Page 42 of Certified Pressure 3
“It’s okay, baby,” I said, trying to keep it together even though I was shaking. “Ain’t nothing gon’ happen to you, okay? Just stay right there.”
“Ma’am, step away from the child,” one of the officers said behind me.
“Don’t touch her!” I snapped, spinning around.
He reached out and grabbed my arm, and I jerked back so hard the chair scraped across the floor. “Get the fuck off me!” I yelled. “Don’t touch me, I’m pregnant!”
“Ma’am, calm down,” the officer warned. “If you don’t comply, we’ll have to use force.”
“Y’all are already using force! I didn’t kidnap nobody! That’s my fuckin’ sister!”
But they weren’t listening. The taller one grabbed my wrist again, twisting it behind my back, and before I could even blink, I felt the cold metal of handcuffs click around my wrists.
The sound made Zurie scream. “Pluto! Pluto! What are they doing to you?”
I turned my head toward her, trying to breathe through the panic. “It’s okay, Zurie. Don’t cry, okay?”
She slid off the chair, tears streaming down her face as she ran toward me, but the second officer caught her before she could reach me. “It’s okay, sweetheart. You’re coming with us,” he said, trying to sound gentle, while making me feel like a fucking criminal.
“Don’t touch her!” I yelled, thrashing against the cuffs. “She don’t even know y’all! Let her go!”
My voice cracked, and hot tears rolled down my face. I couldn’t stop crying, or shaking. None of this shit made sense. All I could think about was how my mama hadn’t called in weeks. How she’d never even taken Zurie to a doctor’s appointment, never bought her medicine and never sat up through the night when she had one of her episodes.
And now she wanted to take her back?
The realization hit me hard. The only person I told about trying to get custody of Zurie was my cousin—my stupid cousinwho couldn’t keep her mouth shut if her life depended on it. I should’ve known she’d go run her mouth to my mama. I mean, that’s the only person I told in my family besides my aunt and uncle.
The officer started pulling me toward the door, and I stumbled, crying harder. “Please,” I begged, “just let me call somebody. Let me explain what’s going on. Please don’t take her. Please don’t take my sister.”
But they didn’t even look at me.
By the time we reached the front door, Uncle Lionel rushed inside, his face full of confusion. “What the hell is going on?” he yelled.
I looked at him, crying so hard I could barely speak. “They said I kidnapped Zurie!They’re taking me to jail!”
“What?” he shouted, looking between me and the officers. “That’s insane! Kidnapped who? This girl’s been living here for weeks! Her parents ain’t done a damn thing for her!”
The officer sighed. “Sir, I understand, but we have a warrant. We’re just doing our job.”
“This ain’t no job, this is a mistake!” Lionel barked. “Ain’t nobody kidnapped nobody!”
I looked at him helplessly. “Uncle, please, my phone’s on the counter. Can you grab it for me? I need to make a call.”
He nodded quickly and grabbed it, fumbling as he tried to unlock it before handing it to one of the cops. “Can she at least make one call before y’all take her?” he asked, his voice breaking.
The officer hesitated, then shook his head. “At the station, sir. She can call before she’s booked.”
Uncle Lionel looked at me. “I’ll try to come up with some money to get you out. Just give me a minute.”
But I could barely hear him over Zurie’s crying. She was screaming now, trying to break free from the officer holding her. “Pluto! I don’t wanna go! I don’t wanna go!”
“I know, I know,” I cried, my voice hoarse. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
They pulled me outside, and the sunlight hit my face like a slap. Neighbors were peeking out their windows, probably wondering what I’d done. I wanted to yell out that I wasn’t a criminal, and how I was just trying to keep my sister safe, but the words wouldn’t come out.
When they opened the back door of the police car, I turned my head and saw another patrol car parked behind it. She kept trying to reach for me, but the officer was holding her hand, guiding her away.
“Pluto!” she screamed again, her voice breaking.
