by Teri Woods
“Okay, she’ll be fine.”
Gena stepped and hopped in a cab to the body shop where the car was being fixed. While she sat in the lobby of the Mercedes-Benz dealership, she started scribbling to Quadir.
I Reminisce
I reminisce for you
I reminisce the days
I try to forget
But the feelings never go away.
I reminisce for you
I reminisce the nights
For the things we did
And how it was so right.
I reminisce for the love
For the love that was always there
I reminisce, I reminisce, and I know in my heart
That you really did care.
Even though my mind plays tricks on me
And I can’t seem to let you go
I believe it’s because you’re still loving me
I reminisce, I reminisce
And the memories tell me so.
Gena got in her car and drove straight to the bank. She was seated in a room with a table where she opened her bag and carefully began to deposit her jewelry: the ten-karat diamond engagement ring, the cluster diamond ring, the charm bracelet, the diamond initial G that Rik and Lita had given her, two Rolexes, one Ebel, one Omega, one Cartier, all of which were diamond bezel, two gold Gucci watches, and one stainless steel and 18k Movado. The girl knew what time it was. She kept her plain gold Rolex. Of the five tennis bracelets she owned, she put four in the box and kept only one. She put her two-karat diamond earrings in the box and kept her quarter karats in her earlobes. Then she placed fifteen pairs of gold earrings in the box, keeping only three pairs, which she put back in her pocket.
She deposited strands of gold chains, diamond pendants, diamond pins, bird pins she never wore, and a total of seventeen gold and diamond bangles. They all went in the box except for two, which she put on her other hand, letting the smallest 6-karat tennis bracelet lay over the Rolex, instead of the twelve. Once she was done placing all her things neatly in the safety deposit box, she started on Quadir’s.
Time had changed things. The fate that lay in the hands of another, altered Gena’s future as well as Quadir’s. Gena was ready to lock it up, taking the safety deposit key and adding it to her own key chain, Quadir’s diamond Q.
By the time she got home, Bria and Brianna were fussing about homework and teachers and why Gah Git didn’t go up there and defend them like the other parents did for their kids.
“What’s up?” Gena said coming into the house. “Gah Git, I got the car.”
“You got the car?” said Brianna.
“Let me see,” Bria said, as if they both had never seen it before.
“Oh, Gena! Can we go for a tide?” Brianna asked, pushing past her to get a glimpse of Gena’s 300.
“Yeah, can we?” Bria whined. Bria was just too nice these days. What a change.
“Later,” said Gena.
“Good, we gonna be all that,” they said, slapping high fives, not thinking about trying to get Gah Git to go curse out their teachers.
Then Gena heard a baby. “That baby still here?” said Gena.
“Yeah, Brenda not coming back for that baby no time soon, and Gah Git trying to make us take care of it,” said Brianna, eating some Georgie Woods potato chips.
“Like we having that,” Bria added.
“Y’all are a trip,” Gena said, looking at the twins in disbelief.
“Will somebody go get that baby?” Gah Git hollered. “Ya’ll see me trying to cook!”
Gena looked at the twins. They looked like they were deaf and dumb and definitely wasn’t moving, so Gena went and got the baby. It was smelly and too small. Gena had no idea what to do with it. “Qua wanted me to have one of these?” she said, looking at the baby as if it were not a part of the life force here on Earth.
“Here,” she said taking it to Brianna and giving it to her. “We’re going for a ride later, remember?”
Brianna took the baby. “Damn, she stinks.”
“What just came out your mouth, Brianna?” hollered Gah Git.
“Nothing! Darn, I said darn this baby stinks.”
“That’s what I thought I heard you say. You need to go to church. You want to go to the seven o’clock service?”
“No ma’am.”
“Oh. Then watch your devilish tongue. Child, do get it honest,” Gah Git said, mashing her potatoes. The baby was still crying. “Oh, my God, what’s that child’s name?”
“Ayonna,” said Bria.
“No, her mother.”
“Brenda,” said Brianna.
“Where could she be?”
“I don’t know, Gah Git. She has English class with me and she wasn’t there and we didn’t have no English test today,” said Brianna.
