Black Diamond 3: Lucky Chance (Urban Books)

by Brittani Williams

  Diamond took the card and placed it inside of her back pocket. She stood up and shook the detective’s hand before following her partner out of the room and down the hall toward the elevators. She nodded as the detective waved at her. She understood that they had a job to do but she had one to do as well. Smelling the fresh air she immediately retrieved her cell phone from her purse and dialed the one person she knew would be there for her through thick and thin: Tommy.

  “Diamond, what the fuck happened? That shit is all over the news. Where are you?” he yelled through the receiver.

  “I’m just leaving the police station. They took me down for questioning. I really need your help, Tommy. Could you come pick me up please? I’m at the Roundhouse.”

  “All right. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes,” he replied.

  “Okay, see you when you get here,” she said before hanging up. She put on her sunglasses and took a seat on the steps to wait for Tommy to arrive. She watched her surroundings, making sure that there wasn’t anyone watching her. Her cell phone began to ring, startling her. Looking at the caller ID, it was her mother, Pam.

  “Diamond, baby, are you okay? What’s going on?” she yelled immediately.

  “Mom, I’m okay. I’m just leaving the police station and I’d rather not talk about it out here, so I promise I will call you as soon as I get in a better area.”

  “Okay, promise me you’ll call. I’ve been worried sick about you. Your father is losing his mind,” she yelled.

  “Okay, I promise. I will call you back.”

  “Okay, I love you baby,” she replied before ending the call.

  Diamond ended the call and placed the phone back inside her purse. She sat patiently waiting for Tommy to arrive, and as promised he was pulling up in front of the building fifteen minutes after they’d hung up. He immediately got out of the car and walked toward her. She removed her sunglasses to allow him to see the damage to her face. Without saying a word he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her. Tears began to fall from her eyes and soak into his shirt.

  He held her tightly and whispered in her ear. “I got you now; everything will be okay.”

  She wanted to believe him, and from previous attempts on her life, he’d been there to save her. Though he’d never spoken the actual words she knew that he loved her, and, deep down, she loved him too.

  “Come on, let’s get out of here,” he said, releasing her from his grip, and he began to guide her toward his car. After closing her door behind her, he walked around to the driver’s side and got in. He looked over at her beautiful face, which was covered with cuts and bruises. Her lip was swollen and her hair, which was normally perfectly styled, was matted in spots where blood from her wounds had seeped out and dried up. She continued to cry as she began to try to explain the events that took place.

  “They shot him right in front of me, Tommy. I will never get that vision out of my head. They took my baby girl, Tommy.” She turned to him with devastation written all across her face.

  “What do they want? Was there anything that stood out to you to maybe see who they were?” he asked while merging on to I-76 West.

  “They want five hundred thousand dollars by Friday.”

  “All right, that’s not a big deal. I can handle that. But why did the cops keep you so long? Did they think that you had something to do with it?”

  “Because I wouldn’t stay at the house for questioning. I was focused on figuring out how to get my hands on the money I needed to get my daughter. But when I got there of course she brings up the shit about Kemp, saying that I must be either guilty or really unlucky to have two of my husbands end up murdered.”

  “Well, they don’t have no proof of that, that’s why they let you go. That’s just formalities and shit, but I think I should take you home so you can get cleaned up and try to get some sleep. Let me deal with getting the money that you need.”

  “I can’t do that, Tommy. I’m afraid that they will think I don’t care, like I’m not trying to do all that I can do to get her back.”

  “Do you think they are watching you? Did they say that?”

  “I don’t know. They didn’t say that but it’s very possible, Tommy. After the shit that I went through with Money, hell, anything’s possible. You know it’s hard to trust anybody. I’ve been through this shit before,” she said, shaking her head. She still couldn’t figure out how she’d ended up in this situation. For the past couple of years she’d made it her priority to walk as straight of a line as possible. She wanted to be there for her daughter and not risk this, but Black had other plans, which could have caused him his life.

  “So what do you want to do, Diamond? I really think you should try to lie down. I know your body has to be in pain.”

  “Not in as much pain as I will be in if they hurt my daughter. I don’t need to rest, Tommy, but I will go home just to make some calls and change. But I need you to keep in touch with me throughout the day to update me on what’s going on. I will do the same.”

  “Okay, I’ll take that,” he replied, knowing how stubborn Diamond truly was.

  For the remainder of the ride they didn’t speak, both of them thinking about the things that needed to be done. Diamond trusted Tommy with her life, but after pulling up in front of her house she instantly felt a rush of emotions. She knew once inside she’d have to look at the bloodstained walls and floors and the spot where Black’s body drained of life. She wasn’t looking forward to it but she knew that she couldn’t avoid it forever. She took a deep breath, hugged Tommy, and exited the car. Tommy watched her enter the house before pulling out of the parking spot.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Birds and the Bees

  Before giving birth to Dior, Diamond never thought that she could love someone as much as she loved her. There was never a moment that she could imagine living without her. Thinking back to her own childhood she remembered two moments: the day her father walked out and the day that she had an abortion as a teenager. Both would mold her future decisions.

