Too Salty: Ain't a Damn Thang Changed (Part 6) (9 page)

“Thank you guys so much
,” Pam said to the Roberts.

“No problem
, young lady. You just be sure to call us one day and let us know that you are doing well,” said Mr. Roberts.

“That’s right. We will be praying for you. Pam
, never miss the opportunity to help another,” Mrs. Roberts added.

“I won’t.”  Pam gave each of the Roberts a hug. “Thank you so much for helping me.”

“You are very welcome. We must get back on this road, the Mr. has to teach bible study tonight.” Mrs. Roberts gave Pam one last hug before her and her husband left Pam in the hotel room that they paid up for a week.

Pam shut the door behind them and flopped on the bed.
It was sure another sign that God was, indeed, helping her get that much closer to her baby. The evening Pam beat officers Michaels in the head, she was able to make it on the road where she ran and hid in the back of the church. She hoped that she didn’t kill the man and prayed that Detective F didn’t catch her. If she was caught, she would be up under the jail. She was a fugitive on the run. A fugitive that assaulted an officer.

Pam sat behind the trash bin for almost an hour. She was scared to move thinking that she would be caught. Just when she thought there was nowhere for her to run and hide
, the light in the church came on. Pam looked up the heavens. She asked God for His help before making her way into the church. She crept to the front, knocked, and turned the knob. It was open, so she walked in. The front part of the church was dark. She made her way to the back where she saw the light. She took a deep breath before barging into the closed door.

“Please
, help me. Please, my husband is trying to kill me.” She collapsed on the floor. Mr. Roberts looked up from his bible in shock. He hurriedly got up from his seat, ran over to the other side of the desk, and looked at Pam. She had blood all over hands.

“I’m calling the police.” He fumbled with his pockets
, trying to retrieve his cell.

“No, no, no
.” Pam jumped up. She placed her hands over her chest. “Don’t call the cops, he is one of them and they protect their own.” She cried. “Please, all I need is help getting out of this town. I need to get back to L.A. where my daughter is and from there, we will get on the first thing smoking to another town. Please, help me.”

“Ok, I’m taking you to my house to have you checked out by my wife. From there
, she’ll tell us what to do. Just stay in this room. I have some church business to handle. I will be right back with you some water and a blanket.”

Pam thought about it for a minute. She hoped that he was being sincere.
You’re in good hands
, her heart spoke to her. “Thank you so much.” Mr. Roberts nodded his head. He left, and returned with the blanket and bottle of water. Pam was so grateful she had help.

    When she finally made it to the Roberts
’ home, Mrs. Roberts was waiting by the door with open arms and a cup of tea. She and her husband prayed for Pam, and after escorted her to their granddaughter’s room, who was gone to college. She was told that she could get whatever she wanted out of the drawers to wear and to take a shower. She was surprised the Roberts didn’t pry in her business, but they did lecture on the meaning of love. The bible says, Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. They were heaven sent.

    When the Roberts
dropped Pam off at the Motel 6 near Compton, they left her with a few hundred dollars, two of their granddaughter’s outfits, a bible, and their phone number. Most definitely heaven sent, Pam thought as she lay across the bed. She needed a little rest before she headed out to Mrs. Brown’s. Before she knew it, she was fast to sleep.

Love is Kind….

Mrs. Brown and
Pastor G walked into Harbor Hospital. It would be the first time he visited Stacy since she spit in his face after cursing him out. He was updated on her condition by Mrs. Brown. So far, she was doing well. She had the body cast removed and was able to get around pretty well in her walker. The only thing that kept her from being released was her high blood pressure. Mrs. Brown was no doctor, but she'd been around long enough to know some stuff. She believed Stacy’s blood pressure condition was due to the grudge she held against Pastor G. She was still angry with him for leaving her and whether she admitted it or not, she still loved him. Mrs. Brown and G approached the elevator. G hadn't said one word since he got out of the car. It was obvious that he was nervous. Mrs. Brown placed her hand on his shoulder.

"That woman loves you. She's hurt
, but she loves you and it's up to you to make sure that she can trust that you have her best interest at heart. That's the only way she will let you back in."

"I know, he replied
, and they entered the elevator.

"You can do it. Win her back. I'm
cheering for you."

