a concerned look on his face.
“A day or two ago,” I answered.
“Do you have a clue as to where she may be?”
“Shawn, what’s going on?” my mom asked him with the same amount of concern.
“I think Ashley’s is acting like her father. James, I mean.” Shawn looked at Wallace like he expected Wallace to zap or something. Wallace just shook his head. I think that if I hadn’t told him and he had just found out about it now, that he would probably went off. I would have.
“Oh, no!” My mom put her hand on her chest and then sat down on the sofa.
“What’s wrong, Ma?” I sat down beside her. My father paced a little bit before he sat down as well.
“Well, um, Alex baby, James Parks, you biological father, was a very disturbed man. He had a very bad temper problem and he had a tendency to lash out on people when he didn’t get his way.”
“That’s not true,” Wallace interjected. “That wasn’t the only side to him.” He looked angry.
“Excuse me, who are you anyway?” My mother looked confused and pissed off at the same time.
“I’m James’s husband. His widower,” Wallace proclaimed, almost sticking his chest out proudly.
“His what?” My mother looked shocked.
“Ma, James and Wallace were married back in Baltimore. They were in love.”
“In love?” My mother looked surprised. “James was only in love with himself and money. Oh, and making me and my husband miserable.”
“I don’t know what he did outside of my presence, but I know he wasn’t a completely uncaring person. He was just misguided and misunderstood.”
“I’m sorry,” my mother apologized. “You know, you are right. James wasn’t completely uncaring; he did leave some money for his three kids for college in his will.”
“Three?” Wallace looked at me, surprised.
“Yes, I have another sister that is by James too,” I explained to Wallace.
“Wallace, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you this before. I just didn’t know if I could trust you or how you would handle it,” my father spoke as he looked at Wallace with sincerity.
“You know what, I can’t even fault you for holding out on me. Truth is I didn’t know who James was when we hooked up. I should have taken my time and gotten to know him before I jumped into something with him. Now I see, I had some issues too. I wanted someone I could love and trust and be with. I thought James was that one. I still do. I’m just getting to know him now, after his death. I should have done that before we got heavy into it. But it all happened so fast and I didn’t get him the right way anyway, so I guess I got what my hand called for.”
“I’m sorry, Wallace. I’m sorry for your loss,” my father spoke solemnly.
“Well, it was good while it lasted.” He smiled. “Anything else y’all want me to know, so I can move on with my life?”
“Well, there is one more thing.” My father looked at my mother, me, and then at Wallace.
“Wallace, Alex, I wasn’t completely about my relationship with James. Before he met you, Wallace, James and I had a short sexual relationship.”
“But, you said—” I spoke up.
“I lied to you, Alex. I lied.” My father hung his head down low and looked at the floor. A few seconds later he picked his head up and looked at all of us again. “I couldn’t handle you knowing the truth, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay, Dad.” A tear slid out of my eye. I could see that this was a great pain for my father. “I’ve told you so many times that I love you no matter what. Nothing will change that. You my pops.”
He smiled proudly.
“Thanks, son, but I’m not finished.” He looked at Wallace and then at my mom. “Mona, I need you to know that I was attracted to Wallace and when I introduced him as a client to you I lied.”
“Did anything ever happen?” My mother looked at Wallace and then my father. I was a little curious myself.
“Nah, Mrs. Black. Your husband never once tried anything with me. Truth is, I wanted to, but he never let on that he was attracted to men and I kept my distance. It was partially the reason why I moved back to California. Your husband helped me get through a rough time in my life. And I am extremely grateful. So please don‘t be mad at him.”
“Shawn, baby I had faith that God would keep you, so I’m not even mad at you. I’m glad you told me though. I need you to remember, that your family loves you and that is unconditional.”
“I know now, baby.” They embraced for a few seconds and then pulled away.
“So how we gonna find Ashley?”
“Don’t worry Dad, I got that covered. I put a tracking device on her car without her knowledge.” I smiled.
“Alex!” My mother looked at me disappointed. “That’s not right. That is an invasion of her privacy.”
“Sorry, Ma. I was just looking out for my sister.”
“Honey, holler at him later. We need to find Ashley. There’s no telling what she has gotten herself into.”
“Okay, Dad. I got the tracking software installed on my phone. We can find her with no problem.”
“Good, let’s go.” My father hopped out of his chair and headed for the door. We all trailed behind him as we made our way toward his car. I hopped in the front seat and plugged my phone up to the car charger and we pulled off.
Chapter 41
Shawn
Who’s Ya Daddy?
May 23rd 10:25 P.M.
It was dark outside when we pulled up to the complex that Ashley’s car was parked in and parked right beside the car that Alex said was hers. I was extremely curious as to how she got a car and how she paid for it, but I was more worried about where she was and why her phone was off.
“What we gonna do?” Mona asked me with fear on her face.
