by Yoshe
Brandi frowned. “Maleek, don’t tell that boy that! You know he is gonna go ape shit up in this store. Look at all this stuff!” She looked around at the Mickey Mouse paraphanalia and sighed. “How the hell are we gonna get all this shit on the plane?”
Maleek waved Brandi off. “Brandi, let the boy have what he wants! Shit, it ain’t every day a nigga get a chance ta be with his boy in Disney. I don’t hustle for nothin’!”
Shamari happily grabbed up whatever he wanted and his father purchased it all. Shamari gave his father a big hug and a kiss.
“Thanks, Daddy! I love you!” Shamari said as he hugged Maleek.
Maleek picked him up and gave him another kiss on the cheek. “I love you, too, Shaki, and no matter what happens to me, I don’t want you to ever forget me, okay?”
Shamari shook his head. He was only four years old at the time but he would remember those words for the rest of his life. Even though his father died when he was very young, he was never the same. Shamari loved his mother, and as he matured, he started feeling different things, things that he knew he couldn’t share with Brandi. Only a man.
Right now, Shamari felt like he had no one to go to, refusing to let his guard down, especially while he was on lockdown. Any sign of sensitivity was a no-no when a nigga was incarcerated. It would be perceived as a sign of weakness. Darkness became a prisoner’s enemy because this was the time that they were the loneliest. It was when they had time to think and all those demons resurface. The morning time seemed as if it was a step closer to freedom.
Shamari got up and walked toward his cell, but not before he heard his name called.
“Wallace, you have a visit, son!” an escort officer shouted. Shamari ran in his cell, grabbed his slippers, and walked out the door.
When he arrived downstairs, he was surprised to see a very pregnant Amber waiting for him. Since meeting his mother, Shamari and Amber had been speaking to each other every day. A smile appeared on his face, as he briskly walked over and hugged her tightly. Her stomach was huge and her once slim face had filled out from the pregnancy. Her attire and her neatly done hairdo were very becoming and Shamari was immediately turned on by her appearance.
“Hey, Amber! Man, I didn’t expect to see you up here this soon,” Shamari exclaimed, kissing her on the lips. “I’m happy that you’re here, though!”
Amber smiled, displaying a beautiful set of white teeth. “Yes, Shamari, I know you didn’t. I’m about to burst!”
Shamari rubbed her stomach in amazement. “Look at this. This is us, huh?”
Amber put her hand on her protruding stomach as well. “It sure is. I know when your mother told you that I was havin’ the baby, you probably was talkin’ shit.”
Shamari waved the thought off. “Nah, Amber, you know you was my girl. I mean, I did my thing with other people but I always loved you. I still do.”
“Mmhmm. You better, Mr. Shamari Wallace, ’cause I love you too. That was the problem. I loved you too much. Now look, we got this baby on the way.”
Shamari held his head down. The tears began to flow freely. The stress of being locked up was starting to get to him. Shamari had too much going on to be behind those walls. He had his mother, Amber and now a baby on the way.
Amber made him look at her. “What’s the matter?”
Shamari looked around to see if anyone was watching. “Amber, I’m sorry for puttin’ you through this. I was runnin’ around actin’ a fool when I shoulda been on my A game and takin’ care of my responsibilities. I love you, Amber, and I promise I’m gonna be there for our son. When I come home, I’m gonna do what it takes to be a good father!”
“Okay, Shamari, I know you are but why are you cryin’? I believe you, I always believed in you.”
Shamari wiped his tears. “I know, shorty. I been thinkin’ about how much I need my pops in my life.”
Amber rubbed Shamari’s arm. “I know but you’re gonna be there for yours. I see that. Just gotta get outta here.”
Amber looked on Shamari’s neck and saw the healing cut. “Oh, shit, Shamari, who cut you?”
“Long story. We’ll talk about that later. Isn’t your baby shower tomorrow?”
Amber smiled. “Yeah. I just had to come see you before it got too crazy. I might be havin’ this baby any day now.” Amber paused. “I love you, Shamari. Don’t leave me again, okay?”
