Juice

by Nako

  She and Juice had communicated since that toe-curling, mind blowing night, but it was what she would call elevator conversation.

  How is the weather?

  What you ate for lunch?

  Man, did you hear about so and so…

  They dodged the obvious and honestly, that was okay with her. The other day he did call her to pick her brain and she had no problem with helping him birth a baby, which was what she often referred to dreams as. In her opinion, what better word was there to call when you were doing research, studying, examining your dream, stepping out on faith, preparing to launch…all of that was pregnancy. First trimester was the idea, the second trimester was laying the foundation and conducting research for the idea and the third trimester was the preparation it took launch the idea. It was a baby.

  Tia was helping him push out his baby.

  She hadn’t spoken to him in three days which was fine, she was busy anyway. Or at least that’s what she kept telling herself.

  “What are you working on?”

  She pursed her lips together, “Nothing.”

  Tia didn’t want to be bothered. She preferred to work alone, in silence.

  The only reason she didn’t have her air pods in was because they were charging.

  “Let me know if you need help on working on...nothing. I’m down the hall prepping for a case.” He tapped the door before walking away.

  She was relieved. For nine hours, she had to fake it with these folks. After the day ended and everyone went home to their dazzling families, she stayed behind in the office doing her work. Tia was a night owl and if making partner wasn’t so darn important to her, she would work from home through the day.

  But she had to keep her face in the place. She attended every networking event and swanky office holiday party. She always did what she had to do to ensure that Tia DiCaille’s name came up often in board meetings.

  Tia had no problem being the underdog, knowing that sooner rather than later it would pay off.

  She searched the files for the millionth time honestly unsure of what she was looking for. Did Tia really want to do this for the rest of her life? That was the thought that had been plaguing her mind since she and Juice talked about his current projects and businesses that he had in the works. To be fulfilled with something that had you excited….to live out your passion and to walk into your purpose. That was a wonderful feeling.

  Tia didn’t know if law did it for her anymore, or honestly, if it ever did. Yeah, it paid the bills. She was doing well for herself, but was that enough?

  What did she love to do? She enjoyed being active in the community. She loved the creative arts. She could sit in the park and capture the essence of people with only a snap of her camera. Her soul felt at peace when doing so.

  She wanted to call Juice to tell him all of this and see what he would have to say in response, but something held her back from picking up the phone.

  He wasn’t her person anymore and Tia refused to become love struck and sprung off one night of sex. She was too grown to be doing that.

  She decided to call it a night, it was after two in the morning anyway. Tia powered down her desktop and collected her belongings.

  “Did I eat today?” she asked herself as her stomach grumbled loudly.

  Her mind had been in the clouds since Juice left and she knew she needed to get a grip on reality, ASAP.

  It was difficult to call Juice, but without hesitation she called Coop, who didn’t answer.

  Tia assumed he was sleeping, but no, he saw her call and made a mental note to hit her back once he got done counting money.

  Tia hummed one of Kehlani’s newest songs off her last mixtape as she walked down the hallway.

  “Tia, you’re leaving?”

  She rolled her eyes as she stopped in her tracks and turned around, not knowing he was so fucking close.

  “Yeah…” she backed up a lil’ bit.

  He smiled at her. “Let me walk you to your car, it’s late,” he suggested.

  She told him, “Thanks, but I’m good.”

  Tia was a big girl. She knew how to protect herself.

  “Are you sure?”

  She wanted to scream, “Motherfucker, didn’t I say I was good?”

  But instead, “Yes, Thomas. Goodnight,” is what she said in that fake ass corporate tone that she was so tired of using.

  She turned on her Jessica Simpson platform pumps and he grabbed her shoulder without much force, but she was still alarmed anyway.

  “Whoa,” he backed up, once noticing the harsh look on her face.

  She warned him, “Don’t touch me.”

  “I’m sorry, I was only going to tell you that I think you’re beautiful.”

  Tia was done with this washed up ass conversation and after he grabbed her shoulder she was now on edge and wouldn’t be so nice anymore.

  She didn’t even say anything back to him.

  For some reason, she felt led to ask God for one simple thing, “Lord, be with me.”

  C H A P T E R 12

  Thinking about what I done been through, can make a tear fall – Lil Baby

  Dr. Freedom Anderson wasn’t a household name. However, her name was mentioned when needed be. She was a force to be reckoned with. She’d made history time after time and now, only came out to play with the big dogs if led to. Spiritually. She’d come a long way from marching in the streets and no longer rushed to lend a helping hand or a listening ear due to people taking her kindness and reputation as a weakness over the years. She had to really, really, really know you or believe in your case. Which didn’t happen too often these days. Crediting her lack of “involvement” on social media, Freedom despised the Twitter rants from the so-called “woke” folks, especially that damn Facebook live at the marches and rallies. She watched it all from home, in pure disgust. Yes, they were getting their voices heard, but what was their motive?

  Reasoning?

  Purpose?

