by Jackie D.
Her son’s watched their father’s adrenalin kick in as he tried to run behind the car, but soon stopped, unable to keep up. Skye hit speeds as high as 80 mph as soon as they made it out of the neighborhood and onto the highway.
“Where are we going?” Jordan asked.
“I’m not sure, but say goodbye to Florida,” Skye said nervously looking in her rear view mirror.
Kareem was distraught. “We’re leaving Florida? No!”
“He’ll hunt us down if we stay here!” Skye fired back.
It looked like both of her boys wanted to cry.
Skye was relived when she looked at the gas needle and saw a full tank of gas. The one positive thing that Sandino ever did was keep her car on full. Headed toward I-95 North she quickly thought, you’ve seen the last of your family Sandino Washington.
Chapter 3
After driving for almost six hours Skye finally grabbed some baby wipes out Payton’s bag and attempted to get rid of the urine smell from her body. Out of all the things Sandino had done over the years, he’d never violated her like that. Treating her like a toilet was definitely the last straw.
As she watched the sun come up, Skye breathed a sigh of relief. “I finally did it. I’m free,” she said to herself. “He can never hurt us now.”
Shaking her head, it still hurt knowing their marriage was over after all she’d done to keep it together. However, as soon as Skye thought about her sanity and piece of mind, she was able to force a slight smile. Not to mention, as long as her children were safe, nothing else mattered.
The more Skye continued to drive, her eyes started to become heavy. She didn’t even realize that the car began to drift until she heard a horn blowing. Suddenly, Skye jerked the wheel back, just before running off the road. Her heart started to pound once again.
“Oh my God,” Skye said, just before pulling over. She then glanced in the back seat at her kids who were still fast asleep.
Exhausted, she looked over to her right and saw a sign that read restaurants and gas. Deciding that Jacksonville was far enough away for them to stop, she put her blinker on and took the exit. She knew the kids were probably ready for some food, and Payton definitely needed changing. As soon as Skye stopped to make a right turn, Jordan woke up yawning and dazed. Moments later, he reached over the seat and kissed Skye on the cheek.
“I’m proud of you mom. You got out before it was too late,” he said. He was so mature for a fourteen year old.
Skye looked at her son and smiled. It made her feel good to hear him say that. A part of her felt guilty about dragging them away from the only home they’d ever known.
After riding around for a few minutes, the only place open was a small diner. Once Skye pulled in the parking lot, she woke Kareem up, who hadn’t said two words since they left. He was close to his father and she worried about what kind of impact leaving might have on him. She grabbed her suitcase.
“Let’s go freshen up in the bathroom and then get something to eat,” Skye said before anxiously looking around the parking lot.
Even though they were three hundred and forty miles away, she still had to make sure Sandino wasn’t anywhere to be found.
Both Kareem and Jordan seemed sluggish and hesitant.
She looked at her watch. “Its 8:00 a.m., this is the time you hungry guys eat anyway, so come on. Grab Payton’s car seat.”
Once inside Skye stopped and scanned the place as if she didn’t belong. It was clean, but very old fashioned. All the tables were covered with checkered table cloths and dusty fake flowers as an old Elvis Presley song played from the juke box in the corner. The red-neck looking truck drivers eating watched them closely as they made their way toward the bathroom. Skye even noticed a huge red headed man also staring at them from the kitchen. At that moment Skye realized she was still wearing the torn bloody white dress not to mention her badly bruised face. She could only imagine what they were thinking. She grabbed her Gucci sunglasses and quickly put them on, like that made a difference.
After all of them squeezed into the one stall bathroom and locked the door, Skye pulled her shoulder length hair up into a ponytail then quickly changed into her Juicy Couture sweat suit. However, she refused to look in the mirror afraid of what her face looked like this time. Instead she changed the baby’s diaper and waited for the boys to finish before they all exited together. They ignored the stares again then sat in a booth near the door and grabbed three menus. Skye however could barely make out the words due to her swollen eyes. Not only was she in pain, but she needed rest and couldn’t wait until she could get a good night’s sleep.
Minutes later, the waitress appeared from the back with her pad and pen ready to take their orders.
“Hello, what can I get y’all this morning?” she asked in a cheerful, deep country voice. Her eyebrows frowned at the sight of Skye’s face. “Oh my God, are you alright darling?”
“Yes, I’m fine. Can you please just take our order? My boys are starving,”
Skye replied.
“We want pancakes, bacon and orange juice,” Jordan said.
“We have a meal called the Ultimate Breakfast that includes all of that for only $4.99, it’ll be much cheaper. Would you like that?” the waitress asked looking at Skye.
“Look lady, the price isn’t an issue,” Skye said with an attitude.
“Oh…I didn’t mean to offend you. It’s just that I have two boys at home around their age and I know how much they can eat. The Ultimate Breakfast is what they usually get.”
Skye changed her tone realizing the lady was only being nice. “Three Ultimate Breakfasts, with orange juice will be fine,” she replied.
“Okay, I’ll be right back,” the woman said walking away. She returned shortly with the same cheerful smile. “Here are your drinks, let me know if you need anything. My name is Kim and that’s my big handsome husband working back there in the kitchen Jim, we’re the owners. Your food will be out in a minute,” she added before walking away again.