Shamari hugged Amber and whispered in her ear. “Nah, ma. I promise this is the last time. I’ll ever leave you or my son.” Shamari sat back in his seat and took Amber’s hand. “By the way, Amber, do you wanna get married?”
Chapter 26
Two weeks later, Devin parked his truck in front of Jada’s school. He looked around to see if Yadi was anywhere in the vicinity. She’d been leaving threatening voice mails on his phone all night and finally, he decided to go to a precinct that morning to make a complaint report for aggravated harassment. The next step was an order of protection so that he could build a case against Yadi for custody of Jada. He wanted to get her before she got him.
When Devin walked into the school, he ducked and dodged children, who were running around him trying to get to their parents. He approached Jada’s classroom and her teacher had a surprised look on her face.
“Oh, Mr. Marshall,” she exclaimed. “I didn’t know that you were going to pick up Jada today!”
Devin looked around. He didn’t see Jada anywhere in the classroom. His heart dropped.
“Yeah, I’ve been pickin’ her up every day for the last two weeks. Where is she?”
The teacher swallowed. She sensed that there was a custodial problem between Jada’s parents and didn’t want to be involved. “Umm, her mother picked her up a half hour ago. Didn’t she tell you?”
Devin rubbed his bald head. “Damn!” he said under his breath. “Hell no, she didn’t tell me.” Devin looked at the shocked teacher. “I apologize, Miss Tina, it’s not your fault. Thank you anyway.” Devin hurriedly walked away and ran back to his truck. He couldn’t get his cell phone out fast enough.
“Where the fuck is my daughter?” he screamed into the phone.
Yadi laughed hysterically. “With her mother, like she should be! You didn’t have no right comin’ in her school to take her away in the first place. Now you know how the hell it feels to have her taken away from you right under your nose. So take me to court, stupid, so that I can take your ass for child support and take the rest of your sorry-ass paycheck that you bring home every two weeks!”
Devin banged his hand on the dashboard. “You know what? I’m comin’ to Vanita’s house.” Devin disconnected the phone call and stepped on the gas.
Meanwhile, Yadi rushed out of Vanita’s house with Jada in tow. She wanted to leave before Devin came over. It would take him all of five minutes to get there so she had to be quick about it.
“Mommy!” Jada sulked, while holding her crotch area. “I gotta pee!”
Yadi was desperate. “Jay-Jay, you can’t hold it until we stop at a McDonald’s or something? Don’t you want Mickey Dee’s?”
Jada shook her head. “Mommy, I can’t! I gotta make number two!”
Yadi’s nose began to flare as she took Jada to the bathroom. She ran back to look out the window and saw Devin’s truck pull up in front. She would have to leave out the back door but she cursed as she thought about the gate and the neighbor’s pit bull on the other side of the fence.
“Shit!” Yadi said aloud.
“Oooh, Mommy, you said a bad word!” Jada shouted from the bathroom.
“I’m sorry, baby. Don’t you repeat it, okay?” Yadi replied. Jada continued to talk but Yadi was too aggravated to listen as she watched Devin come to the door. She heard the bell ring and sucked her teeth.
“Mommy! The doorbell!” Jada shouted again.
“I know, Jada, just use the toilet, okay?” Yadi retorted. She ran downstairs and watched Devin from the window. He looked angry. Yadi was unsure if she should call the cops on his ass or not.
“I know you’re in there, Yadira!” he shouted. “Gimme my daughter!”
This dirty motherfucker! Yadi thought. He was out there screaming for the whole neighborhood to hear.
“I want my daughter!” he yelled again. All of a sudden, five minutes later, she heard keys and voices downstairs. Damn, she thought. She had forgotten to warn Vanita about Devin before she came home.
Yadi ran to the bathroom and told Jada to be quiet. She lied and said that they were playing hide and seek and that Aunt Nita was it. Yadi helped Jada off the toilet and they hid in the shower.
“Yadiiii!” Vanita yelled. “Damn, she must have left with somebody. Her car is outside.”
Yadi cringed when she heard Devin’s booming voice. “I know the bitch is in here. Why you let her stay with you anyway?” Devin asked Vanita.
“’Cause she’s my friend, that’s why. I know you feel otherwise but I really care about Yadi.”
