“What the fuck are you doing here?” I cursed. I was hot and boiling mad. He had the audacity to walk up in like he belonged.
“It’s a family reunion ain’t it?” He laughed really hard.
“Who is this?” my mother inquired.
“Your husband’s mistress.” I smirked John’s way. He didn’t like it one bit.
“His what?” She shrieked in shock.
“This is the muthafucka that turned me into the woman I am today,” Rebecca hissed.
“Uhhhhh ... mmmm,” We all turned to see my father began to moan and his face begin to twist up. John rushed over to his side.
“Baby, you okay?” he asked. My father was nonre-sponsive. My mother, on the other hand, looked like she was about to pass out.
“Maaaaa!” I yelled out as I came to her rescue. She had blacked out and was about to hit the hospital floor. I grabbed her just in the knick of time. While I had her, both my brothers saw it fit to take their frustration out on John Parks. They commenced an ass-whooping that I could feel with every blow.
Pretty soon the room was filled with nurses trying to get my brothers off of John. It was too late, because John was now unconscious. They carried him out and they made my brothers leave the room while I tended to my mother.
Chapter 34
Alex
All Fall Down
May 23rd 6:03
P.M.
“Baby, what are you doing here?” I asked as I watched her walk in the hospital waiting room. She and Professor David looked like they had just got into a fight or something. She looked surprised. She then looked around the room like she was confused.
“Ohh ... uhhh ... visiting my father.” She sat on the other side of the room like she was afraid to sit next to me.
“Oh, he’s sick?” I asked, concerned.
“Yeah, our father is dying.” Professor Andrews spoke up. I had almost forgotten he was in the room. I looked at his wife and she had a nervous look in her eyes.
“Our?” I looked at Professor Andrews.
“Yes, our.”
“Y’all brother and sister?” I asked Rebecca.
“Well ... sorta.” She was shaking like a leaf on a tree branch in a windstorm. I started to look at her funny.
“Sorta?”
“You mean you don’t know?” Professor Andrews asked me with a perplexed look on his face.
“Know what?” I asked confused, looking back and forth between the professor and Rebecca.
“Please... . Please... . just stop!” Rebecca yelled out.
“What’s wrong, baby?” I went over to her to try and comfort her, but she got up and stood by the door. “What’s going on?”
“She’s not a she.” Professor Andrews spoke up letting the cat out of the bag. “She’s a he.”
“What the fuck!” I shot up out of my chair. “Nah ... nah ... nah... . You lying.
You lying!
She doesn’t look like a man ... She couldn’t be ... could she?” I shook my head from side to side in confusion. “I’m going to ask you one time and one time only. Are ... you ... a man?”
She shook her head yes. Then I lost it. Like lightning I picked up the ceramic vase that was on one of the end tables and threw it at his head. Professor quickly got up and restrained me because I was going for blood
“You muthafuckin’ faggot ... how could you? You ... you tricked me. When the fuck was you going to tell me? When?”
“I—I—I—was going to before we got intimate.” The she-male was crying hard.
“I’m so muthafuckin’ glad I didn’t fuck you... . oh my god... . I was about to fuck you. Oh my god! Oh my god! ... I’ma kill you.” Oddly enough no nurses or security came to see what the commotion was about yet. I sat down for a second to catch my breath and get my thoughts together.
“A fuckin’ man,” I mumbled to myself.
I looked over at Professor Andrews and his wife, she had tears in her eyes and she was shaking her head from side to side. Like she couldn’t believe it herself.
“What are you shaking your head for bitch?” I looked at Rebecca in confusion. She had her eyes locked with Professor Andrews’s wife.
“Your ass is doing the same damn thing to him,” she hissed. My mouth hit the floor.
“What?” Professor Andrews jumped up. “What are you talking about?” He looked at Rebecca.
“You married to a man.” She smirked. “Sorry dear brother, but you been shacking up with Thomas Jones. A man.”
“Oh shit!” I belted out.
“You ... you can’t be.” He shook his head from side to side. She eased out of her seat and edged toward the door right next to Rebecca.
“Thirty years ... thirty years ... thirty years,” he kept on repeating. “How could you do this to me?”
