Sick Muse
I stood there, in the room. Pennel looked pale, and jittery. The doctor had taken what he needed, and given the blood to the Phlebotomy Lab, to perform the tests. She rubbed her arm, looking to me, then back to the floor.
“Hey…it’s gonna be okay,” I said.
“I’ve always tried to be careful…how did this happen?” she asked…it was more of Pennel using the question as a sounding board to think, and not asking me directly. I sat beside her, placing my hands on her. “Pennel, it’s gonna be okay,”
“No, it’s not. You don’t have to deal with this,” she said. “I was supposed to go to school, and become a surgeon. I wasn’t supposed to get pregnant until my 31st birthday,”
“Pennel. I am here with you,” I said. “Doesn’t that mean anything?”
“You don’t love me,” she etched out, starting to cry. “If I decide to go through with this, I would be doing it alone…I can’t,”
“Pennel, stop. You can’t make me love you…no matter what you do,” I said. “We have history. The most I can muster at this point is to care for you…as a friend. If you decide to go through with this pregnancy, I’ll support you. I want to be a good father, if that is the outcome,” I reinforced.
“But why? I can change!” cried out Pennel.
“Like the way you changed in Hilton Head? That kind of change?” I snapped at her. She lowered her head, sniffling. “That is SO unfair, Mitchell…I’m trying to make peace, and you keep throwing that back in my face,”
“You are only trying to do what gives you the better advantage at the moment,” I said. “You don’t care how it affects me, Meridian, Jassandra, my parents…anyone. It’s all about you,”
Pennel slumped over, crying even more. I really felt rotten, having to say what I had, but it was the truth. She looked up to me with pleading eyes. “Why are you doing this to me?!” she cried in a high pitch, squeaky voice.
I let out a sigh. It was painfully obvious that this whole matter between Pennel and me was going to be very complicated. I sat beside her, putting my hands around her as she continued to cry…her hands made their way around me, as she leaned into my shoulder. “I’m sorry…I’m sorry…I’m sorry,”
“Pennel…we have to work through this,” I said.
She kept crying, as I brought her face into my view. I could see the fear in her eyes…Pennel was always a woman, with a plan. No matter what had come her way, she always had an answer for it. This was the first time that I had noticed, how scared she was, because she didn’t have a solution to her problem. I wiped the tears from her eyes, as she tried to quell her whimpers. “God, I could use some coke,” she squeaked.
I laughed, a little, as did she. The doctor returned to the room. “We should have the results in a few days. In the meantime, just go home, and relax,”
“Thank you for accompanying me,” said Pennel, as we stepped out the elevator, into the lobby. “You didn’t have to come, you know. I know you hate me. I know you’re angry with me for the stuff in Hilton Head. If I could take it back”-
Pennel noticed I had frozen in my tracks…she then looked to where I was staring…Meridian stood before us, her face brimming with rage. I could tell her breathing was heavy, as her chest puffed in and out. Meridian’s eyes were slimmered, and she had a look of murderous intent in her eyes. Pennel’s eyes shivered with terror, as well as the rest of her.
Meridian lunged towards her former best friend, as I held her back. Pennel staggered, looking clueless and uncertain. “You fucking BITCH! How DARE you drug me! I thought you were my friend, Pennel! My BEST, fucking friend!”
“Meridian! Stop it!” I yelled, trying to keep her in check, as she struggled to get at the target of her animosity. “Pennel, go home,”
She nodded, and then walked to her car, leaving within the few minutes that I kept Meridian from pursuing after her. Meridian pushed off of me. “What the HELL, Mitchell?! Whose side are you on?! She drugged me! Had me beaten! And I can’t get some payback for that?!”
“Pennel…is possibly pregnant,” I said, as Meridian’s mouth dropped open. She touched my arm. “Oh…wow…do Mom and Dad know?”
“Not yet…let me be the one to tell them,” I said, with my hands on my waist. “Jassandra knows,”
“Mitchell, I’m sorry. I followed you here, because I wanted to beat her ass so bad…I knew she had something to do with why Jassandra was angry with you Saturday,” confessed Meridian. I gestured out a chuckle, rolling my head back, and then looking to my sister. “You’ve just become a regular Betty Badass short of lately, haven’t you?”
