Hoodwinked Page 3

  I didn’t feel like one. Not especially after losing my mind briefly.

  I needed to call Delilah. The real Delilah.

  The toilet flushed as I stepped aside to the only sink available in the room as the locks clasped and banged open. The woman walked out, smiling. Adjusting her wig, pushing her glasses up before she went straight for the door to walk out. Inviting in the noise of the beeping registers, and sound of carts rolling against the floor before the door closed shut.

  Slowly nodding, I stared back at my reflection before throwing a random fist. Swinging like a boxer.

  “Stop!” I huffed, swinging again. “Being,” attempting a high kick. “A punk Pia!” One karate chop in the air and I almost fell back against the wall, nearly snapping my boot heel in half. Coughing, I tried to readjust myself, and gain some order. “You are a beautiful woman raising an amazing two-year-old kid...As bad as she is, she’s a blessing for a lifetime...You are one bad Mama,” I nodded coolly, smiling at my reflection. “You are a mother of one...Educated...Soon to be wife because he’s going to propose...Dre will propose...You’re in love, he’s in love...He’s the man only God could have specifically for me. Stop feeling guilty because of one bad experience….One man who means nothing to you.”

  But everything to your daughter….

  Looking into my eyes, I could see the hint of hesitation and fear at the thought of my boyfriend leaving me once he finds out the truth about Violet’s father. I wasn’t ready for it. Shaking my head, I tried to hold my chin up high.

  “But that won’t happen Pia, and you know why?” Rolling my neck in the midst of my pep talk. “You know why, because you got some….some good, you know what,” patting between my legs before twirling in a circle. Rolling my hips in place. “And he would be a fool to leave this.” Raising my hands above my head, I watched my thick body move. “I mean, allllll of thissss….”

  The door opened again as an elderly black woman shuffled her way inside with her cane. Silver hairs growing back as her edges retracted. I quickly dropped my hands down at my side, clearing my throat. She nodded her head in return at me in greeting as she tipped, and tapped into the last stall. The handicapped one of course.

  “It’s so nice outside, pretty girl like you should be out there enjoying the weather while we got it,” she said, locking the doors.

  “I know ma’am,” I laughed, fixing my hair again before reaching in my purse for my lipgloss. “I’m on my way. My daughter and I are going to see a movie tonight...She’s with her uncles now waiting in line. I’m supposed to be buying the snacks.”

  “How nice,” she cooed, still hearing her shuffle and tiptoe to the toilet. “Don’t even look like you old enough to have a baby, still got a baby face yourself.”

  “That’s what my Grandma tells me,” I smiled. “My daughter is two. Just turned two.”

  “I bet she’s as gorgeous as her Mama, probably looks just like ya.”

  I stared at the mirror wondering where this woman came from with the sudden 21 questions.

  “Is she a Mama’s girl or Daddy’s girl?” She pressed. I slowly put the lipgloss down, and stared at the stall.

  “She’s um...I think she’s becoming a Daddy’s girl,” thinking about her with my boyfriend. “She’s protective over me, but as soon as she sees him, she’s running straight for his arms to be held for hours if she could. That’s her heart…”

  “Ahhh,” she cooed with a small laugh.

  Why isn’t this lady peeing yet? Slowly, I took a few steps back to peek at her stall in the back corner. Looking for her feet to see they were facing the door. Like she was just standing in front of the door…When she didn’t speak, I waited a few seconds until I saw her drooping eye cut through the crack of the stall peeking at me. I immediately walked back to the sink to cut the water on.

  I cleared my throat.

  “You make sure you keep a hold of that bond,” she went on. “A bond between a little girl, and her father is the most important connection life has to offer. The first man she’ll ever fall in love with...first example of how a man will treat her, and she will always look to him for protection...You hold on tight to that daughter-daddy bond of yours...Never let it go.”

  My eyes began peering at my reflection, squinting with suspicion before clearing my throat.

  “I hear ya.”

  “Glad you ain’t like these young girls out here running around having babies with boys that aren’t ready to be a father. Poor baby ends up with children for parents...still trying to grow up themselves.”