“I’m so, sorry ... I’m sorry, baby ... I’m sorry, baby... .” she pleaded. He just looked at her. And stared and stared and stared. I was kind of scared of what he might do. It was only a few seconds but it was crazy quiet in the room. Then he charged her and started to punch her, and then I realized again that it was a man, and then I realized that that same thing happened to me minutes ago and I said fuck it and charged after Rebecca who was still in the corner of the room by the door. We were all fighting and throwing shit around. Security and nurses broke us up and the police came and arrested us for hitting women. They didn’t know that the two ladies were actually men. Both of us men were ashamed that we were in that type of situation
Wallace and his mother stood by as he watched the police escorted me and Professor Andrews off to jail. I shock my head in shame. I didn’t want anything on my record. And I didn’t want to disappoint my dad, but it was what it was right now. I was headed to jail.
Chapter 35
Shawn
All At One
May 23rd 8:31
A.M.
“Baby, you okay?” I heard Mona ask me as we sat in BWI Airport waiting for our flight to California. We had all the kids with us. I had found James’s mother and we were going to get some closure for her and us.
“Yes, Mona, I’m fine, but I will be better when we get this situation under control.” I have been calling Alex and Ashley’s phone and getting no response. They both went straight to voice mail as soon as I hit the button to call them. I didn’t let Mona know all that was going on, because I didn’t want to worry her. I just told her that I wanted James’s mom to meet her grandkids since she never met them. I don’t even know if she even knew about them. I couldn’t keep them from their other family any longer. I had to get used to the fact that they had three families instead of the two I let them see. I was selfish and God was dealing with me about it now. I just hope nothing happened to them for me not tying up these loose ends.
“Damn, Shawn!” I mumbled to myself.
I got up out of my chair and walked over to the large window to get a moment to myself. I was emotional and I wanted to be alone. I just hope my kids forgive me for being so selfish and secretive.
“Daddy, what’s wrong?” my daughter Diana came over and asked me. She was fifteen now and very beautiful. A spitting image of her mother.
“Nothing baby girl, just looking at the planes take off.”
“Okay, can I stand here too?” she asked. She wasn’t my daughter biologically either. She knew it and she didn’t treat me any different.
“Sure, why not.” I put my arm around her shoulder and pulled her in tight. She laid her head on my shoulder. Moments like these made being a father worthwhile. If I lost anyone of them I don’t know what I would do.
“I like how the planes take off and land, Dad. It’s really cool. When you said we were taking a trip to California to see Alex and Ashley I asked a couple of my Facebook friends about their first plane ride experiences. Most people say the plane taking off is the scariest part. Some people said that being in the air and going through turbulence is the hardest. But even more people say that the landing part is the best, because it brings a release of calmness over you.”
“Oh, really?” I said as I stared out of the window looking at the planes land and take off. Truth be told, this is my first plane ride and I don’t know what to expect. What I had to do on the other side of this plane ride was bothering me the most.
“Yep, but you know what I figured out, Daddy?”
“What is that, baby girl?” I looked at her inquisitively.
“I figured that just like life, this plane ride is about the whole experience. In life you go up and you go down and your going through may be rough. There is always a beginning and an end, but you must go through something to appreciate both the beginning and the end.”
“Where’d you get that from, Diana?” I asked, shocked. She had no idea what I was going through but yet she answered my fears with a perfect analogy.
“Bible study.” She smiled.
“Good girl.... Good girl.” I kissed her on her forehead. “You don’t know it but you just made Daddy’s day.” She smiled with her braces on her teeth like I just gave her a hundred bucks. The information she just gave me was priceless. I had to do what I had to do now and that was save my family. God is something else.
“... out of the mouths of babes,” I mumbled to myself as we walked back over to where Mona and the other two children were.
“4665 flight to California is now boarding. Please make a single-file line at the departures gate at this time.” A polite female’s voice filled the air above us, letting us know our flight was ready to go. Within minutes we were on the plane and taking off. Several hours later we were on the landing in California. And just like Diana said, it was an experience that I had to go through to get through to the other side.
We picked up our luggage and made our way to rent a minivan for our stay here. Alex and Ashley didn’t know we were here and I hoping that they were doing what they were supposed to do, but I knew that was asking too much. Alex was nosy and Ashley had control and selfish issues; all a recipe for trouble. I called their phones and I watched as Mona did the same. She asked me what was going on, I just assured her that this was almost finals time and they probably shut their phones off for that reason. It was a lie, but I hoped that it was a reality.
