“Little girl, you need to respect your elders,” Essence said as she walked around LaKisha toward Zeke and the door. Right before LaKisha could lunge at her, she heard Essence tell Zeke, “See, what did I tell you? No-class hoochie. I’ll wait in the car.”
LaKisha had learned enough from staying with Grace to know never to prove your enemy right, so she quickly composed herself. She decided to overshadow her ghetto outburst with a victim act.
“Why doesn’t she like me, Zeke? What did I do to her? She’s going to make you hate me too,” she cried, and moved closer to lay her head on his chest.
The girls loved Zeke. He was handsome, polite, athletic, and spiritual. The combination was irresistible. He was not naive when it came to females. Hip to the games girls play, he anticipated her reaction once Essence was out of sight.
“Nobody can make me hate anyone else, LaKisha,” he said, grabbing her shoulders and forcing her to stand straight.
As he disappeared into the kitchen to see what was keeping the boys, she heard him say, “Your hair really does look nice.”
She ran to her room and cried from a combination of anger and happiness. Once they left, she called Shay and informed her they had to do something about Essence.
Pam decided that it was time for a little-girls’ night out. As she often did to cultivate her daughter’s cultural experiences, she decided to take Taylor and Mia to dinner and to the theater. At the restaurant, just as they were seated, Zach walked in with JJ and Taj, who spotted Mia and came over to the table.
“Hey, Mia,” Taj greeted her, excited about his ever-increasing summer adventures.
“Taj! What are you doing here?” Mia asked, shocked but happy to see her brother.
“Uncle Zach brought us here for dinner after work. Hi, Miss Pam. Hi, Taylor,” he said.
“Hello,” Taylor responded simply. She was mature and wise beyond her years.
“Hello, Taj,” Pam said as Zach and JJ approached the table.
“Great minds think alike, I see,” Zach said, kissing Pam on the cheek.
“The kissing part is not required to be a successful businessman,” JJ whispered to Taj.
“Cool,” Taj said as he exhaled, wanting to do everything he saw Zach do.
“Won’t you join us? I’m sure the waiter can find us a bigger table,” Pam suggested.
“If the girls don’t mind. We don’t want to intrude,” Zach said.
“Girls?” Pam inquired, allowing them to decide.
Taylor and Mia looked at each other, then shrugged, indicating that it didn’t matter to them. They were moved to a larger table in the middle of the restaurant.
“Do you ladies have big plans for tonight?” Zach asked.
“Yes, sir. We’re having dinner, then we’re going to the theater,” Mia answered.
Taylor and Taj were eyeballing each other in a staring contest. There was some kind of competition developing between them.
“That’s wonderful. I do hope that you enjoy the play,” Zach said. “And may I suggest that you guys save room for dessert? The dinner would not be complete without the Raven’s light and creamy tiramisu,” he said, aware of the staring contest.
“Sounds good,” Taylor responded without blinking, determined not to break her concentration.
“Sounds delicious,” Taj said, demonstrating that he could talk and stare too.
Zach received their menus from the waiter and handed them to both Taylor and Taj simultaneously in an effort to end the staring contest. He succeeded when they both blinked. The rest of the evening was pleasant. For Mia, it was glorious.
D
amon was playing with Ahmad in Ahmad and JJ’s room. A courtroom drama was on TV while they searched the toy chest for a video game. Ahmad stopped searching and stared at the screen instead.
“That man on TV said the same thing that Jaron told Zeke the night he shot that guy. Then the lady told the judge he was not guilty,” Ahmad said.
“So?” Damon responded.
“Then Jaron is not guilty because he didn’t mean to hurt anybody either, just like the man on TV,” Ahmad said.
Just then JJ came into the room with Taj.
“Why don’t you guys go outside and play?” JJ ordered.
“We were here first,” Ahmad said.
“Here’s a dollar each, now beat it,” JJ said.
Ahmad and Damon snatched the dollars.
“And Jaron is not guilty,” Ahmad said as they left the room.
“Wait a minute,” JJ said as he stood in the doorway. “How do you know Jaron is not guilty?”
“I just know.”
“Can you prove it?”
“Yep. I heard him talking to Zeke. He didn’t mean to do it. Just like the man on TV.”