Devin laughed. Yadi stepped out of the tub so that she could stand up and put her ear to the door. She hushed Jada, who was clueless and enjoying the hide and seek moment.
“Nita, stop frontin’, girl. You let her move in here ’cause you probably felt guilty about me really tryin’ to get with you! Now you done went and moved her crazy-ass in your house!”
Vanita chuckled. “Negro, please. I never was tryin’ to get involved with the likes of you! You aren’t anybody I would want!”
“You know I always wanted to get with you, Vanita. Why you never let me holler at you the right way?”
“Devin, Yadi is my friend and I am not goin’ to violate her or myself like that. I didn’t tell her about all the passes you made at me ’cause I didn’t want to break her heart!”
Yadi slid to the floor in complete shock. She was not surprised that Devin was trying to make a pass at Vanita. She was angrier at the fact that Vanita never told her. How could Vanita be trusted now? Jada tapped Yadi on the shoulder from behind the shower curtain.
“Mommy,” she whispered. “Can we come out and surprise Auntie Nita now?”
Yadi shook her head, holding back tears. Jada had seen her cry enough but this time she was going to be strong.
Yadi told Jada to be quiet, picking her up in her arms. She cracked open the bathroom door and looked outside in the empty hallway. She heard Devin and Vanita’s voices in the kitchen, as she crept down the stairs, with her daughter in tow. She couldn’t concern herself with them right now; she had to think about her and Jada. Yadi quietly walked out the front door of Vanita’s house and pulled off in her car.
Chapter 27
A few weeks after Shamari asked to marry her, Amber was wheeled into the maternity ward of Kings County Hospital with her contractions coming every five minutes. She had never felt a pain like that in her life and she knew from that moment, she didn’t want to feel it again. It was midnight and her mother was by her side, coaxing her every step of the way.
Once Amber was in the triage, her doctor, Dr. Samaj, checked her cervix to see if she was dilated. She was eight centimeters after having been in labor for a few hours. Amber screamed to the top of her lungs as Dr. Samaj immersed his gloved hand into her vagina. She grabbed her mother’s hand tightly. Suddenly, Dr. Samaj looked at the fetal monitor that the triage nurse had managed to hook her up to.
“Nurse, get her prepared! This patient is showing signs of fetal distress!” Dr.Samaj announced.
Amber was immediately prepared to go into the delivery room. She was placed on a gurney and was wheeled out of the triage and whisked down the hall. Dr. Samaj was going to do an emergency cesarean because the baby was losing oxygen. Amber cried out for her mother, who was not allowed to come into the delivery room with her. She was given anesthesia, and seconds after she was unconscious, they began the C-section. As Dr. Samaj carried out the grueling procedure, one of his assistants notified him that Amber was losing oxygen, as well. They had to be quick because now they had two lives to save.
Dr. Samaj was able to pull the baby boy out of Amber’s womb just in time. The baby’s face was completely blue from the umbilical cord being wrapped around his neck. The newborn was resuscitated and began to cry.
The nurse looked at the flat line on the monitor. “Doctor! Doctor! Oh my God, we’re losing his mother!”
The crew worked quickly and began massaging her heart. A nurse then bought over the defibrillators, giving her electric shocks to the chest. Amber’s body jumped but her heart did not start back up. After several attempts to bring the young girl back to life to no avail, the crew gave up. They had exhausted everything and their eyes suddenly went to the crying baby who was already cleaned and swaddled in a baby blanket. A nurse ran out the delivery room in tears. Dr. Samaj threw his gloves across the room and went to the sink to scrub his hands. Unfortunately, he had to tell Amber’s mother the good and bad news.
Dr. Samaj dragged himself down the long hospital corridor. He entered the waiting room and attempted to smile a little. Ms. Johnson stood up with a smile on her face. Brandi and Amber’s little sister, Ashlee, accompanied her. They all were excited.
“Hey, Dr. Samaj, are my babies all right?” Ms. Johnson asked. Dr. Samaj gently held her hands.
“Ms. Johnson, you are the grandmother of a healthy baby boy! He was seven pound, nine ounces,” Dr. Samaj replied.
They all rejoiced. “Wow, that’s big! Shamari is gonna be so happy!” Brandi said. “How’s Amber doing?”
