by Leila Lacey
“SHAWN!” Melissa yelled. “I will not stand here and watch you accuse your brother of such monstrous things!”
“No, No, Momma he’s right. I put that uniform on and the badge and I murdered a man in cold blood for no other reason than he was black. I assumed he was reaching for a gun because other racists told me he was,” Seth stated with tears pooling in his eyes.
“Seth son, no one said that and we certainly don’t believe it,” his mother defended.
“Why? Why don’t you believe it mother? Because I took an oath to protect and serve the community? Because I am catholic and I still wear my rosary? Or is it because I’m your son? Because I am willing to bet, that man’s wife and mother could and would say nothing but wonderful things about him.”
“What the hell is your problem about this guy?” Shawn yelled jumping up. “So what if he died? What did he expect, reaching back into his car while surrounded by cops pointing their guns at him? We all know those people are criminals and if they don’t already have a record, they are on the way to having one. So what if you killed him before he could be charged with killing someone. I for one, feel like you have done society a service not an injustice!”
“SHAWN HALE!” Melissa yelled slapping him across the face. “Have you lost your mind boy? That man was an innocent person without a weapon. He was a danger to no one. His race certainly does not determine if he would be a danger in the future! While I believe, he should have done what was being asked of him. You will NEVER in my presence or in mixed company, say he deserved to die because he was a black man! Do you understand me boy?”
Rubbing his cheek where his mother just given him a zinger, Shawn nodded in compliance.
“THAT is why I left the Sheriff’s office. The badge the uniform it is tainted, Shawn. I know one or two of us cannot make the changes that needs to be made to make the justice system fair. But I will be damned if I take part in killing people and framing people for crimes they did not commit because of prejudices and ignorance,” Seth said sadly walking toward the door to leave. Stopping, he turned back to his brother. “We’re of the same blood brother. You are now and will always be my brother in arms. Don’t let the force change you. Remember why you carry the badge. Why dad, Papa Noni and we all took the oath. To protect the weak and innocent. Not prey on them.” He turned and walked out.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Two months after Ajani’s birth…
“It was a wonderful service Alena. Thank you so much for including us,” Julie Banner said giving her a hug.
“Of course, Julie. No matter what, you guys are a part of Ajani and will always be a part of his life.” Alena had just been served papers two days before, concerning Marcus’ parents suing her for visitation rights of her son. Although there was obvious tension in the air, Alena and Marcus’ families came together today for Ajani’s christening.
Everyone except Jeffrey, Alena wanted nothing to do with her brother in law and wanted him to stay away from her son.
Although the tension was thick enough to be cut with a machete at the reception, the ceremony was wonderful. Alena knew Marcus was there right beside her.
Both families sat on opposite sides of the recreation room in the basement of the church, but there was still a sense of love in the room. Love and loss.
“Where is my nephew?” Jeffrey said in slurred speech as he stepped into the room—disheveled and dirty, he looked like he hadn’t bathed in days. He used his brother’s death as an excuse to sink deeper into his addictions until his parents had no choice but to cut him off. As far as any of them knew, Jeffrey was homeless.
An eerie silence dropped over the room, as if no one in the room could believe Jeffrey was here. Not only was he here when he’d been told more than once to stay away, he came into the church high while falling down drunk. He staggered toward Alena’s mother who was holding Ajani while giving him his bottle.
Alena immediately went into action to intercept him. “I am going to say this once Jeffrey. GET OUT!” Alena pointed to the door.
Jeffrey tried to push himself past Alena but wasn’t strong enough being that he was barely on his feet. “Bitch, get the fuck out of my face. That is my brother’s son over there and I will see him whenever I want!” he yelled at Alena
“Young fella, take your hand off my daughter and watch your mouth!” Luther Horn Alena’s father said stepping in to protect his daughter.
“YOU WANT SOME OF ME OLD MAN?” Jeffrey yelled at Luther, squaring off in his drug and alcohol induced haze. “I will lay your old ass out!”
Before Jeffrey knew it, he was on the floor gazing up at Luther Hale who’d taken his cane and cracked him over his head.
Luther leaned down and whispered to him, “Now, you get your disrespectful butt up and you get out of this church and stay away from my grandson and daughter. Or next time, I am going to whoop your behind in the name of the Lord.”
A few of the other church member helped Jeffrey out of the church.
Alena stood there in God’s house, hating Jeffrey with every fiber of her being and feeling shame for having such terrible thoughts about him. She realized then, she was going to have to forgive Jeffrey in order to keep her promise to God, herself and Marcus. She knew that particular feat was going to take time, a lot of reading of the word and worshipping in the house of the God.
Today wasn’t that day.
It was however, the last time anyone saw Jeffrey until he strangled his girlfriend in a steroid induced rage almost killing her and then intentionally overdosed. He spent six months in a coma, before being sent to prison for three years for the assault and battery of his girlfriend.
The Banner family members who were at the reception all started to leave. Wishing Alena well.
All, except Hazel “You have no right to treat my son that way! He lost Marcus too. You are not the only one who lost him. I am not going to stand for you acting like you are a victim!”