“I tried her phone again, it is still off.” Alex chimed in from the front of the car.
“So how do we find her if her phone is off?” My mother asked another fear-filled question. “We definitely can’t go door to door looking for her. Can we?”
“Well Ma, even though her cell phone is off, the phone she has still emitted a signal letting us know her location no matter what. It’s for emergencies. Most cell phones have them now. I can pick up her signal in a few short seconds.” He hit a couple of buttons and was ready to go. “Got it. She is right in there or at least her phone is in there. Apartment three B.” He pointed to a building that was about thirty feet away from where we were parked.
“Okay, so what are we waiting on?” Mona moved toward her car door and hopped out.
I hopped out of the car on my side and walked around the car to where Mona was standing. “Mona, baby. I think it is best for you to stay in the car. Let us men go up there and get her. We don’t know what is going to happen. I need you to stay here just in case something does and we need your help or the police.”
“That’s my baby too,” She looked at me with tears in her eyes.
“I know baby, but it may not be safe.” I pulled her in my arms. “I don’t want anything to happen to any of us, especially you baby.” I walked to the side of the car where Alex was and said, “Alex, I need you to stay here with you
r mother. Wallace, do you mind coming with me?”
“Sure, let me grab this real quick.” He reached under his seat and pulled out a gun. I looked to see where Mona was. She was snooping inside of Ashley’s car, so I was glad she didn’t see the gun he pulled out. She would have definitely freaked out. Even I was a little scared. I wasn’t a gun man by a long shot.
“Okay, you ready?” Wallace asked me as I got out of the car. Alex gave us the exact apartment and we made our way over to the building
“Yeah, man. Let’s get this done.” I had to admit I was a little scared, because the last time I was in a situation like this was when I found out that James was dead in Sherry’s apartment. I don’t know if I could bear the thought of finding my child dead or hurt really bad.
We got to the entrance of the building and tried the door: it was locked. It didn’t have a fingerprint reader on the door like the apartment that I had for Ashley and Alex, because this was sort of a lower-income apartment complex. It was just one of those regular key entry doors, where every occupant had to have a key to get in.
“It’s locked Wallace. What we gonna do?” I looked at him confused. I just wanted Ashley alive and well.
“Hold on.” He reached in his pocket and added on a silencer to the gun. He then aimed it at the lock and fired. There was a small pop and he tried the door to see if was opened. Sure enough, it was. I breathed a sigh of relief as we were one step closer to getting to Ashley. My mind was racing with all kinds of thoughts and almost wanted to cry out of anger for not coming clean about all of this earlier. But that was too late. We crept up the carpeted stairs toward the apartment number Alex gave us.
“What are we going to do know? We can’t just knock on the door and ask for her. If somebody is trying to harm her then it might push them into doing it.”
“Right ... right.” He nodded. “Let me think.”
A few seconds passed by and we heard the door to another apartment open across the hall. We both tried our best to act like we belong, because the neighborhood we were in wasn’t a bad one but it wasn’t a good one either.
“Hello, young men,” an old lady spoke to us as she pulled out her laundry bag and detergent in front of her door. She had on a night coat and a scarf, so I assumed that there was a laundry room in the building, like most apartment complexes.
“How are you doing, ma’am.”
“I’m good, baby.” She smiled, but she still looked at us with suspicion.
“Y’all fellas okay?” she asked.
“Yes, ma’am. We are just fine.” I smiled and looked at Wallace who was smiling too. He must have just got the same idea in his head that I did.
“Ma’am, we do have a problem though.” My smile turned into a frown. I spoke with a hushed tone, because you could hear your voice bouncing off of the stone walls that surrounded us.
“I think my daughter is in this apartment right here and I think someone might have her here against her will. We don’t want to let them know that we are here for her. So I really need your help.” My eyes were pleading with her so hard.
“Well... . I don’t know about that, young fella. I don’t know what you fellas are up to. I don’t want to get involved with any foolishness. I minds my business in here. I don’t want any trouble.” She spoke in the same hushed tone.
“I’m sorry, ma’am. I’m really desperate right now. You’re my only help.” I pleaded. “God knows I’m not lying. I wouldn’t play around with my daughter’s life like that. So I’m begging you please... . Please.” A tear snuck its way out of my eye and down my cheek.
“Well okay,” she hesitated. “But what do I ask for?”
“Ask for some laundry detergent.” Wallace spoke as he handed me the lady’s detergent she had by her bag.
“Okay.” She walked up to the door. Wallace and I stood on the side of the door. When she knocked, and a person answered. It was a man. While she was asking for the detergent, me and Wallace rushed passed the old lady and bombarded the apartment before he could even think.
The guy had a gun but Wallace punched him before he could get a shot off.
Chapter 42
Ashley
The Rescue
May 23rd 10:37 P.M.
