by Angel Hunter
“How will this affect you? Will you lose any clients because of it?” Susan asked.
“No. Thanks to Roger.”
“Then why stress yourself over something that didn’t happen? It’s my problem to handle. Not yours, not Crystal’s, not Jewell’s, but mine.”
Elsie knew Susan was right. She also knew she was displacing her anger. It wasn’t about Susan, so after a brief silence, she revealed, “I apologize, Susan. I’m just going through some stuff myself and I didn’t mean to take it out on you.”
“I saw Summer in the mall with a little girl yesterday,” Jewell said, feeling Elsie’s unease. She thought she was changing the subject, but instead was digging the hole deeper.
“That was her daughter.”
Everyone looked at Elsie.
“Her daughter?” Jewell asked.
“Yeah, she was married a long time ago. She got divorced, and the father got custody of her.”
“She was married?” Jewell asked.
“Why are you repeating everything I say?” Elsie asked with annoyance.
“I don’t know. I’m just surprised.”
“Anyway, her ex was killed in a car crash and her daughter now lives with her,” Elsie continued.
“Is that what’s been bothering you? Is that what’s going on?” Susan asked.
“Yeah. Before all this happened, me and Summer were going to move in together, but I told her it should be put on hold. She barely knows her daughter and they need time alone.”
“Kids adjust, you know,” Jewell said, thinking of her relationship with Evan and hoping.
“Yeah, but this isn’t a simple thing. Summer and I are lovers. Can you imagine how that little girl is going to feel when she realizes this? She may even think her mother left her for me.”
“But that’s not the case. You can explain that to her,” Jewell told her.
“Yeah, we could, but I’m also not so sure I’m ready to be a step-mom.”
“Oh, so now you don’t want to date a woman with kids?” Jewell couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Just like a man.”
Crystal and Susan decided to stay out of this conversation.
“What do you mean, just like a man?” Elsie was insulted.
“You just said you’ve not ready to be a step-mom. That sounds like you don’t want to date women with children.”
“I didn’t say a damn thing about not dating a woman with kids. I just know that having a child is a big responsibility and I’m not sure if it’s one that I’m ready for. That may sound selfish, but if it does, so be it.”
“You love Summer, don’t you?” Jewell asked.
“Yes. I think so.”
“Well, if you truly do love her, her having a child shouldn’t even play a part in it. When you love someone, it should be unconditionally. You have to love her and her child. It’s a package deal. You can’t love one and not accept the other.”
“I know that.”
“Do you?” Jewell knew that if Evan didn’t express an interest in Tyson from day one, they wouldn’t have gotten this far.
She recalled a relationship she was in when Tyson was about three. She was in love with this guy. Actually she was in love with the sex. No, to be more precise, she was in love with the size of his manhood. Somewhere along the line, she got it confused with real love. She would go see him whenever he called. This went on for over a year. He’d call, she’d show up, or if she got the itch, she’d call and he would show up. One day, she was at his house, looking at a picture of his daughter and it hit her. Even though he knew about her son, he never asked about him. So one day, she showed him Tyson’s picture, hoping he would express some interest, maybe even that she and Tyson, along with him and his daughter would do something together. He didn’t. That was the end of their relationship.
“I’m sure that Summer needs you more than anything right now,” Jewell told her. “Shit, being a single mom is not easy. To have the support of someone you love is everything.”
Elsie didn’t know what to say. She knew Jewell was right.
Crystal decided to just keep her mouth shut. She had said enough to Susan earlier, and she was all talked out. The only person she wanted to talk to now was Lange.
COINCIDENCES
A couple of weeks had passed since Crystal and Lange’s rendezvous. Neither had told a soul and they had barely talked about it with each other. It wasn’t that they were trying to pretend it didn’t happen. They just wanted to prevent it from happening again.
Crystal’s thoughts were consumed with Lange—the way he made love to her, the way her body felt as if she were floating and like every nerve in her was being touched. She yearned to feel that way again, but she knew that was not likely to happen.
Since they’d made love, they’d spoken on the phone quite a few times. He wanted Crystal to know he was thinking about her and didn’t want her to feel that he’d taken advantage of her.
Take advantage of me. I’m a willing participant . That’s what she wanted to tell him, but kept the thought to herself.
She glanced at the clock and sighed. This was going to be a long day and a long weekend. Tina and her mother were coming into the office to discuss the case and what they should do. After going back and forth with it, she decided to tell them there was no way she could represent them. Lange agreed to take the case, and she would be there for support.
A big week lay ahead for Crystal. Later that night, she was going out with Roger. They still hadn’t slept together. She’d thought about it more than once, hoping it would get her mind off Lange. It wasn’t a good reason to sleep with someone, but for her, it might be good enough.
Her mother was also coming to visit. She hadn’t seen her in six months since she moved to Charlotte, North Carolina. She told Crystal there was something very important she needed to discuss with her.
Crystal’s intercom came on. “Your appointment is here,” Jewell informed her.
“Okay, Jewel. Please seat them in the conference room.”
“Will do,” Jewell replied.