Taj stood beside JJ listening. The Junior Execs were both very interested in this piece of information and looked at each other, thinking the same thing. Wouldn’t Uncle Zach be impressed if they could prove that Jaron was innocent? Their plans suddenly changed from creating the national Junior Execs to figuring out a way to show that Jaron was not guilty.
JJ and Taj strategized, remembering all of the adults’ conversations they had overheard. They came up with the idea to have a mock trial. They knew enough of the details of Jaron’s case to be able to build a defense, but who would prosecute? They were partners and didn’t want to work against each other.
“I got it. Taylor’s mom is a prosecutor. Taylor could be like her mom,” Taj said.
“Oh yeah. Then you and I could stay on the same side and Mia can be on Taylor’s side.”
“That’s it, then. Damon will act like he’s Jaron, and we will be his lawyers. Taylor and Mia will be the prosecutors. Ahmad will be our surprise witness.”
“We’re gonna win,” JJ said, giving Taj a high five.
Taj explained the whole deal to Mia. It appealed to her, especially the fact that she would get to act in a courtroom drama and play the part of a big-time prosecutor. Taj gave her all the details to pass on to Taylor. Mia was mesmerized and got caught up in the drama and excitement of the case. As soon as Taj was finished explaining everything to her, Mia called Taylor and repeated what Taj had said. Taylor was excited about the idea of competing against Taj and was determined to win, but who would be the judge? It didn’t matter. They would win regardless. She was the daughter of Pamela Pierce, Esq. She had the advantage.
T
he new Bibles were on the coffee table. Damon was washing his hands after using the bathroom for the third time in an hour. LaKisha was checking her hair one last time.
“Let’s go,” Grace called out to her grandchildren.
LaKisha came down first and decided to take Shay’s advice and tell her grandmother about what had happened to her.
“Gramma, Mama’s boyfriend, Buster, tried to have sex with me.”
“Oh my God, baby. When? What did you do?”
“Right before Mama got locked up, he told me how pretty I was, and when I said thank you, he touched my breast. When I tried to back up, he grabbed me and started kissing on me and putting his hand down my pants. I kneed him in his privates and told him I was going to tell Mama, then I ran outside.”
“Where was your mother?”
“Buster had given her some money to take Damon to get some new sneakers.”
“Were you hurt? Did you tell your mother?”
“No, ma’am. I wasn’t hurt, and I didn’t have a chance to tell Mama. She got locked up right after that. Since I came to live with you and probably would never see him again, I just didn’t say anything. Not until I told Shay and she said I should tell you and Mama.”
“Shay was right, darling. You shouldn’t carry that kind of burden around. Always tell me, your teacher, or school counselor or call 911 anytime something bad happens to you. We have to protect you children from perverts like that. But you’re right about never seeing him again. You won’t be going back to that neighborhood, so I won’t press charges, since he didn’t hurt you.”
“Should we tell Mama?”
“Your mother is doing good. Knowing and facing the truth about the danger she put you in with her lifestyle and choice of boyfriends might be just what she needs to help her keep it together when she gets out. Yes, you should tell her just what you told me.”
It had been a while since Grace and the children’s last visit to the prison. While they waited in the visiting room for their mother, Damon thought he was going to wet himself from excitement. He couldn’t hold it. When he was in the restroom, Sharia entered the visiting room. She hugged her mother and daughter, tears trickling down her cheeks. When Damon came back and saw his mother, he screamed, “Maaammaaa!” running full speed ahead, and jumped into her arms as she stood to catch him. The dam of tears broke loose in full force, and she squeezed him as tight as she could. He felt no pain because he was squeezing just as hard.
“I love you, baby, I love you so much. Mama misses you too. I’m so sorry, baby. Please forgive me. I’m so sorry. I’m going to make it all up to you. I promise. I promise. God is going to see me through. He’s going to put us back together. He is. He is. I believe that. You believe it too, okay?” Sharia cried to her son as she hugged and kissed him.
LaKisha, too, was moved by the hope her mother had just imparted and began to cry.
“You look beautiful, baby,” Sharia told her daughter.
“Thanks, Mama,” LaKisha said. She sensed something different about her mother. She was missing her edge. Sharia was looking her directly in the eye with love and compassion that was softening something hard deep inside of LaKisha.