“I don’t know why you’re always helping people,” said Bria.
“You might need some help one day,” Gah Git reminded her.
“Yeah, well, Brenda shouldn’t have had no baby if she wasn’t gonna be able to take care of her child,” said Brianna.
“I know. That’s Brenda’s baby, not ours. She somewhere now with a boy or something, ’cause she sure wasn’t in school today,” said Brianna.
“I know, Gah Git, and we’re the ones that suffer when you go out your way to help people,” said Bria.
“Girl, hush your mouth,” said Gah Git, trying to hear what was going on outside.
“You hear that?” Brianna asked.
They got up and went to the window.
“It must be those idiots next door,” Bria said.
“That baby is crying,” said Gena, looking at the helpless infant.
“Go get it,” Bria said, nudging Brianna.
“No. Ain’t my baby,” Brianna answered. “Gena, you go get it.”
“What I look like? I ain’t never had no babies, and I never babysat no brats. You go get her.” The baby was starting to cry louder.
“I wouldn’t get that baby if it rolled off the couch and fell on the floor,” said Bria.
“Damn, that’s cold,” Gena said, looking at her cousin’s despicable grin.
“It sure is,” said Brianna, slapping high fives with her twin. All of a sudden, Gary came running in the house with Khaleer behind him.
“Grams!” He saw his grandmother picking up a strange baby off the couch. “Aunt Gwendolyn done stabbed up Royce, y’all. The police is arrestin’ her and everything.”
“Khaleer, come here, baby,” she said, handing Ayonna to Brianna. Brianna took the baby and sat it back down on the floor.
“You okay, son? Gah Git’s grandbaby okay? Well, what happened?” she asked, holding her youngest grandson.
“I don’t know. She on that shit, Grams, and she out there with her hair all wild, half naked, titties hanging out, fighting the police.”
“Oh Lord,” Gah Git said, shaking her head. Bria and Brianna silently went out the door to get a dose of the commotion.
“That girl is gonna have to learn the hard way. Did you call Paula?”
“No, Zorian and Avanna was out there. They seen everything.”
Gena answered the ringing phone. “It’s Aunt Paula, Gah Git.”
Another knock at the door brought another surprise. Gary opened the door thinking it was family, but Ms. Bradley, the social worker, was standing there smiling.
“Yeah? Can I help you?” asked Gary.
“Yes. I’m here for Ms. Scott.”
“Oh, Gah Git!” hollered Gary, slamming the door in her face. “It’s some white lady!” He left Ms. Bradley outside in the cold and went back in the house.
“Paula, I got to go. I’ll call you right back,” said Gah Git, and she went to the door. “Oh, my goodness! Come on in. You sure do come at the darndest times. Children, this is Ms. Bradley,” she said, ushering her in. “Say hello. She’s here about Aunt Gwendolyn’s baby.”
Everyone said hi to her and behaved like they had etiquette for once in their lives. You could t
ell that the white social worker lady had really caught Gah Git off guard.
“Come on in; have a seat,” said Gah Git, sitting the lady at the dining room table. “Can I get you something to eat or drink?”
“I’m a little thirsty, if it’s not too much trouble. I see you have a houseful.”
“Gena, get Ms. Bradley some juice, please.” She excused herself for one minute and walked over to Gary.
“Come here,” said Gah Git. Calling him into the bedroom, she explained that the lady was there about the baby and how important it was that no one run in and out of the house. Especially since her child was down the street making a spectacle of herself.
“Gah Git, it’s cold outside.”
“Boy, don’t you got no long drawers?”
“No.”
“Well, you better get some. Now, go on, and don’t let nobody run in here,” she said, pushing him out the bedroom. “And don’t go across the street with them hoodlums, either.”
“They not hoodlums, Grams.”
“Yes, they is. You just don’t know it. Don’t tell me, fool. I been here longer than you. I know a hoodlum when I see one, and I see ’em across the street. Now go on.”
Gah Git returned to the dining room and explained baby Ayonna. The social worker was very impressed with the lovely redecorating that had been done, and Gah Git explained how Gena had moved in.
