Past (Timing)
Tarai
I looked around at my surroundings, the run was over. There was no way we gonna get away from all this together. With all the police officers around us made my heart pound in my chest hard, everything started to go in slow motion. At this point my life started to replay in my head from the day my mother died, to my father leaving me down to all the kid napping shit. Guns were drawn in my face, then i got to thinking Maybe this was how life was supposed to be, maybe I'd die this way.
"Come on Tarai... Put the gun down... Don't make a mistake that's gonna ruin your life" Vince pleaded as he stood a few feet away.
His words instantly made me change my mind, slowly i put the gun down on the ground and slowly faced Co. The sadness in his eyes made my heart sink, it was over.
The officers rushed pass agent Vince and over to me, placing me in handcuffs. "I'm sorry" I mouthed to Co as stood face to face in handcuffs. Tears fell from my eyes as they pulled me away, separating me and Co from each other.
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At the station
Co sat in the interrogation room impatiently waiting for someone to come tell him what was going on. A few minutes when by and the door opened. Agent Vince walked in closing the door behind him as he stared Co down. Walking over to him he removed the handcuffs him letting his hands free.
"They gonna let you go... They have no evidence against you to hold you" Vince told him.
Co looked up at his uncle with a mad expression "Where is she"?
Vince inhaled deep as he sat down on the edge of the table "Co she's not innocent... She's being charged with murdering a cop... She's already on the way back to Atlanta where she will be processed and held without bond until her court date" Vince explained.
"No... Fuck that... You don't understand... I was supposed to protect her" Co said angrily as he banged his fist on the table.
"Co you can't protect her ... Get that through your head... She was messed up way before you came along" He whispered to him in an aggressive voice. Never had he saw his nephew this crazy about a girl, it was like she had a hold on his life.
Co leaned back and shook his head "She's not who you think she is... She's innocent I'm telling you".
Vince became fed he tapped on the table as he stood to his feet "Comari go home" he said heading towards the door.
"I have proof" Co blurted out causing Vince to stop and face him.
"What"?
"You wont listen to me... I've been telling you the same shit over and over again... I have evidence that prove otherwise" Co said now having all Vince's focus.
"How"?
"Recording" Co informed him.
Vince stood there for a second in deep thought before he pulled out his phone. He dialed a number and placed the phone to his ear. "Sherri... Hey .. Yeah long time... We need to talk asap" he said hanging up the phone and leaving the room without saying another word to his nephew.
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Present day:
Tarai
I watched as Sherri smiled and closed her notebook. We looked at each other and for minutes we didn't say anything.
"So that's it"? Sherri asked breaking the silence.
Nodding her head, Tarai said "Yup... Everything is in your book".
"I'm gonna prove that your innocent even if I gotta work on this case for the rest of my life... And I'm so proud of you Tarai... When I first met you you held so much anger and pain but now I feel the peace around you. You gonna make it baby everything is gonna be okay" Sherri informed her.
"I just can't wait til this is over you know" Tarai said.
"And it will be... You have court in a couple days" Sherri said, smiling.
A smile spread across Tarai's face "Yeah I know... I just hope this goes right".
"It will baby... I'm praying for you... Remember God is watching and he's the one that has the last word" Sherri said standing to her feet.
Tarai stood to her feet and Sherri pulled her in a tight hug, it was the first time in months she actually felt loved. A tear slid down her face as she hugged Sherri back "Your gonna be ard".
They pulled away from each other and gave each other one last look before Sherri left out her cell. Tarai wiped her tears and then fell to her knees to say a silence prayer.
For the past couple days Sherri had been working on the case day in and day out. She made time to do for her child, cook, clean, help with homework and still work the case. She was determined for Tarai to be set free so she could move on with her life.
She sat at her desk for hours thinking. Sherri then picked up her cell phone and dialed a number.
"Hello this is Sherri the lawyer working Tarai Brown's case... Yes... Yes... It's tomorrow... I have a feeling that this is gonna play out and she's gonna be set free... Yes... A strong feeling... Yes... Meet me at the court house by three... Okay... Bye" Sherri ended the call and sat at her desk with a smile on her face. With high hopes she knew Tarai would be walking out that court room as a free woman.
The only thing they could try to pin on her is that he was a cop.
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The time had come so fast, Tarai sat in front the judge as they had been going at it for about four hours. She watched as The lawyer against her and Sherri went back in forth with all types of evidence. Everybody had just came back from their thirty minute break and all Tarai wanted to do was be home.
The court door opened and as soon as she turned around her heart skipped a beat. There he was walking in looking fine as wine, she honestly thought she would never see his face again. Co nodded at her with a small smile on his face as he sat down in the third row.
"Judge she murdered a officer in cold blood... This woman is guilty of murder" the lawyer against her stated.
Sherri stood up "But with the evidence and the recording we just heard clearly proves that this woman is innocent from all charges".