  “Uhh huh,” I muttered, grabbing a paper towel. As if the strange eerie conversation wasn’t a sign for me to leave, the trumpet blowing gas from her stall was enough to make me reach for the door with a quickness.

  …

  “Find everything okay ma’am?” The cashier asked as I watched her scan candy after candy with guilt before nodding. “Total is 15.01.”

  My phone began to ring as I checked out with my credit card. Bagging the items myself since I didn’t need assistance.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey baby,” Dre answered as my heart thumped in reassurance. “Your mom told me you were out at the movies with your brother. Actually didn’t believe it at first.”

  “Shocking right?” I laughed. “I thought it would be good for Violet to spend time with her uncles.”

  And for me to ignore my guilty conscious by focusing on my family, pushing Violet further onto my side of the family.

  “You know, to bond with her.”

  “I’m finally glad you’re doing it. Always talked about it. I signed V up for her swimming lessons next week.”

  “Dre,” I groaned, stepping out into the cobblestone walkway of Atlantic Station. Nothing but shops, restaurants, couples, and young teens thinking this was the spot to be at in Atlanta when you were cool. “I don’t think she’s ready for it.”

  “She is, I’m going to be there with her every step of the way. I promise. She has to learn early. I was taught at her age so I want her to know. I know I’m not her father by blood, but she’s become mine by heart, and I want her to share the same experiences I had growing up.”

  I felt the guilt and anxiety creep back up into my face and stomach. Like the universe was reminding me of my lie. Biggest lie I’ve told.

  “Anyway, go ahead and watch the movie. I’ll be out with the guys tonight. Should be back in Atlanta by tomorrow afternoon. Love you baby.”

  “Love you too,” I said as he hung up.

  Push it out of your mind Pia, and enjoy yourself. Get it together woman! No matter what happens, you have your daughter, and that’s all that matters. So get it together! I inhaled and exhaled before walking forward. Ignoring the stares from men watching me walk by as I came up on the long line of the theatre. I became so used to it now, that I barely noticed or smiled at the attention. Dre was amazing in never letting it faze him since he knew my attention lies with him as his did with me. He took it as a compliment really.

  Seeing my brothers standing in line with Violet in Piru’s arms, I sighed in relief. Calming down. Both were a pain in the ass, but they were good to my baby. One was a total badass in the eyes of the ladies. Tattoo artist with too much hair to spare and the other was a corporate hoe. Pretty boy nerd with the nastiest mouth known to mankind, and the biggest male whore. Treated Violet better than they did me at least, and as her eyes locked in with me, I smiled.

  Everything I did, the lie I told about her father to everyone was for her protection. For my protection. He wanted nothing to do with me being pregnant, and I had to remind myself of that. For our protection…

  “Oooo my God!” I whooped, pushing heavy thoughts aside as I came up on my brothers in the long wavy line. “I finally have the drinks, and snacks,” handing the treats to Percy’s empty hands. “It was such a long line in Publix, you wouldn’t believe----.”

  “Nobody cares Pia,” Percy cut in sarcastically as I reached out for my smiling child. So cute w
ith her violet bows in her hair.

  “Mama’s here, you ready to see this movie with me?” I cooed, grabbing her from Piru. “Has the line moved since?”

  “Hardly,” Piru yawned tiredly. “Don’t know why you or Mother made me come out here for this----.”

  “I had plans of my own,” Percy stated in an uppity manner.

  “Let me guess? To talk to your online lover in that gay chatroom of yours?” Piru cracked. Percy pushed his glasses up, ignoring the jab.

  “But apparently,” he continued. “My wife threatened me if I didn’t show up tonight with you---.”

  “That’s why I like Frannie,” I smiled, just as an abrupt angry woman’s voice shouted out the name I never wanted to hear. A name I did everything I could on this night to avoid hearing! The name that changed my life.

  “Homer?! Homer?!”

  My eyes grew wide, body stuck at the frustration of her tone. Refusing to turn around at first. My heart was beating so hard, I thought I was going to pass out. This is it. This is the moment I’ve been dreading. Sweat began to form little droplets on my forehead as I slowly turned around, gripping my daughter so tight, I thought surely, she would cry out in pain as I stared at her identical face in the line ahead of my brothers.

