Traveling Vivian

Chapter SeventyTwo - Goodbye Linlee

Felix and I debated if we should go back to Chicago. I wanted to know why Linlee needed us there badly and to see if her baby was born yet. I shivered at the sight of her touching her own baby or better yet, if she was even capable to raise that baby. I looked at Felix to find the final answer in his eyes or something. Felix just shrugged and looked at his tattoo shop. He rummaged through the drawers to pretend reorganizing this or that.

I finally broke the peace. I sighed and then said, “So are we going or what?”

Felix looked up at me and put down the ink bottles. “Do you really want to go?”

I looked around curiously and then nodded. “Yeah. I actually want to see the baby.”

“Then let’s get Ella ready.” Felix answered. He dusted off his jeans and then went up to the connecting steps that led us into the house.

I ran to Ella, who was sleeping in her crib, and picked her up. Ella made a fuss but she settled after I placed a binky in her. “Come on, Ella. We are going for a drive.” I whispered. Ella cooed and then closed her eyes.

When we arrived to my old house, we looked around the surroundings and gasped at how poorly taken the property became. The grass overgrown the bushes and there was barely a driveway. Lights flickered through the window as the upper floors were dark and gloomy. I could see a small faint light shining in the back windows. Then I heard a baby wail loudly. To my surprise, there were at least two police cruisers parked outside near the sidewalk. I frowned and picked up Ella from her carseat.

“No, mommy! This place is bad!” Ella cried out when she saw the house.

“Ella it won’t be too long.” I said as I lifted her up in my arms.

I walked towards the front door. As each step crossed, the fallen twigs cracked and crushed under my feet. I shivered with the cold spring air blowing against our path. Then finally I stepped up onto the steps and knocked on the door.

Immediately, the door sprung opened by the police. “Miss Vivian Houston?” One of them asked.

I nodded and pushed Ella closer to me.

“Miss Houston, you are granted custody of Bentley Callis, the child of Linlee Callis. She says you are the only person she trusts with her son. The father is unknown and as she wishes, this child is yours. “ He continued to say.

He moved a bit so I could see Linlee, holding her son, rocking in the chair. She was nursing him and I felt a punch of sadness hit me. “Can I have a few moments alone with her?” I asked.

The police nodded and they left the house. I ran to the chair next to her and I saw her hand was chained with handcuffs next to the rocking chair.

I put Ella down and watched Linlee with sadness. The tears fell down and I sighed. “What happened?”

Linlee huffed and looked at Ella. “She had such a nice ass.”

“Shut the fuck up! Tell me what happened!” I yelled.

Linlee pushed Bentley off her breasts and looked at me. “I tried to sell him to a whorehouse.”

“Linlee, you sicko! He’s only a couple weeks old! How could you?”

“I didn’t want him. I did everything I could. I tried to sell him, burn him, even attempted to bury him alive. The neighbors saw me burning him and they called the cops on me. They checked my records and the police saw me unfit. I was prostitute and I raped kids. When you left, I volunteer as a chaperone for the after school kids. Each one of them had a taste of me, and here I am, going to prison, forever. They found out I had a son and they wanted to know if I did anything to him. I didn’t answer. They asked the neighbors and they told them. Now I lost custody of him. Lloyd doesn’t want him or anything to do with me. So I turned to you. Please, take good care of Bentley.” She whispered.

I saw her pushed Bentley off her thighs and I caught him in time. “Linlee, you’re going to prison? For how long?”

“I don’t know yet. But promise me, you’ll take good care of him?” She asked.

I nodded as the tears dripped down my eyes. “Linlee, what about the legal forms?”

“They got it all ready for you. Right there-“ She pointed to the coffee table and I grabbed it. I looked it over and gasped.

In regards to the custody of Bentley Callis, the Court rules Bentley Callis will be given to Vivian Houston, long time acquaintance of the defendant, Linlee Anabel Callis.

Custody will begin approximately by Sunday April twenty fourth at noon.

I looked   at the paper and held Bentley. I looked in his tanned skin and blue eyes. He reminded me a lot like daddy or Linlee’s father. He had tanned deep skin like his father, Lloyd. In some sense of me, he was my nephew and I felt the need to care for him, just like he was mine. I brought him close to bosom and hugged him carefully. “You’re my sweet boy,” I whispered to him.

I turned to look at Linlee as she cried. She tried to wipe her tears but the handcuffs gripped her. “Take good care of him.” Linlee said.

I nodded and lifted Ella up by her hand. “Goodbye Linlee.”

Linlee nodded and turned away. She wailed loudly and carelessly as I turned towards the door. I put Bentley in the carseat and immediately, the police officers came in and handed me the forms to sign. I signed them and with that, Felix picked Bentley’s carseat and brought the two kids to the car.

I handed the forms back to the police officer and sighed.

Behind me, I heard the handcuffed release from the chair but they pulled Linlee from the chair and she started crying loudly. They spoke her rights and I close my eyes. My best friend is now forever gone.

Linlee wailed loudly and cried for Bentley but I shivered. “Goodbye Linlee.” I whispered with the wind. The police officer pushed her past the threshold and into the cruiser.

I walked to our RAV4 and looked at the house one last time. We had dreams here. We had a future we were going to live in but it was gone. Along with this madness, the police decided to burn the house down. Kids, endless amounts, were tortured here within the first three months of Linlee living here alone. I watched as the house burned down and then, I picked up Bentley’s blanket.

“This is where we planted dreams, only to be shattered by the recklessness of Linlee.” I said.

I hopped in the car and Felix drove away. “Now we have two children.” Felix laughed.

“Yes we do. A boy and a girl.” I said.

“Let’s get married next Saturday?”

I wanted to get married. I hoped for it. “Yes!” I squealed.