by M. Skye
Mia tugged at his hand, but he just stood there. When Asha saw what was happening, she and Miguel walked over, pulling him into an embrace, and Terence followed. Mia just stood back watching, rubbing his back soothingly. When Asha finally pulled him back to look in his eyes, he let a tear fall.
“I can’t do this.”
“You can,” she whispered. “You can say your good-byes and never look back.”
“I want to kick his ass. I want to spit in his face. I wish I could punch him out. He took my son; he tried to kill the woman I love. He deserves to be here to see us happy; he deserves my rage. Death was too easy for him.”
“He tried to kill me to keep his secrets hidden. I wish I could see the look on his face when he figured out I knew. I wish I could see his face when he figured out I knew he was ready to toss me aside like trash for a damn company,” Miguel spoke up.
Asha nodded and commanded the attention of both brothers. “I get that, and I understand you both, but you need to say your piece. Go over there, yell at him, kick his headstone, spit on it if it makes you feel better, but get it all out. We need this. We need to say good-bye.”
“I just hate him so much. I try to figure it out in my mind how someone could be so evil, how they could have such little regard for life, but I can’t.” Miguel sighed.
“I don’t understand how a man who seemed so loving and caring toward us could be so evil inside,” added Asha, looking ahead.
They all linked hands and Mia joined Tyree, lacing her fingers through his, and they proceeded. Tyree was the first to take his place in front of the headstone. There were flowers there, and he all but lost it getting rid of them.
“Who brought these?”
“The groundskeeper does this once a month,” Karen supplied, and Tyree went ballistic.
“He doesn’t deserve shit!” He picked the flowers up, slinging them over the headstone. The petals were flying everywhere, and soon there were only stems left, but he kept swinging. “You bastard. How dare you make someone feel sorry for you? You tried to ruin us; you took our choices. I hope you burn in hell.”
Tyree kept swinging until Miguel came over and pulled him back. Miguel stood there for a second and then pulled a picture and threw it on the ground in front of the headstone. “It’s us,” he sighed. “This picture was taken when we were younger on Christmas Day. I was so happy with my gifts, I ran to you, you swung me in the air, and Tyree and Asha hugged you around your legs. Mom took this picture, and I’ve had it at my house for years.” He took out a lighter and set it on fire. “It was a happy day. We were all so young and looked at you like a savior. I would have never guessed in a million years that man would grow to be the evil bastard you were. I don’t want your memories anymore. Now, I just want to forget you.”
Terence pushed Asha, but she stood and shook her head. “I have nothing. I don’t have a speech or a memory to burn. He didn’t try to kill me, he didn’t take my daughter, he left me alone, but I hate him as if he did. My brothers are broken; he broke them. I know they wish he was here to hear their rants, but I’m glad he’s dead. I wish he would have died years ago to save us the pain.”
Tyree looked at the vacant expression on her face and felt a chill. He had never seen her like this; she was never so unfeeling. “He was your dad, Ash. It’s okay to feel something.”
“I feel nothing for him!” she snapped. “He’s dead; it serves him right. I wish . . . I wish . . .” She fell against him with tears streaming down her face. “How could he do this? I loved that man. I made excuses for him when everyone else said he was wrong. I let him become this by always upholding his bullshit.”
Tyree just held her, rubbing her back and kissing her head. He was waiting for her to crack. She hadn’t cried one time since it happened, and he was relieved that she finally broke down. He was beginning to worry about her, but now he knew she would be okay.
“He was grown. He made his own decisions, and all you did was be a good daughter and love your dad. He did this, not you.”
“They why do I feel so guilty?”
“I think you feel guilty because you did love him. It’s okay to love him.”
“I don’t want to. I want to hate him. I want to be able to forget all the good things, but I can’t.”
“Then, don’t.” Tyree held her tighter in his arms. “You don’t have to forget what he was to you just because Miguel and I have our issues.”
“He tried to destroy you two. How can I love that?”
“Just remember the man in that picture. Remember the man who picked you up when you fell. Remember the one who walked you down the aisle at your wedding. We won’t hate you for that. We won’t hate you for remembering your good moments.” Asha buried her head in his chest, and he held her tighter. “You know, this is what I needed. I’m glad I came.”
Miguel joined them, and they shared a hug. There were a few minutes of silence, and they all walked off one by one: Miguel first, Asha and Terence next; and then Karen walked off as well. Tyree was the last to go. He and Mia stood there for a few moments longer, and then he grabbed her hand, placing a kiss on it, and she smiled.
“You’re amazing.”
He offered her a light smile and pulled her ahead.
Running her hands over his neck, she kissed him gently before beginning again. “Do you feel better?”
“Yes. Honestly, I didn’t know if I ever would, but seeing them and their strength, I know we’re going to be okay. They give me hope. You guys really are my life. You, Ky, and them give me what I need to push forward.”