Meridian laughed, showing her beautiful smile. “You’re my brother. I know you’ve spent most of your life protecting me, and taking care of me. I want to let you know…I’m a big girl now, and I can start fending for myself. I’m still gonna need you- just not that much,”
I smiled at her. “I can deal with that. Let’s go get some lunch…they gave me the day to handle my affairs, so I decided lunch with my baby sister sounds nice,”
“Mitchell,” groaned Meridian, with a smile. “When are you gonna stop me calling me baby sis?”
“Never,” I grinned, as I put my arm around her, and we walked back to our cars. We went to a small corner café, where we sat outside, eating our lunch. Meridian had a southwestern chicken salad, with black beans, corn, grilled chicken, and diced orange and yellow peppers…I had fish tacos with slaw. “So it’s Dupree?”
Meridian nodded…she then wiped her mouth with her napkin. “We talked Sunday afternoon on the way taking him home…since he is now done with Cheyenne, he is moving back to Annapolis,”
“Don’t let me come over and find you wearin Marley tees, and spliffin all the time,” I joked. Meridian twisted her lips, in the same manner as Jassandra. “Nuh-uh…not me. I mean, I’m not trying to change Dupree, so he can smoke as much as he wants. I just want him to stay in school, and working at the toy store, so there will be no moving in with him,”
“I wonder how Jassandra’s interview is going with the gallery?” I asked, aloud.
“I’m sure she’s fine,” said Meridian. “I’m just glad that you two are trying to work it out. I know it’s not easy with this Pennel business goin on,”
“It’s hard to move forward, when I keep thinking about this whole pregnancy thing. I’m trying to be supportive, but it’s hard to be there for someone that I have no feelings for,” I sighed. Meridian placed her hand on top of mine. I looked to her eyes, and gave her a slight smile. “Thank you, sis,”
She returned the smile. “I’m here for you, brubby,”
I lay in my bed at the academy that night. I stared at the ceiling, trying to figure a way through this whole debacle. I loved Jassandra, and I wanted to be with her, but I didn’t want to drag her through this mess with Pennel…she deserved better than this. At the same time, I didn’t want to be with Pennel, but it was appearing that the odds weren’t stacked in my favor. I thought about the night when Jassandra and I walked on the shore in Bay Ridge, our feet leaving impressions in the cold sand as the moonlight shimmered against the ever so morphing tides of the Chesapeake.
“I do know, if I ever have kids, I will not ever leave them like my mom left me,” said Jassandra as she gazed to the night horizon. The waves crashed in, the rumbling waters disrupting our serenity.
I smiled. “Have you thought about what kind of kids? Black…biracial?”
“At this point Mitchell, I wouldn’t care…I’d love them just the same,” she replied, with a smile on her face, as I looked to the sky, as seagulls danced all over the starry palette.
I remembered, thinking how as we walked along the beach that night, how I wanted to be the man to bear children with Jassandra…watch our child grow, teach them to love everyone, and most of all- to love them self, and take pride in knowing who they are and where they come from, despite the color of their skin. I remembered thinking how I would make a great father and how Jassandra would be a beautiful mother…after all, she had basically helped Ms. Haddie raise Kendryk, and he was turning out to be a pretty great, young man.
But it seemed that life wasn’t going to work out like that for me. I was still going to be a great father, but it probably would be to the child that Pennel Phelps was possibily pregnant with. No matter how I tried to slice the scenario, I couldn’t bring myself to have any feelings for her- not after what she had done to us in Hilton Head…but I had to put that on the shelf, if indeed Pennel was pregnant, and decides to keep the child. I finally found sleep, thinking how I would be a great dad…just like my father was.
Wednesday…I was in the gym, hitting the body bag. Capers walked in. “You okay, Mitch?”
I cut my eyes to him. “I’m fine…why you ask?”
