Project Queen II

by Teresa D. Patterson

  “Pass me them greens,” Toby instructed.

  “Gosh, everything looks so mouth-watering,” Jimmy said.

  Shae took a seat and gazed around the table. It was almost like old times. She remembered when the family used to gather at Ma Violet’s house for holidays and special occasions. Back then, before Jimmy left, the family had been close

  She looked at her father. There was a point in time in her life when she’d adored him. She’d looked up to him and held him in high esteem. She wanted to feel that way again. All she wanted was her father’s approval – and his love.

  “I do have some good news,” she announced once everyone had their plates piled high with food and were busy eating.

  “What? You saved on your car insurance by switching to Geico?” Toby cracked. She rolled her eyes at him.

  “I wasn’t talking to you. I was talking to Jimmy.”

  “What is it, baby girl?”

  “I’m a match and I want to give you my blood for the transfusion,” she said.

  Jimmy’s eyes filled with hope. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes. I can’t continue to hate you for mama’s sins. Even though you left, she made the choices to abuse us on her own.”

  “I should have been there for you, baby girl. To think about the hell she put you, your sister and your brothers through, just eats me up inside.” His eyes glossed over. “I’m sorry. I know it’s too late for it, but never the less, I’m sorry. Do you think you can ever forgive me?”

  Everyone was quiet, listening to the exchange. This was a defining moment that would be profound. If Shae rejected him, they would all continue to do the same.

  Shae let out a deep breath. “I think so,” she finally answered. “That’s why I’m agreeing to go through with the blood transfusion. I don’t want to waste anymore time harboring resentment or ill feelings. It’s time for family to stick together.” She paused. “Della needs you…I need you.”

  “I need you, too,” Toby blurted out. Jimmy turned and stared at his son in disbelief. “I’ve needed you my whole life. It’s hard trying to figure out who I am without a father to guide me. I don’t want to run these streets, selling drugs and leading a worthless life forever. I want to be more than just some common thug. I need you to show me how. So, don’t go dying on me old man. We got a lot of catching up to do.”

  “I love you, son. I love all of you.”

  “What’s this Leave it to Beaver type of shit?” Della asked as she returned.

  “We were all just talking about daddy’s blood transfusion.” Shae stared at her sister who had changed into all black again. “But, I think we need to talk about what happened…to you,” Shae said.

  “I’m okay. There’s nothing to talk about.” Della shrugged.

  “Yes, there is. I told daddy. He knows everything. He knows about the tape and what those men did to you,” Shae said softly.

  “It’s nothing. I took care of those niggas. I don’t think they’ll ever drug and rape another woman as long as they live.” She gave an evil chuckle.

  “It’s not about just that, Della,” Jimmy said gently.” I told your sister everything. She knows about the abuse and about your mother and her drug addiction.”

  Della’s shoulders slumped. “Why did you bring that up, Daddy? She didn’t need to know. It’s over and done with. Nothing can change the past.”

  “Your past is what shapes and defines you,” Shae told her.

  “No, it’s not. You’re not crazy like your mama. I’m nothing like mine, either,” she said defiantly.

  “I didn’t say that you were like her. Sometimes we’re a product of our pasts and our experiences. I learned that during counseling,” Shae shared. “I was pretty messed up in the head from the years of abuse I had to deal with. So, I went to counseling.”

  “I probably should have gone, too,” Toby admitted. “Hell, I’m still messed up in the head over that crap.”

  “Della, maybe you should go back to counseling,” Jimmy suggested. “I know you went through a lot in the past few weeks. You need to talk to somebody about it.”

  “I don’t know,” she said hesitantly.

  “You need help. You can’t go on self-destructing,” Shae said. “Della, all the men, the sex, using your body to get what you want, it’s not healthy. You saw what it led to. What if those men had killed you? You put your life and your health in serious danger.”

  “I don’t know how to stop. I…just need to feel…loved.” She looked like a little, lost girl standing in front of them. “My mama, she didn’t care about anything except getting another fix. So, she left me wherever she could to go find drugs. When she left me with strangers, bad things happened to me. A lot of times, she took me with her when she tricked. Sometimes the guys didn’t want her…they wanted me. She said it was okay for me to do it. She told me that if I loved her, I’d do it. So, I did.”

  “Damn!” Toby swore softly.

  “Baby, I’m so sorry,” Jimmy said. Silent tears ran down his face.

  Shae just walked over to Della and gave her a hug. “It’s going to be okay. I promise.”

  “You’re not going to kick me out because you think I’m trying to sleep with Larry?” she asked, putting Shae on the spot.

  “No, I know that was all in my mind. My suspicions pushed Larry away. But, lucky for me, Larry learned his lesson.” She gazed at her husband lovingly and he gave her a sheepish grin.

  “Since I’m already dressed in black, I could creep over there and bust the windows out her car,” Della offered.

  Shae couldn’t hold back her laughter. Soon, everyone joined in.

  “Daddy, I swear she reminds me of myself. We must get our ruthlessness from you,” Shae said.