“Mama, the kids look great. They look healthy and happy, and I just want to thank you and say that I’m sorry for everything. When I get out of here, I’m going to make it up to you, Mama. Please believe it,” Sharia promised.
“That is my daily prayer, baby, that you get it together and keep it together for these children. We can’t do anything without God,” Grace said, thinking that must have been where she went wrong with her daughters. If she was going to be completely honest with herself, she had to admit that she also ran in the streets in her day when her girls were young. Maybe by the time she saw the light, it was too late.
Well, too late to speculate about how we got to this point,
she thought.
We can’t change the past. But we can start right now and shape the future. First things first. My daughter and granddaughter need some time alone together.
“Come on, Damon. Let’s go get some goodies from the vending machine,” Grace said as she nodded at LaKisha to take this opportunity to open up to her mother.
As Grace and Damon went to get treats, Sharia gave her daughter a great big hug.
“What’s up, baby? Mama never leaves us alone like this. We always stay together the entire visit as a family. Is everything all right?” Sharia asked, concerned.
“No, Mama. I was just talking to my friend Shay, and I was telling her how Buster tried to have sex with me,” LaKisha confessed.
“What!” Sharia shouted. LaKisha dropped her head in shame, wishing she hadn’t said anything. Sharia grabbed her and squeezed her tightly.
“I am so sorry, baby. Did he hurt you?” Sharia asked soothingly as she held her daughter close.
“No. I kneed him in his privates and ran.”
“Why didn’t you tell me, baby?”
“Because you got arrested and we went to live with Gramma.”
“Oh, baby. I am so sorry. I promise you that will never happen to you again. I promise, baby. I’ll make it up to you.”
LaKisha dropped her head again.
“What is it, baby? Tell me. Tell Mama. I know I can’t do much in this place, but I’m here for you. I can pray to God, and He will answer my prayers. Please talk to me,” Sharia begged.
“I had a boyfriend in the old neighborhood.”
“And?”
“And he touched me and it felt good.”
“Did you . . .”
“Yes.”
“Did you use a condom?”
“Yes.”
“Good. But condom or no condom, sex outside of marriage is wrong, baby. Wrong, wrong, wrong. I know I haven’t been a good example to you in the past, but when I get out of here, things will be a lot better. I have learned so much about parenting and the Bible. I am always in some class. It’s going to be different, baby. Please understand, you should not be having sex. I shouldn’t have been having sex because I wasn’t married. I was wrong, baby. Don’t make the same mistakes I did. Please,” Sharia said, hugging her daughter.
“I won’t, Mama. I understand.”
“Okay, baby. Just pray to God. Pray all the time.”
“I will, Mama.”
Grace and Damon came back to join Sharia and LaKisha.
“Mama, you remember Rae? She’s over there visiting with her children. Their aunt brought them to see her,” Sharia explained. “Hey, Rae!”
Rae looked up. Sharia waved and pointed to her mother and children. Rae waved, and they all waved back.
“Did you get my letters about the Bible studies I’m teaching?” Sharia asked her children.
“Yes, Mama. Gramma bought me this teen study Bible,” LaKisha said, handing it to her mother.
“Gramma bought me this Bible with pictures in it, and I can read the words too,” Damon said, giving his to Sharia also.
“These are wonderful,” Sharia said, flipping through the pages. “Thanks, Ma. I really appreciate this.”
“You’re welcome, baby,” Grace said.
“Rae is the one I was talking about who got me into studying the Bible. It has really made a difference in my life.”
“I can see it, Mama. You look happy, even in this place,” LaKisha said.
“I have prayed to God to get me out of here, and I believe He will the next time around. I want you all to be in agreement with me on that.”
“I want to pray with you for that, Mama,” Damon said.
“Of course, baby,” Sharia said.
They all joined hands right there, and Sharia prayed.
“Father, thank You for my wonderful family. Thank You for my beautiful, healthy, obedient children. Thank You that my sister, Karen, is alive, and I pray that she comes to know You as I have. And thank You for my loving, supportive mother. Give her daily provision, health, wisdom, and strength, dear Lord, to take care of Damon and LaKisha until You release me from this place, which will be very soon. Keep me safe from temptation and make me into the mother, daughter, and woman of God that You will have me to be. In Jesus’ name, amen!” she prayed.