  “Diamond! Hurry up and get down here for breakfast,” her mother yelled through the house. It was almost 7:00 A.M. and the school bus would be there by seven-thirty. She hated waking up so early and she believed her mother hated waking her up just as much. It was always a fight to get her out of the door on time. Her dad was sitting at the table when she got there and, as usual, he and her mom didn’t have much to say to each other. Most days they sat across from each other without speaking a word. She walked to her father’s side of the table and gave him a kiss on the cheek. For the first time since she was around five years old he didn’t kiss her on her cheek as well.

  “Is everything okay, Daddy?” she asked, still standing on the side of his chair.

  He set his newspaper down and looked her in the eye. “Everything is fine sweetie. Daddy’s just got a lot on his mind that’s all.” After his response he picked his paper back up off the table and resumed reading it. She knew that something wasn’t right but she didn’t want to ruin everyone’s morning by probing him for more information. She slowly walked away and slid into her seat opposite his. There was a small bowl of oatmeal and a glass of milk sitting in front of her. The air in the room was weird. She couldn’t put a finger on what was different but she could feel it in the pit of her stomach. Her mom was standing over the sink washing dishes as they continued to eat in silence.

  The date was October Thirteenth and she remembered it because of a fire just a few blocks away. One of her best friends lived in that house and hadn’t made it out alive. The date seemed significant to her at the time because of the loss, but by the end of that day she would not only lose her best friend but her father as well.

  She had just scraped the last bit of oatmeal from the bowl and finished the glass of milk when the long yellow school bus was pulling up outside. She jumped up out of the chair and grabbed her book bag off of the floor. Just as she was about to head to the door her father grabbed her by the arm and pu
lled her in to a hug. The hug was much different that any other hugs because he wouldn’t let go. He held on to her like it was the last hug that she would ever get. After he let go, she kissed him and walked out of the door. She glanced back before stepping onto the bus and noticed him standing at the door with a blank look on his face.

  That blank look was one that would haunt her for years, since it was the last time that she’d see his face for the next ten years. She returned home that day and found out that he’d left and wasn’t coming back. She also learned that she was adopted. At first, she didn’t know how to handle it. In school she was distant and her grades showed it. And if things couldn’t get any worse, they lost their house because her mother couldn’t pay the bills. They were forced to move in with her grand mom, in a raggedy row home in North Philly.

  She hated living there. She was used to having her own room and her own things. There, she not only had to fight for her things, she damn near had to fight for food. Her cousins were bigger and much stronger than her so when it was time to eat she’d quickly be pushed aside and forced to eat the scraps that were left. Then her aunt Cicely was the meanest bitch she’d ever known. Not a day went by when she wouldn’t throw in her face the fact that she wasn’t really part of the family. As if knowing it weren’t bad enough, she had to hear it every day. She would go to bed each night wondering why her real parents gave her away. From the day she found out, her mother tried her best to convince her of how special she was. She couldn’t see it, since her biological father and the father she’d always known not only left her but her real mother had as well.

  Next there were the boys. She just couldn’t get enough of them. She lost her virginity at the age of twelve and had sex with at least five boys by the time she met Johnny. Unlike the rest of them, Johnny couldn’t care less about sex. She, on the other hand, was addicted. She loved the feeling of being wanted. The attention that they gave her some how filled the void that her father had left her with. When one would leave, she’d quickly find another one to replace them. This cycle was one of the most reckless she’d taken part in her whole life.

  The first time she and Johnny had sex, it was almost like she was a teacher and he was the student. She, Johnny, and Mica were watching TV in their basement. It was cold outside and not much heat was circulating. They were covered up with fleece blankets all piled up next to each other on the sofa. Mica had fallen asleep halfway into the movie and both she and Johnny were wide awake. Hidden underneath the blanket, her hand was rubbing his knee. Soon it was up to his thigh and next she was caressing his package, which was tightly nestled in his underwear. For once, he didn’t stop her and since he hadn’t, she took full advantage of the situation. He leaned over and began kissing her while palming her over-developed breasts at the same time. By now, she was unzipping his pants and sliding her hand into the opening. She could tell he was excited as his dick grew three more inches than normal. She prayed that he wouldn’t stop her as he’d done the few times they’d make it this far. Mica was still sleeping, snoring loudly with drool slowly sliding down the side of her face. They were kissing and tonguing each other down so heavily that you could hear the smacking even over the TV. She stopped him just long enough to ease down on the floor. She motioned with her finger for him to join her. He obliged and within seconds they picked up where they had left off. Instead of getting completely naked she removed just her shorts. Johnny had his pants and underwear pulled down to his knees. She lay on her back as he crawled on top of her and struggled to find her warm opening. With one hand she grabbed hold of his dick and guided it inside of her. He let out a sigh immediately. She knew that he’d never had sex before so she didn’t expect him to go very long. Surprisingly, he got into a rhythm and was still going fifteen minutes later. She guessed some men were just born with it because for it to have been his first time he lasted longer than most of the boys she had been with. About twenty minutes later he was shaking and moaning on top of her. She covered his mouth with her hand to muffle the sounds that were escaping it. After they were done, she hurried into the bathroom to wipe herself off and got back in position at the far end of the sofa. Johnny looked over at her and quietly said, “I love you,” before focusing his attention back on the movie. She never wanted to tell Mica about their first time. She figured she’d be mad that they did it while she slept a few feet away.

