Fort Morgan

by Christian, Claudia Hall

  “Wow,” Abi said.

  Sandy shrugged.

  “You really think she’s going to be okay?” Sandy asked.

  “Even with fairy help, it will take some time for her to heal,” Abi said. “This is a grave injury. Healing is what Sissy needs. When she’s able, she can have anything she wants.”

  “She won’t be a ballerina?” Sandy asked.

  “Fairy?” Abi put her hand on her chest. “Suck at prediction?”

  Sandy chuckled.

  “What does Delphie say?” Abi asked.

  “She says that Sissy will dance throughout the United States and on the big stages of Europe,” Sandy said.

  “And that doesn’t comfort you?” Abi asked.

  “I just. . .” Sandy started to cry again.

  “I know,” Abi said.

  Abi put her arm around Sandy, and Sandy cried on the fairy’s shoulder for what seemed like forever. When she was spent, Abi insisted that Sandy rest and that she would keep watch. Sandy took up a spot on the couch and fell sound asleep. A few hours later, Ivan shook Sandy awake.

  “Sissy has opened her eyes,” Ivan said. “She’s awake.”

  ~~~~~~~~

  Sunday night — 9:25 p.m.

  Denver, Colorado

  Dionne looked up when Bumpy came into the house. He gave her a slight smile and a nod before taking off his heavy overcoat, hat, and sweater. She got up, and they hugged.

  “I saved some dinner for you,” Dionne said.

  “Good,” Bumpy said.

  He followed her through their modest home to the kitchen. She took a chicken breast out of the oven.

  “Chicken?” Bumpy asked.

  “Heart disease is a bitter master, doctor,” Dionne said with a smile.

  “Hmp,” Bumpy said.

  While he used the restroom, she plated the chicken and added some steamed broccoli and roasted Brussel sprouts to his plate. He came out and washed his hands at the kitchen sink. She carried his plate to the dining room.

  “But we have pie?” Bumpy asked.

  Dionne chuckled and nodded.

  “Thank you, Lord, for this meal and pie,” Bumpy said with a chuckle.

  Dionne smiled, and he started to eat. She waited for a few minutes for him to eat before asking him about his evening.

  “So?” she asked.

  “Oh,” he said. He nodded and ate some more.

  “You’ll tell me eventually,” Dionne said.

  Bumpy set his fork down and sighed.

  “I wish I was a drinking man,” Bumpy said.

  “You’ve been a drinking man,” Dionne said. “The problem is that, when you’re a drinking man, you have a lot of drink and not a lot of life.”

  “There is that,” Bumpy said.

  He picked up his fork and started eating again. He’d eaten all of his chicken and most of his Brussel sprouts before she asked about his night again.

  “So, it didn’t go well,” Dionne said.

  “It’s over,” Bumpy said. “That’s all I can say.”

  “I. . .”

  “I know what you want me to say,” Bumpy said. “I should say that we’re lucky the boys don’t have to do real time. We’re lucky the DA’s office was able to separate the boys who purchased the videos from those who committed the rapes. We’re even lucky to be beginning the end of this thing.”

  “You’re right — I do think those boys were lucky,” Dionne said.

  “And their mothers,” Bumpy said.

  “Their mothers are relieved,” Dionne said. “You made this happen.”

  “We both did,” Bumpy said with a nod.

  “So why are you upset?” Dionne asked.

  “The boys spent the better part of the winter in jail,” Bumpy said. “You should have seen them. It was like they were numb. They stared straight ahead with dead eyes. They didn’t say a word. They followed their mothers to their cars.”

  “The boys are coming in tomorrow?” Dionne asked.

  “For checkups,” Bumpy said.

  He turned his focus to his meal. She got up to get him his pie. He looked up when she returned.

  “Apple?” Bumpy asked.

  “Peach,” Dionne said.

  Bumpy smiled.

  “Do you think those boys were. . . injured in jail?” Dionne asked.

  “It’s possible,” Bumpy said. “But. . .”

  He moved the plate with pie on it in front of him.

  “I think they saw their futures evaporate,” Bumpy said. He snapped his fingers. “Gone.”

  “They have it back now,” Dionne said.

  “I hope so,” Bumpy said. “I guess we’ll find out tomorrow.”

  “And the day after and the one after that,” Dionne said. “This is just the beginning of their second chance.”

  “That’s the truth,” Bumpy said.

  “You and I,” Dionne nodded, “we used up every corner of our second chance.”

  “That’s the truth,” Bumpy said.

  “These boys will, too,” Dionne said. “Don’t worry, Bumpy.”

  He gave her a slight nod and finished his pie.

  “Bed time?” Dionne asked.

  “Yes, ma’am,” Bumpy said. He followed her to the bedroom.