  Homer Skye…

  He stood in front of a short light-skinned woman. Towering over her really. Dark as oil, as his daughter with white round eyes, wide as saucers. Low hair cut, small chain around his neck, and still had the nerve to dress like something out of the 90s with his muscular hunky build. He was more massive than I remembered. Square face, wide nose, and brown lips drying as he stuttered my name.

  “Pia?” He questioned, looking me over. Scanning my body as if it couldn’t be me before stating it with assurance. “Pia Milton?”

  Everything around us grew quiet, like my ears went numb. From the walking of others, distant conversations to the sound of cars driving over the bridge...You could hear a pin drop the way all six of us stared at each other. Violet looked from Homer to me, then back to Homer. Smiling bashfully before turning back to me.

  “Mommy who’s that? Who’s that man?” She pointed directly at him. Oh now! She wants to speak clear sentences. Any other freaking time, it was baby talk. Homer nearly shoved his girlfriend aside, eyes straining red by the second as he stared at his...daughter. Like I could see the tiny blood vessels cracking his eyes with rage.

  Jesus please be a fence, a shield, a safety net, a boxing glove, a gun, a life jacket...A shelter...Be in front of me to protect me Jesus. Lord don’t let this man….

  “What the hell?” Piru let out, eyes wide at the realization. Looking from Violet to him. “Pia, what the fuck is going on?”

  Homer nearly snatched the red rope down to the ground, breaking the ticket line to walk up on me as I slowly backed up. Putting Violet down, and keeping her behind me.

  “Listen,” I started, hand out as my eyes darted nervously to my brothers for help. “Homer, listen...You said you didn’t want a---. You hung up on me...Left me in that hotel room----.”

  “Is she mine?”

  “Homer---.”

  “Is this my daughter?” He asked, voice trembling as he looked at Violet. “She’s mine...She looks just...I knew something wasn’t right when I looked at her….You had a baby, and didn’t….”

  He struggled to put his sentences together while I scrambled to gather my defenses.

  “You told me you didn’t want anything to do with me, even if I turned up pregn----.”

  “I DON’T GIVE A FUCK!” He screamed as Piru shook his head, already coming to step between the two of us.

  “Nah, not going down like this. Not here,” Piru laughed coolly, anger slowly building up as I kept behind him with tears in my eyes. Mirroring the tears building up in Homer’s eyes as he stared at Violet. Realizing just how big of a mistake I made. His life has officially changed. Became a father in a matter of seconds. Homer suddenly turned, gripping his head to keep from screaming out as onlookers stopped to watch the scene.

  “Do whatever it is you gotta do,” Piru said calmly with no emotion. “Cry, scream, whatever. Got to be fucked up knowing you have a two-year-old, but I wish you fucking would run up on her or my niece nigga----.”

  “AAAAAAAGHHHHHH!” Homer screamed, before turning back to look at Violet who was beyond terrified. “A DAUGHTER?! I HAVE A DAUGHTER?!”

  I looked over at his girlfriend seeing her mouth was covered with tears already pouring while staring at me like I just ruined her life. Placing all emotion and guilt on me. I felt it. I felt all of it.

  “This whole ti---,” Homer paced quickly. “This whole ti---.”

  His voice began to crack trying to hold back his own emotions as I tried to speak up.

  “Homer, you made it clear that morning! You made it clear you never wanted to hear from me again! Never wanted to see me, and didn’t care if it was a chance I was pregnant!” I argued. “You set that up! Not me! You told me to figure it out if I turn up pregnant! Exact words! You got money, do what you gotta do Pia! That’s what you said!”

  “So he’s a bum nigga on top of that?” Piru asked, shaking his head. Adding fuel to the fire.

  “Does she know about me?” He asked, stopping to look at me with everything building up in that stare. I couldn’t even fix my mouth to lie one last time before spilling out.

  “Delilah has been with me this whole time. She knows about her side of the family through Delila----.”