  She loved that damn Offset and Cardi B song. Every time it came on as she worked out in her home-gym, she turned it up to the max and sung along with the girl Cardi, “They do anything for clout, they do anything for clout.”

  Her next favorite line was, “It’s a new weirdo every week.”

  She didn’t know where these folks were coming from, it was all hilarious to her.

  Was the betterment and well-being of others really a concern? Were they doing their research and reading books that related to what was going on in today’s times? Freedom would love to know if they studied the case laws before blabbering off at the mouth.

  Her heart ached when people gave their last to help these mothers who were losing their babies. She hated when people violated the purpose of GoFundMe, and then… these trifling ass lawyers. They promised to get these boys out of jail and then kept the money and gave a piss poor performance in court. These poor children still were being hauled down the road.

  Research was important, and reviews were too, do your research and read the reviews on certain law firms before giving them a retainer fee.

  That was the only line of advice she gave people when they asked her what to do.

  Read. Research. Review. Followed by, “Let me catch this call,” knowing damn well the phone wasn’t ringing. That was how the majority of her conversations went these days.

  Freedom spent a lot of time at home, enjoying life with her man. All they did was laugh, travel and make beautiful love as if it was the first time. Freedom was content.

  However, she’d heard a story through the grapevine and became enraged. She was furious and couldn’t sleep. For three days straight, she tossed and turned until her precious beloved told her, “Babe, go see her. Get her side of the story, you know you want to.”

  She rolled out of bed. “No I don’t,” she lied through perfectly aligned teeth.

  “Yes, you do.”

  Freedom mumbled under her breath, “Go back to sleep.”

  She walked out of
their bedroom and into her study to grab her iPad before going to put a pot of tea on. Her mind was running rampant and her heart ached at what that poor girl had endured.

  No one stood up for her. They all turned a blind eye.

  People were talking, but not loud enough. She didn’t understand why the story wasn’t in the news or the papers. They reported every damn thing else.

  Dr. Freedom Anderson was a bullhorn all on her own. Her voice had the power to change the nation. She had done it before several times, actually. Without a doubt, she knew that she could do it again. She knew what to do and who to talk to.

  The only thing that stopped her was herself. She was so-called done with doing “all of that.” But once an activist…always an activist.

  Less than five minutes later, her flight was booked. Hotel reservation confirmed and a rental car too. Technology had changed the world and boy, was she thankful for everything being able to be done so easily. She would be leaving in a few hours to travel down south to Houston, Texas to hopefully meet with a woman by the name of Tia DiCaille, Attorney at Law.

  η

  Support was everything to a girl like Tia, a girl that had no family. Her friends were her family members. A girl who came from nothing but rumors, dark secrets, generational curses, broken ties, and hell, soul ties too. The only person she ever depended on was herself. After her grandfather passed away, Tia’s heart went cold and her mind shut down. She could’ve made amends with her mother, but for fuckin’ what? Her mama wasn’t stunting her either. Tia accepted her life for what it was a long time ago, a life that didn’t include blood-related people. She had sisters through her sorority. Sisters that hadn’t left her side. Sisters who came together, got on a schedule to make sure that Tia had around the clock love, security and most importantly…support.

  Tia woke up in a cold sweat, panting and apparently, had been screaming too. Her mentee was right beside her with a glass of water with lemon and a warm towel.

  “It’s okay, you had a nightmare,” she told her as she handed her the glass of water in which Tia shook her head to.

  Jhene had grown used to this kind of treatment from her, but never stopped coming over. For the past four months, her weekends had strictly been devoted to taking care of Tia. She decided that her line sisters would most likely welcome the break Friday through Sunday. Although none of them complained about coming to Tia’s house every day to drop food off, cook, give her meds, and most importantly, make sure the girl hadn’t killed herself. Abuse was a tough pill to swallow. It also seemed as if Tia not only endured physical and sexual abuse, but mentally as well. She seemed stuck in a daze. A foggy haze in which she couldn’t find her way out of.

  Tia hated herself right now and every time she looked in the mirror, she struggled to not tear it off the wall.

  She had to find her way back to the light because her savings could only carry her another month or two. Coop reached out and even came and stayed with her for two weeks until she begged him to leave. At the sight of any man, her flesh crawled. He tried his hardest not to take it personal, knowing that the experience she was forced to go through had a detrimental effect on her.

  It pained him to have his calls and text messages ignored. He wanted to be there for her, but she hadn’t let him.

  “You want to come in the living room for a second?” Jhene asked her, nervously.

  Tia shook her head. “No, for what?”

  Jhene whispered, “You wet the bed again.”

  Tia looked down at the covers and didn’t see anything, but could definitely smell the faint scent of urine.

  “Jesus Christ!” she groaned, as a wave of emotions hit her.

  Jhene didn’t know what to do other than cry with her. Karma encouraged her to stay strong when around Tia and told her that if she didn’t think she could handle the load then to stay home. They didn’t have any time for babies. This was a real ass situation.

