Side Chick Catching Main Chick Feelings 2

by B. M. Hardin

  They were both too sick to even travel to say their goodbyes to their own daughter.

  So, okay, I did feel something.

  It was hard not to sympathize.

  And I definitely felt that my intentions disrespected Naomi’s death but I had to try to help my sister or maybe we would be burying her next.

  This was the only way.

  Well, maybe.

  I had yet to spot Vicki.

  From the looks of it, she wasn’t going to show up at her sister’s funeral either.

  Immediately I wondered if she even knew.

  The footage from the airport showed her running back out of the airport once I’d spotted her.

  Wherever she was going, she never went.

  Where was she headed to?

  If she thought that Lee Lee was dead, where was she going?

  Now that I knew that she had been involved in trying to get Lee Lee killed, I could only assume that maybe she thought that she would be found out and tried to disappear.

  I was sure that Naomi had filled her in with us reporting her missing and Naomi only knew because the police advised when they had been looking for Vicki as well.

  Maybe she figured that heat would come her way soon.

  Naomi tried to play it off by reporting her missing too, but that bitch wasn’t missing, at least not yet anyway.

  As the pastor started to speak, I nudged Dray.

  “I’m going to the bathroom.”

  I exited the sanctuary quietly and headed to find the bathroom.

  I used to visit the church when I was younger but it had changed and it had been many years ago.

  I hadn’t been to church in a very long time.

  Not to any church since the whole incident with Lee Lee sleeping with the pastor.

  Finally seeing a sign that said ‘Ladies’, I hurried in and got the surprise of a lifetime.

  Vicki.

  She was crying her eyes out and she didn’t notice me.

  I locked the bathroom door behind me and stood there.

  “I’m sorry,” she said throwing her hand up in my direction without even looking at me.

  “Oh, you will be,” I said nastily, causing her to look up.

  Her knees buckled when she saw me.

  Rage filled my body and I swung at her but I missed.

  By the time I looked back at her, she was holding what looked like pepper spray.

  Immediately, I scolded myself.

  I wasn’t supposed to try to attack her.

  I was on a mission.

  I had to calm down.

  Backing up to block her from getting out of the bathroom door, I breathed heavily and tried to relax.

  I was thinking of what direction to take the conversation in and I thought very carefully before I opened my mouth.

  “Where is my sister bitch?”

  I figured I had to play along.

  She stared at me as if she was surprised that I was trying to talk to her.

  “I don’t know. You tell me.”

  “You were the last one to see her alive.”

  “Maybe. Maybe not.”

  I wanted to beat the crap out of her.

  Feeling the urge to choke her, I walked closer to her.

  “Where is she?”

  “I don’t know.”

  She really looked as though she was in the dark.

  “Why are you hiding?”

  “I’m not.”

  “Why are you never home or at work?”

  “I moved. And you got me fired or did you forget?”

  “Why did Naomi report you missing?”

  “Because I hadn’t seen her either and maybe she was worried.”

  Well, she wasn’t going to break so I figured that I should get to the point on why I wanted to talk to her in the first place.

  “If I find out you are lying, I will kill you. And that’s not a threat. That’s a promise. Just like Jinx promised Naomi,” I said.

  She looked at me confused.

  Showtime.

  “Jinx told me that she refused to let Naomi see Kane since his accident. She also said that those bastard kids wouldn’t see him ever again either. Even though one turned out to be my husband’s,” I said softly.

  Vicki looked as though she was becoming angry.

  But she didn’t say anything.

  “Did Naomi tell you that she ran into me at the grocery store. She said that she was so stressed out. She said that Jinx had been threatening her. I even saw Jinx at the grocery store myself watching her.”

  Vicki put the pepper spray down and listened.

  “Jinx said if Naomi didn’t take care of the baby, then she would. You can ask Drake. Well, hell, he wouldn’t get involved in it, but that’s what she said. She said that she hoped Naomi and the baby died while she was giving birth and then all of a sudden, that’s pretty much what happens.”

  “No, it was something that just happened.”

  “Yeah, even I don’t believe that. I’m sure that you know this already, but Kane is one of the most powerful men in the drug business with a lot of connections and Jinx has a few of her own. Maybe the doctor was working for them or something. Jinx was definitely there while she was having the baby,” I said entering the stall.

  “How do you know that?”

  I took my phone out of my bra and showed her the text that I got from Jinx.

  “She sent me a picture.”

  Vicki looked as though she was trying to make sense of what I was saying.”

  “So, you think she did something to Naomi?”

  “If you ask me, Naomi’s death didn’t just happen. If Jinx has connections in jails, prisons, judges and everything else, I’m sure she has a few doctors in her back pocket too. Or her husband does. Why do you think Kane is still in the hospital after all of this time and they’re showing him so much care and attention? Money talks. As soon as I heard she died, came back, and then suddenly died again, after she sent the picture, everything about it screamed foul play. I automatically thought that Jinx had played dirty. But hell, I got my own sister to worry about,” I said and closed the stall.