  ~~~~~~~~

  Sunday night – 9:35 p.m.

  Hoping not to wake Jacob, Jill shut off the bathroom light before opening the door. She crept across the bedroom and slipped into bed. She’d no sooner pulled up the covers when Jacob reached over and turned on the bedside lamp. He looked at her with sleep-groggy eyes and blinked.

  “How is she?” Jacob asked.

  “Which she?” Jill asked.

  “Right,” Jacob chuckled. “There are a few ‘she’s.”

  He lay back down and closed his eyes. Jill was sure he’d gone to sleep when he opened his eyes.

  “All of them,” Jacob said. He sat up so that his back was against the bed board. “Heather?”

  “She’s resting,” Jill said. “The nurse said that Heather fed the new baby with breast milk from the break milk bank.”

  “Is he in the room with her?” Jacob asked.

  “Not yet,” Jill said. “He’s healthy enough, but she’s not. They want to discharge him, but where would he go?”

  “Here?” Jacob asked.

  “Would that be all right?” Jill asked.

  “It’s all right with me,” Jacob said. “What does Edie say?”

  “The more, the merrier,” Jill said. “Mack will keep going to the Marlowe School but he’s. . .”

  “Coming here as well?” Jacob asked. “Fine with me.”

  “Thanks.” Jill leaned over to kiss him.

  He smiled.

  “Sissy was conscious for a few hours today,” Jill said.

  “This afternoon?” Jacob asked.

  “Right,” Jill nodded. “You were with me when Sandy called.”

  “How is she?” Jacob asked.

  “Healing,” Jill said. “She’s in a lot of pain, so she’s on a lot of meds. The doctors are pleased, but Sandy is worried.”

  “I’m sure,” Jacob said. “And Noelle? Isn’t that where you just came from?”

  “I was downstairs helping Noelle get settled,” Jill said. “And, she’s okay. Not great, but okay. Seems like she had equal doses of awesome times and awful times in New York. She’s glad to be home. She’s going to be home the next couple of days while she gets settled again.”

  “Good idea,” Jacob said. “And how are you, my princess?”

  “Good,” Jill said. “Glad everyone is on the mend. Is it awful to say that I’m glad that horrible financier is suffering?”

  “Not to me,” Jacob said.

  “No more hassles from that Exeriri Genetics,” Jill said. “Go, Otis!”

  “Go, Otis!” Jacob said. “Way to use your psychopathy for good!”

  Jill smiled. Jacob held out his arm and Jill rested against his shoulder.

  “Are you sorry you’re not treated li
ke a true Titan princess?” Jacob asked.

  “Honestly?” Jill asked.

  “Sure.”

  “No,” Jill said. “Plus, I think everyone has a little Titan in them.”

  “Oh yeah?” Jacob asked.

  “A little Titan. A little Fairy. A little Olympian,” Jill said. “When I was there, in Olympia, I really got that these people were the first people. Not human really, but close. They had kids with their sisters because there wasn’t anyone else.”

  “Like Noah,” Jacob said.

  “Adam and Eve’s sons,” Jill said. “There’s lots of people now so we have lots of choices. But we’re all. . .”

  “A piece of Olympia,” Jacob said.

  “Or Fairy Queendoms or Titans or. . .” Jill nodded.

  “Makes sense,” Jacob said. “So it’s okay to have a normal life, not a royal life?”

  “Normal life sounds wonderful to me,” Jill said.

  “Me, too,” Jacob said. “Of course, by saying that we’re saying: ‘Let the drama begin.’”

  Jill chuckled.

  “Good night, my love,” Jacob said.

