Kiara
Monday morning I was down at the courthouse waiting on Mr. Banks to arrive. I was pacing the entrance way getting very inpatient. Last night I went to the jail to visit Eric, but the officers told me that he wasn't allowed to have visitors until he appears in front of the judge on Monday. It was Monday, and I hadn't heard a word about him being sent to appear.
Mr. Banks walked in with his brief case, looking like a million bucks. The bald white man smiled up at me, he was at least five foot even. "You're Kiara Washington?" He asked me with those flirting green eyes.
"Yes, when will my man get to see the judge?" I asked him.
"He'll see the judge in about twenty minutes. I'll go and meet with him before then, and I'll come and get you with any information."
I nodded and held my hands over my heart to say a quick prayer. I couldn't believe Eric was locked up, and Sky's ass was missing in action. I had blown her phone up, and every call I made to her was sent to voicemail.
Mr. Banks walked out the double doors, and waved me inside. The courtroom was filled with offenders, sheriffs, and of course the judge. There were a few people seated already, so I went to sit right behind Mr. Banks.
The judge was an older gentleman who wasn't taken any shit that day. I was so nervous for Eric. When I seen Eric in a orange jumpsuit, I broke down silently. My man deserved to be home with me and Ella.
"Mr. Smith, you are here for resisting arrest, and malicious wounding of a Sky Baker, as well as attempted murder. How do you plea Mr. Smith?" Judge Erin asked him.
He was handcuffed, and had two officers on each side of him. Eric looked back, and found me. He smiled at me, and mouthed, "I love you."
"I love you!" I mouthed feeling my heart breaking I had recently got Eric back in my life only to have him snatched away.
"Mr. Smith?" Judge Erin got his attention.
"Not guilty Your Honor." He spoke with confidence.
"Due to the attempted murder charge, there will be no bail, and your court date to appear in front of a judge will be two months from now."
Eric nodded, and walked to the back with the two officers escorting him out. I stormed out of the courtroom, why couldn't Eric make bail? Mr. Smith walked out and found me.
"Ms. Washington, we are going to fight that attempted murder charge, but the malicious wounding charge, he may face at least two years."
"I would rather see him with two years than a life sentence. Fight this case Mr. Banks!" I yelled and walked out of the courthouse. I was going to find Sky and beat her ass myself.
Zana
My mother and I were at the Brian Center for the rehabilitation program. My father declined to take Carson, he was still upset about Carson trying to kill me. I understood my daddy, but I just couldn't see my brother in this state.
"Are you two the Andrews?" A doctor asked us walking into the waiting room.
We nodded, and stood close to the Doctor. We hoped and prayed that they were able to help Carson, we had arrived nine in the morning, and it was already three in the afternoon.
"We ran a drug screen on Carson, and he is lucky to even be alive." Doctor Phelps stated looking over Carson's charts.
Mama looked at me, and then back to the doctor, "what was in his system doctor Phelps?"
"Well, we've found marijuana, crack cocaine, meth, and oxycodone."
Mama gasped and held her hand to her mouth, "my poor baby."
"We are able to help him, but we need you to sign these forms making Carson's stay involuntary. We know that if you won't then he is able to sign AMA at anytime, and he will be right back out in these streets getting high." He explained, handing my mother the forms to sign.
"Yes doctor, I understand." As mama signed her name to the signature lines she cried. She loved Carson, and wanted to see him doing better.
I rubbed my mother's back, I knew exactly how she was feeling. "Mama this is for the best."
"I know Zana, it just hurts."
Mama handed the papers back to the doctor, and wiped her face with the sleeve of her sweater. "Mrs. Andrews we will give you updates of Carson's condition whenever you need them. I'm just glad that you brought him in when you did."
Mama nodded. "I am too."
"You two have a good day. Oh, and visiting days are Wednesdays only."
I nodded at the doctor before he walked away. I set mama down so she could calm down. She was blaming herself for Carson. "Mama please calm down, this is for the best. Carson needs help."
"I know, but I didn't like seeing my baby shaking and sweating like that this morning. I just hope he doesn't relapse when he comes home."
"I'll make sure that he doesn't. But don't blame yourself, Carson is a grown ass man."
"You're right baby." Mama weakly smiled at me, and stood to her feet, "let's go home."
Mama dropped me off at my apartment, and when I entered the building, I got a surprise of a lifetime. Trey was sitting on the stairs with a dozen roses, and a huge teddy bear. I put my hands on my hips, and rolled my eyes at him. "Boy what are you doing here?" I asked him.
"I came to apologize for lying to you. I fucked up Zana, but I need to explain." Trey stood to his feet placing the teddy bear on the steps. Now that big fucker was blocking the staircase just in case I needed to run up to my apartment.
"What Trey?"
"Me and my wife are separated. I know I should have told you in the beginning, and I'm sorry. I fell in love with you, and o knew if I would have told you, then you would have left me." Trey explained.
"You damn right! Trey I can't be with you anyway. I'm engaged."
Trey looked confused, "but we just broke up a few weeks ago. You're telling me that you've been messing around with someone else while we were together?"
"No, but I did get back with my ex boyfriend."
Trey looked hurt, just like I did when I found out about his wife and kids.
"Who is it?"
"Why Trey? It's over between the two of us, now if you would, please pick up that big ass bear and be on your way."
