“Don’t you have an appointment to get to?” Mizan asked suspiciously.
Raven nodded and walked out the door, praying that her stylist happened to be at the salon so that she could play off the situation without arousing skepticism in Mizan.
I have to get away from him, she thought frantically as she got into the passenger side. Jittery butterflies filled her stomach, and she felt sick from the thought of Mizan figuring her out. Please let this girl be working today ...
They pulled up to Chic hair studio and Raven hopped out of the car. Mizan was right behind her as she entered. Her eyes searched the room for her stylist, and when she finally located her, she smiled. The women approached each other and kissed each other once on each cheek. Mizan stood behind her like a hawk, carefully inspecting their interaction.
“Hey, Sasha, girl, thanks for squeezing me in on your books,” Raven said as she looked her stylist directly in the eyes and raised her brow in a pleading way. Please, Raven mouthed desperately. Help me. Sasha frowned in confusion. “You are the best. I know my appointment was last minute, but I’m going out tonight and I need my shit lay. You know I’ma tip you nice for looking out for me,” she said. Her back was to Mizan and she pleaded with Sasha with her eyes.
Sasha glanced in Mizan’s direction. She could feel that something was not right, so she played along. “Oh ... yeah ... no problem, girl. You know you’re my best client. I always have room for you in my chair,” Sasha replied.
Thank you, Raven mouthed. Sasha winked and then pointed toward the waiting room. “You can wait for her out there. She might be awhile . . .”
“I’ll wait,” Mizan interrupted.
Sasha took Raven back to her booth, and once they were behind closed doors, Sasha began her interrogation. “What the fuck is going on?” she asked with wide eyes.
“I have to get out of here, Sasha. I need to shake him ... like yesterday,” Raven explained frantically. “I have to get away from him. I don’t have that much time.”
“Well, how the hell do you expect to do that?” Sasha asked. She poked her head out of her styling room and saw Mizan sitting with his arms crossed over his chest. “The nigga is posted like he’s your bodyguard or something.”
Raven paced back and forth as the rusty wheels in her head began to work again. It had been so long since she had thought for herself that she almost could not function.
“What do I do, Sash? Please, you have to get me out of here,” she whispered.
“Raven, why are you running from that man?” Sasha responded as she put her hand on her hip. “If you want to get up and walk out of here then just do it! He’s not your damn daddy.”
“It’s not that easy,” Raven replied.
“The only person who is making it hard is you,” Sasha answered. “Now, there is only one way in and one way out of here and that’s through the front door, because the back is blocked by that damn dumpster in the alley. So unless you plan on standing up for yourself, you might as well sit back and let me do your hair.”
Raven’s soul was weary as she closed her eyes. Sasha leaned her back in the shampoo bowl.
“I’m trapped with him,” she whispered.
“Look, Rae. I know how a nigga can get. Trust me, I’ve been where you are. The only way you are ever going to break free is if you choose to. Sneaking and running away is not going to solve your problems, because a man like Mizan ain’t gon’do nothing but drag you back. He has your head, Raven, and as long as he has that, you are never going to get rid of him.”
Raven tuned Sasha out and sat silently while she was primped into perfection. Her hopes of leaving with Ethic slowly faded away.
Like a porcelain doll, Raven sat at the dinner table with Mizan and his guests as they discussed their business. Her appearance was flawless, her bruises hidden behind cosmetics, and a Band-Aid stuck on her bleeding heart. She truly did make Mizan look good, but she was tired of playing a role. She was fed up. Being his trophy was no longer enough.
She was wasting the best years of her life on Mizan. It was time for her to move on. She stood up. Mizan reached across the table to grab her wrist.
“Where you going, ma?” he asked nicely, but the menacing look he gave her told her to take a seat.
She smiled curtly as all the attention became focused on her.
“I’ll be back. I’m just going to the ladies room,” Raven responded. She hurried away from the table until she was out of sight. When she saw a pay phone posted next to the bathroom door she sighed in relief. This is the only way, she thought as she picked up the phone. Feeling like a traitor, she hesitantly dialed 911.