  “DOES SHE KNOW ABOUT ME!? WHO I AM?! I didn’t ask about no fucking Delilah! I asked about me! Did you lie to her the way you lied to me?! FUCKING UP LIVES WITH THIS! THIS SHIT!”

  When I didn’t say anything, he laughed cruelly with a shake of his head and began to pace. Pausing to close his eyes shut like he was trying his hardest to control himself, but Percy having the biggest mouth on the planet, let out carelessly.

  “Well if you’re going to make a move, now is the time. We don’t have all night. Either way, the child doesn’t know you so it doesn’t matter,” he said, pulling up his pants as Homer’s head snapped. Coming straight for him as his girlfriend grabbed his arm in time.

  “IF I KNEW YOU WERE PREGNANT?! LET ALONE KEPT THE BABY?! DON’T YOU THINK I WOULD HAVE BEEN THERE FOR HER?! YOU DON’T THINK I WANTED TO BE THERE FOR HER?!” He cried out at me before snatching his arm back from his girlfriend. “Move the fuck out the way Nasia---!”

  “Homer I didn’t know you! What you told me is what I went off of. You wanted nothing to do with me or a child----!”

  Homer ran straight up on me as Piru, kept between us. Shoulder to shoulder while he leaned over, barely barking at me. Violet screamed, face burrowing in the back of my leg with her feet stomping like she wanted to get away and pull me with her.

  “I DON’T GIVE A FUCK WHAT I TOLD YOU PIA! YOU GAVE BIRTH TO MY SEED AND DIDN’T SAY SHIT! YOU SAID WHAT IF, OL STUPID FAT BITCH! WHAT IF, YOU WERE PREGNANT! NOT THAT YOU WERE!” He hollered before pointing at Violet in distress. “THAT’S MINE?! SHE’S MINE! LOOKS JUST LIKE ME! ALL ME!” Percy grabbed a crying Violet to carry off while getting on the phone to call our mother. My face dropped, world crashing before my eyes, barely hearing what Piru was saying before suddenly getting knocked down to the ground with Piru’s weight holding me down until Homer attempted to grab at me as I screamed. Cowering underneath Piru who began to fight in my defense. Nasia began to scream as the two went at it while Percy came running, letting Violet go, and coming up on the side of Homer.

  “PERCY?!” The girlfriend screamed before clasping her mouth in complete emotional shock “HOMER?! HOMER?!”

  I looked around, seeing Violet was standing in between a growing crowd of strangers, crying for me.

  “Somebody call the police!” Someone yelled. “Get the police out here!”

  “Piru?! Percy?!” I yelled, stumbling to get to my feet. I could barely get a hold of my balance when I felt a heavy blow to the side of my face. Emotional girlfriend coming physically
for me, distraught.

  “You slept with my man! YOU THINK I’MA LET YOU GET OFF THAT EASY BITCH?!” She screamed. I tried reaching up for her arm that had a death grip on my hair. Pleading with her to stop. I wasn’t trying to fight back, I was trying to get to my daughter! It wasn’t until we both ended up on the ground together that I grew the upper hand, trying to pin her down with my weight that I realized we were surrounded by phones in the air recording. People looking at their screens, inching closer while watching everything go down on video. Screaming and laughing at who to win.

  “I never slept with him!” I screamed at the girlfriend. “I never slept with him while he was with you, and if I did?! He never mentioned he had a girlfriend! We were drunk! It was a one time----!”

  “You think I’m going to believe that?!” She shrieked angrily, face wet, and red with emotions. Laying on the ground in her own distraught state as I saw my brothers being separated by security. Homer being pulled to the other side with a busted lip, and bloody fist. Everyone was still shouting and carrying on with each other, but where is my daughter? I stood up, heart racing. Entire body tingling with adrenaline as I called out to Violet. Crowd circled around us not once looked up from their phones, but I ducked down, looking between legs and feet before spinning about.

  “VIOOOOOLETTT?!” I cried with panic. Looking back at my brothers who were being hauled off, still talking trash towards Homer. “VIOLET IS MISSING PIRU!” I hollered, trying to get the oldest’s attention. VIOLET IS MISSING!”

  I turned back to the crowd in distress.