One good reason, p.30
One Good Reason, page 30
“Of course, I did.” Closing the door, I stood by it and took her in. The middle of her forehead had a bandage on it and there was a small strip above her left eyebrow.
“The airbag deployed,” she shared when she noticed what had my attention.
“Where were you going?”
“I was leaving Publix. The light had just turned green for me to go. I swear I checked both ways before pulling out. You know they run those lights so much, I always check. He came out of nowhere and before I had the chance to brace myself, my car was spinning around the intersection.”
“Did the police get his information? Did he get a ticket?”
“Honey, he drove off.”
“Sincere ain’t say shit about a hit and run.”
“It must’ve slipped his mind. Come in Lawton, you can have a seat.” She patted the side of the bed.
Instead of sitting there, I went over the couch and jabbed Preme in the stomach. “Wake up, nigga.”
His eyes popped open for a second before he looked around the room in confusion then shook his head. “Ma, Dutch punched me in the stomach.”
“Still a fucking mama’s boy,” I spat. “Scoot over nigga.”
“I got yo’ mama’s boy,” Preme yawned. “When you get here?”
“Just now,” I let him know. “When the doctor supposed to come?” I asked.
“I don’t know. Shift change was at seven, so I presume it won’t be too much longer,” my mama added.
“You had breakfast?”
“Not yet.”
“You wanna eat this or you need me to order something for you?”
“Depends. Are you going to stick around long enough to eat with me?”
I knew what she was doing and because of her current situation, I would appease her. “I’ll be here long enough for them to tell me that you’re okay.”
“In that case, you can order something.” She smiled.
“I need to run by the crib so I can shower and shit. I’ll stop on my way back and bring food.”
“Nawl,” I protested. “You will take all day.”
“I promise I won’t. That’ll give y’all time to talk anyway.” Preme shrugged and stood up.
“Don’t fucking play with me, Sincere,” I gritted.
“Talk to her!” he whispered harshly.
Blowing out a frustrated breath, my nostrils flared. “Yeah aight.”
“Mama have Law text me your order and I’ll grab it.”
“Are you sure? Law, is that okay?”
She was probably feeling uncomfortable just like I was. We hadn’t been in the same room alone in a minute. The longer she sat there staring at me waiting for me to answer, the more awkward this shit was starting to get. I didn’t know what the hell to say and was happy when Preme decided to intervene.
“He good, Mama.”
“Okay,” she relented as Preme kissed her on the forehead and promised not to be gone long.
The room grew cold the second he walked out of the door. I was sitting there staring at the wall trying not to look at her. It’s easy as hell to despise somebody when you don’t have to see them. Sitting in the same room with her in this instance was making me feel shit I hadn’t felt in years.
“Sincere said you been trying to reach out,” I drawled, putting an end to the deadening silence.
“I um...” she cleared her throat. “Yes, I have. This battle between us has gone on long enough. I thought we could—”
“Thought we could do what?” I spat, cutting her off. “Make amends, clear the air, be this one big happy family.”
“Talk Lawton. I thought we could talk.”
“About what? How I lived in the same house as you and felt abandoned? How I have attachment issues because I never received love from my mother?”
“I don’t want to rehash the past, Lawton. I want us to move on and try to have some sort of a relationship. I’m getting older, I want to be able to have a relationship with you so I can possibly have one with my future grandkids. God knows Sincere won’t have any before I leave this Earth.”
“It’s just like you to want to skip past the bullshit that happened. We can’t erase history, Valerie, no matter how dressed up the future is.”
“I know that Lawton. What do you want from me? An apology? I’m sorry Lawton that I wasn’t there for you. I’m sorry that I didn’t play a bigger role in your life. I’m sorry that I allowed my issues with your father to cost me a relationship with you.”
“You’re sorry, huh?” I scoffed. “How about apologizing for giving Sincere everything that you were supposed to give to me!” I roared. “Do you know heartbreaking it was to watch you love and dote on a child that didn’t come out of you. He got all of the good parts of you while I got the dirty scraps. You never loved me. You never showed an interest in anything concerning me. You hated Pops and in return passed that same hate down to me. I’m not him.” I beat my chest. “I’m nothing like him but you made me pay for his sins.”
“I didn’t know how to separate the two,” she cried. “You’re so much like him Lawton. From the way you walk down to the way you talk. Everything you are, you’re his carbon copy.”
“That didn’t have shit to do with me.”
“I know it didn’t and I’ve prayed to God and asked for his forgiveness. I know what I did was wrong. I can accept and admit that. I can’t however go back and change it. All I can do is work better at receiving your forgiveness.”
“I wanted acceptance from you. Wanted you to give me that unconditional love that I watched you give to his outside child. The day you brought Sincere home, I saw the way your eyes lit up. You never looked at me like that. And I’m not jealous of my brother, never have been because he lost his mother when he was a child.
Now that I think about it, I lost mine too. When you tried to come around, the damage was too much at that point. I looked for you in her. I attached myself to her because she reminded me so much of you. Was it wrong? Hell, yeah it was. But it felt good, so I did it. And overtime I got comfortable because I had someone that was willing to give me an ounce of love.”