“Jim and Kim? You’ve got to be kidding me,” Skye said to herself.
As she placed a straw in her glass, she looked down at her watch realizing that it was a few minutes after eight. Normally, she would’ve still been in bed while Ms. Petra attended to Payton. Now, she was on the run with nowhere to go. Skye knew leaving Sandino was the best idea, but she was definitely gonna miss the live-in help.
How quickly shit can change, Skye thought to herself as she continued to glance out the window. Even though they were in another city, she just didn’t trust Sandino.
Then suddenly out of nowhere Kareem finally spoke. “I stole daddy’s key to his gun closet and I got one of his guns out when I heard him beating you, but Ms. Petra caught me. She made me put the gun back,” he said with a strange look on his face.
Kareem reminded Skye so much of Sandino, especially with his quick temper. Even though he’d inherited her fair skin tone, and a mole under his lip, his mannerism seemed to be identical to his father.
Skye’s face revealed a shocked expression. She knew her boys were getting older and she could no longer hide the abuse from them.
“Thanks for having my back Kareem. I know how hard it’s been for you. Your dad has a problem and until he gets some help, I just can’t allow him to be around y’all. Things will be okay though. We’ll settle down in a nice city and you boys can make new friends and have fun for a change. Playing sports is your choice from now on.”
“Are we gonna be poor?” Jordan asked.
“No, we’ll be fine,” Skye tried to assure.
After all the ass beatings she received over the years, Skye made sure she’d stashed something away for this rainy day.
When Skye glanced out the window again, her eyes widened when she saw a thin, skinny, white man looking at her car. He even walked around to each side peeping in the windows. She felt uneasy wondering if Sandino sent him. She watched until he came inside, spoke to several of the truck drivers then headed to the ki
tchen and put on an apron.
“He must work here,” she said to herself noticing he had red hair just like the owner Jim. “I wonder if his damn name is Tim,” she joked to herself.
A few minutes later, he walked back out the kitchen and over to the table with their food. “Hello, is that your car?” he asked placing all three plates down.
Unsure about whether to answer him Skye paused before speaking. “Yes it is, why?”
“I’m just asking cause that’s a mighty nice vehicle you got there,” he stated in a southern tone. “I want to get me a car like that one day, been saving my money working here with my mom and pop. I got me a 1999 Honda Accord with some ten inch rims.” Skye let out a huge sigh hoping he would get the hint and leave, especially since their food had arrived, but he kept right on talking. “I just got it painted and tint put on the windows. That’s my baby. It’s parked in the back.” He stood there for a few seconds like he wanted Skye to respond. “Can I get you anything else?”
“No,” Skye quickly said before putting a piece of bacon in her mouth.
“Well, nice talking to you,” he finally said then walked away.
Skye shook her head as a million thoughts seemed to suddenly fight for her attention. She knew the guy was only trying to be nice, but with all the drama she had going on right now, there was no way she could listen to anyone else’s problems. Suddenly, she started thinking about her and Sandino’s early days, before the fame, the drugs and the abuse; days when they used to have fun; days when they latched onto each other and talked about both of their horrible childhoods.
Sandino grew up in West Baltimore’s oldest and worst housing projects, called Lexington Terrace with his prostitute mother Peaches. He watched her turn tricks and get abused everyday by her pimp, Hollywood, who was also Sandino’s father. Even though Skye wasn’t considered a project chick, and grew up in the Prince George’s County area, her circumstances were just as bad. At the age of ten, both of her parents were killed in a car accident, forcing Skye to live in foster homes when neither of her aunts would take her in. She ended up going from one home to the next with two outfits in her possession, but somehow still managed to keep straight A’s all throughout school. Her living arrangements didn’t seem to get any better until she received a full scholarship to college, and moved onto campus. Those same aunts had the nerve to try to come into her life years later when they found out she was married to a professional ball player.
When she married Sandino he promised to love and protect her. Skye never imagined in her wildest dreams she would become a victim of domestic abuse. Thinking back on it, Skye now knew she should’ve left him the very first time he put his hands on her. But at the time she just wasn’t strong enough to walk away.
But I am now? I have to be, I must protect my sons from picking up their father’s wicked ways, she thought.
Suddenly, Skye felt herself about to break down so she jumped up and told the boys she would be right back and went into the bathroom. She couldn’t let her boys see her like this.
Tears were racing down her face as soon as she hit the door. Needing to let it all out, she fell back against the sink and released a horrifying scream. Skye knew that everyone in the diner probably heard her cries but she’d held in the pain long enough. A few seconds later the waitress Kim burst into the restroom.
“Are you okay darling?” she asked with concern.
Skye grabbed a paper towel and wiped her face then looked at the woman. “Does it look like I’m okay? No I’m not okay! My husband has been abusing me for years, and last night I finally left him. I don’t know where the fuck I’m going. I left a million dollar home to live on the run. My kids deserve a home!” Skye yelled as she broke down crying again.
It didn’t take long for the waitress to give Skye a consoling hug. “What your kids really deserve is you, their mother and by the look of your face, if you hadn’t left when you did, he would’ve killed you.”