  The bait was set.

  Now I just needed to talk to Jinx.

  It took about a minute, but finally I heard Vicki leave the bathroom.

  If my plan worked, my sister’s problem would be solved.

  And maybe a few problems of my own as well.

  ~***~

  “She hates me!”

  Drake took little Krissie from my arms and she immediately stopped crying.

  I was trying so hard, but my best didn’t seem to be good enough.

  I’d always thought that I was going to be a great mother, but I guess I was wrong.

  Krissie laid her head on his shoulder, cooed, and I stormed out of the house and left them continue to enjoy their little bonding moment.

  Outside I wanted to cry, but I didn’t.

  It was as though the little girl was possessed or something or as if Naomi’s ghost was whispering in her ear to give me a hard time.

  I walked around to the back of the house and sat on the patio.

  What if she never came around to liking me?

  Then what?

  I sat there for what seemed like a long while.

  I knew that before long Drake would come looking for me.

  And soon enough he did.

  “Moe?”

  “What?”

  “She just needs a little time.”

  “Whatever Dray.”

  He walked over to me and sat down.

  “We got this. Everything is going to be fine.”

  “That’s easy for you to say. When you’re not here, she cries the whole time. I almost hit her today Dray. I really almost hit her. Maybe this was a bad idea or maybe I should just leave and let you raise your daughter, without you having to hear me complain every day.”

  I was really just that aggravated with the situation.

  “Really Moet? Don�
�t you know that I couldn’t do this without you? I need you here with me. She needs you too, she just has to realize it. I love you so much and I’m so tired of seeing you unhappy. What do you want me to do? I can take off some time from work and be here with you two and maybe spending some family bonding moments will help her adjust. I’ll do anything to make you happy, you know that right?”

  He was trying to butter me up, but it wasn’t working.

  The situation just wasn’t working.

  “You’ll see. You’re going to raise an amazing daughter and we are going to have that happy little family that we always wanted.”

  How could he be so sure?

  He scooted closer to me and started to kiss my neck.

  “She fell asleep?”

  “Yes. Will you come in and sleep with Daddy?” Drake joked.

  I could tell that he wanted some but I just wasn’t in the mood.

  I just wanted my own baby.

  A baby that I would never be able to have.

  I didn’t answer his question I just stood up

  Drake stood up and grabbed my hand and started to lead me back around the front.

  “We’re going to be okay Moe. Trust me. I got you. And I’m about to get some of those cookies and milk between your legs too,” Drake joked.

  I couldn’t help but crack a smile.

  Little did he know that he was going to have to cross the “Red Sea” to get to them because my period started while he was at work.

  But I didn’t say a thing, I just smiled.

  Cookies and milk my ass.

  ~***~

  “What are you doing here Moet?”

  I was at the car lot to visit Jinx.

  Damn!

  She looked a hot ass mess!

  Miserable, worn down and tired were all understatements to what was standing in front of me.

  Hell she’d looked better than this in prison.

  “I’ve been thinking about what you asked me.”

  She looked at me suspiciously.

  If she looked so bad on the outside, I could only imagine what she was feeling and going through on the inside.

  Good.

  Good for me that is.

  “He still only remembers you. And though I’m by his side every day, it’s like he’s still pushing me away. It’s as though he isn’t giving us a real chance. If he lost his memory for good, that’s fine. We could start fresh. But it’s almost as though he’s not even trying to remember me or move forward with getting to know me. He only remembers you.”

  I was about to respond but she spoke again.

  “He’s seen wedding pictures, our marriage license, our son, and even videos, but he still can’t remember. He says that he’s trying, but I don’t think he wants to. And then when I ask him what he remembers about you, he only says that he just remembers your name and face, so you must be important. He really said that to me. But I’m his damn wife! I’m what’s important!”

  She sounded so pitiful and so disappointed, and even angry.

  As she should be.

  If Drake had been in an accident and let’s say remembered Naomi, and not me, after all I’d done for and been through for him, I would be pissed!

  And he would have been dead.

  But as bad as I wanted to, I wasn’t backing down.

  What I was trying to do might be a little cruel but it was the best thing that I could come up with.

  It was the only plan that might save Lee Lee.

  “Well, I will go talk to him for you. I have to get around Drake in order to do it, but I feel that this is the way to repay you for what happened between us. Kane and I. And for the record, he was lying.”

  She looked at me.

  “And so were you.”

  She was definitely sticking by her husband but that was fine. It didn’t really matter.

  “Look, you don’t have to believe me. Besides, I’m the least of your problems,” I said to her.

  “And what is that supposed to mean Moet?”

  Here goes nothing.

  “Like I said, Kane and you have more enemies than you realize. If I were you, I would watch my back is all. I attended Naomi’s funeral with Drake and I overheard a few things is all.”

  Jinx looked at me and waited for me to continue.

  “Like?”