Crystal stood up and took several deep breaths before she headed toward the door. Just as she was about to open it, the knob turned.
Jewell stuck her head in. “They’re waiting on you.”
“Just give me a couple more seconds.”
Jewell closed the door and informed Tina and her mother that Crystal would be with them shortly.
When Crystal entered the conference room, Tina gave her a hug.
“Hi, Ms. Crystal.”
Crystal hugged her back and felt a pang of regret that she couldn’t be her attorney.
“This is my mom, Brenda Lord.”
Crystal offered her hand. “How are you?”
Tina’s mom just looked at her. Crystal looked at Tina, who shrugged. She and Tina had spoken on the phone at least once a week since the incident. Just like Crystal did when she was younger, Tina blamed herself. Crystal had to tell her a number of times not to do that, but that it was normal to feel this way.
Crystal pulled out a chair and sat down to face Tina. Since her mother wanted to be an ass, she figured this was best. “Tina, I’m proud of the fact that you’ve decided to stand up for yourself and not let your rapist get away with what he did. You’re an extremely brave person for coming forward.”
“Thanks,” Tina replied. “I just hope it’s the right thing to do.”
“It is,” Crystal reassured her.
“How do you know?” Ms. Lord asked.
“How do I know what?”
“That it’s the right thing to do.”
“Well, why shouldn’t it be?” Crystal looked at Ms. Lord like she was crazy. “Your daughter was attacked, forced to have sex, and you don’t think she should press charges?”
“I think she should just let it go. It’s not like she was a virgin.”
Crystal wanted to smack her clear across the face. “Excuse me?”
“Think about it. What will she gain
from it? Money? No. Popularity? No. Embarrassment and shame? Yes. What good will that do?”
Crystal could not believe what she was hearing. She wanted so bad to curse this woman out.
Tina faced her mother and said, “Ma, this is something I have to do. So what if I wasn’t a virgin? Does that make you not believe me? What if he does this to someone else?”
“Then let that someone else report his ass.”
On that note, Crystal stood up. “You know what? I need some air. I’ll be right back.” Before they could say a word, she was in the hallway. Susan was passing by and saw the look on Crystal’s face.
“What’s up?” Susan asked. “Why are you looking like that?”
“Tina’s mother is more concerned about her reputation than about her daughter. She doesn’t think Tina should report the rape. I needed to get out of there because I was two seconds away from smacking the bitch.”
“Did you explain to them that no matter what, since she went to the hospital, the state has it on file and can start a case and force her to testify?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“I didn’t have a chance. Her mother pissed me off so bad.”
Meanwhile, in the room, Ms. Lord looked at Tina, who was staring her down with tears in her eyes. “What’s your problem? You asked me to come, knowing how I felt.”
Tina didn’t respond.
When Crystal returned, she pulled her chair up close to Ms. Lord and said, “Listen, I’m going to be real with you. Young girls get raped every day. Some are strong and can deal with it, but there are others who have breakdowns, turn to drugs, become promiscuous, you name it. Luckily, Tina is one of the strong ones who can stand up for herself.”
“Ma, I don’t want him to hurt anyone else,” Tina interrupted.
“With Tina’s stepping forward and trying to put this boy behind bars, it may save someone else’s life. How do you know he’s going to let the next one get away?” Crystal was trying her best to reach this woman.
“Listen,” Ms. Lord said with an attitude, “I understand what you’re saying, and I appreciate what you’re trying to do. My concern is that everyone will know, that it’s going to be in the paper and she’ll be ridiculed.”
“Mom, are you sitting there saying your reputation is more important than my well-being? Well, you know what? Forget you! I don’t need you or your support.”
Ms. Lord wouldn’t give anyone eye contact.
“She needs your support,” Crystal said.
Ms. Lord looked at Crystal with tears in her eyes and suddenly it hit Crystal like a ton of bricks. Ms. Lord herself was once a victim and she was the one not believed.
“Tina, will you excuse me and your mother?”
Tina stood up and walked out.
Crystal waited until the conference room door was closed. “All right, what’s really going on?”
“What do you mean?”
“I find it hard to believe you would let someone get away with hurting your daughter. Did something happen to you? Were you raped and not believed?”
From Ms. Lord’s silence, Crystal knew she was right.
“I was raped repeatedly when I was younger by a cousin.” She waited for Crystal’s response. When she received none, she went on. “It started when I was eleven and continued up until I was fourteen. By that time, I wasn’t scared of him anymore. The last time he tried to come into my room, he was eighteen and I fought him tooth and nail. Scratched him up good, too. My mother came home and saw the scratches on his face and asked him what had happened. He said I had a boy over and we were having sex. He told her he tried to stop it and I attacked him. Of course I denied it and tried to tell her what he had been doing to me, but she didn’t believe me. She loved him and favored him. My mother had a twin that died and this was her son. Me, I was a bastard child. My father left her and she took it out on me. She went around and told the family I was spreading lies. I was shunned. The day I turned sixteen I dropped out of school and moved out.” Ms. Lord looked at Crystal and asked, “So, you see why I don’t want Tina to speak up?”
