“Yellow.”
“Hi, umm, is Shanice available.”
“No she’s not. Can I take a message?”
Violet couldn’t help it, her voice broke and tears spilled from her eyes blurring her vision. “Can you tell her that I’m, I’m in trouble. Tell her I’m in Jail, and that I’m, I’m pregnant.”
“Wait, wait, slow down. Shhh, it’s okay.”
Violet’s cry was full blown now. She could barely make out what Tabitha’s was saying.
Erica ran into the living room with her note book. “Momma, momma, look it. I did it.”
Tabitha put her hand over the receiver. “That’s great sweetie, go show grandma.”
Erica’s smile split her face in two. “Grandma, grandma,” she ran up the stairs. “I did my letters. A is fo apple.”
Tabitha watched her daughter disappear up the steps.
“Okay, I’m going to need you to take a deep breath, calm down, and tell me everything.”
***
Tabitha could barely think straight. “Mom I need you to watch Erica for a while. I have to make a run.” She shouted up the steps, grabbed her purse off of the table, and hit the door. The image of Violet she had in her head did not match the girl on the phone. Violet was a quiet little bookworm so the things she told Tabitha just did not, and would not compute. She opened the door to the black jeep that Darren bought her for her birthday, sat down and stared off into space.
“Jesus Christ. I don’t know how to help this little girl Lord. Send me some guidance because I just don’t know.” Tabitha shook her head, took a deep breath and started up the car. “Dear Lord, please grant me traveling mercy.” She said softly as she peeled away from the curb and mashed on the gas.
Tabitha made it to McDonalds in five minutes. She didn’t want tot think about all of the traffic laws she violated.
She rushed into the store and headed straight to the back.
Lisa and Begonia were arguing. She heard them before she saw them.
“What the hell is wrong with what I got on?”
“What do you mean, what’s wrong with it? It’s not a uniform. That’s what the fuck is wrong with it.”
“Lighten up, Lisa. The burgers aren’t going to taste any different just because I ain’t wearing a blue shirt with golden arches on it.”
“You just think you can walk in here and do whatever you want to. Your shift started an hour ago. You spent the first twenty minutes on the phone with some dude and now you won’t even change into your uniform.”
Tabitha asked Dave to let her into the back office.
“You sure you wanna go in there? It’s going to get ugly.”
Tabitha smiled at the young guy. “I’m sure. They don’t scare me.”
He opened the door. “Then you must be the only one they don’t scare.”
Tabitha walked through the door and stepped in between Lisa and Begonia.
Lisa rolled her eyes. “Tabitha, what the hell are you doing here and who let you in the back? You guys just can’t come back here whenever you want.”
Tabitha threw her hand in Lisa’s face, “You can flex your brand new boss muscles some other time because we have to go.”
“Go where? I can’t go anywhere…”
“Fine you stay here. Begonia, we have to go.” Tabitha didn’t wait for a response; she turned her back on both of them and walked out the door.
Begonia took one look at Lisa and followed Tabitha out.
“Oh no you don’t, you come back here your shift starts in ten minutes.”
“Um sorry boss, but I have to go with Tabitha.”
“You’ve got to go my ass.”
Begonia waved by to Lisa and walked out of the office and out of the building.
Lisa rolled her eyes, took off her visor, and threw it across the room before running after them.
Tabitha walked around the front of her jeep. “Get in.”
Begonia raised her eyebrows but did not object. Tabitha was about to put the key in the ignition when Lisa tapped on the back window.
“Open the damn door Tabitha, and tell me what’s going on.”
Tabitha let Lisa in, started the car and pulled off. “Where are we going?” Lisa demanded
“To get Shanice.”
“Well, what the fuck is going on?”
Tabitha looked over at Begonia and then back at the road. “Violet’s in trouble.”
***
Shanice swept her long chocolate curls up into a ponytail and sighed. She didn’t feel like being in school today but mamma Mabel threatened to paint her behind red if she ditched again. Shanice had never been beat with a belt a day in her life. She walked to the back of the class thinking about the conversation they had at her mother’s apartment.