Chapter 36
Ashley
Hurt People, Hurt People
May 23rd 2:33
P.M.
Just before he pulled the trigger to the gun, he walked away. I was thanking Jesus in every way imaginable at this time. I wanted to scream for help, but the gun he had suggested that I keep it shut. Jesus was the only one that could save me from myself and this lunatic. Seconds later I see him bring out Ebony. She was beat up pretty bad. I shook my head in shock. She had a busted lip, a black eye and a lump on her head. I was in and out of consciousness, so he could have been beating her when I was unconscious or something like that in the other room. She looked bad nonetheless. He still had the gun in his hand and my hands were still tied behind me. His ass must have been a master at kidnapping or something because he had my hands tied pretty securely. I tried and tried but to no avail. I was stuck. My cell phone was on the table in front of me and it looked like it was off. So no one could even reach me if they tried. Times like this I prayed that I told Alex what I was up to, but I had to be a bitch and now I was reaping what I sowed. Again, it was a little too late to be feeling regretful.
“You like tonguing down my bitch?” he growled almost. He didn’t know that it was quite the opposite. I was the one being tongued down by her. I didn‘t say anything I just stared at him. He was manhandling her some kind of rough too. “I’m going to show you how it is really done.” He proceeded to pull down her pants, push her over the arm of the sofa. Her eyes were dead-set on mines. It was like she was saying “I told you so.” It made me feel even worse than before. I had not only put my life in jeopardy but I also put hers in jeopardy as well.
Lord, please help us! I’m sorry for all that I’ve done. Please hear me, now.
He pulled out his manhood and started to stroke it to an erection. For some odd reason I was getting turned on as he stroked himself. I watched him as he pushed himself into her. He exhaled like it was taking away his stress just by entering her. I never got to experience that feeling from a man. Didn’t know if I ever wanted to.
He slowly started to pump her and with each pump tears flowed from her eyes. I didn’t know if she was enjoying it or what. Then all of a sudden he switched gears and started slamming into her womb like he was power driver trying to break ground. She just lay there silently and took it like it was an everyday occurrence. I kind of felt sorry for her. He didn’t show her any kind of care or anything. Wham, bam, thank you ma’am! And roll over and go to sleep. A typical man. He wasn’t taking care to take care of her as well as himself. But then I thought about our sexual sessions and I did the same thing. I wasn’t treating her with care either.
Hurt people, hurt people,
popped into my head. It was something my grandmother used to say to me. I was just getting it now. I was just realizing that I was hurting and I needed help. I was angry at God for letting me be this way and not changing me when I asked him to. How could He let me endure such an unnatural thing? But I wanted a release from something that I wasn’t too sure I wanted to give up. Then again, sitting here tied up was a real persuasive tool to get me to think about my lifestyle. It’s funny how God does things in unconventional ways to get us to see it His way. I can’t have it both ways.
I see now, God. I see. Not my way but yours. I relent. I surrender. I give up.
My head slumped down on to my chest and I cried like a baby. Everything that was going on around me was a blur as I sobbed uncontrollably and openly.
“Bitch, what are you crying for?” Ebony’s husband walked up to me and barked at me. I ignored him and continued my long cry. He slammed me in the head with the gun again.
He walked away from me and over to Ebony. He pulled her up off the chair with force.
“Me or her?” He looked at Ebony. I was confused by his question. She was too. He handed her the gun. I understood then, but he verbalized it. “I need you to choose between me and her right now. You know what I mean?”
She nodded. “I ... I choose you, baby!” She trembled in fear.
“Now that I know who your choice is, you got to shoot the bitch for trying to tear our home apart.” He was behind her and he lifted the gun up with his arms around hers. She had a look of remorse on her face. He had a sick smile on his face. It was like he was going to enjoy watching me die.
“Ebony, don’t do this. You don’t have to do this. I’m sorry for all that I’ve done to you. I’m sorry!” I begged and pleaded softly.
Ebony was now standing with the gun with a silencer pointed toward me all by herself.
“Do it for us, baby. Do it for us.” He was standing beside her, coaching her like he was her drill sergeant in the army or something. I saw her squeeze the trigger and smile, like she was getting payback.
Pop!