“Sydnee was just sayin…you barely talk with her anymore,” he replied. “She felt something was wrong, because you usually always talk with her,”
“I figured maybe she wanted to spend time with her new man, as opposed to carryin on ‘Old Maid’ gossipy convos with me,” I breathed as I continued to punch the bag. “Speakin of…how are the two of you doin?”
“Don’t take the spotlight off you yet…I mean I ain’t tryin to get all nosey as far as the scope of you and Sydnee’s friendship,”-
“Then don’t,” I scolded. “She’s a friend. You are her man. When I feel like talking to her, then I’ll talk,”
“Okay…but what about me and you? We don’t even talk like we used to,” said Capers. “Nowdays, you are so wrapped up in whatever has you angry, that you don’t even say shit to me- and I’m your roomie,”
“Dom, you know when I grill you about getting into my business?” I queried him, as my punches intensified on the bag.
“Yeah,” answered Capers. “Wassup then?”
“Call Kenny Loggins, cause you’re in the Danger Zone!” I smarted, really hammering the bag. Capers stood there a minute, as it took a second longer than I figured for it to sink in his head. He then shoved me.
“I don’t have an issue with you dissin me! But talk to Syd! She is freaking out over there…you are one of her best friends!”
“You really wanna do this, Capers?” I asked. He took off his uniform shirt, and grabbed some gloves and head gear. The others helped him in it, as they cheered us on. We walked into the boxing ring, like gladiators. We walked around in circles, holding our mouth pieces.
“I been in here more than you have, Mitch,” said Capers. “Plus, my dad used to box, back in the day. Trust me, you don’t want this,”
I stared at him with killer instinct, as I put my mouthpiece in. “Anybody can get it- all day,”
We danced around, as the people in the gym, cheered us on. I gave Capers the once over- he had nice moves, and his guard was up. I knew with his excess weight, I couldn’t tag him with body blows, so I was gonna have to aim for the head. I couldn’t trade blows with him, because Capers does have experience…I would have to bait him into throwing haymakers, which would leave him open, and rely on my speed. I punched at his hands. “Last chance- I won’t think any less of you,”
“Same with you,” breathed Capers. He took a couple jabs at me, which I blocked. I then came at him with a body blow to his side- a ploy to get him to drop his guard a little lower, so that I could tag him with a left…but instead Capers pops me with a right hook, sending me sprawling against the ropes.
“Oooh!”
“He tagged that ass, Hollister!”
“He aint gonna beat no Latino,”
“Shaddap, Garcia!”
It was that comment- that sent me into a synaptic moment of madness…it reminded me of the brawl at the convenience store. Someone was always doubting me, always pulling my card…I always had to prove that I wasn’t this punk ass, rich white boy who was scared to get my ass kicked by black guys, and now by Latino dudes, screamin for blood.
I shook the ringing off, and deliberately started for Capers. I threw two jabs with my left, as he blocked them.
Capers threw in his left…I ducked under, and with my adjusted timing I busted him with a left uppercut. Capers fell back against the ropes, and on the bounce back, I tagged him with a couple of upper body blows, then combo’d it into a right hook and a left hook. Capers was reeling, as he staggered to the left.
“Damn!”
“Hollister gettin in that ass!”
“Get up Capers!”
As I stalked Capers, I underestimated him- his recovery time, and walked right into a left haymaker, that sent me falling to the ground. My head throbbed in agony, as I crawled around. Capers himself, had adjusted, but not fully, as he tried to shake off his cobwebs too. I crawled to the rope and started to pull myself up. The right side of my face throbbed, as my vision came into focus…Capers was ready and moving, but was a little slower than when we started. I had sure rocked his bells, but he got me too.
The crowd was roaring, and I wasn’t sure I could take another punch like that. We started to move around again, trying to anticipate our opponent’s next move. Capers threw two jabs with his right, and hammered me with a left hook. I stumbled a little, catching my footing, but Capers had quickly reloaded and hit me again with a left hook. I fell to one knee, and responded the best way I knew how…
I threw a dead-on shot to Capers’ groin.