“In whom? Who are you talking about, Lawton?”
Squaring my shoulders, I admitted, “Adele.”
“Lawton…” she mumbled. “What did Adele do?”
“Use me for her own selfish good. Fucked my head up even worse than what you had.”
“Lawton,” she growled lowly. “What are you trying to say?”
“The first time we slept together was the night I graduated high school. Sure, she’d made comments prior to that but never pushed the issue until that night. For years I entertained a relationship with her, hell, we were together while her and Salvador were still married. All of those out-of-town trips were to D.C. to spend time with me.
Adele had my mind so gone I had somehow convinced myself that once her divorce was finalized, she and I would be together. She used me and when I was no longer beneficial, she ended our arrangement. Those grandkids you speak of coming from me, they’ll never happen. The woman I thought would bear my kids broke my heart and I haven’t seemed to be able to put the pieces back together.”
Covering her mouth with her hand, tears sprouted from her eyes. “Oh my God. You were a child, Lawton.”
“Searching for his mother’s love.”
“I’m going to kill her. I had her in my house, around my family and this is the way she chose to repay me. She groomed you, Lawton. That’s predatory behavior. I will have her locked up.”
“I was eighteen when the affair started. Legal consenting age.”
“You were a child!” she roared.
“I’ve been capable of making decisions for myself for as long as I can remember. Adele didn’t force herself onto me. Granted, she presented the idea to me but it was my choice to go along with it. And I enjoyed it for years. Enjoyed it until she dropped me. I don’t regret anything I’ve done in my life.
If you can look in the mirror and live with the fact that your neglect pushed me into the arms of a woman twenty-one years my senior, I can forgive you for our tattered past and work toward a better future with you.”
Getting that shit off my chest felt better than I’d ever imagined. Who knew the conversation was going to reach the point where I would end up admitting I’d slept with her best friend. I believed Val when she said she was going to go after Adele. She’s always been a spit fire. The shit was off my shoulders and Adele would have to deal with whatever came her way. I told my truth.
My revelation must’ve hit her like a ton of bricks because my mama eventually cried herself to sleep. By the time Preme made it back, the doctor had stopped by and informed us that after checking out her x-rays he decided she would have to wear a boot to try and reset her bone. They would assess her again in a few months and from there if he decided she would need an operation, we could move forward.
After she got discharged, I stuck around long enough to make sure she was okay as I promised. Once she was settled into her house, I chopped it up with Preme before going home to my peace.
CHAPTER 30
Talitha
Stepping into the bathroom, I wrapped my arms around Law’s waist and laid my head on his bare back. “What time do we have to be at the stadium?”
“No particular time. The game starts at one. They’re going to start delivering the food as soon as the first person checks in. You did give Rossi and Marsha their tickets, right?”
“I sent it to them on the app.”
“Cool.”
“I’m gonna go ahead and get dressed so I can make sure Gema is good.”
Law nodded his head.
Since he came from visiting his mother, he’d been distant. I asked him if his visit went okay. He claimed it did, but he was different. I noticed it and so did Gema. She told me to give him the chance to tell me about it instead of pressuring him to talk. Taking her advice, I told him repeatedly that I was here for him whenever he was ready to talk.
Speaking of Gema, she was back home and happy as ever. When my mama came to drop her off, she showed up with the whole crew. They only came to make sure I kept my word and signed over their houses.
My mama dropped the case so of course I signed the paperwork, giving them their houses back. I never promised my mama I would sign hers over, but I didn’t want shit else to do with her, so I did the honorable thing and signed it over.
Betty Jo told me they were planning on having Thanksgiving down at her house this year and asked if I wanted to come down. They wanted Gema to come and since this would be the first one with us living away, I told her I would bring her down so she could spend it with them.
Christmas was a different story. Law wanted to take me and Gema to his house in Veal. I’d never been skiing so me, Gema, and Mrs. Jessie was looking forward to that.
Once I had my clothes on, I went downstairs to check on Gema since she and Mrs. Jessie was coming to the game with us.
“Gema, you dressed?” I asked from the other side of her door.
“Jessie putting on my shoes now!” she yelled.
“You look cute.”
I had gone out and purchased us some jerseys so we wouldn’t look like oddballs today. According to Law, the Demon fans were serious when it came to these games. He claimed everybody in attendance would be in some black and red. I didn’t know not one player on the damn team so I found some random jerseys and settled on them.
Mrs. Jessie had pressed Gema hair out last night so it was hanging down her back. I had this black headband I’d bought from Fashion Nova a while back that I gave her to use so she could push the hair out of Gema face. Plopping down on her bed, I propped my body up on the pillow and hung my feet off the side of the bed.
“Law driving or we riding in that fancy truck of his?” Gema asked.
“Baker is coming to pick us up.” I giggled. “Him and his wife are coming with us.”
“How many people gon’ be there?”
“Why? You don’t want to go now?”
“No, I’m going. Just was wondering who all was coming.”
“His brother and a few friends. I think his brother is supposed to be bringing his mama now. I’ve got two friends from work coming. You remember Rossi?”