Skye didn’t respond.
“I didn’t mean to get in your business earlier, but my sister was once in an abusive relationship. And if it wasn’t for the help she received from different people along the way, she wouldn’t be here today. She owns a Bed and Breakfast in Georgia now. I’m not sure which way you’re headed, but if you need a safe place to stay I can call and tell her you and the kids might be stopping by. There are people out here to help you, just let me know if you’re interested,” Kim said. She rubbed Skye across her back a few more times. “Now, I’ll give you some time alone.”
Once Kim closed the door, Skye got herself together before finally deciding to look into the mirror. What stared back at her was a woman with not only a bruised and swollen reflection, but also a broken spirit. She was miles away from Sandino, but he still seemed to have a hold on her. Controlling her mind, bringing her down and making her think she couldn’t make it without him. To make matters worse, she was also confused. When the three-carat diamond earrings sparkling in her ears reminded her of happier days, she wished Sandino could go to rehab and get some help so they could stay together. But on the other hand, Skye knew he would never change, so she had to move on and make a better life for them without him.
Skye realized now she had to become her old self in order to be there for her children. With a sudden survival mode etched in her mind, she splashed some cold water on her face then gave herself a little pep talk before returning back to the table.
While the boys continued to eat, Skye smiled at Payton who sat quietly in her car seat, until she suddenly remembered to contact Asia. When Sandino broke her arm a year ago, Skye was finally fed up and secretly started planning her escape. It was at that moment when she began withdrawing money out of her and Sandino’s joint account and depositing it into an account under Asia’s name at the bank where she worked. The only downfall was, Skye knew she hadn’t taken enough to last her very long, but it would just have to do.
She grabbed her cell phone and sent Asia a text message with only three words.
We escaped safely.
A few minutes later Skye’s phone vibrated. It was Asia.
Finally, r u all ok? I was so worried. I was the one who sent Keon upstairs to knock on the door. We had to stop him from beating u.
I’m ok. Bruised but free of his ass. Thx for having my back. Keon is nice, but keep our situation a secret. We can’t trust nobody! I need the cash. I’ll contact you when I get settled, Skye replied.
I got u, it’s our secret. I’ll send cash as soon I hear from u. I love u, please be careful, Asia text back.
Ok we will, Skye responded.
When Skye felt another message coming through, she instantly assumed it was Asia texting back. She clicked on the message and read it.
Hope u enjoyin ur meal in that dump. Did u really think I would let u get away that easy? I put a trackin device on ur car the day I bought it. Now bring ur monkey ass outside quietly before I come in and shoot that muthafucka up!
Chapter 4
Skye’s eyes widened as she looked out the window and saw Sandino’s snow white Mercedes S550 in the parking lot. She then dropped the phone, frantic with fear when she saw him getting out of the car along with Cruze and Black.
“Ma, what’s wrong?” Kareem asked noticing her behavior.
“He found us,” Skye managed to say.
Both the boys instantly looked out the window.
“How did he find us?” Jordan questioned.
“Come on, get the bags…let’s go,” Skye said thinking fast. Grabbing Payton’s seat, she quickly ran toward the kitchen. When she saw the young guy who talked to her about her car, Skye got his attention. “Listen I really need your help. I just left my abusive husband and now he’s outside threatening to kill me. Please…we have to get out of here, before he comes inside. Can you please trade cars with me?” Skye frantically asked.
The young guy looked at her like she was crazy. “Are you serious?”
Skye looked back to see if Sandino
had come inside. “Yes, I am. Please hurry.”
The guy seemed hesitant at first before saying, “Come this way.” He led them through the kitchen and out the back door. It wasn’t long before they exchanged keys and he helped them get inside his car. Seconds later, Kim ran outside and came over to the car holding a piece of paper.
“Here’s my sister’s number and address. Trust me, she can help.”
“Thanks so much,” Skye said, as tears rolled down her face. She was embarrassed about the way she’d acted toward them earlier.
“See that road right there?” the young guy pointed. “It’s a back road that will lead you straight to the interstate. Take that one. I doubt if he will.”
“We’ll even try and stall him if he comes in,” Kim added.
“Thanks again,” Skye replied before pulling off in the beat-up Honda.
Just as she drove off, Sandino and his boys entered the diner looking around for her and the kids. After quickly telling Black to check the bathroom, Sandino looked around and showcased his discuss.
“I can’t believe that bitch had my boys eating in here.” He grabbed a napkin off the table and wiped his hands as if the place made them dirty.
A few seconds later Black came out the restroom with Skye’s bloody dress. “She’s not in the restroom, but I found this in the trash can.”
Sandino started pacing the floor. “Skye get your ass out here, now!” he yelled toward the kitchen.
When he didn’t get a response he signaled for Cruze to check things out. Cruze attempted to head toward the back, but was caught by surprise when Jim stood in the kitchen pointing a shot gun directly at his chest.
“Don’t move or I’ll shoot,” he yelled. Cruze instantly put his hands up as Jim backed him into the dining area. “Look boys, we don’t want any trouble around here so I think its best y’all get on outta here!”