Everyone froze in horror, as Capers cried out like a soprano singer. He then, fell over, like a giant mastodon that had been speared, rocking the ring. I fell over, using my right arm to prop myself up. My head was throbbing like hell, and I was winded. I looked to Capers…his mouthpiece was a few inches away, and he was gasping for air.
“Damn…that was crucial,”
“Hollister put that nigga down!”
“Dude, are you blind?! Capers was gettin that ass until Hollister took that cheap shot!”
“MEDIC!”
Everyone laughed at the “medic” comment- a comedic routine that they did on the movie Starship Troopers, that, we watched one night in the Rec Lounge on Friday night.
I let myself go, and further collapsed on the mat. My head was pounding from all the punches that Capers had landed on me. I closed my eyes tightly, as that somehow seemed to dampen the throbbing, a little.
“So what do you want me to tell her?” asked Capers, between breaths. I rolled my head to my left looking at him, still holding himself.
“Tell her that I don’t wanna talk about it,” I gritted through the pain. “It has nothing to do with her…or you. It’s personal, and I don’t wanna talk about it right now,”
We laid there for another thirty minutes, until they started to close the gym…we finally gained enough energy to get up, and leaned on each other, walking slowly, back to our quarters. After hitting the showers, I lay in my bed, putting an ice pack on my head…Capers lay on his bed, with an ice pack on his groin. I started to drift off to sleep, when my phone rang- it was a call from…Kellie Maitland? What in the hell, did she want with me…and why? I pressed the option to send my phone to voicemail, in which it did.
Friday…I was back at the doctors, with Pennel.
“Miss Phelps…the tests have confirmed, that you are pregnant,” notified the doctor. “However, there are come issues…we also found trace amounts of cocaine, as well as Xanax, and ecstasy. We are going to have to do further tests on you to determine the condition of the fetus,”
Pennel shook with terror, she starting to look as pale and sickly as she did when we were in the office for the appointment on Monday. “When do you need me to return?”
“How about we schedule you for Wednesday at 10 AM…will that work for you?”
Pennel nodded. We got up and left the office, heading to the parking lot. Pennel looked to me, as I slid on my sunglasses. “I can explain,”
“If there is a chance that this is my child, and if you decide to go through with the pregnancy, you better pray it comes out healthy,” I hissed. “That sounded like a cocktail to send a comatose person into a frenzy! What the fucking hell, Pennel?!”
“Mitchell, if I would’ve known, I would’ve stopped immediately!” cried out Pennel. “I’m sorry, Mitchell…I don’t wanna fight about this…please,”
I looked down at the ground…I was so tired of Pennel and her shit, at this moment. Two weekends ago, she was the queen bitch, having her goons beat the living daylights out of me…and now, she’s begging me to forgive her of those “indiscretions”, and play possible proud father of her child to be.
I sighed, looking to her timid eyes, uncertain of the decisions that she had to make. I caressed her soft face with my hand. “I’m sorry…I shouldn’t have tee’d off on you like that,”
Pennel’s nose cringed, as the rest of her face made this funny look, as if she smelled rotten eggs or something. She took off, like a running jackrabbit through the doors, back into the doctors’ office. I stood there in questionable silence, awaiting her return.
Within ten minutes, Pennel slowly walked out the door looking more horrible than she had…her face looked very flushed, as if she had vomited. She stopped, short of me, keeping distance. “Are you wearing cologne?”
“Yeah…Burberry London,” I answered. “Why?”
“The scent of that cologne is very nauseating,” said Pennel. “I had wanted to do lunch with you, but I can’t with that cologne. The scent just made me vomit…I can’t be around when you wear that,”
“Oh damn…I’m sorry,” I said. “I’ll just walk you to your car…you sure you gonna be alright, getting home by yourself?”
“I’ll manage,” said Pennel, as we walked to her car, keeping my distance, so she wouldn’t become sick again. She opened the door and slid in. “Once again, thank you, for accompanying me. I know you are trying Mitchell…I know that you hate me, for what I’ve done to you. I know I have to think hard about this. What if my wild ways, and drug abuse has affected this child?”