“Nine-one-one, what’s your emergency?” the operator asked.
She could see Mizan looking around the restaurant for her. She had a perfect view of him, but he could not see her. A lump formed in her throat as she opened her mouth to speak, but when she saw Mizan rise out of his chair she quickly found her voice.
“Yes, I am at the Renaissance Center in the waterfront room on the top floor. There is a drug deal going down right now at one of the tables. Please send the police right away,” Raven whispered. She hung up the phone and rounded the corner. She smiled when she saw Mizan.
“Everything a’ight?” he asked.
“Yeah, I’m good,” she replied.
“Then go do your job and stop being so fucking antisocial. This is the first connect I have been able to get in touch with in over two years. I need to plug that in.” He put his hand on the small of her back and pushed her forward with such force that she almost broke the heel on her stiletto.
She straightened herself up and rejoined the table as her eyes watched the clock. She hoped that the operator had not pegged her as a prank caller. Her leg bounced anxiously as she waited for them to arrive. I only have an hour to get to the airport, she thought.
Twenty minutes passed, and she smiled when she noticed the detective walk into the crowded dining room. She stood up.
“Where you going now?” Mizan asked.
“I’m leaving you,” she stated honestly as she watched the police officers approach.
Mizan’s nostrils flared as he stood and grabbed her elbow. He was oblivious to his impending arrest, and all he could focus on was that she had chumped him in public. Such a flagrant display of disrespect made him look like he was inferior.
“Mizan, if you cannot control your woman how am I to know you can handle my product?” the connect asked, laughing.
Mizan smacked Raven across her face, causing her to turn crimson. She held her jaw as she slowly turned her head back so that she was staring him in the eyes. She kissed his cheek and whispered in his ear.
“You deserve everything that’s coming to you,” she said. She lifted his wallet with ease as she pulled away from him, knowing that she would need money to catch a cab back to Flint. Just as he moved to go after her, the police stepped closer to their table and drew their weapons.
“Get down on the ground right now!” the officers yelled, causing chaos to erupt throughout the crowded room. Raven slipped into the frenzied crowd as they apprehended Mizan. His eyes followed Raven out of the dining room, and when she was at the door she turned around to look at him one last time. She could see the hatred and wrath on his face. A smile graced her face, and she could not help but antagonize him more by sticking up her middle finger. For the past five years he had defeated her and terrorized her life. Finally she was winning, and she only had two words to say to him as she left. “Fuck you,” she mouthed.
She took the elevator to the bottom floor and ran to the street to flag down a cab. As she stepped into the car she pulled out a neat stack of hundred dollar bills. “This entire thing is yours if you get me to Bishop Airport as fast as you can.”
“At this time, we are calling the final boarding of Northwest flight 810 headed for Kansas City, Missouri. All passengers who have not boarded yet are asked to please board the aircraft.”
“She’s not coming, is she?
” Morgan signed as she looked up at Ethic. Ethic had no answers for her. He kept hoping that Raven would miraculously appear. Even if she did not want to save herself, he knew that her little sister needed her.
“Sir, I’m sorry but you are going to have to board the plane now,” the ticket attendant said. Ethic nodded and swallowed the hard lump that had formed in his throat. She is not coming. She don’t want to leave him. I gave her a way out ... she didn’t take it. Now it’s out of my hands. He gave the woman the boarding passes and he got on the plane with Morgan.
Raven ran into the airport and disregarded the long line, going directly up to the ticket counter.
“Excuse me, miss, you have to get in line,” the white woman said politely as she pointed to the line of travelers.
“Please, my flight takes off in five minutes. Can you just check me in?” Raven asked as she checked her watch and looked around the airport nervously.
“I’m sorry. You have to be checked in at least half an hour earlier than your scheduled departure,” the woman replied.