"Thank you.” He looked down at Mrs. Brown and smiled

      They exited the elevator.  Pastor G thought of the things Stacy had been through because of his selfishness and felt bad about it. No matter how much he thought of what he would say and how he would convince her that he was there to stay, he couldn't come up with anything.

   
They walked in the room. Stacy was in the chair looking at the television. She looked a lot better than she did the last time he visited. Maybe because the body cast was off.

"Well
, hello, beautiful. “Mrs. Brown announced their presence. Stacy looked at Mrs. Brown with a fake smile. She told that lady that she didn't want to see him. She had no words for him. Stacy looked at Gary. He stood at the entrance of the door staring at her. She cut her eyes at him and looked back at the television. Mrs. Brown took a seat on the bed and looked at Pastor G. "Are you just going to stand there?" Mrs. Brown instigated.

Pastor G chuckled at her putting him on the spot. He wasn't about to let her play him like that. He was much too smooth.
"No, I ain't going to just stand here." He walked over to Stacy and got on one knee in front of her. She made it her business to let him know that she was ignoring him by continuing to focus on the television. Inside, her heart raced over ninety miles an hour. She’d hope he didn’t notice her legs shaking. A side of her wanted to lash out on him, but she couldn’t bring herself to it. She was hurt deeply and, no doubt, mad at Pastor G for leaving her when she needed him most, but she still cared and she hated that.  

"Can you please look at me?" He touched her leg
and she looked at his hand. "Stacy, there are no words that can express how I feel, but I will say that I am truly sorry for leaving you out here like that. I wasn’t thinking. I’m sorry.”

“Just leave.” Her voice crack
ed.

“I can’t do that. I won’t ever leave you again. You are mine and I want to be yours. Stacy
, I love you.” He reached in his pocket and pulled out a blue box. “Please, baby, don’t walk out of my life. I wanna make my wrong a right. I wanna show you that I love you. Please.” He laid his head on her knee. Mrs. Brown was in shock. She had no idea, but she believed that Pastor G was doing the right thing. Crocodile tears streamed from Stacy’s eyes onto Pastor G’s bald head.

“You left me when I needed you the most.”

Pastor G looked up and into her eyes. “Baby, I know, I’m sorry. But, I won’t do it again. I promise.”

“I was scared.  I was so scared.” She shook her head at the thought as she wiped the snot from her nose. “I thought he was going to rape me or even kill me. I cried for you every night.” Mrs. Brown stood up and walked out of the room to give them their privacy.

“Stacy, he will never, nobody, will ever hurt you again.” Stacy thought she saw a tear in the corner of G’s eyes and when he put his head down, it confirmed it. It melted her heart.  She sniffled. Slowly, she placed her hand on his bald head and rubbed it. Pastor G wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his head on the center of her stomach.

“I love you and I want you to be my wife.” He waited for a r
esponse. He looked up at Stacy. “Please, trust me, love me again.”

“I never stopped.” She wrapped her arms
around his neck. “I love you, I missed you.”

“Stacy
, will you marry me?” She shook her head. Pastor G heart was crushed. She pulled away from him and looked into his eyes. “Not now, not until I kick this habit. I don’t want to make a commitment I can’t keep.”

“We will get through this together.”

“Not this time. I wanna do it on my own, the right way. But, I want you there.” Pastor G gave her a head nod.

“Whenever you are ready. I w
ill be here.”

They kissed
and Mrs. Brown ran back into the room. “Gary. Gary. I found her!” Pastor G turned around and looked Mrs. Brown. “It’s Jazz, she’s out of the hospital. She says that she is at her grandmother’s house and she wants us to come before she gets back.” Pastor G stood from the floor.

“Is she on the phone?” M
rs. Brown handed him the phone. “Jazz, are you alright?”

“Please
, come and get me. I don’t want to be here. I feel like they are holding me hostage. There is no phones here, they wouldn’t let me call nobody.”

“Where are you now?”

“At my grandmother’s. The nurse snuck a cellphone in my teddy bear.” Jazz wouldn’t have ever known until she began to take out her frustration by punching on the bear, and she felt something hard in the stomach. When she turned the bear over, she saw that there was a zipper on his back. Remembering that Nurse James said her gift was inside, she unzipped it and there was a throwaway phone. Jazz was overjoyed. The first and only call she made was to Mrs. Brown.