“But there’s still plenty of room for the new arrival.”
“Well, Ms. Scott, you really don’t have to explain. I’m sure the baby will be fine with you, and she’ll be with her family. I just wanted to tell you in person that the state has awarded you custody of Brandi Valon Scott.”
“Oh, thank you, Ms. Bradley. Thank you so much. I been so worried about what would happen to that baby. You just don’t know how happy I am. Thank you so much.”
“Well, you’re welcome. I knew you would be glad.”
“Oh, I am! I’m gonna have to thank the Lord for all these blessings. I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me and my family,” said Gah Git.
“Well, it was easy to see how much you cared, and that you can give Brandi a good home. But I must be going now.”
“Thank you for coming by to tell me in person,” said Gah Git.
“Bye,” said all the grandkids sprawled all over the living room watching Quadir’s TV. Bria had Gucci, Ayonna was asleep, and Brianna held Khaleer.
“Take care,” Ms. Bradley waved to everyone in the house. Gary was standing right there by the door as she exited. He scared her half to death.
“That’s my other grandson. Boy, what you standing out here in the cold for? Get your butt in the house,” she said, dragging Gary inside, smiling in Ms. Bradley’s face, waving good-bye.
Gah Git got back on the phone with Paula, saying “Oh, Lord,” over and over again.
“She gonna have us in church tonight,” said Bria.
“I hope not,” said Brianna.
“Yo, you should have seen Aunt Gwendolyn beat up that lady police officer. She kicked her ass. They had cameras and everything. She prob’ly gonna be on Cops or something.”
“Nuh-uh,” Gena said.
“For real, I think I was on TV.”
“Gary, you always bugging. You not gonna be on nobody’s TV, okay?” said Bria.
Gena suddenly froze at the sound that meant loss: gunshots. Bap! Bap! Bap!
“Get down, Gah Git!” hollered Bria.
“Watch out,” Gary said, running over to Gah Git. Everybody was on the floor. A bullet shattered the living room window and hit the wall, leaving a hole.
“Lord, have mercy on us all. Please, Jesus, save me. Please Lord, have mercy!” Gah Git was preaching for real. “Pray! Y’all pray!” she said.
“Praying isn’t gonna do shit!” whispered Brianna.
“Sure as hell ain’t,” said Bria. There were no more shots, and it was over. Outside, two men were lying in the street.
Gary went running out the door. It was his boy Vic and this other kid named Freddie. Gena went running out the door too, but Gah Git wouldn’t let the twins outside. Baby Ayonna was crying from all the commotion.
“Damn, he was my boy,” said Gary, as he put his head down. Gena reached for her cousin, hugging him.
By now, Victor and Freddie’s families were outside, losing their minds. Victor’s mother just fell out in the street. “Lord, please don’t take my son!” was all you could hear being said.
“Gary, come on. Let’s go back in the house.” Gary didn’t argue because he knew if he stayed out there tonight, it was gonna be trouble.
“You kids come on in here and settle down. Gary, you okay?”
“Yeah, Grams. He was my boy, though.”
“I know. I know, son. It’s a shame to see these young children out here killing one another and taking away good lives that God put on this here earth. I just don’t know what has happened to these young peoples out here in the world. They is crazy and they don’t have no respect. Now, back when I was coming up, wasn’t none of this mess going on. There was drugs and people drank, but they had sense about ’em, and not only that they had respect for one another. It’s a sad shame, and what the dang dabbit they done did to my window?”
Gena walked upstairs to her room. She moved about in the dark and sat on the bed holding her kitten. Funny how they ended up the same way, in the street, covered with blood. She remembered that night her destiny changed. He winked his eye and let go of her hand, making it happen. Gena mustered up the strength and forced the tear back inside. “Qua,” she said to him with her heart, “I miss you,” and she paused for a moment continuing on with her normal conversation.
Bria walked by Gena’s bedroom door and heard her in there talking to Quadir. She really needs a new man, she thought to herself.