“Child you don’t even know the pain I’m gonna bring to you if your mother tells me that your little butt skipped school again.” She was waiving a belt around like it was a lasso and she was Indiana Jones.
Shanice looked at her like she was crazy. “I don’t get whoopin’s I’m too old for that.”
And that’s your whole damn problem, but don’t worry sweetheart. I’m not going to whoop you. You skip school again and I’m going to beat your ass like someone was paying me to do it.”
Shanice shivered. I think that old woman would really try to beat me. Oh well it looks like I’ll be exploring the wonderful world of high school all damn day.
She plopped down in her seat and stared at the overgrown cuticles on her finger nails. That is so gross.
Mrs. Thompson walked around her desk to the black board. “All right class, I would like everyone to turn to page 145 in their textbooks. We are going to examine the politics behind the Spanish American War.”
Oh hell no, Shanice thought. I can’t sit through this shit. I’d rather have my ass whooped.
She stood up took her jacket off and wrapped it around her waist. She walked to the front of the class and cleared her throat.
Mrs. Thompson rolled her eyes. “What is it, Shanice?”
Shanice put her head down. “I need to be excused because I messed up my pants,” she whispered.
“You did what?”
Shanice looked up and faked a pained expression. “My monthy came on. I need to go home and change.”
“Well, can’t you just clean yourself up in the bathroom?”
That is fucking gross! Shanice thought. She looked at Mrs. Thompson like she was crazy. “Uh, no, I need to go home wash up and change my clothes. May I please be excused?”
Mrs. Thompson turned back to the blackboard. “Go ahead, Shanice. Stop by the main office and sign yourself out.”
Shanice walked out of the classroom barely concealing a smile. Fuck if I’ll do that. She walked right pass the nurses office and out of the door.
***
Tabitha took a deep breath and cut her eyes at Begonia before telling her about the phone call she received. She was trying to get to Strawberry Mansion as fast as she could to pick up Shanice. I should have gone there first she thought as she turned onto 31st street. How the hec do you tell someone that there little sister is locked up. She thought as she sped up the street. Tabitha kept opening her mouth but nothing would come out.
Lisa rolled her eyes and sucked her teeth. “Damn it, Tab, you just can’t say Violet’s in trouble and leave it at that. What the fuck is wrong with her?”
Tabitha was about to respond when a horn blared. She barely had enough time to slam on the brakes at the red light. Lisa was flung out of her seat on to the floor of the car. Her thick braids were strewn all over the console.
Tabitha twisted in the driver seat, picking braids out of the cup holder. “You okay?”
“Do I look okay?” Lisa picked herself up. “Just hurry up and tell us what’s going on so we can get back to work.”
Tabitha side she crossed the light and pulled over by the school just as Shanice was walking out of the door. “Unbelievable.”
Shanice walk
ed over to the car. “You bitches must have esp.”
Lisa scooted over on the backseat so Shanice could get in. However, Shanice was staring at Begonia.
“What the hell is wrong now?”
Begonia looked up at Shanice, her face was like a stone mask. “Your sister says Violet’s in trouble.”
Chapter 6
Begonia held her breath as she listened to Tabitha. She hung on to every word that came out of her mouth as if it were the gospel. Violet is in jail and she’s pregnant, she thought as images of her sister sitting in the living room with her face buried in a book floated in her head. Breathe, Begonia, Breathe and focus. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. She counted to ten and then to twenty. Her head started to pound and it took a moment to hear the silence. Tabitha stopped talking, and she could feel everyone’s eyes on her.
Shanice rubbed her shoulder from the back seat of the car. “Bee, are you okay?”
Begonia twisted around in her seat to look Shanice in the eyes, because that was the stupidest question she had ever heard. Her brows were knitted with honest concern that Begonia mistook for pity. “Stop the car.”