Crystal sympathized with her and told her this, but also told her, “You can’t let your past affect Tina’s future. This is a different day and age. She went to the hospital. They have evidence.” She took Ms. Lord’s hand. “I feel for you, I really do, and because of what happened to you, you should support your daughter. Maybe you and her can get counseling together, because obviously you’re still holding on to the past. Let her get justice for herself and for you.”
“Justice for the both of us?”
“Yes.”
Ms. Lord stood up and went toward the door. Crystal thought she was going to leave, but Ms. Lord called Tina back into the room.
Tina came in and sat down. She looked at her mother and waited to hear what she had to say.
“Tina, I’m going to support you.”
She was surprised. “You are?”
“Yes.”
Tina looked from her mother to Crystal and back toward her mother. “What made you change your mind?”
Not ready to reveal what happened to her, she said, “I just did, all right.”
Tina knew not to say anything else.
“Okay, ladies, there’s something you need to know. I am going to refer your case to an excellent attorney, a friend of mine. His name is Lange Houston.”
“What are you talking about? I thought you were going to be Tina’s attorney.”
“I would love to be, but there’s a conflict of interest.”
“What?”
“I too am a rape survivor, and the boy who raped your daughter is the son of the man who raped me when I was a teenager.”
Ms. Lord shook her head in disbelief. “Are you serious?”
“Very, and because of the nature of the case, we want this to go as smooth as possible.”
I understand,” Tina said. “But you will be there every step of the way, right?”
Crystal took Tina’s hand and said, “Of course I will.” She handed them Lange’s card. “I will be there for you every step of the way.”
“Crystal, you have a phone call.” Jewell stuck her head in the conference room.
“I’m in a meeting,” Crystal said.
“Whoever it is said it’s an emergency.”
Ms. Lord, Tina and Crystal stood up at once. “We’re leaving anyway.”
KEEPING IT REAL
“Hold on a second.” Jewell was on the phone with Kim. She waited until Tina and Ms. Lord walked out before she finished her conversation. “Anyway, as I was saying, girl, I might be biting off more than I can chew. I mean, I let him give me money for the down payment on my new car, and I told you King found out about it.”
“No, you ain’t tell me that shit. What happened?” Kim asked.
“Listen, meet me for lunch and I’ll give you the run down.”
“Bet.”
Jewell and Kim met at TGI Friday’s and Kim was anxious to find out what happened.
“Girl, King popped up one day. Now, you know I don’t like that as it is. I don’t just pop up at his house. The least he could do is pick up the phone and let a sister know he’s coming,” Jewell said.
“Yeah, yeah. Go on.”
“Anyway, I almost cursed his ass out, but I noticed he looked upset. I asked him what was wrong and he told me he’d just found out that his father died.”
“His father? I thought he didn’t know his father.”
“He didn’t until recently. One of his family members told him where he was and he went looking for him.”
“Damn, that’s deep. A grown-ass man still wanting his daddy.”
Jewell looked at Kim, and not for the first time realized how ignorant she was. “Anyway, they were just getting to know one another, and for him to just up and die, King was devastated.”
“So he came to you?” Kim asked, thinking that was a little weird.
“Yeah, he came to me. Why you got t
o say it like that? He and I have been through a lot. You know that, and I’m the only one who understood how he felt about growing up without a dad. He needed to talk to someone he could trust.”
“Uh-huh,” Kim said. “He wanted you to feel sorry for him and give him some ass.”
Jewell rolled her eyes, glad she didn’t tell Kim everything about how they sat on the couch all night watching movies and ended up kissing. The kiss surprised King as much as it did Jewell. Every now and then he would try to press up and reconcile with her, convince her they should be a family, but she always shut him down. It wasn’t because she didn’t care for him. Hell, King was her first love and her son’s father. He would always have a special place in her heart. She just didn’t want to go backwards.
“Anyway,” Jewell went on with the story, “Evan had sent me some flowers and a card, and I forgot they were in the kitchen on the table. King went to get something to drink and when he came back, he was holding the card in his hand.”
“And?” Kim wanted her to hurry up and get to the good part.
“The card said ‘Enjoy the car, and if I can do anything else for you, just ask’.”
Kim started laughing. “You’re straight lying.”
“What the hell is so funny?”
“That’s what his ass gets for snooping,” Kim said.
On one hand, Jewell agreed, but then again, she had been enjoying their time together. There was something intimate about it, and for a second she pretended that they were still a family. When King came back into the living room, Jewell was in the middle of wondering what it would be like.
“What the hell is this?” King threw the card at Jewell.
She looked at it. “A card.”
“I see that,” King said. “Who the hell is Evan?”
“Someone I’m seeing.”
“What?”
“Come on, King. I know you don’t think I’m an old maid and don’t date.”
“Dating and letting a man buy you a car are two different things.”
“He didn’t buy me the car.”
“Did he help you get the car?”
Jewell wanted to lie and say no, but King wasn’t stupid. He could read between the lines and he could read her face.