Gena got herself ready for bed and let Khaleer sleep with her. In the middle of the night, screeching sounds of a baby in distress woke up the whole house. Gena got up, but Gah Git told her to go back to sleep.
“I can’t sleep no way,” Gena said, getting a glass of milk.
“Thinking about Quadir, baby?”
“Gah Git, all the time.”
“I know,” she said, rocking little Yonni in her arms. “Quadir was a good man. Child, if I’d had a man like Quadir in my day, I’d have to dig deep to find a reason to go on without him too, so I know how you feel. Gena, you got to be strong, honey. You got to count your blessings and thank the Lord for being so merciful. You must keep your mind strong. Quadir would want it that way.”
Flashbacks illuminated the image of the gunman aiming right at her, and Quadir pushing her out the way. She knew he would have done anything for her ’cause he did everything that he could.
“I’d give anything to be with him again.”
“I know, but when God is ready, you will be. All things in time, Gena. All things in time. Be patient. I worry about you girls, I really do. But Gena, you had something special, baby. You must never forget Quadir. Keep him alive in your heart and in your soul. What you two had was pure and honest. Cherish that love. Keep it in your heart, and let it grow with you.”
The next morning Gena got up to answer the bell and let Brenda in.
Gah Git took over immediately. “You know I been waiting to curse you out, but I’m not going to.” She got up and went into her bedroom.
“Why did you leave your baby here all night?” Gena asked.
“I’m sorry. I went out, and I just thought I would be back before now.”
Gah Git came out the bedroom and Gena left it alone. She handed Brenda her daughter. “You take your baby and you go wherever you going, but you think about one thing. That child didn’t ask to come into the world and she deserve a lot better from you. You must be crazy to try some shit like this at 2432, but you will learn and you, my dear, are gonna have to learn the hard way.”
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“No, you not. You not sorry, ’cause if you was, you would ha
ve done what you said you was gonna do, and that was go take an English test and come back here and get your baby. You not sorry. You knew you wasn’t coming back. But guess what? You won’t get me to play your fool no more,” said Gah Git as she gathered the baby’s things and put them in the baby bag.
“It’s not that. It’s just that my mother was getting high, and she put me out and then I tried to stay with my boyfriend, but his mother said I couldn’t stay there.”
“Your mother been getting high. That don’t got nothing to do with you calling. You young girls treat these babies like they something that just came out of you. Baby, they more than that. You need God. You’re going down the wrong path, and I tried to help you, but you took my kindness for weakness. In life, you should never bite the hand that feeds you.”
“I’m sorry, Ms. Scott. I really am. I appreciate you keeping her for me.”
Gah Git handed her the baby bag and closed the door. Relief filled her. She looked at the time, noting that her babies would be home soon. She worried about them out there in the streets on their own, especially little Khaleer. “Lord, show my babies the way.”
WHEN IT’S ALL SAID AND DONE
Forty had come a long way. He had progressed quite well with the help of therapy. Despite the fact that he would never walk, he went every day for the past seven months determined to beat the odds. The FBI’s Witness Protection Program had moved him to North Dakota in the mountains to keep him safe. Now it was time to bring him home. Time to testify against Jerrell Jackson.
The U.S. Attorney Paul Perachetti had an open and shut case that would defy Clarence Darrow. It was ridiculous that Jerrell Jackson, the known leader of the Junior Mafia, didn’t plead guilty. No one knew why he would even want to go to trial. It was totally ludicrous. Didn’t matter. Jackson was gonna get the death penalty. Perachetti knew he had him by the balls, and it felt great. Jerrell deserved to die, not just for all he did out in the street, killing and serving the city cocaine, but he deserved to die for being so damn slick and never getting caught. The Junior Mafia was a fucking nuisance, all of them, and getting their leader, Jerrell Jackson, had made headlines in newspapers throughout the country for the past six months.
Now it was time for trial. Now it would all come to an end. Once Christopher Cole testified, it would be over. Perachetti was eating up all the publicity and taking all the credit for making the streets safer by prosecuting the criminals, especially the notorious Jerrell Jackson. For him it was a dream come true. He was finally getting what he wanted—publicity. It was time to think about running for mayor.