Thanks to Co, before he went to Gordon's house that night he set a recording on his phone to record everything Gordon said. Once they processed Tarai Co sent the recording to his uncle.
After a few long minutes the verdict was in and the woman stood up with the paper in her hand. Tarai stood to her feet next to Sherri with her heart in her stomach. This was her life on the line, if she was found guilty she would be in jail for the rest of her life. She would never be with Co again nor would she ever see her baby girl.
"The jury founds the defendant Tarai Brown Innocent of all charges".
At that moment Tarai felt like screaming, she literally jumped in Sherri's arms happily. Sherri was right this was all in God's hands and now she would be set free. As they walked out the court room door she grabbed Co and hugged him so tight, she really missed him.
He leaned down and pecked her lips a few times, nothing could take away how happy he was. Soon as they stepped out the door Tarai took in the fresh air on the outside and felt the freedom. Freedom from Gordon and everything that came with him.
Sherri stood there smiling "I have a surprise for you" she told Tarai.
Just then a car pulled up and soon as the car door opened Tarai literally broke down in tears. Shalayah stood there a few feet from her, excited to see her mother for the first time in months. Shalayah ran up meeting Tarai halfway as she fell in her mother's eyes, embracing her with the love she missed so much.
"I missed you so much" Tarai told Shalayah as she planted kisses all over her face.
Sherri smiled as she handed Tarai a paper " I pulled some strings for you and your daughter ... You were granted full custody of your daughter".
"I'm so happy" Tarai cried out as she picked her daughter up in her arms, she pulled Sherri in a tight hug and continued to thank her.
"Your Welcome... I have something else for you " Sherri passed over a small piece of paper to Tarai and Nodded her head for her to unfold it and read it.
Confused and nervous to what she was about to read, Tarai slowly opened the paper. Her mouth dropped as she slowly looked back up at Sherri.
"Remember it's your choice to go make peace with him or you can forget him and your past and go live the life because you deserve" Sherri said patting her on her back. She glanced over at Co and smiled "Take care of her... She's a good girl".
He nodded "Yes ma'am" He told Sherri.
Sherri smiled at Tarai one last time before she turned and walked away, at last her job was done. But while she walked away she promised her self to keep in touch with Tarai and always make sure she was good.
"I love you" Tarai said to her daughter.
"Love you too mommy" Shalayah said the best way she could.
Tarai looked over at Co"And I love you too... Thank you".
He smiled "you don't have to thank me... I failed you Tarai and for that I'm sorry... But I need you in my life ... I want you and Shalayah a part of my life forever" Co said touching a soft curl of Shalayah's hair that hung down
In her face as she giggled.
Tarai smiled "We would love that babe" she said pecking his lips.
He grabbed her hand and said "Let's go home".
Smiling again she nodded her head and they crossed the street and walked over to Co's truck. Once they were inside and he pulled off, Tarai knew this was just the beginning of their best life. No more dram, no more pain, no more trafficking and no more being On The Run.
A few days later:
Tarai took a deep breath before stepping up on the porch of a three story house. It was beautiful, nice blue colored house with a picket fence with a flower garden on both sides of the porch. She took another deep breath and rung the door bell. Seconds later she heard the lock to the door being unlocked and a pretty young light skinned, tall slim woman answered the door.
She smiled at Tarai "Hello how can I help you" she asked. She looked to be in her early twenties with a nice body frame.
Tarai stared the woman in front of her who appeared to be older enough to be her older sister and smiled at her as they locked eyes. "Yes I was wondering if Aaron was home"?
The woman smiled "Yes he's here... Somewhere running around here playing with the kids" she said laughing to herself. From the looks of it she seemed to be a pleasant young woman with respect.
Tarai's eye brow raised "Kids"? She asked with a smile.
Just then a little girl between the ages five to seven came running to the door. Shockingly she looked just like the woman at the door but more shocking she looked just like a younger verse of Tarai. "Hello" the little girl said flashing a toothless smile.
Tarai smiled and kneeled down the little girl's level "Hello beautiful what's your name"?
"Jasmine... What's yours"?
"You can call me Rai" Tarai said shaking the little girl's hand causing the woman to smile at the reaction happening in front of her eyes.
Tarai looked up at the woman "She's so adorable".
"Thank you and for her just to be six year old you would think she's older than you and I" said the woman.
Tarai looked up at the woman "You look young for a mother, How old are you"?
"Thanks... I'm 25" said the woman as she stood and smiled at the stranger in front of her.
That put Tarai in a daze for a moment as she stared the woman down before rising back up on her feet "I'm sorry I didn't get your name".
"Oh god where's my manners... I'm Victoria its nice to meet you Rai I'm Aaron's wife". She said as she shook her hand. The little girl gave one last cheesy smile before she took off running saying she was gonna find Daddy.
Tarai's mouth formed an O. "Wife... Wow" she said, still in a daze. Shaking her head, knocking herself out of the little daze she was in she said "Marriage... That's a big thing my parents use to be married before my father killed her".
