Page 108 of Until the Ink Dries

“I don’t want to shoot you. I don’t want to hurt you at all, but you have to stop this. If you do nothing else for our child, spare me having to kill you and then explain that to her. I’m begging you, Tierra.”

She stared at me, so much confusion and hurt in her eyes. Maybe she was finally getting it. Police sirens became clearer the closer they got. Tierra glanced every which way, looking for a way out.

I stepped closer to her. “It’s over. Just go with the police and we can end this.”

Tierra shook her head as she side-stepped me. “No. Please, just let me go. You let me go before. I promise, I’ll leave town and I won’t brother you again. Honest.”

I shook my head. “I can’t do that.”

Willow stepped from behind the counter and moved over to stand in front of the hall that led to the back exit. I knew the moment Tierra realized that was her only way out. The amount of hate she had for Willow could have been bottled and more would be left. You could see it clearly in the way she looked at her.

The shit happened so fast; she ran full speed at Willow. By the time she made it to her, Willow cocked back her fist and hit her between her eyes. The momentum caused Tierra to come up off her feet and fall. Before she could stand up, the police rushed into the shop, reaching down to grab her.

“I fucking hate you! I hate you!” she shouted over and over as one deputy cuffed her, then took her out of the shop.

Wes walked inside with wide eyes. “Are y’all okay?” he asked.

I turned to face Willow, taking her hand into mine so I could check her knuckles. They were a little red, but fine. The moment I released her hands, she wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged me. I knew she felt that moment deep down in her chest. Shit, I did.

We held each other for a while, we both needed it.

* * *

ONE WEEK LATER…

I just left my lawyer’s office, and I never knew an envelope could be so heavy. Not literally, but figuratively. After everything that had taken place with Tierra, I had to take the one step I dreaded. I always wished she would get her shit together, always had this idea that one day, she would open her eyes and realize she could be better. But that day never came. If I was truly honest with myself, if Willow hadn’t come around, maybe I would have stayed in this cycle forever.

I wanted Charlie to have what I did, two parents who loved her without a need to question it. But that wasn’t the case with Tierra. So, it was only right that she signed over her rights. I couldn’t have her getting out of jail and deciding that she wanted to take her from me out of spite. Not when she truly didn’t give a damn about her. I hated to say it like that, but it was true.

I pulled up to Rose Haven’s Detention Center; it was all brick with no sunshine. I could see how people lost every piece of themselves here or got a reset on life. I hoped for the latter with Tierra, but just not with my baby involved.

I parked and sat for a moment to collect my thoughts. Once I was certain I could handle this, I grabbed the manilla folder and made my way to the entrance. One of the guys I used to kick it with in high school worked here. He granted me access to have a face to face visit with Tierra. This was one of the positives of small town living.

Once I followed all the procedures necessary to enter the building, Delaney walked over and gave me a nod to follow him. Normally, whenever we saw each other, we had more to say. But this place didn’t feel like the outside world. It was sterile and cold. The hallway smelled like metal and cleaning fluid. Every step I took echoed just a little too loud off the cement walls.

“This way,” Delaney muttered, unlocking the last door.

The visitation room was plain—concrete floors, gray walls, one metal table bolted to the ground with two chairs on either side. Another officer stood near the back wall, arms crossed, eyes tracking everything.

I sat down and placed the envelope on the table in front of me.

Two minutes later, the door on the other side clicked open, and Tierra walked in.

Her hands were free, but the way she moved looked like she was still carrying weight. Her hair was pulled back into a tight, frizzy bun. No makeup. Eyes clearer than I’d seen them in months. Still tired, though. Still hollow.

She sat across from me without a word, just staring at the envelope.

“They treatin’ you alright?” I asked.

She shrugged. “It’s jail. Not a damn spa.”

I nodded once, then cut straight to it.

“I think it’s time to end this and to cut our ties.” I told her.

I lifted the envelope and pulled the contents out. She shifted in her seat and glanced around the room before looking back at me.

“What’s that?” she asked.

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