Dr. Samaj held his head down. “I am so sorry but Amber didn’t make it. We did everything that we could but Amber passed—” Dr. Semaj said. The wails from Miss Johnson didn’t allow him to finish.
Amber’s mother fell to her knees. “Noooo! Not my baby! Not my chillld!”
Dr. Samaj comforted her. “I am so sorry, Ms. Johnson!” He looked around at the crying women and wanted to escape. Brandi suddenly took over and asked Dr. Samaj what happened.
“Well, Amber experienced what we call septic shock. There wasn’t enough blood flow and her organs shut down. Her baby’s umbilical cord was wrapped around the neck and we had to do an emergency C-section. Fortunately, we were able to save the baby but Amber, well, Amber was in distress as well and we were unable to revive her.”
Brandi looked back at the crying mother and her chest tightened up. She couldn’t help but feel guilty because if it weren’t for Shamari getting her pregnant, they probably would have still had Amber. She summoned Dr. Samaj to leave and she walked over to comfort the distraught Johnson women. She shook her head as she thought about how Shamari was going to react.
On her way home, Brandi couldn’t stop crying. She displayed every emotion that was humanly possible the moment she walked into her empty apartment. Once again, she was left to live with some agonizing guilt. There was no way she would be able to face the Johnson’s after the horrible catastrophe but after having a few drinks, she realized that she was going to have to grow up and face the music. She would have to be strong for Shamari, who was going to be torn apart from the mind-blowing news that she would have to deliver.
Back at the jail, Shamari thought about how he missed his family; he missed his bed and home-cooked meals. He missed hanging out with his boys, going to parties and talking to girls on his cell phone. All the things that he had taken for granted were no longer accessible to him. Now that he was having a son of his own, he was going to have to devote his young life to his son, making sure that he was a positive role model for him.
Returning from the barbershop, Shamari exited the staircase. There, he ran into Born, who was entering the staircase at the same time. Born pushed Shamari back into the stairwell, while the COs in the control room weren’t looking. Shamari’s back hit the wall.
“Yo’, if you feelin’ a way about me, you talk to me!” Born stated, through clenched teeth. “I’m tired of you puttin’ my name in your mouth, nigga !”
Suddenly, Shamari charged the man into a metal banister. Born cringed then punched Shamari in the face. Shamari, wh
o was much younger and quicker than Born, immediately sprung into action after the punch. He might have been scared as hell but that didn’t stop him from protecting himself. Shamari’s adrenaline was flowing, as he and Born went for each other like savage beasts. All that Shamari could think of was that any minute Born would start cutting. Shamari kicked Born dead in his nuts, causing the hardened criminal to wince in pain.
As Born fell to his knees, Shamari kicked him in the chin. Born’s head flew back and Shamari stood over the seriously injured man. He removed a homemade weapon made of sharpened metal from his pocket and cut Born across his face, from his ear to his chin. Born was in excruciating pain, as he flopped all over the hard, cement floor like a fish out of water. Shamari knew that if he bolted now Born wasn’t going to tell anyone what he had done to him, for fear of being labeled as a snitch. Born was a proud man and it would scar his reputation if he told that Shamari, an amateur jailbird, cut his ass. All of the years of Born’s criminal career, no man was able to get close enough to administer a slash to any of his body parts.
Shamari hid the razor in a large crack in the wall and casually ran back down the stairs to the first floor. The officers opened the door and let him out, not knowing that there was a man on the fifth floor, bleeding profusely from a cut that Shamari had just given him. When the probe team responded, inmates, including Shamari, had to face the wall. Shamari complied with the orders and faced the discolored wall with a smirk on his face.
Shamari was taken along with other inmates to the receiving room and stripped searched. The officers on duty told their area supervisor that Born left the housing area unscathed and he apparently received his injury while he was outside in the hallway somewhere. The other inmates were clueless and Shamari was in question. Upon being stripped searched for evidence and none was found, Shamari was allowed to go back to Five West after a few hours. As he was being escorted down the long corridor by a captain, he felt good now that he had gotten his revenge. He didn’t need anyone to hold him down; he was officially his own man now.
