Chapter 22

A week went by and then two. October had arrived and so had fall. There was no word about Susan or Marie. It was as if they had vanished off the face of the earth. We did our best to do life and enjoy it considering the circumstances.

I was at my grandmother’s house one day with Jess and Anna. They were playing with the baby in the living room as the three of us sat in the kitchen talking. A pot of chili was slowly brewing on the stove and a pan of skillet cornbread was in the oven.

I had grown tired of talking about our family problems and so did Holly. We made it a point to avoid the topics of my father and Ray’s missing sister. Instead, we talked about her desire to take a course in medical coding and find a good man. I had one in mind for her. Two actually but which one Donovan or Jeremy?

My grandmother thought it was a great idea for Holly to start school. She could take classes part-time during the day while our grandmother babysat.

The baby started wailing. Jessica walked in with her, “I think she’s hungry.”

Holly stood to retrieve her crying baby, “Sure you still want one of these,” she joked to me before leaving the kitchen with Hailey.

My grandmother stood, “How’s that going?” she asked as she walked over to the stove and removed the top which covered the pot of chili. The aroma danced in the air causing both Jessica and I to hum.

“The doctor said it could take anywhere from four to ten months ... so.”

“Um-hmm, you girls hungry?”

“I am,” replied Jess.

Anna walked into the kitchen, “Me too. It smells good.”

I stood to grab the bowls. When the oven door opened, the scent of the cornbread added to the delicious aroma in the room. Before long, we were sitting around the table taking out our bowls of chili with crumbled cornbread. After we ate, I packed some food to take home and the girls and I left.

We stopped for ice cream before getting to the house. It had become our thing. Most Sundays when my grandmother wasn’t out with her boo-than, we’d go hang out for a few hours and later stop for dessert on the way home. It was something to keep their minds off of the issue at hand.

When we arrived back at the house, the girls thanked me for a great day, and then they went to the sitting room with Ray and Nana.

I went to the room to place my phone on the charger and later went to the lanai. As the breeze danced across my skin, I thought about the girls. I knew despite their pleasant manners that the situation had to be affecting them mentally. Sometimes I’d catch Jessica staring out the living room window or hear Anna crying in the piano room as she played a tune to calm her mind. I decided it was time to find the girls some help to cope. After relaxing for another forty minutes, I made my journey toward the room. It was time for a shower and a good night’s sleep.

I stepped into the room and saw Ray undressing. I suggested to him that we get the girls a therapist. He looked at me for several moments, “Do you really think that’s necessary?”

I nodded, “I do. At least for a couple of months while they work through their feelings. This can’t be easy.”

“It’s not easy on any of us.”

“Right but we’re adults.”

He sighed, “I hate to ask—”

“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.”

He touched my face, “So, did you speak to Derrick today?”

I was stunned for a moment but responded, “Yes briefly.”

“I noticed he messaged you earlier,” he said as he pointed at my cell phone which was on the nightstand.

“Yeah, he was just checking on things.”

His body was a work of art. I smiled as I watched him close the distance between us. His hand cupped my face, “I love that you and my son have such a sweet relationship.”

I didn’t know how to respond to that. It felt like it was laced with something. Was he on to me? I wondered. But it had been months since I was with Derrick and that was over, at least for the moment.

He undressed me, lifted me, and placed me on the bed. I held my legs open for him as he examined me first. He touched my rosebud and traced the petals with the tip of his tongue. I lay there enjoying the way he painted my canvas with his nice strokes and flicks. I released my right leg as I felt the surge of energy creep up on me. He pushed it down and licked and sucked relentlessly until I quaked.

And without giving me a chance to relax, I felt his cock push into my pulsating center. He stroked with purpose and determination. I cussed and squirmed but he held my inner thighs down and drilled magnificently.

After I came for him again, he lifted me in his arms so easily. Slowly he bounced me on his cock and watched my body tremble. He knew he had me. It was the smile in his eyes and the slight grin that provoked my inner grin.

Daddy was nasty and I loved him that way. I loved how he rocked my kitty. I loved that he was older. I loved that he was attentive and with him, I didn’t have to worry about anything. And I loved that we allowed each other to play on occasion. Even if my playing had gotten out of hand. I vowed to do better. Ray deserved better.

He walked over to his chair and sat. He watched me lift and lower on his love stick. His eyes never left me as I rode him. I felt his left hand caressing my breasts one after the other. Then he reached for my hair and pulled me in for a kiss. I felt him unloading his semen in my yoni. We hummed and cooed as we sat enjoying the remaining moments of the orgasm haze.

With everything up in the air, Ray decided to cancel his birthday weekend trip. We didn’t want to leave the girls alone. I can remember the day so clearly. It was the weekend before Halloween. The girls and I had just gotten back from the store. My cousin Holly was there with the baby as well. We were about to decorate the house for Halloween when Ray and Jeremy hurried into the kitchen.

We paused to listen as Ray spoke, “Susan’s been found.”