“Hey…think positive,” I said. “We will see what happens on Wednesday. You take care,”
I closed the door, Pennel sulking into her seat, as the window came down. “Mitchell…I don’t deserve you. After all we have been through, and all I’ve put you through- why are you still here for me?”
“Pennel, have you ever truly had a friend who accepted you for who you are, no matter what?”
“Only one,” answered Pennel, kind of staring off into space. “And now she wants to rip my throat out,”
“Well, think of me as friend number two…except that we don’t hang out…as much…at all,” I said. Pennel laughed a little, smiling. She looked to me, with her sparkling green eyes, and beautiful subtly-glossed lips. She then left the parking lot, heading on her way home. I walked to my car and left, heading back to the academy. I sat there, in the library, finishing up last minute work that I had to make up, because of the unanticipated “leaves” that I had to take over the past week. This whole episode, was really messing up my groove. The completion ceremony was next Friday, and we had to make sure that all our courses were completed. I had very much wanted to spend my summer with Jassandra…but that didn’t seem to fit in the current itinerary. It seemed like I was going to spend all summer in doctor’s appointments, with Pennel, if she decides to keep the child. I hadn’t heard from Jassandra all week…maybe she was still angry with me, and calmed me down so I wouldn’t have done anything stupid, like shoot Dre. If the roles were reversed, I would’ve done that…I sat there, rationalizing, how Jassandra may not love me anymore, but she loves me like the older brother she has never had, so she lied; she said she loved me, to keep me from going after Dre, and possibly get shot.
I finally finished my work, going to the teachers’ administration, and dropping off the completed work there, since all the instructors were gone for the weekend. They had also decided, since this was our final week with classes, that they would let us get early weekend leave. I walked to my room, and started packing my bag…there was a note on my bed, from Capers. I sighed, thinking how I did, in a way of sorts; take a cheap shot- punching the man, in his balls.
That night we made it to the room, sore and bruised up from the fight we had, I didn’t even verbally apologize. But I was sure we were still cool, because we didn’t beef with each other for the rest of the week. I took the note in hand, pondering whether I should open it or not…I then smiled, and stuffed the letter in my bag. I wanted to hear what he had to say, when we meet up again. I then left the room, locking the door, and heading toward the main building.
“Mitchell!”
I turned to Sydnee, who stood before me. Her bottom lip was poked out, as hell burned through her eyes. I walked toward her, as she started to advance to me.
“Sydnee, I”-
That’s when she decked me in the mouth. I reared back, dropping my bag and covering my mouth. “ARGH! What the hell…?!”
“You wanna fight? Then take your petty aggressions out on me, not on my man!” she screamed. I grabbed a handkerchief out of my pocket, as I spit blood. “Dammit…you made me bite the inside of my mouth,”
“You don’t wanna talk to me- FINE! But keep your hands off Dom! He is not your punching bag!” yelled Sydnee, getting all up on me like she was Billy Badass, while I was bent over. I rose, holding the handkerchief over my mouth. “Fine, duly noted- I won’t use Capers for a punching bag anymore…now will you please, quit beating on me?”