Raven’s eyes watered over as her head hung low. She was so tired of everyone standing in her way, and was too close to turn back. “Please ... I just need to get out of this city. You don’t know what I had to do to get here. If I’m not on that plane my life might as well be over. My boyfriend is going to kill me. Everything that I have is on that plane,” she whispered desperately as tears clouded her eyes and she gripped the woman’s hand in sheer terror. “Please,” she begged brokenly. Her tears came down and slowly washed some of her makeup away, revealing the green and black bruises underneath. They washed away the visage of a perfectly kept wifey and revealed the truth: a beaten and frightened little girl who had done too much too soon. All she wanted was to escape. She looked so defeated and the sadness on her face told the story of a woman who had been neglected. The bruises instantly made the white woman feel sympathy for Raven. “I can’t let that plane leave without me.”
The woman nodded and picked up a phone. “Okay ... I’ll see what I can do.”
After putting an emergency call in to the control tower, Raven was escorted through the security check point. When she saw her gate, she ran full speed as tears ran down her face. You’re almost there, she coached herself. She handed her ticket to the boarding agent. “Thank you so much,” she whispered as she smiled and wiped tears from her face. “Thank you, God,” she choked out as she covered her mouth to stifle her cries of joy.
Ethic closed his eyes and leaned his head against the headrest to relieve the stress he felt. He imagined what Raven would endure by choosing to stay in Flint. It was a ghost town with nothing but dead souls inhabiting it, and when he had looked in her eyes he had noticed that she was slowly dying as well. He inhaled a deep breath as he tried to convince himself that he had done all he could to help her. I should have never let her go back, he thought.
Raven stepped onto the plane and smiled brightly when she saw Ethic and Morgan sitting in the front of the coach section. Morgan smiled and Raven put her finger to her lips, telling her to be quiet. She walked down the aisle until she was standing directly over Ethic. She leaned over and whispered into his ear, “You didn’t think I was going to make it, did you?”
Ethic’s eyes shot open in surprise. He stood up and extended his arm, motioning for her to take the middle seat next to him, as Morgan scooted down to the window seat. Relief washed over him as he sat back down. “Now, what was so important that you had to go back one last time?” he asked.
She removed the picture from her handbag and handed it to him. “This is all I have left of them,” she replied. “I couldn’t leave it behind.”
Ethic nodded and leaned back; instinctively, he grabbed her hand. It was almost like he felt that if he wasn’t touching her, she would vanish. The intention of the gesture was purely innocent, but Raven’s heart fluttered as she held onto him tightly. She reached over with her free hand and held on to Morgan as the plane took them into the sky, heading for a new life.
Chapter Fifteen
By the time they arrived in Kansas City, the moon had taken over the sky. Exhausted from the flight, Morgan slept soundly in Ethic’s arms as they walked to the parking lot.
“Ain’t she too big for you to be carrying?” Raven asked with a smile as she took note of how Ethic still treated Morgan like the six year old he had met all those years ago.
Ethic smiled and then replied, “I guess she is . . . it’s just so crazy how much time has passed. I still think she’s that snaggled-toothed baby girl who used to sit on my lap.” Although he said the words, he did not put her down. Raven was silent as she got into Ethic’s Benz. She watched the city streets pass by. It was weird to be in such an unfamiliar setting. Flint was all she knew, and as they headed into the suburbs, Raven absorbed all of her surroundings. She welcomed the change. The pace of the city seemed to be completely different than that of her hometown. Death and destruction did not dwell on every corner.
She rubbed her bare arms as they pulled into Ethic’s driveway. The home was beautiful. It wasn’t overly large or tackily decorated with all of the fixings of the average hustler. Tasteful and just the right size, it was the most comfortable-looking house she had ever lay eyes on. The landscape was gorgeous, and Raven automatically assumed that the flower garden had been planted by his girlfriend. A short jealous streak raced through her, but she quickly shook it away. She had come to realize over the years that Ethic would never be hers. She did not expect to come to town and steal him away from another woman. All she could do was be grateful to him for helping her. The four-bedroom, three-bathroom, ranch-style home sat on two acres of land and sat back a quarter mile from the road. When Ethic hit the button to open his five-car, double-deck garage Raven’s mouth dropped in awe as five luxury vehicles sparkled flawlessly. Wow, he really is the bird man, she thought, impressed. It was quiet and serene as she stepped out of the car.
