Page 12 of Cove City: Vol. I

I moved closer to her. “Let’s go inside. Let’s talk about it.”

Her eyes softened as tears welled in them. It wasn’t often she cried, but when she did, it ate away at me. No matter how aggressive I wanted to be, I knew I couldn’t. There were layers to Sasha, and I was learning to handle each as they were being peeled back. She opened the door as we walked into the dark room. She didn’t bother to turn on the light as she walked into the living room. The small grace of light reflected from the open window. She plopped down, “I just want to be happy,” she mumbled.

“I’m trying to do that. I want to give you all the happiness, but I cannot do that when I got fuck niggas shooting at me. So, tell me what your relationship was like. It’s clear there is a bond there now, what is it?”

Her eyes rose to me. Tears slowly trickled down her face. “I-he-we,” she paused as she wiped her tears.

I squatted in front of her, “Freckles, listen to me. I cannot help or be there for you if I don’t know what the fuck is going on. I’m trying to be understanding, I am.”

“I know. Zeus, there’s a lot about me that you don’t know. Pierre was there for me during a dark time. He and I were like best friends at one point. Then things moved to the next level. He knew everything I’ve been through with my mother and those men.”

My head flew back. “What men?”

“I was raped,” she muttered.

A nigga’s heart dropped. Although it happened before I met her, I wish I could go back in time and kill them all. I reached out and stroked each tear away.

“Pierre made me feel protected. So, I gave my body to him. Shit was cool until I found out I was pregnant.”

I immediately became angry again. The nigga put a baby in her. That was for me to do. With Sasha, I wanted to be her firstat everything. I swallowed my pride to allow her to finish. “Ok,” I mumbled.

“I was happy and so was he, then halfway through the pregnancy, I-I-I lost my baby and shit hasn’t been right since.” She broke down.

The fire that rose in me was a treacherous one. There was so much more I wanted to ask, but I held off. I picked her up in my arms, carrying her toward the back. “I want you to know. I don’t want him, Zeus, I swear. I do love you,” she whispered.

“I know, baby,” I replied.

I heard her talking, but in my mind, that baby bond hit different. It was clear that was something she wanted and something that nigga Pierre couldn’t turn loose. A nigga felt sick because, although she says she wants me, the question sat in the back of my mind: did their bond outweigh her and my relationship?

When Best returned to the table, a bit of shame filled her face. She sat as she glanced at me with a weak smile. “I-I’m sorry. Dinner will be cut short tonight. I can pack you a plate if you like.”

I sat there in confusion as I glanced behind me, waiting for Pierre to return. When I heard the door close, I realized he wasn’t coming back. My eyes landed back on Best and Paige. As much as I wanted to pry, I had a story that needed to be written, and his ass wasn’t getting away without some information. I snatched up my purse. “Best, I will see you at work tomorrow. The dinner was beautifully displayed,” I said as I went to exit the dining room.

“He seems hard, but he’s a sweet man,” I heard Paige say.

I moved quickly to get out the door. By the time I got outside, he had pulled off. I jumped in my car and took off. I was only a few cars behind as he rode through the city. My phone vibrated with a call from my mother. Reluctantly, I answered. “Hey, Ma,” I called out.

“Girl, where the hell did you go? You’ve been gone for hours, and I need my damn medicine.”

I briefly closed my eyes and opened them slowly. “I-I know. I had to leave for a few days. I will call someone to go grab them for you.”

“A few days!” she yelled.

I knew my mom depended on me, so I had been searching for a job. I went back to Florida after graduation because my mom was sick. She had no one to care for her, so I became hercaregiver. I loved my mother, but it was smothering me. Not having any type of life was draining me. Hell, the only piece of freedom I had was TSU, and even then, it was slim. I had to keep up because I was on a scholarship. My father was around, but he had remarried and couldn’t care less what my mother had going on. With me, because I didn’t have a job, he wouldn’t give me money like that. He believed in no work, no pay. So yes, I ran, fast.

“Tuesday, when are you coming back?” she asked.

“Soon,” I replied.

By this time, Pierre had driven into a dark and cold area. When he parked and got out, I tried rushing my mother off the phone to avoid losing him. I sighed loudly. I needed this whole Cove City Press thing to work, not only for my mother's sake but also for my own.

The sound of her dry cough filled the phone. “Well, ok. I guess I can see if Felicia can go for me. You know I was watching my show and let me tell you—”

“Ma, I’ve got to go. I will call you later. I love you. Bye.” I finished and hung up.

I parked my car, grabbed my tape recorder and phone, and got out. I slightly jog up the street to a crowd of people. Bikers zipped up and down the streets. Are they racing?

Snap! Snap!

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