Sydnee’s little cute angry face, turned to that of serene and calm again. She took the handkerchief, and dabbed at the impression mark. “We have been friends for a very long time, Mitchell…you know- no matter what, I still have feelings for you, and care deeply about you. You know that I know, when there is something wrong with you, just as you know when there’s something wrong with me. You can’t, make me not care…I always will,”
“I’m sorry, Sydnee,” I said placing my hands on her arms to hold her still. “I feel the same way about you…but I know Capers is a good man…that’s why I don’t worry about you so much anymore. You are in capable hands, with him,”
“But I do worry about you,” retorted Sydnee. “Not about Jassandra, but about all this business with Pennel Phelps…she is making you miserable, Mitchell. I can see it, Dom can see it…I’m pretty sure Meridian and a few others can see it,”
Her soft hand caressed my face, and for a brief moment, my mind was taken back to when I used to be with her…that was why we got along so well. We were so much alike- both of us were children of military men, both us had siblings (though Meridian was my twin sister, and Stephen was Sydnee’s younger brother, born three years after she), and both of us had similar views, on interracial relationships. I smiled, at her beautiful brown eyes. “Thank you for worrying about me,”
She let out a laugh, blushing. “Well, the Brigade is having a bonfire party tomorrow night in Bay Ridge…a sort of ‘last time’ get together, as you know some of our fellow Plebes will be reassigned. Booze, barbeque, and music…bring Jassandra,”
“I will,” I smiled. “Look, I’m sorry about fighting with Dom. I wish I could tell you more, but I can’t,”
“That is okay,” said Sydnee. “I forgive you. Now it’s up to you and Dom to talk things out,”- she walked away, heading back to her quarters, I guess to get her bags to leave. I stood there for a minute, wondering…how did such an amazing woman enter my life, and why did I let her go? I then remembered the answer…Jassandra. I picked up my bag, and continued into the main building, on my way to my car. I plugged in my iPod, and pulled out of the parking lot, listening to Sick Muse, by Metric.
I pulled to the house, as Meridian came out, and got into the car…we then left, heading to Baltimore. The whole ride was quiet, as we didn’t utter a word. We arrived at Dupree’s and picked him up…the three of us rolled into Westport Homes, for the second time. I pulled into an area where my car wouldn’t look conspicuous, or inviting, to a robbing crew. We stepped out of the car.
“Here,” I said, handing Meridian Dad’s gun, from the glove box. Meridian cocked it, checking to see if there was a bullet in the chamber. “I’m ready,”
“Wh- wh- wha- wha?” squeaked Dupree. “Your sister can handle a gun? Who is she- mutha fuckin Evelyn Salt?!”
“Our dad taught us to use a gun,” I said. “That seemed to be one of the few ‘man things’ that Meridian did like,”
“Aw damn,” slurred Dupree, suddenly, as if he were turned on by my sister holding a gun. “Maybe later, we can use that gun for some role play…you hold it to my head, while you jerk me off?”
I looked to Dupree, with the most insane expression. “Are you fucking serious, talking to my sister in front of me, about foreplay at gunpoint?”
“Sounds kinky,” replied Meridian, with a wicked smile that matched Dupree’s. “Just gotta remember to keep the gun on safety,”
I looked at the two of them, mortified, and shook my head. “You two are something else…okay, Dupe- you take Meridian and cover that area…I’m gonna go down this way. If you see her, text me with the number five…if you run into trouble text me with seven…if for some reason you two get caught up in some police action, run and text me with the number three. Okay?”
Meridian and Dupree nodded. We parted ways…our goal- to find Gissele.
I walked along the same path that we had driven through the other weekend, when Dupree had brought me here. I was dressed, in some old clothing that I didn’t care about, so that I wouldn’t draw any more attention to myself than I needed.
The night had already cast its cloak of anonymity over the skyline. That was a relief in itself; because I really stuck out like a sore thumb in the daylight…maybe they wouldn’t pay too much attention to a white boy strolling around at night. They’d probably just think I came to the hood to buy some drugs, and that was okay with me. As long as I didn’t encounter any hostility, they could think whatever they wanted to.
I walked to an open basement area under one of the project homes. I noticed that Meridian and Dupree were coming my way…upon getting closer to the basement area, I seen two girls standing at the entrance, in a casual fashion. I put my hood on my head, and walked to the shorter girl. She moved into the light…it was Gissele. “You wanna date?”
I raised my brow. “Date?” I said, all scratchy, trying to disguise my voice. What the fuck, was a date? I mean, was she asking me to take her out to a restaurant or something? Gissele still looked dirty, except she was dressed in some different clothes, than when Dupree and I seen her the first time. She wore an old faded Towson University hooded sweatshirt, a pair worn out looking jeans, and some beat up Reeboks.
“Yeah, a date,” said the other girl, rolling her hand like she was holding a penis and pretending to give head. I laughed a little…so I guess “a date”, is slang code for me paying for sex, or a blowjob. “Twenty-five dollars,”
I kind of waffled, and nodded at the same time.