Tabitha pulled over without a word. Begonia hopped out of the car. She had a full blown migraine now and was finding it harder and harder to catch her breath. She squinted up into the sunlight to peek at the street sign and get her bearings. They were on 22nd and Lehigh Avenue –not to far from her mother’s favorite crack house. She began to walk towards it.
“Begonia!” Lisa shouted. “Where in the hell are you going?”
“I’m going to find my mother.”
“I thought Diana worked in the daytime.”
“Not Diana, my real mother.”
“Well what the fuck is that going to accomplish?” Shanice grabbed Lisa’s arm to quiet her, but Lisa jerked away.
“Get off of me, Shani.” She walked towards Begonia. “Look Begonia I can only imagine what your going through, but I know that Doreen ain’t got nothing for you. Let’s go back to Momma Mabel’s house and see what we can come up with. If we put are heads together, I’m sure…”
“… You’re sure of what? This ain’t no shit that could be cured over tea and cookies at your mom’s house. This is some street shit, and if my sister’s in jail, I’ll bet you all the fries at McDonalds that my mother knows what went down. Go back to work, Lisa. Everyone needs to go back to what they were doing. Violet is my responsibility and you best believe that I got this.”
Begonia turned on her heels and ran away. Lisa started to run after her but Shanice grabbed her arm.
“Get off of me. What’s wrong with you? We have to help her.”
“How, Lisa, how the fuck do we help her.”
Lisa just stared at Shanice, her eyes brimming with tears.
“Exactly.” Shanice said, she spit on the pavement and walked to the Jeep. “Take me back to school, Tab. It ain’t shit we can do for Begonia right now.”
“God please let those girls be alright.” Tabitha breathed while staring the car.
Lisa knocked on the window. “Ya’ll go ‘head, I’m gonna walk.
“You sure?” Tab asked.
“I’m positive.”
***
Begonia stopped running when she noticed that Lisa wasn’t following her. She leaned up against the wall gulping mouthfuls of air like water. A slow ache started to pulse deep inside of her chest when Tabitha spoke of Violet. Guilt filled her twisting her stomach. I’m going to throw up; she thought as she leaned over and rested her hands on her knees. Why the fuck did you leave her there, Bee. She’s pregnant, and locked up. Oh my God. Tears fell from her eyes and stained her jeans before she even realized that she was crying. She watched the cars roll by through the haze of her tears. The scenes of her family ripping apart at the seems raced through her head; her mother stealing and selling everything that wasn’t nailed down, Daisy’s illness, and the look in Violet’s eyes as she gazed at Kyle like he was her fucking lord and savior. Her stomach twisted violently at the last image. She’d walked away from her sister and left her in the hands of a stupid ass thug wannabe. I just walked away from her.
“I’m so sorry, Violet.” She whispered as she wiped her tears and stood up straight. “I’m so sorry I left you with him, but I’m going to get you out of this shit. I swear to God I will. She shook herself and walked towards the closest crack house.
***
Doreen was yelling at the top of her lungs. Begonia could hear her from halfway up the block. She couldn’t hear what she was saying, but it was no mistaking her mother’s high squeaky voice. Begonia stopped at the bottom of the steps waiting for the familiar cold feeling to wash over her, but nothing happened. A lot of different emotions were raging inside of her. She was hurt, sad, angry, and scared out of her mind for her sister, but she wasn’t cold. She couldn’t stop feeling anything, no matter how much she wanted to.
She gazed up at the abandoned building. It was decorated with trash, dirty needles, and discarded condom rappers. She shook her head and rolled her eyes. She didn’t really want to go inside, but the yelling became worse as more people joined in on the argument. Begonia cracked her neck and went in.
“I didn’t steal nothing from you and this big-Bertha bitch,” Doreen screamed at the top of her lungs. Spit flew out of the corner of her mouth like a rabid dog.
“Nobody said you stole it. I was just asking if you seen it.” A tall lanky crack-head stepped into Doreen’s face. “You’re the one who got all suspicious actin’. You actin all guilty and shit.”
“Get the fuck out my face, Gary cause I ain’t scared of you like the rest of these bitches in here.”