“Hazel, I have tried to be understanding of your loss and pain, the way you lost Marcus is something no mother should ever have to suffer. But I will not stand for you to continue to attack my child. Jeffrey needs help, you know it and I know it. Otherwise, why would you cut him off? Now, I am going to ask you nicely once and only once. LEAVE!” Tabitha said standing up for her daughter and grandson.
As Hazel turned to storm out of the church with tears in her eyes and smoke coming off the top of her head. Alena decided to remind her of something. “And Hazel?” she said waiting for Hazel to turn around. “Just remember the reason he Marcus was there that night. If I remember correctly, it wasn’t for me.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Two years after the event…
“Lena, I’m so glad you finally decided to open the boutique!” Vanessa said to her sister.
Alena always wanted to own a plus size boutique. Having a love of fashion at an early age, she’d been drawing sketches of outfits and dresses since she was eleven years old.
Marcus had many a day, sat and helped her with her design ideas giving her input on what a man would like to see his lady in. When Marcus decided to go into the Marines, Alena resigned herself to waiting a few years before trying to start a boutique.
Three weeks before their wedding Marcus surprised her and picked her up from her job at Lane Bryant to take her to lunch.
“Hi! What are you doing here?” she asked him.
“I came to take my best girl to lunch and to give her a little surprise,” he has said with a Cheshire grin on his face.
Smiling up at him Alena had been so happy to just get to spend time with him. She knew she would miss him so much when he was gone for three months for basic and combat training.
Marcus had pulled over on the way to lunch and told her, he needed to put a blind fold on her to not spoil the surprise.
“Marcus if you take this blind fold off and we are at some kinky whips and chains sex shop, I’m telling your mother on you!” Alena said giving him a side glare before sl
iding the mask over her eyes.
“Okay, you tell mine and I will be forced to tell yours how much you like to be spanked!” he said laughing and trying to dodge her swinging hand.
Alena tried to get him to tell her where they were going the entire rest of the way to no avail.
He took her out of the car and positioned her in front of the shop whispering in her ear, “You’re my wife, my gift from God above, your dreams are my dreams.” He pulled off the blind fold. He’d leased a storefront in the center of prime real estate for shopping in downtown Southdale. He’d taken on a ten year lease, telling her he’s sure it was going to be the best investment of his life.
After his death, Alena had been sure she would never be able to open the boutique. She’d felt certain it would remind her to much of him.
One day on the way to take Ajani to his doctor’s appointment, she’d accidently taken a wrong turn because Ajani was so fussy in the back seat. She pulled over to change him and get him settled down. Before she got back on the road, she glanced up to see she was parked directly in front of her store. “Okay, OK. I will open it!” She smiled as she pulled back out onto the road. She’d known it was God and Marcus’ telling her it’s time.
Now today, she looked over at Vanessa. “I am too. I still can’t believe we’re doing so well. I swear me and Ajani are here more than we’re home.” Delectable Curves had been doing well from the moment Alena opened the doors. Things were so good, she’d needed to hire help right way.
She now had seven employees, a store manager and a buyer. With a mixture of her own designs and lingerie and shoes from one of her favorite designers Vixen Mancini, Delectable Curves became the place to go for plus size women in Southdale.
“Well, I just meant now I have a place to get all the clothes I want and not spend a dime,” Vanessa said while holding a dress she’d been eyeing up to see how the color would look on her.
“HA! That’s what you think!” Alena said finishing the deposit slip for today’s sales.
Vanessa whipped around. “What are you talking about?”
“You remember when you sent your husband to pick up an outfit you wanted? Well, he figured you would be shopping in here all the time, so he left a credit card on file for me to charge your clothes to. Everything you take out of here is paid for by Peter,” Alena said winking at her sister.
“SHUT UP!” Vanessa said hanging the dress back on the rack. “I can’t believe he did that. He’s so sweet to me, most men would complain. But Peter just wants to make me happy. I love him so much Lena.” Vanessa’s demeanor changed to sadness.
Alena heard it in her voice and stopped to look at her sister. “Why does that make you sad, Nessa,” she asked her rubbing her hand.
“I don’t know.” Vanessa shrugged. “I just feel bad sometimes, I guess. I have the love of my life and you—you had yours taken from you. I am so sorry Lena.” She gripped her sister’s hand.
“Oh, Honey! I want you to be happy. I am so glad you have Peter he is a great guy! He’s everything I would want for my wonderful sister,” Alena said walking around the counter to hug her.
“I just wish…” Vanessa started to say but got choked up.
“Nessa, I know what you mean. As much as I love and miss Marcus. God has given me peace of mind he is all around me. I have Ajani, this shop, you Mom and Dad. I am blessed beyond measure.”
Vanessa wiped her tears away, pulling her compact out of her purse to fix her make-up. “Alright, Alright, Mary Magdalene, stop with the sales pitch” Vanessa wasn’t a woman to get emotional very often. Her motto was ‘crying ‘cause wrinkles’ and she planned to look like Halle Berry until she was eighty.
“You know she was a prostitute right?” Alena said laughing as she went to get her purse and keys.
“She was? Oh! Well, what about Delilah?” Vanessa asked.