  “See you in the morning for the next round of drama,” Jill said.

  “God, I hope it doesn’t start that soon!” Jacob said.

  Jill laughed.

  ~~~~~~~~

  Sunday night – 9:35 p.m.

  “You should wear velvet more often,” Jeraine said to Tanesha as he came up the stairs to their bedroom. Jabari was asleep on the bed, and Tanesha was packing her backpack for class the next day.

  She gave a slight shake of her head and went back to packing.

  “You know.” Jeraine put his arms around her waist and kissed her neck. In a low, intimate voice, he said, “You’re still wearing the tiara.”

  Tanesha gasped. Her hand went to her head, where it found the tiara. Shaking her head at herself, she turned to him. She pulled the tiara off her head.

  “You are my princess,” Jeraine said.

  “And you are mine,” Tanesha said. She set the tiara on his head.

  He laughed and adjusted it to a jaunty crookedness.

  “Can I wear the earrings, too?” Jeraine asked.

  Tanesha’s hands went to her ears.

  “This is some fancy stuff,” Jeraine said.

  “Family crest,” Tanesha said as she took off the diamond earrings.

  “Real diamonds and jewels?” Jeraine asked.

  “I think so,” Tanesha said.

  “And they’re yours?” Jeraine asked.

  “I guess so,” Tanesha said.

  “We should put them in the safe,” Jeraine said. “I mean, I know you’re a fairy and all now, but there’s lots of folks who wouldn’t mind trading these for groceries.”

  “You mean like us?” Tanesha asked with a smile.

  “Hey!” Jeraine said with a smile. “I’m making good money. It’s you who’s mooching off the world.”

  “Me?” Tanesha asked.

  “Rich daddy and all,” Jeraine said.

  Tanesha looked so indignant that Jeraine laughed.

  “Shh.” Tanesha gestured to Jabari. The boy opened his eyes. Seeing Tanesha, he smiled and went back to sleep.

  “He really missed you,” Jeraine said.

  “I missed him,” Tanesha said. “And you.”

  “Oh, yeah?” Jeraine asked. His voice was mocking but his face showed his delight.

  “Yeah,” Tanesha said with a grin.

  “Look.” Jeraine pointed to Jabari. “He has the same look on his face.”

  Tanesha smiled at Jabari’s face.

  “It’s sweet how he mimics you,” Jeraine said. His voice was neutral.

  Tanesha squinted and turned to look at him.

  “That is what it is — right?” Jeraine asked. “Just a mimic — right?”

  “Well. . .” Tanesha started. She glanced at Jeraine’s face. He was laughing at her. “How long have you known?”

  “Since he was born,” Jeraine said. “Annette told me she used your eggs to get back at me.”

  “Why didn’t you say something?” Tanesha asked.

  “Why didn’t you?” Jeraine asked.

  “I didn’t know.” Tanesha scowled at him. “In fact, I didn’t know anything about him until just this year. And anyway, why didn’t you tell me? And why in the world would you give that horrible woman access to our child?”

  “Because I’m an idiot,” Jeraine said.

  “That’s the truth,” Tanesha said with a smile.

  “Hey, at least I didn’t pretend I wasn’t his parent,” Jeraine said.

  “I never pretended I wasn’t his parent,” Tanesha said. “I was a biological donor!”

  “Why did you do it?” Jeraine asked.

  “I needed the money,” Tanesha said. “Yvonne needed to go to rehab. It took me forever to talk that horrible Alvin into letting her go. I had to find the money for it.”

  “Alvin didn’t want her sober,” Jeraine said.

  “No, he did not,” Tanesha said. “Speaking of Alvin, Rodney wanted to know if he should pay you back for buying mom from her keeper.”

  Jeraine’s face twisted with disgust. He put his hand on his stomach.

  “I think I’m going to be sick,” Jeraine said.

  “Why?”

  “Because I didn’t buy a human being,” Jeraine said.

  “That’s what happened,” Tanesha said with a shrug.

  “No, it’s not,” Jeraine said. “I paid a man to get out of town. That’s what I did. I did not purchase a human being. No.”

  Jeraine shook his head.

  “No,” he repeated.

  “Okay,” Tanesha said as she raised her hands in submission.

  He sniffed at her.

  “Why are you so hot about this?” Tanesha asked.