  “Back in the day, my motto always was: payback is a bitch,” Jimmy said. “And no matter which way you look at it, payback really is a bitch.” He suddenly got serious. “All those years of drinking caught up with me. My body is paying me back for abusing it....and it’s a bitch. A real bitch. But thanks to you, baby girl, I’ll have another chance at life. This time around, I’m going to be here for my family.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Shae looked up and blinked a few times. Her mind had to be playing tricks. She couldn’t believe the audacity of the crazed woman. It looked like the same bitch. When the woman got closer, it was confirmed. Danielle. That dicksucking hussy had some nerve getting within fifty-feet of her.

  “How may I help you?” she asked. She decided to be professional unless Danielle’s actions required her to react otherwise.

  “I want to close my checking account. I didn’t know that I was banking at the same establishment where you work,” she said cuttingly.

  “You want to close your account because I work at this bank?” Shae felt as if that was a stupid reason. She guessed the look she gave the other woman conveyed her feelings.

  “No. I’m closing it for another reason. I was just making an observation. Duh!” she said. “Can you hurry up and close it? I’m in a rush.”

  “If that’s what you wish.” Shae gave her the necessary forms she had to fill out in order to have the account closed. However, she took her time about doing it.

  “I’m surprised that they’d let ghetto trash work at a bank,” Danielle sneered, handing the completed paperwork back.

  “Well, it’s only fair when they let white trash open accounts,” she retorted sweetly.

  “Bitch, you don’t know me. I’ll fuck your world up,” Danielle hissed. “I have a black belt in Karate and I’m trained in Tae Kwon Do.” She put her hands up like she was going to chop the desk in half.

  “Really?” Shae narrowed her eyes, letting her know that she wasn’t in the least bit afraid. “As soon as I close your account, I’m due for a fifteen-minute break. You want to meet me outside?” She didn’t care what forms of martial arts she knew. The bitch was disrespecting her on the job and she didn’t play about that. She should have beaten her ass that day she was tal
king shit to her at her house. She’d let it slide, but now she wished she’d shown the uppity woman what she was made of.

  Danielle’s mouth dropped open. “I…er…well, I’m not prepared to get into it with you today. My man is waiting for me.”

  “Really? Another black cock?” she muttered under her breath.

  “What was that?” She leaned forward in her seat, forcing her fake boobs to bounce in Shae’s face.

  “I said, I’ll be right back with your money.” Shae gave her a fake smile.

  “Good.”

  She was relieved when the woman left right away. Getting up, she informed another branch manager that she was taking her fifteen-minute break. She needed a reprieve after dealing with Danielle’s sadity ass.

  Shae quickly hurried across the street to 7-Eleven. She wanted to buy a cherry Icee, one of her guilty pleasures. She made it a habit to get one every morning on her break.

  She spotted Danielle and a black man sitting in a convertible Benz. Neither noticed her as she passed by to enter the store. They seemed to be having an argument. Unexpectedly, the man smacked Danielle across the face with two quick blows. Shae paused to see what would happen next.

  Holding her mouth, Danielle handed him a wad of money. Argument apparently settled, Danielle backed out of the parking space and drove off.

  Shae wanted to feel sympathy for the woman, but couldn’t. Danielle thought she wanted a black man. But, in this instance, she’d clearly chosen the wrong one. Hopefully, she wouldn’t be stupid enough to remain in the abusive relationship for long. No one deserved that, not even the fake Paris Hilton.

  Seeing the incident between Danielle and her new lover brought back bad memories. It made Shae think about her mother and father’s volatile relationship. Even though she held a grudge against Jimmy for leaving the family, she couldn’t blame him. When Mrs. Byrts’ drinking got out of hand, she was hell to deal with.

  Shae thought about all the beatings, the insults, and the way her mother tore down her self-esteem. It had been a wretched upbringing. But, it was mild in comparison to what Della had lived through.

  She’d grown closer to her sister since all the dirty laundry had been aired. Della shared the story of her horrific rape at age eight. She also told about the time her mother sold her to a rich couple for a week. They used and abused her in some of the worse ways; all to support her mother’s increasing drug habit.

  Shae shook her head to clear the visions. They all had come a long way, but she knew they still had a long way to go before exorcizing all of the demons that plagued them. At least they were all together now. Jimmy’s liver transplant had gone underway successfully, and he was recuperating without any ill effects. She made it a point to visit him at least once a week, working at mending their father-daughter relationship. It took baby steps, but they were getting closer.

  Shae was at the counter paying for her Icee when someone called her name.

  “LaShae Byrts, is that you?” She turned around.

  “Do I know you?” she asked, surveying the man. He was tall and handsome with a muscular physique and sported army fatigues.

  “It’s me. James. We grew up together in Jordan Park.” He approached her wearing a big smile.

  “James Wallace?” He nodded. “Yes, I remember you.” She smiled back. “How have you been?” she asked, giving him a friendly hug.

  “I’m good. Real good. I’m still in the military. I’m an Army recruiter now.” He looked at her appreciatively. “I see you’re still looking fine,” he complimented.

  “James, I’m a married woman,” she reminded, waving her left hand with the diamond for emphasis.