“She worked with the Philistines to destroy Sampson,” Alena said laughing. “I’m going to need you to go to bible study or church more than once a year…you are a heathen!” she finished laughing at her sister’s lack of knowledge of the bible.
“When they start serving chardonnay and letting people smoke at church and bible study, I will be at both of those. Until then, I will leave the praying to you.”
Shaking her head as she locked the doors, Alena looked to the heavens. “Fix it, Jesus”
CHAPTER NINE
Two years after the shooting…
“SETH! Seth, it’s Dad, I’m coming in!” Steven shouted using his key to get into Seth’s apartment. Shawn called him to let him know Seth ran his truck into a tree while drunk driving…again. Shawn was covering for him and wanted his parents to know how bad things were.
“In here, Dad,” he called out, waking up on the floor in his own vomit.
“Jesus boy! Are you laying in your own filth?” his father exclaimed waving his hand in front of his face to try and ward off the smell.
“Sorry, Dad,” Seth said groggily. He’d spent the last two years becoming an exceptional drunk. He hadn’t been able to sleep since the shooting without nightmares. Tired of waking up in a cold sweat, he decided it was better to pass out, than fall asleep.
“Seth Edward Hale, you took your ass out in a car drunk driving again, forcing your brother to cover for you...AGAIN!” his father yelled at him.
Seth staggered to his feet. “No one told him he needed to cover for me. He did that on his own. I didn’t ask him for his damn help!” he yelled at his dad.
“NO! NO, you didn’t! You haven’t asked for anyone’s help, you have just dropped your life at your feet and picked up a whisky bottle!” Steven said to his son in disgust.
“WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO POP?” he shouted at his father. “I killed a man. I killed an innocent man in cold blood! One with a wife and a family—”
His father cut him off by slapping him across the face. “You sniveling little piss ant!”
He stared at his father in shock while rubbing his jaw. His father never raised a hand to him. Until today.
“Yes, you killed that man Seth! You killed not because you’re a racist or because you were confused. You’re not stupid boy, contrary to the evidence here today. You killed him because you were on the street while scared. You were scared to lose your life and you know that’s the one thing a cop can’t be!”
Seth plopped down on his couch and crumbled into tears. “I fucked up Dad! I fucked up and I don’t know what to do…”
Steven sighed and looked around him to be sure there wasn’t any vomit where he was about to sit. “Well first, you stop feeling sorry for yourself. You made your choice and now, like it or not you have to live with it. I’m sure his wife is more in need than you are. Next, you get up off your ass and stop drinking so much. Then clean up your house and do something for someone else. Volunteer, mow a neighbor’s lawn. I don’t care, but you need to try and find redemption in the Lord. Go to church Seth and ask God for forgiveness and then forgive yourself.”
“Dad, please don’t start with the God stuff again. I still don’t know what I believe or don’t believe about him,” he muttered with his head in his hands.
“Boy, you can walk around pretending you don’t know God all you want to, but I know better. Ask yourself this, who do you think gave you the fortitude to know what you and those other cops did to that fella was wrong and you had to do the right thing?” Steven asked. “I can tell you this it wasn’t Jiminy Cricket”
Seth sat back on his couch staring at the ceiling, they were both silent for a long time before Steven finally said, “Look son, I know you’re having a hard time. I am so sorry, but you need to be a man and quit making this about you. This is not about you, it’s about Marcus Banner. You feel bad about what you did, then go out and make a difference. Do something besides what you have been doing.” He stood up to leave pulling his son to his feet. “I have to go and take your mother to mass. Would you like to go?”
“HA! No, I want a lot of coffee and someth
ing to eat,” he said walking his dad to the front door
“You need to want a shit, shower, shave and maid for this filthy place of yours!” his father griped looking around.
“That too,” Seth said shaking his head and regretting it.
Steven laughed and slapped his shoulder. “You okay?”
“I’m all right pop. Thanks for coming by.” Seth reached over to hug his father.
“Boy, don’t you touch me with all that puke on you!” he yelled while pushing his son away.
“Oh, sorry Dad.” He chuckled.
“No more drinking boy!” Steven said as he walked toward the driveway.
“YES, SIR!” Seth yelled grabbing his head in regret. After taking a shower and cleaning his house including throwing out his rug, Seth called his brother who didn’t answer which wasn’t surprising. They’d been fighting a lot since the shooting. He hoped it would change soon. Seth left him a message, thanking him for his help and promising he wouldn’t have to do it again.
After calling his brother, he called a friend of his who was a director at the Boys and Girl club. “Teddy, I need your help man. I need a purpose.” He knew his dad was right. He needed to do something to atone for his mistake—to shake away the demons.
Teddy had just the job for him. He made him the basketball and football coach for a group of inner-city youths who’d lost their coach to a coaching job at Texas State University.
Through working with those boys, he got a chance to see the struggles of young African American males and their struggling families. Working with them, helped Seth make the final decision about how he needed to do something for Marcus Banner’s wife and son.
To look out for them…the way Marcus couldn’t.
CHAPTER TEN
4 years later…
“Momma look! There’s a man in dat house!” Little Ajani yelled and pointed at the man who was moving into the house across the street.