“I love this house,” she said as she got out and looked around.
“You and Morgan can stay here tonight. Tomorrow morning we’ll start shopping for a condo for the two of you,” he said.
“You could have dropped me off at a hotel Ethic. I don’t want to invade your girlfriend’s space. I know I would not like it if my man took in some random girl,” Raven said.
Ethic smirked as he awoke Morgan. “Wake up, Morgan ... We’re here,” he said as he nudged her gently.
Raven and her sister followed Ethic inside. Raven immediately felt uncomfortable when she saw a beautiful Hispanic girl lying on the couch, flipping through channels on the TV.
“Hey, baby,” she greeted happily as she stood up. “How was your trip?” she asked. She wrapped her arms around Ethic’s neck and pecked him on the cheek. “I missed you, papi.” Her golden skin was flawless. She was undeniably stunning, and Raven turned up her nose in disgust. She couldn’t help it. She was green with envy and the hater in her came out instantly.
“It went well,” Ethic replied as he removed her arms from around his neck. “Dolce, I want you to meet my friend, Raven, and her sister, Morgan.”
Dolce’s eyes scanned Raven from head to toe and she frowned. Raven’s eyebrows rose in defense as she cocked her head to the side and glared right back at Dolce. “Hey,” Dolce finally greeted dryly.
There was obvious hostility in her tone, but Raven couldn’t give two fucks if Ethic’s girlfriend liked her. She crossed her arms and turned to Ethic. “Where are we sleeping?”
“They’re staying here?” Dolce asked in displeasure.
“Oh, don’t worry about it, Dolce. Morgan and I always stay with Ethic when he comes to Flint. We go way back,” Raven responded deviously, knowing that she was getting under the girl’s skin.
“Oh, really?” Dolce turned to Ethic and stared a hole through him.
“Really,” Raven confirmed with a smirk. “We’re real close friends.”
Ethic cleared his throat and stared firmly at Raven. “Chill out,” he whispered.
He focused on Dolce. “Don’t trip. She’s only staying for one night.”
“You won’t even let me stay over for a night Ethic,” Dolce shot back.
Ethic gave her a stern look that told her he wasn’t going to continue to explain himself. “How did everything go here?” he asked, changing the subject.
“Everything went fine. It always does.” She picked up her purse and stalked over to the door.
Ethic pulled out a knot of money from his pocket, all big faces. He placed half the stack in her palm, knowing that money would pacify her.
“Thank you, ma. You’re the best. I appreciate you taking care of everything,” Ethic said as he walked Dolce to the door. Raven frowned as she made her way to the couch. She watched Dolce leave.
“Your little girlfriend doesn’t live with you?” Raven asked as soon as Ethic walked back into the room. She was unable to contain her jealousy.
Ethic smirked. “Retract your claws, ma. Because of that slick mouth of yours I’m going to have to spend a small fortune to get back in her good graces. She’s good people. She helps take care of my little girl when I have business to attend to.”
“Your little girl?” Raven exclaimed in surprise. “You have a daughter?”
Ethic nodded. “Come on,” he said as he led the way down the hall. He took Morgan to a guest room and she immediately allowed her sleepiness to take her away to her dreams. Raven kissed her forehead, and she and Ethic walked out of the room.
He stopped in front of a closed door. There were pink wooden letters attached to the door that spelled out “Bella.” He opened the door and invited Raven inside. A chocolate little girl lay peacefully in her bed, and Raven smiled when she saw how much she resembled Ethic.
“How old is she?” Raven whispered.
“Seven,” Ethic replied.
Moth to a Flame Page 19