“How could I forget him?” Gema tittered.
“Right. But that’s all I know off the top of my head. I guess we will have to wait and see when we get there. I ordered you some pasta to eat. I didn’t want you eating all that other stuff. We don’t need to end the night in the emergency room cause your pressure done shot up.”
“I got all of her medicine right here. Do I need a clear bag or is my purse fine?”
“I’m sure you will be okay. Law said we’re being driven directly into the stadium so I’m guessing we’re going past security.” When Gema decided to go with us, I asked Law if I needed to bring her scooter. He said there was no need seeing as though we would be driven directly to his suite. So, I was in agreeance with what Gema said next.
“That sounds fancy.”
“It is fancy,” Law’s deep voice bounced from the hallway. “You ladies in there dressed?”
“We are,” Gema sang.
“Baker is almost here. Pass me your bags so I can get them loaded when he pulls up.”
I didn’t have a bag. I tossed my phone, wallet, and lip gloss in the Tory Burch belt bag and strapped it around my waist. Mrs. Jessie was bringing her big Michael Kors tote bag so she could bring all of Gema meds.
“Talitha, you got everything?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. I’mma hit the lights upstairs,” he said before walking away.
“Law moves around here like he own the place,” Mrs. Jessie teased, making Gema agree.
When they said that, I kept my mouth closed. The man had inserted himself into my business to the point where my mortgage payments were now coming out of his account. The only thing I paid for were the utilities and, groceries and believe me he tried to take on those expenses as well. I had to beg him to let me do it myself. My mortgage was my biggest bill so when he offered to take that one off my hands, I didn’t hesitate to let him.
One night we were laying up after sex and I was venting about needing to trade in my Mercedes. Gema was getting older and I knew getting in and out of my car was becoming uncomfortable for her. Not only that but anytime we went somewhere, I was bringing her wheelchair because the last thing I needed was for her to slip and fall while we were out.
The older she got, the more it seemed like her legs gave out on her at any point. I’d shared that information with my mama and her siblings multiple times so that’s why when the allege abuse rumors started, I was confused. I said all of that to say when I mentioned needed a bigger vehicle, Law offered to buy me one. I declined, of course, but when he took over my mortgage, that freed up some income. Within the next few weeks, I planned to go car shopping.
“Might as well gon’ move in,” Gema tried to whisper to Mrs. Jessie, but I heard her loud and clear.
“Might as well not,” I butted in. “We could fit three of this house into his. If anybody is going to be doing the moving, it’ll be us,” I teased, knowing good and damn well I wasn’t about to be moving into that man’s house.
“Well, what we waiting for then?” Gema countered. “If the house that big, you can gon’ put me and Jessie a room downstairs right next to Graelyn.”
Furrowing my brows, I peered up at Mrs. Jessie. “Gema, who is Graelyn?”
Waving me off, Gema shook her head. “Don’t pay me no mind. You know I’on be knowing what I’m saying half the time.”
“If you say so.” I laughed. “Let’s go. I’m sure Law is waiting on us.”
Shuffling out of the room, I walked into the kitchen and grabbed Gema a bottle of water out of the fridge. By the time I made it to the front of the house, the three of them were standing by the door waiting on me. Law locked up the house while Baker helped get Gema into the truck. Once everyone was seated and strapped in, we pulled away from the house and started for the arena.
Poppa didn’t lie when he said Law had a huge suite inside of the stadium. When we first arrived, he took me around so I could meet the owner and the general manager. He’d also explained that next to the two of them, his suite was the biggest. According to the owner Kovi, Law had purchased it as soon as the sale for the Demons had gone through. Around the stadium, there were various banners for different businesses; Tech Law being one of them.
On top of owning a suite, Law also donated an undisclosed amount of money to the organization yearly. I guess that’s the reason Poppa enlisted his help for one of the players signed to his agency.
The game hadn’t kicked off yet and Gema was already enjoying herself along with Mrs. Jessie. I’d even spotted her fixing herself a cocktail. I didn’t mind not one bit. She was off the clock and welcomed to enjoy herself. I’d met a few of Law’s not so professional friends and so far, Promise, the girlfriend of the guy Hendrix I’d heard him speak to on the phone, was the most welcoming. We were still waiting on his mama and brother to show up. Law explained that the two of them didn’t actually live in Atlanta.
His mama and brother weren’t the only ones running late. Rossi and Marsha had yet to show up. Rossi claimed they were trying to make a fashionable entrance or whatever. I wanted to wait for them to get here so everyone could eat together but after so long I said fuck it. Baker’s wife was a little on the snooty side and after learning that she was close to Law’s ex, I kind of understood her hesitancy to welcome me with open arms.
“Love.” Law slipped up behind me and wrapped his arm around my waist. “Are you okay? Need anything?”
Titling my head back, I stared up at him and smiled. “I’m good. Just taking all of this in. It’s so nice in here.”
“It is. When Kovi bought the previous owner out, he worked out a deal with Mercedes Benz and had the entire stadium redone.”
“Well kudos to him because it was definitely worth it. I hope I get to come to more games.”