  “It’s going to be okay,” Jhene promised.

  Tia didn’t want to hear that shit. She rolled over to a dry side of the bed and told Jhene, “Just get out…please.”

  Jhene did as she asked. She spent the rest of the night praying for her mentor. Tia was never the bubbliest person in the world, but she was a bright light in Jhene’s life. She possessed good energy, she was an amazing woman and Tia would do whatever she had to do to get her back to who she was. She prayed without ceasing. When she woke up, it was to the smell of bacon and eggs…or something like breakfast food being cooked.

  Jhene assumed it was one of Tia’s friends and rolled over to catch some more shut eye until she heard Tia humming, “His Eye Is on the Sparrow.”

  She hopped up and went into the small kitchen. She hadn’t seen Tia outside of her bedroom in approximately ninety-nine days.

  “Are you okay?”

  Tia spun around. “Yeah. I’m going on a run, but I needed to put something on my stomach before I went. Wanna go with me?”

  Jhene was far from being in shape, but she knew Keiva and the gang would chew her head off if she let Tia out of her eye.

  “Yeah, give me ten minutes.”

  After she washed up and changed into something athletic, they ate breakfast in silence.

  Tia jogged in place on the elevator, as soon as they hit the lobby. She placed her air pods in and told Jhene, “Try to catch up.”

  She took off running and it seemed like she was running for her life. More importantly, her sanity.

  Jhene screamed behind her, “Wait up!”

  An hour or so later, her heart finally stopped beating erratically.

  “Tired?” Tia asked Jhene once they made it back to her apartment building.

  “Girl, am I?” She was covered in sweat and was musty as all get out.

  Tia smiled for the first time in a while. “Come on, let’s shower and then we can go eat. I don’t want another casserole.”

  That prayer had to have worked that was the only thing that Jhene could believe it was.

  They made it up to her floor and paused in their tracks. Their eyes had to have been playing tricks on them. Dr. Freedom Anderson at Tia’s doorstep? Ain’t no way in hell.

  “Tia DiCaille?” she wanted to be sure she was at the right doorstep.

  Tia nodded her head. Over the years, she’d written so many papers about this woman. Jhene too. Freedom was her role model.

  “Can I come in?” her tone was so serious, much like her personality.

  There wasn’t an interview on YouTube that Tia hadn’t seen that Freedom did. Every TED talk, sit downs with CNN, or even Queen Nia Hudson, Tia had watched them all. She had her books on her bookshelf and on her phone via Audible.

  “It’s not that clean and I just made breakfast, so…it may smell like bacon,” she said, apologetically.

  Jhene took the key from Tia’s shaking hand and let them all in.

  Tia hurriedly lit a candle and put a pot of Fabolouso on the stove in which she chuckled, “I haven’t seen someone do that in years.”

  Tia turned and looked at her. “I’m from Louisiana, my Papa fried fish about four times a week.”

  “Hammond, right?”

  Tia nodded her head, now knowing that Dr. Anderson had done her homework.

  “Sweetheart, do you have somewhere you can go for an hour or so?”

  Jhene wanted so bad to stay for the conversation, but knew Tia would be more comfortable, speaking in private.

  “Yeah, sure. Tia call me if you need me.”

  Tia went to walk her to the door, but Freedom told her, “Sit down, relax. I’ll be here for a little while.”

  Freedom followed Jhene out and said in a low tone, “Thank you.”

  They both knew what that meant…Freedom closed the door and went to join Tia in her living room.

  “How are you really doing?”

  She watched her expressions, emotions, body language…everything. Freedom only knew what she had heard, it was important that she got Tia’s version of the st
ory.

  “I want to die.” She couldn’t think anything positive to say because what they did to her wasn’t okay. They carried her out of that office like she was a rag doll. That’s what haunted her. More than anything it was the humiliation.

  “Was it your first time…being assaulted?”

  Tia eyes skirted across the room, but she did answer the question, “No.”

  “Did they fire you?”

  She shook her head. “No, they did highly encourage me to take a leave of absence, blaming it on my clients complaining about my performance and all this other crap. All lies though. I am a damn good lawyer,” she said, boldly.

  “You can have these people back this up?”

  Without a doubt, she knew they would. Well, the clients that didn’t have personal relationships with the partner.

  “If they haven’t gotten to them yet.”

  “Why do you think this has been swept under the rug?” that was another important question for Freedom.

  Tia snorted, “What else would it be?”

  Freedom was far removed from the game, she honestly didn’t know.

  “Partner’s son.”

  She swallowed a large lump of fear as she sat back on the couch and continued, “They got me out of there as fast as they could…something tells me this isn’t the first time it’s happened from him or the damn daddy,” Tia hissed.

  “ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS?”

  Freedom was now enraged as she jumped to her feet.

  Tia nodded her head, taking a deep breath. Her anxiety could easily shoot through the roof at the mere thought of what happened to her.

  “What about cameras? Security?”

  “It’s been four months, I bet it’s all swiped.”