“I’m on my way
,” said G.

“Hurry
, please. Where’s Ken?”

“I’ll be there in a minute
,” he assured her.

“Pastor
, my father is supposed to show up any minute. Be careful.”

“I’ll be there.” He handed the phone back to Mrs. Brown. “Stay with her until I get back.”

“Wait, where are you going to take her?” asked Mrs. Brown.

Stacy didn’t know what was going on.
She watched in confusion.

“
I’ll be back. I’ll call you when I am downstairs. Don’t worry about nothing.” He looked at Stacy.  Pastor G bent down and kissed her lips. “Baby, I gotta go get Jazz. I will be back.”

“What happened to her?”

“I’ll fill you in,” said Mrs. Brown.

“I love you
,” Pastor G said, and left out of the hospital. Before he made it to the elevator, he had Big Man on the phone.

Pam knew she was taking chances by showing up to Mrs. Brown
’s house, but she had no choice. She didn’t escape for nothing. She felt the Lord got her that far, so He wasn’t going to leave her now. When the cab turned on her block, her heart thumped hard and fast, and her stomach did butterflies. She leaned forward in her seat to see if there were any signs of the police. There wasn’t, but she knew that wouldn’t be for long. Detective F was for sure coming after her. She just hoped that she got to Jazz first.

As the cab approached Mrs. Brown
’s house, she stared at her own home. It looked the same as it did before the cocktails destroyed it. It was the day that Jazz gave Diesel a BBQ when that happened. That house held so many memories. It brought tears to her eyes and she started to cry, knowing that she couldn’t go back there and stay. The cab stopped in front of Mrs. Brown’s house, bringing her out of her trance. She looked in the yard and Mrs. Brown’s car was there. 
Oh boy
. She let out a long breath. She could only imagine the look on Mrs. Brown’s face when she saw Pam, who was supposed to be dead. Pam pulled her baseball cap further over her head and looked at the meter.

“
Twenty seven ninety five,” said the cab driver. Pam handed him thirty dollars.

Before exciting the car
, she looked around. There was a car coming up the street. She leaned back in her seat and watched the car until it passed. It looked like an older lady was driving. “You know what, can you pull in the driveway?” Pam asked the driver, and he did. “Thank you.” She opened the car door. It was in the middle of the day and kind of warm out, but she still wore the trench coat that she got from the Roberts. She buttoned it up all the way to her neck. She looked around again before getting out the car and jogging to Mrs. Brown’s porch.  Her heart beat even harder than before. As she rang the doorbell, her hands shook. She faced the street so she could watch all movement. She rang the doorbell again. There was still no answer, so she knocked several times and still no answer. Pam hurried off the front porch and went to the backyard. “Mrs. Brown?” she called out. Because of the iron gate that separated Mrs. Brown’s back door from her yard, she was unable to get to the door. She knocked on the gate. There was still no answer, so she figured Mrs. Brown wasn’t home. Pam let out a long breath as she thought about her next move. It wasn’t safe being in the backyard. She needed to get out of dodge just in case Detective F came looking for her. Pam slowly made her way to the back gate, peeking her head out to see if it was safe to make a run for it. The street was clear. Pam walked at a brisk pace from Mrs. Brown’s to her own backyard. She hurried to her backdoor. The brown flower plant was still there. As she lifted the pot, she prayed some things never changed. She was relieved when she saw that the key that she always kept to the side door was still there.  Pam walked to the side of the house and used the key to let herself in. It felt natural being inside of her home. The house was remodeled, but with all the same colors that she used, burnt orange and brown in the kitchen. In the living room, the furniture was still red and the carpet white, but it had been changed to leather. Pam looked up on the wall, and burst into tears and laughter. There was a large picture of her on the day she and Pastor G were married. That was the last time she was happy, the last time she felt complete. Her heart ached when she thought of the day her life ended.

It was her wedding day and she was shot by Ken’s mother.
She had  wanted to take Pam out ever since she found out that she was the one who gave her husband AIDS. Seeing Pam happy and living her life, and then getting married, had her angry and wanting revenge. She wasn’t the only one that wanted Pam miserable.