Victoria stood shocked for a minute "Oh my... I'm so sorry to hear that you are a strong woman".
Tarai shook her head "I try to be... But if only you knew the half of what I been through". For a minute the two of them stood speechless trying to read each other and although Tarai could read right through the woman she couldn't read her.
"Well I'll go and get Aaron for you sweetie you keep your head up and keep showing that pretty smile of you" she said as she waved and walked away from the door, leaving it halfway cracked. By all means Tarai loved how generous the strange woman was but it still didn't change the fact that she was so clueless to what and who was in her life.
Starting to get cold feet she turned halfway around and glanced back at Co who was sitting in the truck watching her. She bit down on her bottom lip from nervousness and he noticed it. He gave her a quick head nod and just like that her courage was built back up. Just as she was about to walk away she heard the front door open wider and when she turned around her Aaron was standing there at the door. But this wasn't the Aaron she once knew, he was different. He'd aged more but also picked up a little weight. His appearance wasn't the younger street type Aaron she remember, he was dressed very clean if she wasn't mistaking he was dressed as if he was ready to go play golf or something.
He stared at her as he pulled his reading glasses down from his face "Tarai" he said as she squinched his eyes as if they were playing tricks on him.
She flashed a fake closed mouth smile as she nodded her head. "Surprised"?
He huffed and smiled "Of course ... Give your father a hug" he said unexpectedly pulling her in his tight muscular arms. But what surprised him was when she barely touched him back.
Once they pulled away their hug he noticed her head hung down low but soon as she looked back up at him she had tears in her eyes. "I just want you to know that I made it out... I made it out without you".
A confused look hit his face " I'm not following you baby girl".
"You don't even understand what you let happen to me" she mumbled sadly as tears rolled down her cheeks. "You sold me off to a man who raped me then sold me to a cop who raped and abused me everyday until he impregnated me and then took my daughter from me".
"Tarai I ..." He started til she cut him off. "Don't... He's dead... I'll killed him and was arrested for murder but " she paused as she sniffled and wiped away the constant tears... "By the grace of god and real love I was able to have a second chance at life... Happiness and real love. You took my mother away from me when you knew she was all I had just because she was gonna leave you. Come to find out you done got remarried and had another little girl who looks just like me she has her mother... But why did you have to take mine... I wonder if you brought her as your slave just like you did my mother " she mumbles again trying to keep from sobbing. She didn't want her father to think she was weak if anything she wanted him to know that all this made her stronger.
She definitely struck a nerve in his body when she said that to him because it was true, he did buy victoria from her father seven years ago but unlike what Tarai when through Victoria willing went with Aaron even though she had no clue for all these years what she had signed up for when she fall in love with Aaron because of his change to how he treated woman. He loved Tarai's mother but after he did her wrong and got her killed he promised to never hurt another woman again.
Co must have noticed her losing control and he stepped out the car and stood on the sidewalk watching. Aaron glanced over at co before looking back at his daughter.
"Baby girl ...".
"Save it dad... I only came here to make peace but once I saw you I forgot all about making peace with you. You got you little family and all and I would be lying if I say I'm happy but all I ask of you is to not hurt them like you hurt us because they don't deserve that... Please don't put that woman and that little girl what you put us through" she said as tears flowed again.
By now Victoria had appeared back at the door with a confused expression on her face "Aaron is this your daughter"?
Tarai looked at her with her glossy teary eyes and a small smile " IMA get going I just came to speak my peace and try to make things right... Your daughter is so sweet... She reminds me of the younger me before my life flashed before my eyes" Tarai said as she glanced at her father who stood with a shameful look on his face.
"Wait sweetie don't leave" Victoria said as she tried to reach out to Tarai. Little did they know she was standing by listening to everything that had been said. She had no idea about his Past or even that he had a daughter close to his age.
Tarai shook her head as she blinked away a few tears "I can't stay... I have to go but I'm always around if you ever wanna talk or let me get to know my sister" she told Victoria. She glanced over at her father one more time before she turned her back to walk away. She walked away with pride and a heavy weight lifted off her shoulders.
"You okay baby"? Co asked as she reached him. He gave her a quick hug before pulling back and looking directly into her eyes, he wiped her remaining tears and kissed them away.
She hugged Co and kissed his lips "I'm better now" she said as she glanced back at her father and his wife on the porch talking. Even though Victoria was talking to him his focus was still on his oldest daughter who was walking away a better woman than she was years ago. It hurt him to know he had put her through so much pain and it was nothing he could do to take All that pain back. As bad as he wanted to stop her and tell her he was sorry he knew she would never accept his apologies.
"You ready"? Co asked her, she turned and faced him with a smile. "Let's go" she said as he helped her in the cad before he got in and drove away.
This was now their time to spend the rest of their lives making each other happy and this time nobody was gonna get in the way of their happiness or Tarai's daughter's.... It was all about the three of them here and now.
The end!!!!!
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