I knew I shouldn't be treating Trey that way, but I was still hurt, and on top of that I had just broke off my engagement to Chris.
Trey picked the bear and flowers up, and I headed up the stairs.
"I still love you Zana!" He yelled after me.
"Man whatever."
I unlocked my door, and went inside. I had left my cellphone on the counter, and decided to see who had called. I had three voicemails from Chris, and two from Kiara. I dialed Kiara, I didn't feel up to hearing from him. I set on the sofa waiting for her to pick up.
"Hello?" Kiara answered crying.
"Damn girl, what happened, are you okay?" I asked her.
"Eric's locked up because of Sky."
"Kiara you didn't!" We had just had a conversation about leaving Sky alone. I hoped like hell she didn't beat Sky's ass like she was planning to.
"No, but Eric went to the motel to meet her, and they were fighting, then the gun she had went off and shot her in the foot. Now he's in jail for attempted murder." Kiara cried, "I told him it was a bad idea Zana."
"Calm down, and I don't understand how it was attempted murder, she Sky shot her own foot." I was analyzing the situation, and it didn't sound good. "Have you talked to Sky?"
"She won't answer the phone."
I sighed, "I'm glad that you're not locked up along with Eric, he can beat that attempted murder charge, but I doubt he'll beat a malicious wounding charge." I explained to her.
"I just miss him already Zana."
"I know you do. Come over and bring Ella with you."
"I'll have to pick her up from my sister's house, I'll be over later on."
I said my goodbye, and hung up the phone. Kiara stayed in some shit, I just hope like hell she stays out of jail messing around with Eric.
Kiara
Waiting around for Eric to call was getting really exhausting. I decided to pick Ella up from Tonya's house, and head over to Zana's place. As I pulled the car in front of Tonya's house, she was already running outside. I cut off the engine, and stepped out of the vehicle.
"Hey sis!" Tonya greeted looking very suspicious. "I'll get Ella, you just hang tight in the car."
"No that's okay." It was obvious that she was trying to hide something from me. I started to walk toward her house, but she stepped in my way placing her hands on my chest.
"No, no, I got her Kiara. Get in the car." She smiled at me looking from me then to the house.
"What the hell is going on Tonya?" I asked her while stepping around her. "Why is Ella in the house by herself any damn way?"
"Uhh..."
The front door open, and I could have sworn it was the devil himself that stepped outside. The horns of the devil was replaced with grey dreadlocks. I could feel the color in my face drain. I turned to Tonya and smacked her across her face.
"Are you fucking serious Tonya? Him?" I screamed pushing her to the ground. "Really Tonya?"
I wasn't about to show my weakness in front of him. I had been weak all my life, and if I was as tough then as I was now I probably would have killed him with my bare hands.
"Kiara, I can explain!" Tonya got off the ground dusting her pants of the dirt.
I folded my arms ready to hear what the hell my sister had to say.
"They needed somewhere to stay."
I laughed hysterically. I looked up at the porch at my father. The man who had violated me for years, the man who hurt me so much I began to believe the evil shit was normal. He smirked at me and leaned against the door. I could see the amusement painted on the bastard's face.
"Look," Tonya pulled my arm so that I was looking at her instead of the monster staring at me from the porch. "Kiara, mom and dad needed somewhere to stay for a little while, and you know dad is sick. He has cancer, Ki."
Tonya really had tears in her eyes for a man who had raped, and impregnated her. I couldn't believe she was now betraying me for him. Tonya had to have been the stupidest woman to have ever lived.
I had to place my hands in my pocket, because if I didn't I would have choked her dumb ass in front of everyone in her neighborhood. "Go and get my child!"
"Kiara, please, lets talk about this. He really wants to apologize to you, and he really loves you." Tonya was really crying at this point, and I had enough of her.
I pushed Tonya out of my way, and made my way up the steps toward the door. My father was standing in front of the door blocking my entrance.
"Move!" I yelled in his face.
"Not so fast baby girl, not until we talk." He smirked at me with his hand on the door.
Tonya ran up the porch steps. She stood between me and the man I once called Dad. I snarled at him, balling my fist up to knock him out. Though he looked sick, and weakened due to his ill ass, I would have beat his ass. All the pain, and all the sick things he once did to me came to memory.
"Please, Kiara, let that hate go." Tonya begged.
"Let it go? Tonya are you stupid? Does your husband know that the man who raped you and got your ass pregnant, is now in his home? Do he know that you call this sick bastard daddy?"
Tonya shut her eyes, trying to calm herself. "Kiara, it's the past, let it go!"
"Get my child now, Tonya!" I yelled at her.
"Okay!"
My mother walked outside holding Ella in her arms. My eyes wide with hatred from seeing the devil's wife holding my child. "Give me my child!" I swept Ella out of my mother's arms. I couldn't believe that Tonya would think that it was alright for these sick people to be around my child. I felt sickened by the way my mother was looking at my child.
"Kiara, we need to talk." My mother said and held my father's hand.
"We have nothing to talk about, and if you ever think about touching my child again, I will kill the both of you!" I carried Ella away from them back to my car.
Why would Tonya think it was alright for Ella to be around my parents, after everything that they had put us through? I wasn't about to cry in front of them, so I waited until I was back in the car. I was heading to Zana's place, maybe she would help me to understand my sister.