The look of relief on their faces spoke volumes. Ray said that even though his sister did fuck up, she was still his sister. I understood that. Anna smiled, “That’s great, where’s our mom?” she asked him.

Jessica’s face told a different story. It was one of confusion and disappointment. Ray continued, “They have her in a hospital in Jamaica. There was a struggle between Susan and this Marie woman. She tried to kill Susan but Susan wound up pushing her off the boat. The rudder cut Marie up badly. Her body washed up on a beach in Montego Bay. When they started looking for clues, they found the boat that Susan was on stuck out in the middle of the sea.

I was relieved. No. Really, I was. “That’s great. So, she’s fine.”

Anna jumped up and down and hugged her sister, “Mom’s been found. We can go back and be with mom.”

“You can go back but I’m staying here with Uncle Ray and Ashanti.” She stormed off.

Everyone was in shock but me. Ray wanted to go after her but I stopped him, “Give her a moment.”

I could tell he wanted to run after her and get her right but I was a firm believer in letting people, even children express how they felt. And what Susan had done was pretty fucked up. Jessica felt abandoned by her mother for a criminal.

Holly looked at me, “I should probably get Hailey home.”

I looked around at all the decorations on the counters. Jeremy stepped in to save the day, “I can drop Holly and the baby off. It’s on the way for me.”

“Thanks,” she replied as she gathered her things. I kissed Hailey and walked them to the door. After waving bye, I went inside.

Anna approached me, “Am I crazy for wanting our mom back?”

I hugged her, “Of course not, she’s your mom.”

I’m going to go call my dad,” she informed me before walking away.

I went on a search for Jessica. I found her in the home gym pounding on a heavy bag. Angrily she punched the bag. I watched as she moved about. She paused for a moment, “I know my uncle sent you in here to talk to me,” she commented almost out of breath, “I’m not going to stay with her.”

“I’m sure it’ll be a while before she’ll be able to take you and Anna back—”

“I don’t care. I’m not going even if she’s fine. All of this is her fault. EVERYTHING.”

I didn’t speak. I allowed her to vent.

“She and dad would still be together and I wouldn’t have had to leave all of my friends. And we move here and just when things start to seem normal like maybe for once she wouldn’t be such an insufferable self-absorbed bitch, she steals money from you and Nana.”

“I understand.”

“Do you?”

I nodded, “I get it, your mother fucked up but you can’t harbor this anger inside. At some point, you’ll have to let it go. Trust me. I know what it’s like to have a disappointing parent. To feel like you’re more adult than them.”

“I’ve been so comfortable here. She never lets us have ice cream, she doesn’t let us relax or dance. Everything is so serious. And I just changed schools again and finally found friends that aren’t superficial.”

“Does this friend have a name?”

I saw her face light up. “Abel Henriquez.”

“Latino?”

“Yes. He’s Puerto Rican and Mexican. He’s really sweet. He’s applying to the same college as me. We’re both interested in biology.”

I took a deep breath, “Come here,” I said to her.

She walked over to me. I moved a few strands of her hair, “I’ll talk to Ray about ensuring that you don’t have to switch schools again if you promise to go see your mother when she gets back.”

Reluctantly she agreed.

Jessica made good on her promise to converse with her mother once she was in a better place mentally. It’s amazing what money can do for a person once they’ve committed a crime, But let Susan tell it, she was a victim.

Marie took advantage of her. She used her to get close to the family so she could get the money. She had to do it because she was afraid for her life. Susan was extorting her. I didn’t want to call bullshit but I wondered what information Marie had to make Susan do such a wicked thing. Of course, she never told.

Mid-November, I was outside on the lanai one Sunday evening when she surfaced. She sighed and I did as well, our relationship had not improved. “I’d just like to thank you for turning my oldest daughter against me.”

I scoffed as I sat up from the lounge chair, “If your daughter is pissed at you, that has nothing to do with me.”

“Oh really, then why won’t she come home? Anna has.”

“Have you asked her?”

“I did. She says she doesn’t want to switch schools again and some other stuff.”

I chuckled, “And some other stuff?” I shook my head, “Ma’am you’re something else.”

“I’ve been through a lot, give me a break.”

“We’ve all been through a lot. Some of us just aren’t walking around pointing at other people for our fuckups. We own our bullshit.”

She rolled her eyes, “If only we were all as perfect as you.”

I watched her strut back into the house. I let out a deep sigh but what happened next? As I sat back and tried to push her fuckery back to the deepest recess of my mind, I heard a loud wail. It provoked me to leave everything I had on the lanai and sprint inside. I hurried to where the sound came from. The sitting room.

The only person that spent a lot of time there was Nana. My heart nearly stopped. Would life be so cruel to take her away just when we thought she was getting better? The girls stood by the door crying. Instantly I knew,

My heart felt heavy. I didn’t even want to enter the room; how could I go in? The girls fell into my arms. “It’s Nana, I found her sitting there—” Anna sobbed.