“I’m not going to be too many more bitches, you dogged-out raggedy ho. I don’t think you know who you are talking to.” said the short dark-skinned woman who stood at Garry’s side. She looked like miniature sumo wrestler.
Doreen stepped into the woman’s face just as Begonia walked into the room.
“I call them like I see ‘em, you fat ugly…”
Garry grabbed Doreen by the hair and flung her to the ground, before she could get the last word out.
“Get off of me you piece of shit.” Doreen screamed. She clawed at his face and shirt, but he did not loosen his grip on her hair. His little sumo friend looked scared and backed up a few paces.
“Get off of her Gary. Let’s get out of here. She’s not even worth it.”
Begonia stood in the archway frozen. She hardly recognized her mom, but she was familiar with this scene. What the hell are you doing here, Bee? What do you expect this woman to help you with. She can’t even help herself.
“Get the hell off of me.”
“Not until you tell me where the hell my radio is. You were the only person here all day.”
“Fuck you and your fucking radio.”
Gary raised his fist like he was about to slap Doreen, but Begonia leaped forward. She grabbed his free hand, pulled it behind his back and punched him in his throat. He dropped Doreen’s head on the floor and grabbed his neck gagging. His little sumo friend screamed but Begonia ignored her. She grabbed a fistful of Garry’s hair and kneed him in the face. He slumped forward unconscious. Begonia stepped over him and picked her mother off the floor.
“Get the hell off of me, Begonia. Jesus,” Doreen said while pulling away and straightening out her dingy shirt. “What the hell are you doing here anyway?”
“What do you mean, what am I doing here? I’m saving your ass as usual. That’s what I’m doing here.”
Doreen stormed out of the house and Begonia followed.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m getting out of here. I’m getting away from you, and the rest of the crazy motherfuckers in that house.” Doreen crossed the street and headed up the block.
“Mom hold up damn. I need to…”
Doreen turned the corner. “I really don’t give a damn about what you need.”
“Can you please tell me what happened to Vi
olet, I need to know what happened to her.”
“Why don’t you go ask her?”
“She’s locked up mom.”
“Yeah I know. But I’m sure that they have visiting hours up there.” Doreen darted between two cars riding down the street. A horn sounded and she flipped the driver the bird. Begonia waited for a third car to pass before following her mother.
“Look mom just tell me what you know and I won’t bother you anymore.”
“Why should I tell you anything, huh? Don’t you already know everything? You kicked me out, right? Yeah that’s right. You kicked me out because you wanted to play at being mommy. Not as easy as you thought it would be, huh? Not quite working out for you, is it?” Doreen tossed her nappy hair over her shoulder and folded her arms beneath her small breast. “What do you want me to say? Your little sister got herself locked the fuck up. She made a bunch of really bad people angry along the way.”
Begonia walked over to her mother. “What do you mean? How did she get locked up and who did she piss off?”
“That’s all I know, sweetie.” A slow smile spread across Doreen’s face. “Your sister plaid a dangerous game with dangerous people and now she’s paying a seriously heavy price.”
The look Doreen was giving her made Begonia’s skin crawl. “That’s it? That’s all you know.”
“It depends.”
“It depends on what?”
“Can I borrow a few dollars?”
“Are you shitting me?”
Doreen looked Begonia up and down. “I know you got some money in those tight jeans of yours. Why don’t you give me a few bucks so I can get something to eat?”
Doreen’s words slapped at Begonia. Her bottom lip quivered and her eyes moistened. She looked away from her mother in shame.
“Oh my, God, Begonia are you crying? I know your not crying. Not Mrs. Big and Bad nope can’t be.” Doreen started laughing. “I’ve seen it all now.” Her laughter tapered off and her hands dropped down to her hips. “If you’re not going to give me any money then you can fuck off, because I stopped caring about what happened to you and your sisters a long time ago. I think it was just about the same time you kicked me out.”
Violet: Strawberry Mansion 3 Page 4