*****

Pam remembered after being shot. There her angel stood dressed in all white in a bright light, requesting Pam to take their hand and crossover. She wasn't ready was what she tried to explain, but the one who came for her became persistent. Pam took their hand and that was when she was able to see everything that was going on. Her husband was holding her, crying and calling for help. Jazz was screaming and hollering, begging her to come back.

"Move, watch out, move
, police." She looked back over to where her body was lay. It was detective F. She watched as he called for backup. The paramedics had arrived. F ordered for them to hurry and load her into the truck. Pastor G and Jazz tried to get in with her, but F wouldn't let them, "They'll drive you." He pointed to a patrol cop. He then jumped in the back of the truck with Pam.

“She's dead
,” one of the medics said.

"Fuck
, fuck, fuck!" he yelled. "Try to recuperate her,” he ordered, “No, fuck, you can’t die.  I need you. I need you to solve this case." The medic looked at F like he was crazy. "What the fuck I say!" he yelled at the medic. The medic worked on Pam. F whispered in her ear, “It's that fucker, Calvin, and he did this to you. I need you to stay alive to take him down. Help me before he hurts Jazz."

Hearing Jazz
’s name, Pam looked at the tall, beautiful angel that was there to have her crossover. "I can't go. I gotta be here for my baby." Pam let her hand go and guided back into her body. The monitors started to beep, letting them know there was a heartbeat.

"Yes
, yes!" F was happy. He'd been watching Pam for some time. He needed Pam to crack the case. After overhearing the mayor rant about how he was going to make the caption step down if the case wasn't solved before he left office, F secretly jumped on it. Pam would be the key witness. When they made it to the hospital, he advised the doctors and nurses that from there on out, only he would have info on Pam. They were told that she was to be pronounced dead. When Pam come to, she was placed under arrest by F and told that she had to work with them or it was possible she would be on death row for conspiracy.

   
That was over two years ago and it didn't seem like they were one step closer to it being over. Pam heard the door unlock, and she ran toward the back and fell down.

"Man
, I ain't trying to dodge you. Jazz just got out. I need her to make this shit happen."

It was Calvin.

Pam was scared out of her mind. She jumped up from the floor and ran to the first room on the right. It used to be a guest room, but it was changed into an office. She sprinted and hid under the desk. She could still hear Calvin talking on the phone. His voice got closer.
Oh, shit.
He was in there with her.

"I made the nigga Ken sign that night. Now
, I gotta get Jazz to sign. Once she does the shit, it’s all mine. Nigga, I got this." Calvin walked around the desk and Pam could see his brown Timbs. She held her breath while praying he didn't catch her. Her stomach balled up in knots and it felt like she had to pass gas. Calvin sat down in the chair that was in front of the desk. His feet were only two inches from where Pam sat. If she could have scooted back she would have, but there was nowhere for here to scoot. “I hear you, my nigga. I gotta find that nigga G. I can’t wait to murk that nigga. This shit ain’t even got nothing to do with Pam anymore. Naw, I’m way pass that.”  The guy on the other line asked how he was going to handle Wack since he was the snake that made the deal go sour. “I am going to find him and kill him. What you think? The nigga just didn’t try to set me up, but he brought my daughter into this shit. Jazz could be dead and not just paralyzed. That was some grimy shit.” The caller told him that if he needed him to call, and he would be down. He then went back asking about the building. “Like I told you, Jazz just got out of the hospital today. I ain’t about to just ask her to sign it. I got to come up with something. It’s going to get done, even if I gotta kill Ken and force her. Her ass stubborn like me, it ain’t going to be easy. Now, bye, nigga. I’m trying to find something.” Calvin was cool with dealing with dude when it came to snatching the building from under Ken’s and Jazz nose and selling it. But, what he wasn’t about to do was let him know about the safe that he’d been trying to crack open. Calvin tried everything to get into it, but he couldn’t. He was back at the house trying to find a key a code or something. “I’ll talk to you later. I gotta hurry up and do what I gotta do, go see Jazz, and then meet that bitch Dena.” Calvin hung up the phone.

Pam was flabbergasted
. She didn’t quite know exactly what it was that Calvin had done, but she knew what he did was dirty and that he’d done some shady shit involving her daughter and lover. Pam covered her mouth. She was literally shaking under the desk. She watched Calvin as he stood up from the chair.