“Which one of us you want?” the other girl asked.
“I’ll take the shorty,” I said, trying to sound all “hood” and shit, but ended up sounding like a lame ass version of Channing Tatum. The other girl walked away, while we walked into the basement area…Gissele closed the door.
“You a white boy? Been a while since I’ve did a white boy,” she said. Gissele backed me against a table, then proceeded to get on her knees. She grabbed my pants, starting to pull on the zipper. I pulled off my hood. “Gissele! It’s me- Mitchell,”
She rolled her eyes, getting up. “What do you want?”
“I came to take you home,”
“Why do you care about me? I don’t even like you! You made me sick, Pennel always fawning over your ass! I loved her!” she shouted.
“Gissele…I have never been in love with Pennel. Why hate me?” I asked her, as she paced back in forth. She stopped, quickly whipping her head to me. Her eyes started to fill with tears. “Cause she cared for you, more than she did for ME! Nobody cared for me! I was always the little spic runt who was protected by Pennel! They never even saw me as an equal!”
“I’m sorry, Gissele,”
She looked to Meridian, who stood there, with Dupree behind her. Gissele’s mouth dropped open, like she was seeing a ghost. “M…Meridian?”
“Yes, Gissele…I’m sorry if I may have mistreated you in the past. Pennel and I are no longer friends anymore. I want you to come home…your family has been worried about you,” spoke Meridian, calmly, as she extended her arms.
Gissele’s lips quivered…she stood there, as her eyes filled with tears, and she was breathing heavily. Gissele finally broke into full sobs, as she ran into Meridian’s arms, my sister embracing her tightly. Her cries were loud, as she clawed and gripped onto Meridian’s hooded jacket, her body shaking from all the pain and loneliness she had been keeping bottled inside for about a year. Meridian rubbed her back. “There, there…it’s all over now,”
Dupree took Gissele into his arms, as Meridian, consoled her... we left the basement area. The other girl ran up. “Where are you takin her?”
“Home,” I said.
“What about the twenty-five dollars?”
“Keep the fuckin change,” I growled, throwing the wadded up money in the girl’s face, as we walked back to the car. On the trip home, Dupree sat in the front with me…I looked into the rear view mirror, as Gissele had fallen asleep on Meridian’s lap. Meridian looked up to the front and smiled, as she caressed Gissele’s head. “Thank you, brubby…I’m so proud of you,”
“Thank you, for helping me out,” I said.
We pulled up, at the Brady residence, as Gissele’s father and mother took their daughter into their arms. Congressman Robert Brady shook my hand. “Thank you for bringing my Gissele home. We were wondering if we would ever see her again,”
“My sister has been friends with Gissele since high school. I knew if anyone could talk Gissele into coming home, it would be her,” I said. Congrssman Brady then gave Meridian a hug, as she didn’t expect it, her eyes growing large.
“Thank you,” he said. Meridian smiled.
“Well, we must be leaving,” I said. We walked back to the car, where Dupree waited, smoking a joint. I snatched it out of his mouth, taking a puff. “What the hell is wrong with you, spliffin in front of Congressman Brady’s house?”
“Hey! Gimme my shit back!” harped Dupree. “I’m tryin to calm a dude’s nerves down!”
I handed the joint to Meridian, who took a drag. She kissed Dupree, blowing the smoke into his mouth. He smiled. “Wow…I like that. Good girl gone bad?”
“I’m always a good girl,” teased Meridian, as they got into the car. We took Dupree home…Meridian stepped out the car. “I’m gonna spend the weekend at Dupe’s. You can go do whatever…just come and pick me up Sunday,”
“Okay,” I said, holding my hand out. Meridian cursed under her breath, stomping as she handed me the gun. I smiled. “Dupe is gonna turn you out,”
“How do you know I’m not turning him out?” she asked. I looked at her with a raised brow, before I burst into laughter. “You? Really?!”
Meridian sighed a heavy pout at me, then stuck her tongue out. She then walked up the stairs to Dupree’s apartment duplex, as I laughed, pulling away.