  Eventually, she had to tell her and everyone else when she found out that she was pregnant. Her mother was pissed. She didn’t understand how she’d managed to sleep with five boys, numerous times each, and hadn’t gotten pregnant. She was practically shaking when she told her that she had missed her period. She sat across from her, quiet, while continuing to smoke her cigarette.

  “So you missed your period? I guess that wouldn’t mean anything unless you were out there screwing. Is that what you’re telling me? You’ve been out there fucking those little boys?”

  Diamond was silent, afraid to look her in the eye. She was afraid of seeing the disappointment. What mother would be proud of her teenage daughter carrying a baby?

  “I don’t hear anything. I just asked you a question.” Her voice was louder than it had been a few seconds ago, which to Diamond showed fury.

  “I’m sorry, Mom. I didn’t think I could get pregnant.”

  “Why not? Don’t you learn that shit in school? As soon as you get a period you can get pregnant. I’m so disappointed in you, Diamond. I expected so much more from you.”

  Hell, Diamond expected more from herself. She also expected that she’d always have a father around who loved her but obviously that wasn’t the case either. She didn’t know what to say or do. She did know that she wasn’t ready to take care of a baby.

  “I’m not ready to take care of a baby, Mom.”

  “Who said anything about taking care of a baby? I’m taking you to the clinic first thing Monday morning to get rid of it. I’ll be damned if you’re going to embarrass me.”

  Diamond sat there with tears forming in the wells of her eyes. She was scared. She didn’t think she would force her to get an abortion. She thought they could probably give it up for adoption. She knew her mother very well and what she said was pretty much what happened. There wasn’t anything that she could do to make her think any different. Then she thought about it a little more; it was the right decision for all of them. Johnny definitely didn’t want her to have the baby. He felt that it would ruin both of them and he probably was right.

  That Monday morning, when her mother dragged her down to the clinic in the frigid weather, all she could think about was getting her life back to normal as quickly as possible. The clinic was packed and most of the girls there were around Diamond’s age. She figured she wasn’t the only one dumb enough to think she couldn’t get knocked up. After filling out all of the paperwork, they sat in the waiting room for hours. It was almost twelve when they finally called her name and they’d been there since seven-thirty in the morning. They led her down a long hall that had bright white paint like you see on TV. Her mother stayed out in the waiting area with the other mothers and young girls waiting for their turn.

  The nurse took her into a small room that had two changing stalls and a bathroom. She handed her a clear bag that contained a hospital gown, socks, and a cap for her head. She instructed her to take everything off, put on the things in the bag, and fill it with all of her belongings. She could barely get her pants unbuttoned she was so nervous. She didn’t know what was about to happen to her. They hadn’t explained it to her, only saying that her mother wouldn’t sign for her to be put to sleep. Is that a form of punishment? How can she force me to be wide awake when they rip my baby from the womb? she thought. She almost thought about running out of there and hitchhiking a ride home but she probably wouldn’t make it past the door without getting snatched back by her mother’s death grip. She was so deep in thought that the nurse startled her when she retuned and reached out for her bag of belongings.

  “Come with me
. I’ll put your things in a locker. I’m going to take you into the procedure room and prep you. Do you have any questions for me?”

  “Is it going to be really painful?” She was scared shitless, still unaware of what was about to take place. She knew that she was going to leave there no longer pregnant but she didn’t know what would happen between now and then.

  “It will be a little painful but doing it without anesthesia is the best way to do it. You won’t feel groggy or possibly have any bad after effects. Don’t worry, I’ll be in there with you the whole time. You can hold on to me and squeeze my hand if you need to.”

  She felt a little better after that but a little uneasy nonetheless. The procedure room was freezing cold. There was a table in the center surrounded by a bunch of machines. She assumed that most of them were to monitor her vital signs and things of that nature. Just from TV shows and things she’d in school she saw the resemblance. She lay down on the table and tried to relax as she placed her feet in the stirrups and scooted down to the edge of it.

  The doctor entered the room a few minutes later in a blue gown and gloves. “This will be over before you know it. Scoot down a little more for me.”

  She was so uncomfortable. A grown man who was a complete stranger had his face down in her young pussy. She had never even been to a gynecologist before so this was all new to her. She followed his instruction and slid down so that her butt was at the end of the table.

  “Okay, now you’ll feel some cold fluid. I’m cleaning the area. Now a little pinch.”

  She damn near jumped off the table. A little pinch my ass, she thought. Whatever he had just done hurt like hell. “Okay, just a few more pinches.” She held in the screams as he continued to stick needles in her. Tears were rolling down the sides of her face and landing on the paper that covered the table beneath her. Next came a loud machine and then she heard what sounded like a vacuum. Her stomach was cramping beyond belief. Not even her worst day of PMS felt that bad. After a few more minutes of cramping, the loud machine stopped and the experience was over. She was so weak she could barely stand when the nurse helped her off of the table and into a wheelchair.