Page 8 of Dreaux: The Corporate Assassin

“Dad died in a drunken crash.” I stood and eyed her, stuffing my hands in my slacks. “Was it the guilt of his brother being killed that consumed him? Maybe. Or… maybe the guilt of preying on kids and adolescents was too much on him.” I could hear my grandmother cover her mouth and gasp. “I loved Dad too but let us not pretend he was a good man.”

Whap!

Slapping me with all of her might, she eyed me with so much hate. Slowly turning my head and dragging my eyes back to her, I took a gradual step in her direction. I could hear a chair behind me scrub against the floor as it was pushed back from the table, but I never took my eyes off her.

“You better watch your fuckin’ mouth, boy!” she shouted as tears flooded her eyes. “You helped them kill my husband, and now you want to sit here and lie on his name! You’d better hope I never find out what happened to him because I’m going to make you all pay! I’m going to see to it that each and every one of you go down for this! You better hope I don’t kill you myself!”

“Is that right?” I chuckled menacingly. I took another step toward her and this time, she did the right thing by retreating. “You think you have it all figured out? I’ll humor you, Mama. Let’s say this saidmafiaexists. Do you think they take threats lightly? If theyhypotheticallykilled someone in their organization for betraying them, what do you think they would do to someone like you? Someone who means nothing to them? Not only that, but this isn’t the old days. They have killers who don’t give a damn about harming women and children. They won’t wait until you sleep and creep into your home like a thief in the night.” I smirked at the tears that flowed down her face. “You think they care about your tears? No… they will kill you in broad daylight and lick those tears as they slice your neck from ear to ear.”

“Okay, Andre… that’s enough.” My grandfather grabbed my wrist and pulled me back from my mother. I hadn’t realized that I was now directly in front of her. “She gets it, son.”

“Do you, Mama?” I pulled from him and angled my head as I eyed her. “Do you understand that your idle threats can cause you a world of pain simply because you want to speak on things and threaten people that wouldn’t give a damn if you were related to them? Are you sure that’s the game you want to play? You really want to summon the Grim Reaper?”

She sobbed quietly, and I took the time to examine my mother. Mattie was someone I couldn’t recognize. I never wanted to threaten her or, even worse, kill her, but she needed to let sleeping dogs lie. In my father’s case, a dead one.

My grandmother walked over and touched my cheek. “That’s enough, baby. She gets it.”

“Get what?” I blinked a few times and peered down at the eyes of my worried granny. I smiled at her sweetly. “Everything I mentioned was hypothetical.”

Bending, I kissed her cheek before turning to my grandfather. He said nothing as he pulled me into a hug and kissed my temple. “I love you, son.”

Saying nothing, I gave my mother one last once over and accepted the hatred she displayed for me. No longer wanting to be in her presence, I gathered my things and left. Unbuttoning my dress shirt, I felt as if I was suffocating. I panted heavily as I sank into the driver’s seat of my whip and gripped the steering wheel. Taking a life is easy for me, but never have I been this close to taking my mother’s. Once my breathing was paced, I started my car and called up the only person I needed to talk to. After a few rings, the call connected.

“What’s up, man? How was church?”

“Zoo…” I ignored his question, looking through my windshield so I could pull away. “We have a problem. However you want to handle it, I accept it.”

This was the last call I wanted to make, but the choice wasn’t mine. At the end of the day, it was my sworn duty as the Boss’s right hand to report all matters that could be detrimental to the organization. The noise in his background faded, and I knew I had his full attention, so I continued, “There’s a potential threat I need to tell you about.”

“Who?” he asked. I could hear the curiosity in his voice. “Let me know who’s getting this work.”

“My mother.”

“Hi,Mommy! I miss you! When are you coming home?”

Smiling into the camera, I looked into the sad eyes of my six-year-old daughter, Briley. She was the apple of my eye and the reason why I got up for work most days. I could not wait to have her back in my arms.

“Soon, baby.” My smile faltered when she poked out her bottom lip. “Hey, my girl… don’t do that.” I could feel my sadness rise as I pleaded with her. “You’re going to make mommy cry, and I thought we were both big girls here.”

“I am a big girl.” She sat up straighter at the table, causing my mother and I to chuckle. “I just miss you, is all. Nana June is the only one that plays dress up with me because Papa Joe said he’s not putting on a dress.” She frowned for a minute and appeared to go into deep thought as she tapped her chin. “But he wears a gown every day?—”

“It’s a robe, little girl,” my dad cut her off. I could hear the disdain in his voice as he entered the kitchen and the conversation. I assumed he didn’t have any judicial duties today because he was dressed down in a Champion sweatsuit. “I was going to ask you if you wanted to take your bike to the park today, but since you want to gossip about me to your mother?—”

“Nooo!” she squealed and giggled as she wiggled out of the chair. “I love you, Mommy! Me and Papa Joe are going outside!”

Watching her grab my father’s hand and drag him from the kitchen, I called out to her and told her I would call her before bed. I was so thankful for my parents because being a single mom in a demanding career field wasn’t easy. Often, I wonder if the job is worth missing the quality time with my child, and I’m starting to consider that it’s not.

“Those two are going to drive me up a wall.” My mother giggled as her face came into the camera. “You look tired, baby. Is it anything you want to talk about?”

June Atkins has been more than just my mother in the almost thirty years of my life. She’s also my best friend and truest fan. She’s supported me through every endeavor, and although one would think that is the normal reaction of a mother, I’ve seen girls and women who have not been so blessed in the “mom” department.

Settling back against the headboard, I sighed heavily as I propped my phone to the side of me. I could feel tears blur my vision before I even opened my mouth. “Am I a bad mother? Her father is barely present in her life, and I’m always working. Yes, she has the love of you and Dad, but she needs that from her parents too. I think when I come home, I’m going to stay for a while. Briley deserves stability, and I think it’s time for me to have the same.”

Having a job that moves you from state to state at any given time isn’t ideal when you're the sole guardian of your child. When I was growing up, my parents always made time for me, and I never knew what it felt like to not see them every day. That daily interaction fostered the strong relationship we have today. I never doubted my parents’ love for me, and I couldn’t help but to compare my childhood to the one I was creating for Briley.

My father was a federal judge, and no matter how stressful his job was, he made sure that our house never felt the effects. He was not only an amazing father but also an amazing husband. Watching him love my mother over the years has made me want the same kind of love from a man. Unfortunately, I had already messed that up between my career and poor decisions with me. I wanted the same experience for my child, so I felt I was failing Briley.

“I tell you all the time that you’re a wonderful mother, and I mean that.” My mother gazed at me lovingly as she sipped her morning tea. “As a parent, you have to make sacrifices when it comes to home life and your career. Being a single mother isn’t easy, and you have a village behind you that will support you every step of the way. Yes, I know you want to be home more with your child, but the sacrifices you’re making now ensure that she has a brighter tomorrow. Never feel like you’re a bad mother because you’re not even in that ballpark, love.” She gave me a stern look, and I nodded knowingly. “Now… if you want to come back home and settle down with a nice man, I’m here for it. When was the last time you’ve been in the company of a man that wasn’t for work? I know you’re backed up.”

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