  “I know that. I was there, remember?”

  “Yes, you were the best man. So, you’re a recruiter now. You must really like being in the army?”

  “Yes, I decided to make a career out of it. So, how’s everybody? Toby, Vivian, your husband?”

  “Everybody’s fine.” Shae checked him out from the corner of her eye, on the sly. “Are you married?” she asked.

  “No. I’m not trying to get hitched to no one. When you’re in the military, you meet some scandalous bitches, you hear me? I’m just happily single right now.” He shot her another smile. She could see he hadn’t lost his charm.

  An idea clicked inside her head. “Hey, did you know that I have a younger sister? Jimmy’s daughter,” she explained.

  “No, I had no idea. So, is she as fine as you?” “You be the judge of that. Why don’t you come over tonight for dinner? You can meet her then.” Shae hoped that Della wasn’t going to be decked out in all black. It was depressing. Her looking like Elvira Mistress of the Dark could scare the man off.

  “Alright. Bet it up. I’ll be there.” She gave him the directions to her place and they headed out the 7-Eleven.

  “It was nice seeing you again. I have to get back to work. I’ll see you later, okay?” she told him.

  “I wouldn’t miss a home cooked meal,” James said, tossing her that award-winning smile. He got into a yellow Hummer, tooted the horn at her as he backed out the parking space, and drove off. She waved good-bye and headed across the street.

  Back in her office, she called Larry and told him about her encounter with Danielle. She left out the part about Danielle getting slapped. She didn’t want Larry to get any ideas in his head about playing the hero. The last thing she needed was for her husband to get mixed up with that woman again. She also told him that she ran into James and had invited him to dinner.

  “That’s great! My old friend is back in town. It’ll be good to see him.”

  “You think he and Della will hit it off?”

  “There you go trying to match make.”

  “Well, I just want my sister to find someone as wonderful as you are,” she said sweetly.

  “And you think James Wallace might be that person? I don’t know, babe. He and you did almost come to blows that day he called you out your name.”

  Shae laughed remembering the incident. “That was a long time ago, Larry. James has grown up and matured since then. I think a man with a career and benefits is a good catch.”

  “Oh really?” Larry said sarcastically. “So you’re saying your sister needs someone who can add her on to his 401K, dental and health plan?”

  “Larry, stop being silly.” She looked up when her manager walked into the office. “Hey, I have to go. My manager needs me.”

  “Okay, babe. Come home for lunch. I have something for you,” he said.

  “Oh. Okay.”

  “Bye, baby.” “Bye.” She hung up and turned her full attention to Mrs. Watson. “Good morning.”

  “Good morning,” Mrs. Watson greeted. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your call. I just wanted to ask you if you think you’d be able to go on a seven-day trip that I can’t take. My husband is scheduled for back surgery and we won’t be able to travel as planned.”

  “A seven-day trip to where?” Shae asked excitedly.

  “The Bahamas.”

  Shae almost jumped out of her seat. “Are you for real?”

  “Yes. When am I ever not?” Mrs. Watson gazed over her spectacles, giving her a serious look. “Do you want the tickets? They’re already paid for and there’s no refund.”

  “Of course. How much do I owe you?”

  “Honey, all the extra work you do around here, you don’t owe me a cent. If it weren’t for you lightening my load, I’d probably have retired by now. Some of these customers will drive you to drinking.”

  “I know that’s right,” she remarked.

  Shae didn’t mind helping Mrs. Watson out. Mrs. Watson was the reason she’d gotten hired at the bank in the first place. She was truly an angel who’d given Shae an opportunity to change her entire life. Back when she’d gotten her first job as a teller, she hadn’t even finished high school. Mrs. Watson encouraged her to obtain her G.E.D. and attend college. She now had an Associate in Arts degree in business and contemplated going back to college to
obtain her Bachelors degree.

  “Thank you so much, Mrs. Watson. I really appreciate it.”

  “I appreciate you,” the woman stated sincerely. “Why don’t you take a two-hour lunch today? Spend a little extra time with your husband. You never want to let your relationship grow stale, if you know what I mean.” She winked at Shae and exited the office.

  Just like at any other place of business, personal issues got spread around at the bank. Shae knew news of her marital problems had most likely gotten back to Mrs. Watson. She wasn’t worried about Mrs. Watson judging her, because the woman was as close to being a saint as they came. She truly was a blessing.

  Thinking about what she could do in two hours, Shae called Larry back to tell him the good news.

  “She gave us a free trip to the Bahamas? Now, that’s what I’m talking about,” Larry said excitedly. “This calls for a celebration.”

  “I’ll be home at noon, but guess what?”

  “What?”

  “I’m taking a two-hour lunch. Think you can handle two hours of me?’

  “Girl, I got something for that ass, so bring it on home. Big daddy got something for you!”

  “Larry, you better stop teasing me while I’m on this phone.”

  “I’ll do more than tease you when you get here.”

  “I can hardly wait,” she said excitedly.

  “I promise it’ll be worth the wait.”

  When she walked into the house and saw the Twister game spread out on the floor, she looked at it in puzzlement.