“Now
, Ken, where the fuck is that key, nigga?” Calvin tore up the office. Pam tried her hardest not to make any noise while sobbing, but she wasn’t successful. The sniffles managed to escape and Calvin paused. “What the fuck was that?”

Pam could tell that all movement stop. She took her other hand and placed it over the hand that already cover
ed her mouth.  He was right by the desk. Pam closed her eyes and thought about what she would do if he snatched her up from under the desk. Her eyes popped opened when she heard loud banging at the door. She saw Calvin run over to the window.

“The police, what the fuck?” He moved swiftly from the window. She heard him open up what she believed was a drawer and shut it. 

God, please, don’t let me get caught. Please, let them be after Calvin
.

“I’m open
ing the door, don’t kick it down,” she heard Calvin say. A few seconds later, she heard a lot of commotion.

“Where the fuck is she?”

OMG, it’s F

“Where is who?”
she heard Calvin say.

“Muthafucka
, I know you know where she’s at. Why else are you here?” 

“I don’t know what you are talking about get these cuffs off me.”

“Fuck you, asshole. You’re going down and that bitch.” Calvin had no idea what he was talking about and F wasn’t for sure if Pam revealed herself to him, so he didn’t want to speak up on it. “Find her, find her now,” F ordered his crooked buddies from the force. 

I’m caught
, Pam thought when she heard two officers talking amongst themselves as they entered the room.

~
Pastor
G
~

The sun was just setting when
Big Man and Pastor G pulled up to Mrs. Lewis house. No car was parked in the driveway, so they assumed Mrs. Lewis was still gone.  Big Man pulled into the driveway. Pastor G had his gun in his waist and Big Man’s was in his hand. They exited the vehicle. Big Man stood by the door car facing the street as he watched for anyone that would pull up and be a problem. Pastor G was at the door. He knocked a few times, but there wasn’t an answer. He forgot to get Jazz’s number. He called her name, but she didn’t answer. Pastor G pulled his gun from his waist.

“I’m going in,” he called out to
Big Man. Big Man then stood sideways so he could watch the street and at the same time, watch G. Pastor G used his foot to attempt to kick down Mrs. Lewis’ door. By the fourth kick, he was successful. Before entering the house, he aimed his gun inside ready to shoot. “Jazz, Jazz, it’s me, Pastor Gary,” he announced.

“I’m in here. I can’t get up.” It sounded like she was crying. Pastor G ran through the living room. “I’m in here on the floor.” Jazz tried getting in her chair and fell down. Pastor G made it to the room. He put his gun back in his waist and rushed over to pick
her up.

“I got you
, babe.” He lifted her from the ground and made his way back out of the door. There was a car pulling up in the driveway. Pastor G watched as Big Man walked toward the vehicle. The nigga then aimed his gun toward the front window.
This nigga is loco
, G thought. Pastor G knew that the person driving the wagon was Mrs. Lewis. It wasn’t quite dark yet, so Big Man had to know that it was an old lady driving. He just didn’t give a fuck.

“Back the fuck back
,” Big Man demanded.  G thought he’d better put Jazz in the car. No telling what the hell was going to happen next.

“We will have to get you another wheelchair
, sweetie. We need to go ASAP,” he told her. Jazz wrapped her arms around his neck as he struggled a little to open the back passenger door. He placed Jazz in as quickly and gently as he could. He looked back toward Big Man. What
the fuck?
He thought when he saw Big Man pulling Mrs. Lewis out the car, and then pushing her with so much force that she landed in the grass.

“Please
, don’t kill me!” she screamed.

“Say one more word and I will shoot your ass.”
Big Man didn’t give a fuck. He had been ready for whatever ever since his cousin was setup by Peter, framed for a murder he didn’t commit, and his girl being shot. Niggas was about to see how niggas from the dirty south moved and it damn sure wouldn’t be in silence.

Mrs. Lewis covered her face. Pastor G thought he’d better jump in the car. He didn’t know what it was that
Big Man was doing, but he had to save Jazz. Big Man jumped in Mrs. Lewis’ wagon and pulled out the driveway, stopping in the middle of the street. By the time Pastor G pulled to the end of the driveway, Big Man had jumped out of the car, and ran over to hop in the truck with G and Jazz. They burnt rubber away from the location.