  “The man I’m named for was a slave,” Jeraine said. “By my own choice, I gave my life to the record company. My God-given gift to sing and write songs was a slave to their machine. My dad says it was an unconscious replay of the trauma my great-grandfather went through.”

  Tanesha nodded.

  “Your grandfather was a sharecropper,” Jeraine said.

  “And?” Tanesha asked.

  “You’re not so far from slavery, either,” Jeraine said.

  “I’m aware of that.” Tanesha’s voice was laced with impatience. “My mother was a sex slave to a rich white politician named Alvin.”

  Jeraine stared at her for a moment.

  “Ah, Miss T, I’m sorry,” Jeraine said. “I’m an idiot.”

  Chapter Three Hundred and Fifty

  Getting back to normal

  “I think we’ve established the fact that you’re an idiot.” Tanesha smiled.

  He grinned and kissed her. She patted his shoulder and went back to packing her backpack.

  “I did not purchase a human being,” Jeraine said to her back.

  “Fine,” Tanesha said. She glanced at him and then back to her backpack. “Does Dad have to pay you back?”

  “No,” Jeraine said. “I don’t even know how much I gave the man.”

  “You cleared out that account,” Tanesha said.

  “It was most of that,” Jeraine said. “Do you care?”

  Tanesha looked at him for a moment. Her eyes moistened, and she sucked in her full bottom lip. She stood up straight and looked at the wall for a moment before looking at him again.

  “It’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me,” Tanesha said. She sniffed back a tear. “I still can’t believe it sometimes.”

  She nodded to keep from weeping. He gave her a slight smile. When he turned to look at Jabari, Tanesha turned with him.

  “He looks just like Rodney,” Jeraine said. “You’ve seen his hands?”

  “I know,” Tanesha grinned. “They are big.”

  She bent over to pick up Jabari. He fussed for a moment and went back to sleep. Jeraine put his arms around them.

  “Are you home for a while n
ow?” Jeraine asked.

  “I think so,” Tanesha said. “I need to wrap up this year of school and get on with my degree. This fairy nonsense is really eating into my medical-school experience.”

  Jeraine nodded.

  “What?” Tanesha asked.

  “I was wondering if you’d like to go to the Grammys with me,” Jeraine asked.

  Tanesha watched him.

  “I was nominated,” Jeraine said.

  “You were?” Tanesha asked. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  She gave him a half hug and went to put Jabari in his bed in their room. She returned to give him a real hug.

  “I was nominated for best song of the year for that song I wrote for you,” Jeraine said. “Seth and Dad were nominated, too. I was also nominated for writing it.”

  “Congratulations!” Tanesha said. “When are the Grammys?”

  “Next weekend,” Jeraine said. “You want to go?”

  “Sure,” Tanesha said.

  “You can wear your velvet,” Jeraine said.

  “That old thing? I’m not wearing that!” Tanesha asked with a dramatic flip of her hand. Jeraine grinned at her and she smiled. “I’m going to look nice.”

  Jeraine grinned.

  “What?” Tanesha asked.

  “You’re going to look nice,” Jeraine asked. “Are you going to wear the tiara?”

  “Damn straight,” Tanesha said. She clapped her hands. “Got to represent the queendom!”

  “It’s not such a big deal,” Jeraine said. “I’ve been to the Grammys a bunch of times.”

  “I know,” Tanesha said.

  “You know?” Jeraine asked.

  “Of course, I know,” Tanesha nodded. “You always bring some woman with almost no clothing on.”

  “God!” Jeraine clenched his fists and looked up to the ceiling. “I’m such an asshole.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “It never occurred to me that you would see that,” Jeraine said.

  Tanesha raised her eyebrows at him.

  “You’ve seen it every time?” his voice rose with the question.

  “You mean did I see you screwing around with that girl at your dinner table?” Tanesha asked. “Oh yes. I saw it. You can ask Heather about the time you went down the red carpet with a half-naked woman under each arm and an inflated breast in each hand. She has a lot to say about that one.“