“I’m glad.” She grinned, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Because we need you. You keep your family together and ours. Me and Ky would be lost without you.”
“I’ll never be like him. You know that, right? I’ll never hurt you like that.”
“I know.” She pulled his hand to head over to Janelle’s grave. Just as they approached, a long black Town Car pulled up on the street in front of the graveyard and Tyree had a strange feeling about it. Something about it rang so familiar to him, and when Mia leaned in to kiss his cheek, he shrugged calmly.
“I wonder who that is.”
Mia took a seat next to Cassandra, ran her hand over Janelle’s headstone, and smiled. “It took me a minute to get here, but here I am, baby sis. God, I miss you. Sometimes I laugh at the silly things we used to do, and I look back to see if you are laughing too, and I realize you aren’t there. It’s been so hard.”
Tyree joined Mia on the ground and linked her hand with his. Cassandra had brought the lunch out before they all arrived, and the others took their seats, and Whitney passed plates around. They all fell into a comfortable silence until Rick spoke up.
“I know some people think we’re strange for doing this, but it’s become our thing. We come here every year on her birthday and, every year, I feel closer to her. I can feel her spirit.” He looked over to the black car and nodded. “That car, it’s here every year when we’re here, and they sit here for a little while before leaving. I’ve never seen who it was or figured out if they were here because of her, but somehow I feel like they are. It gives me peace, feeling like someone else misses her as much as we do.”
They all smiled, and Mia looked back at the headstone and then back at the people sitting around her. They had all lost something, they had all had heartache, but here they were together. She couldn’t help the smile that broke out across her face. Tyree looked at her, and they held a gaze until she looked behind him and displayed a huge grin. When he turned to see what she was looking at, she saw his smile develop as he saw Kyan, running toward them.
Tyree and Mia stood, and Kyan ran into her arms. “Mama, I missed you.”
He hugged her like it had been years since they last spoke and Tyree cleared his throat. “Dang, little man. I know you miss your mama, but don’t you miss me too?”
“Hey, Daddy. Yes, I missed you, but are you done acting like an ass?” he asked, causing laughter to
ripple through the group.
Mia knew Tyree wanted to scold him, but when she looked back, she saw him laughing. He pulled Kyan from Mia’s arms and shook his head. “Yes, I’m done acting like an ass.”
“Aunt Milan said you were just acting like an ass, but she was sure you would get over it. So, are we getting our new house like Uncle Jackson said?”
When Mia looked to Tyree, he held his hands up, chuckling. “Yeah, I’m buying you and Mama a new house.”
“You’re going to live there too, right?”
“Yes,” he laughed. “As long as she wants me there.”
“He’ll be there.” Mia leaned in to place a kiss on his cheek. “Now enough of the third degree.” She motioned for Milan and Jackson to sit down with Sydney. “Let’s eat and then you can tell us all about your vacation.”
“Yes, Mama! Uncle Jackson and Aunt Milan let me swim with the fishes.”
Mia smiled at the animation in her son’s voice and mouthed a thank-you to both Milan and Jackson. Kyan was telling them everything he did, and she listened, soaking it all up. In the middle of it all, she turned looking at Janelle’s headstone and smiled. “We did good.”
Kyan went on with his story, and the others added their questions, and he was glad to answer, but Mia sat, smiling mindlessly at how perfect this all was. She looked at Tyree, and they shared a brief moment before she turned back to look at her son. He held her attention for a moment longer and then she found herself staring at the black car.
This had been her first time at the graveside with her family, but she couldn’t shake a vaguely familiar feeling about that car. It wasn’t the car itself, just a feeling she got when she looked at it. She stared at it for a few more seconds and then saw a man emerge. He was quite a distance away, but something about him held her attention.
The man seemed to be looking right at her, and she never broke eye contact. It wasn’t until the sirens and flashing lights began that she turned away. She looked back at Tyree who had his arm around her and saw Rock rushing toward the cars and then it all became clear what was going on. Rick was next to rush in the direction of all the commotion, and all she could hear was, “They got him.”
There was a battalion of officers surrounding the man as he dropped to his knees with his hands behind his head. Mia stood and felt her legs taking her in their direction, and she was stopped suddenly when Tyree’s hand met her shoulder. “Babe, stay away from him. It’s over; they caught him.”
She looked at him with watery eyes and shook her head. “No. It’s never over.” While Tyree looked on confused, Mia’s mind drifted to the last conversation she and Richmond had right after they kicked him out of Livingston.
“It’s over, Dad. You’ve lost. Now you have nothing. No company, no family, and no leverage. Just for shits and giggles, I hope you enjoy that two percent you fought for and clawed to keep.”
“I’m glad you think that way, my beautiful dove. Yes, you and your brother and sister have outsmarted me, and I must bow to you for your bold moves. I didn’t think you had it in you.”