I was sitting in the chair, still tied up. They thought I was dead. Shit, I thought I was too. When Ebony pulled the trigger she closed her eyes, like most timid women do when they have a gun in their hands. The contact of the bullet threw my head back and then I slumped forward like I was dead. The truth is the bullet just grazed my head. I knew this because I felt the blood running down the side of my head and drip on my lap. They thought I was dead. Thank God neither one of them bothered to check to see if I was really dead. I could hear them in their kitchen rummaging through cabinets and drawers. I assumed they were looking for something to get rid of me in. I dared not lift my head in fear of getting caught alive. In those few seconds that my head was down, I prayed to God that he would send someone, anyone, to get me out of this mess. Then there was a knock at the door. I silently mouthed Thank you, Jesus!
I heard what sounded like an old lady asking for something and then a loud commotion that sounded like someone being punched.
“Ashley! ... Ashley!” I heard what sounded like my father calling my name. It was too good to be true.
“I’m in here ... in here.” My voice was faint, but I used all I could to speak up at that moment. The look on my face when my father ran into the room and began to untie me made me feel instant relief.
“I’m sorry, Daddy.... I’m so sorry,” I sobbed really hard.
“It’s all right, baby.... Daddy’s here now.” After he successfully untied me, he scooped me up in his arms like I was a baby and carried me out of the apartment. It was like it was a dream as he carried me out. I thanked God profusely as my mother and brother ran up to me and tried their best to console me. I was placed in the backseat in between my father and my mother as an unknown man hopped into the car a pulled off. I laid my head on father’s shoulder as we drove off. Before long I was fast asleep as if I was a toddler on a long car ride.
I awoke in a hospital bed after what seemed like days in the bed. I felt my head and face; I had a couple of Band-Aids on my head. My mother was sitting in the chair next to the bed.
“Hey, baby.” She rubbed my hair back like she used to do when I had a fever. “How are you feeling?” I looked at her with tears in my eyes again. I escaped with my life and I was grateful to God for coming through once again.
“I feel alive.” I spoke with sincerity. “I’m sorry, Ma. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I—I—”
“Ashley, baby ... Stop, I’m just grateful you’re still alive, baby. I thank God that he spared your life. He’s got it all in control. So baby, just lay back and rest. Rest, baby.” And that I did.
The next day the doctor released me. I had a mild concussion from being hit in the head with a gun, and was told that I would have a permanent scar from where the bullet grazed my head, but that was the extent of my physical damage. On a trip or two to the bathroom in the hospital, I would look at myself in the mirror and pull my hair up to look at the scar on my head. It wasn’t healed yet, but I knew that this was a constant reminder of almost losing my life. I kneeled down right there in the bathroom and I prayed.
Heavenly Father, I played around and almost lost my life. Thank you, Jesus, for not letting me die by my own hands. Thank you, God for keeping me. Thank you, God for my nosy brother Alex. Thank you God for my parents. Thank you, God for all of this. After all of this I know that you are with me. I know that you won’t ever leave me. I know that you will always be right here. God I didn’t trust you. I didn’t trust you with me or with my issues. I apologize God. I apologize. Forgive me, God! Father forgive me. In the name of Jesus, I cry out for forgiveness. I cry out for peace. I cry out for your love. I cry out for your touch. Oh, God forgive me! Change me, God; make me what I’m supposed to be. What you created me to be. Wash away my
desire for unnatural things. Take it away, God. Please take it away. In Jesus’ name I say amen.
I stayed on my knees and sobbed and cried for a few more minutes until I got up and got myself together to leave.
Emotionally, I was still touch-and-go. I would bust out crying at the drop of a dime. And I was scared to even leave the house for the first couple of days that I was home. I had finals for my classes I had to take, and thankfully I was doing my homework and studying in between my madness.
About two weeks after narrowly escaping with my life, my father said he had a surprise for all of us. So him, my mother, me, Alex, Diana, Li’l Shawn, my baby sister, Brittany and the guy named Wallace piled into a van headed to a destination known only by my father. I found out from Alex that Wallace was our biological father’s husband. They were legally married.
My father said he had someone he wanted us to meet. I was curious as to who it was. We pulled up to a house in the Hawthorne area. It was real nice one level ranch-style house.
We got out the van and we all walked up to the door of the house and my father knocked. When it opened, my mouth hit the floor. Sister Bella Jones stood before us.
“Hello Ashley dear.” I looked at my father and mother, confused.
“Ashley, Alex, Diana... . Meet your grandmother. This is James’s mother.”
“Really baby?” My mother looked at her and then my father.
“Come in everybody ... come in.” She stepped back.
When we walked in the house, she invited us to sit down in her living room. There were pictures of my biological father spread out around the room. Everybody took their turn walking around the room, looking at the pictures and various items. A couple of minutes later Grace walks in the room. I was in shock. I was not ready to see her. She looked surprised to see me too. Neither one of us said a thing to either. I was wondering how she was related to my newfound grandmother.