  “Like you being the cause of Naomi’s death.”

  “What? I didn’t do anything to that bitch!”

  “Apparently, you wouldn’t let her or her daughter, that she thought was Kane’s, come see him. Is that right?”

  “You damn right! What I look like letting his mistress and some bastard child, that wasn’t even his, coming to see my husband? Hell no. She wasn’t coming and that’s what I meant.”

  “Well, apparently she’d started having problems with her health and pregnancy after the accident and after you turned her away.”

  “So.”

  “So, from what I heard, they feel like all of the stress she was under, because of the Kane situation and because she was worried about him and you wouldn’t let her talk to or see him, could have been the cause of her having the baby early and having her in such a weak mental and physical state. They say it was as though she just gave up.”

  Jinx looked at me.

  I couldn’t tell if she cared about what I was saying or not.

  “Her sister Vicki isn’t happy about the stress that she says that you put her sister through. She somewhat blames you.”

  “I don’t give a damn about her blaming me. I didn’t do nothing to her and I damn sure didn’t kill her. She died on her own, from having a baby that she had no business being pregnant with in the first place. Had she not been having an affair with my husband, she would still be alive now wouldn’t she? Now that’s a piece of karma for your ass. I paid for their indiscretions mentally and emotional. She paid for them physically, in a way. I guess that nut was worth dying for huh?”

  The last few words that had come out of her mouth, definitely had changed the way that I felt about what I was doing.

  I really hoped this worked.

  “Well, I’m just telling you what I heard. She says that when she sees you, you and she were going to have a few words.”

  “I wish she would say a damn thing to me. She’ll end up buried right beside her sister if she comes messing with me,” Jinx respond.

  She was mad.

  She was now going to be on the lookout for Vicki.

  She was now going to have her guard up.

  Perfect.

  “Well, like I said, I just overheard it. Anyway, I’ll contact you when I can get Drake off my back. Maybe I can help him remember as the doctors said and then you can have your life and husband back. The least I can do.”

  And with that I was done.

  I rushed to the car and sat there to think.

  I glanced up to see Jinx standing in the window of the car lot looking at me. She had no idea what I was up to and by the time she figured it out, if she had the chance to figure it out, it would be too late.

  Maybe I was going to rot in hell for this one but I had to do something.

  I just couldn’t let my sister rot away in some basement because she was afraid for her life and afraid to live.

  It wasn’t fair and I figured that there was only one solution without having to get my own hands dirty.

  And let’s not mention the attack that I still believed that Jinx had been behind.

  Even though she denied it, I was sure that she’d done it.

  Hearing her talk about Naomi and the baby, I was sure that she had.

  I was sure that she would have done anything to make sure that I didn’t have a baby that her husband told her could be his.

  And because we were somewhat friends, I think she’d come hard for me and not so much Naomi.

  But that’s okay though.

  If she had done it, she was about to pay for it.

  I glanced at Jinx one last time before driving off.r />
  She had a smug look on her face but I smiled at her.

  Hopefully things would play out just right.

  And then my life might have a chance at actually being normal again.

  Hopefully.

  ************************

  Chapter EIGHT

  I sat up to look at him.

  Drake was all out fighting in his sleep.

  He was throwing punches and screaming at the same time.

  He was having a conversation with someone.

  “No! No! I told you no. I will kill you if you hurt them. I will kill you if you touch her. No! I told you. I don’t have it. He does. No! No! No!”

  I was scared that he might wake up Krissie with his yelling so I shook him.

  “Dray! Wake up. Baby wake up!”

  I shook him harder and harder until he jumped up out of his sleep.

  He looked around and then he looked at me and breathed.

  “I just had the worst dream ever!”

  He swung his legs out of the bed and placed his head in his hands.

  I’d never seen him have a nightmare before so it scared me in a way.

  “What was it about baby?”

  He was still trying to catch his breath.

  After a few minutes he’d said that in his dream Krissie and I had been kidnapped by bank robbers, who thought that he had stolen their money.

  He said he wasn’t sure why they’d thought that he had it, but never the less they wanted him to get it back or they would kill his family.

  “It was just a dream baby,” I said laying on my back and motioning for him to lay in my arms.

  He did, and took a deep breath.

  “Yeah. Just a dream.”

  ~***~

  I sat looking at her.

  She was so precious.

  She wasn’t my own, but I was going to be able to keep her for the rest of my life so in a way, she was all mine.

  Well, Drake’s and mine.

  The little girl still didn’t cling to me or like me the way that I wanted her to, but I was seeing a change.

  It was about damn time!

  I could feel her need for a mother.

  I could feel that she missed Naomi and I felt so bad for her.

  So, little by little, she was learning to want me and need me as much as I felt like I needed her.

  She didn’t cry as much as she used to when she was alone with me and she would let me hold her without trying to get away from me.

  She was letting me play with her and whenever I would sing, she would reach for me and once I picked her up, she would put her head on my chest and listen as I finished the song.