“Yeah, well, I didn’t think you had it in you to drive Mom to drugs, but hey, I guess we learn something new every day.”
“You mustn’t blame me for your mother’s problems. Those problems were present long before me. Have you met your grandfather?” He laughed, looking pleased with his wisecrack, but Mia never cracked a smile.
“I guess you’re satisfied with yourself. Well, I hope you know what your greed cost you. My son, you’ll never be a part of his life, and Rick and Janelle are done. Now that you’ve been caught, we have nothing more to give you. No more love, no more time, and no more thought.”
She turned to leave, but he grabbed her wrist and held her in place. “You may think you have all the pieces to the puzzle, but just know one thing: if I got caught, it wasn’t an accident. Everything I do is always on my terms. Everything has a purpose.”
Mia’s mind focused back in on the present as she looked at Tyree’s baffled expression. She was replaying his words in her mind and was silent, trying to figure out what it all meant. Tyree was watching her intently and then she felt his grip loosen on her shoulder.
“Just go over there. I know you want to.”
“No. I just don’t get it. Why now; why today?”
“This is what Rock was talking about when he said they were figuring out a location. Rick said he has seen this car here every year, but no one ever got out. Maybe, he’s tired of running. Now that Dad is dead, maybe he can finally come to terms with what he’s done.”
Mia wished she could believe that was it, but she knew better. Her father would never come out in the open without something up his sleeve. She wanted the answers, but she didn’t want to get close to him. He had caused them so much pain, and all she wanted to see was him being hauled off in cuffs. Instead of making a move immediately, she waited until they had him in the car and locked away before she advanced. Everyone’s attention was so focused on Richmond and his arrest, they seemed to miss the black car, speeding off; everyone except Mia.
Instead of walking closer to where the officers held Richmond, Mia walked toward the spot the car vacated. She realized Richmond had left that spot for a reason. He seemed to be concealing someone in the car, but who could it be? He intentionally walked away from the car to give it time to speed away. He used himself as bait, she realized.
In the speeding car, a woman sat with a little girl sleeping in her lap. She kissed the little girl’s head and smoothed the hair back from her face. As tears descended the woman’s cheeks, she pulled out a cell phone, looking at the messages.
She had been the one to send the picture of Mia strapped to the chair but was still wondering where the pictures Miguel received came from. She was also the one in the house that night. If Richmond had known what she did, he would have killed her.
As much as she knew she needed to stay away, she had to go. She had to see what life was like on the other side. She wanted to know what it was like to be happy. Seeing the sleeping child that night, resting peacefully without a care in the world, was something she wanted for her daughter but feared she would never have. She just needed to feel what it was like to imagine it. She didn’t know who was watching her, but she knew whoever it was would be a major problem for her plan.
Rubbing her daughter’s soft curls, she placed a light kiss on her forehead, much like she did with Kyan that night. “I’m going to make this better for you. Now that he’s gone, I promise you things will be better for you.” The little girl never stirred, and she just sat, looking down at her, wishing for a better life.
Everything was becoming so confusing in Mia’s head when she reached the spot where the tread marks from the tires were still fresh. She stood there for a while before looking down to notice a small picture on the ground. Mia picked it up, smiling at the beautiful little face that greeted her. It was a little girl. She couldn’t be more than two years old, and she had a dimpled smile, much like her own. She looked at it a second longer, and Tyree, who was standing quietly behind her, took the picture, admiring it before flipping it over. Watching him, she noticed when his smile fell after looking at the back of the picture.
“Kitten, do you know this little girl?”
“No, why?”
“Look at the name.”
“Yeah.” She took the picture, reading it aloud. “Jenna Ann Livingston.” Her breath hitched in her chest as a feeling came crashing through her. “What . . . who . . . why would he do this?”
“Babe, calm down.”
“No, dammit! He had another child,” she huffed, “and had the nerve to name her after my dead mother, the mother he killed. How could he give her Mom’s middle name?”
Mia’s mind was racing, and Tyree tried to offer his support, but she was still in a fit. She was shaking, and when the car that held Richmond drove by them, they both locked eyes with him and saw a devious smirk on his face. Mia felt a chill shoot straight through her,
and her body tensed. She was quiet for a moment, and then he spoke, drawing her out of her silence.
“It’s over. You never have to see him again.”
“No, Ty. With him, it is never over. Him getting caught wasn’t an accident. Everything he does is on his terms.”
* * *
Two weeks later, while Mia was making dinner for Kyan and Tyree, she received a text from Rick that confirmed her worst fears. Placing a hand over her mouth, she looked up to see Tyree watching her with a questioning look on his face. Reading the text out loud, she felt a chill creep down her spine: “‘Mia, Dad is on the loose. He escaped during transport. Be safe, sweetheart. He will be coming for us soon.’”
